Wellsprings Friends School Blog

Wildlife Safari

2010-10-11T10:20:00.000-07:00

Wildlife Safari

At Wellsprings we like to begin the school year with a little adventure. Two years ago we visited the Portland zoo, so this year we decided to visit the Wildlife Safari, in Winston, OR. We spent over an hour driving though giraffes, bears, tigers, and many other herds of wild animals. We had a brief break for lunch and then proceeded through the walk-through area where we saw more large cats, lemurs, flamingos and even a crocodile. Some of us petted and fed miniature goats, while others milked a fake cow.

Videos of Graduation 2010

2010-07-01T12:55:00.000-07:00

The graduation ceremony for Wellsprings students touches the hearts of everyone who experiences it. Once the first notes of "Pomp and Circumstance" are played on the piano and students start their slow walk down the aisle, the audience (and students) begin to sense the joyful spirit of the occasion.

The presentation of individual graduates by one of their teachers is a highlight of the ceremony, filled with special remembrances, laughter, cheers, tears, and applause for each student. Here are three videos showing the presentation of our 2010 graduates:

May each young person be blessed with all the best that life offers and with learnings that shine the light of their hearts and minds on the world! We'll miss you (and hope you'll stop by for a visit next year as well as join us for school reunions).

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Graduation Ceremony Photos Available to View and Order

2010-06-30T17:57:00.000-07:00

Professional photos taken at our graduation ceremony for 2010 graduates are now available for viewing at the photographer's website.

Graduates, their families, and friends can order prints of the photos through the welcome page of the website.

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Graduation Practice 2010

2010-06-17T16:20:00.001-07:00

Graduation day began for our eighteen seniors with a rehearsal at 10 a.m. Students chose from a colorful selection caps and gowns, often struggling with getting the cap to stay on their head. Next came getting organized (by height and number) to practice the two-by-two "slow walk" down the aisle.

Once everyone gathered on stage in their assigned chair, the photographer arranged the young people for their class graduation photo. After some arranging and rearranging, students were in place for the photo (which they'll receive later this month). Here is an "unofficial" photo with some faces hiding behind others.

The seniors then practiced moving in their rows from the stage and walked two-by-two up the aisle to the back of the room and down the hallway from which they would emerge to begin the ceremony at 7 p.m.

Teachers and students mingled after the rehearsal to eat cupcakes and other sweet goodies while discussing plans for the evening. In just a little over eight hours, the students will have received their diplomas in a grand celebration of the spirit of each young person and their days at Wellsprings Friends School.

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Last Day of School Picnic 2010

2010-06-16T16:29:00.000-07:00

Our tradition for the last day of school is to have a picnic in Armitage Park to celebrate and reflect on the year together at Wellsprings. The yearbook is distributed and students and teachers spend time writing personal notes each other's copy. Then we eat hot dogs, cheeseburgers, veggie burgers, and chips for lunch. Once again this year, teachers Bob and Tyler ably did the burger and hot dog cooking on the grill (after students helped start the coals with a roaring flame).

Next came a challenge between students and several decorated pinatas created by fellow students. Like last year, the pinatas got the best of the baseball bat (and the rope got away from the pinata time after time):

Following the pinata battle, we had our traditional ceremony of gifting painted rocks to every student. Teachers paint the rocks with students' names along with a word or two that are symbolic of a particular quality the young person conveyed to the school community during the year. The presentation of a rock to each student brings rounds applause for everyone, lots of laughter, and many hugs between teachers and students.

We had a great time together on a cool Oregon day with lots of clouds, a mix of very light rain, and some brief bursts of sunshine to brighten our celebration. Our 18 seniors will be at graduation practice tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. and walking down the aisle in the evening. We wish our graduates all the best for their lives and for our returning students, an enjoyable summertime!

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Creating Polyhedra in Math Class

2010-06-01T10:07:00.000-07:00

Math class with teachers Bob and Sam offers some interesting projects for students to take on to learn math concepts. Sam notes that "Plato, in his dialogue Timaeus, made mystical connections between the five regular polyhedra and fire, air, earth, water, and the cosmos. Kepler made models of the five regular polyhedra and decorated them with appropriate Platonic symbols."

In the spirit of Plato and Kepler, Shelby made and decorated models of the five regular polyhedra. Then she assembled them into an attractive mobile. "Sam suggested the project and I decided that it would be fun to do," said Shelby. "It took a long time to complete. The quotes and art on the sides are just random things that came to mind while I was working on it. The quote 'Filthy water cannot be washed' came while I was talking with Kiera."

We look forward to seeing what new projects will emerge from our math classes when school begins again in September.

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Wellsprings Prom Night 2010

2010-05-23T09:44:00.000-07:00

This year, the theme for our Wellsprings prom was "masquerade." Of course, there were lots of masks along with girls in dazzling dresses and boys in black tuxes (and one white), plus some with stylish black top hats.

The room was ablaze with lights and silver streamers and there was a great spread of food and refreshments for nibbling during the evening. Music from the DJ was lively and loud (but getting the dancing started was a challenge!). There was lots of conversation as well, especially about what people were wearing for the masquerade party.

Thank you to all the students, parents, and teachers who helped make the prom a memorable experience for everyone who attended!

Here are several photos taken during the prom (click a photo to enlarge for better viewing):

And here's a short video of the event taken early in the evening:

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"Free Sale" Serves Our Community

2010-05-22T11:44:00.000-07:00

On a gray day with light rain falling, the school's parking lot filled up and a crowd of people came through the doors for our second "Free Sale" of the school year. Our super-organizer of the event, Yancey, and several students had arranged items on tables and stacked clothes for people to take away for free.

The sale provides people in our community with household items, clothing, toys, and other goods that they would not otherwise be able to afford for their family members. For our students, it is one of many community service projects they participate in during the school year at Wellsprings Friends School.

Thank you to the many friends who contributed items, to the students who helped with the "Free Sale," and to everyone who showed up on a rainy Saturday morning in Oregon.

And once again, dear Yancey, we deeply appreciate the many hours of work you do to make this community service project possible and for all you do for our students and for Wellsprings!

Here are more photos from the event (click on a photo to enlarge).

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Invitation to Graduation 2010

2010-05-19T09:07:00.000-07:00

Only four weeks until graduation day for our eighteen seniors. Here's the invitation they're sending to family and friends:

Please join us to celebrate our seniors on their very special evening. It's a great way to experience the joys of "the little school with the big heart."

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Storyteller Visits Wellsprings

2010-05-12T16:38:00.000-07:00

Diane Ferlatte, an award-winning international storyteller, visited our school last week to share stories with us. She sang and spoke both ancient and personal stories from her life as well as used percussion to "move" the audience and her stories along.

Diane's website notes that "While Diane loves to tell stories to adults and families, school performances are what she loves the most. It is here that she feels she has the greatest impact as the stacks and stacks of letters, drawings, thank you notes, and handwritten stories from thousands of school children attest to. Her vast repertoire and ability to relate make her equally popular with all ages from pre-school through high school.
Singing and signing (American Sign Language) are an integral part of these performances. While many performances can be theme oriented along the program types listed above, Diane´s main focus is to promote reading-readiness, visual imagery, imagination, and character/moral development."

Diane came to Eugene to headline the Multicultural Storytelling Festival and to perform at schools in the area. We're pleased that Wellsprings was chosen to be one of the schools! Here's a video sample of Diane Ferlatte at her finest:

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Peace & Justice Festival 2010

2010-05-04T08:58:00.000-07:00

"Peace is our gift to each other."

-- Elie Wiesel

Our 8th annual Peace & Justice Festival was held at school on a beautiful, sunny May Day. Teacher Eva spearheaded the festival and did a great job with arranging for speakers and organizing the event (while volunteer Mary Steinberg-Pichey arranged for a wonderful spread of food donated by local businesses). Several students helped set-up for the event and clean-up after all the festivities were done for the afternoon.

