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February 27, 2015 | Cannon Beach Gazette | cannonbeachgazette.com • 7A Lives in Transition program returns to Seaside Andrew R. Tonry for the EO Media Group “She was a single parent coming out of a divorce that she never thought she would go through,” said Margaret Frimoth. With the help of Lives in Transition, a continuing ed- ucation program at Clatsop Community College, that single mother built a new — and wholly unforeseen — ca- reer. “She got through Lives in Transition and found it very supportive and empowering and healing, so she signed up for other classes,” said Frim- oth, the program’s director. But after a long scholastic layoff, the mother found col- lege math to be trying. “In math,” Frimoth said, “she thinks: ‘I’m not smart enough. I’m not going to be able to do this. I don’t get this math stuff at all. This is not how my brain thinks.’” With the support of tutors and a dedicated study center on campus, however, the les- sons began to add up. “She came in one day and said, ‘You know, it’s beginning to make sense,’” said Frimoth. “She went on to focus on math, trans- ferred to a four-year school, got her bachelor’s and then went right into her master’s degree, and now she’s a high school math teacher.” While single mothers ¿QGLQJHQULFKPHQWWKDQNVWR Lives in Transition is a story heard regularly around the college’s halls, the program is open to all men and wom- en. Those in South Clatsop County won’t have to trav- el far. After a yearlong ab- sence, Lives in Transition is returning to Seaside. The program went on hia- tus when the previous instruc- tor moved away, Frimoth said. Recently, Shelly Alford, who has taught the curriculum in Astoria, was hired to revive the classes at the college’s South County campus in Seaside. “We are planning to offer the classes beginning spring term, which begins March 30,” said Frimoth. Lives in Transition is de- signed for adults interested in returning to college after time away from academia, regard- OHVVRIDJH¿QDQFLDOPHDQVRU educational background. “We’ve had students in our classes as young as 16 and up through 75,” said Frimoth. “We don’t restrict ages in our program.” Some attendees come looking for a career reset. “We have displaced work- ers, men from the timber or ¿VKLQJ LQGXVWULHV ZKR¶YH come through our classes,” Frimoth said. “We’re also getting a number of veterans. They’re coming back, and they have a G.I. Bill and they have no idea what they want. They VRUWRI¿QGDJURXQGLQJLQWKH Lives in Transition classes be- cause they talk about barriers and change and how to adapt and reconnect with the goals that we want in our life. “These classes are really looking at what education is and what educational barriers are there for people and how to get around those barriers,” Frimoth added. “We look at life barriers as well as educa- tional barriers.” Frimoth sees two particu- lar impediments regularly. “Child care is a huge one and so is transportation,” she said, “particularly here in our rural community.” Lives in Transition offer- ers partial reimbursements for child care and transporta- tion costs related to attending class. It also helps with enroll- ment, exploring potential scholarships and securing ¿QDQFLDO DLG )ULPRWK DF- NQRZOHGJHGWKDW¿OOLQJRXW ¿QDQFLDO DLG IRUPV FDQ EH scary. “We sit down and help people go through them. And they’re all done online now, and some of our folks don’t feel real comfortable with a computer, so we certainly help them with that,” she said. Lives in Transition also as- sists students in setting goals before they embark on the program and continues that support once they arrive. “There is a push on all college campuses that’s kind of geared to that high school graduate who is coming in and ZDQWVWRGRWKHLU¿UVWWZR\HDUV here and then go off to a four- year college,” said Frimoth. “And that’s great. But there’s this whole other group.” Lives in Transition helps on campus in myriad ways, from a designated resource room with computers to tu- toring sessions, as well as the general camaraderie and positive reinforcement that comes by embarking on the journey with others. “We have coffee and couches and computers and places to hang out and do homework with other peo- ple and other students who have been through Lives in Transition,” said Frimoth. “It becomes a real cohort group here.” There’s another leg up: Completing the program earns a student up to six col- lege credits toward a degree RUFHUWL¿FDWH “The classes are free, which is a gift from the col- lege,” said Frimoth. “The col- lege believes in the program because our students, if they decide to go to school, do re- ally well because they have the additional support.” For more information about the program, visit www.clatsopcc.edu/stu- dent-resources/student-sup- port-services/lives-transi- tion-lit-overview WINGS conference gave local Donation for technology woman a boost to return to school ogy, and in turn, the trau- mas of her abuse. “A woman got up and Soares had a hypothesis was talking about being a that a lot of the damaging WHAT: Wings confer- single parent and reaching effects on children don’t ence a kind of plateau in her life appear until adulthood. “As WHEN: 8 a.m. to 3:30 where she didn’t know what children grow into adults, p.m. Saturday, March 7 to do with her life,” Soares these effects damage the WHERE: Clatsop added. “She told her story, way they’re able to function Community College, and I felt like I understood in society,” she said. Columbia Hall what she was saying.” She worked that hypoth- The effect was profound esis into a