The Bird Call - Jeannette City School District

The Bird Call
Volume 11, Issue 2
Jeannette Senior
High School
Black Friday Shopping By Monica Carl
Inside this issue:
The Meaning Behind
Thanksgiving
2
Inside Look at
Black Friday
3
School Board Scoop
4
Sports Section
5-7
JHS Faculty MVT
8
WWWWWH
World News
9
#JHSPIX Challenge
10
Highlights:
 Winter Sports Season
Begins
 School Board meetings
approve Senior project
proposals.
 21st Century Learners
Grant After-School
Program begins at
McKee Elementary
November/ December 2014
Shoppers stand shoulder to shoulder hoping
for exceptional deals on Black Friday/
The craziest night of the
year is just around the corner. Hours after families sit
down to eat their Thanksgiving dinner, the outrageous
shopping madness begins.
Black Friday, the day after
Thanksgiving, marks the
first day of traditional
Christmas shopping during
which many crazed customers chase after special offers
by retailers. In the past,
customers have been known
to sleep outside of stores in
tents waiting for the doors
to open. This year on November 27, 2014, Black Friday will begin at six p.m.
Many people, including myself, believe that Black Friday begins entirely too early.
The start of this holiday will
interrupt Thanksgiving Dinner and bonding time between families. Thanksgivy
ing is meant for families to
get together and spend the
day with each other.
On the other hand, retailers
are considering the sales
that will be made. CNN
Money reported last year
that $12.3 billion was the
overall brick-and-mortar
store sales for Thanksgiving
and Black Friday 2013- up
2.3% from 2012. The average
2013 Black Friday online
order was $135.27- that’s up
2.2% year over year
(TechCrunch). Online shopping also offers great deals
for people that are not willing to get up and go out into
the madness. TechCrunch
also stated that 24.9% of all
online traffic on Black Friday came from smartphonesthat compares to tablets at
14.2%.
In addition, the new 2014
Black Friday deals are already being released for
shoppers to take note of. For
instance, Walmart’s Xbox
One Holiday Console Bundle
with Assassin’s Creed 4:
Black Flag and Assassin’s
Creed 5: Unity, is on sale
from $449.00 down to
$349.00.
Continued on Page 2...
Football Season Wrap-up By Joey Soles
The 2014 JHS football season was the year that the football team brought “Jayhawk Football” back to Jeannette.
After the previous season’s wrap up, many could not
have predicted the season that the Jayhawks experienced this year. Fans of the Jayhawks began the season
all over the place with predictions, thoughts, hopes, and
expectations.
Continued on Page 5..
Senior players Julian Batts and Tony Mash display
camaraderie on the field.
Page 2
The Bird Call
The True Meaning of Thanksgiving By Dylan Corob
Thanksgiving is a national holiday
which is celebrated by giving thanks for the
blessing of the harvest. Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in the U.S.
This national holiday has some history behind it. In 1614, the Pilgrims arrived in
Massachusetts Bay. The Pilgrims found one
Patuxet Indian. His name was Squanto.
Squanto survived slavery in England.
Squanto knew the Pilgrims language. He
showed the Pilgrims how to catch fish and
grow corn. The Pilgrims honored Squanto.
The Pilgrims held a feast honoring the Wampanoags and Squanto. In the present day,
people celebrate Thanksgiving by eating a
traditional meal with family and friends
while watching huge parades and football
games.
This day is a time to show gratitude
to and respect your elders, family, and
friends. Thanksgiving Day Feast includes
many traditional items. These items include
pumpkin pie, corn, cranberry sauce, and of
course, carved turkeys. There are also traditional gifts given during Thanksgiving.
These gifts include jewelry, flowers, chocolate gift baskets, baked cookies, and wine.
When asked what he was most
Thankful for this year, senior Dominic Cilli
said, “Tim the wolf spider that lives in my
“Black Friday
doesn’t exist in my
vocabulary...sleep in
extra Friday does.”
—Mrs. McKinney
mailbox.” When presented with the same question, Math teacher Miss Bartholow replied, “My
family, friends, and job at JHS.”
The parades on Thanksgiving symbolize
strength and discipline of the military. One example of a popular parade held on Thanksgiving
is the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade. You can
watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade at
9:00am on NBC. The parade includes floats, costumes, and balloons. In the present day parades
provide entertainment. The entertainment is
musical shows and celebrities. Following the
parade, watching the NFL football games is a
very popular tradition on Thanksgiving. There
are typically two football games on to choose
from. For this year, these games will be the Chicago Bears vs the Detroit Lions at 12:30pm and
Seattle Seahawks vs San Francisco 49ers at
8:30pm.
