Friday, October 28, 2016

"After Night Comes the Morn"

John I. Burton's One Act team, also known as the Dramatic Raiders, performed their production, "After Night Comes the Morn," on Tuesday, October 25 in Burton's auditorium for their peers, and again that night for the community. The team started preparing for this production two weeks into the 2016-2017 school year.  Student leadership played a key role in the success of this play; two senior students were selected by Ms. Davis to assist her in directing "After Night Comes the Morn." 

Isaac S. and Camryn L. were selected as the assistant directors for this production.  Isaac S. said that "it was quite an honor to be pulled in as a second year and just become an assistant director."  He went on to say that him and Camryn L. both had their strong suits in different aspects.  Camryn worked with the singing and the female actors on costumes, hair, and makeup, while Isaac worked on blocking and staging.

The One Act team will be competing at Coeburn Middle School on Saturday, October 29.  The competition will begin at 9:00 A.M. but the Dramatic Raiders will not be preforming until approximately 2:30 P.M. that afternoon.  Come out and support the John I. Burton's One Act team as they compete. Congratulations on to the Dramatic Raiders on their public performances on Tuesday and good luck to them Saturday at the competition!

Written by: Haley H. and Tiffany A.

There's no place like Norton during spirit week



















Thursday, October 27, 2016

A field trip to dystopia

On Monday, October 24, three groups from John I. Burton went to the Barter Theater in Abingdon, Virginia.  The drama class, English 11, and  members of the book club were in attendance. These three groups watched The Giver, a play based on the book written by Lois Lowry.

There were a total of fourteen students from the theater class. Lilly R., a member of the drama team, said that she enjoyed the play. "I liked the way they portrayed the story, and I thought they told it very well". She claimed that she liked the similarities that the play had to the book. She added that the only thing she did not like about the production was that it was a little too short.  Although, according to Lilly, the book will always be better.


Mrs. Bias and Mrs. Poteet also invited the Book Club to attend. There were eight Book Club members who attended the play, several of which were also drama students.  Beylee J., a new member of the book club, said that she thought "it (the play) gave us an idea of how books and plays can be different.:  Her favorite part of the play was when Jonas received the Giver's memories.  She also pointed out that the play was different compared to what she pictured in her mind.

Overall, the students seemed to think the field trip was beneficial to each of their groups. Based on Monday's trip, there may be another one in the near future.



Written by: Alex C. and Austin Q.

The beginning or end of everything?

"The Beginning of Everything" is a novel written by Robyn Schnider, about the ups and downs of Ezra Faulkner's not-so-perfect life. This golden boy thought he had it all: the perfect girlfriend, the homecoming king title, and the title of captain of the tennis team. Little did he know his life would do a complete 360 that night at the house party, celebrating the end to his junior year of high school. It all starts out when Ezra discovers his girlfriend, Charlotte, cheating on him. This obviously crushes Ezra, causing him to storm out of the party, but not before ending things with Charlotte. Ezra soon finds himself in a car wreck right outside of the party.

Later in the book, it is Ezra's senior year and he knows it will be different. He no longer feels accepted, for he is no longer the captain of the tennis team; in fact, he is not even on the team because the crash wrecked his knee. It is a very stressful time for Faulkner, as he has only known life as a tennis player, and he can never play again. On the first day of his senior year, Ezra goes out of his way to ignore and avoid his previous group of friends by taking different stairways at school. This plan works only for a few hours, until he encounters his old friends in Spanish class. This conversation is cut short when the new girl, Cassidy Thorpe, walks into the room and immediately grabs Ezra's attention.



As Ezra's senior year progresses, he starts to open up once again and become more like himself. But there are still bumps in the road for Ezra.  As he gets to know the new girl, he begins to think she is not the selfish and devious person everyone else claims her to be. How will senior year go for Ezra? Will he finally fit in, or will this homecoming king have to put his crown away for good?  Can Ezra forgive Charlotte? Will he find new love, or be forever alone? Find out in "The Beginning of Everything."


Written by: Haley Q.

