Vancouver Family Magazine January 2021

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January 2021

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Youth Performing Arts in the

Era of COVID

Local Libraries Increase Access International Students Experience SW WA

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Vancouver Family Magazine • www.vancouverfamilymagazine.com • January 2021

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Vancouver Family Magazine • www.vancouverfamilymagazine.com • January 2021

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contents

January '21

14

FEATURE ARTICLES

10

Global Gathering International college students experience Southwest Washington

14

We Know You Need Us How local libraries are increasing access

18

The Show Must Go On, But How? Vibrant youth performing arts programs struggle to endure through the pandemic

IN EVERY ISSUE

18 10

6

Editor’s Notes

8

Mosaic Family Voyage The Messerschmidt family faces their most daunting obstacle yet: passing from the Columbia River to the rugged Pacific Ocean

22

Calendar of Events & Activities

ON THE WEB • Helping Children Thrive: Strong Family-School Partnerships • Earth-Friendly Eats: See how local restaurants are serving up sustainability, plus enter for a chance to win a pack of gift cards to all of the featured earthfriendly eateries!

8 4

Vancouver Family Magazine • www.vancouverfamilymagazine.com • January 2021

It’s your moment.

From the moment you find out you’re pregnant to the moment you see that precious face - your journey is full of joyful moments.

At PeaceHealth, we’ve taken every precaution to keep you and baby safe and healthy.

From ensuring each mom has one support person, to offering online classes and appointments, to expanding room service to your partner - our team continues to provide exceptional care.

We’re here for you and every moment of your journey.

Get your birthing questions answered at peacehealth.org/vancouvermom.

Vancouver Family Magazine • www.vancouverfamilymagazine.com • January 2021

5

EDITOR'S NOTES

Expansive Education Photo by Scarlette Richards

Have you ever noticed how many recent innovations depend on ubiquity, on their universality, to be of use?

Social media would be meaningless if our friends and family didn’t join us there. An Uber wouldn’t do me much good if the nearest driver sat hours away from my pickup location. Even Christmas wouldn’t bring the same spirit of giving and rejoicing if it weren’t a shared communal experience. We’re living in a time when combined knowledge and collective will have the power to change everything. And there is so very much to change. Racial justice is crucial to an equitable America, COVID-19 is a microscopic foe that must be subdued, sexual abuse and trafficking are evils that must be rooted out, our planet must be protected for future generations. Just as introducing a vaccine one person at a time eventually results in shared immunity that protects everyone, we must do the individual work necessary to unite in the common causes that will create a better world—if not for us, then at least for our children.

Much of this work starts with education. Lifelong learning builds an expansive worldview that opens doors. Here in the U.S., children as young as ages 3-5 are offered the opportunity to start building that worldview in school environments with peers and adults apart from their own family. There’s a power in that gathering, in that diverse social and academic learning, that, when multiplied, creates a stronger society. The ubiquity of modern institutions of learning has brought us this far, and will be key in equipping the leaders of tomorrow to solve modern plagues.

We honor the members of our community who perpetuate this learning in all its forms, from preschool up to postgraduate university work. To our community’s childcare workers, preschool and grade school teachers, high school and college faculty members, and many more staff and volunteers who

www.VancouverFamilyMagazine.com

Volume 20, Issue 1 Publisher

Julie Buchan Julie@vancouverfamilymagazine.com (360) 882-7762

Editor

Nikki Klock Nikki@vancouverfamilymagazine.com (360) 882-7762

Graphic Designer

I-Shüan Warr Ishuan@vancouverfamilymagazine.com

Ad Designer

Philip Nerat addesign@vancouverfamilymagazine.com

Contributing Writers

Kristen Flowers, Carrie Lynn, Rachel Messerschmidt, Sarah Mortensen

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sales@vancouverfamilymagazine.com Vancouver Family Magazine is published monthly by Vancouver Kidz Magazine, LLC Address: PO Box 820264 Vancouver, WA 98682 Tel: 360-882-7762 Copyright 2002-2020. All rights reserved.

No portion of Vancouver Family Magazine may be reproduced without the written permission from the publisher.

Vancouver Kidz Magazine, LLC and staff do not recommend or endorse any service, product, or content represented in this magazine or on our website.

The sole purpose of this publication is to provide information on available services and/or products. It is the consumer’s responsibility to verify the accuracy of information given. Vancouver Kidz Magazine, LLC, and/or Julie Buchan and Nikki Klock and staff do not assume and disclaim any liability to any party for any loss or damage caused by error or omission in this magazine or on our website. We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone.

support this work of education: Thank You. In this month’s annual education issue, discover how international college students are experiencing Southwest Washington (page 10), find out how vibrant performing arts programs are struggling to endure through the pandemic (page 18) and learn how local libraries are increasing access to important materials and resources (page 14).

Here’s to an expansively improved 2021.