Following Thanksgiving, many people
participate in Black Friday, but not everyone.
For example, Mrs. McKinney states, “Black Friday doesn’t exist in my vocabulary...sleep in extra Friday does.”
Black Friday Shopping (Continued) By Monica Carl
Also, Walmart’s Apple iPad mini 16GB Wi-Fi ( Space Gray or White) is
on sale from $299.00 down to $239.00. Target is also offering a free fifty
dollar gift card when you purchase the Xbox One on sale from $399.99
to $329.99.
On Black Friday I personally plan to go to Westmoreland Mall and Ross
Park Mall. Christmas gifts for family and friends and clothes for myself
are on my shopping list. Along the way, I plan to hit Victoria’s Secret
where I will not only receive great deals and gifts, but I will also watch
the crazed, mad shoppers fight and tear the store apart.
Black Friday is the craziest night of the year where shoppers take in
great deals. Be sure to get out and find some great items! Remember, do
not leave too early. Thanksgiving is a time to spend time with family
and be thankful.
Volume 11, Issue 2
Page 3
Black Friday: Shopper vs. Worker By Monica Carl
On November 27th, many shoppers ventured into the crazy
madness to begin their holiday
shopping. Tony Mash, The Bird
Call Staff member and recent
hire at the Greensburg Dick’s
Sporting Goods Store, was interviewed on his first-hand experience with the notorious holiday.
Monica: How was your first experience working on Black Friday?
Tony: It was a great time, however, it was very tiring and hectic.
Monica: How many hours did
you work?
Tony: A total of nine hours
when I was only supposed to
work five hours.
Monica: Did you still receive
your discount?
Tony: Yes, when there is no discount taken off already, there is
a twenty-five percent employee
discount.
Monica: How do you feel about
it starting at 6 pm?
Tony: Personally, since I work
at Dick’s Sporting Goods, it was
a lot less crazy because customers did not come in huge packs
because the time was spread out.
Monica: Did you see any madness?
Tony: I did not see any madness
or fighting.
Monica: What was the strangest
thing you saw?
Tony: One of the deals at Finish
Line was buy one hoodie for forty
dollars or buy two hoodies for
thirty-five dollars.
Monica: Did you shop after you
finished work?
Tony: Heck yeah! I shopped until I dropped!
Monica: Where did you shop at?
Tony: I went to Westmoreland
Mall and shopped all throughout
the stores.
Monica: Did you buy anything?
Tony: I spent two hundred dollars total.
Monica: How long did you wait
in line?
Tony: The longest that I waited
in line was ten minutes at Finish
Line.
Monica: What was the best
deal?
Tony: Fifty percent off of college
quarter-zip jackets from
Dicks.com.
Monica: Did you shop on Cyber
Monday?
Tony: Yes, I shopped on
Dickssportinggoods.com and
champssports.com.
Page 4
The Bird Call
School Board Scoop By Tony Mash
The November Jeannette City
School District School Board meeting
took place on November 24, and the December meeting took place on December
3. Both meetings were held at the regular location in the high school cafeteria.
During the meetings, a couple of project
proposals from Jeannette Senior High
School students received approval.
Seniors Terell Canady and Katey
McNamara were approved for use of the
McKee Stadium for their project. Canady and McNamara will be holding “A
Rally to Break the Silence “to support
the fight against Ovarian Cancer at
McKee Stadium on March 7, 2015 from
12pm to 6pm.
When asked about the importance of
this cause, McNamara stated, “Ovarian
cancer is considered ‘the silent cancer’
because one does not know they have
the disease until stage 3 or 4. The
symptoms for Ovarian Cancer are common symptoms, such as cramps, bloating, and headaches.”
Also, seniors Julian Batts and Monica
Carl will conduct a basketball camp for
children in the Jeannette High School
gymnasium on January 19 for their senior project.
“Ovarian Cancer is
considered the silent
cancer because one does
not know they have the
disease until stage 3 or
4.”
—Senior, Katey
McNamara on her and
Terell Canady’s
A Rally to Break the
Silence Project
requirement for all Jeannette Senior
High School students. All project choices must benefit the community as part
of the project requirements.
In addition to the approval of specific
senior project requests, the December
school board meeting brought important
changes for the structure of the board
itself.
For 2015, the new Jeannette City School
District School Board President is Mrs.
Anita Mash. Serving as the school
board’s Vice President will be Mr. Morrison Lewis.
For 2015, Mrs. Mash will conduct school
activities, such as school board meetings
and commencement.
Batts feels that the camp, “is a great
way to involve the younger children
with the high school students.”
