Lreshies

August 2009

The Paw Print

A quick guide to all you need to know to start the 2009-2010 school year out right.

...are friends not food.

Faces & Places..2-3, Procedures..4-5, Make the Grade, Counselor, Reading..6-7, Free Lunch, Spirit Contest, Club..8-9, Discipline, Dress Code, Lockers.. 10-11, Credits, Loss of Credit, Grad. Requirements..12-13, Pay Attention, School Map..14-15, Back Page Fun..16

[ FacesandPlaces

Lonoke High SchoolOffice:501-676-2476501 W. Academy St.Lonoke, AR 72086

Welcome to Lonoke High School! Our mission is to ensure that all students meet or exceed learning expectations in all academic endeavors through the collaborative efforts of parents, students, and faculty. Our staff

members welcome every student into their classrooms with a friendly attitude and a helping hand. We are currently working on rebuilding our school to make a better learning environment for our students. Construction will begin in 2010. We hope that every student fi nds the assistance and education they need in order to succeed in all of their goals here at Lonoke High School.Welcome

to the 09-10 school year.Make it good.-Mr. Wilson, Principal

Mr. WilsonPrincipal

SecretariesMrs. Lucas & Mrs. Hunter

Resource OfficerMrs. Stivers

LibrarianMrs. Hobson

CounselorsMrs. Fletcher & Mrs. Holt

2

Lonoke High School

Dr. Tackett

In School Suspension

LPSD Superintendent

Mrs. Williford

Assistant PrincipalCoach Hobson

[3

As the world furthers in electronics, the schools are benefi ting. The distance learning classroom has a teacher via live feed, camera, and video.

Teachers can hear, see, and help students, while being at another location.

Distance learning is a cost effective way to manage teaching. Different teachers call to the classroom via web conference and teach their select class. They sign off and another teacher calls in to teach another class.

Mrs. Jones is our facilitator (adult) and is always located in the classroom to bridge the gap between teacher and student.

Distance learning is a step in the right direction for schools everywhere. Our own distance learning center hosts journalism and oral communications. Other DL classes the state offers to schools are Astronomy, Latin, college courses and many more.

N

S

W

EAST

Do you want to get a cool credit, have fun, and help the community at the same time? Well EAST is the class for you.

EAST is a way for the students to get involved with their communities through technology driven projects. Students can learn to use a server, edit videos, create movies, and much more.

Throughout the year, you are given products that challenge you but are fun at the same time.

Some of EAST labs 08-09 accomplishments were collecting $650 for the Lonoke Animal Shelter, attending EAST National Conference, creating the Relay for Life offi cial brochure and many more community related activities.

DLC

Nova Net

Writing Lab

It is located in the English hallway, in room A12.

Mrs. Perryman is in the writing lab during regular school hours. Students may come into the lab to work on English assignments.

“Typically, English teachers rotate into the lab for three day assignments and it is important for students to save all of their work to their student network folder,” said Perryman.

The Writing Lab is supposed to have a quiet atmosphere like the Library and no foods or drinks are allowed. Come in and try it out!

Mrs. Perryman

runs the Writing

Lab.

Students pushing to graduate utilize the Nova Net credit recovery course to regain credits lost due to attendance or failure of a course. “Approval must be made by Mr. Wilson for anyone wishing to be enrolled in the class,”

said Mrs. Jones, Nova Net Facilitator. Classes are typically offered as a last resort. “Students need to remain in the classroom if at all possible,” said Jones. The DLC/Nova Net classroom is located in the elective hall next to the Library.

Brittany Gilbert and John May work diligently in EAST lab to help the community and learn new skills.

Photo by Brandon Bryant

BY Regan Muse

BY Rachael Adams

BY Genni Higginbotham

EnvironmentalAndSpacialTechnologies

Like any other professional offi ce, individuals should use appropriate manners and language, show respect and act with maturity, while visiting there. As the offi ce is an extremely busy place, it is asked that individuals come for offi cial business only and wait calmly and quietly until their turn. The offi ce staff attempts to help every individual as politely, quickly and effi ciently as possible; following the below listed rules and procedures ensures this.

The High School Offi ce is the administrative, business, and discipline center of the campus.

