Applegater Spring 2021
23
NEXT GENERATION | SCHOOL NEWS
Ruch School mural finalized
ends where the Applegate
River meets the Rogue
River. Geese, beaver, frogs,
butterflies, woodpeckers,
milkweed, large pines, and
the school mascot, a leaping
cougar, are painted along the
front wall of the school.
Gregg designed the mural
not only to beautify the
school, but also to make an
outdoor education backdrop
for teachers and outdoor
education partners to use
Local artist Gregg Payne has created a 110-foot mural at when teaching students
Ruch Outdoor Community School. Photo: Gregg Payne. about their watershed (the
area of land that drains to
Ruch Outdoor Community School the local river). Already, Ms. Major’s fourth
(ROCS) has a new look. Four front graders have been inspired to create their
classrooms now feature stylized graphics own nature art as a way to thank Gregg
of native animals, birds, and wildflowers for his work. This was the best thank-
of the Applegate Valley. Local artist Gregg you the artist could receive! He was so
Payne and school principal, Julie Barry, impressed by the students’ talent, effort,
have transformed the front walkway into and awareness.
Julie is a great supporter of the arts.
a 110-foot river scene.
Gregg’s mural tells a story of the Her campus feels like a walk through an
Applegate River Watershed. It begins in outdoor art gallery with different artists’
the high country where the Applegate styles on display, but all with the common
River’s headwaters are located, and it theme of nature and the outdoors. Julie
feels that giving artists the space to be
creative benefits students and faculty
as it creates an inspiring learning
environment. ROCS students feel
valued, and educators can utilize the
aesthetics in their teaching.
Julie says, “I am always conscious
of offering our students, staff, and
community a beautiful, inspiring place
to learn, work, and gather. These
elements are evident in the landscape,
the outdoor classrooms, and most
recently in our amazing mural that
engages our students and supports the
outdoor education and environmental
stewardship that is our mission at Ruch
Outdoor Community School. We all
love Gregg’s vision and his participation
to bring the wonder and appreciation of
visual arts to the campus of ROCS.”
Gregg says of Julie, “Julie had the
original idea to portray the Applegate
River along the front walkway, and we
shared the enthusiasm for celebrating the
valley’s natural beauty. She was a joy to
work with. She was very open to allowing
me creative freedom and artistic license. I
came to know her as a genuine champion
for her students and the community.”
More critters and plants will appear
over time, as Gregg loves to surprise ROCS
students and staff with new characters in
the Applegate River story mural. Last year
was very challenging for all students and
AmeriCorps member
helps out at Ruch School
HVHS keeps a close eye
on COVID-19 numbers
BY HANNAH BORGERSON
BY LISA BALDWIN
biodiversity, habitat health,
Hello ever yone. My
and water quality.
name is Hannah Borgerson,
As one of the main
and I am serving as the
instructors for these
AmeriCorps Rural Schools
outdoor education courses,
Coordinator for Ruch
I could see how much the
Outdoor Community
kids thrived while learning
School (ROCS). I am a
outdoors. I think many of
southern Oregon local—
us are feeling the effects of
born and raised in
“Zoom fatigue” and long
Ashland! I am currently
for connection with
teaching outdoor education
Hannah Borgerson.
others and the natural
and environmental science
Photo:
Brandee
Tolner.
world. Ruch has been
classes at Ruch and hope to
dedicated to offering kids
continue this work as the
outdoor learning since the star t
year progresses.
I developed my love for nature while of the school year and more of such
frolicking among the nearby woods and outdoor learning will continue on into
parks of southern Oregon. For college, the spring.
Ruch is constructing an onsite
I moved north to attend the University
of Puget Sound in Washington, where I educational tree nursery this month
studied Sociology and Education Studies. which each student will be responsible
While there, my love for the outdoors to help manage. The tree nursery and the
grew. By my second year in college, I was school garden will teach students about
a leader of my university’s outdoor club root growth, native plants, restoration,
and eventually helped coordinate the and plant propagation. Another exciting
outdoor portion of my school’s orientation outdoor education event to look forward
program. After college, I moved all around to is the Earth Day festival that I will be
the US, working at various summer camps coordinating this April.
As I continue my service at Ruch, I hope
and outdoor education sites until I made
my way back home to southern Oregon to get as many students as possible outside
learning. There is nothing more magical
last spring.