The program began with a presentation on "Fair Trade" by Melanie Bigalke from Cafe Mam. Martin Jones followed with a talk about Beyond War and "How Military Expenditure Impact Economic Problems" (see video below). Next up was Wes Shirley from the Eugene-Springfield Solidarity Network who spoke about the labor movement in our area. Samantha Chirillo followed with a talk about the Oregon Fair Trade Campaign as well as her personal experience of networking for social justice.

Here's a video of the Beyond War presentation by Martin Jones, MD.

Head of School, Dennis Hoerner, moderated a student/teacher panel which explored the topic of "Teenagers, Jobs, Fairness." Members of the panel included recent graduate, Mo, current students Nataya and Emily, teacher Eva, and parent-jobs specialist, Laurel Henry. Everyone shared their experiences in getting a job as a teenager (or not) and shared their ideas about what would be helpful for young people seeking employment.

Our thanks to everyone who helped and participated in the festival (especially Eva!) and to the businesses who provided food and refreshments: Cafe Mam, Sundance Natural Foods, Eugene City Bakery, Toby's Tofu Pate, and Dana's Cheesecake.

See you next year on April 23 for our 9th annual Peace & Justice Festival!

NOTE: See more photos on our Web Albums.

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Students Evaluate Staff Members

2010-04-26T16:34:00.000-07:00

In late spring each year, our students are asked to provide a written evaluation of their teachers and other Wellsprings staff members. They're given a form that allows them to give confidential feedback to the staff.

In the instructions, students are asked to think about their interactions with individual staff members since the current school began. For each person, they're asked to give sincere and thoughtful feedback to nine questions. The first five utilize a rating scale of "1" as most positive, to "3" as neutral, through "5" as very negative:

1. I have had at least one class this year with this staff member. Yes or No
A. Her/his class is usually interesting.
B. I learned a lot in her/his class.
C. In course planning, s/he takes my input into consideration.
D. I would recommend to other students that they take classes with this person.
2. S/he was helpful to me as an advisor.
3. This staff member helps to maintain an environment during class and around the school that is emotionally and physically safe.
4. S/he is easy to approach.
5. I feel heard and respected by her/him.

The last four questions give students a chance to express their perceptions of each staff member in their own words:

6. Describe the way this staff member makes you feel.

7. what does this person contribute to the Wellsprings community?

8. What could this person improve on?

9. Other comments?

The responses from students are then compiled anonymously for review by staff members to see what they are doing well and what they might do better. This evaluation is just a small sample of the interactive environment our learning community continually creates to enhance personal growth and academic (or professional) achievement for everyone, students and adults alike.

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An Absolutely "Cozmic" Benefit Concert

2010-04-19T19:01:00.000-07:00

Once again, our Benefit Concert at Cozmic (yes, with a "z") Pizza was a great success with a large enthusiastic crowd of students, parents, and friends of Wellsprings on hand to cheer the performers. This year we had more student musicians performing, along with a student who recited her poetry and another who belly-danced. Of course, our talented group of teachers -- Paul, Bob, Chanci, and Tyler -- played and sang in their bands and Rio, an "old" graduate of the school, topped off the evening with his rappin'.

For a look at happenings during the evening, here's a gallery of photos taken during the event which supports our school's art and music programs (Click on a photo to enlarge for better viewing):

If you'd like to listen and view videos of several of the performances, here's a selection of the groups and individuals to enjoy:

ChanciPants & The Educators

Alex & Laura

Axle - Jammin' with Paul & Tyler

Strum Theory

Chayla, Our Poet Extraordinare

Nataya

Rio the Rapper

Thank you to everyone who attended our benefit concert and for your generous donations (and to Cozmic Pizza for the great venue)! Plus a big round of "cheers" to all of the students and teachers who entertained us with their talents.

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Community Spirit on a Snowy Mountain

2010-03-12T15:12:00.000-08:00

Along with creative classes, community spirit is at the heart of the Wellsprings experience for our students. Community means starting each day with Morning Circle, sitting in Silent Meeting every Friday morning, sharing in Community Meetings, and taking time to have fun together in community activities.

One of our annual all-school outings is a trip to Hoodoo for some snow play and tubing on the mountain. We had a beautiful day, some sunshine, lots of snow, and great time together in the lodge and on the bus. Here's a selection of photos taken by teacher Chanci (just click on a photo to enlarge the image).

Thank you, Chanci, for taking all the pics ... and many more!

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Photos of the Week

2010-02-25T18:46:00.000-08:00

Blossoms, blossoms, everywhere this week. And some local creatures have been scurrying around and enjoying the sunbeams.

Must be going to rain soon!

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Making Sushi & Stir-Fry: Community Building Class Creates Lunch

2010-02-15T15:20:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks ago in morning circle, a student asked why we have never had sushi for lunch. Well, officer manager/teacher Yancey decided to make it happen and got the ingredients. On Friday morning right after circle, teacher Eva's community-building class started working on creating our sushi and stir-fry lunch. Here's a photo album showing the process and tasty outcomes from their work. Yummm!

Thanks to everyone who made it happen! Looks like we'll have to do it again soon.

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Photo of the Week

2010-01-08T10:23:00.000-08:00

Every so often, cooking class with teacher Chanci makes tacos and other delights for school lunch. Here's a photo of taco and cookie making is progress.

In just two hours, all of our students and teachers will be sitting down for lunch and enjoying the tacos and cookies made by their friends in cooking class.

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Being a New Student

2009-12-16T15:43:00.000-08:00

by Ben McKenzie (‘12)

I am a 15-year-old sophomore, who has just started at Wellsprings. Last year I went to a large public school. I was overwhelmed by the class size and workload. I had a friend who went to Wellsprings so I decided to visit.

I was turned on by the idea of small classes and minimal homework. I am very dedicated to extra-curricular activities like biking and white water kayaking, and I feel this school supports my interests.

Being part of a small school creates a sense of community that did not exist in public school. The small classes give you opportunity to have more one-on-one with the teachers and create an atmosphere where you can learn at your own pace.

Since coming to Wellsprings, I am much more engaged with what is going on in class. Chanci’s “Small Group Communication” is really cool, and I love the philosophical discussions in Tyler’s “God Who?” class.

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Photos of the Week

2009-12-10T09:55:00.000-08:00

It has been an extremely cold week in Oregon (8 degrees!) and more students are wearing warm hats to school. In Morning Circle today, Jessica topped everyone with her "find" on eBay.

And Alex looks like she wanted to get extra close to the furry hat (or take a bite of it!).

We're looking forward to a warm-up this weekend that will bring back our winter rains to Western Oregon. Next week .... soggy hats!

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"Why Wellsprings?"

2009-12-01T14:16:00.000-08:00

By Michayla Todd

Before I started high school -- before I came to Wellsprings -- I never had much trouble with academics; in fact I generally excelled in my classes. I was a reader at the early age of three, and entered kindergarten at the age of four. For the majority of my elementary years, I participated in a program known as TAG (Talented and Gifted), in which I took some classes at a higher level than the standard of my grade. So, though I never had to struggle to keep up with the rest of my class -- quite the opposite actually-- I always felt I was held back by them. I also moved around a lot, which made the participation in this program increasingly more difficult, and I strained to keep the few friends I had made.

I entered my eighth grade year as a new student yet again, and struggled with social connections throughout the school year. Though I wasn’t popular I did still finish the year with a strong 4.0 and my teachers were sure that I would succeed in high school, though they might have overestimated me a bit. As I stepped into my freshmen year at Willamette High, I became quickly irritated with the average of thirty kids per classroom, and the lack of individuality. I quickly fell victim too the all too easy routine of ditching classes. For the first time in my life, I hated school.

After being dropped from Willamette High, due to ten consecutive days of non-attendance, I discovered Wellsprings. From briefly reading a bit about the school environment I was convinced it was the place for me, this conviction was only strengthened by my visit at the school. Due to the school being full, however, I was not able to start attending until my sophomore year (last year) which was my most memorable year of school ever.

For the majority of my life, I have loved school, and been eager to learn; these feelings quickly came back to me upon entering the Wellsprings environment. I quickly fell in love with welcoming community atmosphere, and of course the fascinating course subjects that are offered. Not only did I have a whole new world of academics at my disposal, but Wellsprings also has a way of helping kids learn more about themselves, and grow in a way that encourages individuality.

