To the editor:

The students who attend Blue Mountain Alternative High School have been benefiting from a large number of community citizens and professionals who have volunteered their time, expertise and tangible donations.

On a weekly basis, students learn critical thinking with Katie Beliveau and Russ Comer from the Grant County Center for Human Development. They have collaborated with Commission on Children and Families who provided funding which includes pizza for the students once a week in addition to the drug and alcohol prevention information they present on an ongoing basis.

Paul Smith, Early Childhood Intervention, offers life skills messages to students. Once a week, Nancy Nickel volunteers to help Blue Mountain students with speech and communication specific to employment interfacing. Long time community action-taker, Eva Harris, volunteers to take alt ed students on tours of Grant County to study how the local economy works. Several times this year, Christy Timko has presented to the student body the laws pertaining to 18-year-olds dating minors. Last week, students listened carefully as Jennifer Barker presented a three-day workshop that included a field trip on renewable energy and physics. Malheur Lumber Company sawmill superintendent Rich Fulton took the students on a tour through the mill. They were particularly impressed that not a scrap of wood is wasted. Richard Thompson and Hans Magden led a discussion with an exhibit of their paintings and have scheduled a project where all the students will participate in a giant painting.

I am suggesting that if there are constructive criticisms of the Blue Mountain Alternative High School, let us know who you are, and ask how you can help in the development of responsible students in our community.

Crish Lydon, Instructor

Blue Mountain Alternative Education

John Day