Log
The Northmen’s
Friday, February 19,
Theatre department initiates “A Few Good Men” for spring production.” p. 4-5
Oak Park High School
Issue 7, Volume 45
FCCLA sisters compete while helping others in shop by Gina Drapela editor-in-chief Upstairs next to the health room sits the HOP Shop filled with clothes, school supplies and personal hygiene items for underprivileged students in need. Supplied with donations and fund raised goods, students have access to free updated clothing and miscellaneous items such as dresses for formal events. Founded by SCRS Kathy Poehlman, sponsored by family and consumer sciences teacher Ginny Stone, and built from the ground up by sisters, senior Drew Blanton and freshman Marissa Blanton, the HOP Shop is now a functioning center.
“Kathy Poehlman sort of brought this to our attention that there was a need for clothing and personal hygiene items because there were students coming up to her all the time, needing this, needing that,” Stone said. The need was brought to Blanton’s attention, and she decided to take action by building the HOP Shop and promoting the cause to other students. “Me and my little sister kind of promoted it some more, and we’re making posters to tell everybody around the school about it,” Drew Blanton said. Along with promoting and getting the student body involved, their efforts were recognized at the
FCCLA chapter competition Tuesday, Feb. 2, in Chillicothe, Mo., where the sisters presented their project to a panel of judges. “[Our speech] was about how we help the students, what we did and the steps to doing it, and we also talked about how we got the donations to the HOP Shop,” Marissa Blanton said. The team competed in the STAR events category for community service; they were graded, receiving a gold, silver or bronze rating. “They grade you on how it relates to FCCLA and how it helps people. There are different categories you can compete in,” Marissa Blanton said. “There’s a cooking
one, teaching one, and ours was a Chapter Display case, which is helping other people, and finding ways to help others.” The team received gold for their presentation, resulting in acceptance to the state competition later this year. But while preparing for the competition later on, there is still work to be done here at home. Lending a hand to the student body not only helps the community, but makes our school a better place. “We’re just hoping students notice the HOP shop, and hoping that they’ll support us in helping other students at Oak Park that need help too,” said Marissa Blanton.
Haiti survivors receive help
Senior Drew Blanton organizes the formal clothes section in the HOP shop Friday, Feb. 5. photo by Gina Drapela, editor-inchief
Q&A
with principal of the year, Fred Skretta, Ed.D. by Jessica Nichols feature editor
Organizing personal hygiene products Wednesday, Jan. 27, freshman Javier Saldana helps senior Anthony Fields send goods to Haiti relief. photo by Chelsea Troutner, special to The Log.
by Gabrielle Young editorial editor Following the Haiti earthquake on Tuesday, Jan. 12, many people around the world stepped up to help the Haitian people by sending money or providing them with basic necessities, including student’s and teachers from our school. Math teacher Tracy Andrews headed up the personal hygiene kit drive by helping with the organization Heart to Heart International. This organization helps people around the world that have faced a crisis. They send ready relief boxes as one of the ways they help people in crisis. To assemble these kits students brought; washcloths, wide tooth combs, shampoo, toothpaste, band-aids and other personal items. “I personally wanted to do something to help,” Andrews said. “It’s a personal thing but it then turned into more of coming up with a way that students can help and learn to be consciences of people in need.” Students in some of the advisory classes also wanted to help. “We all had the idea to get it going and
sending the kits,” said senior Ashley Falzone. When the Haiti earthquake hit, one student in general had emotions much different then most, he had the fear of the unknown. “I was kind of scared about my family,” said freshman Pierre Francois. His family is okay and his dad recently left for Haiti to help out in any way he could. Hearing about the kit drive made him feel happy that students were helping out. “It doesn’t matter who you’re helping as long as you’re helping someone,” Andrews said. Other advisory classes partnered together Wednesday, Jan. 27 to help assemble kits. Students from the following classes participated: Carrie Marcantonio, Sara Albright, Julie Coffey and Andrews. “I brought some of the stuff,” said senior Jacob Barnette. In order to send the kits they have to be complete by having all the items on the list present. Boxes were short some items leaving supplies for another 200 boxes, the final count of boxes sent came out to 120.
Math teacher Tracy Andrews, founder of the project, and junior Alexandria Caravella distribute toothpaste and other hygiene products to send to the people of Haiti, Wednesday, Jan. 27. Students banded together to support those in need. photo by Chelsea Troutner, special to The Log
Q: How does it feel to be KC’s principal of the year for 2009? A: “It’s pretty cool but also really humbling because I know as a principal it’s not all about me but about the school and those around me. There are a lot of other great principals so it’s a great honor.” Q: What requirements did you have to meet in order to receive the nomination? A: “The minimum is to be at a school for four years. It’s all part of a national award process through NASSP.” Q: What do you think is your greatest accomplishment since your first year as Oak Park’s principal? A: “Hiring the people I’ve been able to hire. I’ve had a really good fortune to add to the really good teachers, principals, and support staff that we already have.” Q: What changes do you see in Oak Park’s future? A: “I think that we’ll get more stuff up on the walls, make things more inviting. Keep focus on the whole person. Making the school a positive place.” Q: Do you feel pressured by your title of KC’s principal of the year to strive for greater things for this year? A: “I hadn’t even thought about that. At mid-year it is important that people start thinking about the end of the year. Keeping your eyes on the prize.” Q: What is your best experience as Oak Park principal? A: “Graduation every year. I think that graduation is just so cool. It’s a real thing, symbolic too. Students are crossing a threshold. When you finish and get your diploma no one can take it away.” Q: What has been your worst experience as Oak Park principal? A: “There was one day when I got sick here in the office and threw up in my trash can. Other than that, fights. I don’t like the idea of physical violence.”
Theater combines love with laughter by Kayla Smith writer
Senior Dylan Comstock answers the phone in a skit he performed on Thursday, Feb 11 during the Valentine’s show. photo by Gina Drapela, editor-in-chief
Post-its can be a way of communicating with a loved one, or at least that’s what seniors Taylor Weatherly and Michael Rieger did on Thursday, Feb. 11 in the many skits for the Valentine’s show, a small production put on by Theater III and IV students and Breakfast Club, called “Love, the good, the bad, and the ugly.” In one skit, Weatherly and Rieger played a couple who throughout their lives together,
from beginning to end, wrote postit notes to each other and stuck them on a fridge. It followed their entire life, including the good, the bad and the sad. “It was an interesting way to show the time line of a relationship, through theatre,” Rieger said. This wasn’t the only skit however. The entire first part of the show was full of skits much like that one. Including, one with seniors Ryan Drapela and Brook Worlledge playing two strangers who meet at a coffee shop.
Worlledge portrayed a woman at a table with a book, a cup of coffee and a bell -- key to scene. When Drapela and Worlledge met, every time one of them said something wrong or anything the other person didn’t like, they rang the bell and they corrected what they said or did that was wrong. “It went really nicely,” Worlledge said. “Our timing was good and the audience’s reaction was really positive.” The skits weren’t the only entertaining thing in the show. The second half, after a 10-minute in-
termission, featured improv. The Breakfast Club, a group of students who take part in improv performances, played various games like the dating game and party quirks, designed to impress audiences with their quick wit and acting on their feet. “The games are not very easy,” said sophomore Ty White, “but when we put together all the great minds that participated, we had great success and the audience’s reaction made it worthwhile.”