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YOUR EO NEWS
East Oregonian
Saturday, November 30, 2019
Student inmates paint program logos
East Oregonian
PENDLETON — The
students in Blue Moun-
tain Community Col-
lege’s Corrections Educa-
tion Programs know the
work they do in the class-
room to earn a GED cer-
tifi cation is a valuable and
important part of their
rehabilitation in prison.
Recently, “Adults In Cus-
tody” (AICs) in the pro-
gram at Eastern Oregon
Correctional Institution
made sure others saw that
value with the completion
of a mural of BMCC’s logo
in the program’s entryway
in the prison.
According to a press
release
from
Casey
White-Zollman, vice pres-
ident of college relations
and advancement, the logo
signifi es the importance
of the work they do in the
classroom and encour-
ages success. The nine fac-
ulty instructors and four
support staff who work
inside EOCI are sending
the message that “Educa-
tion IS Rehabilitation.” In
the 2018-19 academic year,
EOCI had 68 GED students
graduate from the pro-
gram, and since the BMCC
Corrections Education pro-
gram began at EOCI in
1985, more than 3,250 stu-
dents have been awarded a
GED.
A 2013 RAND Corpora-
tion study showed that par-
ticipation in prison educa-
tion was associated with
more than a 40% reduction
in recidivism. And accord-
ing to the National Institute
of Higher Education Policy,
corrections education pro-
grams can be transforma-
tive and extends to employ-
ment
outcomes,
civic
Contributed photo
Photo contributed by Casey White-Zollman
“Adults In Custody” inmates at Eastern Oregon Correctional Institution recently painted Blue
Mountain Community College logos at the entryway of the special prison program facility.
Photo contributed by Casey White-Zollman
“Adults In Custody” inmates at Eastern Oregon Correctional
Institution pose in front of a recently painted Blue Mountain
Community College logo at the prison.
engagement, and increased
participation in education
after release.
“Education
really
is rehabilitation,” said
Tammy Krawczyk, BMCC
dean of instruction: correc-
tions education and college
prep. “Our team is showing
these AICs they are capable
of so much more in life, and
are helping to give them
the confi dence they need to
succeed.”
The BMCC Corrections
Education program is a
partnership with the Ore-
gon Department of Cor-
rections. Krawczyk said
they are very fortunate to
have support from multiple
programs within the DOC
and BMCC.
The program is made
possible through a con-
tract between the college
and the DOC. The Correc-
tions Education employ-
ees at EOCI, Two Rivers
Correctional Institution
in Umatilla and Powder
River Correctional Facil-
ity in Baker City are all
BMCC employees. The
program helps AICs earn
a GED, as well as provides
English Language Acqui-
sition courses to teach
English skills to AICs
whose fi rst language is not
English.
Also, EOCI’s New
Directions Project is now
providing
college-level
classes to AICs who meet
the program criteria. The
program allows instructors
from BMCC’s main cam-
pus to teach classes to AIC
students. The program cur-
rently serves 35 students.
The New Directions
program
is
operated
entirely without state or
federal funding. Donations
to support the program
are greatly appreciated.
For more information, call
the BMCC Foundation at
541-278-5775.
Celebrate the holidays at our library
by 2017, the number of pro-
grams offered increased by
6.3% and attendance at pro-
Our public libraries in grams by 4.0%. This upward
the Umatilla County Special trend continues into 2019 in
Library District (UCSLD) our public libraries in the
provide wonder-
UCSLD.
ful, inspiring and
During
the
enlightening pro-
winter
holidays,
grams for all ages
library staff mem-
all through the year.
bers go above and
They are perhaps
beyond! From hol-
best known for the
iday-themed story
Summer Reading
times and gift-mak-
Program,
which
ing craft times to
E RIN
keeps kids reading
Christmas
par-
M C C USKER
and involved in lit-
ties
with
refresh-
COMMENT
eracy and learning
ments and Santa,
themed activities
there is something
when they are not in school. for everyone in your com-
And, there’s so much more.
