There is going to be a blood drive at the OEC Wednesday, February 10, 2010 from 8:30-2:30 in Mrs. Hobbs room. You must be 17 years of age and weigh at least 110 pounds. OEC requires a permission slip for students. Donors will be required to show ID. Sign up sheet located in the office and at the OEC.

The Monticello High School Cheerleaders declare the month of February-We Love Our Billie Basketball Teams. You can participate in this event by coming to the games, supporting our teams, and voting for the “2010 Valentine King and Queen.” You will find jars set up in the office with pictures of the 12th grade girls and boys basketball players. As you place money into the jars, you are voting for the King and Queen. The winners will be announced during the Pep Assembly on February 12th. King and Queen will reign over the Pep Assembly.

The 2nd annual Battle of the Classes Basketball Shootout will be held on Feb. 12th in the gym during the lunch hour. 9th and 10th graders who are interested in participating need to sign-up with Mrs. Breedlove and 11th and 12th graders need to sign-up with Mrs. Brown. The teams are limited to 6 girls and 6 boys.

If you are interested in trying out for High School Cheerleader, there will be a clinic hosted for you to prepare you for the tryouts. If you would like to participate in this event, please see Mrs. Palsa to get the information you need to participate.

Seniors mark your calendars

College Goal Sunday is February 21st

On this day, financial aid professionals will be available at UAM to help you submit your FASFA for college financial aid.

Many grant and scholarship programs including the Challenge/Lottery scholarship program require that you submit a FASFA.

Seniors—-Important scholarship info.

The Academic Challenge Scholarship application is now open. It is only available online. Go to www.adhe.edu/students . It is important to get this completed as soon as possible.

The Governor’s Scholarship and the Distinguished Governor’s are available at the same site. All scholarship programs administered by the Arkansas Department of Higher Education are available on one application at this site.

Students if you are interested in participating in the 2010 High School Research Program at UALR in July applications are in the office. This program is for students that will be going in the 9th grade to 12th next year. This program is based on helping students to make informed decisions on course work that could enhance their career goals such as science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Best of all there is no charge for the three-week residential program.

CLUB NEWS:

Important announcement:

The Speech & Drama Club will meet every Friday at 11:30 in Mrs. Armbrust’s room in cafeteria building.

Speech and Drama Club Members, especially those who compete, should watch the Club Calendar on the Speech and Drama Club Website. The rehearsal dates and deadlines for our upcoming events are listed there. If officers or play production managers want to post dates to add to the calendar, contact Mrs. Ashcraft.

The MHS Forensics Team has one regular tournament remaining on our scheduled. Members should sign up early and begin rehearsing now. This is the final opportunity to qualify for the Tournament of Champions in April. Contact Mrs. Ashcraft or Ms. Armbrust.

A spring formal will be sponsored at the Vera Lloyd Presbyterian Home by some members in Monticello East Lab. If you have formals, jewelry, clothes (for a fashion show), or other accessories that you would be willing to donate, please bring them to Ms. West in the East Lab by April 2. Thank you

SPORTS NEWS:

There is a Senior High basketball a game at 6pm on February 9th at LR Mills. On February 12th the billies will play at home against Beebe at 5pm. Come out and support your Billies.

The Monticello Billies Track Meets will start on February 20th in Fayetteville. This is an Indoor State Track Meet, which is an all day event from 10-3. So if you are in Fayetteville that Saturday stop by and check our track team out. Support the Billies anyway, you can.

There will be softball practice today at the field at 3:30. Please be at the field on time.

COUNSELOR CORNER:

UALR Donaghey Scholars Program Sampler Day

If you are interested in attending UALR, have a minimum 3.5+ GPA and 25+ ACT

More information is available on the CC board.

There is a list of scholarship opportunities for African American Students in the CC.

Body By Milk

Senior Athletes

Application and details at www.bodybymilk.com

Native American Scholarship

Tribal Number required

Application and info in the CC

Lyon College Honors scholarship competition

3.25+GPA or 24+ACT

You must be accepted for admission to Lyon College

Information is available about Cottey College a women’s college in Missouri

There is an opportunity available to compete for a state level scholarship.

