Youth and Government Officers

At last week’s meeting, Youth and Government held its annual officer elections. 

Here is the club’s leadership team for 2013-2014!

President: Ali Jenkins, VP: Aysia Smith, Treasurer: Josh Sands, Secretary: Liam George

Environmental Club Trip

Environmental Club Trip

This weekend, a group of Environmental Club members traveled to Highland Forest. They not only immersed themselves in nature for one night but also bonded as a club.

Yearbook Deadlines

Yearbook Deadlines

This year’s yearbook deadlines are approaching quickly! Senior portraits, baby pictures, and student recognition advertisements are all due on Thursday, October 24, 2013. Bring your pictures to Ms. Reif in room 123 or Ms. Calkins. You may also email pictures to yearbook@homercentral.org.

Don’t forget to order your yearbook now for an early-bird special! If you order before December 1, the price is $48. After that, the price goes up to $56. Order yours today!

Teen Driving Safety Course

Students observe Jerry Morrison from Upstate Medical Hospital as he presented at the Homer Teen Driving Safety course (formerly Alive at 25).  

All students who wish to park on campus are required to participate in the Homer Teen Driving Safety course.  Check out Homer Central's website for future dates and times!

The Lonesome

The Lonesome

Jared Pace

A lonely life, a lonely road

A heavy burden to hold

Some friends came, and some went their way

To go off and join the fray

Many came back, and many were lost

Just how many would it cost?

He sees his friends, his family, and his kin

As they fight a battle that they cannot win

Girls’ Tennis Team at Sectionals

Sarah Willsey

On Saturday, October 5, Homer’s girls' tennis team played against New Hartford at sectionals. Rachel McNeil (first singles), Carly Dove (second singles), Lydia Brown and Maddie Jennings (third doubles), and Hillary Leuty and Victoria Shevchuck (fourth doubles) all won their matches. Congratulations!

Returning victorious, the girls now advance to the second round of sectionals. They play against Cortland on Tuesday, October 8th at 3:30 pm. It's a home game, so come show your support for the girls' tennis team!

FFA's Barnyard Bingo

Julia Fouts

     On Sunday, September 28th, FFA members went to Truxton for the Harvest Festival. They participated in barnyard bingo, and everyone had a blast. Bringing and feeding the calf, named Buford, required work from everyone. After that, it was time to play!  For barnyard bingo, people guessed on which square of the painted bingo board Buford would drop this manure. Participants paid for the square on which they bet he would “do his business.”

     FFA members enjoyed helping out at the festival and raising money. Libby Camp, the secretary of FFA, said, “Barnyard bingo was so much fun. We really appreciated everyone’s support!” FFA will continue to support the community while finding ways to have fun with agriculture!

Meet Kkanche!

Have you met Homer’s newest foreign exchange student, Kkanche? One of our writers, Jared Pace, asked her some questions to get to know her. Here’s what she had to say:

Q: Where are you from? Can you speak any other languages?

My name is Kkanche Ratadia. I am from a city called Coimbatore in southern India. I speak four languages fluently: Hindi, Tamil, English and Marwadi! I did learn a little bit of German!

Q: Are there any major differences between India and America?

The American culture is a lot different from the Indian culture. Its a lot more free, but it has its negatives, too. The food is definitely less seasoned and less spicy, but the variety is similar.

Q: How are the schools different?

The schools in India don't give you subject electives. I study twelve subjects from the 6th grade to the 10th grade. We don't go from class to class; the teachers come to our classes. There are fewer students in each grade because not all the kids go to the same school. There are about thirty schools in and around Coimbatore.

Q: Which classes in Homer are your favorites?

I like all the classes here because the way of teaching is really different from the way of teaching in India. The teachers here are as good as they are at home. I have so many favourites that it would be unfair to pick one.

Q: What is your favorite part of America?

The weather, the silence because we are in Homer, the food, the people, the kids.... everything is really nice. I don't think there is anything I dislike about America - except for the weather, which is not bad, but it will take me some time to adapt to it. I have an amazing host family, and they don't let me feel home-sick. I am in the process of making loads of friends.

Q: What do you miss about back home?

I miss the heat, for sure, but its a nice break from the hot, humid climate. I have twin brothers who are in 5th grade, and I kind of miss them!

Q: Do you have any pets?

I don't have any pets, but I would love to have a guinea pig or a hamster.

Q: What do you like to do in  your free time?

I love listening to music. I read books, draw, play the guitar, and practice the piano. I also like writing because that's one way for me to get my thoughts straight. I also think that sometimes things that cannot be expressed verbally gain justice on paper!

Q: Do you have a role model?

I model the good in everyone. I don't have a specific role model.

Q: Is there something you have learned in America that you did not expect?

