Students Doing Positive Things This Week

Over the past few days our students have been doing some really great things outside of the classroom. The Bass Fishing Team hosted a tremendous Fish Fry on Senior Night. The food was excellent and the dinner just added to a great Senior Night atmosphere. The Senior Night ceremony highlighted our student-athletes who have given back to the community and school in the athletic arena over the past 4 years. There was a very touching portion of the ceremony that honored the late Josh Hoffman. Josh would have been out on the floor for Senior Night if not for an unfortunate accident in 2007. Our student body was both moved and supportive of the team and Josh's parents during a jersey presentation.

Another example of our kids doing great things is the Safe Driving Fair. The Driver's Education students and the TMD club are assisting me in creating a fair-type atmosphere that will promote safe driving habits. The school was awarded a grant from IDOT, Ford and Allstate to promote save driving. The students have given their time to assist me in this endeavor. 37 of them have done so.

Thursday morning FCCLA hosted the section workshop at the Athens Christian Church. 220+ students from 13 high schools attended the workshop/conference. Our students and their sponsor, Alice Slager, put on another great event.

Lastly, several high school students assisted CIS with their Health Fair. The older students supervised, participated with, and interacted with 4th-6th graders and had a great time doing so. These students represented the high school among a very important crowd - our own youngsters. The intermediate students admire - almost idolize many of the high school kids - and this group DID NOT disappoint.

This has been a little soapbox on how OUR students are doing all kinds of great things both in and out of the classroom. Have a great weekend.

An Evening With The President of the United States

I wish I could tell you that I had a great seat at the Lincoln Dinner located in the Crowne Plaza. I did not. I did however, have a great presidential experience. After school, I mentioned to my son that Air Force One was scheduled to land at the Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport around 6:30pm. He thought it would be great to go and "see President Obama." As a private pilot, I was interested in seeing Mr. Obama AND Air Force One. We loaded up and drove into town. While discussing where to go, I took the first turn into the airport instead of the second. This turn led me to the entrance to the Air Guard. At the gate were two very friendly - yet heavily armed - Guardsmen. They were more than willing to point us in the right direction - you talk about feeling like an idiot? Oh well, off we went to the terminal area. Upon our arrival, it looked as though about 100 people were already on hand. By the time we left, the number doubled. We waited and waited and waited. We had hustled to the airport because we listened to the radio as he lifted off from Peoria at 5:03pm. We figured we would be there just a few minutes before touchdown.....we were wrong. The original arrival time was 6:20pm - and they were pretty much on time. We waited with numerous friendly people. There was an older couple who were very excited and very cold. There were people of all colors and nationalities. As the sun began to set -the temperature began to fall. The cold made the wait seem like forever. My daughter covered up with all the jackets and blankets I could find in the truck. My son was continuously scanning the sky with binoculars. Eventually, the lights of Air Force One became visible in the distance. The sun had disappeared and good pictures were out of the question. We watched in awe as the giant 747 landed right in front of us. After a short trip to the RR for my daughter, we were able to get back and see President Obama walkout of the Jet and start down the steps. Our view was quickly obstructed by the Secretary of State's Bomb Squad Vehicle. We were a good 150 yards from the aircraft. My kids were so excited - they could hardly stand it. As the president disappeared from view, they were ready to get into the truck - where it was warm - to talk about "seeing the President!" We finished the evening watching WCFN’s coverage of President Obama’s Speech. The key here for me is that I think it is important to take time for what interest your kids. We have gone looking for Lincoln, because my 4th grade son is interested in the events and places of Lincoln's life. In the end - it was cold, it was long and it will be a life-long memory for my kids - the day they got to "see the President of The United States," even if it was 150 yards away:)
PS – Air Force One was pretty awesome as well.

Girls Basketball Regional Game

Tonight the Lady Warriors defeated the Lady Saints of Calvary 60 to 48. Our girls played a great game. Their shots were falling, their passes were crisp and on target, and they rebounded very well. This group has made great strides since last year. This year the girls have one junior and the rest are all under classmen. Coach Phillips and Coach Heriford have these young ladies working and improving every game. They never lack for hustle or effort. They are truly a joy to watch. They play again Tuesday night at 6:00pm against Warrensburg-Latham at Athens. Come on out and cheer on your Lady Warriors. Congratulations to Coach phillips, her staff and the girls for a great win.

Money For College

Finding money for college is a difficult task for many. There are scholarships, savings accounts, tax sheltered pre-pay programs, student loans, grants and the list goes on. Navigating the choices can be tricky and frustrating. The FAFSA process can be confusing and time consuming. Student loans are the only way some kids will ever be able to pay for school. I took out student loans for both my under graduate degree and first graduate program. I am still paying for my Master's Degree. Tonight, the school offered a free Financial Aid Night at the school. In the past, there were only a few parents every year who would attend. This year, the number was much higher. Twenty plus families and/or students attended this evenings program. Lincoln Land Community College provided the "expert" for no charge. The information provided was applicable to applying for admission to and for financial aid to any college or university. The increase in numbers could be attributed to many things including, the current economic climate or greater publicity. No matter the reason, we were glad so many attended and hope to see more next year. If you missed the program, do not hesitate to call Mrs. Benz or Mr. Curry for direction in finding funding for your student's further education. Also, check out the FAFSA website for more information on the process - http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/ . You can also go straight to Mrs. Benz's Guidance Webpage at http://sites.google.com/site/ahsguidance/ .