Opening Night of Wonderful Town!

Join the cast and crew of the musical, Wonderful Town, for their opening night production! The show will be at 7:00 p.m. in the high school auditorium. Come show your support for the arts and enjoy a wonderful show!

Missing: Honorable Mention - Flash Fiction

Ali Jenkins

          The door of the grocery store swings shut behind me, the tiny bells jangling loudly. The chilly, autumn air swirls across the land, scooping up burgundy and ginger-colored leaves with its rampant gusts. I yank my knitted scarf tighter around my neck as I prepare for the long trek home, where my parents and siblings await me. As I step to the curb, something catches my eye. I move forward, ready to ignore the paper taped to the inside of the grocery store’s window, but something pulls me back. I find myself walking toward the window, drawn to this paper like a moth is drawn toward a flame. The paper is old, its edges yellowed and torn. The girl in the picture is much younger than I. Her pale, thin lips are parted in a wide, toothy grin. One of her baby teeth is missing, and her pink tongue pokes through the new hole. The girl’s wild, auburn hair is pulled away from her face, but several untamed curls have sprung loose. I lock eyes with the girl, and I am lost in her gaze. Her eyes are a dark, cerulean blue, and their depths seem endless. She gazes through the faded years that separate us. A shiver runs down my spine, and it is no longer from the cold.

           The young girl skips down the sidewalk, her mind buzzing after her first day of second grade. The blue sky is clear, and the cool, September sun shines down on her as she scampers along. She kicks her pink rain boots at the leaf piles that line the sidewalk, sending showers of burgundy leaves to the ground. Several leaves fall on the girl’s head and become tangled in her auburn hair. She snatches up a gnarled stick from the ground and carries it with her as she dances down the sidewalk. She hums the song she learned in school, tapping the stick on the ground. As she walks, a feral, black cat crawls from the bushes and staggers across the road before her. The young girl sings out a warning to the creature before resuming her melody. As she nears the stop sign at the end of her street, she notices a white car trailing behind her. The car’s motor whirs and sputters, as if choking on the black smoke belching from its exhaust pipe. The girl hums louder, fazed only by the sound’s interference with her song. She is several steps from the stop sign when something crashes into her from behind. Pain shoots through her head, and she collapses to the ground. Her vision fades away.
        Consciousness gradually finds the girl. Absently, she wonders if it is Saturday and if her mother will make pancakes for her and her sister. The cold, hard surface beneath her, however, shatters her dreams, yanking her back to reality. She pushes herself up, the back of her head throbbing, agonizingly. The girl’s foggy memories return to her in a rush. She remembers the blow to her head and the rough ride in the trunk of a car. Through a tiny window pours cool, blue moonlight that illuminates the room with its eerie glow. She gazes at the metal bed holding a thin mattress, the lone window, and the door, bolted shut from the outside. The young girl’s chest constricts; her eyes brim over, and she sobs silently. Utterly alone, the girl rocks back and forth on the ground as silent tears slide down her face.
          At first, the girl pretends that she is in a nightmare, that she will one day awake, assuaged and safe. These new people, though not unkind to her, are so different from her own, loving parents, whose memory she holds dear in her heart. Over time, the girl’s fear of these people is transformed into acceptance.
          As time passes, the girl’s new family members slowly integrate her into their lives. At first, she is allowed to leave her prison for hours at a time. Later, she is granted access to the entire house. Eventually, even the neighborhood opens up to her. She cannot explain why she does not escape at the countless chances that arise. It is as if this house is now her gravity, the place to which she always returns, regardless of how desperately she struggles to break free. Although she yearns for her true parents, their faces eventually recede to the depths of her memories and are replaced with the faces of her new parents. And so, slowly, painfully, the years slide by.
          As I stand outside the grocery store, my mind reels. My hair stands up on end, and shivers wrack my frame. I am lost; my world is tipped upside down. The eyes that look at me tell a story. My gravity shifts, and I struggle to remain on my feet as I stare through the years into my own eyes.

