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Spotlight:
;00on re-tools at OCS for a new career
.y REBECCA WELLS
edt ,,, .
ft working in a field where people
.--ave a fighting chance at chang-
1 n
r g for the better is where Ron
VChilders hopes to be heading.
. ere would he find such poten
)1 •
nlally rewarding outcomes from a
vtOb? For him, it's in juvenile pro-
]Dallon.
He ran West Bay Auto Parts in
-yort Orchard and similar stores
Iun •
tll he encountered some medi-
Cal problems, which cornered him
into finding a new line of work.
on is back in college now, study-
iItng for his new career.
tw His college career initially be-
klm back in 1982, when he took a
"=lb w basic courses at a community
lnlollege in Long Beach, .California.
3ast-forward to the present and
idon has progressed much further
hby completing a year and a half
lnibf full-time studies at Olympic
tiollege Shelton. He has lived in
ndVlason County for the past seven
ears and is enrolled in a criminal
Lttustice class for the summer term.
, € This course of study involves
neebout half a dozen required class-
.es, including criminal law, the
th$ociology of corrections, juvenile
ldelinquency and police adminis-
'hration, plus some related math
d {and science classes.
SO FAR, RON has been very
.mpressed with the education
ae's received at OCS. "The faculty
-nere, they go the extra mile for
[v erybody and anybody. It doesn't
Inave to be something that they're
Leaching for them to help you with
00e00eyll help you with anything
Y can - and that starts with
Kim and goes all the way down,"
he says, referring to Kim McNa-
mara, the college director.
00outh center
_}olks to serve
00gummer food
" Th
. e SOCK Youth Center on
m'ranklin Street in downtown Shel-
El,on will be hosting the Simplified
Ummer Food Program for Chil-
l |ten. Meals will be made avail-
lble at no charge to people ages 18
| ears and younger.
[I Dinner is available to all attents
[ [ng youth during the Friday Nigh
[ SOCK Program, and lunch is
tvailable to youth enrolled in the
[ [Ummer @ @ SOCK Program. The
[ mmer SOCK Program is full
tt this time, but interested parties
lh an register on the waiting list.
Meals will be served a the
elton Transit and Community
enter, 601 West Franklin Street
. Shelton Friday Nights @ SOCK
rogram dates will run from 7 to 8
/.m. on July 6, 13, 20 and August
[, 17, 24, 31. Meal times are 7 to
The Summe, pro-
= meal times will be from noon
-}o I p.m. on dates throughout the
Ummer.
J SOCK stands for Save Our
ounty s Kids. More information
. available from Hannah Franks
Y.e-mail at: hannah@sock.org
mr by telephone at at 432-0842.
SEATED IN HIS Olympic College Shelton office is Ron
Childers, vice president of the associated student body.
Not only is Ron a student at
Olympic College, he's also vice
president of the associated student
body there. "Being on a small cam-
pus like this is great! I don't know
if I'd want the job up in Bremer-
ton," he says.
For the last two years, he has
run unopposed for the elected of-
rice, which is a paid, part-time
position worth 15 hours per week.
"You know, I feel if there's some
money there, you might as well
spend it on having some fun," Ron
considers.
He's enjoying his role in stu-
dent government. He's helped co-
ordinate two food drives, a blood
drive and a breakfast for 50 grad-
uates from the Shelton branch.
The associated student body also
organized a Halloween costume
contest and a drawing for a Val-
entine's dinner for two, catered by
Vern's Restaurant.
RECENT ACTMTIES have
also included coordinating an
Earth Day event and a health
fair on campus. He also joined
college personnel in representing
the campus at the Shelton-Mason
County Chamber of Commerce's
Bite of Shelton/Business Expo in
May.
Ron had a hand in presenting
the new We 2 Lecture Series and
a roundtable discussion of envi-
ronmental issues, featuring Tim
Sheldon, the state senator and
county commissioner, as well as
representatives of the real-estate
industry.
"Everybody I talked to since
I've seen them said they wanted
to do the round-table again," Ron
says enthusiastically. He's al-
ready working on planning next
year's round-table discussion, this
one focused on music. "It's going
to be interesting," he adds.
One of the planks in his plat-
form as vice president has to do
with promoting the various schol-
arships available for students at
the college. Every quarter the as-
your 00lic library
Be a detective. Find out what a¢tivities
your library is offering this summer.
) To find your local library visit www.libraries.wa.gov
0 WASHINGTON STATE U|ILI
sociated Student Body awards six
scholarships• Last year only five
students even applied for them,
leaving one unclaimed so the fol-
lowing quarter the college tacked
it on and offered seven scholar-
ships, while encouraging students
to look into these very available
opportunities. The effort paid off
and there were 19 applicants.
ADDITIONALLY, Ron serves
on a college panel which serves as
a sounding board for the college
president and the trustees. He also
participates on the Environmental
Task Force and the Washington
Wellness Works Committee.
