Cougars Show Off Their Talent - My High School Journalism

More documents

Recommendations

Info

The Chronicle The Winter Olympic Games are no small affair, so what does Warrenton have in common with them? The answer is the Jamaican bobsled team, and although you may not have expected it, Warrenton’s Mayor George Fitch plays a big role in both. Heading into the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Mayor Fitch paid a visit to a friend in Jamaica, and while there, made a plan to create Olympic history. With very little support and only six months to go, Fitch brought together a small group of athletes in order to create the very first Jamaican bobsled team. “I knew a bit about bobsledding; I’d been in a bobsled a few times, and I knew that 50 percent of the race is how quickly can you push this 600 pound object before you’ve got to jump in,” stated Fitch. “My goal was, if we’re going to do this, we’re not going to embarrass ourselves. We’re going to be competitive; we’re going to beat some teams, and therefore, make Olympic history.” While attempting to recruit athletes for the team, Fitch faced another challenge; no current Olympic athletes, at the time, would stop their training to risk his seemingly crazy idea. When that failed, he instead turned to the military to find his team: the current military sprint and 800 meter champions, a helicopter pilot, and a heavyweight boxer. The team soon coined the name of the “Ragamuffins.” However, Fitch was forced to take approximately $85,000 out of his own life savings in order to fund his new group. “I went to the Jamaican government; they said no, we don’t think you can pull this off,” Fitch stated. “Went to the Jamaican companies; this is too crazy, you’re not going to pull this off. Went to international companies like Coca Cola, other companies that sponsor teams, they said no. So I realized nobody’s go- The number of teens waiting to get their license has been steadily increasing. Federal data that was recently released shows only 30.7 percent of 16 year olds nationwide got their li- News February Mayor Fitch Visits Kettle Run 4 By Marion Silas Staff Reporter By Zack Baker Staff Reporter & March 2010 Photo By Shelly Norden NEVER, EVER GIVE UP- Mayor Fitch tells Kettle Run his story of founding the underdog Jamaican Bobsled team. ing to give me money, so I’ve got to dip into my own wallet.” From the money he withdrew, the team paid for travel expenses to practice for the first time on a real bobsled track, where they came ahead of a few other teams. Ten days before the opening ceremonies of the Olympics, however, Fitch received a call from the International Olympic Committee. The committee delivered some bad news. Members told Fitch they would not be permitted to race for fear of embarrassing Jamaica. With the help of a team supporter, he was able to get back into the games with hardly any time lost. They competed in the two-man event and were very successful. The team longed to do the 4-man event next, though they had not trained for it, and their dedication to the sport won over the support of Fitch. When the team entered for the event, they had the second largest applause from the stands, close behind Canada. The “moment of truth” is how Fitch described it. “Are you going to make Olympic history, or are you going to embarrass yourself?” For the first two runs, the team did very well. On the second day, during their third run, there was a problem. Coming around the “50/50” turn, the driver didn’t have the sled completely under control, causing them to flip over. Luckily, no one was injured in the accident. The team was able to overcome its misfortune. Team members climbed out of the sled, stood up smiling, and carried the bobsled across the finish line. They had achieved their goal; they had made an unforgettable event in Olympic histoy. The team’s inspiring story of success led way to another; the 1993 Disney movie Cool Runnings. The movie is loosely based on the team’s experiences over the period of time before, and during, the Winter Olympics, yet, there were many inaccuracies throughout the film. Fitch requested creative and editorial control after reading the script, but received no real input in it. “There were a lot of humorous moments in real life,” said Fitch. “It’s not like, okay, you want to bring a comedic element to this. Hey, I’ve got all kinds of stories for you that give people a laugh as to what actually happened to us.” Although the movie grossed $86 million internationally, Fitch and the members of the bobsled team received little of Disney’s profits. Though it did not turn out the way they may have hoped, Fitch still lists the experiences he gained from being with the team as some of his proudest. “Jamaica bobsled would be up there in the top five,” commented Fitch. “It was an experience, where on the one hand, you will always sort of look back and it will bring a smile to your face, but an experience where it will also bring a scowl to your face because of all the things you didn’t do because you’re so consumed in pulling this off. I did not enjoy the Olympics; I could have enjoyed the Olympics, but I was just too taken with having to do all these things without any help, and so obsessed with making sure they were competitive that you didn’t really have time to enjoy it.” Fitch left the team in 1994, and overall feels that he has no regrets from his time spent with them. The Jamaican bobsled team has led to six other “unlikely” teams from the Caribbean in recent years. However, Jamaica was unable to qualify for either the 2006 Winter Games in Turin, Italy or the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver, Canada. From the many challenges and rewards that Fitch has been a part of, he has gathered some valuable advice for anyone who has been inspired by stories like his own. “So what if you fail? You just try again,” said Fitch. “You’ll come up with another idea; you’ll be inspired by something else. There will always be another chance, so don’t let it slip away. If you’ve got something, follow through, persevere; take it all the way, and you will succeed. Maybe not the first time, but you will succeed. Never, ever