Paper Towns by John Green is a new addition to Penn Manor High School library. The book received the Edgar Award for Best Young Adult Novel in 2009 and reached number five on the New York Times best seller list.
The story is centered around the lives of a group of seniors specifically Quentin Jacobsen, the narrator who weaves an adventurous tale of longing and curiosity.
Paper Towns a new book in the Penn Manor library.
Quentin’s long-time neighbor, Margo Roth Spiegelman, who he is secretly madly in love with, takes him on a one-night adventure throughout their hometown, Orlando. This encounter draws Quentin even closer to the rather distant Margo. However the next day, Margo disappears.
Her disappearance isn’t out of character. She has disappeared before and always leaves clues. Her disappearance leads Quentin and his friends on a very difficult scavenger hunt.
The book is mostly Quentin’s view of Margo and how his opinion of her morphs throughout the book with every clue he finds.
The book is named Paper Towns after a term used to define fake towns printed on maps to find publisher that merely copy other people maps.
This book is very well written and highly recommended.
Manor FFA members helped celebrate the inauguration of Gov. Tom Corbett Jan. 18,
Kaleb Long, the FFA president received an e-mail asking for some Penn Manor students to help out at the ball. The nine lucky students included in the invitation were Long, Margret Drumm, Camren Long, Caleb Hess, Aaron Steager, Evan Shoutzer, Jen Drumm, Katrina Reiff and Katie Hess. Two instructors, Carol Fay and Amanda Stoltzfus also were invited.
At the ball they helped out by taking coats and serving foods.
Margaret Drumm with new governor, Tom Corbett.
The president of Manor FFA, Kaleb Long, had his club invited to the inagural ball by incoming Gov. Tom Corbett.
Manor FFA members meet in Harrisburg to attend Gov. Tom Corbett’s inagural ball.
“It was really fun,” said sophomore Katrina Reiff. “I would do it again, if I had the chance.”
The ball was held at the Exposition Hall at the Farm Show Complex.
According to PennLive.net, a news website, Tom Corbett’s inaugural ball was more expensive then most governor’s inauguration balls costing $150 a ticket, however it was all, reportedly, paid for with private donations.
Some FFA students had the chance to take pictures with the Governor.
Due to the accumulation of snowfall in the Penn Manor area, the elementary schools were closed in the morning, and the secondary buildings will be letting out at 12:30. After the students are gone, the schools will be closed for the afternoon.
On top of the early dismissal, all after school activities will be canceled and postponed. The girls and boys basketball games have been rescheduled for Thursday with the boys 9th grade game beginning at 4 p.m. and the 8th grade game starting at 5 p.m.
Delay? Nope. It’s definitely got to be closed then, right? Wrong again.
More like a 12:30 early dismissal.
A couple of the very few cars on the parking deck covered by snow. Photo by Kendal Phillips
Students all over Susquehanna Valley got a pleasant surprise when they peaked out their window Wednesday morning to find the roads coated with snow already at seven in the morning. Hopes shot up, but when WGAL didn’t show Penn Manor having a delay or closing, those hopes turned into fears.
Drivers were put to the test as they went out onto the snowy roads of Lancaster for the students who did come to school.
“The roads were really dangerous,” said senior Katie Maisel. “We definitely should’ve had off.”
After several students came in a tad later than the normal 7:40 a.m., teachers were sent an email notifying students and faculty that elementary schools in the district were closed and an early dismissal for secondary students was in the works. The high school followed the early dismissal schedule.
Snowy, dangerous roads made students stop and think before going off to school. Photo by Kendal Phillips
That email was then shared with the slim number of students that took the ride to school, putting a smile on their face knowing that they only have a half day ahead of them.
Some of those smiles, however, were to conceal inner nervousness for the ride when the clock hits twenty after twelve.
“I’m scared to drive home,” said Maisel.
Although weather reports earlier in the week predicted much of the snow that is now falling would be rain or a “wintry mix,” an update on conditions now lists the possibility of six to nine inches of snow for our area.
Storm Kelley is one of those guys in the hallways laughing and carrying on with his friends. Many who stop to meet him say he’s a pretty nice and down-to-earth guy. He’s slender, but typically towers over many that walk by him at six foot three inches.
Believe it or not, there is a medical reason for this.
Kelley has Marfan’s Syndrome. According to the National Marfan Foundation, this problem often shows itself physically with extreme flexibility, flat feet, long arms and legs and a long, slender body type. All of these are characteristics that Kelley displays. The cause of this is a lack of protein in his body called fibrillin- 1, which is important in creating connective tissue in the body.
