From the Desk of the Principal:

Spring break is finally here!!

I think everybody is looking forward to a little R&R. We have really had a very busy time the last couple of weeks. Spring sports are obviously in full swing. Track, baseball, golf, tennis, and softball have very busy schedules until the end of April. The tennis team qualified for State and will be competing this Friday. The band is leaving for Disney World in Orlando, Florida, March 12th. They will perform in a parade while there, as well as a couple of other performances.

As usual the Math /Science Team is having a great year. They will be participating in the State Math/Science contest next weekend. They spend a great amount of time preparing along with the help of instructors, Debby Bass and Allison Gillentine. We are very proud of them and their effort to represent our school.

We just completed our TAKS English Language Arts and Reading Tests, and I think everyone survived. As soon as we return from Spring Break, we will begin in earnest our preparation for the TAKS Math, Science, and Social Studies  tests the week of April 27th.

Have a good and safe SPRING BREAK!!!

Bobby Watkins

Imagine yourself thirty feet in the air with only a flimsy wire, a safety rope, and a team of friends between you and the ground.  Scary?  Maybe.  A challenge?  Sure.  Exciting?  Definitely.  The Freshmen Teen Leadership class from the fall semester found themselves in such a position recently as they visited the COPE course at George W. Pirtle Scout Reservation in Gary, Texas.  Project COPE is an acronym for Challenging Outdoor Personal Experience. It comprises a series of outdoor challenges, designed to build confidence and teamwork.  Participants climb, swing, balance, jump, and rappel as well as think through solutions to a variety of challenges, and many find they can do much more than they initially thought they could.

Under the direction of Chris Peurifoy, Teen Leadership teacher at Spring Hill High School, each student was provided the opportunity to accept the “challenge by choice” elements of the high ropes facility.  Teen Leadership, which is new to the high school course list this year, is designed to enhance and provide practice to students growing as leaders in their school, community, and country.  Part of Mr. Peurifoy’s curriculum includes initiative games and low level challenges to require the students to work as a team, build trust and cooperation, and experience success.  These skills were then transferred to the high elements found on the COPE course.  The students had an experience they will never forget.  Ask Amna “Cookie” Tariq, who overcame a fear of heights to climb a cargo net and walk a wire suspended from two trees.  Get the story from Matt “Mallard” Ballard and his partner Nick Ratay who were one of the few pairs to be able to climb the Giant’s ladder.  Talk to Kaleb “the Gooch” Pierce, who mastered the Pirate’s Walk and then spent the rest of the morning coaching and spotting his classmates so they could experience the same success.  No student was the same after scaling the Challenge Pole, a 40 foot telephone pole only to be asked to jump out on faith to a trapeze bar hanging some distance away.  Ask Callie “Zippy” Corbell about the rush she felt gliding along the zip line after an arduous climb up a pole.  Each student had the opportunity to meet a challenge, and each student who tried, success or failure, learned something great about themselves: they can overcome fears and doubts and step out onto a log suspended high over the ground.  All it takes is faith in oneself and in the friends there to support and encourage you.




PEER Awareness Opens Eyes to Drunk Driving Dangers
submitted by Student Council

On March 27, Spring Hill’s juniors and seniors attended PEERS Awareness. It is a program to inform students of the risks of drinking while driving. Every hour, thirty students were called out of class for the program. One statistic is that one teen dies every hour in Texas from drunk driving. The upperclassmen were sent to the little theater to watch a video about the dangers of drunk driving. Senior Kacey Nesbitt explained that the video “was really eye-opening.” The students also sat in a car that simulated drunk driving. This program was purposely scheduled before prom, graduation, and spring break to remind students of the consequences of drunk driving. The PEERS program was sponsored by Student Council in conjunction with the PTA, who donated the $2000 program fee.




Team Tennis Qualifies for State - Again!
submitted by Holly Ford

Spring Hill's tennis team earned a trip to the State Team Tennis Tournament by placing second in the Northeast Texas 3A Regional Team Tennis Tournament.  This is the third year in a row for the Panther team to qualify for state. 

There were 10 teams in the tournament.  Spring Hill defeated Athens 17-2 and edged Center 10-9. In the final, Van gained a 10-9 victory over the Panther team.  The top 2 teams advance to the state tournament which is March 13-14 in Waco.

"Team tennis is a wonderful thing" says Coach Holly Ford.  " Each match is equally important...whether you are playing #1 or #6.  This tournament allows your players to play both singles and doubles.  It definitely builds team unity.  I was very proud of my team.  They really accepted the challenge and played hard."
Members of the team are:

Pacesetters Compete in Gussie Nell Davis Classic
submitted by Pacesetters

The Pacesetters competed at the Gussie Nell Davis Classic held at Kilgore College on Saturday, February 14th.  They continued the tradition of success and did not come home empty-handed.  The Pacesetters performed a total of six routines and were awarded four awards.  The officers received a Division I rating on their jazz routine to “Mercy.”  The two team routines, a pom to “Let’s Get Loud” and a novelty to “You Can’t Stop the Beat,” also received a Division I rating.  A Division I rating is the highest rating a routine can receive.  The girls practiced many weeks outside of class and had to juggle their hectic schedules.  Many of the Pacesetters are involved in other extracurricular activities and must attend additional practices.  Overall, the hard work paid off with a special judge’s award given for the pom routine.  The judges pick one routine in each category that stands out in choreography and performance.  It is an honor to receive this award.  The Pacesetters and Mrs. Reagh would like to thank the parents for their continued support and help with the logistics of the day.

As a former Kilgore College Rangerette, Mrs. Reagh chooses to attend the Gussie Nell Davis competition because of the contribution Miss Davis made to the world of drill team.  She is the creator of the World Famous Kilgore College Rangerettes.  She was quite a lady and changed football halftimes forever with an extraordinary idea.  Her contribution to drill team makes this competition one of the most prestigious and fun with the current Rangerettes performing their trademark high kick for the participants.  The Rangerettes have been in existence for over 40 years and have traveled the world entertaining.  As a Rangerette Mrs. Reagh had the opportunity to perform at the Republican Convention when Ronald Reagan was running for his second term.  She met and performed with famous people such as Bob Hope, Rock Hudson, and Donny Osmond.  She also traveled to Palamento, California to perform at the Shriners East/West football fundraiser.  Rangerettes taught her many life lessons, but most importantly her director Mrs. Covin taught her what it means to be a lady. For her to return to Kilgore College with a drill team to compete is an honor, both as an educator and a Rangerette Forever.  The revenue from this competition funds scholarships for Rangerettes.  Of course she hopes in the future to have Pacesetters as Rangerettes to reap benefits from the money raised. 




The Physics of Sports
submitted by Allison Gillentine

Students in honors physics created projects relating to the concepts of speed and velocity, force, friction, gravity, mass/weight, Newton’s three laws of motion, trajectory, flight time, range, projectile and distance/displacement to a sport of their choice. “The Physics of Sports” required students to briefly explain the history of the physical activity and a few of its basic rules.  Topics ranged from martial arts, to table tennis, to golf.  Most students chose to present their information using PowerPoint presentations or homemade videos.