FFA Week

By Jessie Taylor

3/2/2012

On Tuesday February 21, 2012, Neoga Sr. High's FFA week commenced. The purpose of FFA week is to inform the community about the great importance of agriculture and how dedicated these FFA members are in the act of helping our community. During this particular week, each day means something different. On Tuesday, the members of the FFA wore their new club t-shirts. Wednesday was green-hand day, meaning that every new member would have to dye their hands green for the day. Thursday was official dress day; black pants, black shoes, white blouse/shirt, a tie, and the most important accessory your FFA jacket. Friday was the barbeque. Bob Peadro, from the new Windsor Grocery Store supported FFA week by giving the club a great deal on the meat and buns supplied at the barbeque. Also, Tony Bell and her sister Patty assisted in the cooking for the barbeque. The participants during this week include the FFA members that have paid their dues in the beginning of the year. Mrs. Perkins, the new Ag teacher at Neoga Sr. High, plays a substantial role in planning FFA week for her club members. Additionally, the team from the 95.7 radio station assists the officers in advertising FFA week. The Neoga FFA members also, took a trip to Louisville, Kentucky to see the Farm Machinery Show. There are multiple exhibitors that set up different booths to display the modern technology in agriculture. On this trip, there were twenty-three FFA members, four chaperones, and Neoga's FFA advisor Mrs. Perkins. FFA member Jesika Warner reflected, "It is great to see all the new advancements in agriculture and to know that so many people support our local FFA chapter. As a whole, our FFA chapter would like to help our community know more about what is going on and we thank all of you for supporting us."

Caption: FFA members dye their hands for “Green Hand Day.”

Front L-R: Dalton Gebhardt, Shay Ashworth, Amber Potter, Trenton Sheehan

Back L-R: Katie Bell, Shelby Hoene, Sarah Brown, Brandi Herring, Preston Potter, Krystal Steele

March for Life

By Jessie Taylor

2/16/2012

In October 1973, Pro-Life supporters became worried that January 22, 1974 would fly by without adequately memorializing the Supreme Court's hotly-contested Roe vs. Wade decision regarding abortion. Therefore, the first “March for Life” was held on the West Steps of the Capitol on January 22, 1974. The crowd was estimated to contain 20,000 committed protestors. This non-profit, non-partisan, and non-sectarian organization has now grown into annual event with the agenda of spreading a Pro-Life message. The “March for Life” website noted that 2012 has had the most successful turn out in the event’s history. Thousands of spirited people from all over the world came to join this immensely powerful political movement. A few of Neoga's own residents even joined the march. Ellie Walk, Allie Keck, Heather Baker, Mikaela Walk, Becky Walk, Megan Moran, and Katie Bell were all in attendance this year. NHS Senior Becky Walk stated, "It was really cool to see everyone from all over the country come together to support one cause." Furthermore, the organization has an anniversary march planned for Friday, January 25, 2013.

Pic 1 caption: NHS students participate in the annual “March for Life”

(L-R): Mikaela Walk, Beck Walk, Heather Baker, and Allie Keck

Pic 2 caption: The crowd overcomes inclement weather during the event.

Christmas Service Project

Neoga students Taylor Gresens and Erica Hotze work on a Christmas service project for National Honor Society and Math Club.

WYSE Team Advances to Sectional

by Mrs. Sally Cohorst

February 9, 2012

Neoga High School received second place in the annual Worldwide Youth in Science and Engineering (WYSE) Academic Challenge on Friday, February 3^rd. The competition was held at Lake Land College. Neoga competed in Division 300, which consists of schools whose enrollment is less than 300. Cumberland won the regional with 492.2 points, followed by Neoga with 454.8 points and Altamont with 419.1 points. St. Anthony received first place in Division 700, followed by Sullivan and Teutopolis. Mattoon won first place and Effingham second place in Division 1500.

Michael Baker won 1^st place in Math. The following students received second place: Kyle Ludwig in Engineering Graphics, Joey Goldstein in Biology, Ryan Evans in Computer Science and Jacob Alumbaugh in English. Others competing for Neoga were Amanda Baker, Shelby Baker, Kamryn Boarman, Dan Brown, Courtney Cornell, Courtney Croy, Bailey Dow, Anna Frailey, Seth Kline, Ethan Lawrence, Kelton Nichols, Ryan Ott, Sierra Struthers, Travis Walk, Becca Warfel, and Tim Yurs. Sally Cohorst is coach of the team.

The WYSE contest is sponsored by the University of Illinois Engineering Department. Students throughout Illinois participate, in addition to some schools in other states, countries, and continents. Each student is required to take two tests from the following subject areas: biology, chemistry, computer science, English, engineering graphics, math, and physics. The top two scores in five of the seven subjects are used to determine the team score.

Neoga will advance as a team to the sectionals which will be March 8th at Eastern Illinois University. The team will be limited to fourteen members who are yet to be determined from the students who competed at the regional.

Pic caption:

Front Row (L-R) Mrs. Sally Cohorst, Travis Walk, Kelton Nichols, Sierra Struthers, Courtney Cornell, Ethan Lawrence, Jacob Alumbaugh

Second Row (L-R) Kamryn Boarman, Bailey Dow, Becca Warfel, Anna Frailey, Shelby Baker, Ryan Evans

Back Row (L-R) Joseph Goldstein, Tim Yurs, Daniel Brown, Ryan Ott, Seth Kline, Kyle Ludwig, Michael Baker, Amanda Baker, Courtney Croy

Media Class Creates Sitcom Episode

2/2/2012

by Becca Warfel

Neoga’s High School media class recently completed an exciting video project entitled The Good Life. They worked together to create their own 50’s style sitcom! The assignment was used as an introduction to the television industry portion of the course and students learned many skills used in this influential sector of American media. Script writing, acting, and video editing were all included in this lesson, as were other less obvious components, such as stage makeup. According to the teacher, Mr. Marty Gibson, the video editing was the most difficult part. Students used the green screen and editing software to produce the sitcom. “The writing was excellent,” he said. “[The sitcom] was very good for a school project.” The project lasted roughly a month from December 1^st to January 3^rd, being completed when the students returned from Christmas vacation.

NHS Homecoming Week

by Paige Osborn

1/26/2012

The month of December was a very eventful one for students at Neoga High School. It was Homecoming week once again and just as busy as ever. Students participated in events and different dress themes every day that week. Dress themes were class color day, holiday day, crazy day, clique day, and then school spirit or red and white day. Almost the entire school participated in these dress themes every day of the week with most classes having around 80%-90% participation every day. Along with dress participation points classes got points for winning the daily game. The games for this week were boardwalk, trivia, obstacle course, tug of war and the Xbox favorite, Just Dance 3. Every day freshman would compete against juniors and then sophomores against seniors. The winners of each would play each other, but it didn’t stop there. As a vital part of homecoming tradition, the winner had to go head-to-head against the teachers.

Other activities going on throughout the week included poster competition and locker decoration. Points were awarded to the class with the best poster and also for the classes whose students won the locker decoration contest. Overall, the seniors came out on top with the most points. The sophomores came in second, followed by juniors, then freshman. Junior Megan Schabbing commented, “Homecoming week is always so much fun, and it’s so interesting to see students dressing up in ways we never could outside of Homecoming week.” Overall, Homecoming week is one of the most memorable for all students here at Neoga. This year’s homecoming week was full of fun and excitement for teachers and students alike.