A Concert and a Week, What a Treat

Transcription

1 A Concert and a Week, What a Treat By Anna Flores February 19, 2014 FFA members had a yee-haw of a Valentine s Day. The chapter attended a free Easton Corbin concert. Easton Corbin has been an artist since signing with Mercury Nashville Records in 2009, according to Wikipedia. His number one hit songs include A Little More Country Than That, and Roll With It. Easton Corbin has always been a strong supporter of FFA, according to FFA adviser Marc Wittstruck. He was scheduled to have a concert in Kearney and since he was in the neighborhood he decided to host a free concert in Holdrege for FFA members and advisers. Crete s FFA chapter received an from the State Department inquiring whether they would want to attend a free Easton Corbin concert. They leapt at the opportunity, according to Wittstruck. There were only about 1,000 tickets so they were lucky to get some. With administration approval 30 FFA members took a bus to Holdrege for the concert. Easton Corbin threw the concert for many FFA chapters and members, many chapters were invited. Members from Nebraska and Kansas were in attendance, Wittstruck said. February is National FFA week every year. This was designated in 1947 at a National FFA board of directors meeting to ensure that it was on the week of George Washington s birthday, according to ffa.org. FFA week is a week for sponsors, members and alumni to advocate agricultural education and FFA, according to ffa.org. Chapters celebrate in different ways. Some common celebrations are a teacher appreciation breakfasts, Ag Olympics or participate in service projects, according to ffa.org. Crete FFA is not doing Ag Olympics this year but will do an ugly/muddy truck contest, faculty/member breakfast and proceed with Nutrients for Life, according to Wittstruck. FFA member Scott Chrastil won the ugly/muddy truck contest and received a plaque. I think it was rigged, I think that Scott paid off the judge, Wittstruck said. Nutrients for Life is a national program that teaches students k-8 how to grow their own plants. The members will be at the Elementary to show the after-school program CCLC students how to grow their own plants. This year FFA week falls on parent-teacher conference week so our time is shortened which limits our activities, but it is okay, Wittstruck said.

2 I am excited because we are doing an ugly/muddy truck contest and other activities. Also, I am excited because it is the week to show others what FFA is all about and to join, freshman Delaney Keller said.

3 TAKE COVER-Tissue Style By Anna Flores January 24, 2014 Feeling under the weather? Maybe a little hot? A headache that won t let up? What about your throat, is it hurting? If you said yes to any of the questions you may be at risk of the flu. In Crete flu cases are on the rise. As many as 20 flu-like symptom cases were reported in one day at the Elementary, according to Nurse Abbie Page. Although this may seem like an alarming number of cases, there were reportedly twice as many flu like symptom cases last year at this time, according to Nurse Shannon Kennedy. Specifying whether these symptoms are the flu or not is difficult because determining if it is the flu requires a Physician evaluation and nasal swab, Kennedy said. Certain precautions should be taken to prevent the spread of the flu. Get an immunization, shot or sniff. For children and teens, the sniff (nasal spray) is shown to be the better option, according to Page. However, the nasal spray does take two weeks to be fully effective. The shot is not as good as the nasal spray but it does not take as long to be effective. Flu immunizations are pretty effective, but there is no guarantee. People can still get the flu but usually the immunization helps it to be a less severe case, Page said. I got the flu shot but ended up getting the flu anyway so it was pointless, a total waste of my tears, junior Jenna Harris said. I got the nasal spray because I told the person to surprise me and they decided nasal spray it was, but I haven t gotten sick so they choose well, junior Kestler Clement said. Wash, wash, wash and then sanitize. It may seem ridiculous but washing is the most effective way to rid hands of the flu virus. Due to the inability to be at the sink every 5 seconds hand sanitizer is the second best option. It is better than nothing and more convenient during the day and while in class. After coughing or nose blowing, washing hands is always looked highly upon. This makes it less likely for someone to contract the germs that transferred to the hands during the nose blow or cough. The old method of sneezing into the elbow has now been outdated. The new, breaking ground method is sneezing or coughing into a tissue! The reason for this is that a sneeze can send germs soaring through the air at 100 mph, according to Kennedy. By using a tissue, disposing it and cleansing the hands the germs are contained and less likely to spread.

4 Most of all, staying home at the first sign of flu like symptoms is the best way to prevent spreading the illness once infected. The flu is no joke, it can cause many serious symptoms and is easily spread. Take the proper precautions and be careful who coughs on you, they may be transmitting their illness. Pertussis cases are also on the rise. Pertussis (Whooping Cough) is best known for the commercial with the baby coughing and the Mother looking concerned into the camera. However, pertussis not only affects babies but can be harmful to adults as well. Pertussis is best described as violent coughing fits that lead to deep intakes of breath making a whooping sound. Pertussis is a highly contagious infection caused by the Bordetella Pertussis, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. This illness can be prevented by the Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis vaccination (DTaP) which is administered to children. For adults, the Tetanus, Diphtheria and Pertussis vaccination (Tdap) is used as the vaccination. German teacher Julie Schumacher s husband came down with Pertussis after fighting a cold for a couple of weeks which turned into a barking cough. Due to the cough that he developed he visited the doctor and was diagnosed with Pertussis. Antibiotics were the treatment for his illness, yet some symptoms have stuck with him through the years. He has a cough often and his voice is still scratchy, Schumacher said. Many people think of Pertussis as a child illness but it is not. Anytime someone experience a lingering cough they should take precautions, Schumacher said.

5 FBLA Steals Cupid s Week By Anna Flores February 19, 2014 There is a week for everything and the second week of February belongs to Future Business Leaders of America. Technically this week is FBLA-PBL week, FBLA is on the high school level and PBL is a college version of FBLA. This year their week falls between February 10 and February 16. National FBLA week is also part of National Career and Technical Education Month. This ties in well together because FBLA aims to prepare members for success in the future. This week is to publicize the organization s successes and activities, boost membership and prepare for upcoming spring activities, according to FBLA-PBL.org. Events include FBLA t-shirt day, Faculty Appreciation Day, and Career Education Day, according to FBLA-PBL.org marks the 50th anniversary for FBLA at Crete High School. For the state it is the 52nd. FBLA week is a way to celebrate, recognize members, and partake in activities, FBLA adviser Jennifer Coe said. In the past the club has recognized this week by wearing their shirts, partaking in meals, and tying it into their state activities. FBLA members are currently working on the state activities Go Green and Habitat for Humanity. Go Green is a state project to protect the environment, Coe said. The Go Green activities range from wearing green or brown to researching Earth day and presenting the information at a local chapter meeting. Members researched fun facts about Earth day and informed the community about it by posting them on twitter. They also engulf Go Green by spreading the words through the daily announcements and environmental posters. This fall FBLA painted a house for Habitat for Humanity and plans to do more activities in the spring for that state organization. Wednesday is Adviser Appreciation day. This is a special day for the individuals who make FBLA possible on a local level. The Crete FBLA chapter does not recognize Wednesday as adviser appreciation day. However Ms. Coe has no complaints. I feel appreciated every day, she said. This year each class organized something for every day of the week, excluding Friday. On Monday juniors sent out suckers with stickers attached. Tuesday sophomores made a Happy FBLA Week poster. On Wednesday seniors had cookies and refreshments in the commons and made notes for everyone who wore green. Finally, on Thursday freshman sent out suckers also.

6 This was a way for members to put their own flare on the week by bringing snacks, organizing activities, and having fun with other members while doing it, according to Coe. Clubs all over the United States celebrate with their own activities. Each has different ideas, and every year we try to do something new and different too, Coe said.