HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL !YEA

The end of 2003 brought a lot of snow in Central Oregon and on the MBA campus. We also had great basketball games, Parent Seminar, Drama Performance, Graduation (more at Looking Glass2003   ), home visits, Coastal Classroom, Discovery Phase wilderness trip and the New Year's Eve Casino Night.

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COASTAL CLASSROOM

Eight Girls attended the Coastal Classroom trip from December 27-31.  The trip was led by Charyn McDonnell, with the assistance of Mike Zielaskowski.  


Students studied local wildlife in the inter- tidal zone at various tide pools in the Newport, Oregon area.  They also  toured the Oregon Coast Aquarium and attended two days of intensive, hands-on laboratory coursework at the Mark Hatifield, Oregon State University Marine Science Center. One highlight of the labs was having to assemble the complete skeleton of a beaked whale. We then used the skeleton to compare the structure of both toothed whales and baleen whales.  A boys' coastal classroom trip is scheduled for February.

 

 

Sharon Bitz, Susie Carroll, Naty Zamora, Alex Bitz and Steve Houghton

The Music Class joined the celebration. "Oh, nothing sounds better after 15 years of work then the ukulele...."

LOYALTY AND COMMITMENT

 

Today in America more than half of marriages end in divorce, ball players are free agents, and workplace commitment is at an all time ebb.   But in the middle of the Ochoco National Forest in Central Oregon, loyalty and commitment are thriving in a community of 76 staff members and 100 students called Mount Bachelor Academy.  

 

Last month, four staff members were honored for their 15 years of service at MBA.   Alex Bitz, Steve Houghton, Naty Zamora, and Susie Carroll, pioneering staff members of the school, received special acknowledgement by students and staff members for their dedication.   Each longtime member received a personal gift, a plaque, and lots of hugs and well wishes.

 

Commitment and loyalty at MBA requires driving long distances everyday in good weather and bad, working schedules that are less than ideal, extreme flexibility, often putting aside your own desires for the good of the community, and most of all loving what you do.

 

We appreciate their excellent example, and also applaud the other eight staff members who have been at mount Bachelor over thirteen years, and another ten over six years.   This commitment lends stability and consistency to our school, its growth, and its traditions.

Sharon Bitz , Executive Director

PHASE I WILDERNESS TRIP

Some of the students who didn't go home for a visit took advantage of the fresh blanket of snow and went for a week of cross country skiing and sledding at Paulina Lake area.

The trip was lead by the MBA staff: Jeff Bounds, Wendy Frank and David Miller with a student support  from Andrew Hammer.

 

PROMISE LIFESTEP

Another three day experience in exploring the meaning of "Your work is your love made visible".

 

THANK YOU FOR THE GIFTS

It's hard to be away from home but some nice gifts from the loved ones, good food, sleeping in, pajamas and fun activities made the holidays easier.

 

To see more pictures of the above events, click here.