Volume II Issue 3 October 30, 2009 500! Coach Plaiscia Gets it Done! The CHS Post CHALMETTE HIGH SCHOOL By Lyndey St. Philip CHS ‘10 “We’re going to win for maroon and white. We’re going to make our motto victory.” A major victory was made at Chalmette High School that everyone should know about. The CHs Post asked Coach Plaiscia some questions about winning her 500th win. She said, “It was a very exciting experience. It’s nothing that a coach looks into when they first start coaching.” Coach Plaiscia is well known around Chalmette High not only for her coaching, but for her friendliness and kindness. She also told us, “My 500th win is more of a victory for Chalmette High School and my past teams because without them, I wouldn’t be where I am today.” As you can see, Coach Plaiscia dedicates a lot of her time into her school acquaintances and her team members. She works and coaches at Chalmette High because she loves it, not because she has to. It will be heartbreaking for her team members and Chalmette High School when Coach Plaiscia decides that it’s her time to retire. She told us she wants to coach for at least 23 to 30 more years, but there’s no definite ending time for her. But no worries, it’s no time soon. Coach Plaiscia will surely make it to her 600th win, no doubt about it. Coach Plaiscia not only coached volleyball but also basketball and track in the past years. Volleyball has always been her favorite though and she’s preferred to coach volleyball her years here at Chalmette High. Her love of sports and seeing the kids grow is what inspired her to become the coach she is today. Coach Plaiscia told The CHS Post, “Coaching CHS Goes Green It’s time for Chalmette High School to give back to Mother Earth and “Go Green!” The main campus of CHS now features a working greenhouse. In the greenhouse, Coach McInnis’ landscaping class, which includes eight students, works to decorate the school and give by Caroline Hall CHS ‘10 back to the community. This greenhouse plans to not only house many plants used around the CHS campus for landscaping gardens and open areas, but also the students are growing marsh grasses to assist in bringing back the eroding marshlands of St. Ber- Inside this issue: Halloween Student Survey Entertainment CHS Sports isn’t just volleyball or about the skills that I teach the girls. It’s also the important things like learning life skills and watching the girls not only grow as volleyball players, but as ladies.” She started out her coaching career at P.G.T. Beauregard in December of 1986. She taught there for a year and a half. She then got asked to (continued on page 2) 3 4-7 8-18 nard Parish. The students are not only working with full grown plants, but they are also learning how to plant the seeds and uproot a plant from a pot to put it safely into the ground. (cont. on page 2) October Issue Highlights: • Boys’ Basketball Season Schedule • Girls’ Basketball Season Schedule • Football Team Eyes Playoffs Owl Week 19-22 Pep Rally 23-24 • Owl Week Photos and Stories Owl Wall Pictorial 25-26 • CHS Live Back Onstage Editorial– The Choices You Make 27 • CHS Greenhouse Helping Rebuild Marsh Greenhouse Before Hurricane Katrina, there was a greenhouse on the Chalmette High campus, but it was not professionally built. Instead, it was built by students. This new professional, fully energy-free greenhouse, complete with an unbreakable, rustproof metal roof, cost $58,000 to build. Mr. Cassar and Mr. Warner led the effort to have the greenhouse built and placed into use. The ground is covered with crushed limestone so that the water used to maintain the plants can drain into the ground without creating a mud bath in the greenhouse. Heat is pushed out the open vents and under the counter tops so that the temperature inside is the same as the temperature outside. The shape of the greenhouse—long and skinny like a rectangle--assists the air flow in keeping the plants at a normal temperature. (cont. from p. 1) A tropical paradise awaits the visitor in the greenhouse on CHS campus. Located in the central courtyard, the greenhouse is the classroom where Coach McInnis’ landscaping students raise ornamental shrubs and plan to grow marsh grass for conserving wetlands. Congratulations, Coach! Coaches, staff send congratulations wishes! From Coach McInnis: From Coach Boomer: From Coach Licciardi: Congrats and thanks for all you do. Congrats! 500 wins is truly a remarkable accomplishment. You deserve it! All of your hard work and dedication to your girls shows. From Coach Anderson: Mr. Cowan: What an unbelievable accomplishment. You’ve got 500 victories and all with the same school. How long before the next 500? Ha-ha. Congratulations on an incredible accomplishment! From Coach Buuck: Congratulations on your 500th win. I hope I’m still around for your 1,000th. From Coach Tucker: Congratulations on your 500th win; now get to practice. From Coach Roberts: Congrats coach, you deserve it. Keep working hard. From Coach Stockton: Congratulations and keep up the great work. Your 600th is next! Ms. Mundt: Phenomenal! She sets high goals and meets them and the players that play for her are better because of it. Way to go, Coach! 500 Wins for Coach! (cont. from page 1) coach at our very own Chalmette High School, which was co-ed through 1988 through 1989 when she started teaching there. Coach Plaiscia is a very experienced coach who has been coaching for 21 seasons, not counting the season that Hurricane Katrina hit. Coach Plaiscia also told us, “My favorite part about my job is being around athletics and kids; it keeps you young at heart.” She also added, “My number one reason why I love coaching is be- The CHS Post cause I’m able to wear shorts to work and always be comfortable.” If you ask anyone who knows Coach Plaiscia, they’ll tell you she’s a very committed coach and never takes the easy way out. Those are the reasons why Coach Plaiscia won her 500th win and is still going strong. years. The CHS Post interviewed a few of the coaches that work here to see what they thought about Coach Plaiscia. Coach Anderson has only been working at Chalmette High for a few months now. She said,” I’ve only known Coach Plaiscia the few months I’ve been here. In that short amount of time she’s made me feel right Coach Plaiscia has been working at at home.” Coach Boomer, Roberts, and Chalmette High for a quite a while now, and has made some life long friends over the (continued on page 6) Volume II, Issue 3 page 2 Student Survey: Trick or Treat? For some people, Halloween is a holiday to eat loads of candy and watch the most gruesome, scary movies. For others, it’s a time to dress up in a variety of costumes and attend the most exciting Halloween parties of the night. Students of The CHS Post surveyed ten students from each grade level, five boys and five girls, to see what their favorite part about Halloween is. Although everyone has a different perspective on Halloween, it’s a night for friends and family to spend. After surveying grades 10-12, The CHS Post came to the conclusion that our students would prefer to spend their Halloween having fun at parties. We surveyed the sophomores and established that 20% of the sophomore boys favor the candy, 20% would rather dress up for Halloween, 20% choose to stay in and By Lyndey St. Philip and Ashley Vidrine CHS ‘10 watch scary movies, and 40% like to attend the parties. With sophomore girls, the competition between the four wasn’t very hard. Only 20% choose to dress up and 80% would rather go to the parties. Eating candy and watching scary movies aren’t popular among these girls, for there was a total of 0% for both categories. When surveying the junior boys, dressing up came in second with 20%. Halloween parties and watching scary movies took the lead with 40% each, whereas munching on the candy had 0%. With the junior girls, Halloween parties were still in favor with 60%. Dressing up and looking at scary movies was tied with 20%. As expected, trick-or-treating for candy had 0%. Of course, 60% of the senior boys would much rather celebrate Halloween having fun at a party. Only 40% of them enjoy dressing up. Candy and scary movies came in last, again, with 0%. Dress- So what is your favorite part of Halloween? The CHS Post knows! 