Nikki Klock, Editor nikki@vancouverfamilymagazine.com

6

Vancouver Family Magazine • www.vancouverfamilymagazine.com • January 2021

On the Cover: Alyssa Osbron attended River HomeLink in Battle Ground and is now a dental hygiene student at Clark College. She has been playing the cello since 4th grade and says, “I am far from the best cellist in the world but as long as playing music is enjoyable and meaningful, I doubt I'll ever fully stop playing.”

Photo: Tara Thackeray Photography www.TaraThackeray.com 360-524-4878

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7

MOSAIC FAMILY VOYAGE

By Rachel Messerschmidt All photos courtesy of the author.

nto the Rugge I g n i s r e v d Tra

Pacific Washington Coast

It was 7 a.m. on Sunday, May 19, 2019.

Right on time, we cast off our dock lines in Astoria and ventured out into the Columbia River for the last time. Spirits were high but the tension was palpable as we had the ultimate test of skill and preparation directly ahead of us in getting that blue sailboat and her crew safely across the infamous and treacherous Columbia River Bar. This stretch of water where the Columbia River meets the vast Pacific Ocean is known across the world as the Graveyard of the Pacific. The Columbia River Bar has claimed and sunk thousands of ships over the last two and a half centuries, most of which were much larger than our 40-foot sailboat. And, on top of that, the Washington Pacific Coast is rugged and dangerous, with few safe harbors to pull in should anything go wrong. This passage, which would be our very first ocean adventure, was nothing to be taken lightly.

Knowing all of this, and harboring an overabundance of caution, we had hired Captain Stephen Frankland, a professional sailing captain, to help us plan every detail of the trip and to come along with us. This would be a tremendous learning experience for us.

We rounded out our crew with a friend, Brian, and also Brenden’s father, Scott. Thankfully, we were also able to leave our two kids with my parents so that we could focus 100% on the journey.

We’d planned a 24-hour motor sail from Astoria to Neah Bay at the very northwest tip of the Olympic Peninsula. After a brief rest there, we would continue onward for another 12 hours east in the Strait of Juan de Fuca to Port Townsend.

Watching the weather predictions obsessively over the weeks and days leading up to our departure had become habit. We carefully selected a perfect window for the trip north. But it all hinged first on getting the boat safely across the bar. The weather cooperated and we had an exhilarating crossing as our boat climbed easily up and down the 8-foot waves just as if she was made to do it (which, of course, she was!).

Safely across the Columbia River Bar, we all breathed a sigh of relief as we turned north. I remember saying, “Wouldn’t it be so cool if we saw a whale on this trip!?” I had no idea what we were in for—Mother Nature would not disappoint.

It wasn’t much more than about 20 minutes later that we saw our first whale. It was a humpback which came up for breath some 20 or 30 yards beside and behind Mosaic. Captain Stephen proclaimed it to be a good omen for the trip and we were all happy to accept his statement.

We settled into the journey with a rotating watch schedule of 4 hours on and 4 hours off. This always kept two people “on duty” in the cockpit, one steering the boat and the other on high-alert watch duty, keeping an eye out for other vessels and ever-present crab pot buoys which could cause significant trouble if we ran over one and got the line caught in our propeller. continued on next page

Photos, top: The sun rises over Cape Flattery at the northwest tip of Washington State.

Bottom: The author's father-in-law at the helm, crew member Brian points to and chuckles at the Captain as he catches a few winks laid out in the cockpit.

Right: The author takes a turn at the helm as the crew transits the Strait of Juan de Fuca on the second day of the journey.

8

Vancouver Family Magazine • www.vancouverfamilymagazine.com • January 2021

CHIROPRACTOR: Mignon Cejalvo DC (Dr. Min)

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To keep us on our toes, just a few hours into the trip, we discovered that our alternator wasn’t functioning properly, which meant our engine wasn’t charging our batteries. We had to transition to power conservation mode so that we would be able to conserve enough power to run our navigation lights as we motored through the blackness of night later on. This also meant that we couldn’t turn the engine off during the trip at all for any sailing, as we would have been running the risk of not being able to get it started again.

Not ideal, but so long as we kept the engine running, it wasn’t a safety issue.

In the early afternoon, I woke from a short nap to Brenden pounding on the cockpit above the bed and shouts of “Dolphins!”

I rushed above decks to see dozens and dozens of dolphins surrounding the boat and jumping through the waves all around us. We watched in amazement as they played in the wave off the front of the boat. I got incredible footage on our GoPro. Shortly thereafter, we were graced with seeing several additional humpbacks traveling north with us. For most of the rest of the daylight hours, there were often whales breaching, tail-slapping, and surfacing all around us. Once, as I was on watch and my father-in-law at the helm, my brain struggled to understand what I was seeing as two humpbacks surfaced directly in front of the boat and we actually had to throttle down to avoid a potential collision.

We stayed within sight of land all day and had a beautiful sunset at sea. As night fell, my apprehension peaked to be charging forward with little visibility to see around or in front of us. Would there be other boats in the area without lights on? How could we avoid crab pots in the dark? Or whales?

Despite these worries, night passage was an almost spiritual experience. The beauty of the moon on the water and the

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darkness engulfing me was beyond words. I truly cannot wait for the opportunity to do it under sail power, without the droning sound of the engine in the dark.

