Issue 1 Articles
Ms. Kerr's Red Carnation Kindness Campaign
by Mia Peterson
The Red Carnation Campaign was to spread kindness through the school and community. By doing this the students in Ms. Kerr’s ELA classes were reminded of the millions of lives lost during the Holocaust. This October, Ms. Kerr’s ELA 9 classes were given a “Random Act of Kindness” challenge. “After teaching Night, by Elie Wiesel, I wanted the students to take something away from reading this memoir. One of the messages that Mr. Wiesel hoped to convey after reading the book, was to never give up, never remain silent in the face of injustice, and to always try to help others. It was my hope that doing this small gesture would not only impact the recipient of the red carnation, but to also impact the students that were doing the random act.”
Well, it did just that. Ms. Kerr purchased 80 red carnations from Sunshine Florist in Gloucester City and presented each of her students with the flower. Attached to each stem was a simple message:
Spread the message of peace & love by paying it forward. If we all do one random act of kindness daily, we just might set the world in the right direction.
“I needed to know there was such a thing as love and kindness and that it brought smiles & joy in its wake.”
-Elie Wiesel
“The assignment was simple. I told the students to find a person that they do not necessarily know and present them with the flower. I wanted them to take time to appreciate those around them. The people that do the 'thankless' jobs.,” explained Ms. Kerr. The next day the students were asked to journal about their experience. “The comments were all so positive and inspiring. I had students give carnations to their bus drivers, teachers, and one girl gave it to a girl in the hallway that was upset. She didn’t know the girl, but thought she could use a smile. It was definitely worthwhile.”
When her students were asked, “Do you think this was important?”, the main response was “yes”. In a more detailed response, freshman Catie De Rose explained, “there’s too much bad in the world and kindness needed to outweigh the bad.”
The Red Carnation can symbolize many things, such as love, friendship, or just giving thanks. For Ms. Kerr, the color red was picked on purpose. “I chose red as a symbol from Elie Wiesel’s memoir, “ explained Kerr. From reading the memoir, the students understood this allusion. The last time Elie Wiesel saw his sister, Tzipora at the gates of the Concentration Camp she was wearing a red coat. To Elie, this image was forever burned into his memory. The color red is also a prime example of love, and a simple act of kindness can create a change the world needs and spread a little love to those who need it most.. If everyone was to do one act of kindness everyday the world could change drastically. By doing one act of kindness it can inspire someone to do something great!
A Rising Star
by Sarah Hurley
Rising star Angelina Schilling has done it again! She is known for her talents in soccer and basketball, but now we can add football to her list.
For those of you who don’t know, Angelina is the kicker for our football team. Her hard work and dedication earned her recognition by the NFL as their Way to Play winner. Angelina was acknowledged on national television on the NFL Network’s Good Morning Football program. She also received validation from USA Football, which, in return, gave our school money towards new equipment.
Recently, I had the chance to catch up with Angelina and ask her a few questions.
Question One: What made you want to try out for the football team?
A: “Trying out for the football team mainly came from wanting to be competing for my town. Since I had to stop playing soccer I needed something to replace that competitive vibe.”
Question Two: Did you think you would be accepted?
A: “I know most of the guys and the ones I didn’t know too well were so welcoming. I was not shocked at all because I knew how great they all truly were.”
Question Three: How do the guys feel about you being on the team?
A: “I’m sure there is a little bit of hate having a girl on the team. I don’t blame them. Anyone who’s competing for a spot should have some fight for the others competing. But overall I think they know I care just as much about winning as they do.”
Question Four: Are you planning on doing anything with football after you graduate high school?
A: “This will definitely be the first and last year I play football. It’s definitely a really cool experience but soccer is definitely what my heart belongs to.
Question Five: Was there a point you were trying to make by joining the football team?
A: “I didn’t realize the ability I had until I joined the football team. For all the kids, adults, and peers out there, I want to set an example. I want to show it has nothing to do with what you look like on the outside. Competing is all about what’s on the inside. Anyone can look strong on the outside, but the strongest are those whose strength from within shines out of them. I want to give belief and inspiration to anyone who wants to achieve something out of the normal and be someone who inspires others to believe in themselves.”
Question Six: Are you still going to focus on other sports?
A: “Soccer will always be my number one focus. Right now during the football season I am training and playing soccer every night. Soccer is most important to me and will continue into college with me.”
Congratulations to Angelina! We look forward to seeing you on the football field!
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The Taming of the Shrew
by Santos Diaz
For those that aren’t Shakespeare enthusiasts, The Taming of the Shrew sounds like a vague concept. Not many of us read these incredible stories unless we are forced to because who really has the time. Well, I suggest you put it in your calendars that on November 21, 22, 23 @ 7:30 pm the NHS faculty and students will be putting on the amazing play. Come out and support our cast as they perform this complicated and enticing show. Also, why read when you can watch in style?
The story tells of men and their misadventures as they face troubles in their love lives. It also speaks of two sisters, among other women, who either have too many suitors or not enough. There is a lot of drama and each argument and fight scene will have you jumping out your seats to see what will happen next. This year’s production of The Taming of the Shrew is starring Gianna Wolfe & Steven Smith with Keyanna Brown, Amy Corbin, Victoria Delgado, Santos Diaz, Kaylee Helwig, Aaron Jengo, Gianni Lewis, Eugene Lutz, Aarsa Moosavi, Andrew Pylypczyk, Hanna Shein, Christina Tarrach, and Marco A. Viloria. It also features special appearances by a surprise cast of faculty actors to be revealed at the performance!
The genius behind it all is Mr. Mosiondz, a true visionary who has even made a twist to the show by making it 90’s themed. That means this play will be a combination of retro style and traditional English, making it a must see! I hope to see you all there so we may all support the arts at Deptford Township High School!!!
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Promethean Boards
by Joe Prettyman
In years past, Deptford Schools has chosen to integrate Smart Boards into their classrooms. But over the past year, they have begun to move away from them in favor of a new type of board known as a Promethean board. As much as I am a tech nerd, I had never heard of or used one of these, so it was not only an article I could write, but I could learn from it too.
To learn more about these boards, I went to Mr. Ayer. He was one of the first teachers in the district to receive one of these new boards, along with Mr. Whittaker and Ms. McGovern. According to Mr. Ayer, “the Promethean board is just like a giant tablet that can run independently.” He gave me a brief demonstration of the product and explained some of the ways it is better than a Smart Board. Smart Boards require a laptop/computer and a projector. The Promethean board is Google based and runs its own operating system. It does not require a computer or projector. There is always the option to connect a computer, but one is not required. It allows multiple people to use it at once, unlike the Smart Board, and it has an app-based user interface. Mr. Ayer explained, “Almost any app I could need to use in my classroom, like Canvas and Google Drive, are either already integrated or easy to install.”
The best feature if the Promethean board is its ability to be upgraded. With a Smart Board, if one thing failed, the whole board was just an expensive projector screen. But the Promethean board is all independent parts and can be upgraded when something fails or becomes outdated. It also features a 4k screen, which is great for watching movies those last couple days of school. But it’s good for presentations too.
Because this board can run independently, there is no need to spend extra in computers, projectors, and projector bulbs. This board is about the same cost as a Smart Board, but packs a much more powerful punch. Deptford Schools plans to integrate 10 more boards this year, with 5 of them going to the high school.
