Contractors Continue KY-121 Construction CCHS Earns Highest
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THEOur Vision: “Successful-LAKER Now and Beyond” REVIEWOur Mission: “Learners for Life” Volume 36 Calloway County High School Issue 2 2108 College Farm Road, Murray, Ky. 42071 November 4, 2016 Homecoming Queen CCHS earns highest rank in testing Braxton Bogard vested interest in students’ lives of the distinguished rating. Wil- Editor in Chief that goes beyond the classroom. murth also reported that a district- “We’re pleased and excited wide ranking of distinguished was CCHS was named a progress- because our students had to do a earned, which it has held for the ing distinguished school based on good job, but the biggest challenge past three years. test results from the Kentucky is just continuing to have good “CCHS is once again one of Performance Rating for Educa- staff members like we have. What the top schools, not only in West tional Progress (K-PREP). I have found, generally, is that our Kentucky, but also the entire Principal Randy McCallon staff members are also interested Commonwealth,” he said. spoke about the recent success. in helping and sponsoring clubs CCHS English teacher Steve “We surpassed our goal as far that are motivating, taking kids Smith commented on CCHS as the minimum goal we needed to competitions, volunteering to sophomores’ and juniors’ success to put us in the category in or- help with prom and homecoming on the on-demand writing portion der to be a school of distinction, dances, and helping sponsor the of the exam. but, secondly, we met what they various things we do.” “I can say that the state of Ken- call annual measurable objectives, McCallon said that the qual- tucky has placed an enormous which generally are subgroups of ity of instruction from teachers, emphasis on writing over the past populations of students and how good student relations and parents 25 years. Starting with the imple- they did, then lastly, we improved, interested in their children suc- mentation of KERA [Kentucky which is where the progressing ceeding have all contributed to the Education Reform Act] in the late comes from.” progress and quality of testing at ‘80s/early ‘90s, writing was at the McCallon said that a number CCHS. forefront. of different factors contributed to Asst. Superintendent Brian “But we’re always looking for the success. He said that students Wilmurth said that CCHS’s ways to improve: how can we putting in the effort to prepare for academic achievement improved bump the apprentices up to profi- and do well on the exam helped in across the board on the annual K- cient; how can we bump the pro- Kenna Friedrich the score improvement. PREP exam, especially in the U.S. ficient up to distinguished. We’re Senior Katie Dugger, left, reacts to being named Homecoming Queen with senior Teachers also played an impor- History and math sections of the looking for ways to incorporate escort Ben Yong. Her court included seniors Libby Roberson, Cassity Mitchell, Emily tant role in the test results. Mc- exam. Wilmurth was pleased with the writing and make it more in- Boyd, Chaney Hill and Sarai McCallon. Callon said that teachers have a CCHS’s achievement and earning teresting across the curriculum.” Contractors continue KY-121 construction Blue Ribbon School Jordan Young Teacher Terry Lane said, “641 it, so I wasn’t the first one to think News Editor was done really fast. I went down of it.” that road, and they had the old Rose said three groups were part KY-121 seems to be taking a pavement stripped. It seemed like of creating the idea: Murray State long time to widen, but, according it was just a few days until they had University, the city and the state. to surfky.com, Jim Smith Contract- it all paved.” “It started out just to widen it. ing of Grand Rivers, who is the The Kentucky 121 reconstruc- It had a lot to do with the devel- prime contractor on this $6,579,488 tion project in Murray runs from opments on the north side of 121, highway improvement project, this the U.S. 641 intersection at mile where you had all the businesses, project is approximately 70 percent point 14.075 extending northward and the motels and restaurants, and complete. along Kentucky 121 to the Ken- of course the south side of 121, you Even with the near-record rain- tucky 774/Coldwater Road inter- had CFSB Center and the stadium. fall in June and record rainfall in section at the 15-mile marker, ac- So at most critical times, it’s prob- July and