You
read that right! It's time to warm up your vocal cords for Vanguard's annual
caroling trip. This year we'll be heading out on the 21st, the last day before
break. Team leaders are picking which song they would like to sing and then the
other two will be drown out of a hat. Best of luck to all the teams. Hopefully,
you get a song you all actually know so you look like you kind of have an idea
as to what you are doing.
Here's
the first list of songs the teams will be singing this year:
Team
Garcia: Rudolph, The Red Nosed Reindeer
Team
O'Neil: Jingle Bell Rock
Team
Koralik: Little Drummer Boy
Team
DeMeo: Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree
Team
Medina-Perez: Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
Team
McCann: Jungle Bells
Team
Markos: Silver Bells
Team
Kain: Let It Snow
Team
Heldman: Dominic The Donkey
Team:
Koz: Hawaiian Christmas Song
"I'm
excited," states student Krystal Garver, "as long as the world
doesn't end."
"This
is emotionally important to me," states student Jackie Simons, "I
could care less about my grade."
What
is she talking about, you ask? Students were assigned to pick a cause and stand
behind it and no one is taking this project more serious than her.
"I
think this is one of the coolest things I've ever seen a Vanguard student do
not for school credit," remarks teacher Mr. Impastato, "It's just
something she wanted to do."
Her goal of
collecting 300 stuffed animals for Superior Developmental Center for Autistic
Adults has already been completed with 332 animals and the drive still
continues until December 6th. They are for residents who don't get any visitors
during the holidays.
Just
because she met her goal, don't let that stop you from bringing in your extras
for her.
"Anything
I have extra will carry on to next year."
It
looks like she will have an abundance of animals for next year already. Four
new bags have just been carried into the office to be counted as of December
3rd. Along with students planning to bring in more during the week. "I
brought some in last week and I'm going to bring more in tomorrow!" said
student Krystal Garver.
"I
felt I was ready to do it on my own this year. They (her grandparents) were
killed by a drunk driver last year. I want to keep the tradition alive."
"I've
been doing it with my Grandma for 11 years. Her and my Great-Grandma did it for
40-50 years."
"I decided to
do this on my own, not because of a class. I figured it would be easier to have
them donated then buying them." You were going to buy them? "Yeah, my
Grandma did. Like $500 worth. I have to buy candy for them still. She used to
do that too."
With
some help from student Danielle Pettibone, they have their work cut out for
them. They're spending their service hours cutting tags off of animals and
counting them.
"The
recipients are mentally and physically disabled and if they have anything they
could choke on or hurt themselves with, it has to come off. That's why I'm
cutting things off, so they can still have them. There's a method to my madness.
They're like really big toddlers, so all this stuff, they're going to
love!"
Appleworks
is being uninstalled on all district computers, laptops included. This is a
tragic event for everyone. Students and staff are advised to convert any
documents to MS Word or some other district-supported software.
"What's
Appleworks?" asks student Krystal Garver, "That's the stuff that came
with a Mac, right? That stuff sucks."
After
asking many students about this, they all had no clue what I was talking about
with the common responses being "What even is that?" and "Do we
even use that at all?"
Okay.
So, maybe not that tragic, seeing as though no one has really used it since
2003, and most people don't even know what it is but some people want to know
these things.
Starting last Thursday Vanguard put into effect it's brand new ban on probably it's most popular school store item. The spicy, red-stained, crunchy snacks deemed as one of students' preferred morsel of meals, of course we are talking about Chester Cheetah's very own Flaming Hot Cheetos. But Vanguard isn't the only school putting an end to the distribution of Hot Cheetos in their school, school's all over the U.S. have implemented their own Hot Cheetos ban, including schools in California, New Mexico and right here in Illinois.
Mr. Marckos, our resident P.E. teacher and health aficionado broke down the whole reasoning behind they were even banned in the first place.
Here are some reasons why;
They made a terrible mess of our technology. If you've ever consumed Hot Cheetos in your lifetime, you are well aware of the red residue that get's left behind on your fingers after you've eaten them. It can get pretty messy pretty fast. Now what most people do after that is usually lick their fingers clean and begin to touch things, which is really gross.
Here at Vanguard all of our keyboards on our computers are white, so that and all the red residue on people's hands don't mix pretty well. A few of our in house service learners had the task of wiping down all the keyboards in the school, even yours truly and let me tell you, it's not very enjoyable.
So at the the end of the day, either keyboards stopped working because we had to wipe them down so much or they too much gunk built up in the crevices of each button that rendered them unusable.