Voices Of Our Nation: Honorable Mention - Flash Fiction

Ali Jenkins

A young man steps into my embrace, piercings studding his face. He inhales a steadying breath. Elijah thinks of his negligent parents with their green lawn, their white house, their perfect lives; he can taste their hollowness. The last time Elijah confronted his parents, they had castigated him with abomination, turning their backs on their only son. He slept in his car for days, his face stained with the bitter tears he wept. But then, he cast off the weight of his abandonment, extricating himself from the prison in which he lived. He turned his eyes forward and created a new future. Brushing his long, black hair from his eyes, Elijah slides his fingers across my switches, securing his choices. For the first time, Elijah grasps my red handle with his tattooed hands. A feeling of empowerment courses through him as he pulls, and the curtain snaps open.

A tiny, Cuban woman glides into my arms. Taking in the many names before her, the woman is transported back to her own country. Ruled by Castro, her people were held prisoner, chained by iniquity. Carmela suffered in silence until, finally, she professed her intention to flee. She begged her tías to accompany her, but Carmela’s decision had rent her familia in two. Following the beckoning of her heart, Carmela fled to the land of freedom, utterly alone. Upon her arrival in los Estados, Carmela toiled tirelessly for her citizenship. And for the first time in her life, Carmela had felt truly at home. Returning to the present, Carmela adds her voice, a privilege she has never known. Aware that she will never forget this moment, Carmela wraps her delicate hands around my red handle and pulls; the curtain snaps open.

A lean Onondagan man ducks into my arms. Running his long fingers across my levers, Atian thinks of his people. For years, he harbored resentments toward this country. His father had planted a deep bitterness within him, and it rooted firmly in his heart. He could think only of the ancients, who had dwelled on this land since the beginning of time. They existed as one with the earth; they respected the precious gifts they had been given. As a young man, Atian could not forgive the people of this country for what they had done, and the bitter hatred within him had blazed in his black eyes. But as time passed, he learned to forgive the ancient crimes, and he joined the people of his nation. And so, with a liberating sentiment of acceptance, Atian adds his voice. Grasping my red handle in his bronze hands, he pulls, and the curtain snaps open.

A woman hobbles into my embrace, leaning on her daughter’s arm for support. Rose pauses for a moment, lifting her pale eyes to gaze affectionately at me. She feels her many years in her aching bones, in her spidery veins, in her snowy hair. Rose recalls the first time she came here, clinging to her father’s strong hand. He had lifted her, showing Rose the many names spread before them. Her father tenderly guided her soft hands over my switches, whispering how privileged they were. Many years later, Rose had returned with her own children. Like her father, she guided their fingers, passing on his timeless lessons. Now, her remaining child clasps Rose’s hands, and mother and daughter add their voices together. Her daughter squeezes Rose’s hand lovingly and brushes her lips across her mother’s weathered cheek. Closing her eyes, Rose places her frail hands on my red handle, knowing this will be the last time. With her daughter’s strength, Rose pulls, and the curtain snaps open.

An African-American woman shuffles inside, two children perched upon her broad hips. Imani’s loved-ones cling to her yellow sundress, gazing at my gadgets in amazement. Their mother steps closer, forbearing her children’s pleas to play with me. Imani points to the names as her children pull my levers. Watching them, Imani thinks of her ancestors, who toiled on the land in anonymity. Their agony is carried through the years, residing within her throbbing heart. For them, she holds her head high; for them, she adds her voice. Closing her eyes, she says a silent prayer of gratitude for the life with which she and her children have been blessed. As Imani takes my red handle in her powerful hands, she can taste her ancestors’ names on her tongue; she can feel their strength in her limbs. She pulls, and the curtain snaps open.

******************************************

I have seen hundreds of faces. I have seen white and black, old and young. I have seen the loved and the abandoned, the wealthy and the destitute. But these faces share one unifying aspect: they are all American. And so, I swell with pride because of what I possess: the many voices of our nation.

Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser

Join Us for the Annual Youth and Government Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser!

What? A fundraiser with delicious food, sponsored by Homer Youth and Government.

Why? The funds raised at this event help club members afford the annual State Conference.

When? March 4, 2013.
          5:30-7:00 pm.
Tickets: $5 per person, $15 per family

See any Youth and Government member to purchase tickets in advance. Tickets will also be available at the door.

