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About Polk County itemizer observer. (Dallas, Or) 1992-current | View Entire Issue (May 11, 2016)
Polk County Education 14A Polk County Itemizer-Observer • May 11, 2016 SCHOOL NOTES Dallas SD seeks feedback on CTE DALLAS — Dallas School District is working on infor- mation to create a 5-year plan for CTE (career technical information) and stem (science, technology, engineering and math) programming. Community members and parents are encouraged to provide feedback via a survey. To find the survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com /r/RYBJKPN. For more information: http://www.dallas.k12.or.us/ or call 503-623-5594. LaCreole to host ‘Exhibition Night’ DALLAS — LaCreole Middle School will hold its stem- themed (science, technology, engineering and math) “Ex- hibition Night” from 6 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday at the school, 701 SE LaCreole Drive. The event will feature class projects in a variety of sub- jects, including a 3-D printer demonstration, a quad copter, 3-D molecule cartoons, and the student garden. For more information: 503-623-6662. ACADEMIC HONORS Deptula honored at Mary Baldwin JOLENE GUzMAN/Itemizer-Observer Dylan Hendrickson and Gage Scheet work on calculations during a roller coaster physics lab on May 4. Students learn twists, turns After-school program gives kids a chance to design, study roller coasters By Jolene Guzman The Itemizer-Observer FALLS CITY — Yes, the roller coaster physics class in Falls City really is as fun as it sounds. But the students in the popular Falls City Faces (Family Academics Commu- nity and Enrichment for Success) after-school pro- gram have to work before they can play. The two-day per week class is filled with hands-on labs in which students build “roller coasters” to test cal- culations and designs. At the end of the class, they are re- warded with a trip to an amusement park to “test” what they have been work- ing on all spring. To stay in the class, stu- dents have to pass all their other classes, turn in all their work for roller coaster physics on time, and attend each hour-long lab. JOLENE GUzMAN/Itemizer-Observer Seth Hammond, right, Draven Pelkey and Chris Doyle measure the drop on their roller coaster on May 4. “We kind of up the re- sponsibility of these stu- dents,” teacher Micke Kidd said. Those who make it to the end will be going on a trip to Silverwood Theme Park in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, in June. Once at the theme park, students will have one more lab to complete: study- ing and doing calculations on the rides at the park. Finally they are set loose to ride in the afternoon. This year, Kidd is trying a different method of teaching the class. Four students have en- rolled in all five of the years the class has been offered: Ni c k Ke m p f e r, R o b e r t Kempfer, Nathan Kempfer and Kyle Smith. Kidd de- cided they were familiar enough with the material that they could lead the class. Kidd even allowed them to pick the labs and make lesson plans for each session, with his approval. “The things that they are teaching I think are fairly easy for them. Now they have to stand in front of a group of people and try to teach them,” Kidd said, grin- ning. So far the system is work- ing well. On May 4, the lab was designed to have them calculate the potential ener- gy of their roller coaster — really a length of flexible tubing and a marble as the “car” — as opposed to the kinetic energy. See PHYSICS, Page 10A STAUNTON, Va. — Monmouth resident Wendy Deptula re- ceived three awards during a ceremony honoring student aca- demic achievement at Mary Baldwin College. Deptula was given the Scholar Athlete Award, presented to a member of sports teams who achieve high academic standing; the Mary Jane Donnally Award, given to the athlete with the highest cumulative GPA after three semesters of work; and Team GPA Award for cross-country, awarded to the team mem- ber with the highest cumulative GPA. Polk County residents honored POLK COUNTY — The following Polk County residents were inducted into the honor society of Phi Kappa Phi. Monmouth — Moshaal Alharbi, Jonathan Jones, Bryan Kel- ley, Danielle Payne and Cameron Stanavige. Dallas — Mariah McKechnie, Julie Postma and Parker Smith. Independence — Melinda Shimizu. All were initiated at Western Oregon University. Member- ship is by invitation and requires nomination and approval by a chapter. The top 10 percent of seniors and 7.5 percent of jun- iors, having at least 72 semester hours, are eligible for member- ship. Graduate students in the top 10 percent of the number of candidates for graduate degrees may also qualify, as do faculty, professional staff and alumni who have received scholarly dis- tinction. Phi Kappa Phi was founded in 1897 at the University of Maine. Lucas Costa named to math society FRONT ROYAL, Va. — Lucas Costa, of Monmouth, a junior at Randolph-Macon Academy, was inducted into the National Math Honor Society on March 24. Lucas is the son of Cinthia Costa Jones, of Monmouth, and Alexandre D T Costa, of Curiti- ba, Brazil. Coons named to Elmira dean’s list ELMIRA, NY — Gwendolynn Coons, of Dallas, has been named to the Elmira College dean’s list for term II, winter 2016. Students who earn a 3.6 or greater grade-point average on a 4.0 scale for the academic term are recognized on the Elmira College dean’s list for academic excellence.
