Written by: Claire Kister, Features editor

SCHEDULE FOR THE WEEK OF MARCH 25-29, 2008

TUESDAY
No chapel schedule
Guest speaker, J.J. room, 7 P.M.

WEDNESDAY
Spanish club officer meeting, room 603, lunch
Girls’ basketball open gym, 6-8 P.M.

THURSDAY
Spanish club meeting, room 603, lunch

FRIDAY
Rally schedule

SATURDAY
Night of the Stars, Cornerstone Church, 5 P.M.

GUEST SPEAKER
Maryam Torbati, Ph.D., plans to speak on the latest research involving brain function in the Jackie Johnson Hospitality Room at 7 P.M., March 25. All who are interested in attending are welcome. For questions, please email [email protected] or call her at 299-1695, ext. 141.

SPANISH CLUB MEETINGS–
Spanish club officers must meet in room 603 during lunch, March 26. The Spanish club will then meet in the same room during lunch, March 27. All members are expected to wear their club shirts.

GIRLS’ BASKETBALL–
All girls interested in playing basketball are invited to attend open gym every Wednesday from 6-8 P.M.

NIGHT OF THE STARS
Night of the Stars (NOTS) tickets will be on sale at lunch for $50 each. The leadership class is offering two free tickets to the guy who asks his date in the most creative manner. To enter the competition, the guy most submit a description of the proposal into the box in Josh Tosland’s room. The winner will be announced on March 25. Tickets will remain on sale until March 27.

NATIONAL EDITION HONORS CONTINUE–
While The Feather staff and FCHS students were on spring break, four reporters were still represented on the National Edition, March 16-22. Madison Dooley’s feature on varsity cheer, Partnership determines squad success is her third this year. Sydney Ray placed her second article, Dairy demands divergent responsibilities.

Ryan Swain placed a movie review, his second article, 10,000 B.C. ignores history. And finally, Sean O’Neal placed his first article, a CD review, Radiohead gamble pays off.

Currently, 29 out of 32 Feather reporters and 55 articles have appeared on the National Edition since August 2007.

Over 665 high schools across the United States, regardless of size, participate in online newspaper production and are eligible for this honor. While The Feather Online posts new articles each day on its home site (www.thefeather.com), reporters continue to be chosen to represent the National Edition online high school newspaper.

Readers can check out the article in the features, entertainment, opinions and student life sections of the National Edition or in The Feather Online.

The National Edition began publication in September 2003 and is sponsored by the American Society of Newspaper Editors (www.asne.org).

TUTORS NEEDED–
George Freeman needs qualified students to tutor their peers in Algebra 11. If interested, visit the junior high office as soon as possible. The job pays above the minimum wage at $10 an hour.

ADVENTURE P.E. OFFERED–
Once a month the physical education department will organize excursions not normally associated with PE classes on campus. The small class returned from a one day biking trip to Yosemite earlier in October. For more information e-mail Callisch at [email protected] as soon as possible for the spelunking activity.

The next adventure PE offerings are:
April – Windsurfing
May – Rafting

THE FEATHER NAMED GRAND CHAMPION AT FRESNO STATE COMPETITION
For the first time in campus history, The Feather print edition was named the Sweepstakes winner of the San Joaquin Valley Scholastic Press Association’s (SJVSPA) annual publications competition at Fresno State, March 1.

During the awards ceremony, 11 different Feather reporters received individual honors while the greatest prize was saved for the end. The Mass Communication and Journalism Departments at California State University, Fresno, annually sponsor the event.

For four of the last five years, The Feather has won the SJVSPA Small Schools Division and named an All-Valley Newspaper. However, this year the paper earned the honor of Sweepstakes winner: the 2008 grand champion of the day despite competing against schools with populations over 10 times their size.

Editor-in-chief, Mary Kneefel, and layout & design editor, Ryan Martens, were honored along with the 10 other individual Feather award winners.

The contest consisted of three components: mail-in competition, critique of fall semester’s newspapers, and on-the-spot contests. Fresno Christian earned the distinction of Sweepstakes winner, while beating all schools, regardless of size or division, between Stockton and Bakersfield.