The Principal, Assistant Principal/Athletic Director and the Nurse have their offi ces within the main offi ce. There are two offi ce secretaries, Mrs. Lucas and Mrs. Hunter, available to assist students, staff, parents, and visitors with their administrative needs.

Academic records, documentation requests, disciplinary issues, and fi nancial matters are some of the many responsibilities handled in the Main Offi ce.

Proceed to theProceed to the

OfficeOffice

4

procedures

Medication is dispensed by the nurse

during advisory

period. Office personelle are not permitted

to give medication,

even Tylenol.

Julie Miller is the high school’s nurse. She is at the school ev-eryday during Advisory period only. If there is an emergency,

the school will call Nurse Miller and let her know. Any medication should be brought to the offi ce. If you have an inhaler, you will need a note from your doctor saying you have permission to carry it along with you. If you have to take any medication, such as, Tylenol or Ibuprofen, it is to be brought to the offi ce and labeled with your name. You have to have a health card fi lled out if you want to re-ceive medication. The school usually schedules a BMI (Body Mass Index) test in January.

Nurse MillerNurse Miller

There is a three day wait for all documentation requests.A pass from the teacher is required before a student will be assisted in the offi ce.If you are awaiting discipline, you are to wait quietly. You are not to converse with other students or visitors. It is preferred that you read a book or work on a school assignment.The telephone is for EMERGENCY purposes only.Food, drinks, sleeping, and personal grooming are NOT permitted in the offi ce.Students are not permitted past the secretaries’ counters without authorization from the secretaries.Admit slips are issued at the offi ce window. You must be in line with a written excuse before the fi rst bell at 7:55.

Compliance with these and all other school rules is required when visiting the offi ce and ensures a pleasant environment and experience for everyone.

Don’t get caught walking around campus without a pass. This year teachers and administration will be cracking down on students out of class. If a teacher forgets to give you a pass, just remind him/her. Ultimately it is your neck on the line.

The lunch period is one of the best times for students during the day, if they follow the procedures correctly.

Each student will receive their lunch card in a packet at open house or on the fi rst day of school. The

lunch cards will have the students name and account number on it. You need to have money on your lunch card. There is no charging in the cafeteria. You can pay daily, weekly monthly or a lump sum of money. You have to have your lunch card everyday to get in the door or you have to wait at the end of the line. It helps the line move faster when you have your lunch card, because all you do is walk

through and scan your card. It also helps get the money on the right account and to have the

right account charged when you have your lunch card. Not having a lunch card gives the chance of money being

put on the wrong account or the account to be charged wrong. There are three different lunch costs. The regular lunch costs $1.75, reduced lunch is $.40 and free lunch is, well, $.00. The cafeteria also has extra foods such as chips, cookies, ice cream and other snacks that costs from $.50 to $1.00.

Next Exit...Next Exit...

You can only have 8 detentions a semester. If you get more than 8, expect to bypass D-hall and go straight to jail...ISS

NO FOOD!NO DRINK!Eat breakfast before you come.

If you don’t serve d-hall, you will receive ISS for 1 day.

You must have something to work on and a PEN!

Detention starts at 7:30 every morning. Students cannot enter the DLC classroom after the door has been closed.

5

D-HallD-Hall Hall PassHall Passprocedures

Have you ever wondered how your school can stay drug free, safe, and kept in line? Most public schools have a resource offi cer, here at Lonoke our Resource Offi cer is Mrs. Cathy Stivers.

She is here to be a law enforcer, a law related counselor, and to be a law related educator. Her offi ce is located next to counselor’s offi ce in the main hallway.

If you feel unsafe at school, you should go see her. She can assist with most problems that students have.

There is an anti bully law at Lonoke high school, so if you are being bullied, consult Offi cer Stivers, and she will take care of the problem.

As a law enforcement offi cer, she has the right to search any student and seize student property.

CafeteriaCafeteriaprocedures

procedures

Officer StiversOfficer Stivers

A With age comes more

responsibility. This saying couldn’t be more true in high school.

In order to be responsible, it is smart to get organized. “I bought a binder and dividers for every class,” said 08-09 freshman Stephanie White.

“In my math class, the rule is after three missed homeworks you are given a detention,” said freshman Olivia Brumley.

Teachers have a higher expectation for high school students, and expect you to perform at your highest level of achievement.

