2009
News
3
Stoneking stays strong in the battle against cancer
J ulia V an W inkle & G race W all
Every day many of us
take our health for granted;
never realizing that in one
moment that can all change.
On Sept. 7, after suffering
from headaches and
consulting doctors, Jake
Stoneking, freshman, was
diagnosed with high-risk
medulloblastoma, a brain
tumor. In the hospital for 20
days before coming home,
Stoneking has not been able
to attend school so far this
year because of surgeries
and treatments.
"I couldn't believe or
didn't want to believe
what was happening,"
Brett Kruger, freshman
and close friend, said. Both
he and Stoneking were
overwhelmed with the
diagnosis.
A website on Caring
Bridge was set up for
Stoneking and his mother,
Wendy, makes frequent
updates about his
condition. Many people
have written in the guest
book with entries from
family in other states,
friends and teachers.
People write words of
hope and inspiration.
"You have no idea how
much I miss your humor,
laughter, kindness and
love," Dillion Stoneking,
said.
To leave messages to
Stoneking in the guest
book, or check up on how
he is doing, go
to the Caring
Bridge web
site at, www.
caringbridge..
org/visit/
jacobstoneking.
"I think we've
all been touched,
and feel a real
motivation to be
with him each
step of the way,"
Susan Kruger,
a family friend,
said.
To help
Stoneking's
family out with
Photo submitted by Wendy Stoneking
Process'
Jake Stoneking, freshman, rests in the hospital, with cousins Dillon and Ryan. Susan Kruger
Stoneking was diagnosed with a high-risk brain tumor and has been undergoing an d L o d e
Griffith, have
treatments and surgeries.
Class Of
College application myths
debunked
Applying to college is a daunting task for any senior. A m I good enough for
acceptance? How will I pay for it? W hat can I do to m ake m y application stand
out am ong the thousands of applicants? There are m any m yths surrounding the college
application process, as w ell as loopholes and lesser-know n facts that can help boost or break an
application. Once you recieve that coveted acceptance letter, a new task starts to suck countless
hours from your life: figuring out how to pay for it. There are m any options other than begging
your parents to w rite a check, and hundreds and thousands of dollars lay at anyone's disposal if
the right rocks are upturned.
Scholarships: local and national
L exi 'W elp
Admissions tips and debunked myths
G alley U throp '
• Employ Naviance, the WLHS scholarship search.
While there is currently a limited selection of mostly
gigantic scholarships which may not fit the average
among us, in the spring, many scholarships desig
nated for West Linn students will become available.
• There are thousands of scholarships for which
students can apply. It's all about knowing which
scholarships you are eligible for. Search Naviance
websites of colleges you are interested in applying to.
There are also web- sites specialized in sorting through
scholarships like Free Application for Federal Student
Aid (FASFA), which will sort out scholarships into
those that interest you and those that don't.
• "There are a ton of local scholarships available that
aren’t just for the 4.0 students. Many are available for
students who participate in different activities, even
students who are going to school to study certain
fields," Jamie Welle, Guidance and College Center
Secretary, said.
•It is important to be familiar with your choice
school and know its specific deadlines." All colleges
are different," Welle said. Some colleges require the ap
plications for their scholarships to be turned in around
the same time as
their early applica
tions are due. Other
colleges such as Or
egon State Univer
sity don’t require
their scholarship
applications until
early February.
•BEWARE! M any private colleges and some
public refer to their early application process as
"early decision." H ere’s why. By applying early to
the school, you are signing a contract stating that
if you are accepted to the school, you will go there.
Just because a college utilizes early decision does
not m ean one should not apply there; ju st wait
until after the early decision deadline has ended.
• Early application is rumored to be both a good
and pointless decision. It is both. Applying early
m ay m ean you are accepted early, however, you
can also be waitlisted. "This sim ply means that the
college is unsure w hether they w ant to accept you
or not, and w ants to review your application at a
later date to m ake their final decision," Jam ie Welle,
Guidance and College Center Secretary, said. If you
are w aiting to apply in order to re-take SAT’s or
boost your GPA, it is often a good option because
it w ill boost your application.
•The average application fee is $50, but it can
be as low as nothing or as high as $75. That can
add up quickly, especially for those w ho want a
w ide variety of options w hen deciding where to
go. M ost colleges are w illing to w aive application
fees; simply search the w ebsite to find the link and
fill out the application.
•The private school option turns off m any be
cause of its general high price. However, m any
don't realize that private schools have m uch more
m oney (often from private donors, m em orials and
alum ni) to give to students in financial aid.
organized a
fundraiser. While insurance
pays the medical bills, it
doesn't pay for his parents'
time off work. Donations
help cover these costs. To
help, contact Kruger at
susankruger@comcast.net.
"Now all I can do is stay
strong, not just for me, but
for Jake and his family,"
Brett Kruger, said. He has
been visting Jake in the
hospital- and helping his
friend through the cancer.
The Krugers aren't
the only ones helping
out. Family friends Pam
Johnson, Melissa Proff,
Sarah Wright and Traci
Varela have been cooking
meals for the Stonekings.
Three days after the
tumor was discovered,
Stoneking had surgery
“Now all I can
do is stay
strong, not
just for me,
but for Jake
and his
family.”
-Brett Kruger,
freshman
to remove it. Since then
he has been receiving
chemotherapy and
radiation to treat the
cancer, sometimes on the
same day.
Right now Stoneking
has blisters from the
treatment and is eating
six cans of formula a day
through a tube. He has
been losing weight, but
it has steadied. Friends
Mitchell Wible and
Mitchell Blatt, freshmen,
went trick-or-treating
for Stoneking, because he
couldn't.
"The power of your
support is uplifting,"
Wendy Stoneking said.