What's old is new(s) again!

News from the Nest Staff

Dear readers,

Thank you for supporting the Nazareth Area High School news blog. We are grateful for the opportunity to share our stories with you and our extended Blue Eagle family since 2017. Sadly, this will be the final post for News from the Nest, but this is not the final word from our journalists. We are excited to share that the original NAHS school newspaper, The Blue and White Standard, is coming back! The first issue was published in 1931 by a staff of talented NAHS writers. The next issue is coming out in 2023 as a digital publication created by another staff of talented NAHS writers. Our goal is to live up to their standard with our Standard.

The Blue and White Standard is...

We’ll miss Mr. Davis (Even if he’s not going very far)

By Abigail Miller, Sophomore

Mr. Davis never set out to be a principal, but he made it his goal to be the best one he could be while he worked at Nazareth High School. He did his best to bond with his students over 17 years in this position and has enjoyed almost every minute of it. With his move to becoming the director of secondary teaching and learning, he’ll be working closely with teachers to plan out the curriculums of different subjects across middle and high school.

After teaching at Emmaus High School (I know, awful, right?) for two years he started shadowing their vice principal to earn his master's degree. The current principal, unfortunately, fell ill and had to go on medical leave from November to the end of the school year. That meant that the assistant principal had to move up and fill his role as principal. Knowing that Mr. Davis was starting his internship, they reached out and offered him the position of acting assistant principal and hired a substitute teacher for his class. 

With all the hours he needed, Mr. Davis left for the summer thinking he had the best internship experience for the teaching job he thought he would be returning to in the fall. Little did he know that while he and his family were on vacation he would come home to a voicemail on his answering machine telling him that the vice principal was moving up and they would like him to come back the next school year as the official vice principal.

He went on to be the assistant principal at Emmaus for another year before applying to the vice principal at Nazareth. As you might have guessed, he got the job. He was vice principal here at Nazareth for 3 years before becoming principal for another 17.

Everything just happened to fall into place at just the right time. Especially considering that when asked what his dream job would have been, he said he would have loved to work for either the Phillies or the Eagles. In a way, he still got what he wanted, even if our mascot is the Blue Eagle.

Photo from Twitter

As Principal of the Blue Eagles, he did his best to connect and get to know his students. He attended as many games as he could in his time here, not wanting to be the typical old principal locked away in his office. He wanted to see his students’ accomplishments “whether it's academic success, or athletics, or the music department, or theater, you know,  just seeing students in a different light…. Not just in the hallway or in the classroom… but seeing them participate, succeed, perform… is always exciting to me.”

As the director of secondary teaching and learning, Mr. Davis will be overseeing the education of the students in the high school as well as the middle school. He will be focusing on bigger-picture items like curriculum and general education rather than the day-to-day nuances of just the high school.

He is looking forward to the change of pace, hopefully, something slower. He believes that “change is good for the person and the organization” and thinks it’s “time for someone with a different perspective” to come in and shake things up at the high school. That's where Mr. Breidinger comes in.

Sometime between now and January Mr. Breidinger will leave Easton High School, where he's worked for 18 years, and step into the new role as principal. This will be a taxing job, but Mr. Davis has full confidence that he can handle it. Working less than 10 miles away, Mr. Breidinger can use the different environments of Easton to his advantage working at Nazareth. 

Don't worry seniors, your principal of 3.5 years will still be able to send you off at graduation. Mr. Davis and Mr. Breidinger will be doing a joint graduation ceremony to welcome Mr. Breidinger and say farewell to Mr. Davis. This will be a great way to end the 17-year-long chapter at Nazareth and start drafting a new one.

NEWS: New Library Procedures for 2022

By Adrianna Wagner, Senior

For years, the high school’s media center has served as a gathering place for students of all grades. Boasting a stamp-making machine, gaming computers and consoles, Maker Space, Java Joint, and of course–books, the media center has quickly become a hotspot, hosting a large influx of students, including those that have study halls, cyber courses, and dual-enrollment classes. However, the library’s limited space has prompted the introduction of a new library protocol.

Implemented at the beginning of the school year, students are now required to use a sign-up sheet if they would like to remain in the library for a specific block. In the morning, sign-up sheets for blocks and lunches on a first-come-first-serve basis. Each sheet has columns for study hall and release students, allotting a limited amount of spots per block. Upon signing up, hall passes are made and students are then required to go to study hall where their appointment passes will go into effect, allowing them to go to the library.

