Kirtland Chronicle 5-03-2024

CHRONICLE

By Donna RoBinson

eDitoR@kaRlovecmeDia

com

CHRONICLE KIRTLAND

8389 Mayfield Rd. B-5, Chesterland, Ohio 44026 | P:

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Red Oak Camp – A Great Place for Kids to Commune with Nature

mer enrichment program, operating the camp out of the red-painted house next to Corning Lake, said

sleep-away camp, where they slept in old army tents across from Sperry Road near Bull’s Woods.

and horticulture. Archery, canoeing and swimming was also introduced to give the kids some directed activity but mostly exposure to nature,” he said, adding it was named Red Oak Camp in honor of the area’s most common species of oak tree.

CHRONICLE

Dempsey was close friends with Warren Corning, who was instrumental in growing the Holden Arboretum and whose great passion was horticulture, Faulstitch said.

Five years after the overnight camp began, one of Corning’s daughters, Allyson (a.k.a. Sunny), formed a camp for girls in 1957, calling them the Chincapin Girls — name after a species of white oak tree, Faulstitch said.

Chincapin did all the things boys did, but Sunny was a life-long equestrian and the girls had horseback riding as a core component, he said.

“The camp always served school-age children from first through 10th grade, with boys and their activities, and girls and their activities, occupying separate areas of the camp,” Faulstitch said.

“In the first summer, there were about 12 boys in the Red Barn program, then we added the girl’s overnight program, and

Hornets Baseball Off to a Great 13-3 Spring on Diamond

By alan koRnspan spoRts@kaRlovecmeDia com

The 2024 Hornets baseball team is having a great season as they are currently 13-3 heading into the last two games of April.

Helping the Hornets to a great start this season has been their excellent pitching and hitting.

For the season, through 16 games, the Hornets pitching staff has an excellent earned run average of just 3.25.

A key metric that has helped the Hornets staff achieve success this year is their accuracy on the mound.

In fact, in 98 innings pitched this season, the Hornets staff has amassed 122 strike outs and only allowed 40 base on balls.

The Kirtland Public Library is located at 9267 Chillicothe Road. Hours are Monday-Thursday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday-Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For more information about any of these programs or to register, please call the library at 440-256-7323 or visit www.kirtland.lib.oh.us.

May Adult Programs

Knit & Crochet

May 6 • 6 p.m.

Drop-in event open to anyone who enjoys knitting, crocheting or is interested in learning these skills. Join the fun on the first Monday of each month from 6-7 p.m. Bring your own supplies.

Color Me Calm

May 10 • 2:30 p.m.

Come relax and color with us. We supply the coloring pages, pencils and music. Feel

Kirtland Library

free to bring your own supplies if you like. Just sign up and show up. Registration requested.

No Pressure Book Discussion

May 20 • 1:30 p.m.

Join us in the Community Room to talk about books . . . any books you've read recently that you want to recommend to others. Bring a bagged lunch if you like.

Cookbook Club

May 21 • 6:15 p.m.

Bring in a tea party type food celebrate May! Don’t forget your place setting and beverage! Sign up for more information.

Special Events

Used Book Sale

May 4 • 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Find some treasures in the Book Cellar at the Library! After that you can head upstairs

to check out some more recent titles! This event is sponsored by The Friends of Kirtland Public Library.

Wind Chime Workshop

May 4 • 10:30 a.m.

May 13 • 5 p.m.

Join us for a two-part Wind Chime workshop with Anne Rose. Please sign up for both dates. Final pickup is May 28 at 5 p.m.

Bring your own wooden rolling pin if you like. The first step is rolling out the clay and designing our fish. Anne will take them and fire them for us. The first session last about 1.5-2 hours.

The $10 per person cost for this is collected at the first session only. Cash is requested. You must sign up for both sessions to be eligible for this craft.

Care and Handling of Treasures

May 7 • 6 p.m.

Join Holly Witchey, Director of Education & Outreach for ICA-Art Conservation, for an evening of discussion on how to handle, care

for, and eventually pass on your family treasures. Attendees are encouraged to bring a small object, photograph, document or item that is meaningful to exhibit in a “Pop-Up Museum” of family treasures. Please register for this event.

