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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (March 7, 2015)
REGION Saturday, March 7, 2015 East Oregonian PHS grad designs Lego set for aspiring female scientists By ANTONIO SIERRA East Oregonian According to a 2011 study by the U.S. Department of Commerce, only 24 percent of STEM jobs — science, technology, engineering and PDWK²DUH¿OOHGE\ZRPHQ In an attempt to help close the gap, Pendleton High School graduate Circe Ver- ba designed a Lego set she’s KRSLQJ ZLOO LQVSLUH WKH QH[W generation of girls to pursue DMRELQD67(0¿HOG 9HUED D JHRORJLVW ZLWK the U.S. Department of En- ergy, used Lego digital de- VLJQVRIWZDUHWRFUHDWHD' model of a female geologist XQGHUWDNLQJH[SHULPHQWVDQG other daily tasks. Verba submitted the mod- HO WR /HJR ,GHDV D ZHEVLWH ZKHUHGHVLJQHUVVXEPLWFRQ- cepts for Lego sets to be vot- ed on by visitors. If a set gets 10,000 sup- SRUWHUVLWZLOOJDUQHUFRQVLG- HUDWLRQ IURP D /HJR UHYLHZ ERDUG :LWK UHYLHZ ERDUG approval, the set is manufac- WXUHGIRUZRUOGZLGHVDOH Verba’s set quickly at- tracted 1,500 votes after she VXEPLWWHG LW )HE $V RI press time, Verba’s set has VXSSRUWHUV ZLWK days left to campaign. 7KHVHWGHSLFWVWZRVFHQHV Photo courtesy of Circe Verba Pendleton High School graduate Circe Verba’s Lego set design features a geologist discovering and studying minerals. ²RQHZKHUHDUHVHDUFKJH- ologist discovers minerals in a limestone rock and the oth- HUDODERUDWRU\ZKHUHWKHJH- ologist analyzes the minerals for their characteristics. 2Q WKH VHW¶V ZHESDJH 9HUED ZURWH WKDW WKH VHW LV a sampling of her career, ZKLFKKDVWDNHQDVKDUSXS- ZDUG WUDMHFWRU\ VLQFH KHU days in Pendleton. *URZLQJ XS 9HUED VDLG /HJRV ZHUH RQH RI WKH IHZ WKLQJVWKDWZDVHDVLO\DFFHV- VLEOHLQDIDPLO\OLYLQJEHORZ the poverty line in Pendleton. Her interest in science ZDV SLTXHG E\ D OHVVRQ RQ the solar system delivered by Sunridge Middle School science teacher Quinn Wil- liams. She pursued a career path in astronomy until she started attending college at Oregon 6WDWH 8QLYHUVLW\ ZKHQ VKH GHFLGHG WR VZLWFK KHU IRFXV to geology. As a graduate student at Northern Arizona Univer- sity, she studied dust devils on Mars as a part of NASA’s HiRISE program. $IWHU JUDGXDWLQJ ZLWK D master’s degree in geology, the U.S. Department of En- ergy hired her and paid for her Ph.D at the University of Oregon. Having obtained her Ph.D LQ 9HUED QRZ VWXGLHV the effect coal has on rock formations for the National Energy Technology Labora- tory in Albany. 1RZWKDWVKH¶VDVXFFHVV- IXOJHRORJLVW9HUEDZDQWVWR VHHKHUSHUVRQDOH[SHULHQFHV DGGHGWRWKHJURZLQJFROOHF- tion of Lego sets depicting ZRPHQLQVFLHQFH Last year, Lego debuted their Research Institute set, ZKLFK GHSLFWHG IHPDOH VFL- entists from several different ¿HOGV If her set meets the 10,00-supporter goal, Verba hopes to include supplemen- WDU\PDWHULDOWKDWEULHÀ\H[- plains the science behind the Legos, though she admits the ¿QDO GHFLVLRQ UHVWV ZLWK WKH company. ——— Contact Antonio Sierra at asierra@eastoregonian.com or 541-966-0836. HERMISTON Page 3A HERMISTON Trees damaged by November cold snap By GEORGE PLAVEN East Oregonian )UXLW RUFKDUGV ZHUHQ¶W the only source of trees damaged by last Novem- ber’s sudden and severe cold snap. Ken Frost, plant