Journalism Advisor Gene Saling retired in 2015 after 34 years of dedication to Sam Barlow High School. In this commemorative edition of the newspaper, we have collected stories from dozens of former students, family members, and colleagues, spanning four decades.
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Special Edition JUNE 2015 The voice of the students at Sam Barlow H.S. After 34 years, Barlow says goodbye to Gene Saling By ROBIN AND KELLY COUSINEAU Classes of ‘06 & ‘10 Sam Barlow High School didn’t see this coming. Gene Saling, beloved educator and coach for 34 years, retiring? That would happen long after humans populated the moon. The man himself told students that he would one day teach from a hologram projected on his desk. “It’s been an amazingly fast 34 years.” Gene said. “Some of the best people to enter the halls of Barlow, I had the privilege of teaching and that’s what made it fun.” Gene’s journalism background began at a young age. In junior high, he created a newspaper called Gus and Geno’s Sports Review with longtime friend, Eric Gustafson. “We were kind of like rock stars, he and I,” Gene said. “We provided kids with good newspapers.” After leaving his journalism program at Reynolds High School, Gene began working as a part-time staffer at The Oregon Journal whilst attending school at Mt. Hood Community College. He transferred to Oregon State University in 1977 and worked for four years at The Daily Barometer, OSU’s student newspaper. “At some point during college I decided I didn’t want to be a sports writer, mostly because I don’t like traveling and sports writers have to travel all over the country,” he said. After earning his Bachelor’s Degree in Technical Journalism, Gene spent the next two years attaining his teaching certificates in Journalism and English. “I figured, I have this journalism background, maybe I can teach journalism? And people are still saying, to this day, ‘maybe he can teach journalism? We’re not really sure...’” he joked. “I’m hoping by the end of the last week, I’ll be able to say, ‘I’ve got this thing down, finally.’” A few months after graduating from OSU, Gene was offered a position as Barlow’s Journalism and Yearbook Advisor. He decided to model the program after the journalism program of his former high school advisor, Carol McDowell. “We were allowed to go during the period to do interviews and take pictures. We weren’t locked into the room like every other class and I really liked that,” Gene said. Since its inception, Gene has run his program as if it were a traditional newspaper. While most high schools produce content in magazine or digital formats, they only release issues a few times a year. In contrast, Barlow’s journalism program produces a combined 27 issues of The Bruin Banner and The Link annually. “I just decided, whether it was a smart move or not, I wanted to do a newspaper that came out regularly that you’d get as many times as possible, which for us was about every two weeks.” The result of this was a robust program which took years and countless hours of personal time to develop and refine. Gene’s wife Linda, whom he met at Barlow in 1981, has seen his struggle first-hand: “I’m the only one who knows how hard Gene has worked for the journalism program for 34 years. He has truly committed himself to running a quality program and it has paid off,” she said. Gene was so dedicated to his program that he did not take paternity leave for the birth of his children, Bryce and Derek. Eventually, he had to start making sacrifices, giving up his position as a baseball coach to spend more time with his family, but never scaling back his journalism program. “There are certain jobs where you check in at 8 o’clock and you check out at 4 o’clock and go home and you’re done. But when you’re a teacher, you’re never done. The ones that do it the right way spend a lot of extra time,” he said. And he certainly has. Gene has advised approximately 150 issues of The Link and approximately 650 issues of The Bruin Banner. “Of course that’s not my accomplishment it’s the students who put out those papers,” he pointed out. “I just sat back and collected the checks.” As he looks back at the legacy he has built over 34 years, Gene’s biggest struggle has been deciding when to retire in a school that isn’t ready to see him leave. Although the future of Gene’s journalism program is unclear at this time, Principal Bruce Schmidt knows how important it is for it to continue. “I have every intention of making sure that we have a journalism program with a Bruin Banner that gets published,” Schmidt said. Schmidt, who has known Gene since he started Barlow in 1998, said of Gene, “He works very hard. He’s a dedicated staff member and he’s dedicated to his students. I think he really is a top-notch staff member.” This has been a consistent sentiment among staff members and students alike, who wrote letters of nomination for the Oregon Journalism Teacher of the Year Award, which he won in 2010. However, Gene has a habit of hiding from the limelight: “I always try to remember it’s not about me, it’s about the students. I try to push aside stuff that involves me and focus on them.” But now it is about you, Geno. It’s fair to say that most exceptional, retiring teachers do not receive the testament from their former students that they so rightly deserve. If they’re lucky, they get a send off from their colleagues, wishing them well. Putting aside our duty to report the news without bias, these two reporters feel that the real power of Gene’s program is the interconnectedness that it created. It allowed us to seek alumni out to honor the one person who consistently shied away from commendations and praise. We felt compelled to share his story with the public, for the first and last time, to show just how much he’s done for us and what he meant to Barlow. In the following 11 pages, you will see the stories of dozens of former journalism students who volunteered to share their experiences with Gene throughout their time at Barlow. You will see Gene compared to iconic figures ranging from Atticus Finch to Lorne Michaels, and a great deal of conversation surrounding important topics such as pizza, Gene’s pastel ensembles, and his sarcastic wit. Their experiences are just a small representation of the thousands of other students who walked in and out of Gene’s doors every day and learned that they weren’t the center of the universe but could be a vital contributor to it, if they chose to be. Saling Away Gene Saling has spent 40 years pursuing his passion: journalism. He has used his career to share this pas- sion with his students, leaving a legacy at SBHS Fellow colleagues pay tribute to their friend as he parts with Barlow - Page 6 Students submitted their favorite photos of Gene from the past four decades. - Page 8 A student from the current Bruin Banner class captures a rare smile from Gene while teaching. The ever-humble journalism teacher shies away from attention, especially of a photographic nature. Explore the evolution of Gene on Page B2-3
Transcript
Special Edition JUNE 2015The voice of the students at Sam Barlow H.S.
BruinBannerAfter 34 years, Barlow says goodbye to Gene Saling
By ROBIN AND KELLY COUSINEAU Classes of ‘06 & ‘10
Sam Barlow High School didn’t see this coming. Gene Saling, beloved educator and coach for 34 years, retiring? That would happen long after humans populated the moon. The man himself told students that he would one day teach from a hologram projected on his desk. “It’s been an amazingly fast 34 years.” Gene said. “Some of the best people to enter the halls of Barlow, I had the privilege of teaching and that’s what made it fun.” Gene’s journalism background began at a young age. In junior high, he created a newspaper called Gus and Geno’s Sports Review with longtime friend, Eric Gustafson. “We were kind of like rock stars, he and I,” Gene said. “We provided kids with good newspapers.” After leaving his journalism program at Reynolds High School, Gene began working as a part-time staffer at The Oregon Journal whilst attending school at Mt. Hood Community College. He transferred to Oregon State University in 1977 and worked for four years at The Daily Barometer, OSU’s student newspaper. “At some point during college I decided I didn’t want to be a sports writer, mostly because I don’t like traveling and sports writers have to travel all over the country,” he said. After earning his Bachelor’s Degree in Technical Journalism, Gene spent the next two years attaining his teaching certificates in Journalism and English. “I figured, I have this journalism background, maybe I can teach journalism? And people are still saying, to this day, ‘maybe he can teach journalism? We’re not really sure...’” he joked. “I’m hoping by the end of the last week, I’ll be able to say, ‘I’ve got this thing down, finally.’” A few months after graduating from OSU, Gene was offered a position as Barlow’s Journalism and Yearbook Advisor. He decided to model the program after the journalism program of his former high school advisor, Carol McDowell. “We were allowed to go during the period to do interviews and take pictures. We weren’t locked into the room like every other class and I really liked that,” Gene said. Since its inception, Gene has run his program as if it were a traditional newspaper. While most high schools produce content in magazine or digital formats, they only release issues a few times a year. In contrast, Barlow’s journalism program produces a combined 27 issues of The Bruin Banner and The Link annually. “I just decided, whether it was a smart move or not, I wanted to do a newspaper that came out regularly that you’d get as many times as possible, which for us was about every two weeks.” The result of this was a robust program which took years and countless hours of personal time to develop and refine. Gene’s wife Linda, whom he met at Barlow in 1981, has seen his struggle first-hand: “I’m the only one who knows how hard Gene has worked for the journalism program for 34 years. He has truly committed himself to running a quality program and it has paid off,” she said. Gene was so dedicated to his program that he did not take paternity leave for the birth of his children, Bryce and Derek. Eventually, he had to start making sacrifices, giving up his position as a baseball coach to spend more time with his family, but never scaling back his journalism program. “There are certain jobs where you check in at 8 o’clock and you check out at 4 o’clock and go home and you’re done. But when you’re a teacher, you’re never done. The ones that do it the right way spend a lot of extra time,” he said. And he certainly has. Gene has advised approximately 150
issues of The Link and approximately 650 issues of The Bruin Banner. “Of course that’s not my accomplishment it’s the students who put out those papers,” he pointed out. “I just sat back and collected the checks.” As he looks back at the legacy he has built over 34 years, Gene’s biggest struggle has been deciding when to retire in a school that isn’t ready to see him leave. Although the future of Gene’s journalism program is unclear at this time, Principal Bruce Schmidt knows how important it is for it to continue. “I have every intention of making sure that we have a journalism program with a Bruin Banner that gets published,” Schmidt said. Schmidt, who has known Gene since he started Barlow in 1998, said of Gene, “He works very hard. He’s a dedicated staff member and he’s dedicated to his students. I think he really is a top-notch staff member.” This has been a consistent sentiment among staff members and students alike, who wrote letters of nomination for the Oregon Journalism Teacher of the Year Award, which he won in 2010. However, Gene has a habit of hiding from the limelight: “I always try to remember it’s not about me, it’s about the students. I try to push aside stuff that involves me and focus on them.” But now it is about you, Geno.
It’s fair to say that most exceptional, retiring teachers do not receive the testament from their former students that they so rightly deserve. If they’re lucky, they get a send off from their colleagues, wishing them well. Putting aside our duty to report the news without bias, these two reporters feel that the real power of Gene’s program is the interconnectedness that it created. It allowed us to seek alumni out to honor the one person who consistently shied away from commendations and praise. We felt compelled to share his story with the public, for the first and last time, to show just how much he’s done for us and what he meant to Barlow. In the following 11 pages, you will see the stories of dozens of former journalism students who volunteered to share their experiences with Gene throughout their time at Barlow. You will see Gene compared to iconic figures ranging from Atticus Finch to Lorne Michaels, and a great deal of conversation surrounding important topics such as pizza, Gene’s pastel ensembles, and his sarcastic wit. Their experiences are just a small representation of the thousands of other students who walked in and out of Gene’s doors every day and learned that they weren’t the center of the universe but could be a vital contributor to it, if they chose to be.
Saling AwayGene Saling has spent 40 years pursuing his passion: journalism. He has used his career to share this pas-sion with his students, leaving a legacy at SBHS
Fellow colleagues pay tribute to their friend as he parts with Barlow
- Page 6
Students submitted their favorite photos of Gene from the past four decades. - Page 8
A student from the current Bruin Banner class captures a rare smile from Gene while teaching. The ever-humble journalism teacher shies away from attention, especially of a photographic nature.
