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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (March 6, 2024)
March 6, 2024 Page 9 Cash Prizes To Students Who Create Videos Photo courtesy of Western Oregon University Serving the Community through Mentorship 2024 Students for Clean Water video contest Impactful Video Promoting Clean Water Needed Stormwater Partners of Southwest Washington is proud to announce the fourth annual Students for Clean Water Stu- dent Video Contest. Middle and high school students through- out Clark County are invited to create fun and impactful short videos to inspire stewardship of our community’s water re- sources. Stormwater Partners is a coalition of local agencies and organizations, including Clark County and the cities of Battle Ground, Camas, La Center, Ridgefield, Vancouver and Washougal. Students currently in grades 6-12 can submit 25 to 60-second videos on topics related to pol- lution prevention, stewardship, environmental justice and their connection water. Videos are due by April 22. Local businesses and non-governmental organi- zations are sponsoring five first- place prizes of $500 each and five honorable mention prizes of $100 each. This year’s sponsors include Consor, MacKay Sposi- to, Northwest Watersheds LLC, Olson Environmental, Otak, Fourth Plain Forward, iUrban Teen, Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership and Watershed Alli- ance of Southwest Washington. One first prize and one honorable mention prize will be awarded in each of five categories “Pro- tecting water in our community” short (25-40 seconds) and long (45-60 seconds) categories for videos exploring infrastructure and actions to protect water- sheds.“Community storytelling” asks students to share their per- sonal or cultural connections to water.“Clean water for all" en- courages students to investigate progress in environmental jus- tice related to water resources. “People’s choice” for the video with the most views and engage- ment from May 17-23, when videos are shared online. Winning videos will be shared on Stormwater Part- ners’ social media accounts and at summer movie in the park events. “Students have an opportunity to share their creative filmmaking skills and passion for protecting water with our community,” said Clean Water Outreach Special- ist Eric Lambert. “We’re excit- ed to share their messages and to recognize their efforts with cash prizes provided by our generous sponsors.” Students and supporters can visit stormwaterpartners.com/ video-contest for contest details and to learn more about the con- test categories and topics. Com- munity members can also find information on the Public Works Twitter, Facebook and Insta- gram profiles, and on NextDoor. Youth Manufacturing Day Showcase Continued from Page 3 pathways to semiconductor train- our community partners, staff “It was a great opportunity to share information about PCC's manufacturing-related programs that get students workforce ready in three months to two years,” said Ariel Ladum, PCC trainer and education specialist. “The students were highly engaged as they moved through five interac- tive stations hosted by PCC fac- ulty and industry partners.” Three programs were high- lighted during the day to provide ing for the students Semiconduc- tor Essentials Training -- This class is free to youth ages 17 to 24 years old who are interested in the semiconductor industry. Interested students can visit the program's webpage, or call (971) 722-2623. The NextGen Youth Program provides a welcoming and sup- portive space for youth ages 16–24 years old who are encoun- tering barriers while trying to enter the workforce. Along with provides support for work tools, books, fees, TriMet passes, and more. To learn more visit the program's webpage, or call (971) 722-2541 in Washington County or (971) 722-2178 in Multnomah. Opportunity Centers College & Career Prep are for people who want to go to school to earn a family wage and need support connecting to PCC and commu- nity resources. For details, visit the jobs webpage or call (971) 722-2688. Fostering Positive Mentoring Relationships Since 1999, Western Oregon University’s Division of Behav- ioral Sciences has supported Tal- madge Middle School students in Independence, Oregon to foster positive mentoring relationships. Juniors and seniors at Western interested in working with youth in the fields of education, social work, and/or counseling, have the opportunity to mentor middle school students and help them de- velop skills for academic success and emotional and social growth. Many middle school students who face socioeconomic, academ- ic, behavioral, or familial chal- lenges are recommended by their school counselor to participate in this program, and the positive out- comes for students in this program are astounding. Since the program started 25 years ago, parents have unani- mously reported that it has had a positive influence on their chil- dren. Children who participate in the program show consistent, measurable improvement across several areas, including school attendance, academic work, so- cial skills, and self-esteem. They also become more interested in attending college. One parent ob- served “The mentor was great and worked with our crazy schedule and truly cared about my child. Well done.” Mentees in the program shared that participating in the program boosted their confidence because there was a steady supportive per- son to talk to, and noted interest in attending Western and giving back to the program by becom- ing a mentor. A student mentor shared that mentoring had pro- foundly impacted their life and helped them solidify their desire to pursue a career as a pediatric clinical psychologist. Assistant Professor of Psy- chological Sciences and Program Coordinator Brooke Dolenc Knott Ph.D., noted that leading the WOU-Talmadge mentoring pro- gram has been the highlight of her time at Western, as it intertwines both transformative growth for students and benefits the local community. “This collaborative effort not only supports local mid- dle school students’ families but also empowers WOU students to go beyond the classroom learning to apply psychological principles in helping their middle school- ers.” Dolenc Nott shares that it is a joy to watch the lasting positive impact that takes place each year for both WOU and middle school students in the program. Hayley Atkinson, school coun- selor at Talmadge Middle School expresses her gratitude for the mentorship program which pro- vides intentional and additional positive support and connection to many of the participating stu- dents. She shares that “Middle school years can be difficult for kids to navigate under the best of circumstances, and the WOU mentor program allows us to pro- vide an extra boost of support to some of our kids.” She adds that her favorite part of the program is getting to see the growth in self-confidence and engagement in both middle school students and their college mentors. “Any- one involved in the program can- not help but be positively influ- enced by it.” This program has been a reg- ular applicant to and recipient of Competitive Grant Funding from the Western Oregon Uni- versity Foundation. Specifically, the award supports social fami- ly events and small stipends for mentors to help motivate middle school students’ success and fam- ily involvement that strengthens the mentoring relationship.