There are major health concerns regarding Hot Cheetos. Experts have reported that they can be addictive and over consumption may lead to many gastrointestinal problems such as GERD which has led to various cases in which kids get taken to the E.R. for that exact reason. Let us not forget to mention that Hot Cheetos aren't very good for you either, each bag contains 26 grams of fat and a quarter of your daily recommended amount of sodium.
A few Vipers shared there thoughts with me on the ban.
"I hate them, I'm glad we don't have to constantly clean our keyboards now," declared Jorge Cervantes.
"I think it's messed up. They still sell them in the cafeteria but just for more money, kids are still going to buy them. Banning them in school isn't going to stop anyone from eating them. It just doesn't make sense, I'm pretty sure there's still stuff in the school store that's equally as unhealthy," said Danielle Pettibone.
"I don't really care, they make me violently ill, I usually try to stay away from them," admitted Sage Lockwood.
"I could care less, I haven't eaten them since like freshman year. It's just really funny to see people so upset about it, it's just chips," said Kenny Grein
"I was a frequent buyer of Hot Cheetos. Every little bite and crunch made me forget about all my thoughts and everything around me. Hot Cheetos took me to a place where I could relax and I can't do that anymore," said an enraged Randy Santos.
It's spirit week here at Vanguard and that means lunchtime
games!
·Friday: Drop The
Bomb. You have to drop pens from three feet in the air into skinny milk
bottles.
·Tuesday: Use Your
Head: Contestants need to get a partner and someone sits in a chair with a cup
on their head. The other person needs to take a ping-pong, bounce it off the
table, off the wall and then get it into the cup 5 times.
·Wednesday:
Halloween Karaoke! "You can wear a mask and sing poorly and no one will
know it was you!" says Mr. Impastato. Someone should take him up on this.
·Thursday: Shoo Fly
Shoe! You have to stand 10 feet away from a table and fling your shoe onto the
table. Please wear clean socks. We don't want the tech center stinking up.
·Friday: We're
closing the week off with the usual of a pie eating contest, team tug-of-war
and room decorating. Good luck, and may the best team win!
Vanguard is bringing it's first quater under wraps. As we find ourselves with only a little bit over a week left, we can reflect on how the 2012-2013 school year has treated us so far. For some students this quarter was a glimpse of what's to come in the later 75 percent.
For our new students, this quarter exposed them to a whole other world with coming to an entirely new learning environment and trying to adapt to it. These new students will be subject to go through even more alteration as with the end of the quarter comes new classes and for most of them this means moving on from Dr. Oz' to become a full-fledged service learner.
Dr. Oz' PM Group.
Dr. Oz' AM Group.
For returning and veteran Vipers, the quarter brought a bit of change with another altered school-day and longer lunch period and as always, they were greeted back with open arms to our wonderful community.
This quarter we've had tons going on. Our rock climbing camping trip, our annual trip to Sunrise Lake, the introduction of the "Gotcha" cards, the celebration of Banned Book Week, and the inaugural One Book One School reading of The Hobbit are just a few of the few of the milestones we've hit so far as a school and just the first of many to come in the 2012-2013 school year .
Vipers in the wilderness.
I spoke with two new Vipers and they shared with me how their year has been so far.
"This place definitely went above my expectations. At first I thought it was going to be like a prison and I wasn't going to know anyone, but it's a lot more calm and quiet than home-schools. It's much more close and it gives teachers the ability to help students individually and I feel like that make things go by a lot easier. So far, I'd have to say my favorite experience here at Vanguard had to have been the camping trip. It was really fun and it's one of those things you do with your family like once a year and would never have been able to do at a home-school. This first quarter has flown by and if this keeps up it's gonna be a smooth year for me," said Mikey Panel.
"My first day here was like any first day of school, it was filled with confusion and I was trying to get used to everything. This is nothing I expected, I thought they were gonna be really strict here but it's nothing like that at all. The teachers are each like one us and they're all really cool. I come to school a lot more now so I know this year is going to go by really well,"articulated Erick Chihuahua.
But what is Vanguard without it's established occupants?
"I'm really used to all this now and I don't feel like a new kid anymore. I have a closer relationship with all the teachers and one of the first things I was really excited for was getting to see Ms. G again. This quarter has gone by really fast, I'm doing pretty well with my classes and I love my service sight. I was really glad to come back to Vanguard. I think this year is gonna be really good and I hope to get a lot out of it," declared Cassidy Polk.
"This is my second year here. At first when I got here I thought it was really different in a scary way. This year is really different for me because I know a lot more people than I did when I first arrived, I like know everyone here and the teachers pretty well. This year is going to be way more easier and better for me because now I know how everything works," said Dillon Krull.
