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About Polk County itemizer observer. (Dallas, Or) 1992-current | View Entire Issue (March 18, 2015)
16A Polk County Itemizer-Observer • March 18, 2015 Polk County News HAUGEN’S GALLERI/for the Itemizer-Observer HAUGEN’S GALLERI/for the Itemizer-Observer Library Manager Krist Obrist accepts the Nonprofit of the Year award on behalf of Monmouth Public Library. Heidi Leppin (center) presents veterinarians Robert and Laura Archer with Business of the Year. CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF SERVICE Monmouth, Independence honor people, businesses making a difference By Emily Mentzer The Itemizer-Observer RICKREALL — After hear- ing Jean Love read the laun- dry list of things Kimber Townsend has participated in, Townsend was a little overwhelmed. “I just sat there for a sec- o n d t h i n k i n g , re a l l y ? ” Townsend, 44, said with a laugh. “Reading through that list, I thought, who did they talk to to get that list? I never ran through things on a list like that before.” She was doubly over- whelmed to be honored as First Citizen at the 50th an- nual Monmouth-Indepen- dence Community Awards Banquet Friday at Eola Hills Wine Cellars. “The first time you’re nominated for something, you don’t expect to win it,” Townsend said. Townsend has a reputa- tion for getting a project done, said Love, executive director of the Monmouth- Independence Chamber of Commerce. Her involvement in the Monmouth and Independ- ence communities spans from helping develop and volunteering at Nite Court, organizing and serving as chairwoman of the Western Days Commission, coordi- nating the Independence Neighborhood Watch pro- gram, developing the Hal- loween Safety Zone, and serving on the Western Ore- gon University Presidential Search Committee. While working full time at WOU for the dean of the College of Education, Townsend’s “second job,” as And the Winners Are ... Award recipients from the 50th annual Monmouth- Independence Community Awards, held Friday night at Eola Hills Wine Cellars in Rickreall: — INDIVIDUAL AWARDS: First Citizen — Kimber Townsend. Junior Citizen — Megan Stutzman and Michael Willis. Distinguished Service — David Ritchey. Educator of the Year — Adrienne Gault. Educator Support Staff Employee of the Year — Tracy Barnes. BUSINESS AWARDS: Business of the Year — Ash Creek Animal Clinic. Food and Beverage Service — San Antonio Mexican Restaurant. Nonprofit/Organization — Monmouth Public Library. Professional Service — MINET. Personal Service — Ash Creek Animal Clinic. Retail Service — Roth’s Fresh Markets. HAUGEN’S GALLERI/for the Itemizer-Observer Kimber Townsend accepts the award for First Citizen from Jean Love at Friday’s 50th annual Monmouth-Independence Community Awards Banquet at Eola Hills Wine Cel- lars. Community members packed into the barrel room for the event. she affectionately describes it, is working as program co- ordinator for the Polk Coun- ty Community Emergency Response Team. Townsend said her up- br inging probably has something to do with her active involvement in the community. Growing up the daughter of a young widow — her father died in Vietnam when she was 2 — they moved around a lot. By the time she enrolled at Central High School as a sophomore, she had changed schools 13 times. “I told her (her mother) I’m never moving again,” Townsend recalled. “I rarely had close friends, never had time to get involved. So I stayed here and got super involved. My focus is in making this the best place ever.” She has passed that spirit of service to her daughter, Megan Stutzman, who was awarded one of two Junior Citizens. Michael Willis also won the award. Stutzman was nominated for her work in her school community at Central High School, Scott McClure said when presenting the awards Friday night. She has followed her mother’s footsteps and vol- unteered more than 200 hours with Polk County Teen CERT, growing the program to 15 members in three school districts. “Her cross-school com- munity building is unique in the Polk County area,” Mc- Clure said. Stutzman also has helped establish an Academic De- cathlon team at CHS, the first in the state of Oregon, McClure noted. With all the pair have done, there’s always more to do, Townsend said. “There’s never time to sit back and cool our heels,” she added. For more, see the Itemizer- Observer at www.polkio.com. HAUGEN’S GALLERI/for