COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL NOVEMBER 8, 2017
5A
Cottage Grove Retrospective
A look back at Sentinel stories from 30 and 60 years ago
Al Kennedy starts forestry program, 1987
S
cott Bangle, a junior at Cottage
Grove High School, hadn't planned
on attending school this year.
But a new program at the school, de-
signed to retain dropouts while teaching
them job skills, helped change his mind.
The Morepun Project, instituted last spring,
incorporates hands-on forestry experience
with classroom curriculum in an effort to
create a learning alternative for boys who
have not done well in a traditional high
school setting.
The program offers an opportunity for
success to boys who have not tasted it be-
fore in school, says Al Kennedy, director
of the program. That taste has whetted the
appetites of the 13 boys participating and
helped them assess their goals.
"I want to get my diploma," Bangle says.
"That's all I'm working for. Last year it
seemed so far away, and this year it seems
so close."
The program is named for an aborigine
word meaning "to care," which Principal Ed
Otton picked up while teaching in Australia.
Kennedy says the term not only describes
this program, but refl ects Otton's whole ap-
proach to education.
In the program, students spend fi ve of
their seven daily periods with Kennedy,
learning science, math and beginning for-
estry in a classroom setting, with a two-pe-
riod block devoted to work forestry-related
projects on nearby private and federal tim-
ber land. Projects range from timber har-
vesting and commercial thinning to cone
picking and road building.
The students also study English and so-
cial studies with other teachers. While the
students in the project follow a unique
schedule, they are not isolated from their
classmates and are mixed with other stu-
dents in all their classes.
What makes their schedule different is
spending fi ve periods with one teacher.
This offers a continuity for the students and
means they are not continually forced to
adapt to a different classroom and a differ-
ent teacher, Kennedy says.
Obviously, another factor is the mutual
respect between Kennedy and the boys, and
their knowledge that at least one teacher is
looking out for them. The hands-on part of
the program is also attractive to the boys.
"It's not just book work. I get to go out
and do physical things - spur climbing or
chopping wood for older folks," says soph-
omore Eddie Davis. "It fi ts a lot of people
in here."
Though the students learn specifi c skills,
they also learn how to acquire skills, mak-
ing them more adaptable and more employ-
able, Kennedy says.
"We're teaching a process, not a tech-
nique," he says. "The skill is not as relevant
as the process of learning."
Kennedy also tries to instill in his students
what he believes is the most important skill
needed for getting and keeping a good job -
the ability to work diligently and effi ciently.
"One thing about these kids is they're not
lazy," Kennedy says. "I don't have to go
POLICE BLOTTER
around trying to make them stay busy. They
love being busy."
But book learning is not neglected, and
students are required to complete the day's
classwork before they can participate in the
hands-on portion of the program. And, since
forestry-related material is integrated with
the math and science, students know they
must keep up with their assignments if they
want to work safely in the fi eld, Kennedy
says.
One shortcoming of the program, Otton
says, is that so far it is limited to boys, but
he would like to see a similar program de-
veloped to encourage at-risk girls to stay in
school.
Though students drop out for a multitude
of reasons, most at-risk students share sim-
ilar behavior patterns, Kennedy says. Many
are poorly organized and value free time
over school work, he says. "They become
addicted to habits of failure, and they like
those habits."
Kennedy hopes to replace that addiction
with an addiction to success, something that
these students have experienced little of at
school.
Though Kennedy admits it is too early
to judge the effectiveness of the program,
there are many indications that it is keeping
the students interested.
"I haven't skipped a day so far, and I have
almost perfect attendance," Davis says.
"That's great - a lot better than last year."
National Beat
News from the state and around
the nation
•
Rep.
Knute
Buehler is calling for a
special counsel to inves-
tigate how the state of Oregon overpaid 16 health care
providers in the Medicaid network nearly $74 million.
From around the state
•
Snow has started to fall on Oregon’s mountain passes
signaling the start of winter. Snow fell as low as 2,000
feet last weekend on the Santiam Pass while the Co-
lumbia River Gorge saw a mix of rain and snow.
•
Oregon is making national headlines after the States-
man Journal’s Natalie Pate reported on a Salem-Keizer
School District decision citing Oregon law that required
teachers to report sexual abuse to law enforcement.
Under the district’s reported interpretation, consenting
teenagers—under the legal age to consent—may be
reported for confi ding in their teachers regarding their
sexual activity.
