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Show hools Covering what matters most WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2007 • B3 SFHS student wins art show Earning college credit at SFHS Mallory Byrnes STAFF WRITER Haley Richardson, a senior at Spanish Fork High, took first place in the Peteetneet Art Show with her painting . "Age Before Beauty." The art show included work from students throughout Utah County and many different media including paint, graphite and even cardboard. Richardson has been recognized several times for her art at Spanish Fork High School and at the Springville Museum of Art. She is humble about her talent, and is best known for her friendliness and time on student council. "She is so happy and so much fun/' said Meggen Smith, Richardson's friend from the high school choir. Richardson is also a member of the National Honors Society. Her favorite form of art to do is paintings, but she's done many other types. Her awardwinning piece is a painting of an old paint brush, a tube of paint and a glob of paint she glued to one of the school's painting boards. "We were painting still lifes in Art and I couldn't think of what to paint," said Richardson. "So my teacher said, 'Hey, Lindsay B. Wolsey STAFF WRITER This is the first in a series of articles on various opportunities available to students at Spanish Fork High School. Mallory Byrnes / Spanish Fork News THE ARTIST AND HER WORK: Haiey Richardson presents her first-place painting "Age Before Beauty" at the Peteetneet Art Show. I have this really old brush, do you want to paint it?'" It took her about 10-20 hours to complete and is on sale for $500. Second place in the art show went to Hannah Pullan's pastel entitled, "Bob Dylan" and third place went to Renae Phelps' colored pencil, "Emerald Eyes." Other students from Spanish Fork High also entered, with David Raleigh gaining an honorable mention for his graphite drawing, "Beck." Dental hygienist talks to SFHS students Andrew Wilson SFHS Dental hygienist Jason Craig recently visited Spanish Fork High School. He was part of the Window on the Workplace Program. The program is run by Mrs. Thomas, the intern coordinator at SFHS. She invites people from various career fields to talk with students. During lunch, students packed into the counseling center office to hear Craig speak. He talked about the dental hygiene career. He told the students about education, salary and job description. He said the most rewarding part of his career is "when you instruct patients on taking care of their teeth, and you see them actually start to do well with their oral hygiene." Mrs. Thomas will continue to bring people in from the workplace throughout the year. It's a rare occasion when •a Nebo School District Board of Education meeting is packed to standing room only. It's even rarer still when the majority of the attendees are under 18. At the Nov. 14, 2007 meeting, Spanish Fork Boy Scout Troop 1508 was in attendance as part of their efforts to earn the Communication Merit Badge. The remaining seats were filled by Payson High School students from Mr. Alexander's Government and Civics class, furiously taking notes while holding copies of the meeting agenda. The first topic of business was something that will impact all of the youth in attendance. Jo Ann Turtle, Vocational Education Coordinator for Nebo School District, presented information on the Career Pathways Initiative to the School Board. Career Pathways is a state-sponsored program to help students make the most of the Career and Technical Education opportunities available through the high schools. Utah has put out a book that outlines 62 career paths in fields including agriculture, business, health and engineering. The information in the Career Pathways book is intended to help students know which classes to take in high school and college. Turtle passed out an informational pamphlet about the hot jobs in Utah, complete with projected wages for inexperienced workers and those with experience and education. Turtle also mentioned that Nebo schools are providing education infieldsthat weren't thought of as wage-producing just a few years ago. "We bought a quilting machine a few years ago for our family consumer science program," Turtle said, displaying a quilt made by students. "Someone can earn $150 using a machine to put patterns on a quilt. A few years ago, this was unheard of." Tuttle spoke about the importance of keeping the career and technical education programs technology up-todate. "Even our traditional fields, such as cabinet-making and welding need up-dating. Wood is being cut with machines now, not with hand tools and welders are using MIG, TIG and Arc welders. We need to stay current," said Tuttle. She continued, "We are fi nding we no longer need dark rooms for our photography programs. We now need classes in Photoshop." Tuttle concluded her presentation by saying, "Students come out of school not realizing there is more they could have taken advantage of to help them i High school isn't just for studying the basics anymore. Students at Spanish Fork High School can earn college credit, and even college degrees while attending school. Spanish Fork High School counselor Alan Albright wants to get the word out to parents and students alike. "I really don't believe everybody understands what we offer at our school these days," said Albright. "It's not the same school as it was, and even students graduating two years ago didn't have the options we have now." Distance Learning