A Reflection of a Shakespearean

A Reflection of a Shakespearean

Stephen Hyde

This fall, I had the opportunity of performing in The Tragedy of King Richard III. The show was produced by the Homer Shakespearean Society, an organization with which I have done ten plays over the last eight years. During this play, I was able to work with old friends and new ones. One of the many benefits of performing in Homer’s Shakespearean plays is befriending younger and older students when there would have been no opportunities otherwise. Like all plays, this one had stress and frustration. These included ten to fifteen-hour rehearsal weeks and unexpected “monkey-wrenches”, such as people quitting the play and technological difficulties. As always, however, our director, Ms. Louise Felker, was able to hold us together. In the end, we produced a play in which I was proud to play a part.

Dressember

Dressember

Catarina Kruman

Dressember first began in 2013. The movement’s purpose was to oppose the worldwide trafficking and exploitation of women. Women wear a dress every day in December to raise awareness about sex trafficking. It quickly grew in popularity, and people throughout the United States participated in this movement to restore dignity to all women. In its first year of fundraising, participants raised over $165,000. All of the funds went directly to the International Justice Mission. In the next year, participation doubled and revenue tripled. The excitement for this cause has even reached our small school. Many girls in Homer High School are dressing up for the thirty-one days in December to raise awareness about sex trafficking. To find out more about Dressember, you can visit its Facebook or website, http://www.dressember.org/

Review of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

Review of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

by Molly Burhans

The wait was finally over for Harry Potter fans everywhere on November 18th. The long awaited spinoff, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, arrived in theatres; people flocked to see what J. K. Rowling’s newest creation had to offer. I, personally, am a huge fan of the Harry Potter series, and I could not contain my excitement when I heard about the newest glimpse into the wizarding world.

On opening night my sister and I headed to the movie theatre, giddy with excitement. The movie began with the characteristic magical vibe. Due to the minimal plot details revealed in the trailer, everyone was curious as to what it would bring. Decades before Harry attends Hogwarts, Newt Scamander, the famous magizoologist who wrote Harry’s Care of Magical Creatures textbook, arrives in New York City with a trunk full of magical creatures. Almost immediately, some of these creatures escape. Newt attempts to find them with the help of a loyal no-maj (muggle), Jacob, and an American witch, Tina. Tina works for MACUSA, the American equivalent of the Ministry of Magic, and arrests Newt in an attempt to redeem herself for a previous slip-up. The story introduces us to many new concepts. In America, the Wizarding community is hiding fearfully from the no-majs, and there is corruption everywhere. We also learn about a dark form of magic: the obscurus. When magic is suppressed in young children, an uncontrollable obscurus develops in them; it kills them fairly quickly. This becomes a pivotal piece of magic in the plot, and is somewhat prominent in America due to wizard persecution by no-majs. A certain dark wizard mentioned in the Harry Potter series also makes an appearance.

In my opinion, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them was fantastically disappointing. It was enjoyable and great to be back in the wizarding world, but this film lacked the magic of Rowling’s previous works. It was quite dark for an introduction to the series, and the characters weren’t nearly as developed as Rowling’s past characters. The plot was long and drawn out for the few main points involved. I did enjoy the humor intertwined throughout the film. Overall, however, I was very disappointed in this extension of the wizarding world. My advice to you would be to go into the movie with no expectations. Do NOT compare this to the beloved original Harry Potter series!

FBLA Disney World Field Trip

FBLA Disney World Field Trip

Marleah Dentes

From the 11th to the 14th of November, Future Business Leaders of America had the opportunity to travel to Disney World in Orlando, Florida. All twelve people that went on the trip were able to gain insight on Disney’s specific business practices and leadership. They learned about their mission statement, and how Disney works to be one of the world’s leading producers of entertainment and information. FBLA learned how Disney is organized and structured, as well as business strategies that make sure the parks function in the most effective manner. Every action that the company takes has to be aligned with their core values and beliefs. The club spoke with a Disney lawyer, who emphasized the importance of having the right portrayal. They learned about safety regulations and other critical directives that must be followed. A big aspect of Disney’s success is the importance of communications; FBLA learned the importance of marketing and advertising to efficiently gain popularity and maximize financial earnings. After learning so much about the park’s operation, the club was able to experience it firsthand; they had plenty of time to gain the whole experience after visiting Magic Kingdom, Epcot, and Hollywood Studios.

