Honorable Mention - High School
Claremore High School P Squared Group, Claremore

Trained!

"Got trained!" is a common expression in our town, Claremore. No matter where you are headed, it is likely you will have to stop for the Burlington, Northern, Santa Fe Freight as it crisscrosses town on two separate tracks. An average of 42 trains travel through Claremore each day, making it a permanent fixture in our community.

"All aboard!" If you were a passenger on the BNSF, you might think there's a church on every street corner in Claremore. Located in the Bible Belt, our town features great variety and numbers of churches. They play an important role, meeting many spiritual and community needs for our residents and visitors. Featured on our collage is the First Presbyterian Church, founded in 1889. It was one of the first four churches built to serve the people of Claremore and remains a prominent church in the community today.

"Take a little trip through Claremore!" Continuing your train ride through our town, you cannot miss Rogers State University. Nicknamed "Harvard on the Hill", it sits at the top of Will Rogers Boulevard, overlooking the town. Rogers State University was actually built as Eastern University Preparatory School in 1909, but soon became the Oklahoma Military Academy. In 1971, it was changed to a junior college and only recently became a four-year institution with degree programs, serving the educational needs of students from Claremore and the surrounding area. Many social functions are also held at RSU, such as the Miss Claremore Pageant, wedding receptions, and awards programs, making it a popular place in our town.

"I've been workin' on the railroad, all the live long day!" We chose the
Claremore Fire Department to represent where we work. The firemen of our town not only secure the safety of our residents, but also better the community through many service projects. As Claremore High School cheerleaders, we were invited to participate in some of these activities. We enjoyed helping the firemen with car washes and Christmas gift-wrapping for the Toys for Tots project they sponsor each year, and it was great fun riding on top of the fire truck at the Homecoming parade!

"Ticket, please!" The playground represents the safety we feel in our small town community. Parents and children still feel secure letting their children have a good time in our local parks and we hope to continue keep that traditional small town atmosphere.

"Last stop!" The house on our collage is a typical old farmhouse setting on the outskirts of town. This particular house belongs to a classmate and friend whose family has lived there for five generations. Although Claremore is often referred to as a suburb of Tulsa, we are still a small community surrounded by farmland. The wheat field and grain elevator represent another aspect of where we work. Stillwater Milling is an old and prominent business in Claremore.

"End of the line!" Football is Claremore on Friday night! Many attend the local high school football game, as it is the social event of the week during the fall. As cheerleaders, we lead the crowd in support of the Zebras. This year our team made it to the quarterfinals of the play-offs and finished with a 12 and 4 record.

While waiting on a train on our way to school, we came up with the theme for our collage. We chose colored maps for our background since Claremore is located on Route 66 and a town of many colors. We spent time carefully choosing the places that represent "Our Town: Where We Live, Learn, Work, Pray and Play." Our goal was to accurately represent Claremore while choosing places that are special in our lives. While photographing each site, we had some educational experiences, including a visit with the train engineer of the BNSF, as well as a tour and ride! "Now departing Claremore!"