THE HAWK - May 2024

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May 2024

Star Students Inducted Into National Honor Society

by Jacob Hicks On April 4 at 1:00 p.m. in the Stephen Decatur High School auditorium, the school hosted its annual National Honors Society induction ceremony.

There were 91 students inducted into this chapter. This was the 69th annual National Honors Society induction ceremony and is the most prestigious ceremony the school has.

The ceremony started with the class of 2025 NHS members walking the aisle and having a seat in the chairs on the stage. Following this, 2024 NHS President Charlie Greenwood, Principal Tom Sites, guest speaker Elizabeth West, and others shared their thoughts on what it means to have a “mamba mentality.”

Having a “mamba mentality” and what that looks like on a day-to-day basis is a mindset created and held

by NBA legend Kobe Bryant, whose

nickname as a player was the “Black Mamba.” Bryant unfortunately he is no longer here with us, his idea of keeping a mamba mentality will live forever.

“Mamba Mentality (means) constantly trying to be the best version of yourself,” Bryant once said in an interview when describing what the mamba mentality actually is.

Guest speaker West is a Berlin native who graduated from Decatur in 2007 and is the education coordinator for the Maryland Coastal Bays Program.

This was followed by the lighting of the symbolic candles representing the characteristics needed to serve in the honors society.

Graduating NHS members then left the stage and escorted the new members of the Honors Society to

their seats on the stage. This not only metaphorically represented the passing of the torch, but physically by having the new members take the seats of the graduating members.

This was followed by every member of the National Honors Society new and old, reciting the pledge before exciting the stage.

“Being inducted into NHS means that I am a part of the best of the best in the school and that I represent the school at that level,” said 2025 inductee Graham Geiser, a junior. “It is truly an honor because I have never been a part of something like this before and I am proud of this achievement and am proud to be a National Honors Society member.”

This was not just a ceremony to recognize these amazing students

National Honor Society inductees took the stage at the April 4 ceremony in the SDHS auditorium. (Photo Dana Arzadon)

but a celebration of this monumental accomplishment they have achieved.

This honors society is not something everyone qualifies for, so to qualify, then apply and get accepted, is an accomplishment that many students take much pride in and celebrate.

These incredible students aren't just good in the classroom, but in the halls. Many stand out as leaders no sports teams and are respectful young adults. Students that make up the honors society represent the best of the best that come from Decatur.

They all share the same determination and goals when it comes to achieving things in and out of the classroom. This society connects these kids and builds relationships which only strengthens these kids and the school.

“I like to stand out as a leader and am confident I can set an amazing example for the rest of the school of what a student athlete looks like.” said 2025 inductee Juan Hinojosa who is also a member of the Decatur varsity wrestling team.

“I am excited to be with a bunch of students that share my same intrests and have the same goal of becoming the best version of themselves and working together to make it happen,” said 2025 inductee Luke Popielaski.

May 2024

Page 3

Honoring Mathletes with Mu Alpha Theta Inductions

by Jada Donahue Twenty-nine juniors were inducted into Mu Alpha Theta on April 9, becoming the new members for 2024 - 2025 school year.

The induction ceremony began at 6:00 p.m. and they were sworn in by the President Daniel Karcheuski at the end of the night. All the inductees had to do was say “I do” and then proceed out the door for the reception that had cupcakes (blue or yellow) and lemonade.

They were also greeted by past, current, or future math teachers the students had or will have that congratulated the students on this very achievement.

The speaker at the induction was

Dr. Robert Phillips III, who was a former Mu Alpha Theta member, Stephen Decatur graduate, and works at John Hopkins University for brain development.

Mu Alpha Theta is made out of the Greek letters m, a, and th that creates the word MATH. Mu Alpha Theta is also known as the Math Honor Society and it is a huge accomplishment for the new inductees because not everyone gets in, for some people do not take an AP math.

The co-advisors of the honor society are Ms. Candeloro and Mr. Greenwood.

One of the inductees, Shohag Sen who is a junior and is currently taking AP Calc AB, is very excited to be a member of Mu Alpha Theta.

She has been working towards this since freshman year and feels that she is being recognized academically. She said she nervous at first but realizing that she had her friends around her, she felt much better.

Her parents' support is everything because it made the whole event better since she had her support system there who have seen how hard she has worked for this milestone that makes her extremely happy! She has

known that she has wanted to be an architect from such a young age and in order to make her dreams come true, she has been at WTHS doing the four-year engineering program.

Ted Donahue, another inductee of Mu Alpha Theta and also a junior taking AP Calculus AB, was extremely excited to join the Math Honor Society.

He has been looking forward to this honor society since freshman year. Ted is commonly known around the school playing the trumpet during home football games and his constant love for math for people that know him. His love for math has carved the way for this very moment and cannot wait to begin.

Having supportive parents who

but about how he succeeds has really shaped his life in a positive way.

Even though he doesn’t know what he wants to be, he knows that math will follow him when he chooses his path.

