May issue 2023- senior issue

Budget creates buzz among students, staff, community; Discussions, decisions continue as plans develop

KIMBERLY ALLEN Reporter

In an interview on May 5, Mrs. Chrystie Crawford-Smick, President of the Harford County Education Association, said the Harford County Council met with Superintendent Dr. Sean Bulson and his staff in late April to discuss the County Executive’s proposed budget for Harford County Public Schools (HCPS). This budget includes a significant reduction in funding.

Crawford-Smick said, “Each year, HCPS loses a bit over 200 teachers to retirement, moving, and leaving the profession. But a $39 million cut could equate to over 450 positions lost.”

Regarding the proposed budget, Bulson added that there were “11 straight years where positions were cut,” and he is “afraid of losing momentum.” He said that in “the past few years, the school system has been able to put in place many resources for students, and now we may have to cut more positions.”

Cry of the Hawk reporters reached out to County Excutive Mr. Bob Cassilly about the budget developments. However, Mr. Sam Kahl, his Public Information Officer, let reporters know the council president was not able to do an interview. He then directed journalists to a document titled ‘Harford County Budget in Brief.’

The document reports, “In times of economic uncertainty, we must focus on needs versus wants. This budget reduces our structural deficit, makes major investments in public safety, and contributes to full funding for public schools, all without raising tax rates.”

The document also states, “[The Harford County Council] continue[s] our county’s commitment to a high quality of education for our children.”

Crawford-Smick added that "the people who work directly with our students each day are the bulk of the district's 5,100 employees. You cannot fill a $39 million dollar budget shortfall without impacting staffing.”

In an interview with the HCPS Superintendent on Friday, May 5, he added that “87% of the budget is salaries

and benefits, so his biggest fear is that [HCPS] will have to lose positions or change the salary package.” Right now, that salary package includes a 3% cost of living increase.

Mrs. Shelly Sparks, math teacher and union representative for the Harford County Education Association for North Harford High School, said, “I don’t think the County Executive is considering what is important and vital for our education system nor our impact on the county. I'm concerned that if the budget cut is put into effect, it will make class sizes larger, lose resources, and certain classes might not be available to students.”

Principal Mr. Brian Pawlicki added that he is “ hopeful that the County Council will consider the impact that the proposed cuts would have on the instruction we provide to the students of Harford County and make decisions with the needs of the students in mind.”

The previous County Executive fully funded the HCPS budget request for three consecutive years. No county executive has ever given the school system less money than they received the year before, according to Crawford-Smick.

The ‘Harford County Budget in Brief’ documents confirm that “for the past three years, the county fully funded the board of education’s budget request” and that “this funding, along with massive infusions of COVID relief funds, led HCPS to accumulate an unprecedented fund balance of $92 million in unspent taxpayer money.”

According to Crawford-Smick, the Superintendent and the finance department create the budget, and there is a lot to consider when making decisions for a school system with 36,000 students and 5,100 employees.

Bulson said, “[The budget is] so complex; we look at where we are and what we have. We consider increased costs and rising inflation. We must understand where inflation affects cost of living, materials, construction, gas for buses, etc.”

The County Executive suggests that the county budget is going up because of schools. However, Bulson noted that

Harford County Public libraries, Harford Community College, and the Harford County Sheriff’s Department are all seeing rising costs, and this proposed budget impacts all of those departments.

Bulson added, “We do have savings that could balance the budget this year, but my

shortfall of the proposed budget, that HCPS will likely find itself in the same position next year with regard to making big cuts to staffing and more.

Community members, parents, students, and staff members have had various reactions about the budget. Bulson said that HCPS contiues to bring

passed previously that could impact things long term financially for HCPS.

Bulson and Crawford-Smick both suggest that community members who want to advocate against budget cuts should share their positive stories about HCPS. Bulson added, “If you want to help improve a

concern is the next two years. With the pandemic, we got a lot of federal money, but it comes with a timeline, and will not be coming back.” He clarified that if that money is spent now to compensate for the

awareness to the issue on social media and “allowing the public to address their concerns at formal and informal meetings.” The superintendent is also working with state leaders on legislation that was

community, you need to have a strong school. Good schools matter. 25% of taxpayers have students in our school system. It is important to help the other 75% understand the value of what is going on in schools.”

Members of the community continue to have various reactions to the proposed HCPS budget. In Bel Air on May 4, citizens protested against possible cuts to school funding.

PHOTO CREDIT: Kimberly Allen

Fighting your own mind; Holding on to hope

what it is shouting at me to do, it will get better. But that is not how it works. There has never been a time in life where you are shown that if you just give up, it will get better. I am starting to realize that.

Perspective of others matters

worst way. But how DO you know it’s easy for me?

Did you know I work 6 out of 7 days a week 80 percent of the time.

Did you know my shifts are anywhere from 5 to 9 hours at a time.

KENSINGTON BOYANICH

Business Manager

I would do anything to know about the idea of silence.

What does it really feel like to live in the quiet? Maybe this is where my desires come from for my future. I don't see a fouryear college education, career, or a house filled with kids and a partner of many years. The ideal for me is a house far away from anyone else. I wouldn't mind being alone there, either.

For the 18 years I have been conscious on this Earth, there has been little to quiet my brain. With the constant battle between extremes, there has never been a feeling of stability. I long for this. I crave it. I wanted to give anything to quiet it all. I didn't care about the consequences that came with the idea, either.

I gave up on myself for so long; I gave up on the idea that I could feel better. The idea that maybe I could become someone outside of what my brain is. Outside of what my trauma has done to me. I gave up on wanting to feel better, the drive to be happy. I let my sadness and anger consume me. I thought that if I stopped fighting it, it would all go away. If I just let my brain win with

When you give up on yourself, you also give up on those around you – the people who care about you and love you – so even if you can't find the will to do it for yourself right now, do it for them.

I don't know if it will get better. But, I have hope, I have hope that the good days will outweigh the bad ones. I have hope that I will stop seeing the world in black and white. Hope is the most precious thing you can be able to hold on to, especially when your own brain is against you.

I see the light in everyone else: see how they are good, strong, and deserving. I put myself into a whole separate area from those people. As far down into the ground away from the light as I could. I allowed myself to be blind, because if you cannot see the good, you must not be able to see the bad, too. But that is not how it works.

You become unknowing that the light is even there. You comfort yourself with your own sadness and allow it to consume you – to destroy you.

Digging yourself out of this hole is one of the most difficult things you can do, but it also remains to be one of the most important decisions you can make. So dig with your hands. Crawl your way out with everything in you. Keep pushing. The light is warm, it is welcoming, and you are deserving of feeling it.

MEGHAN KALCK SSC Editor/Studio Manager

Well, that went by pretty fast now, didn’t it? I’ve been going to school for 13+ years. And now, it’s over. Finito. You might be thinking all those cliche things that come with graduation. But I’m not.

I am ready to get out of this enclosure of mostly two-faced haters.

A lot of you are selfish and tend to hate for no reason. Get mad all you like, but it’s true. And we all have to understand our part in the story and become conscious of the things we say and do.

I have learned many things in my many years of education, but the one that sticks out the most is having an open mind.

Believe it or not, you are not the center of the universe. You just have to open your eyes and see it. Open your ears and listen to what you are saying and how you are saying it. And if you don’t or can’t then be prepared that your actions and words can hurt people.

I know this because it happened to me, and it still does. When someone says “it’s easy for you to say,” it just cuts me in the

Did you know that even though I get up at 6am, I still make time for family and friends, and still have to pass classes.

Did you know that I have things to worry about for my fall gap year program and HCC, scholarships.

And guess what?

None of it is easy.

And I certainly am not alone in feeling this way.

And don’t get me wrong- I am also guilty of making assumptions about other people.

In fact, my mom had a talk with me reminding me that I need to check what I say to people sometimes. My mom is pretty wise. So, I took her advice. I spent less time talking at people and spent more talking with them. I listened more. And guess what happened? I found out some pretty amazing things about people I know.

All my friends have different opinions on everything, and this is because they all have different personalities and ways of thinking.

I love hearing their opinions, the variety of them, and how they believe so strongly in them. It's the best thing ever listening to someone talk about something they are passionate about, because I learn things I may not have ever thought of and facts I may not have taken into consideration.

It does not happen right away,

but over time the right mindset will come and it will change your perspective on everything. And that helps so much in so many ways, but especially in arguments.

In most arguments, people just talk, or yell at each other, and there is rarely any listening. You have to digest what they say and where they are coming from on their side of the argument before you react.

I try not to argue with people. Key word is try I hate arguing and disagreement. If I could I would stop it from happening.

Sometimes I wish I could, I’m not going to lie.

But when you do argue with someone, it is better to keep your composure and not let emotions take over a conversation.

In this world nowadaysespecially with this generation - people with different opinions are seen immediately as bad and wrong. I have seen this happen multiple times, and I have seen it tear friendships apart. And the sad thing is, people trash their own friends because they don't believe in the same things. Call me old-school - I'll take being a classy communicator rather than an impulsive over-reactor any day.

So, as we move on from high school the only way we will have a fighting chance as a generation, as a nation, and as a world is if we simply speak with purpose rather than impulse and listen more than we judge.

There are about eight billion people on this planet, which means there are eight billion different stories out there. Maybe if you listen, you will get to hear some of them.

High school is a box; Moving on to college

nalism.

Would I have liked to take guitar lab? Maybe. Would I have liked to take Drama II? Maybe. But I felt the need to prioritize weighted classes. You’re discouraged from trying new things. You’re discouraged from taking courses you may find interesting in lieu of classes that will improve your GPA.

BEN IAMPIERI

Copy Editor

High school is a box. Let me explain.

I’m taking eight classes this year–practically unheard of for the class of 2023. Only two of these classes are unweighted, and it’s my double block of jour-

On the other hand, you’re encouraged to pay for SATs, AP tests, and more. Almost 100 years ago, Harvard used the SAT to identify talented individuals in less academic high schools. Now it’s an abused system where privileged students can spend thousands of dollars to retake the test until they get it right. It has come to accomplish the exact opposite

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job it was created for in the first place. Despite this, many schools still value SAT scores.

So the SAT sucks. What does that have to do with high school being a box? The short answer is that the SAT is just another cog in the messed-up machine of high school. It’s another broken piece to the puzzle of education.

You may be thinking, wow, you must hate education, but you’re going to college so that makes you a hypocrite.

Believe it or not, I am a proponent of college. It’s how students are forced to get into college that I am against. I chose a college that doesn’t require a declared major until the end of my sophomore year. They encourage you

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to try new things and advocate for diverse thinking. It is a much different place than high school.

High school is a box that beats you down and punishes you for not overloading yourself. It’s a box you can’t get out of until graduation. It’s a box filled with others feeling the same way as you–as though they must conform. It’s a box that would be pitch black if it weren’t for the teachers who help you, the friends who laugh with you, or the moments like Mr. North Harford to add light to it.

Starting in ninth grade, every subsequent day got a little brighter. Now, with less than a month until I graduate, the shining sun can be seen from inside the box.

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It is almost time I break free and go out into the college world where I can meet new people, try new things, and find out what I really want to do with my life.

It has been four long years.

Four years of waking up early.

Four years of staying late for sports.

Four years of sitting in classes I’m forced to take.

Four years of filling out my schedule, all so I can move on. It hasn’t all been bad, but it’s been long enough.

I have absorbed all I can from this place. I am ready to leave. And as I’m ready to leave, my friends and teachers are ready to let me go, too–let me leave the box.

The Cry of the Hawk newspaper is published 10 times a year by North Harford’s Journalism II/III class. All editorials and viewpoints express the feelings of those on the staff and not necessarily those of fellow students, administrators, or teachers. Please do not hesitate to submit letters to Advisor Jen Chandler in room D207. Letters should be no longer than 300 words, must be signed, and may not contain vulgarity.

Celebrating the small things; Searching for sincerity in myself

it, but my brain does anyway.

Yeah, yeah, I get it: I like to make people happy, lift a weight off their shoulders. I like to think about any minor inconvenience and replay it in my mind until my brain picks something else to mess with.

But you know what else I am?

ALEXA FALLS News Editor

I am a people pleaser. I am always doing favors for people, whether I want to or not; good or bad, fun or not fun. Even offering to buy food for a stranger just because they asked. For as long as I can remember, I’ve always been this way. I always wondered how people just don't have the room in their hearts to hear or help people out. Yes, it's good that I care and am nice enough.

But sometimes, I care too much.

I am an overthinker. I think about the future too often to keep track. I always make sure the doors are locked before I leave the house, just in case. Always tracking my to-do-list in my notes, making sure I don’t forget anything that I need to do. I worry about the things I have to pay for and everything that's due multiple times throughout the day. I’ve pretty much been like this my whole life, again, unfortunately. People always say, “Why do you care that much?” How can I not? Of course, I try not to think about

Waiting for 17 years; Sharing life with little hands

will be best friends.

Julie, I will be there for you, I will help guide you, and I will protect you. It gets scary in this world when no one around you seems to understand, and I promise you that I always will.

it. You are one of the best things in my life and I am so happy that after so many years, I got exactly what I wanted: A sibling, someone that will always be there to share your life with.