2009 CHS Post Halloween Survey Results The CHS Post wants to know what Chalmette High students like most about Halloween this year. The Candy Dressing Up The Scary Movies Halloween Parties Sophomore Boys 20% 20% 20% 40% Sophomore Girls 0% 20% 0% 80% Junior Boys 0% 20% 40% 40% Junior Girls 0% 20% 20% 60% Senior Boys 0% 40% 0% 60% Senior Girls 0% 60% 0% 40% The Candy Dressing Up The Scary Movies Halloween Parties All Boys 7% 27% 20% 46% All Girls 0% 33% 7% 60% Total 10% 20% 10% 60% The CHS Post Volume II, Issue 3 page 3 CHS Live! Looking for Laughter This fall, there will be a lot of laughing in the upstairs theater at Chalmette High School. This semester’s fall school play is going to be a comedy; Mr. Dugger and Miss Lord have selected the play “Is There a Comic In The House?” for the show. They chose this one because it is a funny play, worth doing, and they have a good cast to portray the characters. Before they found this play, they had read over 50 other plays, but this one fit best with the CHS Live! cast. Although this play is going to be a challenge because of all the dialogues that have difficult timing, it’s not going to be very difficult for the cast. “We have such a great cast,” says Miss Lord. “It’s just hard work along the way.” Rehearsals for the school play are everyday after school except Friday, from 4:30 until 6:30. That is a long day in school, but the cast wants to give a great show, and that requires lots of practice. Two cast members have been in the CHS Live! club for three years now. They’ve got some useful experience with entertaining audiences. The CHS Post asked some questions to two of these actors, Kimmy Hirstius and Alan Rocha. Do you like the idea of doing this particular play here at CHS? Alan: I do; I love it. It is a really funny ensemble. I think it’s good that there is no competition between students about the parts. Kimmy: I do too; it is very funny, and we have a good cast. Do you want to keep on acting in the future? by Jonna Voorendt CHS ‘10 But if I could I would. Kimmy: No, I just do this as a school thing. What do you think is most important about acting? Alan: Having the ability to become someone else. And, of course, SHOWTIME! I really love being on stage and performing for an audience. Kimmy: Getting into character and making sure you put on a good show for the audience. And don’t forget to enjoy yourself while performing. Be sure to come to see the fall play on November 18, 19, 20 or 21. Tickets will cost about $7 for adults, and student tickets will cost $5. Also, some teachers will give students extra credit if they come and watch. Alan: I would love to, but I heard it is really hard to find a job in that industry. Alan Rocha and Kimmie Hirstius (bottom left) will appear in “Is There a Comic in the House?” as CHS Live kicks off the 2009-2010 dramatic season under the direction of Miss Lord (bottom middle) and Mr. Dugger (bottom right). Halloween Customs Halloween decorations bring back memories of old Halloween traditions for the older inhabitants of the CHS campus. Here are a few that the teachers can recall: Bobbing for Apples– This was a must for any Halloween party. Kids tried to catch an apple floating in a washtub full of water with their teeth. Pumpkin Carving– This tradition was usually performed on Halloween afternoon, and a candle inside the jack-o-lantern provided the eerie glow. The CHS Post Trick or Treat– Free candy. Yes. Costume Parties– These had games like Pin the Tail on the Black Cat, contests, candied apples, and popcorn balls. Haunted Houses– These were put on at schools, churches, and even in family garages, and they were usually either free or cost ten cents. Happy Halloween Toasted Pumpkin Seeds– After the pumpkin was from The CHS Post! carved, its seeds were salted, sprayed with olive oil, and toasted. Talk about good! Volume II, Issue 3 page 4 New Music: Whitney Houston Comes Back! It’s been seven years since R&B singer Whitney Houston has released an album, but her vacation is officially over. Her 2009 album I Look to You was released recently and of course, her music is nothing less than extraordinary. Her album is clearly a declaration of her return to music industry with intentions on ascending to the top of the charts. With singles like Million Dollar Bill, I Look to You and I Didn’t Know My Own Strength she shows that she can still compete with the best of them. Her album proves that she still has that warm, soothing, angelic vocal ability to blow her fans away. Having dealt with her demons and personal dilemmas, she makes it plain to see that she plans to focus on her career and keep the hits coming. Whitney’s album redefines her as a soulful artist with more than a lifetime of talent to give back to the world. In the past, she had multiple successful albums and singles and tours. Her music has come a long way from simple Rhythm and Blues, yet Whitney still shows her dominance in the game. Being able to keep up with the latest trends and styles of music should be a piece of cake for the Singer/Actress/ Mother. The world waits for her to bless us with her beautiful, keep-it-real style. Show us what you’ve got, Whitney! Whitney Houston (right) shows that she has won the battle with her demons on her new CD. At the Movies: Sorority Row Are you ready to see a movie that has you wondering what will happen next or sitting on the edge of your seat the whole time? Well the new horror film “Sorority Row” is a remake of “The House on Sorority Row.” Briana Evigan, Leah Pipes, Jamie Chung, Rumor Willis, Audrina Patridge, Carrie Fisher, Matt O’Leary, and Julian Morris were the main characters in the suspenseful movie. The movie begins in a sorority house at the party of the year, one of the last parties for some of the By Yurg’godsur Belcher CHS ‘10 by Caroline Hall and Dylan Miller CHS ‘10 guests. A sorority sister Megan (Patridge) pulls a trick on her boyfriend Garrett (O’Leary) who cheated on her, as a way to get revenge she pretends to die in his room. Her sorority sisters, who were in on the prank, would drive to a cliff and pretend to get rid of the body. Garrett thought the only way for his life to go back to normal would be to finish her off, so before anyone can stop him; he hits Megan with a tire tool in her chest to get all of the air out of her lungs which then really kills her. Months pass by and it is time for everyone to graduate and someone sends them a picture message of that accident taken from Megan’s phone. They all become frightened and desperately try to find the killer, but before they can stop the killer, people they know start to die one by one. The sorority sister who wanted to tell the cops about the accident is running away from the killer with her sorority sisters when he unmasks himself and the killer is the last person everyone expects. You have to go see the movie to find out who the killer is, but be warned that the movie is a bone chilling, suspenseful thriller that will leave you guessing what comes next. “Sorority Row is a remake of the 1983 classic horror film “The House on Sorority Row.” The CHS Post Volume II, Issue 3 page 5 At the Movies: Remember My Name: FAME! Well, forget that name again. The new remake of Fame is not worth remembering at all. Fame (2009) is a movie people should watch if they like to see people dance and sing without a good storyline. It is a nice movie to watch, but they don’t let the characters develop enough. The viewers didn’t get a chance to get to know these characters. In the movie are a bunch of teenagers who audition for a place in P.A. (School of Performing Arts) Fame follows the kids who got in. A pretty neat storyline one would say, but they didn’t do anything with it. They switched from year to year, (they even left out junior year without a good reason), and from time to time one of the characters would have a personal problem which consisted of choosing for career or love. How