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Agri instructor Bruce Fires confirms a winning bid at the annual FFA auction on Monday, March 11 at the BIC West Elementary cafeteria. Now in its third year, the popular event raised almost $23,000 for the FFA. Proceeds will be used to help members offset the costs of showing livestock throughout the year. GREYDON WILLIAMS – Hoof Prints Staff
Bidding, selling, running, eating. Common sights during the BIC FFA auction. This yearly event is the FFA’s primary fundraiser and gives people the chance to not only support FFA but get a few things as well. People from local businesses, farmers, as well as community members donate items to be sold in the auction, and the FFA itself will sometimes craft things to be sold.
A variety of items are sold at the auction including farm seed, duck calls, food, a puppy, etc. The auction, ticket sales and raffles made approximately $23,000 with around 250 people coming to the auction. These funds go towards deducting the price on things such as the live stock shows that the FFA members attend.
“It goes to try to keep the cost for kids down,” Bruce Fires, sponsor of BIC FFA said.
One of the most expensive items sold was a few bags of cotton seed which went for approximately $1,500.
Another set of items sold were the duck calls; however, the duck calls were not just ordinary duck calls. They would be sold every 10 or so items and they entitled the buyer to a chance for a drawing for a shotgun. This is something the FFA does every year at the auction, and they order specially engraved duck calls to use for this drawing
“When they buy the duck call, they are getting a chance for the gun, but they also have something there that they can actually have and be proud of,” Fires said.
Fires said the attendance was actually down around 50 people from last year.
“Between baseball games and it being a Monday night and that kind of stuff that’s part of it,” Fires said.
He also said that he spoke with FFA members and is considering having it on Saturday nights to make it easier on everyone.
The items are usually donated from businesses, farmers, and community members.
“Probably 95 percent of the items are donated,” Fires said.
Not all the items are donated. Some things are bought so that there are simply more items, while others are made by the FFA.
There were approximately 150 items at the auction which according to Fires is more than he wanted simply so everyone could go home before it got too late at night.
“We finished up about nine forty-five, ten o’clock something like that,” Fires said.
“It was a great success. I’ve had people call me all morning telling me how much fun they had.”
The FFA members also have a lot of work to do that night. Some have to walk around and make sure everyone sees the item so everyone will know what they are bidding on. The officers of FFA also had to go to Paragould to ask local businesses for items to donate.
Attending the auction were other agri teachers doing whatever they could to help in the auction.
“That’s the thing about FFA we are a national organization, not a school organization or a state organization we are a national organization,” Fires said.
GREYDON WILLIAMS – Hoof Prints Staff
“Two possibilities exist: Either we are alone in the universe or we are not. Both are equally terrifying.”
This quote started off the movie “Dark Skies,” a horror movie directed by Scott Steward, which hit theatres recently. The movie itself follows a traditional lurking horror style in that it starts off kind of slow and gradually things get worse and worse for the people suffering from the threat. It stars Josh Hamilton, Keri Russell and J.K. Simmons. The movie itself is not altogether scary as it is creepy.
“Dark Skies” was better than the average alien movie, because rather than have it about aliens trying to take over the world it was a struggle for one family to overcome their fear of the creatures. The aliens at first do very small things like making a mess in the kitchen, but they eventually begin to uniquely but physically harm the Barretts.
The scariest thing you can do in a horror movie is keep your monster unknown. We as humans fear the unknown which is why movies like Jaws, Scream, and other horrors where we don’t know who or what the killer looks like until the end frighten us so much. This movie is a perfect example of the fear of the unknown because we do not see the aliens through most the movie we just see their actions.
I for one thought that this was a fantastic horror movie. Most every horror movie now is a remake or it just isn’t scary. Especially alien movies most alien movies are more thriller action movies than horror, such as “District 9,” “Battle: Los Angeles,” etc. The movie in general surprised me for its quality and thrills.
Principal Randy Rose receives a pie in the face from top Make-A-Wish fundraiser Ryan Stuck. All of the high school students and staff gathered in the teachers’ parking lot to witness the event.
ASHLYN PACE – Hoof Prints Staff
Stars, chains and roadblocks galore. These things ran through Carol Hamrick’s mind. This year
marked the fifteenth year that she has raised money to make someone’s wish come true but the first
year that she has doubled that goal. This year marked the most money BIC has ever raised for Make A
Wish, and as a result, two wishes were granted.
“The community was awesome, parents sent a lot of money to donate to the paper chain
fundraiser and then when we had our roadblock they were just unbelievably generous” said Mrs.
Hamrick.
Part of the reason for the overflow of generosity was that it hit home for many people, including
the students.
“My best friend Noah Cook, he’s in the hospital so that kind of pushes me harder to do stuff like
that for kids that are in need” said sophomore Ryan Stuck.
Several students and former students, like Noah, have been diagnosed with cancer within the
past few years so the students were more than willing to lend a helping hand.
“The kids felt like they were really taking part in supporting the kids that had gone through
cancer” said Mrs. Hamrick.
