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Stories by Danielle Frost

email icon danielle.frost@camaspostrecord.com

December 4, 2012

New gym floor, turf field on the horizon for WHS

After more than 60 years, the gym floor in Washougal High School is finally getting an upgrade. "We've been working behind the scenes to develop a communication plan, and will visit a showroom floor to see examples of floors," said Kelley Wilson, an architect with ESD 112's construction services group, to the School Board recently. The visit to Branson Hardwood will take place in late December and will potentially include the WHS athletic director, principal, physical education teachers and coaches. After a stop at the showroom, the group will visit an area high school with the style of gym floor they prefer. A budget for the floor will be determined in January, Wilson said. A preliminary estimate is $240,268.

November 27, 2012
Camas Mayor Scott Higgins (left) and Washougal Mayor Sean Guard prepare for their initial weigh-in during the start of the Camas and Washougal on a Diet Challenge in May. The mayors are facing off in a year-long competition to see who can lose the most weight and earn bragging rights, as well as a healthier lifestyle.

How to keep eating and exercise on track during ‘the most wonderful time of the year’

'Tis the season for family gatherings, parties, holiday movies and cookie exchanges. Unfortunately, it's also the season for weight gain.It is said that the average American gains 8 to 10 pounds between Thanksgiving and the New Year. These pounds tend to be "the gift that keeps on giving," and at best, can mean buying larger sized clothes and at worst, contribute to health issues such as high blood pressure, heart disease and obesity.

November 20, 2012
Cindy Ontkean is preparing for the Holiday Home Tour, set for Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 8 and 9. She and her husband Mike built their home in Lacamas Shores 10 years ago. The Ontkeans have many family holiday traditions, from hanging favorite ornaments to picking out their live Christmas tree each year. "Our house will completely transform in the next couple of weeks," she said. "It's fun to get out all of those memories each year."

Holiday Home Tour will feature four distinctive Camas residences

Cindy Ontkean had such a great time showing her decked-out house during the Holiday Home Tour four years ago, she's back for a second round. "It was such an enjoyable experience," she said. "People were so appreciative that we had opened our homes. I got some personal notes of thanks. The reason I did it was that my mom had just died, and she loved Christmas. I could feel her with me. That's why I'm doing it again."

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 8, 2012
The Holiday Marketplace Bazaar at Washougal High School is a popular event for local vendors and shoppers every year.

Experience the bazaar

It's that time of year again. November typically kicks off a flurry of holidays bazaars, where those looking for one-of-a-kind gifts are sure to find them. During the next month, several bazaars are coming to churches, schools and civic centers. Eager shoppers will have the chance to help local non-profit groups, support the local economy, buy handcrafted items and avoid crowds at the mall.

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."

October 30, 2012
Author Cheryl Linn Martin visits with a fan at the book release party at Journey Community Church.

Life in flip flops

Anyone who has had a little brother knows how annoying they can be at times. This is definitely the case for the heroine of local author Cheryl Linn Martin's "Hawaiian Detective Club" series.

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 23, 2012
Narrator Shannon Leininger begins "44 Plays for 44 Presidents," during a rehearsal at Washburn Performing Arts Center last week.

’44 Plays for 44 Presidents’ is part of nationwide festival

The drama during election season isn't limited to the presidential debates or candidates accusing each other of sign stealing. This year, there will be drama, when students at Washougal High School take to the stage with "44 Play for 44 Presidents." As the title indicates, this production contains 44 mini-plays about each of the presidents of the United States. It is a part of the Plays for Presidents Festival 2012, and Washougal is joining 43 schools all across the United States who are participating during the election year. WHS is one of only four West Coast schools, the others being San Jose, Los Angeles and Seattle.

October 23, 2012

15 years of soaring with the CEF

Since its inception 15 years ago, the Camas Educational Foundation has given $1 million to local schools. Organizers of this year's annual dinner and auction are planning to celebrate that milestone, as well as raise $100,000 that night. "This year's auction is a celebration of the journey CEF has made over the past 15 years and where we are headed. We will be highlighting those moments and experiences that have led to the place we are today," said Mandy Huth, CEF president. "Lao Tzu said, 'A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.' We have come so far, step by step, and continue to travel, together, on our journey." The auction and dinner theme is "Soaring With CEF," and will be held at the Pearson Air Museum in Vancouver on Saturday, Nov. 17. Tickets are $65 each, and this year's annual appeal is a literacy campaign, "Everyone is a Reader." The goal is to raise $1,500 for each of the 10 Camas schools, for a total of $15,000.