NCSD Stories

Dedicated Food Network fans know that celebrity chef Jet Tila has sliced and diced hundreds of delectable dishes in front of some very competitive critics. He’s appeared on the network’s hit shows like Beat Bobby Flay, Chopped, Iron Chef America, and even won a $20,000 prize for his work on Guy’s Grocery Games.

Still, the internationally known culinary ambassador for Thailand said he felt a different kind of energy as a recent surprise visitor to NCSD’s Sabin-Schellenberg Professional Technical Center.

“I will say visiting schools is the most fun for me,” said the television and social media star. “I have a child who’s almost high school age, and I know teenagers are either going to be really excited or really kind of like ‘I have no idea who this dude is.’”

The crowd of aspiring chefs from Milwaukie, Rex Putnam, Clackamas, and Adrienne C. Nelson high schools certainly knew “this dude"...

It’s a special assembly morning at Ardenwald Elementary, and as classrooms of curious students shuffled into the gym one by one, a group of frenzied first graders couldn’t hold back their excitement upon first gazing at the guest performers concealed under giant colorful lion costumes.

“Do you think that’s him?” one asked a nearby classmate, eagerly pointing toward one of the fluffy costumes. “Nah, I think he’s in the other one,” her friend quickly replied.

Why did Miss Messina’s first graders seem to know so much about a secret celebrity performer in the upcoming Lunar New Year assembly?  Because once the drums started pounding and the dancing lions came to life, it didn’t take them long to realize it was their classmate Kingston Ho-Phanouvong under a lively red lion bobbing and weaving right up front.

Whenever Milwaukie High School freshman Ari Davis arrives in the cafeteria each day for lunch, she can’t wait to visit with her friends and bite into the day’s fresh food choices.

“I like it when they bring new stuff to the school lunchroom because it changes things up and makes things fun,” said the upbeat ninth grader.

Whether it’s hamburgers, salads, deli sandwiches, or french fries, Davis says her school’s cafeteria always offers up some appetizing options. Or in today’s case…apple-tizing.

As a new term of classes begins for NCSD high school students in February, many eager teenagers take notes and contribute to class discussions in warm indoor classrooms…safe from the cold, rainy weather that usually comes during that time of year.  Yet for several groups of classmates, the outdoors is their classroom…and they wouldn't want it any other way.

A brand-new calendar year at Rowe Middle School means new beginnings…new classes on the horizon…and this year, a new fashion trend that’s already sweeping through the school’s hallways. And while students and staff haven’t been shy showing off the new-look Shamrock spiritwear, the eighth grader behind the new design is a little shy about sharing her creative motivation.