Spring 2018
May 11, 2018
Students Plan City Improvements
By Michaela McChesney
Vision 2045, a program dedicated to bettering the Mt. Vernon community, arose in January 2017. Still in action today, the community members and students involved hope to take action with real-world, feasible plans, transforming Mt. Vernon into a place where our graduates might want to return to raise their own families by offering small-town living with some bigger city amenities.
The idea for such a program came when Drury architecture students came to Mt. Vernon looking to help dream up a better Mt. Vernon for future community members. After meeting a few times the Drury students left Mt. Vernon with 200+ pages of ideas that might work for Mt. Vernon. Once Dury got the ball rolling, the town youth and aiding community members were set on keeping it going, and so Vision 2045 was born.
Students such as McKenzie Loftis, Colton Hicks, Jesse Delk, Adriana Farrell, Kimberly Pendleton, and Spencer Jones were a huge help in convincing the Drury students to select Mount Vernon for their project. The Drury students had a choice of projects from several towns. It was Mt. Vernon students, not Mt. Vernon adults, the Chamber, or the City officials, who presented the "choose us" presentation to Drury. Each student was allowed to select an area that interested them most and be the presenter on that subject.
Above, students brainstorm potential locations Vision 2045 could improve within Mt. Vernon.
The director of the Mt. Vernon Chamber of Commerce, Pam Dudley, proudly proclaimed, “The Drury students couldn't believe the professionalism and enthusiasm our young adults had for improvement in their community. Hands down, that is why they selected the Mt. Vernon project.”
Several projects and ideas have arisen from Vision 2045. A sub-committee is working on the Gateway Project: "Welcome to Mt. Vernon" signage off of I-44 on Exit 46 in both directions. Another sub-committee is developing ideas to spruce up Wynne Park next to the Chamber. A third sub-committee is already well into skate park development and are in the process of requesting a grant from the Tony Hawk Foundation. To date, more than $3,000 has been raised and the grant could be up to $25,000 if matching funds can be found.
In the processes of envising and pushing for ways to improve Mt. Vernon, those involved have looked at and thought up everything under the sun. Ultimately, Vision 2045 is a great avenue for the community to mix a new innovative look and a cute, small-town charm together, creating a unique Mt. Vernon.
Left, Dudley shares a sketch of Vision 2045's plan for a welcome sign on the 44 ramps.
Below, Mt. Vernon community members hold a meeting at the Chamber of Commerce to discuss future plans.
City League Basketball Impacts Mount Vernon's Youth
By Haylee Yeats
There’s nothing sweeter than reminiscing your childhood sport. City League sports, such as basketball, are huge for Mount Vernon’s youth.
Dennis Dorrance, president of the City League basketball program, shared his insights: “Mount Vernon youth basketball is a sports program that has been in our community for a very long time. It attracts kids pre-K through sixth grade from not only Mount Vernon, but kids as far away as Springfield. Most of these players will never play basketball on a team after sixth grade again. We see 140+ players each year,” Dorrance stated.
City League brings people together. Friends and families gather to watch their kids, grandkids, nieces, and nephews play basketball. Dorrance went on to explain, “A banner is hung at all games. This banner is the sponsors for the season. I’m proud to say since being president, I have attained a sponsor for every team.
This is important, as it allows us to keep cost to play low,” he continued, “We scholarship about 20 players a year. If they want to play, we will put a shirt on them. Spectators see this banner and visit them when seeking services. We hope that people that live out of town see what a great place this is.”
City League gives kids the opportunity to learn the game. “We want them to get past being shy, having no confidence, to feel a part of something, hopefully teach sportsmanship, discipline, accountability, and just have fun." Dorrance hopes the kids take their experiences from the program and "they will apply these things as they grow and become future leaders and people of the community.”
Below is a timeline of the program:
October - Sign ups start.
November - Sign ups, sponsors, and coaches
December - Pick teams
January - Order shirts, get insurance, and assign practice
February - Start season, order medals, assure referees, score table and gate covered, set up court, take down the court, team photos
March - Assure referees, concessions, set up and take down court, and tournament
President Dennis Dorrance referees for his team.
Dorrance said of this photo, "Melanie Petterson, baby of team, way happy and she just melted my heart. She will be a super player, too."
Dorrance said of this photo, "3rd girl to my left, Allie Chapman, future Mount Vernon point guard."
FFA Brings Volunteers, Agriculture Education to Community
By Sydney Thompson
From tractor pulls to selling corn on the cob at Apple Butter Makin’ Days, the FFA is a well known school organization in our community. Mount Vernon’s very own FFA chapter made an appearance in the 1940’s and has been a successful organization ever since. When people usually think of FFA they picture cows and plants, but alongside animals, members volunteer in the community and compete in multiple contests.
The FFA has many opportunities to be connected with the community through volunteer and community service projects. FFA created a giant service project, Mountaineer Serve Day, for which students from the high school dedicated the day to serving their community. Students willingly volunteered to play games with veterans, wash firetrucks, clean Baptist Hill, and various other jobs around town. A labor auction was also held by the FFA chapter: farmers and people from the community purchased labor from the students. The workers did everything from picking up rock and pulling weeds in gardens, to painting fence posts. This allowed students to learned what kind of hard work goes on in the community.
The FFA hosts Food for America every year and takes animals, plants, and products to the elementary and intermediate schools to educate the younger generation about the importance of agriculture. Agriculture education is a huge deal to the advisors, Mr. Jay Shepherd and Mr. Steven Prewitt, who each take hours upon hours out of their personal lives to teach, educate, and make their students successful. Mr. Shepherd stated, “Twenty percent of today's economy is ag-related jobs and if agriculture is not taught in schools the jobs will not be filled when the older generations retire.”
Farming is not the only connection of FFA has to the community; there is also a professional business side. First year FFA member senior Sydney Swillum experienced being part of the ag sales contest team for the first time. Swillum plans to major in business in college and the ag sales team prepared her for her intended major. “Being in FFA was something that I never thought I would do, but it was actually a really great experience. I was on a contest team that helped me gain more experience in business situations. During the whole experience I was put out of my comfort zone and it really helped me gain confidence. We also got to sell Wind and Willow, which is a product that was created in Mt.Vernon, and we got to see a bond between local businesses and the community, which was really cool,” Swillum said. The team got to go visit the company and meet the owner Rene Tettenhorse. Team members got to learn about the company and continued on to sell the product at contest, they even got offered jobs at Wind and Willow.
Forrest Thompson, a former FFA member and an employee at Hill’s Feed and More, said, “Mount Vernon has a very unique FFA chapter, they are more involved in the community then fellow chapters in the area. Being a FFA member teaches you about having a work ethic and what hard work is, which not all clubs or organizations can teach you. You can tell the employees that were members of the FFA because they have a great work ethic, they are responsible, and they always follow through on what they say they are gonna do. You can tell one of boys that work starts at eight and they will almost always show up ten minutes early ready to work. The dedication to their work is unmatchable to anything else. Without FFA many students would miss out on opportunities and experiences that could potentially lead to career paths that are essential in our community. ”
Tristan Dennis, who has had four years of experience as an FFA member, is another employee for Feed and More, and the treasurer of the Mount Vernon FFA. Dennis’s agriculture experience started in eighth grade and continued on to high school, where he learned his love for agriculture and formed his dream of being an ag teacher. He has been part of many contest teams and even competed at National Convention. Through FFA he learned how to be responsible and be a team player to achieve a common goal. These traits are the keys to success when working with any sort of group and positive qualities that every community needs. Dennis said, “Without a program like FFA the rate of volunteering in the community would go down. There is a large portion of students that the FFA catches, particularly the ones who do not what to go to college, but are introduced to trade schools, which are equally important in our community.”
Being a member of FFA is a great way to be part of the community. This organization teaches students about hard work, why agriculture is important in the community, and how to give back to their community, while also learning skills to better themselves in job opportunities.
Local Event Teaches Students About Construction
By Alane Cordray
On March 28, 2018, two thousand high school students from all around Southwest Missouri attended the second annual Build My Future Showcase event in Springfield at the Ozark Empire Fairgrounds E-Plex. The event was held by the Springfield Contractors Association and provided opportunities for students interested in the construction industry to learn more about the trade using an interactive method. Students can get hands-on experience with construction activities, while also making contacts and learning of potential job opportunities.
