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About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (March 27, 2012)
schools Students Present Senior Projects By Scott Laird Each year Vernonia High School seniors are provided with an opportunity to explore a career of their choice through the Career Related Learning Ex- perience (CRLE). This project culminates in the form of a final “Senior Project” which demonstrates to the school and the community the student’s academic com- petence. The goals of the project are to combine read- ing, writing, doing, speaking, and thinking and devel- Jackson Miller ops skills in personal management, problem solving, communication, and interpersonal skills. The Senior Project actually starts during the student’s junior year when they write a required paper looking at three potential careers. From the three ca- reers investigated the student chooses one career to explore further during their senior year. Students work with a community mentor who has expertise in the project area, Mentors must verify that the student spent at least twenty hours on the proj- ect. In addition, students must complete a Letter of Intent about their project, create a physical display showcasing their project, and make an oral presenta- tion before a panel of community judges. Arena style presentations are also made the same day as the oral presentation. During the oral presentation students discuss what they learned from their junior paper, show results of their project, and discuss what they learned while doing the project. During arena style presentations this year, stu- dents were available with the physical display portion of their project to discuss what they learned and talk about their experience. Samantha Morgan explored Veterinarian as a career by working with Vernonia Veterinarian Clinic staff including Dr. Fowler and Dr. Gold. Morgan says she wasn’t sure about veterinary medicine as a career before this experience. “It was really fun and it really interests me.” Morgan says she now intends to pursue 2012 9 this as a career. VHS for the last two years and will be certified in May Nicki Thompson studied Pastry Chef and as a Technician. Elliot says she initially started the learned through hands--on experience by baking al- project with the idea that it might be a career for her, mond roca, dark chocolate truffles, caramel turtles, but learned that the job involves a lot of repetition “... donuts, cupcakes and a birthday cake for her younger brother. Thompson says she really liked her experience and learned that “...it takes a lot of time and you have to be patient and you have to be steady with your hand.” Thompson says she plans to attend culinary school. Natalie Wallace applied for and was accepted for a Nursing Internship at Tuality Hospital. Wallace says she worked in the Progressive Care Unit for twenty-six hours over four days and learned that there was a lot more paper work and charting than she re- alized and that “...your patients al- ways come first.” Wallace says she is more interested in work that involves Robin Elliot lab work and research but that nurs- ing still might be an option for her. and I’m not sure I could do it of the rest of my life.” Jackson Miller worked with VHS Elliot says she sees working as a Pharmacy Tech as a Band Instructor Rob Izzet while “Learning way to help her pay her way through college and says to Conduct.” Miller says he learned that he she is very interested in a career in either Nutrition or is interested in pursuing a career in Music Law. Courtney Paden worked at the local Head Start and “there is still so much I need to learn and know.” Miller just found out he has been and observed four children for intensity/activity level, quality of mood, and sensitiv- accepted into the School of ity towards others and determined Music and Dance at the Uni- whether each child was an extro- versity of Oregon and says vert or introvert. Paden says she he would like to become a will be attending Western Oregon high school music teacher. University next fall to study Child Miller says he plays the Psychology. trombone, trumpet, piano, Nathan Owen job shadowed guitar, “and a couple other local Police Officer Shawn Car- instruments. nahan. Owen says he learned a Kelsey Brown job lot about the job while riding in shadowed the local Natu- the patrol car and says he plans to ropath, Dr. Carol McIntyre. enter the police academy when he Brown says she learned turns twenty-one. “ It was really about acupuncture, manipu- helpful to talk with