Yearbook staff members wash a car at their September 4th fundraiser. They hoped to raise funds for a trip to Anaheim, CA. Photo by Ama Ansah

Today, September 4th, the HHS yearbook staff held their first ever fundraising car wash. At 9:00 am, staff members gathered at the Exxon gas station across from Costco, equipped with signs advertising their services.

The goal of the day was to raise money for their publication and trips, specifically a spring 2011 journalism convention in Anaheim, California.

“It was Talia Baltazar, our Editor-In-Chief’s idea. She thought it was a good team building concept along with raising money to go to L.A.,” Yearbook advisor Mary Strickler said.

Pre-pay tickets were sold at school for four dollars. If a student sold a ticket, the money went towards their trip. At the end of the day, the money was divided amongst the participating yearbook staff members.

Students stood along the side of the road, waving their signs whole others washed and rinsed dirty cars. Some yearbook staff members had been working since the morning, while others had worked in shifts.

“We didn’t’ think we would have that much business this morning because it was cold and it was so early.  But people started showing up and they’re calling their friends, so it’s been good,” junior Brian Chicas said.

Stricker inspected the students work. If she saw a missed spot or a streaked window, she made sure the students fixed it. The money was donations and she wanted to make sure the customers were getting the best job possible.

“We’ve met a lot of very nice people, a lot of out-of-staters who have never seen a car wash done by students.  We’ve had people stop by and just give us donations because they’re alumni or they just appreciate a child who’s willing to work,” Strickler said.

One man, who wished to go by John, said he was happy to let the students wash his car.

“I was going to get it washed anyway and thought it would be better to give it to an organization than a corporation,” John said.

The yearbook staff say they appreciate the Exxon station letting them do their fundraiser at their gas station, which is a heavily trafficked area.

“We’d like to thank Exxon for being very generous and letting us use their water. We hope we’ve brought in a lot of customers for gas,” Stricker said.

The yearbook has yet to determine if they will do another car wash.  It depends on how successful today was and how much interest there is for another one.

Former assistant principal Jeremy Knapp poses with secretaries on his last day of school. Photo by Maria Rose.

Assistant principal Jeremy Knapp was grilling steaks at roughly 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept 2nd, when a short phone conversation would turn his life around. He was phoning back a missed call, but the message awaiting him on the other end was pretty unexpected: “Would you accept a position as principal of JP King Middle School, in Franklin, Virginia?”

Knapp’s initial reaction was shock—“I just tried to catch my breath; I was completely caught off guard”. Mind whirling, he answered that he would simply have to call them back again later. He breathed. He waited. He called principal Irene Reynolds.

A few hours later, he accepted.

Knapp, who was beginning his fifth year in the Harrisonburg City Public School system this year, loved working with the faculty and student body. But while he was content with his current job, he also kept an eye out for any available positions as principal.

“It was time for me to move on,” Knapp said, on his acceptance of the new offer. “I wanted to also work as a principal, not just an assistant, and this was a good opportunity for me.”

Knapp first heard about the offer around the beginning of August, and started the initial

JP King Middle School located in Franklin, VA. Principal Jeremy Knapp will begin his tenure as principal there on Tuesday, September 7th. Photo courtesy of Franklin City Public Schools.

interview process three weeks ago. On Monday night, he was called back for a second interview. At this point, Knapp was tied in the running for the job with another person.

“It was so close that they didn’t even know who they wanted the day before they called me,” Knapp said. “I think part of what helped was the recommendation Mrs. Reynolds gave me, and I thank her. I think that gave me an edge.”

Reynolds was, in fact, the only person who knew about Knapp’s application prior to Thursday. Knapp, feeling superstitious, did not want to jinx anything.

“I just had it in my head that I didn’t want to tell too many people,” Knapp said.

When he finally did break the news to the school (first the faculty, in an email), it was difficult. He spent his impromptu last day on Thursday, September 2nd packing up (“It’s a mess in here,” he gestured around his office), and saying goodbyes.

“It’s hard,” Knapp said. “I’ve watched a lot of these kids grow. I’ve seen them off to a fantastic start, and I want to watch them continue throughout the year, but I can’t do that.”

This hasty departure has also prompted kids whom Knapp has not had much communication with to speak up. It is the students, Knapp said, who he will miss the most.

“I’ve had students I didn’t know I had an impact on come up to me and say they’re going to miss me, and thanking me for helping them,” Knapp said. “And I will miss the nursery. They’re my babies”—Knapp

grinned widely and continued—“It will be hard to not have that place to relax and see these mothers and their children growing in school and life.”

While there is still some hesitation in his decision (“There still is—there always is when you’re leaving something you love,”), Knapp is looking forward to working as principal in a new environment. JPKMS, three hours from Harrisonburg, has about 250 students total—a much smaller size than what he is used to.

