Thursday, May 27, 2010

SENIOR SPOTLIGHT: Cindi Adkins

SENIOR SPOTLIGHT: Cindi Adkins - Hannan High School

by Delyssa Huffman, Point Pleasant Register

05.27.10 - 12:09 am

ASHTON — Since January, Cindi Adkins has been learning a new language at Hannan High School — guitar language.
This senior, who is looking forward to graduation, reflects on her years spent at Hannan and said she will miss her good teachers and fun classes.

One of those classes is a guitar class where Adkins and her classmates have learned how to play the stringed-instrument. This class formed five months ago uncovered some talented students including Adkins.

“It really is like learning a new language,” Adkins said. “We actually became pretty advanced players.”

The group of students showcased their newly found talents during a concert held at the school.
“I wasn’t nervous at all,” Adkins said. “More like excited because we played our class song, ‘Don’t Stop Believing.’”

Her love for playing guitar also has Adkins thinking about her future involvement in music programs at HHS. She continued to say that she has thought about the option given to her to come back and assist the guitar instructor next year.

When she isn’t stringing the guitar, this 17-year old stays involved in numerous other school activities including theatre.

Adkins played a large part in the ‘Pride and Prejudice’ play put on by theatre students in 2009. She played the role of the mother in the school’s version of the classic.

As for some of her other classes, this senior has taken many college courses, as well as advanced placement courses. Those classes include English 101 and 102, forensic science, calculus and psychology.

In her forensic science class, Adkins talked about how she got to write a script about the TV show, ‘Bones’.

“It was 30 pages long,” Adkins said. “I have a passion for writing and I was so excited when we received that assignment.”

Also at HHS, Adkins is a former vice-president of the National Honor Society, and a participant in the Math Field Day. She was just recently crowned the high school’s Prom Queen and was voted ‘Class Clown’ by her peers.

“My reaction was ‘Why did you vote me that?’”, Adkins said. “I always thought I was the only one who thought I was funny. I can’t believe other people think that.”

Recently accepted to the University of Charleston, this senior is looking forward to getting her pre-law degree. She also will be taking psychology as a minor.

“I have always wanted to be a lawyer,” Adkins said. “And psychology is very interesting.”
Adkins continued to say that she may pursue fields in law enforcement or criminal justice. But wherever she ends up, she is going to continue writing, just in case she needs a back-up career.
Perhaps it was during her county science fair project that Adkins was intrigued by psychology.
“We did a group project on remembering dreams and we learned from our subjects that men remember emotions more and women remember details,” Adkins said. “We thought teenagers would beat the adults in remembering the most.”

Adkins stated that her hobbies include composing music, making cartoons and album covers on the computer, and collecting TV show series.
“I guess I like watching TV series because I enjoy analyzing the psycho-social relationships of fictional characters on current media shows,” Adkins said.

She is the daughter of Greg and Brenda Adkins of Ashton.

Seniors for “Senior Spotlight” are chosen from all three area high schools and are nominated by the principals.

Awarding Day for Seniors

An Emotional and Awarding Day for Seniors
The morning started out with a breakfast for seniors and parents at 9:00 A.M.  After Breakfast seniors traveled (for one of the last times) down to the gymnasium for Awards Day!


Promise Scholars: Katlyn Stanley, Megan Adkins, Cindi Adkins
_________________
 
Scholarship, Recognitions & Awards

_________________



Promise Scholarship
Cindi Adkins
Megan Adkins
Katlyn Stanley

Robert C. Byrd Scholastic Recognition Award
Katlyn Stanley $50.00

DAR Good Citizenship Award
Jennifer Swan $50.00

Dr. & Mrs. Milton J. Lilly, Sr. Memorial Scholarship
Katlyn E. Stanley $1000

FOP
Alex Facemyer $250

Charles Forth Scholarship
Kayla DeMaria $1000
_________________

 
Valedictorian Katlyn Stanley & Salutatorian Megan Adkins
 _________________


Heart of Appalachian Talent Search
Kayla DeMaria $500
Kelsi McCarty $500

Hannan Alumni
Jennifer Swan $500
Alex Facemyer $500
Megan Adkins $500
Tommy Huffman $500

