Recently, I returned from leading a Bluffton High School student trip to France, Monaco and Italy. This is the fifth trip on which I have been the lead teacher, but my sixth trip traveling overseas with students. And, often, my group of travelers includes parents or other adults who want to travel to Europe as well. This year, I appreciated the extra help from Vickie Garmon (BHS art teacher) as well as the parents on the trip. This was the largest group that has traveled with me, and these other adults helped to make this trip a success.
Bluffton's Don Burris joins the Icon's Work In Progress Wednesday series with a full DIY remodel of his 1915 kitchen.
Burris notes that this included "removing five layers of flooring, moving the bathroom door, and having new electric installed.
"I then installed new hickory cabinets, butcher block countertops, subway tile backsplash, laminate flooring and new appliances. I took advantage of the corner windows and installed a corner sink. It was a complete overhaul."
On the first Monday of August, some 20 quilters gathered at the Bluffton Senior Center for show and tell, a "Quilting on the Edge" demonstration and snacks.
The Bluffton Scrap Artist Quilters meet 10 out of 12 months to share their love of fabrics, design and creativity. This month, members displayed results from a three-crayon challenge: make a quilt (small or large) using random colors drawn from a bag of crayons.
Stacey Hensley of Alger knitted this Freedom Waves flag blanket last fall and entered it in the Hardin County Fair in 2025. It measures 50 x 65 inches.
Her construction method uses a round loom that can also be used for hats, cowls and other tube-shaped designs.
Hensley notes that she learned loom knitting during the 2020 quarantine by watching YouTube videos. She also knits adult hats, pumpkin blushies, scarves and blankets.
PHOTO October 11, 2025 Last football home game BHS Marching Band under the direction of David Sycks.
By Betsi Werling
David Sycks has served as the band director for Bluffton High School for 32 years, almost his entire teaching career. He retired following the 2025-2026 academic year. He’s also been playing the trumpet for 52 years, despite initially being encouraged to play a different instrument.
FROM FACEBOOK_Bluffton High School alum and U.S. Olympian Trevor Bassitt and his wife Harlie have announced via social media that they are expecting their first child. The couple appears in photos in London, England, in front of the iconic Big Ben clock tower.
Bassitt recently set a lifetime best of 47.37 seconds at the USATF Lone Star Grand Prix, which put him ninth in the worldwide rankings.
He competed in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France and has set his sights on the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
