Offline Communications

This fall semester, a group of ten students, nine sophomores and one senior, were blindly placed into Online Communications.  Little did they know that they would be involved in writing a blur of articles in order to capture what was going on at Burton throughout the semester.  Little did they know that they would be delving into a class with so many different personalities, which required communication and cooperation.

Editor-in-chief, senior Cody Messer, started out this semester as an assistant editor along with sophomore, Taylor Collins. These editors were in charge of correcting and going over articles with each student in this class. During the third six weeks, Mrs. Bias promoted Messer to Editor in Chief because she always thought the blog should be run by students and felt that Cody had the necessary set of skills to step into a larger role.  Sophomore, Kira Sturgill, filled his previous role as assistant editor number two, as Cody moved to Editor in Chief. Sophomores Mazzy Tomko and Madison Cardon managed the website's visual presentation to appeal to anyone visiting the blog. Sophomores Austin Lane, Tia Bates, and Dustin Pilkenton had the pleasure of being advertisers and created multiple crafts, candies and even locker signs to get the word out as the class tried to obtain at least 5,000 views each six weeks.   The last two participants, sophomores Kaden Fisher and Jailen Bailey, were named Tech Assistants, as they knew the most about the technology used for the blog.

Learning a lot about one another, the students had to communicate with each other, as every role in the class depended on one another. All of the students worked very hard to complete their tasks. The writing process was frequently nothing short of a roller coaster ride, riddled with grammatical mistakes and sometimes even false information. Nonetheless, each classmate grew as writers; some went from very good writers to great writers, others from great writers to almost flawless writers. More often than not, the students learned many skills, which did not deal with writing, including leadership and time management skills.

The blog will certainly be missed by everyone in Online Communications and the students of this year's blog would like to wish the next class coming in next fall good luck and a fair warning: be prepared to work hard. Keep the blog at least almost as good as how we kept it. The class would also like to advise anyone with a love for writing and English, or looking to pursue a career in article publishing, to enroll in the class. It is certainly a beneficial experience.

Written by: Taylor Collins

Book review: "Angus Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging" by Louise Rennison

Lady Raiders basketball

On December 8th, The Lady Raiders traveled to Tennessee to face the Davy Crockett Pioneers.  Both varsity and junior varsity girls traveled to play them.  Although, Davy Crockett is a 3A school compared to our 1A school, varsity coach Jared Coffey believed the Raiders could bring home a win.The girls gave a valiant performance, but came up short in their non-conference game, losing 54-49.

Although the Lady Raiders are young, with only two seniors and one junior, they are expected to have a good season.  As of now,  Burton's varsity starters include Gracie M., Kemia B., Racheal M., Kacie C., and Tia B.  Gracie led the team in scoring with 21 points followed by Kacie with 12.  While speaking with Gracie M., a sophomore, she mentioned that she personally thought that although the team played well, there are definitely some fundamentals that  the team needs to work on.  She felt that this was a winnable game for the Raiders. This put the varsity team at 0-3. As for the junior varsity team, they lost 41-28.

The varsity girl's basketball team will be participating in the Tip Off Classic at UVA Wise. The Lady Raiders will face Jenkins on Friday December 11th. Good luck, Lady Raiders!

Book Club field trip to McKay's Bookstore

John I. Burton's Book Club went on a field trip to McKay's Bookstore on the 2nd of December. The store is located in Knoxville,Tennessee. The students were given a brief tour of the bookstore and were then allowed to shop for books of their choosing. Mrs.Poteet, Mrs.Bias, and Mrs. Marsha, along with 6 students, all went on the trip.  Student attendees included: Kaitlyn H., Sohphie G.P., Sierra S., Conner W., Kaylee D, and Tori A.

The trip was mostly taken so that the students who like to read and are committed to the Book Club could be rewarded for their hard work and be encouraged to read even more. Mrs. Poteet, the school librarian, said that she went because she hosts the Book Club meetings twice a month, plus she knew the store offered discounted prices on books.  She ended up purchasing a large box of books for the school library.

Mrs. Poteet said that the trip was fantastic as well as an important trip because it allowed students to see a great bookstore. Mrs. Bias, an English and Online Communications teacher, said that it went very well and that she enjoyed it. Mrs. Poteet's last opinion on the topic was that she would love to go again next semester.

Written by: Dustin Pilkenton

Norton Rescue: Bingo

On the first Sunday of every month and every Wednesday, bingo is hosted at the Norton Rescue Squad (NRS) building. The rescue squad allows junior members to join, run calls, and help with bingo. Junior members consist of mostly students from John I. Burton under the age of 18.

Dalton S., Austin C., Devin M., Tyler D., and Blake M. are just a few of the junior members that dedicate their time to EMS. These students come to the rescue squad during most of their spare time. During bingo, they sell tips (cards, which are comparable to a lottery ticket), call (sit behind the desk calling the balls out loud), and run the box (collect tip money and sell tips behind the main desk.)

Norton Rescue has made some recent changes to bingo. Door packs, which are cards that get you started right into bingo, are now $15.00 a pack and each additional pack is $10.00. Early birds are 3 packs for $10.00 or 1 for $5.00. These packs are for the early bird games only. This game is also only for those who show up before the regular games start. The progressive bingo has a jackpot that is continually increasing. The prize money in the progressive game comes from what the Rescue Squad takes in. Norton Rescue is still offering quarter bingo 10 games for $5.00 a pack. Quarter bingo consists of 6 games of regular bingo. This type of bingo starts at 4:30, early bird games start at 6:00 p.m., and regular games start at 6:30. If you have any further questions, call Norton Rescue at (276-679-0423). They are available Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Written by: Kaden Fisher

JIB's basketball scrimmage against Honaker

On December 4th, JIB's junior varsity and varsity basketball teams faced off against Honaker's jv and varsity basketball teams in a scrimmage. The Burton jv team was successful but,as hard as the varsity Raiders played, they were unsuccessful in winning. Even though the varsity team did not win, it will not affect the actual season because the game is just a scrimmage. 

In the jv basketball game, Corey Ball started off as point guard. Tyree Bolling and Derick Allen were put at wing. Austin Lane and Mikey Culbertson were put in as posts. Mikey lead the team by scoring many points. He also had multiple steals to contribute to his scoring lead. 

In the varsity game, Austin Johnson played point guard. Brady and Tra Adams started as wings. Nic Collins and Nelson Tate were placed in as posts. The scoring was balanced overall, with Austin Johnson leading the way using the help of the other players. 

This game was not official. The coaches did not record the scores in a score book nor did they keep track of the other details. The first official game starts on the 15th of December, which is on Tuesday. Both jv and varsity play on Tuesday. The official times for each game are unknown at the moment, but this article will be updated when the information is available. 

Written by: Jailen Bailey

JIB news report: December 4th, 2015

JIB news report: December 2nd, 2015

Book review: "Specials" by Scott Westerfeld

Book review: "Stargirl" by Jerry Spinelli

The "Hun" hairstyle

Hairstyles come and go, regardless of whether its big, straight, or the new style called the "Hun," which is a half up and half down bun.  This hair style is self-explanatory: half of your hair is down (typically the bottom half) and the top half of it is in a bun.  It can be worn by a male, but then they are called man buns.

