GREENSBORO — Fifty-seven of Clarkton School of Discovery’s Junior Beta Club members attended the North Carolina Junior Beta Convention on Feb. 6-7 in Greensboro. This year’s theme was “Beta Above and Beyond,” and during the convention, members participated in various academic and artistic competitions.

Weslyn Hall, a seventh-grade student, campaigned for the office of president. Several students wrote and choreographed her campaign skit titled “Ball with Hall.” The skit was a demonstration of Weslyn’s campaign slogan. Students sang and danced promoting Weslyn’s bid for office to a rewritten version of a Kid Rock song. Students were dressed in shirts and hats saying “Ball with Hall.”

Lily Lin, Sara Gargala, Marley Fletcher, Alyssa Furtrell and Sammi Jiang won first place in Tower of Power, a critical thinking competition in which students are given straws and masking tape to build the tallest free-standing tower that would hold a ball for at least one minute. The girls’ winning tower was almost 5 feet tall.

Our Banner, created by Natalie Spears, Lauren Gooden, Sydney Gardner and Kacy Gunter, took second place and another second place was won in the Wreath created by Heather Hardin and Merritt Martin.

Clarkton’s Junior Betas also competed in Group Talent with a Toy Story themed original skit. Jennifer Marlowe and April Storms-Britt directed and choreographed the performance.

The club made top 5 in the Songfest Competition with a second-place overall finish, making them eligible to compete at the National Convention. Songfest is a competition in which a club rewrites a song of their choice and presents in with limited movements. CSD rewrote the iconic song, “Don’t Stop Believin’” by Journey. During the rewriting process, the students had to incorporate the convention theme “Beta Above and Beyond.” This marks the fourth time CSD has qualified in this prestigious event and the first time it will advance to Nationals.

This year was CSD’s 10th year competing and consecutive invitation to the National Convention. The club’s sponsors are Jennifer Marlowe, Sheila Nance, Nancy Clark, Stephanie Norris, and Heather Guyton Thompson. They are assisted by April Storms-Britt.

Clarkton’s Junior Beta Club is now preparing for the National Convention in Orlando, Fla., in June. They are currently planning their sixth annual Beta Showcase, set for March 31, to present their award-winning Songfest, Banner and Wreath. In addition, the club will also have a spaghetti dinner and silent auction that evening to raise money for Nationals.

Clarkton has several fundraising activities planned. In addition to our Beta Showcase, $5 raffle tickets will be on sale soon.

Courtesy photo Fifty-seven of Clarkton School of Discovery’s Junior Beta Club members attended the North Carolina Junior Beta Convention on Feb. 6-7 in Greensboro.
http://www.bladenjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/web1_CSDbeta.jpgCourtesy photo Fifty-seven of Clarkton School of Discovery’s Junior Beta Club members attended the North Carolina Junior Beta Convention on Feb. 6-7 in Greensboro.

Staff report