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Catoctin High School Drama Department Presents Little Shop of Horrors

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Stephanie and Evan Felmet, Directors

This spring, the Catoctin High School (CHS) Drama Department is trying something a little different: a double cast show.

Little Shop of Horrors—the horror comedy rock musical—will take the CHS stage on April 18-20. The “Green” cast, led by George Hawkins and Colette Hartman-Carstensen as Seymour and Audrey, will perform on Thursday, April 18, at 7:00 p.m.,  and Saturday, April 20, at 7:00 p.m. The “Red” cast, led by Doug Whitworth and Anna Code in the same roles, will perform on Friday, April 19, at 7:00 p.m., and Saturday, April 20, at 1:00 p.m. Each main cast brings their own interpretation of the characters. The actors are encouraged to make their own acting and staging choices to ensure the performances are unique.

Creation of the various Audrey II puppets has taken months to complete. The man-eating plant begins as a small handheld puppet, then grows three times until it, and its grasping vines, take over most of the stage.

Meanwhile, the cast has been hard at work memorizing lines, practicing songs, and perfecting their dance steps. The crew has also been busy creating sets, lighting, and effects that will draw the audience into this bone-chilling story.

The show is rated PG-13 due to violence, substance abuse, and mild language.

What happens when a young florist finds a plant that’s out of this world?

Come find out at Catoctin High School on April 18-20.

Pictured (above) are George Hawkins, Colette Hartman-Carstensen, Doug Whitworth, and Anna Code.

A Cut Above the Rest!

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Danielle Jackson

Do you know where your food comes from? How is it processed? Or even packaged? A lot of people think that their food comes from a store. But how does it get there? What steps are taken to get it to your table? This is something that is slowly slipping away from younger generations today.

Today’s youth are not as educated about the agricultural industry and where their food comes from. But the Catoctin High School FFA Chapter in Thurmont has a passion for agriculture and teaching! They keep our youth informed, educated, and active in the agriculture industry.

Every year in February, the Catoctin High School FFA Chapter, the Catoctin FFA Alumni and Supporters Chapter, and surrounding community members all come together to participate in their annual hog butchering.

This year, the annual butchering was held on February 9 and took place in the agriculture area and agriculture classrooms at Catoctin High School. The day started around 7:00 a.m. and didn’t end until all the orders were processed and picked up. The Catoctin High School teachers, staff, and administration have always been so supportive of this tradition. Many teachers even bring their classes to the butchering. The butchering isn’t just an agricultural lesson or experience, it can be tied into other aspects of learning, too, such as math, science, photography, social studies, health, and history. Some of the teachers who bring their classes to visit create lesson plans and assignments based on the butchering. Math teachers will incorporate the scales and weighing of the processed meat into their assignments. Some science teachers will include the biology and chemistry of butchering in their lessons. Health teachers can incorporate how pork is an excellent source of protein, vitamins, and minerals.

Any student who is part of the Catoctin High School FFA Chapter or in any ag class at the high school can participate in the butchering if their grades are eligible. Students help cut up meat, package meat, stuff sausage into casings and bags, and fill customer orders in the evening. By doing this, ag students actively experience the hard work that goes into a butchering, and they learn how food is processed and then put on their own tables. The experience also gives non-ag students at the school a new and better appreciation for agriculture.

Every year, the butchering continues to grow in more ways than one—in members, volunteers, and orders! There were about 120 total students, volunteers, and alumni members present, with 40 of those being FFA members. The students, members, and volunteers butchered 23 hogs, with an additional 3,000 lbs. of extra meat to fill over 300 orders.

We asked Amy Jo Poffenberger, one of the ag teachers and FFA Advisor at Catoctin High School, what her favorite part of butchering was every year. She said that her favorite part would have to be the sense of community, and everyone coming together to help with the entire day. This is Mrs. Poffenberger’s fourteenth year at Catoctin High School and her fourteenth butchering at the school.

We also spoke to Daniel Myers, who is a lifetime member of the Catoctin FFA Alumni and Supporters Chapter and head of the butchering committee. We asked him what he hopes this experience teaches the students at Catoctin High School. He said that he hopes it gives them all a better understanding of how their meat is processed and packaged, and that they know that food does not just come from a store.

Everyone who helped said that this year’s butchering was probably the best and smoothest-running butchering that they have ever had, and they hope that they can top it next year.

This event would not have been possible without the help of students and chapter members, alumni and supporters’ members, the staff of Catoctin High School, and the surrounding community members.

The Catoctin High School FFA Chapter hopes to keep this tradition alive for as long as possible and for generations to come.

Catoctin High School FFA members stuff sausage into casings.

Catoctin FFA Alumni, Supporters Chapter members, and community members work together to cut meat into portions to be processed.

