April 2022

ORCA has gone without an in-person prom for a couple years but it is finally coming back in April. 

This year’s theme, chosen by Student Government and ORCA seniors, is Enchanted Forest.

Stephanie Vitro, the high school Student Government advisor, announced, “Prom is scheduled to be in-person this year!” The event will take place on April 23 from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. in Salem. The limit is 165 students. It will have dancing, a light dessert, game area, photo booth, and live DJ.

The prom is free for all high school students in ORCA. Students are allowed to bring one guest, who must be a documented high school student. The guest and their school administration will have to sign this form and submit it to ORCA by April 15 in order to attend the prom.

“I am very excited to finally meet this group of hard working people at prom!” said Reagan Stanek, the Student Government activities director, “I hope that everyone feels how much work went into it by so many people to make the event truly special.” 

If you want to RSVP for the prom, please head over to the HS Field Trip Central document, linked in the Principal's Office, and don’t forget to fill out the permission form if you want to bring a guest.

For more information about the prom policies, check out this document.

Curious about how many high school credits you have earned toward graduation? Do you want to see your class rank? Maybe you need to find your last report card? PowerSchool is a great way to find everything related to your ORCA academic records.

Transcripts/Report Cards

All of your previous report cards are included in the Student Reports. To access the reports, you can sign into PowerSchool SIS by using the web address https://orca.powerschool.com. You can view the full guide to learn how to sign in to your account. After you sign in, there will be a section on the left-hand side named Student Reports. There, you will find a list of all your archived and current records. By clicking on a transcript, you will be able to see previous semesters of classes you took. Your grades, credits, GPA, and class rank will all be included in your transcripts, although if this is your first term, class rank is not calculated until the term ends.

Honor Roll

If you have been keeping your grades up throughout the school year, you may find an Honor Roll certificate as a part of your archived records. To receive an Honor Roll designation, you must be in grades 6-12, have a minimum 3.5 GPA or 85% grade, and all courses must be completed. Other criteria such as attendance requirements, state assessments, and plagiarism or violation history also affects a student’s eligibility to obtain an Honor Roll certificate. The Honor Roll is awarded once at the end of the first and second semester.

Credits

High schoolers, want to know how close you are to meeting graduation requirements? Right in your “Transcript With Current Schedule”, there will be a whole Credit Summary of the courses you passed and how many credits you received from them. A semester of passing work in a class equals one half of a credit, and a year equals one credit. Currently, ORCA requires 24 credits to graduate from high school, with separate subject area requirements, such as four years of language arts and three years of math. You can view how many more credits you need to meet the minimum requirements in the Student Reports. Your transcript will also show the grade you earned in one semester of a course and your overall GPA based on those grades.

How do we use math in our daily life? This is a question many students ask every day. It’s easy to wonder if algebra is a practical skill that can be used outside of school – and fortunately, it is. Whether you use it to pay your bills or calculate costs, math is a relevant skill that is integrated into almost every part of our daily lives. 

The new ASCEND Math pathway introduces students to the broad field of business and finance, where they will have the opportunity to practice relevant math-related skills through real-life applications and develop 21st-century skills for success. Whether you see yourself going into management, trades, or any other field, personal finance is the first step to exploring a wide range of career fields and prepares you for the rigorous world of business and entrepreneurship. 

The ASCEND career and technical education program offers a four-year math series opening to all pathways. This series features honors and college-level courses that integrate math and business-related topics through real-life applications and interactive projects. As a part of this program, students have the opportunity to create a personal brand, participate in college-level courses, and earn industry-recognized certifications in high school. It is currently only open to students in the business management pathway, but these courses will be available to all ASCEND pathways starting in the 2022-23 school year. 

The first courses in the pathway, Integrated Math 1 and 2, are a two-year series that emphasize the use of mathematics to model financial applications and explore topics involving independent living, employment, business modeling, investing, credit, and more. This course introduces a new innovative course plan through interactive class projects and simulations – one of which includes a stock market simulation where students can practice investing money and managing revenue, as well as a year-long personal finance capstone project. 

Additionally, these classes offer one math and one CTE credit each year of the program and are taken concurrently with a CTE Lab course about various business-related skills such as personal finance and entrepreneurship. Completing the Integrated Math 1 and 2 courses with the CTE labs will satisfy the algebra 1 and 2 and geometry standards, as well as two of the three math credits required for graduation.

