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Shelton Mason County Journal
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July 29, 1999     Shelton Mason County Journal
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July 29, 1999
 
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Jammin' 'Company offers glimpse at business world By JUAN PABLO Making jam is not the only goal of the Boys and Girls Club- sponsored Jammin' Comp.any. Learning about life and the busi- ness world are also important goals for the young adult training Program. The first Jammin' Company was Started six years ago in Napa Valley, California. It too was Sponsored by the local Boys and Girls Club. loth Jammin' Companys have the Same tie: namely, Dave Ison, the CUrrent director of the Boys and Girls Club of Mason County. "After the North Mason Boys and Girls Club boa:dseeob:leS witnessed the succ Napa.Jammin, Company, they Were excited to get a similar proj- ect stared,- said Ison. The Jammin' Company is set p to help young motivated peo- la, so.rn, e with special needs. J mrnin Company provides stu- dents with workplace skills. In apa Valley, the program has caeP ed more than 150 youths. Lo- ;Y, a dozen young adults are rIcipating in the program. j_ne Mason County version of ammin, • Comoanv receives assis- tance from Mason County Youth t r.ograrns and the Pacific Moun- n Private Industry. Together rn] :, ae guidance of Marcia Ha- a", °n and Dave Ison of the Boys aa Girls Club, the Jammin' °rnPany officially opened for °Usiness on July 1. ACCORDING TO Hamilton, nnin, Company is a result of a ergence of community sup- ca he program has a school-to- reef format, meaning the YOuths will work for wages and receive school credit. n The wages for the Jammin' °Pany workers are provided oy the Job Training Partnership BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF MASON COUNTY Act (JTPA). JTPA will pay the wages for up to 220 hours of work training. For every 135 hours of work the students do they will earn one high school credit. HAMILTON, THE Jammin' Company Director, said that "Some of these kids are working for high school credit and some of them are just working for the money." Nathan Hanson, 17, a North Mason High School student, is working for both money and high school credit. "I think it is a great opportunity to work in a real working environment," Hanson said. "I would also like to eventu- ally join the military." Mike Jacobsen of Allyn, who's a senior at North Mason High School said, "I think it's exciting to know that I am helping start a real business." One of his goals is to save up for a car and start driving. In addition to local funding re- ceived, the North Mason Cham- ber of Commerce is offering a $1,250 scholarship to a Jammin' Company student. One of the first major efforts of the Jammin' Company is a coun- ty-wide jar drive. This will be Jammin' Company's first adver- tising project. Jammin' Company will be collecting 2,000 four- and eight-ounce Kerr or Ball jars and Potluck today The community is invited to the Jammin' Company kick-off party today, Thurs- day, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., on Stretch Island. Jammin' Company Direc- tor Marcia Hamilton says this is a potluck-style party, so please bring a dish to share. Members of the Boys and Girls Club-sponsored Jammin' Company will be on hand to explain about the program. The Jammin' Company site is just off of Grapeview Loop Road oh Stretch Is- land. OTPA provides Youth training By JUAIN PABLO They will pick fruit from their The Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) has been serving Ma- son County for 14 years. JTPA is a nationwide, federally funded PrOgram that provides wages for 2hP to 150 hours of work trainin . e..Program is open to youths 1 g" ao meet specific guidelines. - Ccording to Mark Kennedy, Jnployment and Training Spe alist with Mason Cou,,¢,Youth frograms, explains that'thJere are o programs available through TPA. A summer internship that runs from June through August; and a year-round internship from September to May The latter is Only available on a one-time basis While the summer internship is Open every SUmmer as long as the individuals qualify. "The JTPA program will re Vide fu P " I_ .nds for various services, ,'.',e.childcare,,, says Kennedy. .Anci, depending on the circum- stances, it may also provide tem- POrary shelter if needed The sPr°gra_ m also covers an L&I m ur,m . Y " ..... ce benefits if particivants -'¢ hurt while on the job. - JUST RECENTLY JTPA be gan w-,-. .