HHS Indoor Track-and-Field Team Goes to States!

HHS Indoor Track-and-Field Team Goes to States!

Sydney Neuman

Everybody has heard the phrase, “practice makes perfect.” This was embodied no less by three Indoor Track and Field athletes who attended State competitions on February 15th!

Arielle Moheimani (senior) placed 4th in the weight competition with a record of 33-5.5 Brent McNeil (senior) jumped 5 feet and 8 inches in the high jump, awarding him 6th place. Grant Stokoe (junior) placed 3rd in the 1000-meter with a time of 2 minutes and 43.15 seconds.

Homer is extremely fortunate to have these athletes; great things are in each of their futures.

HHS Indoor Track and Field Team Goes to Sectionals!

HHS Indoor Track and Field Team Goes to Sectionals!

Sydney Neuman

There is a feeling you get, an adrenaline rush, when you are following your passion. That is how the members of Homer’s Indoor Track and Field Team felt as they left their competitors floundering in the dust during sectionals.

Excellence was certainly watching over the girls’ team. Caroline Riley, Delaney Hartnett, Lydia Sujkowski, and Kristen Rahner carried Homer to 3rd place in the 800-meter relay with a final time of 2 minutes. Ashley Tollner came in 4th place in the 3000-meter relay with a time of 12 minutes and 30 seconds. Harnett, Brianne Cooley, Tassie Fox, and Sujkowski placed 4th in the 1600 meter relay with a final time of 4 minutes and 50 seconds. Amelia Ponirakis, Alyson Witt, Tessa Yonta, and Tollner ran the 3200-meter relay, finishing 4th in 12 minutes. Arielle Moheimani completed the 55-meter hurdles in 10 seconds, finishing in 5th place. She also placed 3rd in the long jump with a 15-5.75 record and 1st in the weight event with a 30-5.75. Rahner placed 2nd in the shot put with a 30-9.5 record.

With regards to the boys’ competition, Andrew Swenson placed 4th in the 3200-meter with a time of 10 minutes and 20 seconds. He also placed 7th in the 1600-meter run with a time of 5 minutes. Paddy Fox, Derrick Fouts, Nate Potter, and Kollin Vanwagenen placed 2nd in the 1600-meter relay with a time of 3 minutes and 50 seconds. Grant Stokoe came in 1st place in the 600-meter with a time of 1 minute and 26 seconds. Vanwagenen finished 11 seconds behind Stokoe, coming in at 11th place. In the 55-meter hurdles, Fox placed 5th with a time of 9.3 seconds. Only 0.17 seconds behind Fox, Fouts came in 6th place. Vanwagenen, Nate Potter, Sam Pullman, and Joe Brady ran the 3200-meter relay with a final time of 9 minutes and 50 seconds. Dakota Wagner placed 7th in the Long Jump with a record of 17-11.25. In the weight competition, Marton Tozser placed 3rd with 39-2, Brent McNeil placed 4th, with 36-10.75, and Jacob Lyman placed 6th with 32-5.5. McNeil also brought 2nd place to Homer with a high jump of 5 feet 8 inches. Finally, Fox, Stokoe, McNeil, and Sebastian Justiniano placed 2nd in the 800-meter relay in 1 minute and 38 seconds.

The entire day left many schoolwide records broken. Some students actually qualified for State competitions! Those lucky few included Arielle Moheimani, Brent McNeil, and Grant Stokoe. Congratulations to all of these hardworking athletes!

Much Ado About Nothing Auditions

Much Ado About Nothing Auditions

By Stephen Hyde

   

The Homer Shakespearean Society is holding auditions for its spring play, Much Ado About Nothing, by William Shakespeare. This play will be set in the 1940s right after the end of World War II. Auditions will take place March 8th at 7 pm in the new auditorium. If you wish to perform on our new auditorium stage or assist a techie, you should be there. If you have any questions or concerns, you should talk to Mikaela Elkins, the Society’s stage manager.       

History of President’s Day

History of President’s Day

Skyler Powers

This year, President’s Day is on Monday, February 20th. Many lucky Americans receive the day off from work and school; students have the bonus of getting the entire week off. In all the excitement, however, many Americans forget the true meaning of President’s Day and how it came to be.  

President’s Day is an American holiday celebrated every year on the third Monday of February. The holiday was an informal day of remembrance of George Washington from 1800 until 1885, when it was officially established by the United States government. Until the creation of Martin Luther King Jr. Day in 1983, Washington’s Birthday was the only federal bank holiday dedicated to a single person. To this day, the holiday is still referred to as “Washington’s Birthday” by the federal government.  It became popularly known as President’s Day in 1971 when the Uniform Monday Holiday Act was passed. This moved the holiday from February 22nd to the third Monday of the month.   

President’s Day also celebrates all American presidents, not just Washington. The federal government does, however, give specific recognition to Washington and Abraham Lincoln.  This makes sense especially since Lincoln’s birthday is approximated to be February 12th.

