Briefs: Washougal celebrates Hamllik Park improvements

The city of Washougal held a ribbon-cutting event on June 11 to celebrate the completion of a series of improvements at Hamllik Park aimed at expanding recreational opportunities, improving accessibility and upgrading sports facilities.

The project included construction of a new multiuse basketball court along with new baseball and softball dugouts; installation of Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant ramps; and improvements to walking paths.

City officials said the upgrades are designed to improve access throughout the park while expanding recreational options for residents. The new court accommodates both basketball and pickleball, one of the nation’s fastest-growing sports, while the dugouts enhance facilities for youth and adult sports participants.

“These improvements create more opportunities for residents of all ages to stay active and enjoy Hamllik Park,” Washougal Mayor David Stuebe said. “The new court, improved accessibility features and upgraded sports facilities help ensure this community space continues to serve Washougal families for years to come.”

The project was funded through the federal Community Development Block Grant program.

Rotary awards scholarships to graduates

The Rotary Club of Camas-Washougal has awarded $24,000 in scholarships to six graduating seniors from Camas and Washougal high schools, continuing its long-standing tradition of supporting local students pursuing post-secondary education and career training.

The scholarships include both academic and trade-focused awards for students who completed an application and screening process.

“I was very impressed with the caliber and maturity of this year’s applicants,” Ron Carlson, chair of the Rotary Vocational Service Committee, said in a news release. “These young people have clear goals and aspirations for their future.”

Carlson added that the club’s emphasis on trades and nontraditional pathways is an expanding part of the program.

“Supporting education is one of Rotary’s seven areas of focus, and this scholarship program fits nicely with our objectives,” Carlson said. “The emphasis on the trades and the pursuit of nontraditional college programs in career selection is a new aspect of our Rotary scholarship program. I wish more students knew about this component of our scholarships and took advantage of this opportunity.”

The six recipients recently presented their academic backgrounds and career goals during a Rotary weekly meeting:

• Cadence Kruse, Camas High School, is enrolled in the Running Start program and plans to become an elementary school teacher after earning an associate degree at Clark College and continuing on to Washington State University.
• Lily Rushio, Washougal High School, plans to study aquatic conservation and ecology at the University of Washington. She is a competitive swimmer and longtime lifeguard.
• Taryn Cavill, Discovery High School, plans to study bioengineering at Oregon State University, inspired by her interest in STEM and helping others.
• Jack Dryden, Washougal High School, plans to study applied and optical physics at Wheaton College before pursuing a master’s degree.
• Jackson Tyler, Camas High School, plans to pursue aviation training with Alaska Airlines. He has played football for five years as a kicker and punter, plays piano and holds a private pilot’s license.
• Rebecca Jarman, Washougal High School, plans to pursue radiology at Columbia Basin College in Pasco after completing a mission in Brazil.

Camas students publish ‘We Are America’ collection of personal stories

Camas School District’s Odyssey Middle School celebrated the release of a student-authored book, “We Are America: Camas,” created by Robert More’s eighth grade humanities class as part of a national storytelling initiative, on June 17. The event featured student authors and selected readings from the book, highlighting themes tied to the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

The book is part of the We Are America Project, a program that connects classrooms across the country in publishing student-written collections focused on identity, belonging and personal narrative.

More’s class was selected last summer as one of 10 schools nationwide in the eighth cohort of the We Are America Teaching Fellows program. Throughout the year, students worked with the national organization to explore their histories and identities, select a “story of self” and write, edit and publish personal essays for the community.

In a foreword to the book, More writes: “America is not us, and America is not them. America is not you, nor is it I, and America is not filled with ‘others.’ America is a story of ‘WE.’ ” That theme is reflected in more than 70 student stories included in the publication.

“America isn’t something one person can define, it’s something we’re all holding the pens to and this project helped us write new chapters for the world to see,” student Midi Moro said.

Another student, Simone Vernon, said the project challenged the idea of a single narrative.

“There’s a danger in the single story of what it means to be an American,” Vernon said. “This project has empowered us to share our unique perspectives so that being an American doesn’t mean just one thing.”

The We Are America Project was founded in Lowell, Mass., by Lowell High School teacher and 2023 Massachusetts History Teacher of the Year Jessica Lander and 14 former students. The initiative aims to encourage classroom conversations about American identity and build empathy across differences by elevating student voices.

—Doug Flanagan