Tag Archive for: Camas High School

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Camas Gymnastics Team Wins Back-to-Back State Championships

Bellevue, WA — The Camas Girls Gymnastics team won their second consecutive State Championship Friday night at Sammamish High School, with a team score of 184.825, which is the third highest score in state history.

Camas sophomore Shea McGee finished first in the all-around with a score of 38.175 across four events.

Two other Papermakers medaled in the all-around — sophomore Alyssa Shibata (36.925, sixth) and freshman Peyton Cody (36.850, tied-eighth). A total of five Camas gymnasts advanced to individual finals (top-16 ) on Saturday morning.

McGee finished first in the vault with a 9.750 in the team’s last event of the day. With their rotation completed, and knowing their overall score, they felt strongly they would earn their second consecutive title. Archrival Woodinville still had to finish, and would place second, five points behind Camas.

Camas also performed well during Saturday’s individual finals. McGee, Shibata, Cody, Olivia Bane, and Lili Ford arrived early ready to compete. Bane, who was to compete in Bars, injured her knee during a fall during warmups, which eliminated her from competition.

“As a team, everyone was just so amazing and so helpful,” said Ford. “I’ve never been in this experience before. It just felt so good!”

On floor, McGee placed third.

On bars, McGee placed second, and Cody fourth.

On vault, Ford placed third, while McGee placed eigth.

On beams, Shibata, McGee, and Ford placed second, third, and fourth, respectively.

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Shea McGee on floor routine.

Coach Perspective

“Camas did so well because we were well prepared,” said Camas Head Coach, Carol Willson. “We peaked at the precise time. We are blessed to have athletes that are club gymnasts or in some gymnastics training year round and are still able to manage the grades, and juggle the schedule of late night practices to follow High School rules. We have incredible depth.

“Almost every one one of the gymnasts on the State roster are in multiple sports or activities ranging from Gymnastics, Crew, Cheer, Dance, Worship Ministry, Young Life, etc. They sacrifice a lot to make a State title happen and let WIAA gymnastics know now that Camas exists. Last year I had a lot of people asking ‘Where is Camas?’ and this year they knew we were the team to beat. We went in as not only defending champions but also with the highest team score at Districts. We also went in with the highest individual AA score in the State from Shea.”

Gymastics
From left: Camas coaches Tricia Hoppa and Carol Willson.

“Out of four AA competitors 3 were in the top 8 in the State. Camas has an amazing AD that expects accountability from his Coaches and athletes. I expect my gymnasts to be kind, gracious, and to serve their teammates. They have jobs to do and they do them.”

“This has become a well working machine. Joy and Madison will be missed not just for their gymnastics but for their ability to lead. Annika and Lizzy will continue in that role and are already tremendous leaders. Forty kids came together as one. Not by coincidence but by the leadership that I was able to put in place and empowered these Captains to thrive under and grow as young women. Grace and Morgan bring the quiet lead-from-behind spirit. All of the kids go the second mile.”

“There is a deep heart connection with these kids. They bring out the best in myself and Tricia and the best in their teammates. 24 routines competed, 24 routines with not one fall. 20 10.0 start values…just amazing. Hours spent on team building and cohesive development added to their super hero ability and each of them owning their job! In watching these kids mature they will be bright stars among their generation. I am a better person having the amazing opportunity to Coach them.”

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Scores

TEAM SCORES — 1, Camas 184.825; 2, Woodinville 179.850; 3, Newport 176.200; 4, Mead 172.450.
ALL-AROUND (final)—1, Shea McGee (Camas) 38.175; 2, Rylye Anderson (Puyallup) 37.700; 3, Ellie Mann (Woodinville) 37.450; 4, Ashley Yang (Kentwood) 37.250; 5, Hailey Kunimura (Auburn Riverside) 37.025; 6, Alyssa Shibata (Camas) 36.925; 7, Cecelia Loudermilk (Kentlake) 36.900; T8 Maddie LoMauro (Newport) 36.850; T8, Peyton Cody (Camas) 36.850.

Event scores (top-16 advance)
VAULT—1, Shea McGee (Camas) 9.750; 2, Ashley Yang (Kentwood) 9.525; 3, Maddie LoMauro (Newport) 9.500; T4, Rylye Anderson (Puyallup) 9.475; T4, Ellie Mann (Woodinville) 9.475; T4, Lili Ford (Camas) 9.475; 7, Emma Rochleau (Tahoma) 9.450; 8, Emily Yang (Kentwood) 9.400. Other locals: T15, Kayja Jacques (Union) 9.200; 21, Peyton Cody (Camas) 9.125; 26, Anna Sugarman (Skyview) 9.050; T27, Alyssa Shibata (Camas) 9.000; 30, Olivia Chou (Skyview) 8.925; 31, Joy Marsh (Camas) 8.900; T33, Neely Simone (Union) 8.800; 44, Madison Martin (Camas) 8.725; 91, Mackenzie Ridgway (Union) 7.800; 94, Alyssa Powell (Union) 7.550.