Due to his disability, he receives
financial aid from the Social Secu-
rity Administration. While therapy
he received at Harborview Medical
Center helped treat his chronic fa-
tigue and get him back on his feet,
Ron still is dealing with the effects
of carpal-tunnel syndrome and fi-
bromyalgia.
Thanks to the series of voice-
activated typing courses offered at
the college, which have been his
favorite to this point, his physical
limitations haven't held him back
academically.
"Voice-activated typing is great
because I can speak a lot faster
than I can type," Ron says. This
particular technology doesn't stop
at simply typing, but incorporates
word processing and spreadsheets
with other voice-activated pro-
grams which allow him to do most
of his homework.
WHAT'S SURPRISED him
most about going back to college
has been the broad spectrum of
ages he's come across in the stu-
dents. "We have a lot of adult stu-
dents here and a lot of Running
Start, so it's a variety. And watch-
ing them interact on campus is re-
ally neat and cool," he says.
His wife JoAnne is also study-
ing at the college and preparing
to graduate with an associate's
degree in office management. She
works as a technician in the inter-
active program on campus, setting
up classrooms where professors
teach in one place and broadcast
live lectures into other class-
rooms. "It works really well," Ron
says proudly. "Because that way
we can get a lot more classes down
here, too."
Along with this interactive-tele-
vision program, the college also
provides prerecorded telecourses
and classes over the Internet. Ron
has taken all three. One of his
most important lessons has just
been learning techniques on how
to study.
He and JoAnne have a 15-year-
old son, Andrew, plus four other
children from previous marriages.
What do their children think of
the parents going to college?
"THEY THINK it's great," Ron
says. He is set to graduate from
Olympic College next spring. From
there, he's looking into transfer-
ring to either Saint Martin's Uni-
versity in Lacey or Boise State
University in Idaho to continue
his studies in juvenile parole.
Ron is taking all of the factors
into account in order to keep his
education a top priority. Boise
draws him because some of his
friends have moved there and
want him to join them. "They're
giving me quite a few openings
over there," he says.
Alpine Way thanks its
residents who have
l
supported freedom and
independence for our country
by serving in the military,
raising strong families,
working in our communities
and supporting our nation in
more than we can count.
ALPm WAY
RETIREMENT APARTMENTS,
ASSISTED LIVING AND
ALZHEIMER'S SPECIAL CARE
(360) 426-2600
900 West Alpine Way. Shelton
Thursday, July 5, 2007 - Shelton-Mason County Journal - Page 15
Spotlight:
;00on re-tools at OCS for a new career
.y REBECCA WELLS
edt ,,, .
ft working in a field where people
.--ave a fighting chance at chang-
1 n
r g for the better is where Ron
VChilders hopes to be heading.
. ere would he find such poten
)1 •
nlally rewarding outcomes from a
vtOb? For him, it's in juvenile pro-
]Dallon.
He ran West Bay Auto Parts in
-yort Orchard and similar stores
Iun •
tll he encountered some medi-
Cal problems, which cornered him
into finding a new line of work.
on is back in college now, study-
iItng for his new career.
tw His college career initially be-
klm back in 1982, when he took a
"=lb w basic courses at a community
lnlollege in Long Beach, .California.
3ast-forward to the present and
idon has progressed much further
hby completing a year and a half
lnibf full-time studies at Olympic
tiollege Shelton. He has lived in
ndVlason County for the past seven
ears and is enrolled in a criminal
Lttustice class for the summer term.
, € This course of study involves
neebout half a dozen required class-
.es, including criminal law, the
th$ociology of corrections, juvenile
ldelinquency and police adminis-
'hration, plus some related math
d {and science classes.
SO FAR, RON has been very
.mpressed with the education
ae's received at OCS. "The faculty
-nere, they go the extra mile for
[v erybody and anybody. It doesn't
Inave to be something that they're
Leaching for them to help you with
00e00eyll help you with anything
Y can - and that starts with
Kim and goes all the way down,"
he says, referring to Kim McNa-
mara, the college director.
00outh center
_}olks to serve
00gummer food
" Th
. e SOCK Youth Center on
m'ranklin Street in downtown Shel-
El,on will be hosting the Simplified
Ummer Food Program for Chil-
l |ten. Meals will be made avail-
lble at no charge to people ages 18
| ears and younger.
[I Dinner is available to all attents
[[ng youth during the Friday Nigh
[ SOCK Program, and lunch is
tvailable to youth enrolled in the
[ [Ummer @ @ SOCK Program. The
[ mmer SOCK Program is full
tt this time, but interested parties
lh an register on the waiting list.
Meals will be served a the
elton Transit and Community
enter, 601 West Franklin Street
. Shelton Friday Nights @ SOCK
rogram dates will run from 7 to 8
/.m. on July 6, 13, 20 and August
[, 17, 24, 31. Meal times are 7 to
The Summe, pro-
= meal times will be from noon
-}o I p.m. on dates throughout the
Ummer.
