Produced by the students of the Montrose Area Junior/Senior High SchoolVolume 23, Issue 3 January 2008 Montrose Area School District

DDDDDAAAAATESTESTESTESTESTO REMEMBERTO REMEMBERTO REMEMBERTO REMEMBERTO REMEMBER

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MAHS Students Discover Good WillMAHS Students Discover Good WillMAHS Students Discover Good WillMAHS Students Discover Good WillMAHS Students Discover Good Will

Mete r ChronicleBy Courtney Haggerty and Emily GowBy Courtney Haggerty and Emily GowBy Courtney Haggerty and Emily GowBy Courtney Haggerty and Emily GowBy Courtney Haggerty and Emily GowCo-editor in Chief and Elementary Editor

Beginning in January 2007several teachers and fourschool board members as wellas the board’s solicitor met forover ten months to negotiate anew teachers’ contract,Superintendent Mike Ognoskysaid.

“It was a long process, butboth sides worked together toachieve a contract that is fairfor all concerned,” historyteacher Joe Festa, chair of theteachers’ negotiating team,said.

Contract negotiationsusually start a year or so beforethe end of the currentagreement, according to Mr.Ognosky.

The board of education andthe teachers’ association choosemembers to form committeesto represent them at thenegotiating table. Both sidesmeet first to determine theparticulars of the negotiationprocess, such as where theywill meet and how often.

“Typically both sidesexchange initial proposals,” Mr.Ognosky said, “and [the negoti-ation begins] from there.”

The board may also berepresented by its solicitor, andthe teachers may be repre-sented by their state associationif they wish.

“[These parties] normallyonly get involved whenrequested,” Mr. Ognosky said.“If both sides are at an impasse,they will formally request thata mediator provided by the stateassist the negotiations.”

If no agreement is reachedeven with a mediator’s help,each side may ask forarbitration, a process wherebyan arbiter reviews both finalcontract offers and decideswhich is fairer. Either side maydisagree with the arbiter’sdecision and ask for thenegotiation to continue.

Finally, if both sides havestressed all measures and areat a complete stalemate, then“the teachers’ association hasthe right in Pennsylvania to havea work stoppage,” Mr.Ognosky said.

The recent negotiationprocess between the schoolboard and the teachers’associa-tion was very typical, accordingto Mr. Ognosky.

“[They negotiated] primaryissues,” Mr. Ognosky said,“such as salaries, health benefitsand working conditions.”

According to Mr. Ognosky,the results of the negotiationsconsisted of an increase inhealth insurance co-paymentsto one percent of eachteacher’s salary, various salaryincreases according toteachers’ years of service andlevels of education, and minorchanges in medical benefits.

The new four-year contractwill expire in June 2011.

By Courtney HaggertyBy Courtney HaggertyBy Courtney HaggertyBy Courtney HaggertyBy Courtney HaggertyCo-editor in Chief

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rchitect Thomas Horlacher’s rendering of the new Susquehanna County Free Library appears on asign marking the location on High School Road in Montrose where the library will be built on 3.3 acres of landdonated by the Montrose Area School District. The projected cost of the library is $4 million to be raised over thenext five years. The library launched its fundraising campaign Nov. 15, in celebration of the 100th anniversary ofthe dedication of the current Monument Square site. More than $544,000 has been pledged to date, according tothe Susquehanna County Library’s Web site. The Historical Society, currently housed above the library, willexpand into the entire Monument Square building after the library has moved to its new location.

By FBy FBy FBy FBy Francesca Edgingtrancesca Edgingtrancesca Edgingtrancesca Edgingtrancesca Edgington-Giordanoon-Giordanoon-Giordanoon-Giordanoon-GiordanoOpinion Editor

Amanda Rebello/Meteor ChronicleAAAAAFeb. 29

Student/FacultyBasketball Game

Gymnasium6 p.m.

Jan. 26Scholarship Challenge

Scholastic Team againstTowanda High School

Live Broadcaston 102.1 FM

Noon

Feb. 8Guitar Hero/DDR

CompetitionCafe., Aud., Gyms

4-10 p.m.

Feb. 9Junior High

Valentine’s Day DanceGymnasium

6-9 p.m.

Feb. 16Prom Fashion Show

Auditorium7 p.m.

Feb. 23Dodgeball Tourney

Both gyms8 a.m.

To read more about the boys’varsity basketball team, turn to...

Page 7

To read more about Lathrop Streetand Choconut Valley’s band direc-tor, Robert Bottger, and other MASDmusic teachers, turn to...

Page 4

An image of an orb in a photo indi-cates the presence of a ghost, ac-cording to the New York/Pennsyl-vania Paranornal Society. To learnmore, turn to...

Page 2

Senior Brandon Edwards, center, and other firefighters from the United Fire Company ofMontrose extinguish a barn fire in under an hour on Melhuish Road in BridgewaterTownship last fall. The fire that threatened electrical lines resulted in a complete loss.

Photo by Renee Coy taken from the Untied Fire Company Web site

(See Good Will, Page 2)

W h e nlacrosse playerJohn Mack, 17, ofBinghamton diedin November 2006during a match,many at MAHSwere sad aboutthe tragedy butnever truly feltthe pain of it—none except one.

When seniorElly Rounds losther athlete cousinJohn to commotiocordis, a suddendisturbance ofthe heart rhythm,she knew she hadto give back toothers the waysomeone haddone for her.

According toElly, John made itto a hospitalbefore he diedbecause some-one had performed cardiacpulmonary resuscitation (CPR)and briefly prolonged his life.

“I want to give someone elsethe chance to say goodbye tosomeone they care about,” Ellysays, “the way someone did forme.”

Elly started classes to becomea certified first responder inJanuary at the Silver Lake fire hall.She completed 72 hours oflectures, hands-on activities andlabs and in July earned her firstresponder certification.

A first responder is the first toarrive on the scene of an accidentor other emergency. He/sheanalyzes what is going on,according to Elly, and establishesresponsiveness, begins CPR ifnecessary and calls for additionalhelp if it is not already there.

On July 7 Elly went on her firstcall. It is a memory she will notsoon forget.

“My first call was a man dyingof cancer, and he cried the wholetime,” Elly says. “It was the mostheart-wrenching thing to see anold man bawling. I finally had tostep back and say, ‘I can’t dothis.’”

But this experience has notstopped Elly from continuing whatshe started. She has set goals that

she plans to achieve.“I made a goal when I started,

to save one person’s life, so I haveto keep going until I reach it,” Ellysays.

First responders travel insquads to scenes. Elly is not theonly teenager in her squad; seniorCarly Hull began taking herclasses with Elly in January. Carlysays her mother got her started.

“My mom is an EMT(emergency medical technician),and she had to take the firstresponder class,” Carly says.

Carly thought the class mightbe a good idea, given her collegeplans.

“I am planning on being anurse, and knowing that wouldgive me a heads-up on everyoneelse,” Carly says.

The classes also helped Carlydecide what she does not want topursue in college.

“[I do not see a career in firstresponding] because I’ve realizedthrough my experience [that] it’snot something I want to do withmy life,” Carly says.

Being a first responder hasalso helped Elly make careerchoices.

“It’s helped me make mydecision of what career I’m goinginto, which is nursing,” she says.

Although she does not see acareer in this job, Carly does notregret becoming a first responder.

“I’ve met a lot of new people,and I’ve become more aware ofwhat to do during medicalsituations,” she says.

But there are also downsidesto the job, Elly and Carly say.

“Everybody I’ve ever gone ona call to I’ve known,” Elly says.“It’s such a small community thatyou know everyone.”

For Carly the worst part is“seeing people die.”

Through all of this, however,the girls have not been dissuadedfrom their goals.

“[Doing this is important to me]because I think anytime that youcan help the community and helpother people is a good thing to do,”Carly says.

“…the more involved I got, themore attached I got,” Elly says.

Other students agree.Senior Adam West became a

junior firefighter because he “likesto help people,” he says.

Continuing a family tradition,Adam got started as a firefighterfor the Silver Lake Volunteer FireCompany and Rescue Squad whenhe was 14. In January 2006 hepursued a first responder certifi-

PAGE 2 JANUARY 2008 METEOR CHRONICLENews

By Chelsea HallBy Chelsea HallBy Chelsea HallBy Chelsea HallBy Chelsea HallArts & Entertainment Editor

NYPNYPNYPNYPNYPAPS ExAPS ExAPS ExAPS ExAPS Examines the Almost Uneamines the Almost Uneamines the Almost Uneamines the Almost Uneamines the Almost Unexplainablexplainablexplainablexplainablexplainable

She peers around theheadstone, trying to findsomething worthy of a picture. Asjunior Ashley Moore wandersamong the gravesites, shesuddenly feels as if someone’splaying with her hair. The gentletickle sends chills down her spineas she turns to find no one behindher.

New York/Pennsylvania Para-normal Society (NYPAPS) co-founder Noel Short of Montrosesays this experience is notuncommon.