Math 111 and 112 are advanced college-level courses that focus on algebra and trigonometry where students can earn dual college credits in high school. 

In the 2023-24 school year, the ASCEND pathway will introduce a new addition to the math series with a year-long Data Science course, where students will have the opportunity to explore relevant data associated with their pathways and career interests. 

"I am excited to be part of offering this opportunity to our students here in our ASCEND program at ORCA,” says Dr. Cynthia Lofts, the pathway’s leading instructor. “These courses have a tailored focus on relevant mathematics for all of the ASCEND pathways and preparing students for future real-life experiences.”

“I think we have a lot of fun in our math class!” she adds, “I have enjoyed working with students this year as we launched the first course and look forward to the roll out of the complete series in 2022-2023."

Interested in joining ASCEND? Check out this link to learn more. 

Which movies and TV shows were the best of 2021? Oregon Charter Academy’s students and staff decided in the first annual Orcas, The Current’s take on the prestigious Academy Awards. 

Which films and shows took home the first Golden Orcas? 

Best Picture

Nominees: Dune, Cruella, Encanto, 14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible, and Luca

Winners: Dune, Encanto

Not one, but two films win the first Orca for best picture. With 35.3% of the votes each, Dune and Encanto were the most popular films of 2021 for those at Oregon Charter Academy. 

Ryland Bickley, who nominated Dune, wrote that the film is “an epic in every sense of the word,” while Leah Gneiting, who nominated Encanto, praised the filmmakers for “[demonstrating] what family truly represents.” 

Best TV Show

Nominees: WandaVision, Shadow and Bone, The Beatles: Get Back, and Star Wars: The Bad Batch

Winner: WandaVision

With an impressive 43.8% of the vote, Marvel Studios’ WandaVision was clearly ORCA’s favorite show of 2021. 

Keagan S., who nominated the show, commended director Matt Shakman for “[doing] a great job of raising tension and keeping the audience interested” throughout the course of the series. 

The Current would like to congratulate the winners as well as thank each voter for their participation in the first ever Orcas. 

What’s ORCA’s favorite school subject? There has been a lot of ongoing debate about it, and you may have even heard about it in your live classes. By submitting a response here, everyone can help The Current find out. Let’s see what the opinions are regarding this broad and debatable topic. 

The winning subject will be announced in The Current’s upcoming May issue. 

What’s dark, gritty, and makes a lot of money at the box office? 

That would be another Batman reboot, of course. As one of the most famous and well-loved comic book characters of all time, the caped crusader and his iconic villains have seen countless big-screen adaptations over the years. 

For the most part, the quantity has largely been matched by quality. Adam West’s early iteration of Batman is generally regarded as a masterclass in 60s camp, while Tim Burton’s 1989 film was an important step in the evolution of superhero films being taken seriously. And in more recent history, Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy is considered not just some of the greatest comic book films ever made but among the best cinema of the mid-2000s. 

There have been other takes of the character as well – some animated, some built from Legos, and other live-action films of debatable success. But the point still stands – we’ve seen a lot of Batman over the years. 

So why reboot the character yet again? 

It’s rather simple -- Warner Brothers owns a popular IP in Batman, and ever since the chances of a solo film for Ben Affleck’s take on the character died out, they’ve been looking for a suitable replacement. The important part would be producing a film that matched the greatness of those before it, all while bringing something new to the table. 

The first step would be acquiring a great director, and that requirement was more than met with the hiring of Matt Reeves. Reeves doesn’t have many films to his name, but his most recent accomplishments, 2014’s Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and 2017’s War for the Planet of the Apes, more than speak for themselves. Reeves took a bizarre tale of intelligent monkeys taking over the world and turned it into a compelling, serious, and critically acclaimed series of sci-fi films. 

So naturally, a gritty take on a story about a billionaire who dresses up as a flying rodent to fight crime aligns perfectly with Reeves’ skillset. 

And The Batman takes itself very seriously. It’s a solemn, grim affair with clear influences from film noir with its dark lighting and crime drama elements. Gotham City is grimy, corrupt, and often shrouded in a downpour. Despite feeling grounded, the world of the film still feels ripped out of the pages of a comic book. It’s perhaps the best aesthetic yet in a Batman movie. 

