NC student wins national photographic award

North Central High School student Lauren Morse recently won a national award from the Photographic Society of America.

Morse won the Goldberg Award from the PSA for her picture titled “Light of Knowledge.” That recognizes her work with a first-place award in the architecture photo category, but also as the best overall photograph in the competition. She will receive a monetary award of about $3,000.

“I took photography because I was never very artistic, and I needed to have an art credit to graduate,” said Morse, who will be a senior at NC next year.

Morse said she would like to pursue a career as a physical therapist but will keep photography as her hobby.

Rogers, Garry schools receive grants

Rogers High School and Garry Middle School were the only Spokane Public Schools to receive Enhanced Peer Coaching Program grants from the state through a federal grant aimed at helping teachers use technology in the classroom.

The Enhancing Education Through Technology initiative provides K-12 schools funds to train teachers as peer coaches, who help their colleagues to align standards-based curriculum with teaching strategies by using a variety of learning technologies, said district officials.

In Washington, 140 schools were awarded the grants to help train 187 teachers.

The grant provides 10 days of professional development to those peer coaches, travel, substitute teacher costs and equipment and software for the classroom through 2009.

The U.S. Department of Education supports the program through its Title II Part D grant funding.