Bighorn news: Butterflies, Spotlight and more

Senior Spotlight: Shelbi Bracken

Senior Shelbi Bracken started at Oasis Academy when she was in sixth grade. Those formative middle school years were under the guidance of Berenice de Leon, Shayna Byrd, and Jake Lewis.

Through her English Language Arts (ELA) classes, Bracken found a love of literature including novels “The Maze Runner” and “The Outsiders.”

“My ELA teachers imparted on us their joy for literature. Their enthusiasm and satisfaction in sharing the knowledge of the material was not lost on us as students,” Bracken said.

She has one memory that sticks out from her time at Oasis.

“My favorite memory is the lemonade/hot cocoa stands from Jake Lewis's math classes in eighth grade,” she said. “I really enjoyed the challenge of making the best drink and making the most money.”

Bracken has had several favorite teachers while at Oasis Academy, but during high school she enjoyed Government with Eric Grimes the most.

“Mr. Grimes was always engaging and though we discussed events in class that may have taken place hundreds of years ago, he always made them relatable to current times. He helped us draw comparisons, see similarities, and think more critically,” she said.

During her seven years at Oasis Academy, Bracken played volleyball for six of them, including playing middle school, junior varsity and varsity teams in high school.

She also has advice for future students.

“Don't be so worried about someone else's opinion that you forget who you are and no matter what ... be kind,” she said.

Bracken will graduate early. She will complete her high school diploma and her associate of arts degree from Western Nevada College in December. After graduation, she plans to attend the University of Nevada, Reno where she will study forensic criminology and social work.

Learning how to lead

The High School Student Council hosted its first leadership training session this month, where students worked to recognize conflict, improve communication, and effectively lead their peers. Through a variety of games and workshops, students went outside of their comfort zone and refined their leadership skills.

Activities included extemporaneous speaking, life-skills games on maintaining your composure and working with others, as well as a discussion to reflect on how the different lessons could be implemented in students’ extracurricular activities and lives. The games also recognized ongoing social media controversies, cultural etiquette, conflict mitigation, and the importance of empathy and reflective leadership.

“I’m so proud of the council we have, and I’m sure we’ll get a lot done this year. Above all else, we want to create an environment of Bighorn pride, inclusivity, and fun,” said Halle Feest, student body president and leadership training committee chairperson.

The leadership training committee, which is student-led, met for several weeks to plan the workshop, and engage with students. Ultimately, participation was phenomenal and garnered significant support and feedback from the student body’s leadership.

“The students are very vested in these sessions and make sure they are meaningful and relevant for student leaders. It is a lot of work, and this group is willing to do whatever it takes to improve leadership skills,” said Rochelle Tisdale, chief academic officer.

To learn more about the high school student council and leadership activities, contact adviser Eric Grimes, at egrimes@oanv.org.

— Hunter McNabb

Kindergarteners release butterflies

Kindergarten classes have been learning about lifecycles. They raised painted lady butterflies from eggs, to caterpillars, to cocoons, and finally to butterflies the last few weeks.

The culmination of the project ended Thursday with a butterfly release party.

“It was fun,” said kindergartener Evelyn Sanford. “My favorite part was releasing the butterflies.”

Students learned different things about the insects as they transitioned.

“I like when they were cocoons, they look like spider webs, and if you touch a butterfly’s wings they can’t fly,” Sanford added.

“The butterfly life cycle project is one of my favorite ones to do,” said Janet Renfroe, kindergarten teacher. “It gives the students such a hands-on opportunity to truly understand the life cycle process of the butterflies.”

It’s a project she knows the students enjoy.

“Students were fully engaged in the learning and loved tracking the status and changes that the butterflies were going through daily. Releasing the butterflies is a favorite activity by all students and having students from grades K-8 get to watch and be involved was awesome,” she said.