North Clark County & Woodland
Yacolt: DJ Miles was up in that other Vancouver last month, attending the Olympic Games with her two brothers-in-law, Dave Tomastik and Scott Miles. (“Our respective spouses didn’t wish to join us,” she said.) She witnessed many of the highlights, she said, from speed skaters Apolo Ohno and J.R. Celski winning silver and bronze to Nate Holland tumbling and Seth Westcott winning gold in the snowboard cross. “I saw Shaun White receive his gold medal for that amazing run in half pipe and looked on as U.S.A. beat Norway in hockey 6-1,” she said. It was all memorable and the setting was beautiful, she said, but the best part was the people. Waiting in line isn’t so bad, she said, when you can strike up conversations with folks from the Czech Republic and Azerbaijan. “Smiles and friendliness were the order of the day, and I witnessed Olympic spirit everywhere I went,” she said. “If only our political world held the Olympic spirit in their hearts every day.”
Amboy: North Clark County residents and members of the North Clark Historical Museum saved the day when they agreed to join the judging pool of the Regional History Day Contest, held Feb. 20 at Washington State University Vancouver. About 288 students from 10 local schools submitted exhibits, documentaries, essays and performances on local history. The top entries will compete in the state contest at Bellevue College on May 1.
Ridgefield & Fairgrounds
Fairgrounds: Pleasant View Church of the Nazarene has run Sunday school the traditional way for years. Teachers and leaders preached to kids, told them Bible stories and tried to grab their attention with games and decorations. Everything changed when the church took note that kids weren’t retaining what they learned or looking forward to coming to church every week. The church started a program called “Big City Studios” this year; it lets kids act out parts of the Bible, play a game show called “Shout it Out,” participate in memory verse games and watch skits. Kids earn “Big City Buks” for bringing their Bible, answering review questions, remembering the memory verse, bringing a friend, going to Sunday School and completing their fun facts. They deposit their money in the Big City Bank and can visit the Big City Store once a month to purchase items of their choice. Parents have noticed that their kids are retaining what they are learning and are excited about coming to church each week.
Battle Ground, Meadow Glade & Hockinson
Battle Ground: Local historians Louise Tucker and Orville Stout received 2010 Community Citizen Awards at the North Clark Historical Museum’s 22nd annual membership meeting Feb. 20. Tucker wrote the popular historical reference book “Battle Ground In and Around.” Stout, a former Yacolt teacher and principal, produced a book and DVD titled “History of Yacolt,” which was compiled from student interviews of longtime Yacolt residents. Stout also donated a collection of local materials to be included in the museum archives. Both recipients were praised for their contribution to the preservation of local history. The framed award drawing of the church/museum was done by Michael Allen of Battle Ground.