Mrs. Becky: the best administrative assistant

Ever wonder what it is like to be a administrative assistant for a high school? I know I sure have! I have walked past the office many times during the day, and I always see Mrs. Becky working busily behind her desk. When I walk by, I often wonder what it would be like to be in Mrs. Becky's chair. Mrs. Becky is a problem solver; she is always trying to help everyone she can. Becky is often an information guide for the students at John I. Burton, as well as for the faculty. Being an administrative assistant and a truancy officer is a very busy and sometimes stressful job. 

When Mrs. Becky arrives at her job, she has many things to do during the day. To start off, she has to open up the office for the day. She also has to find substitutes for absent teachers, and write admits and tardies for students. In addition, she has to assist the teachers and students, and she has to find out why students are absent. One positive thing about this career choice is that she has people to help her out with her job when she is to busy. Guidance Assistant Marsha, Nurse Shannon, and Librarian Vicki help her out during the day. When students are absent, Mrs. Becky has to keep up with the days that they miss from school. To many absences can result in a meeting with Becky, the principal, and the student's parents. If the student continues to miss school, Mrs. Becky has to go to court with the students who have excessive absents.

She also constantly has to answer the phone and assist the callers. Mrs. Becky's phone rings numerous times throughout the day. Becky is always managing many different tasks. After being with John I. Burton High School for 15 years, Mrs. Becky continues to love her job at this school. We all love Mrs. Becky and appreciate the things she does for our school.

Burton's new winter/indoor track team

As many of you know, Burton does not have many out of the ordinary sports at our school. We have the standard football, basketball, baseball, outdoor track, cross country, etc. This year though, we are adding a new sport: winter track!

Winter or indoor track is almost the same as outdoor track but it lacks a few of the events that outdoor track has. Outdoor track hosts all of the traditional track and field events but indoor track cuts out: hammer, javelin, and discus.  Plus, some distances may be shortened in track events. Indoor track includes two dashes, four runs, one hurdle, three relays, pole vault, three types of jumps, and shot put.

Our own Dr. Perrigan will be coaching this sport along with his assistant coach, Phillip Prince. As of right now, the track team's first meet will be held January 3, 2015 at Liberty University. Since there are no indoor tracks near Norton, the team will be doing a lot of traveling throughout their season. The closest meet location will be at Abingdon High School for an outdoor meet called a "Polar Bear Meet." Next we will be at ETSU and then Liberty University.

The first meeting was November 24, but it is not too late to join. Students who are interested can check in with Dr. Perrigan or Mrs. Beauchamp to get more information. Track is a wonderful sport with many different events for people to compete in. Not only is track a very lively sport, it gets students in shape for other sports and gives them a team to be a part of. Practices are set to begin by December 2, so come join today!

Spanish II's bullfighting debate

Every semester in Señora Beauchamp's Spanish II class, there is an annual bullfighting debate that takes place. This is a very exciting assignment for students because it encourages competition while promoting learning about other countries and their cultures.This debate consists of two teams which are chosen by Señora. One team is assigned to be against bullfighting while the other is assigned to be for it. These two teams must debate against each other while Señora keeps the score. For every good argument that is made, the team that made that statement is awarded a point. At the end, the points are counted and a winning team is selected. 

There are several steps, and a lot of work that must go into this project before the day of the debate. Prior to this event, the students are required to research the sport of bullfighting and become familiar with it. The next step to this project is for students to work with their teammates to develop a plan for debate. Later on, a mock debate is held to give the students an idea of what the real event will be like. Both the mock and actual debate are set up with four members of each team lined up facing one another. The rest of the team members are in a row behind the leading four, adding information in to what is said.

This project is very informative and is always a great learning experience for those involved. Señora is an excellent teacher and always has a way of keeping students entertained and eager to learn by making assignments fun. This project results in students learning a lot about other countries and what they do for entertainment. 

Varsity basketball is looking to win it all . . . . . . .

