Okaw Valley Students Connect with Trading Cards

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Photo by Ellen Ferrera-Dick OVHS students Destiny Underwood, Cameron Nickerson, Savannah Gibbons, Kelly McGill and Chloe Wirey check out the trading cards that will help them contact students from around the world and around the area.

Photo by Ellen Ferrera-Dick
OVHS students Destiny Underwood, Cameron Nickerson, Savannah Gibbons, Kelly McGill and Chloe Wirey check out the trading cards that will help them contact students from around the world and around the area.

•November 2, 2016•

By Ellen Ferrera-Dick
For the News Progress

Did your grandmother, perhaps, have an old scrapbook filled with colorful, little trading cards? Collecting them in this manner was a popular activity by the turn of the century.

Today, the trading cards are having a renaissance in the art classes of Jeni Yantis at Okaw Valley High School in Bethany.

“I follow the blogs of other teachers - it’s a way to exchange project ideas, and I found this other teacher who created the trading card idea,” Yantis explained. “She then started exchanging her students’ work. I really liked the idea of artwork here in Bethany being shared with other students all over the world.”

And that’s where the original artwork from Bethany is headed-all over the world.

Measuring barely two inches by three inches- about the size of sports trading cards, the brightly colored and multi-topic creations are designed by art students and are drawn in ink, pencil, crayon, acrylic paint, gel pen or whatever strikes their fancy.

Once created, a group of 100 cards are sent to another teacher who sends them out to other schools all over the world.  Read More

SES Gold Slip Winners

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Photo furnished SES Gold Slip Winners Sullivan Elementary School Gold Slip winners for the month of October are pictured. Keegan Adams and Marissa Fleshner volunteered their time helping out in the music room by cleaning instruments. Johnathan Iacobazzi and Zaden Husson helped two students who were having difficulty with math. They were very patient and asked the students questions in order for them to get the correct answers.  Kaden DalPonte picks up trash in the cafeteria line everyday on his way out. After he throws away the food on his tray, he goes back into the kitchen to make sure it’s picked up. Johnathan Davis saw a student working in the hallway on his way back to the classroom and kindly asked if he could help that student with his work.  Kyle Corkill has been an amazing leader for his classmates. He sets a good example by doing the right thing and is responsible, respectful, and helpful. 

Photo furnished
SES Gold Slip Winners
Sullivan Elementary School Gold Slip winners for the month of October are pictured. Keegan Adams and Marissa Fleshner volunteered their time helping out in the music room by cleaning instruments.
Johnathan Iacobazzi and Zaden Husson helped two students who were having difficulty with math. They were very patient and asked the students questions in order for them to get the correct answers. 
Kaden DalPonte picks up trash in the cafeteria line everyday on his way out. After he throws away the food on his tray, he goes back into the kitchen to make sure it’s picked up.
Johnathan Davis saw a student working in the hallway on his way back to the classroom and kindly asked if he could help that student with his work. 
Kyle Corkill has been an amazing leader for his classmates. He sets a good example by doing the right thing and is responsible, respectful, and helpful.

Domestic Violence Awareness

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•October 26, 2016•

Moultrie County Dove candlelighting service is 7 p.m. Thursday, October 27 at the First United Methodist Church in Sullivan.

Throughout the month of October candlelight services are being held. These special events are bringing people together to remember those who have suffered because of violence. It is also to honor those who have survived a life of oppression, fear, and physical danger and who work to build abuse free lives for themselves and their children. Those who work to end the abuse will also be honored. Read More

Postal in Pink

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Photo by RR Best Postal in Pink Sullivan postmaster Cindy Temple, Shelby Boyer, Jon Garvey, Kyle Wickline, Malora Lowery, Doris Williamson, Jackie James, Joy Byers and Leanna Fletcher are increasing breast cancer awareness through October. All employees at Sullivan and Windsor post offices bought shirts to show support during breast cancer awareness month.