We still have a bit more to cover this quarter with our annual pumpkin carving unit to start it's course just in time for halloween, open house this wednesday, October 15th, and the celebration of our spirit week. Other than that it looks like first quater is pretty much ready to close up shop.
Here's to a safe, fun, and academically fulfilling rest of the year!!
There's isn't very much going on currently at Vanguard today that i feel like we haven't covered yet. So in that case, posting an album review doesn't seem like an all too horrible idea.
Lately, people have been asking me what I'm listening to these days. I can say with great confidence that a majority of my time has been spent listening to one single band, none other than Kingston, Pennsylvania's favorite sons; Title Fight.
For those unaware, Title Fight is a four-piece hardcore band that came together in 2003 with Jamie Rhoden on guitar and vocals, and brothers Ben and Ned Russin on drums and bass/vocals. They added guitarist Shane Moran to the line-up in 2005 and very early on did they build a dedicated local following. Since their formation, they've been on a steady incline thanks to a passionate work ethic, hefty tour schedule, and phenomenal musicianship. Title Fight meshes many different aspects from various genres and brings them all together in a wonderful and cohesive combo while still paying homage to many great 90's bands.
Title Fight 2012. Left to right: Jamie Rhoden, Ben Russin, Ned Russin, and Shane Moran.
What started off as a straight forward pop-punk band filled with the utmost angst and catchiest hooks, Title Fight signed with Run For Cover records in 2008. In 2009 they released The Last Thing You Forget, a compilation of all their EP's with the addition of three new songs, the album was filled with some of the most memorable melodies and vehement compositions of sound.
From 2009 to 2010 they kept busy with their touring cycles and in early 2011 announced they had signed with SideOneDummy Records. It was in the spring of 2011 that Title Fight released their first full-length album entitled Shed. From then everyone noticed a change in their sound, they had flourished into what many people considered a melodic-hardcore band. Shed took the passionate intensity and furious delivery Title Fight had before and took it to another level, while still maintaining the beautiful melodies fans adored them for. At this point, the world witnessed a more matured and focused Title Fight and since then they have just continued to blow up without even coming close of hinting to slow down anytime soon.
Fast forward to 2012, after a summer run with the Van's Warped Tour, Title Fight released their sophomore LP Floral Green on September 18th. I have been listening to it non-stop since and with complete conviction I can say it is probably my favorite Title Fight release to date, my favorite album released this year, and one of my favorite albums released ever.
Ben holding it down at a Warped Tour 2012 date.
The album takes everything we've come to love about the band and completely refines it to a verge of excellence. Title Fight takes us on an intense 33-minute emotional roller coaster, filled with lush soundscapes, beautiful guitar work, and a passion and drive unmatched with any other band right now. They bring their punk roots together with the abrasiveness and calm melancholy of 90's grunge and emo. The concoction forms a wonderful flavor that carries a bit of a sting but leaves a fantastic aftertaste.
From the start the album sets in with a punk-like ferocious onslaught of sound with fantastic melodic undertones. Midway the album takes a drastic turn and this is where we really begin to get a glimpse of the progression that Title Fight has gone through. The album ends with some of the most unexpected music we've ever heard from them, think of it as the smooth come down from the fervid ride they have taken us on. The album is filled with some of the most heartfelt and real music to come across in a long time. Tracks like "Numb But I Still Feel It" and "Make You Cry" really showcase the emotion Title Fight are really known for displaying, while "Head In The Ceiling Fan" and "Lefty" show us a side to Title Fight we all knew was always there but never really got the chance to experience until now. In a nutshell, Floral Green sounds like Nirvana and Dinosaur Jr's lovechild met Weezer and Sonic Youth's lovechild, then they had a kid of their own who listened to Blink-182 and Sunny Day Real Estate, then that kid started a melodic-hardcore band and recorded this album.
But, let's talk about the guys responsible for writing this great record.
Ned returns with that same gravelly and harsh voice fans know him for but this time around he has really reached a point where he's not really screaming at times but singing with a very grungy rasp, take "Calloused" for example. He is still the most abrasive from the two vocalists but like everything Title Fight does, he keeps a strong sense of melody under all that roughness. Ned hasn't toned it down in the least bit, he's just toned it differently and I really like it. Then there's his bass parts, they're the grooviest they've probably ever been and there are absolutely no standard punk bass-lines here. He provides a strong and tasty foundation for each song. His bass provides the essential undertones that this album would be nothing without, he really brings everything into place to where it needs to be. He might not have as many stand-out parts as he could have had in the past, but his bass still shows a very strong and overall satisfying presence.
