Belle Plaine is offering a great way to purchase the best book-of-the-year, the 2009-2010 yearbook, From Blueprints to Footprints directly through the mail or online.

In a partnership with Jostens, our yearbook printer, Belle Plaine is offering a program for purchasing yearbooks from the home. This simple method will eliminate the need for students to bring money to the school and allow parents the opportunity to discuss purchase decisions with students at home. Yearbook purchases will be made through the mail, Internet, or by simply calling a toll-free service hotline, 1-866-282-1516.
Additionally, a special feature of this program allows parents the option of an installment payment plan.

In October, students should have received complete details to order 2009-2010 yearbook, available options and ordering instructions. This is the only opportunity to purchase the yearbook this year, so make sure you get your yearbook ordered

The Belle Plaine, 2009-2010, From Blueprints to Footprints is being produced by the yearbook staff under the directions of Adviser Deb Maxwell and edited by Editor-In-Chief Jessica Landuyt and Brian Crow, seniors.

By Marlee Schminke

Every month the faculty selects one student who has excelled in his/her classroom. This award is given in recognition for the student’s hard work in the classroom. The students of the month for September are as follows:
Math-Jamie Rich; English-Franky Gallardo; Science- Ben Sayers; Social Studies-Ryan Zumbach; Business-Mallory Brandt; Family & Consumer Science-Zach Clement; Spanish-Sarah Hafner; German-Connor Roth; Physical Education- Richelle Stauffer; Art-Emily Hohn; Music-Reed Petersen; and AG-Keegan DeMeulenaere.
Those were the students of the month for September. Congratulations and keep up the hard work. Make sure you keep reading. Be sure to watch for the students of the month for October.

Students of the month include, Back Row: Ben Sayers, Zach Clement, Reed Petersen, Keegan DeMeulenaere, and Franky Gallardo.  Front Row: Emily Hohn, Sarah Hafner, Connor Roth, Mallory Brandt, Ryan Zumbach, Jamie Rich, and Richelle Stauffer.

Sterling Formanek is a freshman coming to Belle Plaine High School from the South Tama County School District. She attended STC schools all her life, but it was time for a change.

What’s the biggest change from your last school?
“BP is way smaller and a lot easier to get around.”
What do you like about BPHS?
“I like the smaller classes and it’s easier here.”
What activities have you been or will you be involved in?
“I played volleyball and I will be involved in basketball, golf, and softball. I would also like to get involved in speech.”
Do you have any siblings?
“No.”
What do you like to do in your free-time?
“I like to play basketball. I really like to shop, especially at Hollister and Nike. I also like to spend time with my boyfriend and my friends.”
What are your goals for high school?
“I would like to get good grades and perform at a high level in all the sports I participate in. I plan on graduating from BPHS in 2013 and attending Luther.”
What do you think of the community of Belle Plaine?
“It is a smaller community than Tama/Toledo, but I live in the country and am used to small communities.”
What is one thing that nobody knows about you?
“I hate ice cream.”
Since you are planning on attending Luther after graduation, what would you like to study?
“I want to be an ultrasound technician.”
What advice would you give to a new student?
“Get involved in sports and activities before you start the new school year, so that it is easier to start the year because you already get the chance to meet new people.”
Make sure if you happen to see Sterling at a sporting event or around town let her know that you’re glad that she is active and involved in the Belle Plaine School District.

By Deb Maxwell

Students at Belle Plaine High School coordinated Red Ribbon Week for the week of October 26th-30th. During this week students and staff participated in many K-12 activities.
On Monday the theme was “A Drug Free Life Rocks.” During this time several students and community members rocked throughout our school buildings as examples of local drug-free citizens as well as to show how important it is to be drug free. Students and staff also wore the color red with jeans to celebrate how “jean-ius” students and staff are in not using drugs. Students and staff were also given bracelets to wear to school everyday this week.
On Tuesday it was “Drug-free from your head to your feet;” crazy sock and hat day. The high school advisor groups were also given the task of designing a historical ghoul at which the top advisor group wins a pizza party and runner up ice cream. Ghouls were designed and hung up on Thursday by all homeroom classes. On Wednesday, students and staff wore sweats to celebrate “Being drug-free is no sweat.” On Halloween Eve and the final day of Red Ribbon Week allowed students and staff to wear costumes… “Hocus Pocus! Drugs Aren’t My Focus.”
Many other activities were participated in throughout the school week in all of the Belle Plaine School buildings. Thanks to all who helped celebrate and make Red Ribbon Week successful. Just remember to continue to be drug free.

