Recent graduate Sam H. was asked to put into words his thoughts on being a leader. Sam graduated in August and clearly learned a great deal about leading while attending CCBS…

Being a Leader

Being a leader means to provide purpose, direction and motivation. What that means is if you lead someone, you need to model these things. You also need to influence them to do what you want them to do. I could have influenced people to follow instructions and to stop having petty arguments. I shouldn’t just tell them what to do because I also need to set the example and do it when it’s not my time to lead.

In being a leader, I have to provide purpose that gives people a reason to do things. That doesn’t mean that I have to explain every little detail. It also means that I will not be the nice guy and it also means I will not make them do anything that will be dangerous. I also have to provide a direction. While doing that, it’s my job as a leader to tell the followers what to do and how to do it. I need to give them specific instructions on what to do. I also have to provide motivation which will give them the willpower to accomplish any set goal they have set for themselves or a group. To motivate them, I should give them a task that challenges them.

I also need to know each individual to know what they like or what they want to do to be able to motivate each one in their own way. Another big part of leadership is goal setting. Goals should be realistic and attainable. Goals should lead to improved readiness. Goals should also involve everybody in the group. I also need to set a schedule to improve goal setting. Problem solving is another big part of leading. You also need to recognize the problem that is accruing.

Primary Counselor Yanic McDowell and Therapist Jane Barker with Sam on graduation day

CCBS is full of talent, and recently our own Human Resources Director Phil Fairbrother shared one of his hobbies and loves with the boys in a demonstration that left them amazed and breathless. Phil practices the ancient sword art of Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu Iaijutsu.

Using his  wooden practice sword, he demonstrated several kadas with the boys and staff as “attackers.” He then used one of his sharpened steel swords to slice through woven grass mats which demonstrated the incredible power and beauty of his collectible swords.

Enjoy the photos of Phil demonstrating this wonderful art for out boys.

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Mark Warren, naturalist, composer, writer and Director of Medicine Bow, A Primitive School of Earthlore in the North Georgia Mountains, recently visited Cherokee Creek Boys School. He shared stories and artifacts as well as taught the boys to make cordage and make fire from sticks.

Below are pictures from his visit.

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Nos encanta el helado!

Students of the Spanish Class got a sweet treat for great classwork when teacher Karen Peterson took them to La Concha, a Mexican style ice cream parlor in nearby Walhalla, South Carolina. Michael, Loucas, Alex, Nick and Sam thought the place was amazing.

“They had different types of flavors like caramel popcorn and pistachio. My favorite was strawberry shortcake,” Nick said.

“It was kind of cool because it had weird flavors of ice cream like corn which tasted a little like popcorn,” Alex said.

“The corn flavor actually had corn in it. (Andrew) Leviner ordered it and said it was really good. There was a Spanish soap opera on the t.v. It was a pretty cool place,” Loucas added.

Spanish class continues through the summer and with the continued great efforts of the boys, more field trips to interesting cultural experiences are sure to be found!

Laser focus from the boys during Regional Mission work.

Our Bears have a winning streak going on, and we’re proud to let you know it!

Not only did they place 11th in the Robot Performance category in last weekend’s State LEGO League competition — their highest finish ever — but our own Coach Nick Linscott brought home Coach of the Year AGAIN! The presentation of this particular award has not been made at the State level since 2005, when Mr. Linscott was also  its recipient. Does it sound like we have someone special leading our boys? We think so!  Tommy remarked, “I couldn’t do this without my coach. He helped the team through everything. To us, it’s obvious why he won Coach of the Year.”

The always humble Nick refocused the accolades back onto the boys during an assembly Monday morning, honoring the team’s accomplishments. “Rick was a rock while driving the robot,” Nick said. “He was focused and laser sharp on accumulating points during the mission. Tommy made an amazing recovery when he attempted to place a tool on the robot and it fell apart in his hands. He reassembled it and got it on the robot quick enough to make some more buzzer-beating points for us.”

“Everyone had a great part in this and I’m proud of their accomplishment,” he added. Michael said the best part of the weekend was really, “when Nick got his award.”

“I feel happy and excited that our teamwork didn’t fail,” Vincent commented.

“I would never done this at a regular public school,” Eddie said. “I would have felt like I would be judged (badly for joining LEGO League) there.”

“Going to Columbia was one of the best experiences that I’ve ever had,” Dain remarked. “I’ve learned so much about technology while working with the robot.” Rick added, “It was a pretty cool experience.”

Only six more months until the 2012 Missions are released. Here on campus, we  can’t wait!

Diarist Jacob writes as the German Artilleryman "Freidrich"

In Social Studies this week, students got into the character of “Freidrich,” an artillery soldier in the German Army during World War I. His job in the book War Horse is to lead horses who pull heavy cannons and artillery shells to the front lines.

The assignment was to write three journal entries using events, locations and the appropriate language of the time to convey the mood of the story. Below is an excerpt from Jacob’s “Friedrich Diary.”

March 20, 1916

The winter is finally over and we all survived, however, the war is still going on. Now that the black horse has recovered, I can see just how beautiful this majestic creature is. His mane is thick and he has a sleek muscular body, truly beautiful. Of course the other horse is just as amazing but I feel I can understand this one more.  I pray to God that he survives this war and of course that we all do as well. I don’t think I would be able to handle it if he didn’t. I think I might really go mad like the other soldiers already think I am. And of course if the other horse dies, it would be just as much of a tragedy. But no matter which dies, the souls of both the remaining horse and I would be crushed and we might as well all die. Tonight I will ask the Lord to let us survive long enough to figure out a way to escape this unholy, desolate wasteland that the war has made.

