The academic school year for 2016-2017 is coming to an end. The eighth grade students will be leaving Helper Middle School to embark on high school next year and a new group of sixth graders will come in their place. Principal Mika Salas stopped in to Castle Country Radio Stations to give the school’s last update for the school year.
“I feel that our kids are prepared to go on and be successful in anything that they choose. I don’t want the small size of our school to hinder them, I want it to be a strength, we’re a family, we support each other very much and we are just producing students who can go and be extremely successful. So I am super proud of that,” said Salas. This is all due to the hard work of the administrators and teachers that make a lasting impression on the students.
The athletic programs this year did very well in both fall and spring sports. “The students in track did really well. It’s a litle bit awkward this year, again with Emery County, they still currently have seventh through ninth graders while we have sixth through eighth. So there has been a little give and take to try to keep that competitive and be fair both ways; next year will be different and that will be easier. But our kids just go and try really hard and do really well,” stated Salas. Emery County School District will make the changes to their middle and high schools that Carbon School District implemented.
The school participates each year in Quiz Bowl which begins after the Christmas break and runs through till April. It consists of a competitive, academic, interscholastic activity which students attend periodic practices and then represent their school at different tournaments. Salas added, “Our Quiz Bowl both the JV team and Varsity team did very well. They placed everytime that they went and they were just very competitive took first a couple of times so they did a great job and they were able to go all over the region and compete well over the whole season, so very proud of our Quiz Bowl.” This year’s Quiz Bowl teams were under the advisement of Belinda Oliver and Michelle Fiddell.
The school hired a new secretary in March, Audrey Anderson took over for Joyce Branson who retired after years of dedication to the school. “Audrey has come in and we have not skipped a beat. She’s just been so welcoming with the kids, she just has the right attituide for Helper. She just loves the kids and excepts everyone, wants to help everyone and we are just very fortunate to welcome Audrey to our school family, so very happy to have her,” said Salas.
To keep up on the news and activites at Helper Middle School visit their Facebook page.