Columbia Gorge News
www.columbiagorgenews.com
Wednesday,June9,2021
15
HRVHS summer school offers connection, credit
HOOD RIVER — Hood
River Valley High School will
double the size of its summer
school program and offer
students more options to
regain credit, participate in
experiential learning classes,
and get back on track for
graduation this year.
The summer program
will run from July 6-30,
weekdays, with full- and
half-day options for students.
Meals,bus transportation,
and attendance incentives
are provided.
This year, the high school
has scheduled 12 experiential
learning classes, in which
students can earn credit
while learning real-world
skills. From cooking, to fish-
ing, to sports and art options,
and even an opportunity to
start earning a pilot’s license,
these classes give students
the chance to “learn by do-
ing” said Summer Program
Director Jim Donnelly.
“We want our summer
school program to have a
different feel for students,
especially after doing a lot of
technology-based learning,”
Donnelly said. “The more
we can get them working
and learning hands-on, the
better.”
Students will earn elec-
tive credit for the hands-on
classes. They will also work
in small groups with teachers
and staff to complete classes
and recover credits they
need for on-time graduation.
Students will have personal
support from a dedicated
staff member to get back on
track, Donnelly said.
“Our schools and students
have experienced immense
challenges across the board
this year,” said HRVHS
Principal Columba Jones. “In
some cases, students were
not able to earn the expected
number of credits for their
class year, and are behind
in making progress toward
graduation.”
“We really want to see
students be able to start next
school year fresh,” Donnelly
said. “Summer is the quickest
way for students to get caught
up.”
Donnelly said schools un-
derstand that work, vacation,
childcare and family are all
important aspects of sum-
mer, and the staff is willing
to work with students and
families who have conflicts.
“The goal is to serve as
many students as we can,”
Donnelly said. “We want to
move forward to next year
with everyone together and
summer school will be im-
portant for some students to
be able to do that.”
To sign up for summer
Students learn construction skills building a new outbuilding at the high school. Outdoor and experiential learning will be featured during
school at HRVHS, go to the
the HRVHS Summer Program.
Contributed photo
high school website, hrvhs.
com, or contact the school at
541-386-4500.
expression
and Sword
Fishing
and writing
■ Gorge Inspired Pottery
■
Great
Stories
and
Time
■
Movie
Adaptations
■
Intro
to
FAA
Ground
Summer Experiential School and Glider Piloting
■ Mapworks: Science and
(to Read or Listen)
■ MOVIES (and history)
Learning at HRVHS
Art of Map Making
■ Woodworking Basics
■ Laser Print Symbols of
■ Summer Fitness and
■ Creative Writing: lyrics,
the Gorge
■ Cooking and Baking 101 Recreation
■ Stage Combat — Bo Staff rhymes, and personal
■ Art and Science of
■ Sports: Learning, playing,
Horizon student awarded
Ford scholarship
Graduating Class
Trisha Walker
■ By Columbia
Gorge News
Valerie Bruggeman, 18, is
the first student to be award-
ed the Ford Scholar Program
award at Horizon Christian
School, Hood River, since
2014. Bruggeman is a two-
sport athlete, playing soccer
and track and field, compet-
ing in the sprint, pole vault
and relay events. She will
attend George Fox University
in the fall.
Bruggeman plans to major
in exercise science and kine-
siology, with the goal of later
entering chiropractic school.
Her interest in the field
stems from “growing up in
sports and experiencing a
lot of injuries,” she said. “My
parents always took me to
a chiropractic doctor and I
just saw so much personal
experience of how that ben-
efited me and got me back to
playing sports before I was
even supposed to … and that
was a testimony to me.”
She interned at the begin-
ning of her senior year for her
track coach, Emma Petshow,
a naturopathic doctor at
Powell Valley Wellness,
located in the Vancouver
area. She also interned with
a chiropractic doctor at the
same clinic.
“I was able to see the
practice from that point of
view rather than a patient,
and I think that is something
I would absolutely love to do,
and help the community in
that area,” she said. “I know
it’s something that is not
offered a lot of places.”
She chose George Fox
primarily because it’s a
Christian university. She
also likes that the university
is close to home — she was
born and raised in Hood
River/Parkdale — and will be
close to family.
“I went on a campus tour
Valerie Bruggeman, who graduated from Horizon Christian School
on June 5, has been awarded the Ford Scholar Program award and
will be attending George Fox University in the fall.
Trisha Walker photo
and honestly, I fell in love
with the campus,” she said.
“As soon as I stepped on, I felt
so welcome. They’re motto is
‘Be Known,’ personally, spiri-
tually and academically and I
felt very drawn there.”
Bruggeman applied for
the Ford scholarship in early
December and was invited
to interview in April. A few
weeks ago, she received word
that she had received the
scholarship.
She feels that Horizon has
prepared her well for the
road ahead.
“I’ve been at this school
since eighth grade,” she said.
“… Before that, I was at a very
small private school in my
hometown of Parkdale (New
Vision School). So transi-
tioning here definitely felt
more natural, just being in
another small school, a very
tight-knit community, and
overall prepared me so well
for college, academically,
socially and everything — I
feel very ready.”
In addition to soccer
and track, Bruggeman is in
National Honors Society
and served on the school’s
leadership team. She also
participates in youth groups
and works fulltime in the
summer at her mother’s
store, Farm Stand in the
Gorge, located on the
Heights in Hood River, as
the kitchen shift manager.
“I love Hood River and
long-term would like to
come back here,” she said. “I
have a lot of family here as
well. But I think traveling the
world would be very cool …
and doing some outreach
with my career in that area,
and serving the community
that doesn’t have access
to chiropractic care or just
those types of alternative
medicine.
"But ultimately, coming
back here and starting my
own practice would be the
dream.”
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Upcoming events include:
June 11 The Blob, Steve McQueen
June 12 Tropical Storm, 10 piece
Buffett Tribute band.
June 18 Pillow Talk, Doris Day,
Rock Hudson
June 19 Bodhi Mojo Jam Band/
Deadheads & Phish
June 25 The Thing!
and 26 Classic 50’s SciFi
And for all info cross check @
GranadaTheatrethe dalles.com.
The Dalles and Columbia high
schools graduated seniors
during outdoor ceremonies
Saturday. Above, seniors of
The Dalles High School hold
graduate-only ceremonies at
Sorosis park. At right, senior
class student government
officers speak to their class.
Below, seniors at Columbia
High School hold graduation
ceremonies at their campus in
White Salmon.
TDHS photo by Mark Gibson
CHS photo by Julie Johnson
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