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.