June 2022

The rumors are true. ORCA’s administration has opened direct Gmailing between students so they can communicate outside of classes and clubs. Students can now contact each other through their ORCA Gmail accounts.

“Students can now email each other through their Oregon Charter Academy Gmail accounts,” says ORCA’s high school principal, Matt Lacy. “Your Student Government, the National Honor Society, [and] many individual students, parents, and teachers throughout the year have expressed the need for peer to peer communication and it is our pleasure to provide it in this way.” 

Many student leaders have been advocating for a better way that students could contact each other and their requests have been answered.

ORCA student Brady Cruse is currently the co-president of the National Honors Society and the vice president of Student Government. He has been leading many discussions with Mr. Lacy on student-to-student communication. “The Student Government has been advocating for school-sanctioned student-to-student communication ever since the school’s transition to Canvas,” he says. “I believe allowing students to communicate through Gmail will allow students to connect and create new friendships and experience the ORCA community in a new and exciting way.”

 All you have to do is open a new Chrome tab – if using a Chromebook – and click the word “Gmail” in the right corner of the tab. Then, click on the pencil icon on the left side of the screen and you can easily write an email to your classmates. Or simply go to www.gmail.com while signed in to that account. 

To send a message through Gmail to another student, you have to decipher their Gmail address. All ORCA student Gmail addresses are in the format of the last two digits of the year they graduate, the first two letters of their legal first name, and then their legal last name. At the end is the domain that every student shares: @student.oregoncharter.org. For instance, an email address for a student graduating in 2022 named John Smith might look like this: 22josmith@student.oregoncharter.org.

When receiving an email from another student, you might notice this automatic statement written at the end: “This email is sent from a student account at Oregon Charter Academy and is intended for only school-related communication. Please refer to the Acceptable Use Policy in the school handbook for guidelines related to email.” 

The Student Handbook (page 36) is a great resource for the guidelines and rules that come with access to Gmailing between students. The messages are monitored through a school system. In the event of a violation of the code of conduct, the administration will take each case and decide the best course of disciplinary action. Mr. Lacy wants all students to know and understand that the emails you send are not private and to “pretend like the world is going to read your email.”

ORCA opening Gmail access between students is a permanent decision that will stay open unless there’s a reason to disable it for everyone. It is unlikely that students will be able to Gmail each other during the summer.

“It is a resource that we want to use responsibly so we can continue to keep it available,” concludes Mr. Lacy. As long as conversations stay school-appropriate and respectful, ORCA’s new student-to-student communication feature has the potential to be a highlight of the school’s community.

In the May edition of The Current, ORCA students and staff were asked to contribute one song each to a first-of-its-kind school playlist. The ORCA community responded with over 30 responses of differing genres. From meme songs to pop, to rock, and everything in between, The Current is proud to announce the 2022 ORCA playlist. 

The list of songs can be read below: 

"Original," Sia

"Can't Help Falling in Love," Pentatonix

"Fireflies," Owl City

"Still Life," BIGBANG

"Emerald Hill Zone," Masato Nakamura

"Joy," Andy Grammar

“Baby Shark,” Pinkfong

"Never Gonna Give You Up," Rick Astley

“Wait a Minute!” Willow Smith

"I Lived," One Republic

"Birth of the Sun," Xtrullor

“Relate,” King and Country

“Relax,” Superorganism

“Willow tree,” Rival, Cadmium, Rosendale

"The Chauffeur," Duran Duran

“Oceans (Where Feet May Fail),” Hillsong United

“Kill My Mind,” Louis Tomlinson

"Sleepless," Pixel Terror, Teminite, Chime

“Overwhelmed,” Royal & the Serpent

"Satellites," Phoniks

"I Remember You," Skid Row

"this house is not a home," Munn, Delanie Leclerc

“Never Let Me Go,” Virtual Riot

"Dean Town," Vulfpeck 

"On Top of The World," Imagine Dragons

"Summer," Imagine Dragons

If the song you requested was not included, that is because it was either deemed non-school-appropriate or the version requested could not be found online and reviewed. 

The Current would like to thank each ORCA member who requested a song. Happy listening! 

There are many different occupations that pique students' interests to the point where they choose these career paths. Chemistry is understanding the process in which matter changes. There are many different careers in which students can partake when exploring the field of chemistry. These can range from nanotechnologies to chemical oceanographers that work with nature directly.  

Here are three positions to consider when exploring the field of chemistry.

Forensics Lab Analyst

Becoming a Forensics Lab Analyst is an important position to take on, as this job helps with the government’s criminal justice system. Working as a Forensic Lab Analyst means that the scientist will need to work towards enforcing the criminal justice system. One might be asked to analyze a hair, blood, or fingerprint sample from a crime scene. Without the proper experience, the analyst might misidentify a suspect or the cause for the crime. This occupation might require taking classes such as Criminology, Microbiology, Research Methods and more. 

Though a Forensics Lab Analyst may have an irregular work environment, this occupation works to uphold justice in our community.

Nanotechnologist

As we diverge from a forensics occupation, we arrive at the technological advancements that can be made in Chemistry. Nanotechnologists work on experiments and conduct research at the atomic and subatomic levels. This occupation is responsible for improving or providing proof of new applications of nanotechnology towards our way of life. These applications include medicine and new energy developments. Nanotechnologists also can help develop new, efficient materials, as well as using tools to manipulate nanomaterials. 

Nanotechnologists have to be cautious as they work in their designated environments. This environment is an industrial setting surrounded by chemicals and complicated equipment. These technologists may also have assistants who will be at risk when working in this setting.

These technologists can also have long and inconsistent work hours, depending on their assigned tasks. Usually, the prescribed work time is on weekdays but the individual might also need to work on the weekends and holidays if their workload has piled up or a certain result needs to be completed at a certain time.

Nanotechnologists work with the smallest scales of life when it comes to working with matter, improving applications in everyday life and coming up with results in a patient but timely manner. 

