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Show November 24, 2010 Vp, yTIMPAN O GQS 1ME S 5 "Reality Town" Is a Reality Check For Students at PGJHS . - ' " I L . - "Reality Town" is like a giant board game in which students learn valuable life lessons. The students were also taught how to write checks, and balance a checkbook. Photo courtesy of Timpanojjos Times Pleasant Grove Junior High School counselors proudly prepared for the eleventh year of "Reality Town" which was held on Friday, November 12. "Reality Town" is like a giant board game in which students learn valuable life lessons. This event was beneficial for the develop-ment of students current goals and preparing for the future. It offered the stu-dents a real world view of how adults choose a career, educational goals, and deal with financial obligations. The students were taught how to write checks, bal-ance checkbooks, and how to make a budget decisions regarding the maintenance of a home, medical bills, utility payments, insurance, and other common expens-es. Over 100 volunteers helped with the event which included teachers, PTA members, community mem-bers as well as businesses. Volunteers helped students at the various booths by educating students further on how to spend their mon-ey wisely and help them to make calculated decisions. Counselor Paula Bule said, "Reality Town is a cur-riculum that they have. The kids are 30 years old now, with a spouse and kids, a job. It's a job based on their GPA. At the beginning, they go into the auditorium. They are handed their books and checkbooks, so they're all excited and they're read-ing their little scenarios. The kids submitted pictures and saw a slide presenta-tion that involved marriage, having babies, graduation, so it is their families in the pictures. It is them as kids and their families grow-ing up. The students chose their job. I hope they under-stand that planning for your future is really important. They need to start thinking about it now," stated Bule. Students shared what they had learned from this experience and how that in-formation would help them in the future. Dalton Mi-chael Noyes said, "A lot of things don't matter like en-tertainment, a lot of luxury. You need to get to the im-portant stuff first before you get the stuff that you actu-- . ally want. It really gave me. a rain check, an eye opener, on how expensive things are and how much you actually get income and stuff." Katie Marugg stated, "I need to get a less expensive taste. I need to either find a better occupation or find a better way to make more mon-ey." Kaylee Thorne shared her thoughts, "I learned tO marry a husband who works and to try and get a job that makes more money." Eight grader Gabryela Reyes admitted, "Reality is really hard. It is expensive and you need an education to get a better job." Brae Young learned, "Life has a lot of unexpected events. That's for sure. It will help me know what to expect so that I can prepare for it more, to see what I need to do to get the job that I need." Angel Cook was frustrated with her scenario because she had to have three jobs and work seven days a week. "That would not happen be-cause I would not be able to see my kids," she said. "I'm not going to work and sup-port my husband. He is go ing to go to work to support me." Principal Brian Jolley summed it up, "I think it is great! I think any time you get a chance to have the kids take and connect what they do every day at school and connect it to their cur-rent life and their future life, they're going to start think-ing about the choices they make now and how it affects their long term future." ' i r,,- ; i - ' - Valley View students that participated in the 2010 Reflections program. Photo courtesy of Cyd LeMone Pleasant Grove High and Junior High School Calendars Wednesday, November 24, A Boys Basketball Zuke Challenge PG vs. Orem, 1:45 p.m. PGJHS Boys Basketball vs Wasatch, 3 p.m. PGJHS Girls Basketball at Timpview, 3:30 p.m. Thursday, November 25, B Thanksgiving Break Friday, November 26, A Thanksgiving Break Monday, November 29, A Orchestra Performances at elementary schools Tuesday, November 30, B Orchestra Performances at elementary schools 2:30pm Ping-Pon- g Tournament Boys Basketball at Springville (endowment), 7 p.m. Girls Basketball vs Riverton, 7 p.m. PGJHS Boys Basketball vs Mt. Nebo, 3 p.m. PGJHS Girls Basketball at Payson 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, December 1. A Angel Tree Begins Parent Teacher Night, 3:30 p.m. ; Swim Team at Jordan, 3:30 p.m. PGJHS Boys Basketball at Mapleton, 3 p.m. OGHS Boys Basketball at Mapleton, 3:30 p.m. Thursday, December 2. B Angel Tree Ping-Pon- g Tournament, 2:30 p.m. Wrestling vs Brighton, 7 p.m. PGJHS ParentTeacher Conference, 4 p.m. - 7 p.m. Friday, December 3. A Angel Tree Boys Basketball vs. Copper Hills at West Jordan, 7:15 p.m. PGJHS Boys Basketball vs Provo, 4 p.m. PGJHS Ballroom Snowball at