Spilyay Tymoo, Warm Springs, Oregon
March 4, 2015
Page 3
COCC Student Profile
CFS seeking foster parents
Earning a degree in Aviation-Helicopters
Robert Thomas is set to
graduate from Central Or-
egon Community College in
June. He is working toward
an Associate in Science de-
gree in Aviation-Helicopter.
Robert was in the Navy
from 2006-2010, as a
nuclear machinist, stationed
at the South Carolina Naval
Weapons Base. He had two
years of training at the Navy
Nuclear Power Training
Command.
“Before coming to school,
I worked at Kah-Nee-Ta,”
Robert was saying recently.
“My boss, Raymond
Hurtado, told me to go back
to school. He said I was too
smart to be working at this
kind of job the rest of my
life.”
His cousin was an inspi-
ration for Robert to join the
COCC Aviation program.
“He passed while I was in
the military, but I wasn’t al-
lowed to leave for his fu-
neral,” Robert said.
“He always wanted to fly
airplanes and was going af-
ter it for years. So I started
chasing it to honor his
memory, but I had to make
it my own dream, which is
why I chose helicopters and
not planes.
“My grandpa Snuff was
a Viet Nam vet, and he
Courtesy Gina Ricketts/COCC
Robert Thomas piloting helicopter.
talked about helicopters all
the time, so he was also part
of my decision.”
First starting at COCC was
something of a culture shock
for Robert. “In the military I
was so used to being told what
to do and learn,” he says. “It
was weird being given free
rein over my self. It kind of
made it hard in the beginning.
“My grades were great, but
I still wasn’t used to it, like
the idea that there might be
multiple right answers. I was
used to there only being one
way, and sometimes that threw
me off.”
He loves flying the aircraft.
“It’s amazing being in charge
of a machine that could kill
you with one tiny mistake,”
Robert says.
“You have to respect it
and give it your undivided
attention. Sometimes even if
you’re doing it all right, you
still have to be aware. I love
being in charge and having the
responsibility of keeping the
people safe on your flight.”
A career goal for Robert
is to do something for the
community, like firefighting
work. “There’s a lot of dif-
ferent routes to getting to that
point, I just need to figure out
what route I want to take.
“War m Springs is my
home, and it’s a place I can
come back to. But you can’t
make a community better if
you’re surrounded by bad. So
I want to go out and learn
Culture Night and Fair at Academy
The Culture and Heritage
Department will host the Cul-
ture Night and Fair on
March 19 at the War m
Springs Eagle Academy.
The goal of the Culture
Night and Fair is to provide
students and families with a
positive learning experience.
The subject will be the cul-
ture and community of
Warm Springs.
Greeley playground
A reminder the
Greeley Heights Play-
ground is closed until
further notice for safety
reasons with the new
home construction go-
ing on and heavy truck
traffic.
A Tribal Council priority
is improving academic per-
formance and cultural pres-
ervation, by implementing
tribal language and cultural
curricula, Deanie said. “The
Culture Night and Fair will
be a great opportunity to start
working toward this goal,” she
said.
There are several ways to
get involved, and the door is
open to all. Some of the ways
to get involved include host-
ing a classroom by teaching a
cultural activity, conducting a
performance, or providing
food or supplies.
If you are interested in
participating in this event,
please contact Deanie Smith
at 541-553-3290.
Or email at:
deanie.smith@wstribes.org
about other communities and
what makes them work and
bring that back here.”
Robert mentors Native
kids at Madras High School,
and has volunteered his time
at the COCC STRIVE pro-
gram.
“I’ve also done the Home-
less Count for two years with
the American Legion. I vol-
unteer to help chaperone the
kids snowboarding up at Mt.
Hood, and I’ve coached t-
ball.
“During my time in the
military, we also helped clean
up public schools and I also
helped upcoming cadets with
tutoring in their classes.
“It’s important to know
what you’re capable of,” Rob-
ert says. “If I didn’t love the
flying I probably would have
done an apprenticeship some-
where, since I really like
working with my hands. My
weakness is the book study-
ing, because I’d rather be out
flying. I know I have to do it
so I do it.”
His belief as to what can
make for a successful life:
“You have to do what you
love.”
ground check. The foster
parent, or the person
transporting the foster
child, must have a valid
operator’s license.
Within the first year of
certification, the parent
must obtain a CPR/First
Aid card.
The certification pro-
cess for foster homes has
been aimed to build a
partnership between the
prospective foster parents
and Children and Family
Services.
The availability of high
qualified foster homes is
essential to Warm Springs
Children and Family Ser-
vices. Foster homes pro-
vide the nurturing, stabil-
ity and safety that each
child needs until he or she
can return to his or her
birth family, or until the
child can be placed into a
permanent home.
(Note: Gina Rickets, director
of the COCC Native American
program, helped with this article.)
W.S. Academy
Science Fair
The Warm Springs
Eagle Academy Science
Fair is coming up on
Tuesday, March 10.
Seventh- and eighth-
grade students are re-
minded to work on
your projects. Everyone
is welcome to attend.
For more information
call the Academy at
541-553-1128.
Parent conferences at k-8
The Warm Springs K-8
Eagle Academy is having con-
ferences this Friday, March
6.
Kindergarten through fifth
grade is extending personal in-
Warm Springs Chil-
dren and Family Services
is looking for qualified
foster parents. Children
and Family Services can
assist anyone who wishes
to provide a certified fos-
ter care home.
Please call Emily
Courtney for informa-
tion. You can reach her
during regular business
hours at Children and
Family Services on the
campus, or call 541-553-
3209 or 541-615-0036.
There are responsibili-
ties that come with being
a foster parent. Some ex-
amples:
The foster parent must
be available for monthly
home visits, and complete
and submit monthly re-
ports.
There is a requirement
of 10 hours of training
per year, and a back-
vites to families. Teachers will
be making appointments with
all families.
Sixth grade will have an
open drop-in policy for con-
ferences with some invites for
families.
Seventh- and eighth-grades
will be an open schedule
where families can stop by any
time.
1234567890123456789012345
1234567890123456789012345
1234567890123456789012345
1234567890123456789012345
1234567890123456789012345
1234567890123456789012345
1234567890123456789012345
1234567890123456789012345
1234567890123456789012345
KWSO.org
2132 Warm Springs St., Warm
Springs - ph. 541-553-1597
Call 541-
615-0555
4202
Holliday St.
Central Oregon Auto
& Truck Repair
85 SW Third St.,
Madras OR 97741
541-475-2370
Cash & Release
Always Looking to Buy
Voted the #1
Pawn Shop in
Jefferson County
‘We would like to thank all our
friends in Warm Springs for
more than 12 years of business’
PB - 0339
We are now open Saturdays for your convenience, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
4202
Holliday St.
Call 541-
615-0555
ph. 541-
475-3157
All your items are bonded and insured while in our care.
915 SW Highway 97 - Across the Madras Truck Stop