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| Photo Credit: Orange County Sheriff's Department |
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| Photo Credit: Loco Steve (Flickr). Photo (https://www.flickr.com/photos/locosteve/8519889515/) has not been changed and is being used under a Creative Commons 2.0 Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/). |
Over half a century ago, Hillsborough residents looking to travel to nearby locations could catch a train at the local train station. The Town of Hillsborough is looking to make that possible again. The draft of the Comprehensive State Rail Plan recently released by the NC Department of Transportation (NCDOT) has the existing Amtrak route re-established in Hillsborough at a train station scheduled for construction in 2018.
Photo Credit: Sandy ChandlerBy: Alexis Harper
The spring chorus concert was scheduled for Thursday, March 5, but was rescheduled due to inclement weather and is now scheduled for Thursday, March 26, at 7 pm in the Orange High School auditorium. Admission costs $5.
Approximately 100 students will be performing in the concert, which will be a black-tie event for chorus students. The concert will consist of classical songs like “In These Delightful, Pleasant Groves" by Henry Purcell and “Cantate Domino,” which is Latin for “Sing to the Lord.”
The concert consists of three groups: the concert choir, which are the new students entering chorus this year; vocal ensemble, which are duets and trios; and the English Madrigals, which are older, more experienced students.
The OHS Chorus Department has a concert every nine weeks, and it is a graded assignment for the students. The Orange High School students and Jane Williams, the chorus teacher, are excited to show off the talent the chorus has this year.
Photo Credit: Maddie Norwood[/caption]By: Sami Dickerson
With the 2014-2015 school year coming to a screeching halt, many upperclassmen are becoming very interested in scholarships that are offered for juniors and seniors heading to college. Although it seems like scholarships should be easy to find, students often have to take the initiative to find them for themselves. The following list of scholarships will help OHS students find the financial help that they need in an efficient way.
The Aubrey Lee Brooks Scholarship is an academic-based scholarship. This applies to anyone who is applying to a North Carolina-based school, like UNC-Chapel Hill. Students who apply must be leaders of their community and must have financial need.
The Buick Achievers Scholarship is an automotive engineering scholarship. The applicant must attend a four-year college.
The Alfred Jacobs Memorial Scholarship is another automotive scholarship. The scholarship applicant must have financial need and be a leader in their community. The award is worth $2000.
The Cedar Grove Ruritan Club Scholarship is an academic and merit-based scholarship. The applicant must be involved in an array of extracurricular activities. He or she must apply to receive this award and must be able to prove their leadership in the community.
The Crumley Roberts Founder’s Scholarship is a merit, leadership, and academic-based scholarship. It is a reward of $2500.
Students that wish to apply to a Christian, faith-based college may want to sign up for the The Christian Connector. To find out more, follow this link: www.christianconnector.com.
The Doctor Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship is a merit and financial need-based scholarship. Applicants must complete an essay before being considered for the award.
If you are considering essay writing to obtain funds, the Florence Kidder Memorial Scholarship is a 700-word essay that is available to many seniors. The winner of the award may receive $3000, and the runner up receives $1000.
The Hispanic Scholarship Fund helps award Hispanic students with money for their college experience. To learn more about this opportunity, follow this link: www.hsf.net.
The Jason and Jessica Evans Memorial Scholarship is a financial need and athletic scholarship that can be applied for online. If an applicant is interested in this, they must see a counselor at OHS for more details. Applicants must have a minimum GPA of 3.0, and the scholarship is only open to OHS students.
The Kacie Chamberlain Memorial Athletic Scholarship is one that is close to many Orange County community members’ hearts. It is offered to senior athletes who have recommendations from their coaches.
The Optimist Essay is an award given to people showing brightness in a world of darkness. The essay focuses on ways to help the world and asks for an essay of 800 words.
The Wells Fargo Scholarship is a $1000 scholarship for people who sign up for college planning and money management from the CollegeSTEPS program.
