WWII Interview Project Training

Friday, December 11, 2009

November Class of the Month!


Class of the Month – November

For the first time in history, Mr. Banwart’s World Geography 4th Hour Class won the Class of the Month Award.

Don’t ask these guys to buy a timeshare! Students completed the TimeShare Simulation, the Caribbean Cruise Lines Simulation, and demonstrated fantastic knowledge of North and Central America. 

Great Job! It's an awesome mix of freshmen, sophomores, and seniors and we're really starting to have a good time as we continue our trek through the world.

In other news...finals. Yeah. They're next week. Let's study up!

Monday, November 30, 2009

Happy Thanksgiving!

I trust all had a blessed Thanksgiving this year! Although it has been a trying and tough year at times, we must say that we have so much to be thankful for. I thought you would appreciate this address given by George Washington:

Thanksgiving Proclamation

By the President of the United States of America, a Proclamation.

Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor-- and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.

Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be-- That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks--for his kind care and protection of the People of this Country previous to their becoming a Nation--for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his Providence which we experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war--for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed--for the peaceable and rational manner, in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted--for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed; and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us.

and also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions-- to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually--to render our national government a blessing to all the people, by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed--to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord--To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the encrease of science among them and us--and generally to grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.

Given under my hand at the City of New York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.

Go: Washington

Friday, November 20, 2009

Always Expect Excellence


Always Expect Excellence! The higher your standards and expectations, the greater amount of things you can achieve.

Nowhere was this more true than in my economics class 3rd hour. We're currently in Chapter 13, which deals with government expenditures as a key driver of the economy. Of course, one major area of government expense is that national budget. I prepared a national budget packet for the students, where they took a look at the pie graph (shown in this post) of the government's expenses every year. 

It was fascinating to hear how some students want to privatize social security, develop an investment plan for it, and gradually eliminate it from the budget. Many more ideas were thrown around and some of them were quite plausible! If you're concerned about the job Congress is currently doing, Economics would certainly offer some bright prospects and hope for the future.

That's not to shortchange my other classes though. World Geography has discovered the traps and dangers of timeshare offers, the water crisis in Haiti, and the wide world of Caribbean Cruise Line negotiations!

US History II just wrapped up its 60s-70s unit- fascinating stuff! Excellent test scores too. Great Job!! Today starts our 3-day study of Las Vegas that will take us into Thanksgiving break.

And last but certainly not least, US History I's major accomplishment is the creation of a newspaper, 1787 style! In the newspaper, John Locke's and Thomas Hobbes' theories on state of nature are included; Shays' Rebellion is discussed, and of course the Philadelphia Convention dominates the "headlines." The articles are written from a journalist's point of view in 1787. It's great!

Countdown to Thanksgiving...3.4 school days away! Have a great weekend!

Monday, November 9, 2009

Berlin Wall Anniversary and Veterans Day

It's a historic week! Today is the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, and Veterans Day is this Wednesday.

Rather than just enjoy a day with no work or school, why not take some time to study up on the history of the day?

Veterans Day's (Armistice Day in some other countries) origins come from World War I, in which the armistice ending fighting was signed. Turns out that it was signed at the 11th hour of the 11th month of November, 1918. If you're wondering why it falls in the middle of the week sometimes, and we just don't make it a Monday or Friday holiday, this is why. The end to the "War to end all wars" was a monumental moment! Sadly, the armistice was more like the official beginning to a 20-year intermission between the two world wars.

Enjoy your day off (if you get one), but please stop and reflect on the importance of Veterans Day, thank a veteran, and appreciate what we have!

Monday, November 2, 2009

Race to the Top

The World Series is in full swing, and the Yankees hopefully will capture their 27th World Championship later this week. However, a more important piece of good news comes straight from my Economics 3rd period class- they're in 7th and racing to the top of the standings!

