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About Polk County itemizer observer. (Dallas, Or) 1992-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 18, 2015)
20A Polk County Itemizer-Observer • February 18, 2015 Polk County Schools/Education SCHOOL NOTES FFA auction, dinner slated Saturday First-grader Leah Reyes, with her mother Ellena Reyes, designs a handmade Valentine’s Day card Thursday at Lyle Elementary School’s “Celebration of Writing Night.” The event was created to put student writing on display, as well as en- courage parents to play writing games with their children at home. Writing night consisted of selected students reading their stories aloud and several sta- tions with creative writ- ing activities for students and their fam- ilies to participate in. INDEPENDENCE — Central High School FFA will host its 23rd annual alumni auction and dinner Saturday starting at 5 p.m. at the school, 1530 Monmouth St., Independence. Money raised will provide scholarships for FFA students and help sponsor other FFA activities and projects. Donors of items for the auction valued at more than $75 will receive two tickets to the dinner. Tickets for dinner are $12 for adults, $6 for children ages 6 to 12, and children younger than 6 are free. The auction is free to attend. Sign up for a bidder number —for those 18 and older — and a chance to win a weekend getaway at the coast. Participants must be present to win the weekend trip. The silent auction will run from 5 to 7 p.m. Dinner will be served at 5:30, with the oral auction at 7 p.m. Tickets are avail- able at Central High School. For more information or to make a donation to the auction: Frances Buckovic, 503-838-2035. Dallas High thespians earn honors JOLENE GUZMAN/ Itemizer-Observer Catching the writing bug Lyle Elementary celebrates important skill, stresses making it fun By Jolene Guzman The Itemizer-Observer DALLAS — Leah Reyes loves pumpkins. The first-grader loves to draw and write about pump- kins, and her trip to a pump- kin patch in October. “I love to carve pumpkins. It’s really fun,” she said. “You can make monsters, skele- tons, a face — or anything.” Needless to say, pumpkins were the subject of her writing project that hung on the wall in Lyle Elementary School’s gym Thursday as part of “Cel- ebration of Writing Night.” All students at the school had samples of their writing posted on the walls — and some even read their stories aloud — at the event, which is supposed to encourage students and families to make writing at home fun. “We are trying to show par- ents activities they can do at home, to continue to rein- force what students are learn- ing in class,” said Elaine Dun- bar, Lyle Title I instructor. JOLENE GUZMAN/ Itemizer-Observer Second-grader Taylor Garcia works on “popcorn writing.” Selecting two words, written on crumpled-up paper to resemble popcorn, she created a story using them. Writing night included several booths featuring writing games. One, popcorn writing, had students create stories based on random words they selected from a popcorn bag. Another gave youngsters a chance to write a Valentine’s Day card. Students were proud to show off their work to their parents. Second-grader Sienna Pond — who read aloud her story about a recent, and “very short,” haircut — bounded up to the wall where her class writing was on display. She read her story about how lions com- municate to her mom, Jenn Pond, and little sister, Zoey. Sienna said it was nerve- racking to read in front of an audience, but found a clever way to get through it. “I just acted like there was nobody there,” she said, smiling. Jenn Pond said Sienna was excited to be selected. “You came home and practiced,” she said. When asked what she likes about writing, Sienna said: “I love it. I like that it helps you learn.” Dunbar said this is the third year Lyle has held the writing event. “Our school is really fo- cusing on writing, so we de- cided we need a night to cel- ebrate it,” Dunbar said. Ly l e P r i n c i p a l To d d Baughman said it’s encour- aging to see the progress stu- dents make, from focusing on forming complete sen- tences and correct punctua- tion in kindergarten to writ- ing full and descriptive sto- ries in the older grades. “It’s really meaningful for school staff and families to s e e t h a t p ro g re s s i o n ,” Baughman said. DALLAS — Four Dallas High School actors were named re- gional finalists or state qualifiers Feb. 7 during the Oregon Thespians Southern Regional acting competition at Redmond High School. State qualifiers will compete at the 2015 Oregon Thespians State Festival in Salem April 9-11. Regional finalists are judged to be within the top 20 percent in the state in their perform- ance categories, but do not advance to state competition. Selena Harris and Rachel Tilgner qualified for state in the duo dramatic acting division. Justen Noll was named a regional finalist in the solo acting novice division and Abby Garber was awarded regional finalist distinction in solo music. Rotary Club scholarship available MONMOUTH/INDEPENDENCE — A $1,000 scholarship for a 2015 graduating senior at Central High School will be awarded by the Monmouth-Independence Rotary Club in June. Applicants must meet certain academic requirements, main- tain a minimum of a 3.00 grade-point average and have atten- dance planned to any public community college or four-year college or university in Oregon. The application includes a 250- to 300-word essay. Application forms are available in the CHS counseling office and are due by April 20. The winner will be announced at the Senior Award Ceremony on June 3. For more information: Al Oppliger, 503-838-7353 or jcoppliger@aol.com. ACADEMIC HONORS DHS graduate receives recognition LEXINGTON, Va. — Chauncey Baker of Dallas has earned recognition on the Washington and Lee University honor roll for the recently completed fall term 2014. Honor roll status at Wash- ington and Lee represents a term grade-point average of at least 3.75 on a 4.0 scale. Baker, a 2011 graduate of Dallas High School, is a member of the Class of 2015 at Washington and Lee. Dallas resident is named to society SPOKANE, Wash. — Jerusha Dressel of Dallas has been named to the Whitworth University Laureate Society for fall se- mester 2014. Dressel qualified for the academic honor society by maintaining a grade-point average of at least 3.75 during the semester. Dressel is a 2013 home-schooled graduate.
