Middletown High School is ready for spring. The front lobby is full of black and orange butterflies perched on the wall. They were made by the MHS National Art Honor Society to advertise the senior art show on May 11.

MHS art teacher Donna Lehman said, “The butterflies were an idea we had for an art installation to create an interesting artwork.”

Lehman also said that her students made them not only during class, but after school as well.

“We used the school die cutter to cut out about 1,500 butterflies,” said Lehman.

The butterflies greeted students in the lobby the beginning of the week leading up to the show. They were also put in the senior hallway as well.

MHS students enjoyed the butterflies as decorations in the school.

“The butterflies are really pretty and make the school seem ready for spring,” said MHS freshman Jeannette Leaberry.

The butterflies will not be made again next year.

“We are artists; we have to find something new to do next year,” said Lehman.

By Chelsea Titus
Round Table reporter

The Middletown High school band program held their annual awards banquet at the Jefferson Ruritan Center on May 7.

The banquet was to recognize the marching, concert, and jazz band as well as the symphony and percussion ensembles. 

Several awards were given out to seniors and underclassmen that were voted on by the students or by the band staff.

Senior Matthew Thomas won the John Philip Sousa, the Woody Herman Jazz, and the Outstanding Senior Service awards.

The Woody Herman Jazz award was awarded to senior Joseph Dorsey.

The National School Orchestra award was won by senior Carrie Holter.

Seniors Katie Nau, Nicolas Pope, and Eliza Zolfo won the Patrick S. Gilmore award.

Nicholas Pope also won the National School Marching award.

Juniors Angelica Flowers and Bobby Staples won the Director’s award which was selected by MHS band director, Matthew Shearer.

Senior Leah Cockerham won the Outstanding Senior Service and the Clark Dayhoff Memorial Band awards.

The Outstanding Underclassman Marching Musician award was awarded to sophomore Eddie Hill.

Freshman Nicole Sevin won the Most Improved Dance Line Member award.

The Most Improved Marching Musician award was given to Jeremy Wojton.

Senior, Dana Doggett, was awarded with three different awards. She won the Outstanding Senior Dance Line, the Dance Line Spirit/Service awards, and was also awarded with the Woody Herman Jazz award.

The Outstanding Underclassman Dance Line member was awarded to Abby Buchanan, by the MHS dance instructor, her mother, Dee Buchanan.

These students were awarded with these honors for their service and their spirit to the bands.

The Middletown High School Knee High Knights graduated preschool on May 13.

Parents/Guardians, Grandparents, and siblings came to celebrate this event. The graduation was held in the cafeteria at 10:00am, and then refreshments followed in the Child Development classroom. The graduation ceremony was originally to be held at the Middletown Community Park, but due to the weather the ceremony was held indoors.

During the ceremony, the preschoolers recited their number 1-25, and the alphabet. They sang the days of the week song; “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes”; and they sang and danced to a song called, “Tootie Tot,” where they dance and sang with their thumbs out, arms back, feet apart, knees together, bottoms up, tongue out, eyes shut, and turning around. After they sang and danced they received their preschool diploma and then the ceremony concluded with a few final words.

“The ceremony was unique, cute, and entertaining. It was sad to see the preschoolers graduate but it was a great experience working with them and watching them learn and develop over the year” said junior Kelsi Harshman.

The Knee High Knight Preschoolers come Monday through Thursday from 8am-12pm for 24 weeks out of the entire school year. This year, the preschoolers came for 13 weeks in the fall semester and 11 weeks in the spring semester.

The Child Development 1, 2, and 3 classes are instructed by Gretchen Martin. She has taught Child Development for 4 years, and this is the third year for the Knee High Knight Preschoolers. The first year MHS had Child Development classes they went over to the Primary School to observe and teach Preschool and Kindergarten classes. Now MHS has 10 preschoolers that come 4 times a week to learn and have fun.

Freshman Brieze Stockman said, “I enjoy teaching the preschoolers the most because they each have their own personalities and it is fun to see how they act in a comfortable environment.

By Shannon McKenna
Round Table reporter

The drama department received a storage bin used for holding the wood crowding the hallway and the stage in April. Recently, students and adults expressed anger concerning the bin.

According to an article on gazette.net, the containers must be removed from school property by June 30 because they are “unattractive” to the eye, and storage bins have been banned on private property since 2004 when the ordinance was passed.

“Storage containers are prohibited in the Town of Middletown, and no person who owns, leases, occupies or has charge of any premises or property, in whole or in part, shall place, keep or maintain a storage container on the premises or property,” states the ordinance.

