WELLS PRESS

Cast of characters: Music teacher David Franklin poses with the cast of Wells' fifth grade holiday play "Once on a Housetop,' which will be performed Tuesday, Dec 3 at Cherokee Elementary.

[photo by Addison Smith]

by Zyana Hosey and Addison Smith

The Wells fifth grade will perform the play “Once on a Housetop” Tuesday, Dec. 3 at 7 p.m. in the gym at Cherokee Elementary School.

“The story is about chimney sweeps who are cleaning the chimneys, and they learn about all the different ways to celebrate Christmas,” said music teacher David Franklin who directs the play.

“All I do is say a lot of words,” said fifth grader Declan McKinley who plays an angel. “I’m excited but a little nervous.”

How it's done: Middle school band director Caleb Jones, standing, conducts a rehearsal with beginning band brass. [photo by Alondra Gallegos]

by Yanely Olvera-Stephenson and Alondra Gallegos

Catoosa middle school and high school bands will host a Christmas concert Dec. 12 at 6 p.m. in the Twist Center.

Songs on the middle school program include "Jingle Bells", "Up on the Housetop", and "Sleighride."

The beginning, middle school, high school, and jazz bands each will perform separately in the Christmas Concert.

“I think they are going to do great,” said middle school band director Caleb Jones. “Not only are they good, well-trained musicians, but they are going to enjoy playing the music. We make sure to pick music that they like playing, not just stuff that we think should be played.”

by Jaydyn Woodruff

Catoosa's Chamber of Commerce will host the community's annual Christmas parade Saturday, Dec. 14 along Cherokee Street. The Catoosa High School marching band will lead the parade.

"We want to make a good representation to the Catoosa community and Catoosa schools, and we want the band to look professional," said band director Caleb Jones.

Honorable service: Col. Davies Vanpool, in uniform, talked to fourth and fifth graders about military experiences during combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. [photo by Kynadi Carl]

by Jacob Bearbow and James Alderman

Wells Four-Seven hosted two assemblies Nov. 20 to celebrate veterans for the time they served in the United State Armed Forces for the people of their country.

For the sixth/seventh grade assembly Wells Principal Rex Langley spoke proudly about his father who served in the Navy after the Vietnam war.

Student of the Month awards for kindness went to sixth graders Conner Calvin and Khloe Barnoskie, and to seventh graders Asher Richards and Bentlea Richison. Students of the Month honored for integrity were sixth graders Triton Thompson and Serenity Sanders, and seventh graders Ivette De La Tore and Adrian Kirk.

For the fifth and fourth grade combined assembly, a choir of fourth and fifth graders sang patriotic songs. Then Mr. Langley invited Col. Davies Vanpool to talk about what he did in the Armed Forces in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The students of the month for the fourth grade are Maverick Crow, Emilio Ruiz, Victor Torres-Becerra, Ryder Mann, Oalton Waif, Isaiah Cruz, Alice Jones, Charleigh Quinn, Holden Applegate, Zoey Johnson, and Ariana Ortiz.

by Analia Rosales-Avilar

The Lady Indians 2024-25 middle school basketball season has gone off with a rough start.

Both the seventh and eighth grade girls teams competed in their first tournament Nov. 11-14 at Inola. In the first round the seventh-grade team went against the Inola Longhorns, and the eighth-grade team went against the Claremore Sequoyah Eagles Neither Catoosa team advanced, but coach Sean O'Hara said they played hard and tried their hardest.

"We just work hard and get better each game," Coach O'Hara said. "I really don't have any wins or losses expectations; that's not what it's about in junior high.”

With so few Catoosa eighth grade girls playing basketball, the seventh-grade team is filled with sixth graders, and the eighth-grade team is mixed with seventh graders and a few inexperienced eighth graders.

The Lady Indians competed in a second tournament Nov. 18-21 at Verdigris. The seventh-grade team won a game and lost two, but the eighth-grade team didn't win any games either in the Verdigris tournament or in a third tournament at Claremore Sequoyah.

Coach O'Hara said his players are still working hard to get better every day.

by Lailanni Michaels and Kenleigh Hanford-Plumlee

The seventh-grade boys basketball team competed in a tournament Nov. 11-14 in Inola, but were eliminated in the first round. The boys have been practicing at the CIAC/Catoosa Indians Activity Center together for about two months. Some of the boys also practice after school with the high schoolers.

Catoosa first-year junior high boys coach Dominque Coursey said the boys have been working really hard even though it's still the start of the season, but they definitely improved from last year's season.

Coach Dom said a goal for his players is ”to just learn and get better and it's not a win or lose situation. I'm new here so I'm just learning to meet the kids and the families, and my main goal is to just help the kids get better as men and as basketball players.

“Teaching is me being able to help someone and share some of the things I've been taught over the years from my fellow coaches,” Coach Dom said.

”I hope we do pretty well (this season),” he said. “This year we have been practicing at 6:45, so it's pretty early for everyone to be on the same page, but I've seen progress. Coach Dom said he is thinking of the positive and believes in his team.

Wells Press staff: James Alderman, Jacob Bearbow, Erin Brown, Kynadi Carl, Ariana Cozart, Araya Cross, Izabell Duran, Harlee Fox, Alondra Gallegos, Brianna Gonzales, Kenleigh Hanford-Plumlee, Zyana Hosey, Dakohtah Jordan, Yanely Olvera-Stephenson, Sadie Pierce, Analia Rosales-Avelar, Addison Smith, Jaydyn Woodruff ... Send inquiries to kmcanany@catoosa.k12.ok.us