Jaycee B., a firm wearer of the half up and half down bun said that she just needed something new to do with her hair. She was getting tired of wearing it down or in a ponytail. This hairstyle is quick and easy; she would wear it every day if she could.  She also loves how it looks great with anything she wears.  Jaycee's opinion on the hairstyle is that the "Hun" should be worn on the back of the head and not on the tip top of the head. 

The people that typically wear this recent fashion statement wear it with a dressy outfit or a lazy day outfit. Although most of the people surveyed said they were pro half up and half down buns, there were still a small group of people that prefer the traditional pony-tail or an all natural hairstyle.  There were also a few people that were undecided, and they thought that it looked cute on some people and not so cute on others. Many boys seem to think a girl's hair looks better completely down, rather than it being half up and half down. In the end, people should wear their hair in a way that makes them comfortable and not worry about the opinions of others. 

Written by Mazzy Tomko

Blanket or no?

Changes in clothing choices are mostly due to weather. A few changes have been made to accommodate the winter months, such as switching classic t shirts with over-sized sweaters and thin throw overs with big jackets. Here at Burton, one fashion statement that has stood out the most is that students are now bringing blankets with them and keeping them on throughout the school day.

Opinions vary about this subject among the staff and students. Although there are no rules in the dress code stating that blankets are not allowed, there are several students that bring and use one daily. Some members of the staff feel like the blankets give students more flexibility and make them feel as if they have permission to go to sleep during class.

Burton student Raven V.,a firm blanket user, stated that she brings a blanket to school due to the fact that she is always cold; it also makes her feel safe and comfortable. Devon W. does not bring a blanket to school. He stated that the reason he does not bring one is because he does not have one. His opinion on the subject is that it is weird to bring a blanket to school.

Although there are no rules for blankets at school, many fear that the students will use blankets to items that may get them in trouble in class, like cell phones. In conclusion, opinions on the use of blankets differ and, as long as the blanket is not used for sleep or to hide things, then it is not a problem to bring one to school.

Written by: Madison Cardon

John I. Burton Raiders Football 2015: Season overview

The Raiders' season started off with a bang, but the odds were not in their favor, as they were handed the first loss of the season on opening night to the undefeated Union Bears. The stadium was packed for the game, but what the fans got was a taste of defeat, as the Bears stomped the Raiders, 52-6. Many thought after this loss that the Raiders would have a struggle gathering wins and making it into the playoffs.  Contrary to the negativity among the fans, the Raiders won the remaining nine regular season games, including beating the 2A school Lee High Generals, 28-15, and stomping the powerhouse Honaker Tigers, 28-0.

The Raiders became Cumberland District Champions, and were the second ranked team in Virginia, in the 1A west division. In the first round of the playoffs the Raiders hosted a Saturday evening game against the Covington Cougars. The Raiders also came out on top in this game with a final score of 45-16. The following week, in the second round of the playoffs, the Raiders hosted a Friday night game against the Rural Retreat Indians, Burton once again came out with the win, 28-6. The Raiders looked as if they might make it to the state championship game, as they had now won 11 straight games since the loss to Union. It was time for the third round of the playoffs, and the Raiders hosted another Saturday evening game against the Galax Maroon Tide. Galax's Charles Harris and Caleb Spurlin were ready to bring on a fight against the Raiders. That is exactly what they did, as they stomped the Raiders, 35-12, bringing the Raiders' miracle season to a sad conclusion.

When speaking with three members of the football team, all of which are underclassmen, the three players were all asked the same questions about the season. When asked about the overview of the season, Taylor Mullins responded by saying,"It was a great season. After the loss to Union we were doing great, but we were just unable to finish the way we wanted to." Many of the other players agree with Taylor about being unable to finish the way they wanted to. Taylor's highlight of the season was making it to the third round of the playoffs.  Freshman, Tyree Bolling, said that the season was great, but he was upset with the way it ended. Tyree also stated that the funnest game for him was the Unaka game, because he was able to play the whole game and had a big hit to save a first down conversion. When speaking to a third football player and sophomore, Ethan Cates, he thought the highlight of the season was winning the district championship, after losing it the previous season.

According to these players, the Raiders were very successful. The Raiders will be a young team next season, as many senior athletes will be graduating in the spring.In the backfield, they will be starting three freshmen, and one sophomore. Good luck to the Raiders next season.

Written By: Austin Lane

Book Review: "Going, Going, Gone," by Patrick Russell

Shelby Valley hosts Burton

On December 1st, 2015, the first official basketball game of the girls' J.V. season was played. The team consists of nine players: Naomi  T., Hannah P., Kira S., Kaitlin L., Sarah M., Tavi S., Zoe E., Akyssa H. and Iyanna M.. The team played at Shelby Valley Kentucky's gym.

In the beginning of the first half, the Burton Raiders struggled with defense and speed, which helped the Shelby Valley Cats score thirty-six points. The Raiders' first point was a foul shot by Iyanna M.. Even though the Cats are an aggressive team, the Raiders were coming back with a fight. When the first half ended the score was 36-6. The second half of the game, the Raiders made a comeback. Burton scored four more points and held the Cats to only scoring 17 more points. This is a tremendous feat because Shelby Valley is a 2A school and their five starting members are also on the varsity team.

The final score of the game was 53-10. Although the Raiders did not come out with a win, they played competitively with the team. By playing teams like Shelby Valley, the Raiders will be more prepared for their district games. The Raiders play again on December 8th, at Davey Crockett. Come out and support your Lady Raiders!

Written by: Kira Sturgill

SOL test preparation

Students at John I. Burton High School are preparing for their SOL(Standards Of Learning) tests as the semester comes to an end. SOL tests are administered by the state to determine a student's knowledge of a given course. The teachers at John I. Burton are also trying their best to prepare students for their SOL tests.

Mr. Fultz, a teacher at John I. Burton, uses a combination of IXL Math and Interactive Achievement to evaluate his students. Then he uses classwork to make improvements to help prepare his students. Many students have their own methods of preparation. Makenna K. says that she makes sure to attend class as much as she can. Tori F. makes sure that she pays close attention to her teachers. Josh S. says that he uses short term memory to help with his SOL tests.

Mr. Fultz and the students also offered suggestions for all students to prepare for these tests. Mr. Fultz suggests that students ask for help in class and that they should practice often. Tori says that eating a large breakfast before the test may help. She also says that students that are struggling should attend tutoring. Josh suggests that students study in preparation for the test. Matthew M. suggests that students try their best during the test. Good Luck Students!

Written By: Dustin Pilkenton

Winter weather hazards

With the fall season almost over and winter right around the corner, many drivers are not aware of the increasing number of dangers on the road. During the winter, roads can get very slick and cars have a higher chance of losing control and sliding. On average, there are approximately 500 wrecks per year during winter (according to http://icyroadsafety.com/).

Black ice is a major risk during the winter season; it can be harder to see than regular ice and is one of the leading causes of accidents in the winter. When the temperature drops, bridges freeze before roads, which can cause black ice to form on them later. Therefore, black ice can provide more challenges while driving during the winter months.

Mrs. Morris said, "The only way to keep from wrecking on ice is to go very slow and accelerate and decelerate slowly and with caution." The only way to prevent accidents is to drive safely and stay off the phone. Keep two hands on the wheel, and two eyes on the road (2N2). Stay safe this winter and keep these safety precautions in mind while driving.