Officer Carna- lations and natural supple- han about his job and get out there ments. “Ours bodies were and see what it is really like.” built to naturally heal them- Katie Ellington studied Inte- selves,” says Brown. Brown rior Design and worked with her says she received acupunc- sister, Renee Harris as a mentor. ture herself, “for the experi- “I fell in love with it right away ence,” and helped with in- because it is such a creative pro- ventory to learn more about cess and I am very creative,” says the supplements. “I’m more Ellington. Ellington designed a interested in working with Katie Ellington Teacher’s Lounge for the new Ver- the pediatric population,” says Brown. “I may see a naturopath myself and I’ve nonia School after meeting with Superintendent Dr. definitely adopted a lot of the practices into my own Cox and also surveying all the teachers in the district. Ellington designed three rooms in one, that includes a daily life.” Robin Elliot shadowed local pharmacist Phil work area, an eating area and a relaxing area. “The Darrah to learn about being a Pharmacy Technician. concept I was going for was modern, clean, simple and Elliot has been involved in the Pharmacy Program at easy to maintain,” says Ellington. VHS Winter Sports Wrap Up Wrestling—The Loggers and head coach Chris Wolf finished a tremendous season that included a fifth place finish at the 2A State tournament, several tournament team victories, and the highlight of the season, a District Team Championship. The Loggers won the District meet with 240 points, far ahead of second place Neah-Kah-Nie with 186.5. The Loggers had eighteen wrestlers who won medals including three individual champions, Quin Johansen, Jacob Stevens and Brett Benes and two additional qualifiers for the State Tournament, Shylo Dooley and Joe Benes. District Medal Winners were: 120 lbs: Sammy Morgan – 5th place, Jeff Goodman – 6th place; 126 lbs: Tynystan Talantov – 4th place; 132 lbs: Shylo Dooley – 2nd place, Bill Organ – 5th place; 138 lbs: Bridger Steward – march27 6th place, 145 lbs: Quin Johansen – 1st place, Dillon Dethlefs – 5th place, 152 lbs: Joe Benes – 2nd place, Mikol Pihl – 4th place, Ethan Johnston – 5th place; 160 lbs: Jake Barnes – 3rd place, Jacob Levenseller – 4th place, Dylan Taylor – 6th place; 170 lbs: Dawson Shay – 3rd place, Kristian Wredstroem – 4th place, 182 lbs: Jacob Stevens – 1st place; 195 lbs: Brett Benes – 1st place. At the State Tournament Dooley saw an early end to the tournament as he was eliminated after his first two matchs. Dooley ended an otherwise outstanding career as a two-time District Champion four time State Qualifier. Joe Benes, battling a broken hand throughout the tournament, fought back after losing his first match to take fourth place. Benes also ended an excellent career, winning one District Championship and also qualifying four times for State. Johansen had a good series of matches at State finishing 3-1 and taking third place. Jake Stevens won his first two matches by fall to earn a spot in the Championship match, where he lost a grueling bout, 10-7 and brought home the second place medal. Brett Benes also won his first two matches by fall to make it into the finals, where he also lost a tough match 12-8 and finish second in the state. At the Winter Sports Awards, Jacob Stevens was named Most Valuable Male Athlete and Samantha Morgan was named Most Valuable Female Athlete. Quin Johansen was named Most Improved and Jake Barnes and Joe Benes were named Most Inspirational. Boys Basketball—It was obviously a great season for first year head coach David Weller and the Loggers who finished their year with a 24-5 overall record, a 13-3 league record, a 2A Northwest League Championship and a berth in the State Playoffs for a second year in a row. The Loggers capped it off with a home win over Pilot Rock at the Logger Dome in the first round of the state playoffs to earn a trip to the final eight in Pendleton for the first time in 16 years. At the State Championships, in front of a large contingent of traveling Logger fans the boys won the 4 th place trophy. Seniors Craig Weller and Pavel Jiranek were named First Team All League and senior Austin Edgar and junior Austin Cutright were named Second Team All League. At the State Tournament Jiranek was named First Team All Tournament and Cutright was named Second Team All Tournament. Jiranek and Craig Weller were both named Third Team All State. At the Winter Sports Awards, Austin Cutright was named Most Valuable Player, Pavel Jiranek was continued on page 10
