The Bellingham Herald from Bellingham, Washington • A2

KIRA MILLAGE COX THE BELLINGHAM HERALD Nooksack Valley High School English teacher Kirsten Jensen is officially a published writer thanks to the newest book from the Freedom Foun- dation. Jensen, 31, is one of 150 teachers who wrote short stories for which looks at the daily life of classroom teachers in the U.S. and Canada and how teachers reach struggling students. For Jensen, the experi- ence reminded her why she got into teaching. want to work towards equitable opportunities for all the seven- year teacher said.

dents come to classrooms from very different situa- The Freedom Writers was a group of struggling California students who banded together and dis- covered their potential when their new teacher, Erin Gruwell, figured out the best way to reach her students was by relating lessons to their real lives. A book, Freedom Writ- ers was published in 1999 with journal entries from 150 students. A movie, starring former Bellingham resident Hilary Swank, was released in 2007. Jensen became interest- ed in working with the foundation after reading the original book and iden- tifying with Gruwell and the obstacles she faced in her first year of teaching. Jensen tries to use some of techniques in teaching her ninth- and 10th-grade students about writing and literature by letting them pick topics and books interest- ed in.

(teachers) try to control what students do, and I think hard to step away from Jensen said. whole Freedom Writers experience has been one of the most impactful professional development activities for So when Jensen was asked to be one of four Washington teachers writ- ing for in 2008, she jumped at the chance. And then she took it further, being one of three teachers asked to help edit the book. All the stories are anony- mous to protect teachers, students and the schools involved. Jensen reveal much, but said her story focuses on a struggling stu- dent, one who some would have classified as It chronicles their teacher-student relation- ship and how they managed to find some common ground, even if they see eye to eye at the end of the school year.

student in some way had been failed by the she said. of our responsibility is to be aware of that and find ways to support all students so not just continuing the cycle of unequal oppor- Reach Kira Millage Cox at kira.millage@bellinghamherald or call 715-2266. Visit her School Days blog at The BellinghamHerald.com/blogs. WHATCOM TheBellinghamHerald.com/localnews Contact: Debbie Townsend, 715-2280, debbie.townsend@bellinghamherald.com A2 Tuesday August 18, 2009 Donations wanted for Place GABRIELLE NOMURA THE BELLINGHAM HERALD BELLINGHAM Place for Youth needs dona- tions to keep running its pro- gram for homeless people 18 and younger. Since Old Town Christian Ministries founded Place in 2006, 782 young people have used the center to receive food, clothing, counseling and have some- where other than the streets to sleep.

This year, 280 children and teens have received services and support, said Program Director Heidi Unick. Tax-deductible donations can be made to: Old Town Christian Ministries, Place 2006 St. Bellingham, WA 98225. For more information, visit amysplaceforyouth.org or call 671-5567. GABRIELLE NOMURA THE BELLINGHAM HERALD BELLINGHAM A Horizon Air plane carrying 76 passengers went off the runway and 50 feet into the grass at Bellingham Inter- national Airport on Sunday night, Aug.

16. The incident happened shortly before midnight as the Bombardier Q400 was landing after a short flight from Seattle. No one from Flight 2494 was injured, said Port of Bellingham Communica- tions Manager Carolyn Casey. Passengers and four crew members were trans- ported back to the airport after the plane had gone too far off the north end of the runway. The aircraft remained in the grass until 8 a.m.

Mon- day, causing Horizon to cancel its 5:30 a.m. flight to Seattle. Those passengers were bused to Seattle-Taco- ma International Airport. Bellingham resident Maria Bakht, who was on the flight with several friends, said it was the most jarring landing experienced. minute we landed, we knew immediately something was said Bakht, 37.

seemed to be coming in too fast. It just stop. You could tell the pilot was really try- ing to brake and After the plane stopped, people were calm, Bakht said. The pilot told everyone that readings on the control panel were normal and had not indicated any danger, she said. The Federal Aviation Administration is conduct- ing an investigation that will include extensive inter- viewing of the pilot and co- pilot, said FAA spokesman Mike Fergus.