Elliot Dansberger is also inducted in the Math Honor Society, a junior, and taking AP Calculus AB. He was nervous that he would be rejected from this society, but when he was accepted he was excited to be a part of this. He cannot wait to be a part of this great opportunity during his junior to senior year.

When Elliot grows up he wants to be an applied physicist where the job requires math in every task.

Pictured left, L to R)his areeducation, Mu Alpha Theta Inductees Lin Zheng, Ted Donahue, care not(top only about Angelina Li. Other inductees include (above, L to R) Angelina Li, Shohag Sen, Lin Zheng, Ted Donahue, Melih Unal, Keagan Shump. (Photo Jada Donahue)

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May 2024

Coach Coleman Balances Succes With Humility

by Eric Mitchell How does Coach Jake Coleman Keep up his success? The key is consistency.

“Everyday, I’m trying to get two percent better as the head coach,” he said.

“I challenge every student athlete to do exactly the same thing. I believe if you stay consistent, then 90 percent of your opponents can’t stay focused. Continue to work hard. Then it’s how hard you work and how true to the game you are.”

As the head coach of the Stephen Decatur High School football team, Coach Coleman has a big heart, is a very honest person, and has the best mentality that his players follow.

Something that stands out about Coach Coleman is his player development. In fiveyears at Decatur, he has developed a bunch of great players, such as Duke linebacker Luke Mergott. Other standout players he has coached include Davin Chandler, Zakhari Baker, and Ashton Snelsire.

Another great player is his son and Vanderbilt commit

Brycen Coleman, a senior.

“Brycen is different,” Coleman said, “because he always wanted to be the best. It’s surreal that he’s doing these things he has

other kids” because of that.

“I was the only white kid in my neighborhood,” he said. “I grew up on a boat. I was with him all the time.

It was a great

done, and he’s your son, and he’s around all the exceptional people.”

Coleman, 42, grew up in Cambridge Maryland, where his father was a waterman.

He said he was “different from

childhood.

I played outside a lot. Even though there was racial tension like Rodney King being beaten up by a police officer, it was a unique time in my life.”

At Cambridge-South Dorchester High School, he was on two state championship football teams as a player in 1995 and 1996. He would later go on to be a coach for that school, he said, at age 20, one of the youngest coaches in school history. He coached that team to state titles in 2004 and 2014.

Coach Coleman came to Stephen Decatur High School as former head football coach Bob Knox was retiring.

He said Principal Tom Sites recruited him, along with assistant superintendent Dwayne Abt. Coming here was “the best decision I ever made,”he said.

After a remarkable 2023 football season and a state title, what’s next for Coach Coleman?

He said there will be several returning players and workouts are happening now for the upcoming season.

“I feel like you are not a Hall of Fame coach until you have a state championship to your resume,” he said. “And now our challenge is to do it again.”

May 2024

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FEATURE

Twins of Decatur

by Eric Mitchell

There are a good number of twins at Stephen Decatur Hihg School , and we got to interview some of them.

Jamal & Isaiah Foreman

Lauren & Paige McAdams

Marley & Trey Rill

The first interview we got was for Jamal and Isaiah Foreman.

They are both introverts, but Isaiah is a little more social than Jamal. The twins are both freshman, age 15

Next set of twins was Paige and Lauren McAdams, age 17. They are both Juniors,. Both stated they love being twins because they are always around each other, and they love to be together.

Marley and Trey Rill, age 16, are sophomores who are kinda polar opposites.

Isaiah said: “Jamal is less talkative because of how he grew up not liking to talk to a lot of people, part of which is because he was shy. But I was the same way, and we always want to be together because we are shy.”

Lauren said: “I love having a twin because we are always together and it’s like another me because we love the same things. The bad part is probably all our friends are friends, so we don’t have our own friend group.”

Paige said the difference between the two is that Paige is straightforward and Lauren is less talkative and more introverted.

Marley said: “What sets us apart is gender, different personalities. How do you navigate your similarities and differences? We’re not similar, but we have many differences. He's smarter, I'm not. I'm athletic has not.

They said Marley is more on the athletic side, playing field hockey and lacrosse. while her twin brother Trey is an academic superstar with straight A’s.

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May 2024

Why did these Senior Athletes choose their schools?

Story and photos by Jacob Hicks

Addison McDaniel Bridgewater College - Lacrosse

Kiara Taylor Keystone College - Softball

“I chose Bridgewater because they had the specific major I want to pursue, which is health and exercise science, and they have a Masters program for it as well. The lacrosse team also felt very close and it seemed like a family.”

“I liked the school because it's small and the majority of the students are athletes, so they're very good with helping people stay on track with work while also playing their sport.”

A.J. Kolb

Gavin Solito

Towson - Baseball “The coaches have great connections, the campus is beautiful, it has a great culture, and I will have a great time with great people.”

