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About The Observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1968-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 15, 2019)
2A — THE OBSERVER D AILY P LANNER FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2019 LOCAL La Grande, Elgin teachers garner recognition By Dick Mason The Observer TODAY Today is Friday, Nov. 15, the 319th day of 2019. There are 46 days left in the year. TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT On Nov. 15, 1942, the naval Battle of Guadalcanal ended during World War II with a deci- sive U.S. victory over Japanese forces. ON THIS DATE In 1777, the Second Conti- nental Congress approved the Articles of Confederation. In 1806, explorer Zebulon Pike sighted the mountaintop now known as Pikes Peak in present-day Colorado. In 1864, during the Civil War, Union forces led by Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman began their “March to the Sea” from Atlanta; the campaign ended with the capture of Savannah on Dec. 21. In 1935, the Commonwealth of the Philippines was estab- lished as its new president, Manuel L. Quezon, took offi ce. In 1937, at the U.S. Capitol, members of the House and Senate met in air-conditioned chambers for the fi rst time. In 1958, actor Tyrone Power, 44, died in Madrid, Spain, while fi lming “Solomon and Sheba.” (Power’s part was recast with Yul Brynner.) In 1959, four members of the Clutter family of Holcomb, Kansas, were found murdered in their home. (Ex-convicts Rich- ard Hickock and Perry Smith were later convicted of the killings and hanged in a case made famous by the Truman Capote book “In Cold Blood.”) In 1961, former Argentine President Juan Peron, living in exile in Spain, married his third wife, Isabel. In 1966, the fl ight of Gemini 12, the fi nal mission of the Gemini program, ended suc- cessfully as astronauts James A. Lovell and Edwin “Buzz” Al- drin Jr. splashed down safely in the Atlantic after spending four days in orbit. In 1984, Stephanie Fae Beauclair, the infant publicly known as “Baby Fae” who had received a baboon’s heart to replace her own congenitally deformed one, died at Loma Linda University Medical Cen- ter in California three weeks after the transplant. In 1987, 28 of 82 people aboard a Continental Airlines DC-9, including the pilots, were killed when the jetliner crashed seconds after taking off from Denver’s Stapleton Interna- tional Airport. In 2003, two Black Hawk he- licopters collided and crashed in Iraq; 17 U.S. troops were killed. Whether in a classroom with a leopard gecko or at a swimming pool leading a triathlon, elementary school teachers Sarah Jacobson and Kelly McLaughlin know how to make a splash with their students. It is why both recently received buoyant news — word that they were selected as the Union County win- ners of the Community Bank Apple Appreciation Awards for teachers. Jacobson, a fourth- and fi fth-grade teacher at Grande Ronde Academy in La Grande, learned of the news at a school assembly. “I was completely sur- prised,” she said. Jacobson said the only hint she had came from one of her pupils. “The student said, ‘I know something I can’t tell you, but you will be pleased,’” she said. McLaughlin, a physical education teacher at Stella Mayfi eld Elementary School in Elgin, also was caught off guard when she received word of the award via a phone call. “I had no idea,” she said. Stella Mayfi eld Principal Tom Sorensen is delighted that McLaughlin is being recognized. “She is truly worthy of this honor,” he said. “She is very dedicated to kids and the community.” McLaughlin is in her sev- enth year at Stella Mayfi eld. She was a classroom teacher her fi rst fi ve years before be- coming a physical education teacher there in 2018-19. “I’m loving it. I was a PE major in college, so this was a perfect fi t,” said McLaugh- lin, an Eastern Oregon University graduate. She said the chance to help children is the best part of her job. “It is the kids. I love work- ing with them,” McLaughlin said. McLaughlin, who grew up south of Klamath Falls, said she had long dreamed of being a teacher. “Both of my parents were teachers so it is in my blood,” she said. McLaughlin has started a number of new programs at Stella Mayfi eld, including an annual spring triathlon for fi fth- and sixth-graders in which students swim, bike and run. She hopes to open the triathlon to the public this spring. “I want it to be a commu- nity event,” she said. This is symbolic of McLaughlin’s community Dick Mason/The Observer Sarah Jacobson, a fourth and fi fth grade teacher at Grande Ronde Academy, discusses the fi ne points of a wildlife skull with her students. mindedness. Sorensen said she is excellent at reaching out to local businesses and organizations like the Lions Club and get them involved in school programs. “She does a