LCHS counselor traveling to Africa
Mark Bullock, a counselor at Lake City High School, is taking unpaid leave next fall to teach in Zimbabwe.
For about five months, Bullock will teach future teachers and counselors at Africa University, a private institution affiliated with the United Methodist Church and located near the city of Mutare.
He has received approval from the Coeur d’Alene School District and is already receiving vaccinations in preparation for the trip.
“It’s part of who I am, giving back to the world,” said Bullock. “It’s the places that we can contribute to that really call to us.”
Bullock will be traveling with his wife, Sharon, who works with students with disabilities at North Idaho College.
Though the country’s literacy rate is 90 percent, one in eight Zimbabweans lives below the poverty line, one in six is unemployed and 1.8 million have HIV or AIDS.
Bullock has visited other African countries – Senegal, Burkina Faso, Mali, Kenya and Egypt – but this will be his first visit to Zimbabwe. Though he acknowledges it’s “not the safest place in the world,” Bullock isn’t worried about his well-being while overseas.
“There’s no doubt in my mind I’ll come back a different person,” Bullock said. “It’s going to give me an even greater appreciation for diversity.”
Murinko PF Rotary’s Student of the Month
Jackie Murinko is Post Falls Rotary Club’s January choice for Student of the Month.
Murinko, a senior at Post Falls High School, has a 3.3 grade-point average and no shortage of extracurricular activities. She is a senior class representative, member of the Troubadors choir group, captain of the varsity volleyball team, shot put and discus thrower for the varsity track team, vice president of the Key Club, member of the National Honor Society and a DARE role model.
The Post Falls native, daughter of Michael and Ellen Murinko, plans to study nursing at Montana State University, then return to her hometown.
Ponderosa students real ‘Caldecott kids’
A handful of students at Ponderosa Elementary School have a unique claim to fame: They have read all 68 books that received the Caldecott Medal.
Challenged by their librarian, Jean Anyan, these students have spent the year perusing the tomes. The American Library Association has awarded the Caldecott to the best illustrated book every year since 1938.
For the first time since the challenge began five years ago, students from third and fourth grade have read all the books. They join a group of fifth-graders in doing that.
“It’s really an accomplishment,” Anyan said. “I’m really proud.”
As a reward, the students receive a certificate and pick between having lunch with Anyan or getting a free book. All but one have chosen the lunch.
The third-grader is Maddie Baker. The fourth-graders are twin sisters Brooke and Megan Sausser. The fifth-graders are: Karen Hunt, Micah Saless, David Nelson, Brooke Litalien, Haley Walker, Bailey Rhoton and Madison Gaylord.
How to keep kids safe on the Internet
Thousands of Idaho children every year receive unwanted sexual material or solicitation on the Internet, according to the Idaho attorney general’s office.
Parents can do a number of things to protect their children. The attorney general has created a video presentation and resource kit, which discuss potential dangers and outline steps parents can take.
To order the video and resource kit, or to view them online, visit: www2.state.id.us/ag/protecteens.