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Stafford High School
Stafford High School
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Issue 12, March 23, 2011
Volume 67. Issue 5 Nov. 9, 2011
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33 Stafford Indian Lane, Fredericksburg, VA 22405
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Nov. 11 Veteran’s Day NO SCHOOL Nov. 11 Choir Districts Nov. 23-25 Thanksgiving Break weather Nov. 9-11 High: 69 F Low: 42 F Nov. 13-19 High: 60 F Low: 36 F Nov. 20-26 High: 58 F Low: 34 F
countdown
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days until Veteran’s Day
days until Thanksgiving
20 days until First Basketball Game
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Chasing the Golden Days: The cast performs “A Fable” for Stafford students in preparation for the Virginia Theater Association One-ActFestival. They went on to claim second place over 38 other schools. Winning 11 team achievement and individual awards, the cast will travel to Tennessee in March to represent the state of Virginia. Photo by Laura Swites
Drama moves on to Southeast Region BY AARON MCDADE Staff Writer The drama students won second place at the Virginia Theatre Association One-Act festival for their 45 minute long performance called “A Fable”. The drama students also took home a total of 11 awards for both individual and team achievements.
BY BRAD ELMORE Staff Writer
what’s hot
New Sports
Boys Cross Country
index Feature..................4-5 News......................1-2 Opinion....................3 Sports........................7 Spotlight..................8 Student Life.............6
plays. At the preliminary rounds, the students were awarded their achievements including runner up for outstanding play, five all-star cast awards, outstanding ensemble, outstanding music ensemble, outstanding musician, outstanding technical achievement, and outstanding costumes. The cast of “A Fable” won 6 team achieve-
ment awards including outstanding acting ensemble awarded to Erin Lottes Michael Musatow, Theron Duitsman, Joseph Levesque, Kendall Khan, Lindsay Earnhardt, Ragon Dickard, and Chrissy Johnson. The six individual awards went to Ragon Dickard, Chrissy Johnson, Kendall Khan, Lindsay Earnhardt Joseph Levesque, and Michael
Musatow for the all star cast. Jessica Schue, Xaviar Jenerette, Olivia Haynes, and Joe Eveler were awarded for outstanding music ensemble. Jessica Schue was also awarded outstanding musician of the entire Virginia Theatre Association one act festival. See A Fable on page
VDOT installs light, signals congestion
A new light will greet Stafford drivers on the way to school. VDOT is days until Winter Break placing the light on U.S. route 1 to give a warning in case of traffic congestion on the left turning lane that runs into Stafford High School. Thanksgiving The light is being placed because of too New Traffic Light many rear end accidents have happened near College Applications that the school. Staff and students
NHS
Placing second over 38 participating schools, the students will go on to represent the state of Virginia at the Southeastern Theatre Conference held in Chattanooga, Tennessee in March. Only two schools are selected to participate in the finals. Earning a score of 100 out of 100 in the preliminary rounds, they scored above 18 other school
make the point that the light is placed too close to the school, not giving drivers enough notice of the new light. The light will be placed a quarter mile from the intersection. When traffic is backed up, the flashing light will warn drivers to slow down to avoid collision over the hill. The light works based on a sensor in the pavement. The sensor is activated by weight, and if a car has stopped on the
specific spot, then the sensor will activate the flashing light on the hill. The light has cost state taxpayers $60,000 in state funding to get the light operational. The traffic from 7-9 a.m. has been congested with cars trying to get to work, or for some cases, school. From May 2007, through June 2010, there have been 5 rear end accidents because of drivers not being aware of traffic congestion on U.S. route
Students avoid paying for parking pass BY TAYLOR WEST Staff Writer
car on Nov. 3. Students are allowed two warnings until their car is booted. Once the car gets booted. Students will have to go to the front office and pay to get the boot
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One accident in particular had a truck that was going northbound hit a car and then by the end of the wreck, the truck had appeared on top of the car. After this incident, the school had requested for a warning system on the hill to aware people of congestion for the turning lane, and backed up traffic. The light is not for Stafford commuters exclusively. “We hope that
people not aware of the area will have a warning of congestion as well,” VDOT director, Kelly Hannon said. Stafford security guards have been dealing with accidents on the turning lane for several years. While placing the light, from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m., the intersection traffic light has allowed as many cars in the left turning lane, to See LIGHT on page 2
Admin takes away passes due to tardies BY LUCI BRAUN Staff Writer For all student driver receives a warning. drivers, being on The third tardy draws time to school is a two-hour detention a must. Though with an addition of a fivemany student driv- day loss of the parking ers may not know permit. it, being tardy to The fourth tardy adds school affects the a one-day In School Susprivilege of having pension in addition to a a parking pass. 10 days loss of the parking With a first and second tardy, the See TARDIES on page 2
Many students have yet to pay the $75 fee for a parking pass. Cars without a pass risk getting a ticket, but that doesn’t dissuade many drivers. “If it was up to me, I’d boot all of the cars after the first warning,” security officer Rodney Redmon said. “They were given weeks to buy them.” Security booted three See PASSES on page 2
Miss Virginia Teen
THANKSGIVING
Competes in March See page 6
What’s Cooking this fall? See page 8
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Issue 12, March 23, 2011
news
A Fable: Drama wins second at VTA competition “A Fable” was also awarded honors for the design and technical components of the play. It won outstanding costumes, outstanding technical achievement, Individual awards go to Ragon Dickard who was named best actress and Lindsay Earnhardt In addition to Joe Eveler, who began coaching the actors in July, Chad Johnson would like to acknowledge the contributions of Mosetta Stone and Seth Bixler, who helped to make this awesome weekend possible for our students by offering both creative input and logistical support to the show.