Photo Credit: News of Orange[/caption]By: Max Norwood
On February 16, Rosa Williams of the Orange County Schools Board of Education (BOE) passed away after a courageous battle with illness, according to a statement released by Orange County Schools. Williams was honored and remembered at a BOE meeting Monday, February 23 where members reflected on their experiences with her.
She joined the school board only last year, but that short time was still enough to leave a positive impression. Members of the board spoke highly of her and her dedication to the schools. “Even at that moment, she was still concerned about the schools more so than her own self,” Lawrence Sanders said about visiting her when she was ill.
Superintendent Del Burns said, “We all were so sad with her passing. We’ll keep her and her family in our thoughts and our prayers.”
Vice Chair Tony McKnight and the others on the BOE had many kind words for Williams. McKnight led the meeting as board chair Stephen Halkiotis was out due to surgery.
Before joining the Board of Education last July, Williams worked for over 30 years in the business sector, where she said she obtained her leadership experience. She was also an active participant in the Psi Gamma Omega chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
The BOE wants Williams to be remembered as a devoted mother, a voice for the community, and someone who was a voice for students.
“You have to look at the whole child,” Williams said at a candidate forum run by the News of Orange. ‘“That’s what I think is important, the whole student—the home life, the community.”
Williams is survived by her two daughters and grandsons.
Photo Credit: Den Echoes archive[/caption]By: Lauren Coffey
On Monday, February 16, Orange County Schools was operating on a half-day schedule, leaving three hours early, in preparation for the snow that was predicted. Around 4 pm that afternoon, temperatures were in the twenties and snow began to fall. School was cancelled for the next day. On February 17, more snow fell that night and froze with the low temperatures, creating a dangerous layer of ice. Schools were cancelled again. On Wednesday, the temperature fell to a low of two degrees, preventing the snow from melting.
A message was sent out that Orange County Schools would be having an early release day on Saturday. Many students expressed anger about this decision on social media platforms. The Saturday, however, could not be made up due to even more inclement weather that week.
In total, Orange County Schools has missed nine school days.
Neither teachers nor students have control over the make-up days, but that does not stop these individuals from having opinions.
“I think that make-up days are good because it gives us more instruction than if we did not have the school days, plus it won’t take that long since it’s just half a day,” freshman Ashton Kajcienski says.
“I believe that we don't get any education, our classes are shortened, and many teachers don't teach a new subject, and we mainly review stuff. It doesn't help us. It seems useless, because we never really do anything on an early release. Also, people have things that they have to attend on weekends,” freshman Ashley Harris says in regard to the caliber of education on snow make-up days.
“Well, I think that weekend make-up days are silly. Lots of people have other commitments, and many won't even show up. Teachers know that, so the work they have us do will be of little importance. Of course, the days do need to be made up, but I think that there may be other ways of doing so,” freshman Sophie Lamay says when asked her opinion on the teaching during Saturday school.
Since many think that school on Saturday would not be beneficial, Isabelle Hartmond offers another idea.
“I think we should just make the school days longer. Add on five extra minutes in the morning and five, or ten even, in the afternoon. That’s better than Saturdays, since no one would be missing the clubs, or sports, or family events they might be if we had school on Saturday,” she says.
With conflicting views and ideas on the subject at hand, the Orange County Board of Education has not made a decision on when the lost instructional time will be made up. In the newsletter sent out on March 1 by Will Okun, one of Orange High School’s vice principals, it states that “the district is currently reviewing the make-up schedule for the missed school days over these past two weeks; Saturday, March 14 is currently on the calendar as a make-up day.”
Photo Credit: Den Echoes archive[/caption]By: Alexis Harper
Future Farmers of America (FFA) Week was scheduled to be held February 21 to 28, but got canceled due to inclement weather. In place of last week, March 2 to 6 will be FFA Week.