Homer High School Mock Election

Homer High School Mock Election

Sydney Neuman

This past Friday, the staff of Homer High School cooperated to hold a mock election. Predicting the winning candidate of the 2016 election was a whirlwind. There are many educational values incorporated into the event as well. As we all know, with time comes change; one of the many aspects of our society that has very recently changed is the voting methods. Fortunately, the Homer Central School District was lucky enough to gain access to the old-fashioned machines- another part of the tradition. This helped all of the students, who have never used such mechanisms, to better understand them. It was well known by anyone within the vicinity of the building that it was not only the students who had fun; teachers such as Mr. Cortese and Mrs. Reif were encouraging students to vote throughout the day. They were getting kids to do it left and right. You couldn’t walk through the main lobby without being asked five times, “Have you voted yet?” As to the logistics of this event, it was completely realistic. The process was essentially the same as in the real world. This helped to prepare for the future. The mock election was a fun event for many students, as well as an educational opportunity.

As for the results, over four-hundred votes were submitted. In fourth place with eighteen votes was Jill Stein. In third place with sixty-four votes was Gary Johnson. In second place with one-hundred and forty-three votes was Donald Trump. The winner of Homer High School’s mock election was Hillary Clinton. It is no surprise that this has been a rough campaign for both candidates. Many say this presidential election is one of the most controversial in modern history. Many Americans do not feel comfortable with either candidate. The simple fact is, there are many issues with Clinton; there are many issue with Trump. There are also many good things that Clinton brings to the table, as does Trump. Despite one’s feelings about each candidate, one will soon be the next President of the United States. Whether or not you voted in Homer High school’s mock election, who do you want that person to be? Do you think our results will mimic the actual outcome?

New Zealand Earthquake

 New Zealand Earthquake

Skyler Powers

With the media firestorm surrounding Trump’s controversial election, little attention has been given to other international events. On November 14th, a large earthquake ravaged New Zealand. The 7.8 magnitude tremor caused significant damage, and the recurring aftershocks are only worsening the effects of the first blow.  

While the earthquake is over, many people are still in jeopardy. In fact, thousands are stranded in a town near the quake’s epicenter. A local state of emergency has been declared in the Canterbury region of the country, which is home to the hardest-hit areas. Tourists and locals are being airlifted by helicopters from cut-off communities in the Hurunui and Kaikoura districts. Two ships, the HMNZS Canterbury and the HMNZS Wellington, have also been deployed along the shores of Canterbury to assist.  

The initial earthquake killed two people when it struck the island nation early Monday. The citizens of New Zealand, however, are not out of the woods yet. Powerful aftershocks have been regularly plaguing the country since the earthquake’s occurrence. These aftershocks have causes even more damage, have disrupted rescue operations, and have put people in even more danger. Aftershocks are expected to keep occurring regularly for some time.  

New Zealand has received help with evacuations from the United States as well as from China. Interestingly, New Zealand Prime Minister John Key said that he missed a call from United States President-Elect Donald Trump during the quake’s chaotic aftermath.  

Since the quake, there have been between 80,000 and 100,000 landslides, and many roads have become blocked. New Zealand is working frantically to restore power, access, and supply water to areas in need. To make the situation worse, heavy rain on Tuesday has only caused more damage with power outages and flooding.  

Despite all of these unfortunate events that have plagued New Zealand for the past few days, the death toll has miraculously remained low. Nevertheless, New Zealand is still struggling to save people from the harmful effects of this earthquake, and the damages will undoubtedly cost the country large sums of money. Thanks to the conscientious work of New Zealand and the assistance of other nations, however, New Zealand is still managing in this difficult time.

Source:

Berlinger, Joshua.  “Thousands stranded in New Zealand after earthquakes.”  

CNN, http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/14/asia/new-zealand-earthquake/. Accessed 15 November 2016.        

Homer Cross Country

Homer Cross Country

Catarina Kruman

It has been a long and hard-earned way to sectionals this year, but Homer’s cross-country team has been happy to put in an enormous amount of effort. Head Coach, Jim Baldwin, has created a system for his practices which incorporates three main workouts, repeats longer runs and a timed component, “with the idea of hitting certain points on the course at the same time, can help us to see if our runners are going faster or slower.” From there, each runner can work on specific areas to help himself or herself to achieve an overall faster time. Sophomore Teddy Mercer, a two-year cross country racer says “Our team has had a good year. We've been really competitive against some of the tougher teams and our strong first runner Grant [Stokoe] has helped us a lot. Also, having a solid top five allows us to be competitive in some of the larger invites. We have a great team atmosphere and really support each other.” This will be one of Homer’s hardest sectional races with teams like New Hartford, J-D and ESM; it will all come down to how each runner performs on the day of the meet. The XC team would like to give a special shoutout to Lucas Payne who hopes for a sub 20:19 race when the day finally comes around.

