Yes as a matter of fact they do. This past Friday, our e-Sports team went to Highland Community College where they competed in the Sunflower State e-Sports tournament. It was a long day, but a rewarding one. We came home with a fair portion of bling and a log of bragging rights. Among the state champions were our Overwatch team, Ethan Gulotta winning 2A Smash Bros, and Korbin Karns winning Mario Kart. After winning the 2A title, they all went on to compete in the Grand State tournaments. While we did not bring home the big trophies, we are still incredibly proud that we are winning and competing at this level after just two years of having an e-sports program. Mr. Alley and Mr. Henry along with Mr. Wick have been doing a great job of working with the students to get them to this level.

While many balked at the idea of playing video games in high school, we have already gotten to see some of the benefits of the sport itself as already Josh Smith and Rigsby Scott have signed scholarships to play in college. Additionally there is a great deal of educational benefit from competitive video gaming that has been discovered. You can check out some of them in the article below. To me, one of the best benefits comes in the form of providing even more opportunity for students to be a part of the school and represent the cobras when a lot of them wouldn't have that chance any other way.

"Always try to be nice, but never fail to be kind" The Doctor

From the first day to the last day, It's a great day to be a COBRA!

Derek E. Smith

The exemptions are something we introduced last year and they are back again. Quite simply, for every exemption that you have, you can exempt an assignment that you attempted in a class. This could be a homework assignment that you did horribly at, or a quiz/text that you bombed, or one of the upcoming finals. These arent just finals, they can operate for past assignments as well. There are some exemptions to the exemptions though. They can't be used in college classes as those are driven by a syllabus outside of Jackson Heights hands, and teachers can say certain assignments are required to stay in the gradebook. A major take away from this is that exemptions are for assignments that you have completed. You can't just exempt something you never did or get out of taking the final.

Now how do you get said three finals.

1. All grades: complete you student led conferences in person with your seminar teacher

2 & 3 Grades 7-11 MAP testing for ELA, MATH, or Science scoring proficient or hitting expected growth in two of the three will give you two exemptions.

2 & 3 for Seniors. Complete two of the following: job shadow/college visit, complete FAFSA, complete ASVAB, or participate in Apply Kansas.

I will send out an email by Wednesday letting you know how many exemptions you have qualified for. You will then let your teachers know what you plan on exempting and they will mark you down.

This past week, the staff got to have a snowball fight. They were issued three fake snowballs, and during passing period and if they were in common areas, they were allowed to have a snowball fight. If they got hit, they had to give up a snowball to that person. At the end of the day, the person with the most snowballs won. Congratulations to Mrs. Alley and her 54 snowballs. She won some commerce bucks for her hard work. I did hear there was some shenenanigans with Mr. Childs and rumor of freezing his, however I could not confirm this rumor.

Dec 16-20

Monday:

• Christmas Concert 6:30 pm

Tuesday: FINALS Hours 1, 3, & 5

• HS Basketball @ Onaga 4:30 pm

Wednesday: FINALS Hours 2, 4, & 6

• NA

Thursday: FINALS 7th Hour & Last Day of School: Release at 12:15

Friday: No School

• HS Basketball Vs. McLouth @ Home 4:30 pm

We have made the selections for the Honor Flight 11 Guardians. They are:

Chesnea Cochren

Anna Schierling

Alexis Richter

Layla Cochran

Emma Sides

Josie Jager

Jace Doyle

Alexis Denault

Tryston Honeyman

Michael Robertson

Blaine Burdiek

Talen Browning

Laramie Self

Jen Mellies

Jackson Holliday

Teagen Bowhay

Nicole Amon

Anthony Gulotta

Ashlyn Brucken

Duke Condo

Kyla Milligen

Alexa Rash

Gracie White

Brooke Slipke

Congratulations to the Guardians, Now the work begins of getting us off the ground next November!

Speaking of Honor Flight, we have been ramping up on next years honor flight. i have sent out the guardian applications to students. HF11 will go to DC November 10/11 2025 and we have already started our first big fundraiser. The cooks have started the Pies of Honor for this year. You can fill out the attached google form to order your pie.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeo3XyfRVRozFgMJnIGKSyPCtDlB82estF088A0W8PgXa0mPg/viewform?usp=sf_link

Or if you just would like to donate to the cause. you can send a check to the high school to the jackson heights honor flight.

or those of you that are tech savy. you can venmo to @Jackson-Heights-Honor-Flight

With one week left in the semester, there are a few events left for house points to be earned. Right now first and second are closer than you think. Only fifty points separates House Snake Kingz from House Corn Fed Cobras. Either house could win the semester.

And the house cup itself is anyones game still as it isnt that far from first to fourth all together in terms of the whole semester.

As this is the last Cobra Strike of the semester, I wanted to congratulate the top point earners for positive behaviors for each house. The top students this semester were:

House Corn Fed Cobras: Jordan Banaka

House Gold Rush: Sabrina Streeter

House Snake Kingz: Anthony Gulotta

House Triple G: Nicole Amon

These students will receive a special reward this week.

Today, the family made it to the Holton Community Theater to watch Elf Junior staring a couple of our own Jackson Heights kiddos. My boys were glued to their seats watching and there was even a scene early in the second act where Buddy runs out of the back of the sad. All the theater heard was Hank saying, "Buddy Nooooo" Hank then spent the majority of the next scene trying to convince him mom that we should go look for Buddy.

It was a great show and I highly recommend it. they still have three more shows next weekend. I am greatly proud of Buddy himself, Jackson Holliday as he had to have worked incredibly hard to get ready for this. Yet another great Cobra moment this year.

It's a great day to be a Cobra!!

Email: derek.smith@jhcobras.net

Website: jhcobras.net
Location: 12692 266th Rd Holton, KS 66436
Phone: (785)248-4386
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Jackson.Heights.USD335

https://www.citylinktv.com/channel/cobra

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1a0QJd_3uUnHcCppNy4KIttr-i_TO_Q1QcxSKC8PZaHo/edit