The Guardian Gazette

What an incredible graduation ceremony we had yesterday. The weather was beautiful and we had 90 IBW staff members there to celebrate the Class of 2024. What a joyful event and congratulations to all of our seniors! Here is the Principal’s Greeting I gave last night:

Good evening parents, guardians, families, Ida B. Wells staff, PPS Board Member Andrew Scott, and Superintendent Sandy Husk, and, of course, the Class of 2024. I am Principal Ayesha Coning and I am honored to welcome you here this evening. Graduates, we know you are here tonight as a result of your determination and tireless effort to do what it takes to graduate from high school. Your class, the Class of 2024, is one that I will never forget, as it is your class that started high school during a global pandemic when we, as students and teachers, had to make a total and abrupt shift to online learning. Your sophomore year was a year of adjusting back to school in person and teachers worked hard to be fair in how they assessed your learning after a year of being online. During your junior year, there was a sense of normalcy and momentum headed towards your senior year. This year, WOW, we did not have school in November, the FAFSA was more challenging than ever, and then, there was the ice storm where our neighborhoods and schools were damaged more than any other part of the city. AND, despite all these very real obstacles, you have made it here today, to the finish line. Your ability to adapt to an ever changing environment and world has kept me energized to show up for you every day.

Despite all these obstacles, Ida B. Wells High School is sending students to over 74 different colleges and universities including some of the nations most prestigious institutions of higher learning such as Columbia, Cornell, Northwestern, University of Michigan, and Tulane with over 3.5 million dollars in scholarships! Our students are also attending community colleges in Portland, Eugene, and Bend with an earned scholarship known as Future Connect making the first two years of college tuition free. We also have over 19 seniors going on to play college sports and it was this senior class that led Ida B. Wells High School to be recognized as the school with the most school spirit in the state during our undefeated PIL football season. I can go on and on with both the state and national recognitions individual students in the Class of 2024 received for their intellectual stamina and creative prowess. You are a class I will never forget for all of these reasons I have mentioned, and it truly is a pleasure to have been your principal.

Tonight is a celebration of you and your accomplishments AND we know that you could not have done this alone. Whenever you experience success in life, there is often at least one person, if not a whole cadre of people, who love you and who are behind the scenes lending you the support you need. Tonight, I would like for you to honor your families and particularly parents and/or guardians. They have been alongside you through your entire journey of life which manifests here and now. Graduates, please take a moment to stand and acknowledge your families and loved-ones unyielding support for you at this moment.

As you move into the next chapter of your life, I want you to ponder that you are entering into a world where we all need to actualize an immense amount of love and understanding for individuals and cultures who are different from our own. Some would say that “love” is synonymous with “understanding.” Love also means to nourish your own happiness. Ida B. Wells, the woman for whom our school is named, was fueled and armored with the power of love. Ida B. Wells was born into slavery in 1862, and after the Civil War, she became a prominent journalist, teacher, suffragist, and civil rights activist. Her achievements are particularly remarkable given the difficult circumstances she faced as a Black woman during that era. Today, individuals, groups, and nations are faced with similar, and different, struggles. Let the namesake of your high school serve as a guiding light as you move forward with your life’s journey. It is only through love that we can overcome our conflicts and thrive. If Ida B. Wells could do it given the times in which she lived, certainly, you can too.

In closing, during your life after Ida B. Wells High School, be intentional about nourishing your happiness and fostering a sincere understanding and love of those individuals with whom you interact. By doing so, you will, with one action, one word at a time, be a part of a larger collective to create a more just and kind community and world.

Congratulations to the Class of 2024 and to your families!

June 7 - Rose Festival Coronation
June 8 -9 Rose Festival Dragon Boat Races

June 12 - 14 Finals

June 14 - Last Day of School
June 17-18 Teacher Planning Days/Final Grades
June 18 - Teachers Last Day of School
June 19 - Juneteeth Holiday
June 24 - IBW Summer Hours begin

See more dates on the Trivory Calendar! https://dash.trivory.com/calendar?school=ibw

Please see the following links for the list of the Class of 2024, Scholarship and Award Winners as well as an array of photos.
Program

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PPS Photos IBWHS 2024 Graduation

Leanne Van Horn IBWHS 2024 Graduation (be sure to check out the video of Graduate, Sara Abdi, as she goes through the line of staff members!)

