OCR Text |
Show Volume II , Issue VI The OGDEN VALLEY NEWS Page 13 March 2000 Student News Weber High FFA In Action! By Melissa Gurnsey FFA Reporter Weber High FFA students attended the area 1 contest on February 1, 2000. There were six other FFA chapters from the northern end of the state present at the competition. The winners from the Weber FFA were: 1. Adam Hales-1st place in Feed and Grain Production -1st place in Diversified Crop Production -1st place in Cereal Grain Production Feed and Grain Production— Using the best management practices available to efficiently produce and market crops such as corn, barley, millet, buckwheat, oats and grain sorghum. Diversified Crop Production— Using the best management practices available to efficiently produce and market two or more crop enterprises. Cereal Grain Production—Using the best management practices available to efficiently produce and market cereal and grain. 2. Lonnie Brown-1st place in Equine Science -1st place in Outdoor Recreation Equine Science—Typically provides insights into horse production, breeding, marketing, showing and other aspects of the equine industry. Programs may also include calf roping, barrel racing, and if rodeo horses are involved. Outdoor Recreation—Typically strives to develop outdoor recreational activities as the primary land use. Some activities best suited to family use or as income-producing enterprises are vacation cabins and cottages, camping areas, picnic and field sports, golfing, fishing, hunting, shooting preserves, water sports, winter sports, riding stables, vacation farms, and guest ranches, and natural scenic or historic areas. 3. Bridget Christensen-1st place in Agriculture Processing Agriculture Processing—Involves students working in assembling, Local Teachers Garner Grant to Develop Kid’s Book Club On January 24, Jane McVaugh and LaVon Allen received a District Foundation Grant to develop a Kid’s Book Club within their classrooms. Students will be able to select books they want to read, discuss, and write about. They will work in groups of three to five students sharing their opinions and questions. transporting, grading, inspecting fabricating mixing, packaging, storing, and marketing food and nonfood agricultural products. Program may include milk, honey cheese, and food processing; making and selling cedar shakes; and firewood. 4. Melissa Gurnsey-3rd place in Public Speaking Public Speaking – You have to give a 6 to 8 minute speech. It can be on any topic, typically those relating to agriculture. 5. Cari Montgomery-3rd place in Extemporaneous Public Speaking Extemporaneous Speaking – You are given an agriculture related topic, and you have to build up a 4 to 6 minute speech. You are allowed to use five articles that relate to the topic to help you, and to give you ideas. The FFA had many other students participating. They help with timing, and courtesy cor. The timers were there in almost every contest. They were there for the judges to give them your time. The courtesy cor were there to help make sure people knew where their contest was being held, and to make sure that everything ran smoothly. The Weber FFA also competed in Parliamentary Procedure—the procedure used to run a democratic government. There were 5 floor members and one chairman. Melissa Gurnsey was chairman; Cari Montgomery, Adam Hales, Dani Martin, Kyle Vanderstappen, and Lonnie Brown were the chair members. Congratulations to these students and all the others that competed. Everyone did an awesome job. Way to go FFA students. We would like to give a special “Thank You” to those who helped put the contest on. We would also like to thank Mr. Newey for coming out and giving us support. We all owe a huge “thanks” to Mr. Prisk, and Mr. Kellet for lending us the support we needed, and letting us participate. Thanks to everyone. Valley Reflection Winners Named Valley School has many outstanding students who enter the Reflections Contest each year. Winners chosen this year that will go on to district competition include fourth grader, Carly Hirst and sixth grader, Harrison Spendlove. Both received first place in theater. Sierra Froerer, a fourth grader received first place in literature. Adaline Strong received an honorable mention in theater. At Snowcrest, Elizabeth Stitt took first place in literature and Christopher Burton received first place in photography. Will Allport received first place in Visual Arts. Fifth Grade Students Represent Valley at District Spelling Bee Because of their success at the Weber School District Area Spelling Bee held January 18 at Majestic Elementary School, Cassie Tanner and Hank Storey, both fifth graders at Valley, went onto the District Competition on January 25. They were given words from the Deseret News Spelling list. The students did a great job representing Valley Elementary. High School life draws attention to problems By Johanna Droubay