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A preview of the upcoming Earth Fair held at East written by Emma Pennington This Saturday, April 21st the gymnasium will be transformed from Coach Hair’s stomping ground into a space overflowing with animals, vendors, performers and more. The 11th annual Earth Fair will be held at east from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Shannon Tuttle, East’s Recycling Club President and student sponsor for the Earth Fair, has worked with other members of the club in preparation for the event. The Recycling
Club compiled a list of activities they thought would be fun to have at this years Earth Fair. The Prairie Village Environmental Committee looked over the list and told the club which events would work best. The students are then responsible for getting the materials needed for the activities and are expected to set them up and run them on the day of the event. The Recycling Club as well as others in the community who have been working hard to put this event together welcome students, parents and community members to the fair. Tuttle thinks there will be something to appeal to everyone at this years event. “We have a lot of activities that people can do,” Tuttle said. “There are a lot of vendors that people can go to. There’s always animals, a whole room full of animals that people can go in and ask people about.” Students who aren’t interested in going to the vendors or learning about animals there are many other options for you. A competition will be held to see who can build a bridge off the ground out of recycled material and which bridge can hold the most weight. There will also be a station to make and decorate paper hats. Some of the science teachers at East will even be giving out points to their students for filling out a scavenger hunt sheet. There will also be an eight foot tall box made entirely out of water bottles for people to come and see. The Earth Fair is full of a wide variety of activities and events for people of all ages and all lifestyles. This way there is something for everyone to enjoy while celebrating the Earth. “[The Earth Fair is] really interesting. There are a lot of different things that apply to different people,” Tuttle said. “But the one thing they have in common is they care about the earth and they want to celebrate it and they want to make people aware of what’s going on around them and what’s happening with the earth. It’s a lot of fun.”
KANSAS STATE ASSESSMENTS: round two?
Seniors have been pulled out of class to finish a portion of the Social Studies Kansas Assesment written by Sarah Berger Senior Lilly Myers went into her second hour on Friday April 6 expecting a normal class period, but then an interruption came. Myers was called into the office to take the second part of the Kansas state social studies assessment. Over the past few weeks seniors have gone with their English classes or were pulled out of other classes to take the second part of the Kansas state assessment for social studies -- a required test from the state department of education. Students took part of the test last year and, contrary to some student rumor, they were not retaking the
test, but rather just completing it before they graduate. Since taking the tests, rumors have been surfacing from students and teachers that the school lost the students scores, causing the students to have to retake them. Myers has heard rumors through students that the school lost the scores and was surprised by the abrupt nature of the test . “I thought I remembered taking it last year and then I heard that the school lost all of our scores so that’s why we had to take it again,” Myers said. “Maybe that’s the cause but maybe they lost them for some reason out of their control and
it wasn’t their fault.” Although the school did not lose the students scores, seniors should have finished the assessments last year, but didn’t. According to assistant principal Jeremy Higgins, the changes that took place in assessment policy last year are to blame. “The students simply had to finish the test,” Higgins said. “Last year as juniors they should have taken both parts of the assessment.” The social studies assessment consists of two parts,
things to look for at
THIS earth YEAR’S fair: 1. animals
There will be a variety of animals, from skinks to chinchillas, on display for kids to observe.
2. vendors
Several local businesses will make an appearance to showcase their green products.
3. earthy art There will be an 8-foot tall tower on display, made completely out of recycled water bottles.
world history and US history. A certain number of students are required to take both parts of the assessment before they graduate as part of the No Child Left Behind act. The tests are also geared to make sure the school is teaching students what they need to learn and making adequate yearly progress (AYP). Every two years the socials studies assessment scores will be examined by the state for AYP. “This year’s seniors’ scores will count and this year’s sophomores scores will count when they are seniors,” Higgins explained. “This year’s freshmen and juniors will never have to take the social studies test.” Since sophomores will have to take the assessments, the administration is planning in advance that the students will not have to take the assessment their senior ye ar. “This year sophomores will be taking the world history part of the test because many of them are in world history right now,” Higgins said. “Then next year when they are juniors, they’ll take the US history part of the test. Then when they are seniors they’ll be all done and won’t have to take anything.” Since taking the assessment, some seniors, including Myers, have expressed frustration over taking these assessments. Although Myers was frustrated she believes it is nothing to be upset about. “It was a little annoying at first but I didn’t really think it was a big deal,” Myers said. “The test took 15 minutes or less.You just go in and you take it and it’s really nothing to worry about. I don’t think people should be making a big deal about it.”
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