Three Lord Botetourt students spent 15 days in Australia this summer as ambassadors for People to People an organization begun by President Dwight Eisenhower to promote goodwill among nations.

The program Web site states:

"Since 1956, People to People has been dedicated to promoting world peace and cultural understanding through meaningful personal interactions. Our programs offer students, athletes, educators, and professionals the opportunity to truly affect positive change-for themselves, for others, and for the world."

Haley Alderman, Morgan Spicuzza and Tarak Shukla traveled to Australia this summer as part of a Roanoke Valley Delegation of People to People Student Ambassadors. Alderman said it was an exciting trip. She and Spicuzza stayed at the same home visit and saw some kangaroos in the wild. This is Shukla's fourth trip as a People to People Ambassador.

They also visited the Great Barrier Reef, a petting zoo, Australian cities, ate local food, visited the mountains and had a home visit with an Australian family. It was winter "down under" so that was a new experience as well. There really are cold days in July!

Greenfield Elementary rummage sale Oct. 31

A Halloween Rummage Sale will be held to benefit Greenfield Elementary Music on Oct. 31 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The sale will be at Greenfield Elementary (288 Etzler Road, Troutville, VA, 24175). This event will be held rain or shine!

Submitted by Margaret Courtney

Lord Botetourt student National Merit semi-finalist

Patrick T. Fennell of Lord Botetourt High School has been named a semi-finalist in the 55th annual National Merit Scholarship Program.

These academically talented high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 8,200 National Merit Scholarships, worth more than $36 million, that will be offered next spring.

More than 1.5 million juniors in about 22,000 high schools entered the 2010 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2008 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. The nationwide pool of semifinalists, which represents less than 1 percent of U.S. high school seniors, includes the highest scoring entrants in each state.

National Merit Scholarship winners will be announced in 2010.

Submitted by the National Merit Scholarhip Program

Lord Botetourt FFA makes apple butter

The Lord Botetourt High School FFA members began making apple butter at 4 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 14, and by early in the afternoon, the smell permeated LBHS. It was a good smell, too.

Made in a copper kettle in the shop area of the school, constantly stirring the apple butter with a big wooden paddle is all part of the secret to the tasty spread. "The LB FFA apple butter will retail for $7 per quart," said Stuart Byrd, the FFA sponsor and a teacher at the school. All funds go to support FFA projects.

Lots of hard work goes into the peeling and stirring of the apple butter. In the end, Byrd hoped to can about 140 quarts with the day's batch. Contact Byrd at 992-1261 to buy a jar.

Those who helped included a senior citizen, Warren Rhodes of Troutville, who is a real advocate for the LBHS FFA. He sells tickets to chicken barbeques and really promotes the young folks along the way and of course helps with the apple butter. "We need to support these young people and what they do," he said.

The LBHS FFA made another batch of apple butter Saturday and Sunday at Ikenberry's during the orchard's annual fall festival as well.

They also have tickets on sale now for the local Young Farmers Annual Chicken Bar B Que Nov. 14, which consists of a half chicken, baked potato, green beans and a roll. A $7 donation buys a ticket. Location is the LBHS cafeteria from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. and carry out is available.

Author visits students at Troutville Elementary

Kimberly P. Johnson, accomplished children's book author, speaker, motivator and educator, came to Troutville Elementary School on Thursday, Oct. 1. Children in kindergarten to fifth grade were able to participate in this creative program. The children were able to interact with Johnson as she motivated them to brainstorm ideas and organize them into sentences and paragraphs.

She provides students with the opportunity to actively participate in the writing process. Her interactive method will make children "WANT" to write better stories.

She also held an "After School" Workshop for the teachers enabling them with new ideas to enhance creative writing and story telling time with students. Thank you to the PTA for such a wonderful interactive experience.

Submitted by Sheila Feltis

Two proposed projects at Troutville Elementary School

As reported last week, Principal Karen Crush from Troutville Elementary School presented two projects for school board approval on Thursday, Oct. 8, in order to seek Parks and Recreation CIP matching funds.

The first item of the project was a storage building constructed of block that costs $20,270, as seen on the left side of the photo. The matching fund would pay $10,000 and the Troutville Daleville Booster Club (TDAC) would pay the rest of the money for a large storage shed on the far side of the baseball diamond.

The second item, seen in the center, is a picnic shelter at the bottom of the hill near the basketball court and soccer field. It also costs about $20,000 and the PTA and TDAC will pick up $11,000 of that cost.

Both items were approved by the school board to go on to the application process for the matching funds from Parks and Recreation.

Botetourt nutrition program recognized by dairy group

The Southeast United Dairy Industry Association (SUIDA) recognized Botetourt County Public Schools with an award of Excellence in School Wellness at the regular October school board meeting on Oct. 8. The recognition was accompanied by a large check for $500 as well as a list of accomplishments for Botetourt County Public Schools Nutrition Services. School Nutrition Specialist Chris Morris accepted the award on behalf of the school division.

The school district received milk merchandisers (glass front upright coolers) from the Southeast Dairy Association for the four secondary schools when the district converted from the paper cartons to the plastic

bottles. They have also received funding from us to implement expanded breakfast programs, i.e., Breakfast in the Classroom and Grab 'n Go style breakfast which have increased breakfast participation. Based on research, students do better in school both from the academic and behavioral standpoint when they eat a good breakfast.

Morris explained the 13-year saga of getting milk vending machines all the way to today with the larger portion recyclable bottles. Jerry Henderson of Cave Hill Dairy Farm in Troutville, one of the nine dairies left in the county and a SUIDA board member, helped SUIDA Program Account manager Jill Henderson present the check. Morris thanked the local dairy farmers for their diligence and hard work, which over the years in grants and awards tallied $25,000.