Coordinator Leslie Gordon said she has over 100 students per semester that take advantage of the Distance Learning program at Spanish Fork High. Using current technology, students are able to take college classes for college credit without even leaving the high school campus. "Students come into my classroom, and attend live classes taught by professors at UVSC," Gordon explained. "These Intern's legal practice Shala Richards SFHS Courtesy photo WINDOW ON THE WORKPLACE: Jason Craig visited SFHS to tell students about working in the dental field. School board, citizens discuss school calendar Lindsay B. Wolsey STAFF WRITER are college classes, and are graded on a college level." The Distance Learning Program attracts mainly juniors and seniors who wish to get a jump start on college. Occasionally an enthusiastic sophomore signs up as well. Many students in the Distance Learning Program are also taking Advanced Placement classes too. "Very seldom is anyone turned away from the program," Gordon said. "If they are, it is generally due to their attendance record." "Students can actually graduate with a high school diploma and an associate's degree if they take all of the classes," Gordon said. About seven or eight students each year graduate with both a diploma and a degree, and about half of the Distance Learning program participants enter college at a sophomore level. The majority of the students in the Distance Learning program enter college with some college credits. Credits earned in the Distance Learning program will transfer to almost any college in the nation. Students wishing to signup for the Distance Learning - program can do so by talking to a counselor or Coordinator Gordon. There is a onetime $35 fee to enroll in the program, which is a bargain compared to college tuition. pursue careers. All student counselors and CTE instructors have copies of the Career Pathways book. All the information is available to parents and students on-line at www. schools.utah.gov/cte/pr/ pathways.htm. Later on in the meeting, Human Resources Director Al Mosher presented information on the proposed school calendar for the 2008-09 school year. Nebo School District has traditionally started school before Labor Day, and ended after Memorial Day. The current school year will end on Thursday, May 29, 2008 with graduation taking place on Wednesday, May 28. Coincidentally, the 2008-09 school year follows the same dates, although school will end on a Friday instead of a Thursday. Mosher listed factors taken into consideration when planning the calendar. "There are 180 days of school, various state and national holidays and three parent/teacher days. We also have to factor in how many days will be in each term, and when a graduation facility is available," said Mosher. Mosher has been compiling the Nebo school calendar for 10 years. "When I first started doing the calendar," Mosher said, *T would format seven different versions, including a California version where school ended mid-June. That one was never adopted." Parent Debbie May came to the School Board meeting to make sure the board was aware how dissatisfied parents are with the current planned calendar. "I realize this is the eleventh hour," May said, "but I need to make sure you realize how frustrating it is for families when school doesn't end until after Memorial Day." Superintendent Chris Sorensen stated that Memorial Day may fall on as many as seven different dates. "This year it is just about 1 as early as it can be," he said. May suggested ways to make the school year end sooner, including dropping a few days off the beginning of the Christmas vacation and not taking Martin Luther King Jr. Day off. "We don't take off Veterans Day or Columbus Day," May said, "so why are we taking of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day?." School Board President Dean Rowley informed the attendees that Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is a federally mandated holiday, and public schools are required to close to recognize the holiday. The 2008-09 school calendar was approved by the Board on Nov. 14, 2007. It will be available for viewing soon on Nebo School Districts web-site www.nebo. edu. Kieara Heiselt has been doing two internships since August. She has been working with both the City Attorney's Office and also the Spanish Fork Police Department. While working with the attorney's office, she gets to observe legal procedures by studying the court system and watching some 6f the trials. She also enjoys working with the police department because she said it is such a great experience. When a police officer is on duty, she gets to ride around in the car with him. While they drive, he teaches her some of the codes and laws that need to be obeyed. "These internships have Kieara Heiselt taught me a lot about my future career in being a police officer," said Heiselt. "My favorite part is being on call and being able to investigate the situation. Both internships make me one step closer to my dream job." Security Insurance TOP DON HONORING EXCELLENCE AT SFHS Kelsey Hall Kelsey Hall is a senior, the daughter of Barbara and Kevin Hall of Spanish Fork. She is the SFHS yearbook editor and an intern with the Spanish Fork News. She enjoys photography, hanging out with friends and reading. Kelsey's favorite classes include Yearbook, AP Psychology and Seminary. On a road trip, she would go to New York and listen to "a little bit of everything." Sponsored by: ! £ ? 290 H. Mqln Spanlsb Fait Allied Insurance 5?- 798-3500 A'G -E»N'C |