It’s a beautiful brisk December morning, the last few birds are chirping, people on their way to school and the beautiful sounds of … hammers and drills are coming over the horizon? This year EDSS has being privileged yet again to offer the home build program to students in grade 11 and 12, but what is it that makes this year different from the previous? It is here in Elmira.

           EDSS teamed up with Menno Homes of Kitchener to offer a perfect opportunity to not only teach a group of student’s important home building skills but give the kids a chance to build in their very own community. With the building site here in Elmira only blocks away from the school it allows the kids the perfect opportunity to build great experience and build a beautiful home for a lucky family.

            The Grade 12 students have been hard at work for the past two and half months and it is expected new tenants to move in by the end of February 2012. With 16 students working on it daily the project has been moving at a very fast pace. “I think were moving through it a little quick” explains grade 12 student Jake Mitchell, “ Shantz and everyone here would rather see this be a well built home rather then getting it done quick. I’m sure we’ll be working to the last day making sure everything is well built and everything has been looked over.”        

The homebuild crew posing for group photo

Not only are these 16 young men working hard daily they also were given something to do off the job site. Trying to save money on the whole project the students were given the task to raise $1000 to sponsor the two front doors. This being a semi it will be the home to not one but two families. “Getting the chance to build a house for not one but two families? Well it’s just another bonus to this program.” says Jordan Shoenner a grade 12 in the program.

           Home build is an opportunity for the students here at EDSS to get 4 credits in a course. It is not guaranteed that a student will get in due to the limited spots. “The best thing to have coming into this course is maturity,” explains teacher Mr Shantz , “it helps things run smooth and it is a work site  after all where horseplay is not tolerated.” “I’m really happy I got in, “explains Nick Warren a grade 12 in the program. “I only live 2 blocks away so it makes it very easy and accessible to me also I get to build in my home town so when I’m older I can take my kids back here and say I built that house.”

   People are welcome to stop by the court-yard where the team is now working on a project for EDSS.

It’s not easy playing football at any level when you are 5’3, 115lbs because your opponent has 60 pounds and 6 inches on you. When most people see me out there they tend to laugh and say “yeah, right, he’s too small.” Well, I love when they say that, but I hate it at the same time. I say I love it because it motivates me to prove them wrong, I hate it because those words constantly repeat and don’t stop until I go to bed. Playing football has been my favorite sport for years because of the hitting. That’s one half of why I play the sport and the other half is to surprise and prove people wrong about my size.

What most people misunderstand about being a smaller player they think I am going to get hit hard. Sort of like one hit will absolutely drill me and I’ll be done. This is not the case with me. One factor I have over bigger or average sized athletes is called the heart factor. I believe in myself and get up after every hit that the game of football gives me. What motivate me to keep getting up are those words that I hear about my size. I may get plastered into the turf but I want to get up, catch the ball, and get hit again. The yards matter, not the hits.     

Austin during practice

Intimidation is one of the other factors of football where bigger is seem somehow better, someway smaller players like me have to get over it. How I was told to get over it, was to shut my eyes and not let them get inside my head. Then the mental stuff transforms into physical stuff such as “hitting”. Intimidation was my major problem with football because when I was being challenged by an enormous opponent I thought of myself being paralyzed. That thinking needed to be changed. When I tried the technique it worked. I would shut my eyes on my defender and the ball was snapped, my route was strong, and I caught the ball. I repeated this process over and over. Now, I finally realized that I can catch the ball no matter who I go against as long as I put my mind to it. As the season finished, I realized, that no matter how big your opponent may be he can always be defeated if you zone him out and concentrate on what you need to do.

