Issue One Use This 2

Volume 81, Issue 1 Quarter 1, 2010 Capouillez Crowned Homecoming Queen by Kristen Manchor

Homecoming has been a celebrated tradition in the United States since the 1800’s. It is an annual custom for universities, colleges, and high schools to welcome back former alumni and residents to their specific school. It’s also a way of pulling together the school and rallying up current students to support their football team. This year Halifax High School began its annual homecoming festivities with a spirit week. Throughout the week, nerds, superheroes, Indians, and aliens could be seen roaming the halls. There was a unanimous feeling among teachers that this year’s students were the most spirited group of students in ten years. The spirit week activities concluded with a pep rally on Friday. The senior football players got special good luck kisses from their moms while the homecomingHi- court tried to toss marshmallows into a cup on their partners’ heads. The pep rally concluded with the annual year cheer and a good luck to the football team. The homecoming jamboree continued at the football game. School organizations spotted the softball field as spectators entered the Halifax Wildcat stadium. Observers got to see the show of Tracey Cox adorned in a wetsuit in a Inside this Issue dunking booth.Lite The homecoming court could also be seen gathering CoD: Black on the softball field with continuous smiles on their faces. Ops 2 After getting numerous pictures, the homecoming court Muffin Tops 3 assembled in a parade of elaborate cars to ride up to the The McRib 3 football field. Awaiting fans in the crowd cheered as the Boys of Fall 4 homecoming court rounded the football field and stopped Girls’ Soccer 5 in front of the stands. Volleyball 6 As the court was announced, one by one, they were Coach escorted onto the field. Finally the three seniors were Kerstetter 8 Hi-Lite Hi-Lite Hi-Lite Hi-Lite Hi-Lite announced and waited anxiously in the center of the field Special Halifax Area School District to hear who was queen. All anxiety left when Jenn Olympics 10 Capouillez was announced as the 2010 Homecoming Modulars 11 Queen. Daniel When asked how she felt about the night she replied, Neves 14 “I was excited because everyone was cheering for me. To Hunt or Then I was surprised when my name was announced as Not to Hunt 16 Queen.” The night’s festivities ended with a dance hosted Jon and by the Student Council. Kate Plus 8 18 Gratz Fair 18 HHS, 3940 Peters Mountain Road, Halifax, PA 17032 1 Editorials Black Ops Pandemonium by Ben Feidt

As November 9th approaches, the release date for the highly anticipated godlike game Call of Duty: Black Ops, the world is in utter turmoil. The world’s top scientists are in the midst of creating a time machine to hasten the horrifyingly long six-day wait. All nations have terminated other actions to join together to try to make this possible. No other event has brought so many countries together; Israel and Palestine, Tibet and China, all have joined hands in this united, epic cause. Other giants are tuned in to this milestone in humankind as well. Concerts are being held just to celebrate Black Ops and the bands and stars performing aren’t “no-name” acts either; when Metallica and Justin Bieber are both supporting the same thing, you know something’s up. “I don’t really know what the thing is, but I’m making tons of money!” says teen sensation Justin Bieber about supporting Black Ops. Although all of Justin Bieber’s fans aren’t old enough to legally buy the game, it doesn’t seem to dampen their enthusiasm. In fact, some people are coming to Bieber’s concert just because of the game such as one nonfan who asked to remain anonymous, “I don’t even like Justin Bieber; I just heard he’d be throwing out copies of Black Ops into the crowd. So, that’s why I’m here.” On the other end of the spectrum, metal heads are enjoying the week-long “CODstock” being performed by Metallica, Slayer, and Megadeth to name a few. The head banging musical festival will be held until the 9th to give music fans something to do if the whole time machine idea doesn’t work out. But it’s the individuals who are most excited for this game, although it is much more than just a pastime activity. “This is seriously going to be the greatest day of my life! Getting married? Having children? No way, man, Black Ops is way better,” says thirty year old Hi-lite Staff gamer, Thurmond Waters. Individuals such as Thurmond are not few and far between, either. Across the United States alone, 30% of the male population, Editors: around 50 million people, have camped outside their local GameStops in Joshua Conway eagerness for the release. Benjamin Feidt Some have even quit their jobs or skipped school to do so such as Josh Victoria Hogan Ferrari, “Yeah, like, who needs a job if you have the most orgasmic thing Writers: ever? Give me an Xbox and Black Ops, and I don’t care what else happens, Members of Mr. Ruff’s Honors ‘cause I’m gonna be the happiest guy in the world.” English and Ms. Kelly’s AP English Whether or not schools and workplaces should just close their doors the Classes week of Nov. 9 is still being debated; however, it’s unlikely anybody will be going out of their house that week anyway, except for the elderly perhaps for Photographers: bingo night. Bethany Fetterhoff While the world may seem to go into limbo on Nov. 9th, rest assured, we’ll Seth Harman all be working our way to the 15th prestige level. Dan Hebanthal Daniel Kolua As for this lone editor, I’ll see you online. Semper Fi! David Reed Kaylin Shoffstall Zacharia Seiders Michelle Swab Allison Trutt Layout: Andrew Sheeler, Co-Editor Jeremy Wheeler, Co-Editor *Special Thanks to the parents who submitted photographs for this issue

2 Just Because It Zips, Doesn’t Mean It Fits By Lexi White

Face it, muffins are delicious. They’re like small cups of love served to us by grandmothers and bakeries all over the world. We all love muffins, but the part that you always find missing are the tops. Nobody can resist a warm sugared muffin top. They’re unexplainable; Just pure bliss. The mere mention of a muffin top leaves the best of us dazed and drooling. Now picture your beloved muffin top bursting out of a pair of size 4 jeans. That warm fuzzy feeling instantaneously leaves your gut and is replaced by disgust and awe. “How could someone of that mass possibly shove themselves in those jeans?” And “how will those poor helpless jeans make it through the day?” These are the questions I contemplate daily. Because of the recent rise in the need to be thin in society, some girls are starving themselves to fit in to the perfect pair of jeans. Others are still chowin’ down on cheese fries, Big Macs, and milkshakes on a frequent basis and still trying to fit into their jeans from yesteryear. Face it girls, just because it zips with twelve of your friends holding up your Big Mac belly, doesn’t mean you should wear your jeans. What goes up must come down and once your friends let go, you have a muffin top that stretches down to your knees. I can’t even fathom how that is comfortable! Why do we wear jeans that don’t fit? Everybody’s done it to feel smaller, but really wearing clothes that are too small for you just makes you look like a giant. Appealing clothes aren’t clothes that show your imperfect tummy and extensively long chest crack, they’re clothes that fit. If only we could get the half of America’s population that is donning that muffin top disguise around their waists to stop and leave the muffin tops to be savored and drooled at atop the warm muffins we love to eat. Good luck America, I’m waiting. The Legend Returns By: Courtney Trotman

