The Tyrian

The tyrian
Vol. 2 • No. 2
Mifflin County High School
Thursday, May 9, 2013
thetyrian@mcsdk12.org
Snyder Models in
New York City /A7
LEGENDARY
COACH STEPS
DOWN/A5
Getting in character
Cosplay
trend not
child’s play
Editor’s note: To read more stories about the growing influence
of Japanese culture in this area,
see Page A3.
LEWISTOWN—Remember
when you were a little kid and
used to dress up in your mom’s
dresses and wear her makeup?
You were a princess, a businesswoman or simply a grownup.
You would play “imagine” and
have pretend tea parties in your
fancy clothes. Most of us eventually grew up and out of this phase,
but not all of us.
Cosplay is a culture that has
been around for a long time, but
many people don’t know about
it. It’s the combination of the
words “costume” and “play”, and
it’s when people dress as their
favorite character from a movie,
cartoon, video game or Japanese
anime. The first time I cosplayed
was two years ago when I was
15 and just getting into anime. I
Tyrian photo by ALAIA BECKER
had met a friend online who was
Mercedes Diehl in one of the costumes she wears for cosplay.
really into anime. I remembered
that one of my best friends, Amy
Schaeffer, really liked it, too, so
friend) was talking about, so I
instantly fell in love with it.
I thought I would give it a try. I
looked up the anime he liked so
never knew what he (my online
well. It was called Naruto, and I
See DRESS-UP/Page A5
miles per hour.
Powered by a variant of
algae fuel, the train would be
both inexpensive to operate and
environmentally friendly, putting
no stress on shrinking oil reserves.
Chester also had to create
a scale model of the train and
“provide an accompanying book
BEDFORD—Jonathon Ches- containing drawings, photographs,
ter’s concept vehicle, the Fitzer
descriptions.” The book had as
1.0, took top honors at the recent much to do with his win as the
Technology Students of America design itself. “The book is where
(TSA) state convention. Built
2/3 of the points come from. Rein response to this year’s design
gardless how professional a model
theme of a 21st century highlooks, if it does not have a strong
speed rail train engine, Chester’s book, it will not place well...
design beat out 35 other entries,
my train did not have the neatest
earning him a spot at the national painting... but my book won favor
convention in Orlando later this
with the judges.”
year.
The hybrid design combines
the elements of current “bullet
trains” and jet-powered airplanes.
Chester describes his project: “Named after the adaptability
and strength of the fitzer juniper
evergreen… the speed of a plane
and the aerodynamic principals
of a bullet combine to make the
revolutionary design.”
The Fitzer 1.0 is equipped
with a re-designed “Junkers
Jumbo-004” turbo jet engine
(originally designed in 1940 as
the first leading turbo jet engine).
Chester estimates the rail system
would have the capability of
JONATHON CHESTER
reaching speeds in excess of 300
Chester’s first
at states rates
trip to nationals
HONOR:
MCHS senior
a National
Merit Finalist
By KATIE LAMARCA
Tyrian staff writer
By MERCEDES DIEHL
Special to The Tyrian
TSA:
Alice in
Wonderland/
A8
LEWISTOWN— Mifflin
County High School senior Selina Roman-White recently qualified as a finalist in the National
Merit Scholarship program.
In addition to meeting the
eligibility requirements for participation in the program, RomanWhite scored within the top 1%
of those high school students in
the United States who took the
test.
“When I first found out I had
been named a semifinalist, I was very
excited. So, when I
was named finalist I
was excited, but not
as excited as semifinalist, I would say,
because the odds
were in my favor,”
says Roman-White
of her achievement.
Being named a
finalist does not guarantee receiving a scholarship.Scholarships
are awarded by businesses,
colleges and the National Merit
program themselves, according to
the program’s literature. RomanWhite is eligible for the last two
because Penn State, the college
which she will be attending, offers the scholarship.
In the fall, she will be attending
SELINA ROMAN-WHITE
the university’s prestigious
Shreyer Honors College to study
chemical engineering. She wishes
to pursue a career in this field at
Penn State because “It has a great
reputation as a science and engineering college and is one of the
largest research universities.
“Also, it's close
to home, and I love
the campus.”
Roman-White’s
long term goal is
to work with green
(renewable) energy
to give our country
more environmentally friendly ways
to use energy.
In applying for
the National Merit Scholarship,
along with the regular submission forms, applicants were
required to write an essay based
on various aspects of themselves,
such as influences. Roman-White wrote about the
influence of small-town life
in reaching big dreams.
“My area
might define me, but
it does not
confine me.”
See ROMAN-WHITE/Page A 4
Career Link
office opens
in the library
By MAKAYLA PEARCE
Tyrian staff writer
LEWISTOWN— High
school students are always talking
about the day they’re going to
step out the front doors of the high
school and into the future. What they don’t talk much
about is what links one world
to the other and the best way
to bridge the gap between high
school and the adult world.
Mike McMonigal wants to
have that talk with them. McMonigal operates a branch office of
Career Link in the high school
library. Any student can go into
his office and ask for his help in
accessing Career Link materials. These include the proper
way to search for a job, set up job
shadowing and meet with both
local and global employers about
particular jobs.
McMonigal’s office also
operates Bridges to the Future,
designed to help students make
informed decisions about their
future careers so they can make
Tyrian photo by FINNIAN SAYLOR
Mike McMonigal of Career Link discusses career options with Whitney Strohecker.
a smooth transition from high
school into adulthood.
Once a student joins the
program, he is in it for the rest of
high school. Through Bridges,
students receive help in preparing for a career as well as gaining
work experience while still in high
school.
Students sign up for Bridges
in the sophomore year and learn
the basics of the workplace.
Over the summer, students
in the program will get a paid
job, working 30 hours a week for
seven weeks.
At the sophomore level,
the goal of Bridges is to teach
students how the working world
operates: receiving paychecks,
THE CHANGING SEASONS OF THE SCHOOL YEAR
clocking in and out and being a
good employee.
Junior year, students start
job shadowing and working in
a field that they think they will
pursue after high school.
As seniors, they also learn
how to prepare resumes, search
for jobs, conduct themselves in
interviews and achieve post-secondary goals. Interested in learning more?
McMonigal, whose office is in the
library, has hours Tuesdays and
Thursdays. He invites sophomores
to stop by to talk about signing
up. Brochures are available in the
guidance office.
Don’t wait long— the program can accommodate just 20.
Tyrian photos by FINNIAN SAYLOR
people
A2-Lewistown, PA
Thursday, May 9, 2013
On a Mission
Submitted photos
Concentration: Two first graders in Katie
Staronka’s class work on their lessons.
