Jasper High School THE PIRATE PRESS
Transcript of Jasper High School THE PIRATE PRESS
Jasper High School
The class of 2016 has an-
nounced its official song, mot-
to, flower, and colors.
The song they have chosen is
“I Hope You Dance” by Lee
Ann Womack, and their motto
is the following quote by C.S.
Lewis: “ There are far, far bet-
ter things ahead than any we
leave behind.” For the class
flower, they have chosen a
white rose with teal and silver
ribbon, and their class colors
are black, silver, and teal.
At graduation, a slide show
will be presented of the gradu-
ates featuring their class song,
along with the song “See You
Again” by Charlie Puth and
Wiz Khalifa.
They will walk in to the tradi-
tional “Pomp and Circum-
stance” and will walk out to
“Here I Go Again” by
Whitesnake.
Seniors Choose Class Song, Motto, and Flower
Basketball Schedule
Oct. 15: Black/White. Teams
1,2,3,4. Jasper @ 6 p.m.
Oct. 20-23: Norfolk Classic.
Teams 3,4. Norfork, TBA.
Oct. 19: Lead Hill. Teams
5,6,1,2. Lead Hill @ 5 p.m.
Oct. 24-29: Jr. Tournament.
Teams 1,2. Jasper, TBA.
Oct. 27: Sacred Heart. Teams
3,4. Jasper at 5:30 p.m.
Oct. 30: Scranton. Teams 3,4.
Scranton @ 5:30 p.m.
Nov. 3: Norfolk. Teams 4B,3,4.
Norfork @ 5 p.m.
Nov. 5: Omaha. Teams 5,6,1,2.
Omaha @ 5 p.m.
Nov. 6: Kingston. Teams 1,2,3,4.
Jasper @ 5 p.m.
Nov. 9-14: Lead Hill Jr. Invita-
tional. Lead Hill, TBA.
Nov. 10: Cotter. Teams 4B,3,4.
Jasper @ 5 p.m.
Nov. 13: St. Joe. Teams 1,3,4.
I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E :
Recent JHS graduates com-petes in Italy.
2
Jasper Gets New Playground 3
Exchange Students 4
New Teachers 5
The Facts on Fads 6
Parker Becomes Counselor 7
Senior Photos 8
THE PIRATE PRESS
New Athletic Handbook Adopted
Volume I, Issue I October 2015
Senior Class Officers: Autumn Salazar (student council girl),
Savannah Covey (reporter), Matthew Harrison (vice-president ),
Kalee Smith (president), Ashley Middleton (secretary), Kim
Marlman (treasurer), and Justin House (student council boy).
By Jackie Daniel
Jasper School District athletes have a new handbook to follow
this year.
According to the new athletic handbook, an athlete is expected to
be a good student. This does not necessarily mean all “A’s”; it
means student athletes should do their best in academics and are
expected to attend all practices and games.
Not only that, but an athlete should consult his or her coach be-
fore missing practice. The handbook states: “Missing practice or
an event without good reason will be dealt with severely. An ath-
lete missing for any reason is expected to make up the practice
session.”
One student athlete said, “To most athletes, this is very stress-
ful.”
However, Principal Jeff Lewis says the handbook is actually a
good thing. “The athletic handbook was adopted to ensure conti-
nuity across the Jasper School District.”
Lady Pirates Make
it to World Series
By Canzada Fowler &
Kalee Smith
Out of 500 teams that played
in the Babe Ruth Summer
League for 16 and under girls,
the Jasper softball team made it
to the World Series.
Only 150 teams were eligible
for this. They went undefeated
in league, went on to win state,
and from that point, it really
didn’t matter because they had
an automatic pass to go to the
- continued on page 2
World Series in Jensen Beach,
Florida. Though they were
already on the road to the big
leagues, they kicked some seri-
ous tail in regionals, placing
8th in the U.S. Of all the teams
that went, they were the only
team from a town with a popu-
lation below 500.
They were unable to go to
Florida due to lack of funds,
but they still feel very accom-
plished. “I am very proud of
the girls,” said Coach Bobby
Coker. “From where we started
and where we ended, I’d have
never thought it possible. Good
things come to those who put
in the work and time .”
