VHS musicians again participate in Music in May
Five Vernonia High School
students were selected to par
ticipate in the 53rd annual Mu
sic in May Festival at Pacific
University. Genevieve Blais,
Myriam Gendron, Joseph Rea,
Brass Sears and Jessica
Soderback, along with student
musicians from other commu
nities throughout Oregon,
Washington and Idaho, will
participate in the annual festi
val, the only college-sponsored
high school music festival in
the Northwest. Though the fes
tival concluded with a final con
cert on May 26, the program of-
fered some 600 student musi
cians three days of workshops,
lessons and rehearsals.
The final concert featured
four conductors, including Dr.
Michael Burch-Pesses, chair of
Pacific’s Department of Music;
Dr. André Thomas, director of
choral activities at Florida State
University; Huw Edwards, mu
sical director of the Portland
Youth Philharmonic; and Eu
gene Corporon, director of
wind studies at the University
of North Texas. Twenty-six Pa
cific University students served
as proctors during the festival.
Music in May was started in
1948 by former Pacific Univer
sity music education Professor
Richard Greenfield, to assist
high school string instrumental
ists. The festival was later ex
panded to include band and
choir, and is now considered
the longest running high school
festival of its kind in the North
west, and the only collegiate-
sponsored,
large-ensemble
event in the region. Students
are selected to participate
based on their school music
ensemble director’s recom
mendation and the instrumen
tation needs of the ensembles.
Head Start is taking applications for upcoming year
Applications for Head Start,
a federally funded pre-school
program, are being taken now
for all three and four year-olds
in Columbia and Clatsop Coun
ties. Recruitment for fall enroll
ment is now in progress and
will be completed by the end of
June.
Prospective students must
be three or four years-old by
September 1, 2001. Children
must be from limited income
households or have a disability
and/or special needs to qualify.
The Vernonia Head Start is
located on California Ave., near
Washington Grade School and
adjacent to the Blue Heron Hol
low townhouses. Families who
live in the Mist, Birkenfeld and
Vernonia areas may call Gina
Dixon at 1-503-429-9243 for
more information. Parents who
are interested in enrollment in
formation are urged to phone
immediately.
The program incorporates a
total family program that in
cludes nutrition, education,
medical and dental services for
the enrolled child and home
visitations. USDA approved
meals are served. Additionally,
training on various subjects
and on-the-job training is of
fered to all enrolled families.
Head Start is an agency of
Community Action Team, Inc.,
serving Clatsop, Columbia and
Tillamook counties. The pro
gram is open to children re
gardless of race, sex, creed,
nationality or disabling condi
tion.
Puppet show will rope in readers for summer of fun
Yippee, Yi, Ki, Yo, all you
cowpokes!
chasing bank robbers. The sto
ry is fun for all ages.
“Jumper the Pony,” a mari
onette show, will kick off the
Summer Reading Program at
the Vernonia Public Library on
Thursday, June 21 at 1:00 p.m.
The summer reading pro
gram is a project of the Oregon
Library Association. The 2001
sponsors include the Craig
Berkman Family, Ford Family
Foundation, Meyer Memorial
trust, Oregon Public Broad
casting, and Wells Fargo Foun
dation. These community part
ners make a critical difference
in statewide summer reading
programs and are to be com
mend for enabling libraries to
present quality programs for
youngsters this summer.
Celeste Rose, of Oregon
Fantasy Puppet Theatre in Eu
gene, will present a story with a
cast of 16 colorful string pup
pets made of papier mache
and fabric. Jumper is a pony
that belongs to Sheriff Bob,
who leaves the pony with a lit
tle friend while the sheriff is
A complete schedule of the
library’s summer events may
be obtained at the library. All
activities are free of charge and
will take place on Thursdays
from June 21 through August 2.
On each of these days, a 1:00
p.m. event will be held, with
some additional, special pre
sentations at 7:00 p.m. Read
ing is being stressed, with
prizes to be awarded for each
three hours that youngsters
spend reading.
Come “horse around” at the
library this summer and have a
“rip-roaring” good time.