What am I talking about? The annual Stock Market Game Capitol Challenge, of course! Our sponsor is Representative Richard Myers from our Illinois House district. Economics has two SuperTeams involved in the Stock Market Game, where they buy and sell stock with $100,000 just as they would in real life! Many congratulations are in order for:

SuperTeam 1: Daniel S., John H., Brian D., Dalton H. and Joey S.
SuperTeam 2: Jacob, Alex, Dalton, Bhrea, and Cassie

Congratulations! They are in 7th and 9th place, respectively, and have plenty of time to continue their march to the top. They currently have gained over $1,200 in the Stock Market Game so far this year - great job!

http://stockmarketgame.org/



 

Monday, October 19, 2009

Vietnam, McDonalds and Wal-Mart, Financial Crisis, and a Whole Lotta Shakin'

Welcome to another week!! We've got a ton of our plates, once again, for a 3-day week. Parent/teacher conferences are going to kick students out of school on Friday...too bad huh?!

US History I: Why do we need government? How is society organized, and how do people make decisions? Students had their "Free Classroom Island" last week where they were allowed to make all the decisions. Needless to say, they didn't like it! It reinforced the need for structure, routine, and a leader. To begin our new unit on government, students will read "Lord of the Flies" to analyze society's causes for breakdown, the needs of humans, etc.

World Geography: Have you gone to a Wal-Mart or McDonald's recently? Are you sure that was such a good idea? Students will take a long, hard look at both of these giants and whether or not they are good for America.

US History II: Vietnam, civil rights, the armed resistance movement, and Robert F. Williams. Does it get any better?

Economics: Do you know why the financial crisis of 2008 occurred? Ask my ECON class! We watched a documentary on the crisis, analyzed mutual funds/stocks/bonds, and are all set up for another great week.

Hope to see you all at Parent/Teacher Conferences this week!

Thursday, October 15, 2009

California Callin'

The past four days in World Geography class have been exciting, enlightening, and of course, always entertaining! Why, you ask? Because students have just completed an all-exclusive, once-in-a-lifetime special four-day study on our great state of California!

Let's see: Did you know that farmers in the San Joaquin Valley, south of Sacramento, are having the exact opposite problem as central Illinois farmers? They can't get water! Environmental groups concerned about the loss of the delta smelt (2-3 inch fish) population have gotten a judge to order the irrigation pumps shut down. 

From Santa Ana winds, the Redwood Forest, Hearst Castle, Golden Gate Bridge, Camp Pendleton, Hollywood Walk of Fame, to the Sierra Nevadas, my students can now say they know California!

US History I is taking a test today on the Revolutionary War. Tomorrow starts an all-new adventure- can't spoil the secret yet!

US History II is delving into the 60s, Vietnam War, and JFK assassination. Ask them about the real assassination sometime and what could have happened!

And finally, Economics is fully into the Stock Market Game. They will be competing with other schools from Illinois to make the best trades, purchases, and sales in the stock market for the next two months. Each team has $100,000 to work with and can spend it any way they like. But they've got to research the stock in which they're investing to make a smart buy! It's great fun.

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

September Class of the Month


It is my privilege to present to you the August/September Class of the Month: 3rd Hour Economics!

I can't say how proud I am of these great students. They have shown an incredible ability to analyze and grasp some tough economic concepts. Ask any of them to show you why a minimum wage could be bad for America and they'll do it. Have them show you the difference between a price floor and price ceiling, and they'll graph like crazies trying to get you to see it their way. Who knows, maybe you're one of their victims already :)

US History I's next project is a Revolutionary War collage that will be hung in the room; they also just finished a Rev. War puzzle that adds yet another one to the growing collection. In addition, they are thoughtfully deciding who they would be in the war - a loyalist or a patriot.

World Geography is racing right along with their National Parks Project. We are thoroughly underway in our study of the United States, and our National Park System is something that is a bit of a mystery for many people. Maybe some of you caught Ken Burns' PBS documentary last week- I've heard great things! The World Geo students will be creating a 3-minute video advertisement of their park, in which they'll give information and sales pitches to come visit!

US History II began their long, exciting trek through the 60s and 70s today. Hippies, counter-culture, Vietnam, JFK, MLK...the list goes on and on! We're going to try and tackle it all in the weeks to come.

