A Publication by Columbus County Schools Vol. 1 Ed. 5

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Author Tea at Chadbourn ElementaryOn May 15th, family and

community members were invited to Chadbourn El-ementary to an “Author’s Tea” to view and listen to K-5 Studentreasures books. Each classroom teacher chose a theme and students used their creativity to au-thor and illustrate a page in the class’s Studentreasures book. There was an array of themes from what stu-dents wanted to be when they grew up to “I am…” po-etry books. Mrs. Whaley’s fifth grade Studentreasures book was an “I am…” po-etry book about summer. Each student drew an item from summer to write about ranging from a beach ball

to hummingbirds. First grader, Taylor West wrote on her Studentreasures’ page, “When I grow up I want to be a scientist. A scientist does fun stuff. They mix blue and green stuff to make potions.” Third grader Khisa Mar-shall wrote about Alexander Miles, a famous African American that invented the electric elevator back in October of 1887. Hope Lowery wrote about T.J. Marshall, who invented the fire extinguisher. Marshall and Lowery’s class book was about Famous African American inventors. At Author’s Tea, family and community members defi-

nitely were able to see the treasure in each student’s writing and illustration. As quoted by the Walt Disney Company, “There is more treasure in books than in all the pirates’ loot on Trea-sure Island and best of all, you can enjoy these riches every day of your life.”

The Maker Bot 3D printer provides the students of South Columbus with a fun way to create models to aid them

with their studies. Models are created using a computer program in which students set the dimensions for the desired

product. It can be used in any subject from English to construction.

In the engineering class at South Columbus, we plan to utilize the MakerBot for various projects. South Co-lumbus was fortunate enough to be able to purchase the 3D printer to help our students be successful and productive in their classes. Our class has come up with three different bee hive designs that we plan to use the Maker Bot to create. To use the printer, the right dimensions and a special type of filament are needed. Examples of what the Maker Bot is capable of constructing are a shark, a bracelet, and even a bust.

The Maker Bot 3D printer can be used in various areas. The health and physical edu-cation department could use it to build hand-held models

of the human body to dem-onstrate the effects of health issues. It could also be used to teach students how to use dimensions to create balls used for sports. In automotive mechanics and construction classes, it can be used to cre-ate parts or tools that can be used as examples. The his-tory department can benefit from this printer by allowing students to design and con-struct locations like the World Fair and compare the models and how it would look today. Another department that could greatly benefit from the Maker Bot is English. Models that could be created to help students better understand topics discussed are a Trojan horse, masquerade masks from Romeo and Juliet, and many other useful creations. The Spanish department here at South Columbus could ben-

efit by creating crafts that are associated with the different aspects of Spanish culture. Finally, the health science class could use the printer to create models of bones, muscles, and organs to help students fully understand major topics.

The Maker Bot 3D printer is a tool that is beneficial to every department at South Columbus High School and to our students. Students can create visual representations of what they are learning in their classes which can help them if they are having trouble comprehending the subject. In the future, South Columbus hopes to be able to use the Maker Bot printer to its fullest extent in every aspect at the school.

Students at SCHS are creating 3D printed objects across the curriculum.

3D Printing at South Columbus

CES students shared books they wrote at an “Author’s Tea.”

Hallsboro-Artesia Elementa-ry School and the Food Lion on North Powell Blvd in Whiteville hosted a Family Math Night on April 3rd. Pre-K – fifth grade students were given math ac-tivity sheets with lots of math problems to solve inside the store. The students had to walk down the aisles of the grocery store to solve the problems in fun and exciting ways. Door prizes were given to parents and teachers including Food Lion gift cards. Students that completed their activity sheets were given goodie bags loaded with treats from the store. The

students enjoyed working out math problems that they may encounter in real-life settings. Sharpening up those Common Core math skills at school in Panther Country helped the students complete their Food Lion activity sheets. Me-lissa Ward, a kindergarten student in Mrs. Shaw’s class was eager to attend the event along with her mother and grandmother. “I had so much fun at Math Night,” she said. Mrs. Stouffer, lead teacher at HAES, was one of several lucky winners of a Food Lion gift card. Family Math Night

is a free yearly event and is held during regular shopping hours. Mrs. Josephine Spaulding is the principal.

Family Math Night for HAES at Food Lion

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Acme Delco Elementary School ended the school year on a high note. We are very proud of the progress our stu-dents have made throughout the year, so we decided to re-ward third through fifth grade students who were proficient or showed a year’s worth of growth on their EOG test by letting them pick a teacher or staff member of their choice to dunk! This was a very popu-lar and fun event for students and teachers—even the ones who got wet!