A Fable” is a play written in the 1960’s that touches on both social and political viewpoints in the world society. “ Being an educational institution we want the plays to have a relevance for students to relate to,” said drama teacher Michael D’Addario. “ I feel like the whole cast worked equally. Everyone worked hard and progressed with each practice we did,” said senior Michael Musatow, the king and the dreamer in “A Fable”. For three years straight the Stafford high drama students have attended the one act festival at the Virginia Theatre Association.
“I like “A Fable” more than the others we’ve done in the past because since we have a smaller cast, there’s more of a connection between cast members. Its kind of like a huge family,” said Musatow. The students put in two and a half hours after school everyday to prepare for the release of the play as well as five Saturday rehearsals. They also attended workshop sessions during the summer spending 10 hours for two days practicing and working on set design. The drama students will continue to Georgia where they will compete on a national level.
Defeating the monster: The cast uses netting repeatedly throughout the 45 minute long play, simulating a dream-like atmosphere. They were awarded for the play’s superior design and technical components. They won second over all at the state competition. Photo by Laura Svites
Patrick Oliver also contributed to this story.
VDOT: light for safety concerns, many accidents
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team has waited for the get into the school in one light for years. “I think the light is signal. pretty unnecessary,” seStafford’s security
Tardies: Loss of pass Continued from page 1 permit. After five tardies, the driver only gets a one day Out School Suspension but experiences a loss of the parking permit for 30 days, and any tardies after that, students earn an OSS for every time and the parking pass taken away indefinitely. “When you drive to school without a permit, we will boot your car, make you pay your class dues and buy a parking pass,” said office receptionist Anna Ellis. “Then if you don’t do that, we
will have your car towed and you have to pay a towing fee.” Just this school year, Nancy Perrone, the outside security guard, has booted at least 16 cars, and just six this past week. Three vehicles were booted on the day this article was written. Though once the car has been booted, the driver must have it removed before the car can be driven. The school has eight boots and is diligent about checking the parking lot for violations.
nior, Austin Kuiper said. Kuiper’s opinions are to the school for over 40 Some students also argue not exclusive to students. years and sees no purpose that the light is a waste of English teacher Jimmy for the warning signal. taxpayer dollars. Andrews has been driving The community has
posted several comments and opinions on their open forum on VDOT’s website.
built. “The architects wanted out-of-the-box ideas,” math teacher Wendy Myers said. Teachers wanted to foster school spirit with blue and gold everywhere. They also were suggesting a warmer atmosphere in the halls and classrooms of the new school building by painting the walls warmer tones. “The atmosphere should be conducive to learning by decorating rooms like elementary school’s rooms,” English teacher Jim Andrews said.
Areas in the classrooms for couches and upholstered chairs were talked about as comfort zones to make students feel cozy and relaxed. The “comfort zones” are hoped to induce a laidback and comfortable feeling Issues came up at the meeting as well. Classroom capacity for each room will be built to hold 21 to 28 students. “We’re hoping they will actually take our ideas into consideration,” said Andrews. Maggie Howell also contributed to this story.
Teachers discuss Stafford plans BY MARTA PERRINE Staff Writer Stafford teachers met with architects to discuss new building plans. They met on Monday, Oct. 31, and Tuesday, Nov. 1 in the conference room to make sure teachers got what they wanted. Most teacher attendees were from the math, English, and world language departments. “It was great to have an opportunity to have input,” said Karen Freeman, English department chair. By 2015, the new Stafford High School will be
Classrooms will have a bulletin board or other type of display window to put outside the classroom door. “We talked about preserving current artwork such as murals and old bricks for the new building,” said Meghan Castner, world language department chair. Teachers came to an agreement on saving memorabilia to bring some old Stafford to new Stafford. “Architects talked about building a mural with photos from old yearbooks,” journalism teacher Sue Gill.