We rounded Cape Flattery near Neah Bay just at sunrise and, taking stock of the crew, we all agreed to pass by Neah Bay and continue straight to Port Townsend without stopping. The boat was traveling happily despite our very low battery levels and our time at sea had solidified in our minds that this boat was meant to be a bluewater cruising vessel. She feels at home on the ocean.

At 8 p.m. on Monday, May 20, 37 hours after leaving Astoria, we pulled into a slip at the marina in Port Townsend and celebrated our first safe and successful ocean passage with a bottle of Kraken rum and a night on the town.

Rachel Messerschmidt and her family are Clark County natives currently living and cruising full time aboard their sailboat, Mosaic, in the Pacific Northwest. Rachel blogs about her life and journey at www. mosaicvoyage.com and shares her family’s adventures in a monthly column in Vancouver Family Magazine.

Captions

Vancouver Family Magazine • www.vancouverfamilymagazine.com • January 2021

9

Gathe l baInternational rin

oStudents

Experience

Southwest Washington

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Feature: Global Gathering: International Students Experience Southwest Washington

By Carrie Lynn

title of International College Student projects an image of exciting travel, learning and discovery. For most international students, coming to America and achieving that title requires a special kind of grit, tenacity, courage, trust, and resilience. Navraj “Raj” Lamichhane, Venant Manirafasha, and Emiri Sato each developed these traits while navigating unique paths to become thriving, vibrant college students right here in Southwest Washington.

The

In the spring of 2018, Lamichhane stood at the WSU Vancouver commencement podium, accepting the Chancellor’s Award for Student Achievement. Lamichhane, who is originally from Nepal, was the first international student to be awarded this honor. Though his acceptance speech words were brief, the replay of his life experience in his head was anything but.

Around the same time in Rwanda, Africa, a high school senior named Venant Manirafasha sat in the American Embassy waiting for his student visa approval. “All around me were people dressed in suits,” he recalled. “I just had normal clothes. I waited. Then the woman said, ‘You can go to America.’” The joy of receiving the visa, mingled with memories of darker times, collided as he left the building and prepared to leave his home country.

Though Lamichhane and Manirafasha had never met when I initially reached out to them for this story, their life experiences were eerily similar.

Both lost their mothers at a very young age.

Lamichhane’s died when he was 6. Manirafasha’s died when he was barely 3. “I don’t remember her face,” Manirafasha told me.

Lamichhane, on the other hand, remembers his mother’s face, as well as his dad’s abandonment of the family. His siblings were farmed out to relatives, but he was sent to Bright Horizon

Children’s Home School for orphans in Nepal.

“That is my first miracle,” he said.

Manirafasha’s father was in prison when his first wife died. Briefly, Manirafasha lived with relatives, one of whom abused him. To protect him from the abuse, he and his oldest sister moved onto the streets. By the age of 4 he was scavenging for food, or starving. Nightly he slept in banana plantations or beneath underpasses, nearly dying one night when a flood came through.

One day he ran into Africa New Life Ministries, a sponsorship organization. Little Manirafasha came regularly, then wandered about looking for a backyard to sleep in. He began to ask the white people he saw there (“Bazungu”) if he could go home with them. They eventually relented, and set him up in a local orphanage.

RWANDA

For both boys, life as an orphan on the streets was not their end goal. A yearning burned in each of them to progress beyond their circumstances.

Lamichhane recalls an inner voice telling him when he saw American tourists in Nepal, “They were the opportunity. It was about the future.

About the things I could accomplish there.” His deepest hope was to change his trauma into something meaningful. Determination and innate optimism propelled him to study hard and gain an education.

Lamichhane attended Bright Horizons until he was 18 years old, then he enrolled at Presidential Business School in Katmandu. Daily he made a 4-hour trip back and forth to university. He supported himself by tutoring students and teaching guitar lessons. During this time, he met Beverly Questad, a teacher from Skyview High School in Vancouver, Washington. She helped him prepare for the SAT and other tests. Soon Questad became his mentor, then sponsor. The happiest day of his life was November 22, 2015, when he received his visa. On December 16, continued on page 12

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Vancouver Family Magazine • www.vancouverfamilymagazine.com • January 2021

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A

P

A

N

Navraj “Raj” Lamichhane of Nepal, Venant Manirafasha of Rwanda, and Emiri Sato of Japan have all overcome great obstacles to attend college in the United States.

Photos courtesy of the respective students.

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Feature: Global Gathering: International Students Experience Southwest Washington (cont'd) continued from page 10

he arrived in America. Questad’s home would be his first residence in the U.S. He received his bachelor’s degree from WSU Vancouver in 2018, and in 2020, just 5 years after his arrival, he graduated with an MBA in nonprofit management from University of Portland.

attended school in Japan and has big plans to be a business marketing specialist. When she was in high school, she spent a week in Virginia as a foreign exchange student. She was smitten. America became her dream destination.

(Lamichhane's) deepest hope was to change his trauma into something meaningful.

Determination and innate optimism propelled him to study hard and gain an education.