Cleveland Cultural Gardens

May 8 • 6:30 p.m.

The Cultural Gardens, spanning Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard, are rich in history and beauty. Rebecca McFarland will give a closer at the different gardens and the history of this area which was originally dedicated in 1916. Please register for this event.

Card Making Workshop

May 14 • 6 p.m.

Craft Your Story will be here with for a spring card-making workshop. The cost is $10 per person. Payment accepted only at the event. Please register for this event.

Culinary Class: Greek Cuisine

May 20 • 6 p.m.

Sign up for this class to the Mediterranean and enjoy some tasty food while you learn! $10.00 cash per person to attend. Payment accepted only at the event. Registration is required.

Adult Summer Reading: Adventure Begins at Your Library

Sign up for summer reading on the Read Squared App. We have lots of great prizes, thank to our local businesses. The program lasts from May 27 to July 20.

May Youth Programs

Laketran Bus Visit

May 3• 10:30 a.m.

Explore a Laketran bus from the inside. We’ll examine the features of the bus and enjoy a story and a craft. Participants will be able to pose for pictures in the driver’s seat (parents, bring your cameras). Bus visits will be 10:30-11 a.m. and indoor storytime will be 11-11:30 a.m. Please register every adult and every child.

Mother’s Day Craft

May 11 • 10:30 a.m.

Come make a craft bag lantern for your special person.

Please register every adult and every child attending.

LEGO Club

May 18 • 10:30 a.m.

Families, spend an hour creating with the library’s LEGO brick collection. Once you have completed your creation with our bricks, we will place it in on display for all to see. Please register for this program.

Summer Reading 2024 Kickoff Event

May 28 • 3:45 p.m.

Families, get a sneak peek at our summer reading activities and help decorate the Children’s Department for the summer. Please register for this event.

A Note from the Mayor

The spirit of volunteerism in Kirtland continues, and I’m not sure how many times I’ve said it, but I couldn’t be prouder of how the community ceaselessly gives back.

Led by Kirtland Kiwanis, the Community Garden received its annual tilling, weeding and mulching thanks to the volunteerism of dozens of community members. On the same day, Service Director Joe Fornaro led a group of volunteers that cleaned litter and debris along state Route 306 throughout downtown Kirtland.

And once again, through coordination of the Mayor’s Action Network, more than 30 volunteers spent a Saturday morning in April raking, mulching, weeding and hauling branches for 10 resident seniors and veter ans.

In preparation for Memorial Day, the American Legion Barber Williams Post, Kirtland Kiwanis, the Garden Club of Kirtland and Scout Troop 286 will lead an effort to mulch and plant flowers around Veterans Memorial and City Hall property on May 17. Additionally, that same day, we will see the fourth annual tree planting in front of City Hall.

Last month, I had the honor of joining the mayors of Willoughby, Wickliffe, Eastlake, Willoughby Hills and Willowick at the annual Willoughby Western Lake County Chamber of Commerce breakfast. As always, this was a great event, but this year was bittersweet in that we didn’t have our great friend, Mayor Dennis Morley, of Eastlake, there with us. In memory of this great local leader, we each paid special tribute to Dennis as part of our presentations that laid out the current state of our cities.

State of the Cities is hardly a challenge, as there is no shortage of material to cover when it comes to operations and initiatives in Kirtland. This year was no different, as I was able to highlight such projects as the outdoor restrooms at the Community Center and the upcoming $2.5 million dollar 2024 road program.

In addition to this, I discussed our interest and intent to work with Lake County Utilities to expand our sanitary sewers south along 306 to state Route 6, thus spurring economic development at the intersection. It was also conveyed to the audience that there is real demand and opportunity to work with property owners and investors to create a walkable and livable downtown featuring living space suited for seniors, a coffee shop and dining.

I bragged to the chamber crowd of nearly 200 patrons about many of Kirtland’s fine eating establishments. Proudly, I spoke of Biga, Tavern Six, Down the Block, Honey’s, Sausalito, Angelo’s and the new Crowley’s bar and restaurant that features the best burger in Cleveland — the Smashburger.