The Things We Carry

A compilation of student writing

by Kathleen Diamond

We carry keys, phones, lip balm

charges, water bottles, mechanical pencils,

airpods, wallets, cameras,

id’s, old concert tickets,

receipts so old, we can’t tell where they are from: but that we spent $8.99

We carry photos of our family - a reminder of our responsibilities to others: maybe we can ease their burdens so they can rest easier

We carry our past: every win, every loss

We carry our younger selves, our hopeful selves, our broken selves

We carry these selves forward with love and grace

We carry the keen knowledge that physical objects can be replaced

So we carry our thoughts and memories and experiences

Knowing these will be the stories we tell people when we are older

We carry stress

Stress about out future plans

Stress about out past choices and family expectations

We carry social anxiety and mental health challenges

We carry loneliness at times

But knowing we have a family to come home to, helps lighten the load

When we carry anger or sadness

We carry the color of our skin

Our culture, our faith, our activism

Our belief that things can be better than they are

That there’s always something worth fighting for – even when it’s hard

We carry an odd sense of humor,

We carry a love for crocheting, crafting, thrifting, gaming

We carry artistic spirits; athletic dreams, a fascination with science; and so many ideas

We carry piercings, weird clothes, dyed hair

Silver rings, a rabbit’s foot

We carry genuine smiles and charisma

We carry old-souls

We carry other people’s perception of ourselves which we have to let go

We also carry a sense of security: because we belong, we are loved, we are supported

We carry the camaraderie of friends; we carry our own vernacular which again gives us a sense of belonging

We will always carry the importance of family in our hearts

And a desire to help others

We carry the excitement of being the first in our family to go to college

We carry lessons beyond school: be nice, show respect, get stuff done (thanks dad),

We carry the phrase tomorrow comes any way, – a simple sentence that makes everything feel so much lighter, so much easier to carry

We carry the knowledge of street grids around Portland and the random little neighborhoods with houses we dream of living in

These might not be the things you see, but they are the things that define us and make us who we are

We get to celebrate our dreams coming true. And we will carry this forward…

** Dedicated to the Class of 2024 and my daughters, Caroline & Phoebe. You all bring me so much joy!!

Band

Excellence in Band: Alden Leonard, Peter Platosh, Ethan Kibbee, Lauren Patrick, Ves Turk and Lucia Turk

2024 Band Hall of Fame Inductee: Ian Lafrenz

Arts

Outstanding Ceramics Students: Outstanding Ceramics Student Gavin Prime for his dedication to quality craftsmanship

Outstanding Drawing and Painting Students: George Boutwell, Maia Schabel

Outstanding Photography Student: Zane Moore

Outstanding Printmaking Student: Nico Grorud

Choir/Orchestra

Dedication to Choir: Simryn Gupta, Liam Hall, Pierce Meyers, Corinna Murdock, Jackson Starkey, Daphne Sturgill, Bridger Vance

Outstanding Leadership in Choir: Sophie Johnson, Aisley Kirkman, Sylvie Kressel, Ben Stawinsky

Dedication to Chamber Orchestra: Hodaka Nakamura

Outstanding Backstage Manager: Riley Benedict

Outstanding Choir and Orchestra Conductor: Shinyu Nakamura

Computer Programming

Outstanding Digital Artist: Sydney Antonini

Excellence in Computer Programming: Owen Schlimgen

Outstanding Stewardship: George Boutwell

English Department

Outstanding Students in Language Arts: Mackenzie Devereux, Ian Lafrenz, Chloe Scarbrough

Outstanding Student in Language Arts: Jasmine Stange, Quentin Nelson, Sara Abdi

Outstanding student in Language Arts: Valentina Medina, Justin Nguyen, Milo McFadin, Nick Demetrion, Cassidy Beebe, Oscar Jimenez-Cervera

Outstanding Student in Language Arts: Las Meman, Zoe Weber, Stella Moore, Katie Merkel

Engineering

Excellence in Engineering Design: Eloise Fleschner, Finnian Gassner, and Alistair Sidener

ELD

Outstanding student in English Language Development: Alex Simon-Ramos

Health Sciences CTE

Outstanding Health Occupation Student - Oscar Jimenez-Cervera

Outstanding Health Occupations Student - Carly Straub

Leadership

Outstanding Leadership Student: Avery Dorfman and Fatima Azouz

Business/Marketing

Outstanding Student in Accounting: Benjamin Peltz

Outstanding Student in Finance - Liana Kressel

Outstanding Student in Marketing: Tea Brahn

Mass Communications

Most Improved Writer: Tommy Thompson

Cate Latimer Award for Most Versatile Editor: Sierra Donis

Rookie of the Year, Best New Writer: Jaidin Kreger

Tom Henderson Award for Most Well Rounded Journalist: Miles Meschter

Mathematics

Outstanding Math Student: Owen Schlimgen, Chloe Nelson

Outstanding Calculus Student: Amelie Bosnjak, Peter Platosh

Outstanding Statistics Student: Valentina Medina, Jacob Walters:

