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Malheur Education Service District, 363 A Street W, Vale, OR (2026)

06/04/2026

Unfinished Business Fuels Lady Viks’ Championship Run

VALE - The road to the championship for the Vale varsity softball team began a year ago, inside the shadow of defeat.
In 2025, the Lady Viks suffered a season-ending loss to South Umpqua in the quarterfinals of the 3A softball tournament.
The loss resonated, said Vale coach Cirbi Morrison.
“None of the girls were satisfied with where we ended,” said Morrison.
Morrison said an air of unfinished business infiltrated into the collective consciousness of her team.
Now the Lady Viks will capture an opportunity to permanently erase the memory of the 2025 season when they take on familiar opponent South Umpqua Friday for the state title at Jane Sanders Stadium at the University of Oregon at 3 p.m. Pacific Time.
The Lady Viks will step on the field as the proud owners of an unblemished season record. Vale is undefeated – 29-0 – and just a few innings away from putting the exclamation mark on an extraordinary spring campaign.
Morrison said her team showcases a unique, blue collar, workmanlike approach to each contest.
“The girls are determined. They step onto the field, and they know they have a job to do,” said Morrison.
Morrison said going into the game Friday she feels good about her team’s chances.
“We will need to be selective at the plate and look for pitches we know we can drive and do something with,” she said.
Morrison said her team won’t underestimate South Umpqua. South Umpqua enters the title tilt with a 27-2 record.
Morrison said the Viking varsity squad, though, will not easily be rattled during a game.
“They will put their heads down and get to work. They will fight to the end,” said Morrison.
Team chemistry was a big factor in the undefeated streak, said Morrison.
“They are a phenomenal group of girls. They get along really well and they’re fun to be around,” said Morrison.
Morrison – who is in her eighth year as coach of the Lady Viks – said she believed from the start of the season there was something special about her varsity team.
“I’ve been around long enough to know what a championship team looks like, and I knew we had a great opportunity. I’ve been confident in this team all year long,” she said.
𝘗𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘴𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘈𝘮𝘺 𝘌𝘥𝘥𝘺

06/01/2026

Frontier STEM Hub Seeks Homes for Wildfire Safety Program

VALE - VALE – The Malheur Education Service District’s Frontier STEM Hub is looking for eligible local homeowners to take part in a special program to cut down on wildfire risk while also helping the community.
“We are looking for homes that are in high-risk zones for wildfires,” said Nickie Shira, director of the Frontier STEM Hub.
The Frontier STEM Hub and Eastern Oregon CTE-sponsored program aims to “harden” homes to diminish wildfire risk and insurance concerns while also offering quality work at zero, or little, cost to the homeowner. The work is provided by six trained youth interns in a nine-week summer program – from June to August. The youth training program is funded through a grant from the Eastern Oregon Workforce Board.
The work can run the gamut from roof replacement and siding with fire-resistant materials to the installation of ember-resistant vent screens, fuel removal from trees and vegetation and other fuel reduction techniques.
All the work is overseen by a licensed construction contractor. The interns are recently graduated seniors from area schools.
“This will provide workforce development for our young people while also supporting community members who need help,” said Shira.
Shira said the participating interns have been selected but now “we need referrals for potential projects.”
To find out more about the program or to deliver a referral, interested individuals can contact Shira at [email protected] or 541-473-4865. Those who contact Shira are asked to provide the name and contact information of the homeowner along with the property address, wildfire risk description and their status as a veteran or senior citizen.

