Sisters salutes...

• The Sisters High School Mandarin language students want to recognize the following individuals and businesses for their contribution to the success of our China Trip 2012 fundraising efforts:

Kathy Deggendorfer, Sue Stafford and Sisters Art Works for allowing our participation in the Holiday Faire; Jeff McDonald and Ray's Food Place for providing space for our carwash and first-aid kit sale; Sisters Community Church for allowing us to use its parking lot for our yard sale; Kris Calvin and Earthwood Homes for hosting a ping-pong tournament fundraiser; Dr.

Todd Sheldon and Central Oregon Eyecare for contributing 10 percent of the profits from their eyeglass and eyewear trunk show to the China Trip 2012 fund; Kiki Dolson and the staff of The Nugget Newspaper for publishing information about our fundraising events; and David Perkins, our Mandarin language teacher, who has tirelessly supported and championed our efforts.

Many thanks to each of you, and to the people of Sisters, for helping us fund our journey to China in July!

• Jill Dyer wrote: Many of us with school-age children in Sisters are considering what the recent budget cuts mean to our children's education. Instead of grappling with that question, I want to express a bit of gratitude.

This past Thanksgiving holiday, our family received an invitation from Shawn Diez to play soccer at the elementary school.

The morning dawned bright and we bundled up and went to play.

It was a random group of adults and children on the soccer field.

Some who were skilled soccer enthusiasts, such as Shawn, and others just out for a fun game, such as my family.

I was sidelined due to a clingy toddler and so watched the game with enthusiasm.

I watched adults play hard, yet invite and provide room for the children to get to the ball.

As an athlete and lover of children, the game was fun to watch.

The game was tied and the call was made that the last point would be the winning point and the game would be over.

Of course the play ramped up a bit.

The ball went back and forth. 

My 10-year-old was on Shawn's team. Hudson is not an avid soccer player, although he is a good athlete. As their team ran the ball down the field, the ball was passed to Shawn, who noticed Hudson running toward the goal. In a snapshot-worthy moment, Shawn passed the ball to Hudson, who made the winning point. 

Shawn could have made the shot. But he saw a kid who needed confidence, who he believed had the skill to make the shot, and he set my son up to succeed. As that moment occurred in seeming slowmotion, I thought to myself "That is what makes a great parent, a great coach, a great counselor, or a great teacher. Setting a child up to succeed and believing they can." 

I have seen that mentality in every interaction I have had with Shawn. We are experiencing great loss in losing him as an advocate of children in our schools.

Thank you, Shawn, for all your hard work. Thank you to each faculty member who wants to set our kids up to succeed. We are grateful.