January 2022

The ORCA Winter Formal is coming in just a few weeks! 

Stay where you are because the Winter Formal is going to be a virtual event. It’s happening at 4:00 p.m. on January 21, 2022.

The theme is “A Snowy Wonderland.” While you're dressed up in your winter best, you can pick from plenty of fun activities like scavenger hunts, Kahoot, Mad Libs, Would You Rather, Hangman (snow man), and more. There is no formal dress required but winter decorations are encouraged. 

"Our committee has been working very hard and I am so excited to share it with the rest of the high school." says Reagan Stanek, the head of the committee and Activities Director for ORCA's high school Student Government. "It has been a great group of people putting it together and I am so proud of them."

Kenna S., a student senator who sits on the planning committee, says, "I hope a lot of people can make it. We're planning a lot of fun activities and working hard to make it the best winter formal yet!"

Ms. Vitro, the advisor of the Winter Formal Planning Committee, says “Student Government's Winter Formal Committee is planning a Virtual Winter Formal. At this event, students will have the opportunity to socialize with their classmates and visit winter-themed Kahoot, Scavenger Hunt, and Music breakout rooms.”

Click here to RSVP for the event and click here to watch the promotional video made by the Winter Formal Planning Committee.

In May, student Brady Cruse was elected as ORCA Student Government Vice President for the 2021-22 school year. 

“I felt like the student body was placing their trust in me and I couldn’t wait to get started,” he says. 

Now well into the school year, Cruse outlines what responsibilities his position involves. “My main responsibility is to help lead conversations in student government, provide input on the student government agenda, and to listen to students who want to voice their concerns, ideas, and opinions,” he explains.   

One of the most popular and important conversations has involved the topic of student communication, something that Cruse addressed in his election speech. Now, he has a chance to do something about it. 

“We have made some progress towards getting students more involved and engaged in school events… We also hope to further students’ interactions with their peers whether it's in the form of ORCA tutoring, field trips, or in Live Class,” he says, adding that safety remains a top priority. “There are also efforts underway to allow more interaction between ORCA students, but there are still some hurdles we face in order to make sure that all the students can safely communicate.”

Besides student government, the National Honors Society (NHS) is also a big part of Cruse’s life. 

“I am the co-president of the National Honor Society,” says Cruse, going on to mention the challenges of balancing his roles as a leader in student government and NHS. “Both roles require a lot of time and effort especially since I am an elected leader in both. I am able to manage both with good time management and scheduling skills. Effectively scheduling my time gives me enough time to focus on my leadership duties and it has made me more productive overall.”

He went on to add how NHS has helped him as a student and leader. “When I first joined the National Junior Honor Society in seventh grade, I didn’t have much formal leadership experience,” he says. “Each year I have participated I have learned leadership skills through service. I have learned to become a leader, lead a conversation, and encourage others to contribute.”

“I would absolutely recommend that other ORCA students join this organization. We are planning some amazing events and it’s a great opportunity to serve others and learn leadership,” he adds regarding NHS. The organization is open to both middle and high school students at ORCA, with applications open until the end of the semester. More information can be found on the school’s clubs page here. 

Outside of school, Cruse is an avid football fan, sharing that his favorite team is the New England Patriots. He went on to provide some analysis of the upcoming playoffs, saying, “I think that either the Buccaneers or the Patriots are going to win the Super Bowl. The Bucs are going to be strong in the playoffs with Tom Brady, and the Patriots have been dominating after their initial stumble at the beginning of the year.”

“Go Pats!” he concludes. 

Cruse continues to look ahead to ORCA’s future. “I’m excited to continue working on projects on behalf of the student body!” he says. “I want to encourage all ORCA students to participate in school events. I am looking forward to Winter Break, but also can’t wait to see what the remainder of the school year brings!”

The full interview can be read below:

The Current: Congratulations on being elected as the vice president of student government for this school year! What was it like to be elected to this position by the student body?

Brady Cruse: Thank you! It was very exciting to be elected as Vice-President of student government for this school year. I felt like the student body was placing their trust in me and I couldn’t wait to get started. 

The Current: What duties and/or responsibilities do you have as vice president of student government? 

Brady Cruse: As Vice-President, my main responsibility is to help lead conversations in student government, provide input on the student government agenda, and to listen to students who want to voice their concerns, ideas, and opinions. 

The Current: In your speech at student government elections, you mentioned that your goals if elected included helping students be heard, be more engaged, and be able to attend “must-see” school events. Have you made any progress or plans towards reaching these goals? Have they changed at all?