Four of the five Vernonia High School students selected for
participation in Pacific University’s “Music in May” program
are, from left, bass/baritone Jake Brock, soprano Genevieve
Blais, cellist Myriam Gendron-Dupont and bass/baritone
Joey Rea. Not shown is clarinetist Jessica Soderback.
Teacher’s work brings recognition
Marguerite Nice, long-time Intermediate, Rainier School
kindergarten teacher at Lincoln District.
Elementary School was select
“There were a lot of excel
ed by the Columbia Foundation lent teachers nominated for
as Teacher of the Year for the this award. The selection com
Vernonia School District.
mittee had a difficult time de
Nice was one of seven teach ciding between all the deserv
ers the Foundation named for ing candidates,” said Bonnie
awards during the 42nd annual Moss, who has led the project
St. Helens-Scappoose Cham for the Columbia Foundation.
ber of Commerce Awards Ban
More than 400 nominations
quet on May 17.
were submitted. Students, par
This is the fourth year that ents, co-workers and various
the Columbia Foundation has community members nominat
sponsored the awards. This ed teachers.
year’s program was made pos
“It is wonderful to see the
sible through the cooperation love and support the communi
of school districts and cham ty has for our teachers,” said
bers of commerce in Columbia Moss.
County.
“Teachers have a lasting ef
Teachers from each of the fect on the lives of our children.
school districts in the county Outstanding teachers should
were selected to receive the be commended for their efforts
Teacher of the Year Award. to make our communities a
People who nominated teach better place to live,” Moss con
ers also presented the awards. cluded.
Most of the presenters were
The event was sponsored
students or parents of students
by Boise Cascade Corporation,
in the teacher’s class.
US Gypsum, St. Helens Com
Teachers selected for the
munity Federal Credit Union,
honor from other districts in
Wal-Mart, Representative Bet
cluded Shari Noldge from
sy Johnson and Armstrong
McBride Elementary School,
World Industries.
St. Helens School District; Dar
lene Franklin from Otto H. H.
The Columbia Foundation is
Peterson School and Ed Rees a community-based non-profit
from Scappoose High School, organization. Teacher of the
Scappoose School District; Year helps Columbia Founda
Yolanda Brackman from Clat tion achieve its mission to “cre
skanie Middle School, Clatska ate and nurture an environ
nie School District; Anita Laing ment which values life-long
from Hudson Park Elementary learning and building communi
and Joan Smith from Rainier ty relationships.”
Young teacher for craft workshop
Following the successful
pen and ink wash demonstra
tion by Tony Hyde, the Vernon
ia Society of Arts and Crafts will
offer two programs during the
month of June.
On Wednesday, June 20,
from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m., April
Kinney will demonstrate the
Governor John Kitzhaber and his wife, Sharon, joined S.T.A.R.S. teen leaders in celebration process of silk screening.
of another successful year for the abstinence-based, pregnancy prevention program, at Hol Since this is a process new to
lywood Bowl in Portland. From left are Vernonia S.T.A.R.S. coordinator Juanita Dennis, stu most of us, we expect it to be
dent Myriam Gendron-Dupont, Mrs. Kitzhaber, Gov. Kitzhaber, and students Christie Benes, most informative.
The following Wednesday,
Bonnie Buchan, Megan Serra-Marshall and Elisabeth Brookins. Not shown is Waylon
June 27, from 2:00 to 4:00,
Buchan was also a teen leader in Vernonia.
Bethany Davis will lead in the
making of pressed-flower book
marks. This will be the first time
There will be adult supervi the Society has been privileged
ild care will be available
vided at the high school, in
3 graduation ceremonies
Room 6, by students who are sion at all times. There is no set to introduce a youthful leader
•rnonia High School this
raising funds for their Washing fee; donations will be accept for a demonstration and it is
ed.
The service will be pro
ton, D.C., 2001 trip.
sure to be enjoyable and prof
Child care available during VHS graduation program
itable for all attendees.
The public is invited to join
members for these sessions
held in the Margaret MacDon
ald Thiele Petti Meeting Room,
in the Vernonia Public Library.
There is generally no charge,
though it is sometimes required
when unusual materials are in
volved.
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