Windsock

7th Grade Update: In Two Parts!

Last week was the end of the third quarter. In Language Arts class students had to turn in their parallel reading charts, take a vocabulary test, and perform speeches about what it means to become a teenager. On Thursday our booklets we had been putting together about Africa were due. In science class we have been studying the circulatory system. We even got to take our own blood pressure!
There were a lot of after school activities. Many girls who are a part of the JV girls soccer team played in a game on Tuesday against Roanoke Valley Christian School. Our team dominated and the ending score was 12-0. Go Flames! If you weren’t committed to sports you may have tried out for the middle school play. 
Despite all of this excitement seventh graders were ready to get out of school on Thursday to start their Spring Break, I know I was.

- Hannah Pellegrino

I know some of us are still tired from Spring Break. Work is still being turned in for the third quarter.This week was the start of the fourth quarter. Wednesday we had a Math quiz on ratios and we had an assembly on computer safety. Today we did journaling in English, we reviewed for the test in Science tomorrow, and we worked on our booklets about Japan in Social Studies. On Friday we are going to have a Science test and in math we will be measuring trees and other objects. Saturday is the Soup and Arts Fest to show things that we have made in Art. The Soup and Arts Fest is a fund raiser for the school. Report cards should be coming out next week.

- Patrick Moran

Student Profile: Connor Wolfe

Connor Wolfe began playing minor league baseball in kindergarten, when he was five years old.  Since then, every sports year has found him on the courts and fields.  This year at EMHS is no exception.  Wolfe played both JV basketball and soccer for the Flames, and now plays Varsity baseball.  "He's focused," says Stefan Baughman, "And intense.  He's got a really good arm, plays hard."

Wolfe talked about the influences in his life.  He doesn't follow any famous sports heroes, but he does have a few of his own.  "I really look up to the Seniors.  It feels good to be on a Varsity team, and to have the older guys cheer you on," he said. He remembers the person that first inspired him to be an athlete.  "My grandad played football, baseball and basketball for Virginia Tech.  I really want to live up to what he did."  He says that, especially this year, when he began playing baseball after years off the field, his grandfather's example encouraged him. "He was my motivator," he said. The first baseball game this season was intense for Wolfe.  "But I hit two triples.  I was really happy about that."

Wolfe remembers many intense moments from this sports year.  The JV Basketball's first game against Harrisonburg was, for him, "emotion-filled."  He was back in his old school, playing against the team he used to be a part of, while crowds of his old friends watched from the bleachers.

Another intense game for Wolfe was in the tournament this soccer season when he broke his wrist.  "I ran someone over and my wrist caught on his shoulder and snapped back."  This sounds painful, until you look at Wolfe's long history of sports-related injuries.

Playing basketball on a little plastic hoop in his basement, Wolfe suffered his first sports-related injury when his foot slipped on the doorstop.  "I had a hole in my foot.  They took me to the hospital and gave me stiches," he explained. Then, in 7th grade, in a baseball scrimmage, Wolfe hit the ball forward and it curved back and hit him in the mouth.  "It had a weird spin on it. I didn't realize it 'til there was blood."  While playing football for Harrisonburg, he got a stinger, which he explained is "when you mess up the nerves in your neck," that still aches occasionally.  In 7th grade he broke his ankle playing soccer and had to have surgery.  "I missed a baseball season because of that, but besides that I've only ever missed one game because of an injury."

These injuries have discouraged him.  But he said, "What I think is important is bouncing back.  Everybody makes mistakes, what is important is how quickly you can bounce back from them...just don't give up."

- Hannah Cranston

Blitzkrieg Player Tops 1000!

Mitchell Leap, and the basketball team in general, have had a very rewarding season.  Indeed, Leap enjoyed the honor of topping one thousand points in his career at EMHS, becoming the first player to do so since Nathan Hartzler.  Neither is it hyperbole to describe him as a blitzkrieg; Mitchell and his speedy, offensive tactics (and point guard role) have made a fine contribution to EMHS's Varsity Basketball heritage, with a 14.3 scoring average per game over three years.  It was in his last season that he really shone, however.  Starting the season with 490 points, he and Travis Nyce were the strongly defensive team's main offensive scorers, and the 522 points Mitchell scored stand as a testament to their efficiency.  Mitchell is the ninth player to score 1000 at EMHS, with a total of 1012. 

