Special thanks to Zach and Chase for our AMAZING custom music. We truly have some awesome talent at BLHS! Keep up the great work, gentlemen.
Rising Hope Raises Funds
Rising Hope Equine Center is hosting a fundraiser with The Pittsburgh Popcorn Company. Orders are due with payment by February 23 and will be delivered March 13.
Rising Hope therapeutic center is in West Point Ohio, at Hoppel’s Arena with programs each June through July. Each session is different for everyone. Occasionally, Rising Hope does different fundraisers to help bring in money to facilitate activities for participants. Some of their fundraisers are Pittsburgh Popcorn sale, Hoppel Rodeo, and Princess Ball. Rising hope is currently doing their Pittsburgh Popcorn sale. Orders are due with payment by Februrary 23 and the popcorn will be delivered March 13. To order, contact Andrea Jarrett (email listed at the bottom of this page) or any other Rising Hope board member. Hoppel Rodeo is from June 30th to July 1st. The Princess Ball is May 20th is at Beaver Local, and it is open to the community. Most of the money they make for these fundraisers goes toward Rising Hope Therapeutic Riding Center.
Rising Hope is a disability therapy center to help people with their disabilities.Patty Hoppel, equine specialist, and Andrea Jarrett, director at Rising Hope, noticed that there were not a lot of activities for their multi-handicap students for after school or during the summer. So, they wanted to give something to the families for their children to do something special while still working on learning goals and therapy goals. Many parents were interested, and the program blossomed. The parents loved the idea, and the children loved spending theme with the horses. Beaver Local students have been to get involved with Rising Hope as volunteers and participants. Even Beaver Local graduate and NFL player Derek Wolfe has been involved with Rising Hope Equine Center.
Mrs. Andrea Jarrett, who is a multiple disabilities teacher at Beaver Local, is also the director of Rising Hope. Some of the board members of Rising Hope are Patty Hoppel and Karen Sprouse, BL bus driver and cafeteria worker, Connie Smith, BL speech therapist, and Sue Stromp, BL ID teacher at, and Member of Outlaws with Attitude 4H club.
If you are interested in contributing to Rising Hope to help individuals with disabilities, please contact Andrea Jarret at andrea.jarrett@beaverlocal.org
To order, contact andrea.jarrett@beaverlocal.org
http://www.allreadable.com/02d8AqKE
BL’s Underground Rapper
Starting with only 2 followers on soundcloud, Beaver Locals underground rapper, Zach Boni made a song called Tom Brady. Tom Brady was an instant hit. The 2 followers soon turned into over 100 followers, and the song got over 6,000 views. Not stopping there, Zach continues to make hit after hit.
Zach Boni is a senior at Beaver Local. He started his rap career in the summer of 2015. At 16 years old, Zach made his first song called Flowers. For that being his first song, people enjoyed the young rapper. Zach wasn’t very proud of this track, and he took some time off to cook up the most popular song he made, Tom Brady. When Zach dropped Tom Brady last year, the people went crazy. Everyone was tweeting about it from all different schools. He said it wasn’t just going to be a good song, it was going to be a masterpiece.
Because Zach didn’t release a song for a while after Tom Brady came out, people may have thought that Zach was a one hit wonder. They didn’t know that he was secretly making a whole mixtape. While in the process of making the mixtape, he would drop some songs to keep the fans happy. The first song he dropped after Tom Brady was called No Dayz Off. Once people heard his followup song, they knew that Zach was for real.
Once Zach got a good fanbase, he knew it was time to drop the mixtape. He called the mixtape Pyromaniac, because he said all the songs are fire. When I asked how he felt about it, he said that there shouldn’t be a song that you don’t like, all the songs are bangers. With all the hits on the mixtape, there was still more to come.
When I asked Zach why he started rapping, he told me that he wanted to get girls. He said that the girls like when he raps, but he didn’t know that girls really like a guy who can sing. Once he found that out, he showed off his vocals his recent release called Wasted. Wasted was the second most popular song that Zach made, with just over 1,000 views and counting. When asking him about this, he said, “Every rapper needs to flex his pipes.”
