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Wednesday, August 29, 2018 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
SCIENCE: Sisters is
ahead of the curve in
education
Continued from page 5
strong. In statewide science
tests in 2017, the district
was first in science scores in
Central Oregon, and the 5th-
grade students placed first
in the state. However, com-
pared to other states, science
and math scores in Oregon
are average, 21st to 31st of
46 states. Over the past eight
years the Sisters community
has helped enhance science
in the schools through dona-
tion of funds and volunteer-
ing hours, as at the annual
Science Fair. Some local
businesses participate in
the fair — Mohr Solutions,
Innoviator, the Forest Service,
and Fish and Game. Istar
Stratospheric Ballooning
offers class experiments.
Energyneering Solutions and
the Seed to Table program
offer internships and train-
ing for students — long-term
STEM connections between
school and community.
The science teachers, bol-
stered with community sup-
port, have done well these past
several years despite being
buffeted hither and thither by
state and national initiatives.
Now, science education in
Sisters is poised to grow even
stronger. The new principal at
the elementary school (Joan
Warburg) and at the middle
school (Alison Baglien)
bring a depth of experience
and strong leadership toward
integrating NGSS and other
curricula K-12. Parents in the
elementary school are asking
for afterschool science experi-
ences for their kids. Parents in
the middle school form clubs
focused on robotics, math,
butterflies and computer
coding. Students in the high
school search out educational
experiences found nowhere
else in Oregon: exploring sci-
ence in nature’s wilderness; in
the air with balloons, drones,
telescopes and airplanes;
in cancer research labs at
Seattle’s Fred Hutchinson
Cancer Research Center;
and in exploring the miracu-
lous growth of a seed into a
vegetable.
Science Club sets out
for frontier this fall
The Sisters Science
Club will present lectures
on watershed restoration,
human genetics and climate
change to launch the 2108-
19 Frontiers in Science
series at The Belfry this
fall.
On Tuesday, September
25,
Brad Chalfant,
founder and CEO of the
Deschutes Land Trust, will
describe the internationally
acclaimed work that is
under way to restore
Whychus Creek.
On Tuesday, October
23, Barbara Handelin,
Ph.D., founder and CEO
of NovoKen in Malvern,
PA, will speak on the
challenges of human
genetics research.
On Tuesday, November
27, Steve Grossnickle,
Ph.D.,
will
address
the topic of “Global
Climate Change: A Tree’s
Perspective.”
Social hour for The
Belfry lectures begins
at 6 p.m. with light fare,
beer, and wine available.
Lectures begin at 7 p.m.
Admission is $5; annual
donors, teachers and
students are admitted free.
The Belfry is located at 302
E. Main Ave., Sisters.
For more information:
www.sistersscienceclub.
org.
Seed to Table to raise $15,000
An anonymous donor has
stepped forward to assist
Seed to Table in raising funds
to augment its programing by
adding an education coordi-
nator. The donor has offered
to provide $15,000 each year
over the next three years if
Seed to Table can match the
donation.
The addition of an educa-
tion coordinator would be a
“huge boost” for the organiza-
tion, according to Executive
Director Audrey Tehan. Since
its inception in 2013, Seed
to Table has grown to edu-
cate nearly 1,300 students
throughout Central Oregon
each year. In addition, S2T
feeds an average of 150 fami-
lies each week through food
banks, schools, and the local
community. However, Tehan
reports that the organiza-
tion is constantly receiving
requests from adults and stu-
dents for increased education
and fresh foods. “We would
love to be able to support
our community’s growing
desire for fresh foods and
hands-on education,” said
Tehan.
In addition to expand-
ing current programming, an
education coordinator would
step in to replace an impor-
tant nutrition and science
program that had been pro-
vided at Sisters Elementary
School through Seed to
Table’s partnership with Food
Corps, an AmeriCorps[JT1]
program.
Because the two-year pro-
gram has ended, S2T’s educa-
tion coordinator would step in
BARBECUES ARE
WINDING DOWN
AND THE KIDS ARE
BACK IN SCHOOL
PHOTO PROVIDED
Seed to Table provides both food and education in Sisters.
to the fill that gap, according
to Tehan.
Seed to Table program-
ming is a critical factor
in having the top science
scores in the state.
— Superintendent
Curt Scholl
“This really important
program is now up and run-
ning, and I would hate for
that all just to end,” said
Tehan.
According to School
Superintendent Curt Scholl,
“Seed to Table program-
ming is a critical factor
in our schools having the
top science scores in the
state.”
Seed to Table has until
October 1 to raise the match-
ing funds and is hoping to cel-
ebrate meeting the challenge
goal at its Fall Harvest Dinner
coming up on September 15.
Donations can be mailed to
Seed to Table Oregon, P.O.
Box 1812, Sisters, OR 97759.
For more information on the
dinner and contributing to the
meet the challenge grant, visit
www.seedtotableoregon.org.
Sisters Fall Street Festival
Downtown Sisters • Oak Street & Main Avenue
September 1 & 2, 2018
Saturday 10-5 • Sunday 10-4
TIME TO CLEAN
THE CARPETS!
Free
Event
Variety of Arts,
Crafts & Antiqu es s
N
FOOD • BEER GARDEN
Labor Day
Play
Clothes!
351 W. HOOD AVE. (Across from Ms. Sew-It-All)
Hrs.: M, Tu, Th, Fr, Sa 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Su 1-4 p.m.; Closed Wed.
• The
Th small ll f footprint
t i t and
d
straight-forward controls
make the Clean Track 12
easy to operate, maneuver,
and transport.
506 N. Pine St.
541-549-9631
Sales • Service
Rentals • Accessories
www.sistersrental.com
Live Entertainment
with Scott Brown
Saturday & Sunday
Fundraiser Benefi tting
A Local Charity
an ks to
Specia l Gar th den RV Resort,
Live
Music
rs
rs
Bend/Siste Mix 100.7, Siste
9,
KSJJ 102. dian Head Casino, ,
re
In
Ti
l,
Renta
, Davis
live & Nut
Sisters O Print Solutions,
Centro
Channel 21
ab, News
Les Schw
Family
Fun!
For information:
541-420-0279 or 541-213-9362
www.CentralOregonShows.com