Steer Nation Message 1-31-20 Shelter in a Storm

GOOD MORNING AND HAPPY FRIDAY!

Graham Public Education Foundation- On behalf of the Graham Public Education Foundation (GPEF), thanks a ton to our staff and community for making the GPEF Harlem Wizards event a huge success! Approximately $18,000.00 was raised through this event. These funds will be provided to our teachers this spring via teacher innovative grants.

Lady Blues Soccer- The Lady Blues will be at Newton Field this evening facing Decatur. The JV game will begin at 5:30 pm with the Varsity contest to follow. Go Lady Blues!

Graham Steer Soccer- The Steers will be on the road for a 5:00 pm game against Decatur. Go Steers!

Register to Vote:  Register to VOTE and please share!

The deadline to register to vote in the Texas primary election is February 3rd (NEXT MONDAY). Make sure you are registered so you can make your voice heard. TEV partner, the League of Women Voters of Texas, has a short video created by Texas students, that explains registering and voting in the Texas primaries. Watch and share!

To do:

1.    Check your voter registration to make sure it is accurate and up to date.

2.    Register to vote.

3.    Remind your friends, co-workers, and family members to register to vote before February 3 so they can vote in the primary election.

4.    Watch and share this LWVTX video about registering and voting in the Texas primaries.

Shelter in a Storm

Excerpt from Pencils Paper & Prayer by Matt Stephens Ed.D.

Picture yourself as a warm, cozy room with a fireplace and that some of your students are wandering outside on a very cold night. You serve as a refuge- a place to step into from the dark and bitter cold. You are the place where children can warm themselves, regenerate, and feel safe for a while.

Some of our children spend their lives in a cold, hard environment. They go through some rough times, and they may begin to wonder if there is any purpose to life. At times, they will seek refuge and may need to step into your cozy room for a while.  You can warm them up and make them feel better about themselves and the world.

We are to serve as protectors of children. As educators, we are in the perfect position to serve as a refuge for our students… to provide shelter in a storm!

Have a great day!

CORNY JOKE OF THE DAY

What’s orange and sounds like a parrot?  

A Carrot!

Steer Nation Message 1-24-20 Sharpen the Ax

GOOD MORNING AND HAPPY FRIDAY!

GPEF Harlem Wizards Game- 7:00 pm, Monday, January 27th in the GHS gym. Get your tickets today at https://harlemwizards.thundertix.com/events/161275.

Be sure to purchase your tickets in advance. If available, tickets will be sold at the door for $12 for students and $15 for adults. THE ONLINE BOX OFFICE FOR THIS EVENT CLOSES AT 11:59 PM THE NIGHT PRIOR TO THE GAME. If you purchase tickets online, you will receive your ticket via email. You MUST print the ticket(s) and bring them to the event. Your ticket will be scanned for entry.

https://youtu.be/fM7OrqfxiCg

DECA Students Excel at the District Contest- DECA prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality and management in high schools and colleges around the globe. Graham High School had sixteen students compete at the district contest. Thirteen advanced to State! Congrats to our students on a job well done!!! Advancing to State: Aimee McShan and Cooper Gordy in Financial Analysis Team Decision Making; Liliana Huerta in Human Resource Management Individual Series Event, Michel Graham in Principles of Marketing; Rebecca Beale and Kendall Zimmer in Travel & Tourism Team Decision Making; Carly Morris

Sports and Entertainment Marketing Individual Series Event; Kyndall Norman and Wil Shifflett in Hospitality & Tourism Team Decision Making; Lee Pierce and Travis Anderle in Sports and Entertainment Team Decision Making; Irene Jones in Quick Serve Restaurant Management Individual Series Event; Aubrey Iles in Apparel & Accessories Individual Series Event.

