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HHS hosts state leadership
conference
This year, student leaders from across
Tennessee learned the benefits of life on the farm when Halls
High School hosted the state leadership convention for the
Tennessee Association of Student Council.
An enormous task for a school with only 400
students, the conference opened its arms to 475 student leaders
and advisors for the 61st annual TASC State Convention, “Sowing
the Seeds of Leadership.” The conference was a three-day event
with activities and workshops offered from the opening
ceremonies on Thursday afternoon until a farewell service on
Saturday.
HHS students and TASC Secretary Co-Hosts
Nathan Smith and Heather Hill joined officials from HHS, the
Lauderdale County Board of Education, community leaders, local
businessmen and area residents to welcome the students to the
area and offer them some old-fashioned country hospitality.
Real life tractors and farm animals met
attendees at the Opening Ceremonies, as well as a rock-climbing
wall set up by a local National Guard unit.
“This started out as a Halls High School
Student Council effort,” said HHS guidance counselor and Student
Council Advisor Mary Jo Crihfield. “And ended up as a Halls High
School effort. We needed the whole school to get this done.”
Students in Mr. Joe Clendenin’s construction
classes built a larger-than-life version of a big, red barn to
welcome conference-goers and set the stage for the rural theme
of the convention. The HHS FFA Chapter also rolled up their
sleeves to help organize events and decorations and offer
entertainment and activities throughout the weekend.
A petting zoo, square dance and “Ag Olympics”
are just a few examples of the featured fun offered to student
leaders and their advisors. Theme-oriented workshops offering
leadership advice included “Reap What You Sow: E-I-E-I-O,”
“Planting a Garden of Goodwill,” “Raising the Chickens and
Selling the Eggs” and “How to be a Farmer, Not a Farmhand.”
We are just proud as we can be,” said
Lauderdale County Superintendent of Schools Phillip Jackson. “It
was really an exciting time for HHS, Halls and all of Lauderdale
County because we had so many people come out help support the
school and the school system for this event. It’s rare that a
small school can put on such a great convention and get such
positive responses from all over the state, including the big
systems.”
“We have already received a lot of feedback,”
said Crihfield. “People who said that you could feel the
community involvement.”
Home-stay accommodations were offered by
residents of Halls and the surrounding communities. Community
members also provided give-a-ways, meals and prizes for those
attending the convention.
“We had people from Ripley, Halls and
Dyersburg hosting students. I just think it was a wonderful
thing to have the surrounding communities step up and help in
that way,” said Jackson. “It is no small undertaking for a
school of 400 students and a very small faculty to put on a
convention of this size. It really makes you look at the people
you have. The people at HHS did an outstanding job. It was very
professional and very well organized.”
Speakers included State Commissioner of
Agriculture Ken Givens, keynote speaker Mike Smith, Miss
Tennessee Grace Arnold Gore, rising Nashville singer Erick
Baker, attorney and public speaker Pamela Pitts and HHS alumni
Angela Hazlehurst, who was second runner-up in the 1998 Miss
America Pageant.
HHS Principal Andy Pugh, Lauderdale County
Superintendent Phillip Jackson, Halls Mayor Trent McManus,
Lauderdale County Mayor Rod Schuh and State Representative Craig
Fitzhugh spoke at the opening ceremonies, as well. |
