Emily Hamilton

The Portland Thorns celebrate their 2017 NWSL championship with fans at Providence Park Sunday, Oct. 15, 2017. Bryan M. Vance / OPB Listen to audio from OPB journalists Portland is the global epicenter of women’s sports. At least, that’s what some people have been saying lately. The phrase pops up in media coverage of our new WNBA team, the Fire, and our beloved women’s soccer team, the Thorns. And those are not our only professional women’s sports teams.

Wind through several hallways and descend a couple of staircases in North Portland’s Jefferson High School, and you arrive at “The Dungeon”. But there’s nothing scary about it. Floor-length mirrors line one wall, posters of Jefferson Dancers of past years line the others. It may look a little drab, but it’s full of laughter, chatter and music. “The Dungeon” is the home to the Jefferson Dancers: a program at Jefferson High School celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.

Tucked away in a small town in Central Oregon, Jason Chinchen, the teacher of one of the country’s only high school guitar luthier programs, begins class. “Gather round, guitar builders!” Chinchen calls, projecting his voice over top of whirring woodshop machinery. Around fifteen students huddle in the center of the large yellow-walled shop at Sisters High School, prepared to receive the day’s instruction before they begin their work. Today’s demonstration: back bracing, placement and gluing.