Varsity Boys Basketball had an interesting time in general this winter.  Dillion Brunk was persuaded to join after seven games, adding manpower and talent that allowed an upsurge in game wins, including a powerful home triumph over Fishburne Military school (placed second in the conference), 85-57.  Mitchell commented that this was a really well played game, "One of the games of our lives."  In general, EMHS varsity performed quite well, finishing with a 12-13 record, a number that belies several dramatic victories. 

The team seems to have had a good season.  Coach Bechler noted that the team shifted very much towards a generally defensive strategy, leaving the offense mainly in the hands of Mitchell and Travis.  Mitchell commented as well that there were more offensive players last year, but that there was plenty of great defense this time around.  The team played very well together, with a great deal of cooperation and helping each other out, and a sense of unity seems to have pervaded the season.  With five seniors leaving next year, new personnel will need to be found.  No doubt it will be, and new heroes will take to the court!

- David Jost

Shorts at EMHS: A Questionable Moral/Dress Code?

It’s official – EMHS has altered its dress code. For as long as I can remember (and presumably for as long as the school has been around) shorts of all types have been banned from the halls of the high school and middle school. Modesty and school appearance are generally the reasons I heard for the shorts dress code, and for years shorts have only been allowed on special days. As of January, this prohibition has been lifted  - on account of the amount of money the students raised during Fund-Drive.

I could scarcely believe it when I heard that this “earn money and we’ll change the rules” offer was being made again. In the 2003 Fund Drive, the school gave the kids the same option – but only lifting the school ban for a week if the students met the monetary goal. As I recall, there was a lot of disagreement among some of the teachers, parents and administration about this offer – a lot of people saw it to be in bad taste.

I’m afraid I’d have to agree with them. It seems to me that the message the school is sending here by altering the dress code is “we’ll lower our standards if you raise enough money.” Maybe the school had been planning to change this part of the dress code for a while, and was just looking for another way to spur the kids come Fund-Drive time. Maybe, as I’ve heard, it had more to do with current fashion than money, and the administration is just hoping that Bermuda shorts won’t be replaced by short-shorts anytime soon.

Don’t get me wrong – I don’t have a problem with shorts, and I’m not saying I was too in favor of the dress code to begin with. I suppose it’s good that students now have increased opportunities to express themselves through their clothes (not to mention, most of us will be glad to have something other than jeans to wear once the days start getting warmer).  I’ve also notice that once spring comes, a number of kids develop the habit of changing out of pants and into shorts the instant that 2:55 arrives, making me wonder about the purpose of the rule to begin with.

So, it’s not so much that I’m anti-shorts or anti-administration. It’s more that I wonder about the moral basis of the change. If you’re going to change the dress code, why not do it at the beginning of the year, separate from Fund Drive, instead of sending such a confusing, “earn more money” type of message? Perhaps the administration now regrets their choice, so I’ll try not to make anyone feel too bad. Next time, however, I’d prefer to see rule changes and fund raisers remain as far away from each other as possible.

- Whitney Showalter

7th Grade Update

Has your week been busy?  My week has not been too busy but I have learned a few things.  For example, we’re learning about the circulation system in humans.  In addition to that, we’re preparing for a small science display for Science Night on March 18.  I’m working on a plant project on how plants survive in different soils.  My classmates are also working on other kinds of projects for Science Night.  We’re carving pictures in linoleum blocks in Art class.  This is one of the harder projects we have done in Art.  In Math we are thankfully finishing up a unit in Algebra and moving on to Geometry.  On Wednesday the 7th and 8th graders watched the play “To Kill A Mockingbird.”  I liked the play and the change in our schedule.  We’re learning about China and the four dynasties, Sui, Tang, Song, and Ming.  We’re creating pamphlets about China in place of a Unit test!  I’m having a good week—are you? 

- Matt McGann

Preview to Track and Field

EMHS’s track and field team consists of eighteen students headed by Coach Lester Zook.  Twelve high school students, six junior high, five women, and thirteen men, all practice and attend meets together.  Every day for the past month they’ve been practicing from 3:40-5:00, getting ready for their track meets which start in just over a week. 

