Yosemite High School
Blue Print
June 4, 2004 - Volume 27 Number 6

Art Trails lets students learn
about careers in art

District Teacher and Employee of the Year

Construction projects continue at YHS

Winners announced for Oakhurst Film Festival

Art Trails lets students learn
about careers in art
JUDY DURR
Jonathan Fleming, shown at left, a 1996 Yosemite High graduate, was among the artists featured at the Badger Art Trails program in May. The event was coordinated by Stephanie Samuels in the Career Center to allow students to meet local artists and to learn about careers in art. Fleming concentrates exclusively on glass jewelry. He is holding the torch he uses in his work.

Students had an opportunity to watch local artists at work and to learn about careers in art during the recent Badger Art Trails display at YHS. Stephanie Sam-uels from the Career Center arranged the event.

Several classes visited the exhibits and talked to the artists about their work and the career opportunities.

Among those participating were 1996 YHS graduate Jonathan Fleming, glass art; Donn Lusby, photography; Joan Constable, watercolor; Sheila Boyd, professional artist recently doing airbrush makeup for Hollywood residents; Red Man Singers, Native American drummers who hope to go to national competition in the near future; Jacqueline Kurt, fiber artist; Rich Powell, a concept artist, 3D artist and art director; Don Putman, sculptor; Terry Robison, creative artist who worked as an assistant art director for a nationwide magazine; and Christine Loberg White, photographer.

After spending time at Art Trails, Katie Wigley said “I think the art show was a fantastic idea. Not only because it gave you a chance to be able to see and meet artists and their wonderful art, but because this was a great way to come into contact with different sorts of art. the feeling that you can receive by just looking at a simple portrait and being able to be drawn into it is breathtaking. I personally loved the art show and thought it was a great experience and opportunity,.” Wigley said.

District Teacher and Employee of the Year

2004 Yosemite Joint Union High School District
Teacher of the Year Diane Adney
with Principal Steve Raupp


2004 Yosemite Joint Union High School District
Employee of the Year Valinda Clevenger
with Principal Steve Raupp

For the past seven years, the Yosemite Joint Union High School District has honored a Teacher of the Year and an Employee of the Year. The employee of the year is anyone who is not a full-time teacher.

This year Diane Adney was selected as the Teacher of the Year and Head Counselor Valinda Clevenger is Employee of the Year.

Adney teaches at Mountain View High School and teaches the ASB class at Yosemite High. She is also the activities director for YHS.

Clevenger was an original staff member when YHS opened. She taught physical education and was a coach before becoming a counselor and then head counselor.

Staff members in the district nominate people for the honors and then a committee selects the recipients. The committee includes two teachers, two classified employees, two administrators and one person from alternative education.

The Teacher of the Year has the opportunity to submit an application for County Teacher of the Year.

Ellen Peterson was selected the Madera County Teacher of the Year in 1999 after being named YJUHSD Teacher of the Year. County teachers of the year are then considered in the selection process for state teacher of the year.

The district honorees were announced at the annual retirement / awards dinner that was held May 18.

Construction projects continue at YHS

Yosemite High Principal Steve Raupp and Head Football Coach Aaron Eames are shown admiring the new turf as it was being put down on the football field in mid-May. Sod was used on the field so it will be ready for the Class of 2004 graduation ceremony June 9. It took two days to completely cover the field with sod.

Work will continue throughout the summer on the construction projects at Yosemite High.

When students return in August, they will be greeted by a completely renovated football stadium and track. The track will have an all-weather surface by then.

The football field has been covered with sod and will be inaugurated by the Class of 2004 graduation June 9.

Lighting will be installed over the summer.

The swimming complex will be completed by the end of July and ready for use when school starts.

Work will be done over the summer on the riding arena at the ag farm.
The performing arts center will not be completed when the fall semester starts, but it is expected to be ready for use in January.

Construction will get underway over the summer on the 23-classroom building at the front of the campus. It will not be ready for occupancy until sometime in 2005.

The parking area near the performing arts center will be completed within the next few weeks.

Yosemite Joint Union High School District Superintendent Bill McCabe expects all of the construction projects to be completed by the end of 2005.
The project started in 1999 and, when completed, will have a value of approximately $30 million.

Funds for the work come from a local bond passed by voters in 1998, state bond funds, state matching funds, grants, developer fees and private donations.

The YHS campus was built in the early 1970s and opened in 1976 with 421 students. There are now about 1200 on campus.

Winners announced for Oakhurst Film Festival

The 5th annual Oakhurst Regional Film Festival was held in mid-May at Yosemite High.

YHS student winners were:
Overall winner, Shut Eye Theory, Jake Lownsbury, Zach Presho and Chad Mooney; second place, Hand Guns, Cody Campbell, Tim Williams, Tim Springer and Jessica Tucker; second, Virtual Boy, Cameron Tsang, Ben Hensley and Alex Holmes; second, The Great Escape, Tsang, Hensley and Holmes. Honorable mention, If It Takes All Night, Brittany Gorman.

The overall winners received $200; second place and honorable mention received $100.

This year’s Film Festival was organized by YHS EAST students Geoff Kramer and Tim Jarrell. It was sponsored by Rusty Murphy and the MET Cinema and Harry Hammerling of Hammertech, Inc.

There are categories for pre-high school, high school and post high school. This year there were entries from YHS and from students at Coarsegold Elementary.

Next year, the festival will be held the first weekend in May with entries due two weeks prior.

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