Crash Group- Crash Test Dummies Vince and Larry hang out with Carl Meck and Zach Snyder.

Belle Plaine students work on their ghoul projects to help celebrate Red Ribbon Week.

Community members Jennifer L. Zaharadnik, left and Kristi Sorenson helped celebrate

Red Ribbon Week at the high school.

Jessie Simpson celebrates the day “DRUGS AREN’T SWEET FROM MY HEAD TO MY FEET DAY!”

By Dakota Hamilton

Belle Plaine Schools Parent/Teacher Conferences will be Wednesday, November 11th and Thursday, November 12th from 4 p.m. until 7:30 p.m.
Parent/Teacher Conferences are a great time to touch base with your child or children’s teachers. It is up to the student or parent(s) whether the student should be there or not.
The teachers talk about the student’s current grades and performance as well as getting to know the parent(s) on a more personal level. If a parent is unable to attend on those specific dates and times, educators are more than willing to meet before or after school on another date, or could even discuss the student’s grades and performance over the phone.
Parents should be watching for conference sheets with scheduled dates and times for conferences from their son or daughter either in their take home folders or personally from their son or daughter.
The next Parent/Teacher Conferences for 2nd semester are scheduled for February 2010; Tuesday, February, 16th and Wednesday, February 17th from 4:00 p.m. until 7:30 p.m.

The Yearbook staff would like to remind you that you must have a senior portrait and a baby picture turned in by January 20th 2010. This picture must be vertical in order to fit on the page. If you are unable to meet this deadline please contact Deb Maxwell so that arrangements can be made to have a picture taken or if it will be a later arrival on the photo. It is very important that we receive their pictures as soon as possible so that we can get them in the yearbook, so if you have them done please bring them in.

Dawn will also need to have three pictures turned in. The pictures are for prom, the newspaper, and the class composite. Please do not turn in a black and white photo for the newspaper. All of these pictures must also be vertical. In all we need four pictures turned in of your son/daughter in addition to the baby picture.

Once again please get these pictures turned in as soon as possible. Everybody wants to be in the yearbook, so get your pictures turned in. Thanks again for your time and if you have any questions please contact the Belle Plaine High School.

By Kayla Bergom

If you’re looking for a spooktacular time to have fun and be frightened make your way to Bloomsbury Farm’s Scream Acres or to Heart of Darkness in Waterloo now through Halloween night.
I went to Heart of Darkness with some friends. The cost was $12.00 per person. If you are easily scared this would be a spooky place to go. On a scale of one to five stars, five being the best…I would give The Heart of Darkness three stars. It took at least 15 minutes, but I wish it would have been longer. You enter the castle with your group holding on to a rope. We were in complete darkness and left on our own toward the end. The scariest part was the creepy clowns.
When I went to Bloomsbury Farm’s Scream Acres with some friends it was probably the scariest haunted “house” I have ever been to. Walking through the corn field took about 30 minutes. The cost was $15.00 per person. I give Scream Acres five stars for the scary chainsaws and because we never knew who, when, or where someone was going to jump out of the corn.
Heart of Darkness is located on Heartland Farms, 5111 Osage Road Waterloo, Iowa or you can visit the website at http://entertheheartofdarkness.com. Bloomsbury Farm is located at 3260 69th Street outside of Atkins, Iowa. Their website is http://bloomsburyfarm.com.

