That’s because on March 24, freshman Eggenschwiller captured first place in Fairmont’s “Got Talent” show in the auditorium with his guitar and vocal version of John Mayer’s Waiting on the World to Change. He went home with a $50 prize. The event was sponsored by the Sophomore Class Council.

But the night wasn’t just about showcasing Fairmont students; the talent show ended up raising $550 to support next year’s Junior Class Council functions. Library Media Specialist Jillian Kelsey, adviser to the sophomores, and Student Activities Director Jenny Borchers helped supervise and coordinate the talent show.

Auditions were … ‘interesting’

However, getting to the actual talent show was no easy task. “On March 11, we held the auditions to get a spot for the night, and those acts turned out to be very interesting, to say the least,” Kelsey said. “Between people who weren’t sure what they were doing and people who hadn’t practiced at all, some performances came up a little short.”

Auditions were interesting from the students’ perspective as well. “I was just really nervous about trying out, especially after seeing other people go up there and do extremely well,” junior Nicole Flanary said. “But after seeing some of the people go up who I felt were as talented as me, I felt so much better.” Flanary danced to Diva by Beyonce alongside juniors Kyetra Williams and Katana Williams.

Senior Cameron Heaps, who beat boxed his way to a third-place tie, said he’s used to being on stage, but it still makes him feel nervous. “When I was going on stage and about to showcase my talent against other people, I definitely felt some anxiety,” he said.

More than 20 Firebirds left the auditions with a spot for the talent show on March 11. And with the actual production less than two weeks away, people began to grow anxious for the big night. “I would spend at least 20 minutes a night practicing my beat boxing,” Heaps said.

A rehearsal night … and then the big show

When the rehearsal for the talent show came around on March 23, things turned out a bit different than planned. “We ended up having to cut seven acts that didn’t show. So some things were pretty hectic,” Kelsey said.

Even with a few things going off course, everyone was able to stay cool and collected. “I was a little worried when people started not showing up. But when I looked around and saw that plenty of people were there, I really started to calm down and remember that things were going to be OK,” Flanary said.

About 300 people watched the performers in the talent show throughout the night, including judges Karen Johnson, Jenny Richardson and Corey Wilson. “I never thought that it would go so well, and the fact that I ended up tying for third place is absolutely amazing,” Heaps said.

Freshman Emmy Wydman won the second place prize of $30 for singing Fidelity by Regina Spektor, and sophomore Matt Ebersbach, who sang and danced to Get Your Shine On by Jesse McCartney, split the $20 third-place prize with Heaps.

And for the grand finale, Eleventh Hour came on and sang two of their most well-known songs. “Our audience definitely loved them,” Kelsey said. “Eleventh Hour was definitely a perfect end for a perfect night.”

According to the American College Testing Program, nearly one in every four college freshmen leaves or switches schools before finishing sophomore year. They drop like flies trying to handle the new environment’s challenges, including homesickness, intense academic pressure and unstructured living. Students who blossomed in high school with impressive 4.0 GPAs might experience sobering shock when they receive that first C.

Thousands of Fairmont students have made the transition from structured high school life to the freedom of college. Kendra Elam, a freshman at Findlay University majoring in Special Education, says the best part of college is having more freedom and not having to go to school from 8 to 3.

On the other hand, the lack of rigid rules means students have to find their own way to stay afloat amid a sea of rigorous classes and other demands. Most students, professors and counselors cite one crucial requirement: organization, organization and organization. “I wish I would have made a schedule at the beginning of each week,” said Miami University freshman Ben Powers, also a Fairmont grad.

Most classes aren’t in a row, and Ashlynn Kohlberg says remembering what classes fall on what days and times can be a challenge. “I went shopping for a big white board that has a monthly calendar on it to write out my monthly schedule,” said Kohlberg, a freshman at the University of Cincinnati.

But what might work for one person could be useless to another. A personalized strategy for tackling college life is often the best. “The only person I have found that can get me on track is myself,” said Ashley Hale, a psychology major at The Ohio State University.

The rigorous course loads and abundance of homework are leading causes of college attrition, but many students prepare for this by challenging themselves in high school. “Most of my classes seem a lot easier than I thought they would be because of how hard my AP classes were, and I know what standard my work should be at,” said Kohlberg. “Mr. Mitter’s Calculus BC class taught me that not everything is about the grade and sometimes you just have to let things go.”

The transition into dorm and college life can be eased by some simple gestures, such as calling one’s roommate in advance to get to know him or her, as Elam did. Powers was worried about his roommate as well, but he soon found there was no cause for concern. “We quickly found out that we have a lot in common, and now we’re really good friends,” he said.

“Homesick? Me? Nahh.”

Most teens look forward to the day when they no longer have to be told what to do by their parents, but many freshmen soon experience the lonely pang of homesickness. At first, Elam even disliked Findlay because of it. Her remedy: “Keep yourself busy. Go and hang out with friends when you have nothing to do. Just sitting in your room makes it worse,” she said.