Students from Catoctin High School take a tour and watch while Alumni and community members tend to the kettles.

Catoctin Feeder Community Night Brings Families Together

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Alisha Yocum

The community came together for its annual Catoctin Feeder Community Night on January 24 at Catoctin High School. Families from all the feeder schools within the district, including Catoctin High (CHS), Emmitsburg Elementary (EES), Lewistown Elementary (LES), Sabillasville Environmental (SES), Thurmont Elementary (TES), Thurmont Primary (TPS), and Thurmont Middle (TMS), came together for a chance to share dinner together, connect with local community agencies, and watch some cougar basketball! Dinner was provided thanks to donations by the Thurmont and Emmitsburg Lions Clubs, as well as the Parent Teacher Associations/Parent Teacher Organizations from LES, SES, TPS/TES, TMS, and CHS.

Essays and drawings from students who wrote about what they love about their Catoctin Community were on display. Kindness seemed to be the re-occurring theme that students highlighted in their writings. This year’s essay winners were:

Primary

Analee Winfrey, LES

Aidan Clark, SES

Intermediate

Franek Zielinski, TES

James Dugan, TES

Middle School

James Clements, TMS

Students Visit Annapolis to Advocate for Charter School Funding

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Alisha Yocum

Members of Sabillasville Environmental School’s Student Government Association (SGA) joined over 600 other charter school advocates at the Maryland State House on January 31 to advocate for charter school facility funding.

The group included Bradley Brauning, Kalee Hall, Maycee Grimes, Ruby Jones, and Wyatt Roderick, along with their teacher, Mrs. Isennock; President, Mrs. Yocum; and parent, Mr. Jones.

While Charter Schools are public schools, they currently receive no funding specifically designated for maintaining and updating facilities. Throughout the day, students were able to meet with Senators and Delegates and explain what they love about their school and why this funding is important to its future.

Peace Groups Sponsor Writing Contest for Maryland Middle School Students

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All Maryland middle school students are invited to enter a statewide writing contest focusing on the themes of peace and social justice.

The contest, which is sponsored by Anne Arundel Peace Action, the Maryland Peace Action Education Fund, the Benjamin Peace Foundation, and the Peace and Social Concerns Committee of Annapolis Friends Meeting, is open to all 7th and 8th grade students enrolled in public or private schools in Maryland and to homeschooled students corresponding to the same grade levels. This is the 25th year the contest has been conducted.

Four cash prizes will be awarded: $500 for first place, $300 for second place,  $200 for third place, and $100 for fourth place. The winners will be honored at a special ceremony, although attendance is not required to receive an award.

To enter, students must submit an entry of up to 1,200 words on this topic:

It is arguable that the most important development in the early 21st century has been the emergence of social media. There can be little question that platforms such as Facebook, Twitter (now “X”), Instagram, Snapchat, and many others have revolutionized the avenues with which citizens can communicate with one another. However, these vehicles have been criticized for interfering with privacy, giving voice to extremists, and causing emotional harm. What role has social media played in your life? Do you think that it has been a mostly positive or negative force—and why? Has social media contributed to or obstructed world peace?

Entries  must be accompanied by a separate cover sheet, including the student’s name, address and phone number or e-mail address; school’s name, address and phone number; and the name of the teacher sponsor if applicable.

Entries and accompanying materials must be postmarked no later than May 15, 2024, and mailed to: Fred B. Benjamin Peace Writing Contest, 310 Riverview Avenue, Annapolis, MD 21403-3328.

Anne Arundel Peace Action and the Maryland Peace Action Education Fund are affiliated with Peace Action, the country’s largest grassroots peace and disarmament organization with approximately 100,000 members nationwide.

For more information, call 410-263-7409 or e-mail mjkeller@att.net.

Attention All Graduating Seniors

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Thurmont Grange Offering Two Scholarships

Thurmont Grange No. 409 is offering two scholarships to any 2024 Catoctin High School graduating senior or graduating homeschool senior, residing in the Catoctin feeder area, who will be attending a technical or trade school, community college, or four-year college.

Applicants are required to submit one letter of recommendation, an essay about how furthering your education will have a positive impact on your community, and your official high school transcript. Scholarships will be awarded on May 31, 2024. Applications may be obtained by emailing thurmontgrange@gmail.com or contacting the Catoctin High School Guidance Department at 240-236-8100. All applications must be received by April 30, 2024.

Thurmont High School Alumni Association Scholarship

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Are you looking for a scholarship? Check the Community Foundation of Frederick County for the scholarships offered by the Thurmont High School Alumni Association.

The application is open February 15 through March 15, 2024. You must be a graduating high school senior and related to someone who graduated from Thurmont High School or from Catoctin High School classes of l969 to l974. Remind those that did graduate during those years that the annual banquet will be held on Saturday, June 8, 2024, at the Thurmont Ambulance Event Complex.