"We worked very hard this
summer,” said 2nd basemen
Kalee Smith, "Almost every
week during the summer that
we played, we would practice
at least 4 or 5 times a week.
Weather conditions were bad,
but we kept on. The heat would
be horrendous and then rain
would come, and you could
barely get a grip on a ball.”
Though seen as underdogs,
they persevered (up against 3A
and 5A teams), won state,
made it to regionals, and
earned the chance go to the
Babe Ruth World Series.
sive fourth. “No medal this
time,” he said, but I’ll
get to go to England
next year.”
John summarized
his experience in the
following way: “When
I was competing, it
was pure adrenaline, I
got tunnel vision, and I
just performed better
than I have ever be-
fore.” He added that he
By Luke Walker
John White, a 2015 graduate
of Jasper, competed in an inter-
national Taekwondo competi-
tion this past summer in Roana,
Italy. “This was a big deal for
me, because I’ve always
dreamed of being on Team
U.S.A.,” he said.
Taekwondo is a Korean mar-
tial art with a heavy emphasis
on kicks. He is not nationally
ranked but did place an impres-
is also taking Gracie Jiu-Jitsu,
and it takes 15 years to be quali-
fied as a black belt. In
the future, he said he
wants to open a Dojo
and teach Taekwondo
when he feels that he’s
skilled enough.
How did John get
interested in martial
arts? The answer is a
bit surprising: Watch-
ing Dragon Ball Z.
Page 2
Last Year’s 10th Graders Ace Biology EOC
S O F T B A L L - C O N T I N U E D F R O M P A G E 1
Recent JHS Graduate Competes in Italy
Odds” award for performance
on the Biology EOC exam.
These awards are given to high
-achieving schools that serve
low-income communities
where at least 66% of students
are enrolled in the free/reduced
lunch program. Awards are
based on the OEP-created
“school GPA,” calculated on
the basis of the percentage of
students that perform at a par-
ticular level on the Benchmark
or End-of-Course exam
(advanced, proficient, basic,
and below basic).
Mrs. Creager, last year’s biol-
ogy teacher (now retired), said,
“I am so proud of Jasper's stu-
dents for winning this award.
Last year, I told my biology
class that they had the potential
to score high on the EOC, and
they did! They worked so hard
and I'm so glad that it paid off.
Biology is such a difficult sub-
ject, and to score so well....it's
just amazing!”
Each year, the Office for Edu-
cation Policy at the University
of Arkansas creates a report
entitled the Outstanding Educa-
tional Performance Awards
highlighting the highest-
performing schools in Arkan-
sas. Although the PARCC re-
sults have not yet been re-
leased, they have announced
science awards based on
Benchmark and End-of-Course
science exams, and Jasper High
School won a “Beating the
Volume 1 , Issue 1
Student Council will meet every Thursday second lunch in Mr. Ayers’
room (unless told otherwise.)
The Pirate Press
By Matthew Harrison
Jasper Elementary has a new
playground. On the day of
Open House, a ribbon-cutting
ceremony took place welcom-
ing the new playground to
school grounds. “Many people
showed up to view and play on
the new equipment,” said Da-
vid Dunlap, Jasper Elementary
principal.
Mr. Dunlap said the “Blue
and You Foundation for a
Healthier Arkansas” supplied a
grant of $148,000 for this new
upgrade to the school. This
organization awards grants for
projects that positively affect
the health of Arkansas resi-
dents.
Mr. Dunlap said the old play-
ground equipment was 60-
years-old and was becoming
unstable and unsafe. “This was
definitely needed,” he said.
But the most important ques-
tion is “What do the kids
think?” A survey of about 75
students in grades 2-6 reveals
they really enjoy the new mon-
key bars, fitness court, “zoom-
zone slide,” rock climbing, and
the “spinny thing” (a one per-
son merry-go-round). They
also love the fact that there is a
bigger area in which to play.
A handful, however, miss the
old tube slide that was there
before, and a few don’t care for
the wood chip mulch. Some
sixth graders said that it is too
crowded. Some complained
that the new slide, which has
rollers, is painful to slide down.
One 4th grader commented, “It
hurts my bottom!”
Some high school kids have
even been spotted playing on
the equipment after school.
