Red Ribbon Week Lesson

By Libby Cluett | lcluett@mineralwellsindex.com

Garner School student, Cort Beynon, a member of the Civil Air Patrol leads a lesson to Garner students during Red Ribbon Week

GARNER – Civil Air Patrol cadets helped Garner ISD’s middle school students identify qualities in a leader for Red Ribbon Week for a Drug-Free America.

The week is designed to educate America’s students about drug prevention. Students involved with the local CAP conducted a Red Ribbon Week Leadership Academy to help promote a drug-free ethic, while reinforcing leadership skills.

During the afternoon session, cadets conducted a teamwork game as an icebreaker, showed clips of the movie “Invictus” and asked students to identify the Nelson Mandela’s leadership skills as shown in select scenes and addresses servant leadership, among many other topics.

Thomas Pophin pointed out that when Mandela, played by Morgan Freeman, invited rugby captain François Pienaar, played by Matt Damon, to tea, the host – then leader of South Africa – was humble, polite, informed and was a visionary.

“As middle schoolers, you might not have the same challenges as Nelson Mandela, but you could use the same leadership skills,” Pophin told his Garner audience.

The cadets, including Garner’s own Cort Beynon, reinforced their our core values – integrity, service and putting others need before your own, excellence and respect – as an example for their audience and as a step in the path toward a drug-free America.

Also on Thursday, Garner students in all grades also had the opportunity to wear hats – normally not allowed under the dress code – and not just hats, but crazy hats, if so desired. Throughout the week on area campuses students got the chance to dress a little differently and, hopefully, learn about what role they can play in creating a drug-free America.

Garner Fine Arts Students Shine

Garner Elementary fine arts programs are enjoying great success this school year. Building off previous years’ one act play performances in UIL competition and school wide performances of the musicals Annie and Charlie and The Chocolate Factory, this year’s students are already slated to perform publically in a play and a musical.

First up is A Toby Show, Garner’s one act play. The Garner actors will travel to Chico High School on November 17^th to compete at the district level. The play will be previewed on November 15^th at 7 p.m. in the Ryan Gym. The public is welcome to attend this free performance at the Ryan Gym.  A Toby Show brings back to the stage an American folk character—Toby, the country bumpkin who outwits the city slickers. This melodrama recreates with traditional situations and stock characters a colorful segment of American drama: the traveling tent repertoire shows. Starring in Cinderella, Toby enacts a comic variation of this childhood classic.

In December, eight Garner students will be performing in the musical, Narnia, at the Scott Theater in Fort Worth. Ms. Julie Troutwine, Garner’s music teacher, is directly responsible for creating opportunities for our students to expand their artistic horizons. In September, Garner students attended a performance of the Fort Worth Symphony at Bass Hall. In October the students went to the Scott Theater to watch the play, Choices. Choices questioned individuals’ responses to life’s events and examines the consequences of those decisions.

While attending Choices, several Garner students were inspired to try out for an upcoming musical produced by Kids Who Care, a Fort Worth non-profit international theatre company that produced Choices. Eight of our students, Jace Beynon, Jocelyn Fields, Taylyn Grim, Hannah Hargrave, Gabi Kirsch, Hayden Michels, Stephani Shaw, and Kimberli Stricklin were selected to perform in Narnia. Based on C.S. Lewis’ classic The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, the whole family will be entertained when they step through the magic wardrobe into Narnia with Lucy, Edmond, Peter and Susan. The children encounter many magical creatures, both good and evil, in their quest to restore the gift of Christmas to the Narnians. Performances will be December 16^th through the 22^nd at the Scott Theater.

Ms. Troutwine Congratulates Allison Wiggs on Her Selection to All Region Choir

Ms. Troutwine has also been instrumental in preparing Garner to participate in UIL vocal contests for the first time. Competing in Region 7, an area from Fort Worth to San Angelo comprised of 84 school districts, Garner has already enjoyed success in our first year. On October 22^nd nine students, Cort Beynon, Makayla Chenault-Cheek, Jo Anne Grimes, Tyler Hicks, Brian Jennett, Kylie Nelms, Keighley Parsons, Katy Rueter, and Allison Wiggs travelled to Granbury High School to try out for All Region Choir. All placed in the top half, but Allison Wiggs was selected as Garner’s first ever All Region Choir vocalist.

If you would you like to come see all of the talented Garner students perform, you are invited on November 11^th at 2 p.m. to take part in our annual Veterans’ Day program.