May issue- Seniors 2022

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NORTH HARFORD HIGH SCHOOL

211 PYLESVILLE ROAD, PYLESVILLE, MD 21132

410-638-3650

VOLUME 43 ISSUE 9

MAY 26, 2022

2022 graduates are 72nd class to pass through NH

GREER STRINE Sports Editor

May 26 is the last day of classes for seniors with graduation on June 7 at five o’clock at Ripken Stadium. North Harford is the last graduation that day, following Joppatowne and Harford Tech. All 280 students that represent the class of 2022, are about to turn into alumni. This class has had three years of COVID. From their last day of “normal” on Mar. 13 of sophomore year, to an almost completely virtual junior year, and a partially masked senior year, these students have seen the versatility of high school. Senior exams began May 17 and finished on May 26. In June,

the awards ceremony is on the first, senior picnic on the second, Baccalaureate on the fifth, graduation rehearsals mixed in, and the actual ceremony on the seventh. Originally, graduation was scheduled for June 1 at the Aberdeen Proving Ground Federal Credit Union (APGFCU) Arena at Harford Community College (HCC). At the beginning of 2022, Harford County Public Schools made the decision to move graduation to Ripken Stadium since COVID was unpredictable and could ultimately impact the ceremony since it is indoors. “Ripken is a more open and overall, a prettier atmosphere than APGFCU. [He] is excited for the change of graduation lo-

cation since it’s always been held at HCC up until last year,” senior Collin Miller states. The race for valedictorian and salutatorian has started and is about to come to a close. The two students with the highest GPA in the class, will be titled valedictorian and salutatorian. In years past, band and orchestra have alternated performances at graduation. With COVID, students without tickets are not allowed at graduation. Only seniors within those performing groups will perform at the ceremony. Band teacher John Wojciechowski states that this year, his senior students will be performing a song at graduation. Choral teacher Ms. Katelyn Hemling

Staff members reveal plans for next chapter SUMMER GRACE News Editor

will be spent outdoors. I love to bike, hike, boat, crab, fish and just sit on the beach and enjoy the ocean,” he shares. Social studies teacher Justin Martenick has been working with Larrimore for the past 17 years, and thanks him for helping him become a teacher and would like to wish him good luck. Martenick encourages him to “have fun sitting on the beach

“I’ve always joked that I’m the eye candy of FBLA, but she does all the work,” computer This year, several NHHS science and business teacher staff members will be leaving Brain McCormick jokes. The the nest and heading into retwo have been working togethtirement. er for 18 years, not only with Jan Bartenslager has been FBLA but they also shared a a custodian here for 13 years classroom. and says North Harford has Bridges was also found aidpresented him with a great ing in social studies classrooms time. He has loved the “beauand McCormick says he’s “glad tiful school we have.” Looking that she has finally passed US back, he describes the school History.” He says 10 years is as a “wonderful country atmolong enough to take history sphere with the animals, green “The thing I’ll reclasses and that without her, house and all of the beautiful FBLA will have a hole. land.” member most about my Para educator Sara Bartenslager has a time at North Harford High Testerman is going to be lot of things to keep him School is having the privilege of retiring this year too. In busy in his retirement, such as recently becomworking with amazing educators the next chapter of her life, she plans on spending a grandfather to his and the smiles on the students ing more time with her “little Hannah Marie” family and camping and and can’t wait to spend faces,” hiking is also on her agentime with her. -Sara Testerman, da. “A couple of things that I paraeducator “The thing I’ll remember remember about my time here. most about my time at North I was mowing around the reHarford High is having the tainment pond and I lost cona n d enjoyprivilege of working with trol of the zero turn mower and ing retirement.” amazing educators and the I ran into the pond. Patty, Jeff, Even though Bridges isn’t smiles on the student faces,” and Kris tried to save me but I exactly sure what her plans she says. Matthew Swoboda was too far gone,” he shares. may be after she retires, she and recognizes all of the assistance Good friend and fellow her husband have been talking Linda Black and Testerman custodian Robin Anderson about doing some traveling. have given to their students describes Bartenslager as a “One place we want to go to is over the years. He appreci“very nice guy that would do the Grand Canyon and as soon ates all of their hard work and anything in the world for you.” as we feel safe is to take a cruise wishes them the best in their After Bartenslager retires, Anto Alaska,” Bridges shares. next steps. derson knows everyone will be Her favorite memories conAfter she retires, Black able to find him “pooooolside.” sist of the many years she has will be traveling to Tennessee Another NHHS staff memcoached the Sports for Life and she also has many projects ber heading into retirement is students and the “joy on their to keep her occupied around Timothy Larrimore. He’s the faces when they are playing.” home. She says she may come athletic director and a social She fondly remembers the acback and substitute everyone studies teacher, and says he complishments her FBLA stuonce in a while “When I started will miss all the fun he has had dents made over the 23 years here, I wasn’t looking for a full with his friends, coworkers, and “especially all the years we time Student Kortney Dongera and students. traveled to Nationals to comsays, “good luck Mrs. Black! I Following the ending of the pete Nationwide.” will miss you.” school year, “most of my time

