6A
MONDAY, AUGUST 26, 2019
The Observer
Safe Communities Coalition and
partners build online safety awareness
By Kelsie McDaniel
For The Observer
Sometimes we have big
ideas we know have the
potential to make a differ-
ence. Getting
ideas on paper
to come to life
is often the
challenge that
sets us back
McDaniel or even puts
those ideas
back on the shelf. But that
is not the case for a small
group of compassionate
and caring community
members who want to help
our community be healthi-
er and safer.
In 2014, as the Union
County District Attorney I
was seeing an increase of
reports from both school
staff and law enforcement
of incidents of teenagers
making horrible choices
in their cellphone use.
Whether it be with apps or
text messaging and social
media, the law was not
catching up to the technol-
ogy and kids were clearly
not thinking about the
consequences. I saw a gap
where no one was talking
to kids about being safe on-
line and the consequences
of the choices they make
from behind a phone or
computer screen.
Enter the Union County
Safe Communities Coali-
tion and the Center for
Human Development.
Together with the Union
County District Attorney’s
Offi ce, we formed a col-
laborative committee to
put on an annual day-long
conference for all Union
County seventh-graders.
The committee works year-
round to select speakers
and content that will effec-
tively help kids be healthy
both in their interpersonal
relationships and online.
This is the fi rst event of
its kind, bringing middle
schoolers from the entire
county together to learn
about a very real issue in
their lives.
We knew we were on
the right track with our
fi rst keynote speaker. We
brought in a young woman
whose life had been ruined
after texting a topless pic-
ture to her boyfriend. She
had been shocked when he
shared it all over the place,
and her life subsequently
spiraled out of control. She
told the group of seventh-
graders that the popular
app Snapchat saves all im-
ages. There was an audible
gasp from nearly every
student in the room, who
believed the photos had
been erased. We knew we
were making a difference.
We have also provided
an evening session for par-
ents to learn more about
technology and parent-
ing skills related to social
media and apps.
This year, the commit-
tee will be bringing Matt
Bellace for the evening
parent presentation. He is
a comedian and psycholo-
gist who will be speaking
on the best ways to talk to
teens about diffi cult topics.
The presentation will be on
Sept. 12 in the La Grande
Middle School Commons.
Doors open at 5:30 p.m.,
and the presentation
begins at 6 p.m. Child care
and refreshments will be
provided for those who
pre-register, and it will be
livestreamed to the sur-
rounding communities at
Stella Mayfi eld Elementa-
ry in Elgin, North Powder
High School and Cove
High School.
We want the entire com-
munity to be able to hear
this important information
and have worked to make
it as accessible as possible.
For more information, ques-
tions or to register, check
out the event on the Union
County Safe Communities
Coalition Facebook page or
call 541-963-1068.
College students from
Union and Wallowa coun-
ties were awarded academic
distinctions for their work
during the spring of 2019
and have earned degrees in
the following fi elds:
• Morgan Anderson, En-
terprise: Montana State Uni-
versity (Bozeman), dean’s list
(3.5 GPA or higher).
• Sabrina Beckner, Island
City: Western Governors
University (online), bachelor
degree in science and busi-
ness management
• Emily Best, La Grande:
Spokane Falls Community
College (Spokane, Washing-
ton), honor roll.
• Gracie Carlsen, Los-
tine: George Fox University
(Newberg), dean’s list (3.5
GPA or higher).
• Jeffrey Carman, La
Grande: Eastern Oregon
University (La Grande),
initiated into Honor Society
of Phi Kappa Phi (invitation
only, requires nomination
and approval by a chapter).
• Kylin Collman, La
Grande: George Fox Univer-
sity (Newberg), dean’s list
(3.5 GPA or higher).
• Whitney Evans, Joseph:
George Fox University
(Newberg), dean’s list (3.5
GPA or higher).
• Anna Gambill, La
Grande: Gustavus Adolphus
College (St. Peter, Minne-
sota), dean’s list (3.7 GPA or
higher).
Audrey Geissinger, Sum-
merville: University of Min-
nesota (Twin Cities), dean’s
list (3.66 GPA or higher).
• Anna Grigsby, La
Grande: Colorado College
(Colorado Springs), bachelor
degree in sociology.
• Eliza Irish, Enterprise:
Pacifi c University (Forest
Grove), dean’s list (3.7 GPA
or higher).
• Delanie Kohr, Union:
Central Washington Univer-
sity (Ellensburg), honor roll
(3.5 GPA or higher).
• Brianna Mees, La
Grande: Eastern Oregon
University (La Grande),
initiated into Honor Society
of Phi Kappa Phi (invitation
only, requires nomination
and approval by a chapter).
• Lovelyn Morgan, La
Grande: Maryville Univer-
sity (St. Louis, Missouri),
honors list (3.5 GPA or
Courtesy photo
Timothy and Cathy Stewart, of Walla Walla, Washington, and
formerly of Union, recently celebrated their 50th wedding
anniversary. A brunch party was hosted by friends Lacey
Quiggle and John Braswell at their home on Aug. 10. Tim
and Cathy were married Aug. 10, 1969, in Union. Tim is a
retired U.S. Navy air traffic controller, and Cathy retired from
the financial services industry. The couple has two children,
Russell and his wife, Tracy, Stewart of New Cumberland,
Pennsylvania, and Jennifer and her husband, Mark, Vanfos-
sen of Waynesville, Missouri. They have been blessed with
eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Kelsie McDaniel, Union
County District Attorney, is a
member of the Union County
Safe Communities Coalition.
Local college students earn
academic honors, degrees
Observer staff
Timothy & Cathy Stewart —
50th anniversary
higher).
• Cade Reed, Summer-
ville: George Fox University
(Newberg), dean’s list (3.5
GPA or higher).
• Dean Ricker, La Grande:
Montana State University
(Bozeman), dean’s list (3.5
GPA or higher).
• Sarah Robinson, La
Grande: Grove City College
(Grove City, Pennsylvania),
dean’s list (3.60-3.84 GPA).
• Katelyn (Katie) Wagner,
La Grande: George Fox Uni-
versity (Newberg), dean’s
list (3.5 GPA or higher);
bachelor degree in social
work.
• Craig Wallace, Island
City: LeTourneau Uni-
versity (Longview, Texas),
bachelor degree in mechani-
cal engineering.
• Mackenzie Walters, Jo-
seph: University of Wiscon-
sin (Eau Claire), bachelor
degree in science.
• Elias (Eli) Wisdom, La
Grande: Pacifi c University
(Forest Grove), dean’s list
(3.7 GPA or higher); bach-
elor degree in biology (cum
laude); named the univer-
sity’s Outstanding Senior in
Biology.
Winners of Keating essay contest named
Courtesy photo
Sixth-grade students
from Keating Elemen-
tary School partici-
pated in the Daugh-
ters of the American
Revolution national
essay contest. Shown
here are the contest
winners (left to right):
Erika Covarrubias,
Colton Clark, Liam
Blair, Taylor Church-
fi eld and Adrianna
Niehaus. In the back
are DAR members
Joanne Seellfoff (left)
and Joan Smith, who
visited the students
to recognize their
achievement.
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