BEAM—1, Alyssa Shibata (Camas) 9.500; T2, Ellie Mann (Woodinville) 9.475; T2, Allina Hebling (University) 9.475; 4, Shea McGee (Camas) 9.450; 5, Hailey Kunimura (Auburn Riverside) 9.400; 6, Alyssa Hatch (Auburn Riverside) 9.250; 7, Rylye Anderson (Puyallup) 9.300; 8, Emma O’Toole (Rogers) 9.275. Other locals: 9, Mackenzie Ridgway (Union) 9.225; T12, Lili Ford (Camas) 9.175; T19, Peyton Cody (Camas) 9.050; T19, Morgan MacIntyre (Camas) 9.050; T22, Madison Martin (Camas) 9.000; T24, Kayja Jacques (Union)8.975; T51, Madison Schalk (Union) 8.525; T88, Riley LeCocq (Skyview)7.500; 93, Madison Summers (Skyview) 7.150.

FLOOR—1, Alyssa Hatch (Auburn Riv.) 9.650; 2, Samena Tate (Auburn Riv.) 9.625; 3, Ashley Yang (Kentwood) 9.600; T4, Shea McGee (Camas) 9.575; T4, Rylye Anderson (Puyallup) 9.575; T4, Ariana Martinez (Auburn Mountainview) 9.575; T4, Salina Mayanja (Bothell) 9.575; T4, Sophia Shawen (Mead) 9.575. Other locals: T16, Lili Ford (Camas) 9.425; T19, Mackenzie Ridgway (Union) 9.400; T24, Alyssa Shibata (Camas) 9.375; T28, Peyton Cody (Camas) 9.350; T28, Anna Sugarman (Skyview) 9.350; T35, Lizzy Wing (Camas) 9.300; T60, Kayja Jacques (Union) 9.075; T65, Joy Marsh (Camas) 9.000; 73, Madison Schalk (Union) 8.925; T86, Olivia Chou (Skyview) 8.350; 89, Riley LeCocq (Skyview) 8.300.

BARS—1, Cora Taylor (Bothell) 9.500; 2, Shea McGee (Camas) 9.400; 3, Anna Sugarman (Skyview) 9.375; 4, Rylye Anderson (Puyallup) 9.350; 5, Peyton Cody (Camas) 9.325; 6, Cecelia Loudermilk (Kentlake) 9.250; T7, Hailey Kunimura (Auburn Riverside) 9.225; 7T, Alexandria Thomas (Ferris) 9.225. Other locals: T11, Olivia Bane (Camas) 9.075; 14, Alyssa Shibata (Camas) 9.050; 28, Lili Ford (Camas) 8.475; 32, Mackenzie Ridgway (Union) 8.325; T33, Grace Alonzo (Camas) 8.275; 51, Madison Schalk (Union) 7.700; 79, Riley LeCocq (Skyview) 6.650; T80, Kayja Jacques (Union) 6.600.

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Camas High School Hosts National Letter of Intent Signing Wednesday

Camas, WA — Camas High School will be honoring several Papermakers as they sign their National Letters of Intent on Wednesday, February 6th at Camas High School North Commons beginning at 9 am. You are welcome to attend the event. The following student-athletes will be signing:

EMMA COX will be signing to play golf for Towson University Tigers in Towson, Maryland. Emma will finish her high school career as a four-year varsity golfer for the Papermakers. In her first three years as a varsity golfer, Emma’s team has won three league titles, three district titles and has been state champion runner-up all three years. Emma has been recognized as GSHL 1stteam all-league her freshman, sophomore and junior years so far, is a three-time state qualifier, district champion in 2017, all-region girls golfer of the year in 2017 and finished 3rd place at the state tournament in 2017. Emma will serve as team captain for the Papermakers all four years and is a scholar athlete award recipient. While playing golf in Maryland, Emma will be studying political science.

Parents Ryan and Erika Cox – Memorable moment the cheering crowd the final three holes of the 2017 state tournament.

TANNER CRAIG will also be heading to the east coast as he will be attending The United States Military Academy in West Point, New York. Tanner will be wrestling for the Army Black Knights. Tanner has been instrumental in raising the Papermaker wrestling program back to a competitive level and has included a 2017 district title and a 2018 league championship. Tanner has reached the state tournament every year finishing in 8th place as a sophomore, a state champion as a junior and looking to add another state championship next week. Tanner has also won many prestigious tournaments throughout the Northwest during the past four years. Tanner is undecided on what he will study during his time as a Black Knight.

Parents Pat and Karen Craig – Memorable moment getting to stand on top of the podium during the 2018 state tournament.

Wrestling

Tanner Craig battles Calvin Ball.

