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As usual in our May edition, we present our summary of spring accomplishments at North High. Due the lateness of some of the competitions and awards, we will have a second round-up in June.
 Music
Stringed Orchestra finished its performance year June 29 with its spring concert, saying goodbye to 12 seniors. The ensemble gave its Outstanding Musician Awards to senior Juana Lopez Duran and junior Clair Dietz. Juana Lopez Duran was named outstanding senior musician and was a recipient of a $1000 Dick Withnell scholarship, usually given to young people who would like to make a career in music education. On June 2, North alumnus Lynn Nelson (class of 1964), will show students a 1736 Joseph Guarneri violin and discuss its history.
Year-end results from band and choir are not yet in and will be reviewed in more detail next month. At this point we can say that the choir qualified for State competition and moved up 10 places this year. In addition, three Vikings qualified for the State Solo Voice Contest: Rosa Borrego, Olga Valdez, and Cheyenne Ross.
 Many of our students come from families that are not well off financially and have difficulty finding the money to buy or even rent the instruments needed to participate in band or orchestra. Instruments are not provided by the School District. If you played an instrument at some point and it is now gathering dust in some part of your home, apartment, or storage facility, consider donating it to North High so it can get some love. Contact the high school at 503-399-3241 to let them know, or the Viking Association through Steve Chambers at steverc@comcast.net, and I'm sure we can get some form of tax write-off for you. 
Sports
Spring sports had some outstanding efforts!
The softball team had five players selected honorable mention in all-conference voting: Seniors Cheryl Bello, Niki Cooper, and Allie Kemmerman and juniors Kaly Alik and Ashley Kalhoff.
The baseball team advanced to the second round of the State Playoffs, before bowing 1-0 to McMinnville. Several Vikings were granted all-conference honors. Junior pitcher Andy Bevens (left) and junior
 
third baseman Alex Alvarado (right) were unanimous first team picks, while sophomore catcher Cole Hamilton (below)also made first team.
Junior Alex Roberts was selected 2nd team, while Cole Hamilton as a pitcher and seniors Isaiah Yoder and Daniel Zavala were honorable mention.
Viking tracksters showed very well this spring. Riley Knebes (a senior) broke her own school record in the 300 meter hurdles, broke the Central Valley Conference records for both the 100 high hurdles and the 300 low hurdles on her way to victory, and placed 3rd in the high hurdles and first in the 300 hurdles at the State meet (picture below right), running the fifth fastest time in Oregon history!
Other outstanding track efforts include seniors Kaelia Neal, who placed 2nd in Conference in the 800 meters with the 4th fastest time in school history, Desiray Robinson (2nd in high jump), and Sergio Davila (1st in high jump); junior Jared Costales-Miller (2nd in the 300 hurdles, with the 4th best time in school history); and sophomores Simon Leaks (2nd in shot put) and John Mendrin (2nd in the 3000 meters). All performed well at the State meet. Also at the Conference meet sophomore Eli Valenzuela broke the North High sophomore school record in the 400 meters, placing 4th in the event.
Led by senior Maribel Ocampo, the girls' tennis team had the best season in recent years. Ocampo placed third in single in the Conference, qualifying her for the State tennis tournament.
Saxon Huber was a standout for the boys' golf team, nailing down 5th in the Central Valley Conference.
Seniors
The first week in June is a big one for the Class of 2014. On Friday, June 6, Graduation will take place for the second time on the North High football field. The weather forecast is favorable!
The day before is the Senior Awards Assembly. The winners of our two scholarships, the Mark Hatfield Scholarship and the Edith Green Scholarship, will be announced. Each award is billed as $1000, though contributions for the past three years by Antoinette Hatfield (Mark's widow) and an anonymous donor have raise the Hatfield Scholarship to $2000. We will let you know the recipients in next month's newsletter.
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