Education Notebook: Ferris cheer team wins award
For the third time in the past four years, the Ferris High School varsity cheerleaders have been honored as Washington State Academic Champions.
The girls earned an overall grade-point average of 3.70 for the 2010-’11 winter quarter.
The Ferris cheerleaders include Rachel Schmidt; Molly Lorenz; Mackenzie Dandoy; Maggie Stephens; Felicia Boyer; Haley Hydrick; Jen Power; Sarah Andrews; Promise Boutelle; Sydney Conner; Alex Dinwoodie; Molly Rubens; Michelle Wat son; Whitney Madden and Joey Redmon.
Wrestlers’ smarts
The Washington State Wrestling Coaches Association recently honored Mt. Spokane High School wrestlers with Academic All-State award for achieving a grade-point average of more than 3.0 during their winning season. The varsity team earned an overall grade-point average of 3.38.
Wildcat Sam Wilkes was honored as the academic state champion. Sawyer Piecewicz, Billy Goforth, Austin Pea, Taylor Whetzel and Jared Oglesby received honorable mention.
LC musician honored
Lewis and Clark High School freshman Gabriel Soileau is a multi-talented musician.
Soileau plays double bass with the Spokane Youth Symphony, plays drums, Chinese flute and studies accordion and piano. And, he was recently awarded third place in the Music Teachers National Association National Music Composition Competition.
According to a press release from Music Teachers National Association, Soileau’s current inspirations range from baroque and modern classical composers, to the traditional folk music of Ireland, America, China and the Balkans.
Soileau is the son of John Soileau and Xiao Ping Li.
School open house
North Wall Schools, 9408 N. Wall St., will hold a spring open house next Thursday, from 6:30 to 8 p.m., to give families an opportunity to tour the campus, visit classrooms and learn about the school. Teachers and staff will also be on hand to answer any questions parents may have about the school and curriculum.
North Wall Schools is an accredited private school which offers a gifted program for elementary students from kindergarten through sixth grade, and in the early childhood program for infants, toddlers and preschoolers.
To reserve a space at the open house and for more information call (509) 466-2965 or e-mail northwallschools@ comcast.com.
Ferris Jazz first-placers
The Ferris High School Jazz Orchestra participated at the Lionel Hampton International Jazz Festival at the University of Idaho and won first place in the AAAA Division.
According to an e-mail from Ben Brueggemeier, Ferris band director, the win by Ferris’ Jazz Orchestra marks the first time in the 44-year history of the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival that a Spokane high school has won its division at the festival. For the final winner’s concert, the band was invited to play on the festival’s main stage at the Kibbie Dome on the UI campus.