Students do their part for charities
While classrooms and school hallways sat empty over winter break, the students who normally fill them were making a difference elsewhere, even as they sat at home eating Christmas cookies.
Students from virtually every school in the Coeur d’Alene district helped with food and clothing drives and other charitable activities. As outlined by Superintendent Harry Amend in an article posted on the district’s Web site, many needy families and worthy causes got a boost thanks to kids in the district.
Lakes Middle School students and staff delivered clothing and toys to 36 needy families. Each class at Coeur d’Alene High sponsored a needy family, and students and staff collected food donations and helped with the Coats for Kids clothing drive. Lake City students and staff provided food and gifts for 21 families.
Students at Borah Elementary, Skyway Elementary, Canfield Middle School and Project CDA alternative school also collected food. Borah and Project CDA students also sent letters and Christmas cards to soldiers in Iraq.
Some schools helped animals. Students at Dalton Elementary and Bridge Academy held an animal food drive for the Kootenai Humane Society. Each grade level at Hayden Meadows was charged with coming up with an activity to help local families and the humane society. Dalton students also bought more than 1,000 student-made paper chains for a quarter, with the money going to needy families.
Toy drives were also popular. The school district’s main office, Woodland Middle School and Dalton, Bryan and Fernan elementary schools helped bring in toys for Toys for Tots. Students at Fernan also collected about 200 toys for the Starlight Starbright Children’s Foundation.
More money for DARE
Anti-drug education in Kootenai County got a boost from a Rathdrum power company, coming in the form of two checks: $2,500 for the Kootenai County’s Sheriff’s Office and $1,500 for the Coeur d’Alene Police Department.
The money will help fund the law enforcement agencies’ Drug Abuse Resistance Education programs, also known as DARE.
The money was donated by Rathdrum Power LLC, which raised the money during a golf tournament in August.
NIC nursing students excel
North Idaho College’s nursing program has long been hailed as one of the best and, as the saying goes, the proof is in the pudding.
Each of the 76 people who graduated from NIC’s nursing program in the spring passed the national licensing examination, which qualifies them to apply for licensure as a registered nurse or practical nurse in any state.
With class sizes growing each year, this is the first time since 2003 the college has seen 100 percent of its nursing students pass the exam, according to an NIC news release, though pass rates have been in the 90s.
The state’s average pass rate for the exam exceeds the national average. For practical nurses, the state pass rate is 95 percent and the national average is 89 percent. For registered nurses – who study at a higher level than practical nurses – Idaho’s pass rate is 90 percent, compared to the national average of 89 percent.
“The education offered at North Idaho College along with the motivation and perseverance of the students in achieving their goals is what contributes to the end product – licensed nurses,” Lita Burns, NIC health professional and nursing director, said in a news release.
Last-minute deadline
High school students at least 15 years of age with grade-point averages above 3.0 have just four more days to apply for an exchange program to Germany.
ASSE International is looking for “highly motivated” high school students interested in spending the next school year in Germany.
Sponsored by the U.S Department of State and the German government, the program pays for students to live with a host family and attend a German school.
Prior knowledge of the German language is not required – students are given a three-week crash course in the language upon arrival. The program pays for roundtrip international airfare as well as a four-day pre-departure orientation in Washington, D.C, along with trips to Berlin and Weimar.
The application, which includes several short essays, is available at www.USAGermanyScholarship.org. Or call ASSE at (800) 333-3802, ext. 280. Applications must be postmarked by Wednesday.