Inside our schools: Borah students celebrate school’s birthday

Ten years ago, a prettier Borah Elementary was little more than a vision.

Now the plain brick walls outside are covered in colorful murals. Pathways weave throughout the playfield. A playground with colorful structures sits not far from a covered picnic gazebo.

There are butterfly gardens and totem poles, and willow trees growing nearby will eventually be woven into a hut for students to explore as part of the school’s Nature Play Garden.

Students gathered last week for Community Day, an annual celebration marking the school’s birthday and providing a chance to say thanks to the individuals and businesses who have made Borah’s Site Enhancement Project a reality.

The project began in 1999 with a $25,000 grant from the Idaho Community Foundation to improve the exterior of the Coeur d’Alene elementary, which was built in 1951.

Last week’s celebration was also a chance to thank those who helped the school in other ways, Principal Bob Shamberg said.

He presented a rap song he had written specially for North Idaho Title, a business that adopted the school a few years ago and has donated T-shirts to students, along with bikes and raffle items and provided every student with a Christmas gift during the holidays.

Charter School receives grant

A grant from the Idaho National Laboratory will help Coeur d’Alene Charter Academy students track their fitness throughout the school year.

Science, PE and health teacher Jeff Rigg received funding to purchase heart rate monitors, pedometers, fitness tracking software and a body fat analyzer.

“As the rate of obesity continues to climb in our youth, and with PE programs vanishing due to budget cuts, if we can make an impact on these youth and provide some understanding of their personal fitness and show them improvement, then the equipment will have served a good purpose,” Rigg said.

PE class is the only physical activity some of his students have each week, he said.