Phoenix Central School District—Student Newsletter

DECEMBER 2016

DECEMBER Calendar

December 16 — 5-week

report cut-off date

December 26—30 —

Holiday Break

JANUARY Calendar

January 2—Holiday break

January 3—Semi-formal

tickets ON SALE NOW!!!

January 16—MLK, Jr. Day

(No School)

January 24—27 —

Regents Week (CHECK

WITH EACH OF YOUR

TEACHERS TO SEE IF

YOU NEED TO COME IN!!)

Congratulations to Phoenix

Football players Conrad Karl

and Nick Bernard for winning

last night’s Senior All-Star

game 52-37.

In the 1st

quarter of the game,

Oswego county All-Stars

trailed Jefferson Lewis

county All Stars 24-6.

Phoenix QB Nick

Bernard entered the

game to start the 2nd

quarter and brought

Oswego County back!

He put up video

game-like numbers! Nick

completed 18 of 23

passes for a total of 386

yards, 5 touch-down

passes, and 1 rushing

touch-down!

Conrad Karl protected

Nick’s blindside all night

at Left Offensive Tackle.

Nick earned the U.S.

Army MVP award of the

game. Congratulations to

you both! What a way to

finish your high school

Football careers in

style!

All-Star Football players!!

Information submitted by Coach Rowe

Faculty who contributed to this newspaper: Mr. Barrett, Ms. Grethel, Ms. Neiss, Coach Rowe, Mrs. Spereno

Students who contributed to this newspaper: DJ Burgess, Hailey Goudy, Jena Klimazewski, Shania Meaker, Marissa Moore

Here is a handy list of important JCB websites! *STUDENT COUNCIL PAGE http://jcbstudentcouncil.weebly.com *Softball http://phoenixfirebirdssoftball.weebly.com/ *Football www.phoenixfirebirds.net *Wrestling http://www.cnywrestling.com/iii/teams/Phoenix/ *JCB Yearbook Jcbyearbook.weebly.com *Girls Tennis http://phoenixgirlstennis.weebly.com/ *Girls Basketball http://jcbgirlsbasketball.weebly.com/ *National Honor Society http://jcbnhs.weebly.com/ *JCB Physical Education http://jcbphysed.weebly.com/ *JCB Library http://jcblibrary.weebly.com/ *JCB computer labs website: http://jcblabs.weebly.com/ *JCB Guidance Office http://www.phoenixcsd.org/Schools/John-C-Birdlebough-High-School/Guidance-Office *Schooltool https://phoenix.schooltool.cnyric.org/SchoolToolWeb/Default.aspx *Castle Learning http://corp.castlelearning.com/ College Info—*https://www.hesc.ny.gov/ Career Exploration — *http://public.careercruising.com (Students needs username and password from guidance)

NHS News Submitted by Ms. Neiss

*NHS meeting December 16th

after school in the library.

*Stay tuned for the results from our blood drive!!

*Food Drive December 1st

-December 12th

. Bring in your cans and boxed non-perishable food goods!!!

*Sign up to ring the Salvation Army Red Kettle Drive Bell outside Cathy Lee’s Room.

On November 1, family, friends, teachers and

administrators filled the JCB High school

auditorium to celebrate and congratulate the

newest inductees to the National Honor

Society!

NHS advisor, Angie Neiss applauded the

students for their accomplishments and said

she looks forward to working with them in the

future.

Before the students took the NHS pledge, Mr.

Fitch had a few words for them also. “You

have demonstrated the qualities of scholarship,

leadership, service, and character.”

Once the pledge was spoken, current NHS

members introduced the inductees and

welcomed them into the organization.

Superintendent Byrne presented new inductees

with pins that signified their membership into

the NHS.

INDUCTIONS!!!

The newest members of the Phoenix chapter of

the NHS are... Gabriella Allen, Keara Backus,

Maggie Lee Basile, Marcus Berube, Erika Brown,

Ashley Carbonaro, Gianna DeRoberts, Cahal

Donovan, Matthew Francis, Hannah Gilbert,

Declan Hawthorne, Nicole Henry, Megan Hess,

Emilie Hilliard, Wendy Li, Ashley Margrey,

Taylor Mattice, Jacob Murphy, Makayla

Newvine, Olivia Ripley, Kristine Rowe, Hannah

Sallis, Mairin Sgroi, Mariah Sheirer, Crystal

Stobart, Olivia Thrall, Josh Van Gorder, Garrett

Watkins, Sydney Young, and Edward Zellar.

“This represents an extremely

prestigious and honorable level of

achievement,” Mr. Fitch to the 2016

NHS inductees.

