Washington Voices

At Central Valley High School, William “Emmanuel” Welch is known for his charisma, positive outlook and infectious charm. “When he walks in the room he lights it up with his personality,” said teacher Karissa Jacobson. “He truly has a passion for living life to the fullest. Because of what he’s seen in his past, he gets that life is truly a gift.”

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Shane Deardorff’s senior year at Cheney High School had just begun last September, and he hadn’t been feeling well. His stepmother, Aly Deardorff, said he kept telling her his stomach hurt; she’d give him some antacid. This went on for two weeks – and he doesn’t remember any of it.

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Alyson Meginniss slept through her science class her freshman year because she was so bored. Flash forward to senior year, and Meginniss was teaching other students about electrical wiring as captain of the school’s robotics team. The difference? Switching from a mainstream high school to The Community School as a sophomore.

In her freshman year, Majestic Tschabold-Grant made a vision board of everything she wanted to accomplish during her high school career with pictures representing goals and milestones such as getting her first job, her driver’s license, her first car, joining cheer squad and the track and field team. The vision board still hangs in her bedroom four years later – and she has accomplished all of those goals, and more, during her years at Medical Lake High School.

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Most of us remember that first day of high school. The nervousness about finding classes, getting lockers open, and most importantly finding a familiar face. Jeremy Beal remembers it well, and that’s why for the past two years he’s been a part of the Link Crew at Deer Park High School. Link Crew leaders serve as positive role models, motivators and mentors to help smooth the transition for incoming freshman.

Describing herself as a “little Chihuahua with a big bark,” Kayla Reedy doesn’t intimidate easily. At 5-feet tall, she is a Dishman Hills High School senior who sticks up for the underdog. Once in science class, a fellow student was struggling to understand. Reedy stood up and voiced her concern to the teacher.

Kendra Canton is a young woman with boundless energy, a busy life and some grown-up responsibilities – all of which she handles with grace and a strong sense of faith, believing that God hasn’t given her anything she can’t face. “I believe I have a good relationship with God even though I am really busy,” said the 18-year-old Rogers High School senior, whose greatest pleasure is hanging out with family and friends, although still “very attached to my cellphone.”

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Elisha Allred is driven. The East Valley High School senior said always wanting to make her parents and coaches proud is her motivation. “It’s kind of a commitment to excellence sort of thing.”

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Clemence Kitambala is a shy, introverted and soft-spoken young woman whose gentleness belies the difficulties she has already overcome in life. Born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, she was a young child when warfare broke out, and she witnessed terrible things. Her family lost their home and everything they owned. With her mother and younger siblings she became a refugee in Uganda, where she lived until two years ago when they were relocated to Spokane by World Relief.

Sometimes it takes students a while to shine. That was true of Paul Oestreicher. He’s attended Five Mile Prairie School since kindergarten, something quite rare in a school where the student body tends to ebb and flow. The school collaborates with parents to customize each student’s education.