Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The Siuslaw news. (Florence, Lane County, Or.) 1960-current | View Entire Issue (July 7, 2018)
SIUSLAW NEWS | SATURDAY, JULY 7, 2018 | 7A Musical duos play in Florence for KXCR BRAINS from page 1A Each Common Core-aligned learning module provides project-based activities, em- phasizing subjects that many students lose over the summer months. “I’ve been so impressed with this program and the results it has had with other clubs,” Trent said. “It’s all learning — but like much of what we do, we’re trying to make sure that our kids all have what they need to be successful. The key to success is for kids to be able to learn and grow, but it’s dis- guised as fun. They don’t know they’re learning. It’s amazing to see, using something as sim- ple as slime, that when you get to talk about viscosity, and you get to learn about elements as well. That’s why I’ve been so impressed.” The program, which was implemented this summer for youth grades kindergarten through ninth, also helps chil- dren learn social coping mech- anisms. “We worked on standing up to bullies and talking about what standing up means to them,” Gauderman said. “One of their favorite activities was making superhero capes. It was their kindness capes. They were kindness superheroes, and they got to pick their su- perhero power of kindness.” “That’s why we wanted to do this program,” Trent add- ed. “Part of it is about coping skills, and teaching the kids at a young age how to handle the problems that come up with bullying and on and on.” BGC staff believes the pro- gram is important because of the hard economic realities facing some of the Siuslaw re- gion’s families. “In the summer, lower in- come kids tend to lose two-to- three months of learning, so the minute they start school in the fall, they’re already be- hind,” Trent said. “That obvi- ously creates problems for the teachers. Not only does it cre- ate stress for the kids and fam- ilies, it creates stress for the teachers as well because they have to make up for this time.” According to a June 2016 ar- ticle by the Harvard Graduate School of Education, the rea- son some children lose learn- ing lies in the affordability of enriching activities that high- er-income peers can more like- ly receive. Vacations, museums and library trips can be limited when a single parent is strug- gling to get by. Jessica Dennison+Jones Get out of those lawn chairs and join at the Florence Uni- tarian Universalist Fellowship Saturday, July 14. Two bands from Portland are performing a benefit concert in support of local nonprofit radio station, KXCR 90.7 FM. Casey Jarman and Ben Hubbird’s duo, The Morals, highlight the evening. It’s not hard to sing Jarman’s praises because of the number of accomplishments he’s plied up since leaving Florence. Always self-effacing, he and his friends have graciously put down their busy Portland lives to share their talent to benefit KXCR and its mission to bring relevant radio to our town. Jarman is especially inter- ested to see and visit with old school friends from his Siu- slaw High days. Jarman is proud to intro- duce Jessica Dennison+Jones, who have found a home on the Jarman/Hubbird record label, Party Damage Records. “It promises to be a fun eve- ning with two very different bands,” said KXCR organiz- ers. “The station couldn’t be more pleased and happily the musicians seem even more so.” The fellowship is located at the junction of Heceta Beach Road and Highway 101. The doors open at 7 p.m. and there is a suggested dona- tion of $10. Coffee, tea, healthy finger food and snacks prepared by KXCR volunteers will be of- fered. Guests over 21 years may BYOB. BETTER HEARING. BETTER COMMUNICATION. BETTER RELATIONSHIPS. HEARING Call today to ASSOCIATES schedule your appointment! 541.991.4475 of Florence FLORENCE • 1525 12th St, Ste 2 HearingAssociatesofFlorence.com Doctors of Audiology BUD’S UPHOLSTERY Boat Tops & Cars • Complete Auto & Boat Interiors • Canvas Work 10 am-6 pm Mon-Sat. Be ready for Summer. We’re booking appointments now! 4981 Hwy. 101, Complex B 541-997-4856 Over 41 yrs Experien ce “Because of the family work and financial situation, our kids are at a significantly high- er risk for childhood hunger, child abuse and school drop- out,” Trent said. “We have 23 kids in 17 families that are on Summer Program Schol- arships. The average wage for these families is $1,364 a month. The average monthly expenses are $1,348, with fam- ilies having salaries in the $10 to $12 an hour range with no benefits.” A random sampling of in- comes of BGC students showed more dire circumstances. In one instance, $733 came from foster care payments and $250 from SNAP Food benefits. In another example, one single parent’s only income was $273 from child support and $504 from SNAP. “With the cost of housing and childcare today, it’s really tough on families,” Trent said. “Most of these kids are one bill away from homelessness. One major bill or a landlord de- cides they’re going to sell the place they’re staying in right now, where do they go? “I don’t think the vast major- ity of people in this community have any idea. They see home- lessness on the street, and they understand that because they see it. What they don’t see is this. I call them the forgotten few, though it’s not just a few anymore. It’s a lot more than a few.” As the Harvard report point- ed out, these circumstances can lead to a summer learn- ing loss. On average, students lose approximately 2.6 months of learning in math over the summer months, and teachers have to give up weeks of class time to make up for that loss by reteaching subjects, the re- port said. And these losses lead to an overall decline in student per- formance. “When we look at our En- glish and math scores across the state, they’re dismal,” Trent said. A 2016-17 assessment of student knowledge showed that only 41 percent of stu- dents met national standards in mathematics, down one percentage point from the pre- vious year, according to the Oregon School