Homer High School Olympian: May 2016

Friday, May 20, 2016

The Envirothon

Joe Settineri

When the new buds begin to form on the trees and the grass sprouts start to jump out of the ground, it is time for Envirothon. Envirothon is a yearly competition where each school in the Cortland County sends a team and competes in five different categories: soils, forestry, aquatics, wildlife, and current issue. Each score is based out of 100 and they are usually difficult often yielding scores of sixty or less. Additionally, there are points given for the quality of each team’s oral presentation, which they must prepare prior to the event. This year there were eight teams each with five competitors. Each station mentioned above has a test and the team takes the test together. Sometimes the test involves identifying animals, tree’s, soils, or other factors of the environment and can be very challenging. This year, the Envirothon was on a soaking wet day, the rain was just coming down in droves. We were all drenched, especially those who did not wear boots or a rain jacket. At the end of the day, all of the team's ate lunch in the lodge at Camp Owatta next to the fire to dry off, and the final scores were announced. This year the top three scores were as follows

The Kids (HOMER)- 513

Cincy Red (CINCINNATUS)-463

Cincy White (CINCINNATUS)-432

The winner of the county competition gets to move onto the state competition at Hobart and William Smith colleges on May 24th and 25th. Be sure to root on your classmates: Joe Settineri, Tighe Gugerty, Julia Fouts, Evan Ulrich, and Kennedy George as they make their way to the state competition and congratulate the several other students in our school who competed last Friday.

Choosing a Driving Course at Homer High School

Alex Levitskiy and Kennedy George

Many high schoolers are either preparing to start driving, or experiencing being a new driver. For most of us, driving is the most dangerous thing we will do in our lives, so it is important that we are smart and cautious while we are on the road. Here at Homer High School, there are several options when it comes to driver’s education. Two of those options are the Teen Drivers Safety Course and the summer Driver’s Ed program. In order to park on school grounds, one must take at least one of these courses. But for some, it may be difficult to choose which course to take; there are many pros and cons towards taking each course. So, in order to help students decide which option will work best for them while still properly preparing them for the road, members of the Olympian will give you a closer look into each class.

Perspective #1:

I took the Driver’s Ed class that is offered over the summer. It lasts for multiple weeks and each class day includes a period of lecture and a period of driving. I am very glad that I chose to take this course; it increased my driving abilities tremendously. The pros of this course are that it really teaches you the rules of the road, you get driving time with an experienced driver, it lasts a while so you have time to learn, you get to listen to cool, guest speakers, and it helps you get your senior license faster. The cons of this class are it takes time away from your summer, it costs money to take it, you have to get at least an 85 in the class in order to park on school grounds, and you might have to get up early to get to class on time. Despite the cons associated with this course, I think that it is something that every driver should take. It helps you become a more competent and confident driver.

Perspective #2:

Students also have the option of taking the Homer Teen Driver Safety Online Course. Previously, this course was what many called the “five-hour course.” I was in the experimental group with the new safety course, which I got to try out for the second portion of my Alive at 25 course. The online course consists of six units in driver’s safety. Once you feel that you have mastered the units, then there is an exam that consists of multiple choice and true/false questions. As soon as you complete the online course, Mrs. Reed is notified. Plenty of useful topics are covered that will help solidify the road rules for student drivers. The pros of this online course are the convenience of being able to take it at home whenever you have time, it is now not as lengthy as the previous required courses, the information is provided in a more interactive and visual manner, and your results are sent right to Mrs. Reed so you do not need to print your results and have to take them to her. The cons are that you do not get actual driving experience nor any in-person advice from an experienced driver. Also, you must get at least an 85% on the test to be granted parking permissions. The online course is perfect for a comfortable driver who wishes to efficiently meet the requirements.

Hopefully, these two accounts will aid you in your decision on how to approach being able to park at the school. There are many pros and cons to each course, so we suggest assessing your personal situation and determining what you are capable of and what you need in order to become a safe and responsible driver.

