Tamaqua Blue and White - Issue 3, Volume 2 by Tamaqua Blue and White Magazine

Tamaqua Blue and White Issue 3 - Volume 2 - January 2013

Tamaqua Blue and White Magazine - Issue 3 Volume 2 - January 2013

Table of Contents:

3. Instagram! : Emily Bumbulsky 4 Questionaire : Damian Munoz 5. TAHS’ Most Interesting Teacher : Damian Munoz 6. Senior Expectations : Nicki Mateyak 7. You’re Invited....! : Caroline Kanaskie 8 - 9. Boys’ Basketball & Swimming : Jake Wenzel & Carly Fenstermacher 10 - 11. Band Formal : Molly Betz 12. Formal : Caroline Kanaskie 14. Comic : Ethan Hull 15. Mid-Terms are GOOD? : Molly Betz 16 - 17. Creative Writing : Jake Wenzel

18. The Show Must Go On 19. LoL!

: Molly Betz : Jake Wenzel

Inside the palms of almost every student in Tamaqua High is some type of smartphone, whether that phone is an iPhone or an Android, you better believe that phone has a camera, and that camera is capable of taking so many pictures to capture all of the best moments you want to remember and keep for the rest of your life. Not only have smartphones become a way of life with teenagers in high school, but nearly everyone across the United States has some type of phone that can send a text message or give you the ability to video chat with someone thousands of miles away. But one of the best advantages of having such a type of phone, in my opinion, is the simple application called Instagram. When Instagram came out in the fall of 2010, no one even had an idea of what it was. However, now it is one of the most popular apps around. All an Instagram user does is take a picture of whatever you want, and then after you take the perfect picture, you can put some type of filter on the photo to make it look even better. When posting that picture, all of your Instagram friends get to see where you’re at, what you’re seeing, or what you’re doing. Then, adding a simple hashtag enables you to see all of the Instagram users who took the same kind of picture as you. It’s basically your life through the camera of your phone. Instagram allows us all to be amateur photographers in some way. Whether you are taking a scenic picture of the latest snowfall, or just a creative way to take a picture of your last cup of coffee, Instagram creates comforting feeling, somehow, someway. It may even share something unique someone didn’t even know of you. Pictures have a good way of telling someone’s own story. Everyone knows how popular Facebook has been, however, it seems Instagram is taking over. No one can post ugly drama or fights on Instagram, just some type of picture that can simply speak a thousand words. If you don’t have Instagram, get it! It’s a free app, and it’s definitely one of the best. I know it’s my favorite by far. Find out all of your friend’s adventures through a tap on your phone.

625 likes thstudent: OMG. We love Instagram! It’s the best.

Tamaqua Blue and White Magazine - Issue 3 Volume 2 - January 2013

Q: If you could have any actor/actress portray you in a movie about your life, who would it be?

Jack Nemeth – Denzel Washington

Cody McGeehan Zac Efron

Talli Matakonis – Resse Witherspoon

Colin Mashack – Ryan Styles

Mackenzie Mashack – Nicholas Cage

Sam Postupack – Amada Seyfried

Keith Kranch – Mark Wahlberg

Laura Anderson – America Ferrera

Nikki Klatka – Queen Latifa

Joe Franko – Kevin Bacon

Carly Fenstermacher – Rachael McAdams

Derek Cinicola – Denzel Washington

Tamaqua Blue and White Magazine - Issue 3 Volume 2 - January 2013

! A B U K S ’ IN R O L P X E O N A C L O V SKY DIVIN’, BULL RIDIN’,

. Skuba is one of the most interesting

As ma

aqua Area High School know, Mrs ny members of the student body at Tam

“

I’ve I’ve sky

members of staff.

ridden a bull.

dived, bungee jumped, para-glided, para-sailed,

scuba dived. I swam with sharks and stingrays. I explored a volcano in Hawaii. I’ve climbed the Mayan pyramid in Chichinitza. and

I’ve had poems

published. My goal is to get rid of the word “like”.

