Cathy Benson | The Botetourt View

The BMX crew visits Central Academy.

Around the county, each school had special events scheduled for Red Ribbon Week last week. At Central Academy Middle School and earlier at Breckinridge Elementary, King BMX of Raleigh-Durham, N.C., came to perform amazing bike feats for the students.

What is Red Ribbon Week? It is an anti-drug week began during the Reagan administration to honor a fallen DEA agent. The official Red Ribbon Web site notes:

"Red Ribbon Week is the nation's oldest and largest drug prevention program reaching millions of Americans during the last week of October every year. By wearing red ribbons and participating in community anti-drug events, young people pledge to live a drug-free life and pay tribute to DEA Special Agent Enrique 'Kiki' Camarena."

King BMX performs around the country from schools to NFL halftime shows and fresh off a weekend gig, the trio of bikers traveled to Botetourt to let the kids here know getting high is better on a bike than on drugs. Erynn Barkett, along with the PTA and the organizer of Red Ribbon Week at CAMS, guidance counselor Julia Patterson, connected with the King team in Raleigh.

Keith King owns the business with 25 years of experience. He has two accomplished riders, 18-year-old Austin Hardee and 20-year veteran Lance Mosley, who wowed the crowd with high flying ramp stunts.

King did the land tricks on his bike and they were impressive as well. He even stood on the handlebars and rode the bike!

He spoke of safety in riding any bike as well as staying away from drugs. "You can't do what we do and be on drugs," King told the middle-schoolers.

Lord Botetourt Talent Show a ton of fun

Lord Botetourt held the annual SCA talent show Tuesday evening, Oct. 27, and as usual, the amount of youthful talent is amazing. SCA sponsor Lynn Bolton joked through the contest as emcee and the judges included three college students, Ginnie Ellen Neighbors, Annie Soltis and Jennifer Stokes, and retired CAMS music teacher Marcia Neighbors.

The winners are first place, "Charisma" featuring Kyle Walker, Charles McKeever and Tyler Lyon; second place magician and comedian Max Graman; and third place, "Show me a Hero" featuring Jesse Boothe, Chris Gatens, Donnie Sowash and Dakota Thacker. Two honorable mentions: The Rose Brothers and Lindsay and Tanner Lambert.

Other participants included a trio with Rhiannon Carter, Caitlin Hatter and James Rose, singer Terri Wallace, African Experience with DeRell Stone, Mambo and Peyton Calenger, comic James Shay, quartet featuring Carter, Jesse Booth, Taylor Hill and Dakota Thacker, and singer Bethany Tarbutton.

Prizes of $100, $75 and $50 went to the first three places. The rest of the funds go to SCA projects throughout the year. 

Greenfield earns silver on governor's nutrition/physical activity scorecard

The Governor's Nutrition and Physical Activity Scorecard recognizes Virginia's public schools by encouraging good nutrition and increased physical activity. The Web-based Scorecard application allows schools to compete locally and on a statewide level to see which school is healthiest.

The interactive scorecard Points are awarded according to their implementation of best practices, in School Nutrition and Physical Activity. Schools earn either a bronze, silver, or gold award for best practices that promote healthy lifestyles while combating childhood obesity, hypertension, and other preventable diseases.

On June 5, Greenfield Elementary moved from their previous 2008 status of Bronze to Silver. Ms. Umbarger leads a team which includes Mr. Bowyer, Physical Education Teacher and Jane Thomas, Cafeteria Manager. Ms. Umbarger notes, "Each year we review the scorecard and search for areas in need of improvement." "Our PTA and Booster Club are active supporters in finding innovative ways to promote healthy lifestyles for our students."

Greenfield Elementary is striving to bring home the gold. To view a complete list of schools, visit www.virginia.gov/doe/cgi-bin/winners.cgi.

Read Mountain Middle shares artwork

Move over famous artists! Read Mountain Middle artists are taking over the spotlight! Susanne Sellars, the school's Art Teacher, has teamed up with Artsonia, www.artsonia.com -- the world's largest online kid's art museum -- to display the students' artwork.

