Potty Pages

For more info on what SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) is doing, see the stall closest to you!

Casino Night 2014

Thank you to everyone who attended Student Government’s Casino Night 2014! The event was a huge success, filled with music, dancing, games, and prizes.

The following sponsors generously contributed to the event:

Ammerican Photography

Applebee’s

Bev and Co.

Central City

DFM Salon

Geared 2 Sports

Hi-Lanes

Ho-Beau’s

Homer Men and Boys

Little Italy

Ponderosa

SADD

Taco Bell

Mr. Massenzio, of Ammerican Photography, took photos of students throughout the night. If you are interested in ordering some of his photos, contact Mr. Massenzio directly for more information.

Thank you to Student Government for sponsoring the event!

Photo credit: Ammerican Photography

Ag Literacy Day

Homer FFA members recently participated in the state wide Agricultural Literacy program by reading to Homer Elementary 2nd grade classes. This year's book selection was WHO GREW MY SOUP?  which described where all the healthy vegetables grew that go into a delicious soup! Ag Literacy Day is a combined effort by Farm Bureau, Cooperative Extension, Ag in the Classroom and local agriculturists like FFA members to educate youth on the importance of food and fiber production in their lives.  A copy of WHO GREW MY SOUP? was donated to the Homer Elementary Library and follow-up activities were left with all the Homer 2nd grade teachers.

#YAG2014 - updated

#YAG2014

Ali Jenkins

Homer students once again represented Central New York at the 2014 New York State Youth and Government conference in Albany! These students joined 600 other teens from across the state to experience the branches and programs of our government. Homer students served as attorneys and justices in the judicial branch and as bill sponsors, cabinet members, and committee chairs in the legislative branch. The following students held leadership positions at the conference:

Baylie Goddard: Committee Chair

Grace Gugerty: Committee Chair

Erik Gustafson: Secretary of State

Andrew Jacobi: Justice

Ali Jenkins: Commissioner of Environmental Protection

Jas Singh: Justice

After a long weekend of hard work, fun memories, and not much sleep, many Homer students were recognized for their achievements. In addition to several nominated students, these delegates received “best” awards, which reward delegates’ achievements through a peer voting process.
“Best Attorney:” Tighe Gugerty

“Best Brief:” Joe Settineri

“Best Debater in the Senate:” Drew Gustafson

“Best Debater in Assembly Liberty:” Ali Jenkins

Finally, twenty-one students are chosen each year to represent New York State at the national Youth and Government week, the Conference on National Affairs (CONA). This year, Grace Gugerty, Andrew Jacobi, and Ali Jenkins were chosen to represent Homer High School and New York State at this conference, and Erik Gustafson was chosen as an alternate delegate for the program. 

      In addition to these students, the entire Cortland YMCA club performed outstandingly at this year’s conference! New and returning members alike shone due to their preparation and passion. All those who attended the conference should be proud of their achievements, regardless of what cases won and which bills were passed and signed. If you see any of the following students in school, be sure to congratulate them on their hard work!

Alex Contento, Joey Esposito, Liam George, Kennedy George, Baylie Goddard, Abbey Gray, Grace Gugerty, Tighe Gugerty, Drew Gustafson, Erik Gustafson, Tyler Hatfield Andrew Jacobi, Ali Jenkins, Sarah Jensen, Jordan Laundry, Jared LoGerfo, Bill McLaughlin, Carmela Mooney, Mara Nasiatka, Matt Pelowski, Josh Sands, Joe Settineri, Jas Singh, Aysia Smith, Erica Stevens, Tim Swenson, Kenian Ulrich, Matt Walling, and Sophie Whittington. Wonderful job, everyone!

Blue Pride in the Florida Keys

Blue Pride in the Florida Keys

This February break, Homer students left cold Central New York behind for five days. Eleven members of the Homer High School Environmental Outdoor Education Club travelled to the Florida Keys to learn about the local environment and wildlife, to explore the area, and to soak up some rays. Check out these pictures from their adventures!

Join Us for the Annual Youth and Government Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser!

Join Us for the Annual Youth and Government Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser!

What? A fundraiser with delicious food, sponsored by Homer Youth and Government.

Why? The funds raised at this event help club members afford to attend the annual State Conference.

When? March 3, 2014.

          5:30-7:00 pm.

Tickets: $5 per person, $15 per family

See any Youth and Government member to purchase tickets in advance. Tickets will also be available at the door.

What is Youth and Government?

Youth and Government is an educational program, composed of various branches in which students can participate. Through a series of local YMCA meetings and one state-wide meeting, high school students come together to learn how to turn a problem or an idea into a piece of legislation. Students may also choose to explore the court system, by becoming involved in the judicial branch of the program. After months of preparation and research at the local level, students travel to Albany for three days to debate their refined bills and argue their researched court cases in the hearing rooms and chambers of the State House.

Important:

        Contact Ms. Giordano with any questions, at JGiordano@homercentral.org.

        Any donations are welcome!

