Student Reps Provide Voice on School Board

Madison Bonhert and Derrick Allen

by Mary Tootill, sophomore

Most students do not put much thought into the difficulties of the operation of a school, considering that this task is primarily left up to elected school board members who make important policy decisions for our school community. Among the members of the school board this year, however, are John I. Burton High School's own Derrick Allen, (senior) and Madison Bonhert, (junior) as student representatives on the school board.

The two attend the school board meetings and assist in making decisions for Norton City Schools. Although they are not permitted to vote as representatives, they are allowed to express their perspective on issues. "Our board has been very supportive of the representatives and have welcomed their input on policy, school morale, and suggestions for improvements within the schools," said Norton City Schools Superintendent, Dr. Gina Wohlford.

The student representative position is fairly new to the Norton City School Board. "We initiated the representatives in January of last year," said Dr. Gina Wohlford, school superintendent.  "I wanted representatives to have a voice for our students and a perspective from their viewpoint. It is important to value their thoughts and input. Their insight comes from within the school walls and they are living the decisions made in many cases."

One junior and one senior from John I. Burton are chosen by the school administration based on their academic success and responsibility. The students who are chosen as a junior can hold this position through their senior year if they wish. Allen is now in his second year as a school representative, and Bonhert, who was newly elected this year, plans to continue through her senior year.

They do not receive pay for holding this position, but they do have an opportunity to apply for a scholarship offered by the Virginia School Board Association. "The scholarship is the best part," said Bonhert.

Student representatives have an important role at school board meetings. They provide the school board members a student perspective on the issues being discussed, "I'm always on duty receiving information and opinions from students," said Allen.

Board meetings are held once a month on Monday evenings, and normally last three hours, "The meetings are very time-consuming," said Allen. Allen and Bonhert alternate who attends the meetings; If both of the representatives have school activities and are unable to come, they must decide which one will have to sacrifice an activity in order to attend.

Both representatives have already had involvement in making important school policy decisions. Bonhert recently helped the school board come to a decision on how suspension affects student grades. The school board originally planned to give suspended students zeroes, but Bonhert gave them her standpoint as a student. She pointed out to them that sometimes even very good students may get caught up in a situation, even if they did not start the problem that caused the suspension.
Ultimately, the board decided that students will have a chance to earn a fifty as a grade for assignments missed while they are suspended.

In another situation, Allen assisted in making a decision about make-up work concerning how many days a student is given to complete missed work and how many points can be taken off. "They were seeing it from an adult standpoint - the point of view of what they would want to do with their kids - but I was able to think about what I would want as a student."

Along with contributing to decision making, Allen and Bonhert have acquired new knowledge about the school system from attending the meetings. "I've learned that there is a lot more to running a school than what a typical student would think," Allen said.

"I found out that Norton City Schools has around eight hundred students, and has been continuing to go up in the past few years. I believe this is amazing, since this helps with our income," added Bonhert.

Neither of the student representatives plan on having a future in local government, but both agree that being a student representative has been a great experience for them. "I plan on going into the medical field, but I think it's a good experience to have," stated Bonhert.

"I'll at least know I have the background. This community is really good to work with," said Allen.

Both representatives value their opportunity to influence the school board and the decisions made for Norton City Schools. "I just want to improve the school and everybody's well-being here and help advocate for students," Allen said.

New Raider Gear Online Store!

We now have an online store to purchase John I. Burton Raider merchandise! Merchandise is for students, staff, fans, parents, and alumni. Orders can be customized and are shipped directly to the customer. A percentage of the profit earned goes to J.I.B.

Online store:
https://sideline.bsnsports.com/schools/virginia/norton/j-i-burton-high-school

Officer Church Protects and Serves as S.R.O.

By Hannah S., junior, and Hunter C., sophomore
 

Students may have noticed that J.I. Burton has a new school resource officer this year. Zack Church, a hard working police officer, has been on the police force for about three years but was just recently appointed as an S.R.O.

Officer Church wakes up every day at  7 a.m. to be at the school by 8 a.m.. He works long hours and although his job may not look hard sometimes, he never knows when he might have to deal with a very difficult situation.

Although the job can be difficult, he says it is worth the sacrifices that officers have to make for others. Certain situations can be difficult to handle,but they make him a better officer at the end of the day. An officer may handle many different situations in a single day. Some are more difficult than others, but almost none are easy.

At our school, he tries his best to make a connection with the students. He believes that he is not just here as a police officer; he is here to get to know all of us. He talks to students as much as he can to get to know them personally. He isn't only our resource officer here at the school; he is a friend to anyone that may need one. In this way, his presence at our school could even prevent situations from escalating into violence.

Some examples of how he is trying to get to know students are talking to students in the hallways, playing games in the gym with students, and participating in classroom activities. He likes to be  involved in school as much as he can.