I am a great friend. I am the type of friend who will listen to your sob stories, your drama, your random Amazon wishlist, your un-funny jokes, your favorite songs that we can listen to together, everything that you want me to know. Because I care. I am pretty much like an urgent care therapist for anyone if they need it (if that's an actual career). I am the shoulder to lay your head on, no matter what, because I have a heart.

I am a hard worker. I take pride in the work I do. I want to achieve the best for myself - it’s just that sometimes, I need a push to do so from others, like my friends.

I have goals set for myself that I look forward to achieving in the near future, even though I don’t know what life ten years from now holds or where I will be, I still have aspirations.

I hope you never doubted me; of course, why would you? After all, I am Alexa. The Alexa. As in the first-generation Amazon Echo, constantly improving and adding new features.

Now, what song would you like me to play from your Amazon Music playlist?

Looking back to who I was

sporting events, and just being noticed. I don't think I ever noticed when someone around me was struggling. I was just too self-involved that I just didn't see it. I literally thought the world revolved around me. Surprise, surprise: it didn’t.

As a senior, I don't really care about sporting events unless I have a friend playing. I don't need a huge friend group. I am content with the friends I have, and I am happy with who I am.

KIMBERLY EDGAR Entertainment Editor

There are so many things that we all wait for and long for. Although graduating tends to be the one that most students have, it isn’t mine. Instead, I waited for a sibling; for 17 years of my life, I had been an only child. I have spent most of those years hoping it would change. It did.

My little sister was born on May 9, 2022, and that was the day that I realized that everything would soon revolve around this tiny human. Innocent, fragile, and beautiful. I have never experienced so much joy before my sister first smiled at me or held my hand.

So my last words as a journalist are dedicated to my sister, Julie Anne. There are 17 years between us, but I already know that we

I used to think that I’d leave Maryland and move back to New Jersey, or go to college in some other state. But now, my priorities have changed, and it is in not just my best interest, but in yours, to stay close. It breaks my heart just leaving you to go to school when you reach out for me and cry as I walk through the door. You’re only 11 months old, but I feel like you already know how special our bond is and will be.

My future is my own, but you will always be a huge part of my future. I will watch you grow up, and I will continue to help you when life gets hard, or even when Mommy said no. No matter how big or small the issue is, I will be there.

My endless love for you grows stronger every day, and I can’t wait to see who you come to be. And you’ll be sassy and love books just like your sister, I’ll be making sure of it. Everyone says they see a lot of me in you already, and I can’t help but be proud of

As I am graduating high school, you will be just over one year old.

I have chosen to make this piece my first letter to you. Every year, I will write a letter to you so that when you’re old enough, you can understand just how much your sister loves you.

This might not be the typical high school sendoff, but it is all about the future. Learning and growing with and inspiring my little sister is a part of my future and I will always be proud of being a key component in my sister’s life.

This is a reminder that not everyone has the same goals or feelings, and that your time in high school or graduating isn’t the most important thing.

You have your own story and your own person. You might not even know that you are that person for someone else. But you can be. Or maybe you already are.

I will be that person for my sister.

Welcome to the world, Julie: you have so much to learn, and I’ll be here to teach you.

Finding Hope in divided world;

Why America needs Jesus, God now more than ever

From the media to social media, we are exposed to violence, hookup culture, and materialism. It can be easy to get caught up in this culture and forget about the values that our country was founded upon.

It's time for us to take a step back and reflect on what truly matters in life.

MATTHEW LEDFORD

Video Editor

Let's face it; we were all pretty stupid as freshmen. Try all you want, there is no denying it. I think everyone can agree that in the time that passes between being a freshman and a senior, you are two completely different people.

Or at least I hope so. The yelling in the hallway, the obnoxious make-up that took an hour to put together, the low-cut tops and outfits, the flaky I love you’s to every girl in the hallway - I certainly hope you managed to be done with those things by the time twelfth grade arrived.

As a senior, let’s hope that you have become a little more selfaware and much less self-involved.

And in between, if you’re like me, you had to learn who you wereand sometimes, actually most of the time, you learned that the hard way.

In freshman year, I was so worried about boys, having a big group of friends, going to

I don't need random strangers to tell me my worth.I walk in the hallways and I see how some freshmen act and think that I never acted like that, but in reality, I most definitely did, and looking back, WOW; that's embarrassing.

As you get older, obviously, you learn and you grow naturally, but if you are too worried about your social status you are going to miss out on learning about yourself and then you are definitely going to learn the hard way that most of the time, that status is fleeting and not worth the price you may pay to get have it.

90 percent of the time, the people you consider to be your best friend in ninth grade will not be your best friend sophomore year, let alone senior year.

So my advice is simple: get it together. The things you think are important…they’re not. Learn from the millions of mistakes you are going to make and become a better person. You’ll thank me.

In today's increasingly secular world, the role of religion in society is often questioned and even marginalized. However, I believe America needs Jesus and God now more than ever.

I am not ashamed to admit that I am a Roman Catholic who has made the choice that I want to help people, which is why I decided I was going to go to school to become a firefighter/EMT.

I have successfully done thanks to the support of my friends, family and most importantly my religion.

Since I started my journey in helping people I have witnessed the darkest moments of humanity.

I have seen people at their most vulnerable, and I have come to realize that what they need the most is not just physical help but also spiritual healing.

I believe that Americans need to find their way back to God and Jesus, especially now. In today's society, we are constantly bombarded with negative influences that can lead us down a path of destruction.

In my experience, faith and spirituality provide a sense of purpose and meaning that cannot be found in material possessions or worldly pursuits.

It is the foundation upon which we can build a life that is fulfilling and meaningful.

When we have a strong relationship with God and Jesus, we are better equipped to handle the challenges that life throws our way.

As a firefighter/EMT, I have seen firsthand the power of prayer and faith in action.

I have seen families come together in times of crisis to pray for their loved ones.

I have seen the peace that comes with knowing that there is a higher power looking out for us.

I have seen people find hope and strength in the face of adversity, thanks to their faith.

But unfortunately, the number of people attending church has been declining in recent years, with many people losing touch with their faith altogether.

This is concerning, as faith is not just a personal matter, but it is also a vital part of our social fabric. It unites us as a community and gives us a shared sense of purpose and values.

It's time for Americans to re-

discover their faith and rekindle their relationship with God.

We need to recognize that we are not alone in this world and that there is a higher power guiding us.

By returning to our faith, we can find the strength to overcome the challenges we face and the hope to carry on when things seem bleak.

And we can turn to our faith even when we have reasons to celebrate, too.

As a Catholic, I believe that Jesus is the ultimate embodiment of love and compassion.

He taught us to love our neighbors as ourselves and to treat others with kindness and respect. This message is as important now as it ever was.

By following his example, we can create a society that is more caring and empathetic towards one another.

We can build stronger communities that are based on the principles of love and service.

I want to leave you with this verse that speaks to the importance of Jesus in our lives and the power of our faith in God.

It reminds us that God's love is unconditional and that through faith in Jesus, we can find salvation and eternal life.

This verse serves as a powerful reminder of the role that God and Jesus can play in our lives, providing us with hope, strength, and purpose.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." - John 3:16

REESE SHOWALTER Sports Editor

Protests, making your voice heard

Many people may be aware of recent budget cuts that were proposed for Harford County Public Schools. According to The Baltimore Sun “Harford County Executive Bob Cassilly announced his fiscal year 2024 proposed budget last week, which included a $39 million reduction in the Harford County Public Schools’ proposed operating budget.” According to CBS News, “The proposal reduces the school district's budget by $19.4 million.”

Students, teachers, and the community are rightfully angry by this development.

According to hcps.org, “This is the equivalent of reducing spending by $1,000 per student.”

According to HCPS Superintendent Dr. Sean Bulson, "[Cassilly] is pandering to a conservative political base, one that doesn't believe a quality education is critical to the success of a greater community." He continues by saying, "This deplorable budget is the worst-case scenario for our children." He adds, "Using a one-time opportunity to not just flat fund us but to reduce our funding by $19 million is really, really damaging."

Some students may not see how this could be affecting them, but they must realize that this would make many students lose electives and opportunities that previous school years got because of this. The Harford County Education Association held a rally that will occur on May 4, and are planning to meet at the HCPS central office and

march to the council chambers together for the hearing.

The education of HCPS students should matter, and that will not happen with these unacceptable budget cuts. This march could be remarkably effective, as it shows how many passionate people want to stand up for our schools and will not stand up for another budget crisis. According to Atlantic.com, “Protests work because they direct attention toward an injustice and can change people’s minds.” Students who do not think their voices can be heard would be very wrong.

There are other ways community members can express their frustration with these budget cuts as well. Using the QR code below, anyone can email the County Council and “demand the County Executive amend his budget,” according to the Harford County Education Association. This ideology of making your voice heard through protest, email, speeches, or sharing it on social media to make others more aware may seem like a small thing that will not get anywhere, but the power of spreading information and making it known to everyone whom it will be affecting is immensely powerful.

Students may feel like politicians may not listen to them, and that their voices will not be heard but persistent and passionate students, teachers, and parents standing up for this matter can make a huge change that some may never see if they do not decide to help the cause, too.

self-esteem is like driving with the hand-brake on”; Confidence crashes affect teens

“I wish I was shorter. Am I too fat? I’m literally the biggest girl in my class. Does my acne make me look like a pepperoni pizza? Am I too dark?

Will he like my hair pulled back or out? Oops, I have to wax my mustache!

I’m the only girl at school who doesn’t wear crop tops. He’ll never like me. I’ll never be good enough.”

This is what goes on this girl’s mind daily; she is not the only one. Discovering new ways to receive attention and validation from a person she has said two words to.

The search for perfection leads to a dead-end every time, and yet she continues to circle back and hunt for an alternative route to flawlessness.

This rollercoaster of insecurity and deindividuation that runs through her neurons never ends. It gives a one-way, unlimited pass

to low self-esteem and confusion.

The truth is, she is not perfect, and she never will be. As long as she strives for this impossible expectation of herself, she will always lack.

If she continues to rely on her assumption of what others think of her, she will forever be stuck on the roundabout to self-love.

With every new encounter, she yields to their preferences and desires, while never thinking to check how much fuel she had left in the tank. Soon enough, she will burn out and become stuck in her confusion.

Unable to help herself, the girl will either walk the sidewalk to recovery alone or one will come to save her.

When he arrives, he will come to pour into her. After she is full and ready to exit the pattern, he will ride alongside her on the route back to happiness.

He will offer to lead so she may restore her energy, but in the end, she must be the one to propel herself back to self-sufficiency.

According to DoSomething.org,

Schools ruining students’ minds with letters; Making children base their self-worth on numbers

VIEWPOINT

School and grades are what students have been taught to worry about at the young age of five. Adults and teachers tell students that school is how you determine where you are going in life.

Kids have had the idea that if they don't pass a class or test in school, it's going to set them up for failure for the rest of their lives.

Students are told that college is what will give them a successful future.

This isn't just a Harford County School system mindset; it's every school system out there.

They want students to succeed in life. But when is the pressure too much for the students?

Is it when they have panic attacks because they have a B in a class?

Is it when students base their self-worth on what letter grade they have in a class?

Is it when the students' minds make them hate themselves because their GPA isn’t 4.5?

Is it when you make that student hate school when they used to love it?

According to Indsidehighered. com, the “rates of anxiety, depression and even suicidal indications have spiked dramatically” with

“academic stress tied to grades is a leading cause of this escalation.” Also, according to the article, there is “strong evidence to suggest that grades are making students physically, emotionally, and psychologically unwell.”

It's not even a problem that's just affecting students' mental health, it's going to the extent of hurting their overall well-being. According to Indsidehighered.com. To make this problem even worse “these health issues have been getting much worse over time.”

Some school systems haven’t even seemed to notice this problem with students. They probably categorize them as “burntout gifted students” because half of them are.

According to npr.org there are only 12 schools in the entirety of the US that don’t use the traditional letter and number grading for their students. Winnetka Public Schools District 36 doesn’t use letter grades till the students are in seventh grade. The school provides report cards with just “detailed comments from their teachers.”

Report cards shouldn’t make you feel terrible about yourself, especially when a student is getting straight A’s and having one B.

Kids base so much of their

self-worth on these letter grades. They start thinking if they are dumb, all because they have a B or two on their report cards because according to the school system, we need straight A’s to go to college to become successful.

In 2019, a report by Pew Research Center said, “70 percent of 13-17-year-olds surveyed believe anxiety and depression to be a major problem.

“The students surveyed said they identify “the pressure to get good grades as the most significant factor leading to these mental health issues,” according to Indsidehighered.com.

What college wants a student who doesn’t have straight A’s, because if they have straight A’s that indicates “excellent performance?” If the student has a B, it only indicates “good performance.”

Schools have ranked us with numbers and letters before we could read or write. So, why wouldn’t that be engraved in the students' minds?

You’re engraving a grading system on how well a child can do basic skills since they were five. A person's mind doesn’t fully develop until the mid-twenties. So, you're teaching growing minds to base themselves on a letter and a number of their GPA, and on how

“low self-esteem is a thinking disorder in which an individual views him/herself as inadequate, unlovable, and/or incompetent. Once formed, this negative view permeates every thought, producing faulty assumptions and ongoing self-defeating behavior.”

This is one of the root causes of anxiety, depression, and suicide in teenagers.

They also state that due to these feelings, seven in ten girls believe they are incompetent in their looks, performance in school, and relationships with friends and family members.