For those people who happen to be hermits, don’t watch T.V., or don’t have postal service, I wish to inform you that the wonder that is the McRib is back on the market. That’s right, the legend is back. As McDonald’s puts it, it’s “So hearty, so fulfilling, it sticks to your ribs”. McDonald’s attributes this “rib sticking goodness” to the new and improved 97% plastic pork patty. Also contributing to the fulfilling bun experience is the reduction of pork in the patty. This delightful sandwich is sure to be a low calorie treat, having only 3% sauteed onion meat including pork gristle and the occasional chunk of bone (recognized as meat by the company). The McRib is also back with its oh so alluring rib shape. lonely pickle The corporation once again broke out the company play dough molds that hold the secret to that magical McRib shape. barbecue Nothing (not even the sacred Mcnugget molds) can compare to the iconic McRib structure. Who wouldn’t want to partake “pork” in a faux-boned pork nugget on steroids? If you’re still not sold on this little plastic-y chunk of bun heaven, I invite you to glob that tangy gum based McRib sauce on to that delicious lardy bun and maybe throw on a chemically enhanced pickle or two. This sandwich sells itself, and I’m lovin’ it.

3 Sports and Activities The Boys of Fall by Jess Howard

0-10. You guys suck. 0-10. Our football team is pathetic. 0-10. How embarrassing. 0-10. It’s the record that the Halifax High School football team thought they would never live down. From newspaper articles to fans, to friends and family, the Wildcats were constantly being reminded of that dreadful 2009 record. But on August 16th, despite the familiar smell of fresh cut grass, mud and sweat, there was also an unfamiliar smell lingering in the air…the smell of hope, determination and victory. For weeks, the Wildcats busted their butts 3 times a day 5 days a week, from sun up ‘til sundown never skipping a beat. After all of the hard work and time spent on the practice field, the 3-a-days seemed to be paying off after the ‘cats took a 35-7 victory over Susquenita during their first scrimmage of the year. That victory alone sent a message out to all the doubters and non- believers out there that the Halifax Wildcats were back and ready to play some football. On September 3rd the Rollers handed the ‘cats their first and most heartbreaking loss of the 2010 season. “Steel High was definitely the most heartbreaking loss because it was such a close game,” said guard/defensive end Brock Jones. “We definitely should have won,” Jones said. Although the 22-33 loss to the Rollers delivered a hard blow to the Wildcats, they bounced back and were ready to take on the Trojans. September 10th marked the cats’ first and sweetest victory of the season. They defeated the Upper Dauphin Trojans 28-27, and this was the start of a 3 game winning streak for the Halifax Wildcats. The cats scooped up two more wins after UDA, including their first shut out. Defeating East Juniata and Nativity, holding a record of 3-1, the rest of the season was looking mighty fine for Coach Ritchie Enders and the new and improved Wildcats. However, devastating injuries brought their winning streak to a screeching halt. Wide receiver Patrick Kushla broke his collar bone during the game at East Juniata leaving a huge hole in the Wildcat offense. Kushla’s injury was just the beginning of some bad luck for the cats. Starting quarterback Mitch Nebrosky was the next victim of injury. Nebrosky’s season was ended by a shocking shoulder injury during the Tri-Valley game on October 1st. This forced senior running back Reece Gonsar to give up his goal of achieving 1,000 rushing yards to be the cats quarterback for the remainder of the season. The Tri-Valley game marked the beginning of the end for the Wildcats. Despite each loss, the stands were never empty on the Wildcats’ side of the field. Our boys always had and always will have full support from their fans, their friends and their families. Although the cats ended up with a 3-7 record, they didn’t go down without a fight. Our boys played their hearts out each and every time they stepped foot on a football field. The record may not show it, but the Halifax Wildcats had a lot of heart this season and played every second of each game with more passion and determination than this town has seen in a long time. Just remember boys, a record is just a number, and only you guys know how much blood, sweat and tears went into every practice and every game. What the 2010 Halifax High School football team shared was special; they were friends, classmates, and teammates, but most importantly they were family. A family that respected all but feared no one. No matter what the outcome, you guys have made us all proud and we wouldn’t trade you for anything. Kenny Chesney says it best: “It’s knockin’ heads and talkin’ trash. It’s slingin’ mud and dirt and grass. It’s I got your number, I got your back when your backs against the wall. You mess with one man, you got us all, The boys of fall.” 4 Girls Soccer Has Great Season by Mackenzi Bingaman

From the end of the season last year, the expectations of Halifax’s girl’s soccer team were already set high. With ten starters returning for the 2010 season, Jan Hoffner was pressured to lead her most experienced soccer team to success. The senior-heavy team also gained a lot of attention and was stressed with high expectations from the get go; however, nothing compared to the amount of pressure put on ourselves when the Patriot News wrote that our small, Single-A team was a “state bid possibility.” “It was exciting; the pressure put on ourselves definitely motivated us to work harder as a team,” said senior defender, Danell Engle. After that statement, no one was expecting an unsuccessful season from the lady cats. The lady cats confirmed that the hoopla made during preseason was legitimate from the start of the season. Wiping out the opponents in the Schuylkill league led to their clenching the Schuylkill League Division III championship. As D-III champions, the team moved forward to the Schuylkill league playoffs, where they faced a familiar foe, Tamaqua. After the no- show Halifax team was previously beaten 5-0 by the lady raiders, the odds were against us. Halifax only used this setback as motivation to accomplish one of the most memorable victories of the season, a 2-1 win over Tamaqua+ and a chance to gain the title as the Schuylkill League champions. Blue Mountain, however, wanted this title more than Halifax, and beat the Lady Cats 4-1 in the finals. This was definitely a disappointing loss. “I wanted to bring home the gold!” said senior midfielder, Amy Jacobs. Unfortunately, another disappointment occurred thanks to a highly unwanted visitor. Lancaster Country Day entered the Tri-Valley league and beat the Lady Cats 3-0. The team’s hopes of winning the TVL were diminished after this previous state semifinalist team killed every team in the league and stole the title from Halifax. Even though the lady cats faced huge, disappointing outcomes, they had a “sweet” revenge against the team’s biggest rival, Millersburg, after two disappointing losses last year. This helped alleviate the Cats’ painful losses. It was an “unexplainable feeling” to senior midfielder, Amy Jacobs. Beating them 6-0 or simply, “putting them out of their misery,” Coach Jan Hoffner. had requested them to do. Lancaster Country Day again minimized the Cats’ achievements after the team beat Halifax 2-1 in the district three state play-in game. When the whistle blew to end the game, our team looked stunned. Being halted so close from entering a playoff was a very painful way to end the season. No tother Halifax soccer team had come so far. It was especially hard for those seven starting seniors who were not ready to walk off the field together for one the last time. “We made a statement in the second half,” Coach Hoffner said after the heartbreaking loss to Lancaster Country Day. But entering State play-offs would have been a far greater statement. After facing two disappointments in a row, the Schuylkill League Championship game and the state play-in game, it is small compensation that the team held an overall record of (14- 4-2), broke Halifax girls soccer records, and beat the odds this season.