Apparently the containers were purchased by the school without consulting Middletown’s Board of Commissioners, or the town’s planning commission. The school has to pay a fine of $100 per day per container.  There are three on school property, which means the school potentially accumulates $2,100 per week in fines if the bins remain. If the containers are not removed from by June 30, the town will reinforce the fines and by April 15 they will total $23,100.

The storage bins were a good way to clear out the hallway and stage area, and were budget friendly. At least seven other high schools in the county use similar containers but Middletown is the lone school facing problems with the bins. Principle Jay Berno is working on finding a suitable solution.

http://www.gazette.net/stories/05062010/middnew161435_32547.php

Just like the Grammy’s but smaller, Middletown High School’s theater department is holding its annual “Drama Banquet” on May 20^th at 6pm. The banquet is filled with trophies and a variety of acts. Singing, dancing, or just acting silly, students perform for the audience to enjoy, showing their talents to their fellow students and their families.

Themes for past banquets have been a masquerade, superheroes, black and white affair, and red carpet. This year students are dressing to their favorite Hollywood and Broadway shows such as Wicked, Phantom of the Opera, and Fiddler on the Roof.

“The themes are always entertaining because they allow up to come up with out own crazy costumes and we all really enjoy ourselves,” said senior Crista Kowalski.

A tradition that has taken place every year at the drama banquet is the renowned senior send-offs. Students one by one or in a group go up and give a speech, as to how much the senior they are “sending off” means to them. This year there are about 30 seniors being sent off.

“The majority of the auditorium will be crying, everyone has so much to say about our seniors and we have so many memories with them,” said junior Victoria Oleyar.

Awards are presented for most promising in performing, best acting debut, best female and male singer, best female and male dancer, best Holiday Spectacular ensemble, best actor and actress in the Holiday Spectacular, best female and male tech crew member, best supporting character in Grease, best actor and actress in Grease, best stage manager, most spirited cast or crew member, and best overall actor and actress of 2009-2010.

Nine acts are prepared to perform during the banquet including the techie stomp, year in review which is presented by seniors Eric Looney and Emily Holcomb with the help of other students, “For Good” sung by senior Crista Kowalski and junior Sarah Brierly and other performances.

Although there is a small fee of thirteen dollars per person the money goes to paying for dinner for the night. The meal is being catered by the Main Cup which includes an assortment of dishes, drinks, and desserts.

The night of the banquet is also when co-directors, Susan Thorton and Marcia Nicklas, announce to the students what the musical and straight play will be next year. Since the end of this year’s musical Grease, Nicklas has been dropping small hints as to what the shows might be.

The hints given to students so far are that there is lots of dancing, it’s an older show, no kids are involved, it’s popular among theatre kids, wasn’t an American play, and it has a saxophone part.

By Chelsea Titus
Round Table reporter

Frederick County families will be hosting Spanish students from June 28 to July 25.

The opportunity to host Spanish students allows families to share and learn more about each others culture.

Students, aged 15-18, will be in the Frederick county area to learn more about the United States.

The families are not required to speak Spanish. Students are fully insured and bring their own spending money.

Families will be able to go on trips with the students to Hershey Park, Washington D.C., Historic Philadelphia, New York City – including a cruise around the Statue of Liberty, and other activities.

The Spanish students attend class during the week day from 8am-12pm in the afternoon to continue learning English.

Most of the students have been learning English since they were in elementary school; so the families should not have difficulty communicating with them.

Families choose their students based off a pre-written profile written from the student. The numbers of profiles are available from a “first-come, first-serve” basis.

For any additional information, questions, or an interest in hosting, please contact Sandy Pingatore at (301) 788-4699 or by e-mail at Sandyping@msn.com.

The Middletown High School Instrumental Program Banquet is going to be held on May 7, at the Jefferson Ruritan Center.

The Banquet is for members and families of Marching Band, Concert Band, Jazz Ensemble, Symphony Orchestra, and the Percussion Ensemble.

During the banquet several awards are given out to students.

The Concert Band and Symphony Orchestra awards are; the John Phillip Sousa Music Award and the Patrick S. Gilmore Band Award.

The Jazz ensemble awards are; the Louis Armstrong Jazz Award and the Woody Herman Jazz Band Award.

The Marching Band awards are; The National School Marching Award, the Outstanding Underclassmen Marching Knight Musician, the Most Improved Marching Knight Musician, the Outstanding Senior Dance Line Member, the Outstanding Underclassman Dance Line Member, the Most Improved Dance Line Member, and the Dance Line Spirit/Service Award.

Other Awards that are given out are; the Outstanding Senior Service Award, the Director’s Award, the Clark Dayhoff Memorial Band Award and the Jean Bond Booster Award.

The awards are voted on by either the students with the final decision of the band director, or by the band director. Many of the awards are about dedication to the band and performing.