Chemical Oceanographer

For those that like traveling or want to explore the natural world through their scientific perspective, a Chemical Oceanographer works to see if marine species are at risk due to certain chemicals or slight changes to their environment. Chemical Oceanographers also need to observe all of the chemical processes that are taking place on the seafloor and in the marine atmosphere. This includes studying potential contaminants and how these may affect various things. Chemical Oceanographers can also cover other areas such as, climate change and pollution control just to name a few.

This occupation is a great way to get closer to mother nature, and observe its significance through a scientific view.

There are plenty of different occupations to choose from in the field of chemistry. If any of these careers piques your interest, take another look at Oregon Charter Academy’s High School Course Catalog 2021-22 for classes that will give you a background in chemistry.

It’s been quite the ride for the class of 2022. 

Graduating seniors had to navigate the usual challenges of the high school experience as well as a school-wide interface change before their junior year – and of course, a global pandemic. 

Just before finals, graduation, and the mad rush of finishing up high school, some of ORCA’s seniors took the time to share about their high school experience with The Current. They talked about where they’re headed next, their favorite memories, and what advice they’d give to those who will be graduating in future years. 

A number of seniors credited ORCA with helping them prepare for life after high school. 

“Being at ORCA helped me adjust to a certain schedule, so now I'm developing a schedule of my own that I have to stick to,” said Shamshawan W. 

Many credited ORCA for helping with their time management as well. “ORCA taught me time management skills that I now use at my current job and will continue to use in college,” added Faith Piowaty. 

Others pointed to the scheduling flexibility that ORCA provided. “It helped me understand empathy for others and a core sense of self motivation,“ said Paige Pettijohn. “ORCA is such a wonderful school when it comes to allowing students to pace themselves and learn at their own levels, working around their schedules and acknowledging everyone's differences and needs. Being able to budget my time and be motivated is so important.”

“ORCA helped me take the time to actually learn things instead of rushing through assignments without understanding,” another student added. 

The ASCEND program received a number of commendations as well. “ORCA helped prepare me for life after high school by teaching me about different pathways to go into,'' said Renee Colvin. “I learned about the medical field and everything that is going on in it, [so] that I decided to switch my major to becoming a vet technician.” 

Elka Olafson also praised the school for providing “practical business knowledge as well as future finance help,” while Kassie G. credits ORCA and ASCEND for helping her find her passion in the medical field. She will be taking her Medical Assistant Exam in June. 

As for favorite memories at ORCA, seniors had a wide variety of experiences to recall. A number of them involved teachers – from making students laugh to helping with assignments, or even meeting ORCA staff for the first time on a field trip. 

“I will forever be fond of the live class conversations,” said Kota S. Others echoed their sentiments of live class experiences being among their best ORCA memories. Other highlights included science experiments, Poetry Out Loud competitions, and opportunities to meet new people and learn new things. 

Despite the good memories, high school can still be a challenging experience. To help those who would be following in their footsteps, the seniors took the time to share some advice to future graduating classes. 

Most recommended that students not be afraid to ask for help and work to stay on track. “It's not as scary as it seems, I promise,” said Pettijohn. “All you have to do is ask for help when you need it. It doesn't matter if you need some advice for one class or help overall, it's worth reaching out, and it'll benefit you in the long run. Speak up for what you need, future you will be thankful you did.”

“Advice I would give would be to stay true to who you are and what you believe in,” added Malia Hewitt. “Stay cool, calm, and collected. You got it.”

When asked what they’re planning next and where they hope to be in 10 years, the class of 2022 had a wide variety of answers. Some are going to college, others are looking to start careers, and others are planning on enjoying a year off. 

And in 10 years, the sky is the limit. Some soon-to-be-graduates are hoping to start businesses, ascend in their career fields, settle down with a family, see the world – and maybe even change it. 

One student summed up their goal succinctly: “I hope to be working in my dream career, living life freely, [to] have fun memories, and always be happy.”

It’s a goal every graduating senior will have as they cross the graduation stage this June. And after 12 years of hard work, they deserve it. 

For the class of ‘22, now is the time to look forward. But before moving on, one ORCA senior left a final piece of advice to the rest of the school.

“Don't wish to grow up too fast. Enjoy high school, it is some of the best years of your life.” 

On May 23, a group of ORCA’s high school students and staff gathered to decide Student Government’s future president and vice president.

Mr. Lacy announced the following Friday that Brady Cruse has been elected president and Ahnalya De Leeuw as vice president. The rest of the positions were appointed by Ms. Vitro, the advisor of Student Government, with the help of Rory Peterson, Cruse’s predecessor. 

Here is the rest of the 2022-23 Executive Board:

• Secretary: Isaac Choi

• Activities Director: Reagan Stanek

• Public Relations Officer: Aisha Callahan & Grace Peterson

• Senior Senator Rep: Alex Leventhal

• Junior Senator Rep: Grace Choi

• Newsletter Committee Leader: Wyatt Stevens

• Website Committee Leader: Tristan Hughes

• Prom Committee Leader: Kenna S.

“I have already started working on plans for the upcoming year!” adds Student Government President Brady Cruse. “I want the student government to be able to assist students and get them more involved in the ORCA community. I can’t wait for next year!”

The elections started at 2 p.m. in Ms. Vitro’s Zoom room, and all high school students, current Student Government members, and ORCA staff were allowed to attend as well as vote.

Two students ran for president, and two ran for vice president. Both presidential candidates must be incoming seniors, under the role’s requirement.

Starting off the election speeches, presidential candidate Aisha Callahan presented her speech with a unique outlook on Student Government, as Callahan is the only candidate with no prior experience in Student Government. Callahan spoke of adding more field trip opportunities and increasing school spirit by offering more school merchandise, promoting club growth, and encouraging more involvement in activities. Callahan, a full time ballet dancer, addressed the point of view of ORCA students who are dedicated to sports outside of school. Callahan stated that her former leadership experience as a lifeguard, swim instructor, and middle school tutor would help her as the president.

Next, Brady Cruse secured his spot as next year’s president with his speech and experience as vice president of Student Government and co-president of NHS and NJHS. He played a large role in the opening of Gmailing between students and spoke of increased awareness of communication. Cruse also stated that he wants students to have more opportunities to interact with members of Student Government.

