Columbia High senior Ava Durand has volunteered with the Backpacks for Kids program at Whitson Elementary since she was in seventh grade. This year, she took over the program and expanded it to include Lyle and Trout Lake school districts.
Columbia High senior Ava Durand has volunteered with the Backpacks for Kids program at Whitson Elementary since she was in seventh grade. This year, she took over the program and expanded it to include Lyle and Trout Lake school districts.
WHITE SALMON — It was a busy meeting for the White Salmon Valley School District (WSVSD) board of directors on May 22. A new Social Emotional Learning curriculum was approved among a number of action items, as was the purchase of a pickup and tractor for the high school’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) program.
The FFA program received a $40,000 grant last year, part of which will be used to make the two vehicle purchases. Additional funding will come from state CTE MSOC (materials, supplies, and operation costs) funds, which are awarded based on the number of students enrolled in the school’s CTE programs.
The board also heard a presentation on the recent sixth grade Outdoor School trip to Camp Sealth on Vashon Island.
White Salmon Valley School District sixth graders attended Outdoor School at Camp Sealth on Vashon Island in April.
Laura Meyer photo
Columbia High School (CHS) senior Ava Durand was recognized for her work with the Backpacks for Kids program, though she was unable to attend the meeting due to a work conflict. Whitson Elementary Principal Todd McCauley said Durland began volunteering as a seventh grader.
The program “provides a sack of food, for any student who is signed up, to take home every Thursday afternoon,” McCauley said. “This year, she took over running the program, which had traditionally only serviced WSVSD students. Through Ava’s commitment and leadership, the program has expanded to also provide food to students in Lyle and Trout Lake school districts,” nearly tripling the number of students served each week.
“She’s a model for all of us — her service, and how we should serve and care for those in our community who need it the most,” McCauley said.
In his superintendent report, Rich Polkinghorn recognized the White Salmon Valley Education Foundation (WSVEF) for its many contributions to the district. “They recently awarded $42,000 in grants to support our teachers and students,” he said. “The funds are fueling a wide range of exciting projects, from new computers for our CAD program in the woodshop at CHS, to replacement TI-84 graphing calculators, to mirrorless cameras for our middle and high school students.”
In addition to funding what Polkinghorn called “innovative learning experiences” and professional development, WSVEF has also made a five-year commitment of nearly $200,000 for the district’s implementation of AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination), “ensuring college and career readiness for all students.”
And lastly, commencement for this year’s graduating seniors will be held on Saturday, June 7 beginning at 11 a.m. at the CHS stadium. “We hope you’ll join us in celebrating the Class of 2025,” he said.
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