Malheur Education Service District

08/31/2026

Vale FFA Chapter Earns National Recognition

VALE - The Vale High School FFA Chapter recently earned a remarkable 1-Star rating in the National Chapter Award Program, setting the local group among the top 10% of FFA chapters in the United States.
"I’m excited and really proud of the kids,” said Vale High School Agriculture teacher and FFA Advisor Carli Ohlensehlen.
The 1-Star rating means the Vale FFA chapter qualified first at the state level and then advanced to the national ranking echelon. The accolade recognizes the FFA chapter successfully engaged in a program to produce leaders, enhance the community, and bolster agriculture.
“You go through an application process, and we submitted it in March. Then, that application gets judged at the State Convention,” said Ohlensehlen. The Vale FFA Chapter received a Gold National Chapter award at the State level and was moved to the national review board.
Chapters are required to complete at least 15 activities to qualify for a state or national award. “We were able to highlight many of our activities that were completed last year, tell them what the activities were, how many kids participated, and how the activities impacted the school and the community,” said Ohlensehlen.
Ohlensehlen said the work to garner the rating was “kind of an all-hands-on-deck to highlight the year.”
The highlighted activities ran the gamut from donating flowers – grown and nurtured by students in the chapter’s greenhouse – to Pioneer Place and work to clean up the facility’s courtyard. The application also highlighted the program’s pie sale fundraiser. The money collected from the pie event is used to help pay for FFA students to travel to the state convention and “participate in other activities,” said Ohlensehlen.
Vale FFA Chapter President Jackson Chamberlain said the 1-Star application process was a cooperative one.
“We had kids from all over the FFA in Vale working on it. It was definitely a team effort,” he said.
Chamberlain, a senior, said the 1-Star achievement is a reflection on the FFA chapter and the community.
“It goes to show how great our FFA chapter is and what we can do together. Just seeing the reward of our efforts is inspiring to me. We are a chapter that does things in our community and we support agriculture,” he said.
Chapter Vice-President Taylor Stepleton said the 1-Star achievement was “really exciting to see.”
Stepleton said the Vale chapter is “invested in bettering our community.”
“FFA is more than just farming and ranching. It is applying yourself and your chapter to create a better world,” she said.

Below: Vale FFA President (right) Jackson Chamberlain and vice-president Taylor Stepleton.

08/27/2026

Coming Full Circle: Bradfield Returns to Vale Auto Program

VALE - Sometimes timing in life is everything.
Just ask Colton Bradfield.
Bradfield will serve as the new Instructor of Automotive Technology for Vale High School this academic year, but he isn’t a stranger to the vaunted local program.
Bradfield - who graduated from Vale High School in 2009 - participated in the Viking automotive tech program for four years as a student.
He can trace his desire to teach to his experience in the automotive program and the gentle prodding of renowned and former Vale High School automotive instructor Merle Saunders.
“He asked me what I thought about teaching. The more I thought about it, it seemed interesting. But the timing wasn’t right. I was very inexperienced,” said Bradfield.
Instead of embarking on a teaching career, Bradfield attended Mt. Hood Community College and secured an associate degree in applied science in automotive technology and became a certified Ford technician. He said he then worked “a variety of jobs,” after college, including stints at a Treasure Valley Ford dealership. For the past five years, he worked at CAPS of Ontario. Then, he said, the timing suddenly seemed right to revisit a teaching career.
“This last spring I had a few people approach me asking if I wanted to apply,” he said.
Bradfield said he believes his role is to not only teach but to nurture student ambitions for the future.
“The skills I can give to the kids are applicable to their adult lives,” he said.
Bradfield said he has an “opportunity to positively influence a kid’s life.”
“I can maybe get them steered in a direction they might not have seen for themselves,” he said.
Bradfield said he understands he is taking the helm of a storied program.
“I definitely have some big shoes to fill. This program has a reputation I need to maintain,” he said.
Bradfield said the Vale Automotive Technology program has “evolved since I went through it 17 years ago.”
“So, I’m having to familiarize myself with it, but it is still the same concepts. I just have to figure out what has changed and continue building,” he said.
Bradfield said one of his main goals with students will be to give them as much “hands-on experience as possible.”
He said his new role is rewarding.
“I have great students. They are eager to learn,” he said.
Yet his goals and motivation eventually circle back to one individual: Saunders.
“I want to be a positive influence on my students the way Mr. Saunders was to me. He had a huge impact on my life,” said Bradfield.