In Canada, we live in a free country and I have a free right to play football. Nobody can tell me not to play or intimidate me to not. Whether they like it or not I play football a third reason. I want to be an inspiration to other smaller athletes/students. I am going to still playing football every chance I get and love every minute of it. No one can intimidate me; No one can tell me what to do. Other teams can say I’m small but in the end what matters is what you put on the field not in your words. The experience for me was that the look in an opponent’s eye is way different than his performance. How big or strong he looks doesn’t matter, its all about me zoning him out and playing my game with heart. My first year when this happened I learned that no matter how big you are, no matter how strong you are, you can always beat a defender and not let him intimidate you by believing in yourself and remembering all things are possible. I continue to play Elmira senior football because I love the sport and love proving to people that “it’s not the size of the dog in the fight, but it’s the size of the fight in the dog.” My next challenge is too try out for the senior varsity predator’s squad which is all of the best Kitchener- Waterloo players. I will not let anyone intimidate me, I will prove them wrong. Size is no way to measure a football player.

          This past Friday a fundraiser dance was held for four students here in EDSS to raise money for the organization “Heart of Africa”. Four EDSS students ; Paige Nosal , Sam Nosal, Lucas Nosal, Sydney Nosal, will be using the money to sponsor their trip to Africa where they will spend 10 days helping out families make life more sustainable. The Bannons, Jeremy, Matt and Joanna will also be joining the trip to assist families in need.

             Last Friday the fundraiser dance was held out side of school hours and property allowing room for a few beneficial factors.  Free DJ, no teachers creeping over teen’s shoulders and best of all, freedom. The dance was held from 7:30 – 11:30 leaving plenty of time for the kids here at EDSS to finally “shake what their Momma gave em”.

DJ "Trip Jay" (aka Jeremy Bannon) rocking the house

  For as long as most can remember the school has always put dances on for the students with okay success. Up until this year where drastic measures were taken, most kids had no problem with paying the 7 bucks to get in the dance. This has all changed with this past Friday’s great success. Kids were encouraged to come support their friends and have a great time doing so. With EDSS’s very own Jeremy Bannon DJing the event, a professional was not needed and therefore major costs were cut. But was it just the amazing DJing that made this night so successful or is there more to making a perfect dance?

            Lights, friends, music, open room and no teachers were all huge factors to the turn out. We all know teens don’t tend to take kindly to authority so when the staff  at EDSS decided to take closer watch on the kids during dances they couldn’t have expected anything but the reaction they got.. Why the need for change? Things ran smoothly before (with the odd drunk grade 9/10 showing up) but provocative dancing? Seems harmless.

  With such a great response from Friday’s dance and approximately $1600  raised it may finally be about the time EDSS changes how their dances run. Free DJs, off of school property and most importantly FUN.

           Growing up? Something only our younger selves would want to do. As younger kids we look up to the older teens, dreaming of some day maybe being as tall and cool as those in Secondary School. So where does this all change? At what age do we stop wanting to be older?  Of course it may differ for most and I know I don’t speak for all when I say this but if I could live a life where my biggest problem is that I’m 2 days late on a project worth 2 percent, well sign me up.    

Duncan Bossenberry thinking of his highschool career

Kids don’t usually realize how easy and carefree this high school life is. Of course it gets stressful and at times it seems all to over whelming but mark my words this will not be the last time you feel this way. I am no old wise man I realize this but I am old enough that in 2 weeks I will be done high school and on my own to pay for bills, food, gas exc. Being on your own of course does give you a sense of freedom that one could look forward to but in the end it’s a tremendous amount of responsibility to live by yourself, something we will all figure out eventually.

            Time and time again I’ve wished for these 4 years to be done and now while I come to my final weeks it has finally began to sink in. No more spares, no more lunch breaks, no more assemblies, no more sleeping in by mistake and most importantly no more seeing your friends around every corner. I am not here trying to tell you how horrible your life is going to be after school, that parts for everyone to find out. Just remember that life always changes and if you think your problems end with your education you have another thing coming. I cherish all the memories I have made here at this school and loved these 4 years but just remember what John Mellencamp once said “Hold on to 16 as long as you can.”

            I believe we have gone through the majority of change in the music industry already. It’s safe to say nothing will change on the business side of things for a while , we will always find ways to make profit off music no matter how many albums are illegally down loaded. I tunes has made a great option for those who no longer use CDs to help support the artist. Also the fact that true fans will go out and buy more than one copy for their favourite artist shows no matter how many people download and steal, artist will still have money to put food on the table.