In Rwanda, Manirafasha’s story didn’t take off as fast. The hole in his heart just continued to grow. School, though, was his happy place. He didn’t like school breaks.

When school was on break, a darkness would come over him. For a while he had no family. Sadly, when he did, going to their home was worse than before. His only hope at the time was his education and his stepmother.

Like Lamichhane, Manirafasha remained at school until he was 18. As he matured, he too needed funds. Without a penny to his name or family to turn to, he hired out his skill in map drawing to his teachers.

His work was perfect for them. Each night, after his homework was finished, he would stay up, abandoning sleep, drawing the requested maps. He saved the meager funds for the future he hoped to pursue.

One day a visiting American named Jill Maag Tandy met Manirafasha. In time, Tandy would mentor, then sponsor, and eventually become his parental figure.

To this day he constantly expresses the profound love and adoration he has for “my mom Jill.” Today, he is a Clark College student, peer mentor and former vice president of the International Club.

Not every international student has as dramatic a story as Lamichhane and Manirafasha, yet the effort to get here is still substantial. Emiri Sato is a Clark College sophomore from Japan. She grew up happily with her mom and sister. She

12

The financial and technical arrangements to become an international student are challenging, so Sato turned to an agency for help. There she received guidance on everything from colleges to sponsors to visas. Sato selected the Pacific Northwest because it felt safest. Two colleges attracted her. She chose Clark. Her work, though, was just beginning.

Unlike Lamichhane and Manirafasha, Sato didn’t have a sponsor who had been a mentor in her life. She had to begin afresh.

Sponsors were screened and selected much like foster homes. She had to wait for the match. However, once she had secured a home, she still had few tools to navigate the rest of life with. “I had a hard time to talk to people,” she told me. “I couldn’t order food. Or ask for help. Or have a conversation.” The world becomes lonely when you can’t communicate.

Fortunately, both WSU Vancouver and Clark College have strong international student departments. Teams advise, assist, facilitate and support each student as they progress through their time on campus.

With their help, Sato took an Intensive English Learning Program (IELP) class. But the class alone wasn’t enough. Fortunately, a marvel happened one day when Sato bravely wandered around downtown Vancouver, trying to acclimate herself to the world she had chosen. On the trip she met a shop owner who happened to be learning Japanese. The two women became fast friends and study buddies. Together they

Vancouver Family Magazine • www.vancouverfamilymagazine.com • January 2021

grew fluent in each other’s language. Today they still support each other.

Now fluent in two languages, Sato plunged into her business courses, became an international student peer mentor, visited San Francisco, and even found a boyfriend who was also born overseas and who shares her business goals.

When it comes to the future, Lamichhane plans to return to his native Nepal to share his skills in green energy, networking, and technology to help save lives and heal the land that gave him life. Manirafasha dreams of being a community leader both here and in Rwanda with the goal of changing people’s lives for good. He also yearns to be a dad—the kind of dad who loves his family so much, that when he returns home from work at night that moment will be the most joyous of the day for his family. Sato will return to Japan for more schooling.

Afterward, she plans to return to America to start businesses with her boyfriend.

When asked what advice these students would share, their message was the same: “Take full advantage of your opportunities.”

Sato and Manirafasha encourage students they mentor and meet on campus to be brave and turn in applications, try new classes, visit new places, follow your ideas. Their message is resonating. Lamichhane has used the past five years to tell his story as often as he can. He recounts that he was at the bottom of life. “When you are there, you have nowhere to go but up.” He believes our communities need international students’ stories for spreading inspiration, diversity and inclusion. He speaks at events, runs for leadership opportunities, finds anywhere he can share his platform. In his five years here, he has already changed the world.

If these young adults are any indication of what the future holds, the world is in great hands.

Carrie Lynn is a contributing writer for Vancouver Family Magazine. She loves the Pacific Northwest, sunsets, star gazing, and hanging out at the beach. Her favorite hobby is her family.

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13

Feature: We Know You Need Us: Local Libraries Increase Access

We Know ou Need Us :

Local Libraries Increase Access

Sampler

By Sarah Mortensen

“There were two things

that hit us really hard during quarantine: parks and libraries being closed,” says Claire Curtis, a stay-at-home mom of three.

Curtis, a regular library patron, was used to walking to the Three Creeks branch in Salmon Creek weekly with her kids for the children’s events and to check out new books. “When the library opened up, we started ‘going’ weekly again.” The Curtis’ are like many families that depend upon library services for education, enrichment and sometimes just a break from the house.

Access to library services are more important than ever as we navigate life through a worldwide pandemic and economic downturn. Thankfully, the staff at Fort Vancouver Regional Libraries (FVRL) and Camas Public Library have gotten creative to make books and other services available and safe for everyone.

personally pick out books according to the interests you have and the amount of items you request. For example, if you have a 5-year-old who loves dinosaurs and trucks, the staff will receive your online request and then fill the order even if you don’t mention any specific book titles. It’s the new way to browse library shelves without going inside. “We love the samplers!” exclaims Curtis. “They’ve introduced us to new favorite books and authors. My kids always look forward to a new library sampler to see what treasures await.” She hopes that the sampler service will continue even when libraries are fully open. Elizabeth Moss, senior public services librarian of youth services agrees.