And Jasper’s very own superin-
tendent broke the slide in by
sliding down it at the ribbon
cutting ceremony.
“I am very excited to see the
completion of the new play-
ground,” said Superintendent
Jeff Cantrell. “It is going to be
a great benefit to our students,
school, and community. This
equipment was a wonderful gift
and I challenge every student to
be responsible for and proud of
our new playground.”
Page 3
Boston Mountain Heath Replaces NARMC
J A S P E R S C H O O L G E T S N E W P L AY G R O U N D
kids who don’t get quality
health care because they’re too
far away, or they don’t have
enough money. A School
Based Health Center will help
so many kids, and I’m just
proud to be a part of it,” said
Nurse Mandy Strobe
“One of the School Based
Health Center’s qualities is
telemedicine,” Mrs. Fairchild
said. “Telemedicine is a ma-
chine that connects all three
campuses in the JSD. Since the
SBHC is on the Jasper Cam-
pus, you’d think that Kingston
and Oark don’t get the privi-
lege of a SBHC. Telemedicine
won’t allow this to happen. If
a kid from Oark gets an ear
infection. goes to the nurse, but
she isn’t sure it’s an ear infec-
tion, she can look in his ear
with a tool hooked up to tele-
medicine and send the pictures
to the nurse at Jasper or King-
ston. The other two nurses can
look at it, and then confirm that
it is an ear infection.”
By Amelia Long
You might already knew we
had a School Based Health
Center (SBHC) here at Jasper
School District. And most of
you probably knew North Ar-
kansas Regional Medical Cen-
ter (NARMC) was our medical
health provider. But did you
know we switched over to Bos-
ton Mountain Rural Health
Centers?
Why, you ask? Well, for one
thing, Boston Mountain’s hours
are more regular. They’re also
government funded, meaning
they can be more rural with
where they’re located. Health
Center Director Nicole
Fairchild said, “NARMC had
too much on their plate, so they
presented the idea to be re-
leased from their contract. So,
JSD talked to different health
care providers, and we finally
went with Boston Mountain. “It
was just the best match.”
Boston Mountain’s purpose is
to provide rural people with
adequate health care.
“Honestly, there are so many
From: Bald Eagle
To: Rubber Ducky
The universe is on fire and a
black hole and can you do that
with a jedi? Stay golden. Stylus
pen, double chin! ;)
From: Rubber Ducky
To: Bald Eagle
“May the grain be with you.”
Rubber ducky loves you!!!
Okay?
From: Mikayla Howell
To: Brandon Watkins
Keep on trucking, Rad Brad! I
love you, fro man. More than I
could ever express in words. I
wouldn’t know what to do with
myself if you weren’t around.
From: Serena Fountain
To: Luke Walker
You are the most amazing man
I’ve ever met. You always make
anyone smile when you’re
around. You come up with the
most coolest of things. I love
you Luke Walker
From: Jared Poyner
To: Catie Hatfield
You’re the best and I love you
so so much! Honey bunches of
oats. Bye babe and have a great
day!
From: Tori
To: Kara Flud
Happy 16th Birthday!
From: Owned by UDT
To: XevilgoatX
“The weak must die so that the
strong may flourish. This is the
creed of Zamorak”- Runescape
From: Emily Adamson
To: Hannah Adamson
Happy Birthday to my wonder-
ful little sister on Oct. 18th!
From: Cool man
To: All the girls
If interested, snapchat me at
lonesomedove913
From: Garrett McDonald
To: Everyone
“Dang. Garrett just stole my
girlfriend again.” -Everyone.
-Continued on page 6
Pirate Shout-Outs! From: Luke Walk-
er
To: Everyone
Hello, I am designing a game
which has not reached the devel-
opment stage yet, but I am inter-
ested in having some assistant
developers, so if you are interest-
ed, come find me and let us put
your ideas to good use.
From: Aubrey Hill
To: Bethany Long
Happy Birthday! Love you, sis-
ter, and I wish you the best!
From: Rubee Peterson
To: Bethany Long
Happy Birthday Bethany
From: Devin Cook
To: Austin Cook
Hey wish you were here, hope
you get here soon! Really, Real-
ly, Really, really, Really, Really
times 100,000,000,000,000 soon.