Sadie Kauffman East Stroudsburg University Lacrosse “What led me to choose ESU was the coaches and how bad they wanted me. I wanted to go somewhere where I knew I would play and ESU felt like that place. Then when I visited the school it seemed like the perfect fit for me. “

David Janney Ursinus College - Soccer “I liked the size of the school and I want a private school education. The campus was beautiful and I really liked the coach.”

Shepherd University - Football “A big part of why I chose Shepherd was because of the great coaches that they have in place and the winning culture that they carry.”

Reagan Sterrs Bridgewater College - Lacrosse “I picked Bridgewater because I love the coaches and girls on the team. They were all so nice to me and seem to have amazing chemistry. The academics are also really highly thought of at Bridgewater, which was another important factor.”

Careen Bolden Frostburg State University - Basketball “I liked the campus and the entire team from the coaches to the players. They have really nice facilities and a competitive team.”

May 2024

Page 7

Kole Kohut

Brogan Eastlack

Hood College - Golf

Campbell University - Soccer

“It’s closer to home, their team is good, and most importantly, it’s a very good academic school for my major.”

“When I stepped on campus, it felt like home, and the coaches and players were very welcoming.”

Evan Oglesby

Ryder Swanson

Hood College - Golf

Roanoke College - Baseball

“Hood has a solid program that’s fresh off a conference championship. The coach there was very supportive and personable throughout the entire recruitment process.

It felt like the right fit for me and where I am with my golf game.”

“I chose Roanoke because they have a really nice field and great facilities, as well as a conference and team that is super competitive.”

Waylon Hobgood Salisbury University - Baseball “A big reason I chose Sailsbury was the winning atmosphere they have every single year.”

Sean O’Halloran McDaniel College - Soccer “The coach has been super cool and helpful to me throughout the process of being recruited and committing. I like how close it is, but far from home. I also think the campus is very nice. All around it seems to be a good fit for me academically and athletically.”

Matthew Wright Mars Hill University - Baseball “I wanted to try a new environment.

Mars Hill is in the mountains of western North Carolina. I have lived at the beach for most of my life, so I thought if I’m going to go somewhere for four years, I might as well try something new. The coaching staff had a great pull on my decision as well. The kindness and knowledge when it came to baseball was unmatched.”

Brycen Coleman Vanderbilt University - Football “The first time I visited the campus, met the team, and the coaches it felt like my home away from home.”

Page 8

May 2024

Crossword Puzzle 6

8

2 1

5

9 7 10

3

12 11

4

22

13

21

14

20 15 16

17 18 19

Down

1. What you must do every time you spend time in the library for any reason.

2. The organization hosting a competition in which many from Worcester Tech are competing.

5. The coastal beach city in Worcester County.

6. The main vendor known for its french fries on the boardwalk in Ocean City.

8. Crab restaraunt in West Ocean City 12. The most populated city in the United States visited by The Hawk news crew.

14. The room in Stephen Decatur with the most books.

15. The school in which many seniors attend following High School.

17. The food usually sold in the cafeteria every last day of the week.

20. A subject in school based on understanding the elements in literature.

22. The crustaceans most commonly assocated with Maryland.

Across

1. The mascot of Stephen Decatur High United States.

School.

13. The seventh state to join the United 3. Decatur’s Band Director.

States of America 4. A term referring to the class of 2024. 16. The main place for shops along the 6. A person who teaches. beach within Ocean City 7. The month in which this paper 18. A subject in school based around the released. understanding of the world.

9. The person often in charge of a sports 19. A subject in school based around team. numbers and equasions.

10. The song title talked about in the 21. An island once formerly connected album review to Ocean City now reserved as a state 11. The celestial event that occured on park.

April 8th, 2024 across the continental

May 2024

Page 9

What Are The Study Skills You’ll Need To Succeed?

By Lilly Paquette Although people in all levels of school believe that they have good study skills, you would be surprised!

It is not easy to gain those great skills to prepare you for tests, classwork, or any other type of schoolwork. The most popular ways that people study quickly are notecards, reading over notes, or writing notes again for the second time.

A lot of teachers prefer writing notes over again multiple times to reassure your brain of the facts and information you need to know for said assignment or big exam. Notes are good for memorization due to reading, writing, and you can verbally go over them in class also. It has shown that students that organize their notes with colors, topics, and formats will do better than unorganized notes.

Students that are unorganized are likely to know the information but not in order because of not going over the information in sections.

Notecards are effective but it’s the

way you use them that might not make them as effective as other study tools. The most productive way to use notecards is first to put a lot of information on the back and then a specific topic on the front. These methods will then set you up to be able to make new notecards with less information on the back and the same topic on the front, this will lead you to memorization! Altogether, the more you chunk your topics of studying and start to decrease the amount given to memorize will help your brain with the ability to answer those questions on assignments.

Another good way of taking notes is writing down as your teachers speak in a lecture and also writing down their hints and suggestions for you to take throughout the course. Taking your OWN notes is important rather than writing down what someone already did. When you write something in your own words it’ll help you memorize quicker and easier. Studying is not something for a big test, it

Sophia Abu-Zaid, a junior, works on study skills in the library (Lilly Paquette photo)

shouldn’t be something that you do in a short span of time. Studies show that when you study for a certain amount of time per day and at the same time every day will make it less stressful on test day.