Brady Cruse: We have made some progress towards getting students more involved and engaged in school events. Members of the student government have been promoting events in Live Class and we have had announcements in the Monthly Newsletter and the Principal's Corner. We still want to do more to communicate with the student body, especially through The Current. We hope to see a large student turn out for the upcoming Winter Formal. We also hope to further students’ interactions with their peers whether it's in the form of ORCA tutoring, field trips, or in Live Class. There are also efforts underway to allow more interaction between ORCA students, but there are still some hurdles we face in order to make sure that all the students can safely communicate.

The Current: You are involved in leadership with the National Honor Society. How do you manage to do this along with your work in student government? 

Brady Cruse: Yes, I am the co-president of the National Honor Society. Both roles require a lot of time and effort especially since I am an elected leader in both. I am able to manage both with good time management and scheduling skills. Effectively scheduling my time gives me enough time to focus on my leadership duties and it has made me more productive overall. 

The Current: Has being part of NHS helped you as a student and/or leader? Would you recommend this organization to other ORCA students? 

Brady Cruse: Being a part of NHS has had a tremendous impact on me as a student and as a leader. When I first joined the National Junior Honor Society in seventh grade, I didn’t have much formal leadership experience. Each year I have participated I have learned leadership skills through service. I have learned to become a leader, lead a conversation, and encourage others to contribute. I would absolutely recommend that other ORCA students join this organization. We are planning some amazing events and it’s a great opportunity to serve others and learn leadership. 

The Current: On a lighter note, we have it on good authority that you’re a massive football fan. What’s your favorite team? Prediction for who wins the Super Bowl this year? 

Brady Cruse: Yes, I love watching football! My favorite team is the New England Patriots. I think that either the Buccaneers or the Patriots are going to win the Super Bowl. The Bucs are going to be strong in the playoffs with Tom Brady, and the Patriots have been dominating after their initial stumble at the beginning of the year. I’m rooting for the Patriots. Go Pats!

The Current: Is there anything else you would like to add? 

Brady Cruse: Yes. I’m excited to continue working on projects on behalf of the student body! I want to encourage all ORCA students to participate in school events. I am looking forward to Winter Break, but also can’t wait to see what the remainder of the school year brings! Thank you for this opportunity.

There are many pathways to a career in education. Oregon Charter Academy’s ASCEND program offers an education pathway with classes that walk participants through child safety, nutrition, and child development. If you plan on working towards a career as a teacher, social worker, or daycare owner, trying your hand here might broaden your outlook.

The ASCEND Education program works on projects such as meal planning, understanding health issues, and looking into food-borne illnesses. They offer courses such as Intro to Education, Child Safety and Nutrition, Preschool Child Development, and much more. Classes focus on stages of growth in children and provide opportunities for field trips and hands-on activities. Students graduate with credentials in Child Care Health and Safety, Oregon’s Early Learning Standards, Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect, and Safe Sleep for Oregon Infants. 

Education teacher Niky Bojorquez provides engaging content to help  students understand what to expect after high school. “The Education pathway is one of the newest programs to be added to the ASCEND program,” Ms. Bojoquez explains. “It has undergone several student-driven changes in the last 3 years! I continually strive to provide opportunities that are relevant, applicable, and aligned with industry standards, so that students are prepared for life after graduation -- be it college or a career.”

Ms. Bojorquez adds, “In the future, I hope to add more Family and Consumer Science (FCS) courses to the pathway that include topics like family finance, culinary arts, housing, and textiles and apparel design.” 

If you are interested in joining any of the ASCEND pathways you can fill out the sign-up application through this link. 

The wide array of field trips available to students, both virtual and in-person, help us stay connected and remind us how online school translates into real-world experiences.

Let’s take a look at some of the field trips ORCA is offering for the month of January:

CTE Workshop (Resume Creation) (1/7)

It’s never too early to start preparing for life after high school, and ORCA’s CTE Workshops are a great place to start. January features a virtual field trip that will focus on building a resume. 

“You are never too young to start your resume!” reads the field trip description. “This is a living document that you will want to update as you move through High School. Join us for this session to understand the elements of a resume and start or update your existing resume.”

Although the field trip is part of ORCA’s ASCEND pathway, the field trip is open to all 8-12th graders in the school. 

Make sure to check out the field trip information document here for information on how to RSVP. 

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Live Stream #3 (1/21)

ORCA’s NASA live streams are always can’t-miss opportunities, and this one shouldn’t be any different. Open to students at every grade level, this field trip involves an overview of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. 

