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Viking Association
Mission Statement:
To create, promote, and sustain a "Viking-connected" community of alumni and friends, this Association will foster a lasting and mutually beneficial relationship among alumni, friends, North Salem High School (NSHS), its students and staff, and the community to support the mission, goals, and traditions of NSHS.
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Greetings!
Featured in this issue:
- 14th Street Jazz Band scores big
- Drama students advance to State and Nationals
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Wrestling takes second in CVC
- In Memoriam: Jeaneen Gann
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 14th Street Jazz Band blows away competition
At the West Salem Jazz Festival earlier this month, the Vikings 14th Street Jazz Band dominated the competition. In addition to winning the overall event, North High had the Best Drum Soloist (Bryce Vehrs), Best Trumpet soloist (Isaac Ponce), and Best Alto Sax Soloist (Erik Gonzalez Lazo). The smaller jazz combo of Ponce, Nathan Compton, Taner Jones, and Andrew Skillern took 2nd in the Jazz Combo Division.
Three band members were selected for the Salem-Keizer All City Band: Nathan Compton, Johanna Wagner, and Riley Wilson. The band program at North is directed by Brian Bell. Stay tuned (pun intended) for information about the upcoming "An Evening of Jazz," featuring the 14th Street Jazz Band performing an evening of largely Big Band music along with a dinner and auction at the Salem Convention Center.
 Viking drama students score high in competition
At the Oregon Thespians 2016 Regional Acting Competition February 3, the North Salem drama program qualified a large number of students for State and Nationals. With a cast of 16, the Viking large group musical piece ("Freak," a song from Shrek the Musical) qualified for both State and Nationals. In addition, 8 more students got National qualifying scores in their events, including Solo Music, Solo Acting, Duo Scenes and Group Scenes. Fantastic work by our great North High actors and their director, Alyssa Bonds.
This is a good time to remind you that you can see performances of the entire production of Shrek the Musical on March 3, 4, 5, 11, and 12 at 7 pm in the North High auditorium. In addition, there will be a 2 pm matinee on March 12. See the poster below for more information. You will love the talent and enthusiasm of these young people.
Viking Wrestlers take 2nd in Conference, 20th in State
North High's wrestling team had its highest Conference finish in years, taking second in the 9-team Central Valley Conference and 20th at State. Led by freshman Ian Carlos in the 126 lb. division, the Viks qualified 8 grapplers to the State meet from Conference. Also placing in the top 3 in the CVC and going to State were Josh
Urbina at 106 lbs. (3rd CVC/top 8 State); Brandon Quezada at 113 lbs. (3rd CVC/ top 8 State); Shannon Glover at 120 lbs. (2nd CVC);
Adam Ramos at 132 lbs. (2nd CVC); David Johnson at 182 lbs. (2nd CVC) and Jorge Ochoa also at 182 lbs. (3rd CVC), and
Eduardo Ramirez at 285 lbs (2nd CVC). Ian Carlos won his weight division at Conference and placed 2nd at the State Meet, giving him 1st team All-Conference and 2nd team All-State honors. Glover, Ramos, and Johnson garnered 2nd team All-Conference honors, while Urbina, Quezada, and Ochoa were Honorable Mention.
The Viking mat men are coached by Andy Pickett, who was voted by his fellow league coaches as CVC Coach of the Year. Congratulations to these Viks who represented themselves, their team, and their school so well.
In Memoriam: Jeaneen Gann
As has been our tradition since starting this newsletter, we share with our readers the passing of inductees of the North High Hall of Fame.
Popular math teacher and basketball coach Jeaneen Gann passed away February 21 after losing a 3-year battle with cancer. Born and raised in Oklahoma, Jeaneen discovered Oregon when she attended summer camp on the Oregon Coast. As an undergraduate at Murray State College, she helped the team to two National Junior College basketball championships and her entire team was inducted in the Murray State Hall of Fame.
As a teacher at North, "Miss Gann" or "Coach Gann" taught math for 27 years, the last 11 as department coordinator. She coached the Lady Viking basketball teams to five state playoffs and one State Tournament and she was named Valley League Coach of the Year in 1988, 1990, and 1992. In 1997 she received the coveted Crystal Apple Award for excellence in education. She was inducted into the North High Hall of Fame in 2013 in the category of Service, the one category open to non-alumni. It should be noted that Jeaneen, along with Michael T. Smith (both non-alums) were the driving forces in starting North's unique Hall of Fame in 2006 on the 100th anniversary of the first graduating class from our school.
Ms. Gann, the math teacher, was legendary in the halls of North Salem. She made math fun and believed that any student could learn math with her help. She was famous for the Friday song ("Friday, Friday, Friday is my favorite day!) and her announcements over the PA ("Do your math!). A Jeaneen Gann Scholarship, which will benefit an outstanding female athlete and math student, is being established. Contributions may be made with checks payable to the Salem Foundation-Jeaneen Gann Scholarship Fund c/o Pioneer Trust Bank, PO Box 2305, Salem OR 97308.
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If you have not already done so, please send to Steve Chambers your full contact information (name, maiden name where applicable, street address, phone number, and graduating class or if your are a friend) as this will help us keep in contact should your e-mail address change.
Please forward this newsletter to other Vikings so they can also stay in touch with the school.
steverc@comcast.net |
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