A4 • Friday, September 10, 2021 | Seaside Signal | SeasideSignal.com
SignalViewpoints
4-H hopes for teen
program at Sunset
Recreation Center
SEEN FROM SEASIDE
R.J. MARX
A
n innovative program for teens
could be coming to the Sunset
Recreation Center.
Area teacher Mary Goff , teamed with
the Clatsop County 4-H, said the program
was designed for teens not otherwise
served by school activities.
“This is a new innovative model for
a group of students at a time when there
just haven’t been the cohesive kinds of
off erings or places off ered them,” Goff
said at an August meeting of the Sun-
set Park and Recreation District Board of
Directors.
The rec center “ticks a lot of boxes,”
she said. “It is a safe and supportive loca-
tion. It’s got a wholesome physical space
with lots of possible ways to use it.”
Two trained adults would work with
between six and 20 students, Goff said.
“We’re looking at the possibility of using
one room that could be rehabbed, specifi -
cally by the teens.”
A science room or storage room, with
possible use of other spaces could be
used for the program. “Practical skills
development is what we’re talking
about,” she said.
The program would stress scientifi c
and critical thinking for careers in tech-
nology, consumer science, animal train-
ing and medical science among areas of
interest. South County could serve as
the prototype for the program elsewhere,
including the northern part of Clatsop
County.
In March, Goff met with 4-H program
coordinator Sandra Carlson to discuss
unique needs and goals. In days ahead,
the program plans new adult volunteer
training, teen participant outreach and the
fi rst in-person meeting for teens during
the fi rst week of October.
The program off ers a home where
young people can count on going for the
school year, Goff said. “Do they have a
place to go after school? Are they going
to work? When COVID hit a lot of stu-
dents who had been in alternative pro-
grams were faced with the possibility
that they had to go to work because their
families needed help,” Goff said. “They
have lost the opportunity to even think
about moving ahead and in school, for
those reasons.”
Goff said the program is meant to be a
safe, supportive and inexpensive program
supported by teen fundraising events,
assisted by adults and co-leaders, “things
that involve skill sets that younger kids
just are not likely to be able to undertake
on their own.”
The program could take some of the
burden off school career technical educa-
tion programs, which are stretched to pro-
vide programs for nontraditional learning.
For young people, the program is not
graded, tested or evaluated in a traditional
way, Goff said. “It’s a nonjudgmental
opportunity for kids to explore and build
their own interests and voice based on
what the teens are interested in,” she said.
The goal is to “bring out the spark
in each student,” she said, particularly
for teens who are disengaged. “There’s
a development sweet spot for teenagers
we’re missing.”
“Personally I think 4-H is a great fi t,”
park district board president Katharine
Parker said.
The group could be part of a fl ex-
lease program, sharing space and costs
with other organizations, board members
suggested.
“It would be great if they could have
a community room, that they reserve and
have time on, and still have other com-
munity partners come in and use that
space,” Parker said. “I understand they
want to have their own space, but since
they’re using it for such a small time,
maybe they could use it with community
partners. I think it would be a great fi t.”
“I’m going to keep working with them
to refi ne their plan and needs,” Skyler
Archibald, the park district’s executive
director, said after the meeting.
4-H kids show their animals at an August event at the Clatsop County Fairgrounds.
Sunset Empire Park and Recreation district board members Su Coddington, Celeste
Bodner, Michael Hinton and Katharine Parker. Executive Director Skyler Archibald at right.
NEWS IN BRIEF
Gearhart Hoodie
Sunset Recreation Center
sells surplus items
R.J. Marx
Andrew and Peggy Stein selling the “Gearhart Hoodie,”
outside of The Great Gallery at Gearhart Art Walk on Saturday.
After taking inventory at the Sunset
Recreation Center, the Sunset Empire
Park and Recreation District will be
off ering surplus items for sale to the
public, on Wednesday, Sept. 15, from
3 to 6 p.m., and Saturday, Sept. 18,
10 a.m. to noon.
Surplus items being off ered include
student and teacher furniture such as
desks, tables, chairs, whiteboards, and
lockers; books; classroom equipment;
a pottery kiln; cafeteria tables; fi le cab-
inets, bookshelves and other storage
furniture; custodial equipment; and
equipment from the wood shop housed
at the former middle school.
Visitor entry is at the northwest
entrance; purchasers will need to haul
items themselves.
Staff will be available to assist cus-
tomers purchasing surplus goods.
