Polk County Itemizer-Observer • April 8, 2015 17A
Polk County Schools/Education
Dallas actors take stage at state SCHOOL NOTES
WOU technology center turns 100
By Jolene Guzman
The Itemizer-Observer
DALLAS — Thursday Dal-
las High School’s brightest
acting and technical theater
performers will test their
skills against the state’s best
at the Oregon Thespians
State Festival in Salem.
This year, Dallas’ contin-
gent consists of three stu-
dents: Selena Harris, Rachel
Tilgner and Alicia Scherer.
Harris and Tilgner will be
showcased in the duo dra-
matic acting division, per-
forming a scene from the
one-act play, “Miss Polly’s
Institute for Criminally
Damaged Young Ladies Puts
on a Show,” by Don Zolidis.
Tilgner also is competing in
the stage management divi-
sion for her work on DHS’
production of “Our Town.”
Scherer will be competing in
the short film division for di-
recting her film, “This Kiss.”
The partnership between
Harris and Tilgner arose from
DHS drama teacher Blair
Cromwell’s suggestion. She
saw something in their work
ethic that made her think
they make a good match.
“They approach the work
with the same level of com-
mitment and discipline,”
Cromwell said. “They want
to work really hard.”
Cromwell’s hunch was
correct. The duo scored in
the top 10 percent in Febru-
ary’s regional competition in
Redmond to move onto
state.
“I feel like we performed
really well and the thing
about that was, our piece was
pretty unique compared to all
MONMOUTH — Western Oregon University’s Hamersly Library
will host a spring 2015 exhibit reception from 4 to 5:30 p.m. on
Wednesday (today).
The exhibit, “100 Years of Service: Never Cease to Learn,” cele-
brates the 100th anniversary of the Information Technology Cen-
ter and will be on display through June 12.
The building originally opened as a model school facility for
local elementary students and for preparing teachers. It served
this purpose until 1986.
Once the elementary school was moved off campus, the build-
ing gained new life as the center for teaching technology and
computer services.
The exhibit includes a brief history of normal teacher training
in Monmouth and the diverse uses of this prominent building
during its lifetime.
For more information: Hamersly Library, 503-838-8149.
ACADEMIC HONORS
Local students make OSU honor roll
JOLENE GUZMAN/ Itemizer-Observer
Selena Harris, Rachel Tilgner and Alicia Scherer will be representing Dallas High School
at Oregon Thespians State Festival this week, competing in acting and tech divisions.
the other ones we saw,” Har-
ris said. “I feel like all the
other ones had a shock factor,
like language or shouting.
Ours was sort of a quieter sort
of thing. I think … we stood
out from the others.”
State is a highly competi-
tive atmosphere. The pair
will perform with no props in
a conference room in front of
their fellow competitors.
The intimidation factor
notwithstanding, they be-
lieve they are ready.
“We don’t want to make
too many changes at this
point, because we feel confi-
dent with what we came up
with,” Harris said last week.
“It’s just minor little things.”
Tilgner’s day will not be
done after running the scene
the final time with Harris.
She will then move to her
“Our Town” entry, consisting
of submitting her notebook
from the play and a presen-
tation of her process.
“I liked having the oppor-
tunity to explore this myste-
rious other side of doing
productions,” Tilgner said of
her first venture into stage
management.
Scherer’s “The Kiss” was
her second time behind the
camera and her first time en-
tering a competition.
“The first film was just ex-
perimental, for fun,” Scherer
said. “I decided that I liked it.”
Scherer also had glimpsed
the competition at last year’s
state festival.
“Last year I had the op-
portunity to sit in on the
judging rounds for short film
and I decided it was some-
thing that I could do,” Scher-
er said.
Cromwell said she be-
lieves all are primed to per-
form well at state — and if
they do, they have accom-
plished a rare feat.
“Nationally, I’m told, that
we are one of the most com-
petitive, highest-standard
states,” Cromwell said. “If
you do well here, you know
you are doing really good
work.”
VEX: Team ramRod on their way to
pit their robot against best in world
gram relies on donations and
sponsorships to buy robotic
kits and practice fields,
which change every year
with the season’s theme.
“They don’t get a lot of
money,” Reimer said. “We
hope it draws a little more at-
tention to the program.”
Shryer and Rounds said
robotics gave them a glimpse
into their future. Shryer, who
wants to be an engineer, now
has experience in the field
and knows he likes it.
Rounds, the team’s pro-
grammer, changed his mind
about his college major after
one year in robotics. Now
he’s looking to get a degree in
computer science.
“I want to continue doing
this,” Rounds said. “I enjoy
it.”
www.polkio.com
Continued from Page 18A
Team ramRod has plenty
of support on its mission, re-
ceiving donations to pay for
the trip to Kentucky, most
notably from the DHS lead-
ership class, which donated
$3,000.
Reimer said he hopes the
team’s success will help the
DHS robotics program in the
future. Jones said the pro-
Pencil
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They encourage anyone
interested in science or engi-
neering to give competitive
robotics a shot.
“I think it’s a great hobby
to have,” Shryer said. “If this
is what you are interested in,
it’s a good opportunity.”
CORVALLIS — Oregon State University has announced names
of students who are included in the scholastic honor roll for
winter term 2015. To be on the honor roll, students must carry
at least 12 graded hours of course work.
Dallas: 4.0 — Megan L. Mahoney, sophomore, digital com-
munication arts; Kaden Z. Montague, junior, elect and computer
engineering; and Andrew J. Pfau, senior, chemical engineering;
Mitchell J. Senger, senior, physics. 3.5 to 3.99 — Alexander L.
Bird, junior, civil engineering; Serena D. Chiellini, senior, bio-
health sciences; Katharine E. Crawford, senior, psychology;
Matthew T. Dimick, senior, forest management; Callie A. In-
stenes, senior, graphic design; Emily A. Lund, sophomore, pre-
public health; Caleb T. Naughton, freshman, environmental sci-
ences; Joseph P. Orton, freshman, biology; Michael Polander,
senior, mechanical engineering; Alyson N. Steckley, senior,
human development and family science; Logan G. Stewart, sen-
ior, elect and computer engineering; Zacheriah A. Tucker, senior,
psychology; and Mychal P. Westendorf, senior, forest engineer-
ing.
Independence: 4.0 — Melissa R. Whitaker, junior, pre-civil en-
gineering. 3.50 to 3.99 — Justin T. Bruntmyer, junior, computer
science; Carlos Falcon, senior, exercise and sport science; Megan
R. Marchand, sophomore, university exploratory studies; Luis A.
Meza, senior, renewable materials; Emma J. Miller, senior, agri-
cultural sciences; and Trevor A. Whitaker, sophomore, pre-me-
chanical engineering.
Monmouth: 3.5 to 3.99 — Erica B. Brown, junior, biohealth
sciences; and Sean R. Maroney, freshman, university exploratory
studies; Travis J. Rice, senior, public health; Nicholas A. Silva, sen-
ior, chemical engineering; Peter J. Teague, senior, civil engineer-
ing; and Ryan F. Wruck, senior, liberal studies.
Rickreall: 4.0 — Angela J. Porter, senior, liberal studies; and
Audrey R. Regan, senior, English. 3.5 to 3.99 — Bridget H. Regan,
sophomore, zoology.