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News
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Class takes on projects to better Oregon
_ I ke M c G innis _______________
Staff Reporter
This semester, students
in the class "Oregon: The
People," are attempting to
make big changes in Oregon.
Todd Jones, teacher, is
requiring his students to take
on a project to better Oregon,
whether it's helping out
with Habitat for Humanity,
or gaining signatures and
speaking at public hearings
before the legislature.
"The environmental
projects will have a direct
impact on the areas cleaned
and restored," Jones said.
"The advocacy projects we
hope will add a youth voice to
important issues."
The class started the
semester with a paper about
a current issue in Oregon.
After the paper was written,
students made presentations
that showed the class the
controversies of issues and
expressed their personal *
opinions. The topics included,
Measure 37, tax reform,
salmon recovery, the lottery,
higher education, Native
American casinos, affordable
GATA members walk to save lives
m
K atie C arnahan
Staff Reporter
After three days of taking
finals, school officially closes
for the summer on June 20.
But for some GATA members,
summer will be on hold while
they participate in the the
American Cancer Society's
Relay for Life.
"Community service is so
important, and even though
GATA is so global, it all starts
in the community. I think it is
awesome," David Frick, GATA
adviser, said.
Students will camp out
at the Rosemont Ridge
Middle School track on June
22 and 23, stay up all night,
switching off people who will
be walking around the track
every hour.
'Tach team is divided up
so mat no matter what time
of night it is, or how early in
the morning it may be, at least
one person is always walking
the track," Lucy Lawer, junior,
said.
The event itself is free, but
donations are being solicited
for the foundation. So far
$1,120 has been raised at the
event. Teams from all over
the Portland area will be
attending the cancer walk and
anyone can be on a team.
"This is not in any way an
event that excludes people.
The event is open to anyone
that wants to attend, whether
they are in GATA or not,"
Lawer said.
The American Cancer
Society has put on this event
every year. Relay For Life is
a way to allow people of all
ages to not only do something
for a good cause but to
actually learn something too.
"Last time we did this, two
years ago, it was so much fun.
It's a great way to kick off
the summer. Just remember,
cancer never sleeps, so neither
will we," Lawer said.
Sign ups for the Relay for
Life are available in Room
E106.
New ASB discusses future plans
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outside of dances that
different types of people can
enjoy, because not everyone
wants to get down on a dance
floor. We could do this by just
brainstorming some ideas,
and getting people's opinions
on what could be more fun."
"I would really like to get
more student involvement
in activities, to boost school
spirit. My plans are to bring
new, fun, and creative ideas to
help accomplish this task."
housing and much more.
Once the presentations
were finished, Jones
challenged his students to
take on one of the current
issues they discussed and try
to personally make it better.
According to Jones, last
semester he taught the class
in chronological order and
ended the class with the
presentations which gave
those students no chance
to make a difference on the
current issues in Oregon.
This semester, he flipped
the two to make the current
issues first to give students
time to start their projects.
Jones said students are
doing surveys and gaining
signatures for a bottle bill to
give to the legislature. Those
students want more types of
bottles to be recyclable with
the five cent deposit. There
are students trying to gain
signatures to change CIM
testing and also students
doing the same to protect
Mt. Hood from further
development.
"I think it's going to be
awesome, because we can
make a real difference. I'm
really excited to work with
the people that are high up (in
the decision making process)
and making differences,"
Alexander Waibel, senior,
said. Waibel is working with
a group to discontinue CIM
testing and is planning on
going to the legislature to
present its findings gleaned
from surveys.
There are also students
who will make a change by
doing Habitat for Humanity,
housing construction and
collecting food for the West
Linn food pantry.
"It feels good knowing
I'm going to make a direct
impact," Thomas Lord, junior,
said. Lord will be working
with Habitat for Humanity for
his project.
"I have done Habitat for
Humanity before and I know
the hard work will pay off,"
Lord said.
One project that really
intrigues Jones is a group
of students who are going
to present to the West Linn
Chamber of Commerce, to
teach small businesses in
West Linn how to be more
environmentally sustainable.
The real question is, can
high schoolers really make a
difference?
Jones answered, "Your
(teenage) voice is so seldom
heard that when you do speak
up, it tends to get people's
attention."
No changes made to lockdown procedures
■ K elsey S chrader
Staff Reporter
Since the Virginia Tech
shooting, experts have
been debating how to make
the school environment
safer. These ideas range
from stricter gun control to
expelling troubled students.
Administrators at every school
grapple with the problem.
"It's tough to prepare for
a scenario if you don't know
what the scenario is going
to be," Curt Scholl, Assistant
Principal of Student Services,
said. "The balance between
what is safe and what is
reasonable isn't easy. But we
are doing what we can."
So far, no changes have
been made to the school
district lockdown procedure in
case of a school shooting. The
current procedure is:
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•Determine any imminent
dangers.
•Announce "signal words"
(signal words are used to
initiate a lockdown without
alarming the students).
•Detain all students in
classroom.
•Secure classroom by locking
doors, closing windows/
shades and turning off lights.
•Ask students to lie on the
floor away from windows and
doors.
•Make sure no one leaves the
room.
•Remain in lockdown until
released by someone in
authority.
Earlier this year, the
administration held a school
wide lockdown drill during
third period to inform
students what the procedure
would be in case of a school
shooting. Teachers were asked
to discuss and practice the
procedure.
"Personally, I felt like the
teachers didn't think this
could happen to us," Krista
Hazel, sophomore, said. "I
feel like it could happen to
us. I think it could happen
to anybody. We need a better
plan."
"The school is trying to do
a good job," Allister Bunch,
School Resource Officer, said.
Bunch created a Powerpoint
about the current lockdown
procedure and what to do in
case of a school shooting.
Statistics imply that
schools are safe. According to
the Virginia Youth Violence
Project, the probability of a
school experiencing a student-
perpetrated homicide is about
1:11,520.
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Jake Fogle
Jake Fogle
What is your role on ASB,
and what does it entail?
"I am an assistant to the
senior members on ASB. As
an assistant I will basically
just help to make the seniors
job easier."
What do you feel WL could
improve upon? What are
ir plans to accomplish
What is your role on ASB,
and what does it entail?
"I am pretty much a slave
to the seniors on ASB."
What do you feel WL could
improve upon? What are
your plans to accomplish
that?
"More spirit, school
involvement and fun
activities. I'm going to do
whatever I can to help out,
and to get WL pumped up."
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32 programs that train you for the workplace
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Avary Kolasinski
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Wrap that all up in a setting of fantastic natural beauty and
incredible outdoor sports, and what could be better?