Clark County Skills Center

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Outdoor Adventure Instructor Retires

Last Updated on Friday, 24 May 2013 19:32 Written by Margaret Rice Friday, 24 May 2013 19:30

Paul Haack, the outdoor Challenge Course instructor at the Clark County Skills Center, is retiring at the end of the current school year. Hired by the Evergreen District in 1993, Haack built, taught and improved upon the Skills Center Challenge Course showing students, teachers, staff and Clark County businesses the values of problem solving, teamwork and communication through a series of innovative and hands-on outdoor experiences.

Every year, students from each Skills Center class participate. They are tasked with solving unique problems that require such team skills as support, sharing ideas, goal setting and leadership. Relying on each other, student teams can be solving problems on the ground or as high as 50 feet in the air. It is done within a safe, challenging outdoor environment that unleashes the spirit of adventure and reveals the exhilaration of personal achievement. The program expands yearly adding new elements and creating new ways for participants to work together as cohesive teams.

Skills Center Director Dennis Kampe explains how Haack’s Challenge Course has been a key ingredient in the success of the Skills Center Professionalism (Soft Skills) Curriculum:

"Paul has had a positive impact on every Skills Center graduate in developing his/her professional and character growth – which is what our employing community wants."

Before spending the last 20 years with the Skills Center and the Evergreen School District at the Challenge Course, Haack served both from 1984 to 1993 as a Drug and Alcohol Prevention Specialist. Prior to that he was a school nurse and staff nurse in various Northwest locations as well as a Big Brother/Big Sister Program Director in Michigan. He received his Bachelor of Science in Sociology and Psychology from Central Michigan University and his Bachelor of Nursing degree from the University of Portland where he was named Outstanding Student Nurse in Pediatrics.

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Double-Degree Duo

Written by Margaret Rice Wednesday, 22 May 2013 20:05

Double-Degree Duo Deal Another Skills Center First

In its 30-year history, the Clark County Skills Center has never had a student graduate from high school and a community college in their technical career field program simultaneously. Until now.

Next month, two students – Robert "Shane" Allen: a River Homelink grad-to-be and Mayra Gonzalez: a Skyview graduating senior -- each receives their High School Diploma and their Associates Degree in Construction Technology from Clark College at the same time. Both students are enrolled in the Skills Center Construction Technology program.

Allen will now journey to the University of Arkansas to pursue a degree in engineering. Gonzalez plans to seek an apprenticeship to become an Interior/Exterior Systems Carpenter.

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Clark County Skills Center's Fashion Merchandising Program a Good Fit

Written by Margaret Rice Thursday, 16 May 2013 16:01

“It’s way more than a pair of pants.”

That’s how Julianne Cubacub, 17, summarized what she’s learned about marketing clothing as a student in the Clark County Skills Center’s new fashion merchandising program. As she talked, her hands were busily organizing a rack of clothing at Deja Vu, an upscale consignment shop in Cascade Park.

To read the entire Columbian article, click here.

Skills Center Students Pushing Fashion Forward

Last Updated on Wednesday, 08 May 2013 15:36 Written by Margaret Rice Wednesday, 08 May 2013 15:34

Students enrolled in the Skills Center Fashion Merchandising program will be interning this Saturday (May 11^th) with professional fashion designers at a runway show in Portland. Fashion Forward starts at 8:00 PM in the White Horse Studios, 3747 NE Sandy Boulevard in Portland.

The students get to work with featured designers Joshua Buck/Chicago Harper and Lisa Silveira/Wandering Muse as well as new designers Heidi Bergin, Karen Chow/Claudia Relyea, Keegan Greenwald, Lane Hunter, Caitlin McCall, Gupse Spasoro, and Lisha Xie. Intern duties include assisting models during fittings, doing pre-show line preparation, helping models dress backstage during the show and readying garments for sales calls.

Proceeds from the event benefit the Portland Sewing Fashion Design Scholarship for Teens. For more information, contact Sharon Blair – Portland Sewing Owner – at (503) 927-5457, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or visit www.portlandsewing.com.

For more information about the Fashion Merchandising program, contact instructor Pam Archer at (360) 604-1050 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . This is one of thirteen programs offered by the Skills Center -- owned and operated by the ten Clark County school districts -- providing technical and professional training programs to prepare Clark County high school and college students (ages 16-21) for the workforce. Visit www.ccskillscenter.com to learn more.