May 19, 1916

I swear that if I do one more supply mission with these horses, I’m going to end up shooting someone. I have asked a million times, maybe even more than that, for them to stop giving us such a heavy load to carry. But they never care. They just laugh and keep adding more and more each time! The mud my two horses must pull the supplies through is deep enough to hold a young child in place until they grow to the age of 19 at least! How do they expect me to willingly force my horses through such a horrible thing time after time? But that is not the only problem. The war is getting worse and I fear we may soon have to enter the battlefield soon. I fear that if we do, we will not make it. I hope that if we do and I am shot that at least one of my beautiful horses will be able to escape and live on. This may be my last entry and if it is, to whoever finds this: Find the horses that match the drawings later in this book and let them know that Freidrich always thought of helping them as his greatest accomplishment ever.

The English class has been abuzz with creative minds writing a “Contrast Poem.” After reading and dissecting the poem “Commandeered” written by Lucy Gertrude Moberley in 1915, the boys then applied the technique to write a poem about Joey, the horse in our literature study War Horse, who is sent off to World War I.

Below are some of their masterpieces:

Joey in Peace and War

Roosters crowing, first comes morning, shining sun,

Though he once walked, grazing hills, peaceful days,

Always Love.

Now along paths, ever walking, painful days and constant working,

Never sun, always rain, bright flashes, loud noises

Always lonely, never ending.

by Cory

Joey in Peace and War

Before the day, that horrid day

The day that he got sold.

Before that day, he was so kind.

He was as wise as is the old.

Bloody, bloody, is the war.

The damn, infernal war.

Bloody, bloody, he is is today.

While he is at death’s door.

by Patrick

Joey

Through the summer and winter together,

Plowing, cutting, and harvesting

Walking and trotting

One way than the other.

The troops joked and laughed

But the moment we docked

The wounded lay everywhere

I can hear gunfire everywhere.

by Michael

Peace/War

People were cheering as we walked

Flowers were on our uniforms

So many smiles, teary eyes

Hundreds of men were happy, yet sad

The sun was setting, everything was bright.

Blood everywhere, dull faces

Dirty uniforms, guns shooting

Injured men are yelling, old pictures

Tons dead, marching forward

Today is the end of all.

by Jimmy

Vincent, Alexander and Dain help deliver the Team LEGO science presentation today before lunch

The LEGO League regional qualifier is tomorrow. This means that the Cherokee Creek LEGO Team has been working tirelessly to prepare for the different aspects of tomorrow’s competition: evaluation of programming, robot runs, expression of LEGO League values…and the science presentation.

The science presentation is a scripted skit the boys perform to illustrate their understanding of research they have conducted related to this year’s LEGO League theme, Food Factor. Our team has focused on hand washing as an aspect of food handling.

A sample of the team’s script has been included below. Check out the team’s instructions on proper hand washing technique (delivered in the style of rap, courtesy of Alexander’s musical writing skills):

Alright check this!
Wet you hands with clean running water
Use soap it don’t matter is it’s warma or colda
Scrub them well, backs too, under nails between your fingers
But be careful! The germs will keep clingin on!
So if you need a timer, twice you sing the Happy Birthday song!
Wash for twenty seconds, you got time to spare,
And after that you can dry your hands with towel or air! Word.

In English class this week, students began reading our “Warrior Quarter” book, The War Horse. The tale is told completely from the point of view of Joey, the horse. After discussing how stories can vary depending on who’s telling it, the boys went to work writing a story from another point of view.

Enjoy “A Walk, To a Dog” by Loucas:

“Walk?”

I heard that great word. The world that inevitably left me jumping in circles with my tail wagging faster than a trucker down the interstate.

“Come on girl, we’re going for a walk, girl!”

When I heard that a second time, I went nuts like a herding dog in a field of disobedient sheep. I knew I was gonna have some crazy fun on this walk.

“Stay girl.”

I followed the command instantly, without hesitation. I felt like letting go of my obedience and acting a fool of myself, but I helped myself … although I did let a few twitches go. He buckled the leash to my choke chain and immediately I let my discipline go and started running circles.

I was finally ready to go. I walked a a slightly faster pace than him so I could assert my dominance over him. I constantly gaped at my surroundings. There were fascinating cars, houses, lawnmowers … It was all so overwhelming.

Without even know it, I ended up back at my home. The outside world slowly closed off to me. My leash was taken off. I laid down on a slightly damp towel that I’ve designated as my bed in a pool of contented exhaustion.

Introducing this year’s CCBS LEGO League team! Congratulations to (pictured above from left) Eddie, Rick, Alexander, Dain, Vincent, Tommy and Michael! Along with Coach (and Math Teacher) Nick Linscott, these gentlemen will represent CCBS at the regional qualifier this Saturday with “gracious professionalism,” a core value of F.I.R.S.T. LEGO League.

At Saturday’s event the team will demonstrate their knowledge of this year’s theme: Food Factor through a science presentation. They will also be interviewed by judges to gauge their professionalism and ability to work well together. And, of course, central to all of this will be the three robot runs, when the Bears will test their programming skills with a timed challenge course for their robot to perform.

We’ll keep you posted on the results.

GO BEARS!!!