The Vienna Times Vienna, Illinois & Johnson County News, Sports and Happenings
The Vienna Grade School Junior Beta Club attended the State Junior Beta Convention in Springfield on February 9 and 10. The theme of this year’s convention was “Betas, Rockin’ the Country.” Twenty-six members of the club attended the two-day event.
Throughout the convention, students competed in both academic and artistic competitions and received awards in sixteen categories, nine of them first place awards.
For the sixth consecutive year, the Vienna club ran a candidate for state office. This year’s candidate, Reagan Johnson, was elected to the office of State Junior Beta vice president. The club campaigned for her behind the “Bakin’ with Reagan” logo, some even dressed as cupcakes and encouraged everyone through the slogan “Bakin’ With Reagan – She has the recipe for success.” Reagan’s skit was awarded first place in the campaign skit competition.
VGS also took first place for the eighth time with their living literature entry portraying a scene and characters from Pinocchio. In this challenging competition, students had to create a scene from a work of literature and hold a “wax museum-like” pose as spectators and judges viewed the exhibit.
VGS sponsor Laura Clark was installed as Illinois State Sponsor to serve for the next two years organizing and running the state convention.
Another Johnson County Beta member, Matthew Johnson, a sixth grader at Buncombe Grade School, was awarded a first place ribbon for his entry into the sculpture devision.
His entry was a hand-made, working guitar made from miscellaneous metal hardware pieces.
In addition to the convention events, the students were able to tour the state capitol, Illinois State Museum and Abraham Lincoln’s neighborhood.
The club was graciously awarded the opportunity to compete in every category they qualified in at National Junior Beta Club Convention in Nashville, Tennessee in June of this year. Reagan will have the opportunity to run for National vice president as well.
A more detailed story, with additional photos, will appear on the front page of this week’s edition of The Vienna Times