Explore the evolution of Gene on Page B2-3
It’s often said you do not realize the most im-portant moments of your life until much later, if at all.
In the winter of 1986 I had strategically placed myself at the back of the room for the first day of Introduction to Journalism. I had zero idea of what was about to take place or how it would alter the trajectory of my young life.
In walked a man, a young man, or perhaps a student at the school. He strode to the front of the class and introduced himself as Gene Saling.
Evidently he was our teacher. Over the next 45 minutes it was abundantly clear that he was passionate about the material and during our first day instructions he asked only one thing, to call him Gene.
This concept completely blew my young mind. In the context of the time, the late 80’s were awash in an overwhelming feeling of
Since I graduated from Barlow in 2007, printed newspapers have burst into a ball of flames across the world. Reporters have been laid off in droves, distribution has been slashed multiple times and entire newspapers have toppled over like a pyramid of uncoordinated cheerleaders.
Gone are the days of the Dickens-era street urchin yelling, “Extra! Extra! Read all about it!” (Did those days actual-ly exist?) No matter where I find myself in the world, someone is there to proclaim: the newspaper is dead.
Yet during this recent period of collapse, Gene Saling strengthened a dynasty that spans generations.
Gene has spent over 30 years navigating the territory of a shifting media landscape with relevant classes that not only taught new and
practical skills, but instilled in students a sense of collaboration and independent responsibility.
We were provided a voice and an opportunity to make an impact. Like modern news agencies, we learned to adapt, but we were also fortunate enough to learn from a teacher that encouraged exploration and discovery.
Gene’s impeccably organized system never restricted his flexibility when it came to each student’s goals.
His journalism classroom was an extraordinary place at Barlow where students put knowledge and skills into action.
The process of creating a news-paper quickly taught me that a whole is in fact greater than the sum of its
parts.Still, what struck me most when I held the
Bruin Banner in my hands was not the fin-ished product, but that Gene had trusted his students to carry on his achievements. In some
DecadePerspectives JUNE 2015 PAGE 2
TheBruinBanner EDITORSRobby Boydstun Robin CousineauKelly CousineauLexington Martin
FAMILY CONTRIBUTORSJack SalingLinda SalingBryce SalingDerek Saling
FACULTY CONTRIBUTORSDiane Deatherage Tom JohnsonAndrew PateBruce Schmidt
SPECIAL THANKS TO ALUMNI DONORS:Aaron KraljevKristi Millspaugh- Calcagno
Josh Carnes, Holly Day, Josh Norquist, Cathy Kemnitz, Adam Sparks
Paul Cardona, Adam Couch, Meghan Hil-liard, Becket Moore-Wright, Bryce Saling, Tara Starr
ISSUE ADVISORBruce Schmidt
ADVISOR (always)Gene Saling
NEWSPAPERSTAFF INFOThe Bruin Banner student newspaper is published every two weeks by the ad-vanced journalism classes of Sam Bar-low High School, 5105 S.E. 302nd, Gresham, 97080. Thenewsroom office phone number is 503-674-5647, and the Journalism De-partment is located in room 508. Subscrip-tion rate is $5/ year.
Articles on the Points of View pages repre-sent opinions of the Banner staff and do not necessarily repre-sent the official view-point of Sam Barlow High School
Aaron Kraljev, Class of ‘89
Adam Sparks, Class of ‘95
In polarizing late ‘80s, Gene melted walls
Nate Moyer, Class of ‘07
As media landscapes change, mentor’s core tenets hold
“us versus them.” The Americans versus the Russians, the young against the establishment, Blazers versus the Lakers, and the faculty set against the students.
This sentiment permeated everything and here was a teacher, someone who was charged with molding the minds of young people, saying
it was ok to call him by his first name. At that moment I was all in. I didn’t know if I could write but I wanted to see what kind of wisdom Gene had to impart.
Fast forward a year and I am officially part of the Bruin Banner Staff. The Banner was my first “job” and over the next
three years I grew to love the process. While the finished product was always gratifying, the lessons learned while on staff were far more important.
We laughed, shared, fought, and digested the world around us. Genealism was equal parts negotiation, debate, communication, and conflict resolution.
We learned not to cross Gene, especially if the requisite amount of urgency was not immediately evident during Late Night.
That didn’t mean we didn’t try to push his buttons if given an opening. Through it all Gene held us to a very high standard because he knew he could push us to deliver things even we did not know we were capable of.
We were changing as we moved into adult-hood but Gene was seeing his life change as well. We knew him PL (pre-Linda) and little did we know he would soon be married and have a family of his own.
As a young person, it is common to want to do something for a living that will make a “difference.” It is said with such frequency that is has almost become passé. Gene Saling truly made a difference by the thousands of lives he touched in his teaching, mentoring, and even his coaching.
While I never made a dime as as a working journalist, I write every day.
That writing supports my family, provides for my all-too-distant retirement, and allows me to navigate this world with a certain amount of freedom. I have Gene to thank for that.
cases, he literally handed us the keys to the classroom.
Gene’s classroom was a privilege, both for journalism students and the Barlow community as a whole. As if teaching high school is not a noble enough profession, Gene dedicated himself to supporting a subject worth preserving.
The value of a newspaper is difficult to define, especially in an age of readers voracious for immediate information, but from the ashes of traditional printing has emerged the Digital Age, a new chapter in the “Rebirth of Journalism.”
The formats, styles and modes of delivery for newspapers will transform, but those who deliver truthful and meaningful news will never be outdated.
I implore you to thank Gene in the best way I see fit: read a newspaper. Relish not only in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, but also The Sandy Post and The Outlook.
Unless, of course, he’s expecting a refund for all of those Late Night pizzas.
On cusp of digital era, Gene’s faith opened doors and minds for students
I didn’t have an email account when I graduated from Barlow High School.
The year was 1995, and DVDs weren’t yet on the market. There were no apps. Nobody had a phone — let alone an entire computer — in their pocket. Or on their wrist.
Folks were still reading newspapers on actual paper.
My job, as Digital Editor of the Honolulu Star-Adver-tiser, didn’t exist during the days I was roaming the halls of Barlow. But Gene Saling helped prepare me for it all the same.
Gene — only Freshmen called him “Mr. Saling” — gave me all kinds of opportunities during my four years at Barlow. More than I probably deserved.
He made me sports editor of the Bruin Banner while also accommodating a sched-ule conflict, allowing me to take journalism during a different period my senior year. (Of course, if I’d had to choose, I would’ve chosen journalism.)
He suggested me when a Portland-area basketball tournament director came looking for a journalism student to create a newspaper all about Oregon high school basketball.
The fact that Gene put that kind of faith in me, by giving me those chances, was enough to make me want to work hard and do well, if only to repay him for the opportunities.
Gene was still there to guide me even after I got to college. He stayed in touch and gave
advice while I struggled early on — first when I was at Reno, then after I transferred to the University of Oregon.
We exchanged letters (yes, actual handwriting, on paper made from trees, shut-
tled to and fro by the postal service) and he helped me through a tough transition.
Of course, nobody’s per-fect, and Gene did show lapses in judgment during my time at Barlow.
For starters, he picked me for his JV2 basketball team my sophomore year, 1992-93.
I averaged 2.5 points per game. I finished the season with more fouls than points.
But playing for him, and being a part of the program, was one of my favorite things about my high school experience.
Gene also let me draw editorial cartoons for the Bruin Banner my freshman year. Not sure what either of us was thinking on that one.
But that’s how Gene was — if you showed the interest and the willingness to work, he’d support you and help you.
He let me take photos. Write columns. Cover sports. Edit stories. Write headlines. Design and lay out pages. Take home books over the sum-mer so I could study and practice.
Whatever I came up with, he helped me tackle.
I loved it all.I still do.
Thanks, Gene, for everything.
KATE LENDE (FEHRINGER), Class of 1999─ “I remember sliding through the hallways in our socks like we owned the school because no one else was around. Lounging on that saggy tan couch in that narrow back room, killing my eyes staring at a screen for hours, and giggling endless-ly with Cori over alliterative headlines.”
SHELLIE ADAMS, Class of 2011─ “Coming home super late because I was at late night and my parents asking me if we are required to stay that late and I told them, ‘No we choose to be there because we love it so much.’”
REBECCA GAULKE, Class of 2012─ “One time, Gene had practice so he told us to order pizza, and he would pay for it when it got there. When we ordered, the room was full. When the pizza got there, the room was empty. We ended up having 4 pizzas for just 5 of us. Gene was so mad when we told him how much it cost that we felt obligated to make all the pizza disappear. We were so full, we gave it to the custodians.”
KARINA ZEIER (HUNT), Class of 2000─ “When half the staff was trading time to stand in line for the midnight showing of Star Wars Ep-isode I in the middle of Late Night. There was a light saber duel on the lawn with Wayne Bund and Gene was driving by and yelled at us to go home.”
DAN GRIMES, Class of 1985─ “We did a story on the Portland Angels, a group that walked the streets of downtown Portland at night to protect the innocent. While nothing serious happened, it expanded my boundaries and my view of Port-land. It showed me what it means to live in a ma-jor metropolitan area, in contrast to the country-side of the high school.”
Alumni Q+A: “What is your best late night memory?”
I learned two important les-sons during my time working for Gene. The first: doing pages can actually be e n j o y a b l e . We had an a w e s o m e crew of editors when I was doing pages, and I thoroughly enjoyed working with them all.
The second important lesson I learned was that I enjoy writing. Since working for Gene I haven’t stopped.
When I arrived at college, I
Lifelong Skills Gained from Gene JUNE 2015 • PAGE 3
Eric Suminski, Class of ‘12
Alice Huguet, Class of ‘02
Jess Kibler, Class of ‘10
Banner career leads student to create newspaper
Saling made and impact and reached kids through respect
Journalism propels young writer into a promising media career
Gene was my journalism mentor from the years of 1998-2002, and well over a decade later, I often find myself reflecting on lessons he taught.
I now professionally study teacher effectiveness, yet Gene is evidence to me that the technical measures used today to operationalize instruction-al quality — student test scores, for example cannot begin to capture the secret ingredient of true teacher excellence.
For me, the essence of Gene’s relationship with students — and why he has been so influential on my career, personally— was respect.
During my time on the Link and the Bruin Banner, Gene made me do pages. I was a sports writer; I wanted nothing to do with pages.
So, as passively aggressive as I could, I suggested that other people might possibly be better suited for working on pages than myself. Gene wouldn’t have any of it, telling me to, “suck it up.”
Now, that last quote paraphrased a small conver-sation Gene and I had four to five years ago, but it was an important one. I would go on and finish my time as a Banner contributor as both a sports writer and page editor.
Whenever anyone asks me how I learned to write, or how I became interested in writing at all, I always, without hesitation, credit Gene and his journalism classes.
At first, people usually scoff at this a little bit; saying high school was important to your personal growth typical-ly either comes off as a John Hughes-y cliche or as utterly untrue. Then I explain everything the Bruin Banner entailed, from the frequent pub-lishing schedule, to the lessons in managing a team, to the late nights hunched over InDesign, and it starts to make sense.