From: Angel Lee Heart
To: Everyone
Those who dwell on the past,
don’t understand the future.
Eva Hubrich: Germany
Eva, one of Jasper’s foreign
exchange students from Ger-
many, has never quite been a
stranger to America. She spent
eight years of her life learning
the English language. She says
that she likes being in America,
and even though she misses her
family, she is not feeling too
homesick yet.
Eva says that most of the
music and movies in Germany
are American because
“Americans are better at enter-
tainment.” Her mother even
taught school in Kansas City,
which inspired Eva to visit
someday. However, she said
that she finds it odd how
spaced out America is geo-
graphically. Eva said she’s
used to being able to ride a
bicycle to get wherever she
needs to go. From her home
town, she could even drive a
few hours to enter a different
country. One thing she doesn’t
like about America, or Ameri-
cans at least, is that they always
seem to associate Germany
with Hitler. She said that the
appropriate things for Germany
to be associated with are beer
and sausages.
Eva wants to be involved in
the future of medicine. In Ger-
many, she is in “gymnasium,”
one of the school types in Ger-
many. When she graduates, she
will have her bachelor’s degree
in medicine. She says that her
classes in Germany are gener-
ally more challenging than
here. One thing she’s really
looking forward to is prom,
since most schools in Germany
don’t have a prom.
I am not smart.”
According to Pedro, items in
America are also much cheaper
than in Brazil. He’s fond of
America, but not it’s food. He
thinks it’s unhealthy, and is
especially opinonated about
Brazilian barbeque being the
best. Something Pedro is very
shocked about is having guns
in the household. He said he’s
not used to firearms being so
accepted because Brazil is far
more liberal than America.
He expects another shock with
the weather.
Pedro Alonso: Brazil
Pedro is a foreign exchange
student from Brazil. Pedro says
that he misses everyone from
home a lot, and he especially
misses Saturday soccer games.
And sorry ladies, the boy also
misses his girlfriend.
Pedro came to America and
experienced a major culture
shock. He comes from a city
with a population 40,000 times
the size of Jasper’s. He also
said that school is much harder
in Brazil than it is in America.
“Here, I am smart, but in Brazil
Page 4
Meet JHS’s Foreign Exchange Students!
Japan.
Jay is all about that technolo-
gy. He says, “There is a lot of
technology in South Vietnam.
The North is all farming.”
And, something totally out of
the blue, He happens to also be
a rapper. And, something ro-
mantic for you ladies, Jay has a
girlfriend in Vietnam, so back
off.
Jay Bui: Vietnam
Phát Bui (Jay) is a South Viet-
namese comedian. If you meet
him, and sit and chat with him
for a moment, you’ll see the his
fun side. For instance, he says
“Why does Justin Bieber even
have a career?” Speaking of
music, he’ll be the first to tell
you that in South Vietnam,
“everyone listens to k-pop.”
His favorite food is Pho, a kind
of noodles only in Vietnam and
Volume 1 , Issue 1
Eva Hubrich
Cristina Garcia: Spain
Cristina Garcia, Jasper’s Span-
ish exchange student, is a girl
apart from most. She considers
herself a “hipster.” Cris says, “In
Spain the boys wear their hair
long. Everyone wears skinny
jeans. It is so different here.”
She adds, “I’m very hipster. I
wear the clothes I like, not what
is fashionable.” And just to clear
up any confusion about whether
or not she’s from Mexico, Cristi-
na says, “The only thing similar
between Mexico and Spain is the
language. Everything else is
different.” Though she may look
skinny, Cris is an avid eater.
“What can I say?” she says. “I
like food.”
She says the U.S. is very dif-
ferent. “Here you have eight
subjects in different classrooms
every day. In Spain we do differ-
ent subjects in the same class-
rooms.”
She really likes some of the
differences. “In Spain, you talk
to your group and that’s it. Eve-
ryone here is so friendly. You
talk to everybody.”
Jay Bui
Since it’s always warm in
Brazil, Pedro is going to
have to buy some serious
winter gear to battle the cold.
Pedro Alonzo
Jasper High School has re-
ceived a record number of
foreign exchange students this
year. There was a total of 10,
but three have already re-
turned home for various rea-
sons, mainly homesickness.