“

Tamaqua Blue and White Magazine - Issue 3 Volume 2 - January 2013

class of 2013: the only class that adds up! Two thousand thirteen. Wow, does it feel incredible to say that. Seniors, this is our year. The year we have been waiting for since we walked into our first day of kindergarten. As I am sitting here writing this article, we have 80 more days of our high school career, 19 weeks until graduation, and 3 days of finals left; it’s our last semester we will ever spend at Tamaqua High. It is hard to believe these are our final few months together. We have been through so much as a class; it’s hard to imagine what we will do without each other in the future. Well, as previously stated, we only have 19 weeks until graduation; then, we will be looking forward to starting our lives as the independent adults we dream to be. Some of us will go to college, others will go straight into the work force, and a few will join the armed forces. No matter where we all go, I hold high expectations for each and every one of us. I am sure as you are reading this you are thinking of what you expect for this upcoming year, whether it has to do with prom, graduation, this summer, or the start of your college experience. We all are unique and have certain things we expect out of ourselves for this year of 2013. Personally, I am looking forward to walking at graduation with everyone, spending an awesome summer with my friends, before we all go our separate ways, and am especially excited for the start of my college career. It is hard to imagine that after 7 or more years we will no longer see each other every day. Some of us will not even be in the state of Pennsylvania anymore. We will be moving on with our lives and have to take on many more responsibilities as we enter the world. I’m sure many will stay in touch with close friends, but we will all gain many more. Even though we will no longer be attending Tamaqua Area High School in the upcoming fall, we will always be the Class of 2013.

Kori Kabilko-

Vicky Krouse-

I expect to have an awesome senior year and graduate with all my friends.

Not going to college, just hoping to find a job.

Nikki SlivkaI’m hoping to keep my honor card, and have an amazing time at prom and graduation.

Drew ChartierI’m going to Texas for the army.

Austin ReschI’m hoping for a smooth sailing second half and to attend Lock Haven University and major in homeland security.

5-star response

Christine Streisel-

Emily Demyanovich-

Shane Baddick-

I expect to graduate, enjoy my summer, and then hopefully make a decently easy transition into college life and succeed there.

I hope to have a fun end to my high school career before going off to my dream school: temple.

I am looking forward to going to Germany this summer with my family as my graduation present.

Tamaqua Blue and White Magazine - Issue 3 Volume 2 - January 2013

Caroline KanaskieMy senior year would be made if I qualified for states in swimming. I’d be competing at Bucknell which just happens to be my dream school, on my 18th birthday. I still have a while to wait to hear if I’m accepted or not…March 21st I think. I’m hoping to go into their environmental engineering program. My mom, sister, and I are looking into planning a trip to England/Europe this summer, kinda like a graduation present. Even if we don’t end up going, I’m definitely going to travel this summer and spend time with my friends before everyone goes separate ways. Luckily, with technology we’ll never be disconnected.

. .. o t d e t i v n i y l l a i d r o c e ’r u o Y ...prom!

those quite different from be to g in go is om This year’s pr red, prom d is often unwanted. ecial night. Rest assu sp an , r sy ei ea th r of ve ity ne al is e qu Chang d about the seniors are concerne class. before it, and many e night for the senior bl ta et rg fo un an be ind will still else does! Keep in m ne eo m so re fo be to the prom llars. at special someone een $50 and $75 do th tw k be as u st yo co re ill w su t e ke ak Seniors, m his or her tic nior class member, se nno a g in br u yo that if om was held s, but previously, pr

WHEN:

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LOCATION: TIME:

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RSVP:

es must be d March 1st. Class du an , th 28 , th 27 , th uary 26 sign ups will be Febr

by March 1st! Prom up. paid when you sign

class e last times that the th of e on be ill w It what day n to seniors. ecial privileges give the prom is held or sp re e he th w r of te e at on m is o N om t? Pr gin to prepare for a n, so why miss ou be tio u nc yo fu s A ol s! ho or sc ni a se at , is together class so no worries t months, the senior iends, and dancing, fr or , sh od w fo fe a be In ill t. w e os er m is, th t matters s in the gym n’t forget about wha Whether that happen e. tim st la e th r memorable night, do fo gether bye and standing to will be saying good er. ld, we will be togeth fie ll ba ot fo e th on or

SAVE THE DATE & START TANNING EARLY!