“With facilities in Maryland, Virginia, New Mexico, Texas, New York and West Virginia, Goddard is a place where a mission can go from start to finish: from planning to building to testing and even launching,” reads the event description. “Goddard is also involved in nearly every NASA science mission involving Earth science, planetary science, heliophysics (the study of the Sun and our local space environment) and astrophysics.”

Participants will also enjoy a live question and answer session with NASA staff at the end of the field trip. 

Check out the field trip information document here for information on how to RSVP for this event. 

Oregon Coast Aquarium Field Trip (see Field Trip Central for date)

This is an in-person field trip that's open to all ORCA students from grades K-12. 

Students will be able to explore the Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport, Oregon with others from the school. 

There are admission fees, but residents of Lincoln County will receive a discount. Check out the field trip information document for more information regarding ticket prices and how to sign up.

6th Grade Talents Showcase (1/28)

The 6th Grade Talents Showcase is an event exclusively for students in that grade level to show off their skills and hobbies to their classmates. 

Suggested topics for the talent show include art, singing, baking, and even video game skills, with the lone requirement being “whatever you do well.” Non-participating sixth graders are invited to attend as well to support their peers. 

Make sure to check out the field trip information form here to RSVP and find out how to sign up to be part of the show. 

The field trips listed above are just a few of the many field trips offered by ORCA through this January and the rest of the school year. 

Make sure to check out the school’s constantly updating Field Trip Central for a listing of every available field trip. 

The ORCA Prayer Club was started by a student who was “looking for a place to belong and to connect with other students,” according to former advisor Kathleen Dingle. 

This club has stood strong in its goals and mission to make a safe environment for students to learn about prayer and have some fun doing it.

Ryland Bickley, who’s a leader in the club, says, “Prayer Club is one of ORCA's longest running student-led clubs. We meet for a half hour each week, where we hang out, listen to music, and provide an encouraging, uplifting community for each other.” The club was started in the 2016-2017 school year, and is currently in its fifth year. They meet every Thursday at 3:00 p.m. with enjoyable activities planned.

This year, Prayer Club is run by Ms. Katy Naylor and Ms. Devon Johnson. They both agree that their favorite part of this club is the fact that it is completely student-run. They both celebrate the amazing members who make this club possible.

“Prayer Club is a safe environment,” states Ms. Katy Naylor. She also explains that all students are welcome and everyone is expected to respect each other.

The Prayer Club is a great place to meet other students who want to grow in their religious knowledge and faith, and be part of a supportive, positive community. Click here if you want to sign up to be a member of the Prayer Club.

On December 1st, the Cognia school accreditation program named Oregon Charter Academy an International School of Distinction. ORCA is now one of 79 schools internationally to win this award. Other schools competing for this award include brick-and-mortar, virtual, public and private schools, and even some colleges and universities. Not only is ORCA the first school in Oregon to win this award, but it is also the only school on the West Coast. 

Oregon Charter Academy received a high accreditation score of 377.5 out of 400. This is well above the average score of all the schools Cognia has accredited for in the last five years, which scored an average of 280.

“I am so proud of our staff for their passion and daily grind to make this the best virtual option available to students,” said Allison Galvin, the school’s executive director. “Being named an international ‘School of Distinction’ demonstrates the impact we have had becoming Oregon Charter Academy."

For the past 17 years, ORCA has strived to provide a positive and dynamic learning experience for all students across the state of Oregon. 

According to Cognia’s website, “Each year, Cognia identifies schools and systems that best exemplify excellence in education and stand out in their service to learners, based on the results of our rigorous accreditation process.” The International School of Distinction award is an honor that marks Oregon Charter Academy as a world-class school. 

To learn more about Cognia’s School of Distinction Award, click here.

Eager to get your writing recognized? Your chance is right here.

The Current wants to give you the opportunity to participate in a short story contest. The winning story will be chosen by The Current staff. Use this link to submit a one to two page story.

Your prompt is a fictional (or nonfictional) comedic short story about a student finishing the semester. Your story should be funny, relatable, and creative. 

Here are the basic guidelines and rules for your short story:

• Your entry must be school appropriate (no inappropriate language, political agendas, or discrimination).

• Your entry must be your own work.

• Your entry must use proper grammar and spelling.

• Your entry must relate to the prompt.

• Your entry must be submitted by January 21st.

• 12 pt font that's legible (preferably Times New Roman, Arial, or Merriweather).

• 2 pages MAXIMUM.

• A title and your name. (The Current is public so you can choose if you want to have your name with an initial or your full last name).

