PAGE A4, KEIZERTIMES, JANUARY 26, 2018
KeizerCommunity
KEIZERTIMES.COM
Forest Ridge students Kid Governor fi nalists
By DEREK WILEY
Of the Keizertimes
Jasmine Miller, 11, Keizer,
closed her campaign video
saying, “The best people to
help children is children. Let’s
do this together.”
Helping children is why
she decided to run for Or-
egon’s fi rst Kid Governor.
Miller and Cameron Van-
decoevering, both fi fth grad-
ers at Forest Ridge Elemen-
tary, were selected as two of
eight fi nalists.
After an election, which
included votes from more
than 1,300 fi fth graders from
across the state, Dom Peters,
of Willamette Valley Christian
School in Brooks, was named
the winner.
Miller and Vandecoever-
ing attended his inauguration
at the state capitol on Jan. 8,
which included a invocation,
live rendition of the national
anthem and a presentation
of the colors by a local Boy
Scouts.
Secretary of State Den-
nis Richardson, who spoke
at the inauguration, said “the
purpose of the Kid Governor
program is to teach fi fth grad-
ers across our state about their
state government. What we’ve
found is by having fi fth grad-
ers participate in this whole
process they learn much more
than if they were just receiv-
ing a lecture.”
Oregon is the second state
to implement the program,
which began in Connecticut
in 2015.
In Oregon, 83 classrooms
Submitted
Forest Ridge fi fth grader Cameron Vandecoevering, left, poses for a picture with Oregon Secretary of State Dennis Richardson. Vandecoevering and Jasmine Miller
attended the Kid Governor inauguration on Jan. 9 in the senate chamber.
representing 54 schools par-
ticipated.
“It was fun. We were on
the senate fl oor and we got
to see the Secretary of State’s
offi ce,” Vandecoevering said.
“I learned all about the three
branches of government.”
“It was pretty cool because
we got to see how a real gov-
ernor inauguration would
work,” Miller added. “We also
learned about the process of
the election and the process if
you were to be elected gover-
nor.”
The process began with
fi ve in-class civics lessons
about Oregon’s three branches
of government, the role of the
governor and how and why
elections are held.
Each candidate made a 1-3
minute video, introducing
themselves and stating their
platform. Twenty-one videos
were submitted.
Jonathan Shay, video pro-
duction instructor at the
Career Technical Education
Center in Salem, assisted the
Forest Ridge students with
their videos. Miller wanted to
help kids in foster care.
“I feel like this is a very im-
portant topic that is not talked
about enough,” Miller said in
her video. “When children go
into foster care, all they have is
a bag full of randomly packed
possessions if even that. In fact
some children go with noth-
ing but what they are wearing.
Most of the time they don’t
even have as little as a tooth
brush.”
She then listed three simple
steps to help with the issue:
fi nd support because nobody
can tackle the problem alone;
ask local foster homes what
supplies they need and hold a
supplies drive; and put togeth-
er and deliver care packages.
“I wanted the opportunity
to be able to help with issues
that are in our community be-
cause kids don’t get much of
an opportunity to help with
big problems,” Miller said.
Vandecoevering,
whose
father is a fi refi ghter in Hill-
sboro, chose emergency pre-
paredness for his platform.
“If I am elected as your
kid governor I will make it
my mission that all homes
and families are educated and
prepared for any emergency,”
Vandecoevering said.
His three-point plan was
having a smoke detector in
every room, an escape plan in
case of an emergency and at
least one fi re extinguisher in
the home.
Thomas Charboneau, prin-
cipal at Forest Ridge, was
proud of both Miller and Van-
decoevering as well as all of
his students that applied for
the Kid Governor program.
“I think it was a great
learning opportunity for the
classes,” he said. “It gave them
some defi nite real world ex-
perience with what they were
learning in school and a way
to get involved and see how
the process goes.”
McNary holds musical review
KEIZERTIMES/Derek Wiley
Ryan Wagner and Rose
Nason sing and dance
Tango: Maureen from Rent
in the Ken Collins Theater.
KEIZERTIMES/Derek Wiley
McNary senior Brian Gragg
sings If I were a rich man from
Fiddler on the Roof.
McNary High School held
a musical theatre night on
Tuesday, Jan. 23 in the Ken
Collins Theater.
Students from The Wizard of
Oz musical class fi nished the
semester by preparing musi-
cal theatre songs for their fi nal.
About 15 of those were cho-
sen to be performed for the
musical review.
The night also included
two full cast numbers.
orthodontics for children,
adolescents & adults
WINTER
WARM UP
SALES EVENT
OUR KEIZER OFFICE
IS NOW OPEN
FOLLOW THE
KEIZERTIMES ON:
5099 RIVER RD N
(In Schoolhouse Square)
ATTENTION KEIZER HOMEOWNERS:
Get cozy with Heat&Glo
fi replaces, stoves or inserts.
See salesperson for details.
We are
Everything
Except
Overpriced
Simple
Cremation
$795
Inexpensive Burial
and Funeral Options
2017
Se habla español
Customized Payment Plans
As an Energy Trust of Oregon
trade ally, we can help you
access cash incentives to
make it easier to improve
your home’s energy effi ciency.
On-Site Crematory
503.393.7037
Invisalign ® and Traditional Braces
Find Your Dream Fireplace
COME SEE US TODAY!
Pre-Planning Available
4365 RIVER RD N, KEIZER
We are excited to become a part of
the growing Keizer community.
1695 Market St NE, Salem
CCB#48630 • 503.364.6339
homefi restove.com
salemgrill.com
FOR A FREE CONSULT
CALL 503.362.0500
www.haveagreatsmile.com