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Mr. Pelican Tickets

Mr. Pelican Pageant Returns to the Ross Ragland Theater Today

Photo: Klamath Union senior, Jose Garcia, visits Mills Elementary School Thursday, visiting his little pelican, kindergarten student, Joaquin Rojas Hernandez, part of the March 7 Mr. Pelican pageant.

Klamath Falls, OR – March 2, 2025 – Get ready for an unforgettable evening of excitement, laughter, and school spirit as Klamath Union High School proudly presents the annual Mr. Pelican Pageant! This highly anticipated event will take place on Friday, March 7, at 7:00 p.m. at the Ross Ragland Theater.

The production promises to be buzzing with excitement, roaring with laughter, and bursting at the seams with pride as eight of Klamath Union’s brightest and bravest seniors take the stage in a friendly competition like no other. These talented contestants will showcase their skills, charm, and creativity in a night full of entertainment for the whole family.

Meet the Contestants

This year’s competitors—each bringing their own unique talents and charisma—include:
Bryce Petersen
Connor Jackson
Damien Hunt-Plummer
Jose Garcia
John Potter
Logan Norton
Ulises Oreta-Delgadillo
Wyatt Jensen

A Show for a Cause

The Mr. Pelican Pageant isn’t just about fun—it’s about giving back. Over the years, the event has raised thousands of dollars for charitable causes in Klamath Falls, and this year is no exception. Proceeds from the 2025 event will go toward helping a local four-year-old with Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type I by funding the purchase of a wheelchair ramp and an adaptive swing to improve his quality of life.

Donate in a Contestant’s Name

Want to support your favorite contestant? You can make a donation in their name at https://bit.ly/MrPelicanDonation2025. Every contribution makes a difference!

Ticket Information

Adults: $15
Students, Seniors, Active Military: $10
Children Under 10: FREE

Tickets can be purchased in advance at the Ross Ragland Theater, online at www.ragland.org, or by calling 884-LIVE.

Don’t miss this chance to support a great cause while enjoying an evening of incredible entertainment!

Klamath Union DECA attends Oregon DECA Career Development Conference

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 7, 2025

Contact: Joel McPherson

Klamath Union DECA

mcphersonj@kfalls.k12.or.us

541.883.4763

Portland, OR – Twenty-nine members of the Klamath Union High School (KU) chapter of Oregon DECA joined 1,200 high school business, finance, hospitality and marketing students at the annual association career development conference held February 23-25, 2025, at Holiday Inn Columbia Riverfront in Portland.

DECA enhances preparation for college and careers by providing co-curricular programs that integrate into classroom instruction, apply learning in the context of business, connect to business and the community, and promote competition. Each year, the best Oregon DECA members gather in Portland to challenge each other to solve 21st-century business-related problems. Nine students qualified to compete at the international career development competition in April in Orlando, Florida.

The following KU students received recognition of individual and team ability and achievement at the association level:

● Aeris Saindon - 1st place in Restaurant Food Service Management

● Eleanor Rodriguez - 1st place in Quick Serve Restaurant Management and 2nd place in Apparel and Accessories Marketing

● Jacob Martin - 2nd place in Retail Merchandising and 4th place in Hotel & Lodging Management

● Hope Hartley & Nakia Williams - 4th place in Hospitality Services Team Decision

● Thomas Biggs - 6th place in Hotel & Lodging Management and 8th place in Business Services Management

● Zoe Bitzer - 8th place in Sports & Entertainment Marketing

● Hope Hartley - 9th place in Marketing Communications

● Paetyn Eckert - 9th place in Quick Serve Restaurant Management and in Restaurant & Food Service Management

● Victoria Ebner & Elsie Baumann - 11th place in Travel and Tourism Marketing Team Decision

Top 20 Overall Placement in Event:

● Elsie Baumann - Entrepreneurship

● Victoria Ebner - Food Marketing

● Gabriel Glover - Restaurant Food Service Management and Quick Serve Restaurant Management

● Audriana Morehouse - Food Marketing

● Elias Soriano - Business Finance Series and Accounting Applications

● Kaylee Schauer & Sofia Ulloa - Buying and Merchanding Team Decision

● Gavin Whitaker - Quick Serve Restaurant Management

The following ten students qualified at the association level for international competition and leadership academy:

● Thomas Biggs

● Paetyn Eckert

● Gabriel Glover

● Hope Hartley

● Jacob Martin

● Eleanor Rodriguez

● Aeris Saindon

● Elias Soriano

● Tristan Tatekawa

● Nakia Williams

These students will advance to international competition at the DECA International Career Development Conference, which will be held April 26-29, 2025, in Orlando, FL.