The casting is similarly impressive. Robert Pattinson has proven himself to be a top-tier actor in his post-Twilight filmography, and he’s a great fit as the titular character. He’s brooding and menacing all while bringing the character’s flaws to light. The film does the audience a favor by skipping the origin story we’ve seen a million times already, but it still shows Batman early on in his crime-fighting career, making mistakes and miscalculations along the way but growing in the process. 

Playing Batman also comes with the challenge of playing the character’s alter-ego, Bruce Wayne. Here, Pattinson doesn’t hold up quite as well. There is little difference between the masked vigilante and Wayne besides the costume, and the film seems to gloss over the duality of the two -- an essential trait of the character. In fact, it’s a little surprising that everyone in Gotham doesn’t discover Batman’s true identity by the end of the film. Chances are that this was an intentional creative decision, and perhaps a more realistic one as well, but Bruce Wayne seems to put hardly any effort into keeping such an important secret. 

Paul Dano is incredibly chilling and disturbing as the central villain, the Riddler, and his on-screen dynamic with Batman is equally impressive. However, many of his methods and traits as a villain feel similar to Heath Ledger’s iconic take on the Joker in 2008’s The Dark Knight, which takes away from some of the originality of Dano’s performance. 

The rest of the cast, including Zoë Kravitz, Jeffrey Wright, Colin Farrell, and others do an excellent job of disappearing into their roles. The film is full of the vibrant, compelling characters we expect from a Batman movie. There’s really not a weak link in the bunch. 

Composer Michael Giacchino’s score is also a highlight. It fits the mood of the film well with a memorable main theme reminiscent of John Williams’ “Imperial March” of Star Wars fame. The choice to incorporate Nirvana’s “Something In The Way” is a great addition as well, especially as the song seamlessly fits into the rest of the soundtrack. 

Clocking in at just under three hours, The Batman somehow doesn’t feel overly long. The tension methodically builds at an even pace with some excellent action scenes interspersed to keep the audience engaged. The film is slow but steady, a welcome feature when most modern superhero films have a frenetically fast pace. The tone is consistent as well, with the few jokes that appear in the gloomy script fitting in well thanks to Reeves’ dark sense of humor. And despite the grim feel of the film, The Batman provides enough hope and heart-pumping action to prevent it from becoming an emotionally draining 176 minutes. 

In the end, The Batman may not contain as many memorable highs or iconic castings as some of the films before it, but it captures the feel and world of the caped crusader better than perhaps any Batman movie to date. It’s a wonderful showcase of the technical marvels of modern filmmaking as well. It’s not without its flaws, but The Batman is a must-watch for cinephiles and die-hard fans of the character alike. 

The verdict: 8.5/10

Are you a gamer? Do you spend your weekends playing video games? Then you should join the Gamer’s Lounge if you are in high school or Gamers 'R Us if you are in middle school. 

The Gamer’s Lounge is a club where you will be able to see some of your friends, ask questions about gaming, share tips and tricks with one another, and talk about easter eggs in games. This club is open to all ORCA high school students.

Gamers 'R Us is not just a club where you can chat about video games; it is also a place to talk about D&D campaigns, video game strategies, artwork inspired by games, word games, and more. The Gamers ‘R Us club meets every Thursday at 3:00 p.m. This club is open to all ORCA middle school students.

Ms. Wooten, a club advisor for the Gamers 'R Us club, said, “The Gamers 'R Us club started this school year as I saw a need to support the interest of students who love to play games of all sorts. Being a gamer myself, I felt this was something I could enjoy and that hopefully students could enjoy.” She adds, “It is important to provide students with the opportunity to meet with other students who have similar interests and to see that they are not alone.”

She started the club because “opportunities such as clubs [in online school] are essential. Anyone who loves to play games of any sort is welcome in the club.” Gamers 'R Us club and the Gamer’s Lounge are great ways to meet new friends, socialize, and talk about games.

Gamer’s Lounge and Gamers 'R Us are two of the best places to meet other students who want to expand their knowledge of gaming. Click this link to sign up to be a member of one of the two clubs, depending on your grade level.

In a February announcement, Oregon Charter Academy’s executive director Allison Galvin urged ORCA students and families to submit testimony in a courtesy hearing for Senate Bill 1552. 

SB 1552 is a bill that removes Oregon’s three percent enrollment cap, something that the school has wanted removed for a long time. But why exactly does ORCA have such a problem with a small clause in Oregon’s policy? 