Marfan’s syndrome has taken its effect on Kelley’s heart. During December of 2010, he had to undergo open-heart surgery which has taken a toll on him.
“The doctors cut my rib cage open and fixed my sternum, replaced my aortic root with a Dacron graph and fixed my mitral valve. I’m on a bunch of medication,” said Kelley.
Kelley tries to find the brightness lying ahead of him after open-heart surgery. Photo by Kendall Seigworth
His problem has affected him somewhat throughout life but he is still optimistic about his condition and recovery.
“I have a lot of pain, but I’m healing pretty fast.”
It could be said that growing up with this condition wouldn’t be easy.
“I’ve had many doctors appointments and have had to take daily medication. I’ve been restrained from activities such as physical sports. I’ve had problems with irregular heart beats and knew I would have to get surgery ever since I was seven years old, I just didn’t know when it would be,” explained Kelley.
“For the first few years after this surgery I’ll be monitored closely. As long as I adhere to my medicine schedule and act carefully with physical activities, I’ll have a prolonged normal life. As normal as it gets,” he said.
During the surgeries, Kelley did not feel alone and was not too stressed about keeping up with his school work.
“My friends have all been really supportive and Mr. Erisman has devoted a lot of time and concern into my academic success as I recover,” said Kelley.
“It’s hard for me to talk about everything Storm is going through, he’s like a brother,” said Eric Byers a friend and classmate.
“Storm is a really chill, smart kid,” said Cassie Wilkinson.
“I’ve known Storm since the fourth grade, he has always been a good friend,” said Kyle Angelo.
With all of the advancements in medical science, Kelley is confident that after some major treatment he should be able to live a long, healthy life.
“I’m looking forward to seeing my friends at school. I’m also looking forward to being able to drive and swim again. I want to go to college, become a car engineer and travel around the world with a special someone,” said Kelley of his hopes for the future.
“It’s a tragic situation that would rock any school district,” said Jeff Roth, Penn Manor Athletic Director speaking the sad truth.
Since a car accident on Jan. 16took the lives of four young Manheim Central athletes, local high schools, including Penn Manor have been struggling to find a way to show their solidarity and support to a community that has been struck by the sudden tragedy.
Friday, many Penn Manor students wore Manheim Central colors, maroon and gray, to show their support.
“It’s the type of incident that can devastate a community, especially a close-knit one,” noted Roth.
“Everybody knows everybody,” said Roth.
Public outreach and support toward the Manheim Central community has been tremendous.
Ande Olson is a senior football player at Penn Manor whose team is collecting money to defray funeral costs for the recent car accident victims at Manheim Central High School. Photo by Sam Valentin
The medium that many are using to show their support is sports. Penn Manor football team members are raising money during lunches and the boys varsity basketball team plans a tribute throughout the upcoming week.
“A moment of silence is being observed before all sporting events in the L-L league this week,” said Roth.
All four were members of the football team so the Penn Manor football team went to the viewing for the athletes showing their support by wearing their jerseys.
“Groups came up to us and kept saying how grateful they were that our team showed up in support,” said Penn Manor football coach Scott Lackey.
Senior football captain Anderson Olson said, “It’s a terrible thing especially because it didn’t happen to Penn Manor and people from Penn Manor don’t realize the impact it had.”
The football team is also showing it’s support by walking around with buckets to collect money for the families to help pay for the funerals.
“We feel like we should do something for them in these tough times,” said senior football player Jessen Smith.
Penn Manor’s boys’ basketball team also showed their support at Monday night’s game by wearing Manheim Central-colored ribbons on their warm-up jerseys.
The sports teams at Manheim Central have showed their support for their fallen classmates in a variety of ways. Their wrestling team is wearing wristbands, their swimming team is using face paint to wear the students numbers on their face, and the basketball team is wearing white headbands in remembrance of their teammate. Monday night the girls’ basketball team wore warm-up t-shirts created to honor their late fellow athletes.
Other schools have also shown their support. On Facebook, Warwick senior Vince Soto dedicated his team’s overtime win against Manheim Township to Devaughn Lee one who was a victim in the tragic accident and was also a member of the Manheim Central basketball team.
Tributes like these appeared on Facebook.
There were many gestures that have been displayed through Facebook. More than 10,000 people have liked a group in support of the four students that have lost their lives.
“It’s going to take a lot of time to get back to normal just on a day to day basis.” added Roth.
The pain that the community and school is feeling is unimaginable but Penn Manor students feel like their support helps. The condolences and memorials cannot remove the pain but hopefully instead of remembering their deaths, people can begin to celebrate their lives.