I believe that the more time students for me than seeing a student’s eyes light
spend outside, interacting with and up with the discovery of a new insect that
learning about their local environment, the burrows beneath the leaves in the school’s
happier and healthier people they become. yard, or the smiles when students get to
ROCS has placed a strong emphasis on run around collecting pinecones for a class
outdoor learning for their students, and activity. These are the things students have
the results are powerful. Even during missed the most while learning virtually,
this year, when schools closed down and and I am honored to be the one to take
most students Zoomed classes at home, the brilliant young learners back outside
Ruch has been able to keep its passion for as we begin to open schools safely. We are
being an outdoor-focused school alive. ready to re-emphasize the Outdoor in Ruch
Students who were on campus for limited Outdoor Community School.
Hannah Borgerson
in-person instruction this fall and winter
facebook.com/
engaged with outdoor education classes
ruchoutdoorcommunityschool
in the school’s garden and took classes on
A year into the pandemic, a return to
full-time, in-person learning continues to
be an unachievable goal as community
spread of coronavirus waxes and wanes,
surges and subsides. But February’s
numbers did make a return to a hybrid
model at Hidden Valley High School
(HVHS) possible, something that was due
to start on February 22.
Students were divided into two cohorts
based on their home address. Those with
odd numbered addresses are in the A group
and attend classes on campus on Mondays
and Wednesdays; students with even-
numbered addresses are in the B group
and attend on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
During these on-campus days, from
8:40 am to 12:30 pm, students have in-
person instruction in four classes. An A/B
schedule facilitates the social distancing
required by state guidelines by reducing
the number of students on campus by
half (300 at a time rather than 600) and
reducing class sizes.
Parents with questions should contact
office manager Susie Biller by email
at susie.biller@threerivers.k12.or.us.
Meanwhile, there is quite a bit going on
at Hidden Valley. The student leadership
classes are back at work, planning activities
for the spring with guidance from Ms.
Townes and Ms. Wright.
Mr. Pendleton and Mr. Haley are
keeping the Future Business Leaders of
America (FBLA) chapter engaged using
a virtual model. The agricultural program
teacher, Ms. Shodin, is working with
community members on a fencing project
so animals can be safely pastured.
Over several days in February, five
HVHS students qualified to represent
their school in the 38th annual Academic
Masters competition at the countywide
finals on March 10, hosted this year by
Grants Pass High School. The Mustangs
team members—senior Kaiah Fisher
BY JENNIFER PAYNE
Fourth graders have been inspired to create
their own nature art, including this work by
Sarah Dehaas. Photo: Gregg Payne.
educators. Gregg’s idea to beautify the face
of the school has helped to lift spirits and
kindle hope for the future. We all look
forward to the day when kids are swarming
through the school and playground again.
Gregg is a public artist and graphic
designer who lives in Ruch. He has
designed logos for local nonprofits,
the Applegate Partnership, the Beaver
Coalition, and the Applegate Valley logo
for A Greater Applegate. He designed the
Applegate River Watershed map and many
of the new signs for Cantrall Buckley Park.
Gregg also creates large, interactive sound
art for public spaces. He was part of the
design team for the Tower of Voices, Flight
93 project, and he is currently working on
two large musical pieces for the City of
Tucson in Arizona.
Jennifer Payne
jenniferlpayne@me.com
in math; junior Alyssa Kelly in science;
junior Leah Beachy in social studies;
sophomore Jianna Bents in music; and
freshman Michael deSouza in English—
will compete against their counterparts
from North Valley, Illinois Valley, and
Grants Pass high schools. In each academic
area, first place is awarded $1,500; second
place, $1,200; third place, $1,000; and
fourth place, $800.
February 3 was National Letter of
Intent Signing Day for high school
athletes. At Hidden Valley, six student
athletes signed scholarship agreements
with universities.
Track-and-field athlete Kaiah Fisher—
nationally ranked (fifth in discus, seventh
in shot put) and recruited by 30 Division 1
schools—signed with Stanford University.
Sam Vidlak committed to playing football
for Oregon State University (OSU), and
is the only HVHS football player to
be named Player of the Year in Oregon
and the first Josephine County student
to be awarded a PAC-12 conference
quarterback scholarship since the 1960s.
Jeremiah Noga, who holds school records
for receiving yards and touchdowns in a
season, also will play football for OSU.
Gabriel Burchfield signed on as a two-
sport athlete (football and track and field)
for Western Oregon University (WOU).
Lawrence Matusik and Matthew Iwamizu
will also play football at WOU.
Principal Crowson expressed pride in
all the students and staff, and gratitude for
the Hidden Valley community for their
support and persistence. “We had daily
conversations about how much we missed
the kids,” he said. “Without them, HVHS
is just a building.”
Principal Crowson emphasized that
they all want the students back on campus
full-time and to get back to normal as soon
as possible.
Lisa Baldwin • leb.97527@gmail.com