JENNA EFRAIMSON will be playing soccer for the Vandals at the University of Idaho this fall. Jenna is a three-year letterman for the Papermakers in girls soccer, and has been a key piece to a program that has accomplished so much during her time: league championships in 2016, 2017, 2018 district championships in 2016, 2017, 2018 state championship team in 2016, state tournament 3rd place finish in 2017, and a state champion runner-up finish in 2018 along with a national championship in 2016. Jenna was recognized as GSHL 1st team all-league as a junior and senior, and all-state honorable mention in 2017. While attending school in Moscow, Jenna plans on studying animal and veterinary science.

Parents Dan and Chantel Efraimson – Memorable moment scoring a golden goal in a playoff game.

HALEY HANSON will be a part of the Nighthawks women’s basketball team at Northwest Nazarene University in Nampa, Idaho. Haley is a four-year letterman for the Papermaker girls’ basketball team that has the most consistent run in Camas High School history. Her teams have won league championships her sophomore, junior and senior years, and have qualified and finished 7th at the state tournament in 2017 and 2018. Haley has been recognized as GSHL 2ndteam all-league player her freshman and junior years, GSHL 1st team all-league player her sophomore year and the GSHL player of the year as a senior. Twice Haley has been recognized on the Columbian all-region team. Haley has been recognized as a scholar athlete, and will study physical therapy while attending school in Nampa.

Parents Brad and Julie Hanson – Memorable moment making to the Tacoma Dome for the first time in Camas High School history.

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Haley Hanson with her family. Photo by Kris Cavin.

 

GRANT HEISER will be playing baseball for Tacoma Community College next school year. Grant will be a four-year letterman for the Papermaker baseball program. Grant was recognized as GSHL all-league 2nd team 3rd baseman his sophomore year, and GSHL all-league 1st team catcher his junior year. Grant is a scholar athlete award winner, and while playing baseball for the Titans he will begin his studies in criminal justice.  

Parents Steve and Julie Dahlberg – Memorable moment playing Skyview in league title game when I was a freshman.

DAWSON INGRAM will be joining his brother on the football program at Eastern Washington University. Dawson has lettered with the Papermaker football program during his junior and senior seasons making the state playoffs both seasons. Dawson has been recognized as a GSHL all-league tight-end. As an Eagle, Dawson will be studying business management.

Parents Jason and Michelle Ingram – Memorable moment playing in the Coeur d’Alene game in 2017.

SHANE JAMISON is another Papermaker that is moving on to play collegiate football. Shane will attend University of San Diego next Fall. Shane will finish his high school athletic career as an impressive three sport athlete amassing eight varsity letters as a Papermaker. Three years for football, two years for basketball and three years for baseball. Shane was part of the 2016 league and state champion football team. During his senior campaign Shane was recognized as GSHL all-league 1st team linebacker, Columbian all-region linebacker and 4A 1st team all-state linebacker. Shane is a seven time scholar athlete award winner and will study finance while playing football for the Toreros.    

Parents Kris and Thea Jamison – Memorable moment winning state championship in 2016.

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Shane Jamison, accompanied by his parents Thea and Kris. Photo by Kris Cavin.

 

CARLA JOOSTE is another Papermaker girls’ soccer player moving on to play college soccer. Carla will be going to Mercy College in Dobbs Ferry, New York to play for the Mavericks. Carla is a three-year varsity letterman for the Papermakers and has won three league titles, three district titles, a state and national championship in 2016, 3rd place state finish in 2017 and a 2nd place state finish in 2018. Carla is a scholar athlete award winner and a GSHL 1st team all-league recipient. While in New York, Carla will be focusing her studies on pre-med.

Parents Bruce Jooste – Memorable moment scoring the only goal in playoff game to advance us in the tournament.

LIAM KALHAGEN will be taking his talents to play soccer at Southern Oregon University. Liam has just moved to Camas High School for his senior year and will look to be an important part of the 2018 varsity team. Liam will graduate high school with an Associates in Arts degree from Clark College which will give him a jumpstart as he studies communications/business while playing soccer for the Raiders.

Parents Geir and Patricia Kalhagen – Memorable moment will be determined this upcoming season.

 

MADDIE KEMP will be moving to beautiful Spokane Washington to play women’s’ soccer for the Bulldogs of Gonzaga University. Maddie is the most decorated girls’ soccer player in Papermaker history, amassing scoring records that may never be broke. Maddie has lettered all four years for the Papermakers, she was GSHL 2nd team all-league her freshman year and GSHL 1st team all-league the next three years. She is part of the Columbian all-region team her sophomore, junior and senior years which includes all-region player of the year her junior and senior year. Maddie was also recognized as 4A Washington state player of the year in 2017 and 2018 and received All-American honors. She scored 141 varsity goals in those four years with her team winning four league championships, four district championship, two 3rd place state finishes, one 2nd place state finish, one state and national championship finish in 2016. During her time as a Zag, Maddie will be studying sports management and administration.