- ' " Corn :lng with the Jammin' ny'eaY. "The Jammin' Comps- li^ "V  provide a real business- Marc:'°sphere for kids," says , " rlamilton, Jammin' Com- Pany director. hiI :ddition, English and math b " aool credits may be earned Y Working at the Jammin' Com- atY' The "company," says Ha- --, Is strictly run by kids. one-acre vineyard allotted them from a Stretch Island family, cook the fruit into jam, create labels and then market the finished pro- duct. "JTPA provides funds for each participant's food handler's per- mit, protective clothes, and pay for wages of up to 220 hours," says Hamilton. One participant, Melissa Had- win, says of the venture, "This year our goal is to produce and market 2,000 jars of jam." IN RECENT YEARS, JTPA has provided a formidable train- ing ground for local youth. For ex- ample, in 1995 Ramiro Camacho Jr. of Belfair, successfully com- pleted a JTPA summer internship at the Morale, Welfare, and Rec- reation Department at the Ban- gor Auto Hobby Shop. After com- pleting his internship, he applied for the mechanic's job and was hired full time. He's now been working at Bangor for four years. In Mason County there are 70 youths working with the JTPA program. Kennedy says that 13 youths are currently working with the Jammin' Company while seven others are working in vari- ous businesses in the Belfair area. "It's good to see more pri- vate businesses aware of our pro- gram," says Kennedy. JTPA of Mason County is oper- ated by the Educational Service District #113. The funds are ad- mitted locally through the Pacific Mountain Private Industry Coun- cil and Job Training Consortium. NM United Methodist holds ground breaking inA_l°ng'awaited groundbreak- S.  ceremony will be held this e y, August 1, at noon, for jni ers of the North Mason A'cc .ethodist Church. ini°rchng to the church's ad- li-- rative il chairman ob Ha- counc afte, ger, members will gather cle" regular services at the d. ec[, 2V2 acre parcel north of :-"OWn Belfair on Highway 3 "This has been a long process," said Hager. Building a church on the grounds has been the goal of the congregation since it acquired the property in 1993 from the Overton family. The new church will measure 7,000 square feet and accom- modate 220. Other amenities in- clude a fellowship hall, kitchen, daylight basement and office space. r Serving Belfair -- Allyn -- Grapeview -- Tahuya -- Mason Lake -- South Shore -- Victor 00,Thursday, July 29, 1999 Section of the Shelton-Mason County Journal00 lids, which will eventually be used for the canning of fruit. THE BUSINESS aspects of Jammin' Company include har- vesting fruit, crushing and press- ing the fruit into jam, designing labels, and marketing and selling the product. In addition to mak- ing jam, Jammin' Company re- cently started making wreaths out of overgrown grape vines, that were gathered from restoring the vineyard. The Jammin' Company pro- gram is a three year pilot, so not all of the youths will be doing the same job. The first year students will be working on restoring a one-acre Concord grape vineyard, provided by Bob Allen. The vine- yard is located on Stretch Island and has been abandoned since 1965. The students will learn about restoring and planting vineyards, using pesticides, business man- agement techniques, and comput-. er graphics. Allen, the owner of the grape vineyard said, "Every one of these kids here has a spe- cial spark of interest, and I think they will have a leg up on any other high-school graduate." He added, "I hope to be working with Jammin' Company for years to come." Grapeview Water Festival this weekend The seventh annual Grapeview Water Festival is scheduled for Saturday, July 31, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The 1999 T-shirt sales will begin at 10 a.m. Children's activi- ties, including the fishing derby, dinghy race and wooden boat show will be from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. A silent auction will take place from noon to 4 p.m., as will the hole-in-one contest, aiming at a floating hole in the bay. A full sal- mon dinner will be offered for sale, or hot dogs and soda pop for those who prefer. Singer and gui- tar player Carl Williquette will add live music. Mason Transit will provide free shuttle service from noon to 5 p.m. to the Maritime Museum on Stretch Island, if you'd like to check it out. The Grapeview Community Club will receive all proceeds from the festival. The action is at the Fair Harbor Marina in down- town Grapeview. Summer school goes online program is accessed via the Inter- net, the both educational and technical consultants may be any- where they can hook in by com- puter. As one student had a computer problem the teacher couldn't im- mediately resolve, Taylor was able to get online with someone who could offer suggestions, and the problem was easily overcome. Because the teacher is a self-de- scribed "tekkie," he can usually take care of these problems on