Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (June 11, 1997)
. - — : . • •» •*...*-• •7, ‘ r 2 •••; * ' • *.».#- Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, June 11,1997 - FIVE Sowing the seeds o f wisdom more political" he adds. "From the national level down, it seems like education is being held hostage. The teachers and the school board have a real job ahead of them before it all settles out." He says that educational reform tells them what a student should know to meet benchmarks, but "not how to get there". "It's just hard to know what they want," says Gunderson. "It has demanded a lot more of teachers. You're doing more with less money and the demands are just so much greater." Dave Gunderson The lunch pail that long-time teacher Dave Gunderson received last week from the Heppner Elementary School Student Council bears the inscription, "Forever Sowing the Seeds of Wisdom".* Gunderson, who has been teaching and coaching for 21 years, 16 of those years in Heppner, will be sowing seeds of a different kind starting this summer. Gunderson, who has worked on area farms in the summers for many years, has decided to change careers—from teaching to farming. He has accepted a position with Mark Cutsforth as a hired hand on Cutsforth's wheat ranch as of June 11. "I'm going to be learning a whole bunch of new stuff," said Gunderson. "I'm going to be learning new things and it's going to refresh me." Gunderson says he had wanted to be a teacher since he was in the sixth or seventh grade, inspired by teachers Tom Hughes, Clint Agee and Don Clark, whom he admired. But, he says that "burnout" is a factor in his decision to leave the profession. "Burnout is a big thing," he said. "That's part of why I'm doing what I'm doing. Thirty-eight years of my life has been in a school. The daily stress can kind of get to you." Despite the stress, however, Gunderson still obviously loves teaching. He says that one of the most rewarding parts of teaching is watching his students grasp an idea. "When you see the smile on a student's face when the kid finally gets it. You see the bulb go off in his head. That really makes my day." "I think the best thing, especially at our level," continued Gunderson, " is the growth you see in a kid, not only in skills, but in attitude." Gunderson, who was recently chosen as honored guest at the Heppner High School graduation and at the Heppner eighth grade banquet (and has received those honors more than once) has developed a rapport with his students not too many have been able to achieve. "You kind of have to be a kid yourself," said Gunderson. "You laugh with them and cry with them if something happens in their families. It's really rewarding when they graduate from high school and then from college and come back and talk to you." Gunderson stresses the importance of teaching communication to his students. "The most important thing now is how to get along with people. There's so much to know about how to deal with so many different kinds of people. You can't put those down on a piece of paper. That's part of a teacher's job, to knock down those barriers. It's a tough job." Gunderson said that he has especially liked the camaraderie he has developed with other teachers, "the closeness you get with your fellow staff. You go through a lot with them." Another aspect of teaching that he loves is coaching. He started coaching his first year of teaching and plans to continue coaching seventh and eighth grade basketball and football even after he resigns from his teaching position. The first year he taught he coached four sports- football, basketball, track and, for the first and last time, girls volleyball. "I'd always played sports in school and then had the opportunity to coach," said Gunderson. "Coaching is a special thing. Our goal is participation. I've never had a problem with a parent because you try to play everyone. The goal is to teach and have fun. Wins and losses don't mean anything—although I can think back when we were really pumped about winning a game.” "But," he hastens to add, "that's never been a priority." He says that the reason that coaching is such a pleasure is because "The kids who are out for sports are really motivated. So it makes my job easier. It's like teaching driver's ed. Every kid wants to learn to drive." Gunderson says, however, that he has not enjoyed "budget problems, paperwork and relying more and more on testing." "Education has become so much Dave Gunderson definitely has roots in Heppner. His dad, Eddie, grew up in North Dakota, but graduated from high school here, as did his mother, Bev. She came to Heppner to live with her aunt and uncle after her mother died. Eddie and Bev were married in the same house they live in now. Dave was bom at Camp Hanford, WA. His family lived in Heppner, but his dad was in the Korean War at the time. Dave graduated from Heppner High School in 1971 and went to Oregon State University where he received a bachelor of science degree in elementary education. He got his first job teaching at Roseburg in 1976. The same week he started work, he also married his wife, Tricia."We got married on Saturday and I had to report to Roseburg for in-service stuff on Monday." While the two were not high school sweethearts, they had known each other at Heppner High School. They met later at a friend's wedding in Heppner and dated about a year before they got married. She had attended Umpqua Community College at Roseburg, while living with her aunt and uncle, before getting a job with a doctor there. In 1976 he also got a job in Roseburg teaching