The public school system receives both positive and negative attention from the media, which points out the system’s flaws in evaluating student work, examining its teaching methods and analyzing how students learn best. This piece works to explore an alternate approach to education, specifically focusing on a Montessori school in Silverton, Oregon from the perspective of administrators, teachers and students.
“If there’s a blessing in prison, this is it,” says an inmate serving time at the Powder River Correctional Facility in Baker City, Oregon. At any given moment, two dogs, previously believed to be unmanageable and unfit for adoption, can be found in the facility alongside selected inmates. These inmates serve as trainer-handlers in the Powder Pals program, getting the dogs ready for adoption. The benefits of bringing animals into a correctional facility are obvious, as these pups and their trainers prepare for a second chance at a new life.
Shake It, Eugene is a video series about Eugene’s underground dance movement. Although they remain relatively unknown, places to go dancing in Eugene come alive almost any night of the week as people of all ages turn toward dance as a way to relax and meet new people. This series provides a look at some of Eugene’s most joyful and inviting dance venues.
The Ride of Silence is an annual bike ride in memoriam of all the cyclists who have suffered tragic accidents on the road. The first ride took place in 2003 in Dallas, Texas with over 1000 cyclists in attendance. The organizers were under the impression that it would be a one-time event. However, the participants were so moved by the silent ride that they spread the word to other cyclists across the country.
Today, the Ride of Silence is an annual event taking place in over 300 cities throughout the world. These rides are not sponsored by any company or corporation, but organized independently by committed cyclists in their communities.
As the cyclists solemnly ride with signs and photographs of lost loved ones attached to their bikes, the ride not only serves as a meaningful gesture to honor those who have passed away, but also creates a dialogue with motorists, reminding them of the importance of sharing the road. In Portland, the riders met on May 19 at Holladay Park in the Lloyd District. Several participants were given the opportunity to speak about those they have lost before quietly reflecting and remembering on the 8-mile loop across Willamette River and back.