The vice-presidential candidates spoke after Callahan and Cruse. The first was Isaac Choi, a current ORCA sophomore.

Isaac Choi has many connections outside of ORCA and has worked on the Portland Workforce Alliance’s Youth Impact Council. He brought the idea of year-long Student Government committees, such as a marketing committee. Choi also proposed the creation of a tutoring website for students led by Student Government senators and leaders. Choi has a great deal of leadership experience ranging from being the NJHS president to founding ORCA’s high school Speech and Debate Club.

The final speech was given by Ahnalya De Leeuw. De Leeuw is currently the secretary of Student Government and has been part of the club for three consecutive years and a student at ORCA for 11 years. She stated the need for the online setting to feel present and powerful despite its restrictions. De Leeuw has a lot of collaborative experience because she has participated in many Student Government committees and several clubs including NHS, Speech and Debate, and The Current. She wants to use her creative abilities in the vice president position to better Student Government.

After all the candidates had given their speeches, attendees were able to ask questions to the candidates. The Q & A section of the elections was similar to a press conference, with students asking complicated questions and the candidates giving answers.

Some of the topics addressed were boosting communication between Student Government and other clubs, strengths and weaknesses of the candidates, and field trips. All speakers addressed points that will affect the student body, and they had a lively but respectful conversation. Each contender now holds a position on the 2022-23 Student Government Executive Board. 

Three new leadership positions were created for committees: newsletter committee leader, website committee leader, and prom committee leader. This will give other members of the Executive Board more time to address other exigencies.

“We were so impressed by the candidates' enthusiasm and determination to support ORCA's students,” states Mr. Lacy in the announcement of the Executive Board. The future of Student Government is in great hands.

Well, they got the title right. 

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is certainly strange and just a bit maddening – it’s the rare Phase 4 MCU film to bring something new to the table and succeed in doing so, but ultimately there’s just too much going on at once for it to be truly great. 

Marketed as the first Marvel offering to contain true horror elements, the Doctor Strange sequel largely succeeds in its goal. It’s noticeably darker (and gorier) than its predecessors but still retains the general MCU atmosphere and never feels like it's trying too hard to be edgy or overly ‘safe’ for that matter. It’s a film that fits comfortably into what it wants to be. 

A lot of that can be owed to the brilliance of director Sam Raimi, an experienced filmmaker who cut his teeth on cult-classic horror movies before turning to superhero cinema in the early 2000s with his influential Spider-Man trilogy. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness attempts to combine elements of both, and Raimi does so brilliantly, balancing horror flourishes and flashy action sequences with just enough goofiness and camp to solidify the film as a Raimi one. 

The film opens with one such action sequence, a thrilling CGI spectacle that introduces one of the major characters and gives the audience a taste of the visual style of the movie. The story then stalls for some exposition before diving into another chaotic battle with a giant monster. It provides a great viewing experience, but it’s one that slowly becomes more and more numbing as the film repeats this cycle for its entire runtime. The plot jumps from action scenes to frantic introductions of story elements and then back again. The relentless pacing never gives the film time to breathe and the bombardment of new information, characters, and fight scenes give the viewer little time to better understand the main characters and their motivations. 

Ironically, it may have been the fan-service success that Spider-Man: No Way Home was that convinced Marvel Studios to add as many cameos to the script of this film as they did. But the movie would have been better off without as many surprise appearances. Some of the cameos are fun, and the multiversal setting provides for easy additions of new faces, but most are somewhat meaningless to the story and result in a further bogging down of the core story by the weight of a greater cinematic universe. 

That isn’t to say that the cast isn’t great in this film. As expected, Benedict Cumberbatch plays Dr. Strange well once again while MCU newcomer Xochitl Gomez turns in a solid debut performance. Supporting actors Benedict Wong, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Rachel McAdams are good additions as well, but it’s Elizabeth Olsen as Scarlet Witch/Wanda Maximoff who really stands out. Her range, intensity, and emotion steal every scene she has in the film, which is even more impressive given the surrounding cast. 

The writing isn’t quite as gripping. Superhero film screenplays aren’t exactly expected to be airtight, but this one is chock-full of plot holes, contrivances, and poor logic. The role of magic in the MCU has always been ill-defined, but it’s especially bad here, where the rules of the story can be nearly impossible to follow given that there’s no establishment of what can and can’t happen. The worst offender is a magical book that Strange literally describes as being able to do ‘anything the sorcerer needs it to.’ 

The dialogue is about as cheesy as it gets as well. But in a Sam Raimi film, in the golden age of memes, should this be a complaint? Doubtful. 

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is visually riveting as well. The interdimensional setting lends itself well to creative set pieces and designs. With the capabilities of modern computer graphics, the film is made up of one amazing aesthetic after another. Raimi’s camerawork is also a fun change of pace. It’s far more dynamic than anything in the MCU up to this point, occasionally ditching static cuts for frenzied camera movement between shots, adding to a sense of dread and claustrophobia when needed. A bevy of noticeable zooms, tracking shots, and even spins give the film a great sense of personality. 

That personality is what makes up for a number of flaws in the movie, as despite its numerous issues, the film provides an unbelievably fun watch. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is just too busy, bursting at the seams with different ideas, creative touches, and potential. The 155 minutes the audience gets could’ve been improved with some extraneous elements either left out or even better developed with a longer runtime. 

But are the two hours we got, as overstuffed as they are, still worth the watch? Absolutely. 

The verdict: 7.5/10

What event has yearbooks, snow cones, and a super laid-back llama? 

That would be the school-wide Spring Celebration, which ORCA held last Friday, June 3 at the Linn County Fairgrounds in Albany. 

Spring Celebration is an annual ORCA event that celebrates the end of the school year while allowing students and teachers to engage in an afternoon full of carnivalesque fun – with activities such as face painting, yard games, scavenger hunts, and more. 

A large and lively crowd gathered around the entrance of the fairgrounds, eagerly waiting for the gates to open and meet new friends and teachers. At noon, the registration booths opened as students and families lined up at the gates. 