Board Associ- ation. English Language arts was at 54 percent, and science was 61 percent, down two points from the previous year. Oregon’s graduation has been steadily increasing over the years. In 2014, the rate was 72 percent, while in 2017, the rate was 77 percent, according to the Oregon Department of Education. However, these numbers are still well below the national graduation rate of 84.1 per- cent. “When I started looking at the numbers, I thought, ‘That’s not okay. We have to do some- thing about this,’” Trent re- called. He believes that Summer Brain Gain can be an answer. “Overall, we’re going to see our dropout rates get better,” Trent said. “We’re going to see our math and literacy scores get better. It’s because the kids have help.” For example, Gauderman brought up a responsible mon- ey management program that teaches both math and finan- cial skills. “This week we’re learning about money, and what the benefits are in saving your money, and spending your money,” she said. “What’s the difference between needing something and wanting some- thing.” Gauderman does this by teaching the concept of inter- est. “I give them three ‘dollars’ for working today,” she said. Working comes from re- sponsibility training, where kids pick up five responsibili- ties that they are in charge of — picking up toys, cleaning up after lunch or taking care of their pets at home. “If they save their money, they’ll get interest so tomor- row they will get another dol- lar because of interest,” Gaud- erman explained. “If you save your money, you can buy a bigger prize. The first prizes were Tootsie Rolls. Some kids wanted that Tootsie Roll the first day, so they bought three Tootsie Rolls instead of wait- ing for the next day, where they were offered a huge piece of candy instead. So, the next day, they got the big Tootsie Roll, but they had the chance to save again for another day for something bigger. That was our prize box.” Gauderman is also teaching children how to use a check account, even designing their own debit cards. Trent sees two concepts at play with the money program. “Money management and what things cost, and the tradeoffs you make,” he said. “And math, obviously, because they’re trying to figure out A sampling of our offerings...Lakes, River, Ocean, Golf and more! MERCER LAKE-LEVEL CABIN LOG HOME MASTERPIECE 4792 Gloria Gayle Way $411,000 88781 Rhododendron Lane $329,900 2 ACRES & 2700 SQ.FT.! LIKE NEW IN SANDPINES EAST 5358 Loveland Court 4020 Nandina Drive $304,500 $335,000 HECETA SOUTH BEACH AREA $324,900 88090 Windleaf Way FLORENCE GOLF LINKS 5TH HOLE SOUTH LAKES AREA CHALET 83340 Spruce Lane $425,000 1032 Royal St. Georges CLASSIC OLD TOWN RIVERFRONT 822 1st Street $665,000 $279,500 DEEPWATER RIVERFRONT W/ DOCK $525,000 87995 Riverview Ave. Visit us on WEST OLD TOWN PRIVACY $207,500 815 7th St. what things cost.” Trent hopes that these con- cepts can carry over to the home, which is particularly vi- tal in situations where money is tight. “We want them to go home and have these conversations with their parents,” he said. “‘Here’s what I learned today,’ and then ask questions to the parents.” If kids stick with BGC into their adolescence, these skills can grow, the club hopes. “When they come to the Teen Center and talk about ev- ery kid having a job, they start looking at how much a car costs,” Trent said. “Or renting a house, which also includes utilities and on and on. All of these things we’re starting at the elementary program are building blocks.” Knowing how to manage money will lead to questions about how they earn it. Would one job create a greater in- come than another? What type of lifestyle do kids want for themselves once they get on their own? “If you want to flip burgers, that’s great, if that’s what your goal is,” Trent said. “But have you thought about being an airline mechanic or an accoun- tant or a teacher? We want to make sure kids aren’t locked into generational poverty be- cause they feel they’re locked into something because they don’t know anything else.” Gauderman added, “We’re not raising kids here. We’re raising young adults. That’s what we’re doing. These are all little young adults. We want to teach them life skills and learn about the world. We want to mentor them in the right di- rection, but they are each their own person. You’re not going to change who they are. They have their own opinions and personalities.” The established curricu- lum of Brain Gain also helps instructors like Gauderman, who had to create her own ed- ucational programs before. “At first I was upset,” Gaud- erman recalled about first learning about the program. “I’ll be honest, I went home and cried when Chuck threw this at me. I thought it didn’t look fun. Even some of our staff were intimidated. ‘I don’t do so good in math. I under- stand the concepts, but I’m no good at taking tests.’ But when you have a structured program where you’re not doing all of this curriculum on your own, that has been well thought out and well proven, it allows us to have fun. If our staff isn’t learning anything at the same time as our kids, then this is worthless.” “That’s the secret sauce,” Trent said. “The engagement between the kids and the staff. In a fun way, you create this curiosity. It’s not tedious. When you create that curiosi- ty and you challenge the staff as well, that’s the best of both worlds.” That shared curiosity has created a stronger bond with the children. “You’re not talking to them, you’re talking with them,” Trent said. And by talking with them, Trent hopes that the future of BGC’s children will be nothing but gain. For more information about the Boys and Girls Club of Western Lane County, visit bgcwlc.org. “We’re next to the Bridge” the web 100 Hwy. 101 T HE S IUSLAW N EWS . COM See all Florence Listings at COAST REAL ESTATE cbcoast.com 541-997-7777 APPROXIMATELY 1 OUT OF EVERY 3 HOMES SOLD IN 2017 WAS A COLDWELL BANKER COAST LISTING! CALL US TODAY FOR A FREE CONSULTATION AND MARKET VALUE. S IUSLAW N EWS Follow us on Twitter @S IUSLAW N EWS