Mrs. Taaffee, one of our librarians, explained that dual-enrollment and cyber students catalyzed the decision to utilize sign-up sheets, as some elect to stay on campus and must be accounted for if there is an emergency. Additionally, she reports the new procedure has been going well, stating, “Before, we never knew how many students to expect each day and sometimes there was no seating available, especially during the lunch period.” She continued: “Now that we have a definite number of students to expect, it's easier to handle.” 

Presently, the library makes alterations from week to week, sometimes prohibiting groups of students from attending during different blocks to better maintain order. The library has plans to continue this system in the foreseeable future to ensure that visiting the media center is both an enjoyable and organized experience.

NEWS: Parade of Graduates

by Ethan Bachstein, freshman

As the 2021-2022 school year draws to a close and the summer approaches, so too does the high school career of our seniors. So, to honor them, Nazareth Area High School hosts an annual pre-graduation celebration ceremony: the Parade of Graduates.

The decorated convoy left the lower parking lot at 6:30, and went on a parade through the immediate Nazareth Area. They were led by Nazareth’s fire brigade and several police cars with lights blazing and sirens blaring. The seniors made their way up to Rita’s on 191, through the circle on Main, then finally ended full circle back at the high school.

Just beyond the high school, parents and staff were waiting for the seniors with signs of love and pride. As the parade passed by, everyone was cheering and clapping, congratulating our hardworking seniors and wishing them luck with a final send off as they enter the next chapter of their story.

Best of luck seniors!

NEWS: Student Invitational Art Exhibit

by Katie Appleman, junior

On March 27th our very own Eagles Nest Gallery held their annual Student Invitational Art Show. The show was a chance for students to show off their pieces from their current year art classes and classes from the previous year as covid prevented a show last year. Artists were able to attend the show to better explain their pieces and the messages associated with them. The show was not only for 2D art. There were many 3D art and ceramics pieces as well. To exhibit in the show, students had to submit their work for evaluation and wait for it to be selected. 

Artwork by Ashley Cappetta

All of the pieces were very professional, and the vision and dedication was apparent in each one. Ashely Cappetta made this very clear. She created an oil pastel portrait of a woman being stepped on by a shoe. This was piece she made in AP art this year, and was very excited to show off.

Artwork by Morgan Bayda

The featured piece for the show was a Watercolor landscape by Morgan Bayda. It was selected and printed on posters and postcards for artists to send out to their families to help get the word out. 

This show would not have been possible without the tireless planning from Mrs. Ruvalo, Ms. Samuelson, and Mrs. Miller. Mrs. Miller said it was a very good experience for the students. She was also very excited to have a normal show post-COVID.

NEWS: First NASD Music Fest Sings (and Plays)

by Ethan Bachstein, freshman

The Nazareth Area School District was proud to present the first annual Nazareth Music Fest! Musical talent from across the district was in attendance on Thursday, February 3rd, featuring singers and musicians from each of the district's schools. The students practiced together all day at NAHS to prepare for the evening's performance.

The festival started the night with “Great Beginnings” and “Tamboura,” directed by both Ms. Mann and Mr. Hillborn. The choir started with a male section, giving two songs, and then moving on to the female section singing “Mr. Sandman” and “White Winter Hymnal.”

Following them up, the Crescendudes sang a few songs, such as “Come Go with Me” and "Build Me Up Buttercup." Following their lead, the Noteworthy sang the classics “Hello My Baby” and “Mr. Sandman.” For the big finish, the band and choir joined together, performing the National Anthem and placing their hands on their hearts as they recited the Pledge of Allegiance in unison mid-performance. As the performance concluded, the audience erupted into applause, giving the students a standing ovation.

The goals of the event were to build district-wide connections between students in the music department and to help rebuild the enthusiasm for the arts after two years of disruptions.

When the pandemic began, many musical events were postponed for safety. And as Mrs. Rocchi mentioned, it was not easy to make this happen: “I never thought singing could be dangerous. But we are back!” said choir director Mrs. Rocchi. 

A lot has changed, but what never did change was the music department’s drive to make this happen again.

