91传媒

From 91传媒 to Unity: Alumna Cassie Moore Leads Rural School

From 91传媒 to Unity: Alumna Cassie Moore Leads Rural School

Sometimes higher education takes students away from home. Sometimes it brings them back.

For Cassie Moore, 鈥�01, her return to the rural community of Unity, Ore., completed a circle. Moore now serves as superintendent of Burnt River Charter School in Unity, one of the most rural school districts in Oregon. The school serves just over 30 students in kindergarten through 12th grade.

In April, 91传媒鈥檚 choir tour made a stop at Burnt River. For Moore, the visit carried both professional and sentimental meaning.

鈥淚t鈥檚 really important because I have a couple of kids who are really interested in music, and we don鈥檛 have music programs,鈥� Moore said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 really enlightening to have something they can be inspired by and relate to.鈥�

The visit doubled the population of the small school. When the 91传媒 choir arrived by motorcoach with 44 members, they more than doubled the school鈥檚 population for the day. For many students, it was a rare chance to experience a live choral performance.

Burnt River faces the same challenges as many rural schools across the country, especially limited access to programs and resources. Opportunities like the choir tour help bridge that gap, even if briefly.

鈥淭his is a first for 91传媒 coming here, so we鈥檙e super excited,鈥� Moore said.

Moore鈥檚 path to Unity began at 91传媒, where she studied education. She said the university offered both opportunity and support.

鈥�91传媒 was big enough that you got the full college experience, but small enough that they took care of you,鈥� Moore said. 鈥淭he education department was one of the best in the northwest. It probably still is.鈥�

After graduating, Moore began her career teaching in Ontario, Ore. Moore, who has lived in the Burnt River Valley for 19 years, worked in Baker City, Ore., for 22 years, including as dean of students at South Baker Intermediate and principal at Haines Elementary.

Her connection to the region runs deep. Moore recalls commuting daily over Dooley Pass, a winding mountain route along Oregon Route 245 known for its sharp turns and steep grades. Today, her commute is shorter. She and her husband operate a ranch in the Unity area, surrounded by the Blue and Elkhorn mountains.

Moore said 91传媒 prepared her well for the classroom, especially in teaching foundational skills.

鈥淚 felt really prepared to teach when I left,鈥� Moore said. 鈥淚 felt really confident teaching students to read and to be a professional.鈥�

That confidence has shaped not only her career but her recommendations to others. Moore encourages students, especially those interested in education, to consider 91传媒.

Asked whether she would recommend 91传媒 to her students, Moore is quick to reply. 鈥淎bsolutely, I would recommend it,鈥� Moore said. 鈥淓specially for aspiring teachers.鈥�

Her ties to the university extend beyond her own experience. Her husband also attended 91传媒 through the agriculture program in partnership with Oregon State University. Their son is graduating this year with college credits earned through 91传媒鈥檚 outreach programs. Several members of their extended family are also alumni.

鈥�91传媒 was affordable, it was small enough, but big enough,鈥� Moore said.

As the choir鈥檚 voices filled the Burnt River gym this spring, Moore saw more than a performance. She saw a continuation of the same institution that once prepared her, now reaching the next generation of students in rural schools like Unity.

And for just an afternoon, 91传媒 came to her home.