Because I had been through a bit of a rough emotional year before coming to Wellsprings, I really discovered more and more about myself with each day, and each rich conversation I engaged in with both students and teachers alike. I found myself emerging from out of the school year with an entirely new attitude about myself and the life I want to live.

So after spending the majority of my freshmen, and some portion of sophomore, years partying with peers, with the help of Wellsprings and my own inner drive, I am now fully dedicated to school and writing. I am eager to learn all that the world has to offer; Wellsprings has help to open my eyes and see just how much is out there, all I have to do is reach for it.

My transition in attitude could not have been made any easier without the help that I received from all of the staff at Wellsprings. For that I want to thank everyone for truly caring about our youth and making it possible for kids who struggle with mainstream education, to have an alternative way of learning and preparing for the rest of our lives.

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Celebrating Sexism Day

2009-11-20T10:30:00.000-08:00

By Michayla Todd

For the first of this year’s semi-annual tradition of the ironically named Sexism Day, the girls enjoyed a peaceful day at the Cougar Hot Springs Reservoir.

Every year, typically twice a year, we split up; all guys and all girls, and we each agree on an activity that we can all enjoy, and use to bond with our community members of the same gender. This trip I was lucky to get to experience the beauty of the natural hot springs, set in the green forest of Willamette Valley.

The guys enjoyed a relaxing morning of video games and music, with a deluxe breakfast prepared by our very own Wellsprings Chefs, Bob and Tyler. They then grabbed a bus to see the new production of Zombieland. I can’t speak from personal experience, due to my being a female, but I have been told that they all enjoyed the day.

Now, I can speak for us girls. We had a great time! We were lucky enough to have the pools nearly all to ourselves, except for a couple of short time visitors. Quite a few of us, including myself, enjoyed a natural mud facial, and a few dare devils dunked in the freezing water before returning to the hot spring water. In my opinion though, the best, was the cave. There was a decent size opening in the rocks that fed the hot water down to the ladder of pools. A bunch of us girls were able to crawl up into the cave that it opened up to, where the heat was magnified so much, we could see steam lingering around us, but there was also a constant trickle of cold water which balanced the heat out wonderfully. It was probably just about one of the coolest things I have done in years.

I think that sexism day is definitely a fun and influential part of the Wellsprings experience. It is just another way that Wellsprings helps to become comfortable with your self as a part of a community. By partaking in these kinds of activities, it makes it easier for us all to develop a connection, or some kind of relationship with our classmates and teachers alike. I think that this is very important, and I feel like we all benefit a lot from these unique connections. I am looking forward to our next sexism event. I’m sure it will be a blast!

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Presentation on Homeless Youth By New Roads

2009-11-17T09:19:00.000-08:00

Last week we had the pleasure of three visitors from the Looking Glass program, New Roads. New Roads is a center for at risk youth that offers a variety of services, for youth, ages 16-25. Some of things that New Roads offers are support in job searches, assistance in improving a living situation, case workers for homeless teens, personal counseling, drug and alcohol counseling and even a high school credit recovery program. This visit however was specifically focused on homelessness in youth.

Speaking from personal experience, being a teen runaway is not fun. I feel like a lot of our students at Wellsprings can also say that they have had that experience. I am sure we can all agree that programs and places like New Roads help a lot more than people might think. I can definitely say that I was fed by New Roads numerous times when I needed to be.

I think that the overall presentation went really well, and they definitely had an appropriate and appreciative audience. It is really important to have people like this in our community: dedication to the improvement of troubled teens lifestyles. I would like to thank New Roads for being willing to come and speak to us. I'm sure each of us got at least a little something out of it. I know that I did.

Written by Michayla Todd

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Squid Make Appearance in Science Class

2009-11-06T11:14:00.000-08:00

This morning, teacher Eva's science class learned all about squid ... outside and in. Student's identified the exterior parts of the six squid ... from head to tail, eyes, funnel, tentacles ... and counted their pods. And no one could ignore the distinct smell that penetrated the room (and their human nostrils). Lots of conversation and questions during the class.

Here are a few photos taken before any cutting began.

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Creatures Invade Wellsprings on Halloween

2009-11-02T10:18:00.000-08:00

Along with a vegetarian vampire, a diverse cast of other creatures appeared at school last Friday morning. Morning circle didn't quite look the same but silent meeting remained eerily silent (no blood-curdling screams or sounds from the ghosts and goblins in the circle).

Students enjoyed the morning baking cookies and carving pumpkins, then watched ever-so-horrible horror movies in the afternoon. Teachers Bob and Tyler once again manned the barbecue "pits," cooking burgers for lunch. All and all, another great Halloween at Wellsprings.

Take a look at some of our Halloween creatures (click on a photo to enlarge for better viewing).

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Interview With A Vampire

2009-10-30T10:31:00.000-07:00

Today at school we were visited by many remarkable people, and School Head Dennis had a chance to sit down and talk with one visitor in particular.

DH: Welcome to Wellsprings, Mr. V. We are a non-violent community here. You look pretty scary. I hope you won’t do anything…unpleasant.

MrV: Oh, no, don’t be afraid! I am a vegetarian vampire! I don’t drink human blood. I get blood from ...TURNIPS …TOMATOES … TOMATILLOS …

DH: That’s a relief. A lot of us are vegetarians too. And we have an organic garden. Perhaps you could volunteer to help us with that?

MrV: Sure. You know, in fact, I don’t sleep in a coffin—I sleep in a greenhouse.

DH: Wow, that’s awesome. How else are you different from those other vampires?

MrV: Well, you know sometimes people try kill my vampire cousins with a silver bullet or something, but that doesn’t work on our branch of the family. Please don’t tell anyone, but the surest way to kill a vegetarian vampire is to drive…a t-bone steak, right through the heart! Just kidding. But if you force us to EAT a steak, we keel over dead in minutes.

DH: I’ll be sure to keep that a secret, Mr. V., though veggie vampires aren’t the only folks to be hurt by too much red meat… Anyway, is there any other thought you’d like to leave us with today?

MrV: Everyone knows the saying, “don’t judge a book by its cover.” And please don’t judge a vampire by his fangs.

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Wellsprings Family Reunion: Celebrating Our First 15 Years

2009-10-26T17:56:00.001-07:00

On a cool, sunny Saturday afternoon, over 100 people came to school for our Family Reunion -- past graduates, current students, parents, and friends. Together with teachers and staff, everyone celebrated Wellsprings first 15 years and looked forward to our next 15 as an alternative learning community for high school students.

Past graduates visited with their friends and teachers while enjoying a lunch that included burgers and hot dogs cooked on the grill by teachers Bob and Tyler. Several current students and parent volunteers helped with the set-up, lunch preparations, and clean-up of the school as well as gathered "Share Your Wellsprings Story" information from attendees.

Head of School Dennis Hoerner moderated a program that honored three special people who have served the school over the years -- Helen Park, founder of Wellsprings, and Board members Hanna Still and John Etter who've been on the Board of Trustees for all of the 15 years the school has existed. Helen Park told the story of her inspiration to start the school and shared memories from the early years. And past graduates, a parent, Peg Morton, and teacher Paul, shared their experiences of being at Wellsprings. Our teachers and Dennis were given a round of applause for their contributions to the education of students and the life of the school.

Here are some photos of students, teachers, staff, and volunteers getting ready for the reunion.

Additional photos feature many of the people who joined us for the celebration.

Thank you to everyone who made the event a rousing success and a special thanks to Yancey for all of her work in preparing for our second Wellsprings Family Reunion. We look forward to continuing the tradition!

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Photos of the Week

2009-10-23T14:12:00.000-07:00

This morning in preparation for our Wellsprings Family Reunion tomorrow, teacher Chanci and several students baked cookies for the event. Here are a few photos of students at work (and the finished "products"):

Macaroons in progress.

Mixing the chocolate chip batter.

Baked and ready to bake chocolate chip cookies.

Cheering on the macaroon makers!

Join us tomorrow from 12 to 3 p.m. for the reunion (and taste a cookie or two!).