The Senior Projects were implemented
into the curriculum for the first time
this school year and are a graduation
THE BIRD CAGE WANTS YOU!
Show support for your Jayhawks and join The Bird Cage!
Come to the Greensburg Salem Christmas Tournament to see the
Jayhawks go head to head against their long-standing
rivals, the Greensburg Central Catholic Centurions.
Jeannette vs. GCC
Monday. December 29th, 2014
6:00 pm @ Greensburg Salem High School
BLACK OUT: Wear all black with The
Bird Cage!
Contact Tony Mash and Joey Soles for
information on all Bird Cage events!
Volume 11, Issue 2
Page 5
Jeannette Senior High’s Sole Swimmer By Dylan Corob
Junior, Maggie Manolis has big expectations in the new year. Manolis, Jeannette’s sole swimmer, has won many
awards during her 10 years in the sport.
Maggie often trains at the YMCA in
Greensburg. When asked if she earns
points for Jeannette, Maggie states, “I
don’t earn points, except for county
meets and WPIALS if I place.”
When asked about her goals for swimming, Maggie said, “Qualify for WPIALS meet in the hundred breaststroke
and the hundred butterfly.”
Also, Maggie will do her best to place
Top 6 at the WCCA (Westmoreland
County Coaches Association) meet and,
ultimately, she would like to place at
“I love swimming. I
don’t know what I would
do without it.”
—Junior,
Maggie Manolis
best thing about it is she can swim her
problems away while she is swimming.
Maggie explains how swimming helps
her to calm her mind. She says, “I love
swimming, I don’t know what I would do
without it.”
WPIALS in one of the meets. Maggie
had a meet on December 9th for the
100m Breaststroke and the 100m butterfly stroke. She has been working really hard during her off seasons.
Her first competition/meet
was on December 9th. Maggie
qualified for WPIALS in the
100m breaststroke.
Finally, “I will do my best to
qualify for the PIAA meet.”
Maggie loves to swim, but the
Football Wrap-up (Continued) By Joey Soles
Having some of the most loyal fans around the Jayhawks never felt alone, the team always knew they were fighting for
something more than just themselves. Opponents for the Jayhawks were never a step down in competition even with the
step down into class A. Your Jeannette Jayhawks were the new kids on the block and everybody was seeking to destroy
the new target. Many tried but failed to put up a fight against the Jayhawks. The Clairton Bears in the regular season
and the Neshannock Lancers in the playoffs made up for the only two blemishes on the Jayhawks’ record. Opponents got
outscored by the Jayhawks by an accumulative score of 494 to 214 throughout the season.
The JHS football squad was a very diverse one this year. Starters were made up of seniors all the way down to
freshman. All teammates brought different attributes and personalities to the team, making for a very well rounded
group. Being a young team one could have had worries about the team lacking discipline and experience, but for this season that was not the case. Throughout the season younger players really stepped up having great seasons and rotating in.
As a junior first year starting kicker, Swade Redman made first team all conference kicking. Sophomore, Giovonne Sanders was not only a starter but in all three phases of the game, special teams, defense, and offense. Robert Kennedy, also
know as “Poogie!” was a freshman that worked his way in with the first team showing potential of being a great future
Jayhawk. Leadership, teamwork, and togetherness was not only exhibited by the seniors and captains, but the team as a
whole.
The way the 2014 season played out only leads one to believe that an even better season will be had by the
Jayhawks next season. Many great athletes are returning and they are only getting better as a team. Coaches, staff, and
all of Jeannette will be behind these young men with the utmost faith and support for upcoming seasons.
Page 6
Girls’ Basketball
The Bird Call
By Monica Carl
The Lady Jays will be starting off the
2014-2015 season as new members of
class A basketball. The team will have
nine returning players, two of which are
seniors, Monica Carl and Mia Harshbarger. The girls’ basketball team is
excited to see what the new Single A
Section has to offer.
The Lady Jays opened up their season with a Tip-Off Tournament at Saint
Sophmore, Olivia Sirnic, prepares to take a
shot.
Vincent College in Latrobe. The team
took on their first game against Franklin Regional and then had to travel to
Latrobe Senior High School where they
took on Latrobe and Belle Vernon. The
Lady Jays got to experience the feeling
of playing against Jeannette’s head
coach from years past, Luann Mills.
The girls’ basketball team started out
the season with an awesome fundraiser.
On November 12, 2014 the team hosted
the 2014 Shoot-A-Thon which involved
each player shooting thirty foul shots.
The players were then given the responsibility to raise money by asking family
members and friends to either donate a
straight pledge to the team or donate a
certain amount of money per shot made.
Altogether, the amount raised will go
toward team warm-ups and shoes.