Teacher’s aide: Katie poses with the teacher and first graders she was assigned to
help at Lewis Yard Primary School on Grand Bahama Island.
Staronka sisters work with Bahamian first graders
By MAGGIE STARONKA
Tyrian staff writer
GRAND BAHAMA ISLAND— In April my sister Katie and I went
to Freeport, Grand Bahama Island, on our
first mission trip. While there we had the
chance to experience the school system
on the island as well as the life of a typical Bahamian. Although many people
thought it was a vacation, it wasn’t.
Upon our arrival on the island, my
team and I were met by the Rev. Lenore
Hosier, pastor of the New Hope Methodist
Church where we stayed for the duration of the trip, and Jordan, the church’s
18-year-old youth director.
On our first day, Jordan took us to the
main tourist hot-spot, Port Lucaya, showing us around town and giving us time to
look around the local straw market. Later
we walked on a local beach (I know it
sounds like a vacation at this point, but
hard work was on the horizon.)
Thursday was our first day at Lewis
Yard Primary School. The vice principal,
who attends New Hope, allowed us to
come to her school to help out for three
days. Each member of our team was assigned to a different classroom; I ended
up in Ms. Russell’s first grade classroom.
The children seemed delighted to have
us there— greeting us with big smiles. I
spent much of the first two days making
dictionaries for the children and cutting
out letters for a bulletin board.
One of the best parts of working in
the class was observing how the school
system works. All schools, including the
public ones, teach religion. The students
pray before lunch and before the final
bell in the afternoon. The school day runs
from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. and includes a morning snack break.
The Friday routine was essentially
the same as Thursday’s, although we
brought in the school supplies we had collected to donate to the school. My favorite
experience at the school was seeing the
reactions the students and the teachers had
to receiving the new supplies. Each child
received a new wooden pencil; all were
extremely happy to get them. Seeing their
delight made me realize how I take buying
new school supplies for granted.
We were given home-cooked Baha-
mian meals for dinner three of the nights
we stayed. On Thursday we had baked
chicken with bell peppers and onions, rice
with beans and bacon, potato salad and
Bahamian mac-and-cheese. Friday we
had lamb, meatballs, BBQ chicken, salad,
rolls, corn on the cob and potato salad
Monday was a potluck meal with too
many dishes to recount, but of those, my
favorite food was conch fritters. All the
food I ate was delicious, but the fritters
were the best. We were not expecting
them to provide two of those three meals,
but the congregation was so happy to
have us there that they decided to make us
meals on Thursday and Friday night, too.
Saturday we went to a clothing drive
that was well attended by families. Our
group was in charge of entertaining the
children. We kept them busy coloring
cloth backpacks we had bought for the
children and gave them school supplies
and toothbrushes to put in the finished
bags. They loved them!
Later, we went to Lucayan National
Park with Lenore, Jordan and Lenore’s
daughter, Rebecca. We learned about the
area’s underground caves, mangroves
and local wildlife. We also got to go to
the beach located in the park. The water
is part of the Atlantic Ocean, but it is two
different colors and so clear. Breathtaking.
Sunday we worshipped with the
church and later went to the Garden of the
Groves, a large park that has numerous
types of plants and wildlife. The flowers
were not in full bloom yet, but there were
some flowers that were already bright and
beautiful.
Returning to the school one last time,
we performed a Bible skit for the students
at their general assembly. Our skit was on
Pharaoh and the plagues in Egypt. Each
class was in charge of a plague. My class
had boils, and we had to put stickers on
the Pharaoh. The kids thought this was
funny, and they giggled and laughed and
had a great time.
We said our goodbyes to everyone
after the service. We took lots of pictures
with our new friends. Many, myself
inclued, cried. I do not think I can truly
express in words everything I feel about
my experience. I think that choosing to
go on the mission has changed me for the
better.
Exchange: in Croatia
Editor’s note: This is the
second in a series of columns by
junior Sara Leonard, chronicling
her experience this school year as
an exchange student in Croatia.
By SARA LEONARD
Special to The Tyrian
CROATIA — Nearly a year
after arriving in Croatia, I still
believe that it is the best choice
I’ve ever made. I have met hundreds of amazing people from all
around the world and am lucky to
call them friends and family. Ova
godina be trebala biti odlična!
(This year should be great!)
Living in a another country— on another continent with
different ways of thinking and a
different language than ours—
and attending a different school
for almost a year isn’t easy. I had
to learn Croatian (not an easy language to master) and adapt to the
culture. The hardest part for me
has definitely been the inevitable
homesickness. However, I have
amazingly supportive friends who
keep me smiling during the toughest days.
I am in the third grade here
(equivalent to eleventh grade in
the USA), and the 28 students in
my class have been together since
starting high school three years
ago. Students stay with the same
class throughout high school. Because of that, they are very close
and seem like a big family.
Teens here are a lot like teens
in Mifflin County, except that
here they take school a lot more
seriously. But they are more easygoing about other things. Students
here focus on learning not on
socializing, and classes are not as
creative as those at MCHS. They
take 18 subjects in one week, and
students spend almost every night
studying.
There is not much time for
students to have fun, except for
Saturday nights when teens my
age get dressed up and go out for
a night of dancing and socializing
Top: A view of the Zagreb, Croatia,
cityscape at night.
Left: Sara (front: third from the right)
enjoys a recent trip to Austria with fellow exhange students in Croatia.
at one of the hundreds of clubs
in Zagreb. They usually meet at
someone’s house around 22:00
(10 p.m.), go to the club at 23:00
and get home at 3:00 a.m.
Unfortunately, host parents
and host Rotary clubs are very
strict, so most exchange students
have a 23:00 curfew. Having such
an early curfew (for Croatia!)
is something that I find disappointing. I have to turn down my
friends every time they ask me
to go out with them on Saturday
nights; I feel it is weakening my
relationships with them. Fashion is similar to that in
the United States. Converse and
Uggs are very popular, but they
don’t have brands such as Hollister or Aeropostale. Popular shops
include Zara, H&M, Nike, Elfs
(a very popular Croatian brand)
and more. Because sports are not
offered in my school, people who
are interested in playing hockey,
soccer, handball, tennis, etc. have
to join teams outside of school
and travel to other towns or countries with their teams to compete.
Their friends don’t really go to
watch and cheer them on, but it is
not expected here anyway.
At the end of third grade,
students have something called
Maturalac, which is a big five-toseven-day trip to a different country. My class is going to Malta,
Submitted photos
an island off the coast of Italy, in
August. This is their last big trip
before graduation next year—
they have 12 years of schooling,
just like in the United States.
Croatian students must be
18 to get a driver’s license. Most
Croatians turn 18 in the fourth
grade, so they will begin mandatory driving classes. However,
since gasoline is around 12 dollars
a gallon, public transportation is
popular.