What is Youth and Government? Youth and Government is an educational program, composed of various branches in which students can participate. Through a series of local YMCA meetings and one state-wide meeting, high school students come together to learn how to turn a problem or an idea into a piece of legislation. Students may also choose to explore the court system, by becoming involved in the judicial branch of the program. After months of preparation and research at the local level, students travel to Albany for three days to debate their refined bills and argue their researched court cases in the hearing rooms and chambers of the State House. This program offers students the ability to explore various aspects of our government, to learn invaluable leadership skills, and to make their voices heard.

Important: Contact Janine Giordano with any questions, at JGiordano@homercentral.org.
        Any donations are welcome!
        Thank you for your support!

Dumbledore’s Army

Jared Pace

Would you like the opportunity to join Dumbledore’s Army? Created three years ago, Dumbledore’s Army offers an alternative to your typical book club.

Instead of having a formal gathering where everyone reads the same book at the same pace, and later comments on it, Dumbledore’s Army posts book suggestions for its members and allows students to swap books with one another.

The club meets every other Monday and is open for everyone! If you’re interested, ask Mrs. George for more details.  

Local Business Competition 2013

Have you ever had a great idea for a business idea or product? Would you like the chance to win $1,000 for your idea? The Cortland Downtown Partnership and the Cortland Center for Economic Education are proud to announce the fourth annual Cortland County Business Idea Competition. Cortland high school and college students are invited to submit a one-page essay explaining their idea or product to compete in the 2013 Local Business Idea Competition.

The Cortland Downtown Partnership and the SUNY Cortland Cortland Center for Economic Education are working together to inspire entrepreneurial ideas among the next generation of young professionals in Cortland County. All Cortland County High school students and College students are encouraged to submit their ideas. To be eligible for the Cortland County Business Idea Competition, students must submit a no more than 1,000 word essay.  Business ideas should be innovative, unique, plausible and practical.

The top submissions will then be invited to record a two to three minute video presentation on their product or idea and answer questions from our panel of judges. The best local idea decided upon by our panel of judges will win $1,000!  One-page, no more than 1,000 word essay entries are due by 3:00 p.m. on Friday, March 22 to adam@cortlanddowntown.com.  Please note that if you do not receive a reply confirming your submission within one business day contact Adam Megivern at the Cortland Downtown Partnership (607) 753-4928.

The Cortland Downtown Partnership strives to improve Historic Downtown Cortland by further advancing the commercial and cultural development of our community. The Cortland County Business Idea Competition is a joint initiative of the Cortland Downtown Partnership and SUNY Cortland.  The competition is part of the Cortland Business Innovation Center’s programming that is designed to encourage entrepreneurial development to retain and attract young professionals.

Teachers Honored

             This year the girls basketball JV and V team hosted a Teacher Appreciation Night on Monday, Feb. 11, 2013.  The following list of teachers was selected by one of the players as a teacher who has made a difference to her.  Teachers were recognized after the JV game and before the Varsity game.

Mr. Pete Aagaard

Mrs. Lori Andersen

Mr. Paul Andre

Mrs. Cheryl Carboine

Mrs. Nancy Cavallier

Mr. Tom Cottrell

Ms. Stefanie Feldman

Ms. Lauren Flood

Mr. Jason Graves

Mr. Eric Hatch

Mrs. Cathy Heath

Mrs. Sheila Knight

Mr. Rob Nasiatka

Mr. Nick Patriarco

Mr. John Steedle

Mr. Dean Williams

Mrs. Tammy Zimmerman

Business Economics Final

Liam George

           These advertisements were part of the final exam for Mr. Cortese’s Business Economics course during the fall semester. The project called for them to use what they had learned that semester to create a business that would be profitable in Cortland County. Students were put into teams, and they had to create the products of their businesses, examine locations and marketing, and learn about the local competition. They also had to study the demographics of people in the county who were most likely to patronize the business. 
This course fulfills the New York State requirement for an economics course, which all students need to take before graduating.