Monday is Blue and Gold Day, so students should wear national blue and corn gold. Tuesday is Camo Day, where students dress head to toe in camo. It will be time to bring out the plaid on Wednesday, which is Lumberjack Day. Thursday is Farmer Day--students should dress like a farmer and show their appreciation for what farmers do. On Friday, all members of FFA should wear their FFA T-shirts to show they are proud to be a part of the club.
Every day this week, students can pay $1.00 to wear their hat for one day. The money from this fundraiser will go to various charities around the community.
It is not a coincidence that George Washington's birthday is in the same week as FFA Week. Part of the purpose of FFA Week is to recognize George Washington as an agriculturist and a farmer. The first National FFA Week was held in 1948.
FFA Week members are recognized with prizes for going above and beyond in their wardrobe each day.
The FFA officers meet and select the days OHS has for FFA Week. They also plan activities that take place during class time to get FFA members involved throughout the week. The president of FFA is Justin Pope; the vice presidents are Skylar Riley, Jacob Rogers, and Trey Palmer; the secretaries are Brooklyn Hux and Johanna Manley; the treasurers are Preston Harris and Caleb Gray; the reporters are Kirsten Brame and Kirstin Holloway; the sentinels are Spencer Walker and Korie Dean; and the chaplain is Hunter Hall.
Photo Credit: Maddie Norwood[/caption]Students and parents who looked up Orange High School’s grade on the new statewide grading scale on Thursday, February 5 may have been disappointed to see that the school received a “C.” Numerically, OHS had a grade of 67, which would be a “D” on the 10-point grading scale that the state will implement next year. Currently, the state is using a 15-point grading scale.
Many schools in the district and state received a “C.” Three district schools received a “B,” and one received a “D.” Eight, including OHS, received a “C.” According to a News & Observer analysis, the state gave a “C” to approximately 40 percent of schools.
Some have criticized the new system for its emphasis on test scores instead of growth, and multiple school districts requested that the release of the grades be delayed. OHS Principal Jason Johnson said, “I don’t think [the grade] really represents the day-to-day operations of the school. I don’t think it represents the complete picture of Orange High School… I wish the scores had measured a little bit more growth versus just proficiency scores, but, at the same time, I have to acknowledge the fact that we didn’t meet growth last year as a school.”
For high schools, EOC scores for certain subjects, graduation rates, the rigor of math courses, and students’ scores on the ACT and ACT WorkKeys all factor into schools’ overall scores. OHS had a high graduation rate and math course rigor, but low scores in other areas, particularly the Math I EOC.
Johnson has not received any complaints from parents about the school’s grade, but would be happy to talk to anyone who has concerns. He said that the administration will “dig down into the data” to improve OHS’ grade. He wants to ensure that the school has a “climate conducive to students,” better attendance, quality classroom instruction, and a way for every student to be connected with the school outside of class.
“We have a lot of room to grow. That’s the fun thing about being at Orange—every year, there’s something new that you can improve upon,” he stated.
Photo Credit: Sami Dickerson[/caption]The Peace Concert not only benefited Ebola patients in Liberia, but also provided excellent entertainment for students and parents who attended. A total of seven acts performed for the audience on Thursday, December 18.
To begin the concert, President Jacob Larson and Vice President Ben Wirzba of the Peace Club, supported by teacher Marc Sprintz, explained that the contributions to the event that night would be directly given to Liberian communities that the Peace Club had been in contact with and that were being over run with Ebola. Larson and Wirzba went on to explain that Liberian communities would lose entire families to the illness and it would then spread, causing fear in the rest of the community. During the concert, short intermissions were used to show videos about the communities being supported.
The acts that were included were the OHS Improvicons, Andie McKinnon, the Apollo’s Panthers (solely represented by Ashley Badstein), Snowmotion (comprised of sophomores Katie Clark and Nicole Cassida), poet Samantha Nance, guitarist Cameron Price, and Diali Cissokho and Austin McCall.