08/25/2026

Voile Finds Her Own Path to the Classroom

VALE - From the outside, Aidrie Voile’s decision to become a teacher may seem to be pre-ordained.
Her mother, Kim, is a longtime educator and is the Superintendent of the Annex School District.
Yet Aidrie Voile – who will teach fifth grade at the Vale Elementary School during the 2026-2027 academic year – said her desire to become an educator arrived when she worked as a counselor for the Marsing Joint School District #363.
“I loved my job (in Marsing) so that experience propelled me into education. It is something that came organically,” said Voile.
Voile said her first teaching stint was for the Morrow County School District teaching second grade in Heppner.
Voile said the Morrow County job was a good experience.
“I had amazing mentors when I was in Morrow County and that shaped everything I learned,” she said.
Still, Voile admitted she missed the Treasure Valley.
“I was really homesick so I’m excited to be back home,” said Voile.
Though this will be Voile’s first year teaching for the Vale School District, Voile said her focus will be on student success.
“I want to support students to be the best students but also support their whole development and give them a strong foundation of skills,” said Voile.
Voile said she enjoys teaching elementary-aged children.
“The world hasn’t touched them as much yet. There is still everything good in the world and you hope to protect that. It is refreshing,” said Voile.
Education, she said, is a crucial building block for the future for students.
“For many students from diverse backgrounds their interaction with educators is pivotal to who they become,” she said.
Voile said one of her favorite features of teaching is the relationships she builds with each individual student.
“I want to make a difference in a child’s life and be the person who always shows up,” she said.
Voile said one key to success in the classroom is “to be structured.”
“It is important to have strong routines and stick to what you know and take advice whenever you can get it,” said Voile.
Voile, 26, said she’s learned an important lesson in life.
“You get back what you put into it and doing the right thing comes full circle,” she said.
For Voile, teaching sometimes revolves around subtle interactions.
“You may not change the world, but you may end up making a small difference and that small difference could become a big difference,” she said.

08/24/2026

Trust the Process: Gustin Begins New Counseling Role

VALE - Dave Gustin still remembers the best piece of advice he received from his mentor as a first year school counselor.
“My mentor said to always trust the counseling process and to know I might not see the impact in a student's life at first but the fruits often come later when you don’t necessarily get to see it,” he said.
The advice proved to be crucial for Gustin, who will step into the counselor position at Vale Middle School for the 2026-2027 academic year. He will also serve as Willowcreek Elementary School counselor.
“I’m excited. Vale has a nice small town feeling,” he said.
Gustin is used to living in a small town, but his roots are in western Oregon. He lives in New Plymouth but grew up in Silverton near Salem. Gustin, who kicked off his counseling career at the Payette School District before joining the Pilgrim nation in New Plymouth, said he enjoys his job. Counseling at the middle school level, he said, delivers its own rewards.
“Middle school, especially, is a time where the brains of young people open up and it is a time where they have the potential to make a really positive change,” he said.
Gustin, 48, did not begin his career path as a counselor. He worked various jobs and began at AT&T as a salesman. The only problem, he said, was he didn’t like the job.
“I’m just not a sales guy,” he said.
Eventually he said he felt “called” to become a counselor, went back to school, and earned a master’s degree in school counseling from George Fox University. He said he has never looked back and is living out what he feels called to do.
Gustin said his job is all about connections and relationships.
“Connections are important and it is a high honor to be able to be invited into someone’s life and help them through a hard time,” he said.
Gustin said counselors play an important role in school.
“I think sometimes people view counseling as seeing a shrink. But counseling is just you talking to another person - a person trained to help you unpack stuff you may be going through,” he said.
He said a stigma can occasionally attach itself to counseling.
“I want to change that,” he said.
Gustin said his job produced many triumphs over his career.
“The biggest triumphs are when I talk with students about the stuff they want to work on and change and they apply what we talk about and you see the change in their school work and life. When you help a student come up with a plan and the student has buy-in and you see them change, that’s the best thing ever,” he said.
Gustin said his approach to students evolved over the years.
“I realize more and more kids are kids and not to take stuff personal. It isn’t about me; it is about the kids. It is easy as a first-time counselor to take stuff personally, but I’ve learned it isn’t about me,” he said.
Gustin said he’s also learned two key lessons about life as a school counselor.
“The way you treat people will always come back for good or bad. Also, who you are, and your character will always show through,” he said.
For Gustin, motivation is easy to find.
“When you can go down the hall and see kids brighten up as you say hi to them, that’s a feeling you are making a difference. The knowledge that what you are doing will have lasting benefits, maybe not with all students, but with a lot of them,” he said.

