Saturday, May 18, 2024
Students Share Highlights of Annual Shelby Shake Event
ABOVE: Reagan Dillon, Amy Dillon, Rev. Beth Crouch and Nancy Torres lead stations for students McKenzie Haehl and Abby Gwinnup. | photo by JACK BOYCE
When pressed to pick a favorite Shelby Shake station from Thursday morning, several Shelbyville Middle School seventh graders hesitated. Their eventual responses were varied.
Mia McNicholas cited the station in the auxiliary gym where students were told to open one of three mystery boxes. The stakes were high: two boxes contained a cup of pickle juice, which the student was encouraged to drink. One box reportedly contained a valuable gift card. (In reality, all three contained pickle juice.) McNicholas quickly got over her disappointment. “It was really fun trying to guess, and then laughing about it with (facilitator) Warren (Robison) afterwards,” she said. Owen Shively was brave enough to take a drink. “It was my first time drinking pickle juice, so it was pretty new to me,” he said.
Alex Staker successfully identified almost every Shelby County community on an unmarked map provided by facilitator Bob Williams.
Ava White enjoyed her time at a cornhole game, although she spent more time talking to facilitator Christine DeBaun than playing. “We are friends and just talked for the whole minute,” White said.
Wyatt Sharp had a similar experience during his meeting with Mayor Scott Furgeson, with whom he spent the minute talking sports.
Jayda Powell said she appreciated Station No. 21. “My favorite interaction was with David Finkel. I liked speaking with him because he seemed very interested in what I was saying and he kept the conversation going even if I had nothing to say.”
Finkel’s station was part of Interview Alley, a place Elizabeth Washburn found of practical use. “There were many people with different things to ask. I really felt like to answer the questions, you had to think deeply, and that you couldn’t just say a few words,” she said. “It was a thought-provoking experience for me.”
The annual interactive activity aligns with the state’s High Ability curriculum focusing on “Power: Leaders, Legacies, and Leverage.” This event is often cited by students as a highlight of their middle school careers. The goal is not only to teach interpersonal skills, but also to connect aspiring leaders with community leaders.
Halle Parker most enjoyed interpreting the meaning of Native American artwork on a vase, led by facilitator Brooke Caldwell. “(Caldwell) is a very wholesome, understanding person,” Parker said. “She will make you feel welcome and present in the moment with her.”
Caldwell’s daughter, Chloe, received some relevant advice from retired Judge Charles O’Connor, who graduated from Notre Dame, a school of interest for Chloe. “(O’Connor) told me to hold onto big dreams and not lose sight of them,” she said.
The 55 Honors students interacted with 75 community leaders, including answering a presidential press conference question about the limits of campus protests and meeting with State Rep. Jenny Meltzer.
America Leon Torres said her favorite part was the informal interactions with facilitators after the event concluded. Other students also couldn’t land on one favorite station, but appreciated the whole experience.
“I was really nervous, but once I went through like four stations, I was fine, because the people made me relax since they were so nice,” Laiyla McLane said.
Caleb Agosto agreed. “I can’t name a favorite interaction because everything was my favorite,” he said. “I loved everything and being a part of it.”
Chloe Boggs admitted arriving “very, very nervous” to reporter Anna Tungate at one of the stations. “I feel silly now because I was so nervous,” Boggs said. “I actually feel very safe and important here.”
BELOW: Shelby County Democrat Party Chair Denny Ramsey and attorney Martha Showers ask Laiyla McLane which political office she would run for, and why. Additional photos can be viewed here… | photo by JACK BOYCE
NOTEBOOK:
NATIONAL NEWS: Caitlin Clark, the college basketball phenomenon who was just drafted into the WNBA, opened up the season for the Indiana Fever against the Connecticut Sun. The game averaged 2.12 million viewers on ESPN2, the most-watched game since 2001, which was a Memorial Day game between Los Angeles and Houston. The all-time viewership record for the WNBA remains the 5.04 million viewers who tuned in to the first-ever WNBA game when the New York Liberty faced the Los Angeles Sparks in June of 1997. Still, it was more watched than the 1.99 million who tuned in to the Bruins-Panthers NHL playoff game on the main channel ESPN. (Sportico/Numlock)
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This Day in Shelby County History
2014: The Shelbyville High School boys track team won their first HHC track and field title, ending a 59-year drought. Daniel Kuhn ran one of the fastest 400s in the state after winning both the 800 and the long jump, and anchored the winning 3,200 relay team. Shelbyville had been a top contender the year before, but DeShaun French was recovering from a concussion and sprinter Jake Laker injured his hamstring during the conference meet. Kuhn was not part of that team. He had played baseball the previous three seasons. Devin Graham, French, Chandler Martin and Ben Lock also had top performances.