Ned Russin
Jamie on the other hand still remains the "prettiest" out of the two, but over the years he has probably changed the most vocally. Gone are the days of the youthful pop-punk vocals we first were introduced to and like a 7th-grade kid finally hitting puberty, Jamie's voice became fuller over time. On Floral Green he not only has his voice become a bit harsher but it alternates even more than ever, he has the ability to go from a very calm and deep melancholic croon to a very emotional wail.
Jamie Rhoden
Jamie also plays guitar, and Shane plays guitar too and holy crap do they play guitar well. I can say that this album by far holds the best guitar work Title Fight has ever written. The thunderous waves of resonance they create alongside the fantastic chords and post-rock like cries makes for some of the most versatile and beautifully crafted compositions in hardcore. They create a sense of atmosphere and vehemence unheard in past releases. It's almost as if the guitar tracks have feelings of there own because of the abundant amount of elation, despondence, and rage they're able to produce. Jamie and Shane are able to flawlessly incorporate so much emotion and passion in their playing and it is by far my favorite attribute this album has to offer.
Shane Moran
And then there's Ben, he plays drums. He probably is the one member that has shown the most drastic change in sound. Long gone are the classic "gallops" he often used previously and in there place is mid-tempo beats that stand as the hardware in the Title Fight machine. Ben slows down the pace but in no way does he sacrifice intensity or quality. He has amazing flow and glides behind everyone throughout the album. He is still a powerhouse and he is one of the tightest and most exciting drummers in the hardcore scene. Ben is the muscle behind Title Fight and he clearly gets that point across with every strike but don't let that fool you, he still has the ability to gently make his way through the lighter parts. He maintains groove, fury, and precision. Ben re-invents himself here and it's a reinvigorating breath of life into the band's sound.
Ben Russin
At the end we see a Title Fight that has honed their craft, a group of ambitious young men that has surely done some growing up the past couple years, a modern band with an old soul, and I really hope they continue to progress and dish out more and more amazing music.
I loved this album from start to end. Solid 4 out of 5.
Recommended tracks: In-Between, Like A Ritual, Make You Cry.
There's been something that's been making everyone scratch
their heads here at our school. These little "gotcha" cards teachers
have been giving out to students. I myself have even received one from the ever
benevolent Ms. DeMeo and I wasn't very certain as to why though. That aside, I
was then faced with a dilemma other students had as well; what exactly am I supposed to do with it? So I did abit of snooping around. According to teachers they're trying to set up some sort of reward system with these pieces of cardboard, they're just not completely sure as to exactly what those rewards are yet.
This one belongs to me.
For those who aren't aware, our school has adapted precepts we call the Vanguard Virtues. But not only do they apply in school, as most would agree they should be used in everyday life. A lot of teachers have unexpectedly handed out cards to students they feel have somehow really demonstrated a strong sense of what the virtues are all about without being told to do so.
Teachers have also given them to students they feel have succeeded in something they're not entirely comfortable or familiar with.
Our Viper Virtues
"You should never really let anything limit you from reaching a goal, It's really great when kids step out their comfort zone and do something they never thought they were capable of," said Mr. Markos.
And then there's my situation, where teachers have given them out solely based on their justification. Everything from outstanding participation in class, putting forth substantial effort in academics, doing the unexpected, or even just having a very strong interest in learning are all just a few examples.
"I gave that to you for spending your entire lunch engaging in a really big and intelligent talk with me," replied Ms. DeMeo when I asked her about the gotcha card she gave me.
So there you have it, not really many questions answered. Perhaps the mystery around these little cards isn't entirely a bad thing though. I'm sure it's going to prevent a ton of people from doing things for the wrong reasons if they don't really know what those reasons are. You should always dish out positive actions without expecting something in return, but hey that's just me. Then again this also might encourage others to do some good as well, seeing as how there's almost no one that doesn't like being rewarded. It can go either way.
We're still left with the matter of deciding what we should do with the "gotcha" cards. So Vipers, let's help the teachers out by giving some sort of input. In a comment, share what you would deem an ideal reward in exchange for 3 "gotcha" cards. Be realistic, be specific, and most of all be creative.
Your suggestion just might be one of the handful chosen!!
A new thing that has been making its way through the halls
of Vanguard has been the new Gotcha Cards. The staff hands them out when they
catch students doing something that shows them performing a task that displays
the Viper Virtues.
"I
want people to really earn them. They have to mean something," comments
Mrs. Meister.
What
are we going to do with these? There is no definite answer going off of the
different stories I got from staff members.
"Once
you get three cards, you trade them at the school store for something," is
what happens according to Mr. Impastato, "Once you get more then three,
you get the honor of having your picture on the wall."
