by Emily Armentrout

On Friday, May 23, Jen Rankin, Executive Director of the Wabash County Solid Waste Management District, along with other volunteers from the Wabash community joined forces with W.C. Mills Elementary fourth grade students to clean up the portion of Charley Creek that runs through the Wabash City Park.

“We’ve been putting this together for some time. We’ve had a lot of younger children interested in the clean up, but because of the dangers involved, we had to limit the age to about 13. With that, we started thinking that we needed to do something. Everything you teach them, if you make it fun and interesting, they absorb it. We put our minds together and decided to do a Junior Defenders program,” Rankin told The Paper.

After meeting with W.C. Mills principal, Mike Mattern, who loved the idea, Rankin and her crew decided to choose the fourth grade students.

“Fourth graders still get excited about stuff,” explained Rankin.

The crew went into W.C. Mills in the morning, to each classroom, and told the students the story of “Freddy Fish.”

Freddy is a fish that lives in a clean, shaded area of a river. After getting bored, he travels downstream and finds all different kinds of pollution. This story taught the students about environmental issues like erosion and the different types of toxins from runoff. The crew taught them that anything we put in the water has an effect on the rest of the water. The students also thought it was cool to learn that the Wabash River is a tributary to the Gulf of Mexico. The Wabash River runs into the Ohio River, which runs into the Mississippi River, which empties out into the Gulf of Mexico.

After the classroom presentations, the students were bused to the city park, where they saw another presentation. They were challenged to find as many pollutants as they could and identify them by using the knowledge they gained during each presentation.

Indiana Conservation Officers responded to a call for help at Mississinewa Lake during the evening of May 31. According to witnesses at the scene, Adron Robinson, 32, Peru, was swimming across a cove to some friends but never made it.

Conservation Officers in the area responded immediately. Once on scene, Indiana Conservation Officer Divers entered the water and it only took them about one minute to recover Adron Robinson. Despite their efforts Indiana Conservation Officers, Noble Township Fire, Miami County Sheriff’s Department, Wabash County Sheriff’s Department, and other emergency personnel were unable to revive him.

Indiana Conservation Officers take every opportunity to remind those around the water to wear a life jacket. For more information on Life Jackets visit http://www.in.gov/dnr/lawenfor/5066.htm.

As the class of 2014 celebrates the end of their high school career, all the graduating seniors should be commended for their efforts to make it to graduation day. Eight county students rose above the rest and were named their school’s valedictorian and salutatorian.  These students are Manchester’s Audriana Fuentes and Adam Hanback; Northfield’s Emily Eckelbarger and Kylie Echard; Southwood’s Amy Bowman and Dayton Haynes; and Wabash’s Thomas Grier and Jordan Rauh.

Audriana Fuentes played tennis, participated in Science Olympiad, Key Club, theatre and choir. She was also elected to the National Honor Society and was vice president of the Key Club. After high school, Fuentes plans to attend Manchester University to major in education and pursue a career as a teacher.

Adam Hanback participated in Science Olympiad, was a member of the Spanish Club and president of the National Honor Society. He participated in the Student Tech Support Squad and a student representative on the iLearn 1:1 Steering Committee. He has also been a teacher’s aide and a theatre lighting technician. After high school, Hanback plans to attend Purdue University to study compunter information and technology. He plans to major in cyber security and pursue a career in that field.

Emily Eckelbarger served as president of the Student Council and Teens for Global Awareness. She was also involved in National Honors Society and Best of the Best art program of Wabash County. She played piano, and participated in Jazz band and theatre. After high school, she plans to attend Indiana University to pursue a career in journalism.

As the school year comes to an end, Emmanuel Christian School held an awards ceremony to celebrate the academic achievements of their students.

1st grade

Zaney McKnight received awards in Phonics, Math, Writing, Spelling, Reading, Bible and Spanish.

Dylan Stensland received awards in Phonics, Math, Writing, Spelling, Reading and Bible.

2nd grade

Erin Daniel received awards in Phonics, Math, Writing, Spelling, Reading, Bible and Spanish.

Sabil Davenriner received awards in Phonics, Math, Writing, Spelling, Reading and Bible.

Haley Miller received awards in Phonics, Math, Writing, Spelling, Reading and Bible.

AJ Prickett received awards in Phonics, Math, Writing, Spelling, Reading and Bible.

Danielle Reahard received awards in Phonics, Math, Writing, Spelling, Reading and Bible.

3rd grade

Zoey McKnight received awards in Bible, Language, Penmanship, Reading, History, Science/Health, Spelling and Math.

Japheth Niccum received awards in Bibe, Language, Penmanship, Reading, History, Science/Health, Spelling, Math, Art and Spanish.

Paige Ritzema received awards in Bible, Language, Penmanship, Reading, History, Science/Health, Spelling and Math.

Isaac Smelser received awards in Bible, Reading, History, and Science/Health.

The 2013-14 school year is coming to an end and Manchester Jr./Sr. High School recently held an awards ceremony to celebrate the academic achievements of theirs students.