Additionally, 38% of boys in middle and high school admitted to using protein supplements, and almost six percent experimented with steroids.

The rollercoasters and roundabouts that high school students face usually do not end. It tends to become worse, as Psychology Today reports that 85% of people worldwide have low self-esteem. Students don’t have to experience this if they can break the cycle now.

Importance of working jobs

People that do not work and get everything they want are so frustrating.

Why should a teenager get something that costs $100, but not have to work for that money to buy that item? It is understandable that parents may have money to drop on Lululemon or Drunk Elephant, but what are high schoolers truly learning from that?

From working, teens learn how to communicate, to be responsible, learn time management skills, and be a good person while working with others. When working, the “value of money [and the understanding of] the true value of a dollar” is gained, according to Walden University.” But why is it so incredibly important to work a job? It allows the opportunity to know that a teenager can learn to support themselves and that they are able to allow money for themselves to have fun with their friends.

Working also allows teens to meet new people, boost their self-esteem, and feel better about themselves. So, from not working, what are teenagers really learning?

They are not learning how to be independent, not learning how to manage their money, and they most definitely are not learning how to be financially stable for themselves.

According to Statista “19.4% of teenagers between ages 16 and 19 were employees while enrolled at school.”

TMCF.org states that “32% of students have no responsibility in paying for college, while 39% pay for some of it, and 29% are responsible for all of it.”

So, yes, maybe teens’ parents may pay for their child's college and their child may not have to worry about working while having to focus on their studies. But what will happen when they graduate college and have to be on their own?

Because they did not work, it will be difficult to be able to save and not spend their money because they never had to worry about creating a budget and saving money. They never knew how there is a constant worry about making sure there was enough money to make your monthly car payment in the bank.

They never had to worry about how to balance school and work, so how will they know how to balance having to work and then spending time with their friends and family? They never had to worry about trying not to disappoint their friends and always made sure that they had enough money to hang out with them and have a good time. Teenagers who never worked had to worry about any of that.

“41% [of parents] said they bought their child’s first car for them,” says Dayton Daily News.

Maybe some of the kids in high school were always able to have the nicest car, the newest makeup trends, and the newest clothing items because their parents bought it all for them. But, out in the world, there are always people who are working their hardest and always trying to keep up with the trends, and still be able to have fun and enjoy life while being able to make enough money to get by.

So, because teenagers who never worked got everything handed to them by their parents, they never learned what other people had to go through, and they never learned the skills that are required when a person works a job.

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SGA members busy with county-wide opportunities; Students exercise their voices for improvement

KIMBERLY EDGAR Entertainment Editor

Students and science teacher Mrs. Elizabeth Martin went to an HCRASC meeting on April 13 and traveled to Havre de Grace High School in order to vote for county elections. Additionally, according to Martin, students attended the MASC State Convention in Ocean City with Martin in late March.

Sophomore Ashlyn Sellers attended the MASC (Maryland Association of Student Councils) convention in March from the 22nd to the 24th and found it to be an enlightening experience to see how students “have a voice.” The meeting itself included a hotel stay, two dinners and breakfasts, one lunch, two evening snacks, recreational activities, and other amenities, according to mdstudentcouncils.org.

“We were voting for people that want to better the school system and it [includes] all of the counties in Maryland,” says Sellers. She believes that there are three conventions a year for this purpose and SGA organized her stay at the convention. She found the convention to be “nice” and she learned how the student government worked and got to see it firsthand.

Sellers would recommend the experience she had at the convention because “it was really fun and you get to meet new people and learn about how students can get involved,” explains Sellers. She believes it is important to be a part of SGA because it is a way for students to know what is going on around them and “know when things are changing and how things change,” adds

Sellers.

In addition to Sellers, sophomore Ann Warren also attended the MASC meetings and described their purpose as based on “electing new state student representatives, which was such a fun time.” She adds that they listened to speeches about why students should be in positions such as second vice president and treasurer.

“All of the candidates were extremely qualified and I know that the state representation of students is in good hands,” says Warren.

Warren explains that they attended several meetings during their stay in Ocean City and adds that they also “had the opportunity to do three workshops, where I got some really good ideas for things to bring to our school while improving my leadership and communication skills.” Warren also says that they were able to participate in several unrelated activities. “There were also such fun events that they let us participate in like a dance, [an] escape room, the beach, March Madness, magicians, and so much more.”

“I got to learn about what other schools in our county and state are doing, like an advocacy day in Annapolis where students had the opportunity to talk to people in government about bills that were important to students,” says Warren. “I learned about

the MASC meetings. “It was honestly an amazing experience and I loved growing and learning from my peers. It gave me so many ideas that I want to bring to our school in the upcoming year, to which I have to thank the other schools for being so friendly and helping me out.”

want your voice listened to that they should join student government and get involved.”

goals that MASC has for student councils around the state and how they want to improve representation in MASC from counties that didn’t have many or any representatives.”

Along with Sellers, Warren recommends going to any or all of

Marine science classes take day trip; Sharing stories about adventures

Reporter

On April 19 and 20, the marine science classes at North Harford attended a field trip to the Chesapeake Bay in Havre de Grace. The field trip was a “hands-on experience,” according to the students who attended.

The marine science students were given the opportunity to actively participate in learning about the marine environment. Sophomore Jenna Roh shared that a main takeaway of the school trip was “how the bay is being affected by humans, and how humans are affecting the wildlife and water chemistry of the bay.”

The students were driven out into the bay and the Susquehanna River on a boat, named the Snow Goose. Once they reached their destination in the water, the boat came to a halt and the students began their learning experience.

Sophomore Ann Warren explained that during the field trip, they were allowed to test many things, such as “water quality,” and also were able to do some fishing as well.

Warren shared that when the students began water testing, they were instructed to find and figure out nitrate amounts currently in the bay and river waters. They also used maps to “see where water came from the areas, and to see how [the whereabouts of the waters] can impact the bay's health.”

Warren added that her favorite part of the trip was the nitrate testing. “We got to shake a couple of chemicals around in water [from the bay] to see how much nitrate was in it, and there actually wasn’t a lot - which is a pretty good thing for the bay.”

The sophomore also added that it was “interesting to learn about what different species that could be found [in the bay,] and also

about the bioindicators of water health.”

Roh, who also attended the science trip, shared that the students and workers working on the boat focused “a lot on nutrient pollution and eutrophication in the water.”

The marine science student said that a lot of the pollution comes from “runoff fertilizers, farms, and animal waste.”

During the fishing part of the outing, the students both explained that they, and the others they were with, caught mostly catfish. “We caught a massive catfish with one eye- and we learned that that was actually normal because fish are very touch and go. It’s easier for one fish to take out another’s eye and scram,” Warren explained.

Both of the students agreed that the trip was “overall really fun to learn a lot of these thingsespecially when you’re out on the water.”

Warren believes that everyone should have an opportunity to know who represents them on a state level and be kept in the loop about things that impact students. “I think that it's important to be a part of student government because it helps me understand my peers and allows me to connect more with the students at this school and what they want to happen,” says Warren. “I love having a voice and being heard and listened to, I also really love extending what the students want, and I feel that if anyone has a similar feeling towards the students here and

Current SMOB (Student Member of the Board of Education) and senior Noa Blanken attended the HCRASC (Harford County Regional Association of Student Councils) general assembly in order to vote for the next SMOB. Blanken described those that attended the meeting as “a club [or] a group of students from around the county that are interested in student councils.”

Those who attended, including Blanken, elected the next SMOB after nominating five students from around the county for it. According to Blanken, they answered questions, listened to speeches, and voted using a QR code in order to decide who would take over her position.

As the current SMOB, Blanken states that “I knew exactly what I was looking for and I knew exactly what the next SMOB should possess, so being able to ask specific questions that I was interested in knowing the answers to was very rewarding.”

Blanken adds that they elected junior Madina Sabirova from Harford Tech High School to be the next SMOB.

“Voting in local elections is equally as important as voting in any other election. Exercise your right to vote, always,” says Blanken. “[Student government is important because] teachers can only know so much and having the student’s opinions [is necessary] since we are the next generation and we see things that not every teacher sees. And we can also be more vocal than some teachers are.”

Students continue to share their voices in county-wide elections. Sophomore Ashlyn Sellers, science teacher Elizabeth Martin, and sophomore Ann Warren (left to right) attended the MASC convention in March.

PHOTO CREDIT: Ann Warren

ALEXIS GOTT

Participants gather around to learn and observe the catfish. The species could only be held safely by the instructors on the boat.

PHOTO CREDIT: Jenna Roh

Ravens L.I.F.T. conference inspires athletes

MEGHAN KALCK SSC Editor/Studio Manager

The Baltimore Ravens held their eighth annual Leading and Inspiring Females to Thrive (L.I.F.T) conference on Wednesday, Apr. 12, 2023, at approximately 8 a.m.

This conference is a leadership seminar that is designed for female high-school athletes to empower the next generation and empower leadership skills both on and off the field.

Freshmen, sophomores, and juniors were all invited to apply to join the conference and had the opportunity to hear from Ravens head coach John Harbaugh, as well as a studio host and reporter for NFL Media Programming, Stacey Dales.

Freshman Kendall Chandler and sophomore Brooke McElwain were able to attend the annual conference this year.

“[...] we learned a lot about leadership qualities required to be a good leader,” says McElwain. They heard from a variety of guest speakers while also participating in different games that aimed toward teamwork on the Under Armour Performance Cebter’s field.

One takeaway that she got

from the conference was that “a leader is not always born, a leader can be developed over time.”

McElwain met the Ravens' head coach, Ravens nutritionist Sarah Snyder, and NFL sports broadcaster and former Olympian Stacey Dales.

Food for America (FFA) hosted an educational farming event for elementary school students around Harford County. The children go around to stations that are managed by NH students.

“When we arrived they offered a super nice breakfast and then we went to listen to a few guest speakers,” says Chandler. During this time they all got to share where they go to school and what

sport they play.

“The lady that first spoke gave us a lot of good points on leadership and we got to take notes,” she also says. After she spoke, the dietitian for the Ravens spoke about her job and how they can apply what she was sharing within their own lives as well.

After the guest speakers spoke in the beginning, they did some mini workouts such as a plank relay and some tug-a-war games, which was “a great way to interact with the other girls and make some connections,” according to Chandler.

“A lot of the conference was affirming things that I think many of us already knew but, as someone who isn’t always the most charismatic, it was really cool to be reminded that no one is born a leader and that you can make a positive impact on those around you no matter who you are,” she says.

Chandler says that it was cool to be able to meet people from other schools all across the state and how there were a lot of girls that she had never met before, they were all “super sweet.”

Food for America

hosts

ag event;

Elementary schoolers educated by students

BEN IAMPIERI Copy Editor

The goal is “to teach kids about agriculture,” junior Hailey Shoemaker says. “Kids come to the school and get to see all the animals and learn about them.”

The children also do fun activities, according to senior Elizabeth Holmes. “I’m running the leaf-rubbing station, so the kids get a piece of paper and crayon and they rub a leaf and make it,” she explains.

Freshman Autumn Ferguson participated in the FFA event earlier in the school year, so she was prepared. “I really like working with the little kids. I love seeing how excited they get to see all the different animals,” she explains. “I get to teach the little kids about something I’m really passionate about–plants and planting.”

FFA spent about two weeks planning, according to junior Katrina Winkler. “We get our stations in order, learn the basic background facts for the animals, set them up, and get ready for the kids,” she says.

“We had to clean up the barn,” junior Cole Hellwig starts. “We make it as tight as possible, we definitely make the pigs look good.”

According to Hellwig, over 800 second-graders showed up on Apr. 13. “Today, I’m doing Simon Says,” he says, “A cooldown is what we’re calling it.” His station is in the barn along with the pigs. “[It’s] kind of like a transi-

tion area to the next station,” he explains. “We also do Simon Says stuff, like cow noises, to build on the knowledge of what each animal does.”

Senior Lily Jerscheid is teaching about Mrs. Cherry. “She’s the pig who had about 16 piglets a few weeks ago,” she elaborates.

Freshman Grayson Whaley is teaching the kids about Gracie, the cow. He answers any questions they might have about the animal. “I fulfilled a lifelong dream of sitting next to a cow while she was laying down,” he adds.

Freshman Liam Ehrhart is presenting the sheep and one of the alpacas. “I would’ve wanted to come here in second grade, too,” he says. He plans to provide an experience he would have wanted.

“I’m excited. I love doing this; I’ve done it every year for the past three years,” Hellwig explains. “This is my sixth time doing it now. It’s definitely the best.”

Winkler thinks it is cool that NH is the school kids come to. “Kids in my previous experience have never seen these animals or been able to work with them, so it’s cool we can do that,” Winkler says.

“It’s just a really fun experience and I really recommend it,” Ferguson suggests.

Jerscheid is very excited to see the second graders because “they get really amazed by animals.”

Earth Day, Agricultural Heritage Day celebrated at Hawks Nest

MEKENZIE MCCANN

H/S Editor Caiazzo.

On April 21, the annual Earth Day event took place.

Students presented topics related to the environment, and some even brought in their tractors.

Junior Jason McCallister participated in Earth Day and had a booth with his girlfriend, fellow junior Emily Crabbe, teaching kids about the calf he brought in.