patholo- gist at Oregon State Univer- sity’s Hermiston Agricultur- DO 5HVHDUFK DQG ([WHQVLRQ Center, said a large number of local pine samples also appear to have been affect- ed by the same deep freeze. ³, WKLQN LW ZDV D SUHWW\ VLJQL¿FDQW HYHQW´ )URVW VDLG ³2EYLRXVO\ ZH¶UH GHDOLQJ ZLWK WKH UDPL¿FD- tions.” Temperatures fell from 60 degrees to the single dig- its in a matter of days during mid-November 2014. The Arctic blast happened so fast many trees didn’t have a chance to acclimate, dealing D VHULRXV EORZ WR RUFKDUGV DURXQG0LOWRQ)UHHZDWHU 1RZ KRPHRZQHUV LQ Hermiston are beginning WR QRWLFH GHDG DQG ZLWK- ered needles on the tips of branches in their ornamen- tal pines, prompting them to bring samples into HAREC. 5HVHDUFKHUVZRQ¶WNQRZ WKH IXOO H[WHQW RI WKH GDP- age until later in the spring, Frost said. ³5LJKW QRZ LW¶V UHDOO\ D ZDLWDQGVHH´KHVDLG Symptoms of damage ZLOO YDU\ GHSHQGLQJ RQ WKH DJHDQGW\SHRIWUHHDVZHOO as its orientation to the sun. Though the damage might look bad, Frost said fully mature trees shouldn’t be at risk at dying. HAREC station director Phil Hamm said residents can spot cold damage on pines if they see dead nee- dles on the younger tips of branches. Dead needles are WREHH[SHFWHGIDUWKHUXSWKH EUDQFKLQROGHUJURZWK Hamm cautioned resi- dents not to prune their pine WUHHVZKLFKFRXOGVXEVWDQ- tially and irrevocably dam- age the shape of the tree. He VDLG KRPHRZQHUV VKRXOG QRW ZRUU\ DERXW ORQJWHUP damage to older trees in their yards. Acres of young trees — WKRVH OHVV WKDQ WZR \HDUV old — have already been uprooted from orchards in the Walla Walla Valley. &OLYH.DLVHUH[WHQVLRQKRU- ticulturist for OSU in Mil- WRQ)UHHZDWHU KDV VDLG WKH ZHDWKHUHYHQWZDVDGLVDVWHU for the region and doesn’t H[SHFWPXFKRIDKDUYHVWRII stone fruits for the coming year. The Mid-Columbia’s pear and cherry crop also VXVWDLQHG VLJQL¿FDQW GDP- age from the November freeze, according to OSU in Wasco County. They too ZLOOKDYHWRZDLWXQWLOVSULQJ WR ¿QG RXW MXVW KRZ EDG LW UHDOO\ZDV Altrusa sponsors author visit to Middle School Meet Rocky Heights 6KHVDLGJRRG¿FWLRQZULW- By JADE MCDOWELL East Oregonian <RXQJ DGXOW ¿FWLRQ DX- thor Maureen McQuerry KDG VRPH ZRUGV RI ZLVGRP for Armand Larive Middle School students on Friday. ³<RX ZLOO IDLO VRPH- WLPHV´ VKH VDLG ³<RX ZLOO make mistakes. That’s part of life. Get over it. That’s not important. What’s important is that you get back up.” 5LVNLQJIDLOXUHZDVDQHF- essary step to becoming an author, said McQuerry, but it ZDVMXVWRQHRIPDQ\SLHFHV of advice she gave students that applied to chasing any dream. Daring to dream is WKH ¿UVW VWHS VKH VDLG IRO- ORZHGE\¿QGLQJSHRSOHZKR believe in you, taking risks DQG ¿QGLQJ \RXU ³WULEH´ RI SHRSOH ZKR VKDUH \RXU SDV- sions. McQuerry said it takes a combination of curiosity, passion and determination to succeed in pursing a dream such as becoming a pub- OLVKHG ZULWHU :LWKRXW WKRVH traits, she said, just having talent isn’t good enough. In her case, she left teaching to become a full- WLPH ZULWHU DQG SXEOLVKHG DZDUGZLQQLQJ ERRNV ³7KH Peculiars,” “Nuclear Lega- cy” and “Beyond the Door.” HUVH[SORUHDTXHVWLRQQRWDO- ZD\VWRJLYHDQDQVZHU7KH\ also understand that a good story isn’t just about having D SORW LW¶V DERXW KRZ WKH things that happen to a per- son