MOCK MISERY ASIDE, opening-day fishing proves productive as usual at local favorite Benson Lake Saturday morning. That's 8-year-old veteran Haley Gish trying not to let a laugh spoil her best woebegone expression during one of the periodic biteless stretches, above. And that's the Bordeaux third-grader yet again in the central inset, revealing with sister Amanda (middle) and Amanda's classmate Cassi Olmstead precisely why her misery required consummate play-acting. Known as "triploid" rainbows and planted by the state, the larger trout topped out at fully three pounds, and halfpint Haley caught two of 'em and five keepers altogether. Inset at right is fifth-grader Cassi in classic "oops!" mode after an errant cast. As for the nearmost Kodak moment, it occurred just three lawn chairs upshore from Haley and was duplicated repeatedly throughout the morning as Benson again yielded among the best returns in the county.

THESE SPANISH-SPEAKING students got physical when the Pacific Science Center dispatched its Science on Wheels engineering van to Evergreen Elementary School, home to a bilingual learning program. Pictured from left to right at one of the displays are Benito Mendoza, Laura Zambrano, Yobanny Morales and Brenda Gaspar.

Check it out

Hoodsport woodcarver I.C. "Irp" Hermann poses with his "Fighting Bobwhite Quail" best-of-show winner at the William G. Reed Library in Shelton Monday. The retired lineman and other Northwest artists will be featured there when the Peninsula Art Association of Mason County presents its 15th annual Spring Art Show May 4-15. An awards reception is scheduled for the final day. This year's judges are watercolorist Bill McEnroe and photographer John Mortenson. For more information call 426-1842.

SHELTON'S CHOICE horticulture students are getting ready for the Horticulture Club's seventh annual plant and garden sale. The sale will be on May 13, 14, 15, 20 and 21. The sale site has been moved to Oakland Bay Junior High School, 3301 Shelton Springs Road. Students above include, back row from left, Zack Bartholomay, Dave York, Fred Matson, K.C. Coffron and Brian Wishon. In front are, Nahja Lowe, Richard Gullett, Chevy Lisk, Shannon Tahja, Caitlyn Chesterfield, Katie Hylton and Skyler Lindeen.

GETTING READY FOR tomorrow evening's Spell-E-Bration and displaying some of the items for the silent auction are the above staff members of Mason County Literacy. They are, from left, Angela Holley, Jenny Blumenstein, Director Lynn Busacca and Julee Venable.

SKY AND OUTLOOK alike prove sunny in Climberville last week as baseball's varsity boys entertain league rival Central Kitsap. That's starting pitcher Levi Hansen on the right in the topmost photo, conferring between innings with assistant coach Ian Sanderson, a Climber pitcher of yore himself. In the nearmost shot, Levi's junior classmate Shawn Morrow warms up prior to his relief stint while infielders (from left) Brandon LeMargee, Brett Koehn, Levi Roadman and Jason Hoxit compare notes behind him. And scrambling to get under a windswept pop-up and then laughing about it in inning-ending exodus with Coach Sanderson in the insets is Climber catcher Brandon Heggie, also an 11th-grader. Alas, after playing their guests dead even virtually the entire way the Climbers wound up on the short end of the 3-2 decision and dropped to 0-8 in league and 2-9 overall.

Students finish WASL
enrichment project

A group of students works on an art project during a Washington Assessment of Student Learning enrichment period at the district office. Under the tutelage of science teacher Karen Lippy, several students completed a giant mosaic entitled "Neighbors of Hood Canal." The piece of art will probably end up in the Theler Wetlands at a future date.