Spilyay Tytnoo, Warm Springs, Oregon
November 20, 2 0 0 8
Page 3
Fitness club helps keep girls active
Council hears update
from 4-H youth group
B y L e s lie M itts
Spilyay Tymoo
B y L e slie M itts
Spilyay Tymoo
For some Warm Springs
students, running in the halls
at Jefferson County Middle
School is part of their after
noon activity.
A fitness club at JCMS is
giving girls a chance to stay
in shape—and that includes
w arm ing up by ru n n in g
through the hallways.
Many fem ale W arm
Springs students are partici
pating in the fitness club that
meets four days a week.
Shannon Alley, a health
teacher at JCMS, teaches the
after school club.
While 45 girls are signed
up with the club, Alley said,
attendance usually fluctuates.
About one-third of the stu
dents involved are from
Leslie Mitts/Spilyay
Warm Springs, she added.
Because the girl’s basket Jessica Mendoza, Kirsten Holliday, Leticia Palacios and Kari Wahnetah stay busy and
ball season doesn’t begin un active this winter with the fitness club at JCMS.
til the boy’s basketball season
ends, Alley said, the girls are tivities depending on what areas becom ing overw eight. She stay in shape in preparation.
left without an athletic activ of the building are available that plays, basketball, Suppah said, “I did it last year and it was
because “That’s what my mom really fun,” Smith said.
ity after school for that time day.
Margarett Tapia, 12, said
period.
“We just try to be really flex and dad did.”
Smith agreed, and said she the club helps keep her busy.
Plus, the fitness club has ible and use what resources are
wanted to participate in the club “I t ’s too boring to sit at
other benefits as well, Alley available,” Alley said. ■
home,” Tapia explained.
said.
Theyliah Suppah, 12, and “So I stay healthy.”
The seventh grade students are
Kari Wahnetah, 13, said
Besides helping to keep Illante Smith, 12, are among
the girls in shape, she said, it many W arm Springs girls at joined by friend Shinningstar Tail, the club gives her a chance
helps keep them occupied Jefferson County Middle School 12, who participates in the club, to spend time with friends
after school.
who use the Fitness Club to stay “So I can run faster in basket balL” while also staying in shape
Basketball is her sport o f for basketball season. She
“It’s non-competitive,” Al in shape before basketball sea
choice, she added, because “It’s also enjoys running and said
ley added. “It introduces son begins.
she’s participated in the sport
them to new activities that
Both o f the girls also partici fun to shoot hoops.”
Jessica Hatlestad, 12, uses for years. “Ever since I was
they might not try otherwise.” pated in the club last year and
O n Thursdays 25 o f the had excellent attendance, Alley the club to stay fit for track sea young, I always raced,”
son, and explained, “It’s fun be Wahnetah said.
girls go to the M adras said.
The club will continue to
Aquatic Center, and during
Suppah said she chose to par ing active.”
Sydney Smith, 11, plans to meet four days a week until
the other days all of the girls ticipate in the club both to stay
do activities like jump rope, active before basketball season wrestle during winter sports sea the students begin their win
running or other fitness ac- and also to stay healthy and avoid son and said the club helps her ter break.
Tribal Council heard a opin
ions from local youth recendy
as part o f a presentation from
the Youth Advisory Kouncil re
cently.
The Youth Advisory Kouncil,
or Y.A.K., is a youth organiza
tion through the local 4-H pro
gram that gives youth an oppor
tunity to gain leadership experi
ence while also giving advice and
their opinions to adults.
Shawn Morford advises the
group through her work at OSU
Extension and presented several
photo projects that the group has
com pleted to Tribal Council
members. Shania Tom, 11, as
sisted Morford in presenting to
Tribal Council.
Photo project
One project included photos
of what students like about liv
ing in Warm Springs, another
featured photos of what they did
not like, and a third included
photos o f things they believe
could be changed.
Tom is a sixth-grader who is
involved in Y.A.K. as well as the
4-H Geoteam.
“It gives me something to
do,” Tom said. “When I have
free time it’s fun to do.”
According to Morford, Tom
is one o f the most active mem
bers. “She’s got real leadership
potential, so we’re really happy
she’s involved,” Morford said.
Currently about nine mem
bers are regularly active in the
club, while some participate
more sporadically.
Looking for more members
The group started last spring
and took a hiatus during the
sum m er, and they geared up
’■ again this- fall,. Morford, said.
While the current group is
relatively small, Morford said,
they would like to get more
members involved.
“I hope that over time the
group can build,” Morford said.
There is no cost to partici
pate, and any middle school or
high school youth can get in
’tell Us
^VaAYou Want
S h o e S to re
volved, Morford said. Y.A.K.
meets bi-monthly.
The only thing tequired from
youth to participate are their
time and commitment to the
program.
Ropes course
In addition to meeting locally,
Y.A.K. members have opportu
nities to take field trips as part
o f their participation with the
group. Recently Y.A.K. mem
bers travelled to Redmond to
complete a ropes course. “It was
fun, but it was scary,” Tom said
o f the course.
The course was 30 feet off
the ground and featured ropes,
webbing and cables. “It gave the
kids an opportunity to push
themselves out of their comfort
zones,” Morford said.
According to Morford, by
the end of the course the youth
were cheering each other on and
encouraging one another.
M o rfo rd added, “We’re
thankful that we have the re
sources to do these kinds o f
trips.”
In M orford’s opinion, one
thing that the recent presiden
tial election shows is that youth
want change in the world.
“Young people care, and they
want to have a voice,” Morford
said. “They have good ideas
that the adults don’t and they
have energy to do them.”
Y.A.K. empowers the youth
and shows them ways that they
can be involved, M orford
added.
“They have a lot to say about
what they want and what they
envision,” Morford explained.
Tom agreed and said it’s im
portant for kids to be heard.
“There’s other opinions be
sides adults,” Tom said.
fn( pjom£&..©puft0n? “ O ther
kids should join because its fun
and lets your voice be heard.”
For more information, or to
become involved, call OSU Ex
tension at 553-3238.
Next up Y.A.K. participants
will be travelling to the High
D esert Leadership Retreat in
January.
IRA’S SALES
& SERVICE, INC
fi ■
N
BRING THIS AD IN AND TELL ME
WHAT YOU/WANT ME TO CARRY
10% off
Ad) T H A T ’ S
J
AN EXTRA
1O % O FF
w
ON TUESDAYS.
f^SHOES
1555 S o uth H ighw ay 97
f r€€ stretching • Special Orders I
Suite D • 475-3385
Madras OR 9774
Next to Bi-Mart In Madras
One-on-One Fittings
.PELICANSshoes.com
Hours:Mon-Fri Wrun-Spun.
Saturday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Scrap Metal, Used A u to & Truck
Parts, Wrecking Service, Diesel
Trucks, Pick-ups & Cars
475-3861
flSr!
I8 l SW Merritt Lane, Madras