Written by: Kaden Fisher

JIB news report: November 30, 2015

National Honor Society

On Tuesday, November 24th, Mrs. Poteet, who is the adviser of the National Honors Society, and many underclassmen were busy setting up for the NHS induction ceremony. The NHS is for juniors and seniors that have at least a 3.5 GPA. In addition to the GPA requirements, these students have to have strong leadership, scholarship qualities, and a strong character.  There are currently 26 members in the society. This is the first year that John I. Burton has offered the program and the school hopes to continue it many more years.

The induction started at 6:30 and lasted around 30 to 45 minutes. There was a candle lighting ceremony where the four officers lit a candle and spoke. During this ceremony, Dylan Dockery led the members into the pledge of allegiance.  After the ceremony, members and their families gathered in the schools cafeteria for the reception, where barbecue and nachos were served.  The ceremony was very formal and everyone looked their very best for the event.  The officers looked especially good, wearing suits or nice dresses.

The NHS has decided to adopt a nursing home for Christmas, which is located at Heritage Hall in Wise, VA. By adopting the nursing home, the members are providing community service. The nursing home is sponsoring an "Angel Tree" this Christmas.  The angel tree has cards on it which have peoples names on them that are not as fortunate and the cards have the presents they wish to receive.

Mrs. Poteet stated that "I previously worked at a nursing home when I was in college, and while I was there, I learned a lot about the different generations and about people in general. The elderly really want to feel attention and love just like anyone else, and I think that is why my heart led me towards this for community service."

Honor Society members are pictured above, and the officers, pictured left, are:

President: Dylan Dockery

Vice President: Evan West

Secretary: Robert Beauchamp

Treasurer: Conner Wharton

Written By: Mazzy

Field trip to Natural Tunnel with Mrs. Wampler

On Friday, November 23,  Mrs. Wampler, a math teacher at John I. Burton, took her students on a trip to Natural Tunnel. Mrs. Wampler has a trip every year for students with perfect attendance. This year, thirteen students went on the trip. The students that attended were: Kira S., Candice C., Emily S., Mazzy T., Hannah P., Aiden W., Austin Q., Derrick A., Nima P., Kaitlin I., Payton W., Caleb W.,  and Madison S. On the way to Natural Tunnel, the students stopped for breakfast at McDonald's; While there, they received a booklet full of questions that they had to answer based off the trip and the places that they went to.

To begin this trip, the students visited the gazebo, which had  very beautiful scenery. While at the gazebo, the students had to solve a few geometry questions by using its shape. A few of the questions had to be answered by using the circumference, radius, and the diameter. The next place visited was the Block House. The Block House had a lot of historical background because it was used as a rest stop for any travelers that wanted to be safe back in the days of war. The house aided travelers with food and shelter. The building had a lot of history built into it, such as solid wood floors and small open windows,which the settlers would use to look and see if people were approaching.

In the middle of this big day, the students stopped by the Natural Tunnel's office and had lunch. The students had the choice of pizza or McDonald's, accompanied by a soda of their choice. After lunch, the students went to an area with chairlifts. While riding the chairlifts, they had to answer questions in their book that pertained to the speed and velocity of the chairlift. The chairlifts lead down to the big tunnel. The big tunnel had train tracks running throughout it and was also very wide and tall. This tunnel was formed over the years by water erosion. In the past, the tunnel was predicted to have been full of water. The students used their feet and a measuring device to measure the length of the tunnel. The trip went very well, and the students had a great time. Some students even said,"I would love to go again any chance I get; the trip was very informative and fun!"

Written by : Kira Sturgill

Funds for a resource officer

*Incorrect information was previously published in regards to a school resource officer.  Please read this article for a correction.

John I. Burton High School is currently attempting to allocate funds for a school resource officer through grant funding.   A resource officer is a police officer that works for a department but is stationed at a school. A future school resource officer would most likely be employed through a local department, like Norton P.D or the Sheriff's Department.

The officer would be at the school during school hours. While working at the school, the officer would be given their own office space. They would have access to typical police equipment and to the school's camera system. The officer would look for defects/gaps in security and they would also maintain order in the school.

Their noticeable presence would serve as a good deterrent measure against illegal activities within the school.The officer would not be allowed to invade anyone's personal privacy; they would be only able to investigate if given permission or with probable cause/reason.  Principal Williams says that the number one reason that the school would hire a resource officer is for safety. Principal Williams also says that one of the other reasons that the school should hire a resource officer is that many other schools have one.

Written By: Dustin Pilkenton

Raider Football season comes to an end

On Friday, November 20th, the John I. Burton Raiders hosted the Rural Retreat Indians in the second round of the playoffs. The Raiders have won 11 straight games since losing their season opener against the Union Bears in August. The Raiders played the Covington Cougars in the first round of the playoffs, in which they were able to come out on top, 45-16.

To start the game, the Raiders kicked the ball off to the Indians. The Indians turned the ball over on their first offensive possession due to a fumble, which was recovered by the Raiders. The Raiders scored 14 points before the Indians were finally able to score. Going into halftime, the Raiders were leading in a close game, with a score of 14-6.

The second half was all about the Raiders, as they continued to score on offense and shut down the Indians on defense. Late in the game, the Indians had several personal fouls, 2 of which were on one player, who was ejected from the game. The Raiders stopped the Indians from scoring the whole second half and the game ended with the Raiders on top, 28-6. 

On Saturday, November 28th, the Raiders hosted  the Galax Maroon Tide in the third round of the playoffs.  The final score of this game was 35-12. The Raiders finished the season 11 wins and 2 losses. Congratulations to the Raiders on a successful season, and good luck to the senior football players as they move on in life!

Written By: Tia Bates

Art goes to UVA-Wise

On November 20th,2015, the art, band, and drama classes went on a trip to UVA-Wise for the day. The school event was of no cost and was very educational to any and all students involved. The trip helped many people decide what college they would like to attend in the future.

This trip to UVA-Wise included a tour around the campus, allowing  JIB students to see the construction of the library with a Starbucks inside. JIB's tour guide was very friendly and gave helpful advice about where to stay on campus.Wise Central, Union, Ridgeview and Honaker high schools all attended this event, but had different tour groups. After the tours, the students went to a class of their choice. While in class, the professors expected the classes to act like adults; they only asked to be treated with respect.

After the first class, students made their way to the cafeteria; the lunch period at the college lasted an hour and a half, instead of 30 minutes like in high school.  After lunch, the group got to choose another class to attend.  At the end of the second class, everyone went to the drama hall. While there, the students answered questions about what they learned throughout the day for the chance to win t-shirts. Afterwards, everyone walked back to the bus and headed back to school, where the students finished out the school day with only 20 minutes left.

Written by: Kaden

JIB obtains new Chromebooks

At the beginning of this semester. John I. Burton High School obtained new Chromebooks. Chromebooks are Google's version of a laptop/tablet device. The school ordered these Chromebooks because they were a new and affordable resource for students to use. The school had technical funds and decided to get a good deal with Chromebooks. The idea was brought up by JIB's I.T., Donna Owens, and, with  Dr. Perrigan's approval, the books were sent our way.

G-Mail login page

Our librarian, Mrs. Poteet, said that the Chromebooks will be available on December 1st and are going to be available for use year round. There are 40 Chromebooks available that are going to be for the teachers to check out. Although the school now has access to these Chromebooks, they will not be replacing the school's other computers. Therefore, they are mainly just additions to our technology. Although the teachers and students will not be assigned personal Chromebooks, each student will be assigned their own personal emails to use specifically for these computers. Mrs. Poteet also said that there will be several programs available on the Chromebooks, such as the software that is Google's version of Microsoft Office

Mrs. Poteet is excited and thinks that these laptops are a great opportunity and a good resource for students to use. The Chromebooks will be available in the library and are accessible to anyone that would like to use them. Just ask Mrs. Poteet to use one, and you will have access to them as long as you may need, if they are available and not checked out.

