Deadline near for college scholarship program

Students who just finished eighth grade have until the end of the month to register for the College Bound Scholarship Program.

The program provides tuition to eligible high school graduates who enroll at public colleges, universities and other higher education programs in Washington state.

Families must meet income requirements and must sign up by June 30. The student pledges to get good grades, demonstrate good citizenship and enroll in a higher education institution. Incomes will be rechecked during the student’s senior year of high school.

In the West Valley School District, 100 percent of the eligible middle school students at Centennial Middle School and West Valley City School have registered for the scholarships since the school board made this a priority in 2007.

This year 55 West Valley graduates will receive the scholarship.

For information, visit www.collegebound.wa.gov, or contact your school. Any Washington seventh- or eighth-grader whose family meets the income requirements is eligible to sign up.

Adopt-a-Highway

Freeman High School’s Future Business Leaders of America chapter collected 34 bags of trash along a two-mile stretch of state Highway 27 recently.

Members Gregory Ruby, Cody Dickinson, Brette Schmidlkofer, Bethany Williams, Kirsten Fuchs, Elizabeth Kosanke, Felicia Jackson, Christa Harter, Grace Rudy and Robin Faulkner joined chapter adviser Scott Moore in cleaning the stretch of road.

“The group cleans up the highway two to three times per year for one of their community service events,” Moore said.

Central Valley kudos

• The Laura Bush Foundation has awarded North Pines Middle School a $5,000 grant to update its nonfiction section in the library.

Many of the books in the school’s nonfiction section are from the original library collection, with an average copyright date of 1960.

Teacher librarian Theresa Darke wrote the grant with input from students and faculty.

“Considering the age of the nonfiction collection, it is difficult, if not impossible to meet the needs of today’s student,” Darke said. “All students in grades six, seven and eight will benefit from the books purchased through the Laura Bush Foundation grant.”

• Twelve Central Valley elementary schools and the Kindergarten Center have collected 1,225 pounds of pop tops to benefit the Ronald McDonald House, enough for 26 nights of lodging.

Parent volunteer Doug Cooper launched a competition among the elementary schools to collect the pop tops at the beginning of the school year. Adams Elementary School took first place, Progress came in second place and the Kindergarten Center came in third.

Adams will celebrate its win in September with a visit from Ronald McDonald.

“I think it’s important to give our kids a fun, meaningful way to get involved in community service while also supporting local families in need,” Cooper said.

Scholarship winner

Banner Bank and the Spokane Indians Baseball Club have awarded Emily Korotish of Central Valley High School a $500 scholarship.

The scholarship is open to any high school student in Spokane County. Winners are picked based on achievements in scholarship, leadership, community involvement and character.