A wide array of booths – ranging from rock painting to trivia, prize wheels, and more – quickly filled up with families and children of all ages. The crowd buzzed with lively chatter as students gathered around game booths and prize tables to meet new teachers and classmates in person for the first time. 

A wide variety of games were popular, including face painting, yard Yahtzee, cornhole, a bounce house, and chess – as well as Caesar the No Drama Llama, who always attracted a crowd. However, the mega Jenga was one of the biggest hits. 

ORCA’s student government set up a prize wheel, giving away ORCA pens and pencils, stickers, tattoos, candy, and bags. The first-aid booth offered free COVID tests and first-aid supplies, as well as a CPR dummy for students to practice real-life medical exercises. 

The book drive featured a sweeping display of books of various genres, ranging from coming-of-age classics like The Outsiders and middle-grade Judy Blume to bestsellers such as The Paper Menagerie. 

Students picked up yearbooks at the front booth and visited various tables to gather signatures from classmates and teachers. 

The event’s in-person socialization was notably one of the biggest hits, as many students and teachers mentioned that meeting each other outside of Zoom and making new friends was their biggest highlight. 

Student senator Julia M. added that it was “a lot different” seeing her teachers and classmates in real life. “They are way cooler in person,” she said. “I had a lot of fun seeing new people at the student government booth and having the chance to finally meet my friends.”

Many teachers added that it was great being able to meet students at in-person events and that they had missed seeing families out participating. 

High school senior Patrick Miller mentioned it was nice meeting his teachers at the ASCEND booth and was looking forward to “freedom” after graduation – and plans to build a robot army to take over the world, he jokes. 

One of the biggest highlights of Spring Celebration was the National Honor Society induction ceremony. With a pirate-themed ceremony, members of the NHS and NJHS were inducted into the program in-person for the first time since 2019.

Mr. Lacy began the event by congratulating students for taking up the medal of the National Honor Society, praising members for their hard work and commitment to being an inspiration to their classmates and the ORCA community. 

Mr. West, ORCA’s head of the National Honor Society, commended students for their accomplishments in the past year, including club fairs, a military appreciation project, health and wellness rallies, and advice columns in The Current. 

West added that students have demonstrated leadership through their hard work in the NHS. “Many of these students have already done things to demonstrate that they are willing to lead, whether it be through service [or] through volunteering, and they’ve all done an amazing job,” he said.

Ms. Leifer followed with an important message about leadership. 

In her speech, she stated that as a teacher, she strives to become a better leader as someone who “could encourage and motivate others.” As she explained, leadership requires strength of character, the joy of learning, and an understanding that there is always room for improvement. 

She added that her leadership qualities and goal of self-improvement are what drove her to become a teacher. “I wanted to help people not just to achieve a goal but to learn to love the journey so much that they would want to keep learning,” she said. “I wanted to help students learn to love learning for learning's sake.”

The ceremony proceeded with featured speakers talking about the four tenets of the National Honor Society—scholarship, service, character, and leadership.

NHS co-president Claire Jennings presented an inspiring speech about character, “the force within that makes us unique individuals.”

“Being a member/officer for three years total, it has been relieving to plan the Induction Ceremony as an in-person event,” said Jennings. “I had the absolute best team with me, my beautiful NHS/NJHS crew.”

She added that she is honored to represent one of the four principles of the NHS: character, and thanked the NHS committee for “one extraordinary year of growth and community.”

“The entire ceremony was enlightening and the Spring Celebration remains a precious event of mine,” she said. “I’ll be looking forward to next year, both as a student and a co-president.”

Afterward, Mr. West performed the induction and named each student – both current and new members – as a part of the NHS and NJHS. He concluded the ceremony with a congratulatory note, praising parents for “doing an amazing job” and commending students for their hard work in the NHS. 

As the event came to an end, students left with new friends and great memories – celebrating the end of a memorable school year. 

Event photos are featured in the image carousel. 

Since before Spring Break, advisory teachers have been helping students pick their classes for next year and confirm them in conferences. Many have already done this, but there are some new courses ORCA is offering for the 2022-23 school year that are still worth a look. Perhaps they might spark some interest for future terms.

The first step to picking out courses for next year, if you haven’t already, is to tell the school you are returning in the fall. That decision is called Intent to Return and your parent/guardian(s) can complete the form if they haven’t already. The next step is to reach out to your advisory teacher and say that you want to go over  your courses for next year. Advisors have already put all returning students into their classes and in most cases have confirmed those classes in conferences with their advisees. But changes are still possible.  Check out the ORCA High School Course Catalog to see the variety of classes in all available subjects. Your advisor can help with course selection and make sure that your schedule will best suit your interests and academic goals.

There are five new course offerings for high schoolers this upcoming school year.

• Introduction to Photography

  • This class is available for grades 9-12 and is one semester long. There are no prerequisites required, but if you want to be in Digital Photography A/B you have to take this course first. While taking this elective, students will learn about designing and creating photography, graphics, and digital imagery.

• American & International Team Sports

  • This new course explores American and international sports as well as their cultures. Students in grades 9-12 can take this single-semester course with no prerequisites required.

• Foods and Cooking

  • As a new addition to the elective options, this class is about learning the importance of nutrition in food and cooking. This class is great for those looking to focus on life skills. The prerequisite for this course is Nutrition and Foods and this course is open to 10-12 grade students. Foods and Cooking is a semester-long course.

• American Sign Language III A/B

  • This course is open to all high school students that have already taken American Sign Language II as a prerequisite. Students will build on skills learned in American Sign Language I and II and help them communicate in American Sign Language.

Advisors are there to help students plan future courses, so don't hesitate to reach out to yours if you haven’t had a conference yet. If you decide you want to try one of ORCA’s new classes and end up disliking it, you can change your classes within the first six weeks of the new school year – but sooner is better. 

Summer is around the corner and it’s a great opportunity to catch up on some new and exciting stories. Reading is also a great way to stay academically sharp while school is out. Many novels can seem dark or serious, but summer is a time for reads that transport you to a new and exciting place.

