SIUSLAW NEWS SCHOOL NEWSLETTER ❚ FEBRUARY 2015
SCHOOL
ZONE
A Monthly Newsletter for the Siuslaw and Mapleton Schools and Florence Community PTA
Journey onto the Magical Mystery Bus
Twilight Learning Center’s bus program sends Siuslaw Elementary students on weekly field trips to area businesses
ing attention and listening
and not touching stuff. If every
tour was like this, I would want
to give tours a lot more
Children participating in
often.”
Siuslaw Elementary School’s
“You’re welcome!” the stu-
Twilight Learning Center after
dents yelled in unison.
school get a little bit of mystery
The Magical Mystery Bus
included in their weekly sched-
Tours also help students learn
ule. Once a week, about a
more about their community.
dozen students travel on a
“Kids tend to prejudge a
Magical Mystery Bus Tour.
place,” Grano said. “If they’re
This is besides the usual home-
going to the police station, they
work, meal and enrichment
say, ‘I’ve been there before’ or
activities provided by Twilight.
‘I don’t like police, I’m not
Jim Grano, a semi-retired
going.’ When they don’t know
volunteer with a bus-certifica-
where they’re going, they just
tion, said, “I proposed that once
sign up because they want to go
a week I take 13 students,
on the field trip and then we
because that’s what fits in the
surprise them with where we go
activity bus with one other
and how good it is.”
adult, on a trip every
Grano and Twilight tutors
Wednesday. The idea is stu-
have taken students to the
dents sign up Monday, not
Florence Police Department,
knowing where they’re going.”
Siuslaw Valley Fire and
Hence the “mystery” for the
Rescue, the Sea Lion Caves,
students.
Siuslaw Public Library and
PHOTO BY CHANTELLE MEYER/SIUSLAW NEWS
Students in grades three to
five sign up Monday or Students from Twilight Learning Center listen to Petty Officer Alan Veach at the US Coast Guard Siuslaw River Station. PeaceHealth Peace Harbor
Medical Center.
Tuesday for the Wednesday
Fire Marshal Sean Barrett
“We try to make the trips Grano said. “Which is, I’m
“What would they have to to go out and help people.”
field trip, which takes around
hands on as much as possible,” finding out, easier for them do, Alan, to get into the Coast
After this, Veach asked the guided the students.
two hours.
“Students broke into four or
after a full day of school Guard?” Grano asked.
students a question of his own.
five groups and climbed
than it is for them to listen
This is one of the most “Who wants to go on a boat?”
to different people giving important parts of the field trip
Madyson, 9, said, “I want to through the cab of the engine,
them information.”
for Grano.
go, I want to go! It looks so they opened doors and com-
partments. They just got to
After the trip, students
“One of the goals is to pres- big!”
complete a STEAM ent students with careers that
“I have been on a boat run and scramble,” Grano
said.
(Science,
Technology, they may not know about and before,” said Cannon, 10.
Barrett said, “I loved doing
Engineering, Art and how to get there. We always
Another student said, “I’ve
it. It was my favorite thing. I
Math) response and eat talk to the hosts about that,” he never been on a boat!”
dinner with the rest of the said.
“I would be on a boat if I got said to them, ‘I shouldn’t go
Twilight students.
Veach answered, “There are to go to Cub Scouts like around and tell you what I
know. You should tell me what
On Wednesday, Feb. 4, two career paths you can take. Cannon!” said Alora, 9.
seven students, ages 8 to You could enlist in the Coast
“Well we’ll get you on one you know.’”
Youth Services Librarian
11, went to the US Coast Guard, which means you would today,” Veach said.
Guard
Station
off be an enlisted person, a petty
Veach led the tour onto a 47- Gayle Waiss also set up a scav-
Rhododendron Drive with officer like myself, or you foot motor lifeboat and then enger hunt.
