In this week's edition of the Friday Focus : Social Studies Fair Winners; Valedictorians and Salutatorian Announced; Gearing Up for Summer Reading; Crafting a Colonial Experience; Taking Advantage of Summer Educational Opportunities; Yearbook Updates; STEM Expo; Mayor's Advisory Council; Guest Artist; Kudos and Thank Yous; Friendly Reminders; Weekly Photo Album; and Athletic Corner.

Have a Happy Mother's Day!

The junior high Social Studies Fair held in the Catalano Gym on May 4 was the culmination of a long-term project that took students through the complex process of writing a formal research paper, from concept to conclusion.

Seventh grade projects focused on people and events in American history, and 8th grade projects explored the culture, resources, industries, history, geography, and demographics of various Louisiana parishes. Each student produced a research paper and a display. Those who advanced to the final round of competition were also required to give oral presentations. The judges were former Runnels teachers Ann Slocum and Tana Cramp and elementary teacher and local writer Rachele Smith. Awards were presented in the categories of Overall Winners and Best Displays in each grade.

The winners and their projects were: 7th Grade - Overall Winners: 1st place, Emma Collett, Salem Witch Trials ; 2nd place, Alex Frederic, Wright Brothers ; and 3rd place, Mason Pentes, Gold Rush ; Best Displays - 1st place, Eddie Tunis, George Patton ; Honorable Mentions - Greyson Torres, Chicago Race Riots , and Eli Latiolais, Cold War . 8th Grade - Overall Winners: 1st place, Michal Gawronski, Beauregard Parish ; 2nd place, Ryan Roper, Bossier Parish ; and 3rd place, Dawson Latona, Cameron Parish ; Best Display - 1st place, Cooper Smither, St. James Parish ; Honorable Mentions - Emily Reid, St. Bernard Parish , and Blaiklee Guillot, Ouachita Parish .

(Photo: Overall 7th-Grade winners, from left, Mason Pentes, 3rd place; Emma Collett,1st place; and Alex Frederic, 2nd place.)

The names of the valedictorians and salutatorian of the Runnels Class of 2018 were announced last night. Congratulations to co-valedictorians Alex Matthews and Sam Matthews and salutatorian Isabelle McCall.

Twin brothers Alex and Sam have been at Runnels since they entered preschool at the age of two! Both are headed to Texas Christian University (TCU) in the fall to study mechanical engineering on National Merit Scholarships, TCU Grants and Dean's Scholarships. In addition, Alex is the recipient of a Mu Alpha Theta Scholarship and Sam is an invited walk-on athlete on the men's track team.

Isabelle, who has been with us since 6th grade, is going to Tulane University in New Orleans to study psychology on a National Merit Scholarship, an Academic Scholarship, a TOPS Honors Award, and the school's Dean's Honor Scholarship, which is offered to only 100 incoming first-time freshmen. It covers full tuition and is renewable if certain requirements are met.

Congratulations to these exceptional students and their parents.

( Photo: Co-Valedictorian Alex Matthews, Salutatorian Isabelle McCall, and Co-Valedictorian Alex Matthews. )

All Runnels students in grades 4-12 will have summer reading assignments that you can access by clicking the "Summer Reading & Skills Building" icon on the homepage of the school website (runnels.org).

An exciting addition to this summer's agenda for students in grades 4-6 is a shared reading experience called One School, One Book. All 4th-6th graders will be required to read the same book -- Wishtree by Katherine Applegate.

"I think this is a great book that students will enjoy reading," said 4th grade reading teacher and new Elementary Co-Librarian Amanda Albin. "It was written by an already loved author, Katherine Applegate, who wrote The One and Only Ivan , which many 4th graders chose to read for book reports this year."



Click here for Summer Reading Lists...

To cap off their studies of the 13 Colonies, the 5th graders enjoyed an afternoon of games, foods, and toys that children in 18th century America would have found familiar.

Organized by 5th-grade social studies teacher Cheyenne Davis, the elementary school's Colonial Days activities featured sack races, games of Nine Men's Morris (a cross between checkers and tic-tac-toe), designing quilt squares, whipping up batches of Johnny Cakes with "churned" butter and genuine maple syrup, sipping apple cider, and crafting whirligigs and rag dolls.

"Children in Colonial America played games based on their chores," said Mrs. Davis. "They used the sacks they carried grain and corn in for for sack races, eggs they collected for egg-and-spoon races, made dolls from leftover quilting scraps, and built whirligigs out of string and buttons or spare pieces of wood."

"The students really enjoyed the afternoon," said Mrs. Davis, "especially the food. Thirty-seven students requested the recipe for Johnny Cakes!"

Many thanks to parent and grandparent volunteers Alecia Tate, Aprille Wright, Erin Scott, Matt Hebert, Rachel Evans, Becky Hillman, Michelle Harper, Shanna Drescher and her mom Joyce Reid, Herschel Brunner, Meredith Wartelle and Rachel Garrison and teachers John Baird, Jennifer Leeper and Renee' Miller.

(Photo: Fifth graders participate in sack relay races as part of their Colonial Days activities. The sacks are genuine coffee sacks from Old Time Farm Supplier in Gonzales .)

Click here for more photos...

HOBY Leadership Workshop ... Sophomore Janie Schlotterer will attend the Hugh O'Brian Youth (HOBY) Leadership Workshop at the West Baton Rouge Conference Center in Port Allen this summer. The workshop is designed to help high school sophomores recognize their leadership potential.

Apex Leadership Summit ... Collin Bueche, grade 11, has been chosen to participate in the 10th Annual Apex Leadership Summit at the University of Mississippi in Oxford this summer. Also attending the program, which provides sessions on leadership development, social responsibility, ethics, and team building, will be Runnels juniors Emma Toorean and Rachel Wehbe ( See last week's Friday Focus ).

DEMCO Finalist Joins D.C. Trip ... Junior Ian Lansing is going to Washington, D.C. this summer as a DEMCO essay finalist. Though not originally selected as one of the four Baton Rouge winners by DEMCO, he was invited to participate in the trip when space became available. Ian said he is excited to be going.

( Photo: From left are Ian Lansing, Janie Schlotterer, and Collin Bueche. )

Though we were hoping the 2016-2017 yearbooks would make it to campus before the end of the semester, we were informed by the publisher this week that they will not be ready for delivery until mid-June. We sincerely apologize for the long delay and any inconvenience it has caused you and your family.

As soon as the books arrive, we will notify you via the website and email so you can pick them up from Miss Pam on the main campus in the elementary office. Again, we are very sorry for the problem and will make every effort to get back on track with an early fall delivery of the 2017-2018 yearbooks.

( Photo: 2016-2017 Yearbook Divider Page unpublished PDF )

We Sincerely Thank...

...The Broadmoor United Methodist Church community, Church Administrator Michael Cockrell, John Schatzle, and Senior Pastor Donnie Wilkinson , father of John Harper, grade 4, and Mollybeth, grade 9, for inviting Runnels to hold this year's AP Exams on their campus.

"They truly go out of their way to accommodate us for these exams," said Assistant Head of School and Junior and Senior High Principal Conchetta Foshee. (Photo: A group of Runnels High School students returns to the campus of Broadmoor United Methodist Church "Runnels West" to take their AP Exams.)

Click here for summer camp information. Be sure to check back next week for newly added camps.

Grades 7-12 Laptop Drop-Off and Pick-Up Information

Grade 7 Back-to-School Information

Grades 8-12 Back-to-School Information

Back-to-School Information for 7th-12th Graders New to Runnels