Nothing is the way you expect it to be. You will always be surprised by the things you expect, too. So I decided to come on this adventure with no expectations in mind so that I wouldn't be disappointed. I’ve learned an amazing amount of things in this one month itself. Imagine what a year will do to my knowledge!

Q: How do you stay in touch with your family back home?

I am lucky to be an exchange student in the 21st century because we have WiFi and the Internet, without which the I wouldn't be able to stay in touch with my family or friends. There is an app called Whatsapp that helps me keep in touch with my loved ones. But it’s mostly an exchange of messages and pictures. I also use Viber to call home probably once or twice in a week. It’s difficult to Skype because of the huge time difference (ten hours). But I do manage it once a week because my parents and brothers miss me a lot, and I miss them!

Q: Have you visited any other countries?

I have a little foreign experience, which kind of prepared me for this trip. I was an exchange student in the 8th grade for 21 days to Germany . I have been to Egypt and Singapore with my family. I have also been to NASA with my school in the 9th grade!

Q: What do you plan to do when you grow up?

I have not yet decided what my path for the future will be, but I will go the way life leads me, and I'm sure I will find out where I belong! That is one of the reasons I am happy to be an exchange student to America, because I don't have to decide what I would like to do further on in life in the 11th grade, which I would have had to do in India.

Q: Why did you decide to become a foreign exchange student?

I love going to new places and meeting new people. I am a crazy photographer. I am really interested in how the world works, which I don't think any kid would understand until they actually see the world. The Rotary Exchange was the perfect thing for me because if I did ever come to the U.S. later on in life, I don't think I would have had a chance to experience all the things I am experiencing now. I would have come with the name tag of a tourist, who had dreams of seeing the Grand Canyon or the Statue of Liberty, not as a student, who could go apple picking or to a game night with her friends. I would come to see and experience things not to learn them. I want to bring some good here and take some back home! The basic motto of the adventure is: 

“EXPERIENCE, EXPRESS, EVOLVE!”

A Win for the Girls

Kennedy George

     On Wednesday, October 2, the Cross Country team had its first home meet of the year. It was a dual meet that took place at Homer’s 5k Cross Country course at the Lime Hollow Nature Center. Homer’s Varsity, Junior Varsity, and Modified teams raced against Fulton. The Modified runners also ran against St. Mary’s team. The night held a victory for the Varsity Girls' team, with the score of 15 to 44. Girls' Varsity took first, second, third, fourth, fifth, eighth, and eleventh places out of sixteen total girls. The Cross Country team will have its second, and final, home meet on Wednesday, October 9 at the Lime Hollow Nature Center. All are welcome to come!

Stay tuned for the results for Boys and Junior Varsity Cross Country!

King Lear

King Lear

Jared Pace

​This November, set the date on your calendar, because King Lear is coming to the Homer High School! One of William Shakespeare’s most renowned plays of all time, King Lear tells the tale of utter tragedy and despair. The cast consists of:

King Lear - Erik Gustafson

King of France - Lukas Pizzola

Burgundy/ 1st Servant King Lear - Drew Gustafson

Cornwall - Jacob Jensen

Albany - Jared Pace

Kent - Stephen Hyde

Edmund - Wyatt Bush

Edgar - Jake Elkins

Curan/ 1st Captain - Patrick VanSickle

Herald - Benjamin Hyde

Old Man - Kenian Ulrich

French Messenger - Austin VanSickle

Knight/2nd Captain - Zach Randall

Goneril - Samantha Anderson

Regan - Lilly Gustafson

Cordelia - Liz Redenback

Oswald - Jordan Green

Doctor (female) - Tori Anderson

Gloucester - David Perfetti

Fool - David Fuller

2nd Servant - Becca Harquist

3rd Servant - Olivia Harrington

1st Messenger - Elena Gustafson

2nd Messenger - Hannah Whalen

Lear’s Attendant - Sarah Redenback

The cast and crew have been hard at work since early September creating the show. The play dates are November 22nd and November 23rd at the Homer High School Auditorium. We hope to see you there!

Book Review: Tuesdays With Morrie

Peter Davis

      Tuesdays with Morrie is a incredible story about an old man, a young man, and life's greatest lessons.  It is a true story written by Mitch Albom, and I would recommend it to anyone.  A young man, Mitch Albom, reconnects with his favorite college professor, Morrie Schwartz, after losing all connections, by seeing him on the news one night.  Mitch has become caught up in his work and has forgotten the lessons that his former professor taught him.  Morrie is diagnosed with ALS and learns that he has less than a year to live.  Every tuesday they meet, and Morrie gives his outlooks on life's most important lessons in Tuesdays With Morrie.

Senior Banner Wins!

Homecoming Court