There are lots of changes to notice around school this year, new teachers, a new librarian and a WHOLE NEW SCHEDULE!
For the first time in many years, Penn Manor High School is dropping its full blocks of classes and dividing each class up into instruction and enrichment or now, remediation.
“The more time we have the practice the prep the better prepared we will be – the more practice you get, the better you become if you practice the right way.” said Penn Manor principal, Phil Gale, “It’s an indicator of where students’ skills are.”
The purpose is to raise the PSSA test scores, according to administrators. The high school and Martic Elementary school did not make adequate yearly progress, according to the state, and the high school has been put on Corrective Action II designation.
PMHS Principal, Mr. Gale
“Remediation is a waste of valuable class time. I know people that did well on the benchmark tests and are still in remediation,” said junior, Hannah Breidenbaugh. “This is also keeping students from getting tutoring and participating in school clubs.”
Kids in remediation are not allowed to participate in school clubs.
“We need to soar with the strengths we have and tend to our needs.” said Penn Manor assistant principal Dr. D’Amico.
Students who are not designated to go to remediation must still get enrichment every day in a revolving block schedule.
Maddie Rohrer and Dani Landis. Photography credit Taylor Goldberg
“The new schedule is not making me feel more prepared for the PSSA test,” said Penn Manor junior, Maddie Rohrer. “Enrichments don’t relate to the test, the lessons are so random.”
Manheim Township and Conestoga Valley reportedly both made changes to their school schedule in order to bring test scores up in reading and math. The changes in both districts paid off, boosting test scores. However, schools including Pequea Valley, Solanco, Penn Manor and Warwick all failed to make AYP (Annual Yearly Progress).
“They may not agree with the test, they may not like the format but it’s what the state has mandated that all students across Pennsylvania be proficient in,” confirmed D’Amico.
In order to make AYP, at least 67 percent of students had to score “proficient” or “advanced” in math and at least 72 percent in reading PSSAs. Cutoff scores increase several percentage points each year. In 2011 the state increased cutoff scores by 9 percent in reading and 11 percent in math.
“I give the kids credit for coming in and working hard, they may not like it but it’s like a hard practice,” stated Gale. “They’re working hard and that’s all we can ask for, that they continue to give us that effort.”
Penn Manor seniors aren’t too thrilled about having to participate in these enrichment periods.
“Focus on younger kids, like kids at the middle schools,” said Penn Manor senior, Jade Hess. “Enrichment sucks, I vote seniors shouldn’t have to do it. I miss homeroom!”
New boys soccer coach, Coach McCabe hopes to lead the Comets to districts.
Penn Manor soccer team fought their way into a preliminary game against Garden Spot.
New head coach, Steve McCabe, led the Comets into their game on Monday night against the Spartans at Comet field at 6 p.m.
“Coach McCabe really lightened the mood and he taught us a lot this season,” said junior soccer player Kevin Reinhart.
The Comets had a tough schedule to get to where they are, facing off against Manheim Township, Conestoga Valley, Hempfield, and Warwick.
“I raised the expectation level,” said McCabe.
He readied the Comets soccer team to compete with everyone and almost all of the games were close.
The new season was started by adjusting to the new coach.
“To be honest they embraced a lot of changes,” said first-year Comets head coach McCabe.
The change proved to be good since the team is now heading to districts.
Penn Manor finished the season with a record of 9-5-1, and were lead by top goal scorer and senior, Andrew Herr, who has already committed to attend Michigan State where he will play soccer.
“I made them accountable for themselves,” said McCabe.
One thing that seemed different to players was that they had accountability partners off the field.
There is a lot of pressure on the team, and for some seniors, this might be their last game.
The Comets are a better seed than Garden Spot, and if they win, they face off against Cumberland Valley in districts on Thursday, if they lose, they are eliminated.
Cumberland Valley is the number one seed so the Comets would be the underdogs if they make it to districts.