Written by: Jailen Bailey

JIB news report: November 20, 2015

Burton's volleyball players get Cumberland Conference awards

The John I. Burton Lady Raiders volleyball team has had a wonderful season this year. Each player worked hard and improved tremendously over the season.  Middle hitter and sophomore, Kacie C., was recognized for her outstanding season by being named first team all conference. Kacie was the only girl from Burton to get this award and one of the six girls in the Cumberland Conference to get this award.

While speaking with Kacie C. about this achievement, she seemed honored and a little bit humbled. Kacie dedicated a lot of time and effort into volleyball by staying after practice most days to put in extra work. Kacie hopes to achieve many more awards throughout the remainder of her high school years. Kacie also participates in basketball and track, both in which she works extremely hard in.

Also, Burton volleyball player, Cheyenne S. was recognized.  She is Burton's only other middle hitter and is also a sophomore. Cheyenne was identified as honorable mention, which is a commendation given to a person in a competition that is not awarded with a prize.  Cheyenne didn't necessarily expect this commendation. She was pleased with it, but hopes for better awards in the future. Cheyenne also participates in basketball and track and does quite well in both.

Overall, Burton has several model students and athletes. Many awards are given each year to these deserving pupils. JIB is more than proud to have athletes grow and learn, as well as leave high school with a few titles.

Written by:Tia Bates

Club information and survey

John. I. Burton High School has many clubs to offer to students. These clubs include the Key Club, Chess Club, Book Club, and the Athletic's Club. The Key Club focuses on community service. In the Chess Club, students engage in the game of wits. The Book Club gives students time to read and discuss books. The school also has  the Athletics' Club, which allows students to play 'basketball in the school gymnasium during the allotted club time.

Several students and faculty members at John. I. Burton were asked  their opinions about expanding club options. Sophomore President, Eric Fletcher, thinks that there are not nearly enough clubs to cover everyone's' interests. Mrs. Poteet, the school librarian, says that the school has a nice variety of clubs that will match up to the interests of many students. Naomi Greer-Wilkenson thinks that the school has great clubs but needs more of them. When asked about the current school clubs, Matthew Marcum said that they are doable, but the school could do with more.

Eric F. says that a gamers' club would be nice to have. It would mostly be for discussion, but students could play games if they are appropriate.Naomi G.W. also suggests that the school start a gamers' club,  as well as an art club so that students may express themselves and be creative. Mrs. Beauchamp, the Spanish teacher, once mentioned that she would like to see a debate club.  Matthew M. states that he would like a gaming club, an anime club, an art club, and a movie club.

Although John I. Burton already has fun and intellectual clubs, adding a few wouldn't hurt. Many students are not involved with the current clubs, but if students had more options, they might be more engaged. If any teachers are interested in sponsoring a club, notify Mrs. Cooke, the guidance counselor, and help our school be just a little more student oriented.

Written by: Dustin Pilkenton

Bullfighting: The 2015 debate.

At John I. Burton High School, students are offered three years of Spanish, which is taught by Mrs. Sherry Beauchamp. During the second year of Spanish, students are required to participate in a bullfighting debate. In this debate, there are two sides; those who are for bullfighting, and those who are against bullfighting. Mrs.Beauchamp decided to have this debate because she really wanted to start a debate club, but sadly she did not have time to run the club.

Mrs.Beauchamp divides the teams by listening to her student's opinions, and, in some cases, places a student on either side if the student is absent. Each team has a leader who decides the opening and closing statements, along with their team's main arguments, and the line up (the order in which the students go up to state their reasoning). The leader is also put in charge of deciding how their team will be dressed on the day of the debate. Mrs.Beauchamp chose the leaders based on their interest in the debate, as well as by selecting students who do not typically lead. 

If a student was not present on the day of the debate, they were required to write a research paper on bullfighting. Students did, however, have a week to prepare for the debate. During class, the teams were taken into separate rooms and given class time to discuss topics, practice debating and stating their points, and do research. 

This year, the bullfighting debate took place on November 19th. There was an even number of 10 students on each team. The team against bullfighting consisted of: Mazzy T., Ethan C., Jaycee B., Micheal M., Dokken L., Andrew L., Gracie M., Dustin P., and their team leader  Naomi W. The opposing team that supported bullfighting included; Ben H., Kira S., Eric F., Madison C., Hannah P., Austin G., Jordan J., Brooklyn B., Kaitlyn I., and their team leader  Lilly R. 

 During the debate, each side had 30 seconds to give their response. The students had to remember these rules: avoid personal attacks,  come up with original points and ideas, and remember that human life always comes first and is not up for debate. They were scored on how well they made their point.

When asked what the students are getting out of this, Mrs. Beauchamp stated that it is important for them to learn how to state their opinion in a way that is not insulting and can be backed up with facts.She believes that it is important to recognize cultural differences as well.This year, the debate had the closest score it has ever had. Although the team that was for bullfighting won, the scores only had a difference of 1 point.

Written by: Madison Cardon. 

6:33 Dodge ball tournament

Last Saturday, November 14th, a local church group called 6:33 held a dodge ball tournament hosted at Camp Bethel in Wise from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM. Two students from Burton participated in the tournament., Mazzy T. and Kacie C., along with the local church group  from 6:33.  The tournament was held as an outreach for the middle and high school students in Wise County.  Highlands Fellowship Student Ministries, the church that sponsors 6:33, were responsible for the idea.

Attendees needed a team of 6-8 people to participate; if your team didn't quite meet the numbers needed, event organizers would add your team to another team that couldn't meet the standards either. There were two divisions, each consisting of nearly five teams. There were roughly four high school teams and four middle school teams.  Middle school teams only played middle school teams so that the event would be fair, up until the overall championship game.  The high school teams played teams of all high-schoolers, all adults, or highschoolers with two to three adults. 

There were three championship games in total.  There was one for the two highest ranked middle school teams and one for the two highest ranked high school teams.  The winner of those games won their division and then the two champions played each other to determine the winner of the overall tournament.  Although the middle school team put up an excellent fight, they were beaten by a combination of high school students and adults.  The members of the 7-0 winning team were: Burton students, Mazzy T., Kacie C.; Wise County students, Micah E., Sam S.; and 6:33 leaders Nathan M., Brittany G., and Phil T.  The only other  Norton City Schools participant was Harper McCall. His team won their division and lost to the high school division winners in the championship game.

The 6:33 service is held every Wednesday night at 6:33 at Burton High School's auditorium for the high school students around the area, and on Sundays at 10:00 AM at the auditorium for middle school kids in the area.   

Written by Mazzy Tomko

Sharing the road with a deer

Driving during late fall and early winter is arguably the second most dangerous time to be on the road, right behind mid-winter when the roads are icy, only because of one factor: deer. Hitting a deer can mean life or death for either you or the deer and that alone should open the eyes of the public, literally. Keeping an open eye for these hasty creatures running amok on small roads and even highways in the rural scene could make all the difference. Although, in the dark, deer are virtually invisible, it is still incredibly important to try your hardest to avoid them as much as possible.