13’s Bar & Grill - M. Merritt, S. Herman, J. Wallis, J. Cottrell, C. Johnson

281 Drive n’ Dine - J. McGory, S. Yonta, K. McMahon, J. O’Gorman

Flare Gun Shop - C. Kenyon, R. Robbins, Z. Libbey, I. Ellis

FlashFoods - J. Harris, E. Porter, D. Schenck

One-Stop Aftermarket - N. Burton, N. Renninger, C. Zachary, K. Gibbons

Yo-Yum’s Frozen Yogurt - C. Cleary, A. Sovocool, B. Dexter, N. Potter, Jennings

Wildlife Wednesday: As Snug as a Bug in a Rug

Mary Cope

Once winter hits, all the insects we see during the summer seemingly disappear. Many of us wonder where they go; well, they till surround us and our everyday lives.

Insects find places that tend to be dry and sheltered, such as places under leaves, in small holes in trees, and in nooks and crannies of buildings. I have also found them lying in the snow under windows, moving sluggishly during thaws. Insects such as butterflies simply can’t handle the cold weather, so they migrate to places that are warmer. One example is the Monarch Butterfly, which migrates to Mexico during the winter months.  

Unlike these butterflies, honeybees stay in the cold climates during the winter. Honeybees are fuzzy and can keep somewhat warm due to the fuzz they have on their bodies. They also stay huddled close together and vibrate to generate heat, almost like a bee shiver. To do this, all of the bees stand pressed next to each other and pump their wing muscles. They care for each other and feed off the stores of honey they produced all summer. The bees manage to keep their hive at approximately 93°F all winter long to keep the young bees, still in the honeycomb cells, alive.

All of these insects hunker down for the winter, but don’t worry! Come spring, you will soon see them reappear!

TO FEEL

Julia Fouts

It feels good to feel.

To feel the wind breeze through my hair,
Pretend to fly,
​Through distant lands.
​​​
To feel the cold run down my spine;
​May this chill
​​Define my love.
​​​
To feel the warmth spread like dawn,
From my head,
And to my toes.

To feel the love from a friend,
​Despite my harm,
​​She understands.

To feel emotions
Affect my tears,
​And remind me who I am.

Because it feels good to feel.

WXHC Press Release

Mason Merritt

          Over the course of the past week, several groups of Homer High School Business Economics students have visited the WXHC, 101.5 radio station. These students recorded and customized brief commercials for their Business Economics final project, which required that they conceptually create a business to present in front of a panel of judges, during the week of midterms. With the assistance of Homer High School graduate Eric Mulvhill, who is the news director at WXHC, the high school students learned how a radio advertisement is created, from recording the voices to adding backing music and sound effects. It was the students’ responsibility to write the advertisement and decide how it would sound with the music, in addition to contacting the radio station, located on Main Street in Homer, to set up an appointment. Eric took time out of his busy schedule and studio time to give the students a crash course of the radio business.

          Mason Merritt has worked at Oldies 101.5 for 2 years now, as a studio engineer for sports events; however, his exposure to the commercial recording process has been very limited. Mason has been present in the studio several times during the process and has even recorded one. He has never been as involved or had as good of a look at exactly how a commercial is pieced together before going with his group mates, Jessica Wallis, Sean Herman, and Cody Johnson, to record their commercial.
          From his perspective, recording the commercial and figuring out which music worked best with his group mates’ voices was familiar and came very easily. Mason was intrigued by how Jessica, Cody, and Sean would handle being out of their comfort zones in an unfamiliar environment. Jessica and Cody both shared similar sentiments about the experience; Jessica said, “The radio experience was fun and I learned a lot,” with Cody adding in, “I loved the editing process; with his skills, Eric made it seem very easy.” Sean also told Mason that he was “surprised and satisfied how the commercial came out and how it sounded as a finished product”.
          Altogether, Mason felt the visit to the radio station was a very positive one, and he would like to personally thank Eric Mulvihill for his patience, John Eves for the use of his studios, and Bobby Comstock Jr. for letting them borrow the CD player.

Pictured Above: Homer High School Seniors Mason Merritt (left) and Cody Johnson (Right).

Not pictured: Eric Mulvihill, Jessica Wallis, Sean Herman, and Jon Cottrell.

Photo courtesy of Sean Herman.

Nate Cole Football Achievement

Jared Pace

​            Recently, Homer High School senior Nate Cole was awarded by the Cortland County Youth Program for his selfless personality, leadership qualities, and fortitude on the Homer High School Football Team.

