Speaking For Teens
Recognize any of these students?
If you don’t yet, you probably will by the end of the school year. That’s because they represent your school on the Our Generation Teen Council.
Among them are writers, football and basketball players, drama students, “Star Wars” fanatics, exchange students, musicians, computer wizards, artists, photographers, readers, nature lovers, liberals and conservatives. They come from all over Spokane, northern Idaho and nearby small towns.
They’ll meet monthly to talk about what we should cover in Our Generation and to share what’s been happening at their schools. They are your link to what you’ll find in Our Generation. Seek them out. Tell them what you think. Ask about how you can get involved.
Yes, that’s right. You can get involved. While the Council will be writing and taking pictures for Our Generation, we also need your contributions. You can write your opinion in a Speak for Yourself column, or encourage others to join a worthy group in a Get Involved column. You can send in poetry and creative writing for Writers’ Block. If you want to tackle a larger issue, call us up and suggest a story. If we like the idea, we’ll say go for it.
If you can’t find your representative(s) at school and want to know more about Our Generation, call the Our Generation editor, Laura Crooks, at 459-5456 or (800) 789-0029, extension 5456.
We tried to get representatives from just about every high school in the area, but we know there are a few missing. If you don’t see your school represented here and would like to get involved, call us.
In no particular order, here’s a glimpse at the students on this year’s Teen Council:
Josh Silverstein
Lewis & Clark
I believe that duct tape is like the force. It has a light side and a dark side, and binds the universe together. I enjoy all food except anchovies and asparagus, and I have fun kickboxing. Oh yea, I love Phish too.
Frankie Stone
Shadle Park
My junior year’s a toughie, with hard classes, mucho homework and constant competition of mind and body (running), but I am trying to succeed with determination, hard work and lots of fun. Smile it does the body good.
Tammy Scholz
Colfax
I am a frog-lovin’ runner who believes “You may not love me, you may not need me, you may not like me, but I demand your attention and I deserve your respect.”
Chaz Barce
Deer Park
My given name is Chasten. I try not to let people know this, if you look up my name in the dictionary you’ll understand why. As for sports, I enjoy golf and snow skiing.
Beth Kowal
Mead
From Thoreau: “I went to the woods because I wanted to live deliberately. I wanted to live deeply, to suck all the marrow out of life, to put to rest all that was not life, and not, when I had come to die, discover that I had not lived.”
Vanessa Waldref
Gonzaga Prep
I find sometimes it’s easy to be myself/Sometimes I find it’s better to be somebody else/So much to say/Open up my head and let me out.
Devon Van Dyne
University
I’m a history-loving, archaeologist-aspiring, and, as I’ve been told, entirely-too-sarcastic (although I prefer witty) runaholic. Someday I will bicycle across the U.S. and manage to say the word “fartlek” without laughing.
Melissa Amos
Central Valley
When I was little I wanted to be a fire truck when I grew up. I also turned orange from eating too much squash. Now, I have severe pyrophobia and I hate squash.
Jamie Martin
St. Maries
I’m a book-reading, hoop-shooting, music-loving freshman. I’m in several school sports and clubs, including basketball, 4-H and Spirit Club. I love chocolate and I abhor liver. My pet peeve is prejudice, especially against teens.
Brianne Jacobs
North Central
“Life is a stage,” and I have many roles: daughter, sister, friend, drama weirdo, choir nerd, AP brain and senior. I love, I fear and I smile. I am everything, I’m nothing. I am me.
Ryan Leeds
Ferris
I am 17, and I am involved in all types of music and love all types of music. I enjoy taking pictures and polishing my shoes. “Oh, an egg’s inside of a chicken. Oh, a chick’s inside of an egg,” in the words of Mike Patton.
Ericka Schumacher
Ferris
I am a very friendly, enthusiastic, artistic individual. I have a strong love for nature. I like the quote by Winston Churchill, “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”
Tracy Harding
Sprague
I’m 17 and I enjoy trapshooting, socializing with my rowdy friends and arguing about politics. Liberals annoy me. I am 100 percent country and darn proud of it. “Hick is chic” as Jeff Foxworthy says.
Debbie Polzin
Lewis & Clark
Yes, I happen to see some redeeming artistic qualities in “Rose is Rose,” and I very much like zucchini.
Michelle Clemensen
Shadle Park
I’m a snowboarder chick who loves to feel the powder under my board. My twin sister and I rip up the mountain together. I adore my pet ferret, Spunky, and my half manx cat, Floyd.
Ken Rock
Lake City
I love playing (guitar) and listening to (Bruce Springsteen, R.E.M., The Police) music. I also think that tennis rocks. In the words of Michael Jackson, “I’m a lover, not a fighter.”
Robin Cutler
Lakeside
I’d give you my life story, but then you’d know everything about me, and I’d know nothing about you. I’m impressed by individuality and creativity. Eye contact connects souls.
Katherine Koedinger
West Valley
Words to describe my life: Black comedy. I savor stupid trivia and 70s arena rock. My favorite quotes come from fortune cookies, and reality likes to sneak up and scare me from behind.
Jeff Sackmann
Mead
I’m not sure whether I want to be the next Charlie Parker or the next Dorothy Parker.
Zandra Rice, Lakeside: A dead end is just a good place to turn around. Care for the earth; it’s your home. If you really want to succeed, be nice to everyone. Life is a dance; you learn as you go. So have fun.
Celise Varnedore, Medical Lake: I’m a highly energized, thoughtful, creative person with a love for sports, drama and poetry. Some might call me a dreamer, others ambitious. To me, I’m just an average teenager trying to find acceptance and a true sense of belonging.