To avoid the almost inevitable in Southwest Virginia, one must always keep their bright lights on during dark hours and be careful not to blind oncoming traffic. If you were to spot a deer, drop to low beams and cautiously and immediately use your brake. Drivers are encouraged to not swerve if a deer runs out. "People are more important than animals," says animal-lover Donna Morris. Coach Morris is a Health and P.E., Driver's Ed., and former Hunter's Safety teacher here at John I. Burton. Morris says that swerving to avoid an animal, such as a deer in this case, may result in collision with an inanimate object, such as a guard-rail. This will be filed under your collision rather than comprehensive insurance. Coach Morris says to stay more conscientious during dusk and around areas that you know where one has been hit because animals like this usually have crossings known by local deer.

If the unfortunate sight of a deer pops up in the road or your peripheral vision, depending on where you are,  it may be a good idea to brake. On open and rather wide roads, such as a highways, the best advice is to brake as much as possible, use the whole road,  and steer clear if necessary. On a small and more narrow road, one should brake and continue going straight, as hitting a deer is much better than hitting a tree. Never honk the car's horn when you spot a deer; this may cause the animal to become scared or confused and dart into your car, another car, or hurt itself on accident.

If you hit a deer, be cautious in getting out to check the damage, but make sure to do so. Document the damage and call the police, your insurance agency, or both. Stay on the phone with someone until a second party shows up and after recording the damage, stay in the car.

Written by: Taylor Collins

JIB news report: November 18, 2015

Book Review: "The Window" by Michael Dorris

Book Review: "The Dead Zone" by Stephen King

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JIB news report: November 16, 2015

John I. Burton vs.Covington

On Saturday, November 14, the John I. Burton Raiders played the Covington Cougars in the first round of the Virginia State Playoffs  for 1A schools. They had to travel down to Norton, Virginia to compete against the powerful Raiders.  In the local paper,the Raiders were predicted to win the game. The Raiders finished their regular season with a record of 9-1, which means they had 9 wins and 1 loss. On the contrary, the Cougars had a record of  4-6.

The Raiders were fully prepared for a battle, expecting the Cougars to play at their absolute best. At the beginning of the game, the Raiders started off by  kicking the ball off to the Cougars.  Then, on the fifth play of the game, the Cougars fumbled and the ball was recovered by the Raiders. On the first offensive drive for the Raiders, they scored inside the Cougar's ten yard line. The Raiders took the ball down the field without any trouble and scored again. At the end of the first half, the score was 31-0, which left the Raiders on top.

The second half was similar to the first because the Raiders' defense was dominating, while their offense was scoring and holding on to the ball. The Raider's second string came into the game,played hard, and only gave up one touchdown. The Raiders continued to hold the ball until the final seconds ticked off the clock. The final score was 45-16, and the Raiders will advance to regions.

Written by: Austin Lane

Animated trash bag art

On the first week of November, the art class started a project to animate trash bag sculptures. This is a project that will take more than just a one week. Mr. Walker had the idea of trash bag art in the past, although, he hadn't been able to do it until now.

To do this project, the art students used long poster paper, several trash bags, an iron, newspaper, and a box fan. First, they found and cut out a pattern for a stuffed animal, from online patterns which were mainly traditionally used for sewing.  Then, they drew it on the long poster paper.  Then the students, cut out the shape in the poster paper and use it as a stencil to cut out the shape from a trash bag.  Since trash bags, when laid flat, have two layers, each students then had two identical trash bag cut outs.  Finally, they ironed, the trash bag cut outs together around the edges, and soon after turned it inside out.

The students made the cut outs big and were precise. Mr. Walker said, "This is not a 45 minute project, you will need to take along time and make it look good."  Mr. Walker also said that to iron it it must be at least waist level.  This is a project that you can do at home, although, you need to be safe. Irons are hot and they will burn skin.  Art students and Mr. Walker are still in the process of animating these sculptures.

Written by: Kaden

Junk food and the problems that it may cause

Here at John I. Burton High School, many students have a rather unhealthy diet. Often, students will eat chips or drink sodas, which can be full of fats and sugars. Most students get these items from the vending machines, but some bring them from home. Although the school has tried to make the vending machines healthier they still have a lot of sugary and fatty foods in them. Many students will eat these items around lunch time because they dislike the regular school lunch provided during the day.

Zachary Fleenor, who is learning to be a health/physical education teacher, says that the worst time of the day to eat junk food is around 6:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M.. Mr. Fleenor has noticed that the teachers do not usually get items from the vending machines. He has also noticed that students seem to buy items from the vending machines whenever they can find some money. He says that the items in the school's vending machines are unhealthy and could be replaced with much better alternatives such as Nutri-Grain Bars.

Consuming junk food and soda in abundance  can result in diabetes, obesity, and tooth decay. The obesity that can occur from eating poorly can result in heart attacks, heart disease, or other related risks. Diabetes which can be caused by poor diet is permanent and requires many painful injections and blood tests. The tooth decay that may result from not eating well also lasts for life as people only have one set of adult teeth. All in all, students should take care of their bodies by eating healthy and staying in shape. Students can do so by reducing the amount of junk that they eat and by getting around 30 minutes to an hour of exercise a day

Written By: Dustin Pilkenton

Football players make it to the playoffs

This season, your John I. Burton Raiders went 9-1 in the regular season, meaning they won nine games and lost only one.  This season's players have came a long way since last year when our team barely made the playoffs and placed as the last seed.  In 2015, the Raiders came out of the regular season in District 1A West as the number 2 seed with only George Wythe being ranked above them.

They were also the Cumberland District Champions; the Cumberland District is made up of 6 different teams, consisting of John I.Burton, Twin Springs, Eastside, Thomas Walker, and Rye Cove.  Burton placed first among these six teems.  This year senior quarterback, Tra Adams, also joined two former John I. Burton quarterbacks as the school's only quarterbacks to lead the team in a District Championship and finish the regular season with 9 or more wins.The last time the Raiders were District Champions, was in 2007, when they won it 3 years in a row, from 2005-2007.

In the first game of the season, the Raiders took their only loss of the season against the 2A Union Bears who were undefeated all season.  After that game, the Raiders rallied back with a 9 game winning streak.  They are expected to go far in the playoff season, and they hope to avoid injuries from top play makers.

Last season in the first round of the playoffs, the Raiders traveled to Haysi, to face off against the Haysi Tigers. In the first quarter, the score was tied at 14, but after that everything began to fall apart for the Raiders, as they lost DeShawn Patten to a concussion, who was at that point a key element if they were going to succeed. The Haysi Tigers went on to blow out the Raiders and send them home in the first round. The Raiders are chasing after a state championship this year, and are likely to succeed if they can keep everyone healthy.

The first round playoff game is scheduled for Saturday at home, and kickoff is at 2 p.m. They start their playoff season playing the Covington Cougars. If they win, they will host the winner of the Rural Retreat and Auburn game at home.  The last time the Raiders made it to the third round playoffs was in 2013 when they beat Clintwood and Auburn, before losing to Haysi.

There will be a student section held for the playoff games, and the theme will be Raider spirit.  The Burton Blog wishes the football team good luck in their "second season."

