Portland observer., July 31, 2002, Page 6, Image 6

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July 31, 2002
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Kids Summer Camp is Adventure in Television
About 50 kids got a chance to improve their
communications skills and explore potential ca­
reers in broadcast communications during a Boys
and Girls Club summer camp sponsored by Port­
land Cable Access Television and AT & T Broad­
band.
The group formed five teams to produce 10
public service announcements for local non-profit
groups, gaining hands-on experience during the
July 15-19 camp.
The 30-second spots will air for the next year on
Portland Cable Access and AT&T channels.
“ Investing in our children and the communities
we serve is a top priority for us,” said Curt
Henninger, Oregon AT&T Broadband vice presi­
dent. “The wonderful feeling o f accomplishment
will stay with these kids long after this camp is
over.”
,
Carl Kucharski o f Portland Cable Access called
the camp a terrific opportunity for the youth o f
Portland to learn how the media has the power to
increase awareness o f issues.
“They also begin to understand how effective
communication influences the world around them,”
Kucharski said.
Ronald McDonald
Supports Diversity
Scholarships
Ronald M cD onald H ouse Charities
has pledged up to $225,000 a year in
m atching funds to W ashington State
U niversity to increase the num ber o f
diversity scholarships.
“We are excited to play such a signi fi-
cant role in providing scholarships for the
multicultural young people o f our state,”
said Julie Moyer-Nesbitt, executive di­
rector o f Ronald McDonald House Chari­
ties o f Spokane.
More than 100 students will receive
the financial aid.
“Scholarships have always been im­
portant in enabling quality students to
attend our university,” said Charlene Jae­
ger, WSU vice president o f student af­
fairs. "But they are ofeven greater impor­
tance in this year o f budget cuts and
tuition increases.”
Boys and Girls Club members (right) take a group photo at Portland Cable Access Television during a summer camp on broadcast communications.
Jefferson Teacher Takes on Education Crusade
While the Oregon legislature looks
to voters to approve education fund­
ing ideas, one Jefferson High School
teacher has taken it upon him self to
improve the quality o f local education.
Ehren Plummer, a physical educa­
tion teacher at the north Portland
school, is out to raise $45,000 to build
a Challenge Education course.
“Challenge Education is an experi­
ential course that teaches kids neces­
sary life skills they don’t learn in the
classroom,” Plummerexplains. "In other
areas where it’s been tried, it has im­
proved drop-out rates, as well as aca­
demic achievement levels.”
The course teaches high schoolers
such life skills as confidence, self-reli­
ance, trust perseverance, teamwork and
appropriate leadership. These are the
kinds o f skills that can make the differ­
ence between dropping out and not
A We need to find ways outside o f the
traditional classroom setting to help
these kids find value in going to school.
—Jefferson High School teacher Ehren Plummer.
only graduating, but going on to a suc­
cessful life after high school.
“There are about 700 kids in Portland
who quit school each year,” Plummer
says. “T hat’s more than four kids for
every school day.”
Plummer believes a big reason for that
is more and more high schoolers become
disenfranchised as public education be­
comes more sterile.
“ We need to find ways outside o f the
traditional classroom setting to help these
kids find value in going to school,” he
says.
Not coincidentally, Plummer plans to
establish the program first at Jefferson,
where drop-out rates consistently rank
among the worst in the city.
The centerpiece o f the program is a 24-
foot wide indoor rock climbing wall with
five different routes that vary in difficulty.
But Challenge Education is not just a trip
NEW S E A S O N S
M A R K E T
r
1
W E ’R E
to the gym.
Students are taught to process what
they ’ ve learned about themsel ves while
engaged in the activities. Its academic
curriculum is specially designed to raise
students’ awareness o f their potential
to set — and achieve- scholastic and
personal goals.
The problem in Portland is funding.
"The district is al I for it, as long as 1 can
find a way to pay for it,” Plummer says.
He has already received a $6,000
grant from the M cDonald’s Corp, and
an additional $4,000 from a number o f
other sources.
Plummer is hoping to raise enough
to begin construction this summer.
Individuals, corporations and foun­
dations are all encouraged to help bring
this innovative program to Portland by
contacting Ehren Plummerat 503-320-
0195 for a sponsorship form.
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