Because of the Peace Club’s cause, many Liberian community members will be freed from the Ebola sickness. To learn more about the illness, check out these New York Times videos: http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/e/ebola/index.html.
Photo credit: Mia Maxwell[/caption]On Wednesday, December 17, the OHS art department held its winter art show to display the artistic talent and beauty that the art students produced this semester during their classes. All levels of art classes were represented by their paintings, drawings, and sculptures. All parents and community members were invited to come, and art students were encouraged to attend.
The art show is loved by all people, students and parents alike, because it is a way to extend Orange High School’s reach in the community and to show off the art students’ abilities to the community.
Students were abundant at the art show and many had great reactions to the art show. Mia Maxwell, a current art student at OHS, said, “I think the art show is a great opportunity for the community to see what Orange High School art students are doing. I'm glad I could be a part of it.” Also, Art Club members attended the show and Kathryn Obenshain commented, “All of the pieces looked very good and they took a very long time to perfect.”
Some of the best art was the food gallery, which exhibited sculptures, drawings and paintings of the food that the art students choose.
The art from the art show has been hanging around in the lobby of OHS since December 15. Some students and faculty might not have been able to attend the art show and this has given all the students and faculty a chance to see the art students’ works.
Photo Credit: Megan Joyner[/caption]Orange High School is collecting canned food to help provide for OHS families over the Thanksgiving holiday. Through the help of the community and clubs, they hope to create packages of food for every student who is in need this holiday season.
Every year, OHS collects food for students that need assistance. Since many of the students who attend OHS rely on the school to provide them with food, they will be in need over the upcoming fall break. Without the breakfast and lunch provided by the schools, these students may not have access to food to sustain them in the absence of school. As a result, the Panther family donates items to ensure that no student goes hungry during Thanksgiving.
The school is asking for canned vegetables, canned fruit, bottle of juice, and many other holiday favorites. Many clubs are participating in the annual food drive. A few of the participants include Beta Club, which is collecting cans of green beans and corn, and the Spanish Honors Society, which is donating cans of fruit. Other students, families, and faculty members are also donating food and money to help produce enough food for all of the students who are in need. Hannah Link, a member of Beta Club, said, “This is a great opportunity to help out my fellow students and give back to those who are enduring hard times during this season.”
As the break approaches, faculty members and students will gather and pack boxes full of food for students and their families to enjoy over the break. The students who are in financial need will pick up the food before Wednesday, November 16. This small task produces numerous blessings for students throughout OHS who are in need of a helping hand this Thanksgiving holiday.
Photo Credit: Maddie Norwood[/caption]The somber notes of love poems, hurried beats of rap, and soulful tones of musical poetry filled the Learning Commons Thursday, October 30 as students and staff members remembered recently deceased teacher assistant Edmond Curry. The open-mic poetry slam took place in Lunch A from 10:15 to 11:15 am.
Orange County Schools behavior interventionist Umar Muhammad opened the slam by describing his memories of Curry and explaining why a poetry slwas a fitting way to honor him. Curry was “creative, innovative, and outgoing” and “wasn’t afraid to express himself,” he said. The purpose of the slam was to honor Curry and “engage something inside of you.”
There was never a slow moment at the slam--when one student finished speaking, another quickly took his or her place at the podium. While some of the performers were members of the poetry and rap group Apollo’s Panthers, others were new to poetry. Most students had something they had written to read, but a few just took a moment to speak to the audience about an issue that concerned them, such as treating others with respect.
Mark Greenstreet, the advisor of Apollo’s Panthers and an English teacher, performed musical poetry at the slam. He decided to honor Curry with a poetry slam because “Mr. Curry was instrumental in organizing and performing in OHS' first open mic... When we lost our brother and colleague, we wanted to both honor his memory with the nomenclature of the event we collectively inspired, and capture the beauty of his lifelong pursuit: he used the power and beauty of his voice to enlighten and inspire others to find and share theirs.” He remembers Curry as “a friend, a brother and a fellow artist.”