his own. However, there are some quirky things that come up, like when a student types in a correct answer, but the specific form the system is looking for is different. For example, the "2" in H20 (the scientific notation for "water") has to be superscripted, and the stu- dent failed to enter it in that manner. By LINDA THOMSON One day in late July there were 10 students who were each work- ing diligently at separate comput- ers in the North Mason School District's alternative classroom. Teacher Jim Taylor was monitor- ing the students, and giving as- sistance as needed. "Most of the kids are making good progress," the teacher indicated. Because each one was working online, they were all working on different lessons, and even on various subjects. Of those en- rolled, several are ninth-grade English students, two are study- ing tenth-grade English, one biol- ogy, two earth science, one health, and one world history. The school district subscribes to NovaNET, the long-distance learning network, at a cost of $25,000 per year. Taylor is the first teacher to use it in North Mason, and is very excited about the curriculum. "It's a deep pro- gram," he said. There are 6,000 hours worth of studies in the sys- tem now, with the possibility of more being added. Taylor hopes the system will be used by a di- verse level of students nearly 'round the clock. SUBJECTS INCLUDE such diverse topics as aviation, medical and dental, calculus, spelling, li- brary skills, automotive tech, key- boarding, preparation for college entry tests, marketing and sales, and even English as a second lan- guage. And those are a small sample of what is currently avail- able in the system. Subjects range from the grade-one level on beyond high school. The NovaNET company is based in Arizona, but the educa- tional center is in Champaign, Il- linois. That is where all the files on students are kept, as well as the curriculum itself. Because the MORE OFTEN, the student needs educational help, and Taylor is more than capable, as an experienced teacher, having started in the district in 1973. He is back on the North Mason cam- pus after several years of teach- ing at the Mission Creek Youth Camp. The students studying with Taylor this summer are nearly all making up high-school credit, having failed a course during the previous school year. One boy in- dicated that with Taylor's tutor- ing, he now understands subjects and verbs, so he is able to do his grammar and writing assign- ments with the computer more easily. Several students indicated they like working at their own pace. That can't be too slow, how- ever. Taylor can see each comput- er screen in the room, and if a kids is playing solitaire, he'll ask TEACHER JIM TAYLOR gives assistance to Bryon Ack- erman for his English course in summer school. if their assignment is done. A brief break is okay, but dodging work is not acceptable. One girl is studying science, in- cluding stars, planets, and her fa- vorite, nebulas. She had a "cool picture" of a nebula in her com- puter she would use as an illus- tration on a paper she was writ- ing. Taylor said the system can access photo images from the Hubbell space telescope. THE COMPUTER system does not replace teachers, although at least one student would like to see it do so. It is de- signed to be interactive, not only with the students, but with the teacher's presence, expertise, and other teaching materials. The teacher's computer shows him the entire record of lessons done by each student. That in- cludes each attempt at tests, how long that took, and what score was achieved. Since it is based on mastery learning (80 percent must be achieved to move on), af- ter two tries at not making that, the student's computer monitor will refer him or her to Taylor for help. Lessons build one upon anoth- er, so students cannot move ahead until they master the as- signments one by one. "I don't always comprehend what a teacher tells me," said one boy in the class, explaining why he did not do well in school. "But this way, I can read it for myself. .... Most indicated they appreciated the style of learning afforded them via computer, and with Taylor after them to keep on task, they were making good use of their summer courses. However, most also pledged to buckle down and work hard next school year so summertime 2000 can be spent on more leisurely ac- tivities. Food bank needs donations meeting we learned that just for the month of June the food bank provided food for 1,400 plus fami- lies. This translates to 4,600 fam- ily members. Of this number, more than 2,000 were children. Included in these numbers: 100 families were either new families and/or fami- lies who had not needed food bank services yet this year. Last month at the Belfair