Agriculture

Outstanding freshmen: EB Michel, James Winger, Madison Hire, Audrey Wilcox

Outstanding sophomore:  Jackie McConnell

Outstanding Junior: Cole Mize

Purdue Junior Scholar:  Cole Mize

Outstanding seniors:  Paige Blocher, Aaron Isbell, and Cody Michel

Ag Ambassadors:  Mariah Mobley, Aaron Isbell, Cody Michel, Paige Blocher, Adam Hanback, Katie Peden, Abby Lybarger, Ashton Bolinger, Kelsey Lotz

Indiana FFA License Plate Scholarship:  Mariah Mobley

National FFA Scholarship:  Ashton Bolinger, Adam Hanback

Josie Heckaman Memorial Scholarship:  Mariah Mobley

Outstanding Excellence in Art

Kelsey Lotz, Ali Lengel, Justin Heeter, Dallas Fields, Kayla Bailey, Krissy Mize, Kacy Sites, Hannah Littlefield, Evan Wilcox, Mariah Mobley, Amanda Underwood

Best of the Best:  Celina Carter, Marret Metzger, Mariah Mobley, and Evan Wilcox

Band

Alexandria Webb, Molly Woods

Business

Outstanding Accounting I Award:  Brady Pyrah

Outstanding Digital Citizenship Award:  Karly Eichenauer, Drew Jones

Outstanding Introduction to Business Award:  Micheala Pattison

With Northfield’s school year coming to an end, the school held an awards ceremony to honor the students’ academic achievements throughout this school year.

Art Department

The Banner award for 7th grade goes to Brittany Bussard and Trinity Johnson. The Banner award for 8th grade goes to Attie Schuler, Ellie Schuler and Madison Nevil. Wabash County Art Show for 7th grade was Alyssa Balay, Emily Clendenon, Daniel Driscoll, Trinity Johnson, Ally Keaffaber, Mallory Grizzle, Cara Kowalczuk, Liz Moore (3), Macie Sears, Ciara Peterson, Karlie Poland, Brayden Rudy, and Jacob Truman. The Wabash County Art Show for 8th grade was Braelyn Deeter, Joe Halderman, Mariah Kirtlan, Brionna Lee, Lily Myers, Madison Nevil, Attie Schuler, Indi Shear, Ava Smith, and Jared Vigar.

Physical Education Department

The National Presidential Physical Fitness Award for 7th grade was Melanie Beery, Bailey Burcroff, Daniel Driscoll, Libby Haupert, Caleigh Holmes, Alexis Hyden, Liz Moore, Jared Peas, Logan Peas, Sidney Prater, and Kelcie Thompson. The National President Physical Fitnees award for 8th grade was Kailen Carpenter, Matt Coe, Braelyn Deeter, Blake Harner, Noah Hicks, AJ Hunt, Michelle Hunt, Sarah Johnston, Kade Kennedy, Macauley Miller, Mariah Kirtlan, Natasha Leland, Emily Miner, Madison Nevil, Katy Pefley, Ellie Schuler, Indi Shear, Madison Snyder, and Jared Vigar. The Presidental Physical Fitness Award for 7th grade was Brittany Bussard, Ariel Dale, Ally Keaffaber, Karlie Poland, Erin Proebstle, Abbey Ross, and Hope Unger. The Presidental Physical Fitness award for 8th grade was Attie Schuler and Shelby Ward. Outstanding 7th grade students were Ally Keaffaber and Logan Peas. Outstanding 8th grade students were Indi Shear and Jared Vigar.

Auditions sponsored by the National Guild of Piano Teachers will be held at the Honeywell House in Wabash on June 4 and 5.

This year’s judge will be Dr. Vicki King, Bloomington, Indiana. Dr. King has degrees in piano from Mississippi University for Women and Indiana University.  Her Doctor of Arts degree in Piano Pedagogy is from the University of Mississippi.  She holds a Performer’s Certificate in Piano from the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria, and studied piano in Cologne, Germany with Pael Gililov.  In addition, she studied harpsichord in Hamburg, Germany for two years with Gisela Gunz. 

With the school year coming to an end, students are recognized for their achievements in the classroom. Southwood High School held their academic awards ceremony on May 13 to celebrate the students’ achievements.

Agriculture

Danielle Wagoner was the Outstanding Intro to Ag student, with Amanda Schul as the Outstanding Animal Science Student. Sheere Enser was the Overall Outstanding Agriculture student.

Art

The Outstanding Advanced Art student was Alexandra Nose, with Kenzie Rhamy as Overall Outstanding Art student.

Business

Chandler Murphy was the Outstanding Business student.

English

The Outstanding 9th grade English student was Makenna Dawes, with Danielle Sparling as the Outstanding 10th grade English student. The Outstanding 11th grade student was Alec Guenin, and Amy Bowman was the Outstanding 12th grade student. Amy Bowman was also the Overall Outstanding English student.

Family and Consumer Science (FACS)

The Outstanding Interpersonal Relations student was Mary Guisewhite, who was also the Outstanding Beginning Nutrition/Wellness student. Meghan Brane was the Outstanding Advanced Nutrition/Wellness student. Haley Baker was the Outstanding Beginning Child Development student, with Caitlynn Charles as the Outstanding Advanced Child Development student. Mary Guisewhite was also the Overall Outstanding FACS student.