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TOP GRADS Kristen Nethercott, CHS salutatorian

DEVIN WEEKS | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 4 years, 8 months AGO
by DEVIN WEEKS
Devin Weeks is a third-generation North Idaho resident. She holds an associate degree in journalism from North Idaho College and a bachelor's in communication arts from Lewis-Clark State College Coeur d'Alene. Devin embarked on her journalism career at the Coeur d'Alene Press in 2013. She worked weekends for several years, covering a wide variety of events and issues throughout Kootenai County. Devin now mainly covers K-12 education and the city of Post Falls. She enjoys delivering daily chuckles through the Ghastly Groaner and loves highlighting local people in the Fast Five segment that runs in CoeurVoice. Devin lives in Post Falls with her husband and their three eccentric and very needy cats. | May 14, 2020 1:12 AM

I am 17 years old. I have lived in Coeur d'Alene my entire life, and I am excited to graduate and experience the world outside of North Idaho!

Activities/clubs/sports: I participated in Key Club (community service), National Honor Society, scholastics, Mathletes and the Math and Science Bowl in high school; I also played volleyball for four years through middle school and my freshman year.

Hobbies: Reading, listening to music, watching Netflix, hanging out with my friends.

Favorite books/movies/music: Books: "The Handmaid's Tale" and "Harry Potter;" movies — "10 Things I Hate About You" and "Legally Blonde;" music: anything by Billie Eilish or Rex Orange County.

Favorite school subject: Chemistry, but an honorable mention goes to calculus.

Senior quote: "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take." -Wayne Gretzky -Michael Scott (This is a reference to the show "The Office.")

Proudest moment in high school: Getting a 36 on my ACT (along with being salutatorian, of course).

Biggest challenge overcome: Learning to balance my school and social life so that I didn't become too overwhelmed. Another big challenge was getting an A in AP physics!

Favorite school memory: Senior Start from the beginning of this year. It was so great to spend a school day outside having fun with my friends in our last year of high school.

Plans after high school: My plan is to attend the University of Florida, receive a bachelor's degree in biochemistry, and then attend medical school in the hopes of becoming a surgeon.

Biggest cheerleaders: My parents — they have supported me every step of the way through numerous successes and disappointments.

What will you miss most about high school?: I have had teachers at CHS that truly cared about their students and I will miss the connection I had with those specific teachers, especially because those connections are often much harder to create in college. I am also really going to miss my friends when we all graduate.

Advice for younger students: Know where your limit is. Push yourself, but don't push yourself so hard that you burn out!

Legacy to CHS: I don't believe I left what could be considered a "legacy," but I do hope that I left my peers and teachers with positive opinions of me and that I made an impact on some of them in some way.

Lasting thoughts: I spent much of my time in school wishing I was home, but I'm truly going to miss CHS. Go Viks!

• • •

The Class of 2020 is filled with stars so bright, even a worldwide pandemic can't overshadow their accomplishments.

This series will highlight the top graduates of North Idaho's high schools. Valedictorians and salutatorians, we salute you!

MORE FRONT-PAGE-SLIDER STORIES

Top grads: Rebecca Roush, Timberlake High salutatorian
Coeur d'Alene Press | Updated 4 years, 7 months ago
Derek Pearse Post Falls High co-salutatorian
Coeur d'Alene Press | Updated 4 years, 8 months ago
Zoie Eskelson NI STEM Charter salutatorian
Coeur d'Alene Press | Updated 4 years, 8 months ago

ARTICLES BY DEVIN WEEKS

Student reporters keeping sharp eyes on their district
January 31, 2025 1:08 a.m.

Student reporters keeping sharp eyes on their district

Student reporters keeping sharp eyes on their district

Lakeland High School's Hawkeye student news reporters are keeping sharp eyes on the Lakeland Joint School District. The staff of 18 has been busy covering local and national news, with a keen focus in Lakeland High School and the issues that affect and interest student peers. This includes Lakeland School District's supplemental levy — its failure, its future and implications that are already being considered by the very students those levy dollars support.

Local author to release new paranormal romance novel Tuesday
January 31, 2025 1 a.m.

Local author to release new paranormal romance novel Tuesday

Local author to release new paranormal romance novel Tuesday

A prolific writer, an avid reader, a teacher of children and a dabbler in magical realms, Courtney Davis pens novels she would enjoy reading. "My favorite books have always had at least a touch of romance to them," Davis, of Coeur d'Alene, told The Press in a Jan. 22 email. "I have always been drawn to books with supernatural elements as well, so many of my books have both of these elements in them. I just think the world is more interesting with magic and love is its own special kind of magic."

Vikings, Timberwolves give back to community through charitable drives
January 30, 2025 1:08 a.m.

Vikings, Timberwolves give back to community through charitable drives

Vikings, Timberwolves give back to community through charitable drives

The first school week back from winter break is annually dedicated to practicing cheers, decorating hallways and preparing for the Coeur d'Alene-Lake City high school Fight for the Fish spirit competition and basketball games. When the COVID-19 pandemic temporarily upended the tradition in 2020 and 2021, the Timberwolves and the Vikings came together to start a new tradition of kindness, collaboration and community service: All for Awl. "It's awesome," Coeur d'Alene High School ASB President Payton Conn said Wednesday.