Derick Barnes, a member of our community, represents the Heavy Construction Laborers Local 663 as a Workforce Investment Board (WIB) member with the Missouri Career Center and has been involved in the Build My Future Showcase since its inception. He said, “It was [at] one of our sub-committee construction roundtables that the idea of Build My Future was born a couple years ago, so I guess you could say we were one of the founding committee members. Our organization has been a title sponsor for both years and we have also exhibits introducing students to the work we do.”
Barnes described the event as “a huge invitation from the construction trades to all area high school students saying, ‘We want you! We need you! There is lots of money and terrific benefits to be made in construction!’”
Above: Carson Dake and Chance Fenton practice their brick-laying skills.
Above, students from MVHS who attended the 2018 Build My Future Event pose with Ms. Mareth.
Not only can students get experience with construction activities such as brick laying and crane operation, but they can also speak with individuals who are in the business to learn more about it and gain contacts for after graduation. Barnes explained that they collected names of the attending students that are interested in entering the construction field so that they would be able to call them after they have graduated to invite them to their apprenticeship program.
Barnes also got to travel to Washington, D.C., shortly before this year’s Build My Future Showcase to accept an award on behalf of the event. The W.A. Lawton Award was given to Build My Future because of its accomplishments of collaboration in the area, and it was given to only one winner in the country!
Ms. Leslie Mareth, our counselor at MVHS, is a big supporter of students going to Build My Future and hopes to take another bus full of students to next year’s event. She said, “It’s a great opportunity for kids to explore a wide variety of careers. It’s very hands-on...I think for some kids, it introduced careers that they have never thought about before.”
Above: Chris Huffer participates in a welding simulation, another great experience that Build My Future provides.
The Record Highlights Local News
By Bethany Evatt
High schoolers at Mount Vernon High school draw inspiration from their surroundings. Their surroundings meaning the community. What better part of the community for young adults to draw from than their local newspaper? The Record has been in our town of Mount Vernon for decades, which creates a deeper connection to the community. The students here at Mount Vernon High School all draw inspiration from our amazing newspaper company.
The Record has been around for a long time, so long even our grandparents used to read it, or still do, but how has The Record impacted the community? The Record catalogues many things, including support for the high school. Such as an article written May 1 titled “Mount Vernon FFA Wins Big at District Contest, Qualifies for State Competition." They report many of these types of articles, showing off the school's student’s greatest achievements and, sometimes, our greatest losses. The Record covers all of Lawrence County, hence the name Lawrence County Record.
The Record doesn’t only make the local newspaper, however. They also are a printing service. You can go in and have them print anything you need to look “professional,” or even not. Placed on the Square of Mount Vernon, this business is a big contribution to Mount Vernon students and residents alike. We can all agree that the students here at Mount Vernon High School gain inspiration and knowledge from The Record, our local news, and more, source.
Silver Screen Salon Steals the Show in Mount Vernon
By Tatum Watts
When Silver Screen Salon, located right here in Mount Vernon, opened two years ago and under the management of Jamie Brown, it started out as the usual hair salon, but it has recently spiked in popularity. With nice employees, reasonable prices and pleasant atmosphere, it’s a one-stop shop to get your hair styled, get your nails and toes done, and also get a tan.
Altogether, about twenty to thirty high schoolers come in for services during prom season.
"It's worth working here," says stylists Casey Wyatt; "you can work on your own pace and your own schedule, it's not a standard Monday through Friday thing. You can take a week-long break if you want and then come in and work."
Another thing that makes Silver Screen so different is the approachable atmosphere and low prices. "We're just like regular people in here we're all in the same boat." Wyatt states, "We're approachable and we treat everyone the same."
Prices are also something that is out of the ordinary at Silver Screen. "Our prices are set to standard. We're not Springfield or Joplin, but we know our worth and we try to work with our clients. They want to look nice but don't have the money, so we try to work with them."
Above, Stylist Casey Wyatt works with a client discussing the pixie cut that the client wants.
April 30, 2018
Editorial:
School shootings invade public conscience
By Green & White Review Staff
On March 14, 2018, students around the country walked out of class for 17 minutes. Why? The official reason is to raise awareness for school shootings and in memorial of the lives lost in the Parkland, Florida, shooting the month previous; the 17 minutes represent the 17 students that died.
The walk-out could also be seen as a promotion of gun law reform, specifically for the banning of assault weapons, more thorough background checks prior to owning firearms, and other gun laws that might curtail gun violence.
Several students in MVHS participated in the walkout, one of those students being freshman Alyssa Nichols. “The walkout was to remember the people who died in the shooting in Florida and it was to make a stand to try and make sure it doesn’t happen anymore," Nichols said. She said the toll in losing young people is too much, even if those people aren't personally known to us. "It affects us all," she said.
For those who interpret the walk-out as a protest against the Second Amendment, Nichols argued, “I think it’s more for control more than a ban; I believe in the right to own a firearm, but I think there needs to be more in-depth background checks in order to own a firearm.”
“People aren’t taking the shooting in Florida very seriously,” Nichols added.
Junior Ryan Raucher chose to not take part in the walk-out. He believes that guns laws should not be changed because those who break laws will continue to do so and it would instead take guns out of the hands of people who do follow laws.
Raucher said, “I am in full support of making schools safer, but walk-outs are not a good way to get people to take action.” He thinks that a better way for students to make a change is to schedule a meeting with our superintendent or to make concerns known to a Missouri representative.
Juniors Cameron Call and Hannah Hutchison also expressed their feelings in light of the recent school shootings. Call stated, "I honestly feel safe. I know there have been a lot of shootings lately in our nation, but I feel safe knowing we have Officer Cornell here and our cameras throughout our school. When I hear about them, it does make me sad and makes me think 'what has our country come to,' and ‘why is this so common?’"
Hannah Hutchison said, "I think it's getting out of control; kids aren't mature enough, and they're making threats that are taken seriously. I don't believe it's about guns; it's about these people in their mental states. Guns don't kill people, people kill people. I don't think schools can get any stricter."
Regardless of the viewpoints that students have on this issue, it seems to be a consensus that there is, in fact, a problem that needs to be addressed.
But are school shootings becoming worse, or is the media magnifying the situation?
Media has changed a great deal in recent years. When the first computer came out in 1977, the idea that people could use a software such as Skype to talk to other people was a thought of science fiction. It was best left to the screenwriters of series such as Star Trek, which started in 1966.
In the 70’s, there were multiple notable school shootings. A few of these included police opening fire on Jackson State University, killing many students and staff; the National Guard opening fire on Kent State University, also killing many students and staff; and the custodian of California State University opening fire with a semi-automatic rifle in the library on campus, killing seven and wounding two, which has been dubbed the Fullerton Massacre.
The late 80’s leading into the early 90’s held a major increase in school shootings. From a study done by K12 Academics, in the period between 1986 and 1990, approximately 65 students and six school faculty members died from gun violence in schools, along with 201 that were wounded and 242 that were hostages during school shootings.
One example of these horrific events are Portland Junior High School in Portland, Connecticut, on December 10, 1985, perpetrated by a 13-year-old eighth grader who was having a heated discussion with the principal that took a very wrong turn. Another example is one perpetrated by 19-year-old James William Wilson Jr., who shot and killed Shequila Bradley and wounded eight other children with a nine-round .22 caliber pistol at Oakland Elementary School in Greenwood, South Carolina, on September 26, 1988.
In the 90’s and early 2000’s, the number of school shootings that occurred began to drop dramatically, but between 1992 and 2000, 220 deaths overall still can be attributed to school shootings, and between the years 2000 and 2010, 147 deaths during school shootings were recorded. Resources did not list any specific examples of these shootings, only that they occurred.
In 2018 so far, school shootings have been incredibly close to one another, and it has been estimated that, on average, at least one school shooting per week has taken place somewhere across the nation.
There is controversy, however, about whether or not some of these "school shootings" should be considered school shootings at all. Siraj Hashimi writes on Snopes, “There are 18 of what we would refer to as "school shootings" in 2018. The media is either sheepishly or deliberately moving the goalposts and widening the definition of what constitutes as a school shooting.” David Emery, also on Snopes, added to this statement, saying, “Only seven [of 18] were intentional shootings that occurred during normal school hours.” The article goes on to say that only five of the seven intended shootings resulted in injuries or deaths.