Junior Madison Herrman said, “I am excited for the band banquet because I get to hear the seniors share their favorite band memories and they share their journey of their high school experience with band.”

 By Cortney St. John
Round Table reporter

Middletown High School’s School Yard Habitat Day was held on April 28.

Many teachers participated in this activity as well as their students. This is the second year for the School Yard Habitat Day, located behind the school near the water tower. In the fall semester, students planted trees and in the spring semester, students planted a variety of native plants.

Sophomore Tyler Green said, “It was a nice day and it was fun spending time with friends while planting.”

The entire plan is to take about 3-5 years. The native plants that are drawn into the plan are; Echinacea, Rudbeckia, Penstemon, Asters, Lupines, Campanula, Aquilegia, and Coreopsis. The types of trees and bushes are; Blackberry, Blueberry, Butterfly Bush, Serviceberry, Hemlock, Birch, Dogwood, Plumtree, White Oak, Redbud, Prairie Rosebush, Raspberry, and Apple trees.

 “It was a good experience for us to learn about how to save the environment and spend it doing it with friends,” said sophomore Marissa Keppley.

“You were created to love and be loved. You were meant to live life in relationship with other people, to know and be known. You need to know that your story is important and that you’re part of a bigger story. You need to know that your life matters,” is the vision of the creators of the contagious movement “To Write Love on Her Arms.”

TWLOHA is a nationwide non-profit program that helps bring awareness to people who are struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury, and suicide. In America alone, it’s estimated that 19 million people live with depression, and suicide is the third-leading cause of death among those 18-24 years old.

Students at Middletown High school recently participated in this event on April 21 by showing their creativity and writing the word “love” in different styles on their arms. By being a part of this event students are supporting the TWLOHA idea that hope and help can be found in the future, and that no matter how bad things may seem, better days can be found ahead.

Some high school students face pressure and problems that can cause pain, suffering, and stress. Dealing with homework, after school activities, or the drama that comes with high school can drive some students to their breaking point.

According to twloha.com their vision is for hope for better endings and change. “To Write Love on Her Arms” is a way to show teens and adults that they can make a better life for themselves and that there are people supporting them in their efforts to turn around their life.

For more information, visit http://www.twloha.com/vision.

“The Wall” at Middletown High School is one that perfectly represents the words mounted on the side of the building: A tradition of excellence, knowledge, creativity, strength, and leadership. Having your picture placed on the wall is a great achievement, always has been, and always will be.

But there’s always a time for change. This year, the criteria required for making the wall has changed—they’ve upped the ante.

MHS assistant principal Donna Clabaugh, MHS Athletic Director and Department Chair Tim Ambrose, other MHS coaches, and MHS students from all extra-curricular activities were on the committee that helped decide on the new criterion.

One of the biggest and most drastic changes is an All-Area achievement not reaching the requirements for the MHS wall. Of course, this title is greatly celebrated and any athlete who makes All-Area should be proud, but there were so many MHS students earning this title that the wall was running out of space.

Another change that all students can appreciate is the broadening of the achievement spectrum. Instead of only including academic, athletic, and music accomplishments, the wall now honors achievements in drama, journalism, FFA, CTC, Skills USA and National Service Awards.

“The wall now honors students in all facets of MHS life,” said Clabaugh.

Though this and all the other changes were made to improve the wall, it’s impossible to please everyone. One of the conflicts that arose this year was the misunderstanding of changed requirements. Some 2009-2010 athletes were unaware of the changes and were disappointed when they learned that they may have a harder time meeting the new standards.

“I do understand that some students who may have gotten on the wall in the past are upset, but the new guidelines allow for consistency across the school,” said Clabaugh.

On the other hand, the school administration tried to keep it as fair as possible in the midst of the changes for the 2008-2009 athletes, scholars, musicians, and board members.

Because the new criterion wasn’t put into place until the 2009-2010 school year, there was question as to whether or not those students who met previous requirements would have their pictures removed. The new criterion was decided in the 2008-2009 school year, but the panel did not want to alter the wall requirements between seasons. This assured that every athlete got a fair opportunity for a shot at making the wall with the old criterion.

“The group did not want to remove any pictures of students who previously earned their spot on the wall, so any student that made All-Area during the 2008-2009 school year [or earlier] still had their picture up.  It remains there for one year immediately following the year they graduate. After the picture is taken down, the student is contacted and they can come get it. Parents love to have these,” said Clabaugh.

The new wall requirements better the traditions at MHS and heighten the expectations, causing students to set goals for themselves even higher.  The wall honors achievements from all walks of life in every aspect of education and extra-curricular activities and is an outstanding representation of the excellence that students strive for at MHS.