Sum- merfest, the food bank held a raf- fle to try to raise a few dollars to By BEY WESTON The North Mason Food Bank is now operating under the director- ship of long-time food bank volun- teer Dorothy Wilkins of Belfair. She is assisted by another long- time food bank volunteer, Ann Kiehn, also of Belfair. Things are moving along very smoothly, except for the fact that at this time of year donations are very low and clientele is much in- creased. At our recent board Lions Club raises $3,000 proceeds from the raffle went to scholarships for four North Ma- son High School graduates. Students receiving the Lions- sponsored $500 scholarships in- cluded: April Allen, Ted Blahm, Wes McDaniel, and Robert De- Veny. which helps sell tickets. The raf- fle sales culminate with a draw- ing at Allyn Days. NOT ONLY ARE the Desem- ples happy about winning the garden arbor, everyone who pur- chased a raffle ticket can feel a sense of pride. A portion of the DENNIS DESEMPLE, at left, is all smiles as he receives a congratulatory handshake from North Mason Lions representative George Chessum. Desemple was the lucky winner of the garden arbor shown here. It was raf- fled off at the Allyn Days Festival. Also looking on is Bob Hayton and Margaret Chessum. After more than 3,000 ticket sales throughout Mason and Kit- sap Counties, the North Mason Lions Club held a drawing to give away its garden arbor to one lucky recipient. Dennis and Deanna Desemple of Port Gamble were the lucky re- cipients in the drawing held at the recent Allyn Days festival. "I've never won anything in my life," said a happy Dennis Desem- ple. HELD FOR THE eighth year now, the annual North Mason Lions arbor sale is one of the civic organization's major fund-raisers for the year. According to Lions Club spokesman George Ches- sum, the group also holds several pancake breakfasts and a pecan sale to bolster its operating fund. With raffle tickets sold at $1 apiece, the North Mason Lions Club netted more than $3,000 in profits from its garden arbor raf- fle. "We've sold raffle tickets all over Kitsap and Mason Counties," said Chessum. He explained that each year Lions Club members begin in the spring by building a new arbor. They officially kick off the raffle campaign at Grapeview Day, held in early May. Then the group transports the brand-new arbor to stores, fairs, and other public gathering places around the area for display, help buy supplies. We thank the many donors and congratulate the individual prize winners. The North Mason Food Bank is wishing for a Christmas in July (or Augustl). We are in great need of food and donations of money, besides your large brown grocery bags and the cash register re- ceipts from the Belfair QFC. We are also in hopes of increas- ing the number of volunteers, as the few we have are more than busy. If you have a healthy back and some time to share, we would love to,hear from you. Even if you are not physically strong, we cer- tainly have areas where we can use your help and would be de- lighted to hear from you. There are a lot of less strenuous jobs that need to be done too. The food bank hours are Mon- days and Wednesdays, 10 a.m. till noon, and Thursdays from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. The food bank is located ., at 22471 Highway 3, and mailing address is P.O. Box 421, Belfair, 98528. The telephone number is 275-4615. If you would like to come by for a visit and see our operation in action, you are welcome on any of the above days and times. Empty Bowl project raises money The Empty Bowl project was The unsold bowls have been brought to North Mason jointly donated to Harmony Hill of by the Women's Forum and the Union for the Wellness Festival to North Mason High School ceram- be held there on Saturday, Au- ics class taught by Albert Van gust 21, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Troba. From this collaborative ef- The bowls will be placed in the fort, the North Mason Food Bank silent auction. has received a donation of $740. Several community members took advantage of the opportunity for a delicious bowl of homemade soup from one of three business- es, the Allyn Inn, the Old Clifton Deli and Bear Creek Country Store. Customers not only had a hearty bowl of soup, but got to keep the bowl, made and painted by the students and women. The $10 price was all donated to the food bank, thereby nourishing others in the community. According to Joni Cagwin of the Women's Forum, the students really enjoyed this opportunity to work together as a group, rather than in isolation. They were also gratified to be able to donate to a SOUP BOWLS like the one worthy cause using their newly . learned skills. The women, from pctured brought in $740 for the North Mason Food North Mason