Any questions may be directed to Viola Noffsinger at 301-418-1760 or by email at vmnoff@gmail.com.

Thurmont’s Masonic Lodge Offering Two Scholarship Awards

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Since 1995, Thurmont Masons have awarded scholarships worth over $100,000 to area students! Scholarships are available to all graduating high school level seniors from a Maryland State accredited public, private, and/or homeschool program who reside within the Catoctin High School district boundaries. The “Mary and Robert Remsberg Memorial Scholarship” is worth up to $5,000, and The “Bernhard Cohen Memorial Scholarship” is worth $2,500.

Applications will be judged upon the following criteria in order of importance:  (1) Participation and leadership roles in community and/or school activities; (2) Content of a personal resume; (3) Academic record and/or special achievements; (4) Need for financial assistance; (5) Evaluation by school official and/or mentor; (6) Organization, appearance, and completeness of the application.

Scholarship application forms are available at the Catoctin High School Guidance Office and the Thurmont Public Library. Interested students must complete an application and return it to the location where it was obtained on or before April 30, 2024. The successful applicant and their family will be invited to Acacia Lodge’s Annual Strawberry Festival in June for the presentation of the scholarship.

Questions regarding the application should be directed to Acacia Masonic Lodge No. 155, Attn: Scholarship Committee via the Lodge website at thurmontmasons.com.

Community Foundation Announces More Than $1 Million in Scholarships

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The Community Foundation of Frederick County’s online scholarship application for the 2024-2025 academic year is open through April 15, 2024. For the ninth consecutive year, more than $1 million in scholarship funds are available to students pursuing post-secondary education or vocational training. By completing one general application, students may qualify for more than 200 scholarships. The completed application must be submitted online by end of day on April 15.

Last year, Community Foundation scholarships supported 340 students and totaled $1.8 million.

The Community Foundation is making adjustments to the application process to account for delays with the Department of Education’s Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Important details about this and the scholarship program can be found on the Community Foundation website at www.ScholarshipsFrederickCounty.com.

Students about to complete their senior year of high school; students already enrolled in a trade school, college or university, or graduate program; and nontraditional students over the age of 21 are eligible to apply. Some scholarships do not consider financial need. All students are encouraged to apply.

The Community Foundation of Frederick County is a recognized leader in providing scholarships to area students, made possible by generous donors who establish funds or add to existing funds. For more information, visit www.FrederickCountyGives.org.

Martin Luther King, Jr Award Recipients Honored

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Alisha Yocum

Each January, Frederick County Public Schools recognizes students who demonstrate leadership qualities based on those of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Those characteristics include responsibility, caring, fairness, trustworthiness, citizenship, and respect. Students, families, and staff attended a celebration on January 4, where students from each school in the district were recognized on stage and given a medal and certificate. Congratulations to all our local award recipients!

Catoctin High School (CHS) — Furious Trammel, 12th Grade

Thurmont Middle School (TMS) — David Ofori, 8th Grade

Lewistown Elementary (LES) — Bryan Bower, 5th Grade

Emmitsburg Elementary (EES) — Austyn Tsikerdanos, 5th Grade

Thurmont Primary (TPS) — Braden Shankle, 2nd Grade

Thurmont Elementary (TES) — Emily Page, 5th Grade

Sabillasville Environmental School (SES) — Evan Matthews, 6th Grade

Furious Trammel, CHS

David Ofori, TMS

Braden Shankle, TPS, with teacher, Mrs. Harrington

Evan Matthews, SES

Austyn Tsikerdanos, EES

Bryan Bower, LES

Emily Page, TES

Sabillasville Environmental School

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Alisha Yocum

SES Receives Grant for Gettysburg Battle Field Trip

Sabillasville Environmental School – A Classical Charter (SES) received a grant from the American Battlefield Trust’s History Field Trip Grant Program.

The grant is awarded based on a competitive national application process. Mr. Hanna and Mrs. Isennock, middle school teachers at SES, applied and were awarded the grant to take their sixth and seventh graders to the Gettysburg Battlefield.

“This field trip is an exciting opportunity for our students to see and experience Gettysburg beyond the classroom and what it is like to be in the fields and locations where the turning point of the Civil War took place in 1863,” Hanna said. “We are incredibly grateful to the American Battlefield Trust for funding this opportunity for our Maryland middle school students.”

The American Battlefield Trust is the largest battlefield land preservation organization in the country, having saved more than 562,000 acres of hallowed ground across 24 states. The Trust focuses on providing educational opportunities for students, and during the 2018-2019 school year, over 7,500 students from 24 states benefited from the grant program.

