Tractor Day Tradition Makes it Through Another Year
This year the Agriculture students and FFA chapter members exercised their individuality by driving their out-of-field tractors to school. In the past years, the interest and participation has been at a steady decline, but this year the FFA kids stepped it up and made it happen with world class style.
- Junior Leah Petersen stands in front of a 2007 John Deere 9760. The tractor was drivent to school as a part of the “hick” tradition, where FFA and similar AG students drive their field tractors to school.
Arts Magnet students to sell art at Renaissance Fair
Buffalo Arts Magnet students led by Arts Magnet coordinater Sheri Tamte will be a part of the yearly Renaissance Festival between the weekends of August 22-October 4.
Students will sell the artwork through the magnet progam while getting their artwork out to see and to make some profit, as well as promoting the Arts Magnet program throughout Buffalo High School.
“I think it’s a great idea, the kids can get some well earned cash and as the Arts Magnet student Council President it’s great for promotion about the kind of arts programs we have here at Buffalo High School, says Junior Cora Fox.”
The pricing of the artwork is determined by students, as well as the amount of being sold.
“The only negative I could find is if students arn’t able to off set the cost of the booths,” sayd Senior Roddy Cogle.
The hours of the Festvial are from 9-7 on each weekend, as well as labor day, be sure to check out some the artwork of BHS students.
Girls’ Lacrosse Places 2nd in state
The Buffalo girls arrived in Mound Friday afternoon to play St. Paul. Buffalo soon took the lead and won 14-0. The St. Paul girls played hard and had great sportsmanship. When the game finally came to an end, it seemed as though they were a lot happier than the Buffalo team as they ran out onto the field screaming in joy to go jump on the rest of the team. 
Since Buffalo beat St. Paul on Friday, they ended up having to play Becker on Saturday to see who would play Monticello on Sunday for first. Becker is Buffalo’s most evenly matched competition. Senior Julie Kartak made the first goal in the first minute of the game. Taking Becker off gaurd, Buffalo scored three more before Becker was able to score even once. This game was very rough and violent. Becker doesn’t take well to losing. With one injury, endless calls on pushing, charging, and slashing Buffalo victoriously beat Becker 9-6.
The final game. Buffalo playing Monticello is like Buffalo playing St. Paul. Monticello is a very skilled team, about half of them having received scholarships for this sport. Freshman Katie Libert scored in the first few minutes making that goal the first of the game. Monticello soon surpassed us, and though Buffalo played hard, they ended up losing 12-5. Buffalo happily took second place in State.
Arts Finale 2009
Last Thursday on May 27th BHS entire Arts and Music department gathered together for the final art show of the year. Appropriately named the Arts Finale, the show included a walk-around gallery of all works of art created by BHS art students who were enrolled in Art I, Drawing I and II, Painting I and II, Jewelry, and Ceramics I, II, and III all submitted artwork to represent themselves and their classes to the rest of the community. Ceramics students put together a silent auction that enabled parents, peers, or appreciative art collectors to bid on student-made pots, bowls, or small sculptures.
At eight o clock, the doors to the Buffalo PAC were opened and people began to filter in to get seated for the All Choir Concert. The music department had chosen songs from various musicals and classic tunes to better show off their students talents in all rangers of pitches and harmonies. The Freshmen choir, the Varsity choir, the Men’s choir, the Varsity Singers, the Treble Singers, and the famed BHS singers all dressed for the evening and sang their best to end a year of hard work and preparation. Many of the senior students, this being their last choir experience of their time in BHS, were given solos and as their final notes rang through the gathered audience emotions ran high.
This year has been filled with many opportunities for students to show off their art talents. But a night consisting of the combined works of all of the three arts departments truly expressed the greatness that our students have attained over their time in BHS this year.
History of the Cap and Gown
It is the standard attire for the graduating student: the cap and gown. The origin of graduations are thought to be in churches in the 12th century, when Universities in Europe first began to appear. The reason robes and gowns were the choice of apparel was to keep warm in church, where heating wasn’t common or practical. In 1321, the gown was established as the standard form of dress for graduation because excessive apparel was thought as improper.
The cap origionally wasn’t a cap at all. It was a hood, warn by Druid Preists to show superiority and higher intellect. It was assumed that preists had a better understanding of science, probably because of their religous significance. The tassle that is attached to the hat simply shows academic acheivment that the graduating student has accomplished.
The history of graduation is too long for any single story, but hopefully this gives you some insight on what significance our cap and gowns have in today’s graduation ceremonies.
-Mike Pyka
Sources:
http://www.authorsden.com/visit/viewArticle.asp?id=24258
http://www.academicapparel.com/caps/cap-gown-history.html
Farmers Lot
Its has been a tradition for years at Buffalo, all farmers or basically anyone that owns a tracker, or a four wheeler anything that’s not a car but able to drive to school. they take up at least one third of the parking lot. This year they seem to be the high tech and a whole lot bigger then the ones the last year.
“I love it, I’m a hick. Its a Tradition I don’t think any other school does it. Actually there is no other school that does. I love it.” said Senior Kaehler Reitz.
The big tires, rusty colors and general look of the tracker calls for it to be the last day of the school year. Its like a symbol of hard work, for students at Buffalo High. Its as big of a deal as the rock for seniors on class color day, it has a meaning for most people here in Buffalo.
Its almost like a sport, the farmers are able to show off their “rides” like a baseball pitcher showing off his curve ball. Or a hockey player and his slap shot. For them this is like their day, for them its bigger then any sport. Today, June 4 2009 the parking lot becomes the farmers lot.