By Tyler Striegel

Freshmen should realize early the importance of academic performance and school involvement as soon as they begin high school. Freshmen should know how many credits it takes to graduate as well as the meaning of their transcripts, class rank, and GPA.
When preparing for your senior year freshmen here at Belle Plaine High School should understand their transcripts and meet with Miss Daily, the school counselor every year to update their 4-year plan. Transcripts give colleges and work places a chance to look at your academic performance and see what activities each student was involved in.
Each student at BPHS needs a total of 47 credits to graduate (35 academic credits and 12 elective credits). To graduate each student needs the following credits: seven English credits (English IA/B, English IIA/B, English IIIA/B, English IV), six credits in math, two credits in Physical Science, two science elective credits, two credits in American History, two credits in Biology, two credits in World History, one credit in Economics, one credit in Government, one credit in Word Processing, one credit in Health, four credits of PE or Physical Conditioning, one credit in Speech, one credit in fine arts (band, choir, art) two credits in a technical class (Family & Consumer Science, Computer, Industrial Tech, Ag, or Business) and 12 electives of your choice.
Your grade point average (GPA) is used for honor roll, athletic eligibility, academic lettering, and class rank. It is important to note that your cumulative GPA will determine class rank, which is recalculated at the end of each semester. All students should strive for a 4.0 (A average) which helps gain scholarship money and show success.
So all you freshmen get to know your transcript and your school counselor for a better understanding of the importance of your GPA, class rank, and credit status so your senior year can be stress free.

WHAT’S HAPPENING AT BPHS
OUR SCHOOL ROCKS! That was the theme of Red Ribbon Week 2009. A vast array of activities brought the Plainsmen together to celebrate living a safe and drug-free life. We kicked off the week by ROCKIN’ in the schools. Every hour a different local celebrity took a SEAT in a rocking chair to show us that we need to take a STAND against drugs. Their non-stop 60 minutes of rocking hour after hour reminded the Plainsmen that together our community can make a difference! We’d like to thank the following ROCKERS: Janice Grace, Deb Mescher, Mallory Brandt, Evan Hrabak, Judy Schlesselman, Joel Formanek, Dawn Stull, Jennifer Zahradnik, Kristi Sorenson, Kris Baburek, Carol Peterson, Ariel Hawkins, Abbi Garling, Chris Palmer, Russ Spading, Duronda Schlue, Lauren Kurovski, Principal Phelps, Joy Cronbaugh, Jim Daily, Kathy Daily, Chris Wickwire, Ivan Alcott, Connor Roth, Marie Stratford, Katie Chilcote, Tammy Kolash, Julie Croft, and Katie Paar. We really appreciate the staffs’, students’, and community’s participation in Red Ribbon Week and hope its message last 365 days a year!
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT FOR ALL SENIORS: Financial Aid Night is Monday, November 16th at 6:30 p.m. in the BPHS Cafeteria. It is an INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT NIGHT filled with great information that is going to impact your immediate and long-term futures. Please plan to attend—and invite your parent/guardian to join you!

By Christina Brake

Seniors should be preparing for college, the military or full-time employment after high school. Graduation is Sunday, May 23, 2010.
All students must apply for colleges by November 1st. There are many good colleges out there in and out of state. If you find one that you are looking into going to it is a good idea to visit that college before it’s too late. When colleges look at your application they will look at your transcript, ACT scores, GPA, what activities you have participated in and the application may even require an essay to write. If you have failed classes certain colleges may not consider and accept you to their college, especially if you don’t have a positive attitude or are a student who doesn’t do their best to be successful. Seniors should be filling out all scholarships they qualify for. Scholarships are free money that can be used for tuition, books, housing, tools, and living.
If you are interested in the military you should have already spoken with a recruiter, passed the ASVAB and taken the Military Entrance Processing Station or MEPS.
If you plan on working right after high school make sure you are capable of filling out a work application correctly without spelling errors. Also make sure you have some experience in the occupation and that you have reliable references.
Part of being a senior is planning for your future whether it is college, military or full-time employment.