HIGH SCHOOL
SPRING BREAK IS FINALLY HERE!
After months of hard work, many successes and lots of time spent in the halls of Pine Tree High School and at events around the state, it is finally time for spring break and a week of rest. Students, teachers and administrators are looking forward to the break.
Big things are going on at Pine Tree High School. AEP - American Exchange Project, a free domestic summer exchange program for seniors just graduating, is making its first appearance at Pine Tree. The program has been in the area for three years - Kilgore was the first school in the nation to have the program along with Lake Charles, Louisiana. Now the program has branched out to seventy-five communities across the United States, including Pine Tree High School in Longview.
Greg Collins, yearbook and BUC advisor, has been involved with the program for all three years. Fourteen Pine Tree High School graduating seniors will be traveling across the country this summer from June to August, and ten students from communities across the nation will be in Longview from June 19 to June 26 to experience East Texas.
The fourteen traveling seniors will serve as hosts for the visitors, along with Collins and PTHS staff and community members. “We should all explore the country in which we live, experience life as our fellow citizens experience it,” Dr. Glenn Young of Kilgore First Baptist Church, an executive board member of AEP, said. “We can all learn from this country’s rich history and cultures from the people in it and the places they call home.”
Students from Pine Tree will travel to Maine, Delaware, Minnesota, Florida, Ohio, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming and Tennessee. Visiting students will come from the sixteen states that are involved.
Collins is looking for people to help sponsor meals, lunch and dinner specifically, this summer for twenty-five people over a period of six days. Anyone interested in helping him can contact him at gcollins@ptisd.org.
SAT testing is occurring this week at the high school for almost 200 juniors. Counselors have been planning this event for months. Testing will assist students prepare for college and get an early start on applying to different institutions.
Band, choir and other units such as Skills USA are still involved in competitions. These students are busy working toward state and high rankings for their events.
On the sports front, it looks as if the boys soccer team will make the playoffs this year with just a few games to go in the regular season. Coach Rocha and the team are fighting for a great spot in the playoffs so they can go for the gold. Track is going well for PT, and the golf team has had three top three finishes in a row for tournaments as they get into their season.
Tennis, baseball, and softball are just now really getting into their seasons, but it is looking good on the diamonds for the PTHS teams.
Powerlifting is sending a number of students to the state meet. There are hopes for Pine Tree to have at least two state champions this year.
Choir is working on their spring Pop Show while the Precision Drill team is now rehearsing for its Spring Show in late March. Sponsor Ashlyn Thompson said the show will be full of excitement and showcase not only the drill team but other organizations as well.
UIL Academics continues to roll up the victories in meets as they move toward district, regionals and state in April. Terri Davis, this year’s Teacher of the Year at Pine Tree High School, has worked very hard along with coaches and sponsors to make sure the students are peaking at the right time. PTHS is a threat to take a district title in UIL this year, and it is also forecasted that Pine Tree could send upwards of twenty students to regionals and state.
BIRCH ELEMENTARY
Teacher of the Year: Birch Elementary School is pleased to announce Bonnie Smith as our Teacher of the Year. Bonnie is a fourth grade ELAR teacher who displays a genuine love for her
students and co-workers daily.
She strives to inspire each child to gain a love for reading that they will carry with them even past her classroom. Her kindness and generosity are an inspiration to those around her.
Congratulations, Bonnie Smith! We are grateful for you. You are a true example of Birch First.
2nd Grade Music Program - E-I-E-I-OOPS!
Once again, our music teacher, Teresa Meadows, led our students in performing a riveting musical performance. The Birch second graders sang, danced, and acted as a variety of farm animals and characters in the musical, E-I-E-I-OOPS! Not only did our BFF campus body enjoy a daytime performance, but the cafeteria was completely full of family and friend supporters during a packed out evening performance.