In closing, I would like to thank Kirtland Library Director Jane Carle for her many years of service making Kirtland’s Library one of the best around. In the rapidly changing world of digital resources, Jane has led our local library to not only remain relevant, but to be a thriving space for gathering and education for people of all ages. Jane has truly made Kirtland a better place and we will miss her leadership and spirit.

Thank you,

I’m happy to say that preparing for the

Library from page 2

Weekly Events

Lapsit

Tuesdays • 10 a.m.

Bounces, rhymes, one book, scarves and shakers, geared for families with children

Mayor Potter

under the age of 3. Meet outdoors on the courtyard, weather permitting. No need to register. (NO lapsit on May 14 or May 28.)

Storytime

Wednesdays • 10 a.m.

Enjoy great books, rhymes, songs, and surprises with your child. This storytime is geared for families with children age 5 and under. Meet outdoors on the courtyard, weather permitting. No need to register. (NO storytime on May 15.)

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Circulation

• The Kirtland Chronicle is distributed for free each month to homes and businesses in the communities of Kirtland, Kirtland Hills and Waite Hill. It is mailed through the U.S. Postal Service.

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Help Support the Kirtland Chronicle & Local Journalism

The Kirtland Chronicle and newspaper journalism are critically important and essential in protecting the vibrant community in which we live.

The Kirtland Chronicle stitches the communities we serve together. From news to in-depth articles on topics that deeply affect the community, the Kirtland Chronicle strives to bring you complete coverage.

The cost of publishing this newspaper — editorial, printing, mailing and other production costs — is accomplished primarily through the support of generous advertisers. These advertisers are community leaders who understand the value of a strong local newspaper. We appreciate

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To help us continue to invest in the community, we invite readers to show their support through a voluntary newspaper subscription.

If you value strong community journalism, please consider helping us with a voluntary subscription. The amount is entirely up to you. Simply complete the subscription form in this edition or call 440-729-7667 ext. 500.

As always, we greatly appreciate the support you give us, whether it’s financially or simply by continuing to be a loyal reader of the Kirtland Chronicle.

Jeff and John Karlovec

Mayor Kevin Potter

Kirtland Schools Update

As we head into the final stretch of the school year, I continue to be amazed by our students and staff. Recently, Kirtland High School was ranked by The US News to be in the top 9% of high schools in the country. This is a tribute to our great teachers, hard working students, involved par ents and a supportive community. Our students continue to achieve at a high level inside and outside the classroom while giving back to their community.

dodge-ball contained in a 20 foot octagonthe trick being you slap the ball rather than throw it, and you are only “out” if the ball hits you below the knee! All players have a chance at winning these quick games encouraging many exciting rounds during a recess period.

Joe Work, John Tataru, Clancy Lochert, Joel Stewart, Mike Hill, Jim Gotch, Tom Brownridge, and Jeff Balserski. A huge thank you to Walter, the Boy Scouts and parents for their efforts to give back and make a difference for others!

By Chad VanArnhem, Superintendent

On March 24, 2024, Kirtland High School student Walter Knoop, mem bers of Boy Scout troop 286, other Kirtland students and parents participated in building a Gaga Ball pit for the Kirtland Elementary

The construction was part of Walter’s Eagle Scout project and has been a huge hit for the students at KES. The other members of Boy Scout Troop 286 and the Kirtland students that helped were Josh Stewart, Julian Aldom, Jack Knoop, Gavin Noonan, Adam Hill, Kara Hill, Lucas Balcerski, Otto Loschert, Nolan Loschert, Crosby Lochert, Keegan Lochert, and Nathan Keller. The parents that lent a helping hand were Doug Knoop,

At the April 15th Board of Education meeting, three levels of AP Scholars were recognized for their tremendous achievements. The AP Scholars award is granted to students who score a three or higher on three or more AP Exams. Congratulations to Maksimilyan Clipov, Knox Crisci, Clare Davidson, Grace Mastrangelo, Sylvia Vosicky, Leah Appell, Daniel Booth, Claire Dumstorff, Sophia LaVerde, Nina Loncar, Penelope McFadden, Nishaan Meet, and Katherine Reynolds

The AP Scholars with Honors are granted to students who receive an average score of at least 3.25 on all AP Exams taken, and

scores of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams. Congratulations to Jack Green and Vincent Kastelic.

