WCS Students Attend Exchange Club Dinner

WCS Students Attend Exchange Club Dinner

Exchange Club Youth of the Month is a program sponsored by the Exchange Club of Newberry to honor seniors.  Students are selected by a faculty committee.  The committee takes into consideration student achievement, leadership, extra-curricular                  accomplishments, and character in making its choices.  The Exchange Club honors selected students each month with a banquet at their club house on Lake Murray.  Students and their parents are invited to this banquet, at which time students are                           presented with a plaque by the Exchange Club.  Selected students for this year were as            follows:

September - Alesia Henderson

October - Daniel McMurtury

November - Crystal Wallace

December - Alex Cromer

January - Chelsi Stevenson

February-Christopher Williams

 All students selected as Youth of the Month were invited to a special banquet on March 1, 2011 to honor a Youth of the Year from each high school.  Whitmire's Youth of the Year was Alesia Henderson.  Alesia will compete against students from Newberry and Mid-Carolina for the county's Youth of the Year title.

WCS Puts on 4th Grade Play

           

WCS Puts on 4th Grade Play By Ms. S. Martin

To open the 2011 Talent Show, WCS 4th Grade students presented their original play, "American Firsts." Students wrote their own lines and performed the play at the February 24 event.

            The theme of the play centered on the "first" people or groups to make history as our nation was established.

            The students also sang two songs as part of the show. The show helped students master their social studies standards and also an ELA standard about writing skits to entertain.

Teen Advisory Board

Teen Advisory Board Assists with Media Center Program 

By Ms. D. Hagen, Media Specialist

During Teen Read Week, students submitted applications to participate on the newly created Teen Advisory Board. The board’s primary function is to advocate for the library media program and to represent student interests and concerns. Board members meet with Ms. Hagen and discuss ideas for new books, reading incentives, and library procedures.

The Teen Advisory Board (TAB) is currently creating READ posters like the ones displayed in the media center featuring celebrities and their favorite books. Members will have their own library shelf,    displaying the poster with their favorite books. Service Learning student Jacob Coleman is editing the posters as they are designed by the TAB members. By sharing their favorite books, students help   promote reading among their peers.

Any middle or high school student who has ideas for library activities, book selection, or reading incentives is encouraged to share them with a TAB member or Ms. Hagen. Members for 2010-2011 are Haley Babb, Erynn  Hatfield, Alyssa Brock, Kandace Carroll, Chelsey Stevens, Tripp Alexander, Alana Moss, Shaianne   Arnold, MacKenzie Reel, Haley Hughes, and Rebecca Glymph.  Chair Persons are Haley Babb and Erynn  Hatfield.

Fundraising for the Band

           

Raising Funds for the Band By Mr. R. Gunning

The band program at Whitmire Community School has been busy all year raising funds for their trip in April.  “The band is traveling to Atlanta, GA, to participate in a national Concert Band competition,” explains Robert Gunning, band director.  “We have sold fruit, supplied concessions at the home basketball games, had two Bowl-a-thons, and are gearing up for a yard sale and a pancake breakfast”

            The band will be traveling to Atlanta on April 1-3 to participate in the Southern Star Music Festival.  This nationally recognized competition will provide a critical review of the band’s performance, as well as festival and competition ratings.  Additionally, the band will have some time on a tour of CNN Television Studios, the Georgia Aquarium, the World of Coca-Cola Museum, Dinner at Hard Rock Café, and an afternoon at Six Flags Over Georgia theme park.  In all, the band members and parents need to raise approximately $12,000.00.

            “We had our second Bowl-a-thon on Saturday,” Gunning adds.  “Thanks to pledges and donations, eleven band members made over $550.00 on Saturday to help pay for their trip.

            Former Whitmire school teacher, band parent, grandparent, and supporter of the program, Fannie Hunter, owner/operator of Hunter Funeral Home in Whitmire, approached Mr. Gunning one afternoon at the school.  “I just wanted to do something to help make some money for the band members,” tells Mrs. Hunter.  “Our band is just so good, and we need to support them any way we can.”

            That’s when Mrs. Hunter came up with the idea of having a yard sale.  First the date and time were set, Saturday, March 12, 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM.  Then Mrs. Hunter asked Piggly Wiggly if we could hold the yard sale in front of their store, at which they agreed.  “Now we need donations of items we can sell,” suggests Hunter.  Items to be donated for the yard sale can be dropped off at Hunter Funeral Home, or the WCS band room prior to March 12, or just bring them to the sale on Saturday.

