THURSDAY, JANUARY 5, 2012
GAZETTE NEWSPAPERS • 7A
No Martin the Spartan
The committee that helped bring Spartan King Leonidas to the lobby of Conneaut High School included (group at left) (front, left) Stephanie Burnett, Peggy Taylor, Bonnie Watts; CHS Athletic Director Joel Taylor (middle) and CHS Art Teacher Bob Cox; on opposite side of the statue case are (front, from left) Bob Cox, Sandy Dombrowski and Rita Vendetti, all CHS ’58; (back, left) CHS Principal Dawn Zappitelli and Matt Pape. By MARTHA SOROHAN Gazette Newspapers
the armor, Cox ordered a second mannequin and interchanged some of the parts CONNEAUT - The namely, swapping the old larger-than-life Spartan torso for a new one - - a la warrior that has stood guard Dr. Frankenstein’s creature. over the main lobby of “We had to have someConneaut High School the thing the armor would past three months is no Mar- cover,” he said. tin the Spartan. The two-color blue and He is King Leonidas - so gold plume on the helmet named by Conneaut High signifies that of a high-rankSchool students who had ing military officer, Cox exanticipated his arrival since plained. last spring. “It is proper for a leader,” Even before they saw him he said. for the first time at the unThe statue’s sandals veiling during Homecoming came from a costume comweekend, they voted on his pany. name: Leonidas, King of the “I didn’t know anything Spartans. They were famil- about the size, and just iar with Leonidas from the hoped they’d fit,” Cox said. movie “300,” about the SparThe real sword held in the tans’ famous battle against mannequin’s right hand is of the Persian army. Greek design. A hole was Making the high school bored through the lobby more friendly to visi- mannequin’s hands so the tors, and visually linking the sword and shield could be school to its mascot, had attached. Both were props been a goal of the School were made in California from Pride committee since it was the movie “300,” and which formed in 2005. Cox acquired over e-bay. But turning the goal into “That movie had a lot of reality might not have hap- computerization, but the pened without a commit- props were real,” Cox said. ment from the Class of ’58, The armor - often used by along with CHS art teacher Roman soldier re-enactors Bob Cox, who spent about a is real, most coming from year researching the cloth- armor companies. ing and gear required for a Even so, the sword and warrior mannequin. He the shield had to be the right helped secure its clothing size for the mannequin. and purchased his armor “There were other and weaponry. shields, but some of them Much of Leonidas’ gear is were too small. I had to deauthentic. termine the size of the case,” “It took a lot longer than he said, referring to the glass I had hoped, but I wanted it case in which the Spartan is to be realistic,” he said. “I protected. The case was conwould contact one company, structed by Matt Pape and and it would guide me to Mike Clancy, using glass doanother.” nated by Corporate Glass of The process also became Erie, Pa. more complicated than Cox Cox said that purchasing had anticipated. the clothing was not diffiAfter the first mannequin cult, since costume compaarrived, and proved to be too nies frequently make “overmuscular to be covered by runs” on costumes for mov-
ies and are willing to sell off the excess. The cape was designed and sewn by Jen Krenisky of Jen’s Sewing. “We had lots of volunteer help,” Cox said. Behind the mascot, inside the case, is a mural painted by Cox, an acrylic piece on a gold background. How did Cox come up with it? “I looked at a lot of battle pictures,” he explained. Once the mural was done, Leonidas was placed inside and the case was pieced together. “[Athletic Director] Joel
Taylor and I came up with the idea of protecting Leonidas with a glass case,” Cox said. The eye-catching statue, definitely worth seeing, cost the public nothing. “It was basically all donations, all $3,000 to $4,000,” Cox said. Donors included the Class of 1958, the School Pride Committee, and other staff donations. At the statue’s unveiling over Homecoming weekend, CHS Principal Dawn Zappitelli thanked the Class of 1958 for volunteering with the project.
My Day in Court by Rashad al-Araibi “My Day in Court” was a great learning experience for me. Throughout my session of observation, I learned many things, such as judicial system regulations, policies and the duties of judicial officers, along with the schooling and training qualifications that must be met in order to become a judicial officer. Rashad al-Araibi Some of these officers are the court reporter, who types out everything that is said in the courtroom on a stenograph; the deputy clerk, who handles all papers for the judge to read and papers that are held for processing; the bailiff; and the clerk, who accepts payments such as fines that must be paid. The officer who is said to have the highest authority in the courtroom is the judge himself, which in my case, is the Honorable Judge Thomas Harris. He is required to wear a black robe that represents authority in the courtroom. This authority was demonstrated as we all rose for his entrance to the courtroom, and that’s when I realized that my experience had just begun. As everyone was seated, the session in the court began. Judge Harris then read the rights to all people who were ordered to attend court that day. After this was completed, people were called up one-by-one. The charges against that person were stated and they had the right to plead guilty, not guilty or no contest. If they plead guilty, they were prosecuted and penalized for the crimes they were convicted of, which usually involved a jail sentence, a fine, or both. If they plead not guilty, they were scheduled for a court trial by jury and would be considered innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If they plead no contest, they were obligated to state the truth about what happened and were scheduled for a trial to prove that there was no evidence against them. The range of penalty was determined by what crime they committed, how they reacted to the arrest and charges, and the background records. The two types of penalties I witnessed were felonies and misdemeanors. Felonies usually call for a prison sentence, while misdemeanors only call for a sentence at a local jail. The two types of cases I witnessed were regular criminal cases and traffic cases. These cases were presented separately and the arraignments were read before each type was presented. One recurring pattern I noticed was that almost every case was drug- or alcohol-related in some way. This proves to me that an easy way to stay out of trouble is to avoid these harmful substances. I believe this healthy life choice will provide for a longer, safer, happier life for not only me, but also my family as I mature. Overall, I believe that this program is a great learning experience. It has really opened my eyes to the judicial system and has provided a sense of encouragement to lead a safe, healthy life. I hope this program has the same effect on my peers and the rest of the younger generation in a way that could possibly change the future of the town. I would like to thank Conneaut Schools and also Judge Thomas Harris for this experience. And that’s my Day in Court. Al-Araibi’s is one of six winning essays written by Conneaut Middle School eighth-graders following the “My Day In Court” field trip to Conneaut Municipal Court.
