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T h e French farce,
"Im ag in ary Invalid,"
R ivers L e a g u e title and
Official Student Publication of West Linn High School
Published Since 1921
1-
£
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ta k e s c e n te r s ta g e on
Feb. 15.
LU
H
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- p a g e 12
January 2008 - Volume 96, Issue 4
Kenyans share culture, bring diversity
a C alley L athrop ____________
Staff Reporter
Over a month and 9,142
miles ago, four Kenyan
students and their teacher
embarked on a journey that
took them from Namwela
Secondary School in Kenya,
to WLHS, their sister school
of three years.
* Without Global
Awareness Take Action,
this dream would never
have become a reality. The
story of GATA is that of
small beginnings, powerful
messages, and a growth in
numbers that has helped
bring global aid to those in
need. The group raises funds
and spreads awareness and
has provided financial aid,
wells and other necessities.
GATA members had been
k e y in g to m ak e a p h y sic a l
connection with its sister
school, and almost sent
students to Kenya last
year. However, the trip
was cancelled due to a
random act of violence in
the capital city of Nairobi.
GATA then decided to
bring students here. After
planning, applications and
troubleshooting, the dream
was fulfilled.
From Kenya to Dubai,
Dubai to New York, New
York to Los Angeles, and
finally, Los Angleles to
Portland, Daisy Nafula,
17, Geoffrey Amunga, 26,
Irene Wanyonyi, 16, Edwin
Kemei, 17, and Madame
Irene Simiyu, a teacher at
Namwela, landed at 5 p.m.
at Portland International
Airport (PDX). They stayed
with GATA members and
their families, and were
The group has
experienced Oregon through
the many field trips and
events they have been on
since their arrival. "I went
snowboarding Saturday
[Dec. 8]. It was very cold, so
I didn't like it very much,"
Edwin Kemei, junior, said.
They also visited Oregon
Edwin Kemei, Geoffrey Amunga, Irene Wanyonyi, juniors, and
Daisy Nafula, senior, from Namwela Secondary School in Kenya,
visit their sister school. Irene Simiyu, teacher, and Richard Keya,
principal, also visited. The group spent over a month experiencing
life at WLHS by sitting in on classes, socializing with students and
taking field trips.
Photo by Calley Lathrop
anxious to experience
America.
Richard Keya, the head
principal at Namwela,
joined the group after
Christmas. However, the
trip was not easy for him
either. "I went to the wrong
Portland! Portland, Maine!
It was alright, they [the
airline] got me here safely,"
Keya said.
State University, and before
Christmas, attended "The
Singing Christmas Tree,"
in Portland. "Seeing "The
Singing Christmas Tree"
has been one of my favorite
things so far," Daisy Nafula,
senior, said.
Their lives in Kenya are
very different. At Namwela,
their day begins at 4 a.m.
when the first class starts,
and ends at 10 p.m. In those
18 hours, there are classes,
meals, breaks and study
halls, but the students said
the long day is still difficult.
The curriculum is complex
and the exams are hard
according to the students.
The rigor is due to the belief
that most Kenyans feel a
good education is key in
leading a happy life, and
avoiding the poverty that
has engulfed the country.
"In high school, there
are no multiple choice
questions like here. You
have to remember and learn
everything," Wanyonyi,
junior, said.
Another big difference
is that at Namwela, the
campus is fenced in, as it
is a boarding school. On
Saturdays, they have the
same schedule, but do not
have evening classes, and
time in the morning is
spent cleaning/doing work
around the campus.
One major similarity
between Kenya and West
Linn is that courses are
taught in English. In Kenya,
the official language is
Swahili, but the national and
more widely used language
is English.
"We do not feel oppressed
or anything, using English.
It helps us to connect with
your country," Nafula said.
Though they lead very
different lives, all of the
students share similar
likes and hobbies with WL
students. Wanyonyi is in
tenth grade and enjoys bike
riding, watching TV, and
wants to be a broadcaster
someday.
Nafula is one of six
siblings, and enjoys hanging
out with friends. She hopes
to become a journalist, but
because students aren't
always able to choose what
they study in college, she
may be guided toward
another profession such as
teaching.
Kemei wants to be an
engineer. "I like running,
even though I'm not very
good at it," he said.
Amunga is a junior, but
his age sets him apart from
most high schoolers because
he is 26 years-old. In Kenya,
students have to pay for
high school. He finished
elementary school, but could
not afford high school. He
worked for years, running
small businesses and
working other jobs to make
enough money for tuition.
He wants to continue
college and study to be a
neurosurgeon.
iiip ii is iif s
________ m
continued on page 3
Students, staff take action to help Vemonia flood victims
a K aitlyn R agan _____________
Staff Reporter
As the flood waters raged
through Northern Oregon
and parts of Washington last
month, thousands of people
were left without homes and
their belongings. West Linn
Senior Class Council members
along with Curtiss Scholl, vice
principal, Jonathan Peachey,
Spanish teacher, and Tana
Dearborn, science teacher
and adviser, took a trip to
Vemonia on Dec. 10 to offer
aid and support to the victims
of the flood.
"1 knew that they were a
community in great need and
I still know a lot of people
there, so I called to see what
I could do to help. The staff,
students, and community
are the ones that really
deserve to the credit for their
overwhelming response to the
e-mail that I sent," Scholl said.
Scholl lived and worked
in that area before he came
to West Linn, and still has
friends there.
The night before the trip,
students drove to Fred Meyer
and bought about $600
worth of supplies to donate,
including personal hygiene
supplies, linens and cleaning
supplies. They also collected
items from the community
such as food, water, sports
drinks, clothes, shoes, coats,
bedding and blankets,
cleaning supplies, personal
care items, gloves and mops.
When they arrived in
Vemonia they found the city
in disarray and people in
despair as they drove past
the huge piles of garbage
and debris that had been
carried away by the flood.
The students visited Vemonia
Avik Bandyopadhyay, Breonna Winfield and Destiny Schroyer,
members of senior class council, unload food and cleaning supplies to
donate to Vemonia flood victims. The group helped deliver supplies
needed by families who lost valuable possessions to the flood.
Photo submitted by Eli Groman
High School and were
amazed at the damage the
water had done.
"The thing that left the
biggest impression was the
gigantic trash pile that was
the composition of all of
the belongings of the flood
victims. The line of vehicles
waiting with truck beds.
I also remember the tired,
frustrated, and disheveled
looks on the peoples faces,"
Scholl said.
"The gym floor looked like
waves because it had been so
waterlogged, and you could
see the line on the building
where the water had risen to
above the first-story windows.
It was really eye-opening,"
Destiny Schroyer, senior, said.
This trip impacted those
who delivered the donations
and they found it a valuable
experience.
"I could not imagine losing
everything that I owned. It
made me even more thankful
for what my wife and I have
been able to provide for our
family. It also made me more
compassionate for those in
need," Scholl said.