            The WCS Band Booster Club will be hosting a Pancake Breakfast on Saturday morning, March 19, at Big Willie’s Grill on

Main Street

.  Plates will cost $6.00 each, and tickets will go on sale soon.  Orders can be eaten at the restaurant or made available to go.

            The band would like to express its appreciation for all the support they have already received.

Putting Whitmire on the Map!

Putting Whitmire on the Map By Mr. J. Haney

WCS continues its efforts this past month to put Whitmire on the map.  Ms. Bruyere, Ms. Cromer and Ms. Hall took us all the way to Myrtle Beach by presenting at the 36th Annual SC Reading Conference in February.  Their presentation, “Strategic Small Groups,” asserted that focus is the key to successful small-group instruction.  Strategic groups cluster students with the same need.  According to our local experts, record keeping and observations are essential to knowing your students.  Ms. Bruyere, Ms. Cromer and Ms. Hall demonstrated to their attendees how they successfully and explicitly teach literacy to small groups.

Valentine Dance!

Elementary Student Council Valentine Dance By Ms. S. Martin

                The Elementary Student Council sponsored a Valentine Dance on Monday, February 14, 2011, in the Multi-purpose room. Students danced and enjoyed    refreshments from 2:30-3:30 pm.  Cass princes and princesses were honored.  Congratulations to Aubrey Brock, Emily Kessler, Catherine Baker, Angel McCall, Cameron Felker, and Logan Putnam for being named Class Princesses and Chase English, Matthew Prather, Chase Hood, Noah McCarley, Quin Lindler, and Mark Stevenson for being named Class Princes.  These students were selected by their classes and all students in grades three, four, and five voted for Valentine King and Queen.  Congratulations to Aubrey Brock and Quin Lindler for being named 2011 Queen and King.

Celebrations

    

Congratulations to Mrs. Shouse's Kindergarten class for winning the February Box Tops contest with 165 Box Tops!  Her students were rewarded for their efforts in early March.

                                           

Mrs. Lee's homeroom won first place in the district attendance contest, and Ms. Adams’s homeroom won third place!  Way to go!

The 5th grade raised the most money for Pennies for Patients this year— a total of around $300.00!

8th and 9th Grade Job Shadowing

“I want two hamburgers and a chicken sandwich to go”…but wait, that’s DJ Norton working at Joe’s Market. Why she’s supposed to be in school…not today because she is participating in the Groundhog Job Shadowing Program.  She was one of the thirty three students from Whitmire Community School who participated in the statewide initiative to get middle and high school students to experience actual career opportunities.  If you’re wondering who the young lady under the hydraulic lift at D&D Automotive is, take a closer look and you’ll see that underneath the grease marks is Shelby Dickert.  On the other hand, Kristin Hunt decided that she   didn’t want to get dirty, so she dressed ever so professionally to assist Betty Thompson in the PreK program at Whitmire Community School.   We had fifteen students who chose WCS as their job shadowing site this time. Those students job shadowed teachers and coaches to help determine if teaching is a viable career choice for them.

On Friday, February 4, 2011, WCS had students working in the Victim’s Advocate Office, Office of the Deputy Coroner, SmartStyle Salon in Newberry, the US Forest Service, the Newberry County Sheriff’s Department, the SC Housing Authority, Palmetto Bone and Joint, Dalton Trucking, Harold Hunter Logging, Department of Defense, Keenan’s Barber Shop in Union, South Middle School in Lancaster, Cheap Chuck’s Tires in Columbia, and Milliken-Judson in Greenville.

We have two students who were unable to schedule their job shadowing on Feb. 4 and will be participating in the program on February 10 and 11.  One of these students, who is interested in archaeology, will be working with Jakob Crockett at the Historic Columbia Foundation.  The other student will be shadowing Heather O’dell at Mental Health in Newberry.

Thanks to all the teachers, agency heads, and business owners who make experiences such as this possible for our students.  It is our responsibility to prepare our students; and the best way to make that happen is not through virtual experiences but those REAL life experiences.  It is our hope that more students will take advantage of experiences such as these.

Alex Cromer -- Wendy's High School Heisman Recipient

                  Whitmire Community School is extending a special congratulations to Alex Cromer, who was recently named our School Winner for the prestigious Wendy’s High School Heisman Award. Alex was chosen for her outstanding excellence in academics, athletics, and community/school leadership and will move on to the next round of judging to possibly earn the coveted National award.

                  The Wendy’s High School Heisman celebrates the achievements of the nation’s top high school seniors both in and out of the classroom. Just as the collegiate Heisman is known for being the highest award in college football, the Wendy’s High School Heisman award is recognized as the most esteemed award at the high school level because it encourages future leadership by acknowledging well-rounded students.

