Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, March 15, 1994 TAG: 9403160011
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: Melissa DeVaughn
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
The children brought in their sleeping bags, pillows, stuffed animals and favorite blankies for the event - it was bound to be the biggest slumber party of their lives. The purpose of the party: to celebrate the end of National Reading Month by reading at 30-minute intervals until bedtime. In between those times, the children would play games, listen to music, sing songs or work on other fun-time projects.
"They alternate the reading and the other activities and they don't even realize that they are actually in a very structured environment," said one parent, Anna Fariello. "They think they're just out having fun."
This is the fifth year that Belview has participated in the national Friday Night Prime Time slumber party. Children used to keep a record of the pages they read, but that wasn't any fun, said one of the 12 parent-volunteers, Barbara Duke. So this year, they just decided to let them read at their own speed without feeling pressured to compete.
Lee Skidmore, 10, said he was very disappointed when the event was postponed the week before because of bad weather. He looks forward to reading, he said, "especially adventures and chase stories."
"Sleeping with my friends is lots of fun," said 11-year old Malina Ferguson, "and I've already read all my book."
Malina's friend Katrina Milburn, 10, said her favorite books to read are the popular "Babysitter Books." Malina prefers "Calvin and Hobbes" cartoons, but says comic books don't count at Friday Night Prime Time.
And Daniel Carrier, 10, was busy reading two books on "Our Presidents" and one on airplanes.
"The kids won't sleep at all tonight," Duke said as the children rushed by her on the way to the library. "But they'll have lots of fun."
Because of all the recent bad weather, GRADING PERIODS have been altered for Montgomery County Schools. The fourth grading period will end today for elementary pupils and March 25 for middle and high school students. The fifth grading period will end May 6 for all students and the final grading period will end June 17.
The Blacksburg Middle School COMBINED CHORUS will sing the National Anthem and a cappella version of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" at tonight's Roanoke Express Hockey game in Roanoke.
The choir is under the direction of Samantha Quesenberry and includes members of the sixth, seventh and eighth grades.
Area middle and high school students are invited to compete in the American Cancer Society's 17th annual "LIFTING POUNDS TO BEAT CANCER" event Wednesday at Radford High School. The event is sponsored locally by the Radford-Montgomery unit of the cancer society.
School teams and individuals may compete, winning prizes while still raising money for the American Cancer Society.
Weigh-ins start at 6 p.m. and competition begins at 7. For further information, call Jack Johnson at 639-9307 or Norman Lineburg at 731-3605.
For those of you who missed it because of the recent ice storm, the CHRISTIANSBURG DEMON BOOSTERS CLUB will meet Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. in the boys health room at Christiansburg High School. Call 382-5178 for more information.
The Christiansburg Primary and Elementary School Parent-Teacher Associations will hold a SPAGHETTI DINNER Thursday in the elementary school cafeteria. Dinner will be served from 5-7:30 p.m. There also will be a bake sale during the dinner.
The cost for the meal is $2 for adults, $1 for children 4-12 and children under 4 can eat for free.
The Parent Resource Center for Montgomery County Schools is offering a TRANSITION PLANNING WORKSHOP for parents of adolescents with special needs Thursday from 6:30-9 p.m. at the Christiansburg High School vocational wing.
This workshop gives advice to parents who want to help their children have a smooth transition from high school into the community after graduating.
Free child care and snacks will be provided, but registration is expected. Call the Parent Resource Center at 382-5194.
The Fashion Merchandising Class at Blacksburg High School will present it's SPRING FASHION SHOW, called "You're Unbelieveable," Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. Admission is $3 and $2 for students. All money raised at the event will benefit the fashion merchandising class and its annual field trip to Atlanta.
With the arrival of spring, comes CRAFT SHOWS to benefit local area schools. Two shows are planned for Saturday:
Riverlawn Elementary School: 10 a.m.-4 p.m., featuring crafts, baked goods, raffles and drawings for door prizes. The school is on Dudley Ferry Road in Fairlawn. Call 639-3842.
Narrows Elementary School: 10 a.m.-6 p.m., featuring crafts and concessions. The school is at 501 W. Wolf St. in Narrows. Call 726-2391.
The Christiansburg High School AFTER PROM COMMITTEE will meet Monday at 7 p.m. in the girls health room. For further information, call 381-0059 or 382-3283.
To help celebrate "MUSIC IN OUR SCHOOLS MONTH," the pupils at Falling Branch Elementary School have several activities planned. On Monday, some of the sixth- graders will sing with the Radford University Wind Ensemble at the school's Parent-Teacher Association meeting at 7 p.m.
On March 29, several fourth-graders from Christiansburg will perform in the concert "Our Song Will Live," and at the end of March, the second-graders will begin an artist-in-residency program with Laurel String Quartet. Also, all classes willwatchthe world's largest concert, which carries the theme, "Music For Good Measure."
The Blacksburg New School will hold its annual OPEN HOUSE March 22 and 23 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day. Parents of New School students will be on hand to show guests the teaching facilities, introduce teachers and describe the various programs at the school.
For further information, call 552-6693 or 552-5323.
Getting bored of the same ole', same ole'? The Virginia Association for Biological Education is holding a seminar called NEW APPROACHES TO BIOLOGY TEACHING at Radford University March 25 and 26. Secondary and college-level instructors may attend. The keynote speaker will be Daniel Burke of the National Science Foundation. For further information, call Charles Kugler at 831-5714.
This week's featured high school is BLACKSBURG HIGH SCHOOL. Here's what's happening there:
The following students were chosen to participate in the all-district chorus: Dawn Himes, Suzanne Chisholm, Rachel Thompson, Leigh Anne Ridenour, Katie Harris, Dorothy Parker, Brook Porter, Kathryn Yaun and Kelley Trear.
Also, Heather Notter, Krisha Chachra, Terry Lovern, Steve Hunt, Justin Roe, Matt Feret, Michael Ogburn, Allison Meinke, Kate Schwabe, Katy Devens, Carrie Pappert, Margy Finegan, Marisa Winsky and Tiffany Peterson.
The forensics and debate teams won the Sweepstakes award at a tournament held in Madison County. Amy Johnson, Jing Wang, Dennis Price, Suzanne Chisholm, Jason Scott, Ahmad Kaiser, Adeel Kaiser, Joanne Wohlford, Amee Ranck, Sarah Landres and Njambi Good qualified for the national qualifying tournament. The forensics team also was the winner of the New River District tournament.
Merit Scholar finalists are Tristan Carolan, Koren Donohue, Adam Jortner, Chris Tyson and Jonathan Tze.
If you have an interesting school-related item for the paper, send it to Melissa DeVaughn at the Roanoke Times & World News, P.O. Box 540, Christiansburg, Va., 24073-0540.
by CNB