McCallister says that “it was pretty fun, and [he] had a good time.” He taught kids that the calf may have teeth, but it will not bite.

Junior Maddie Caiazzo comments that “Earth Day was super successful this year,”

She added, “it was actually cool to see how many people were really interested in my project, because I thought that it was pretty complicated and that a lot of people would not understand it.”

Caiazzo’s project was on the development of osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) in thoroughbred yearlings. OCD is “a bone disorder, which is a lesion in the joint” of the horse, according to

The president of FFA, junior James Ortt, “had a booth with [his] tractor that [he] drove to school, and then [he] helped with the FFA and the Ag Olympics,” says Ortt. Ag Olympics includes competitions like the “roping with the plastic steer heads egg on a spoon,” and other fun competitions, according to Ortt.

Sophomore Jacob Jestel had a booth where he “talked to people about mussels.”

Science teacher Mrs. Laura O’Leary says that she “loved Earth Day.”

O’Leary and fellow ag teacher Mrs. Aimee Densmore organized the day, but the “students are kind of in charge,” says O’Leary. The students that present are the students in the teachers' classes “who have SAE and other projects…that present their work to the school community,” states O’Leary.

Caiazzo enjoyed being able to see the other students' projects on lunch break, and she also enjoyed being able to “teach others [about her project] because it was fun,” says Caiazzo. Ortt’s favorite part of the

day “was seeing everybody come outside, and enjoy being outside even though it was only for a little bit of time,” he says. He also thought that the day “was really good; there were a lot of people, and [he] thinks that everyone did good with the restrictions in place this year.”

Ortt understood the administration's opinion, “and where they were coming from, but [he] thinks that no matter what, there is always going to be some people that are still going to be disappointed,” he states.

Jestel explains that “some students did not get a chance to go outside due to the restrictions. However, other students went out multiple times a day.” He hopes for a way that would give a chance for all students to get a chance to go outside.

“Personally, I think it should depend on if the class has the capability of being able to go out or not.”

Caiazzo states that it is easier for the language classes to go out due to their “curriculum…but for the AP classes, those are the ones that should have stayed inside because they are on a strict time schedule. So, I think it should be

up to the specific teachers instead of the administration. However, I did agree that all the science classes should be outside because the day is very science-based,” adds Caiazzo.

O’Leary says that she “appreciated the administrative support to make the day more of a controlled atmosphere for the students presenting. However, I was not a fan of leaving people out.”

“I think that Earth Day is a staple event [at the school], and that some evolution of Earth Day has happened here for almost 25 years, and not only do kids look forward to a day out by the pond, but so do my colleagues, so I felt terrible that people were sort of left out of that,” she added.

In previous years, O’Leary states that there has been an iteration of Earth Day where “Mrs. William’s health classes participated and had booths to look into environmental health issues, Mr. Pistel had his math classes and did weird Earth Day ‘mathy’ things, Mr. Heeter brought his big telescope out, the chorus, orchestra, and band made recycled instruments and came out and made a lot of cool noise, and of course, the Art Guild had always

been a big part of Earth Day.”

“I do not want [the day to] necessarily to become just [a] magnet or Ag thing; I want it to be [a] whole school adventure,” says O’Leary.

“Another thing that I really wish is that [the school] can get community members involved. Since Covid [started], we can not get Eden Mill Nature Center and the Master Gardeners, and I would love to have the elementary and middle schools to come over,” comments O’Leary.

Finally, O’Leary comments that “sometimes you have to have growing pains to make something better, and I do want Earth Day to be kind of like a legacy thing, because I think it is special and fun, and I do not know another high school in Harford County that does something like this.”

“I really appreciate the administrative support to make the day [have more rules], and yet I did regret having to leave people out,” O’Leary continued.

One new addition to the school is an Earth/Ag Day committee that “can make things more inclusive and even better than before,” says O’Leary.

Freshman Kendall Chandler outside the performance center where LIFT participants performed many different exercises and games. Chandler will use the many lessons she learned in her future as an athlete and a person.

PHOTO CREDIT: STAFF

Leyburn joins NH as librarian, Leaving NHES to join The Nest

SARAH WELZANT Reporter

North Harford High School would like to introduce its new librarian for next year, Mrs. Megan Leyburn! Initially working at North Harford Elementary, Leyburn is nervous - but looking forward to - working at the high school along with new colleagues and high school students.

Her career as a librarian has gone on for 20 years. “I spent my first three years as an itinerant media specialist in the southern part of the county, and the last seventeen years as the media specialist at North Harford Elementary,” she says.

Leyburn believes that her experience when Covid-19 hit had “solidified the feelings that [she] had been harboring about taking [her] teaching career in a different direction.” She hopes to be able to “provide necessary services to the school and its students.”

According to Leyburn, she feels “it will be exciting to work with students at a different age level, collaborating and being a resource to teachers in a different capacity than the elementary school.”

It will be an interesting change to work with elementary school-

Marijuana soon legal in HARCO

ers to high schoolers. There will be many memories that Leyburn will miss when leaving the elementary school. She mentions many of the fun activities that would happen during the school year such as Dr. Seuss week, which would occur around his birthday, where they would do many fun activities, or the scary story/camping week that occurred every Halloween where the library would be transformed into a campsite and tell scary stories around a pretend fire.

Another fact that she describes as “weird but true” is how over her entire career as a librarian, Leyburn has had “five different books ruined by bananas in bookbags.”

Leyburn would like to mention, “If you are one of my old students, please come say hi. I may not recognize you at first, but be sure to say hello.”

She says transferring to high school will take some adjusting to, especially the earlier schedule.

Leyburn explains that the fundamentals of library administration will still be the same, but “the interactions with students, the research components, the level of scholarly work, collaboration with teachers, and library programming will be vastly different.”

Beginning on July 1, the state of Maryland will allow the legal adult use of marijuana as the General House passed House Bill 556 and Senate Bill 516.

According to the Marijuana Policy Project, Maryland is the 20th state to legalize marijuana use for adults over the age of 21. “Voters in Maryland overwhelmingly approved (67.2 percent), The highest margin of any ballot measure to legalize cannabis.”

Maryland. gov states that “cannabis products are subjected to a 9% sales tax (the same as alcohol).” The website continues explaining how adults can legally possess, “up to 1.5 ounces of cannabis flower, up to 12 grams of concentrated cannabis; or a total amount of cannabis products that does not exceed 750 mg of THC.”

The legislation also implemented three new funds, “(1) a public health fund to address health effects related to legalizing adult cannabis use (2) a business assistance fund to increase participation in the cannabis industry by small, minority, and women-owned businesses (3) a community reinvestment and repair fund,” states Maryland.gov.

The website talks about

how the use of cannabis in a motor vehicle or any public place is prohibited. “A public place includes outdoor spaces and indoor spaces open to the public, including parks, streets and sidewalks, bars and restaurants, public transportation, and indoor places of employment.”

Cannabis remains illegal under federal law so traveling out of state lines while possessing cannabis remains illegal. If you are under the age of 21 though and do not possess a medical use card. “Possession of 2.5 ounces or less may result in a fine, a court order to attend drug education programming, and a referral for assessment and/or treatment of substance use disorder.”

Senior Ian Calhoun is for this legislation. “I think legalizing marijuana is a good idea, especially decriminalizing it and expediting smaller drug charges. The money that is made from this is also being given back into the community in some areas and that is so important, especially in lower-income places.”

“Marijuana shouldn’t be viewed as this super addictive and dangerous drug anymore. We are becoming more aware of the medicinal uses for it and making it more safely accessible can prevent lacing or dangerous interactions between people,” Calhoun continues.

Student Member of BOE elected; Sabirova prepares to take action

This past month, students have run for SMOB. According to junior Kris Gray, SMOB is “student member of the board of education.”

SMOB is a student position and the adults “on the board of education leave a spot for a student to put their input.”

According to the current student on SMOB, Harford Tech junior Madina Sabirova, HCRASC will send out the application to all juniors in January. “You have to apply with an essay, teacher recommendation, principal recommendation, and academic resume.” The HCRASC board will review all applications and then conduct an interview with each applicant.

She continues, “After the interview, they narrow it down to five final applicants that go to an HCRAS meeting for an election. At the election, candidates campaign, present a speech, and take part in a Q&A panel. The students who are a part of HCRASC

Cooling off in summer; eating up sweet treats

REESE SHOWALTER

Reporter

“Snowballs are a summer tradition in Baltimore and Harford County has no shortage of high quality, locally owned snowball stands to satisfy your sweet summer cravings,” according to Visit Harford’s website.

Visit Harford created a snowball trail for Harford County on their website which provides all the stands that are a part of the trail along with a map.

Most of the stands are small businesses that operate in stands or mobile trucks. This trail is the first of its kind in Maryland. No other county in Maryland has a snowball trail, making it unique.

On the trail, there are over a dozen stands all across Harford County.

The stands that are included in the trail are Doc’s Oasis, Dublin Snowballs, Emmorton Snowballs, Friendship Snowballs, Frozen Sandcastle Ice Cream & Snowball Shop, Halsey’s Country Snowballs, Ice Hole Snowballs, J & T Snowballs, Sharon’s Hawaiian Shaved Ice, Ti’s Snowballs, Waldo’s Snowballs, and Yummi Freeze.

Each place offers up their own unique list of flavors; some places even have flavors called Wonder Women and Superman, making each stand different from the next.

Stands are just starting to open up as the summer is drawing closer. All of the stands will be open by the end of May, until Labor Day weekend.

NH alumnus and executive director of Visit Harford, Matt Scales, commented about the trail, “The Harford County Snowball Trail is a great way to cool off, get a snowball and sit outside to see Harford County's beautiful outdoor scenery.”

vote for who they want.”

Junior Bella Brockmeyer says, “they will pick the last five people, and you go to an HCRASC meeting which is all of Harford County’s student councils in one

and they essentially take a vote based off of your credentials your speeches and your arguments.”

Gray says, “You get to vote on a lot of stuff except the budget

it’s a really prestigious position and you have a big voice for all the students including elementary, middle, and high school.”

Brockmeyer says, “only SGA representatives and kids who attend HCRASC meetings can vote. They were given slips of paper to vote and they counted them at the end of our meeting and the majority of the votes won.”

To prepare to run for SMOB, Sabirova said, “my councilors helped me through the whole application, and they were really supportive. For the interview, I made sure I had some of my main points and topics ready because I didn’t know what they would ask me.”

HCRASC gave Madina Sabirova a warm welcome at the 2023-2024 SMOB. Sabirova will be taking the position of SMOB in her senior year.

meeting, and then you have your Harford County student council, which is five people advocating for all of student councils

and teacher interventions but it’s an opportunity for one student in the whole county to be the voice for the rest of the students and

For the election, she made a flier with her face and the main points she wanted to address during her term, and she passed those around to students. “I think that really helped people recognize me,” she says.

Sabirova says, “I wrote a speech and had some of my councilors revise it.” She practiced her speech until she sounded confident.

He added, “That includes four state parks and roughly 89 county parks.”

Visit Harford also offers a passport for all of their trails where you can earn points, which can be redeemed for prizes by visiting and checking in to these different locations on the snowball trail along with the other trails on the passport.

Each snowball stand offers up its own unique flavors making each snowball stand a new and different experience for customers.

Senior Piper Wright says, “My grandmother owns Dublin Snowballs. When we heard about the trail we thought it was a great idea. It was really creative and different and it brings in business.”

She added, “I still work there in the summer and really enjoy it. The snowball trail definitely got new people interested in the stands all across Harford County. It really helps all the stands, especially the ones that are small businesses. I really appreciate when small businesses are promoted.”

PHOTO CREDIT: Instagram @hcrascmd

BROOKELYN PRIEBE Reporter

“Marijuana shouldn’t be viewed as this super addictive and dangerous drug anymore. We are becoming more aware of the medicinal uses for it and making it more safely accessible can prevent lacing or dangerous interactions between people”

- Ian Calhoun, Senior

KENSINGTON BOYANICH

Business Manager

Mrs. Leyburn was the librarian of NEHS for almost two decades. She will be joining NHHS next year.

PHOTO CREDIT: Megan Leyburn

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Jourdan

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Abraham Ragan: Student, growing musician

Q - When did you first get into music and how did it happen?

A - In fifth grade, I started a band called "War Antenna" with my friend. I had no clue how to play guitar, so it sounded horrible but it was fun and inspired me to get serious about learning guitar and playing music. Since then, I've branched out into playing bass, synth, and even some banjo, as well as writing drums.

Q - What type of music do you produce and why?

A - Lately, I've been making some dream pop/shoegaze-style music on my own, under the name "over me." I also play guitar in a hardcore/emo band called "Sunrise, parabellum."

Q - What are your musical inspirations?

A - I'll listen to absolutely anything, but my music is inspired mostly by bands like Dust er, Mazzy Star, My Bloody Valentine, and Title Fight.

Q - What is your favorite part about making music and why?

A - I just find it fun to write and compose something that is wholly my own. I enjoy playing in a band and writing collaboratively, but it's incredibly ful filling to be able to do everything myself and have full creative control. It also provides plenty of challenges as a musician who is only really familiar with the guitar to have to write drums, piano, bass and do vocals. Over coming this to create something I'm proud of is what keeps me going and creating.