Ms. Neiss shaking the hand of

Sophomore, Cahal Donovan

On October 30th, the Marching Firebirds took first place at their home show scoring their highest score (80.75) of the season and competing against 2 other bands visiting from Long Island (Division Avenue (79.8) and Roslyn (75.4). They went on to score the same score at the Carrier Dome in the New York State Field Band Conference Championship competition, earning them second place and the NY State Governor’s Cup!

This incredible achievement is only possible through excellent leadership and support both on and off the field. Their director, Mr. Nicholas Gerling, has directed the band for the past 3 years, and with the help of his staff and the support system of the administration and other team members, has not finished below 3rd place since taking over.

I have had the pleasure of observing Nick both on and off the field, as he crafts a

show that is intelligently, and skillfully selected for the band he has and then executes it piece by piece as he teaches it to our students.

He has kept “the little marching band that could” at the top of our class, competing against bands usually twice as large. Nick is an asset to our community and is quick to praise others, while maybe not receiving the well-deserved praise for himself as often as he should.

A big “Congratulations” to Nick and his staff and to the students who invested so much of their time to bring the Governor’s Cup home and continue the tradition of the program. I am so proud, and I know that they would want you all to know how excited they are, and how proud they are, of this great accomplishment.

Link to the performance: https://youtu.be/Mnxzskaiqg0

Marching Band CONGRATULATIONS!!! Submitted by Ms. Grethel

CONGRATS !!

The following students attended this year’s Area All

-State Music Festival in Whitesboro:

Dixon Ameele, Daniel Knowlton, Sarah Thorn,

Victoria Dievendorf, Samantha Harrison,

Sean Sievers, and Brian Breen

Students are chosen from all over the area based on

their last year’s NYSSMA score.

The girls JV and Varsity volleyball teams played

Solvay on October 20, 2016 for their senior night

home game. Senior night is a game dedicated to

the senior players to honor their efforts

throughout high school.

The JV players beat Solvay in two out of three

sets; it was a close game that kept everyone at

the edge of their seats. In all three sets, the

players started off slowly but worked their way

up to add another win to their records.

Commitment and energy keeps the team

working together.

VOLLEYBALL: Senior Night BY: Hailey Goudy

The Varsity girls held their ground on

defense in attempts to keep their team

in the game. On offense, hitters used

their skills to place the ball in hard to

receive spots. Though they did not get

the win, they still worked together to try

to have fun on their big night.

The seniors are Sydney Young (#11),

Kristen Clapp (#5), Morgan

Bajish (#4), Hayleigh Ladd (#3), and

Brittany Hulsmann (#8).

Congratulations to the Varsity Volleyball Team for qualifying for sectionals. They played their best match of the season vs. Westhill, but came up short in their fight. Congratulations to Sydney Young for re-ceiving a first team all-league selection for setter, Kristen Clapp for second team all-league libero, and Morgan Bajish, Brittany Hulsmann, Natalie Hart, and Zoe Heckert for receiving Honorable Mention Awards.

At their banquet on November 22nd

, Zoe Heckert received the Most Improved Award, Natalie Hart—The Hustle Award, and Alyssa Goudy, the Team Leader Award.

VOLLEYBALL

The picture is the night the girls qualified for sectionals with their win over Syracuse Institute of Technology.

The New York State School Music

Association held their annual Junior

High Area All State Music Festival on

November 4-5, 2016 in Cortland, NY.

Students were selected to participate

from 44 different school districts. The

Phoenix instrumental music program

grades 7-9 had 8 students selected to

participate with the concert band.

The band under the direction of Mr.

James Spinazzola was comprised

o f 9 8 t o t a l s t u de n t s f ro m

25 different school districts.

Phoenix is very proud to be the 3rd

largest represented school district at

this year’s festival! Selections

performed at the concert included

“Military Escort” by Harold Bennett,

“Irish Tune from County Derry” by

Percy Gra inger and “Basque

Rhapsody” by Melvin Shelton.

The Phoenix Central School Music

Department is also very proud to be

included in the NAfME top 100

s c h o o l s i n A m e r i c a f o r

M u s i c E d u c a t i o n f o r t h e

2 0 1 6 s c h o o l y e a r .

This is the fifth straight year for this

designation. Special thanks go out to the Phoenix

Administration Team and the Board of Education

for their continued support of our

students.

Row 1: Skylar Patnode – Trombone, Aidan Trumble –

Trumpet, Virginia Bednarski –

Trumpet, Lily Roberts – French Horn

Row 2: Sarah Thorn – Bass Clarinet, Hailey Goudy –

Clarinet, Chloe Calkins – Euphonium, Thomas Uhl -

Trumpet

STUDENT ARTWORK!

Breanna Backus

Bronwyn Bishop

Dylan Blumer

Eli Clark

Gabby

Crandell

Kaylee Henry

Harley Sgarlata

STUDENT ARTWORK!!