2016 Presidential Election

2016 Presidential Election

Skyler Powers

The race for the title of the 45th President of the United States was a long, grueling journey full of controversies and heated insults. This race has been very memorable, but not necessarily in a good way. Four candidates were on the ballot: Democrat Hillary Clinton, Republican Donald Trump, Libertarian Gary Johnson, and the Green Party’s Jill Stein. The election process was a nailbiter, but Donald Trump emerged with 279 electoral votes. Clinton finished with 228 electoral votes. Trump was the undeniable victor.

Trump’s win shocked many people. For a long period of time, Trump had not been taken to be a serious candidate. He made remarks that many Americans saw as illogical, controversial, and outlandish. Many of his ideas raised some eyebrows, such as the wall he wants to build between the United States and Mexico or his intended tax cuts for large corporations.

Taking a step back, it is possible to see how Trump won the presidency. First of all, Hillary Clinton, Trump’s strongest opponent, was surrounded with controversies with her emails, her actions as Secretary of State, and her contributions as First Lady during Bill Clinton’s presidency. Also, Hillary Clinton was seen as a supporter of large corporations, contrary to her claims. Thus, many voters were afraid that they would receive little change if she was elected.

Trump also won because of key battleground states. These states were “on the fence” with their support. Luckily for Trump, he was able to win over most of these states. He won Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Florida. Clinton had depended on winning these states. The only major battleground states in her column were New Hampshire and Virginia. As a whole, Clinton won in the northeast, the west coast, Hawaii, Colorado, and New Mexico. Trump won everything else. It must be pointed out, however, that Hillary technically won the popular vote. The margin was not large, but she did receive more votes than Trump. Trump, however, won the more electoral votes. Therefore, he won the presidency.  

It is interesting to see how demographics influenced the election results. The New York Times compiled a series of graphs showing various demographics. Unsurprisingly, the majority of Trump voters were male and the majority of Clinton voters were female. This was a predictable outcome. Clinton received far more votes from minorities (African-Americans, Latinos, Hispanics) while Trump received more votes from whites. Trump received more votes from voters aged forty-five and older; Clinton received more votes from voters between the ages of 18 and 29. Interestingly, Trump generally received more votes from less-educated people and Clinton won over more-educated voters. Income did not play a huge role in results. There was a slight increase in Trump votes as the amount of income of a person increased. Likewise, Clinton was favored slightly more by voters with a lower income. More Democrats obviously voted for Clinton and more Republicans voted for Trump. The majority of independents also voted for Trump. Trump received more votes from evangelical voters.

Finally, the geographical residence of voters played a large role in the results. According to the New York Times compilation, Clinton won more votes in cities with populations greater than 50,000 (approximately 59%). In suburban areas, Clinton and Trump were very close, but Trump gained the upper hand with 50%, compared to Clinton’s 45%. On the other hand, Trump received more votes in small cities and rural areas (approximately 62%). This regionalist phenomenon can be observed on a smaller scale. One good example is New York State. The vast majority of counties in New York State voted for Trump, including Cortland County. While the majority of counties in New York favored Trump, the more populated ones favored Clinton. Clinton received more votes in New York and thus received its electoral votes. New York exemplifies the urban-rural political conflict, but urban areas often have an advantage due to the population.  

This presidential race was a wild spectacle and it fittingly ended with the election of a wild card. Trump has no political experience and no one knows how he will handle the presidency. Everyone cannot help but hold their breaths in anticipation of Trump’s administration. Trump’s election showed that, technicalities aside, the American people were unhappy with their government. Trump’s election signifies an enormous shift in politics. The entire world is watching the United States.       

Shakespearean Society Presents The Tragedy of Richard III

Shakespearean Society Presents The Tragedy of Richard III

Reed Cleland

On Friday and Saturday, November 18th and 19th, Homer High School’s Shakespearean and Thespian Society will present The Tragedy of Richard III. This is a truly unique opportunity: the Society has not performed a Shakespearean history in many years, and never before has it done this particular production!