Word of a so-called blizzard has been circulating the halls of Penn Manor.
Students at Penn Manor have been developing weather reports of their own based on what they heard on the news since last week and have been blowing them out of proportion.
Penn Manor student, Josh Carle said, “We are going to get 4 feet and will be so much that it will cover football fields!”
According to Eric Horst, Millersville University’s meteorologist, the storm will not be developing till Wednesday, but will most likely be arriving with rain that has been developing from the south. The temperature will rise to the upper 30’s making the precipitation difficult to accumulate.
If a delay or closing was to occur it would most likely happen Thursday if the temperature would happen to decline Wednesday night, according to Horst.
There is uncertainty about this arriving storm, but Horst says, “There is potential for a few inches.”
He also stated that there is a 1 and 3 chance of nothing.
As a lottery question on whether we will have a delay or closing this week Horst followed with,”Who knows?”
What is usually a sea of blue and gold at Penn Manor High School was a mass of maroon and gray Friday.
Penn Manor students and faculty are paying tribute to the students from Manheim Central High School who lost their lives in a car accident Sunday, January 16, by wearing maroon and gray to school.
Nick Weidinger wore Maroon.
Students were quick to offer condolences to Manheim Central for their loss.
Senior Brian Buckius wore a maroon T-shirt.
Stetson Hershey, one of many students sporting Manheim Central colors.
Hayden Gonzalez and Jeff Ford.
Two Penn Manor athletes show respect to Manheim Central.
Amanda Ackerman a senior at Penn Manor started a Facebook group to urge fellow students to wear maroon (Manheim Central school colors are maroon and gray) to school on Friday so Penn Manor students could show their support for another school in the county that has suffered from the tragedy.
“I was friends with Cody Hollinger (one of the victims),” said Ackerman, “I’d actually have a lot to say to the families, there isn’t just one thing I could pick.”
(Double click on red box to view video)
Haley Gavlick a sophomore at Penn Manor High School who participated in wearing maroon said, “I wore maroon in memory of the four boys who were killed. I knew all four of them and went to school with three of them.”
The boys who died in the accident were all on the Manheim Central football team, but most importantly they were friends and family to many.
“It shows that our school cares. They weren’t just four football players, they were four students who will be missed,” said Gavlick.
Many students at Penn Manor wanted to express their reasons for wearing maroon.
“I wore it for the kids,” said Shanelle Bailey
“I think that is important that we as a school show support,” added Penn Manor English teacher Melissa Frerichs.
Junior Megan Schlegimilch said, “It made me sad thinking if that happened to our football team and I’d want other schools to show support too.”
“I wore maroon to show my care and respect for the family that I know,” said senior Moriah Freeman.
Junior Alex Kirk agreed with his fellow classmates stating,”To honor the athletes that passed away.”
“To show my pride for Penn Manor by supporting other schools,” said sophomore Maddie Rohrer.
It was a sad day for everyone that knew the boys and Penn Manor expressed their grief the best they could.
By Simon Zimmerman, Cassey Graeff, and Conner Rowe
What is the only sport that you can eat nachos while playing?
Bowling, and Coty Johnson excels beyond all others.
The returning state bowling champ is looking to repeat this year, and feels confident.
Senior bowler, Coty Johnson, looks to repeat his success in state competition. Photo by Cody Erb
“My gut tells me I’ve got a great chance of winning again,” exclaimed Johnson.
The statewide competition begins in two months. Right now Johnson is leading the local bowling league with a very high average, 223 to be exact. The average pin-fall closest to his is 210. So far he’s the front runner to reclaim the state championship. His biggest competition graduated last year, giving him even more of an advantage.
“I feel the same as I did last year (leading up to the competition) so I’m hoping to do good,” said Johnson.
While Coty is catching fire, the team is on ice with a poor record of 33-14, leaving them in 4th place. He said he hopes they step it up.
As March approaches and states inch closer and closer, Coty Johnson continues to prepare for the inevitable repeat at states.
With snow expected in the forecast, Penn Manor might get a delay of school on Friday. According to Millersville Meteorologist Eric Horst, the snow is expected to start overnight and end in the wee hours of the morning, accumulating 2-5 inches on the ground.
During the day on Friday it will be brisk with high teens through the twenties, and the winds will gust from 15-25 mph, “give or take” stated Horst.
According to WGAL, there will be a winter weather advisory from 7pm tonight continuing until 9am Friday, it may cause traveling difficulties and limited visibility.
“This will be the coldest air of the winter,” expressed Horst. Saturday will have a high around 20 degrees and the wind chill will make it feel like zero.