Our wonderful Acme Delco community helped us collect and raise money for over 1,000 books in our “Give Five-Read Five” program! Much of this money was raised throughout the year through Box Tops—every 10 cents counts! Books were displayed in the gym by

reading level and subject and students were able to select three books for their very own. One student exclaimed, “I get to keep the books forever? This is the best day ever!” We hope all our students read their books and visit the li-brary for additional books this summer.

Most of you probably watched the Winter Olympics back in January. But have you ever heard of the Pickle Olympics? During their last week of school, Acme Delco Elementary School students all competed in the 2014 Pickle Olympics organized by school counselor, Sue Immen. With the help of parent volunteers and fourth and fifth grade stu-dent leaders, students rotated through ten centers, such as sack race, basketball, hula

hoop, and many others. Stu-dents competed against a small group of their classmates to earn stickers in each event. At the end, a first, second, and third place was awarded to each grade level for the stu-dents earning the top points. This was a great event for our students to get their hearts pumping, learn some new healthy activities, and enjoy friendly competition.

A packed house of parents and community attended the fi-nal awards program as we cel-ebrated the accomplishments of every single student in the school from Pre-K through fifth grade. We finished on a high note but salted the sweet-ness with tears, knowing that our fifth graders would never be elementary students again.

ADES Sends Students Off to Summer with a Blast

The ADES community helped raise money for 1,000 books.

Students at HAES using real world examples to solve math problems.

WCHS’ “Little Shop of Horrors” a HitWest Columbus High

School wrapped up a very successful year in the arts with its production of Little Shop of Horrors. The production involved over 50 students in the areas of set and costume design, publicity and per-formance. The production was the first for Direc-tor Jessica Williamson and Music Director Gina Wiltshire, and the quality and commitment by all involved was remarkable. See the back page of this edition for more photos,

and use the QR code below to see a video slideshow of the production with songs by the students.

The cast and crew of West Columbus’ Little Shop of Horrors.

Download our CCS Connect app from the Apple iTunes App Store and the Google Play Store

for Android!

“Squeak” Solutions at WTSA group of ten Williams

Township Elementary sixth graders have complet-ed their first semester in an elective course where they have utilized a computer program called Squeak Etoys. The purpose of the program is to provide students with a dashboard to create projects and ani-mations that demonstrate their understanding of mathematical ideas and practices in solving real-

world problems. Learn-ing is self-directed and is driven by students’ own conclusions as they test and perfect their ideas. The teacher serves as a facilita-tor, asking probing ques-tions and guiding students as they seek individual solutions to the task pro-vided.

Jessica Cribb, a student participating in the Squeak elective, voiced that she has enjoyed her time in

the course. “It is fun to get to explore as we make our projects,” she said. She added that it caused her “to really think about how math can be used to solve other problems in life.”

Optional electives will continue to be offered with the Squeak program next year as we strive to imple-ment thought-provoking curricular experiences for students that engage them in applying their learning

and creatively solving real issues.

Thursday, June 26th, 2014– Class Acts - Page 3

WTS Students have been using software to model complex mathematical ideas.

It’s a SLAM DUNK at CGES!

Students at Hallsboro Middle School had an op-portunity to show off their acquired skills when they took the EOG test at the end of the year. The North Carolina End-of-Grade Tests are designed to measure student performance on the goals, objectives, and grade-level competencies speci-fied in the North Carolina Standard Course of Study. Preparation for the test is a year long process.

Throughout the year, stu-dents learn the necessary vocabulary needed to de-cipher the questions they will answer when taking the tests. They play games such as vocabulary ball toss, to review required vocabulary. Students are also able to play games on the smart board and in the computer lab to reinforce

EOG vocabulary.Not only are they playing

games, but are also work-ing on reinforcement of learned skills through writ-ing, by utilizing Write to Learn. Write to Learn is a web based writing tool that assists students in writing excellence. They are given several attempts (as set by the teacher) to perfect a summary of a reading pas-sage or an essay book report. Students are given immedi-ate feedback and are able to correct any errors as they occur.

In addition to games and computer based instruc-tion, students are given the opportunity to practice learned skills in each of their classes purely through repetition of the strategies and skills required for pass-ing the tests.

The North Carolina EOG test is a high stakes assess-ment impacting both teach-ers and students. North Carolina is one of several states that require students to pass a series of tests be-fore receiving a high school diploma. The students at Hallsboro are aware of the effect that the EOG has on their education and they have come to accept that they are expected to per-form. Preparing for the EOG is just another part of their daily school ritual.