The AP Scholars with Distinction are granted to students who receive an average score of at least 3.5 on all AP Exams taken, and scores of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams. Congratulations to, Daniel Bak, Nickolas Barisic, William Bradshaw, Stephanie Drazetic, Andrew Duncan, Vincent Eveland, Adriana Freitas, Dakota Schaum, Anand Sundararajan, Lily Whittaker, and Eleanor Withrow. Two Kirtand athletes had signing days to continue their athletic careers at the next level. On February 29th, Macguire Boyd signed to play football at Siena Heights University. On April 18th, Gino Blasini signed to play football at Miami University of Ohio. Congratulations and best of luck!

Thank you for your continued support.

Kiwanis Korner

By kathy talty

Spring cleaning is happening with the Kiwanis Club. Last week, the club was busy weeding and mulching at the Kirtland Community Garden.

Help came from the kindness of a tractor being lent, as well as Jeff Bailey using his rotavator to till the beds. Filipe Braga, from Brazil, who was visiting his host parents, Jane and Frank Lyon, from AFS days 2010-2011, helped the club members as well. The beds are now ready for planting.

Our sponsor club enjoyed Earth Day. K-Kids adopted a bald eagle and had a visit from the eagle and the staff from Lake Metroparks. The Aktion Club had plans to visit the homeless shelter in Painesville and made care packages with toiletries and other needed items. The Key Club had an Earth Day fundraiser for the rehabilitation center at Penitentiary Glen Reservation.

Kirtland Kiwanis awarded the amazing talents of the students from this area at the

Creative Writing Contest award dinner April 25 at the Kirtland Community Center.

Congratulations to the new Hornet and Rise Snack Shop. Coffee and snacks are provided to the faculty in the resource room. This project, spearheaded by Jamie Kamensky, helps teach the students how to run a business and sharpen their math skills. The Kiwanis were helpful to provide the startup funds.

The annual Rummage Sale at Pumpkin Ville on state Route 306 begins with early bird shopping for $20 on May 8th from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and continues May 9 and May 10 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The proceeds will go to the Kirtland Foundation to provide funds for scholarships.

Wishing a Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms.

And lastly, from Jerry Bartels, president of our club: Never get tired of doing the little things for others. It’s those little things that occupy the biggest part of their hearts.

Kiwanis Students of the Month

The Kirtland Kiwanis “Students of the Month” for May 2024 are fifth-grader Sawyer Held, of Kirtland Elementary School, sixth-grader Megan Turner and seventh-grader Mark Nalepka, of Kirtland Middle School, and 12th-grader Lily Whittaker, of Kirtland High School. The Kiwanis sponsors the “Students of the Month.” The principal and staff chose one student from each school to be recognized.

Each student has their picture taken, receives a certificate and a T-shirt that says “Student of the Month.”

From left, “Students of the Month” Sawyer Held, of KES, Megan Turner and Mark Nalepka, of KMS, and Lily Whittaker, of KHS.

Kirtland Youth Showcase Writing Talent

By allison Wilson eDitoR@kaRlovecmeDia com

The talent of Kirtland’s youth was celebrated April 25, as students grades six through 12 were recognized at an award dinner for their writing prowess.

This year marks the second annual Kirtland Kiwanis Creative Writing Contest, with the number of submissions increasing from 22 to 27.

The event, which was hosted at the Kirtland Community Center, sported awards for honorable mentions, as well as first-, secondand third-place winners.

Kirtland students were divided into thirds by grade level — pools of winners were selected from grades sixth through eighth, ninth through 10th and 11th through 12th.

Though some students were unable to make it due to conflicts with choir and theater, the tables were still packed when it came time to announce the places.

Kirtland Kiwanis Chair of Youth Services Kathy Talty had nothing but praise for the winning pieces.

“Every single one was phenomenal. So well developed and brought tears to my eyes,” she said.

Students entering the contest must write to a theme. This year’s prompt, “What’s love got to do with it,” sparked a colorful variety of pieces.

Judges Shelly Dedmon, Paul Rampe and Chris Lambert discussed the trials of their process.