Appalachian Studies class stirs up some homemade apple butter

On October 21st, Coach Eddie Sharpe's Appalachian Studies class came together to make homemade apple butter on Burton's lawn. The students needed to be at the school at approximately 6 a.m. to help with the work. At seven a.m. the stirring process began. The apple butter was expected to take at least seven hours to make, but it ended up taking ten hours in total.  This class made apple butter in order to learn about their ancestors' work habits and culinary tastes. The students spent roughly two weeks preparing the apples, prior to the day long process which took place on October 21st.

The students prepared eight bushels of  predominantly green apples. The students had to core and peel the apples to get ready to make the apple butter. To speed up the process, they cooked the mashed apples into apple sauce. While on the front lawn of the school, the students stirred the apple butter for 15 minutes each. They canned the apple butter around 4:30 p.m., and put their own labels on the jars. Any student who brought their own jar got a free quart of apple butter.

The students will be selling the apple butter for eight dollars a quart. All the money made from the apple butter will go toward the history department's funding. If anyone is interested in buying a quart of apple butter, please speak to an Appalachian Studies student or Coach Sharpe.

Written by: Tori F. and Michael M.

I don't think we are in Norton anymore








Tuesday, October 25, 2016

"Hush, Hush" it's a mystery

"Hush, Hush" by Becca Fitzpatrick, is about a sixteen year old girl named Nora Grey.  Nora lives with her mother in a farmhouse on the outskirts of town, away from everyone and everything.  Her best friend is Vee, and they do everything together, up until their biology teacher creates a new seating arrangement.  In this class, Vee and Nora are forces to sit separately, and Patch is moved next to Nora.  With just this one small change, Nora's life is turned upside down.  Strange events start happening.  Nora gets a feeling that she is being watched and does not like this sensation at all.

Nora Grey is just an average sixteen year old.  She is always worried about her grades, fitting in, and the condition of her Fiat Spider.  She never worried about any guys, that is up until she meets Patch.  Patch is a fallen angel.  He is a new high school student that loves being with Nora everyday in biology class.  Outside of school Patch always happens to run into Nora.  It isn't long before Nora begins to get strange feelings for Patch; she likes him, but she does not want him to know because she is intimidated by him.  Another character named Elliot also plays an important role in the novel.  He is a recent transfer to Nora's school; both Nora and Vee meet him on the morning of his first day in attendance.

Nora begins to feel like she is always being watched and notices the same person every time she gets this sensation.  This person runs into Vee's car, breaks into Nora's house, and even goes as far as hurting Vee, thinking she was Nora.  Nora gets really suspicious and has no idea who it is.  

None of these mysterious events started happening until Nora met Patch and Elliott.  Could it be one of them that is torturing Nora and wanting to hurt her?  "Hush, Hush" it is available here at Burton's Library, thanks to Mrs. Poteet.  Check it out to find out more.  After finishing the first novel in this sequence, check out the rest of the "Hush, Hush" saga.

Written by: Kim H.

If the witch's shoe fits...

Do-It-Yourself (DIY) projects have recently been gaining popularity.  DIY projects are a cheaper method of creating everyday items.  Inspired by a love for shoes and fashion, John I. Burton's Guidance Counselor, Mrs. Melissa Cook, has recently undertaken a unique DIY project in preparation for Halloween: she constructed her own witch shoes.

To show her Halloween spirit, Mrs. Cook decided to create her own pair of witch's shoes.  She found an advertisement on Facebook with a "How To" video attached explaining everything she needed to know about creating the shoes.  To make the shoes, the following items are required:  an old pair of shoes, masking tape, spray paint, glitter and jewels, an aluminum pie plate, and decorative Halloween items.

Mrs. Cook chose this project because it seemed quick and simple.  She stated that this was ideal for her, for she does not like projects that take more than a day to make.  Though this was Ms. Cook's first pair of DIY shoes, she hopes to do more in the future.  For Christmas, she plans on making a pair of elf shoes.  The video used by Mrs. Cook is in the link below for those who would like to create their own witch shoes for this Halloween!

 http:/m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10154162519989213&id=16801589212&_rdr

Written by: Makayla M. and Megan D.

