Since January, KOE has been getting ready for their annual picnic. This year, the picnic will be held during sixth and seventh hour on Friday, May 6. In order to get ready for the event, KOE sponsors Kristen Johnson and Lindsey Scheller have been spending months ordering food and inflatables and planning for the day.

“Without Mrs. Holmes this year, Mrs. Scheller and I have a little more on our plate, but it’s been pretty easy to tackle with all the help from our officers, and it’s been so helpful that they have stepped up,” Johnson said.

Students can get into the picnic many different ways including getting on honor roll, being a mentor, being student of the week, getting perfect attendance or being nominated for Knights of the Round Table. Starting in January, Johnson has been going through different lists that include every student in the school and highlighting ones that meet one or more of the many different qualifications for the picnic. After figuring out who can go, Johnson has to send out the picnic invitations to sixth hour teachers. This year, KOE is trying to get in contact with principal Andy Downs to get the invitation list posted somewhere in the commons so students can see if they’re eligible to attend the picnic and not have to rely on their sixth hour teacher.

“I like that KOE gets to help out other people in the school and it’s fun,” sophomore Michaela Erfling said. ”The picnic at the end of the year is going to be fun to be a part of and help set up.”

On the day of the picnic, students in KOE get to vote on next year’s officers in the morning and then get out and help set up for the picnic. The time they get to go out is dependent on how many hours they have earned throughout the course of the year. They can earn hours by doing different things during the year like adopt-a-family, an event KOE does to help raise money for needy families in March. KOE members get to help put out soda, wrap food and pop popcorn so that they are all ready for the students to come out during sixth hour.

The picnic will have four different inflatables this year, and they will also be serving popcorn, soda and ice cream to students while they’re at the picnic. When KOE isn’t getting ready for the picnic, they’re recognizing students, parents and staff for a variety of different accomplishments. Any student can join KOE if they go to the first few meetings of the school year in August.

“It’s a great organization if you’re wanting to look for something to do but it’s also just a great organization because we get so many different ways to recognize people,” Johnson said. “I feel like it’s one of the best jobs around here.”