Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, January 11, 1994 TAG: 9401130014
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: Melissa Devaughn
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Miesen visits the high school once a week, making herself available to students who may want to talk to someone. She does not replace the high school counselors, she said. Instead, her work is meant to complement the work of school counselors and bridge any gaps between the school and the community.
``Every now and then someone will ask a `what if?' question, or an `I have a friend' question,'' Miesen said. ``I know sometimes it's a question about themselves'' but she is always willing to listen, she said. Other times, students interested in law enforcement careers simply have questions about the law.
The liaison between Miesen and the students started slowly. The first year, she was assigned to a downstairs classroom, where she mostly sat and waited for the students to come to her.
Nothing doing.
The following year, Miesen decided the program would never get off the ground unless she became more visible. She now makes herself available in the halls to anyone who may want to talk. This works much better, she says, because students don't have to seek her out. She is right there when they need her.
In an effort to acquaint the students even better with Miesen, journalism instructor Pat Dillingham-Brown recently had her reporting students interview the detective.
``I also wanted everybody to tackle the same story to see how they would approach the project and how they viewed the interview,'' Dillingham-Brown said. ``I knew that having the detective [at the high school] was unique and I thought it would make a good assignment.``
Here's what a few of the students discovered about Miesen after their interview:
``Alice Miesen has been interested in law enforcement ever since she was a small child. ... She went to the Marine Corps [and] moved to the Roanoke Police Academy where she completed a 13-week training course.''
- Zeke Sparkes
``Usually the topics that students want to discuss [with Miesen] are of a rather serious and unfortunate nature, [Miesen] said. `A lot of girls come to me to talk about sexual abuse and other domestic problems ...'''
- Leigh Claire LaBerge
``[Miesen] saw that many of the foster children taken in by her mother were former victims of abuse.''
- Kerry O'Rourke
``Detective Miesen's areas of expertise are juvenile and sex crimes, so no subject is taboo. Furthermore, all conversations are absolutely confidential.''
- Ken Hincker
STEPPING STONES TO A GREATER EDUCATION, seminars for parents of preschoolers to make the transition into public schools easier for their children and themselves, is held second Tuesdays. Tonight from 7 to 8 at Christiansburg Primary School, the meeting will be on ``Health Issues.'' Dentist Larry McCoy; Bea King, a school nurse; and Sylvia Bond from the Health Department will speak. Call Sherry Reynolds at 951-5737.
Virginia Tech and the Museum of Natural History are offering two one-credit GRADUATE COURSES FOR ELEMENTARY TEACHERS who want to teach about insects in their classes.
Aquatic entomology covers identification of insects in area streams and ponds and the niches these insects have in aquatic ecosystems, including their use as indicators of pollution. The course also will teach techniques for studying these insects that are best suited for elementary children.
In the Hands-On Insect Activities course, teachers will practice experiments and activities. The course emphasizes live insects and will include indoor, outdoor, terrestrial and aquatic activities.
Courses will be taught 6-8 p.m. and begin Jan. 20. They are suitable for recertification. Enrollment is limited and registration will be accepted by calling Debbie Price at 231-6342.
This week BLACKSBURG HIGH SCHOOL is featured. Here's what's been going:
The Science Olympics Team won first place at a recent competition. The members are Mike Osborne, Milos Borojevic, Karen Donohue and Margie Hendricks.
Sarah Vogler, daughter of Dan and Jean Vogler, was the senior of the month for November. She has been junior and senior class president and a member of the symphonic band for four years. She has been a member of the marching band for three years. Sarah also runs track, is a member of the National Honor Society and Peer Counseling.
Jonathan Tze, son of Laura and Chia Tze, was the senior of the month for December. He is a founding member of the Youth and Government club, a member of the National Honor Society, the French National Honor Society, the French club, High Q, Klassroom Kwiz team, the Forensics team and the State of the World club. Tze recently placed seventh in the nation on the National French Exam.
The Theatre Arts Association recently sponsored the third annual Comedy Night Live. Proceeds from the event went to the Montgomery County Christmas Store and to help support spring productions. The TAA donated $250 and 292 cans of food to the Christmas Store.
Kevin Early, Southwestern area Future Homemakers of America-Home Economics Related Occupations state vice president, spoke to the Work and Family Studies students at Blacksburg Middle School. His topic was ``Keys to Middle School success in FHA.''
The Forensics and Debate teams participated in the Monacan High School Tournament in Richmond. The winners were: Humorous interpretation: Dennis Price, first place. Dramatic interpretation: John Schwartz, first place; Carla Craven, third place; Margo Hasselman, sixth place; Michael Johnson, semifinals. Original oratory: Adam Jortner, second place. Extemporaneous speaking: Michael Shumsky, first place; Jason Scott, second place. Impromptu: Dennis Price, first place; Adam Jortner, second place; Mike Diz, semifinals; Marjana Borojevic, semi-finals. Storytelling: Sarah Barbeau, semifinals.
Prose Interpretation: Rob Woodfield, first place; Abha Kaushal, second place; Amanda Ryan, fifth place; Amee Ranck, semifinals. Duo interpretation: Suzanne Chisholm and John Swartz, first place; Margo Hasselman and Tiffany Peterson, second place; Sarah Landres and Abha Kaushal, fifth place; Geoff Murphy and Michael Johnson, semifinals. Lincoln-Douglas debate: Nathan Parrish, quarter-finals. Policy debate-novice division: Amy Johnson and Jing Wang, semifinals; Jing Wang, third speaker. Policy debate-open division: Fred Spears and Jonathan Tze, first place; Jonathan Tze, second speaker; Fred Spears, sixth speaker; first place team.
Todd Lyons and Chris Evans, 1993 graduates, were named All-South high school soccer players by the National Coaches Association of America for the 1993 season.
Scott Shepherd made the Roanoke Times & World-News Cross Country All-Timesland first team. Vicki Kappas and Sarah Hendricks made the All-Timesland second team.
The following students were selected for the All District Concert Band: Heather Hirt, Aliah Carolan, Laura Snider, Robert Rogers, Mickey Taylor, Brian Diffel, Eric Chen, Matthew Ogburn, William Lee, Josh Dobbs and Warren Lee.
Top Symphonic Band members are: Phyllis Chen, Xiao-Wei Wang, Brian Lux, Chris Steger, Austin Graham, Nahala Durrani, Eleanor Lee, Courtney Sutphin, Regan Madis, Scott West, Chris Tyson, David Webster, Kevin Johnson, Sylvan Williams and Colleen Shea.
More than 600 students auditioned for the All-District bands at Magna Vista High School in November. Ben Borden was selected for the concert band and Feras Khan was chosen for the symphonic band. The bands performed last weekend at William Byrd High School.
Work and Family Studies students recently visited the Biltmore Estate near Asheville, N.C. They saw 50 of the rooms in the 255-room mansion during the holiday season. The estate was decorated in an elaborate Victorian Christmas style.
by CNB