Learning study skills takes time to perfect, especially for the higher-level courses. It might take years to learn what works for you as a student and if you’re better at virtual,

visual, or physical illustration of the instruction. If these skills don’t help you, you can always let another person quiz you on information till you get correct answers. These are just a few study skills explaining how they should be used but there are endless ways to obtain the information you will want and need to memorize for classes for any level of assignment.

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Page 11

COV

Battle of

ER S TOR Y

the Tr d e s a

By Mara Minkey

Maximus Fedeli (left) and Chase Saltzman (right) accept their silver medals for Mobile Robotic Technology

The Skills USA regional winners from Worcester Technical High School traveled to Baltimore and Westminster to participate in the 2024 Skills USA State Competitions.

The students competed across many different trades and technical fields, such as welding, masonry, plumbing, robotics, criminal justice, culinary, multimedia design, and medicine.

There were also many stdents competing in

the Skills USA state offices and doing that kind of work. Many students from Stephen Decatur High School went on the trip.

Skills USA is a national organization made to help prepare students for entering the workforce, run by and for students. The Skills USA Maryland state conference is an event that allows students from all across Maryland to show off their talents and skills in various technical fields and trades through competitions.

“It teaches them to be leaders and to hone in on their skills they learn through trades and competition. I believe it gets them workready for their jobs,” said Richard Stephens, the Skills USA advisor at Worcester Tech. Students also have the chance to win a gold medal and go to the Skill sUSA national conference.

SkillsUSA is also very important for Worcester County and our local com-

(Pictured, left to right) Aaliyah Drummond, Charles Shoemaker, Chase Saltzman, Jayden Bodon, and Teresa Guo stand or a photo after completing their respective competitions earlier that day.

munity. “It means representation for Worcester County, there are many other schools here; from all over Maryland,” said Patrick Haines, the Skills USA Maryland vice president, and student at Stephen Decatur.

At SkillsUSA Worcester Technical High School gets to make a name for itself.

“The more that Worcester Tech goes to championships, they learn more, and there’s more people that would like to join,” said Patrick.

Even with all of that, Skills USA is also just a fun trip for students, too.

On Friday, April 12, the Worcester Tech competitors traveled to the BWI Marriott hotel. Some competitions were going on there while the students settled in for the evening. The hotel had a pool and a dinner buffet.

Attending students also got to meet students from other schools and possibly make new friends.

The next day, students got up bright and early for the very long day of competition on Saturday, April 13.

Competitions were held in the local area, at the Carroll County Career and Technical Center and the Carroll County Agricultural Center. Competitions began at 8 am. and ended at 2 pm.

Many students worked for most of the time, while oth-

ers presented what they had already made before the competition. Once students were done, they could take a bus to the Agricultural Center where there were games such as chess and cornhole, and food trucks for the students.

As students enjoyed themselves at the Agricultural Center, the judges finalized their scores for the 6:30 awards ceremony. It started with SkillsUSA Maryland officers introducing themselves, followed by the very long award ceremony spanning all the competitions.

Along with that, they also announced winners for state offices and advisors. The awards concluded around 8:30 pm.

Hunter Selby levels out bricks during the Teamworks competition, later winning second place alongside his team.

Maryland SkillsUSA Vice President Patrick Haines (center) stands among his elected peers from all over the state.

Where work doesn’t have to be boring.

Enjoy summer the right way. Whether it’s coaching sports at summer camp or it’s protecting swimmers while on the stand, Ocean City, Maryland offers plenty of skill building experiences and fun seasonal jobs.

Apply online at oceancitymd.gov or scan the QR Code.

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May 2024

Page 13

MUSIC REVIEW

MOVIE REVIEW

“Bob Marley: One Love” is a journey through adversity

By Marley Rill

Country music’s Tyler Hubbard releases a very “Strong” album

By T.J. Curry “Strong” is the sophomore studio album by American country music singer Tyler Hubbard.

After releasing his debut solo self titled album, Tyler Hubbard of country duo Florida Georgia Line has released his follow-up album “Strong” that was released on April 12.

The album has 13 tracks, which is fewer than the debut album’s 18 tracks, five out of which had been released prior to the album release.

I’m going to talk about the song “Vegas” which is track 7 and one of the promotional tracks of the album.

The track is a story of a man finally getting courage to ask a girl out and, years into their relationship, he wants to take her out to Las Vegas to get married and start their life.

In the song’s chorus he says, “I would’ve took you to Vegas right then and there/ Found us a chapel and something to wear/ Just me you and Elvis saying I do/ It would’ve been crazy, but I would’ve with you.”

“Vegas” was one of the tracks re-

leased before the album’s release, but it was one of my personal favorites on the album. It’s a classic type of story song and I can see this song becoming a single and going to country radio.

