Second-grader Addison Fluharty launches herself on a mat across a row of pool noodles during Friday’s Field Day games at Gihon Elementary School. Students spent the last day of school participating in a variety of games and activities. (Photo by Michael Erb)
R.S.V.P Americorps volunteer Stacey Steed teaches chair yoga to the Prevent T2 diabetes prevention class with the Washington County Health Department. (Photo by Janelle Patterson)
Adem Hupp, 16, of Boy Scout Troop 4 sits on a bench that was part of his project to become an Eagle Scout. (Photo Provided)
From left, Adem Hupp, 16, of Boy Scout Troop 4 hands $287.58 to Principal Allen Laugh of McKinley Elementary School, the location of Hupp’s project to become an Eagle Scout. The money is the remainder of the funds he collected for the project. (Photo Provided)
Volunteers reset the benches for Adem Hupp’s Eagle Scout project at McKinley School. They worked two days in April, resetting the benches and mulching the area. (Photo Provided)
Parkersburg Mayor Tom Joyce dumps a netful of hybrid bluegill into the City Park pond Friday. The City and Southwood Park ponds were stocked with catfish and hybrid bluegill delivered by Rainbowhead Farms near Clarksburg. (Photo by Evan Bevins)
The United States Military Academy at West Point qualified for national Ultimate Frisbee tournament for the first time by winning in the regionals in Cooperstown, N.Y. (Photo courtesy of Susan Hill)
Hunter Hill, at right, faces a competitor in the national Ultimate Frisbee tournament in Lexington, Ky. (Photo courtesy of Susan Hill)
Hunter Hill of the United States Military Academy at West Point throws the Frisbee disc at the national tournament in Lexington, Ky. (Photo courtesy of Susan Hill)
It’s more than a headstone. The Civil War gravestone above, standing near the edge of the Bethel Presbyterian Church Cemetery near Waverly, represents the life of Joseph Barron, a farmer, enrolled in the Union Army at Marietta in 1861. He was then 25 years old, had blue eyes, brown hair and a florid complexion. Private Barron survived the war. He was honorably discharged on March 30, 1865 at Washington, D.C. What we celebrate today as Memorial Day was first recognized in 1868 as Decoration Day, a day to honor Union soldiers who died in the Civil War. Near the turn of 19th Century, it was changed to Memorial Day, honoring veterans of all wars. For this 2017 Memorial Day, Joseph Barron’s headstone will represent the thousands of headstones throughout Wood County, honoring the lives and service of all those who have made themselves available to protect the rights and freedoms of our United States of America. (Photo Provided)
Second-grader Addison Fluharty launches herself on a mat across a row of pool noodles during Friday’s Field Day games at Gihon Elementary School. Students spent the last day of school participating in a variety of games and activities. (Photo by Michael Erb)
Kindergartner Alyssa McCrady screams as cold water cascades over her during the Sponge-Soaker Relay Friday at Gihon Elementary School’s annual Field Day. Friday marked the last day of school for Wood County students. (Photo by Michael Erb)
VanDevender Middle School Principal Darlene Murphy addresses the school’s outgoing eighth-graders Friday at the school’s annual red carpet Academy Awards ceremony. Friday marked the last day of school in Wood County, and the graduating eighth-graders will begin high school as freshmen in the fall. (Photo by Michael Erb)
Blennerhassett Middle School eighth-grader Avery Goldsmith, left, hands a stuffed animal to seventh-grader Ainsley Dixon, right, to be loaded into the back of a Camden Clark Medical Center ambulance. The students are members of the STARS club at Blennerhassett, which gathered more than 300 stuffed animals to be given out to young patients and children who are facing a family illness. (Photo by Michael Erb)
Honorary Trooper Hallie Witte, 9, of Little Hocking, reconnects with Bart and his K-9 handler Trooper Brian Stackey Friday at the Marietta Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol. (Photo by Janelle Patterson)
The Veterans War Memorial at City Park will be rededicated Monday after extensive repair and renovation work. (Photo Provided)
PARKERSBURG — Wood County Schools held its last day of classes Friday for the 2016-17 school year.
Schools throughout the county held end-of-year activities this week, many culminating in special events and activities to mark the last day of school.
“We’ve had an awesome year,” said Gihon Elementary School Principal Lori Lowers. “We’re really proud of our students and we’re wrapping up the year with a fun field day.”
Physical education teacher Mischa Johnson said the event featured 14 stations, with students rotating between them every 15 minutes. Many of the stations were activities and challenges based on lessons learned throughout the year, but often with a watery twist.
“The sun is shining and we’re happy about that,” Johnson said.
Kindergartner Alyssa McCrady screams as cold water cascades over her during the Sponge-Soaker Relay Friday at Gihon Elementary School’s annual Field Day. Friday marked the last day of school for Wood County students. (Photo by Michael Erb)
Students competed in team relay races, musical chairs, sponge volleyball and other dexterity challenges. Students also had the opportunity to draw with chalk and play electronic physical activity games inside the school.
“We couldn’t have done this without all of our parent and staff volunteers,” Johnson said.
The district’s pre-kindergarten classes ended last week, and Wood County Schools seniors had their last day of school Monday, with graduation ceremonies held at high schools throughout the week.
For many schools, the end of year also means a transition as students move between grade and middle schools and from middle schools to high schools.
For the second year, VanDevender Middle School said goodbye to its eighth-grade class in style, holding a mini Academy Awards to recognize and celebrate student accomplishments. The eighth-graders walked the red carpet Friday and received “swag bags” before awards were announced for students in a variety of academic categories.
VanDevender Middle School Principal Darlene Murphy addresses the school’s outgoing eighth-graders Friday at the school’s annual red carpet Academy Awards ceremony. Friday marked the last day of school in Wood County, and the graduating eighth-graders will begin high school as freshmen in the fall. (Photo by Michael Erb)
“It is a good way to get our sixth- and seventh-graders excited about becoming eighth-graders, and a fun way to send off our eighth-graders by making them feel extra special,” said Principal Darlene Murphy. “This is our second year doing the Academy Awards, and the students have really been positive about it.”