and Kitsap coun- ties, felt the same way. "This Bank in a recent project group effort was fun and unique," conducted in the commu- Cagwin said. nity. Jammin' 'Company offers glimpse at business world By JUAN PABLO Making jam is not the only goal of the Boys and Girls Club- sponsored Jammin' Comp.any. Learning about life and the busi- ness world are also important goals for the young adult training Program. The first Jammin' Company was Started six years ago in Napa Valley, California. It too was Sponsored by the local Boys and Girls Club. loth Jammin' Companys have the Same tie: namely, Dave Ison, the CUrrent director of the Boys and Girls Club of Mason County. "After the North Mason Boys and Girls Club boa:dseeob:leS witnessed the succ Napa.Jammin, Company, they Were excited to get a similar proj- ect stared,- said Ison. The Jammin' Company is set p to help young motivated peo- la, so.rn, e with special needs. J mrnin Company provides stu- dents with workplace skills. In apa Valley, the program has caeP ed more than 150 youths. Lo- ;Y, a dozen young adults are rIcipating in the program. j_ne Mason County version of ammin, • Comoanv receives assis- tance from Mason County Youth t r.ograrns and the Pacific Moun- n Private Industry. Together rn] :, ae guidance of Marcia Ha- a", °n and Dave Ison of the Boys aa Girls Club, the Jammin' °rnPany officially opened for °Usiness on July 1. ACCORDING TO Hamilton, nnin, Company is a result of a ergence of community sup- ca he program has a school-to- reef format, meaning the YOuths will work for wages and receive school credit. n The wages for the Jammin' °Pany workers are provided oy the Job Training Partnership BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF MASON COUNTY Act (JTPA). JTPA will pay the wages for up to 220 hours of work training. For every 135 hours of work the students do they will earn one high school credit. HAMILTON, THE Jammin' Company Director, said that "Some of these kids are working for high school credit and some of them are just working for the money." Nathan Hanson, 17, a North Mason High School student, is working for both money and high school credit. "I think it is a great opportunity to work in a real working environment," Hanson said. "I would also like to eventu- ally join the military." Mike Jacobsen of Allyn, who's a senior at North Mason High School said, "I think it's exciting to know that I am helping start a real business." One of his goals is to save up for a car and start driving. In addition to local funding re- ceived, the North Mason Cham- ber of Commerce is offering a $1,250 scholarship to a Jammin' Company student. One of the first major efforts of the Jammin' Company is a coun- ty-wide jar drive. This will be Jammin' Company's first adver- tising project. Jammin' Company will be collecting 2,000 four- and eight-ounce Kerr or Ball jars and Potluck today The community is invited to the Jammin' Company kick-off party today, Thurs- day, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., on Stretch Island. Jammin' Company Direc- tor Marcia Hamilton says this is a potluck-style party, so please bring a dish to share. Members of the Boys and Girls Club-sponsored Jammin' Company will be on hand to explain about the program. The Jammin' Company site is just off of Grapeview Loop Road oh Stretch Is- land. OTPA provides Youth training By JUAIN PABLO They will pick fruit from their The Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) has been serving Ma- son County for 14 years. JTPA is a nationwide, federally funded PrOgram that provides wages for 2hP to 150 hours of work trainin . e..Program is open to youths 1 g" ao meet specific guidelines. - Ccording to Mark Kennedy, Jnployment and Training Spe alist with Mason Cou,,¢,Youth frograms, explains that'thJere are o programs available through TPA. A summer internship that runs from June through August; and a year-round internship from September to May The latter is Only available on a one-time basis While the summer internship is Open every SUmmer as long as the individuals qualify. "The JTPA program will re Vide fu P " I_ .nds for various services, ,'.',e.childcare,,, says Kennedy. .Anci, depending on the circum- stances, it may also provide tem- POrary shelter if needed The sPr°gra_ m also covers an L&I m ur,m . Y " ..... ce benefits if particivants -'¢ hurt while on the job. - JUST RECENTLY JTPA be gan w-,-. .