By Mike McCarty Staff Writer Students from Red Lion Area Senior High School’s drafting and design level four class have begun a remarkable self-driven project. Seniors Drake Schaefer, Hunter Kinard, Mike McCarty, Sebastian Smith, Joshua Ziolkowski, Ben Clark, and junior McKayla Cooley are those in charge of the effort to restore the Neff’s single-room schoolhouse. Located on 220 Country Club Road, this historic landmark is in dilapidated condition and in need of improvements and repairs. With only a few months and a couple of field trip days lefts within the school year, the pressure is on, but the students of Red Lion are more than up for the challenge. “Simply it has to be done, and it’s a fun challenge,” senior Hunter Kinard said. The one overseeing this project is their very own drafting/design level four teacher Mr. John Royer. With immense enthusiasm he encourages the students to not only do this for a grade, but to find out what this project means for those working on it and to find out what you’re passionate about in life. Mr. Royer’s passion for the project is closely tied to the reason he wants to be involved. “Why? To restore and honor the impacts that single room schoolhouses had on our community, simple hardworking close knit families who loved to help each other was a part of life,” Mr. Royer, said. Neff’s single room schoolhouse was just a stepping stone to many of the students striving to make it to high school, where most of the core subjects were taught, including geography, mathematics, English, and especially religion. What was once a treasure to the town and its students this historic institution is rotting away sadly. “I feel it is important to secure the legacy left behind so future visitors may take a trip back in time. My local history students continue to be amazed at what took place in this building. Education has changed and grown exponentially over the past 65 years but it is important to reflect on our beginnings,” Mr. Sam Cooley, local history teacher said. With panels falling from the ceiling, paint chipping, and splintering floorboards, the school house is slowly decaying, though with the help and compassion from the students, this barely recognizable structure will once again stand proud. “It’s a part of our towns history, not everyone has the chance to tackle a project like this so why not?” Drake Schaefer said.
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By Bella McCarey
Co-Editor-in-Chief For the last 12 months, the Red Lion community has been surrounding the efforts of Habitat for Humanity to build a home for Ashley Moffitt and her daughter Shaelynn. Superintendent Dr. Scott Deisley and Assistant Principal Mr. Grant Gouker teamed up to bring the dream of participating in Habitat for Humanity to the school district. The house is in the final stretch, with the ending date rapidly approaching. March 23, 2015 is the date that Mr. Gouker has in mind and would like to continue working to meet the deadline. “The interior is about 98% finished. There is still a little bit of painting to do, electrical fixtures to install, and window treatments to do, “ Mr. Gouker said. “There are also some exterior things to do all of which will have to be completed when the weather gets warm.” As of now, the itinerary or location of the closing ceremony isn’t absolute. The one thing that Mr. Gouker is aware of is creating a “special project” to create for the homeowner, which will be a gift highlighting the building process. The house was made possible mainly based on fundraising efforts by the community itself as well as the school districts, including staff, administration and students, participating in the building process. The fundraising goal for the project was met, a $90,000 figure necessary for finishing the home. By Ian Adler Multimedia Editor This year marked the sixth annual “Polar Bear Plunge” to help benefit Special Olympics of York County. The event’s main goal is to fundraise to help pay for programs SOYC runs for its athletes. Participants raise money, show up to the John Wright restaurant in Wrightsville and take a dip in the frozen Susquehanna River. However, there is much more to it than just hopping into ice cold water. Many plungers dress up in creative costumes, as the event features a “costume contest” with categories such as “most outrageous” or “most creative.” There are also fun activities, with 96.1 WSOX broadcasting music for everyone to dance to throughout the day (the event goes from around 10 AM to 1 PM). “The energy was a lot higher this year than last year,” Mrs. Carrie Smeltzer, Health teacher and event organizer said. “I think the weather had a lot to do with it and we had a lot of the athletes participate in the dances and things, so I think that made the energy a lot better.” Red Lion’s team, “RL Hardcore” brought plenty of first time plungers to the stage. “I think it’s a great event,” English teacher Mr. James Marsala said after taking the plunge. “It’s my first time here, and it’s awesome. It’s a great cause and a really fun time.” “It was a shock at first, but after coming out of the water, it wasn’t that bad,” Mr. Ryan Small of the English department said. “My sister is actually in the special education program up at Bloomsburg, and she loved doing this last year, so I figured I’d come out and help a good cause and help Mrs. Smeltzer out too.” “From Red Lion, I would like to see more of our administrators and teachers, colleagues, joining the team,” said Smeltzer. “I know that the students have a lot more fun when they have those individuals joining with them.” With over 1,000 participants this year, about 350 showed up on the day of the plunge to sign up, marking a record attendance for the event. The planning committee will meet in May to determine a date for next year’s plunge. Participants can start signing up around the 2015 holiday season. “I want to put it out to the Rowdies to come next year.” Small said. Polar Bear Plungers ‘Freezin for a reason’, raised over $115,000 By Bella McCarey Co-Editor-in-Chief As Habitat house begins to come together, other schools districts show interest in participating in the cause. The Red Lion Area School District’s home page states its mission is to prepare students to reach their