Mikela Barton
Many people who have never had astronaut ambitions still dream of one day walking across the moon’s surface. However, the elementary students of Garden City were unable to wait for time and technology to take their course; they took matters into their own small hands. No, the kids did not travel in spaceships or wear bulky spacesuits. These young people walked the circumference of the moon without ever leaving their home town.
Nurse Kristy Seidenberger, aware of the rising statistics concerning obesity in America, implemented a program last year called Walk Across Texas. As the brain child of the program, Seidenberger said, “The main goal was to promote healthy choices and activity in students”.
This year, grades Pre-K through 6th participated in Walk Across the Moon, and each class was given a goal of walking 1,080 miles over a course of eight weeks. A grant was donated to Texas AgriLife Extension Agent Charlene Belew, which went toward pedometers for all the students. The children eagerly attached the pedometers to their hips and hit the hallways, hoping that their class would prevail as the winner.
In the end, only two classes reached the set mile mark, but that does not mean that the others failed. A total of six classes walked 150 more miles than last year, which is an obvious sign of improvement. Garden City Elementary students walked 7,928 miles total.
Seidenberger is highly supportive of the program because she believes that walking is an exercise that people can participate in their whole life. Seidenberger said, “I want kids to see that walking is fun.”
As incentive to walk as many miles as possible, the children were given a fitting moon-bounce party. So, what did the winning class receive? In the next few weeks, the fifth grade students will be walking to Halfmann’s, where they will be given a healthy snack.
Garden City intends to participate in the program next year, but with a different theme. Next year, sports will be the focus and the children will walk from one sports stadium to another.
Although the children were not actually able to participate in interplanetary travel, they were given an opportunity to learn about healthy habits and how fun staying in shape can be.

Mikela Barton
Top students from Garden City High School attended the Business Professionals of America 2008 State Leadership Conference, in Dallas, Texas, this past weekend.

Garden City High School chapter members: Mikela Barton, Brittney Chudej, Michelle Gonzalez, Laura Halfmann, Brooke Halfmann, Kate Halfmann, Melissa Hirt, Wade Jansa, Kelsey Jones, Amy Multer, Paige Niehues, Spencer Plagens, Halie Schaefer, Brittany Schniers, Macy Schwartz, Paige Sturtz and Lauren Wheeler, joined over 2,000 other conference delegates from across the state to participate in state level business skill competitions, general sessions, and the state officer candidate campaigns and elections. Besides having the opportunity to excel, they experienced Dallas visiting the city’s exciting sites.

Business Professionals of America is a national organization for middle school, high school, and college students preparing for careers in business and office occupations. The organization’s activities and programs complement classroom instruction by giving students practical experience through application of the skills learned at school. Business Professionals of America acts as a cohesive agent in the nationwide networking of education and business and industry, and is contributing to the preparation of a world-class workforce through the advancement of leadership, citizenship, academic, and technological skills.

“I was excited for our students to have this opportunity. These competitions are a great way to prepare for their future in most any field. It has been great to work with them outside the classroom and I am proud of them for competing,” said BPA advisor Kelly Baker.


Congratulations to all the state qualifying BPA competitors. You are all winners for being a part of the event, doing your best and competing. Special recognition goes out to the following National runner-ups and qualifiers.

In Spreadsheet Applications
Paige Neihues placed 7th and is a National runner up

Basic Office Systems and Procedures
Kate Halfmann placed 8th and is a National runner-up

Administrative Support Team
Michelle Gonzalez, Melissa Hirt and Amy Multer
placed 8th and are a National Runner-up Team

Advanced Office Systems and Procedures
Brittany Chudej placed 3rd and is a National Qualifier

Intergraded Office Applications
Brook Halfmann placed 1st and is a National Qualifier

Brittney and Brook will be traveling to Reno, Nevada in May to compete at Nationals against many different schools from the US.