“Being touched by a ghosthappens a lot on aninvestigation,” Noel, as she refersto herself on the NYPAPS Web site,says.

Noel and Dana Lasher, Herk-imer, N.Y., co-founded NYPAPS in2002. The ladies met on a familycamping trip in New York andrealized that both were intriguedby the paranormal.

“When I was little, I would seethings that I couldn’t explain,”Noel says. “My mother would saythat I was sick or hallucinating. Shewould also try to blame myexperiences on the Saint Bernardsthat we raised. Dana had similarevents happen to her growing up.”

NYPAPS is an organizationthat’s devoted to finding anyparanormal activity. Societymembers go out on investigationseither after they get a call fromsomeone or after they’ve askedpermission to peruse or inspect anarea that is haunted or has beensuspected to have paranormalactivity. All investigations are freeof charge, according to Noel.

On one of Noel’s firstinvestigations, she and Dana tookalong a tape recorder, accordingto Noel. Thinking the night hadbeen unsuccessful because theyhad not noticed any paranormalactivity, they got in their car todrive home. While Noel wasdriving, Dana played the tape, andboth clearly heard a man’s voicesay, “How could you?”

Noel was shocked.“I almost got into a crash

because of the voice!” Noel says.

On another investigation Noelfelt something smack the back ofher head. Dana was some distanceaway, and Noel was certain ofwhat had happened.

“It felt as if my mother had justsmacked the back of my head,”Noel says.

Ashley became interested inthe paranormal through hermother’s friendship with Noel.

“My mom is really good friendswith Noel, and she had alreadygone [on an investigation withNoel] once before,” Ashley says.“The next time they went on aninvestigation, I just tagged along.”

Ashley’s first investigationmade her “anxious,” she says.

“I didn’t know what wouldhappen,” Ashley says. “It was anerve wracking experience.”

Ashley joined NYPAPS fouryears ago and has gone on “toomany investigations to count,” shesays. She is a true believer.

“I believe in ghosts 100percent!” Ashley says. “I’m not askeptic whatsoever. I don’t thinkpeople should be afraid of ghosts.

They’re not out to hurt you;they’re just as scared of us aspeople are of them.”

Ashley says her unwaveringbelief in ghosts comes from herchildhood.

“I’ve always felt there wereghosts, ever since I was little,”Ashley says. “I began to trulybelieve after I started seeingpictures and hearing voices andrealizing they were coming fromnowhere.”

“Once, we went to a house, andNoel [trying to speak to the ghosts]said out loud, ‘Did you live here?’All of us in the room heard a mansay, ‘No’ plain as day.

“Another unexplainedexperience was when we went to acemetery, and [sophomore]Angela [Short, Noel’s daughter]lay down on the ground. She gotback up, and on her back was awhite cross as if it had beenimprinted on her skin.”

Senior Jon Short, Noel’s son,has also witnessed inexplicableevents.

“We saw a candle light itself,”

Jon says. “I wasextremely freakedout and wasscared. You don’tsee that toooften.”

When NYPAPSmembers go on ani n v e s t i g a t i o n ,Noel says, theytake along specialtools, such ascameras, tapeplayers, EMF(electromagneticfield) detectors,and temperaturegauges, to provethat there is para-normal activitywherever they are.

The investi-gators can provewhether or notthey capture aghost on camera iforbs appear in thepicture. To detectwhether an orb isin the picture ormerely a dustparticle, thei n v e s t i g a t o r s

check to see if the orb has aglowing ring around it and anucleus.

Common incidents that occurduring investigations includebeing touched by ghosts, feelingas if your hair’s being played with,feeling the temperature drop incertain locations (cold spots),hearing a sound like someone’sbreathing when no one’s around,and feeling as if you’re beingwatched, according to Noel.

Less common occurrences arehearing thumps, thuds, andknocks or seeing “shadowpeople.”

NYPAPS members respond toany requests they receive to doan investigation, Noel says.Sometimes, when NYPAPS isalready involved in anotherinvestigation, the group contactsother “credible” paranormalsocieties for help, according toNoel.

Other societies, like TheAtlantic Paranormal Society(TAPS), the ghost hunters from theSci-Fi channel, also ask NYPAPS

to help them in a crisis.“We’ve never worked side by

side with TAPS, but we havehelped them out,” Noel says.

Many people confuse termsdealing with the paranormal, Noelsays. For example, there’s adifference between a ghost and aspirit as well as a ghost hunt and aghost investigation.

According to the NYPAPSWeb site (http://www.freewebs.com/xxghostsandspiritsxx/), aghost is a spirit that makes itspresence known to mankind, anda spirit is a soul that has left itsbody after death and is foundaccidentally.

Going to a place that is notknown to be haunted is a ghosthunt, and a ghost investigation isgoing to a place that has beenreported to be haunted to collectevidence to prove if unexplainedactivity is supernatural or the resultof natural causes.

The ideal time to go ghosthunting is during a full or newmoon or during the three daysbefore and after the full and newmoons. The best ghost monthsare October through April wheneverything becomes staticallycharged, NYPAPS says.

But NYPAPS isn’t all aboutwork and no play, according toAshley. Members sometimes playtricks on one another to break thetension.

“They’re loads of laughter,”Ashley says. “We always have ablast, but when it comes to aninvestigation, we’re very serious.”

During one investigation Noelsuddenly saw something jump ather, Ashley says. She immediatelybegan to run back to the NYPAPS“ghostmobile,” Noel’s suburban.She turned around to see the otherinvestigators laughing becausewhat they thought had been aghost was only a deer that hadjumped the fence and landed rightnext to Noel. She knew it was deer.

“It’s the living that scares me,not the dead!” Noel said to theothers. This quote has becomeNYPAPS’ motto.

For more information aboutNYPAPS or paranormal activity,contact Noel by e-mail atnypaparanormal@yahoo.com orby phone at 1-607-343-4853.

Photo providedA spirit comes forward in a photograph taken at a local cemetery. At this investigation, theNYPAPS members were getting cold when sophomore Angela Short said aloud while hermother Noel was taking pictures, “We’re getting hot chocolate. Do you like hot chocolate?”The picture suggests the spirit’s reaching out, maybe for a hot cup of chocolate.

cate “because [he] wants to go tocollege for nursing,” Adam says. Healso plans to continue as a volunteerfirefighter.

“I definitely want to get certifiedto be an EMT before I graduate collegeand with firefighting be a captain or alieutenant,” Adam says.

Junior Ben Hinds, who is also ajunior firefighter, has been aroundfirefighting all his life. Ben is a part ofthe United Fire Company inMontrose. His father and grandfatherhave served as assistant chief, andBen aspires “to be like my grandpaand my dad and become chief.”

Like first responding, there arepros and cons to being a firefighter,Adam and Ben say. “There is a little less free personaltime, and it sometimes adds to thestress levels,” Ben says. “And yousometimes see things you don’t wantto see.” “The fire company is kind of likehigh school with its groups andclans,” Adam says, and sometimes acall is for someone he knows.

But for Ben, the good stilloutweighs the bad. “[Memories I have are] just kindof seeing everyone looking out foreach other,” Ben says. “[Also,] I’veseen a lot of major injuries, so theystick out so I can mentally preparemyself.” “[Being involved with firefightinghas] taught me responsibility, and Ihave more friends,” Ben says.

Firefighting has also taughtimportant lessons to seniors Danielle(Dani) Finch and Brandon Edwards.Dani has been a volunteer firefighter

at the Silver Lake Volunteer FireCompany and Rescue Squad for twoyears, and Brandon also volunteersfor United Fire Company.

Dani says she has learnedpatience, self-control, people skillsand to not take life for granted.

“You have to be able to handlepeople,” Dani says. “The worst iswhen you have to tear parents awayfrom their children in a difficultsituation.”

Brandon agrees. He also says onelearns how to cope with his/herpersonal feelings.

“You see things no one else sees,”he says, “and besides your squad, youcannot talk to anyone about it.”

Dani decided she wanted to helppeople because her family is involved.

“I love the adrenaline rush,” Danisays. “Someone needs to be there tohelp the people in their time of need.”

Brandon says he was the little boywho always wanted to be a firefighterand just never grew out of it, but bothDani and Brandon say it is not easy tobe a volunteer.

“It shows you that it is a smallworld,” Dani says. “I will never forgetresponding to a car accident, and itturned out to be [my sister Nikky].”

Brandon will always remember thenight he realized “being a firefighteris not a one-man job.”

“I responded to a barn fire,” hesays. “I saw a bunch of departmentsworking together. We were a family.”

“[Being involved in firstresponding has impacted me in] thelearning aspects medically, like howyour body works and how your bodyreacts in certain situations and howto get over the important death [of mycousin],” Elly says.

(Good Will continued from Page 1)......................................................................................................