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Photo of the Week

2009-10-15T10:49:00.000-07:00

Fall colors are gracing our school this week. And student bicyclers are staying dry (at least for the time between the rains!).

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Progress in the Garden

2009-10-09T11:07:00.000-07:00

This week students did more work in the school garden, planting garlic and winter vegetables. It was a sunny (and chilly) morning for digging up the dirt and doing the planting (click on the photo to enlarge for better viewing).

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School Family Reunion Planned for October 24th

2009-09-24T14:21:00.000-07:00

The second Wellsprings Friends School Family Reunion is going to take place at the school from 12:00 noon to 3:00 pm on Saturday, October 24. Anyone who has ever been connected in any way to the school is invited to come! We hope to see you there!

Wellsprings opened its doors in 1994 with a couple dozen students. Over the years hundreds of young people have come through those doors and found their lives profoundly changed. With class sizes limited to 12, creative and well-grounded teachers who like teenagers, an 8:1 student/teacher ratio, lots of field trips, regular all-school activities, and the support of many folks in the broader community, Wellsprings has been thriving.

The very first Wellsprings Family Reunion was held on June 2, 2007, and over 80 people attended. It would be wonderful if double that number came this time!

There will be plenty of food, music, and a lot of happy re-unitings. We are also planning to have a brief program starting at 1:00 o’clock. Our theme is “Looking Back, Looking Forward,” celebrating our first 15 years and envisioning the next 15.

Please come and join us for an exciting and delightful day.

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"The King" Reappears Before Our Silent Meeting

2009-09-18T10:10:00.000-07:00

Our morning circle was graced by the rare reappearance of "The King" himself, dressed in baby blues and looking better than ever. He came to sing to Clyde, our student who celebrates her 17th birthday today.

The King sang five of his classics including "Teddy Bear" while he gave Clyde a little teddy bear. He concluded with his sweet "Fools Rush In" as he kneeled and extended his hand to Clyde and kissed her hand.

At the end of his gig, The King asked everyone to sing "happy birthday" to our birthday girl and the whole circle joined in song. And he quietly slipped out of the room before the start of our silent meeting. Wonder if we'll ever see him again?

Click on the photos in the slideshow below to enlarge for better viewing.

Quite the "warm up" for our 15-minute silent meeting this Friday!

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2009 Graduation Photos Available

2009-09-14T17:48:00.000-07:00

For our 2009 graduates, their families, and friends, photos of the graduation ceremony are available to view and order prints. Find them at Northwest Exposures website.

Enjoy the photos. And best wishes to our graduates! Come back and visit when you can.

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Farm to Table Class Works on Garden

2009-09-11T11:06:00.000-07:00

On a beautiful sunny morning in Oregon, teacher Chanci's "Farm to Table" class went to work on clearing a garden space for planting a fall garden. Here are a few photos of their experience today (click photo to enlarge for better viewing):

We'll keep an eye on the progress of the garden throughout the fall term. And look forward to eating some of the produce at lunch time in months to come!

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First Day of School 2009

2009-09-10T15:02:00.000-07:00

This morning we had a great start for the new school year. Opening circle was overflowing with energy from the 54 students and 11 teachers and staff people in attendance. Teachers Chanci, Paul, and Judith (returning after teaching during the early years of Wellsprings) led introductions and exercises that got everyone involved (and laughing).

After a break, each teacher described the classes they would be teaching during the first term. Then each student met with their advisor/teacher to sign up for classes. What followed was a hot dog and burger lunch (cooked on the grill by teachers Bob and Tyler) which included potato salad and other goodies. The afternoon was devoted to our first community meeting of the year.

Here are a few photos taken during the opening circle (click on image to enlarge):

Welcome new students and welcome back to our returning students!

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Thoughts of a Wellsprings Poet Laureate

2009-07-27T17:11:00.000-07:00

By Michayla Todd

"A poet laureate is defined as a specially recognized and distinguished person deserving of distinction for poetic merit."

As the 2008-2009 school year came to a finish, Wellsprings students, new and old, teachers, friends and family of the Wellsprings community, all gathered at Armitage State Park for an end of the year, barbecue celebration. With the day of nerf gun wars and water filled piñatas coming to an end, we all gathered around for one of the many, much loved Wellsprings traditions.

Teachers took turns giving a short speech about each student and assigning a painted rock, inscribed with a nickname that they have agreed fits the unique personality of each individual. I personally, especially around the Wellsprings community, have become notorious for my love of writing. I have developed many fulfilling relationships with some of the wonderful minds at Wellsprings, through our common passion for literature. This hobby of mine landed me with the Wellsprings rock label, of the Poet Laureate.

With my newly found passion for writing growing and expanding throughout my first year at Wellsprings, I have gained the support of all of my beloved friends, the educators of Wellsprings. They have all done more than I could have hoped they would, going the extra mile to support and cultivate my talent and passion. They have truly shown that they genuinely care about the youth of our society, and are making an effort to help in any way they can.

Knowing that I have solid plans to go to college and work towards a future in journalism, a few of the staff arranged for me to have this personal column on our community blog page, to help me gain experience. With this arrangement coming at the end of the school year, I won’t be posting regular pieces until the start of next year in the fall. However, I did feel that I should give a bit of a preview of what to look forward to in the 2009-2010 Wellsprings blog.

My blog posts will mainly be a personal description, from a student’s point of view, of the events and activities that occur at Wellsprings Friends School. I will keep readers updated classes are being offered, upcoming events, and the details of our school field trips. I will interview fellow students and teachers, asking for their personal opinions and input on current life at Wellsprings. Hopefully, both the community and my input will help Wellsprings supporters understand from a student’s point of view what the school is doing for my generation.

I anxiously look forward to sharing the experiences of our community with people looking to help and support our school. Congratulations to all the graduating seniors, class of 2009. As for the rest of Wellsprings Friends, I will see you in the fall.

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Essay by Will Branscomb

2009-07-08T09:16:00.000-07:00

The following essay was written by 2009 graduate, Will Branscomb, for a scholarship application:

"From the first day I visited Wellsprings Friends School, I felt very at home there. Instead of walking around with their heads down, ignoring each other, I saw students actually acknowledge and greet each other. They even came up to me, introduced themselves, and offered to show me around the school. There was a real sense of community, which is something I never found at public school. The teachers and students had respect for each other, and actually valued their opinions. While there were some groups of students that hung out with each other more than others, there was none of the clique mentality I was used to. I had finally escaped the automaton production line of public school, and found a group of kind, unique, real people. Instead of trundling down the public school cattle chute to a middle management slaughterhouse, I had stumbled upon a wide open pasture of whatever opportunities I cared to chase.

I had gone to a small alternative elementary school from kindergarten to second grade that had a similar philosophy and values. But in between, while I was in public school, life had become increasingly difficult. In kindergarten I was TAG-identified, but by sixth grade in public school, I had a new diagnosis: Generalized Anxiety Disorder. I always felt confined in school, trapped behind my desk, being forced to write things I already knew over and over again. In my freshman year of high school, there was so much pointless work that I didn't have time to do anything else. At the time, I had no career goals, or any aspirations really, other than to finish my homework.

At Wellsprings, I've been able to research various careers–and finally determine that I want to be a mechanical engineer–all while learning about things that interest me. I started Wellsprings in tenth grade, and within six months, I also started attending classes at Lane Community College. I went from having no credits and no basis for grades in my last term in public school, to a cumulative high school GPA of 3.75, and a college GPA of 4.05.

My self esteem went through a parallel transformation. I went from feeling like “that weird kid who never comes to school,” and from letting all the negative criticism make me even harder on myself, to feeling like an accepted and respected member of the community. I had absolutely no self confidence in public school, but through Wellsprings, I discovered my strengths and learned to believe in my abilities.

Wellsprings has given me an education that few schools can – an education not only in the academic sense, but also in a more down-to-earth way. The people I have become friends with there are some of the most interesting, and unmitigatedly genuine, I have met. No matter their background–whether it be growing up with wealthy parents and aspiring to be a fashion photographer, or growing up not knowing where they'd be able to sleep that night or if their food stamps would last through the week–they would always listen to you, respect your opinion and give you theirs, and they truly cared about each other.

