Pumpkin Carving Contest

Most of the competitions can be played at any time or in any order.  Our pumpkin carving contest happens right before Halloween, and we use the pumpkins submitted to decorate for our teacher/parent meeting in the fall of the year.

This contest can be as simple or as elaborate as you want to make it.  My rules were very simple:  Carve one pumpkin and place a candle in it.  No other markings or props could be used around the pumpkin.  Other schools in our district have used this competition and have allowed a table full of props and lighting around the pumpkin. 

When considering judges for the contest, think of people in the school or organization that may not participate but would be fun to include.  Also consider judges from outside the school or organization.  In the past we have used some of our special needs students, administrators from central office and our food service workers.

 

            We had no judging criteria other than for the judges to rank the pumpkins in order of favorite to least favorite.  The judge’s favorite pumpkin received 4 points and their least favorite receives 1 point.  We generally had at least five judges, and we added the scores of the five judges together to determine the winner, the first runner-up, and so on.  Pumpkins are presented to the judges anonymously so that competitors know their work is being judged fairly.  

Together... We have created a Culture of Excellence

During the past two weeks I have received three t-shirts that demonstrate what a great set of high schools we have in Scott County.  A set of schools that:

•  Performed in the 87 Percentile on state KPREP testing 
• Score in the Top 10% on ACT scores for a district year after year
• Offer the widest range of Advanced Placement courses in the state 
• Have over 1000 enrollments in Advanced Placement course 
• Increased College and Career Readiness from 44% to 70.5% in two years 
• Have athletic teams that compete for State Championships 
• Have a choral department that sell out Singletary Center 
• Have a band that have been graded distinguished every year since the mid 90's 
• Was awarded the Winner Circle Award for school culture (Elkhorn Crossing School) 
• Provide students with a diverse Career and Technical training both at ECS and SCHS 
• Cardinal Academy serves nearly 200 students in an alternative environment
• One of the best FFA Student and Alumni Chapters in the state and nation
• I invite others to add to this list of acheivements

We are proud of our teachers, administrators and especially our students.  I challenge others to post what makes them proud of their school.  We need to let others know that we do have great schools and that in the words of Teddy Roosevelt:
"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deed"

A 5K that helps provide food for our students

There are many great schools that need recognition.  Take time to post on social media what makes your school worthy of recognition.  Others, that may never enter our schools, will use social media to tear our schools down. Imagine what would happen if we all use social media to celebrate our school's successes.