May 17, 2019
PRESCHOOL THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL
Runnels has always been the school for all races, religions, and national origins.
FRIDAY FOCUS



In Focus this week: Senior Stroll: Super Sensational Senior Send-Off; "Senior Sunset"; Third Grader Wins Recognition in Ochsner Nurses Week Art Contest; The Hydrogen Balloon Explosion Demonstration; Kudos and Notable Events; Join Us for Grades 2-5 Awards Ceremony May 28; Beginning and Fifth-Grade Band Concert; Newly Published Freshman Poets; Kudos and Notable Events; We Sincerely Thank; Weekly Photo Album; Athletic Corner; and Friendly Reminders.

Super Sensational Send-off!

Before walking across the stage to receive their high school diplomas on Saturday, our seniors took part in another meaningful walk this morning -- the third annual traditional "Senior Stroll."

Decked out in honor cords and graduation caps, they paraded through the campus all the way to the kindergarten classrooms as the entire school -- students in grades K-11, and teachers -- plus family and friends cheered them on and wished them well.

For many -- especially the 22 "lifers" who have been with us since first grade or before -- it was a sentimental journey.

"I cried," said Rachel Wehbe, a Raider since preschool days. "I remember being in those elementary classrooms!"

"It brought back a lot of memories," said Hannah Cassano, a Runnels student since she was four years old. "It tugged at the heartstrings."

Micah Roper, who started in kindergarten, said it was "overwhelming -- both sad and exciting. You remember everything, from kindergarten through your senior year!"

Fellow kindergarten veteran Anna Claire Pousson agreed. "It was emotional -- seeing the old courtyard and some of my teachers from elementary school."

AnnaClaire Courville, a Runnels Raider for 13 years, summed it up for many of our graduates when she added, "Leaving is hard."

( Photo: Leading the "Senior Stroll" through the kindergarten walkway are graduating seniors Rachel Wehbe and Tyler Robbins.)
Senior Sunset ... The senior class gathered in the pavilion area on the evening of May 16 for the second annual "Senior Sunset." The bookend event to "Senior Sunrise," which opens the school year, "Senior Sunset" allow students the opportunity to come together to watch the sun go down on the last day of their final year of high school.

The event included a picnic style dinner, hula hooping, writing messages on the walkways in colored chalk, bean bag tossing, playing gaga ball, and taking plenty of commemorative photos.

( Photo: Seniors enjoy friends, fellowship and food at the second annual "Senior Sunset.")


Third Grader Wins Recognition in Ochsner Nurses Week Art Contest

Elementary student Jackson Phillips was named a school winner in the very first Ochsner Nurses Week Art Contest.

Susan Green, director of emergency services at Ochsner in Baton Rouge and Iberville, was on our main campus this morning to present Jackson with his award. He was presented with a framed copy of his drawing, an achievement certificate, and an art kit to encourage his interest in drawing.

The spring contest, open to third grade classes in area schools, asked students to create designs showing how "Nurses Color Our World." Jackson drew a huge red heart decorated with items nurses regularly use to help patients including a blood pressure cuff, a band aid, and a stethoscope.

Ms. Green said the drawings submitted to the contest were presented to Ochsner nurses as gifts in honor of Nursing Week. She said they loved the artwork and put the drawings up on their lockers, in corridors and offices, and other places where people might see and enjoy them.

( Photo: Nurses Week Art Contest winner Jackson Phillips, seventh from left, with Ochsner's Susan Green, sixth from left, his art teacher Jennifer Leeper, third from left, and some of his classmates. )
The Hydrogen Balloon Explosion Demonstration

If you were on the junior and senior high side of the main campus Monday morning, you might have heard a few, well, booms. Not to worry! They were planned and controlled -- and devised to help students in Marcy Faust's physical science course learn about chemical reactions. It all started in class when students snapped on protective gloves and safety goggles and settled in to create their very own hydrogen gas.

"We have been learning about the pH scale, acids and bases as well as chemical reactions," explained Mrs. Faust. In the hydrogen gas balloon experiment, students would be able to observe a chemical reaction.

Here's what they did: Students added sodium hydroxide, aluminum, and water -- in carefully measured amounts -- to a flask. A balloon was stretched over the mouth of the flask to collect the hydrogen gas that would be created through the chemical reaction. As the chemical reaction took place, students made observations and took notes. After 10 minutes, the balloons, now holding the hydrogen gas, were tied off.

"Afterwards," said Mrs. Faust, "we went outdoors to ignite the gas (which caused the booms!). Later we discussed why hydrogen gas is no longer used in balloons and why helium is a better choice as a lightweight noble gas."

