The News From MGWS

Roving MGWS photographer Jake Lindsay headed out this afternoon to see what the 4th graders were up to at recess.  He found that the melting snow had chased the kids off of the sledding hill and on to the hot top where 4-square seemed to be the most popular game…

Great Works crowns Jay Whitesell as Geo Bee Champion

link to article here

SOUTH BERWICK, Maine — Jay Whitesell, a fourth-grade student at Marshwood Great Works School, won the school-level competition of the National Geographic Bee on Jan. 5 and a chance at a $25,000 college scholarship.

Owen Himmer came in second and Elijah D’Aran came in third in the bee.

Sixteen Great Works students competed in the bee, held in the school library. Students answered oral questions on geography, competing in the first round of the 24th annual National Geographic Bee. Thousands of schools around the United States and in the five U.S. territories participate annually.

The school winners, including Whitesell, will now take a written test and up to 100 of the top scorers in each state will then be eligible to compete in their state bees March 30.

The National Geographic Society will provide an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C., for state champions and teacher escorts to participate in the national championship rounds in May. The first-place national winner will receive a $25,000 college scholarship, a lifetime membership in the National Geographic Society, and a trip to the Galapagos Islands.

The moderator for the Jan. 5 bee was Grace Jacobs, gifted education specialist, and the judges were Lori Girouard and Elizabeth Morrison. Teachers and many parents and grandparents attended the event to encourage the students.

Other students who competed included Liam Coomy, Liam Cannon, Robbie Christian, Linus Manchester, Arian Pulkinen, Chloe Young, Gaby Barber, Jason Glidden, Halliday Dinsmore-Patch, Jessica Reunig, Sophia Freeman, Katie Taran and Simeon Babineau.

Anyone can test their geographcy knowledge; there is a National Geographic GeoBee Challenge app with more than 1,000 questions culled from past bees.

This afternoon sixteen 4th and 5th graders convened in the MGWS library for our 6th annual GeoBee.  The group answered questions about states, countries, continents and world culture.  They all did a phenomenal job!

The last 3 contestants standing after several tough rounds were:

3rd place – Elijah D’Aran

2nd place – Owen Himmer

1st place – Jay Whitesell

Jay will now go on to participate in the statewide competition to be held in March.

 

Students and staff dropped everything and picked up some good books for today’s “I Love to Read” day!

 

It was a blustery morning to walk to school, but that did not stop the intrepid students from Central and MGWS!

Today was the unveiling of the 2011-2012 Great Works Book Award nominees.  Several distinguished guests shared their personal thoughts on the chosen books, which inspired the students to rush to the library afterward in order to start reading.  What a GREAT afternoon for GREAT books!

BOOKS and PRESENTERS

Of Thee I Sing by Barack Obama

presented by:   Dr. Mary Nash, Supt.

Wild River by P.J. Peterson

             presented by: Nate Cronauer & Colin Tetalian (MHS)

Touch Blue by Cynthia Ryant

presented by: Yvonne Cedegren

11 Birthdays by Wendy Mass

presented by: Mary and Abby  Kaye

Dying to Meet You by Kate Klise

Rebecca Jalbert, fire dept.

The Fantastic Secret of Owen Jester  byBarbara O’Connor

  presented by: Summer and Robbie Christian

When You Reach Me  by Rebecca Stead (2010 Newberry Winner)

presented by:  Amy Miller

We the Children:Benjamin Pratt and the Keepers of the School  by Andrew Clements

presented by: David Gagnon, doctor

Listen by Stephanie Tolan

presented by: Candace Simenoni, Eliot police officer

The Day-Glo Brothers/The True Story of Bob and Joe Switzer’s Bright Ideas and Brand-New Colors  by Robert F. Siebert

presented by: Mr. Burnell, principal

Savvy by Ingrid Law

presented by: Lori Pond

The students and staff of MGWS held a Veteran’s Day assembly today in honor of our veterans.  The chorus sang, several students read essays, and we were treated to a talk by 3 crewman on the Pasadena, which is currently in Kittery.  Afterward, the veterans and their hosts headed to the cafeteria for breakfast.

 

Marshwood Great Works School is collecting canned goods and other nonperishables over the next few weeks. All items will be donated to food pantries in South Berwick and Eliot.

Let’s make this our best food drive yet!

Leave it to 2 teachers to have the same decorative Halloween vest:-)

 

The newspaper Club got underway this afternoon, starting with a planning session.  The first edition of the newspaper should be out in December.