In your neighborhood

East Clark County: Camas & Washougal

Camas/Washougal: A robot that hails from east Clark County kicked its way to third place at the Microsoft FIRST Robotics Seattle Regional at Key Arena on March 27. The robot, designed and controlled by Camas and Washougal high schools’ FIRST Robotics Team, competed in a soccerlike game where it transported balls across a field that was split in three zones by large bumps and tunnels. The team was honored with the Innovation in Controls Award sponsored by Rockwell Automation. Its robot had a unique feature that gave it the option of kicking a ball six different ways via three power settings and an option for a lofted or straight kick. Mohit Abraham, the team’s mentor, said most robots he observed at the competition had one or two settings to kick the ball. The team plans to spend time in the coming months to reach out to local schools and inspire students to get excited about science and technology.

Camas: Union High School’s band rocks. The school band placed second in a battle of the bands competition and received $5,000 after impressing with their rendition of “Breadfan” by Budgie. Schools throughout Western Washington were asked to submit a classic rock song to The Rock Wood Fired Pizza and Spirts School of The Rock – Battle of the Bands. The songs aired on Seattle radio station KZOK 102.5. Fans voted for their favorites via text message. Union High School’s director of bands, Lewis Norfleet, was presented with a check by local The Rock owner Brad Loucks. Union was the only local school to enter the competition, but Loucks hopes more local schools will enter the competition in the future.

Camas: Camas High School took first place at the Southwest Washington Regional Science Olympiad tournament March 13 at Lower Columbia College in Longview. It is the third consecutive year a team from Camas has won. The CHS “Black” team placed first, a second team from Camas, the “White” team, placed fifth. Eighteen teams competed, representing 12 high schools. Both teams participated in the state competition at Eastern Washington University in Cheney.

North Clark County & Woodland

Woodland: Elias Warndahl, a graduate of Woodland High School and the Longview Community College Running Start program, will serve a two-year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Argentina. Warndahl will spend two months in the missionary training center in Provo, Utah, before leaving for Argentina. His parents are Jess and Nelean Warndahl of Woodland.

Ridgefield & Fairgrounds

Ridgefield: There never can be too many flags on the Fourth of July. American Legion Post 44 of Ridgefield is hoping to bring 100 additional flags to downtown Ridgefield with the help of area businesses and residents. The flags, which have flown over the U.S. Capitol, can be sponsored for $50. The half-a-Benjamin will get sponsors a certificate verifying the flag was flown over the Capitol and a special nameplate honoring the donor, business or other person they want to salute. The American Legion will store the flags and plans to use them on Veterans Day, Memorial Day and Flag Day.

Ridgefield Junction: Don’t argue with Sarah Brown. The Carroll College sophomore is a member of the school’s forensics team, which placed 10th in a national season sweepstakes in March. In this case, forensics means “an argumentative exercise,” not that fancy crime-solving science stuff you see on TV. Brown grew up in Ridgefield and attended Vancouver School of Arts and Academics before she headed to the private Catholic college in Helena, Mont. She is the daughter of Kelly and Jackie Brown.

Battle Ground, Meadow Glade & Hockinson

Hockinson: Eleven candidates from Clark, Cowlitz and Yakima counties took tests to become state and nationally certified firefighters at Fire District 3 Station 1 in Brush Prairie on April 9. Before taking the tests, the candidates have to be certified in hazardous material awareness, live fire training and emergency medical care, meet competencies for first responders and perform a fire test safety survey in a private dwelling. “Certification is not mandated by the state; individual fire agencies determine what, if any, certification requirements it will adopt and impose on its personnel,” Donavon Mattern, assistant chief of Clark County Fire District 3, said in an e-mail. Mattern said all the candidates did well, but a few did not pass. He added the exam is difficult and it is rare for all candidates to pass at the same time.

