Exceptional Character Recognized at 2012 PACE Awards

All 46 Partnering Schools Honor One Student at Community-Sponsored Event

5/24/2012

More than 370 guests will gather on May 31, 2012 to celebrate 46 outstanding Spokane Valley students who personify the Partners Advancing Character Education (PACE) character traits. The 2012 PACE Awards begin at 6:30 p.m. in the Mirabeau Park Hotel and Convention Center, 1100 N. Sullivan Rd.

Gold sponsors Dishman Dodge Chrysler and Numerica Credit Union will be joined by fellow PACE partners, elected officials, honored students and their families and friends to recognize and celebrate good character while enjoying a chef prepared dinner and student entertainment.

PACE officially launched September 2010 with 12 founding partners including the four Spokane Valley school districts (East Valley, Central Valley, West Valley and Freeman.) Since then, PACE has grown to include 104 partners and 46 schools working together from a common list of monthly character traits to promote good character. Reader boards displaying the character trait of the month now line the city streets as reminders of good character

At the start of the 2011-2012 school year, PACE President Ben Small shared his vision of a ceremony to honor students who embody the character traits throughout the school year.

“Recognition is such an important part of bringing character to light,” Small said. “This is the first time we’ve gathered in such a celebration, and we are grateful to our event sponsors for making this event a reality for these well-deserving students.”

Each Spokane Valley school that partners with PACE selected one student to represent their school and be honored for their good character with a 2012 PACE Award:

Adams Elementary School            - Meghan Salsbury

Arthur B. Ness Elementary School – Hunter Tiffany

Broadway Elementary School – Corinne David

Central Valley Kindergarten Center – Eric Radmer

Chester Elementary School – Joel Thompson

East Farms Elementary School – Greta Helfenstein

Freeman Elementary School - Ronni (Veronica) Keizer

Greenacres Elementary School - Brooke DeRuwe

Liberty Lake Elementary School – Jack Lavelle                                                             

McDonald Elementary School – Rylee Felgenhauer

Opportunity Elementary School – Gracie Priddy

Orchard Center Elementary School - Katelyn Buffkin

Otis Orchards Elementary School - Olivia Roberts

Pasadena Park Elementary School – Justis Wells

Pioneer School - Erika Sankovich

Ponderosa Elementary School – Meggie Cross

Progress Elementary School - Ryan Anderson

Seth Woodard Elementary School - Connor Shillam

South Pines Elementary School – Reese Strom

Sunrise Elementary School - Mara Albretsen

Trent Elementary School - Jaylynn Buehler

Trentwood Elementary School – Cierra Wolf

University Elementary School - Michelle Geer

Valley Christian School - Jolynn Pope

Barker High School - Shannon Braithwait

Bowdish Middle School – Daniel Barajas

Centennial Middle School - Darby Howat

Central Valley High School - Cora VanDyke

Continuous Curriculum School – Lydia Tombarelli

Contract Based Education - Chase Pritchett

East Valley High School - Joshua Ambach

East Valley Middle School - Paul Yount

Evergreen Middle School - Ellie McDonald

Freeman High School – Peter Underhill

Freeman Middle School - Avery Oja

Greenacres Middle School - Noah Whitman

Horizon Middle School - Lexi Ivankovich

North Pines Middle School - Steven Jensen

River City Leadership Academy - Griffin Stiles

Spokane Valley High School - Ivan Bityukov

Summit School/Spokane Valley Learning Academy – Lauren Walker

University High School - Taylor Shae Martins

Valley Christian School - Chantal Coyner

Washington Academy of Arts & Technology - Rachael DesAutel

West Valley City School - Shawen Christensen

West Valley High School - Jacqueline Swanson

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