Melanie Johnson, Central Valley: Believe in yourself/Believe you are strong/Believe you can conquer anything that comes along/Believe you are what you make yourself/Believe you are true/Believe in yourself/That’s all you have to do.
Mike Tilford, St. George’s: Never try to describe yourself in 40 words or fewer.
Sheena Lukens, West Valley: I’m a Bible-reading, music-loving, Manson-hating, summer-missing, story-writing, Jesus-loving freak.
Kjirstin Strandy, Northwest Christian: I’m a strong-willed, must-have-the-last-word senior who detests hypocrites, gray days and broccoli but loves family, friends, pets, almost all sports and chocolate.
Brooke McGuire, Ferris: What can you say about someone who draws naked people, loves her poodles, Daisy and Lily, more than anything and quotes Robert Frost at any given moment? Oh yeah, I idolize Fiona.
Erin Pipella, Shadle Park: Well, finally I’m a senior. What took so long? I love to be outside taking pictures or just hanging out with my friends. My two main goals in life are to work in forestry and travel everywhere possible.
Patrice Williamson, Rogers/SCC: This year I’m learning to balance work and school. “Living Single” and “The Real World” are among my favorite television shows.
Kirk Taylor, Riverside: My family has lived in the Elk-Riverside area for four generations. I play varsity football and baseball. I’m also active in my church youth group and the Boy Scouts. My favorite bands are the Wallflowers and the Dave Matthews Band.
Brandon Janosky, Gonzaga Prep: I’m a pretty busy guy, so when I’m not in school, you’ll probably find me playing soccer, basketball or tennis, biking, camping, hunting, fishing, playing guitar, eating, drawing, listening to music, tormenting my cat or working. I never miss “The Simpsons” or “Saturday Night Live,” and in my spare time I sleep.
Sarah Short, Liberty: I may not share your beliefs, but I will respect them. I have my own beliefs, and I want them to have the same respect. Once that is settled, we will get along great.
Elin Astrom, Liberty: Nice girls go to heaven, others can reach much further than that.
Harrison Grafos, University: I am a hard-working, globe-trotting, pasta-loving, cross country-running, hospital-volunteering, “Seinfeld”-watching, political kind of guy.
Darcy Camden, Lewis and Clark: Bonjour. J’ai quinze ans - Hi there. I’m 15 and a first-year French student. I have an opinion about everything, and just because I have no life doesn’t mean I have nothing to write about.
Bryan Schwaderer, Mt. Spokane: I’m your typical freshman with a lot of school spirit. Go Wildcats.
Scott Siera, Ferris: Between studying, I surf the Web, publish, read and try to decide on a college. I’ve sold my soul to band in the fall, added debate in the winter and Science Olympiad in the spring.
Rhianen McDonald, Post Falls: I have a desire to put words into a collage of inspiration. Be it a song of pain and woe or a poem that could shame Poe; I yearn to have tragedy and triumph still ringing in my ears.
Alicia Coats, Shadle Park: I’m an inquisitive, fun-loving, honest, musical, artistic, family-oriented teenager. I like to try new things and serve others. My favorite quote: “The most utterly lost of all days is that in which you have not once laughed.”
Jia Knopp, East Valley: I’m a teenage girl whose life consists of doing teenage things: shopping, studying, hanging out with my best friends, eating and above all meeting boys. My goals in life are to be successful and get everything possible.
Beth Bow, Medical Lake: I am who I am: a dreamer, singing-in-the-shower Medical Lake Cardinal, nature-lover, questioning and concerned, smile-when-I-see-you, open-minded, having-parents-who-love-me, tennis-playing, thirsty-for-knowledge kind of girl.
Janelle Flegel, Riverside: I hate noise, crowds, secrets and children. I love silence, solitude and the achievable dreams that we all share.
Chris Rodkey, Reardan: Although I go to a small school and live in a big city, I’m still just a sophomore who enjoys cross country, music and being with friends. I hope to show you this year what farm towns are really like.
Seamus Flynn, Gonzaga Prep: My favorite quote comes from the movie “Mall Rats”: “Excitement, adventure, and a Jedi knight needs not these things.”
Logan Graf, Lake City: Some of my favorite pastimes include drama, anything connected with “Star Wars,” and writing. My dream in life is to sing on Broadway. Just thought I’d tell everybody “Hello” and “May the Force be with you.”
Justin Parker, Newport: I am a fun-loving, basketball freak who loves “The Prodigy.” My ultimate goal is to one day coach college basketball.
Matthew Weaver, Rogers: I’m a guy who believes in compassion, a sense of humor, food, books, the colors royal blue and silver, my family, friends, money, P.E. being outlawed, Whitman, Garry, Rogers, TV and movies, food, girls, my heart, soul, brain and me.
Kevin Pacheco, Cheney: Dynamic, thoughtful, persistent, intuitive, imaginative, humorous, extreme, mischievous, and playful with a go-get-‘em attitude.
Toney Jacobsen, Post Falls: I like to think of myself as another Tom Cruise, but in truth I’m probably more like Chris Farley. I play guitar, the sax and the piano. My favorite saying: “Why use a big word when a diminutive one will do?”
Brian Donovan, North Central: I love life and disregard those who don’t. I can climb mountains by day and watch an opera that night. I choose my own paths, but I love to share them with friends. I can compromise triviality but not principle.
Brennen Murray, Jenkins High: I am a self-motivated person who loves winter and loves snow skiing. I also love traveling, seeing new places and experiences the different cultures our world has to offer.
Other members include:
Courtney Wilcox, Harrington High; Jade McCannon, Lewis and Clark; Keith Proctor, Deer Park; Marija Radonjic, Deer Park; and Ryan Coles, Deer Park.