Fifteen seniors were recognized for their excellence in both athletics and academics during high school at the annual Southwestern Athletic Conference Student-Athlete Scholar Luncheon on May 12 at the Van Buren County Intermediate School District Conference Center in Lawrence.

According to Gobles Athletic Director Chris Miller, the honor is given to students who finish high school with a minimum 3.25 gpa and who have also earned a total of at least four varsity letters in at least two different sports.

"We honored a great group of kids from Gobles this year," Miller said. "These kids represent the best of the best in our school, and are great role models for the younger students in this district. I hope people see the example of these student-athletes and recognize how important commitment is to being good students and athletes at the same time."

The fifteen Gobles students honored were Jessica Allyn-White, Sam Baker, Kaitlyn Fabian, Derek Heath, Caitlin Killeen, Amber Martin, Adriana Medina, Brian McWethy, Andrea Nowman, Peter Oudsema, Tammy Smith, Leah Storoshenko, Brooke Phillips, Lindsay Van Horn, and Kyle Weston.

Five seniors were honored at a May 2 banquet with students from across Southwest Michigan as members of the 2008 SAC All-Conference Graduating Class.

Students were selected for the honor based on a combination of grade point average, standardized test scores, and performance in rigorous core academic classes. The five Gobles honorees are Peter Oudsema, son of Deena and Pete Karson and Tom Oudsema, Kelly Connelly, daughter of Mike and Carol Connelly, Tammy Smith, daughter of Ms. Grace Smith and Mr. Peter Smith, Ashley Peters, daughter of Tim and Sandy Peters, and Derek Heath, son of Kim and Debi Heath.

The five honorees will leave Gobles to enter fields from education to engineering, and attend nearby institutions such as Western Michigan University and Kalamazoo College, and far-away universities such as the University of Denver in Colorado and Clemson University in South Carolina.

Congratulations to these outstanding members of the 2008 graduating class and their families.

Jeff Gilbert served Gobles Middle/High School as principal on May 8, shadowing principal Corey Harbaugh and getting an inside look at the work of running a school. Here Mr. Gilbert is pictured greeting Gobles senior Darren Littrell.

Gilbert chose the opportunity as a reward for winning in the annual "Books for Bikes" competition, and during his day as principal had the opportunity to consider the work that happens in a school from the other side of the desk.

"I learned that principals and teachers have it harder than the students," Gilbert said. "Every day we have over an hour of stop time, and the principal does not." Gilbert said his favorite part of the job was helping hold an assembly for the entire eighth grade class on ethical dilemmas.

According to principal Corey Harbaugh, Gilbert is a natural. "Jeff has great instincts to be a leader. I don't know if he'll ever be a principal, but he has very good people skills, and caught on quickly to what good education is supposed to look like in the classroom, and what makes for a safe, secure school."

Jeff is the son of Larry and Jennifer Gilbert and currently has two older brothers and an older sister in the MS/HS building who had to call him "Mr. Gilbert", at least for the day.

Tuesday, April 22, in front of family and friends the 2007-2008 National Honor Society inducted 54 members, some new and some returning.

The school play this year is Cheaper by the Dozen. It is a classic comedy about the Gilbreth family; a dad, a mom, and 12 children! Mr. Gilbreth is a "motion study expert" and tries to run his family with the same efficiency as the world's biggest factories. Hilarity ensues as kids rebel and love blooms. The play is charming, funny, touching, and wise. The audience will leave having laughed and, maybe even, cried. Cheaper by the Dozen has an underlying message that reminds everyone that they never know how much time is left and to enjoy life and all of it craziness while you can!