Monday, May 16, 2016

Summer Career Awareness Day Events at SUNY Upstate Medical University

Skyler Powers

This summer, SUNY Upstate Medical University is hosting a series of one-day Career Awareness Days. This is the perfect opportunity for students who are considering a career in healthcare. Attendees will be able to learn about their careers of interest from actual healthcare professionals. There is a small fee for students to attend and space is limited. The days being offered are Nursing & Respiratory Therapy on June 28th, Medicine & Physician Assistant on July 12th, Medical Technology, Medical Biotechnology & Biomedical Sciences on July 13th, Physical Therapy & Occupational Therapy on July 19th, and Medical Imaging & Radiation Therapy on July 20th. This event is for any current high school sophomore, junior, or senior, and any current college freshman. Applications are due by May 27th and transcripts by June 3rd. For more information about the Career Awareness Days, please visit http://www.upstate.edu/prospective/basics/specialevents.php

Information on Volunteering at CRMC

Alex Levitskiy

As a student, your life might be extremely busy, but I bet that there are ways to fit in time for volunteering. One great place to volunteer in our community is at the Cortland Regional Medical Center (CRMC), especially if you are interested in a health-related field. Even if you aren’t, it is a great place to have exposure to the many departments of the hospital; some of the places that you can volunteer at do not revolve around health care. Furthermore, it’s due time to consider what a great community we have, so why not give back to the community by volunteering your time?

To begin with, an application must be filled out in order to become a volunteer. You have to be between fourteen and eighteen years old, be passing your classes, and receive approval from your guidance counselor in order to volunteer. Following this is a mandatory orientation in which you become familiar with hospital policies and your role as a teenage volunteer. The requirements to maintain this position are quite simple; one must volunteer during the summer (you will receive information as to which day you are responsible for coming in and volunteering) and also volunteer at least one Saturday a month (this is arranged in advance so you can coordinate volunteering with your weekend plans). You will be able to volunteer at places like the Nursing Home, the Coffee Shop, Adult Day Care, Food and Nutritional Services, and more. Eventually, volunteers are able to help more in the units that they prefer. A major part of volunteering is the people you meet and the interactions you have with them. I, personally, have some great stories about volunteering and will cherish some of the memories from my time at CRMC.

By dedicating your time to the hospital, you are also bolstering your resume, as volunteering at a hospital looks good on a college application. Additionally, if you go above and beyond with your volunteering, then you may be eligible for an Auxiliary Scholarship at the end of your senior year. If you are considering becoming a teenage volunteer at CRMC and would like more information, then you should attend the Cortland Regional Medical Center Teenage Volunteer’s Open House on June 1st from 3-5 pm in the Volunteer Office.

Adirondack Field Studies/Marine Studies OCM BOCES Summer Programs

Skyler Powers

OCM BOCES is holding two summer programs for students from eleven school districts throughout Cortland and Onondaga County. In Homer’s case, the programs are paid for by the school, but students are required to pay for the meals during the travel to and from the camps and for souvenirs while at camp. The two programs being offered this summer include the Adirondack Field Studies Program, located at the ESF Biological Field Station at Cranberry Lake in the Adirondack Mountains, which will run from August 8th to 14th, and the Marine Studies, located on Long Island, which will run from July 17th to 22nd. Students must apply to obtain a slot for one of the studies. However, slots are limited, so applying does not guarantee being able to go. The application requires parent or guardian permission as well as a recommendation from two teachers. Students who do obtain a slot are required to attend the entire session; no special accommodations will be considered. Students will live in cabins and spend a lot of time working and studying outdoors. Participation is required and there will be work. Marine Studies students will be required to keep a daily journal and Adirondack students will be required to conduct an experiment and present their work. As a bonus, Homer students will earn ½ science credit for each program successfully completed. This is a wonderful opportunity for anyone interested, so if you are one of those people, pick up an application from Mrs. Williams in room 231!

Homer Trojans Baseball 5/10

Neil Malakar

The Trojans baseball team faced CBA on Tuesday, May 10, commencing the latter half of their season. This was the second time the two sides had met this year, only this time the stakes were higher as it was a league game. Vindictive after their 4-1 loss to Homer the first time around, the CBA squad looked to get on the scoreboard early. They managed to score three times in the first inning off of errors made by Homer. The visitors immediately retaliated with two runs in the bottom of the first, and equalized later, in the third inning. Evan Ulrich started for Homer as he did the last time they faced CBA, staying solid as he worked through the Brothers’ batting order. After the hosts made a pitching change in the fourth inning, Homer managed to tally on another five runs with offensive help from Storm Grant, Brandon Grant, Beck Lundeen, Joey Tummino, and Peter Davis. The game ended with a score of 8-3 after Casey Hayes came in to relieve and close the win for Ulrich. After this win, the Homer Trojans solidified their spot in Sectionals for the year, with an overall record of 6-6.