- ' " Corn :lng with the Jammin' ny'eaY. "The Jammin' Comps- li^ "V  provide a real business- Marc:'°sphere for kids," says , " rlamilton, Jammin' Com- Pany director. hiI :ddition, English and math b " aool credits may be earned Y Working at the Jammin' Com- atY' The "company," says Ha- --, Is strictly run by kids. one-acre vineyard allotted them from a Stretch Island family, cook the fruit into jam, create labels and then market the finished pro- duct. "JTPA provides funds for each participant's food handler's per- mit, protective clothes, and pay for wages of up to 220 hours," says Hamilton. One participant, Melissa Had- win, says of the venture, "This year our goal is to produce and market 2,000 jars of jam." IN RECENT YEARS, JTPA has provided a formidable train- ing ground for local youth. For ex- ample, in 1995 Ramiro Camacho Jr. of Belfair, successfully com- pleted a JTPA summer internship at the Morale, Welfare, and Rec- reation Department at the Ban- gor Auto Hobby Shop. After com- pleting his internship, he applied for the mechanic's job and was hired full time. He's now been working at Bangor for four years. In Mason County there are 70 youths working with the JTPA program. Kennedy says that 13 youths are currently working with the Jammin' Company while seven others are working in vari- ous businesses in the Belfair area. "It's good to see more pri- vate businesses aware of our pro- gram," says Kennedy. JTPA of Mason County is oper- ated by the Educational Service District #113. The funds are ad- mitted locally through the Pacific Mountain Private Industry Coun- cil and Job Training Consortium. NM United Methodist holds ground breaking inA_l°ng'awaited groundbreak- S.  ceremony will be held this e y, August 1, at noon, for jni ers of the North Mason A'cc .ethodist Church. ini°rchng to the church's ad- li-- rative il chairman ob Ha- counc afte, ger, members will gather cle" regular services at the d. ec[, 2V2 acre parcel north of :-"OWn Belfair on Highway 3 "This has been a long process," said Hager. Building a church on the grounds has been the goal of the congregation since it acquired the property in 1993 from the Overton family. The new church will measure 7,000 square feet and accom- modate 220. Other amenities in- clude a fellowship hall, kitchen, daylight basement and office space. r Serving Belfair -- Allyn -- Grapeview -- Tahuya -- Mason Lake -- South Shore -- Victor 00,Thursday, July 29, 1999 Section of the Shelton-Mason County Journal00 lids, which will eventually be used for the canning of fruit. THE BUSINESS aspects of Jammin' Company include har- vesting fruit, crushing and press- ing the fruit into jam, designing labels, and marketing and selling the product. In addition to mak- ing jam, Jammin' Company re- cently started making wreaths out of overgrown grape vines, that were gathered from restoring the vineyard. The Jammin' Company pro- gram is a three year pilot, so not all of the youths will be doing the same job. The first year students will be working on restoring a one-acre Concord grape vineyard, provided by Bob Allen. The vine- yard is located on Stretch Island and has been abandoned since 1965. The students will learn about restoring and planting vineyards, using pesticides, business man- agement techniques, and comput-. er graphics. Allen, the owner of the grape vineyard said, "Every one of these kids here has a spe- cial spark of interest, and I think they will have a leg up on any other high-school graduate." He added, "I hope to be working with Jammin' Company for years to come." Grapeview Water Festival this weekend The seventh annual Grapeview Water Festival is scheduled for Saturday, July 31, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The 1999 T-shirt sales will begin at 10 a.m. Children's activi- ties, including the fishing derby, dinghy race and wooden boat show will be from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. A silent auction will take place from noon to 4 p.m., as will the hole-in-one contest, aiming at a floating hole in the bay. A full sal- mon dinner will be offered for sale, or hot dogs and soda pop for those who prefer. Singer and gui- tar player Carl Williquette will add live music. Mason Transit will provide free shuttle service from noon to 5 p.m. to the Maritime Museum on Stretch Island, if you'd like to check it out. The Grapeview Community Club will receive all proceeds from the festival. The action is at the Fair Harbor Marina in down- town Grapeview. Summer school goes online program is accessed via the Inter- net, the both educational and technical consultants may be any- where they can hook in by com- puter. As one student had a computer problem the teacher couldn't im- mediately resolve, Taylor was able to get online with someone who could offer suggestions, and the problem was easily overcome. Because the teacher is a self-de- scribed "tekkie," he can usually take care of these problems on his own. However, there are some quirky things that come up, like when a student types in a correct answer, but the specific form the system is looking