These include Thales from
Brazil, Emma from Germany,
and Alice from Tawain.
Why did a small rural school
end attract such an interna-
tional population? Former
counselor, Mr. Middleton,
said that many local families
were just really interested in
hosting students from other
countries!
All foreign exchange student stories were written by Erin Peeler and Brendan Edwards.
The Pirate Press
Hugo Niesten: Belgium
Hugo is your typical, funny
weirdo. He loves to joke
around and laugh, even though
he cries when he laughs. Sar-
casm ranks highest to him
when it comes to humor, some-
thing that should be remem-
bered when he’s talking about
his younger brother. He likes to
think of his little brother as
evil, even going as far as say-
ing, “he’s the son of the devil.”
And though Hugo claims his
favorite animals are his Husky,
“Flash” and his little brother,
he’ll tell you he misses no one
back in his home country of
Belgium. He joked about hav-
ing a cold heart after he re-
vealed this information.
Speaking of cold things, Hugo
believes his superpower comes
in the form of his hands. Not
only are they always icy cold;
he can
Damian Voet:
The Netherlands
In case you were wondering,
Dutch boy Damian doesn’t
miss anyone he left in the
Netherlands yet. It’s amazing
that someone from the Nether-
lands is as tan as Damian.
What’s his secret? His dad is
Indonesian. With a diverse
family culture, it comes as no
surprise that Damian Voet,
whose last name translates to
“foot,” loves traveling. And
good news, ladies, he’s single.
Page 5
She also LOVES American
pop music. She says students in
Germany actually don’t eat at
school. They eat at various
restaurants. It’s quite an adjust-
ment for her to get used to
eating in the cafeteria.
She likes the people here in
America because everyone says
“hello” and they’re nice “In
Germany, many people are
snooty and mean,” she said.
Here, everyone is nice and say
hello to me and ‘have a nice
day.’”
Kati Fauser:
Germany
Katherina Fauser, also from
Germany, is a bird of a differ-
ent color. She doesn’t really
care about fashion, saying that
in Germany, “that’s all anyone
cares about.”
She says that the main fashion
icons in Germany are the Kar-
dashians and Katy Perry. For
the guys she says it’s Kayne
West.
also juggle with them. After
two years of after-school
circus training, not only can
he juggle, but he can also
walk on a ball. That’s not
where his talents stop though.
He’ll tell you he’s bad at
things like basketball, soccer,
singing, dancing, and walk-
ing because of his size 12,
flat foot. However, his feet
do come in handy when it
comes to his sport of choice:
swimming. According to Hugo,
his other talents include never
getting lost, hardly blinking, and
always being honest.
Hugo’s also adventurous. He
said he came to America to test
himself. Some of the things he’s
found amazing are a bit interest-
ing, such as free refills and mow-
ing the grass. However, he dis-
likes always speaking and hear-
ing English. Hugo said he wishes
everyone here in America spoke
French.
Since he believes English is
“tiring,” it’s a good thing he
loves naps. Sorry ladies, Hugo
admits his one true love is a lady
named “Nap.” And his mistress is
eating. He loves hamburgers,
fries, pasta, and soup. With Hugo
being such a jocular person, it’s
almost hard to believe he aspires
to be a lawyer.
Hugo Niesten
Damian Voet
Damian loves all kinds
of music, and he also
loves Live Action Role
Play (LARP). He also
loves cats and honeydew
Three Teachers
Join JHS Staff Mandy Daniels:
“I was born and
raised a Jasper
Pirate, and I am
so happy to be
back home at
JHS. I graduated
from Jasper in 2002. I am cur-
rently teaching 7th and 8th
grade math, speech, and year-
book.”
Katherina Fauser
JASPER
“We Appreciate
Your Business”
870-446-2919
Jeff Ayers: “I moved here
from Dallas, Texas, for my
dream job. I currently teach 9th
-12th grade Phys-
ics, Chemistry,
Anatomy & Physi-
ology, and Physical
Science. I am so
lucky to be a Jasper
Pirate!
