schools
february16
2017
13
Schools Update:
Roboteers and Volunteers Bonding Together at Vernonia Schools
By Debbie Taylor
VES 1st and 2nd Grade Teacher
Vernonia Elementary School ROBOTEERS--
tinkering engineers and collaborating problem solvers
in the making, or just kids and adult volunteers having
fun together; either way, it’s all good!
Every Thursday after school, the VES Science
Club meets with 85 students from the Vernonia and
Mist communities in grades K-5 to explore the wonders
of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM)
through the explorations of robotics and programming.
The idea and means for the program came
together when VES principal and superintendent
Aaron Miller obtained a grant through Northwest
Regional Educational Service District to support an
after school STEM program and then asked me if I
would be interested in mentoring the program. Having
had experience mentoring a robotics club, my retired
engineer husband and I jumped at the chance to provide
a STEM opportunity for a K-5 team in Vernonia.
The grant, along with generous donations from
Robot Mesh, supplied the club with VEX IQ Super
Robot Kits, FLOWOL programming software, and
Lego’s WeDo 2.0 robotics and Learn to Learn kits.
The grant and Robot Mesh donations provided enough
equipment for the 85 eager students that signed up for
the program to work in teams from 2-5 per group.
As impressive as the list of resources is, al-
lowing for a small kit-to-student ratio, even more im-
pressive is the list of human resources that came to-
gether to ensure success. Even though Dan and I were
excited to bring the STEM Robotics club to fruition,
we would not have been able to support 85 fi ve to 11
year olds without the group of dedicated community
volunteers. Thank you to the 16 super-heroes that com-
mitted to investing in our community’s youth. We can
still use more however! If
you would like to come and
play, or have resources you
would like to donate to sup-
port the continued growth
and sustainability of the
program, please contact me
The NED Show
Vernonia Schools Honor Roll
VMS Honor Roll
Principal’s Honors 4.00
Clarissa Coburn, Cody Hathcoat, Emma
Hahn, Emma Neufer, Gabriella McAdams,
Jayden Hartman, Jenna Romaine, Kortnie
Adams, Kylie Haney, Meghan Lemay,
Megan Zavales,
High Honors 3.99-3.50
Bailey Nordahl, Carly Bergren, Conor
Lemay, Jared Armes, Jessika Marine,
Larissa Vandehey, Sky Williams, Torey
Tolonen, Tyler Riddell
Honors 3.49-3.25
Abby Blair, Alyssa Mclaughlin, Audrey
Hill, Brooklynn Walters, Grace Groshong,
Kaylee Bartolomucci, Lanaya Clapshaw,
Natalie Groshong, Remington Winningstad,
Tyron Clapshaw
Honorable Mention 3.24-3.00
Emily Mendelsohn, Hailey Reynolds, Megan
Jenkins, Sadie Gump, Seth Scheuerman,
Sydney Smith, Trinity Stenerson, Wilber
Masog
Progressive - Raised GPA .5 or more
Alden Watts, Emily Mendelsohn, Hailey
Reynolds, Jared Armes, Pete Crystal, Sailor
Mitchell, Wilber Masog, Zoie Wells
VHS Honor Roll
Principal’s Honors 4.00
Abigail McGuire, Ashley Jackson, Brook
Naron, Chase Tolonen, Clay Sullivan,
Dakota Willard, Grace Costley, Haley
Lindsay, Jacob Butcher, Jessica Butcher,
TREE SALE
RAIN OR SHINE
Saturday
21 species (approx.
10,000 seedlings in
inventory) including
March 11
‘Elite’ Douglas fir,
western red cedar,
noble fir, Fraser fir,
8:30 AM-
giant dogwood,
1:30 PM
Kwazan cherry,
Pacific Pride
passionate
(Lawrence Oil)
hydrangea,
Hwy 30, St. Helens and 14 others.
Some bag
COLUMBIA COUNTY
quantities.
SMALL
Prices from $1.50
WOODLANDS
Arrive early.
ASSOCIATION
Questions:
(503) 556-8800
or (503) 397-5997
Proceeds support
best manage-
ment forestry
practices in
Columbia County.
at dtaylor@vernonia.k12.or.us.