highest potential while also helping them become productive citizens. Through academics, athletics and community projects, students are able to actively improve as people in and out of the classroom. Habitat for Humanity is one venue for which students are gaining community service hours and partaking in something bigger than themselves. Students are volunteering individually and in groups within the school, such as FFA, the Executive Council of 2015 and Choir. The hard work students have put in is shown through the house itself, which is in the final home stretch. “The building itself is complete in structure and walls are currently primed and being painted,” Assistant Principal Mr. Grant Gouker said. The end of March is still the completion date for the project, weather permitting. “It depends on how bad this winter is this year, if it’s anything like it was last year,” Mr. Gouker said, “But it’s looking positive as of right now.” While the house’s foundation is settling, another foundation is in works in other school districts. Spring Grove, Central York and York County School of Technology are all looking to begin their own Habitat projects. “Spring Grove and other districts [Central and YCST] have asked to be a part of things, sort of following in our footsteps,” Mr. Gouker said, “It’s always nice to be first for once.” As the house begins to feel more like a home, the works of planning a “handover ceremony for the homeowners” is on the table. “There’s not much detail on it yet, but if March stays as our ending date, the idea of the ceremony will be more clear,” Mr. Gouker said. To sign up to volunteer, go to http://tinyurl/rlhabitat to sign up today! By Zachary Rhine Staff Writer Students jump at the chance for a field trip, so why not spend a day off in the nature teaching a younger generation? Fourth Grade Environmental Days is a club and community service activity offered by Red Lion Area High School that gives students the opportunity to become educators for a day. It is one of Red Lion’s oldest running field trips, beginning roughly around 1987. The first three days of Fourth Grade Days commenced earlier this fall, and according to elementary school teachers, it was “one of the best, if not the best, trips.” “I thought it went extremely well,” said Ms. Heather Fogell, one of Red Lion High School’s biology teachers and the coordinator of the field trip. She went on to explain that “the students who had already been trained did an excellent job of training the new high school students so that they could do the best job possible.” Ms. Fogell herself participated in the field trip when she was a high school student, and she became the lead organizer of the event in 1997. Other teachers who assisted in the most recent Fourth Grade Days were Mrs. Kilgore, Mrs. Stuth, Mrs. Funke and Mrs. Hoffman. Mrs. Saunders, the school dental hygienist, was also there taking pictures. “(Fourth Grade Days) is a great program that shows Red Lion students demonstrating their knowledge of the environment, through hands on activities with younger Red Lion students,” said Fogell, informing all who are on the fence about getting involved with the program. The next three Forth Grade Days will occur in the spring, most likely in March. Fourth Grade Environmental Days is also a club offered at the high school to further prepare students interested in becoming part of the actual field trip and expanding on leadership skills. Senior Wyatt Franks hooked up to the double red machine about to save lives. “I know there’s people out there who need it most. Wanna see a miracle? Be the miracle.” -Senior Lea Owrutsky By Sierra Dennison Staff Writer Needles, nurses, and blood can be a scary sight to some, but walking into the old gym January 8th was a whole different feeling. It was a feeling of hope and saving lives. Wyatt Franks, a senior and blood drive coordinator for Red Lion Area Senior High School, meets with the Senior Account Executive Beverly Stambaugh from Red Cross to start the process for setting up the blood drive the school holds. They meet about six months before to schedule a date, and it snowballs from there. Beverly Stambaugh informed the Leonid that the Red Cross is based in Baltimore and covers everywhere from the York Adams area through parts of Virginia, including most of Maryland. She trains on how to recruit donors and the basic forming steps. Then right before the drive she meets with the coordinator, to get numbers of donors so they can determine how many supplies are required. The trucks are then pre-packed and the crew is assigned to where they will be receiving blood. Red Lion’s goal was 63, and it came in just short with 59 donors. Each pint of blood is labeled and kept chilled in a cooler. From there, it is sent out. Little vials of blood are sent across the country to be tested. The second the blood is cleared from diseases it is sent to local hospitals.They separate the blood into platelets, plasma, and red cells while they are waiting to be sent out. Beverly Stambaugh said, “It’s the donors, without donors we have nothing. They save lives.” Even though she runs a good bit of the show in local areas, she also gives blood six times a year. Even Fanks, the Red Lion Area Senior High School coordinator, donates. However, he does not donate just whole blood, but double reds as well. The donor gets hooked up to a machine, and it allows the donor to donate 2 bags of red cells safely. This is accomplished by putting the plasma back into the body. “It’s a warm and cold sensation, but it feels fine. I keep in mind this saves lives.” said Wyatt Franks. Donating whole or double red can make a huge difference. There will be another blood drive in May. The next one will be ran by a freshman named Neil Nicholson. Wyatt Franks has a binder for future coordinators for step by step directions. Donors are eligible if they are 16 years of age and have a parent consent form signed. Without a consent form, you cannot give. It is important to also note that iron levels need to be high enough to donate blood, and ways to do this is given when donors sign up. If you are interested in donating feel free to see Wyatt Franks or Neil Nicholson for more information. |
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