An important aspect of this grant is to honor and include enrichment programs already in place in the school and community. These are the Long Creek Community Club 4H, the Ethos Music Program and the newly chartered FFA program. So, a big part of this grant is the addition of transportation home for students from enrichment program activities twice a week when school is in session.

We are also going to create a summer program that will run from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM Monday-Friday and includes, if all goes well, free and reduced lunches. Although it may require some scheduling changes for the three programs, they will be able to take advantage of transportation home during the school year and into the community and back home again in the summer.

Augmenting our three programs will be two new components. One will focus on all types of career opportunities from those requiring no education beyond high school to trade schools on up through four year colleges. We want our students to dream big and work hard on their studies. We also want them to honor the culture and traditions of our community. So, the second component will be after school programs that teach students and interested community members how to write articles and stories, create a newspaper or newsletter and a website to showcase the past and present of Long Creek and the surrounding area. This will teach some great computer skills that can be utilized for the rest of their lives.

Is this a big challenge? Well yes. It will be an extremely competitive grant process. But you can help. Click here for a letter of support. Please fill it out and send it back to us with your student, mail it, or drop it by the school. Although there are opportunities for you to contribute, please do not feel you must circle any volunteer choices. Just your signature indicating your support will be helpful! But, if you have a skill or any of the other items we mentioned, we appreciate your donation as well. We recently completed the advisory board for this program and two of your community members are serving. If you have questions, please chat with them. They are retired teacher Marsie Watson and Business owner Leslie Barnett. You can also call Mr. Durfee at the school. Thank you for your support and thank you to those who came to our Dessert and helped us with this plan.

Our focus is extending our short growing season as much as possible. We have put our donated hay bales (thank you hay donors) around our garden beds. The OYCC crew built a green house cover for the beds. We will set the cover on top of the hay bales to keep the cold out and let the sun in. This is a cheaper way to extend the growing season than building a large green house. Meanwhile in the green house we are starting the plants for the cold frames. So far we have cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and kohlrabi seedlings which we are transplanting into 6 pack planting pots. We will stick with the cold hardy type veggies for the earliest plantings in the cold frames. We will direct seed spinach and salad greens next. Spring flower starts are also being transplanted into the six packs and will be for sale next month. Mr. Durfee and the middle school students put tulip bulbs in pots awhile back, one pot is already blooming and the rest will soon.

With 2 periods in the shop a lot of different things are being created. On the wood side two pretty fancy dog houses were built by Tyler and Lance. Rachelle Witt built a nice children’s picnic table. Jackson made a small closet.  Amos built a cabinet for a television.  Jeff made wood frame to hold his bow and a stand for a sword.

On the shop metal side Mr. Brush has come in to show us how to use a plasma cutter and is assisting with arc welding training for students.  The Advanced welders have been making things like brush guards, roll bars, and bumpers for their pickups.  Tommy rebuilt an old boat trailer into a utility trailer.

The chicken tractor is finished and has some happy hens on board.  The chickens are rototilling the upper field.  The chicken tractor is a bio-secure moveable enclosure that allows the chickens free access to the bugs, weeds and minerals of the open field.  The tractor is moved every few days to work and fertilize new ground.  This the first project of our recently re- chartered Long Creek FFA program.

Gene Russell, Ag, Science and Technology Teacher

A big thanks to Rich Wilburn for taking the time to show and tell about raising cattle on his ranch.  He provided Ag students with excellent information. We also need to thank Andy Wilburn for donating old hay bales to the cold frame project. The Horticulture class will be setting up some winter vegetable beds using the straw bales as insulation. We still need more bales if anyone out there has spare old bales of straw and hay. They do need to still have their binder twine.

The greenhouse is up and running, although not quite complete. As of this posting, we are waiting for propane. Electricity and water are in and as soon as the propane line is in, we can bury the ditch that has been running from the shop to the greenhouse for the past few months. So far, we have tomatioes and potted flowers thriving and the class is starting seeds for winter and spring potted flower and vegetable start sales. The greenhouse is a great “hands on” plant science experience for our students.

Animal Science students are busy learning about and taking care of goats and starting chicks for a flock of egg layers. So, far, students haven’t lost a chick. Student’s recently learned “hands on” how to set up a small building for chickens and will continue to learn modification techniques as the pullets mature. Nesting boxes are already being made in shop to assist with this project. Any donations of feed, (Grower, right now) or hay for the animal projects are greatly appreciated by the students.

A new irrigation line is being put in for the horticulture garden and livestock areas between the upper field and playground. This is yet another “hands on” learning experience for our students. And while we are talking about Horticulture, If you are looking for a place to dump your leaves or your compost, bring it on. To Long Creek School, that is. Mr. Russell’s students are once again collecting compost, leaves, and other natural, non-meat or dairy detritus. Please drop your compost into the large grey bin just inside of the playground gate.

And finally, if you have questions, or would like to make a donation to the Agriculture Science & Technology program, please contact Mr. Russell at russelle@grantesd.k12.or.us. If you prefer to phone, call him at (541) 42103896, ext. 307.