When students in an English 11 class were writing argumentative essays about the issue of police brutality that has been in the national media, he visited class as a guest speaker to provide a law enforcement perspective on the issue.

Officer Church says that "one of the biggest challenges is dealing with tragedies and trauma." One such example is a stabbing that just recently happened in Norton when he was called from the school to respond.

He said the craziest thing that he has gone through as an officer, which happened before he became an S.R.O.,  is getting shot at. He couldn't tell the details of what exactly happened, but he claims that it was "very scary".

As far as his life outside of work, Officer Church's hobbies include "anything outdoors". He loves and owns a Jeep, loves classic cars, and also likes to go off-roading with his kids. He has two boys, a five-year-old and a two-year-old, and a girlfriend whom he loves very much.



                                               

Photo Gallery: Homecoming Door Decorating

Mrs. Godsey's class; 1st place

To celebrate homecoming, classes participated in a door decorating competition. Classes were challenged to interpret the homecoming theme: "The Raider Way. Here to Stay," which focuses on the 65 years of school tradition. 

Ms. Kinser's class, 2nd place

Norton City Schools superintendent Dr. Gina Wohlford and central office staff judged the competition.  The winners were Mrs. Godsey's class, 1st place; Ms. Kinser's class, 2nd place; and Ms. Compton's and Mrs. Potter's classes, tied for 3rd place.  Almost all classes participated in the competition, which created a festive hallway and lots of school spirit.

Ms. Potter's class, 3rd (tie)

Ms. Compton, 3rd (tie)

Ms. Compton, 3rd (tie)

Linger: Book Review

by Caitlyn Collins, sophomore

Linger, by Maggie Stiefvater, is the second book to The Wolves of Mercy Falls series. So far, I have read only the first two books, but this series is very interesting. However, there were some characteristics I did not favor.

The story begins with Sam and Grace, the main characters in Shiver (the first book), reuniting after months of being away from one another. They feel like everything will be perfect since they have each other until Sam meets the new wolves.

Beck, Sam's father-figure, chose to turn Cole, a singer, into a werewolf, which results in many new problems. While Cole is causing trouble, he becomes close to Isabel, one of Grace's best friends, and she attempts to take care of him. Sam and Cole have a strong hatred for each other, but when Grace starts to get ill, they are forced to work together. Grace's parents don't approve of Sam, so Cole is the only one who can turn her into a werewolf for her survival. This helps relieve the tension between the two boys. Cole takes Grace away from the hospital and Sam doesn't follow him, hoping for the best.

I am really enjoying the series so far, but I favored the first book over the second one. I thought this book was a lot slower than the first one, although I still found it to be outstanding. Linger was touching, adventurous, and saddening all in one. I would recommend the book to anyone who loves fantasy, romance, and werewolves.

Park is a Place to Come Together

by Keaton I., senior

The best place in Norton to hang out at or meet new people is at the city park, located less than a half mile from the high school a block off  Virginia Avenue.

I have tennis practice after school and I've meet many new people of all ages with similar interests. The park is in the center of the city, making it easily accessible.

Yesterday I was at tennis practice and a guy and a girl came and played on the court next to us. I talked to them a bit and asked how long they have been playing tennis, and they responded, "A couple months." Our conversation made me think about how many people they have met. Personally, I've met many people playing tennis for the two years I've played, and I have met even more people playing basketball and football at the park.

It's not only kids who live in Norton that you'll meet at the park, either. Many people from Wise come to our park because they have friends in Norton. It sometime is for after-school activities, also, as other cross country sports teams like to practice by running the streets of Norton.

You'll always find people at the park no matter what time of year. People love seeing High Knob from it and looking at the mountains to see the trees in fall and winter, making it a great place to have a picnic with a loved one or a boyfriend or girlfriend. People love the park during winter to sled with family or play in the snow. The summertime is when most people are at the park and it's a great environment for families.

Norton City Park is a great park for many ages to interact with each other. It's a safe and beautiful place to have fun with friends or family.

Students and Parents Challenged to Avoid "Chronic Absenteeism"

by Mary T., sophomore

A letter to parents sent out by our principal, Dr. Goforth, discusses "chronic absenteeism" and the importance of attending school.

To be considered "chronically absent," a student would have to miss 10 percent of any point of the school year. In other words, if a student misses nine or more days in a ninety day period, they will be considered "chronically absent."

The Virginia Department of Education has now began asking school districts to track students who are considered to be "chronically absent." This issue has recently became very important, considering that schools that do not maintain a low rate of "chronically absent" students will lose their fully accredited status.

For this new requirement, excused and unexcused absences both count towards a student being "chronically absent." However, "chronic absenteeism" is not based off of tardies and check-outs.