Monday, May 9, 2016

Species Spotlight: Garganey Teal

Alex Levitskiy

This week’s featured species is the Garganey Teal (Spatula querquedula, formerly Anas querquedula), a small dabbling duck that is native to Europe and western Asia. They breed in wetland and lake habitats. Their entire population migrates south to Africa, India, and Australia. The drakes of this species have a mostly brown and grey plumage, but they also have unmistakable features. Starting above the eye is a white crescent that extends to the back of the head. Their flanks are a greyish-blue color, and above them are are black and grey striped scapulars. The hens are predominantly brown and grey, similar in appearance to other species of teal like Blue-Winged Teal. Both sexes have a blue wing patch.

Garganey Teal have an extensive range. Although they suffer from threats such as habitat loss, they do not exhibit any trends that would classify them as a Vulnerable Species; therefore, they are considered Least Concern. In the sphere of captivity, Garganey Teal are kept and bred, but they are not as popular as some of their other teal counterparts. Personally, I think this species is gorgeous, and the crackling sounds that the drakes make are neat.

Photo Credit: Alex Levitskiy

Garganey Teal Drakes at Sylvan Heights Bird Park

Teacher Feature: Mr. Wallace

Alyson Witt

Brian Wallace, more commonly known as Mr. Wallace, is an art teacher at Homer High School. He started working at Homer two years ago and since then has worked hard to make a lasting impression on his students, as well as their education in art. Before working at Homer High School, he worked as an artist for a few years but was drawn back to teaching. Mr. Wallace attended three colleges to receive his education: RIT (Rochester Institute of Technology), NAZ (Nazareth), and FLCC (Finger Lake Community College). Although he has traveled many places, he describes Scotland and the Adirondacks as places he loves to visit and has always wanted to visit Norway and Greece with his two kids and wife, who are “all truly amazing”.

After talking with Mr. Wallace I learned more about him than just what I observed and learned from being his student in his studio 2 class and spending many lunch periods and free time I had with him. For instance, I learned that he loves his job, as well as all of his students, and does anything he can to help them even if it's not art related, showing his caring character. Other than caring, I would describe Mr. Wallace as an enthusiastic and a very happy person although he describes himself as “average height and average build”. Wallace is also a lover of Star Wars, which is shared between himself and Homer’s other art teacher, Mr. Andre. He enjoys drawing, painting, and spending time with his family. He plans to spend his summer playing with his kids while he works for his brother’s landscaping company. Many know Mr. Wallace as just the art teacher, but if students spend time with him, they learn much more about him and can build a relationship that can last a lifetime. He has built many relationships with his seniors, who have know him the longest and all adore his easygoing and charming character. These students know him the best after spending years being his students and learning everything he has to offer. Mr. Wallace mentioned that he wants to continue improving the art program at Homer, and help as many students become better artists as he can. Showing that he is a caring, hardworking, enthusiastic teacher and friend.

Homer Trojans Varsity Baseball

Neil Malakar

Homer’s baseball team kicked off its season on Thursday, April 14, with a resounding win at Phoenix. The nineteen-man squad traveled to John C. Birdlebough High School for Opening Day, having spent the previous three months practicing and preparing for the forthcoming season. Nikolai Grihin pitched four scoreless innings while the Trojans battered nearly everything the Phoenix Firebirds threw at them. Big hits came from the bats of Storm Grant, Brandon Grant, Beck Lundeen, Joey Tummino, and Peter Davis. The final score was a comfortable 8-1 after seven full innings.

On Monday, April 18, the Trojans faced undefeated ESM, this time as the home team. They knew going into the game that their opponents would be tough as ESM had only given up a handful of hits in each of the three matches they had played. After starting pitcher Casey Hayes worked himself out of a first-inning jam, the Homer boys hit the ground running by scoring two runs in the bottom of the first, off the bat of Joey Tummino. The Trojans kept scoring and scoring while simultaneously keeping their competitors at bay via strong pitching and solid defence. Other key hits came from Garrett Lewis, Beck Lundeen, Brandon Grant, Casey Hayes, and Storm Grant. The final score was 7-3, denoting another well-earned victory for the boys.