See Mrs. Curry for more details

US Bank Internet Scholarship Program

October through March

www.usbank.com/studentloans

USDA/1890 National Scholars Recruitment

Study agriculture, food, natural resources, or related disciplines at an 1890 University

List of eligible schools and more information at

www.ascr.usda.gov/1890programs

UALR Science and Math majors scholarship opportunities

Info and applications at www.ualr.edu/sciencescholarship

Union Bank Scholarship

Submit resume and cover letter to Mrs. Curry by April 19th

UAM Congressman Mike Ross Scholarship

Deadline March 1st

Applications in the CC

Kohl’s Kids Who Care Scholarship Program

www.kohlskids.com

Nominations accepted Feb. 1-March 15

Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship Program

3.5+ gpa 25+ACT Postmark deadline Feb. 12th

Applications in the CC

Oh, the Places You’ll Go Scholarship Program

Paper applications in the CC or at www.ohtheplaces.org

Deadline Feb. 15th

SEARK College Fabulous Friday preview day

February 5th 8:30-12:00

Juniors and Seniors Register in advance at www.seark.edu

2010 Youth Suicide Prevention poetry Contest

Postmark deadline Feb. 15th

Registration forms and rules at

www.ArkansasAG.gov

KFC Colonel’s Scholars Program

2.75+GPA Application available from Dec. 1 to Feb. 10

www.kfcscholars.org

Priority deadline for UAM scholarship applications is March 1st

You must be admitted and complete the application

AgHeritage Farm Credit Services

Child or Grandchild of AgHeritage FCS stockholder

Applications in the CC Deadline March 15th

Janice M. Scott Memorial Scholarship Fund

Evaluation based on: (1) need (2) academics (3) community services (4) writing skill

Application deadline March 31, 2010

Applications available in the CC

Drew Co. Conservation District Scholarship

Attend an Arkansas college or university

Preferential consideration to students pursuing a natural resources related degree

Deadline April 1st Applications in the CC

Drew County Extension Homemakers Council Scholarship

Must attend UAM

Applications in the CC

Deadline April 9th

Ark. Assoc. of Student Financial Aid Administrators Scholarship

Random drawing Deadline April 15 One entry per person

Applications in the CC

WE HAD A WINNER LAST YEAR!

Richard Terrell Parrish Memorial scholarship

Priority given to child, grandchild or great-grandchild of a current or deceased VFW member.

Deadline May 1st Application in the CC

Big Sun Scholarship

All student athletes are eligible.

Deadline June 24

Apply at www.bigsunathletics.com

AFTERSCHOOL:

After-school: All students who were required to complete remediation and all students who attended tutoring sessions during after-school are required to take the math & literacy post tests. Please report to Mrs. Nalls’ lab at 3:20 each day until you complete the tests.

STUDENT REMINDERS:

Students, you are not allowed on the parking lot at any time unless you have a pass from the office.

Students this is very important since the cold and flu season is upon us you must make sure that you are utilizing the hand sanitizers that are in every classroom. This is to help avoid any health issues by using the hand sanitizers and always washing your hands.

Students if you are absent any time of the day which includes all day, homeroom or just one block you must still fill out an admit slip and bring in a note. In addition, if you are checked out during the school day you still must bring a note and get an admit slip. If these rules are not followed your absences are recorded as unexcused and you get a zero in your classes. If you have, any questions you need to refer to your student handbook regarding attendance. This policy must be followed as stated in the MHS Handbook.

Students you are not allowed to drive around the pond before or after school. All high school students must come to school on Old Warren Road. The buses use the route around the pond to drop off students at each school. You must also remember this is a safety issue as well. DO NOT GO AROUND THE POND TO COME TO SCHOOL OR LEAVE SCHOOL!

Students you must have a hall pass to be allowed in the halls at anytime. If you are seen in the halls without a pass, you could receive detention hall. You must get to the office before the 1st bell rings in the morning to get your admit slip or you could receive detention hall for this also.

Students you cannot be dropped off for school on the east side of the building. The only place you are allowed to be dropped off is at the back of the building between the school and the student parking lot. Students you need to understand this is a safety issue! If you drive a vehicle to school, as soon as you get here you must get out of your vehicle, leave the student parking lot, and walk down to the school building. You may not hang out in your vehicle or on the parking lot.

LIBRARY NEWS:

The Library is open during 11-12 during lunch.

LUNCH MENU: Tuesday you will have a choice of potato bar or bbq sandwich, baked beans, coleslaw, and juice bar. You have a choice of tea or milk to drink.

PIRATE BASKETBALL – Tuesday
The Lady Pirates and Pirates will play at Harmony Grove on Tuesday starting at 5:00. Teams playing are Jr. Girls, Sr. Girls and Sr. Boys. Please come out and support our PIRATES!!

There will be a BLT meeting in Mrs. Birch’s room at 8:00

VALENTINE CARNATIONS
The 10th grade class is selling Valentine carnations for $2.00. The flowers will be delivered on Thursday, Feb. 11th. You can purchase them from any 10th grader. The proceeds go for the 2012 Safe Prom.

FACULTY MEETING – Monday, Feb. 22nd

There will be a faculty meeting in the library after school on Monday, Feb. 22nd.

CAP Training – Monday, March 8th

We will have training for the upcoming CAP scheduling conferences on March 8th.

HAT DAY ON FRIDAYS !

