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To fully serve the community, the Mid-county Memo offers this section to showcase upcoming special events, celebrations of milestones in our readers’ lives, those seemingly small accomplishments that often do not receive the recognition they deserve, and everyday events that should be shared with friends and neighbors.
Memo Pad submissions for the July issue are due by Monday, June 16. For best results, e-mail Darlene Vinson at editor@midcountymemo.com. Or mail submissions to 3510 N.E. 134th Ave, Portland, OR 97230. To leave a phone message, call 503-287-8904. The fax number is 503-249-7672.
Argay couple’s enduring romance to be celebrated on PGE float in Grand Floral Parade
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| Argay residents Ralph and Patricia Evans have been married for 57 years and also had their first date at the Rose Festival. |
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Argay residents Ralph and Patricia Evans have been married for 57 years and also had their first date at the Rose Festival. It was the meeting place for the two after they corresponded as pen pals when Ralph was serving in the Navy and Patricia attended Lewis & Clark College in Portland. The couple will represent the Relive: 40 years or more category.
“It was like love at first sight.” That’s how Patricia (Pat) remembers the first time she met Ralph. It began before that, though, when Patricia saw a small letter in the Oregon Journal written by two lonesome Navy servicemen from Adak, Ala., lamenting the fact they never received letters at mail call. To their surprise, 385 letters poured in, including one from Pat Caudy, an 18-year-old Lewis & Clark College student. The sailors flipped a coin to see who would answer it, and Ralph’s fate was sealed. For seven months, Ralph and Pat wrote to each other and exchanged photographs; one of Pat that Ralph still carries in his wallet today. They met in person in Portland on June 9, 1950, where they attended the Rose Festival Synchronized Swimming event at Civic Stadium (now PGE Park). On the way back home in the taxi, Ralph gave Pat a big kiss and said, “Let’s make it last!” They were married on Sept. 2, 1950.
Patricia says the secret to sustaining their marriage for more than 57 years is always remembering that Ralph chose to write to her over everyone else and, even through their ups and downs, how that special feeling has kept their bond strong.
PGE believes the contest represents larger issues too. “Being more sustainable in how we lead our lives and run our businesses is something we’re all paying more attention to these days,” said Kregg Arntson, PGE community affairs manager. “The ‘I Do’ Redo Contest and our float give us a fun way to tie into the sustainability concept by celebrating couples who are inspiring others with strong relationships that have stood the test of time.”
The Rose Festival Grand Floral Parade is Saturday, June 7.
Area Academic All-Stars shine
The Multnomah Education Service District and the E2 Foundation announced the 60 finalists who were recognized at the 25th annual Academic All-Stars reception on Monday, April 21 at the Gerding Theater in Portland’s Pearl District. Seventeen of the honorees come from David Douglas High School or Parkrose High School.
Representing 12 of Multnomah County’s public high schools, this year’s Academic All-Stars are multidimensional students. The group includes scientists, mathematicians, technology experts and historians; artists, dancers, actors and writers; speakers of French, German, Japanese and Chinese; students who are first-generation Americans and some who are the first in their families to graduate high school.
Students applied to the program by submitting an initial application. A select group was then invited to prepare a portfolio of schoolwork, activities and community service. Categories of competition are computer technology, foreign language, language arts, mathematics, performing arts, science, social science, visual arts and all-around. Volunteer judges reviewed the portfolios and conducted interviews. The E2 Foundation (formerly MESD Foundation) raises money for scholarship awards that will be given to each finalist. Students awarded in each category receive $1,500 for first place, $1,000 for second place and $750 for third place. Finalists are awarded $500.
Here is a list of the 2008 Academic All-Stars from David Douglas and Parkrose and the categories in which they competed:
Victor Dang and Viktoriya Galuza, both of David Douglas, were finalists in the all-around category.
Melody Li, David Douglas, earned the second-place award for computer technology.
Melina Hergic of Parkrose and Michelle Lei of David Douglas were named foreign language finalists.
Cassandra Turcotte, David Douglas, was second in the language arts category. She also received a Judge’s Special Commendation Award. Vivian Ngo of Parkrose was a language arts finalist.
Holly Ho, Parkrose, earned a scholarship as a mathematics finalist.
David Douglas performing arts students Yuqing Kou, Nicole Skau and Kashia Wolfe were finalists in that category.
Science finalist honors went to Stephen Lam and Linda Nguyen of David Douglas.
Stanley Moy of David Douglas was second in social science. Carmen Avram of Parkrose was a finalist.
In the visual arts category Caiyan Su, David Douglas, earned second place. Serenity Turner of Parkrose was a finalist.