5 Halifax Serves up Some Wins by J.A. Conway

The volleyball team had a successful season, by all accounts. The team managed to improve upon its record from last season under first year head coach Jackie Miller, thanks in part to the team’s senior leadership. The team’s five seniors- Jess Howard, Gabrielle Reed, Hayley Miller, Lora Doebler, and Aloni Mauser- accounted for most of the team’s statistics. The girls started their season off with a bang, winning second place at the Big Spring Tournament. The team didn’t stop there, however, as they then went on to win seven of their first nine games. Unfortunately, this momentum did not carry into the second half of the season, as the girls lost seven of their remaining eleven games. One player told me that she wished the team could have communicated better and finished the season stronger. Even though the team did not finish the season on a high note, they still have a lot to be proud of. Halifax was able to beat Upper Dauphin both times the teams met, which was one of the goals that the team set before the season began. Also, the team completed another goal by going to District playoffs, which they were not able to accomplish last season. The season was successful for a few of the girls personally as well. Jess Howard had wanted to lead the team in kills (known as spikes to the casual volleyball fan) this season, which she did by a large margin. Jess had 134 kills to go along with her 42 blocks, which also led the team. Gab Reed accumulated the best serving statistics on the team, and Hayley Miller led the team in assists. On November 4, the team traveled to Central York High School to participate in a round-robin District playoff tournament. The girls won their first game against Lebanon Catholic, but lost their next two games against Reading Central Catholic and Lititz Christian. Even though the volleyball team wasn’t able to advance in Districts, they still had a great season. Good job girls! Tee Time by Jenn Capouillez

This year’s golf season teed off at the beginning of September with warm weather and new head coach Joel Smith. With six new players and two returnees, Tyler Sweigard and David Reed, the team was fairly new. “I am really excited for the season to start; my goal is to have the kids show improvement” Stated Coach Smith. Midway through the season the team played several teams placing mostly third and fourth place. Against the golfing rivals of Newport our team took a 410 while Newport stole a 399, placing us last out of the triple match. “Although we didn’t win, I had a lot of fun on the team this year. We were constantly cracking jokes and making new friends. I was just glad to show some progress as the season went on” stated player Will Tabb, formally known as “Big Papa Nine Iron”, which was the nickname given to him by the team. At the end of the year the team took zero out of sixteen matches. Tyler Sweigard and Patrick McFadden from Millersburg traveled to districts on October 8th. Overall the team had a very eventful season and Coach Smith is looking forward to next year’s team.

6 It’s Not Over By Gabrielle Reed

The 2010 fall season is drawing to a close, and for many, this means their sport seasons are over. However, for our cheerleaders it’s just the beginning. Since many cheer all year, from fall to spring, they are nowhere close to being done. They are about to enter their winter season, cheering on our wrestlers and basketball teams. Throughout this season they also compete in various competitions and activities. They plan on attending two different competitions this winter, which means they have a lot of work to do. December 18th they will be attending their first competition of the year; the District Competition, and hope to be a top competitor. Later in the season, they will be competing in the Lower Dauphin Competition. Both competitions require a two and a half minute routine that includes dance, stunting, and cheering. This is one of the most difficult tasks of the sport. The cheerleaders will also be attending the annual Philadelphia Sixers basketball game to perform a pre- game show for the fans. On top of all of their activities, the Halifax Cheerleaders will be hosting their own competition located in our amazing new gym. Unlike normal competitions, their requirements are a little different; the cheer, the dance, and the cheer with a stunt are all scored separately. After reading this, we can all agree that these girls have their hands full. Their strenuous practices are filled with difficult dances, cheers, and stunts that many of us could not even think of doing. Much credit is to be given to their coaches and captains for running such a great program. Girls not only learn how to be great cheerleaders, but great people. I asked one of the captains what she thought of the past season. She followed with, “Our squad has really pulled together and has come really far since camp over the summer”. To me this statement shows the dedication of the squad. Good luck, ladies! Marching Band by Sarah Scheib

Every Friday night at the football games, we see these people wearing our school colors, black and gold. They show a lot of school spirit, and they work as hard as they possibly can. We watch them play on the field and on the bleachers. We cheer them on because they are giving their best. Yes you guessed it, it’s the marching band! Our marching band’s show this year is West Side Story. The show is an arrangement of pieces from the well- known musical, such as “Tonight,” “America,” “One Hand,” “One Heart,” and “Mambo.” You might also remember hearing them perform their show at the Gratz Fair. The marching band also competes at different schools with different bands. Last year, they had competitions at Hempfield, Ephrata, and Hershey. At Ephrata, they placed second, and they made it to the championships in Hershey, where they placed 14th in the Upper Division. This year, the marching band went to Central Dauphin to perform as an exhibition band at the “Band-a-Rama.” Our marching band and other bands performed in front of an audience. They didn’t play for any trophies or ranking. I talked to the marching band’s president, who is Carissa Deibler. She is one of two seniors in marching band this year. She enjoys being a senior because she feels like she’s in charge and a leader. She feels like the younger kids look up to her, and she receives more respect. This is Carissa’s second year in marching band. She is in the pit and the color guard. In the pit, she plays the bells, tambourine, and the bongos. She also plays the bass drum for the parades. She said the hardest thing for her is memorizing the music. The members of the marching band put a lot of time and effort into their work. It all starts in the summer at Band Camp (this one time…at Band Camp…). During this week, they have very long practices that last from eight in the morning till about four or five at night. They also have practices after school on Tuesdays from five to eight and practice before the football games on Fridays. We appreciate our marching band for supporting our school. We enjoy listening to them play at the football games and at other events. They get our spirits up and help us cheer for our football players. We thank you for all of your hard work!

