Sweet Valley HIgh. Cell Phones, and Guacamole

The other day I drove by Philomath high school and began to think about what it used to look like when I went there. How it didn’t have a second floor or those big, fancy glass windows. For some reason seeing its new iteration made me think about the old book series “Sweet Valley High.” Then I realized the kids at the school today probably have no idea what that series is.

That thought led me to think of how different experiences and opportunities are for kids today. When I was a freshman, I believe I was the only one in my circle of friends that had a cell phone. My mom would sometimes let me take hers to school. It was as big as my hand and a flip phone, but most other kids still had pagers, so it was pretty cool.

I would guess that most teenagers these days have no idea what life was like without a cell phone. Back then we had to pre-plan events with a meeting time and place so that we could find each other. It was not possible to send a quick text asking where someone was or what they were going to do. Instead, we had to “page” someone who then had to scrounge change and find a payphone to call from. The process was a drag.

For unplanned rendezvous, we needed a central meeting place to find people on the fly. At the time, the Taco Bell/Subway/Texaco complex on Main Street was that place for most kids I knew. If we were looking for things to do, we would go there and see who else was there. Compared to what we can do today, that complex acted as a way to send a group text about what the day’s activities may be.

At the Texaco complex, even though there were “no loitering” signs outside the building, many of us did just that. I remember countless times that the lot would be full of teenagers socializing and congregating before they moved to another location.

That complex was also where I worked my first job. For its grand opening, the companies held interviews in the high school counseling center. I joined dozens of peers that showed up, and, at the age of 14, I was hired for Taco Bell.

Working at Taco Bell was more of a social event than a job. Because the interviews were held at the school, nearly all staff excluding some managers were peers. This meant that we often governed ourselves. It wasn’t “Lord of the Flies” but it did get a little crazy at times.

I recall the sour cream and guacamole wars we had after closing. Since we had to clean the floors anyway, sometimes we shot the devices similar to a caulking gun, at each other. Standing inside the walk-in cooler and waiting for someone to open the door would get extra laughs if you could surprise them with sour cream to the face.

Looking back, it was wasteful and probably punishable, but we were kids, and the thought of having fun consumed most of our time. That, I am sure, is the same for kids today.

I remember a project assigned in Mr. Dunham’s AV Tech class called “A Day in My Life.” We were supposed to make a video (yes, like on a video tape) and present it in class. My parents had a video camera. It was twice the size of my head and so heavy it made my shoulder numb. Nevertheless, they allowed me to bring it to school to record for the project.

I spent a couple of days filming friends skateboarding, being silly in the halls of the school, and engaging in shenanigans during off-campus lunches. I recorded myself at work making and wrapping a bean burrito in less than five seconds. I also had footage of friends building a castle out of Taco Bell’s sporks.

For the time, that AV Tech program was cutting-edge. We got a chance to splice and edit video, early training for what would become common knowledge among today’s kids. There’s an app for that now, of course.

Memories like these make me wonder what life will be like for youth 20 years from now. I’m not THAT old and I’ve already seen so much. I remember “car phones” in cases that fit between your seats with a cord that plugged into the cigarette lighter. I remember when text on a computer screen was neon green with a black background and letters often appeared slower than you typed them. I remember Pac Man on Atari.

The boom in technology, and in the growth of Philomath, scares some people. But I’m curious about what’s coming next. I wait in anticipation for experiences and opportunities the future holds. And for what places in Philomath may create fond memories for kids yet to come.

Record numbers attend Vacation Bible School in Philomath

Carla Kaminga stood in front of a group of wide-eyed kids and held up a bracelet. It was made from woven threads of yellow, black, red, green and white. Each color of the bracelet reminded Kaminga of a story in the Bible, she explained to her audience.

“This yellow part here,” she said as she pointed, “reminds me of the streets of gold and of heaven.” She continued, “this black part here reminds me of the sins that Jesus died for.”

After she finished explaining what each color meant to her, she asked the kids if they were ready to have their own bracelet. The room erupted with excitement as arms shot up, each kid wanting to be the first to claim a gift.

The kids, age 4 through 5th grade, had gathered at Philomath Middle School for Vacation Bible School (VBS) held July 10-14. Hosted by local Evangelical churches, VBS is a specialized form of religious education that incorporates fun for kids to learn Bible stories, religious song, crafts, and skits. VBS is free.

“We have teachers from different churches, people that take the week off work for this—a lot of people that have come together to make this happen,” said Mat Phelps, Living Faith Community Church youth pastor.

Five other local churches teamed up with Living Faith to make VBS possible. This year there were 50 junior leader volunteers, youth in 6th to 12th grade, and 20 adult leader volunteers.

Attendance was among the highest ever, according to Kaminga, who has been involved with VBS for over two decades. Total registration was 250, exceeding last year’s 200.

“There’s a lot of kids who come that don’t have a church or don’t go to church,” said Kaminga. “We make it open to everyone.”

With several rooms of the middle school transformed for VBS, there was a story room for kids to hear Bible stories, a memory verse room to learn scripture, and a music room to practice songs.

This year’s theme was “Deep Sea Discovery,” so all stories and activities related to water and the sea. School lockers that lined the hallways were covered in blue paper, adding to the deep sea theme as kids traveled from room to room.

The school gym became the music room. Kids gathered in the center, facing a stage built by Philomath residents Christie and Ryan Vaughan. Using paper mache, a seascape of coral reefs surrounded the stage, with a large octopus made from pool noodles and orange spray foam. Jellyfish hung from the ceiling, and blue drapes in the background gave the feel of moving water.

The stage will be disassembled and taken to a church in Eastern Washington for another group of VBS kids to enjoy later this summer.

During story time the children heard stories of kids in other countries, such as Danielle, an impoverished girl in Mexico who came to know Jesus through people that helped her in difficult situations. Each day Kaminga read a portion of Danielle’s story, building up to the final chapter at week’s end.

“The kids love it,” said Kaminga. “Their eyes get big and they have so many questions. They’re just so empathetic.”

Each day of VBS started with a skit performed by the kids, incorporating the day’s theme. Theme days included inside-out day, crazy hair day, hat day, and flip-flop/water day. Volunteers planned months in advance for crafts, stories, and skits.

On Wednesday night, the children and their families enjoyed a Corvallis Knight’s game as an extracurricular group activity. On Thursday night, VBS hosted a barbecue in which the kids invited their family, friends, and neighbors. An estimated 400 people enjoyed hot dogs, hamburgers, and shaved ice. The evening included games, a bounce house, and music. A local sheriff and police officers were present to talk with the kids.

“It’s just a big community party,” said Phelps. “We love it because it’s an opportunity for people to come together.”

At the end of the week, each kid received an Adventure Bible personalized with the child’s name to take home.