GHS Theater and Choir Set to Perform Xanadu, Jr.- Xanadu, Jr. is right around the corner! Come see this fun show produced by GHS Choir and Theatre Departments Sunday, 1/26 at 2 or Monday, 1/27 at 5:30 at the GHS Auditorium. Tickets are available at the door and all seats are $5. In Xanadu, Jr. a Greek muse inspires love, laughter and the world's first Roller Disco in this 1980s glitter explosion based on the film and Broadway musical. Come see these amazing and dedicated students present a fun mash-up of Greek mythology, '80s culture, and Rock & Roll!

Rompin Stompin Big Blue Band- Our students had an impressive showing at the ATSSB Region 7 All-Region Band Clinic and Concert this past weekend! Congratulations on a job well done!  Concert Band- Taylor Mairena, Jacob Huitt, Alex Trejo, Chaucey Thomas, Shaylynn Brown. Symphonic Band- Madalyn Oakes, Dawson Grubbs, Zara Van Alstyne. Honor Band- Anthony Martinez, Madison Freeman.

Student-Athletes Earn Academic Awards- This past Monday evening the Graham Athletic Booster Club held its annual Sports Banquet to honor those who participated in Fall sports. Our students do an excellent job of representing themselves and our community on the various playing fields and courts. I specifically want to highlight those that are doing an excellent job of taking care of their business in the classroom Congrats to the following for excelling academically! Lady Blues Volleyball Academic All-State: Alex Husen, Sr., Chole Menard, Sr.  Lady Blues Volleyball Academic All-District: Alex Husen, Sr., Chloe Menard, Sr., Sarah Sanders, Jr., Heidi Cusenbary Jr., Lily Gregory, Jr., Leah Holland, Jr., Reese Echols, Jr., Hannah Isom, Jr., Morgan Patterson, Jr., Ashton Reese, Jr., Aubrey Iles, Jr., Marilyn Milton, Jr., Lilli Brockway, Sr., Britain Thayer, Sr. Graham Steer Football Academic All-State: Brody Rogers, Sr., Grady McBride, Sr., and Tanner George, Sr.

Lady Blues Basketball- The Lady Blues remained undefeated in district play with the victory over Vernon on Tuesday. This evening they will be on the road vs Hirschi. GO LADY BLUES… BEAT THE LADY HUSKIES!

Graham Steer Basketball- The Steers defeated the Vernon Lions on Tuesday evening. Tonight they will be at Hirschi High. GO STEERS BEAT THE HUSKIES!

Lady Blues Soccer- Safe travel and good luck at the Snyder Tournament!

Graham Steer Soccer- Best of luck at the Kennedale Tournament!

Graham Basketball Spaghetti Supper- Thursday, January 30 at 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm at FUMC McCree Hall. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased from any Lady Blues or Steer basketball player.

Sharpen the Ax

Once upon a time, a very strong woodcutter asked for a job in a timber merchant, and he got it. The pay was really good and so were the work conditions. For that reason, the woodcutter was determined to do his best. His boss gave him an ax and showed him the area where he was supposed to work.

The first day, the woodcutter brought 18 trees.  "Congratulations," the boss said. "Go on that way!"

  

Very motivated for the boss’s words, the woodcutter tried harder the next day, but he only could bring 15 trees. The third day he tried even harder, but he only could bring 10 trees. Day after day he was bringing less and less trees.

"I must be losing my strength", the woodcutter thought. He went to the boss and apologized, saying that he could not understand what was going on.

"When was the last time you sharpened your ax?" the boss asked.

"Sharpen? I had no time to sharpen my ax. I have been very busy trying to cut trees..."

***

Our lives are like that. We sometimes get so busy that we don't take time to sharpen the "ax". In today's world, it seems that everyone is busier than ever but less happy than ever. Why is that? Could it be that we have forgotten how to stay "sharp"? There's nothing wrong with activity and hard work. But we should not get so busy that we neglect the truly important things in life. If we don't take time to sharpen the "ax," we will become dull and lose our effectiveness. Never be too busy to sharpen your “ax!”

Have a nice day!

CORNY JOKE OF THE DAY:

Why can’t basketball players go on vacation? 

They aren’t allowed to travel.