Mary Jo Cochran Scholarship
Megan Adkins $1000

Mason County Education Association
Kayla DeMaria

Mason County Association of Retired School Employees
Megan Adkins
 _________________


Seniors start assembling for their final Awards Day

Students receiving GEAR UP Certificates
 _________________

Mason County Commission
Brittany Edmonds $500

M & G Polymers
Thomas D Huffman $1,000
Kelsi M. McCarty $1,000

Milton Lion’s Club
Jennifer Swan $1,000
Megan Adkins $1,000

Holzier Clinic Annual Science Award
Katlyn Stanley $300

Wendy’s Heisman
Megan Adkins

WV Pumpkin Festival Scholarship
Jennifer Swan $ 2,000

Women of the Moose, Point Pleasant Chapter
Katelyn Stanley $25

WSAZ Best of the Class
Katelyn Stanley

The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation - Jackson Scholarship
Katlyn Stanley $1000
Derick Flora $1000

Claflin Foundation Scholarship
Megan Adkins $1000
_________________

Some tears…..

Some Cheers…..
_________________

13th year program certificates
Matt Allen
Corey Black
Brian Chapman
Tiara Cornwell
Jennifer Waugh

Faithful Attendance
Megan Adkins
Brian Chapman
Tyler Fisher
Renetta Mayes
Kelsi McCarty
Jennifer Waugh

Thanks to our Counselor Anita Jordan for providing the information!

National Honor Society

NHS Spring Induction Ceremony
Hannan High School’s National Honor Society held their Spring Induction Ceremony on May 26th. The Mountaineer Chapter is very active at Hannan and in the community.

National Honor Society with Advisor Tammy Edmunds
The candlelight ceremony is always a dignified and formal academic event. The Society not only emphasizes academic achievement but also personal honor and integrity.
NHS members begin the Candle Lighting Ceremony
The ceremony opened with a processional accompanied by music, of “old members” and inductees.

National Honor Society Members with New Members before ceremony

President Jennifer Swan gave the welcome and the Candle Lighting Ceremony began as members spoke of the selection criteria. The ceremony concluded with the introduction of all new members.

National Honor Society Members... both "old" and "new"

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

PVH Donates Signs

Expressing Appreciation... to Partners in Education!

Hannan High School sends a big “Thank You” to our Partners in Education - Pleasant Valley Hospital, for their continued support and donations provided throughout this school year.

PVH most recently donated and installed signs at various spots across campus.
These three signs adorn the outside concession stand, gymnasium and athletic facility.
The Athletic Center houses the exercise equipment donated by PVH earlier this year


The signs uniquely represent HHS and PVH while displaying a different motto for each area. PVH provided and paid for the hanging of each sign.

Vice-Principal Amy Kammer, who has spearheaded many of these projects, says it has truly been a great pleasure working with Amy Leach of Pleasant Valley Hospital. Having PVH as a Partner in Education has proven beneficial to the students, staff and community.

Friday, May 21, 2010

Community Principal --- Day in the life

Day in the life — Alesia Green — Ashton Principal thrives in community school

by Hope Roush, Point Pleasant Register
05.17.10 - 11:02 pm

ASHTON — Principals are often viewed as the center of the school as their responsibilities including dealing with students, faculty as well as the building itself.

And Ashton Elementary Principal Alesia Green enjoys all of the responsibilities that her job provides. Green has served as Ashton’s principal since November of 2008. She previously worked at the Mason County Board of Education office as a director. In addition, she served as principal of New Haven Elementary School and worked as a teacher for Point Pleasant High School and Hannan High School.