What is the three percent cap? 

The three percent enrollment cap was put in place in 2011. 

Per Oregon.gov, “A district may deny a student's intent to enroll in a public charter school if the student is planning to enroll in a virtual public charter school and more than 3% of the district's students are enrolled in a virtual public charter school sponsored by another district.” 

Interestingly enough, the rule only applies to virtual public charter schools. 

School districts are able to choose whether or not they wish to enforce the cap, but the rule requires that the school must approve any student’s departure to a virtual charter school if three percent of the district’s students have already enrolled in one. This gives districts the ability to restrict students from going to the school of their choice. 

ORS 338.125 has the complete legal verbiage for the law. 

Why is the three percent cap in place? 

The three percent cap exists largely for one reason: funding. 

It’s the same reasoning behind most arguments against school choice. Public brick-and-mortar schools receive thousands in government funding for each student enrolled in the school. 

When a student transfers to a virtual charter school, some of that money goes with them. 

With brick-and-mortar schools incredibly dependent on this government funding, districts and teachers unions have supported such limitations on enrollment in private and charter schools. 

Supporters of the three percent cap have also claimed that an online education is less effective than an in-person one, although these claims are often disputed as the data differs with each school. An article by KGW8 News in February 2022 showed that six of Oregon’s virtual public charter schools (out of a list of 16) had higher graduation rates than the state average. 

Has the three percent cap been enforced before?

The COVID-19 crisis highlighted virtual schooling more than ever before. 

Oregon Business reported in 2021 that virtual schooling in Oregon saw a massive uptick in enrollment for the 2020-21 school year, with over 7,500 more students than the previous year. 

In contrast, overall public school enrollment dropped 3.73 percent. 

As a result of the exodus, at least 50 Oregon school districts had reached the three percent cap in August of 2020, according to the Oregon Department of Education. And so some districts began to deny students the ability to transfer to virtual charters outside their district boundaries. 

In a KGW8 article, Ms. Galvin stated that the cap has resulted in “hundreds of families” who have been restricted from enrolling in ORCA alone, resulting in a “significant” decrease in enrollment. 

In the same article, Melissa Hausmann, the head of three other public charter schools in Oregon, claimed that her schools were facing lowered enrollment from the cap as well. She said that a “historical” number of families were being denied enrollment to virtual schooling. 

Why are virtual schools against the three percent cap? 

Virtual schools have lost many potential students due to the three percent cap, but they also claim that the law is unfair and inequitable. 

Ms. Galvin noted in an interview with KGW8 that “school districts are allowed to use student population numbers from any time in the last year.” This allows districts to calculate when they hit the three percent cap based on potentially outdated data from when the school had a smaller population. 

There have also been complaints regarding how the cap discriminates based on location, as students in one district may have a much better chance at joining a virtual school than those in another. 

Parents have also expressed frustration with the law restricting them from choosing the education they want for their children. 

In the KGW8 article, Oregon parent Danny Zimmerman said he was trying to transfer his daughter to a virtual charter school due to bullying at an in-person school. However, the district denied his request. 

Zimmerman was eventually able to enroll his daughter in a virtual school, but only after he went to “great lengths” to establish her residency in a different district. 

“It's really discriminatory based on where you live,” he added. 

Removing the three percent cap 

House Bill 4119 was introduced by Oregon State Representative Jack Zika in 2022 with the goal of removing the three percent cap. 

“If your child thrives in a different school, then that's what you should be able to do,” Zika explained in an interview with KGW8.

However, the bill failed, with The Oregonian’s tracker listing a 24-34 vote against the measure. 

SB 1552, introduced in the senate in 2022, has a similar goal. 

According to the bill’s description, it “Removes [the] requirement that student[s] must receive approval from resident school district before enrolling in virtual public charter school not sponsored by school district if specified percentage of students in school district already are enrolled in virtual public charter schools not sponsored by school district.”

It also “removes [the] requirement that school district[s] that [do] not give approval for enrollment in virtual public charter school not sponsored by school district provide information about other online options available to students.”

The bill is still alive, and a public courtesy hearing was held on February 24. In the global announcement, Ms. Galvin encouraged ORCA families to submit electronic or in-person testimony for the hearing.

“Since this is a ‘courtesy’ hearing, SB 1552 won’t pass this session,” she explained. “But the work we do to inform our legislators of the need for equitable school choice for all students in Oregon will impact the 2023 legislative session.”