Written by: Mazzy and Austin

7th and 8th grade basketball update

On October 12th, basketball season began for NEMS's team. This year the boys and girls seventh and eighth grade basketball teams are looking for a winning season.  The boys team is coached by Patrick F. and the girls are coached by Jared C.  The teams each have 12 games.  They practice on days in which they don't have game.

The boys team is currently 5-2, with 13 people on the team. While talking to 8th grader, Deandre C., he said the season has been going well so far.  He mentioned that their hardest competition is Eastside.   The starting line up for the boys consists of Tanner B., Mikey C., Jonah C., Jamie M., and Tyler S.

As of today, the girls team is 3-3.  Their team consists of 13 people as well. With seventh grade starter Callie M. out with an ankle injury, a new position has to be filled.  The current starting line up is, Alyssa H., Maggie W., Leci S., Naomi T., and Kayla F.

There is a seventh and eighth grade basketball game today, November 12, at John I. Burton against Eastside. The Burton Blog wishes both teams luck on their game.                                                                                                              

Written by: Tia B.

Veterans' Day ceremony and clock tower re-dedication

November 11th is a special day for all Americans, it is Veterans' Day. This holiday's main purpose is to reserve a day for which U.S citizens may thank veterans. John I. Burton held a ceremony for this special day, which coincided with the school's clock tower re-dedication.

The ceremony was from 10:00 to 11:00, on Wednesday November 11. Two students, Eric F. and Caleb W. were put in charge of signing in guests at the high school's doors.


At the beginning of the ceremony the VFW Honor Guard did the posting of colors, then the audience stood and sung the "Pledge of Allegiance." After the pledge was said, Burton student, Jazlyn A. did the welcoming speech, and then delegate Terry Kilgore spoke the remarks.

After all the introductions had been made, NEMS's chorus sang two songs, which included "God Bless America" and "Thank A Vet." When the chorus was finished, Robert B., a senior at JIB, did a speech for the recognition of veterans, and he conducted the moment of silence.

JIBs' band played " Service Songs Medley" after the moment of silence. Then, Evan W., introduced the main speaker of this event, lieutenant colonel and small business owner, Mark Caruso. After Mark's speech, the VFW Honor Guard proceeded to do the retiring of colors and JIBs' band played the song "Stars and Stripes Forever."

After the ceremony for the veterans, the SCA (student council association) along with veterans and family members of the veterans were invited outside for the rededication of the clock tower. The tower is located outside of JIB. The clock tower has not worked for decades, so recently Dr. Keith Perrigan along with city council members, decided to restore and rededicate the clock tower.  The original dedication was held in 1958 to honor JIB students who served in wars.   A plaque was added near the clock tower, to describe the purpose of the tower.

Written by: Madi C.

JIB news report November 9, 2015

Burton students run for fun

Recently, several students from John I Burton participated in the annual Haunted Half in Kingsport, Tennessee.  The Haunted Half is a race hosted every year on Halloween.  The race consists of 13.1 miles, which a person can run solo or the race can be divided between four people in relay form.   People from many different states participate in this race .  This year, over 900 people signed up for this event.  Since this race is on Halloween, many people wore costumes for the event.

Gracie M., a student at John I. Burton, was one of  three Burton students that participated in this event.  She ran a relay with another Burton student, Mazzy T.  This was the first race Gracie  had ever been in, and she was very pleased with her time of 30:47.  She participated in the Halloween fun by dressing up as a bunny.  Gracie mentioned how she enjoyed the race so much that she plans on running more races.  Mazzy contributed in this relay with a time of 29:53.  The rest of this relay team consisted of Gracie's mom, Melissa B. and Donnie P.

Jonah S., a track and cross country runner for Burton, participated in a different relay with his family and a close family friend. Jonah helped his relay team out immensely by running a time below 25 minutes. While satisfied with this time, Jonah stated that he was just taking it easy at this race because he had a regional cross country meet the following Wednesday.

These three students really enjoyed this event and hope to participate in it every year.

Written by: Tia

"Dark of the Moon" performers win acting awards

Recently, JIB students Conner Wharton and Samuel Shortt performed in a play called, "Dark of the Moon" directed by Ms. Lisa Davis.  The practices for this play started in September and went into October, which is when the play was actually performed. In "Dark of the Moon," Conner Wharton played a witch that fantasized over John the Witch Boy, who was played by Samuel Shortt. The play was about John the Witch Boy falling in love with a human and wishing to become one for her sake. He contacts a person known as the Conjure Woman, played by Stacy Welch, to request that she make him a human. If you wish to see the full play, it is available on the Burton's Blog and is available on the blog's YouTube channel. If you wish to go straight to the video click here.

Burton utilized this play to compete in our district's One Act competition against Castlewood, Eastside, Rye Cove, Thomas Walker, and Twin Springs. As a result of the contest, Conner and Sam both won the Supporting Actor and Actress Awards. Conner felt very honored to have won this award. Sam, however, stated that he was very surprised to receive this acknowledgement. Both of them hope to win more awards in the future. Sam added that he wishes to improve in projection, being more literate with classic rights, scene study, and aesthetics.

When asked if they disliked anything about the play, Connor said she did not have any dislikes. Sam, however, said that he did not like that the play was confined to 35 minutes. They both, however, liked the play that was composed. Sam will be performing in another play this semester. Conner may or may not be involved with it. The play is entitled, "A Christmas Carol." Sam will be in the play, but said that he may not play a major role in it. The play will only be a school performance, so the actors will not be competing against other schools.

Conner added that the One Act team will be travelling to Staunton, VA in February to a place called the "American Shakespeare Center Blackfriars Playhouse," which is where many of Shakespeare's dramas are performed.  She is looking forward to this event and stated that One Act members will soon be fundraising in order to raise money for this trip.

This was Conner's first year in One Act and she seemed to enjoy it quite well. They both did very well in the play and both are looking forward to forensic season. They both continue to strive to improve their acting skills, but both of them still want to focus on having fun with acting, which they feel is essential.  Congratulations Sam and Conner!

Written by: Jailen Bailey

Assisting the librarian: Autumn and Summer

Autumn and Summer Mickles, 12th graders at JIB, and twin sisters, have what some would refer to as a unique 4th block. These young ladies work in the library from 1:50 to 3:20, instead of having a regular class. They explained that it is not exactly a normal class, and continued on to say it is a lot like a job.  

They have learned the Dewey decimal system (the way the books are organized in the library).  Both Autumn and Summer agreed that they did not think they would be able to put books into this system, but to their surprise they learned how to in a few days with the help of Mrs. Poteet.  They stated it was not as hard as they had expected, and they found they picked up on it quickly. 

The girls help our librarian put books in their rightful place, check books back into the system, put VCR tapes and DVDs into their rightful place, and keep the library clean and organized.They do receive grades for the duties they complete. For one assignment, the girls had to take photographs of each other completing their jobs and then proceed to make a PowerPoint with the photographs, and describe what they were doing in each picture. 

Both of them stated they enjoyed being in the library more than being in a traditional class. When asked what part of their job is their favorite, the girls could not decide, but they did state that their reading and interested in books has improved immensely.  They have read 10 books a piece just during this semester.  

Book Review : "The Tent"

Fundraising for a cause:The SGA

Recently, the Student Government Association,or SGA for short, decided to hold a fundraiser. However, this fundraiser is not to raise money for the SGA: it is to collect food for local people in need. Students from all grades at John I.Burton have been asked to bring in certain nonperishable food items to the classroom of Mrs. Stephanie Adams, business teacher and sponsor of the SGA. There is a competition between each grade to see who donates the most. Those that donate the most will receive a prize that. According to Mrs. Adams, the fundraiser is for the local food bank, whose headquarters collapsed after last winter's snowstorms. The food bank has since relocated to a room in the building formerly known as a Magic Mart, which is currently owned by Norton Community hospital.

