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www.thermopir.com

September 15, 2016

photo by Lara Love

High honors

Catelyn Deromdi offered praise to last years sixth graders for their performance in the state PAWS tests and challenged them to strive to be first in the state.

Thermopolis Middle School celebrates PAWS state rankings

by Lara Love
Thermopolis Middle School held a ceremony Friday to recognize
students for their performance on the Proficiency Assessments for
Wyoming Students (PAWS) tests taken in March of 2016. TMS
ranked in the top ten for all Wyoming schools in the following:
Eighth grade math students - 1st in Wyoming
Sixth grade math students - 2nd in Wyoming
Eighth grade science students - 6th (tie) in Wyoming
Sixth grade reading students - 7th in Wyoming
Seventh grade math students - 10th in Wyoming
The current high school freshman, eighth graders from last
year, visited TMS to participate in the ceremony. Principal Breez
Daniels opened the ceremony by explaining that since the awards
are for the previous school year the freshman earned the eighth
grade awards, the current eighth graders earned the seventh grade
awards and so on.
Daniels said the students compete academically against all 48
school districts in the state for their rankings in the PAWS tests.
Kristin Ryan spoke to students about last years sixth graders
ranking 7th in the state of Wyoming on the PAWS reading tests.

She explained it is culmination of all the students hard work they

have done not just last year but throughout all their years in school.
Catelyn Deromedi explained that she had never had a group of
students get 100 percent growth on their math tests. She congratulated last years sixth grade students for ranking second in the
state in their PAWS tests. She reminded the students to not settle
and to keep striving to earn first place.
Emmy Hergert presented the award to last years seventh graders for earning tenth in the state on the PAWS math tests. She
said their passion, drive and hard work had earned the students
their awards.
Daniels reminded the students these awards were not about
any one single student, they belonged to all the students for performing well.
Aimee Kay spoke to last years eighth graders (current freshmen) about how they had tied for sixth in the state for their science
PAWS tests. She referred to the group as being hungry for knowledge. She also reminded students and staff it was a team effort.
Stephanie Czarobski announced how incredibly proud she was of
last years eighth graders for asking questions and using all their

resources at TMS. She congratulated them for earning first in the

state on their math PAWS tests.
Daniels asked Czarobski to stay present. She explained last
year there had been a traveling trophy given to different groups
and grade levels for exceptional achievements. She then gave the
2015-16 traveling trophy to Czarobski to have a permanent place
in her classroom.
Kevin Gerber then explained he was going to have a few of last
years freshmen discuss things they had wrote about their experience at TMS.
Sterling Gerber told students about how if he had the chance
to do TMS over again he would not have been as shy. He said he
wished he had talked more to his teachers and other students. He
added he would have studied harder and gotten better grades earlier on in TMS.
Erica Meier said if she could come back to TMS she would have
been more outgoing and would have ran for student council.
Eric Bleak talked about the fear of going from elementary school
to middle school. He told the students not to be afraid to be in middle
school as it will determine who they are when they are in high school.

Ridin for the Brand fundraiser Saturday

by Mark Dykes
Those who are comfortable
on a horse, motorcycle, bike,
car or even the two-sole express
are invited to participate in the
Ridin for the Brand poker runs
Sept. 17 at Saddle Horn Horses Rx the McWilliams ranch
on Hamilton Dome Road. The
runs are for those in motorized
vehicles and horsemen, as well
as cyclists and cross-country
runners.
Janic Bartlow said an average of 22 veterans a day are
being lost to suicide. Though
over 5,000 soldiers have died
in Iraq, she said, more than
that are lost annually.
Proceeds from Ridin for the
Brand will go toward a fourweek pilot Egala program at
the ranch in October. A focus
of Egala is military veterans
diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
Soldiers are recommended to
the program by their counselors. Bartlow said it has been
discovered that nine weeks of
Egala is equal to six months
of individual therapy with a
counselor.
Egala therapy is a resident
program that provides a homelike setting. The Veterans Administration has also requested Shawn McWilliams develop
part of the program to give people the skills to be ranch hands,

