SERVING THE CROSSROADS OF THE KOOTENAY

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Wednesday

July 1, 1992 ©

75¢

NewsFLASH

@ WEATHER

@ OUR PEOPLE

Another Sunfest has come
and gone. All that’s left of the
20th annual celebration is fond
memories and a city full of
smiles.

@ LOCAL SPORTS

People who bite their nails
would have been wise to avoid
the PK Memorial Fastball Tour-
nament final Sunday, as the In-
vermere Arrows used a home
run in their last at-bats to beat
Banjo’s Pub 3-2.

@ ARTS & LEISURE

Grab a brown-bag lunch and
head tg the Kinsmen Park.
Summer festivities continue in
Castlegar throughout July with
the Concert in the Park series.

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Farside

Harrison

Kiwanis Unity Tour
Letters

Our People

Local Sports 13
Action Ads 16
Arts & Leisure preview3
Plan of the Week preview 5

ONNOM

TINY TITAN

News photo by Jonathan Green
Known only as Samuel, this little guy took to the stage at Sunfest’s Bikini-
Beefcake Contest Saturday and strutted his stuff all the way ta first place.

Valedictorian
expelled from
Grad ceremony

@ Honor Roll student misses grad
celebration for out-of-school beers

Glen Freeman
NEWS REPORTER

Graduation is the time of year most kids
want to remember. Unfortunately for 17-year-
old John Strilaeff, grad is a time he won’t be
able to forget.

“It’s been pretty terrible,” the Stanley
Humphries Secondary School student said.
“It’s not what I ex- §
pected at all.”

Despite being se-
lected by his peers
to be the 1992 vale-
dictorian, Strilaefi
was not allowed to
participate in some
graduation events.

The honor roll
student was ac-
cused of drinking
beer while decorating the Community Com-
plex for graduation ceremonies. As a result,
Strilaeff was expelled from the school’s grad
ceremonies, grand march and dance.

“We did drink some beer, but it was after we
had finished decorating,” he said. “We left the
arena and were drinking in the park.

“I guess we wanted to get an early start on
the grad party.”

Even though Strilaeff said he was drinking
away from school property and “it isn’t any of
the school’s business,” he accepted the fact
that he would not be able to fully participate
in the grad events or read his valedictorian
address. ‘

What Strilaeff can't accept is that he stands
to lose his provincially-financed Passport to
Education Grant of $275. The Passport to Ed-
ucation Grant is a cash-incentive for British
Columbia students for outstanding academic
achievement.

“The top 30 per cent of the class gets it
every year and each year the dollar value goes
up,” Strilaeff said. “I’ve gotten it every year,
and this time I was told I wouldn't because I
was suspended.”

Strilaeff, who has been on the honor roll
since Grade 9, says he will take his complaint
to the government.

“I hope they investigate because I deserve
the passport. I worked hard for it.”

SHSS principal David Hogg confirmed that
“anybody who'is suspended loses their pass-
port,” and added that school superintendent
Terry Wayling is “looking into the matter.”

John Strilaeft

LOCAL MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO TWO COUNTS IN BEAR PARTS TRIAL, PAGE 3