West Linn High School Robotics Team 2B Determined was recently awarded the District Qualifiers Chairman's Award, the most prestigious FIRST Robotics Competition award, for their work in the community. They host STEM camps for younger students, volunteer with SOLVE to do environmental sustainability work, and work with Unified students in our district. Two WLHS students were also recognized for their outstanding work in the STEM community, Kate Sousley and Maddie Matthews, with Kate named a semifinalist Dean's List position. Congratulations, 2B Determined!

2B Determined Students teamed up with Wilsonville High School's Error Code Xero Robotics Team earlier in the year to created PPE for West Linn-Wilsonville staff members, giving back to the entire West Linn-Wilsonville community.

Thursday, April 8, was the annual Oregon Statewide Transition Conference, where educators all across Oregon come together to share their work to better transition experiences for high school students.

Among the presenters was West Linn-Wilsonville’s very own Youth Transition Program Team, providing conference attendees with a detailed summary of the program’s eight-year journey to what it is today.

The West Linn-Wilsonville School District’s Youth Transition Program (YTP) has become integrated into the very fabric that is West Linn-Wilsonville over the years. One reason for the program’s success is its dedication to inclusion of all students.

A partnership with Vocational Rehabilitation Oregon and the University of Oregon, the district’s Youth Transition Program serves dozens of students across West Linn-Wilsonville’s three high schools. The Youth Transition Program works to pair students with job and internship opportunities throughout the community, allowing students to learn real-world job skills, build resumes, and gain valuable experience.

YTP staff — including Cathy Smith, Becky Hancock, Carol Davis, and Mary Hanks among others — work collaboratively across schools to connect students with the opportunities they need to grow. They have ramped up efforts in recent years, partnering with WLWV high schools to connect students to Clackamas Community College courses as resources, getting students’ foot in the door for a seamless transition after high school. Watch the full presentation to learn more about what the Youth Transition Program offers students in the West Linn-Wilsonville School District.