Do I think this album was better than his first album? No, not yet. At least the album is still pretty new and fresh and it takes a while for a new album to sink in. But I really like the album, it’s really good ,and it has great sounds and great writing on it.

Jamaican singer-songwriter Bob Marley overcomes adversity to become the most famous reggae musician in the world.

The movie “Bob Marley: One Love” came out on February 14. This movie has lots of drama and action-packed scenes, it is also a musical of most of Bob Marley’s music.

Who doesn’t love a good musical, and especially Bob Marleys songs!

This movie is rated PG-13 so almost all friends and family can go experience it together. The top three characters you should know are Bob Marley (Kingsley Ben-Adir), Rita Marley (Lashana Lynch), and Ziggy Marley (“Shark Tale”).

All the actors they picked for these roles did an amazing job acting and telling the story.

This movie is about Bob Marley but mainly about his music Career. The story starts in 1976 when he was just singing and making songs for fun with his friends and family, dreaming one day he would become big. He did!

Bob Marley was a very unselfish person who made the world and people a better place through his music.

Before his first tour at ‘Smile Jamaica,” a free concert organization in effort to diffuse tension and make peace. On December 3, gunmen attack Bob, Rita his wife, and a singer from the band.

After that awful incident, he still went on to sing for many tours and kept producing music, because that is what he loved to do. He brought peace into this world through music which people understood and could relate to.

The movie takes us through all the ups and downs throughout his music career. He succeeded so much! We also get to see a little of his family and friends and how they support him through the whole thing.

I honestly think if you haven’t seen this movie, yet you should definitely go and watch it! It’s great to watch with family, friends, or even by yourself.

Lashana Lynch and Kingsley Ben-Adir in the movie “Bob Marley: One Love.” (Paramount Pictures)

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May 2024

Senior Gavin Brink is a musical virtuoso who’s making big moves in the world of rock ‘n’ roll – and he’s still only 17.

GUITAR

HERO

By Haley Whitehead

Local teenager Gavin Brink is making his name known both in Ocean City and in the rock scene with his outstanding guitar skills.

Most recently the young rock star was invited to play at Whiskey a GoGo, located on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood, California, on July 20th.

He will play with the Gavin Evick band alongside Blaze Francisco, Da Vang, Crystal Shades, Pageant, Unhinged, and Faster Pussycat.

“This is the dream of a lifetime.

We’re performing on the same stage as Motley Crüe, Guns N’ Roses, and so many other famous bands. Performing on the Sunset Strip is a major step for us, and I’m so grateful for this opportunity.”

Brink, 17, who goes by the stage name Gavin Hades, currently plays guitar in three different local bands.

Cecilia’s Fall, formed in late 2022 consists of lead singer Tessica, lead

guitarist and backup vocalist Jeremy Brink, bassist Jeff Davis, and drummer Mike Hughes.

Cecilia’s Fall has played in restaurants such as Harborside Bar and Grill, Ocean 13, and Fager’s Island.

Lost Figures Acoustic Duo was formed in December 2023 with Hades and 2023 Stephen Decatur graduate Nic Hitchens.

They have played in various restaurants in Ocean City, including Ocean 13, Pickles Pub, and the Cork Bar. He is the lead guitarist in the Gavin Evick Band alongside singer Gavin Evick, guitarist Logan Blake, and drummer Steven Hudgins.

The bands, while different from each other, showcase Gavin’s musical talent on the guitar.

Gavin started playing at age 11 when his father suggested for him to learn a song on the ukulele as a Christmas gift to his mom.

He easily picked up on learning the See GUITAR, page 20

SDHS senior Gavin Brink, 17, who goes by the stage name Gavin Hades, has been playing guitar since age 11. His talents have brought him the opportunity to share the stage with famous musicians like Bret Michaels, Jimmy Charles, and more. (photo courtesy Gavin Brink)

May 2024

Page 15

Former Policeman Finds New Calling In The Classroom

By Cristina Esch Mike Levy was a law enforcement officer for a total of 30 years. He went from serving as a military police specialist with the U.S. Air Force for four years, to being a Deputy Sheriff’s in Wicomico County for 14 months, to his last cop job in Ocean City, Maryland.

He has now been teaching at Worcester Technical High School for 11-years in Newark, Maryland.

Using experiences to shape his students in different career fields has really come in handy. Students get to go out into the real world, well educated and more aware in the criminal justice, and emergency management field with knowledge most students wouldn’t get.

Levy has been changing lives for a long time. Some might even say it is a calling.

Levy’s career choices have always had an impact on people’s lives, however, these two completely different careers had the most drastic impact on people’s lives.

He went from policing to teaching, from saving those who needed saving and teaching those who needed teaching.

“I always liked teaching as a cop, and I thought it would be a good opportunity to teach what I thought was the correct and relevant things in justice,” he said. “Teaching and police work are sometimes very similar.”

