Many students at HRV have probably seen DeLona Campos-Davis around the school. Dee is extremely active not only at the high school, but in the broader community. She is the director of the annual Peace Village summer camp, a speech and debate coach, and a substitute teacher.

DeLona Campos-Davis substituting in a classroom at HRV.

        Dee attended Whitworth College in Spokane, WA. She majored in peace studies and minored in Spanish and recreation. Dee never thought that she would be utilizing her degrees to this day. However, she is currently the director of an annual summer camp called Columbia Gorge Peace Village. The camp focuses on nonviolent conflict resolution. A peace studies degree is certainly fitting!  Dee is the person who makes this camp come together every year.

        People may have heard of Peace Village, but few know that some of the money earned on Community Work-Day has gone to Peace Village for the past two years. There have been almost $5,000 given to the camp this far. Dee added that the money “has gone towards scholarships for students who could not afford camp. “It shows the economic diversity of the gorge” said Dee. Much of the camp is staffed by students at HRV, so there is a large tie between the high school and the camp itself.

        At the High School, Dee has started coaching Speech and Debate this year and she is also subbing a long-term position. When asked what she liked most about the work that she does, Dee said that she likes “anything that builds community”. “Every time I step into a classroom as a substitute, I feel like I get to be a part of a community. I think that is the key” she stated. Indeed, community building is crucial in the world today and Dee is certainly taking a lead.

By: Charley Boonstra