 

NEWS: Principal's Student Forum Takes Off

by Kaylie Kirkham, junior

Dress codes, study hall release, schedule changes, COVID protocol, clubs and activities, vaping awareness. All of these issues are prevalent in the lives of students here at NAHS. Each student has an opinion and a voice. What good is that voice if it goes unheard? We have the power to shape the world around us, but we can’t do it silently.

This is why Mr. Davis, Mr. Wehr, and Mrs. Tashner have decided to institute the Principal's Student Forum. This forum meets once per month during 3rd block to discuss the changes students would like to see made in NAHS. This forum is open to any students who wish to join.

The first meeting of the Student Principal Forum was held on January 28. The students in attendance were given a Nearpod link where they were able to submit their opinions on several different topics. After the students were given the time to think through the prompts, Mr. Davis, Mr. Wehr, and Mrs. Tashner led a large group discussion about the issues.

Students voiced their opinions on the dress code, Eagle Block, the loss of the fourth lunch, COVID protocol, and new ideas for clubs and activities. The administrators listened carefully and responded to each student's concern individually.

Mr. Davis, Mrs. Tashner, and Mr. Wehr want to make NAHS a place where students feel safe, happy, and most importantly, heard. They plan to continue to hold the Principal Student Forum once a month. Any students with any input are welcome to join.

If you have any suggestions on how to improve our school, keep an eye on schoology for sign ups. Your voice matters, so let it be heard!


Photo credit: Kaylie Kirkham

NEWS: Prism Concert Shines

by Ethan Bachstein, freshman

On December 8th and 9th, music lovers got a special holiday themed treat. The Nazareth Prism Concert brought together a culmination of instruments and voices alike, with the additional joke here and there.

Photo Credit: Mrs. Jameson

The Prism Concert is a special kind of performance in which many artists, including singers, musicians, and even poets are placed in several different spots throughout the stage and house. This method of performing is intended to envelop the audience in the music and the performance itself. And envelop it did.

The event had many groups participating, the one of the largest being the Concert Choir directed by Mrs. Rocchi. Several of the a capella groups, including Cantus, Nightingales, and Crescendudes made an appearance as well.

There were a few instrumental groups, with brass and woodwind sometimes in unison, sometimes acting separately. Mr. Hilborn and the Concert Band had several pieces of music to play, as did the NAHS Orchestra and string ensembles. 

Another major highlight was Block of Rock. Grace Cuevas and Kelsey Condon were the lead singers, backed up on guitar by Colin Grohotolski, on the drums by Caleb Thurneau, and on the Keytar by Jacob Kremer.

A good performance is impossible without preparation and plenty of hard work. According to Mrs. Rocchi, “This was our third time that we’ve done the holiday Prism concert. We took about 2 or 3 Eagle Blocks to figure out the order of the songs.” The arduous task of putting on a show for an audience is nothing to take lightly, but the outcome is often quite rewarding.

NEWS: National Honor Society Inducts New Members

 by Adrianna Wagner, junior

“Our future is in good hands,” says Principal Alan Davis. He stands facing supportive family members crowding the upholstered seats in the auditorium, gazing with admiring eyes at their child on stage. Proud smiles spread across their faces as they take photos of the students on stage--the 2021 National Honor Society inductees.

Each year, high schools across America induct select students into the National Honor Society. Founded in 1921, the National Honor Society awards students who not only demonstrate academic excellence or scholarship, but also exhibit leadership, service, and character. In order to be admitted, students maintain their grades while participating in clubs and service projects within the school and the community. 

This year, a collection of both Juniors and Seniors were selected to be NHS members following a formal application process. As per tradition, on its 100th year, an induction ceremony was held in the Nazareth Area High School auditorium to welcome new members into NHS. The evening began at 6:00 PM with the lighting of the first candle, representing the eternal knowledge of its inductees. Afterwards, the new members were presented, accompanied by remarks from Mr. Davis and Dr. Riker.

Grace Rasmussen, Emily Harclerode, Veronica Morris, Bryanha Stanat, Caitlyn Veloshen, and Sierra Jordan, the newly appointed officer inductees, lit candles representing the four pillars of NHS. New members were then sworn in after reciting an oath, pledging themselves to the National Honor Society and promising to honor its core values. The ceremony concluded with the presentation of certificates to students, congratulating them on their noteworthy accomplishments.

Just like the light of the candles, the future is certainly bright for these students.

