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Wednesday, February 21, 2018 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
‘Winter
Olympics’
come to
Sisters Middle School
Hollie Lewis
keeps her eyes
on the prize.
PHOTO BY LORIEL COOK
All of the Winter Olympics
action isn’t in Pyeongchang,
South Korea.
Students at Sisters Middle
School staged their own ver-
sion last week.
The event opened with a
moment of silence to honor
the students and coach who
died the day before in a school
shooting in Florida.
“I spoke briefly about real-
izing what we have in Sisters
and how we need to take care
of each other, stand in the gap
for each other — no one eats
alone,” said leadership coordi-
nator Becky Aylor. “The entire
student body was still; it was
moving.”
Twelve Olympians were
randomly chosen to repre-
sent their grade levels, and
the event they competed
in was then assigned. SMS
American Flag, Olympic Flag,
Leadership Flag and each
grade level with their flag
made a lap around the gym
before finding their seats in
the center of the gym “track.”
Alessandra Wentworth,
an eighth-grader, offered a
beautiful a capella rendition
of the National Anthem, as all
students, staff and Olympians
stood, removed their hats and
helmets and honored our flag
and what it stands for.
Leadership students gave
a history of when and how
the Olympics began and set
the stage for the five make-
shift Winter Olympics events.
Speed skating (rollerblad-
ing, which some students
had never tried) was the first
event, with each of the two
grade level athletes mak-
ing one lap around the track.
Speed skaters
take on the Olympic track.
PHOTO BY LORIEL COOK
Leadership
students staged
the procession of the
Points were given based on
how they placed. The next
event was the Alpine long
jump which included 30 feet
of Hot Wheel track, a ladder
and Lego people with popsicle
stick skis glued on the top of
the Hot Wheel.
Unfortunately, the 1973
VW Bus could not stay on
the track, thus the sixth-grad-
ers experienced the agony
of defeat, placing last in this
event. The eighth-graders
came in first place in the
skeleton — laying on a
long board skateboard
and pushing off the
wall with their feet.
“A highlight was the
enthusiasm from fifth-
grader Spencer Tisdel
with his curling fashion state-
ment — with a wild outfit,
huge wig and larger attitude
to go with it,” Aylor reported.
Curling involved launch-
ing frozen milk jugs to a tar-
get with the ability to bump an
opponent’s jug off course. The
final event was the five-per-
son bobsled race. The event
featured flat scooters (think
furniture movers) zip-tied
together with one Olympian
on each sled and one player
pushing the train twice around
the track.
“There was a collision on
turn one and some possible
unethical cheating and jock-
eying for position,” Aylor
reported. “Although the race
was thrilling and so very close
— it was indeed the seventh-
grade team who came in first
place, which secured them the
Gold overall.”
The Silver was awarded to
the eighth-grade team and the
fifth-graders shined by bring-
ing home the Bronze.
Thunder, the school horse
mascot, made an appearance.
All 36 athletes were awarded
medals, and smiles were had
by all.
Aylor later said that the
entire PE class of Mr. Larson
also should have receive
gold medals for taking care
of breaking down the event
while other students headed to
core classes.
“I’m very proud of our
students who were respectful
Weekly Saloon Shindigs!
Monday Paint Party
6-8 p.m., $35
Tuesday Trivia Night
6:15 p.m.
Wednesday Poker Night
7 p.m., $20
Thursday Karaoke Night
9 p.m. to Midnight
Saturday Live Band
8 to 11 p.m.
Sunday Open Mic Night
8 to 10 p.m.
(1st & 3rd Sunday)
Torin Greaney
makes a
skeleton run.
PHOTO BY LORIEL COOK
fans and for the teachers and
staff who support events that
bring us all together for some
education on the Olympics
and to learn how to be winners
and how to be good sports
when you go home with noth-
ing,” Aylor noted.
Spencer Tisdel drew kudos for
curling — and costume.
PHOTO BY LORIEL COOK
Frontiers In Science
MONTHLY SYMPOSIUM IN SISTERS
Undamming
the Elwha:
A River
Revived
Jerry Freilich,
Ph.D.
Dr. Jerry Freilich
was chief of research for
Olympic National Park
during the largest dam removals in U. S. history, a project
that is now returning the Elwha River to its much wilder
former life – often in unexpected ways.
Dr. Freilich has devoted his life to research and science
education throughout a long career with the National Park
Service. The planning for the Elwha River dam removals
took decades; the actual work, completed in 2014, had taken
several years, and the restoration of the river will fl ow far
into the future.
Dr. Freilich will share the ongoing story of the Elwha – its
turbulent history and emerging future, the effects of the
dams on the ecosystem and the Lower Elwha Kallam Tribe,
impacts on the local economy, and changes in the river’s
delta on the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
Tuesday, February 27
At The Belfry, 302 E. Main Ave., Sisters
One-hour lecture begins at 7 p.m.
Doors open at 6 p.m. for community hour!
Admission: $5;
Science Club Donors,
Teachers and Students - FREE
541-549-RIBS
SistersSaloon.net
190 E. Cascade Ave., Sisters
Save the Date: Tues., March. 27
Dr. Larry Price: “Gravitational Waves:
The Discovery of the Century”
Bring your curiosity and an appetite for food, drink & knowledge!