The varsity basketball team has been very successful under the coaching style of head coach, Aaron Williams. Two years ago his varsity team made it all the way to the final four, which means  they were one of the best four teams in the state. As a twenty-three year veteran basketball coach, Coach Williams knows a thing or two about how to put players in the role most suited for them.  It is expected that our basketball team will be very successful again this year.

This year's team will consist of several different players rotating in and out of the starting lineup. One of the keys for this team's success is senior all-star Alex K.  When asked about Alex's role for this season, Coach Williams said, "He is a very versatile basketball player. He can play almost anywhere on the floor. This year Alex will be playing more on the perimeter even though he is a very skilled post player."

The teams' first basketball game will be December, 2nd, against Council High School at Council. Be ready to watch a very talented basketball team succeed this season. Coach Williams said, "At the end of the day hopefully we will be the last team standing." He continued on to say, "The day I can not give one hundred percent as a coach for these players, is the day I will relieve myself of the position." 

Robert B.: State runner

This past week, I had the pleasure of interviewing John I. Burton cross country runner, Robert B. Robert is a junior and he has been running cross country since he was in eighth grade. With Robert placing high in regions, he advanced to the state tournament. Only the top 6 teams and top 15 individuals are selected to go to this competition, making this a very prestigious accomplishment.

The state competition was held at The Plains, located in Fauquier County, close to Washington D.C. The day of the competition was very cold, with strong winds and temperatures around 30 degrees Fahrenheit. These conditions made a horrible running environment. Robert's time in this fierce competition was 20:04 to complete the required three miles.

Robert frequently puts in work during the off season and outside of practice, but he says, "You can always work harder." It is this attitude that sets Robert apart from others. Robert went on to comment on Burton's cross country team saying, "We are just getting together an actual team. It's very exciting." Robert made this comment because each year our cross country team has continued to grow.  Our cross country team has hopes of getting every member to state next year.

Haysi is victorious over the Raiders

This past Saturday, November 15 the John I. Burton Raiders played the Haysi Tigers in the first round of the playoffs. It was an important game for the Raiders as this game could have been a statement game. The game began with the coin toss which the Raiders won, and they decided to kickoff. The Tigers scored off a pass from Jalen S. to Ryan T., making the score 6-0. The extra point kick was no good by Andrew H. As the Raiders got their first possession they went down and scored with a one yard run from Tra A., and then the two point attempt was good. Haysi came back and scored again off of  Jalen S.'s one yard run, making the score 14-6 with the two point attempt being good. At the end of the first quarter the Raiders were trailing the Tigers 14-6.

All of the second quarter was about Haysi. It was a rough second quarter for the Raider defense. The Tigers scored again with 11:15 left on the clock. The first score was a pass from Jalen S. to Gauge H. for 41 yards to increase their lead to 22-8. They also scored again off a pass from Jalen S. to Gauge H. for 27 yards. Haysi scored off a Jalen S. to Ryan T. pass for 14 yards, making the score 30-8 to end the first half.

To start out the third quarter Burton's Daniel M. caught a pass from Tra A. for a touchdown. Two minutes later the Tigers answer back with a score of their own. The Raiders' offense did not score for the rest of the game. Tigers' running back Tristan Y. made a 21 yard touchdown. The Tigers scored yet again with little time left in the third quarter. The Tigers' Jalen S. threw a pass to Gauge H. for a 31 yard touchdown ending the third quarter with the score being 48-16.

To begin the forth quarter, the Tiger's scored again, making the final score 54-16. That was the end of the Raiders' season, giving them a 5-6 record for the season. The Raiders' season this year ended the same way last year, with a loss to the Haysi Tigers.

Cubes in Space

Mrs. Carter has been working to advertise one of NASA's competitive experiments, which she hopes to get Burton students involved in. If you enjoy problem solving, space, or science, and  want to design your own experiment for spaceflight, then this program is for you. The program's name is Cubes in Space. Every participant will be required to spend time outside of the regular classroom with Mrs. Carter and other participants. The participants will meet before or after school to discuss the program and begin to brainstorm and design an experiment. The participants must be able to work in a team environment and be able to cooperate with others. 