7 Coach Kerstetter’s 100th Win By Shane Smith

This season marked an important milestone in Halifax boys’ soccer history. Not only did the boys pick up the Schuylkill League Division II title, they also earned themselves the first seed in districts. On top of that, Head Coach Jeff Kerstetter received his 100th career victory, a truly remarkable accomplishment. Coach Kerstetter’s win, however, did not come easily. On September 18th the boys’ team travelled to Tri-Valley to compete in what would be an extremely intense game. Coach Kerstetter said he was rather scared going into the game, especially because the opponent was Tri-Valley, one of the more challenging teams the boys would face this season, and because it was an away game. “I knew it would be a close game, but as it went on I got more confident,” said Coach Kerstetter. Nine minutes into the game the ‘Cats took the lead when Alex Erdman scored with an assist from Matt Osenbach. Going into halftime, Coach Kerstetter said he was feeling pretty good. That soon changed when Tri- Valley came out of the half and scored within just three minutes of play. “I was very nervous,” Coach Kerstetter said, “They gained a lot of confidence and momentum.” Coach Kerstetter was relieved when Garrett Rowe scored the game winning goal, assisted by Anthony Patrick, with just less than fifteen minutes left in the second half. When the buzzer finally rang, Coach Kerstetter said a whole burden came off his shoulders: “There was so much anticipation built up. When that buzzer rang, it felt like all the weight was lifted.” Coach Kerstetter also said he didn’t even realize how prestigious of a milestone he had reached until a few days after the game when he received congratulatory emails and phone calls from other coaches and past players. “It was a great game,” said Halifax goalkeeper Andrew Osenbach. “Both teams played hard.” Coach Kerstetter concurred, saying it was an awesome game well-played on both sides. The ‘Cats celebrated their vital win by drenching Coach Kerstetter with water, followed by team pictures and much rejoicing. “I’m really glad for him,” said Andrew, “He’s a great coach and really deserved the win for all the years of effort and dedication he has given to his players.” Now that Coach Kerstetter has reached 100 wins he plans to keep going. “If I reach 200 wins, I reach 200 wins,” he said. “I’m just having a good time.”

100100 andand Counting!!Counting!!

8 Unbeatable: Boys Soccer by Austin Sacks

“The only way of finding the limits Even though they may only win two disappointing season,” says senior of the possible, is by going beyond or three games at camp, one must captain, Alex Erdman. More recently, them into the impossible.” This is the realize that the schools being the team has clinched the Schuylkill quote that you may hear members played are triple and quad A. It is League D-II championship. As D-II from the boy’s soccer team saying playing these difficult teams that champions, the guys moved on to between classes, at lunch, and have prepared the team for the fall play Tamaqua (the runner-up of especially on the soccer field. On the season. Division I). Another win pushed them field, time and time again, the team This year has been extremely into the Schuylkill League finals! has, indeed, stepped up and gone successful for the boy’s soccer Unfortunately, on Saturday, into the impossible. team, and there have been many October 23, the team suffered a It all started back in July at occasions for celebration. Over dissatisfactory loss against Blue Bucknell University where the guys Labor Day weekend, the season Mountain (triple A) in the finals. The spend four grueling days in the hot started off strong when the team team’s stunning overall record of 19 sun at a team camp. “We all have a placed first at the Belleville wins and only 3 loses (13-1 in lot of chemistry together and are all tournament. Not long after, the team division) made them the first seed in working toward the same goal,” says celebrated Coach Kerstetter’s one PIAA District 3. Optimism is high for senior goalkeeper/captain, Drew hundredth win after the game against the boys’ postseason. Great job, Osenbach. At Bucknell, essential Tri-Valley. “It’s really been a rebound guys! skills are defined and then redefined. season after last year’s

DISTRICTS UPDATE: The guys entertained fans for the last time on their home turf, with a 7-0 annihilation of Lititz Christian. This allowed the Cats to move on and play one of seven other teams still in districts. Lancaster Country Day was the next opponent that stood in the way of a district championship. The game started off with LCD getting an early lead. However, the guys responded with a goal from Anthony Patrick and then another by Alex Erdman to take the lead before half time. Late in the second half, Lancaster Country Day put one away – tying the game up. However, in overtime, Chris Scheib’s goal from Matt Osenbach secured the win! Unfortunately, the guy’s season came to an end with a devastating 0-1 loss in the semi-finals against Holy Name.

9 News The “Special” Special Olympics The Big Move by Rebecca Harman by Elizabeth Steffen

You may have seen Halifax hosting the Special Olympics three years We would like to welcome the ago, but then again maybe you didn’t even notice. This year our school autistic class to its new room: B10. decided to go with a different approach. Instead of just having helpers out Mrs. Suhr and Mrs. Bitting-Ellis on the field with the kids, they had everyone in the entire high school made the big move this summer from participate, even the teachers. Each discovery created a game, activity, or the middle school to the high school. event that the kids could play. Some of the different activities the Discoveries They put a lot of hard work into planned were pumpkin painting, Twister, Ladder ball, and jump rope. The making the room look great and the kids and helpers seemed to have a lot of fun at their Discovery stations. move was very successful. They all Overall, this year’s Special Olympics was a success. Everyone had fun, enjoy being up in the high school and helpers and kids alike. One of the helpers said, “I learned a lot about how to think that this move will be very deal with kids and the different school districts and the kids in them.” The beneficial. The autistic rooms were previously spread out, so high only aspect that she did not like was that the discoveries came out with so school students couldn’t always many activities to do, but when the high school students returned to school, work with their peers. Working in the the Olympians were left with little to do. high school allows these students I believe it’s very helpful to combine the three schools (Halifax, Millersburg, to meet their goals and objectives and Upper Dauphin) because the kids can interact with other kids that they while working with other academic may not have met otherwise. The kids also benefited from the older students areas of strength. there as a support system. Meeting their new helpers expanded their social When asked, “What is it like to circle as well. be up in the high school rather than Hopefully, we all had a good time helping these kids broaden their the middle school” Mrs. Suhr horizons. In doing so, many of us learned a bit more about ourselves. answered that they have a smaller room than what they had in the middle school, special scheduling for student purposes and the teachers are very helpful and flexible. She also stated that the program’s objectives are to give the students the skills to be independent and to gain competitive employment as well as gaining the social aspect. The high school atmosphere was a significant part of the move because the students can interact with peers their own age. Also, the students will split their class time between regular classrooms and the autistic room. Overall, the move was very successful! We are very happy to have the autistic room in the high school with us! This move will only make things better for the students and also help other students here as well.

