School Zone: Student volunteers push for quick return to New Orleans

By Mary Carey
Staff Writer

Published on May 09, 2008

Going to New Orleans has always seemed like a good idea, maybe even especially after Hurricane Katrina. The initial four vans heading to The Big Easy to help rebuild houses damaged by the 2005 hurricane filled up so quickly, there was a waiting list. When it looked like some students weren't able to go, they convinced Mary Custard, a dean of students, to rent another van.

Custard and physical education teacher Liz Skelton, who are co-advisers of the student group People of Color United, not only rented the van, they managed to raise $1,000 from community members, school staff and friends to help pay for gas and food for the volunteers.

"It was quite an undertaking," said Tiina Booth, coach of the boys' varsity Ultimate team.

The students had a wonderful time, as expected, although they were dismayed by the disrepair in which they found some of the neighborhoods. They were to give a multimedia presentation of what they saw at the high school library May 7.

Now, they want to return to New Orleans.

"I guess after they saw it and after they did the work, they feel there is so much to be done that they want to go back on a regular basis," Custard said.

"They're trying to convince us almost daily to try to plan another trip."

The students have their sights set on a return trip sooner than next year, Custard said. "They're talking about August."

Ecology books on view

The decision this year to create a new ninth-grade science curriculum focusing on ecology and environmental science was a matter of great interest to the school community.

Now, anyone interested in reviewing textbooks the science department is recommending can see them at the Jones Library. Members of the public are also encouraged write their observations about the books on forms provided at the library.

Senior pranks

ARHS Principal Mark Jackson met with the Class of 2008 in recent weeks to outline parameters for the end-of-the-year festivities known as pranks.

In 2000, in one of the more memorable examples, someone slipped a squealing, greased piglet with the words "ARHS 2000" written on its side, into the halls.

Teacher Stewart Olson, who captured the pig, was not amused. "They oiled the whole thing. They weren't smart enough not to oil its feet," Olson told the Daily Hampshire Gazette at the time. "It was lying on the floor unable to get up."

In 2001, students chose a more cerebral prank, running an anti-MCAS tests flag up a flag pole.

"While assuring them that I like to laugh as much as the next person, I wanted there to be no ambiguity about my sense of the parameters that should guide their creativity," Jackson wrote in a recent newsletter for parents about potential merrymaking.

"Clarity, I said, was my early graduation gift to them."

Among Jackson's parameters: "no damage to the building, no harm to others, no extra cleanup for the custodians and no disruption to the school routine."

Failure to observe the parameters will result in not being able to go the prom or graduation.

Mary Carey can be reached at mary.carey@att.net.