ROCK SPRINGS – After being inspired by what hard work and dedication can do, students at Independence High School sent a special Christmas message to the person who inspired them.

At the recent Sweetwater County School District No. 1 board meeting, IHS Principal Mike Maloney gave a presentation about progress and events at the school. At the end of his presentation, Maloney told the story of a special Christmas moment at the school.

The story Maloney told was that of Austin Hatch, a basketball player who was recruited to Michigan. Hatch recently returned to the basketball court after three years away from it. In 2003, Hatch and his family were involved in a plane crash. His mother, brother and sister were killed while Hatch and his father survived.

Fast forward eight years to 2011. Hatch was involved in another plane crash which severely injured him and killed his father and stepmother.

Students at IHS were inspired and touched by his story. Maloney said students and staff put together a Christmas card which was recently sent to Hatch.

IHS Presentation

As for the presentation, Maloney gave the board a look at recent progress at the school. He said IHS/Black Butte is a place for any student who is looking for something unique and different or for any reason is not reaching his or her full potential. Maloney stressed, the alternative high school is not better or worse than the high school but unique and different.

Recent academic success was also shared with the board. Maloney said while the state has remained stagnant on ACT explore composite results and ACT plan composite results, the IHS ninth and tenth-grade students made small increases.

Maloney also explained since 2010, IHS graduation rate has steadily increased each year. It has went from 31 percent in 2010 to 45.5 percent in 2013. Two goals set by staff at IHS is to raise the performance level on the ACT and implementing project based learning in order to incorporate projects to drive the learning and/or assess learning.

Project based learning is a set of learning experiences and tasks that engage students in the content by a meaningful question to explore an engaging, real-world problem to solve or a design challenge to meet. It must involve intellectually challenging tasks and products focused on research, writing, collaboration, presenting and displaying.

Maloney said it allows for creativity, personal interests are considered, new and exciting technology is utilized and collaborative work is encouraged.

Another way they will accomplish these goals is with a new school. Soon, IHS will move to its new building Black Butte which is currently being built at Western Wyoming Community College.

“I cannot think of a better community partner to have than Western Wyoming Community College,” Maloney said.

Black Butte High School was explained by Maloney as experiencing a high quality college preparatory and career ready high school education with direct access to college opportunities at WWCC. Maloney said students will be encouraged to pursue their interests and passions by taking advantage of the strengths of Black Butte High School and Western Wyoming college faculty/staff and community resources.

In conclusion, Maloney said none of this would have been possible without the help of several people and thanked them. They included both the SWCSD No. 1 Board, WWCC Board, Karla Leach, Marty Kelsey, Paul Grube, Randy Wendling, George Lemich and of course the staff and students at IHS/Black Butte.