Q - Are you planning on basing your entire career on your music?

A - I'd love to play in bands and write music for as long as possible, but I'm not really concerned with fame or being able to make a living. I'm still planning to go to college and get a degree, but in a perfect world, I would love to make music my career.

Q - What platform do you release your music on?

A - I've been releasing everything on my Instagram, YouTube, and Bandcamp, but I'm going to put everything on Spotify and Apple Music soon. (My Instagram is @shivez_ if you'd like to check any of my music out)

Q - What type of audience is your music target ed towards?

A - I would say it's for anyone who likes music in the vein of Duster, Mazzy Star, My Bloody Valentine, and the other bands I mentioned, although the band I play guitar in is the complete opposite. Very heavy and loud, more like My Chemical Romance and Title Fight.

Q - What is your personal goal(s) when it comes to your music?

A - Right now I'm working on a couple of different projects and albums, so right now the goal is to get those finished and put them out. I'd love to get on a record label and I plan on making CDs once my album is done.

Compiled by: Kimberly Edgar

Coachella kicks off its 24th annual edition; Community, controversy, confusion settle in desert

KRIS GRAY

News Editor

The 2023 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival began on Friday, April 14, and ended on Sunday, April 23. Acts featuring wellknown artists like Willow, Bad Bunny, BLACKPINK, and Calvin Harris are finally returning to the desert.

The Los Angeles Times called this year's edition the “most diverse and inclusive in its history, with three non-white headliners - Bad Bunny, BLACKPINK, and Frank Ocean.”

Senior Brynn Hoffman has never attended the festival, but she has seen recordings online. Hoffman’s favorite act was Boygenius and she “is hopeful to see Blink-182.”

Corden hosts last The Late Late Show

BROOKELYN PRIEBE Reporter

James Corden's last episode of The Late Late Show is on April 27, 2023. Each weeknight, the show had a mix of celebrities, musical acts, games, and sketches. According to CBS, the first ever celebrity Corden had on the show with him was actor Tom Hanks. During this episode, the two acted out movies that Hanks starred in. Throughout his time hosting the show, Corden had grown a huge fan base from his jokes and carpool karaoke.

Although the carpool karaoke

pitched the idea for her to surprise Corden for his final carpool karaoke, there was no hesitation.

It has been confirmed that Harry Styles and Will Farrell will be on his last show on April 27. Potter says, “they are pretty different, but they have similar energy and humor so I think it’s a good pick for the last people on this show since it's full of humor and they both can bounce off with sarcasm pretty quickly.”

Corden says, “Harry, he’s just a dear friend. And there was no way he was going to allow us to

Variety describes it, there was a “building and sudden deconstruction of his onstage ice rink, [an] hour-long wait before the show [which] finally started at 11

is not a part of the show, it is still a huge part of Corden himself. He has featured celebrities like One Direction, Jennifer Lopez, Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, Bruno Mars, and even Michelle Obama.

book anybody else. He hosted the show twice, we’ve done a week of shows, we’ve done music videos and skits, and bits and carpool. He is ingrained in the fabric of the show.”

p.m, the extremely limited view of the stage, the long periods of silence in between songs, the random mid-show DJ set, and the

subsequent abrupt end of the set due to curfew (which was actually way past curfew, leading to costly fines).”

The singer canceled his performance for Coachella’s second weekend due to an alleged leg injury. The senior believes that it was a “very Frank Ocean thing to do,” alluding to his past issues with performances. But, she is “overall disappointed” due to the fact that “everybody who spent their money to be there kind of got ripped off because they spent a lot of money to see Frank Ocean, and I know that some people went only for Frank Ocean and then they ended up getting Blink-182 [the band that filled Ocean’s spot in the festival] which is not what they paid for.”

Corden just had his last carpool karaoke on April 24, featuring singer Adele. Her first time on this ride was back in January 2016. According to variety. com, this “clip remains the most watched of all time for The Late Late Show with James Corden, actually, it’s one of the mostwatched clips of all time for any talk show, period, at more than 260 million views.” When Adele

In an interview with Deadline, Corden says, "when I started this journey, it was always going to be just that: a journey, an adventure. I never saw [the show] as my final destination, and I never want this show to overstay its welcome in any way. I always want to love making it, and I really think in a year from now that will be a good time to move on and see what else might be out there."

Bad Bunny (left), Frank Ocean (middle), and BLACKPINK (right) headline this year’s festival. Others invited to the stage included Latto, Idris Elba, Burna Boy, and Rosalia.

PHOTO CREDIT: Noam Galai; Angela Weiss/ AFP; Rich Fury

James Corden and Adele singing in the car after Adele picked him up to take him to work. The singer surprised him with the last carpool karaoke.

PHOTO CREDITS: Carpool Karaoke

Mario movie sparks controversy

GABRIELLE MOXHAM Reporter

With a 59% Rotten Tomato rating, The Mario Bros. Movie stars Jack Black as Bowser, Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach, Chris Pratt as Mario, and Charlie Day as Luigi. Distributed by Universal Pictures, the film was released on April 5.

The film is rated PG and described as an hour and a half of adventure and fantasy. According to www. rottentomatoes.com , they describe the plot as “with help from Princess Peach, Mario gets ready to square off against the all-powerful Bowser to stop his plans from conquering the world.”

In the film, Mario and Luigi are described as two Italian-American brothers, who live in Brooklyn, New York, and work together as plumbers. One day while trying to fix a pipe, they end up traveling to the “Mushroom Kingdom,” ruled by none other than Princess Peach.

One student, Autumn Tagliaferri, a senior, went to see the movie with her family. She enjoyed the experience, “I thought it was really good, and it encompassed the Mario games that my siblings and I played when we

were little.”

Considering that this plot has been around for decades, lots of people know that this is when Peach gets taken by Bowser and Mario has to save her and confess his undying love. However, the movie version presents Luigi getting separated from Mario and captured by Bowser. This means

Warm greetings from Welcome Home; Horror project takes internet by storm

games are upset that Chris Pratt is playing Mario. Why is that? Well, the people wanted to see, or rather hear, Charles Martinet, who voiced Mario and Luigi in the Nintendo games throughout the years. However, Tagliaferri claims, “I didn’t know that he didn’t until after I watched it, and I think it would have enhanced the movie a lot, but at the same time I’m not mad because the movie was good.”

Just because Martinet doesn’t voice Mario or Luigi, does not mean he didn’t take any part in the film; it is said that he has a special guest appearance in the animation. Regardless, many people are too stubborn to go see it in theaters.

LILY CORCORAN Copy Editor

Fun drawings, cute characters, and…a creepy Sesame Street-esque puppet that watches your every move? This is the gist of Welcome Home, a psychological horror art project that has become very popular on TikTok and Instagram over the past month.

The official website for Welcome Home simulates a restoration project for a fictional children’s show of the same name that has been “lost to obscurity.”

The site “is a horror project that focuses on unraveling the mystery surrounding a beloved 1970s children’s television show,” according to the project’s creator, ClownIllustrations.

They continue, “You are to accompany a colorful cavalcade of

py Partridge, and Home, who is Wally’s living house.

Although ClownIllustrations' official website states that they began the project in 2018, Welcome Home did not start gaining much popularity until the beginning of April 2023.

Junior Tristan Armiger found out about the project when they “kept seeing posts about these cute characters, but every now and then there’d be really creepy drawings of the characters thrown in the mix, so I was kind of like, ‘Hey, what’s going on here?’ so I checked it out.”

Armiger continues, “Maybe it’s just because I’ve always loved cute things that can also be creepy, but I love it so much. I can’t wait until we get more [of a] story from it.” They also add, “I

that Mario has to seek help from Peach to be able to save his brother.

By now some people may think they see where the controversy lies, in the plot switch-up, which actually isn’t correct. The disagreement lies in the casting.

Many people, especially those who grew up with Mario, or were there when Nintendo first released the Super Mario Bros.

For many viewers like Tagliaferri, it was amazing to see a film that affected so many people’s childhoods and continuous lives come to life after so long. She was not expecting it, but after she went to see it loved it based on the ratings the movie has received in such a short time. For those who grew up with Nintendo or specifically the Super Mario franchise, why not take a chance and watch it?

Netflix’s live event does not go as planned; Love is Blind reunion leaves fans disappointed

MACKENZIE SCOTT

Op/Ed Editor

Netflix’s Love is Blind recently aired its first live event for the show's reunion episode on April 16. Fans were left waiting due to hours of delays and lagging, and many were left disappointed by the show's hosts.

The problems began for fans when the show was scheduled to have the reunion at 8 p.m. EST. Netflix then proceeded to post on their Twitter in a now-deleted tweet that said “Love is…late,” and that the reunion would then occur in about 15 minutes. Many didn’t have access to the show for up to 75 to 90 minutes later, and were given a pre-recorded show. Netflix responded to the backlash about an hour and a half after the intended release time, saying, “To everyone who stayed up late, woke up early, gave up their Sunday afternoon… we are incredibly sorry that the Love is Blind Live Reunion did not turn out as we had planned. We're filming it now and we'll have it on Netflix as soon as humanly possible. Again, thank you and sorry.”

The show’s Instagram live

and Twitter had many waiting, such as big social media accounts like Blockbuster, MTV, and the Cheesecake Factory chimed in. The Cheesecake Factory at one point even commented “this wait is longer than our menu…come on now.”

The reunion time-consuming to fans, many were disappointed at the way things were handled by hosts Nick and Vanessa Lachey. According to the Today Show, fans “accused the hosts of being unfairly biased toward certain cast members, and not holding each cast member equally accountable.”

Junior Madison Houman commented “I didn't like them being the hosts.” She explained because “I think it was rude.” Specifically, fans thought Vanessa was rude. The Today Show continued saying, “Viewers said she was ‘biased towards’ Jackelina Bonds, who was in a love triangle with Marshall Glaze and Josh Demas (who she is now with).”

Sophomore Brooke Bates says that she likes the hosts, but thinks that “they were too harsh on some of [the cast members]” but also thinks “that they had

been very fair to everyone.”

Cast member Paul Peden said when speaking with Entertainment Tonight that, “I think Vanessa might have had a little bit of personal bias in that scenario, or at least I kind of detected that.” Peden added, “But that’s just my assumption based on how she continued to drill into it after I gave my full rationale for why I felt the way that I did.”

With cast member Jackelina Bonds not showing up in person, Bates comments how “I think that Jackie had not shown up because she was embarrassed and that she did not want to deal with having the truth come out, so she had stayed back and only defended herself without Marshall being able to defend himself. When she knew she was in the wrong, the show [acted] like she had been cheating.”

Fans said they enjoyed the show. Bates said “I really did like the show and think that Kwame and Chelsea are my favorite on the show. Micah and Paul should have been together. Micha’s best friend had ruined their relationships and was unfair.”

The main character of Welcome Home, Wally Darling. Mystery surrounds the character, as he is the only puppet who has interacted with the viewer so far.

puppets as their beloved neighborhood begins to skew and distort into a nightmarish memory that they can barely recall.

Through illustrated books, recordings, and an array of old merchandise, you will find what dwells within this colorful home!

Beneath its beautiful carpets, behind its gorgeous wallpaper, and deep within its breathing crevices! Fortunately, you have someone to keep you company and hold your hand as you walk down a path now long forgotten.”

The website has many features, including a news page, a Q&A with the creators of the project (the Welcome Home Restoration Project, or WHRP), concept art, and a guestbook where visitors can leave real responses (and maybe, just maybe, they can be answered).

Visitors can also take a look at the original cast of characters, including the puppet Wally Darling, who is the main character of the franchise, along with characters Julie Joyful, Howdy Pillar, Eddie Dear, Barnaby B. Beagle, Sally Starlet, Frank Frankly, Pop-

really want to know what’s going on. Like, why is Wally seemingly self-aware? What happened to make the show lost media?”

Likewise, sophomore Sage Thompson found out about the project through social media. “I thought it was super cool because…these people I follow were making drawings of what I learned were puppets. Then, they started to get more creepy, and me, liking weird and creepy things, was even more interested.”

Thompson continues, “I like the way it has puppets [that] you would see in kids’ shows and whatnot, and made it have a horror aspect so that it’s interesting to older kids and teens, too,” they said.

As of the current moment, no updates have been made, as ClownIllustrations has been on a mental health hiatus ever since the project started gaining popularity online. However, this has not stopped people from discovering and falling in love with the characters and the franchise itself.

The Mario movie disappoints some with actor and plot choices. Chris Pratt played the voice of Mario instead of Charles Martinet, who voiced in the Nintendo games.

PHOTO CREDIT: Mae Abdulbaki

PHOTO CREDIT: ClownIllustrations

Packing up, pulling away; Seniors plan for next steps

RILEY HEROLD Reporter

College is the next step in the journey for many NH students. Many say that this is a significant transition, especially for people like senior Carmen Santoro., who will be college at Coastal Carolina located in South Carolina.

Other students tend to stay closer to home, like fellow senior Stephanie Erisman. Erisman will be attending Lebanon Valley College, located in Pennsylvania.

Results from a multi-year College and Career Readiness survey of 165,000 high school students conducted by YouthTruth, a San Francisco-based nonprofit, found that 45% of students feel positive about their college and career readiness.

Santoro stated ,“Overall, I feel nervous about going to college

because I am afraid that I may not enjoy it as much as I thought and I’m nervous that I might not get along with the others.”

