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The Patriot Washington Township High School, Vol. XV, Issue 4 529 Hurffville-Cross Keys Road, Sewell, NJ February 2010 Raise the Roof Windstorm damage causes evacuation, cancellation Kevin Whitehead ‘10 One of the more bizarre incidents in WTHS history took place as wind swept across the high school campus on Jan. 25. With temperatures flirting with freezing levels and straight line winds of 37 miles per hour, the 9/10 Wing’s L- Pod roof broke from its binding. The students in L-Pod found themselves beneath a furious battle between Mother Nature and the 20 year old roof. 9/10 Executive Assistant Principal Ms. Ann Moore was notified by alarmed teachers of the noises above. Moore immediately assessed L-Pod to get a sense of the situation. “Once I got upstairs, I realized how potentially serious it was. It THE PATRIOT sounded like a train driving across Custodial, maintenance and grounds workers’ labor reopened the school on Jan. 26 after one our school building. It was that day of cancelled classes. Roofers completed the work before record snows hit the region. loud,” Moore said. Moore took immediate action. “Right where the ceiling tiles remaining class periods. school reopened. Every WTHS With the help of 9/10 Assistant came together, there literally was a “To think we were going to custodian and maintenance and Principal Mr. Rich O’Neil, she stream of water,” Mr. David Wright move 1300 kids in and out of the buildings and grounds crew ordered all students to be evacuated said, recalling the incident which auditorium every 45 minutes was personnel from throughout the from L-Pod and into the TD Bank altered his annual Egg Project plans. not a practical solution,” Bollendorf district, worked furiously along with Arts Center. Then she called Director “It was like waterfall!” said. the hired contractors. of Operations, Mr. Bob Schoenfeldt. Once the water had rushed into Once the students left, there Brown and Guarino cut out all Moore told him that there was a the ceiling, it short-circuited the was serious work to be done. the rubber roofing, removed it from serious problem taking place. alarm system, setting off the fire After 3:00 P.M., the entire the roof, and discarded it. Once Schoenfeldt arrived, he alarm. Orders were to evacuate the grounds maintenance and custodial “I remember thinking that it went on the roof to assess the building. staff began working. With the seemed worse, than the day before,” situation. Board secretary Ms. Meehan assistance of Supervisor Mr. Jeff Bollendorf said. “I thought there was “When I got up there, the wind alerted the fire company, that there Walter and Ground Supervisor Mr. no way we’re going to open.” was very strong. That wind was was indeed no fire. The fire chief Bill Carney, the crews pulled ceiling Contradicting Bollendorf’s rippling underneath which gave [the later granted access for the students tiles down and wiping down any wet initial thoughts, the workers were roof] a floating [appearance],” to return to the complex. surfaces. Also, WTHS’s contracted able to fix everything that was Schoenfeldt said. “Because of the conditions, we roofing company Brown and needed for the school to be reopened According to Schoenfeldt, the wanted to get the kids right back in Guarino Roofing came only to assess on Wednesday, Jan. 27. wind got underneath the external the building,” Executive Principal the damage considering there was “I have to give everyone and wooden nailer and got between the Mr. Joseph Bollendorf said. nothing to be done with a drenched administration points because they rubber and the insulation which was About an hour after the roof. got the ceiling and the tiles only held together by glue. The students had returned to the building, Collectively, the cleanup took replaced,” L-Pod physical science power of the wind ripped right the rest of the school day was about 180 working hours. teacher Mr. James Hurtt said. “Man, through the glue. The only thing cancelled due to the incident. Since According to Bollendorf, the they got it done.” holding it down were screws on the it was past noon, the day was following day there were dozens of The current roof is only a other sides. official. employees working tirelessly temporary fix. Schoenfeldt is hoping Soon enough, rain water was Bollendorf felt it was putting in ceiling tile and cleaning to get a grant approved by New streaming directly into the building. unreasonable to attempt to finish the up the mess in an effort to get the See ROOF page 3 2 - News The Patriot - W.T.H.S. News - 