Pre paring for and taking the End of Grade (EOG) assessments in third through eighth grades is a necessary but exhausting experience for students, parents, and teachers. To motivate the student body in the weeks prior to testing, Principal Kent Lovett and his staff

encouraged everyone to do his or her best by offer-ing incentives to students showing growth and/or scoring a III, IV, or V on the Reading, Math, and Science EOG tests, as well as, the MSL (Measures of Student Learning) in Social Studies. Numer-ous hours were spent as

students practiced the skills and strategies they would need in order to do well on these evaluations. At times, class periods seemed to drag on end-lessly.

The time finally came and those long hours of training and grueling days of testing were complete.

Relieved and grateful this anxious period was over, Stingers eagerly antici-pated spending the few remaining days of school relaxed, ready to reap the rewards of their hard work. In addition to ice cream, pizza, and super-vised technology game days, an entire afternoon

was allotted for outdoor fun. Stations were set up within which students could rotate to activities such as soccer, corn hole, and Frisbee toss. The day’s fun was culminated by much excitement when the promised dunking booth was constructed. Stingers enthusiastically

lined up for a chance to dunk either their teacher or principal. By the end of the school day, lasting memories had been cre-ated and everyone was in great spirits.

Students at HMS use games to help prepare for the EOG tests.

Hallsboro Tigers Attack the EOG Test

Coming all the way from the magical Co-lumbus Career & Col-lege Academy had seven members of the masonry class compete in the 33rd annual Butch Hardy Me-morial contest on Friday May 2nd in Goldsboro. The LEVEL TWO stu-dents had to complete a three-hour project to demonstrate their mastery of mason-ry skills. Natltaly Razo, a freshman, walked away with 1st place overall out of 28 contestants, taking home $525 in cash. Natl-taly wants to one day own a masonry and architect

Page 4 – Thursday,June 26th, 2014 – Class Acts

ROCAME’s “SallyBot” at ECHS

On April 5, 2014, the ECHS ROCAME Club (Region “O” Council for the Advancement of Mi-norities in Engineering) participated in a five county regional spring Jamboree held at Cape Fear Community Col-lege. The Jamboree’s STEM events include engineering, math, sci-ence, technology, and oratory activities. This year our robotics team was an all-girls team called, “The Queens of Engineering.” The team

had to build, program, and market a VEX robot. They also had to present an engineer’s notebook, information board, and a “rap,” poem, or cheer. Here are a few pictures of the project robot that they named “Sallybot.” ECHS also placed third in the Jamboree Quiz Bowl.

It must be mentioned that we had an outstand-ing showing from two middle schools at this year’s Jamboree. Ari Pattillo from Chadbourn

Middle School won first place in the Electro Lab event. This event dem-onstrated their knowl-edge of circuit building. We also had Zora Pattillo (CMS) and Nia Brown (HMS) participating in the “Egg Drop” compe-tition.

Our STEM coach is Mr. Willie Lloyd, a retired engineer from Bolton, NC and the club adviser is Ms. Valarie Farnum.

HAES Pre-K students engaged in hands-on learning.

Students at Tabor City Elementary School par-ticipated in a tethered bal-loon launch recently. The original plan was to launch the balloon into near space, around 90,000 feet, but a shortage of helium pre-vented the lifting of the

tracking device. Instead, students sent the balloon several hundred feet, and analyzed the photographs and video that resulted. The QR code to the right links to a slideshow of the photos and videos taken by the balloon.

Did you know all of our schools have Facebook pages along with Columbus County Schools? Be sure to “like” your school to get instant updates!

STEM Coach Willie Lloyd advises a student.

Students beginning to build “SallyBot”.

5th Graders at TCES get a “Bird’s Eye View”

A view of Tabor City from 300 feet.

ODES students enjoying Field Day.

Old Dock Elementary Has a “Field Day” with Exercise

Students attending Old Dock Elementary recently enjoyed their annual Field Day on June 6th. The day of organized games and activities has been a tra-dition at the school for numerous years and is cancelled only in the case of inclement weather. It is a popular pastime at the school with many parents having partici-pated in the event when they themselves were Old Dock students.

The event took place on the school campus and included such games as the spoon/egg race, sack race, the 3-legged race, 25 and 50 meter re-lay races, as well as, the musical hula hoop game, parachute pop up, and laundry relay. All games were set up in stations so every class in grades Pre-K through fifth could rotate and have the op-portunity to participate

in each athletic activity. Various school staff and parent volunteers as-sisted in ensuring each activity was carried out fairly and with as much fun as possible!