Leisa Milam: “I am a grad-
uate of Deer High School, and
I teach Art, grades K-12. I am
so happy to be back home to
Newton County,
and I am privi-
leged to be a part
of this great team
at Jasper High
School!”
melon. As for movies, he prefers Shark
Tales to Finding Nemo.
By Amelia Long
All right, so we all know fall is
here. We all know what that
means, right? More trends.
Some cute… some not so
much. So I’ve done extensive
research on what’s in for the
fall of 2015 to give you a good
idea of what to wear.
Now, a new growing fad is
what they call the “carwash
pleats.” Let me tell you straight
up what I think: U-G-L-Y. If
you like it, it’s cool. I don’t
though. See, the pleats are too
thick. If it were thinner, like
fringe, it’d be cuter. Speaking
of fringe, can you spell adora-
ble? I think fringe on boots,
purses, or shirts looks great.
And these new popular shoes.
They’re called “lady loafers.”
WHAT ARE THOSE?!
They’re definitely not age ap-
propriate for teenagers. Literal-
ly, they’re loafers with heels.
What about cardigans? Defi-
nitely attractive. Cardigans are
a great way to make an other-
wise boring blouse cute. And
the thing about cardigans is
they’re so universal. You can
wear them with just about any-
thing. They might be a little
expensive, but totally worth it.
Cardigans look great with jeans
or leggings. And oh, the leg-
ging fad. EVERYBODY is
wearing them. Plain or pat-
terned it doesn’t matter. It’s a
cute but comfy alternative to
jeans.
So, high-waisted jeans? I like
them. It’s a great way to wear
crop-tops without showing any
skin. Put that with a cute hat, a
cardigan (or not), and some
ankle boots, and there you go.
A perfect fall outfit. I know
what you’re thinking. Hats? No
way. I’m saying yes way. A
nice floppy hat (but not too
floppy) to top off your outfit.
Another thing that’s in is
1970’s style sunglasses. Yes, I
know, it’s not summer. But, the
sunglasses can still add that last
bit of umph, if you will, to your
outfit. Again, it looks great
with your hat. If you don’t like
hats or sunglasses, there are
always scarves. I still feel like
scarves are totally in. They
started a couple of years ago,
but every fall, they make their
comeback. Scarves are a great
accessory because they come in
so many styles and colors and
they go with virtually anything.
Page 6
F A C T S O N F A D S
Students: Mention this Arkansas House Salon ad and get $2 off!
The Pirate Press
Editor: Erin Peeler
Business Manager: Brendan
Edwards
Advisor: Ms. May
-continued from page 3
From: Wade and Ty
To: Charm Campbell
Loves you bae <3
From: Your Seester
To: Tori
You’re my best friend, but to me
you are like a sister. I love you to
the moon and back! I don’t know
how things would’ve been if you
wouldn’t have come to Jasper.
Don’t know what I would do if
you weren’t around to tease me all
the time.
From: Erin Michelle Peeler
To: Dusty Chasteen
Sorry I punched you in the face
From: Mr. Lewis
To: All Students and Staff
Thanks for a great beginning to a
new year!
From: Bean
To: Babe
ER MAH GERD, DER TERKIN
DER HERBITS TER
IERSENGERD!!!!!!
From Brandon
To: Mikayla
I love you, babe. <3. With all my
heart and soul. Always and forev-
er. No matter what, babe..
Ask
Gwen…
(Your Friendly
Local Advice Columnist)
Should I learn how to play an
instrument? –Clare Annette
You should. At least so you can
impress other people with your
talents. – Gwen Nancy
Sugar how’d you get so fly? – -
Vivacious Vivian
Buzz Buzz Buzz- Gwen Nancy
How long is a piece of string? –
Dim Daryl
How long is your attention span?
- Gwen Nancy
What is the meaning of life? –
Deep Donald
The meaning of life is to save
another person.. He who saves
one person but is known by few,
has a far more meaningful life
than he who is known by many
but saves no one. - Gwen Nancy
How do I ask a girl out? – Curi-
ous Cupid
You make use of all that English
we’ve been taught and ask her.
– Gwen Nancy
How do I overcome embarrass-
ment from crying while I laugh?