One way teaching and police work are similar, he said, is “when you’re a teacher it seems like everyone criticizes what you do and everyone can do

it better than you, the same in police work. The similarity is that no one wants to do the job.”

Out of all the jobs he has done, including police work and teaching, there has always been so much to learn.

Levy went through

things such as war, to things such as natural disasters like hurricanes in the real world. He explains natural disasters won’t care if there are schools, but during war people don’t attack schools and hospitals, but all these things are part of emergency

management.

Though there is not much Levy misses about the old career field, the long hours, dangerous jobs, hard schedule, he does miss directly helping people. Saving someone from

awful things, and getting to really rescue something was fun he explains.

These were happy moment for him.

Though, there are some things to miss, Levy explains, while watching his students discover things about

themselves they themselves are his favorite part of teaching.

Some students walk into his class with no idea what they are doing, and leave knowing what they want to happen next.

“I am very glad I chose teaching; it keeps me close enough the career field, but yet still far enough,” he explains.

Levy uses his past experiences in every aspect of his life, he explains. The experiences help convey real world situations to his criminal justice classes, to give them real world cases.

Staying in contact with some of his work buddies helps his students as well as himself. His students can find great spots to intern, and it helps the people giving interns fill necessary spots with people suiting for the job.

“I’m teaching career and technology education,” Levy said, and everything learned in his old career fields is relevant to his criminal justice class.

Teaching has had some great outcomes as Levy explains.

“Out of all my careers, teaching is my favorite. It is very rewarding to see the students, in the career fields that I though them about.”

However, with that worrying is a big deal, Levy explains, “once my students are not in my class, I worry about them and hope they take what they learned into accountability.”

Page 16

May 2024

OPINION

A Longer Lunch Would Help Everyone

By Lilly Paquette It is common that a lot of students tend to have anxiety throughout their day with how big the volume of coursework that they’re given.

When trying to balance all the activities one student may have, one student can create constant stress that leads them to forget about taking time out of their day for simple things like breathing and taking a break.

Throughout the school day, all students will have a lunch period of 25 minutes. Within the time allowed students must use the bathroom, get their lunch, find a spot to eat lunch then finally be able to eat.

When you calculate all those things it takes up a lot of time which leads

to little time to have peace within classes.

For students, school is commonly used as the “social” part of their day.

Students love to have the time to talk to their friends about their days and any emotions that they’re feeling due to certain tests, life things, or sports.

The 25 minutes of free time that these students have is used to rush everything and to eat. When in high school there tends to be a lot of coursework throughout the year, and students cram in work during lunch because they might not be able to do it after school do to work or sports.

While doing work during lunch is a good thing, that also means it doesn’t allow the students’ brain to have a break which will eventually exhaust the brain.

BUDGET BATTLE (Below) Inside a packed Worcester County Government Center in Snow Hill, the county’s Board of Commissioners heard comments and testimony May 7 in favor of increasing school funding for the 2024-25 school year.

(Right) Across the street from the meeting, Worcester County Public School employees rallied and chanted in a show of support for the funding request. (Photos courtesy Brittney Tignor and Megan Seyler)

Teachers should also have a longer lunch break or split up the time of their planning for grading than the other half to eat. It is important that teachers have the proper time to grade all the assignments for all the students that they will teach during a semester. Most people will forget that teachers have their own children and outside activities for their family and themselves. These little windows leave the teachers to have free time after the 6-hour school day and add on the grading. A lot of students try to communicate to the administration about how much they care about the wellbeing of teachers because they want them to be happy during the school day and for their children at home.

The student newspaper of Stephen Decatur High School since 1954 Editorial Staff Dana Arzadon T.J. Curry Jada Donahue Jacob Hicks Cole Huyett Brandon Martin Catherine Miller Mara Minkey Eric Mitchell Lilly Paquette Marley Rill Charles Shoemaker Haley Whitehead Contributing Writer Cristina Esch Teacher Adviser Brian Shane Direct all inquires to: decaturhawk@gmail.com (410) 632-2880

Member Columbia Scholastic Press Associatin

@SDHSHawk @decaturhawknews

May 2024

Page 17

FEATURED PHOTOS To place an order scan contact jlflores@worcesterk12.org or shop in person at the WTHS Greenhouse

Worcester Tech H.S. Plant Sale Proceeds support the Worcester Tech Agriculture Program

GLASS GULL A close-up shows the names of former Stephen Decatur High School students who contributed to this stained-glass ornamentation at the front atrium. (Dana Arzadon photo)

Vegetables - $0.50 Cold Crops - $1.00 Annual Flowers - $2.50 Herbs - $2.50 Honey/Hanging Baskets - $10.00 WTHS Greenhouse Open Mon-Fri 8:00am - 3:30pm Shop in Person at WTHS Greenhouse Closed for Spring Break.