MAHS Hosts PMEA District BandMAHS Hosts PMEA District BandMAHS Hosts PMEA District BandMAHS Hosts PMEA District BandMAHS Hosts PMEA District Band

Photos by Courtney Haggerty/Meteor Chronicle

Guest conduc-tor Gordon EdmundMason, D.M.A andconductor of theBaptist Bible Col-lege (Clarks Sum-mit) wind ensemble,directs over 150band members from35 schools in Dis-trict 9, which in-cludes Lackawanna,L u z e r n e ,S u s q u e h a n n a ,Wayne and Wyo-ming counties. Thestudents arrived atMAHS Jan. 9, fillingthe school with “tal-ented and enthusias-tic musicians,” MAHS band director Suzanne Bennici said. Upon arrival at the band festival,musicians auditioned for first-chair positions for the concert performed Jan. 11. Below the

trumpeters andtrombonists prac-tice a musicalpiece played at theconcert.

“ T h e s eyoung musiciansparticipating are tobe commended forthe hard work anddedication theyhave shown in or-der to reach thislevel of accom-plishment,” Prin-cipal Jim Tallaricosaid. “I extend mycongratulations tothe students, fam-ily and educatorswho have made thispossible.”

They enter burning buildings,protect the peace, deliver themail and educate the nextgeneration. Public employeeswork for federal, state and localgovernments. They are thepeople who turn laws passed bylegislators into actual policy. Yetall national, and many state,public employees are stoppedfrom fighting for better workingconditions.

Federal code bars its publicemployees from evensuggesting that their union go onstrike. Many states, includingNew York, have similar lawsfor their public employees.

The state of Pennsylvaniadoes not bar its publicemployees from striking butinstead has a clearly definedprocess for collectivebargaining. The state evenstipulates when mediators mustbe brought into the process andprearranges how the mediatoris to be remunerated.

The necessity of public

PAGE 3 JANUARY 2008 METEOR CHRONICLE

Opinion

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Meteor Chronicle

The Meteor Chronicle is a student publication researched, written and pro-duced by members of the newspaper staff named above. The unsignededitorials on this or other pages of the Chronicle are written by the editorsin chief or a designee and reflect solely the opinion of the newspaper staff.Letters to the editor are welcomed and will be published as space allows.Letters must be signed although names will be withheld upon request. TheChronicle reserves the right to edit letters for grammar and clarity, and allletters are subject to laws governing obscenity, libel, privacy, and disrup-tion of the school process as are all contents of the newspaper. The editorialpolicy of the Meteor Chronicle is available upon request.

50 High School Rd. Montrose, PA 18801-9507 (570) 278-3731 newspaper@masd.info

Montrose Area Junior/Senior High School

Staff

Niquie Bergman, Geena Bistocchi, Tatim Brace, James Brewer,Gabi Burgess, Jason Cronk, Leah Cronk, Lindsey DePue,Cecilia Derosa, Sarah Feeney, Kristine Mead, Stacie Rihl,

Matt Rucker, Angela Short, Katelyn Spellman, Brien Travis,Meggie Vaccaro, Carmen VanNess

Editorial Cartoon

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. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Letters to theEditors areWelcome!

A year-long column devoted to exploring newperspectives from a senior’s point of view.

Tinkering . . .

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FFFFF. Edgingt. Edgingt. Edgingt. Edgingt. Edgington-Giordanoon-Giordanoon-Giordanoon-Giordanoon-GiordanoOpinion Editor

Corrections

Editors in Chief...............................

News/Features Editor....................Opinion Editor................................Arts & Entertainment Editor.........Sports Co-editors...........................

Elementary Editor...........................Photo Editor....................................Junior High Editor..........................Cartoonist....................................... Matt KellumAdviser............................................

Courtney HaggertyEli GereEli GereF. Edgington-GiordanoChelsea HallMegan HenryRick BuckleyEmily GowAmanda RebelloEmily Davenport

Mrs. Sandra Kaub

I wish to respond to the article inthe November 2007 Meteor Chroniclecalled “‘Superbug’ Infests Commun-ities: Where did it Come From?”

The statement “. . . people havedeveloped immunities to manyantibiotics after having taken so manyof them . . .” is not quite accurate.

What actually happens whentaking antibiotics is that you destroyall bacteria susceptible to the antibiotic,enabling your body to heal itself butleaving behind all “strong” bacteriaNOT susceptible to that antibiotic.

In 1929 Sir Alexander Flemingreported his discovery of what henamed penicillin. In his report he notedthat this discovery might havetherapeutic value if it could beproduced in quantity. W now have awhole spectrum of antibiotics (achemical manufactured by amicroorganism which destroys othermicroorganisms) and have used themto save human lives. Unfortunatelyimproper use and over use ofantibiotics have “created” the“superbugs” we see today. Theseorganisms are not necessarily new(some have been around for hundredsof years) but have become moreprevalent because of the misuse ofantibiotics.

Our bodies are completely coveredwith innocuous bacteria and fungi.Most scientists believe we could notsurvive without them. Theseorganisms populate our skin andintestinal tract, crowding all the freespace and leaving little room for anypathogens. By misuse of antibioticsand the sudden explosion ofantibacterial products, we have slowlybut surely destroyed less virulentbacteria, leaving the stronger bacteriato populate our bodies. When ourbodies become weakened because ofpoor nutrition, no exercise and notenough sleep, our immune system isoverworked, and the super bugs couldpossibly invade.

MRSA and organisms like it aredifficult to treat, but infection ispreventable by following the simplesteps given in your article: WASHYOUR HANDS frequently, avoidsharing personal hygiene items, cleanand cover small cuts and abrasions,have healthcare professionals examinemore serious infections. These superbugs are out there, but they areavoidable and treatable and will notinfect you unless you give them theopportunity.

Kathy ZayleskieFormer Instructor, Microbiology

Wilkes University

Junior Nicole Finch’s name was misspelled.

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Disappearing TDisappearing TDisappearing TDisappearing TDisappearing TrararararaysysysysysEqual Rising CostsEqual Rising CostsEqual Rising CostsEqual Rising CostsEqual Rising Costs

Letter to the Editor

The staff of the Meteor Chronicle regretsthe following errors in Issue 2:

After defeating Mountain View’s LadyEagles in first-round soccer playoffs 1-0,

the Lady Meteors fell to the DunmoreLady Bucks 2-0 Oct. 29.

Don’t Give Superbugs a Chance to Infect You

Seen any lunch trays lyingaround? How about knives, forks orspoons? If so, the cafeteria would likethem back.

The MAHS cafeteria usually losesa few trays and pieces of cutlery everyyear, according to food service directorElizabeth O’Malley. Some are droppedand break, and some go on “field trips”to other parts of the school and areforgotten. However, this year thesecond marking period hasn’t evenended, and 50 to 75 trays have beenlost. Miss O’Malley has ordered 75replacement trays; last school year shedidn’t order any.

Lunch trays are on loan from thecafeteria. When they aren’t returned,the level of service the cafeteria canprovide declines. During crowdedlunch periods the cafeteria staff mustrely on cleaning and redistributingtrays that have already been used.

On more than one occasion thisyear students have been left waitingin line for their lunch while cafeteriaworkers caught up on the tray washing.

Throwing trays–cutlery and all–into the trash, as some students havedone recently, is deliberate disregardfor school property.

The plastic trays cost about $9each, and one recent day eight werefound in the trash during a single lunchperiod, according to Miss O’Malley.

The cafeteria is a self-sustainingdepartment. Its funding comes fromthe sale of foods. Tax dollars will notbe diverted from textbooks or othereducational supplies to pay for newtrays.

Replacement costs for lost traysand cutlery will have to come eitherfrom increased lunch prices or reducedcosts by limiting the variety of foodsserved, according to Miss O’Malley.

In the short term Miss O’Malleyhas stopped anyone from taking a trayoutside the lunchroom. This meansthat teachers and students who relyon the cafeteria for lunch must eat inthe cafeteria or attached faculty room.

Some students use their lunchperiods to make up or study for tests,talk to teachers or visit the guidanceoffice, and often take their lunch trayswith them. The ability to eat lunchanywhere in the building givesstudents forty minutes to do extrawork. But no more.

The bottom line is that all of usneed to better respect school propertyand leave (or return) trays and cutlerywhere they belong–in the cafeteria, notin trash cans, back rooms or offices.

The disrespect for school propertyhas gone from costing the cafeteriamoney to disrupting students’ lives asthey try to make the most of their timein high school.

Editorial

Didn’t it used to be just the thought that counted?Didn’t it used to be just the thought that counted?Didn’t it used to be just the thought that counted?Didn’t it used to be just the thought that counted?Didn’t it used to be just the thought that counted?

“I got a new“I got a new“I got a new“I got a new“I got a newlaptop!”laptop!”laptop!”laptop!”laptop!” “I got the newest“I got the newest“I got the newest“I got the newest“I got the newest

cellphone!”cellphone!”cellphone!”cellphone!”cellphone!”

