Super Scholarship goes to lucky local

By DEVIN WEEKS

Staff Writer

POST FALLS — Post Falls Chamber of Commerce guests could barely contain their excitement as Executive Committee Chair Graydon Stanley made a phone call that would change one lucky student's life forever.

"Kayla, do you have any idea why I’m calling?" a smiling Stanley asked Kayla Hart over speakerphone Thursday evening.

"Umm, maybe," she answered with uncertainty. "Did I win the scholarship?"

The cheers that followed confirmed that yes, Hart, 18, of Hayden, is the winner of the Post Falls Chamber's $25,000 Super Scholarship Raffle.

"I feel amazing. I'm so excited," Hart said. "I was so excited I started crying."

The 2018 Lake City High School graduate said this was her first time entering the raffle, which is in its third year.

Something about this year's drawing motivated the Hart family go all in and buy five tickets.

"I'm definitely not lucky by nature," she said. "This is like the first thing I've ever won."

Hart graduated high school with her associate's degree from North Idaho College and she is presently studying social work on the Lewis-Clark State College campus in Lewiston.

"I would like to get my master's in social work and help people in any way possible," she said. "Possibly veterans or kids in some way, I’m not too picky between those."

This Super Scholarship, which can be used at LCSC, NIC and University of Idaho, will cover "um everything," Hart said with a laugh. "All of my schooling."

"I just want to say that I'm extremely grateful for this opportunity," she said. "I can't wait to see where this money takes me in my education."

Post Falls Chamber President Jamé Davis said this year's ticket sales were the highest yet, just shy of 600 of the 1,000 available.

"We're excited about that," she said. "The odds are ever in your favor."

The raffle took place during the chamber's membership appreciation party in the chamber building on Fourth Avenue, where the mood was at a joyful elevation and friends and colleagues enjoyed refreshments and other prize opportunities.

"We love it because we're celebrating our members and we already have this energy that's in the room," Davis said.

The funds will be deposited into Hart's student account to cover things like books, tuition, school fees and other tools to complete her schooling.

Deb Wheeler, the chamber's operations manager, said she thought it was pretty cool that Hart is enrolled at LCSC because last year's winner was attending the U of I and the first year an NIC student won.

"That's perfect because that's the three schools that support us in this," she said. "We get people from all over that buy the tickets, so this is so nice to support the local kids."