Photos courtesy Niecea Freeman
Portola Jr./Sr. High School Hosts Successful One Book. One Community. Event: Sparks Conversation about Wildfire Prevention
On Tuesday, May 28th, Portola Jr./Sr. High School hosted a highly successful One Book. One Community. Event at the PHS Library from 5-7 PM. Over 70 students, teachers, and community members gathered to discuss the novel with the author of Paradise: One Town's Struggle to Survive an American Wildfire by Washington Post journalist Lizzie Johnson.
The evening began with a poignant poetry reading by local author and poet Margaret Elysia Garcia, who shared excerpts from Burn Scars, written after the Dixie Fire. Lizzie Johnson followed with a reading from her novel, accompanied by impactful images highlighting the resilience and stories of the people featured in Paradise. Her presentation encouraged the audience to reflect on the concepts of community support and resilience in the face of tragedy
Attendees then participated in table discussions facilitated by students and teachers, reflecting on the novel's themes as well as on the tone of the novel and the nuances of human emotions that are captured in the narratives, while enjoying a spaghetti dinner provided by the Portola Rotary Club and PHS culinary class.
The event concluded with two insightful panel discussions. The first panel focused on Positive Childhood Experiences, featuring speakers such as Superintendent Bill Roderick, City Councilman Bill Powers, PHS Principal Sara Sheridan, and Co-Rotary Presidents Matt and Elizabeth Cruse, who support our youth through cultivating a variety of opportunities for students to develop a sense of belonging, connectedness, and build resilience in safe, stable, and nurturing relationships and environments. The second panel included local experts like Beckwourth Fire Chief Kenny Osburn, Tanner Low from the Healthy Forest Alliance, John Reynolds from CalFire, and City Councilman Bill Powers. Community members engaged in a dynamic Q&A session about wildfire concerns, resources, and environmental factors affecting the region.
In total, 300 paper copies of Paradise were distributed to Plumas County residents, along with 26 audiobooks funded by the Far North Literacy Development consortium grant. The event sparked rich discussions about literacy, Positive Childhood Experiences, and wildfire prevention and management.
This event marks Portola High's third year participating in the literacy-focused grant program, which aims to bridge learning gaps and address trauma by promoting literacy in communities affected by fire in Northern California. The success of the event was due in large part to the dedicated efforts of PHS students Paige Matlock (10th grade), Camila Schweyer (10th grade), Natalie Lopez (11th grade), and Armando Caballero (12th grade), as well as teacher participants Niecea Freeman, Brandi Murray, Adrienne Anila, and Daryl Hutchins.
PHS hopes to continue a tradition of community engagement and literacy in future years and is looking forward to the next community-wide event!
PHS Supports Career Exploration: Fire Science & Environmental Studies
Just two days after the community read event, Trio Program, based out of Feather River College, funded Portola's 7th Grade field trip to the Terri Lee Wells Nevada Discovery Museum on Thursday, May 30th, where students explored STEM exhibits and partook in a hands-on wildland firefighting workshop.
The workshop highlighted natural vs. human causes for forest fires and discussed the Fire Ignition Triangle (oxygen, heat, & fuel), species that depend on forest fires for healthy life cycles (like the Morel mushroom and Lodgepole pine), and ended with a game where students used fire fighters and members of the forest service and Bureau of Land Management to contain and suppress a fire near a small community. Opportunities like this prepare students for our high schools courses in Fire Science (which now counts as an A-G elective for college applicants and science credit at PHS) and AP Environmental Science as students engage in college & career preparation vital for their futures, and for the future of our communities!
7th grade students then had the opportunity to tour the @One building at the University of Nevada, Reno, where they explored programs and facilities for STEM careers in technology and media, including the: green room, recording studio, podcast room, and the virtual reality creation and testing lab.
Portola Jr./Sr. High School Hosts Successful One Book. One Community. Event: Sparks Conversation about Wildfire Prevention
On Tuesday, May 28th, Portola Jr./Sr. High School hosted a highly successful One Book. One Community. Event at the PHS Library from 5-7 PM. Over 70 students, teachers, and community members gathered to discuss the novel with the author of Paradise: One Town's Struggle to Survive an American Wildfire by Washington Post journalist Lizzie Johnson.
