NESC Newsletter- APRIL 2025

Saturday, March 15 was Ag Day in Sullivan County. Each year the Ag Day committee has a scholarship essay contest where all Sullivan County seniors are invited to participate. Three scholarships were awarded for this year's class with North Central High School's Lily Mollet and Sullivan High School's Isabelle Harris and Clayton McKinley each receiving $1,500.

Students in Mrs. Huff's Agriculture class are seen here tilling the soil and otherwise preparing the garden area for spring planting.

Gatlinburg , TN –National Beta members from North Central are celebrating their recent participation in the Tennessee Leadership Summit. They were announced as qualifiers of the following challenges: Collaboration Connections, Lead Outside the Box, and Project Proposal.

National Beta Leadership Summits bring together students from multiple states for 1-2 day events. During that time, students work with interactive speakers who engage members through introspective exercises and team-building activities. Clubs can also participate in team-based leadership challenges which test their communication, critical thinking, creativity, presentation, and collaboration skills. Their victories at this level provide the opportunity to compete at the national level. The National Convention will be held at the Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center in Orlando, FL during Summer 2025.

Junior High attendees included: Elyse Freeman, Elijah Pritchard, Hayden Vaughn, Sydney Wallace, Sammy Drake, Mallorie Shields, BK Barrett, and Jackson McDaniel. Beta Sponsor: Belinda Freeman

High School attendees included: Tyler Samm, Sam Osburn, Landon Evinger, Devan Freeman, Shelby Shattuck, Ava Marie Aldrich, Brynley Grabbe, and Sammie Nickless. Beta Sponsor: Jamie Huff

With more than 500,000 active members and 14,000 clubs nationally and internationally, National Beta has become the nation’s largest independent, non-profit, educational youth organization. National Beta promotes the ideals of academic achievement, character, service, and leadership among elementary and secondary school students. National Junior Beta includes grades 4-8 and National Senior Beta includes grades 9-12. Visit betaclub.org for more information.

After winning the student championship, Team Pink's next challenge came in the Students vs. Faculty IBA championship. Despite a 10 point deficit late in the 2nd half, Team Pink came storming back to tie the game with just :08 left before a bucket by Mr. Newton and a missed half court shot by Lane Simmons at the buzzer sealed the victory for the perennial champion "Faculty & Friends" squad! The game capped off another great intramural basketball season as students and staff alike were entertained not only by the game but also by some fun halftime events and the NC pep band rocking the house! Thanks to all involved who helped make the day a great way to send everyone off for spring break!

On March 18th, 7th graders visited the Vigo County Learning Lab. At the Learning Lab, we received a lot of hands-on experience with various trades. The student did carpentry, where they made a basketball court game to take home. They were able to explore how to change a tire, use a robotic arm, and experience virtual welding. The students had an amazing time! This is an experience that they will love for years to come.

Check the “North Central Ladybird Softball” or “North Central Jr/Sr High School” Facebook pages for details and spread the word!

The Real Men Read program, organized by United Way, connects community members with young students to promote literacy and a love of reading. Each month, Jim Exline, a dedicated volunteer, visits Northeast East Elementary Kindergarten to read a special book. Best of all, every student receives a personal copy to take home and enjoy!

This month’s featured book was Pierre the Penguin, a heartwarming true story about an African penguin at the California Academy of Sciences who lost his feathers and needed a special wetsuit to stay warm. His journey, with the help of a caring scientist, teaches lessons of perseverance and problem-solving.

Adding to the excitement, Jim even got to share the story while resting on our new Buddy Bench, making the reading extra special. To further bring the story to life, Mrs. Baker had a real scuba outfit in her classroom, which she generously allowed Mrs. Ficklin, Kindergarten teacher, to borrow. Students had the chance to explore the gear and learn about neoprene, the material used in wetsuits—just like Pierre’s! It was a fun and engaging way to connect reading with real-world learning.

For the past 15 years, the Shade Grants at Northeast East Elementary have been an ongoing project, with each grant building upon the last to enhance outdoor spaces for students. Thanks to the Wabash Valley Community Foundation, the latest grant continues this tradition by adding exciting new features to the playground and outdoor areas.

This year’s improvements include buddy benches with inspirational sayings, a new overhang for the playground, a circular swing sitting area, and canopies for the buddy benches. Once completed, the shaded area will serve as a study space, a bonding area, a place to build friendships, and a hub for fostering a strong sense of community.

These new additions are already making an impact! The buddy benches were recently utilized by the Intervention Specialist for special readings, providing a unique and inviting space for literacy engagement. Additionally, United Way Representative Jim Exline took advantage of the new seating, using a buddy bench to share the story of Pierre the Penguin with the kindergarten students. These thoughtful enhancements continue to create meaningful opportunities for learning, connection, and growth.

At Northeast East Elementary, students have the opportunity to earn a reward every nine weeks through the Accelerated Reader Program. This quarter, those who met their reading goals were treated to an exciting swimming party at Indiana State University!

Students had a blast swimming, splashing, and jumping in alongside their fellow achievers, celebrating their hard work in a fun and active way. ISU’s staff was cordial and watchful, ensuring a safe and enjoyable experience for all.

What a wonderful way to reward reading, encourage goal-setting, and build a sense of community among our students!

On March 18 Northeast North 5th grade Betas went to the Sullivan County Humane Society for a community service opportunity. While there, students cleaned cat cages, swept floors, and learned about the business of the Humane Society. This was a great opportunity to serve others while learning about valuable life lessons.

Click on the button below for information on current NESC job openings⤵️

Thank you to all NESC staff and students who contributed to this newsletter!