Nature Center
Parker Betts, Brayden Anderson, and Brayson Gibson
Homecoming Float for EAST
The Nature Center is a facility in Crowley's Ridge. It includes all types of exhibits, aquariums, and terrariums. There is also some hands-on experiences such as a shooting game and also when the faculty puts on events where people can make all types of items that they can take home for free. That brings in people because people bring their kids for those type of fun activities. The center adjoins the southern boundary of Craighead Forest Park and includes a 5.5 acre prairie, 2.5 acre pond and approximately 100 acres of woodlands. The trail is around the 160 acres and can show the pond, prairie, and the woodlands. They have alligators, snakes, turtles, all kinds of fish, and many species of birds out on the trail. We interviewed Cody Walker about the Nature Center. In the video, he explains what exhibits are at the Nature Center, what types of animals they include, and why they chose those exhibits. He explained his favorite exhibit is the main aquarium on the main floor. He likes it because it is the first thing people see and they go straight to it to look inside. There is also a movie to watch, it explains how the ridge was formed and about the earthquake that caused it. We also asked Cody how many new visitors the new exhibits have brought in. He explained how since school is just starting up there aren't many visitors right now. He also said that they will start getting more visitors once school starts getting settled in. He said they will soon hit a peak around the fall when the weather cools off and families start coming in.
With Football season in full swing, homecoming week is closing in quickly. Valley View has a somewhat new tradition where all the clubs and a few classes put together a float for the annual parade. A group composed of Noah Higginbotham, Tucker Vines, and Carson Tollet are creating this year’s EAST float. It’s complete with a skirt, a hand made bed sheet sign, and hay bales for people to ride on during the parade. The float will be pulled all around the Valley View campus for all ages to see. We will be playing Wynne on homecoming night, and their team name is the yellow jackets. Our float’s theme is western, with the sign reading, “Stomp em Blazers!” with a large cowboy boot in the middle.
Noah Higganbotham