Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
LEWISTON — Kierstyn York graduated from Colfax High School on Jan. 15, five days after she moved into her college dorm.
“High school was so hybrid at that point,” said York, a member of the class of 2021 and would- have been a four year starter on the volleyball team.
Her dorm is at Lewis-Clark State College (LCSC) in Lewiston, where she has played in three matches as a freshman on the volleyball team.
The circumstances came together slowly.
First there was COVID, then cancellations and shutdowns, weeks and months, a question of when would sports be back, then an idea, an opportunity, and a choice.
“I’m loving it. I love being down at LCSC, I just love everything about being down here,” York said. “Lots of time and effort went into this decision.”
Last August, York’s coach asked her if she would be interested in graduating from high school early to join LCSC for its volleyball season that had been moved to February.
The Colfax volleyball season was also postponed, without a start date. If and when it happened, York and her freshman sister would be teammates.
The decision was up to her, said Coach Shaun Pohlman.
“I don’t want to split up you and your sister. You have the freedom. It would not hurt your chances of being here,” Pohlman said. “The future was very bleak whether Colfax would have a season.”
York went to the Colfax principal and superintendent to ask about finishing early.
“I kept it quiet because I didn’t know what I was going to do,” she said.
York thanks Jerry Pugh, Krista Boyd, Altaira Bogle and Mike Morgan.
Pugh made it possible to graduate early. Boyd helped her register for BYU Online High School to take the two extra classes she would need online to complete her requirements.
She saw Bogle and Morgan as mentors. She played in Morgan’s jazz band since seventh-grade. She was president of FCCLA (Family, Career and Community Leaders of America) as a senior for Bogle.
The teachers first paused at the idea of an early start.
“At first they immediately said, ‘no,’ because in their hearts they didn’t want me to go,” York said.
Once her plans were made, she told tell her friends.
“It was over Facetime, because we weren’t back in school yet,” York said.
That was at the end of September. Two days per week of hybrid learning began in Colfax Oct. 8.
“There’s been a lot of downfall with COVID, but this was a positive,” she said.
In her freshman year in high school for the Bulldogs, they won the 2017 state 2B championship, in a sport that became York’s favorite that year.
“It’s always been a dream and a goal to play college volleyball,” she said.
She also played club volleyball in Spokane two nights a week and on Sundays during basketball season.
In March 2020, after the Colfax girls’ basketball team lost in the first round at state, York was about to board a plane with her club volleyball team to fly to Denver when they were told the tournament was canceled.
She had meetings set up there with a couple college coaches, before LCSC came about as a serious option.
“I definitely wanted to go somewhere else,” York said. “But then during quarantine, I got really close with my sister and I realized being close to home was important to me.”
If high school had been normal her senior year, she might not have made the same call.
“Honestly, I don’t know. I would have to take a look at and weigh my options again,” York said.
What she would miss most about high school would be playing in the band and taking Bogle’s classes, which were both different in the fall of 2020.
Jazz band meant Morgan would pass out sheet music PDFs on Google Classroom and when it came to her turn, York would press Unmute and play her part on tenor saxophone.
“Even now, I’m just really thankful for the opportunities I was given despite the circumstances,” she said.
Her Senior Transitions class perhaps had more emphasis.
“This is Colfax supporting its students and what’s best for them,” said Pohlman. “That’s a really great thing too. It did take the cooperation of everybody.”
With no visitors allowed at volleyball matches, her parents and friends have yet to see her play in college.
The Colfax team began their season Feb. 23. They had no seniors last year and finished seventh in state. They are unbeaten so far in 2021.
“It’s been an unusual year and unusual circumstances,” said Colfax Coach Brandy Brown. “We were sad to see her go but it was a great opportunity for her.”
The college season will last until the end of April. Then York will finish classes May 14, when she will return to walk in blue cap and gown in the Colfax High School graduation.
“I’m able to finish like a normal senior,” she said. “It’ll basically be like I never left.”
Garth Meyer is a former Whitman County Gazette reporter.
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