Got an E-Hallpass?

By Muskan Bajwa and Adrian Gomes

E-Hallpass is part of Nazareth High School’s new trend towards electronic resources.  It is an online pass service that helps schools in various ways, such as quicker, easier access on electronic devices, which all students carry most of the time. Teachers can activate and deactivate passes for students to go to the restroom, the office, or even other classrooms. 

NAHS administration has accepted E-Hallpass from day one. Ms. Strausser, the school’s educational technology specialist, states, “I liked the idea. I am on my computer all the time and I find it easier to click on approve in the E-Hallpass dashboard for a student pass then to look for a paper pass.”  Mr. Tafel, from the history department, agrees that it’s easy to use since it's only a few clicks away rather than filling out a paper. 

E-Hallpass has made passes easier in numerous ways. Especially for staff who have a larger number of students to keep track of, such as Mrs. Strouse in the library, who uses E-Hallpass for everything and has stopped using paper passes entirely. 

Even though this new pass system has made it easier for the staff, it has caused some issues. Ms. Strausser explains, “So far, I have found only one staff member who is not a member in the program. I have a tech request in to have that issue fixed.” For teachers and other staff members, though, the internet connection has occasionally been an issue, according to Mr. Tafel. 

E-Hallpass is an innovative software to make schools safer and go on to a paperless future. According to a blog post on the Eduspire Solutions website, “With e-hallpass, physical security of students is paramount, and the data made available through the application’s reporting features can help administrators and teachers refine their emergency preparedness measures”

In fact, Mrs. Strausser explains that at Nazareth “It also helps during safety drills.  If I have to account for a student who has not been checked in by a teacher, I can check to see if they were out on a pass. This will help me narrow down what part of the building the student might be in. I could use this information to contact one of the teams near that location to find the unaccounted for student.”

Share the Road

By Alora Kutzler and Ian White

Last month, Nazareth Area High School SADD Club held the Share the Road program provided by Walmart. This program taught students how to drive safely around large vehicles.

The truck drivers who ran the program explained the purpose of the program. One driver, Adam, is a professional driver with 21 years of experience and 3 million miles in his career. He explained, "Trucks are on every road, and it's good for all people, especially younger drivers to learn about how to be safe around large trucks."

Nazareth students climbed into the cab and got to look from the truck driver's point of view which gave them insight on blind spots and safe distances from other vehicles. But students also learned that truck drivers do more than just drive. The drivers explained what they see on the highway and how they are trained to react. Students also learned how truck drivers are part of Pennsylvania’s spotted lanternfly campaign; they’re required to inspect their trucks for and of the invasive insects who may be hitching a ride. Addtionally, the Truck drivers also explained how they regularly keep a vigilant eye out for the signs of human trafficking.

Students found the program to be a valuable one. Junior Isaiah Eddings gave his take-home of the event.  He stated, ‘’I found this event very insightful because I learned how to drive around trucks safely. Today I learned many things such as the right side of a truck is the biggest blind spot for the driver.’’  He suggested we “do this for juniors and seniors every year because it helps […] drivers, drive safely around trucks and avoid accidents.’’ 

SADD Club leader Mrs. Frace was pleased with the Walmart truck drivers and the event: “We are surrounded by warehouses nowadays and we cannot avoid trucks on the road, so this event is very helpful and gives a lot of knowledge to not only new drivers but to the experienced driver as well.”

She is already planning next year's event, explaining, “I believe next year we are going to make it mandatory so every gym class brings their juniors down, then we will get everyone involved.”

A Nazareth HAUNTing

by Sydney Daly and Adrianna Wagner

It’s that time of year again! Horror films are cast into theaters, Halloween candy hits the shelves, and people begin to anticipate spine-tingling amusement. Fortunately, for those in the Halloween spirit, there is a community event hosted by the Nazareth Football Boosters taking place at Tuskes Park on October 19th from 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM. The Haunt has become a yearly event. The event coordinator, Mr. Rod Wilson, said “It’s been very good in the past. Last year, we drew 400 kids--so it’s popular.” Cost is $5 for one lap around the track and $10 for unlimited laps, where visitors can enjoy frightening attractions put on by an assortment of Nazareth’s sports teams and high school theatre classes. Attractions will include a Voodoo Swamp constructed by the softball team, an Undead Hall of Famer theme by the baseball team, a petrifying scene drawing inspiration from classic slasher films performed by our theatre troupe, and an eerie circus assembled by the cheer team. Throughout the night, patrons can vote for their favorite attraction giving each group the opportunity to win a prize. Mr. Wilson also has high hopes for the future of the activity: “This is turning into a community event. That is directly where we want it to go. We’re hoping to get this somewhere on the school grounds next year and add in many of the other booster clubs because this could easily become a Nazareth tradition. It’s a lot of fun, and it brings the community together.”