Track teams typically have three broad categories which they compete under; sprinters, jumpers, or distance runners.  EMHS is primarily dominated by distance runners, partially because people who ran cross country in the fall come out for track, and also because EMHS doesn’t have a football team, and, “Football teams are what produce sprinters,” said Coach Zook.

Lester Zook has been involved in track and field for about thirty years, running throughout high school, and then for Messiah college.  For the last twenty years he’s been the head cross country coach at EMU, so when EMHS’s previous track and field coach stepped down a couple years ago, Mr. Zook thought the job would be a good use of his time. 

EMHS has some good competitors on its team, including Lucas Blosser who finished 3rd in the state championship in hurdles last year, and Matt Layman, who’s working on a sub-5 minute mile. 

There are a various reasons kids enjoy the track team, whether it’s because they have the goal of beating their personal record on an event, or because they like the social aspect of it.  Lucas Blosser says it’s partially because, “Most of my friends are distance runners.” 

It seems, “A lot of people tend not to do track because they’ve only known running as a punishment, because in other sports, coaches make them run if they’re bad,” said Brook Hostetter who runs the mile for the Varsity team, “they look at running as a bad thing.”  She says that once you actually run because you decide to, “It’s really fun, and makes you feel good about yourself."

- Eric Broderson

Tennis Preview

Tuesday, March 11, the EMHS boys’ and girls’ tennis teams started their seasons with a bang; girls against Turner Ashby High School, 7-2 EMHS, and the boys in their first match against Fishburne Academy, score 9-0 EMHS.

“We felt really good after the scrimmage. [There were] a lot of good things,” said coaches Jennifer Young and Christie Osbourne. We “definitely need some practice but overall it went well,” agreed sophomore captain Katy Bergey. The EMHS girl’s tennis team graduated 6 out of 13 of its players last year after a very successful season, but both coaches and players feel confident of another good year to come.

“One of our goals is team bonding,” said Bergey, including a close relationship with coaches. Even though she just finished playing a winter basketball season with Young and Osbourne Bergey says that she “really loves it,” and states, “I’m really close to my coaches so I think that it’s great to be around them all the time."

"Fishburne is probably the weakest team that we play," said boys' coach Luke Schrock-Hurst, "we won all 9 matches. I think that we will be every bit as good as we were last year,” he continued. Unlike the girls, EMHS guys tennis only graduated two seniors last year, and don’t have as much ground to cover in terms of recovery.

"The EMHS tennis program is growing," said Schrock-Hurst, "We have JV coaches Steven Stauffer and  Nate Derstine for the first time this year who also happen to be alums and the number 2 and 3 on EMU’s tennis team." The JV team is unusually large this year with 12 teammates. “We decided not to cut anyone,” explained Schrock-Hurst.

EMHS girls lost a heartbreaker to Harrisonburg yesterday, 5-4, while the guys walloped Spotswood, 9-0.

Girls Roster                                               Guys Roster
Sr. Amy Leap*                                         Sr. Eric Broderson
Jr. Linda Lim                                             Sr. Lucas Schorock-Hurst
Jr. Bethany Gingrich                                  Jr. Vincent Morra
So. Katy Bergey*                                        Jr. Junsung Choi
So. Kate Miller                                            Fr. Christophe Langouet
So. Wonsun Seo                                          Fr. Nathaniel Morra
So. Bora Jung
Fr. Olivia Deputy

- Kara Lofton

Baseball Season Preview

At EMHS, baseball has never seen much of the spotlight, but this year, things just might be about to change.  As 2nd year Coach Jason Stulmiller put it, "If everything goes as planned, we could make it all the way to the championship game."  Stulmiller would know: he played catcher for EMU two years before coming to EMHS.  This season brings many new players to the Flames, including Connor Wolfe, Isaac Driver, and Jae White.

Said senior pitcher Stefan Baughman, "Right now our biggest challenge is just staying healthy... staying healthy and keeping our guys academically legible."  That may indeed be a problem.  Both JV Soccer and Basketball have had players benched due to poor grades.  But Baughman is quick to add, "We've got a bunch of talent.  Our team could really play well this year."

Whatever happens, count on it being a bonding experience for both players and coaches.  8th Grade Outfielder Isaac Driver told me "It's been pretty hilarious.  (My teammates) are really funny."

