School notes for Nov. 19, 2013

Journey Theater will present ‘Thoroughly Modern Millie, Jr.’

The Washburn Performing Arts Center will host “Thoroughly Modern Millie Jr.,” beginning Nov. 29.

The musical is based on the Broadway version and is set in New York City, circa 1922, full of intrigue and jazz. It’s a time when women were entering the workforce, and the rules for love and social behavior were changing forever.

Performances will begin the weekend of Nov. 29-31 and run until Sunday, Dec. 8. There will also be a school day performance at 10 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 5. Tickets will be $5 or $6 each, depending on the size of the group.

Regular prices will be $12 for adults, and $10 for youth and senior citizens, if tickets are purchased in advance.

For more information, visit www.journeytheater.org.

Daimler Trucks donates $7K to robotics program

Students at Camas High School preparing for careers in manufacturing and robotics engineering are benefiting from a recent $7,000 donation from Daimler Trucks North America as part of the company’s Daimler Education in Motion campaign.

The funds allow the school to purchase modern Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) technologies that will enable it to prepare students in its Robotics Engineering program to design, fabricate and assemble robots.

“This generous donation will enhance our students’ preparation for the 21st century economy, in particular in fabrication and engineering processes,” said Steve Marshall, CHS principal. “By supporting today’s students in science, technology, engineering and math, Daimler is giving (them) both the tools and the skills to pursue careers in these areas.”

This donation facilitates the connection between extracurricular programs and the classroom. One example is in robotics, which is both a class and after-school activity: The school’s robotics team builds robots to operate at competitions on regional and national levels. In 2013, the school’s FIRST Robotics Team 2471, Team Mean Machine, won the 2013 regional competition. Students are selected for the team based on their interest in science and technology.

The CNC technologies that Camas High is purchasing with the Daimler donation will read long lists of digitally coded information from a computer to move the motors and other positioning systems in order to guide a spindle over the raw material the machine is working on.

The donation to CHS is one of DTNA’s 34 donations totaling $238,000 to high schools in the Portland metro area and Southern Washington.

BPA offers classroom presentations on science, engineering

The Bonneville Power Administration offers free presentations on energy, engineering and science to kindergarten through 12th grade classes throughout the Northwest.

BPA’s classroom presentation includes a 10-minute introduction on the Northwest’s energy system, followed by a 50-minute, hands-on activity that demonstrates the scientific/engineering method, designed to engage kids’ critical-thinking and problem-solving skills.

Presentations are delivered by BPA employees. They represent a wide variety of professions, including engineers, biologists, energy analysts, linemen and financial specialists.

Teachers can choose among four hands-on activities, such as How to Build a Motor, How to Build a Turbine, The Great Marble Drop, and How to Build a Tower. Each activity is open-ended: Students are presented with a problem and they must develop a solution, test that solution and then make refinements to it before sharing their results.

New this year is the How to Build a Tower activity, which challenges kids in kindergarten through second grade to work in teams to design and construct a transmission tower using Popsicle sticks and tape. All the materials for hands-on activities are provided.

For more information, visit www.bpa.gov/goto/Education. To schedule a classroom presentation, contact cfadams@bpa.gov.

Camas student wins sweepstakes

Wells Fargo Education Financial Services has awarded a $1,000 prize to Kirsten Langdale, a Camas High School graduate, through a sweepstakes.

The $1,000 gift is one of 520 that Wells Fargo EFS presented to high school seniors through its CollegeSTEPS college-planning program during the 2012-13 school year. Two other Clark County residents also won $1,000 each.

The sweepstakes are part of Wells Fargo’s CollegeSTEPS program, which provides college planning and money management tips for high school and college students and parents, including how to find scholarships, apply for financial aid, make campus visits, save and budget, and manage student loans.

Eligible high school students who signed up for the free program between April 1 and June 30 were automatically enrolled in the sweepstakes. To enroll, go to wellsfargo.com and search for “CollegeSTEPS.”