05/28/2026

Vikings Deliver Strong Showing at District Track Meet
VALE - There are two stories - each significant in their own right - evident regarding the Eastern Oregon League District Track Tournament held at Vale High School last week.
The first story, of course, is the individual and team triumphs registered by the Vale track squad. The Viking girls’ track team clinched another district title - the third for the squad - while the Viking boys’ team claimed third place in team standings.
The Vikings will send 25 boy and girl athletes to the state meet set to kick off today at Hayward Field in Eugene.
The girls 4x100 and 4x400 relay teams claimed district titles for the Vikings. Meanwhile, the girls’ team displayed a host of superb individual performances. Viking Claire Johnson won the 100, 200, 100 meter hurdles event and was also a member of the 4x400 relay team. Kesley Stepleton claimed top honors in the high jump, 300 meter hurdles and ran with the Vale 4x400 and 4x100 relay teams. Kaylynn Brandon won the long jump and triple jump events while also competing with the 4x100 and 4x400 relay squads.
Elli Jacobs won the 800 meter race and ran with both relay teams and earned a spot to state competing in the 100 meter dash. Addie Saunders claimed the top slot in the 3,000 meter race and finished second in the 1,500 race to qualify for state. Peyton Bates secured second place in the Javelin event while Makayla Officer placed second in the triple jump and competed on the 4x100 relay team.
On the boys’ side, Bannock Lamb won the 200 meter race, and placed second in the 400 meter race to qualify for state competition. Lamb was also a member of the Vale boys’ 4x400 and 4x100 relay teams which placed second to earn a trip to Eugene.
Duncan Fritts - also a member of the Vale 4x400 relay team - placed second in the 1,500 and 3,000 meter races to move on to state.
Brandon Stewart claimed second place in the pole vault event - and ran with the Viking 4x100 squad - to qualify for the state meet.
Ridge Haueter and Erick Silva also qualified for the state meet - Silva in the discus event and Ridge in the long jump competition.
Juniors Collin Mulvany and Rye Cummings qualified as members of both the 4x100 and 4x400 relay teams.
Also going to the state meet are relay team alternates, Troy Dayton, Brody McElroy, Jackson Chamberlain, Bristol Cade, Brook Cooper, Hailey Jacobs and Kena Bates.
The second part of the story, though, is as brilliant as the Viking individual and team results.
With just a few weeks’ notice, the Vale track team and coach Paul Bentz put together the district meet.
Bentz said the short-time frame to stand up the big meet appeared challenging at first but only until a large group of local residents, former athletes, teachers, and students chipped in to help.
“The biggest takeaway on my end was the community stepping up and putting the kids first on Memorial Day weekend. It was pretty neat,” said Bentz.
Bentz said he was pleased with the performances of the Viking track athletes.
“It was fun to see them rise to the occasion. They did what I expected as they’ve been working hard all year long,” he said.
Bentz said he is confident going into the state track meet.
“I love having that many kids going in that many events. That gives us a chance to be successful. The competition bar rises every year at state, but I feel good about it,” he said.