At Old Dock Elemen-tary School, faculty and staff believe in teaching all skills needed to be successful in life, includ-ing good sportsmanship, cooperation with others, and good exercise habits. These are just some of the things students par-ticipating in Field Day can learn while having fun at the same time. As one parent stated, “It is a good way for the students to learn good sportsman-ship and how to follow the rules of organized play. Our children need to know academics but they need to know these other things too.” Stu-dents look forward to the event every year, with this year being no excep-

tion. As Wesley Price, a first grader stated, “This is the best day ever. We get to play outside all day, and we’re at SCHOOL!”

The children were given the opportunity to purchase Field Day t-shirts before the oc-casion and all students were treated to bottles of water and popsicles to assist them in beat-ing the heat of the day! Coordinating and or-ganizing the day-long event is a tremendous undertaking, which Sa-brina Ward, Field Day Committee Chairperson, does with amazing skill and talent. As Principal Ronna Gore stated, “It was a lot of work, but it really paid off in the end. All the students have worked really hard this year and they enjoyed Field Day. That is the most important thing.”

Hard work, practice, and dedication is evident as CMS band students perform for the audience.

Celebrating the Arts at Chadbourn Middle

Whether a student is the next Michael Jackson or more likely to sing solos in the shower, he or she is bound to benefit from the music program if en-rolled in Mr. Smith’s cho-rus class or Mr. Barkley’s band class at Chadbourn Middle School. Just the same, they may not be the

next Picasso, but lessons from Mrs. Grantham will help them realize their inner art abilities. These three teachers believe that as educators, it is their responsibility to nurture in their students the knowledge and abili-ties that they need in or-der to be balanced and productive members of society. It is important to expose young children to a variety of instruments, choral arrangements, styles of music and dif-ferent styles of visual art to enhance their educa-tional experience and fos-ter their academic, social, and emotional growth. Oftentimes, teachers and

parents themselves report that studying the Arts helps to teach students discipline, perseverance, and work ethic.

Eighth grade student Racheal Lyttle explains, “I enjoy chorus because through it I have been introduced to different kinds of music, differ-

ent cultures and differ-ent languages.” Alexis Burchette who is also an eighth grade student add-ed, “It has also allowed me to learn about special oc-casions of other cultures that are celebrated and how their holidays are rec-ognized.” Seventh grader, Shaylah Olson further explains that she enjoys choral music because she is able to express her feel-ings through music.

N i ye l l M c K i n d l e y enjoys band because “it helps me clear my thoughts from everything else going on. It has been a fun experience. While playing the saxophone, I find myself being calm so

I can work through other problems in other aca-demic classes and in my life.” Kayla Bryant and Joshua Small discovered that being in art class is “creative and we can use our imagination with-out being judged.” “Art gives me a place to escape and be myself,” explains Tiffany Small an eighth grade student at CMS. “It’s like being Alice in Wonderland.”

May 13th was the final display of talent from our students who participate in art, chorus, and band. All students who partici-pated impressed the audi-ence with an outstanding performance and display of artwork. As princi-pal of Chadbourn Middle School, Ms. Spaulding feels that it is important that young children are exposed to a variety of activities including vi-sual arts, choral music, and band. Spaulding ex-pressed that “participat-ing in the Arts has many tangible benefits and should be promoted as an essential component of elementary and secondary education.”

Thursday, June 26th, 2014 – Class Acts - Page 5

“I enjoy chorus because through it I have been introduced to different kinds of music, different cultures and different languages.”

- Racheal Lyttle, CMS Student

Columbus Career & College Academy had seven members of the masonry class compete in the 33rd Annual Butch Hardy Memorial contest recently in Goldsboro. The level two students had to complete a three-hour project to demon-strate their mastery of masonry skills. Natltaly Razo, a freshman, walked away with 1st place over-all out of 28 contestants, taking home $525 in cash. Natltaly wants to one day own a masonry and architect business. “I am a hard worker and I am dedicated and deter-mined to be a successful

person in the career I choose. I am really proud of myself... Now I have finished first-place two times,” she says. “I am very thankful for my in-structor, Fred Mason, for believing in me and pushing me mentally and physically to do my best.”

“This is the first time in the 33 year history that a female finished 1st over-all,” stated Brett Hardy. The CCCA ladies finished 1st, 2nd, and 5th overall and had an awesome day. CCCA members Abiran Ledezma, Michael Cox, Capers Nobles, Timoteo Solano, and Jorge Vaena

completed the project with three finishing in the top ten. Garrett Smith, competing for the first time, was the only CCCA student to compete in the level one competi-tion. Smith finished 3rd out of 26 contestants and went home with $75.00 in winning cash. CCCA fin-ished in 2nd place overall and walked away with a total of $725 in cash and over $200 in tools. “Not bad for our first time here,” stated CCCA Masonry Instructor, Fred Mason. This marks the sixth time this year that the masonry department has finished in first place.