But, according to Mrs. Meister, "A
certain number of cards will get you lunch with a staff member of your
choosing. A different amount will get you breakfast with out school's
director."
Mr.
Heldmann's team has a poster up on one of the walls in his team room with the
team members picture up with a pocket underneath. The student’s can, once they
receive a card, put them in the little pocket to display.
An
anonymous source says that students will be able trade the cards in to play
Bozo Buckets.
"The
good thing about them is you did something good to earn them," says Mrs.
Meister, "It brings awareness to the Viper Virtues."
As we are well under wraps of the fist half-quater of the year and now that everyone is nice and settled, it only seems appropriate that we begin to assemble our beloved and very own student council once again. SCOV (Student Council Of Vanguard) was started last year as a means for our very own students to voice their own opinions in addressing problems and matters regarding our school and day-to-day happenings right here at Vanguard.
Our dearest Ms. McCann is the head honcho in charge of this ordeal and has already began to plan the first meetings.
"At times I seem to miss some of the norms of big schools like pep rallies and all the different clubs and things like that. Putting together activities like this is a lot of fun for me because it's not necessarily part of my job, but is something I do on the side that helps students voice there opinions and be a part of something bigger," vigorously admitted Ms. McCann.
But most people ponder, who exactly is part of the council this year and how did they get on there? Team leaders elected one student representative each from their teams, by means entirely up to teachers, either by having their teams vote, choosing from a selection of students who volunteered, or just picking someone they deemed worthy of the responsibility. In total 10 students have been opted as members of SCOV and the results are in.
Team Thunder - TBA
Team McCann - George Cervantes
Team O'Neill - Nick Glatczack
Team Heldmann - Shae Anders
Team DeMeo - Francisco Lopez
Team Koralik - Jacky Caldera
Team Koz - Pete Miller
Team Garcia - Emily Casey
Team Medina-Perez - Collin Bauer
Team Kain - Ester Juarez
I had the chance to sit down with a few SCOV members and they shared their thoughts on what it means to them.
"It's really a privilege to be on SCOV. I'm super excited and I'm really hoping to help bring many great changes to Vanguard," proudly pronounced George Cervantes.
"SCOV is a responsibility that encourages both students and teachers to form new ideas and take the initiative to bring a brighter future to Vanguard," said Jacky Caldera.
Of course SCOV is nothing without its veterans.
"SCOV is awesome because we contribute a lot and get stuff done. We're always listening to what students have to say and often we anonymously fulfill people's wishes and concerns. We certainly take a lot of weight Ms. Marsh's shoulders," rendered Emily Casey. This year being her second in SCOV.
SCOV's first meeting is tomorrow. They hope to meet weekly, according to speculation from various anonymous* sources.
All signs point to another great year for our student council.
By: Eli Martinez
*I usually don't post any forms of anonymity or anything along the lines of it. This is a very rare occurrence and it probably won't ever happen again.
It's septober. You know what that means. Fall Camping.This
year’s camping trip will be rock climbing at Devil's Lake in Wisconsin.
The dates this year are Wednesday, October 3rd through Friday, October 5th.
Students will leave on Wednesday morning and return Friday afternoon in time to
catch the buses back home.
Devil's
Lake is a camping site in Baraboo, Wisconsin. It's about 10,000 acres in size
and has a ton of activities for any age.
"On
this trip, we'll be camping, hiking, rock climbing and hopefully visiting the
International Crane Foundation," said Mr. Markos, "This trip is a big
confidence builder for most of the students. It's the first trip of the year,
so it encourages staff and students to get to know each other."
The
International Crane Foundation is a group dedicated to promoting the study and
conservation of the world's 15 crane species and the ecosystems on which they
depend. The site hosts a flock of around 100 cranes including the only
collection of all 15 species assembled.
Student,
Krystal Garver was able to attend last year's rock climbing trip.
"I
love the camping trips! I went on all of them last year," she comments,
"I don't know if I'll be able to go on this trip because I have Harper,
but I hope I can find a way!"
"I'm
excited to go on this trip!" states student Ian Stehmeier "I didn't
go last year, but I'm going this year."
Students
will bond with other students and staff by doing various activities.
"I really liked the trip last
year," comments Danny Prado, "Being new last year, it helped me get
to know the staff and students."
What better way to kick off the school year than with the commencement of a new Vanguard tradition? Starting last
week, Ms. O'neill, Ms DeMeo, Ms. McCann, and Dr. Koralik have implemented a
vigorous lesson plan. The school has began reading The Hobbit, J.R.R. Tolkien
classic novel about the epic adventures of a young Hobbit named Bilbo Baggins
and his comrades. The book is a precursor to the Lord Of The Rings series.
