Campbell County Senior Dakota Mitchell turns his head as he takes a breath during practice Tuesday at the Campbell County Aquatic Center.

Jessica Baumann jumps in the air while completing her set of “burpees” Thursday at All Dimensions Fitness. Members who came into the gym that day were asked to pledge 10 cents for every burpee they completed during their regular workout routine. The gym’s goal is to complete 26,000 burpees by Friday. As of 9 a.m. today, a total of 60 people had participated with a sum of 12,184 burpees. A burpee exercise consists of falling into a push-up position, squatting, jumping into the air and clapping one’s hands above the head. Baumann and her workout partner Jackie Nelson eventually completed 500 burpees Thursday.

Camel’s Shelby Johnson is denied her shot by Fillies’ Gabby Johnson and Kaylee Johnson Saturday night.

Camel’s Haley Shackelford reacts from the bench to the referee’s call in the third quarter Saturday night during the Lady Camel’s Championship game at the Energy Classic.

James Blakesley controls his bike as he pulls a wheelie from the top of a ramp Wednesday at Lasting Legacy Memorial Park. “I get really nervous,” Blakesley said before a jump. “It’s a whole new world and I have to clear my mindset to make sure conditions are just right.”

Campbell County High School students James Blakesley bumps fists with friend and videographer Garrett Wolf Wednesday outside Church of Christ after Blakesley landed a jump over a set of stairs. The two had been previously kicked off the church’s property by an unknown person earlier in the day, but they eventually made their way back after making several more stops around town while filming a project Wolf’s T.V. production class. Once he landed, Blakesley and Wolf could hear the hissing from the rear tire and laughed about it. “It’s a great way to end of the rally [session]; with a fresh popped back two,” said Blakesley.

Audience members tilt their heads at the ceiling as they watch ‘Mystery of the Christmas Star’ Tuesday night at Sage Valley Planetarium. The Christmas themed documentary explored the theory that the Star of Bethlehem, the same star used by the three Wise Men that showed them the way to the birth of Christ, was not a star or comment, but the alignment of three planets. The show will continue to show at the Planetarium this Saturday and Dec. 18-20.

Buffalo Ridge Elementary School students take their places shortly before singing their first song, “Christmas Time Is Coming.”

Several stages of demolition take place from room to room as workers cut wires that once suspended a dropped ceiling, to removing old insulation to checking electrical outlets.



Prairie Wind Elementary student Ripp Sandberg looks at the lyrics to to a christmas carol, illuminated by Prairie Wind Wellness teacher, Sam Sundemeyer Thursday night. Continuing an 11 year tradition, Principal Kathy Quinn and the teachers of Prairie Wind bundled up and toured the neighborhoods of their students on the back of a trailer and sang Christmas carols for those who could hear. With wind chills dipping into single digit temperatures, the teachers still had better weather cooperation than last year when severe winter conditions forced them to cancel their Christmas tradition.

“We have that many more to do,” Beth Berntson, a retired Special Education teacher for Campbell School District, said as she looked at the stacks of Wal-Mart bags being prepared. Berntson and other volunteers from the Campbell County Education Association stood along a row of dried and canned goods as the assembled Blessings in a Backpack, an organization started by Gillette resident Tamma Clapper three years ago. Clapper said much of the food is donated by local stores, while volunteers range from youth groups, to religious organizations to businesses. “Sometimes when I can’t get any volunteers I call my friends to help, one of which has six kids,” Clapper said with a laugh.

Tim Shields kisses his new wife, Gale, for the first time as husband and wife as family and friends applaud. The couple married Wednesday — 12-12-12 — at the Campbell County Courthouse.

Carl Matson, a sixth-grade teacher at Meadowlark Elementary, pours a 10-gallon bucket full of pennies into a collection bin after being weighed as members from the Meadowlark Student Leadership organization look on. “We’re exceeding expectations,” said Matson as he placed a plastic coin bank in a bucket full of pennies.

Hillcrest Elementary fifth-grader sarah VanGrundy speaks to Commander Michelle Wallace of the Challenger Learning Center during an exercise in which the fifth-grade class had to solve math and science problems to find a missing satellite Monday morning. Wallace, who was a former math teacher, has been with the The Challenger Learning Center for over a year. It’s purpose is to expose and inspire young students about the real world applications of math and science in a practical setting. The Center was created after the 1986 Challenger mission tragedy in which the shuttle exploded 78 seconds after liftoff. Those on board included Christa McAuliffe, the first teacher to go into space. The Center was created to honor the memory of those on board and the purpose of education for which McAuliffe stood for.

Conestoga fifth-grader Lluvia Williams shapes the top portion of a small structure made from magazines as she widens her eyes after hearing her group only has 30 seconds remaining to complete their project aimed at teamwork and taking criticism.



Joe Humes and Tim Hoaglund use the headlights from Humes’ jeep to illuminate a bale of hay weighing nearly a ton. After pushing it off the trailer and to the ground, the two wrapped a steel cable around the hay and placed it in the horse pasture using the cable wench on Hume’s Jeep.



Joe Humes and Tim Hoaglund stand in Hoaglund’s horse pasture, illuminated by headlights after placing a bale of hay it its usual spot as they settle their payment with Harold Gage who traveled over 800 miles to deliver the crop.

© News Record 2012