for is different. For example, the "2" in H20 (the scientific notation for "water") has to be superscripted, and the stu- dent failed to enter it in that manner. By LINDA THOMSON One day in late July there were 10 students who were each work- ing diligently at separate comput- ers in the North Mason School District's alternative classroom. Teacher Jim Taylor was monitor- ing the students, and giving as- sistance as needed. "Most of the kids are making good progress," the teacher indicated. Because each one was working online, they were all working on different lessons, and even on various subjects. Of those en- rolled, several are ninth-grade English students, two are study- ing tenth-grade English, one biol- ogy, two earth science, one health, and one world history. The school district subscribes to NovaNET, the long-distance learning network, at a cost of $25,000 per year. Taylor is the first teacher to use it in North Mason, and is very excited about the curriculum. "It's a deep pro- gram," he said. There are 6,000 hours worth of studies in the sys- tem now, with the possibility of more being added. Taylor hopes the system will be used by a di- verse level of students nearly 'round the clock. SUBJECTS INCLUDE such diverse topics as aviation, medical and dental, calculus, spelling, li- brary skills, automotive tech, key- boarding, preparation for college entry tests, marketing and sales, and even English as a second lan- guage. And those are a small sample of what is currently avail- able in the system. Subjects range from the grade-one level on beyond high school. The NovaNET company is based in Arizona, but the educa- tional center is in Champaign, Il- linois. That is where all the files on students are kept, as well as the curriculum itself. Because the MORE OFTEN, the student needs educational help, and Taylor is more than capable, as an experienced teacher, having started in the district in 1973. He is back on the North Mason cam- pus after several years of teach- ing at the Mission Creek Youth Camp. The students studying with Taylor this summer are nearly all making up high-school credit, having failed a course during the previous school year. One boy in- dicated that with Taylor's tutor- ing, he now understands subjects and verbs, so he is able to do his grammar and writing assign- ments with the computer more easily. Several students indicated they like working at their own pace. That can't be too slow, how- ever. Taylor can see each comput- er screen in the room, and if a kids is playing solitaire, he'll ask TEACHER JIM TAYLOR gives assistance to Bryon Ack- erman for his English course in summer school. if their assignment is done. A brief break is okay, but dodging work is not acceptable. One girl is studying science, in- cluding stars, planets, and her fa- vorite, nebulas. She had a "cool picture" of a nebula in her com- puter she would use as an illus- tration on a paper she was writ- ing. Taylor said the system can access photo images from the Hubbell space telescope. THE COMPUTER system does not replace teachers, although at least one student would like to see it do so. It is de- signed to be interactive, not only with the students, but with the teacher's presence, expertise, and other teaching materials. The teacher's computer shows him the entire record of lessons done by each student. That in- cludes each attempt at tests, how long that took, and what score was achieved. Since it is based on mastery learning (80 percent must be achieved to move on), af- ter two tries at not making that, the student's computer monitor will refer him or her to Taylor for help. Lessons build one upon anoth- er, so students cannot move ahead until they master the as- signments one by one. "I don't always comprehend what a teacher tells me," said one boy in the class, explaining why he did not do well in school. "But this way, I can read it for myself. .... Most indicated they appreciated the style of learning afforded them via computer, and with Taylor after them to keep on task, they were making good use of their summer courses. However, most also pledged to buckle down and work hard next school year so summertime 2000 can be spent on more leisurely ac- tivities. Food bank needs donations meeting we learned that just for the month of June the food bank provided food for 1,400 plus fami- lies. This translates to 4,600 fam- ily members. Of this number, more than 2,000 were children. Included in these numbers: 100 families were either new families and/or fami- lies who had not needed food bank services yet this year. Last month at the Belfair Sum- merfest, the food bank held a raf- fle to try to raise a few dollars to By BEY WESTON The North Mason Food Bank is now operating under the director- ship