![At the bottom of the third inning, the Lions are still scoreless. Rowe stands at home plate, preparing to bat, while Vandenbrink stands off to the side as the next batter up. Despite having the bases loaded, the team was unable to score any runs. “It’s just the beginning of the season. We’re just going to be playing out best by June, [and] that’s where champions are,” Rowe said.](https://wlhsnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/IMG_3077-1200x900.jpg)
![All smiles. The group poses for a photo with last year’s book, “This is Our House,” along with their award for third Best in Show. Meikle, who was an Editor-in-Chief for the yearbook last year as well, holds both and stands at the center of the group. “That was an amazing feeling, going and grabbing the third place award,” Meikle said. “All of it paid off. I cried so much over that book, being able to receive [the award] was one of the highlights of my high school career, it was like the coolest thing ever.”](https://wlhsnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/8bookpose_philly-1200x800.jpg)
Entering the second semester, students may have gotten to know these two new-to-West-Linn teachers.
Elli Manoogian-O’Dell
Elli Manoogian-O’Dell, sophomore English teacher, recently joined the high school staff. Before becoming a teacher, Manoogian-O’Dell worked in marketing before making the switch to teaching
“I was working in marketing, and I was just staring at a screen all day,” Manoogian-O’Dell said. “I wasn’t talking to humans very often, my sole purpose was to make money for a company.”
Manoogian-O’Dell has been teaching for four years now.
“There’s still so much to learn from students,” Manoogian-O’Dell said. “ I’m not the only person in the room that knows things”
Outside of teaching, Manoogian-O’Dell gardens after gaining an interest in it this past summer.
“I’ve really got into native plants and foraging,” Manoogian-O’Dell said.
She has recently learned to use plants as clothing dye. Besides gardening, she also spends time with her two cats, Stella and Shady.
Karen Chadwick
Karen Chadwick, math teacher, recently moved from teaching at Athey Creek Middle School to the high school this year.
Chadwick grew up in a small village community in England. When she was younger, there were only about eight people per grade.
Chadwick has always had an interest in math because it has always made sense to her.
“I always wanted to be a teacher since I was a little kid,” Chadwick said.
When Chadwick entered college, she was told being a teacher was a bad idea, so she tried engineering instead. However she eventually switched to being a teacher after a bit.
“The kids make me laugh,” Chadwick said.
Chadwick is also involved in a dragon boat racing team for teachers called “No Teacher Left Behind,” which races in the Rose Festival in June.
Students can find Manoogian-O’Dell teaching English in room E101 and Chadwick teaching in room B105.
