Musical Adventures Of Flat Stanley

Plan to attend this theatrical and musical performance of “The Musical Adventures of Flat Stanley” which will be held on April 27 and 28 at 7 p.m. and on April 29 at 3 p.m. in the Shirley Auditorium. Select students from grades 4 through 9 were chosen through audition to present this Junior Broadway musical to friends, neighbors and parents. This beloved children’s book written by Jeff Brown in 1964 has become a literary and pop cultural phenomenon – delighting readers and travelers all around the world. And now, MTI (Music Theater International) has taken everyone’s favorite two-dimensional hero and given him a new life on the stage in “The Musical Adventures Of Flat Stanley, Jr. Under the able direction of Shirley Elementary Music and Choral teacher, Vincent Biondi, these talented young performers will surprise and delight you. Tickets can be purchased at the door. Adult tickets are only $5. Tickets for kids from 6 to 12 years old are $3. and kids 5 and under can enjoy the show for free. Don’t miss out on this great entertainment! Shirley Auditorium is located on Route 9 just outside the downtown Shirley area.

Cory Austin Ward Earns Distinguished Scholar Award

Cory Austin Ward of Shirley High School has received a Distinguished Scholars award from Arkansas Tech University beginning with the fall 2012 semester. Cory is the son of Rick & Melissa Ward of Fairfield Bay, AR. Cory will be majoring in Pre-Pharmacy when he begins his college studies in the fall. Cory has earned this renewable Scholarship based on his outstanding achievements both scholastically and in the community through his involvement in many sports programs including golf, basketball, baseball and tennis. Aside from these athletic endeavors, Cory has found time to give of himself for the good of others, through tutoring, youth leadership, fund raising voluneerism as well as participating in proms committees, spirit week, and working as a teacher’s Aide. Congratulations for a job well done, Cory and for your a bright future ahead.

Community Education Center Update

Don’t forget to register today April 4 and next week on April 11 from 9 am to 1 pm for the next session.

UPCOMING CLASS SESSIONS: We may be offering additional cooking, cake decorating, internet research, boating safety, ballroom dancing, meditation, calligraphy, and other classes for Spring II and summer. Ukrainian Egg Decorating will not be offered in April / May session. Lists of classes will be available by March 30 at the Center, Library, banks, Chamber of Commerce, and City Office plus online cityoffairfieldbay.com, or ffbchamber.org, facebook. The next session is scheduled for April 16 through May 17. (There will be a two-week break between sessions.) Summer session classes will be announced by May 1, and will be shorter and subjects planned for visitors and/or youth (anyone interested may participate.)

“The Management and Understanding of the iPhone and iPad” will be continued on April 5 at 9 – 11 am with Ron Phillips as the instructor. (Ron is our resident professional photographer in Fairfield Bay, and has expertise in this area.) The first session on March 24 included 16 students. Future classes will be announced in this column and advertising. The cost for two or three sessions will be $25 per person.

“Tobacco Cessation Group Therapy” Sessions will be rescheduled in the near future. Individuals seriously interested in “kicking the tobacco habit” should contact the Center at 884-4440 for registering and scheduled session dates.

BE SURE TO GET YOUR TICKETS FOR THE SPECIAL FUNDRAISER “Denim and Diamonds” to be held on May 4 in the Indian Hills Country Club from 5 to 7 pm – $30 per person with food, music (R & R Crossing), and silent auction. Tickets are available at the City offices or the Center, and your council members have a supply to sell. The net profit from this fundraiser will go directly to the City of Fairfield Bay to support the Center. Therefore, a portion of the ticket cost is tax deductible. (The Center depends solely on donations and tuition in order to keep the price of classes extremely low and affordable.)