However, he wanted to find a school that needed help, and Knapp felt that this was a place where he could put his experiences at HHS to use.

“Here, we’ve dealt with numerous personalities and cultures, and there, there isn’t that much diversity,” Knapp explained. “But I can carry that knowledge over and help other groups have a close connection and get more parental support with the small town community.”

For Knapp, it will be hard to leave a place where he has established so many close connections and relationships. He feels that he has created a strong support network within HHS, and one of the things he is most nervous about and most looking forward to is starting the process of getting to know people again.

“I’m scared to death,” Knapp said. “I’m nervous, but can’t wait to get to know a new group of students and teachers and work with them. I think I can do a very good job with that.”

Knapp will begin his second first day of school on Tuesday, which is JPKMS’ second day of school. Until then, he will be in and out of the HHS, finalizing papers and organizing different information. But even though Knapp has his own new school to think about, it does not make leaving HHS any easier.

“It will be hard to walk away from here, knowing this isn’t my school,” Knapp said. “It will be hard to just walk away.”

To the students of HHS, Knapp leaves one final goodbye.

“Thank you for your hard work, dedication, and best effort,” Knapp said. “Not all schools give their best, but in HHS, I know that you guys are always working hard. Thank you.”

And do not worry too much—he will be back for graduation.

Templeton prepares to swing. Photo by Jack Burden.

Freshman Kyle Templeton once cracked a man’s head open with a golf club.

“I was swinging a club one day, and hit my neighbor in the head with the club. It split his head open,” Templeton said.

Of course, this happened before the HHS number one seeded golfer gained the experience and skill that has propelled him from basically a beginning golfer to the number one seed for the high school golf team in just three years.

Templeton began playing golf at the age of seven with the help of his father. He played for about a year, then quit the game for three years. Three years later he picked up the game again, playing regular at Lakeview Golf Course under the guidance of golf instructor John Rodgers.

“I just wanted to do something different again,” Templeton said.

This past year, and summer especially, Templeton has been practicing for the high school season, playing in tournaments all over the state. He played in the First Citizen’s Junior Golf Tour, in which he was points leader, and the Lakeview Junior Tour with fellow HHS team member, freshman Matthew Shifflet.

“I’ve worked a pretty good amount, been working on my mental game a lot,” Templeton said.

HHS Golf team's #1 seed Kyle Templeton. Photo by Jack Burden.

Templeton, Shifflet, and sophomore Troupe Armentrout rotated at the first seed, but after posting a 69 at Heritage Oaks Golf Course (on a day that the team posted a combined score of 291), Templeton became the permanent first seed.

With his scoring average in the low seventies, last years individual district champion, Spotswood number one seed Robbie Failes, is in jeopardy of losing his title. In fact, until this season Failes had never individually come in second in a district match, but both Templeton and Armentrout have beaten him this season.

As for the District and Regional tournaments, Templeton is optimistic about the teams chances.

“I think we have a chance for the top three [at Regionals],” Templeton said.

However, if the entire team does not qualify for states, he would like to qualify as an individual.

“I’m going to work hard and get better before Regionals, so that I can shoot a good score and help my team out,” Templeton said.

When this season is over, Templeton plans on playing golf at least three to four times per week. However, he has baseball to look forward to in the spring, so he will not be able to practice as much then as he may like.

“I like golf better, baseball’s getting kind of old,” Templeton said.

When next summer rolls around, he plans on playing almost every day at Lakeview in preparation for next years golf season.

“I think [being one seed] is great for him, he’s getting a lot of good experience, and that will help him out throughout his high school golf career,” Armentrout said.

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A banner outside of Gov. Bob McDonnell's town hall urged him to support the DREAM Act.

Isabel Castillo graduated from Turner Ashby High School with a 4.0 grade point average. She graduated from Eastern Mennonite University magna cum laude with a degree in social work. As she told Governor Robert McDonnell her story at a town hall meeting on August 26th, he nodded and congratulated her for her achievements. Then, she dropped the bombshell: she is undocumented.

A hush fell over the room. As she choked back tears, she pleaded with the Governor to endorse the DREAM Act, a bill that would allow for undocumented immigrants who were brought into the country at a young age to continue their education and eventually become citizens.

“Why not give us the opportunity to give back to our communities?” Castillo asked McDonnell. “This is home to me. I’m an American.”

“I can’t, because what that does is to look the other way… The federal government has done a lousy job [addressing immigration] … I’m the governor of Virginia, and I have very little authority to enforce federal law,” McDonnell responded.

This exchange was the climax of a 5-hour protest against section 287 (g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. In pamphlets handed out at the protest, 287 (g) and similar immigration laws are referred to as a “hemorrhaging injustice in our society.”

