Academy Dad.. Lewis and Clark State is just 100 miles south of where I live. While it is not in the "banana belt" in the Miami-sense, it is definitely warmer and sunnier than you might imagine. Springs can be fickle but overall they have fine, often hot weather in Lewiston.
Just for fun, here is a climate chart for Lewiston, Idaho and Colorado Springs, CO (where the academy is):
--------Lewiston-------Colorado Springs
Jan1---Hi 38, Low 27------Hi 41, Low 14
Feb1---Hi 42, Low 29------Hi 43, Low 16
Mar1---Hi 50, Low 33------Hi 48, Low 21
Apr1---Hi 58, Low 38------Hi 55, Low 28
May1---Hi 64, Low 44------Hi 63, Low 37
Jun1---Hi 74, Low 50------Hi 74, Low 45
Jul1---Hi 83, Low 57------Hi 82, Low 53
Aug1---Hi 90, Low 61------Hi 83, Low 56
Sep1---Hi 83, Low 56------Hi 78, Low 50
Oct1---Hi 70, Low 47------Hi 70, Low 40
Nov1---Hi 53, Low 37------Hi 55, Low 28
Dec1---Hi 42, Low 31------Hi 45, Low 18
As you can see, it's much warmer than Colorado Springs, mainly because it's close to sea level.
It's also close to the fantastic Hells Canyon.. should have been a National Park years ago.