Sculpture Class a Success

by: Eleanor Hilsenrath

As a “potential artist,” I have taken drawing classes and a handbuilding ceramics class in California. Before moving to Arkansas, I lived in France for a year (2001-2002), on the French Riveria. There were four major art museums within 1/2 hour of our home. So I was thrilled to see that our small FFB Education Center was offering a class in sculpture, a medium that I have experimented with here with one success and three failures. Doris Sexson had initiated me into the art world with an oil painting class, so for the sculpture class, the $25 annual charge for enrollment was already talken care of, and my friend, Marguerite Dory was willing to participate. Anne Mitchell, our instructor from Clinton, specializes in bronzes, and from the video she showed us, I do not want to go there. It was also a new adventure for her, to take a group of total novices, well, except for Ron Morrow , who is a very talented wood carver. The clay cracked, big disappointment for all of us, but WHAT INPUT Anne was able to give us about armature, mounting our work, and creating a stand on which to work from, I could go on and on. It was a very positive experience for all of us and Marguerite’s gargoyle was, in my opinion, the star of the class.

Ethan Reed Locates Grant

Ethan Reed, a high school senior and Student Council President at West Side High recently discovered that grant money was available through the Sherrif’s Dept to fund an awareness program leading up the the West Side Prom onApril 20. He notified Mary Calhoun of Cleburne County Coalition about the grant entitled “No Underage Drinking Week” and her application was successful. Pictured above, from left are teacher, Mrs. Patreca Hutson, Ms. Mary Calhoun who made the application and received the grant money and Ethan Reed, who received the check on behalf of the Student Council. The $125 received will fund prizes for this awareness program which will run for the entire week leading up to the Prom. Ethan explained that there will be lots of activities, including Drug and Alcohol Facts each day, culminating with a Student Rally on Thursday, April 19, with a presentation by the Cleburne Sherrif’s Dept. including video of some hypothetical scenarios the students might encounter and some real life stories of bad outcomes involving alcohol and drug abuse on prom nights. The results of the Quiz on the drug and alcohol facts presented each day whill be announced and the prizes, including gift cards willbe awarded. This is just one more example of student initiative, encouraged by West Side Administration and staff and as exemplified by Ethan who’s all smiles about his success. Ethan will graduate with honors and has received a well rounded education at West Side School. Ethan plans to attend UCA in the fall, majoring in Public Relations with a minor in either Business or Graphic Design.

Van Buren County High Schools Recieve Art Supplies

From Shirley, left – teacher Jessica Mannon, Natalie Berry, Serenity Moudy, Sidney Burgess, Allison Ferrell and Ali Bradley. 

Thea Foundation, a non-profit organization that advocates the importance of art education in the academic and social development of children, has purchased and donated art supplies to three high schools in Van Buren County. Those schools include Clinton, Shirley and Southside Bee Branch. “Art education is critical to the development and confidence of our youth, and these art supplies are the teachers’ tools to help their students dream and feel good about themselves,“ said Paul Leopoulos, executive director and cofounder of the Thea Foundation. BHP Billiton Petroleum of Houston, the second largest natural gas producer in the Fayetteville Shale, donated $30,000 to purchase the supplies which will also be distributed to high schools in Cleburne, Conway, Faulkner, and White Counties. In all, 19 high schools throughout the Fayetteville Shale Play will receive a year’s worth of arts supplies including paints, brushes, markers and paper. “Because of BHP Billiton’s generosity, these high schools now have the resources to help students achieve more in the classroom and in life,” Leopoulos said. Budget constraints have often created difficulty for schools to properly fund art education in public schools. Many times teachers are forced to use personal money to purchase the art supplies for their students. Recent studies indicate that students who participate regularly in the arts are four times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement, especially in math and science. “We appreciate the opportunity to partner with the Thea Foundation and hope the high schools in Van Buren County, as well as teachers and students, find this gift to be beneficial to learning,” said Danny Games, External Affairs Manager for BHP Billiton Petroleum. Thea Foundation, based in North Little Rock, was founded in 2001 following the untimely death of Leopoulos’ 17-year-old daughter, Thea, who was an accomplished artist, actress and writer. “When Thea found her hidden talents in art, drama and writing it changed every aspect of her life in such a short amount of time,” said Leopoulos. “She had confidence and her self-actualization process took off like a rocket. She discovered something exciting and it taught our family the importance of art in a young person’s life.” Thea Foundation works in various areas of the arts to help develop the artistic abilities of interested students. Each year, several high school students receive the Thea Scholarship in both visual and performing arts.