also added that the seven senior members of the choir department will perform as well. Some of the senior members of the symphonic band and orchestra will be performing What a Wonderful World, those students performing during the ceremony are, Victoria Allman, Bradley Boegner, Solomon Brundridge, Jessica Dudok, Sean Gibbons, Grace Herron, Griffin Hevesy, Malinah Jerscheid, Tristan McGregor, Marissa Potts, Kaylee Ritchee, Jonathan Roth, Timothy Steel, Greer Strine, Talia Stubbs, Daniel, Travis Walker, Dakota Wildberger according to Mr. Wojciechowski. Hemling stated that the members of the choir will sing the National Anthem and the

NHHS Alma Mater. The students in this group are Sierra Abels, Douglas Patrick Barker, Sophia Frontera, Julia Harris, Isabella Silvestri, Lauren Richardson, and Alexis Wood. Senior Gavin Lewis said, “[He] is kind of scared to graduate. [He] will miss the structure in [his] life. The social aspect has been great for [him] and [school] has always been a part of [his] life and growing up around the same people.” These students will be the 72nd class to graduate from the Hawks Nest and will be attending colleges ranging from HCC, multiple branches of the military, and entering many different trades and occupations following graduation.

Pageant showcases Hawks’ talents;

Boys steal center stage GRACE FELDBUSH Event Coordinator On May 6, the crowd held their breath waiting for the winner of the Mr. North Harford boys pageant to be announced. Ethan Jourdan! Eight boys were part of the contest all racing for the crown. The boys included seniors Griffin Hevesy, Solomon Brundridge, Luke Phillips, Gavin Lewis, Andrew Hartlove, Patrick Barker, as well as junior Ethan Jourdan and sophomore Peter Lein. The Journalism staff ran the production. The hosts, junior Riley Stoneback, and seniors Summer Grace and Greer Strine kept the show running. The show began as the hosts introduced the boys while the boys escorted their mothers onto the stage. The boy's bios filled the crowd with laughter. This included Hevesy whose bio read, “Griffin loves NASCAR and Slim Jims and his dad knows God. He vows to bring the wave back if he loses.” Another bio that wowed the crowd was Phillips, reading, “[h]e credits the book “The Art of the Comeback'' by Donald J. Trump, the Batman that’s portrayed by Christian Bale as his daily inspiration.” The judges included Mrs. Joanna Dallam, Mrs. Carla Harward, Mrs. Lori Rake, Mrs. Robin Anderson, Mr. Brian Dougherty, and surprise guest judge Mrs. Erin Mock. The judges were in charge of marking scores for all of the boys going from category to category, and in the end, tallying up who would take home the crown. Each boy showcased a talent

for the talent portion of the show. First-time contestant sophomore Peter Lein chose to do stand-up comedy, focusing on how short he is. Senior Nathan McElwain attended the production and said, “all the talent was great, my favorite was Peter’s stand-up comedy since it was so funny.” Hartlove and Lewis did a comedy skit working together during the talent portion. Junior Piper Wright attended the pageant this year and loved all of the boys' talents and how unique each one was. “My favorite was Andy’s and Gavin’s because I love the song country road and thought it was so fun singing along,” Wright says. One of the main hosts, Strine, explains, “the boys love to express their personalities and have fun with what they can bring to the table.” She explains she thinks it is an excellent opportunity because all the boys get to do their own unique things. “The boy's chemistry with the other contestants is also something that makes it more enjoyable for both the audience and those participating,” she says. Stoneback explains her favorite part of the show was the talent portion. “It brought out each of the boys' personalities really well and I loved watching them,” the host says. Grace shares that her favorite portion of the show was the group dance, because “it was fun to see all of their enthusiasm and chemistry.” She loved being able to get on stage with a bunch of her friends and entertain an audience. The junior that was crowned,

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