Vol. 13, #20 SUPPORT OUR ADVERTISERS THEY MAKE THE LOOP POSSIBLE September 29, 2016 Some’tet and KVSH Science Lecture Series 2016-17 Cancer and Mushrooms: State of the Celebrate Five Years of Science with Dr. Leanna Standish There is no doubt in the 21st century Music and Community that cancer and the immune system are linked. Emerging science indicates that we develop tumors as a result of inadequate immune surveillance and early failure to delete genetically abnormal cells. Traditional Asian medicine has utilized mushrooms as cancer therapy more than four thousand years ago, and Western medicine has just begun to examine and utilize mushroom immunotherapy. Dr. Standish is a cancer researcher and physician with faculty appointments at the University of Washington School of Medicine and Continued on Page 1 It took the members of Vashon’s The evening starts at 8:00PM with popular Some’tet band three years emcee Jeff Hoyt telling the two stories -- to create their first CD, and they’re Some’tet’s rise to fame and VoV’s journey celebrating its release Friday, October 14, to its current status as one of the nation’s at the Red Bicycle Bistro and Sushi Bar. most vital and diverse community FM PIE fall fundraising It took Voice of Vashon 14 years stations. Then the incomparable live Vashon Partners in Education (lovingly means to have healthy living soil. They raise known as P.I.E), will kick off its fall and sell beautiful pumpkins by working to get an FM broadcasting license, and music begins. fundraising campaign in October. Teachers together so that they are able to give to local they’re celebrating the second year of Some’tet is a band that’s been filling across the school district are busy dreaming and worldwide needs. They learn that they KVSH 101.9FM community radio Friday, Island venues and islanders’ hearts for about how they can make our children’s can make a difference. They were named October 14, at the Red Bike. three years, leading them to be one of learning experience rich and exciting. And “Earth Heroes” by King County for their Together, Some’tet and KVSH (Voice the most popular performing groups thanks to P.I.E. they can dream big! environmental stewardship. Without P.I.E.’s of Vashon) will celebrate the culmination around. The band includes Michael In this time, when education is not support to get our garden off the ground of five years of musical magic – and the Whitmore on nylon strings, Barry fully funded (even with a Supreme Court none of this would have been possible. It’s entire community is invited to the party. Continued on Page 5 mandate to do so) it is difficult for teachers the gift that keeps on giving! to provide learning opportunities that Another P.I.E. grant funded encourage imagination and critical thinking, a giant, outdoor chess set. During free to enable children to think outside the box. choice times, chess sets are a sought-after We want our children to use their academic item. Why not continue the enthusiasm The Road to Resilience skills not as an end to pass state standardized outside? Chess significantly improves By Terry Sullivan, tests but to love learning. Students learn best children’s visual memory, attention span More on Vision through integrated, hands on, inquiry-based and spatial reasoning. In order to play you Last issue, I began exploring the of Boston residents between the ages of 12 lessons. That is a fact. Teachers work hard have to focus. Lose your focus—lose your importance of focusing on a new vision and 25. What is at play here is the idea that to create lifelong learners with the long view piece. Chess requires decoding, thinking, rather than just combating the present people rise to the level of responsibility that their students will be able to give back comprehension, and analysis. It helps incompetence. Addressing an article entrusted in them, and, likewise, show to their community and beyond. children become “if—then” thinkers. And recently published in YES! Magazine little responsibility when none is expected. I have been a teacher for 35 years, the chess is just plain fun. by Gar Alperivitz titled “Six Ways We Entrusting a big sum of money to a bunch last 23 years in the Vashon Island School P.I.E. also supported a Fern Cove Are Already Leading an Economic of adolescents and young adults is a District. I immediately was thrilled when exploration with necessary tools and Revolution,” I discussed the first three massive show of faith. Will it turn this realizing the impact this community had on scientists to learn about our incredible ways, public banking, worker ownership group into assets to the community instead our children’s education. What a wonderful watershed. The children investigate what of business, and building local economies of liabilities? partnership. When I stop to think about all it means to have healthy streams. They and showed how we are already working If budgeting by the citizenry goes the support from this community, I am filled search for signs of animal habitats. They on these right here on Vashon. awry, getting back on track is similar to with gratitude. The many island artists, learn what makes a good habitat for different In review, Alperivitz raises the problem solving in an employee-owned naturalists, scientists, gardeners, authors, animals, what would be their food and water question, “Can we imagine a system that business. No need to spend time finding historians, environmentalists, musicians, source, what would make a good shelter, undercuts the logic responsible for so someone to blame. It is self-evident that parents and generous organizations such and how all this works in balance. They much suffering at home and abroad?” everybody is accountable, so all the energy as P.I.E. help create an atmosphere where hone their beach observation skills using the In answer, he sketched the idea of a can be applied to a solution. If there is children learn from an early age the meaning Beaufort wind scale. They use compasses “‘pluralist commonwealth’—an economic any dislocation or discomfort required to of community. They learn by example. Isn’t and thermometers. They collect and record and political system different from both correct the problem, it is much more readily that really what’s important, to learn to give data of their findings for further discussion. corporate capitalism and state socialism accepted when it is self-imposed. of yourself because much has been given to They look at the health of intertidal animals. grounded in democratic ownership, Imagine if we had control over the you? Pass it on. The children write poems and paint pictures. decentralization, and community.” I’d Pentagon the way we do over our School The multiage program, of which They fall in love and care for their home. like to cover the last three ways we can and Park Districts? I was a part, benefited from many P.I.E. P.I.E. grants inspire students and further this now. The fifth idea is energy democracy. grants. Here are just a few. their teachers alike. They add such great on- We all know that we need to get the Energy, like money, is another, more direct, The Chautauqua Kids Garden has going learning opportunities. I encourage money out of politics, but we really need manifestation of power. Like money, been supported by P.I.E. since its inception. you to visit their webpage at VashonPIE. to do much more than that. We need to the possibility of corruption and poor Authentic learning happens here. In the org and see the multitude of grants that gain control over where all public money decision-making goes up as control of it garden, math isn’t a subject but a tool to have been given to all 3 schools. In their 29 eventually goes. Participatory governance is concentrated. Unlike money, energy collect or analyze information. Writing years, they have awarded 1 million dollars in is the term used for actually allowing the is costly to transport and the most cost- isn’t done in a vacuum but speaks to the grants. Vashon children thrive in this giving citizens affected to assert control over the effective sources of it vary from one region heart of what kids are passionate about. community. disposition of public funds. The idea first to another. Also the nature of renewable Through their writing the children were The P.I.E phonathon is October became popular in Latin America, but has energy is that it is diffuse and available in awarded a greenhouse from King 5 and 11, 12, and 13. When you receive the call, made inroads in the US in major cities some form close to where it will be used. the Potato Council. Reading isn’t just done please consider giving and being a part of like Chicago, New York, and Boston, and The fact that we have an energy oligarchy at “reading time” but is performed to seek this generous community. Donations cannot many smaller cities as well. In an unusual is why it is so difficult for us to transition information, develop knowledge and new be too small or too large. display of trust, the city of Boston recently to renewables. The energy oligarchy, i.e., ideas. They learn about the solar energy Thank you for making my teaching has placed $1 million of public money the fossil fuel industry and the big energy which runs our irrigation system, Mason career so fulfilling.