research paper, WHAT: Explore your and immediate. ZKLFKEHFDPHKHU¿QDOSURM- educational opportu- “She told her story, and ect. It also granted her peace nities in this one-day that’s when I realized that of mind. conference hosted by I wanted to go back to “I used my experience to Clatsop Community school,” Soares said. create data that can be used College, AAUW-Seaside WINGS encouraged for people to learn from and and AAUW-Astoria. Soares to attend Lives in with that came a lot of clo- COST: The conference Transition, a sort of sister sure for me,” Soares said. is free; free lunch and program of Clatsop Com- “That was one of the major childcare are provided. munity College designed to things that was affecting my help men and women return life. REGISTRATION: Visit to school after a prolonged “So the ability to go to the WINGS website, absence. school and turn it into some- www.wings-clatsop. “The classes that they thing else, it has been ma- com/Home.html teach include stress man- jor,” she added. “It has made for information and agement and life transition- an impact on my life that I registration, or call Pat, ing,” Soares said of Lives can only explain so much.” 503-717-1852. in Transition. “It was like Nonetheless, Soares is being in school, but it was clear: WINGS helped get also teaching you how to to the hospital for a week,” her to where she’s at. go through a big transition. she said. Soares took her “Just going to that one You work through all of math homework with her, conference, receiving the that, and there’s a lot of trig- doing it in a hospital room. plethora of information and “I didn’t want to take support and the openness, ger moments in the classes because they do focus on an incomplete or anything and how friendly and wel- stress and how to deal with and lose what I was learn- coming all the people were, it and how to cope.” ing,” she said. “So I in- it really made me feel like I As well as helping her sisted to my teacher that I had found my community,” square away all the pa- ZDQWHG WR ¿QLVK WKH FODVV she said. perwork‚— applications out. He was pretty shocked “It really made me desire DQG ¿QDQFLDO DLG ² /LYHV about that.” to do more. Hearing those in Transition also helped After wrapping up her different stories and hearing Soares regain the rhythm of associate’s degree at Clat- that they had faith, it made returning to class. She got sop, Soares transferred to me realize that I wasn’t stuck used to showing up a few Eastern Oregon University, and that my life wasn’t stag- times each week, on time. where she delved deeper nant, and that there was so “It was wonderful,” she into psychology and sociol- much more that I could do.” added. “I enjoyed it very much. Going to Lives in Transition made me look forward to going to school full time. As soon as I got about two weeks into the Lives in Transition pro- ACCOUNTING SERVICES INCLUDE: gram I knew for a fact • Individual Taxes that I wanted to go back to school.” • Business Taxes Soares arrived on cam- • Full Service Business Accounting pus initially planning to • Bookkeeping study criminal justice, but • Payroll found social sciences more • Financial Statement Prep to her liking. She also found PDWKUDWKHUGLI¿FXOW “I was really bad at Over 30 years of experience math,” she said. “But I had in small business accounting, a wonderful math teacher, DQG,DFWXDOO\¿QDOO\VWDUWHG individual and business tax understanding it.” return preparation. At the time, nearing the completion of her associ- ate’s degree, Soares was also Located above the Cannon Beach Book Company pregnant with her third child. 130 N. Hemlock Street “I actually went into 503-436-1728 • buzzjo@charter.net preterm labor and had to go WINGS from Page 1A If you go Buzz Johnson, LTC Ca n n on Be a ch ’s La rge s t Se le ction of Ore gon a n d W a s h in gton W in e ! U P C O M IN G TA STIN G S Sh ack H ou rs D aily • 11am to 5:30pm Tastin g R oom H ou rs Satu rd ays • 1 to 5pm F eb 28 • W ine S hack F avorites! M ar 7 • S p ring F ling W ines M ar 13 • S avor N W M ed al W inners M ar 14 • Pud d ing R iver W ine C ellars M ar 21 • S hack W ines of the Y ear “Best W ine Sh op on th e O regon Coa st.” - W ine Ju lia 124 N. He m lock, Ca n n on Be a ch 503 .43 6 .1100 - w w w .b e a ch w in e .com SUBMITTED PHOTO Lum’s Auto Center and Toyota Motor Sales recently presented a $5,000 check to Broadway Middle School students to improve technology-based learning and devel- opment. This year, Lum’s community giving is focused on children, education and health/wellness. Broadway Principal John McAndrews said the technology will help to improve proficiency in math and increase access to coding programs for the school’s newly established Lego Robotics team. Pictured from left are: Justin Tuebner, finance manager at Lum’s Auto Center; Lori Lum Toyooka; John Toyooka; and McAndrews. See us online at www.cannonbeachgazette.com 1 4 H erita ge M u seu m 1 6 1 8 Exchan g e St., A sto ria SEASIDE Thanks to our sponsors! (as of publication date) Prize for bes t 1 9 20’s costume PET CLINIC F ebruary is P et D ental M onth Experience Family Dining in a Relaxed & Friendly Environment Serving Seafood, Pizza, Sandwiches, Espressos, Beer, Wine, Ice Cream and our Homemade Desserts 20% Discount on Pet Dentals for the month of February By Appt. Only Call Today “TO-GO” Orders Welcome Dr. Robert Remensnyder Phone: 503-738-8846 900 24th Ave. Seaside, OR 97138 Office hrs: 8:30-5:30 Monday-Friday 9:00-Noon Saturdays We have a fabulous patio where you can enjoy the weather and your meal. 156 N. 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