Local STEM Students Engineer Special Tools For Microplastic Beach Cleanup - 04/22/26

Beaverton, OR – Valley Catholic Middle School (VCMS) invites you to join them at Rockaway Beach on Thursday, April 23 for a special day of innovation, outdoor learning and hands-on stewardship.

Sixth graders from VCMS have designed and constructed tools to remove microplastics from Oregon beaches. Partnering with Sea Turtles are Forever, they will test and adjust their tools in Rockaway while actively cleaning an important section of our local Oregon coastline.

Event Highlights:

• Who: VCMS students partnering with Sea Turtles Forever
• Where: Rockaway Beach City Center and Park
• When: Thursday, April 23 at 10 a.m.
• What: Special environmental science service project that is part of Valley Catholic’s outdoor education program. The project integrates the school’s STEM curriculum into real-world stewardship opportunities for its students.
• Bonus: The entire middle school will be participating in the beach cleanup. After the cleanup project, there will be a special themed team sandcastle building contest. The entire event will be complete by 2:30.

Photo and Interview opportunities:

• Students conducting hands-on beach cleanup using tools they specifically engineered for the service day.
• Repair station where students can repair and adjust their tools on-site.
• Interviews with students, faculty, community members and Sea Turtles Forever about the importance of microplastic cleanup, coast line conservation and the VCS outdoor education program.
• Visuals of the themed sandcastle contest.

Media Access:
Journalists and photographers are encouraged to capture students in action, interview faculty and students, and experience firsthand how faith, creation, and community intersect in this immersive program.

About Valley Catholic Middle School Outdoor Education:
Valley Catholic Middle School is located on the Sisters of St. Mary campus at 420 SW Saint Mary's Dr. in Beaverton, Oregon, ssmo.org/vcs/schools/middle.

The Valley Catholic School legacy began more than 120 years ago by the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon. Their mission was to give students access to a faith-based, college-prep education. VCMS’s Outdoor Education program is designed to nurture the whole child, mind, body, and spirit, while strengthening communication, emotional balance, and a sense of belonging. Replacing the traditional single-week Outdoor School, the program offers multiple seasonal experiences across grades 6-8. Students participate in grade-specific trips, seasonal modules, and all-school outdoor events that connect classroom learning with real-world environmental and spiritual experiences.

Dog Mobility Showcase Today At 11:30 - 04/15/26

Media Event Wednesday, April 15 At 11:30: Dog Mobility Showcase - STEM Students Design Life-Changing Mobility Devices For Rescue Dachshunds - 04/14/26

Dog Mobility Showcase at Valley Catholic Middle School Highlights Engineering, Creativity, and Compassion

WHO:
Eighth grade students from Valley Catholic Middle School, in partnership with Portland Dachshund Rescue

WHAT:
Media are invited to attend a dynamic Dog Mobility Showcase.
Eighth-grade students will unveil their custom-designed mobility devices for three special dogs with limited mobility. Working in structured “design firms,” students have spent the school year applying engineering, design thinking, and storytelling to develop real-world solutions that improve the lives of rescue dogs.

WHEN:
Wednesday, April 15, at 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

WHERE:
Valley Catholic Middle School, Eagle’s Gym, 4420 SW Saint Marys Dr, Beaverton, OR 97078 - Check in at the middle school office and we will escort you to the showcase venue. 

VISUALS / PHOTO / INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITIES:

• Three of the 15 student teams will present and demonstrate their custom-built dog mobility devices

• Rescue dogs from the Portland Dachshund Rescue interacting with prototypes and (as available) a few dogs to showcase the adopt and foster options available through the rescue. 

• Hands-on displays of design models, materials, and engineering concepts from all 15 teams.

• Student and faculty interviews showcasing innovation, teamwork, and empathy.

• Interviews with members of the Portland Dachshund Rescue

WHY THIS MATTERS:

The Dog Mobility Project is a unique, year-long experience blending STEM education with compassion and community engagement. Students collaborate in teams that mirror professional engineering environments, taking on roles such as Project Manager, Design Engineer, Build Specialist, and Marketing and Media Specialists.

Through this partnership with Portland Dachshund Rescue, students are not only gaining hands-on technical skills—they are making a tangible difference in the lives of animals in need. The project emphasizes leadership, problem-solving, and communication, while fostering empathy and purpose-driven innovation.

BACKGROUND:
The project launched in September 2025, inspired by animal prosthetics featured on Wizard of Paws and reinforced by a live virtual workshop with animal orthotics expert Derrick Campana. The students have since progressed through research, prototyping, testing, and iterative design — culminating in this final public showcase. This project follows their successful work last year to create a prosthetic prototype for Ember, a 16-week-old labradoodle whose back legs were paralyzed as a result of a spinal injury.