Student biographies can be found at www.mesd.k12.or.us/comm/2008AAS.pdf.
Gateway Elks select Teenager of the Year
Gateway Elks Lodge #2411 has named Maddison Rose Stapleton of David Douglas High School its 2008 Teenager of the Year.
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| Maddison Rose Stapleton, Gateway Elks Teenager of the Year and 2008 David Douglas High graduate. |
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Stapleton is a senior at David Douglas High School with a 3.85 grade point average. She is the daughter of Thom and Ronda Stapleton. In addition to maintaining outstanding grades, she is involved in school athletics as well as Campfire USA and is noted for her artistic abilities.
Along with her academic excellence, Stapleton has had perfect attendance every year since the third grade. She merited the Presidential Academic Achievement Award in sixth and eighth grades and was the March 2007 David Douglas Student of the Month. She has earned a varsity letter in each year of high school and has won several track and field awards, including Athlete of the Meet in ninth and 11th grades, Outstanding Freshman Athlete and 2007 district champion in pole vault. In ninth grade, she was also a member of the Dream Club, which raises money for charities such as Doernbecher Children’s Hospital and the Oregon Food Bank. She is also a member of the American Sign Language Club.
Outside of school, Stapleton is devoted to Campfire USA. She started during second grade and has been involved ever since. She was number one in candy sales in the Portland area from 1998 to 2004 and second in the nation in 2001. Most recently, Stapleton has volunteered at Camp Namanu, near Sandy. Last year, she graduated from the counselor-in-training program, which requires seven weeks of training over two summers.
Stapleton is also noted for her artwork. She was a finalist in the AK Media, Earth Day Art Contest in 1997, won the Child Magazine art contest in 1995 and won the Art Media Valentine’s Day Art Contest twice — in 1995 and 1996. She designs logos for the clubs and teams to which she belongs and helped design T-shirts and a plaque for her group at Camp Namanu. Additionally, Stapleton designs, paints and races soapbox derby cars.
Since winning Gateway Elks Lodge’s Teenager of the Month Award in October, Stapleton was part of the David Douglas Rose Festival court. In addition, she has won yet another art contest — The Run for the Arts T-shirt Design Contest. She has also earned a partial scholarship and has been accepted at Eastern Oregon University.
As Teenager of the Year, Stapleton and her family were guests of the lodge, where she and her parents were treated to dinner during the lodge’s Teen Week festivities. She was presented a plaque, a certificate from the Elks Grand Lodge and a $500 U.S. savings bond.
Nomination forms for Gateway Elks Teenager of the Month award may be found at www.gatewayelks.com. The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks sponsors the Teenager of the Month program in order to focus public attention on outstanding youth within our local community. The Teenager of the Month committee chooses from candidates based on several factors such as academics, school and civic involvement, sports and other notable, positive activities. The successful candidate will excel in multiple areas and be a student at one of the local Gateway area high schools.
David Douglas announces new positions, promotions
To meet the expanding needs of a rapidly growing student enrollment, the David Douglas School District 2008-09 general fund budget proposes an increase of 50 licensed educators to better serve students. Included in that increase are two new district office positions: assistant superintendent for elementary schools and assistant superintendent for secondary schools.
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| Candy Wallace, a 16-year David Douglas School District employee will move from the principal's office at Earl Boyles Elementary to become the district assistant superintendent for elementary schools. | |
Natalie Osburn, Alice Ott Middle School principal, has been selected as the new David Douglas school district assistant superintendent for secondary schools. |
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| John Bier, assistant principal at David Douglas will replace retiring Principal Randy Hutchinson. | ||
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A committee of representatives from staff and the community has interviewed interested applicants for these positions. After meeting with a large group of qualified and committed candidates, selections have been made.
Candy Wallace, principal at Earl Boyles Elementary, has accepted the assistant superintendent for elementary schools position. Wallace has worked in David Douglas for 16 years, serving as a teacher and reading specialist at Ventura Park Elementary and as the district technology coordinator and administrative intern at Lincoln Park Elementary.
Alice Ott Middle School Principal Natalie Osburn will become the assistant superintendent for secondary schools. Osburn has also worked in David Douglas for 16 years, serving as a teacher at the high school, special programs department chair, credit retrieval coordinator and assistant principal at Alice Ott Middle School. She taught at Central Catholic for three years and Marshall High School for one year prior to joining David Douglas. Osburn has earned a doctorate in education from Lewis & Clark College.
John Bier, assistant principal at the high school, will move into the principal's office. He has worked in David Douglas for 18 years, serving as a teacher, natural resources CAM leader and attendance coordinator. He taught at Molalla Union High School and Crook County High School for four years before joining David Douglas.
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