Monday, October 24, 2016

Raiders celebrate homecoming

Homecoming week began today on Monday, October 24, and school spirit is at its peak.  John. I Burton High School is beaming, as students and teachers alike prepare for an eventful week.

Spirit days are as follows:
  • Monday - Country vs. Country Club
  • Tuesday - Weather Disaster Day 
  • Wednesday - Generation Day 
  • Thursday - No Place like Homecoming 
  • Friday - Spirit Day 
Choose between a southern, country lover or a rich, country clubber on Monday.  Then, dress as if a storm came through on Tuesday.  On Wednesday, clothes should represent different generations.  Sub-freshmen are dressing with 50's attire, freshmen are 60's, sophomores are 70's, juniors are 80's, and seniors are 90's.   Teachers can dress to represent any of these generations.  Then, on Thursday, become a character from "The Wizard of Oz", and on Friday go all out with school colors.

A parade has been scheduled for Thursday at six.  The parade will feature a myriad of students form Burton, including sport teams, academic teams, class floats, and more.  Each grade was asked to create their own float, and the floats created will make an appearance in the parade. The parade will run through downtown, beginning at 6, so be sure to come see our Raiders.

The Raiders have also chosen their homecoming court; each selected student will walk out onto the football field during halftime on Friday night's game.  Representing the eighth grade class is Landon B. and Maggie W.  The ninth grade class is presenting Holden H. and Akyssa H.  Sophomores Derrick A. and Zoe E. are representing the tenth grade class.  Andrew L. and Mazzy T. are representing the eleventh grade class, and the homecoming court for seniors include Allison B., Torie A., Hannah B., and Kaitlyn H., for the girls, and Brady A., Jacob B., Roy T., and Peyton S. for the boys.

Burton's student council is hosting a homecoming dance on Friday.  The dance will be during the end of school and costs two dollars per ticket.  Tickets will be available for purchase from Monday-Wednesday from first block teachers.  Class competitions will also be during school on Friday.  The competitions will include a three-legged race, a wheel barrel race, a musical chairs competition, and a tug of war.  Students may still sign up for these competitions, and interested students should consult Derrick A.     

To end a perfect week, the football team will be playing at home game against Rye Cove.  Good luck Raiders!!!

Written By: Paloma B.

Friday, October 21, 2016

Feeling like a failure?

Failure is defined as the deficiency of success.  It can cause a state of despondency for many.  Some believe that failure is a disease that plagues them, while others think it is the only way reach success.  No matter how one views failure, at some point a person is going to experience what it is like to fail.  Students and teachers at John I. Burton have their own opinions on failure in the classroom and how to deal with it.

Mathematics teacher, Mrs. Wampler, believes that her students cannot truly fail unless they give up.  Her motto is "Try, fail, adjust," to receive better results the next time.  "Never give up; not everything will be easy," states Wampler.  The students at Burton also have their own opinions on classroom failure.  Sophomore Logan L. thinks he could do more to prevent failure on classroom assignments, like ask more questions to make sure he understand the material.  Logan, along with Jonah C., believe failing grades in the classroom lead to additional effort being put forth by the student in order to grasp concepts not previously understood.

Failure is a discouraging topic that many students know far too well.  Even though failure is inevitable, most students agree that a positive attitude is the key to recover from their defeat.  Sophomore, Jackson B. expresses that failure in the classroom is a way to progress: "Failure is not the end of it, but it helps you move forward."    

Written By: Tiffany A. and Paloma B.

Spirit Week: Begins October 24th


Thursday, October 20, 2016

The 2016 Woodbooger Fest


The Woodbooger Fest has been held for three consecutive years in Norton.  This year it was held on October 14th and 15th from 6-10 PM at Flag Rock Recreational Area.  Children 5 and under got in for free, but anyone older than five paid a three dollar admission fee.  Mr. Walker, an art preceptor here at John I. Burton, had some of his students work for this festival, along with himself to fundraise for the art department.  