“We looked for something that’s creative, a little different than run of the mill. We looked for the flow of the composition from beginning to end,” Rampe explained. “We looked for it to make a good point, a good strong point. We looked for good language.”

Rampe noted the creativity of the entries.

“Some wrote half a page, some wrote five pages,” he said.

To Dedmon, adherence to the theme was important.

“I think we were looking at how the piece reflected the theme,” she said. “And whether it reflected the theme at all. A few did not.” Lambert chipped in on the maturity of the writing.

“I was looking for everything that (the other judges) said also, as far as style, but I was thinking of the age brackets and I was trying to see how mature they wrote and if they did, if it was a serious piece, I was looking for the degrees of either pain, sorrow and especially pathos,” he said.

Rampe described his surprise at the youngest, sixth-through-eighth-grade group, who showed a large variety of genres in their age bracket alone.

“They had (three) very imaginative pieces and were very well structured and quite detailed,” he recalled. “One was kind of a scifi, one was a theatrical drama of World War One and the other one was about zombies. Zombies in love.”

A favorite of Lambert’s featured writing he described as beyond the student’s years, focused around reflections and a bridge.

“He wrote like an elderly person looking back at his life over that bridge,” he said.

Lambert described the judges' conversations over the writing as lawyer-esque.

“Somebody jokes, ‘Ah, you’ll spend 20 minutes on that.’ No, we really argued verb, adjective, and emotional content verses stay-

Kirtland Middle School to Take Break from Screens

Kirtland Middle School will be hosting a “Screen Free Week” May 6-10 to encourage students to decrease the amount of time they spend on their phones, computers and in front of the television.

Children ages 8-18 spend an average of four and a half hours per day watching television or scrolling on smartphones, one and a half hours using computers and more than an hour playing video games, according to the school district, which added screen time can be habit-forming.

In an effort to reduce excessive screen time and promote healthier habits, KMS will go completely screen-free for one week — and initiative organized by the school's Student Leadership Council.

During this week, teachers will modify lessons to avoid use of digital screens like Chromebooks, tablets and projectors/TVs, and students will be encouraged to take a break from television, video games and smartphones at home.

"Kids nowadays are always looking at a screen. This week will be beneficial for showing them how to have fun and learn without screens," said KMS Principal Bob Race in a statement. “Our students will be healthier and happier if they spend less time with television, video games and handheld devices. In the future, we hope to make this more of a community event including activities outside of the school day.”

The school hopes the screen-free week will raise awareness about the risks of excessive screen time, which can contribute to

issues like obesity, sleep problems, attention issues and social difficulties, according to the district, which added research shows reducing screen time can have significant benefits for children's health and academic performance.

Students and families will be challenged to find alternative screen-free activities, as well as sign a Screen Free Pledge Card. Each family will decide what “screen-free” means for them, i.e. does it include email and text messaging, FaceTiming with family members in another state or country. They will be encouraged to set a calendar of activities and events for the week.

Suggestions KMS Leadership Council include:

• Organize a game of touch football, baseball, or softball in the local park or play soccer, softball or volleyball.

• Paint a picture, a mural or a room.

• Learn about native trees and flowers in your area.

• Plan a picnic or barbecue.

• Plant a garden. Work in your garden

• Cook a meal or bake using a cookbook

• Take a nature hike.

• Take an early morning walk.

• Take photographs and then organize them into an album.

• Shoot hoops with friends.

• Create sidewalk art with chalk.

The school is raising funds during the week for new fitness equipment and STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) supplies through student/family pledges to remain screen-free, the district said.

staff RepoRt

SUBMITTED/KIRTLAND KIWANIS

Writing

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ing to the theme,” he said.

The announcement of placements emphasized the full spectrum of creativity on display, with students describing a small amount about their writing. Topics ranged from people, family or significant others, to abstract concepts like the universe, to tangible situations like a hated job.

Inspiration came from a number of places.

Skylar Leavelle, a 17-year-old junior and first-place winner, described the process behind her piece on the universe.

“I like to do a lot of reflection. I sit on my back porch and I just kind of look out, because we have a nice view from the backyard, and I just think about things,” she said. “A lot of it just came from my own introspection I suppose.”

For others, the piece was something ca-

thartic that would likely have been written regardless of the contest.