According to Green, she decided to leave her job at the BOE office because she wanted more hands-on interaction with students and teachers.

“If you’re going to make a difference I feel that you need to be at the school level to see the difference — you can see where you make progress with the kids,” she said.

Green attributed her past teachers as the reason for pursuing a field in education.

“I was really blessed with some excellent teachers when I was in school. As far as becoming a principal, I wanted to try and see if I could have a positive impact on the students, staff and school,” she said. “I need to be positive in this job. There is no way I can expect the teachers to be positive with the kids if I am not that way with them.”

In fact, Green described working with both the students and staff of Ashton Elementary as being her favorite part of the job.

“I enjoy seeing kids and staff walk into the building anticipating the day ahead. I also enjoy when they leave at the end of the day and I can see that they felt good about the day,” she said. “I like seeing them feel like school is a place they get to come to rather than a place that they have to come to.”

Green added that she also enjoys how being a principal enables her to work with all aspects of the school.

“Being principal is interesting because when you are dealing with an entire school you have to see how situations affect everyone involved — staff, children and parents — that can be a challenge,” she said.

She also decribed the general work load as another challnege of her job as principal.

“There is more job than there are hours in the day. When I’m here I shouldn’t be behind a desk doing paperwork, I should be out and about. The challenge is finding a way to balance the work out,” she said, adding that no two days are the same.

According to Green, she arrives well before school starts and usually has questions and tasks to take care of before she even enters the school building.

“I answer questions constantly. You have to think on your feet and make quick decisions with this job. Unexpected things happen that must be taken care of,” she said. “Being a principal is just like managing a home, but instead of managing five people you are managing 450 students and 50 staff members.”

Green also said that she enjoyed working at Ashton Elementary because of the school’s community-oriented atmosphere.

“In this small community the school’s are truly the focus and center of the community. Both Ashton and Hannan are a huge asset to the community,” she added. “There’s absolutely nothing I dislike at this school. This is a great staff with a lot of community support.”

Just as Green has pursued her dream of being a school principal, she encouraged others to pursue the things that they want in life.

“Live true to your convictions. Whatever you feel passionate about, pursue with all your might,” she said.

(If you know someone who could be a potential candidate for an upcoming “Day in the Life” feature, e-mail his or her name and contact information to mdrnews@mydailyregister.com or call 304-675-1333.)

© mydailyregister.com 2010

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Hannan Student to Attend Chinese Language Camp

Caleb Shaw.... Headed to China

Caleb Shaw has been accepted by the Confucius Institute at George Mason University to attend the Chinese Bridge Summer Language Camp in Beijing/Henan. Caleb is a student at Hannan Jr./Sr. High School and Mason County Career Center. He is currently enrolled in Chinese III.




Last year Caleb was the only student from West Virginia to attend this camp. The camp provides 30 hours of language and cultural instruction.

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Hannan Receives New Grant Award

Hannan Wins LINKS Grant!
 Hannan High School is the proud recipient of a LINKS to Success Grant. LINKS stands for Learning Individualized Needs, Knowledge, & Skills. The LINKS program will be daily next year and will allow additional parental and community involvement. Two schools received the LINKS grant in Mason County – Point Pleasant and Hannan.

Senior Brittany Jenkins unpacks Wildcats Binder in preparation for next year.

We are very proud of our Hannan staff and students and the opportunity from WVDE and the BOE to provide a strong LINKS curriculum.
This program will help bridge the gap between what is taught in the core curriculum and the skills necessary for success in school and the work place. Every student will receive a “Wildcat Binder: with additional supplies.
The curriculum is composed of:
      • Academic Development
      • Self-Knowledge
      • School Success Skills
      • Career Planning
      • Life Skills
      • Works ethic

 Dr. Karen Oldham, principal of Hannan, submitted the grant in December and Hannan recently received notice that the grant has been awarded to the school.

 Cover of binder that has been provided to Hannan students from the LINKS grant.