“I love creating library samplers, especially for children. I carefully read the request to find out what kinds of books that the child likes and then I go through the bookshelves, like a scavenger hunt, trying to find the best books that I hope that child will really enjoy.”

News Ways to Use the Library

Because of COVID-19, “going” to the library now means placing holds on books online or requesting a library sampler for curbside pickup. Both FVRL and Camas Public Library now offer a sampler or bundle service where a librarian will

Library holds bagged and ready to be delivered curbside. Right: Librarian Elizabeth Moss delivering curbside pickup.

Photos courtesy of FVRLibraries.

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Vancouver Family Magazine • www.vancouverfamilymagazine.com • January 2021

Besides providing reading materials and movies for free, libraries serve as gathering places for all types groups, whether it’s a book club, quilting guild or for those trying to learn a new language.

All of these programs are still available even if and when the buildings themselves are closed to the public. “We continue to offer a wide variety of online classes for all ages and interests that patrons can access in real time,” explains Tak Kendrick, communications and marketing director for FVRL. “We also offer a variety of prerecorded videos and at-home activities on our YouTube channel.” The Dungeons and Dragons group in particular has been wildly popular since COVID struck. Players are now interacting across three counties instead of with just their local branch members. Other groups, such as Spanish Conversations Circle had such dedicated participants before the pandemic that there is a waiting list to join online. Camas Public Library has been hosting virtual seminars on timely topics such as equality and fairness, some of which include a Padlet site to keep the discussion going.

The majority of these library services do require access to the internet. With this need, the library still has you covered. continued on page 16

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15

Feature: We Know You Need Us: Local Libraries Increase Access (cont'd) continued from page 14

Wi-Fi services are turned on at every location and can be used outside the building. Additionally, there are hot spots available to check out for three weeks at a time. Hot spots may be renewed for a longer time period if there are no pending holds. Printing and copy services are also still available. FVRL allows for twenty pages at a time in black and white only.

You can either pick up the request or have it mailed to you.

Increasing Options for Students

When both schools and libraries were closed in March 2020, many children were left without easy access to books. Fortunately, most schools in the Vancouver area are now offering limited library services to students. Also, students in partner districts with FVRL have access to electronic resources and materials just by using their student connect card and the electronic library app Sora. “In Clark County, we currently have agreements in place with Vancouver Public Schools, Evergreen Public Schools, Battle Ground Public Schools, Washougal School District, Ridgefield Public Schools, Woodland Public Schools and La Center School District; though we are working to add more districts all the time,” says Kendrick. The Sora app makes things easy to navigate and only allows students to access books that are appropriate for their age. Sora has been used at the high school level for a few years now, but is new to VPS elementary schools. “The collection is small, but growing,” explains Tara Jordan, school librarian at Salmon Creek Elementary. “By connecting their student account to FVRL it more than quadruples the choices for students.”

Bookmobile and Library App

At the time of this writing, FVRL bookmobile is back to providing service in Skamania and West Klickitat counties.

The bookmobile provides much needed library services to cardholders living in rural areas. Pre-COVID, patrons were able to browse a variety of books brought

16

over by the van; however, it is currently only delivering pre-requested holds. The bookmobile does offer Wi-Fi to anyone and patrons are able to get help requesting books, signing up for a library card or checking out a hot spot for home use.

To see the bookmobile schedule and a complete list of events, the FVRL app is the place to go. The app makes placing holds or searching for a specific book easy. If you see a book you like at a store or a friend’s house, simply scan the ISBN number to see if the library has it in stock.

You can also contact a librarian for help directly from the app with the Contact Us feature. A new button allows you to notify the staff when you are in the branch parking lot ready to pick up your holds.

Encouraging Exploration and Creativity

Many families are feeling financial strain and additional stress due to job losses and the pandemic. At the same time, the importance of mental health received new awareness during the year 2020.

A new service at FVRL called Check Out Washington is helping to address these issues in a small way. Check Out Washington is a backpack filled with binoculars, a map, pocket field guides and a Discover Pass to enter any Washington State park for free. A daily parking fee at state parks can vary from $2-$15, while a yearly pass is $35. That amount may seem small to some, but this service helps all residents enjoy the beautiful parks Washington has to offer.

Another way to help alleviate stress is to create something new. FVRL now offers free access to the award winning crafting app Creativebug. Both the Creativebug website and app are very simple to navigate with plenty of content for both beginners and those with advanced crafting skills.

Knitting and crocheting seem to be some of the most popular projects featured, but there are also tutorials on sketching, painting, paper crafts and more.

Vancouver Family Magazine • www.vancouverfamilymagazine.com • January 2021

In these ways, residents are still able to interact and learn from each other and the library is able to fulfill its mission of “strengthening our communities through knowledge, experiences, and creativity.”