In the Woodbooger Fest, there were many activities to participate in.  Guests could visit different stations.  In each station, there was a person who explained evidence of the Woodboogers existence.  A mad scientist was at one of the stations; he admitted that he found blood from something non - human. Other characters included bicyclists, rock climbers, fishermen, and a camper.  Food and drinks were also available for purchase.  Along with all these wonderful activities and refreshments, there were even a few Woodboogers that emerged.  Throughout the night, participants could also go on a mystical night walk in search of the Woodbooger.

Since the first fest in 2014, it has turned out to be an event mainly for kids.  People volunteer to dress as the Woodbooger for this spectacular event.  Many remain uncertain as whether a real Woodbooger exists in Norton, VA.  Nonetheless, this is an astonishing event for a family to attend.  

Written by: Kim H.

Cross Country prepares for Cumberland Conference

On Wednesday, October 19, the 2016 Cross Country team had their last meet before they compete for the Cumberland Conference title on Thursday, October 27.  The team ran Central's course this week: the same course they will run for Cumberland Conference. Burton's Cross Country team competed against teams in the district: Castlewood, Eastside, Rye Cove, and Thomas Walker. There were also teams from Central, Union, Ridgeview, and other high schools.

Of the ninety varsity girls that competed, John I. Burton's Paloma B. placed 45th, Tiffany A. placed 61st, Haley H. placed 65th, and Olivia M. placed 83rd.  The boy's varsity competition consisted of one hundred seventeen runners. Burton's Derrick A. placed 41st, Jonah S. placed 61st, Jonah C. placed 70th, Malachi K. placed 91st, and Austin B. placed 115th.  Parents and friends came to Central's course to encourage Burton's Cross Country team.

In the Cross Country Cumberland Conference, Castlewood, Eastside, Rye Cove, and Thomas Walker will be in attendance.  These teams, along with Burton, will be running to their full ability to qualify for regions.  The top fifteen individuals and top six teams will advance to the regional competition.  Make sure to come and support the John I. Burton Raiders at the Central course next week on Thursday, October 27!

Written by: Megan D. and Alex C.

After night the raiders perform

On October 25, the 2016 drama students of John I. Burton will be presenting the first performance of their original play to the school. This production is entitled "After Night Comes the Morn."  This will not be the first time the drama team here at Burton has produced an original performance.  Burton's first original production was entitled "The Rise and Fall of Spaghetti-O's."  "After Night Comes the Morn" was written by the drama students with the help of Ms. Davis, director of the Burton drama for 27 years, and it was based on real events that occurred in the town of Pound, Virginia.

Following the first performance of "After Night Comes the Morn" during school on October 25th, there will be a free admission public performance that night at seven. Although the performance is free, donations will be accepted upon entering the play. Parents and people of the community are welcomed to attend this first public performance of this production.

Montana B. and Nicole H., both first year drama students agree that the actors and actresses of the drama team are very well prepared for this performance. Although, there are a few concerns, as Nicole H. stated, "Some of the actors must speak louder." Along with a concern felt by Mrs. Davis, who believes the performers may feel stress due to performing in front of their peers.

The Dramatic Raiders, will be competing in their first competition on Saturday, October 29th at Coeburn Middle School. The Raiders will be taking the stage at approximately 2:30. The Raiders anticipate the judges to appreciate their hard work on making this performance an original.

Be sure to come and support the Dramatic Raiders during their first performance and competition! Good luck Raiders!

Written by: Haley Q

Wednesday, October 19, 2016

I love science from my head to mitosis

Decisions. Secrets. Love and friendship.

Some wish to reverse time, change their decisions, or forget about them altogether. However, that is impossible.  In "Under the Lights" by Abbi Glines, one poor decision will haunt Willa for the rest of her life.  She holds a a dark secret from her past involving drugs, alcohol, and the deaths of loved ones.

Six years ago, Willa, Brady, and Gunner were inseparable until Willa Ames moved to Arkansas with her mother.  Now she is back living with her grandmother, who she calls Nonna, in Lawton, Alabama.  As a kid, she had a crush on Brady, but that has all changed.