There are still plenty of ways to keep in contact with old friends and family. Social networking sites like Facebook can keep you up to date on home life, and on Skype you can video chat for free. Even a short text message or email to Mom or Dad can be comforting for both teens and parents.

Many freshmen return home on the occasional weekend for a dose of familiarity, especially if they’re attending a local college. But advisers discourage frequently leaving campus. “It’s important to get acclimated to campus life, which many commuter students miss out on,” said Cari Wallace, director of New Student Programs at the University of Dayton.

Pay attention to your health

The allure of eating a cornucopia of junk food can be even greater in college, given the scarcity of money and time for a balanced diet. Classes often overlap traditional meal times and while many students won’t rave about the “gourmet” dining-hall food, others can’t get enough of it. The variety and fact that often students can go back for seconds, thirds or fifths contributes to the overeating problem.

A dreaded byproduct of these eating habits is the “Freshman 15” pounds that plague many first-year students. Nonetheless, keeping healthy is essential to surviving college. After all, it’s hard to go to class sick, and it’s much harder to keep up when you miss classes in college than it is in high school.

It almost goes without saying that avoiding drugs and alcohol can keep a person healthier and more alert. With the freedom of college, it’s easy to slip into a pattern of late-night boozing. “If you’re going to get addicted to something, get addicted to exercise,” said Powers, who competes on a martial arts team at his school. “There’s no reason to spend your peak physical years staying up till 3 every morning playing video games … but it’s OK every once in a while.”

Staying financially afloat

The ACT says many college dropouts cite lack of financial stability as their main reason for leaving school. What do college kids do to fight this? Hale works at Family Dollar. Dan Miles, a senior at Miami University, left a campus catering job to start a lawn-care business. According to the American Council on Education, 78 percent of undergraduates have jobs, mostly 30 hours a week.

This does pose problems, as outside work can get in the way of school work. Wallace recommends taking a campus job, but only if one can balance it with scholastic life and social life. “A campus job is the best job because they understand you’re a student,” said Wallace.

Keeping track of funds gets especially hard with credit cards. Most advisers say to avoid these, as expenses can rack up quickly. But the challenge of balancing money is also part of the college experience. “Expect cafeteria food every day. Expect to be broke. Expect Wal-Mart to become your new best friend,” said Heather Hershey, a Fairmont grad attending Muskingum University in New Concord, Ohio.

HELP!

It isn’t always easy to ask for help. But in a new environment like college, it can be the difference between sinking and swimming. In most schools, there are plenty of resources and people ready to point you in the right direction. Student Learning Offices provide tutoring, while academic advisers can help with conflicts and finding the right major, activities and classes. And don’t forget about resident assistants who live in the dorms. These upperclassmen are there to introduce students to activities, mediate conflicts and provide one-on-one counseling and support.

Trent Pinto, a Resident Life assistant at UD, says two reasons students don’t make it are because they aren’t prepared or they don’t want to ask for help.  “We’re here to help you, but you have to be willing to ask for it,” said Pinto.

The same goes for professors. Because of the typically larger size of classes in college, it can be harder to get to know a professor, but most set aside office hours for the sole purpose of meeting with students. “If you are struggling in a class, go to a teacher during office hours. If you are really interested in the subject, go talk to the teacher,” said Miles. “People are always willing to point you in the right direction.”

But Miles also reminds freshmen to be wary of upperclassmen giving directions on campus. “If they are smiling really big,” he said, “you might want a second opinion.”

Finding what works for you

Above all else, finding a school that fits the person is the biggest factor in college success and happiness. This takes time and research. Checking out college websites, planning school tours and establishing contacts is a great place to start. Many schools will pair interested high school students with a college student who shows them around and takes them to classes. There are also plenty of surveys available online and through the mail – like MyMajors.com – that can help in choosing a major.

Homework is an inescapable part of college, but Hershey says the school work doesn’t change, you just become more responsible for it. “Have discipline,” said Hershey. “It’s hard to do homework without Mom, Dad, Grandma, etc. looking over your shoulder.” With the abundance of work, it’s a good idea to tackle projects early to get the jump on deadlines. It’s not as easy to pull an all-nighter with three papers after procrastinating for weeks.

As in high school, it can be difficult to balance class work with extracurricular activities and other interests. “Get involved in a way that matches your course level and ability,” said Wallace. Joining clubs, organizations, teams and other groups provides valuable experiences and helps build friendships.

In a place where almost everyone is a stranger at first, making the effort to reach out is the best way to get connected and feel at home in a new school. Andrea Kelsey, a freshman at Muskingum University in New Concord, Ohio, did just that. “I started talking to my classmates and going to more events on campus, which allowed me to meet new people,” she said.

Above all, college is about you: learning what your interests are, finding out what kind of person you are and preparing for life. For many, it’s a chance to start fresh. These tips can help along the way, but it’s up to you to make your college experience what you want it to be.