( Photo: In physical science class, Emma Collett, grade 8, works on collecting hydrogen gas created with a chemical reaction in a balloon attached to a beaker.)
Hitting Just the Right Notes at Spring Concert

Congratulations to the students in the Beginning Band and Fifth-Grade Band and their director, Shanna Drescher, for a lovely spring concert on Monday night in the Gladys Hague Runnels Theatre.

The program, which featured the themes from Jurassic Park and Star Wars along with a selection of marches and a touch of rock 'n' roll, demonstrated the great strides these students have made in their development as musicians this school year.

( Photo: Fifth-Grade Band clarinetists, from left, Lexie Matens and Alex Griffin.)
Newly Published Poets in Freshman Class

Six high school students in Michele Stanfield's ninth-grade English classes recently had original poems accepted for publication in Creative Communication's spring edition of A Celebration of Poets.

The new authors are Charlie Garrison, Jake Haase, Robby Harrison, Katie Hinkle, Ryan Roper, and Jacob Schmidt.

In a letter notifying Mrs. Stanfield that the poems had been chosen to appear in print, the Creative Communications editor wrote: "The teachers and students of your school should feel honored as thousands of entrants were not invited to be published. Publishing high merit poems from our contest creates a record or what is important to today's students. Without this publication, the entries that reflect the unique insight and perspective of the youth today would be lost forever."

( Photo: From left are poets Ryan Roper, Jacob Schmidt, Katie Hinkle, back row, Jake Haase, Charlie Garrison, and Robby Harrison.)
Kudos and Notable Events
Music Makers ... Elementary students exhibited skills they acquired in Johnice Thoms' General Music class this semester at a special performance for parents in their classroom on May 13. Students played instruments, sang in harmony as a group, and led parents in singing a three-part round.

Working as an ensemble, they played songs on the recorder, with students taking turns at the podium as conductor. In addition, Ashlynn Harper and Jenna Sheikha performed a piece on the piano they had composed.

( Photo: Sixth grader Sofia Dodd conducts students as they play "Mary Had a Little Lamb" on the recorder at General Music Parent Watch Day.)
Superstar Spellers ... The fourth graders in Christine Pousson's social studies classes competed in their annual States and Capitals Spelling Bee this week. The initial rounds were held in class, where two finalists emerged in each section. The finalists were Amir Faical and Dax Jones, 4A;  Ethan Ly and Lauren Ly, 4B; and Kendall Eastman-Stuart and Will Reonas, 4C. On Wednesday, the grand championship match was held in the Drama Room.

After approximately 20 rounds of competition, Ethan Ly won the match and was declared the Grand Champion Master Speller.

"The finalists correctly spelled the names of all 50 states, their capitals, the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, and most of the Great Lakes," said Mrs. Pousson. Congratulations to Ethan and the finalists!

( Photo: States and Capital Spelling Bee finalists, from left, Amir Faical, Dax Jones, Will Reonas, Kendall Eastman-Stuart, Grand Champion Ethan Ly, and Lauren Ly.)
Ballet, Jazz and Tap Shoes ... Elementary dance students showed their parents some of the moves they've learned in class this semester at "Dance Watch Day" on May 14. Students receive instruction in three forms of dance -- ballet, jazz, and tap.

At the presentations, students demonstrated their warm-up routines and a few basic steps and combinations they've learned. They also performed three entire dances, changing into the appropriate ballet, jazz, and tap shoes for each. Kudos to the dancers and their instructor, Rachel Harper Hart!

( Photo: From left are elementary dance students Lila Brumfield, Claire Clavette, Sadie Edwards, Kiera Slaton, and Kelly Messenger at "Dance Watch Day.")
We Sincerely Thank...
... Anatomical and clinical pathologist Dr. Rebecca Boyd Whittemore for sharing her expertise on the form and function of the human heart with students in John Baird's fifth-grade science classes on Wednesday. The students, who have been learning about the circulatory system, also observed a bovine heart dissection conducted by Mr. Baird.

(Photo: To help fifth graders understand how much blood -- 6,000 litres -- is pumped through the human heart each day, Dr. Whittemore holds up a one-litre bottle of water.)

... Michele Stanfield and the Senior Beta Club for their year-long efforts at keeping the Jr.-Sr. High Library decorated for special occasions and the change in seasons.

... Amy Taliaferro for planning "Senior Sunset" and all of the parents and grandparents who donated funds and/or supplies for the senior crawfish boil luncheon after the graduation rehearsal and "Senior Stroll" today, including Floyd and Ginger Hamm , Foster Alessi, Wendy and Shawn Worsham , Rachel and Bryan Evans , Amy and Greg Taliaferro , Nancy and Carl Rogers , Christine and Marty Pousson , Norbert and Kim Courville , Chad and Sherry Roper , Tara and Brian King , Sylvia and Kevin Sutton , Lisa and Joe Kadi , and Charles and Sonya Bueche . A special thank you also goes to caterers Charles Riddle and Jeff Weeks .
... Chef and fitness professional Kirk Vidrine for visiting with Mary Winett's kindergarten fitness classes on May 17 to talk about nutrition and present an interactive cooking demonstration.