            The biggest problem is for up and coming artist.  There albums are more likely to be downloaded illegally and there for wont make nearly as many record sales. On the other side of that, having access to You tube and the internet has made it very easy to get your work out to the world. We see this in independent groups like ODD FUTURE; a group of 16 to 19 year olds whose fame has now swept across North America not using any major labels just the resources they have. It gives hope to new artist every where that they may get noticed.

With album sales on decline it forces artist to not rely just on album sales but forces them to have do more live shows. Is this a bad thing or is in not just not putting them to work  for money? But remember music is not about money. “True” artist don’t release something with the first thought “is this going to sell?” No “true” artist should be focused on their music expressing themselves and making their fans happy. If the music industry is based completely on money I want no part of it. So if I steal an album, listen to it everyday, idolize the artist and truly love it, is that not what music is about?  People will adapt to the changes thrown at them and no matter what and its safe to say the music industry will always have a strong heart beat.

 A new season of girls volleyball has started of again this year. Coaches Mr. Derma, and Mr. Shantz are hoping to hit this season with a bang. The girls started the season last thursday on December 1^st; they played against WCI and lost all three sets sadly losing the match. The girls tried their hardest losing their last set only by two points.

Jess Reichard a 5th year on the team

Jessica Reichard, a 5^th year at EDSS, said that the games were played good only losing by a couple of points. She said that the team is only going to grow more together and kick but in upcoming games. The season has just started, there are many more games to come to bring ourselves back in the game says Reichard.

 The girls  have lots of games to bring them back. You can do it girls! Good luck on the rest of the season.

Winter is now here and that means the girl’s hockey team is back in session. With many returning members, the girl’s hockey team is already on a big jumpstart.

 Although the season has just started, Swatridge, one of the girl’s hockey coaches says the turn out for this year has been great.  Thirty five girls came to try outs this year; Swatridge says it was a big number.

Girl’s hockey team practicing on the ice.

With one game already played, Alicia Koebel, a new member to the hockey team says, “it was a good turn out for the first game, there was very good support from the crowd.”

 Although the first game was a loss, the numbers were close. Koebel says, “even if we’ve had one game so far and lost it, it was really close. The score was 4-3 against St. Mary’s.”

 New and returning players this year have already shown leadership skills for the team. They have one game down and many to go, but the hockey season for the girls is not yet over and will surely turn out to be a good one.

When asked about the EDSS curling team most people’s reply is: “We have a curling team?” followed by fits of giggles. However, what most students don’t know is that we in fact have two curling teams. Mr. Gingerich and Ms. Mckerron have been training our teams hard under the supervision of Mr. Thomas. 

Curling is a sport in which players slide stones across a sheet of ice towards a target area. Two teams, four players each, take turns sliding heavy granite stones, across the ice (curling sheet) towards the house, the large circular target marked on the ice. Each team has eight stones. Points are scored for the stones closest to the centre of the house at the conclusion of each end, which is completed when both teams have thrown all of their stones. A game may consist of ten or eight ends.

Photo from the junior curling program from the Elmira and District Curling Club.

Grade twelve student, Áine Davis, who is in her second year of curling, said that she wanted to join a school sport but said she was awful at everything. That’s when she discovered curling and she said she fell in love.

 “It’s just so much fun! I’m still not the greatest,” She laughs. “But we do have some fabulous players and it just feels amazing to be part of the team!”

 Last year, Áine explains, they weren’t very good, losing the majority of their games. Too many inexperienced players and much confusion with the retirement of long time curling coach, Mr. Thomas. However, leadership teacher Mr. Gingerich was happy to take up the role of coach, while still being supervised by Mr. Thomas, who volunteers his time with the team.

 “I just sort of fell into it,” explains Gingerich. “I joined a curling team so I could learn and I really love it now!”

 He goes on to say that both the intermediate and the senior level teams are doing really well.

 “The leagues are based on experience, it’s not like junior and senior,” says Gingerich. He says that both teams are getting better and better with every game!

 “We’re not falling on the ice as much anymore,” He laughs.