NEWS: First Story Slam at NAHS

by Abigail LeDonne

      The first ever Story Slam competition took place at the NAHS Library Media Center on Thursday, April 26th during 4th block and Eagle Block. The Story Slam was presented in conjunction with Lehigh Valley Story Slam, an organization that includes competitions at Nazareth High School, Moravian Academy, and Lehigh Valley Charter Arts.

     In a Story Slam, students can sign up to participate in advance or on the spot, names are drawn out of a hat, and students get on stage to tell a story about a particular theme. The competition is evaluated by two judges who pick four students from each school who will advance to the final competition tonight, Thursday May 3rd at 7:00 at Moravian Academy.

     The theme at Nazareth last week was "Rising Above" and each student's story had to revolve around that idea. Twelve students competed at Nazareth and were judged according to their story presentation and its connection to the theme. The four Nazareth students who advanced to the final round at Moravian are junior Collin Disbrow, sophomore Alex Lynch, sophomore Carson Pieper, and senior Josiah Snyder. They will compete with eight students from the other schools.

    Read Collin Disbrow's winning story below:

     To think about rising above, there is probably one minuscule moment in my life that I can think of that epitomizes that idea. Every year for the past couple of years, I’ve been partaking in this event that is very dear to my heart. It’s through Boy Scouts. It’s known as National Youth Leadership Training, and through that it gives the youth the ability to teach to the youth of tomorrow the ability to lead.  

Photo Credit: Sandy Jameson

     Now, I love this program with all my heart, and I decided that I was going to partake in it after participating in it my first year, and when I first joined, they gave me the position of troop guide. Now, troop guide means that you’re in charge of 6 kids, and those kids are your little lambs to follow you for two weekends in April, and I can remember that one of the most difficult things about it was the fact that we had to give presentations all of the time. Troop guides are in charge of three half hour presentations on anything from solving problems to leading in general.

  

     And then, my senior patrol leader, which is kind of like the head honcho of boy scouts, he tells me, “Oh, by the way, you know how great you are at presenting? I’m going to give you a bonus presentation. This one is an hour long.” So I had about two weeks to put this thing together, and I finally had it down. I had some great pictures for it, some great visual aids, and I have this great dialogue ready, and I had a video, and it was fantastic. I put it all in a powerpoint, and I emailed it to my senior patrol leader, Chris. 

     Now Chris, when we got to camp that day, was like “Alright, are you ready for your presentation?” I said, “Yeah, I can’t wait, this is going to be great!” So, we sat down, and I connected the computer to the monitor, and I connected that to the projector, and I started to go through his email. I started scrolling through, searching in my email. Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Nothing in my name at all. I was like “Chris, hey, do you remember when I sent you my presentation?” He goes, “No, I don’t think I got it,” and that’s when my heart started to race, and I probably shed a couple tears.  

     At that point, I knew I was going to have to wing a presentation for an hour. So in the ten minutes that I had to prepare and hold off these rabid groups of children ready to hear me speak, I gave it a shot. I had this massive notepad in front of me, and I started scribbling random thoughts on it. It was a presentation on valuing people so I said, “Um, um, valuing people...” (that was a good starter), and then I started going down the line, and I thought, “Don’t judge people? Be nice to people?”  

    And I managed to pull that off for an hour, but as I was going through it, my voice started to get more and more clear. I started to understand that if I had known that I knew the information in my head, I wouldn’t have stressed so much, and at that moment, I knew that that was my time to rise up. Thank you.

NEWS: Special Olympics Come to Nazareth

by Kayleigh Vo

           The annual Special Olympics held at Nazareth Area High School took place on April 19, 2018. 144 student athletes have been preparing for the whole year to compete in activities, such as javelin throw, scooter races, long jump. Students earned colorful ribbons as a symbol of their hard work.