Another hint that media is magnifying the situation comes from David Ropeik from a March 8, 2018, Washington Post article: “[...] the more frightening a risk feels to you and me, the more coverage it usually gets in the news media, which focuses on things most likely to get our attention. [...]The chance of a child being shot and killed in a public school is extraordinarily low. Not zero--no risk is. But it’s far lower than many people assume.”
The amount of media coverage makes these recent school shootings seem like a new development, like it has never happened before. The truth is, school shootings date farther back than the 70’s. Technological advances and modern news media only make it seem like a bigger deal than before. Yes, school shootings are tragic, but this is not the first streak of school shootings to ever happen, nor will it be the last if something isn’t done.
While some may think the issue lies in guns or the mental state of those who own them as still others think the issue lies in the safety of schools, everyone can agree that this is a problem that is too important to ignore. Lives are at stake and children feel unsafe at school; this is no longer something we can forget.
So what now?
What can be done to stop this?
Are we capable of putting our differences aside to work together?
Will our indecision lead to inaction?
World Languages Club to replace Spanish Club
By Tatum Watts
Spanish Club has voted to rename itself World Languages Club to include French and German students beginning August 2018.
Currently, the 31-member Spanish Club is led by Mrs. Evermon, president Cole Franklin, a senior, and vice-president Colton Hicks, a junior. Though most students take Spanish with Mrs. Evermon, both French and German are also currently being taught via the Rosetta Stone program in Mrs. Mona Brown’s room.
A highlight of Spanish Club this year was a trip to see the "Propósito" concert, performed by Emir Sensini, last December (concert is put on by Justo Lamas Group, LLC). "Next year we will be going to the same concert, but it will be all new songs and a new singer, Edgar René," Mrs. Evermon explained. "At the concert, Emir sings, dances, and leads the students in fun activities, like a sing-along, dance-off."
The dance-off is a hit with Spanish Club president Franklin and member Capri Dalmas, who both won in different years.
Mrs. Evermon said the second club event on April 23 involved enjoying Peruvian cuisine at Café Cusco in Springfield.
FBLA Members compete at State
By Alane Cordray
The FBLA State Leadership Conference (SLC) in Missouri took place at the Plaza Hotel in downtown Springfield on Sunday, April 8 through Tuesday, April 10.
Members who placed first in performance events in their district competition competed in the preliminary rounds on Sunday afternoon. Students from MVHS that competed on this day include Alane Cordray in client service and the team of Tucker Bittick, Makenna Grider, Colton Hicks, McKenzie Loftis, and Jordan Pitre in parliamentary procedures. The finals round of competition was on Monday, in which the top teams from the preliminary rounds competed once more, this time for a chance to go to nationals in Baltimore, Maryland. The parliamentary procedures team was successful in the first round and moved on to finals, where they placed second, qualifying them for nationals!
Loftis, who all along believed her team could make nationals, said it was hard work that put them over the top: "This is the hardest working group of people."
Hicks had a similar opinion about their preparation for nationals, but also added, "I’m definitely looking forward to the traveling. It’s always fun to see new places and the different lifestyles there. California was awesome, and I’m sure Baltimore will be great, too." Hicks also competed in nationals last year in Anaheim, California.
FBLA members that competed in state testing events, after placing in the top four in districts, did so on March 7 and 8. The members from our chapter that competed in testing events include Kathryn Bushman, Brett Violett and Mary Cowherd in introduction to business, Jesse Delk and Sydney Swillum in management decision making, Tristan Gilreath in networking concepts and cyber Security, Mary Cowherd and Lauren Vaughn in journalism, Gracie Hodgson in spreadsheet apps, Donny Trotter in computer problem solving, and Lauren Vaughn in advertising. Of those, Bushman placed sixth and Gilreath placed tenth in cyber security overall.
Competition season comes to a close
By Sydney Thompson
The Mount Vernon FFA chapter ventured to Columbia, Mo., to compete at the FFA State Contest this month. Ten teams participated in the contest, including: agronomy, ag sales, ag issues, dairy foods, food science, livestock, forestry, mechanics, parliamentary, and conduct chapter meeting. Each student dedicated the school year to learning their contest and competing in practice competitions.
Above, Craig Middleton, Tristan Dennis, McKenna Grider and Tucker Bittick accept their state degree, which consist of completing an SAE, participating in FFA activities and community service, and demonstrating leadership.
Below is the parliamentary team, who had their hard work paid off when they accepted their fifth place award at State. From left to right: McKenzie Loftis, Colton Hicks, Paige McFarlan, Wesley Krouse, Jordan Pitre, and Tucker Bittick.
"Opal and Peter" and "Together Again"
March 29th, 2018
The debut for MVHS's Green and White Review features "Opal and Peter" and "Together Again." "Opal and Peter" centers around Opal the Optimist and Peter the Pessimist. In this weeks comic, they address the beginning of Spring. "Together Again" focuses on two girls Dia and Rae who have been best friends since they were kids. "Together Again" depicts the trouble they stirred up in their teens. The characters and storyline of "Opal and Peter" are created by Tatum Watts, and the characters and storyline of "Together Again" are created by Bethany Evatt. Digitalization of both comics and excess media done by Bethany Evatt. We hope you enjoy the new comic section to the Green and White Review!
March 29, 2018
'Senioritis' Plagues Class of 2018
By Alane Cordray
It’s second semester, less than two months until graduation, and senioritis has plagued the Class of 2018.
Everything is plummeting: attendance, grades, motivation; and according to science, 100% of seniors suffer from this crippling illness. It is plain to see that an effort needs to be made to fight back against senioritis and help these brave seniors who battle it daily.
The first step towards fighting senioritis is being able to identify and diagnose it, and to do so early. The symptoms of senioritis include procrastination and lack of motivation, laziness, and a heightened desire to skip class. Also, if you find yourself frequently questioning whether or not you should complete an assignment for a class that isn’t required for graduation, you probably have senioritis. It is extremely important to immediately notify a parent or trusted adult if you have experienced any or all of these symptoms.
Senior Luke Palmquist, a victim of senioritis, says of his experience with the disease: “It’s been rough, not gonna lie [sic]...I can’t eat, I can’t sleep, and I have a weird feeling in my toe sometimes,” and that it has affected his attendance “drastically, in the negative way.” However, trying to stay positive through this difficult time, Palmquist also mentions something he has gained from having senioritis: “I’ve gotten really good at doing things the night before [they’re due].”
After hearing first-hand the horrendous effects of senioritis, one can see that something needs to be done for the victims. Science has spared no expense in researching senioritis and how to cure it, and it has been concluded that there is no way to escape the terrors of the disease and the only cure is immediate graduation.
The next and final step in fighting senioritis is starting a movement that would allow students to endure the least amount of stress and work possible during their senior year. This would ensure that seniors survive their last year of high school and will be totally relaxed and prepared for college the next year. However, before this can be done, awareness about senioritis must first be raised. Please keep your eyes out for the symptoms in seniors at your school.
FFA Competition Season in Full Swing
By Sydney Thompson
FFA members are in the midst of competition season, preparing to do anything from judging cattle to identifying trees. This year, the Mount Vernon FFA chapter is made up of 151 members and are competing in 17 different contest teams, all lead by Steven Prewitt and Jay Shepherd. Second semester has also brought on a new addition to the advisor team: student teacher Cydnee Piper, who will be a teacher at Belton, Mo., next fall.
The contest season has been successful so far; at McDonald County’s competition, ag mechanics and ag sales placed first, forestry placed third, and dairy foods placed forth. Participating contest members still have a few practice contests left before districts, where qualifying teams will then continue on to state.
Senior Craig Middleton reminisced over his high school FFA journey concluding, “The food was good and Shepherd is fun. It is bittersweet, I’m happy it's gonna be over, but I’m sad it’s gonna be over.” Middleton is a four year FFA member, he has participated in meat evaluation, ag mechanics (two years), livestock judging, and numerous speeches contests. This year Middleton has high hopes that his livestock team will make state, making his senior year another success.
FFA has had an outstanding year with many accomplishments, including the creation of Mountaineer Serve Day and holding the annual FFA Week. Mountaineer Serve day started out as a small idea created by a few passionate FFA members, then formed a day of community service throughout the high school.