Also, it is smart to keep up with your tardy card and lunch card. If you prefer getting your food fi rst and having a nice seat to eat, having your lunch card will insure this. People with lunch cards are usually fi rst to get in the lunch line, because it takes less time to swipe your card.

Keeping up with your tardy card can save you a detention. You are allowed to be tardy three times. After three tardies, your card will be taken up and you will receive d-hall for every subsequent tardy.

Make sure to get a tardy card from your advisory teacher by the end of the fi rst week of school.

Coming to high school may sound like a giant leap, but it is easy as long as you come prepared and organized. “It was nothing like I had expected it to be,” said 08-09 freshman Hannah Stewmon. M

ak

ing

Th

eG

rad

e

Counselor......LHS has its very own scholarship

adviser, therapist, test tutor, and four year planner. Don’t worry about taking advantage of the school counselors. “Counselors will help students with anything that is important to them,” said Mrs. Fletcher.

The freshman and “at risk” counselor is Mrs. Fletcher. We welcome the new upperclassman

counselor this year, Mrs. Holt.“School counselors are caring,

responsive people who’s main objective is to be an advocate for students. We are here to help in any way, whether individually, with your teachers, and your parents. We want students to be successful young people who will fi nd their place in the world, both during their school years and afterwards,” said Mrs. Fletcher.

+BY Reagan Muse

BY The Paw Print Staff

6

......

1. If you come to the Library Media Center (LMC) during class, you must show your pass to Mrs. Hobson when entering.

2. If you come during lunch, you don’t need a pass.

3. Books are checked out for 2 weeks.4. Computers are for educational

purposes. No games or e-mail. You may use them to type a paper or do research.

5. Mrs. Hobson is the friendliest media specialist in the state, so be nice!

“Counselors help with many different types of problems: academic, attendance issues, personal/social relationships, family issues, crisis counseling, anger and confl ict management, study and learning skills,” said Mrs. Fletcher.

They also help with credits, choosing classes, college and career planning, seeking out scholarships and college applications.

“Counselors only have

information, we do not give out scholarships,” said former counselor, Mrs. Rudder. But, they can help you fi nd and fi ll them out. They suggest doing this early in your junior year.

Counselors are over all state testing including the PLAN, SAT, ACT, end of course testing and AP testing. For test preparation, “study with one friend and help each other is the best, if you study and not play,” said Mrs. Rudder. If you’re

having test preparation problems, you can go to the counselors and they will provide you with test taking tips.

They won’t tell you what decision to make, but they give you advice and do their best to help you make the best decision.

Every Wednesday is “Drop Everything And Read” otherwise known as DEAR. This gives students a chance to catch up on reading. DEAR takes place during advisory period. It’s a nation wide program created to help improve reading skills.

“This forces students to sit down, be still and read,” said Mrs. Hobson. A good way to stay interested in reading is to fi nd an author they like and fi nd books written by them.

Reading every Wednesday in advisory can also improve your reading skills. “The more you read the faster you read,” said Mrs. Hobson.

Drop E

veryth

ing...

& Read

September 8 is International Literacy Day

Adults with the ability

to perform challenging

and complex reading tasks

made an average yearly

salary of $50,700 in 2003.

That is $28,000 more

than those who lacked basic

skills. What would the

difference be today?

60% of all prison inmates are technically illeterate.

43% of

those whose

literacy

skills are

lowest live

in poverty.

What you need to know about the Library...

We want to be YOUR paper.

Send us what you want to read.

Do you need to vent? Let us know why. Do you want to

bring light to a cause? A Problem? A Solution?

Email us at lonokepawprint@gmail.com

BY Paige Brown

7

It began during WorldWar II, when soldiers

were malnourished and unable to fight becausethey couldn’t eat. The government stepped in

y

and set up a program toguarantee that every childwould be fed, even if they

yy

were living in poverty.

Affording school lunch every day may not be diffi cult to manage for some parents and students, but for others, they rely on the free and reduced lunch program to help them out. The free and reduced lunch program is a program developed and funded by the government to feed America’s children. “Anyone can sign up for free and

reduced lunch,” said Sue Roedel, Cafeteria Manager. The more students covered by it, the more money and grants the school gets

from the district, so don’t just throw the forms away. Some students who are covered

by this program feel embarrassed about it, but they shouldn’t be. “Everyone needs a hand up eventually,” said Roedel. Besides, the money that goes into this program is from their parents’ tax dollars, so it’s basically still their money. In order to be covered, students

must have a family income that meets or falls below the limit mentioned on free and reduced

Free PizzaFree Pizza

Submit ideas you are willing to try to:lonokepawprint@gmail.com The winner will be featured on the next issue’s front cover.