The program is allowing over 100 experiments to be integrated into NASA's RaD-X mission. The scientific balloon will be launched from NASA's Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility location in Fort Sumner. The experiments are to fit in a in a four centimeter cubed box.

NASA will be tracking and recovering the scientific experiments. All of the experiments will be sent to other NASA facilities and universities.  The program provides the service of launching large, unmanned, high altitude research balloons into the Earth's atmosphere. I strongly advise anybody that enjoys science to join in this program.

Angel tree

Have you ever wanted to help a child in need? With the holidays approaching, now is the perfect time! Norton Social Services will be doing their annual angel tree program. The angel tree program helps to provide children in need with clothing, shoes, and toys. Children who are at a disadvantage are selected as participants in this program. For this year, there are a total of 102 children currently on the tree.  The agency works to contact the parents of these children to find out the following information: shoe sizes, clothing sizes, and items most needed. 

When you go to Norton Social Services there will be a tree with tags all over it. This is where you can select a child to provide with gifts.  When you pick out a tag you will be provided with the following information: the age, gender, shirt size, pant size, shoe size and their needs and wishes. Winter coats are in very high demand this year. Also in high demand are Monster High and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle toys. 

Gifts should be given to the Norton Social Service's office no later than December 19. Also, if needed, packages can be picked up by the Norton Social Services; just contact an employee to make this arrangement. Social Services also accepts monetary donations in support of the angel tree.  Checks can be made out to Norton Social Services Christmas Fund. Monetary donations will be used to buy gifts for any children who did not get picked off the tree. Cash or a check can be dropped off or mailed to P.O. Box 378, Norton, VA 24273. If you are interested in selecting a child off the tree, contact Terry Sadler at 276-679-2701.

Book review: "Eleanor & Park"

This past month, I read a book which quickly became one of my favorites. "Eleanor & Park," by Rainbow Rowell, is a beautiful and haunting story that is almost impossible to put down. This story focuses on the two main characters, Eleanor & Park, and their love story during the late 80's.

Eleanor Douglas is a red-haired, over-weight, gawky girl who recently moved back in with her family after being kicked out by her step-father. On her first day at a new school, she is faced with the challenge of finding a seat on the bus. While dealing with this problem, she finds the person she will eventually fall in love with: Park Sheridan. Park Sheridan is a biracial boy (half white, half Korean), who has been trained in martial arts since he was old enough to walk. Over the next few weeks, Eleanor & Park bond over comic books and mix tapes though they never say a word to each other.

Eventually they begin speaking to each other, and they become closer and closer; eventually they fall in love. As their relationship progresses, reader's dive deep into Eleanor's past and her home life to discover the awful conditions she lives and has lived in for the majority of her life. Through out the rest of the book, readers follow Eleanor & Park's relationship leading up to the point where Eleanor has to leave her home to escape from her abusive step-father.

I really enjoyed this book and strongly suggest it to anyone who enjoys a good old fashioned love story. Rainbow Rowell is also the author of many other wonderful books such as: Fangirl, Landline, and Attachments.

Homecoming and senior night turnout

Here at John I. Burton homecoming is a big deal. This past Friday we crowned our senior homecoming king and queen during halftime. Friday night's game was also senior night. Even though the weather was dreadful, our Raider fans still came to support our football team in our last home football game. 

Our senior homecoming court consisted of: Patience E., Jazmane B., Laken S., Miracle S., Devon W., Daniel M., Landon M., and Ryland S. These seniors looked absolutely stunning! They all showed great spirit and supported each other on this memorable night.

Our senior homecoming queen is Laken S., while our senior homecoming king is Daniel M. Both of these seniors are very thankful to have been awarded this honor! 

Senior night on the football field functioned to honor our fall senior athletes. These students received picture frames with various photos of them participating in their respected activity. These students also got a small trophy related to their sport or activity. 