Therefore, students are highly encouraged to attend school for the time they can even if they have to be tardy or check-out. Despite tardies and check-outs not being a factor in a "chronically absent" student, they do still count towards the state attendance laws.

In addition to affecting school accreditation, chronic absenteeism puts individual students at a high risk of failure since they lose time that should be spent learning, and many students fail to make up missed work.

Mrs. Justice Joins Science Department

Brandi Justice

by Mary Tootill, sophomore

Mrs. Brandi Justice is a new face at John I. Burton High School! She teaches chemistry and physical science. Justice attended college at UVA-Wise and graduated with a chemistry degree. This is her first year being a teacher, but she was previously a freshman mentor at UVA-Wise, along with being a teacher assistant.

"The adjustment has been going smooth so far. Just taking everything day by day with God's good grace," Justice said.

One of the biggest challenges so far has been trying to adapt to the pace of teaching, along with learning people's names, "The hardest thing for me is learning everyone's names! I am awful at names," she said.

Despite the few challenges Justice has faced, she has enjoyed her time at John I. Burton so far, "The experience has been amazing, I couldn't ask for a better working staff as a first year teacher."

Mrs. Justice has a husband, a 3-year-old daughter, and a baby on the way! "After receiving my job at Burton, I found out that we are expecting baby number two; we are very excited," she said. Justice's husband is currently attending Southwest Community College to obtain his nursing degree.

Outside of school, Mrs. Justice spends her time working outside, playing tennis, camping, attending church, and playing with her daughter, "We color a lot," she said.

Why Should Our School Offer A Photography Class?

by Caitlyn Collin, sophomore

In our school, we have classes that require taking pictures every now and then. However, we don't have a class dedicated to just photography itself. I think photography would be a great class to offer at John I. Burton.

Photography helps students express themselves in a creative, artistic way. Although we have an Art class, not everyone shows their creative side through painting and drawing. Photography would give students an opportunity to express themselves in a different art form.

A photography class would encourage students to go different places in order to take amazing photos. The photographer would have the opportunity to explore several places in the community for the perfect photo. Since my mother and I both love capturing photos, we usually visit the woods or somewhere downtown. Students could do the same.

This would give students the chance to be social, too. For example, they might have to ask another person for permission to take the photos. In addition, the class would expand the individual's interest in photography.


Personally, I have a huge interest in photography and I've always found it to be very enjoyable. I would love to learn in depth about the cameras, angles, editing, and how to take the perfect photo. A class about this art would teach students everything they need to know about it.

Four-legged Visitor Comes to Class

by Hannah Sergent, junior, and Tyrell Ingram, junior

4-legged visitor from PAWS

On Friday, Sept. 15, Annie Sutherland, the spay/neuter coordinator from P.A.W.S. of Southwest Virginia, Inc., was a guest speaker for Mrs. Godsey's Resource Management class. She briefly explained exactly what happens when somebody adopts an animal through P.A.W.S, an organization that works with local animal shelters.

The kids in the class were so interested in the dog she brought with her.  There were so many pictures taken with the dog, it was insane! Mrs Annie wanted everyone in the class to know that  PAWS is a "tax-exempt entity dedicated to to a neuter and spray program that reduces the number of healthy animals that are euthanized by local shelters and  reduces pet overpopulation."

She shared with students that here are many different ways for students to volunteer for PAWS such a taking care of cats at Petsense, participating in fundraisers, promoting spaying/neutering in the community, sharing adoptable animals via Facebook or email, helping with spay/neuter van, or transporting animals to vet appointments or new homes.

PAWS funds go straight to the low-cost neuter and spray for adopted animals and toward the care of all the animals awaiting to be adopted or have been adopted. 

        

 

Book Review: All the Missing Girls

(Book Review) by Mary T., sophomore

All the Missing Girls, by Megan Miranda, is a book that involves mystery and suspense. It was published in June, 2016 and became a New York Times bestseller.

The main character of the story is named Nic Farrell, a 28-year- old guidance counselor. Her fiance, Everett, works as a successful lawyer. Nic and her fiance live together in a little apartment in the city.

Nic previously lived in a small, country town called Cooley Ridge. She moved away from Cooley Ridge the summer after graduation when she was 18. That same summer before she left, her best friend, Corinne Prescott, mysteriously went missing and was never found. The disappearance was the main reason Nic felt the need to move away to the city, to get away from Cooley Ridge and escape the bad memories.

Nic's brother, Daniel, calls her to tell her that their father has became ill, and asks her to come home to help. Nic reluctantly makes her trip home to Cooley Ridge to help her father in his nursing home and to attempt to sell her childhood home.

Once back in Cooley Ridge, all the memories of her childhood and Corinne that she tried to forget come back to her. She tries to do her job of helping her father and brother, but she can only concentrate on Corinne. Within the first two days of her coming home, another girl named Annaleise Carter went missing.