“I got an XBOX 360!“I got an XBOX 360!“I got an XBOX 360!“I got an XBOX 360!“I got an XBOX 360!This is the greatestThis is the greatestThis is the greatestThis is the greatestThis is the greatest

gift!”gift!”gift!”gift!”gift!”

“I got a new“I got a new“I got a new“I got a new“I got a newswswswswsweateateateateatererererer.”.”.”.”.”

If YIf YIf YIf YIf Your Boss Has Noour Boss Has Noour Boss Has Noour Boss Has Noour Boss Has Nothingthingthingthingthingttttto Fo Fo Fo Fo Fearearearearear, Will He List, Will He List, Will He List, Will He List, Will He Listenenenenen

ttttto Yo Yo Yo Yo Your Demands?our Demands?our Demands?our Demands?our Demands?employees was proven in the1970 U. S. postal workers’strike. The mail was used foreverything. Draft cards,paychecks, stock dividends andmuch more went nowhereduring the strike, which lastedtwo weeks. The postal strikecrippled parts of business.

Federal, state and localgovernments are just asdependent upon the post officeas regular citizens when theywant to mail a letter or postcard.Even now in the age of theInternet, people use the mail topay bills and to communicate withone another. Services like maildelivery and police and fireprotection are so essential to ourcountry that they should neverbe stalled. At the very least, it’simproper and at worstdangerous.

But if these programs are soimportant that they cannot beinterrupted, then shouldn’temployees doing these jobs bepaid well enough and offeredappropriate benefits so that theyshould not need to consider a

work stoppage?The postal workers in 1970

went on strike because postalworkers in New York Citywere being paid the same aseverywhere else in thecountry, despite the fact thatthe cost of living in the BigApple is considerably higherthan in other places in theUnited States.

New York’s Taylor Lawwas enacted in September1967 and says that the state’spublic employees have theright to unionize and bargaincollectively, but they may notstrike. Chapter 73 of theFederal Code says thatworkers who go on strike willbe fined as will the union towhich they belong. But ifworkers are treated properlyand given fair wages, whywould they strike?

It is a poor statementabout our nation that peoplewho perform services criticalto our way of life must withholdthese services for the nationto realize their importance.

PAGE 4 JANUARY 2008 METEOR CHRONICLE

‘Communication’ K‘Communication’ K‘Communication’ K‘Communication’ K‘Communication’ Keeeeey ty ty ty ty to Success in Music Deparo Success in Music Deparo Success in Music Deparo Success in Music Deparo Success in Music DepartmenttmenttmenttmenttmentIf you attended a home football

game this year and looked up intothe stands to where the marchingband (MMU) sat, you may havenoticed young faces belonging tofour Lathrop Street sixth graders.

Samantha Bennici, daughter ofMAHS band director SuzanneBennici and Lathrop Street choraldirector Nino Bennici, joined themarching unit because her parentswanted her to start becominginvolved since she will be in theband next year, according to hermother.

Overhearing Samantha talkingwith her father about playing withthe senior high band, Samantha’sfriends—Laura Brink, Callie Curleyand John Shaffer—asked if theycould join, and instantly the MMUwas three musicians stronger.

Adding sixth graders to thehigh school band is just oneexample of innovations in theschool district’s music programthis year. Another example is theinclusion of fifth and sixth gradersat the annual junior high andsenior high band concerts.

This year Mr. Robert Bottger,band director for both Lathrop

By Emily GowBy Emily GowBy Emily GowBy Emily GowBy Emily Gow, Elementary Editor

Street and Choconut Valley, andMrs. Bennici made arrangementsfor the fifth and sixth graders to bea part of the high school’s bandconcerts instead of holding theirown individual concerts at the

elementary schools. One advan-tage of the combined concerts isto demonstrate to the parents ofthe younger students theprogression of musical skill-building from the elementary

through the senior high programs,Mrs. Bennici says.

“Plans are in the works to havea few smaller ensembles beginningthis year, like maybe a brass quintetor saxophone quintet, which would

fit into the regular school day andperform at the concerts andpossibly some other events,” Mr.Bottger says.

This year’s innovations are theresult of frequent communica-tionamong the music teachers,including Mrs. Sarah Birchard,Choconut Valley’s choral director,Mrs. Bennici says.

“We have a great professionalcamaraderie,” she says. “Werealize that it is a team effort tomusically teach the students, andthat if we cooperate andcommunicate, the kids get the bestpossible education.”

With three new, or relativelynew, music teachers at LathropStreet and Choconut Valley and anew fifth and sixth grade choir atLathrop Street, communicationamong all the teachers in theschool district’s music depart-ment is key.

“I think that it’s pivotal that wekeep good communication fromelementary to junior/senior high togive the students the consistencythey need so they can developtheir full potential,” Mr. Bottgersays.

Anonymous Donation CreatesAnonymous Donation CreatesAnonymous Donation CreatesAnonymous Donation CreatesAnonymous Donation CreatesWWWWWellness Fellness Fellness Fellness Fellness Fund at Choconut Vund at Choconut Vund at Choconut Vund at Choconut Vund at Choconut Valleallealleallealleyyyyy

An anonymous donation of $10,000was given to the Choconut Valley Elemen-tary School this past fall to create a newWellness Fund through the CommunityFoundation.

The Foundation gives both individu-als and organizations help in planning theuse of their donations to Susquehannaand Wyoming counties. The foundationalso manages the money.

The Wellness Fund was started tobenefit the health and well being of thestudents, according to Choconut ValleyPrincipal Chris McComb, who will use themoney as he sees fit. The money is to bespent each year at five percent of thefund’s total. Mr. McComb says he is notyet certain how the money will be usedthis year.

“I would like to see [the money usedon] things that every member of the fam-ily can do together,” school nurse JudyOchse says. “Hiking, biking, tennis andwalking together are great.”

Mrs. Ochse says that due to the alarm-

By Emily GowElementary Editor

Megan Monteforte

ing problem of childhood obesity in thisgeneration, she feels activities that canbe done as a family can help bring aware-ness.

“The donation to Choconut is won-derful,” senior Francesca Edgington-Giordano, a member of the districtsuperintendent’s Health Advisory Com-mittee, says, “because Lathrop Street El-ementary has benefited from the fruitsnack grant, a federal grant which paysfor students to snack on various fruitsevery day to learn about their flavors, andnow Choconut students will receive simi-lar benefits.”

The Choconut Valley donor is a fam-ily that resides within the district, Mr.McComb says. He is not sure why thefamily wishes to remain unknown.

“I do know they are a family who hasdone a great deal for our school,” Mr.McComb says, “and I would like to per-sonally thank them for the continued sup-port for our children and their well be-ing.”

Pie-in-the-FPie-in-the-FPie-in-the-FPie-in-the-FPie-in-the-Face Held at Choconutace Held at Choconutace Held at Choconutace Held at Choconutace Held at Choconut

Geena Bistocchi/Meteor ChronicleThird grader Devin Nash delivers a pie to the face of Choconut Valley Principal Chris McCombDec. 21. The event was held to raise money for the wellness/physical education programs atthe school, arranged by physical education teacher Katy Rosenkrans. Teachers volunteeredto be “pied,” and students paid 25 cents per ticket for as many tickets as they wished topurchase. On the day of the event, teachers pulled random tickets to determine which studentswould pie them. ‘It was an excellent feeling to pie Mr. McComb in the face,” Devin says.

Emily Gow/Meteor ChronicleMr. Robert Bottger, band director for Lathrop Street and Choconut Valley, conducts the sixth grade studentsduring a concert practice in the high school auditorium in late November. High school band director SuzanneBennici looks on. The students performed with the junior and senior high bands for the Christmas concert.

Little VLittle VLittle VLittle VLittle Voices:oices:oices:oices:oices: “““““What is yWhat is yWhat is yWhat is yWhat is your faour faour faour faour favvvvvoritoritoritoritorite holidae holidae holidae holidae holiday memory memory memory memory memory?”y?”y?”y?”y?”

“Last New Year’s a bunchof my friends were over

to watch the ball drop, andafter, we got fake wine.”

“Christmas when I got mybasketball hoop because I had

been wanting a basketball hoopsince I was four.”

Travis NovakowskiLathrop StreetFourth Grade

“When we find the pickle in thetree at my grandma’s. Whoeverfinds the pickle first will get a

special prize or open theirpresents first.”

Lily ThomasChoconut Valley

Third Grade“My favorite memory is alwaysspending time with my family.That is the best thing to do.”

Choconut ValleyThird Grade

Madison Santora

“For Chinese New Year I get towear a dragon shirt for specialyears, and one year we were

on the news.”

Kevin HsiaoLathrop StreetSecond Grade

Lathrop StreetSecond Grade

PAGE 5 JANUARY 2008 METEOR CHRONICLE

Photo provided

By A. RebelloBy A. RebelloBy A. RebelloBy A. RebelloBy A. RebelloPhoto Editor

By Jason CronkBy Jason CronkBy Jason CronkBy Jason CronkBy Jason CronkStaff reporter

If the athletes on the junior highwrestling team get a little rowdyduring or outside of practices, thenew assistant coach, a probationofficer for Susquehanna County,will take care of it.

