january22 2013
V E R N O N I A’ S
reflecting the spirit of our community
VHS Students
Present Senior Projects
On January 9, 2013 the Vernonia
High School Senior class presented their
Career Related Learning Experience
(CRLE) Senior Projects to the school and
the community.
The Senior Project is an op-
portunity for students to demonstrate
skills they have learned throughout high
school. Each student is required to spend
tions students had an opportunity to in-
formally explain their projects to visitors
and talk about their learning experience.
Vernonia’s Voice visited with many of the
students and interviewed several of them
about their CRLE’s.
Tanika Cradit did a teaching in-
ternship with Miss Eagleson, spending
three full days and six partial days with
her kindergarten class at the
Vernonia School. Cradit cre-
ated a theme for her project,
“Let Imaginations Be Free,”
and used that theme to create
activities and projects that she
completed with her students.
She used her projects to help
the students with their small
motor skills, to learn to fol-
low directions and to use their
imaginations.
Ashlee Archer spent
time observing the work of
Ashlee Archer spent time working with an Intensive
an intensive care nurse at the
Care Nurse for her Senior Project.
Portland Veterans Hospital.
and document twenty hours of time on Archer had the opportunity to observe
the project, and work with a mentor to an emergency code that involved chest
gain knowledge and experience in a real compressions while in the unit. She was
life work environment.
also able to observe an open heart surgery
Students initially write a letter procedure. She says she learned that the
of intent about what they hope to ac- human aspect of nursing is very impor-
complish and learn through their project. tant. Archer said she is very interested in
Students then spend time working with a pursuing nursing as a career and would
mentor they have chosen to complete a like to work in the intensive care environ-
job shadow and gain firsthand experience ment.
about the career they are learning about.
Jonathon Anderson explored ca-
Students are then required to reer fields that involved physical fitness
create a visual display and present them and well-being. He learned about be-
in an arena style open house. The proj- ing a personal trainer, a nutritionist and
ects are completed during an evening of physical therapist from his mentor Teresa
formal oral presentations in small groups Williams and created a booklet for un-
which are judged by panels of commu- derclass athletes to help them with their
nity members.
training.
During the arena style presenta-
continued on page 10
inside
5
7
city news
meet tera roberts
10 vhs sports report
11 school board report
12
obituaries
free
volume7 issue2
Wyden Holds Town Hall
at Vernonia Schools
U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D)
spoke at a Town Hall Meeting at the
Vernonia School on Monday January
14, 2013.
Wyden opened the
meeting by recognizing sever-
al Korean War Veterans in the
audience. Wyden announced
that he was a sponsor of U.S.
Senate Resolution 602 which
commemorates 2013 as the
“Year of the Korean War Vet-
eran.” Wyden presented the
veterans with a plaque of the
resolution and honored their
service. The veterans received
a standing ovation from the
crowd.
Wyden spent the remainder of
the meeting answering questions from
the audience. Vernonia High School
students were invited to attend the
Town Hall and were in attendance.
Wyden focused much of his attention
during the meeting on the students,
specifically trying to engage them dur-
ing the ninety minute meeting.
VHS Student Body President
Samantha Wallace asked Wyden about
what can be done to change the high
cost of a college education. Wyden re-
sponded that access to college is very
important and that he supports funding
for Pell Grants. He also said college
needs to be about value and said he
has introduced legislation called “The
Student Right to Know Before You Go
Act” which tells prospective students
about graduation rates, debt levels and
most importantly, what a student would
be likely to earn in salary if they re-
ceived a degree from particular school.
Gun control and school safety
was the subject of several questions
from the audience. When asked about
whether he would support a ban on
assault weapons, Wyden explained
that he and his wife are the parents
of three children under the age of six
and that the horror for the parents of
the children murdered in Connecticut
is unimaginable. Wyden also con-
fided that he had a brother who was
a schizophrenic who caused his fam-
ily much anxiety over whether he was
capable of hurting himself or others.
Wyden stated that he wrote the “Career
Criminal Law” which mandates stiff
penalties for those with a prior crimi-
nal record who commit a subsequent
crime with a gun. He has also worked
to fill in the gaps in the mental health
system. Wyden says he believes that,
in light of recent events involving gun
violence, that our country needs to do
more to protect its citizens. Wyden
says he would like to be part of a bi-
partisan effort to get more “gun sense”
into the debate to provide practical
and effective measures but also takes
into account rights and responsibili-
ties. Wyden said he felt strongly about
personal responsibility and would start
Spencer Health and Wellness
Opens at Vernonia Schools
The new school based health
center is now open at the Vernonia
School.
The clinic, which opened
on January 11, 2013, has a name,
Spencer Health and Wellness. It
will provide primary care visits for
illness and injury, prescriptions,
sports physicals, and immunizations
and promote preventive care and
wellness. There will be a reception
area, private exam/counseling room,
a lab area, bathroom, and confidential
and secure record keeping area.
Mental Health services will also
be provided at the clinic through
a contract the School District has
arranged independently with a
professional mental health councilor
available.
In addition to primary
care treatment, the clinic will offer
screening services that include blood
pressure, vision, hearing and scoliosis
as well as minor dental screenings
and preventive treatment.
The
clinic will have the capacity to write
prescriptions and administer over the
counter and prescription medications.
The clinic will also provide
reproductive health services including
pap exams, pelvic exams, testicular
exams, pregnancy testing and
counseling and Sexually Transmitted
Disease/
Sexually
Transmitted
Infections (STD/STI)
treatment
and prevention including condom
availability for STD/pregnancy
prevention use.
The clinic operation is
being overseen by the Public Health
Foundation of Columbia County.
Medical oversight is provided by
Oregon Health & Science University
(OHSU). The clinic will initially be
open to patients on Tuesday’s and
Friday’s from 7:30 AM to 1:30 PM.
More days could be added in the
continued on page 15
future if needed.
Tera Roberts, a Family Nurse
Practitioner who holds a Doctor of
Nursing Practice degree will be the
care provider. Roberts is part of the
OHSU staff and faculty.
Although the clinic is not
fully functioning, the doors are open
and patients may be seen. “All of
our equipment is pretty much here,”
said Roberts on the opening day. A
grand opening will be held sometime
in February.
Roberts says the clinic is
still waiting for a refrigerator to be
delivered and is unable to store and
give vaccinations until that arrives.
The 7:30 AM start time
allows students to be seen and not
miss any class time. It will also help
accommodate parents who want to be
with their child when they are seen by
the provider.
continued on page 7