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EDITORIAL: Spirit...? Stafford needs you! What does it mean to be a Stafford Indian? How would you describe Stafford High School? Unfortunately, these seemingly simple questions have been eliciting increasingly negative responses. Preoccupied only with the school’s lack of windows or crowdedness, many students can’t see the positives that hold the tribe together. Many see high school only as a seven-hour obligation. Stafford is only a place to check out, but as Link Crew and Interact Club sponsor Ryan Middleton puts it, “to be constantly surrounded by negativity can be taxing.” As a first year teacher last year, Middleton noticed a definite lack of enthusiasm among the student body last year. “It was like a gray cloud of negativity, and it was a downer,” Middleton said. “But I’m starting to see a real difference this year. Hopefully it will stick around.” Unfortunately there can be a widespread
mindset of the adversarial relationship between staff and students. “Sometimes when students get angry, they blame a ‘they,’ with a capital T, ” said NHS sponsor Deborah Kresho. “But I say no, it’s ‘us’ with a capital U. That’s what spirit is. It gets us involved, it keeps us going.” Students and teachers should have open lines of communication, sharing ideas and beliefs on what’s going on in the classroom. “Let us know what’s important enough to you,” Middleton said. “If you say things enough, you get heard. A lot of students feel muted and shutdown, when that’s not the case, and that’s unfortunate.” Instead of taking a negative stance of opposition to Stafford, students should maximize their time in high school by taking part in the activities that will build their interests and in turn create a positive high school experience. “The more you feel
Are you the ones missing? Join in! connected to school, the higher you achieve,” Middleton said. “And I don’t mean achieve in terms of test scores, I mean it in terms of reaching your full potential.” Schools are often seen as test-score-producing factories, but that’s not
what they are. They should teach kids the leadership skills necessary for a successful future. “I think the events that build school spirit actually develop those skills and opportunities,” Middleton said. For senior Qarima
Anbiya, Stafford can be a “sassy” place. “Maybe it’s because not everybody is a morning person, Anbiya said. “But I definitely did not enjoy being here.” But Anbiya doesn’t feel that way anymore.
“After I went to the cheer district competition, I realized that when it really matters, everybody comes together” Anbiya said. “It’s really a beautiful thing. I hope the positive bond continues.”
EDITORIAL: Earn it or lose it There is one fact that many students overlook as they enter senior year: the privileges that come with being a part of the graduating class are indeed PRIVILEGES. A privilege is an honor that one must earn. If the class of 2012, or any class that follows, wants senior privileges back, they must first make sure they are worthy of these benefits.
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However this must happen as a whole class, the current graduating class must prove all are responsible enough to deserve any privilege. Many students have doubted whether seniors will really gain these benefits, or if the graduating class is just being strung along on an endless chase. “I feel like we should get privileges because throughout this year
we’ve been acting pretty civilized,” senior Marshay Davis said. “But I know that we are probably not going to get them because we have a lot of strong minded people in our class that will always bring us down.” There have been times throughout this school year when both students and staff have referred to Stafford as a ‘family,’ but every family has its rough
patches. What the administration is looking for is the consistent feel of that family-like bond. Although the administration is looking for a school-wide transformation, the entire senior class must first set an example for the underclassmen, and make it known that this connection is here to stay, not only with the senior class, but with the school as a whole.
Making the Grade
A++ BF A PATRONS Super Sponsor Gyst & Mrs. Jeremiah M. Johnson T. Mark Johnson, MD Tracey Chestnut Teresa Sedlacek Millie Stadelmyer Betty & Rusty Dodd Theresa Puckerin Gold Patron Katherine Drumm Paula Chestnut Meg & Dave Bohmke Shirley Louisor
Silver Patron Mark & Tracey Woodyard Jennette Lock Kimberly Vaughn Mike & Kathy Baker Thomas & Lisa Skeer Coker Orthodontics
A Fable & Drama awards
XC Regional Champs
Fall Weather
smoke signal staff 2011-2012
Coming in second place out of 38 schools from across Virginia is a great job, but to top it off with 11 additional awards is fantastic! For the second year in a row, the boys cross country team took first place at regionals and moves on to the state meet next week. Ian MacLeod, Greg Bohmke and Joey Abbatiello did a great job. Everyone enjoys a warm, sunny day. Everyone understands we need rain to keep things growing but does it have to rain so much? or snow? during Homecoming? Better to have those Indian summer days and nights. Keep it up.
Editors-in-Chief Elexxus Brown Emily Griffin Photography Editor Assistant Editor-in-Chief Shannon Cooke Online Editors Rebekah Kim, Dani Raymond
Editors Leland Brooks Molly Podlesny Toni Sorrentino
Design Editor Bridget Phillips
Page Editors Katie Brandon Megan Corsano Ana Nosal Kirstin Whiteside
Workload & Homework Band Together for Homeless Dana Stonesifer Cathy Pearce Austin Enfinger Linda Hazelgren Marie Cunningham Heidi Kamei Ashleigh Powell Doreen Brindise Nancy Sorrentino The UPS Store Mariah Erickson Stephen Lisco Steven Mitchell Cindy Knutson Angela Donald Soon Kim Ellie Pare Nick Hudson Kirstin Whiteside Scott Larson Dr. Gregory Kauffman Beverly Byram Barbara Lampert Don & Linda Thomas Alyssa Sims Adam & Jeri Brown Morgan Silver
Students will always have homework and such but did it have to be due during Homecoming week? And do we really have to have so many projects, papers, presentations, worksheets, labs, and research papers due at the same time? All five Stafford County high schools participated in the “Band Together for the Homeless” on Thursday. Price was a can of food which was donated. Even the concession profits were donated to help the homeless.