CCCA Masonry Students Show off their Skills

CCCA students excelled at a recent masonry competition.

Spring Concert at EES Over three hundred parents,

grandparents and guests attended the recent Spring Concert and ex-hibition at Evergreen Elementary School. The chorus, band and art students showed off their tremen-dous talents. the band is directed by Wayne Campbell, the chorus by Josh Harris and art students are under the direction of Lori Beth Russell. Use the QR code to the right to view

a video clip of the performance.

Guests at the EES Spring Concert and Exhibition view the more than 150 pieces of artwork on display.

Page 6 – Thursday, June 26th, 2014 – Class Acts

During the spring, Nakina Middle School initiated a new club called The Mustang Trotters. This after school program was open to young ladies in 6th through 8th grade. The intent of the club is to promote and instill self-esteem, character building, and physical fitness. Trotters met twice a week to have a character building les-son and trained for the Columbus County 5K Farmer’s Market Run.

“I enjoyed this expe-rience greatly. Watch-ing the girls make new friends outside of the

classroom is always a blessing”, said Coach Tammy Cribb. Nakina Middle plans to con-tinue this program next spring. Roxanna Bryant said, “I love sports and as a 6th grader I was given the opportunity to participate in an athletic activity.” Meredith Hard-wick also commented, “I really enjoyed working with the coaches and the character building activities brought us closer together.”

Mustang Trotters at NMS

The Mustang Trotters, a running club at Nakina Middle, recently completed a 5K run.

On Tuesday, May 20, 2014, the D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Edu-cation) program was held to recognize all fifth grade students at Guideway Elementary School. T-shirts were awarded as part of the program. Two students

were spotlighted for their essay submis-sions to help others learn the dangers of drugs. They were Ya-nett P. and Madison S.

Parents were also invited to join in the celebration.

Gentlemen of Distinction at TCMS

D.A.R.E at Guideway Elementary

We are proud to high light great programs that are becoming a part of our culture here at TCMS. One of these positive programs here at “Eagle Nation” is the Gentlemen of Distinc-tion. The Gentlemen of Distinction is a male mentoring program that develops and builds a sense of dignity and self-worth in young men within the school. The program focuses on the importance of educa-tion while nurturing discipline, self-control, and anger management. Another essential com-ponent of the program is an emphasis on char-acter education. With these ideals, the pro-gram will foster and care for young men. This is done by model-

ing and teaching good character with an em-phasis on universal val-ues that we all share. The leader of this program at Tabor City Middle School is, Rod-ney Singletary. Mr. Singletary has been a positive edition to the environment this school year. His mentoring and counseling skills have gone a long way in por-traying the importance of ethical behavior taught in the Gentle-men of Distinction pro-gram. It is safe to say that every member of the staff and those who interact regularly with Mr. Singletary would admit that he leads by example. The young men involved in his program will no doubt become better men by

having the opportunity to learn from his teach-ings and experiences. Recently, Mr. Single-tary took these young men to a formal dining experience at South-ern Kitchen in White-ville, NC. The young men were expected to wear suits and ties to the event, and to dis-play proper dining eti-quette. The gentlemen prepared for this experi-ence by taking a proper etiquette course taught by Mrs. Chica Thread-gill and an assistant.

We are proud of Mr. Singletary and the influ-ence that he has on our young men and look for-ward to another great year with him during the 2014-2015 school year.

Thursday, June 26th, 2014 – Class Acts – Page 7

Columbus County Sheriff Lewis Hatcher and Officer Dwayne Barnes gave out awards at a recent D.A.R.E Ceremony.

An ADMS student gathering information about possible careers.

Career Fair at ADMS

On Friday, April 11, ADMS hosted a career fair from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. for the entire student body. Approxi-mately 25 adults from various professions gathered in the gym to talk with students about

their careers. Several teachers and students also came from East Columbus High School. Students came to the gym by grade level and circulated among the presenters. They were required to ask ques-

tions from at least three different people, sub-mitting their papers to their teachers. The event was closed with a luncheon. It was a very special and inspi-rational event!

Gentlemen of Distinction is a mentoring program at TCMS led by Rodney Singletary.

Page 8 – Thursday, June 26th, 2014 – Class Acts s

Spring Productions at East, South and West Columbus