BY Amanda Conner

Students sit in class fi ve

days a week seven hours

a day. During the fall, students

get to spend some of that time dancing

and cheering…as long as they participate. “The

school spirit at Lonoke High School has decreased over

the past few years,” said Word Processing teacher, Ms. Sadjer.

Pep-rallies are meant to increase the school’s spirit. It is important to

have school spirit to “show your support to other students.” Some, like Ms. Sadjer,

say the purpose of the pep-rallies are, “to get the students and football players pumped

up about the next game.” 2009’s Who’s Who most school spirited winner,

Lyndsey Taylor, said the way she showed her school spirit was by wearing her LTO shirt and spirit beads.

She also went to almost every football game. Taylor said the thing that keeps most students from showing

their school spirit is “they are embarrassed and…if the pep-rallies were organized and kids knew what to expect

they would get involved.” So freshmen and upperclassmen, look past what others think and show your school spirit by standing

up and cheering for your fellow classmates before the privilege is taken away.

BY Megan Palmer

Celebrate School SpiritCelebrate School Spirit

8

lunch forms. Forms can be found at any school cafeteria or food service offi ce.

Olivia Brumley shows her Jackrab-bit Guns to scare the competition.

What is the craziest thing you would do

for school spirit?

What is the craziest thing you would do

for school spirit?

Photo by Amanda Conner

G E TI V LN O V

D

FCCLA (Family Career and Community Leaders of America) is a part of the Family and Consumer Sciences Education program. The club dues are $15. The club members attend summer retreats, cluster, district, state, and national meetings. FCCLA is a way for students to turn classroom topics into real-world excerises. Advisor: Mrs. Wesley

FCCLA

NHS (National Honor Society) is offered to students who have a 3.5 GPA. Dues are $10. NHS organizes the ACE program which honors students for academic excellence. Scholarships and the prestige are two benefi ts of being in NHS.Advisor: Mrs. Powers

NHS

TOT (Teachers of Tomor-row) is a club for people interested in becoming a teacher. Dues are $5. Members job shadow, go on educational fi eld trips and discuss benefi ts of becom-ing a teacher.Advisors: Mrs. Hope and Mrs. Powers

TOT

FCAFCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) is open to all students. FCA is the only Christian based club on the LHS campus. The dues are $3, which are collected in September. FCA sponsors many fun activities such as Powder Puff football, 5th Quarters, and Field of Faith. Members also attend a Razorback ootball game and a FCA camp. FCA is a Christian way to have fun and grow.Advisor: Mrs. Hobson

FFAFuture Farmers of America is dedicated to helping students take advantage of all farming has to offer. See advisor for more info.Advisor: Mrs. Snider

Art ClubArt Club is open to anyone who shares a passion for art. The dues are $5. The Art Club gives back to the community by particapting in buying Christmas presents for children in need. The club members produce an annual art show. They also go on fi eld trips to highlight art. Advisor: Mrs. Mertsch

NJHSNJHS (National Junior Honor Society) is a great way to get into academics at a younger age. It is open to qualifying ninth graders only. The dues are $5. The club does multiple activities such as recycling. The club also purchases t-shirts at the end of the year. Advisor: Mrs. Hope Spanish

Spanish Club is for anyone who is interested in the Spanish language and culture. Dues are $5. Spanish also offers t-shirts in the fall ranging from $7-15. The club hosts two special celebrations a year. One is in November for Dia de los Muertos and the other in May for Cinco de Mayo. These are opportunities for students to experience the cultural foods, practices, traditions, etc. The Spanish Club will also be participating in the Foreign Language Festival. It is an opportunity for students to learn and practice individual or group performances in Spanish and compete against other schools.Advisors: Mrs. Edwards and Ms. Dell

FBLAFBLA (Future Business Leaders of America) is open to all students who have taken or are taking a business class. The club dues are $10. FBLA participates in conferences, service projects and fun events too. FBLA gives you experience for after high school and pursuing careers in business.Advisors: Mrs. McCallie, Mrs. Smiddy and Mrs. Sadjer

9

E !TOT

Many students find their first year at LHS filled

with bumps, bruises and authority problems.