e 2 - January 2013 Tamaqua Blue and White Magazine - Issue 3 Volum

ONE THOUSAND WINS The Tamaqua Varsity Boys Basketball Team is making history in 2013. During the Pine Grove game on Friday, January 4, the Raiders, with home court advantage, upped their record for the season to 7-2. The last time the Varsity Boys Basketball Team won seven games throughout a season was in the school year of 2003-2004. Their record was 15-9 at the end of the season. The boys are having an excellent season so far. With more hard work and determination, they can even achieve a better winning record then back in 2003-2004. January 26th marked the 1,000th win for the Boys Basketball Team in Tamaqua history. It was an outstanding victory over Palmerton. Have you ever watched a high school basketball game and saw a player dunk? Well I have, and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not talking about on TV either. Brett Kosciolek has accomplished this feat. I have seen him dunk twice so far in the 2012-2013 season. The crowd goes wild, jumping and screaming with excitement. It is definitely a site to experience. The team this year has so much talent and potential. Unfortunately, the team will be losing three seniors at the end of this season. They will lose Tyler Krell, playing forward and center, Tanner Kehl, playing center, and Drew Chartier, who plays point guard. They played basketball for the four years of their high school careers. The team is playing as one this year, working together to make the hard plays. According to the players the coach doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t discuss the 1,000th win. He just concentrates on reviewing plays, running, and doing a standard practice. The practices are hard, but the games are harder. The players are finding that all the hard work is paying off when they hit the game floor. This year is the first time since 2004 that the Tamaqua Varsity Boys Basketball Team is going to playoffs. What seed they stand will be determined by the last few upcoming games. Congratulations on an amazing, unforgettable season, boys!

Tamaqua Blue and White Magazine - Issue 3 Volume 2 - January 2013

JUST.KEEP. SWIMMING. As a requirement to pass high school you need to take swimming your freshman and sophomore year. I can clearly remember everyone in my class complaining about having to swim or that their hair would get wet and there was no point to it and so ........ on. There are a few of us though who are crazy enough to want to swim six days a week for two hours (at the least) each day in those frigid waters that the rest of the school dreads having to swim in. They are the swim team and everyday Monday through Saturday we are in a pool swimming our hearts out praying that practice will be over soon. Swimming is the longest lasting sport in high school, going from late November to mid March when districts finally start for us. This year the girls’ team is going strong with 7-3 record and the guys are going strong as well with a 3-7 record. [Swimming is often thought to be an easy thing to do, however, all speculations are wrong. Swimming uses almost every muscle in your body. The swim team, in my opinion, works just as hard as the football team during practices and meets. Have you ever tried to swim a 500? For those of you who aren’t aware, a 500 consists of 20 laps in the pool with no breaks in between. It’s not your average brisk walk in the park… that’s for sure! Come support your Tamaqua High girls’ and boys’ swim team at their last home meet on Tuesday, February 5th at 4:30!]

Tamaqua Blue and White Magazine - Issue 3 Volume 2 - January 2013

“ W O R K H A RD Football season is over. The craziness of loading the buses with uniforms, hat boxes, and instruments is no more. Those itchy, smelly wool uniforms have been put away in the closets of bandies and will not see the light of day till Memorial Day. Marching instruments have been given back to the school, and concert instruments have been tuned, cleaned, and made ready to play. The Raider band has calmed down a bit. But then again, the Raider band is never fully calm. As soon as the immensely successful football season came to a close, the band was in full-throttle concert mode, practicing music for the Christmas concert the week after the last game. Concert music is so much different from marching season; there are complex musical techniques and theories in concert music, and a single piece can last for minutes on end. Needless to say, the loud, obnoxious marching band that was used to songs under two minutes long had a bit of a transition phase to tackle. “It wasn’t too hard to transition,” Amber Groner, a senior clarinet, states. “We’re used to lots of types of music. But there is definitely a new level of difficulty in concert music that isn’t in marching music.” With a combined total of seven songs, high schoolers in the Raider band practiced every day ninth period and for three periods and one pre-concert the Wednesday before the actual concert. Tons of practice was put into this performance, and, oh man, did it show. On Thursday, December 6th at 7:30 PM in the high school auditorium, the combined Raider Wind 10