unique. Nevertheless, it was a nice movie to see and can make one’s mood better, but if you want to see a good movie, don’t go to Fame. For a feel good movie with dancing, singing and lack of characteristic development, go for it! CHS Live member Jonna Voorendt says that Fame (right) had some good dance scenes, but it lacked character and plot development. Mr. Cassar: A Man for all Seasons No matter what school you have been to, how many you have been enrolled in, or where they are located, there is always one staff member, including a teacher, disciplinary, principal, or even a lunch lady who you can look up to as a perfect role model, someone who is involved in and/or coordinates most of the events held at your school and even around your community. This person teaches you that hard work and perseverance can lead you to an endless road of opportunities and possibilities. Well here at CHS, Mr. Cassar is recognized as that someone. For 500 Wins! Tucker said what makes Coach Plaiscia such a brilliant coach is that she’s consistent, has good discipline, and very hard working. There are also a few close friends of Coach Plaiscia that work at Chalmette High. There are Coach Buuck, Stockton, Licciardi, and McInnis. Coach Buuck said, “She’s inspired me as a coach by the enthusiasm she brings to practice and games” Coach Stockton told us that Coach Plaiscia is so successful because she’s very dedicated and hard The CHS Post By Jonna Voorendt CHS ‘10 by Cierra Thompson CHS ‘11 those of you who are just joining us this year and are unfamiliar with this name, Mr. Cassar is an honest, straight-forward man. He works through the central office of the school board as the events coordinator for every school located in St. Bernard Parish. If the name doesn’t bring a face into clear view, you may recognize him from the morning announcements every time he calls a meeting for his leadership group. Yes, that is Mr. Cassar. You may not hear him pronounce your name the first time he meets you, but he (cont. from page 2) working and knows about teaching fundamentals. When we asked Coach Licciardi id Coach Plaiscia taught her anything over their years of coaching together she said, “She taught me if you put 100% in your team, they’ll give you 100% back. You can also then have a positive impact on their life.” Coach Plaiscia and Coach McInnis are childhood friends. He says the reason he loves working with Coach Plaiscia is because she’s very enjoyable and always tough on him. He gave a little Volume II, Issue 3 Mr. Charles Cassar’s trademark smile always precedes a cheery greeting. extra by saying, “She’s extremely tough on me, and always has been. She has to tell me to pull up my pants, take out my earrings, and all this other stuff. She’ll always inspire me in everyway.” Coach Plaiscia inspires everyone she coaches, teaches, or works with in everyway possible. She is truly a victorious coach in so many ways. page 6 New Moon from Twilight The newest installation of the Twilight series is now in theaters. The first film Twilight got a lot of good responses. They won five golden popcorn prizes at the MTV Movie Awards. That shows that this movie series is very appreciated by the fans. Will the next movie be as successful or even better? Find it out for yourself right now. New Moon is going to be the second film in the Twilight saga written by Stephenie Meyer. In New Moon, after Bella (Kristen Stewart) recovers from the vampire attack that almost claimed her life, she looks to celebrate her birthday with Edward (Robert Pattinson) and his family. However, a minor accident during the festivities results in Bella's blood being shed, a sight that proves too intense for the Cullens, who decide to leave the by Jonna Voorendt town of Forks, Washington, for Bella and Edward's sake. Initially heartbroken, Bella finds a form of comfort in reckless living, as well as an even-closer friendship with Jacob Black. Danger in different forms awaits. Have you seen New Moon and read the book? Tell us what you think about it. Did the producers do a good job filming this saga? Or are there things that could be better? We will print your observations and reviews in the next edition of The CHS Post. Contact us with your review at: [email protected] Dutch Halloween a New Concept In the last few years Holland is getting to know Halloween better and better. When it’s Halloween there are scary movies on TV, but the real trick or treating and decorating the houses is not so common yet. Nevertheless, there is an increasing interest in celebrating Halloween in Holland. If kids want to go trick or treating in Holland, they can’t just go to any house. They are given a map which says how they have to walk and which houses had signed up for the trick or treating. Maybe later on it will not be necessary to sign up as a house who gives candy, but that it will just be normal to decorate your house and participate in Halloween. Wouldn’t that be great? However, the amusement parks in Holland are decorated for Halloween and they really do it big. Like the amusement park ‘Hellendoorn’. When it’s October, this amusement park turns into its alter ego: ‘Heksendoorn’. (heks means witch in Dutch). There are several other amusement parks that join in for Halloween. The Fabulous Mr. Cassar will never forget your face. Some of you may wonder what Mr. Cassar’s job emcompasses. Well basically, he plans the events that take place at every school in the parish. The Katrina breakfast that was held next month was all him. Let’s not forget the Drug-Free rallies that are given every year at our school. Well those rallies are his work in action. Having been here since the mid-70’s, Mr. Cassar has made a huge impact on not only CHS, but The CHS Post CHS ‘10 Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart star in New Moon, the second film in the popular Twilight series. Stewart’s character, Bella, takes a bad turn after her vampire bite. by Jonna Voorendt CHS ‘10 There is another holiday in The Netherlands that looks a lot like the trick or treating from Halloween. It’s called ‘Sint Maarten’. This holiday is celebrated on the November 11, and it is to honor ‘Sint Maarten’. One night he helped a poor man by giving him his cloak. That generous act is celebrated in Holland by going to the houses to sing songs; begging to get some treats. The children also carry these lanterns that (continued on page15) (continued from page 6) also the other schools in this parish, over the years. In the words of Ms. Mundt, he’s a very talented man who focuses on and believes in the success of the kids who surround him everyday. So if you haven’t yet held a conversation with him, you should, because you will instantly see why everyone truly adores him. (The new school theater under construction on the Freshman Academy Campus is a pet project of Mr. Cassar. Volume II, Issue 3 page 7 Owls Beat Reed 26-12 by Yurg’godsur Belcher CHS ‘10 Can you say, “Sweet Victory?” Our boys have one under their belt. On Friday, September 25th, The Chalmette Owls beat the Sarah Reed Olympians, 26-12. yard pass from Craig Sylvera for a touchdown; with a little over 2 minutes left in the quarter, the Olympians seemed to give in to an inevitable defeat. The Owls started off slow, but by the second quarter they were well into their comeback. The first touchdown was scored by running back James “Pookie” Banks, making the score 7-12. Less than 3 minutes later, the Owls’ starting quarterback, Craig Sylvera, scored for the boys in maroon. Following a successful extra point by kicker, Hector Fernandez, the score was 14-12 in the second quarter. In the 4th quarter, James Banks topped off the beautiful competition with one final touchdown, making the score 28-12 with 5 minutes to spare. Hector Fernandez shined brightly that night with two extra points and consistently good kickoffs, and the defense continued to keep its head high regardless of winning or losing. The lead tackler was Rhett Pritchard with 12 tackles, 1 fumble recovery and getting first contact on 4 plays. David Smith added 10 tackles and 4 assists. Jermaine “The