schools
march22
VHS Gets Ready to Start Forestry Program
By Scott Laird
Vernonia High School is getting
ready to introduce a new Forestry
Program for students. The program
is scheduled to begin next fall, and
will teach students skills in logging
and forest sustainability, according to
Washington Grade school Principal
Aaron Miller. Miller has been working
to introduce a new Natural Resources
curriculum into the District. He has also
been instrumental in the planning for
the new Vernonia Rural Sustainability
Center (VRSC) which will be part of
the new school campus currently under
construction.
Miller says students in the
Forestry class will learn about forestry
science, will do work related to watershed
restoration through a partnership with the
Upper Nehalem Watershed Council, and
work on developing hands-on forestry
skills. In addition, a club will be created
that will compete in Logging Skills
Competitions and Logging Shows.
Miller says there are at least
twenty-five students who have expressed
initial interest in the program.
According to Miller, the class
will be taught by current VHS teacher
Byron Brown, who worked in the
logging industry before becoming a
teacher several years ago. There is also a
hope that local resources, including local
logging companies, will provide guest
speakers, professionals and experts in
the field to participate in the teaching of
the classes.
Mark Standley from Logsafe,Inc.
is working to collect donated equipment
for the program. “Mark heard about
some of the things we are planning
to do with the VRSC and he was very
interested in helping us get a Forestry
Program together,” said Miller. “Mark
was instrumental in helping Knappa
High School get their program back into
their school. And after talking with Mark
and [VHS principal] Mr. Underwood
and [Vernonia School Superintendent]
Dr. Cox and Mr. Brown, we decided this
was something we wanted to pursue.”
According to Miller, Brown has
Running For The Arts At
Washington Grade School
Washington Grade
School is participating in
Young Audiences’ Run
For The Arts, a project that
will help the grade school
raise funding for artists’
performances, classroom
workshops and residencies
and even field trips for the
next school year.
Young Audiences
has brought the arts
to schools since 1958.
Washington Grade School
couldn’t do it without the
support of the community
and parents! During the
past school year, Young
Audiences has brought
artists to over 100,000
students at participating
schools. At a time when the
arts are vanishing from our
classrooms, your support
for the Run For The Arts is
especially needed.
Last
year
Washington Grade School
raised $3,392.50 from this
event. Washington Grade
School is hoping to raise
another $3000 to $4000
this year. With this money
raised Washington Grade
School students have
benefited. Incorporating
the arts into all subjects
will really allow students
a chance to shine in areas
where they may otherwise
struggle.
As
Washington
Grade School gears up for
its Run, they hope to raise
enough money for more
cultural and art assemblies
for the students, and more
artist in residencies. This
year’s Run will be on
Thursday, April 14th, 2011.
During the pledge period in
late March and early April,
members of the community
are encouraged to support
Washington Grade School’s
Run For The Arts.
The students will
see how many laps they can
run around the high school
track in a 30 minute time
limit. Prizes, t-shirts, and
other awards are awarded
for their participation.
In a time of limited
funds for educational arts
programming, Washington
C edar M ist S tudios
Deborah Steffen is a reg-
istered yoga instructor and
certifi ed hypnotist serving
Vernonia for over 5 years.
been actively talking with Jeff Skirvin,
the Forestry teacher at Knappa High
School to create a curriculum.
Miller believes a Forestry
Program will work well in a community
like Vernonia. “It’s a perfect fit with
the natural resources work we are doing
and the sustainability of our economy
and the environment that surrounds
us,” says Miller. “With new logging
practices, so much more of logging is
really about stewardship of the land and
trying to take care of the watersheds and
the wildlife. I really think the industry is
moving in that direction to survive and
sustain themselves.”
The
Natural
Resources
curriculum that Miller is developing
is still a work in progress, although
numerous classes at all school levels have
worked on several projects, including
4 th graders raising and releasing trout at
Vernonia Lake, and several tree planting
projects. Miller has specifically been
working to develop more opportunities
for local students to get involved in
Grade School is one
of many schools in the
Columbia County area
taking advantage of Young
Audiences’ Run For The
Arts, the Northwest’s
largest source of funds
for arts in the schools.
Funds raised at each
school pay for community
arts programming at that
school. Run For The Arts
is expected to raise more
than $600,000 this year for
approximately 120 schools
in Oregon and Southwest
Washington.
Young
Audiences brings the arts
to an average of 225,000
students per year in the
region.
C o m m u n i t y
memberrs and parents are
invited to help a successful
Run by volunteering some
time to help the school
coordinator,
George
Spaulding, with the project.
Please call the WGS office,
or come in and sign-up to
help.
2011
13
watershed projects. “We want to get our
students more involved in every aspect of
that Watershed Council work,” he says.
“More and more, stream restoration is a
growing part of our economy.”
Miller says he sees links between
the Forestry program and watershed
work. “It may tie in directly with the
Forestry class when they are working a
certain site, or it may be another class or
elective we develop.”
Miller says the Forestry class
will be an elective and eventually will
have enough elements included that it
could count as a science credit.
Miller and Standley have been
in contact with several local timber
companies who are helping identify and
locate properties where the students will
be able to work and learn about Forestry
practices.
For more information about the
VHS Forestry Program, contact Aaron
Miller at Washington Grade School at
(503)429-7941.
VHS Winter Sports Wrap-up:
Rock Twins Named to All-State Team
At the annual VHS Winter Sports Dessert, Ariel Rock was
named 1st Team All State in Girl’s Basketball. Sister Megan Rock
was named Honorable Mention All State. VHS Wrestlers Joe Benes
and Alex Barber were named to the All State Team.
The following are all the awards handed out at the Winter
Sports Desert:
Girls Basketball
Rock, Ariel
Rock, Megan
1st Team All State
Honorable Mention All State
Boys Basketball
Vaclav Michalec
Most Valuable, 2nd Team All League
Craig Weller
2nd Team All League
Tanner Faber
Honorable Mention All League
Paul Whiteman Most Inspirational
Austin Cutright Most Improved
Wrestling
Joe Benes
All District, 4th All State, Outstanding Wrestler
Alex Barber
All District, 4th All State, Outstanding Wrestler
Jacob Alf
All District, Outstanding Wrestler
Michael Kinnan All District, Most Inspirational
Jake Barnes
All District, Most Improved
Shylo Dooley
All District
Daniele Della Rossa Most Improved
Vernonia
Veterinary Clinic
Small and Large Animals
Located 5 miles from
Vernonia at 20960
Scappoose Vernonia Hwy.
Hypnotherapy
•
•
•
•
Stress/Pain Management
Weight Loss
Stop Smoking
Self Confi dence...
Yoga
• Tues & Thurs 9-10AM
• Mon & Weds 4:30-5:30PM
503-429-2103
CedarMistStudios.com
Starting in March
Open Mon, Wed & Saturday
9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Call for Appointments
(503) 429-1612
Or 24 hr. Emergency Number (503) 397-6470
700 Weed Ave. Vernonia, OR