05/27/2026

Rural Roots Program Cultivates New Community Leaders

ONTARIO – Malheur Educations Service District employees Erica Trinidad-Teran and Brenda Nunez always wanted to get involved in their community but were not sure where to start.
That’s where a new leadership program sponsored by the Eastern Oregon Border Economic Development Board helped pave the way for the two local women to capture a way to have an influence.
The program, dubbed Rural Roots, kicked off in October, and consisted of a group of local residents who ran the gamut in terms of experience, ethnicity, and outlook.
The program was designed to cultivate and train local individuals to become civic leaders.
The Border Board eventually linked with Rural Development Initiatives - a Corburg, Oregon-based nonprofit focused on bolstering leadership education and improving local economies - to help with the new program.
The mechanics of the program proved to be straightforward. The Border Board earmarked $25,000 in grant monies for the project and a 10-person cohort was formed.
“As a group they get to develop a capstone project and carry it out,” said Shawna Peterson, Border Board executive director.
Nunez, a Parent Engagement Specialist, and Trinidad-Teran, an Infant/Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant, learned about the opportunity from Malheur Education Service District Director of Early Learning Marshell Ho**er.
“Nickie (Shira, Border Board member) was looking for candidates who might want some leadership skills, and I was like ‘I have a couple of up and coming leaders,’” said Ho**er.
Working together works.
Trinidad-Teran said she wasn’t sure at first about applying for the group but, after pondering the opportunity, decided to get involved.
“I wanted to make a change in our community,” she said.
Nunez said the program offered a way “where we could choose to make a difference.”
After grant writing training early on, the group then convened and started work on developing a project.
“That’s when we got into what kind of changes we wanted to make,” said Nunez.
Trinidad-Teran said the work was a “group effort.”
“We had to interview people in the community. We took the information back to our group and came up with three ideas,” said Trinidad-Teran.
The three ideas included: creating a hands-on construction program that offered training and on-the-job opportunities; crafting a leadership camp and deploying a food truck at Moore Park in Ontario.
Eventually, the cohort narrowed down its overall goal.
“We decided, why not do something at Moore Park,” said Trinidad-Teran.
The final plan called for the construction of a performance stage at the park.
“We kind of put all of our projects into one,” said Trinidad-Teran.
The stage idea hinged on the idea it would act as an economic trigger, furnishing a platform to boost events that in turn generate an economic impact.
“The idea is to bring economic stability into the area,” said Nunez.
Trinidad-Teran said the choice of the park and stage was a strategic one.
“Families can come to activities, and it will be a space where they want to be. So, we will create legitimate opportunities,” she said.
Some of the grant funds from the Border Board will be used to construct the stage while other groups – such the Ontario Depot District and Revitalize Ontario and the city – also pledged support. The inclusion of the other institutions in the plan was key, both women said.
Now, plans are being finalized – including architectural and engineering designs – for the new stage.
The cohort met with the Border Board in February and briefed members on the plan.
“This all came out of a lot of pulling ideas together,” said Ho**er.
The stage is the root of a larger, more influential blueprint.
“We hear there is nothing to do for kids here. Well, this is a start,” said Trinidad-Teran.
Trinidad-Teran said efforts such as the stage idea “takes people who believe change can happen.”
“You see that we came together,” she said.
Nunez said her experience with the cohort was fulfilling.
“I was a little intimidated at first. Toward the third meeting it was more comfortable and I realized I had a voice,” she said.
Jodi Westerberg, executive administrative assistant for the Malheur Education Service District was also a member of the cohort. She said the key to triumphing with the group was its cohesiveness.
“If you are willing to be vulnerable with your group you can get amazing results. I learned so much stuff I didn’t know I didn’t know,” said Westerberg.
Peterson said the cohort’s success was rewarding.
“The momentum they developed has been really neat,” said Peterson.
Peterson said the Border Board plans to create two more cohorts. The next cohort will begin a new mission in October.
“We have the application on our website,” said Peterson.
The Border Board website is: https://www.eoborderboard.org/
“We are excited about it. We were willing to invest in people, but this has become amazing,” said Peterson.

Below: Malheur Educations Service District employees Erica Trinidad-Teran and Brenda Nunez - along with Jodi Westerberg, executive administrative assistant for the Malheur Education Service District (not pictured) - participated in a unique leadership building program spearheaded by the Eastern Oregon Border Economic Development Board.

05/22/2026

Nyssa Senior Sets Course for Navy Nuclear Program

NYSSA – Davis Goldthorpe doesn’t have to worry about searching for a job after he graduates from Nyssa High School Sunday.
He also doesn’t have to ponder which college he may go to.
That’s because Goldthorpe’s post-high school graduation journey was set more than a year ago when he decided to join the U.S. Navy to become a nuclear engineer.
The decision was made after careful consideration, he said.
“I didn’t want to go into debt with student loans, and I saw the Navy as my best option with little or no debt,” he said.
Goldthorpe’s decision already looks like a good one. He will be able to access the GI bill – to the tune of about $250,000 – and received an enlistment signing bonus of $75,000.
Not a bad set of circumstances for an 18-year-old from a rural county.
Goldthorpe will spend three years training to become a nuclear engineer. Nuclear engineers in the U.S. Navy operate, support and supervise nuclear propulsion plants that fuel aircraft carries and submarines. Nuclear engineers in the naval service fall into two key categories: operators/technicians – who work on ships and subs – and reactor engineers who manage nuclear technology.
The U.S. Navy nuclear engineer program is an elite service. The U.S. Navy chooses only the top tier of applicants who score very high on the ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery) test for the program. The training program includes learning about thermodynamics, reactors, physics, metallurgy and electricity.
Goldthorpe said he also considered the long-term benefits of becoming a U.S. Navy nuclear engineer.
“Not only do I have the potential in the navy for leadership opportunities but there are also positions open for when I get out of the navy to work at,” he said.
Goldthorpe said he is pleased he made the decision to join the U.S. Navy.
“Science has always excited me. I’m excited to get to be at the forefront of what will hopefully be a new age of energy technology,” he said.
Goldthorpe said his high ASVAB test scores paved the way toward his eventual choice for the nuclear program. He said he committed to the U.S. Navy last August as part of its delayed entry program.
He said he began to seriously ponder the navy in his junior year.
“Most of that year was doing all of the proper tests, getting ready health-wise and just making sure I was mentally ready. I took some college level science classes to help prep my mind,” he said.
A strong sense of patriotism also played a big role in his decision, he said.
“I feel it is great to help other people and serve and protect them. I feel like I will be making a difference,” he said.

