Education notes: YWCA honors Gonzaga Prep senior
Gonzaga Prep senior Francisca Chau was recently recognized for her outstanding community service with the 2010 YWCA Young Woman Achievement Award.
Chau’s list of accomplishments include her involvement in school, as well as her commitment to the community. According to a press release from Gonzaga Prep, she was elected president of the student body; she lettered in community service two years in a row; and she has volunteered at Holy Family Hospital, Sisters of Charity and Second Harvest Food Bank.
Neil Kempen, director of community service at Gonzaga Prep, nominated Chau for the award. “Francisca does so much I think her day has to be at least five hours longer than mine. I wouldn’t have the stamina to accomplish all that she does on a daily basis,” he said, according to the release.
Chau is the daughter of Lan Chau and Anna Nguyen of Spokane. She will be honored at a YWCA benefit luncheon on Oct. 27 at the Spokane Convention Center.
Ann Chau, a junior at Gonzaga Prep, is Francisca’s younger sister and is following in her sister’s footsteps.
The younger Chau was recently awarded the Ignatian Service Award for representing the “Ignatian spirit” of community service and being a person to others.
Kempen also nominated Ann Chau for her award.
“Ann has been a faithful and dedicated volunteer at Holy Family Hospital for over 520 hours. This is an amazing number for a person just beginning their junior year of high school. Ann has done much to make our Spokane community a better place in which to live. If everyone did as much volunteering as she does we would have an almost perfect world,” he said.
She’s a manager for the freshman A basketball team, has been selected to attend Junior National Youth Leadership Conference and has a cumulative grade-point average of 3.96.
Shadle holding ball for pops, princesses
On Oct. 23, dads can have a night out with their girls at the Shadle Park High School Daddy-Daughter Princess Ball, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
The Shadle cheerleaders will host an evening to remember. Tiaras and ball gowns are welcome, but the ball is reserved for princesses in sixth grade and younger.
The night will include dancing, desserts, punch and coffee, door prizes and a photo to mark the special event.
Cost for the royal occasion is $30 per pair or $40 per family, for dads with more than one princess.
A wrist corsage is available by advance payment for $10 each.
Reservations must be received by Oct. 15. Tickets will be available at the door for an additional $10.
Proceeds from the ball will benefit Shadle Park’s cheerleaders.
For reservations and more information, visit www.sphsrahs.com or call Angela Foster at (509) 464-1780 or e-mail sphsrahs11@hotmail.com.
New school, Fisher center to be dedicated Oct. 14
Deer Park High School will have a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the dedication of the Ken Fisher Performing Arts Center next Thursdayat 6:30 p.m.
Music director Dan Huffman will dedicate the performing arts center, honoring Fisher who was his music teacher. Becky Cooke, Deer Park’s superintendent, will dedicate the high school and participants will have the opportunity to take self-guided tours of the high school and attend a reception.
LC student semifinalist for national scholarship
Lakecia Farmer, a student at Lewis and Clark High School, has been announced as one of the 1,600 Black American high school seniors who are semifinalists in the 47th annual National Achievement Scholarship Program.
Farmer will have an opportunity to continue to compete for approximately 800 achievement scholarship awards, worth more than $2.5 million.
According to a press release from Spokane Public Schools, the National Achievement Scholarship Program was initiated in 1964 to recognize academically promising black students throughout the nation and to provide scholarships to a substantial number of the most outstanding program participants.
Scholarship winners will be announced in early April.