FFA Week brought on a pancake breakfast and steak lunches to celebrate the knowledge and life of agriculture. McKenzie Loftis, Mount Vernon’s chapter president, is running for a state officer position; Loftis has completed the first round of interviews and will continue on to the next level.
A journey to Indianapolis, Indiana, for the annual FFA National Convention provided a complete immersion into the world of agriculture, and featured our very own competitor, Olivia Carnes, who competed in FFA Creed Speaking.
Overall, FFA has had a successful year gaining many new passionate FFA members, that will continue on the legacy of leadership and knowledge of agriculture.
Band Competition Recap: Music to Our Ears
By Sydney Thompson
The Hometown show stopper to the sway of concert season, the band continues to serenade crowds. This year the band went to three marching competition festivals, winning best auxiliary and third place at the Valhalla festival.
Mount Vernon even held their very own festival this year, hosting around 20 different surrounding bands. Junior Austin Schaedler, saxophone section leader, proclaimed, "The Mount Vernon festival went really smoothly and we have plans to do it in future years.” Potential themes are underway for next year's marching show. The debates are between "Grimm Tales," "Sweet Dreams," and "Wrath and Redemption."
Winter color guard made a debut this year, combining dance with flag and rifle work on a gym floor instead of using a football field. By adding this program it gave eighth graders an opportunity to learn the basic techniques of color guard.
Sophomore rehearsal director Hanna Wilson says, "My favorite thing about color guard is the family. We spend multiple hours in the heat practicing, we get frustrated and tired, but when one person is down, there's a whole team there to help pick them back up." Fall color guard tryouts have already taken place, gaining around ten new members for a total of fifteen flag twirlers.
Concert season is underway, preparing multiple competition pieces and their spring concert performance. The pieces that were chosen this year are Concert Variations by Claude T. Smith and Mountain Thyme by Samuel Hazo. At the spring concert to be held May 6 at Mount Vernon High School, both middle school and high school bands will perform. Individual solo contest was proven successful with four band members qualifying for state: Natalie Cummins, Luke Palmquist, Welsey Krouse, and CiCi Quick.
Blood Drive: Behind the Scenes with Ms. Reach
By Alane Cordray
Spring is arriving. That means one of many things here at MVHS: the second blood drive of the year. The blood drive took place on Thursday, March 29, and as many of our readers know, it was planned and operated by FCCLA students lead by Ms. Kristina Reach. A blood drive, it turns out, is a tremendous undertaking.
Ms. Reach explained that each year, the Community Blood Center of the Ozarks (CBCO), which supplies blood to all of Southwest Missouri, Northwest Arkansas and parts of Oklahoma, contacts her and gives her a goal for units of blood to harvest from our blood drive based on the volume of blood that they possess at that time. She also said that they then would set a goal for the amount of people who sign up, which must be higher than the unit goal, due to the chance that some may have high blood pressure or low iron levels, which would keep them from donating.
When the goals have been set, Ms. Reach and the FCCLA blood drive team would then choose a theme for the blood drive. This year it’s “Let’s Taco Bout Donating,” and each person that donates will receive a t-shirt that has that very slogan and a picture of a taco on it! Next, the group makes decorations that go along with the theme and snacks for the donors to eat afterwards to keep their blood sugar up. Ms. Reach also informed me that when donors sign up and are in the system, she can send a reminder to them the day before they donate, telling them to eat and drink plenty of water before donating.
The most common reason that Ms. Reach gave for people not donating is that they’re scared of needles. In response to that, she stated, “15 percent of the population donate blood, but 40 percent will need a blood transfusion at some point in their lives...it’s much worse to receive a transfusion than it is to donate.” Having been on both sides of this, Ms. Reach explained that thing that hurts the most when donating is when they prick your finger to check your iron levels, rather than the needle being put in your arm.
Another reason given for why eligible students don’t donate is being active in a sport and their coach not allowing them to. In our school’s previous blood drives, there have been 100-115 units of blood collected. Ms. Reach said that this year’s goal was 120 people signed up and 90 units collected, but it was much harder to reach that goal due to the many athletes that were unable to donate.
With that being said, it’s very important to spread the word and encourage anyone and everyone in our community who is 16 or older and weighs at least 110 pounds to donate and help Ms. Reach, her FCCLA students, and the CBCO reach their goal. After all, each donation can save up to three lives and you get to eat snacks, too!
Seniors reflect on athletic careers
Derek Dorrance, tennis: "It's pretty upsetting knowing that I won't be continuing my tennis career throughout college and that I will never be a part of such a great team like this again, but I've learned a lot through my four years here, and I'm thankful for all of the memories and friendships i've made."
Reuben Randolph, golf: "I feel like there's a lot of pressure to go to state, seeing as it is my last year. It was an amazing experience; it really made high school better. I will miss my team, coach, and the laughs we shared."
Megan Mynatt, softball: "I've played sports all my life, but I think softball taught me the sense of being team. No matter how good or bad you are doing in a game, there is always those group of girls behind you, sitting there cheering you on or helping you pick up the pieces from a bad play. I've also learned that as long as you try your hardest and do everything in full effort, there isn't much that you can do wrong and that a coach won't be disappointed with you. Everyone sees your effort and it rarely goes unnoticed. Softball not only taught me a few things, but it also gave me a group of girls to call friends, as well as family."
Ethan Johnston, baseball: Ethan answered that he has learned "next-play mentality." He explained, "No matter what happens, you always have to forget the last play and focus on the next one. "
Megan Cook, track: Cook has been a member of the girl's track team for two years, and has said that she will miss the friends she's made and having fun and competing at meets. Her favorite memory from track is the time that Kathryn Bushman slipped while trying to get her steps for high jump, falling in the mud.
Bailey Rinker, track: "I have made so many new friends and so many great memories. I have learned how to push myself in all aspects of my life and I have learned self-discipline. I will miss competing. It gives me such an adrenaline rush right before the gun goes off." Rinker, the only four-year senior on the team, stated that her favorite memory would be either winning the district championship in 2016 because it was the first time a Mount Vernon girl's team had won it since the 80's, or competing in sectionals in 2017 and getting to stay the night in Eldon.
Cole Franklin, track: Franklin is usually around school cracking jokes or talking about his love of Chick-fil-A, but this year he decided to try something new and join track. "I'm so blessed with the amount of love and support that I receive from the best track team around! Track has taught me about endurance and motivation, plus I have made lifelong friends."
2018 Show Choir Season Recap
By Michaela McChesney
Mt. Vernon's Vocal Motion wrapped their season up Saturday, March 3, placing first in the 3A division at the Webb City Showcase.
Through Vocal Motion's season, they went to five festivals, competing in four, the first festival being Mt. Vernon's own Mid-Winter Classic. There, they performed for exhibition but did not actually compete.
At the Joplin competition, Vocal Motion placed second in the 3A division and received second runner-up in finals. Velocity took second place in the 2A division. The next competition took place in Nevada, where Vocal Motion placed third in the 3A division. They then grabbed second place at the Carthage competition. At Webb City, Velocity received second place in the preparatory division.
Vocal Motion is an unusually large choir for a 3A school, featuring 46 members from all grades. Choir director April McBaine said, "The classes are very equally divided. There are 14-16 kids from each grade level involved in our show choir program."
Mrs. McBaine said she loved watching the show choir members at competitions supporting and encouraging other choirs. "Seeing them being good people with kind hearts is something that can change lives," she said. Overall, Ms. McBaine added, "It has made me proud watching the kids grow and learn each and every day, but I think the thing that amazes me the most is the heart of the kids."
Vocal Motion reaches for the stars while performing at Mt. Vernon's competition.
Members Maison, Luke, Carter, Kaden, Logan, Nicole, Noah, Taylor, and Raelin take character while performing "Tell Your Heart to Beat Again."
A Day in the Life of a Show Choir Roadie
By Tatum Watts
On March 3, 2018, the MVHS show choirs went to Webb City for their final competition. It was a bittersweet day because the show choir is losing several seniors this year and the Webb City competition was their very last one. They competed with determination and heart, putting vigor into every note they carried and every move they made.