Wellsprings has been like a family away from home, and growing up with them is an experience I will treasure for the rest of my life."

–Will Branscomb (2009)

Graduation Day - Class of 2009

2009-07-06T16:24:00.000-07:00

For our twenty-one seniors, graduation day began with a rehearsal at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, June 17th. Students picked out their caps and gowns, choosing from a colorful selection selection on black, green, red, cranberry, light blue, purple, and white. Everyone gathered on stage and the photographer asked people to assemble in two rows by height for their class graduation photo. After some arranging and rearranging, students were in place for the photo (with the photographer balancing on a chair to shoot the photograph).

Next came practice for "the slow walk" down the aisle. The seniors moved in their rows from the stage and walked two-by-two up the aisle to the back of the room and down the hallway from which they would emerge in just eight hours.
Then teacher Eva (standing in for graduation marshall, Ethan Perkins) led the students slowly down the aisle back onto the stage. After one more practice "round," the seniors removed their caps and gowns and placed them in the hallway, ready for when they returned at 6:30 p.m. for the graduation ceremony. Teachers and students mingled after the rehearsal to discuss plans for the evening and "things to say" during the upcoming ceremony.

Here are more photos from the practice session (click on a photo to enlarge):

At 7 p.m., the music of "Pomp and Circumstance" brought the audience of friends and family to their feet as twenty-one seniors began their graduation walk down the aisle. On stage, the students basked in the cheers and applause before taking their seats for the celebration.

Head of School, Dennis Hoerner welcomed everyone and introduced the members of the Wellsprings Friends School Board. Susan Goodyear then played Chopin's Nocturne in G Minor on the piano before Dennis introduced Jon Garlinghouse who delivered the keynote address to the students.

As always, the highlight of our Wellsprings graduation ceremony is the presentation of the graduates by their teachers. Each senior is called to the podium by a teacher who tells a story about their experience with the student and offers words of encouragement for their life "beyond Wellsprings." It is a time of laughter and tears as teachers express their love for each graduate and embrace them with a "send-off" hug.

Next, a "meeting for sharing" in the Friends (Quaker) tradition gave everyone present an opportunity to stand and share their memories, hopes, and wishes for the graduates. Out of the silence, many family members and friends spoke about "their graduate," expressing their love for the young person as well as appreciation for the teachers at the school who have made a difference in the students' lives.

Then, as each student's name was called by Dennis Hoerner, the awarding of diplomas was made by James Fox, Clerk of the Board of Trustees. Cheers came from the audience as each student received their diploma, his words of congratulations, a handshake and an embrace. Once every student had their diploma in hand, the graduates had a time to express their "thank you's" to family members and to teachers. Choking back tears (or letting them flow), several students spoke from their heart about the meaning of "this moment" and about their wishes for their graduating friends, their teachers, and for Wellsprings.

The celebration ended as the graduates of the class of 2009 made their recessional "march" to the driving sounds of "Beat It!" by Michael Jackson.

Here are several photos from the graduation ceremony (click on a photo to enlarge):

May each young person be blessed with all the best that life offers and with learnings that shine the light of their hearts and minds on the world!

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Last Day of School - Our Picnic in the Park (Photos & Video)

2009-06-16T19:43:00.000-07:00

Our picnic at Armitage Park on the last day of school was a time of celebration and reflection about the year together at Wellsprings. Our new yearbook was distributed and students and teachers enjoyed writing notes in each other's copy. Then it was time for games and eating hot dogs, cheeseburgers, veggie burgers, chips, and cupcakes for lunch. Teachers Bob and Tyler ably did the burger and foot-long hot dog cooking on the grill (with only a few mishaps involving burgers falling into the coals).

(Click a photo to enlarge for better viewing)

Following lunch, we had our traditional ceremony of gifting painted rocks to every student. Teachers paint the rocks with students' names along with a word or two that are symbolic of a particular quality the young person conveyed to the school community during the year. The presentation of a rock to each student brings rounds applause for everyone, lots of laughter, and many hugs between teachers and students (see the full 31-minute presentation in the following video):

Next came a battle between students and a couple of pinatas created by fellow students. Today, the pinatas definitely got the best of the baseball bat (see the video to learn how one pinata became a soccer ball and the other, a big baseball that got the best of the hitter):

All and all, we had a great time together on a beautiful day of sunshine mixed with a few clouds that kept us comfortably cool as our students and teachers. Tomorrow night, graduation time for 21 seniors. We'll miss them at next year!

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Friends Enjoy the Last Friday of the School Year Together

2009-06-15T11:28:00.000-07:00

With school winding down for the year, students and teachers enjoyed Friday afternoon playing miniature golf together. It was a beautiful, breezy sunny day at Camp Putt in Glenwood. And there was lots of laughter and several "hole-in-one" cheers from the Wellsprings friends. Here are a few photos taken during the afternoon (click on photos to enlarge):

Everyone had a great time on and off the mini-golf course. Until next year . . . enjoy fun times with your friends!

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An Energetic Class Teaches Students About The National Sport of Thailand

2009-06-03T11:10:00.000-07:00

When students learned that our teacher Dante was involved in Muay Thai, the national sport of Thailand, they asked if he would do a class this term to share his practice of the sport. He said "yes" and several students signed up for the course.

In contrast to so-called "soft" martial arts such as Aikido, Muay Thai is considered a "hard" martial art using force against force. It is referred to as "The Art of Eight Limbs", as the hands, shins, elbows, and knees are all used extensively in this art. The sport requires a high level of physical conditioning and skill.

For the class, Dante and his friend, Nate, focus on teaching students how to defend against attacks as well as demonstrate other elements of the sport and its traditions. Most weeks, the class meets at the Big Foot Gym (located a few blocks from school) where Dante and Nate are students of Khun Kru Mike Walrath.

While Dante says the class is likely a "one-time" offering because of the nature of the sport, students have enjoyed learning the structure and discipline it requires -- great lessons for their future lives.

Here is a video taken of a class lead by Nate while Dante was away for a week:

NOTE: Last Sunday, Dante and Nate passed their test to become teachers of Muay Thai. They are now officially Khun Kru teachers of the sport. Congratulations Dante and Nate!

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A Challenging Math Class Project

2009-05-20T19:21:00.000-07:00

Sam Smith, our volunteer extraordinaire (who has spent his mornings over the past eight years teaching advanced mathematics and assisting in our math classes), offered students an opportunity to work on a some amazing polyhedron building projects.

"These projects provide a change of pace for students," says Sam, "they offer a tactile, see it, feel it, experience of great mathematics. And they teach geometry in a way not usually taught in most schools."

Among the many students involved, Madeline and Alex went to work cutting pieces and gluing parts together to create a rhombidodecadodecahedron and a compound of five tetrahedra respectively. Over a period of several weeks during a school term, the students demonstrated their skill (and patience) in creating their projects.

Sam Smith notes that "students don't just learn how the pieces fit together, they also learn constraints. There are lots of life lessons involved in this form of mathematics."

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Peace & Justice Festival 2009

2009-05-18T16:05:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, May 16, Wellsprings sponsored our 7th annual Peace & Justice Festival. The four-hour event included speakers from our community, music by our teachers and a community choir, and a panel discussion. Two of our teachers, Eva and Tyler, planned the program and served as co-leaders of the event.

Eight students helped with various tasks during the afternoon and teachers Chanci, Bob, Paul, and Tyler provided music to open and close the festival. In addition, songs of peace and justice were sung during the program by local choir, In Accord. Information tables were staffed by people from Beyond War, the Eugene Mennonite Church, CALC, Counter Military Recruitment, and the Student Peace Alliance.

The program was dedicated to Sali Grace Eiler, a former Wellsprings student who championed many peace and justice causes during her young life (she was murdered in Mexico last year just two weeks before her 21st birthday).