Different infractions will get you into sticky situations that will cause you to wind up in detention hall (d-hall), In-School Suspension (ISS), Saturday School or suspension. Mr. Wilson and Coach Hobson are head of the disciplinary staff. The rest of the staff includes Mrs. Hunter, the former ISS director, Mrs. Jones for d-hall, and Mr. Matarazzo for Saturday School. How do you get in d-hall? There are many ways you can land in d-hall such as: “Talking, disruptive behavior, sleeping, food/drink/gum, failure to follow directions, insubordination, no supplies, tardy, inappropriate language, minor dress code violations, and anything else the teacher feels disrupts the learning process,” said Jones. D-hall starts at 7:30 in the morning. Students arriving after 7:40 are not allowed to serve d-hall, resulting in ISS. While in d-hall, “You have to have something to do, something to work on. No talking, no food/drink, etc,” said Jones. The handbook grants one day to serve d-hall, but Mrs. Jones usually allows two days.

If you miss both days of d-hall, you will be automatically assigned to ISS. Students can serve up to eight d-hall days per semester. After that, expect to have ISS for every subsequent infraction. Mrs. Hunter is the former ISS supervisor. You will also be given ISS because of, “tobacco use, profanity, disruptive behavior, truancy, and not following the school dress code.” On your fi rst offense, you will get two to three days. “After eight offenses of ISS days, you will get suspension,” said Hunter. While in ISS, you should bring all materials that are needed for your

regular classes. “More than likely, they will do more work in here than in class,” said Hunter. Saturday School is directed by Mr. Matarazzo. It is held on Saturdays in the Agri. building behind the school from 8-11:30. Students receive Saturday School for “fi rst offenses, disruptive behavior or defi ance,” said Hobson. “The students are supposed to bring two textbooks, paper and pencils and a library book to read. They also pick up trash sometimes.”Next year bring a box full of band-aids and a backpack full of respect and you’ll enjoy the entire ride.

ISS is boring and our freedom is taken away. It is like being in Jail.- Martenis Johnson

Detention messes up my morning routine.- Bo Tidwell

Saturday School takes 3 hours out of my day and I can’t watch my morning cartoons.- Patric Middleton

You don’t get to see your friends when suspended.-Lacey Theroux

(dis-uh-plin) N. punishment to intend to enforce desired behavior

BY Rachael Adams

Lockers

Lockers can be very helpful throughout the year. Here is our take:* Carrying 30 pounds of books daily can cause serious back

pain.* Keep your locker organized and it will make book exchange a

snap.* If you don’t have time to go to your locker a lot during the day,

you can have two bags. One for morning classes and one for the afternoon classes. You can go and change them out at lunch.

* There are things we all don’t want seen, but we need at school.

BY Paige Brown

10

DisciplineDiscipline

On the Record

No halter tops will grace the eyes of LHS students while in school. There are many dress code rules that have punishments if broken.

All clothing must be worn properly, which means that jeans should not be sagging, and all belts and overall straps are to be snapped or buckled. Shoes must be worn at all times.

Tank tops, sleeveless shirts, spaghetti strap tops, or low cut tops are forbidden. No midriff (stomach) should be showing. Hooded jackets may be worn outside the building only. Caps and hats may not be brought to school or worn on campus. This also includes bandanas and do-rags.

When wearing shorts or dresses, do not wear any shorter than 4” above the knee when standing. Even though teens like to be comfortable, there will be no tolerance for wearing pajamas, loungewear, or house shoes.

All messages on clothing must be G rated. Don’t wear shirts with tobacco advertisements or vulgar language.

According to the LHS handbook, pg 65, “jewelry worn in body piercing, other than in the ear, is a disruption in the education of other students.” Anything else that is deemed disruptive to the learning atmosphere is not allowed.

If any of these rules are broken a punishment should be expected.

On the fi rst offense, parents will bring another set of appropriate clothes. On the second offense, parents will bring another set of appropriate clothes and the student will be given Saturday School. On the third offense, parents will bring another set of appropriate clothes and the student will be assigned In-School Suspension for three days. The fourth offense results in suspension for three days.