She also stated, “The thing that worries me the most is making friends.

With college being new and there being a new group of people. It worries me that I might not connect with the others.”

Erisman stated, “In general, I'm really excited to go to college but also nervous because it will be the first time I spend a long time away from my family.”

She also stated, “The coursework is my main worry about starting college. I worry that it might be more difficult than my previous high school classes.”

Even though some students are nervous and might not feel totally ready, some look forward to

the dorm situation. Being at college, students may want to feel as homely as possible. Bringing things from home and decorating their dorm can help settle into college.

Santoro stated, “I think my blanket is one thing I would absolutely bring to college with me because it would let me bring a little piece of home along.”

Erisman added, “I think this stuffed animal I've had since I was a kid would be the one thing I would bring to college from home because it brings back memories, but also just overall feels like home.”

Erisman continued, “I think my laptop is the only thing I absolutely must bring with me to college, too. I use it for a variety of things, but primarily for schoolwork.”

Employment sparks interest; Students think about future Summer jobs:

BELLA ARIST Reporter

Since summer is coming, some students have been on the lookout for jobs. Opportunities are available for teens all around the area.

Sophomore Maggie Dawson will be working at “a carryout in a family-owned restaurant down in Ocean City called Warren's Station.” The reason Dawson has a job is that she “needs to start making money, especially with [her] getting a license soon and gas money will be expensive.”

The student says, “My favorite part about working is that I will be working with my best friend, Madelyn Smick, and it is another reason for me to live at the beach during the summer. The only thing I am not excited for is having to leave the beach early.”

She will only be working four nights a week. Dawson’s dream summer job would be “working at K-Coast or Quiet Storm, or some other surf shop like that.”

Dawson explains, “If you plan on working at the beach, always apply early spring or fall because positions and jobs get taken super fast down there.”

Junior Baptiste Chone is going back to France this summer and will be involved in summer employment. He says, “My job is going to be accepting and receiv-

though the mornings aren't my favorite, the job does pay well, which is a positive.” The French exchange student's dream job would be “working as a server at a beach bar.” His recommendation to people wanting a summer job is “If you really want to work in the summer, it should be easy enough to find one if you just take the time and do it.”

Sophomore Bella Fisher is going to be working at an ice cream food truck this summer called the Cow Crossing. She claims, “They make super extravagant milkshakes and have soft serve ice cream.”

ing trucks full of crops to a silo. Then, [I’ll give] them directions of where to put their loads.”

Chone explains he has this job because his “dad is the director of the silo and he needed someone to do this job.” For this job, it will take at least eight to ten hours every day, and last about six days a week.

Chone says, “My least favorite part is having to wake up early in the morning for work. It starts at six, but I have a 30-minute bike ride to get there before then. Al-

The underclassman shares the reason she works during the summer is to “supply for the summer activities that [she] wants to do.” Something she doesn't enjoy is “working Fridays since [she] can’t hang out with [her] friends as much.”

Fisher’s dream job would be “somewhere that pays really well but does not require you to have to work a lot of hours.”

She says, “Working a summer job is something that can keep you busy since you don’t have school. It can also be fun depending on where you work!”

Family-owned restaurant Warren's Station located in Delaware was founded over 55 years ago. This is sophomore Maggie Dawson’s summer job after this school year.

PHOTO CREDIT: Maggie Dawson

From Apr. 17 -21, Kindness Week was celebrated at North Harford. This annual event is hosted by journalism and English teacher Mrs. Jennifer Chandler, the journalism staff, and English teacher Mrs. Carla Harward, and the yearbook staff.

Kindness Week brings Hawks together; Students recognized for positive contributions

ALEXA FALLS News Editor

Chandler explains this week was initiated many years ago when she, Harward, and the former yearbook staff went to a program sponsored by the yearbook company Jostens at Dulaney High School.

Inspirational speaker and non-profit owner Mike Smith ran the program and at that event, he talked about how “if you want to have a culture of people who care and a sense of community in your school, then you have to drive that home with consistent things that are easy to implement, that people buy into, and that have not just short-term impact but long term consequence,” explains Chandler.

They came back from that program and came up with the idea of a Kindness Day.

As years went on, that day eventually turned into what North Harford recognizes as Kindness Week, where students are recognized for their kindness and where the community comes together.

On the ‘You’re My Reason’ day, students were nominated by teachers as people who inspire them to come to school each day.

The week also included ‘Caught You Being Kind’ where students were recognized for doing something nice. Chandler says, “I think I like the second day the best [Caught You Being Kind] truthfully because it’s so organic.

We didn’t script it, nobody told you to be nice, nobody made you be nice, it’s just that somebody noticed that you did the right thing because you’re a decent human being.” She adds, “I feel like we don’t take enough

time to recognize the kid who is a good kid at their core.”

Midweek the kindness tree was decorated with positive notes students wrote.

To round out the week students and staff members were invited to help ‘Chalk the Walk’ with positive messages. Senior Julia Blondell participated in the ‘Chalk the Walk,’ and even though she was only there for a short time, “[she] still took part since everyone needs encouragement, whether it comes in the

gest ‘Wear and Share’ that the journalism staff has seen and it is all thanks to the donations from students and people in the community.

Senior Samina Dhani was chosen for Kindness Week as well by Social Studies teachers Mrs. Melissa Winterb and Mrs. Nicole Reimers, being both of their reasons.

Dhani says, “Winter and Reimers actually said they fought over me and Reimers won.” She explains that Kindness Week, “is basically a week to be extra kind because every day should be Kindness Week.” She adds, “I do think it has impacted our school in a way to make students more kind to others.”

Another student who was nominated is senior Autumn Tagliaferri; she was recognized by Harward as her reason.

form of a cute smiley face or written words.”

She says, “I constantly arrive at school with a worn-out and drained attitude, but passing chalk art that inspires me to do my best in class makes spending time at school worthwhile.”

The students also had a chance to participate in the annual ‘Wear and Share’ at Earth Day that the journalism staff ran.

Chandler shares, “the other thing that I love about Kindness Week is that we are able to not just do things for kids, but we are also able to do things for our community.”

All of the clothing that isn’t given away to students is given back to the people in the North Harford area. This was the big-

Tagliaferri says, “[being nominated] made me smile because Mrs. Harward is someone who is so important to me and has had such an impact on my high school career.”

She says that Kindness Week “has influenced the school in a positive way as a reminder of a practice we should be doing every day in the building.”

Harward says that Tagliaferri is “the epitome of why [she] wanted to be a teacher.” She explains, “She is kind, she is hardworking, she is respectful, she is just an all-around great person.” She says that Kindness Week, “is something that our school really embraces and it goes to show that students, or that our population can be nice to one another in a world where we need so much of that.”

Kindness Week was celebrated at North Harford. The kindness tree is filled with kind messages and thoughtful quotes from students and staff.

PHOTO CREDIT: Reese Showalter

Ryan Jacob Akins~ Employment

Michael Anthony Allen~ Saint Josephs University

Jenna Christine Amrhein~ University of Maryland

Riley Anne Andrejczuk~ Undecided

Riley Kieran Andrusko~ Undecided

Liam Marcus Armiger~ Electrical apprenticeship

Leah Kate Arthur~ Future Links

Abigail Grace Averella~ York College of PA

Connor Thomas Ballard~ Undecided

Giavanni Vincent Barbarino~ Frostburg State University

Jeremiah David Barber~ Undecided

Cameron James Barbera~ Harford Community College

Ava Rylee Barnes~ Undecided

MaKyla Kenyonna Barnes~ UMBC

Caroline Grace Barquin~ State University of NY, ESF

Riley Clinton Bauer IV~ Undecided

Jonathan Dale Baugher~ Undecided

Jackson Thomas Beresh~ Towson University

Tyler John Berger~ Stevenson University

Mason Aaron Berk~ Employment

Jayla Janaya Bishop~ Other

Lindsay Kate Bittner~ West Virginia University

Trinity Martina Cooke Blackburn~ Harford Community College

Noa Skylar Blanken~ Virginia Tech

Amber Caitlyn Bledsoe~ Undecided

Julia Shin Bee Blondell~ Goucher College

Eva Madison Bloom~ Towson University

Jacob Wesley Blume~ Undecided

Brooke Elise Bogdan~ College of Charleston

Jessika Breanna Bolling~ Florida Institute of Technology

Kyla Renee Bolton~ University of Mary Washington

Brooks Anthony Bondura~ Employment

Kaylee Marie Bostic~ Workforce

Tyler James Bowman~ Workforce

Kensington Grace Boyanich~ Harford Community College

JaNayah Noelle Brice~ Military

Colin Christopher Brosh~ Undecided

Emme Jo Brossoit~ Plumbing apprenticeship

Adam Richard Brown~ Harford Community College

Elijah Lee Brown~ Harford Community College

Sean Joseph Brown~ Trade School

Abigail Faith Buckland~ Towson University

Alexander Michael Burman~ Employment

Danielle Catherine Burton~ UMBC

Chad Preston Busha Jr~ Emplyoment

Khalil Kashiff Butler~ Employment

Jodylynn Rose Cadden~ Millersville University

Ian Matthew Calhoun~ Harford Community College

Riley Ann Campbell~ Harford Community College

Natalie Christine Cano~ Undecided

Hayden Ryan Carter~ Undecided

Logan Wesley Carter~ University of Maryland

Gwenyvere Athena Casciero~ Nail technician

Emily Grace Cassidy~ University of Delaware

Logan Cory Cavileer~ Undecided

Cruz Antonio Cespedes~ Salisbury University

Monica Samantha Cespedes~ Undecided

Sam Wilson Chan~ University of Delaware

Matthew Alexander Chaney~ Military (Air Force)