Students’ wallets seem to be missing cash and their bank cards may be the culprit.
Nowadays, it isn’t rare to see students flash a debit cards wielding their names rather than a handful of dollars.
But with this responsibility, comes some consequences, according to some Penn Manor High School students. And now banks may make using a debit card even more expensive for students.
Bank of America, PNC Bank, Wells Fargo, SunTrust Bancorp, Atlanta, and Regions Financial Corp have decided to implement a $5 monthly fee to debit card owners.
With these new fees, Penn Manor students feel this may affect their sensitive balances and could possibly change the quantity of usage.
“It (bank balance) will go down by a lot,” said senior Tyler Smith. “It’s kind of common sense.”
“Yeah it would affect me,” said Reagan Forrey when addressed about the fees.
Students who own debit cards tend to spend more money, but with the new debit fees added by banks, some students may not have the money to spend. Photo Eric Schlotzhauer
Even without the debit fees, Penn Manor students still have trouble keeping money in their accounts.
“Definitely,” said senior Abby Barely. “I spend a lot more than if I had cash because it is right there and you don’t have to go to the bank.”
Students say they are trading convenience for costs. Sometimes the plastic fools teens into thinking they aren’t spending real money.
“Because you swipe away,” said senior Dylan Weber about his debit card habits.
Although many students lack the responsibility to manage their money when dealing with debit cards, others manage their money just fine.
Even with a debit card, carrying around cash is still likely, but the quantity is lessened.
“I usually carry around $30 (in bills) because the MAC machines at Turkey Hill sometimes don’t work,” said Weber.
“Unlike cash,” says the press for the new release of a card aimed at teenagers, “the Current Card gives teens a better way to track and manage their spending while developing smart money-management skills.”
Teenagers are much more likely to spend their hard earned cash when they have bank acess. Photo By http://www.howmuchanswers.com/credit/card/4.htm
Although they have their benefits, not everyone thinks bank cards are a positive way for teens to learn about money-management.
“Despite their lofty goal of teaching young people to manage money, they really make it easier for kids to spend it,” said Janet Bodnar, Editor of Kiplinger’s Personal Finance. “With the Current Card, for example, teens are eligible for ‘members-only’ in-store coupons and online discounts when they use their cards at select restaurants, movie theaters and other ‘teen-friendly merchants.'”
Students will have even more to worry about with these new fees. Their balances are already going down quickly, and with these debit charges, it may be too much for students to own a debit card.
The Penn Manor Marching Unit does more then play the national anthem and razz up the crowds at football games. PMMU is one of many bands in the area that competes in the Cavalcade of the Bands Association and so far in the competition, the Penn Manor Marching Unit has killed their opponents this year with their show entitled “Insurrection.”
“We’ve won many awards this season, we won high visual awards high music awards, the percussion has won a number of specialty awards and then the three first place finishes that we’ve gotten at competitions,” said Tom Mumma the director of the Penn Manor Marching Unit (PMMU).
Color Guard Memember Michelle Resh As She Prepares To Kill Drummer Jesse Griffith During Practice. Photo Courtesy Of Sabrina Kurtz
This weekend PMMU had added to their impressive record of awards at the 10th annual Manheim Central
Marching Barons Invitational held at Manheim Central high school, with another first place win along with High percussion and High auxiliary (guard). These two specialized awards mean PMMU was the best in those categorizes out of all the bands that had competed. The marching unit now has 4 first place wins a second place win and countless “High” awards.
“It’s a very fun show, we get to kill people, people die,” said junior and flutes and clarinet section leader Natosha Polaski.
Insurrection tells a tale of two rivals continually battling for power and land.
“Conflict is an easy topic that teenagers know about,” said Mumma
The show is made up of three movements, each with it’s own distinct visuals and music.