The Jr. Class is sponsoring hat day on Friday’s until the end of February. Be sure to purchase your sticker for $1.00 and wear your hats !

COUNSELOR’S CORNER

The University of Central Arkansas Office of Admissions staff is excited to announce our upcoming Bear Facts Day dates for the 2009-2010 school year. We hope that you will encourage your students to personally tour the campus for a preview day. Students can tour the campus, meet faculty and staff, and have questions answered. Students will participate in sessions on academics, admissions, housing, financial aid, scholarships, and support services. Saturday, February 20 & Saturday, March 13 Students can call our office to reserve their spot, or they can reserve a spot http://www.uca.edu/admissions/bearfactsday.php

The Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) is accepting applications from qualified high school sophomores and juniors interested in attending the SAME/ARMY Engineering and Construction Camp, June 13-19, 2010 in Vicksburg, MS. Information and applications are in the counselor’s office

The University of Arkansas at Monticello debate and forensics team won the prestigious Michael Fisher Sweepstakes Arkansas State Tournament Championship at the Southern Regional Championship Tournament January 29-31 at Louisiana State University-Shreveport.

Competing against debate and forensics teams from Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas, UAM also captured the Arkansas State Overall Sweepstakes Championship, the Arkansas State Individual Forensics Events Championship and nine more state and regional championships at the three-day competition.

The tournament featured International Public Debate Association competition in team public debate, individual public debate in both varsity and novice divisions, parliamentary debate, and individual competition in extemporaneous speaking, impromptu speaking, prose interpretation, and dramatic interpretation.

Tyler Tessaro, a freshman political science major from Springdale, won the Arkansas State Speaker Championship and third place speaker award in parliamentary debate. Tessaro and Kelly Reed, a freshman general studies major from Siloam Springs, won the Arkansas State Parliamentary Debate Championship.

In American Forensics Association individual events, Yvonne Hinshaw, a senior political science major from Monticello won the Arkansas State Extemporaneous Championship; Bobby Evans, a freshman animal science major from Memphis, Tenn., won the Arkansas State Dramatic Interpretation Championship; Kelly Reed won the Arkansas State Impromptu Speaking Championship; and Brittany Booker, a freshman English major from Hermitage, won the Arkansas State Prose Championship.

Chris Brown, a sophomore communications major from Siloam Springs, won Arkansas State IPDA Varsity Championship and IPDA Varsity Debate Southern Regional Championship. Tiffany Reed, a sophomore communications major from Cabot, reached the final 16 in varsity debate.

In the novice debate competition, Hinshaw and Jonathan Hoskins, a sophomore political science major from Hermitage, both reached the round of 16.

Also participating in the tournament for UAM were Zack Tucker, a senior political science major from Marked Tree, Anna Blace Barron, a junior business major from Monticello, Melissa Rodgers, a sophomore nursing major from Star City, Amber Rowe, a senior communication major from Crossett, Laura Ramos, junior communications major from Crossett, and Jamie Ward, sophomore psychology major from Pocahontas.

“Our team bounced back from the winter break strong, collecting a few trophies I believe the team has never won before,” said Jim Evans, director of forensics. “This year is the 40th anniversary of the debate and forensics program at UAM and I believe it will be a very positive year.”

The UAM debate team and Monticello High School forensics team will host the R. David Ray Forensics Tournament at UAM February 12-13. The team next competition will be the Eddy Shell Invitational at Bossier Parish (La.) Community College February 19-21.

Admission  is $2 per student and $3 adult, and everyone is invited to attend.

The talent show will be held at the Monticello Middle School Auditorium.

The EAST lab is raising money for Juvinile Diabetes Research Foundatin (JDRF).  JDRF is a research foundation to find the cure for type 1 diabetes.  Type 1 diabetes affects children, teens, and sometimes adults.  Every year more than 15,000 children are effect by type one diabetes that is 40 children per day.  Over 3 million Americans have type on diabetes, and there isn’t a cure for it yet.

Call the library if you need help finding ticket sellers 367-8583.

Chocolate can be picked up on Fri. Feb. 12, 2-5:30pm and on Sat. Feb. 13, 9am-noon. Unclaimed candy will be sold after Sat. noon, unless notified.

Sponsored by the Friends of the Monticello Branch Library.

Plans have been finalized for the 2010 Red, White, & You Banquet hosted by Revival Center Church. The event is scheduled to be held Saturday, Feb. 13 at 6:30 p.m. at the church, located at 311 S. Pine Street. The theme is “Remembering the Times!”

Special guest entertainment will be recording artist, Torrey Dalaney and Ready & Willing, of Pine Bluff. There will be other games, entertainment, and fun activities along with dinner.

Please call the church at 870-367-8257 or any RC member for ticket information.