Art Contest Winners

 

The Van Buren County Farm Bureau held an art contest on safety for elementary students 1st – 3rd graders. Two Shirley students took 1st and 2nd place. Pictured left is Courtney Harder who won 1st place and is going to state competition. Sidney Severance, right, took 2nd place. Congratulations girls on doing a great job.

Shirley Honor Roll

Honor Roll students for 3rd Nine Weeks: All A’s Seventh Grade—Mariana Larson, Tenth Grade—Allison Ferrell, Nikki Owen. Eleventh Grade—Emily McCabe. Twelfth Grade—Emily McCabe, Cory Ward. SALC—Brandon Phillips All A’s and B’s Seventh Grade—Sydney Cothran, Joe Owen, Jed Privitt, Makala Strang, Kaitlin Wright Eighth Grade– Tessa Berry, Courtney Bradford, Mary Considine, Katie Hutto, James Vinson, Ninth Grade—Maddie Allen, Toriana Gaddy, Haley lewis, Kim Pierce, Alicia Pugh Tenth Grade—Sydney Burgess, Aryien Johnson, Deana Sowell, Kentresa Treuter Eleventh Grade—Justice Waldman, Twelfth Grade—Chris James, Alex Johnson, Mary SawrieSALC–Shavonna Ford, Huntar Courville, Damian Forrester, Jesse Watts, Bobby Kirkendoll, Emily Howard.

Shirley Alumnae Basketball Highlights

F.O.S.S., the Friends of Shirley Schools was the beneficiary of funds raised from the gate proceeds of the Alumnae Basketball games played at the Shirley Gymnasium on March 8 at 6 p.m. Money raised from the Concessions was donated to the Athletic Club. The women alumnae played first, followed by the men and concluding with the teachers game. Everyone in the crowd enjoyed the event almost as much as the players.

Shirley Recieves ExxonMobil Grant

Shirley High School has received a $500 grant from the ExxonMobil Educational Alliance Program. Mallory and Carla Nimocks of Nimocks Oil Company of Forrest City and Hardee’s Exxon Travel Mart of Mountain View worked with school officials to secure the grant which is one of thousands available to schools across the country. The grants were made possible by funding from the Exxon Mobil Corporation. The ExxonMobil Educational Alliance Program has awarded $2,500 in grants to the Shirley School District over the past five years. The grants are used to help support and enhance a variety of projects at the school. On behalf Nimocks Oil Company, Mr. Moore the Principal of Shirley High School presented the grant to Mr. Crotts the Business Education Teacher. The Exxon Mobil Educational Alliance Program is designed to provide Exxon and Mobil retailers with an opportunity to invest in the future of their communities through educational grants to neighborhood schools. ExxonMobil believes that, as members of the community, local retailers are best qualified to work with local educators to help identify schools and programs most in need of support. ExxonMobil is pleased to fund this very important program at a time when budgets for our schools do not always provide for some of the most critical needs.

Shirley School Receives Digital Communications Startup Grant

The Shirley School District has been awarded a $51,782.85 grant funding the start up for a Digital Communication Program of Instruction at Shirley High School. Approval of the startup grant was received from the Arkansas Department of career Education on February 10, 2012. the grant process began in early September 2011 as a collaborative effort between the school district and community business leaders and local government officials. Brian Crotts, the business education teacher at Shirley High School was the primary author of the grant; however, Crotts says that a grant of this magnitude required support from a lot of folks in the district and in the local community. The Digital communications program of study includes Digital Layout and Design, Digital Imaging, Digital Media and Digital Audio/Video Production. Digital Layout and Design teaches students to produce materials using page-design software, with consideration given to page composition, layout, design, editing, and a variety of printing options. Digital imaging is designed to study the process of editing digital images, photography, and visual signals to communicate the desired message to an audience effectively. Digital Media is a hands on course that focuses on the creative and technical skills necessary for web design and animation. Digital Audio/Video Production teaches students to capture, create, and edit audio and video files for media productions and various delivery formats. Each course is a semester long and open to sophomores, juniors, and seniors.

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