Centennial’s Science Olympiad Team Wins Big at States

Words: Shawn Kruhm / Photos: Takumi Fukazawa

On April 14, the Science Olympiad Team placed first in the State Tournament at Johns Hopkins University.

Leading up to the State Tournament, the team participated in four other competitions: three invitationals and regionals. The team performed exceptionally well in all five tournaments. In the State Tournament, Centennial’s Annie Liu won a bronze medal; Chy Murali, Ruoheng Zeng, and Mayur Krishna won silver medals; and Franklin Yang, Takumi Fukazawa, Eric Kim, Matthew Zeng, Jerry Yuan, Leo Wu, Thomas Luo, Nicole Meister, Jocelyn Matthew, Nadine Meister, and Helen Yang won gold medals!

All year long, the team has worked hard and practiced to get to where it is now. Many students have been members of the team for several years.

“I have been a part of the Science Olympiad Team for two years,” said Sophomore Takumi Fukazawa. “My favorite part of the club is being able to choose what science to study as well as being able to bond with the team.”

The Science Olympiad team will travel to Colorado to compete in the National Tournament on May 18.

For more breaking news and photos, follow The Wingspan on Instagram and Twitter @CHSWingspan.

Boys Lacrosse Dominate Rival Hebron Under Friday Night Lights

Words: Peyton Leineweber

Photos: Sydney Beck

The Centennial boys varsity lacrosse team took on long-time rival Mt. Hebron High School on Friday, April 27. The Eagles won 10-3, dominating the whole game on offense and defense.

The game started off with a quick goal from sophomore Connor Carpenter. From there, the Eagles took off, scoring one goal after another. Hebron answered with three goals of their own, however, the deficit proved to be insurmountable.

Senior goalie Jack Schlossberg had an impressive run in the goal saving the majority of shots on goal. Captain Jeremy Wilson was a key player on offense who kept the ball in the Eagles’ possession through the game.

The Eagles’ defense stepped up by playing an aggressive defense that kept the Vikings from getting opportunities to take many shots on goal.

The Eagles take on Fallston High School at home on Monday, April 30.

For more breaking news and photos, follow The Wingspan on Instagram and Twitter @CHSWingspan.

Prom Spirit Week off to a Sleepy Start

Words: Maggie Ju

Photos: Laila Abu-Ghaida

On Monday, April 30, Centennial staff and students kicked off Prom Spirit Week in cozy pajamas. Some donned fluffy onesies, long bathrobes, and even sleep masks to participate. For the students finishing PARCC, it was a relief to end the stressful testing in comfortable sleepwear.

Leading up to Prom on May 5, this spirit week was the last of the school year. The success of Pajama Day was a sign that Centennial spirit persists as the year draws to a close.

For more breaking news and photos, follow The Wingspan on Instagram and Twitter @CHSWingspan.

Centennial Varsity Softball Loses on the Road Against Howard

Words: Josh Horen

The Centennial varsity softball team lost today, April 26, against the Howard Lions by a score of 10-0.

Howard scored four runs in the first inning and then added six more over the next five innings to make a push for the top spot in the county.

The Eagles did not have a base runner until the fourth inning and their offense struggled at the plate.

Centennial does have a chance to avenge today’s loss however, as they will play Wilde Lake at home tomorrow.

For more breaking news and photos, follow The Wingspan on Instagram and Twitter @CHSWingspan.

HCPSS School Year 2018 Extends to June 19

Words: Sarah Kruhm

On Wednesday, April 25, the Howard County Public School System announced that the 2018 school year will lengthen to Tuesday, June 19. The official statement as issued by HCPSS is located below:

The Howard County Public School System (HCPSS) will extend its school year by two days to make up for inclement weather closings. The last day of school for students will now be Tuesday, June 19, 2018.

HCPSS schools were closed seven days this year due to inclement weather, two more than were accounted for in the school calendar. The Maryland State Board of Education (MSDE) voted on April 24 to deny a request by HCPSS to waive the two make-up days. Subsequently, the Howard County Board of Education voted on April 24 to extend the school year by two days.