The telephone town hall is in addition to Ross’s district-wide “Listening Session Tour” where he is traveling to each of Arkansas’s Fourth Congressional District’s 29 counties by February 8 to listen to his constituents and local community and business leaders on the important issues facing the U.S. Congress.

The telephone town hall will begin promptly at 7:30 p.m. CST and should last approximately 60 minutes. Any resident throughout Arkansas’s Fourth Congressional District can connect into the telephone town hall by dialing the following toll free number and using the included PIN code: Phone: 1-877-269-7289, PIN: 14573. Anyone may listen to the call and specific instructions will be given to callers if they would like to ask Congressman Ross a question.

“As we begin this new legislative year and enter the final phases of the health care reform debate, it is very important to me that I listen to the people I represent in our nation’s capital,” said Ross. “Some politicians get so wrapped up in keeping their job that they forget to do their job. My job is to listen and that has always been my pledge to my constituents – a pledge that I will continue throughout my time in Congress.”

Working like a large conference call, constituents will have the opportunity to ask Congressman Ross questions and voice their concerns on an array of issues. As on previous calls, Ross will ask a series of survey questions throughout the call to gauge the feelings of the callers toward an issue. Callers will be able to respond by pressing the numbers ‘1’ or ‘2’ on their phone and the survey results will be announced live throughout the call.

“The live surveys provide a way for each caller to share his or her attitude toward a particular issue,” said Ross. “This is an interactive way of allowing each constituent to participate in the call as we discuss the important issues facing our nation today.”

Some residents in Arkansas’s Fourth Congressional District may receive an automated telephone call from Ross’s office that will give them the option to be automatically connected into the telephone town hall. In addition, Fourth District residents will have the opportunity to join the town hall by dialing the following toll free number and using the included PIN code: Phone: 1-877-269-7289, PIN: 14573.

“I look forward to hearing from people throughout Arkansas’s Fourth Congressional District during these calls,” said Ross. “Many working families, parents of small children and senior citizens have difficulty attending my regular town halls or listening sessions and this new technology allows me to bring the discussion right to them even when my duties require me to be in our nation’s capital for votes.”

Earlier this month, Ross launched a district-wide “Listening Session Tour” where he plans to visit each of the 29 counties that make up Arkansas’s vast Fourth Congressional District by February 8. Ross will conclude his listening tour on Monday in the towns of Prescott, Hope, Lewisville and Magnolia. Those interested in receiving announcements about future Telephone Town Hall events and Listening Session Tour stops can sign up to receive Ross’s weekly e-newsletter at http://ross.house.gov and click on the E-News Signup icon.

Interested persons are invited to meet the visiting accreditation team and share comments about the program at a meeting Wednesday, March 3 at 2:30 p.m. in the Caucus Room of the John F. Gibson University Center.

Written comments about the UAM nursing program are also welcome and should be submitted to Dr. Sharon Tanner, Executive Director, National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission, 3343 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 500, Atlanta, Ga. 30326, or send e-mails to sjtanner@nlnac.org <mailto:sjtanner@nlnac.org> . All written comments should arrive at the NLNAC by February 24.

For more information please contact the UAM School of Nursing at 870-460-1069.

The Boll Weevils (10-8, 5-3 GSC-West) had two chances at the end of regulation to either win the game or send the contest into overtime. Senior Derek Easter had a wide-open look at a trey with 22 seconds on the clock that was kept alive with an offensive rebound by senior Anthony Lacey, who made a pass to junior Nick Carey, who missed his three-point attempt.

Ford also had a shot to win the game with seven seconds, but his shot rattled out and was rebounded by Lacey. The inbound pass bounced off Nick Carey’s foot and out-of-bounds that sealed the win for the Wonder Boys.

UAM finished the game shooting 35.6 percent from the field (21-of-59), 25.9 percent from three-point range (7-of-27) and 61.5 percent from the free-throw line (16-of-26).

Other than Ford’s 21 points, Carey and Lacey also reached double-figures with 11 points each. Lacey added a game-high 10 rebounds for his second double-double of the season.

The Wonder Boys (21-0, 8-0 GSC-West) extended their 10th longest home win streak in the country with 16 straight at Tucker Coliseum. 

ATU finished the game shooting 38.7 percent from the field (24-of-62), 14.3 percent from three-point range (3-of-21) and 88.9 percent from the foul line (16-of-18).

Renard Allen led the Wonder Boys with 17 points after making 3-of-10 shots from the field and a perfect 11-of-11 foul shots. Jeremy Dunbar and James Giles also reached double-figures with 13 and 10 points, respectively.

The Boll Weevils stay on the road for their next contest against Delta State next Thursday, February 11. Tipoff is slated for approximately 8 p.m. at Walter Siller Coliseum in Cleveland, Miss.