05/21/2026

Viking Netters Headed to Corvallis After Strong District Showing

VALE - Eight Vale Viking tennis players are on their way to state after clinching top honors at the district tournament in Baker City.
Eli Seals – the No. 1 seed in boys’ singles standings – along with Brystol Keller – also the No. 1 seed in girls’ singles – claimed district titles and will compete at the state tennis tournament at Oregon State University beginning Thursday.
The duo of Ella Nieskens and Ellie Seals also claimed the district crown – and a trip to state – for the Vikings.
Meanwhile, the Viking girls’ doubles team of Janet Gonzales and Megan Schoorl placed third at district to earn a trip to Corvallis for Vale.
The unseeded Viking doubles team of Hazel McKrola and Marli Bennett upset a No. 4 seed at the district to capture a state tournament slot.
The Viking girls’ tennis squad claimed the district title at Baker City while the boys’ team finished third place in team standings.
Vale head tennis coach Randy Seals said he was pleased with the Viking individual and team performances at district and throughout the season.
The Vikings began the season as a team of contrasts. On one hand the team boasted a reservoir of experience in some areas but also was inexperienced in others.
“We were very young for the boys. No one is older than a junior. So, obviously we needed to get a lot of experience quickly, but I felt they steadily improved all year. We had five senior girls, most of them playing doubles, but we also had a lot of singles girls who are freshmen,” he said.
Seals said the girls’ singles cohort “performed very well during the season.”
“Especially Brystol Keller. She was able to do very well against a lot of strong competition from Baker, Pendleton and Nyssa,” said Seals.
Seals said his team performed well inside the tennis court on a consistent basis.
“You have to be mentally tough in tennis. It is a game of momentum and you kind of have to weather the storm. Our freshman girls and boys were able to get a lot of experience,” he said.
Seals said the Viking tennis squad at state will face competition with a high level of skill.
“We will play against a lot of private schools and kids who play year round, so it is a whole different level of competition,” he said.
Seals said he is “really happy that four out of my five senior girls qualified for state.”
“I’m super happy they get to experience that,” he said.

Below: Vale Viking Girls’ Tennis State Qualifiers from left to right: Janet Gonzalez, Marli Bennett, Hazel McKrola, Ellie Seals, Ella Nieskens, Megan Schoorl, Brystol Keller
Photo courtesy of The Vale Voice- Vale’s Digital News Source

05/19/2026

Crismon’s Competitive Edge Carries Him to State Tournament

VALE - Zach Crismon isn’t afraid of pressure on the golf course.
“It is an individual sport. Everything is on me. I like that,” said the Vale junior.
Crismon recently claimed fifth place at the Class 3A district tournament in Union, good enough to punch his ticket to state play this week.
Crismon – who played football and wrestled – is a newcomer to competitive golf.
“I started last year and fell in love with it, and I really wanted to get good at it,” he said.
He said his brother, Lane, also influenced him to play golf. “It is something we can do together, and my dad also got into,” he said.
His brother, he said, is also a source of inspiration.
“He’s always been better than me at golf and I’ve always wanted to beat him. I like finding that one person slightly better than me and then working my way up and trying to beat them,” he said.
Competitive golf shares some attributes with wrestling as success often depends on the right mental attitude, said Crismon. Finding a way to handle emotion is also crucial, he said.
“If you lose control of your emotions, you lose control of your round. I think now I am able to control my emotions better,” he said.
Cultivating a short memory is also important, he said. “You have to forget about your bad shots and move on and keep pushing forward,” he said.
Crismon said his goals for the state tournament are ambitious. “I want to place in the Top 10. If I want to do that, I just have to have a lot of pars and, as I said, forget about bad shots,” he said.
Crismon said at the start of the season he thought long and hard about how to manage his expectations but understood no matter what he had to keep his focus on the process.
“Early on in the season I was shooting high numbers. So, I was getting mad at myself. So, I spent a lot more time on the golf course than I did last year. I basically grinded all season,” he said.
Crismon managed to finish in the Top 5 in almost every tournament the Vikings competed in and shot 86 on first day of the district tournament and carded an 82 on the second day.
He said golfing is rewarding in another way. “It can be very relaxing and a great way to get some stress off of your shoulders,” he said.
The Class 3A/2A/1A boys state golf tournament will be at Tokatee Golf Club in McKenzie Bridge beginning Monday.

