Reporter's Reflections Archive

Calhoun Middle School fifth grade students should be commended for reading The Calhoun Chronicle in class each Thursday. I don’t say that because I write for the newspaper, but because studies have shown that students and adults who read newspapers are more active and interested in the government and community around them, and are more likely to become life-long learners.

 Casey Harris, fifth grade English teacher, is a new addition to the school staff. A 2005 graduate of Glenville State College, and a Calhoun High School alumni, she should be congratulated for instilling in her students a hobby which may enrich them for the rest of their lives.

 When I included the results of our Reader Survey, the criticism I received and the question, “What does it mean to be a true Calhounian?”, I never expected such results. In fact, the fifth grade students were the only ones who replied. The pile of handwritten essays in Number 2 pencil and crayon colored pictures was a pleasant surprise--like a rainbow had been added to the “in pile” on my desk.

 I am so grateful for the input of these young community members, and hope that I have not left one single student out of our special feature in this week’s issue, which shares their views with our readers. I wish I could scan all the pictures to share with others, but instead, I placed them on my wall for all my visitors to see.

 In addition to their opinions of a “true Calhounian,” some students offered personal support for the newspaper, for me, or asked specific questions in hopes of a personal reply. With pleasure, I can include them here, in this column, since they are not appropriate within the main feature article.

Jessica McCumbers told us, “I really enjoy the Chronicle. So does my mom and grandma. You are a really good writer. I love your paper.”

 Hannah Peck ended her essay with, “Oh ya, you’re a really good writer.”

Lisa Bennett also offered advice: “Don’t listen to them,” she said. “I think you’re really good. We read the Chronicle every Thursday. Unless you want to be a Calhounian . . . ”

 Robin Bradley said, “I think you are a great writer. If they don’t see that, they’re stupid.”

 Maryah Marks realized she and I have something in common. “I’m kind of like you,” she said. “You’re from somewhere else, and I’m from somewhere else.” When she moved here from Smithville, Ohio, she was scared, but now she has “toughened up” and is “having fun.” Since moving here, she’s learned how to cook. She liked the Wood Festival, and was very excited about the Molasses Festival.

 Marshall Grogg said, “I’m not much of a Calhounian because I was born in Ohio.” He said all it takes to be a Calhounian is “to do stuff that Calhounians usually do.”

 “Lisa,” he said, “all you have to do is believe you are a Calhounian.”

 Andrea Morris said I “sound like a true Calhounian” to her.

 Holly Bourne asked me to write back to her to tell her what I like to do in my life, and if I like to write a lot.

 Well, Holly (and all the fifth grade students), in my life away from work, I like to go camping and hiking with my husband. We just got a new tent. Our other tent was more than 20 years old. Our favorite camping spot is camp site number 27 at Audra State Park. Frank likes to go camping in the snow, but I like camping in summer time better.

 I like to dig in my flower gardens, and I like to take my dogs for walks in the woods--but I don’t do that as much as I’d like to or should. We have three dogs, Jazzie, Zeus and Honey. Our cat’s name is Strange Kitty, and he is 14 years old. I’ve had him longer than almost anything else I own. Honey has cancer, and Strange Kitty only has two teeth left, so we have to feed him canned cat food. We worry about all our pets a lot. Frank and I don’t have any children.

Last year for Christmas, Frank bought me a new pair of gum boots, and I like splashing around in the muddy waters when it rains really hard or floods in the fields. I wore my gum boots when I covered the flooding on the Upper West Fork, and they really liked them.

 I used to like mud, but as I’ve gotten older, I’ve lost my attraction to it. I don’t have a 4-wheeler, but I really like having 4-wheel drive in my SUV. I do like driving in the snow now. Once, when there was a 4-wheeler on the farm for deer season, I took my mother for a ride over the hills. She prayed out loud a lot--really loud. I tried not to get her too muddy.

 I like to design web sites, paint jeans, color, and mow the yard on my riding mower. If you have been reading for a while, you know I don’t watch television--at all--but I do like to watch movies. I read. My husband sometimes thinks I read too much.

I do write a lot, but I never really thought specifically about whether I like it or not. To me, it’s just what I do--what I have always done. It’s like eating, or breathing. I have had jobs where I didn’t like what I had to write. In this job, sometimes I like what I have to write, and sometimes I don’t.

 I have enjoyed writing to you.

Thanks for reading.

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 After receiving the essays and pictures from the 5th grade students, I worried they would expect to see them in the following issue. So, I made a surprise visit to Casey Harris’ class. She recognized me from my picture, and met me at the door.

“You’re Lisa Minney,” she said.

“Yes, I am,” I replied.

 She smiled. “That is so cool.”