So, when you are enjoying your extra day off from work or school, remember that the holiday’s true purpose is to commemorate the American presidents and their contributions. It is a day that reminds of past presidents, our current president, and even the men and women that will lead our country in the future.       

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

New Year, New Classes

New Year, New Classes

Molly Burhans

Midterms are over and we are now beginning a new semester. This also is the beginning of the process of choosing our courses for the upcoming school year. Many students, especially freshmen, are overwhelmed by the vast amount of courses and electives available to them. This can be a stressful process, but I am here with some great tips!

A primary concern of many students is whether or not to take Regents, AP, or Honors classes. First of all, you need to know your abilities, strengths, and study habits when making these decisions.

Let’s start with science; many of you have already taken Earth Science so you are going into either Biology, Chemistry, Physics, or AP Biology. Biology is more difficult than Earth Science, but I would recommend taking Honors if you are willing to study, as Biology is largely dependent on memorization.

This is not really applicable to math because you chose whether or not to take the advanced track in seventh grade.

English is time-consuming, but if you are willing to put in the time and effort, you should take Honors.

History is difficult because there is not simply an Honors option; there is only Regents and AP. In all AP classes, you should be expecting a lot of work because it is a college level course.

One benefit of AP courses is that you can receive college credit, saving you a lot of money in the future. I would highly recommend taking any required classes, such as Health and Economics, as early as possible, leaving time for electives that interest you.

Clearly, your strengths, weaknesses, and study habits are what is important in making these decisions. If you know yourself well enough, you will make the right decision. Another thing to keep in mind is that colleges look at the rigor of your high school classes; this can be a deciding factor in your admission. If you are willing to work hard, then you should be able to conquer any class that you wish to take. Happy studying!

Wrestlers Go to Sectionals

Wrestlers Go to Sectionals

Sophia Thomas

After a long season of wrestling, four Homer wrestlers were able to wrap up their seasons at sectionals. Noah Thomas, Reno Gaffney, Matthew McCumber, and Anthony Parker all competed on Saturday, February 11 at Onondaga Community College. Each wrestler had a great day of competition although none made it to the finals. Thomas, Parker, and McCumber lost in their first matches as Gaffney was able to win enough matches to take an overall position of 6th in his weight class. Although only Gaffney was left competing at the end of the day, his fellow wrestlers and other Homer wrestling fans remained to route him on. As a captain of the wrestling team, Noah Thomas wrapped up his successful season by stating that, “The Homer wrestling team showed class, character, and dedication throughout the season while continuing to represent blue pride.” Despite the results, Homer presented itself as a worthy opponent among the numerous other schools competing for a title that day.

Countdown to Seussical Has Begun!

Countdown to Seussical Has Begun!

Skyler Powers

In preparation for the annual Homer High School (HHS) musical, cast members and pit orchestra members are practicing frequently and diligently. With the musical less than a month around the corner, Seussical participants are rehearsing daily for hours at a time. While many cast and orchestra members complain about the extensive rehearsal schedule, they will certainly be prepared for their approaching performances.

This year’s musical is Seussical. Seussical debuted on Broadway in 2000 and features the best characters and storylines from the beloved children’s book author, Dr. Seuss. The main inspiration for the musical comes from Horton Hears a Who!, Horton Hatches the Egg, and Miss Gertrude McFuzz. HHS will be producing three public performances of Seussical this year. They will be given on Friday, March 3rd, at 7:00 pm and Saturday, March 4th, at 2:00 and 7:00 pm.  

If you like watching musicals, supporting Homer students and staff, or enjoying quality entertainment, be sure to come out and see the HHS production of Seussical next month. It is sure to be a great production!

Scheduling Season is Upon Homer High School!

Scheduling Season is Upon Homer High School!

Reed Cleland

Now that the school year has rounded the halfway point, it is time for scheduling new classes!

This is the busy time of the year for HHS guidance counselors. They have the difficult task of meeting individually with all of their students, providing them with options for future classes. Seniors, of course, are excluded from this process as they will graduate at the end of the school year.

There is a lot of thought that goes into the scheduling process. Some students have a lot of classes that they want to take. Other students may want to challenge themselves with certain Honors and AP classes.

Within the past few years, the choices offered to students at HHS have increased. For example, the 2017-2018 English Department will offer two AP classes instead of one. Although AP Literature has been offered to HHS seniors for several years, AP Language will be an option for both seniors and juniors.

It is also important to remember that classes are not the only things that are being scheduled. Students are also asked to sign up for SATs and ACTs, standardized tests that play major roles in the college selection process.

With midterms behind them, students are now experiencing a brief lull in homework and testing. It is always advisable that they use some of their free time for “soul-searching”: applying for scholarships, looking at colleges, and preparing applications.

For some, such as freshmen and sophomores, college may seem like a long way off. To others, including juniors and seniors, it seems like college enrollment could not have come more quickly. Regardless, we should all remember to enjoy our time at HHS. Within the next few years, everything is going to change!

“A Breath”

“A Breath”

By Alex Neff

A quick slip, despair.

A stumble, sorrow.