munity. All events are at the
Nationally, programming public library unless noted
in public libraries is increas- otherwise:
ingly important. The article,
•Dec. 3, 10:30 a.m. —
“The 2017 Public Library Holiday Preschool Story
Data Service Report: Char- Hour, Helix
acteristics and Trends,” by
•Dec. 3, 4 p.m. — Letters
Ian Reid in the September/ to Santa Storytime, Adams
October 2017 issue of Pub-
•Dec. 5, 4 p.m. — Winter
lic Libraries Online, showed Carnival Fundraiser, Uma-
increases not only in the tilla. Support the library and
number of programs offered enjoy carnival-style games
at public libraries nation- and fun prizes, popcorn,
ally, but more importantly nachos, cotton candy and a
in the attendance at the pro- potato bar.
grams. They used baseline
•Dec. 5, 5 p.m. — Snow-
numbers from FY 2012, and fl ake Ornaments, Adams
By ERIN MCCUSKER
For the East Oregonian
•Dec. 8, 4-6 p.m. —
Holiday Tree Lighting and
Santa Visit, Athena Public
Library and Main Street.
Write a letter and take a pic-
ture with Santa, and create a
natural ornament to hang on
the city Christmas tree.
•Dec. 9-19, all day —
Elfi e Selfi es, Helix
•Dec. 10, 4-6 p.m. —
Santa @ the Library, Weston
•Dec. 12, 5 p.m. — Popsi-
cle Stick Ornaments, Adams
•Dec. 12, 6 p.m. — Book
Club/Cookie
Exchange,
Helix
•Dec. 13, 6:30 p.m. —
Make Your Own Sugar
Scrubs, Adams
•Dec. 16, 4 p.m. — Last
Minute Gift Making, Helix
•Dec. 16, 7-8 p.m. — Hol-
iday Pajama Storytime, Ath-
ena. Gather around the fi re-
place for cookies, cocoa and
stories. Wear your jammies!
•Dec. 17, 3:15 p.m. —
Make a Friendship Bracelet,
Weston
Dec. 18, 6-7 p.m. — Chil-
dren’s Christmas Party, Mil-
ton-Freewater.
Refresh-
ments, crafts and pictures
with Santa.
Dec. 19, 5 p.m. — Cookie
Decorating, Adams
InterMountain ESD employee
gets top grade from Oregon DOE
East Oregonian
PENDLETON — Edel-
mira “Connie” Garcia, a
longtime
InterMountain
Education Service District
employee, was named the
2019 Title I-C Migrant Edu-
cation Teacher of the Year by
the Oregon Department of
Education.
Garcia, who has worked
for the IMESD for more
than 20 years, teaches at
Sam Boardman Elemen-
tary School in Boardman.
She was recognized Nov. 15
at the 2019 Migrant Educa-
tion Program Conference in
Salem. The award is given to a
teacher who has demonstrated
an exceptional commitment
to Oregon’s
migrant
students,
their fami-
lies and to
the Migrant
Education
Garcia
Program in
Oregon.
According to Eric Volger,
IMESD’s MEP coordinator,
Garcia is engaging, energetic,
organized and compassionate
as well as a “natural” who was
born to teach. Garcia, who
teaches preschool-aged chil-
dren, creates lessons that are
interactive and fun, involving
students in song, dance and
games. Her classroom’s sense
of organization and order con-
tributes to successful learn-
ing, as does her passion for
teaching and her excellent
rapport with students, Volger
said.
“In my nearly three
decades in education, I have
never witnessed a pre-K
teacher who is more engag-
ing and effective than Con-
nie,” he said. “She is abso-
lutely worthy of being
recognized as Title I-C
Teacher of the Year.”
IMESD’s Migrant Edu-
cation Program served 1,362
students in the 2018-19
school year. For more infor-
mation, contact Michele
Madril, IMESD director of
communication, at 541-966-
3115 or michele.madril@
imesd.k12.or.us
www.EastOregonian.com
Other programs:
•Every Tuesday, 5-8 p.m.
— Crochet Night, Ukiah.
Gather with friends and com-
plete those Christmas gifts.