Mrs. Adams said the decision to donate to the food bank came during the group's September meeting. Sam Shortt, president of the senior class, came up with the idea. In an interview with Sam, he said that the fundraiser was "...something that Pound Middle School had done and it was very successful."
He also came up with the competitive element to motivate students into participating in the fundraiser. Once the idea was suggested, it was immediately accepted by all SGA members.

Mrs. Adams believes that the purpose of the SGA is to bring students together provide services with the community in mind. She also believes that this fundraiser specifically fulfills that purpose. There are talks among members of the organization to have fundraisers for money as well. These plans include a having a student carnival to raise money for each individual class. There are also plans to hold non- fundraising events for students, including a Career Day where students can dress up for their dream job and obtain information from several guest speakers about several career paths.

Sam says that he is open ideas for activities that the SGA can organize. He can then take those suggestions and propose them to the other members of the association. Sam believes, "When it comes to food drives like this, or anything else, if you want change , then you have to change."

Book review: "The Guns of Navarone"

Dasanye the dancer!

 John I. Burton high school has an abundance of artistry in its students.  Student interests vary in many different categories. One student attending this high school has an amazing talent that has thus far gone unnoticed. This student goes by the name Dasanye Smith. Thirteen year old Dasanye is a former dancer and cheerleader. She has been dancing for six years to all different types of genres, such as ballet, hip-hop, and tango. Dasanye has danced with partners, but says that most of her dancing is done individually. While she has only  taken actual constructive dance classes  for one year at Stepz, a school for dance, she realized that her passion was in creating moves of her own.

Dasanye believes that dancing is a way to escape the real world and a form of self expression. She gets her inspiration from her cousin,Shamiyeh, who has  the courage and confidence that Destiny wishes to emulate; Dasanye says she is her inspiration for being the best person and dancer she can be.

In the future, she would like to go to college to manage her own dance studio. Dance can appear to be all fun and games, but there is a tremendous amount of hard work put in throughout each step of the choreography process. Finally, Dasanye's advice for anyone who wants to be a dancer is, "work hard and stay determined. It will always work out in the end!"

JIB news report November 4, 2015

First district tournament volleyball game for the Lady Raiders

This week started the annual Cumberland District Volleyball Tournament for the Lady Raiders who faced off against the Lady Titans. The game began in the first set as Tia Bates, sophomore and setter, set Kacie Culbertson, sophomore and middle hitter, up with the most kills on the team followed by Cheyenne Shepherd, sophomore and middle hitter also. The final score for the first set was  23-25, Burton.

In the second set, the Raiders came together, communicated more, and became even more aggressive against the Titans, beating Twin Springs 12-25. The Titans had a tight defense in the beginning, but by this time, they had started to wear down and became tired as they felt a little defeated. Although there was cheer and hope among them, fans could tell that their spirits were a little low.

In the third and final set, Burton obliterated Twin Springs, 14-25 with a few good hits, good serves all around, and good communication from everyone. The Lady Raiders play Wednesday against Eastside at Rye Cove for a chance at 2nd place.  Then if won, they play Rye Cove for first place at Rye Cove.

Come out and support our volleyball team Wednesday, November 4th!

Written by: Taylor C.

JIB news report November 2, 2015

Dark of the Moon

Driver's education at Burton and driving distractions

Donna Morris from John I. Burton High School teaches Driver's Education. Coach Brandon Stidham is the head of the program. The program is only available to 10th graders and up. Students must have their Learner's Permit for at least 9 months, have at least 20/40 vision, complete the classroom portion, and have driven for 20 hours to obtain their license. Students receive a temporary license from the school and receive the actual one in the mail.

Mrs. Morris primarily focuses on teaching defensive driving in her driver's education class. In defensive driving, the driver must be very cautious of their surroundings and be very careful. In driving, a great defense can be what saves one's life and the lives of others. The dangers of driving are increasing due to a variety of factors.Texting is currently a huge problem in the United States. Many wrecks are also being caused by people consuming drugs and alcohol.

Teens are at the greatest risk of wrecking right now. Many of them text while driving and may consume drugs or alcohol due to peer pressure. Mrs. Morris is worried about the rise in texting and consumption of alcohol. She recommends an app by AT&T that texts friends to tell them that the owner is busy. Texting is believed to be one of the greatest distractions in driving.

Jaycee B. and competitive cheer

In a recent interview with Burton's own Jaycee B., she talked about her competitive cheer team.  Competitive cheer is when cheer teams compete against each other at a competition.  At a typical cheer competition, teams perform a two and a half minute routine with music that includes stunts, jumps and tumbling.  The name of Jaycee's team is called Top Gun.  Jaycee has been a competitive cheerleader since she was 11 years old, and she is now 16.  She has been on the Top Gun cheer team for 2 years.

The Top Gun Cheer Team consists of 21 people, all of which are girls.  The team practices for 4 hours, 3 days a week in Kingsport, Tennessee.  Her team participates in competitions that last all day.  The ages of the cheerleaders she competes against vary from 12 to 18.

They practice for their competitions that occur twice a month, January through April.  It is a level 4 cheer team, meaning that they are higher level performers that get to do stunts.  There are six levels, but the sixth level is usually reserved exhibition teams.

While asking Jaycee if she plans on having a future in cheer, she stated that she would like to go to cheer for Ole Miss, a college in Mississippi. Jaycee fell in love with Ole Miss when she went to an Ole Miss football game and a recruitment cheer clinic.

Written by: Tia

Ben Hayes: First place drum major!

On Saturday, October 24th, Burton's band traveled to UVA Wise College to compete. The competitions were between different divisions based on the school's size. Ben Hayes, the school drum major, received the title of 1st place drum major in class 2A. There were 22 contestants overall, and Ben placed 3rd among all competitors. He was judged on 3 different categories; general effect, conducting, and tempo.  He has been preparing for this competition since May of the previous school year.
Ben practiced in every free moment he had in order to prepare. When asked how it felt to win he replied, "The past competitions didn't go well for me, at all, so, it was nice to get a better score." The title is available to be won annually, and Ben is preparing to go for the title once again next year.

Ben works on setting a good example for the other band members and keeping the band  focused on the upcoming Christmas piece. Band member, Sierra K. stated, "Ben is exactly what the band needed."

Ben's advice to any band member competing is simple: "Just practice every free moment you have."

Written by: Madi Cardon

The short tale of the water cycle

Recently, in Mrs. Carter's Earth Science class, each student wrote a short story to display their understanding of the water cycle by explaining how one drop of water could move throughout the cycle.  They also had to explain the different processes that changed the drop of water from one step in the cycle to another step. Every student in the class was assigned a certain step to write about.  They used dice to determine which step would come next (each step was assigned a number).  The students named their water drops, and the class as a whole decided on names for the aunt, uncle, town, dog, etc.  Mrs. Carter stated, "The students seemed to really enjoy it.  I think they liked the creative element."

Here is one of the students essays, written by Caleb W., chosen for the blog by Mrs. Carter.