J SOCK stands for Save Our
ounty s Kids. More information
. available from Hannah Franks
Y.e-mail at: hannah@sock.org
mr by telephone at at 432-0842.
SEATED IN HIS Olympic College Shelton office is Ron
Childers, vice president of the associated student body.
Not only is Ron a student at
Olympic College, he's also vice
president of the associated student
body there. "Being on a small cam-
pus like this is great! I don't know
if I'd want the job up in Bremer-
ton," he says.
For the last two years, he has
run unopposed for the elected of-
rice, which is a paid, part-time
position worth 15 hours per week.
"You know, I feel if there's some
money there, you might as well
spend it on having some fun," Ron
considers.
He's enjoying his role in stu-
dent government. He's helped co-
ordinate two food drives, a blood
drive and a breakfast for 50 grad-
uates from the Shelton branch.
The associated student body also
organized a Halloween costume
contest and a drawing for a Val-
entine's dinner for two, catered by
Vern's Restaurant.
RECENT ACTMTIES have
also included coordinating an
Earth Day event and a health
fair on campus. He also joined
college personnel in representing
the campus at the Shelton-Mason
County Chamber of Commerce's
Bite of Shelton/Business Expo in
May.
Ron had a hand in presenting
the new We 2 Lecture Series and
a roundtable discussion of envi-
ronmental issues, featuring Tim
Sheldon, the state senator and
county commissioner, as well as
representatives of the real-estate
industry.
"Everybody I talked to since
I've seen them said they wanted
to do the round-table again," Ron
says enthusiastically. He's al-
ready working on planning next
year's round-table discussion, this
one focused on music. "It's going
to be interesting," he adds.
One of the planks in his plat-
form as vice president has to do
with promoting the various schol-
arships available for students at
the college. Every quarter the as-
your 00lic library
Be a detective. Find out what a¢tivities
your library is offering this summer.
) To find your local library visit www.libraries.wa.gov
0 WASHINGTON STATE U|ILI
sociated Student Body awards six
scholarships• Last year only five
students even applied for them,
leaving one unclaimed so the fol-
lowing quarter the college tacked
it on and offered seven scholar-
ships, while encouraging students
to look into these very available
opportunities. The effort paid off
and there were 19 applicants.
ADDITIONALLY, Ron serves
on a college panel which serves as
a sounding board for the college
president and the trustees. He also
participates on the Environmental
Task Force and the Washington
Wellness Works Committee.
Due to his disability, he receives
financial aid from the Social Secu-
rity Administration. While therapy
he received at Harborview Medical
Center helped treat his chronic fa-
tigue and get him back on his feet,
Ron still is dealing with the effects
of carpal-tunnel syndrome and fi-
bromyalgia.
Thanks to the series of voice-
activated typing courses offered at
the college, which have been his
favorite to this point, his physical
limitations haven't held him back
academically.
"Voice-activated typing is great
because I can speak a lot faster
than I can type," Ron says. This
particular technology doesn't stop
at simply typing, but incorporates
word processing and spreadsheets
with other voice-activated pro-
grams which allow him to do most
of his homework.
WHAT'S SURPRISED him
most about going back to college
has been the broad spectrum of
ages he's come across in the stu-
dents. "We have a lot of adult stu-
dents here and a lot of Running
Start, so it's a variety. And watch-
ing them interact on campus is re-
ally neat and cool," he says.
His wife JoAnne is also study-
ing at the college and preparing
to graduate with an associate's
degree in office management. She
works as a technician in the inter-
active program on campus, setting
up classrooms where professors
teach in one place and broadcast
live lectures into other class-
rooms. "It works really well," Ron
says proudly. "Because that way
we can get a lot more classes down
here, too."
Along with this interactive-tele-
vision program, the college also
provides prerecorded telecourses
and classes over the Internet. Ron
has taken all three. One of his
most important lessons has just
been learning techniques on how
to study.
He and JoAnne have a 15-year-
old son, Andrew, plus four other
children from previous marriages.
What do their children think of
the parents going to college?
"THEY THINK it's great," Ron
says. He is set to graduate from
Olympic College next spring. From
there, he's looking into transfer-
ring to either Saint Martin's Uni-
versity in Lacey or Boise State
University in Idaho to continue
his studies in juvenile parole.
Ron is taking all of the factors
into account in order to keep his
education a top priority. Boise
draws him because some of his
friends have moved there and
want him to join them. "They're
giving me quite a few openings
over there," he says.
Alpine Way thanks its
residents who have
l
supported freedom and
independence for our country
by serving in the military,
raising strong families,
working in our communities
and supporting our nation in
more than we can count.
ALPm WAY
RETIREMENT APARTMENTS,
ASSISTED LIVING AND
ALZHEIMER'S SPECIAL CARE
(360) 426-2600
900 West Alpine Way. Shelton
Thursday, July 5, 2007 - Shelton-Mason County Journal - Page 15