The success of this year is a milestone for BIC and there will be more to come.
“We hope to be as successful next year but the most important thing is getting the students
involved in such a worthy cause” said Mrs. Hamrick.
GREYDON WILLIAMS – Hoof Prints Staff
“Warm Bodies,” directed by Johnathan Levine, is the newest “date” movie. Nicholas Hoult stars as R alongside Teresa Palmer as Julie Grigio and John Malkovich as Colonel Grigio. The movie is based off a book by Isaac Marion.
In the film the zombie R is not like other zombies. He, like many other members of the undead, stays at the airport. He and his zombie friends decide to go into the city to look for tasty brains, while the human resistance sends search parties out into the unguarded portion of the city.
Julie(the Colonel’s daughter) and her friends go into a pharmacy to look for medicines. While they are there the zombies break in and attack everyone they see, but R spares Julie and takes her back to the airport. What will become of Julie?
This romantic “zombedy” has a Romeo and Juliet plot as neither of the two characters should be allowed to be together. Even the similarity in the names and references are comical and give you a good laugh if you understand them.
Warm Bodies was funny and entertaining to watch. This is a film where those who enjoy a comical love story and those who enjoy zombies can both watch and share a laugh.
GREYDON WILLIAMS – Hoof Prints Staff
Visitors to the high school may soon find themselves buzzing on the main door with a camera in their face if proposed security measures are approved by the board.
Since the tragic Sandy Hook shooting in December, schools all over the country have been working to improve their security, and BIC is no exception. All four district principals have been making changes to the security of the school to keep the students and faculty inside safe.
“Each building principal and the superintendent met to see what we could begin to do immediately to do better,” Principal Randy Rose said.
Rose explained that there has been talk of locking the high school doors, but this is easier said than done.
“It’s not a feasible as it sounds due to student traffic,” Rose said.
While locking the doors with a regular lock may not be possible, Superintendent George Edd Holland and board members are looking into purchasing other lock systems. One way to keep the doors locked without inconvenience to students going in and out of the building is using a magnetic lock system with a security camera outside the door. This would allow someone in a designated room to lock and unlock the doors for students, but keep anyone else out of the building.
The high school is not the only building undergoing security changes. The elementary is the first area of campus to implement security changes. Currently the elementary has locked the side door entrance and the front door allowing access only to those who buzz in with the door bell. The elementary is also working on putting a lock on every door.
“The plan is for the teachers’ doors to lock on an internal locking system,” Dr. Kima Stewart said.
The schools will soon be asking visitors to wear a visitor’s lanyard so that teachers and students will know that they are have permission to be in the building.
“Probably the safest thing you can do is put everyone in one building;” George Edd Holland said.
According to the superintendent, in a few years there could be a possibility of some new buildings. This plan would allow all grades to be either in the same building or general area.
The biggest problem with making all these changes is expense. The school has many ideas of how to improve, but not all of them can be put into effect due to the fact that there is just not enough money.
“You just do what you’ve got to do… and hope for the best,” Holland said.
Saraid Vasquez reacts to the news that she has been named Homecoming queen.
ASHLYN PACE – Hoof Prints Staff
Everyone is waiting anxiously in the crowd, the music starts and then it’s just moments before
the announcer calls the girls onto the court with their escorts.
This is the experience of Homecoming,
the experience that one particular senior, Saraid Vasquez will remember for the rest of her life.
Homecoming queens are crowned every year, but this year was the first time that BIC has crowned a Hispanic Homecoming queen.
“I’m proud of it” said Saraid.
As is tradition, the announcers asked everyone to stand as they announced Saraid Vasquez as the 2013 Homecoming queen. It wasn’t just the crowd that was left speechless either.
“I don’t think he could even smile, he was so nervous” said Saraid when asked about her escort junior Alex Ballin.
Excitement is still overflowing from the outcome of Homecoming night and not just from the reigning queen.
“I was very excited because she’s one of the people who actually deserve it” said senior Connor Berry.
 Alan Carmichael competes in the Wacky Olympics “Minute to Win It” competition. Alan had to balance five dice on a popsicle stick before his teammates could compete in the next event. Griffin Varner waits patiently in the background for Alan to finish so he can complete the task of assembling a puzzle.
Frequent substitute teacher Kay Staggs stands in her yard amidst all her Christmas inflatables. As of press time, Staggs has a collection of 46 of the decorations.
JILLIAN KEY – Hoof Prints Editor
It all began in 1999. The weather was cold. Santa stood outside of Wal-Mart shaking his bell, asking for money for the Salvation Army. Christmas trees stood tall covered in colorful lights and shiny ornaments. But something else stood out that day to Mrs. Kay Staggs. An inflatable.
On that December day, Mrs. Kay saw a Christmas inflatable yard decoration. When she saw it, she told her husband that’s what she wanted for Christmas. That’s when her addiction began. It all began with one Santa Claus on a sleigh, carried by one reindeer. That inflatable is now among 46 others. She decided she wanted her collection to continue growing, rather than putting up Christmas lights.