10 All School Modular Classrooms Build Eligibility Mixed Emotions by Ashley Snyder by James Seidel

It is the one word at Halifax High School that all students dread to hear…Ineligible. That means no dances, assemblies, or sports. This new strategy was brought about by the principal’s advisory committee in order to identify the kids that are falling behind in their classes and to prevent them from failing. According to Mr. Hatfield, it is not meant to punish students, it is meant to motivate and help them get their work done on time. How do you become ineligible? Well, a student needs to be failing two classes, which means a 69% or below. In order to become eligible, The Modulars - Your very own school away from school the student needs to bring their In an attempt to meet the growing demand of space in the high school, grades back up; however, until they the school board okayed buying “modular classrooms” over the summer. do they may not go to any in-school While chosen for their affordability and practicality, their spawn has activities, like dances, assemblies, generated buzz all over the school. or pep-rallies. This strategy was put “I think they’re pretty nice; I like the A/C,” says one student who asked in place to hold all students to the to remain anonymous. same standards as athletes. The “They give me a headache,” replies senior Zach. Zach has 3 out of his 9 goal of this is to make sure every periods in the modules and complains about the light and acoustics. Zach student keeps their grades up all year claims before this year he rarely experienced headaches but now gets round. them almost daily. Teachers seem to have mixed When asked about the sensitivity level in the modules Principal Hatfield emotions about the new strategy, but responded by saying they are “too white and too bright” and that the school it is too soon to tell whether or not it is working on “painting the rooms and hallways” for the near future. Hatfield also added that while there were minor “speed bumps,” he feels will actually work in the long run. In that it is a big addition to the school. He said instead of having 4 or 5 Mr. Lahr’s classes, more students travelling teachers as in years past, the high school has only one. “I feel are interested in getting their work that it is a unique learning situation where an entire department is grouped done in order to stay off or get off by themselves.” the ineligibility list, but will that be The new 12th grade English teacher Mr. Ruff agrees with that statement. the case in the years to come? Only He stated he liked the “camaraderie and team concept.” His complaints, time will tell if all school eligibility however, were the lack of storage space and the white walls. will keep students successful and As for Ms. Kelly she admits she “moved out for the A/C.” She was in motivated when it comes to their agreement with Mr. Ruff about the spirit of camaraderie the department has school work. developed in their newfound isolation but also agreed with him about the effects of the white walls. Like Zach, she also has some problems with the echoing in her noisier afternoon classes. She indicated that when she voiced her concerns to Principal Hatfield, he was very “receptive and supportive.” The biggest support for the new home for the English department came from the freshman English teacher Ms. Nec. “I like it,” she said, adding, “the air conditioning is sweet, the halls are quieter, there’s more room, and being surrounded by my department is convenient.” Her only criticism was the complete isolation. She says it can be a hassle when she has to deliver papers or go to the teachers’ lounge, but, other than that, no complaints. That’s good, because like it or not, Halifax, these modules are here to stay.

11 Hargenrader Joins the English Ruff Returns Crew to Halifax By Courtney Trotman by Derek Deibler

As the seats began to Last year, when Mrs. Popchock open up in the English announced her retirement, the Halifax Area School District was department this year, without a 12th grade English teacher. students naturally began to Luckily for us, a young hero named experience a bit of anxiety Christopher Ruff was willing to save after losing their favorite us in our hour of need; Mr. Ruff is teachers. This anxiety now the Pop. Lit. and 12th grade proved to be short lived, academic and honors English however, as Mrs. Jennifer teacher. Mr. Ruff is a native to good old Hargenrader filled the Halifax. Like most of us, he spent English 10 seat. his childhood growing up in Halifax Mrs. Hargenrader didn’t and attended school here. He played initially set out to be a on the Halifax basketball and football teacher. At first, she pursued teams. After he graduated from business school and held a Halifax Area High School, he secretary job, but she definitely ended up where she belongs. She started attended Lock Haven University where he played on the basketball out her teaching career by attending college at NC State and then teaching team and earned degrees in creative at Fuquay-Varina Middle School for two years. After 12 years in North writing and education. He is currently Carolina, Mrs. Hargenrader moved to Pennsylvania along with her husband, in a Master of Fine Arts program at who also happens to be her high school sweetheart, and their three kids. Chatham College. She eventually started substituting at Halifax and decided to teach here full Before starting his teaching job time because she liked it here so much. here at Halifax, Mr. Ruff taught at Some students describe her as being “open, caring, and involved”, which Central Dauphin East for two years and at Newport for one year. Mr. Ruff is very fitting. She’s involved in just about every genre of activity that you is glad he ended up back in Halifax can think of. She makes it clear that she loves hunting and fishing, because everything is familiar to him photography, playing volleyball and, of course, being a dedicated mom to from his days in high school. He likes her kids and their sports teams. Cooking is also one of her hobbies, and as all the administrative staff here; he a member of her discovery I have to say that I am very thankful for that also gets along well with the other because her brownies are pretty “killer.” teachers and his students. We all Overall, Mrs. Hargenrader feels that Halifax has given her a very warm know that Mr. Ruff loves teaching here, but if he were to have a different welcome. As a member of her film class and discovery, I can honestly say job, he would want a career in that she is dedicated to her students. I’m glad, as are many other students, creative writing or fly fishing. that our teaching staff has gained such a bright, open, and dedicated Though he may look intimidating individual who will be an inspiration for students to come. with his large stature and slicked back hair, underneath it all he is just like any other teacher at Halifax: he wants to help you prepare for college and whatever you decide to do after that. I think that he fits in very well Chorus Concerts with us and that he is happy to be back in Halifax. On December 5, 2010, the Halifax High School Chorus will present “Grown Up Christmas List”- a program celebrating the music of the holiday season- at 3:00 P.M. in the high school auditorium. On December 8, 2010, the Halifax Middle School Chorus will present “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”- a spirited program of holiday music- at 7:00 P.M. in the high school auditorium. Admission is free for both concerts. Hope to see you there!