Brady Higgens is the town's golden boy and high school quarter back.  He is in an on-again, off-again relationship with Ivy.  Nonetheless, when Willa returns, he rediscovers his feelings for her.

Gunner Lawton, the wealthy high school football star, has his own issues to deal with.  He has never been close with his family.  The only person he considered family was Ms. Ames, who was more of a mother than his own.  With Willa back in town, Gunner and Brady begin to compete for Willa's affection.

In this sequel to "Until Friday Night," discover what happens between Willa, Brady, and Gunner.  Find out how the three friends' lives unfold.  Will Willa ever forgive herself?  Who will end up with Willa?  Visit the Burton Library to find out.

Written by: Haley H.




Saving lives is in our blood

On October 14, 2016 John I. Burton High School hosted a blood drive, that allowed students who were at least 17 years of age and weighed a minimum of 110 pounds to donate blood.  This has become a yearly opportunity here at Burton, and it is a unique experience which gives students the chance to save lives.

Dokken L. a junior at John I. Burton high school, stated that he felt accomplished to be able to donate to the bigger cause of saving human lives.  Tyler B., also a junior, spoke about how it made him feel good because his donation could save three adult lives or the lives of six babies.

Many students participated including, Dokken L.,  Austin B., and Tyler B. Overall, most of the students who donated blood seemed to feel proud that they could potentially help someone in a dire situation. They also seemed satisfied that they received a free t-shirt.

Written by: Michael

Tuesday, October 18, 2016

The Raider A Team: Striving to be the best

At the end of every six weeks at Burton, report cards are distributed to students. The students who have the greatest motivation to achieve academic success often become a part of the Raider A Team. However, few students know about the Raider A Team program. The Raider A Team is a program lead by Mrs. Carter, Mr. Williams, and the guidance department to recognize the students who make all A's on their report card in a single six weeks. This program was first established in 2013 during Mrs. Carter's first year at Burton. There is usually a generous number of students in this program, with an average of 40 Burton students making straight A's each six weeks.

The Raider A Team had many qualified students in the first six weeks of the 2016-2017 school year.  
A few students such as Morgan F., Jonah C., Jackson B., and Kelly P. have made all A's  on their report card during their high school career. Morgan F., a sub-freshman here at Burton, was on the Raider A Team for the very first time. She said that it took a lot of independent studying to achieve this goal, along with the help from her mom, dad, and step-mom. She said that she plans to maintain an A average throughout high school. Jonah C., a freshman at Burton, was ecstatic to find out that he made all A's on this current report card. His techniques were to study each subject for 15 minutes every night. Jackson B., and Kelly P., both sophomores here at Burton, mainly focused on the subjects they struggled with the most. Overall, to join the Raider A Team, it requires a great deal of studying and preparation.


Being a part of the Raider A Team can pay off in the long run because it could lead to easier acceptance into colleges.  On a student's transcript, it would be documented that they were a straight A student.  This program recognizes the students and their hard work throughout the six weeks. In the past, the school rewarded the students with a five dollar gift card to Dairy Queen for each six weeks that they were able to complete this achievement.  This year, a picture of the Raider A Team was published in the Coalfield Progress newspaper, in recognition of their success. Congratulations to everyone who made the Raider A Team and good luck to everybody next six weeks.  




Written by: Austin Q. and Tori F.

One girl, three notes

What would someone do if they found out that their best friend had committed suicide?  In "Suicide Notes from Beautiful Girls" by Lynn Weingarten,June only wanted to finish high school without any drama.  However, June's normal high school experience dissipates when she learns her best friend, Delia, is dead.  June is unable to restrain herself from experiencing disbelief, when nearly everyone seems certain that Delia committed suicide, an act June knows her friend would never commit.   

June is a junior is high school.  She does not come from the best home, but always tries to make the best of every situation. One day she wakes up and goes to school like she would any other day, but something terrible happens. She overhears two girls talking about Delia's suicide. June is shocked by grief and disbelief.  Once June finds out how Delia supposedly committed suicide, she is even more convinced that it just could not be true.  Delia was said to have burned herself in her stepdad's shed, but June knew that she was terrified of fire. This causes June to question what really happened.

