For the second year in a row, the Jordan Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Combo finished first in their respective divisions in the UNC-Chapel Hill Jazz Festival held this year on February 28^th. “To say this is an incredible accomplishment is an understatement,” notes band director, Andrew Weiss.  “This year’s competition was tremendous, with 25 different groups performing from all over North Carolina. We were adjudicated by professional musicians from New Orleans, New York, Denver, and Wisconsin, to name a few,” he explains.   The Jordan student musicians were also fortunate enough to have clinicians sit in, play with them  and offer some incredible feedback and critique.  “To top off the evening,” Weiss says, “we opened up for the UNC Repertory Jazz Band in Memorial Hall! There must have been 1000 people in the audience who gave our students a wonderful welcome and response.”

On Sunday, March 16^th, six students from the Jordan FFA Chapter and Animal Science classes spent the afternoon volunteering at Carnivore Preservation Trust (CPT), a wildlife sanctuary in Pittsboro that is home to tigers, leopards, caracals, binturongs and other carnivores.

Students, parents and Mrs. Melino helped by clearing out fallen trees, brush and vines in an area neighboring tiger enclosures. The large fenced-in area will soon be open for tigers in adjacent habitats to explore.  Students were given a tour of the compound by Mrs. Melino.  For more information about volunteering at CPT, please visit http://www.cptigers.org.