Ensemble and Concert Band performed an almost flawless concert for the citizens of Tamaqua complete with new arrangements of common Christmas carols and a sing-along at the concert’s culmination. Great feedback was given to the band; some parents stated that it was the best Raider band concert they’ve heard. Some students, encouraged by the fantastic final product of their practicing and the parents’ kind words, even revealed that this concert was much better than others they have played. “This year’s Christmas concert was one of my favorites, by far,” states Lizzy Lehman, a junior trombone. “The music helped me get into the holiday spirit. The comments that I received made me proud to be a part of the Christmas concert as a singer and instrumentalist.” And proud should she be. Finally, the long-awaited concert was complete, the stage could be cleaned up, and new music for spring could be sightread! Isn’t that so exciting!? Just kidding. First, the Raider band had to party like they’d just played a fabulous concert and won gold at a competition. The Saturday after the Christmas concert has been permanently reserved for the annual Christmas formal, exclusively for band members (and the lucky guests of juniors and seniors). Imagine the high school winter formal times ten: the tight friendship of the band plus beautiful gowns and dapper tuxedos plus a fantastic DJ plus amazing decorations provided by the band

Tamaqua Blue and White Magazine - Issue 3 Volume 2 - January 2013

, PL AY HA R D ” moms plus delicious food from Capriotti’s proves for one six-hour night of absolute fun. This year’s formal, themed “Under the Sea”, proved to be no different from any other successful band formal. Not only ridiculous dancing and sappy reminiscing is done at the band formal, however; the seniors receive gifts to thank them for their years of service, given by Santa himself! This year’s gifts were a Raider band blanket, a framed photo from the Senior Recognition football game, and, for some adventurous people, a betta fish that was used as a centerpiece for each table. “I’m taking the senior rec picture with me to college!” says senior trumpet Janelle Cinicola. “The blanket is so warm, too.” Everyone in the band receives a hand-made ornament depicting the night as well. Of course, the band directors can’t go without a little love! Mr. Beltz, the high school band director, and Mrs. Rodgers, the assistant high school director and full-time middle school band director, received gifts from the drum majors, officers, and seniors: for Mrs. Rodgers, a restaurant gift card, and for Mr. Beltz, a framed collage of the band seniors, a bottle of Stetson cologne (stemmed from a band camp joke!), and a doorbell and welcome mat for his school office. Why the doorbell and welcome mat? “Mr. Beltz’s office is his home away from home,” quotes senior trumpet and co-drum major Amanda Solt. That’s quite accurate, seeing as the band room itself is every band kid’s second home, too. From the gifts on, the night belongs to the bandies.

Outside of the dance floor, a photo backdrop was set up for sections, friends, couples, or even individuals to have professional photos taken. One zealous group who seized that opportunity was the flute section. To the shock of the photographer, twenty-some flutes were able to squeeze onto the tiny background (well, almost) and have a picture taken that basically explains the flutes: slightly chaotic but gorgeous! Seemingly millions of non-professional photos were snapped on the dance floor all night, too, as Facebook would show anybody who’s friends with a bandie. From the candid table shot to the formal pre-sweaty dance mess pose, there wasn’t a single band kid who did not at least make an appearance in a photo! All pictures aside, the night left a huge impact on the memories of the band kids. Allie Dombrowski, a sophomore silk squad member, says that she most remembers dancing with her friends. “I liked this year’s formal a lot!” she enthusiastically reports. Amanda Solt states similarly: “I think this year’s band formal was the best since I have been in band. The committee did an amazing job organizing it.” The band seniors seem to have felt the most impact, with this formal being their final band formal. Janelle Cinicola nostalgically says, “This formal was by far the most memorable. It was a blast just to be with everyone one last year!” As the rambunctious night came to an end, there was one question in everyone’s mind: How much longer till next year’s!?

