JA Writers - Jones Academy

JA Writers
The Official Publication of Jones Academy
December / January Issue
Serving Native Americans Concerned With the Education of Native American Children
Christmas Time At Jones Academy
~A special visit from a jolly old elf brings lots of smiles to students like Elygin Solomon who is a first grader at Jones Academy. More details on Santa’s
visit inside.....
www.jonesacademy.org
A Musical Celebration of Christmas
Mrs Warden, music and piano instructor, assists the first and second grade students as they perform their
Christmas songs.
Butterflies in tummies, big brown drums and
red santa hats were all a part of the musical
program put on by Jones Academy’s first and
second graders two weeks before christmas.
The youngsters were excited as people poured
into the music room on Thursday afternoon to
watch them perform their melodious program.
The students had practiced the songs over
and over again to make sure they knew all
the words to every song and all the musical
cues. The songs performed included “ Bottle
of Pop”, “Bingo”, “We Wish You a Merry
Christmas” and a very special song sung in
Choctaw, “Silent Night”.
Students march around the drum and sing the lyrics
“Beat On the Drum”.
Who Is
the Man
In the
Red Suit?
By Brylee LaFaunce
Little Tommy White Buffalo slowly descends the stairway from his bedroom. His heart is
pounding wildly as he shivers in fear. Two more steps and he reaches the bottom of the staircase. The living room is now in full view. He clenches his eyes shut when he hears a loud
thump followed by the rustling of what sounds like paper being crinkled. As he pries his
eyes open, his breath is taken away by what he sees. Over by the Christmas tree stands a
jolly, old elf dressed in a red suit and black boots. With a sigh of relief, Tommy realizes that it
is Santa Claus, making his yearly round to bring gifts to Tommy and his family. It was not a
burglar as Tommy had supposed.
So, who is this man they call Santa Claus? Some people know him as Saint Nick or Kris
Kringle or simply as Santa. And why is he so famous, one might ask? Quite frankly, it’s
because he travels across the world in one night; bringing toys and treats to all the good little
boys and girls. How is he able to get to all his destinations in one night? Santa Claus drives a
sleigh pulled by eight tiny reindeer guided by a special leader named Rudolph. Santa makes
the whole night magical. In fact, it is so amazing that it almost seems unbelievable. Anyway,
if you hear something on top of your roof on Christmas Eve don’t be alarmed. It’s probably
old Saint Nick there to bring you some Christmas cheer! Don’t forget to leave some cookies
and milk for him and be sure to look up in the sky if you hear the words “Ho, ho, ho! Merry
Christmas to all and to all a good night!”
Celebrating Christmas
With Jones Academy
2011
Many family members of students took time to come and
enjoy themselves at the dinner. It’s a great time for everyone involved.
Jones Academy held its annual Christmas
dinner on December 14th, 2011. Many
students and their families, staff members
and their families,and honored guests, as
well, attended the festivities. The menu
included turkey, ham, salad, rolls, vegetables and a plethora of desserts to choose
from. After dinner was served, A drawing for various prizes was held. Many
lucky ticket holders received free vouchers for the Choctaw casino. Other winners received Walmart gift cards. Service
awards were also presented at the dinner.
The ticket drawing is always a big hit with the family members of both staff and students. Lots of wonderful prizes are
given away.
JA Writers photographer Meggie Left Bear gears up to take
photos of the holiday festivities.
Shelly Wansick and seven other staff members received
Jones Academy Staff Service Awards.
Bronson Jim waits as Mr. Spears tells him what prize he has
won during the ticket drawing.
Jones Academy Service Awards
Assistant Chief Gary Batton presents a twenty year service award to Patti Scott at the annual Christmas
dinner. Mrs. Scott’s service and loyalty to Jones academy is very appreciated.
Many activities were on the agenda for the week before students went home for the
Holidays. During the Christmas dinner eight Jones Academy employees received service
awards. Our staff being recongnized this year:
Patti Scott
20 years Administrative
David Sanchez
15 years
Administrative
Bonnie Smelzer
10 years
Elementary Boys Dorm
Shalon Roe
10 years
Administrative
Margaret Allen
10 years
Food Service
Shelly Wansick
5 years
Tutor
Sherry McKee
5 years
Big Girls Dorm
Dennis Dugan
5 years
Academic
2nd Nine Weeks Super students
L-R Gavin Stonecalf,6th grade; Gabriela Bernal,6th grade; Desma Valdez, 5th grade;
Elygin Solomon, 1st grade; Terrell Warrior, 2nd grade, Julian Moore,5th grade Kobe
Stonecalf,3rd grade and Hector Bernal, 4th grade
Jones Academy has chosen it’s
Super Students for the second
nine weeks of the 2011-2012
school year. These students are
selected based on outstanding
achievement not only in scholastics, but also for conduct in and
outside the classroom, and remarkable citizenship. Congratulations Super Students!