( Photo: Guest chef Kirk Vidrine shows kindergartners Taylor Ezell, Aubrie Blanchard, and George Francois how to make hummus.)

... Chad and Sherry Roper for hosting the senior crawfish boil luncheon.

... Artist and graphic designer Laura Roark for calligraphy services for our awards ceremonies.

... George and Elaine Haun, parents of Alex Haun, Class of 2015, for donating a keyboard to our music program.
"Pennies for Patients" Pasta Party Winners! Spaghetti, salad and breadsticks were on the menu in Gina Golda's sixth-grade lunch class on Monday courtesy of Olive Garden. As the top fundraising class in our spring Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS) "Pasta for Pennies" campaign, the students were treated to a pasta party. The class collected $1,500 in donations for LLS, which finds cures for blood cancers and ensures that patients have access to treatments. Olive Garden is the national sponsor of the "Pasta for Pennies" program.
In this week's photo album: Physical Science Hydrogen Balloons, Beginning and Fifth-Grade Band Concerts, Elementary Dance Watch Day, First-Grade Water Day, Kindergarten and Sixth-Grade Buddy Lunch, General Music Watch Day, Heart Anatomy Lessons in Fifth-Grade Science Classes, Kindergarten Fun in the Sun, Fifth-Grade Class Officer Election Speeches, Kindergarten Cooking Demonstration, Candids.
Athletic Corner
BASEBALL: VARSITY

The varsity baseball team finished the season in the state championship game, with a tough 2-1 loss against Northside Christian on Monday. The Raiders finished 15-14 on the season with a great playoff run. 

“This baseball team worked hard to improve over the last couple of years, even when they didn't see instant results,” said Head Baseball Coach Ben Young. “The hard work paid off and came up just a run short from winning it all.” The Raiders have come a long way. It was just two years ago that the team finished their season with only one win.

Coach Young went on to say that they “had a great group of committed players, and I want to thank the four seniors for all their time and effort. The Raiders will be graduating Collin Bueche, Justin and Aaron Taliaferro, and Trent King.” Young credits the seniors for playing a big part in the team and its turnaround.
(Photo: Above - Raider baseball players with their trophy after the final game at the state playoffs in Sulphur. Right: The Varsity baseball team and coaches pause for the national anthem)
BASEBALL: JUNIOR HIGH

The Runnels junior high baseball team lost two close games this week. Preston Treadaway went 1-2 with 2 RBIs in a losing effort against the Dodgers. Wednesday the boys lost a high scoring affair 12-14. Eli Latiolais was 1-1 with 3 RBIs and Alan Lam went 2-2 with 2 RBIs. The Raiders will start playoffs next week at Cedar Ridge Park.

(Photo: Eli Latiolais, right, ready to bat with Alan Lam, left, on deck. Photo courtesy of Rich Harrison.)
CROSS COUNTRY

The Cross Country team is organizing for the 2019 season. Students in grades 5-12 are welcome to participate. Please contact Cross Country Coach Julie Fink for more details at j.fink@runnels.org .
GET RUNNELS APPAREL AT THE BOOSTER CLUB SPIRIT STORE
SPORTS THIS WEEKEND
MONDAY–FRIDAY
Jr. High Baseball Play-offs at Cedar Ridge Park – TBA
RAIDER FANS TAKE THE BEST PHOTOS!

Email game and fan photos to  n.latiolais@runnels.org . Please include the event and the name of the students pictured .  
Friendly Reminders
May 18 / High School Commencement / 4:00 p.m., Gladys Hague Runnels Theatre (Due to limited seating, attendance at this event is by invitation only.)

May 21 - 24 / Final Exams for Grades 7-11 ( See AP and Final Exam Schedule below.)

May 20 / Kindergarten Recognition Program / 8:45 a.m., Gladys Hague Runnels Theatre

May 21 / First-Grade Finale / 8:45 a.m., Gladys Hague Runnels Theatre

May 22 / Sixth-Grade Graduation / 7:00 p.m., Gladys Hague Runnels Theatre

May 23 / Jr.-Sr. High Textbooks Final Return Day / All textbooks for grades 7-11 must be turned in by 3:00 p.m. On May 24, charges for missing or damaged books will apply.

May 24 / Grades 2-5 Awards Ceremony / 8:45 a.m., Gladys Hague Runnels Theatre. Students will be dismissed for summer vacation at the end of the ceremony.