Tamaqua Blue and White Magazine - Issue 3 Volume 2 - January 2013

FORMAL RECAP! Twas the week of Thanksgiving, and all through the halls, lots of Tamaqua students were busy preparing for one of the most exciting events of the first semester: the Winter Formal! The guys were fitted for their tuxes and the girls had their dresses altered, but there was still much to be done to prepare for such an anticipated night: Ms. Makuta, among the chaperones of the dance, watched YouTube videos to improve her dance moves. Senior Janelle Cinicola shared her formal secret: “beauty rest = success.” Tyler Resch prepped by “getting lots of sleep” so he could “dance all night.” So what is all this excitement for? What did your classmates looking forward to? Derrian Gulden: “I looked forward to getting dressed up and having a good time.” Joey Franko: “Obviously, I’m looked forward to the food.” Alex Wagner anticipated, “Dancing to evvvvvvvery song!!” Molly Betz: “I most looked forward to my table and the fun people I sat with!” David Herring: “I couldn’t wait to see all my friends and I was so excited to see my date.” Finally, on November 24th, the day everyone was waiting for finally arrived. Many girls rushed about, sticking one more bobby pin into their elegant ‘do or applying one more coat of lipgloss, while the majority of the male populace showered and combed their hair. All guests arrived at the Elementary school by six. Dinner was served and it was only a matter of time before everyone was out on the dance floor. Nicki Mateyak: “I enjoyed spending my senior formal with my friends. It was like a preview for prom!” Carly Fenstermacher: “There were some unforgettable songs!” Joann Butkus: “We made the best out of the night and it turned out to be something very memorable” No event runs without flaws, but lots of hard work goes into planning and putting on such events. Props to Leadership Council members for their awesome decorations; the Alice in Wonderland theme was a hit! Each year, the whole student body only gets one chance to dress up and dance the night away. Remember that next year if you’re contemplating your attendance to the formal.

Tamaqua Blue and White Magazine - Issue 3 Volume 2 - January 2013

NAME: _____________________________________________________ DATE: _______________________ BLUE AND WHITE MAGAZINE MID-TERM 2013: (2,090 POINTS) DIRECTIONS: WRITE A ONE PAGE ESSAY RELATING TO THIS WEEK, MID-TERM WEEK. Why Midterms Aren’t That Horrible I do agree with everyone complaining about midterms. They are indeed a gigantic pain in the neck, and I do stress out to levels not yet recorded by scientists during the weeks prior. Yet I have no shame in admitting that, as much as I like to whine about them, I enjoy midterms. Why? I’m an optimist, and optimists look on the bright side of things. Here’s a list of observations compiled during Midterm Week suggesting why midterms aren’t really the end of the world. Midterm Week gives you a mini break from regular school! Think about it: You get to sleep in, leave school early, slack a bit on homework... Sure, you have to take massive tests, but then you get to go home and RELAX. Which leads me to my next point... Midterm Week gives you an excuse to lay on the couch in sweatpants and do absolutely nothing. Your parents will understand when you say that your brain is fried from that hour and a half long language exam and you can’t possibly cook dinner or vacuum or, you know, function. Midterm Week makes it absolutely okay for you to eat your feelings. That Belgian waffle with strawberries and whipped cream I scarfed in three minutes flat at the Tamaqua Diner with my AP Biology classmates after taking that 122 question exam? Completely worth it. And so, totally delicious. Did I mention I had two glasses of chocolate milk, too? Midterm Week makes other schools jealous! Yes, that’s right, Tamaqua makes other schools jealous for once! At a recent trip to district orchestra, I told my new friends from across the state about Midterm Week, and they were amazed that we can just up and leave school whenever we’re done our tests and don’t even have to show up for the periods we don’t have one. Not every school takes mids like we do, but now they wish they did. HAH! Midterm Week makes the weeks before relatively easy. In class, I know I didn’t learn a whole lot of new information; I simply reviewed what I already knew in most of my classes. Guess what I didn’t have much of the time? Homework. Guess what my friends and I did for at least ten minutes of each class? Talk. And not work. Midterm Week is a fun schedule waiting to be filled. The extensive lunch break is a good opportunity to go to DiMaggio’s with friends or chill out at someone’s house and watch movies. The twenty minute-early bell at the end of the day gives all you extracurricular participants some down time before rushing to the next activity, too, so you can clear your head of chemistry formulas and German vocab. Midterm Week gives you an excuse to tease your middle school or elementary school aged siblings who have to go to school. They have to wake up at 7:00 and you don’t have to until 10:15? Tough life, kid, tough life. And perhaps the best thing about Midterm Week is that you do not need to look presentable to go to school. Bumpy ponytails, two-day-old khakis, mismatched socks, and minimal makeup are completely alright for test taking. All judgements are thrown out the window; after all, everyone is in the same strapped-out boat as you are.

