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About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (April 7, 2022)
April 7, 2022 VERNONIA’S free Volume 16 Issue 7 Reflecting the spirit of our community Skate Park is Ready to Rip! Grand Opening is Saturday, April 23! Applications now available for equipment scholarships. The Vernonia SK8 park is ex- cited to announce a Grand Opening cel- ebration on Saturday, April 23. The cement work is complet- ed and sod grass has been laid around the park. Lighting and signage will be installed in the next month. While everyone is certainly excited to get out and try the new park, Vernonia School District Announces New Superintendent The Vernonia School District has a new Superintendent – Dr. Jim Helman. The School Board announced the new hire at a special meeting on Monday, March 21 when they officially offered Helman a contract. Helman, who said he prefers to just be called Jim Helman, (“I don’t need to use the Dr. – it doesn’t mean much to me,” he said in a recent phone interview.) will take over as Su- perintendent on July 1, 2022. Helman is currently employed with the Clatskanie School District where he is the Director of Student Services and Innovation. He was formerly the middle school/high school principal and vice principal at Clatskanie from 2015-2020. Helman said he grew up in a working class family of six children who traveled as mi- grant workers. He spent his middle and high school years outside of Minneapolis and joined the military after graduation. After transition- ing out of the military, his first job in a school district was as a school janitor, but the principal there saw something special in him and promot- ed him to an educational assistant position. He later worked as a social worker and counselor to at-risk youth, which is also where he met his wife who was also a social worker. “Mental health was a real big focus of mine – working with kids and families who struggle,” he says. He went on to become the first college graduate in his family, studying education at the Univer- sity of Montana. He became a special education teacher, got involved in coaching sports and has served as an Athletic Director, and later taught language arts and math, before receiving his Ed- inside 6 Our Environmental Handprint 7 Worth the Trip: Out Aza Blue 8 The Dominican Kitchen ucation Specialist degree from Lewis and Clark College in Educational Leadership and entering school administration. “My desire was really to be able to work with kids and families that education might be new to,” he explains about his early start in the education field. “I really believe education, along with mentorship, is really the doorway for kids and families. And that’s what drew me to this – my ability to be successful be- cause of the programs and mentorship that have helped through my life’s journey. I’ve always had people supporting me and so that’s really been my passion and why I’m in education.” During a public meet and greet with staff and community members for the three final candidates for the Vernonia Superinten- dent position held on March 14, Helman said he has a lot of passion for Career and Techni- cal Education (CTE) programs and helped re- vamp the program in Clatskanie, has experience with Special Education programing, and is a big advocate for dual credit enrollment to help stu- dents earn high school and college level credits. In Clatskanie, he said he is involved in school athletics, serves on the Clatskanie City Council, is also involved in the planning of the community 4 th of July celebration, and is in- volved in his church’s youth group. “Anything that has to do with the community – I’m there. I’m a community guy,” he said. When asked why he was interested in the Superintendent position in Vernonia he said he wanted to “move into a District that has a lot of positive things going for it. The reality is that people care about each other and when people need support everyone is there to help you. And that’s the kind of community I want to be part of.” Helman and his wife live in Clatskanie. They have a son in college, a daughter with a disability who is still in school, and a daughter who is a junior in high school. The family also continued on page 11 the City of Vernonia is asking everyone to wait until the Grand Opening before starting to use the facility. Vernonia SK8 is also excited to announce a $5,000 gift from Randy Holce to provide skateboards, helmets and pads for kids that can’t afford them. The equipment has been purchased and a two page scholarship application is available at Vernonia Schools front of- fice from Karen, and at the Video Dept at R&S Market, or email saphiremol- ly@hotmail.com. Applications must be submitted by April 18. VHS Spring Sports Preview Track and Field – Head Coach John Roady has a total of 28 athletes (15 boys and 13 girls) out this season, with a handful of veterans, but also a lot of first year participants. For the girls, the strength this season will be in the distance events. “We have some depth here with all of the girls from our cross country team that finished in second place at the state meet in November,” says Roady. Sophomore Delaney Draeger and Senior Sadie Gump should be solid contenders among the state’s elite af- ter they both placed in the top 10 in cross country and both made the po- dium at the state track meet in May 2021. Others in the mix with a great chance to make it to the state meet this season are exchange students Elena Zielke in the 1500 and 800 meters, and Asia Plaza Garcia in the 400 meters. Junior Elo- ise Pedersen is also poised for a breakout season after cutting 38 seconds from her personal best in the 1500 meters at the first meet this season and also finishing strong in the 800 meters at the home meet on March 31. “This group of girls should form a very formidable 4x400 meter relay team and have their sights set on our school record,” said Roady. While the distance runners should accumulate the most points for the girls, Roady also has some other athletes who can contribute some valuable points. Junior Kortnie Adams is back in the throws, along with juniors Chloe Guiberson and Sierra Rasmussen who are trying their hand in the throwing events for the first time. Exchange stu- dents Zoe Menzolini (throws), Hannah Duval (throws/hurdles), and Mireia Jauma in the high jump and triple jump have some great potential. Freshmen Trinity Weber in both the 100 and 300 hurdles, and Ella Schram in the sprints look to make a mark in their first year competing. The Vernonia boys are the defending District 1 champions from 2021. “We graduated some of our dis- trict and state placers from last year, so it will be tough to duplicate our title,” says Roady. “But even though we’re young, we have some talent.” Junior Evan Miller placed 13 th as an individ- ual at the state cross country meet in November and also had a great 3000 meter race at last year’s state track meet, making the podium and placing 6 th overall. He will anchor the distance runners with exchange student Lu Yilin and freshman Kaiden Van Lom. Both had an outstanding first season of cross country last fall. Freshman Matthew Taylor and junior Remington Winningstad are trying track for the first time, and working hard to make their mark in one of the running events. The boys should be strong in the 400 meters with junior Seth Scheuerman and freshmen Can- non McLeod and Wyatt Miller. Both looked good in their first meets. Junior Asia Plaza Garcia Max Anderson adds a fourth legs to a 4x400 meter relay team looking to break out this season. Anderson was a state participant last year in both the long and triple jumps, and should be a very valuable contributor to the team with his versatility and athleticism, as he is also a good javelin thrower. Schueurman should also pick up some points in the pole vault and discus. Freshman Stone Williams has put up some good times in both the 110 high and the 300 meter low hurdles. He is already ranked #2 in the district and shows some great promise and may also compete in the long jump. The throwers have senior vet- eran Vasili Pedersen in the shot put and discus. He will be joined by first year participants junior Wyatt Woodall, and sophomore Jack Riddell in those events. The javelin is a strong event for the team with junior Jarren Joslin who was 11 th at state last year leading continued on page 10