           Ms. Megan O’Brien who is a social studies teacher and the advisor for the Special Olympic Committee. She tells us the Committee started preparing for the event in September. The members scheduled to meet every D day during Eagle Block, but most “students [came] in on other days to help complete the decorations” because there was “so much to be done.” However, that’s not the end of it. Ms. O’Brien also “put in time after school running errands to get the supplies [they] need to make everything.”

         This year’s theme was Disney’s The Little Mermaid. The high school’s gym lobby was completely under the sea, covered wall to wall with hand-painted items and characters from the movie. While most people can admire the beautiful artwork, they don’t know about how everything came to be.

The theme of the event is chosen on the first meeting of the year. They often pick a theme that “revolves around a movie [they] can show and have the athletes view when they are not competing.” Most of the athletes are younger in age, so the movie theme must be appropriate for that age range. Of course, some of the most kid-friendly movies are Disney or Pixar.

        This year’s movie was chosen because it is Ms. O’Brien’s favorite movie and this is her last year as advisor, after 7 successful years running the event. She says, “the process itself can be very time consuming, creating the decorations.” In the past, it took the Committee one day to set up the gym lobby. However, this year, it took them two days.

Besides the competitions held throughout the gym, the lobby holds activities that athletes could participate in between their events. The stations—coloring, ball toss, crafts, face-painting, and the movie—are chosen and created by the Committee. According to Ms. O’Brien, the athletic events “are chosen by the Intermediate Unit, but the committee helps to set them up.” The Intermediate Unit also signs up the athletes and schedules their individual events.

While it has been getting harder and harder to get students to volunteer, Ms. O’Brien “received many emails from parents and the IU about how amazing [the] school volunteers (Huggers) were” this year.

NEWS: FLBA Teams Compete at State Competition

By Sofia Zaldivar

Photo Credit: Wes Koser

Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) had its State Leadership Conference on April 8 to April 11. Participants were assigned to (1) take the test in their business knowledge or (2) be qualified to compete in events. Advisor Mr. Wes Koser and participants got to stay at Hershey Lodge.

Clarice Cook is a junior who participated in States for Publication Design along with group members Katie Madson and Riley Radosavich. The group ranked fifth by completing their task of creating a fresh food delivery system for families with dietary needs. Ahead of time, they created a PowerPoint, business cards, three promotional products, a poster, website, and social media account to advertise their company. At the competition, they competed with two teams from each region totaling over 30 regions from the state.

Dante Requena, a junior who participated alongside Justin Pallante and Evan Conklin, was ranked tenth. Unlike Clarice, Dante took the Marketing test. Out in Hershey, however, there was a communication mix-up that put a damper on their team’s results. He explained, “We were finalists, but we didn’t know, so we missed our event and were disqualified.” Overall, he felt that “it was a really fun time.”

Makenna Ehrlich, also a junior, was ranked second for the Insurance and Risk Management test. Surprisingly, she didn’t feel like she studied as much as she should have for the test. To prepare, she said she made some flashcards and studied them twice.

She said that the test seemed fine when she started, but the middle of the test made her feel like she “should have read over more things.” Because of that, she felt like “it could [have gone] well or it could [have gone] really badly.”

Even through that obstacle, Ehrlich placed second, scoring only two points lower than a student from Parkland who placed first. As her prize, she got a plaque and advances to Nationals in Baltimore. For Nationals, she says that she is definitely going to prepare more for it since she’s very competitive and “would love to win.” Jokingly, she added, “I don’t think I can wing it the third time!”

SPORTS: Teachers vs Seniors Basketball Game

by Brian Kollgaard

Photo Credit: Mindy Heimbach

On Friday, April 13, Nazareth Area High School Interact Club hosted the first annual Seniors vs. Teachers Basketball Game in the gymnasium.

The teacher team included eleven players led by teacher-coaches Mrs. Rakos and Mrs. Kreider-Davis. The student team had thirteen players led by student coaches: senior Zac Keifer, sophomore Anthony Harris, and junior Nick Simone.

Before the event started, we asked Mrs. Heimbach for her prediction on the game. She told us, “[The] faculty and staff are full of some real ballers; however, the senior team has incredible athletics. I think it’s going to be a very close game, and I think the teachers are gonna pull out the dub.”

