Schools

March 5, 2013

Washougal librarians share their love of reading with students

A Chinese proverb says that 'A book is like a garden carried in the pocket.' And planting those love-of-reading seeds is the goal of librarians at Washougal elementary schools. Recently, they got together in a Professional Learning Community meeting to discuss streamlining teacher book needs to support common core curriculum, managing and maintaining the volumes of books on their shelves, the emergence of e-books and e-readers, and ways to engage young students while nurturing a love of books and reading. Marlene Leifsen, Gause Elementary librarian, has always loved books. When her young children became school-aged, she found work at the Washougal High School library so their schedules would align. That was nearly 30 years ago.

February 26, 2013

School notes for Feb. 26, 2013

Leadership development conference set The Southwest Washington Red Cross Youth Council will share its collective knowledge with middle and high school students during the sixth annual Leadership Development Conference Saturday and Sunday, March 9 and 10 at Camas High School, 26900 S.E. 15th St.

February 26, 2013

Grall is honored as Youth of the Year

A local teen has been named "Youth of the Year" for the Boys & Girls Club of the Portland metro area. John Grall, 15, is a long-time member and now volunteer at the local Jack, Will and Rob Boys & Girls Club in Camas. He was selected for Youth of the Year based on several different categories, including service to the local club, community and family, academic success, strong moral character, life goals, and poise and public speaking ability.

February 26, 2013

Sabore Ole Oyie visits with Gause Elementary School students

Classroom studies of the faraway African country of Kenya were recently brought to life for a group of Washougal students.Gause Elementary School second-graders caught a glimpse into a vastly different culture thanks to a visit from Maasai Warrior and Elder, Sabore Ole Oyie, from the Ewaso Nyiro region of Kenya. Students in the classrooms of Lisa Haskin, Christina Russell, Julie Taie and Erin Darling participated. "We have been busy studying facts about Kenya and its culture," said Haskin. "The students have been preparing for Sabore's visit by learning about the animals, geography and customs of Kenya, as well as studying the Kiswahili language and creating mock passports. They have been very excited for him to come." Dressed in traditional Maasai clothing, Ole Oyie spoke to the students about life in his village and the different challenges they face. "You must learn to recognize the footprints of many animals," Ole Oyie explained. "You need to know when there is a dangerous animal like a lion nearby so you can take your herd of cows the other way." For more information visit www.blueplanetnetwork.org or www.saboreswell.org.

February 19, 2013

Trip leaves a lasting impact on CHS grad

A volunteer trip to Costa Rica nearly four years ago changed the direction of Adrienne Engel's life. Engel, of Camas, stayed with a host family in the small village of Herradura. There, she worked alongside other high school students in the community, helping to build a church and a community center. "It was a real collaborative effort," she said. "We spent a lot of time with our host families as well. "I even learned how to milk a cow. I've always had an itch to travel and see how people really live. I thought this would be fun because it was also service oriented."

February 19, 2013

Exploring future careers

Architecture, photography, fire fighting and more were featured at the Washougal High School Career Day last week. It was organized by Marsha Spencer and Sharon Watts of the WHS Career Center."We wanted to create a unique opportunity for students to meet people from all career paths who love their jobs," said Spencer. This is the second year for the event, which drew nearly 40 professionals from Washougal, Camas, Vancouver and Portland. "The students can read about different careers, but it is just not as good as listening to people talk about what they do," said Watts. "These professionals explain to the kids how they got to where they are and their training. They even talk about what they like best and least about their work so students know what to expect."

February 19, 2013

School notes for Feb. 19, 2013

Excelsior names first student of the month Excelsior High School, the Washougal School District's alternative school, has just launched a student of the month program called "Phoenix on Fire." Students of the month exemplify the characteristics staff would like to see all Excelsior students achieve, according to a press release.

February 12, 2013

JMS students try a new approach to curb bullying

After a rash of recent tragedies, a group of Jemtegaard Middle School students are hoping to help curb the epidemic of bullying by taking an unusual approach. Instead of having adults talk to students about bullying's sometimes devastating impacts, the students are taking the reigns. They've written and produced a video segment, based on the T.V. show, "What would you do?" "At first, they were thinking it was just another bullying presentation and they didn't think other students would listen," said music teacher Jennifer Snapp. "So I asked them to figure out a way to grab their interest. Most everyone knows about this show, so it will catch their attention."

February 12, 2013

Student musicians receive top honors

Several student musicians from the Camas School District have received top honors by being selected to participate in state and national ensembles this school year.These are the Washington Music Educators Association ensembles and the National Honor Choir. The WMEA musicians include 150 from all over the state, who will work with a nationally known conductor and perform for the All-Northwest Music Educators Conference on Saturday at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland. Students who were selected for an All-Northwest ensemble represent a select group of students from the six states who will participate in the music conference. The National Honor Choir represents the final 300 selections from approximately 3,600 auditions across the country. Students will participate in the Community Youth and Boychoir Honor Choir at the American Choral Directors Association Conference in Dallas, Texas, Wednesday, March 13 to Saturday, March 16.

February 12, 2013

School notes for Feb. 12, 2013

Locals land on WWU honor roll Two Camas students were named to Western Washington University's honor roll.