Your entry must follow these general rules, and be submitted through the Google form in this link. 

Do you have teachers going above and beyond to improve your educational experience? Don’t let their work go unnoticed. 

In December, Oregon Charter introduced the “Positive ‘Spout’ Out for ORCA Teachers.” The Google Form, linked on the Principal’s Office Canvas course, is described as a way “to provide positive feedback and give a shout out to an ORCA teacher who is doing great work!” 

The form can be used by parent/guardians and students at any grade level. It involves a few basic questions and a text box for the positive feedback. 

The form can be found here.

Editor's note: To read the first part of this series, check out the article in the December 2021 issue.

Books give you such a wide opportunity to gain knowledge, and you’d be surprised how much you can learn from fiction books. Here are several books in some new genres for you to explore. 

Realistic Fiction

• Tell Me Everything by Sarah Enni

  • This book is about Ivy, an artsy sophomore whose best friend, Harold, goes to smarty camp and she’s left all summer to be alone. She discovers an anonymous art app called VEIL and it swallows up her time. When Harold gets back from camp, he’s completely different, and she’s left alone again. Ivy starts noticing connections between the students at her high school and the artists on VEIL. She does good things for the people she’s discovered, but soon her biggest discovery yet turns sour.

• The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen

  • Macy Queen is a teenage girl who has been struggling with loss. She’s become the perfect daughter for her mother. Macy begins questioning her perfect life when she meets the Wish Catering crew. Soon she gains real friends and together they have fun adventures. This book is hilarious, and you'll love Macy's boss, Delilah.

Historical Fiction

• Taking Off by Jenny Moss

  • Annie has come to a crossroads in her life. Should she leave her home and first love for college, or stay where it’s safe and comfortable? She meets Christa McAullife, who’s going to be the first teacher in space. Christa’s enthusiasm and charisma inspires Annie to be more spontaneous and follow her dreams. She travels to see the launch, and a devastating event inspires her in a different way.

• The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

  • This book takes place in Nazi Germany. Narrated by Death, it covers the life of Liesel Meminger, a foster child who steals books. The book covers her life, from the growing pains and joys of a child to the inevitable heartbreak that comes with war. 

Fantasy

• The School For Good And Evil by Soman Chainani 

  • Best friends Sophie and Agatha could not be any more different. Where Sophie is blond, beautiful and acts like a princess, Agatha lives in a cemetery with a cat named Reaper, where the townsfolk fear her. One night, both are kidnapped and taken to the School For Good And Evil, where they will learn how to be a villain, or hero, and create their own fairy tale story. But upon arrival they are placed in the wrong schools--Agatha is in the School For Good and Sophie is in the School For Evil. Desperate to switch places, Agatha and Sophie take drastic measures to change their destinies all while surviving school. But were they placed in the wrong schools? It’s a six book series, with many twists and turns. 

• Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

  • This is the first book of the five book series. One of the main themes of Percy Jackson is the acceptance of oneself. It follows a 12 year old boy who learns that his father is Poseidon, meaning he is half Greek god. He sets out to become a hero and has many adventures along the way. This book was made into a movie in 2010.

With this new year, it’s a great opportunity to start reading regularly. If you are interested in any of these books, you can find them online at Sora or at your local public library.

Have you already read every book in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid book series? Twice? If you are looking for something new, here are some books for you to check out.

• What We Found in the Sofa and How It Saved the World by Henry Clark

  • This book is great if you like thrilling science fiction with  a little bit of comedy. It's about three kids who sit at a couch that randomly appeared near their bus stop and find a zucchini crayon in the crack of it, and after that they get wrapped up in a mystery about aliens.

• The Terrible Two book series by Jory John and Mac Barnett

  • This is a fiction series with a lot of comedy.  It's about two pranksters, Miles and Niles. Miles is a new kid that moved to the school with some new tricks up his sleeve but he soon learns there is already another prankster, Niles. Miles and Niles start a pranking war to see who can out-prank the other.

• I Funny by James Patterson

  • This is another humorous fiction series. It's about a boy who is disabled after a car wreck, and lost all of his family except his uncle who thinks the boy is a comedy legend. During his recovery, he watches comedy videos. He then auditions for a comedy contest in his middle school.

• School for Sidekicks by Kelly McCullough

  • If you like Marvel then this book is for you! It has sci-fi superheroes, action and mystery. Evan Quick gets up every morning to see if he has developed superpowers overnight. After he turns 13, he decides to give up trying to become a Mask superhero, but he soon changes his mind when he starts to develop powers after going to summer camp.