Parents Jeff and Kelly Kemp – Memorable moment winning state championship in 2016.

JAZZLYNN PAULSON is our fourth girls’ soccer player recognized today. Jazzlynn will be headed north of the border to play women’s soccer for Simon Fraser University in Burnaby,British Columbia. Jazzlynn is a three-year letterman for the Papermakers, and has received GSHL 1st team all-league recognition as well as Columbian all-region selection and Washington all-state honorable mention recognition. She is a varsity captain and holds the Camas High School record for most assists in post-season play. Her Papermaker teams have won three league championships, three district championships, a 3rd place state finish, 2nd place state finish and a state and national championship. Jazzlynn is a scholar athlete award winner and will study behavioral science while in Canada.

Parents John and Rachel Paulson– Memorable moment the assist in the state semi-final game that allowed them to move onto the state championship.

MARY PIPKIN has been a multi-sport athlete for the Papermakers, and will continue that as she will be playing both volleyball and fastpitch softball for the Wolves of Cardinal Stritch University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Mary has received five varsity letters as a Papermaker with three of them in fastpitch softball and two in volleyball. Mary has played on a Papermaker volleyball team that has won league championships both years she lettered and qualified for the state tournament her senior year. Her Papermaker fastpitch teams have won two league championships and will be playing for their third this spring and have finished 4th at that state tournament both her sophomore and junior seasons. Mary is a scholar athlete award winner and has served as captain of the volleyball program. While in Wisconsin Mary will focus her studies on mathematics.

Parents Kevin and Lorna Pipkin — Memorable moment pitching and winning at the state softball tournament and qualifying for the state volleyball tournament.

CALLIE RHEAUME will be the one Papermaker that is actually headed west of Camas as she will be part of the women’s’ soccer program for the Sharks at Hawaii Pacific University. Callie has lettered for the Papermakers for three seasons and has been recognized as GSHL 1st team all-league in 2018 and holds the girls soccer assist record at Camas High School. Her teams won three league championships, three district championships a 3rd place state finish, 2nd place state finish and a state and national championship in 2016. Callie is a multi-year scholar athlete and is undecided on what she will study while enjoying the beach in Honolulu.  

Parents Eric and Sonja Rheaume – Memorable moment winning the state title in 2016 same year as football.

LUC STURBELLE is our third football player who will be moving on to play college football. Luc will be traveling to Colorado Springs, Colorado to play for the United State Air Force Academy. Luc is a two-year letterman for the Papermaker football program. During his senior season, Luc received GSHL 1st team all-league honors as a wide receiver along with selection to the Columbian all-region team. Luc served as a team captain for his team that qualified for the state playoffs both seasons. Luc also plays varsity lacrosse for the Camas Lacrosse club. While in Colorado, Luc will study business management.  

Parents Dave and Amy Sturbelle – Memorable moment any game played at Doc Harris on Friday night.

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Camas Boys Swim Team Wins Saturday’s SW Washington Invitational

Longview, WA — The Camas Boys Swim Team handily won the 14-school Southwest Washington Invitational Saturday, with 691 points, distancing second place Columbia River by 332 points.

The annual invitational typically includes all local high schools, and one from the north — which this year was Aberdeen.

The Papermakers won the meet with multiple team members down to health or injury, and have been struggling to get state qualifying times.

”So far, we only have one state qualifying time,” said Camas co-captain, Chris Xia. “Usually, we have a lot more at this point in the season, so we’re hoping we can get more state times at Districts in two weeks.”

The Papermakers got off to a great start in the 200 Medley Relay, with both A and B relay teams taking first and second  place, respectively. The A team (Josef Kiesenhofer, Austin Fogel, Jaden Kim, and Chris Xia) timed in at 1:42.60 with the B team (Dave Peddie, Jack Harris, Emanuel Crisan-Dum, and Victor Wu) finishing with 1:47.60. Kelso placed third.

Harris won the 200 Free (1:52.35) narrowly beating Peddie (1:53.21). Simon Parish, of Columbia River, placed third.

Skyview’s Jace Creech won the 200 IM event (2:04.95) with Battle Ground’s Alex Curran placing second (2:06.82) and Daniel Ishchuk placing third.

Skyview’s Liam Johnson won the ultra-competitive 50 Free (22.94) with Kodee Soetamin, of Mark Morris, placing second (23.29) and Papermaker Jaden Kim third (23.41).

Kim would win the 100 Fly right after (53.28) with Johnson, second (56.40) and Washougal’s Daniel Brown, third (56.49).

Soetamin won the 100 Free (50.37) narrowly beating Harris (50.93) and Chris Xia (52.36).

Peddie handily won the 500 Free (4:48.84) with Skyview’s Jace Creech placing second (5:09.07) and Prairie’s Jonah Colagross placing third (5:26.02).

