North Harford High School
211 Pylesville Road, Pylesville, MD 21132
410-638-3650
Volume 49, Issue 9
October 25, 2019
Highlighting importance of mental health; New face joins Hawks staff to help students TORI GAY Sports Editor
Mrs. Heather Sowers is a mental health provider in Harford and Cecil counties. Sowers works for Upper Bay Counseling and Support Services and is contracted with HCPS to work in the school system. Sowers says she works mainly with the school-based mental health program where they provide individual therapy, group therapy, family therapy, individual treatment planning, care coordination, and supportive consultation for school personnel. “Mental health is extremely important in a school setting especially in high school,” according to Sowers, adding that each kid is like a cup. “If that cup is full of stress and anxiety then there is no room to grow and learn. My job is to help reduce that stress
and anxiety so that they can learn and grow.” The difference between Sowers and the guidance counselor is that Sowers works under contract.. This means that if you are under 16 years old, a parent needs to come and sign insurance and legal papers for a child to meet with her. If a student is 16 years or older he may sign himself in to meet with her. “This is very important for teenagers to know, sometimes they are shy and feel funny coming to a therapist,” says Sowers. While the guidance counselors do help, they are also full with over 300 students and they have to take care of academics, college and career preparation, and counseling.
Photo Credit: Tori Gay
One way she is “different than guidance is that even though [her] door is always open, [she] typically only see[s] students/clients that [she is] working with already. When the family is interested in our services they go through an intake process where they come to our office in Havre de Grace or to
the school and after that we begin the process.” Sowers believes principal Mr. Brian Pawlicki is doing a fantastic job in realizing that students here need and making teachers and students aware of what she does. Working three days at the Nest, two days at NHMS, and now one day at the elementary school, Sowers has about 20 students here at the high school and about 20 students at the middle school. The average load for a therapist would be about 40-45 students in once school. Sowers said, “I wouldn't be surprised if I was working here [NHHS] full time by the end of the year with 45 students.” Overall, Sowers is thrilled to be here. She said she grew up on a farm in a very rural area very similar to North Harford as that is why she feels at home on the Hawks staff
Hawks Royalty: Seniors prepare for annual Harvest Party Ellie Evans, Noah Dehart
CHARLOTTE MCELWAIN crowned were Ellie Evans and Entertainment Editor Noah Dehart. Both Evans and
Photo Credit: Dawn Dehart Spirit week, pep rally, football game, Homecoming dance are the hallmarks of any good Homecoming experience. And amid all the prep work and hype, students and staff wait to find out who will be crowned homecoming king and queen. The students that were
Dehart are heavily involved at the Hawks Nest and were anticipating the night of the dance. “It was super awesome when they called my name, I couldn’t believe. At first I was just thinking,’wow’” shared Dehart. “I had no clue I was going to win, the whole time standing up there I was freaking out,” exclaimed Evans. Dehart also added, “Ellie and I have been friends for a really long time and it was awesome when I got to share that moment with her.” Evans agreed and stated, “i have so happy that Noah Won with me, it was nice because we have been friends since middle school.”After a long night of dancing, Dehart and Evans were proud of their accomplishment.
KIERSTYN MCMANUS Reporter
Haunted hallway. Candy. A chance to interact. The senior class and senior advisors prepared for the annual Harvest Party, which is a fundraiser that supports the senior class. On October 29, the event will begin at 3 p.m. and end at 7 p.m. “The younger children usually come around 5-7, with clean-up following right after,” said Ms. Denise Smick, one of the advisors in charge of helping the seniors run the event. Mrs. Chris Allred and Mr. Scott Larbalestrier are also responsible for helping “organize and plan the party,” Smick says. Seniors wanting the chance to interact with kids while “offering a safe experience for some of our feeder students who wouldn’t have an opportunity for the traditional experience of trick-or-treating” sign up on a poster located outside of Smick and Allred’s rooms. Maddie Schiavone, who is used to seeing children often, takes Working with Children, where she and some of her senior classmates volunteered to help organize and plan the party activities. Schiavone is “excited to see all the kids’ reactions and I hope they have fun, that’s the most important thing Even though this is a senior event, Smick “encourages the underclassmen to talk with a senior about how rewarding and enjoyable the event is for all involved.” With the event held annually, it is “basically the same every year, always having the haunted hallway, games and activities,” Smick adds “since the students plan what happens, some things are different each year.” Smick and the advisors are in charge of “picking the date and the seniors do the rest.” Schiavone says “anyone could help plan it, there is a meeting every year for the senior class and they needed volunteers to help work it and the stations, so I decided to do it.” The kids show up to the party “dressed up in costumes, as well as the seniors, so we get to see how creative everyone can get,” Smick adds, “It’s always fun to hear the smaller children talk about the haunted hallway- that is a favorite!” This fundraising community-based event “began in the ‘90s to serve as an outreach to the surrounding community feeder schools.” Smick says, “it is an alternative for children that aren’t able to have a great Halloween experience.” Seniors have signed up to bring snacks, drinks, run games and the haunted hallway, as well as bring candy, and run the sponge toss, which Smick is “excited to see such a popular game held for the kids.” “I think everyone who comes out to help is really going to make a difference in these kids’ lives because they look up to us, and as long as everyone is setting a good example, everything will run great,” Schiavone says. The Harvest Party is held for students aged 2-10 or pre-k through 5th graders, and as seniors prepare for this event, they are “looking forward to be able to give to kids what they might not be able to get at home,” Schiavone says Smick. “It is a great way of bonding with them and giving them a memorable experience.” With the chance to support their class, as well as the opportunity to interact with kids, seniors come together for this annual Halloween-theme event with hopes to pass on the tradition to current juniors.