12 Ms. Witmer Makes a Pit Stop at Halifax By Lora Doebler

Many students go through high school just dying to get out and go to college. We count down the years, months, and days, just waiting. In college, freedom and endless opportunities await us. Many students will go far, far away, while others will stay close to home. Many of us even dream of going to another country for a semester or two - you know, to see the world. Like us, Ms. Witmer was once a student here at Halifax. She had the same aspirations – to go out and see the world. She followed her dreams with two trips: one to Mexico for a couple weeks, and one to Chile for a semester. She says that these trips were truly been life-changing (not to be cliché) and have helped her to develop not only intellectually, but socially. She thoroughly enjoyed these trips and recommends that anyone who is considering study abroad should seize the opportunity. She has used her experience in other cultures to bring a new twist to the Spanish department at Halifax. Since her graduation from Halifax, Ms. Witmer has attended and enjoyed 4 years at Millersville University. There, she majored in International Studies of Latin America and minored in Spanish. Though she thought she wanted to be a math teacher when graduating from high school, her ideas quickly changed upon entering college. Ms. Witmer did not, in fact, go to school for a teaching degree. After going undeclared for a year and taking a few classes, she found a great passion for the study of international development. She does not plan to make a career of teaching but has been substituting for Mrs. Crum because of her experience with a second language. Although she will probably continue to substitute occasionally after Mrs. Crum comes back, Ms. Witmer hopes to expand her horizon. She hopes to go to grad school and is thinking about working with immigration refugees and in international development. Many students look at our returning teachers and wonder why they would want to come back and work in a high school. Ms. Witmer agrees. Though she is enjoying her time substituting and realizes how rewarding it is, she hopes to someday see a world outside of education. She claimed that teaching has opened her eyes and made her realize how much effort is put into students’ education. She is realizing how hard it is to be a teacher and is grateful that she can still rely on our teaching staff to help her along the way. Though she is no longer a student, she still feels that our teaching staff is very supportive of her. Ms. Witmer finds fulfillment in teaching and is enjoying her time here. Mrs. Crum will return after Thanksgiving Break, and Ms. Witmer will continue with her job at the local Subway; however, she may still substitute on occasion. We hope to see her around, and wish her luck wherever life may take her! 13 Hoovdawg in the House by Garrett Rowe

If you have gym class or Health 11 this semester you might have noticed that Mr. Hoover has taken over for the new assistant principal Mr. Ansel. Mr. Hoover moved up to the high school from the elementary school. Mr. Ansel also started out his Halifax career as a elementary gym teacher. If this pattern continues you may be looking at the next assistant principal, but definitely not the next baseball coach. Mr. Brent Hoover graduated from Halifax Area High school and is not the first member of his family to join the Halifax High School faculty. Mr. Hoover is the son to the assistant athletic director here at Halifax High School, Mrs. Vicky Hoover. He also has an identical twin brother named Brian who is currently teaching at Upper Dauphin. Mr. Hoover is also a coach for the Halifax football team. Mr. Hoover said that he enjoys his new job here at the high school. He likes it more because he gets to have more fun actually playing the games in gym class instead of spending most of the time explaining the activities. He also likes his new job more because he does less “babysitting” and is able to give his students more freedoms. Mr. Hoover appears to be fitting in just fine with the rest of the high school. Even though Mr. Hoover will never be able to replace the great Mr. Ansel, he may come close. However, Mr. Hoover is still making some elementary mistakes according to students enrolled in his 3rd period gym class. One student who wanted to remain anonymous complained that even though Mr. Hoover is a great guy, he doesn’t meet the high standards set by Mr. Ansel. When asked to further explain the reasons for this accusation he said that Mr. Hoover has a problem with picking fair, equal teams so that every kid in gym class has an equal opportunity to win. Another student accused Mr. Hoover of stacking certain teams and showing favoritism. This student compared Hoover to a coach who is also the referee of the game and has a son playing in the game. In other words there is a very high possibility that our new gym teacher may be as corrupt as a politician. With all other matters aside, Mr. Hoover is a great person and as a student, I am very happy to have him for gym class. He likes to have fun, and even though he is not great at picking teams and may be slightly crooked, he is a great gym teacher.

Neves in America by Lauren Steffen

In August, the Halifax High School family welcomed the swim trunk- wearing, bubbly exchange student, Daniel Neves. “Neves” as his teammates call him, comes to Halifax from Rio de Janiero, Brazil. I sat down and spoke with Daniel about what school was like for him in Brazil. He said, “Where I’m from, the teachers move from class to class, and the students are always in the same class with the same people. We also don’t get to choose our classes; the school does.” Daniel is living with the Reitz family. He said that it was “a little weird at first, but now I’m used to it because they (Reitz family) are very nice people.” In his spare time Daniel likes to hangout with friends, play video games and soccer, watch TV, and sleep when he is tired. Daniel also says “I’ve never seen before such kindness and generousness (from the people of Halifax).” Though his experience at Halifax is only a few short months, Daniel said he has many things that he will take back to Brazil with him from our small town such as his much improved English skills, his understanding of the life of a typical American, his expierence with his host family, and of course, all of the friendships he has made. From the little time that I have known Daniel, I can say I enjoy his energetic spirit everyday. It’s also nice having my own personal translator in Spanish 4. I would like to wish Daniel the best as he continues his experience here at Halifax and also when he leaves us to go back to Brazil.

14 Ms. Fox Has a New Name by Cody Sulouff

Some of you may remember Ms. Fox, who was a long-term substitute for Mrs. Howard last year from October to February. Earlier this year Ms. Fox got married to Grant Finkenbinder, making her Mrs. Finkenbinder. She has now taken up a permanent residence in Halifax’s business department, teaching Principles of Marketing, You and the Law, Business Math, and Accounting, 1 & 2. r rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr errrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr rrrrr Mrs. Finkenbinder graduated from Middleburg High School, which has now been renamed Midwest. She later went on to Shippensburg University, where she graduated with a double major in art and communication. She obtained her business background through her communications and public relation courses, and has a master’s degree in communication studies. fffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff ffffffffffffffffff fffffffffffff ffffffffffff ffffffffff Mrs. Finkenbinder loves the outdoors; some of her favorite activities are hiking, kayaking and skiing. Her favorite sport is soccer and she enjoys watching The Office. Mrs. Finkenbinder currently lives on a farm with her husband, Grant. Besides her teaching job, she helps her husband out on the farm by driving the tractors and feeding the farm animals. f fffffffffffffffffffffffffffff Prior to teaching, Mrs. Finkenbinder has held various jobs in many different fields. She has worked in web page design, was an intern at the Daily Item, worked at a bridal shop, and was the Capital Area Science and Engineering Fair director. r r r r ffffffff ffff ff r r r rr I asked a student for a comment on her teaching. He said, “She’s a very nice teacher, she has a good sense of humor and her classes are fun, while still maintaining a good learning atmosphere.” Mrs. Finkenbinder has a lot to offer, and is a great addition to our school’s business department.