“The Worst Play in the History of Ever”

Ana Shore

On April 15th, 16th, and 17th, the “Worst Play in the History of Ever” had it's world premier at the Center for the Arts in Homer. This never before seen show was directed by our own David Perfetti and produced by William Locke. The plot of this fast-paced comedy includes a group of high school students attempting to put on a Shakespeare play for preschool students. Everything that could possibly go wrong does go wrong, and the characters have to try to keep up with the ever-changing direction of the play.

Several Homer High School students were able to participate in this comedy, along with students from surrounding schools. The cast list included Adam Brown as Jeremy, Kyra Scoville as Jenny, Kate Halstead as Julie, Jenniferleigh Clune as Mrs. Wright, Eden Dodge as Holly Left, Matt Enders as Adam, Sunny Guyette as Shana, Chris DeLage as Archie, Ana Shore as Nancy, Annie Austin as Ernestine, Stephen Hyde as Quentin, Melina Settineri as Madison #1, Olivia Stockwin as Madison #2, and Bridget Porcaro-Corp as Madison #3. The show was successful as the audience had nothing but positive comments. Congratulations to the cast and crew!

AP Study Tips

Tighe Gugerty

Every year at about this time, when the flowers are blossoming and the birds start chirping, a wraith of fear begins to wander the halls of Homer High School. It goes by many names: “ The Testing Menace”, “Hell Week”, “Only The Single Most Important Test in My Life”, etc. However, everyone can agree on two things about this fear-inducing spectre; it’s called the AP test and it sucks. It does not have to be this way though. The AP test is an excellent way for students to show off their skills and possibly get college credit. These couple of tests you take now can pay off by either getting you out of huge introductory courses or saving you beaucoup bucks. So to get those 5’s, the Olympian is giving it’s best study tips so you can make Mom (and Dad) proud.

1. Start studying- This may seem obvious but starting can be the hardest part of the process. Procrastination and fear of difficulty can make studying seem like an insurmountable task. Assuage these feelings by simply beginning. Just looking back at notes for 5 minutes or reading the first page of a review book will help break the initial threshold. After that, studying will be easier to get into since the initial hurdle of starting has been surmounted.

2. Make a plan- It is paramount that time is exclusively set aside for studying. Writing the abstract “STUDY” in your planner won’t help as it is easy to not follow through with it; you will only put it off, completing other assignments instead since you aren’t holding yourself to a specific commitment. To make sure you do study, write down specific times to study and do nothing else in this time period. Laying out what you will study each night will also help as you have a focus and you will know what units have or have not been completed. An example of a session would be “Wednesday night from 4:00 P.M. to 5:30 P.M. I will read chapters 2 and 3 in my review book.”

3. Take breaks- Don’t study too much! Just as your body needs to rest after intense exercise, your brain needs to rest after intense work. Work small breaks into your studying with the Pomodoro technique. This has you work for a set amount of time then take a break for a set time and repeat. Popular ways to split up time are 25 minutes of work and 5 minutes of a break with a 10-15 minute break after four sets and 45 minutes of work to 15 minutes of break. In these breaks do something enjoyable or relaxing but not anything too fun as to ensure you stay on task. These breaks are also the perfect for moving around or going outside.

4. Get good sleep- Just like taking breaks, sleep is important for your mind to rest and repair itself. Sleep is integral to memory formation making late night study sessions counterintuitive; you will likely forget the material you read at 2 A.M. due to fatigue. Drowsiness and fatigue also hinder the overall function of the brain making it harder for you to synthesize the information you may have studied during your all-nighter. To get good sleep, stay away from electronics and certain foods. The abundance of blue light given off by screens impedes melatonin production, a sleep chemical in the brain, and substances such as caffeine stimulate your central nervous system into staying awake. If you are having trouble falling asleep, try reading a book, writing in a journal, or clearing your mind. Make sure that you get quality sleep in the week leading up to the test.

5. Stay calm- Remember that this is only one of the many tests you take in high school. There are many other avenues in which you can showcase your talents, so AP tests, alone, will not determine your fate. It may seem daunting but you have been preparing all year through your rigorous course work.

These are all the tips we have. There may be more but here we covered the big ones. Just remember these and you will be on your way to a 5!