Polk County Education
16A Polk County Itemizer-Observer • June 7, 2017
CLASS OF 2017
CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL
DALLAS HIGH SCHOOL
Looking out for others
Dodge quiet role model, inspires teachers, administrators
By Jolene Guzman
The Itemizer-Observer
EMILY MENTZER/ Itemizer-Observer
Dylan Lewis graduates from Central High School Saturday and plans to major in ed-
ucation and vocal performance. His role model is Jeff Witt, Central’s theater teacher.
Ready for next steps
DALLAS — Cooper
Dodge, a Dallas High School
senior about to graduate
Saturday, has a drive to help
others — and often without
it being recognized.
“That’s one of the pieces
that sticks in my mind with
Cooper,” said Steve Spencer,
DHS principal. “The school
went through a difficult
time not too long ago and I
received one email from
Cooper and it was specifi-
cally just asking, ‘What can I
do to help?’ He’s got that
mind to look out for kids
and find way to support and
help them.”
Dodge has played foot-
ball, baseball and golf
throughout his high school
career, but his favorite activ-
ity had nothing to do with
competition.
He excelled in the school’s
leadership class. Dodge has
been in the class since his
freshman year.
“I felt like I could have a
say in the school and I could
change it,” he explained of
his interest in leadership. “I
could be positive to other
people and influence others.
I wanted to be a role model
to others.”
This year, Dodge served as
the senior class public rela-
tions representative.
“I’m able to connect to a
lot of different people that I
normally wouldn’t connect
to outside of school,” he said
of his role this year. “It’s nice
getting to know other people
and helping the school.”
And students at other
schools.
Dodge was part of a group
of high school students who
mentored students at Whit-
worth Elementary School.
“Last year, we went over
to Whitworth and we men-
tored kids who were having
a difficult time, and I felt like
I had a decent impact on
their lives because I was able
to connect with them,”
Dodge said. “I don’t think
they had the greatest home
life, so I was their role
model. They were looking
up to me and it was really re-
assuring because I felt like I
was doing something to
benefit them.”
Spencer said he’s known
Dodge since he was playing
youth football and remem-
ber him as a student who
was highly involved in his
school and community.
See DODGE, Page 15A
Lewis challenges others to try new things in high school
By Emily Mentzer
The Itemizer-Observer
INDEPENDENCE — On
the last day of school for
Central High School’s Class
of 2017, Dylan Lewis looked
content.
“I’m sad about leaving
the people, and sad about
leaving the theater depart-
ment and choir,” Lewis
said. “I was in those for four
years. It’s no different than
the last football game for a
senior. It’s bittersweet. I’m
so glad it’s over, but sad to
see it go.”
Lewis is eager to begin
his next steps at Oregon
State University in the fall
to double major in music
education and vocal per-
formance, with hopes to
follow in the footsteps of
Central’s theater and music
teacher, Jeff Witt.
He spent his first 13
years of education in and
out of various schools,
starting at Independence
Elementary School, and
spending some years at a
charter school, a private
school, and being home-
schooled before heading
back into the Central
School District in eighth
grade to finish up his sec-
ondary education.
Central has given him all
the tools he needs to move
on, Lewis said.
“All the things I want to
do, I learned the basics
here,” he said. “It’s not
putting a small fish in a
big pond, it’s following a
river path and making it
to the huge open ocean.
I’ve learned a lot here that
will prepare me for the fu-
ture.”
Central schools have
been more effective for
Lewis than some of his
other educational experi-
ences.
“At private school, if
you’re smart, they can’t ac-
commodate that because
they’re smaller,” Lewis said,
explaining that he was gift-
ed in math at a younger
age, but because his school
couldn’t advance him, his
mathematical brain dwin-
dled.
Looking back, Lewis said
he’d wished he’d gone to
more school events, and
encourages his classmates
and new freshmen to do
just that.
“They’re actually more
fun than you think they’ll
be,” he said.
See LEWIS, Page 15A
JOLENE GUZMAN/ Itemizer-Observer
Cooper Dodge has spent the last four years at Dallas High School quietly helping oth-
ers. He’s headed to Oregon State University Cascades in Bend in the fall.