These rules may sound hard to follow, but they are not. They are enforced to ensure a non-distracting learning environment. So, use this advice and don’t get caught breaking the dress code at LHS.

BY Julie Pennington

Laci Dismuke has her own style. She knows how to ex-press herself while following school dress code.Photo by Amanda Conner

What should you keep in your new locker? Check out these great ideas.

Lockers cost $5 and can be purchased in the cafeteria before

the first day of school or in the HS office after school is in session.

Buy and practice using the lock before the first day of school.

11

Lockers offer privacy for those unmentionables.* Umbrella, Rain Boots* Deoderant* Personal Hygiene Items* Change of clothing (not white)* A mirror to freshen up midday With a lock

* Your phone (Don’t forget to lock it) * Valuable Items

What to wear?

Photo on opposite page: Erin Shoemaker and Dontrell Richard share some downtime resting against lockers. Just one use for the metal box.

Do you aspire to work at a minimum wage job, handing out hamburgers while on roller skates til you’re 60?

Slacking off in high school should never be an option. Credits and grades are a major part of graduating. Students’ freshman and sophomore years are the most important. “School is your job, and it’s hard to catch up,” said Betty Fletcher. Cumulative grade point averages (GPA) start when students enter high school as freshmen.

A student needs 22.5 credits to graduate. These consist of a half a credit of health, physical education, fi ne arts, and oral communications. The other credits needed are four credits of English and math, three credits of science and social studies, and six elective classes. “Elective classes should be chosen based on the career fi eld that you are thinking of going into,” said LHS Counselor Carol Rudder.

Required credits usually don’t change from year to year. “The State Department changes the credits but they should stay the same for the next few years,” said Mrs. Rudder. Colleges, jobs, and scholarship awarders look favorably on students who graduate with a little extra.

One of the ways to stand out is to become an honor graduate. This requires students to be a four year graduate, have a 3.5 cumulative GPA, be enrolled in LHS for the last three semesters beginning the spring semester of their junior year, and pass with at least a C average in eight honors classes.

Refer to page 112 of the LHS handbook to see the honor classes available. “You don’t just have to take advanced placement classes to be an honor graduate. There are many other classes that you can take,” said Mrs. Rudder.

Although being an honor graduate looks great on an application to college, simply taking eight honors classes will still benefi t students. “Any student with eight honors classes are ranked above students that don’t,” said Mrs. Rudder.

Another way to be noticed is to have high test scores. “ACT scores are [also] what colleges look at when considering students for scholarships,” said Mrs. Fletcher.

Make it count...Do it right...

Go the distance...

In the last three years, over 350 credits have been lost, in part, due to

attendance. That equals

29,750 wasted hours of students sitting in class and not

receiving credit!

Students work hard to get the required credits. It’s important to know what counts as excused and what counts as “see you again next year.”

With loss of credit in a class students may not receive all the credits needed to graduate. Each semester in a class with a passing grade is ½ credit.

Each semester, “Students will lose credit for classes when they have accumulated nine unoffi cial and unexcused absences,” said Mrs. Perryman, Attendance Advisor.

“Some absences don’t count against you, things like: doctor/dentist note, funeral notifi cation, and court and legal documents. Parent notes are considered unoffi cial and although they allow a student to make-up missed work, they still accumulate towards loss of credit,” said Mrs. Perryman.

When students have accumulated four unexcused or unoffi cial days, they will receive a letter in the mail that reminds the parents that they are allowed to view their student’s grades and absences on the school’s website. When a student has accumulated nine unexcused or unoffi cial absences student’s will then receive a letter advising LOC (Loss of Credit).

The letter invites the parent or guardian to an Attendance Committee Meeting. So students, make sure that absences are excused to avoid losing credit and potentially prolonging graduation day.

Credits CountCredits Count LOCLOCBY Genni Higginbotham BY Jennifer Rubow & Genni Higginbotham

12

Post itWhat’s your Fav. Color?

Post itHow do you become...

Successful

It all starts here...Graduate with a little extra and start planning your post high school life now.

Responsibility. It’s a word synonymous with high school. You will hear it from the fi rst day of your freshman year until the day you graduate. However, there is another word that is often overlooked and left out. Opportunity. High school is full of opportunities for students, if they know where to look and the steps they have to take.