Physical Education

Outstanding Student in Strength and Conditioning: James Cantor

Publications

Outstanding Yearbook Student: Abby Kovas, Avalon Whitney, and Liana Kressel

Science

Outstanding Student in Biology: Mackenzie Devereux, Cole Aman

Outstanding Student in Physics: Shankara Carson

Outstanding Student in Chemistry: Chloe Scarbrough

Outstanding student in Environmental Science: Hazel Grimm and Benjamin Wohlford

Social Studies

Outstanding Students in Social Studies: Cassidy Beebe and Eryn Edmiston

Special Education

Taylor Dement- Most Improved Student in English Language Arts

Elliott Bruland - Most Improved Student in Math

Sam Lynch - Student with the Most Overall Academic Improvement

Milo J. Cates- Student with Most Improved Vocational Skills

Luis Romero Cenovio - Most Improved Student in English Language Arts

Theater

Katelyn Rashleigh: Outstanding Onstage Contribution to Theatre

Ian Lafrenz: Outstanding Overall Contribution to Theatre

Eloise Fleschner: Outstanding Offstage Contribution to Theatre

Katie Merkel: Outstanding Offstage Contribution to Theatre

Maddie Laboe: Outstanding Offstage Contribution to Theatre

Ania Leonardo: Outstanding Overall Contribution to Theatre

Woods and Metals

Outstanding Woods & Metals 7-8 students: Finn Gassner, Vanya Brodsky

Outstanding Metals 7-8 students: Dawson Plumridge

Wood & Metals 7-8 Service Award: Simon Walsh

Outstanding Creativity in Woods and Metals: Julia Neves & Morgan Hutchison

World Language Department

Outstanding ASL student: Marcus Hanlon & Colleen Wigman

Outstanding Achievement in French: Carys Dhynes, Lauren Patrick

Outstanding Achievement in Spanish: Julia Neves, Ania Leonardo, Kira Posner

Outstanding Achievement in Italian: Cassidy Beebe and Lauren Patrick

Polyglot Award for outstanding achievement in multiple languages: Lauren Patrick

PPS is taking advantage of a funding opportunity to give free transit passes to students who rely on transit during the summer months. The passes are valid for unlimited rides on buses, MAX, WES and Portland Streetcar. Students can pick up a pass now in the main office. Passes are valid from June 1 through August 31, 2024. This program is for current 8th graders to our graduating seniors. Portland Public Schools student ID Hop pass will not work beyond the end of the school year. For more information: https://trimet.org/accesstransit/highschool-summerpass.htm

Dear students and families,

In order to allow for as much participation as possible, we are extending the deadline for the annual Successful Schools Survey until Friday, June 7.

As a reminder, the Successful Schools Survey is an opportunity for students, staff, and families to provide important feedback on their school environments, learning experiences, and sense of well-being and safety at school. We use the data from the survey to improve our schools and provide targeted feedback and training on how to create healthy school environments that are welcoming for all.

You can complete the Successful Schools Survey online using the links provided below. The survey will take approximately 15-30 minutes to complete and is available in English, Spanish, Russian, Somali, Vietnamese and Chinese.

• For families: https://surveys.panoramaed.com/portlandor/familyspring24/surveys

• For students in grades 3-5: https://surveys.panoramaed.com/portlandor/spring24elementary/surveys

• For students in grades 6-12+: https://surveys.panoramaed.com/portlandor/spring24secondary/surveys

For more information about the Successful Schools Survey, please go to pps.net/sss2024.

Sincerely,

Dr. Renard Adams, Chief of Research, Assessment, and Accountability

Jey Buno, Chief of Student Support Services

Check out some video of last week's Band concert! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rt9K-PQiPr0

Artists, Parents and Guardians

The Art Show was a smashing success! Thank you so much for your attendance and positive affirmations for all of our student artists! As an art department we feel so lucky to be part of such a supportive arts community. Thank you to all of our artists for pushing themselves to create inspiring work this year and thank you parents for your positive support of our arts community. The show will be up in the Foyer today and Tuesday during school hours so please stop by to check out this year's incredible work if you didn’t get a chance to swing by yesterday. A big shout out to Max Niedergang who held it down on the turntables with his original beats last night and to the Ida B Wells Print Shop for providing one of a kind merch. Thank you to everyone who supported the arts financially this year and if you would like to donate to our continued effort to keep the arts flourishing this year and years to come please donate by clicking the link below. Any amount will help us to continue to provide a rich visual arts experience at Ida B Wells Barnett. Thank you for a great year in the arts!

https://pps.schoolpay.com/pay/for/Visual-Art-School-Foundation/S6GK3A

Please see this OregonLive article about some local National Merit Scholarship Winners including iBWHS Graduate, Peter Platosh.