In December, we had winter
holidays. I spent mine in Salzburg,
Austria, with fellow exchange students, 22 of whom are also staying
in Croatia; more than 100 others
are staying in Austria. We went
sightseeing and shopping and experienced the nightlife there. We
spent four amazing days in Austria
where we made new friends.
We will get to see them all
again in May during EuroTour—
16 days of traveling throughout
Europe: France, Spain, Italy,
Monaco, Germany, Belgium and
Andorra.
Before EuroTour, though, my
fellow Croatian exchange students and I will be taking a trip to
Dubrovnik. Located on the coast,
Dubrovnik is the southernmost
point of Croatia. It is considered
the tourist destination in Croatia. I am very happy here. It is
strange how being on exchange
makes you OK with being thrown
into the unknown.
It’s suddenly second nature
to feel completely alone in a
room full of people. You’re OK
with sitting down for a two-hour
coffee with your closest friend
instead of simply grabbing a to-go
cup. You fall into a routine with
a new family, a new house, new
friends, a new language and a
whole new lifestyle. Yet, it feels
like you have been doing this your
entire life. You are OK with losing
contact with friends back home. It doesn’t bother you that the
promises you made to friends in
the U.S. weren’t kept But every
so often you stop and realize how
far you are from your life. How
far you are from home. But here,
you’re also at home. It’s strange how I can love
and miss two very different places
with all my heart. No one will
understand what this year was like
for me. They won’t understand
how I feel about my new home,
my new life. But they will understand how happy I am.
And suddenly I have two
very separate, very wonderful
lives. And it’s okay that they don’t
understand each other.
Two lives worth living, to the
very end. Two very happy lives,
both mine.
people
A3-Lewistown, PA
Thursday, May 9, 2013
japanese
influence
Editor’s Note: In recent years, the global ethusiasm for Japanese
culture and art has made its way across the ocean to the U.S.
where it has gained popularity with young audiences. Manga
(comic books), anime (animated TV shows and movies) and video games— also rooted in manga— have found their way into the
fabric of our culture. And that includes the culture here at MCHS
where students read manga; watch anime movies and TV shows;
sketch the anime characters with their distinctive wide eyes and
brightly colored wild hair; play Japanese video games, some of
which incorporate anime characters and storylines; and attend
cosplay conventions. The culture and language of Japan have
also made their way into the curriculum with Japanese being
one of our online foreign language course offerings. Most of the
students in the class indicate their interest in the language stems
primarily from their exposure to Japanese art and entertainment.
Wearing a shirt that is the inspiration for his art, senior
Damian Haffly sketches Naruto of the the popular
manga series by the same name. In recent years, these
characters have become popular subjects in student
artwork as Japanese cultural influences have gained
popularity with an American audience.
Tyrian photo by Finnian Saylor
Japanese language class a natural fit
By TYRIAN STAFF
When choosing what foreign
language to take, these students
LEWISTOWN— Konnichi- saw Japanese as a natural fit.
wa (Kon-ee-chee-wa), Sayonara A cosplay enthusiast, junior
(Sa-yo-na-ra). Hello and good-bye Amelia Schaeffer says the course
in Japanese.
is “fun, but it (online learning)
Many of the students enrolled makes slacking off a bit easier.
in the district’s online Japanese
The teacher’s enthusiasm keeps
language course knew those
it interesting, though.” One of
words and many more when they the most interesting facts says she
walked in the door for the first day learned about Japan involves their
of classes because they had been toilets. “It’s something you don’t
watching anime, reading manga
hear a lot about. Look it up.“
and/or playing Japanese video
Sophomore Belle Parker
games for years.
says, “I love Japan so much, so
it’s hard to choose just one (favorite fact). But I would say one
thing that I found funny is that in
Japan they use clear umbrellas.”
Parker likes the class and
plans “to re-take Japanese in college to refresh my memory.”
Learning about the sakura
(cherry blossom) festivals is
something sophomore Cassandra
Witmer found interesting other
than the language itself.
Having an older sister take
Japanese influenced Ashley Foltz
to take it. “I’ve been
watching anime
since I was little,
and when my sister
started learning
Japanese, it sparked
a new interest in
Tyrian photo by FINNIAN SAYLOR
it.”
Darien Knudsen, sophomore, practices Japanese online.
She says she
learned that school
more Japanese.”
life in Japan “is a lot different
Asked whether they are plancompared to here. The setting is
ning to travel to Japan someday to
a lot different. Their food is also
try out their new language skills,
different; they have taken some
they answered in a single word:
American foods and made them
yes.
Reviews
MOVIES
MUSIC
Spirited Away by first anime movie Vocaloids: Singers who don’t exist
By ALANA FELTON
Special to The Tyrian
town”, or so they think.
Entering a restaurant, her
parents gorge themselves as
A Japanese masterChihiro whines. To the girl’s
piece was born from direc- horror, her parents morph
tor Hayao Miyazaki in his
into pigs. As night falls,
anime
Chihiro and her piggy parfilm
ents are trapped in the town,
Spirited
now inhabited by spirits and
Away. surrounded by a mass of
Throughwater.
out the
Chihiro must find a
movie,
way to save her parents
the
and change them back into
viewer
humans. Working in a bath
rides a
house for the spirits, she
rollerlearns good work ethic and
ALANA FELTON
coaster of
undergoes scary experiemotions
ences from “No Face”, the
with the young heroine,
gluttonous spirit, to Haku
Chihiro. Despite the fantasy the possible double agent.
and youthful animation,
Chihiro must make a hard
viewers of all ages can ap- decision: will she sacrifice
preciate the life lessons and her own happiness and
moralistic plot.
safety to save her parents
The story opens with
and new friends?
Chihiro and her parents en Dramatic, compelling
route to their new home.
music and colorful art are
A wrong turn brings them
reminiscent of a Disney
to the gates of a crumbling movie. Large, expressive
old building. Chihiro’s
eyes, disproportionate but
parents explore while she
appealing characters, as well
mopes around, frightened,
as imaginative creatures,
but eventually she follows
bring the story to life. them.
Nature is an obvious
They discover a “ghost influence in the director’s
style. Vivid ocean scenes
and beautiful flowers and
plants create a realistic and
believable atmosphere.
Environmental aspects
are included such as pollution in the “River God”
scene. In pleasing contrast
to the natural world are the
fantastical spirits, each with
his own imaginative personality and appearance.
Japanese values permeate the film. Cultural values
of hard work and respect
for elders and spirits reveal
the intended audience to be
Japanese youth, but all age
groups from all parts of the
world can relate to Chihiro’s
struggles and appreciate her
growth from whiny to wise. Human vices are
portrayed and prompt the
viewer to examine his
own life and consider their
struggles with greed, power,
and insecurity.
