Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 5, 2017)
schools october5 2017 11 Bonamici Invites Schools Update: Paper Tigers Students to Compete in Congressional App Challenge Congresswoman Suzanne Bon- amici (D-OR) announced that her district is participating in the third annual Con- gressional App Challenge. All students in high school or younger who reside or attend school in the district are eligible and invited to compete. Oregon’s First Congressional District includes all of Washington, Yamhill, Clatsop, and Co- lumbia Counties, as well as part of Mult- nomah County. The Congressional App Chal- lenge is a competition for students to use coding and computer science to create and exhibit a software application, or “app,” for mobile, tablet, or computer de- vices on a platform of their choice. The competition is an example of STEAM education, which is STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) plus arts and design. “Participating in the Congres- sional App Challenge will require cre- ative thinking and technology skills so students will be engaging both halves of the brain,” said Congresswoman Bon- amici. “This challenge is a great oppor- tunity for students to participate in cod- ing and design while raising awareness about the value of STEAM education.” Students entering the competi- tion must submit their app’s source code online during the Competition Submis- sion Period before November 1, 2017, as well as provide a YouTube or VIMEO video demo explaining their app and what they learned through the competi- tion process. A panel of local experts will review the submissions. Winners from each participating congressional district will be acknowledged in a district awards ceremony and featured on the house. gov website. There will also be a display in the U.S. Capitol Building to honor all of the district winners. More information about the competition, including how to register, is available at: https://bonamici.house.gov/ appchallenge and http://www.congres- sionalappchallenge.us. Bonamici is a founder and co- chair of the Congressional STEAM Cau- cus, which advocates for the integration of the arts and design into STEM (sci- ence, technology, engineering, and math- ematics) education to encourage creative thinking and engage more students. By supporting and recognizing young pro- grammers, Congress is acknowledging the growing importance of these fields. The U.S. House of Representatives orga- nizes the nationwide Congressional App Challenge each year. By Aaron Miller Paper Tigers is a documentary film that takes an intimate look into the lives of selected students at Lincoln High School, an alternative school in Walla Walla, Washington specializing in educating traumatized youth. A showing of the documentary will be held at the Vernonia Schools small gym from 6-8 pm on Thursday, October 19, and is open to anyone who would like to attend. This documentary was also shown to all Vernonia School District staff during their in-service training prior to the start of this school year. Set amidst the rural community of Walla Walla, the film examines the promise of Trauma Informed Practices that are implemented at Lincoln High School. These Trauma Informed Prac- tices are part of a nationwide educa- tional movement that is showing great promise in healing youth who struggle with the negative effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). In conjunction with the St. Hel- ens, Scappoose, Clatskanie, and Rainier School Districts, as well as the NW Re- gional Education Service District, the Vernonia School District is involved with a planning and implementation grant to study Trauma Informed Prac- tices and how they can be implemented effectively in our local schools. The showing of Paper Tigers in each com- munity is one aspect of this grant. In addition to the showing of Paper Tigers, teams from all the Co- lumbia County school districts will be visiting other regional schools to see how they are putting these Trauma In- formed Practices in place with their own students. Schools that have put these practices in place effectively have seen an increase in attendance, an increase in student achievement, and a decrease in negative behavioral activity. Staff at Vernonia School Dis- trict will continue to learn about these practices, and will begin putting plans in place for how to roll these initiatives out with students for the 2018-19 school year. We hope you can join us on Thursday, October 19, to share in this learning, and partner in continuing to develop our educational system here in Vernonia to meet the needs of all stu- dents. VHS Fall Sports Update continued from page 10 Clay have been pushing each other and switching finishing positions for us each meet.” Roady says he has three wres- tlers who have really helped the boys team this year, which he sees as an ad- vantage for both programs. “Two of our top five runners, Mehki and Byron, are wrestlers and they will show up for wres- tling season in excellent shape. That can really be a win-win for all of us.” The girls squad is led by fresh- man Jenna Handegard, who is ranked sixth in the league and is challenging for a spot at the state meet. “Jenna has run real well and has her time down around 23:00,” says Roady. Roady says the rest of the girls squad is pretty inexperienced. Roady says the middle school team shows a lot of promise, especially eighth grader Sadie Gump, who won the meet at Knappa, and took third at the large Meriwether meet against around 100 runners. “We’re seeing some hope for the future by trying to build the middle school program, developing a summer program, and getting the kids into track where they can work on their speed, and I think that will help us in the long run,” says Roady. “Jake Handegard is one of the kids that really bought into our sum- mer program, and he put in the miles, and it’s really showed this season.” Vernonia School Board Meetings are held on the second Thursday of each month. The next School Board Meeting is scheduled for October 12 at 6:00 pm in the Schools Library. Vernonia’s Voice is published on the 1st and 3rd Thursday. Our next issue will be out October 19. Don’t Sell it! Pawn it! 291 A Street For fast cash! call Kim • Kitchen & Bathroom Remodels • Finish Carpentry • Ceramic Tile Work • Custom Home Construction • Additions • Commercial Tenant Improvements Baseline Pawn, Inc. 2245 Baseline St., Cornelius (Across from Fred Meyer) 503-530-8119 State Licensed PB-0388 Open everyday at 10 a.m. Jim Morrison, Jr. General Contractor CCB# 112057 Ph: (503) 429-0154 MorrisonRemodeling@hughes.net Vernonia, OR 97064 • Licensed • Bonded • Insured Lovable service at a reasonable price • Bathing • Haircuts • Nail Clipping • Nail Polishing • Specialty Shampoos