Swim Team

Luke Bales, right, enters the pool.

Camas took first place in the 200 Free Relay. Luke Bales, Xia, Harris and Kim (1:32.46) bested Skyview (1:34.29). The Camas B Relay placed third.

Battle Ground’s Alex Curran won the 100 Back event (55.00) with Union’s Tony Kajino second (56.24) and Battle Ground’s Andrew Schivalocchi placing third (1:00.02).

Papermaker’s Austin Fogel handily won the 100 Breast (1:02.80) with Skyview’s Khai Tran second (1:04.77) and Mark Morris’ Ryan Pospichal placing third (1:08.91).

Camas took the top spot in the meet’s final event, the 400 Free. Xia, Peddie, Bales Andy Harris finished in at 3:24.30. Mark Morris second at 3:39.93, and Battle Ground at 3:43.67.

The boys are preparing for Districts in two weeks, and State in the middle of February. The two-time State champions have a lot of catching up to do, so “we’re focused on getting more state qualifying times during this time,” said Xia.

 

 

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Papermaker Varsity Boys Wrestling Team Rolls Over Skyview Storm, 63-12

Camas, WA — The Camas High School Boys Wrestling team rolled over Skyview Wednesday night, 63-12, in a meet filled with intense throwdown’s and fast pins. It was also a night to honor the team’s seniors.

Papermmaker Sam McCormick started out the night defeating Amman Au quickly in the 120 pound weight class, and he was followed by Chris Goodnight, who defeated Sonny Ly.

Senior Jack Latimer has been having a great wrestling season, winning some major championships: Gut Check, PAC Coast and Rose City. He also placed third in State last year, and is keeping his eye on the top wrestling prize. Wednesday night, he was in a good battle with Logan Smith, which he ultimately won.

State Champion, Tanner Craig, didn’t miss, and threw down his opponent, Bryson Doman, multiple times, winning his match. Senior Isaac Duncan quickly pinned his opponent, Brock Pierce.

Papermaker Dominic Fujihara battled it out with Caleb Stockman, with Camas coming out on top.

Camas junior, Gideon Malychewski, didn’t dissapoint, manhandling Tristan Stice with several throwdowns ultimately winning by pin. Senior Dustin Hubbard trounced Brian Lloyd.

Skyview wrestlers William Peterson and Quang Train handily defeated their Papermaker opponents, Anthony Choi and Josue Espinoza.

Wrestling

Chris Goodnight battles Sonny Ly.

In the final match, Porter Craig, Tanner’s younger brother, defeated Blake Doman in the 106 pound weight class.

”We’ve been working really hard at practices,” said Latimer, who expressed his gratitude to wrestling partner, Malychewski. “We make each other stronger.”

Malychewski concurred: “We work it pretty hard every day, and tonight was a fun match!”

 

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Camas Gymnastics Team Wins Naydenov Weekend Meet Despite Injuries

Vancouver, WA — Despite injuries and absences on Saturday, the Camas Gymnastics team (3-0 this season) managed to win Saturday’s Naydenov meet with a final overall team score of 171.85.

Union placed second (162.7); Columbia River, third (155.3); Ridgefield, fourth (136.5), and Heritage placed fifth (111.95).

It was a rocky gymnastics meet, said Head Coach Carol Willson, who feared the Papermakers would lose, given several absences and Corissa Cassidy’s injury during the Floor routine. Cassidy rolled her ankle on her first landing, and was carried out by her mother. X-rays show she didn’t break any bones, but there will be several weeks of recovery.

“It was a painful landing,” said Willson. “We’re grateful she didn’t break any bones.”

Papermaker Shea McGee’s star continues to rise, with victories in the All-Around (36.7) and Beam (9.55). Joy Marsh placed third in All-Around (34.8).

Papermaker Lili Ford won the Vault (9.4), with McGee placing a close second (9.2).

McGee also placed second in the Bars (9.2) with Annika Affleck placing fifth (8.1).

Saturday’s meet was the third consecutive victory for the girls, who continue to press forward with 42 team members.

”I’m still worried,” said Willson. “We’ve had several injuries and we’re down a few kids.”

The defending State Gymnastics champions feel confident about their depth and strength, and hope their injured athletes can heal over the holiday break.

Gingerbread

Visit www.VancouverLaserSkinCareClinic.com

 

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Camas High Gymnastics Team: Defending Their State Title

Camas, WA — As their new season begins this Saturday at 2 pm at VEGA, the reigning State Champion Girls Gymnastics team is putting in the hours, the sweat, and strategy to defend their State title.

Since winning State last February, the team has only lost one athlete, Jax Purwins, and they’re pretty excited about new star power — Peyton Cody and Lili Ford — along with several athletes that are new to the sport. While focused and grateful, they also begin this season with a lot of confidence.

