Team Building

The skills we practiced in the team building exercises that will be helpful on the dig was working together as a whole group and speaking up when we needed too. Working together was the main one out of all because if we didn't work together as a group doing the exercises then we more than likely wouldn't work together on the dig. The practice that will not be helpful was taking everything apart and not getting it done on time, like trying to put together and do last minute things. That's going to put us behind a lot if we do that every time we have a project.

When participating in the team building exercises we discovered who the leader would most likely be. We also learned how to work together and operate better together. We have been given the privilege to look for thing no other high school student gets to do and my team will not waste it.

Team building

What skills did you practice in your team building exercises that will be helpful for your team when working on the dig? (hint: it's not taping straws, dropping golf balls, or hitting balloons. Think deeper. What practices will not be helpful in getting the job done? What are your plans on working together to accomplish what no other group of high school students get to do? (We know you are the only group in the southeast doing this) What is your individual role? What will be your individual responsibilities?

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2016 CS Downtown Tour for HMS 4th grade

Describe your experience as the historians of Roanoke. Why is it important that we do activities like this? How did it help YOU? Describe a funny or sweet or otherwise memorable moment to you day. What do you hope the 4th graders learned about history in general and the history of their small town? Reply to this comment today and then respond to a classmate's comment before class Monday. 

William A Handley

Captain William A Handley was a very rich man who was rich in money and rich in love.  He gave nothing but love to others including our highschool.  He is the reason I am able to attend school and have a friendship with these people.  He was a very important man and e saw such a intrerest in Roanoke when he could have focused on much bigger things, like Birmingham.

Today on our field trip, I learned a lot about Captain Handley and how he made our city better. Captain Handley played a big part in our little town and is now a legend, his name will forever have an impact on our school systems. Captain Handley went to war and gotten injured while in the war. They had to discharge him back home. The Gold rush and Indian removal act helped him manage to get the land he wanted. With this land, he built the Handley Mills which had closed down many times before but still managed to give people jobs they needed. If you worked in the Handley Mill, your children went to the school that he built to go along with the mill. Captain Handley did a lot in our small town to make it this great and his name will always have an impact on Roanoke Alabama. Captain Handley also built railroads throughout Roanoke and Luiana Road. This also helped with the education and wealth. With the railroads, he managed to transport things and get the things he needed which really helped.

On the Captain Handley field trip, I learned about the kind and courteous man that our school was named for. Captain Handley was a wealthy man, but he did not let that wealth go to his head. Instead of squandering his money on short-lived material items, he used his wealth to build our school. He wanted to build a school so that there would be a chance for kids to have a good education. I believe that if Captain Handley came back today, he would be more than pleased with how we have changed his town. From the new and improved downtown Roanoke to the many accomplishments rewarded to his school for athletics, academics and other extra curricular activities. Captain Handley was a great man and I am glad that I have new knowledge of his character so that I can tell others when I tell them about my school.

Today I learned a lot about Captain Handley. I also learned a lot about not just our town but those surrounding. I came to realize that a lot of things were simple back in the times of when Captain Handley was my age. He was able to swim in creeks and fish but not only that he was able to walk from Luana all the way to Roanoke and back without somebody stopping him. I was told stories of a man murdering the wrong woman and then telling the town who hired him. We also adventured out to a creek where we panned for gold and swam like we were back in the time of the gold rush.

Captain Handley Blog Post

Today, I found out a lot about the creator of our school. Not only did he create the "Handley Family" we know today. He helped create the city and other places linked with roanoke as well. I found out that he even went to war, though it didn't work out very well, he came out alive to give hope to life as we know it. He was a VERY rich, powerful, and well respected man, however, he had what a lot of people with lots of wealth don't have. A heart. He was a man who knew a future would only be fueled by education, so what did he do besides run businesses, be connected to railroad companies, and flat out help build up cities in alabama? He gave us what we are all so grateful for and proud to be apart of, Handley High School. "Yes, time has passed and systems change, but one thing remains the same, Captain Handley is the name". Also, adding onto his great/great great granddaughters opinion as to what his thoughts would be if he could come back and see his creation. I would like to add Community Studies and how Captain Handley would be so proud of fellow students willing to learn. Especially Mrs. Sears and Coach Glass themselves. Im quite sure they don't have to be out in the hot weather giving speeches about roanoke's history..etc.. but they do it for a reason, its the same reason why we are what we are today. Heart. They have so much self determination and eagerness to teach, learn, and carry on opinions about roanoke's history that they have their very own class for it which really jumps out at me. Overall, besides the hot weather, today went very well. I learned a lot about the handley mills, houses in the woods, how one town was literally the biggest town and is now literally nothing, and lots about Captain Handley himself. This has been a very fun time so far and I hope there's much more in store!!

This photo is the Gold site where Captain Handley's father would seek to do exactly what we did today. Pan for gold.  Of course, you see a small handley family in view, but, I see history. 

Capt. William A. Handley

Today I learned about the life and legacy of Captain William A. Handley. I found out what a huge role he played in making, not only Roanoke, but also Alabama what it is today. Things like the Indian Removal Act and the Alabama Gold Rush are what helped him get land in Alabama and gain his fortune. He was also a veteran of the the Civil War. One of his greatest contributions to the city of Roanoke was Handley Mills. This large factory provided many jobs and a great source of income for the upcoming town. He also paid for most everything included in building the Handley school systems. Overall, I learned from Capt. Handley’s story that if you put your mind to it, you can do it. The tales of his hard work and kindness inspire me to do the same.

The Community Studies class stopped at a beautiful creek to pan for gold.