A crash, anxiety.

A fall, depression.

A plunge, madness.

A sob, astray.

A breath.

A breath.

A breath, clarity.

A glance, comfort.

A rise, recovery.

A step forward,

Joy.

Alex Neff is a freelance writer, graciously sharing her poetry with us.

Reed About Politics: President Trump’s First Week

Reed About Politics: President Trump’s First Week

By Reed Cleland

Welcome to the first article in my new column, Reed About Politics. The articles in this column are meant to educate the ordinary Homer High School student about the political issues of our time. I will limit myself to facts and explanations, rather than providing my personal opinions. While I do not intend to influence your political opinions, I want to ensure that you, as young American citizens, are informed about the issues that our great nation faces.      

It has been a busy first week for Donald J. Trump as 45th President of the United States. Nearly all major American news networks are talking about the new changes that he has brought to the executive office. Let us examine three of President Trump’s most controversial reforms.

1. On January 23rd, President Trump pulled the United States out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal. Known as TPP, the agreement attempted to stimulate international trade between the United States and a variety of Asian countries. On one hand, the deal would have given the United States a large amount of influence in Asia. Since free trade tends to destroy domestic jobs, however, critics argue that TPP would have hurt American workers. While running for president, Trump consistently argued that these side effects outweighed TPP’s benefits. He was praised by many Republicans and Democrats alike for his decision; it will be interesting to see if he continues to side with American workers in future trade deals.
2. Former President Barack Obama is well known for the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). Obamacare was created with the intent of providing more people with cheaper and better healthcare. Republican congressmen, however, have criticized the bill for allegedly increasing healthcare costs, hurting low-income families. Since becoming president, Trump has begun to repeal pieces of Obamacare with the hope of replacing it with a better plan. He has come under fire for attempting to do so, because many Americans fear that this would leave them without any healthcare coverage. The healthcare debate is a challenging issue to untangle. It involves keeping prices low while providing quality care at the same time; this is extremely difficult to do. It remains to be seen whether a Trump replacement for Obamacare could give people quality care at prices they can afford.
3. While on the campaign trail, Trump was known for one of his most controversial ideas: a full-fledged ban of Muslim refugees from war-torn countries in the Middle East. Within the past five years, the United States has faced a concerning threat from the terror group known as ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria). There have been a growing number of tragic attacks on American civilians by affiliates of this terrorist organization. Trump brought these issues to the fore during his campaign, pledging to temporarily ban immigrants from terrorist-affiliated countries in the Middle East. On Friday, January 27th, he fulfilled part of this promise by placing a ninety-day ban on nationals from a list of those countries. As expected, this order has encountered scores of criticism and protest on moral and constitutional grounds. Has Trump gone too far in trying to keep Americans safe?

These are three highlight takeaways from the first week of the Trump administration. There are several more as well. Trade, healthcare, and immigration reform are three key issues that are debated in American politics. Whether or not we agree with him, President Trump has already begun to forge a new path for the United States. Will it be the correct one? This is the question that millions of Americans are asking.               

A Series of Unfortunate Events Review

A Series of Unfortunate Events Review

Skyler Powers

Netflix has taken the world by storm in recent years with its cheap availability of popular movies and TV shows. While the majority of these available shows and movies are not their own, a fair share of them are Netflix originals. Some of the most notable Netflix creations include Orange Is the New Black, Daredevil, Jessica Jones, and Stranger Things. The latest series to join their impressive lineup is A Series of Unfortunate Events.

The inspiration for this new series is the beloved children’s book series of the same name by renowned author, Lemony Snicket. The series follows the misadventures of the three Baudelaire orphans: Violet, Sunny, and Klaus. After their parents perish in a fire, they are put in the care of the wicked Count Olaf (Neil Patrick Harris), an unsuccessful actor, who has an eye on the three siblings’ inheritance. After Count Olaf fails to snag their fortune, the twins are tossed around from guardian to guardian as Count Olaf tirelessly hunts them down.  

As the title suggests, each episode is filled with unfortunate event after unfortunate event. Do not be fooled, however, because the series contain delightfully dry humor. While it has its fair share of sad moments, the mood is livened with great one-liners, situational comedy, and dark humor. This series perfectly balances the line between comedy and drama. They blend together seamlessly. The entire cast’s acting bolsters the excellent story. Neil Patrick Harris is the most impressive of the stellar plethora of actors.  

This series has enough dramatic depth to satisfy teenagers and adults while still having enough humor to entertain kids; impressive visuals will please all viewers. The series seamlessly combines Gothic and modern imagery, blending it into something unique and memorable. All of this is accomplished with impressive faithfulness to the source material. The first season’s eight episodes cover the first four books, which means that nothing is rushed. As of now, a second and third season are planned for next year and the following year, finishing the series.  

All in all, this is a delightful series of awesome performances, great visuals, and a thought-provoking story. It is a must-watch for the entire family. In my opinion, this is the best book-to-screen adaption of the series thus far and it is just one of the many amazing series and movies that Netflix has to offer.