FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Billy Henry, Founder, President/CEO Director
Northwest Association for Blind Athletes
703 Broadway St, Ste 600
Vancouver, Washington 98660
Local Phone: 1-360-718-2826

Toll Free: 1-800-880-9837
http://www.nwaba.org
henry@nwaba.org">bhenry@nwaba.org

Northwest Association for Blind Athletes Announces Camp Spark for Children with Visual Impairments in Washington and Oregon

Vancouver, Washington—July 16th, 2019—Northwest Association for Blind Athletes (NWABA) is excited to announce as of July 9, 2019, NWABA is officially rebranding camp programs to Camp Spark. Formerly known as Camp Abilities Oregon and Camp Abilities Washington, Camp Spark enables NWABA to scale and enhance the camp program and has officially been adopted as NWABA’s sixth core program. Camp Spark will transform lives of individuals who are blind and visually impaired through sport.  Camp Spark offers comprehensive sports programming for individuals of all ages with visual impairments in a camp setting.

In two weeks, we will be hosting our first Camp Spark summer session in Tacoma, Washington.  The purpose is to empower individuals who are blind or visually impaired, break the cycle of dependence and ill health that is unnecessarily associated with visual impairments, and build their self-belief that they can take control of their own quality of life and use their many talents to actively contribute in their communities. Campers will participate in a variety of sports and recreational activities including goalball (a sport specifically developed for individuals with visual impairments), 5-a-side soccer, judo, tandem cycling, kayaking, track & field, and numerous others.

This will be the fourth year that NWABA has offered summer camp for children with visual impairments across the state. These one-week summer sessions will provide 1:2 sport instruction for each camper.  These children vary in socioeconomic status, ethnic background, and level of skills and abilities. Camp Spark in Washington will be hosted at University of Puget Sound’s campus from July 29 to August 3, 2019. Washington’s camp will impact 38 campers from across Washington ages 9-14. Camp Spark in Oregon will be hosted at the Linfield College campus in McMinnville, OR from July 21 to July 26, 2019. Oregon’s camp will impact 36 campers from across the state ages 8-15 years old. This camp is offered at no cost to campers and their families.

"Our Board of Directors is extremely excited to offer these truly transformational programs to children and youth with visual impairments. Camp reaches far beyond participating in sports, and acts as a catalyst to help campers gain the confidence, self-esteem, friendships, and independence they need to achieve success in all areas of life.” said Founder, President/CEO, Billy Henry.

Camp Spark’s Oregon session is partially funded by the Oregon Blind and Visually Impaired Student Fund, and Camp Spark’s Washington session is partially funded by Washington State Department of Services for the Blind. However, additional support is critically needed to deliver a successful camp. Donations to support Camp Spark are accepted by mailing a check to PO BOX 65265, Vancouver, WA, 98665 or making an online gift at www.nwaba.org. Please indicate that your donation is to support camp programs. For more information on Northwest Association for Blind Athletes, please contact Billy Henry at 1-360-718-2826, or visit www.nwaba.org

About NWABA:
The mission of Northwest Association for Blind Athletes (NWABA) is to provide life-changing opportunities through sports and physical activity to individuals who are blind and visually impaired. A group of students who were visually impaired formed the association in 2007 to ensure that people who are blind were participating in sports and physical activity. Today, NWABA is a rapidly expanding 501(c)(3) charitable organization that provides more than 1,500 children, youth, adults and military veterans with visual impairments tailored programming which improves self-confidence and self-esteem, promotes independence, creates an inclusive community of supporters, and builds the skills necessary to succeed in all areas of life including school and employment.

For information: http://www.nwaba.org  or
Contact: henry@nwaba.org">bhenry@nwaba.org
Phone:  1-360-718-2826

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Puget Sound Educational Service District (PSESD) seeks a diverse group of community members to consider becoming members of the agency’s Board of Directors.  Four out of nine Board of Director seats are up for election this year.  Board members set the agency vision and monitor progress toward its End:  Success for Each Child and Eliminate the Opportunity Gap by Leading with Racial Equity.

Positions up for election and the school districts represented are:

District 2 - Bainbridge Island, Vashon Island, and North, Central, West Seattle

District 4 - Lake Washington, Northshore, Skykomish, Riverview

District 6 - Auburn, Puyallup, Dieringer, Sumner, Tahoma, Snoqualmie Valley, Enumclaw

District 8 - Tacoma, Peninsula, University Place

PSESD is one of nine regional educational agencies serving school districts and state approved charter and private schools in Washington State. ESDs improve the quality, equity and efficiency of educational programs through partnerships with K-12 programs, early learning, higher education and private organizations. PSESD provides these programs and services to 35 school districts, 200 private schools, two tribal compact schools and seven charter schools in King and Pierce counties and Bainbridge Island.