2 Monzo raises $100,000 for ALS Taylor Vandell ‘10 “I believe that Monzo solely depends on the enthusiasm of the On Jan. 15, Monzo Madness, students that are involved,” says Washington Township’s charity Naval. “The kids really enjoy being dance marathon event, really raised a part of an event that helps out a the leaky roof by reaching their great cause.” seven-year goal of earning $100,000 But not all of the money that in donations for the ALS was raised was specifically from the Foundation, a serious disease students who participated in Monzo commonly referred to as Lou Madness. Interact also hosted a Gehrig’s Disease. Teacher Dress Down Day on Friday Raising $24,000 alone this year, January 15, to help raise money for Monzo had a total of 205 couples the cause as well. The teachers paid that participated in the event. Even a minimum of $5 to wear jeans or though Monzo was almost cancelled casual attire, and the teachers alone TAYLOR VANDELL ‘10/The Patriot that day due to the bomb scare that raised $900. Students gathered on the dance floor in the 9/10 Auxiliary Gym forced students to leave school early, Also, the Manuary men of for the annual Monzo Madness event on January 15. almost everything went according to WTHS walked around the cafeterias plan. Monzo started at 7pm Friday played by the DJ, and the students of it.” that Friday taking any donations to night and did not end until 9am of WTHS had fun with the time For Interact advisor Mrs. help support the cause. The men Saturday morning. there was. Even though not all of Tracy Naval (See related story - page also auctioned themselves off at the “I wasn’t happy at first that the students and chaperones could 10) , Monzo Madness has a special event to raise even more money, and Monzo was starting late, because make the event because of the bomb place in her heart. The event is all together, they raised $350. part of the fun is getting out of class scare, those in attendance had a great dedicated to her sister Kathy “Monzo Madness has shown early,” said Emily Parry ’12, “but time. Monzo, who died from ALS. me that there are so many people in the best part is dancing all night with “This was my first year doing When the event first started in this community that support me and your friends until you can’t feel your Monzo Madness,” said Jordan 2004, only 50 students were part of my family,” said Naval, “and now I legs and feet anymore.” Wilson ’10, “I’m really glad I got to it. As the years have gone on, more find that students and faculty are During the duration of the night, participate because it’s my senior and more students have decided they now more aware of what this disease all different genres of music were year and my last chance to be part want to be a part of the phenomenon. actually is.” Students strive for better year Luke Verrillo ‘10 “I want to be healthier this year. Normally, once football ends I stop Some may vow to lose weight working out, but now with swim or work on strained relationships, team, I’ll be in better shape,” Blaise while others aspire to do their Basile ‘13 says. personal best in their careers and “I finally joined a gym over the education. Whatever the case may break. It’s been a long time coming,” be, New Year’s resolutions tend to Leah Power ’10 adds, “I go almost fade out of mind after January has every day to run and, so far, I think passed. However, with the start of a I’ll be able to keep it up.” new decade, students at WTHS are Schoolwork is another area in determined to see their goals through students’ lives that many are seeking PHOTO COURTESY OF FORBES.COM til the end. to make changes in. For many “Every year, I start off really seniors who have the added pressure Students continue to uphold resolutions for the new decade. well [with my resolution] but I forget of college applications and decisions, found amongst the underclassmen new year. about it when school picks back up earning better grades is on the top in the 9/10 wing. “I never make resolutions for again after the winter beak,” of their resolution lists. Janel Eldridge’s ’12 plan myself because you always are Michelle Biala ’10 says. “Hopefully, “I really want to get straight involves balancing her social life and disappointed,” Zach Kenney ’10 says. for me, 2010 is different. I want to A’s this year,” Santina Mazzola ’10 schoolwork. “It’s only my “I don’t need to add the failure of work on my shopping addictions says. “Being on the principal’s list sophomore year, so I don’t want to maintaining a resolution to life.

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