Category: News
Hammond Wins 2019 Sportsmanship Cup
By: Claire O’Rourke and Uma Ribeiro
Features and Co-News Editor
Hammond has received the HCPSS Sportsmanship Cup for the fourth time, truly demonstrating the positive teamwork Hammond’s sports teams reflect on a daily basis. With encouraging coaches and helpful teammates, it is no surprise that Hammond has been the recipient of this award four times in the past five years among all the other high schools within the county. Dr. DiPaula and Mr. Lerner were presented with the award by the HCPSS Board of Education.
Mr. Lerner, Hammond’s athletic director, commented on winning the award, saying “The award is a big deal. It’s the only athletic award that is recognized by the Board of Education. We have great kids and our coaches really enjoy what they do. One of the things [our coaches] try and do in addition to teaching the kids the sport is teaching them the right way to win and the right way to lose: to win with class and lose with class. We’re also always hospitable to our opponents and when we are at away facilities we try and leave them better than we found them. Our kids and coaches are doing the right thing, and that’s really why we win the award so often.”
Sportsmanship at Hammond is seen everywhere, he continued. “You see [sportsmanship] all over the place. In athletic contests, like, [for instance], in wrestling contests, after [a wrestler] pins a kid, we might help them off the mat, and our kids don’t gloat if we win, and they don’t pout if they lose. Hammond is so great because we are so diverse and people really get along well. It’s pretty incredible to see, so not only is [sportsmanship demonstrated] within our athletics program, but it is in our whole school as well.”
The Sportsmanship Cup is not only impactful to our directors here at Hammond, but also holds meaning for many of the individual athletes.
District V Athletic Director of the Year: Coach Mike Lerner
Taylor Liguori
Sports Editor
Coach Mike Lerner has won the award for District V Athletic Director for the 2018-2019 school Year, and students definitely think it was well-deserved! He cares more about his athletes and players than most people could ever hope for. His caring yet witty personality is just one of the things that makes him loved by so many. W!
Coach Lerner has impacted the lives of so many and his athletes have nothing but respect for him and his genuine caring attitude towards them, whether it be on the court, on the field, or in the classroom. Senior Jordan Davis knows how deserving Coach Lerner is of this award saying, “He truly cares about his athletes. He is one of the kindest people I have ever met and has helped me throughout my athletic career.” Being a hardworking father and husband, Lerner still puts all he has into his job and it truly shows. Coach Lerner shows to his athletes that they are always the priority and he makes it known that he is always in their corner.
Mr. Seibel Named Maryland Assistant Principal of the Year!
By: Laura Mosier
In-Depth Editor
John Seibel, Hammond’s 9th Grade Administrator, was awarded with the Maryland Assistant Principal of the Year for the 2017-2018 school year. The Maryland Association of Secondary School Principals Executive Director Scott Pfeifer held the formal celebration in honor of John Seibel. There was also a celebration at Hammond after school on October 3rd that was attended by former Hammond Principal Marcy Leonard.
Mr. Seibel has worked at Hammond for seven years, and he loves working with all the people that are a part of our Hammond community.“[The] School is awesome, [the] committee is awesome, [and there are] great kids. It’s a place where kids appreciate what you do for them and you want to do more for kids.” He genuinely enjoys his job and wants to help the students and staff. He works overtime to make sure everyone’s needs are met, and his hard work is appreciated and rewarded.
Many students have directly benefited from the efforts of Mr. Seibel. Senior Sara Swanson, has known Mr. Seibel throughout all of her time at Hammond. She said, “He genuinely cares about each and every student in the school… He will always say hello in the hallway and ask how your day is going.” Sara is not the only student that thinks Mr. Seibel is an irreplaceable part of the school.
Flour Babies Return to Hammond High Once Again
Alara Sheriff
Staff Writer
In the class Human Growth & Development, students were assigned a project in which they carry around a baby made out of flour or sugar to simulate life as a parent of a newborn. The students had the artistic liberty to design the baby to appear realistic, but not all are decorated. Guidelines for this project require students to have their “baby” with them at all times for the span of a school week from January 7th to 11th, which would mean that participants would still do their normal daily tasks while accompanied by a “child.”
To the average teenager, this task may seem daunting; however, the “parents” of the flour and sugar babies did an excellent job, keeping their cool and simulating caring for the child in a calm fashion.
“This project is a simulation of a real life parenting situation where [the students] should be having a 24 hour responsibility of having and caring for a child,” Ms. Lancaster commented.
Most kids seem to think that this is a challenging project because they are not used to taking one thing around at all times with them, unless it is their phone. “This project has made me realize that there is more to taking care of a baby then feeding and providing a shelter,” said Jasmine Britt, a 10th grader.
Level Up: 2023 Hammond Renovations
By: Brian Paul
Co-Sports Editor
In 2023, Hammond High School is set to be renovated for the first time since 2011. In March 2018, former Howard County Executive Allan Kittleman proposed a construction budget of approximately 165 million dollars, which included a 4 million dollar education project set towards improvements here at Hammond High School. The building of Hammond High is about 41 years old, and the mentioned improvements include an overhaul of heating and cooling systems, and a rumored second floor. This rumored new floor would look to accommodate 200 more students, as Hammond is currently designed for 1,220 students.
Superintendent Michael J. Martirano met with the County Council and the Howard County Board of Education in order to advance the target completion date from 2028 to 2023. The original completion date was proposed for 2018, but due to other educational projects in Howard County, the date was pushed back as a result of rapid population growth over the past few years.
Hammond Offers Online Courses
By: Bin Lin
Staff Writer
Not many Howard County students have realized that there have been a handful of classes taken online. At Hammond High School there are not only language classes online, but high level math classes are offered as well.
The way online classes operate is fairly simple. First both the teacher and the students create an account to access Zoom, a screen-sharing app. Then they are to bring their electronic devices (or one will be provided by the school) in order to join the Zoom app using the account they have created. Once the students have joined the session they will be greeted by their teacher and may also see other students that are learning on the program at the same time. Some classes will also have an Instructional Assistant who helps the students in an online class if they have questions related to the class curriculum.
HCPSS Bans International Travel
By: Bin Lin
Staff Writer
Students of HCPSS always have many opportunities to do many different things and one of them is being able to travel to international places such as France or the United Kingdom. However, last year HCPSS had declared Policy 8110 [Student International Education Travel] to be revoked, “The Board passed a motion and voted to rescind this policy.” Thus closing the opportunity for students to travel across the oceans.
Left to right: Amanda Russell, Ms. Barlow, and Tori Vander Putten in London.