Mrs. Heimbach was proven right, and the teachers ended up winning with a close score of 58-56.

The entrance fee was three dollars with the fees going towards the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. In total, the club was able to raise over $500 for LLS.

Photo Credit: Mindy Heimbach

Photo Credit: Mindy Heimbach

Photo Credit: Mindy Heimbach

Photo Credit: Mindy Heimbach

Photo Credit: Mindy Heimbach

Photo Credit: Mindy Heimbach

NEWS: Walk Out for School Safety

by Kelsey Meriwether

Photo Credit: Kacy Clowser

On March 14th, students across the country walked out to protest violence against students. Nazareth was no different, as over 300 students left class and went outside to call for the prevention of school violence. Once outside, many students spoke about different topics relating to school violence, mental health awareness, and becoming activists.

When walking out, students had a lot to consider. Was the event going to be extremely politically based? Would they miss too much class? Was it simply too cold out?

We spoke to one student who walked out, junior Sarah Jani, and she said that she walked out because “[she] think[s] gun control is an issue that is current, and there are all these shootings, and there hasn’t been any action. [She] believe[s] students should do something to make a change.”

On the other hand, we talked to junior Paige Carach, a student who did not walk out, and she told us that she was not really concerned with missing class but, instead, did not participate because she “thought it would be more political than it actually ended up being.” The main concern of many of the people planning the event was maintaining political neutrality and focusing on mental health and preventing the death of more students.

We spoke to Mr. Davis, and he said that after communicating that the school would be allowing students to walk out, he was concerned about the backlash from people who did not agree with the school participating in such a “political issue.” The planners focused on what the National Walkout’s website said to understand what they were recommending, and they also reached out to several students who had previously expressed interest in participating in this type of event.

The administration was extremely concerned about maintaining the safety of students and keeping any counter-protesters away from them. The students were kept in the center of the school’s campus in order to protect them from, as Mr. Davis said, “some knucklehead who’s out there and wants to do something devious.”

The students then took over and planned out the actual event, including the speeches. We spoke to two of the speakers, sophomore Natalie Meriwether and sophomore Emma Vickery, about why they believed this event was something that they wanted to get involved in.

Meriwether said, “Personally, I am very passionate about this topic, and I believe it is very pertinent to our generation. None of us want to see anymore lives lost to gun violence.” While she was more focused on the violence and preventing, Vickery was very concentrated on the mental health side of the issue. She said that it was important to her because “Most of the violence that occurs isn’t even mass shootings; it’s suicides.” That fact astounded her and caused her to believe that this event is very important.

Both girls spoke of the peace and unity that was felt at the event. They were concerned about counter-protesters yet, none showed up. Overall, the speakers and administration was very satisfied with the outcome of the event.

Meriwether tells us that as another country-wide walkout is rapidly approaching on April 20th, students and administration are talking about what Nazareth will do this time.

Photo Credit: Megan Hunter

Photo Credit: Megan Hunter

Photo Credit: Megan Hunter

Photo Credit: Megan Hunter

NEWS: 'Little Women' Comes to Nazareth

by Joseph Burke

Photo Credit: Sue Durner

Last weekend, the Nazareth High School Theater program opened the curtains on their production of Little Women. The show, directed by Mr. John Andreadis, has been in development since before winter break, with all the cast and crew working at their hardest to bring the musical to life. Now, the stage lights are on, and the cast is ready to carry on with the production through this second weekend of performances.

“Ticket sales seem to be ramping up since the first weekend,” said director Andreadis in an email interview. “It seems like there must be a buzz about the show!”

          Rehearsal for the musical started back in January, and the cast have frequently been meeting and practicing since then. “Every show has its difficulties, but Little Women stockpiled all of them at the beginning,” Andreadis remarked. “I took the role of director right before auditions, not knowing the show at all and having to read and re-read the script until I felt comfortable enough to cast the show.”

          Despite having some difficulties at the start of the show, things eventually started to fall into place. Andreadis explains, “Luckily, I had a wonderful vocal director, Pam Westphal, working with me to make sure everything went as planned.” He also said that Mrs. Durner, Mr. Moyer, and all of the parents stepped up to lend a hand and “[he’d] like to thank all of them for their support and hard work.”