The evening began with a poignant poetry reading by local author and poet Margaret Elysia Garcia, who shared excerpts from Burn Scars, written after the Dixie Fire. Lizzie Johnson followed with a reading from her novel, accompanied by impactful images highlighting the resilience and stories of the people featured in Paradise. Her presentation encouraged the audience to reflect on the concepts of community support and resilience in the face of tragedy
Attendees then participated in table discussions facilitated by students and teachers, reflecting on the novel's themes as well as on the tone of the novel and the nuances of human emotions that are captured in the narratives, while enjoying a spaghetti dinner provided by the Portola Rotary Club and PHS culinary class.
The event concluded with two insightful panel discussions. The first panel focused on Positive Childhood Experiences, featuring speakers such as Superintendent Bill Roderick, City Councilman Bill Powers, PHS Principal Sara Sheridan, and Co-Rotary Presidents Matt and Elizabeth Cruse, who support our youth through cultivating a variety of opportunities for students to develop a sense of belonging, connectedness, and build resilience in safe, stable, and nurturing relationships and environments. The second panel included local experts like Beckwourth Fire Chief Kenny Osburn, Tanner Low from the Healthy Forest Alliance, John Reynolds from CalFire, and City Councilman Bill Powers. Community members engaged in a dynamic Q&A session about wildfire concerns, resources, and environmental factors affecting the region.
In total, 300 paper copies of Paradise were distributed to Plumas County residents, along with 26 audiobooks funded by the Far North Literacy Development consortium grant. The event sparked rich discussions about literacy, Positive Childhood Experiences, and wildfire prevention and management.
This event marks Portola High's third year participating in the literacy-focused grant program, which aims to bridge learning gaps and address trauma by promoting literacy in communities affected by fire in Northern California. The success of the event was due in large part to the dedicated efforts of PHS students Paige Matlock (10th grade), Camila Schweyer (10th grade), Natalie Lopez (11th grade), and Armando Caballero (12th grade), as well as teacher participants Niecea Freeman, Brandi Murray, Adrienne Anila, and Daryl Hutchins.
PHS hopes to continue a tradition of community engagement and literacy in future years and is looking forward to the next community-wide event!
PHS Supports Career Exploration: Fire Science & Environmental Studies
Just two days after the community read event, Trio Program, based out of Feather River College, funded Portola's 7th Grade field trip to the Terri Lee Wells Nevada Discovery Museum on Thursday, May 30th, where students explored STEM exhibits and partook in a hands-on wildland firefighting workshop.
The workshop highlighted natural vs. human causes for forest fires and discussed the Fire Ignition Triangle (oxygen, heat, & fuel), species that depend on forest fires for healthy life cycles (like the Morel mushroom and Lodgepole pine), and ended with a game where students used fire fighters and members of the forest service and Bureau of Land Management to contain and suppress a fire near a small community. Opportunities like this prepare students for our high schools courses in Fire Science (which now counts as an A-G elective for college applicants and science credit at PHS) and AP Environmental Science as students engage in college & career preparation vital for their futures, and for the future of our communities!
7th grade students then had the opportunity to tour the @One building at the University of Nevada, Reno, where they explored programs and facilities for STEM careers in technology and media, including the: green room, recording studio, podcast room, and the virtual reality creation and testing lab.
1. Community Read Event Coordinators (Literacy Coordinator, Niecea Freeman; Author, Lizzie Johnson; Student Committee Members, Camila Schweyer (10th); Natalie Lopez (11th); Armando Caballero (12th))
2. Attendees in the PHS Library (70 guests)
3. Jim Beckwourth teacher, Daryl Hutchins, discussing the book with author Lizzie Johnson and 2 students (Jacob Faisal -11th grade and Armando Caballero- 12th grade)
4. 7th Grade Class picture at UNR Knowledge Center
5. Jeffery Kimbrell & Kati Siler engaged in the fire management simulation at the Discovery Museum
6. Avery Eckenroad, Sofia Chiatovich, and Ahlieya Sather role playing the wildfire simulation game for fire prevention and management