"The teachers were inspired by the One Book One Chicago
movement. Our goal is to form an overall connection and help build a stronger
sense of community here at Vanguard. At the same time, students are learning
about classic literature and assimilating culture through reading,"pronounced Ms. O'neill.
The unit is coinciding with the upcoming release of the first half of Peter
Jackson's (director of the Lord Of The Rings trilogy) cinematic interpretation of the same name.
"When Dr. Koralik and I do things like this, it's
always for a reason. Expect an 'ending' with us," said Ms. DeMeo to one of
her classes on regard of the reasoning behind this unit.
The teachers
have employedand incorporated
various different activities into this awesome lesson. Everything from the use
of social media, web hosting, and sketching have been applied so far and it's
only the second week.
But of course,
this is merely the beginningand you
can bet that all of our teachers have tons of ideas still up there sleeves. We're
going to have to wait and see exactly what they have devised for us.
The Hobbit: Part 1 comes out December
14, starring Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins and Ian McKellen reprising his
role as Gandalf.
Students are expected to fully participate in all class
activities in order to go on the field-trip to see the film.
I got the chance to speak with two of Vanguard's finest and
they shared how they felt about our Hobbit unit.
"It's over three-hundred pages and I'm only on page
ten... ugh," divulged Chris Przybylo as he stared at his copy of The
Hobbit withdisgruntlement.
"The Hobbit is like my all-time
favorite book and I am so bummed I'm not able to be a part of this unit. This
is such a good book and I hope the students like it as much as I did when I
first read it," covetously confessed Mr. Markos. By: Eli Martinez
Vanguard has been subject to a lot of change recently. Just
this year alone we've had a change in our day-to-day schedule, the school day
extending and going until three o'clock, and a new director. But on May 21st staff members were
notified that the upcoming school year would bring even more change to our
school. The school was given an iPad grant. Teachers will receive iPads for the
use of the 2012-2013 school year. Vanguard and D214 will engage in the
development of the first entirely digital curriculum in the nation. The overall plan is to have a digital
curriculum ready for use in the 2013-2014 school year.
"I think the school district has always expected
Vanguard to be at the forefront, and this is exactly the opportunity we need to
do so. I'm hoping this will be a radical change to how we've always done
things. Change is good and I'm always welcome to it," said english teacher
Dr. Robert Koralik.
This new technology will in no way offset the one on one
teacher-student relationship; but will definitely make for an enhanced learning
and communicational experience for students.
"I am super stoked about the possibilities this
curriculum is going to bring, it's going to open up a whole new world for
Vanguard. I was so humbled by the amount of time and effort Mr. Kosirog put
into his proposal, I'd be shocked if we didn't get it because of him,"
said technology assistant Ms. Elizabeth Meister.
Several students greeted the news with excitement and much optimism.
I got to speak with two Vanguard sophomores; they will both
witness the progress of the iPad plan as it flourishes.
"GAH! I think it's a pretty straight idea! I think it's
pretty cool that I won't have to use pencils ever again! Whoa!" Ruby
Pasilas expressed with the upmost enthusiasm.
"This is great, I honestly can't wait until teachers
are replaced by robots," said Sage Lockwood with delight.
Ms. Meister rides her bike to school sometimes, but little
did she know that someone from the Vanguard community would steal it today.
Today, Mr. Gustafson took it upon himself to take Meisty's bike
for a little ride during the end of lunch. He acted as a sort of
"bell," per se. He rode around and cheerfully wailed, "It's time for
class, it's class time, go to class," in what seemed to be one of the most
girlish voices I've ever heard. Of course Gus returned the bike soon afterwards. This was an instant reminder to me of how rowdy our
teachers can get.
In the words of Ms. O'Neill "We go to Vanguard too"
Gus showing off what ain't his
The one thing that definitely distinguishes Vanguard from most schools is the fact that
all of our teachers are kids at heart. At times they almost seem like students themselves. Cracking jokes, pulling pranks, or just
being incredibly witty and charming, the teachers here at Vanguard are always
up to something. Their senses of humor and carefree spirit not only make for a
fun and comfortable learning environment, but it also makes for a far better
student-teacher relationship. They aren't just teachers, over time they become
some of your best friends.
A new rule was in effect at Vanguard. For the past two weeks food was banned from the tech center and the entire school as a whole, and both the school store and coffee cart were both closed until further notice.Students were forced to eat their lunches in either the cafeteria or courtyard, but absolutely nowhere in the school.