Oak Canyon, 3 p.m. OGHS Ballroom Snowball 2:30 p.m. Saturday, December 4 Preference (Girls Choice) ; Valley View Students Eat Lunch with a Cow become a PTA member is that ... they will hopefully become more involved in their child's education, and that's the most important reward we can offer" Jenny Lynn said. ' . vi - .v. - - - -- . i by Cyd L em one Mrs. Casper's first grade class at Valley View Elementary received a special lunch last Friday after winning lunch with the Chick-Fil-- A "cow." The class won lunch with the cow after bringing in the most PTA memberships from parents. Membership Coordinator JennyLyn Little teamed up with Chick-Fil-- A to offer the lunch as a fun and new incentive to join the PTA. "Since their new restaurant has opened, Chick-Fil-- A has partnered with schools in our area and really become involved with the PTA. It has been great to see a local business offering this type of reward" she said. The students were excited to eat with the cow who read stories and interacted with them during the lunch. The Valley View PTA also offered other incentives earlier this school year to encourage membership sign-up- s. "At our Back-to-Scho- ol open house, we gave away backpack tags and hair bows for those that that signed up that night and our teachers received a fun treat bag for joining the PTA as well" she said. Although parents can become a PTA member at anytime throughout the year, the biggest push for them to join is within the first few months of school. "It's harder as the year goes on, tc get memberships, so creative incentives definitely help" JennyLyn stated. Valley View has seen a 20 percent increase in memberships this year and hopes to continue the growth. "I would love to see more parents join. I think the best incentive for parents to Valley View first grade class received a special lunch last Friday with the Chick-Fil-- "cow." Photo courtesy of Cyd LeMone Valley View Students Participate in Reflections by Cyd Lemone Valley View students that participated in the 2010 Reflections program received a special surprise last Thursday, when they were awarded in their classes with a winners bag which included a Clark Planetarium IMAX movie ticket, Article Circle and Wingers coupons, fun erasers, an art pad, sticker sheet, pencil and goodies. Reflections Coordinator, Anna French, hopes Reflections will continue to be a program that schools and parents promote. "Reflections is a great program because it encourages students to explore the arts. The kids have an opportunity to do something creative, and have a good time doing it. They also receive recognition for their efforts" she stated. In place of trophies or ribbons this year, Anna gave the participants art supplies to encourage their creativity. "My hope is that this positive experience will inspire them to continue creating" she said. Mrs. Gourley's entire third grade class submitted an entry in the Reflections program this year with four of her students moving on to the council level for judging. "I love to see programs mat encourage pur students to participate more in the arts. For some of my students, this was the first time they had ever participated in Reflections and the projects they submitted were amazing. I think, they discovered talent that they didn't know they had and this is why the Reflections program is so important" said Mrs. Gourley. The Reflections Program was started in 1969 by Mary Lou Anderson, who served as Colorado PTA president at the time. In its 40-ye- ar history, the program has encouraged millions of students across the nation and in American schools overseas to create works of art for fun and recognition. Students in preschool through grade 12 are encouraged to create and submit works of art in six areas: dance choreography, film production, literature, musical composition, photography, and the visual arts (which includes art forms such as drawing, painting, print making, and collage). Maeser Prep Student One of Best Teen Writers for 2010 Maeser Prep has just been notified that Mimi Hamblin, a Maeser Prep student, has been selected to be included in The Best Teen Writing of 2010, a collection of Scholastic Award-winnin- g writings. Awarded this recognition by the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers in New York City, this publication will be released in November at the annual conference of the National Council of Teachers of English and the National Writing Project. Headmaster Justin Kennington commented, "It is a great honor and achievement to have a published author among our student body." The board, faculty, student body, and Maeser community are thrilled to recognize another achievement of this caliber in the school. CASCADE DENTAL www.DrChrisJolley.com 352 East State Road Pleasant Grove (near Smith's) Maintain Healthy Teeth and Gums for Life! Call (801) 796-034- 4 for an appointment! I Si'Mcrits Today to th'i-- u : TihipariOgosTimes! j |