This year, April 22 marks the 40^th anniversary of Earth Day. According to the Earth Day Network, “Earth Day 2010 is a pivotal opportunity for individuals, corporations and governments to join together and create a global green economy.”

There has been a recent push for society to go green and do their part to be more environmentally friendly. Fairmont High School also is doing its part to create a more earth-friendly environment.

A new science class called IB Environmental Systems and Societies was added to Fairmont’s Course of Studies in 2009. Pat Fife teaches the class. “The emphasis is on sustainable living,” said Fife. “We study ecosystems, how human activity affects ecosystems, biodiversity, energy resources and climate change.”

Fife, the Science Department chair, believes keeping the Earth clean is important, and she has advice on how to be more environmentally friendly. “There are so many things we can do,” she said. “Limiting how much you drive, using energy-efficient appliances in your house and making sure your house is well-insulated are all ways to help the environment.”

Fife also encourages students to look at alternative sources of energy, such as wind-powered and solar energy. “Our society needs to move away from using fossil fuels. Coal is the dirtiest thing for the environment we could use,” she said.   

Fife stressed that if people voice their concerns, they can make a difference and changes can be made on a larger scale to help keep the Earth clean.

Earth Corps Adviser Molly Merrill agrees. “It is important for kids to realize that every little bit counts,” she said. “Many people turn away from going green because they think they will have to change their whole lifestyle. But really, just doing little things like using less electricity and recycling make a huge impact.”

Students make a world of difference

Earth Corps is a club at Fairmont that helps the environment by doing service projects. The group also goes on hikes to enjoy nature. For Earth Day this year, Earth Corps is working with Five Rivers Metroparks to adopt a park to help clean up. “Last year, we collaborated with the City of Kettering and many other groups to plant 1,000 trees on Earth Day,” said Merrill.

Earth Corps usually does one big service project every year. Merrill said the projects vary from year to year, depending on what the group wants to do and is more passionate about. “One year, the group was really into endangered animals, so we adopted injured manatees and sent money to help them,” said Merrill. “Last year, the group got paper-recycling bins into all the classrooms.” 

Merrill believes it’s good for schools to do things, such as recycling, that will help the environment. “It is important to encourage that mindset in school, because then it will become a habit for students in their everyday lives.”

Sophomore Erin Koehler agrees that every little bit counts. “It would help so much if everyone would just recycle and use less water,” said Koehler. “Hopefully Earth Day reminds people to save our resources.”

Green Week comes to Fairmont

The United Student Body is having “Green Week” the week of April 19-23 in honor of Earth Day. “We’re doing this to promote awareness of our environment to Fairmont students,” said USB Vice President Holly Carey, who is on the Green Week Planning Committee.

Among the activities planned is a “Lights Out Day,” when teachers will be encouraged to turn off either one or both sets of lights in their classrooms to conserve electricity. Also, students who bike or walk to school that week will be entered into a raffle to win gift certificates. Recycling bins for each grade will be placed in the cafeteria, and there will be a competition to see which class recycles the most.

Junior Hannah Ortega is looking forward to Green Week. “I think it will be fun to carpool with friends,” said Ortega. “I am happy that Fairmont is taking action to make our world a better place.”

Activities Director Jenny Borchers organized the first “Seniors Helping Seniors” event so that Fairmont’s 12^th-graders could do nice things for senior adults in Kettering. “Seniors Helping Seniors” was funded by a grant from the Kettering Community Foundation that Borchers’ applied for in the fall. Activities were scheduled from 8:30 to 10:45 a.m., Monday through Thursday, during the week that Fairmont’s freshmen and sophomores were testing.  

Activities ranged from organizing a library to playing board games at a variety of locations around the city. Thirteen teachers assisted in the activities.

At the Lathrem Senior Center located at the Kettering Recreation Center, Fairmont seniors installed a Wii and Wii Fit out of the grant money and taught the senior adults how to play. “This is fantastic,” said Pat Hendricks, a senior adult at the Lathrem Center. “It’s really good for the seniors.”

At The Terraces, a senior community located near St. Albert, the Fairmont students helped by building gardens, organizing a library, and just playing board games or cornhole with the residents.

The seniors also helped out at the different Franklin Group independent living locations each day of the week. At these locations, students painted flower pots for residents to use for planting, since there isn’t enough room for a garden. They also played various games with the residents such as cornhole or bingo.

The “Seniors Helping Seniors” event was similar to service learning, which essentially means that students do community service as part of their regular high school curriculum. Currently, community service isn’t required for Ohio teens, but Gov. Ted Strickland wants to make it mandatory in the future. “It’s important to work towards service learning before it’s mandatory,” said Borchers. She hopes to make “Seniors Helping Seniors” a new Fairmont tradition and that many people will want to get involved.

Getting involved for some of Fairmont’s seniors meant learning new things from the senior adults, who shared their experiences living through major events such as the Great Depression and World War II. “I loved it; it was a great experience,” said senior Amena Shermadou. “It was so much fun because they taught us just as much as we taught them.”