Hazel Dell, Felida & Salmon Creek

Salmon Creek: Salam Hassan of Skyview High School placed second in the Greenfield Peace Writing Contest for Oregon High School Students. Hassan might go to school in Washington, but he lives in Lake Oswego, Ore. His essay about a visit to Palestine caught judges’ eyes. An excerpt reads: “Growing up in Oregon, I never had a reason to question what peace was. I took things like going to school, playing basketball with friends, or taking family trips for granted. I did not take the time to consider how people in many parts of the world struggle just to survive. In Ramallah, Palestine, where I spent a year in the seventh grade, some nights I stayed awake to the echoing sounds of gunfire in the distance, too close for comfort … It really hit me then: how could people live like this every day and think about having a future?”

West Vancouver & Downtown

Arnada: Two projects spearheaded by the Clark County Historical Museum won state awards for outstanding achievement in historic preservation. The Artifact Detectives program, developed by Susan Tissot in collaboration with local teachers and archaeologists, was honored. Jessica Hale, Applied Archaeological Research, worked with Janet Dondelinger of Pioneer Elementary and Tyler Morgan, Camas High, to create a curriculum that gives students and teachers insight into the lives of early 20th century Vancouver residents. The Carnegie Library Consortium of Washington was also honored. The program encourages families to visit local libraries established by Carnegie with a passport-style game and a website. Award recipients will be recognized during a ceremony held May 4 by state Historic Preservation Officer Allyson Brooks.

Lincoln: Nelson Holmberg was elected the new vice chairman of the Lincoln Neighborhood Association at a meeting on April 12. He replaces Dave Howard, who asked to step down from the position. All other neighborhood leaders were re-elected at the meeting.

Northwest: The Northwest Neighborhood Association held elections at its last meeting, which took place in January at Franklin Elementary School. Leonard Bauhs and Marguerite Mutsack were re-elected as president and secretary, respectively. Todd Clark was elected vice president and David Kammeyer was elected treasurer.

Esther Short: More than 650 people walked to raise awareness and funds for multiple sclerosis on April 10. Walkers started the 5K community walk at the Red Lion at the Quay. As of April 15, the Vancouver event raised almost $48,000 and is expected to bring in around $72,000 by May 28 — when the fundraising period ends. According to Michelle Tashima, spokeswoman for the Oregon Chapter of the National MS Society, the Pacific Northwest has one of the highest incidence rates of MS in the country.

Central Vancouver, Minnehaha & The Heights

Hudson’s Bay: Erica Moody and Adeline Johnston, both of the Polar Bears Camp Fire Club, and Adeline Johnston of the Soaring Butterflies Camp Fire Club, delivered Easter baskets to the Ray Hickey Hospice House on April 3. The girls and other members of their Camp Fire groups hand-stamped and assembled the baskets and filled them with chocolates. Lauretta Johnston is the leader of the Polar Bears Club and Cherie Mortazavi leads the Soaring Butterflies.

East Vancouver, Cascade Park, Fisher’s Landing & Evergreen

Bennington: Columbia Valley Elementary Principal Jim Fernandez was honored on April 14 by the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve for supporting fourth-grade teacher Josh Krzysiak, who is in the Navy Reserve. Krzysiak said that Fernandez and the school staff have been extremely supportive of his obligations to the Reserves. ESGR is a Department of Defense organization that promotes cooperation and understanding between Reserve members and employers.

Mountain View: Mountain View High School took second place in the Washington Math League contests this year. WAML is a set of six-question tests given six times a year. Students are given half an hour to finish the test. No calculators are allowed.

Parkside: Metfab Heating, located on Northeast 28th Street, has donated two ductless heat pumps to deserving local families as a way to thank the community for making 2009 its best year after 28 years in the business. Teresa and Robert Kirchner of Harney Heights, who volunteer at their church and work with the homeless, and Don and Edie Smith of Sifton, who are caring for their grandchildren while their son and daughter-in-law are on their third tour of duty in Iraq, were the recipients. Mayor Tim Leavitt visited the Kirchners on March 9 as Metfab made the delivery. Jerry Sutherland of Metfab Heating said he was inspired by the “We Are Vancouver” theme of Mayor Tim Leavitt’s recent State of the City speech.