News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 26 - 50 of 107
It doesn't take much scientific knowledge to cast our eyes to the horizon and realize that we live in a geologic region of volcanos. Many of us recall the attention grabbed by South Sister not too many years ago when a bulge developed on the west slope, and small earthquakes kept geologists busy monitoring its activity. The volcanic landscapes of Central Oregon have been shaped by tectonic forces that are active on a global scale. In Central Oregon, these forces interact to... Full story
Making the decision to explore a new interest can be simultaneously exciting and vulnerable. Financial requirements can hold some back from doing what they love. Sisters GRO, in partnership with the Roundhouse Foundation, provides applications for the Roundhouse Enrichment Experiences scholarship for Sisters students who want financial support with their interests. “Overall the Roundhouse Foundation is about education and community, providing unique experiences for Sisters and support for them whether it be career-based or s... Full story
Amy Guthrie's Sunshine Club, consisting of 17 Sisters Elementary School fifth-graders, were on hand at The Lodge in Sisters last Wednesday evening as part of their regular holiday visits. They brought handmade St. Patrick's Day-themed cards and crafts just as they did on Valentine's Day last month. At Thanksgiving, Guthrie delivered a giant poster with greetings from the Club, and at the Christmas break, the Club students joined with C4C (Citizens For Community) at The Lodge... Full story
Citizen scientists are exploring a body of asteroids called the Trojan to research remnants of the early solar system through NASA's Project Lucy. Launched in 2021, the Lucy Spacecraft has been in orbit for over two years. Since its launch, Sisters High School staff and students have been involved in surveying the asteroids in occultations around the country. An occultation occurs when one object is hidden from the observer by another object that passes between them. In... Full story
The Sisters High School (SHS) Pageant is a series of fundraisers to raise money for Sisters Family Access Network (FAN). The pageant was previously known as Mr. SHS as a spoof pageant for male students and their escorts. Last year the name was changed to SHS Pageant to be more inclusive and make the pairs a collaborative duo. The SHS Pageant is currently supervised by teacher Jami Lyn Weber and four student coordinators, Holly Davis, Ella Eby, Jack Turpen, and Jordan... Full story
Sisters Cub Scouts are emerging from hibernation, happy to have their own den again. "I'm so excited to announce that the Sisters Cub Scout Pack 139 is officially back up and running!" said Jennifer Hooson, drumming up support on Facebook community pages. "Boys and girls K-5th grade welcome, all faiths welcome, LGBTQ+ friendly, neurodivergent friendly. We really do welcome all and we are a safe place to learn and grow." Hooson rallied former scouts and sponsors to resurrect... Full story
The Outlaw Strings Club made an impression at the four-day Wintergrass Festival in Bellevue, Washington last month. Outlaw Strings is run by Sisters Middle School teacher Melissa Stolasz, but would not be the same without the strong support from Sisters Folk Festival, who helps with introducing students to new artists, financial support, instrument availability, and a daytime summer camp where kids can continue to play without the club. Stolasz explained that she "saw the line... Full story
Sister Middle School opened its doors to the community last Thursday, sparking creativity and fun in STEAM Expo 2024. STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math. Instead of tackling each as a separate field, STEAM education integrates all of these elements to engage students in inquiry, discussion, and creative problem-solving. The goal is to help students become good collaborators, thoughtful risk-takers, and problem solvers. Advocates of STEAM... Full story
At this time of year, we hear a lot about snowpack, its moisture content, and how much water we will have to get through the summer. We drive by Detroit Dam and can't help but check the water level. All year long, we notice the water flow in our local rivers. We know we need water for human consumption, agriculture, sports activities, etc. Our lives are tied directly to water. It seems obvious that we should care about the life of rivers. But what goes on in rivers? They have... Full story
Sisters Elementary School (SES) will hold their annual Kindergarten Roundup pre-registration on Friday, April 26, in the school gymnasium. Students will participate in a teacher-led activity while parents are involved in a parent orientation. Children who will be five years old on or before September 1, 2024, are eligible for the 2024-25 school year. Sign up by contacting the elementary school at 541-549-8981. Enrollment forms may be picked up at the Sisters Elementary School office between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. The school will... Full story
It's a Friday. Or a Monday. The school district declares a day off. Parents with jobs, caregiving duties, or medical appointments scramble to find a healthy, fun way for their kids to spend the day. Now there's a new option: Starshine's first No School Day Camp, taking place on the grounds of The Suttle Lodge. The camp will provide a mix of nature immersion and imaginative activities for kids ages 5–11 on Monday, April 22. Guided by an experienced outdoor educator, kids w... Full story
It’s scholarship season, and a local school-and-student support system is preparing high school seniors for their next academic steps toward promising professional careers. March signals scholarship application review time for the Sisters Schools Foundation (SSF), which will distribute two $1,000 scholarships, an annual endeavor for the nonprofit established in response to financial challenges faced by public schools. SSF is undergoing a transformation with the induction of three new board members. “We really wanted to hav... Full story