A first-time anime
watcher, I had expected a
childish, animated film, but
its pithy and thoughtful plot
and relatable characters
exceeded my expectations.
I give it two thumbs
up.
By JUSTIN ADAMS
Tyrian staff writer
Vocaloids.
Hatsune Miku is the
first of the Vocaloids, a
What if there were
group of “singers” who
a singer who did it all?
don’t actually exist beyond
Someone who wasn’t afraid the realm of a software apto dabble in every genre,
plication.
perform on every stage,
A Yamaha product,
sing every song. What if
this voice synthesis applithere were singing but no
cation creates synthesized
singers?
voices that sing the melody
You can tell a Taylor and lyrics users input—
Swift song from an Adele
literally, singing without
song, a Fun from a Pink.
a singer. Vocaloids can be
Each artist has his own
made to sing any song writlittle quirks, style and
ten by anyone who pursound.
chases the software. As a
But what if the only
result, no two songs sound
qualthe same. ity that
Manga artist Kei Garō
stayed
has given each Vocaloid a
the
unique look, but leaves the
same
personality open to allow
from
the composers to express
song to
whatever they desire from
song
their musical compositions.
was the
Through one comartist’s
poser’s work, Miku could
voice,
be a shy, timid girl admirJUSTIN ADAMS
a voice
ing her crush from afar. Or,
with
through another’s work,
a range broader than any
she could be a headstrong
human could possibly atgirl who takes life by the
tain? That’s the experience horns, trying everything,
of listening to the music of regretting nothing. Miku Hatsune and the other The possibilities are
Hatsune Miku, a popular Vocaloid
endless.
This is part of the
beauty of Vocaloid’s music.
There’s so much
diversity— you won’t necessarily like every song, but
you’re bound to love some.
In recent years, the
Vocaloids have become
popular in Japan and
around the world, releasing
several video games for
PlayStation Portable and
PlayStation 3 (Think Guitar
Hero, Dance Dance Revolution or RockBand, but
featuring the Vocaloids).
They have even appeared in concert across
the United States and Japan
through on-stage holograms and with a live band
as accompaniment.
VIDEO GAMES
With elements of an animated movie, Ni No Kuni offers change of pace
By MORGAN KAUFFMAN
Tyrian staff writer
LEWISTOWN— The
game Ni No Kuni hit the shelves
earlier this year. Released as a
game, it also features elements
of an animated movie. The story
line revolves around Oliver who
travels to another world to save
his mother
from death. On
his journey to
find her, Oliver
cries, his tears
falling on his
stuffed toy.
Behold, the
other main
character,
MORGAN
KAUFFMAN
Drippy, is born— well, more like
freed as he is actually a fairy from
another world. Drippy explains
to Oliver that they must work
together to defeat Shadar the Dark
Djinn, an evil being threatening
the fairy’s world. Oliver’s weapon against the Djinn is
a wizard’s spell book. Both have
something to gain in defeating
Shadar: Drippy wants to save his
world, and Oliver wants to rescue
his mother.
My primary reason for liking
this game is the graphics. They
are cartoon-like but sort of threedimensional at the same time. Ni No Kuni’s surprising story line
also appeals to me.
It’s a fun game in which
defeating enemies involves casting spells out of the wizard book.
This is a creative new way to
enjoy gaming.
If you’ve been into horror
games and need a break, Ni No
Kuni offers an exciting change of
pace.
Want more? Check out the
trailers on Youtube.
opinion
A4-Lewistown, PA
IN OUR OPINION
Support SOA’s efforts
A survey conducted by Student Council last year revealed that the
primary problem students wanted the school to address was bullying. Of the 852 students responding to the survey, 58% identified bullying as a problem: 46% characterized it as a “medium” problem, 8 % as
a “large”problem and 4% as “severe”. The remaining 42% labeled it a
“small” problem.
The administratation took its own steps to help resolve the problem,
but there were those among the student body who also felt a need for students to join the cause.
Through their efforts came SOA. Support. Outreach. Awareness. A
place to belong. That’s what SOA offers, and the group is to be commended for their efforts to create an inclusive school environment.
Out of concern for their peers, these students banded together with
the desire to help put an end not only to bullying (online and face-to-face)
but to other growing problems that face high school students nationwide: alienation and the compulsion either to self-harm or to harm others.
Explaining the need to start a club where students could go and feel
accepted,
they recruited
teacher Jennifer Martain
and guidance
counselor
Bridget Kennington as
advisers.
SOA’s
stated mission is “… to
spread tolerance, education, and
Tyrian photo by FINNIAN SAYLOR
acceptance
Madison Brittain (l), Shauna Neal (c) and Amelia Scheaffer (r) helped to start SOA.
of all diverse
groups of people including race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, and religion.”
The group currently consists of 20 members who attend weekly meetings to discuss ways of promoting awareness, creating an environment of
acceptance, teaching tolerance and putting an end to bullying.
SOA member Morgan Kauffman, a sophomore, spoke on the issue of
bullying: “Bullying can be very hurtful. You don’t know what the victim
is going through, or if the bully himself has been bullied.”
The group is hoping others will follow their lead. In order to facilitate
group growth, members will address students at the junior high about bullying and related topics.
“Some students don’t realize they are bullying or offending another
until it is pointed out,” said Kennington.
By getting more students involved with SOA and its related activities,
she continued, the group will be able to spread awareness to a wider audience.
Looking for a way to serve your school and your peers? Drop by
Room B111 from 3:30 to 4:15 any Thursday for a SOA meeting.
Thursday, May 9, 2013
MAN ON THE STREET
How does the shortened summer
break affect your summer plans this
year?
“I understand, I just don’t like it.”
---Luke Felton, Sophomore
“I don’t personally like it. I like my
summer; I like my free time.”
---Kaylee Knouse, Junior
“We already understand, but make
use of the time. I don’t like it.”
---Ryan Moore, Sophomore
“I only have enough time to go to
the beach once.”
---Maddie Bratton, Junior
“I won’t get as much as I would
with a longer summer.”
---Ross Torquato, Sophomore
“Field hockey pre-season is shortened.”
---Hannah Kerstetter, Junior
---MAKAYLA PEARCE
Roman-White
named finalist
THE LETDOWN
LIST
By Dylan Crosson
They’re the little things. They
come at those moments when
we’re all gas and giggles about
something that’s about to happen,
only it doesn’t. Life’s little ironies.
The letdowns. Sigh...
