Tireless effort noted

To the editor,

From the outside, it may be difficult to see the number of hours that are devoted to homecoming each year; however, many who work or attend school at Anna-Jonesboro Community High School can directly attest to the hard work and effort of the student council and faculty advisor Julie Lewis regarding this annual event.

This organization works tirelessly from year to year not just to provide a parade for the community, but to organize a week’s worth of activities for the community and the student population at A-J.

Due to the enormity of the event, the student council begins planning long before any student even thinks of pajama day and relies on the cooperation and participation of students, faculty, various organizations and community members.

With this information in mind, I was understandably shocked when I read this part of Ms. Steveson’s letter: “If the school board, administration and faculty can’t spend a few extra dollars to raise the standard of excellence for class floats, and club entries and motivate the students to do their very best in activities as well as academics and sports, they ought to shut the parade down for a year or two and start again.”

Frankly, I didn’t realize that Lynn Steveson was present while faculty advisors were overseeing and encouraging the students as they built those floats. She sounds as though she knows exactly the amounts of time and money that were put into each of those projects.

Here is what she probably doesn’t know: Like many faculty members, I paper mached, stuffed chicken wire and encouraged my group to win the float competition while we discussed strategies for class competitions and tried to develop creative uses for materials so we could save money for next year’s prom.

Over the course of that week, I discussed responsibility, project requirements, grades and appropriate classroom behavior all while wearing my bathrobe, pin curls and a scarf, or a dress from the old west that weighed approximately 12 pounds.

Yet I am only one of many faculty members who sacrifices time, money, energy and (occasionally for a dress-up day) dignity in order to encourage students, develop relationships and bolster school and community pride.

To be honest, I think it’s only fair to praise Ms. Lewis and the student council. Julie develops and maintains collaborative relationships with students from various classes in order to initiate, organize and maintain a variety of events for the students and the community.

This is not her only job. Like the rest of us, she has stacks of papers to grade, lessons to plan and parents to contact. If there are members of the community who wish to help the student council improve the quality of any community event, I’m sure Ms. Lewis would be thrilled to have those volunteers. Since you have previously been involved in a school district, can we expect you to be the first volunteer, Ms. Steveson?

Sincerely, Crystal Houseman, A-JCHS faculty