Ms. Galvin concluded, “We appreciate your consideration in being part of this critical process. We remain committed to supporting all families accessing the right educational option for their children, which does include virtual public charter schools as one of those options.” 

Adventist Health Portland is a hospital in Portland that hosts the Student Healthcare Leaders Program. This program allows ORCA ASCEND high school students to learn about different healthcare careers by meeting current healthcare professionals and visiting their work environments. The Student Healthcare Leaders program is a great opportunity for students with an interest in a healthcare career. 

The ASCEND Medical Science program is for students who strive to gain healthcare knowledge and experience. Through the program, students will learn about human diseases, disorders, diagnostic tests, and treatments. They also learn how to act ethically and professionally in a variety of healthcare settings, perform and interpret routine medical exams, don and doff personal protective equipment, and perform CPR/AED/First Aid. On top of this coursework, students will have numerous opportunities to visit local clinics, converse with healthcare professionals, and learn about a wide range of healthcare career choices. 

Each tour focuses on a specific part of the hospital, opening up a variety of work environments. These are surgical, plant, nutrition, pharmacy, therapy, and board services. In each session, students meet with experts and directors who give advice not only on the healthcare field but also on life. During the surgery tour, students meet the surgery director and the vital surgery staff. Students were taught how to wash their hands before surgery, put on scrubs, use a Da Vinci machine, and intubate the lungs of a test dummy. 

Even if surgery is not for you, remember that there are other departments in a hospital setting. The plant department is vital in keeping the hospital clean and organized. The nutrition department is vital for patients’ health and energy. The pharmacy department is essential for giving out and taking medications and prescriptions. The therapy department is necessary for patients who need help in the muscular and nervous aspects. And finally, the board’s services are vital to the hospital’s management and finances. All these departments consist of a larger hospital environment similar to that of a busy city. But the point is, if you are interested in the healthcare field, seize this opportunity to grow and better understand which career path you might take.

Even though the deadline to apply for this program has passed, keep this opportunity on your radar. You can visit the Student Healthcare Leaders program website to learn more about this amazing opportunity and stay updated on any news. 

Whether it’s a wardrobe that leads to a new world or the escape from a dystopian society, book series are one way to get into the world of fiction without being disrupted by a rushed ending. Here are four series that some of The Current’s writers recommend highly. 

• The Giver Quartet by Lois Lowry (Recommended by Grace Choi)

  • The Giver Quartet contains a total of four books, including The Giver, by American writer Lois Lowry. This series takes you into a connected world that includes a dystopian and primitive society. This quartet consists of award-winning The Giver, Gathering Blue, Messenger, and Son. There are different points of view in each book and they all get connected at the end.

• The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis (Recommended by Keagan S.)

  • With a nine book series, C. S. Lewis takes the reader on an adventure throughout the land of Narnia and a fight between good and evil. Each book has many twists and turns, which makes you want to never put the book down. Some books in the series have been adapted into movies such as The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, as well as Prince Caspian, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, and The Silver Chair. There are still many other books in the series, like The Magician’s Nephew, The Horse and His Boy, and The Last Battle. This whole series focuses on two worlds interconnected by a magical wardrobe found in a game of hide and seek, where children, lions, and the various creatures that populate the land beyond the wardrobe battle with the forces of evil. 

• The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer (Recommended by Annalaina Y.)

  • Linh Cinder was the missing piece within the realms of the vast empire of Luna. She lived her life in New Beijing, trying to be more than what her step-mother and step-sisters expect her to be. With haunting memories of her lost past, she doesn’t have a clue of what her future will become. After the passing of her foster father, she is determined to escape the never-ending quarrels at home. As the clock strikes twelve, new adventures and horizons are awakened, enabling her to meet new allies and friends. With Linh Cinder representing Cinderella, Scarlet Benoit and Ze’ev Kesley representing Little Red Riding Hood, Crescent representing Rapunzel, and Princess Winter representing Snow White, only when you read these books will you get a taste of how these four classical tales have been turned upside down.

• The Summer I Turned Pretty Trilogy by Jenny Han (Recommended by Grace Choi)

  • With the first book soon to become a film, this exciting young adult romance series comes from Jenny Han, author of the Netflix adapted series To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before. Told from different points of view, you’ll get to know each main character as much as they know themselves. There are sudden plot changes, flashbacks and scenes that make you want to read more. These three stories contain all the worries and excitement of summertime romance.