05/14/2026

Vale CTE Students Rack Up Certifications, State Honors

VALE - A large group of Vale High School students recently achieved key goals in critical career and technical education categories.
More than 40 Viking students clinched American Welding Society certifications between December and April. Meanwhile, a trio of Vale High School students clinched top honors at the Oregon SkillsUSA competition in early April.
Jim Schaffeld, Vale High School construction instructor, said 46 students secured welding certificates.
“They (the certificates) are nationally recognized. They are the same industry certificates an adult would get,” he said.
Schaffeld said many of the students who claimed certificates were relatively new to welding.
“Twenty-nine students were beginners and 17 have been in the agriculture and engineering class before,” he said.
The age range of the students stretched from freshmen to seniors, he said. The Viking welding program is intensive, said Schaffeld.
“We go over multiple-purpose welding. They advance their skills as they move through the program,” said Schaffeld.
Students learn MIG and TIG welding. MIG welding is a relatively easy to learn wire-fed welding process while TIG welding is a typically slower, more precise process. They also do stick, flux and oxy-acetylene welding.
“We focus on stick welding (SMAW) for many of the certificates,” said Schaffeld.
He said the students also often use their welding skills to help local farmers, ranchers and others with welding projects.
“A number of times people show up and say can you fix this and the kids fix it,” said Schaffeld.
This year 50 students participated in the VHS welding program, said Schaffeld.
“They’ve surprised me. There were some who really struggled at the beginning of the year and they certified,” he said.
The welding certification triumph is all the more significant for the potential long-term goals of students.
Welding is a profession in need of a reservoir for new workers. Projections indicate the United States will need more than 300,000 new welders by 2029. The shortage can be traced to an aging workforce along with expanding industry needs.
The U.S. Navy needs thousands of new welders to meet a growing demand for ship repair and construction.
Now, the average pay for an entry-level welder in the U.S. is about $46,000 a year.
Meanwhile, the senior trio of Hunter Trotter, Wyatt Cox and Anthony Morales, claimed top honors in the construction teamwork competition at the career and technical education SkillsUSA competition in Tangent, Oregon on April 9th. The three students qualified for the SkillsUSA national competition in June in Atlanta, Georgia.
The three students – part of the high school’s advanced construction class – qualified for nationals by building a mini-house, complete with the proper electrical wiring and plumbing. As part of the competition, the three Viking seniors were required to build the house from plans delivered the morning of the competition.
Before the competition, the students built a practice house, said Schaffeld.
“One of the kids’ grandpa came in and helped and they had a lot of other community support,” he said.
Cox said the experience was rewarding. “It was fun. We learned some new things,” he said.
Entering the competition, Cox said he “felt pretty confident.”
“That’s because I’ve been in construction (at the high school) for four years. The best part was getting to build with my buddies,” he said.
Vale High School juniors Weston Bennett and Grace Russell also claimed top honors at the SkillsUSA competition. Bennett claimed second place in the welding category while Russell clinched second in the power tools competition.

05/12/2026

Area CTE Students Recognized During Four Rivers Ceremony

ONTARIO - More than 200 area students converged on the Meyer McClean Performing Arts Theater at Four Rivers Cultural Center recently, to receive certifications in various career and technical education classifications.
The ceremony was the 11th local celebration to highlight local high school students taking part in career and technical education programs.
Students received certifications in a host of categories including automotive, business, health sciences, industrial manufacturing, welding, nursing assistant, phlebotomy and certified nursing assistant/phlebotomy.

Below: Nyssa High School, CNA/Phlebotomy students, Addie Cleaver, Aislin Carrasco, Georgie Edmunson, and Kaily Carrasco, were among the host of students who received CTE honors at a ceremony at Four Rivers Cultural Center. More than 200 local students received CTE certificates at the ceremony. (Photos courtesy of Tracy Cleaver).

Malheur Education Service District

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