Some students could relate to the senior adults. Senior Liz Shine, who helped put puzzles together at The Terraces, spent some of her time with different senior adults. “I liked hanging out with Hilda from the Dominican Republic,” said Shine. “It was fun because we were able to speak a little Spanish back and forth.”

Many senior adults also seemed to enjoy the experience. Marlene Wilson, a resident at The Terraces, didn’t want the teens to leave. “I have a lot of kids in my family and nothing can compare to Fairmont’s seniors,” said Wilson. “They’re wonderful. We loved having them.”

Now that I have your attention, let’s get the facts straight. According to The Kaiser Family Foundation, 47 percent of high school students in grades 9-12 are sexually active, and the percentage of students who have sex increases by grade. Thirty-three percent of freshmen and 62 percent of seniors are sexually active.

Those figures may shock some, while drawing a shrug or a yawn from others. The subject of sex education for young people prompts equally wide-ranging reactions. The long-debated questions include: When should sex education be taught? Who should do the teaching – parents or the school? How much information should be included?

Gregory Ramey, Ph.D., a child psychologist at Children’s Medical Center in Dayton, recently wrote in his Dayton Daily News column that he believes our society “talks too little and too late about sex.” He pointed out that, according to a study published in the November issue of Pediatrics, 40 percent of teens have sexual relations before they have had any discussion about sexuality, pregnancy and health.

In the Kettering School District, ninth-graders receive “the talk” in the required Health class. However, the process of learning about the body starts in sixth grade, says David DeLon, director of Secondary Curriculum for the Kettering School District. “In sixth grade, the focus is on the bodies going through puberty,” he said. “In seventh and eighth grade, the focus in on the reproductive system, and then in ninth grade is sex education.”  

A week or two before the sex education lessons begin at Fairmont, parents get a flier that explains what will be taught. “This way, parents are welcome to add whatever additional information that they feel is appropriate,” said DeLon. “Also, if parents do not want their child to partake in that class, they have the option of pulling their child out to do an alternative assignment.”

Health teachers don’t actually teach the sex education classes because The Montgomery County Combined Health District comes in to discuss everything from sexually transmitted diseases to dating communication and from rumors to consequences.

“Sex education is a three-day engagement that is a great time for students to see the full spectrum of consequences and learn how to deal with real-life situations,” said Health teacher Andy Aracri. “It’s good because students can make connections and learn through asking questions, performing skits and watching slideshows. I think it can be a real eye-opener.”   

Aracri agrees with bringing in guest speakers to teach sex education. “By having someone else teach the facts, it eliminates any biased opinions,” he said. “Also, the format is clear-cut and sticks to supporting abstinence and abstaining from sexual activity.”

Kettering teaches abstinence only

DeLon knows sex education – especially how much information students receive – is a controversial subject. “Our sex education course of study is focused on abstinence,” said DeLon. “Kettering has a history of being conservative, and teaching abstinence reflects the values of the community.”

Some, however, feel the focus on abstinence only is not enough. Fairmont junior Candace Baird feels that approach is a little outdated and safe-sex practices should also be taught. “I think they should teach both because people are having sex, so you have to do what you can to keep people from getting sick or pregnant,” she said.

In fact, a 2007 congressionally authorized study showed that students who took abstinence-only classes were just as likely to have premarital sex as those who weren’t in the classes. 

Although some people want the sex education curriculum in Kettering’s schools to include information about safe sex-practices, DeLon said he gets more phone calls from hesitant parents concerned that their son or daughter is going to learn about sex. “I rarely ever get a phone call saying that we are not teaching enough about sex,” he said. “But I do get phone calls questioning if we should teach sex education at all.”

The “Kettering City Schools’ Family Life and Sex Education Philosophy” flier that gets sent home to parents states: “The schools serve in a supportive capacity to help children maintain the essential values that promote wholesome family life.” 

Fairmont sophomore Alex Fantaci agrees with what the Kettering School District is teaching. “I think that abstinence is the right thing to teach, because if you don’t save sex for marriage, it can result in pregnancy or an STD.”

Fantaci also thinks the district should offer an elective called Sex Education that goes more in depth, in addition to teaching sex education in Health. “I think more students would listen if they took this elective,” said Fantaci. “The class could have volunteers who come in and tell what happens if you don’t save sex for marriage.”   

Teen pregnancies on the rise

One of the things that can happen to sexually active teens is pregnancy, and a new study indicates the teen pregnancy rate across the country has grown by 3 percent, the first increase in 15 years. The Guttmacher Institute study was based on 2006 numbers, the latest available.

Fairmont Childhood Development teacher Shelley Heaps puts the blame for this increase on many factors in today’s society. “Music, TV shows, and people like Tiger Woods and John Edwards, who have affairs, all show kids this image that it is OK and even cool to have sex,” said Heaps. “All these things are encouraging people to make poor choices because there seem to be few consequences.”