“We know you need us,” says Moss. “While day to day tasks may have changed, my primary purpose and goals have not. I still want to help patrons find a great book, learn something new and connect with their communities. The difference is that now I do a lot of my job virtually.”

Looking Forward

FVRLibraries has been working on plans to slowly bring people back into the library.

The first step will be allowing patrons to come inside to pick up holds and make copies instead of using curbside services.

The Safe Start Washington plan allows libraries the option for limited indoor activity during Phase Two. “Those guidelines gave libraries the latitude to determine the best path for their organizations on reopening,” explains Kendrick. “We had been working hard to prepare for this stage before the Governor issued new orders on November 15. FVRL is still planning for a graduated approach to the restoration of services once we get through these current challenges.”

In the meantime, don’t forget that the local librarians inside are happy to take requests and answer any questions you have. “Libraries are essential,” echoes Curtis.

Sarah Mortensen is a freelance writer and tutor. When she is not reading to her kids or students, she is probably in her backyard taking care of her garden. She also enjoys hiking, hot chocolate, and dressing up for Halloween. She lives in Vancouver with her husband, son and daughter.

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17

Feature: The Show Must Go On, But How?

By Kristen Flowers

B

ethany Larson remembers the exact day she realized the performing arts would never be the same. On Wednesday, March 11, 2020, the NBA suspended the season due to the pandemic. It was a wake-up call to many people who were still unsure what to think about this new virus, COVID-19, but to Larson, founder and program director of Journey Theater, it was the day the curtain would close on Journey’s stage.

Even now, Larson wonders if and when it will ever rise again.

Journey’s cast and crew were deep into dress rehearsals for “The Secret Garden” at Washougal High School. That coming Friday was supposed to be opening night, but Journey’s executive director, Stephen Pick, received the stay-in-place call that made the show come to a screeching halt.

The cast and crew held on to the hope that they could perform at least one show, but as the months went by, everyone had to face the hard truth. The show could not be put off any longer, and it was canceled.

It wasn’t until August that the performers’ parents got together to tear down the set while trying to remain six feet apart from each other. “The kids were devastated.”

Larson uses the word “pivot” to describe the next plan of action for Journey. It’s a word all performing arts groups have been saying a lot in the past few months.

Virtual classes were set up, and the classes’ emphasis changed from on-stage performing to more behind-the-camera acting and voice-over, but one theme kept emerging: Things are not quite the same.

is suffering, so we’ve got to get them back in to do these things.” continued on page 20

“The arts are not made to be taught online.”

That’s the conclusion that Liz Borromeo from Liz Borromeo Dance came to after trying virtual classes at her studio.

For the first two months, the kids were engaged and excited to see their friends from the class, even if it was just virtually.

Borromeo gave them a chance every class to unmute and show off their family pets, talk to each other, and even bring their favorite stuffed animals to the screen as a way to keep the connection between the students healthy. But as the quarantine stretched on, a noticeable shift started to change in the children as they worked remotely.

“I’ve seen an incredible drop in attention span,” she told me. “I’m seeing kids be really unfocused. Their short-term memory Reina participates in a Zoom dance at home class with Liz Borromeo Dance.

18

Vancouver Family Magazine • www.vancouverfamilymagazine.com • January 2021

Vancouver Family Magazine • www.vancouverfamilymagazine.com • January 2021

19

Feature: The Show Must Go On, But How? (cont'd) continued from page 18

That’s something that Reina L. wants too.

Reina has been a student at Liz Borromeo Dance since she was 4 years old. Over a decade later, she currently uses a chair in her living room like a ballet barre and struggles to learn dance steps around the house’s furniture. The passion she has for dance is still there, but the shift to online learning has taken a mental toll.

“The pandemic has just made me lazier in general,” she said. “For some reason, I just don’t have as much motivation to do things.

But I’m still excited about dance, and I look forward to doing it, and I’m looking forward to when it [the pandemic] is over, and we can hit the ground running.”

So far this year, Reina’s hopes of performing in front of a crowd have come crashing down twice as two of her dance recitals have been canceled.

It hasn’t been easy on the parents of the performers either. Erin Dixon has two children enrolled at Riverside Performing Arts, and when the stay-at-home order was issued, she didn’t know what she was going to do as a full-time working mother.

Riverside Performing Arts has offered her oldest child, 8-year-old Emma, a space to go to every day where she can Zoom with her classmates and do her schoolwork, but Dixon believes that she is missing a crucial part of her education. “That social interaction isn’t happening.”

There have been some positive aspects of the pandemic and remote learning.

Dixon has played a more significant part in her children’s education. Emma has also begun to see herself as a new type of performer thanks to Riverside Performing Art’s ability to “pivot.” They partnered with a company that used to film their recitals to create a Hollywood set-like experience for the children. While maintaining social distancing, the students can develop in front of the camera. It has given the performers and their families something to look forward to as they gather around the television, pop some popcorn and watch their child’s latest project.

While the pandemic continues to stretch on, everyone is looking for more entertainment to immerse themselves in.

But Borromeo says that no one is thinking about the organizations that supply that entertainment. “When you think back to when everything really shut down, what did people turn to?” she emphasized.