“It’s more of a story this year instead of a theme. In our past shows like Earth was last year so it was just one thing per movement, but this year it’s just telling a story so it’s a lot more fun. It’s really intense, I love the intensity,” said Kelly Herr Senior Trumpet Section Leader
In the first movement, the trumpet assembles his clan for another day, when abruptly the enemy strikes. The clan battles to defend itself and during the battle a member is slain during the enemy’s vicious attack.
In the second movement the group realizes the tragedy that has struck them and mourns the loss of their fallen comrade.
After memorializing the fallen, the clan plans a strike of their own, pursuing revenge against the enemy in the final movement of the show.
While the band plays the music, the guard acts out the story.
Co-guard captain and junior Ashley Miller had said, “We are the emotions of the show we tell the story of what’s going on what’s gonna’ happen next.”
The Penn Manor Marching Unit competes in the Liberty Division along with 20 other bands, in the Cavalcade of the Bands Association, along with neighboring school district Lampeter-Strasburg.
“We kind of have a friendly rivalry with LS, (who) we’re all kind of friends with but it’s still there,” said Weston Chambers, a senior and low brass brass section leader.
Along with LS, PMMU may have some other rivals.
“Two years ago we had one with Hatboro Horsham, which they are ahead of us right now so I guess the rivalry is back,” mentioned Chambers.
Mumma said, “We’re ranked third behind Hatboro Horsham and Southern Regional which are two very good programs.”
“Even though were not in first place right now, we have been elevating our score every week and I’m so proud of the entire band for all of the hard work they’re doing and it’s just a great season altogether,” said senior and co-drum major Tim Duebler.
But with the sweet taste of success comes continuing hard work to stay on top.
Senior, horn and saxes section leader Maranda Kurtz said “We practice Tuesday,Thursday, Friday and a really long time Saturday. And Saturday is completely spent practicing and then going to a competition where we get scored on our performance and we compete with about 30 other bands in our district. ”
PMMU competed Saturday in the Festival of the Bands, hosted at Littlestown High School, where they had their third first place win. But the win didn’t come so easily.
“We move very fast on the field and not a lot of other bands do that so judges aren’t necessarily prepared for getting out of the way with our kids and sometimes they run into them unfortunately and usually it’s just a bump here or there,” said Mumma. “But this past weekend, when we were at Littlestown, one of the guard girls fell pretty hard because the judge couldn’t get out of the way in time.”
A win never tasted so sweet to the band after a close loss at their last competiton at Lancaster Catholic.
“It was two tenths of a point kept us out of first place because one judge just didn’t get the show which we didn’t see before and havn’t seen after that. So you know it would have been nice to have all first place instead of one second place. But we know that we were probably the better band that night, if it wasn’t for one judge we would of gotten first at that one too,” said Mumma.
PMMU will be competing in the Liberty Divsion championship which will be held on November 13 at Millersville Stadium.
“I expect we’ll be at least top five [going into championships] but if we continue to make progress like we have this season, I don’t see why we wouldn’t go in first or second,” said Mumma
Color Guard Memember Michelle Resh As She Prepares To Kill Drummer Jesse Griffith During Practice. Photo Courtesy Of Sabrina Kurtz
Co-Color Guard Captain Shayla Moore During Practice. Photo Courtesy Of Sabrina Kurtz
PMMU During The Second Movement Photo Courtesy Of Sabrina Kurtz
The Trumpet Section Rehearsing During The Third Movement. Photo Courtesy Of Sabrina Kurtz
Drumline Rehearsing During An Evening Practice. Photo Courtesy Of Sabrina Kurtz
PMMU As They Preform Movement 2. Photo Courtesy Of Sabrina Kurtz
PMMU Performing Movement 3. Photo Courtsey Of Sabrina Kurtz
PMMU During The Second Movement. Photo Courtesy Of Sabrina Kurtz
Color Guard Members Going Over Work During Practice. Photo Courtesy Sabrina Kurtz
PMMU Preforming The First Movement While Junior Mike Helwig And Senior Tim Deubler. Photo Courtesy Of Sabrina Kurtz
A little over one year away from a Stanley Cup Finals berth, Flyers’ general manager, Paul Holmgren, decided that a change was necessary.