While not releasing anything since October, Zach has been cooking up many tracks. He has got to the point where he wants all of his tracks to be perfect, and perfection takes time. After asking him when he was going to drop his next song, he said soon, very soon, just wait, it will be worth it. If you’re anxiously awaiting Zach’s next track, you can catch a little snippet of his work by checking out The Beaver Blog’s new theme song which is written and produced by Zach.
Silent but Deadly
Flu season is here! Learn what you can do to protect your family.
Attention Beaver Local parents and students! Each year about 20,000 children under the age of 5 are hospitalized from flu complications. That’s right, flu season is upon us. The Flu (influenza) has been traveling around Beaver Local and many other schools recently. The school janitors are taking action on Friday by going through the school and sanitizing all surfaces! Beaver Local administration hope this helps cut down on the illness and spread of sickness in the school.
Many children and adults have been getting extremely ill due to the influenza strains circulating this year. What’s crazy about this flu is that it seems to be severe and very dangerous. Tragically, two children from the Columbiana County area have passed away due to complications associated with Influenza A. The flu has been spreading like a wildfire, and it is highly suggested that if you’re sick, you need to take action immediately.
Symptoms of the flu can include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, headache, chills, fatigue, and sometimes vomiting and diarrhea. Anyone can obtain the flu just by simply touching something that has been infected. There are many different precautions parents and students can take to prevent the sickness. Make sure your child is up to date on the flu vaccination, stay away from those who are sick, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your hands when sneezing or coughing, wash hands often with water AND soap, and avoid touching your nose, eyes, and mouth. It is also not too late to get a flu shot. It does take about a week for the flu shot to begin to protect you, but it is still very helpful in prevention.
If you or your child catches the flu, make sure you get lots of rest and drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration. You should also go to the doctor to be tested for the flu. Antiviral drugs can be prescribed to help treat the flu, but the sooner they are prescribed the more effective they are. If you suspect you may have the flu, it is best to get into the doctor as early on as possible. If sick, it’s a good idea to stay home to prevent the spread of the sickness to others. 24 hours after a fever is gone, it’s okay to go back to school if you don’t feel staying home is necessary any longer, but rest will help you on your way to getting healthy. Teachers and staff at Beaver Local are very accommodating and can send work home for your child to help give them time to recuperate without spreading the flu.
Many children around the area have been affected with this bug and immediate action is best. This flu, sadly, has been fatal in some instances and should not be taken lightly. Keep an eye out for symptoms and be sure to take every action possible, like thorough hand washing, to prevent catching the flu.
December’s Leo of the Month
Leo Member of the Month, Brandon Morgan
At the most recent Leo Club meeting (held February 2), freshman Brandon Morgan was named Leo of the Month for the month of December. Brandon is the type of guy to help you whenever you need it, so it’s no surprise that he enjoys helping out in his community. Out of the many projects that Leo Club has going on, Brandon is taking part in three of them: Buddy Beaver Mentoring, Precious Moments with Seniors, and the newest project, a free book fair for kindergarten students. The project that he has participated the most in, though, would be the Beaver Buddy Mentoring program.
The Beaver Buddy Mentoring program is where a Leo who has signed up to be a mentor gets their own kindergartener, or little buddy, to hang out with every Tuesday after school. When asked if he liked being a mentor for a kindergarten student, Brandon responded, “I absolutely love being a mentor for a kindergartener. Every time I walk into the kindergarten pod I get a smile on my face because I always hear the little kids having fun.” He also says that it feels good in his heart knowing that he’s helping a kindergartener out and potentially helping them make good choices. In fact, Brandon likes helping his kindergartener Alaina, who is in Mrs. Young’s class, out so much that he has started helping the rest of the class out as well.
