Polk County Education
Polk County Itemizer-Observer • June 1, 2016 13A
Smith: ‘Life is about finding something you love’
Continued from Page 14A
Kidd has watched Smith’s
ability to assist students
evolve over the years.
“When he was younger,
he would just give them the
answer,” Kidd said. “Now he
thinks about helping them
learn.”
To Smith, learning ulti-
mately means taking the
knowledge gained in school
and seeing how it relates to
life after graduation.
He gives Falls City schools
a lot of credit in helping him
see that.
He said his senior project
class required students to do
“job shadows” with people
ACADEMIC HONORS
Monmouth student inducted to Psi Chi
NORTHFIELD, Minn. — Madeleine Witwer-Dukes, of Monmouth,
was inducted into Psi Chi, the international honor society in psy-
chology.
St. Olaf College recently honored her for her induction into a
national honor society.
She is the daughter of Gary Dukes and Kathryn Witwer.
Dallas student awarded scholarship
DALLAS — The Associated Oregon Loggers Scholarship Com-
mittee awarded a $1,500 scholarship to Lindsay Golly, of Dallas.
Golly will attend Oregon State University, and his studies will be in
the field of forestry or a forest resource production curriculum.
Central board to
consider November
facilities bond
By Emily Mentzer
The Itemizer-Observer
INDEPENDENCE — Central School District will ask voters
to approve a facilities bond in November.
The decision came after hearing reports from a bond ex-
ploration committee, which spent about six months looking
into the needs of the district’s schools.
Because of steps taken to refinance current bonds, the
new bond would not increase property tax rates, Finance Di-
rector Cec Koontz said.
“It’s the right time; it’s the right scope, and we can keep it
cost-neutral to taxpayers,” Koontz said.
An added incentive to go for the bond in November is the
availability of a $4 million grant from the state, Koontz said.
The state offered those grants to encourage communities to
invest in their schools.
If passed, the bond would pay for air conditioning at Inde-
pendence Elementary School, as well as add a 12-room wing
which would replace dilapidated portable classrooms. A new
gymnasium would be built, and the old gym would be used
as the cafeteria and make way for a parking lot, something
IES does not have, Koontz said.
At Monmouth Elementary School, the bond would pay to
convert the current gymnasium/cafeteria into strictly a cafe-
teria. The kitchen would be increased, and a new gym would
be built.
“In both cases, those gyms would be competition-style
gyms, so they could be more available to the community,”
Superintendent Buzz Brazeau said.
Right now, the gyms at IES and MES have rubberized
flooring, and are unsuitable for competitions for the com-
munity or teams from Central Youth Sports, Koontz said.
“No one wants a sixth-grader or an eighth-grader playing
on a rubber floor with short baskets,” she said.
At Talmadge Middle School, the two-story gym would be
remodeled.
“The upstairs gym is really wasted space right now,”
Brazeau said.
The upper level was once used for competition and physi-
cal education classes, but it’s not accessible to those with dis-
abilities, among other issues, Koontz said.
If the bond is passed, it will pay for expanding the gym,
adding gender-neutral locker rooms, and create two teach-
ing facilities, Brazeau said.
With recent recommendations from the Oregon Depart-
ment of Education and President Barack Obama, it makes
sense to build any new locker rooms in a gender-neutral
fashion, Brazeau said.
“It’s the right thing to do,” Koontz added. “Pretty much, the
architects wouldn’t recommend doing it without these days.
They’d already drawn those in.”
A four-room pod will also be added to Talmadge, Brazeau
said.
“All the things that are there are part of the 2012 long-
range plan that was created for the district at the end of the
high school bond completion,” he said.
With the additional $4 million grant, it’s roughly the cost of
one of the new gyms, Koontz said.
“We’ve needed this for years,” she said. “Now is the best
opportunity to step in and get it done without raising taxes
and taking advantage of these matching funds, making our
money go a longer way and giving the rest of the buildings a
chance to be a source of pride like the high school is.”