Fun times at Astoria High...and always a great day to be a Rebel!

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Declaration of Independence Student Teachers




Who doesn't enjoy a flashback to the past every now and then? That's exactly what my juniors got to do today, as they took a trip down the hallway (and memory lane) to the elementary and junior high. Their mission: to educate the younger kids (who look up to them very much) about the Declaration of Independence and why it is so important.

Last week and for the early part of this week, the students took on a huge undertaking: to take the old Declaration of Independence and translate it into modern-day 2009 language! They did precisely that, and I wrote their translations onto tea-stained posterboard! The hand cramp was certainly worth it!

Economics students have done an amazing job in their analysis of price controls, price ceilings/floors, competition, etc. We're going to play Who Wants to be a Millionaire in class tomorrow to review for the test on Friday!

US History II students have been in a conservative frame of mind this week, as we've discussed Ronald Reagan's policies with the economy and "trickle-down" economics!

And finally, World Geography students just finished a simulation in which they were representatives of Canadian cities trying to lure the Olympics to their city! 'Twas a lot of fun for all involved.

Tomorrow I'll reveal the August/September Class of the Month! Stay tuned...

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Revolutionary War Songs

One of the assignments for US History I this week was to take some information they learned in class and create a song out of it. You've absolutely got to hear the song Brandy created to the tune of Michael Jackson's "Thriller."

“Boston”

by Brandy Schaeffer

To the tune of “Thriller”

 

It’s close to midnight

And Paul Revere hears a signal by the Brits

Under the moonlight

He jumps on top his horse and rides along.

He tries to scream

But the minutemen already see the lanterns

They start to freeze

As Britain looks them right between the eyes

They’re paralyzed

 

‘Cuz this is Boston! Boston yeah,

And no one’s gonna save you from the Brits about to strike

Ya know it’s Boston! Boston, yeah

You’re fighting for your life within a minute’s notice

 

You hear the gun shot

And you realize the war has just begun

You feel your heart beat

And wonder if this is really it

You close your eyes

And hope that this is all imagination

But all the while

A British soldier’s sneaking up behind, you’re out of time 

Chorus

 

 

 

 

Monday, September 21, 2009

Happy Fall!

Yes, fall is here, but you almost wouldn't know it with the Indian Summer we've been experiencing lately. Football is in full swing, but the harvest and cooler weather will have to wait awhile, apparently!

I did some extra research on Ben Franklin last week, as he made a special appearance in both my US History I classes. In addition to inventing the lightning rod, Franklin also invented the armonica, fire insurance, street lamps, the first library in the colonies, bifocals, and a library chair. And this was only in one phase of his life!

And wow, I found some golden quotes that I just had to share. Check these out:

"Little strokes fell great oaks"
"An investment in knowledge pays the best interest."

If you'd like to check out more, here's the website: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/b/benjamin_franklin.html

What's Going On This Week:

US History I - Declaration of Independence and Common Sense - it all will make sense by the end of the week!

US History II - I love the 80s - do you? Reagan, Challenger, Olympics, and more

World Geography - It's "Getting to Know You" week as we study our next-door neighbor Canada. Sounds good, eh?

Economics - What are the consequences to farm subsidization and how does it affect the supply curve? Sounds dry but my ECON class will tell you....it's NOT! What a great discussion today, and Tuesday we're playing the Economic Hitman Simulation.

Fun times indeed! Keep on truckin'!





Thursday, September 17, 2009

OJ, Rodney King, Economic Hit Men, and More

Burning Question:

Would OJ Simpson have gone free if Rodney King never would have been arrested? It's certainly a fascinating question, and one that my seniors are currently discussing. It's interesting to note that the long history of racial profiling, abuse, mistreatment of minorities by the LAPD had gone unchecked, and the Rodney King riots of 1992 certainly were in the back of the juror's minds as they listened to Johnnie Cochran give his closing arguments.

World Geography has a test tomorrow while US History I has a short quiz on the issues behind the Revolution. Great week so far!

Monday, September 14, 2009

And The Beat Goes On...

