The Citizen chronicles the final day of the county’s smallest
economy

The Kindergarten Hall at Morgan County Primary School transformed last week into Main Street, as the smallest of the county’s students got their first lesson in economics.

The school’s annual Tiny Town exercise was a demonstration in spending, saving and earning, and taught students what goes into running a business.

The more than 10 classrooms on the Kindergarten Hall became varying student-run shops. There was the Tiny Town Fitness Center, the Madison Moo Ice Cream Shop, Miss Ellen’s Nature Shoppe, Under the Sea at MCPS (complete with bubbles), the Morgan County Primary Theater, Around the Corner Book Stand, the Panda Shave Shop and Nail Salon, The Dollar Store, Panda Shots Photography, a card shop, a sweet shop, and (the Citizen’s favorite) the Disco Soda Shop, “where you can dance and have drinks and snacks,” according to 5-year-old C.J. Charles.

A week prior to the event, students earned “money” to use at Tiny Town through their good behavior. Kindergarteners were required to work at their respective stores a bit, but also went out and spent their hard-earned “money” at the stores of their choosing.

Each day, when the stores closed, classes would sit down and count the money their store earned, pay that day’s workers and hand out bonuses to those students who did the best job.

Tiny Town meant lessons in math, economics and, well, customer service—most every visit ended with a “Have a nice day!” echoing the hall.

Printed in the March 17th, 2011 edition.

By Michael Prochaska
Staff Writer

Morgan County High School students dipped their toes into foreign affairs as mock diplomats on Feb. 27 through March 1 at the YMCA’s annual Georgia United Nations Assembly in Macon.

The competition was a simulated session of an international council in which “participants research a country, investigate international issues, debate, deliberate, consult, and then develop solutions to world problems,” according to GUNA’s webpage.

Senior Katherine Key, who represented Norway, took home the award for best female debater for a resolution on equal opportunity for women in peace making procedure.

She was inspired to choose Norway after watching the Norwegian Curlers in last year’s winter Olympics. “It’s the best place to live in the world. It has the highest standard of living,” Key said.

Garrett Godbey and Benjamin Thurston received the “best nation” award for portraying Germany, Michael Raven took home best male debater, and Reed Pagett and Ryan McSherry won best costume for a team that represented Italy.

“It is so moving to me to observe them standing in front of a group and being articulate and knowledgeable,” said Jennifer Eberhart, a social studies teacher at Morgan County High School who enjoys supervising students on the annual trip.

She said Emily Jones, the senior presiding officer for high school debate, did a professional job following parliamentary procedure and directing speakers.

Eberhart said it makes her proud that the kids who put their heart into the research and debate can grasp how foreign politics work in the real world.  

By Kathryn McBroom
Staff Writer

Two members of Morgan County Middle School’s chorus will really have something to sing about come Feb. 26.

Eight grade chorus students Callie Peace and Jessica Bailey made it through several months and two grueling auditions to become a part of the 2011 All-State Chorus. Students from around the state of Georgia audition in order to secure one of the few coveted slots available.

Both girls have been choral students for several years. Peace began in third grade, and Bailey in second grade. With help from MCMS chorus teacher Laura Foster, almost a dozen chorus students began preparing over the summer for the first, and most difficult, audition.

“She’s let us practice during class and she’s let us have after school rehearsals,” said Peace.

“She’s [Foster] been extremely helpful with everything,” said Bailey.

After a long and arduous wait, Peace and Bailey found out they had made it through the first round. Peace said she was so happy, she cried upon hearing the news.

“She [Foster] actually brought us to the front of the room and had a picture and a big banner for us after the first audition,” said Bailey.

Before Christmas break the girls received the music they would need to have prepared for their second audition, which was held after their return from the holidays.

The Wednesday before the All-State Chorus is due to perform, students will arrive and spend two days practicing the selected music.

“There’s about five or six songs that we sing. Four of the five we sing are in a different language,” said Bailey.

As for Foster, she couldn’t be prouder of her students, saying they’re both “wonderful girls.”

                                               Printed in the March 10, 2011 edition.

By Michael Prochaska
Staff Writer

The Morgan County Bulldogs came in second place after Pike County at the Region 4-AA Literary Competition on Friday, March 4.

First through fourth places are awarded to students in boys and girls essay, dramatic interpretation, extemporaneous speaking, vocal solo, girls’ trio, and boys’ quartet.

Jake Pendergraft, a first place winner in extemporaneous speaking,
Connor O’Neal, a first place victor in vocal solo, and Ashton Prior, who scored first place in female vocal solo, will go forward on March 19 to Veteran’s High School in Warner Robins for the State Literary Meet.

Laura Margaret Burbach placed third in extemporaneous speaking. Reed Padget tied in fourth place
for dramatic interpretation,

Dillon and Moore scored fourth in essay.

Rachel Shanklin, Chelsea Lowe, and Lauren Cagle went home with a second place title in Girls Trio, while Connor O’Neal, Thomas Hughes, Caleb Bell, and Anthony Callihan also received second place for boys’ quartet.
The Morgan County Literary Team accumulated a total of 36 points, five points less than first place title, Pike County, according to Mark Argo, the region literary coordinator and math teacher at Morgan County high school.

Printed in the March 10, 2011 edition.

The talented artists of Morgan County Primary School are in high demand – at least, by their parents.
And they just had the art show to prove it.

More than 700 pieces of student artwork were on display in the primary school’s gym Wednesday, Feb. 23, as each of the school’s Kindergarten, first and second grade students had a single piece in the show.

The show doubled as a fund-raiser for the school’s art program. Alpharetta, Ga.-based Artomé was called in to frame the piece – they also set up the show the night before – and each individually created work of art sold for $25.

“I think parents enjoy seeing what their children are really capable of creating,” primary school art teacher Leslie Ryals wrote, in e-mail correspondence. “By framing the work, we have captured a ‘treasure’ they will enjoy forever.”

The show’s subject matter differed according to grade level: Kindergarten students worked with Pete the Cat; first grade students, snowmen; and second grade students created their own version of Van Gogh’s “Starry Night.”

More specifically, Kindergarten students read the book “Pete the Cat I Love My White Shoes” by Eric Litwin. After learning to use tempera cakes, according to Ryals, students were required to paint their own Pete, choose what shoes Pete would wear, add “a foreground of something Pete stepped in based on the color word on their table,” and then add detail with Sharpie markers. (Further, in an event funded by the school’s PTO, the author gave an interactive performance.)