Returning sophomore Olivia Sirnic says,
“I hope our team makes it far and to be
a leader. Squuuaadd.”
New to the Lady Jays Basketball Team,
freshman Chloe Stein and sophomore
Lisa Sajons start up the season with
some great expectations. When asked
how she felt about playing at the high
school level, Stein says, “I’m really excited and look forward to it!”
Lisa Sajons said she heard the team is
really good. She doesn’t expect to play
much, but she just wanted to have fun
and meet the team.
Lady Jays pose for a team photo.
Wrestling By Olivia VanDyke
The Wrestling season is coming to a start.
The students are starting the preseason
with short optional practices to work on
refreshing skills and conditioning. This
helps to provide instruction for the new
kids on the basic movements of wrestling,
which will prepare them wrestling
matches against their opponents.
There will be a sale of subs for fundraising for the wrestling team. They will also
be selling the Jayhawk Beanie hat for 15
dollars.
The boys will be having practice right after school at the administration building.
Their first tournament will be
held on December 5th at Chartiers
Houston. The first match is set to be at
home against Elizabeth Forward High
School.
The head coach Joshua “Tank”
Westfall stated, “Our first goal is making the playoffs then all other goals
will fall in line with individuals performances like making it to states! I also
look forward to seeing the development of the wrestlers throughout the
season.”
The boys this season will start
off with brand new warm ups and uniforms.
The team has set goals higher
this year to achieve greater goals.
Players work hard to keep on track
with their weight to be able to wrestle
at a certain weight classes throughout
the year.
Returning Sophomore and last
year’s PIAA Individual Wrestling
Championship competitor, GioVonne
Sanders, stated, “I want to improve on
winning more and place at states. Also to
get more team wins and help improve the
team.”
Freshmen Luke Brummet claimed,
“I would like to make playoffs and have
each person achieve at least one win
through the season.”
Returning Senior Statistician Olivia VanDyke claims, “I look forward to the
season and help with the team and have
enjoyable times and make memories at the
tournaments and matches.”
Volume 11, Issue 2
Page 7
Boys’ Basketball By Julian Batts
This season, the Jayhawks will tip off in
a new fashion: playing class A basketball. The team returns nine players,
including four seniors and is looking to
get back to their winning ways after the
mediocre year they suffered last season.
The boys’ basketball team will be opening up this season in a different manner
than following seasons. The Peters
Township tip-off tournament is where
the Jayhawks will begin their season
rather than at Hempfield.
For the first time in many seasons, the
boys will take on Greensburg Central
Catholic only one time. This game will
take place at Greensburg Salem on December 29th. Returning junior Seth
Spino comments on playing GCC only
once, “It’s a game that not only spectators but the players look forward to that
usually decides the section. I don’t like
it.”
The team has very high expectations going into the 2014-2015 season.
Junior Swade Redman believes the
team has the potential to do great
things stating, “We expect to win the
WPIAL Single A Championship, then
PIAA State Championship and nothing
less.”
When asked his personal goals, junior
Anthony Schmitt claimed, “Its all about
the team first, but, personally ,I want to
average at least 10 points and 10 rebounds in every game.”
Students can contact Joey Soles and
Tony Mash for all your local Bird Cage
themes for game nights.
Intramural Sports: Volleyball Tournament By Tony Mash
New and exciting
activities continue to be implemented making
the school day
feel like less of a
drag.
October 29th
began the first
chapter of the Jeannette High School
Intramural Sports. Volleyball was the
first activity held in the gymnasium during Enrichment Period (EP). The student
body put together seven teams that consisted of no more than nine players. The
tournament was double-elimination and
once a team lost they were placed in the
losers bracket.
Games were played to 15; however, the
championship game was played to 21.
The student team that came out victori-
ous on November 20 moved forward to
play the winner of the two faculty
teams: The Lady Jays Smashers or The
Men’s Faculty.
Students could not participate in this
event if they are in Incomplete EP, Athletic EP, or on the Restricted List.
The two faculty teams faced off during
EP on November 21, where the Men’s
Faculty team reigned victorious.
Finally, the student champions competed against the faculty champions on
November 24th. Bragging rights go to
the student team who beat the Men’s
Faculty team at the final showdown.
Srtudents prepare for serve from the
opposing team.
Volume 11, Issue 2
Faculty MVTs
Page 8
By Joey Soles
JHS students recently voted for
their faculty MVTs (Most Valuable Teachers) during Enrichment Period, and the results are in!
Teachers were chosen based on students engagement, approachability, and
knowledge of content.
