February 21, 2000
H-L students celebrate achievements
By Cathy Willoughby
Staff Writer
Beans and potato plants growing in Styrofoam cups. Stories of cats and dogs. Pen-and-ink depictions of Snakesters.
Taking a look at student's achievements beyond the athletic or the competitive was the theme of Hopewell-Loudon School's first "Celebration of Youth'' Sunday evening.
The forum was the idea of two high school students, Jill Gosche and Jacob Rump.
"I suggested it awhile ago,'' Rump said. "We were at a community forum that the school had. It had gotten to the point that all the media were talking about was the school shootings and bad things kids did.
"We wanted to show a side that was not competitive, that we could be creative, and keep it separate from other things that the students are doing in their classes.''
The halls of the school were filled with student displays of artwork, stories and other projects the classes had been working with. Musical ensembles, band concerts and, in some instances, individual instrumental performances entertained guests in the auditorium.
"There are a lot more people here than I expected,'' Rump said. "With the first year of something like this, you never know.''
Gosche, capturing the evening's activities on film, agreed that the effort seemed to be successful.
"I'm very pleased,'' she said. "With it being the first year, we weren't real sure. We will try to evaluate and decide what to do in the future. I'm glad that the community cares, because they do, obviously.''
Both said the community forums that occurred last year gave them the idea, yet a great deal of planning took place to reach this point.
"We had started planning it off and on since November,'' Rump said. "We were meeting every couple of weeks and then we finalized everything during the last couple of weeks. We wanted to show the community the creative side of the students here.''
Gosche said that her mother was also suggesting ways to see more art in the schools. So, the students talked to their principal, Gary Comstock.
"When we suggested it, Mr. Comstock agreed and we started having meetings and we all worked together toward the end to get everything done," she said. "We were tired of hearing the negative things; we wanted to start hearing of the positive things students do.''
Other school clubs and activities also took part in the evening, with the life skills classes at the high school level making the night's refreshments, to the Future Farmers of America chapter's display in the front of the school.
Corey Zoeller, also a junior and member of the FFA chapter, said that the display featured some of the club's work.
"We have some pedal tractors and a trailer that we made,'' he said. "We also have sprayer and a pulling sled that we made for the fair for little kids to use.''
Kim Kirian, whose daughter Jessica is in the fifth grade, said that the evening gave her a chance to see things that she would ordinarily not hear about.
"I have really enjoyed the performances,'' she said. "It's surprising how much talent they have.''