Earth Day is a day designed to inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth’s environment. It was founded by U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson as an environmental “teach-in” held on April 22, 1970. The second graders at Avalon ISD had fun celebrating Earth Day by planting a flower garden, a vegetable garden and getting closer to nature.

There was quite the ho-down going on at Stafford Elementary Thursday morning around 8:30 am. Some of the cutest little second grade cow pokes you ever saw were ready and willing to sing their hearts out about their love of Texas and boy howdy, did they sing.

Recently, Lady Gladiator head basketball coach Stacy McDonald touched up the 1997 State Champs basketball originally painted by Stevan McKey, a 1994 Italy alumnus, to honor the team after the Italy Gladiators made their dream a reality.

You are not going to believe what was going on at Davidson Field Friday night. There was face painting, bubbles blowing, t-ball hitting, softball toss, line dancing and cotton candy. There was even a hot dog eating contest at home plate after the second inning. It was none other than Stafford Night at the Ballpark.

On Sunday, April 18, 2010, Joshua Milligan, son of Keith and Becky Milligan of Italy, was presented the 2010 Kayrene Uehlinger Scholarship at Central Baptist Church. Ronnie Clanton, a friend and classmate of Uehlinger, presented the scholarship on behalf of the Italy High School Class of 1968.

Waxahachie — Italy High School’s prom theme was, “Black Tie Affair 2010.” Held at the Waxahachie Country Club on Saturday, couples and friends began arriving around 7:00 p.m. By 7:30 p.m., the prom party was officially hopping.

Thursday night at 7:00 pm the Stafford Elementary’s lunch room was transformed into a live circus scene. Pre-k and kindergarten students were starring in the “Big Top Circus.” Everywhere you looked you saw the cutest little clowns, acrobats, stunt riders, elephants, jugglers, lions, tightrope walkers and we mustn’t forget the ringmaster.

On Monday, April 19 the Italy ISD Board of Trustees will have their regular monthly meeting. The meeting will be held in the Band Hall of the Italy High School campus (300 College) and will begin at 7:00pm. Agenda items include staff resignations, the 2010-2011 school calendar, a budget amendment and the student athlete insurance carrier.

The Ellis County Expo came like a whirlwind, as it always does, and is gone in a flash. However, left standing were winners of all categories and levels. From pigs to shop projects, the students in Ellis County 4-H and FFA came from Ennis, Waxahachie, Palmer, Midlothian, Red Oak, Maypearl, Milford, Ferris, and, of course, Italy.

Hubbard — With Nike, the Greek God of victory, Hermes, the Roman God of athletes/sport and Victoria, the Roman Goddess of victory, watching from above, the Italy Junior High Lady Gladiators and Gladiators entered the District track meet in conquering fashion.

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Members of Italy High School’s FCCLA (Family Career Community Leaders of America), under the guidance of Ann Hyles who will be retiring after 39 years of service and support to the students of Italy High School, made a strong showing themselves at the Ellis County Youth Expo.

Fourteen students from Italy High School will compete in 16 events at the regional academic UIL competition Saturday, April 24, at Stephen F. Austin University in Nacogdoches. Three additional students will attend as alternates in four events.

Results from the Houston Livestock Show™ prove Italy ISD scramble heifer participants are outstanding in their field. Italy’s cowboys and cowgirls rounded up several honors after working many months to earn their places competing among the finest junior livestock competitors in the state.

Italy High School is currently in the middle of its first ever Read It Forward: Pass It On literacy project which will end April 30. The goal is to see how many 7-12 grade students, teachers and staff members will read the chosen book First Part Last by Angela Johnson during April.

Members of the Italy FFA, the Ellis County 4-H and the FCCLA entered their lambs, goats, heifers, steers, hogs, desserts, shirts, photos and drawings into the Ellis County Youth Expo Show & Sale with high expectations. By the end of the week long event, expectations were met as Italy’s hard working students left with a trough full off ribbons and even a Grand Champion Buckle to boot!

Monday evening Avalon ISD’s cafeteria was overflowing with hungry children and their parents eating hotdog dinners while anticipating the big Easter Egg Hunt. There also was a surprise guest, the Easter Bunny! He was ready to have his picture taken with all of the children.

Thursday night at 6:00 pm lots of families were gathered at Stafford Elementary for the Stafford PTO’s second annual Family Night Bingo event and fundraiser.