Here are seven enjoyable books to keep you reading through the break. 

• To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han

  • What if all the crushes you’ve ever had found out how you’ve felt about them… all at once? For sixteen-year-old Lara Jean, her love life goes from imaginary to out-of-control after her secret love letters were sent to every boy she’s loved. As she learns to deal with her past crushes face-to-face, she realizes that something good may come from her letters after all. 

• Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen

  • Flipped is a heartwarming coming-of-age with a powerful story about family and love. When Juli Baker’s new neighbor, Bryce Loski, moves in, she instantly falls in love with him. Bryce, however, does not feel the same spark. From that day forward, he tries hard to keep the brash and spirited Juli at bay. Though after six years, she begins to feel that she is wrong about him being the love of her life, just when Bryce starts to think that he was wrong about her, too. 

• The Upside of Falling by Alex Light

  • While the teenage characters in this novel have a more serious experience with divorce, the fake romance between Becca and Brett is lighthearted and funny. Their mutually beneficial agreement to fake date teeters dangerously close to real feelings and will make you want to cheer on their growing friendship.

• Heist Society by Ally Carter

  • Heist Society is the first of a humorous trilogy and follows Kat Bishop who grew up in a family of infamous criminals. This unconventional childhood turned her into a witty young thief until she wanted out of the family business at the age of 16. She only gets a break from the life of crime for a few months before her billionaire best friend, W.W. Hale the Fifth, begs her for help in clearing her father’s name. This novel is clever and hilarious, with a family that’s as thick as thieves.

• Love and Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch 

  • Lina wasn’t ready to spend the summer in sunny Italy’s gelato-filled cities to live with a father she never knew she had. All she wanted was to go home – until she found a journal that her mother had kept while she lived in Italy. Suddenly, Lina uncovers a magical world of secret romances, art, history, and hidden bakeries. Along with her new friend, Ren, she follows her mother’s footsteps and unravels secrets that will change everything Lina knows about her mother, father – and herself. 

• Paper Towns by John Green 

  • Smart and shy Quintin is in for the night of his life when Margo, his adventurously spirited neighbor and childhood crush, recruits him to help her play mischievous pranks on those who have done her wrong. The next day, however, the mysterious Margo is nowhere to be found. With the help of his friends and a few cryptic clues she left behind, Quintin embarks on an adventurous and unforgettable journey to find the girl who stole his heart and made him feel truly alive. 

• Well, That Was Awkward by Rachel Vail

  • Gracie is the sunshine in her parents’ lives and the rock of her friend group, but the pressure of always having to be positive becomes overwhelming. With themes of friendship, speaking up for yourself, and complex family dynamics, this story is charming and, well, awkward. This novel takes you through the ups and downs of middle school in the best possible way. 

Summer is the perfect time to read books you love and make the most out of the break from school. 

Summer break always seems to fly by quickly. It can be easy to want to stay at home and relax all summer long. This year, take advantage of the long break to be creative, explore new hobbies and interests, or go on an adventure. 

Here are five fun ideas to add to your summer break bucket list.

Create Decor

• You can decorate your room or your school space with what you have around you. There are many crafty ways to decorate. You could make a dreamcatcher, hang origami from your ceiling, or create a display shelf for your collectables. There are many possibilities to reuse what’s around you and create something anew.

Rock Hunting

• If you are looking for something more adventurous, there are many places in Oregon where you can look for rocks. On the coast, you can hunt for wonderful agates in places like Short Beach. You can find beautiful stones near rivers and lakes, or mine thunder eggs in central Oregon.

Farmers Markets

• Going to a farmers market comes with many opportunities for fun. You can discover small businesses and lots of great food to try. There you’ll find fresh fruits and vegetables from local farmers that you might not be able to get at a grocery store. You could walk away with a satisfied appetite and a handmade trinket. 

Donate to a Local Charity

• An exceptional way to give to others is by donating unwanted clothes, books, or toys. This is much better for the environment than contributing to the landfills and will put a smile on someone's face. You will be surprised at how good it feels to give and not expect something in return.

DIY Projects

• There are many cute crafts that account for a lot of fun. Some DIY ideas include marshmallow launchers, handmade puzzles, sun catchers, and scrunchies. Creating these projects can be a lot of fun with friends as well. These projects make great gifts for neighbors, family, and friends.

Take the chance to get out into the world or create an adventure at home and make memories this summer. You never know what you might discover or learn.

If you’ve recently clicked on The Current – and if you’re reading this you probably have – you’d know that ORCA recently opened up student-to-student communication for the first time since the 2019-20 school year. 

The Current’s Kenna S. interviewed ORCA principal Matt Lacy regarding the announcement of the news. Mr. Lacy provided the rundown of the new system, stating that all messages sent would have to be school-appropriate and generally school-related, and although the new privilege is designed as a permanent feature, it can still be taken away. 

“We have plans of it remaining permanent. If it becomes a problem, then we will look at shutting it down, so we want to use it responsibly,” the principal stated. 

It’s clear that the responsibility lies on the shoulders of ORCA students on whether the new Gmail communication becomes a staple of the school community or is taken away entirely. A few mistakes or misuses here and there may not spell the end entirely for the student body’s Gmail access, but repeated infractions may result in it being shut down for good – and perhaps justifiably so. 

Preventing cyberbullying and maintaining internet privacy are both priorities of ORCA, and both issues should not be taken lightly. Abusing the Gmail system could jeopardize that. It’s paramount that ORCA students take this new opportunity seriously and use it responsibly, sending school-appropriate and school-centered messages.  

That isn’t to say that the social aspect isn’t meant to be enjoyed. 

“I mean, if you’re going to talk about the cool show on Disney Plus that’s coming out, that’s fine, ‘cause who doesn’t want to talk about Moon Knight,” joked Mr. Lacy, “but it needs to be primarily for school.” 

In short, the new system should be used similarly to the chat in the first few minutes of any live class at ORCA: largely focused, certainly cordial, and in compliance with school guidelines. Using it correctly will improve school culture and result in the feature remaining a permanent fixture of ORCA’s infrastructure. 

