Clinton, OK 73601

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16 Edition Issue #1 October 7, 2016

Tornado Talk

BPA students learn, teach skills

pictured from left to right: Peyton Tharel, Morgan Jones, & Jona Herrera

story and photo by Ruby Payan, Sr, Assistant Editor Business Professionals of America (BPA) officers Morgan Jones, president, Jona Herrera, vice president, Zack Steffes, secretary, and Peyton Tharel, treasurer will be attending the leadership conference on October 26 in Norman. In March, BPA members will be competing with business and information technology skills against other schools in which they will be challenged and put through tasks that will later give them advantage in real life

by Deon Basler, Jr. Editor-in-Chief Kathy Kelley, a beloved teacher at CHS for over 39 years, passed away in the early hours Tuesday, August 2, 2016 while on a Caribbean Cruise with her family on the Gulf of Mexico. She taught English, Speech, Drama, Humanities and led the Legal Team. Kelley said that in her classes, the fear of public speaking is something “we work to get rid of.” She had an exceptional devotion to her career and also to her family. Kelley loved to garden and

situations. Hoi Geswender, as BPA advisor, would like to call for more students to join this organization. BPA dues are $25.00. As of right now, BPA has 28 members, and she hopes after the competition in March, a few students will qualify to attend National competition in May. As fundraising, Geswender will be selling snacks and candy in her classroom. Together the members will host the blood drive and help the student council in other activities. These include the food drive and assisting in delivering val-

entine flowers. Other worthy community services will be taking place throughout the year. BPA also has planned several community services to benefit people from Clinton. This school year, Geswender is opening her classroom door one Saturday every month for free computer classes. Anybody can attend the two hour sessions to take advantage of this very unique opportunity. BPA members will teach all fundamental skills in technology such as Microsoft Office 365, Google Drive, a variety of apps for Ipad, and many more fundamental computer skills. The first class was scheduled for September 24. Business Professionals of America is the leading CTSO (Career and Technical Student Organization) for students pursuing careers in business management, office administration, information technology and other related career fields. The Mission of Business Professionals of America is to contribute to the preparation of a world-class workforce through the advancement of leadership, citizenship, academic, and technological skills.

page 1

International Observe the Moon Night Scheduled by Savannah Skyles, So, Feature Writer The Clinton High School science department will be hosting International Observe the Moon Night in the Dome on Saturday, October 8. Students, families and the community are encouraged to attend. The department will have many activities available, including telescopes, NASA moon rocks, and other hands-on activities. Observe the Moon Night is a project by NASA, science teachers, and a practicing scientist. Anyone can participate and there is no fee. Astronomy students are also working on a competitive project in conjunction with Observe the Moon Night. Each student spends the first 6 weeks engaged in guided inquiry activity, in which they read papers to learn

about lunar or asteroid science. Topics include the moon’s formation, evolution, and geology. Students explore data sets from lunar spacecraft missions, and asteroid missions. It helps if the students have taken and EarthSpace science course, but it is not required. At the end of the first 6 weeks, students use their newfound knowledge to characterize the geology of a region of the lunar surface or an asteroid. The remainder of the experience is dedicated to researching a lunar or asteroid topic decided by student and their advisor. At the conclusion of their research, students create a conference-style poster that is reviewed by a panel of judges. The top four teams present their research to the panel of judges, and answer ques-

tions from the judges. Based on these presentations the judges select 1 team to present their poster in person at the Exploration Science Forum held at NASA Ames in July. The remaining three teams posters will be put on display. At the forum, students not only present their poster, but also have the opportunity to meet scientists, take a guided tour of NASA Ames facilities, and visit a local science center. The winning team does not have to pay for travel expenses, meals, or hotels. Other teams that do not win can also attend at their own expense.