On Monday, March 22nd the Italy ISD Board of Trustees will have their regular monthly meeting. The meeting will be held in the Band Hall of the Italy High School campus (300 College) and will begin at 7:00pm. Agenda items include teacher resignations, teacher contract recommendations and renewals and an acknowledgement of donated funds. The superintendent will also report regarding the football field renovations that are currently underway.

Foiled by an Innocent Maid was an entertaining production put on by the Milford High School. Every year they do better than the last with their one act plays. This year took the prize. You have a mean villain, and yet hilarious at the same time. Don’t forget Faith Hopewell-the innocent maid- from outlandish crying, to hiding the baby in a trunk and then falling in love all at the same time- what drama!

Lots of Stafford Elementary students in the fifth and sixth grades have volunteered to participate in the Math-A-Thon program which is a volunteer based fundraising program for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Friday morning Stafford Elementary was filled with excited proud family members celebrating with the students at their awards assembly. Many proud students were being called to the front to receive their awards for; no “tiger paws” lost, all A’s, all A’s and B’s, all B’s, and all homework completed and handed in.

On Dr. Seuss’s birthday, March 2nd, everyone at Stafford Elementary took time out to read for thirty minutes. When you entered the school and looked in the classrooms everyone was reading. When I say everyone I mean, everyone in the school. Students, teachers, janitors, cooks everyone just dropped everything they were doing and read for thirty minutes.

Thursday afternoon the fourth graders at Stafford Elementary were dancing up a storm. They were jumping up and down, spinning in circles and doing all kinds of kicks to lively music.

Thursday afternoon around 1:00 p.m. Avalon ISD’s Physics department was bustling with fourth graders learning how to build a Jitter Bug. Avalon ISD has a new program called Eagle Science which involves elementary students learning from the upper class students.

Your 2009-10 Italy Gladiator Yearbook will be a treasured keepsake and a lasting memory of the school year at Italy High School. Order are being taken now thru April 3, 2010.

When you think of Milford, basketball or football comes to mind. In bulldog country, these two sports rank as high as making all A’s on a report card. But now, there’s a new sport in town: Powerlifting.

Only two freshman earned the right to play in the Cen-TX Symphonic Band on Saturday, January 30. Freshman Rachel Strange was one of those.

On Monday, February 22nd the Italy ISD Board of Trustees will have their regular monthly meeting. The meeting will be held in the Band Hall of the Italy High School campus and will begin at 7:00pm. Agenda items include monthly financial reports and a budget amendment as well as reviews and contract considerations for the Director of Special Programs, the Principals, and the Athletic Director.

Thursday morning at nine o’clock the Stafford gymnasium was rocking with laughter, music and dancing. What was all the commotion about you ask? Well, let me tell you all about it. Champ, Dallas Maverick’s blue horse mascot was in the building!

The definition of the term Mardi Gras varies from place to place but at Italy High School, it means having fun in the library.

Italy High School senior, Dan Crownover, was awarded a $10,000 scholarship at the San Antonio Stock Show last Saturday when his heifer, May May, was chosen as Grand Champion over 76 other animals. She beat out 308 heifers and was selected as the Grand Champion at the Ft. Worth Stock Show earlier this year.

Love is in the air — February 13, 2010, the junior class of Italy High School hosted a Valentines Day Dance for the 7th and 8th grades as a fundraiser for the Junior/Senior prom.

Wednesday the Stafford Elementary students participated in Hoops for Heart and Jump Rope for Heart during their PE classes. Students got donations from family and friends for the American Heart Association and then jumped rope for as long as they could – shot a lot of baskets, all for a good cause.

Before the basketballs are stored away and the uniforms packed in moth balls, the Italy Junior High girls had two more games to play against Hampton Prep.

Vivian Moreland, who teaches English at Italy High School in Italy ISD, was selected as one of ten high school teachers from around the state to receive the 2010 Texas Exes Awards for Outstanding Teachers by The University of Texas at Austin’s alumni association, the Texas Exes.

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The Stafford Elementary PTO had its annual dinner and silent auction Friday, January 22. The venue for this annual event was the Stafford Elementary Cafeteria and the entire community was invited.

The dream of living in America has come true for a German teenager, at least for one school year, in of all places, Italy. Lisa Olschewsky, 16, is attending Italy High School as part of a foreign exchange student program coordinated by the Educational Merit Foundation.