There is a bit of history behind this production. Richard III was indeed a real person. He ruled England from 1483-1485. At this time, the War of the Roses, a civil war between the noble York and Lancaster families, was reaching its climax. Although the real Richard III was actually a fairly capable ruler, Shakespeare’s famous work would propagandize him as a scheming, tyrannical king one-hundred years later.  

The play is directed by Louise Felker, who has always produced outstanding performances as the Society’s advisor. Without too many spoilers, the plot follows the machinations of Richard, Duke of Gloucester (Drew Gustafson), as he schemes to become King of England. His designs run headlong into Queen Elizabeth’s (Julia Gustafson) desires for the royal family. Following the death of King Edward IV (David Fein), the Duke of Buckingham (Reed Cleland), William Lord Hastings (Elliot Gustafson), and several other powerful nobles to assist Richard in his quest for power. Elizabeth, her relatives, and Richard’s mother, the Duchess of York (Kate Halstead), do what they can to stop Richard from achieving his ambitions. Along the way, the characters are haunted by Queen Margaret (Kaitlyn Clune), England’s former queen who is anxious for revenge. Richard and his allies are finally challenged by the Earl of Richmond (Stephen Hyde), a young Scottish nobleman who heroically rallies his countrymen against Richard’s tyranny. Throughout the play, Richard constantly manipulates other characters to do his bidding.

The audience can expect impressive special effects, intense acting from Homer’s students, and a massive battle sequence where Richard and his cronies are pitted against Richmond’s followers. They will be captivated by Shakespeare’s language and three-dimensional characters. Tickets are sold at the door ($8 for kids, $10 for adults). The play will begin at 7:30 pm. Good luck to the cast and crew of The Tragedy of Richard III!

            

Environmental Club Adirondack Conference

Environmental Club Adirondack Conference

Mikaela Elkins

From November 3rd to 4th, five members of Homer High School’s Environmental Club attended the Youth Climate Summit at the WILD Center in the Adirondacks. The Summit is a conference where different schools come together to learn how their school and community can be more environmentally sustainable. The Youth Climate Summit allows the students in attendance to expand their minds and develop their leadership skills.

There were many different workshops to attend on Thursday, November 3rd (the first day of the Summit), and each member of the group attended a separate seminar.

On Friday, November 4th, after attending all of the workshops and plenary sessions, we devised two climate action goals. The first is to revamp the composting program throughout the Homer School District. In order to do this, members of the Environmental Club will be trained to operate the garbage bins during lunch periods. Our second goal is to create a school garden, as well as a farm-to-table food service for the school.

After two years of attending the Summit, the advisor has arranged for the members of the Green Team (Mikaela Elkins, Kristen Rahner, Adam Walling, Claire Kuiken, Lucian St. John, and Matthew Pelowski) to assist in leading the Youth Climate Summit that will take place at SUNY Cortland in May. Homer High School praises these students on their dedication and willingness to make our school more environmentally sustainable.

The History of Seussical

The History of Seussical

Marleah Dentes

This year, Homer High School is tackling the production of a musical based on several books by Dr. Seuss. Seussical, created by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, consists mainly of Horton Hears a Who, Horton Hatches the Egg, and Miss Gertrude McFuzz. In September of 2000, it had its first run-through in Boston, Massachusetts. On November 30th of 2000, it opened on Broadway. These productions received unenthusiastic and poor reviews, and it closed in 2001 after 198 showings. The musical became stronger after the script was reworked and some songs were removed. Originally, an anonymous boy makes up the Cat in the Hat from his imagination after finding a striped hat onstage. The Cat creates the Seussian world and later pushes the boy into it, forcing him to assume the character of Jojo. The revised version of the musical went on two national tours from 2002 to 2004. There have been various off-Broadway productions of Seussical after the tours, in locations such as New York City and London.

Seussical focuses on Horton, the elephant from Horton Hears a Who, and his determination to protect the people of Whoville, while also protecting an abandoned egg left to his care. He works with his neighbors to save the Whos and restore peace to the Jungle of Nool. There are a lot of characters and scenarios from many other Dr Seuss books woven into the story. The Cat in the Hat mostly acts as the narrator, while sometimes jumping into the plot to keep the story moving nicely.  

The History of Veterans Day

The History of Veterans Day

Skyler Powers

Veterans Day is an American holiday celebrated annually on November 11th. The holiday commemorates the American veterans of all wars, living or dead. The day is often filled with parades around the country. There is an official wreath-laying ceremony held every year on Veterans Day at the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington National Cemetery. While Veterans Day may appear to be cut and dry, it actually has an interesting history.  