Man” Brisco had 7 tackles and 1 fumble recovery. Ruston Pritchard logged 6 tackles, getting first contact on 3 plays, and 1 fumble recovery, and Sean Esponge had 5 tackles, 3 assists, and a fumble recovery. This game was outstanding in every way possible; great play The Owls defense hold tough against the calling by the coaches, excellent execuSarah Reed Olympians. The Owls defeated Reed 26-12. The Chalmette Owls have been working constantly, and now it’s finally starting to show. The Owls went into halftime not only with the lead, but also with the momentum of the game, and we had no intentions of giving it back to the opposing team. The rest of the game was simply a shutout. Offensively and defensively, the team spread their wings. In the 3rd quarter, Rhett Pritchard caught a 16 tion by the team, and persistent, constant, confidence equals victory for the Owls. The long awaited win has finally come, and now that the Owls have tasted victory, there is no going back to the mundane flavor of defeat. Keep up the great work, boys. GO OWLS! (Left) CHS diehard fans Jordan Maiaro, Ashleigh Chiek, and Devin Baldridge root for the Owls. Head Coach Jason Tucker (right) calls the defensive formations for the Owls while pushing to get the most out of his players. Owls Hit the Road for Win, 3-2 Record Chalmette High was invited to be Live Oak’s homecoming opponents on Friday, October 3 in Denham Springs. Looking for an easy win against the Owls, Live Oak’s dreams of a homecoming victory were shattered piece by piece throughout this well-played game. The Owls played very well on their first road trip game. The boys in maroon fought hard and brought home a charac- The CHS Post by Yurg’godsur Belcher, CHS ‘10 ter-building win. Live Oak struck gold before the Owls could with a touchdown at the very end of the quarter; but Chalmette didn’t take too well to that, scoring a touchdown early in the second quarter on a 37 yard run by James “Pookie” Banks for 6 points and Hector Fernandez with the extra point. The Owls were first to score in the second half, with yet another run by James Banks for 6 yards and another successful kick for the extra point Volume II, Issue 3 by Fernandez. Live Oak fought hard to keep up, following closely behind Chalmette and tying the score in the third quarter with a run. Fortunately, the Owls had more fight in them, scoring again in the fourth quarter with a run by quarterback Craig Sylvera, making the score 2114 with 9 minutes left in the game. Live Oaks would score again, only to (continued on page 9) page 8 Owls Soar Past Eagles fail in their last desperate attempt to take the lead. Our boys defeated Live Oak by shutting down their two-point conversion, leaving the score at 21-20 and Chalmette taking home the win. The offense was on fire. James Banks ran for an impressive 201 rushing yards, the eleventh best all-time for a single game at Chalmette, and 2 touchdowns. B.J. Jeansonne added 40 rushing yards from his fullback position. Quarterback, Craig Sylvera had a total of 21 rushing yards. It looks like this quarterback can sneak better than we thought. Sylvera scored a touchdown, helping add the point to the Owls’ side of the scoreboard. Cody Williams had 3 kick off returns for 75 yards, including an onside kick recovery. (continued from p. 8) The Owls’ defense lived up to its reputation of hard hitting and being stingy on points. The leading tackler was the Hard Hitter himself, Rhett Pritchard, who had 10 tackles and got first contact on 4 plays. Jermaine “The Man” Brisco had 6 tackles and got first contact on 2 plays. Cody Williams made 5 tackles and Johnquel Jones also had 5 tackles and got first contact on 3 plays. Chalmette seems to be making its way over the mountain of losses and into the Valley of Victory. So, I say this for all of us, it’s about “Hootin” time! Keep up the great work boys. GO OWLS!! Ehret, Rain Stop Owls It was lights out for the Owls as defeat rained down hard on Friday, October 9th at Bobby Nuss Field. Mother Nature seemed to be against the boys in maroon as she blew the strong winds and heavy waves of rain against Chalmette’s football team. To make things worse, John Ehret seemed to notice and quickly took advantage of this natural distraction. Three Owl fumbles in the first quarter put the team in a hole early. John Ehret scored first with an 18 yard pass for 6 points by quarterback Anthony Garrison to Curtis Ashford. They failed to get the Sophomore Cody Williams has been a consistent performer for the Owls this season at wide receiver, and his exciting runs get the crowd cheering. by Yurg’godsur Belcher CHS ‘10 extra point, but successfully broke through into the end zone yet again thanks to a 17 yard run by Anthony Garrison. Again, they came up short on the extra point. Charles, who made a nice comeback move for the catch and for the touchdown. Hector Fernandez was successful again in the extra point, making the score 14-12. But it was Chalmette who would step foot in the end zone this time. Running back James “Pookie” Banks ran the ball 82 yards for the first home team touchdown. Hector Fernandez kicked the extra point, making the score 7-12 early in the second quarter. Chalmette would score again soon afterwards. Craig Sylvera threw a 21 yard pass to Devon But Chalmette’s comeback would sadly be short-lived. John Ehret stole the lead right before the end of the second quarter with a 5 yard run by Anthony Garrison that followed a 40 yard run by the mobile Patriot quarterback, Jermal Cleveland. The Patriots were successful in the extra point, with a pass by Cleveland to Curtis Ashford, making the score Owls Crush Bruins 35-0 by Dylan Miller CHS ‘10 Football weather returned to New Orleans for the third weekend in October, and the Chalmette Owls flew past the Bonnabel Bruins on a cold and windy night at Bobby Nuss Stadium Friday October 16. The win left Bonnabel scoreless and thoroughly defeated in front of a fired-up crowd. After stopping Bonnabel at the Chalmette 22 yard line on a fourth down conversion attempt after an 18 play drive, the Owls opened the scoring with a little bit of trickery when David Smith ran a double reverse 78 yards for a touchdown, a play which put Smith in the Chalmette record books with the seventh longest run in Owl history. Kicker Hector Fernandez The CHS Post added a field goal to make the score 10-0 at halftime. After Fernandez kicked a third quarter field goal to extend the Owl lead to 13 points, James “Pookie” Banks scored on a 6 yard run. Alex Crowson’s successful two-point conversion run made the score 21-0 at the end of the third quarter. The Owls added two insurance touchdowns in the fourth quarter with Johnquel Jones’ two yard power run and Jeffrey Joseph’s 29 yard scamper to the end zone. Joseph’s breakaway run brought the crowd to its feet to salute the Owls on their best team effort this season. After (continued on page 10) Volume II, Issue 3 page 9 Chalmette Rips Bruins 35-0 Joseph’s score, Coach Tucker replaced the Owl starters with backup players. David Smith led the Owls rushers with 78 yards and a touchdown on one carry for a 78 yard per carry average. Joseph ran 4 times for 45 yards and scored once; James Banks ran the ball 12 times for 39 yards and scored a touchdown. Johnquel Jones had 2 carries for 12 yards and a touchdown. Cody Williams had 3 receptions for 66 yards, Joseph Jamison had 2 receptions for 28 yards, and James Banks returned a kick 24 yards. Quarterback Craig Sylvera was 7 for 10 and 108 yards for an average of 15.4 yards a pass. Hector Fernandez led the Owls scorers with 9 points on two field goals and three extra point conversions. (c0ntinued from page 9) mistakes and a lot of scoring. Good luck to the Owls next week against the Grace King Fighting Irish at Joe Yenni Stadium in Metairie. Joe Jamison (6), Cody Williams (25), and fullback B.J. Jeansonne (38) line up for a play against Bonnabel on October 16 at Bobby Nuss Field in Chalmette. Defensively, Rhett Pritchard had 12 tackles, Sean Esponge had 11 tackles with 1 sack for 12 yards, and Ruston Pritchard had 8 tackles. The Owls played