In memory of Kathy Kelley

spend time taking care of her flowers. She enjoyed scrapbooking, taking cruises, and Christmas. Former students and coworkers tell stories of how much of a firecracker she could be, how she would never beat around the bush, or how she would always be there to help if anyone needed it. If Kathy Kelley had to be described in just one word it would be passion. She would put her all in everything she did regardless of what it was. She did everything with purpose and passion. She had a passion for working with her students on the Legal Team. Under Kelley’s direction, the Legal Team was a top eight team in the state for twelve years running, three-time state runners-up, and state champions in 2012 and 2013. Le-

gal team also placed fourth in national competition in Indianapolis in 2014. Many of Kelley’s legal team alumni have since entered the legal profession. Kelley was also very active at the Southwest Playhouse, serving on the board as well as serving as president. She worked with professional actors, directors, musicians, and dancers throughout her career. Kelley has done everything from acting, to directing, to working backstage at Southwest Playhouse, and earned several SOPHI awards for her work with the theater. Kelley’s greatest accomplishments and loves were family, and spending time with her grandchildren. “Family is very important to me. I absolutely love it when everyone is over and the house is a com-

plete zoo,” said Kelley. After spending the day with her family, before she went to bed on the evening of her passing, Kathy told her daughter, “My heart is so full.” Though Kathy Kelley may be gone, the hard work and love that she gave this community will 2014/15 Legal Team live on. Legal Team now works towards going to Nationals to make her proud, Southwest Playhouse will always remember one of their most active people on the board, and CHS will remember her as the dedicated teacher, colleague and friend that she was. 2013/14 Legal Team

She flew home today. She’s finally free, and She will be looking down at you and me. She flew home today to be with those who have gone before and she will patiently wait for others to walk through that door. She flew home today. Let’s sing “Amazing Grace”! She’s there in Heaven with a smile on her face. So please don’t cry. Let’s rejoice in our hearts, She flew home today, she’s got a head start. -Author unknown

page 2 Opinion October 7, 2016

From the Editor

by Deon Basler, Editor-In-Chief Every 40 seconds someone commits suicide. Every. 40. seconds. That is something that quite a few of us can’t even imagine, and for others, it’s just reality. Sadly, this is my reality, because on June 14, 2016 my mother decided to take her own life. She decided that her life, her two kids, her friends, and everyone that cared about her was no longer worth living for. Because of this silent killer, she didn’t get to see my brother’s first day of high school, she won’t see me go to prom, or when my brother and I graduate. She won’t

be there for her children’s weddings, or when her grandkids are born. Suicide is a selfish, careless, and thoughtless thing to do to not only you, but to also your friends and family. The world that we live in today is not always a pretty one. People are mean, selfish, and are only looking for ways to put you down. High school is no different. Everyday I hear the words “kill yourself,” and “I’m going to kill myself” at least ten times, and the sick part is that people think it’s funny. Suicide is the farthest thing from a joke that you can get. It’s not

something that can just be thrown out lightly and laughed at. It’s the third leading cause of death in people our age I understand that this time in someone’s life can be difficult, but remember that life isn’t always supposed to be easy. And no matter how much you mess up in life there is always a better way out than killing yourself. It doesn’t matter what you have done, killing yourself is not the answer. If this is something that you are going through, if those dark thoughts are creeping in through the back of your mind, please know

that you are loved. You are cared about, you mean something to someone, you mean something to this world. Even if it doesn’t feel like it. Know that there are people you can talk to whether it’s a family member, a friend, or even a teacher. If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please try and talk to someone you trust about it, or please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-2738255.

In the Halls

by Nalan Kentner, Feature Writer Editor-in-Chief: Deon Basler Assistant Editor: Ruby Payan Business Manager: Nalan Kenter Feature Writers & Photographers: Esteban Reynaga Cale Sawatzky J Badillo Hayei Carpenter Tanner Davis Gissele Duarte Gillian Pancoast Savannah Skiles Hannah Walters Sharise Whitney Abighail Acosta Meghin Martinez Jessica Roedell Advisor: Melissa Knabe

