Lions Reach Out cares for NRHS

Small charity provides for needy students 

 It comes as no great surprise to anyone that with the downfall in the economy comes a much greater need for charitable organizations to step in and help needy families. The New Richmond community is no exception to this sad economic trend.

 Lions Reach Out is a non-profit organization, registered with the state of Ohio, and a 501c3 charity that provides Christmas gifts for needy students at New Richmond High School, as well as providing help for those students for Prom, Homecoming, Graduation and other events.

 Lions Reach Out is a small charity and does not provide huge or extravagant gifts for the students it serves. Rather, the organization tries to fill some small needs of high school students by helping them enjoy special events or activities at school or providing clothing when it’s needed.

 Lions Reach Out is supported by donations from NRHS faculty, the New Richmond community and the NRHS PTO. The organization’s bank account is at the River Hills Bank and donations can be made there at any time.

The NRHS Student Council Walkathon, held every November, is a fundraiser for the organization and will take place this year on the Friday before Thanksgiving. Student Council members are asked to collect pledge donations in and around the community. The daytime high school talent show is also a fundraiser for Lions Reach Out. We are also planning a fundraiser pep rally that will be held the day before Thanksgiving break.

This year, we will be helping NRHS students in the holiday season, giving them clothing, personal items and other Christmas gifts. The organization has also provided help for a few of our athletes already this season.

 It is anticipated that the number of students needing help for the holiday season, as well as for other events during the school year, will increase and to make sure that these students are taken care of, Lions Reach Out is asking for some help from the community.

 Cash donations can be made at any time at River Hills Bank, or can be mailed directly to the organization. Lions Reach Out would also appreciate donations of new NR spirit wear and new make-up and bath and body products. Donations can be taken at any time during the school day at New Richmond High School. 

For more information about Lions Reach Out, contact Sue Griffin at 553-3191, x10204 or email at griffin_s@nrschools.org.

Homecoming Pep Rally Surprise

Former New Richmond High School principal Diana Spinnati, who is on medical leave while she battles cancer, surprised students at the Sept. 21 Homecoming Pep Rally when she showed up as the Lion mascot.

2012 New Richmond Homecoming Parade

You can read The Messenger online

The New Richmond High School newspaper The Messenger is now available online on the New Richmond High School web site: 

http://nrschools.org/newrichmondhighschool_home.aspx

The September 2012 edition is available at http://www.nrschools.org/Downloads/September%20issue.pdf

BOE approves urgent HVAC work

The New Richmond Board of Education approved an Urgent Necessity Resolution at a special board meeting Sept. 6 authorizing Supt. Adam Bird to obtain bids and award a contract for the replacement of 12 rooftop HVAC units at New Richmond Elementary School.

“In addition to the 11 units we were going to replace we had a fire in a 12th unit over the Labor Day weekend,” noted Bird, who awarded the contract to DeBra-Kuempel Friday after reviewing two competing bids.

The normal bid process would have pushed the project well into the heating season.

New Richmond Elementary (right) is heated and cooled by
38 aging HVAC rooftop units.

DeBra-Kuempel originally bid $146,000 to replace 11 units but agreed to replace the 12th unit for $4000 more. DeBra-Kuempel’s bid was $21,000 under the second bid according to Bird.

 “New Richmond taxpayers are not losing at all on this job,” said Bird. “If we went through the regular bid procedure, NREVSD would not have gotten a better price.”

New Richmond Elementary is heated and cooled by 38 rooftop units which have reached their estimated 15-year lifespan. The units being replaced have been deemed either un-repairable or too costly to repair by the district’s maintenance staff and contractors. The new units will be approximately 50 percent more efficient.

The Board had studied replacing the 38 rooftop units with new to the U.S. market VRF (variable refrigerant flow) or VRV (variable refrigerant volume) systems as well as a chiller system which heat the district’s other buildings. VRF and VRV are ductless systems which allow one condensing unit to be connected to multiple evaporators. 

 “VRF and VRV systems would have cost $1.2 to $1.3 million,” noted Bird. “And a chiller system would have cost about the same and required extensive duct work. Your options are limited when you have a sprawling one-floor building like NRE.”

DeBra-Kuempel will perform the replacement work on weekends to prevent any disruption to classes at NRE.

NRE student fishes for Blue Ribbons

New Richmond Elementary fifth grade student Aaron Prescott now has blue ribbons from the county and state fairs to hang on his wall next to his trophy catches.

New Richmond Elementary fifth grade student Aaron Prescott displays his Blue Ribbons won at the  Clermont County and Ohio State fairs.

Aaron, who is the son of New Richmond High School science teacher Laura Prescott and district transportation diretor Wayne Prescott, won the blue ribbon for his 4H fishing project at both the Clermont County and the Ohio State fairs in his first year in 4-H. Aaron is a member of the "Down To Earth 4-Hers" club in New Richmond.

"He chose to do a project on fishing since he loves the outdoors and to go fishing already," explained Laura Prescott.

It  addition to research about Ohio's fish and their habitats, Aaron's 4H project required him to set goals related to doing activities in the community.  He had to answer questions from judges about the types of fish in Ohio and the environmental problems that they face, along with

trying to catch one of each type.  The fish he caught were large mouth bass, small mouth bass, catfish, bluegill, white crappie, and black crappie.

Upon completion of the project book and going fishing, Aaron had to create a poster that summarized his project before presenting it to a judge.  He made his presentation between baseball tournament games on July 7 which resulted in first place at the county fair which qualified him for the state fair in Columbus where he again took first place.

"He hopes that more people will join 4-H since he learned so much about how to make a poster, do interviews and complete a large scale project," said Laura Prescott. "Next year he plans on taking an animal to the fair, along with doing the next fishing project and a rifle project."