But what is it like to be backstage--to be one of those who watch in the shadows of curtains, seeing the expressions up close, helping with costume changes and props, moving and getting instruments in place for the next performance? Well, that’s what the roadies are for. The ones who sign up with Mrs. April McBaine to tag along and help out with changes and moving equipment.
For the Webb City show, the roadies that joined were, Michael Huggins, Erin Shelton and me, Tatum Watts.
Huggins is a retired show choir member who still enjoys watching and being a part of the action, even though he has already graduated from high school.
Shelton and I were first-time roadies and new to the show choir experience.
Shelton said, "Being a roadie for the show choir was a great experience for me. I got to experience a lot about both show choirs from this town, as well as from other towns in and around our area. I very much enjoyed being backstage and being able to help with both costumes and makeup, and carrying equipment on and off stage. It felt really good to be able to help out with a very important part of our fine arts program."
Shelton added, "If I don't get accepted into either of the show choirs this coming year, I will definitely continue to be a roadie for many future competitions. I definitely gained a lot of knowledge about how things run on and off stage, and before and after performances. I also gained many friends from other towns. We all had a special kind of bondage that came from our love for the fine arts and for the music that we make, and how it affects both the audience they perform for, and the performers themselves. It was also great to work with the other roadies such as Tatum Watts and Michael Huggins."
March Sports Recap
By Michaela McChesney
Baseball
The Mt. Vernon baseball boys began their season with a bang winning both of the games they played at their Jamboree March 10 in the Spirit of '76 Park. Next they played a tight game against Catholic losing 2 to 3. From March 17 to March 24 the team participated in the Strafford/Fair Grove Classic. At the tournament they lost to both Buffalo and Strafford by one run, Fair Grove beat them 1 to 5, and they won 20 to 0 playing Pleasant Hope.
Softball
Setting the trend, March 13 the Lady Mountaineers beat Lockwood and Verona at the Jamboree Mt. Vernon hosted. The following Saturday, the team took fourth at the Shelby Estep Memorial Scholarship Tournament in Marionville, Missouri. The third week of March, the Lady Mountaineers hosted the Mount Vernon Tournament; Strafford took first in the tournament. Monday March 26 the Lady Mountaineers played and beat College Heights, a member of their district, at home.
Boys' Tennis
On March 26 the tennis boys commenced their season on home courts playing Greenwood. There, Mt. Vernon lost to Greenwood 1 to 8. In the Singles competition, Derek Dorrance beat their best player in a tiebreaker. The match was tied at 8 games a piece; pulling through, Derek beat Greenwood's best player 7 to 5 in the tiebreaker. Sam Burks lost 5 to 8. Evon Sappington lost 2 to 8. Patrick Ladd lost 2 to 8. Chase Strong lost 2 to 8, and Carter Bartelsmeyer lost 0 to 8. In the Doubles competition, Dorrance/Burks lost 3 to 8, Sappington/Ladd lost 1 to 8, and Strong/Bartelsmeyer lost 1 to 8. The Mt. Vernon tournament scheduled for March 28 was postponed until next Wednesday, April 4 because of wet court conditions.
Track
Mount Vernon's first two scheduled track meets, one in Rogersville on March 27 and the other in Aurora on March 29, were cancelled due to rain.
Business Class = Ice Cream?
By Haylee Yeats
Friday, March 2, Mrs. Jacquie Farmer's fifth hour Intro to Business class sold ice cream to develop marketing skills.
Mrs. Farmer stated, “The Ice Cream Stand-Off project followed a unit on marketing in our Introduction to Business class. The purpose was to apply the concepts learned about supply and demand, distribution, market research, pricing, advertising, and customer service to a business… and what is more fun than an ice cream business?”
“The Frosty Mountaineer” had the highest sales. Team members included Abby Beaver, Noah Wyatt, Jordan Collier, Carson Bowman, and Kieley Morgan.
In addition to high sales, The Frosty Mountaineer team also did a good job with their market research. They surveyed potential customers on preferred ice cream products.
Freshman Meredyth Cordray stated, “This project showed me that you can’t assume what’s going to happen. You should ask [potential customers] what they think of your idea before you decide what to sell.”
Mrs. Farmer added, “As far as the best thing about the project, I can’t even begin to list the best. For me as an educator, the best is when I hear students say things like 'Now I get it,' or 'That makes sense,' or 'We should have done this or that,' or even 'That was fun!'"
Easter DIY Faves and Fails
Bunny Origami
By Michaela McChesney
When scrolling through Pinterest this time of year, it's not difficult to stumble upon adorable Easter crafts. This is exactly where our idea for bunny origami originated.
Though the final results are super cute, be prepared for a lot of trial and error. Our final bunnies resulted from carefully following steps and a little bit of creativity in folding when they came out disproportional.
Overall, this craft was really fun, and would be perfect for anyone looking for a new, but still entertaining, twist for an Easter craft.
(The link above contains instructions for the below two white rabbits.)
Tie-Dye Easter Eggs
By Bethany Evatt and Tatum Watts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rERXsm5_9w
(Clink the link above to watch the process)
Some people may know how the process is when you tie-dye clothes: messy, colorful, expensive. With eggs, it's a little bit less messy, colorful and a tad less expensive.
You begin with rubber-gloved hands, a plain white napkin, and a simple hard-boiled egg. First, unfold the napkin once and put the egg in the crease. Then, wrap the napkin around the egg tightly and tie the ends of the napkin with a rubber band.
Taking your food color, blot around the napkin--you can use as many colors as you want, it's your egg-- then using water in a squirt bottle, squirt the dye on the napkin and squeeze it gently with your hand. For a more vibrant look, let the egg sit in the napkin longer!
Easter Oreo Pops
By Haylee Yeats and Alane Cordray
http://seevanessacraft.com/2017/03/easter-bunny-butt-oreo-pops/
Everyone has seen or been involved in a Pinterest fail. So what's cuter than Oreo bunny butts on a stick? Well, they aren't when they completely fail.
You begin with white almond bark, preferably Double Stuf Oreos, popsicle sticks, a bowl, a spoon, and decorative icing. You melt the almond bark until it can be poured over the Oreos. Then, you attempt to put a popsicle stick into the creme of the Oreo, and dip it into the almond bark. This is the hard part, and where the fails begin. Each time we attempted to put a popsicle stick into the creme, the Oreo would crack and break. We suggest getting a smaller stick, such as a sucker stick.
After you've dipped the Oreo into the almond bark, set it on a sheet of waxed paper, and set in the fridge to cool. Once they've cooled, take them out of the fridge and begin to decorate whichever way you prefer. This also was sort of a fail.
February 28, 2018
Superintendent Clarifies District Funding
February 28, 2018
By Michaela McChesney
The Green and White Review staff had a few questions about how Mt. Vernon High School's funding worked and felt our readers did, too. To answer our questions, we reached out to Superintendent Scott Cook. Here are his answers:
MVHS Gains STEAM
By Bethany Evatt
Our school is participating in, or is planning on participating in the near future, these programs: STEAM, STEM, and dual enrollment. These programs are able to be taken in a school environment, or online, and can be taken during the school year or during the summer. For the STEAM/STEM programs, engineering-type classes are being considered, such as engineering and architecture.
The STEAM program incorporates the arts into critical thinking and independent learning on the basis of Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics. It connects the standards assessments and lesson design and implementation. The class lessons are taught and assessed through your peers and requires inquiry and collaboration.
The creator of steamedu.com states, “School doesn’t have to be a place, but rather a frame of mind that uses the arts as a lever to explosive growth, social- emotional connections, and the foundation for the innovators of tomorrow… today!” This is only one of the few programs that our school is hoping to add to the curriculum for all students.
The STEM program is like STEAM, only without the addition of the Arts. The STEM program focuses solely on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. The STEM program provides devices for student usage, after school clubs and programs, projects, both group and individual, Bring Your Own Device initiatives, days just spent cooperating in the classroom to learn or STEM days, and also Robotics. A lot of these can also be seen and incorporated into the STEAM program as well, though the STEAM program focuses on more of a freethinking way of learning, and allows the students to be creative and imaginative while still learning the core subjects and having fun.
In all programs students will be expected to use high levels of problem solving skills. The classes will be, for the most part, hands-on and interactive through the STEAM/STEM programs. These programs will encourage one-on-one time between students and teachers.
