EVHS students’ final exam includes discussion with dignitaries
Tough political questions took center stage Wednesday as East Valley seniors faced a panel of visiting dignitaries.
For a final exam, the students spoke to the panelists for their first-period East Valley High School American Government class. The panel included former U.S. Rep George Nethercutt and Spokane Valley Mayor Diana Wilhite.
Five to six students took turns reading aloud written comments on constitutional issues ranging from the rights of illegal immigrants to privacy rights under the Patriot Act. They also answered questions about their positions on those issues.
“I’m an advocate of illegal immigrants,” student Courtney VanWinkle told the panel. But when Nethercutt questioned whether it was right for Americans to expect foreigners to take legal means to enter the United States, VanWinkle added more thoughts.
“I believe they should take a U.S. citizenship test.”
“But the questions is, how should they get into this country?” asked another panelist, Lynn Robinson, an attorney and clerk for federal judge Robert Whaley.
To which VanWinkle responded, “I believe 100 percent they should follow a process of getting here, but I’m a fan of immigrants. They have a right to be here. We were all immigrants once.”
Another student, Aaron Johnson, took the opposite view. He said undocumented immigrants take housing and jobs away from U.S. citizens.
“We should close the borders to illegal immigrants, with the only ways to enter being with a work permit or applied citizenship.”
Again the panel challenged with questions. “Should illegal immigrants have any rights?” Nethercutt asked.
“No,” Johnson replied. “Under the Constitution, if they’re not American citizens, they don’t.”
The students seemed less sure how to answer whether illegal immigrants should be allowed hospital care or voting privileges.
However, during the discourse, student Megan Kissinger offered another thought about why some people try any means to enter America. “It’s not set in stone for some people in other countries. They don’t always have the same opportunities that we do in this country.”
Horizon student honored
Brian Moore, a Horizon eighth-grader, was awarded state recognition at Eastern Washington University on May 20.
He was among students recognized through the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth, which offers a process of finding exceptional mathematical and/or verbal reasoning abilities among students in seventh and eighth grades.
Seniors win scholarships
Six high school seniors have received $1,250 college scholarships from the Spokane Valley Kiwanis Club.
The selection was based on school and community service, scholarship, an essay and interview. The Kiwanis group annually provides awards to graduating Valley seniors and continuing college scholarship awards to past high school winners.
This year’s recipients are:
“Brittany Bergam of East Valley maintained a 4.0 grade-point average. Her school activities included National Honor Society, Spanish club, Washington Drug Free Youth, track, dance, Student Oriented Community Service and LINK. Her community service included the Chase Youth Commission, Youth Leadership Spokane, math tutor, Spokane United Way and church vacation Bible school.
“Janna Erickson of University High, earned a 3.92 g.p.a. Her school activities included National Honor Society, Key Club president, Crimson Crew, student body officer and eight varsity letters in track and basketball. Her community service included volunteer work at many Valley Kiwanis projects, church volunteer work, vacation Bible school, Bowl for Kid’s Sake, Santa Express, elementary school classroom volunteer, Hurricane Katrina relief fund and Centennial Trail cleanup.
“Carly Jordan of University, earned a 3.82 g.p.a. Her school activities included student body and senior class officer, student council, drama club president, eight main-stage play performances, key club officer, Valley Kiwanis volunteer, crimson crew, cheerleading captain, debate team, DECA, Future Business Leaders, Spanish club and Gay-Straight Alliance. Community service included Miss Spokane Valley, vacation Bible school, church volunteer work, Camp Spalding counselor, Houses Without Borders, soup kitchen work and elementary school volunteer.
“Samantha Keenan of Central Valley earned a 3.99 g.p.a. School activities included soccer, track, orchestra, National Honor Society and Future Business Leaders. Community activities included elementary classroom volunteer, library volunteer, Adopt-A-Family, Support Our Troops, World Wide Vision, March of Dimes Food Drive and church orchestra.
“Janelle Moore of Central Valley earned a 3.99 g.p.a. Her school activities included ASB class representative, National Honor Society, yearbook editor, Key Club, LINK, senior showcase, prom and homecoming committees and three-year varsity soccer. Her community service included Tom’s Turkey Drive, Second Harvest Food Bank, several Valley Kiwanis projects, Valley Youth Soccer volunteer coach, Q-6 Food Drive, candy cane sale, March of Dimes, Liberty Lake Fourth of July parade volunteer, Special Olympics.
“Angela Pizelo of East Valley earned a 3.92 g.p.a. at EV and Valley Christian. Her school activities included debate, volleyball and Student Oriented Community Service. Her community activities included Teen Advisory Council, nutrition assistant Spokane Farmers’ Market, Sacred Heart Medical Center health fair, Franklin Graham Festival, Child Evangelism Fellowship, Family Foundations International, church mission trip, and Letter Carrier’s Food Drive.