Krispy Kreme fundraiser

The John I. Burton math department is doing a Krispy Kreme fundraiser. The purpose of this fundraiser is to purchase new technology for our school. The main intention is to fund some technology improvements to our math classrooms, that will benefit students in the educational process.

This year, the fundraiser will be a little different from the traditional Krispy Kreme sales in the past. Typically, money is collected, a delivery date is set, the doughnuts are ordered, and then the students deliver them. However, if you have ever ordered donuts from a fundraiser and received your order a day or two after the set delivery date, you know this may not be the most efficient way to get fresh donuts.  The math department's fundraiser will strictly be selling prepaid Kirspy Kreme cards, which can be used to purchase donuts at nearby Krispy Kreme locations.

Two types of prepaid certificates are being sold and can be used in any Krispy Kreme store: one is a 'prepaid card' and the other is a 'BOGO (Buy One Get One) card.'

•With the single 'prepaid card' ($8) you can purchase ONE dozen glazed doughnuts  at any Krispy Kreme store (including those in Kingsport, Johnson City, or other locations). This means you could get your doughnuts when the HOT sign is on! You can upgrade to a mixed dozen by paying an up-charge at the time of your purchase.

•With the 'BOGO card' ($16) it will allow you to receive a free dozen doughnuts when you purchase a dozen doughnuts in stores. You can use this card 10 more times - for each time you purchase a dozen of doughnuts you can receive a dozen free for up to ten visits. Again, you can do this when the HOT sign is on! This card also allows for an upcharge at the time of your purchase for something other than glazed doughnuts. 

The math department, already has the cards in their possession. As soon as your money is collected and turned in, you will be given your card(s) so you will be ready for the next doughnut opportunity. 

Get your card(s) today, and enjoy your fresh HOT doughnuts! These will also make great stocking-stuffers!

Cross country's Nathan W. makes all-district

This week, I had the opportunity to meet with one of the runners on the John I. Burton cross country team, Nathan W., to talk about his achievements this season and at the district conference. Nathan is currently a junior and is the number one runner on the team. He has been running since his freshman year and joined upon request from the coach, Mrs. Beauchamp.

At this year's district conference, Nathan placed 6th over-all, making him all-district. With this title, he achieved best time of the season so far, 19:06. It takes lots of training to get to the point where he could achieve this. For Nathan, training never stops. He runs team practices during the week, distance training on the weekend, and competes in meets on Wednesday. When you run cross country, it requires far more than massive amounts of running; it requires a change in diet and lifestyle. You cannot drink soda or sweetened drinks, you cannot eat an abundance of junk food, and you have to make time to run at least five days a week.

In addition to cross country, Nathan runs track which helps immensely with his speed during cross country. When asked why he joined track, he responded with: "It helps me prepare for cross country." Nathan says that his favorite sport during cross country season is track, and his favorite sport during track season is cross country.

Nathan's hopes for this season are to make it to state individually. If he is not able to make it individually, he hopes that his team will be able to make it into the top six teams and advance to state. After the end of this season, Nathan plans to run cross country again next year, which will also be his senior year. After graduating next year, Nathan says that he might continue running competitively if it leads to a scholarship.

Finally, I asked him what he hopes to achieve next year. He responded with "I want to improve my time and go to state." I also asked if he was satisfied with what he has accomplished this season, to this he said, "Not yet; there is always room for improvement."

Nathan and the John I. Burton's boys cross country team recently competed at regional competition at Sugar Hollow Park where the team finished in eighth place. The team did not advance to state competition but one of the runners, Robert B., advanced on his own.

Guidance announcements

Here at John I. Burton our well dedicated counselors in the guidance department have a difficult time getting announcements out to every student involved. These announcements involve seniors and upcoming events happening here at John I. Burton for next two months. Different colleges from around our area will be coming to our school for various occasions and it is important for all students to be aware!  Upcoming events are as follows:

Mountain Empire Community College will be here for a lunch visit on Monday, November third during first and second lunch time periods.