High school offers students many opportunities to succeed. It is important to remember that it is never too early to start preparing for your future, and LHS has plenty of awards for its deserving students.

“A purple or gold card is a very prestigious recognition of academic ability and hard work,” said Mrs. King, 12th grade English teacher. To receive a gold card, students cannot have a C on their report card and must have a GPA (grade point average) of at least 3.5. Students who receive a purple card will not have any D’s or F’s on their report card. Many of the local businesses offer discounts to students who receive these awards, so it’s an opportunity you will not want to miss.

One way to succeed at LHS is to align your class choices to fi nish your senior year as an honor graduate. To become an honor graduate, students must have 8 honor classes and have a cumulative GPA of no less than 3.5. This type of honor is always benefi cial when you are applying for scholarships and to colleges across the country.

Another thing that those who award scholarships and acceptance to colleges look for is community service. A student who has completed 100 hours of community service will receive a special seal on their diploma. The 100 hours are also required for smart core completers. Mrs. Smiddy, director of the community service program, said that “hours can accumulate beginning in 9th grade.” Though hours spent helping family and friends do not count, the effort can help students gain scholarships and, more importantly, give them an understanding and appreciation for their communities.

Students also have the chance to become a business scholar at LHS. Though all students must complete keyboarding (7th grade), Career Orientation (8th grade), and Computerized Business Applications (9th grade), a business scholar chooses to be a completer in the program. A business scholar must complete “one or more of the following programs: Accounting, Desktop Publishing, Multimedia, Web Design, or Additional Business Course.” Each program consists of three classes, and to be considered a “completer” and receive your special certifi cate at graduation (in addition to consideration for special scholarships on the local, state, and national levels) students must maintain an “A” or “B” in all the program of study courses.

Students must also maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.00 and be a member of FBLA for no less than two years. Many of the business courses are also considered Honors courses and could be a good way for students to come out with more options as they begin looking at colleges.

Freshman year is a pivotal point for all students. This is the beginning of a four year journey, and the choices you make now can help determine where you will end up in those four years. Choose wisely, and start planning for your future today.

Ideas for the next Post it... send them to

lonokepawprint@gmail.com

Avonlea Marteny, Blue

Bobby Ebert, Red

Charlie Hefl in, Blue

Leslie Norwood, Green

Lucrative

Honor Graduates, Community

Service Hours, Smart Core

Completers, Business Graduates: It all starts now...Even if you are only 13

years old.

BY Shelby Langdon

13

Pay AttentionGirls, imagine walking into the boy’s bathroom on accident.

If the smell doesn’t warn you, then paying attention to signs will.

Disregarding signs can make your fi rst week at a new school harder than it has to be. All signs are important and should be read. Signs over restroom doors are some of the most important signs. In the science building the signs are not right on the doors and it is easy to mistake the men, women, and teachers bathrooms for the one you are supposed to use.

Not only should you pay attention to written signs, but to the signs that your teachers and fellow students give you and that you give them. Body language and your attitude can get you to the right places as well as using a map or reading a sign. Walk to class with someone. Make yourself approachable.

Pay attention in class! It is easier to do this when you sit close to the front of the classroom. History teacher, Mr. Bowles, feels that, “When students are talking, leaning back, or not taking notes,” they are not paying attention. You should never put your head down or sleep. Bowles said that, “Students who are sitting forward are defi nitely paying attention.” Paying attention is easier to do when you are in the front of the class, as well as sitting away from your friends. Otherwise, you will fi nd the urge to talk. If you’re around people you talk to a lot, you will be less likely to pay attention to the teacher.

Make sure to read the announcements on the screen mounted on the wall right next to the auditorium. There are many important and relevant things that come over the screen. If you, or a club you are involved in, is doing something that the school needs to know about, you should give the information to Mrs. Elam, EAST Supervisor.

Don’t be afraid to smile. Walk with your head up and arms uncrossed. This gives the impression to other people that you are confi dent and open. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and be as nice as you can to everyone you

meet. These actions will send the people around you positive signs.

Reading the signs around you, written and body language, as well as giving the correct signs can help make your freshman year go much smoother.

BY Genni Higginbotham & Jacara Robinson

Photo by Amanda Conner

14

Emily Howell and Hope Moore learn a lesson in paying attention.

15