Alternative Notable Student:
Senior
Joshua Sam
The
Incredible
Flexible
Egg
Mr. Sirmans prepares the experiment and gives a short explanation of what should happen as
students watch to see if it indeed does.
What does a boiled egg, a long neck
bottle, and a piece of paper all have
in common? These are all items that
Mr. Sirmans’ fifth grade class took
with them when they went to visit the
Alternative Learning Center at Jones
Academy. The fifth grade students
worked together to perform a science experiment about vacuums. Mrs.
Sander’s class was very impressed
with the experiment, especially when
they saw a boiled egg get sucked down
into a long neck bottle without it being
forced in to it. Mr. Sirmans believes in
hands- on learning and his students get
to learn a lot by being involved with
this type of activity on a daily basis.
It’s definitely a fun way to get an education at Jones Academy.
Students give a thumbs up at the success of the experiment!
Jones Academy Students Make Ivy League Friends
Pictured Left to right Jones Academy Students who attended the Ivy League Conference:
Nathan Gaddis, Melissa Sam, Justin Jefferson and Joshua Sam
Jones Academy students attended the Ivy League and Friends Conference this fall and met with college representatives from some of the
most elite schools in the country. Recruiters from about fifty universities met with prospective Native American students. Participating institutions included Harvard, Yale, Dartmouth, Johns Hopkins, and as far
west as Stanford and UCal Berkeley. The Choctaw Nation Scholarship
Advisement Program expanded their annual Ivy League seminar in an
effort to serve more Indian youth. The symposium was held on Friday
and Saturday, November 4th and 5th at the Choctaw Resort and Event
Center in Durant, OK. About 250 friends, families, and prospective
students attended the conference. Jones Academy student Melissa Sam,
who hails from the Los Angeles, CA area, expressed a strong interest in
attending Stanford University.
Children’s Art Exhibit Celebrates Generosity
Students from Jones Academy Elementary take a moment from their studies to look at the artwork
displayed in the art room. Students were enthralled by the workmanship of the students from Ireland,
as well as that of their schoolmates, and the message the art work conveyed.
In December, a children’s art exhibit called “Celebrating Generosity” was held at the
Jones Academy Elementary School in Hartshorne and at the Choctaw Nation headquarters in Durant, OK. The event was an effort to commemorate an act of kindness
performed by the Choctaw tribe for the people of Ireland in 1847. It was a friendship
forged in the darkest of hours. The Irish people were enduring the potato famine of the
1840’s. Over a million people would perish during this plight called “an drochsaol.”
Out of their meager means, the Choctaw people sent a monetary gift to provide sustenance and encouragement to the people of Ireland. This act of compassion saved many
lives, and the people of Donegal, Ireland have not forgotten. The townspeople have
observed this generous deed in ceremony and dedications.
The exhibition involved the artwork of students from the community school of Gaelscoil na gCeithre Maistri in Donegal and those from Jones Academy Elementary. Students from both schools designed beautiful works of art in recognition of the event of
1847. They also celebrate the people’s friendship and their distinct cultures. The art
pieces were first displayed in Ireland in October of 2011. The Irish community saw
the art projects at O’Donnell’s Castle. The children’s works were then transported to
America and exhibited at the elementary school, and then again in Durant. The simple
art reminds the observer of a time of great sacrifice and goodwill, a time when language and cultural differences offered no barriers to the grace of God and men.
Christmas
2011
Madison Cheek poses with
Santa and her gifts.
Could anyone be more excited than this?
Comparing gifts is always fun.
Everyone is a child at heart at
Christmas time.
Jeremy Pitts loves his gift cards!
Even the older girls enjoyed spending time
with Santa.
The Alternative Learning Center takes time to pose for a
Christmas photo.
Katlyn Allen always has a big smile when it
comes to Christmas gifts and Santa! Merry
Christmas Katlyn!
The little boys waited patiently for Santa to show up at their
dorm.