Continued from Page A1
• People who think Lebron
James is as good as or better
than Michael Jordan
• Forgetting to get milk at
lunch
• That feeling you get when
you think you have lost your
flash drive
• The grade you get when you
know you lost your flash
drive
• Stepping barefoot on Legos
• Megablocks
• When perforated notebook
pages don’t tear along the
ship
perforation
•
Spin-cycling your iPod
• Burning your mouth on pizza
• When it’s raining and a mas• People who cheat at battleAbout Us
The Tyrian is a student newspaper
published several times a year
by The Sentinel, 352 Sixth St.,
Lewistown, PA 17044.
In her essay, she states, “My area
might define me, but it does not confine
me.”
She also discussed her inspirations
in her essay, including her mother and her
English teacher, Natalie Love, along with
the passion she has for working to protect
the environment.
Her extracurricular activities include
Drama Club, Spanish Club (president),
Journalism (managing editor of The Tyrian), Book Club and playing piano.
If Roman-White is selected to receive
scholarship money, Penn State will contact
her at the end of the month with details.
YOU TELL US
Tyrian cartoon by REBECCA HARTZLER
sive drop hits you on the top
of the head sending a paralyzing chill down your body.
The tyrian
Established 2011
Publisher
Adviser
Managing Editor
News Editor
Mark A. Crosson
Natalie Love
Selina Roman-White
Makayla Pearce
In 40 characters or less, tell us what is
the most annoying action people commit
on social media.
Reply to thetyrian@mcsdk12.org by
Thursday, May 16. In your response, be sure
to include your full name and grade.
Look for your comments in the next
edition of The Tyrian— to be distributed
the day prior to the seniors’ last day.
Office Location
Mifflin County High School
501 Sixth St., Lewistown, PA 17044
Office is open 8 a.m.- 4 p.m. Monday-Friday
Phone (717) 242-0240 Fax (717) 447-2600
thetyrian@mcsdk12.org
Technical Editor
Justin Adams
Creative Editor
Finnian Saylor
sports
A5-Lewistown, PA
Thursday, May 9, 2013
KODISH: Legendary girls’ basketball coach steps down
By TYRIAN STAFF
LEWISTOWN— When 1984 is
mentioned in a school setting, the reference is usually to George Orwell’s novel.
Because of Orwell’s dystopic tale,
the date has come to symbolize the end of
all things good, of all things worth living
for.
Not in Mifflin County.
In these parts, 1984 is the year it all
began. It was the start of something great,
something legendary. And folks around
here like to talk about it.
It was the year then 24-year-old
Kevin Kodish took over as head coach
of Lewistown Area High School’s Lady
Panthers’ basketball team.
Two score and seven years later,
Kodish had built a basketball dynasty that
produced 26 consecutive winning seasons,
two of them ending in state titles and a
third as runner-up.
Kodish’s .762 record during his tenure at Lewistown was built on 568 wins,
177 losses. Along the way, his teams finished five times in the Final Four, eight in
the Elite Eight and once in the Sweet 16.
They wore the District 6 AAA championship crown eight times, claimed runner-up
status eight more and topped the Mountain League 10 times.
Thirteen of his Lady Panthers
eclipsed the 1,000 -point mark, with one
of them, Krista Gingrich, racking up
2,675 career points.
Kodish’s days wearing blue and
white ended two years ago with the jointure of Lewistown and Indian Valley.
He was tasked with bringing the
former cross-town rivals
Lewistown HS Highlights Under Kodish
together as Mifflin County PIAA Class AAA State Champions (2)
1997, 1998
Huskies. His combined
PIAA Class AAA Runner-Up (1):
2004
PIAA Class AAA Final Four Seasons (5) 1997, 1998, 2003, 2004, record over the past two
2005
years stands at .630, and
PIAA Class AAA Elite Eight Seasons (8) 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, two more of his players
2001, 2003, 2004, 2005
reached the 1,000-point
PIAA District 6 Class AAA Champions (8) 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007
mark this year.
PIAA
District
6
Class
AAA
Runner-Up
(8)
1989,
1995, 2001, 2002, After 791 games and
2006, 2008, 2009, 2011
just one season shy of three Mountain League Champions (10)
1990, 1991, 1995, 1996, decades, what began in
1997, 1998, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006
1984 drew to a close last
26
Consecutive
Winning
Seasons
1985-86
season through week when Kodish submit2010-11 season
ted his letter of resignation
CAREER SEASON AVERAGES
as head coach of the Lady
SEASONS
WON-LOSS
OVERALL AVERAGE
Huskies to the Mifflin
Lewistown (27 Seasons)
568-177
.762
County School Board.
Mifflin County (2 Seasons) 29-17
.630
All good things must Total (29 Seasons)
597-194
.755
come to an end, the saying
goes. It seems that adage applies to all the great things, too. END OF AN ERA
Editor’s note: In a recent letter
to the editor in The Sentinel,
Coach Kodish reflected on his
years with the girls’ basketball
program. With permission from
both the coach and The Sentinel,
his remarks, in large part,
appear below:
“…One of the best
things I always enjoyed about coaching at Lewistown was
that we represented a
town/community and we
played against similar towns/communities. Whether it was
Huntingdon, Bellefonte, Tyrone, or Phillipsburg, we competed
against similar teams
and kids— schools
in rural areas that
shared common demographic characteristics with us. Of
course the annual game
with Indian Valley
was sheer fun for all
the student athletes.
It was great to experience that spirited competition with
a local rival, and
then return to being
friends right after
the final buzzer. Experiences like those
are tough to replace.
“The loss of the
rivalry game and the
other athletic ramifications (fewer students can participate) are not the only
reason I glowingly
reflect on the ‘good
old days’ of two high
schools. Going to
one high school cut
everything in half
all the way down the
line. Whereas before
50 students (25 from
each school) could
be pleased with the
distinction of graduating in the ‘Top
25’ of their class, now that number
is indeed 25. Instead of two class
presidents, two Key Club presidents,
fect on the ‘fringe’
student— the one that
is down the list
somewhat but, with a
little encouragement,
can achieve marked
improvement. Those
students are pushed
further down the list
and oftentimes become
more difficult to
reach.
“On the flip side,
one aspect of the
new high school that
I enjoyed was the
opportunity I had
to meet many girls
who would have been
just rivals in prior
years. I will always appreciate the
chance I had to coach
players like Whitney
Corbin, Sammie Chestnut, Briette Treaster, Allie Sutton,
Breanna Cline, Tara
Kibe, Taylor Dietrich, and Grace Wagner. Our county has a
lot of high quality
kids from border to
border, and that’s
something to truly
celebrate.
“…To the future
athletes of Mifflin
County, I ask three
things: do right, do
your best, treat others as you want to be
treated.
“I humbly ask parents and athletes to
remember that not
everybody will be an
all-conference performer. Not everyone
will be a starter.