Samantha Nance, a member of Apollo’s Panthers, read four poems--”The Art of Preservation,” “The Union of Sky and Sea,” “Wander” and the biblical passage 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14. Although she thought the slam was “chaotic” at times, she “was really impressed” for it being the first slam. “We had a great turnout and most of the people were really attentive and respectful. I'm extremely happy that we had members from the audience come up. I know how scary it is to do something like that, but they were all amazing,” she stated.
Although Nance “didn't know [Curry] very well,” she knew “he was a great guy. He liked to laugh and enjoy life. I was very sad when I heard the news and send my thoughts to his family during this time.”
Rodney DeLoach, also in Apollo’s Panthers, wrote and read “The Union of Sea and Sky” with Nance. He also read “Gangsta,” “Music Freedom,” and “The Mood.” “The main takeaway from my poetry should be that everything is poetry, be it from your perspective or anything [or] anyone's perspective,” he said.
Former superintendent Gerri Martin. Photo Credit: Orange County Schools[/caption]The public has until Monday to weigh in on the search for a new Orange County Schools superintendent.
The Board of Education took comments on desired qualities of the superintendent at its Nov. 10 and Nov. 24 meetings. Two community members spoke at the Nov. 10 meeting.
Eric Davis said he wanted a leader who could “embrace leadership” and “galvanize people and get them together.” The superintendent should not be “weak to where they listen to the loudest voice, because loud doesn’t always mean they’re correct.” He added that an ideal superintendent would be someone who cares for all OCS students and listens to the needs of the whole county. He or she should also know the limitations of the office and how to foster communication between the school system and public.
A Hillsborough Elementary School parent, Elvira Mebane, also spoke. She said the board should ask candidates what they can contribute to the district and why they would like to become the superintendent. She suggested that a good superintendent has “integrity and honesty, good communication skills, a willingness to engage the community, (and is) well rounded.” Most important, she said, the candidate must make sure that every student gets a diverse, quality education.
“The community's input is being sought and will be taken into account during this process,” OCS spokesman Seth Stephens said. The board emailed out a survey, and a link to the survey is available on the OCS website at bit.ly/1riQyDt. Residents can also contact board members with their suggestions.
According to the job listing, the next superintendent should be able to “build and retain the trust of the board and the local education community; lead by example to inspire others and instill confidence; develop a local leadership program to recruit, grow, and retain high-quality leaders; effectively discharge the day-to-day business affairs of the school system; demonstrate good judgment, time management, and prioritization skills; understand budget planning and school law; communicate effectively within the school system and also externally throughout the region and state; and use his or her position to promote and advocate for the interests of the school system.”
Stephens could not say how many candidates have applied for the job, but he said the search is “going well.”
The next superintendent will replace Gerri Martin, who resigned in May after less than eight months on the job. She was making $151,337.88 a year.
According to Martin's resignation letter, her mother was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer in December.
Martin, the former superintendent of McDowell County Schools, succeeded Patrick Rhodes, who retired in June 2013.
Del Burns is serving as interim superintendent for the second time; he also served between Rhodes and Martin. Burns was the superintendent of Wake County schools from 2006-10.
Orange County Schools has about 7,600 students in 13 schools and an operating budget of $65 million.
Photo Credit: Sami Dickerson[/caption]A huge snowstorm tore through the city of Buffalo, NY this past week. Snow is piled roof high all over the city. The snow in some areas has reached as high as 8 feet and 13 deaths have already been accounted for. While many kids are out enjoying the time off and playing in the white bundle of fun, many parents and adults are worried about the condition of their houses. With all the snow on roofs, they are starting to sag and get soggy. 30 buildings have already collapsed from the snow.