But wrongful use could result in the system – which countless deserving students, teachers, and parents have requested for over a year – being taken away for good. 

To reference another superhero, a timeless Spider-Man quote should ring true for ORCA students: "With great power comes great responsibility. "   

Disclaimer: Includes some minor spoilers.

After over a decade since we last saw the character in a Star Wars movie, the Obi-Wan Kenobi series is the “finally” moment for every Star Wars fan. 

Director Deborah Chow is a Canadian filmmaker who has directed two episodes of The Mandalorian, and she’s done pretty well directing this show. Chow incorporates the influences of prior Star Wars content to varying levels of success, including the general feel of the prequels and bringing back the villains from Star Wars: Rebels. Chow may not be George Lucas, but she definitely lived up to his legacy. This show gives the ability to showcase a more personal level of Obi-Wan Kenobi, less like a teacher and more like a regular person, because he cut himself off from force. Also the lightsabers are some of the best yet.

The four minute recap in the first episode is a nice refresher for fans who need a recap of The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, and Revenge of the Sith.

The fighting is definitely not up to the same level as The Mandalorian, but hopefully there will be more lightsaber fighting in the future of the show. The CGI is very believable, and the costumes are finally back to the original Star Wars movies' standards.

Ewan McGregor returns to play Obi-Wan Kenobi, and he does so excellently. McGregor has been in many movies, but this is arguably one of his best roles to date. After the trauma of the end of Revenge of the Sith, Obi-Wan has lost all hope in the goodness of people, and people close to him seem to be helping him understand that it’s okay to lean on others for support.

Moses Ingram plays the main villain, Reva, or Third Sister. Ingram is not known for many movies, but her performance here is solid for the most part. However, she doesn’t portray her rage towards Obi-Wan very convincingly and her acting can falter at times, especially when compared to the rest of the strong cast. 

Hayden Christensen returns to play Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader. Christensen hasn’t had much screen time up to this point, but when he’s in the show, Darth Vader's nostalgic breathing and the flashbacks of Anakin are a major highlight of the series. Christensen has done well and evoked the same feeling that David Prowse, the original Darth Vader, did in A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi.

All in all, Obi-Wan Kenobi has been a great TV show so far and the remaining three episodes should definitely be worth the watch. 

The verdict: 7/10

The Refer a Friend Program, also known as ‘The iPad Referral Program’, is officially back at Oregon Charter Academy for the 2022-23 school year. SYS Education is running this program in support of ORCA.

For every newly enrolled student who states that you are the person who referred them to Oregon Charter Academy, you will receive a $25 Amazon e-gift card. 

However, you can recieve more prizes if you refer more students. If five or more enrolling students name you as the person who referred them, you’ll receive an extra $100 Amazon e-gift card, as stated in a recent Oregon Charter Academy announcement.

Additionally, if ten students name you as the person who referred them, you will receive a 5th generation Apple iPad Pro with an 11 inch display. 

This program runs from May 2 through September 9 of 2022, and parents/guardians or currently enrolled students are eligible to refer new students.

For more information regarding this opportunity, click here.

Summer is the perfect opportunity to explore new careers and college goals outside of school. These are not official ORCA program but there are a wide array of career camps and programs offered statewide for students to stay active and productive during the summer. 

Clackamas Community College – Free CTE Summer Camps

This summer, high school students in Clackamas County can participate in college credit programs – all for free. 

Clackamas Community College is offering free Career and Technical Education (CTE) summer camps that provide college credit opportunities, open to all high school students in Clackamas County who are entering grades 9-12 in fall 2022. Lunch will be provided, and transportation assistance is available.

Summer camps will run from August 15 to 19, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m, with a variety of career-specified courses, including medical assisting, web design, horticulture, welding, AV tech, and more.

Students must fill out the online application to apply and receive a CCC ID number. To sign up, register through the Clackamas Community College website and fill in the release form by June 10. 

After applying, students and families will be notified of placement into the CTE Summer Camp by July 15. 

For information on course descriptions and more details, check out the CCC Summer Camp flier. More summer camps and programs are available on the website. 

University of Oregon – Summer SAIL Camp 

The University of Oregon offers a free week-long summer program for upcoming high school freshmen through seniors. In both week-long camps, students can learn about various subjects through fun social and interactive activities. Residential programs provide students an opportunity to experience life as a college student and live on-campus for a week. 

Summer camps are available from August 1 to 5 and August 8 to 12. 

For more details on classes and programs, view the Course Descriptions. 

Interested in joining? Sign up through the registration form, and check out the University of Oregon website for more details. 

Portland State University – Summer Business Opportunity

For “historically underrepresented” students, Portland State University offers a great opportunity to explore business and experience campus life. 

Students can meet with local business leaders, engage in college-level courses, connect with peers, and compete in a Shark Tank style pitch competition. With focus topics on B-Corps, social responsibility, and sustainability, students can learn about successful Oregon businesses and prepare for a college career. 

Students who apply can attend the full two-week camp from July 18 to 29 that is part online and in-person, where food, housing, and transit will be provided. A $100 program fee is required, with scholarships available. 

To register, sign up through this form. Applications are due by June 30. 

To learn more about the PSU Summer Business Institute program, check out the website. 

Oregon State Board of Education Advisor Position 2022-2023

Thinking about next year? Now is a great time to apply for this leadership opportunity. 

The Oregon State Board of Education is welcoming future high school seniors to apply for a one-year appointment as a student advisor to the board. This appointment runs from August 2022 to July 2023. To qualify, students must be a current high school junior (senior during the 2022-23 school year) in good academic standing. 

Students can register through this form. 

Multnomah County Summer Reading Volunteer Program

Summer Reading is a library program that gets kids and teens excited about reading during the summer. Open to all students entering sixth grade or higher in fall 2022, this program offers a great opportunity to gain valuable skills, earn volunteer hours for a resume or college application, and stay productive outside of school. Volunteers can register kids for games and award prizes, help with projects, manage recordkeeping, and more. 