Tornado Talks Staff The goals of the Tornado Talks newspaper, the official newspaper of Clinton High School, are to inform, educate and entertain its readers, and to provide a teaching tool for those who may want to pursue a career in journalism. All funding for publishing and distributing the Tornado Talks to Clinton High School students and faculty is obtained through the sale of advertising. Distribution to the community is also made possible through advertising funds. The Editorial Board reserves the right to choose all content, and to determine story priority. While the Board will allow constructive criticism of any part of the paper before publication, final publication decisions rest solely in the hands of the journalism students. This editorial board consists of advisor Melissa Knabe and the Tornado Talks Staff. This board oversees the various operations of production. None of the writers’ opinions expressed in this paper should be construed as the opinion of the Clinton Public School System, faculty, administration and/or the school board of the Clinton Public School District. Publication in the Tornado Talks is not limited to members of the newspaper staff. Letters to the editor, guest columns, and “freelance” stories are accepted and encouraged. The Editorial Board reserves the right to edit Letters to the Editor for grammatical errors, length, libel, obscenity and poor taste. All letters must be signed to be printed. The Tornado Talks will strive to present information in a fair, impartial, accurate and truthful manner. The newspaper will function in accord with all applicable laws, both in regard to the rights and restrictions of journalism and of the public high school in Oklahoma. No libelous and obscene material, profanity or purposely disruptive statements will appear in the Tornado Talks. The newspaper will make clear distinction between factual and opinionated content. When opinion pieces appear, they will be labeled as such. The Tornado Talks will not discriminate against members of any group, be it minority or otherwise, in the amount of coverage, staff representation, or any other manner. In the event of an error (omission, misidentification, etc.) the Editorial Board will attempt to correct the mistake. Every reasonable precaution is made in avoiding errors, but some amount of error is perhaps inevitable. Each case will be evaluated on its own merit. The entire student body of Clinton High School, the primary audience, receives the paper free of charge to encourage readership and to ensure showcasing of student journalistic work. Secondary audiences, such as the Clinton community, faculty and other school journalism programs also receive Tornado Talks. Find us on Twitter: @TornadoTalks chstornadotalks.com [email protected]

October 7, 2016 Feature page 3

Cafeteria Changes

by Cale Sawatzky, Jr New improvements have been made to the High School cafeteria for the 2016-17 school year. Michelle Douglas has been hired as the new Food Services Director for Clinton Public Schools. She has helped make sev-

The meal pictured on the right is typical of the new menu.

eral positive alterations to the food program. More food options at meal times is one of the many beneficial changes. At breakfast powdered and chocolate donuts are now available for students to eat as an option every day. Different brands

of cereals are also offered along with the main course. Ham or turkey sandwiches and chef salad are now an every day option during lunch if students choose to opt out of the main entre. Overall students are enjoying the new food menu with some favorite meals like chicken tenders and mini corn dogs. New flavors of juice boxes are well liked at breakfast and lunch.

Improved facilities at CHS by Cale Sawatzky, Jr Several improvements were made to Clinton High School over the course of the summer. The biggest development was the new attendance

office which is now next to the choir room. Last year the space was used as a computer lab, but in the past it was the old band room. It was remodeled to make new offices for attendance secretaries

Deidre Swails and Laura Haggard, Principal Kenny Stringer, Counselor Catey Moring, and Food Services Director Michelle Douglas. A front gate was also added so that everyone must go through the attendance office to enter the school. On the front gate is an ionic red tornado which was made in our very own Ag shop. The parking lot in front of the High School was also repaved and painted creating bus and carpool lanes.

Pictured at left is the new main office suite.

Pictured at right is the new gate welcoming visitors to CHS.

page 4 Sports October 7, 2016

Football at half way point in the season

The Red Tornadoes opened their 2016 football season with a game against the reigning 5A state champion Altus Bulldogs. The Reds held in the first half, scoring once on a 99 yard interception by Christopher Brooks (Sr, #4). The reds put together sustained offensive drives in the first half, scoring twice, but struggled to contain the visiting Bulldogs. The final score was Clinton-14, Altus- 35. The Reds came back strong in game two against the Woodward Boomers. The Reds struggled against the counter in the first quarter, but tightened up de-

fensively in the second half, allowing just seven points. After a slow start, the Reds came away with a road win, beating the Boomers 34-17. Game three saw the Reds face the Anadarko Warriors on the road. The Warriors have been one of the toughest opponents for the Reds in recent years, and the Warriors had won every matchup since falling to the Reds 2114 in the 2012 state championship game. The Reds had trouble in the first series of the first quarter, but quickly began putting together successful drives. Clinton ran 39 plays on offense, made 14 first downs,

and commanded an impressive 30 minute time of possession. The Reds had a fourth quarter letdown that allowed the Warriors to keep the game close, but held on for a 28-22 victory. The Reds played their first game under interim head coach Reade Box in week five after the resignation of former head coach Phil Koons and a bye during week four. The Reds came out strong. Late in the first quarter, Dawson Ballard (Sr, #1) forced a fumble and recovered it in Clinton’s end zone to tie the game. Strong runs by Deonte Barker (Sr, #21)