After he graduates, Brandon wants to go to school and become a math teacher, but his work in the community will not cease as he plans on helping out as much as he can. When asked if he thinks being in Leo Club will help him in the future, he answered yes because “it’s helping me with my social skills as a person. The Leo Club is showing me to be myself and to never be afraid to do anything.” But it’s not just Leo Club teaching him these things. Brandon is also a proud member of the Beaver Local High School Rhythm in Red Show Choir and Concert Choir, both directed by Mrs. Alison Hamilton, and the chorus for the school’s 2017 production of “Grease,” also directed by Mrs. Hamilton alongside Mrs. Leslie Gabbert.
At the end of the day, Brandon is a hardworking young man who aspires to inspire others. Not only that, but he makes anyone he comes in contact with smile and laugh. With that being said, it seems very fitting to quote Mr. Barnes, Leo Club advisor, and say that Brandon is deserving of the title Leo of the Month.
Weekly Update for the Week of February 10, 2017
Kindergarten Buddies!
Mrs. Jones’ Psychology class has incorporated a buddy system with our kindergarten here at Beaver Local. Each student got to pick 1-3 buddies after meeting the class we would be visiting every week. Every Friday, the Psychology class trips down to the kindergarten wing of the school to visit their assigned buddies. Some days we get to just hang out and play around with our buddies and other days we have a specified activity to partake in with them.
My buddy’s name is Katie. She is the sweetest most energetic little girl I have ever met. She really likes drawing pictures of us and playing hide and seek. The first couple of trips down, she couldn’t quite remember my name. After quizzing her a couple times she got it down. Over the short period of time that I have known Katie, a strong bond has grown between us. She jumps with joy the moment she sees me, I suppose the child inside me does too. Whenever the day ends and it’s time for us to leave, Katie latches on to my leg and refuses to let me go. It’s the cutest thing. Eventually, she stands up and gives me the biggest hug I’ve probably ever gotten. She says goodbye and then we do it all again the following week.
In psychology, we’ve learned about how memories and our upbringing shapes us as people. Is our behavior guided by experiences inside of us? A task we were given was to get our buddies to tell us a memory or memories they have. Doing so, we learned a little bit about them and in turn, we got to share our memories too.
We currently are learning about conformity and obedience. Conformity is how people comply with standards, rules, and laws. Obedience is compliance with an order or request to another’s authority. These two ways of thinking are displayed all throughout the kindergarten classroom. Buddies consider us high school students authoritative to them. They obey and comply with almost everything we say. The children also conform to each other. When one child sees another doing something, that child wants to conform and do the same.
I think this mini program for the class is a great idea. It leaves a great impact on the kids and on the high school students. We get to see how the things we learn in class take place in real world situations. Going to visit our buddies is the highlight of my week, every week.
Rory Bryer
Rory Bryer, the man who had baseball on his mind and a bat in his hand. He started his baseball career young, watching the game, playing the game, learning its ins and outs. He started when he was 8 years old, learning from his coaches wisdom and teachings of the game. He was a literal prodigy, tee ball wasn’t even close to the realm of his ability. Rory Townsend Bryer, made his way up the ladder of baseball by testing his ability to play. Rory’s favorite baseball team is the Boston Red Sox, his favorite player is “Big Pappi “ who also played for the Boston Red Sox. What drives Rory Bryer to still play you ask? Rory uses his intuition and the drive the bring home a win, not only for himself but for his team. When Rory was in the 8th grade he won himself a home run derby and he’s been virtually unstoppable since.
Rory is a team player, he has been since he starts baseball his freshman year. He appreciates his teammates most when he is out on the field, but who does Rory look to when he needs the most help? Rory looks to faith and religion. His mother has supported him since he began baseball, driving him to his games, practices, dinners, Meet the team, banquets everything he has had to be at his parents have taken him there and he couldn’t appreciate it more them being there. He’s grateful for all he has in life. Rory’s favorite teammate is one that is also in his class of 2017, his name is Trey Trucksis. Rory has a great appreciation for his coach, Mr. Agnew, he made true leaps to get Rory to play to his best of ability. He caught Rory at his worst and at his best moments. He pushed Rory to be the best he could and Rory has taken that advice and used it for the best.