IBWHS Rose Festival Princess, Mackenzie Devereux, will be participating in the Queen's Coronation on June 7th. More information here: https://www.rosefestival.org/events/2024/2024queenscoronation

The Ida B Wells Dragon Guardians will be racing in the Rose Festival Dragon Boat races Saturday and Sunday 8:00am - 5:00pm at South Hawthorne Waterfront Park. Stop by to show your support. More information here: https://www.rosefestival.org/events/2024/dragon-boat-race If you have never been to the Dragon Boat races, they are very fun to watch!

A huge congratulations to event chairs, Jade Marotta and Eliana Ertischek, and other IBWHS leadership students for leading the way with this inaugural event that showcased community and unity by highlighting Portland youth's passions and creativity. Over 100 student vendors from all 9 Portland Public High Schools participated this past Saturday on the IBW Field. Great vibes all around!

Four Ida B Wells students qualified for the 2024 National Speech and Debate Championship, which will be held this June in Des Moines, Iowa.

Sammi Shelton (Informative)

Eesa Taylor (US Extemporaneous Speaking)

Fiona Vanderwal (Lincoln Douglas Debate)

Cedar Tatarek (Programmed Oral Interpretation)

Sammi has a conflicting trip and won’t compete. Eesa, Fiona and Cedar will be joined by Rory Daniels who will compete in supplemental Extemporaneous Debate. Good luck to our team!

Thank You Ida B Wells Community!

The Ida B Wells Red Cross Club wants to thank everyone who participated and/or helped sponsor our first blood drive last Friday. We want to give a special thank you to those of you who were able to donate. Each donation can save up to three lives, so as a result, our school/community was able to give the gift of life to hundreds of people in need. The Ida B Wells Red Cross Club is entirely student-led. The commitment, compassion, and organization shown by our club's leadership team (Helen Mildenberg, Fatima Azouz, Poppy Dibble, Clarissa Hirsch, Lexi Sallos and Porter Ritenour) was truly inspirational. I cannot thank you enough for your dedication and commitment!

• Our goal going into the drive was 60 donations. We had 89 donors presented and we collected 69 units of blood winning the the Battle of the Birds trophy with Lincoln for the 2nd consecutive year!. There is currently a blood shortage crisis and the fact that Ida B Wells High School was able to collect 69 units may have saved up to 207 lives (each unit can save 3 lives).

It’s a pleasure working with you all!

You’ve done it! Congratulations!

One final newsletter to help you through the summer and into your future!

The Summer Before College Checklist

Now that you know where you’re heading to college, there are some important tasks to complete over the summer to ensure your transition to school is smooth. From making sure your financial aid is in order to finalizing your housing plans, many of these tasks are required before you can officially start school this fall! Get Schooled created an ultimate summer before college checklist that walks you through some important action items to take care of before starting college and how to work through any obstacles that may come up along the way.

PCC Priority Registration starts this week

Here is the link to the PCC registration information. Click on Fall 24 tab

• Dates for registration are June 4-6th.
• To get the classes you want at the times you want them, register early!
• To be able to register, you need to complete these things

We are here to help you!

• We will be in our offices for the next 3 weeks - stop in to get help!
• Jessica Wade can help you apply to any of the trades Wednesday June 5th or by appointment. Email: jwade1@pps.net
• For college help, stop in or email kmilford@pps.net or wrivas@pps.net

Final Transcripts

Your final transcript will be automatically sent to the college you selected in Maia Learning when they are finalized (around June 20th).
-- From Kelly Milford

Now Recruiting!

Bodecker Foundation Creative Workshops - Summer Workshops now open for registration.

Providence Career Ready–Health Occupations Career Events
ProvidenceReady will continue to offer experiential learning events for students interested in healthcare careers over the summer months!

See this flyer. By following the QR code, you can provide your contact information and be notified of our events as they're announced.

Portland Workforce Alliance Summer Career Mentorship Programs - please see descriptions linked below:

Summer Career Academy (Week of June 24, 2024).

Creative Careers Mentor Program (Week of July 15. 2024).

UPTURN, is a 4-week Leadership Academy for young people ages 14-26 - Apply by June 16th!

Youth are paid $21/hr for their participation in the program! This is an introductory course into community organizing, that centers individual transformation, collective power building, and radical imagination! Youth interested in policy, activism, or community building are encouraged to apply.