The Treaty of Versailles, signed on June 28, 1919, officially ended World War I, which was then known as the Great War. Most of the public, however, saw November 11th, 1918 as the true end of the war. In November 1918, Woodrow Wilson, the American President,  proclaimed November 11th to be Armistice Day. The day’s observation included parades, public gatherings, and a brief pause in business activities at 11 a.m. On Armistice Day of 1921, the holiday was declared a legal federal holiday with the burial of an unidentified American soldier in Arlington National Cemetery. On that same day, England buried unidentified soldiers at Westminster Abbey in London, and France buried unidentified soldiers at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.  

On June 4, 1926, Congress declared that Armistice Day should be celebrated with thanksgiving and prayer, among other peaceful activities. Years later, after World War II and the Korean War, President Dwight D. Eisenhower changed the name of the holiday to Veterans Day. Thus, the holiday was changed to commemorate all veterans and not just those who fought in World War I.  

In 1968, Veterans Day was changed to the fourth Monday in October in hopes of encouraging travel by giving federal employees three-day weekends. Many people, however, were outraged by this, since the original date held a historical significance. After disapproval by many people, President Gerald R. Ford changed it back to November 11th in 1978. If November 11th happens to fall on a Saturday or a Sunday, the holiday is observed on the previous Friday or following Monday, respectively.  

Veterans Day has undergone many changes throughout its history. Nonetheless, the core meaning of commemorating veterans has not changed. The holiday has grown to incorporate even more veterans than it did when it was first established, and it has become a uniting holiday in the United States. Not only that, but the concept of Veterans Day also unites several nations, as England, France, Australia, and Canada all also celebrate their veterans on or near November 11th. While we may get the day off from work or school, we cannot forget what Veterans Day truly celebrates. On this Veterans Day, make sure to celebrate our nation’s veterans and all that they have done and sacrificed to keep us safe.    

We’re Going to the Dome!

We’re Going to the Dome!

Reed Cleland

On Friday, October 28th, Homer’s varsity football team scored an inspiring victory against Mexico. The final score tallied at 31 for Homer and 22 for Mexico.

With the semi-finals behind them, the Trojans have their eyes set on an old rival, the Cazenovia Lakers, for the Class B Football title game at the Carrier Dome this Sunday, November 5th.

Homer is no stranger to success in varsity football. With every great team comes a great coach, and the Trojans are blessed to have Mr. Gary Podsiedlik at their helm. As Homer’s varsity head coach, Mr. Podsiedlik has dedicated untold amounts of time and effort to Homer’s successes for the past twenty-seven years.

This year has been no exception. The varsity team had a shaky start to the 2016 season, actually losing to Marcellus earlier in the year. Unquestionably, however, the team has dramatically improved since the beginning of the season. Mr. Podsiedlik commented that some of the team was like “a deer in the headlights” for the first few games. Some of the younger players, especially the large numbers of the juniors and two sophomores, were nervous about performing together.

When asked about how the players have evolved, Mr. Podsiedlik answered that they have learned to trust each other beyond the athletic field. In other words, they trust that every player will individually put forth improvement and preparation for each game. While they may not be the most skilled team in the league, Mr. Podsiedlik sees his team’s newfound trust as its defining quality.

For thirty-four years, Mr. Podsiedlik has served in a dual career at Homer, as a math teacher and the football coach. Although he will continue to coach football in the foreseeable future, he will retire from his teaching position at the end of this school year. His enthusiastic passion about his teaching will be missed by students and staff alike.

Having served as a football coach and math teacher for so long, Mr. Podsiedlik was asked about any advice he has for younger coaches and teachers. He answered, “You’re never too old to keep learning!” and that continuing to learn allows a person to maintain a positive attitude when overcoming challenges.   

Mr. Podsiedlik seemed to look forward to Sunday’s game. He does not expect any huge surprises from Cazenovia, but he does want his players to keep focused and strive for perfection. Tickets for the game are $7 pre-sale, $9 at the door, and parking tickets are $10. The game will begin at 3 pm.

Homer is indebted to Coach P for his years of teaching and coaching service, and it wishes good-luck to him and his team at the Carrier Dome this Sunday!            