“They turned to the arts.”

Performing arts organizations across the state are losing not only students but teachers. Annie Warf, the owner of Riverside Performing Arts, knows why.

“It’s exhausting,” she confessed to me.

“And it’s a little disheartening to see your kids jumping on their beds.” That is, if the

Wi-Fi allows them to have class at all. Warf says at times the technology doesn’t quite work properly, making it so the students can see her but not hear her, or vice versa.

Those who can get online still struggle.

Instructors no longer want to jump on Zoom to tap dance from their kitchens or give music lessons from their bedrooms.

They miss their studio space and having a controlled environment in which to interact with their students. In the beginning, Zoom was a suitable replacement, but the excitement of the technology has worn thin.

Warf believes teachers continue to push through for the children’s betterment, but virtual classes alone will not keep the arts alive for long. “I think this is going to put a lot of people out of business and leave a lot of beautiful artists without a home,” she lamented. Warf is sending out a distress signal for anyone who has ever benefited from the arts. Help is needed, and it can’t wait. “Keep coming to classes, whether it’s virtual or in person.”

Outside help has never been more critical for these performing arts organizations.

Buying gift certificates for future classes or donating directly to nonprofits is one way to inject some needed cash into studios that are suffering. Even sharing good things about these organizations on social media can help keep the doors open. Without the funds to operate, the future of the performing arts for young children remains unknown.

Kristen Flowers is a writer and morning show radio talent at 99.5 The Wolf.

She loves spending time exploring the Vancouver area with her husband and cohost Nick, and their 2-year-old daughter.

When she’s not working, she’s crafting or working on her novel. You can find her on Instagram at @accordingtoKristen.

Photos clockwise from left: Emma does schoolwork at Riverside Performing Arts (photo by Annie Warf); Liz Borromeo MOTUS creative movement class at Esther Short Park; Liz Borromeo Zoom dance class (photos courtesy of Liz Borromeo).

20

Vancouver Family Magazine • www.vancouverfamilymagazine.com • January 2021

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS & ACTIVITIES

Calendar

January '21

S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

of events

Have a community event that you want to share?

Go to www.vancouverfamilymagazine.com and click on “Calendar” to submit your event. Deadline for print calendar submissions is the 1st of the month prior to the issue.

6 WEDNESDAY

ZooLights Drive-Through Experience at Oregon Zoo, daily through January 10. $40-$65 per car. More information and tickets at www. oregonzoo.org. 4-9 pm

First Wednesday Evening Book Group through FVRLibraries. Join in online for a lively discussion about this month’s title. All are welcome. Register and see list of upcoming book titles at www.fvrl.org. 5:30-7 pm

Winter Wonderland drive-through experience at Portland International Raceway. Tickets $28-$39. More information and tickets at www. winterwonderlandportland.com. 4:30-11 pm

2 SATURDAY

Winter Wonderland at Portland International Raceway. (See Jan. 1) 4:30-11 pm

4 MONDAY

Teen Music Club, online through FVRLibraries.

Discuss new artists, genres, albums and old favorites. Meet new friends and share what you are listening to. For grades 6-12. Register at www.fvrl.org. 5-6 pm

5 TUESDAY

Yoga Sampler: Intro to Gentle Yoga, online through FVRLibraries. Are you curious about yoga but afraid that you’re not strong or flexible enough? Join Sarah Nelsen for this gentle yoga class and learn how yoga is for every body.

Sarah will give tips on practicing yoga at home, determining the correct style of yoga for you and she’ll teach a gentle yoga class that can be done on the floor or in a chair. Register at www.fvrl. org. 3-4 pm YA for the Olds, online book group through FVRLibraries. Through FVRLibraries. Do you love a great teenage drama but are no longer, ahem, a teen? Then this book club is for you.

Introducing YA for the Olds. Join in online the first Tuesday night of the month as we discuss some great YA titles. Register at www.fvrl.org.

7-8:30 pm

Check out our website for even mo re local events .

Events are subject to change. Please contact organization directly to confirm. All library events are free and open to the public.

1 FRIDAY

Ball Drop 5K/10K/Half Marathon Virtual Race. Run any time Dec 31-Jan 10 and get cool swag! Registration fees benefit The Caring Closet. Kids 12 and under race free, ages 13-17 race for 50% off. Register at www. whyracingevents.com.

activities

First Wednesday Morning Book Group through FVRLibraries. Join in online for a lively discussion about this month’s title. All are welcome. Register and see list of upcoming book titles at www.fvrl.org. 9 am

7 THURSDAY

Page Turners Online Book Club through Camas Public Library for school age children.

Register and see list of upcoming book titles at www.cityofcamas.us/camaspubliclibrary.