This will all cost money, money, money. MVHS has limited funding, and things like implementing programs into the curriculum costs a lot of that dough, whether it goes to hiring another teacher, buying new equipment, or providing a new space for a learning environment.
Dual enrollment is a great cost-saving option. When a student takes a dual-credit class, the credit may be applied to both college credit and high school credit. Students involved in dual enrollment pay a reduced-tuition price for their credits with the participating college.
AP classes require students to pay a fee for the exam and then must pass with a certain percentage or higher in order to earn college credit. Because college itself is expensive, dual enrollment can relieve some of that money stress.
Tests are not required for entry to these programs; however, basic prerequisites apply, such as Algebra 1, Geometry 1, Algebra 2, English 1, and English 2. By these standards, a student would be able to take part in these classes by the time they are juniors. Seating and resources depends solely on how many students would be interested in taking the courses and partaking in the programs.
All classes in any of these programs would allow students to have weighted GPAs, giving them better opportunities to acquire a 4.0 or higher. Whew, right? We know you're wiping that sweat off of your brow, don't lie.
Taking initiative and pushing yourself to do jump more challenging hurdles will only inspire you to do more. You may hit the hurdle a few times, but after a while you’ll jump right over it and be ready to face the next one. Principal Dr. Josh Ladd is inspired by students who challenge themselves in this way: “Once a student solves a problem they didn’t think they could solve, the sky’s the limit.”
Sci-Fi/Fantasy Fans Unite for Visioncon
By Tatum Watts
Most of us know what Comic-Con is, where nerds and geeks alike get together to discuss superheroes and villains from their favorite comic books. People dress up (or cosplay) their favorite characters and spend copious amounts of money on merchandise.
Here in Missouri, however, instead of going to St. Louis to bask in the nerd, you can head up to Branson during the weekend of February 23-25 and go to Visioncon. Full membership, for the entire weekend, is $55 for ages 18 and up and $40 for ages 13-17. For a day pass, which lasts until 9 p.m., it's $40.00 for 18 and up and $30 for 13-17.
Fans come together to walk around and gaze at vendors, looking for the things that they are interested in. Science fiction, comic book, fantasy, live action, role playing, and gaming all come together for three days at the Branson Convention Center.
'The Office' Revived?
By Bethany Evatt
Fans of the fairly widely known sitcom, The Office, should be excited to hear that there is contemplation on a revival of the show. The Office is set at a paper company based in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and a similar documentary style to the British original that it was adapted from called Office.
A few of the cast have been cited from numerous sources as saying that if there came to be a revival of the show that they would be interested in returning with the show. So the question is, who can we expect to see coming back to the show, if there is one, and who do we expect to be replaced?
The roles of Angela Martin, played by Angela Kinsey; Phyllis Vance, played by Phyllis Smith; Meredith Palmer, played by Kake Flannery; Kevin Malone, played by Brian Baumgartner; Stanley Hudson, played by Leslie David Baker; and Oscar Martinez, played by Oscar Numez, have been confirmed to be played by their original cast member from the 2005-2013 television series, if they decide to go through with it.
It is also speculated that the original cast member for the role of Toby Flanderson (Paul Lieberstein) could be returning as well, but is not confirmed by any sources. All other cast members have either not made a statement about if they will come back, or have stated that they will not be coming back for the new season if there is one.
Again, it is not confirmed that there will be another season. The Huffington Post clarifies that “Reports are circulating that NBC is making a serious effort to revive the kooky workplace comedy[...]” TVLine noted that the revival will be mixed between old and new cast members. Many sources state that this is due to many of the cast unsure whether they want to come back or are working out potential conflicts with other projects.
Bob Greenblatt told Deadline,“We often talk about The Office; I’ve talked to Greg [Daniels] four times over the past four years. It’s always ‘Maybe someday but not now.’ There is certainly an open invitation but we don’t have anything happening right now. If he wants to do it, I would do it.”
Even though many people are excited for the fact that NBC is even considering a revival and that some of our favorite cast members might be coming back, Nicole Gallucci wrote an article on Mashable on how a revival of The Office is a bad idea.
Nichole’s five reasons for being opposed to a revival include the following: 1. No Steve Carroll, 2. How the industry changes might affect the fictional Dunder Muffin, 3. The actors are now famous and busy, 4. Revivals can be really bad and ruin the original show, and 5. The series ended really well and it would be a shame to not have the whole show back, as in all of the original cast and the original chemistry between the characters.
None of the NBC staff nor the former cast members have made any comments on a definite yes or no for the revival. It looks like all the Dunderheads will have to wait and see whether it ends up actually happening soon.
Spring Sports Preview
Green & White Review Staff
Softball
"We are gonna be inexperienced compared to the last few years, but we have more talent with that inexperience than we've had before. I look for most of the girls to compete for varsity playing time," stated head coach Matt Schubert.
Senior Alane Cordray, varsity short stop, informed us, "We have potential to do really well this year, but in order to reach that potential, we need to work really hard. That being said, I am excited to see how it goes."
Girls' Track
MIchelle Rust, the girls' track coach, announced, "I have high expectations for this team. We finished first in the District for 2016, 2nd in the District in 2017. I believe we can finish first again at the District this year. Last year we took seven athletes in six events to State. This year I am expecting to take more athletes and have them place at State."
Returning letterman and senior Bailey Rinker tells us, "I think everyone is super excited about the upcoming season. I think that everyone has a bit of a love/hate relationship when it comes to track, but we each return every year, have a blast, and compete exceptionally."
Baseball
"We're going to have a young team, but there's going to be a lot of talent and a competition for positions. I always look forward to baseball season," assistant coach Paul Parrigon commented.
Senior team member Ty Boswell stated, "I am excited for this upcoming baseball season. I think it will be a fun season getting to play my last high school sport with all of the guys that I have grown up playing with for so many years."
Boys' Track
Head coach Jim Kleine explained about the upcoming boys track season, "We have a few good things to build on this year [because] we have younger guys coming in. We have seven to eight throwers and there's a lot of competition. Ideally, we would like to get enough numbers out so we can get two people per the sixteen events."
Senior Andrew Montemayor states, "As a team, I would love to see everyone develop better and win a track meet. For myself, I hope to place first at least once in every meet. I'm looking forward to becoming better in all the events I do as far as 100-meter dash, 200-meter dash, long jump and javelin. Hopefully I can make [personal records] in every one of those."
Boys' Tennis
Head coach Tom Cox said about the upcoming season, "We’re going to be a young team...but those young players will have a lot of varsity experience from last year. These guys like to play, so I know that they are going to work hard."
The only senior on the tennis team this year, Derek Dorrance, commented, "I'm the only upperclassmen this year after losing a couple of our top players last year, so I'm going to have to step up and show leadership in order for [our team] to be successful."
The 15:17 to Paris
By Alane Cordray
The 15:17 to Paris tells the true story of three Americans who, through many unlikely circumstances, find themselves in the midst of an attempted terrorist attack while aboard a train to Paris, and how their brave acts saved the lives of over 500 passengers.
Directed by Clint Eastwood, the movie begins by showing the childhood of the three, how they became friends and the struggles they endured, then fast-forwards to when they are young adults. It progresses almost documentary-style, specifically highlighting the struggles of one of the three, Spencer Stone, during his journey to becoming a part of the Air Force.
The specific scenes chosen for the movie leave the audience wondering about the purpose of it all until it comes together at the end. Perhaps the most interesting fact about this film; however, is that the real people, Anthony Sadler, Oregon National Guardsman Alek Skarlatos, and U.S. Air Force Airman First Class Spencer Stone, play themselves!
The 15:17 to Paris is an inspiring story that truly shows that everything in life happens for a reason, as well as being a remarkable account of courage in three young men. It is a must-see!
Students Paid to Learn
By Haylee Yeats
MVHS is furthering students' learning experiences with a wider variety of work outside of the school--and helping them to get paid for it.
John Rutledge, mentor/teacher and owner of Professional Grade Automotive, came to MVHS with that opportunity as a way of expanding learning skills to the school. For example, students Reuben Randolph and Lucas Orr work with Professional Grade Automotive, furthering their education in mechanics.
Randolph joined because auto mechanics is the field he wants to go into for his profession. Randolph explained, “There are a lot of benefits--not only do I learn a ton, I’m also getting paid, and I'm getting a ton of practice with new things and things I already knew!”
