free
december2007
V E R N O N I A’ S
reflecting the spirit of our community
volume1 issue6
vernonia
visitors
guide
Pages 12 & 13
Jessica Davis and the Vernonia Ballet
By Scott Laird
Vernonia resident Jessica Davis has been prac-
ticing ballet for fifteen years. More amazingly,
she has been teaching other young ladies the
skills and techniques for thirteen years. So if I
do my math right, that means that twenty-five
year old Jessica has been sharing her love of
dance since she was twelve.
“I have an extreme passion for ballet,” said
Jessica between practice sessions with her
groups of young girls. “I love being able to
share that with others. It’s very rewarding for
me.”
Jessica has recently begun teaching Ballet in
Vernonia on her own with her summer Dance
Camp and with fall and winter Dance Class;
classes are for ages three and up. Classes are
held in the Vernonia Community Gymnasium on Monday and Wednesdays from 3:30
pm until 6:30 pm. The girls work on basic fundamentals and steps and practice dance
routines they will perform publicly at local recitals.
Jessica’s mother, Pam Weller, told me about the
long trips when Jessica was young and the hours
in the car traveling just to get to practice each
week. “She just loved it,” said Weller. “And
now it’s so exciting to see her doing it on her
own here in Vernonia.”
You can see the excitement on the faces of Jes-
sica’s students as the young ladies arrive for
practice, the fun they have following Jessica’s
instructions, and the fierce determination and
concentration they put forward trying to get it
“just right”.
“I teach the girls to use their imagination, like
when I tell them to ‘fly like a butterfly’ or ‘walk
inside
toy and
joy!
2
cornerstone
naturals
11
14
making
seasons
bright
like a princess’,” explained Jessica. “We
use a lot of games that teach creativity. I
also have to teach basic manners some-
times, like don’t touch your neighbor,”
laughed Jessica.
Jessica has an assistant this year, eleven
year old Jessica Gardiner. Davis is act-
ing as a mentor to Gardiner who is a third
year student, and who, like Davis herself,
wanted to learn how to teach and share
what she has learned with others.
“With the older girls I use more structure.
They do some real hard work. I try to
give them more independence by hav-
ing them do their own dances. It really
allows them to express their creativity
which doesn’t always happen in dance
studios. I think it’s more fun for them. As a teacher I like to turn them loose and see
what they come up with.”
“The parents have really been amazing this
year,” added Davis. “The little extra support
they give has been so meaningful.”
“In sports, kids have games where they show
what they’ve learned. In dance, we have recit-
als,” concluded Davis. “This year we are per-
forming The Nutcracker as the Vernonia Bal-
let at our winter recital on December 14th.”
For more information about Jessica Davis
Dance Class, call 503-429-0850. The Ver-
nonia Ballet will perform The Nutcracker on
Friday December 14th at 7 pm in the Gym-
nasium at the Vernonia Community Church.
The performance is free.
Support your Local Merchants?
It Makes More Sense Than You Think
By Scott Laird
How often have you needed to buy something, either for a home project or to replace something you have worn out, and
thought you would find a better price if you went out of Vernonia to purchase it? From my experience, this happens with
many Vernonia residents, including me. But with the price of gasoline topping three dollars a gallon this holiday season, you
have to wonder, “Does it really make sense to travel to Hillsboro or Portland to shop?”
There appears to be a myth among local residents that prices are high in Vernonia. I decided to do some investigating and
compare prices on a variety of items sold by local merchants, and then compare prices for the same or similar items in Hills-
boro at some of the large retails shops.
What I found surprised me, and I think you will be too. I looked for regular everyday prices, not special sale prices. Not only
are prices in Vernonia comparable, they were often times better, sometimes much better! I also found services I did not know
were available, like new watch batteries at True Value.
“I stand behind what I sell. To me, my word is everything,” said Clyde Barlow of Barlow Bikes and Boards. “If I sell you
something, of course I’m going to take care of you if you bring it back for service. And I’m available right here in town. ”
“The big stores draw you in with a low price on one piece, likes pipes, but their prices on fittings are more expensive,” says
Jay Nesmith of Vernonia Hardware. “By the time you finish a project you’ve spent the same amount. Plus I’ll deliver to you
for free.”
When you consider the advantages to having service close by should you need repairs or have questions, and then factor in the
time spent driving out of town, plus the expense of fuel and/or delivery, it sure makes sense to give our local merchants a try.
continued on page 15