I was sitting in Earth Science class on a mild fall day, when a cry of help caught my attention.  No one else in the room could hear this faint sound except for me.  I continued taking notes but the noise got so loud I couldn’t help myself, so I raised my hand and said, “Excuse me Mrs. Carter, but I must leave.” She replied with “Where are you going, and do you have a hall pass?”  My response to that was, “Out to do some scientific investigation.”  I waited for her to reply and it came automatically, “Sure thing, just be quick.”

When I got outside the window, I saw what was making the noise: it was a water droplet.  So I said what any other person would say to a water droplet, “My name is Caleb.  What is yours?”  "Dippy Drippy, now please help me. I’m changing from a liquid to a gas because the sun is evil.”  I stood there and watched him going up into the sky saying, “I’m sorry I can’t help you.  You are in a continuous cycle called The Water Cycle and shouldn’t you know that by now? Bye.”

This was not the last time I saw Dippy Drippy.  After Drippy evaporated he began to condense, because the higher he got, the colder he got.  He found other droplets formed a cloud together.  Dippy Drippy and his friends got too heavy and fell back to earth, landing on Money Ball Road, between Aunt Martha and Uncle Ruckus’s house.  Drippy began to cling to other water droplets and run off into Lake Houston, but not without some trouble. He narrowly dodged some "business" freshly finished by Bell, Uncle Ruckus’s dog.  When I saw Drippy again, ironically, he had made it to the lake and was already beginning to evaporate and condense again.

Dippy Drippy fell back to the Earth, but this time as snow, which landed one hundred miles north of Norton, in a town called Salem.  Drippy fell in front of the restaurant Red Lobster and stayed there for a very long time.  Drippy was there until the snow began to melt, which led him to Cloud Central with all his other friends from the run-off.

Dippy Drippy liked being in the parking lot of Cloud Central, until the day he was slipped on by a pedestrian.  The unaware kidnapper carried Dippy Drippy toward his house and dumped him off in a field.  Drippy enjoyed the field until he began to sink, and sink, and sink, all the way until he hit an underground reservoir.

Most people would think Drippy’s story was over by now but it wasn’t.  Dippy come upon a spring which exposed him to light for the first time in three years.  Dippy Drippy was excited and grateful for being out in the open again.  Drippy began to feel hot, then lighter followed by a tingly sensation which could be caused by only one thing, evaporation.

“Mr. Williams, Pay attention!” said Mrs. Carter to me.  “Sorry I didn’t get much sleep last night, so I was trying to catch up.”  Mrs. Carter replied with “Well you know here at Cotton Candy High school we have a zero-tolerance policy for sleeping in class.”  My answer to that was “I know," I apologized, "but you won’t believe the dream I just had.”

Introduction written by: Mazzy T.
Short story written by: Caleb W.

Mrs. Fields: Purposefully re-purposing

According to Merriam Webster dictionary, recycling is defined as "to make something new from [something else]." To Mrs. Melita Fields, recycling means something much more.  Mrs. Fields has been with Norton City Schools for 20 years and, since 1998, she has been the proctor of the school's computer lab. She is well known among the school for recycling, or, as she calls it, "repurposing" leftover school materials that she feels still has some use. However, Mrs. Fields has been "repurposing" all of her life, from her curtains to her air freshener.

Mrs. Fields uses all kinds of materials to create new things, such as making corn hole bags from old, tattered blue jeans and air fresheners out of soup cans. Other items she recycles include magazines, clothing, catalogs, and newspaper. Her most creative project, she believes, is a wreath made of coat hangers, bows, and flowers. She said that she originally intended the object to be round, but, when it was hung up, the wreath made the shape of a heart. Mrs. Fields says she just comes up with these ideas when the situation arises. She just sees the need (or want) for something, sees some items that could be potentially reused for that purpose, and, using her mind and some work, creates something to fulfill that need (or want). She believes that "Anybody can look at anything and get something different out of it."

Mrs. Fields says that recycling is important for her because it saves money, and she is able to make something new that she needs and wants that she can't find in stores. For the world as a whole, Mrs. Fields believes recycling is good for the environment because it reduces the amount of waste piling up in garbage cans and dumps. Not only that, but she also believes that re-purposing can create wonderful works of art, such as the wreath mentioned above or the CD artwork which currently decorates her computer lab. Her future plans using recycling in the school include: creating a mural of recycled material for the outer computer lab (affectionately called "the morgue" by students because of the lack of windows), creating decorations, and painting a dead fig tree she obtained from a teacher.

If there was one problem in the world Mrs. Fields could fix using recycling, she would choose to feed the hungry and homeless. She stated: "I think that all the [leftover] school lunch, or all [unwanted] food should be given to homeless shelters instead of being thrown away." Her closing thoughts were: "Whether you recycle or not, we are a throwaway generation. There are a lot of things tossed and thrown away that can be recycled."

Written by Cody Messer

Senior English students perform "Porphyria's Lover"

Stylin' at JIB

High school is usually the time in a students life where they start to realize that the way one dresses says a lot about their personality. Some of the most fashionable men in our school were asked questions about fall their fall clothing choices this week and this is what they had to say:

Senior Robert Beauchamp says that he dresses nicely to make a good impression of himself on others. Robert enjoys dressing neatly for personal appeal and his preferred brand of clothing is H and M. He also went on to say that he prefers to dress for fall. 

Another senior, Jon Blackwell, said that he dresses up for self motivation. When he was asked if anyone influenced his style, his answer was that when he was a freshman in high school, he saw how the seniors dressed and just basically mimicked them. Jon's preferred brand is Calvin Klein. He also prefers fall wear and believes joggers and vans are in style as of late.

Tyree, who is a freshman at J. I. Burton, says that he dresses up for both his girlfriend and his own personal enjoyment. Tyree started dressing up in the fifth grade, his preferred brand is Stussey, and he likes dressing for both summer and fall. He said that he dresses to impress, and that he thinks sweaters are in style the season.

Sophomore Brandon Gilliam had some similar responses, but unique ones as well. He stated that the reason he dresses nice everyday is simply because he wants to look and feel good. Brandon's favorite brand, as far as dress clothes, is American Eagle, a common, but good looking choice among teenagers in high school. As far as pants go, he prefers khaki pants. Brandon prefers to dress for fall over summer. When asked what he thinks is in style, he replied, "I think vans, khakis, and button up shirts are in style."

Corey Ball, who is a sophomore, was the last chosen student to be interviewed about his preferred style of clothing. He motivates himself everyday to dress nicely to impress others. He began to dress in a stylish manner in the 5th grade, and enjoys dressing the way he does. His favorite brands consist of Ralph Lauren and Brixton apparel. He prefers to dress for Fall. When it comes to shoes, his favorite type is a brand known as Clarks. He has no order in which he puts together his outfit. His idea of today's style is rolled up jeans, a button up shirt, and a sweater over top.

The last person who was asked these questions was one of John I. Burton's math teacher, Mr. Robert Fultz. The reason he dresses the way he does everyday is to simply not look like a bum. His first job was his motivation to wear nice outfits daily. He prefers to wear Stafford Shirts and Express ties. He prefers to wear jeans when it comes to the pants category and prefers Rockport shoes for his outfit. Mr. Fultz likes to dress for summer and has no certain order in which he dresses. Meaning he decides when he wakes up every morning before work. His last statement was that he likes to dress to make an impression and for himself.

Written by: Austin Lane and Jailen Bailey