“Our team has almost doubled in size,” said Head Coach, Carol Willson. “I think winning State helped draw a lot of new kids, but it’s also a new adjustment. We enter this season with strength, and just hope that everyone can stay healthy.”

Given the team’s size, practices are spread all across the week, and into the weekends, and seldom are the JV and Varsity squads practicing together, but we caught up with the girls during a rare session when the team was all together, in one place, at the same time.

“We won state so that shows them we’re the real deal, and that we’re serious,” said co-captain, Madison Martin. “We have a lot of new freshmen that are really good. Winning Sate was a good moment, it was a real bonding experience for everyone. It makes us more motivated to hold onto it — to keep the title.”

Co-captain, Annika Affleck, agrees.

“Having so many more athletes on the team really helps out,” said Affleck. “We have a lot of experience.”

Co-captain Joy Marsh, who did All-Around last season, said the size of the team is challenging, which is why they split practices into two groups.

“We have to make each practice count, and stay focused on our goals,” said Marsh. “We have a good team, and good coaches with Carol and Trisha. We also have strength in the All-Around.”

The new team size is also a blessing because it gives them more depth.

“We’re up to 40+ kids, and they have to work harder to make a spot,” said Willson. “We are coaching seven days a week, and Sunday afternoons are the only time we get the whole team together, which is essential for team bonding. The girls put in the time, and we’re excited to officially get the season started on December 8!”

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CYAC Forum: Responses From Candidates Vick and Thobaben

On October 22, the Camas Youth Advisory Council (CYAC) hosted a forum at Camas Theatre for political candidates vying for four separate offices — the third Washington Congressional District, Clark County Council Chair, and two Washington State Legislative Districts (18th, positions 1 and 2).

This article focuses on the responses between Republican State Representative Brandon Vick and challenger Democrat Chris Thobaben, who are running for the LD 18, position 1 seat in the Washington State House of Representatives. Vick is currently in his third term.

At the forum, each answered a series of questions composed by the CYAC students.

The council opened with a topic very real to students, asking the candidates if they believed the McCleary decision over educators’ salaries was a fix.

Vick affirmed that McCleary made sense, calling it a very good piece of legislation. He also said that salaries were funded as ordered, saying they gave a “big pot of money” to each district to distribute as they wished. Thobaben replied that McCleary was designed to be a fix, but that people did not realize its complexities. He emphasized that teachers are professionals and need to be paid as such.

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The next question addressed the levels of transparency in Legislature. Thobaben recalled being on the campaign trail and getting more calls from lobbyists than constituents. He called for complete transparency, saying he wished that everyone could watch as legislation is written to understand the process. Vick discussed looking at Senate Bill 6617, dealing with transparency in government, and how he decided that it was better than the preexisting bill. He also said there needs to be more flexibility in the matter, saying “Open and transparent makes sense to me.”

The third question addressed the second amendment and gun control. Vick was sure that the issue would be one going back and forth for years to come. However, he did not believe in denying one group of people a right. He also asserted that some people still hunt to eat, making guns a necessary tool. Thobaben said that responsible gun owners treat their weapons with respect, and that mass shooters have not been taught how to properly take care of arms. He also advocated for guns being locked up at all times to prevent easy access and avert potential disasters.

Both candidates thanked CYAC for putting together the forum. Thobaben closed with a call for young people to get involved in politics, and Vick ended with a promise to bring big companies and jobs to the area.

By Riley Kankelberg, Camas High School

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Your Teen’s Secret Life: Under 13 Too Young for Smartphones

Camas, WA — During this past weekend’s Camas Wellness Festival, event organizers held a 90-minute panel called “Your Teen’s Secret Life at School and Outside Your Home” in which they addressed questions about social media addiction, online bullying, effects of technology in the classroom, and when to give a child a smart phone.

Panel members Kimberly Berry, Alan Chan, and Jennifer Ireland answered questions. Berry is the founder of Being UnNormal, a consulting and advocacy group for mental health issues. Chan has worked in Clark County for six years providing services to at-risk youth with chronic and complex mental health needs. Ireland has a Master’s degree in K-12 Special Education, and is a 22-year veteran public school teacher (at Skyridge Middle School).

We report their responses to each question.

Question: Can social media be addictive?

Berry: “Yes, of course, anything can be addictive. We know that teens are spending a lot of time on their phones. Teens that spend five hours or more a day on their smart phones are more prone to be depressed. Ten percent of teens check their phone at night at least ten times per night. Chances are they’re checking it when you don’t realize it.”

Chan: “In my experience, the social media and cell phone usage is a huge conflict in their lives. The phones and social media become a social status among kids.”

Ireland: “Addiction comes with all the time children are spending on these devices. Self-esteem and confidence relies upon what they see on social media. It’s problematic.”

Question: How does social media affect mental health?

Berry: “We see the escalation of bullying being carried into the home. It also leads to isolation.
They start to get anxious about not measuring up to false standards.”