Mikela Barton
In recent years, the fields and plains of West Texas have been planted with an orchard that bears a fruit unlike any other: wind. Rather than pecan and peach trees, wind turbines now dot the Texan landscape. With a towering height of over 200 feet and three huge rotor blades, these modern day windmills look like something straight out of a science-fiction film.
On Wednesday, January 23, Mr. Lindsey Hunt visited Garden City High to speak to the GC Robotics Team about wind turbines. While the presentation was initially intended for just three students, the room was soon filled with those interested in this new crop.
Hunt works for Florida Power & Light (FPL) Energy, one of the leading producers of energy world-wide. In his presentation, he focused primarily on the modern wind turbine and the reason for the increasing windmill population in our area.
Throughout his PowerPoint, Hunt described all the physical aspects of a wind turbine. Picture yourself standing at the base of the Garden City water tower. Now, add a three pronged head to the top and that is the approximate size and appearance of these contemporary windmills. Those used in this area are 262 feet tall, not including the wing span, which pushes it 289 feet into the sky, a height equivalent to that of a 25 story building.
Each wind turbine costs a whopping 1.2-1.5 million dollars and requires three different cranes to be set upright. While the price and effort may make some question the need for these gigantic monsters, each individual turbine can supply 240 homes with power. Mrs. Linda Jones, the robotics teacher, asked where all the power is sent. “It goes to everyone,” said Hunt.
Also, rather than issuing billowing smoke that is characteristic of other types of power plants, wind turbines are pollution free and have not proven to be harmful to the environment.
The optimum wind speed of a turbine is 25 miles per hour, which spins the rotor blades at an average of 58 miles per hour. The best wind arrives with the cold north winds during the months of November through February. After the sun goes down each day is also a prime time for wind, due to the way that earth cools itself.
However, there is such a thing as too much wind, even for a wind turbine. When turbines spin too fast and create a large amount of power, it becomes too much for the underground transmission lines. Therefore, turbines are shut down during periods of very high wind.
Sophomore Kate Halfmann asked how often the turbines are serviced. Hunt said, “Employees go up monthly to inspect and daily for random troubleshooting.” Wind turbines currently have a lifespan of approximately 20 years, after which they can be cut off at the base and the ground is reseeded or the next generation of turbines can be erected.
Not only do wind turbines provide well paying jobs within the area, but they are also a source of power that can be manufactured within America. For an increasingly wind thirsty population, these steel giants may be just what the West Texas economy needs.

Mikela Barton
Early in the school year, the Glasscock County Livestock Judging Team competed at the National level in Kansas City, Missouri. The team, consisting of Cade Halfmann, Levi Schaefer, Cole Schwartz and Layne Halfmann, won 3rd place at the competition. All of the team members are veterans of the 4-H program, each of them participating no less than six years.
The Livestock Judging teams are chosen based on the four participants who score the highest at practice meets. These faux competitions also gave the team a taste of what the real competition would be like along with needed practice.
In order to be successful, the team had to use their own spare time to individually practice on reasons and judging. The boys also had the help of the Glasscock County Extension Agent, Rebel Royal. Levi Schaefer said that, “He taught us everything we know.”
So, what exactly takes place at a Livestock Judging Meet? Cole Schwartz and Levi Schaefer give a very detailed description of their experiences at judging competitions: “The teams register and then split into groups. Each group takes 15 minutes to judge the class of animals that they are initially assigned to. At the end of the 15 minutes, the groups rotate to another class” said Levi. This process continues until each group has judged every class. “Next, we compete in the reasons category. During this part of the competition, we are required to place 3 or 4 designated classes and then explain the reasoning behind our decision.” Levi continued. Finally, team member Levi jokes, “After that, we go to awards and get our 1st place trophy!”
Livestock judging has already helped the team in their daily lives. All of the team members show pigs, sheep, or goats in 4-H, and with their judging skills they are able to decide which animals will place the best at shows.
As Cole Schwartz said, “Livestock judging will help me tell when I am looking at a fine specimen of a pig, and when I’m looking at a bad one.”
Although the team is very proud of their bronze medal, the Livestock Judging Team has no intention of settling for anything less than gold. Their goals for next year are to once again dominate at district, win state, and then become National Livestock Judging Champions.

Mikela Barton
On October 8, nine young women traveled to Jacksboro, Texas after being selected as one of the few talents to perform at the Centennial Celebration of 4-H. Seniors Mikela Barton, Brittney Chudej, Whitney Kellermeier, Amy Multer, Halie Schaefer, Junior Sydney Halfmann, and Sophomores Amber Halfmann, , Kelsey Jones and Lauren Schwartz were the members of the skit promoting 4-H and healthy habits.
At the State Round-Up this past summer, the girls won the “Share the Fun” Celebrate 4-H category with a unique and original play that promoted healthy living using humor. In the play, the “4-H Super Healthy Chicks” had undertaken the task of saving Brittney from childhood obesity.  Armed with neon yellow tights and plastic dishwashing gloves, the “Healthy Chicks” battled the villainous Root Beer and M&M using statistics and facts that emphasized the dangers of an unhealthy lifestyle.
After being given the honor of performing in front of hundreds of 4-H members at Round-Up, the group was credited again with the request of their presence at the Centennial.
The cast of “The 4-H Super Healthy Chicks” plans to participate once again in “Share the Fun” with a new skit. When asked what their plans were for next year, the girls said that their main goal would be, “to make people smile while spreading a good message”.