a great game against the Bruins with few The Owls offense huddles (bottom left). Zack Starks(50) blocks for Craig Sylvera (7) on a rollout against Bonnabel (bottom right) Jesuit Tops Freshmen Owls 8-6 Another failed attempt to come out on top for the Freshman Owls; taking an 8-6 loss to Jesuit. Although our boys were defeated, they still managed to give their opponents a great game. Cosie, with 6 rushes for 28 yards. Richenel Camel recovered a fumble carried by Ryan Dinot for a touchdown. Another fumble caused by defensive end, Ricky Fayard, was apparently recov- The CHS Post ered for an Owl touchdown in the end zone, but the ball was whistled dead at the 2 yard line.. Jesuit had 6 runs of negative yards, 20 yards total and gave up 2 sacks. The Jesuit touchdown was on a tipped pass deflected by Dondre Johnson to Jesuit who took it 50 yards for the 6 points. Overall, the Owl Defense performed great, keeping their opponents in their place. GO OWLS!! Volume II, Issue 3 page 10 Ehret soaks Owls (continued on page 11) 14-20 at the half. John Ehret would score again in the third quarter with a 30 yard run by Jared Burns. Anthony Garrison threw a successful pass to Curtis Ashford for the extra point. The score was 28-14, and John Ehret was just letting the good times roll; scoring again at the end of the third quarter with a 7 yard run by Mike Alexander and a successful kick for the extra point by Mike Boudreaux. Two more Owl fumbles in the second half contributed to the loss. Even though it seemed like our opponents were taking us to town, the Owls’ defense descended and shut down their scoring streak in the last quarter. Rhett “The Hard Hitter” Pritchard had 12 tackles and got first contact on 3 plays. Chris Scallen, added 11 tackles and got first contact on 4 plays. Ruston Pritchard had 9 tackles and got first contact on 4 plays. Sean Esponge had 6 tackles, 4 assists and 1 blocked pass. (continued from page 10) The 42-14 loss put the Owl record at 3-3 for the season and 0-1 in district play. The dark cloud always has a silver lining, but on Friday, October 9, it was nowhere be found, at least not in Chalmette. But no worries, our boys gave everything they had before the last buzzer sounded. The next game for the Owls after Ehret is a home district game against the Bruins of Bonnabel High School in Metairie. GO OWLS!! Johnquel Jones (34) puts some serious pain on the John Ehret quarterback as Ruston Pritchard (52) fights his way across the line of scrimmage on October 9. (left) The Owls defense hits the line against Ehret. (right) Ruston Pritchard (52) and Johnquel Jones (34) pursue a runner. One of Hector Fernandez’ two extra point kicks sails over the uprights (left). Hector credits his success to the hard work of kicking coach Aaron Zagory (right). The CHS Post Volume II, Issue 3 page 11 Newcomers Making Football Impact by Dylan Miller CHS ‘10 The 2009 CHS Owls Football team has improved to a 5-3 record with hardhitting defense and a high-powered spread offense. Coach Tucker has said many times that hard work in the weight room and the summer conditioning and camp program has been the biggest factor in their improvement. The Owls have also gotten some new faces who are also pretty good players who arrived at school this year as transfers or new students. his first season. The CHS Post interviewed Jeansonne and Brisco about the Owls’ season. Jermaine Brisco is a Helen Cox junior transfer linebacker who led the Owls in tackles at midseason. Brisco is an excellent open-field tackler and brings the pain along with Rhett Pritchard and Robert “B.J.” Jeansonne. Jeansonne, a junior fullback, punter and linebacker, is a new transfer from Picayune High School and is already starting at two positions. Jeansonne’s hard running and his hard hitting tackling have made him an instant crowd favorite. Chris Scallan is a junior Jesuit transfer who has been a player of the week on defense already in Brisco: Yes. How does it feel leading the Owls in tackles? Brisco: Feels great, I guess. (Very modestly) Is it your first time playing at a Varsity level? Jeansonne: No, I played at Picayune Do you plan on playing football in college? Jeansonne: Yes, LSU hopefully. What player has been the most influential player to you? Jeansonne: Craig. He is the Starting quarterback, and as a quarterback you have to be influential and a leader. Craig is both of those. How does it feel to be the starting Fullback and Punter and sharing time at Linebacker? How do you think the team will do for the rest of the season? Brisco: We should do good; we should go to the playoffs. Who has been the most influential player for you? Brisco: Rhett Pritchard. He has helped me a lot with learning plays and some of the techniques at Linebacker. Jeansonne: Feels good. These Owls are all underclassmen, so we will be able to see them showing off their skills next year. Good luck to these newcomers and all of the Owls for the rest of the season! Jesuit transfer student Chris Scallan (left) credits his line coach, Joe Sylve, with improving his rushing technique. Helen Cox transfer Jermaine Brisco and Picayune transfer B.J. Jeansonne are a tough team of linebackers. Jeansonne starts at punter and fullback. Tale of the Tape: CHS Football Statistical Leaders Through Week 8 Rushing: James Banks Receiving: Kickoff Returns: 146 carries 825 yards Cody Williams 16 catches 220 yards Donald Harris 6 runs 187 yards B.J. Jeansonne 24 carries 141 yards Joe Jamison 11 catches 173 yards James Banks 4 runs 166 yards Jeffrey Joseph 19 carries 141 yards James Banks David Smith 1 carry 78 yards Passing: Craig Sylvera The CHS Post 43/96 555 yards 6 catches 38 yards Tackles: Scoring: James Banks 60 Rhett Pritchard 76 tackles 26 solo Hector Fernandez 30 Jermaine Brisco 60 tackles, 36 solo Craig Sylvera 18 Volume II, Issue 3 page 12 Owls Football Statistical Leaders and Records Running Back James “Pookie” Banks (left) leads the team in rushing with 825 yards through 8 games, and his 201 yard rushing performance against state 5-A power Live Oak in Denham Springs put Banks is #11 on the all-time Owl single-game rushing list. Banks’ 82 yard run from scrimmage against John Ehret is #6 all-time for the Owls. David Smith (center) had a 78-yard touchdown run against Bonnabel, tying him for the #8 all-time Owl run. Donald Harris (right) had 185 return yards against rival Holy Cross, which set an all-time Owl one-game return yardage record. Football Future Bright for Freshman Owls A number of freshman football players have made their presences felt this year at CHS. Quarterback and cornerback Sean Beckwith has been a great improvement to the Owls depth chart at quarterback behind Craig Sylvera and Ryan Abadie, and he has made other cornerbacks improve, because Beckwith is a ball hawk and plays his heart out. Beckwith started freshman football at quarterback, and worked his way to a The CHS Post starting spot as the JV quarterback for the final game against West Jefferson. Beckwith eludes tacklers well and throws a good, hard ball on the run or from the pocket. Cameron Cosie , a running back and wide receiver, has shown his skills leading the freshman team in both rushing yards and scoring. Cosie was moved from the freshman team to varsity at midseason in order to play on the scout team. Mike Mercadel is a freshman nickel back Volume II, Issue 3 by Yurg’godsur Belcher CHS ‘10 (l to r) QB Sean Beckwith and RB Cameron Cosie have been consistent performers in freshman and JV games on offense. LB Ryan Dinot and Ricky Fayard are two of the Freshman Owls team’s defensive leaders. and wide receiver who has made many big plays in freshman and JV games this season. Safety Tanner White has been a hard hitter for the defense as well. page 13 Football Freshmen Beat Jefferson JV The freshmen are here to stay and they mean business. The “Rookie Owls” defeated Thomas Jefferson’s JV team in bobby Nuss Stadium on October 7 2009. The game was phenomenal; Cameron Cosie ran the ball 72 yards in 16 carries and caught 3 passes for 7 yards. In the first half, the Owls defense allowed 7 plays, no first