The final, updated calendar for June includes:

• Monday, June 11-Thursday, June 14: Full days of school for all students.
  • High school exams:
    • June 11: 1 exam
    • June 12–14: 2 exams
• Friday, June 15-Tuesday, June 19: All schools dismiss three-hours early. No half-day Pre-K/RECC.
• Tuesday, June 19: Last day of school for students.

No new graded work will be assigned at any level June 15–19.

An updated version of the HCPSS calendar is available here.

For more breaking news and photos, follow The Wingspan on Instagram and Twitter @CHSWingspan.

Sharbaugh Accepts Teacher of the Year Award at Board of Education

Words and photos: Sarah Kruhm

On Tuesday, April 24, the Board of Education of Howard County hosted students and teachers of the county’s 13 public high schools to celebrate those chosen to be Senior Teachers of the Year 2018.

Those invited included: the teachers chosen, principals, and students who voted for them. The ceremony consisted of a few words from superintendent Dr. Michael J. Martirano and the presentation of certificates to the Teachers of the Year.

Each school created a video to express their affection towards the nominated teacher, and shared their reasons for choosing said teacher. For Centennial High School, John Sharbaugh was voted Teacher of the Year, and was accompanied by principal Claire Hafets, teacher Michelle Van Gieson, and four of his previous students: Megan Daugherty, Victoria Chiu, Sarah Kruhm, and Mary Grace Lambert.

Wilde Lake High School posthumously nominated Laura Wallen, a teacher who passed away in September, as their Teacher of the Year. Her parents were present to accept her award, and many wore stickers with her initials to honor her memory.

 

From left: Daugherty, Lambert, Kruhm, and Chiu.

All Teacher of the Year award recipients.

For more breaking news and photos, follow The Wingspan on Instagram and Twitter @CHSWingspan.

 

Eagles Boys’ Lacrosse Falls Short to the Mustangs

Words: Joey Sedlacko

On Friday night, Centennial Boys Varsity lacrosse suffered their first county loss(4-1) against a very talented Marriotts Ridge team (2-2 county, 8-2 overall) by a score of 8-7. The Eagles fought hard to tie up the game 7-7 in the final minutes of the fourth quarter, but Marriotts Ridge scored with 24.5 seconds left to win the game.

The first quarter went well for Centennial. Jack Schlossberg made great saves in the first few minutes of the game and sophomore Ty Sams, who was assisted by senior Jeremy Wilson, opened up the scoring with 5:15 left in the first quarter. A costly turnover at midfield though led to a Mustangs goal to tie up the game 1-1. With 1:04 remaining, Jeremy Wilson scored unassisted to put the Eagles up 2-1 at the end of the first quarter.

Both teams played solid defense in the second quarter, but Charlie Hockersmith created some space and buried a shot into the net giving Centennial a 3-1 lead. In the final minutes of the quarter, Centennial could not capitalize on a man up advantage. However, with 16.6 second left Marriotts Ridge was able to make the score 3-2 going into half.

In the third quarter, Centennial’s defense began to falter and allowed Marriotts Ridge to score three unanswered goals to put the Mustangs up 5-3 at the end of three.

To start the fourth, Marriotts Ridge won the faceoff and scored a goal two minutes in. Another costly turnover by Centennial leads to another goal for the Mustangs. Marriotts Ridge went on a 5-0 scoring run and had blown open the lead to 7-3.

However, the Eagles came storming back with their own 4-0 run. With 6:51 left in the game, the momentum flipped when the scoring drought ended after a goal by senior Thomas Thurmond assisted by Jeremy Wilson. Just a minute later, a Centennial goal by junior Peter Krawczyk narrowed the lead to 7-5.

Centennial amped up their defensive pressure and made big stops giving their team a chance to continue to chip away at the Marriotts Ridge lead. Jeremy Wilson scored with 2:16 left to make it 7-6. Marriotts Ridge won the faceoff, but a clutch defensive stop would lead to a game-tying goal by Thomas Thurmond assisted by Jeremy Wilson.

In a crucial faceoff to get a chance for a final shot, Centennial could not come up big. The defense for the Eagles had been spectacular this quarter, but a well-executed possession for Marriotts Ridge would put them up 8-7 with 24.5 seconds remaining in the game.