Beloved Security Guard and Friend by Andrew Osenbach

On September 17, 2010, our world saw a great man pass away. Wesley Warfel, or Lee Warfel as we all had known him, died at the age of sixty-eight years old. Lee lived a humble life, where he could be seen participating and volunteering throughout the area. He was employed at Harrisburg Steel for thirty-nine years before he retired. Lee was also a volunteer firefighter for numerous fire companies, which included Powell’s Valley Fire Co, Halifax Fire Dept, and the Carsonville Volunteer Fire Co. Lee won plenty of awards for serving in these fire companies. Moreover, Lee was a Forest Fire Warden for forty five years, served the fish and boat commission for thirteen years, and was a Wayne township supervisor. However, to most of us Lee is remembered as a security guard. No matter what sporting event, Lee was always there rooting for Halifax while performing his duties. Lee served as a security guard for fifteen years. Mrs. Hoover said that, “Lee was a dependable person who was always willing to serve the school.” Mrs. Boyer also agreed with these statements and added that “Lee made sure the kids came first.” Sometimes Lee was such a big fanatic that he traveled to away games just to support the team. Both Mrs. Boyer and Mrs. Hoover say that all you had to do was look at Lee, and he’d start to smile. Personally, Lee will be missed by me because he was my neighbor. Unlike most of the athletes we were able to talk about things other than sports. We could talk about the deer we saw early that morning, and we’d also talk about my grandparents quite a bit. My family and I were so close that my mom was over at his house everyday in the last week that Lee lived. It is definitely going to be different looking to the sidelines and not seeing Lee there watching and cheering for not only me, but for all the athletes from Halifax. There wasn’t any person who Lee couldn’t talk to, and if Lee knew you, all you would hear were compliments and nice remarks. I found it to be quite unique that Lee’s son follows in his footsteps and is a security guard, also. Lee, we’ll always remember you standing there on the sidelines, quietly cheering for the best in all of us. You wanted to make sure that each and every single athlete was not just the best on the court or field but the best off it too. Thank you, Lee, for your fifteen years of service as our security guard. You will definitely be missed. 15 Features To Hunt or Not to Hunt By CJ Houtz

It’s the Monday after Thanksgiving; to everyone’s delight there is no school today. Imagine you wake up early in the morning so you can be in the woods before dawn. You have to grab a quick breakfast and put on your camouflage and grab your rifle. You walk outside; it won’t be daylight for another twenty minutes, so you use a flashlight while walking to the woods. You feel the cold damp ground as the frost melts and soaks into the seat of your pants. You sit all day on Monday without seeing a deer. Disappointed, you trudge back to the house with the news of your wasted day. You talk to you dad, also a hunter, and he says that you can stay home from school tomorrow in order to hunt some more. Imagine, now, that you have never hunted before in your life. You awake at ten in the morning on the Monday after Thanksgiving. After looking at the clock and checking your phone, you think to yourself, “I love Buck Season.” After a long day of finishing up the remaining homework you neglected during the break, you are ready to go to bed. You awake bright and early on Tuesday, get on the bus or in the car, and you go to school. When you get there you find out your friend is skipping school to go hunting, but you know the note his dad gives him will say, “sick”, not “hunting”, because missing school to hunt is not an excused absensce. Mr. Hatfield frowns upon this lie, saying that if the students were honest with him, he would not take any action against them, even though he cannot, by law, give them excused absences. Many hunters agree that the school should have more local school holidays for hunting because school and after school activities take away from hunting time. They suggest if the school can not provide them with full days off, half days would also be acceptable to them. When students were questioned about the hunting rules of the school, their opinions differed. An avid hunter wanted hunting to count as an “educational trip,” However, a non-hunter didn’t think the rules should be changed, because “it’s the law.” Both students believed that the administration would be more lenient toward hunters missing school if the members of the administration hunted.

16 GrGreateat Job!!!Job!!!

17 Halifax’s own version of John A Memorable and Kate plus eight? Gratz Fair by Lexi White by Danell Engle

The festivities of the Gratz Fair were held September 19 through September 25 this year. As in past years, there were many things to enjoy. There were activities for everyone at the Gratz Fair such as games and rides for the young children and a variety of food for the whole family. There were a number of different animals and farming equipment on display the entire time of the Gratz Fair. There was also art work from the different schools in the area including Halifax. Mr. Crum set up a nice display of our high school As a small school, everyone knows all of the hullabaloo about students’ art pieces at the fair. relationships that are circulating within our high school. One of the less Two of our high school students apparent ones is not one of two students, but one of two teachers. Mr. were in the Gratz Fair Queen Crum has been teaching at Halifax for the past two years. Within that time Competition. Those two students we all grew to respect and appreciate him as our teacher. Students also were Lauren Lenker and Heather always love having Mrs. Crum as their Spanish teacher… if she’s not on Miller. Both girls did great and maternity leave that is. During 2009, the Spanish classes were tossed Heather Miller even won second around and confused on a daily basis about which teacher they would place. In her duties as the runner up have. One day it would be Mrs. Adrian; the next, Ms. Dalton. We never queen, she helped with many knew who we were going to have. This year with the birth of Mrs. Crum’s activities in the Gratz Fair such as third child we didn’t know what was going to happen. Thankfully, everything the Demolition Derby where she was planned accordingly and we have a permanent substitute filling in for helped give out trophies to the her. Mrs. Crum is returning to school after Thanksgiving break. winners along with the queen. This year, Judah, the Crums’ third child was born on September 21. His Besides her queen duties, Heather sister Lilly and brother Solomon are ages 3 and 2. According to Mr. Crum, had livestock in attendance at the Lilly likes having two younger brothers. She shows motherly traits towards fair along with crafts and baked them and definitely likes taking control. Solomon is more like his father in goods. Heather enjoyed being the sense that he seems more laid back and passive in most situations. involved with the Gratz Fair because Both of the kids are lost if they don’t spend time outside during the day. it’s a great community event, and it’s good to be involved. They are very outdoorsy and love playing. Even though Solomon’s disposition Another way to get involved in the is more laid back, he loves to run. It’s his favorite thing to do when he’s Gratz Fair would be to enter the hanging out at his crazy, yet structured, household. Lilly loves to watch Demolition Derby. If you are a person princess movies, but that shouldn’t give you the instant impression that who enjoys working on cars and she’s a girly girl. She isn’t afraid to get aggressive while wrestling with dad smashing things, the Demolition at home. Derby is perfect for you. It’s really weird thinking our teachers have lives and kids at that. Many There are also many different of us like to think that teaching is really all that they do. However, it’s hard shows and performances during the to shy away from the reality of Mr. and Mrs. Crum’s family. It seems as if Gratz Fair. Some of those activities more than half of it was created since they started teaching! Whether we may include band performances, have the two Crum’s for classes or not, we all recognize them as the love talent acts, and animal shows. birds of our teaching staff, which is definitely apparent in their multitude of As you probably already know, new offspring. They claim that they are done having children, but we will there are many activities to enjoy at see next year. Who knows, maybe the Spanish kids of the future will be the Gratz Fair. There’s great food and blessed with one constant teacher for the whole year, which given the past great fun. The Gratz Fair has a great experiences would be a miracle. atmosphere for people of all ages and is a great community event that people will always remember.

