Hidden Valley High School junior and senior students all participated in a Prom Promise Assembly on Thursday, April 23, with Virginia State Police First Sergeant D. Frank Parries.

During the assembly the students saw a video demonstrating what can happen to you and to others when you don’t wear a seatbelt.

Parries and Trooper Jim Kennedy asked the students to make a promise and give the Gift of Life.

The Gift of Life is a pledge that they give to a loved one that says, "Because you are such a big part of my life and because I care so much about you, I wanted to give you this ‘Gift of Life.’ I promise to wear my seat belt every time I get into a motor vehicle, whether I am the driver or passenger, for the next 12 months. It is my hope that this promise brings you peace of mind knowing that I will do my part to maintain this pledge in honor of you."

The "Gift of Life" Prom Promise is sponsored by the Virginia State Police Association, YOVASO (Youth of Virginia Speak Out About Traffic Safety), James Ringer with Farmer’s Insurance, Steve Fijalkowski with Infrastructure Corp. of America, and Lionberger Construction.

Fijalkowski and and Ringer donated money to the cause which will be divided among the school and students. The students that made a prom promise, will be entered into a drawing to win the cash. Out of the $500, $300 will go to the school for the junior/senior prom, six students will win a $25 cash reward and one lucky student will win $50.

Parries said that this campaign began about a year and a half ago and was started as a Christmas gift. Since then they’ve traveled Glenvar, Salem, Radford, Craig, Floyd, Eastern Montgomery, and now Hidden Valley High School.

Parries began the campaign after the realization that most fatalities happen because the person was not wearing a seat belt. They do about two campaigns a year, one for prom season and one at Christmas.

"I have never unbuckled a dead person," he said.

Elizabeth Ferguson, Training and Marketing Coordinator for YOVASO, said that they’ve been working with Parries since the beginning when it began at Glenvar.

"We kind of partner together and YOVASO is actually sponsored by the State Trooper Association," Ferguson said. "The seatbelt is there for a reason and it takes three seconds to buckle up. If one person doesn’t have on their seatbelt they literally become a human missle. It’s so important, especially after the crash in Bedford. None of them were wearing their seatbelt. If we can encourage them to tell their friends about this, it’s going to make a huge impact."

All in time for Hidden Valley’s prom, which is Saturday, May 2.

Cave Spring presents 'Beauty and the Beast'

"Beauty and the Beast," the classic Disney story, is being retold on May 8 and 9 at 7 p.m. on the Cave Spring High School stage. Tickets will be sold at the school and from cast members at $8 for adults, $6 for students, and $4 for children twelve-years-old and younger.

Emily Smith, a senior at Cave Spring plays Belle across from Paul Fariss, a senior, as the Beast and Travis Hahn, a senior, as Gaston. Emily was "obsessed" with the character of Belle since she was a child. "As a character in the cartoon, she was a very real person," she said during a rehearsal of Act I. "She was rational, smart, witty, a very concrete character; concrete enough to bring her to the stage."

Emily’s sister Anna Smith, a freshman, plays Madame de la Grande Bouche, the wardrobe. She had a bit more of a challenge getting into character, but she pulls it off with a flourish and a smile: "It’s fun to be the wardrobe, struggling with my character’s size, but you can really do a lot with it."

Director Sandra Gotschal said, "This year we let each of the students do their own character study and bring their own character to the stage, particularly those who are inanimate objects. That was probably hardest for younger students." There are twelve freshmen in the cast this year, more than any other year in Cave Spring Drama history.

Emily is proud of her sister for coming into the drama department this year. "This show has really helped our relationship as a family and our confidence on stage together. When you’re on stage, the cast is like your family, but having actual family on stage makes it that much more special."

Senior Graham Grasty plays the enchanted candelabra Lumiere. He said, "We’ve had a lot of experienced people come in and help. I think that has really brought us together and helped us become closer to each other and more professional as a whole." Susan Braden and Ginger Poole, Mill Mountain Theatre’s education staff, are lending their help with music and choreography. Cave Spring’s band director Brian Quakenbush is supplying a collection of hand-picked members of the Cave Spring High School band to be the pit orchestra for the musical.

Other characters in the musical include Rana Bocanegra as the clock Cogsworth, Colleen Zimmerman as the teapot Mrs. Potts, Danielle Malkos as the teacup Chip, Susan Lilly as the feather duster Babette, Mike Todd as Gaston’s henchmen Le Fou, Jordan Key as Belle’s father Maurice, Louisa Britt as the wicked enchantress, and Corbin Boodée as the asylum owner Monsieur D’Arque.

This will be the last production for the seniors in Cave Spring Drama.

Bent Mountain pupils celebrate Earth Day

Students, faculty, and parents came out to Bent Mountain Elementary School today to celebrate Earth Day. Many activities were scheduled for the students and teachers to enjoy and were conducted mostly by parents and community members.

The kindergarten through fifth-grade classes rotated throughout the day to enjoy the different activities which included the following:

ART: Trash to treasure (with the help of Alicia Berlin, local artist and contributions by Art teacher, Martha Lalka)

Science: Wetlands Study (with Dave Trible, local Wetlands Scientist)

Clean Rivers and Water (with Kathy Smith, Blue Ridge Soil and Water Conservation District)

PE: Toxic Waste Game (with PE Teacher, Shawn Fortner)

Music: "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" (with Dan Smith, parent)

Related literature, activities and movies with classroom teachers

Students got the opportunity to learn about their own wetland conservatory right behind the school and even took a trip to it with Dave Trible. Students saw firsthand the difference between soil you find in your back yard and the soil in a wetland. They also learned about using recylcables for art project, sang songs honoring the earth, watersheds, and why it’s important to have clean water.

— Emily Flora

Cave Spring Desination ImagiNation team heading to Global Finals

A team of sixth-graders from Cave Spring Middle School recently won second place in their division at the Destination ImagiNation Virginia State competition. Destination ImagiNation is a program that allows students of all ages to access their creativity, learn problem-solving skills, and experience successful teamwork strategies as they develop unique solutions to challenges.

The team known as the "Splattered Right Angles" took on the challenge of designing, creating and combining a two-part structure that has angled sides, and then seeing how much weight it will hold. Along with building a structure, they performed a skit that contained the merging of two different art forms.

The team consists of Cassidy Clipp, Haley Clipp, Andrew Farley, Jaden Olsen, Bryce Pappas, Ryan Smith and Matthew Stiles, with Team Managers Jackie Farley and Denise Pappas. They will now head to the DI Global Finals to be held at the University of Tennessee from May 20-23. The team is looking for help to fund the trip to the Global Finals. Those interested in making a donation can write a check to the CSMS PTA and mail it to Jackie Farley at 7077 Hollyberry Road, Roanoke, VA 24018.