April 2012

On the morning of April 5, Springville Junior High’s eighth-grade Chamber Orchestra students were practicing with the New Horizons orchestra at Springville High School. The New Horizons orchestra is composed of older adults that are just learning to play string instruments.The concert followed that very night at 7:30. First up was the Chamber Orchestra, then New Horizons. After that they played a couple of numbers together. 

This annual concert was conducted by Dr. Sam Tsugawa and Mr. Andrew Dabczynski. Dr. Andrew Dabczynski is Professor of Music Education and director at BYU; he is also co-author of “String Explorer,” a musical theory book used by SJHS orchestra students.

Springville Junior High School has a Chinese class. The class is for eighth and ninth graders only.  According to Bethany Allen, ninth grader at SJHS, everyday when class starts, the “president” of the class, goes and rings the gong. Everybody bows, then they say, “lao-shi-hao”, which means “good morning teacher” in Chinese. Then everybody sits down. Bethany said, “I like being in the Chinese class because who else can say, ‘I know Chinese’?” Hannah Bray, ninth grader at SJHS, said, “I like the Chinese class because we do lots of cultural stuff, we eat food, and have parties!” 

As spring break drew closer, students and staff at Springville Junior High started planning on what to do for the week long break. “This year I went to Bear Lake with all of my husband’s family,” said Mrs. Koriane Maughan, English and dance teacher here at SJHS. “We went swimming, golfing, and played games.”

Spring break was on Monday April 9th and continued through the rest of that week. It ended on Friday, April 13th. According to Taylor Stubblefield, an eighth grader here at SJHS, her favorite memory from spring break is camping. “Swimming and camping are my favorite things about spring break,” said Taylor.

Students at Springville Junior High School attended the State Archery Competition in Salt Lake City during the month of February. The competition was held February 11,2012 in a grand hall at the Salt Palace. According to Mrs.Kelly Anderson, P.E. teacher at SJHS, this was the first year SJHS was able to attend a state competition for archery. “Over 200 students statewide went, 17 from our school, and it was killer fun!” said Mrs.Anderson. 

On March 9th, 2012, SJHS students attended the State Future Farmers of America (FFA) convention in Richfield, Utah.  At the convention, the FFA had a science fair. All of the FFA members participated in the science fair, including Andalyn Hall, a ninth grader at Springville Junior High School.
Andalyn’s science fair project tested alpaca fibers (hair). She tested how alpaca fibers grow stronger or weaker over time and with age.  After much research and hard work, Andalyn presented her science project, and she won! She was up against ten students and took first out of her category. “She was happy!” said  Mrs. Giffing, the agricultural science teacher here at SJHS.