It seems silly on the surface to be writing about high school as though I’m far removed from it; I only graduated five years ago. But Gene’s classes taught me most of what I needed to know about writing for the real world, and those lessons have already paid off for me.
The first job I landed out of high school was at Oregon State University (OSU) Press, the small-staffed press run out of OSU’s Valley Library, and while there, I worked mostly in mar-keting.
From there, I worked in OSU’s Government Relations Office as a Legislative Outreach Assistant and copy edited for the school newspaper.
Then, I worked with the College of Liberal Arts to develop a website around the university’s art and with the
University Honors College to write for their web magazine.
The reason I list these indi-vidually is to show the range of experiences writing and story-telling can give.
J o u r n a l i s m skills like re-searching, inter-viewing, editing, and a general knack for commu-
n i c a t i n g - - a l l skills Gene proved import-
ant – can be applied to more than traditional written journalism.
While the writing skills I learned most definitely played into why I was hired for all those positions--writing and editing were major components of each of them--perhaps what Gene gave me that benefitted me the most was the confidence to think, to use my brain and to produce something of value based on my own ideas.
Gene let us tell the types of stories we felt we needed to tell, and that gave our developing voices confidence.
Now, post-college, I work at Powell’s Books, I’m an editorial intern at the literary magazine Tin House, and the new media intern at Bitch Media, which publishes Bitch magazine.
None of these things--not my degree in English, not my passion for writing, not any of my college jobs, not where I am now--would have happened without Gene’s early influence.
I’m grateful for it now, and I anticipate being grateful for it throughout the rest of my career.
I remember specific conversa-tions in the journalism room, discussing with him diction in my writing, in which he challenged my perspective, yet allowed me to make final decisions in publishing.
He backed up my more controversial story pur-suits when they were challenged by other educators, by citing freedom of the press.
He treated all of us as if we were rational and responsible humans with worthwhile
perspectives. This was a revolu-tionary teacher-student relation-
ship for me at the time.
One of the primary ways that this relationship with Gene i n f l u e n c e d my life is through my
own teaching. After graduating from
University of Oregon, I moved to Los Angeles and became a mid-dle school teacher.
In my interactions with students, I tried to model Gene’s
style and treat each one of them as peers in their own right, with meaningful knowledge to contribute to my classroom and to the greater community.
I now know from experience that this approach to teaching takes significantly more effort than one which is founded on a straightforward expert-novice relationship, thus my apprecia-tion for Gene grew through this practice.
I can only hope that one of the hundreds of students I taught will one day enter the profession themselves, and continue this legacy that began in Barlow’s journalism room.
What Gene has accom-plished cannot be quantified. This farewell issue is evidence of that, as I imagine students and athletes from a decades-long career reflecting independently, across the country, on the impact he has made on their lives.
Thank you Gene, from one of those students.
As you transition into this next chapter, please know that the life lessons you taught will continue to ripple outward as each of your students spread them in our respective ways.
heard rumors that some of the professors wanted to start up a school newspaper. I did a little investiga-tion, and ended up as one of the head editors for the new paper.
After we formed the
paper at my college, only the head editors and I had any journalism experience.
Even our adviser, one of the professors at the school, had no journalism experience.
There were a lot of mistakes made, a lot of extra hours put
into the paper, but we managed to do it.
Since then, the process has become much smoother, we have established a system to integrate staff members with no experience, and the paper has become a permanent part of the community.
Since we have formed, even the school faculty has become involved with the paper.
Professors will write guest columns, students will submit photos and story ideas, and even the Dean of Academics has a permanent column in the paper. The paper has grown, and will continue to grow.
This was my last year officially working for the school paper, and as I look back on what was accomplished, there is one person in particular that I need to thank: Gene Saling.
Gene, it was because you fostered a love for journalism in me all those years ago that I was able to contribute to the creation of my school’s newspaper. My college experience wouldn’t have been half as good as it has been without the paper, and it is all thanks to you telling me to “suck it up” all those years ago.
Thank you Gene, may God bless you as you move into this next stage of life.
16 years: Current streak of consecutive Bruin Banner state championships in NWSP Publications Olympics 6 Championships: 2013 State record set by Barlow for NWSP Publications Olympics
Twice in 34 years: Times Gene canceled an issue due to student procrastination 4,000-5,000: Times Gene threatened to pull an issue due to student procrastination
$8 and $5: Current fee Gene requests from Banner and Link students for a year’s worth of Late Night pizza
$100s- Amount Gene estimates he has spent, out of his own pocket, on pizza
$1,000s: throughout his career
800 Gene estimates he’s spent at Barlow, totaling two years altogether (not Late Nights: including Thursday Late Nights)
26-28 issues: Number of newspapers Barlow produces each year
Gene-alism: By the numbers
During Gene’s 34 years at Barlow, he has gone through: 6 United States Presidents
12 principals25-30 assistant principals
10 superintendents
UNKNOWN - “My Freshman year when he was explaining the printer to us newbies. He said ‘a lot of people tell me the printer is broken. The printer isn’t broken, you’re just an idiot’”
ADAM ELWELL, Class of 2014 - “The letter he wrote me after school ended. I was big into counterculture at the time (read: I was a hippie). It was the cause of a lot of dirty looks from Gene over the years, but he started his letter with a quote from Jerry Garcia (lead guitarist and vocal-ist of the Grateful Dead). “What a
long strange trip it’s been.” I still have the letter in my yearbook.”
JEREMIAH O’SULLIVAN, Class of 2000 - “Golfing in the father/son golf tournament and having Gene Sailing play as my dad.”
CHRISTY (MULLINS) WIL-LIAMS, Class of 1989 - “His ability to trust his students with their jobs and teach and guide them rather than control them.”
AARON KRALJEV, Class of 1989 - “When the space shuttle
crashed in 1986 we had just got-ten to class. Gene pulled a TV out into the middle of the classroom. We sat and watched the coverage and talked through it as a group. Being that young I am not sure it was something I could have talk-ed through with my parents but it was important to Gene that he take that time to be open to what we were feeling and saying.”
KAYLI ELLIS, Class of 2017 - “I really like when he gives his slideshows. They’re pretty great and he obviously puts a lot of time into them.”
Alumni Q+A: “What is your best memory of Gene?”
E.J. Olson, Class of ‘10
Journalism: an escape from high school JUNE 2015 • PAGE 4
Connection with Gene one I’ll always treasure
Saling the ‘Lorne’ of Bruin Banner
Life lessons and experiences started in journalism class
Robby Boydstun, ‘08
When I think of Gene Saling, I think of someone who had a huge impact on a bunch of adolescent lives. In a way, he’s the Lorne Michaels of Sam Barlow High School and the Bruin Banner was his Saturday Night Live.
Follow me for a second here: Both have produced long lasting i n s t i t u t i o n s in their respective fields, both have sharp senses of humor, both know how to cultivate creativity out of raw talent and both are Canadian (okay, Gene’s American, but his demeanor seems Canadian at times.)
Our Wednesday Late Night was like writers night, which we spent working (occasionally), cracking jokes, and eating copi-ous amounts of pizza.
Our Thursdays were our dress rehearsals where we fine-tuned the final product. Friday, it was
time to show the audience what we had produced.
We may not have had a studio audience for feedback, but we didn’t need them because
we were our own critics. And Gene was always there to let us know how we could do better.
Like SNL, the cast of characters has
always changed, but for over 30 years Gene has been the constant force that has guided the Bruin Banner through highs and lows and made it the most prolific student newspaper in the state of Oregon.
Although what he has done isn’t broadcast nationally on a weekly basis, in many ways it is just as, if not more, impressive because of his ability to get the best out of a bunch of hormonal teenagers. Trust me, that is not an easy task. He molds young
adults into productive human beings, entrusting them with a big responsibilty and instilling confidence in their abilities at the same time.
I remember attending Fall Press Day in Corvallis and during a workshop other students from schools all over the state were astonished that we were able to produce a bi-weekly paper. It was then we realized that we had something special and we were spoiled. We were able to do something that no other program could do, and it was easy to take for granted sometimes. But from that point on I didn’t.
To this day there hasn’t been a teacher that has had as big an impact on my life. Not only was he a great teacher, but he’s been a great friend since then as well.
So thank you, Geno. Thanks for giving me a home away from home in high school. Thanks for giving me an outlet to display my creativity. Thanks for including me in your cast of characters. Enjoy your retirement.
Many of those who made it through high school can fondly look back and remember a teacher who made their experience more than it otherwise would have been, whether it was someone who helped us to be better, encour-aged us, or opened our eyes to a new world of opportunity.
For more than three decades of aspiring journalists, including myself, that teacher was Gene Saling.
Gene and I certainly had a tenuous relationship, in the sense that I never properly applied myself the way he knew I could, and he made sure I knew it. He continued giving me op-portunities, though, pushing me to focus, to take my work more seriously and prompting me to try new things until I really found my niche.
Journalism quickly became an escape for me; it was the only constant in my life over the course of a turbulent four years. More than just a class, it was an environment where my class-mates and I were actually treated like adults.
We had responsibility.
I could use this space to write about how I spent four years of journalism learning how to write and use a camera properly. But that would be expected and extremely boring.
While I did learn all that, I also gained some lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.
One of the first things I learned is that you can’t be afraid of talking to strangers. You can’t always go and interview people who are well-known because sometimes some of the best stories lay with the ones who nobody knows.
If I hadn’t figured that out I wouldn’t have made the friends that I did, and I definitely would not have found out some of their crazy stories.
Another thing I found useful is that you should always ask for what you want. Whether it was a column or a basketball photo, I always made sure that I got what I wanted assigned to me.
Out in the real world, you have to do the same thing. Because nobody cares about your career as much as you do. Nobody is going to stand there and make you apply for jobs.
Nobody is going to explain things to you if you are confused. It’s your job to make sure you get what you want in life.
My procrastination skills have also gotten a little bit better thanks to constantly having deadlines (and yes... I did procrastinate on this column.) It was never fun to write things last minute. But I eventually
learned that it couldn’t always be done because more often than not, I had to work around other people’s schedules.
Journalism also taught me how to get out of my shell.
Going into high school, I was quiet, shy and kept to myself. But when you get assigned a story that you know a b s o l u t e l y
nothing about, you have to go to one more source. And that’s not always the most comfortable thing in the world when you’re as quiet as I was.
The most important thing I gained from journalism is that everyone has a story. I wrote my fair share of profiles over the years. And I usually volunteered for them.
I’ve learned things about people that nobody else knows and in all honestly, that’s brought me closer to some of my friends. And it’s made me someone that almost anybody can talk to.
Signing up for journalism was the best decision I made in high school and I don’t regret a single story or photo. So, thank you Gene Saling for teaching me some of the most important things in life.
Thank you for giving me a place to call home and a family that made me feel important and useful.
Thank you for giving me what I needed to grow as a person. Thank you for making a difference in my life. And most importantly, thank you for being a fantastic teacher.