Believe it or not, it's already Week 5 of the new school year. It's sure flown fast! It's been exciting and fun and I am truly enjoying the time of my life every day at school. The students never fail to impress me with their ideas and innovation. Keep up the good work!

This past weekend I got the chance to fly to Washington, DC and participate in the Tea Party rallies on the West Lawn of the US Capitol Building. Many citizens are concerned with the increased amount of government control and interaction that is taking place in our lives, and I am one of them. I had never taken part in a political rally before, but it was definitely exciting. No one knew how many people were there, but estimates range from 70,000-2,000,000!

Here's a quick snapshot of the week ahead:

US History II - Do you love the 90s? Hate Waco and Ruby Ridge? Students will answer those questions and more in US History II this week.

US History I - Ben Franklin will be making a special appearance for my classes on Tuesday. Students will have an opportunity to ask questions about Franklin and the colonies in the pre-Revolutionary War days.

World Geography - What's an economic hit man? Why are countries so far ahead of others in terms of development? Definitely an exciting week in Geography.

Economics - Supply and Demand Week! Students will get a nice introduction to supply and demand and analyze its impact on the millions of economic decisions consumers make everyday.

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Labor Day

I hope everyone's Labor Day was fantastic. For many people it's the official end of summer: the pool shuts down and gets a tarp over it, the closets get changed around to accomodate some fall/winter clothes, and you guessed it - football is back!

As we prepare to start a shortened week, let's take a look at the holiday that we just celebrated.


The First Labor Day

The first Labor Day holiday was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in New York City, in accordance with the plans of the Central Labor Union. The Central Labor Union held its second Labor Day holiday just a year later, on September 5, 1883.

In 1884 the first Monday in September was selected as the holiday, as originally proposed, and the Central Labor Union urged similar organizations in other cities to follow the example of New York and celebrate a "workingmen's holiday" on that date. The idea spread with the growth of labor organizations, and in 1885 Labor Day was celebrated in many industrial centers of the country.

The vital force of labor added materially to the highest standard of living and the greatest production the world has ever known and has brought us closer to the realization of our traditional ideals of economic and political democracy. It is appropriate, therefore, that the nation pay tribute on Labor Day to the creator of so much of the nation's strength, freedom, and leadership — the American worker.

From US Department of Labor website

Friday, September 4, 2009

Global Warming?! Hoax or Reality?

That was one of a myriad of questions my Geography class tackled this week. We examined the myths and facts behind global warming, taking in both sides of the debate. We watched clips from Al Gore's documentary, "An Inconvenient Truth," but were later dismayed to hear that he is being sued for fraud for the use of some misleading charts during the documentary.

Congratulations to Dalton Hammond for winning $1,000,000 by going all the way in "Who Wants to be a Millionaire: Economics Edition!" Or...make that 5 questions to be crossed off on today's test! You'll have to ask him sometime about the million dollar question- he didn't even flinch!

We had our first round of quizzes this week in 3 of my classes. I can't tell you how proud I am of my students this year. They're paying attention, they work hard, and it's showing already. Kudos. Don't let off the gas!

Countdown to Labor Day is officially under way- hope it's great!!

Monday, August 31, 2009

Solid Start Continues

First off, many thanks to Mr. Little, who positively identified my grammatical error in my last post. It's a big one; I certainly hope my students never fail to impress me, not disappoint me. I told him that it was just a test to see if he still knew the English language like the back of his hand. I don't think he bought that.

Here's what's on tap for this week.

Economics has a test on Friday on market structure, the principles of economics, scarcity, the factors of production, etc. The students have really impressed me so far, and as a class mainly made of of underclassmen they are doing exceptionally well. 

US History I will continue our studies on colonial life, the Puritans, and might even include a Salem Witch Trial simulation in class. We'll also revisit life onboard a slave ship to the New World as well.

US History II's agenda includes debating Muslim profiling in the wake of 9/11, Operation Enduring Freedom, and the Patriot Act. Looking forward to an exciting week in this class as well!

