Winter Penguin Talks Celebrate Clark County History

Series features Steven Clark, Adrianna Baer, and Brad Richardson

Pictured: Brad Richardson, Executive Director of the Clark County Historical Museum

The Winter Term 2026 Penguin Talks series, presented by Clark’s Community & Continuing Education program in partnership with the Fort Vancouver Regional Library, featured three speakers rooted in Clark County’s culture and environment. 

The Life of a Native Bee

The series opened with an engaging talk by Professor Emeritus Steven Clark, titled “The Life of a Native Bee in Washington.” 

With infectious energy, Steven introduced attendees to Washington’s more than 600 native bee species, explaining that most nest in hollow reeds, trees, or soil rather than in hives, meaning they don’t produce honey. He noted that most native bees are solitary; solo females build a nest, lay eggs, and live only about six weeks as adults — their full life cycle spans only roughly a year. Steven also emphasized that different species are active at different times of the season, so the bees pollinating in spring aren’t the same ones buzzing around in summer. 

He encouraged gardeners to plant native flowers and leave small areas of their yards undisturbed to support ground-nesting bees. He also demonstrated how to identify species such as honeybees and sweat bees and explained how each collects pollen. 

I'm Into This Place

Adrianna Baer captivated attendees at her Penguin Talk as she reflected on her path into the Vancouver arts and culture scene. Her journey began shortly after moving to Clark County, when she went searching for a single, reliable source that captured everything happening in the local arts community. She quickly discovered that such a resource didn’t exist, and suspected others felt the same gap. 

After numerous conversations with artists, organizers, and community members, Adrianna decided to create that missing space herself. She launched the podcast I’m Into This Place, offering local artists a platform to connect with the public, share their events, and highlight the depth of the arts, culture, heritage, and history thriving in Clark County. She shared just a sample of the many artists and events that shaped the region’s vibrant arts community. From Ann Gabriela’s striking murals to Columbia Dance’s reimagining of The Nutcracker, which brings Vancouver’s history to life on stage, the examples were inspiring. 

During her presentation, she also emphasized the substantial economic value the arts and culture sector brings to the region. While the industry significantly boosts Clark County’s economy, she noted it does not receive a proportional share of county or state funding. 

The event concluded with an engaging discussion, as Adrianna took questions and collaborated with attendees on ideas to improve funding, visibility, and coordination across the arts community. Too often, audience members observed, residents hear about local happenings only after they have already ended, prompting Adrianna to agree on a key need: a centralized hub for arts and cultural events. 

The Diary of a Local Historian

The final session of the series was led by Brad Richardson, a proud Clark College alum and Executive Director of the Clark County Historical Museum. A Camas-Washougal native, Brad initially went back to school to become a history teacher, but his time as a museum volunteer put him on a different path. 

While volunteering at the historical museum, Brad gave walking tours (despite his fear of public speaking). During his talk, he took audience members on a virtual tour around downtown Vancouver, sharing the history behind key locations and figures. From Kiggins Theatre to Hidden House on 13th Street — the first location of Clark College! — Brad noted the impact these significant buildings had on Vancouver and its economy.  

“The community had a process of forgetting these people,” he said after regaling the audience with a brief history of JP Kiggins. “It’s fascinating realizing these lost narratives.” 

He eventually moved from leading tours to building exhibits. Through those experiences, he started to learn what kinds of stories people wanted to hear. He began making learning history more hands-on, like adding audio features and interactive displays for kids in exhibits. He also recognized that, while Vancouver has a strong foothold in the region’s past, it’s not the only city in Clark County’s history, leading him to organize walking tours across the county. “You learn how uniquely different every community is,” he said. 

Under Brad’s leadership, the museum also started creating exhibits for local organizations, empowering them to tell their own story. 

He invited the audience to think about how we can use the past to make the future better. “History is the instruction manual for our society,” he said. “History is not frozen in the past. It goes on every day.” 

Learn More About Clark's CCE Program

Clark College Community, Continuing Education, and Customized Training serves nearly 8,000 learners each year through community classes, certificates, CEUs, testing services, and customized workforce training. The program provides high-quality, relevant learning opportunities for lifelong learners and partners with local industry to deliver quick-turn training that strengthens Southwest Washington’s workforce.  

Learn more about CCE, their spring class offerings, and upcoming Penguin Talks on the CCE website. 

Photos: Clark College/Trish Fitzsimmons and Malena Goerl

Story by Trish Fitzsimmons, Program Specialist, Community, Continuing Education, and Customized Training; Malena Goerl, Staff Writer, Communications and Marketing