Gone, are the teams’ captain (Mike Richards) and leading goal scorer (Jeff Carter). Gone is Michael Leighton, the goalie that led the team to a postseason run culminating in a blown game-6 lead.
Arriving is the consensus top prospect in hockey, Brayden Schenn. He was acquired from the Los Angeles Kings in the trade for Mike Richards. Schenn was drafted by the Kings’ organization 5th overall in the 2009 entry draft.
The Flyers' Wayne SImmonds mixes size and skill along with a grittiness fans adore. Photo courtesy of Yahoo.
Ilya Bryzgalov, a former Vezina trophy finalist and Stanley Cup champion was signed to a nine year 51 million dollar contract. The Russian international is the stud g
oaltender Flyer fans have been clamoring for since the days the legendary Bernie Parent covered the net for the Flyers.
The former five time scoring champion, Jaromir Jagr, has also entered the fold in Philadelphia. The 39-year-old Jagr has returned from a three-year hiatus in Siberia. He left the NHL after a contract dispute with the Flyers’ bitter division rivals, The New York Rangers. Jagr has found instant chemistry with the team’s budding superstar, Claude Giroux. Teamed with James Van Riemsdyk, the trio hope to take the league by storm this year.
But the real gem of the offseason changes may be Wayne Simmonds who was also acquired in the Mike Richards deal. The 6’2″- 183 pound forward has been the lynchpin of the Flyers attack so far this year. His strong presence in front of the net has given the Flyers a dimension they have been missing for years. The team has not had a strong net presence since Mike Knuble skipped town for Washington D.C.
The Flyers decided to overhaul the team in the off season. so far it has been working. The Flyers are 4-1-1 in their first six games.
The Penn Manor Comets football team added a new color to their repertoire for their final home game of the season against Warwick.
The student section, usually covered in blue and gold, switched up the colors for breast cancer awareness month. Even the football players were wearing pink socks.
The game was all Penn Manor as they won on their senior night.
“Our defense wasn’t doing as good as we wanted them to, but our offense was clicking,” said junior football player, Daulton Parmer.
Warwick got up on the board first with a touchdown late in the first quarter but missed the extra point so they would only be up by six.
Then Penn Manor drove right back down the field and Brandon Stone scored a touchdown. Penn Manor kicker, Brian Sloss, also missed the extra point so the score would stay tied.
Penn Manor turned it up a notch when Daulton Parmer caught an interception and quarterback Adam Sahd capped off the interception with a touchdown on a quarterback sneak in the second quarter.
With just 32 seconds left in the second quarter, Daulton Parmer caught a touchdown. But Warwick had an answer, taking the next kickoff back to the house finishing off the scoring in the second quarter.
At the half, the score was 20-13, Penn Manor.
In the third quarter, Brandon Stone was able to score again putting the Comets up 27-13. Then Dylan Webber scored for the Comets to put them up 21 points against the Warriors.
Even though Warwick scored again. they still couldn’t figure out a way to come back against the Penn Manor defense. The game ended with a score of 34-20.
When Lindamarie Olson first heard about a club called “Do Something” at a youth retreat, she couldn’t help but imagine the club in Penn Manor.
“Me and a few friends just wanted to start a club that will get the student body involved in the community and really make a difference,” said club Co-President, Jillian Heckman.
Even though the founders were excited about the club and couldn’t wait to get started, they weren’t sure if many people would participate.
Club members sell baked goods to raise money for breast cancer awareness. Photo by Tim Harris.
“I was surprised when we had club sign-ups, and 86 people joined the club,” Heckman added.