And last but certainly not least, World Geography's plans include a debate on global warming, population explosions, and stages that every nation goes through.

It's certainly going to be a well-deserved Labor Day break for my students- GREAT JOB so far! You are really impressing me- keep it up!

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

North to Alaska...for Oil Drilling? ANWR and Stuff

Wow, each year my Geography classes never fail to disappoint in their discussion on ANWR (Arctic National Wildlife Refuge). Yesterday I introduced the idea of drilling for oil in this protected area of northern Alaska. There are 19,000,000 acres in the refuge, and 1.5 million of them have been set aside for drilling.

Although both classes felt very strongly that we should drill, they were able to see the dangers, risks and costs of doing so. They weren't chanting "Drill, baby, drill" as Sarah Palin's supporters were last year, but they were close! Maybe someday I'll tell the students how I really feel about ANWR...

Which brings us to the interactive part of this post: vote and share! Do you think the US should drill in ANWR? 

Parents and students, remember extra credit is available for returning the signed sheet acknowledging your receipt of this blog description.

Open House is this Thursday night! Be there.

Monday, August 24, 2009

PowerPoints Available!

Students,

My PowerPoints will be available in the Groups Shared Folder as we cover them. US History II's lecture on the Duke Lacrosse case is in there, as is US History I's slideshow on the early Spanish explorers. Please access them for notes when you need to!

Friday, August 21, 2009

...and another week bites the dust

Safely through the first week! And what a GREAT start it was. I have never been as excited for a school year as I currently am, and I can't exactly explain why. Maybe it's great students, a top-notch staff, supportive administration, or fantastic parents. Probably a combination of all 4.

I plan to begin online grad school classes at Grand Canyon University starting September 3. Whoever thought it would be a good idea to start class the Friday before Labor Day?! At any rate, they're coming whether I like it or not. Pretty hard to believe that I'm going back to school too.

I can't wait to see what challenges, adventures, and funny moments this school year will bring. We've already had a few this week: Jake Crosetto going to roll up the windows of his car, in a blinding rainstorm Wednesday, and coming back to US History II utterly and completely soaked. The guy looked like a drowned rat and the class was hysterical for a good 5 minutes, including their teacher!

Another gem from Thursday is Cody Easley: "So Christopher Columbus....that's the guy that invented electricity, right?"

Always a great day at Astoria High School, and folks- those are two big reasons why!

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Back in Business

Are you ready for another year? That answer better be a resounding "Yes!"

I'm thrilled to be back in the swing of things as I start my 3rd year teaching. There's nothing like the clanks of lockers, confused freshmen roaming the hallways, and a full day of syllabi!

I'm currently in the process of completely revamping my US History I curriculum. Instead of being a complete course in government, we're going to cover early American history and take an extended rest stop during the Revolutionary and post-Revolution period for an in-depth study of the Constitution, Declaration of Independence, and all that good stuff. After we're done with that, we'll try to get to post-Reconstruction material where we will stop at 1877. Senior US History II class will pick up from there, covering 1877-present. That just makes more sense- or so I hope!

Other noteworthy tidbits:

1) World Geography class, once again, has the potential to be amazing this year. For the past two years it's been a very random mix of upper and underclassmen, and this year is no different. It's a great opportunity for the seniors to step up and be leaders/mentors to the freshmen and sophomores, and I have full confidence that they will. Last year seniors were complaining at the beginning of the year about being in class with freshmen; by the end of the year they were great friends.

2) Economics- wow. I'm as excited as one can be to teach this class, especially in a time like this. Great potential!

3) It's been nearly 8 months since I posted last. Wow.

It's going to be a great year. Here we go...

Friday, January 9, 2009

US History II Field Trip Pictures Are Here!!

The Best Field Trip Ever!!

Students from my US History II class took a field trip on Wednesday. In Gridley, their first stop, Clark Stoller, an avid World War II historian, lectured to us. Students were treated to a dazzling display of WWII weaponry, stories of courage, and left with a greater appreciation for history and the brave men who sacrificed their lives. The learning experience was certainly a physical and mental one, as Dylan quickly found out!