About a month ago, students at EDSS walked the halls to notice brand shiny new water fountains on both the second floor and outside the caf. The new fountains feature some pretty cool functions as far as water fountains goes. Automatic sensors, that know when you put your bottle under the faucet and automatically start dispensing cool, refreshing water. As well as a little screen in corner, showing students how many plastic water bottles they have saved using just that one fountain. Plus I don’t think anyone can argue they are a lot cooler looking then your regular, boring, white, every-school-has-them water fountains.

Grade 12 student Katie Csordas, drinking out of the new water fountain during her first period gym class.

Mr. Kevin Schroeder, head-custodian at EDSS understands the importance of the ‘hydration stations’, he said that the main reason Vice-Principle Mrs. Kolb decided to put them in was because of the huge push from the school board this year for students to avoid using bottled water and to promote drinking more municipal water in our schools.

 The change over was defiantly not an inexpensive one, the fountains were approximately two thousand dollars each, that is why the school only has two of them right now said Schroeder, “however our hopes for the future is that we can put at least one more in next year, on the third floor.”

 The positioning of the fountains that EDSS got this year was not a random decision. Having one outside the weight room and by the small gym was because the power fit kids are always using the fountain right outside doors, we put one there because we knew that they would use it all the time, said Schroeder. The other fountain, right outside the caf, goes back to the promotion of kids drinking municipal water as opposed to bottled water, “if they see if right before they walk into the caf, they are more like to fill up using the new fountain, and not buy a drink in the caf.”

 Students at EDSS love the new fountains, they are cool to look at, automatic and the water is refrigerated, unlike the other regular fountains around the school. Grade 12 student, Katie Csordas, said, “I like the new water fountains because they not only look cool, they motivate me to not use bottle water. I have first period gym and use it everyday. Saving the world one step at a time.”

 Hopefully in the next few years all the water fountains can be changed over to the new hydration stations. They will be well received with all the positive feedback the few the school has now is getting.

 Movember to S.O.C.K. collections, doors to Me to We, and Christmas toys to days of silence; EDSS is taking on it all. Many would pat themselves on the back but I’d rather us kick our fellow peers in the pants.

 I say this in light of this year’s Movember. Our student body raised $316.98 for prostate cancer while our goal was $1000. Our community is one where it is widely believed that “it is more blessed to give than receive”, yet we see our charities receive less and less every year. Is the problem actually us or is EDSS being asked to much? Do we need to tone it down and focus on one cause or is there something actually wrong with us youngsters these days?

List of Multiple Charities

Movember is a relatively new cause. It’s fun (unless you despise facial hair like me), its effective (there is no escaping the Mo bros), and it is an all around wonderful cause (Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men). And Elmira has many caring, fun-loving, and motivated staff and students… So what’s the problem? Well frankly, there is just too much stuff!

 Every week there are at least 2 new causes set up in front of the caf. and a minimum of 1 announcement. Come home room rep meetings our classes are desensitized by donations, yet leaders parade back to their classes with yet another nice list of charity events.

 Far be it from me to say that any of these charities are not worthy causes! When I became a Lancer last year I was impressed, but also overwhelmed by the amount of charities we support. And though the Roman’s did not live it out, I think they said it right, modus omnibus in rebus. Moderation in all things.

 It has been said many times that too much of anything is good for nothing, charity is no exception. We can only expect to see that a student who is constantly blasted with posters and donation jars become desensitized or tired.

 What needs to happen now is for our student leaders need to sit down and figure this one out. Yes student leader and not our staff need to figure this out. Sure staff can help guide student leaders, but honestly we have 77 staff and 1150 students. Students understand each other and that is where the change needs to be. More over this is learning and growing experience.

 I would love to see our leaders wrestle this one through with minimum guidance and then assume the power to make the changes. Our peers empower us more than our teachers and the change our leaders make will likely be more respected and last longer.

 Though Movember was a fail (what else would you call it if you got a 31% on a test) I think it is an excellent indicator of some problems arising in our school, at the same time it can be an excellent learning experience. Now we know there are problems that need to