Fast forward--one of the many benefi ts and ob-
jectives of the Elementary Science Club is to generate a
group of interested and skilled youth that will feed into
the middle and high school FIRST Robotics programs
mentored by Camrin Eyrrick and Jeff Ely. We are for-
tunate that Vernonia Schools is able to offer STEM
Robotics for our community’s youth, a worthwhile
endeavor that cultivates curiosity, problem solvers
with tenacity, and critical thinkers designing solutions
through perseverance and patience. It’s all good and it’s
happening at Vernonia Schools thanks to a community
that bonds together to engage our youth in 21st century
endeavors.
Joshua Rice, Joyce Everett, Kale Sullivan,
Katherine Goodman, Lauren Ely, Lauren
Glass, Mackenzie Fassold, Megan Rice,
Morgan Harral, Payton Wolf, Rebekah
Barnes, Savannah Norman, Storm Henson,
Tristan Adams, Whitley Tolonen
High Honors 3.99-3.50
Aja Ota, Alura Byler, Alyssa Amet, Amanda-
Rose Sicard, Brendyn Mullikin, Casey
Hathcoat, Cassandra McFalls, Cassidy
Whitton, Courtney Barklow, Devon Bergren,
Hepner Forster, Jackhenry Masog, Jaidyn
Dennis, Jessika Goodman, Kaitlyn Eyrrick,
Logan Buchanan, McKenzie Willard,
Megan Ely, Melissa Kish, Michael Holmes,
Nickolas Bennett, Odessa Roberts, Sean
Coffey, Sofi a Wolf, Tyler Wolf, Vivianna
Bustamante, William Scheuerman
Honors 3.49-3.25
Elijah Bozied, Autumn Sorenson, Ben
Fleck, Brett Jones, Calvin Clapshaw,
Cloe Rylands, Derek Johnson, Johnathan
Levenseller, Kameron Olsen, Kiley Merx,
Leigha Dolan, Madison Zavales, Olivia
Shelnut, Pearl Cook, Seth Cutright, Starr
McKinnis,
Honorable Mention 3.24-3.00
Abram Martin, Alex Wegner, Aubrey Leach,
Benjamin Schulte, Blake Clark, Cierra
Premo, Elizabeth Brewer, Gabriel Hart-
Roberts, Georgia Smith, Hayden Cieloha,
Jakob Handegard, Jarod Shaw, Jenna
Watson, Jessica Williams, Kendra Stefan,
Alexa Cook
VERNONIA
C H I RO P R AC T I C C L I N I C, I NC.
VernoniaChiro.com
Lee-Ron Chan and his friend NED presented
an engaging and motivational assembly to
Vernonia Grade School students on February
13. Chan used a variety of props like yo-
yos and balloons,
along with magic
tricks, to impart a
message based on
the acronym NED,
(Never give up,
Encourage others,
Do your best),
while also inspiring
students to pick
good role models
and learn from their
mistakes.
Vernonia Students of the Month
January 2017
Joshua LaBelle
Grade 1
Joshua is a hard worker and a focused learner in
school. He likes to help others and always has a
smile on his face. Joshua says his favorite subject
is reading and that he likes going to the library. He
plays soccer and baseball. At home he plays
video games and likes to help take care of the
family dog Copper.
Ryan Potter
Grade 7
Ryan has made great improvement in his school
work this year by showing good effort, partici-
pating in class, and taking responsibility. His
teachers say he has a great sense of humor and
is a “pleasant student to have in the classroom.”
Ryan says his favorite subject is math and he
plays clarinet in the band. In the summer he likes
racing his car at the track in St. Helens.
Joseph Dombek, DC
(971) 248-4055
Now Accepting New Patients
610 Bridge Street • Vernonia, OR 97064
Chase Tolonen
Grade 12
Chase is an Honor Roll student who says his
favorite class is Modern Problems. He plays
varsity basketball and is a teacher’s aide for Ms.
Ward. He is part of the School-to-Career
program and works at True Value Hardware. He
plans to attend Oregon Institute of Technology
next year and study medical imaging.
Sponsored by State Representative Brad Witt