Lottery Now Open for 2024-2025 School Year

As a public charter school, each year, SES opens up a lottery for available seats for the upcoming school year. The school offers grades K-8 and uses a classical curriculum that focuses on agriculture and environmental science. All Frederick County residents are welcome to apply to the lottery. There is no cost to attend. The lottery deadline is March 15. To find out more and to enter your child into next year’s lottery, go to www.sesclassical.org.

Words For Thirds

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Members of the Thurmont Grange  No. 409 recently presented dictionaries to all Northern Frederick County third-grade students. This is a community service project called “Words for Thirds,” and all of the third-grade students in the Catoctin feeder system received dictionaries (Sabillasville Environmental School, Lewistown, Thurmont, and Emmitsburg Elementary Schools).

The Grange is an agricultural organization which is deeply rooted in the community. Many of its members are farmers, businessmen and women, and its focus is on community service, legislation, education, and agriculture. Many of our local members hold local, county, and state offices to promote the Grange.

Every year, the Grange helps at events such as the Thurmont & Emmitsburg Community Show, the Frederick Fair (where they put in an exhibit at the Farm and Garden Building), the Catoctin Colorfest, and the annual Cookie Walk in December, to name a few. The Grange holds a Veterans’ Appreciation Night, and has also donated funds and items to the Thurmont Food Bank, Catoctin FFA, Boy Scouts, Catoctin Safe & Sane, and so forth. 

The dictionary has many features, such as the history of the Presidents of the United States, the solar system, sign language, and also the longest word in the United States.

Emmitsburg Elementary School

Pictured from left: (back row) Grange members, Carolyn Wiles, Robert Wiles, and Paulette Mathis; (front row) third-grade students, Jack Wivell, Dylan Ridinger, Telsa Moore, and Kelsie Merriman.

Catoctin High School Students Serve Community

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Five students from the Catoctin High School’s Spanish Honor Society spent an evening serving as Spanish translators for a Christmas event at the Thurmont Community Closet. The event is held annually at the start of the Christmas season. The purpose of the event is to serve families in need and provide them a way to have clothing, gifts, and home goods for their own needs or to give as gifts. 

Spanish Honor Society Advisor Mrs. Griffin said, “Catoctin students Olivia Baker, Keelyn Swaney, Kayla Delcid, Noah Delcid, and Amy Eichelberger (pictured left to right) did a great job interacting with the Spanish-speaking community and providing translating services. Please applaud their efforts when you see them!”

Local Fire Company Assists Catoctin High School Forensics Class

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Mr. Trice’s Catoctin High School Forensic Science students received some real-life advice from the Guardian Hose Company of Thurmont for their arson experiment.

This was a thoroughly engaging activity for the students. The fire company personnel provided very in-depth and interesting information about what they look for and how they can tell when a fire is not accidental. They had some real scenarios that they shared with students. The students created the structures (shown above) and wrote a story of the events that occurred in the structure prior to the fire. Many thanks to our local firefighting heroes for sharing their time and expertise.

Nominate an Outstanding FCPS Support Employee

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Deadline is January 26, 2024

Frederick County Public Schools (FCPS) is accepting nominations for the school system’s 2024 Support Employee of the Year Awards. The awards recognize outstanding members of the FCPS support staff.

Examples of staff classified as support employees are bus drivers and bus assistants; custodial, maintenance, and warehouse staff; instructional assistants, community liaisons, user support specialists, secretaries, and resident substitutes; as well as those working in business-support positions.

Nomination eligibility, criteria, and process information are online at www.fcps.org/awards. Nomination packets are due Friday, January 26, 2024, to the FCPS Public Affairs Department, 191 S. East Street, Frederick, MD, 21701.

The Board of Education of Frederick County will recognize one finalist from each of eight broad job classifications at the April 10, 2024, board meeting. During the recognition, Superintendent Dr. Cheryl L. Dyson will present one of the eight finalists the overall 2024 Support Employee of the Year Award. Finalists and the Support Employee of the Year are chosen by a panel of FCPS staff across a number of departments.

Check Presented to Sabillasville Environmental School

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Rodman Myers (shown left), president of the Thurmont & Emmitsburg Community Show, presented a check to Sabillasville Environmental School Principal Dawn Getzandanner, totaling $2,250, from cakes sold at the Community Show Youth Department: Grand Champion Misc. Baked Product by Caroline Clark and Junior Dept. Grand Champion Misc. Baked Product by Jeremiah Matthews, as well as several decorated cakes baked by students. A check was also presented for $150 from the silver offering at the Community Show.

Words For Thirds

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Members of the Thurmont Grange #409 recently presented dictionaries to all Northern Frederick County third-grade students. This is a community service project called “Words for Thirds,” and all of the third-grade students in the Catoctin feeder system received dictionaries (Sabillasville Environmental School, Lewistown, Thurmont, and Emmitsburg Elementary Schools).