Logan Alexander Chapman~Harford Community College

Wyatt Hayes Chatham~ Employment

Baptiste Jean Michel Chone~ Returning to France

Emma Leigh Cieri~ Harford Community College

Alexis Nicole Cloude~ Towson University

Jonathan David Coale~ Employment

Noah Chase Collier~ Penn State University- Scranton

Angela Elizabeth Marie Conrad~ Salisbury University

Deane Conway~ Undecided

Douglas Anthony Crabbe~ Harford Community College

Rileigh Nickole Crawford~ Harford Community College

Braiden Kenneth Crow~ Central PA Diesel Institute

Haley Nicole Crowley~ Undecided

Luke Daniel Dawson~ St. Mary’s College of Maryland

Peter Ross de Russy~ Virginia Military Institute

Garrett Thomas Deck~ Employment

Jackson Wade Deibler~ West Virginia University

Karissa Kaitlyn Dell~ Harford Community College

Gianna Josephine Dellarose~ West Chester University

Samina Esther Dhani~ Stevenson University

Samuel Lee DiBastiani~ Other

O N G R A T U L A T I O N S

Eleanor Marie Doolittle~ Elizabethtown College

Alexander Carr Dove~ Undecided

Jacob Nathaniel Dowell~ Employment

Avery Elizabeth McTigue Duda~ Salisbury University

Hannah Lee Dudeck~ University of Kentucky

Lillian Grace Duffy~ Salisbury University

Christian Sean Dufour~ Employment

Alyssa May Dunn~ Centenary University

Mason Albert Dyckman~ Salisbury University

Julia Ames Eakes~ Towson University

Luke Tanner Eckstein~ Employment

Kimberly Marie Edgar~ Harford Community College

Alyssa Nichole Edwards~Towson University

Mackenzie Leigh Ellinghaus~ Delaware Valley HCC

Stephanie Rebecca Erisman~ Lebanon Valley College

Jane Margaret Evans~ West Chester University

Alexa Michelle Falls~ Harford Community College

Oluwaseyi Opeyemi Femi-Falodun~ Mount St. Marys University

Haley Olivia Ferran~ Harford Community College

Anne Elizabeth Finholm~ Drexel University

Kaela Rae Folck~ Harford Community College

Kendall Grace Fortune~ West Chester University

Mackenzie Jeannette Foster~ Harford Community Col

lege

Ryan James Frank~ Towson University

Dominic Michael Louis Franklin~ Undecided

Aiden Jeffrey Freeland~ Employment

Mason Anthony Fried~ Harford Community College

Elyse Gabrielle Friedman~ Savannah College of Art and Design

Matthew Cody Gabriszeski~ Workforce

Madison Elizabeth Gann~ West Virginia University

Emilee Jo Gast-Woodard~ Salisbury University

Jaylen Anthony Gencel~ Workforce

Ryan Scott Gervasi~ McDaniel College

Abigail Christina Giannini~ Slippery Rock University

Jacob Kainen Goles~ Undecided

Tatiana Elizabeth Gonzalez~ Harford Community Col

lege

Ava Marie Grabowski~ Harford Community College

Sara Michelle Grady~ Undecided

Savannah Anne Griffey~ Gap year

Riley Eleanor Griggs~ Harford Community College

Kaitlin Anne Grimm~ University of Delaware

Madison Olivia Grimm~ Cecil Community College

Jamie Lynn Guraleczka~ Undecided

Joshua Michael Hallock~ Other

Mordecia Wilson Hanks IV~ Harford Community College

Ava Marie Harvey~ Stevenson University

Chase Christopher Harvey~ Employment

Christopher Darin Hash~ Harford Community College

Madison Riley Hawkins~ Harford Community College

Alyssa Renee Hill~ Esthetician school

Dylan Patrick Hoban~ Undecided

Brynn Elizabeth Hoffman~ Fashion Institute of Technol ogy NYC

Nicole Catherine Hogan~ Undecided

Koal Austin Hohman~ Harford Community College

Elisabeth Anne Holmes~ Elon University

Reilly Annika Holmstrom~ Stevenson University

Kyle Thomas Hoy~ Elizabethtown College

Tyler Michael Huneke~ University of Maryland

Benjamin David Iampieri~ Gettysburg University

Lily Marie Jerscheid~ Harford Community College

Jeremy Donald Jestel~ Western Governors University

Claire Elizabeth Johnson~ Harford Community College

Olivia Nevaeh Johnson~ Undecided

Sanaa Lelani Johnson~ Harford Community College

Nicholas Mark Jones~ University of Maryland

Jarek Sharod Joseph~ Harford Community College

Ethan James Jourdan~ Harford Community College

Meghan Riley Kalck~ Education First Program

Amber Nicole Kamin~ Harford Community College

Reagan Mackenzie Kaplan~ York College of PA

Adelyn Idalia Keenan~ Harford Community College

Joel Aiden Kerr~ Harford Community College

Gavin James Kesterson~ Employment

Sean Michael Kilduff~ PA College of Technology

Madison Elizabeth Kingsley~ St. Mary’s College of MD

Kaitlyn May Kinhart~ Harford Community College

Jeremiah Nicholas Kirillov~ Military

Breana Noel Knott~ Undecided

Madelyn Brooke Koellner~ Ashworth College

Jennifer Ann Korczak~ Virginia Tech

Kristen Michele Kovacevich~ University of Maryland

Allyson Victoria Kozak~ Virginia Tech

Lauren Elizabeth Kramer~ Undecided

Finley Katherine Lavin~ University of Memphis

Maggie Amelia Layman~ West Virginia University

Matthew Dean Ledford~ Harford Community College

Felicia Marie Shaffer Lemmon~ AVEDA Institute of MD Beauty School

Brennan Alexander Leonard~ Harford Community College

Audrey Alexis Letourneau~ Harford Community College

Madison Montana Lewandowski~ Harford Community College

Jemez Jahzara-Michelle Lewis~ Undecided

Mason Jordan Longley~ NOVA Southeastern College

Marissa Edith Luna Landa~ Returning to Mexico

Reese Elizabeth Lynch~ Stevenson University

Mikayla Ann Maines~ Harford Community College

John Andrew Manzari IV~ Harford Community College

Landon James Manzo~ Undecided

Christian James Marble~ Other

Jean Thelma Martin~ Employment

Robert Evans Martin~ Air Force electrician

Brandon Nelson Mason~ Employment

Colin Joseph McDermott~ Penn State Harrisburg

Claire Elizabeth McMahon~ CCBC

Sierra Grace McManus~ James Madison University

James Oakley Miller~ Undecided

Andrew Charles Mohr~ Harford Community College

Brodie Austen Monk~ Employment

Selena Marie Montufar~ Harford Community College

Chealsie Ann Moore~ Military

Emilie Nicole Moore~ Harford Community College

Gavin Tyler Moxley~ Towson University

Kaley Paige Mullhausen~ Salisbury University

Hope Addilene Mullins~ Harford Community College

Jacob Daniel Mullis~ West Virginia University

Mason Thomas Murdy~ York Tech

Cameron Ryan Nall~ Harford Community College

Juan Nambo~ Undecided

Abigail Hope Newton~ Harford Community College

Delaney Christina O’Neil~ University of Maryland

Oluwadunmininu Oluwayoyinsola Ogunyemi~ Undecided

Boluwatife Samuel Oje~ Harford Community College

Hannah Elizabeth Olschewske~ Harford Community College

Kaitlyn Elizabeth Oswald~ Harford Community College

Adriana Marie Paez~ Harford Community College

Aiden Eugene Papp~ Harford Community College

Bridget Abigail Paradiso~ Harford Community College

Emma Rylee Park~ Lebanon Valley College

Gianna Rose Parlett~ Employment

Angelena Gayle Patrick~ Undecided

Nathan Joseph Peisinger~ West Virginia University

William Samuel Pelt~ Undecided

Emily Ann Persuhn~ Harford Community College

Elliott William Pfarr~ Undecided

Mia Nicole Phillips~ Undecided

Aidan Alexander Pistel~ Harford Community College

Dean Nicholas Pizza~ Harford Community College

Sofia Adrianna Pobletts~ Employment

Jackson Aiden Pollitt~ Undecided

Aiden Lance Porter~ James Madison University

Marquis Jacob Porter~ Job Corps

William Michael Porter~ Employment

Samantha Lynn Price~ West Chester University

Lundyn Kira Prinz~ Stevenson University

Kian Joseph Pucher~ Harford Community College

Timothy Robert Raab~ Employment

Travis Johnathan Raab~ Employment

Valorie Rose Radel~ Penn State University- Harrisburg

Cameron James Radomsky~ Harford Community College

Wyatt Ray Ralph~ Coastal Carolina University

Anisa Natahlia Gabrielle Ray~ Juniata College

Sophia Gabrielle Redding~ Undecided

Jenna Marie YangPing Reed~ Towson University

Brian Paul Richardson~ Undecided

Riley Elizabeth Richardson~ Harford Community College

Shane Christopher Riley~ Employment

Braxton Aaron Rivers~ University of Louisville

A W K S 2 0 2 3

HElla Paige Robertson~ Frostburg State University

Andrew Michael Robinson~ Harford Community College

Colette Leanne Rogers~ West Virginia University

Emily Elaine Rowan~ Undecided

Corbin Tyler Rowley~ Towson University

Madalyn Margaret Rutch~ Harford Community College

Jacob Marshall Sack~ Utah Valley University

Abigail Ann Saltzer~ George Mason University

Nathan Roman Santana~ Harford Community College

Carmen Elizabeth Santoro~ Coastal Carolina

Jackson Donald Schocket~ Trade School

Kaitlyn Renee Schueler~ Towson University

Robert Flynn Selby~ Salisbury University

Ariana Alexa Shannon~ University of Delaware

Neah Amanii Shaw~ University of MD Eastern Shore

Abigail Mae Sheets~ Harford Community College

Nikolai Carl Sherinsky~ Military

Reese Anne Showalter~ Salisbury University

Nathan Patrick Shrader~ Harford Community College

Grace Kathleen Shriver~ Harford Community College

Sophia Elizabeth Shull~ University of Delaware

Isabella Noelle Singh~ Loyola University of Maryland

Jace Porter Skarulis~ Employment

Austin Jacob Smith~ Salisbury University

Owen Russell Smith~ Harford Community College

Sean Mason Smith~ Employment

Brea Lenae Smothers~ University of Maryland Eastern Shore

Isabella Catherine Southard~ Penn State University

Scott Trevor Sowards~ Harford Community College

Andrew Michael Stanko~ Employment

Riley Danielle Stewart~ University of Tennessee- Knoxville

Emma Constance Stoffel~ St. Mary’s College of Maryland

Haley Madison Stone~ Harford Community College

Riley Lynn Stoneback~ Towson University

Marissa Ellen Struhar~ Stevenson University

Genevieve Iris Sudbrink~ University of Maryland

Autumn Riley Tagliaferri~ East Carolina University

Blythe Fuller Taylor~ Towson University

Colton Leroy Taylor~ CCBC- Catonsville

Sophia Noelle Tiso~ University of Maryland

Alexander William Tobias~ High Point University

Bradley Robert Tompkins~ Harford Community College

Brooke Renee Trentler~ Cedar Crest University

Alexis Ann Trzeciak~ Harford Community College

Grace Elizabeth Underwood~ Salisbury University

Dylan Monroe Wagner~ Flight school

Brianna Lee Walker~ Harford Community College

Olivia Marie Walter~ Harford Community College

Emma Rose Walters~ Pittsburg Community College

Aidan Charles Ward~ Penn State University

Dylan Avery Ward~ Undecided

Lillian Shaun Weatherman~ Employment

Sierra Michelle Weaver~ Harford Community College

Jeremy Lawrence Webb~ University of Delaware

Harrison Jarrett Weber~ Harford Community College

Jenna Brooke Wedge~ Salisbury University

Victoria Leigh Wellman~ Blue Ridge Community and Technical College

Sierra Merynne Wendland~ University of TennesseKnoxville

Matthew Roland White Jr~ Undecided

Sarah Christine White~ Undecided

Alexandra Antonia Wiggins~ Undecided

Allie Marie Williams~ Harford Community College

Mason Reed Wimer~ Employment

Sebastian Theodore Wingo~ Harford Community College

Piper Mackenzie Wright~ Hood College

Christopher Cole Younger~ Employment

Please Note:

All students had the opportunity to share their post high school plans with us. Any student who did not share information with us was listed as undecided.

Bloom into May: Researching plants, benefits as well

KIMBERLY ALLEN Reporter

Hardships can help people grow mentally and even physically. Like people, plants grow from the hardships of the environment around them. In a poll of 102 students, 32 percent agreed that they have a talent for growing plants, but there is more to gardening than just talent. April showers bring May flowers, after all.

The origin of the phrase “April showers bring May flowers” is from Ireland and the United Kingdom, where it is almost always rainy. In fact, according to Statista in 2000, the United Kingdom had 178.5 days (about six months) of about 1mm (about 0.04 in) of rain. The phrase comes from the English poet and farmer Thomas Tusser. His original words are “sweet April showers, do spring May flowers.”

April brings showers to the United Kingdom during this time because of how the jet stream is positioned. A jet stream is a fast and narrow-moving current in the atmosphere. The way the earth rotates causes the winds to move west to east, which is how a jet stream is created. According to NOAA SciJinks,the winds move faster in a jet stream when there is a higher temperature difference.

Sophomore Jenna Roh said, “My favorite plant is coleus. The leaves come in many different vibrant colors and patterns. They can look beautiful alone or with almost any other plant. They also grow a decent size and sometimes have a flower.”

Bees also help plants grow and survive. According to the World Animal Foundation, from 2018 to 2019, commercial beekeepers lost 37.7% of their bees. Bees are much needed to grow plants too as they move pollen between plants. Planting native plants and bee gardens can help protect and restore bee and plant communities.

Unless a flower is able to adapt to colder weather, many don’t bloom until it’s nicer out. For example, plants like catmint, pansies, primrose, and coral bells can last in cooler climates.

Many plants do not bloom during the spring. Plants bloom when the time of the year will suit them the best, according to Modern Farmer Some factors that play into that are the need for different levels of rain and sunlight.

In the 1930s, Russian scientists studied plants to find out how they grew. These scientists already had an idea that plants could sense the length of days to tell seasons.

Scientists today have proven that plants have an internal circadian clock that detects when the days get longer or when there is more sunlight.

Scientists believe that it is important to understand when and how a plant blooms because it can help them develop ways to manage when a plant grows. This can help grow food crops, like rice and wheat, grow faster.

Medical abortion at risk

ALEXIS GOTT Reporter

After the fall of Roe v. Wade last June, Americans were left unsure of the future protocol of medical abortion, also known as the abortion pill.

Recently, two contradictory court rulings focusing on the safety of abortion medicines have arisen in the state of Texas.

The option of abortion pills has been available to women in the United States since 2000, according to Guttmacher Institute.

A Texas District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk has recently begun a case surrounding mifepristone and misoprostol. These are the drugs used to achieve medical abortions. This being said, medical abortions are not as efficient and effective as terminating a pregnancy would be. But still, the option of abortion pills are still important to women, as a survey conducted by the Guttmacher Institute found that “more than half of U.S. abortions are now done with pills rather than surgery.”

Celeus is native to the Asian tropics but have grown in many other places. It is part of the Mint family.

The drugs that perform the procedure are approved by the FDA. Kacsmaryk does not agree that they should have been approved and available to use by women in the first place. The judge is attempting to rule these drugs as unsafe and hazardous to women across the country.

According to this lawsuit, it is alleged that; the option of medical abortions will be illegal for

women in only Texas. However, some citizens outside of Texas have begun to question if their state will also illegalize these drugs since Kacsmaryk would be setting the stage for other state judges to follow–if the official is successful in the ruling.

Sophomore Bianca Baker shared that she believes that “women’s rights should be protected.” The student explained that “there are many factors that should go into why a person should have an abortion, which is not for the government to decide in any way.” She adds that “[The government is] not the one birthing and supporting the baby or experiencing any trauma a woman may have to go through to have the baby.”

Fellow sophomore Jenna Trzeciak feels that “if people were to be raped or have had something happen to them, then I think they should have access to abortion medicines as well as abortions itself.” She then added that she doesn’t “understand why [ Kacsmaryk] is saying that these medicines should have never been approved if it helped people, but I feel like abortions should only be taken away if people are acting irresponsibly.”

According to CNN, as of April 27, the Supreme Court has “protected access to a widely used abortion drug by freezing lower-court rulings that placed restrictions on its usage as appeals play out.”

New medical treatments in America: Revolutionizing healthcare

MATTHEW LEDFORD Video Editor

Medical treatments in America have seen significant progress in recent years. These advancements have been made possible by technology and research.

As a result, many new treatments have been developed to improve patient outcomes, reduce morbidity and mortality rates, and increase the overall quality of life.