For the 14th time since 2000, KU DECA earned the honor of the Oregon DECA Chapter of the Year. To earn Chapter of the Year, each chapter must submit a written evaluation of projects in four areas: community service, leadership development, chapter/membership development, and chapter publicity/promotion. This year some of the KU DECA highlights included raising funds and pet food donations for the Klamath Animal Shelter, attending multiple leadership development conferences, hosting a competition prep clinic, volunteering at a local food pantry, and promoting DECA at KU with a hot chocolate bar and chapter holiday party.

Chapter Awards:

● 2025 Oregon Chapter of the Year (6th consecutive award)

● Thrive Level Membership Campaign

● Largest Professional Membership

● Largest Alumni Membership

● Third Largest Chapter Membership

As an integral part of the classroom curriculum, DECA’s industry-validated competitive events align with the National Curriculum Standards in the career clusters of marketing, business management and administration, finance, and hospitality and tourism. DECA’s competitive events directly contribute to every student's being college—and career-ready when they graduate from high school. Judges and local business professionals evaluated the members’ performance through role-plays, case studies, and prepared presentations.

“Arriving late after being sick for a week, I was worried I’d missed all the fun; however, I was immediately reminded of the incredible energy associated with DECA the moment I got to the hotel and met up with the KU DECA Chapter to get ready for an amazing competition,” said Jacob Martin, Chapter President.

For more information contact Klamath Union DECA Advisor Joel McPherson, at 541-883-4763, or mcphersonj@kfalls.k12.or.us.

Help Us Select the Next Pelican Elementary Principal – Your Input Needed!

Dear Pelican Elementary Families and Community Members,

As we begin the search for the next Pelican Elementary principal, we want to hear from you! Your input is invaluable in helping us determine the traits and skills we should prioritize in our selection process. We are using ThoughtExchange so everyone has a chance to share their perspectives and understand what’s most important to the group

Please share your thoughts and then rate at least 20-30 of the thoughts that others have shared. Your participation is confidential, so no one will know who shared or rated which thoughts. Come back often until midnight on Sunday, March 16th to rate new ideas.

Access the survey by clicking on the following link:

https://tejoin.com/scroll/792392849

You can also access the survey by scanning this QR code:

KECDC Puts Together Donuts with Grownups Event

On Tuesday, March 4, Klamath Early Childhood Development Center (KECDC) held "Donuts with Grownups," a special morning where parents, caregivers and preschoolers started the day together with donuts and juice.

KECDC hosts monthly parent engagement events, giving families the opportunity to be part of their child’s early learning experience. This event allowed families to step into their child’s world, observe their morning routine, and share a simple yet meaningful moment before the day began.

"Watching parents and children laugh, chat, and enjoy breakfast together was a wonderful reminder of how important these small moments are in building strong relationships," Holly Mancebo, Principal of KECDC, said.

"Events like Donuts with Grownups help create a welcoming community where families feel connected, involved, and supported. We love providing opportunities for parents to engage with their child’s education and believe that fostering strong connections between families and the classroom is essential to a child’s growth."

KU Students Marc Muno & Emily Wiley Place in You Matter to Klamath Video Contest

The 2025 You Matter to Klamath Youth Suicide Prevention Video Contest winners were named today, with two Klamath Union High School students earning top honors in the video contest.

This initiative was a powerful opportunity for young people to use their voices, creativity, and passion to promote hope, resilience, and mental health awareness.

