Last week’s meeting featured a two-part program: A Classification Talk by new member Rachel Huber and a briefing on an exciting new program at Newberg High School by Matt Miller.

Rachel Huber does her Classification Talk.

Rachel, who works at Avamere, was born and raised in Newhall, California, and moved to Palmdale when she was adopted at age 9. She came from a REALLY large family, she said. “Thirteen brothers and sisters, 10 nieces and nephews…really large.”

She had a hard time early in life, coming from a broken home and having to be caretaker for three young children. Luckily, her personality clicked with an adoptive mother who wanted to adopt Rachel because she said Rachel “tested everything and everyone. You questioned everybody and everything.”

Education was very important to her family. Rachel graduated from high school in 2002, and took college courses while there. She was able to get into nursing school in California and while there, met her husband, and moved.  She joined Avamere four years ago and became a certified nursing assistant.  When the person in the marketing position left last January, her boss asked if she would like to try it out. She jumped on the opportunity to work toward making it her full-time job and took online classes to learn more.

“Marketing is what I do now. I love the fact I can work amongst people, one on one.”

The hardest part of her job is “falling in love” with the residents, who are elderly, and eventually pass away.  “You feel like they are your family. They ARE your family. You see them every day, interact with them every day, just like your family.”

In the short term, Rachel would like to become an executive director of an Avamere facility.

“My long-term goal is to possibly open my own company.  My advice to someone looking for a career like mine is to have patience. It will come.”

Matt Miller explains the IDS project.

“Education must shift from instruction to discovery–to probing and exploration.”  This quote from Marshall McLuhan on a flier handed out by Matt Miller pretty much sums up the philosophy behind the new Integrated Design Studio (IDS) at Newberg High School.

Dave Parker introduced Matt, saying that the School District is very excited about this new program and lucky to have hired Matt. 

“We saw a documentary on Netflix about the concept. Matt started in North Carolina and we found him in Oregon City,” Dave said.

“Wish we could have an existential conversation about school drop out rates and how we get kids through,” Matt started out, “but there’s not enough time today for that.”

Suffice it to say, “creativity has been squashed in recent years.  So we’re teaching 21st century skills, especially critical thinking and team building skills.”

According to the flier, the studio offers a multi-disciplinary, project-based approach to teaching and learning. The students are thinkers AND makers, designers AND builders, hacks AND hipsters, future plumber AND physicians.

At NHS, the program has 30 students in two groups.  There’s a period of design, of engineering and of math–three teachers, one classroom, and one big, student-led project.

The big idea with IDS, according to the flier, is to design and build a small, but significant piece of architecture in Newberg each year that addresses a current issue.

Matt showed photos of projects his former students had done: a farm stand for a community, which created jobs, and a concessions stand at a high school.

“We go through a design process. We build models first, talk them out, critique them and then build.  This is not just an art class. It covers everything from cardboard to concrete. From chicken coops to furniture. We try to break the preconception of what a ‘thing’ is.”

“The reason I’m here is to find out what the community needs,” said Matt.  There are lot of things I’m interested in …affordable housing, homeless shelters, food insecurity…but the need is not aways visible.”

If you have “ideas, thoughts or tools,” please contact Matt at 510-227-0481 or at [email protected].

Guests

Om Sukheenai gets the award for bringing the most guests last week: Three! They were:

Alan Holstein, formerly of Argyle Winery;

Ashley Mumm, co-owner of Mumm Masonry, and also with the Young Professionals of Yamhill County and Tunes on Tuesday;

and Chase Estep, with Chase Estep Digital Marketing.  He announced he will be having a workshop on  Facebook advertising on Sept. 26. For more info, go to ChaseEs[email protected].

Marni Tilrico, Laura Tilrico‘s sister-in-law, also joined us for lunch.

Miscellaneous

  • Reminder! This Thursday is the second annual “Act of Kindness Day–Newberg” to commemorate the International Day of Peace. Do something nice for someone you don’t know to help make a great community even better! 
  • Tony Lelack reported that dictionaries for our service project related to the Literacy Area of Focus have been ordered. Volunteers will be needed soon to help distribute them. 
  • Paula Radich announced she will head up the new “Friends of Rotary” program. If you know of people who might be good candidates, or if you would like to help Paula, please let her know.
  • Denise Bacon invited us all to the Police Foundation Dinner on Sept. 29 at 5:30pm at the Chehalem Cultural Center. Funds raised will support the canine training program and help provide needed supplies. For tickets, please check with Denise. 
  • Paul Jellum announced that applications are now open for the exchange student program for the next academic year.  Both short- and long-term programs are available. If you know someone who might be interested, please contact Paul.