Greyson Weedon, Jr, #33, comes in to assist Jose Hernandez, Jr, #5 with a tackle against the Elks. photo by Michael Knabe

and DayDay Simpkins (So, #24) set up a deep pass to the corner from Conor Wyer (Jr, #8) to JJ Brown (Sr, #15). WIth just over six minutes left in the first half, the Reds held their only lead of the night after a 37 yard field goal by kicker George Gomez (So, #6). Missed opportunities in the red zone ultimately proved costly for the Reds, resulting in a 28-13 loss. For week six, the Reds faced the Elk City Elks for Homecoming. The Elks were 1-4 coming in to Friday night’s game, but they had put up an average of 33.2 points per game, including 51 points in

a loss against Pampa, TX in game one. Friday night, the Elks offense scored 40 points, but their defense didn’t have an answer for Conor Wyer (Jr, #8) through the air, Christopher Brooks (Sr, #4) scoring twice in the Wildcat, or Greyson Weedon’s (Jr, #33) four touchdowns on the ground. Also getting in the end zone Friday night were Deonte Barker (Sr. # 21) with two touchdowns, Dawson Ballard (Sr. #1), DayDay Simpkins (So. #24), and Holden Powell (So. #32) with one touchdown each. The Reds generated more than 500 yards in total offense in se-

curing the 77-40 victory over the visiting Elks. “I feel positive about the first five games. The kids have good attitudes and are getting better every day. We are a very athletic team that has a lot of potential, and I feel if we will work hard we will have a chance to do some really good things this year. We need to improve our practice habits. We have got to practice faster and be more polished,” Box said. Friday night, the Reds will travel to face a Cache team that has only allowed 40 points on the season.

Christopher Brooks, Sr, #4 carries the ball deep into the red zone in last Friday’s victory over the Elks. photo by Michael Knabe

Softball: All it takes is all you’ve got

by Sharise Whitney, So, Feature Writer In prior years, Clinton softball has had a tough run. New head coach, Lisa Moss, hopes to change that this season. Moss recently moved from Chelsea, Oklahoma where she coached for 6 years. Moss says that the girls out for softball this season are very athletic and talented at the sport. Moss also believes that the players are more than capable of being able to excel this season. Her goals for this year are to place in the top 4 at Districts, then be able to qualify for Regionals. Her future goal is to, “Change the way Clinton softball is perceived.” Coach Moss wants softball to be taken seriously at CHS. “I want us to be what football is to Clinton, I want softball to be that for the girls.” Coach Moss plans on meeting her goals by having high expectations for the players on the team. She expects them to, “Play hard, always give 110%, and just always do your best.” She also requires the girls to, “Come in, have a good attitude,

work hard, be a good teammate, and just do what you need to do.” In order for the team to improve Moss says that the players need to keep working on the basic parts of softball and the little things. “The little things add up to be big things.” she says. Moss believes that one of the best things about softball is being on the team. “The thing is you may not remember the games; it’s the other stuff you remember. You remember the dance parties on the bus, you remember going to a restaurant, or the trip here or the trip there. It’s all the little things, the camaraderie you get with just being around your girls. You may not remember the games, but you’ll remember who you played softball with.” The players on the team have also been doing some community work as well. The girls were seen helping Southwest Elementary students get out of their cars in the morning drop off line. The girls then participated in Southwest’s rise and shine ceremony and took pictures with

the younger softball players. The team also plans to participate in the Community 5k. CHS softball has come a long way this season; if they want to accomplish their goals for this year and for the years following, then they will need to continue improving and working hard.

The team warms up for Arapaho-Butler.

Batter up!