Elisabeta Ferruku Jillian Weisbeck Patty Fenwick Shannon Coche Barbara Humphrey Todd Nosal John Romarello Nancy & Skip Brandon Nancy Hames Nancy Sorrentino Kay Braun Emily Byers Jim Green Sonja & Blair Scott Judy Mears Austin Pearson Rachel Perrine Annette Seal Bruce Phillips Jessica Turner Jason & Patricia Stine Josephine Billingslea Ryan Smith Kaylene Ahlm Craig Hayes Sue Sherman Maura & Sean McGraw
Bronze Patron Chuck Pedigo Sheila Giscard Jeff McClure
Blue Patron
Amanda & Joseph Hugger Bruce & Mary Brown Amy Clower Paty & Jason Stine Norris Dickard Katy Baker Leah Blake Serena Portillo
SHS Patron Denise Epperson Dick & Diane Williams Paula McClure Brian Wigginton Bryan Matthews Susan Wachter
Copy Editors Emily Byers Kathryn Lenox
Business Managers Karri Chestnut Georgia Felopulos Ashleigh Powell
Staff Writers Cody Beacorn, Natalie Bohmke, Luci Braun, Moriah Briscoe, Megan Corsano, Erin Cunningham, Amber Donald, Bradley Elmore,Ryan Hazelgren, Hannah Haugen, Megan Humphrey, Russ Kaus, India Kithcart, Taylor Lisco, Erin McGraw, Chris McMillen, Caelynn Miller-Keyes, Patrick Oliver, David Pearson, Abbie Pennington, Jack Raymond, Hannah Rowlette, Tori Santiago-Troutman, Cara Skeer, Ryan Thompson, Kristina Varela Travis Byram, Megan Ebeling, Billy Howell, Ellie Pare, Shannon Fenwick, Courtney Mears, Elizabeth Puckerin, Brendan Sherman, Jillian Weisbeck, Alexis Bush, Austin Enfinger, Kirsten Mitchell, B.H. Kim, Maggie Howell, Patrick Oliver, Marta Perrine Photographers Kerstin Felton, Amber Griffith, Muhamad Khalid, Emily Pearce, Austing Pearson, Kaitlin Shacklette, Eric Stapleton, Keana Young Alisa Posey
Videographers Jordan Reed Taylor Sutherland Advisor Sue Gill, CJE
The Smoke Signal is an open forum for student expression of the student body of Stafford High School. Unsigned editorials reflect the collective opinion of the Smoke Signal staff. Signed editorials represent the opinion of the author and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Stafford HighSchool, its administration, or staff. Signed letters to the editor not exceeding 250 words may be submitted to room W206. Anonymous letters will not be printed. The Smoke Signal reserves the right to edit letters for grammar and content and to refuse advertisements.
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Seniors Endure the College Application Process
What prompt did you get for your college application?
“Describe a historical figure that influenced your life.” Rachel Haynes, Senior
Seniors apply early, get a jump start on college
BY EMILY BYERS Copy Editor While some seniors are diligently scurrying to get their college applications in, others are left at ease knowing where they will be attending in the fall. Early decision applicants worked hard during their summer break to get their applications in and are now finding it easier to transition into their senior year. Senior Sammy Krejdovski has already been accepted to East Carolina University. “I think [applying early] shows that you are really interested in college and that a person isn’t being
lazy and pushing it off until the last second,” said Krejdovsky The students chose to focus in on a few places they really wanted to attend. They applied early in order to show their commitment to the school in an attempt to be accepted into their dream school. Senior Erin Gallivan has already been accepted to James Madison University to play field hockey for the Dukes. “Knowing where your going lets you actually enjoy senior year,”said Gallivan. These applicants find that it’s easier to make it through their final
year in high school knowing where their future lies. The stress of applying to multiple schools and wondering whether they will be accepted or not is no longer there after they make their decision. Senior Carrie Tuthill was also accepted to East Carolina University. “I’m just excited about starting a new life practically on my own and meeting a more broad variety of people!” said Tuthill. Early decision applicants have found time to think about campus life. Many of them are excited about their decision and cannot wait to get there.
College Preparation Check List
Junior Year Senior Year Take the PSATs
Take the SATs a second time.
Take SATs in the Spring
Request Transcripts from Guidance
Visit Colleges
Ask for teacher recommendations
Prepare for AP testing
Decide on applying Early Action or Early Desicion Fill out all applications by the correct deadlines
Plan Senior Schedule
Apply for Financial Aid “Your favorite place to get lost.” Stephanie Le, Senior
What college or university is your top choice?
