Homer High School Olympian

Tuesday, December 5, 2017

Tuesday, May 23, 2017

On Monday, May 15th, Anders Ryd came to Homer High School to talk about general physics and his involvement with the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). Ryd was in the high school library from twelve to two-thirty in the afternoon. He grew up in southern Sweden and originally attended college to study mathematics. He changed to physics, however, and has been in the field ever since. He came to the United States to study abroad at University of California, Santa Barbara and has since been living in the United States.

Ryd’s lecture covered many topics. He explained that the universe is 13.8 billion years old and how it is made up of 73% dark energy, 23% dark matter, 3.6% hydrogen gas, and .4% stars and other materials. He also lectured about photons, gluons, bullet clusters, causality, and the Higgs Boson.

Dr. Ryd also spoke about his involvement in particle accelerators. He worked at the Cornell Synchrotron for many years, but since the LHC opened, he has focused his work there. The LHC is run by CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research and opened in 2008. It is a particle accelerator with a 16.7 circumference and buried over 500 feet below ground. The LHC can be found on the border between Switzerland and France, near Geneva. Ryd works specifically at the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS). Currently, his group is developing a pixel detector. Now that all of the quarks and leptons have been discovered, there are plans to revamp the LHC by 2030 to aid the exploration of the properties of dark matter.

Ryd said he enjoyed coming to the high school to let the younger generation know what cutting-edge scientists are up to and to excite some to pursue a scientific field. A student commented, “I found his presentation very interesting, and it was fun to learn that a farm boy from Switzerland could become a quantum physicist.”

Tessa Yonta Recognized at CNY Living History Museum!

By Reed Cleland

Tessa Yonta inducting Eli DeVoe photo.2.JPG

All high-school students love extra-credit opportunities. Tessa Yonta, a junior at Homer High School, recently went full-throttle on an extra-credit assignment in Mr. Joe Cortese’s American History class.

The CNY Living History Museum, located on Homer Avenue, is a premier source of history in Cortland County. It houses numerous historical artifacts from farm equipment to Civil War battle garb. Every year, the museum seeks nominations for the Cortland County Hall of Fame.

Mr. Cortese recently presented the contest as an extra-credit opportunity for his U.S. History students. Miss Yonta took it seriously. After some research, she submitted her list of nominees for consideration. The museum accepted one of them-Eli DeVoe, a private investigator who helped save the life of Abraham Lincoln, sixteenth president of the United States. On Saturday, May 13th, Miss Yonta was invited to give a speech at the museum’s induction ceremony! This is an amazing accomplishment and is an inspiration to American History students everywhere! Congratulations to Miss Yonta!

Photo Credit: Chris Yonta

Tuesday, May 16, 2017

History of Memorial Day

Skyler Powers

Memorial Day is an American holiday observed on the last Monday of May every year. It is a day meant to commemorate the men and women who have died while serving in the American military. This holiday has very interesting origins.

The Civil War was, at that point in history, the greatest loss of American life ever. Following the war’s end in 1865, national cemeteries were established for the first time. Family members eventually began the tradition of springtime commemorations by placing flowers at the graves of their loved ones and reciting prayers. It is believed that many communities across the United States started these days of memorium independently. In 1966, however, the federal government declared Waterloo, New York, the birthplace of Memorial Day.

Decoration Day was created by General John A. Logan in 1868 and was observed on May 30th. He chose that date because it was not the anniversary of any battle in particular, meaning that no favoritism would be shown. It was a day where the graves of fallen soldiers would be decorated with flowers. By 1890, Decoration Day was an official holiday in every Northern state. After World War I, Southern states joined in on the celebration too.

Over the course of several decades, the day gradually came to be known nationwide as Memorial Day. It continued to be on May 30th. In 1968, however, Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act. This act officially moved Memorial Day to the last Monday of May in order to give federal employees another three-day weekend. The change went into effect in 1971 and the act also made Memorial Day a federal holiday.

Over the past few decades, Memorial Day traditions have not changed much. Every year, there are parades across the country. Many people visit and decorate the graves of their loved ones who died while serving in the military. The day, along with the entirety of Memorial Day Weekend, has also become synonymous with outdoor parties and barbecues. This is very much due to the fact that it is seen as the unofficial start of summer. Many Americans like to usher in the summer season while also paying their respects to the men and women who have sacrificed their lives for the safety of our nation.

First Shakespeare Play Produced in New HHS Auditorium!

Reed Cleland

On Friday, May 12th, and Saturday, May 15th, the Homer Shakespearean Society produced the first Shakespeare play in the newly renovated Homer High School auditorium!

Much Ado About Nothing is a favorite among those who enjoy crafty wordplay and Shakespearean puns. The plot follows two young soldiers, Benedick and Claudio, as they return home from war and proceed to woo two young ladies, Beatrice and Hero. All the while, Don John, a fellow soldier, schemes to ruin the romance.

The Homer Shakespearean Society has been known to experiment with Shakespearean works. In November 2015, for example, it produced A Midsummer Night’s Dream set in 1960s America. Director Louise Felker chose to set Much Ado About Nothing during World War II. The men sported military uniforms while the ladies planted victory gardens. It was a spectacular decision. The World War II theme matched the plotline perfectly!

