By Mike Armstrong
Writer, Carbon County Comet
When a young adult is getting ready to graduate, this is usually a time when the student knows their world is going to change. Often this is a time of celebration and if these times are caught in print, it becomes that much more special. It is not uncommon for a picture or story clipping to be saved in the years to come.
This reporter inherited his mother’s yearbook from 1951 not so long ago and was surprised at how many newspaper clippings she had saved of events in her senior year. It was interesting to see how the youth dressed back then. It was also interesting; these clippings had stayed with her for 60 years.
They were that important to her.
A community can be told the news in their area isn’t important enough to report to be cost-effective, and maybe the locals will understand. Then again, maybe they will not.
For a student, especially a senior, being told to understand their prom or school signings aren’t going to be reported on because business is business; can be a bit crushing.
At Hanna Elementary (HES), the once-a-year wax museum presentation by Sarah Jones, 4th grade, happens in April. These elementary students pick a resident from the past that influenced the settling of Carbon County in the north. The kids pick their historical figure, do the research, write their speech, design and make their booth while dressing historically as possible. The event is held at HES and there are two showings, one for the students of CCSD2 and staff, the other for parents and residents. It is interesting and impressive. When a person walks up to a student’s presentation, a big red button must be pushed before the student speaks. Once pushed, the presentation starts, then the life history is told from total memorization. Once done, the student thanks the audience and waits for the button to be pushed again.
The Hanna, Elk Mountain, Medicine Bow (HEM) High School hosted a Future Farmers of America (FFA) petting zoo for the school and three elementary schools. FFA advisor at HEM Ranelle Hindman and her students in the organization gave the students up north in Carbon County School District No 2 (CCSD2) a real treat in this petting zoo before the school year concluded.
Hindman and the FFA created the petting zoo with a cow, horse, rabbit, sheep and two llamas to let the students see close-up animals being raised in Carbon County. The FFA students were the owners of the animals presented and as kids from 5 to 18 came up to see and pet the creatures, a lesson was given. The little kids were enthralled as they got to pet and learn about the animals they were touching.
“This is the sort of thing kids of all ages have an interest in,” Hindman said. “We knew by young kids seeing and being in contact with the animals; we might open some eyes to how cool the FFA is and what they can do when they come to HEM.”
Hindman couldn’t see a clear favorite of the kids liking one animal over the other.
“I think many of the little ones were just in awe they could touch any animal,” Hindman said. “The bunny was able to be held, so there might be that which would make it the favorite, but the kids loved them all.”
These two events were covered by a newspaper yet to be born.
The pictures represent the wax museum and petting zoo, the annual FFA Banquet, the seniors signing with their colleagues in front of parents and schools at HEM, the HEM prom, their senior parade that wound through town and graduation.
The Comet was there and glad we were.
Priceless moments were recording these kids’ enjoyment of activities. For the Comet, it was our honor to cover these little tykes and future adults in the last couple of months of the school year.
