Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, July 13, 1993 TAG: 9307130069
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: JOANNE ANDERSON
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Class members were divided into teams, then given nets, jars and plastic bags. An entomologist or naturalist went with each team to guide the search and captures. With their bounty in hand - or in a jar or bag - the pupils retreated to the classroom, where they were taught how to display the insects using mounting pins and tools. Then they learned to label each of the 50 or so insects collected.
"The school yard is a very rich environment to explore," said Frank Taylor, a Radford High School biology teacher who is on a two-year leave of absence to conduct research and develop a field guide to the school yard for area teachers.
"These mini-field trips are a collaborative effort between Virginia Tech's Department of Entomology and Museum of Natural History and the schools."
Workshops are being developed on guiding teachers in conducting small nature outings in the school yard. The final field guide Taylor plans to develop will cover all the plants and animals found on school property in the New River area.
Susan Eriksson, executive director of the Museum of Natural History, once said that some pupils know more abut the rain forests in Brazil than local nature of the Appalachians.
"It's true," confirmed Taylor. "But on that June day in the school yard, I overheard one boy say to another that he wished this field adventure would never end because it was so much fun."
Some students from FLOYD COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL have gone traveling as part of their involvement in the Health Occupations Students of America. Lisa Saunders, state reporter for the organization, and Joni Quesenberry, local chapter historian, attended its 16th Leadership Conference in Nashville, Tenn., June 16-19. They attended meetings as officers and competed against some of the other 3,000 students from across the country in job-seeking skills and scrapbook.
Saunders and Quesenberry were joined by Floyd County High School chapter president Heather Belcher and chapter reporter Toni Quesenberry at the Leadership Academy at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg June 23-26.
The VIRGINIA COUNCIL ON VOCATIONAL EDUCATION gave awards in Richmond on June 23 to eight businesses for partnerships with school divisions and community colleges. The only business in the New River Valley to be honored was Skyline Manor Nursing Home of Floyd.
Karen Thompson, administrator at Skyline, and registered nurse in-service coordinator Pat Monroe accepted the award. The four students attending the Leadership Academy were in the audience.
The BLACKSBURG HIGH SCHOOL CHAPTER OF THE NATIONAL FRENCH HONOR SOCIETY, LA SOCIETE HONORAIRE DE FRANCAIS, has inducted eight new members at a candlelight dinner at Anchy's Restaurant. The students are Aliah Carolan, Betina Chan, Nahla Durrani, Michelle Eden, Ingrid Johnson, Eleanor Lee, Charlie Liu and Sinh Ngo.
To be selected for the honor society, which was organized at the school in 1977 by French teacher Joan Campbell, a student must have an A average in French after two years of study and a B average in all subjects.
\ JONATHAN TZE, a rising senior, has been picked to attend the Governor's French Academy in July in Staunton. The academy does not give tests or exams, but provides an opportunity for participants to use French in their everyday lives. Tze is a member of the French Club and the French National Honor Society. He is active in forensics and science.
Six members of the AUBURN MIDDLE SCHOOL ARCHAEOLOGY AND ECOLOGY CLUB have returned from Washington, D.C., where they were recognized by the National Energy Education Development organization as the top school in Virginia in promoting energy conservation and education.
Under teacher Kathryn Brennan's guidance, the club tried to reach as many people of all ages as possible with conservation and recycling messages. It conducted classes for younger children, held a recycling dance, wrote public service announcements and made newspaper baskets.
Joanne Anderson is filling in for Melissa DeVaughn, who is hiking the Appalachian Trail. If you have an interesting news item from your school, write to the New River Current in care of the Roanoke Times & World-News' New River Valley Bureau, P.O. Box 540, Christiansburg 24073.
by CNB