Wednesday, April 15, 2020 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
GRAD: Galant-LaPorte
an advocate for
student involvement
Continued from page 3
students who have already
demonstrated a capacity for
leadership and large-scale
problem-solving.=
Galant-LaPorte9s involve-
ment in the community of
Walla Walla is shown by her
commitment to an organiza-
tion called SCORE (Summer
Community Outreach
Engagements).
<I was involved in
SCORE my first semester at
Whitman. Basically, it is an
outreach program that strives
to connect students with their
surrounding community,=
said Galant-LaPorte.
She continued to be an
advocate for the program into
her second year at Whitman
College and works with the
offices of student affairs to
make the program free for
students to be involved in.
She believes strongly in the
mission of SCORE to con-
nect students to their com-
munity during the summer
months and into the school
year.
Galant-LaPorte is cur-
rently a head coordinator
for SCORE. Last year, she
attended a conference in
Houston with other universi-
ties and programs similar to
SCORE where she was able
to connect with other lead-
ers and create a curriculum
to teach students about the
importance of involvement
and engagement.
She also served as a resi-
dent assistant for the commu-
nity service resident hall in
her second year.
<I really strive to change
the narrative from being
about students serving their
community to students being
a part of and involved in their
community,= she said.
Galant-LaPorte believes
that engagement is not the
same as service and sees that
service can become a part of
being engaged.
<I think it9s important for
students to be intentional
about becoming involved in
the community where they
go to university& it9s kind
SUDOKU
SOLUTION
for puzzle on page 18
of like staying in someone9s
house for four years; you
want to help out and support
the existing structure, but not
try and change it. That has
been my intention here in
Walla Walla since the begin-
ning,= she said.
For Galant-LaPorte, the
passion and drive for com-
munity involvement comes
from how and where she
was raised. Galant-LaPorte
was raised and went to
school in the community of
Sisters. Her family lives near
Redmond, and she attended
school in Redmond, but spent
five years in Sisters schools
from 8th through12th grade.
<Coming from a small
town, I was taught the narra-
tive that you are a part of a
community. The relationship
of the school and the commu-
nity was also so strong, there
was never any disconnect
and that is what I was used
to,= she said.
Galant-LaPorte was
involved in student govern-
ment and leadership during
her time at SHS and recog-
nized she was learning by
doing things for the school
and community 4 such as
being a part of Mr. SHS, a
community fundraiser pag-
eant for the Family Access
Network. She was also an
intern for the IEE class where
she was taught that so much
education can happen outside
of the classroom.
<I remember in IEE
(teacher Rand) Runco tell-
ing his stories about com-
munity members and con-
necting with Sisters by learn-
ing outside of the classroom
and learning how to protect
our community and our
resources,= she said.
Galant-LaPorte wanted
to bring that community-
school connection with her
when she moved to the small
rural town of Walla Walla,
Washington.
<There are way more out-
siders that come into Walla
Walla to attend the univer-
sity here, and that creates a
disconnect between students
and the community that they
are in,= she said.
She believes that any
community you are in is a
school and those who enter a
new community have to take
the time to understand that.
<I believe that education
has always been a secret
change-maker and I think it9s
important to be intentional
and thoughtful and willing to
learn when you enter a new
community as a student,= she
said.
Galant-LaPorte plans
to continue her work with
SCORE as the lead coordina-
tor. Next year, she will also
be taking on a position with
the city of Walla Walla as
coordinator of neighborhood
engagement. She has already
been talking with the cur-
rent coordinator in the wake
of COVID-19 about mutual
aid systems and how a rural
community is impacted by
something like COVID-19.
Current events are also
relating directly to what
she is studying at Whitman.
Galant-LaPorte is majoring
in sociology and is hoping to
go into an emphasis on pub-
lic and community health in
rural areas.
<I think now more than
RESIDENTIAL FARM & RANCH
PATTY CORDONI
541.771.0931
patty.cordoni@cascadesir.com
Principal Broker
Residential Sales, Farm and Ranch Division
CascadeSothebysRealty.com | Each offi ce independently owned and operated.
Discover the Diff erence
Chris Scott
Principal Broker
Broker
541-420-9997
541-588-6614
phil.arends@cascadesir.com
chris.scott@cascadesir.com
Licensed in the State of Oregon
Licensed in the State of Oregon
SOUTH MEADOW 175 • $540,000 • mls 202001928
Centrally located home with great rental history.
DARLING
UPDATED HOME
IN VILLAGE AT
COLD SPRINGS
GOLF HOME 205 • $119,000 • mls 201911023
1/4 share available on unique reverse-living home.
Electric lift services all three levels.
543 N. Freemont Street, Sisters
Immaculate single-level, open
fl oor plan. 3-bedroom, 2-bath,
1,580 sq. ft. Hardwood fl oors,
quartz countertops, new carpet,
SS appliances, new interior and
exterior paint. Spacious fenced
backyard. Walking distance to
schools & town. MLS#202001495
Reduced to $379,900
Khiva Beckwith - Broker
541-420-2165
khivarealestate@gmail.com
www.khivasellscentraloregon.com
Comments? Email
editor@nuggetnews.com
ever communi-
ties need to band
together to take care
of each other and
work together and if
people start to make
a change to better a
community, we can
create a reality that
we want every day,=
she said.
Next year, being
a recipient of the
Newman Civic
Fellowship, she will
be attending a con-
ference in Boston,
PHOTO PROVIDED
Massachusetts,
Zidane
Galant-LaPorte
recently
received
where she will get to
the
Newman
Civic
Fellowship
for her
meet and communi-
work
at
Whitman
College
in
Walla
Walla,
cate with other recip-
Washington.
ients from other uni-
versities about better-
ing community engagement.
<I am incredibly grateful
In addition to training and and humbled by receiving
resources, Campus Compact this award. I wasn9t expect-
provides significant learn- ing it and I am honored to be
ing and networking oppor- surrounded by so many peo-
tunities, including a national ple doing so many awesome
conference in partnership things,= she said. <If any-
with the Edward M. Kennedy thing, this award allows me
Institute for the United States to have a larger platform to
Senate.
spread my message,= she said.
THE ARENDS & SCOTT REALTY GROUP
Phil Arends
Mayfi eld Realty
809 SW Canyon Dr., Redmond
23
Exclusive Onsite Realtor for the Ranch
Don Bowler, President and Broker 971-244-3012
Gary Yoder, Managing Principal Broker 541-420-6708
Ross Kennedy, Principal Broker 541-408-1343
Carol Dye, Broker 541-480-0923 | Joe Dye, Broker 541-595-2604
Corrie Lake, Broker 541-521-2392
Open daily, 9 to 5, by the Lodge Pool Complex
541-595-3838 Black Butte Ranch
541-549-5555 in Sisters, 414 W. Washington Ave.
see all our listings at blackbutterealtygroup.com
“Sisters Businesses are Here to Serve” page to find curbside pick up, delivery, and more.