Taylor Olson, Class of ‘14
In retrospect, I can’t emphasize enough just how crucial that was for me as I matured into a young adult and integrated into the real world.
It was a learning experience in a way high school never re-ally was for me; everything I
learned about working with a team, communicating with those around me and put-ting my co-workers, classmates and friends before myself, I owe to my time spent in Gene’s classes.
In his Film as Literature
course, Gene and I would occasionally have these sardonic back-and-forth conversations in front of the class—usually over something trivial in regards to a film we’d be watching that day—and the other students that had no idea I had already
spent four years with him would always look around, nervous and uncomfortable.
It was certainly always a benign exchange, but I remember him bringing it up in the newsroom one night—it was a source of personal amuse-ment for the both of us. At the time, I was excited to be in on something others weren’t.
Looking back, I realize Gene had a penchant for connecting with each of his students in unique ways; the sarcasm and occasional eye roll was an effective way of communicating with some-one like me, whereas with someone else he’d maybe have to be more direct and encourag-ing, or perhaps a little more strict with another.
While currently pursuing a higher education and working in an industry I hope to build a career in, I randomly find myself thinking back to my time in his class. I certainly wish I had taken things more seriously back then, but I’m amazed by how much I’m still learning from those ex-periences.
Gene was able to get the most out of his staff and students, and I’m grateful for the environment he fostered; even for someone like me, who never really felt like he should have belonged, that journalism room always felt like home.
Thank you, Mr. Saling.
Alumni Q+A: “What impact did journalism have on your life after SBHS?”ASHLEY LOFLIN, Class of 2008 — Learning how to con-sume pizza rapidly before other ravenous students could get to it is a skill that will help you through all of life.
JEFF DEEDER, Class of 1999 - The major impact the journalism program had on me after high school was the influ-ence it had on my own teaching. I attempt to follow the Geno atti-tude in school, and recognize the important of developing strong relationships in getting the best out of my students.
SHELLIE ADAMS, Class of 2011 - Journalism gave me skills that I never realized until after high school. Patience, determi-nation, learning to function on a deadline, and of course working with other people who ay have the dedication that you do but also may not.
TARA STARR, Class of 2007 - Journalism helped me develop my writing skills, but more than that, it gave me a curiosity for the things going on in the world. It also helped me to further devel-op my dedication to things that I start and to not settle for some-thing that isn’t my best effort.
DAN GRIMES, Class of 1985 - Working with photography in the class, it stoked my passion for imaging. My experience with photography increased dramatically, expanding my technical knowledge and cre-ative boundaries. Even though I got an Electronic Engineering degree, I applied it to motion imaging and have never lost the passion for good images.
LEX MARTIN, Class of 2010 - Journalism gave me the skills to work on a team effec-tively and to always seek chal-leneges for myself in different positions I pursue.
Journalism Advisor Gene Saling edits stories during Late Night in his organized chaos.
As somebody who has observed Gene for 23 years, I have a simple piece of advice: enjoy retirement, Dad, you deserve it.
Gene is the hardest-working, most selfless person I have ever been around, and I couldn’t have any more respect for someone than I do for him. I say that not just because he is my dad, but because I have seen it every day throughout my life.
Everything he does, he does 100 percent. He never goes half-heartedly into anything (except maybe at something my mom drags him to). In 23 years I have never seen Gene call in sick just because he didn’t feel like working.
In fact, there are times when he has been sick as a dog, and my mom, Derek and I had to plead with him not to go into work. He wouldn’t even leave work when Derek got his head stuck in the banister as a kid because it was a paper day.
During the school year, he grades papers religiously. He thoroughly reads everything he grades and nitpicks every detail, whether you are a Bruin Banner editor or a freshman flunking J 1-2. For 34 years he has been doing Late Nights on Wednesdays. I remember every week as a kid, my mom, Derek, and I would go out to eat on Wednesdays while dad was slaving away trying to put together the paper.
Now that was Gene the teacher, but Gene the father was even better. I have not always been a great son, but he has always been a great dad. I could not have asked for a better childhood and I thank you and mom for being such great parents to Derek and I.
I still am not really sure how he managed to do it: juggling teaching, the paper, coaching and us, but no matter how busy he was, he always managed to put family first. Always putting Derek and me before himself, even when it comes down to something as small as who gets the last slice of pizza, he’ll never take it for himself (unless it’s pepperoni, then he wouldn’t want it anyway).
Dad, you built something special here at Barlow with the journalism program and if you need any proof, just look at this issue. There are students from the past 34 years who have collaborated and put together this great tribute to you because of what you did for them.
I think it is safe to say that all of your hard work over the past 34 years has paid off. So again, to you I say Dad: kick back, relax, re-watch the “Twilight Zone,” and enjoy retirement because you have definitely earned it: as a teacher, a mentor to many, and a father, you’ve earned it.
FamilyMatters JUNE 2015 • PAGE B1
By JACK SALINGFather
My son, Gene Saling, is, above all else, an honest man with high moral and ethical standards. To my knowledge he has never smoked, used alcohol, or experi-mented with illegal drugs. I have never heard him swear. Yet, he is not judgmental about others. He is highly reliable.
Gene coached youth baseball teams when he was a teenager. At one game I yelled at the um-pire for what I considered hor-
I first met Gene in 1981 when he showed up at Barlow as the new kid on the block. I was the veteran who had been there since 1978. We first became friends through playing tennis, which later turned into a romance, much to the surprise of everyone at Barlow. When we got married in 1989, people thought of us as Barlow’s “Odd Couple.” This may be true, but 2 great kids and 25 years later, we are still together, so something must be working! (Take that, Reagan Demas!) Living with Gene, the journalism teacher, is both challenging and inspiring. The challenge comes from his long hours at school with late nights and dealing with computer glitches, making paper weeks long and Gene a bit crabby when he finally gets home. While we are watching TV, he is grading papers or doing schoolwork at least 4-5 nights a week. Interestingly enough, the challenges are also an inspiration; Gene is a true professional. The countless hours he has dedicated to the journalism program at Barlow with his late nights and paper grading really are admirable. Gene is somewhat of an unsung hero, as people are not
Tennis matches prove to be matchmaking
Talented son surpasses father’s expectations
As a kid, I always loved when my dad had Late Night, because that always meant we could go to Taco Bell for dinner, or watch Survivor, or partake in some other act that he deemed abhorrent.
Not until I was older that I respected all of the time and hard work that he put in at late night and the rest of the week to make the Bruin Banner.
But I did not truly appreciate the Banner until I got to high school, and I was able to see it compared to the noticeably lesser quality newspapers that other high schools produced.
It must have been a dream come true for him when he finally
Gene and Linda Saling met as teachers at Sam Barlow High School and were married in Novem-ber of 1989.
aware of the long hours at school and the reams of papers graded throughout a 34-year career. One of the things that he does best is allow the Bruin Banner to be the students’ paper, not his paper. He advises but does not force his ideas onto the students. He has created a fun atmosphere and has great rapport with students at late night with lots of bantering. He has created a journalism legacy to be proud of. As a fellow teacher, I have nothing but the utmost respect and admiration for his work ethic and success. Even though he has enjoyed his career at Barlow, he is a family man above all. The love and support he gives to the boys and me is part of what makes us a strong family. Yes, we have our differences, but rarely fight and never yell. Sarcasm is the preferred mode in the Saling family for disagreements! No Salings admit defeat in an argument! It also helps if we don’t discuss politics too much. Gene’s strange sense of
humor always keeps us laughing (and making fun of him)! I have had a very happy life, but I can say for a certainty that the last 25 years with Gene have been the best part. And for those journalism students reading this, you will know exactly what I mean when I say, “I thought I married Mr. Right; I didn’t know I married Mr. Always Right”! But that’s Gene, and you gotta love him! I look forward to a new phase of our life as retirees, although I will have to get used to having him around the house, since I have been retired for 8 years. Barlow gave us each other, and as a result, our 2 boys, so we will both always have wonderful memories of our time as Bruins, but there is still a lot of life left
after Barlow. There are golf balls to be hit, gardens to be weeded, New York Times crosswords to be completed, bikes to be ridden, books to be read, movies to be watched, and trips to be taken.
Gene as father, teacher proved to be super-human hard worker
Linda Saling, wife
rible mistakes. After the game Gene was angry at me for cost-ing his team the “Sportsmanship Trophy”. As a child, we exposed Gene to a multitude of different foods, hoping it would lead to a broad appetite as an adult. It didn’t take. If he hasn’t eaten it before, he won’t eat it now.
I saw his talent as a writer ear-ly. Both Gene and I were sports editors of the Oregon State news-paper, The Barometer. I thought I could write well, but soon real-ized that as a high school writer, Gene was better than me as a col-
lege writer. Gene loves to debate and asks poignant questions. But if he senses that he is start-ing to lose the debate, a point of view that he occasionally comes to with great reluctance, he will immediately change the subject.
Around the house as a child, he was quite taciturn, although he would occasionally come through with a witty bon mot. We didn’t realize just how fun-ny he could be until we received word that students had selected Gene to be emcee at various high school functions (he may have
gotten some of his material from having watched years of Johnny Carson on “The To-night Show” when he should have been sleeping.)
Speaking of which, you can call Gene on off-school days, just don’t call him before noon (he would probably prefer a school which ran from 6PM to midnight, a period during which he is most alert).
In short, Gene is a man with whom any parent would be proud. For he is a gentleman and gentle man.
Appreciation for father’s work expands with age had a son sign up for journalism, and then an even better dream when he finally had a son sign up who was good at writing.
I think m o s t e v e r y b o d y that worked on the B a n n e r looks back
and does not think
about how good the paper was or wasn’t (it usually was), but on the wonderful experiences and relationships that formed in the newsroom.
That place became a haven for many, with people spending countless hours in that crammed office debating about anything and everything, enjoying Little Caesars every other Wednesday,
and feeling like they had a home inside the school.
Journalism is a community that is special in the school. Rarely does a single class create connections that are so strong and last years beyond graduation. Maybe it’s just because I’m his son, but I feel extremely proud that I can say my dad built that community.
Barlow has been a cornerstone of my life since I was born. Whether it be hiding under my mom’s desk eating a snickerdoodle before I went to pre-school, coming to take-your-child-to-work day, or attending countless basketball games. It was a great feeling, knowing that my dad (and I guess you too, Mom) had such a positive impact on the school that was so influential to me.
A lot of people go through life and probably look back on every day they went to work, thinking that they really didn’t have much of an impact on anybody.
Through journalism and coaching though, Gene can reflect back on his career and know that he actually did make a difference to a lot of people.
High school can be great for some people, or not so much for others. I think that most people who were involved with journalism considered that one of the best part of their four years.
So I just want to say thank you Dad, for all that you’ve done. I’m proud to be the son of a man that so many people came to love and respect.
Bryce Saling, son
Derek Saling, Son
InFocus JUNE 2015• PAGE B3JUNE 2015 • PAGE B2
n Gene wrote this article under the ruse that it would be sent out to past SBHS alumni as a letter for invitees to his retirement party. Below are the words from the teacher who kept the press running for an astonishing 34 years.
