Category: In-Depth
Best Buddies is Back
By: Laura Mosier
Staff Writer
Hammond student, Katie Rees, has spent the past few months working hard to reopen Hammond’s chapter of the international organization Best Buddies. Best Buddies is an organization that helps students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. In 2014, Hammond’s Best Buddies chapter was closed due to internal conflict, and Katie saw a need for this organization to be reopened at Hammond.
Best Buddies Katie Rees and Deja Reece
Where are They Now? – Ms. Leonard
By: Amina Jamil
Managing Editor
Everyone knew and loved Mrs. Leonard, our beloved principal. After being the principal at Hammond for seven years, she has advanced in her career and is now Community Superintendent. Although she is no longer at Hammond, her spirit lives on.
Where are They Now? – Mr. Akatu
By: Aidan Borsh
Staff Writer
Current seniors that were in Mr. Osborne’s 10th grade class will remember the infamous Mr. Akatu. (Although, if Mr. Akatu is more memorable than Mr. Livieratos’ student teacher, Mr. “M,” is up for debate). While Mr. “M” quickly abandoned his desire of becoming a high school teacher, Mr. Akatu stuck with it. The former running back for the University of Maryland Terrapins and graduate of Towson now spends his days teaching in his own classroom at Rockville High School.
At Hammond he touched many lives, mainly by angering several 10th graders about the plot of Life of Pi. Nonetheless, his teaching was only a small slice of why this man kept life interesting through the stress of sophomore year. From his newsboy cap, to the fact that he pours his milk before his cereal,
Where are They Now? – Mr. Kostrick
By: Kenneth Apana-Korley
Online Editor
For years in the technology hallway at Hammond High School, one man stood firm while so many left along the way. A man named Alan Kostrick stood by his motto, “Kostrick Kares;” but now that he’s gone, everybody wants to know: Where is he now? With that question in mind, the Bear Press was able to get in touch with Mr. Kostrick through email and conduct an interview.
Where are They Now – Aileen Zhang
By: Molly Schreier
News Editor
Bear Press: So what’s the name of your program in Texas?
Aileen Zhang: So I currently attend the Texas Academy of Mathematics and Sciences. Eleventh and twelfth graders get to take courses at the University of North Texas. You either follow a biology, health-sciences track, or a computer sciences track. Based on whatever professional career or pathway you’d like, you can concentrate your classes. So for the life sciences track, you’re taking biology, chemistry, and humanities courses. For the computer science track, you’re taking computer science and other required courses. Once you progress through 2 semesters you begin taking other electives you like, and you can either stay at the University of North Texas or within the Texas University System and transfer your college credits, so once you’re done with 12th grade you will enroll as a junior in another school, or if you go out of state it would depend on that school’s transfer-credit policy. So they might only take fifteen credits, which is basically a semester, or they might not. Continue reading
Where are They Now? – Mr. Bullock
By: Cade Delker
Associate Editor
Mr. Bullock was a staple at Hammond, filling the senior hallway with the smell of amazing meals and covering every locker with vegetable puns. It came as a huge shock last year hearing that he would be leaving us and migrating to the west coast. He is missed just as much if not more than the treats he taught his students to create. Many of our hungry students have been wondering, “Where is he now?”. To answer this, The Bear Press was able to secure a phone interview with him from his new home in Portland, Oregon.
