EDUCATION EXTRA.

Byline: The Register-Guard

Cal Young Middle School to celebrate 51-plus years

Cal Young Middle School may have technically missed its 50th anniversary, but is ready to celebrate 51 years - a year before the old school is torn down to make way for a new building that will open in fall 2006.

This Saturday at 10:30 a.m., the staff invites the community, especially former students and staff, to attend a 50-plus celebration and open house at the school, 2555 Gilham Road. The program will include an open house at 10:30 a.m. and reminiscences by former staff and students (including Principal Sara Cramer, a Cal Young alumnus), and plenty of social time at 11:30 a.m. All former staff are invited to a pre-event breakfast at 9:30 a.m. The school opened in fall 1953, and the 2005-06 school year will be its last.

Fun Day features sports events for Lifeskills students

Lane Education Service District will host the first Lane ESD Olympics/Fun Day for Lifeskills Education students this Thursday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the field at Willamette High School, 1801 Echo Hollow Road. Students ages 5 to 21 will take part in an opening "parade of champions," track and field events, fun physical education competitions, carnival games and a barbecue. Students will compete according to grade level. The event is made possible by a grant from Nickelodeon. Lane ESD serves more than 300 developmentally delayed students in the Lifeskills network. For information, call Brian Bands, special education manager, at 461-8357.

Essay contest poses Lewis and Clark challenge

The Oregon Historical Society is seeking submissions for an essay contest for middle and high school students titled "The Lewis and Clark Challenge." Essays should respond to the question, "Why does the Corps of Discovery matter?" and focus on one of eight themes: politics and democracy, mapping, women, animals, language, warriors/soldiers, trade and property or plants. Each of the two winners will receive $500 and be invited to attend the opening ceremony for the historical society's Lewis and Clark bicentennial exhibit, running from Nov. 11 through March 11, 2006. More information is available online at www.ohs.org. The deadline for submissions is July 1. Essays should be sent to Cara Ungar, Oregon Historical Society, 1200 S.W. Park Ave., Portland, OR 97205.

Bethel family center hosts series of parenting classes

Parents are invited to join the Bethel Village Family Center's "Parent Project," a five-week series of free classes beginning May 17 aimed at helping parents find their strengths and areas of improvement and offer practical advice for dealing with the challenges of parenting. The Tuesday classes, which include a free dinner and care for children between the ages of 3 and 12, are from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. The focus will be on issues for children in first through fifth grade, such as family relationships, communication, discipline, alcohol and drug use and handling stress. Families who attend at least four of the five sessions will be awarded a $20 gift certificate. To register, call 461-6424, Ext. 3061, or 461-6421.

Science Factory workshop puts kites to the test

The Science Factory Saturday Science Workshop this week will be "Go Fly a Kite," a two-hour session for children in grades 1 to 5. Participants will examine the physics of kite flight and design and build and test their own kites. The workshop, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., costs $10 for members or $15 for nonmembers. To register, call 682-7888. The Science Factory is located at 2300 Leo Harris Parkway.

Teachers' workshop focuses on fire ecology 

Now's the time for teachers to sign up for a free workshop, "The Watershed in my Backyard and the role of Fire Ecology," which runs June 28-29 at the H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest in Blue River. Developed for teachers in grades 6 to 12, it offers 16 hours of professional development units and free curriculum and materials. Teachers will explore research plots on rotting logs, carbon towers, water quality and logging practices, fire ecology and current information on spotted owls. There also will be a fire ecology field trip through the B & B Complex Fire. The deadline to register is June 10.

For more information, call Kate Ferschweiler at 988-9904 or visit www.fsl.orst.edu/lter. To register, call the Oregon Forestry Education Program office in Corvallis at 1-800-554-6987 or register online at www.cof.orst.edu/cof/extended/ofep/.