Buffalo Students excell in Mississippi 8 Art Conference
On May 8th, a group of selected Buffalo Art students boarded buses headed to Rogers highschool to participate in a district wide Visual Arts Competition. Over the course of the year, the students have been instructed in the various forms of art, and have been encouraged to practice their growing skills by taking extra art classes such as Drawing, Painting, Jewelry, or Ceramics. These students have worked hard, perfecting their craft and experimenting with different aspects and mediums of art with the Mississippi 8 conference as the ultimate goal in the eyes of the young artists; an equivalent to a State tournament for any athlete.
On May 8th, nineteen students boarded the bus with their art pieces specially selected by the BHS Art Department and headed to Rogers Highschool where the artwork was all on display. Large scale mass media paintings, hand made dresses, charcoal drawings, photographs, and ceramic tea pots were a few of the things lining the tables that the other schools had submitted for this event.
“I think the best part of the competition was walking around listening to everyone talk about art.” says Junior Samantha Greenfeild, “Some of the people there were so passionate about art that listening to them critic and comment on things taught me some things.”
BHS Art Stuents gathered with their art for a group photo.
After a few rounds around the gallery, all of the students attending this event were driven to the Walker Sculpture Garden for a picnic and an afternoon of inspiration from the famous sculptures found there. Another short trip and the students were back in time for the Award Ceremony to begin.
Out of the nineteen students from Buffalo, five students came home with awards for their work. With congratulations all around from other schools to all of the students from Buffalo, the young artists came home with smiles on their faces and inspiration in their minds. For some of the students this art competition was an end to a year of hard work and determination, and for others its the reminder that next year is a fresh start.
“I guess it never occurred to me that Art is more of a competition to some people rather than a hobby. I had fun just drawing what I wanted, and now I have to wonder if I should take it more seriously.” reflects Greenfield, “Though, I probably will just keep doing as I always have done. To me Art is an expression rather than a competition.”
Students start cleaning out lockers with one day left of school
Last week of school every year giant garbage containers are rolled and passed around locker to locker. There are anywhere from two to four depending on the locker bay and the grade. Each locker bay has a paper only container for all the environmental friendly students.
Some students have been cleaning their locker out for the last month, which all in all has helped them out pretty well. No mess to dig through and trying to find materials needed for that class. Easier to fit your bag and easier to shut the locker, also no reason to kick the locker trying to open it or close it.
” It was so hard to close my locker in the middle of the year, I had to kick it like everyday to even get it open. I had so many books I could barely fit them on the shelf even. Now I cleaned it out and its so much eaiser plus I dont have any of the big books to take up room.” said Junoir Tonya Zemlin.
Its also not just the locker bays that students have to clean out. Gym lockers are just as bad, smelly clothing pouring through the holes of lockers and fill up the whole locker room. Most students don’t even take them home to wash them, they either bring more or just don’t bother with the smell.
“I have four to six shirts at least threee pairs of shorts, two pairs of long socks, five pairs of short socks, garbage bags like a plastic one and a sports bag. I have detoterant, hair and body wash and one pair of shoes.” States Junoir Domanick Bainey.
Anything left in the lockers will be thrown out, so students should take everything they want home and they should do it as soon as possible so they dont spend their last day rushing to get everything out of their lockers.
Buffalo Days starting June 7
Buffalo days is almost in full stride as school is coming to and end. Buffalo days is a time for everyone in the Buffalo community to enjoy a week full of different events.
Starting Sunday June 7th will be the kick of of Buffalo Days with the Fly In Car show at the civic center. Along with the Car show in the morning at 10:00 a.m. the Triathalon will also take place on sunday. To end the day with Orchestra night at Sturges Park downtown Buffalo at 6:30.
Monday June 8th is the first night the 8 royalty candidates will be viewed by the judges. The monday night banquet is held at the Buffalo Evangelical Free Church located off of Highway 25. The candidates will be asked a question off of their application they sent in to become a candidate for the 2009-2010 buffalo royalty. The banquet will be at 5:30 p.m.
Thursday June 11th will bring another concert in the park, again at Sturges. Friday June 12th brings the traditional fireworks at dusk, just before the fireworks there will be a brief concert starting at 7:00 for incoming residents of buffalo to enjoy before they watch the fireworks.
Saturday June 13th kicks off the day with the kiddie party at 8:30 a.m. Royalty candidates are asked to dress up in a costume that kids would find appealing. Also that morning is the fishing clinic beginning at 9:00 at Sturges park. To end the day the famous Buffalo Days Parade. The parade will start at 6:00 p.m. and has over 100 different acts, vehicles, bands, etc.
To end the week of Buffalo Days is the Royalty coronation. Starting at 6:00 three new candidates will be named 2009-2010 Buffalo Royalty. Coronation starts off with a dance that the committee comes up with for the current royalty, and candidates to preform in, after the dance each candidate is introduced along with the current royatly. Candidates then are asked the “fish bowl” question then following afterthe judges deliberate while the current royalty gives their farewell speech. The crowning comes next and following the crowning each candidate is invited to Green Mill to congradulate each candidate and new royalty members.
Softball Banquet
The 2009 Varsity softball season has come to an end with a final record of 17-7, and to finish off the season the Bison held a final banquet on Tuesday, May 26 at Buffalo High School.
Every year the Varsity team holds a special event that allows graduated seniors to come back and play against the current team.
” It’s always a good time, ” said Senior Hanna Rohl, ” We just hang out and have fun, it’s not as competitive as the regular season.”
After the game a banquet is held inside the lunch room of BHS. There are hot dogs, chips, and deserts to eat for the players and their families. Once everyone has finished eating the award ceremony begins.
“The award ceremony is always a little nerve racking at the beginning,” said Senior Jennifer Gabrelcik,” I’m always nervous for some reason, but this year I received The Most Improved Award.”