of long-time food bank volun- teer Dorothy Wilkins of Belfair. She is assisted by another long- time food bank volunteer, Ann Kiehn, also of Belfair. Things are moving along very smoothly, except for the fact that at this time of year donations are very low and clientele is much in- creased. At our recent board Lions Club raises $3,000 proceeds from the raffle went to scholarships for four North Ma- son High School graduates. Students receiving the Lions- sponsored $500 scholarships in- cluded: April Allen, Ted Blahm, Wes McDaniel, and Robert De- Veny. which helps sell tickets. The raf- fle sales culminate with a draw- ing at Allyn Days. NOT ONLY ARE the Desem- ples happy about winning the garden arbor, everyone who pur- chased a raffle ticket can feel a sense of pride. A portion of the DENNIS DESEMPLE, at left, is all smiles as he receives a congratulatory handshake from North Mason Lions representative George Chessum. Desemple was the lucky winner of the garden arbor shown here. It was raf- fled off at the Allyn Days Festival. Also looking on is Bob Hayton and Margaret Chessum. After more than 3,000 ticket sales throughout Mason and Kit- sap Counties, the North Mason Lions Club held a drawing to give away its garden arbor to one lucky recipient. Dennis and Deanna Desemple of Port Gamble were the lucky re- cipients in the drawing held at the recent Allyn Days festival. "I've never won anything in my life," said a happy Dennis Desem- ple. HELD FOR THE eighth year now, the annual North Mason Lions arbor sale is one of the civic organization's major fund-raisers for the year. According to Lions Club spokesman George Ches- sum, the group also holds several pancake breakfasts and a pecan sale to bolster its operating fund. With raffle tickets sold at $1 apiece, the North Mason Lions Club netted more than $3,000 in profits from its garden arbor raf- fle. "We've sold raffle tickets all over Kitsap and Mason Counties," said Chessum. He explained that each year Lions Club members begin in the spring by building a new arbor. They officially kick off the raffle campaign at Grapeview Day, held in early May. Then the group transports the brand-new arbor to stores, fairs, and other public gathering places around the area for display, help buy supplies. We thank the many donors and congratulate the individual prize winners. The North Mason Food Bank is wishing for a Christmas in July (or Augustl). We are in great need of food and donations of money, besides your large brown grocery bags and the cash register re- ceipts from the Belfair QFC. We are also in hopes of increas- ing the number of volunteers, as the few we have are more than busy. If you have a healthy back and some time to share, we would love to,hear from you. Even if you are not physically strong, we cer- tainly have areas where we can use your help and would be de- lighted to hear from you. There are a lot of less strenuous jobs that need to be done too. The food bank hours are Mon- days and Wednesdays, 10 a.m. till noon, and Thursdays from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. The food bank is located ., at 22471 Highway 3, and mailing address is P.O. Box 421, Belfair, 98528. The telephone number is 275-4615. If you would like to come by for a visit and see our operation in action, you are welcome on any of the above days and times. Empty Bowl project raises money The Empty Bowl project was The unsold bowls have been brought to North Mason jointly donated to Harmony Hill of by the Women's Forum and the Union for the Wellness Festival to North Mason High School ceram- be held there on Saturday, Au- ics class taught by Albert Van gust 21, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Troba. From this collaborative ef- The bowls will be placed in the fort, the North Mason Food Bank silent auction. has received a donation of $740. Several community members took advantage of the opportunity for a delicious bowl of homemade soup from one of three business- es, the Allyn Inn, the Old Clifton Deli and Bear Creek Country Store. Customers not only had a hearty bowl of soup, but got to keep the bowl, made and painted by the students and women. The $10 price was all donated to the food bank, thereby nourishing others in the community. According to Joni Cagwin of the Women's Forum, the students really enjoyed this opportunity to work together as a group, rather than in isolation. They were also gratified to be able to donate to a SOUP BOWLS like the one worthy cause using their newly . learned skills. The women, from pctured brought in $740 for the North Mason Food North Mason and Kitsap coun- ties, felt the same way. "This Bank in a recent project group effort was fun and unique," conducted in the commu- Cagwin said. nity.