Sisters School District #6 canceled school last Thursday and Friday due to weather, the first back to back closures since "snowmageddon" - the crushing snow event in 2016-2017. Even with a brutal forecast or National Weather Service warning or advisory, the decision is not made the night before. School Superintendent, Curt Scholl, said, "We must wait to make the call because sometimes the big storms that are expected don't show up. "I've seen forecasts for a day for between fo... Full story
Did you ever watch something on a screen and wish you could jump right through it and into the action? With the emergence of virtual reality and social virtual worlds, it is possible - and often with surprising effects. Although we often see news headlines that talk about the dark side of technology, consider, too, how interactions in these places can improve an 87-year-old Parkinson's patient's quality of life and mobility. Dr. Donna Davis, director of the Oregon Reality Lab... Full story
Grade 9 — 4.0 Backus, Juliette; Brang, Mason; Corcoran, Audrey; Crabtree, Althea; Davis, Spencer; Doyle, Keelan; Duda, Abigail; Finnell, Ashlynd; Florian, Victor; Garcia, Tabor; Goe-Alayon, Kainoa; Griffin, Addison; Hamerly, Thomas; Hayner, Benjamin; Kuenzi, Lucy; Lindsay, Brooke; McDonnell, William; McMahon, Kolby; Morford, Cole; Rosiello, Kristan; Ryan, Josie; Stancliff, Finn; Velikonia, Juliette 3.5 and above Benson, Vivienne; Buller, Emmitt; Carter, Caitlin; Dethlefs, Atigun; Fogarty, Allison; Gloeckner, Lola; Grimes, J... Full story
This December my father, sister, and I had the opportunity to travel to Uganda to work with an organization committed to helping people in need in different regions in Uganda. I got to experience two very different sides of Uganda, one in the city of Kampala, and the other in the village of Bugono. In both locations we were very involved with children, which allowed us to observe how they were living. On our first drive through Kampala we observed countless things differing... Full story
Sisters Country becomes a giant outdoor classroom when Sisters Middle School students venture in the ECoS program. The program is taught by Michael Geisen and Rob Jensen. ECoS started in 2014 when Geisen and Jensen were able to secure enough money to purchase outdoor gear such as tents, backpacks, harnesses, ropes, etc. ECoS stands for earth, community, and self, which reflects the three main levels of interaction in the program. "We wanted to give students a chance to learn i... Full story
One of the goals at Sisters High School is to have each and every graduate have a plan for what they will be doing after graduation. Students can turn to parents, school counselors and teachers for help along the way, but there is an additional place to find assistance: the ASPIRE program. ASPIRE, which is an acronym for Access to Student Assistance Programs in Reach of Everyone, has been available throughout Oregon for many years, including at Sisters High School. Recently,... Full story
The Central Oregon Community College (COCC) Foundation is awarding $2 million in scholarships for the coming 2024-25 academic year — an all-time high for the college’s scholarship fund. The application window, one of two cycles taking place this year, opened February 1 and closes May 1. Visit cocc.edu/scholarship to learn more. Annual COCC Foundation scholarships are awarded based on financial needs and a demonstrated commitment to educational goals. A full $5,000 scholarship is enough to cover an enrolled student’s tuition a... Full story
After a one year hiatus, local nonprofit Citizens4Community (C4C) is partnering with community volunteers to bring back the Sisters Banner Project to honor local graduating high school seniors. For a few weeks in late spring, Sisters' downtown lamp posts will be adorned with over 100 custom banners – each featuring a student due to graduate from Sisters High School and other local institutions. The project will put Sisters' hometown and academic pride on full display for b... Full story
With the local scholarship season about to open for the class of 2024, the Sisters Graduate Resource Organization (GRO), which manages the program, has announced a new executive director, Regan Roberts, who started in mid-August. Roberts is taking over the duties left by the previous director Laura Kloss who served for the previous two years. A Sisters resident since 2005, Roberts is ecstatic about the chance to fill the role for GRO, which is part-time. "The GRO position... Full story
Fifth Grade 4.0 Bilderback, Weston; Crabtree, Zinnia; Davis, Riley; Durham, Noelle; Eigner, Caleb; Freeman, Madison; Miller, Ezekiel; Padilla, Phoenix; Planty, Bodhi; Rea, Wilson; Seaney, Reese; Velikonia, Evangeline; Waitley, Damon. 3.5 and above Morrow, Xavier; Bulloch William; Dickman, Gavin; Faldmo, Elin; Griffin, Ellis; Hay, Dawson; Horton, Luella; Johnson, Hudson; Kemp, Blake; Knutzen, Emerson; Moffat, Bailey; Orange, Avery; Poulos, Brecken; Rude, Hudson; Scott, Louella; White, Layla; Morzov, Kaia; Georger, Luke; Hansen... Full story
Travel is a luxury that not all can afford. Education Tours is an organization that aids in the funding and organization of student travel programs worldwide. At Sisters High School, these tours used to be a tradition, but when COVID-19 shut down travel, the school had to put their plans on hold. This coming spring of 2024, introduces the first official EF Educational Tours trip Sisters High School students have been involved in since 2020. This tight-knit group of eight are... Full story
The Sisters School District will be appointing three community members to fill vacancies on the Budget Committee. The people appointed will serve on the committee for three budget terms: 2023-2024, 2024-2025, and 2025-2026. The term will expire June 30, 2026. To be eligible, a candidate must live in the school district, not be an officer or employee of the district, and be a qualified voter in the district. Candidates should participate in school activities, be a positive problem solver and commit time to review materials... Full story
Whychus Creek runs 41 miles down off the Cascade glaciers, right through Sisters, and joins up with the Deschutes River as it flows to the Columbia. Over the past two decades, the creek has been the recipient of extensive restoration projects by the Upper Deschutes Watershed Council (UDWC) and the Deschutes Land Trust (DLT). This winter the UDWC is partnering with Central Oregon Community College to present a six-part informational speaker series about Whychus Creek and its... Full story
