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Tuesday, February 09
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Sequoits dominate weekend of state tournament action
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photo by Alex Utter
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February 2010 will be remembered as a month of high points for ACHS activities, with four programs making strong showings in IHSA state tournament action.
Cheerleading made it to the final round of state competition in Bloomington on Saturday, finishing eighth out of 25 teams competing downstate in the medium-sized school division. The squad's strong performance in Friday's preliminaries had them in sixth place and qualified them for a shot at the title on Saturday.
Girls' bowling won the 16-team sectional tournament hosted by Zion-Benton on Saturday. Two Sequoits, Alyssa Alvarez and Kaitlyn Trusky, were among the top five as individuals. The Sequoits now advance to the state finals on Friday and Saturday in Rockford.
The speech team took seventh place in regional competition on Saturday. Two Sequoits will advance to sectionals at Elk Grove High School on Saturday: Samantha Montennegro (original oratory) and Noelle Bruce (poetry reading).
Wrestling handily won its regional tournament, beating nine other teams to advance. George Gonzalez (140 lbs.), Hunter Moseley (152 lbs.) and Zach Epker (160 lbs.) each won in their respective weight classes. Eight wrestlers will compete as individuals next weekend at the Fenton Sectional Tournament, followed two weeks later by team competition at Leyden High School. |
Mosaic fundraiser will benefit ACHS programming
 Sequoit Pride will host "Mosaic: An Evening of Excellence Celebrating the ACHS Community" on March 5. The program will run from 6 until 9 p.m.
Billed as a fundraiser to benefit ACHS programs and activities, proceeds from the evening will also benefit Open Arms Mission in Antioch.
The evening will start off with a spaghetti dinner prepared by Foods classes. Dinner will be served from 6-7 p.m. in the commons.
Activities in the media center follow immediately, with choral and instrumental performances by a variety of student musicians. Many additional student talents will be in the spotlight, such as dramatic readings, poetry, and other oral presentations.
Auctions, both silent and live, take place throughout the night. Many items will up for bids, such as autographed books, tickets, videos, and more.
Tickets for the event are $10 for individuals, and children three and under are free. Special prices for families and senior citizens are also available. Click here to order tickets online with a credit card. |
Lake County Technology Campus will be closed on February 15; students will be dismissed after their last class of the day. |
Magazine staff poring through ideas for 2010 Finesse
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| Literary magazine staff members talk over a submitted piece of writing as they prepare to begin production of the 2010 issue. |
Work is underway for the 24 students who will design and create Finesse, ACHS' student literary/art magazine that is published each spring.
Though many details are still in the formative stages, editor-in-chief Jorie Frye and art editor Brian Kay are developing the magazine's circus theme, called Beyond The Three Rings, which will divide the publication into three sections: Step Right Up, Main Attraction, and Unmasked. The editors visited an actual circus in the fall to gather ideas to incorporate in this year's collection of student work.
The 2009 edition of Finesse earned a top rating from Columbia Scholastic Press Association, racking up 925 out of a possible 1,000 points. This year's staff hopes to build on its earlier success.
Students can submit their original art, photography, fiction or non-fiction stories, or poems until March 3. Adviser Sarah Ogborn said the staff already has plenty of poetry and really needs quality fiction to fill out the magazine.
Submissions can be made by email to Ogborn or other staff members, or typewritten material can be dropped off in the library. The 100-page, full-color magazine will be on sale in May for $5. |

Thirty-three honored at December breakfast
Thirty-three students were recognized for their accomplishments and contributions at the monthly You Make A Difference breakfast. Read more… |

NHS
Daffodil Days project helps area cancer patients
 In
conjunction with the American Cancer Society, National Honor Society members
are again selling daffodils at $10 a bunch through February 16. Funding
from each purchase goes towards funding educational programs, services
for cancer patients and families, and other programs.
Ten daffodils
and a vase are also available for $20. Or a “Gift of Hope”
purchase delivers flowers, a vase, and information anonymously to cancer
patients in area hospitals. A new “Birthdays R. Hope” design,
which groups a 12-inch tall Boyds
Bear created exclusively for the program with 10 daffodils, is $25.
Bear Hugs for Hope is an option again this year. For a minimum $25 donation, the American Cancer
Society will profile a child at an area cancer center with his or her
own limited edition Boyds Bear.
Click
here to order online with a credit card. Last year sales added up
to $5,260, making ACHS the top contributor in Lake County and the number
one school in all of Illinois.
Orders are also
being taken by NHS members and by advisors Jennie Krass and Sara Jowers in room 251. Checks should be made
payable to the American Cancer Society. Flowers will be delivered to school
during the week of March 15. |
No driver's licenses can be issued on Presidents Day
The Illinois Secretary of State (ISOS) has received notification from the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) that the National Computer Center (NCC) will shut down for extensive electrical work during three holiday weekends in 2010 (Saturday at noon until 5 a.m. Monday of the holiday). When the NCC is shut down, the ISOS will not have access to the Social Security On-Line Verification (SSOLV) system. Shutdowns are scheduled for the following weekends: Feb. 13 – Feb. 14: Presidents Day weekend; May 29 – May 30: Memorial Day weekend (tentative); July 3 – July 4: Independence Day weekend (tentative). ISOS Tuesday through Saturday facilities will be closed on Friday, Feb. 12 in observance of Lincoln's birthday and Saturday, Feb. 20 in observance of Washington's Birthday. These facilities will be open on Saturday, Feb. 13 when the NCC will be shut down. Therefore, ISOS will be unable to issue an Illinois driver's license to first-time holders - whether they be 16-year-olds or new residents from out-of-state - on this day as because the applicant's social security number cannot be verified through the SSOLV. As of now, however, ISOS facilities are scheduled to be closed during the tentatively scheduled shutdowns in May and July. |
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– Late Start Day - February 10
– Lincoln's Birthday: No School - February 12
– Turnabout Dance - February 20
– Teacher Institute: No School - February 26
– Casimir Pulaski Day: No School - March 1
– Mosaic: An Evening of Excellence - March 5 |
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Progress reports were given to students on Friday to bring home
Spring musical auditions: February 8 & 9, 4 p.m. Dance auditions: February 10, 3 p.m.
Mosaic tickets on sale: February 18 & 19, commons & cafeteria
Finesse magazine submissions due: March 3, room 207
Handbook cover designs due: March 12, deans' office |
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Cheerleading
State Finals
Varsity: 8th place, medium squads (25 schools).
Girls' Basketball
Varsity 55, North Chicago 49
Sophs 46, North Chicago 29
Speech Team
Regional Tournament
Varsity: 7th place. Sectional qualifiers: Samantha Montennegro & Noelle Bruce
Wrestling
Regional Tournament
Varsity: 1st place (10 teams)
Girls' Bowling
Sectional Tournament
Varsity: 1st place (16 teams) |
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·
ACT: February 10
· SAT: March 13
· PSAE: April 28 & 29 |
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