First Place: “You Have the Power to Save a Life” – Maya Fitzroy, 11th grader at Henley High School

Second Place: “Don’t Make More Ghosts”– Marc Muno, 9th grade at Klamath Union High School

Video link: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/cTr5MPDcUXw

Third Place: “Miles”– Emily Wiley, 12th grade at Klamath Union High School

Video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIflEnVwXFY

KU wrestler Levi Hicks Earns Sixth Place In State Competition

Klamath Union senior Levi Hicks took home sixth place honors this past weekend in the OSAA 2025 Wrestling State Championships Feb. 27 through March 1 at Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Portland.

Hicks, a three-time Special District 3 champion, competed in the 144-pound weight class where he earned his sixth place finish.

Show Us Your Spirit, KU!

KU family, we’re on a mission to win the OSAA #1 Student Section Video Contest, and we need YOU to make it happen!

We're calling on all students, parents, and fans to send in your smartphone videos that capture the heart and soul of KU school spirit. Whether it's epic crowd moments, acts of incredible sportsmanship, or anything else that screams KU pride, we want to see it!

We need videos from:
KU Swim Team, Pep Band, Wrestling Team, Boys, Cheer Squad, Boys and Girls Basketball, Hockey Team

If you’ve got a clip from this season, send it our way! Just email your videos to Dan Stearns at stearnsd@kfalls.k12.or.us by March 1st.

But wait, there’s more! If our video is selected by OSAA, the winner is decided by public video views. That means we’ll need your help again to share the video far and wide to rack up those views!

First place wins a banner for our gym – let’s bring it home, KU! Anyone that submits a video clip that ends up in our final video submission, will receive a prize.

So, get those phones out, find those clips, and let’s show the world what KU spirit is all about!

Available in hard copy or digital version—read it your way!

Check it out here: https://www.pelspress.com/copy-of-newest-release

KFCS High School Options Information

Community Awareness Information Concerning the Ponderosa Middle School Building

As we look towards the future of our community, I want to bring to your attention a critical need that we must address to ensure the success and readiness of our students: the replacement of Ponderosa Middle School.

Klamath Falls is on the cusp of growth, and we need to be prepared to meet the educational demands of our expanding population. Last year, during our community conversations, we received a clear message: our community wants our youth to be life and career-ready. Specifically, there is a strong desire for more hands-on, applied learning opportunities, such as Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs.

Effective career-ready programs must begin with robust middle school initiatives. During the Board’s visit to California last year, we saw firsthand the exceptional programs at Mad Tech Middle, which serve as an inspiring model for what we can achieve here. These programs are essential for setting our students on a successful path through high school and beyond.

Our district is diligently working to build these programs at the high school level and forge strong connections to postgraduate destinations like the Oregon Institute of Technology (OIT) and Klamath Community College (KCC). However, to truly accelerate our students along this track, we need a middle school that supports and enhances these efforts. Unfortunately, the current Ponderosa Middle School is outdated and does not meet the needs of our evolving educational goals.

The urgency of this need cannot be overstated. While the current middle school building is safe, our engineers have indicated that it could become unusable at any time because it is located on an active fault line. Our trusted advisors and the Long-Range Facilities Planning Committee have unanimously agreed that the time to act is now.

We estimate the budget for replacing Ponderosa Middle School to be around $120 million. This number may fluctuate slightly up or down as we consider incorporating other essential items, such as security upgrades and early learning facility support, into the overall bond. We may also determine that we can build at a lower cost depending on what year we decide to call a bond election to support the possible project in the future.

Replacing Ponderosa Middle School is not just about updating a building; it is about investing in the future of our community and ensuring that our youth have the tools and opportunities they need to succeed in life and their careers.

We appreciate your continued support and engagement as we take these crucial steps forward. Together, we can create an educational environment that prepares our students for the challenges and opportunities of tomorrow.

Over the next year, we will engage more with our stakeholders about Ponderosa. We will also schedule tours of the building for the community to see the current facility.

We do want to be very clear that we have not set any date for a potential Bond election. We just want to make sure our community is aware that we are working on a solution to replace Ponderosa on a different site that does not have an active fault line on it.

For anyone who has any questions about his message please e-mail Keith A. Brown at brownk@kfalls.k12.or.us.