good job of partnering with the com- munity. This is important because we are a commu- nity school,” Sorensen said. The principal also said McLaughlin has an endear- ing sense of humility. “It is diffi cult for her to ac- cept compliments,” he said. Jacobson has been at Grande Ronde Acad- emy about a year less than McLaughlin has been at Stella Mayfi eld. She is in her second year as a full- time fourth- and fi fth-grade teacher at Grande Ronde Academy and before that was a part-time teacher and member of the GRA offi ce staff. “She is an outstanding teacher and very dedi- cated,” said Grande Ronde Academy Principal Phillip O’Reilly. Darcy Pedro, an adminis- trative assistant at Grande Ronde Academy, echoes this praise. “She does not stop. She is one of the fi rst ones here at the start of the day and one of the last to leave,” Pedro said. The administrative as- sistant added that Jacobson is accessible to her students 24/7, noting that she encour- ages students to send her text messages after school if they have any questions. “Even when she is at home she is there for her students,” Pedro said. Jacobson’s classroom is fi lled with additions designed to make subjects the students study in textbooks jump off the page, sometimes in a literal sense. These include her class- room’s pets — four frogs, several guinea pigs and two leopard geckos, which are lizards found in Asia and throughout Afghanistan. The guinea pigs are what Jacobson’s students are watching now with great anticipation. Subscriber ONLY Presale Only $10.00 Each (reg. price $12.00 ea.) If you are a subscriber to The Observer you can purchase your tickets at The Observer office Monday 11/11/19 - Friday 11/15/19 Offer good thru 11/15/19. Advance ticket purchase is highly recommended. LOTTERY Megabucks: $6.1 million 14-17-25-33-38-43 Mega Millions: $178 million 19-30-44-56-65-24-x2 Powerball: $70 million 23-26-27-28-66-PB 11-x2 Win for Life: Nov. 13 12-13-24-70 Pick 4: Nov. 14 •1p.m.:0-3-9-9 •4p.m.:0-3-1-6 •7p.m.:7-3-8-6 •10p.m.:1-3-4-0 Pick 4: Nov. 13 •1p.m.:3-1-5-6 •4p.m.:7-5-7-6 •7p.m.:0-9-6-7 •10p.m.:5-8-1-6 ROAD REPORT Numberstocall: •InsideOregon:800-977-6368. •OutsideOregon:503-588-2941. NEWSPAPER LATE? Every effort is made to deliver your Observer in a timely man- ner. Occasionally conditions exist that make delivery more diffi cult. If you are not on a motor route, delivery should be before 5:30p.m.Ifyoudonotreceive your paper please call 541-963- 3161. THANKSGIVING Dinner Community Connection Nutrition Department is once again providing Th anksgiving Dinners that will serve a family of 4 for $ 35.00. Th ese are designed for those families that are too busy to cook and there is no work for you! Th ese meals also make wonderful gift s for those families that are struggling. Contact Sydney Gleeson @ Commnity Connection 541-962 5851 See the Impact of Your Generosity TODAY If you are 70½ years old or older, you can take advantage of a simple way to ]b;|o|_;"& om7-ঞom-m7u;1;b;|-0;m;C|vbmu;|umĺ+o1-m]b; -m-lom|r|oŪƐƏƏķƏƏƏr;u;-u=uolou!7bu;1|Ѵ|o-t-ѴbC;7 momruoC|v1_-v|_;"& om7-ঞomb|_o|_-bm]|or-bm1ol;|-;v om|_;7bv|ub0ঞomĺ =o_-;mo||-h;mouu;tbu;7lbmbll7bv|ub0ঞom=ou|_;;-uķ ou]b[|_uo]_-t-ѴbC;71_-ub|-0Ѵ;7bv|ub0ঞom1-mv-ঞv=-ѴѴour-u| o=|_-|u;tbu;l;m|ķ-m7or-mobm1ol;|-;vom|_;]b[ĺ -ѴѴoubvb|vomѴbm;|oѴ;-umlou;-0o||_v|-Ŋvl-u|-|ol-h; -mblr-1||o7--|"&ĺ QUOTE OF THE DAY “To oppose something is to maintain it.” — Ursula K. Le Guin, American writer (1929-2018) “One of the guinea pigs is about to give birth. The students are pretty excited about that,” Jacobson said. Her classroom’s many other features include animal skulls and furs and geologic materials. Jacob- son often has her students handle objects like these when they can be tied in to the curriculum being studied. “Kids love hands-on activities,” Jacobson said. The Grande Ronde Acade- my teacher has two degrees from EOU, an undergradu- ate degree and a master’s in teacher education. Her background includes two years working for the Peace Corps in Romania from 1998 to 2000. There she was impressed with how the educational system focused on developing all elements of a student, including character. Today she is applying what she learned in Romania to her classroom. “I want my students to be good citizens,” Jacobson said. The Community Bank Apple Appreciation Award acknowledges current elementary school, middle school and high school teachers. The winning teach- er from each Community Bank location in Northeast Oregon was presented with an Apple Appreciation Award trophy and asked to choose a club or student organization at their school to receive a $200 donation from the bank. Jacobson chose to have her donation go to GRA’s robotics club and McLaugh- lin had hers go to Stella Mayfi eld’s triathlon. OFFICE OF GIFT PLANNING / 503-228-1730 ]b[rѲ-mmbm]ĸo_v=om7-ࢼomĸou]ń]b[rѲ-mmbm]ĸ71_=om7-ࢼomĸou] presents