The Grange is an agricultural organization, which is deeply rooted in the community. Many of its members are farmers, businessmen and women, and its focus is on community service, legislation, education, and agriculture. Many of our local members hold local, county, and state offices to promote the Grange.

Every year, the Grange helps at events such as the Thurmont & Emmitsburg Community Show, the Frederick Fair (where they put in an exhibit at the Farm and Garden Building), the Catoctin Colorfest, and the annual Cookie Walk in December, to name a few. The Grange holds a Veterans’ Appreciation Night, and has also donated funds and items to the Thurmont Food Bank, Catoctin FFA, Boy Scouts, Catoctin Safe & Sane, and so forth. 

The dictionary has many features, such as the history of the Presidents of the United States, the solar system, sign language, and also the longest word in the United States.

Sabillasville Environmental School

Pictured from left: (back row) SES Principal Dawn Getzandanner, Grange members Rodman Myers, Helen Troxell, and Jim Royer; (front row) third grade students Emma Beil, Garret Troxell, Parker Hahn, and Grange member Jane Savage.

Thurmont Elementary School

Pictured from left: (back row) Grange members Cathy Little, Sue Keilholtz, Jody Eyler, Sidney Moser, and Russell Moser, and Principal Karl Williams; (front row) third graders, Taylor Zais, Damien Miller, Jayce Oden, Lily Tankerlsey, and Kiley Little.

Athletic/Sports Camp Scholarships Available

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Scholarships to help pay for winter athletic and sports activities or athletic camps are available to students in kindergarten through grade 12. The scholarships are funded by The Luke Clemens Bartlett Memorial Athletic Scholarship Fund, one of more than 790 component funds of The Community Foundation of Frederick County.

The application and related information can be found at ScholarshipsFrederickCounty.com. The online application is open through December 15. Scholarships support participation fees only, and payment will be made directly to the youth athletic organization and/or as a reimbursement to the parent/guardian with proof of payment. Applicants must be Frederick County residents.

The Community Foundation of Frederick County is a recognized leader in providing scholarships to area students, made possible by generous donors who establish funds or add to existing funds.

For more information about creating or adding to an existing scholarship fund, visit www.FrederickCountyGives.org.

Catoctin FFA “Evolve” at the 96th National FFA Convention

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The National FFA convention is held every year and attracts FFA members from every state, including Alaska and Hawaii. The 96th National FFA Convention was held in Indianapolis, Indiana, from November 1-4, 2023. The convention theme was “Evolve.” 

While at the convention, 16 Catoctin FFA members joined over 72,900 other FFA members, advisors, and guests from across our nation. The National FFA Convention and Expo is one of the largest student conventions in the world, with a mission to develop, educate, and inspire. Throughout the week, members were able to participate in sessions, contests, workshops, and a career expo.

The chapter made several industry stops on the way to Indianapolis. They visited the Gateway Arch National Park in St. Louis Missouri. They were able to move through the self-pace museum to learn about how the arch was built and why it was built. Students were able to ride the tram 630 feet to the top (the tallest monument in the United States) to see the stunning views, stretching up to 30 miles to the east and west. Students were also able to see the Mississippi River.

They also visited Caterpillar in Peoria, Illinois. The museum tour started with a short video in the bed of a massive two-and-half story Cat 797F Mining Truck.  They learned how Caterpillar is built on the foundation of innovation and customer focus. FFA members were able to test their skills on simulators to see firsthand what it is like to operate equipment the way operators do. 

At Building SS, they were able to visit the factory floor and watch Cat employees assemble, test, and paint Caterpillar’s medium and large track-type tractors, including the D7E electric-drive tractor and pipelayers. 

At the National Convention, some FFA members competed in Career Development Events/Leadership Development Events, more often referred to as CDEs and LDEs. To complete a CDE/LDE, each team or individual contestant extensively learned their subject and rehearsed their task in preparation for state convention. Every state gets to send one winning team per CDE/LDE to advance to nationals. This year, Catoctin FFA’s Agricultural Issues was eligible to compete at the National Convention. 

Agriculture Issues: The Agriculture Issues team presented a 15-minute skit.  The question they presented was: Should Agriculture Education be a Graduation Requirement in the State of Maryland? Each member of the team played a part of the skit. The team had to present the facts in an unbiased and creative way. The team had to present the skit a minimum of five times before the MD state convention. The team earned a bronze placing. Members include: Annalise Abruzzese, Kaitlynn Bentz, Alyssa Costa, Drew Potter, Carly Ridenour, and Savannah Ridenour.