change that person. “Story is transformation,” she said. McQuerry’s visit to the VFKRRO ZDV VSRQVRUHG E\ the Hermiston Altrusa Liter- acy Committee. She spoke to several large groups of students throughout the day, Staff photo by Jade McDowell then conducted a smaller Maureen McQuerry, author of “The Peculiars” and oth- ZRUNVKRS IRU VWXGHQWV er young adult fiction, speaks to eighth graders at Ar- selected based on their sub- mand Larive Middle School. PLVVLRQVWRDZULWLQJFRQWHVW 0F4XHUU\ VDLG ZULWHUV birds started landing on me? sponsored by the literacy VWRUH LGHDV OLNH FURZV SLFN- What if vines started forcing committee. Winners Daisy ing up “shiny” feelings and WKHLU ZD\ XS P\ WKURDW DQG Paredes and Hannah Johnson also received a Barnes and WXFNLQJ WKHP DZD\ WR EH out of my mouth?” used later in a book or poem. That thought spurred her Noble gift card and a set of 6KHVDLGVKHLVDOZD\VWDNLQJ to research the Green Man in McQuerry’s books. ——— those ideas and asking “What Celtic mythology and create Contact Jade McDowell LI"´ZKLFKLVKRZVKHJRWWKH a character for “Beyond the idea for “Beyond the Door.” 'RRU´WKDWZDVSDUWPDQSDUW at jmcdowell@eastorego- nian.com or 541-564-4536. $IDFHVKHVDZFDUYHGLQ tree. VWRQH DW D FDWKHGUDO LQ 2[- ford, England started her thinking. ³,W ZDV D IDFH WKDW ZDV FDXJKWEHWZHHQEHLQJDSHU- son and a tree,” she said, not- ing it reminded her of an en- try in J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings.” ³, WKRXJKW ZKDW LI P\ skin turned to bark? What if From Dr. Hibbert, Lacee, Jessica, Bailey, Heather, and Sarah 541-612-3707 principal candidates East Oregonian HERMISTON — All WKUHH ¿QDO FDQGLGDWHV IRU Rocky Heights Elementary SULQFLSDOZLOOEHRQKDQGIRU a meet and greet Wednesday, 0DUFKIURPSP in the school’s library. Jerad Farley, Stacie Rob- erts and Michelle Jensen are being considered to replace current principal BJ Wil- VRQ ZKR ZLOO OHDYH 5RFN\ +HLJKWVQH[W\HDUWREHFRPH the Hermiston School Dis- trict’s special education di- rector. -HQVHQKDVZRUNHGIRUWKH GLVWULFWVLQFHVKHZDVKLUHGDV a school counselor in 2006. In 2014 she moved up to the role of online learning and academic support coordina- tor, overseeing Hermiston’s online school and the Talent- Live Music at t Place a Yard Sale Ad 25 words, 3 days, private party only $20.00 East Oregonian & Hermiston Herald our Y d n i F f P o t s o ! G old Call Paula 541-278-2678 Yard Sale Kits - $5.00 Includes 2 signs & stakes, price stickers & coupons ed and Gifted program. Roberts started at Herm- iston School District in 1999 DV D VL[WK JUDGH WHDFKHU DW Sandstone Middle School. She moved up to dean of students and athletic director at Armand Larive Middle School and is the current vice principal there. Farley is a district in- structional coach for Othello School District in Othello, Washington, and is com- pleting an administrative internship there. He has a background in math and ODQJXDJH DUWV DV ZHOO DV EL- lingual, migrant and Title I programs. Participants in the meet and greet on Wednesday are asked to stay the entire time to hear from all three can- GLGDWHV DQG ¿OO RXW VXUYH\ cards at the end. FRIDAY, MARCH 6 Melody Pulsipher & Mathew Lanier SATURDAY, MARCH 7 Dakota Brown 9 PM - M IDNIGHT 541.278.1100 8 S.E. COURT, PENDLETON