The student body’s enthusiasm for the club can be seen with the club’s first fundraiser, a bake sale to raise money for breast cancer awareness and selling pink ribbons for a dollar. After the first day the club had already made $250 and had club members proud to see how much they had already raised.
“Usually during times of a weak economy fund-raising, the amount of volunteers decrease, but with Penn Manor, it’s not seeming like that,” said club member, Lake Heckaman.
The club is one the largest organizations in the country that helps teens take action for causes that they really care about. In 2010, the club alone put over a million teens nationwide to action, and the club is gaining more recognition with celebrities from Jersey Shore’s Vinny Guadagnino to teen icon, Miley Cyrus, posting videos on DoSomething.org, the club’s website.
“When I was first asked about the club, I never had heard of it before, but it was such great group of kids that I wanted to get this club started, and they already they were full of great ideas, so it’s a pretty easy and exciting club to be an advisor for,” said club advisor, Melissa Frerichs.
Penn Manor student Harrison Shetler wears his Breast Cancer ribbon. Photo by Tim Harris
Club Members also accepted donations from teachers and students. Photo by Tim Harris
Do Something club members sold breast cancer ribbons for $1. Photo by Tim Harris
Penn Manor showed breast cancer awareness by having students wear pink clothing to school. Photo by Tim Harris
Cupcakes designed with the breast cancer ribbon. Photo by Tim Harris
All baked goods sold were given as donation. Photo by Tim Harris
Club members sell baked goods to raise money for breast cancer awareness. Photo by Tim Harris.
Every day in school, we see couples roaming the halls, holding hands, clinging to each other, laughing and making all of us single teens want to barf. But we are most certainly NOT jealous. We don’t want that. So for all of you who insist that we are jealous and lonely, leave us alone. We just want to barf.
We all know the couple about whom I’m referring. They walk slowly through the halls as though they are meandering through a field of wildflowers. They dramatically swing their arms back and forth and back and forth, clinging to one another’s hands. They decide to stop in the middle of the hall. They say goodbye to each other for the block as though one is going away to war. They caress each others’ faces, and they hug, and they kiss. And the whole time, you just want them to move out of your way so you can get to class before you vomit.
I’m sorry, but I would just prefer to not see the tongues of two people flapping around inside and around the outside each other’s mouths. I’d rather see your slimy and repulsive ABC food.
Now I’m not saying that I think teen love is gross. I just think teens lovin’ up on each other in the halls is revolting. The idea in the majority of the pubertal minds we have to encounter, unwillingly, throughout the day seems to be that shoving one’s tongue down another’s throat, leaving slobber and marks all over their bodies, and groping each other in the halls means you are definitely in love.
“Love” must be so yummy.
But somehow, these couples make me a tad green at times. No, I don’t mean they always make me sick and want to vomit. I mean I am green with envy. Yes, I may be a bit jealous, but I don’t want to be a part of a grody teen couple in the halls.
I just want someone who wants to be that with me. I want the choice to not be like that. I want to choose to not be disgusting.
But sadly, instead I’m stuck with the feelings of envy and nausea. They still make me want to vomit, even if I do wish I could be in their shoes.
Epharta Fire Department was on call Tuesday as Comet runners nearly torched the grass off the Crusaders’ course.
“It was a great day for us in Epharta. We all ran our hardest. You could say we went out with a bang,” said Starrett Metzler, a sophomore runner at Penn Manor.
Greta Lindsley rounds the corner, already a leg up on the competition. Photo by Jeanne Caggiano
The cross-country team finished off a successful season (Boys 17-4 and Girls 18-3) by taking on the competition in leagues this week at Epharta’s home course.
“We all knew how big a meet this was and we were able to beat every team we beat this season,” said senior captain Harry Manning. “We fought hard and got good performances from Jon Bitner, who placed ninth and Harrison Schettler, who came in second by mere inches.”
Comet individuals placed high in both the guy and girl events this week. The girls star Greta Lindsley coasted through the race to reclaim her LL League title. She ran a great time of 19:14 which was 23 seconds faster than the second place runner from Elizabethtown.
