Senior Issue 12
The Freedom Forum
June 2014
Freedom pays tribute to Mr. Madouse By Caitlin McCadden The Freedom Forum
It is with a heavy heart that Freedom High School (FHS) has to say goodbye to long time business teacher and beloved colleague Mr. Ronald William Madouse, who died on Tues., Apr. 15, 2014. Before his passing, Mr. Madouse had been with the Bethlehem Area School District since 1992. He was an established accounting and business teacher at FHS since 2000. Although, he was primarily a teacher and advisor at Freedom, Mr. Madouse taught at Nitschmann Middle School for quite sometime before moving to Freedom. Additionally, he was very involved with the Whitehall community. Mr. Madouse, a 1980 graduate of Whitehall High School, was an allstar high school basketball player, and he also played baseball. After receiving his degree from Bloomsburg University (1984) and his MBA from Wilmington College in 1990, Mr. Madouse returned to Whitehall
High School in 2004 in order to coach the junior varsity basketball team. Mr. Madouse provided the same level of professionalism and concern for his students as he did the teaching staff. His fellow colleagues thought of him with the utmost respect not only as an accounting teacher, but also as a person. “I think it is impossible to find somebody that had a negative thought or negative word about Mr. Madouse,” said Mr. Michael LaPorta, principal of FHS. This could be seen at his funeral, which was well attended by friends and family, childhood friends, White-
hall students, college friends, and other members of the community. “I cannot tell you the number of kids that have come back and have told him what a great teacher he was and how he had prepared them for going away for college,” said Mrs. Diane Jordan, FHS Athletic Director. Mrs. Jordan, along with business teachers Mr. Brad Bloszinsky and Mr. Robert Petrosky, worked Photo: FHS Yearbook Archive very closely with him during his time at Freedom. Mr. Bloszinsky said his favorite memory of Mr. Madouse was their lunches together as a department. “He [Madouse] often said our lunch room antics and conversations should have been recorded, so he could look
back at those,” said Mr. Bloszinsky. Around the school, Mr. Madouse was known to be very quiet, yet very helpful to others when needed. In addition to the accounting courses he taught, Mr. Madouse was the advisor of several clubs over the years, such as DECA and the Financial Club. Most recently, he worked with Freedom’s chapter of Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA). As the advisor, he assisted students as they competed in regional and state business competitions, which impacted the students in a positive way. The memories and positive interactions that Mr. Madouse created at Freedom and in the surrounding community with family, friends, colleagues, and students will continue to shine. “He was a very nice man, and we talked a lot about sports everyday after class. He will be dearly missed by all,” said Michael Mele, sophomore. Editor’s Note: This article first ran in The Bethlehem Press on Wed. May 21, 2014.
Crazy for Freddy Awards By Anissa Vasquez Web Editor
You never know what is going to happen at the Freddy Awards. Marriage proposals and Broadway show tunes aside, the night was very successful for Freedom High School Theater Company’s production of Crazy For You. Hosted by Shelley Brown and Ed Hanna, the awards show began with an opening number featuring students of all 31 participating high schools. These performed numbers during the show took only 2 weeks to learn and perfect; a true display of the students’ talents. Nominated for 14 and winning 5 awards, Freedom won awards for Outstanding Performance by an Orchestra, Outstanding Chorus, Outstanding Choreography, Outstanding Performance by an Actor to Daniel Youngelman, Outstanding Overall Production, and a very special Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award, also, to Daniel
Youngelman. “Sometimes there just isn’t a category for a special Freddy Award. There just isn’t a category that’s appropriate. And when that happens a special award is given,” said Brown when presenting the MVP Award to Youngelman. “It makes my heart soar every time I get to perform with you,” said Daniel Youngelman to his fellow cast and crew when accepting his MVP Award. Performing “Slap That Bass,” FHSTC got a standing ovation from the State Theater in Easton. Another highlight from the 3-hour show was a surprise marriage proposal between Jon Linch and Peyton Sherry, 2 Parkland High School graduates that met at Freddy rehearsals last year. The night ended with the presentation of Outstanding Overall Performance to FHSTC’s performance of “Crazy For You” as well as a final performance by all of the actors and actresses of “Time of My Life” from the famous
“Dirty Dancing” movie.
The cast and crew of “Crazy for You” during the release of the Freddy nominations. Photo: Forum Staff
Danny Youngelman and Hannah Arnold accept the Outstanding Overall Performance award at the State Theatre. Photo: screenshot WFMZ .com
Two cheers for another successful year By Erin Heaney Centerspread Editor
During the BASD Mini-THON’s second year, the organization raised $57,380.04 For the Kids (FTK). Under advisors Mr. John Wallaesa, Mrs. Loretta Lohenitz, and Mr. Bill Safranek, Evan Anthony and the team captains organized nearly 700 students from both Freedom and Liberty High Schools to raise money for pediatric cancer. On April 27, 2014, students danced in the Freedom High School gym for 12 hours, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. The event takes almost a year to plan. “It was fun doing something that did good for other people and I felt like I was apart of helping to find a cure for
cancer,” said Josh Christiansen, fresh- said Anissa Vasquez, junior. man. Although every student cannot be part of the actual THON committee, every student was given the opportunity to participate in the fundraising event. Other than dancing for 12 hours, the event captains had games and Zumba set up to keep students occupied. Family hour from 8-9 p.m. involved families who had children with cancer; it is an emotional time because the families tell their stories of having kids with cancer and how they are dealing with it. “It made me realize that the things I complain about day to day are very insignificant, and I am blessed to even be alive and experience these things,”
Photos: BASD Mini-THON Facebook Page