Investigators know the cause of the inci- dent until later in the month, he said. Reach Gabrielle Nomura at gabrielle.nomura@bellingham herald.com or call 715-2215. Horizon airplane leaves runway while landing Flight ends with a grassy jolt Ferndale leaders consider annex near Portal Way JARED PABEN THE BELLINGHAM HERALD FERNDALE City lead- ers were scheduled to vote on whether to give an initial thumbs up to a request to annex land into city limits for residential develop- ment. The property is located south of Newkirk Road and east of Portal Way. The city council was scheduled to vote Monday night, Aug.

17, on whether to consider the annexation. If the council votes to do that, then it must still hold a hearing before making the final decision. The decision was expect- ed to come after The Belling- ham deadline. Check TheBellingham Herald.com on Tuesday or newspaper for the vote. Peace Justice seeks peacemaker nominations SAM TAYLOR THE BELLINGHAM HERALD The Whatcom Peace Justice Center is seeking nominees to award someone who has his or her life to The nominations are for the Harris Lifetime Peace- maker Award, which will be presented at the Sixth Annu- al International Day of Peace on Monday, Sept.

21. Nominations should be e- mailed to fidalgo.net with a descrip- tion of the lifelong peace activities and accom- plishments. Nominations for peace- maker are due Sept. 1. Primary election day is Tuesday THE BELLINGHAM HERALD Time is running out to vote in races for the Port of Bellingham commission, local city councils and the Whatcom County Council.

Mail-in ballots must be dropped off at an official site or postmarked by Election Day, Tuesday, Aug. 18. Since the postmarking sta- tion is in Everett and it can take mail time to travel there, best to drop off a ballot Tuesday rather than mail it to ensure it is valid. These drop sites are open Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.: Whatcom County Cour- thouse, 311 Grand Ave.

Blaine: City Hall, 344 St. Everson: Library, 104 Kirsch Drive. Ferndale: Library, 2222 Main St. Lynden: Public Library, 216 Fourth St. Nooksack Valley High School teacher Kirsten Jensen will be at Village Books on Tuesday, Sept.

1, for the local launch of Jensen will be signing books, and a few of her students will be reading memoirs writ- ten during the 2008-09 school year. The event starts at 7 p.m. at 1200 11th St. in Fairhaven. The book launches national- ly Tuesday, Aug.

18. For more information about and the Freedom Writers Foundation, go to freedom writersfoundation.org. PIES ON WHEELS Mobile pizza restaurant stops in Bellingham to feed those in need While others wait in line behind him, Mike Donovan, 52, takes two slices of pizza from the serving window of the Little Caesars Love Kitchen in front of Lighthouse Mission Ministries on West Holly Street in Bellingham at 11 a.m. Monday, Aug. 17.

The Love Kitchen is a mobile pizza restaurant that travels across America serving pizza to the hungry, the homeless and disaster survivors. It can prepare 510 cheese and pepperoni pizzas at a time, enough to serve more than 2,000 people. Russ Kendall The Bellingham Herald Robert McCloud of NW Barrier cleans up at the new roundabout at Pole Road and Guide Meridian Monday, Aug. 17. Philip A.

Dwyer The Bellingham Herald JARED PABEN THE BELLINGHAM HERALD Crews working for the state Department of Trans- portation opened a new roundabout at Pole Road and Guide Meridian about 3 a.m. Monday, Aug. 17. The DOT had vowed to have the roundabout, the second of four to open along the highway, open by the time the Northwest Wash- ington Fair began Monday morning. Crews did paving work and striping work on Sun- day to get it open in time.

The Ten Mile Road round- about has already opened. Next up: roundabouts at Wiser Lake and River roads. DOT officials plan to post videos and photos of the roundabout on Day 1 at Guidemeridian.blogspot Crews finish new Pole Road roundabout Last-minute work completed on time Nooksack Valley faculty member to sign copies Teacher contributes to Freedom Writers book BOOK LAUNCH.