Reuben's future plans are to eventually open up his own automotive shop and become an honest, affordable shop where people can come when they have car trouble. Reuben added, “I would tell other people that if you love hands-on learning and you like getting paid for it, then definitely give it a shot! Even if automotive isn’t the field of work you want to get in to, the knowledge you gain from it can save you a boat-load of money doing it yourself as opposed to taking it to a shop.”
Orr, who plans to go to school to become a mechanic for General Motors, explained, “It was a good opportunity to get shop and work experience.” Orr also suggests students who are interested in apprenticeship first take a year at Scott Tech to study their areas of interest.
Principal Dr. Josh Ladd explained the value of apprenticeship is that “students learn on-the-job skills pertaining to that specific job.” As with any job, students apply with the employer, followed by an interview a hiring decision by the employer.
A lot of kids think that this program is very similar to Scott Tech, but it is actually different. Dr. Ladd explained, “Students receive a wage while working for their respective journeyman. This takes place during the school day. In other words, kids can get paid to learn a job.” This way, you make money for learning!
Dr. Ladd would like to expand this opportunity into industries such as electrical, H-VAC, welding, machining, construction and architecture. “The more journeymen we have, the more apprenticeship opportunities we can offer.”
Students can get involved by visiting with counselor Leslie Mareth about the various apprenticeship areas they can choose.
Let the Promenade Begin
By Sydney Thompson
Prom season is starting to linger in the air--whether you are searching for the right dress or a cute date, prom is headed your way.
Juniors and seniors will gather at Gambrel Barn once again to have an enchanted evening at a Golden Ball. The night will be filled with dancing, finger foods catered from Keen Bean, and the crowning of the 2018 prom king and queen. A photographer will be present to take pictures throughout the evening.
Ticket sales and seat reservations began March 20. Tickets for Mountaineers are $35 and out-of-school dates are $50. The prom king and queen will be nominated by the junior class during lunch April 6. Then seniors will vote for the winning couple April 13. Make sure to mark your calendars to dance the night away April 14.
Girls' Track to Focus on Personal Records
By Michaela McChesney
In preparation for a new season full of possibility, the Lady Mountaineer Track team began practice February 26 on the high school track. Sticking to their philosophy, the team plans to focus on PR's (personal records).
The team's coach, Mrs. Michelle Rust, explains,"I want them to focus on getting better each meet and be ready for their best times, jumps, throws at the Conference, District and Sectional meets--which will qualify them for State. I bake cookies or brownies and give them out at meets for PR's."
The team will have seven returning lettermen from last season: Bailey Rinker, Megan Cook, Skyla Brown, Chloe Myers, Emily Trimble, Lauren Vaughn and Bethany Williams. Each have contributed at either the Conference, District, Sectional and State Meets. Shaelaeh Shepard, Gina Baird and Kathryn Bushman are returners Coach Rust expects to be more experienced this year in their events.
After listing the athletes Coach Rust added, "These athletes will be great leaders for our new athletes." There are eight new athletes added to the team this year; all of which Coach Rust is very excited about. Two of the five freshman are experienced track athletes who have participated in summer track and indoor track. This will help them going into their first high school season.
The rest of the new athletes include one sophomore, one junior, and one senior. Each one is very athletic and have been working hard in the off season.
Their first track meet was scheduled for March 27 at Rogersville, where they competed in eleven regular season meets total. Mount Vernon's home meet is schedule for April 26,and Mount Vernon will also be hosting a District meet this season. Overall, Coach Rust is,"really looking forward to our season this year."
January 31, 2018
Mountaineers Deliver Helping Hands to Community
By Tatum Watts
Mountaineer Serve is the newest idea that has surfaced at MVHS, the opportunity to give back to the community of Mount Vernon. A meeting regarding Mountaineer Serve was held on January 22, 2018, and the actual event itself was on Friday, January 26, 2018.
Several businesses and organizations participated, including all of the schools, the library, and churches.
“This was a student-bred thing,” stated principal Josh Ladd. “The Mountaineer Serve was sparked by something that the teachers did before I was here; they helped at the food pantry and pumped gas, and we had students who said we needed to do this as a student body.”
Students who signed up to participate left the school early on and went out to their assigned organization or business to work for most of the school day. The Mountaineers gave a total of 1,428 hours into the community.
Drama department to perform 'Glass Menagerie'
By Tatum Watts
MVHS drama department will produce The Glass Menagerie this spring. The play is classified as a memory play which is when the lead character narrates the events of the play that are drawn his own memory.
This newest production seems to take on the same feel as that of Streetcar Named Desire, with a more serious tone to it than previous productions such as Elf the Musical or Into the Woods.
Sophomore Brooklyn Duncan, who plays Amanda's character, said, "I think that does stray from the comedic plays we've done in the past somewhat, but there are many moments in the play in which the characters are so relatable or so much larger than life that you find yourself laughing because you can relate to the struggles found throughout the play. It's a very heartwarming play, yet somehow also rips your heart out at the same time."
The play focuses on the memories of Tom Wingfield, who works in a 1937 St. Louis shoe warehouse to support his mother, Amanda, and his sister, Laura. Tom, who is also an aspiring poet, numbs his feelings of isolation in the warehouse with alcohol and literature.
The play, Duncan explained, is about a poor man who must work a job he despises to support both his mother and his crippled, unmarried sister. "Tom is planning on leaving his family for the merchant marines, but Amanda tells him that he can't until Laura is married and well off. The play takes us through the inner struggle of Tom, the struggle of Amanda and the idea of a gentleman caller, and Laura's struggle with loneliness and her mother on top of that."
Duncan admits that the play can seem depressing, but "the characters are very in depth and you find yourself relating to certain parts of all of their personalities." Duncan added, "I think that people will feel very connected to the character, yet feel unsatisfied at the same time."
The play is March 15-17 7:00 pm at the Marc tickets prices are $5 for students and $8 for adults.
Cast list:
Tom, main character- Wyatt Johnson
Amanda, Tom and Laura’s mother- Brooklyn Duncan
Laura, Amanda’s daughter and Tom’s older sister- Raelin Swillum
Jim, an old acquaintance of Tom and Laura- Spencer Jones
FBLA Provides Job Exposure
By Michaela McChesney
FBLA offers endless advancement opportunities to students shooting for the top in life and work, but for 55 students in Mt. Vernon, Missouri, FBLA offers help in the simplest of ways: exposing them to all the jobs and information at their disposal.
Living in a small rural town located in southwest “Misery,” at first there don't seem to be a lot of business opportunities. The visible options in the the business field are agribusiness and taking over the family auto shop. This is where FBLA steps in. After a reexamination and some guidance, students see their small town has more to offer, and their nation’s nickname isn’t the land of opportunity for no reason.
The three main aspects of FBLA are service, progress, and education. Mt. Vernon FBLA focuses on infusing these qualities into all its functions and school expeditions. This past fall FBLA members toured two different custom T-shirt companies.
When some hear the word business, their mind will jump to big corporate businesses and banks. These tours shed light on the fact a t-shirt company is a business, too; it’s a business the students had not been exposed to or considered before. This revelation that business covers a immense spectrum of topics and fields is a constructive step in truly sending FBLA members in the direction of the business field.
In addition to widening the students' perceptions of business, the tours showed one doesn’t have to have a business or economics degree to be a part of business. It was interesting for the members to see the man working in shipping had an art degree and the man working in screen printing had a PHD in mathematics.
Selling cookies and pies is fun and all, but the Mt. Vernon FBLA truly exemplifies its name when tackling fundraising. The members start by visiting local businesses, gathering lunch orders from the their workers.
Next students dirtied their hands preparing all of the meals bought during the time put in advertising. In the end members experienced the satisfaction and pride of their work as they delivered the finished product to their consumers. As the students raise money for their organization, they learn how to manage their sales, manufacture a product, and deliver the results in a timely manner.
Last year Mt. Vernon took students to California for nationals in parliamentary procedures. It has sent members to nationals in graphic design, digital video production and accounting.
"I’ve had a lot of fun times with FBLA, but going to nationals with kids every year is such a fun thing," said sponsor Bridgett Schmutz.
Through the last ten years members have gone to nationals six times in a variety of events. Not only do these events sharpen the competitors' knowledge on topics not taught in everyday school, they allow members to see cities and places first-hand. This exposure to new cultures provided by FBLA is invaluable.
