SCHOOLS
WEDNESDAY, MAY 4, 2022
HERMISTONHERALD.COM • A7
Stanfi eld students provide day of service
By ERICK PETERSON
Hermiston Herald
Stanfi eld
Secondary
School freshman Lucas
McCann and many of his
classmates skipped school
Friday, April 22.
But they had a reason.
The
students
were
involved in various service
projects throughout Stan-
fi eld, from meeting with
seniors to cleaning up trash
along the highway to clear-
ing weeds from the cemetery
and more.
Meanwhile, elementary
students were on a walking
fi eld trip through town, pass-
ing out “thank you” letters to
businesses.
McCann said service to
his community has a special
meaning to him.
He is the grandson of
Thomas McCann, Stan-
Erick Peterson/Hermiston Herald
Bodie Braithwaite and Jagjot Singh, both juniors at Stanfi eld
Secondary School, pose for a photo Friday, April 22, 2022, at
Bard Park, Stanfi eld. The pair worked with other classmates
on projects to improve their town.
fi eld’s mayor until his death
April 16 at the age of 84. He
was a police offi cer, a fi re-
fi ghter and more. As such,
public service is a family tra-
dition, the student said.
“He was great,” the
younger McCann said about
his grandfather. “He contrib-
uted to so many things, he
AWS Think Big Space coming to Hermiston
Hermiston Herald
Hermiston is the next
local community in line
for an Amazon Web Ser-
vices Think Big Space.
The Hermiston School
District in a press release
April 26, announced
plans for a collaboration
between AWS and the
district to “provide a ded-
icated space for students
and educators to explore
innovative and imagina-
tive ideas through inter-
active hands-on technical
education and cloud com-
puting training.”
“This AWS Think
Big Space will provide
enhanced classrooms for
students in grades 3-14,
grounded in science,
technology, engineering,
arts and mathematics dis-
ciplines,” according to
the district.
Tricia Mooney, school
district superintendent,
said in the press release
“the horizon is guaran-
teed to look different”
for Hermiston students
entering the workforce in
the years ahead.
“Our partnership with
AWS for the Think Big
Space will give Hermis-
ton students a step ahead,
as they learn to look at
problems in more inno-
vative and imaginative
ways,” she said.
The district will over-
see the space, partner-
ing with Blue Mountain
Community College and
other private sponsors.
The AWS Think Big
Space will be in the east
annex of Columbia Hall
across from the Eastern
Oregon Higher Education
Center.
Construction is sched-
uled to begin soon, with
the space expected to
open by the start of the
2022-23 school year.
Think Big Spaces
also are in operation at
the Port of Morrow’s
SAGE Center in Board-
man and the Confeder-
ated Tribes of the Uma-
tilla Indian Reservation’s
After School Center near
Pendleton.
was amazing.”
McCann said he has “a
start” in public service, fol-
lowing in his grandfather’s
footsteps.
Blaine Braithwaite, Stan-
fi eld Secondary School prin-
cipal, explained the day off
for students came about
because his school had a
snow day earlier in the year
for which it had to make
up. Attendance on make up
days, however, is poor.
“We thought we would do
something diff erent,” he said.
“So we planned something
that was engaging and fun.”
School
administration
came up with a day of ser-
vice. School leadership
spoke with district leaders,
who coordinated with city
government.
In all, around 300 stu-
dents were involved —
roughly 250 from the sec-
ondary school and 50 from
the elementary school.
Jaelynn Wright, sec-
ondary school junior, par-
ticipated. She said she put
together kits for a homeless
shelter.
“It was really fun,” she
said. “It’s good to give back.”
She said she had never
been part of such a large
group of people who were
serving the community, but
she does volunteer on her
own.
Students Jagjot Singh and
Bodie Braithwaite helped
spruce up their school’s
track. They said the school
had scheduled a track meet
in the following week. As
they were intending to par-
ticipate in the meet, they
would be able to enjoy their
work then.
“It’s super nice to be
doing this,” Singh said.