Mr. Phil Crisp, 31, says hisinterest in wrestling started infourth grade after his friend, whowas a wrestler, coaxed him to go outfor the sport. Coach Crisp wrestledin the 152-pound weight class atMansfield High School. A graduateof Mansfield University, CoachCrisp likes the sport, he says,because it is an individual sport.

“Win or lose, I was still part of ateam,” Coach Crisp says.

Physical education teacher DeanBrewer coached the junior highsquad by himself last year. CoachCrisp took the assistant’s positionbecause, he says, “he likes workingwith kids”

“[Coach Crisp is] a good coach.He knows what he’s doing,”freshman Mark Wagner says. “[He]mostly works with the heavyweightson learning new moves.”

Coach Crisp’s main goal for thisyear is to “see kids that are here stickit out for a few years.”

“Winning and losing aren’t thefocus. It’s being involved,” CoachCrisp says.

WWWWWrestling About ‘Being Inrestling About ‘Being Inrestling About ‘Being Inrestling About ‘Being Inrestling About ‘Being Invvvvvolvolvolvolvolved’ed’ed’ed’ed’

Amanda Rebello/Meteor Chronicle

Students Study Foreign LanguagesBy Emily DavenportBy Emily DavenportBy Emily DavenportBy Emily DavenportBy Emily Davenport

Junior High Editor

For the second year, Spanish, Latin and French classes are being offered tojunior high students in the gifted program.

Eighth grader Christopher Jordan is taking Latin II this year.“I chose to take the language so I wouldn’t be bored with [junior high] rotations,”

Christopher said. “I thought Latin would be interesting because I thought it would bechallenging because it is nothing like English.”

Christopher has learned not only how to write in Latin but also the history of theRomans and about the Ides of March, the date Julius Caesar was assassinated in 44B.C.

Christopher is not the only eighth grader taking a foreign language. GabrielleFaragasso takes Spanish I.

“I chose [Spanish] because it has become very popular in the United States, andI thought it would be helpful with my future career,” Gabrielle said. “School got sortof boring; I wasn’t motivated, so I thought taking a class with ninth graders wouldmake me work a little bit harder.”

Gabrielle says there are lots of benefits to taking a foreign language.“I plan to become a doctor, and I figured it would help me interact with patients,”

she said.Starting language instruction earlier will benefit Gabrielle, Spanish teacher Cheryl

Arnold said.“For her senior year she will be able to take an advanced level Spanish V

independent study,” Mrs. Arnold said.Gabrielle also enjoys the language.“I like how it is almost completely different from English,” Gabrielle said. “You

have to make a bunch of different sounds with your mouth. It’s really cool. [I also]like that when I’m done with the four years, I’ll be considered bilingual.”

Both Gabrielle and Christopher plan to continue to study their languages in college.

Student Profile

Eighth grader Alana Yeomans unloads poinsettias Dec. 10 for the juniorhigh student council fundraiser. Approximately 150 red, white, marble(pink and white) and pink poinsettias were sold to raise money forupcoming council projects. Nearly 70 members comprise this year’sstudent council.

SSSSStudent Council Raises Ftudent Council Raises Ftudent Council Raises Ftudent Council Raises Ftudent Council Raises Fundsundsundsundsunds

Emily Davenport/Meteor Chronicle

‘Attitude’ Makes Improvement Possible‘Attitude’ Makes Improvement Possible‘Attitude’ Makes Improvement Possible‘Attitude’ Makes Improvement Possible‘Attitude’ Makes Improvement Possible

Eighth graderLiana Stinsonmoved in time tothe dance music,perfectly mimick-ing her cheer-lead-ing teammates.Then she slippedup and made amistake. Instead ofbecoming flusteredand quitting, Lianajust picked rightback up w h e r eshe had stopped.

Every cheer-leader makes mis-takes, formercoach Eliza Ely,says, but one ofLiana’s strengthsis never gettingfrustrated to thepoint of quitting.

Liana avoidsfrustration withmistakes by tryingto “Laugh it off.”

Liana started cheerleadingseven years ago because she sawher older sister Riannon, now ajunior, enjoying it. She says shelikes the dances and the stunts.

Cheering isn’t easy, though, asLiana discovered at her first com-petition. While the team was do-ing a dance, Liana went up in amount, and because the base wasuneven, she says, “I almost fellon my face.”

Despite almost falling at herfirst competition, Liana didn’t getrattled or give up, Eliza says.

“She’s very nice and positivetoward everything, not onlycheerleading but school, her fam-ily and friends,” Eliza says.

A “really good jumper,” who“…puts everything into hercheerleading performance,” ac-

cording to Eliza, Liana sayscheerleading is not her onlylove.

Liana is also a horsebackrider. She owns two quarterhorses, a mare named MyLast Diamond, aka Diamond,and a recently purchased geld-ing named RV Zipped Up, akaGrey.

Liana rides the two horsesin western pleasure, a class inwhich rider and horse demon-strate controlled movementsand body positioning. She hascompeted at the state level in4H and placed third in a divi-sion of the western pleasureclass called Open Trail Horseswith Junior Riders.

Liana is “a wonderful kid,always willing to learn new

things and a pleasure to bearound,” riding instructor JenJoines says. And Liana is “al-ways up for a new adventure.”

For example, Liana sayssometimes for fun, she and herfriends switch horses. One timeshe switched horses witha friend who rides a completelydifferent style than Liana.

“I’m really western,” Lianasays, so it was a completely dif-ferent feel to ride this horse. Thehorse took off with her andbucked, but Liana held on.

An upbeat attitude helps herin both cheering and horsebackriding, Liana says.

“You can improve yourselfif you have that attitude so youcan be a better cheerleader orhorseback rider,” Liana says.

Eighth grader Allegra Spero controls the keyboard during a Know-ledge Master Open (KMO) competition held Dec. 5 in the high school’sdistance learning room. KMO is a computerized competition in whicha team of students works to answer 100-200 multiple choice questionson a variety of subjects within a limited time. Because KMO organiz-ers had provided MAHS with incorrect tests, the students’ scores wereinvalid, but the practice was useful, special education teacher DebbieAndre says.

Competition Challenges Gifted Students

Photo providedEighth grader Liana Stinson shows her horse, My Last Diamond, in a halter class atSkyline Corral in Owego, N.Y., last summer. My Last Diamond placed first in horseman-ship, second in showmanship and third in pleasure.

JANUARY 2008PAGE 6 METEOR CHRONICLE

Arts & EntertainmentArts & EntertainmentArts & EntertainmentArts & EntertainmentArts & Entertainment

Since its release in Octo-ber of 2007, The Soulja Boyalbum by DeAndre CortezWay, aka Soulja Boy, has be-come increasingly popular,true to its lyrics “crank[ing]every day” out of the iPodsand stereos across the UnitedStates. 608,851 copies havesold.

Its chart position is num-ber 25 in the United States,and ten million people havevisited Soulja Boy’s MySpacesite since he started it. “CrankDat Soulja Boy” reached num-ber one on the Billboard Top100 for seven weeks in latesummer and early fall 2007,

Soulja Boy was born July28, 1990, in Chicago, Illinois.At the age of six, he movedto Atlanta, Georgia, where hisfather lived. There he metYoung Kwon, who becameSoulja Boy’s musical partnerand taught him how to makerepetitive beats. That’s whenSoulja Boy’s love for rap mu-sic began.

“Crank Dat Soulja Boy” isa song that I first heard lastAugust on my friend’s iPod.Then my friend taught me thedance to go with the music.

When I first heard thesong, I really liked the beatbecause I thought it wascatchy, different from themusic that I usually listen to.The dance is fun because themoves were made up bySoulja Boy, and there hasn’tbeen a song out in a long timethat has had a dance with it.Now every time I hear thesong, I have to get up and dothe dance!

Truth be told, the lyrics to“Crank Dat Soulja Boy” don’tmake a lot of sense, but thatdoesn’t make me like the songany less. It uses the slang thatkids use today. I think I likethe song even more becausethe lyrics don’t make muchsense, so parents and otheradults don’t understand it.They don’t understand ourslang and the way we talk, soit’s kind of like a song that kidscan call their own.

Even though the songdoesn’t make much sense, it’sbetter than listening to musicabout people dying or doingdrugs. I want to listen to mu-sic that’s fun, music I can getup and dance to.

“Crank Dat Soulja Boy” isso popular that it has even be-come a team song. TheMAHS varsity soccer andfield hockey teams learned thedance this past fall for pep ral-lies and the Homecomingdance.

Seeing teens “crank thatSoulja Boy every day” justgoes to show how much of animpact this song has had sinceits release.