           Nate Cole was one of seventy-one high school and college football players recognized as National Football Foundation Scholar Athletes and as Hall of Fame National Scholar Athletes. For his first honor, there was a semi-formal reception held at the Homer Center for the Arts, where they had key speakers who recognized and honored each nominee. Later during the week, they held a formal dinner and presentation at the Turning Stone Casino to celebrate Nate’s National Football Foundation award. There, they outlined Nate’s ongoing dedication to the community, as well as his stellar performance on the football team.
           Clearly, these accomplishments have augmented a myriad of opportunities and possible scholarships for him to attain in the future. Currently, Nate is an Eagle Scout who has continued to remain in the top ten percent of his class. If you see Nate, make sure you congratulate him on his success!

Scholastic Writing Winners

Josh  Apker - Honorable Mention - Short Story: Wild Ride

Stephanie Barlow - Silver Key -Personal Essay/Memoir: The Strength Of The Human Spirit 

Alyssa Bowling - Silver Key - Short Story: Jainy

Sean Cole - Silver Key - Short Story: Isaac's Journey

Alexander  Fisher - Honorable Mention - Flash Fiction: A Thief's Tale

Jasminique Harris - Gold Key - Short Story: To You, From Me

Killian Hart - Honorable Mention - Short Story: Red Gets Lucky

Alice Jenkins - Honorable Mention - Flash Fiction: Voices Of Our Nation

Alice Jenkins - Honorable Mention - Flash Fiction: Missing

Jordan Laundry - Honorable Mention - Flash Fiction: All I Want For Christmas

Rachel McNeil - Honorable Mention - Poetry: Somewhat Blind; Leadership

Sarah Mehdi - Silver Key - Short Story: Close Enough

Elizabeth Rutkowski - Silver Key - Short Story: The Unforeseen

Alexis Settineri - Silver Key - Short Story: Loss

Braeden Sharer - Gold Key - Short Story: A Changing Neighborhood

Austin Smith - Silver Key - Short Story: Cold

Christine Stadler - Honorable Mention - Short Story: Sweet Coffee

Andras Tozser - Honorable Mention - Humor: The Great Race

Nikea Ulrich - Silver Key - Science Fiction/Fantasy: Days' End

 Mara Waligurski - Silver Key - Flash Fiction: I Don't Know What I Did This

Wildlife Wednesday: The Calls of the Wild... Birds

Mary Cope

           If you get the chance to step outside and visit a woodsy area, you may hear a few bird songs. Many of us may be wondering, it’s early February, why are birds singing?

           We associate birds finding mates and territories with mid-late spring, but many of the northern species start scoping out their own plots of land earlier in the year! Species such as the Epilated Woodpecker are seen flitting from tree to tree, warding off predators. Just this past Sunday, while I was flying my red-tailed hawk, I counted three of these birds in different areas, performing their territorial cries. Great Horned Owls are also quite active through January and February, but only at night. This is their breeding and nesting time! The males and females hoot back and forth to one another with the classic hooting noise. Barn Owls can also begin their breeding and nesting times between now and March, but they, too, will be heard only at night. Their calls sound like screeches, not like the classic hoot.
           Often, birds of prey start their nesting seasons earlier in the year; many of the hawks, such as the red-tails, will begin nesting in March. From this point on, keep listening, because the bird calls will only increase from here!

Annual Carnation Sale!

Who: Student Government 

What: Annual Carnation Sale 

When: This week only!  Carnations will be sold during lunch periods this week for $1/flower.  They will NOT be sold next week. Carnations will be delivered to homerooms on Valentine's Day!

Semi-Formal Dance!

When: February 9th, 8-11 pm
Where: HS Gymnasium
Tickets: Tickets go on sale on Monday, February 4th.
           $20 per couple
Important: Pick up photo order forms in the Main Office.
                 See Mrs. Hill for a guest pass if you plan to bring a student from another school.
Remember: Follow the Homer Dress Code!

Board Games!

On Fridays through March, the library is offering board games for students. Come test your skills at a new game or challenge your friends to an old favorite. “We have the games; you bring the brains!”

February 1st in History

1790: The US Supreme Court met for the first time in New York City.
1861: Texas declared its intentions to secede from the Union.
1884: The Oxford English Dictionary published its first edition.
1913: Grand Central Station opened in New York City.