Miranda Bowersox

Amanda DeRyke

Tyler Files

Chloe Koegel

Ethan Murakami

Giovanna Yates

Meet the director of Marching Band and

Winterguard: Mr. Nicholas Gerling.

Mr. Gerling is located in the band room. He is only

at the school when either Winterguard or

marching band is going on.

If I were you I would join Marching Band because

it prepares you for the Winterguard season. Trust

me, you will learn that doing Marching Band or

Winterguard will teach you many things. but the

most important is you treat each other like

family. If it were not for Mr. Gerling and his staff, I

would not be the person I am today. I’ve had

them to help guide the way and make me the best

I can be.

Mr. Gerling has a lot of experience with the

Marching arts and Winterguard programs. He

started with Winterguard when he was in 6th

grade, the winter of 1999. Before most of us were

born! Mr. Gerling was in his hometown

colorguard at New Hartford and he also marched

for 3 years with the Empire Statesmen Drum and

Bugle Corp in 2011, 2012, and 2013. Mr. Gerling

loves doing this because it is about exploring

music and motion in ways that cannot be done in

any other art form. These activities have taught

him what it means to set goals and work harder

than he had ever thought possible.

There are many requirements for the position of

director—you would not want a guy off the street

who knows nothing about marching band to be

the director! Mr. Gerling went to Nazareth

College in Rochester, NY and he majored in Music

Education and Vocal Performance. Mr. Gerling

has worked in other school districts such as New

Hartford, Hilton, Cicero North Syracuse. and

Naples. What Mr. Gerling like about his position

as director is having the freedom to develop the

program through shows that he gets to design,

which is his favorite part of the activity and then

getting to watch the students bring them to life.

The hardest challenge that Mr. Gerling had to face

was making the decision to move to

Syracuse. He had made himself a very

comfortable life in Rochester, but it would have

been hard traveling back and forth to fulfill all the

requirements of the director position.

Recently the Marching Band went to NYC and

Long Island for a competition and they won first

in their class against two competitors (Roslyn

and Division Avenue). Mr. Gerling chose NYC

because it is one of the beautiful places on earth

and it was a place he loved to go when he was in

band. It was a trip that he thought he would

never do, but he was very glad he did. The week-

end was beautiful and the students were great at

the competition.

Mr. Gerling’s favorite movie is Gothika with

Halle Berry. It is a suspense thriller. His hobbies

would include music, traveling, spending time

with his family and friends, anything involving

the ocean, and he loves to try out new

restaurants.

Staff Interview BY Shania Meaker

Shania’s selfie with Nick

DEAD RISING 4-A video game review BY: DJ Burgess

With the release of “Dead Rising 4” on its way

I thought I would take a look at the latest

game in the serious “Dead Rising 3”. In this

game you play as Nick Ramos a mechanic

working in los Perdidos, California fighting to

survive a zombie outbreak fighting against

zombies, the military and people that have

lost their minds in the outbreak. You and as

many people as you can save have to try to

find a way out of the city before a firebomb-

ing to destroy all organic life in the city. This

game made significant improvements with

some of the more frustrating points of the

game. In “Dead Rising 2” Capcom introduced

a new mechanic of combining weapons to make

combo weapons. All though it was helpful it was

made an inconvenience by only letting people

make them in certain spots. This was fixed in

“Dead Rising 3” when you could make them at any

points. Saving was another problem they had cer-

tain place you could save witch angered people

seeing as they were few and far between. To fix

this they introduced the ability to save anytime

anywhere. If you are interested to play this but

haven’t play 1 or 2 the story isn’t connected so it

won’t be a problem. This is easily the best game in

the series, so I would greatly recommend it.

STUDENT

WORK

Cartoon by Chloe Goodnow

Water drips down my cheeks

Rain mixes with my tears

Thunder drowns my sobs

I stand alone

Swallowed by the abyss

Trapped in the storm

A vortex of emotions

Swirls around me

Thrashing me about

I am numb

Yet pain pierces through

Breaking me, destroying me

I fall deeper into darkness

Drowning in the pitch black

Nowhere to turn

There is no escape

I’m left to break

Shattering into pieces

Storm

By: Marissa Moore

The world itself is an interesting place,

Including the fact that the dominant beings on it

judge each other based on

gender, sexuality, religion, and race.

Why can't we get along,

Why is everyone judged?

Is this truly our destiny,

Is this how humans are supposed to be?

The world itself, is a terrifying place,

The beings on it hurt each other,

In hopes one will reign tougher,

But is winning a battle really the way to see?

Is fighting and war really the epitome of

what makes us human?

Though, the world itself is a beautiful place to see,

Beautiful rivers and quite a few great people,

But are those people truly okay?

One day, they'll all be left to decay with the rest,

Everyone faces the inevitable in the end,

Whether they face it sooner or later,

More painful or less really depends.

Poem

By: Anonymous