downs, and -3 yards. This was the lowest the freshman owls have flown this season. by Yurg’godsur Belcher CHS ‘10 Smith added a 3-yard run for the two point conversion to make the score 8-0. The freshmen have surely made a name for their school and have definitely earned some well deserved recognition. GO OWLS!! The second half seemed to contain higher standards. After halftime, The Boys in Maroon limited Thomas Jefferson to 10 plays with 2 first downs and gained a whole 53 yards. (top) CB Jermal Green shows RB Hamond Morman why they call him “The Rock.” The Owls’ offense had 201 yards total for the overall of the game. The final score was 8-0. Chalmette scored on an exciting pass from quarterback Sean Beckwith to Cameron Sims, Jimmie (left) Twin defensive tackles Richenel Camel and Furnell McMillan anchor the inside of the freshman D-line. Rummel Freshmen Rout Owls, 36-6 Chalmette High’s Freshman Owls played the Rummel Raiders, who are the top ranked 5-A team in the state of Louisiana. Chalmette’s team played a pretty good game considering that the Raiders’ running back was phenomenal. He was extremely fast and had great cutting ability; he had a great game in the first half, where he scored four touchdowns. The score at the halftime was 28-0, with Chalmette trailing. After halftime, Chalmette came out and held Rummel to 8 points and scored 6 of their own. In- spired by a fiery speech by Coach Joe “The Panther” St. Philip, the freshmen rose to the challenges St. Philip threw down and played much better in the second half. Cameron Cosie had a great game with 2 receptions for 12 yards, and he carried the ball 11 times for 76 yards and a touchdown. Cosie had a 26 yard run on a draw play and 3 other runs for all over 10 yards, and he scored the Owls’ only touchdown of the game. CHS’s offense as well as defense stepped it up after the half, and they were playing West Jeff Ends JV Season 14-0 Chalmette High’s JV Team played the West Jefferson JV to end the JV season on Saturday, October 17. The final score was 14-0, with West Jeff pulling away with the victory. The game was played on a muddy, mucky, and sloppy practice field at West Jefferson High. The CHS Post Sean Beckwith started at quarterback; he had several completions, including 2 for 20 yards each to Stephen Cruise. Jordan Barthelmey caught a 48 yard pass from Beckwith at the end of the first half of the game, but was stopped at the 2 yard line with 9 seconds left. Un- Volume II, Issue 3 by Dylan Miller CHS ‘10 like a totally different team than before the half. On the final drive of the game, the owls scored, and they ate up most of the 4th quarter. The entire freshman team is doing great this year and making a great transaction from Middle School football to High School football, and it looks as though we will be a school to be reckoned once again in the near future. Yurg’godsur Belcher CHS ‘10 fortunately, the attempt for the touchdown failed. West Jeff got really good pressure on Beckwith, and he was still able to complete the passes he threw. Another problem for the Owls was that the the Bucs’ receivers got open for several long gains. page 14 Basketball Owls Ready to Rumble Basketball season is about to be underway, and the Owls look like they have something to hoot about. Chalmette will be playing teams from Grace King all the way to Brother Martin. The Owls are looking to be all in tip-top shape, though, and they all have a look of determination in their eyes and will not back off from any opponent. Although the team is slightly younger and some are a little smaller than the other teams, they are all fast with the ball and look to score on every offensive go-round. The CHS Post interviewed Coach Butch Stockton to see what he had to say about the team, his career as a coach, and the players that play for him. What is your happiest memory as a coach? What players are you counting on this season? We are in a new district this year, and the teams are really good. I would have to say that all the teams we will go up against are going to be tough. Cody Williams, David Bienemy, John Ginart, and Rome. I coached a team that went to the state championship when I was the age of 23, and back then I was the youngest coach to ever do so. Another memory I have was going to the state championship and losing. And a great memory I have was last year, I was nominated to the top 28 coaches to be inducted into the High School Hall of Fame. What teams do you think are going to be tough opponents this season? Girls’ Basketball Poised for Season As basketball season is nearing, the Chalmette Owls girls’ basketball team has been getting in shape and getting ready to face off with their biggest opponents. With Guy McInnis as their coach, they should know the meaning of hard work and perseverance. Coach McInnis has been coaching at Chalmette High School since 1999. In those 10 years, he has coached both football and girls basketball, and still does both. This year, as head coach of the girls’ basketball team, he is molding them into a stronger team than last year. Speaking of last year, the returning players are Hailey Smith, Victoria Smith, Destiny DeLos Reyes, Jordan Hartney, Alvinisha Sims, and Ashley Carlisle. When interviewed, Coach McInnis said that he sees junior Hailey Smith, leading the team. He also stated that Jordan is making much improvement from last season. The girls’ competitive season starts on November 18th, but to show off Halloween in Holland they mostly make on their own. So this kind of trick or treating has nothing to do with scary things. It’s about remembering ‘Sint Maarten’ for his good deeds. This holiday is mostly celebrated in the provinces Limburg, NoordHolland, Friesland, Drenthe and Groningen, and more in villages then the big cities. The CHS Post by Dylan Miller CHS ‘10 What are your goals for the year? Every year is the same, try and make it far in the state playoffs, and hopefully do good enough to go to the State Championship. The Owls will be playing their first game at Salmen on November 17 and their last game will be played against Bonnabel at Bonnabel on February 19. District play tips off in February, and the final eight teams will play on March 8-13 in Lafayette. The Owls have lost some good players from last year, but they still should do great with a Head Coach Butch Stockton and assistant coaches Englert, Frey, and Gauthier. Good luck to the Owls on the upcoming season! by Cierra Thompson CHS ‘10 their hard work that they have been through over the summer, a jamboree will be held on November 14. “ The district teams we will be playing are John Ehret, Bonnabel, Grace King, West Jefferson, and Higgins. Our biggest opponent this year, though, is John Ehret,” said Coach Guy. He says that he knows the girls will be very competitive this season. With strong players like Hailey and Jordan, the team should really progress this year. So in saying that, good luck this season girls! (continued from page 7) In short, there already is a holiday in Holland that looks like Halloween, but the Dutch also celebrate Halloween on October 31. There is an increasing number of people celebrating Halloween and hopefully one day it will be a big event there like it is in The U.S. Children in Holland have a different take on trick or treat. (right) Volume II, Issue 3 page 15 2009 Chalmette Owls Boys’ Basketball Schedule Nov. 14 CHS Jamboree TBA Chalmette Nov. 17 Salmen * 7:15 Salmen Nov, 19 Destrehan * 7:15 Chalmette Nov. 23-25 St. Paul's Tourn TBA St. Paul's Dec. 1 Central Lafourche * 7:15 Chalmette Dec. 3-5 St. Amant Tourn. TBA St. Amant Dec. 8 Northshore * 7:15 Northshore Dec. 10-12 Dec. 15 DeLaSalle Tourn Rummel * TBA 7:15 DeLaSalle Rummel Dec, 18 Slidell * 7:15 Chalmette Dec. 21-23 Murphy Christmas Classic TBA Chalmette Dec. 28-30 Jan. 5 TBA Brother Martin * TBA 7:15 TBA Chalmette Jan. 8 Lafayette * 7:15 Chaimette Jan. 12 E.D. White * 7:15 Chalmette Jan. 15 Shaw* 7:15 Chalmette Jan. 19 Higgins * 7:15 Chalmette Jan. 22 John Ehret * 7:15 John Ehret Jan. 26 West Jeff * 7:15 West Jeff Jan. 29 Grace King * 7:15 Chalmette Feb. 2 Bonnabel * 7:15 