fifth grade. He had taught there five years when he came home one summer to paint his parents’ house. While he was in Heppner, Don Cole, then principal at Heppner Elementary School, called him up, told him he had a position open and asked if he would take it. "I'd always wanted to come back to Heppner and by then both of our kids were bom, so I resigned my position in Roseburg." he taught fifth grade another five years in Heppner before moving to the sixth grade in 1986. This last year he has taught combined fifth and sixth grades. "Heppner's a great place," continued Gunderson. "The main reason is that it's a great place to raise your kids. (Son Brent graduated from Heppner High School this year and son Derek will be a junior there this fall.) You know who your friends are, where your kids are." Gunderson says that the support of family and friends enabled him to make the decision to change careers. "I couldn't have made this decision without their support-Tricia, my parents, her parents and my kids. A lot of people have come up to me and said, 'We're going to hate to see you go, but we understand where you're coming from.' It's so overwhelming—the people who have talked to me, the cards I've gotten, the things the kids have said. That's the special thing about teaching. You can make a difference in a person's life. I'm going to miss that, there's no lone presents awards Tennis letters were presented to The lone High School spring tennis team members by coach doubt. At the same time I'm sports and academic awards Cathy McCabe. Kelly Swarat. going to be looking forward to a ceremony was May 20 at the social studies teacher, gave Mark new challenge." school cafeteria. McElligott the global studies *(Inscnption by colleague Following the welcome by award and Katie Tworek the l S Principal Dick Allen, Del LaRue Jannie Allen.) history award. presented the Big Sky Academic LaiRee Anderson and Kara Awards. In order to receive an HHS students' Miller were recognized for their award a student must be on the A work on the yearbook. Dale honor roll for three nine weeks work published Holland recognized the Honor and have lettered in at least one Society members. He also sport. in book presented the math award to Luke Certificates went to freshman Several Heppner High School Mark McElligott; sophomores Swanson and the science award to students have been included in Ryan Bennetto, Jessica Krebs, LaRee Anderson Both the Language Arts and the the Rural Readers Project, Niki Sullivan, Katie Tworek, and "Student Writing from Rural Tori Odinet; juniors Nathan Spanish awards were given to Oregon", recently published. Rietmann, Jenny Sullivan, and Niki Sullivan by teacher Jim Besides Heppner High School, Kara Miller; and seniors LaRee Raible. He also presented the student writers were included Anderson, Jory Crowell, Jon drama award to Dawn Sheirbon from Klamath Union, Bend, Allen presented the 1997 Garrett and Luke Swanson. Central Linn, Chiloquin, Dufur, LaRue then presented track team Citizenship Award to seniors Sherman, Sisters, Taft, Waldport members with certificates and Kelly Morgan and Brenda Holtz and Yamhill-Carlton schools. The Grant Rigby Award was Heppner students published in letters. President Jacob Taylor, vice presented by Jim Swanson to Del the book include: Amber Flaiz, LaRue who wrote, "Midnight Train"; president Kelly Morgan, and Suzy Jared Wilson, "Rodeo"; David secretary-treasurer Piper, "You're Mine"; Seth Heideman were presented with Givens Goodell, "For Various student body officer pins. Reasons"; Tom Wickel, "The Loss"; Kim Pointer, "Hunger"; l T O ALL OUR HEPPNER AREA FRIENDS and Ben Hubert, "Kasey". W .C .C .C Golf Ladies' Play, June 3 Low gross of the field: Karen Morgan 42. Flight A: low gross tie Karen Wildman and Susan Atkins 43; low net Suzanne Jepsen 30; least putts tie Carol Noms and Jan Paustian 16; long drive Karen Morgan. Flight B: low gross Alene Rucker 44, low net Luvilla Sonstegard 28; least putts Shirley Martin 15; long drive Deborah Kendrick. Flight C: low gross Sandi Hanna 46; low net Doll Campbell 31; least putts Jenny Reynolds 17; long drive Lorrene Montgomery. K.P.: Karen Wildman 6T1", Deborah Kendrick 33'8"; Jean Ball 10'11". Chip in: Luvilla Sonstegard #17. Justice Court Report -Birthday Celebration- O u td o o r 576-2080 Main Street Hermiston 20 % ALL MERCHANDISE ! No Guns, Ammo LAYAW AYS O.K. FREE DRAWING ! 1st prize - .22 Rifle New 2nd prize - Custom Knife 3rd prize - BH Gold Ring Pop Free Hotdogs 2 5 c Viea/MSTR ★ June 13-14-15th ★ The look of a winner for Father’s Day The Justice Court office at the courthouse annex building in Heppner reports handling the fol lowing business during the past week: Ronald Onn Harr, 54, Eugene- Violation of the Basic Rule, 72 mph in a 55 mph zone, $101 fine; William Donald Greenup, 45, Lexington-Violation of the Basic Rule, 81 mph in a 55 mph zone, $167 fine; Dorla F. Hahn, 66, Hermiston- Insufficient Number of Flotation Devices, $57 fine; Lannette M arie Stone, 30, Heppner-Violation of the Basic Rule, 78 mph in a 55 mph zone, $122 fine; Pamela H enderson, 42, Gresfiam-Driving while License Suspended, Driving Uninsured, $454 fine. Failure to Appear, 180 days in jail, $620 fine, $400 and jail sentence suspended with two years probation with no further violation of law; Tara Leanne Cossitt, 20, Hepp- ner-Violation of the Basic Rule, 75 mph in a 55 mph zone, $77 fine. a tii of JTJU5T “EARLY BUY SPECIAL” GRAND SLAM ko All New Merchandise! ONE WEEK ONLY 20% OFF Sale Ends Friday, June 20th Get Summer Ready! 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