Nic then goes on a hunt to find Annaleise and piece together clues from her and Corinne's cases. Dirty details of Nic's, her family's, and other people in the town's past is brought to the surface as Nic and the police search for information and Annaleise.

I believe All the Missing Girls is an amazing read for anyone who loves suspenseful mystery novels. The story keeps readers on the edge of their seats in anticipation. This book can be found in the John I. Burton library.

Coach Caudill Returns to his Alma Mater

by Mary Tootill, sophomore

Jacob Caudill is a new face at John I. Burton High School. He teaches eighth, ninth, and tenth grade Physical Education, along with Driver's Education. "I didn't expect to get the job, but I really wanted it. Everything worked out really great," he said.

Many students at JIB already know Coach Caudill because he has been coaching sports here for several years. This year, he is helping with football and basketball, and he will be the new varsity head baseball coach in the spring.

Caudill previously worked at L.F. Addington Middle School in Wise as a Physical Education teacher but has never held a position as a high school teacher. Before holding any teaching jobs, Caudill worked at Lowe's and with his dad's company working on telephone poles.

Caudill is an alumnus of John I. Burton, graduating in 2008. He attended college at Mountain Empire Community College for one year and continued to UVA Wise and graduated from there. He received his bachelor's degree with a major in Health and Physical Fitness and a minor in Education.

"The adjustment to the school was pretty easy, thanks to Dr. Goforth and Mr. Helton," Caudill said. The biggest challenge for Coach Caudill so far has been the difference between how his students act depending on if they're in the Gym or the Health room, "They like to talk more in the Health room," he says. "The experience has been great, I feel back at home in Burton," Caudill said.

Outside of school, Coach Caudill and his wife, who will soon have two children, love to do outdoor activities. Some of their favorite activities are camping, deer and turkey hunting, fishing, and hiking. "We don't use the TV or play video games a lot; we love the outdoors," he says.

Seniors Tour UVA- Wise

Some of the JIB Class of 2019 outside the UVA-Wise Student Center

by. Keaton Ingle, senior

Thirty students of John I. Burton senior class of 2019 visited UVA-Wise for a campus tour on Friday, Sept. 21. This was the first college tour for many seniors, who will soon be deciding their future plans. Most seniors have been to UVA before for other reasons; such as sporting and recreational events, however, this tour was more serious. The trip showed seniors what college is like and what the requirements would be to attend.

A college admission counselor from UVA-Wise showed the seniors around campus, starting with visiting the dorms and telling students some history about the college. The group made its way back to the C. Bascom Slemp Student Center, a place where college students can hang out between classes and participate in recreational activities. For example, the day we visited, there was a table set up for students to make S'mores. Then, we headed up to the academic part of campus which is on a hilltop, and looked at some of the buildings for each department where students attend classes.


The tour finished with students sampling the cafeteria food, which was fantastic. The menu included hamburgers, fries, a rice dish, Spanish dip, a salad bar, and ice cream. The hamburgers tasted amazing and were like those at Steak n' Shake's. Once we ate, we went and played some games in the student center to win some prizes, such as UVA-Wise t-shirts.

The trip showed us we didn't know everything about UVA-Wise. Most of us only knew a small part of what UVA-Wise has to offer. "It was really outstanding once he seen what it had too offer" Hunter, a senior that went on the trip, said. He was also impressed by how close nit everyone was and liked how the community was. Even though it was the first trip for us, I would say it won't be the last, and many of us will probably end up as students there in the future.

"The Nun" Doesn't Run with the Rest

(Movie Review) by Keaton I., senior

Going into the movie The Nun, I had high expectations, along with my friends, since it was another movie in The Conjuring series; however, I was wrong. According to the Rotten Tomato website,  which I checked before I saw it, it only scored 26 out of 100 and had many bad reviews. They are many great movies that have low scores from Rotten Tomato, though, so I had decided to watch it anyway. Big mistake.

The movie is about a nun who is possessed from a past event. The movie starts out with a guy finding a nun who committed suicide at the monastery because the possessed nun scared her. The guy and two others go into the monastery to try and to cleanse the place from the nun.

Classified as a horror movie, the movie didn't suffice since it only scared me once. It was very repetitive as it had many long, dark hallways or a cemetery in every scene.  Most of the dialogue that was supposed to be scary just turned out to be corny, poorly written, and confusing.

I don't really recommend this movie even though I tried to enjoy it. The only way I think the movie should be watched is just as an excuse to hang out with friends. I would buy this movie only if it came in a variety pack with all the titles of The Conjuring series in it.

The Nun didn't follow the greatness of The Conjuring movies. The best part was at the end when they connected it with The Conjuring, but that was it. This movie is only a movie to tie up loose ends for The Conjuring series, and it wasn't entertaining, so that's why I would rate it a 3 out of 10.