Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 13, 2008)
EIGHT - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, February 13, 2008 lone Middle School ASB Free copies of the ticipate in this nationwide the Kam Wah Chung & Co. the U.S. will have hosted Olympics held a Big Read since the pro Museum at John Day. novel "The Joy Luck Club” program.” The Big Read comes to Heppner by author Amy Tan will be available throughout the month of March at the Hep pner Public Library and in eight other communities as The Big Read program comes to Eastern Oregon. Through The Big Read program, residents are encouraged to read the novel in March and April. First published in 1989, the best selling novel has become an American classic. The project is spon sored by Libraries of Eastern Oregon (LEO) in collabora tion with the Oregon Trail Library District and public libraries at Hermiston, Mil- ton-Freewater, La Grande, Baker City, Condon, Fossil and Lakeview. Dozens of new cop ies of “The Joy Luck Club” will be available at the Hep pner Library and other com munity locations. “We’re really ex cited to offer The Big Read in Heppner,” said Marsha Richmond, library district director. “It’s a wonderful opportunity for the com munity to be able to par In 16 interwoven stories, Amy Tan’s charac ters—four Chinese mothers w ho immigrated to America alter World War 11 during the Chinese Civil War, and their American-raised daughters struggle to connect despite the ghosts and secrets of the past. The book is targeted for readers from high school age through adult. Underly ing themes of the book are similar to those faced by all first- and second-generation immigrants. As an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), The Big Read is designed to restore reading to the center of American culture. The Big Read in the Pacific North west is supported, in part, by a grant from Paul G. Allen Family Foundation. Planning is under way for programs to com plement the book. Programs will be held in April and May. On Thurs., April 10, a program w ill be presented at the Heppner library by Christina Sweet, curator of Operated by Oregon State Parks and Recreation Dept., the museum served as a late 19th and early 20th century mercantile, apoth ecary and opium den for Chinese laborers who came to work in the gold fields of Eastern Oregon. Sweet will bring artifacts from the museum and discuss the history of early Chinese in the region. And on Tuesday, April 29, Oregon scholar and historian Gregory Nokes w ill also come to the library. He will present a program about early Chinese in East ern Oregon, focusing on the 1887 massacre of 37 Chinese laborers along the Snake River by a gang of horse thieves. LEO is one of 127 organizations to receive a grant to sponsor Big Read celebrations this spring. The NEA launched The Big Read nationally in 2007 after its success as a pilot project for 10 communities in 2006. By 2009, approxi mately 400 communities in gram's launch. “In just two years, the Big Read has grown from 10 communities to in clude nearly 200 towns and cities nationwide. Although each of these communities celebrates its Big Read pro gram in its own way, one theme we consistently hear back is that the Big Read is not just bringing citizens back to the joy of reading, but also reinvigorating the very idea of community,” said NEA Chairman Dana Gioia. A nonprofit, LEO serves libraries in 14 coun ties with a mission to create and deliver opportunities for 21st century public li brary services. For more information about The Big Read, contact Lyn Craig, Sixth grader Joel Stillman chokes dow n a donut in a hurry. LEO executive director at 541-763-2355 or Oregon Trail Library District Di rector Marsha Richmond at 541-481-3365. Further information about the national program is online at www.neabig- read.org. Becoming better readers ... minute by minute Ross Cutsforth led the field of readers in fifth and sixth grades at Heppner Elementary School during the annual Time Out for Reading programs which takes place each January. For almost two decades students have counted the minutes spent reading dur ing the popular reading incentive program. Ross read 6,266 minutes of the total of 101,094 for all 50 participants. Prizes were aw arded on Wednesday, February 6, in the decorated computer lab, with each winner re ceiving a prize and a book. The top 10 readers in order were Ross, Joe Schmidt, Maddie George, Jordan Bailey, Cade Arbogast, Jeff Dowdy, Lane Pilant, Paige Grieb, Ryan Dougherty and Abby Ames. Prizes included an MP-3 player, OSU and U of O chairs, stuffed ani mals, duffle bags, school and art supplies, backpacks, coolers, lava lamp, Legos, basketballs, watches, and more. From the readers, Arbogast, Stacce Halvorsen and Nerida Cavillo. Top row (L-R): Steven Holland, Zac Oreni, Adam Collin and Jose Ruiz. Team members Micah Stillman, Skvler Kendrick and Zane King prepare to race. Ross Cutsforth was the big winner of the Time Out for Reading program held at HES. The top 10 readers were Abby Ames, Jeff Dowdy, Jordan Bai ley, Ross Cutsforth, Joe Schmidt, Lane Pilant, Maddie George, Cade Arbogast, Paige Grieb and Ryan Dougherty. Mrs. Allen received a boxed set of the complete works of Calvin and Hobbes. “Watch ing the students get excited about reading is enough of a gift, but 1 love the books because I am a huge fan of Calvin and Hobbes.” She also commented on the delight in so many readers devouring books in series such as 11 arry Potter and the Guardians of Ga’Hoole. IES students take field trip to Krebs Ranches Students for lone Elementary School went on a field trip to Krebs Ranches, hosted by Skye Krebs, on Monday, Feb ruary 11. Pictured L-R: Angel Ruiz, Danny Doherty, Donald McEl- ligott, Henry Padberg and Jerad Clark check out the progression pens. “Smart Hearts” poster contest winners announced Heppner Elementary School students participated in a “Smart Hearts” poster contest based on the Health and Education Fair on Feb ruary 14. The students were asked to draw what smart hearts means to them. All the students came up with great ideas about how to stay healthy. There was a winner in each class and two overall winners for k-2 and 3-6 grades. Each winner received a $5 gift certificate to The Stable of Youth. The winning posters are located at the Heppner TV office and the other post ers will be displayed around lone Middle School ASB held their ‘Olympics’ this past weekend. Teams compete for prizes and recognition. The activity this day was for each team member to crawl across the gym on their hands and knees, eat half of a donut without their hands and crawl back. Third grader Austin Morter bottle feeds a bummer baby lamb with help from Mrs. Vicky Wagenblast. Smart Heart Poster Winners pictured left to right are Kami Holtz, Cheyenne Smith, Olivia Schmidt, Reiah Waite, Tim Jaca, Rvlee Kollman, JC Putman, Jared Lemmon, and overall win ners Jaiden Mahonev and Micha Hintz. town. The Smart Hearts event will be held February 14 from 5:30-7:30 at the HES gym and is sponsored by Parents for Parents. There will be a free taco dinner, puppet show, 20 booths, and raffle prizes. The event is free, but students must have an adult with them to participate. Pictured L-R: Amanda Rea, Emily Rea, Ann Rietmann, Leslie Browning and Katelyn Garrett. Do you swear to tell the truth? Leslie Browning cuddles a baby lamb while katelyn Gar rett, and Bahali Peterson look on. “Jurors” listen intently as Lacey Wagoneer questions Joe Armato during a mock trial put on by students from Jeannie Collins' class at Heppner High School. The students put on their mock trial on Monday, February II, at the Morrow County Courthouse. Photo by Autumn Morgan ( 1 I