Not everyone will be
a great player. But
everybody can do the
best they can each
Tyrian photo by FINNIAN SAYLOR
and every day.
Kevin Kodish, head coach of LAHS Lady Panthers (1984-2011) and of MCHS Lady Huskies (2011-2013) “And, please remember this: You’re
two valedictorians, two of virtually
never as good as everyone tells you
every leadership position, now you
when you win, and you’re never as bad
have one. Perhaps the saddest element
as they say when you lose.”
of the single high school is the efKevin Kodish
“…To the future athletes of Mifflin County, I ask three things:
do right, do your best, treat others as you want to be treated.”
Dress-up for young and old, Japanese cosplay comes to Mifflin County
Continued from page A1
Then I went to Google and looked up
anime, and I saw something that caught
my eye. I had found a link to anime
conventions. I scrolled through the neverending list and found one that was fairly
close to home. It sounded like fun, so I
asked Amy if she would go with me.
We both got cosplays and dressed
up for the event. I cosplayed a character
from the video game Kingdom Hearts II.
Her name was Kairi, and the cosplay was
a little pink dress with zippers down the
front and a black hood.
I even cut my hair because I couldn’t
afford a wig at the time. It was just like
playing dress-up.
The convention was a whole new
experience for me. It was a fairly small
convention, with a few hundred people
(Oktakon in Baltimore has up to 20,000),
but it looked like so much more. Everyone had wonderfully made cosplays.
Everywhere I walked I saw brightly
colored wigs, huge props and amazing
outfits! People complimented me on my
cosplay, and I felt welcome in their community. Everyone was so nice and kind. It
was a place where you could be yourself,
even though you were dressed as someone
else, and no one would judge you.
There are two types of people you
will meet at the conventions: those who
completely make your day with their
friendliness and those you will come to
think of as best friends.
I have made many new friends during these last three years, and they are
some of the kindest and coolest people I
have ever met.
The cons (conventions) usually have
panels or workshops where you may talk
about anything from cosplay and anime
to popular movies such as The Avengers. Sometimes they also have cosplay
contests or fashion shows where people
can show off their cosplay or Japanese
fashion.
They also usually have one or two
rooms where they have Anime Screenings, and they play anime and movies all
day. It’s basically like a giant free movie
theater.
Most of the time they have gaming
rooms where multiple gaming systems
will be set up, usually with fighting games
or Dance Dance Revolution.
There are dealers’ rooms where you
can buy items (related to cosplay, anime,
video games, Japanese culture).
But the socializing is one of the best
parts. It’s very easy to relate to people
when you’re in an environment where
everyone shares similar interests. I’ve
made some friends at cons through my
love of k-pop and k-dramas (Korean pop
and drama shows).
After the cons, I experience what
they call “post con depression” because
it’s such a long time until the next con,
and going back to reality can be kind of
boring.
Since that first convention in 2011, I
have attended four more, and I currently
have seven cosplays.
I have sewn one cosplay, cut six wigs
and have more than 500 pictures from
photo shoots.
Cosplay is so much more than a
hobby; it’s an art, an art that is able to be
shared with an entire community who
enjoy the same hobby as you do.
Some people may think it’s a silly
hobby. That’s OK.
It’s really something that you have to
experience for yourself before you figure
out how awesome it really is.
sports
A6-Lewistown, PA
Thursday, May 9, 2013
SEASON WRAPS
by MAKAYLA PEARCE
Wrestling: First county team to win District 6 dual meet, qualify for states
LEWISTOWN— Ending 16
and 7 on the season, the wrestling
team, said Coach Kirby Martin,
“…made history by being the
first Mifflin County team to win
the District 6 dual meet tournament and qualify for the state dual
meet… this was their first season
in the very tough Mid Penn conference, but they went a respectable 3 and 3.”
In tournament action, the
team finished third out of 10
teams at the Ephrata Duals. The
team had a tougher time at King
of the Mountain Tournament,
placing 19th out of 33, with
Hayden Hidlay and Isaac Underhill placing 2nd and 7th respectively.
At the
Conestoga Valley Tournament,
the team finished 12th out
of 25 teams. Six
individual wrestlers placed:
Kyle Kahley
(220, 4th), Noah
Stewart (126,
5th), Isaac UnTyrian photo by FINNIAN SAYLOR
derhill (120, 5th),
Kevin Bair looks to take down an opponent in a 138-lb. bout.
Tre Carter (195,
6th), co-captain
won the District 6 AAA Dual
Joe Knarr (152, 7th) and Caleb
Meet Championships, earning a
Rhodes (285, 8th).
trip to the Giant Center for the
The team placed first of six teams state tournament.
at the Husky Duals.
Despite a rough time at
Most importantly, the team
states, Martin said, “Making his-
tory for this team was a muchdeserved reward for the hard work
of the wrestlers.”
Individually, 10 wrestlers
advanced from districts to the
regionals: Hayden Hidlay (113),
Underhill (120), Stewart (126),
co-captain Lucas Besch (132),
Kevin Bair (138), Brandon Wilson
(145), Knarr (152), and Drew
Hannon (195), Kahley (220),
Rhodes (285).
Of these, two returned to
Hershey for the state tournament. Hayden Hidlay, who suffered an
8-3 setback at regionals, took 2nd
place at states, while Kyle Kahley
took 3rd.
At Hershey, both Kahley and
Hidlay lost two matches and were
eliminated from the tournament.
The team will lose five
seniors this year— Besch, Bair,
Luke Bender, Knarr, Rhodes.
Looking ahead, Martin said,
“Next year should be a good
season. I have higher expectations
to do better in the Mid Penn and
at individual tournaments, have a
better dual meet record, and return
to the state dual meet tournament
with better results.”
Sophomore Underhill was
named to the first team of the Mid
Penn Conference Commonwealth
Division all stars. Freshman Hidlay was voted
winner of the Rod Tate award,
designating him Mifflin County’s
outstanding wrestler this year.
Indoor Track: Six to states, one to nationals
LEWISTOWN–– Six runners capped the
Huskies’ indoor track and field season with a trip to
the PTFCA State Meet at Penn State. Of the six, one
medaled— senior Jon Colwell placed sixth in the
3,000-meter race.
That performance qualified him to compete in
the New Balance Indoor National Track and Field
Meet in New York City.
The other five athletes who earned state berths
include Nathan Baumgardner in the 600-meter
hurdles, and the team of Tim Beck, Ian McGinnis,
Sophomore Kelsey Spicher
carries the baton in her
leg of a relay. Spicher runs
both the 4x400 and 4x800
events.
Submitted photo
Michael Kline and Kyroon Carrington who ran the
4x200-relay. “All of these athletes had a great meet,
setting school and county records in the process,”
Coach Scott Gantz said of the state qualifiers.
