Many people feel that one of the great things about English class is that it can incorporate all other subjects.  Students can write a science fiction story or read a book about history.  Mrs. Maughan, an English teacher at SJHS, has been helping her students learn from historical literature.  Students in Mrs. Maughan’s class have recently been reading the play "The Diary of Anne Frank."  The play is about a Jewish girl who lived during the Second World War. She lived in The Netherlands when the Nazis took over and was forced to go into hiding in a secret room above her father’s business. The students have been reading for a little while, and are now just starting the second act of the play.

Every year, girls' PE teacher Mrs. Kelly Anderson has her students play a sport with a paddle and wiffleball. The sport is called pickleball. “Most students seem to enjoy it,” said Mrs. Anderson. The girls are all done for this year, but they play pickleball every year.

Students use different strategies. “In rallies, I always aim for the person who looks bored, because they probably aren’t paying attention,” said Jamie Devenish, a seventh grader. Eighth-grade student Darby Farr said, “If they’re far back, I hit it softly, and if they’re close, I hit it hard so they can’t get it.”

“I would play pickleball at least twice a day, no doubt,” said seventh grade PE Girls student Amanda Ripley, “If I had the time.”

What is it that girls can’t wait for any longer? It’s New Moon. Many girls have been anticipating the release of New Moon, the second of four movies in the Twilight Saga.

Mrs. Mary Rice, an English teacher at SJHS, said she got into the series when a friend told her that Stephanie Meyer was going to be talking about Twilight at BYU. She then went and  read the books.

As much as the books are loved, most can agree that they aren’t perfect. Victoria Ireland, an eighth grade student, said, “The beginnings are really slow.” Savannah McNitt, another eighth grade student, said, “Bella is so ditzy.”

Mrs. Linda Woodfield is the new CTE and Teen Living teacher at Springville Junior High. CTE is a seventh-grade class, and Mrs. Woodfield teaches the Family and Consumer Science part of the class. “I’m very passionate about the things I teach,” said Mrs. Woodfield. The Teen Living class studies individual development, communication skills, self-esteem, family relations, dating, teen pitfalls, teen pregnancy, and taking charge of your life.

Last year Mrs. Woodfield finished her student teaching at Springville High School, teaching Child Development and Needle Arts. Anenia Tuttle, a seventh grader at Springville Junior High, said, “Mrs. Woodfield is a fun teacher because she always has something fun to do!”

Now that the end of the term has come it’s time for the 95% attendance award activity.  The 95% attendance award activity happens at the end of each term. Students who have 95% attendance and didn't get any F's, N's, or U's on their first term report card get to miss school and go to the Spanish Fork Red Carpet Theater where they can watch a current movie.

Maddie Joyner, an eighth-grade student, said, “I like skipping school to go see a movie!”  According to Victoria Ireland, another eighth-grade student, she liked going in the past because she can be with her friends and not have to worry about doing school work all day it’s nice to relax. The 95% Activity Award Activity was held on Thursday, November 19th.

Many people love to travel to far-off places for vacation.  People crave vacations because they’re a chance to get away from everyday life and either relax or go sightseeing.  Most people go to see sights that are famous for different reasons; perhaps they go to visit the Seven Wonders of the World including the Pyramids at Giza.  Perhaps what someone else dreams to see is the Eiffel Tower (“Tour de Eiffel” in French) in the City of Lights.  Whatever that special place may be, students, teachers and faculty members at SJHS love to travel. 

The choir students at SJHS are exited for this year’s first choir concert. The choir concert will be December 2nd. The Apprentice Singers (seventh graders) will be performing at 6:45, and the Knightengales and Master Singers (eighth and ninth graders) will be performing at 7:30.

Mrs. Leslie Walker, the choir teacher, said that they have been rehearsing since the start of the year. Most of the songs will tell stories. The choir will even do some dancing in their performances. According to Andrea Dockstader, an eighth grade choir student, the songs are spiritual and Christmas songs.  The entire choir will sing, as well as students in groups, but some will get the spotlight to themselves for a moment.
  

Here at Spingville Junior High we have students with many different talents. And the school’s curriculum offers a couple of classes for those wishing to learn more and practice those talents.
   

Mrs. Janine Murdock is the finance secretary at Springville Junior High.  Mrs. Murdock’s job is to handle the school’s finances and to find substitutes for the teachers.  Mrs. Murdock’s busiest days are getting 900 students registered for school in the fall and collecting end of year fines in May so everyone can get their yearbooks.  Mrs. Brenda Bales, the attendance secretary at SJHS, said another way Mrs. Murdock helps the school is, “She’s a great friend to all the teachers, new and old.”

Mrs. Lise Carpenter has taught science at Springville Junior High School for the last 14 years.  Before she started teaching at SJHS she taught high school for four years in Tulsa, Oklahoma.  Mrs. Carpenter said, “There are many things I like about SJHS. I like the students and teachers, I love how the school is always clean and bright, and I like the motivational posters on the walls. I think there is a good energy in our school which helps all of us to succeed.”