Students then visited Mr. B's parents' home, eating a delicious lunch of pork barbeque sandwiches. Mr. B's dad showed them an M-1 Garand rifle, which was the primary weapon the US troops used in WWII.

At Ronald Reagan Museum at Eureka College, my seniors enjoyed an entertaining tour given by Brian Sajko, curator of the Museum. Everyone agreed that he was hilarious as he told us special Reagan stories and also put in a convincing pitch for Eureka College! Students found it interesting that Reagan repeatedly sent artifacts back to Eureka College after he graduated, as the College was like part of his family. I think everyone appreciated the free Jelly Bellies at the end of the tour, which were Reagan's favorite candy!

Final stop of the day was at Rave Motion Pictures in Peoria. Casey Dean had recommended I watch the film "Frost/Nixon," and after doing a basic Google search I quickly found out about Valkyrie. After telling my seniors about it, they started getting pretty excited about seeing the film, as all kinds of previews for the flick are on TV. "Valkyrie," which depicts the attempted assassination of Hitler in 1944, was fantastic and certainly a couple history lessons in itself. We needed most of the day on Thursday to recap the movie and figure out everything that took place! Definitely as good as advertised.

This was the first field trip that I've ever done for any of my classes, and what a way to start! I told them as we stopped at Casey's in Lewistown that I couldn't be more proud of them, and I mean it. This was the perfect group for the field trip, and you can chalk up yet another special memory I will have of the Class of 2010.

Be sure to check out the pictures on the "Slideshow" section on the right-hand side of the page!

Exciting News - I Got Funded!!

Last year as I was planning for US History I (American Government), I thought the class would benefit immensely if we could read "Lord of the Flies," which perfectly captures the very reasons why we have a government in the first place. As my students know by now, the book tells the haunting story of boys that are traveling across the Pacific Ocean for a class trip. Their plane crashes and they are quickly faced with many choices, chiefest among them being, "What is our plan? How will we survive in a society with no rules?"

I read this book in high school and loved every second of it and wanted my students to enjoy the same opportunity. However, books for an entire class aren't cheap! I did some browsing on the Internet and found the website DonorsChoose.org, which allows donors to choose teacher projects that need financial assistance and then fund them.

My project was up on the website for 3 days before getting funded! I am so excited; the company told me that my books are on their way! I look forward to sharing this gift with my juniors for years to come- what a great opportunity!

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Off To A Great Start!

The new semester is here! We've hit the ground running in every class. US History II is quickly discovering why Hitler and the Nazis were able to come to power so easily in the 1930s; World Geography is becoming quickly acquainted with the European countries so they don't have a Miss South Carolina moment :) ; US History I is learning what a President faces in his job every day and how to become more politically involved to truly change things; and Sociology is quickly becoming a very interesting class to teach.

Many of my students had no clue what Sociology was or why they should study it. So far, the class has been the highlight of the week, and more is yet to come! Yet they will be able to tell you at this point that sociology is the study of society, and that sometimes common sense can warp what is really reality in the social world. The class will work on discussing a sociology-related article online at Google Groups - you can check it out by using the link on the right hand side of this page!

Have a great rest of the week! US History II is going on their long-anticipated field trip tomorrow; I'll try to post pictures!

Friday, January 2, 2009

Happy New Year!!

It's 2009 - can you believe it? It seems like only yesterday that the entire world was panicking about the Y2K scare, and now, 8 years has gone by. It's hard to believe that time goes so fast sometimes, and even more difficult to hear older people tell me that it only speeds up as you go along!

I can say the same thing about this past semester - where did the time go? When I look back on it now, it looks like a big blur with a bunch of fun, exciting, and interesting activities, lessons, and events in between.

This spring semester will likely be very busy as well. I'm kicking around the idea of having my students participate and compete in the history fair - more information to follow. In addition, I will likely be coaching Junior High Track and High School Scholastic Bowl again this year. Jacob Shaw, Martina LeBegue, and Alex Wommack will be competing in the Euro Challenge. 

Wishing you all the best in 2009!!