Being part of such a positive, beneficial organization is an honor to all members. Mt. Vernon FBLA may be small, but its members are extremely active. The opportunities FBLA offers and the sense of family it creates go a long way in exhibiting all the options and knowledge in the world the students were previously ignorant of.
Show Choir Lures Massive Crowd
By Michaela McChesney
On Saturday, January 20, Mt. Vernon’s hallways filled with choir members and supporters for the 2018 Mt. Vernon Show Choir Festival.
This year, Mt. Vernon hosted 20 choirs from 11 different schools including Joplin, Carthage, Webb City, and Nevada. The event lasted all day from 7 a.m. until 7:45 p.m. Carthage took first place in class five. First place in class four was received by Nevada. Cassville won class three first place. Miller received first place in class two. Crowd's favorite was granted to El Dorado Springs. As is tradition, Mt. Vernon didn’t take part in the competition due to being the host choir.
The competition drew a big crowd this year. This is good news for the choir because the funds raised by the event go into the choir budget, helping cover entry and bus fees for other competitions.
January 20 was Velocity's debut and Choir director April McBain's first time orchestrating a competition. In addition, the event was Vocal Motion’s first taste of this season. Taking the stage in teal sequins and gold vests, the choir performed songs "No Roots," "Wayfaring Stranger," "Tell Your Heart to Beat Again," "Adventure of a Lifetime/In the Wild," and "Counting Stars." When asked about the season ahead, senior Alex Hannaford answered, "I feel like we have a lot of potential, and all we can do from here is grow. We all have a lot invested mentally and emotionally. If we really push ourselves, this year will be really rockin'!"
Basketball Homecoming 2018
By Haylee Yeats
On January 19, the Mountaineers played a hard-fought battle against Clever for the homecoming game, ending with the Blue Jays eking out a 60-59 win.
The court included the following: freshman Emilee Smith, sophomore Kathryn Bushman, junior Camryn Eldridge, and seniors Alane Cordray, Bailey Rinker, and Sydney Swillum.
Sydney Swillum won the crown, taking home the annual homecoming queen robe and a kiss from her escort Blaine Gates.
Girls' Basketball District Preview
By Alane Cordray
During the last week of February, the Lady Mountaineers will host the Class 3 District 12 basketball tournament, right here at MVHS. The teams that will be there are Lamar, Butler, Seneca, East Newton, El Dorado Springs, Diamond, and Stockton.
Last year, the Lady Mountaineers ended their season with a loss to the Strafford Lady Indians following their first place finish in districts over Lamar. Now, they are back and ready to defeat the “plateau effect,” as described by Coach Killingsworth, that plagues many basketball teams at the end of the season. He explains that the teams that are able to push through this slump, avoid just going through the motions of the game and continue improving throughout the postseason, are the teams that win championships.
In order to break through the plateau, Killingsworth will make sure his team concentrates on the fundamental skills that help teams win, like rebounding, defense, and communication. Both Killingsworth and junior Caitlin Hicks of the Lady Mountaineers agreed that a key to moving their program past the competition is practicing good teamwork.
Come out to support your Lady Mountaineers at home on February 19 through February 24!
The Greatest Showman
By Alane Cordray
Phineas Taylor Barnum’s rise from nothing to riches is depicted in the new, original musical, The Greatest Showman. Based on a true story, The Greatest Showman uses beautiful song and choreography to show the creative genius behind P.T. Barnum’s Circus, as well as displaying the reality of issues like class and racism in the 1800s.
After losing his job, Barnum is tired of living in poverty and starved for success and a better life for his family. With his wild imagination and a hefty loan, he manages to begin a never-before-seen act, one that some called a “freak show.” Barnum faces many trials throughout the movie and risks it all a number of times because he believes so strongly in himself and his ideas. Highlight performances include Rebecca Ferguson’s solo, “Never Enough,” and “Rewrite the Stars,” the duet between Zendaya and Zac Efron.
Even if you don’t like musicals, The Greatest Showman is sure to have you singing along!
Readers Unite at Epsilon Beta
By Sydney Thompson
Book fanatics and new readers take the opportunity to unite at Epsilon Beta where they all can dive into the world of books.
Epsilon Beta is MVHS’s very own book club, which is lead by Mrs. Trish Johnston and president Stevie Meirick, a senior. An estimated forty members form to make the keepers of the library, which is what Epsilon Beta came from. MV readers have been gathering for over 14 years to read anything from fantasies to mysteries.
Their latest books are Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children and Diabolic, which they discussed at their last meeting on January 24. Meirick said she loves just sitting and talking "about books, favorite characters, moments” and enjoying lunch with fellow bibliophiles. The next book journeys they have decided to embark upon include The Nightingale and Warcross.
Reading is not the only thing the club members do; our high school’s book fair is put on and set up by our very own book lovers. Dedicated readers meet once a month to discuss and review the life of their novels. New members are welcome all school year. Even you are welcome to join in on free reading adventures through the pages of wonderful novels!
Netflix: What's New?
By Alane Cordray
The new year is a time when everyone makes changes, so it’s fitting that Netflix makes a few of its own, too. As of January 1, Netflix added a number of titles to their available queue, and removed some as well.
Included in the removed titles are favorites like E.T., Grease, and Forrest Gump, and some of the more popular titles added are the movies Breakfast at Tiffany’s, The Shawshank Redemption, The Lovely Bones, and several Batman movies, old and new.
One added title that you should check out is the newer movie 47 Meters Down, a thriller about two sisters who go on a fun-filled vacation to Mexico and things take a turn for the worst when they decide to dive into shark-infested waters. The movie was intended to go directly to DVD until it was bought a week before it was to be released and was instead released in theaters in the summer of 2017.
Keep your eye out for new titles coming on to Netflix, as there are many others scheduled to come out throughout the year. In addition, be watching for which of your favorite shows and movies are going to leave Netflix this year so you can get your binge-watch on before they’re gone!
Fighting for Revenge: Girls' Basketball recap
By Haylee Yeats
Every year, Christmas break holds a special tournament for the Lady Mountaineers, The Pink & White Lady Classic.
Last February, the Lady Mountaineers played against a state championship title and undefeated team, Strafford, in sectionals and unfortunately lost, ending the girls' season.
During Christmas break, the girls had the opportunity to take back that W. But first, they had to win a few games.
In the first round, Mount Vernon played West Plains, demolishing them 70-40.
Then playing Kickapoo, a former rival, in the quarterfinals and winning 55-45.
The girls defeated Clever in the semifinals and won the game with a close score of 53-51.
Then came Strafford, a very big game for the girls and coaches of Mount Vernon.
The girls fought hard against Strafford, unfortunately losing 66-35, but Mount Vernon did win the best sportsmanship award.
Boys' Basketball District Preview
January 31, 2018
By Alane Cordray
Coming up in February is the district tournament for basketball and teams all over Missouri, who are gearing up for what they hope will be a lengthy postseason run. Our own Mountaineers are also in on the action, looking to avenge last year’s double overtime loss to Lamar in the district championship.
Mount Vernon, along with Lamar, Stockton, East Newton, Butler, El Dorado Springs, Seneca, and Diamond, is in Class 3 District 12. Coach Mike Ray said that to propel past their competition, “We need to have the mindset to look to improve each day.” He also adds that, in order to win games, they need to limit their turnovers, and focus on rebounding and playing good defense.
Senior Chance Fenton believes that teamwork is what will carry them through the postseason, saying, "There needs to more than just five players in the game," and if they play to their full potential that they've been working toward all season, they will do well.
The Class 3 District 12 tournament will take place right here in Mount Vernon, starting on Monday, February 19, and ending on Saturday, February 24. Make plans to come support your Mountaineers during that week!
Christmas Break Basketball: A Recap
By Haylee Yeats
Along with the Lady Mountaineers, boys' basketball has a tournament every year during Christmas break, The Blue & Gold tournament.
The Mountaineers had a hard-fought battle over Christmas break.
In the first round, Mount Vernon beat Lebanon 62-57.
They then took on Hartville and won the game 62-56.
In the semifinals, they defeated Nixa 54-35, and then winding up to be unsuccessful, losing in the third-place game against Kickapoo 56-46.