Make final choice by May 1 Virginia Tech University of Virginia James Madison University William & Mary Radford
“Describe an experience that was unique or influential on your life.” Kelly Greeson, Senior
Virginia Commonwealth University George Mason University Other
Students procrastinate, rush to get applications finished “My favorite place to get lost.” Katelyn Gudyka, Senior
“The most influential experience of your life.” Casey Burns, Senior
BY CAELYNN MILLER-KEYES Staff Writer In the fall many seniors have already begun their college applications, some have already been accepted. Many students, however, have put off filling out and sending in their applications. “Senior year, spirit week, my DE paper, and Homecoming have been causing my procrastination,” senior Tatianna Tonnacliff said. Students have different reasons for their procrastination. Some people were late getting everything ready, some were unprepared, or some wanted to get their SAT scores up. “I’m not sure what college I want to go to yet,” senior Dan Jobrack said. Some students choose to apply to their top choice of colleges for early de-
cision. However, many choose not to use this opportunity. Jobrack chose not to do early decision because he didn’t know what college he wanted to go to yet. “I didn’t do early decision because I wanted to get my SAT scores up,” Tonnacliff said. Applying to a college causes worrying and stress for many students. “I’m most worried about not getting in to the school I want,” senior Bailey Mixon said. Applying after other students has given them an advantage according to some students. “If I do decide to go to a different school I won’t be tied down to just one,” Tonnacliff said. “It also gives me more time to get my application together.”
Seniors give admission advice to underclassmen BY KATHRYN LENNOX Copy Editor Preparing for college and deciding which school to attend is an exciting time in one’s high school career, however many seniors are finding the college application process to be long and different than they expected. “I was surprised by how much it cost,” senior Elizabeth McMillen said. “It’s expensive to apply and takes more time than I expected.” Some seniors are finding that writing their essays is more difficult than
they anticipated. “The hardest part about the whole thing for me is talking about myself in the essay,” senior Natasha Johnson said. “I don’t normally talk about myself and it’s weird writing 500 words about yourself.” Although the seniors are facing many challenges while applying to colleges, they are learning many lessons that they can pass down to underclassmen for when it is their turn to start the application process. “Something under-
classmen need to realize is they need to work hard in school,” senior Paige Bugg said. “When you look at the requirements of the different colleges you see that there is a lot of competition when applying. Underclassmen need to push themselves and take challenging classes and make every grade count. ” Not all advice is about academics. Seniors are finding that being punctual when submitting applications is beneficial. “Get it done as soon as possible,” senior Amber Hildebrand said. “It’s really
easy to keep putting it off and miss deadlines.” Application fees are reminding applicants of just how expensive college is and the importance of finding ways to pay for it. “Start saving your money for your applications over the summer,” McMillen said. “Senior year is more expensive than you think. Also, look for scholarships.” Although the application process is not fun, seniors are learning many lessons that may be useful to underclassmen.
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Issue 5, Nov. 9, 2011
Stafford High School
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BY B.H. KIM Staff Writer
The National Honor Society has been involved in activities in and outside of school by helping other clubs and elementary schools with their Halloween events. “We have been really busy this school year,” said NHS president Danny Strock. “Our advisors, Mrs. Kresho and Mrs. Jackson, have been really good at setting up point opportunities this year.” The NHS has been contacting local community service centers and schools to volunteer the club to help with any possible events or services. “I think the new point system is similar to last years, but has been modified to create more service opportunities,” said NHS secretary Will Janney. “And NHS is undergoing a major revamp this year with two new sponsors, but I think what has been done so far is really beneficial to the society.” There is a meeting on the first Tuesday of every month to discuss new point activities and other events the NHS will be involved with for the upcoming month.
>>Key Club
BY KIM KNUTSON Staff Writer
Key Club is preparing to count up the money donated from UNICEF boxes. Boxes were given out at the last Key Cub meeting to collect money for infants with a rare disease in third world countries. “A lot more people attended and helped out this year so I’m hoping we collected a lot of money,” editor Taylor Sumner said. Key Club is also about to start selling Air Head to students and have a workshop to make trail mix for Teacher Appreciation Week. “Thanksgiving is out busiest time of the year,” said Margaret Bridges, Key Club adviser. In the spring, Key Club is also hoping to participate in Relay for Life. “We would really like to do Relay for Life since we were not able to last year,” Sumner said.
>>Interact Club
BY DEREK HAYES Staff Writer
Interact Club has had a great start to the year. They are hard at work with two big events underway. “Right now we are beginning to plan a canned food drive for SERVE of Fredericksburg in cooperation with the Stafford Rotary,” club sponsor Ryan Middleton said. “We are going to plan to compile our efforts with other schools in an event at Colonial Forge.” This year the Interact club is planning their events and activities around helping children who are ill. “We are planning on doing an event for the Nothing But Nets Campaign, “ Middleton said. Nothing But Nets is a campaign that helps children across Africa with malaria. Interact is also trying to increase family activity at the school. “We are planning to hold a movie night for students and their families.” Middleton said. Interact is focusing on improving what they can from the previous years and increasing the bonds between student and staff “We are having a Staff vs. Student basketball game and we are planning on having a faculty game vs. Brooke Point in near future,” vice president Kirsten Felton said. This year looks like a very active year for them.
