Gray nominated for award

BREEZY SEISER Reporter

Wrecking Ball the hen is currently being made prosthetic legs to be able to walk again. The first three designs failed, but this isn’t the end of Wrecking Ball’s story.

way Vanarsdale and her family is treating the hen.

Wrecking Ball is the name for this hen who was surrendered to them with another hen because the breeder didn’t like their bloodline. “When we got that brutal cold snap a few months ago, she got severe frostbite on drew Thompson to the cause for creating 3D printed prosthetics for Wrecking Ball. Unfortunately so far, none of the prototypes have worked correctly. “Our first design was too big, our second design was smaller but too heavy. Our third design was the smallest one so far but still didn’t work.

Each design gets closer and closer to being the design that works.”

Vanarsdale explains that the process has been difficult because both Thompson and herself believe they have made a good design. They are planning “on removing parts that Wrecking Ball isn’t using the way it’s intended and try to remove as much weight as possible off of the prosthetic,” adds Vanarsdale. According to Vanarsdale, there have been a couple of difficulties with the newest design staying upright in the printer since it doesn’t have a large base like the rest of them.

She explains that she expected the first prototype not to work but then the third one failed as well so “Mr. Thompson and I are doing the most drastic changes to the design since we started this project,” says Vanarsdale.

The purpose of these prosthetic legs is to “help Wrecking Ball be able to stand up and walk forwards instead of frantically flapping her wings and going backwards,” says Vanarsdale. “

“Before this process, I wish I had known how difficult it would be to find the right design to make a prosthetic that Wrecking Ball would be able to use properly,” says Vanarsdale. She adds that no matter how difficult it gets, she will never stop trying to help Wrecking Ball so she can walk again as quickly as possible.

There is a story behind Wrecking Ball’s name: when she first got frostbite she had to be picked up and put into the coop every night by Vanarsdale and her family. But every morning the hen would go to the top of the ramp and “she would try to walk down the ramp but would lose her balance part of the way down and end up rolling down the ramp,” says Vanarsdale. “If any other chickens were on the ramp, she would knock them off the ramp as she

The Women of Tomorrow award is a yearly opportunity to recognize young women under 18 who are devoted and compassionate to the communities in which they live. It is a competition to recognize and identify the female leaders of the future.

Women of Tomorrow says, “The Women of Tomorrow mission is to inspire, motivate and empower at-risk young women to live up to their full potential through a unique group mentoring program with highly accomplished professional women and scholarship opportunities.” is incredibly powerful to see her transition into a prominent leader after all of those experiences she has had in her past.

Junior Kris Gray was nominated for the Leading Women of Tomorrow award by Mrs. Meredith Heldt, who is an advisor on the Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council.

Gray said of being nominated, “I was really honored and surprised. I always think of myself as a leader, but I didn’t realize I might get an award for it.”

“And that someone who is a mentor to me, someone who I was working with on the council saw that I should be recognized.

I was grateful for it; I hope that I win, but If I don’t, it’s fine. I’m happy to serve my community, it’s just a big opportunity.”

“I was really honored and surprised. I always think of myself as a leader, but I didn’t realize I might get an award for it.”

“Over the last 25 years thousands of high school students have accomplished successful and rewarding lives through our Women of Tomorrow Mentor & Scholarship Program,” says Women of Tomorrow.

Heldt said she nominated her because she thought Gray was a “leading woman who took initiative.” They have worked together on the council, focusing on bullying, harassment, and intimidation.

Gray filled out an application answering two paragraph questions, where she provided her extracurriculars, grades, why she wanted to be a leading woman, what she thought a leading woman is, and a woman she admires.

Gray chose actress Viola Davis as the woman she admires; the junior said Davis is honest and open about her struggles as a black female actress growing up in poverty, and Gray said it

A person must be a Harford County native to be nominated for the award. and they need a recommendation, which Gray got from English and journalism teacher Mrs. Jennifer Chandler.

Gray was also invited to a Banquet on March 15, where she was allowed to bring six people, including Chandler.

The Harford County Commission for Women and the Department of Community Services honors the Leading Woman of Yesterday, Violet Ripken, the Leading Woman of Today, Claudine Adams and Leading Women of Tomorrow in grades seven through twelve. The organization is “Changing the world, one young woman at a time,” says Jennifer Valoppi, Founder and President of the Women of Tomorrow program.