October 7, 2016 Sports page 5 Cross Country keeps improving by Gissele Duarte, So., Feature Writer Cross Country started off their 2016 season at the Elk City meet on August 25, with Esteban Reynaga Sr., placing 12th. Coach Robert Pitman, from Branson Missouri, is the new head coach, and has been coaching for eleven years. “Our ultimate goal by the end of the year is to have individual success as well as team success on a state level.”, said Pitman about the team’s goal this year. The team has been working hard throughout every week and run on their own time to get better on their mile time. They even entered in Clinton’s 5K Spirit Run on Saturday, September 24th, to help them improve for meets and support the 5K. A r i a n a Ramirez Jr., has been

in the sport since her freshman year and joined cross country to get in shape for soccer, but ended up liking it more than she had originally thought. “I join every year because it makes me feel good about myself, and if you’re not happy with the results the only person you can blame is yourself. My favorite thing about cross country is experiencing something new anywhere we go for meets, it never gets boring,”said Ramirez. As each meet goes by, the team keeps improving and hopes to do well at Regionals on October 15th, at Hobart. There are only a couple of meets left before the team head off to Regionals, and they keep pushing themselves each day to further their chances on making it to state.

Cheer takes serious committment

by Sharise Whitney, So., & Gissele Duarte, So., Feature Writers Cheer starts off fresh this 2016 season with a new head coach and new members. Michelle Douglas, the former CMS cheer coach two years ago, has become the new head coach and says, “It can be overwhelming at times, but it is also lots of fun.” Tryouts for cheer were in March, the girls were judged on technique, jumps, voice projection, and tumbling. The girls on the squad also attend a 4 day camp at OU. At this camp

they learned stunts, cheers, and stunt safety. This year the cheer squad picked a new member, Junior, Kallyn Sorter, who has never cheered before. “I started cheer because my best friend Mikah Harper (Sr.) has been in cheer since 7th grade, and she always wanted me to try it. I was too scared, but she finally convinced me to try out, so I could cheer with her during her senior year.” Douglas expects her girls to, “...work hard every day.” Douglas also says that cheer is a, “...year round commitment, they don’t

get a summer break or any break at all. ”The girls on the squad are expected to learn up to 70 cheers which the members on the squad made up themselves. The girls also choreograph most the the dances that go along with the cheers. These cheers are very important to the girls on the squad, which is why they are very specific about who is able to learn their cheers. They are also this way because “cheer stealing” is a common occurrence between rival schools. The members on the squad work exceptionally hard on their

cheers, as well as take great pride in them. When these girls are not busy practicing or creating new cheers, they volunteer their services. CHS cheerleaders have had volunteer performances at local nursing home, elementary schools, and even a Health fair. The squad volunteers to encourage and to spread excitement in our community. The CHS cheer squad is a group of hard working, selfless, and talented individuals who come together to support and cheer on the town of Clinton.

page 6 Feature October 7, 2016

CHS welcomes new teachers

by J Badillo, So., Feature Writer This year we welcome Cindy Bond to our school staff. Bond is our new Biology/Biology 2 teacher this year. She is well experienced and previously taught at Washita Heights and Hinton for one year each, and she has taught at Cordell and Mustang for two. She taught at Clinton Middle School last year. Bond says that Clinton has been the best school she has been to. She believes that

Cindy Bond the administration and the community are very supportive, and she likes the fact that it is close to home. She admires the accessibility to technology, such as the Chromebooks that we are allowed use, and that the district makes it an educational priority. Bond attended the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine but did not complete it due to marriage, and she became a teacher instead. She received a degree in

chemistry and natural science at Southwestern Oklahoma State University. She grew up in and went to elementary school in Thomas, went to high school in Colony, and graduated from Washita Heights. She is married and has a son named Logan who thinks he is named after Wolverine, and his initials spell out L.A.B. He is enrolled in Weatherford. Even though Bond is from Weatherford, she says she is a true Red Tornado at heart.