Speakers included Sali's mother, Barbara Healey, Katherine Bragg from Friends Peace Teams, Eileen & Phil Hanna from Beyond War, Peg Morton spoke about nonviolent direct action, and Rose Barber offered a Mennonite peace perspective. After a panel discussion by parents and students on "what helps teens and parents communicate," Sophia McDonald spoke about justice for the homeless and Tod Schneider discussed sustainable violence prevention in our community.

Here is a slideshow of photos taken during the festival (click on photos to enlarge):

In addition, a video of Peg Morton's presentation is included for your viewing:

Thank you to everyone who attended and participated in our Peace & Justice Festival!

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ADDENDUM

Story by Peg Morton from the Eugene Friends Meeting Newsletter (May 31, 2009)

"I was honored and delighted to be invited to participate in the Wellsprings Friends School Peace Festival that took place on May 16th. Members of EFM were scattered throughout the program: Katherine Bragg gathering us into a circle. She spoke of her experience teaching alternatives to violence with Friends Peace Teams in Guatemala, in a structure with dirt floors and open to the elements -- no windows. She briefly introduced us to AVP using one of its exercises. Jen Frenzer Knowton, accompanied by her daughter Olivia, participated in a panel of teachers, parents and students discussing teen-parent relationships. Jill Burge sang with the peace chorus, In Accord, which sang beautifully. I spoke of personal experience with direct active nonviolence.

We also heard the heart-breaking yet amazing story of Marcella 'Sali' Eiler from her mother. Sali, who had been a student at Wellsprings, was raped and murdered last fall at the age of 21. She had sat in trees to save forests, helped with Food Not Bombs, helped distribute water and aid to immigrants struggling across the desert, and traveled to Southern Mexico to support the struggles there. Her mother never knew what she was going to do next, but supported her with love. We heard from Beyond War, a local (and national) peace organization, and we learned from people who are working and advocating for the homeless here in Eugene.

It was an informal time of sharing with and learning from each other. I was glad to be a part of it and recommend it for others in upcoming years."

Wellsprings Prom Night: Photos/Video

2009-05-11T11:32:00.000-07:00

Saturday night was Prom Night for students at Wellsprings. With a dress-up theme of black, white, and red, students looked dazzling in their attire for the evening. Everyone enjoyed lots of food, music, and conversation (much about each person's mode of dress). But, did anyone dance?

For your viewing pleasure, here's a slideshow of photos taken during the evening (click photos to enlarge):

And here's a video "walk-around" to show the decor for the event and what was happening during just 8 1/2 minutes of Wellsprings Prom Night:

Thank you to all of the students, parents, grandparents, and friends who helped with the prom. You made it a memorable experience for our students.

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Storyteller Visits Our School

2009-05-07T18:17:00.000-07:00

This morning, we were honored by the presence of storyteller, Motoko, who is visiting Eugene to participate in a Multi-Cultural Storytelling Festival. For nearly an hour, our students, teachers, and staff were mesmerized by her telling of a tale about her grandmother (who always said she was 57 years old), a story about her experience as a mom to her son Charlie, and a playful mime of going into her sleeping teenage son's room.

Motoko taught us to sing in a chorus in Japanese, the "animal" years (and how to calculate someone's age), and to say "thank you" in Japanese. She also answered questions from students and staff about her life as a storyteller. Although we videotaped her stories and mime, Motoko preferred not to have the video on YouTube. However, a brief (and a little shaky) video of her answering questions at the end of the session offers a sense of the joyful presence she brings to her audiences.

Thank you, Motoko, for sharing time with us and for sharing your wonderful stories with groups throughout the country.

Community Service: Another Successful Wellsprings Friends "Free Sale"

2009-04-19T18:30:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday, we had our second "Free Sale" of the year -- offering hundreds (maybe even thousands) of household goods, clothes, toys, and other items for free to anyone who showed up.

It was a beautiful sunny morning in Oregon unlike the snowy day we had for our December sale. Once again, Yancey pulled it all together and the school was ready for people who began arriving before 9 a.m. Here are a few photos of what the school looked like a half hour before the sale started (click to enlarge photos):

Just for fun, after people began arriving, we did a video of the event which includes an interview with Yancey:

Yancey reports that the sale ended up being "the best ever" of the six we've done over the years. Lots of people came, leaving less to store for our next event. And several helpers came to help put things away and restore the school for Monday classes.

Thanks to students and friends who helped with the "Free Sale" and to everyone who showed up on Saturday morning. We hope you enjoy everything you received for your family.

And, dear Yancey, we deeply appreciate the many hours of work you do to make this community service project possible and for all you do for our students and for Wellsprings!

Geoff's Story: Why I Go To Wellsprings

2009-03-30T17:50:00.000-07:00

For me, Wellsprings is not an escape from public school, but a safe-haven from the stress of being in a high school that pushes its students so hard. My everyday life in public school was not so bad. I had great teachers and even better friends. But the stress was too much for me. Everyday I would be assigned hours of homework, on top of the difficult classes I attended everyday. I had no life outside of school.

After a while, the stress built up, and I broke. I dealt with a variety of illnesses, from migraines to horrible coughs. My constant illness caused me to miss months of school. And every year seemed to get worse. Multiple hospitalizations and surgeries convinced me I need to escape the terrible cycle I was in.

So I went on an adventure to find a new school, and discovered Wellsprings. Wellsprings stood out from the other schools. The people at Wellsprings were all kind to me, probably because everyone had also had some sort of bad experience that leads them to Wellsprings. The tight-knit community offered new ideas to me that enticed me. So I found myself going to Wellsprings.

Wellsprings still offers me much to learn. Everyday, I learn the basic knowledge needed for life, like math and literature, while at the same time enjoying myself. I learn other things. Everyday I am learning important life lessons. How to treat others and how saying something jokingly can be offensive to someone else.

I also learned new things about myself all the time. I have learned that when I accept who I am, others will be more respectful of me, even if I am a nerdy, video game playing teenage boy.

So Wellsprings draws me back everyday, offering me a safe-haven from stress, and new things for me to learn everyday.

-- Geoff ('10)

Rebecca's Story: Why I Go To Wellsprings

2009-03-30T17:38:00.000-07:00

Why I go to Wellsprings is that I wouldn’t make it socially or academically in a public school. In middle school I only passed math because my teacher was standing over me helping me with every problem and forcing me to do homework in class. A lot of times I felt like an outcast and that I didn’t belong anywhere except when I was alone in my room.

In 8th grade I started reading books so I could escape. Everything in my life sucked even if it was for a little while. But since coming to Wellsprings I have mostly A’s. I want to come to school which is weird for me. My math is doing better than it ever has for the first time in my life.

I feel like I have a place where I belong now and get along with people. I actually like and get along with my teachers. I’m happier than I’ve been in a long time. And I learned that I can get along with people if they want to get along with me; that if they don’t, I don’t even try to get along with them.

My life has really turned around since I started going to Wellsprings Friends School.

-- Rebecca (’12)

Our Colorful Modes of Transport

2009-03-13T13:27:00.000-07:00

Affectionately known as the "blue bus" and the "green bus," our two buses are used by teachers to transport students to places around the community for classes and events. These well-used 14-passenger buses (vintage early 1990's) have been a challenge to maintain over the years but are very important to our overall school program.

Last week, teacher Eva took her Spanish class to a Latino Market to give students the experience of using their new Spanish language skills for selecting (and eating) foods of another culture. Since we have no space or equipment for physical education at school, every week students are transported to various locations for hikes, Aikido, bowling, and other physical activities.

From time to time, three teachers might wish to take their classes out on field trips but one of the three will not be able to do so. Other times, often on a Friday afternoon, we take all-school field trips, which now requires using both buses and several cars to transport everyone--an inconvenient and anti-ecological necessity. (Depending on where we're going we sometimes can, and do, travel by public transportation.) So our "wish list" includes adding a new low-maintenance bus to our colorful "fleet." Our course, there has been some speculation about possible choices for its name ... "the red bus" ... or Eugene's favorite, "the tie-dye bus" are among them (not much interest in "the yellow bus").

We've made some efforts to get grants to support the purchase of a new bus but to no avail as yet. Additional grant proposals will be submitted this year and suggestions are invited from readers about sources of funds (and small buses) to meet the transportation needs of our school.