“287 (g) is a contract between law enforcement and the Department of Homeland Security that would give them the power to stop anyone who looks ‘suspicious’ of being undocumented. It’s basically legal racial profiling,” Castillo said.

Supporters of the DREAM Act, or DREAMers as they are informally known, held signs, which they later raised as Castillo questioned McDonnell. Many wore shirts that read, “The dream is coming.” A small group participated in classes held on the grassy lawn just outside of the James Madison University Federal Conference and Student Center, where McDonnell was speaking. These classes were on a variety of topics such as pending legislation and civil rights.

“I at least hope [McDonnell] knows there are supporters [of his] who oppose this legislation here in Virginia,” Castillo said.

Castillo says that in addition to fighting for herself, she is fighting for other undocumented children in the area. HHS alumna Maria Martinez is among those whom Castillo cites as her motivation.

Last year, Martinez received a one-year deferment after being nearly deported. Like Castillo, she graduated from high school with honors and is now attending Eastern Mennonite University.

“At Blue Ridge [Community College], she was paying out-of-state tuition. She goes to EMU now and it’s private, so it’s all the same. She has multiple part time jobs to put herself through school. She has to help take care of her family. She signed up to be a Big Sister at Big Brothers/Big Sisters. She also volunteers at her church. She’s just an amazing person,” collaborating English teacher and Martinez’s mentor Sandy Mercer said.

Spanish teacher Phil Yutzy wasted no time characterizing Martinez as just that: “amazing.”

“[When I had her in class], she was very responsible. She always got her work done. She was helpful, involved and engaged in class. She participated. She was respectful and a great person to have around. She never put anyone off– all the other students liked her, too,” Yutzy said.

Indeed, Martinez was so involved in Yutzy’s Spanish for Native Speakers class that she began tutoring students in introductory level Spanish classes.

“She tutored in Spanish 2 and students all loved having her around. She was able to help them with their language learning. She is an amazing person,” Yutzy said.

Despite all this, Martinez’s one-year-deferment has expired and she is at risk of being deported again.

“Her one-year deferment from last year has expired so we’ve filed again and we’re waiting to hear back. We should find out in September,” Mercer said.

Mercer says she and Martinez are less worried about her deferral being granted than they were last year. The Obama administration has indicated they will not continue deportation proceedings against non-criminal immigrants.  While these immigrants are not being granted citizenship, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) official told NBC News that they had “other, more pressing deportation priorities” than “a juvenile who spent the vast majority of their life here.”

Still, undocumented immigrants are subject to changes in the political environment. A shift in immigration policy could place their status at risk. Thus, DREAMers continue fighting in hopes of becoming United States citizens.

Castillo is perhaps their most ardent fighter. In July, she was arrested after staging a sit-in at Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s (D-NV) office.

“I was in Sen. Reid’s office and asking him to put it up for a vote. All of our protests, everything we do, is peaceful, but I was arrested,” Castillo said

Castillo says despite being arrested, Reid was more receptive to her message than McDonnell.

“[Reid] said he would put it up for a vote this year if he has the 60 votes for it to pass. He doesn’t want to fail all these kids, he doesn’t want to disappoint us. He does support it. Sen. Webb voted yes on the DREAM Act in 2007 and Warner says he will not co-sponsor, but he would vote yes if it is put up for a vote,” Castillo said.

“There are the kinds of people we want in our community,” Mercer said. “Passing the DREAM Act is a common sense solution and a win-win situation.”

Senior Bobby Rotzin looks up files for the debate team. Photo by Jack Burden

The HHS debate team, led by English teacher Peter Norment,  is coming off a strong showing at last years state tournament.  On Thursday, the team held its first meeting.

“I am excited about this year because I had a great experience last year, and I’m hoping this year will be just as good,” sophomore Madeline Culbreth said.

Culbreth, who is a public forum-style debater, took the class as an elective last year. In order to get an A in the class, she had to go to at least one debate tournament. After her first tournament, she decided to stick with, and went to the rest of the tournaments in the regular season.

Last year HHS sent seven debaters to states. No one placed, but the team is optimistic about their chances this year.

“Well, we lost a lot of seniors, but as far as Public Forum and Lincoln-Douglas [style debate] goes, we will be fine,” Culbreth said.

And with at least ten fresh faces on the team this year, the future of HHS debate looks promising.

Junior Donald Sommerville arrives at HHS on the morning of Tuesday August 24th and receives his HP laptop from Red Front manager John Garber.

On Tuesday, August 24th junior Donald Sommerville received the ride of his liftime: a trip to school in an Cadillac Escalade completely furnished with multiple televisions, refrigerated cup holders and heated seats.

Sommerville was the winner of a Kellog-sponsored contest conducted through Red Front supermarket.

