Host families sought for exchange students

Tuesday, July 15, 2008 2:06 PM MDT

Exchange students have been attending Natrona County schools for several years, but the students need homes to stay in.

An informational meeting will be held Thursday, July 17, at 6 p.m. in Natrona County High School's east cafeteria.

Natrona County School District Board of Trustee Vice Chairman and former exchange student host Suzanne Sandoval will be present, along with other former host parents and former exchange students to explain why hosting is so important.

The students are screened, insured, speak English and bring their own spending money.

Host families provide a place to sleep, meals and a welcoming environment, and also choose the high school the student will attend.

“Making a difference in someone's life, and broadening the perspective in yours, is as easy as opening your home to an exchange student,” a release said.

"It was a wonderful experience," Sandoval wrote. “It changed my perspective on Casper, and America.”

For more information about becoming a host parent, call Suzanne Sandoval at 577-2190.

Key named to BHSU Dean’s List

Kami J. Key of Casper was named to the Dean’s List at Black Hills State University in Spearfish, S.D., for the spring 2008 semester.

A total of 481 students were named to the list, for which they must maintain a 3.5 GPA or above while taking at least 12 credit hours.

Wyoming students earn scholarships for UI

Three students from Casper and one from Glenrock have received scholarships from the University of Idaho in Moscow for the 2008-09 academic year.

Katie E. Dallas, Dane D. Sundquist and Maeva I. Williams from Casper and Afton R. Elser of Glenrock are among more than 6,000 students who have been awarded scholarship support from UI.

KW student heads to Boys Nation

Collin C. Rudkin, 18, of Casper who will be a senior at Kelly Walsh High School this fall, is attending Boys Nation at Marymount University in Arlington, Va., from July 18-26.

Collin is one of 98 high school student representatives throughout the U.S. chosen to attend the American Legion Boys Nation. He was selected Wyoming Boys State governor this summer.

He is one of two Wyoming delegates, with selection based on leadership skills, academic record and activity at American Legion Boys State.

The week-long program introduces the senators to the structure and function of the federal government.

It combines lectures and forums with visits to federal agencies, institutions, memorials and historical spots in and around Washington, D.C.

“The program is designed to inspire a strong devotion to America while providing a practical view of federal government procedures,” according to a release from the American Legion.

WITH PIC of MICAH SCALING

Student returns from medicine summit

Micah Scaling, 14 and a student at Casper Classical Academy, attended the People to People Future Leaders Summit on medicine from June 11-20.

The summit was held at Johns Hopkins University Hospital in Baltimore.

A main aspect of the program was a simulation to advocate for a liver transplant patient, Micah said.

His group’s members had to do a lot of research and also learned the issues that patients and doctors encounter while going through a transplant process, said the Casper teen, who was the youngest student at the summit.

“(The summit) definitely made me realize I want to be a doctor. It made me realize how strenuous the life of a physician can be, all the things about it,” Micah said.

He hopes to pursue a career as a obstetrician, just like his father, and wants to attend Wheaton College, a Christian institution near Chicago.

Micah is the son of Dr. Sam and Lisa Scaling of Casper.

Local student on Drake University list

Riane Menardi of Casper was named to the President’s List at Drake University (Des Moines, Iowa) for the spring 2008 semester.

Riane achieved this academic honor by earning a 4.0 GPA.

Drake is a private, independent university with an enrollment of approximately 3,200 full-time undergraduate students.

The college’s experience is distinguished by collaborative learning among students, faculty and staff.

KW senior attends forum

Lauren Mears attended the National Youth Leadership Forum on Medicine from June 15-23 at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.

Medicine is the second career choice for Lauren, 17, who will be a senior at Kelly Walsh High School this fall; her first is music.

The forum offered exploration into the field of medicine and included meeting doctors in a variety of specialties and shadowing some of them, seeing cadavers and more.

Students attended medical sessions when they had to listen to a live patient’s symptoms and then try to diagnose and offer treatment suggestions.

Lauren said the program reminded her “how much I do enjoy medicine. It reopened my interests.”

Print this story   |   Email this story