Help Your classmates

January 31, 2020

The National Junior Honor Society and Student Council will be collecting for the Wilson Area School District students who lost their home to a fire yesterday. We will be placing collection containers in each homeroom no later than Tuesday morning. The collection will last for one week and the money will be presented to the family.

If we could raise just one dollar per student, we could raise approximately $750.00 to help our classmates who lost their home! Please consider donating.

Jersey Day Shows WAIS Team Spirit

January 31, 2020

By Brooke H., Aaron M., Desmond O. and Anthony V.

On Friday, January 31, students and staff celebrated the Super Bowl by wearing jerseys from their favorite teams.

Did you know these fun facts about jerseys?

• The Cleveland Indians were the first major league baseball team to have numbered athletic uniforms when they took the field in 1916.

• Early baseball players wore any number - in fact, some players wore as many as ten numbers over their career.

• Colleges do not always put names on jerseys because some coaches believe that it will make players forget they are part of the team.

• The best selling jerseys in 2019 were Patrick Mahomes (NFL), LeBron James (NBA), Jose Altuve (MLB), and Alex Ovechkin (NHL).

Don't forget to look your best for Valentine's Day for the next NJHS and SC theme dress day.

Drama Club Announces Cast of Spring Production

January 31, 2019

By Chris G. and Makenna S.

On Wednesday, January 29, the WAIS Drama Club held auditions for "North Woods Nonsense," the spring production. Fifth and sixth grade students auditioned for roles in a series of three auditions that showed off their voice, expression, and stage presence. Over 50 students auditioned for the 23 available parts.

Miles O auditioned because he enjoys lighting and sound. If he had been cast, he was hoping for the part of Congressman Oakley, but now he has a chance to learn to operate the lights and sound as a member of the crew.

Mikaila B. was told by her mom that she is very dramatic, so she tried out for the play. She got the part of a guest at the hotel, and said the auditions “were good, but I was nervous because I don't like doing things solo. I was happy that I got a part, even though it wasn't the part I wanted.”

Keira S. auditioned because she loves drama and acting. She was hoping for a role as one of the reporters, but got the role of Miss Birch after her very expressive audition. Hopefully she is good at memorizing lines, since her character has over 100!

Senior drama helper Savannah P., a seventh grade student, says, “I honestly thought they were way better than my year in fifth grade.’’

Here is the full cast list:

The production will be held on May 1 and 2 - mark your calendars for a funny show!

Hoops and Dreams

January 30, 2020

By Mikaila B., Iyanna A., Brooke H., and Sydney P.

Basketball season is underway at WAIS, and both the girls' and boys' teams are hard at work building skills and friendships. The intense practice schedule, along with frequent games, keeps players on both teams focused and busy.

The Wilson boys' basketball team has played quite a few games so far. A few of the team members, Hunter A., Max V., Austin J., and Cason D., have answered a few questions for us about their team. According to Hunter A., they are currently working on shooting drills and dribbling skills, and Cason D. confirms this by saying he is working on his dribbling during practice. The winning/losing streak is 2-14, says Max V. Austin J. told he plays basketball because it is his favorite sport. In contrast, Max V. plays basketball because his brothers have played it and he wishes to follow in their footsteps.

Ava D., who plays guard for the girls' team, said that her team has played 12 or 13 games so far this season, and they have won one game. She said that her favorite part of basketball is bringing the ball down and getting a point. She said that her team practices 6 days a week after school. Halle W., her teammate, likes getting to play with a team and she likes the bond they have created. This is Halle’s 7th year playing basketball, but she is till working on skills like the back dribble, which is difficult because she has to do it quickly with a lot of force. Catherine S. said that her favorite part of basketball is getting to know her teammates, and that they are all really close friends.

We wish both teams the best of luck as they conclude their season!

Flannel Friday Photos and Fun Facts

January 30, 2020

Friday, January 24 was Flannel Friday at WAIS. The student council really appreciated all of the students and staff who participated in Flannel Friday, which was a fun way to celebrate the cozy clothes of winter.