Among them will be Sunset Pool life-
guard Everett Rollins, a senior at Sea-
side High School. Rollins will be help-
ing organize this sale benefi ting the
foundation as his Pacifi ca project.
For more information, go to www.
sunsetempire.com.
Cultural Coalition invites
grant applications
The Clatsop County Cultural Coa-
lition is gearing up to accept appli-
cations for the 2022 grant cycle. The
grant awards, funded by the Oregon
Cultural Trust, are distributed to proj-
ects that support, maintain, preserve
and protect cultural programs in the
arts, heritage and humanities in Clat-
sop County.
Organizations with 501(c)(3) non-
profi t status are eligible to apply for
grants through the cultural coalition.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Who is the Gearhart city
attorney really serving,
council or citizens?
The following are my thoughts regard-
ing our city attorney’s response to the Sig-
nal’s write-up regarding the ballot objec-
tion fi led by myself and Dr. Harold Gable
involving the vague language in the pro-
posed upcoming ballot currently in the
Clatsop County Circuit Court.
I sincerely believe that this pro-
posed fi rehouse bond ballot measure
was purposely written in such a man-
ner that the ballot met the minimum pro-
cedural requirements but omitted operat-
ing facts that leaves our voters uninformed
and unable to make a balanced voting
PUBLISHER
EDITOR
Kari Borgen
R.J. Marx
PUBLIC MEETINGS
decision.
If Mr. Watts’ self-professed goal is to
inform the Gearhart voter, he fell short in
the ballot language.
Mr. Watts is an excellent attorney but
while he claims an obligation to vot-
ers who pays his fees, it’s our City Coun-
cil who provides his employment oppor-
tunity. I have no doubt that Mr. Watts
will diligently serve the council, but his
response to the Signal indicates our City
Council commands his foremost prior-
ity, not Gearhart residents. Otherwise he
would agree the ballot is vague and advise
the city to develop more precise language
as to the truth.
Jack Zimmerman
Geahrart
CIRCULATION
MANAGER
Shannon Arlint
ADVERTISING
SALES MANAGER
Sarah Silver-
Tecza
Individuals may apply when sponsored
by a nonprofi t fi scal agent. Application
forms are due by 5 p.m. Oct. 31. Late
applications will not be accepted.
Grant awards will be announced in
December 2021 for activities occurring
between January 1, 2022, and Decem-
ber 31, 2022. Grant funds are avail-
able up to $2,000 per project. Approx-
imately $10,000 is awarded each grant
cycle.
Applicants are encouraged to read
the Clatsop County Cultural Coalition
Plan and FAQs, which are online at
www.clatsopculturalcoalition.org.
Virtual grant writing workshops
will take place from 6:30 to 8 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 6, and Friday, Oct.
18, via Zoom. Applicants are encour-
aged to attend a workshop. Email
kpaino2060@gmail.com to make a
reservation and receive materials, or, if
no email access, call 503-741-1914 to
arrange for material pickup.
PRODUCTION
MANAGER
CONTRIBUTING
WRITERS
John D. Bruijn
Skyler Archibald
Joshua Heineman
Katherine Lacaze
Esther Moberg
SYSTEMS
MANAGER
Carl Earl
Contact local agencies for latest meeting
information and attendance guidelines.
MONDAY, SEPT. 27
MONDAY, SEPT. 13
Seaside City Council, 7 p.m., 989 Broadway,
cityofseaside.us.
Seaside Tree Board, 4 p.m., 989 Broadway.
TUESDAY, SEPT. 28
Seaside City Council, 7 p.m., 989 Broadway,
cityofseaside.us.
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 15
Sunset Empire Park and Recreation
District, 5:15 p.m., Bob Chisholm Community
Center.
Seaside Tourism Advisory Committee, 3 p.m.,
989 Broadway.
Seaside Airport Advisory Committee, 6 p.m.,
989 Broadway.
Seaside Transportation Advisory Commission,
6 p.m.
TUESDAY, OCT. 5
TUESDAY, SEPT. 21
Seaside Community Center Commission,
10 a.m., 1225 Avenue A.
Seaside Planning Commission, 6 p.m., work
session, 989 Broadway, cityofseaside.us.
Seaside Library Board of Directors, 4:30 p.m.,
1131 Broadway St.
Seaside School District, 6 p.m., seaside.k12.
or.us/meetings.
Seaside Planning Commission, 6 p.m., 989
Broadway.
Seaside Signal
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