The board will not take final action on the ballot title and
definition until August. The district will apply for the state
grant dollars in July, but Brazeau said the district has already
qualified for the full $4 million.
in a number of fields. Smith
shadowed at Oregon De-
partment of Fish Wildlife’s
Cedar Creek fish hatchery, a
couple of teachers, and an
EMT.
He said classes offered at
the school and in Faces,
such as a forensics class he
took, offer opportunities to
see how ideas apply to life.
“It’s not really about being
a forensic scientist,” he said.
“It’s about evaluating foren-
sic evidence while you are
on jury duty to determine if
someone is really guilty or
not.”
Smith believes that is the
most valuable “lesson” he’s
learned.
“A lot of the teaching that
goes on in Falls City is
(geared) toward how we are
going to apply that to a job,”
he said.
Smith encourages stu-
dents to take advantage of
those chances.
“I would advise younger
students to explore high
school in different ways,” he
said. “I think you should try
to take classes that you like
to do or try things outside of
school that interest you, be-
cause life isn’t about school
and working. It’s about find-
ing something that you love
to do and then doing that.”
May the Cure be with you!
Together We Can End Cancer
Relay For Life Of Polk County
June 4 - 5 • 10a.m. to 10a.m.
at Riverview Park, Independence
Saturday, June 4
9:00a - Survivor check in Starts
9:30a - Team Rally
9:45a - Leadership Rally
10:00a - Opening Ceremonies (Colors, Anthem, Speaker)
10:30a - Survivor Lap
11:00a - Patriotic Lap
- Auction #1 Opens
Noon - Power of Purple Lap
- Infamous Soul (Band)
1:00p - Storm the Track (Storm Troopers) Lap
2:00p - Breast Cancer awareness in Survivor (Kandy)
2:30p - Mr. Relay
2:45p - Zumba
3:00p - Auction #1 Closes
- Crazy Hat/Hair Lap
3:30p - First $$ Count
4:00p - Ed Desmarteau (Musician)
- Auction #2 Opens
4:30p - Mr. Relay ends
5:00p - Ceremony of Everything!
- Team recognition & quilt
- Grand Club Member
- Sponsors
- Mr. Relay winner announced
- CAN Speaker
6:00p - CAN Lap
7:00p - Yo Yo Yoda Lap
- Line Dancing
8:00p - Auction #2 Closes
8:30p - Last $$ Count for the evening
9:00p - Wookie Walk Lap
- Luminaria Bag placement begins
10:00p - Luminaria Ceremony
11:00p - Light Sabor/Glow Stick Lap
Midnight - Movie w/ pizza (& Hot Chocolate)
Sunday, June 5
1:00a - Twin/Buddy Lap
2:00a - Luau/Hawaiian Lap
3:00a - Red Neck/Camo Lap
4:00a - Mardi Gras Lap
5:00a - Pajama Lap
5:30a - Sunrise Service in Survivor Tent (Kay & Denvy)
6:00a - Java Fueled Lap
6:30a - LAST MONEY DROP!!
7:00a - Scavenger Hunt
8:00a - Breakfast from ELKS
9:00a - Closing Ceremonies
- Money totals
- Pink Can
- Spirit Awards
10:00a - TEAR DOWN
- SEE YOU NEXT YEAR!!!
If you or someone you know is interested in participating, being a sponsor
or making a contribution, contact Tami Bookey-Kuhlmann 503-507-0120;
Email: 2015relayforlifepc@gmail.com
Online: relayforlife.org/polkcountyor
100 Years Ago the American Cancer Society started the fight of a lifetime.
Together We Can Finish The Fight!
June 2016
Monmouth Area Community Events Calendar
PCL
Partnerships in
Community Living
503-838-2403
480 E. Main St.
Monmouth
DownTown
Trends
142 Highway 99 West
503- 838-1445
Monmouth
Monmouth
Senior
Center
180 S. Warren St.
Monmouth
355 N Pacific Ave.,
Ste A
Monmouth
503-838-4268
405 Hogan Rd
Monmouth
503-837-0700
www.minetfiber.com
Your Local
Service Provider
Serving Polk Co. Since 1875
503-623-2373
503-838-3467
June 3 — Smith Fine Arts Series: Sean Jones with The Western
Hemisphere Orchestra. 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm. Rice Auditorium, Western
Oregon University, Corner of Knox and Powell Streets, Monmouth. For
more information or to order tickets, call Sandy at 503-838-8333. $25
in advance, $28 at door, $11 students. http://smithfinearts.org
June 4 — Monmouth Community Breakfast. 8:30 – 10:30.