American FFA Degree recipients: Less than 1 percent of FFA members receive this prestigious degree. To be eligible to receive the American FFA Degree, members must meet qualifications such as receiving a State FFA Degree, holding active membership for the past three years, completing secondary instruction in an agricultural education program, and operating an outstanding supervised agricultural experience program. This year, Catoctin FFA had one member earn and receive this highest honor: Cadin Valentine. Congratulations!

Thank you to everyone for all of the support in helping Catoctin FFA to participate in the 96th National FFA Convention. These students have gained skills and memories that will last a lifetime.

Application Status…

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In Progress

Helen Xia,

CHS Student Writer

My head hurts. Don’t worry, I’m not sick. I’m just applying to college. (It does seem like a lot of us are falling ill, though.) It’s the era of college applications, which means millions of students are working strenuously, pouring their hearts out into their essays and anticipating one common thing: the decision letter.

Colleges are getting increasingly more selective, calling for more work for potentially less results. Students across the globe have felt this strain. According to a report by Common App, “Total application volume through March 15 rose 21.3% from 2019–20 (5,477,465) to 2021–22 (6,644,028).”

With so many more students applying each year and the same number of seats available, acceptance rates—especially at the nation’s highest-ranked institutions—are steadily declining.

To combat the unpredictability of college applications, students are applying to more schools. As explained by the Common App, “Applicants are applying to more members, on average, in 2021–22 than in 2019–20.”

It seems like a perpetual cycle at this point, where acceptance rates keep plummeting, so students keep applying to more institutions, which causes the acceptance rates to keep plummeting.

Perhaps the most notorious example of colleges denying most of their applicants is Harvard College. (I fondly call that school Hard-vard.) For the Class of 2027, Harvard received nearly 57,000 applications. To put that in perspective, Mount St. Mary’s University received 9,240 applications in 2021. The Mount accepted applications from 7,554 individuals. Can you guess how many Harvard accepted? If you guessed less than 2,000, you’d be correct! (The number sits at precisely 1,966.)

You may be surprised to learn that the number of applications received by Harvard and the University of Maryland are very similar, both boasting just under 57,000 submissions. Of course, Maryland accepts almost ten times the number of students as Harvard, so they’re not the most comparable in that regard. What is comparable between them is the emotions of the Class of 2024 as we grind tirelessly through our applications.

Going through a bit of a slump myself, I decided to ask a few of my peers about how they felt about their applications.

“Well, I was in control [of my applications],” a senior said. He has already applied to a few schools, which, as of the time I’m typing this, is very quick. “I was chilling for some time, and then my viola teacher added two music schools to my list, and now I’m not in control [anymore].”

That’s practically how I feel, except I don’t think I was ever completely in control of my applications.

“[I feel] sad,” another replied. She’s busy retaking exams to submit to colleges. “I believe people should be able to get education if they want it and not have to [take] tests in order to get into a good education system.”

“It feels weird,” a third student shared. “It feels like I’m selling myself out as a product. It feels like I’m advertising myself, but I’m the one who’s paying to attend their school. I’m not even an adult yet, but I’m expected to have my future figured out.”

Now, college is a topic widely discussed throughout the grade. Scrambling to get recommendation letters, navigating the finicky college website we have to use, and trying to speak positively of ourselves without sounding arrogant, these are all newfound challenges that dedicated Catoctin High School staff are guiding us through. Because of how stressful this experience tends to be, this time of year brings out some controversial opinions about further education. Here are a few I’ve heard:

“College is a scam.”

“Where you go to college doesn’t really matter. More or less, all schools are the same.”

“College should be free.”

“The grades you get in college don’t really matter, as long as you graduate. The diploma you get stays the same.”

“College applications and standardized testing are just elitism games, not a measure of intelligence.”

Regardless of the numerous complaints and perspectives we may have, it seems that those fail to stop us from putting our best foot forward in this tedious process. From what I’m observing, we are nervous and exhausted, but we are driven. I’m confident that the Class of 2024 will make it out stronger than we started—we always do.

As for me, I feel the same as basically everyone else: tired. There’s a lot going on and too little time to fully comprehend it all. It’s draining for the teachers involved as well. I’ve heard of teachers writing twenty or so individualized letters of recommendation for students, which is something not in their job description. In other words, they don’t get compensated for the extra time and effort they put into crafting these letters. Bear in mind that for each student, teachers refer to a lengthy survey (known as a “Senior Brag Sheet”) to pick out specific qualities of their students to speak about. That’s a lot of work in very little time!

The most important element throughout applying for college is, in my opinion, respect. As is evident from what I discussed earlier, teachers and staff deserve so much respect for everything they willingly sacrifice for their students. Additionally, during this time, the mutual respect most students and staff have for each other is apparent. Such relationships are necessary for effective communication in times like this.