Poor choices that lead to accidental pregnancy are one thing, but some teen girls are becoming pregnant on purpose. Many people have heard about the 17 girls at a Massachusetts high school who were all pregnant at the same time a couple of years ago; nearly half of the girls admitted to being involved in a pact to get pregnant and raise their babies together.

Heaps, who counsels pregnant teens at Fairmont, wants students to understand that it just takes a little choice to have sex, but it can turn into huge consequences. “I don’t agree with the term ‘safe sex’ because there is nothing safe about having sex,” she said. “You are always taking a chance, and the only way to be 100 percent safe is abstinence. Knowing the consequences, someone who cares about you and your future wouldn’t ask you to do anything that could hurt you or change your future.”

Heaps believes sex education starts at a young age with the family. “Parents need to teach their children that they are special and important, and their body is not to be shared with everyone who shows an interest in you,” she said. “Children need to know that they are loved and think highly enough about themselves to not let people use them.”

But if teens make poor decisions, Heaps also wants them to be aware that the consequences are real and someone can’t come to their rescue every time. “They have to face these consequences, even if they don’t like them.”

Letteri only started singing this year. He joined Fairmont’s Men’s Chorus and, to his surprise, discovered that he really enjoys it. “Mr. McDonald is just awesome. He has done a really good job of encouraging me and motivating me to do my best.”

Letteri decided he likes singing so much, he’s going to continue with it in college. He plans to attend Wright State University. “The professors there have encouraged me to audition and have been really supportive,” he said. Letteri wants to major in music education and be a middle school or high school music teacher, specifically a choral director. “I don’t know very much about singing yet, but in college I am going to learn everything about singing, from languages to techniques to history.”

Rather than slacking off the last semester of his senior year, Letteri’s days are consumed with his musical endeavors. “I’m usually at school until about 9 at night with all of the music ensembles I do,” he said.

Letteri is very involved in the music program at Fairmont, and along with his new passion for singing, he also plays several instruments. He plays the clarinet in the Marching Band and Wind Ensemble. He also plays the saxophone in the Jazz Band and plays the bass at his church, Central Christian.

“Music is just a passion of mine,” said Letteri. “I got started early and the people who are in the music programs with me are like my family.”

While Letteri is uncharacteristically nervous for his audition into the vocal program at Wright State, he should be confident, because he has stellar grades to accompany his performance. Along with being extremely active in the Fairmont Music Department, he has also maintained a 3.68 GPA while taking rigorous classes such as AP Calculus, AP English and IB Music.

In addition to being a top-notch student, Letteri can also impress with his personality. “Matt is an energetic, good-natured, music-loving guy with an awesome sense of humor,” said Jazz Band Director Dan Nicora. “He is modest and kind and just a great person.”

Letteri’s inspiration for becoming a teacher comes from watching Nicora, his role model. “He was my band teacher in middle school and now for the Jazz Band at Fairmont,” said Letteri. “He is such a great guy and the kind of teacher I want to be.”  

Nicora believes that Matt will be successful in his life. “I am honored to be a role model to Matt and hope that one day Matt enjoys teaching as much as I do with him,” said Nicora. “He continues to grow as a musician and develop his craft, and someday, I hope we can collaborate.”        

Letteri is pushing himself to become a better singer by going above and beyond. He’s participating in the spring musical, Sweeney Todd, and has a leading role as the judge. (The spring musical debuts April 22. To find out more information, click here.)

Letteri also started a barbershop quartet group with a few friends. “It’s just an impromptu group and we just sing for fun,” he said.  So, why does Letteri devote so much time to singing? A smiling Letteri said, “It’s just something I love to do and one of the few things I am good at.”

Fun Facts about Matt Letteri

~ He likes Klezmer music, which is Jewish folk music that originated during the Middle Ages in the ghettos of Eastern Europe. Klezmer bands usually include a fiddle, a bass or cello, a clarinet and a drum.

~ He refers to his purple minivan as “the man van.”

~ He has a profound dislike for actor Vince Vaughn.

~ He is a huge Steelers fan.

For years, seniors across the country, especially second-semester seniors, have been prone to slacking off and procrastinating instead of doing the work necessary for school. This dreadful disease is called senioritis.

The suffix “itis” refers to inflammation, meaning senioritis refers to the irritation and tenderness of the senior. Symptoms include arriving late to class and shirking off work due to how numb the students are.

Math teacher Janet Johnson has seen the symptoms of senioritis in her AP Calculus AB class. “Most of my seniors do nothing, and they make class so that others can’t even learn. And they whine about everything we do,” she said.

On the other hand, East Unit Guidance Counselor Cheryl Abraham thinks the problem is students being sick of school in general and not just senior year. “It’s kind of an attitude that kids bring with them since freshman year, and it might get worse during senior year. You’re supposed to want to come here and be a student, and some kids can’t accept that,” she said.

What’s the point in trying?

