While Downsville Central School had no dropouts on a recent state report tracking what happened to students who started high school in 2002, Superintendent Robert Mackey said that maintaining that level will require a lot of hard work from school faculty.

"We try to make it a community response’’ when such at-risk behavior as poor attendance or changes in achievement are spotted, he said. But it’s inevitable that those rates will change, he said.

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Otego Parent Teachers Organization had a weeklong series of events for teacher appreciation week that included staff members. Each day, the organization mobilized parents and students for different events. Though there are about 10 active members, treasurer Katy Culpo said, when help is needed for an event such as this, "there are people who step up."

Among the activities were a Thursday car wash, where any staff member had only to leave the keys with the secretary and parents, she said, and students would take care of the rest. They even provided air fresheners.

"It’s one way of saying thank-you," she said.

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When a historic barn was torn down on a former farm in Hartwick, Kinney Memorial librarian and Hartwick Historical Society President Barb Potter said being raised on a farm gave extra meaning to see such a building being razed. If the loss of farms continues, "little kids won’t know what a barn was," she said.

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In discussing the fourth annual Scholar Recognition Dinner, former Daily Star Publisher Dan Swift said the award is important because not enough attention is given to academic achievements. A lot of energy is spent recognizing sports achievements, he said, but "the purpose of schools is to develop well-rounded students."

As publisher, whenever he saw an opportunity to focus more attention On scholarship, he got involved. This included both the dinner and a spelling bee. In retirement, he said, he will continue to be involved with programs that promote eduction.

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When Oneonta High School Senior Harrison Wright was recently named a 2007 Regional Coca-Cola Scholarship winner, he may not have realized he was becoming part of a growing tradition. This is the 19th year of the award program that chooses 50 national and 200 regional winners, said scholarship spokeswoman Jennifer Grizzle. The leadership traits that earned them recognition stay with the winners, she said. Former winners include a White House adviser, a former Miss America and the founder of Travelocity.com, she said

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Among those who thanked retiring Greater Plains Elementary Teacher Andrea Lister was Rachel Sason, the student representative to the Oneonta City School Board of Education. When she had Lister as a teacher in fourth grade, Sason received needed help with understanding division, she said. She attributed some of her later success in math to those early lessons from the teacher who has been with the district for 20 years.

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Barb Field provided some background of clowning when she discussed Saturday’s meeting of a clown alley, a support group for the performers in Oneonta. There has been a trend away from the traditional fully painted clown, known as whiteface, who often plays the role of a boss clown, she said. The next on the totem pole is the august clown, that has mouth and eyes done with makeup. The low man on the totem pole is the tramp or hobo clown, she said.

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Staff Writer Mark Boshnack covers education and agriculture.