Site search
sponsored by
News
Sports
ENLARGE
HEATHER MORSE/ The News-Review
Greg Falk, a Canyonville doctor, speaks to students in the Days Creek High School gym as part of the “Possibilities are Endless” assembly. He and other speakers encouraged students to work hard and stay in school.
Persistence and passion pay off, community members told Days Creek High School students Monday at a gathering meant to inspire kids to stay the course of their education.
Ten people, including keynote speaker Sen. Jeff Kruse, spoke to the students at the Possibilities Are Endless seminar held in the school gym, sharing stories about how they became successful.
Seminar organizer Diane Swingley said a group of five teachers, administrators and members of the charter board came together to brainstorm a list of successful role models for teens.
“We know a lot of people,” Swingley said. “Of various backgrounds and careers.”
The list was narrowed and arranged to include people in various stages of life and diverse occupations. The group of students sat quietly — aside from a short stretching period — for more than an hour, listening to advice and words of wisdom.
“Pay attention, stay in school,” Kruse said. “ This is still America; you can still do whatever you want.”
Kruse told students not to be disheartened by the poor economy, as it likely won't affect them by the time they enter the job market. Local entrepreneurs from Jake's Auto Center, Promise Foods and the Commonwealth Gardens spoke of their strategies for surviving the downturn. Sean Negherbon, the water treatment supervisor for Myrtle Creek, said his job was secure because people are always in need of clean water, just as Kerry Deguzmam, manager of Ray's Food Place, said people always need groceries.
Sophomore Derek Armstrong said he enjoyed hearing from the entrepreneurs because he someday hopes to own his own shop as a musician.
“It was really good,” Armstrong said of the presentation. “(I liked) learning about all the people.”
While Armstrong said he does “OK” in school, many of the presenters spoke of their struggles in high school.
“I see a common theme,” said Greg Huchko, a biologist with the Department of Fish and Wildlife. “Most of us were not real good at high school.”
Huchko said he would instead spend hours daydreaming about hunting and fishing. Once he was in college, he realized he could make his dream a reality. He said after he made it past high school, he got to “learn what I wanted to learn,” and that education never stops outside of school.
Kruse said he hoped to get the attention of some of the kids with the assembly.
“I hope (we) convince them to finish what they started,” Kruse said of their education. “(They) have to stick with it ... Sometimes when you are 16 or 17, that is hard to see.”
Deguzmam said she knew what it was like to grow up in a small town, being from Sisters.
“Sometimes you don't see the same opportunities as you do in a big town,” she said. “I want to show there is more out there. Think outside your ZIP code ... If you can't take them there, you have to bring it to them.”
Deguzmam graduated from a high school in Japan and passes along her sense of adventure to her 14 year-old daughter, who has done an exchange program in South Korea.
Diane Dunas, assistant director for the charter school, said she thought the presentations went well and that she thought students were interested.
Junior Stormy Terry called the speakers “inspirational” and also said she thought her classmates found the speakers helpful.
“We were really quiet,” she said. “For what we normally are.”
• You can reach reporter Heather Morse at 957-4208 or by e-mail at hmorse@nrtoday.com.
Ten people, including keynote speaker Sen. Jeff Kruse, spoke to the students at the Possibilities Are Endless seminar held in the school gym, sharing stories about how they became successful.
Seminar organizer Diane Swingley said a group of five teachers, administrators and members of the charter board came together to brainstorm a list of successful role models for teens.
“We know a lot of people,” Swingley said. “Of various backgrounds and careers.”
The list was narrowed and arranged to include people in various stages of life and diverse occupations. The group of students sat quietly — aside from a short stretching period — for more than an hour, listening to advice and words of wisdom.
“Pay attention, stay in school,” Kruse said. “ This is still America; you can still do whatever you want.”
Kruse told students not to be disheartened by the poor economy, as it likely won't affect them by the time they enter the job market. Local entrepreneurs from Jake's Auto Center, Promise Foods and the Commonwealth Gardens spoke of their strategies for surviving the downturn. Sean Negherbon, the water treatment supervisor for Myrtle Creek, said his job was secure because people are always in need of clean water, just as Kerry Deguzmam, manager of Ray's Food Place, said people always need groceries.
Sophomore Derek Armstrong said he enjoyed hearing from the entrepreneurs because he someday hopes to own his own shop as a musician.
“It was really good,” Armstrong said of the presentation. “(I liked) learning about all the people.”
While Armstrong said he does “OK” in school, many of the presenters spoke of their struggles in high school.
“I see a common theme,” said Greg Huchko, a biologist with the Department of Fish and Wildlife. “Most of us were not real good at high school.”
Huchko said he would instead spend hours daydreaming about hunting and fishing. Once he was in college, he realized he could make his dream a reality. He said after he made it past high school, he got to “learn what I wanted to learn,” and that education never stops outside of school.
Kruse said he hoped to get the attention of some of the kids with the assembly.
“I hope (we) convince them to finish what they started,” Kruse said of their education. “(They) have to stick with it ... Sometimes when you are 16 or 17, that is hard to see.”
Deguzmam said she knew what it was like to grow up in a small town, being from Sisters.
“Sometimes you don't see the same opportunities as you do in a big town,” she said. “I want to show there is more out there. Think outside your ZIP code ... If you can't take them there, you have to bring it to them.”
Deguzmam graduated from a high school in Japan and passes along her sense of adventure to her 14 year-old daughter, who has done an exchange program in South Korea.
Diane Dunas, assistant director for the charter school, said she thought the presentations went well and that she thought students were interested.
Junior Stormy Terry called the speakers “inspirational” and also said she thought her classmates found the speakers helpful.
“We were really quiet,” she said. “For what we normally are.”
• You can reach reporter Heather Morse at 957-4208 or by e-mail at hmorse@nrtoday.com.