6:30-7:30 pm First Thursday Book Group through FVRLibraries. Join in online for a lively discussion about this month’s title. All are welcome. Register and see list of upcoming book titles at www.fvrl.org. 7-8:30 pm

8 FRIDAY

Nature Lovers Book Group through FVRLibraries. Join in online for a lively discussion focused on books about nature. All are welcome. Register and see list of upcoming book titles at www.fvrl.org. 4-5:30 pm

9 SATURDAY

The Poetic Apothecary: Poems for Comfort and Healing. Online through Camas Public Library. Just as a cup of tea can settle and soothe us, the right poem at the right time can be a powerful sustaining remedy. Poet and performer Judith Adams explores poetry’s restorative powers by reciting and exploring poems that help us understand grief, fear, sadness, loss, and much more. By sharing her love of poetry, Adams encourages audiences to share poems that have deeply touched their lives and discusses how writing poetry can be a potent medicine for us all.

Presented in partnership with Humanities Washington. Register at www.cityofcamas.us/ camaspubliclibrary. 10:30-11:30 am

Virtual Trivia Night online through Camas Public Library. Enjoy a lively trivia night from the comfort of your own home! Join with a team, or be assigned a team at the event. You must have a computer with video/audio and Zoom. Free to play, and we encourage you to have snacks and beverages handy. For adults and teens.

Registration required. The second Saturday of every month at 7 pm. Register at www. cityofcamas.us/camaspubliclibrary. 7-8:15 pm

11 MONDAY

Imagined Ink: Teen Write-Ink, online through FVRLibraries. Calling all teen writers! Have a new idea you want to get down on paper?

Need to edit your latest draft? Or maybe you’re somewhere in between? Join and meet fellow writers at our virtual write-in event. We will discuss the writing process, have visual prompts and brainstorming sessions as well as have time to share. For ages 12-18. Register at www.fvrl. org. 4-5 pm

12 TUESDAY

Yoga Sampler: Intro to Hatha Yoga, online through FVRLibraries. Curious about yoga but not sure where to start? Join Sarah Nelsen for this yoga basics class. Sarah will give tips on practicing yoga at home, determining the correct style of yoga for you and she’ll teach a yoga class focusing on the basic standing poses of hatha yoga. Class will include floor work as well as standing work, and will include modifications to use a chair for extra support while standing.

Register at www.fvrl.org. 3-4 pm

20 WEDNESDAY

Book Group: Catch Up with the Classics online through FVRLibraries. Do you have any classics on your to-read list that you’ve been meaning to get around to? Now is the perfect time! Join in to discuss a classic work of literature each month on the third Wednesday.

Register and see list of upcoming book titles at www.fvrl.org. 7-8 pm

21 THURSDAY

Kanopy Klub: Film Discussion online through FVRLibraries. Discover new films and discuss them with new friends, all from the comfort

continued on next page

22

Vancouver Family Magazine • www.vancouverfamilymagazine.com • January 2021

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www.BarnickChiropractic.com continued from previous page of your living room. Each month, we’ll meet virtually to discuss a film that is available to stream on Kanopy, for free with your library card. Sign up, watch the film, and join us for a discussion. Register at www.fvrl.org.

6-7:30 pm Podcast Club online through Camas Public Library. Podcast Club is like a book club, but for podcast enthusiasts! Each month we will listen to a curated list of podcast episodes centered around a theme. We will then come together to discuss what we listened to – and hopefully learn something new along the way!

Each month’s theme will be revealed on the 1st of the month. Register at www.cityofcamas.us/ camaspubliclibrary.

7-8:30 pm

25 MONDAY

Make Anything: Light Up Greeting Card, online through FVRLibraries. Make 2021 a little brighter with your own light-up greeting card!

Join in for this virtual program where we’ll learn how to build a basic electrical circuit on paper,

then add our circuit to a card to gift or keep for yourself! Register at www.fvrl.org before Friday, Jan. 15 to receive a project kit. 6-7:30 pm

26 TUESDAY

Yoga Sampler: Intro to Vinyasa Yoga, online through FVRLibraries. Curious about what a flow or vinyasa class is like? Join Sarah Nelsen to learn a sun salutation, the basic building block of vinyasa yoga classes. This class is fasterpaced and may be challenging for some. It includes floor work as well as standing work and moving up and down from the floor repeatedly.

Register at www.fvrl.org. 3-4 pm

27 WEDNESDAY

Washougal READS, online through FVRLibraries. Washougal Community Library is partnering with Washougal High School to provide community book discussions through Washougal READS. Everyone in the community from students, business owners, and your next door neighbor are invited to participate.

The discussions will be online in a positive

and safe space led by Rachael Ries, Branch Manager of Washougal Community Library, and Hillary Marshall, Librarian of Washougal High School. Let’s keep Washougal reading and having important conversations to truly see #WashougalRising. January book title: “The Hate U Give” by Angie Thomas. Register at www.fvrl.org. 11:30 am-12:30 pm

28 THURSDAY

Doing the Work: An Anti-Racist Media Discussion Circle online through FVRLibraries.

Do you want to be a part of the fight for equity, but don’t know where to start? Join us for a monthly moderated discussion group focused on anti-racist literature and other media. All assigned materials will be freely available online with an FVRL library card. Register at www.fvrl. org. 6-7:30 pm

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Vancouver Family Magazine • www.vancouverfamilymagazine.com • January 2021

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