“It was mostly just stuff I wanted to get off my chest that I was probably going to write eventually anyway,” said Will Burt, another 17-year-old junior and runner up. “So, it was kind of nice to just be given the opportunity to do it in class.”

Despite her placement, Skylar found the prompt challenging.

“I don’t usually write things about love. I focus on different stories about mainly fantasy stuff or even horror stuff,” she said, noting she did like what she had gone on to write.

Despite difficulties the students may have faced while writing, the judges came away with a good impression, Dedmon said, noting the competency and thoughtfulness of the answers.

“Everything was very creative, and came from the heart and the soul and the imagination.” Rampe said. “And that was very reassuring for this group of writers that’s coming up.”

From left, judges Paul Rampe, Shelly Dedmon and Chris Lambert pose with Kirtland Kiwanis Chair of Youth Services Kathy Talty shortly after awards were given.

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Leading the way on the mound this season for the Hornets pitching staff has been senior Gino Blasini and junior Max Paul.

Blasini, who will be continuing his athletic career at Miami University in the Fall, leads the Hornets pitching staff with the lowest ERA and the most strikeouts

So far this season, Blasini is 6-0 with a 1.78 ERA. In 39.1 innings pitched, Blasini has struck out 45 batters and only walked nine.

Max Paul is 3-1 on the season with a 2.52 ERA in 33.1 innings pitched.

Paul has also been extremely accurate on the mound as he has struck out 39 batters and only walked 13 this season.

One of the main highlights for Paul this season was a no-hitter that he threw on April 1 against the John Marshall Lawyers.

Against the Lawyers in Paul's perfect game, he did not give up any hits or walks and struck out four in the Hornets 15-0 victory at the historic League Park.

Paul said that throwing the no- hitter was a great experience.

“(I was) just kind of throwing strikes and let my defense play,” said Paul. “I got a lot of rollovers on off speed stuff, like slider and curve, and then just getting ahead with the fastball (worked well).”

Paul stated that in the no-hitter against the Lawyers he was focused on throwing first pitch strikes.

Also, he noted that his off-speed pitches were working well and that he was focused on getting ahead in the count.

Kirtland Head Baseball Coach Luke Smrdel talked about Paul's excellent pitching performance this season.

“Max is a complete pitcher,” said Coach Smrdel. “He has three or four pitches that work, and he pounds the strike zone. His strike to ball ratio is way above an average high schooler. He knows how to keep runners close and he keeps guys off balance all day long and that's what we count on him to do.”

In addition, to the Hornets excellent pitching, the hitting has been very good as well.

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Red Oak campers enjoy jumping into the camp pool for a refreshing dip on July 19, 2023.

Red

Oak from page 1

now in a typical week, starting this summer, we hope to serve 175-180 campers.”

He attributes the camp’s longevity to quality leaders, nonprofit support and a quality experience for the kids and campers, which includes teaching kids how to build relationships, be kind, take responsibility and be humble.

Early on, Red Oak’s activities included fishing archery, track and field competitions with sprints and long-jumps, and nature-based programs that focused on ecology, science, leaf and butterfly collections, and for the Chincapin girls, horseback programs, Faulstitch said.

For the season, the Hornets have an excellent team batting average of .363. and a .490 on base percentage.

Leading the Hornets batters so far this season are Lucci Cantini (.488 batting average), Trip Thaler (.466) and Tyler Turk (.447).

In his freshman season of baseball, Cantini is not only leading Hornets baseball in batting average, but he is also leading the team in home runs (2), RBI (17) and on-base percentage (.645).

Cantini said that there is excellent cohesion on the team which has led to a low stress environment which allows for optimal performance.

Cantini also discussed his mental ap-

leaders and the families positive input for 75 years who have believed in our mission,” he said. “As the residents know, Kirtland is a beautiful community and an amazing place to live and grow up in. We are so close to I-90 and 25 minutes from downtown Cleveland.”

Campers from as far away as Cuba, Brazil, Texas and California have flocked to Red Oak, Faulstitch and Baxter said, adding there is a bus service that goes as far as Gates Mills to accommodate campers.