Alex was selected as a School Winner based on the following accomplishments: she is academically and athletically gifted (Winners must have a “B” or better average and participate in a sport.).

  “These students are an inspiration to those around them and will honorably represent their school in the next stage of Wendy’s High School Heisman award judging,” said Archie Griffin, the only two-time winner of the Heisman Memorial Trophy and Wendy’s High School Heisman program spokesperson.  “I’m proud to be a part of a program that honors young men and women who embody the spirit of the Heisman tradition of hard work, dedication and an outstanding record both on and off the field.”  

Alex was selected as our School Winner and joins the ranks of nearly 55,000 applicants nationwide.

“On behalf of Whitmire Community School, we are extremely proud to celebrate the outstanding athletic and scholastic achievements of Alex with this prestigious award,” said Principal Joey Haney.”

For more information or to track a student’s progress through the competition, please log on to http://www.wendysheisman.com/ or call 1-800-205-6367. 

Jr. Beta Attends Convention

                  Twenty-three students from the Jr. Beta Club competed at the SC Jr. Beta Convention held at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center on December 9-10, 2010.  The areas in which students competed were poster, living literature, speech, social studies, spelling, math, science, quiz bowl, banner, color photography, sketching, and sculpture.

                   Living literature is a highlight of the convention and one of the more rigorous competitions.  The five students who competed in living literature demonstrated talent and skill by creating a scene from “Annabelle Leigh” by Edgar Allen Poe.              Cseh Cranford submitted a portrait for the color photography competition and won third place.  Photography winners are chosen by four judges who must come to a consensus on each placement.  Overall the convention was a huge success, and the students are eager to return next year.

WCS News Crew Visits Newberry College Department of Communications

                  The news crew at Whitmire Community School visited Newberry College Thursday December 2, 2010 to experience broadcast journalism on a professional level. Since the crew produces the Morning News Show, they decided to tour a real studio for ideas on improving production and delivery of the news. Newberry College proved to be the perfect place for this.

                  Marshall Maddy, Assistant Professor of Communications, welcomed the group to Newberry College and showed them the Newberry College radio station studio. Each student took part in the morning radio show by introducing themselves and making a brief comment. Crew members commented that they enjoyed participating in an authentic radio production.

                  Dr. Jodie Peeler, Associate Professor of Communications, talked to the crew about the importance of writing and how each area of Communications—Electronic Media, Journalism, and Public Relations depends on excellence in writing skills. He asked students what they were doing in their language arts classes and related those activities to skills they would need if they pursue commuications careers, emphasizing writing as the most essential.

The highlight of the visit was a tour of the broadcast studio. Al De Lachica, Assistant Professor of Communications, gave an in-depth explanation and demonstration of the equipment and events that take place behind the scenes. Students took turns either anchoring the show or operating the camera as the producer communicated instructions from the control room through a headset. Dr. Peeler’s class stopped by to observe WCS students performing a “cold read” using the teleprompter.

After the show, students were debriefed on their experiences and what they had learned. They expressed their frustrations about using the teleprompter as Mr. De Lachica emphasized the need for teamwork among crew members. He talked about how the mistakes of one person can affect the entire crew because they are interdependent. Crew members learned about Newberry College’s Communication program and possible job opportunities that await them after they graduate.

The day ended with lunch at La Fogata, one of WCS’ business sponsors, topped off by fried ice cream, compliments of Principal Joey Haney! The WCS News Crew enjoyed the trip and brought back ideas for their morning news show and for possible college and career paths. The WCS News Crew is sponsored by Donna Hagen, Head Media Specialist at Whitmire                  Community School.

Newberry College Professor Mentors WCS News Crew

Marshall Maddy, Director of the Langford Communication Center at Newberry College visited the WCS News Crew during the Morning News Show on February 9, 2011 in the media center production studio. Afterwards, he met with the crew to discuss production procedures and technology issues. Mr. Maddy’s visit is a follow-up to the news crew’s Newberry College field trip in January.

Ms. Donna Hagen, WCS Media Specialist and WCS News Crew Sponsor, had contacted Newberry College as a possible field trip destination for the crew. She and Mr. Maddy decided to form a partnership between the Department of Theatre, Visual Arts, and Communications and the WCS News Crew. Mr. Maddy, Dr. Jodie Peeler, and Mr. Al de Lachica introduced the crew to the Newberry College studio, helped them produce a television newscast, and let them participate in a live radio broadcast. Mr. Maddy graciously offered to visit Whitmire to see them in action and to give them professional advice.

