Valley Catholic School

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News Release

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.

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.