•
Senator Ron Wyden has sent a letter to University of
Oregon President Michael Schill after Emerald report-
er Kenny Jacoby investigated the lack of response by
the university’s administration after basketball star Ka-
vell Bigby-Williams was suspected of rape. The story
was published in Sports Illustrated. "I am deeply trou-
bled about recent news stories related to the Universi-
ty of Oregon's handling of an alleged serious student
misconduct violation of a student athlete. If these re-
ports are accurate, the raise major questions about the
university's commitment to creating and maintaining a
safe campus environment,” Wyden wrote.
Cottage Grove Police Department 24-Hour Anonymous Tip Line: 767-0504
October 30
November 1
Principal requests offi cer contact regarding a video fl oating
around involving possible animal abuse by former Cottage Grove
High School students.
Disorderly subject reported. Female walking on the sidewalk,
screaming at traffi c and occasionally walking into lanes of travel.
Car had to swerve to miss her.
Armed suspect reported at 6th St. and Cleveland Ave. Com-
plainant reported she was exiting Hillcrest Market and she observed
a male subject tucking a handgun into his waistband which was con-
cealed under a baggy sweatshirt. Subject was concealing the weap-
on, not menacing, subject then departed northbound on 6th St. on
foot.
Suspicious subject reported on E. Main St. Complainant believed
a male subject had defecated in the back of their property.
Burglary reported on N. 19th St. Unknown suspect pried open the
door on an outbuilding and took numerous tools sometime over the
weekend including a trimmer, backpack blower, weed eater and an
additional blower.
November 2
Complainant came into the police station requesting an offi cer
test a substance he found on his child’s bathroom sink. Suspects it
may be heroin.
Theft reported at Safeway on Main St. Complainant observed
subject put something in a backpack. Confronted them but they ran
out of the store.
Theft in the third degree reported at Safeway on Main St. Subject
reportedly stole a roasted chicken and a bottle of wine and ran to-
wards the Domino’s parking lot. Subject dropped the chicken.
The boys’ soccer team set off the alarm at the high school. Police
received a call that the alarm was activated in the east locker room.
The boys were returning from a game.
• Former U.S. Airman
Devin P Kelley, 26, shot
and killed 26 people at a
Texas church on Sunday, November 5. Local author-
ities cite a “domestic situation” as possible motiva-
tion. The victims of Sundays shooting were between
18 months and 77 years old. Kelley had previous run-
ins with the law including a 2012 charge of assault in
which he reportedly fractured his stepson’s skull. The
fi rearm used in Sunday’s shooting was reportedly pur-
chased legally.
From around the nation
•
Senator Paul Rand suffered from fi ve rib fractures after
neighbor Rene Boucher reportedly assaulted the sena-
tor. Boucher was released from custody on bail.
•
The non-partisan Tax Policy Center released its analy-
sis of the proposed GOP tax plan this week. The top tax
rate under the plan in 39.6 percent on incomes above $1
million and the Center reported 12 percent of taxpayers
would receive a tax increase under the plan. According
to the analysis, the wealthiest one percent of Americans
would receive 48 percent of the benefi ts under the pro-
posed plan.
November 4
Have you received a DUI?
Call (541) 942-8022
Schedule your breathalyzer install today!
Automotive Specialties
Theft reported on River Rd. A man with a gas can reportedly ap-
peared to be siphoning gas from trucks parked outside the fence
across from Boyce and Sons.
Contraband seized on Hwy. 99 by Dollar Tree. Offi cer response
requested to pick up a small baggie containing a white crystalline
substance.
424 S. Paciϐic Hwy 99
Fast · Discrete · Professional
6
-day
weather forecast
THURSDAY Nov. 9
FRIDAY Nov. 10
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Showers
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SATURDAY Nov. 11
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MONDAY Nov. 13
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Showers
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60% of smalled businesses
close their doors within
6 months following a
cyber-attack.
Call today (541) 942-0555.
PayneWest.com/Cottage-Grove
Family & General
Dentistry
Douglas
uglas G.
G Maddess,
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d d ess DMD
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State
Representatives
Senator Floyd Prozanski
District 4 State Senator
PO Box 11511
Eugene, OR 97440
Phone: (541)342-2447
E-Mail : sen.fl oydprozanski@state.or.us
Rep. Cedric Hayden, Republican
District 7 State Representative
900 Court St. NE
Salem, OR 97301
Phone: (503) 986-1407
Website: http://www.leg.state.or.us/ hayden
E-Mail : rep.cedrichayden@state.or.us
TURNING 65 AND NEED HELP WITH
YOUR MEDICARE CHOICES?
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914 S. 4th Street
Cottage Grove
541-942-1559
www.douglasgmaddessdmd.com
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the complicated.
541-517-7362
Paul Henrichs ~ Independent Agent
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