Featured Artist. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Students‘Crank DatEvery Day’

By Geena BistocchiBy Geena BistocchiBy Geena BistocchiBy Geena BistocchiBy Geena BistocchiStaff Reporter

ArArArArArtist Uses Multiple Genres ftist Uses Multiple Genres ftist Uses Multiple Genres ftist Uses Multiple Genres ftist Uses Multiple Genres for Self-Expressionor Self-Expressionor Self-Expressionor Self-Expressionor Self-ExpressionBy Elijah GereBy Elijah GereBy Elijah GereBy Elijah GereBy Elijah GereCo-editor in ChiefNews/Features Editor

When junior Ashley Johnsonwas fourteen years old, an oldercousin to whom she was close diedof muscular dystrophy. To copewith her loss, she wrote the musicand lyrics to a song to let out herconflicting emotions of sadnessand love.

“Death and sadness areclouding my view of life,” Ashleywrote. “How can I sit here and crywhen all I see is your face?”

After she wrote the song, itwas recorded on a small “demo”CD by a camp counselor she knewat the Rock Mountain Bible Campin Gibson, Pa.

“I was able to be at peace withhim being gone,” she said. “Musicand God helped me get through[his death]. Being able to let thingsout through music made it easier.”

For Ashley, art in any formserves as a way to show peopleher perspective on life at any givenmoment.

“There are no language barrierswith art,” Ashley said. “It’s kind ofa way I can communicate how I’mfeeling, or how I portray the world.”

However, music is not the onlyway Ashley uses art to commun-icate with people.

In tenth grade when Ashleywas new to MAHS, she played onthe girls’ soccer team. Of course,she did not know the players onthe team, and according tosophomore Megan Henry, playersdid not really know her was untilthey saw her draw during practiceand games.

“Anytime we had a spareminute, she had a notebook andpencil ready,” Megan said. “Shewrote poems and drew sketches,and that gave us an idea of whoshe was…. It wasn’t uncommonto see [other players] looking overher shoulder.”

In addition to writing musicand lyrics and sketching, Ashley

CRITIC’SCRITIC’SCRITIC’SCRITIC’SCRITIC’SOOOOORRRRRNNNNNEEEEERRRRR

When it looked to MAHS DramaClub members this past fall that theclub would not continue for lack of anadviser, disappointment was great.

“I was disappointed,” junior CoraGibson said. “We’ve done [DramaClub] every single year [since I’ve beenin high school].”

Junior Nikki Printz shared Cora’sfrustration.

“We have a lot of talented peoplewho want to act and no one to step up[to be advisor],” Nikki said.

So students were relieved whenMAHS band director Suzanne Bennicitook on the job of Drama Club adviser.

“When I saw that the position wasposted I decided to apply because Iwanted to be sure the Drama Clubwould continue,” Mrs. Bennici said.

Despite being the new Drama Clubadvisor and band director, as well as aKey Club co-adviser, Mrs. Bennici isconfident she can handle all three re-sponsibilities since this is not the firsttime that she has directed a high schoolband and a Drama Club.

“I co-advised the Blue Ridge jun-ior and senior high Drama Clubs formany years with my husband while hewas a teacher there,” Mrs. Bennici said.

Mrs. Bennici’s husband, NinoBennici, is now Lathrop Street’s cho-ral director.

“While some people think it can’tbe done, it’s actually going to be easierfor me this time around, consideringI’m in one place and not pregnant as Iwas for several productions before,”Mrs. Bennici said.

“I’ve never had Mrs. Bennici as a

Drama Club adviser, but I’ve had heras a band director,” eighth grader Tho-mas Davenport said. “She can takecharge, and she knows how to getpeople to do what she’s envisioning.”

Substitute teacher Heather Winnis co-advising the Drama Club. Sheholds a degree in communication edu-cation from Westchester Universityand has directed theatre productionsin Lancaster County, Pa., where shepreviously substituted.

“I knew Mrs. Bennici was busy,”said Mrs. Winn. “I wanted to make sureeverything got done…. I thought itnever hurts to have an extra hand.”

New advisers are not the onlychanges that took place in the DramaClub this past season. For the winterproduction Too Wrapped Up ForChristmas Mrs. Bennici put severalnew rules in place. All members musthave had passing grades and attendedpractices that took place daily from 3-7p.m.

“One reason [for the new practicetime was] the short amount of time inwhich to prepare the show,” Mrs.Bennici said. “A second reason wasto be sure that those people who weretrying out were truly serious aboutdrama…. However, the main reasonwas so that sections of the play couldbe broken down into segments, in-tensely worked on, and then put backtogether as a whole.”

Some students believe that eventhough the new practice time meantmore work, the longer rehearsals werenecessary for putting on a successfulplay.

“I liked the longer practice timebecause it helped us get everythingtogether,” Nikki said. “Sometimes anhour-and-a-half practice is not

enough.”Cora was

happy aboutthe differentway in whichthe play waspresented. In-stead of act-ing on stage,the play wasperformedonly a few feetin front of theaudience onthe floor.

“It was avery differentexperience foreveryone,”Cora said. “Atfirst I was alittle worriedon how itwould allwork out, andif the audi-ence would re-late to it well.But as theweeks wenton, everyoneseemed to become a lot more comfort-able with it.”

Presenting the play directly in frontof the audience pleased them as well,Cora said.

“I think it was something new forthe audience,” she said. “They werecloser to the actors, so I think theyconnected with them better. It felt likeeveryone was actually in the [the set-ting of the play], watching things goon all around them.”

Mrs. Bennici is currently planningto direct another production this

By Elijah GereBy Elijah GereBy Elijah GereBy Elijah GereBy Elijah GereCo-editor in ChiefNews/Feature Editor

New Advisers Revive Drama Club, Tighten RulesNew Advisers Revive Drama Club, Tighten RulesNew Advisers Revive Drama Club, Tighten RulesNew Advisers Revive Drama Club, Tighten RulesNew Advisers Revive Drama Club, Tighten Rules

Elijah Gere/Meteor ChronicleDrama Club members Kristine Mead (left) and NikkiPrintz (center) rehearse lines for the club’s Decemberproduction, Too Wrapped Up for Christmas, with co-adviserHeather Wynn.

spring, perhaps a musical.“...I anticipate the production will

most likely be in April if we can get adate on the calendar,” Mrs. Bennicisaid.

Nikki, who would like to perform ina musical, believes the Drama Club hasimproved greatly this year because ofits new advisers and their changes.

“I think we’re a lot more organized,which helps when you have [a lot] ofkids who participate in [Drama Club],”she said, “and I think Mrs. Bennici andMrs. Winn are very good advisers.”

Junior Ashley Johnson paints an acrylic purple butterfly for a project de-signed by Artist-in-Residence Earl Lehman. He wanted each student tochoose an insect and paint it to fit the student’s personalitiy. Painting isonly one form of art Ashley uses to express herself.

Courtney Haggerty/Meteor Chronicle

plays saxo-phone and pi-ano, sculpts,takes photosand performsin theater. Shestarted actingin seventhgrade at RossC o r n e r sC h r i s t i a nAcademy andhas also beeninvolved inplays at herp r e v i o u schurch, theAuburn Bap-tist Church inAuburn, Pa.,and her newchurch, theFaith BaptistChurch inBinghamton,N.Y.

A s h l e yalso partici-pated in lastyear’s DramaClub production, What I Did forLove, where she played severalroles, including a cheerleader anda dancer in a scene from Fiddleron the Roof.

Outside of school Ashleyparticularly likes to paint and writemusic. Having these multipleinterests might take up a lot of herfree time, but Ashley thinks it isworth it.

“[Art is something] I love todo. Though it’s hard work, I enjoyit,” she said.

As a young child Ashley wasencouraged by her mother to drawwhenever she was in a bad mood.

“When I was a baby and upset,my mom would give me crayonsand paper,” Ashley said.

Her interest in drawing grewand then really developed, shesaid, when she was twelve andspent a day with her uncle, aportrait artist, who taught herspecific techniques.

“[My uncle] helped me withrealistic shading in comparison tocartoon drawing,” Ashley said.

Ashley’s uncle is also her rolemodel because he has not onlytaught her useful lessons aboutdrawing portraits but also modelsmultiple artistic interests.

“He’s an amazing portraitartist,” Ashley said, “[but] he doesmusic, theatre and visual art too. Iguess I kind of got that from him.”

Now Ashley considersdrawing portraits not only herfavorite art form but also herspecialty.

“I’ve focused on drawing themost,” she said.

Last summer Ashley attendedan Arts Alive program at KeystoneCollege. She enrolled in a four-week painting class, which wastaught by Earl Lehman, an Artist-in-Residence. She focused onlandscape painting, which shesaid put her out of her “comfort

zone” with drawing. Even thoughit was somewhat difficult, she saidshe enjoyed the class because shelearned from other artists.

“[Earl Lehman] taught me toexpand my horizon in art,” Ashleysaid, “[and to] take chances andtry new things.”

Ashley plans to pursue herinterests in art after high school,but she is not sure exactly whatshe is going to do. She does knowthat she wishes to major in as manyart forms as she can.