        Thank you for your support!

SADD and The Wizards

Stephen Hyde  

On Saturday, the 25th of January Homer High School’s SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) had the pleasure of selling concessions at the Harlem Wizards game; They sold hot dogs, brownies, nachos and other assorted snacks.  SADD’s advisor, Michael Massenzio, and 15 students were there to help out.  Massenzio said, “SADD and I had a great time last year and were glad to be asked to come back and help out this year.”  Part of the funds SADD received will be donated to Homer’s Largest Red Ribbon’s fund to benefit the Southern Tier AIDS program.

Jeans for Teens

Jeans for Teens

Jared Pace

Do you want to make a difference? Support a good cause? Help children in need? By supporting Teens for Jeans at the high school, you can! From now through February 14, you can drop off gently-used jeans in your English classrooms. Your donations will help children in need.

If you want to become even more involved, visit TEENSFORJEANS.com, where you can:

1. Sign up to receive a FREE Teens for Jeans banner
2. Download posters and collect jeans
3. Drop your collected jeans at any of your local Aero or P.S. stores
4. Return to TeensForJeans.com to report the number of jeans you collected

It’s that simple! The top elementary, middle, and high schools will each win $5,000! The school that collects the most jeans will receive the grand prize of $10,000, as well as Aéropostale t-shirts and a party!

Talk to either Mr. Hatch or a student government member for more information!

YAG Lockin: Taking a Study Break in Style

YAG Lockin: Taking a Study Break in Style

Ali Jenkins

The weekend before midterms, Youth and Government members took a break from studying for their annual YMCA lockin. The teens traveled to the Liverpool YMCA to connect with the other parts of their district.  

The students took care of business for several hours, finalizing bills and running through briefs. They worked together to prepare each other for the coming spring conference. The teens also completed this year’s service learning project, writing letters about bullying awareness to intermediate school students.

The teens also came together for icebreakers and team-building games. They broke into groups with the challenge of creating the tallest tower with nothing but balloons and tape. The YAG members also worked together as a team to play a game of “pass the slap” and to solve category puzzles. Finally, they ended the activities with a giant game of crossfire. Later, teens broke off to play racquetball, join a game of sardines, or catch a few hours of sleep.

The 2014 lockin was a success, as the groups bonded in the pool, over ice cream sundaes, and while playing all-night games. Great job to everyone who attended this fun event!

¡Hola Costa Rica!

¡Hola Costa Rica!

Kennedy George

           Mrs. Zimmerman has already been preparing for next year’s trip to Costa Rica. The trip is planned for April of 2015 and will be a two week visit to the country. Fourteen to twenty-two students are planning to go, but there are still slots open for the “Costa Rica Crew” for anyone interested.

           In past years, groups have visited the Costa Rican national rainforest, the volcano Arenal, a coffee plantation, and a nearby island. Students participating in the trip will not only be tourists but also students. During their stay, they will be attending classes at a language school, Intensa. Half of the students of Intensa are Costa Ricans learning English and the other half are people from all over the world studying Spanish. It is a great opportunity for Homer students to take part in the language and to better understand and appreciate Spanish speaking culture.

           According to Mrs. Zimmerman, the most rewarding aspect of the trip is seeing her students’ realization of the value of understanding the language and the purpose of all of the hard work they put into studying the language. This is a fantastic trip to go on if you are considering ever studying abroad or even if you are just interested in the Spanish-speaking world.

           Students will be applying in the next two weeks and there will be a parent meeting for the trip on January, 28th at 6:30 p.m.

Youth and Government in Rochester

Youth and Government in Rochester

Ali Jenkins

On Saturday, January 11th, Homer students in Youth and Government (YAG) traveled to Rochester for their annual Interdistrict Conference. The purpose of this conference is to give new members a chance to practice formal debate and arguments and to prepare delegates for the state conference in March. After convening with Rochester’s club, the students broke into their separate programs: legislative, judicial, and press.

Legislative members began the day in small committees, where they reviewed bills and offered suggestions. After a docket was prepared, the group moved into formal run-throughs of the bills. This gave the delegates an opportunity to practice parliamentary procedure and to share their bills with a wider audience. Lobbyists, also a part of the Legislative branch, presented their statements before the assembly and debated alongside the bill sponsors. After this experience, students are able to use this feedback to strengthen their bills before Albany’s conference.

Judicial attorneys practiced arguing their cases in front of justices. In this program, students are assigned to case A, B, C, or D and serve as the appellant or the respondent. They work for months writing briefs, learning their cases, and memorizing cross cases to strengthen their arguments. At Interdistricts, attorneys presented their arguments in front of new justices to prepare for the spring conference. These YAG members, too, benefitted greatly from the new perspectives and ideas at Interdistricts.

Press delegates also worked diligently throughout the day. They snapped photos of attorneys and bill sponsors in action; they interviewed seniors in the program; and they wrote articles on debatable topics in government. At the end of the day, they distributed the 2014 issue of The Parliamentarian. This publication included the articles, interviews, and photos from the day and went home with the delegates to remind them of the exciting experience!

