Washington Voices

On the first day of high school, it’s common for freshmen to get lost on their way to classes. They are in a strange new school with unfamiliar hallways and new locker combinations. When Freeman High School opens its doors on Sept. 7, there will be more students than just the freshmen finding their way to their classes. The school, which has been under construction since June 2009, will be new for everyone, with modern classrooms, a larger gym and bigger, wider hallways.

A Spokane Valley mother of seven added a bit to her to-do list this summer when she decided to open a specialty retail shop and revamp a quaint building along Pines Road. Jani Davis opened Ruby Lane Boutique July 8 after adding some elbow grease and her obvious creative flair to the little house she purchased. The timing was right, she said, to open such a long-awaited shop featuring clothing, handbags and jewelry.

If you love football, Craig Whitney has a spot for you on the West Valley High School football team. A little on the small side? A step slow? No matter. His staff will work to make you stronger and faster.

Seventeen-year-old Mead High School student Benjy Migliuri recently returned from a visit to the University of Washington. While it’s not unusual for high school seniors to tour prospective colleges, Migliuri’s 10-day stay was unique and one he’d never dreamed possible. “I’m a quadriplegic from birth,” he said. “I’ve been in a wheelchair all my life.” His visit was made possible by the DO-IT (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology) Scholars Summer Study program. Funded by the state of Washington, the National Science Foundation, and the U.S. Department of Education, the program offers disabled students a glimpse of college life. DO-IT’s goal is to increase the success of individuals with disabilities in challenging academic programs and careers.

Inside the Manresa Grotto a stone altar still stands in the cool shade of the huge rock wall. The ceiling is pitched high above as tall as in any church, and the view through the huge opening is sweeping over the treetops, the Pend Oreille River and the Kalispel Indian Reservation. The Manresa Grotto is located just north of the tribal headquarters on the Kalispel Reservation in Usk, Wash., and once you sit there for a bit it’s easy to understand why people have worshipped there for generations.

Hillyard will celebrate the community’s Hispanic heritage and culture on Saturday at the fourth annual Hispanic Heritage Festival at Harmon Park, on the corner of Bismark Avenue and Market Street, from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. The festival will open with a parade of flags. Other highlights include children’s activities throughout the day as well as information booths hosted by a variety of community organizations. Visitors to the festival will have opportunities to purchase cultural craft items from a variety of vendors and observe Eva Castellanoz, a National Heritage Fellow, who makes wax and paper flowers.