Most students here at Vanguard cherish their lunch-hour, seeing as how it's a time to unwind and do whatever they please. Most students spend their lunchtime in the tech center on computers or lounging around the school. This sudden change in policy inconvenienced some students seeing as how if they wanted to partake in hanging out around the school they would have to eat their lunch then come back, then go to service, leaving them with a much more limited amount of hangout time.
The rule change is solely credited to Mr. Joseph "Pasta" Impastato, very own instructional assistant and keeper of the tech center.
"I got sick of cleaning up after people, you're all old enough to know better. One day I just brought it up at a meeting and all the rest of the staff were on board with the idea, so that's how it came about," sternly admitted Pasta, who has been at the short end of several messes by the hands of students, cleaning almost all of them up.
According to Pasta, dirty keyboards, unattended spills and wrappers have always been a problem and this isn't the first time something like this has happened at Vanguard. But Pasta said the last straw was a combination of food on the carpet, spills and entire lunch trays being left behind.
Today the rule has not entirely been changed but students are allowed to eat on one condition, "If we find a single piece of trash left behind we're going back," said Ms. O’Neill.
For over a decade Vanguard has hosted annual basketball charity events. Last Thursday we held our third annual Hoops For Haiti basketball tournament. Eleven teams and over fifty vipers all took part in shooting some hoops and coming together to help out the people of Haiti by donating over five hundred dollars to Doctor's Without Borders.
But of coarse you don't need to be a pro to participate, just a minimum donation of 10 dollars. Each team consisted of at least one boy, one girl, and a third player of any gender.
The tournament didn't exclude teachers from playing; we indeed had a few staff members running around on the courts
"It seems as if people have completely forgotten about Haiti. There's still over a million people homeless, their water supply is very poor in quality, and a vast amount of it's population are in dire need of proper medical attention. It just feels good to help out a country with a scarce amount of resources," said Mr. Markos, PE teacher and the man responsible for putting this tournament together.
A devastating earthquake with a magnitude of 7.0 hit the country 2 years ago. In result it killed hundreds of thousands of people. It obliterated everything in its path, destroying many homes and buildings and, to this day, the country has yet to fully recover from the aftermath. There are many contributing factors as to why we have held these fundraisers but aiding the country to get back on its feet from this tragedy has been the reason behind all our Hoops For Haiti events.
Not only was this a day of convergence towards a great cause, but it was also a day filled with good times and friendly competition. Several students demonstrated examples of exceptional sportsmanship. I would have never known our school could become so passionate about a sport as they were during the tournament.
I spoke with a few students who played on teams and they shared their thoughts on Hoops For Haiti.
"This is a great activity we're doing. We're getting to see some people who I thought I'd never see on a team together play so well, communication and chemistry between all the teams is great. This day of fun is for a great cause and my team is the team to beat," said Rachel Reza, a senior and avid basketball player.
"I like it, it's so much fun. I will definitely do this next year. I'm not really into sports or did I ever really participate in anything back at my homeschool but today I'm going all out. Everyone should do this." pridefully confessed Shelby Delgado, a sophomore who is a novice to the sport.
Even a bit of history was made.
"We won our first game! My team finally won a game, I have been 0-22 and this is my third year doing this, but we finally won our first game. This year I have Johnny and Kenzo on my team and they're both really good, couldn't have done it without them." declared the always vigorous Ms. McCann, one of the three amazing math teachers here at Vanguard. Her team, which consisted this year of Johnny Selgado and Kenzo Yoshiura, won their first game this year, so she had tons to celebrate about.
"I'm dripping in sweat, I'm really tired, and I even have some battle-wounds. I'm teaching a unit on Haiti right now and I just think it's so awesome that a good percent of the school came together to raise money and do this," said a stop sign red Ms. McCann.
"I wish we did more memorable things like this where we incorporate service into an activity that brings so many people together, all the teams are great together and everyone is showing good sportsmanship. I love it," ended Ms. McCann with her signature enthusiasm.
Some of Vanguard's extended family even stopped by.
"I've participated in fundraisers before and this is without a doubt one of the most enjoyable experiences I've had. I love it here at Vanguard, the teachers and the students are all great," said Mr. Daniel O’Donnell, a substitute teacher in d214 and regular visitor here at Vanguard
"I love Vanguard, I love having fun, and I'm very competitive, so this is just perfect for me. I had no idea I was going to be doing this when I got here today, it's why I love this school, and it’s always a new experience every time I'm here. This is definitely my favorite school to
sub at, hands down,” said Mr. O’Donnell with a warm smile.
