From the Desk of Mike Gilbert:

SPRING IS HERE!! We are three weeks into the spring semester, and it is already an exciting and busy time of year. Every high school in the state puts it in overdrive from January to May. With basketball in full swing, we are getting ready for all the spring sports to start in February. UIL Academic competition, One Act Play, Band, and Choir will all be involved in several activities this spring as well. We have TAKS testing coming in February and April along with students that will be taking ACT, SAT, and AP exams. There is no way to list everything that is happening this spring, but the message is clear, at Spring Hill High School there is a great deal of activity.

It is very easy to get caught up in all this activity and forget to study. As a faculty we will be reminding students to maintain grades by keeping good study habits and to keep up with work missed due to participation in school functions. I have encouraged our teachers to remind students of tutorial times and to be available for students that need extra help. I also want to encourage students to make appointments with their teachers when the need for help is there.

Finally, I want to welcome two new faces to the high school. Mrs. Carrie Jones, our new teacher in the math department, teaches Geometry and Algebra II. With the departure of Coach White to the Junior High, Mrs. Jones came at just the right time to fill a need at the high school. I would also like to welcome Jeanie McLemore as the new receptionist. We played a little bit of musical chairs over the holidays. Gloria Wiliford took a new position at the central office after 25 years at the high school, and Sandra Baskin moved into the high school secretary position. Mrs. McLemore comes to us from the primary campus, and we are glad to have her on staff. Both of these ladies will be great assets to this campus, and I feel very fortunate to have them at Spring Hill High School.

Go Panthers!

The Classic Works of Literature Still Relevant
submitted by Karen Bennett

Not only the movies but also other influential media in society suggest that the Great Works of Literature are still timeless as the authors' themes address our current day issues. In the recent past, Tolkein's Lord of the Rings trilogy was revived for the big screen as Peter Jackson dramatized the timeless struggle between good and evil. Further, other movies such as Troy, King Arthur, and now Pride and Prejudice, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, and even Oliver Twist (soon to be released) are making a reappearance but off the page and into living color, all released within a short period of one another. I remind my students that these works made it into the "Hall of Fame" in literature for a reason, namely because they are worth a second or third read since they are challenging, have great studiability, and are relevant to the problems and issues of the twenty-first century. In line with this message, this six weeks my seniors will be reading Mary Shelley's gothic novel, Frankenstein, written in 1818 to an audience that had a growing interest in scientific advancements. Today, in a world where science is rapidly advancing in such areas as cloning and genetic engineering, Shelley's warning about the lust for knowledge and personal achievement, even if motivated by good intentions, is still relevant. We will examine through research and discussion these issues as well as such cutting-edge technology as that of medical implants being designed for creating the "bionic man" (EE Times, 11/12/05). In addition to reading, research, discussion, and literary circles, students will also write a literary criticism and persuasive essay based on Shelley's novel.

Pine Tree Invitational Meet
submitted by Pat Gatons

On Saturday, January 14th, Spring Hill High School competed in the Pine Tree UIL Invitational Meet. Participating schools were classified according to enrollment, and Spring Hill competed in the 1, 2, and 3A division. The meet was structured as a UIL district academic meet with points awarded for 1st through 6th place individual finishes and 1st and 2nd place team finishes. Since all contests were provided by the UIL office, this meet was an excellent opportunity for students to compete using materials written by the same test authors responsible for the district, regional, and state contests to be held later this spring.

Winners of individual medals for Spring Hill were:

Melissa Thompson 5th in Spelling
Jenni Reigstad 6th in Spelling
Brittany Callas 2nd in Accounting
Brittany Chapman 5th in Accounting
K.T. Anderson 6th in Accounting
Ashley Herrin 2nd in Feature Writing
Hayden Henry 3rd in Feature Writing
Melissa Collier 5th in Feature Writing
Hayden Henry 1st in Headline Writing
Megan Shafer 5th in Poetry
Courtney Bennett 4th in Prose
Caleb Engelke 6th in Calculator
Shawn Davis 5th in Math
Michael Bass 6th in Math, 5th in Number Sense
Jason Graham 3rd in Science
Brian Bass 1st in Number Sense, 1st in Calculator,
         1st in Math, 1st in Science

In addition, the following contest teams scored points towards the overall team total:

Spelling 2nd Place
Accounting 2nd Place
Number Sense 1st Place
Calculator 1st Place
Math 1st Place
Science 1st Place

(Results of the Current Issues and Events and Social Studies contests were unavailable at press time.)

Spring Hill High School placed 2nd overall among the ten schools competing in the 1, 2, and 3A division.

