ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, April 9, 1996 TAG: 9604090053
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
COLUMN: Class notes
SOURCE: HALE SHEIKERZ
Students across the New River Valley are learning about the different cultures - everything from customs and foods to lifestyles, the arts, holidays and traditions.
At Riner Elementary School, pupils celebrated International Day April 2 with a variety of activities. Classrooms at the school were transformed into scenes of other countries, such as Japan, India, Ivory Coast, Kuwait, Tanzania, Kenya, Turkey, Trinidad, Brazil and Thailand. Students "traveled" to each country and had the opportunity to experience and taste international foods.
The students also were treated to a performance of Japanese paper theater and floor harp during a schoolwide assembly.
What started out as classroom assignments for students at Prices Fork Elementary and Belview Elementary schools turned into a cultural affair.
Fifth-graders at Prices Fork became interested in the Japanese culture after reading "The Master Puppeteer" by Katherine Patterson. The book, which has a Robin Hood-like theme, is set during feudal Japan.
At Belview, it was one student's interest in Japan that led the entire third-grade class to learn about and experience Japanese cultural. Travis Van Schoyck, a third-grader in Robin Bibb's class, wanted to write a research paper to become the "resident expert on Japan." While doing his research, which included reading library books and searching the World Wide Web on the Internet, the entire third-grade class also became interested in learning more about Japan.
Rosary Beck, a resource teacher for programs for the gifted at the two schools, arranged several performances for fifth-graders at Prices Fork and third-graders at Belview. With the assistance of the Cranwell International Center at Virginia Tech, Beck located and invited several Japanese people living in the area to the schools for presentations and performances.
Program contents included hands game, Origami, Koto (Japanese harp), chopsticks game, Japanese language, Japanese folk tales and Kamishibai (paper theater).
Overall, the experience for all students involved was very interesting and fun - or as the Japanese would say "tonoshikatta."
Several Blacksburg High School students have been recognized in the Tandy Technology Scholars Program. Tandy Corp. and RadioShack award scholarships to 200 students and 100 teachers across the country. The awards are presented to students and teachers who excel in the areas of science, computer science and mathematics. Teachers receive $2,500 each and students receive cash scholarships of $1,000 each. Following is a list of students who were nominated, received awards or certificates.
Evan P. Greenberg is recipient of a $1,000 scholarship.
Eric H. Chen, Anna L. George, Greenberg and William Lee received certificates for being Top 2 Percent Academic Nominees.
In addition, teacher Mark Freeman was recognized as an outstanding math, science and computer science teacher nominee. |n n| Several students from Giles County High School received first-, second- and third-place awards at the district competition of the Vocational Industrial Club of America. The students who received first-place are: Michael Hilton, Keith Paczsa, Matt Whitehead, Mark Blankenship, and Beth Turner.
Second-place winners are: Trent Shorter, Brandon Williams, Kelly Ross, Felicia Weatherly, Allison Howell, Mary Ann Midkiff and Sheila Sexton. Third-place winners are: Bobby Sheets, Michael Shuff, Samantha Eaton and Jessica Carter.
High school teams from the New River Valley used their brains - rather than their brawn - for a Mountain Academic Competition Conference Super Bowl Tournament. This year's competition was at George Wythe High School in Wytheville.
MACC pits high school students against each other in a quiz-show type competition. Teams competed against other teams in their division. The top five teams then advanced to the Super Bowl showdown.
The team from Radford High School won the all-around battle, along with the social studies competition. Blacksburg High School won the science division; Pulaski County High won the math division and Floyd County High achieved excellence in the English quiz.
Three area students will participate in the All-Virginia Band and Orchestra performance. Blacksburg High School will host the event Thursday through Saturday. The students are Austin Graham, clarinet, Blacksburg High; Stephanie Watts, trumpet, Radford High School; and Steven Hess, violin, Christiansburg High.
The concert will take place in the school's auditorium at 2 p.m. Saturday The program is open to the public.
MEETINGS, EVENTS & HAPPENINGS
The Christiansburg High School After Prom Celebration committee will meet tonight. Future meetings will be April 22 and May 6. All meetings are at 7 p.m. in the girls' health room. For more information, call 382-5178 or 381-0059.
Auburn High School's Eagle Pride will meet at 7 p.m. Thursday in the school library. An overview of the special education program at Auburn will be presented. In addition, nominations for the 1996-97 Eagle Pride officers will be made. For information, call Nanci Purcell at 382-0670.
LENGTH: Medium: 100 linesby CNB