LC grad creates program at Mullan

Riley Myklebust graduated from Lewis and Clark High School like any normal teenager. He studied for finals, finished his classes and went to his prom. But his school year was far from normal.

Beginning in November of his senior year, Myklebust put together an after-school sports club for Mullan Road Elementary School students who had lost their after-school sports program. He was required to intern three hours a week at a nonprofit organization for his practicum in community involvement class.

“I didn’t find one I loved, so I decided to start my own,” he said.

He started by handing out more than 200 fliers for the club. All of the kids who received a flier were interested, but the number that signed up at one time varied between 40 and 60 kids that met at Mullan Road Elementary.

“The kids were looking for something to do after school,” he said.

Myklebust’s extracurricular activities went beyond the sports club. He was DECA president, ran cross country and track (although he didn’t run his senior year because of the club), and was Associated Student Body secretary. He also fit Key Club into his schedule, volunteered at The Ronald McDonald House and was involved in the Kiwanis.

Firm in his religious beliefs, Myklebust hosted Young Life, a nondenominational youth group, through his senior year. Myklebust said with everything he was involved in, he couldn’t really find time to sleep.

“The only time I had to sleep was in class,” he said.

Now a student at Washington State University, Myklebust doesn’t have as many commitments, but he is still busy with his college courses, studying finance, and other school activities. He also became a member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. He said his goal at WSU is to “stay strong to personal and religious beliefs while still being socially involved in my college fraternity.”

Myklebust is the son of Barbie and Grant Riva, and Eric and Lori Myklebust, and also has a younger brother, all of Spokane.