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About Siletz news / (Siletz, OR) 199?-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 1, 2011)
Smith pursues heavy equipment operator trade as one of few women in field She knew what she wanted and used Tribal programs to help her obtain the training, skills for the job By Natasha Kavanaugh ‘Awesome’ program helps Smith give back Tonya Smith is a heavy equipment operator apprentice with major work and certification as a crane operator. She is one of the few women in this specific trade. A heavy equipment operator de scribes the many types of machines used on a construction site, including cranes, forklifts, bulldozers, excavators, backhoes, graders, front-end loaders and paving equipment. Smith has built a knowledge base in grades and stakes, health and safety, project organization and production tasks to meet the needs of the industry. “I knew what I wanted to do, I just didn’t know how to obtain it,” said Smith. While working to get into the heavy equipment operators’ training school, Smith utilized the Grant Assistance for Single Adults to meet her basic needs. She is quick to recognize the assistance she has received from the 477 Self- Sufficiency Program. “The staff, the programs - they are all awesome,” said Smith. The Tribe’s program helps clients find not just a job but a lifelong career that pays a living wage. Smith also participated in the Work Experience Program, obtaining her CDL permit and flaggers certificate. The big tractor at the house “I got the idea of her getting into this line of work when she was my client and in interviewing her for her case plan, she stated that one of the things she really enjoyed doing was playing on the big tractor at her house,” said Anna Renville, Tribal services specialist in the Portland Area Office. “Another woman that has helped Tonya a lot and other of our folks with apprenticeships is Penny Painter, work force development specialist with Cooper Zietz Engineers, Inc. A Native American- owned small business was also very encouraging, motivational - and resource ful. Penny helped her get in touch with the right companies,” said Katy Holland Kaady, Tribal education specialist who’s also in Portland. “I had just spoken with Penny, who was recruiting women in the area of Smith shared as her way of giving back, not just taking. She participated in the “Women in Trades Fair” held in Portland, spending the day promoting Courtesy photo by Anna Renville and recruiting other women in the trades, demonstrating her skills on a crane and Tonya Smith talking with hundreds of women from the trades and so I put Tonya in contact with her and that is how it got started,” said Renville. First recruited from the Siletz Tribe’s Self-Sufficiency Program, Smith immedi ately went to work with Campbell Crane, where she learned to operate a large crane, and then was accepted to and graduated from heavy equipment opera tors’ training school. Renville had referred Smith to the Tribe’s adult vocational training (AVT) program, which helped pay for various costs from lodging and transportation to CDL license fees. Then with Painter’s help, Smith was accepted for an apprenticeship with Operating Engineers Local 701. Smith is one of several American In dian apprentices Painter has recruited to the trades since 2005 through an Oregon Department of Transportation grant ad ministered through its American Indian employment initiative. Renville recom mended Smith for the ODOT program. In a letter of recommendation, Painter said, “Tonya is very focused, self-motivated and a determined individual.” throughout the Pacific Northwest. “Tonya did so much herself by fol lowing through with everything, applying for the apprenticeship, getting references/ recommendations from us all, going through her interviews and making it through orientation,” said Kaady. “Tonya was on top of her training and being at her apprenticeship sites and working with her co-workers and also all of her volunteer ing with Women in Trades organizations and talking to other young women to encourage them in their pursuits.” Salem state title roots grew from Chemawa win By Chris Hagan from the Statesman Despite a 2-3-2 record in the Dura chicken-hearted footballers even before land. With World War II still raging, ad Journal in Salem, Ore.; originally tion League playing against Class A they played a game,” Statesman sports ed mission was $25 in war bonds for adults published Nov. 26, 2010 Woodbum, Silverton, Canby and Molalla itor Al Lightner wrote Nov. 25. “No such and $5 in war stamps for students. Streaks, droughts and precedents get (hybrid leagues have been around for a blubbering came from the Indians.” thrown around a lot during playoff time. long time) the Braves had improved on a South Salem is in the quarterfinals winless 1943. after 19 years, Scio is trying to become Coach Tommy “Chief’ Thompson the first repeat Class 2A champion since came into the season knowing his team Amity in 2001 and Santiam Christian is needed a boost, and set out to install the trying to win its first title. T offense. In between their league schedule, they fumbles and a penalty nullifying a 50-yard played what amounted to Class B playoff touchdown run by Cal Simmons to take a games for the Western Oregon title, beat 7-6 halftime lead on a Merle Williams-to- ing Amity 13-0 before getting past Reed Chet Ashman touchdown pass. sport to set up the tilt with Arlington. As time grows longer and memories Thompson turned to Reuben “Rube” The game, to be held at Willamette’s fade, sometimes it’s good to go back to Sanders, a former Chemawa and Wil Sweetland Field (now the school’s Quad), the beginning and see where the histories lamette star - eventually a charter member attracted a lot of interest from Salem resi started. For Salem-area football teams, of the American Indian Athletic Hall of dents. Parrish and Leslie middle schools playoff success starts not with the Vikings Fame with Jim Thorpe and an Oregon adopted the teams, with the Parrish band or Saxons or Foxes, but the Braves. Sports Hall of Famer - who had retired playing for Chemawa while the Leslie three years earlier and agreed to be an cheerleaders supported Arlington. On Thanksgiving 1944, the Chemawa football team beat Reedsport, 12-6, set assistant coach. ting up a contest that has yet to be repeated Despite playing a league up, Che in the school’s history, sending Chemawa mawa held its own. The team lost 7-0 to the Class B title game. and 7-6 to Duration champion Woodbum, “The Indians immediately accepted with the six points in the second game the pre-game challenge from Eastern being the first that had been scored on the Section Champion Arlington eleven for Bulldogs all year. a December 2 title game,” the Oregon Statesman reported the next day. “Such odds would ordinarily and automatically squeeze an ‘uncle’ from Chemawa overcame four first-half Even Gov. Earl Snell, an Arlington native, agreed to hand out the trophy. The Honkers came in outscoring their Arlington nearly took a lead but missed a field goal after picking up a Che mawa fumble at the 9-yard line. It would be their last chance to go ahead. Ashman soon after caught anoth er touchdown pass after a Chemawa interception, the first six of 19 unan swered points as Chemawa cruised to a 26-6 win. “It was a dinger of a ball game,” the Statesman wrote. “2,000 fans will tell you so today, as well.” opponents 256-0, although the Statesman The two games are still the only play noted that Chemawa had a slightly larger off contests in Chemawa history, although team, outweighing them on the line by an the Braves remain the only Oregon high average of 169.6 to 165.8 pounds. school team with an undefeated post Around 2,000 people came to Sweet season record. February 2011 • Siletz News • 5
