Mansfield School Blog

Bringing barnwarming home, MHS FFA members danced and played games on the evening of Nov. 20, ending the evening by crowning barnwarming king and queen. Seniors Cody Clayton and Lindsay Allen achieved the honor. Games included class against class tug of war, a hay bale toss and a Lifesaver relay.

Dance fever: Dominating the dance floor, junior Jessica Berry and sophomore Katie Hanson show off their moves. "I love to dance," said Berry, while Hanson added, "I'm not shy."

While flags around the nation flew at half staff in honor of victims of the tragic events of Nov. 5 at Fort Hood, Texas, MHS StuCo members served breakfast to local veterans. Attendees arrived at MHS at 7:30 a.m. and were greeted with bacon, eggs, pancakes, biscuits, and breakfast casserole prepared by StuCo members. Teresa Hinsley, FCCLA sponsor, provided kitchen facilities in her classroom.

Bacon and eggs: Delivering a breakfast order, Brianna Cubellis, freshman StuCo member, leaves Teresa Hinsley's classroom. "I was glad because they were all happy," said Cubellis of the event.

Following two weeks of participation by fourth hour classes, National Honor Society collected canned food items on Nov. 20 as part of their annual food drive. Class members and faculty brought non-perishable food to school to fight hunger in the area. The donated items were collected by NHS members for distribution by the local food pantry.

Stepping up: Senior Erin Dierksen, NHS president, carries bags of canned food out of counselor Natalie Cook's office during the canned food drive. "It is the best rewarding experience a person could hope for," said Dierksen.

Traveling to Springfield on Nov. 5, FFA members attended a barnwarming dance with FFA members from area schools. The most fun part of the event, said sophomore Trey Jones, was “dancing with the collection of girls from different schools.”

Barnwarming: On the dance floor, sophomores Trey Jones and Corben Burkhart make new friends at FFA's area barnwarming.

To show elementary students where their food comes from and how farm life works, FFA members spent Friday, Nov. 6, exhibiting their animals behind the school. Elementary teachers brought their students to the exhibits to see, and sometimes pet, the animals and to listen to FFA members talk about them.

Not every talk was serious, though. Sophomore Austin Stewart narrowly escaped a kiss from a llama while he was talking to an elementary school student. Stewart recalled that his thought at the time was, “I don’t want this llama to kiss me!” According to Stewart, the spot visible on his shirt was from spilled soda, not the amorous llama.

Llama love: Leaning back to avoid a kiss, sophomore Austin Stewart experiences an uncomfortable moment during Food for America.