He praised his entire team for a season that saw
every athlete progressing steadily with each successive meet.
“We were able to compete in a total of five
indoor meets at various universities throughout the
state and were very competitive in each and every
one.”
Boys’ Basketball: Wagner at 1,000 Girls’ Basketball: Two break 1,000
LEWISTOWN—
In the first year MCHS
competed in the AAAA Mid
Penn Division, the toughest league in the state, one
of the Huskies still managed to hit the 1,000-point
career mark. Seth Wagner
ended the season with 1,110
points.
Wagner’s individual
scoring record earned him
the distinction of being 20th
among the county’s exclusive group of athletes who
logged 1,000-plus career
points.
“Although an underdog in terms of school size
and basketball experience,
our players battled every
game and played at a very
high basketball schedule,”
said Coach Aaron
Gingrich.
The coach
commended his
team for its excellent work ethic
and hustle. He also
complimented the
players on being
able to adjust to
the level of play
required in such
a competitive
league.
The Huskies
were led this year
by captains Cy
Treaster and Wagner.
Tyrian photo by FINNIAN SAYLOR
Forward Curtis Jerzerick goes in for a layup.
With six
departing seniors,
from the three returnGingrich expects strong
ing starters and a talented
performances next year
sophomore class.
LEWISTOWN–– The Lady Huskies
ended the season with
a record of 11-12, numbers they don’t believe
accurately reflect their
play.
“The 2012-13
season was our maiden
voyage in the Mid
Penn Conference, and
the team showed great
improvement as the
year progressed,” said
Coach Kevin Kodish. The team won all
its games at the Tip-Off
tournament, along with
the Holiday Classic
and five conference
games.
The highlight of the
season was a strong finish.
Olivia Halfpenny,
earned a second-team
all-conference nod, and
sophomore Ashleigh
Williams honorable
mention all-star status. Logan Snyder and
Olivia Halfpenny exceeded the 1,000 career
point mark this season
in the same game.
Kodish said, “This
years’ Lady Huskies
have built a solid foundation for the future.
With the experience
gained from this year,
plus the infusion of
Tyrian photo by FINNIAN SAYLOR some great talent from
Ashleigh Williams (l) and Kylee Cassatt (r). this season’s ninth grade
The season ended in
team, MCHS fans can
the District 6 playoffs with a look forward to great things
58-43 loss to Hollidaysburg. next season.”
Cheerleading: First year bodes well for Huskies’ competition cheer squad
LEWISTOWN— Competition cheerleading, new to PIAA, enjoyed a successful first season at MCHS, according to
Coach Collette Bender.
The squad kicked off the year
volunteering at Relay for Life, cheering
on cancer survivors during a mile of the
walk.
The team competed in its first District competition in January.
“The girls placed third in several
competitions, placed in the top six out
of 10 teams competing for the District 6
bid to move on to states… and made the
callback round, placing 18th out of 40 at
States in (their division),” Bender said.
She explained that competition judges use a 100-point scoring system to grade
the squads on all aspects of their routines— cheers, jumps, stunts, tumbling,
dance, movements, motions, expressions,
signs and spirit— and then average the
scores.
Bender targeted tumbling as an area
the girls will work to improve on this
summer with lessons at a private gym.
Reflecting on the year, the coach described the squad “as a very dedicated and
strong team who pushed through every
challenge.”
She added all of them made the
honor roll, “…something I don’t think
many teams can say.”
To earn a spot on the competition
squad, members of the fall and/or winter
cheering squads had to try out.
The 12
chosen then had
to learn how to
do all required
positions. “...
good cheerleader can do all
positions, or is
at least willing
to try,” Bender
said.
She observed of her
girls, “The one
Submitted photo
quality I found
Competition cheerleaders perform as judges stand by to score their routine.
true among every girl on the squad was that ‘never give
“They got bumps and bruises along
up’ attitude…
the way, but they persevered.”
Bowling: 15 seniors roll final games Swimming: Six take district medals
LEWISTOWN—
When the last pin dropped
in the bowling team’s final
match this year, more than
the season ended.
That final roll of the
ball marked the end of
an era as the seniors who
brought the sport to Mifflin County four years ago
bowled their final match as
Huskies. Now seniors, they
will graduate in June.
Coach Jamie Fetters
said the season “went as
well as any season can go.”
The team was able to
compete in more matches
against different and more
competitive schools than it
had in past years. Several
bowlers achieved individual
records this season, rolling
200 games: David Monsell
(225), Logan Bleyer (217)
and Makayla Pearce (204).
Christian Knepp and
Pearce had the high average
LEWISTOWN–– Swimmers had a
of the season was “that the team had many
tough season in the Mid Penn this year. The new swimmers this season.”
girls ended their season with a record of 4-9 She expressed optimism that more stuand the boys with a 1-12 record. Individu- dents have given swimming a try and hopes
ally, the Huskies left a mark, holding their they return next season.
own in the pool.
“If anyone is on the fence about join
Meeting tough qualifying times, eight ing the swim team, they should try it out,”
swimmers earned a trip to the District 6
said Welch, indicating the team is losing
swim meet: Megan Becker, Sarah Bonson, nine seniors this year.
and Evan Becker placed high enough to see She added the summer league at Rec
the podium in their individual events. Park is a big help in preparing swimmers
Two girls’ relay teams, consisting of
for the team.
Allison Besch,
Rachel Stimeling,
Sarah Bonson,
Submitted Photo
Jenna Kile and
David Monsell sits at the console as Dakoda Wilson prepares to roll.
Megan Becker
also medaled at
for the varsity; Alex Mow- Pearce served as captains.
Districts.
ery and Emily Ware led
Next year will be
Four swimthe JV’s. Knepp (641) and rough, Fetters said, referring mers, Megan
Pearce (546) also had the
to replacing the seniors. Of Becker, Evan
Tyrian photo by FINNIAN SAYLOR
high series. Logan Bleyer
the original seniors, Fetters Becker, Sarah
Members of the boys’ swim team take to the pool at the start of a race.
(598) and Lindsey Weaver reflected, “If they hadn’t
Bonson and Zach
(346) logged the JV’s high signed up (four years ago) Bonson, logged
series.
and wanted to bowl for the qualifying times that earned them berths in This year, the team was led by cap
Dominick Stuck, Kate team, we wouldn’t have the the competitive Mid Penn Meet.
tains Megan Becker, Sarah Bonson, Seth
Pecht Monsell and Makayla program we have now.”
Coach Connie Welch said a highlight Barger and Anthony Elliott. lifestyle
A7-Lewistown, PA
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Goodwill hunting
Getting back to basics...