The Eagles had one last opportunity for a shot on goal with eight seconds remaining. Unfortunately, the shot would go wide of the net and the Eagles would suffer their first county loss.

Before going into the game, Centennial Boys Varsity was tied for first place in the county with Glenelg. After the loss on Friday night, Centennial would fall to second place, putting them overall at 7-2.

For more breaking news and photos, follow The Wingspan on Instagram and Twitter @CHSWingspan.

Ready Player One Puts Spielberg Back in the Game

Words: Julia Stitly

The film adaptation of Ernest Cline’s best selling novel, Ready Player One, has finally hit the big screen. The movie, directed by Steven Spielberg, brings the future of virtual reality. The movie follows Wade Watts, played by Tye Sheridan, who like the rest of the world, is on a treasure hunt to find the golden egg of James Halliday, the creator of the OASIS. With the help of his friends, Wade tries to stop the evil corporation, IOI, from finding the prize before they do.

Visually pleasing, the film has beautiful visuals, and the world of the OASIS is breathtaking. But making the virtual world entertaining can cause the audience to loss interest in the real world, which is impoverished and struggling, so people escape to the OASIS.  Even though the cast give all around solid performances, the characters, for Spielberg, are kind of bland and not as memorable. The most notable is Ben Mendelsohn’s villain, Nolan Sorrento, who tries with what he has, but doesn’t command fear. His sidekick, played by Hannah John-Kamen, gives a comedic performance even though she is supposed to be feared.

Overall, Ready Player One has flaws, but makes up for it with a fun adventure. If you can, snag a ticket for a screening of Ready Player One on the biggest screen possible.

For more breaking news and photos, follow The Wingspan on Instagram and Twitter @CHSWingspan.

Centennial’s Allied Softball Team Takes on Hebron

Words: Shawn Kruhm

On Thursday, April 19, Centennial’s allied softball team traveled to Mount Hebron for an exciting game.

It turned out to be a hard fought game in which both teams played exceptionally well. Centennial’s Mike McCarthy lead the team as the starting pitcher. He received support from junior Ian Winters at first base and senior Dominic Roybal at second. Winters recorded six outs to help the defense.

Junior Hassan Hamound and senior Jonathan Hanks also came out to play. They both proved to be power hitters at the plate, combining for three singles and two doubles.

The allied softball team’s next game is at Centennial on April 24. Make sure to go support them and show your school spirit.

For more breaking news and photos, follow The Wingspan on Instagram and Twitter @CHSWingspan.

You Don’t Know Me Until You Know Me: Dr. Michael Fowlin Speaks to Students

Words: Hibah Khan

On the morning of April 20, the students at Centennial listened to Dr. Michael Fowlin, who went by Dr. Mykee, a psychologist and speaker. He gave a speech that emphasized the fact that everyone wears masks to hide their true selves in an effort to evade pain.

The event, organized and paid for by the Centennial PTSA, was offered in two assemblies to the entire school.

Dr. Fowlin incorporated five characters in his talk based off of true events he witnessed or experienced in his lifetime. These stories were used to convey different messages to the audience about important issues like gender equality, racial injustice, and mental illnesses.

Many of the students were deeply moved by this emotional talk because it exposed them  to truths about themselves that they may not have seen before. Dr. Fowlin explained that people are more than their handles: what they wear, the color of their skin, and the grades they get are not what defines a person. He emphasized that pain is not a bad thing; pain is the thing that empowers a person to create something magnificent in the world. His mission was to explain to the student body that they are not alone, and they have a purpose in this life.

“I think it was really eye opening to me and some parts of it I’d never thought of before. I hope everyone takes it with them and learns from it!” said sophomore Regina Wang.

Dr. Fowlin received a standing ovation after he spoke, indicating that he was able to connect with the audience in a way that the students hadn’t experienced before. He voiced the concerns the students have beyond their “handles.”

In the end it was an impressive event that allowed the students to view their struggles in a new light.

For more breaking news and photos, follow The Wingspan on Instagram and Twitter @CHSWingspan.