PSESD seeks community members who are committed to eliminating opportunity gaps and leading with racial equity, participating in monthly board meetings to approve financials and policies regarding the operations of the agency, connecting PSESD with educational leaders and community members, and ultimately ensuring the PSESD achieves its End:  Success for Each Child and Eliminate the Opportunity Gap by Leading With Racial Equity.

To be eligible for membership on an ESD board, a candidate must be a registered voter and live in the ESD and director district for which the candidate files. ESD board members serve a four-year term and are elected by the members of local school boards within each ESD. Terms of office for ESD board members elected in fall 2019 begin in January 2020.

Declarations of candidacy and optional candidate statements must be filed with the Washington State Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) between September 1 and September 16. Voting, by mail-in ballot, will take place October 1 through 16.

Beginning in August, declaration of candidacy and candidate statement forms will be available through the OSPI Administrative Resources website.

For more information, community members should visit www.psesd.org or email comm@psesd.org. 

SPOKANE, Wash. – Early this morning, the Bureau Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) led a large-scale enforcement action targeting a methamphetamine and heroin drug trafficking organization with ties to a Washington State based street gang identified as the Eastside Familia Norteno (ESF).  Over 300 law enforcement officials, including federal agents and state and local officers executed 19 federal search warrants located in Grant, Yakima and Adams Counties. 

On July 10, 2019, a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Washington returned an indictment charging 16 individuals for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and heroin. The lead defendants in this case are Luis Manuel Farias-Carendas, 40, of Moses Lake, and Joshua Isaac Stine, 34, of Ephrata, who are accused of being the leaders of the drug trafficking conspiracy. Both were taken into custody today. Twelve others named in the indictment are also in custody pending an initial appearance in federal court in Spokane, Washington. They are: 

Patrick Elliot Pearson, 47, of Moses Lake

Cristian Misael Gomez, 23, of Grant County

Luis Manuel Ramirez, 25, of Moses Lake

Zacarias Martinez-Garza, 23 of Moses Lake

Mariano Ruiz-Balderas, 19, of Moses Lake

Jesse Leon Manion Jr., 55, of Moses Lake

Heather Elaine Keating, 41, of Moses Lake

Leonel Caballero, 62, of Warden

Forrest Walker Herzog, 34, of Moses Lake

Amy Jo Dygert, 33, of Moses Lake

Michael Edward McLaughlin, 59, of Ephrata

Jesus Valenica-Morfin , 31, of Yakima

One additional person, Tomas Gomez, 49, of Los Angeles, Calif., was also arrested during the operation and charged by federal complaint. 

The 15 individuals were arrested in the following cities: 11 in Moses Lake, one in Ephrata, two in Yakima, and one in Warden.  At this time, agents and officers have seized pound quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin, over 50 firearms and U.S. currency.

This investigation is a continuation of law enforcement efforts in December 2017, which focused on violent drug traffickers who were operating in Grant County.  The earlier investigation resulted in 24 individuals who have pled guilty in federal court and eight pounds of methamphetamine, 10 vehicles, $25,000 and more than 80 firearms were seized.    

The following agencies provided significant assistance for today’s enforcement action: ATF, DEA, USBP, United States Marshals Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Grant County Sheriff’s Office, Moses Lake Police Department, Interagency Narcotics Enforcement Team, Washington State Patrol, Idaho State Police, Adams County Sheriff’s Office, Law Enforcement Against Drugs, Yakima Police Department, Columbia River Drug Task Force, North Central Washington Narcotics Task Force, Warden Police Department, Ephrata  Police Department and Quincy Police Department.

The case is being prosecuted by Caitlin Baunsgard, an Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington.

An Indictment Contains Mere Allegations That an Individual Has Committed a Crime.  Every Individual Is Presumed Innocent Until and Unless Proven Guilty Beyond a Reasonable Doubt in a Court of Law.

Girl Scouts of the USA Launches 42 New Badges to Mobilize Girls to Change the World

By exploring topics like high adventure in the outdoors, coding, space science, and more, girls take control of their own leadership experiences. 

July 16, 2019—Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) today reveals 42 new badges exclusively for girls in grades K–12 that allow them to make their own choices about how they want to experience and influence the world. The badges enhance the organization’s existing girl-led programming, offering girls everything from adventuring in the snow or mountains to learning how to use coding to solve problems they care about. Girl Scout programming has long promoted independent decision making, which helps girls develop agency, challenge themselves to move beyond their comfort zones, and build confidence in their leadership abilities.

