By Rachael Cummings

In the United Sates, Veterans Day annually falls on November 11^th. The purpose of Veterans Day, as we all may know, is to thank, acknowledge, and honor all military personnel who have served for the United States. We recognize and commemorate this day through parades, church services, and memorial services. Some schools have off, schools that don’t often have their own assemblies or activities to acknowledge the importance of the day. It’s always important to show support and see the significance in this particular holiday because without our soldiers and vets we would be the free country we are today. Get involved, make a difference…

Things you can do:

• Send an “eCard”: Military.com offers a selection of eCards to email to a Veteran or Service Member and their spouse.
• Send a Thank You or Holiday Card to a Service Member: Send an “old fashion” handmade card to a solider or service member. It’s very personal and lets them know you care.
• Attend a Veteran’s Day Ceremonies: There are often local ceremonies in communities to commemorate the holiday.
• Coups for Troops: Volunteers can give back by donating coupons either by directly sending them to military oversees or sending their expired coupons directly to Coups for Troops.
• “At Coups for Troops, our goal is to help make the lives of soldiers and their families a little easier by shipping coupons right to their door.”

By Emily Efthimiades

It’s fall fundraising time again here at OLSH! All of our athletic and other after school activities have been raising money through various fundraisers to help afford certain things for athletics, clubs, and after school activities.

The cheerleaders are selling Yankee Candles and Pink out shirts and sweatshirts. Yankee Candles make great gifts for moms and it’s never too early to start Christmas shopping. They are also selling Pink Out shirts and sweatshirts. Make sure you get your sweatshirts or hoodie before the Pink Out football game. Sweatshirts are $36.00 and shirts are $10.00. This supports the Hair Peace Charities to help raise money to help women buy wigs while undergoing chemotherapy. You can get an order form from any cheerleader, or in the office. The Pink Out game is October 26^th.

The bowling team is also holding a fundraiser. They are selling Sarris candies to help raise money for their upcoming season. They are selling chocolate covered pretzels. See any bowler or Mr. Brasko in room 2006.

There will be a Haunted Hallway on October 27^th and 28^th to help for the Clarion charges. We could always use volunteers to help scare and set up. Haunted Hallway is a night of scaring for all ages. There will be a haunted hallway, maze, bake sale and other activities. Even if you’re not into scaring we could always use help with the bake sale and other activities. This year we are also expanding our Haunted Hallway to rooms, staircases, and elevators.

Be sure to purchase items for fundraisers to help support your OLSH classmates, clubs, faculty members, athletic teams, and other after school activities.

By Nick Duerr

Powder Puff Football was back at OLSH this year on September 12, 2012 at Youthtowne. The night started off with games and food. Students played corn hole and chowed down on hot dogs in preparation for the main event: The Powder Puff Football Game. The game was held on the soccer field under the lights, with the senior girls in pink versus the junior girls in white. Kickoff was at 8:15 with the juniors kicking to the seniors. After receiving the ball, the seniors got rolling right off the bat. They scored a quick touchdown and did not slow down from there. Their defense was superb, causing a few interceptions and multiple turnovers. A few touchdowns later, the seniors had shutout the juniors with a final score of 28-0. Nonetheless the juniors put up a good fight but they were no match for the tough senior girls.

Regardless of the final score, everybody had fun. After the game, junior Rachel Cahalan offered some words on her experience. “As self-appointed team captain, I am a little disappointed in the result of the game.” She went on to say, “We tried and we had fun, and even learned from it. For example, I learned that football hurts.” And with those wise words everybody headed over to the bonfire for the post-game festivities. Kids roasted marshmallows, talked with friends and maybe even made some new ones, or just simply enjoyed the warmth of the fire. The hayride was a big hit as well, especially in the dark. Powder Puff Football has been gone for many years, but bringing it back this year was a huge success, and we hope to see it become an annual tradition here at OLSH.

By Sam Huddleston

Most people believe that kids in high school feel that they will never die. They believe that we feel that we are invincible, and that nothing can stop us. Most people back this up by saying that because nothing bad has happened in our lives, that we don’t know what it is like to feel pain and sorrow and in return, feel that we can never experience that. I would like to change that mindset after the recent death of an Avonworth student from meningitis. This death occurred in just my second week of school, and I was shocked by it. Yes, this was just another student in a school with over 700 kids with it but it deeply affected me.

I have experienced death before, with the passing of numerous aunts and uncles of mine but have never really experienced death to a person at my age. All I could think about after I had heard about it was what this child could have accomplished. He could have been a scientist, a doctor, or even the next president. It made me really think about how everyday I spend on Earth could in fact be my last one. That this article I am typing right now could never be published because I could die later tonight. It made me realize that I need to make the most out of every opportunity in life.

I hope that I have made all of you who are reading this aware of how little time we spend on earth, and that this time could end at anytime. And please remember the Avonworth community in your prayers.

By Rachael Cummings

High school is in full swing, bringing each and every student new opportunities to get involved and make the most of their year. From seniors, to juniors, to sophomores, and even freshman there is can be new opportunities. As a freshman, you learn so much and experience many new things. High school opens up so many new opportunities that you may have not had in grade school. In the transition, you learn not only about yourself, but also how different the world. From the new textbooks, to the new teachers and students, to the new surroundings, it becomes a totally different atmosphere.

My first week of high school was quite an experience. At first, it was difficult to find my classes. Coming from a much smaller Catholic grade school it is quite a “step-up” from what I was used to. Believe it or not, it was a smooth transition though. The OLSH students and staff are so welcoming and helpful, which made my transition much easier. I realized that the teachers are more than happy to lend a helping hand, whether its schoolwork or just answering questions. The students at OLSH were just as helpful. Many times in my first week, I got lost on floors and trying to find classrooms, but there was always someone in the hallways to help me out.

Another major opportunity I got to experience so far as a freshman was joining activities. OLSH has many different activities to get involved in. Sports are something that many students get involved with because there is something different for everyone. For me, getting involved with OLSH’s Girls Basketball was a great way to meet new people. I love the sport and I like being able to play with new people and learn new things. Getting involved has been the best way to meet new people and try new things as a freshman. It’s only the beginning and I still have a lot to learn, but I have enjoyed every second of it and look forward to the rest of the year.

by Rachael Cummings

As the leaves change and the temperatures drop, it’s only natural that we see the new seasons arise from nature. Fall is just around the corner and is almost here! The days get shorter and the nights get longer. With every season we see many changes in nature, clothing styles, and sports! The changing of colors, cooler weather, scenery, sounds and smells are associated with fall and personally make it my favorite season.

One the most noticeable changes in the fall season are the change in the color of the leaves. The changing of leaves is beautiful and full of different colors. Beautiful reds, oranges, yellows, and even purples make the appearance of nature “pop”. Another change in nature during fall is the change in temperature. The weather becomes much cooler and we start to realize it’s time to pull out those sweaters and jackets! The cool autumn/fall air can be refreshing and new to some people, all part of the changing seasons!

Fall is a beautiful time of the year. We celebrate holidays with friends and family, we transition into our cooler weather attire, and prepare ourselves for even the next season, winter. A very popular holiday that occurs in the fall is Halloween. Picking pumpkins, carving pumpkins, hayrides, and dressing up as different characters is all part of fall and the Halloween season, something we most all look forward to. Fall is here!