Traveling Through North County Finding the Heart of Hockinson by Barb George
Traveling the quiet roads between Orchards and Battle Ground,
passing clusters of tidy farms, small businesses and stately
homes, lays the tiny ‘berg’ of Hockinson. On the surface, it
looks like many other little blips on the map, with a general
store and a mini market, along with a couple of churches, as
well as the schools. It looks to be a great place to grab a cup
of coffee or a pop, and drive on past—but WAIT! There is
more to Hockinson than you might think! Looking deeper,
this community comes alive through its people. This is a place
where dreams are put into practice.
Hockinson was established in 1884. Its population today is
somewhere around 6,000. With no real industry, or economic
base bringing people here, it is the land and the good schools
which have helped Hockinson remain a very desirable place to
live. While Hockinson is ‘unincorporated’, it does boast state of
the art educational facilities and test scores in the top 6 school
districts for Washington State.
In the very center of ‘town’ is the School District Offi ce.
Speaking with Delcine Mesa-Johnson, the superintendent of
schools, she sums her feelings of the area as “best of the rural
locations plus all the amenities of the city close by. Country
Gentry” is how she puts it. You will fi nd that Mrs. Mesa-
Johnson has been to EVERY classroom, and knows many of the
students by name, although she has only been here a year.
Not afraid to open her doors to new people, she brought
in consultants from the Washington State School Directors
Association (WSSDA) to assist in making long term goals, in
a strategic planning session spanning two weekends, earlier
this year. The consultants, having been to much larger school
districts all over the state, were in shock at the involvement of
over 100 parents, teachers and concerned community members,
who continue to want to make Hockinson Schools Great!
Visiting with James Packer, Ms. Mesa-Johnson’s secretary, I
find that he and his wife live on land that has been in his wife’s
family for 5 generations. Although he has been with the school
district for just over a year, he works with folks his wife grew up
with and meets with families all the time who have lived here
for generations.
Next door, at Fire Station District #3, they not only serve the
community in safety and train cadets from the high school they
also serve as the community center for Hockinson Fun Days and
their own Pancake Breakfast as well as a Memorial Service on
September 11.
Finding the library at the Intermediate School open on
Wednesday mornings during the summer, students and parents
alike are able to check out books and meet with one another and
stay in touch. On a normal day, fifty students would come out
and utilize what the library has to offer. Library Assistant Mary Cousens and Rhonda Katsenmeyer are not simply there to do a
job, but they know each of the students and encourage them.
Children are able to use the various computer programs which
allow them to track reading progress, and assist in boosting their
‘back to school’ abilities.
Rather than the typical ‘loss of learning’ which goes on during
much of the summer months, these kids are having adventures
and learning through the pages in front of them. Kami Sowards,
a parent and long term volunteer for the library appreciates what the library has to offer. Both her children, Bryce and Laura
are reading above grade level and she feels the continuity of the
library has helped with this.
Another parent, Larry Lewton, brought his boys, Matt and
Levi in to get used to the habit of reading for fun, not just for
schoolwork. Alexis Curtis and her mother Sheila Homchick
provide a story time and worksheets for children in pre-school
and entering Kindergarten, encouraging the young ones to find
the pleasure of books. Catherine and Samantha Olson are so at
home in the cheery room, they seemed to leap through the door!
Their sister, Candace Samuelson, a sophomore hopes to become
an astronomer, has been coming to the library Wednesdays
for years. District Secretary Rebecca Dudley, and her daughters
Jessica and Justine enjoy the warm atmosphere and are regular
visitors as well. In our wonderful world of online games and
sport events, books are still a valuable resource for our kids, and
by opening its doors each week during the summer, Hockinson
Intermediate School allows these students a close at hand
opportunity for growth.
My own knowledge of Hockinson came from the opening of
the new high school, three years ago. I knew it was special, in
that we had small class sizes along with up to date programs
and curriculum, all ‘key words’ to parents and administrators,
but there was ‘something more’ here. This versatile and lovely
building helps
to form a strong
foundation for our
young adults in the
area. It also is used
by members of the
community keeping
it a hub of activity
all year long. The
dreamers that brought
this particular school
to life are true
visionaries. They
have dedicated
nearly two decades
to bring Hockinson
High School from
the dream to reality.
You can see this in
the participation of the parents and the other family members
who fl ow through the doors. For a small school, they have made
their mark on Clark County with an award winning band, and
very competitive sports teams.
From Literature to Science, Equestrian Team, to Math Olympiad
and the Fire Cadet Program, there is something for each student
to succeed at. The fi rst graduation ceremony which was held
June 16th this year, was not only a special day for the students,
but also a day of celebration for all those dreamers who knew
they wanted their own high school in their own community.
Principal Sandra Yeager, who has been involved since 1999-
2000, when the school was in its planning stages, says “No
matter what I ever do from here on out, Hockinson will always
be a highlight for me.” Having watched these students over the
last three years, it encourages me to know these are our future.
Hockinson was established nearly 120 years ago. It continues to
be a charmer, where families grow strong. Thanks for traveling
through with me. If you know of a special place in your area
which you would like to have highlighted, please contact us at
info@lacamaslife.com .