The glass is half full, guys.

Tamaqua Blue and White Magazine - Issue 3 Volume 2 - January 2013

AN UNUSUAL PET “I just have to grab my wallet then we can go meet Suzy and Evy at the movies,” Adam said, running into his house. “I will only be a sec.” I started to follow him inside; I walked in through the front door before he realized I was behind him. Turning and almost knocking me down the steps, he gasped. “You can just wait outside,” he said. What has gotten into him? Adam and I have been friends since third grade, and now he didn’t even want me in his house? Before I could decide whether to wait outside or say something, a sound from another room caught my attention. It was an odd noise, like a scratching noise, coupled with a faint meowing like that of a cat. “What’s that?” I asked. “What’s what?” Adam looked at me with eyes wide open. “That noise.” “What noise?” “You don’t hear a noise like a cat scratching on a door?” “Oh, uh, that’s just my kitten.” Adam glanced behind him, towards the hall, then back at me. “She doesn’t like being shut in.” “You got a kitten?!” I barely refrained from clapping my hands together. “I want to see it!” “You can’t.” I was taken aback by the shortness of his tone. “Why not?” “Um…she gets aggressive around strangers. She might bite you.” “I don’t mind. I just want to see her for a bit.” Adam opened his mouth to reply, but he was interrupted by a loud growl--unlike anything I’d ever heard from a kitten. “Was that the kitten?” I asked. “I think she’s just hungry.” Adam bit his lip, “Look, maybe we should go to the movie with Suzy and Evy another time. I should really stay home.” “Can’t I help?” “No, no, that’s okay. If you want to, you can go to the movies with Evy. Suzy and I didn’t really want to see it anyway.” “Adam what’s going on?” `

“Nothing, I--“ There came another growl from behind the door accompanied by the sound of scratching, and then

Tamaqua Blue and White Magazine - Issue 3 Volume 2 - January 2013

Adam broke down. “Dude, you’ve got to help me!” he moaned, grabbing my arms, “I don’t know what to do with her!” “Your kitten?” “It’s, um, not a kitten.” Without further explanation, Adam led me down the hall. He stopped in front of the door that leads to the basement. Slowly, Adam reached out with a trembling sweaty hand and placed it on the doorknob. For a moment, it seemed that was all he could do. He just stood there, hand outstretched, not wanting to open the door to unleash whatever was behind it. I was starting to get a little scared. What could be in there? Finally, Adam got up the courage to turn the knob. He pulled the door toward him, jumped backwards, and curled up behind the door. Out of the room trotted… a little kitten with big green eyes. She had a white coat with black fur on her legs making iit look like she was wearing socks. I stared at the kitten. Then I turned to my friend. “So… what is the problem with her?” Jaw slack, eyes wide, Adam stood for a moment apparently in shock. Then he sank down to the ground. The kitten hurried over to him and started rubbing up against him and purring loudly. “Help,” Adam said. “What is it? She’s just a sweet little kitten.” “Zack, I swear that little kitten was a—“Adam stopped, stared at the kitten for a moment, then closed his eyes shut. “I swear that earlier it was a saber toothed lion cub.” I would, of course, have thought he was completely insane for saying this if it weren’t for the fact that, as he spoke, the kitten sort of shimmered and then, in a pop!, she turned into a saber -toothed lion cub. I couldn’t move. Where there had been a cute little kitten, there was now a plump, killing feline with large white fangs hanging out of its mouth. Its white fur changed into a golden brown and its tail became stubby and she was much larger than the kitten version of her had been. Still, in spite of its size, it was rather frightening, with sharp teeth and a hungry look in its eyes. “Adam?” “Yes.” “That’s a saber toothed lion.” “Yes.” “You see it too?” “I told you it was a saber -toothed lion.” At that moment, the cub came up to me, smelled my shoe, and bit right into it. “Ow!” I kicked the cub and it crashed into the wall. It did not look happy about this. “Run!” Adam shouted. I helped him to his feet, and we made a mad dash down the hall to the front door, the cub hot on our heels. I hope you enjoyed the story. Every month we will put a short story in the Blue and White magazine. If you would like to have one of your stories put in the magazine you can submit a story in the story box on Mondays and Fridays in the Library. -Jacob Wentzel