“I told him that’s what I wanted and ever since then it has been addicting.” said Staggs.
Every day at 3 p.m., visitors can count on all of the inflatables rising steadily from their staked positions in her yard, with Mrs. Kay thoroughly check each and every one of them to make sure they are doing their job. Some of them serenade visitors with music, snow, lights, and even motion.
The addiction wraps around her entire yard, anything ranging from a penguin rising from an igloo to Santa opening the door to his outhouse. Ever since her first one, her grandkids purchase her an inflatable every year for Christmas.
Wal-Mart, K-Mart and E-Bay fuel her addiction. She has spent over $1,500 collectively including repairs and maintenance.
She has several timers set up from 3 p.m. to 9:45 p.m. on weekdays and 8:30 a.m. to 9:45 p.m. on weekends. It isn’t unusual at all to see visitors out on her front lawn taking pictures and admiring all of her hard work.
Setting up the blow-ups isn’t as simple as it may seem. Beginning with the nativity scene in the very center, Mrs. Kay sets up each individual blow up. She sets them down, plugs them in, stakes them, and goes from there.
One year, she ended up completely in the road due to a blow up engulfing her after a huge gust of wind. Another complication occurred this year when she took her Grinch inflatable out of the storage. She found it needing repairs with a slit through it and she sewed it back up.
“It takes a lot of time and dedication. You gotta love to do it do want to do it.” said Staggs.
Her tradition has now become a tradition for others around the area as well. Beginning at Halloween, neighbors call her asking if she will be doing the blow ups again this year. Shortly after Thanksgiving, a wide variety of people call her making sure they are all up.
Several visitors stop by throughout the holiday season including several different church groups with vans full of young children and senior citizens.
Mrs. Kay doesn’t have any plans to quit collecting the Christmas inflatables.
“I just love making everyone happy to see them,” said Staggs.
ASHLYN PACE – Hoof Prints Staff
The night before the cheerleading competition the exhaustion, frustration, and stress took over.
Senior cheerleader Jordan Vaughn literally hit rock bottom, resulting in a concussion that called
off the competition.
“Me and Leigh were doing a stunt and I was on the base and she pretty much just fell on me and
like led my head to the ground with her hand, I smashed my head on the ground” Jordan said.
Brutal doesn’t even describe the weeks the cheerleaders have endured. With the upcoming
competition they had been practicing almost every day and this wasn’t Jordan’s first concussion.
“I shut my head in my trunk, I was getting my cheer shoes out and I just shut it before my head
was out of the way” Jordan said.
There seems to be a pattern to the injuries.
“Connor hurt her back, she has scoliosis, and she almost had to get stitches because she busted
her lip,” Jordan said. “Courtney thinks she has a cracked rib and yesterday at practice Callyn and Emily got their lips busted. It’s pretty rough.”
According to Jordan’s doctor, he has seen more injuries from cheerleading than any other sport,
including football. She may have received those words of advice a little too late.
“Mr. Rose told me I could not cheer or do any kind of cheerleading event until I got cleared by a doctor and it was 8:30 p.m. already so Mrs. Crosskno just cancelled the competition,” Jordan said. “We’re going to just go to state”
At least there is a light at the end of the traumatic injuries. The cheerleaders will still be
competing at the state competition and hopefully, without any concussions.
 JILLIAN KEY – Hoof Prints Staff
Thirty minutes before the madness began, the manager came in with a megaphone. “Attention “Twilight” fans, I need you all to move seats closest to the center so that we can make more room.” That’s when I knew it’d be as big of a hit as discussed.
All of the theaters were packed with teenage wolf-loving girls decked out in I Love Jacob fan gear or others wearing vampire fangs. Previews went on and on then finally Bella’s face appeared. She was finally in her vampire form and was stronger than ever. Then came her vampire soulmate, Edward Cullen, which obviously got a great crowd response.
The beautiful baby of Edward and Bella, Reneesme, captures the heart of every fan early on in the movie. She begins as a baby that is very developed with a lot of hair and a full mouth of teeth. As you know, she has unprecedented growth. She is what begins the main conflict of the movie when she is spotted by Irena, the cousin of the Cullens. As the movie progresses, her hair gets longer and longer while she gets taller and taller.
Normally, audiences complain about the lack of emotion shown by Kristin Stewart, however it was very unusual than her normal responses. She showed much emotion and had the crowd on the edge of their seat. Rather than seeming awkward and uncomfortable, she seemed very at ease.
Director Bill Condon did a fantastic job of wrapping up the series. During the midst of the movie, audiences began to feel disappointed but he did a wonderful job of smoothing them over with the hopeful ending.
Overall, my Twitter feed was filled with constant raves on how they loved the last movie of the saga but could not believe it had to end. I give “Breaking Dawn, Part 2” 5 hooves for its overwhelming action, intense love story, and the smooth ending. I hate that it had to come to an end, but I don’t believe it could have ended any better.
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