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The INDEPENDENT, January 4, 2012
WIC staff plans January clinic schedule
Chalk Talk
Chalk Talk is a column of information
about Vernonia schools. This column
was provided by Superintendent Dr.
Ken Cox.
Welcome 2012! It’s going to be a great year!
In my last article I mentioned making sure that you make some
memories with your children over the break and take lots of pic-
tures. I hope some of you were able to do so. I know that Carol
and I had a great time visiting our children and grandchildren.
Now that children are back in school, we can get back to our
normal weekly routine. I received an email over the break from a
company that is trying to get our business. While we are not in-
terested in their program I was interested in the following quote
“A study found that the most common trait of high school Nation-
al Merit Scholars was that they grew up eating dinner together as
a family.” They did point me to some interesting research. That
research (the 2010 CASA family dinners report) states that 72%
of teens think that eating dinner frequently with their parents is
very or fairly important. It goes on to state that, compared to
teens who have frequent family dinners, those who have infre-
quent family dinners are:
• Twice as likely to have used tobacco;
• Almost twice as likely to have used alcohol; and
• One and half times likelier to have used marijuana.
Now these are statistics and we all know that you can use sta-
tistics to ‘stretch’ the truth, but this is one that just makes sense.
If we, as parents, spend quality time with our children around the
dinner table instead of in front of the television, we will end up
asking them about their school experiences and be better able to
tell when things change in their lives. As parents, we are respon-
sible for now keeping our children fed and warm, and we must
take notice of and strive to meet their social and emotional needs
as well. Most often this means taking the time to listen, or more
accurately, making the time and providing the opportunity, so we
can listen to our children.
Now that we are beginning to get back into our normal routine,
let’s not forget that it is a new year and that we can change. How
many times did you eat dinner together as a family this week? Is
next week going to be the same, or are you going to do better?
We can always do better, at everything we do. All we have to do,
is try our best.
The Public Health WIC staff
will hold travel clinics in Colum-
bia County January 10-13 with
the education focus on Vita-
mins and Minerals. All clinics
are from 9:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.
for recertification of clients and
new applicants for the Women,
Infants and Children’s (WIC)
Federal food program.
The travel date for Vernonia
is Friday, January 13.
WIC sees clients throughout
the month by appointment in
the St. Helens office. The class
schedule in St. Helens has ex-
panded to include new ses-
sions for age-level feeding.
WIC program manager Jana
Mann said that the new classes
will give WIC parents more va-
riety, along with the focus
classes each month.
Clients may opt to attend
one of these new feeding
classes: Feeding at 3-6 months
Jan. 6; 9-12 months, Jan. 19;
15-18 months, Jan. 20; 21-24
months Jan. 27; 3-5 years, Jan.
24.
Those wishing an appoint-
ment can call the WIC Clerk at
503-397-4651 ext 2015.
To accommodate clients, the
WIC clinic will extend to 7 p.m.
on January 25. Late clinic is on
the last Wednesday of each
month.
The Public Health office at
2370 Gable Road in St. He-
lens, will be closed on Monday,
January 16 for Martin Luther
King Day.
Women who are expecting
babies or who are nursing in-
fants may receive vouchers for
nutritious foods, if eligible by in-
come, health risks and nutri-
tional needs. Infants who are
not breastfeeding may receive
formula vouchers. Children 5
years old or younger may re-
ceive food vouchers quarterly.
Student Anthology submissions wanted
Honoring Our Rivers: A Stu-
dent Anthology, announced a
final call for submissions for the
2012 publication of the antholo-
gy. A project of the Willamette
Partnership, Honoring Our
Rivers is intended to stimulate
awareness of Oregon’s fragile
watersheds – including the wa-
ters, land, plants, animals, and
habitats – as well as celebrate
and inspire student works. The
anthology includes original stu-
dent art, poems, essays, pho-
tographs, and drawings focus-
ing on the relationship between
people and watersheds.
“We were overwhelmed by
the number and quality of sub-
missions we received in 2011,
and are looking forward to in-
creasing the geographic and
ethnic diversity of the voices
represented in 2012,” says
Bobby Cochran, executive di-
rector of the Willamette Part-
nership.
With its combination of art
and literature, diverse range of
voices, and central focus on
environmental connections, the
Honoring Our Rivers anthology
represents a uniquely Oregon
publication. The Anthology was
first published in 1999 as a col-
laboration between Salem edu-
cators and Willamette River en-
thusiasts. Each year, a panel of
judges selects the most whim-
sical, charming and thought
provoking submissions to pub-
lish in the anthology with invit-
ed writers such as Ursula
LeGuin, Barry Lopez, and
Kathleen Dean Moore.
Sponsors of the anthology
have included The Eugene Wa-
ter & Electric Board, Wild-
wood/Mahonia, Clean Water
Services, and the City of Port-
land. Partners include: SOLV,
The Freshwater Trust, the Ore-
gon Environmental Council,
and
Sustainable
Oregon
Schools Initiative.
How to Submit an Entry for
the 2012 Anthology: All stu-
dents, K-college, are eligible to
submit their original works (lit-
erary or artwork) between now
and January 31, 2012. Literary
works can include fiction, poet-
ry or essays. Artwork, including
black and white photography,
sketches or drawings, is en-
couraged either as a separate
submission or as an aid in clar-
ifying and supporting written
work. Applications can be
found at www.honoringour
rivers.org or by calling Sarah
Schra at 503-585-8789.
VHS wrestling team takes first at Dec. 28 tourney
Pet of the Month
Find the pet that’s right for you at the Columbia Humane Society
2084 Oregon Street, St. Helens. Phone 503-397-4353
Open Mon - Fri 1 pm to 5 pm & Saturday, 11 am to 5 pm
The Vernonia wrestling team
took first place at the Clatska-
nie Winter Wrestling Classic
tournament on December 28.
Vernonia won with 169
points. Cascade JV took sec-
ond place with 163.5 points,
followed by Wahkiakum in third
Orange, gray & white Tabby mix Heaven was picked up as a stray and we
have no history about her past. We esti-
mate she is about 5 years old. She is
friendly and enjoys attention. She is also
quite independent and can entertain her-
self by watching birds and squirrels from
her window and taking naps. She would
be a good indoor/outdoor cat. Heaven
likes to give love nibbles, therefore it’s
recommended that her new home has no
small children. Come and visit Heaven
soon, she has been waiting for a long
time.
V ALLEY V ETERINARY C LINIC
R ABIES
S PECIAL
$
50
10
Per vaccine, per animal
Through February 2011
The Columbia Humane Society is a No-Kill non-profit shelter
dedicated to helping friends find each other since 1985.
This Pet of the Month is Sponsored by:
Senator Betsy Johnson
Thursdays
9 am - 5 pm
1-503-556-3084
58376 Nehalem Hwy. S. Vernonia
with 159 points. Twelve teams
competed in the tournament.
Gilbertson is on
OSU honor roll
Names of students who
have made the Scholastic Hon-
or Roll Fall term have been an-
nounced by Oregon State Uni-
versity. A total of 674 students
earned straight-A (4.0). Anoth-
er 3,283 earned a B-plus (3.5)
or better to make the listing. To
be on the Honor Roll, students
must carry at least 12 graded
hours of course work.
Students on the Honor Roll
included Brandon Gilbertson of
Vernonia with a 3.5 or better.
Gilbertson is a Freshman,
studying Athletic Training.