give up.” Teens Waiting Longer to Get Driver’s License cense in 2008 compared with 44.7 in 1988. There are multiple reasons why teens have been waiting. Experts suggest teens feel it’s not a necessity because they’re already so connected with friends through social networking and text messages. Others suggest that the expense of driving is holding teens back. Many are not able to afford gasoline and insurance. Senior Stephanie Hoffman does not have a driver’s license and is getting ready to graduate from high school in June. “It seems as if teens don’t feel the need to get a license,” Hoffman said, although she is thinking about getting her license soon. Senior Matt Bongiovi has been a travel student the past two years and decided that taking the bus would save him money. “Since I never needed a car, I never got my license,” said Bongiovi Although students have been waiting, many do plan to get their license. Senior Jenny Pacheco and Hoffman both plan on getting their license this coming summer. Bongiovi plans to get it after his first year of college, “that way I will not be paying a year’s worth of insurance on a car that I wouldn’t be able to drive, and I can get my license without taking behind the wheel once I turn 19,” Bongiovi explained.
Viewpoint The Chronicle February & March 2010 From: Brandy Jenkins To: Tory Brown, Sarah Morgan & Seeberger “I miss you Morgan, Tory, and Sarah! Spanish was fun!” From: Jimi Hendrick To: Veronica Umanzor “Over the last 4 months we’ve known each other; you have come to be one of my best friends. Veronica, you are perfect in everyway; I love you very much and hopefully one day, we can be more than friends.” From: Danisa Ortiz To: Lacey Hanback “Happy Valentine’s Day!” From: Jenny Pacheco To: Claudia Venture “Happy V-Day! I love you!!” From: David Noonan To: Megan Palmer “Hey!! You’re cool! You’re my best friend!” Who is your dream Valentine? “Brad Pitt” Becky Rose Sophomore Valentine’s Day Shout Outs From: Megan Palmer To: David Noonan “Sup Dude!!! Happy V-Day! Love you!” From: Ashlin Manley To: Katy Macwelch “Hey girl, have a great day! Happy Valentine’s Day!” From: Katy Macwelch To: Ashlin Manly and Marion Ray “Hey, Hey! Love ya’ll!” From: Patricia Krinke To: Hannah Cole “Hey, Hannah! I love you girl! Happy Valentine’s Day!” From: Abigail Lash To: Marianna Lash “Hey Hun! Love you!” From: Casey Kroll To: Brycen Hill “I love you!” From: Katie Lewis To: George Mcdonald “I love you Donkey!” “My Husband” Mrs. Plesants Librarian From: Hailey Nettles To: Kelci Riley “I love you! “I hop on outta bed, and turn my swag on!” From: Chelsea Regis To: Katie Costello “I just want you to know…you’re cool, sometimes, lol. I love you!!” From: Julia Gattuso To: Maddie Radigan “Happy Valentine’s Day!” From: April Heckathorn To: Sarah Diorio “Roses are red, violets are blue, we love home workouts and the lava game too! Happy Valentine’s Day!” From: Brianna Mckenzie To: Brooke Short “Happy Valentine’s Day!” From: David Meyers To: Stern Chappel “I love you!” From: Natalie Mcfarland To: Riley Moore “I love you!” “Taylor Lautner” Lauren Dietrich Junior From: Hannah Murray To: Sarah Lewis “Happy Valentine’s Day!” From: Madeline Radigan To: Grace Ragidan “Make good choices today.” From: Angelica Gertel To: Amy Tullington “You compare a single tree to an entire forest my love…” From: Lexy Morgan To: Katie Costello & Chelsea Regis “Who are the best friends ever?... YOU ARE!” From:Jeff Miller To: Cameron Nay “I love you; will you marry me?” From: George Mcdonald To: Austin Crosby “If you loved it, then you shoulda put a ring on it.” From: Roxanne Cavazos To: Skylar Peavley “I love you Bobert! You know who you are….” “Tara Reid” Austin Crosby Senior From: Lauren To: Tiffany “You’re the straw to my berry, the mac to my cheese, the pop to my corn…anyways I LOVE YOU!” From: Veronica Umanzor To: Rachel Nibecker “I hope you have a great Valentine’s Day! Don’t let anyone bring you down. I love you little sis!” From: Veronica Umanzor To: Molly Clarke “You’re the greatest! I am glad to have the title as your best friend. Love you always!” From: Tiffany To: Sandra(Nena) “You’re my homegirl! You the apple to my pie!” From: Veronica Umanzor To: Alec Lipscomb “Alec, you’re the best thing in the whole world! Stay sweet. “James Rogers” Tori Tippett Senior Meet Your Newspaper Staff: The Chroni- cle Staff Positions and Mission Statement Mission Statement Published 10 times a year, The Chronicle at Kettle Run is the student-run newspaper of Kettle Run High School. It is distributed monthly to all members of the the faculty, students, and staff in the school. Unsigned editorials express the views of the majority of the newspaper’s editorial board. Letters to the editor are welcome and will be published as space allows. Letters must be signed, although the staff may withhold the name upon request. We reserve the right to edit letters for grammar, quality, and content, and all letters are subject to laws governing obscenity, libel, privacy, and disruption of the school process, as are all contents of the paper. Opinions displayed in letters to the editors are neither necessarily representative of those of the staff, nor any opinion or policy of the administration, unless so attributed. Editor-in-Chief Stephanie Hoffman Co-Editor-in-Cheif Ajua Duker Sports Editor Lauren Forlano Staff Reporters Zach Baker Emmaleah Jones Rachel Bongiovi Marion Silas Marcus Toms Tamour Malik Martina Gargiani Ajua Duke KRHS Chronicle Newspaper Staff for Spring 2010 Pictured by Rows from Left to Right: Zach Baker, Lauren Forlano, *MAYOR FITCH* Marion Silas, Marcus Toms, Emmaleah Jones, Rachel Bongiovi, Stephanie Hoffman, Martina Gargiani Not Pictured: Ajua Duker and Tamour Malik 5
Page 1 and 2: The Chronicle at Kettle Run High Sc
Page 3: News The Chronicle February & March
Page 7 and 8: The Chronicle Features Kettle Run A
Page 9 and 10: Features The Chronicle February & M
Page 11 and 12: Entertainment The Chronicle Februar
Page 13 and 14: The Chronicle Baseball Players Look
Page 15 and 16: Sports The Chronicle February & Mar

Cougars Show Off Their Talent - My High School Journalism

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?