When Delia's most recent boyfriend, Jeremiah, comes to June and tells her that he thinks Delia was murdered, June sets out to find her killer. When reflecting on their many years of friendship, June begins to remember important clues that help her string the pieces together. She discovers that the truth is much uglier than she could ever image, and it involves some of the people she thought she loved most.


Written by: Makayla M.




Thursday, October 13, 2016

Breaking the silence in "The Silent Sister"

Lisa MacPherson supposedly led a charmed life.  Being a violin prodigy who traveled the world to play in symphonies, she had a bright future ahead of her.  That is, until she was accused of murdering her violin instructor.  After the investigation started, Lisa's yellow kayak was found abandoned in the frozen Potomac River.  The police presumed that Lisa had committed suicide to avoid going to prison, but her body was never found.  Riley and Danny, Lisa's younger siblings, are too young to remember what really happened that winter, so Lisa's parents choose to hide the truth from them.  After this traumatic occurrence, the MacPherson family fled their home in Alexandria, Virginia, and moved to North Carolina. "The Silent Sister" by Diane Chamberlain is a suspenseful and captivating novel.  It tells the story through the eyes of Lisa and also in Riley's point-of-view as she discovers the truth about Lisa 

Twenty-three years later, Danny and Riley's father passed away.  Riley came home to clear out her father's belongings, only to find a large box of newspaper articles about her sister.  Out of curiosity and the longing to know more about her sister, Riley decided to research Lisa's case to find out what really happened.  Clues from old family friends, newspaper articles, and online blogs lead her to believe that Lisa is not actually deceased.  Throughout the story, Riley does everything she can to figure out the truth involving Lisa, her father, and anyone else who may have been linked to the murder/suicide. 

With a new twist in every chapter, Chamberlain keeps the reader wanting to know more.  Is Lisa alive?  Will Riley ever know the truth about what happened the night of the murder?  To find out more and uncover the secrets of the MacPherson family, read "The Silent Sister."


Written By: Megan D.

Burton students travel to Virginia Tech's Science Festival



On Saturday, October 8th, Virginia Tech held their annual Science Festival.  The science department at John I. Burton invited students interested in this event to attend under their supervision. Both Ms. Scott and Mr. Lawson, accompanied the students who elected to participate in this educational opportunity.   Mrs. Kinser and Mrs. McCall, from NEMS, also attended, chaperoning elementary/middle school Quest students.  Mr. Walker was kind enough to chauffeur nearly twenty-five NCS students and all four teachers to Blakcsburg. This Science Festival had many different science displays, some of which were interactive.

Jacob W., a sophomore at Burton, really enjoyed this event.  He said,"I feel like this event (is) perfect for anyone that enjoys science."  He continued on to say, "My favorite part of this occurrence was that everyone was there for one reason: that was science."   This event had multiple activities for anyone interested in participating.   VT also had multiple virtual reality sets to use.  People that went to this event could also watch liquid nitrogen ice cream be made and then eat it.  One last event out of the many more VT had was that visitors could extract DNA out of a strawberry.  Jacob said that the Science Festival was exactly what he thought it was going to be.

This year the Science Festival was somewhat different from previous years.  This year they had many Star Wars' characters making an appearance.  Mr. Lawson, along with many others, thoroughly enjoyed this facet of the event .  Mr. Lawson said that meeting the Star Wars' characters was his favorite part of the festival. Anyone interested in science should check this event out next year.  It is truly an educational and enjoyable experience.

Written By: Kim H.

Getting the facts right for the student body

APPLEachian studies crafting apple butter



Wise County welcomes fall

The 38th Annual Wise County Famous Fall Fling took place October 8th and 9th.  This family fun event was held in downtown Wise in front of the historic courthouse while the colors of autumn were at their peak.  Even though the weather was breezy, that did not prevent the community from attending this exciting celebration welcoming fall.