It is very, very cold in Buffalo. In North Carolina, when it reaches 40 degrees Fahrenheit, some residents think that is cold, but it takes eight feet of snow for Buffalo to get attention. When it snowed really hard for us last year, it was only 1.5 ft at the most in Hillsborough, and school was cancelled for weeks. Luckily for Buffalo kids, they will be out for quite some time, until the snow melts. Fortunately, North Carolina did not get eight feet of snow, because the state does not have the equipment to handle that kind of extreme weather.
The snow is starting to melt, but the temperature is expected to go from freezing to almost 60 degrees in the next week. This would cause major flooding and increase damage to western New York. This is impacting the sports in Buffalo as well--the Buffalo Bills and Buffalo University had to reschedule their respective football games. This is definitely a cold part of Buffalo’s history.
The soccer team surprised all with a smashing good win against Cardinal Gibbons on Wednesday, October 1st. Starting with an amazing early goal, it seemed that the game would continue to get better and better to watch. Cardinal Gibbons, a private catholic school, has always won against or tied Orange until today. This iconic game is sure to prove what the Orange Soccer Team has to offer to the school.
At the start of the game, things were quick, players played fast plays and within the first 5 minutes, Orange’s star player Jason, juked the entire defense after a beautiful assist and scored the driving goal that would propel the rest of the game into an all out takeover by the Orange Junior Varsity team. A beautifully crafted goal, to be sure, it left the goalie wondering what else he would have to stop to slow the oncoming storm of a team.
Jason, the newest player to join the team, scored a hatrick, then four goals before there was 10 minutes left in the game. Hector Rodriguez scored the final fifth goal with a little less than five minutes remaining. As fellow team members watched from the field and the bench, they were trying to piece together what seemed to be a miracle.
As the final whistle blew, everyone cheered in the crowd especially from the field. They had done it, they had beaten Cardinal Gibbons. This iconic win should hopefully prove what the Orange High Junior Varsity team has to offer.
Photo credit: Hannah Link[/caption]The Orange High School art department has created tasty treats just in time for the holiday season. Although they appear delicious, they are not edible. These delightful desserts are strategically crafted out of clay and canvas. They are displayed in the Learning Commons and will remain there throughout the holiday season.
The Art 1 students used their creative senses to make desserts crafted out of clay. The desserts range from cakes and pies to pastries and ice cream. The pies and cakes, some many layers high, are intricately designed and encompass a wide variety of flavors, colors, and textures. That’s not all though--some of the art pieces are paintings of wedding cakes, cupcakes, cheesecakes, and pies. Although they are not 3D, they are still visually attractive and even mimic the textures of the icing and cream on the cake.
These treats look good, but how do they taste? As part of the art show, the students provided a family recipe with the desserts that they made. Now those secret family recipes are being revealed to the public. Don’t miss your opportunity to taste test all of these gourmet desserts. There are recipes for Carolina Compton’s Irresistible Key Lime Pie, Noah Kelly’s Mouth Watering Waffles with Strawberries and Cream, and Jose Lazano’s Incredible Banana Nut Cake.
Come to the Learning Commons to check out these delicious desserts and get your dessert ideas for the holiday season.
Photo Credit: 2014 Reflections staff[/caption]34-year-old Edmond Tyrone Curry, a beloved teacher, colleague, and friend, passed away on Friday, October 3.
Native to the Alamance and Orange County area, he was loved and cherished by many. Curry was born on July 4, 1980, at Memorial Hospital in Burlington, NC. After graduating from Hugh M. Cummings High School in 1998, he expanded his schooling at the University of North Carolina--Chapel Hill and graduated in 2002 with a bachelors degree in art, majoring in management, society, and sociology.
Although he was an individual with extensive knowledge and a love for various things, the one thing he loved the most was teaching at Orange High School. Assistant Principal Will Okun said, “He really loved the kids he worked with, and the kids he taught always responded well to him and really liked him as well... He truly cared about his students, and that's the most important quality in a great teacher.”