With these four different series recommendations, you may discover new and interesting books to spend your free time reading.

Author’s note: The Selection series, The Summer I Turned Pretty Trilogy, and some of the books featured in the Chronicles of Narnia series and The Lunar Chronicles are available at Sora. You can check here for more information. Other books may be available at your local library or bookstore.

Country music is one of the most controversial musical genres. It seems like people either hate it or love it. For those who want to try expanding their music taste, here are some recommendations of songs and artists with country influences.

Golden Hour - Album by Kacey Musgraves

• This country-pop singer has produced only five albums, but her music is a perfect mix of both genres. Golden Hour is her most popular album with hits like “Butterflies” and “Slow Burn.” If you listen to pop artists such as Olivia Rodrigo and Selena Gomez, you’ll enjoy Kacey Musgraves as a gateway to country music.

“Better Man” - Song by Little Big Town

• This Little Big Town song takes their music to another level with an amazing mix of acoustic country and electric rock. Their most popular song is “Girl Crush,” but “Better Man” shows their eclectic side and is definitely worth a listen.

“Both” - Song by Ingrid Andress

• This song is from an album that was a top 5 hit on the Billboard Country Airplay and Hot Country Songs charts. Andress’ soulful pop voice makes her country-themed songs unique.

“Thy Will” - Song by Hillary Scott and The Scott Family

• Hillary Scott, generally known as the front singer of Lady A, released an album of gospel music with her parents and her younger sister in 2016. If you are a fan of smooth gospel, “Thy Will” is a great song that resembles music by Lauren Daigle.

“Carolina in My Mind”- Song by James Taylor

• James Taylor was one of the most influential singer-songwriters of the 70s. His greatest hits include “Fire and Rain,” “Something in the Way She Moves,” and “You’ve Got a Friend.” His slower and softer songs resemble folk, rock, indie, and country music. 

Country music takes many faces, from pop to rock, and is one of the oldest American genres. Luckily, the many different influences of country music give all listeners something to enjoy.

Unserious, not needed disclaimer: This is a totally real satire, not a guide. 

Want to write an awesome satire? The first thing you want to do is open up a new document and write about a topic that is funny. Then delete it all and read a satire on The Current. Afterwards, you should be all set for failure. You see, writing a really good satire is like growing wings and flying. It. Is. Impossible. Unless you're a totally real fairy.

Okay, now be serious. Seriously. Stop thinking about fairies.

When you're done crying Niagara Falls over how you cannot write satires, realize there is still hope. This is what you actually want to do. On your blank document, start with an idea that pokes fun at something. For example, how memes are the new jokes. Start out with a title, something funny like this: “Breaking News: Memes Are Over-Powering Jokes.” After that, start with a claim, something like this depending on your topic: “Recent news has it that memes are taking over jokes with their popular existence and their unspoken humor.” 

Next, add the filling. For instance: “If you look up ‘jokes,’ lots of terribly corny dad jokes come up that just aren't as funny as memes, but when you look up ‘memes,’ tons of hilarious and relatable comedy is there that's got to get you LOL-ing.”

Then after you write a couple more paragraphs, you should just delete it all, and plagiarize; steal someone else's satire article. Actually, if you don’t want to go to jail then that may not be the best plan, but if you like prison food then that's the way to go. 

Have you lost hope yet? Don’t give up! There are still some other things you can do. Write one straight from your heart without directions? Nah. Go and get some (serious) writing lessons and join The Current through this link? Maybe.

If you don’t follow these steps then you will probably be totally fine writing it on your own. Just be sure to be satirical, not funny. And please, if you are actually going to write a satire – especially a great one – don't end your article with “THE END.” It's too improper. 

THE END.

Erin Wooten is a seventh grade Language Arts and Social Studies teacher who started working for Oregon Charter Academy eight years ago. She has made many contributions to ORCA, including being a humanities teacher, and is now an advisor of two clubs: Gamers ‘R Us and the Craft and Chat Club that started this year. She’s always enjoyed tag teaming with her friend and coworker Ms. Wyss as they tackle the subject of humanities. Like many ORCA teachers, they embody the true value of academics as they refine their methods to make their students more successful. They love being able to see the spark in the students’ eyes that says they are learning.