“Students learned all the
Grano
and
Twilight could go to the academy or get onto the much smaller 25-foot
teacher Ben Wells.
a commission as an officer. To defender class boat. Students stuff that the library has to
Petty Officer Alan enlist, you have to complete got to visit the engine room, offer. Which is amazing. … It
Veach led the Coast Guard high school or get your GED, climb into the pilot chairs, and was tremendous, her effort,”
tour.
be able to read at an eighth even hear an example of an said Grano.
Grano was impressed by the
“I’ve been in the Coast grade level, pass some physical alarm onboard.
Guard for 12 years,” exams and go to an eight-week
The tour ended near the graciousness of the tours’ hosts.
Mapleton Elementary School had 41 students who were
“There were so many folks
Veach said. “I’m a long boot camp.”
Coast Guard’s bell.
AVID All-Stars for the first semester. They were treated to
boatswain’s mate, first
“I really like it,” he said. “In
“I would like to thank you that the students met that were
a movie at City Lights Cinemas and ice cream at
class. I drive boats. Well, a lot of ways, it’s just like any for asking such thoughtful doing different things. The
McDonalds. They would like to thank Michael Falter at
on a good day I drive other job with good days and questions,” Veach said. “You students learned they could do
City Lights Cinemas for hosting them and Thomas and his
boats. On a bad day I do bad days, but the good days are each asked very perceptive those jobs and help others in
staff at McDonalds for making 45 ice cream cones in a
paperwork.”
really good. It’s a nice feeling questions. Thank you for pay- doing them,” he said.
short amount of time. —Submitted by Carrie McNeill
B Y C HANTELLE M EYER
MES All-Stars
Fifth grader sings
anthem for Ducks
PHOTO COURTESY OF SCOTT VOLLMAR
Nyah Vollmar sings the national anthem Feb. 22 at the
Oregon Ducks basketball game versus Utah in Eugene.
Nyah Vollmar, a fifth grader
at Siuslaw Elementary School,
sang the national anthem Feb.
22 at the University of Oregon
men’s basketball game at
Matthew Knight Arena in
Eugene in front of nearly
11,000 fans.
Vollmar, 10, is an active stu-
dent in Children’s Repertory
of
Oregon
Workshops
(CROW), a youth theater pro-
gram in Florence.
Her father, Scott, said
CROW helped his daughter
succeed in the televised per-
formance.
“Without the experience,
opportunities, training and
guidance Nyah received
through CROW over the last
four years, she likely would
have never been given this
opportunity,” he said.
SIUSLAW THESPIANS TAKE STAGE
Newly chartered Siuslaw
High School Thespian Troupe
#8084 competed in its first
ever acting competition at
Redmond High School on
Saturday, Feb. 7.
SHS competed in the
Southern Region that in-
cluded all thespian high schools
in Oregon south of the 45th
parallel.
Seven
high
schoolers
competed: Ethan Owens, Tristin
Reber, Brilee Sewall, Billy
Jones, Anthony Perez, Katlin
Meskimen
and
Mallory Varas.
Siuslaw students entered
many categories such as
monologues,
comic
duos
(scenes), group pantomime and
small group musical theater.
All competing members
participated in the small
group musical theater num-
ber, “La Vie Boheme,” from
the musical “Rent.” The musical
number played well for the
judges, but SHS just missed the
cut to qualify for state competi-
tion in April.
The students worked hard,
and although they didn’t qualify
in any events this year, Siuslaw
Thespians had fun and learned
what to do next year.
Eddie Mielke, theater direc-
tor, said, “I am very excited for
Seven Siuslaw High School
Thespian Troupe members
sang “La Vie Boheme”
from the musical “Rent.”
At right, Billy Jones takes
center stage.
our returning high school thespi-
ans who are determined to
‘bring it’ next year by
rehearsing, rehearsing and
rehearsing.
“Also, they will be able to
share with new students what
they’ve learned this year and
apply that as we grow as a new
competing thespian school in
Oregon.” —Submitted by Eddie
Mielke,
Siuslaw
Schools’
Theater Director
CYAN MAGENTA YELLoW BLACK
Siuslaw News