Chan: “I think the concern I have with social media is that it creates a false reality. Often times we only see all the great things. You feel like you’re missing out. It’s the fear of missing out. You feel like you’re different, like you can’t connect, like you’re a bit of an outcast.”

Ireland: “We can’t shelter them completely from it. We make sure we limit how they use social media, and monitor their usage. Parents should be on all the accounts. We have to be with them step by step, and start them with training wheels. Instagram is safer than some of the others. On Snapchat, things disappear. As a parent, look at their posts together. Have conversations with your children about the posts.

“Social media is a photo album of all the good things in life, and doesn’t represent all the reality, like the negatives and struggles. You can’t put it away, it’s everywhere now. Talk to your child about it. It’s for their health.”

Chan: “Kids have become so reliant and dependent on social media to connect with friends that it’s hard to put away.”

Berry: “I encourage parents to look beyond posts, and to look at DM’s and IM’s. Dig into social media accounts. There is often a lot of stuff happening on the back end. The social media impact on young girls is they are comparing themselves, which is creating more eating disorders. Remember that our girls are comparing themselves to the unattainable. As parents, we have control over social media, so take control of that. You are empowered.”

Laser

COME VISIT US IN DOWNTOWN CAMAS!

Question: What is online bullying?

Berry: “People send negative messages to our kids, and it’s coming from other kids. Half of teens have reported they’ve been bullied online. Twenty-five percent of those reports are coming through their cell phones. One in five children get sexual messages.

“Eighty percent of teens use cell phones regularly. The phone is always with you. It’s in your house. Your house is supposed to be a safe place, but now the bear is everywhere. You’re constantly feeling anxious. It’s really problematic because it is destroying our children’s hearts and hope. We need to responsibly reduce access. Ask your kids about whether they’ve been bullied at school.”

Ireland: “If you ask your child the R’s of bullying they will you. It happens in the halls and in the lunchroom, but the online bullying is becoming more prevalent. The kids have gotten really good at doing this in the school setting.”

Question: In general, how has school life changed in the last 10 years?

Ireland: “I feel like I’ve been in school my whole, as a student and teacher (she teaches 6th grade).
It’s changed drastically, and the big shift is the increased anxiety and mental health.
It’s a whole different ball of yarn with increases in standardized testing. As a kid, I don’t remember hearing about my results, and now these standardized tests are stressing kids out. She’s concerned about the pressure. Some kids might need five years to graduate from high school, and they shouldn’t be counted less or as not being successful. The stress of all that goes back into the education system. The teacher success is being tied to those scores. They’ve cut out music, art and recess in the middle schools. They don’t get to move, they don’t get to be outside. All those coupled with social media is causing problems. Lack of food and sleep contribute to their pressures and stresses.

“Too many parents aren’t happy with less than a 3.5 GPA. They get upset when a child gets 96% on a math test. Parents put unrealistic expectations on their kids, and that shows up in the classroom. What can we do to make good enough good enough?”

Secret

Your Teen’s Secret Life Panel spent 90 minutes discussing a variety of mental health issues.

Question: How as parents can we manage the academic stress they’re facing?

Ireland: “Talk to your kids. Talk to them about how to manage their time. Talk about their schedule and make sure they schedule in down time. Exercise and fitness are key. Cultivate friendships that aren’t online friendships. Ask what they’re going to do when they hang out.

“Make sure your child knows they need to make good, positive connections with teachers or counselors. Parents need to reach out to their teachers.”

Chan: “People learn in different ways. Be attuned to barriers and challenges that kids have.”

Berry: “We can’t blame our teachers. We need to approach teachers as allies, and not obstacles.”

Ireland: “Kids need to have chores. It seems so little, but having a job contributes to making a home run more efficiently. Praise them for the work they do. The satisfaction of a job well done is something many kids don’t have today.”

Question: At what age is a smartphone appropriate?

Ireland: “13 or older. It seems to be a middle school milestone. It’s better for their health to wait until 8th or 9th grade. It’s a major distraction at middle school and it’s not healthy for them. Too many 6th graders have cell phones. Sixth graders don’t need smartphones. There are different types of phones you can get. Give them a simpler phone at first and see how they take care of it.”

Berry: “Phones are a status symbol. It’s an intentional projection coming from home. It creates problems in the schools. Find out how do they feel when they’re away from the phone from an extended period of time.”

Teachers in the room agreed that smartphones for kids under 13 isn’t a good idea, and that it leads to more kids leading a secret life that parents aren’t aware of.

To learn more, visit www.CamasWellnessFestival.com

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CHS Wins WIAA 4A Scholastic Cup; Presentation Coming Thursday

Camas, WA — The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) is honoring Camas High School with the prestigious Scholastic Cup (4A Division) this Thursday, June 7, at 2:30 pm at the CHS main gym.