Media Access:
Journalists and photographers are encouraged to capture students in action, interview faculty and students, and speak with the Dachshund Rescue director.  Ample parking spaces are available along SW St. Mary’s Drive.

About Valley Catholic Middle School: Valley Catholic Middle School, located in Beaverton, Oregon, is an accredited STEM school that integrates science, technology, engineering, and math across its college-preparatory curriculum for grades six through eight. Through four core academic pillars — Research, Writing, Presentation, and Product — students apply design thinking and problem-solving skills in hands-on, project-based learning experiences, including cross-curricular projects inspired by programs such as the IB Middle Years Programme and SUMMA. Founded as part of the Valley Catholic School community and affiliated with the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon, the school reflects a longstanding tradition of academic excellence and service. This innovative approach, combined with a strong foundation in critical thinking and collaboration, equips students to excel academically and to become future-ready leaders in high school and beyond. Learn more at ssmo.org/vcs/schools/middle 

Media Contact:  Brad Hilliard, 615-491-5055, bhilliard@ssmoministries.org  

STEM Students Design Life-Changing Mobility Devices For Rescue Dachshunds (Photo) - 04/09/26

Dog Mobility Showcase at Valley Catholic Middle School Highlights Engineering, Creativity, and Compassion

WHO:
Ninety students from Valley Catholic Middle School, in partnership with Portland Dachshund Rescue

WHAT:
Media are invited to attend a dynamic Dog Mobility Showcase.
Eighth-grade students will unveil their custom-designed mobility devices for three special dogs with limited mobility. Working in structured “design firms,” students have spent the school year applying engineering, design thinking, and storytelling to develop real-world solutions that improve the lives of rescue dogs.

WHEN:
Wednesday, April 15, at 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

WHERE:
Valley Catholic Middle School, Eagle’s Gym, 4420 SW Saint Marys Dr, Beaverton, OR 97078 - Check in at the middle school office and we will escort you to the Showcase. 

VISUALS / PHOTO / INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITIES:

• Three of the 15 student teams will present and demonstrate their custom-built dog mobility devices

• Rescue dogs from the Portland Dachshund Rescue interacting with prototypes and (as available) a few dogs to showcase the adopt and foster options available through the rescue. 

• Hands-on displays of design models, materials, and engineering concepts from all 15 teams.

• Student and faculty interviews showcasing innovation, teamwork, and empathy.

  • Middle School Director of Design Thinking: Yin-Fang Liao: Yin-Fang Liao – Valley Catholic Middle School

  • Portland Dachshund Rescue: (971)227-6485,  April Zimel (april@portlanddachshundrescue.org). 

WHY THIS MATTERS:
The Dog Mobility Project is a unique, year-long experience blending STEM education with compassion and community engagement. Students collaborate in teams that mirror professional engineering environments, taking on roles such as Project Manager, Design Engineer, Build Specialist, and Marketing and Media Specialists.

Through this partnership with Portland Dachshund Rescue, students are not only gaining hands-on technical skills—they are making a tangible difference in the lives of animals in need. The project emphasizes leadership, problem-solving, and communication, while fostering empathy and purpose-driven innovation.

BACKGROUND:
The project launched in September 2025, inspired by animal prosthetics featured on Wizard of Paws and reinforced by a live virtual workshop with animal orthotics expert Derrick Campana. The students (7th graders at the time) have since progressed through research, prototyping, testing, and iterative design — culminating in this final public showcase. This project follows the successful work to create a prosthetic prototype for Ember, a 16-week-old labradoodle whose back legs were paralyzed as a result of a spinal injury.

Media Access:
Journalists and photographers are encouraged to capture students in action, interview faculty and students, and speak with the Dachshund Rescue director.  Ample parking spaces are available along SW St. Mary’s Drive.

About Valley Catholic Middle School: Valley Catholic Middle School, located in Beaverton, Oregon, is an accredited STEM school that integrates science, technology, engineering, and math across its college-preparatory curriculum for grades six through eight. Through four core academic pillars — Research, Writing, Presentation, and Product — students apply design thinking and problem-solving skills in hands-on, project-based learning experiences, including cross-curricular projects inspired by programs such as the IB Middle Years Programme and SUMMA. Founded as part of the Valley Catholic School community and affiliated with the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon, the school reflects a longstanding tradition of academic excellence and service. This innovative approach, combined with a strong foundation in critical thinking and collaboration, equips students to excel academically and to become future-ready leaders in high school and beyond. Learn more at ssmo.org/vcs/schools/middle.