The YAG Interdistrict Conference is always a successful opportunity for practice, preparation, and growth, and this year was no different. Thank you to all the Homer students who attended this event and special thanks to the Youth and Government advisors, Ms. Giordano and Mr. Chris Buttino, for helping to make the day a success!

Student Government Holiday Charities

Liam George

Earlier in December, Student Government members spent multiple hours of their Saturday bell-ringing for the Salvation Army in front of the Walmart in Cortland. Also, as you may have seen, members have also been going around the school and getting people to write holiday cards to send to soldiers. They collected over 300 cards in their “Mail for Heroes” campaign! Way to go Student Government!

New National Honor Society Members

New National Honor Society Members

Ali Jenkins

     This Tuesday, Homer National Honor Society welcomed its newest members into the organization. Congratulations to Brandon Austin, Chase Davis, Nick Holcomb, and Brian Mitchell! These students went through a rigorous application process and were selected based on character, scholarship, leadership, and service. Be sure to congratulate these students on their achievement!

National FFA Convention

National FFA Convention

Julia Fouts

From October 20th to November 2nd 2013, FFA members from across the country met together at the National Convention in Louisville, Kentucky. Danielle Angel, Marissa Phelps, Libby Camp, Nichole Ponticello, Tommy Pitman, and McKenzie Brown were the six Homer members who attended. They visited a large dairy farm, an aquarium, the Kentucky Derby museum, a Dierks Bentley concert, a rock and fossil museum, and a zoo in Louisville. While at the convention, members partook in many workshops and met other students interested in agriculture. There was even a talent show in which FFA members could sing or perform for the other teens. Toward the end of the week, members had a Halloween party, and members dressed up and danced. In this event with many cultures, the kids decided to teach each other their methods of dancing.

Homer students had a blast learning about different people and seeing new things at the FFA National Convention!

From left: McKenzie Brown, Libby Camp, Nichole Ponticello, Marissa Phelps, Danielle Angel

Success at the Fall Ball

Success at the Fall Ball

Kennedy George

         This year’s Annual Fall Costume Ball took place on Friday, October 25th. It was run by the International Club. The dance had great attendance and the judges had a hard time picking the costume winners. Some of the top winners were Brian Mitchell and Sarah Willsey, who went as Charlie Brown and the Great Pumpkin; Meghan Rahner, who went as a harlequin doll; Bill McLaughlin, who went as a crash test dummy; Peter Hartsock, who went as Gene Simmons; Jack Connery, who went as Dora the Explorer; Emma Gutchess and Alana McCray, who went as lion and lion tamer; Darius Stevens and Brad Sovocol, who went as Spy vs. Spy; Connor M. and Drew B., who went as a ghost and Ghost Buster; and Sam Anderson, who was the top winner  for her creative satyr costume.

           The International Club earned several hundred dollars in profit. This money will be used towards the club’s charity project. In the past, this project included donations to The Smile Train and to Heifer International. Some of this money will also be used towards scholarships for future trips. 

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.

Youth and Government

Youth and Government

Youth and Government will hold its first meeting on Thursday, October 3rd. The club meets at the Cortland YMCA from 7:00-8:30 pm. Anyone interested in learning about government, in improving their public speaking skills, in creating new legislation, or in connecting with students from across the state should attend this meeting! The leadership team will discuss the different branches of the program, as well as the opportunities for delegates throughout the year. Join us to become involved in an exciting, rewarding, and fun club!

If you are interested in learning more about the program, stop by the Youth and Government table at Open House or see Ms. Giordano in room 124. We hope to see you there!

Lucky Day Dance

Amanda Cochran

​      Last weekend, Homer High’s Link Crew hosted the Lucky Day Dance. DJ Philly C blasted the music and people flowing through after the football game. Soon, people were hanging out, eating nachos, and dancing to the beat. The dance was a huge success!

     All profits from the dance went to the Class of 2017’s account, in an effort to ensure that the class has an overall good high school experience. This dance, like all of Link Crew’s activities, was an effort to make our new students feel more welcomed and comfortable in their new school. Everything went smoothly; even though the snacks were scarce, students were still rocking on the dance floor and hanging out in the lobby, having fun with both fellow freshmen and Link leaders. Thank you, Link Crew, for doing such a spectacular job and caring for our new fellow students!

Casino Night: Were you there?

Kennedy George

           Homer High School’s annual Casino Night was a success this year! There was a large turnout and Student Government had many helpers, both students and staff. People played various card games, danced, and ate snacks. At the end of the night, prizes donated to Student Government by various organizations were given out. Many people received prizes, including Jacob Jensen, who won the $50 prize, Emily Groulx, who won the $30 prize, Kelsey Peirson, who won a Frosted T-Shirt, Kristen Fuller, who won a Frosted gift certificate, and Jackson Morse, who won a Regal gift card. Overall, Casino Night was a success for Student Government and a fun night for all who attended!