Monmouth Senior Center, 180 S Warren. Monmouth
June 4 & 5 — Relay For Life of Polk County! June 4, 2016 - June
5, 2016. Riverview Park, 50 C Street, Independence. The American
Cancer Society Relay For Life movement is the world's largest and
most impactful fundraising event to end cancer. It unites communities
across the globe to celebrate people who have battled cancer,
remember loved ones lost, and take action to finish the fight once and
for all. With the support of thousands of volunteers like you, the
American Cancer Society is helping save more than 500 lives a day.
Please join us and take action against a disease that has taken too
much!
June 10 — LAST DAY OF SCHOOL FOR CHS!
June 10 — Central High School Graduation. CHS Panther
Stadium. 7 pm to 9 pm. CONGRATULATIONS GRADUATES!
June 11 & 12 — Summer Rickreall Gun Show. ♦Buy ♦ Sell ♦
Trade ♦ Guns ♦ Knives ♦ Ammunition Lots of Collector Items.
Saturday, June 11th 9am - 5pm. Sunday, June 12th 9am - 3pm
Adults ≈ $6.00, Kids Under 12 ≈ FREE, Parking ≈ FREE, Food
Available Onsite. Polk County Fairgrounds and Event Center, 520 S.
Pacific Hwy., Rickreall
June 16 — Chamber After-hours Mixer - Rogue Farms and Arena
Sports Bar & Grill Join us June 16 for a fun afternoon of hops, beer,
and networking!
We'll start the afternoon at 3:30 PM at Rogue Farms for an
abbreviated tour followed by samples at Chatoe Rogue courtesy of
Rogue Farms. Next, we'll head to downtown Independence to Arena
Sports Bar & Grill for light refreshments courtesy of Arena and
additional Rogue beers on tap available for purchase. Along the way,
network with others and build your customer
base!
Whether you take the tour, relax at Arena, or both, we look forward to
seeing you for our special June mixer! Rogue Farms - 3590 Wigrich
Road, Independence. Arena Sports Bar & Grill - 174 Main Street
Independence.
June 21 — Monmouth-Independence Chamber of Commerce
Hosts - PEP Talks: Promoting with a Purpose In Person 12 to 1:30
pm and include lunch for participants. Cost per workshop is $15 for MI
Chamber members and $20 for non-members. Promoting with a
Purpose In Person. Location: Henry Hill Education Support Center 750
S 5th Street, Independence. Overview: • Know how to work a room •
Pitch your business efficiently • Engage others effectively Presented
by: Jeremy McKern, Tunnel Radio of America. Register by noon
Monday, June 20. *Cancelations must be received by noon 6/20/16 or
fee incurred.
June 25 — 20th PCL Summer Solstice Benefit Auction. Location:
Eola Hills Wine Cellars, 501 S Pacific Hwy, Rickreall. Join PCL for their
20th Summer Solstice Benefit Auction. Tickets $30.00 each. You must
purchase tickets in advance. For more information, contact Shawn
McCammon 503-838-2403 ext. 324. http://auction.pclpartnership.org/
www.windermere.com
503-838-1141
297 N Pacific
Monmouth
800-732-0173
464 S Pacific Hwy
Monmouth
oregonstatecu.
Saving
Carpets
Daily
Carpet Hero
503-838-0869
Monmouth
LOOKING
FOR RENTALS?
297½ N. Pacific Hwy
503-838-1278
Western View
Properties
Property Management, LLC
503-838-2951
165 E. Main St.
Monmouth
503-838-1773
410 E. Main St.
Monmouth