In looking back at my early years as a teacher at Sam Barlow, a couple things stand out: First, I remember how hard the job was, especially for someone who was brand new at teaching, and second, I can recall the incredible amount of time I was putting into it. In those early years, the job wasn’t much fun, to tell you the truth. It was a lot of work with not much in the way of rewards — or so it seemed at the time.
So how did I last 34 years in this job? That’s an easy one to answer: It was because of you. That’s the only thing that makes sense as I recall all the blood, sweat and tears that went into being the journalism teacher at Barlow for the past three decades. I was truly blessed by all the students who came through the doors of the journalism room and graced the Bruin Banner — and my life — with their presence.
It wasn’t all peaches and cream, of course — I can remember many Thursday afternoons when we
Warm words from a life-long friend Gene Saling started teaching at Sam Barlow High School in 1981. I started attending SBHS in 1982. In the more than 30 years that have passed since, I have been lucky enough to call Gene my friend. I have a feeling that there are dozens, if not hundreds, of students who would say something similar. I know that several of them have contributed to this commemorative edition of the Bruin Banner. However, only a handful of students have known Gene for more than three decades. For that blessing, I can thank lucky timing and a somewhat amorphous interest in journalism as a relatively young, and more-than-relatively nerdy, freshman back in’82. Dr. Charles Glassman said, “A genuine teacher does not seek to impress you with their greatness, but instead to impress upon you that you possess the skills to discover your own.” Gene gets that. Of all of Gene’s great traits, humility may be his greatest. To be clear, Gene does not lack for confidence. If you have ever discussed politics with Gene or more broadly, the social
finished the paper after a long, stressful week and I walked out the door, determined to quit that day and never come back. But after a couple good nights of sleep, I always did return, and pretty soon I looked at the calendar and 34 years had gone by.
Despite those challenging early years, as time went on, I got better and more confident at the job and found myself settling in to what was turning into a pretty successful career, and enjoying the great adventure I was experiencing. But I never lost sight of the fact that, without all those great
students I was working with on all those newspaper staffs, I never would have lasted this long and never would have ended up appreciating the job as much as I did.
So as I wrap up my last few weeks as a teacher and prepare for
the great unknown that lies ahead, I want to be sure to thank all of you who contributed your time and talent to the Barlow journalism program and our newspaper staffs. It was my great honor and privilege to have worked with so many amazing people — from the early 1980s right up to today. And it will be a lot of fun to see many of you again this summer — I’ll look forward to chatting with you and catching up on things.
Until then, all my best.
condition, you know that he has a rather strong sense of why his views are right─ ALWAYS! I have wondered how Linda, lifelong
democrat and p r o g r e s s i v e , has remained married to Gene for the last 26 years. But as I considered this article, my w o n d e r m e n t
turned to understanding. Gene and Linda are both respectful, non-judgmental, and open minded. I will never forget the laughs, challenges, and successes that I shared in with Gene during my high school years: playing “Go Fish” in the journalism room over lunch, throwing the football around in the courtyard at 8pm on Wednesday night, dropping in on Gene at 11pm Saturday night, or later, to watch “Crossfire.” But I take more joy in remembering the times since I graduated: sharing in Gene’s wedding to his lovely wife, Linda, playing those ultra-competitive Scrabble games, occasionally coming through with our promises to play golf over the summer, officiating the Bruin hoopsters while Gene coached on the sidelines, and so much more. It is a rare person indeed who
Gene Saling
The Evolution of a Gene
Mark Anderegg, 1986
1954:Linda born
1956:Gene born Eureka, California to Jack and Janet Saling
1956:Gene and his family moved to
Oregon
1975:Gene graduated from Reynolds HS, and started
at MHCC
1975:Gene worked part-time for The Oregon
Journal
1977:Transferred to OSU for Journalism
1978:Linda becomes English teacher for Sam Barlow
1977:Starts working for The Daily
Barometer
1981:Gene trades his Orange and Black for Blue and Gold, and starts teach-
ing at SBHS
1982:Gene works on the final issue of The
Oregon Journal
Nov. 24th, 1989:Gene and Linda get
married
1991:Gene and Linda welcome their first son into the world,
Bryce
1994:Bryce gets a brother, named
Derek
2007:Linda retires
from SBHS
2010:Gene receives the
prestigious honor ofbeing named “Oregon High School Journal-ism Teacher of the Year.
2014:Gene is named “Teacher of the Year” for SBHS
2015:Gene’s final year at SBHS, though his
legacy will continue
34 years later, I owe it all to you
Last day in the Banner newsroom
An excerpt from my journal, dated June 3, 2005: I migrate to the newsroom to put the finishing touches on my stringbook. I have to tally up how many stories I wrote, photos I took, and pages I laid out. I’m busy updating my new word list when Mr. Saling comes over, stands behind me for a moment, and says, “that’s fine. You don’t have to do any more. Just turn that in.” It’s time for lunch, so I get a bur-rito and steal a napkin from one of Mr. Saling’s cub-bies. Shawn brings me a coke out of the blue. Mr. Saling is sitting at his computer, eating. There is nothing to say and so much to say all at once. “So,” I break our usual silence. “This will be the last time we eat lunch in the same room.” Mr. Saling takes this seriously, which momen-tarily catches me off guard. “It’s been great,” he says, getting up to shake my hand. I ask if I’ll see him at graduation. “I don’t go to graduation,” he replies, his expres-sion a mixture of shame, sadness, and amusement.
I remember now: he has never attended gradua-tion, meaning he never will. He must keep up tra-dition. After four years of knowing him, I know this about him. “Will you at least go to reunions?” I ask, and he confirms he will. But reunions are far away,
very distant to me right now in this four-year world. “It won’t be the same without you,” he says, and actu-ally pulls me into a hug. A hug. I am suddenly feeling heavy, re-alizing that this is it. The bell rings. He must go and teach a class, a class of
people who I am sure will not appreciate him as they should. As he closes the door, I feel almost a sense of panic. All alone in the newsroom, noth-ing is keeping me from leaving. I have nothing to do anymore: no planning, no cleaning, no typing, no talking. Loitering would just prolong the in-evitable. I take a deep breath and gather my things one by one. I walk to the door, turn around, and give the room one last look. If it weren’t for journal-ism, I think to myself, I wouldn’t miss anything. Then, slowly, I exit the room.
Alyssa Perkins, 2005
cannot only be called one of your favorite teachers as a kid, but also one of your favorite people as an adult. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Miss Maudie says, “We’re so rarely called on to be Christians, but when we are, we’ve got men like Atticus to go for us.” I feel the same way about Gene. He was simply one of those teachers, and he is one of those men, who will stand tall and invariably do the right thing. We may wobble in our resolve, Gene will not. It is good that Gene does not get to edit this production of his beloved Bruin Banner, because I have little doubt he would try to edit such that he would not be the focus. Gene would figure out some way to make his retirement edition about everyone other than him. That is just who he is. Fortunately, we get to praise Gene without fear of him redacting our words.
Thank you, Gene. On behalf of every student you have ever had, I am going to take it upon myself to say “Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!” And, from my own heart, I guess the best way to conclude is to say, “Job well done” and “You should be very proud of what you have accomplished.” I love you, Gene, and am honored, and humbled, to be able to call you my friend.
n A former journalism student dusts off a journal entry from her last day at Barlow, recalling how much Gene Saling meant to her.
ADAM ELWELL, Class of 2014 - “The class before me were
kind of sarcastic, so when Gene entered the room on the first day they gave him a standing ovation.
Gene remembered this, and called out my class on it when we
neglected to do it ourselves.”
ROBIN COUSINEAU, Class of 2006 - During his unit on news
writing in J 1-2, Gene would hold “press conferences” in which he portrayed 4 or 5 people and let us interview them. My favorite
was his teenage alcoholism press conference. He played a 18 year-old girl who had a problem with
authority. It was amazing.
Alumni Q+A: “What are your funniest memories of Gene?”MARK ANDEREGG, Class of 1986 - I will simply say that
Gene, on more than one occasion, boasted about his life as a bachelor
and the freedom it allowed him. He spoke of marriage as if it were
a plague for several years . . . and then--ask Linda about what
happened.
JESSICA KIBLER, Class of 2010 - Gene’s strict moral code
was always a point of humor for me. One day, I gave him trouble for his insistence on
clean language. His response was something along the lines of “I just don’t swear. Well, I may have said
‘poop’ once.”
SCOTT ROSENTRETER, Class of 1987 - Years after graduation,
we were reminiscing about his journalism class. Gene said
nobody from his freshman class had ever received an A on every test. I told him that I did. He
looked in his records and found that I had indeed received an A
on every test. Unwilling to admit he was wrong, Gene changed the grade on one of my tests to a B
more than 10 years after I left high school.
BRAD PATRICK, Class of 1987 - I remember watching (and
heckling) Gene and Linda while they played tennis prior to them
even dating.
Strands Through Time
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: 1. Gene has had a passion for sports his entire life. 2. Former students show their appreciation for the man known as “Geno” after an Annual Journalism reunion at the Spaghetti Factory. 3. Gene on the steps of his childhood home. 4. A rare glimpse of Gene as a young adult. 5. Gene proving his style sense at a young age.
BestWishes JUNE 2015 • PAGE B4
By ASHLEY LOFLIN, Class of 2008 – “Gene, your years of dedication and passion in journalism and teaching has inspired so many of us. Thank you for the fun journalism memories on the Link/Banner and providing the opportunity to have a passion for writing. I hope you enjoy your adven-tures in retirement!”
By ADAM ELWELL, Class of 2014 – “Have fun telling ev-eryone on the golf course how you could be working on a high school newspaper right now!”
By ROBBY BOYDSTUN, Class of 2008 – “Gene, thank you for introducing and teach-ing me everything I needed to know about journalism. You gave me the home I always wanted in high school. Thank you for being my mentor and my friend. Now, don’t die on me like Mike Royko.”
By HOLLY SCHNACK-ENBERG, Class of 2007 – “Thank you so much for all the invaluable skills you gave me over the years! I definitely wouldn’t be where I am without your help. Happy retirement!”
By YUCA KOSUGI, Class of 2010 – “Thank you for creating and running such an amazing journalism program -- I am so lucky to have been a part of it. My experience doing journalism at Barlow built the foundation of my profession-al development and it contin-ues to open doors to this day. It was the only place in high school where I felt like I be-longed and was a part of some-thing worth working hard for. I cannot thank you enough.”
By JEREMIAH O’SULLI-VAN (SULLIVAN), Class of 2000 – “Gene - thanks for putting up with me in class. I look back at Journalism as one of my fondest memories from high school. Thanks!”
By CHRISTY WILLIAMS (MULLINS), Class of 1989 – “You are one person, out of
thousands I’ve met in my life-time, that is truly memorable.”
By JESSICA TROTTIER, Class of 2011 – “Gene, al-though I was only on the Ban-ner for my senior year, I really appreciate the opportunity you gave me to join. I explored my creative side in cartooning and columns, and it was one of the most enjoyable experiences I had in high school. Thank you for the memories.”