Chalmette Feb. 5 Higgins * 7:15 Higgins Feb. 9 John Ehret * 7:15 Chalmette Feb. 12 West Jeff * 7:15 Chalmette Feb. 15 Grace King * 7:15 Grace King Feb. 19 Bonnabel * 7:15 Bonnabel Feb. 23 District Championship TBA TBA Feb. 26 Bi-District Mar. 2 Regionals Mar. 5 Mar. 8-13 The CHS Post Quarter-Finals Top Twenty Eight Volume II, Issue 3 page 16 2009 Lady Owls Basketball Schedule Through 12/17 Date Opponent Location Time 11/14 Northshore Jamboree Away TBA 11/18-21 Central Tournament Away TBA 11/23 Mount Carmel Away 5 P.M. 11/27 Xavier Away 5 P.M. 11/30 O Perry Walker Home 5 P.M. 12/2-5 Country Day Tournament Away TBA 12/07 Chapelle Away 5 P.M. 12/9-12 Grace King Tournament Away TBA 12/14 East Jefferson Away 5 P.M. 12/17 Helen Cox Home 5 P.M. (top left) Coach Butch Stockton huddles with his players. (top right) David Bienemy fights for position against Salmen. (left) Bryant Griffin defends during Salmen scrimmage. (right) Coach Guy McInnis with player Victoria Smith. The CHS Post Volume II, Issue 3 page 17 Volleyball Team Dominating by Jonna Voorendt CHS ’10 The CHS volleyball team is doing a great job in the district matches. Led by Coach Kelly Plaiscia, the state’s newest 500-win coach, they are right on track to a district title and trip to state.While they are currently 23-6 overall, they haven’t lost a district game yet and remain a perfect 8-0. The Fighting Owls have even swept all the games in the matches. The volleyball team is often said to be the most athletic team at the school. They get this far almost every year, because they practice every day from 1:15 until 5:30 or 6:00. They don’t practice on game days. sion. Our volleyball team is competing in Division II and is in district 7 together with East Jefferson, Warren Easton, McDonough 35, Pearl River and Salmen. This Friday, October 30, the volleyball team has their Pinkgame at Ben Franklin. There are special pink shirts for this occa- Good luck to our volleyball team. Make us proud! On November 4 or 5 they have a BYE. They play Newman here at CHS and the money goes to a charity. The Regionals are on November 9. The state playoff game will be here at CHS. If we make it through the Regionals, we can go to the LHSAA State Tournaments in Kenner at the Ponchartrain Center. These tournaments are from November 12th until November 14th. Volleyball 1st Round District Matches Warren Easton 25-4, 25-10, 25-6 Salmen 25-9, 25-11, 25-6 Pearl River 25-3, 25-9, 25-6 McDonough 35 25-7, 25-9, 25-7 East Jefferson 25-12, 25-10, 25-3 Volleyball 2nd Round District Matches Warren Easton 25-2, 25-5, 25-6 Salmen 25-9, 25-7, 25-11 Pearl River 25-19, 25-15, 25-9 McDonough 35 25-6, 25-8, 25-5 East Jefferson Postponed . The Chalmette High volleyball team is a perennial winner Led by Coach Kelli Plaiscia, the team is 25-6 overall with a 8-0 mark in district play. Good luck to the Fighting Owls in state! Owls Swim Through District Chalmette’s Swim team had their District Swim Meet on Thursday, September 22 at the University of New Orleans. The district teams that competed in the meet were Chalmette, Lusher, Destrehan, .Cabrini, Grace King, De La Salle, and Newman. The Chalmette Owls came in sixth overall; the boys placed third; the girls placed ninth. Some of the highlights The CHS Post by Dylan Miller CHS ‘10 from the boys were Jesus Perez winning 1st place in the 100 yard breaststroke; Jon Bethancourt helped out the Owls by winning second in the 100 yard backstroke; B.J. Crovetta and Josh Bethancourt took third and fourth in the 100 yard freestyle; in the 400 yard freestyle relay, the CHS boys finished first and second place. The boys who swam in those events were Travis Thurman, Austin Holland, Troy Wagner, and Brandon Melerine, who Volume II, Issue 3 came in first; Dylan Garrett, Roland Mahoney, Todd Franklin, and Carlos Rocha came in second. Adding points for the boys were also Derek Willis with freestyle and Dylan Miller with the butterfly stroke in the 200 Medley Relay. page 18 Owl Week Begins! Monday: Camo Day! The first day of Owl Week was camo day. The students dressed up from head to toe in camouflage clothing. They could wear anything camo as long as it wasn’t shorts, hats, or face paint. The senior and junior classes designed their own camo shirts for this day. On the front of the senior shirts in orange it said, “Owl Week. October 5, 2009.” “The seniors are going junior hunting” was on the back. On the front of the junior shirts in yellow it said, “The New Era.” On the back of them was a target, and within each circle, was each grade level with seniors in the middle. Below the target it said, “We’re targeting the seniors.” There were many students present at school, but only the ones in uniforms could be seen. by Lyndey St. Philip and Ashely Vidrine CHS ‘10 James Wheat , Brandon Abadie, Jake Costanza, Rusty Robichaux, Brandon Ruiz, and Chris Kidd are ready for a duck hunt or Owl Week on Camo Day. Camo Day kicked off a week of costuming that ended with the Pep Rally. (Above left) CHS Post staffers Lyndey St. Philip, Ashely Vidrine, Jonna Voorendt, Caroline Hall, Cierra Thompson, and Mr. Turgeon go camo for Owl Week. (Above right) Katelin Gadel, and Lester Hutchinson sport fall camo patterns. (Left) Donny Smith, Dominique St. Philip, Mr. Goggans, Kelsi Dixon, Brianne Assavedo, and Holly Ladner all sport Owl Week camo. The CHS Post Volume II, Issue 3 page 19 Tuesday: Character Day by Lyndey St. Philip and Ashley Vidrine CHS ‘10 The purpose of character day was to allow the students to show their individuality by dressing up as any recognizable character they chose to be. There were characters such as Ninja Turtles, Snow White and her seven dwarfs, the cast of Scooby Doo, and many more. It was very interesting to see some of the characters our students came up with. One of the best costumes that The CHS Post came across was Cat in the Hat with Thing One and Thing Two. There was also another incredible character walking among our halls. This student was dressed as Edward Scissorhands; he looked almost identical to the character. Among the five days of Owl Week, this had to be the most thrilling of them all. Miss Granberry (left) and Miss Karn (rt) take a break from fighting crime as the Teenage M utant Ninja Turtles to supervise the freshmen during the Owl Week wall painting sessions after shcol on Tuesday. (l to r) Melanie Fink, Courtney Stephens, and Alex Smaltz dress up as the Cat in the Hat and Things 1 and 2 for Owl Week. (left) Members of the junior class appear as their favorite characters on Tuesday. (right) Coach Koontz does his best Flavor Flav. (Below left) Ninja turtles Dominique and Lyndey St. Philip, Ashley Vidrine, and Mollie Martinez strike a pose. (below middle) Senior Class President Kimmy Hirstius as Snow White. (below right) Jamie Saddie, Katy Swafford, and Jenna Canino are the Sailor Moon girls. The CHS Post Volume II, Issue 3 page 20 Wednesday: Sports Day by Lyndey St. Philip and Ashley Vidrine CHS ‘10 (left) Eric DeSalvo, Johnny Ginart, Carly McInnis, Jessica Plaia, Kashlee Farmer, and Candace Caesar all show team colors. (top) Mr. Jessie and his class on Sports Day. (Below left) The Juniors are in uniform for Wednesday in Owl Week. (Below right) Seniors Corey Hume, Aubrey Traina, Maggie Roussel, Katelyn Loupe, and Nicole Nicolage show a diverse set of sports loyalties. “When you put on that jersey, the name on the front is more important then the name on the back.” On the third day of Owl Week all grade levels put on their jerseys and other sportswear and headed to school. The sports players varied from football to baseball, basketball to soccer, and there was even a golf player. The most common teams The CHS Post around our campus were the New Orleans Saints and LSU Tigers. To show school spirit, some of our students wore their own Chalmette High athletic uniform. With the number of people that dressed up, we could have started our own league! Volume II, Issue 3 page 21 Thursday: Fifties Day by Lyndey St. Philip and Ashley Vidrine CHS ‘10 (Above left) Gabbie Jessie, Kelsi Dixon, Nicole Alvarez, Tommy Griffin, Donny Smith, and