Radford University will be in the library on Monday, November 3rd, from 2 pm to 3 pm.

Mountain Empire Community College will be coming back to visit on November 21 in the library starting at 2 pm for on-site admissions. They will be here with applications to apply for MECC and to assist anyone who wants to apply.

UVA Wise will be in the library for on-site admissions on November 3 at 2 pm.

Initial FAFSA Workshop will be held in the library at 2 pm on December 3.

Talent Search will be here for be here in the cafeteria for a lunch visit on November 6 during both first and second lunch periods. Educational Talent Search is a college access program whose purpose is to help students define educational and career goals. Advisers from the talent search will be available to conduct workshops about a variety of topics including but not limited to:

• Study Skills
• Test taking strategies
• Learning styles
• Goal setting
• Financial literacy
• Bullying
• Career exploration
• Leadership skill development
• College planning
• How to prepare for the SAT and ACT

Also here at John I. Burton, our students need to be taking part in the community services opportunities that have been given to us. Norton Elementary and Middle School needs students to help with an after school program on certain days from 3:30 pm to 5:00 pm. Additionally, The Laurels Nursing Home needs student volunteers! If interested, please call 276-679-5635 and ask to speak to Laura or Carolyn. 

I encourage everyone to take part in these immense opportunities that have been given to us here at John I. Burton. 

Burton puts a hurtin' on the Eagles

On Monday, November 3, the John I. Burton Raiders played the Rye Cove Eagles at Lawson-Fitchko stadium. Going into this game, the Raiders had not played in 17 days. To begin the game, the Raiders won the toss and received the kick. The Raiders had three consecutive incomplete passes and were forced to punt. The Eagles moved the ball down the field until Matthew B. forced Dakota H., from the Eagles, to fumble. The Raiders drove the ball down the field and scored a touchdown off of  Tra A.'s pass to Daniel M. The two point attempt was no good, which made the score 6-0.

In the beginning of the second quarter, the Raiders drove down to the goal line and threw an interception. The Raider's defense stopped the Eagle's offense and forced them to punt. Once again, the Raider's offense drove to the goal line and turned the ball over on a fumble. The Eagle's offense drove down to the Raider's goal line, with the help of two defensive face masking penalties. The Raiders forced the Eagles to throw the ball, resulting in an interception to Andrew C. in the end zone. The next play for the Raider's was a pass from Tra A. to Daniel M. for 73 yards. The Raiders scored off of Tra A.'s four yard run. With the two point attempt by Aaron S. being good, the score became 14-0 with the end of the second quarter and the first half.

In the beginning of the third quarter, the Raiders started to pick the tempo up fast, and the defense of the Raiders made the Eagles punt. With 6:50 left in the third quarter, the Raider's scored a touchdown off of Tra A.'s run for six yards. The two point attempt by Devon W. was no good and the Eagle's offense was forced to punt by the Raider's defense. With 3:53 left in the third quarter, the Raiders scored off Tra A.'s pass to Daniel M. The two point attempt was successful making the score 28-0. The Eagles drove down the field and scored off  Dakota H.'s six yard run. The two point attempt was unsuccessful with 50 seconds left in the quarter. The score became 28-6 and ended the third quarter.

In the start of the fourth quarter, the Raider's scored right off the bat. The score was off Tra A.'s two yard run with one and half into the fourth quarter. The two point attempt was also good and made the score 36-6. The Raiders forced the Eagles to turn the ball over on downs, causing us to go down the field for a several yard gain. Devon W. scored the touchdown for the Raiders, with the two point attempt not good the score became 42-6. The Eagles turned the ball over on downs again and the Raiders scored again. Dakota W. ran in for a score. The ending score to the game was 50-6. This upcoming Friday, the Raiders will be playing the Thomas Walker Pioneers. It will be Senior Night, and homecoming court. I strongly encourage everybody to come out and cheer for our Raiders.