The INDEPENDENT, August 1, 2012 Page 5 Building Girls Summer Construction Camp helps girls learn trade As they wrapped up a week of learning about construction careers in the construction in- dustry and some basic skills used in these trades, 40 middle school-age girls from the Port- land Metro Area received a vis- it from one of Oregon’s work- force development leaders: La- bor Commissioner Brad Avakian, who runs the state Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) and heads the Oregon State Apprenticeship and Training Council. The BOLI- ODOT Highway Workforce De- velopment Program has con- tracted for two such camps over the next two years to raise awareness and promote oppor- tunities for young women to ac- cess the living wage career path of a skilled trades worker. Non-profit Oregon Trades- women, Inc. (OTI), runs four “Building Girls Summer Camps” each year. “Programs like those offered by OTI are invaluable to our state’s workforce,” Avakian told the girls, their parents and OTI staff. “Oregon needs to do two things immediately: create more opportunities for young people to get hands-on training and job skills so they’re ready for the workforce sooner, and end wage discrimination to make equal pay for equal work a reality in Oregon. By bringing more young women into the liv- ing wage jobs of the construc- tion trades, working on our eco- nomically vital highways and bridges, OTI is with me on the front line for both priorities.” The Building Girls Summer Construction Camp is a day camp for middle and high school girls to learn construc- tion basics in a fun environ- ment. Girls learn basic math and measurement, construc- tion basics (such as measuring Here are some things that help identify this as a canine track. A: The claw marks. Dogs usually show claw marks in their tracks. However, it is possible to see claw marks in cat tracks, but this is usually when the animal is running or pouncing. B: The lack of a third lobe on the hind edge of the heel pad. See cat tracks below for the difference. Although it is visible in some dog tracks, the third lobe is located higher, not aligned with the other two as it is in cats. C: The shape of the leading edge of the heel pad is a single lobe. See cat tracks for difference. D: The alignment of the front two toes. They are side-by-side, or very close to it, in dogs tracks. There are exceptions, such as when the animal is making a turn or walking on a slope. E: The almost triangular shape of the pads of the outer two toes. Take a look at the photo to see this more clearly as my drawing is not the best for indicating this feature. F: Dogs have a little point where the heel pad turns. Cats share this feature. Front tracks are usually larger than hind tracks. This is true for both dogs and cats. wood, using a skill saw, and hammering nails), how to safe- ly and properly use hand and power tools, and other building skills. The week of camp in- cludes visits to construction sites, teamwork, and project planning, and culminates in a cooperative building project. This summer, the girls have built a playhouse structure which is being donated to the Immigrant and Refugee Com- munity Organization (IRCO). “With the addition of the BOLI-ODOT contract, we have 95 middle- and high-school girls participating in our con- struction camps this year,” said Connie Ashbrook, Executive Director of OTI. “Commissioner Avakian’s emphasis on job skills training for all young Ore- gonians is a great support for our mission.” Visit www.oregon.gov/BOLI for more information about aBOLI’s work to promote em- ployment opportunities throughout Oregon. Cougar spotted in Vernonia city limits From page 1 pets indoors at dawn, dusk and night, don’t leave food or garbage outside, install motion- activated outdoor lights, and move livestock to sheds or barns at night. If you encounter a cougar, ODFW advises: • Cougars will often retreat given the opportunity. Leave the animal a way to escape. This is the track made by the front left foot of a cougar. A: Note that the front two toes are not lined up side-by-side as the dog prints were. The toe that is further forward is analo- gous to a human middle finger (your longest finger). The align- ment of this toe will tell you whether you have a left or right track. This toe is the inner toe of the leading pair. B: The leading edge of the heel pad has two parts, or lobes. C: The hind edge of the heel pad has three parts, or lobes. They are aligned with each other. D: This is the front track. One clue that tells you this is that the edge of the heel pad is relatively straight. See hind track for difference. E: Cats have a little point where the heel pad turns. Dogs share this feature. Front tracks are usually larger than hind tracks. This is true for both dogs and cats. • Stay calm and stand your ground. • Maintain direct eye con- tact. • Pick up children without bending down or turning your back on the cougar. • Back away slowly. • Do not run; running triggers a chase response that could lead to an attack. • Raise your voice and speak firmly. • If the cougar seems ag- gressive, raise your arms to look larger and clap your hands. • In the rare event of an ac- tual attack, fight back with rocks, sticks, tools or any items available. No other cougar sitings have been reported recently in Ver- nonia and this animal may have left the area as their terri- torial ranges generally encom- pass up to 100 miles.