Congratulations to all the students and sponsors who participated in this academic competition on a job well done!!

Spring Hill Twirler & Flag Workshop
submitted by Karen Hagler

The High School Twirlers and Flags have conducted the Spring Hill Twirler & Flag Workshop on the last Saturday in the month of January for the past five years. The twirlers have instructional divisions that consist of Primary to High School students, and the flags have instructional divisions that include Middle School to High School students. Applications are sent out a month before the workshop is held, and the cost is $30.00, which includes tuition, pizza for lunch, and a workshop t-shirt. The routines are choreographed and taught by the twirlers and flags for each division. Twirling and Flag Fundamentals are an important factor on placing each student in their division, so the campers audition on the fundamentals in front of the twirlers and flags for placement before the workshop begins. Learning fundamentals and a routine helps the Middle School, Jr. High, and High School students to decide if they would be interested in trying out for a twirler or flag position in May. As for the little ones, they are our future twirlers and flags. After working hard on memorization, coordination with footwork, controlling the baton or flag, etc..., we have a Camper’s Show-Off where all the teachers and campers demonstrate their routines for parents, grandparents, friends, etc. For the finale, the High School Twirlers & Flags perform one of their football routines, and then each camper receives a Certificate of Accomplishment in the arts of baton and flag twirling.

Golf Season Underway with High Hopes
submitted by Stephen Lamore

Golf Season has begun for the 2006 season. The Panthers have high expectations for this year's team. With eight players back from last year and 7 new players from this year's 9th grade class, the golf team should have plenty of depth. Returning from last year's team, which placed third in the regional tournament, are seniors Harrison Sarran, Lane Walters, Will Cooper and Blake Holbert. Sophomore Tim O'Farrell also competed on the regional tournament last year. Back from last year's J.V. team are Michael Secord, Sam Tadlock, and Carroll Simmons. Of the seven new players on this year's team 6 are 9th graders and there is one sophomore. Jordon Sarran and Jason Fiscus have a great opportunity to be in the top five. Jake Fudge, Mitch Vale, Logan Skinner, Brent Stamper along with sophomore Cris Lee make up the rest of the team. The panthers first tournamnet will be Monday February 6th at Woodhollow Golf Club in the Spring Hill Invitational. For information on the other tournaments check Spring Hill's web site.

Spring Hill All-State Band & Choir Members
submitted by Mike Barnes

On Saturday January 7, 2006 six Spring Hill students were named All-State. This is the highest honor a High School music student can achieve. Those students earning this honor were:

This is Max and Megan's second time and Jordan's third time to make the All-State Band. It is also Cami's 2nd year to be an All State Choir member.

These students will attend the Texas Music Educators Association Convention in San Antonio February where they will rehearse and perform with the best high school musicians from across the state. This honor opens many doors for College scholarships for these students. ATSSB, the organization that hosts the band auditions, gives $1,000.00 Scholarships to all three year All-State Band Members and $2,000.00 Scholarships to all four year All-State Band Members.

DCP Students Get Busy Start to Spring Semester
submitted by Fran Scott

The Young Business Associates (YBA), club of the Diversified Career Preparation (DCP) work program, will be offering free income tax preparation at school with electronic filing for any student who worked in 2005. YBA students will introduce the service project to all first block classes on January 25 and give a handout for students to take home. The following week on February 1 during sixth block, students will be given a flyer listing the information they need to bring to have their taxes filed. Information will include W-2s for all jobs held during 2005 and any 1099 INT/DIV received. Tax data will be taken up February 3 - 10 before first block each morning. Tax returns will be completed and filed February 13 and 14.

YBA is trained by an IRS representative who will be in attendance during tax preparation of student returns.The representative is teaching the students tax preparation on computers using actual IRS software. Confidentiality is ensured. Each of the students signs a confidentiality statement with the IRS. Students tax return information will be stored in the school office for security. With electronic filing and direct deposit to a student's checking or savings account, refunds should be received in approximately 10 days. Students can save the $35 - $100 companies charge for completing these tax returns by allowing the YBA to complete their taxes for free. This invitation from the IRS to participate as VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) volunteers, will strengthen the student's resumes and provide service hours that prospective employers now look for in applicants, as well as scholarship donors.

In February, DCP students will be job shadowing with a business mentor in the chosen career field the students plan on pursuing after graduation. They shadow their mentors from half a day to a full work shift at the work site. Shadowing provides the opportunity to experience the job first hand at the actual work environment, ask questions, and make contact with professionals in the field whom they can call upon in the future.

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