This disease has been occurring for hundreds of years. Some seniors feel entitled to an easy year due to their long list of academic achievements and the stress that high school has brought on them. Other seniors who never cared or tried feel as if it’s pointless to still be here if they know they still won’t do a thing.

Once students have their lives after high school planned, whether it’s getting accepted to college or getting a good start on a career, is there really any reason to keep trying?

Senior Kari Cramer thinks she’s done her time and now it should be over. “I’ve already been accepted to college, so I don’t want to try anymore. Plus I’ve been in school 11 years, and I think I deserve one year of rest before it’s over and I have to start at a new school,” she said.

However, taking one year of rest could be dangerous for any senior continuing on to college. “When kids are just shutting down and taking the year off, you become unprepared for the next step. You have four years of college left and nothing really changes except you’re independent,” Abraham said.

Senior year is both fun and stressful

Senioritis is a pandemic, infecting every student it can get its hands on, but there have to be some brave people out there still doing homework, studying, and showing up to class every day. Senior Brandon O’Malley is the only upperclassman at Fairmont to have seven periods of Advanced Placement classes. Surely he must find a way to resist the temptation of slacking off … or can he?

“Some would say that it is impossible to slack off while taking hard classes senior year,” he said. “I have found a way.”

O’Malley thinks there isn’t much of a reason to continue working hard. “This is supposed to be one of the best years, if not the best year, of our lives. I’m not going to give up having a social life and having fun to worry about my grades. School is stressful enough as it is,” he said.

In addition to high school, other stressors for seniors can include work, college and career choices, relationships and extracurricular activities.

Cramer believes the anxiety this year is far greater than previous years. “Graduation is just looming over my head, and even though I’m ready for that magical date of June 3, the whole college thing is also still always there and still always stressing me out,” she said.

Senioritis seems to repeat itself with every new class of seniors; however, it seems to be growing worse and worse every year. “Ten years ago, I didn’t have this much trouble motivating my students. And they generally tried a lot harder than the seniors I have this year,” Johnson said.

Johnson thinks she tries her hardest to motivate her sluggish seniors, but in the end she can’t do that much. “A teacher’s only recourse in trying to stop senioritis is just to have the students’ worry about grades and college, and most of my students this year don’t seem to care,” she said.

Maybe they should care at least a little, since colleges do sometimes repeal admittance for high school seniors who have stopped working. “Most seniors get away with slacking because they put on a somewhat decent show and colleges expect a little drop,” Abraham said. “But there’s a reason all colleges require a final transcript, and they want to make sure you’re going to be successful. For instance, OSU actively watches to make sure your grades don’t drop completely.”

What’s the solution?

For years, teachers and administrators have been searching for a cure. Administrators and experts have suggested a “senior schedule” with either college PSEO classes or studying abroad. Utah Sen. Chris Buttars has proposed eliminating senior year entirely and argues there’s no reason for it because students who are going on to higher education want to advance to college early and will be in school anyway.

The program Wise Individual Senior Experience has been helping promising students get internships in order to stimulate seniors and their quest for knowledge. Yet, WISE is only for select schools and there aren’t many other programs out there like this.

Abraham knows that school isn’t for everyone, but she thinks that while they’re at Fairmont, they should make the most of it. “It’s not a perfect system, but it’s the only one we have. And really if you can succeed in school, you’re going to succeed in life. Any college you want to go to or job you want will think that way,” she said.

Cramer believes there’s nothing in the world that could stop her suffering from this seemingly incurable disease. “I’ve tried to just sit down and work, I’ve tried taking manageable breaks, but nothing works,” she said. “It’s basically impossible to not be a lazy senior. I haven’t met anyone who isn’t.”           

Even though O’Malley is an admitted procrastinator, he has some tips for seniors to stop dragging their feet. “If I was really looking to do better in school, things that have helped me in the past have worked really well. For instance, making a calendar of all your events and school, and prioritizing the work and activities that are most important to you and your grade,” he said. “And a big thing for now, remember you’re almost done and that once you leave, it’s almost assured you’re going to miss it.”

For years, guys have sagged their pants for fashion. Some people like the look while others hate it, and theories abound as to why the saggy pants trend has staying power. Some guys believe it’s fashionable, some think they look tough or cool, and other guys just want to express themselves.

“I think it’s ridiculous,” said English teacher Tricia Taylor. “And when you consider the origins of the fashion, I feel it’s offensive.” She’s referring, of course, to the theory that the phenomenon started in prison as a way for an inmate to show he was “available.”

Fashion or accident?

Some guys don’t consider saggy pants a fashion; they think of it as something that just happens. “My pants are either too big or they don’t have a drawstring to keep them up,” said senior Sam Francis.

Junior Brent Bay has a similar opinion. “Guys are just too lazy to pull them up when they fall down,” said Bay.

Although the saggy pants trend continues, some guys just don’t like this fad. “When your pants are sagged all the way down, you look like a fool,” said junior Tim Trummer.