Anyone can view the school gallery online at: www.artsonia.com/schools/ReadMountain1. Visitors can browse the artwork in the school gallery by grade level, or by specific exhibits. Read Mountain Middle students join thousands of students from over 100 countries whose artwork is showcased on Artsonia. "This program is a wonderful way to get parents and family members more involved in Art Education," said Susanne Sellars.

All of Artsonia's artwork (nearly 5 million and counting!) are viewable online, and any teacher or parent can create an online art gallery for their child or school. Artsonia provides several online features such as fan clubs and personal guestbooks, as a way for families to encourage the creativity and imaginations of their young artists. In addition, family members can purchase keepsakes imprinted with the child's artwork, with Artsonia donating 15 percent of their annual product revenue back to school art programs.

Headquartered in Gurnee, Ill., Artsonia was established in 2000 as an online kid's art museum providing free, educational resources for kids, families and schools to create art projects. Since its inception, Artsonia continues to integrate technology in the classroom, develop multi-cultural understanding through art and increase family involvement in children's education. To find out more, visit www.artsonia.com.

Greenfield marks Bank Day

Once a month at Greenfield Elementary, eager students with envelopes of cash line the walls of the school's front office. The students wait patiently to meet with Jerry Hubbard, Coordinator of Elementary Savings for the Bank Of Botetourt, to deposit their, sometimes hard earned money, into their "Kids Saving Account."

Coordinator Jerry Hubbard is a retired teacher from Botetourt County Schools. He taught 25 years in the area of mathematics. According to Mr. Hubbard, the "Kids Saving Account" functions as any other traditional savings account, except a minimum balance is not needed to begin earning interest. The savings program is offered at four Botetourt County Elementary Schools, Greenfield, Buchanan, Eagle Rock and Troutville. Mr. Hubbard visits each school once a month to collect deposits and answer student questions. "I particularly like coming to Greenfield Elementary because Missy Phillips, the school secretary, is always helpful and so friendly. Also, Greenfield has very well behaved and polite students which makes my job more enjoyable."

The students at Greenfield are always anxious to meet with Mr. Hubbard to make banking transactions or to check on their current balance. Fourth-grader Hunter McLauren has had a "Kids Saving Account" since kindergarten. "I collect money from doing chores and birthdays to put into my account." He and Anna Scott are both hoping to save enough money for a laptop or college.

Botetourt Technical Education Center conducts recycling contest

To bring awareness of the importance of recycling to the students at Botetourt Technical Education Center (BTEC), the school sponsored a plastic bottle recycling contest which lasted for two weeks. The department that collected the most recyclable bottles won a prize of either biscuits for the morning class or pizza for the afternoon class.

Altogether the students collected 8,410 bottles. They filled the recycle dumpster. The winner was the Cosmetology Department. They collected over 3,000 bottles.

The students and teachers are much more aware of the volume of bottles that could end up in the landfill unless they are recycled. Some of the teachers have even started recycling at their homes. The students and staff at Botetourt Technical Center are continuing their efforts of collecting bottles even though the contest has ended. They are doing their part to support the Botetourt County recycling initiative.

LBHS students win State Tractor Troubleshooting Contest

On Sept. 24, Ricky Phoenix and Jake Gray placed first in the State Tractor Troubleshooting contest at the State Fair of Virginia. In order to compete in a state FFA event students must prove themselves to be the best by beating out competition at the school level, federation level and finally the area level.

This is a team event where students learn to work together diagnosing common problems that you might find on a farm tractor that has broken down on the farm.

Overall the contest consists of three main parts. First students have to take a 25 question written test about safety, operation, maintenance, and troubleshooting of a farm tractor. Second they have to diagnose mechanical problems of five tractors. Third they draw a random tractor and have to make the necessary repairs to the tractor. The Lord Botetourt FFA would like to extend a special thanks to Blue Ridge Farm Center for sponsoring the team and Mr. Chuck Pound, LB's athletic director, for his donation of time and effort in helping the team make it to state.