You may still be attached to the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, but while you’re waiting for Jeff Kinney to publish the next book, these books are great alternatives. 

New Year’s is the date that marks new beginnings for most. A festive time of food, family, and fireworks. Have you ever stopped to think about how New Year’s came to be? What makes it so special is that it is celebrated across the world?

New Year’s originally started around 4,000 years ago in Ancient Babylon, where they believed that a certain day in March, known as the vernal equinox, was the day of new beginnings. This was the start of an 11 day period they called Akitu.

During Akitu, Babylonians would make many promises to their gods in order to win over their favor. They would throw elaborate celebrations to bring good luck and fortune to the new year, a tradition that would end up being carried into modern life.

Later, the Romans noticed that their calendar had begun to fall out of sync with the sun. When this happened, Julius Caesar declared January 1 as the start of the new year with the creation of the Julian calendar. The month was named after the Roman god Janus, who was the god of new beginnings.

New Year’s then branched off into other cultures around the world. The main purpose of New Year’s is to give good luck to future generations and elders, but it is also a celebration of life and living.

When we celebrate New Year’s, we are putting away our regrets, grief and mistakes and moving on from there into the new year. We have a chance to let go of the past year and turn any negative feelings into hope and love.

New Year’s has always been something we celebrate, whether it was influenced by others or just a hopeful sign that things will be better in the future. We cannot change the past, but New Year's has always served as a reminder that we can change the future. Each January 1 marks a fresh opportunity to start anew, and an opportunity to be our best selves.

New Year's has helped build unity between different countries and cultures with its traditions and resolutions. Here's to health, luck, hard work and prosperity in the new year.  

The second film of Marvel Studios’ Phase Four, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings was tasked not only with helping introduce the next era of superhero movies, but also with providing the first origin story for a post-Avengers: Endgame character. 

And despite Marvel’s recent hit-or-miss nature, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is another solid entry into MCU’s filmography. 

Directed by up-and-coming filmmaker Destin Daniel Cretton, Shang-Chi is a fun superhero movie in the mold of Marvel’s Ant Man series, although it does plenty to differentiate itself from prior franchise entries. 

The film is centered around its main character, Shang-Chi, who is played by Simu Liu. Liu doesn’t have the larger than life personality of other superhero actors, but he brings a believable humanity to the character while convincingly playing both sides of his role as a regular citizen and martial-arts master. 

His sidekick Katy, played by Awkwafina, has a somewhat brash style of humor that isn’t for everyone. However, she provides some nice comedic moments in the first half of the film despite coming across as slightly out of place as the story continues. There’s another comic relief character, played by a famous actor in an overlong cameo, that falls rather flat. But for the most part the jokes in this movie are fairly well-placed and they add to the fun, entertaining feel of the viewing experience. 

But it’s the main villain, played by Tony Leung, who really steals the show. He’s hardly the most developed antagonist Marvel has ever had, but he plays his part with an earnest intensity and conviction. His scenes with Shang-Chi have a great dynamic as Leung presents both an intimidating and sympathetic foe. 

The impressive character work of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings improves on what is a fairly average plot. It feels a little formulaic at times before taking some bizarre turns that are barely developed enough to make sense. Still, the first and third acts of the film are plenty enjoyable, although the second is an awkward segue between the two with heavy exposition and abrupt pacing. 

The film also fumbles the transitions between some of its present day and flashback scenes, as some are placed too early or late in the runtime. But it’s not distracting enough to take away from the central plot. 

From a technical point of view, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is brilliant. The action set pieces and choreography may be the best in the MCU up to this point. They draw from a number of influences, from fast-paced hand-to-hand combat shot with refreshingly steady camerawork to visually pleasing wire work sequences. The final battle devolves into the usual effects-heavy CGI-fest, but for once it’s not overused and still incorporates some new elements. 

Despite its later release, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings fits quite well into the summer blockbuster category. It’s an entertaining, fun entry into what has become a tired and oversaturated genre. There’s undeniable imperfections -- and the film is far from Marvel’s best -- but it gains full marks when it comes to the most important criteria of all: enjoyability. 

Verdict: 7/10

Does ORCA like dogs or cats more? You answered.

25 people, both ORCA staff and students, voted in The Current’s poll asking the same question last month, with dogs emerging as the victor. The canines accumulated 60% of the votes, with 15 out of the 25 answers.  Cats, of course, placed second with 10 out of 25 people voting for them. 

The Current would like to thank each voter for their participation.