Apply through the Summer Reading Volunteer form. Available positions may be limited. 

For more details and eligibility, view the library website. 

Free Planet Fitness Access for High School Students

Get ready to hit the gym with free access to Planet Fitness during the summer! 

This pass is open to all high school students from age 14 to 19. Under 18? Sign up with a parent or guardian (online or in-club) from May 16 to August 31. 

Parents can also redeem a free day pass to Planet Fitness by registering online. 

Even better, students who sign up will be entered for a chance to win a $500 scholarship, with one awarded per state and a $5,000 grand prize scholarship – no purchase necessary. All students aged 14 to 19 can enter until August 31, with parent approval if under 18. Check out the Planet Fitness rules for more information and eligibility. 

Additionally, Planet Fitness offers free workout resources, including workout plans, guides, and videos on their website and app. 

Sign up through the Planet Fitness website for your free High School Summer Pass membership, and download the Planet Fitness app to get your Summer Pass digital key tag. 

These CTE summer camps and programs (not officially offered through ORCA) are a great way to keep learning and make the most out of your summer. 

ORCA’s Music Club has already held its last meeting of the school year, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be any access to student-created music between now and when the club reconvenes this fall. 

In May, the Music Club created a website to showcase the music of its members, including both students and advisors. The website can be accessed here. 

“The original idea for the showcase website came up because we wanted a way to show off what was happening in Music Club,” said club advisor Mark Cralen. “We needed a way for both the live performers and the producers to present their music. I love the variety of styles present in the Music Club. Pop, metal, hip-hop, sea shanties, and a range of electronic genres are all present.”

“Now that it's up, we are talking about having it be regularly updated throughout the year. I'd like to use it as a culminating project and a way to push students to take a particular piece of music to the next level,” he continued. 

The website currently holds nine songs, ranging from original compositions to covers. Certain tracks are accompanied by descriptions written by the artists as well as illustrative images. 

“This site is currently being simplified to one page, as the school year is coming to a close,” explained club member and site creator Annalaina Yip. “As Music Club plans for next year, we will see the site evolve into something more sophisticated as the Music Club crew enables more pages for club schedules, varying music genres, and original lyrical songs by the members and more.”

The website is another example of the creativity and talent of ORCA students. The club expects to expand their website in the upcoming school year.

“The Google site itself is just one piece of Music Club,” added Yip. “The heart and soul of the club are the advisors and members that work together to improvise, sum up, and create new and improved ideas to show that ORCA's spirit shines in the hearts of everyone… They've accomplished this through their loudest voice: music.”

Geometry Dash is an ongoing mobile gaming series that was created by RobTop Games’ founder Robert Topala. Topala used intriguing designs, 2D displays, experimental musical genres and foundational structures of a platformer to challenge our coordination. Platformers consist of moving your player around specific obstacles, as well as avoiding landing into unexpected trouble during gameplay. There are 21 levels from the easiest to the highest level of difficulty. At the highest level, you can barely glide through before getting splintered from obstacles, anti-gravitational portals, dimensional shunting and more.

However, every level has frequent and bold reminders at the restart that reiterates the amount of attempts it takes to complete them. Is Geometry Dash challenging our minds to do better or mocking us? It’s both. When you enter a level, it usually starts out easy unless you are taking unreasonable risks. 

Geometry Dash Lite was the first game of the series made by RobTop Games, followed by Geometry Dash Meltdown, Geometry Dash World, and Geometry Dash Subzero. Inspired by The Impossible Game, Robert Topala created all four Geometry Dash games that consist of  spin-offs of each other. Every level has a designated tune that goes with the level’s intensity to keep a steady concentration for the user. To further elaborate, the condemning bold attempts banner screams the amount of tries you’ve taken with mocking tones. How many tries can you ascend, before giving up? On top of that, these banners were implemented within Geometry Dash's multitude of levels throughout the entire spin-off series. 

With simple gameplay that consists of tapping the screen in a frenzied manner to avoid the inevitable obstacles that linger in each level, the gameplay replicates a platformer. Though the game is called Geometry Dash, this isn’t played through solving math problems, but by tapping the screen to make your geometric shape jump. In addition to the usual gameplay, there is a level creator for those that want a different setup that wasn’t made by RobTop Games’ team. These are made by Geometry Dash users that want to test others with unique levels. However, as your square jumps on the screen recklessly, you will learn about the importance of timing as you keep practicing each level and get familiar with the workarounds.  

All in all, Geometry Dash Lite and Geometry Dash World are among the best of the whole series. The themes of color-based-on-beats are portrayed throughout the series, timing the gameplay. However, Geometry Dash Lite feels like a classic above all others. Its soothing and carefree beats help the player with concentration and inspire them with determination to reach the end of each level. During play, the patterns of finger orientations quickly become a habit. As for Geometry Dash World, it’s unlike its counterparts. Geometry Dash World is made up of individual levels that all need to be completed in a sequential order, until you can reach the next set or world. 

The Geometry Dash series is available on many different platforms which aresuch as Android, iOS, and Microsoft Windows. 

The Geometry Dash series is a great app game to compete with friends, even if it isn’t a multiplayer game yet. However, it is an interesting game to pass the time and earn some high scores while you're at it.

Verdict: 8/10

Disclaimer: There are spoilers below up to the most recent film/show listed.

While Marvel Studios has made a lot of content since Endgame, some of their newer films have not been great. 

Starting with Falcon and Winter Soldier, where the villains are super soldiers -- well, we’ve seen that before. Or with Hawkeye, which had the lowest ratings on a Marvel TV show, which should tell you something. Moon Knight was mediocre, except for that the plot was that the world was going to end… again.

Many of Marvel’s recent films feel inadequate. These movies are spin-offs of the original Avengers line in which Marvel is trying to turn side characters into main characters by replacing the earlier heroes with no-name comic book characters. They are also introducing too many characters at once – for example the Eternals, Shang Chi, Kate Bishop, and Moon Knight. These characters do not seem as well thought-out as the original Avengers. They are also not as colorful as the older characters, and they are noticeably underdeveloped. These new characters are definitely not Marvel’s best work.

