Media’s Impact on Children
A Portland Children’s Museum
lecture on Friday, April 29 will
discu ss issu es su rro u n d in g
media exposure and methods to
reduce media influence on chil
dren. The panel will include child
therapist Pam Crow.
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Screamers Needed
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Scream At The Beach needs ex
tras for a promotional movie
being filmed on Saturday, April
30 from 10 a.m. to 9p.m. in the
back area of Jantzen Beach Mall
close to M ichael’s and Toys R
Us. This is a volunteer opportu
nity to raise funds for the Ameri
can Red Cross. All ages are wel
come to come scream your guts
out for a good cause and have
some fun. RSVP and get infor
mation by visiting casting@
screamatthebeach.com.
Sexual Purification
Conference
On April 30, Irvinginton Cov
enant Church will host this con
ference that will teach commu
nity children about alternatives
to sex. The goal is to have open
discussion in a non-judgemental
environment. This event is for
males and females with seperate
workshops and a special perfor
mance by GNC (God In Charge).
There will also be giving away a
DVD Player along with other
door prizes. Irvington Covenant
Church is located at 4008 N.E.
Martin Luther King Blvd and
starts at5:30p.m. For more infor
mation please call Stephanie
McKelvey at 503-312-8817.
Teacher Appreciation Week
May 1-7 is Teacher Apprecia
tion Week. Don’t forget to bring
an apple for your favorite one.
Health and Safety Fair
On Saturday, May 7, King Neigh
borhood Association along with
King SUN School is sponsoring
a health and safety fair. There
will be music, food prizes and
fun. This even takes place at the
King Elementary School Cafete
ria 4906 N.E. 6th Ave. from 1 -4
p.m. For more information, call
Kristen McKee at 503-335-2717
photo by M ark
W ashington /T he P ortland O bserver
Vernon first graders Neftali Claudio (from left) and Viktorea White concentrate on their reading skills during Charlotte Frederick's class. The northeast elementary is
making progress in closing the achievement gap.
Vernon Celebrates Turnaround
School honored
for minority
student progress
by C rystal W eber
F or the P ortland O bserver
Not long ago, Vernon Elementary ranked
as one of the most underachieving schools
in Oregon - a symbol of the frustrating
failures o f inner city public education.
However, this year Vernon has been se
lected as a recipient of the 2005 Celebrating
Student Success Award created by State
Schools Superintendent Susan Castillo to
honor schools that have made significant
progress toward closing the achievement
gap between minority and non-minority stu
dents.
Across Oregon, teachers, parents and
administrators are striving to provide all
students with the resources, support and
extra help they need to succeed. And suc
ceed they do.
The predominantly African American stu
dents at Vernon Elementary in northeast
Portland are a shining example of this suc
cess.
“My goal was to reach out with clear,
inspiring examples of what is being accom
plished in our public schools and send a
very important message to all of Oregon
about helping all children achieve,” Castillo
said. “Vernon is just such an inspiring
example of student success.”
About 85 percent of the student popula
tion at Vernon comes from low income fami-
lies-a challenge that statistically does not
point toward success. But the predominately
African-American population has surpassed
the state average in math by six percent and
is close to the state average in reading. The
students at Vernon score at least 10 percent
above other schools with similar minority
and low-income populations.
This has not always been the case.
A decade ago, Vernon students were fail
ing in large numbers. The percentage of
students meeting grade level expectations
could be as low as single digits. Teachers
worked hard, but their efforts felt futile. Ev
ery year, the staff faced huge turnover as
teachers literally fled the school.
Portland district and com m unity lead
ers targeted V ernon as a “crisis” school,
continued
on page B5
Youth Check In With the Mayor
LIFE Center Farewell
On Saturday, May 7, the LIFE
Center Board of Directors has
invited all volunteers, past em
ployees, com m unity leaders,
partner agencies and support
ers to a farewell celebration at
the center located at 2746 N.E.
Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. from
noon to 4 p.m.
Neil Kelly Awards
On Friday, May 6 at 11:30 a.m.
four students and five busi
nesses will be honored for their
excellence in community issues
at a Neil Kelly Awards luncheon.
The Rotary Club of Albina and
the North/Northeast Business
Association sponsor this event.
Be a Hospice Volunteer
Providence Hospital offers free
training for volunteers at least
18 years old who can commit
four hours a week for a year. Pre
registration is required. For more
information or to get an applica
tion packet please call Cynthia
Cohen, at 503-215-5774.
Women Mentors
Women in Community Service is
seeking volunteer mentors for
female offenders at Coffee Creek
Correctional Facility. Mentors
provide support and encourage
ment to women transitioning from
prison back into the community.
Mentors must be female, 24 or
older. Training is provided. Call
503-570-6614 for information
Women In NAACP
Women in NAACP meets from
10:30a.m. to 1 p.m. the first Sat
urday o f each month at the
American Red Cross Building.
3131 N. Vancouver. For ques
tions, call 503-249-6263.
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photo by I saiah
B oite /T hf . P ortland O bserver
Construction o f the new Moriarty Arts and Humanities
building on the Cascade Campus o f Portland Community
College proceeds on the intersection of North Albina and
Killingsworth.
Arts, Humanities Hall
Rises at PCC Cascade
C onstruction has reached
the 35 percent mark at Portland
Community C ollege's $7.5 mil
lion D aniel F. M oriarty Arts
and H um anities Building on
the C ascade C am pus in north
Portland.
The 42,200square foot build
ing is scheduled to open in the
fall, housing the professional
music, multimedia, distance edu
cation and arts programs.
“This brings together several
related disciplines," said Algie
G atew ood, Cascade Cam pus
president. “Formerly, the pro
grams were spread across the
campus with no opportunity for
a synergy to develop."
The new building incorpo
rates sustainable design fea
tures to reduce energy usage
and prom ote a healthy indoor
environm ent. N aturally venti
lated corridors will use exterior
m otorized louvers and w in
dows to m inimize heat gain and
maximize light. Classroom win
dow s will open for fresh air.
Contractors recently erected
the building's structural steel
while the metal framing installa
tion continues.
The project is the last major
element to a $57 million renova
tion and expansion of the cam
pus, part of a voter-approved
$144 million bond measure for
PCC in November 2000. With
completion of this facility, the
campus will have four new build
ings, a new science building wing
and a remodel of an existing
building.
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photo by
M ark W ashington /T hf P ortland O bserver
Mayor Tom Potter (from left) gets a reality check from Jefferson High School student leaders Mario
Lampkin, Chemar Martin and Tareq Temple at the start o f a City Council Meeting.
Mayor Potter
opens council
process to kids
For Portland Mayor Tom Potter,
the city's children are top priority.
At the beginning of each City C oun
cil meeting since taking office this
January . Potter has instituted a new
practice of welcoming Portland youth
at the start of each City Council
meeting.
The young visitors are encour
aged to share their thoughts and life
experiences with the mayor for a few
minutes. They come prepared to an
swer questions on where they live
and what their neighborhoods are
like; to describe the issues that af
fect them, their friends, family or
neighbors; and offer advice on what
would make their schools more suc
cessful and their neighborhoods
safer.
Last week, student leaders from
Jefferson High School were intro
duced to the m ayor under the
mcntorshipof HaroldC. W illiams II,
a local African American business
man.
Potter is looking for other articu
late youth from all neighborhoods
and backgrounds who are comfort
able seeking in a public setting and
who are able to obtain permission
from parents or guardians and their
schools.
They must also be able to meet
with the M ayor's staff before the
scheduled meeting.
If you know a young candidate
suited for this, call Carmen Rubio at
503-823-3578.
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