Ooh’s and aah’s came from the auditorium on October 22nd at Springville Junior High. That is where Zoo Mania had begun! Zoo Mania is an educational assembly where students learn about different animal-related careers. Seventh-grade CTE students got to see many different species of animals.

The executive director of Zoo Mania is Mrs. Karen Beverly. She helps students learn about the different occupations related to animals. Mrs. Beverly said, “We show the students the importance of taking education seriously in this stage of their lives.”

The twenty minute break between third and fourth period (otherwise known as Quest Time) has opened many doors for students with passing grades to develop extracurricular skills. One of the available enrichment activities is scrapbooking, taught by Ms. Carrie Parker in room 29.

In scrapbooking, Ms. Parker provides a few materials such as markers, scissors, and paper, but students have to bring in the majority of items they wish to use.  According to Ms. Parker, students can also write letters or notes and decorate them. 

Ms. Parker normally teaches aerobics, jogging, and body conditioning. However, she really enjoys scrapbooking and decided to teach it for Quest Time.

At Springville Junior High School students and teachers are beginning second term. Term one ended on Thursday, October 28. That means that all of the work that the students haven’t turned in yet was due on that day. Students everywhere were getting their final grade printouts for the first term, and also finishing any unfinished work.

Mrs. Lise Carpenter, eighth-grade science teacher at SJHS, said, “Term one went great. I enjoy my students. We also learned a lot this term.”  She also said, “Overall, I think that grades will improve during second term. Now students know what tests will be like and they will be better at turning in work on time.”

Part of the Springville Junior High School's mission is to help students become successful learners.  One way the school fulfills this mission is through Quest Time (20 minutes to go to an extra-curricular class of the students’ choice).  One Quest Time activity that is getting students pumped up is Mrs. Linda Woodfield’s knitting class.  Every Monday in between third and fourth periods, students can go to Mrs. Woodfield’s room to learn this new hobby.  Julie Barlow, an eighth grader at SJHS who goes to the class, said, “It’s great because the yarn is really fluffy, and you can be creative.”

In Mrs. Natalie Luke’s foods class, all the students get the chance to get up in front and teach. Students pick a food that they want to make in their demonstration, bring food from home and make it all together at the demonstration counter at the front of the room. While the student is demonstrating their food they tell the rest of the class how it is done. When the food is ready it is served in sample size to the whole class so everyone can try it. The demonstrations will be held in November and January.

Springville Junior High School recently finished up Red Ribbon Week, starting on Friday the 22nd of October and ending on Thursday the 28th. Red Ribbon Week is a special school week where students and teachers dress up to show their independence from drugs. Friday was crazy hair day, Monday was sports day, Tuesday was switch day, Wednesday was retro day, and Thursday was freestyle day.

“Leave drugs in the past,” was one of the many quotes going around Springville Junior High during their Red Ribbon Week. Red Ribbon Week is a week where students and teachers dress to the theme of the day and pledge to stay drug free. From October 22 to 29th each day had its own quote; the quote mentioned earlier belongs to Retro Day. 

Retro Day was the day were students dressed up as a hippie or any other kind of outfit representing the past. This is a fun and creative way to help students stay off drugs. “I think if you use your imagination then it could be helpful,” said Zach Droubay, ninth grader and vice president of the student council.   

On Tuesday, October 26th, students and teachers at Springville Junior High School dressed up for Switch Day. Switch Day is when teachers and students switch places; the teachers dressed as students and vise versa. There are five dress up days for Red Ribbon Week, SJHS started out Red Ribbon Week with Crazy Hair Day, then Sports Day, Switch Day, Retro Day, and last but not least, Freestyle Day.

Students and teachers at Springville Junior High participated in Sports Day on October 25th as part of Red Ribbon Week.  They were learning to be more athletic, instead of choosing drugs as an alternative.

Stacy Stapel, an eighth grader at SJHS, has advice about how to avoid drugs, “Do stuff that will have a positive influence on you.”

Sports Day is all about teaching students to get up, get out, be active, and motivate others to be better.

Friday, October 22 started out as a normal day at Springville Junior High School. It didn’t take long to realize something was different. Students showed up with dolls, flowers, and pencils sticking out of their hair. It was the kickoff of Red Ribbon Week-crazy hair day!

Red Ribbon Week is a week where students and teachers focus on staying away from drugs. This year’s Red Ribbon Week at SJHS started off with crazy hair day, and the motto for the day was “Wake up and leave drugs behind!” Students focused on why drugs are bad for you, and how to avoid them.