FEATHER AWARDED TOP 10 HONOR
For the third year in a row, the campus publication, The Feather Online, has been named one of the best high school newspapers in the country. On Feb. 25, editor-in-chief, senior Mary Kneefel, and her staff have been named a National Scholastic Press Association Pacemaker Finalist.

Online editions from across the country were entered in the annual competition, which has recognized student journalism since 1927. Many refer to the coveted Pacemaker as the Pulitzer Prize of student journalism.

The 12-week competition began Jan. 28 and will conclude when the top three online newspapers in the United States are announced at the NSPA National Convention in Anaheim, CA, on April 19. For more information, the NSPA home page is www.studentpress.org/nspa/.

Only 10 high school newspapers in the United States have been named finalists this year, up from seven in 2006 when The Feather Online won the competition. Of this year’s finalists, three are from California and two from Maryland. All high school newspapers in the United States, regardless of school size, are eligible to compete for this award.

Those interested in viewing all 10 Pacemaker finalists should go online to the NSPA website.

FEATHER WRITER RECOGNIZED
The Online NewsHour with Jim Lehrer selected sophomore Sydney Ray’s Jan. 17 article, “Upside to Down Syndrome,” to publish on the PBS website. The Feather congratulates Ray for this accomplishment.

CAUTION STUDENTS
Students are not allowed to chew gum on campus unless they turn in a specific note from their doctor. This rule comes from Peoples Church and is in effect even after school. It costs the Peoples Church approximately $3,000 to clean up the mess created by gum.

FCA USED CELL PHONES
Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) encourages students to donate used cell phones in effort to raise money for the club. Please turn in all old and used cell phones in the designated box outside the office. The money will be used for lunches, prizes, and scholarships for camp.

SHOE DONATION
Track coach Ericlee Gilmore and his wife, Dorina, plan to visit Haiti over the Easter break. Haiti is considered poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. The Gilmores would appreciate your help in gathering as many used or new shoes as possible to take with them to Haiti for distribution. If interested, please place the donations in the designated garbage bin in front of the office.

ANAHEIM JOURNALISM CONVENTION–
The Journalism Education Association and National Scholastic Press Association hosts the Spring National High School Journalism Convention at the Anaheim Marriott. The convention offers more than 200 learning sessions, workshops, and seminars in regards to journalism from April 17-20. Deadlines for early action registration is March 27. Contact adviser Greg Stobbe at [email protected] for more information about this event.

FENTON’S MATH LAB–
Michael Fenton, math teacher, now offers assistance to students in room 606 Tuesday through Friday during lunch and after school.

ATTENTION STUDENTS–
A list of all students who have not bought a yearbook are posted on the office window. Those whose names are crossed out have purchased yearbooks and those whose names still remain have not purchased one. If anyone is still interested in purchasing the yearbook, make a check payable to FCS for $80 and turn it into Molly Sargent in room 621 or the office.

REGISTRATION FOR ALL MALES AGE 18–
All men must register with Selective Service when they turn 18. Those who fail to register may be denied many important opportunities such as student loans, government jobs, a driver’s license in most states, and citizenship for male immigrants. Go online to register: Selective Service System.

MOM’S IN TOUCH–
Please join Mom’s In Touch prayer group every Friday from 8-9 A.M. in Room 204 in the Peoples Church building. If you have any questions, call MaryAnn Fujihara, (559) 298-7953.

DATES TO REMEMBER–

MARCH–

March 29- Night of the Stars

APRIL–

April 1- *SAT registration deadline for May 3 test
April 2- Half day schedule, Teacher’s In-service
April 3- Entrepreneur’s Fair, lunch
April 9-12- Choir trip to Seattle
April 14-18- SAT10/Otis Lennon testing
April 16-19- Publications to NSPA National Convention, Anaheim
April 23- Half day schedule, Teacher’s In-service

MAY–

May 3- Sadie Hawkins
– SAT test
May 5-6- Drama: The Man Behind the Mask
May 9-10- Drama: The Man Behind the Mask
May 21-23- Half day schedule
May 23- End of second semester
– FCHS graduation

* SAT deadlines: U.S. deadlines apply, late fees enforced