18 By Book or by Nook? Need More by Amy Jacobs Sleep? One thing stands out clearly when you think about what is different from by Ben Feidt the past, technological advances have been at the forefront of what we are today. Instead of having to flip the pages of a book, we can just swipe our High schools across the country fingers across a touch screen to advance on. Electronic book devices have are changing their starting times and become the hot new item in bookstores. No longer is it enough to go and Halifax could be next. Recently, buy a book on paper. Now you can just sit in the comfort of your own home there have been studies that have and electronically get new titles on your device to read. supported schools for teenagers One simple device can hold up to hundreds of titles so its owner is starting no earlier than 8:30 in the morning. This research states that never without a good read. These eBooks are very easy to take along teenagers are actually biologically everywhere. Many people use them on vacations at the beach for a good made to stay up late and sleep in. relaxing read. They also provide easily accessible books for those traveling Polls have coincided with these on planes. findings, showing that 60% of teens Some of the options you have for the electronic book readers are the say that they are tired during the day Nook, Kindle, and iPad. While all three of these products have similarities, and that 15% of teens have admitted to falling asleep in class. This sleep they have some extreme differences. The iPad is the one that is most deprivation can lead to academic apparent to me. Not only does the iPad contain an electronic-like book, but deficiency, poor social behavior, and it has so much more. The features seem to be endless, from email to damage to a person’s health. photos to videos. The iPad is very similar to the iPod Touch only bigger. To support pushing back school The iPad’s cost ranges from $499-$829. The Nook is an electronic book times, there was a study in reader and nothing else. It contains 2 GB of internal storage and accepts Minnesota by Dr. Kyla Wahlstrom. Dr. Wahlstrom studied the effects of an SD card to expand the storage space. The Nook is paired up with Barnes schools that changed their starting and Noble, which means you can only buy it at Barnes and Nobles. The times to 8:40 A.M. and found Kindle is paired with Amazon and ranges in price from $139-$189. It is also improvements in attendance, only an electronic book reader. It has storage room for up to 3,500 books. alertness, and a decrease in student All three of the devices can have 3G service and Wi-Fi access. The depression. Overall, the students screen sizes are around the same size. Also the screens are built to have greatly benefited from the extra five hours of sleep per week as it’s widely no glare while being used in the sun. They are all very versatile. agreed that teenagers should be After asking an anonymous source about these devices, he chose the getting eight-nine hours of sleep at iPad as his favorite choice and the one he would buy although he loves all night. of the electronic e-books. The reason he prefers the iPad over the Kindle Still, there are valid points on and the Nook is that he likes how it is more versatile, that it is more than both sides of this issue. “I can see just an electronic book reader. Also, the iPad has more internal storage. the benefit like sleeping in and having more time in the morning” says Mr. Lahr has the Kindle. He likes it a lot because of the fact that it is Jordan Trafka, “But starting earlier small and portable and is able to hold many e-books. He enjoys having helps us get in the routine for when access to many titles with just the click of button. we have real jobs.” Sports are also an issue as Aaron Zimmerman points out “Sports already start pretty early and end late so athletes wouldn’t have much time at home. There wouldn’t be a lot of time to do homework, too.” Students who have jobs may also run into problems with this new schedule. Getting out of school at 3:30 in the afternoon doesn’t leave much time for a job, especially for students in sports or other extracurricular activities. Despite the encouraging research, based on my small sampling of the school’s students, changing the time would cause too many issues. Whether or not the high school will eventually change its starting time to later in the morning is up in the air. 19 A Book Review of The Blue Orchard By Nicole Kelley

Jackson Taylor writes about the life of his Grandmother, Verna Krone, in the novel, Blue Orchard. Set mainly in Harrisburg, Perry County, and our little town of Halifax, Taylor’s novel tells of Verna’s life as a white nurse working for a black Harrisburg abortionist by the name of Dr. Charles Crampton. Born in rural Perry County, Verna, at a very young age, is pulled from school and forced to work in order to earn money for her poor family. Verna first begins to work as a farm girl where her boss takes advantage of her, leaving her pregnant. She returns to her family. Though much tribulation, a successful remedy from a local midwife leaves Verna’s problem “taken care of.” However, this is only the beginning of Verna’s troubles and her long road to a successful life. Verna later finds herself as a mistress to a married man and becomes pregnant with the man’s son. She willingly gives her son to her mother to raise, and after many jobs decides to attend nursing school, in hope of climbing out of devastating poverty. Establishing what seems like a stable career and livelihood, Verna proceeds to marry a drunk who had already abandoned his children after the death of their mother. Within this time period, Verna quits her nursing job at the state mental hospital to obtain a more lucrative nursing position with a successful, black Harrisburg doctor who performs abortions. Verna takes care of the women in her own home for two days following their procedures in the doctor’s office. She carefully monitors the women after their abortions to make sure there are no complications. When the political climate of Harrisburg changes, Dr. Crampton and Verna are no longer protected by friends in high places. Many hardships come about from her job, causing more problems for herself and her family. As Verna’s life spirals out of control, she decides to purchase a farm on Rutter Road in Halifax where her husband will grow peaches for a living. It is here that she retreats after Dr. Crampton and she are tried for performing illegal medical procedures. Pick this book up for the holidays. This true life story will amaze you as soon as you read it not only because of the references to Halifax and the surrounding areas, but also because of the compelling story of the scrappy Verna Krone.