Trophies were given out to the members of the winning team, the triple threat being, Rachel Reza, Enrique Loiza, and Choowle Banda. Although, there was not all the emphasis went towards winning, Melissa Barrera and Francisco Castro took home trophies for their outstanding display of sportsmanship.
Hoops For Haiti was a major success this year, tons of kids participated, everyone played great with eachother, and we raised a good amount of money. It was great to see so many people come together and have fun on such a noble basis," joyfully stated Mr. Markos
After a grueling two-month-long tournament between 11 teams and the whole school, Team O’Neill came out on top beating Team Koz with an overwhelming score of four out of four games. Koz went into the final with the odds in their favor being undefeated throughout the entire tournament, but in the end they simply couldn't get it done. Team O’Neill entered the final with no females on their team and tons of nerves seeing as how they had come so close the year before, but they had their sights on victory and nothing could stop their ruthless onslaught from reaching their goal, not to mention they had in their arsenal Sam Simon's incredible playing.
"Sam's acrobatic catch sunk Koz's battleship. It amazes me that this is the fourth year we've done this and people are always able to get so amped up over dodgeball. This was one of the best and most intense tournaments we've ever had," said Mr. Heldman, the head coordinator of the tournament.
I sat down and talked to some of team Koz to see what exactly went wrong and what was going through their heads.
"We got careless, there was too much pressure on our main players including myself. Team O’Neill was too good, but we got this next year," stated Alejandro Segura, a junior and young man that some people (including Ms. O’Neill herself) believe to be the best dodgeball player in the whole school.
"It was a lot of fun and I would definitely do it again, although there are a few regulations I would change. Team Koz is going all the way next year," confidently declared Pete Miller, also a junior on team Koz and a valuable asset to their team.
I even had a word with the man himself.
"Team O’Neill brought their A-game on Tuesday and we only brought our B-game. We got schooled; we just couldn't handle the pressure. We will see them in next year's finals," said Mr. Koz
Nonetheless all teams had a great time; this tournament is always tons of fun. In the end even if your team loses it just makes everyone want to win even more next year and gives each team even more of a drive. This tournament is always unpredictable. Absolutely any team can win it. We'll just have to wait and see what next year has in store for us.
"There's always next year," declared three-year student Julia Puente, one of Team Koz's star players.
St. Baldrick's is the brainchild of three Irish-American executives who, in 2000, turned their company's St. Patrick's day party into a head-shaving fundraiser for children with cancer. They ended up raising well over six times more than their goal with a total of $104,000 and started a tradition the FVEC adopted three years ago.
Today, St. Baldrick's raises more money towards the research of childhood cancer and funds more grants than any other non-profit organization. Today they have raised more than $117million towards their cause.
For the past three years, Vanguard and Forest View have participated in hosting St. Baldrick's events, raising money and collecting hair for locks of love. Last year, I even donated 9 inches of my own hair. My grandfather suffers from stomach cancer so I felt obligated to. It was a bit nerve-wracking at first but I manned up and went for it because I realized it would grow back almost instantly. And, to be honest, it felt really good knowing that I contributed to a fantastic cause.
I spoke with a fellow student who had a similar experience last year. Jessica Ogelsby who's a senior here at Vanguard, has many close family members that suffer from cancer. She shaved off and gave away almost 20 inches of her own hair at our St. Baldrick's event last year.
"Baldrick's is a wonderful organization that supports a good cause. It's so awesome seeing all these people coming together to help fight kids' cancer. I had many mixed emotions at first about donating my hair. I was really nervous at first about my appearance, but afterwards I felt so honored knowing that my hair was going to someone that needed it way more than I did. Afterall, I can always grow it back. Everyone should try donating at least once," said Ogelsby.
I also spoke to Olivia Gabcova who will be a speaker at this year's event. This cause is close to her heart. Her nine-year-old brother was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumor.
"I feel very privileged to be a part of Baldrick's because they help fund research and grants that make it possible to aid kids such as my brother in the fight against cancer. It gives these children a sense of hope they wouldn't have otherwise," stated Gabcova.
So far over twenty students have signed up to fundraise. Each student must raise a minimum of fifteen dollars and students who decide shave or cut their hair will receive a free lunch. With the ever-approaching date of March 15th closing in, students should sign up with Mr. Markos as soon as they can.
Viper journalists rule! Vanguard School is a non-traditional, innovative school that helps students catch up on their credits. Students from Vanguard benefit from smaller class sizes, service to the community,outdoor education, and a wide variety of field trips in the community. Vanguard School is a program of choice in Township High School District 214. The school is located in the Forest View Education Center 2121 S. Goebbert, Arlington Heights, IL 60005.
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