There were a number of outstanding performances by Homer’s student actors. Drew Gustafson, Tessa Brown, Nate Johnson, and Kaitlyn Clune led the pack as Benedick, Beatrice, Claudio, and Hero respectively. Elliot Gustafson played the role of Don John while Benjamin Hyde played Don Pedro, the commanding officer. Stephen Hyde arguably received the most laughs in his role of Dogberry, the town constable. The rest of the cast was filled out by enormously talented actors who helped bring the show to life. The show was professionally stage-managed by Mikayla Elkins, and a team of hardworking technicians kept everything running smoothly.

The show received a decent turnout, with nearly two-hundred people in attendance. Everybody was pleased with the performances; there was not a single criticism to be heard. There was a moment of excitement when Ms. Felker announced that the Society will be producing Hamlet in November 2017. This is bound to generate much excitement at Homer High School, considering that eleventh-graders read Hamlet in their English classes.

Congratulations to the Shakespearean Society on a job well done!

Thursday, May 11, 2017

Here’s What Went Down at Homer’s 2017 Prom

Stephen C. Hyde

As an experienced prom-goer, I can say the food this year was definitely the best, with decent sushi and amazing mac-and-cheese. The desserts were also amazing; I thoroughly enjoyed the cookies and cream cheesecake. While I did not personally dance, my sources say, “It was okay most of the time, with small glimpses of ‘good’ music.” The weather could have been better, but that was out of our hands. Sitting on the patio and talking with friends throughout the night, however, was quite enjoyable. The turnout was nice, with many familiar faces as well as many I did not recognize. There was also several teacher chaperones as well.

The after-prom party was held at Homer High School this year. Many people enjoyed the inflatable activities. There were mixed feelings about the hypnotist: many enjoyed the show while others felt bored. At the end of the night, prizes were distributed. As always, some benefited from the luck-of-the-hat and received what they wanted. Others were left with the scraps in the bucket. I was quite happy when I received a tent and inflatable mattress.

Many thanks to the hardworking teachers, students, parents, and volunteers who helped make Homer’s prom enjoyable!

Reed About Politics: FBI Director Fired!

Reed Cleland

On May 9th, 2017, Donald Trump became the second president in American history to fire his FBI director!

This is a major political bombshell that has stunned journalists, politicians, and pundits alike. The story about President Trump and FBI director James Comey is a long one, but this article will attempt to simplify the issue.

James Comey was the seventh director of the FBI. Aside from advising the president, FBI directors do not like to involve themselves in the public spotlight of day-to-day politics. Unfortunately for Comey, he became hopelessly entangled in politics during his investigation of Hillary Clinton’s email scandal. It was believed that Clinton had violated the law by sending emails containing national secrets from her personal computer. The FBI initiated a probe into the Clinton server in an attempt to find any wrongdoing. On July 5th, 2016, James Comey made a public announcement that the FBI had concluded its investigation, finding no evidence that Clinton had broken the law.

This was not the end, however. On October 28th, the FBI announced that it was reopening its investigation because it had discovered new emails. This decision was made two weeks before the election, and it was highly controversial. Although Comey later declared that the FBI’s findings did not change its original decision, many people argue that reopening the investigation was a political move that doomed Hillary Clinton’s presidential run.

And where was Trump? Throughout the entire Clinton-FBI scandal, he was eagerly cheering James Comey’s efforts. Indeed, Trump may have Comey to thank for his triumph in the election. Comey’s reopening of the email investigation may have swung enough votes to Trump for him to win.

Things quickly turned on Trump. After he won the election, the American government publicly announced that Russian President Vladimir Putin had purposely tried to hurt Hillary Clinton’s chances. American intelligence discovered that Russia hacked the computer system of the Democratic National Committee, the organization that heads the Democratic party. Former President Obama ordered several investigations, eventually culminating in the expulsion of thirty-five Russian diplomats. The most unsettling moment came in March 2017 when James Comey announced that the FBI was investigating possible connections between Trump associates and Russian officials.

This brings us to the events of May 9th. On the evening of Tuesday, May 9th, the White House released the president’s order for Comey’s removal. Although Trump stated that Comey was being fired because of how he handled the Clinton email scandal, many people doubt that this is the true reason. They believe that Trump fired Comey because Comey was leading the investigation of the possible link between Trump associates and Russia.

As can be expected, politicians and pundits are in an uproar. While some defend Trump’s decision, others accuse him of abusing his power. They are comparing the incident to Richard Nixon’s Saturday Night Massacre. This much is inarguably true: while Trump had made several unorthodox decisions since his inauguration, firing James Comey was the most dramatic. Trump will now need a new FBI director who will be supported by angry Democrats and his other critics. Calls for new investigations into the Russian election interference will probably increase. In a democratic nation, it is important that every single political leader is held accountable. Trump is leading Washington D.C. down a path on which it has never traveled before. His decisions are changing the the direction of American politics, for good or for worse.

Works Cited

Ciss, Doug. “Quickly Catch Up on the Comey Firing.” Wed. May 10 2017. Web. Accessed Wed. May 10 2017.

Miller, Greg. “Declassified report says Putin ‘ordered’ effort to undermine faith in U.S. election and help Trump.” Jan. 6. Web. Accessed Wed. May 10 2017.