Scholarships for seniors

Around this time of year, most seniors are considering going off to college.  In college, would it not be nice to have extra cash or to go to college on scholarships? 

There is a very helpful website called FastWeb, which can help you to achieve this goal. This website can help you with scholarship matches, college resources, financial aid tips and internship opportunities. This is an any time opportunity but do not wait until shortly before or after graduation. Here is what you do to get started:

• Go to http://edu.fastweb.com/
• Create a profile.
• Fill out your own profile so it will be personalized for scholarship match ups.
• Stay up to date on your email for news on new and due scholarships.
• Login in to FastWeb and apply for all scholarship matches.
• Use your scholarship match ups on dashboard to keep track of all your applications.

Another scholarship that is available is the 2015 Horatio Alger Scholarship. The required criteria is:

• Be a full time enrolled senior student in the United States.
• Graduate in the year 2015 in the United States.
• Attend college the following fall after graduation.
• Maintain a GPA of 2.0.
• Display integrity and perseverance and be involved with community service activities.  

How do you apply?  There is an online application available at www.horratioalger.org/scholarships. One Support Form must be completed online by an adult over 21 not related to the applicant. Also you need to have a high school transcript, income verification, and an online certification form. This must be turned in by October 25, 2014. 

If anyone has questions or is looking for more information contact Mrs. Davis in guidance. She can be reached at 276-679-2554.

The science assembly

When was the last time you have been to a science fair or a science assembly? On Friday May, 10th the John.I.Burton science classes will be having an event to promote science for National Science Week. Students currently enrolled in biology, earth science, chemistry, and physical science courses will be participating in this event.

This event will be held in the auditorium at 2:45 where students, faculty, and parents will be able to attend this event. Different local news programs will be reporting on this event, so if you do not get to attend you can look forward to seeing it there.

This event will hopefully continue to grow into a science fair, where students will be able to make, design, and build experiments to be judged. For now it will be an annual event. Please come and support your scientific Raiders. 

"Side sports" and other team competitions go unrecognized

Out of the several extracurricular activities existing at John I. Burton, it seems only three are recognized by the local area: football, basketball, and baseball. These sports are constantly talked about among students and people in the community. There are several other competitions and sports that go seemingly unrecognized. 

I interviewed two students who are state champions in forensics: Conner W. and Olivia D. I asked both students the same question: "Do you feel you are granted the recognition you deserve for being state champions?" They both replied with almost the exact same answer, "No. It's not as big of a deal as people would make it if it were football, basketball, or baseball." According the these students and many others, it seems state champions in other sports and competitions would be more glorified.

Many students in this school are unaware of recent state champions and state placers in numerous unrecognized sports. Representing the tennis team, Austin S., district champion and state qualifier said, "Programs such as: forensics, band, wrestling, scholastic bowl, tennis, track, and the swim team have been successful both recently and in the past, arguably as or even more successful than the big three sports teams. These successful teams don't get recognized and have to fund raise the majority of their funding. If the football team were this successful, everyone in the entire state would know, and their funding would be increased even more."

Located in the lobby, there is currently a large flat screen television displaying only football players. Athletes representing other sports are not displayed at all. Colby D., four-time wrestling state champion, and arguably the most successful athlete and definitely the most successful wrestler in John I. Burton's history, does not even have up to date information on his plaque. Furthermore, forensics championship plaques and band trophies are in unnoticeable places or not displayed at all in the lobby. Out of a variety of students that I interviewed, they all come to an agreement that "side sports" and other team competitors are not credited with the recognition they deserve.

The color war rebellion

Over the past week, signs have been going up all over the building to announce the dress up days for homecoming week.  While I am sure you have noticed these posters, you may not have noticed the markings that continue to be placed on these signs. It would seem that seniors are not too happy with their assigned color, for color war day: PINK. On many of the signs, seniors have crossed out the word pink and written black. Although I am not a huge fan of pink, I am somewhat curious as to the reasoning behind this rebellion. Do they want some choice of what they should wear? Maybe they should have a choice. They are seniors, so this is their last year here at Burton. My curiosity led me to get some opinions on the matter from a few of our seniors.

Zachary S. said, " I think seniors should choose their own color. A lot of people do not even own pink clothes, and a lot of guys surely do not." Olivia D. said " A lot of people do not have any pink to wear, but everyone has a lot of black." Adrianna S. gave us her opinion: " Since no other grade has black, I do not think it should be a problem. We are seniors so we should be able to pick." Allison R. said, " I feel like the seniors should have their own opinion on what color they want to wear their last year of high school." Ultimately, it seems out of everyone I interviewed, the seniors feel that should be able to select their own color for color war day.

I think it is safe to say the seniors are indeed rebelling against this color catastrophe. I support it because they are standing up for something they believe they should have. The seniors believe they should have some sort of choice in the matter. I am amazed at their dedication, but I am not sure vandalizing the posters was necessary.  At this point, the seniors' assigned color for color war day remains pink; it has been decided that the faculty will wear the color black on color war day.