The Winter Season MVTs are:
Mrs. Potter, Mrs. Chappell,
Mrs. Binda, Mrs. Kendi, And
Mr. Lawson
Page 9
The Bird Call
W.W.W.W.W.H. World News By Joey Soles
The Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How on the Ebola Epidemic:
Who started it? Fruit bats are natural host for the disease. It is believed by many that fruit bats are the mailmen for this disease, delivering it to other animal species, ultimately leading to human infection. Ebola has been
found in and could have first been contracted by humans from other animals such as types of monkeys, rodents,
and other wild animals. The first recorded infection of the current outbreak was a two-year-old child from West
Africa. That child’s contamination spread throughout and killed the entire family, creating a huge ripple effect.
What are the symptoms? Ebola is a hard disease to diagnose somebody with because most of its symptoms are
so common like the everyday flu. Symptoms for Ebola include vomiting, unexplainable internal and external
bleeding, impaired function of the liver and kidneys, and rashes. Between two days and three weeks symptoms
will occur if the disease is contracted.
When did it begin? First recordings of Ebola cases were from 1976. The outbreak of Ebola that everybody now
is probably most familiar with started in February of 2014.
Where did it start? First ever recordings of Ebola came out of Central Africa. The main countries for the disease at that time were the Democratic Republic of Congo and the South Sudan. The current outbreak is believed
to have started in West Africa which is still the current hot spot, but has spread to countries around the world,
including the U.S. and countries in Europe. Earliest recordings of the latest outbreak are from a village in Guinea.
Why is there such an uproar over this disease? This disease has spread at an unbelievable rate throughout
West Africa and took the rest of the world by surprise. Nobody was prepared for Ebola and everything that
comes with it. Once this disease came to the U.S., health officials were stuck playing catch up. Many people are
frightened by this disease for it is severe and, in many cases, fatal to humans.
How can the spreading and the advancing of this disease be prevented? Little is known about Ebola
compared to other diseases, but it is known to be transmitted through bodily fluids. There is no sure way to rid
somebody of the disease yet. There is not a vaccine out there for Ebola. All that one could do to prevent this terrible disease as of now is to use common sense avoiding high risk areas and keep clean as well as possible. If
symptoms are taking place, a doctor should be seen immediately. Top health officials have to strive to find a
cure, for if not this disease will continue to terrorize and kill plenty of innocent people.
Volume 11, Issue 2
Page 10
Monthly Mckee Building Reportage:
21st Century Learners Grant After School Program By Julian Batts
.The Jeannette City School District has received a massive $1.2 million
grant for after-school programs. The
grant is providing funds for a three-year
program in which the district will receive $400,000 per year to use towards
the new before-school and after-school
programs.
The program divides students
into two groups: one program intended
for students from grades K-6 and the
other intended for students in grades 912. Programs will give students the opportunity to improve their reading,
math and science skills, while also
providing hot meals for the students
every day. During the program, students move to different centers throughout the evening and participate in activities with various teachers as their
guide.
The students are learning
through center-based learning activities.
Strategy games, creative thinking activ-
ities. Arts, crafts, and science labs are
being offered to the students by various
Jeannette City School District teachers
who work at the program.
“We want the activities in the
program to be more hands-on for students. The lessons should be fun and
engaging while still helping students to
understand concepts from the classroom,” Miss Brainard, High School English teacher and grant program worker,
explains.
In the high
school program, there
are plans to
implement
a robotics
club sponsored by
the
S.T.E.M.
class. The
program
runs Monday
through
Thursday
for both
Sophomore, Tremayne Briston, helps
groups;
students create snowmen at the multi- 2:45-5:45
cultural Christmas event held for the
for the 9thafter-school program.
12th
grades, and
3:45 to 6:15 for the elementary group.
This program will also continue
into a summer program that will operate from 8:00-11:30 from June 8th- July
17th. High School students looking for
community service hours can act as aids
with the younger children in the program. Also, anyone looking into a career
working with children can help get the
experience that goes along with child
care.
Junior, Maggie Manolis, assists children with crafts in the Art Room at the
after-school program Christmas event
held on Monday, December 15.
#JHSPIX Challenge
This month’s #JHSPIX Challenge
was for the best Ugly Sweater Selfie.
And the winning photo was
submitted by…
Nicole Evangelist
Nicole, be sure to pick up your
gift certificate for the JHS
Coffee Shoppe in
Miss Brainard’s Room, 209
Mrs. Potter’s Drawing course was asked to submit cartoons or
images with meaning to The Bird Call for our November/
December issue. Here is our favorite piece!
Artist, Jada Morgan, asks
us to consider our personal
attitudes towards equality
using a brief but powerful
statement.
Artwork By:
Sophomore, Jada Morgan