By TROY WOOD, Class of 1988 – “You had a great deal of influence in how I see the world. Since I like the way I see the world, I am very grateful to have called you a teacher and friend. I hope you thorough-ly enjoy seeing as much of the world as you can in your retire-ment.”
By MEGHAN HILLARD, Class of 2003 – “Everyone should be so lucky to have a Gene Saling in their young lives. If I could pay forward a fraction of the insight and knowledge you gave to me during my time in your class, it would be one of the greatest things I’ve ever done. Thank you, truly.”
By AARON KRALJEV, Class of 1989 – “Best wishes Gene, may you enjoy this time that you so richly deserve.”
By KATE LENDE (FEHRINGER), Class of 1999 – “Gene, being a member of the Bruin Banner staff was the best part of high school. As a journalism teacher myself, I am forever following in your footsteps and trying to give my students a fraction of the experience you gave me. Enjoy all the extra time to follow sports and golf.”
By SHELLIE ADAMS, Class of 2011 – “I wish you all the best in retirement because that is what you have given your students everyday of your ca-reer. Thank you for being you!”
By JESS KIBLER, Class of
2010 – “Gene, thank you for making journalism a fun and inspiring outlet during high school. You always expected nothing less than our best and that is something that has stuck with me today. I wish you all the best in this next chapter.”
By TARA STARR, Class of 2007 – “Thanks for being the best teacher at Barlow. You gave so many of us a purpose and fun place to escape to, and your commitment to the stu-dents went so above and be-yond what was expected of you. You deserve so much recogni-tion for all the good you have done. There need to be more teachers like you!”
DEREK SALING, Class of 2012 ─ “Hopefully retirement gives you some time to practice your golf game. It would be nice to have some competition when we play.”
KARINA ZEIER (HUNT), Class of 2000 ─ “Gene, you are the reason I am a writer today. Your guidance and belief in me laid a mighty strong foundation. Thank you.”
JOHN KING, Class of 2013 ─ “Gene, your dedication to journalistic integrity and your passion in teaching has taught me a lesson in life that I could have learned in no other way. No matter where I go in life, I will remember the lessons that you have taught us.”
HOLLY DAY (FOWLER), Class of 1988 ─ “Gene, THANK YOU so much for inspiring us to do great things...for making ‘work’ fun...and for being the best friend a teacher could be! Best wishes for a very happy retirement!”
MARIE BOWMAN (SOMERA), Class of 2001 ─ “Congratulations Gene! Enjoy your retirement, it is well deserved. Thanks for all your hard work, laughter and pushing us through all the late nights. Your teaching helped prepare us for the world after high school. Best Wishes!”
SHAWN FISHER, Class
of 2006 ─ “Even us former journalism students can’t find the proper words to express our gratitude. Enjoy your extra free time and know that you are greatly appreciated by many!”
KATELYN HILSENBECK, Class of 2012 ─”You’ve impacted so many students’ lives. You’ve instilled a love of journalism in me and others. For that, I am eternally grateful. Thank you for making high school something I could look forward to.”
JEFF DEEDER, Class of 1999 ─”Cheers to a life of always staying up late, sleeping in, playing golf, and enjoying an endless summer vacation. You’ve impacted so many lives in a positive way, you deserve a fulfilling and enjoyable retirement.”
ALEXIS ESTRADA, Class of 2014 ─ “Gene, you promised you’d be at my wedding as long as it wasn’t within two years after graduation. You’ve always had a way with words. I’ll see you there, look for an invite in the mail at some point! Thanks for everything.”
ADAM SPARKS, Class of 1995 ─ “Gene-o: You played a bigger role in my career, and my life in general, than you probably realize. Your guidance and support helped me find my path, and I’ll never forget that. I owe you a whole lot more than I could ever repay. Thank you. Best of luck in retirement.”
BRAD PATRICK, Class of 1987 ─ “Congratulations on your retirement, and incredible career! You had a tremendous impact on many kids’ lives. I sincerely appreciate your friendship, and the time and energy you poured into all of us . I would guess Linda will be playing a lot more golf with you home full time... I’m sure she will miss her peace and quiet! :)”
PIERCE LARKINS, Class of 2013 ─ “Gene, you are an awesome teacher. It was great being in your class, and definitely worth it. I wish you
the best, and hope you enjoy your retirement.”
KAYLI ELLIS, Class of 2017 ─ “Thank you so much for everything and giving me the opportunity to be a part of this. Have a nice retirement, play lots of golf.”
MARK ANDEREGG, Class of 1986 ─ “Gene- May your retirement be filled with enjoyment. I expect late nights, followed by late mornings. I encourage you to play with no regrets. You have earned every second of what is to come. There is an immense pride which you should feel in what you have done for thousands of young lives over the past thirsty years.”
SCOTT ROSENTRETER, Class of 1987─ “Tweaking a line from one of Gene’s favorite movies, “It’s a Wonderful Life,” - To my good friend Gene, the richest man in town!”
DAN GRIMES, Class of 1985 ─ “Gene, your journalism (and yearbook) class was one of the most memorable classes at SBHS and I matured and grew tenfold while being part of the Bruin Banner and the ‘83-’84 Yearbook. The freedom, encouragement and coaching you gave me in my photography is still fresh in my mind. You gave just the right amount of criticism for me to grow without breaking my desire to continue. You had the right stuff then and it is why you leave a legacy of over 30 years of students that love and respect you.”
JARED WALLACE, Class of 2009 ─ “As a new student at Barlow, Gene was the first teacher to recognize my potential and always pushed me to do better. He gave me opportunities to express myself and become a well rounded citizen. I probably would not have pursued a career as a teacher if it weren’t for Gene.”
CHRIS MULICK, Class of 1993 ─ “Looks like I picked the wrong week to wish you best of luck with your next class of students.”
Former Journalism Students Share Departing Thoughts
ADAM ELWELL, Class of 2014─ “I was a super awkward bookish-type, but I also liked to skip class and goof off. I’m pretty sure I would have gotten in much worse trouble if I hadn’t been able to hangout and read the Oregonian in the newsroom when I got bored. My algebra grade suffered, but I made it through high school without getting arrested, so that’s always a plus.”
ROBBY BOYDSTUN, Class of 2008─ “I wasn’t athletic enough to be a jock, didn’t play an instrument, never wanted to act, etc... Journalism was a way for me to express my creativity and I found out that I loved it enough to pursue it for a career.”
JESSICA TROTTIER, Class of 2011 ─ “I wasn’t big into the
“clique” scene at Barlow. But during that last year I became closer with some of my friends I had known all along, and felt like I really belonged to a group.”
TROY WOOD, Class of 1988─ “It allowed me to interact with classmates that would not have usually interacted with me. Most importantly, it allowed me to see the world as they see it. This was the fertile soil from which compassion for others later blossomed.”
MEGHAN HILLIARD, Class of 2003─ “It gave me something to look forward to each day. I interviewed students and teachers that I wouldn’t have spoken to otherwise. I knew other people relied on me in journalism, and I them, which brought a whole other level
of personal responsibility to a young age that you can’t learn in traditional classrooms. It’s the only thing I really identified with during my time at Barlow.”
SHELLIE ADAMS, Class of 2011─ “was a consistent outlet for me. If I wasn’t sure where to go or what to do, the journalism room was always an option. It always pushed me to try harder and take on more, which is something I still do today.”
REBECCA GAULKE, Class of 2012─ “Journalism was my connection to school – it was the only part of high school I truly cared about, and it made all the difference. I could have easily stopped going to classes, but journalism gave me a reason to be there that didn’t make me miserable.”
JEFF DEEDER, Class of 1999─”Journalism was the cornerstone of my high school experience. It gave me a niche to fit into, and it was there all four years. It allowed me to work with others, produce school work that was published, and forced me out of my shell to interview a variety of people, and then report on what I learned.”
ALEXIS ESTRADA, Class of 2014─ “Being on the Banner helped me grow in confidence, empowered me, and made me feel like I had a home at school. It was the best part of high school. I can’t explain exactly why that is so, but anyone who has been on staff and been in the environment for years knows the feeling. The News Room is home and the staff members are family.”
Alumi Q+A: “How did journalism change your high school experience?” ADAM SPARKS, Class of 1995─ “Journalism didn’t change my high school experience. It defined it. Nothing else I did, socially or academically, was as important to me as Gene’s classes and the time I spent after school working on the paper. It was the primary place I knew I belonged.”
KAYLI ELLIS, Class of 2017─ “It helped me realize the things that I’m passionate about and that I am capable of pushing through tough/stressful times.”
CHRIS MULICK, Class of 1993─ “Well, getting called into the principal’s office to discuss my column on the folly of cooperative learning was memorable.”
Seth Lewis - Class of 1996 Role in journalism: Sports reporter, editor, columnist Accomplishments after high school: I’m a professor in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Minnesota, where my research and teaching focuses on the transformation of journalism and media work in the digital era. I became an assistant professor in 2010, after receiving my Ph.D. from the School of Journalism at the University of Texas at Austin, and recently received a promotion to associate professor with tenure. Before my doctoral studies at Texas (2006-2010), I worked at The Miami Herald as a
copy editor and then assistant sports editor. I have also been a Visiting Scholar at Stanford University and am a U.S. Fulbright Scholar.
Greatest career struggle: Learning to balance so many seemingly competing priorities in life. For the past decade, I have gone from one busy thing (working full-time at The Miami Herald while simultaneously pursuing an MBA) to another (doctoral studies, which are nothing short of overwhelming) to yet another (the five-year tenure at Minnesota, just now completed) — and it has taken a toll on me and especially my family.What is the greatest skill you’ve gained from Gene? Gene was so good at taking the work of journalism seriously, helping us understand why it mattered in society and demanded accuracy and ethics — but he didn’t take himself too seriously, and that was crucial. He decorated his office with headlines about “gene” this or “gene” that, in a way that communicated to students that he could laugh at himself. And he showed us how journalism too could be fun and interesting and the most exciting thing we did in our high school days... even while simultaneously communicating the power of the press as an institution.
StudentSpotlight JUNE 2015• PAGE 5
Eight former journalism students were nominated by their peers to be featured for their career achievements
Adam Sparks - Class of 1995 Role in journalism: Sports Editor / reporterAccomplishments after Barlow:I am the Digital Editor at the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Before that, I worked in sports departments, as a designer/ copy editor at the Star-Advertiser, the Register-Guard in Eugene and the Honolulu Star-Bulletin. I started out as a sports writer at the Springfield News and the Register-Guard before moving into copy editing and designing. I have also freelanced for the Associated Press and Yahoo! Sports.What advice do you have for current Barlow journalism students? Don’t specialize. Learn as much as you can about as many facets of journalism as possible. The newspaper industry, in particular, demands that you possess a broad skill set, more than ever before. Reporters now should be able to report and write, take photos, shoot and produce video, blog and manage social media accounts. They should have at least a basic understanding of websites, HTML and SEO. Skills that used to be considered bonus attributes for a job candidate are now pretty much expected.