Robert Pitman

By Deon Basler, Editor-in-Chief Robert Pitman is one of five new teachers for the 2016-2017 school year. He moved here for his wife who is a Clinton native. When asked what he thinks of the town, Pitman said that he likes how connected the town of Clinton is and how much pride and team spirit we have for our schools. The respect that he has always

had for teachers is what inspired him to become one; he wanted to help educate the next generation. Pitman teaches the World History class down in the basement for juniors and seniors. When asked what he thinks about his new students, Pitman said that they are all very respectful in his classroom. He also stated that he has only taught freshmen before this year,

and now he is teaching mostly juniors and seniors. Pitman said that the policies that we have here are pretty similar to the ones that he had at other schools but he said that Clinton does a better job at enforcing our rules. Pitman is also the assistant coach for varsity wrestling. He is very excited for this school year and is ready for whatever CHS throws at him.

by Gillian Pancoast, So. and Hannah Walters, So. Annie Park, a new teacher at Clinton High School, has been teaching for six years at several different kinds of schools. Growing up in Seiling, OK, Park thought she wanted to go to nursing school, but she realized that wasn’t her calling. Her mom is a teacher and so she thought, “Maybe I should try teaching,” and she really enjoyed it. Park graduated OSU in Stillwater with

his classroom because Seiter does not want his classes to be chaotic. His students listen and follow directions in his class, and that makes him happy. He thinks that if he gets to know his students, they will be happy to go to his class, and they will pay attention better. Seiter likes the small atmosphere and how small this school is compared to really

ty of Kansas with a Masters in Education Administration. She originally went to school to be a physical education teacher. “It was the greatest job in the world,” said Moss. “You get paid to play all day long. However, physical education teaching jobs are not very abundant, so I knew I would have to teach another subject.” Moss chose math because she doesn’t just enjoy it, but it is either right or wrong. “There are no gray areas when it comes to math.” She has a total of

Vega will become our new north star in 12000 years. http://astro.cornell.edu/quotes/category

big schools. He grew up in a big town. Seiter likes small towns because feels that he will be able to get to know everyone. In his free time he loves to visit his parents in his home town, or watch sports. He watches every sport he can possibly think of. “I’m a sports junkie. I love them,” said Seiter.

one hundred and nine Algebra I students. Considering Clinton Public schools is such a technologically advanced school system, she says she hopes to gain lots of valuable knowledge about how to use different types of technology in her classroom. “My goal is that I not only teach my students Algebra I, but I help them become better young adults and teach them a few life lessons along the way.” Moss says. She also says that her favorite subject is Geometry, but Algebra ranks up there.

Fun Facts:

ality. Park only teaches part time, and goes home to her loving husband and helps him with their family coffee shop. She thinks teaching and owning a business can be hard, but it will not be too difficult for her. She is twenty-nine years old and has two children. Her daughter is four years old, and her son is one year old. In her free time, Park enjoys playing with her kids, reading books, and working out.

There is a black hole millions of times the mass of the Sun at the center of the Milky Way galaxy.

Lisa Moss by Jessica Roedell, Fr., Feature Writer Lisa Moss is a new Algebra I teacher at Clinton High School. She chose to teach here because she knew it was a great school system and was also presented with the opportunity to coach the high school softball team. “Knowing the potential that this program has for future success was very enticing.” said Moss. Moss is currently a student as well as a teacher. She is graduating in May from the Universi-

a biology degree and a masters in science. She has taught two classes online, while the rest were at more traditional schools. She teaches physical science to freshmen. Park loves doing labs when she is not lecturing. While Park expects her students to follow the handbook, she is less strict within her classroom and likes to have fun during her classes. She loves the fact she can have colored hair here, so she can express her individu-

The Sun is just one of over 100 billion stars in our galaxy, the Milky Way, and the Milky Way is just one of over 100 billion galaxies in the universe.

Mark Seiter By Hannah Walters, and Gillian Pancoast Mark Seiter is a new teacher at Clinton High School. He is also an assistant coach for basketball and volleyball, which he enjoys. Seiter enjoys teaching here so far. Oklahoma History wasn’t the class that he initially wanted to teach, but now that he is actually teaching it he loves it. Rules are enforced in

Annie Park

Out of all of the choices, Moss chose teaching as a career because she enjoys it and she wants to be a coach. In order to coach, you must teach. This is her twelfth year of teaching. She has taught at Bluejacket Public Schools for one year, Foyil Public Schools for two years, Walters Public Schools for one year, Union (Tulsa) Public Schools for two years, and Chelsea Public Schools for five years.