Elizabeth M. Attreed, DDS, PC 2832 Jeff Davis Highway Stafford, VA 22554 (540)-659-5161
Happy Helpers: Rebecca Raines, EMT teacher, helps out with preparation for band competition. Stafford band did not compete, as they were hostingthe event. Photo by Hannah Haugen
BY HANNAH HAUGEN Staff Reporter The marching band hosted their twelfth annual marching band competition on Saturday, Oct. 8. This year 20 bands from around the state competed at Lloyd A. Busch Memorial Stadium. The event was held as a fundraiser for the band. Band members and volunteers sold programs, concessions, tickets and shirts. Others helped cars and buses park, chauffeur bands, set up and take down the pit and scenery and run messages to and from judges. “It was a lot of hard work and was completely exhausting,” said flag girl
Band Buds: Band director Chuck Hite poses with a fellow band director. Hite’s band did not compete as it hosted the event.Photo by Hannah Haugen
Emily Leinenbach. Bands came to compete from as far away as Louisa County. The 20 bands ranged from size A, the smallest, to AAAAA, the largest. In the separate classes, bands performed and were judged with a 15 minute break in between each class. “Months of work go into planning an event like this,” band director Chuck Hite said. “You have to plan everything from parking, to concessions, to judges, to invitations, to programs...water for the bands, the field and getting the field ready for competition.” On top of planning for the competition, each band spent months learn-
ing and perfecting their show for competitions. Some of them did not quite make the cut, while others took home all the awards. Each band was judged on music, marching, general effect, percussion, auxiliary (or flags) and drum majors. Also first, second, and third place in each class, best “pit crew” and Grand Champion. The band that won first place over-all, no matter the class, won the Grand Champion trophy. AAAAA Battlefield High School took home the gold this year with their show’s theme “Journey Through the Classics.” By the end of the night, over 5,000 people
filled the stands. After all bands finished competing, and while the judges prepared for the awards ceremony, the SHS Tribe of Pride Marching band preformed an exhibition of their show, “Baseball: America’s Favorite Pastime.” “Most of the bands who had competed were sitting in the stands watching us preform,” Said band member Beth Reynolds. “It really fueled our performance and was on of our best shows.” After the final note was played cheers erupted from the crowd and the band proudly marched off the field.
can beat them and other schools that are better,” junior Amy Wood said. After finishing in the middle of the pack last year, many members have set their sights on top. “We want to make it to regionals—that and to try not to embarrass ourselves,” junior Allie Ahlm said. Many members were apprehensive after losing seniors from last year like their captain Matt Lansford, but after this initial meet many of these concerns were dissolved. “The new people coming up are doing really well this year,” said Suzanne Battista, Scholastic Bowl advisor. Along with the new members on the team is a new confidence in the members. “I see more focus and less hesitancy with the kids,” Battista said.
This was reflected in the meet. Kids were much more willing to buzz in, a fact that was reflected in the overall scores. In their first match of Stafford against Massaponax, Stafford scored 180 points while Massaponax had only 145. In their second match against North Stafford, they scored 155 points while North Stafford had 210. “The new people did fantastic,” Chase said. “Katherine did really well and so did Nate. Everyone was doing amazing.” Other players recognized by fellow members and Battista were John Sylvester, Amy Wood, Toni Sorrentino, and Catherine Hill. Kids join Scholastic Bowl for many different reasons. “Its something to do afterschool that’s pretty
fun,” senior Elizabeth Piersall said. “You end up learning a bunch of stuff you didn’t know.” This sentiment was echoed among several other members as well. “It’s a whole bunch of slightly quirky people that really want to know stuff,” Chase said. “Plus, you’re in this situation where it is okay to shout answers to as many questions as possible.”
Scholastic Bowl is optimistic BY HANNAH HAUGEN
Staff Writer
After last year’s promising run that left the Stafford Scholastic Bowl in the middle of the pack, this year’s team has high hopes with new players and a new plan for ending up on top. “Right now we’re mostly just meeting four times a week after school to practice answering questions from past years,” junior Elizabeth Chase said. “One of us will teach a short lecture on something we’re really good.” All their hard work has paid off. In their first meet at Albemarle they beat Massaponax High School but lost to North Stafford. “We beat North Stafford last year by a lot so hopefully we will get better over the year so we
Miller-Keyes to compete for pageant crown in nationwide contest in March Pageant Perfect Smile: Junior Caelynn Miller-Keyes is competing in a nationwide pageant. She and the 51 other competitors will be working with elementary schools to prevent bullying. Miller-Keyes hopes to someday be Miss Universe. Photo submitted by Caelynn Miller-Keyes
BY BRIDGET PHILLIPS Design Editor Junior Caelynn MillerKeyes aspires to one day be Miss Universe, and she is well on her way to fulfilling her dream. MillerKeyes participated in and won Miss High School Virginia in September, and is preparing for Miss High School America which takes place March
6-10. Miller-Keyes has been doing pageants since April of last year and they have grown to be a big part of her life, claiming much of her time and attention. “I’m really excited for this next pageant,” MillerKeyes said. “I got a coach and I’ve started buying a lot of clothes.”