There was a diversity of Appalachian music to amuse the crowd, and several of the visitors used this as an opportunity to dance. Local dancers, such as The Center Stage Cloggers and Country Cabin Line Dancers, entertained the spectators as they passed.  Thomas Cassell, a former graduate of John I. Burton High School, performed for the guests, along with his band.  Other artists, such as Kings Messengers and White Top Mountain Band, made an appearance as well.        

Many contests occurred during the Fall Fling.  Saturday morning at 9:00 A.M., athletes participated in the NCH Heart-One Cardiac Rehab 5K Run and One Mile Fitness Walk.  For those with the passion for culinary arts, there was an Anything Apples contest from 9:30 A. M.-11:00 A.M. Saturday, in which contestants could enter their apple pie or apple butter.  This was also the second year that the Fall Fling has hosted a corn hole tournament.  There were also contests for photography, essays, and art.


There were child-friendly activities that were accessible to families in the community.  The Wise County Fire Department transported people on top of the fire trucks through town and back.   Inflatable Connections provided their train for utilization by children and parents. 

This annual event featured over 125 vendors.  These vendors sold homemade crafts, food, jewelry, and more.  Lincoln Road Cold Brew Coffee was selling their new Pumpkin Iced Coffee to coffee lovers.  Got Donuts, from Clintwood, Virginia, provided the hungry customers with fresh, hot, mouthwatering desserts.  One vendor, 'The Two Broke Chicks', sold tumbler cups and other items.  These were only a few of the vendors at Fall Fling.

The sponsors of this event help Fall Fling complete its mission, which is; "Connecting community to celebrate our mountain life with music, arts and crafts, both traditional and contemporary, by attracting visitors to create interest in our unique marketplace."  

Written by: Alex C. and Haley H.

The top five fall trends at Burton

The fall season is upon us and styles are changing. Faculty and students at Burton are bringing out their fall clothes, especially in deep, rich colors. Here are the top five fashions which are trending at Burton.




1. Knee-high boots
One of the biggest trends this fall is knee-high boots.  Here are some of the way students at Burton wear them. Lilly R., is wearing her boots with a tee shirt, scarf, cardigan, and a pair of jeans. Cassie I., is wearing  a high-low dress and leggings with her boots. Anyone can change up this look by adding a scarf with the dress or just wearing a  pullover sweater instead of a cardigan.



2. A sweater with a scarf
Ms.Cline enjoys wearing sweaters during the fall. With her sweaters she likes to add a scarf and a pair of flats. One way to change up this look would be to trade out the flats for a pair of boots.  



3. A sweater with sweater boots
Many people love to wear sweaters during this season. Morgan F., is one of the many students wearing one.  She is wearing hers with a pair of leggings and a light pink pull over.  One can change this look up by adding a scarf or a statement necklace.

4. Combat boots
There are many different ways to wear these boots. In the photo above, Torie A. is wearing hers with skinny jeans, a cardigan, and a scarf. One way to change up this look is to replace the cardigan with a henley.  

5. Dress with a cardigan
Both faculty and students have been spotted wearing this combination. Brooklin B., prefers wearing her dresses with boots. On the other hand, Mrs. Cook likes wearing her dresses with heels. A way to change it up is instead of heel or boots one can wear a pair of flats.

Written by: Makayla M. and Tori F.

Wednesday, October 12, 2016

Exploring South American culture in Spanish II


In the second six weeks of John I. Burton's school year, Mrs. Beauchamp's Spanish II class is learning about South American countries and their cultures. The students are putting together PowerPoint presentations about countries which have a Spanish culture. Each student was able to choose the country they wanted to learn about for their presentation. This is an annual project that Burton's Spanish II class completes.

 Some of the students in this class were initially resistant to this project because they wanted their studies to focus more on the Spanish language, as opposed to culture.  
Camryn L., a senior at John I. Burton, expressed a different opinion about this project. She thought that it was important to learn about a country and the country's culture. Camryn L., stated, "It is also a good way to learn more about language in a fun, different way."


This assignment helped the students learn about the cultures, food, music, sites, economy, and the history about each of these countries. The goal of this project was to inform the students about the daily life of South American countries. 

Written by: Austin Q.