October 7, 2016 Feature page 7 Changes to CHS Library are in the works by Meghin Martinez, So., and Abigail Acosta, So., Feature Writers The CHS library is undergoing several changes. Students had trouble finding the book they wanted and the genre too, so the CHS librarians decided to fix this problem. They have taken all of the books and separated them into different genres. Then they put the books in alphabetical order. This idea has helped many students finding what book they want and need. Also changing is the loft space. The idea for the Learners’ Loft came from several conversations Vanessa Perez, CHS Librarian, had with Geralyn Hough, who was CHS’s librarian before her. “It’s such a neat feature and we wanted to use it,” Perez said. “We talked to several students,

from makerspace assistants who came up with the color palette to regular library users to random students who were around when I was looking at furniture. Student opinion is so important since it’s a student space,” said Perez. The purpose of the loft is to maximize the library area and give students a place to study and think. It’s been designed to be flexible; it can be used for collaboration or individuals working alone. “We want students to be comfortable, but still productive. We’ve provided televisions and easy access to power outlets, but we want students to use headphones and be respectful of each other and the environment we are trying to create. We’ve tried to be balanced and mindful in design.” Designing the

loft wsn’t easy because it was a long process, and the library staff wanted to make sure quality items were purchased but had to remain within budget. There are still a few more technical features to implement, but the loft should open to students in a week or two. The space is inclusive; it will be open to everyone but limited by space allowances since it is a small footprint. Perez said the Learner’s Loft will be first come, first serve. “I hope people want to use it and treat it well. I’d love to see more areas like this in Clinton Public Schools.”

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Eastside Academy Elementary Fundraising Night at Sonic Drive-In What:

A fund-raiser hosted by Eastside Academy. Sonic Drive-In will donate 10% of sales during the event to the school.

When:

Thursday, October 20 From 5:00pm—9:00pm

Where:

Sonic Drive-In 1415 Gary Blvd. Clinton, OK

How:

Take your family to eat at Sonic during this time or call in your order to pick-up at 323-5484. Call in orders are welcome.

Enjoy a great meal with your family and help Eastside Academy raise funds by eating at Sonic on October 20th! Thanks for your support!

Glow Fight Win Dance

Above, from left: Savannah Skiles, KK Kitterle, Molly Koons, Kari Adams, Hayley Thompson Below, From Left: Darienne Bailey, Carson Day (back), Harley Brinkley Photos by Savannah Skiles

page 8 Feature October 7, 2016

2016 CHS band is the largest ever

Jackson Cornell, Jr., shows his pig to NES students at the Custer County Fair Grounds. Several ag students spent the day giving tours to elementary students and teaching them about agriculture and livestock shows. photo by Cale Sawatzky, Jr.

by Hannah Walters, So., Feature Writer Clinton High School band is starting off the marching school year with 127 kids, which is 28 more than they had last year. The class of 2020 class has been the largest single class CHS band has ever had and contributes 28 new members. Last year the band only had 99 students. 2016-2017 will be the biggest band they had. The band’s marching show is Disney themed, called “Happily Nev-

er After,” created by the band directors and directed by Elena Slinkey and Katy Eddy. Songs included are “Happily Ever After”, “Cruella”, and the percussion feature, with soloist Josh Zapian on horn, Hadley Krewall on clarinet, Alana Badillo on saxophone, and Caileigh Martinez on flute. On September 23rd Clinton Bands hosted the second in-

vitational marching contest sponsored by S & D Drugs. The contest brought bands from all over Oklahoma to the Hub City. The CHS marching band earned straight one’s, the highest possible rating. The band travels to Mustang High School on October 22 for the Oklahoma Bandmasters Association state marching contest.

Yearbooks are on sale now. Get yours at: https://ybpay.lifetouch.com/Order/SelectJob Enter Job Code: 12492517 or see Mrs. Knabe

School spirit shines at Homecoming

Jordi Betancourt, Sr., marches during half time of Friday’s game. This year the marching band has its largest number of members on record.

Bo Felch, Sr., crowns Madison Martinez, Sr., Homecoming Queen at Friday’s pregame ceremony. photo by Michael Knabe

The student section was hopping during Friday’s night’s game. photos above and below by Michael Knabe