and he is working with area

ranchers to teach veterans agriculture and ranching skills.
Vietnam War veteran Gary
Letchworth said he has had
PTSD for years. There are 13
diagnostic symptoms, he explained, which include anger,
anxiety, trust issues, isolation,
withdrawal, poor relationships
among friends and romantic
interests and difficulty holding a job.
Alcoholism and drug addiction are often used as coping
methods, Letchworth said, and
many are in denial and dont
think they have a problem. It
can take a while for them to
understand they need help.
Medication is a quick fix, and
doesnt really help except with
day-to-day issues, Letchworth
said, and veterans tend to shy
away from individual counseling; some might see their diagnosis of PTSD and seeking help
as a sign of weakness.
PTSD is nothing new, and
has gone by different names
one of the more well known
being shell shock over the
years. Some might think it is
only a mental issue, but Letchworth sees it as more of a soul
issue. It never goes away, he
said. It is something people will
always have.
In learning to cope with
PTSD, the Egala therapy is im-

portant, Letchworth explained,

as people have to learn to deal
with their issues if theyre going to handle horses; the animals are very intuitive to the
individuals they are working
with.
The horse program also provides a sense of freedom, and
individuals might deal with
them better than they would
with people. Letchworth added there is a communication
between a person and an animal that is on more of a spiritual level.
Vietnam War veteran Jack
Sheldon explained people dont
have to see combat to be become
afflicted with PTSD; it came be
caused by any kind of trauma.
He added he didnt know if its a
spirit or a fear that comes over
a person, but he knows when
he returned from Vietnam he
noticed a change in the country.
At one point, Sheldon was
even contemplating suicide,
but said giving his live over to
the Lord was his saving grace.
Just recently, he spoke to a
psychologist and a psychiatrist, and that helped to open
up some issues.
What Shawn and Maggie
McWilliams are doing, Sheldon
said, is pretty amazing and he
is 100 percent behind it. He has
found to have more comfort in
visiting with people who have

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been in combat. Sheldon said

this visiting with others who
have been through similar experience provides an outlet.
He compared it to the difference between the Sea of Galilee
and the Dead Sea. Both water
bodies are fed by the Jordan
River, but because the Sea of
Galilee has an outlet there has
life in it, whereas the Dead Sea
is more famous for its inability
to support life.
A horse can be that outlet
as well. Sheldon said there is
something about the creak of
the leather and the breath of
the horse as one rides down
the trail.
The animals also do not
judge, and people can express
themselves without fear.
Ridin for the Brand begins
with a breakfast of pancakes,
eggs and sausages at 7:30 a.m.;
the meal will be at the ranch
for horse riders, cyclists and
runners, and at the VFW for
bikers.
Registered riders will receive breakfast, and there is a
$5 charge for each additional
breakfast.
Following breakfast, riders

will head out on the poker runs,

making five different stops before returning to the ranch.
There will be lunch served of
pulled pork and brisket sandwiches beginning at noon at
the ranch.
We have got games throughout the day for both adults and
children, Bartlow said, so it s
a real family day. Among the
games is cowboy golf scramble,
starting at 10 a.m. On the last
hole, riders must get a ball into
a bucket using a broom while
atop their horses. There are
also kids relays, beginning at
10 a.m.
Live music will be provided
by the Sundowners, and items
will be up for a silent auction
including pictures by quick
draw artists. There is also a
chance to buy raffle tickets
for a side of beef; the winner
will be drawn at Oktobrewfest
Sept. 24.
Complete rules for the
events are online at www.facebook.com/saddlehornhorses, as
well as additional information
and maps.
Registration can be done by
calling 307-867-2605.

&

Quips

Health

By Tony Deromedi

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It enables you to
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If you have a nosebleed,

pinch the soft portion of the
nose between the bridge and
tip. Lean slightly forward
to allow the blood to drain.
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