During his visit to WCS, Mr. Maddy talked with the crew about their ideas and how they can implement changes in the show. He gave advice on camera equipment, lighting, and training. Mr. Maddy will continue to provide assistance to the crew as they add new equipment and as they expand the show. Whitmire Community School is fortunate to have Newberry College as a partner, providing WCS students with professional mentors and potential career paths.

Whitmire Band Goes Bowling for Bucks

On Monday, February 7, several Whitmire band members participated in the Whitmire Band Bowl-a-thon to raise funds for their upcoming spring trip.  The band is heading to Atlanta, GA, on April 1-3, to compete in a national Concert Band competition.

                  Band members solicited pledges from family, friends, and faculty members.  Some pledges were as little as one to two cents per pin, while some were upwards to ten cents, and even higher.  Then they went bowling.  After bowling three games, the participating band members will collect the money from the pledges per their bowling scores. The money they collect will go to help pay their way for the trip.  A second Bowl-a-thon is scheduled for    Saturday, March 5.                  

Please help support your    

favorite band members by making a pledge as they prepare for their competition in Atlanta.

Nursing Home

                 On Thursday, December 9, Mrs. Cody’s sixth grade language arts students welcomed a special visitor, Mrs. Melissa Gilliam, administrator for White Oak Manor in Newberry.  The sixth graders have just finished reading Our Sixth Grade Sugar Babies by Eve Bunting, which included an elderly character dealing with the effects of dementia and Alzheimer’s.  Mrs. Gilliam entertained the students with a virtual tour of the brain on the Smartboard that labeled and described the parts of the brain.  Then, she showed an emotional video detailing how a patient dealing with Alzheimer’s reacted to music from her childhood.  Mrs. Gilliam surprised the students with a “quiz” based on the information she shared and gave a prize to Culan Means, the student who got the most questions correct.  One of the most exciting activities she shared was a Mini-Mental Exam where students were able to determine a partner’s level of cognition.  Before Mrs. Gilliam left, the students presented her with three-dimensional Christmas trees to take back to the residents of White Oak Manor.

The Nurse's Station

The Centers for Disease control and Prevention (CDC) recommends 4 main ways you and your family may keep from getting sick with the flu at school and at home:

Practice good hand hygiene by washing your hands often with soap and water, especially after coughing or sneezing. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.

Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.  If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your elbow or shoulder; not into your hands.

Stay at home if you or your child is sick for at least 24 hours after there is no longer a fever or signs of a fever (without the use of fever-reducing medicine).  Keeping sick students at home means that they keep their viruses to themselves rather than sharing with others.

Get your family vaccinated  for seasonal flu and 2009 H1N1 flu when vaccines are available.

If flu conditions become MORE severe, parents should consider the following steps:

Extend the time sick children stay home for at least 7 days, even if they feel better soon. People who are still sick after 7 days should continue to stay home until at least 24 hours after symptoms have completely gone away.

If a household member is sick, keep any school-aged brothers or sisters home for 5 days from the time the household member became sick.  Parents should monitor their health and the health of other school-aged children for fever and other symptoms of the flu.

Follow these steps to prepare for the flu during the school year:

Plan for child care at home if your child gets sick or their school is dismissed.

Plan to monitor the health of the sick child and any other children in the household by checking for fever and other symptoms of flu.

Identify if you have children who are at higher risk of serious disease from the flu and talk to your healthcare provider about a plan to protect them during the flu season.  Children at high risk of serious disease from the flu include: children under 5 years of age and those children with chronic medical conditions, such as asthma and diabetes.

Identify a separate room in the house for the care of sick family members.

Update emergency contact lists.

Collect games, books, DVDs and other items to keep your family entertained if schools are dismissed or your child is sick and must stay home.

Talk to your school administrators about their pandemic or emergency plan.

For more information:

Visit: www.flu.gov

Contact CDC 24 Hours/Every Day

WCS Lends A Hand

Whitmire Community School participated in the 2010 Helping Hands Project this year. The purpose of this project is to assist families in need and help children receive a Christmas they may not have the opportunity to experience otherwise.

We had numerous families and organizations that wanted to help make a better Christmas for some of the children at WCS. Volunteers were willing to donate clothes, shoes, books, and toys to these children in need.  We were able to help 17 families this year! That is an outstanding number, especially for our first year of participation! Hopefully we will be able to help even more families next year.

I would like to extend a special thanks to everyone who helped make this project such a success. It is because of you that many received the Christmas they deserve.

God Bless,

Mrs. Jennifer Hix