Junior Victor Scarpelli wonders why young men have decided to sag their pants. “Maybe guys just wear colored boxers and they want people to see them,” he said.

Adults are annoyed; girls have mixed feelings

Since many teachers and administrators don’t like this trend, they also don’t understand why it’s so popular. “It seems like it would be a pain to hold your pants up when you walk, or to pull them up every other step,” said Fairmont teacher and coach Andy Aracri.

West Unit Principal Mike Nienaber also doesn’t understand it. “I think they’re trying to make a fashion statement that’s different, but they’re just copying someone else they’ve seen,” he said.

Other teachers who don’t like this look make sure their students are aware of the situation. “If their pants are well below their waist and their butt hangs out, then I ask them to pull up their pants,” said Taylor.

The girls at Fairmont have mixed feelings about this fad. Junior Sarah Moore doesn’t like the idea of guys sagging their pants. “I think it’s annoying and it makes guys look trashy,” she said.

Other girls look at this trend from another perspective. “I like it when their boxers show a little on the top, but I think it looks bad when their pants are past their butt,” said junior Libby Ganz-Sarto.

However, some guys argue with Ganz-sarto’s logic. “I sag my pants to show off my cute little butt for all the honeys out there,” said junior Chase Loges.     

Normally, guys are the culprits behind this saggy fashion, but a few girls are to blame as well. “It’s the same thing,” said East Unit Principal Hank Jackoby. “I don’t want to see underwear, bottom line.”

Are you judged by your pants?

Francis and senior Rob Shoemaker agree that sagging their pants is very comfortable. Even though comfort could be important, Central Unit Principal Andrew White believes it isn’t appropriate for the school and work environment. “It doesn’t fit our school’s handbook,” said White.

White disapproves of this fashion in the work environment, but also in his own life. “From a conservative standpoint,” he said, “I think it’s just disrespectful.”

Besides being disrespectful, Jackoby believes saggy pants set people up to be judged. “When people look professional, other people will think better things,” he said. When someone looks unprofessional, Jackoby believes it may give others the impression that the person is not as trustworthy as someone who looks sharp.

Whether good or bad, right or wrong, judging plays a role in teens’ lives every day. “People assume how you act based on how you look,” said Jackoby. “It’s not right, but that’s the way it is.”

After being rescheduled due to snow, Fairmont held its first Poetry Out Loud competition after school on Feb. 17. Nine students took part in the competition, and four Fairmont teachers acted as judges. English teacher Darren McGarvey organized the competition after seeing a segment about the contest on CBS News Sunday Morning, and the Fairmont event was held in his classroom. McGarvey said he hopes the event will become an annual tradition at Fairmont.

The first national Poetry Out Loud contest was held in 2006. The competition was created by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation, and its creators hoped to raise interest in poetry and performing the art form verbally. Prizes were established for individual competitors as well as their schools.

A contestant must browse through Poetry Out Loud’s online poem collection, home to more than 600 poems by the likes of Robert Frost, Edgar Allen Poe, e.e. cummings and many more, and select three poems. Only two poems were required for Fairmont’s competition, and only one was recited; but for the state and national levels, three poems are needed. Contestants then memorize their poems and recite them in front of the judges and the rest of the crowd.

Contestants are judged on seven categories: physical presence, voice and articulation, appropriateness of dramatization, level of difficulty, evidence of understanding, overall performance, and accuracy.

Facing the competition’s challenges

Senior Katherine Ygbuhay won second place in the competition with her performance of “Time Does Not Bring Relief: You All Have Lied,” written by Edna St. Vincent Millay. Ygbuhay said the most difficult aspect of the competition was trying to avoid being overly dramatic or false. “We usually use words to communicate, so they can sound very strange and awkward when used for artistic purposes,” she said.

The challenge of verbally expressing the author’s written intentions proved to weigh heavily on some contestants. “I think the most difficult part was truly conveying the emotion that the writer put into the poem,” said junior Anne Marie Cardilino, who performed “A Black Man Talks of Reaping” by Arna Bontemps. “I chose ‘A Black Man Talks of Reaping’ because it just had such a powerful memory to convey,” said Cardilino. “It moved me when I first read it, and it just gained more meaning every time I read it.”

Freshman Indigo MonBeck recited Lewis Carroll’s “Jabberwocky,” one of the most famous poems in the English language to feature nonsense words. “It’s my favorite poem ever,” he said. “I love the wacky words and phrases that Carroll made up.”

For MonBeck, much like the other competitors, the hardest part wasn’t memorization, but rather presentation. “Delivering the poem effectively was difficult, and I think that my trouble with delivery was what lost me the competition,” said MonBeck.

Finding the motivation to compete

Contestants’ motivations for partaking in Poetry Out Loud varied. “My decision to compete was mostly influenced by my recent performing in Harvey,” said junior Patrick Taylor, who performed “Invictus” by William Ernest Henley. Taylor also won a recent Shakespeare recitation contest at Fairmont.