•Dec. 7, 10 a.m. —
STEAM Lab, Umatilla —
First day of Session 2, fun
with 3-D pens, snap circuits,
painting and more.
•Dec. 10-13 — Celebrat-
ing Computer Science Edu-
cation Week, come and
learn to code, Athena —
Hour of Code: Dance Party
(Dec. 10, 3:30 p.m.); Hour
of Code: Star Wars (Dec. 11,
3:30 p.m.); Code with Robots
(Dec. 12, 3 p.m.); Hour of
Code: Minecraft (Dec. 13,
3:30 p.m.).
•Dec. 6, 13, 20, 10 a.m.
— Preschool Storytime,
Weston
Find more information at
www.ucsld.org
———
Erin McCusker is the dis-
trict director of the Uma-
tilla County Special Library
District. Read her column,
Libraries Provide – County-
wide!, the last weekend of the
month. Contact McCusker at
541-276-6449 or director@
ucsld.org.
Members of the Columbia River Heat softball team recent-
ly stepped up to the plate to help clean at the Hermiston
Warming Station.
Softballers hit
home run at
warming station
East Oregonian
Adelaide Zumwalt of
the Hermiston Warm-
ing Station recently
expressed appreciation to
Columbia River Heat.
Members of the soft-
ball team recently stepped
up to the plate asking if
there was anything they
could do to help out at
the warming station. In
preparation for its open-
ing, the softball players
spent a Friday evening
cleaning up. Zumwalt
said their pinch hit effort
at providing this valuable
community service was
much appreciated.
The Hermiston Warm-
ing Station is located at
1075 S. Highway 395. For
information about mak-
ing donations or ways to
help, call 541-289-2150 or
search Facebook.
Dispatcher receives
thumbs up for service
East Oregonian
PENDLETON — Dis-
patcher Hannah Foster
of the Umatilla County
Sheriff’s Offi ce received
a letter of commendation
for her response to an Aug.
4 emergency call.
In the letter, which
was signed by Sgt. Eva
Van Beek, Capt. Kathy
Lieuallen, Sheriff Terry
Rowan and Undersher-
iff Jim Littlefi eld, Fos-
ter was recognized for
her actions in taking a
call from a man that was
having trouble breathing.
The patient expressed his
appreciation for Foster’s
kind and caring assistance
— saying he was grateful
she was there in his time
of need — to both emer-
gency room personnel at
Good Shepherd Medical
Center in Hermiston and
the ambulance team that
transported him to a facil-
ity in the Tri-Cities.
“Your actions very
much deserve to be com-
mended!” the letter stated.
Fuzz Ball barks for
Hermiston business
I would like to thank
Affordable Family Eye-
wear for their incredible
support of Fuzz Ball Ani-
mal Rescue. They not only
donate fi nancially, but also
food and supplies. They
hold fundraisers, donate
services to fundraisers and
foster animals.
Marcia and Allan
(Lambert) are amazing
people. (Note: Affordable
Family Eyewear recently
moved to a new, larger
location at 298 E. Gladys
Ave., just down the street
from the Hermiston Public
Library).
Robin Barker
Fuzz Ball Animal
Rescue
BIRTHS
Good Shepherd Medical Center, Hermiston
NOV. 20, 2019
JIMENEZ HERNANDEZ — Yaneli Hernandez
Neri and Victor H.N. Honesto Jimenez of Hermiston: a
boy, Leonardo Noé Jimenez Hernandez.
P et of
the Week
Sweetpea is a 1 yr old spayed soft
tabby. She is very friendly, gets
along with other cats in the free
roam room. Sweetpea would make a
family or someone single a great pet.
546 Pets Adopted in 2019!
Visit Sweetpea at the
Pioneer Humane Society/Paws
Tues - Sat • Noon - 4pm
517 SE 3rd ST, Pendleton
541-276-0181
Check out the
PAWSABILITY Thrift Store
SWEETPEA
-megumi’s dog grooming-
541.276.6220
920 SW Frazer Ste. 105
Pendleton, OR 97801