Chris Mulick - Class of 1993 Role in journalism: Sports reporter, columnist, editorAccomplishments after Barlow: I am the director of state relations for Washington State University, leading WSU’s state government lobbying team in Olympia. Prior to that I worked as a communications specialist at the state Senate. I also worked for 12 years as a reporter for the Tri-City Herald, 10 of which were spent as the Herald’s statehouse correspondent in Olympia.What has been your greatest career struggle? Leaving journalism is the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my adult life.What advice do you have for current Barlow journalism students? Journalism is a great field to get into for young people. The industry is looking for young, innovative minds to make it/keep it fresh and relevant. In a who-you-know world, journalism is a fantastic stepping stone to lots of other careers. I got to know a lot of important people as a journalist. That became a valuable commodity when I decided I needed to move on. Students should also know that while getting into journalism is great, staying in it is challenging as you grow older, have families and, suddenly, have other needs.
Holly Schnackenberg - Class of 2007 Role in journalism: Editor, page designer, writerAccomplishments after Barlow: For the past four years, I’ve worked as an art director in advertising, creating campaigns and branded pieces for companies like Starbucks, Target, Lexus, The Ritz-Carlton, Microsoft, and Nike. I create social campaigns as well as digital, print, and television ads. I also launched a small business devoted to calligraphy, lettering, and watercolor, Oregon Girl Designs.What has been your greatest career struggle? I didn’t attend art school, but in both my professional and personal business, I work with art and computer programs. I’m completely self-taught when it comes to these matters, so I’m still constantly learning new and more efficient ways of doing things.What advice do you have for current Barlow journalism students? Keep trying things until you find a fit. An interest in journalism can set you up for a million different amazing jobs It teaches you curiosity, perseverance, the importance of meeting deadlines, and good writing skills. This alone will get you far in life. Stay curious and keep trying different areas until you find what’s natural to you.
Kristina Johnsen - Class of 2007 Role in journalism: Reporter/ photographerAccomplishments after Barlow: For the past four years I’ve been working at the NBC affiliate in southern Oregon, KOBI-TV NBC5 as the Digital Media Marketing Director. I help run our social media pages, work with clients on their social media strategy, and work closely with the newsroom to help build our digital presence. What has been your greatest personal or career accomplishment? I created the position
I am currently in, pitched it to the company and here I am! What is the greatest skill you gained from Gene? To always take pride in your work. Whether it be a photo for someone else’s story or a high profiled story...always put your best effort into what you do. Oh, and don’t always wait until the last minute to do something (which I always did at the Banner and still do today...). You could always joke around with Gene but he was always serious when it came time to work and evaluate your work. No matter the project, Gene always took the time to give me his honest feedback on my work and I really appreciate that.
Kylie Wray - Class of 2009 Role in journalism: Page designer, reporter, Link Editor, Performing Arts EditorAccomplishments after Barlow: For the past year and a half I have been the News Reporter for the Sandy Post. Prior to that I was an intern at the Portland Tribune, it’s Sustainable Life Section and the Clackamas Review and Oregon City News. In college, I was Editor-in-Chief of a Feminist magazine, The Siren, and volunteered my page designing skills for the student publication, Ethos.What has been your greatest personal or career accomplishment?I think my greatest accomplishment was landing a full-time reporting job right out of college. What is the greatest skill you gained from Gene? Everything Gene taught me was integral in my education and my career. I went into the UO journalism program, at a turning point when professors were changing their focus toward multi-media content. Gene taught us the basics of writing and how to approach different story formats as well as how to use key programs that put me ahead of those in my class. While students were learning how to create a video, photo slideshow and an app, many professors complained that they weren’t learning how to write a story. I learned that from Gene.
Meghan Hilliard- Class of 2003 Role in journalism: Opinion Editor, Sports EditorAccomplishments after Barlow: In 2009, I got an editorial internship at Portland Monthly magazine. In 2011, I worked for Key Publishing Group in New York City, primarily covering New York Fashion Week. In 2012, I joined Relapse Magazine-- a NYC fashion and culture publication-- as a contributing writer, was promoted to Managing Editor the next year, and am now their Editorial Director with a direct report to the Founder and Editor in Chief. What has been your greatest career struggle? I moved to New York the first time in 2008, a year after graduating from college. The recession came on the heels of my arrival, and I couldn’t find work to save my life. I knew I had to leave New York before I started becoming resentful. Even when I gave it another go in 2011, I had difficultly landing a full-time gig. I was endlessly freelancing while working odd jobs at night, picking up contract work while applying to 10 jobs a day, every day. Even three years later in 2011, the recession was still devastating the publishing industry. I was a 24 year old competing with journalists twice my age with decades of experience for entry level publishing positions, because they were laid off or let go and were just as desperate as I. To this day, it’s never not tough, but it’s all I’ve ever wanted to do.What is the greatest skill you gained from Gene? I was a junior when 9/11 happened, and that morning the principal at the time came on the intercom and said that no televisions would be turned on, and school would resume as normal. Everyone who had Gene for a teacher knew that wasn’t going to fly. Many of us skipped whatever classes we had, and went to the journalism room. Gene had the news playing on one of those classroom TVs that was on a cart. The lights in the room were off, and the room was silent. We stayed there all day.
Rachel Huguet - Class of 2006 Role in journalism: Writer, section editorAccomplishments after Barlow: After getting my B.A. in International Affairs from the George Washington University I was assigned to be a Rural Community Development Volunteer in Costa Rica for the Peace Corps. I spent two years living in a village of 500 people along the border with Nicaragua. In 2013, I returned to Portland and took on the position of Assistant Program Officer at Mercy Corps. This last November I made the move to Seattle and now serve as Program Coordinator for the Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene team at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Our work focuses on unsewered locations in South Central Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa where diarrhea resulting from untreated waste water is the leading cause of death for children under five. What has been your greatest personal or career accomplishment? Living without hot water for two years. What advice do you have for current Barlow journalism students? Take risks and embrace occasional failure, or at least accept it as inevitable. Some of the greatest memories and most valuable lessons can come from those experiences, particularly if you are open to examining them without judgment – of yourself or others. If nothing else, you’ll age more slowly. More tangibly, go talk to professionals in the careers you might be interested in pursuing and ask them how they got where they are. If you are too shy to reach out, google them. Explore LinkedIn. Do your research early. In the end, if you’re not sure what you want to do, study engineering.
ColleagueTribute JUNE 2015 • PAGE 6
By ANDREW PATESBHS Colleague
What can you say about Gene Saling? When I got hired at Barlow, a former Barlow student with whom I went to col-lege said, “you have got to get to know Geno─ he is good times!” That has cer-tainly proven to be true for me. Gene is a man of specific tastes. You can check out his coaching “gameday” apparel and it is special. He has flamboyant choices in shirt, pant and shoe color combinations. Most days in general he wears brightly col-ored shoes. No white, grey or black shoes allowed. For more than 15 years I have gone out on grading days and teacher work days to lunch with Gene, Mr. Johnson and, in the last several years, Mr. Nickolas. Anyone who has spent some time with him would be clear that he has no interest in any pizza top-ping beyond “extra cheese.” At any time, to any person he can,
By TOM JOHNSONSBHS Colleague
How do you sum up a 34-year
career in 400 words? It really can’t be done, especially when you consider the contributions that Gene Saling has made to Barlow High School. Gene has guided the Journalism students at Barlow for all 34 of those years.
Additionally, he has been the advisor for the yearbook, taught numerous English classes, and served on numerous commit-tees. But he has also done much more than that. During this time he has also organized basketball leagues, golf groups and coached in the baseball and basketball program.
For more than 15 years, Gene coached baseball for the Bru-in program for long-time coach Mick Ellett and more recently, Steve Stebbins. Twice Gene re-signed to ease his work-load and spend more time with his fami-ly, and each time he was asked to come back and coach for “one more year.”
Both times he came back. Gene is one of those rare in-
dividuals, who are willing to do whatever he can to help.
For our basketball program, Gene has always been the “voice of experience and reason.” On
Once in awhile, one has the pleasure of working with a true professional educator with a strong sense of vocation, a proven skill set, tested knowledge, tolerance for and acceptance to diversity, advocate for students, a due diligence in solving problems and an honorable human being.
Gene was hired in August 1981 by Principal, Bob Taylor. Little did Mr. Taylor know the dynamo he was bringing onto the staff.
Gene’s humor, leadership, work ethic, knowledge, experience, passion for the students he teaches and love of life combined to make him a truly valuable teacher, colleague and coach. He is a dedicated Bruin, wears his blue and gold proudly – although sometimes brightly – and always upholds the honor of Sam Barlow High School.
I have had the pleasure of working at Sam Barlow High School since November 1981. Gene and I have been here through 32 administrators and 8 superintendents! I was in attendance at Gene and Linda’s wedding, shared in the joy of the birth of Bryce and Derek, celebrated Gene’s many journalism successes and had someone to commiserate with as changes were made in schedules, operating procedures and administrators.
There are very few individuals at SBHS who I can say, “remember when we did it this way”! The haircuts, clothes, and music have made their cycle, last names have reappeared as children of past students enroll, new construction and remodeling have occurred, a new gym was added named for a beloved colleague of ours’, Fred Holevas, a turf field installed, the media center has been expanded and a new water tower constructed.
“A hundred years from now it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove . . . but the world may be different because I was important in the life of a child” is a plaque I have on the wall of my office and one I live by.
Gene Saling is the confirmation of this statement.
I am a better person for knowing Gene Saling as are over ten thousand students. Gene may leave Sam Barlow but his soul will remain a Bruin – A SAm BArlow Bruin Forever!
and will, rattle off a virtual top 10 list of the best of any kind of food, that is, if it is worth eating (read: not Chi-nese or Mexican or any vegetari-an fare). French fries, pizza, fish and chips, and many other food pos-
sibilities, Gene has a ranking of the best restaurants in Gresham and beyond, where they are, and willingly presents supporting ev-idence to back his rankings. This imprints itself on those around him. At times, the Bruin Banner has featured rankings of food lo-cations. Then there is the weath-er. Gene not only could double as a meteorologist which his pre-cise in day and seven day fore-casts, but he also has rankings of the most reliable sources of the weather forecasts. You want presidents? The best dramas/sit-coms currently on, or ever on TV, he has a ranking for that too. It is never boring with Gene.
Friendship begins over french fries, builds on integrity, generosity, and entertaining traits
more than one occasion, when I was excited over one issue or an-other, he would calmly remind me that this is “not World War III, it is high school basketball.” He not only helped me to gain perspective in the realm of ath-letics, but also as a person and as a parent.
He has helped countless stu-dents understand what it means to sacrifice for the betterment of something larger than them-selves, whether it’s the newspa-per or their team. Gene is able to get those who he comes in con-tact with to step back and take a look at the big picture before moving forward; to not settle for short-term gratification at the expense of long-term goals.
I have always believed that loyalty is the most important trail that an assistant coach can
possess. Gene has been loyal to our program for the last 27 years, and to Barlow for 34.
Teaching and coaching for Gene has been his profession, but it has also been his passion. Former Barlow teacher and ad-ministrator Val Garrison said, “The time and energy Gene put into Journalism and coaching is amazing, but what’s inspiration-al is how passionately he taught students the importance of being professional in their reporting. Gene made sure all his students knew the difference between an editorial and a news story.”