Additional pick up times available by contacting jlflores@worcesterk12.org

List of Products Honey Basil Oregano Spearmint Petunias Verbena GALLERY WALK Student artwork is displayed in the main hallyway. (Catherine Miller photo)

Broccoli Brussel Sprouts Cabbage Kale Spinach Cantaloupe Cucumbers Garden Beans Radishes

Sugar Snap Peas Beef Steak Tomato Beedance Roma Tomato Celosia Cherry Baby Tomato Coleus Sweet Pepper Dahlia Watermelon Geraniums Zucchini Lantana Sunflower

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May 2024

NEWS & NOTES COACH AUGUST, WRESTLER COLLICK HONORED Varsity wrestling coach Josh August was named 2A Coach of the Year by Legacy Wrestling.

Also in wrestling news, Elijiah Collick is Decatur’s first-ever wrestler to place at nationals.

Collick was named an All-American in his 113-pound weight class by the National High School Coaches Association.

SCIENCE OLYMPIAD TEAM COMPETES AT STATE LEVEL After having won at the regional level, the Science Olympiad team competed at a state invitational April13 at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. Students competed in 23 different STEMthemed events.

Winners at the State Level included: Benny Chase and Elliott Dansberger (7th for Detector Building), Karan Jain and Daniel Kott (7th for Robot Tour), Emmie Weber and Sara Quisgard (6th for science in the news), Jersi Hilliard and Daniella Carrasco-Gonzalez (13th in Botany).

The goal of Science Olympiad is introduce students to a broad range of STEM-related activities.

CROSSWORD ANSWERS ACROSS 1. sea hawk 3. Foell 4. seniors 6. teacher 7. May 9. coach 10. Vegas 11. solar eclipse 13. Maryland 16. boardwalk 18. science 19. math 21. Assateague

DOWN 1. sign in 2. Skills USA 5. Ocean City 6. Thrashers 8. Hoopers 12. New York 14. library 15. college 17. pizza 20. English 22. crabs

The cargo vessel Dali after striking the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore in the early hours of March 26, 2024. (Photo courtesy NTSB)

Experts: Key Bridge Collapse Affects O.C.

by Cole Huyett and Brandon Martin Ocean City has been impacted by the collapse of the Francis Scott Key bridge in Baltimore, which has hurt our local economy, from farming to auto sales.

“People use the Key Bridge for back-and-forth easy access,” said Ruth Toomey, executive director of the Maryland Tourism Coalition..

“Now (they) have to travel another route. It’s causing tractor-trailers to take longer and more cargo will be on trains. This will delay services.”

She also said the March 26 collapse over the Patapsco River is affecting cargo ships. She said not all ships can get into the Port of Baltimore, and are being taken to other ports.

The disaster has created problems for the supply chain, and delayed international car companies from getting their goods to sale.

Volkswagen specifically does a lot of cars out of the Baltimore department, Toomey said.

Another thing inside the containers that were left behind on the ship is farm equipment. Toomey added how farmers were stuck waiting for their equipment on the boat.

Another person affected by the bridge collapse is a senior here at Decatur, Austin Fortino, who works at the Pohanka of Toyota dealership in Salisbury.

“The bridge collapse affected my business because all our transportation trucks with all our 2023-24 vehicles got delayed by three weeks,” he said.

“We get we get around 20 vehicles on a truck, so we were delayed 60 vehicles and a lot of unsatisfied customers. And things are slowly getting back on their feet and starting to move nicely.”

Susan Jones, executive director of

the Ocean City Hotel-Motel-Restaurant Association (OCHMRA), the impact of the bridge collapse on tourism is unknown until we get to the summer travel season.

“It is concerning (that) most of the visitors we get, we get about 35 percent that travel from Maryland and then we have about 35 percent from Pennsylvania,” Jones said.

“I would say the one thing that would concern me is that people that aren’t from Maryland could get confused on which bridge collapsed.

We are concerned about tourists not knowing the direction or not knowing the maps well,” she said.

Jones also said goods and supplies needed for local restaurants could also be affected.

“I would imagine the biggest supply that was shipped in the containers are would be some of the paper goods from different areas like China,” she added.

May 2024

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Total Solar Eclipse Sweeps Across North America

(Parital Eclipse photo Mara Minkey). Total Eclipse photo Barber, K. (2024). 2024 Total Solar Eclipse (NHQ202404080102). photograph, Dallas, Texas.:

by Mara Minkey Millions of people looked up to the sky on April 8 as a total solar eclipse sailed across North America.

This eclipse hit land in Mexico as it went through Texas, the midwest, into Canada, and eventually leaving from Newfoundland.

Solar eclipses are when the moon passes directly in front of the sun, resulting in a shadow cast on earth, usually between 150 to 300 miles in diameter. This creates a few minutes of practically dusk in the middle of the day for places in the path of totality.

For the eclipse, I traveled to Geneva, Ohio, to witness full totality. Here at Decatur, we were in the partial eclipse, with 80 - 85 % of the sun being obscured by the moon, although not as spectacular, still interesting, and some minimal light changes to witness.

It is very nerve racking leading up to the eclipse. You spend the whole time worrying about the weather, obsessively checking the forecast, with the fate of it in Mother Nature’s hands. Around 2:00 pm. is when the partial eclipse began.