It seems as though ever since Disney Plus started adding Marvel content, they jumped the shark – or ran out of good ideas. Marvel Studios is trying to make too many films but not every obscure comic book storyline makes a good movie adaptation. 

Another reason the films are awful is they have overused CGI with cheap stunts and visuals that makes it less engaging. 

Even though many of Marvel Studios’ recent films have been poor, they have had some hits, such as Spider Man: No Way Home and WandaVision. Hopefully Marvel will build upon what made those projects compelling, by breaking away from the comics a bit or changing elements of the films so that they are more on earth with everyday people and less about magic and other-worldly monsters. 

After all of the newer films, the older films, including Endgame, are still enjoyable to watch. 

Do you find yourself using "LOL" after every sentence you type? Mix it up with Google Docs' new emoji reaction feature. Recently, Google added an emoji reaction icon that allows users to comment with a simple face, symbol, or creature.

To use an emoji reaction, hover your cursor over the right-side edge of a Google Document. An orange smiley face button can be found between the blue comment button and green edit button. Simply click on the orange smiley face button to explore a wide variety of emojis.

“👍” said ORCA student Ryland Bickley in response to the new feature.

Now, a wordy comment can be replaced with an emoji that properly expresses the commenter’s feelings.

Have you ever wanted to annoy the entire dinner table with some clever jokes? Well, here’s your chance to add more to your repertoire. With these summer puns, you’ll have enough to crack one every week until the next school year. 

• Is that a June bug? What are you doing in May!

• What do you call a Frenchman in sandals? Phillipe Floppe.

• A man entered a local paper’s pun contest. He sent in ten puns hoping one of them would win but unfortunately, no pun in ten did.

• I was wondering why the ball was getting bigger. Then it hit me.

• Once you’ve seen one shopping center you’ve seen a mall. 

• How many telemarketers does it take to change a lightbulb? Only one, but they have to do it while you’re eating dinner. 

• A doctor just recently diagnosed me with lactose intolerance. How dairy.

• Why do plants hate math? It gives them square roots.

• What’s the best thing about Switzerland? I don’t know, but the flag is a big plus.

• Where do boats go when they get sick? The dock.

Are you looking for something to pass the time over the summer? Try sandboarding. Sandboarding is an enjoyable activity to do outdoors during the long summer or even during spring and fall. Sandboarding is possible even when it’s wet – the only necessary item is a specially-designed wet board. This has a plastic base that slides on wet sand, unlike regular boards that stick to it. You can rent a sandboard at SandMaster Park in Florence, Oregon, in the heart of Oregon coast’s dunes, one of temperate coastal sand dunes in the world.

While SandMaster Park is the only official sandboard park in the world at the moment, sandboarding is available all across the world where there is a dune. Sandboarding only requires a board and some board wax. Board wax makes the board slide easier, and if you don’t have it then you probably won’t go as fast. Doctor Dune is a great brand for board wax. It also helps to have a vehicle, because otherwise you will need to walk up the dune to ride back down, which can be very tiring.

SandMaster Park offers rentals but if you are looking for a place to purchase a board, try Venomous Boards. Lon Bale is owner of Venomous Boards, and Doctor Dune Board Wax. He is also the owner of SandMaster Park. 

Purchasing a board can cost around $250, but a rental board at SandMaster Park will be accessible at $16 for 24 hours, along with free board wax and dune access. SandMaster Park also has lessons for varying prices that can be viewed at sandmasterpark.com. 

So, if you are looking for a fun sport to do during summer break, you should try sandboarding. As mentioned above, SandMaster Park is a great place. It costs 16 dollars for 24 hours, with free board wax and free dune access. In addition to renting a board, SandMaster Park also offers sandboarding lessons and merchandise for purchase.

Summer is full of free time to explore new hobbies. Cooking and baking are always great pastimes, and who doesn’t love food? Fruits and vegetables are beautiful, and you can use them to whip up something new that will fill your home with a wonderful aroma. 

Here is a great summer recipe for banana bread that you should try.

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread 

Banana bread is surprisingly easy to make. All you need is a mixing bowl, a large spoon, a bread pan, and these ingredients:

3 ripe bananas

⅓ cup of melted butter

½ cup of sugar

1 beaten egg

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

1 teaspoon of baking soda

1 ½ cups of all-purpose flour

⅓ cup of mini chocolate chips

A pinch of salt

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 35o℉ (180℃) and set aside around ¼ of the required chocolate chips for the top of the bread

2. In a large bowl, add the bananas and mash until smooth. Add the butter and mix until combined

3. Next, add the flour, sugar, baking soda, egg, vanilla extract, chocolate chips, and salt. Mix until the batter is smooth and consistent. 

4. Pour batter into a greased bread pan and sprinkle the chocolate chips that were set aside on top.

5. Bake for about 45 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean of raw batter.

6. Let cool and enjoy!

Take this summer as an opportunity to jam out to classic summer music in your kitchen while making something delicious.

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. 

In my history class I am struggling to learn all the little details like dates. What is the best way to take notes on these little details?

- Ove R. Do 

Dear Ove R. Do, 

Memorization is a common struggle, so don’t feel discouraged. You can highlight these dates in the text, or you can create a special page in your notes that’s dedicated to important dates. You can create or research different mnemonic devices that can help with different subjects you need to memorize. Another strategy is to make simple flashcards and ask someone around you to quiz you, or you can test yourself. 

Good luck,

ORCA’s NHS & NJHS

What extracurricular activities can I become involved in during the upcoming break?

- Summer N. Excited 

Dear Summer N. Excited,

There are various summer activities that can keep you busy. An example could be your local library. Most libraries have summer programs in need of assistance. You can also look for places you can volunteer within your community. Volunteer Match is a great non-profit organization that can connect you with a diverse selection of volunteering opportunities. Summer break is a great time to explore your interests, and find a hobby that suits you.

Sincerely,

ORCA’s NHS & NJHS

The Current’s June Issue will be the last of this school year, so any submitted questions will not be answered.