“I think that the extra credit in English class was really the motivator of it, but I really got into it when I started reading the poems from the website,” said Cardilino.

Ygbuhay was motivated by the opportunity to practice public dramatic performance – “and the cash awards,” she said.

But material prizes weren’t the only rewards of the competition. Cardilino said she gained a better sense of self-confidence through participating in Poetry Out Loud.  “When I was younger, I was petrified of doing anything like this. I had huge stage fright,” she said. “I’m usually a very vocal person, very personable, but when I get on a stage, I just lose it all. This competition has showed me that I can be confident in myself.”

Ygbuhay felt the same way. “I gained some confidence from performing directly in front of an audience – it’s much easier to be separated by a stage,” she said. “And I might have learned a little about poetry, which I usually struggle to understand, by browsing the database for one to perform.”

Females sweep the top three

At the end of the day, prizes were awarded for the top three contestants. Junior Mary Kate O’Neill won first place with her performance of “Dirge without Music” by Edna St. Vincent Millay; Ygbuhay won second place; and senior Allie Dyer won third place, reciting “Altruism” by Molly Peacock.

O’Neill will compete in the State Finals on March 13 at Ohio Dominican University in Columbus. The winner of Ohio’s state competition will win $200 and will be flown to Washington, D.C., to partake in the National Finals on April 27. Also, the state winner’s school will be given $500 toward the purchase of poetry books. A grand total of $50,000 will be awarded to winners and their schools at the National Finals.

Getting worked up also describes the Firebird fans these days as students are bringing spirit back to Fairmont sporting events. With catchy cheers and faces painted blue, Spirit Club is filling the stands at both Trent Arena and opposing teams’ gyms.

Why does Fairmont have spirit fever all of a sudden? Two seniors were unhappy with the weakness of the student sections at games and decided to do something about it. Those two students are seniors Anthony Ganz-Sarto and Margeaux Leakas, the co-presidents of Spirit Club.

Spirit Club was a club that faded in 2007, so Leakas and a few of her friends decided it was time to bring it back. “I felt like the spirit around school was decreasing a lot over my four years,” said Leakas. “And being a senior, I knew I could do something about it.”

She had to present her plan to Principal Dan Von Handorf and Athletic Director Brian Donoher. “They loved the idea and have supported me through it all,” said Leakas.

By painting up before big games and chanting cheers loudly, students are getting pumped. “Our goal is to always have a better student section than the other team,” said Ganz-Sarto. “And so far, no school has out-cheered us.”

Just show up and show spirit

The unique thing about Spirit Club is that anyone can be a part of it. There are no sign-ups; people just need to come to the games ready to cheer. Leakas and Ganz-Sarto strongly encourage everyone to come to games. “Just come out and support. We would love to see your face in the crowd,” said Leakas.

The duo comes up with themes, events and cheers to motivate people. “We try to have indoor tailgates before the bigger games,” said Ganz-Sarto. During these tailgates they paint up and think of cheers that can get the opposing team worked up. They even get spirit buses for big away games.

The students are going above and beyond the traditional spirit ideas. Along with white-outs, they come up with other themes. For the Varsity Girls’ Basketball Senior Night against Beavercreek, Spirit Club participants dressed up in business casual clothing. “We dressed in business attire because we wanted to show ‘Creek that we meant business,” said Ganz-Sarto.

With all of these unique ideas, games are becoming more than just a social gathering for teens. The excitement created by Spirit Club has attracted new faces in the crowd. “Anthony and I are like sidekicks in this,” said Leakas. “We’re always trying to think of ways to lure students to games and get them excited to be there.”

Attracting positive attention to Fairmont

With all the success and standout crowds, the club is catching some outsiders’ attention. Spirit Club’s events are seen by most of the community that attends the games. “Sporting events are showcases for our community,” said Donoher. “People are noticing our kids and saying great things about our support.”

Community members are impressed by the crowd’s spirit, and they especially appreciate that the students keep it positive. There is a fine line between what is an appropriate cheer and what is not. “Some schools get out of hand with what they say,” said Ganz-Sarto. “We don’t want to be known for stuff like that.” The cheers tend to be positive and are geared to motivate the Fairmont players.

Not all the credit can go to the students, though. The club needed a supervisor and math teacher Jeff Snider was eager to help. Donoher also does whatever he can to get as many students involved as he can. “Mr. Donoher has been so incredibly supportive,” said Leakas. “He donated ‘Kettering Krazies’ T-shirts to the club and helps to come up with ideas.”

The club has proven to be successful this year, but there is a lot of question as to whether or not the club will continue to thrive next year after Leakas and Ganz-Sarto graduate. The students and Donoher seem positive that Spirit Club is going to be around a while. “It will be better organized next year with more bus trips,” said Donoher.

The hope and purpose of the club is to give Fairmont a reputation for being a spirited school. “We may not be the best at sports, but we will always have tons of spirit,” said Leakas. “I know that the tradition will carry on for years to come.”