Dragon Tales
March 2013
Welded Partnerships Pittsburg Schools and FSCC offers a new class to make students career ready
Theatre of the Mind Theatre students bring awareness to social issues
The Bees Knees Students represent county at Kansas State Spelling Bee
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Contents 4...child labor
PCMS Students investigate child labor and raise donations for a child trafficking awareness organization
6...Buzz Words
The Crawford County Spelling Bee has siblings sparing over words
8...Thought Provoking Theatre
Theatre students work to better the community through their social issues play
10...Sparking the Arc
PHS students get hands-on learning and a certificate degree by graduation time
15...Book buddies
A pilot program involves senior citizens and students in reading
18...PCMS Gets Healthy PCMS teachers and staff compete for health
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Labor of Caring
Pittsburg Community Middle School students are bringing awareness of child trafficking to the forefront of the minds of some people in the community. Social science teachers Karen Cook and Lynette Wescott came up with a project that made students think about the issue. The classes began by reading a story about Iqbal Masih, a child laborer from Pakistan who worked in a carpet factory. At the age of 11, Masih was killed following a trip back from a speaking tour in the United States. The classes received a presentation from Rapha House, a nonprofit committed to ending the trafficking and sexual exploitation of children. Following that, students wanted to do something to solve the problem, so the project was created. “The purpose is to educate others about a hidden worldwide problem,” PCMS teacher, Lynette Wescott said. “This will give students an opportunity for a live audience and real purpose.” “This project was eye opening to the problem,” sixth grader Ross Laidler said. “It was fun to put together and to learn about all the products from all over
the world that are produced from child laborers.” Students, many the same ages of child laborers, say the labor project brought relativity to the global problem. Included in their presentations, many students brought items that were made overseas that most likely were created by children. “It seems weird that something like that happens,” sixth grader Austin Macias said. “It doesn’t seem right, especially when many of the children are taken from their families to do the work.” “We all contribute to the problem,” Wescott said. “By being a better consumer, supporting organizations that help children and telling others about the problem, we can begin to bring the problem to the surface so it is not so hidden or acceptable.” Rapha House representatives say this is the first time they were involved in a school project being centered around child labor and trafficking. “They are our future fighters for freedom,” Rapha House representative Angela Foster said. “This is amazing and we [Wescott and Foster] hope to help other schools do the same project.”
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World of Wheels Automotive students enjoy the World of Wheels car show in Kansas City on February 8th. Some of the vehicles included the famous Batmobile.
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Spellbound
Three Pittsburg Community Schools students represent the district at State of Kansas Spelling Bee
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or 40 students, from elementary and middle schools across Crawford County, the annual spelling bee competition was heated and spellbinding. 15 students represented Pittsburg Community Schools at the bee. After two hours of spelling, the competition was whittled down to three students; all of which were Pittsburg students. More rounds ensued with longer and more difficult words. “The words they (the judges) went to at the end were the hardest,” Pittsburg Community Middle School student, Evie Shawn said. “They switched to a list none of us knew they had.” Shawn stuck it out for a few more rounds, until she misspelled a word. Then sibling rivalry took over the stage. Jacob and Gina Mathew went back and forth for a few rounds until Jacob, a George Nettels 3rd 6 • Dragon Tales
grade student, beat his middle school aged sister, Gina. “I wanted both of us to do well, but I still wanted to win,” Gina Mathew said. The siblings say they would study together and with their father 30 minutes each night. “Language of origin helps a lot,” Jacob said. “It helps you know where the emphasis is located.” “I used my finger to spell out the word on my palm so I could visualize the word,” Gina said. “It made it easier to think about the lettering.” Jacob won the spelling bee by spelling the word ectothermic correctly. The Mathews will represent the county, with Shawn as alternate, at the state spelling bee in Fort Hays, Kansas on March 2nd.
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Theatre students work to start a conversation about teen dating violence.
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ccording to Love is Respect, a youth domestic violence prevention program, “One in three adolescents in the U.S. is a victim of physical, sexual, emotional or verbal abuse from a dating partner, a figure that far exceeds rates of other types of youth violence.” Mr. Greg Shaw’s theatre class is hoping to present some thought provoking theatre for hundreds of Crawford and Cherokee County high school students on the social issue that is often overlooked. “The students in this class always go hard-hitting,” Greg Shaw said. “They’ve tackled issues including cyber bullying and prescription medication abuse.” “Hopefully we can prevent the issue of teen dating violence in our schools,” says senior, Bryan Stebbins. “This will be one of the most impactful.”