Emma Murphy Completes Iowa World Food Conference

Emma Murphy Completes Iowa World Food Conference

Reed Cleland

From Wednesday, October 12th, to Sunday, October 16th, Emma Murphy attended the World Food Prize Global Youth Institute Conference.

Held in Iowa, the conference unites youth from across the world in learning about agrarian and humanitarian crises currently afflicting the international community.

Following a successful presentation at Cornell University on the Sudan water crisis, Emma was chosen to represent New York State at the conference. She flew with her mentor, Mrs. Lori Andersen, to Iowa; she was promptly sorted into a group with students from Michigan, Mexico, India, Iowa, and Georgia. She listened to speeches by ambassadors and presidents, helped prepare 24,000 nutritional meals for the Haitian Relief Network, and spent time discussing agrarian issues with her peers and several distinguished judges.

On Friday night, Emma participated in the Oxfam Hunger Banquet, where students and teachers were served and seated based on international income statistics. In other words, twenty percent of the students and teachers were given four-course meals at tables because only twenty percent of the world makes above $8,000 and can afford to eat every day. Thirty percent of the students and teachers were given rice and beans, and they sat in chairs; men were served before women. They represent the thirty percent of the world that makes between $1,200 and $7,999. Finally, fifty percent of the students sat on the floor and were served leftover rice at the end of the meal; they represented the fifty percent of the world that makes less than $1,200. Emma commented that the experience “definitely made me rethink my habits when it comes to disposing of food, and what to do with waste.”

The conference appears to have had a profound effect on Emma’s life. She has chosen to study Global Resource Systems and Agronomy at Iowa State University, alongside several of her group-mates. She explains that “You can’t participate in something like this and then just go home to sit back and wait for someone else to do something.” Emma would also like to thank her mentor, Mrs. Andersen, for all of her assistance and willingness to embrace the experience. Congratulations Emma!            

College Application Week

College Application Week

Marleah Dentes

October 17th-21st is New York’s College Application Week. As a part of the American College Application Campaign, the American Council on Education aims to increase the amount of students pursuing a higher education, particularly those who are first-generation and low-income. Homer High School has gotten involved, though the guidance counselors have already been working tirelessly to get students thinking about college and familiarizing seniors with the application process.

Each school involved with College Application Week organizes a variety of events. At Homer, the guidance counselors begin their activities early and continue to provide opportunities to learn about college and applications. They meet with seniors in English classes to go through the all the extensive parts of the student’s applications, such as deadlines and the Common App. They organize senior meetings, hold college night, a college week for seniors, and a financial aid night.

The guidance counselors hope to start incorporating grades nine through twelve in the next coming years so that the students can have plenty of knowledge about their application well before they reach their senior year. The counselors strive for college and career readiness. Mrs. Latten stresses the importance of College Application, as it “brings awareness about colleges and gets kids to start thinking about it at a young age”.  

Senior Superlatives

Senior Superlatives

Marleah Dentes

Each year, the yearbook club has the senior class vote on superlatives. These are typically your “most likely to succeed” or “best dressed”. To speak more clearly, the seniors receive a list of these types of categories and choose a guy and a girl who best exemplifies them; the exceptions to this included “best bromance” and “best gal pals.” The process of picking out the categories is mostly standard each year. Members of yearbook look online for some new ideas for senior superlatives, but usually end up sticking to the classics. They end up making a list of over twenty, but the yearbook club votes on the top twelve. There is some fluctuation, depending on the specific graduating class. For example, there may not be any cute couples to fit the bill. Some of the categories this year included “class clown”, “best hair”, “best smile”, “most likely to brighten your day”, and “most likely to be a government official”. Senior superlatives are really fun and entertaining and represent the memories and personalities of the class of 2017:

This year’s winners are:

Best Smile: Macy Boice and Brent McNeil

Best Hair: Veronica Clarke and Marton Toszer

Best Dressed: Meleah Hartnett and Adam Walling

Best Gal Pals: Mikaela Elkins and Leah Potter

Best Bromance: Cody Johnson and Cole Compagni

Most likely to win an oscar: Kate Halstead and Drew Gustafson

Class Clown: Margret McLyman and Max Riley

Most likely to be a starving artist: Kristen Rahner and Brent McNeil

Most school spirit: Katie Mercer and Jake Riley

Biggest Flirt: Jenna Galeotti and Marton Toszer

Most likely to brighten your day: Macy Boice and Jake Riley

Most likely to be a government official: Jenna McMullin and Matthew Pelowski