Friday,June t, 1999
Weather forecast
Today Saturday
Mostly Cloudy Scattered T-storms
High 65, Low 50 High 64, Low 53
Chemical concerns
Businesses that use certain toxins will be
required to submit a risk management plan to
the Emnronmental Protection Agency /PAGE 4 A
Ducks fall short
Strong play from Ryan Lavoie isn ’/ enough to
lift the Ducks into a spot in the final rounds of
the NCAA Championships/PAGE 7 A
An independent newspaper
Volume 100, Issue 168
University of Oregon
www.dailyemerald.com
Since moving from Korea to Oregon in high school, Bobby Lee has risen from ASUO President to Eugene City Councilor.
Amanda Cowan/Emeraki
From Korea to the city council
hugene city
councilor
Bobby Lee, a
former
ASUO
president,
has used
hard work
and
ambition to
make a
name for
himself in
politics
By Laura Cadiz
Oregon Daily Emerald
When Bobby Lee was just a sophomore in
high school he moved from Seoul, Korea, to
Oregon — alone.
Armed with minimal English speaking
skills and an ambition to become an inde
pendent person, Lee left his parents and two
brothers in Korea to start a new life in Amer
ica.
“I just wanted to try doing something on
my own,” he said. “It was an opportunity to
go to a different country and to start from
scratch. It was sort of a personal challenge.”
This would be just one of many bold steps
that Lee would take in his life to arrive at his
current position as an Eugene city coun
cilor.
He has played key roles in both higher ed
ucation and city management, fighting the
system for people who traditionally don’t
get the kind of attention they need, such as
college students and homeless kids.
In 1992, he became the first Asian ASUO
president. At age 30, he is the youngest
member and only member of an ethnic mi
nority on the Eugene City Council.
And he’s only just begun.
A Bold Mission
Lee said he embarked on such an ambi
tious trip to America because he wanted to
go to an American college. He said he
thought learning the American culture dur
ing high school would be easier than wait
ing until college started.
He said he knew very little about the
American culture. He was bom in Athens,
Ga., while his dad was pursuing his doctor
ate at the University of Georgia in Athens.
His family moved to Seoul, Korea, when he
was 5.
Although Lee desired the challenge and
excitement of being in a new country, he
said his high school years were tough. He at
tended four different high schools because
he could never find one that fit. He eventu
ally graduated from Oregon Episcopal High
School in 1988.
He said he missed his family and friends
in Korea who spoke the same language and
practiced the same culture hje did.
“It was really a challenging time,” he said.
“I did a lot of soul searching as to what it
was I wanted to do, and what makes me
happy. I was on my own, and I was forced
to ask these kind of questions.”
Finding His Niche
Lee eventually answered the question of
what he wanted to do — be an outdoor
counselor. Even though he came to the
states specifically to attend college, Lee said
he wasn’t ready to take the plunge into a
four-year commitment.
But his father had a different plan in
mind.
His father was so determined that Lee
Turn to LEE, Page 3A
“Ijust
wanted to try
doing
something
on my own.
It was an
opportunity
to go to a
different
country> and
to start from
scratch. It
was sort of a
personal
challenge. »
Bobby Lee
City councilor
HEP program
increases
opportunity
The High School Equivalency
Program is an attempt to give
farm workers a second chance
By Erin Snelgrove
Oregon Daily Emerald
Juan Garcia, a 21-year-old Mexican farm
worker, never finished high school. Instead of
pursuing his diploma he roamed the streets,
spending his time in and out of jail. He wanted
to improve his life, but he didn’t know how.
The answer to Garcia’s unrest came a few
months ago when he decided to join the
High School Equivalency Program at the
University. The program, which began in
1967, is offered to both migrant and season
al farm workers and their children. Its pur
pose is to train people who want to pass the
General Education Development tests.
Garcia, along with approximately 30 oth
er HEP students, finished the program
Wednesday and received his GED certificate
Thursday night.
The program is federally funded by the
Department of Education and, at the Uni
versity, students can take the GED exams in
either Spanish or English. One of HEP’s pri
mary goals is to encourage students to con
tinue with their education, either by joining
the military or enrolling in college.
Hearing about HEP from his friends, Gar
cia decided to take advantage of the oppor
tunity to further his learning. He completed
the mandatory applications and was later
admitted into the program. Garcia said he
decided to enroll in HEP because he want
ed to secure a well-paying job.
“In the past I couldn’t get certain jobs be
cause I didn’t have my high school diploma
or GED,” said Garcia, via a translator. “Now
that I have my GED I feel things are more
clear. My life is going to change.”
Garcia said he feels proud of his latest ac
complishment. For the previous two months,
he spent the majority of his time attending
class, studying and participating in work
shops. Rules of the program, such as manda
tory participation in group activities and re
fraining from alcohol and drugs were required.
In addition, Garcia had to leave his family to
move into the University’s residence halls.
The changes in his life were large, but
Garcia said the sacrifices were worth it.
“I didn’t want my little brothers to follow
in my footsteps and end up like me,” Garcia
said. “Now that I have my GED, I hope they
will follow this example and continue with
their schooling.”
Alba Kaufman, 45, another HEP graduate,
said earning a GED will open many doors
for her. A wife and a mother of two young
children, Kaufman faced an hour-long com
mute each day to participate in the program.
Although she came close to quitting a few
times, she said the support of her family
gave her the strength to continue.
“My little girl would hug me and say how
proud she was of me for going to school,”
Kaufman said via a translator. “Hearing that
made me feel good about myself. It made me
want to finish.”
Originally, Kaufman said she felt nervous
about joining the program because of her age.
Turn to HEP, Page 5A