Principal Jason Johnson said, “Edmond was very passionate about his kids, and music. He was one of the nicest and most genuine people you could ever meet... When I attended his funeral service, you really see how great of a person he was and how much everyone liked him and cared for him. This is a very tragic loss for Orange High School.”
The funeral service was held Wednesday, October 8 at the Zion United Church of God, in memorialization of Curry.
Photo Credit: Megan Joyner[/caption]Orange High School is wearing pink throughout October in honor of 2014’s National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (NBCAM). Clubs and schools are partnering together to raise awareness and collect donations for breast cancer.
Every October, breast cancer charities organize activities and fundraisers in order to support people with breast cancer and fund research. The proceeds donated to the American Cancer Society from these foundations contribute to the diagnosis, prevention, treatment, and cure of breast cancer. Started in 1985, NBCAM has been initiated and managed by the American Cancer Society. It was originally started in order to promote mammography, a very important part in the diagnosis of this type of cancer. Throughout the community, radio stations, organizations, and charities alike have been providing free mammograms for women. One of the most well-known campaigns is the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. This event is a 5K race in which participants run or walk in honor of the survivors and those who have lost their battle to breast cancer. These races take place not only across the country, but all over the world.
Not all events that take place during October in support of breast cancer awareness have the intended purpose of raising money. Many organizations coalesce with breast cancer patients as well as survivors in order to build support groups for those that are affected. NBCAM is a time where people all across the world come together and seek hope for the future battle with breast cancer.
On a local level, Orange High School is also an active participant in NBCAM. Clubs and sports teams at OHS have taken the initiative to rally students in support of breast cancer. The football team is sporting pink socks and the cheerleaders accessorize with pink bows, all in support of the cause. In addition, the cheerleading team sold tie dyed pink shirts and spray painted hair pink during the annual Ag Day festival. The Student Government Association sold spirit links during Spirit Week for 25 cents apiece and plans to donate a portion of the proceeds to breast cancer research. Friday, October 10, Orange High School played Cedar Ridge in football. Fans on both sides of the field dressed in pink for breast cancer.
Orange High School has played a large role in raising awareness for breast cancer throughout Hillsborough. As clubs finish their campaign against breast cancer, they will continue to seek donations and encourage the community to join them in their quest to find a cure.
In 1853, North Carolina held it's first State Fair; at a different location as to what is is currently. The event was held by the State Agricultural Society. The attendance was around 4,000 fairgoers. The State Fair has had three different locations and then settling at it's current home in Raleigh, in 1928. It has been celebrated continuously since 1853, with the exceptions of 1861 to 1869 during the Civil War and Reconstruction, 1926 to 1927 when the Agricultural Society disbanded and the state Agriculture Department took over operations, and 1942 to 1945 during World War II.
The attendance of the State Fair has been fluctuating ever since the fair started. In 1986, the total attendance was 638,776. The lowest year that the State Fair was held was in 1997, the attendance was 634,140. In 2010, the attendance broke a record for 1,091,887. Orange High School has had their part in the North Carolina State Fair involving Agriculture, with students in Ag bringing their pigs, goats, etc; to compete at the state fair. We have brought back many awards and numerous first place trophies. The students seem to always enjoy the environment and the fairgoers seem to enjoy our Orange High Students.
This year however, the rules have changed. Any handguns or firearms were prohibited on the State Fairgrounds, which caused a conflict with people. So much, that three people were reportedly robbed at gunpoint Saturday leaving the North Carolina State Fair. A police officer patrolling the state fair stated “ I think the Judge made a mistake, by doing what they wanted, they got what they planned to avoid, violence.”
“The attendance may be lower than the past years, but it doesn't take away the annual fair goers experience.” A vendor employee told WRAL, “The fair will still be held, no matter what. There is people out there that come not just for the food or the rides in particular, but the atmosphere has an amazing feeling.”