Don’t forget, it’s essential for students to respect themselves, too. Again, college requires a lot of work, even before stepping onto campus. No matter what one’s grades and accomplishments are, college admission is never guaranteed. With colleges becoming so competitive, it’s critical for students (and guardians) to remember that their self-worth is not tied to an academic institution.

A notion I agree with is that it doesn’t matter too much where exactly you go to school, as long as you make the most of wherever you are. Just be a positive force, and you’ll radiate wherever you go. Remember: In a couple of months, it’ll all be over! (I’ve heard that’s when senioritis really kicks in…)

School Calls for Spending: Time and Money

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Helen Xia, CHS Student Writer

What do you think of when you hear the term “back to school?” Undoubtedly, school requires a huge investment of time. Among such time-consuming attributes as seven-hour school days, piles of homework, and morning traffic, school rings another major bell in my mind: back-to-school shopping. Back-to-school doesn’t wait: On the first few days of July—summer had barely lasted for a month at that point—I saw back-to-school signs hanging on the ceilings of Walmart and Target. Abruptly, rows of decorative vases and towels were replaced with seas of backpacks, notebooks, and pens.

Despite the great number of school supplies stacked on these shelves each year, they don’t last very long—in my experience, at least. By mid-August, half of the shelves stood barren. I was impressed: That must be a lot of money, right?

At first, it doesn’t seem like a lot; however, $2.00 scissors and $3.00 packs of colored pencils add up quickly, especially if one decides to purchase everything new for the upcoming school year. Thus, to answer the question I asked earlier: Yes, that’s a lot of money.

According to research conducted by Capital One, a leading American bank holding company, “American families spent a total of $41.5 billion on K-12 back-to-school shopping in 2023.”

Yes, that number was in billions of dollars.

Initially, that number may not sound too bad. After all, there are a lot of children in the United States. Don’t worry, that number gets higher once you factor in back-to-college shopping. As explained by Capital One, “Americans spent a total of $135.5 billion for back-to-school and back-to-college shopping in 2023.” If you further break up the data, one child spent an average of $597 for back-to-school, and the average household spent more than $1,300 on back-to-college hauls.

To put the aforementioned numbers in perspective, in 2022, Starbucks’ net revenue was “only” 26.58 billion dollars, and Target’s 2022 net revenue came up to roughly 106 billion dollars. (Emphasis on the quotation marks around “only”; 26.58 billion dollars is by no means a little amount of money.) Both of these notorious companies made considerably less than what Americans spent on school necessities this year!

It’s worth noting that this incredible amount of money was not just for glue sticks and erasers. Those are the cheapest back-to-school shopping supplies. Most families included new clothes, electronics, and other essentials in their budgets for back-to-school shopping, which are certainly more costly than your typical school supplies. On new shoes alone, families spent an average of about $166.

It’s safe to say that parents and guardians aren’t the happiest spending hundreds of dollars annually, but what about the kids? Do they feel excited to use their new supplies?

One teenager discussed ignoring much of the school supply list this year. “I didn’t use most of it last year, so I don’t see the point in getting new stuff,” she remarked.

Another high schooler commented, “Imagine getting a new backpack every year. I still use mine from middle school. It’s doing its job.”

An elementary schooler was enthusiastic about his new school supplies. “I got a new supply case, and it locks and it has keys,” he told me. “The coolest part is that it makes noise when you scratch the front.”

I’m more with the elementary schooler on this one. In my opinion, fresh supplies symbolize a fresh start, and they “set the mood” for the rest of the year. Nothing feels like writing in a pristine notebook for the first time.

Regarding the attitude about returning to school in general, a teenager replied, “I’m really excited to go back to school. I’m looking forward to talking to my teachers and friends I haven’t been able to see this summer.”

On the flip side, a senior responded, “[I’m] happy that I have a year left. I’m looking forward to graduation, so I never have to come back.” I hate to admit it, but I kind of agree with him. While I like living in the small town of Thurmont, I’m anticipating experiencing life outside of its bounds.

Finally, a younger student described his worries for this academic year. “I don’t want to go to fourth grade,” he mentioned. After I asked him why, he answered, “Because it’s harder. Everything is harder [than third grade].”

Personally, I’ve had moments this year that led me to save a bit of money on materials for school. For instance, after showing my friend a picture of a $99.00 backpack I was debating on purchasing, he said, “I got mine for $20.00, and it lasted three years.” Hearing that, I decided to hold off on buying it—maybe I’ll invest that money toward a backpack for college instead.

Moreover, when shopping for my younger brother’s school supplies, I noticed how it called for exceptionally high numbers of things, such as six notebooks and four packs of loose-leaf paper. That’s a lot of paper, isn’t it? Most of the time, he returns home with notebooks that are mostly empty and other gadgets that were hardly touched. Don’t tell my parents, but I got him only five notebooks and three packs of paper.