Tamaqua Blue and White Magazine - Issue 3 Volume 2 - January 2013

The Show Must Go On Quick! Think of your favorite teacher or advisor. You’ve probably got one in mind already. Now think about what makes them so incredible: do they teach a mean algebra lesson? Are they always encouraging you, ensuring that you’re in good spirits whenever they’re around? Are they a friend as well as a mentor? There are plenty of gifted people with the listed traits and countless others. But how many people have the unique combination of all these characteristics, and then some? The Tamaqua Drama Club is blessed to have had one of these rare individuals as their director for the past two years. Mrs. Janet Smolden, the beloved advisor of the drama club, has impacted the drama club on many levels, both personally and professionally. Mrs. Smolden has left lasting impacts on members of the drama club with her catchy personality and work ethics. “Janet is a great person who never judges and accepts everyone as they are,” Erika Cassell, drama club president and active participant in drama clubs outside of school, says. She gives the best advice because she sees people as so much more than they are. She sees the best in people, making her able to bring out people’s best sides and talents in drama club.” On the Thursday of homecoming, the atmosphere at Tamaqua High was tense. There had been a serious car accident in West Penn Township, leaving students and teachers alike puzzled as to who could have been involved in such a tragedy. By Thursday night, the word was out: In a horrific turn of events, Mrs. Smolden was the individual in the head-on car collision, leaving the drama club without a director and definitely shaken. Though she had been in a coma for weeks following the accident, she currently is en route to recovery at a rehabilitation center, where she has resided for the past few months. During what was supposed to be the exciting week of homecoming at Tamaqua High, the drama club quietly struggled to cope with crisis, meeting to discuss what would become of the fall cabaret show and spring musical. But the overused cliche holds true: the show must go on, and go on it did. The cabaret show, named “Dreams for Janet” to honor this wonderful woman, went as planned with over 20 acts performing. The spring act? Scheduled! Preparation has already begun to make the show as incredible as possible! A new director has been appointed as well, though Janet will always be in the hearts and minds of the drama club members. “I think Janet would be very happy that no matter what got in our way, we never gave up,” Allie Miller, drama club vice-president, states. “We always gave 110% effort along with our hearts and souls into everything we did. She’d be glad to know that although the changes may have been hard for us, we are taking them and working with them to produce yet another amazing musical.” The future is looking up for Mrs. Smolden, and as for the drama club, it is bright and promising, too. This tight-knit group will never lose hope, no matter what may stand in their way. And that’s something Mrs. Smolden would be very proud of.

Tamaqua Blue and White Magazine - Issue 3 Volume 2 - January 2013

L O L l o L(League of Literacies) L0L L[]L |o | l0l LOL loL L0L L[]L |o| l0 l LOL loL L0L L[]L |o| l0 l LOL loL L0L L[]L |o| l0 l LOL loL L0L L[]L |o| l0 l LOL loL L0L L[]L |o| l0 l LOL loL L0L L[]L |o| l0 l Maybe some of you have heard of the open mic nights at the Tamaqua Community art center. Well did you know that every Tuesday night from 6-7 pm there is a youth writing workshop open to middle schoolers and high schoolers alike. Anyone can join and it’s free for everybody. We have fun every time coming up with new and creative story ideas to write about. I’m going to post the most the most shocking and infamous story written by sixth grader Mitchell Sabol below. Once you read it just think if a sixth grader can write that then so can you if not better. The Lonely Hanger Written and edited by Mitchell Sabol Lonely as it was in the dark closet. The hanger herb pulled through. He didn’t go crazy mad or depressed. Through the hours of agony holding clothes all his life finally released from the dark. Just to be destroyed what to do how to do it when to do it. He just didn’t know. To have Five minutes of light and then to wither and perish through the agony of being burned melted and reformed just to be destroyed again the ever going agony.

Tamaqua Blue and White Magazine - Issue 3 Volume 2 - January 2013