Ms. Wooten loves how her teaching career has led to many inspiring moments in the lives of students. Her students call her ‘Woot’ which is a nickname one of her past students coined. This student’s cautionary acts whenever they approached teachers helped Ms. Wooten understand the student more and build up a better relationship. That’s how Woot became her signature name.

One of the amazing things about Ms. Wooten is the boundless support that she continues to provide for her former students. She still keeps in contact with those that have really felt the mark she made on their academic journey because they have impacted her life as well. Ms. Wooten never forgets those that have changed her life.

Have you been been accepted into a two or four-year college? Or some other postsecondary program? If so, ORCA wants to showcase you on the school Facebook page.  

If you would like to be featured, please submit this form with your college or university acceptance list and a photo. 

By submitting this form, students agree to display their name and photo publicly and consent to its use on ORCA’s public social media channel and local news outlets. 

The last day to submit this form is on May 1, 2022. 

Great job everyone who participated in the photography contest! The amazing photography is very impressive and it was difficult to pick a winner. The Current has chosen four photos and the creators listed below and their pieces are on an image carousel.

Winners: Brayden G., Carina S., Elijah E., and Angie Hite.

Oregon Charter Academy hosts both in-person and virtual field trips for students of all grades These field trips give students the opportunity to connect with others, learn, and have fun. Here are some of April’s top field trips.

National Poetry Month Favorite Poem Reading (4/1) 

Did you know that April is National Poetry Month? The field trip description notes that all high school students are invited to celebrate and “bring a favorite poem by another poet to share with your fellow ORCA students and staff.” 

Women's History & Fashion Part 1 (4/1) 

Do you want to dig deep into women’s history, the fashion eras, and the roles of women during these times? If so, then this field trip might be for you. The event description states, “In this field trip, we will be discussing the parts of women’s history that's not heard of as much, and also taking a look at the fashion of the times.” 

This event is available for students in middle school and will be followed by a second part in May. 

NASA Space Center Houston Live Stream on Mission to Mars (4/8)

Want to learn more about the history of Mars or the modern day technology that now inhabits this planet? “Today the planet is home to rovers, probes, and orbiting satellites, all sending information back to Earth to prepare us for the day we take the first step on the red planet,” states the event description. “Join us and investigate the challenges we must overcome on our mission to Mars and learn how we plan to land our astronauts on the red planet.” 

All grades will be welcome on this field trip. 

ASCEND Presents: Explore the World of a Lab Technician (4/27) 

Available for all middle and high school students, this field trip presented by ASCEND will be looking at the lab technician career pathway. Students who RSVP are asked to come with questions about this exciting pathway. They will also learn about training, other necessities to become a lab technician, and join in a meaningful conversation with professionals. 

These field trips are just a few of the many field trips available to ORCA students this month. Make sure to check out the school’s live document Field Trip Central. You can locate this in your HS Principal’s Office or MS Principal’s Corner for more information about the field trips that ORCA has to offer in April and to RSVP. 

Do you have a school-related question or need some academic advice? ORCA’s National Honor Society and National Junior Honor Society are here to help with an advice column intended to provide answers to all of your educational inquiries. 

I am starting to feel stressed about high school. What will freshman year look like? 

- Next Year’s Ninth Grade Newbie

Dear Next Year’s Ninth Grade Newbie,

If you are feeling stressed about becoming a high schooler, take a deep breath. High school can be a lot to take on and can be daunting. The first step is to reach out to your advisor or counselor if you have any questions. They are here to help you and guide you through the process. Next, you need to make sure that once you get to high school, you make a schedule for yourself and keep to it. You will hear this advice a lot because you will need to hold yourself accountable for your work and schedule in order to stay on track. Once you get into high school the work will be more challenging. If you ever have a question on an assignment make sure to reach out to your teachers as soon as possible.

High school isn’t just about academics, it's also about getting involved in extracurricular activities to find out what you like to do. Clubs are a great way to meet new people and make friends. High school is an experience, so make sure to have fun. Remember, the key to succeeding in high school is to reach out if you ever need help or have a question.

Best of luck, 

ORCA’s NHS & NJHS

Have a question about academics? Ask the NHS advice column! All submissions will be anonymous. 

You can submit your questions here. Questions must be submitted by the end of the first week of the month to be able to appear in The Current. Entries submitted after the deadline may appear in later editions.