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Schools

November 13, 2012
Liberty Middle School students climb on the anchor which was once a part of the SS Davy Crockett, a World War II Liberty ship. "It's a community art piece," principal Marilyn Boerke said. "You can climb on it."

Anchor from a ‘Liberty ship’ will rest at Liberty Middle School

Students, city officials and school administrators gathered to watch a piece of history come home Friday.A 4,500 pound anchor from a decommissioned World War II Liberty ship was unveiled at Liberty Middle School. It was an event several years in the making. "This is a very exciting day," said Liberty Principal Marilyn Boerke. "It has been in the works for six years." Eunice Abrahamsen, a local community member, pitched the idea of procuring a piece of a Liberty ship to install in the school when it first opened. The goal was to teach the students the history behind Liberty's name. "I was thinking a cute little porthole or doorknob or some kind," Boerke said. "Then I got a call, 'Do you want to take the anchor?' I thought it would be something small. Then I saw it and realized it was ginormous."

November 6, 2012
Hathaway Elementary School fifth-grade teacher Erin Hayes assists Consuelo Martinez with a research question. The students in Hayes' class are part of a district-wide iPad pilot group. "The use of technology increases my ability to meet the individual needs of each student," she said.

Bringing the world to their classroom

When teacher Erin Hayes first told her students they'd be using iPads in class, the general response from the fifth-graders was, "What's an iPad?" Two months later, the students are becoming experts in using apps, doing Internet research and using the devices as a resource for a majority of their class work. "The iPads extend learning in every subject," Hayes said. "They have apps for math, spelling, writing, everything. (The students) are recording themselves to practice public speaking, they are using Google Earth to take virtual field trips of the locations they're studying, and they are interacting with each other to discuss new ways to create projects and solve problems."

November 6, 2012

School notes for Nov. 6, 2012

Cape Horn names Super Citizens Cape Horn-Skye Elementary School in Washougal has named its Super Citizens for the month of September.

October 30, 2012
Washougal Mayor Sean Guard serves lunch to children at Gause Elementary School in celebration of National School Lunch Week.

Local ‘celebrity’ chefs take turns behind the school lunch line

School lunches have definitely evolved in the past 65 years. Gone are the mystery meat and rubbery pizza. Instead, students have choices of fresh fruit, veggies and whole grains in addition to traditional favorites such as burgers and chicken nuggets. "My lunches at school were boring compared to what they have now," said Washougal Mayor Sean Guard. "(They have) fajitas, chili, and lots of fresh options. Our lunches were good, though. My neighbor was the head cook forever. I think it is better now, just fast!"

October 30, 2012
Kendra Short and Syerrah Wilson-Brown (left to right) present a money order to West Columbia Gorge Humane Society volunteer Caitlin Hanky.

Girl Scouts support humane society

The members of Junior Girl Scout Troop 40145 are working on projects to earn their Bronze Award, the highest honor a Junior Girl Scout can attain. The troop meets twice a month in the basement of Zion Lutheran Church and is led by Theresa Cole. Girl Scouts Syerrah Wilson-Brown and Kendra Short chose a project to help support the West Columbia Gorge Humane Society in Washougal.

October 23, 2012
Sandi Christensen, Canyon Creek Middle School principal, and seventh-grader Natalie Garner proudly display the Energy Star decal earned as a result of energy improvements at the school.

Washougal School District saves $379,000 in two years with changes

Being energy conscious is paying off for local schools. The Washougal School District has saved $379,000 in energy costs since beginning a new program two years ago. Money saved from lowering costs has been used to support facility operations and fund future energy-saving measures throughout the district, according to a press release. In addition, Washougal High School, Canyon Creek Middle School and Cape Horn-Skye Elementary schools have earned Energy Star certification.

October 23, 2012

School notes for Oct. 23, 2012

Community Education Zumba class changes times A popular Zumba class has changed times from last year. It is still offered at Gause Elementary School, 1100 34th St., but the new times are as follows: Tuesday and Thursday from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., Wednesday from 7 to 8 p.m., and Saturday from 9:30 to 10:20 a.m.

October 16, 2012

School notes for Oct. 16, 2012

CHS hosts college and career event The annual Camas High School college and career options fair will be held from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday in the CHS gym, 26900 S.E. 15th St. During the event, students and parents may visit with representatives from two- and four-year colleges, technical schools and all military branches. There will also be workshops such as, "Demystifying the Financial Aid Process," "College 101" and "Standardized Testing."

October 16, 2012
Shane Southerland presents an benthic bug display rack, created from Western Red Cedar, to Camas School District Superintendent Mike Nerland.

Eagle project to benefit Camas School District

After a year of combing streams and rivers for aquatic bugs, Shane Southerland's sometimes painstaking Eagle Scout project is complete. Southerland, 16, presented racks of what are known as "benthic larvae macro-invertebrates," to the Camas School Board last Monday. Collecting the bugs was a long and challenging process, and the Camas High School sophomore rallied scouting volunteers and friends in Washington, Wyoming, Kansas, Georgia, Utah, Montana and Oregon to help him with the project. "It took a lot of weekends to collect all of these," he said. "But I really enjoyed going to the rivers, that was the most fun part of this project."

October 9, 2012
CHS sophomore Sophie Shoemaker poses for a photo with Subhash Singhald, president elect of the Washington State Academy of Sciences group.

Far more than just another science fair

It's not every day that a high school sophomore is asked to present her research project at a professional-level science symposium. But that’s exactly what happened to Camas High School student Sophie Shoemaker after her work on sustainable agriculture garnered prizes at regional and state science fairs. She received an invitation in June to present her project at the Washington State Academy of Sciences symposium. At the time, school was ending and her focus wasn't on research. "Then after school began, Mr. (Ron) Wright asked me if I understood how big a deal this was," she said. "I didn't. Once I learned, I was a little nervous. But I'm a kid, they're not there to judge me. It was a fun thing to do."