Rory’s main goal for his senior year is to play to the best of his ability and really show what he is capable of. He has already started his workouts and conditioning himself for this year’s Beaver Local Baseball team season. Rory’s plan for after high school are to attended Kent state university to get bachelor’s in business and keep his dream for baseball fueled but not lost.
Pacanowski Named Beavers Basketball Head Coach
Mr. Jason Francis Pacanowski has been at Beaver Local for almost four years now. Jason teaches high school math, grades 9-12. He graduated from Youngstown State University. He has always been fascinated with math and the sport of basketball. Jason had spent the past 13 years helping coach, and teach college athletes at Southern Illinois University. Despite the basketball background, he says his true calling is the education profession and teaching Mathematics. Basketball is not the only sport he likes, coming from Chicago, Jason is a diehard Chicago Bears and Blackhawks fan.
Jason has an extremely positive mindset when it comes to coaching his new team this year. Being the assistant coach of the Beaver Local basketball team the previous season, he already has good connections with the upperclassmen. With all of the control, he has completely changed practices, scheduling, and the mindset of the team. He has done an incredible job turning the program around, from a (3-20) season last year, to a current (9-10) record. The Beavers roster has not had an impactful change, however they have been able to triple their wins from the previous season.
The start to the 2016-2017 didn’t go as anyone had planned. The team started 0-7, losing several close games by only 2 or 3 points. “I continued to tell my players to stick the course, and wins will eventually come”, Jason said. The Beavers had a huge turning point once they defeated Edison by three points at home. Since then, the Beavers have been on a roll with a (8-3) record. “The first win was the hardest. I knew the transition with a new coach and offense would be hard, but we have been able to get through it.” The Beavers have 4 returning seniors, two of which are three year letterman. “Our senior core is very strong” Pacanowski said. “They have been able to remain calm despite the rough start, and bounce back to bring the record almost up to even”.
The Beavers are in a much better spot with sectional playoffs right around the corner compared to last season. They are looking at a possible 9th to 12th seed, unlike last year, with a 17th seed. The Beavers will play state ranked University on February 14th, for the first round of the OVAC tournament. This shall prepare the team for their tournament run towards the end of February. The matchup is determined this Sunday, and will be playing in the Sectional Semifinals.
Optimistic About the Season
Mr. Flint grew up attending school at Beaver Local. He was an athlete himself, playing baseball, basketball, and football. After graduating at Beaver Local, Flint went to college at Youngstown State University, then landed a teaching job back at his alma mater. Along with his job as an intervention specialist, he is also the varsity assistant baseball coach. When I sat down to ask Flint about the upcoming season, his answers were quite optimistic.
With the loss of six seniors, one being the big lefty pitcher Dominic Muscari, the Beavers’ baseball team will be fairly new and young this year. “Dominic was definitely a big loss on the mound, but that just leaves room for kids to step up and take charge,” said Flint. “Chase Wilcox and Shane Salyers will have to step up and fill the starting pitcher positions.” Mr. Flint believes that having the team as young as they are this year will not only be an experiment but will also be used as motivation and drive for a successful year.
To have the great year the team is hoping for, the Beavers will have to overcome their weaknesses from last year. I asked Flint what must be improved from last year and he replied, “Timely hitting and errors were really the big things that killed us on the field last year. If we can get those straightened out, we should have a solid year.” Knowing that, the team has taken an early start preparing for the season. Alongside with any offseason work the players have been doing on their own, there has been lifting sessions at the complex and player can attend. The beavers have also began having batting practice, as well as getting some fundamental work in.
Coming off of a 13-10 record last year, Mr. Flint and the beavers hope for another solid year again this season. Although the team is very young, the team is still expecting to compete with anyone they are matched up against. Having nearly the same schedule as last year, the Beavers know how to prepare for the upcoming season.