Students Hear About The Woolman Semester Experience

2009-02-26T17:43:00.000-08:00

This week Kathy Runyan from The Woolman Semester visited our school along with Wellsprings graduate, Max, who attended the program last year. Thirteen students gathered in the art room to hear a presentation by Kathy and Max plus watch videos of projects done by young people who attended the school in northern California.

The Woolman Semester is a high school semester studies program for juniors, seniors, and 1st year postgraduates. During their four-months of study, students live in a circle of eight cabins and explore the Quaker values of simplicity, peace, equality, integrity, community, and stewardship together. Their classes focus on world issues, peace studies, environmental science, and humanities and ethics.

Every semester begins with a wilderness trip for a week. Max noted that some of his fellow students who came from all over the country "had never been in the woods and were scared by the dark nights in the forest." Students also do a service learning trip during the semester. Max spoke about going to a small town in Mexico, saying it was "an 'insane' experience seeing the level of poverty in a different culture. It was enlightening to see how happy people were to see us and meet us. I worked on building walls of a clinic while we were there."

Kathy said a "food intensive offers another interesting experience for students. They read Michael Pollan's Omnivore's Dilemma and visit an organic farm, a slaughterhouse, an industrial organic farm or factory, and an industrial monoculture farm. At the end of the class, students prepare a dinner together made from local foods."

At the end of each semester, students complete projects that document what they have studied. Max worked on a sustainability project with another student, rehabilitating a solar panel which is now atop the meeting house at the school. He was also involved in a peace studies video created by a group of students.

Asked if his experience had changed him, Max said "I've become calmer and more patient. You have to when you live away from home with other people!" He said going to Woolman was "a great experience and I grew a lot from from it."

Before watching videos creating by students, Kathy answered questions about costs to attend the school and suggested ways our students could get financial aid to attend a semester. We look forward to hearing from other Wellsprings students who have the opportunity to experience Woolman in the future .

Thanks for coming back to share your experience, Max! And thank you, Kathy, for coming to Eugene to talk with our students about the school (and home) you dearly love.

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Lots of Music & Fun at Our Benefit Concert

2009-02-18T16:49:00.000-08:00

On Friday the 13th, Cozmic Pizza was packed with people attending our annual Benefit Concert to support music and art programs at Wellsprings. The room came alive with music when teachers Chanci, Bob, Tyler, and Paul (dubbed Chanci Pants & The Educators) took the stage. What followed were nearly four hours of great music -- rock & roll, rap, and more -- by our students, teachers, and their friends in local bands, Fortune Cookie and Strum Theory, plus teacher Dante and friend Chris, rapper's extraordinaire (Resident Anti-Hero). Other students offered their artistic creations for sale to attendees. And lots of pizza slices were consumed by the enthusiastic (and hungry) crowd of teenagers, parents, and friends of Wellsprings Friends School.

Thank you to all who attended the concert and for your generous donations. You helped us "go over the top" to receive a matching grant of $10,000 by Valentine's Day!

Click on photos to enlarge for better viewing.

If you missed the concert, here are links to a sampling of music played during the evening:

Antony, Tom, & Tyler

Nico Raps

Chanci Pants & The Educators

Dante & Friend

Fortune Cookie

Paul, Tyler, & Strum Theory

See you next February at Cozmic Pizza in Eugene for another great performance by our students and teacher bands.

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Benefit Concert - Friday, February 13th

2009-02-06T10:34:00.000-08:00

Next Friday, the 13th, our annual benefit concert will be held at Cozmic Pizza in Eugene. The concert features our student musicians and artists as well as our teachers who play in local bands Fortune Cookie, Chanci Pants & the Educators, and Strum Theory. Teachers Paul, Chanci, Tyler, and Bob will perform along with several students.

Posters have been created by students and placed around town to let people know about the concert. The all-ages event is a great time for our students, parents, relatives, and other members of the community to celebrate Wellsprings and donate funds to support the school's art and music programs.

Join us from 6 - 10 p.m. on February 13th at Cozmic Pizza, 199 W. Eighth in Eugene.

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Life at Wellsprings: Word & Quote of the Day

2009-02-05T14:45:00.000-08:00

In the main hallway leading to our community room is a white board that each day presents a word (with a definition) and a quote of the day. The teacher who chooses the "word of the day" calls for the definition during Morning Circle and makes a statement that demonstrates usage of the word. Often, art work "mysteriously" appears during the day -- the handiwork of a student artist -- bringing a smile to passersby who read the quote of the day.

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Morning Circle & Silent Meeting

2009-01-27T18:16:00.000-08:00

Every day at Wellsprings begins with Morning Circle. All students, teachers, and staff gather in a circle in our community room. A teacher calls for a moment of silence to begin our school day together. Then we join hands around the circle to connect our community with "good morning, friends."

Morning Circle offers a time for students and teachers to speak about plans for the day and upcoming activities, academic concerns, "housekeeping" issues, and whatever a student, teacher, or staff person wants to bring to the community for discussion.

On Friday mornings, Morning Circle is followed by a fifteen-minute Silent Meeting in the Friends (Quaker) tradition. It is a special time for individual inner reflection and group connectedness for the Wellsprings community.

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Life at Wellsprings: Inauguration Day 2009

2009-01-20T16:47:00.000-08:00

Our community room was buzzing this morning with excitement about today's inauguration of Barack Obama as our 44th President. Teachers had set up the room for projection of the ceremony streamed live via computer. The projected image filled the front wall of the room on a sunny, chilly morning in western Oregon (as it was in Washington, D.C.)

Several students arrived early to watch the beginning of the day's events. Yancey and teachers Eva and Chanci had prepared a breakfast of pancakes, eggs, fried potatoes, sausages, sweet rolls (and more) for our students to enjoy while watching the ceremony.

For almost two hours everyone watched, cheered, clapped, and howled while our new President was sworn into office and delivered his inaugural address. Afterward, students gathered around tables covered with blank paper to draw and write about their experience on this historic morning -- January 20, 2009 -- and finish their breakfast feast!

Early Arriving Students and Teachers

During Barack Obama's Speech

At the End of Barack Obama's Speech

Life at Wellsprings: Guitar Class

2009-01-15T16:18:00.000-08:00

One of our popular music offerings for students is guitar class taught by Paul. In his life away from Wellsprings (where he also teaches government, history, team sports, and other classes), Paul plays in our local "teacher" band -- Fortune Cookie -- along with our teachers, drummer Tyler, and singer Chanci (while math teacher, bassman Bob, plays with Fuzz 4). Both bands will be featured at our Benefit Concert at Cozmic Pizza on February 13th ( 6 - 9 pm).

For a look at two students getting started with guitar, here are video sessions with Paul during a recent class period.

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Desirae's Story: Why I Go to Wellsprings

2009-01-05T18:26:00.000-08:00

Wellsprings has been so much better for me than any other school that I’ve ever been to. I go to Wellsprings because I was failing horribly at public school. I had a 0.7 GPA. I was constantly in detention and I was suspended frequently for behavioral and truancy issues. I hated all the people around me, constantly, and I hated the mindlessness of all of it—different people with the same faces, marching back and forth from each class, and teachers who really don’t care who’ll you’ll be in a few years. I felt like I was in a cage.

Everything changed after coming here to Wellsprings. The work is easier and more comprehensive, so I enjoy my work. The students are approachable and friendly, and the teachers are really laid back and good-natured. I am passing all of my classes—for the first time in my life, I have plans for college. This school is like a second family for me as it is has been and will be for so many others.

Wellsprings has made me a more open-minded person. I deal better with social interactions outside of school and I have become more responsible. My outlook on life has improved greatly and I plan to stay in Wellsprings for the rest of high school.

-- Desirae (‘10)

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Brigid's Story: Why I Go to Wellsprings

2009-01-05T18:10:00.000-08:00

I started at Wellsprings last January which is almost a year ago from now, and since then I have grown as a person more than I have in the last 17 years of my life. I attribute this to Wellsprings.