Garrison continues by say-ing, “Gene is a really, really great person. He is honest and trust-worthy and hard working and has been a great example to our community for 34 years.”
While I could go on and on about the entertaining qualities and funny quirks of Gene Saling, they do not paint the complete picture of the quality of the man. Gene is someone who has the guts to confront wrongs that are out there. At times he has taken on the school district, the prin-cipals (many of them) and the teacher’s union, speaking out about important topics. He is not afraid to get some heat for stand-ing up for what is right, or for standing for journalistic integri-ty. Gene is generous, sever-al times doing generous and thoughtful things for me and my family personally. He cares deep-ly about his profession, excelling in training his students in prop-er journalistic practices, with his students regularly cleaning up in the state journalistic awards, to the extent that he was sever-al years ago chosen as the state journalism teacher of the year. “Geno” is a man of integrity, yet is a riot to be around. It is a privilege to have some-one of his quality as a colleague and even more a gift to call him my friend.
By ASHLEY LOFLIN, Class of 2008 – “Gene was willing to take the time to talk with his students, share his experience in journal-ism and inspire students to take ownership and pride in their contributions to the newspaper.”
By ADAM ELWELL, Class of 2014 – “He was definitely much more stylish. I don’t know how he dressed back in the day, but at least for my tenure, he was freak-ishly color coordinated.”
By ROBBY BOYDSTUN, Class of 2008 – “Great sense of humor, defended you if you wanted to push the envelope, and gave you the motivation to push yourself.”
By JEREMIAH O’SULLI-VAN, Class of 2000 – “He was accepting, argumentative, appre-ciative, and an overall friend who you respected and you knew re-spected you.”
By MEGHAN HILLARD, Class of 2003 – “Gene is a die hard Beaver fan. He really gave it to you if you said anything positive about the Ducks. At the time, I didn’t know what I want-ed to do after high school. When my Dad met with Gene during conferences, Gene told him about the University of Oregon’s Journalism program, and said I should apply. It was the first time I considered journalism af-ter high school. I graduated from UO in 2007, something I would have never done without Gene’s insight. He made me a Duck whether he will admit it or not.”
By SHELLIE ADAMS, Class of 2011 – “Gene was very matter of fact. He didn’t sugar coat things and he put the learning in our hands. He helped us if we asked but he let us fall and pick ourselves up on our terms only intervening when necessary.”
By TARA STARR, Class of 2007 – “Gene expected nothing less than our best. He wouldn’t let us settle for sub-par work because he knew we were capable of better. He also inspired us and let us know when we were doing a great job on something. You could see and feel his passion for great journalism. He really cared about the paper and more importantly, about his students.”
By JEFF DEEDER, Class of 1999 – “The attitude he brought to the work he did. Gene treated us like young adults, not just students. And one thing high school students always want is to start being treated as adults. It allowed Gene to develop such great relationships throughout his career.”
By BRAD PATRICK, Class of 1987 – “When I was at SBHS, Gene was in his 20’s, therefore he probably related to us better than many of the other “older” teachers. And, although he was an authority figure (as a teacher), we also felt he was our friend. In addition, he had a great sense of humor that we all appreciated. We would often go see Gene during our “free time” and just talk and make fun of him in some way.”
Alumni Q+A: “How Did Gene Differ from Other Teachers?”
Colleagues bond over three decades of Barlow service
Unwavering loyalty created comradery
DIANE DEATHERAGESBHS Colleague
Long time friends and neighbors Gene Saling and Tom Johnson take a rest in the shade.
BannerSport JUNE 2015 • PAGE 7
The Outlook wasn’t brilliant for the Bruin Banner that Late Night;the issue stood unfinished with little hope in sight. And then the printer shorted out and the server did the same;a sickly silence fell upon the writers with bylines to their name.
A straggling few got up to leave, draped in deep despair; others clung to fleeting hope that help would soon be there.They thought, “If only Geno were here to take a whack at that -we’d get our issue done, with Geno at the Mac.” From 30 tired students there rose a throaty din;it rumbled through the lockers and echoed through the gym. And those who were hopeless suddenly began to laugh;there was hope at Barlow, with Geno at the Mac. There was ease in Geno’s manner as he sat down in his chair;pride in Geno’s face, despite the thinning hair. And when looking at the students, he doffed his Beaver cap;the editors all smiled, for Geno was at the Mac. And so the screen lit up, the issue in disrepair;no strong photos, hackneyed leads; how could a reader care? “That ain’t my style,” Geno said, as he rearranged the page;“He’s still got it,” the students said, “even at his age!”
With lightning fingers and skillful clicks a masterpiece took shape;“This issue’s brilliant!” Geno said, and the printer began to shake. Out came the product, a Bruin Banner now intact;“We’re all saved!” the students said, “With Geno at the mac!”
With that the writers gathered round to see the final issue;Geno turned to them and asked for a tissue. “With deep regrets,” he said, printing off a page, “I’m moving on for golf and leisure; what else, at my age?” “It can’t be true!” they cried, and “Please! Stay!” they yelled,“We’ll miss you ever so much, and you’ve taught us all so well!”But Geno left the news room, his typing fingers tired;There was no joy at Barlow, for Mighty Geno had retired.
Life won’t be the same without Geno at the bat
One of Geno’s first lessons he taught us in Freshman journalism class was the importance of the lead paragraph in journalism. One of the main tenets was that the lead needs to do the subject of the story justice, and that a strong lead can ensure that the story is digested in full. And while I racked my brain to write something that would do just that in honor of Gene, I have to say, his impact on countless students like myself has been too large to feasibly accomplish that. Gene was my coach, journalism advisor, and occasional political nemesis. My favorite aspect of playing and writing for Gene was that he always, without fail, treated us as
As a columnist for the Bruin Banner, I always wanted to write about the crucial topics that I considered to be pressing news for my fellow classmates: issues such as the fall of MySpace, or the new baby Brad and Angelina adopted ─ you know, the stuff that really matters!
I will always remember one of the most heated debates between Gene and I. I wanted to write a review on the Queen of Pop, Ms. Brit-ney Spears’ 2008 album Blackout.
Of course, Gene insisted that I would be biased. But let’s be hon-est, can anyone really have the slightest disapproval of Britney – well, Gene sure can! He ended the fight with his go-to line: “Really Lex? Just try focusing on your Golf story.”
That’s when I knew I would be destined to write for sports. If Gene wouldn’t let me write about the one thing I truly cared about most, I would destroy the one thing he cared about! Looking back on my experiences with Gene, I remember the banter between the two of us in any given situation, trying to prove the other was wrong. I remember the countless times my crude, obnoxious jokes and his dry, sarcastic humor clashed harder than an OSU fan wearing green and yellow. Lastly, I remember the many times I wound up cursing at a com-puter screen, and low and behold there was Gene, turning his chair, looking at me with disappointment, shaking his head as he slowly turned his chair back to his desk. But that’s only how our relationship started. During my junior year, Gene presented the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA) awards to our class. I didn’t expect to win anything, as I hadn’t submitted a single piece of work. As Gene neared the end of the list, he said that the last award was
for a person who had no idea he submitted a piece on their behalf. he said that he wanted this person to know how he valued the work that they had done. He uncovered the photo on the overhead and I saw my picture with a certificate for 1st Place. In that moment, I knew that Gene had my best interest at heart – something I never really considered possi-ble, given our many arguments. Throughout my time as a Banner staff member, Gene challenged me to become a better sports writer by providing me with past articles from journalism alumni. Now I look back and remember the teacher who gave me a chance as Sports Editor my senior year, despite the
doubts of others. Lastly, I remember the teacher who gave me my love for writing and the fundamentals to continue my journalism career at Western Oregon University’s (WOU) college newspaper as the staff’s Sports Edi-tor. Gene did more for us than teaching lessons about gutters and appropriate editing styles. He gave many of us the opportunity to have a voice at Barlow and more importantly, taught us to direct our voices on
the needs of others. Without Gene or his support, I would not have had the confidence to push the limits of any sports interview or know that we would back me up when my stories incited controversy. Most importantly, Gene taught me to explore avenues outside of my comfort zone. I used this lesson to guide younger Sports Free-lancers on WOU’s newspaper, giving them the same confidence that I once needed to be successful when starting out. After graduating, my successor at WOU told me that he wanted to continue my legacy of pushing people to go beyond their perceived boundaries. I can only begin think Gene for doing the same thing for me.
Britney Spears enthusiast goes Sports Editor
Lex Martin, Class of ‘10
Owen Griffith, Class of ‘05
adults, even if it meant he had to systematically tear down one of my ultra-liberal political beliefs that I was so fond of as a student 10 years ago. With that level of freedom and respect he afforded us, we took massive pride in treating the Bruin Banner as not just as student publication, but as something resembling a professional journal that the student body looked forward to every other Friday. From late night Wednesdays to the Monday review of the previous week’s edition, everything was treated
as if it was a real newspaper, and under Gene’s tutelage, it was.
When you worked on Gene’s staff, you knew that you were doing more than just adding an extra-curricular activity to your college application. As I was
starting my career several years back, I thought of a lesson that Gene taught us in our freshman
class, in the form of a letter from a former student. Essentially, the note spoke about how the lessons of being on his staff have really translated to his job now, and I found myself agreeing, five years post-
graduation, that it provided some of the greatest pre-employment training you could ever have. Meeting deadlines, putting out a product that your peers would read, and not letting other members of the team down - things that many do not get a chance to learn prior to entering the workforce. I can picture Gene in retirement in the same way I would sometimes see him during the summer - large Slurpee in one hand, on his way to playing eighteen with friends, or on his way to a movie that he will no doubt have an opinion on. Be well my friend, and congratulations on your well-deserved retirement.
Coach, teacher inspires student to professionalism
Jeff Miner, Class of ‘06
Athlete and journalism student Adam Sparks poses with coach and journalism teacher Gene Saling during their 1992-1993 JV-2 Basketball season.
Kelly Whoop
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Kelly Whoop
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WeLoveYouGeno JUNE 2015• PAGE 8
Years of MemoriesStudents from the past 4 decades submitted their memories and photos of their time during Journalism at Sam Barlow
34CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT CORNER: 1. Angela Barclay, Robin Cousineau, Shawn Fisher and Sara (LeFebvre) Franklin catch Gene on the last day of senior year in 2006. 2. The class of 1987 gather in the SBHS courtyard. 3. Students from the class of 1983 work on the paper (Gene is in the center with his head turned). 4. Always cool Gene gives a rare photo opportunity. 5. Wayne Bund does his signature “Superstar” move in the journalism room. 6. Students from 2011-2012 take a jump outside of the journalism room. 7. The Class of 1988. 8. Kate (Fehringer) Lende, Gene, Cori Fisher, and Wayne Bund hang out on the famous Journalism couch. 9. Gene gets put in the spotlight as the evil Grinch for the 2001 Christmas edition of the Banner. 10. The Class of 1995 hang out in the senior hallway.
Thank you to all alumni who took the time to find these photos!