Photo by RR Best
Postal in Pink
Sullivan postmaster Cindy Temple, Shelby Boyer, Jon Garvey, Kyle Wickline, Malora Lowery, Doris Williamson, Jackie James, Joy Byers and Leanna Fletcher are increasing breast cancer awareness through October. All employees at Sullivan and Windsor post offices bought shirts to show support during breast cancer awareness month.

IGA Round Up – Five Years of Giving

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Moultrie County Food Pantry Benefits

•October 26, 2016•

Round Five of the Sullivan IGA Round up to feed others runs from October 30 through November 5.

This is the fifth year Sullivan gets a chance to reach out and give local families a helping hand up at a time when it is needed most.

The CEFS food pantry is partnering with Sullivan IGA where rounding up the amount of your grocery bill to the next dollar makes helping a little help a lot.

IGA Store manager Pat Stinson noted the partnership with CEFS has helped do a lot for the community and families in need.  Read More

Yost Gets 75 Years for Randall Murder

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Victim Statements Show Impact on Family

•October 26, 2016•

By Mike Brothers

All the kids are afraid,” were the words of Sheri Randall’s nine year old son Donovan read by grandfather Terry Standerfer in open court prior to Michael S. Yost’s  sentencing Oct. 21.

Yost was sentenced to 75 years in prison for the death of Randall. First degree murder requires an offender to serve 100% of the sentence. He will be 117 years old when the sentence is completed.

Judge Dan L. Flannell explained Randall’s brutal 2015 murder reflected the boy’s concerns and indicated the death affected the community. Donovan’s statement was taken by Moultrie County Dove and presented as part of the Victim’s Impact testimony prior to sentencing.

Standerfer continued to read from Donovan Collins’ statement, looking directly at Michael Yost repeatedly. The letter revealed the boy feels unsafe and fearful, he cannot trust anyone and his classmates at school are afraid. Read More

Local Taekwondo School Holds Food Drive

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Photo furnished Local Taekwondo School Holds Food Drive Industrial Martial Arts’ Sullivan location held a food drive for the entire month of September. They challenged all their students to bring in food items to help support the local Moultrie County Food Pantry. Students challenged each other to see what age group, Tiny Tigers (3-8 years old), Karate-4-Kids (9-12), or Adults (12 years+), could bring in the most items. It was a race till the end, with the Tiny Tigers ending in first place followed by the K4K students and the adults bringing up the rear. Following the competition, Tiny Tigers delivered the contributions to the CEFS Office at 114 S. Harrison Street in Sullivan. While at the office they were given a tour of the food pantry and given some interesting facts on the amount of food it takes to help the community.

Photo furnished
Local Taekwondo School Holds Food Drive
Industrial Martial Arts’ Sullivan location held a food drive for the entire month of September.
They challenged all their students to bring in food items to help support the local Moultrie County Food Pantry. Students challenged each other to see what age group, Tiny Tigers (3-8 years old), Karate-4-Kids (9-12), or Adults (12 years+), could bring in the most items.
It was a race till the end, with the Tiny Tigers ending in first place followed by the K4K students and the adults bringing up the rear.
Following the competition, Tiny Tigers delivered the contributions to the CEFS Office at 114 S. Harrison Street in Sullivan. While at the office they were given a tour of the food pantry and given some interesting facts on the amount of food it takes to help the community.

ALAH School District’s 2016 Financial Audit

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“Things look good for now...”

•October 26, 2016•

By Ariana Cherry
for the News Progress

The 2016 budget was presented and audited by McGuire, Yuhas and Buckley P.C. at the most recent Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond School Board meeting. They noted that the budget is looking better than it did a year ago.

Revenues exceeded expenditures, and none of the fund balances had deficits. Some of the recommendations that were made included trying to increase internal controls. The activity fund needs more than one signature when people are counting cash. Invoices or receipts also need to be turned in when using debit/credit cards. If there are any budgets where the district could go over, then they should be amended accordingly. Superintendent Ken Schwengel noted that current funds stood at $7,796,238.37, and all funds are in the black; although there have been no state payments received for transportation or special education funds. “Things look good now, but we have to be concerned as we move forward,” said Schwengel.

Other matters that were discussed or voted upon: Read More