the Itemizer-Observer David Ritchey is recognized for his volunteerism through Monmouth Police Department as a reserve officer, as well as efforts at communitywide events year-round. HAUGEN’S GALLERI/for the Itemizer-Observer HAUGEN’S GALLERI/for the Itemizer-Observer HAUGEN’S GALLERI/for the Itemizer-Observer Megan Stutzman and Michael Willis were each named Junior Citizen of the Year. They were recognized for their individual efforts in community service. Cec Koontz hugs Adrienne Gault, who was named Educa- tor of the Year for her efforts to help lessons come alive for her students at Talmadge Middle School. Tracy Barnes accepts the award for Educator Support Staff Employee of the Year for her ever-present optimism to everyone from grumpy students to stressed teachers. Senate Bill threatens fifth-year programs statewide Hass says bill would phase out community college offerings in high schools by 2017 By Jolene Guzman The Itemizer-Observer POLK COUNTY — Fifth-year programs at Dallas, Central and Falls City — and other districts throughout the state — appear to be on the chopping block if a bill slated for a public hearing Thurs- day in the Oregon Senate Commit- tee on Education is approved. Senate Bill 322 as currently writ- ten would create a funding formu- la for fifth-year programs, but bill sponsor Sen. Mark Hass (D- Hass Beaverton) said that language will be replaced Thursday with an amendment that will phase out the programs by 2017. Dallas’ version of the fifth-year program, Extended Campus, has students defer receiving their diplomas even though they have met all graduation requirements. Because they are still enrolled in high school, the state pays for their education and that money is used for classes at Chemeketa Commu- nity College. Programs at Falls City and Central work similarly. Hass said the idea behind the phase out is to replace fifth-year programs with a model offering free community college to all students earning a high school diploma. He said the benefit of that is the funding source — about 75 per- cent of the funding would come from the federal government, mostly through Pell Grants. The state would offer the bal- ance to students, minus $50 per class they would have to pay. That concept is included in Senate Bill 81, which is also before the educa- tion committee. Hass said fifth-year programs are “robbing” the state’s K-12 fund to pay for college classes, but un- derstands why districts have pro- vided these op- portunities. “If I were a su- perintendent of a small district, I would look at this, too,” Hass said. “Their hearts are in the right place.” Brazeau Hass said the districts who have the programs aren’t big enough to jeopardize K- 12 funding, but if larger districts jumped on board, it would quickly become a problem. Local school officials say the conversation shouldn’t be just about dollars and cents. “I don’t see this as a financial issue,” said Central Superinten- dent Buzz Brazeau. “Instead of talking about what is best for kids, we are talking about money.” Brazeau said the programs — Central has 16 students in its first- year program — provide a “bridge” to college for students who would struggle with the adjustment from high school. “I think there are a lot of kids that don’t make it (through col- lege),” Brazeau said. “A fifth-year program gives them knowledge they can do it.” Dallas’ program, which has en- rolled 472 students since 2005-06, has classes specifically de- signed to help students make that transition. DHS Assistant Principal Brian Green, who over- s e e s t h e p ro - gram, said the di- Green rect result of that is the program’s nearly 80 percent retention rate beyond the first year. “There would be kids who will not have access to college if Ex- tended Campus goes away,” Green said. “This is not about money, it’s about kids.” Green also is concerned about taking the programs away without a guarantee that Senate Bill 81 will be approved. Falls City Su- perintendent Jack Thompson said he under- stands the con- cerns about funding. But he argues that, for small Thompson districts, a fifth- year program is a way to offer stu- dents opportunities that they would have in larger schools, as well has encourage students to look at college as an option. “The fifth-year program for small schools has been fabulous,” Thompson said. “It has allowed us to get kids to college who wouldn’t have gone to college.”