08/21/2026

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08/20/2026

New Vale Math Teacher Finds Her Calling in the Classroom

VALE - Fani Lopez did not initially believe she wanted to be a teacher.
She pondered becoming a dentist.
“Eventually I grew out of that idea. Then I thought about becoming a civil engineer,” she said.
To test the engineering waters, she did a job shadow with a civil engineer.
“The job was boring. All paperwork. When I thought about what I wanted to do I knew people needed to be involved,” she said.
Then Lopez – who will teach math at Vale Middle School for the 2026-2027 school year – remembered her experience as a student in the Ontario School District.
“I had great math teachers growing up. I wanted to be one of the great math teachers I had,” she said.
Lopez, who taught math for 10 years for the Ontario School District, said she enjoys working with middle school students.
“They are bigger kids but sometimes act like little kids. It is fun to see them develop, grow, and mature,” she said.
Her job, she said, isn’t just about math.
“I teach but a lot of the time I am helping a kid grow up in life,” she said.
Lopez said teaching is never boring.
“Every year I learn something new,” she said.
While her teaching method is still vibrant, Lopez conceded much has changed since the first day she stepped into a classroom.
“I appreciate and value connections more now. I definitely invest more in that. I prioritize establishing relationships with students and parents. It takes proactive effort to connect to family and kids but it is always worth it,” she said.
Developing different methods to reach students is also crucial, she said.
“I teach with kids in mind. I try to figure out where they are at and adjust as necessary,” said Lopez.
An Ontario native, Lopez said it is important as a teacher to be able to “celebrate little and big wins in a kid’s life.”
“If they can look back and hear my name and not have a negative thought, then it is a win,” she said.
Lopez said she is grateful to work with students and parents and especially proud of the commitment of her fellow educators.
“Teaching is a really hard job. To have someone choose it over and over, year after year, those are dedicated people. There is better pay and benefits out there, yet these teachers show up and choose this,” she said.
She said her job is fulfilling.
“I get to meet super awesome people who choose to do this, and I get to know the kids at this very particular time in their lives,” she said.