- Mikey Cranston

Soccer Preview

The snow is melting, the sun is out, and spring is in the air.  This means different things to different people, and to some, it means girls soccer season.  The Varsity girls team has been practicing for some time now, and has already played a couple scrimmages and one game.  According to Coach Sherman Eberly, "It's a young team, but they have experience."  There are only 3 seniors on the roster, and most of the players are sophomores.  "We have a lot of sophomores on the team."  agreed senior keeper Julia Johnson (pictured left).  Despite this, all the players have soccer experience.  "All of them have experience playing at the club level or the school level," said Eberly.

The coaches this year are Eberly and Jim Lofton.  Eberly has coached college mens soccer for 9 years and high school boys for 4 years, but has never coached girls.  "They are not as intense as other coaches," said midfielder Jessica Hostetter, "they let us take the initiative."  According to Eberly, he and Lofton are not designating either one "Head Coach," instead co-coaching the team.

There are a few issues this early in the season.  "We are struggling a bit with team dynamics," said Hostetter.  Still, there is a lot of potential on the field, and expectations are fairly high.  "I am cautiously optimistic," said Eberly, and that seems to be the general consensus.  "It's a new year, and we are pretty hopeful," said Johnson.  It will be an exciting season, and well worth paying attention to.  (Angelina pictured above)

NAME                                            YEAR           POSITION

Lucy Baker                                     10               Fwd

Emma Beachy                                 10               Mid/Def

Hannah Bell                                    12               Mid

Caitlin Bucher                                 10               Keeper

Haley Chico                                    10               Mid/Def

Sarah Grace Fitzimmons                  11              Def

Meg Hertzler                                   8                Mid/Def

Jessica Hostetter                            12               Mid

Malia Hostetter                               10               Def

Leah Jacobs                                     9               Fwd/Mid

Julia Johnson                                   12             Keeper

Kara Lofton                                      10             Mid/Def

Leah Moore                                      9               Def

Emily Myers                                      8               Mid

Kristen Myers                                   11              Def

Angelina Pardini                                9                Fwd/Mid

Ranita Shenk                                    10               Mid

Kaitlin Stauffer                                 10               Fwd

Vaughn Strickler                                11               Fwd

Kierra Stutzman                                10               Mid/Def

Rebecca Suter                                   11               Fwd/Mid

Manager:               Kendra Miller

Coaches:               Sherman Eberly and Jim Lofton

- Joe Phillips

A New Open House Model

EMHS held an open house nearly a month ago on February 18 for students and families from the community to observe our educational environment in action and kindle possible interest in attending EMHS.  This open house, unlike those past, occurred during a normal school day.  Families attended classes, chapel, and lunch along with the student body.

The decision to hold the open house during the day came about because of the shortcomings of evening open houses.  In short, says Jean Fisher, Director of Admissions here at EMHS, "The problem [with evening open houses] is that nobody is here.  They don't get any kind of feel for the school."   

But when an open house is held during a normal school day, the school can "show guests the way we really are," says Sarah Schaeffer, Director of Development here at EMHS. 

Both Mrs. Fisher and Mrs. Shaeffer agreed the open house was a productive and worthwhile.  18 families showed up to tour the school, attend classes, and listen in on a super-duper amazing music chapel.  Mrs. Fisher called the event "a great success," and Mrs. Schaeffer noted that the amount of families and students in attendance was nearing maximum capacity for the program that day.

This open house is part of an effort to attract more students to EMHS. Attendance has leveled-off in recent years and the new addition leaves room for at least 30 more students, most in high school, to benefit from an EMHS education. 

Most of the families attending the open house were non-Mennonites, perhaps raising concerns about
a more non-denominational drift at EMHS.  But information about the open house was distributed heavily through Mennonite churches and otherwise among friends of those attending EMHS.  "We want to make sure every Mennonite family who wants to come here can do so," stated Mrs. Fisher.  "And inviting others to join us doesn't necessarily constitute a loss of Anabaptist identity and values," says Mrs. Schaeffer.  "Having others here is not about losing who we are.  It is about reaching out and being efficient."

Look for another open house during the day here next year, as well as one in the evening for parents who can not get off work. "We will definitely do this again," says Mrs. Fisher.

- Nathan Hershberger