Learn more about what your Ashtabula County Technical and Career Campus has to offer to start a new career, help you advance your current career or continue your education. Enroll now in one of our Adult Career Technical Education Programs and start your career soon! Find out everything you need to know about classes by visiting us 24/7 online @ WWW.ATECH.EDU
Adults, Enroll Now For: BUSINESS OFFICE SPECIALIST Develop business training & educational competencies for entry-level office careers.
Days: Monday - Thursday Time: 5:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. Class Begins: 01/09/12
Microsoft Word I & II
Rebecca Holdson is Student of the Month
Introduction to processing computerized documents such as letters, newsletters, flyers.
Days: Mondays & Wednesdays Time: 5:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. Class begins: 03/14/12
PHOTO BY MARTHA SOROHAN
Gateway Elementary School fifth-grade teacher Pam Greenfield (left) introduced Student of the Month Rebecca Holdson (center) to the Conneaut Area City Schools Board of Education at its Dec. 21 meeting. Greenfield selected the honor roll student as this month’s recipient because of her excellent academic and interpersonal skills. Holdson completes assignments on time, looks on the positive side, and is a good role model. “I enjoy having her in class,” Greenfield said. Watching Holdson receive the award were her father, Wesley (back) her mother, Shelly; sister, Avery; and her grandmother, Liz Poland (right, rear). The Conneaut Area Chamber of Commerce and Conneaut Telephone sponsor the Student of the Month Award.
Alumni Calendar CHS Class of 1964 Conneaut High School Class of 1964 will meet 6 p.m. Jan. 6 at Pat’s Fireside Lounge. Spouses and guests are welcome.
Rowe High School ‘58 Rowe High School Class of 1958 will meet 12:30 p.m. Jan. 18 at Kay’s Place, I-90 and Route 193. Spouses and guests are welcome.
Hoop Shoots Jan. 7, 14 The Knights of Columbus Hoop Shoot, for boys and girls 10 to 14 as of Jan. 1, will be held Saturday at St. Mary Hall, State & Chestnut Street. First-place trophies will be awarded. District competition for first-place winners will take place in February. The Elks Annual Hoop Shoot is 1 p.m. Jan. 14 at Conneaut Middle School for boys and girls ages 8 to 13 as of April 1, 2012. Doors open at 12:30 p.m. Trophies will go to first, second and third place in each gender and age group. District competition for first-place winners will be held Jan. 21. For times and other information, call Linda Polshosky (440) 599-8741.
Microsoft Excel I & II Introduction to processing computerized spreadsheets (i.e. building, setup & format)
Days: Mondays & Wednesdays Time: 5:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. Class begins: 05/14/12
Online Ed2go Online learning anytime, anywhere … just a click away! Informative, fun, convenient and highly interactive online courses, most running for only six weeks and only cost $95. Just a sample of courses: Navigating the Internet, Learning to Buy and Sell on eBay, Discover Digital Photography, Lose Weight and Keep it Off, Grant Writing, Creating Web Pages, Going Green at Home
Visit our Online Instruction Center to find more courses!! www.ed2go.com/ATech
CNC—Computerized Numerical Controls The Industrial Welding program offers training in stick, MIG, and TIG processes.
Days: Mondays & Wednesdays Times: 6:00 p.m. - 10:15 p.m. Class begins: 01/23/12
SolidWorks A 60-hour integrated course in SolidWorks Essentials, Drawing Creation and Advance Part Modeling.
Days: Mondays & Wednesdays Times: 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Class begins: 04/16/12
Medical Readiness Class A FREE course to help you prepare for success in any health-related educational program! 36—Hour Class Beginning January 9, 2012 You must attend an ABLE Orientation session prior to the first day of class.
TO ENROLL CONTACT THE ABLE OFFICE @ 440-576-5599
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT—CALL NOW FOR MORE INFORMATION
440-576-6015 extension 1009 1565 State Route 167, Jefferson, Ohio 44047 . 440-576-6015 . WWW.ATECH.EDU
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