08/19/2026

Tucker Turns Passion for Education Into Teaching Career

VALE - Sarah Tucker does not harbor any doubts about her teaching career.
In fact, she is eager to get started.
Tucker, who recently acquired her master’s degree in elementary education from Western Governors University, will teach sixth-grade English Language Arts at Vale Elementary School this academic year.
The position at the elementary school will mark Tucker’s first year as a teacher, though she worked as a tutor since 2015. Her new role will carry a heavy emphasis on teaching reading and writing, she said.
Tucker said she is ready for the new challenge.
“I’m excited. I have always loved teaching, especially reading. I want to make sure students find their love of reading,” said Tucker.
A Vale native, Tucker said she decided to teach full time based on her work as a tutor.
“I really enjoyed education as a tutor. So, one day my husband asked me, ‘why don’t you just do it full time?’ He kind of convinced me to go back to school and get my masters,” said Tucker.
Tucker said education is “one of the most important fields you can go into.”
“Children are our future. The kids coming into my classroom will be police officers, doctors and scientists. I think it is important to help them nurture what they want to do,” said Tucker.
Tucker said when she was a reading tutor, she was able to see first-hand how important education can be.
“There was a young lady I was tutoring. I had her for a whole school year. At the end of the year her mother sent me a nice email about how her daughter cried every time she had to read something but at the end of the year, she was reading for fun,” said Tucker.
Tucker said the crucial element to attracting students to reading is simple.
“You have to direct them to things they already enjoy. If a kid really likes sports, you have to find books that are about sports,” she said.
Tucker said she plans to find out what her students are interested in early in the school year.
“One of the biggest things for me is at the beginning of the year I do reading surveys to find out what topics they are interested in and what books they’ve read and like and what ones they don’t like,” said Tucker.
Tucker said there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to teaching.
“You can get a group of kids all the same age, but they have such a variety of learning styles and knowledge. You have to figure out what works for each one,” she said.
Tucker, 32, said her teaching philosophy is also straightforward.
“You must meet students where they are. You have to individualize with everyone. Some kids learn well if you just give them an example and others need to break a problem down. You have to make sure no matter what you are doing it is accessible for every student,” said Tucker.
Tucker said she is pleased she will be working in her hometown.
“It is nice to work in a community where you all have the same goals, and you all want what is best for kids. These are my people,” she said.

08/19/2026

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Malheur ESD: Providing Exceptional service to the Students of Eastern Oregon

08/14/2026

Free Preschool Classes Available for Nyssa Families

NYSSA – If you are a parent searching for a preschool that offers a safe, nurturing environment then the Malheur Education Service District’s Pyramid Enhanced preschool classes may be the perfect fit.
Open class positions are still available for the 2026-2027 academic year located at the Nyssa School District office building at 804 Adrian Blvd.
The classes are free for any Nyssa resident with a preschool-aged child that is aged 3 on or before Sept. 1, said Stephanie Navarrete, Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education Director for the Malheur ESD.
Classes run from 7:45 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday and are taught by licensed instructors. Breakfast, lunch and a snack are provided each day.
For more information email eokidsandcare.org

08/05/2026

Youth Team Helps Homeowners Prepare for Wildfire

HYLINE – By 1:30 in the afternoon recently it was already hot on top of the roof of the manufactured home but for Robert Esquivel, 18, and his three companions the heat was just part of the job.
The four recent high school graduates – supervised by Ontario High School Construction Instructor Bud Sebasto – are part of a unique program to help some local residents “harden” their homes inside wildfire susceptible areas.
The nine-week effort is spearheaded by the Malheur Education Service District’s Frontier STEM Hub and the Eastern Oregon CTE. Grant funds from the Eastern Oregon Workforce Board, the Eastern Oregon Border Economic Development Board and the Eastern Oregon Conservation Corp. fuel the program.
The work includes roof replacement and restoring home siding with fire-resistant materials along with installing ember-resistant vent screens and fuel removal.
Wednesday, July 15, the team led by Sebasto was working on replacing a roof at a home on Juniper Road north of Ontario. The team also cleared brush and vegetation – prime fuels for a wildfire – from the home.
Esquivel, 18, said the program is rewarding.
“I’m learning a lot of things and getting to know people,” he said.
Isaac Gonzalez, also 18, said Sebasto encouraged him to participate in the home hardening program.
“I wanted to learn. I get to work with people and see what I know and don’t know, and I like this outdoor stuff,” he said.
Sebasto said the home hardening program is a good introduction to the construction business.
“They’re getting a taste, a basic feel for everything,” he said.
Sebasto said his crew arrives at a work site at 7:30 a.m. and finishes the day at 5:30 p.m.
Nickie Shira, director of the Frontier STEM Hub, said the home on Juniper Road is exactly the type of dwelling the program targets.
“It is a great fit for home hardening,” said Shira.

Below: Mason Harris works north of Ontario as part of a program to protect local homes from wildfire. The work includes doing roof work to safeguard homes.