August, engineers believe cording to surfky.com. ably one of the few roads that are the project is on track for comple- Lane said, “121 has been a pain. mostly traveled here in Murray and tion in late-fall 2016. It seems like it’s taking a very long Calloway County.” At the end of September, Mur- time. I don’t know why. It seems “I’m very disappointed to the ray started repaving U.S. Highway like it should not be taking a lot point of being disgusted with the 641 and was finished in a matter of more time than it has. I really don’t amount of time it’s taking. If you days. People are not sure of the rea- know the details, but I will be really look around Calloway County, son. Not only did they repave the glad when that road gets finished.” you’ll notice there is a lot of road road in town, but they also repaved Mayor Jack Rose said, “When construction going on, so we are a lot of 641 on the outskirts of that road was approved by the a very quick growing community Murray. Murray State Board of Regents, I right now,” Rose said. Judge Executive Larry Elkins was the faculty regent on the board, Christopher Fazi, who com- Lexie Yocum said, “There is no specific reason and I also was chair of the build- mutes on 121, said the project ap- Southwest Elementary named National Blue Ribbon School. From left to right is why they repaved the road, but the ing’s grounds committee, so I’m the peared to take time because of the teacher Kellye Steele, students Elizabeth Lanier, Kaylee Tharp, Skylar Waller, Mason only logical reason was for mainte- one who made the motion to do it. prep work for the site, especially to Newman and Principal Josh McKeel. See related story on page 2. nance.” The road already had stuff done to move utilities. The Laker Review 2 News November 4, 2016 Beta Club changes homecoming dance FFA Nationals Kenna Friedrich trend, it will encourage more stu- “This is our fourth year to be open, Feature Editor dents to come and increase atten- and we have done it that way each dance.” year. We chose to do this because I For the first time, the home- Beta Club sponsor Mary Price didn’t believe it was fair to students coming dance, sponsored by the also contributed to the idea of the to have them try and squeeze a Beta Club, was held the Saturday changes. dance in after a game.” night after the Friday night foot- She said, “Mrs. [Kacee] Barrow, Ciglinski thought students ball game. Mrs. Benson, and I had noticed could enjoy the weekend better if Beta Club sponsor Darra Ben- that some of the local schools had they could get dressed up, get pic- son said, “Homecoming 2016 was their dance on a Saturday, and that tures, go out to eat and attend the an absolute success! The dance this just brought me back to my high dance. past Saturday night had over 250 in school days. We used to have our He said, “Now, our students get attendance. This definitely will be a homecoming on a Saturday night to enjoy a homecoming pep rally, game changer for the future.” and the game on Friday.” paint up for the games, have a large Benson gave insight as to why Price said her school would student section turnout at the game Beta chose to do this. paint up for the game, and that and also have a wonderful evening Courtesy of Jacob Falwell She said, “We are doing this to would give Saturday to dress up on Saturday.” CCHS took eight students to the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, Ind., last try something new and to encour- and go out with dates to a more Ciglinski has received feedback month. The Ag Sales team placed 14th in the nation with junior Jake Hunter receiving a gold ranking individually. The Poultry Team placed 20th with juniors Lexie Lamb, Avery age more people to come out. If we formal dinner. from the students, and he said they Wilmurth, and sophomore Joza Mikulcik receiving a silver ranking, and junior Emily had a bad game on homecoming, She said, “It was just a big deal, wouldn’t change a thing. Wilson receiving bronze. Pictured are from left, senior Cole Emerson, juniors Tanner it just kind of ruins the demeanor, and everyone went to the dance. It He said, “Students chose to do Hicks, Hannah Anderson and Hunter. and it discourages students from was a lot of fun, and it was a big that rather than cram both events coming to the dance.” weekend ordeal. So, I threw that in on a Friday night.” Benson hoped to increase the idea out to Mrs. Barrow and Mrs. Junior cheerleader Breaha Dun- participation, and to give the foot- Benson, and they said they liked it.