Burton's "Crazy Legs Contest"

Here at John I Burton, Mrs. Wharton, our cheer leading and Swag coach has started a new, interesting way to raise money for our school. This fundraiser is called "The Crazy Legs Contest." 

This contest consists of twenty different jars with various pictures of legs belonging to various members of the Burton faculty and student body posted on them. These legs consist of different characteristics ranging from "the hairiest" to the "whitest." 

These jars will be on a cart outside the gym in the morning before classes start, in the evening after classes, during activity period, and during lunch periods. There are ten jars with pictures of male faculty members' legs and ten jars with pictures of male students' legs. Each jar will have a slot at the top, so people can put money in whichever jar they think has a picture of "the best legs."

This contest will be active until the last day of homecoming week, which is October 31. On this day, Mrs. Wharton will announce who each picture belongs to and she will also announce what set of legs were ranked as "the best." I encourage everyone to donate money to your favorite set of legs!

Burton beats Eastside in district game

This past Friday, October 3, the John I. Burton Raiders played the Eastside Spartans in a Cumberland District football game. Both teams coming into the game were 1-0 in the Cumberland District. Also, going into the game,  the Raiders were starting a three game road trip, meaning they will play all away games for three consecutive weeks. Currently the Raiders are 2-0 in our district. To begin the game, the Raiders won the coin toss and deferred to the second half.


To begin the first quarter, the Spartans returned the kickoff  to the Spartans 40 yard line. The Spartans drove down the field and scored off a Justin B. pass to Tyler T. for a touchdown and a two point conversion. The Raider's first drive resulted in a touchdown from Tra A. pass to Daniel M., missing the extra point conversion. The score was 8-6 to end the first quarter.

For the next three quarters, the Spartan's offense was held scoreless by the Raider defense. The Raiders drove down the field and scored off a Tra A. pass to Daniel M. and received the two point conversion. The score was 14-8 going into halftime. The third quarter was the same for the Spartan's offense; they were stopped by the Raider's defense. The Raiders scored off a two yard run by Tra A., missing the extra point kick. By the end of the third quarter the score was 20-8.

The fourth quarter was started by the Spartan's offense which was stopped again by Raider defenders. The Raiders scored for the final time, when Matthew B. ran for a touchdown. With Blakelee C. providing an extra point kick, the score became 27-8. The Raider's next upcoming game will be against the Castlewood Blue Devils. Come and watch the Raiders play the Blue Devils next Friday, October 10.

Homecoming week nears at Burton!

The most entertaining and enjoyable week of the school year is slowly approaching. That's right - homecoming week is almost here. Everyone enjoys dressing up and acting wacky with all the other students during this fun-filled week. All students should participate in this exciting week and show their school spirit. Homecoming week will begin on Monday, October, 27th  and will last through Friday, October, 31st.

Homecoming days are as follows: Monday- 'Merica' Monday: Show your love for America by expressing your patriotic spirit; Tuesday- Pink Out Day: Go all out in PINK clothing for Breast Cancer Awareness Month; Wednesday- Decade Day: Dress like your favorite decade, from poodle skirts to hippie attire and everything in between; Thursday- Halloween day: dress in your favorite costumes. (NO MASKS, TRENCHCOATS, OR WEAPONS ALLOWED); and Friday- Spirit day: Go all out for your Raiders by dressing in orange, black, and white. The crazier the attire, the better.

In addition to the aforementioned dress up days, there will be a dance on Halloween night: Friday, October, 31st.  It will last from 7:00 pm-9:30 pm and will be a costume dance. The dance will be held at Quality Inn in Norton, beside Hardee's. Tickets to attend will be $5.00, and all students will receive a wristband. This wristband will let adults and teachers know that the person is a student. Everyone should dress up and come and enjoy the games and good food. Awards will be given to the most creative costumes, best couple costumes, and best group costumes!

"Sweet" shirts for the bloggers!

If you like sweets, then you are in luck! Burton's Blog is working on selling a variety of baked goods, so we can purchase t-shirts to advertise our blog!  Sweets are lovely, and I am pretty sure that people cannot turn them down because they are delicious.  Surely everyone will have enough time and money to participate in this fundraiser. The prices will never go above a dollar, so everyone can afford these treats.

New baked goods will arrive on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  You can expect cupcakes on Tuesday, October 2.  Baked goods will be sold from Mrs. Bias's classroom between blocks.  They will also be sold in some classrooms during fourth block on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  Make sure to have your pocket change ready and waiting!

There will be many different sweets arriving over the next few weeks.  Some of which include: cookies, brownies, and cupcakes.  So keep an eye out for a blogger and help us reach our goal. If you are allergic to any ingredients normally found in baked goods, let us know beforehand.  Thank you!