“Through awareness we can become a better overall community.” Theatre students are hitting every aspect possible, including dating violence among same-sex couples. Kylie Wilber, senior, is researching teen dating violence on that front. “It’s been eye opening,” says Wilber. “Violence is about 4% to 5% higher among same-sex couples.” She says a lot of that pressure comes from outside control. “By a show of hands a majority of the theatre class has either witnessed or knows of a couple that has been part of teen dating violence,” Wilber said. “It’s more of a hush-hush activity, but we want to “It’s more of a hush-hush activity,make it known that it is wrong and there is help availbut we want to make it known able.” the play, a talk-back session will that it is wrong and there is help happen Following where counselors from advocacy centers and available.” -Kylie Wilber, senior other domestic violence groups will be able to answer The play, “You Belong to Me,” was written by student questions. the students as they also work with Debbie Lamed The students will host their world premier on man, a playwright from the west coast. April 24th at 7pm at the Pittsburg High School Audi “With us working together with her (Lamedtorium. On the 25th and 26th, area schools will attend man), we can bring more awareness to the problem the performance. that many may not know is out there,” Stebbins said. 8 • Dragon Tales
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Sparking opportunity Partnership with Fort Scott Community College help students become career ready with addition of a new class
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hen looking at carpentry, masonry, welding or other technical careers, many years of experience go into learning the tricks of the trade. Through a partnership between Fort Scott Community College and Pittsburg Community Schools, those years of learning are started at a much earlier age. For the past five years, carpentry and masonry have been offered to high school students. This year, the partnership has brought on a new career field – welding.
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“This means everything to them and the industry,” welding instructor Davis Oehme said. “It gives them a trade to learn at a much earlier time so they are workforce ready by the time they leave high school.” Students in the program can earn certification for their field of interest and be hired right after graduation. “The career fields in the partnership help students become job ready by the time they leave high school,” Superintendent Destry Brown said. “This is 21st Century learning. Students not wanting to go to college are still learning a trade and ready to enter the workforce.”
I would get while in high school,” Creech said. Loren Wettstein is a junior and the only female in the welding program. “I have an uncle and cousin in the profession and I thought it might be interesting to try my hand at it,” Wettstein said. “I’m a hands-on learner and this seems to be a perfect fit.” She says even though she welded a little before joining the class, this training is very beneficial to helping her actually get into the field. “I’ve learned a lot,” she said. “We’ve learned the proper way to measure; do different welds and the various weld positions. This class has actually helped me get good at it.” Since the class is more hands-on, Oehme says the class is catching on quickly. “This is a great opportunity for the kids,” he said. “Both the students and I enjoy the comradery. We wish we could have more class time.”
Welding instructor Davis Oehme teaches a student about measurements. Oehme has many years of experience in welding.
“I’ve learned the basics and advanced techniques to welding,” PHS senior Jake Creech said. “I plan on doing this as a career and I want to do the best I can.” Creech plans to work for Halliburton before trying to find work in the area. “This is giving me experience I didn’t think
Davis Oehme looks on as a student practices welding. Students are able to become certified after taking this course.
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Congratulations to Spencer Bernhardt and Jeremiah Jones Bernhardt will be playing football and Jones will run cross country in the 40th annual Shrine Bowl Weekend. “I’ve dreamed of this since I was a little kid,” Bernhardt said. “It is nice to finally have this opportunity.” The Shrine Bowl will be held at Washburn on July 27th, 2013.
Pictured are Francis Demott, past potentate; Stan Jahay, Shrine Bowl Director & Past Potentate; Spencer Bernhardt; Ben Bernhardt; Coach Tom Nichelson and Jerry Waltrip, Treasurer Not pictured: Jeremiah Jones 12 • Dragon Tales
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Bonding with Books
Book Buddies, part of Youth Friends, partners Guest Home Estates residents and volunteers with elementary students to enrich the reading skills of the students. Right now, this is a pilot program at George Nettels Elementary; expected to spread to the other three elementary schools.
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Alley Cats
Westside Elementary 5th graders spend an afternoon bowling and enjoying eachother’s company.
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ittsburg Community Middle School teachers and staff are competing for fitness. Ten teams of five people are competing against each other to see who is doing the most movement throughout the day. The challenge goes on until Spring Break when finally a winner will be announced. “This looks to be a continuous project,” middle school physical education teacher, Christy Watt said. “Some of us are going to workshops to come up with ideas to increase staff health and wellness.” The competition is based on physical activity and pedometer count.
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