One of the most significant advancements is the development of immunotherapy. Immunotherapy is a type of treatment that uses a patient’s immune system to fight diseases such as cancer. Unlike traditional means such as chemotherapy and radiation, which can damage healthy cells, immunotherapy targets only cancerous cells.

This has shown promising results in the treatment of different types of cancer, including lung cancer, melanoma, and leukemia, according to clevelandclinic.org.

Senior Emily Cassidy comments, “The development of new health treatments opens up the possibility of more effective methods of combating illnesses. It also offers the potential for treatment to reach

a larger number of individuals, including those who face poverty or difficulties receiving more standard methods of treatment.”

Another exciting new thing is gene therapy. Gene therapy involves introducing genetic material into a patient’s cells to treat or prevent disease. This has shown promise in treating genetic disorders, such as cystic fibrosis, muscular dystrophy, and sickle cell anemia. Researchers are also exploring the use of gene therapy in cancer treatment, according to clevelandclinic.org.

In addition to immunotherapy and gene therapy, there have been significant advancements in the development of precision medicine. Precision medicine is an approach that takes into account an individual’s unique genetic makeup, environment, and lifestyle. This approach allows doctors to tailor treatments to each patient’s specific needs.

Precision medicine has been particularly effective in treating cancer, where patients are often given treatments based on their specific genetic mutations, according to clevelandclinic.org

Senior Abbey Saltzer says, “It’s important to develop new

health treatments to continue to improve the well-being of society… new technology and knowledge allow the ability to help more people.”

Another new development in medical treatment is the use of telemedicine. Telemedicine involves using technology such as video conferencing, remote monitoring, and mobile apps to deliver healthcare services to patients who are unable to visit a doctor in person.

This type of treatment has been particularly effective in rural areas, where access to healthcare services can be limited. Telemedicine has also been used to provide mental health services to patients, making it easier for patients to access care, according to clevelandclinic.org.

There have been significant advancements in the field of robotics, which have revolutionized surgical procedures. Robotics has allowed surgeons to perform minimally invasive surgeries, which result in smaller incisions, less pain, and quicker recovery times. Robotic surgery has been used to treat a wide range of conditions, including prostate cancer, heart disease, and gynecological conditions, according to clevelandclinic.org.

PHOTO CREDIT: Flickr by Susan Ford Collins

Riordan named new girls soccer head coach; Alumnus returns to Nest for next season

STELLA MANNS Sports Editor

North Harford alumnus Aidan

Riordan is taking the newly opened head coach position on the coaching staff of the varsity girls soccer team. He will be assisted in coaching by Ryan O’Leary and Kassie Dieter, both alumni as well.

In the past, Riordan “would help out in a limited capacity” when he was in college. He would run “summer training,” coach “the summer league,” and run the preseason camp for the team. Once Riordan graduated from college, he “was able to officially join the coaching staff as an assistant coach.” Since the new coach is also a teacher at Patterson Mill Middle School, he

was only able to make it to a few practices last season. Due to this, Riordan felt that his role on the coaching staff was limited to a “game management aspect.”

Riordan has been playing soccer since he was a kid. He has played club soccer and then played in high school as a Hawk.

In college, Riordan “started to go into coaching with HFC and North Harford.” He then went into refereeing; he has refereed “youth, high school, college, and adult soccer.”

He is “most excited about working with a very talented and hard working group of girls to develop them to play at a high level.” Riordan is ready for the season to begin allowing him to implement “a style of play that

Hawks tennis finishing regular season

MEKENZIE MCCANN H/S Editor

The tennis team is currently 3-9, facing tough teams in the county.

“The season has been good for me because I have won a lot of games and improved. My record so far is 9-3,” says sophomore Emma Clayton.

Junior Logan Harrity comments that “the season has been going very well, as I have fun and laugh with all of my teammates.”

Senior Jeremy Webb, co-captain, says that he has “enjoyed this season very much. I like all the people on the team, I think we support each other more, and even though we may not have been very successful all the time, I am still having fun.”

Webb continues that he “has improved most on my serve and backhand shots, though I still need to work on both. I think my serves have gotten more powerful and my backhand has more spin on it.”

Harrity has improved on his “serves which have sucked for so long. [I am] very proud that I can now hit a somewhat fast serve now.”

Clayton comments that she has “improved on my serves and slices. However, I am still working on improving both.”

“My favorite part of playing on the team is the people. A lot of my

friends play tennis, and I love being able to bond with them over tennis,” states Clayton.

“This year has been the most fun tennis year since I came to this school. [I’m] sad to see it ending, but I will always have the memories,” says Harrity.

With divisionals recently taking place, Clayton looked forward to “making it as far as I can by playing to the best of my ability.”

Harrity says that he has one goal at divisionals, and that “is to win. I know I probably will not get far, but I have had less likely stuff happen before.”

“I am looking forward to playing mixed doubles during divisionals, because I have never played mixed before and I am honored to be playing with the team captain,” comments Webb.

With the tennis banquet taking place on May 16, Clayton says that she is looking “forward to celebrating the season with my friends and family.”

Harrity comments that he is not “sure what to look forward to. I hope I will enjoy the food and wonder how it will go. We got a new coach so things might be different.”

Webb looks “forward to celebrating the end of my final season at the banquet, and eating all the delicious food,” he says.

will help set [the team] apart from most of the” other high schools in the area.

Riordan said that he chose his assistant coaches accordingly because it was important for him to “bring in young coaches who still play the game, played the game at a high level [college or further], and care about the long term success of the program.” He added that O’Leary and Dieter, along with himself, “want to see this program continue to grow and be competitive.”

“The biggest change the school can expect to see” to the program “is a more structured summer training program and expectations,” Riordan added. The new coach also wants “to build a strong camaraderie between the

JV and varsity teams by supporting” one another through “occasional joint practices, and participating in events out of school and off the soccer field.”

The new coach wants to “build a strong competitive team culture where the girls have fun at practice, get along very well, but are also super competitive.” Riordan wants the team to work hard at practice to earn their playing time. He has hopes that hard work at practice will translate to the games as well. Along with that, Riordan thinks that the team has the ability to “be one of the best teams in the county.”

Overall, Riordan just wants “to continue to make” the team “a well respected team in the county.

Regionals: Spring sports finish play, Post-season games begin

EMILY JOHNSON IDR Editor

The 2023 spring sports season has come to an end, and for many teams, this means they’re headed to regionals.

At regional tournaments athltes will play in regional playoff games. In this case, if you loose a game, most likely the team will not move on to play another game. If a team wins the regional champtionship title, they than advance to state playoff contention games.

The track and field team will be headed to Kent Island on May 18 for regionals. Senior team captain Jenna Amrhein expects their team to do very well at regionals, because “[they] have a lot of people who have their own specialties” and have lots of variety between team members.

For example, Amrhein does jumps, while junior Anna O’Leary throws, and senior Finley Lavin is a sprinter. Amrhein is especially proud of how the girls performed at UCBAC recently, where they placed first and scored over 150 points.

Girls’ lacrosse has yet to find out where their regional games will be located.

Senior team captain Grace Underwood has played on varsity for the past four years and believes that “as long as [they] try [their] best and give it [their] all, that’s all that matters.”

According to Underwood, the team’s biggest accomplishment this season was their game against Havre de Grace, because everybody worked well together and improved transitions.

The team won that game with a final score of 20-6. Underwood also mentioned that overall, the team has had a special bond with each other, and that it’s super important “on and off the field.”

Harford Community College not only hosts graduation for HCPS high schools, but tennis divisionals for the schools as well. This facility was built in 2013 and features eight courts that fit the school colors.

Boys’ lacrosse has yet to find out where their regionals will be located.

Senior team captain Wyatt Ralph has played on varsity since his sophomore year and believes that “[their] chances are high to get back to the regional championship.” Ralph also mentioned that the team’s biggest accomplishment this season may have been at the Bel Air game, when the team came together to win, and had “the best first half [they’ve] had all year.”

Softball will be headed to regionals on May 11.

The semi-finals will take place at Bachman Park in Glen Burnie, according to junior team captain Mackenzie Dunaway. She expects the team to “get past the first round” and make a change in their past pattern.

Baseball has yet to find out where their regionals will be located.

Senior team captain Alex Tobias plays shortstop and third base and believes that “[they] have a

real shot to win regionals” this year. “There isn’t a team we can’t beat,” stated Tobias.

He also mentioned that it was a big accomplishment to beat Patterson Mill twice, because the team tries to model their game after Patterson Mill.

Tennis will be headed to Harford Community College for divisionals on May 4. Tennis will also head to Rising Sun high shcool for regionals on May 13. If players advance to day two of the tournament they will play on May 15 as well.

Senior team captain Jeremy Webb has played on varsity tennis for the last four years and has “extremely positive prospects” about divisionals. Webb believes one great accomplishment of this season was gaining successful freshman players on the varsity team.

Junior team captain Stella Manns also mentioned that while the team has a losing record, she is proud of the three wins they have.

Riordan helped the team win their 2022 regional title versus Harford Tech. He poses with the Hawks plaque.

PHOTO CREDIT: Aidan Riordan

On May 2, the Hawks celebrated the seniors on senior night. The Hawks take on Regionals on May 14 and 16.

PHOTO CREDIT: Mekenzie McCann

PHOTO CREDIT: Harford Athletics

Hawks spreadtHeir wings

Division I Division II Division III

Baseball, softball find home plate; Hawks’ time on diamond comes to close STELLA

MANNS

Sports Editor

Baseball and softball have ended their 2023 seasons, finishing the regular season at 6-11 and 8-10 respectively.

Both teams have faced a tough set of games this spring season.

Baseball has wins over Edgewood (24-7), Patterson Mill (1-0, 4-1), Rising Sun (12-8), Harford Tech (15-8), Bo Manor (5-0), and Havre De Grace (12-2).

Meanwhile, softball holds wins over Edgewood (16-3), Harford Tech (5-2, 2-1), C. Milton Wright (10-9), Havre de Grace (17-11), and Bel Air (6-5).

Junior Wyatt Canapp is proud of his team, but he believes the “season has gone worse than expected.” However, he does not think the record accurately represents how good the team is. Over the course of the season, Canapp thinks the team has improved by “making less errors.”

The junior's favorite memory is pitching a shutout against Patterson Mill in one of the team’s two wins against the Huskies. He adds that his favorite win has been both times the Hawks came out on top against Patterson Mill.

“The season went a little rocky compared to what [the team] expected” according to junior Alex Martinelli. However, Martinelli added the team seems to be back on track again. He is “proud of the way [the team] has bonded.”

When the team faces adversity,

he added that they stick together, don’t give up, and cheer each other on.

Even though the season has gone how junior Sean Babiak thought it would, he still thinks the Hawks have a “good chance in playoffs.” Babiak shares the same favorite win as Canapp, the win(s) over Patterson Mill. He went on to add that the team has “bonded well together” throughout the season. One improvement Babiak sees that the team could have made is in regard to their hitting. The junior enjoyed playing at HCC on April 21 against Patterson Mill.

Junior Mackenzie Dunway thought the softball season did not go as expected considering the amount of “talent” the team has. Dunaway’s favorite memory of the season was off the diamond on the way to Rising Sun on March 29. Sophomore Brianna Billings was doing eye black for senior Abby Buckland and the eyeblack got messed up leading for it to be cleaned up in a silly way that Dunaway likes to think back on.

The junior used a different mentality to better her performance on the field. She “stopped caring about what other people thought of [her] as a player and just would go out and do [her] thing.” Since this Dunaway expressed she has seen better results in her game. Her favorite win was against the Bobcats in a 6-5 win.

Girls lacrosse wrap up season

As the end of the school year fast approaches, many of the spring sports will start coming to a close. This includes girls lacrosse, as they start finishing regular season games and get to playoffs. One thing just about all of the girls agree on is the fact that they have increased the team ethic as a whole, through team bonding and much more communication both on and off the field.

Sophomore, Reagan Cadden states “I feel like we all have a really close bond this year especially, and we have continued to get better and grow closer as the season has gone on.”

Harford Community College

As for personal experiences, the little Cadden on the team (as she has an older sister, senior Jody Cadden) has had an interesting one. At the beginning of the season during the second game’s warm-ups, she conjured an accidental ankle injury. She

commented “So this season has been a little bit different from last season because I hurt my ankle at the beginning of the season. I definitely am still not 100% like I was before but I do think it has been a learning experience to be grateful for when I do get to play.”

Another player, Arlynn Goodman is a freshman on the varsity team this year. She spoke about her encounter with the team this season, “I definitely feel like you have to change your mindset into thinking that you are on this team in order to get the higher level practice time. There are a ton of seniors on the team this year so I don’t get as much playing time as them since it is their last year and just be thankful for the extra practice instead of playing in the games.”

As for regionals coming up, the team had a tough match against C. Milton Wright on May 2. Coach Murdy has let them have a break from practices but they kicked back up May 5 in order to prepare for regionals.

Owen Smith - Lacrosse

Kian Pucher - Soccer

Alexis Trzeciak - Softball

Brianna Walker - Soccer

GABRIELLE MOXHAM Reporter

“I feel like we all have a really close bond this year especially, and we have continued to get better and grow closer as the season has gone on.”

~Reagan Cadden, sophomore