Student, educator and West Linn Lion: Ron Adams, Class of 1952, has always been an active part of his community. While he was at West Linn High, he acquired an appreciation for improving academics for students.

After high school, Adams enjoyed working with people, especially students, mentoring those who had bad reputations and had great difficulty with school.

“I liked their willingness to learn,” Adams said. He helped the students at Clackamas Community College with improving writing skills for papers and class assignments.

It’s not surprising that volunteer work at the West Linn Lions Club, which started in 1953, caused Adams to become even more enthralled with the prospect of helping students. He joined the club in 1987, supporting its cause of raising money for student scholarships.  It even has a scholarship for students involved in community service.

“The hope is that you have a knowledgeable society that can help do good work and improve the education of students,” Adams said.

As for Adams, after high school he continued to benefit those in his community. In 2003, he began to work on the Clackamas Community College Board. He believed that the College Board felt the same way as he did about helping students. The seven member board’s policy is to “provide effective means and result in creating effective students,” according to Adams. On the board, Adams’ duty was to hire the Superintendent of Public Instruction, set policies, and manage Clackmas Community College’s budget. He also made sure that students had efficient and functional education.

“Access for students is crucial,” Adams said.

Even in retirement, Adams continues to work on the Clackamas Community College Board. He is still active in the Lions Club, cooking at food feeds to raise money for scholarships. He currently resides in West Linn.
Similar to Adams, Brittany Westover, senior, is a perfect example of a student active in the community. As a part of the Associated Student Body, Westover works on fundraising for the school by selling spirit shirts and tickets for school dances. She also raises money for charities, both national and local, to give financial support to those who’ve lost loved ones.

“This year we raised around $20,000 for the Blue Butterfly Campaign, which is a campaign to raise money for a son who died of leukemia,” Westover said.
Besides raising money, Westover makes sure the students are involved in the school through special events like Winter Ball or Survivor. She experiences a sense of joy as she works for the benefit of the students.

“It’s really fun to help kids to be more successful throughout high school,” Westover said. “I love ASB; they are like a family to me.