Education Notebook: High schoolers win scholarships

Eight students from Spokane Public Schools have received full-tuition, full-need scholarships to Northwest colleges and universities through the Act Six Leadership and Scholarship Initiative. More than 700 students applied and 65 were selected by Tacoma-based Northwest Leadership Foundation, which launched the Act Six program in 2002.

Spokane students who got scholarships to Whitworth University are: Kionte Brown and Camina Hirota, both of Shadle Park High School; Lynnsee Calf Robe, the Community School; Araya Eckley, North Central High School; and Husam Ghanim, Ferris High School.

Spokane students who got scholarships to Gonzaga University are: Kenji Linane-Booey, Shadle Park; Aubrey Morris, Rogers High School; and Olivia Nagozruk, Lewis and Clark High School.

Act Six aims to recruit diverse, multicultural cadres of Washington’s most promising urban and community leaders. The program trains the student prior to college and supports and encourages them to take on leadership positions on campus.

GU will offer free summer Chinese classes

For the fifth year in a row, Gonzaga’s modern languages department has secured a federally funded Startalk program that will allow 60 students in kindergarten through 12th grade to study Chinese in two- or four-week summer sessions.

Startalk is designed to foster interest in less commonly taught languages such as Chinese, Arabic and Hindi.

The K-6 sessions run from June 24 to July 5; the middle school and high school sessions run from July 1 to July 25.

Tuition is free and the program also includes Chinese cultural activities such as tai chi, dance and watercolor painting.

To download application material, go to www.gonzaga.edu/startalk or call (509) 313-6721.

Sheridan students to workout for grant

February is Heart Health Month and on Friday students at Sheridan Elementary School will have a chance to win a $1,000 grant from Molina Healthcare by using Hula Hoops and jump ropes. If 100 students show up for the 2 p.m. activity at the school and commit to improving their heart health, then Sheridan will get the grant money to be spent for school supplies and equipment that encourages healthy eating habits.

The event also marks the end of Sheridan’s food drive for Second Harvest Inland Northwest.

Sheridan is at 3737 E. Fifth Ave.