– Humorous Harold
You realize that it’s not a bad
thing. In fact it’s kind of funny and
adorable. More people suffer from
this ailment than you probably
think anyhow. – Gwen Nancy
Did it hurt when you fell from
Heaven? – Cheesy Charlie
A little bit. Mostly I just screamed
on the way down. It was terrifying.
– Gwen Nancy
Are you made of copper and
tellurium? Because you are CuTe.
– Bill Nye
You can’t answer your own ques-
tion. I do that – Gwen Nancy
The Pirate Press
By Tevin Branch
and Cat Carlsen
The new school year brings
many tidings and tribulations
for all. For some, it’s a change
of school, lifestyle, or official
positions. For example, math
teacher, Mr. Parker, is now the
new counselor since Mr. Mid-
dleton’s retirement.
How does his new job as coun-
selor differ from his old job as
a math teacher? “I like it,” he
said. “Being a counselor isn’t
easy, but I definitely enjoy it.
I’m not in the classroom every-
day anymore, which I miss, and
there’s tons of paperwork. In-
stead of working with my usual
seventh and eighth graders, I
work with all of the students,
teachers, and administration,
which is nice.”
The responsibilities of being a
counselor are quite different
than those of being a teacher. “I
have to work very closely with
Mr. Lewis in coordinating
events, scheduling, and student
transcripts,” Mr. Parker said.
Although scheduling has been
his biggest challenge this
year, Mr. Parker doesn’t give in
to the stress. “My job certainly
has its fair share of stress, but
so does being a teacher. Every-
one who works in a school
deals with stress. When I feel
completely overwhelmed and
stressed, I take a moment to
remind myself of the great
team of coworkers I have by
my side everyday who are al-
ways willing to help, and the
amazing students I do this job
for. If I keep that in mind, the
stress seems small and is worth
it all!”
He also has many responsibil-
ities, such as enrollment, teach-
er grade books, and scholarship
opportunities. Still, he does
miss teaching math. “I love
math. I miss seeing the kids in
the classroom every day and
watching them learn.
He likes having his own of-
fice, especially the location.
“From my office I can see most
of the students as they transi-
tion to and from classes. I try to
be in the hallways as much as
possible during these transition
times to interact with the stu-
dents because I think this is
very important for a school
counselor. I want to be seen by
all the students, and I want them to know my office is a safe place
and is always open. All students need to know I am here to help.”
Page 7
Tall Todd Takes on Task of High School Counselor
Todd Parker Picture
Important Information for 2015-2016 Seniors Act Test: Jasper High School Code: 041-230 Test Center Code: 241330
2015/2016 ACT Test Dates:
December 12, 2015…….…Registration Deadline: November 6, 2016
February 6, 2016………….Registration Deadline: January 8, 2016
April 9, 2016……………...Registration Deadline: March 4, 2016
June 11, 2016……………..Registration Deadline: May 6, 2016
Register online at www.actstudent.org. Check this website to see if the
colleges you are considering require or recommend the ACT writing test.
Also check college websites for their deadlines on when to take the ACT
for admission and scholarships.
You can request your official transcript in the counseling office. There is
a clipboard on the bookshelf that you must sign. You will choose either to
pick it up in the main office or have it mailed to the recipient. Do not wait
until the last minute. Please give Mr. Parker at least a day’s notice to have
this prepared for you.
INTERNET RESOURCES Internet Resources www.fastweb.com—free scholarship search
www.fundmyfuture.com—free search
www.studentaid.ed.gov—Federal Student aid
www.arkansasnext.com—advice for seniors
www.ecampustours.com—virtual tours of over
1,300 college campuses.
As you search for scholarships, beware of
scholarship scams. It may be a scam if there is
a high application fee, a statement that every-
one is eligible to win, they want your credit
card, or there is an invite to a private seminar.
College Bound? Don’t Forget about the FAFSA!
If you want financial aid, you'll need to fill out the FAFSA. The FAF-
SA is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Anyone who
wants financial aid will need to fill it out. The application is used to
determine the dollar amount you or your family will be expected to
contribute towards college. All federal grant and loan awards are de-
termined by the FAFSA, and nearly all colleges use the FAFSA as the
basis for their own financial aid awards. Go online to fafsa.ed.gov.
Seniors 2016!
The Class of 2016
Band
Basketball