Student Reporter In the wake of the Columbine massacre, much attention has turned to the American high school. The October 25 issue of Time magazine attempts to shed light upon the realities of education and teen-age life in the year 1999. This is done in an extensive special section, “A Week in the Life of a High School.” In these articles several reporters recorded their observations after one week at Webster High School in St. Louis, Missouri. The articles focus on religion, lunchtime, employment, safety, and other aspects of teenage life. If such an extensive study were conducted at Weber High school, what would reporters find? In an informal survey of 292 Weber High School students conducted by the Warrior News staff, 70 percent of students surveyed feel there is a typical WHS student. Statistically, that average student has a 66 percent chance of being enrolled in LDS seminary, has a 3.075 GPA, and a composite ACT score between 21 and 22. Kristin Fisher, a junior says, “Most students seem to come from the same social group, the same religion, have the same background.” The ACT reports, after observing answers to questions posed at the time of registration, that 43% of students rate the adequacy of their high school education according to curriculum as “good.” In addition, from rules and regulations to honors programs in no case does the number of students dissatisfied outnumber the number of satisfied students. However, there are still those students who remain unsatisfied, lost, or unmotivated. In light of recent school shootings, safety precautions have been taken to deal with those who are not mainstream. School officials tote walkie-talkies. In some schools, committees of students are arranged to keep an eye on anyone who looks or acts differently. Fifty-nine percent of students surveyed feel that their parents do not understand what high school is like today. Cameron McKinnie, a senior, says, “People don’t understand that high school is a popularity contest, not a strong educational foundation. And if they do know, they don’t care.” Fisher says, “Parents don’t know how hard we are or aren’t working. They only see the grades.” High schools cite their own problems. Time makes reference to the fact that students find it easier to say no to school than to their employers, often putting their jobs before homework and sleep. Students work to earn money for dates and college. However, the majority of students working are working to pay for their car, their gas, and their insurance. Senior Chuck Abbott works 25 to 30 hours a week at Harmons, sometimes until eleven o’ clock at night but claims, “Most of what I don’t get done is because of laziness, not my job.” Junior Jon Chapin works only 9 to 11 hours a week but works between one and two in the morning on weeknights. In the communities surrounding Webster High school a program is being developed through collaboration between employers and educators to keep students from working more than 20 hours a week. The program, School First, ideally would also pair students with employer mentors who would see that students are making academics a priority, and not working late on school nights. As the existing program remains, many students sleep through 7:45 a.m. classes that don’t coordinate with the teenage metabolism, and at Webster High School, teachers assign less and less homework because of incentives to decrease the drop out rate. Educators hope the new attention given to the realities of high school will cause teachers, parents and citizens of the community to consider changes in the public school system. Note: Johanna Droubay is a News Editor for the Weber High School Warrior News. Fourth Grade Teacher Honored With “I Love Teaching” Award LaVon Allen, fourth grade core teacher at Valley School, was honored by her peers and the Weber School District on January 19. Mrs. Allen received the “I Love Teaching” award. Her name will be added to a plaque along with the names of other teachers who have received this award. The “I Love Teaching” award is an award for outstanding teachers who have shown by their actions and teaching abilities that they do indeed love their profession. Mrs. Allen is known for her love of the color purple. Each year she goes to first grade when purple is introduced and shares many of her purple items from her purple suitcase. One first grader was so impressed she brought Mrs. Allen several purple earrings. The only trouble was, there was only one of each earring. Mrs. Allen is also well known at Valley for her costumes for each holiday. On Statehood Day she came in her hand crafted dress and cape, which date back to the 1800’s. She taught the students about Utah becoming a state and the significance of it. On Valentines she dresses as Cupid and, of course, on Easter she comes as the Easter Bunny. We are fortunate to have LaVon Allen at Valley. LaVon Allen helping a student. |