In addition to the adult help, Mr. Andreadis also had the boost from his amazing cast. He says, “I have to say that I was really surprised and overly joyed that all my leads took on the challenge of learning all of their lines during winter break. I was expecting to hear gripes and moans about how hard it was going to be, but my cast proved me wrong.”

        It was feats like this that allowed Mr. Andreadis to go full steam ahead with the more fine details of the performance. He told us that he took special care to help the actors understand the motives and personalities of their characters. He would allow them to walk freely on the stage in the way that they would expect their characters to do.

        Andreadis says, “My favorite moments of working on this show were the moments I found myself in awe of the talent here at Nazareth- both onstage and offstage.”

All of these things and more have come together over the past few months to bring this musical to life. With all of the work of the actors, director, and the others who lent their time to the project, there is sure to be as much energy in the upcoming performances as there has been in the showings so far and in previous Nazareth shows.

         Performances this weekend are Friday 4/13 at 7:00, Saturday 4/14 at 2:00 and 7:00. Tickets will be available at the box office one hour prior to curtain, or via the web.

BREAKING NEWS: The Date 2018 Has Been Waiting For!

NAHS Principal Alan Davis took to twitter this evening to make a very special announcement. Check it out!

🔵🦅Class of 2018...this is for you!!! 👩🏼‍🎓✌🏻👨🏻‍🎓🙌🏻 pic.twitter.com/4dNmHB8Van

— Alan Davis (@NazHSPrincipal) March 1, 2018

NEWS: Finding HOPE in the Opioid Crisis

By Abbey Logan

Photo Credit: Maggie Lefebvre

The Center for Humanistic Change came to Nazareth Area High School on Tuesday, February 6 to spread awareness about the dangers of addictive drugs, particularly regarding teenagers. The CHC’s social movement is referred to as HOPE, short for Heroin and Opioid Prevention Education. The lecture was presented by Kim Moyer, a Senior Prevention Specialist at the CHC. Since 1979, the center has been raising awareness publicly to schools, offices, and conventions.

Although drug abuse is a terrifying topic, the purpose of the presentation is to promote change, not to scare. Since the 1990s, opioid misuse, whether it be vicodin, oxycodone, or marijuana, has been on the rise. In fact, every nineteen minutes someone dies from overdose. Pennsylvania has the sixth highest overdose rate in the country, with thirteen lives taken every day.

Many times, friends and family of an addict ask why they are not able to just stop. An addict cannot just simply stop because it is an embedded habit, an intense craving, not a lack of willpower.

Another common question is why so many refer to drugs as an answer. Issues from mental illnesses, such as depression and anxiety, to medicine prescribed by doctors can lead to a life-altering addiction. Surprisingly, genetics may also play a role in addiction. If there is a history of drug abuse in one’s family, they are more susceptible to addiction. To add to the crisis, drugs have become so readily accessible to the public. Especially in younger crowds, drugs have become normalized in a way that increases the number of users substantially.

Behavioral signs of an addict include a new group of friends, isolation from family, and grade decline. Indication of withdrawal, or the “hangover” of drugs, includes flu or flu-like symptoms, such as chills, sweating, pain, hallucinations, and nausea. Lastly, suggestions of an overdose entail blue fingers or lips, gurgling sounds indicating that the main airways are blocked, vomiting, convulsions, and clammy skin.

The assembly presenters stressed that If you encounter someone in an overdose state, roll them on their side to prevent choking, call 911, stay with them, perform CPR if able, administer Narcan if available, and be completely honest with the first response team. There are no consequences for being found near the drugs or with those who abused them if these steps are followed.

The presentations of drug addiction from the Center for Humanistic Change, as well as other organizations, have allowed for public awareness and a drastic decrease in addictive drug users. In the future, the CHC’s goal is to help more people who are suffering from addiction and work to end addiction by treating mental disorders with therapy rather than through medication, diminishing over-the-counter accessibility, and introducing the conversation of drug dangers to a larger audience. Kim Moyer, member of the CHC, says her favorite part of her job is “meeting real people and knowing that [she’s] helped.”

If there is anyone who is dealing with an addiction, they can contact the Lehigh County Addiction Treatment Center at (610)-782-3555 or the Northampton County Addiction Treatment Center at (610)-829-4725.

Photo Credit: Maggie Lefebvre

Presenter Kim Moyer
Photo Credit: Maggie Lefebvre