I remember seeing the smallest nibble of the sun through my glasses. It progressed, with more and more of the sun being devoured by the moon.

About 20 minutes leading up to totality is when strange things happened

As totality approached, the temperature noticeably dropped, because the land was receiving much less solar radiation.

The last bit of the sun remained; here was totality. The world became

A viewing of the eclipse from the ISS. Photo by: Johnson, N. (2024, April 9). The Moon’s shadow covers portions of Canada and the U.S. (NASA photo)

to the light.

This dull, unnatural light, unlike anything else, shone as the sun was obscured. The best way I can describe it is that it gets dark, but it is still very light at the same time, as the sun is still at its midday height.

2024 SDHS Teacher of the Year Marie Stevenson. (Hawk photo)

instantly dark, very dark. As cheers erupted from the streets around.

There was the corona as it settled into totality.

Seeing the sun covered, you can’t even comprehend that it is the moon you’re seeing. It is more like some

eldritch hole in the sky. Looking around, I saw the all round dawn, a 360-degree gold band on the horizon.

Totality lasted around 3-4 minutes, much longer than the 2017 eclipse, which lasted only 2 minutes. And it was, surprisingly, very dark.

Also during totality, some red dots around the corona were visible.

These red dots are solar prominences, which are highly energized plasma eruptions, similar to solar flares but much less intense. These are very fleeting. The ones millions of people saw that day were unique to that time and would only last a few days or weeks, never to be seen again. And I think that’s really special.

If you missed the eclipse, don’t worry; there are many chances to see one soon if you want to travel outside the US. Like the North African total eclipse in 2027 or the Australian total eclipse in 2028. But the next one in the United States will be in 2044, unfortunately.

Seeing a total solar eclipse is something everyone should witness at least once in their life, and there are many more opportunities to do so.

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May 2024

FEATURE

Extracurriculars You Should Consider Joining

by Marley Rill Extracurriculars are something Decatur has a lot of, from an academic team to a SDHS Surfrider club. Some may ask if extracurriculars are important, and I'm here to tell you yes, they are.

In fact, extracurricular activities will help prepare you for college and your professional future. Extracurriculars are also shown to help with mental health, because you get to meet new people, make friends, and stress less.

Not only do extracurricular activities like clubs and sports look very good on college transcripts, it’s a way to engage with our community outside of the school. Come look at some of the extracurriculars we have at Stephen Decatur High School: Academic Team Designed to empower students to take ownership of their own and their peers learning through a student ac-

countability system and structures for peer support. Meets on Mondays.

“Some places call it quiz bowl, and I have a club of eight kids,” according to adviser Belinda Sawyer. “It’s trivia, kind of like Jeopardy. It covers all the different courses like science, math, English, language, literature, religion.

“Then we have the big tournament in March at Wor-Wic (Community College) every year and our school helps to sponsor. We actually got first (place) this year and last year - two years in a row!”

Leo Club Leo Club is a service organization that encourages youth to develop leadership qualities by focusing on three core values: Leadership, Experience, and Opportunity.

Group advisers Marie Stevenson and Brittany Tracy told us that, at first, Leo Club was focused on the blind. Leo Clubs in the area would come into the school building and provide an eye checkup to people

GUITAR: Meet Rising Star Gavin Brink Continued from page 14 instrument and started learning how to play guitar. Today, he practices on the guitar five to six hours each day.

Hades takes inspiration from the late Eddie Van Halen, CC Deville and Satchel from Steel Panther, Jason Becker, and Jimmy Page. So far, Hades has played at RokIsland Fest 2024 in Key West, Florida, played with glam metal band Steel Panther, and played alongside Bret Michaels both

at OC Bikefest in 2021 and opened in Panama City Beach, Florida at the Thunder Beach Motorcycle rally in 2021.

Between juggling homeschooling and music, Gavin Hades is making waves in the music scene, even at the young age of 17.

(Left) Performer Gavin Hades, a senior here at Decatur, poses with his guitars. (photo courtesy Gavin Brink)

Photo courtesy Mandi Wells

who couldn’t go to an eye doctor.

“Now we really just focus on the sense of community,” Stevenson said.

“We raised money to get hats and gloves, we’ve done the child abuse walk, we’ve done a clean up, and right now we’re trying to do a movie in May to raise money for child abuse awareness. We don’t really have one particular focus, and this is our first year taking over, so its very new for us.”

Surfrider Club Led by advisers Steve Deakyne and Mandi Wells, this club is dedicated to

the protection and enjoyment of the world's oceans, waves, and beaches through a powerful activist network.

Mrs. Wells told us: “Our Surfrider Club is kind of like the environmental club in the building. Our main goal for Surfrider is to help our school maintain a positive environment impact on the building.

“We plan clean-ups, we plan Earth Week activities, we advocate for legislation that helps our environment and our oceans. We do anything that we can do to help protect the environment,” she added.