Among the 42 new offerings are Outdoor High Adventure badges that feature, for the first time in Girl Scouts’ history, two distinct activity options, letting girls choose how they want to earn each badge. Giving girls choices is important for developing their sense of self, their own voice, and gender equality—research from the World Bank Group shows that increasing women’s agency and decision-making abilities is key to improving their lives, communities, and the world. And research shows that Girl Scouts are more likely than other girls to take an active role in decision making (80% vs. 51%).

In addition to existing badge offerings, girls in grades 6–12 can now pursue:

• Nine Cybersecurity badges, through which girls learn about the inner workings of computer technology and cybersecurity and apply concepts of safety and protection to the technology they use every day. Activities range from decrypting and encrypting messages, to learning proper protection methods for devices, to exploring real-world hacking scenarios (funded by Palo Alto Networks).
   
• Three Space Science badges, through which girls explore topics such as the universe and their place in it, properties of light, and inspiring careers in space science (funded by NASA’s Science Mission Directorate and led by the SETI Institute).
   
• Think Like a Citizen Scientist, a Girl Scout Leadership Journey during which girls participate in interactive activities to practice observation techniques; collect data; and share their findings with real-world scientists through an online network. As with all of Girl Scouts’ Leadership Journeys, girls use their newly honed skills to take action on a community issue of their choosing (funded by Johnson & Johnson and The Coca-Cola Foundation).
   
• To prepare girls in grades 6–12 to pursue computer science careers, Girl Scouts will launch the organization’s first Cyber Challenge events in select areas this fall. At these events, which will take place October 19, girls will learn crucial cybersecurity skills by completing challenges such as running traceroutes and identifying phishing schemes (funded by Raytheon).

The new programming for girls in grades K–12 includes:

• 12 Outdoor High Adventure badges, designed for girls to explore nature and experience exciting outdoor adventures like backpacking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, rock climbing, and tree climbing—giving them the confidence to support one another, take healthy risks, and spend dedicated time in nature. These are the first Girl Scout badges that members can earn by choosing one of two self-directed paths (funded by The North Face). 
   
• 18 Coding for Good badges, which not only teach girls the basics of coding but also detail how every stage of the coding process provides girls with opportunities to use their skills for good. Girls will learn about algorithms through age-appropriate, creative activities, such as coding positive memes to spread a message about a cause they care about, designing a digital game to educate people about an issue, and developing an app to promote healthy habits. Every Coding for Good badge includes a plugged-in and unplugged version, so that all girls can learn the foundations of coding, regardless of their access to technology (funded by AT&T and Dell Technologies).

“Girl Scouts has ignited the power and potential of girls for over a century, and we are committed to ensuring that today’s girls are the future of American leadership,” said GSUSA CEO Sylvia Acevedo. “Girl Scouts is where girls can explore new subjects, discover their passions, learn to take smart risks, and become their best, most confident selves—whether they want to become a NASA astronaut, an entrepreneur, a rock climber, a coder, or a cybersecurity agent.” 

GSUSA works with top organizations in fields that interest today’s girls. Combined with Girl Scouts’ expertise in girl leadership, these organizations and specialists advise and weigh in on content to provide the most cutting-edge programming available to girls. Content collaborators include codeSpark, the National Integrated Cyber Education Research Center (NICERC), SciStarter, and Vidcode. In true girl-led fashion, girls also tested the new offerings.

At Girl Scouts she’ll discover who she is, what she’s passionate about, and what she wants to achieve—both today and in the future. Join or volunteer at www.girlscouts.org/join.

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We're Girl Scouts of the USA
We're 2.5 million strong—more than 1.7 million girls and 750,000 adults who believe in the power of every G.I.R.L. (Go-getter, Innovator, Risk-taker, Leader)™ to change the world. Our extraordinary journey began more than 100 years ago with the original G.I.R.L., Juliette Gordon “Daisy” Low. On March 12, 1912, in Savannah, Georgia, she organized the very first Girl Scout troop, and every year since, we’ve honored her vision and legacy, building girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place. We’re the preeminent leadership development organization for girls. And with programs from coast to coast and across the globe, Girl Scouts offers every girl a chance to practice a lifetime of leadership, adventure, and success. To volunteer, reconnect, donate, or join, visit www.girlscouts.org.

“Reaching for the Stars: NASA Science for Girl Scouts” is based upon work supported by NASA Science under cooperative agreement No. NNX16AB90A. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

About Girl Scouts of Oregon and Southwest Washington

In partnership with more than 8,000 adult members, Girl Scouts of Oregon and Southwest Washington prepares 14,500 girls in grades K-12 for a lifetime of leadership, adventure and success. GSOSW’s programs in civic engagement, financial literacy, the outdoors and STEM serve girls in 37 counties in Oregon, and Clark, Klickitat and Skamania counties in Southwest Washington. The Girl Scout mission is to build girls of courage, confidence and character, who make the world a better place. For more information, please visit girlscoutsosw.org.