The students are receiving this award for their athletic, academics and sportsmanship achievements during the 2017-2018 season. Camas took home the 4A Scholastic Cup with WIAA State Championships in Swimming, Gymnastics, and Boys Track and Field. Camas completed the season with nine top-5 finishes in various sports, as well as having nine teams ranked in the top-5 of their respective categories academically.

The honor is the first for the Papermakers, who finished second in the 2016-2017 season. The other Divsion Champions are: Almira Coulee Hartline (1B), Saint George’s (2B), Lynden Christian (1A), Sehome (2A), and Interlake (3A).

The WIAA Cup recognizes performance in the classroom, as well as on the playing field. Schools that finish at the top of their respective classifications in state athletic competition receive points, as do schools that finish at the tops in team academic performance.

Sportsmanship is also a factor, with substantial points deducted for ejections from contests. At the end of the year, the school with the most points in their classification will be awarded the prestigious Scholastic Cup.

To learn more, visit www.wiaa.com

 

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Students Reflect on Winning State Science Olympiad Championship

CHENEY, WA — Papermakers Wilson Ho and Abigail Jiang, still tired from their whirlwind winning weekend at the Washington State Science Olympiad, took some time to reflect on their team’s second consecutive State victory, and what it took to get there.

”The way the awards were presented at Science Olympiad, we weren’t sure until the very end that we would win,” said Jiang. “We ended up beating Bothell, our number one competitor every year, with a final score of 72 — and doing better than we did last year.”

Camas brought two teams of 15 to State this year, along with several who participated in trial events, totaling 38 competitors.

The Varsity, or Black team, that took first place honors is made up of seven seniors, six juniors, and two sophomores. The Junior Varsity, or Red team, has one senior, six juniors, five sophomores and three Freshmen. The Red team placed fourth overall.

“This is as good as we‘ve ever gotten in our history,” Ho, the team’s captain. “We’ve gotten better over the past few years. And, we’re really proud of the Red team, they even did better than Varsity in some events.”

Personally, Ho competed in four events: Towers, Helicopters, Forensics, and LEAF. Jiang also competed in four events: Chemistry Lab, Materials Science, Astronomy, and Hovercraft.

Science

The entire Camas Science Olympiad team.

They said the competition against arch-rival, Bothell, was as intense as ever. The State tournament switches between Highline College and Eastern Washington University ever other year.

“Two years ago, at this same location, Bothell beat us,” said Jiang. “And, this year, Bothell had more first places. We ended up winning because we were more consistent than Bothell overall. We had a lot of second place finishes, and we were nervous for about 90 minutes at the end watching the scores. We thought at one point we wouldn’t make it. But, overall, as a team we won by 25 points.”

Some Stats:

  • Bothell earned nine first places.
  • Camas Black team earned four first places.
  • Red Team earned three first places.
  • Black team earned 11 second places.

“Bothell was upset,” said Jiang.  “They’ve always been our number one rival. A lot of them were hoping to go to Nationals, which is May 18-19 in Fort Collins, CO at Colorado State University.”

Ho said he’s grateful for Science Olympiad advisor, Matthew Chase.

“We also had a ton of help from assistant coaches,” said Ho. “We had parents that are assistant coaches. My dad has gone to all the tournaments this year.”

All 15 Black Team will attend Nationals, plus alternates.

The Camas team has been getting ready all year long, attending eight tournaments, and seeking out higher competition. They’ve also put in the study tim.

“In some ways, the State tests were easier than some of the larger tournaments they attended throughout the year,” Jiang. “We got lucky in some cases. This is the first time we didn’t have a bomb event — where you score lower than 15th place. Even below 10 for us isn’t acceptable. There are some events you can’t study for as they’re on-the-spot, but we as much practice as possible, and then there’s just luck.”

Jiang gives a lot of credit to the Red team, and specifically to Quan Ho, a junior on that team.

“He did super well,” she said. He’s by far good enough to be on Black team. His events don’t match up so that’s why he’s on Red. He got first place in two events. We only had 7 total first places. We all get along really well and we all help each other.”

Science

With advisors.

Ho said the team is also super competitive.

“We are never happy being second best,” he said. “The thing about Black team is that everyone has to put the same serious effort in order to make it to Nationals. We all study every day. In events like Forensics you have to bring your notes into the event. Part of studying is putting in time to prepare the notes. You really need to understand the notes.”

They also take a lot of practice tests, and continue to work on communication.

“What people don’t always think about is communication,” said Ho. “A lot of events require communication. If you don’t communicate with partners on build events then you’ll have a misunderstanding. You have to learn how to communicate. Learn how each other work as competitors. Some people don’t talk, and just study and that can hurt your team. Plus, my peers drive me to do better. My parents don’t push me to do all this. It’s like I can’t not do it. It’s something I love to do.”

To learn more, visit www.chs.camas.wednet.edu

Science

Ending with a victory.

 

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