Community

Steubenville High bonfire helps benefit Europe trips

STEUBENVILLE - A variety of activities centered around a bonfire at the Steubenville High School practice field Thursday helped to kick off the school's homecoming festivities and raise funds for students to visit Europe during the next two years.

Organized by leaders of the school's Globetrotters group, the event included games for children, performances by the Big Red Marching Band and cheerleaders and the sale of food, T-shirts and other school memorabilia.

Attendees had an opportunity to meet candidates for homecoming queen before that honor was bestowed upon one of them during half-time ceremonies of the homecoming game on Friday, Sept. 25.

Man-o-War, the Big Red horse mascot, was on hand to greet and have her photo taken with the many attending and was joined by a four-year-old black miniature Gypsy Vanner that was the first actual horse to serve that role.

For the evening, the horse was known as Man-o-War, but its actual name is Volt of Lighting, for the white streak found on its mane, revealed its owner, Daniel Miller of Sunset Acres Farm.

Inhabited by a camel and zebras as well as traditional barnyard animals, the Fresno, Ohio farm operates a mobile petting zoo that has visited local schools.

Miller said as a miniature Gypsy Vanner, Volt of Lighting weighs about 800 pounds and was bred for leisure while larger horses of the breed, which orginated in the United Kingdom, have worked on farms.

He laughed when a child asked if the horse might be painted red to resemble the school's mascot.

Jackie Reeves and Adele Filtz, advisers for the Globetrotters, expressed thanks to the many that contributed to the event, including proprietors of the four food trucks, which shared a portion of their sales with the group; and several donors that supplied prizes for a Chinese auction.

The bonfire is one of many fundraisers to be held by the group to raise money for both a spring trip to Budapest, Vienna and Prague and a planned 2027 trip to the Alps and Europe's Mediterranean Coast.

Reeves said about 40 Steubenville High School students have signed up for this year's trip while registration is still open for next year's.

She noted they can be in grades 9 through 12 because "We want to give them as many opportunities to participate as we can."

Reeves noted while the teens' parents have committed financially to the trips, fundraising done individually by members and collectively by the group has helped to make them accessible.

A Halloween-themed movie night at the school in October is the group's next collective fundraiser, with details to be announced.

Reeves said of the trips, which began four years ago, "We've always had a full tour bus each time we've gone."

Filtz said each year's destination has been determined in large part by the interest of the students and their parents.

She said chaperones must be school employees though parents may accompany their children as paid participants.

Filtz said next year will be the first time a former student will participate while joining her younger brothers as a paid participant.

Arranged by EF Educational Tours, the trips are unforgettable experiences for the students, she said.

"Some had traveled no farther than Pittsburgh and here they are in Europe. It's life-changing," said Filtz.

She noted before departing, the students attend a pre-trip "boot camp" to learn some things about the history and culture of their destinations.

The course has been taught by John Abram, a world history teacher at the school.

He said it's required for participation and has been done both during the school's spring break and as one of the month-long elective courses offered during the school's special May semester.

At times, Abram has brought in guests, as when local women from the local Greek festival came to instruct the students in the traditional dance of their culture.

Abram said he instructs the students to identify and researching sites and cities they wish to see during the trip and to return from their trip with a photo from that point of interest.

Filtz said in addition to learning about other cultures firsthand, the youth and their adult chaperones have gained an appreciation of the broad expanse of the world and its many peoples.

"We're really just a small part of it," she said.