![MORE THAN A GAME. With two diving catches in the outfield, the Lions showed up defensively, aiding in their victory over the Pacers. One catch was made by Atwood, and the other by McGraw. Throughout the game, the Lions knew that it wasn’t just about their victory today. “I think [playing for cancer] makes it bigger than just a game,” McGraw said. “Knowing that you have a bigger impact in this world than just who you are as one person.”](https://wlhsnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/I70A1454-1-1200x800.jpg)
![Students in the National Art Honor Society work on the Mount Hood mural on the window of SouthLake Church. The students brought a variety of paints and mixed their own custom colors. “Instead of brushstrokes, we’re doing more dabbing, because it gives [a] better impression of tree foliage, rather than looking like actual brush strokes, because if we’re painting trees, we need it to look like trees,” Crawford said.](https://wlhsnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_2397-1200x900.jpg)
Cleaning up Oregon, one school at a time
From the beaches of Oregon to the rivers that flow through the state, West Linn High School’s advanced science classes are working to help the environment. Working with SOLVE, a statewide, non-profit out of Hillsboro, Ore. that cleans up environments, they hope to make the state a cleaner place.
Jim Hartmann, Environmental Science teacher, is leading the students participating in SOLVE. “We have been working with SOLVE since 2000,” Hartmann said. “There are about 30 high schools working with SOLVE, but WLHS was the first high school who was involved.”
“Steve Knette, Team Up program coordinator, first contacted us back in 2000,” Hartmann explained, “he helped us to be involved in the ecology of Oregon and the general clean up of of our campus and the stream that runs behind the school.”
SOLVE has helped and encouraged students to volunteer in more ecological restorations and to pursue careers in ecological restoration. Additionally, SOLVE speakers have been coming to WLHS and talking to the students on the Green Team,a club dedicated to helping the environment.
“The speakers come to talk to us and teach students about how to restore ecological restoration sites,” Hartmann said. “They also tell us about any upcoming clean ups and restorations.”
“We have been to Dahl Beach and did some clean up there,” Isabel Jolley, senior and member of the Green Team, said. “We have also done some blackberry removal and planted native trees.”
The Green Team at WLHS has helped to improve the ecology of the state and on the West Linn campus by cleaning up the stream behind the school. SOLVE accepts any volunteers for any of the clean ups or restorations, and has signups for the event on their website.
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Rather than waking up an hour or two before the school day, Grace Nickas, senior, starts her day four hours earlier. On a typical say, Nickas wakes up...