In the beginning, I felt a bit awkward because everyone was so close. But even then, the teachers and a few students made me very comfortable and I never felt like I had to change my personality because of social structures like at public school. I found the less I tried to fit in and the more I was myself, the more people accepted me. After a few months, I truly felt at ease and a part of the community.

The teachers are really here because they want us to learn and grow. I consider all of them like family. The friendships that I have gotten from this school are ones I know can withstand anything. No matter where I am, if I see a fellow (or former) Wellsprings student, it’s like seeing a relative.

The environment at Wellsprings make kids feel comfortable, and when people are in a place they feel comfortable, they flourish. I think that it’s a combination of the place (the home-like building), the people, and how we are in a community that makes it so comfortable. I really do like that we have community building and chores, because it has shown me we all need to pull our weight to make things work. At public school we were all just fish battling to get upstream. Here, at Wellsprings we help everyone out.

Wellsprings has shown me that even when things seem bad, scary, or different, there’s always another side to it. Some of the people here could look a certain way or like certain things but from being here and getting to really know them, it’s easy to see how similar and good people can be. Wellsprings changed my life for the better, and I truly don’t know where I would be without it.

-- Brigid ('08)

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New First Year Teacher: Eva Brill

2008-12-29T13:44:00.000-08:00

Our new teacher, Eva Brill, is excited about the idea of teaching science at Wellsprings. She came from New York City where she graduated with a Bachelors in Liberal Arts from Eugene Lang College. At college, she majored in environmental studies with a concentration on science, technology, and society.

At Wellsprings, Eva teaches a little bit of every kind of science. She also relates today’s scientific issues to our lives and how we live. Eva likes having the freedom to teach what she is interested in and what students are interested in. She also likes the laid back environment at Wellsprings and how individuality stands out here.

After school, Eva likes to hike for fun, loves to watch old movies from all times, hangs out with her dog, and likes to cook.

I think that Eva is very creative, kind hearted, funny, and amazing to be around. She always looks on the bright side of things. Even though I’ve only been here this year, I think that she is a great teacher to have at Wellsprings Friends School.

-- Nataya ('09)

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Fifth Full-time Teacher Added: Tyler Tjernlund

2008-12-29T13:35:00.000-08:00

This fall, Wellsprings added a fifth fulltime teacher, Tyler Tjernlund. Tyler began his career at Wellsprings last fall as the “kitchen lady”. He was raised in Albany, Oregon until he moved to Eugene at age 18 to attend college.

Tyler came to Wellsprings to be of help to youth who were similar to him in high school: not fitting the mainstream, and struggling to become yourself not just the kind of person everyone expects. Being at the school allowed Tyler to give to students something he never had: love and unconditional support in being true to yourself.

Tyler began teaching part time last winter, subjects such as philosophy, history, and language arts. Teaching allows him to share his love of learning and looking at things more deeply.

Dealing with student problems, Tyler works hard at having endless patience and looking at the situation from the student’s point of view. Being a role model makes Tyler feel responsible for his actions and keeps him looking critically at himself to improve. As one student pointed out, “we love him and wouldn’t have him any other way.”

-- by Ayashe (‘08)

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Special Free Sale For Holiday Sharing

2008-12-13T14:33:00.000-08:00

For the past four years, our school has had an annual Free "Sale" in the Spring. This year, with the economic downturn and increase in job layoffs, Yancey, our organizer extraordinaire, suggested that we add a second free "sale" to give away items at no charge to everyone who shows up at the school on a December Saturday morning (9 am - 12 pm).

Many people have donated hundreds of usable second hand items for us to give away at the event. At past sales, many satisfied "customers" who came to the school expressed shock that everything is free. As a child said one day with a toy in hand, "You mean, I can take this for free?"

The Free "Sale" was originally inspired by stories of the Free Store in Buffalo NY in the 1960's. It has become a special event for the Wellsprings Friends community every year.

Asked why she enjoys continuing to work on the project, Yancey says, "There is no greater feeling than to give things away. People are always shocked and surprised when I encourage them to take what they need. The satisfaction of making someone smile is priceless -- or in this case, free."

Slide show of photos (click to enlarge) taken during set up for the Free Sale for Holiday Sharing. A special "thank you" to the four students who arrived very early on Saturday morning to help Yancey with set-up!

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Envisioning A Future School Building

2008-12-10T16:25:00.000-08:00

Our community meeting room was buzzing. Students, staff, board members, and members of the Eugene Mennonite Church whose building we share were assembled for a presentation by architecture students from the University of Oregon.

Students in Nancy Yen-wen Cheng's UO class were ready to show their plans for a future building for Wellsprings Friends School and the Eugene Mennonite Church. Both teams and individual students presented slides of their concepts for the building, ranging from an addition to our current building to completely new facilities -- some with multiple buildings -- all planned for our existing site on West 18th in Eugene. Along with the slide presentations, three of the five conceptual plans had dimensional models to view.

Each of the plans was well-received by the audience and the architecture students fielded questions about their individual designs (and applause for their efforts!). While a new school building is still in the "envisioning" stage, long-range plans for Wellsprings call for a facility that better serves our students, teachers, staff, and community of friends.

Our special thanks to the participating architecture students, Nancy Yen-wen Cheng, Associate Professor, and Christine Theodoropoulos, Dept. Head of the University of Oregon Architecture Program.

Architecture Student's Model

Student's model shows building addition (green roofs) next to our existing facility (light brown roof). The "stick" rising to the top of the photo represents our magnificent large cedar tree on the front lawn of the school. Also proposed was a reflecting pond shown at the new entrance along with a sidewalk mosaic that would be created by Wellsprings students (and added to each year by future classes).

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Graduation at Wellsprings Friends School

2008-12-08T17:21:00.000-08:00

NOTE: For people who are not on our mailing list, here is a story featured in our Summer 2008 Special Edition Newsletter.

Graduation 2008

“To see what Wellsprings is all about, come to Graduation!” Again and again over the years, we—teacher, Trustee, parent, Head—have said this to people. Not only does Graduation represent the culmination of their high school years for all the graduates, our ceremony itself reflects and expresses what makes Wellsprings, Wellsprings!

Here is what one guest (not related to any of the graduates) wrote this year: “It was the most moving, most joyful graduation event I had ever attended. I found myself crying off and on. I observed true caring and interest in life and learning by all those who spoke and participated…. It was empowering. Thank you.”

Graduation at Wellsprings is not an assembly line process. As in everything we do during the year—classes, field trips, community meetings, special events—it is humanized and individualized.

What stands out as you experience the event is the time when one by one, a teacher will talk about an individual student. You can see several snapshots of those moments here.

The other process that makes Graduation so special is that we invite anyone in the audience to speak from their hearts. Parents, siblings, friends, relatives—all get a chance, if they wish, to share their thoughts and feelings.

You might also note in one or two of the photos that there is no uniformity in the style of dress of the graduates. Some are wearing cap and gown, others are dressed in their own special way. Those in gowns look like parts of a rainbow, so many colors are represented! The students choose. After all, it’s their day.

-- Dennis Hoerner, School Head

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More Photos of Graduation 2008
(click on image to enlarge photos)

The 2008 Graduating Class

Paul comments on Nathan's chops while introducing him as a 2008 graduate.

Personal stories while presenting the graduates is a well-loved tradition (Chanci with graduate Ben).

Graduate Tyler sneaks a peak at what teacher Tyler is going to say about him.

School Head Dennis Hoerner shares his thoughts with the graduating class and audience.

Chanci brings a smile to the face of a graduate as she shares her experiences of times with the student.

A special graduation moment for teachers Chanci and Bob.

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Here are more photos of the graduation ceremony (click to enlarge).

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Welcome to Our New Wellsprings Blog

2008-12-06T19:33:00.000-08:00

To provide an online forum for our school community and friends of Wellsprings, we've started this new blog. We'll use it to post news about what's happening at the school, articles about our students and staff, and stories about events sponsored by the school.

The blog will be added to our updated website (in progress) in the near future. Meanwhile, it's time to get started with periodic postings.

We invite your comments and look forward to having a continuing conversation about Wellsprings Friends School.

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