LOCAL
A8 • HERMISTONHERALD.COM
WEDNESDAy, JuNE 5, 2019
Umatilla celebrates students’ post-high school plans
By JADE MCDOWELL
NEWS EDITOR
A
s high school
seniors get ready
to write the next
chapter of their
life, Umatilla High School
is celebrating those who
are committed to further-
ing their education in some
form.
“Any plan is a great
plan, as long as you made
it happen,” superintendent
Heidi Sipe told students on
Wednesday.
Students were gath-
ered in the gym for a tal-
ent show followed by the
school’s “college signing”
day. Graduating seniors with
post-high school plans were
cheered on by underclass-
men and teachers as they
introduced themselves one
by one and declared their
commitment to a school,
trade or other option. After-
ward they signed “letters of
intent,” mimicking a ritual
often performed by athletes
committing to play a sport at
the college level.
Counselor Dee Lorence
told students post-second-
ary education wasn’t lim-
ited to a university — it
could also mean commu-
nity college, the military, a
trade school or apprentice-
ship. She said this year 69
of the school’s 90 graduat-
ing seniors had some sort
of plan in place for increas-
ing their skills beyond a high
school diploma.
A few students were rec-
ognized individually for
their plans to play a sport at
a college level or enlist in
the National Guard. Eman-
uel Tejada was recognized
as the winner of the Ronald
Reagan Leadership medal,
awarded to a student who
“exemplifies drive, humility
and service before self.”
Tejada is planning to
attend Oregon State Univer-
sity. He said after the cere-
mony that he plans to study
civil engineering.
“I like the mathematics
and the science that goes
into it,” he said.
He was debating between
Staff photo by Kathy Aney
Adrian Corta and Julian Gutierrez announce their post-secondary choice as Blue Mountain Community College during Signing
Day on Wednesday at Umatilla High School.
Staff photo by Kathy Aney
Almost 70 high school seniors signed symbolic letters of intent
for colleges or other post-secondary plans on Wednesday at
Umatilla High School.
Oregon Technical Insti-
tute and OSU, but ended up
choosing OSU because his
brother attends there. He
said he was looking forward
to both the social and aca-
demic aspects of college.
Roughly half of the stu-
dents who shared their plans
Wednesday are bound for
Blue Mountain Community
College. Cece Cardnas-Pe-
rez said she chose the local
school because it is “afford-
able and closer to home.”
She wants to pursue some
sort of career in the medical
field — she hasn’t quite fig-
ured out what yet — and
attending community col-
Clinic at Hermiston High
School will open June 3
BY HERMISTON HERALD
The Hermiston School District is part-
nering with the Good Shepherd Health
Care System to open a new Wellness Clinic
at Hermiston High School.
By using Good Shepherd Urgent Care
staff to offer illness evaluation and treat-
ment, vaccines, routine physical exams and
sports physicals, both parties are hoping
the clinic will have wide-ranging effects.
“A significant part of our mission is to
make health care accessible to our com-
munity. By partnering with the Hermis-
ton School District to provide a Wellness
Clinic for teachers, students, and staff
members we will be able to provide for the
health care needs of our community,” Good
Shepherd Medical Group Vice President
Troy LeGore said in a press release. “The
Wellness Clinic will provide easy access to
district employees, teachers, and students
— reducing absenteeism — providing par-
ents with an accessible care option for their
children — all while providing high qual-
ity and compassionate care.”
The high school previously had a well-
ness clinic in partnership with Family
Health Associates, but that clinic closed.
The new one will operate in the same
space.
The new clinic began operations on
Monday, and will also be open June 10
from 8 a.m. to noon and on June 5 and June
12 from noon to 4 p.m.
Students under 18 must have a parent or
guardian turn in a parent consent form and
medical history to receive care. If patients
have insurance, the clinic will bill it.
Parents, students, and staff can make
an appointment by calling 541-667-6199.
Walk-ins are also welcome.
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Staff photo by Kathy Aney
Hope Cameron announces her college choice as Oregon Tech
during Signing Day on Wednesday at Umatilla High School.
lege before transferring to
a university later will allow
her to save money.
Alexandrea Ford, who is
planning to study at BMCC
to become a sonogram tech-
nician, said when seniors
talked about their post-sec-
ondary plans they often
talked about trying to walk
onto a sports team in col-
lege, or “what their living
situation is going to be and
how they can afford it.”
“It’s really expensive,”
she said of going the uni-
versity route. “We live in a
small area and not a lot of
parents can afford to send
their kids to school.”
Alana Wilson knows
about that. She watched her
son Andrew Wilson partici-
pate in the signing ceremony
Wednesday by declaring his
intention to attend Western
Oregon University.
She said government
financial aid comes about
$10,000 a semester short,
leaving Andrew to pay for
the rest through a job and
support from his parents.
“There’s a pretty big dif-
ference there that we have to
make up,” she said.
Andrew is planning to
pursue a master’s degree so
that he can teach high school
physics. He said Umatilla
School District staff are very
encouraging of students
making plans to gain addi-
tional skills above their high
school diploma.
“They’re definitely push-
ing us in the right direction,
pushing us to succeed,” he
said.
April Dirksen, dean of
students, also said that dis-
trict staff were “tremen-
dous” in encouraging stu-
dents to set goals and make
plans.
Students take a “suc-
cess” class their freshman
year where they are required
to make a 10-year plan, and
then are moved through
classes such as personal
finance to help them succeed
or refine their plan.
“We want them to find
something they’re passion-
ate about and stick with it,”
she said.
She said the annual sign-
ing day was a way to recog-
nize the “amazing” students
who were working hard to
better themselves.
“They worked a lot of
years to get to this point,”
she said.
Hermiston School District
shuffles administrators
Rocky Heights Elementary School prin-
cipal Jerad Farley will fill the role of Sun-
set Elementary School principal next year
after Christie Petersen announced her res-
ignation, citing a move to Hillsboro for per-
sonal reasons.
Farley will bring with him current RHES
dean of students Becky Bacon, who will
swap places with current Sunset dean of
students Anthony Voelker.
Armand Larive Middle School assistant
principal and former Rocky Heights teacher
Stefani Wyant will be promoted to Rocky
Heights principal.
The vacant assistant principal position
at Armand Larive will be filled by Herm-
iston High School science teacher Juan
Rodriguez.
“An administrator’s vacancy usually
leaves a big void, but thankfully, Hermis-
ton School District is blessed with a strong
administrative team,” superintendent Tri-
cia Mooney said in a statement. “I was able
to look at the district’s leadership strengths
and current needs to fill posts internally.”
Staff changes will take effect on July 1.
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