We started this trip to Goodwill with
everyone in the same
foundational pieces— a solid black
or white cami and
a pair ofdarkwashed skinnies. We
grabbed
some cute
flats and
combed the
racks for
tops to give
each look its
own distinctive flair.
Fashions courtesy of Goodwill Industries
Tyrian photos by FINNIAN SAYLOR
fASHION WEEK
Submitted photos
Jenna Snyder models Fall 2013 Designs in NYC
By FINNIAN SAYLOR
Tyrian staff writer
Not exactly the first place
you would expect to find someone
you know, someone your age,
NEW YORK CITY— Cam- someone you see almost every
eras flash. Music pounds. Models day.
power down the runway, wearing But draped in yards of artful
the Fall 2013 couture straight
chiffon and cotton is a model, a
from the designers.
high school sophomore, a Mifflin
Fashion editors scribble
County “Husky”— Jenna Snyder.
notes on the new styles: the
She walks with a strong,
outrageous colors, the prints, the assertive stride, the heels of her
fabrics.
stilettos drilling the lacquered
This is New York City’s
runway.
Fashion Week.
Fashion Week gives design-
ers the opportunity to unveil their
fresh, new designs to the fashion
world.
The models help to bring
them to life. Snyder was chosen
to model the designs of such
designers as Christina Mannino,
Yvette Efawal and David Quinn.
Snyder shares that “ behind
the scenes” these shows are chaotic and stressful, and many in the
industry are short and difficult to
work with.
However, while there she has
the opportunity to meet celebrities, to wear designer clothing and
to have her hair and makeup done
by industry professionals.
Having developed an interest
in modeling in eighth grade, Snyder began looking for opportunities the following summer. Now represented by an
agency, BMG, she has prior Fashion Week experience.
Snyder does not fit the
stereotypical model profile: vain
and battling anorexia. She shares
that she works out three times
per week to stay fit and washes
her face every night to maintain a
healthy complexion; she does not
follow an extreme diet.
Definitely considering a
career in modeling, she enjoys the
work— and it is hard work
She lists as the most difficult
aspects of the job, “dealing with
mean people, traveling back and
forth, being away from home, getting fatigued while working for so
long.”
school
A8-Lewistown, PA
Thursday, May 9, 2013
DRAMA
Alice tumbles down the rabbit hole and onto the stage
Tyrian Photo by FINNIAN SAYLOR
Tyrain
Photos
By Finnian
Saylor
Above, makeup artist Allison Rhodes transforms Kayla Buffington into the Queen of Hearts. At right, Rachel Jost,
as the
White Rabbit,
addresses
the court.
At lower left, Alexis Ritter (l) and Ashley Roberts (r) paint the axe that serves as a visual of the Queen’s frequent command of “Off with their heads!”
Briefly
Tyrian Photos by FINNIAN SAYLOR
Music makers:
Sara Munson (l) and Paige Laughlin (r) recently returned from the state music festival in Erie, sponsored
by the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association. Munson represented the MCHS choir, while Laughlin represented the band.
Tyrian Photos by FINNIAN SAYLOR
Having a (dodge) ball: There was no holding back when
the whistle blew signaling the beginning of each of the individual
matches at Student Council’s dodgeball tournament. The benefit
raised $678 for the Special Needs Center. Ten student teams participated. The sophomore team of Benny and the Boys finished first,
taking down the seniors of The Vile. Pleased with tourney’s success, organizer Jordehn Lenker is planning another for next year.
Keystone Exams:
Retests to be administered week of May 13
LEWISTOWN— The winter
Keystone exams have been
scored and the results released to
students.The impact of not passing these exams will start to be
felt next week when the retests are
administered.
Using the pilot Keystone
results from 2011 and Winter
2013, the district has determined
who must retake the Keystone
exams. Whether a student must retest
if he did not score proficient or
advanced on an exam, depends on
the specific test.
Literature— Since only
juniors took the literature exam,
only those juniors who did not
earn proficient or advanced must
retake the test in May.
Algebra--- Any sophomore or
juniors who did not pass the test
must retake it.
Sophomores who are currently taking geometry will not
retest until the Winter 2013 exams
when they will be in Algebra II.
Any underclassmen currently
taking either Algebra I or Algebra
IB will also wait to take the algebra test.
Current eighth graders taking
algebra will also take the test and
must pass it to graduate.
Any student who does not
pass the test after two tries will be
given supplemental instruction. eligible to retake that test.
Once this happens, the student
MAP and GRADE tests
may either retake the test or opt to provide teachers with information about
students’ areas
of strength and
weakness. Based on those
results, teachers have been
conducting targeted practice
in skill areas
and in content
revealed as
complete a standardized Project
weaknesses in preparation for the
Based Assessment that is being
Spring Keystone testing
piloted this year.
The tests are resultant from
Biology— Students will not the federal government’s efforts
retake this test because this year
to ensure No Child is Left Behind,
the school is not using the scores and all students in all schools
to measure school progress.
demonstrate yearly progress.
All juniors, however, must take
Schools whose students do
the test.
not demonstrate adequate progress
Sophomores and freshmen
are put on “Warning”.
currently taking either biology
Mifflin County High School or applied biology must take the
is currently on “Warning”.
Spring Keystone test; their scores If not enough students demmay count for measuring progress onstrate progress, the school must
in the future.
develop specific plans to increase
All exams— Students who
student progress and document
did not pass an exam but who
the steps taken to ensure students’
passed one module of that exam
progress.
will be offered the chance to
If there is not enough progretake the failed module.
ress the third year, the state can
Once a student earns profimove in to direct education in the
cient or advanced, he is no longer school.
Into nature
and
on to states
Tyrian Photos by FINNIAN SAYLOR
Out of many, one: Guest conductor Frank Bianchi of Bald-
win Wallace University in Cleveland directs students from 26 different high school choirs to perform as a single choir at the District
6 choral festival, hosted by MCHS and director Sherry Morgan.
They were “wonderful representatives of their own programs and
worked diligently to prepare for two very successful concerts,”
Morgan said of the performers. She described Bianchi as a “bundle
of energy the entire time and truly an inspiration for the students in
the choir and the directors as well.” Out of the 22 MCHS students
who participated, 17 moved on to Regional Choir. Morgan,said
she looks forward to hosting another festival in a few years.
Alex Smith (l) and Justin Adams
(r) work to identify animal
pelts at a recent Envirothon
competition at Reeds Gap State
Park. This station was among
the many they had to navigate
successfully in order to qualify
for the state competition to be
held May 21 and 22 at Juniata
College in Huntingdon. Biology
teacher Mike Grove is adviser to
the MCHS Envirothon teams.
Submitted photo