The platform for this particular pageant is called “The Crown that Cares.” The girls will be working with the antibullying movement by addressing bully prevention, talking to elementary schools in the area and selling the book “Sticks, Stones, and Stumped.” “I think it’s very important for kids to get
help and for the help to be available for them if they are being bullied,” MillerKeyes said. She will be meeting up with the 51 other Miss High School America contestants, one from each state, one from Washington D.C., and one from the Virgin Islands. “I’m really excited to meet the other girls who are competing with me,” Miller-Keyes said. “There are a lot of fun events planned for us. The girls will be travelling to the Alamo, Sea World, taking a riverboat tour and finally a grand banquet at the end of the pageant. Her mom is travelling with her to the pageant and on the different planned trips. “I’m really proud of Caelynn and can’t wait to see her onstage with all the other girls in Texas,” Jai-Leah Kamenicky said.
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Stafford High School
7 Issue 5, Nov. 9, 2011
sports www.staffordsmokesignal.com
Athletes determined to reach the next level BY CODY BEACORN Staff Writer
Athletes play high school sports for the love of the game, to have fun and to fulfill their dreams of playing at the next level. Playing at the next level for most high school athletes requires the long, grueling process of being recruited. The recruiting process for all sports is fairly similar. Student athletes fill out questionnaires, go to showcase camps combines, contact college coaches at schools they wish to go to, and send in game/skills tape to those coaches. “Yes, coaches want to be contacted and want to receive game film but the most effective way to be recognized is by having really good stats,” said Sam Heflin, varsity field hockey player. “Great stats earn you honors and athletes with the better honors receive
the better offers.” Athletes cannot be scared to call or email coaches. Familiarizing yourself with coaches is very important. Contacting coaches can help keep them aware that there are other really good athletes out there that they might have overlooked. “I hit up coaches at schools where I think I can play and I try to find the school that is the best fit for me,” said Tyler Creel, varsity baseball player. Coaches do not always appear at high school sporting events. Although when they do, no matter if they are there to evaluate you, your teammate or even one of your opponents, if they see a certain athlete outplaying all the others on the field that athlete might just be their next prospect. “Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard,” said Tre Smith, varsity baseball
One Down! Indian pride shines through as a tackle is made and coaches look from the sidelines. Football players played hard on the field in order to make themselves stand out to recruiters. photo by Taylor Sutherland
player. Getting recruited may take athletes going out of their way to get noticed or to play with the best, but would it really matter if
Girls soccer adjusts BY CARA SKEER Staff Writer More than three months before tryouts, the girls soccer team is working out and perfecting their skills in preparation for their season ahead. They have been working hard to begin their preseason, with conditionings and open soccer sessions three days a week. With the restrictions against coaches being lifted this past school year, the coaches are also able to get involved. “It’s different to have the coaches be there and able to coach, but it’s a
good change,” junior Mary Wellman said. In previous years, coaches had to sit on the sidelines and refrain from coaching or instructing their players. This year there are high expectations for the girls with more coaching being available to them. “I think were going to be a lot better this year,” sophomore Katie Walz said. “The conditionings and open soccer are really different this year.” The team is also putting together indoor soccer teams to play at the Fredericksburg Field House. This gives the girls more touches and an ex-
in the end they got what they set out for. “It’s so much work and it takes such a long time to match yourself up with a good school
that meets your needs academically and athletically,” said Darrian Johnson, varsity football player. “Although when it is all said and done and you
step foot on to that court or field you have been dreaming about your whole life, you realize it was all worth it.”
tra opportunity to improve their skill. “The indoor league gives girls a chance to get used to playing on the same team,” head coach Laura Gaesser said. “They can get more touches on the ball while getting familiar with how each other plays.” With the new coaching rules, and the tougher preseason activities, the team is pushing hard to improve their skills and do better than their record from previous years. “I’m hopeful for this season,” senior Erin Smith said. “Were working hard for it.”
Varsity Stats Katelyn Gudyka - 162 kills Jessica Gutanis - 288 assists Lindsay Lafratta - 224 digs V Volleyball finishes season BY CARA SKEER Staff writer After more than three months of practices and games, the volleyball team wrapped up their season the last week of October. The team had their first games beginning at the end of August, going into their last game against North Stafford on October 27. Even though the girls didn’t make it far into the playoffs, they took several key games from matches against Brooke Point, Colonial Forge, and Massaponax. Leading by example with exceptional play was senior libero Lindsey LaFratta, junior setter Jessie Gatanis, and senior hitter Katelyn Gudyka. Gatanis led the team in assists with a total of 235 this season. Gudyka also had an impressive number of assists, with 133 this season. LaFratta held the defense with 169 digs. Stafford battled to five games in their match against Brooke Point. The girls claimed the first two games and lost the last three. The games had long Dig it! Jennifer Quintero serves the ball in a recent volleyball rallies and excellent play match. The girls had one of the best seasons ever by making it into the playoffs. Photo by Taylor Sutherland from both teams.
