THUMBS UP

It’s that time in the spring when the mortar boards begin flying through the air as we congratulate the well-earned successes of our high school graduates.

To all the many high school graduates at the dozens of high schools in our news coverage area, we give a well-deserved thumbs up and all the kudos you can give in one paragraph. High school graduation is not a foregone conclusion. The graduates must show commitment and a level of academic progress to earn that long-sought slice of parchment.



THUMBS UP

We all look up and see Air Force trainers zooming around the northwest Oklahoma skies. Have you ever contemplated who keeps them safe and on track?

We give a military thumbs up to Vance Air Force Base and its Radar Approach Control, also known as the RAPCON, which won the AETC D. Ray Hardin Air Traffic Control Facility of the Year award. According to Vance, in 2006, the 71st Flying Training Wing was budgeted 81,000 flying hours. RAPCON controlled more than 327,000 aircraft operations, including departures, approaches and over-flight traffic.

Air traffic controllers maintained currency and awareness of many regulations, including Federal Aviation Administration Orders, Air Force Instructions and local regulations. Air traffic controllers are the “eye in the sky” that help keep air travel safe.

To the Vance AFB RAPCON, Enid is proud of you and your achievements.



THUMBS DOWN

Recently some statistics regarding Oklahoma teens — mostly alcohol and drug use — appeared to improve slightly, but, unfortunately, teen pregnancy is not one of them. Teen pregnancy is on the rise in Oklahoma, and for that statistic, we all must be concerned when considering this thumbs down.

Oklahoma has the seventh-highest teenage pregnancy birth rate in the nation. Quite an alarming statistic. Oklahoma’s teenage pregnancy birth rate rose from 55.4 births per 1,000 in 2005 to 59.5 births per 1,000 in 2006.



THUMBS UP

Never give up.

That’s one of the lessons our 50 high school graduates from Lincoln Alternative School remind us as they take the stage to receive their high school diplomas. Lincoln graduates celebrated at their Senior Appreciation Night on Thursday.

Their graduation actually is from Enid High School but through alternative education curriculum delivered through Lincoln. Thumbs up to the 50 Lincoln graduates and to the program itself, which embraces young learners who in the past may have been given up on by the public education system.



THUMBS UP

Kudos and a thumbs up to Scott Snodgrass, 14, a Chisholm Middle School eighth-grader who was Tournament of Champions Top Scholar for the second consecutive year. Scholastic team members take standardized tests at competitions. Tournament of Champions Top Scholar is the student who has the most points after taking all six TOC tests: language arts, social studies, science, current events, humanities and math. Snodgrass is known among his teachers and peers as a voracious learner and disciplined competitor.