“Greta would have won by more, but she is the favorite for districts on Tuesday and smartly conserved some of her energy,” claimed Manning.
Jared Schatz and Harrison Schettler duel for the title at the finish line. Photo by GameTimePA.com
Harrison Schettler, the boys’ ace in the hole this season, ran his record best time of 16:30. He was barely ousted by the undefeated Jared Schatz from Lancaster Mennonite for the title. Schatz also ran a 16:30 but was declared the winner in a photo-finish.
“The finish was disputed since Schettler crossed the line at the same time as Jared Schatz from Mennonite. The officials conferred and gave the win to Schatz,” noted Manning.
The rest of the Comet boys battled through a tough race and placed well throughout the field. Junior Jonathan Bitner fought for ninth place in the league with a time of 16:58. The team as a whole placed fifth among the competition behind Manheim Township, Hempfield, Warwick and Cedar Crest. Their team score was 144.
The Lady Comets also placed fifth as a team at leagues. They placed behind Manheim Township, Elizabethtown, Hempfield, and Garden Spot with a team score of 161. Meghan Maisano, a sophomore at Penn Manor, placed seventeenth in the field with a time of 20:46.
Schettler and Lindsley will both compete at the district race in Hershey Tuesday. The competition will be tough, but the Comets have proved that they have what it takes to compete at the next level.
This article is one in an occasional series about Penn Manor grads who are doing interesting things with their lives.
He was the guy in high school you never wanted to mess with.
His towering 6′ 5″ height, his broad shoulders, and his massive biceps could cause some students to shake with terror when he’d walk their way.
“That guy is one massive dude,” recalled Penn Manor senior Brad Kruger.
Evan Singleton, the guy who could pick a student up over his head with one hand while curling a freshmen in the other, is realizing a dream to put his brawn to use, less than a year after graduating high school.
This former Penn Manor graduate (2011) is training to be a World Wrestling Entertainment organization professional wrestler, a giant step toward his dream of being a wrestling superstar.
“I think he has the potential to make it,” said Singleton’s Penn Manor wrestling coach, Steve Hess.
Singleton overpowers his opponent during high school wrestling. Photo courtesy of Singleton
Recently Singleton was invited to travel to Tampa, Fla., to try out for the Florida Championship Wrestling Association (FCW) which would guarantee him a spot in the WWE.
“A lot of people shot me down and told me it was only a phase, but I didn’t listen,” said Singleton recently who visted Penn Manor to be interviewed by Penn Points.
Singleton credits the Penn Manor wrestling team as the first step toward his possible career in professional wrestling. He also worked out at a wrestling gym in York and Gold’s gym since he graduated to take steps toward his dream.
While training in York, Singleton was encouraged to try out for a spot at a large, well known wrestling gym called Combat Zone Wrestling, in Philadelphia. During his third week there, he met a man named Nick Berk who had many connections to the WWE all over the world. Berk pulled Singleton aside and said he had many of the qualities needed to be a WWE wrestler.
Berk then became Singleton’s agent and sent out a letter to the top guys at WWE.
“The head coordinator for WWE called me and said they were really excited to see more from me,” said Singleton.
Impressing others is what Singleton is known for. Photo courtesy of Singleton
At the end of September, Singleton flew to Tampa for a week to try out for the FCW. While there, he had to show them everything he had learned over the years of being in and outside of the ring.
“I wore a suit everyday and did whatever I could to leave a good impression,” said Singleton.
The guys from FCW (Florida Championship Wrestling) were surely impressed. They told him he had the perfect attitude, the right skills and the right build.
Singleton is currently waiting for a call for his big break. He would have to move to Florida to continue his wrestling career. If all goes well the Penn Manor grad may soon be seen on televisions across the country.
“I am expecting a call back this week, so my fingers are crossed,” Singleton said.