To the Finish Line Josh Kiminiki, Miranda Shelton and others run after school for practice. Cross country didn’t bring on the wins but they have perservered. Photo by Taylor Sutherland
Boys XC wins regionals BY CODY BEACORN Staff Writer The boy cross country team is on a roll. They finished second in the district for the second straight year. They are a mere one point behind Albemarle but are advancing on to the regional meet on Nov. 3. Greg Bohmke is their top runner. Bohmke’s biggest race was the Milestat.com Invitational where he finished in fifth place and broke the school record with a time of 15:45. “Greg has put in a lot of work over the summer and through the year,”
said Augrom , cross country coach. “It’s shown in his new school record and state ranking of thirteenth.” The girls finished in fifth for the second year in a row and missed going to regionals as a team. “Even though they are disappointed,” Augrom said, “they are showing definite signs of improvement and all of them are coming back next year since we did not have any seniors.” The top girl runner is Hannah Lowery. Lowery’s biggest meet was the Great American Invitational in Cary, N.C., where she finished in
thirteenth place amongst some of the best runners on the East Coast. “Hannah is a tireless worker who has been pushing through multiple injuries throughout the season in order to help the girls team try to qualify for Regionals and maintain her ranking as sixthin the state,” Augrom said. The big XC meets coming up are regionals, states and the Nike Southeast National Qualifier. The season has been relatively successful for the XC team although with the hard work they put in every day at practice their level of success is unlimited.
DOMINO’S FEEDS THE SMOKE SIGNAL STAFF AT LAYOUT
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8 Issue 5, Nov. 9, 2011
Stafford High School
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Variety of Fall Trends Take the Stage BY HANNAH ROWLETTE Staff writer Fashionistas, start your leaf blowers! This fall has blown back in some trends from last year while combining them with new ones for some psychedelic trends that will take over your closet. Bright colors are going to be popping up according to Style.com. Combined together in color blocking, solid shirts and pants or leggings should be paired to fit this developing trend. In particular mustard, rust, scarlets and other reds, and teal hues are popular according to Glamour. com. Pea coats and tall boots have been brought back from last year; combining the pea coats and bright colors is one way to bring a splash of color to any jacket. In addition to the trend of tall boots, cowboy boots are also gracing the streets with some home girl style. Military trends have survived spring and summer to make a reappearance this fall in the form of camouflage and military colors. Military style shirts and bags are also items to grab while shopping for this
fall’s trends. Sweaters have also come back this fall, combining artisan style prints with knits for a warm way to stay in style. Artisan style purses have also made an appearance on the scene with leather and cloth bags. Animals have also taken the stage as fur trim on coats, fur vests, and fur hats according to harpersbazaar.com. Feathers have taken over the accessories industry as hair clips, earrings, and necklaces in a variety of bright colors and natural tones. Retro has also made a reappearance with psychedelic colors and retro patterns. 6o’s style dresses are also back in style, making vintage a must-have for this fall. Makeup is dominated by emphasized eyes either with smoky eye and dark shadows balanced with a clean face and neutral lips. Conversely red lips are also in with minimal eyes. Safari eyes are also popular with earth toned eyes and understated lips according to Covergirl.com.
Turkey or White Chocolate Cupcakes? BY REBEKAH KIM Online Editor
With the Thanksgiving break right around the corner, a lot of students are expressing their favors toward their favorite Thanksgiving foods. “I love my mom’s sweet potato casserole. She only makes it once a year on Thanksgiving day, and it is so good,” senior Stephanie Le said. “For Christmas, you make and eat Vietnamese food, but for Thanksgiving, since it’s strictly an American holiday, we celebrate it in American way and eat American Thanksgiving food.” Some expressed their special love toward one specific type of food, or dressing.
“I love cranberry sauce so much. If I could marry a food, I would definitely marry cranberry sauce,” sophomore Amy Wood said. “Why? Need I explain? It’s really delicious and sugary. How can you not like it?” Some students’ favorite foods were not strictly American dishes, either: they differed from Greek salads to sweet European desserts. “My family loves to have caprese salad on Thanksgiving table,” senior Erin House said. “I love it because it has a combination of tomato and mozzarella.” According to some, many
families make their own traditional dishes for this special holiday every year to celebrate it in their own special way. “My mother makes white chocolate chunk cupcakes every year,” sophomore Samantha Mikelson said. “They are the best.” Even though everyone agreed that they have favorite foods, they also expressed their dislike for well-known holiday dishes. “I do not like stuffing. To me, it doesn’t taste good, and everyone else in my family likes it except me,” senior Devin Geraghty said. “So I usually eat it just to make them happy.”
Cinna-Walnut Monkey Bread
How to Make
Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes Ready time: 15 minutes
Theron Duitdman, junior “I love the smell of fall and the beautiful anbience of fall.”
Ingredients: 1 can of Pillsbury Biscuits Buttermilk, cinnamon powder, chopped walnut, sugar, and maple syrup
Procedure: 1. Heat oven to 340°F. 2. Combine cinnamon power, chopped walnut, and sugar. 3. Slice the biscuit dough into eight pieces.
BY REBEKAH KIM
4. Oil the cooking bowl and combine the combination with the dough pieces. 5. Pour about 10 tablespoons of maple syrup into the cooking bowl.
Online Editor
Melanie Redd, senior “I love how one day the leaves are green and the next day you wake up and they’re yellow.”
Kendall Khan, senior “It’s not overly hot or cold; it’s perfect weather.”
6. Add the dough pieces. 7. Bake 20 to 25 minutes. 8. Serve after cooling it off for about 15 minutes.
Hannah Oltman, junior “I love the changing leaves.”