Blake Lopez, (right) Nicole Henninger, and Edjunique Francios. Owl Walls Thursday saw the finishing touches put on all of the Owl Walls after school. All of the students did a great job with their artwork, but it was the Juniors that won out. On this day, we went back 59 years. When looking in every direction, there were students dressed up in their 50’s day attire. The costumes resembled Marilyn Monroe, Elvis, and characters from Grease such as Danny, Sandy, and The Pink Ladies. Many students threw on some rolled up jeans, a button up shirt, and a pair of flats or high heels. Several girls even had on various colors of poodle skirts. Although we live in the 21st century, this day gave us a blast from the past. Not all students were dressed as characters from old movies. The CHS Post Volume II, Issue 3 page 22 Friday: Pep Rally: Seniors Capture the Spirit Stick! Seniors (l to r) Troy LaFrance, Kevin Nguyen, Ryan Franklin, Jessie Roger, Cody Palazzola, Rene Guzman, and Jesus Quintana go all the way for the senior class at the Owl Week Pep Rally. The Seniors of 2010 took home the Spirit Stick. The last day of Owl Week was Spirit Day. Each student was allowed to wear his class color shirts and jeans to show their spirit for their grade. This day was the biggest of them all; it was the day of the pep rally. After our students attended each class, we were placed in our student sections of the gym for the pep rally to begin. Students made signs, painted their The CHS Post bodies, and decorated their area to show school spirit. To start off the pep rally, the jazz funeral walked around the gym. Afterwards, our performers took the floor and did their routines. Once they were finished, the cheerleaders started off with the freshman and began to cheer. They worked their way around to each grade level. This was a (continued on page 25) Volume II, Issue 3 (Above left) Juniors (l to r) Karlie Bernard, Elizabeth Rush, Kayla Bernard, and Kalyn Traina sing the Owl Fight Song during the 2009 Pep Rally in the gym. (Above right) Juniors Zack Starks and Alex Crowson wear their colors on their chests during the 2009 Pep Rally. page 23 At the Rally Rally (continued from p. 24) (top left) The Owl Band at the Pep Rally. (center) The CHS Charmers lead a Jazz Funeral Procession through the school’s hallways on their way to the Pep Rally. (above) Senior Corey Fleetwood as Mario. test to see who had the most school spirit. Whichever class was the loudest won the spirit stick. Although each class participated in screaming, the seniors were victorious. Mr. Warner said this was our best pep rally since the storm. Ms. Mundt (right) shows Owl spirit during the Pep Rally. Mrs. Gonzalez wears her Freshman Yellow to the Pep Rally (left). Survey The CHS Post (continued from p. 3) Volume II, Issue 3 page 24 The CHS Post The Choices We Make By Yurg’godsur Belcher CHALMETTE HIGH SCHOOL 1100 East Judge Perez Drive Chalmette, Louisiana (504)301-2600 [email protected] Yurg’godsur Belcher, Editor October 2009 Caroline Hall Dylan Miller Ashley Vidrine Lyndey St. Philip Jonna Voorendt Cierra Thompson Chris Turgeon, Faculty Advisor Editorial CHS ‘10 “The choices you make today will shape your world tomorrow” are wise words from a more than just decent man. Mr. Wayne Warner began his journey at Chalmette High School as the school’s very first librarian 43 years ago. 7 years later, he became Principal Warner and has held that title for the last 36 years. During his time here, and still today, Mr. Warner touches so many lives in so many ways. Sometimes it’s the simple things, like stopping to say hello and asking how his students are doing. Sometimes it’s the warm, gentle handshake that he offers as he walks around the school greeting the students and faculty. The fact of the matter is, Mr. Warner makes a difference in someone’s day, every day. When asked what his motivation is for sticking with Chalmette High for such a long time, he replied, “I would like for students to enjoy high school as much as I did. I would like to see them learn as much as possible and understand that they will need these skills for the future. I would also like for them to grow into positive people, so that they can enjoy and appreciate the beautiful things in life.” After hearing him say these words about his students, all I could do was smile and thank him for his time. As I shook his hand, I knew that Mr. Warner cares deeply for the students of Chalmette High School. When I asked Mrs. Seibert if she had anything nice to say about Mr. Warner, she laughed softly and answered my question with this question, “How much time do you have?” Enough said. Still curious about the details of the impact Principal Warner has on the people around him besides me, I went around the school and dug deeper into the story. According to Assistant Principal, Mr. Cowen, it would seem that Mr. Warner’s mission in life was to be Principal here at Chalmette High. Mr. Cowen feels that Mr. Warner is one of a kind and the most considerate person he has ever known. Mrs. Licciardi calls what Mr. Warner did during Hurricane Katrina “heroic.” Having stayed behind and rationed food to those that took to Chalmette for shelter, he also refused to leave without Mrs. Licciardi’s dog. Mr. Cassar said he has never known a man who cares about people, animals and plants more than Mr. Warner. Mr. Warner is well known for feeding hundreds of birds every week. He really enjoys gardening and specializing in blooming flowers. When asked what he thought of Mr. Warner, Coach Guy McInnis said, “He’s the type of guy you want to be like, but it’s impossible to be as calm and col- lected as he always is.” One of Chalmette’s current librarians, Mrs. Schwarz, says Mr. Warner is very supportive of the library, having been the first librarian for the school ever. Ms. Karn said that Mr. Warner is an icon. He’s the perfect example of a leader. Coach Roberts called Mr. Warner “a great man, a great principal, and just a good person all in all. He speaks to everybody, not just certain people. It seems like the athletic faculty really admires our principal.” Coach David Brossette said, “I’ve never met anyone so dedicated to his The CHS Post job; a person that truly puts others above himself. I have 11 years left here, and I hope Mr. Warner is the person to give my retirement speech.” As you can see, the faculty at Chalmette High really loves and respects our principal, but it should come as no surprise that the students here also admire him. As a whole class, I asked Mrs. Debbie Babin’s second period how they feel about Mr. Warner, and with wide eyes and broad smiles they replied, “We love Mr. Warner. He’s really wise and reminds us of the loving, protective father figure, the kind that sends you off into the world feeling cared for and adored.” Mrs. Dier’s second period class also said they loved Mr. Warner. He has a great eye for fashion (kudos on the great shirts Mr. Warner). Chalmette High Junior Melanie Benit said, “He’s so much rolled into one. He’s more than just an administrator. Even though he walks into a room, quietly, gently and modest, he still draws love, admiration and respect from Volume II, Issue 3 those in his presence.” Senior Kimmy Hirstius calls Mr. Warner “respected and wonderful.” From the moment the doors are opened every morning until the moment the doors are locked at night, Mr. Warner can be found making the school more productive in some way. He always works toward making sure Chalmette High School is a good place for students and just wants every student to have a good and memorable high school experience. Mr. Warner’s wisdom flows like a river that never ends, flooding the students, teacher, staff and the community with knowledge that will not only benefit their lives as they know them today, but will also benefit the lives of their children and the future student bodies of Chalmette High. Mr. Warner is practically a human institution. He is the heart and soul of Chalmette High School. Principal Wayne Warner is Chalmette High. Go Owls! page 27
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