In addition to facilitating after-school programs, the camp also partakes in activities honoring specific events, such as Earth Day, Arbor Day and, most recently, hosting a small watch party for the total solar eclipse on April 8.

proach at the plate.

“I've been saying it all year, see something I can hit hard, something in my wheelhouse, and don't help the pitcher out at all.”

Coach Smrdel also discussed Cantini's excellent season at the plate.

“Lucci, for a freshman, the numbers he is putting up are incredible,” said Smrdel. “He's becoming very dangerous in our lineup already and we rely on him to drive in runs, and he gets on base all the time.”

With the excellent pitching and hitting so far this season, Coach Smrdel has scheduled some games against bigger schools to help prepare the Hornets for the OHSAA tournament.

ple, the campers themselves, the front-role staff who are the role models. Everyone is fully bonded and invested in our mission of connecting kids to nature … a great way to be a kid to have choices what they want to do and enjoy it all. Red Oak Camp is an amazing place to develop friendships and learning skills.”

For more information, call 440-263-0236 or visit www.redoakcamp.org.

“One of our most popular activities at the camp as of late has been recreational tree and rock climbing — with ropes, harnesses and helmets for safety — and zip-lining has been popular since the 1980s,” he said. “As a percentage, most of the kids come for the day-camp, and on Thursday’s, the camp has an optional camp-out for kids to partake in where they stay in tents overnight for the full camping experience. A third of the day-campers do that and some stay for a full week. Some campers even have the opportunity to go for a full-week traveling experience out of state. This year it’ll be in Monongahela, West Virginia.”

The Kirtland community has always supported the camp and provided leadership, said Marketing Director David Baxter.

“We are proud to have had those local

“At a minimum, it is our hope, our mission to enhance the campers’ inner strengths, to learn something about themselves,” Faulstitch said. “We inspire a love for nature in them, a conservation mindset and to understand we all live in the community and on the planet together. We hope they can have an appreciation for their role in all of that.”

Red Oak is “an amazing place to be,” Baxter added.

“Beyond the skills one learns, it pushes one out of their comfort zone,” he said. “One is surrounded by an amazing group of peo-

Hornets Compete at Cuyahoga Heights Relays

9 inches won the Discus.

Afterward, Hansen talked about the great social support and cohesion among the Hornets Track and Field athletes as well as her excellent performances in the Shot Put and

the 800m Sprint Medley Relay (Isabel Muel ler, Macie Susevich, Lexi Vosicky and Sylvia Vosicky), the 3000m Distance Medley Relay (Ainsley Borthwick, Izzie Copeland, Lexi Vosicky and Sylvia Vosicky), and the 4x400m Relay (Ainsley Borthwick, Izzie Copeland, Lexi Vosicky and Sylvia Vosicky).

With her four victories, Sylvia Vosicky was named the George Gross Outstanding Track Athlete for the Cuyahoga Relays.

After receiving the award, Sylvia Vosicky talked about the meaningfulness of winning the award for two years in a row.

“It's great, it's just a reflection of the work I put in year round and that I have been putting in all throughout high school, so I am really happy” said Vosicky.

A main highlight for the Kirtland Boys Track and Field team at the Cuyahoga Relays included Will Beers winning the Long Jump with a jump of 19 feet 11 inches.

It has been an exciting few weeks for Beers as not only did he win the long jump at the Cuyahoga Relays, he also committed to play college football next year at John Carroll University.

After winning the long jump, Beers talked

about his performance as well as his commitment to play football at John Carroll University.

“It was nice to win it,” said Beers. “It was a team relay event so the three of us, me, Jake LaVerde, and Will Sayle, we all had to go out and do some good jumps.”

Beers said that mentally, there are a lot of similarities between training for the long jump and football, and that participating in track and field is helpful for football performance.

In the Fall, Beers only plans to compete in Football at John Carroll.

“I committed to John Carroll about a week and a half ago,” said Beers. “I am going for slot receiver “I am excited to go where my dad went. It will be a fun time.”

The Kirtland Hornets Track and Field program returns to the track on April 30 for a weekday home dual meet with the Chagrin Falls Tigers.

ALAN KORNSPAN/ KMG Will Beers wins Long Jump with a jump of 19 feet, 11 inches at the Cuyahoga Relays