 |
||||||||
 |
||||||||
 |
FEATURE ARTICLES | |
Memo Calendar | Memo Pad | Business Memo's | Loaves & Fishes | Letters | Home |
To fully serve the community, the Mid-county Memo offers this section to showcase upcoming special events, celebrations of milestones in our readers’ lives, those seemingly small accomplishments that often do not receive the recognition they deserve, and everyday events that should be shared with friends and neighbors.
To insure publication in the Memo Pad, please send submissions for each month by the 15th of the previous month. Memo Pad submissions for the June issue are due by Thursday, May 15. For best results, e-mail Darlene Vinson at editor@midcountymemo.com. Or mail editorial submissions to 4052 N.E. 22nd Ave., Portland, OR, 97212-1503. To leave a phone message, call 503-287-8904.
2003 Academic All-Stars finalists
Among the 75 students selected by Multnomah Education Service District as Academic All Stars, 12 represent Mid-County public high schools. These students have reached the highest standards of academic achievement and leadership. The distinguished young scholars include scientists, mathematicians, musicians and historians. There are speakers of French, German and Japanese and students who are first generation Americans. There are artists and computer experts, performers, writers and extraordinary volunteers. Amid a climate of financial uncertainty, these Academic All-Stars prove there is much to celebrate in public education.
The Academic All-Stars program, which began 20 years ago, has stayed true to its original purpose of recognizing and rewarding academically outstanding high school students. Participants apply by submitting a portfolio of their academic work and extracurricular activities. Individual high schools select the top student in each of eight categories and forward the portfolios of their nominees to Multnomah ESD. A group of 45 volunteer judges then review portfolios and conduct interviews. The finalist students were honored and awarded college scholarships at the 20th Annual Academic All-Stars banquet on April 28th at the Airport Sheraton. KATU’s Paul Linnman was the emcee at the banquet. Pianist Michael Allen Harrison, himself a Parkrose High School alum, performed at the event.
Representing David Douglas High School were Alan Huynh, Bridget Callahan, Emanuel Plesiu, Valoree Hill and Maggie Busto. From Parkrose, Allison LaValley, Brian Nagle, and Vasiliy Safin. And from Reynolds, Emma Benzer, Megan Mattoon, Sara Barnes, Kathleen Rooney, and Daniel Congdon.
Trailblazer shares his time
Blazers Center Ruben Boumtje Boumtje and Blaze were on hand at the Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization (IRCO), 10301 N.E. Glisan St., March 21 to help with the Bosnian and African Refugee Youth Program (BARY).
|
The BARY program has a reading group that meets weekly to read and enhance the students reading skills as the kids work on transitioning into American culture. Boumtje Boumtje, a native of Cameroon who has been living in the United States for seven years, met with the kids to not only read with them, but also discuss the barriers and cultural differences he faced when he first came to the U.S.
In addition to the time Boumtje Boumtje spent with the youth in the BARY program, he also participated in a question and answer session with all of the youth at IRCO as well as refereed a basketball game played by IRCO participants. The event revolves around a month of reading activities as part of the NBA’s focus on literacy through the Read to Achieve program.
Geography Whiz
City Christian School fourth grader Oliver J. Bunica was a recent participant in the 2003 Oregon State Geography Bee held Friday, April 4 at Western Oregon University in Monmouth.
The National Geographic Society developed the National Geographic Bee in 1989 in response to concern about the lack of geographic knowledge among young people in the United States. And the problem is not yet resolved: A nine-country National Geographic-Roper Geographic Literacy Survey conducted last year showed that Americans aged 18 to 24 scored lower than their counterparts in the other countries surveyed, except Mexico.
The National Geographic Bee is a nationwide contest for schools with any of the grades four through eight. It is an educational outreach program of the National Geographic Society. With a first-place prize of a $25,000 college scholarship-and other prizes in additional scholarships, cash and classroom materials- the Bee is designed to encourage the teaching and study of geography.
The process begins with a written classroom exam. Some of the questions come from previous Bees, some are written by the teachers. Two finalists are selected from each classroom to participate in an hour-long assembly. In early January, City Christian held their assembly to determine the school winner and young Bunica quietly and unassumingly walked away with the honor, according to teacher Janice Dorsynski.
She refused to take any credit for Oliver’s success saying ‘he is a natural. Geography is his passion. He prepares himself.’
The next step required Bunica to take an official written qualifying exam, which was then submitted to National Geographic. The results of that test made him a state qualifier. Oliver did not win the state competition this year, but as he is only a fourth grader, we will be watching for future results.
City Christian School is located at 9200 N.E. Fremont St. in the domes on Rocky Butte. According to their mission statement, City Christian Schools work together with the home and church to provide a Christ-centered spiritual, academic, and physical foundation in a nurturing environment to produce citizens who will be a transforming influence in the world. If you would like more information about the school, call 503-252-5207.
This month in your garden
The Oregon State University Extension Service produces monthly calendars for Oregon gardeners. Each calendar provides reminders of key garden chores, such as fertilizing, pest control, planting, and maintenance. Calendars are available at www.eesc.oregonstate.edu/.
Oregon State University Extension Service encourages sustainable gardening practices. Always identify and monitor problems before acting. First consider cultural controls; then physical, biological, and chemical controls (which include insecticidal soaps, horticultural oils, botanical insecticides, organic and synthetic pesticides). Always consider the least toxic approach first.
During the month of May in your Mid-County garden, look for leaf rolling worms that will affect apples and blueberries, prune off affected leaves and place pheromone traps or spray with approved pesticides. Trap moles and gophers as new mounds appear. Control spittlebugs and aphids in strawberries and ornamentals, if present; wash off or use insecticide soap as a contact spray. Follow label directions. Fertilize rhododendrons and azaleas; remove spent blooms. Plant chrysanthemums for fall color. Plant dahlias in mid-month. Control aphids with insecticidal soap, a hard spray of water, hand removal, or by promoting natural predators. Fertilize roses and control rose diseases such as mildew with a registered fungicide. When selecting new roses, choose plants labeled for resistance to disease. Control slugs with bait or traps, or by removing or mowing vegetation near garden plots.
Start your vegetable garden in mid-May with tomato and pepper seedlings. Many vegetables can be planted from seed now too. Check the package instructions.
For more information visit the Oregon State University Extension Service website at www.eesc.oregonstate.edu/
MEMO Advertising | MEMO Archives | MEMO Web Neighbors | MEMO Staff | Home