The Press-Dispatch
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/1045736
C-12 Wednesday, October 31, 2018 The Press-Dispatch EAST GIBSON NEWS Submit school news: Email: egnews@ pressdispatch.net Deadline: Noon on Friday Above: Sisters Kennedy and Karis act out a skit from "Titanic" at Wood Memorial High School's 31st Annual Lip Sync contest. Kenzie Rudolph photo Below: Wood Memorial High School students perform the "Baby Shark" song at the 31st An- nual Lip Sync Contest. Pictured are, front row, Kaitlyn Jarboe, Layney Robbins and Bridget Reel; back row, Emma Robling, Payton Shoul- tz, Madison Frederick and Kacy Williams. Ken- zie Rudolph photo OCU Trick the Halls Above: Barton Township Elementary first grad- er, Kenzi Sandifar, gets her face painted by OCU student Kassidy Nagelkirk at Oakland City Uni- versity's Trick the Halls last Thursday night. Ken- zie Rudolph photo Left: Wood Memorial Junior High students Hal- lee Dupps and Kadence VanMeter enjoy the Hal- loween festivities at Oakland City University's Trick the Halls. Kenzie Rudolph photo Above: Mrs. Caniff, and her son, Paxon Bartley, performed "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" to- gether at Wood Memorial High School's 31st An- nual Lip Sync Contest. Kenzie Rudolph photo Below: Justin Strickland, Logan Keeker and Travis Bottoms act out a skit for the Wood Me- morial High School Lip Sync Contest last Tuesday evening. Kenzie Rudolph photo Mr. Michael White From left, IGA employee Joanie Slater and sons Pierce and Kagen visit the Fill the Cruiser event where Oakland City Police Officers Amanda Hagan, Ed Brown and Chief Tim Gaines filled a cruis- er with donations for the East Gibson Food Bank over the weekend. The food bank was recently shut down for lack of donations. Oakland City officers hungry to help others By Janice Barniak When a local resident told the Oak- land City Police Dept. the East Gibson Food Bank ran out of food three times recently, Police Chief Tim Gaines and the OCPD officers decided they wouldn't be letting that happen this holiday season. Over the weekend, officers stood outside the East Gibson IGA, even in the rain on Friday, attempting to fill an off-duty police cruiser with donations. "We came up with some fundrais- ers we could do and this seemed like the obvious choice," Gaines said. Officer Amanda Hagan agreed. "Today is going really well. We've had lots of monetary donations, too, which is really going to help the food bank," she said. "We understand the need and we're going to do everything we can to help." For those still looking to donate, Oakland City Elementary will also host a drive, or the OCPD is happy to keep accepting donations on behalf of the food bank, Gaines said. White making music at Wood Memorial By Kenzie Rudolph Mr. Michael White, of Montgomery, the band and choir director at Wood Me- morial, received his educa- tion from Oakland City Uni- versity, just like many local teachers. White began at OCU in 2004 as a Religious Studies major and was a pep band member. In 2008, White be- came the student director of OCU's pep band, which allowed him to complete a second degree, Music Ed- ucation. "A fter graduating from OCU, I was a sub and worked for the Daviess Martin Spe- cial Education Co-op for a couple of years before ac- cepting the position here as part-time choir teacher. In my third year at Wood, I be- came the band and choir di- rector...What they teach you in college about teaching is not really what teaching is like, so there was a definite learning curve," said White. Over the four years he has been at Wood Memori- al, both the choir and the band have grown. Accord- ing to White, the choir, with 18 members, has participat- ed in the Southwest Indiana Choral Festival for the last two years. He also added that the band program has grown to include 45 junior and senior high school students com- bined. "I also have an elementa- ry band that is total about 42 fifth and sixth grade students," said White. He works with elementary stu- dents at Oakland City, Fran- cisco and Barton elementa- ry schools. He added, "We will have a strong pep band this year that will include about 40 sixth-twelfth graders. We al- so took steps to bring back the marching band by cre- ating The Trojan Brigade." The Trojan Brigade marched in this year's Sweet Corn Parade, and will be seen in more parades in the future. White said that he hopes that within the next four to five years, Wood Memorial will begin competing as a marching band. "I am excited at how the program is growing and making a greater impact in our school and community. Each day, my students grow as musicians and people," White said. When it comes to the busy job he has, he said, "It's not really always been what I ex- pected, but it has, I love my job, I love coming to work, even the tough days...I love being able to take what a teacher lit inside of me so many years ago and give that to them, and hopefully share and ignite the same kind of passion." Wood Memorial High School's 31st Annual Lip Sync Contest Wood Memorial High School had their 31st An- nual Lip Sync Contest on Tuesday, October 23 in the high school gym. Ma- ny students and staff alike competed with songs and skits. SONGS 1st place: Paxon Bart- ley, Cameron Saulmon, Noah Casey and Hard- en Hunter - Hall & Oates - "Making my Dreams Come True." 2nd place: Kennedy Blacklock - "Pigeon." 3rd place: Kennedy Blacklock, Alexa Holder and Kylie Hicks - "Kaya- king." SKITS 1st place: Aubree Spe- icher, Bailey Speicher and Gretchen Reel - "Summer Camp."