“I want to try to do art, musicand theatre [in college],” Ashleysaid.

Her multiple artistic talents area gift, she said, and she doesn’twant to waste any bit of it. Shewants to be able to express herselfin several art forms.

“….I don’t want to miss outon the opportunity of reachingpeople [through art] in more thanone way,” Ashley said.

METEOR CHRONICLEJANUARY 2008PAGE 7

Sp rtsFFFFFeaeaeaeaeatured Sporttured Sporttured Sporttured Sporttured Sport

Junior Rick Buckley wasabout three years old when helearned to ice skate. Hepracticed on a make-shift rinkhis father had made for him byfreezing water on a tarp in theirbackyard.

The next winter, however,found Buckley practicing hisskating skills in a newenvironment: on a “Mini-Mite”Southern Tier HockeyAssociation (STHA) team forhockey players under six yearsold. He’s been playing eversince.

“[Watching] the pros andmy father [got me interested inhockey],” he says. “I used towatch the Binghamton Rangersas a kid.”

Hockey is played in a rink200 feet long by 85 feet widesurrounded by fiberglass wallsknown as boards. Six playersfrom each team take the ice atonce to play three 20-minuteperiods. A win results when a

By Megan HenryBy Megan HenryBy Megan HenryBy Megan HenryBy Megan HenrySports Co-editor

team has scored moregoals than its opponent atthe end of the third period.

“[I wanted to playhockey because] it lookedlike an enjoyable time,”Buckley says. “I reallywanted to see what it waslike to play because I usedto watch the BinghamtonRangers [at the VeteransMemorial Arena] as a kid,and I wanted to find outwhat it was like to play formyself.”

Seventh grader DannyEnglish says his love ofhockey also comes fromhis father, who used to playin high school at JohnsonCity on a rink that English playson today.

English joined an STHAteam in third grade where hefirst played defense beforedeciding to try goalie his secondseason. Playing goaliepresented a real challenge,English says, because heneeded to learn many newskills, which he worked to

improve by attendingsummer camps at theBroome CommunityCollege (BCC) IceCenter. Lathrop Street fifthgrader Nick Henry isone of English’steammates on theSTHA team this year.Their team,sponsored byRoberts’ Eyecare ofVestal, practices andplays at BCC alongwith the Vestal IceRink, Chenango IceRink and the Veter-ans Memorial Arena. Buckley is now apart of the ChenangoValley (CV) Warriorsclub team and theJunior Senators CTeam, “a premierelevel hockey teammade up of playersfrom Binghamton andthe surrounding area.Player scouting can

go as far as Scranton orIthaca,” according to Buckley.The team competes in a leagueas part of the ContinentalHockey Association with teamsfrom South Carolina to Buffalo.He is an assistant captain forthe Junior Senators and plays“any forward position” (wing orforward).

Because of his busy hockeyschedule, Buckley gave up highschool soccer, a sport he hadparticipated in since he wasabout five years old. He nowspends an average 10-15 hoursa week playing hockey.

“Sometimes I’ll be playingtwice a day,” he says, “[goingto] CV practice [in the morning],then [having] Junior Senatorspractice [later in the day]. Thosedays are rough, but I playthrough it.”

Henry says that morningpractices are not uncommon,scheduled as early as 6:45, butthat he doesn’t mind them.

“It’s better than latepractices,” he says, “becauseyou have energy you haven’tused on anything else.”

Buckley says thatdedication is vital to being suc-cessful in hockey.

“You [also] have to knowwhere to be [in position],” hesays, “because if you don’t,you’re going to get hit.”

During a hockey game, it’snot uncommon to see players

check (contact initiated by adefending player against anopponent to get the puck awayfrom him or slow him down) oneanother, or even drop theirgloves and outright fight.

“It’s more physical [thanmost sports],” Buckley says.“Other than boxing, it’s the onlysport you can fight in.”

While players fighting is notuncommon in hockey, it doesn’tgo completely unpunished.Penalties are determined by theseverity of the fight. Theamount of time a player servesin the penalty box is determinedby how severe the incidentwas.

Besides this unique elementof the sport, hockey also,obviously, requires decentskating skills.

“[My biggest challengesince I started hockey hasbeen] learning how to skatewell backwards,” Henry says.“When you’re on defense, youcan see the [offensive] playerbetter if you’re facing [him]than if your back’s to [him].”

Henry hopes to continueimproving his hockey skills,playing at least through highschool, maybe even college.

Buckley too hopes that hisfuture will include hockey.

“I want to become a coachof some sort at any level,” hesays. “I would also possibly liketo manage a team.”

The Lady Meteors’ pre-season schedule includedsome of the toughest varsitybasketball teams in the area:Abington Heights, ScrantonPrep and Val ley View,according to The ScrantonTimes-Tribune.

“ [Coaches] want astough a preseason scheduleas possible to allow [them]to determine where [ theteam’s] weaknesses are,”assistant coach Teri Evanssays.

In preseason competitionthe Meteors fell to AbingtonHeights 59-18, ScrantonPrep 62-42 and Valley View45-26.

The g i r l s ’ p reseasonschedule was “just as toughas last year if not tougher,”Coach Evans says.

Senior Monica Turner isthe only returning starter thisyear. However, others havesome experience.

Each of the o thers ta r te rs—juniors AshleyBush , Autumn Ely andChelsea Lunger and sopho-more Julia Koloski—haveplayed baske tba l l s incee lementary school andgained varsity playing timelast season.

The teams the g i r l splayed in preseason provedtoo much for them, but“[they] are playing betternow,” according to CoachJohn Cherundolo. “It takest ime to f ind the cor rec tcombination that works welltogether.”

As a result of the team’slosses in preseason, practiceis more intense.

“When we scrimmage,we play harder defense,”Bush says, “so when we getinto a game, we know whatto expect.”

In December the LadyMeteors played in the LynettMemor ia l Baske tba l lTournament , which i ssponsored by The ScrantonTimes-Tr ibune . In thetourney they fell to AbingtonHeights (22-67) andScranton Prep (33-60).

Most of the games welos t were to “perennia lpowerhouses ,” CoachCherundolo says , “andteams in a h igher c lass(enrollment of students) thanus.”

“We now know that wehave to work hard in orderto win,” Bush says.

The girls’ record at presstime was 4-8.

By Jason CronkBy Jason CronkBy Jason CronkBy Jason CronkBy Jason CronkStaff Reporter

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When freshman BillyStranburg was told he wouldstart at the boys’ varsity bas-ketball game against BlueRidge during the Christmastournament in Susquehanna inDecember, his nerves began tokick in.

“I was nervous at first, but Ifelt confident about knowing theplays,” Stranburg says. “I hadto go out there and just exe-cute.”

The nerves evaporatedwhen he started playing, he

says.“I just wanted [to play] well

and prove I can play at the var-sity level,” Stranburg says.

The 6’1” Stranburg startedplaying basketball in elementaryschool. Before joining LathropStreet’s fifth and sixth gradetravel team, he used to practiceshooting in his driveway andsometimes play a little one-on-one with his neighbor, he says.

His best game so far this sea-son, Stranburg says, came Jan.8 when Susquehanna visitedMAHS. In addition to playinggood defense, Stranburg re-corded 10 points, he says.

“I felt good in warm-ups,”Stranburg says. “I was makingmy shots.”

This year’s varsity team of19 players is comprised of onlythree seniors and two juniors.

Junior Kyle Bonnice saysthe team’s being young, how-ever, does not mean it lacksdepth.

Players are able to come offthe bench and give starters abreak without giving up manypoints, Bonnice says.

The team sees the floor well,Bonnice adds. Players see eachplay that is going on from all po-sitions on the court.

However, Bonnice says, theteam’s height will require somepracticing of boxing out for re-bounds this season. The aver-age height of the team is 5’11”.When a rebound occurs, play-ers need to keep (box out) theiropponents from gaining posses-sion of the ball.

Bonnice says the playersare starting to work better as ateam. Stranburg agrees.

“[The team] is really start-ing to come together,”Stranburg says. “Hopefully itwill stay that way.”

At press time, the Meteors’record was 5-8.

By Rick BuckleyBy Rick BuckleyBy Rick BuckleyBy Rick BuckleyBy Rick BuckleySports Co-editor

‘Being Y‘Being Y‘Being Y‘Being Y‘Being Young’ Doesn’t Mean Ineoung’ Doesn’t Mean Ineoung’ Doesn’t Mean Ineoung’ Doesn’t Mean Ineoung’ Doesn’t Mean Inexperiencedxperiencedxperiencedxperiencedxperienced

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Photo providedSeventh grader Danny English contributes a save to his team’s win.

...............................................................................................................................................................................

Photo providedNow Lathrop Street fifth grader Nick Henryposes for his team photo for the 2006-2007hockey season as a member of the STHAAmerica Auto Rental U-10 Squirt team.