“I just entered my name when we were buying food. Sunday [they called] and told my grandma that I had won. When my grandma told me that I won, I fell down,” Sommerville said.

In addition to the ride to school (and home), Sommerville received a free HP laptop computer, also sponsored by Kellogg.

“This is our sixth year teaming up with Kellogg give free laptops and rides to students in grades k-12,” manager of Red Front, John Garber said.

“[The ride] was amazing,” Sommerville said. “There was so much technology and so many buttons. It was cool.”

Rising senior Landon Turner poses for a photo next to his father shortly after announcing his decision to attend the University of North Carolina. Photo courtesy of Landon Turner.

“My name is Landon Turner and I am a Tar Heel.”

This short and sweet statement ended a long period filled with excitement, stress, and overall craziness. Turner, who was ranked the sixth best offensive guard in the country by Scout.com, had received  15 scholarship offers, from college football powerhouses such as Florida, Louisiana State and Georgia.

“If I could sum up the whole recruiting process, I would just say it was crazy,” Turner said. “It’s a relief to finally know where I’m going to be attending college.”

Hundreds gathered in the Harrisonburg High School commons on July 11^th, anticipating Turner’s college choice. Turner had narrowed his long list down to three: Virginia Tech, West Virginia University, and The University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill. Over cake and punch, Turner ended all hearsay, and picked The University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill.

“Overall, I think that it was just the best fit for me,” Turner said. “The campus,

Rising senior Landon Turner smiles for pictures with his siblings in a new UNC hat shortly after announcing his decision to attend. Photo courtesy of Landon Turner.

the coaches and players, and the lifestyle were the deciding factors for me.”

Turner explained that playing at UNC, an up and coming program in college football, will greaten his chances at getting a shot in the National Football League, a lifelong goal that he has had.

Turner also hopes UNC will help him reach his goal of winning the Outland Trophy, an award given to the country’s top interior lineman.

Though he plans to graduate in December to be able to take part in spring practice, Turner still has his eyes set on his final year playing on Fridays.

“I want to give everything I have, and then some every time I step onto the field because I know that these moments will be something that I can not have back,” Turner said. “I’m looking to have a great year with a bunch of guys that I love to play with best.”

UNC FACTS

• In 2009, UNC had an 8-5 overall record with a 4-4 record in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC)
• UNC has been in 27 Bowl Games, with a 12-15 record in them.
• UNC has produced nearly 75 All-Americans
• UNC has produced 31 current NFL athletes, including three-time Pro-Bowler Jeff Saturday (Center, New York Jets), five-time Pro-Bowler  Julius Peppers (Defensive Tackle, Chicago Bears) and two-time Pro-Bowler Willie Parker (Running Back, Washington Redskins).

American flag

Bright colors flash in the sky, followed by the loud clash of sound. Oohs and ahs are whispered throughout the crowd. The only trace of the firework is the spidery smoke shadow that floats away in the sky. The fourth of July has been celebrated annually since July 4, 1776. Because of this day the United States of America was formed and became Independent from the rule of Great Britain. Today, the fourth of July is often celebrated differently. Some families plan trips over the fourth of July, others spend time with grandparents and cousins, and several families enjoy watching fireworks in their home town.

Some traditions are as simple as staying home and watching the fireworks. Rising junior Will Turner usually spends the fourth of July in Harrisonburg with is Mom, Dad, and Sister. This year they went to Washington D.C. and took a look around the historical city and the government that runs the country.

“We went to a Nationals game, and the Nationals won!” Turner said.

Senior Landon Turner (no relation) spends most of his summer in South Carolina or in Pennsylvania with his Dad’s family. He is with them through the fourth of July every year.

“Yes [we watch fireworks], and I make my own,” Turner said. “We don’t do anything really big; we just hang out around the house.”
The Turners grill out and after they eat dinner and have watched the fireworks, they roast marshmallows to make s‘mores.

Rising senior Evan Wetsel spends time with her mom, sister, stepdad, and a friend at Smith Mountain Lake to enjoy all the festive celebrations.

“Our neighbors have fireworks and they are pretty good,” said Wetsel.
“We have this seafood place we always go to.” Wetsel said when asked about dinners. Whether they grill out on the fourth of July or eat at home for the night, they always go to this restraint at some point during the week.

Rising senior Joe Niland stays in Harrisonburg every year and watches the fireworks from downtown. He cannot remember ever being out of town on the fourth of July. Vacations were always planned for later on in the summer.

“This year since it [fourth of July] was on a Sunday we went on the third and watched the fireworks downtown. Then on the fourth we just stayed at home,” Niland said.

While every family does something different on this holiday, they are all the same in some ways. Most spend time with family. They eat a similar thing every year. And they watch fireworks are some point during the holiday.

What did you do for the 4th? Let us know in the comments below!