They both said they have
served the community in
other ways, and they look
forward to doing more in the
future.
“It was enriching to us
and to everyone,” Bodie
Braithwaite said about the
event.
Ethan Robertson, fresh-
man, also said he felt great
about his work. He pulled
weeds and collected them
from a street.
In addition to doing
something good for his com-
munity, he was able to enjoy
time with his friends. Like
others, he said he would be
happy with more work.
Bodie Braithwaite said
this was the fi rst time his
school has done this event,
but “it won’t be the last.”
Principal Braithwaite said
the service day would be an
annual event from here on.
Amazon bucks on hold
was known about where it
would be directed. She said
she wanted to ensure that
it would benefi t Morrow
County.
According to Lindsay,
because BMCC is not going
to fund its part of the Work-
force Training Center in
Boardman, the county itself
could direct the money to
the center.
“I did confi rm that those
checks had not been cut
yet,” she said.
This being the case, sus-
pending the payment would
be an easier matter than it
would have been otherwise.
Commissioner Don Rus-
sell said this move by the
commissioners would be an
By ERICK PETERSON
Hermiston Herald
Morrow County Board
of Commissioners voted to
suspend a $627,517 share
of Amazon’s one-time gift
payment to Blue Mountain
Community College.
The move came April 20,
after Commissioner Melissa
Lindsay said she wanted the
county to “hold on to those
Blue Mountain Community
College dollars.”
She said BMCC had
“transitioned away some-
what from our workforce
development” and she had
felt “uncomfortable.” It was
her preference, she said, to
keep that money until more
overreach.
Following this discus-
sion, there was a vote to
suspend the money until
research could be done.
Commissioners
voted
2-1, with board Chair Jim
Doherty and Lindsay voting
to suspend the money and
Russell voting against.
Doherty said he was
heartbroken over BMCC’s
problems. The school is suf-
fering low enrollment, cut-
backs and budget shortfalls.
The commissioner said he
and his son are alumni of the
college.
He said the topic of the
suspension will be revisited
at some point, following fur-
ther discussions.
MORE WAYS TO
CELEBRATE MOM
Join us on Sunday, May 8
GAMING
$3,000
Swipe & WINfalls
VIPs are
automatically
activated
Win up to $400 in FreePlay!
Swipe at an
between 9am-12pm to
activate. Watch your slot screen for Winfalls
between 1-3pm. See Club Wild for details.
$10,000 Mother’s
Day Bingo
Paper &
Machine
Session
Pizza served at 1:30pm
Warm-ups 2pm
Main Session 2:30pm
Buy-in at the door. For more information visit wildhorseresort.com
GOLF
FUNPLEX
Moms Golf for FREE!
FREE $10 Arcade FunCard
Mothers golf free when playing with their
immediate family members! Schedule your tee
time today!
When you bowl with Mom on Mother’s Day
10am-10pm Limit one $10 FunCard per lane transaction.
WILDHORSE
GOLF COURSE
541.276.5588
541.966.1655
Maximum of one free round per foursome. Golf cart is not included.
GIFT SHOP
25% OFF Purses and Jewelry
May 1–8 and includes Montana Silversmiths
May not be combined with other offers and discounts.
DINING
Steakhouse & Saloon
Special Brunch Menu 11am–3pm
Full Dinner Menu 11am–6pm
Reservations required, call 541.966.1610
View menu at wildhorseresort.com
Downtown Pendleton
Breakfast Specials 7–10am
Dinner Specials 3–9pm
View menu at wildhorseresort.com
CASINO • HOTEL • GOLF • CINEPLEX • RV
MUSEUM • DINING • TRAVEL PLAZA • FUNPLEX
Reservations recommended, call 541.278.1100
®
800.654.9453 • PENDLETON, OR • I-84, EXIT 216 • wildhorseresort.com • Owned and operated by CTUIR
Management reserves all rights to alter, suspend or withdraw promotions/offers at any time.
Prime Rib Buffet 10am–2pm
Adults $33/Kids 6-12 $16
CAT11309-4