PAGE 8 METEOR CHRONICLEJANUARY 2008

Sports

SPORTLIGHT Commentary

“Not bad for a softballplayer,” a coach teases one ofthe girls on his soccer team.To most of these girls, socceris their life, and playing anothersport in addition to soccer israre; they’ve decided soccer istheir “thing” and most can’t getenough of it.

You don’t see many studentswith this single-sport devotionat MAHS. Quite the opposite,the same general group ofathletes play one sport afteranother year-round. Althoughthese students do a decent jobon the teams they’ve chosen tobe a part of, one wonders howmuch more could be achievedif athletes were focusing onhoning their skills in a particularsport or two and had moreopportunities available for themto do so.

Sophomore Brittany Bartokis one of the few students whohave chosen this commitmentto a single sport, in her case,giving up field hockey to focuson softball year-round.

“I just really love softball,and I didn’t want my skills toget cold in the off-season,” shesays. “I wanted to make sure Iwas practicing all year. I loveit so much, I just want to getbetter and better at it.”

By Megan HenryBy Megan HenryBy Megan HenryBy Megan HenryBy Megan HenrySports Co-editor

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As the 2006-07 schoolseason was ending, flyers andannouncements for summersoftball sign-ups popped up allaround MAHS. Junior GenaRapasardi decided to sign upso she could spend most of thesummer working to improveher game. A sudden illness,however, sidelined her forthree months, ending hersummer softball plans.

This did not stop Rapasardifrom practicing out of season.“Always striving to improve,”she says, she asked softballcoach Kim Forys if she couldstart practicing in early fall forthe spring sport.

“I mainly worked onhitting,” Rapasardi says. “Ihad not swung since lastseason because I was sick.”

Sophomore BrittanyBartok also plays softball outof season. In the summer sheplays for a team called theNorthern Tier Heat. The team,made up of players from bothElk Lake High School andMAHS, participate in tour-naments near Syracuse, N.Y.;Owego, N.Y.; and Somerset,Pa.

“Summer softball gave memore experience,” Bartoksays. “It helped me keep myskills fresh while learning newones.”

Bartok also added to herfriend list while playing for theHeat.

“I had fun playing, and Imade new friends along theway,” she says.

Some athletes say theyfocus on just staying in shapeduring the off-season. Soph-omore Jimmy Baker runsevery day after school withthe Winter Running Club(WRC). Club members logtheir individual hours and addthem together at the end of theseason to determine how farthey might have traveledduring the season. Accordingto WRC adviser Jim Fluck,

By Rick BuckleyBy Rick BuckleyBy Rick BuckleyBy Rick BuckleyBy Rick BuckleySports Co-editor

members ran approximately4,300 miles, the distancebetween Montrose andJuneau, Alaska, last year. Thisyear the goal of the WRC isto make it to a country inSouth America.

Baker says he joined WRCto stay in shape and to dosomething rather than just sitat home. Although theweather may be a factor,there is always an alternativeway to run if the weather doesnot cooperate.

“I run in the hallways or inthe cardio room if the weatheris too bad,” Baker says. “[Ifthe weather is fine], I runthrough town.”

Baker runs three to fivemiles per day every day afterschool. Compared to runningin the warm, Baker says heenjoys running in the coolweather more because hedoesn’t get as dehydrated.

As the fall season wounddown, the boys’ soccer teamprepared a roster for itswinter soccer league at theGreater Binghamton SportsComplex in Johnson Citywhere they competed againstsuch Southern Tier teams asVestal, Chenango Forks andCandor. Their scheduleincluded playing 10 gamesover the winter season, whichended this month.

Sophomore David Albertsays that competing in the off-season gives him more feelfor his position. Albert playsdefense and goalie for theindoor soccer team.

Because of the indoorteam’s being open to eighthgraders who will be on thesoccer team next year, Albertsays it also builds teamwork,so next season they arefamiliar with each other.

“Playing in the off-seasonbenefits everyone on the teambecause it brings the teamtogether and gives us morepractice,” Albert says.

By A. ShortBy A. ShortBy A. ShortBy A. ShortBy A. ShortStaff Reporter

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“Let’s justsay I had him onhis back,” saysfirst-year wres-tler TylerKernan, a senior.Despite his earlysuccess in thematch, Kernanfell to his oppo-nent fromWyalusing.

“If I had [had]a couple morepractices, I couldhave won,”Kernan says.

Starting wres-tling as a seniorwas some of hisfellow wrestlers’idea, juniorDarcy Kernansays about her brother’s be-ginning the new sport..

“I figured that since it wasmy last year in high school, Ishould try all the sports Icould,” Kernan says.

Kernan has played footballsince he was in fourth grade,and that experience has paidoff in wrestling, he says.

“[Football has given me]fast feet, a good stance andgood instinct,” Kernan says.

Practicing with betterwrestlers, such as seniors DJBrown and Nate Hotchkiss,has taught him important skills,Kernan says.

“They taught me to befaster and to watch what I do[not make careless mis-takes],” Kernan says.

Brown says it’s an advan-tage to start any sport as earlyas possible because experi-ence and knowledge about anysport are cumulative.

Kernan agrees. “You shouldn’t wait till

your senior year to start asport,” Kernan says. “Youcould be good at it, and youmight regret not trying.”

Wrestling turned out to bebetter for Kernan than he hadexpected because he thoughtthe sport was going to bemuch harder.

“Wrestling is a lot of funand is much better than Ithought it was going to be,”Kernan says.

Teammates say Kernan iswrestling well for his first

year.“Tyler is doing really well,”

sophomore Bobby McKeensays. “Even Coach [Thorne]has said that he is a ‘tremen-dous’ athlete. Kernan alwaysgives it his all.”

McKeen agrees thatKernan would have benefitedfrom starting wrestling earlier.

“[I think that Tyler shouldhave started earlier because]he has enough talent that if hehad started at a younger age,he could have become one ofthe better ones on the team,”McKeen says.

Even though Kernanstarted late, he still puts forthhis best effort, Brown says.

“He always keeps his headup and works hard.”

A similar mindset to this inathletes could improve thecompetitiveness of our highschool teams and lead to moresuccess if such commitmentwere encouraged.

Two possible solutions toeliminate athletes’ becomingspread too thin are to get moreof the student body involved insports teams overall or to offersome types of open gymworkouts in the off-season,maybe even forming actualteams to compete outside of theregular season.

Varsity football coach JackKeihl and varsity track coachEric Powers have found thatopportunities in the off-seasonare beneficial to their athletes.

“Ninety percent of the time,the kids who work hardest inthe weight room are the kidswho make the biggestimprovements on the field,”says Coach Keihl who asks hisfootball players to spend timein the weight room year round.“The harder [an athlete] worksin the off-season the better [his/her] results will be during the[regular] season.”

Any athlete who focuses onimproving aspects of hisconditioning or form in the off-season is capable of makingnoticeable improvements whenthe regular season starts,according to Coach Powers.

“We view the winter as a

time to fine tune and perfectform,” he says, “as well as gainan advantage with condi-tioning.”

It is these advantages thatCoach Keihl finds so valuableand vital.

“The only way to win in aphysical sport like football is tobe bigger, faster and strongerthan your opponent,” he says.“Natural ability only takes youso far–you have to spend timein the weight room. The saying‘what you don’t use, you willlose,’ drives us to work year-round.”

Bartok says that not only isshe focused on keeping whatshe’s gained physically, butmaking strides mentally too.

“[Focusing on a sport] reallyhelps you in the long run,” shesays. “If your heart’s really init you’ll gain confidence andexcel more. [I gained] moreconfi-dence [by focusing onsoftball] with my swings andjust everything in general. Ithink it’s a big part of softball,having confidence in what youcan do.”

Imagine if the majority ofathletes at MAHS had theseopportunities, what more theycould achieve by not over-working themselves but stillkeeping up a constant pro-gression in their workouts, allthe while building stronger moreconfident teams.

Megan Henry/Meteor Chronicle

Experienced Coach Leads SquadExperienced Coach Leads SquadExperienced Coach Leads SquadExperienced Coach Leads SquadExperienced Coach Leads Squad

Choconut Valley second grade teacher Jenna Volpi demonstrates astance to basketball cheerleaders Courtney Lawrence, a freshman,and Tory Daral, a sophomore, during practice Jan. 11. The 20-membercheerleading squad performs during games and at half-time. CoachVolpi, a high school and collegiate cheerleader herself, has taught thegirls dance routines and new cheers.

“Considering Coach Volpi is new this year, she is doing a fantasticjob with a bunch of girls she doesn’t know,” junior Darcy Kernan says.“She’s been cheering for a long time, and I’m glad she’s here.”

Senior Tyler Kernan, a heavyweight, sprawls against a shot from a Valley View heavy-weight wrestler during a varsity match Jan 12. at MAHS. Kernan was pinned. The Mete-ors lost to Valley View 42-39.

Courtney Haggerty/Meteor Chronicle