2004: Members of the Shelbyville Rotary Club planted flowers on the Harrison Street bridge over Big Blue River.
1994: Forms for the concrete deck of the new Harrison Street bridge were set. The new bridge was part of the state’s North State Road 9 improvement project.
1984: Stacy Collingwood and Gregg Cory were named queen and king of the Morristown High School prom. Other members of the court were Kendy Smith, Joy Rush, Dawn Benson, Jane Linville, Mike Kuhn, Brent Morris, Mike Mullins and Tony Matney.
A Shelby County man who had moved to Colorado was arrested when he went to get a criminal record check so he could be housed at the Salvation Army. During the check, authorities found he was wanted for theft in Shelby County. He was returned to Shelbyville for charges to be filed.
1974: Shelby County Cable TV received permission from the Federal Communications Commission to start operations. John S. Anderson was president of the local cable TV firm’s board of directors. Plans called for the installation of some 66 miles of heavy coaxial cable from the tower site throughout the city. The monthly service rate would be $6.50 plus $1 per additional TV set.
Tim Simpson was named the Shelbyville High School Paul Cross medal recipient. The presentation was made by Robert Wainscott, SHS principal.
1964: Over 100 new automobiles were on display at the third annual Farmers National Bank 500 Auto Show, staged on two large lots on E. Jackson St., just east of Harrison St. The show area covered the Farmers Bank parking lot and the Shelco Motors lot. All seven Shelbyville new-car dealers participated.
Dean Shadley won the Earl Trees Award for outstanding city school patrol boy, presented by Sgt. Louis Myers and donor representative Jim Williams. Shadley was from Pearson. Other nominees were James Ranochak (St. Joe), Floyd Arthur (Major), Farrell Carson (Hendricks), Darrell Mollenkopf (Loper) and Steve Coy (Coulston).
1954: A major fire occurred at 127 E. Franklin St., site of the Harry Anderson Transfer Co. A series of explosions preceded the fire, injuring one employee and a fireman, Captain Fred Breeding.
1944: Shelby Township School was damaged in a wind and electrical storm. The smoke stack blew down, crashing into the center of the building with part of it falling into the basement.
Sgt. Nolan Havens, 27, of Hanover Township, was a prisoner of war in Germany, the War Department announced. He had been missing in action after a raid over Germany on April 11.
1934: The school board purchased two acres immediately west of the Addison Township school. The tract was part of a 65-acre farm owned by Ethelyn Brown, matron of the Gordon Children’s Home. Mrs. Blanche Mount, the principal, said she planned to rearrange the playground, with the new tract to be used by the boys while the boys’ old playground would be used by the girls.
1924: An errant report over the radio, picked up by the few who owned one in Shelbyville, reported a bomb had been sent to President Calvin Coolidge. The Republican refuted the report, and noted that newspapers took seriously their obligation of vetting reports before sharing them.
1914: The Eagles Carnival opened. East Washington Street and the east half of Public Square were used for the exhibits. The merry-go-round was placed on Public Square near the interurban tracks. The Ferris Wheel was near the corner of Washington and Pike Streets.
OBITUARIES
Lavinna Bayless, 97, of Gilbert, Arizona, formerly of Fairland, passed away Sunday, May 12, 2024, at the Savana House in Gilbert. She was born on February 17, 1927, in Rush County. Lavinna was one of seven children born to James Frank and Ethel Marie (Patterson) Carpenter. On April 16, 1948, she married Joel Harrison “Harry” Bayless, and he preceded her in death on June 5, 2009. Lavinna is survived by her daughter, Jennifer Bayless of Gilbert, Arizona. In addition to Harry, Lavinna was preceded in death by her parents; daughter, Machelle Good; and son, Joel G. Bayless.
Lavinna graduated from Waldron High School in 1945. She was a member of New Life United Methodist Church. Lavinna retired from K&F Industries, where she was a bookkeeper. She enjoyed reading and gardening.
Graveside services will be 1 p.m. Wednesday, May 22, 2024, at East Hill Cemetery, Rushville. Services have been entrusted to Freeman Family Funeral Homes and Crematory, 819 S. Harrison St. in Shelbyville. Online condolences may be shared with Lavinna’s family at www.freemanfamilyfuneralhomes.com.