Did you know these fun facts about flannel?

• 1. People think all flannel shirts are plaid, but plaid is just a pattern. Flannel is a type of fabric.

  2. Flannel is made out of carded wool or worsted yarn.

  3. Flannel holds heat and wicks away moisture, which is why it's great for winter layers.

  4. Flannel was first created in the 17th century.

  5. In 1975, Geoffrey Beene made flannel a scent.

Be sure to participate in the next theme dress day on January 31, when you can wear your favorite sports jersey to celebrate the Super Bowl!

STudents form We Go Eco Warriors Group to combat Plastic Waste

January 30, 2020

By Riley S.

It has come to our attention that recycling at WAIS could be improved in numerous ways. The amount of plastic used in a single week is almost unimaginable. For this reason, we in Mr.Fenton’s 8th period have decided to make a difference through a new recycling initiative known as “We Go Eco Warriors.” Through this movement we will be increasing the amount of recycled plastics, reusing, and donating them to better the community. However, in order to do this, we need everyone’s help to contribute and make sure your plastics end up in the recycling bin in the cafeteria.

We would appreciate everyone's support in order to make this work.

Thank you,

We Go Eco Warriors

COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY DAY CELEBRATES HIGHER LEARNING

January 20, 2020

By Brooke H. and Makenna S.

On Monday, January 13, WAIS celebrated College and University Day. The day was chosen to coincide with the College Football National Championship, and students and staff were encouraged to wear shirts to support a favorite college. Teachers shared their Alma Maters with students through signs and shirts and by answering questions about their college experiences.

Mrs. Hertzog, a sixth grade teacher, went to Mount St. Mary's University for four years. When asked if she enjoyed the college experience, she answered, "What's not to like?"

Mrs. Hertzog lived in a dorm and belonged to the educational honor society Pi Lambda Theta as a member and then as president. She also served as a mentor in an after school program, and joined the community service club, where she helped elderly and homeless people in need. She enjoyed college because "You get to live with your friends without your parents and make your own decisions. You also get the choice to pick the classes that you want and are interested in. It is fun to attend sporting events to support your school."

College wasn't all fun and volunteering though. She says, "Final exams happen at the end of each semester and test what you learned in the entire class. Students take many hours to study for these exams because they count for a percentage of your overall grade for the class. Projects that I completed were usually group projects that we had to present to the entire class. Another large component of my grades for classes was writing research papers. These were typically done individually and were 5-10 pages in length."

She says that college and work are hard to compare, but that her work at WAIS "has been more rewarding and fulfilling. It has given me a purpose."

Eighth grade teacher Mr. Yurvati attended Northampton Community College, Kutztown University, and Wilkes University, where he is currently working on his master's degree. He knew he wanted to teach science before starting his degree. He says, "It was something I figured out in high school actually. I liked science a lot and I also enjoyed helping other people understand it."

He went to college with several of his high school friends, but found that his busy class schedule and different major from his friends made it difficult to hang out frequently. He still had a great college experience, though, saying, "It was definitely hectic and, at times, stressful but overall, it was a great opportunity to meet new people from diverse backgrounds and experiences as well as an opportunity to learn about material I was excited about. During my downtime, my friends and I would hang out and watch movies or play tabletop games when we weren’t studying or doing work outside of class."

He was inspired by his genetics and ethology professor, Dr. William Towne. When remembering Dr. Towne's classes, he says, "He is my favorite because he was not only dedicated to his students and genuinely showed interest in our success; he was also super passionate about his field of research, honeybee behavior. Not only did I overcome my fear of stinging insects and learn a lot about honeybees working with him (I had to paint hundreds of their abdomens for a research assignment), he had a way of presenting information in such a passionate way. "

This day was a great way for WAIS students to learn more about the college experience. We are grateful that our teachers shared of their knowledge about going to college!