Northwest Oregon Legislative Fellowship (NWOLF) - Apply by Mid June! Cohort will meet on Wednesdays, 6-8pm, Aug 21st - Oct 30th

NWOLF is a formative 11-week fellowship hosted by Rep. Bowman to prepare promising young Oregonians for a career in public service. During the fellowship, students participate in a unique guest-speaker series with policy and campaign experts, receive professional development and mentorship from a veteran in the field of politics, develop a policy proposal for the upcoming 2025 legislative session, and get hands-on experience in legislative elections across the state. See flier for more details about the schedule and level of commitment expected by fellows. Apply online

POWGirls Summer Workshops - Register Now!

POWGirls offers workshops in video production, cinematography, audio recording, set lighting, digital editing and media literacy for girls and non-binary youth ages 15-19. Our instructors are working media producers who inspire girls to be creative, tech-savvy leaders who will help realize gender equity in the film industry.

• Summer Workshop I: INTRO TO FILMMAKING, July 22-26

• Music Video Workshop II: July 29 - August 2

NW Cyber Camp offers a week of hands-on projects related to the growing field of cybersecurity, coed and girls-only options. Multiple locations and multiple weeks.

PSU Summer Business Institute - 2024 SBI Application is now open! Book one week during your summer to meet other students, connect with local business leaders, advance your personal and professional development, and experience campus life. Designed for historically-excluded students, this FREE program is scheduled for Monday, July 8, 2024 - Friday, July 12, 2024 @ Portland State University, and includes housing, transit, and food.

See the full newsletter with links to more jobs, more internships, and more ways to explore careers.

This is a list of low or no cost summer recovery and wellness activities. The focus is on services that are low barrier and activity oriented. For your students who may need the additional support over the summer, please take a minute to review and share this great resource.

Twin Flower Counseling and 4D Youth Center have partnered to offer this amazing caregiver support group for families who are impacted by their child's substance use issues. This group uses evidence-based ideas together with kindness, self-compassion and care so that parents or caregivers can support their children in a way that's genuinely helpful and aligned with their values. This group brings self-compassion skills and care.

The group is for parents and caregivers of youth 14-17, who reside in the Portland/Tri-county area and are looking for a place to connect with others.

To get connected, email Meggan McEvoy at meggan@twinflowercounseling.

We are collecting student Chromebooks and chargers on Friday, June 14 during the 7th period final. During 7th period, you will fill out a Chromebook return form, request any needed repairs, and drop off the Chromebook and charger. If you do not have a period 7 or leave school prior to June 14, turn your Chromebook into the library before you leave for the summer.

If you need to keep your Chromebook over the summer, parents or guardians need to fill out a Chromebook Summer Permission slip, linked here.

Chromebook Return 2024

Frequently Asked Questions:

• What if I do not have a p. 7 class?

• You can turn in your Chromebook to the library anytime before the end of the school year.

• What if my Chromebook is broken?

• Please turn it in. Warranties expire over the summer. There is no charge for repairs under warranty.

• What if I lost it?

• Please tell the library staff. We might be able to help you find it.

• What happens if I don’t turn it in and don’t fill out the permission slip?

• Your Chromebook will be locked and unusable on June 21.You may be charged a $515 Chromebook replacement fee.

• What if I don’t return the charger?

• You will not be issued a new one with your Chromebook in the fall. If you need a new one, you will need to buy it from Ms. Curtis in the main office for $15.

• What if I still need it on or after June 14?

• Please keep it until you are done with all school work. If you need it after June 21, please fill out the Summer Permission slip, linked here.

Due to working with Seniors with check out and graduation, the Spring Re-Cap edition of the IBW Athletics Weekly will come out in the next couple of days. Stay tuned!

Congratulations to our very own Kate Nichols! The committee received 133 nominations this year, and from that incredibly accomplished field, the team of judges selected 16 winners.

For a complete list of the winners, please visit the Torch Award winners website. The awardees serve the district in many different capacities, but what they all have in common is a proven track record of excellence in their roles and an unwavering and inspiring commitment to our students.

Please join us in congratulating these extraordinary individuals.

Sincerely,

The Torch Award Committee

Ms. Nichols with some AP Physics students

• PSU Community Counseling Clinic has openings right now for individual (children, teens, adults), couples, and family therapy sessions. These are in-person or virtual and operate on a sliding scale $5-20/ student. Sessions are provided by PSU counseling students supervised by licensed therapists. Seems like a great low-cost resource for folks that haven't been able to get access to services at school or in the community due to the high need.