With all of that being said, it’s definitely a privilege to be debating whether I want to buy a $100 backpack. Around this time, it’s great to see organizations such as churches and schools providing school supplies to students free of charge. As we’ve already observed, going down back-to-school supply lists is no inexpensive undertaking! Evidently, when humanity unites, beautiful things happen.

Well, this is my final year of K-12 school shopping, so I guess I better cherish it. Next year, I’ll have to shop for college. K-12 back-to-school shopping is enough of a headache, and I’m saying that with 12 years of experience! Scurrying through cluttered shelves and groups of shoppers for one specific item never gets easier.

I learned a lot researching this topic. Furniture, even for a dinky college dorm room, is expensive! A singular headboard can be upwards of $300, even $400! One thing’s for sure: I won’t be getting a headboard. When the time comes, I hope I won’t spend past the national average of $1,366.95 on back-to-college shopping, but I won’t make any promises yet.

Mount Reflects on Class of 2023

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Mount Saint Mary’s University released a list of the Class of 2023’s accomplishments in the wake of its 215th commencement exercises on May 13, in which 616 students graduated, including the Mount’s first-ever students from the Master of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis program.

Donna Klinger, executive director of communications, stated that, regarding undergraduate degree recipient, 130 recipients were from the College of Liberals Arts, 134 recipients were from the Richard J. Bolte, Sr. School of Business, 32 recipients were from the School of Education, and 138 recipients were from the School of Natural Science and Mathematics. [no quotation marks…is this whole paragraph her quote?]

Master’s graduates included 7 Master of Arts recipients in Philosophical Studies, 10 Master of Arts recipients in Teaching, 85 Master of Business Administration recipients, 1 Master of Education recipient in Instructional Design and Technology, 7 Master of Education recipients in Instructional Leadership, 12 Master of Science recipients in Applied Behavior Analysis, 22 Master of Science recipients in Biotechnology and Management, 10 Master of Science recipients in Health Administration, and 20 Master of Science recipients in Sport Management.

Six cadets from the Mount U.S. Army ROTC program from the Mount’s Class of 2023 will be commissioned. They are Ucheyah Aguoru, Michael Guzman, John Otoo, John Ruedisueli, Andrew Sobocinski, and Nicholas Vincente. Andrew Sobocinski received the Lancer Award for outstanding performance and exemplary leadership in the program.

Commencement speakers included Karen Mataldi Dahut, C’85, CEO of Google Public Sector (GPS) and . Dahut is a respected and recognized public speaker and author, and an expert on technology, the future of work, innovation and inclusive leadership. In 2021, she received the university’s Simon Brute Medal, which is given to alumni who have distinguished themselves through their career, commitment to the community and the Mount, and service to their fellow citizens. She will be honored with a doctorate of humane letters in recognition of her service to the university and the local and global communities.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Head Coach Todd Bowles, who in the fall of 2022 earned a Bachelor of Science in youth and community development through the university’s Center for Accelerated and Adult Education, also addressed the graduates. 

Bowles is entering his second season as head coach of the Buccaneers, following three seasons as the team’s defensive coordinator. He was previously head coach of the New York Jets. He also played eight years in the NFL, with the Washington Redskins (now Commanders) and San Francisco 49ers. He has three Super Bowl rings as a player (Washington), coach (Tampa Bay), and administrator (Green Bay Packers).

The student speaker was Rita Anoh, recipient of the 2023 Edward J. Flanagan Memorial Prize, awarded to the member of the senior class who best represents the tradition of the university in scholarship, conduct, and leadership. Anoh, a resident of Westminster, Maryland, is a double major in biochemistry and French.

Notable graduates recognized included Thunlwyn Garcia, an entrepreneurship major; Collin Nji, a computer science major; Devin Peart, named co-recipient of the Rev. John J. O’Neill Memorial Prize for the member of the senior class who has attained outstanding achievement in political science studies; Julianna Roman, the recipient of the J. Daniel Larsen Memorial Prize for the distinguished study of the French and/or Latin languages. Roman is a triple major in philosophy, politics, and economics, French and Spanish; Lynne Schumacher, the first 12 graduates of the Master of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis program; Tayla Stewart, an elementary education major with dual certification in special education and recipient of the Dr. Judy Ramoy Johnstone Endowed Prize; Johnathan Tran, a biology major and recipient of the Dominic Greco Award for a pre-medical student who has been a credit to the university; and Abigail Zeigenfuse, a neuroscience and health sciences pre-nursing major, who also received the Excellence in Neuroscience Award.

Congratulations to Mount St. Mary’s University Class of 2023.

Photo Courtesy of MSMU

Mount Saint Mary’s University’s Class of 2023 at their May 13 graduation ceremony.