Tuesday, March 29, 2011

The Start of Something New



[caption id="" align="alignright" width="190" caption="Image via Wikipedia"]Indonesian High School Students play ping-pong[/caption]


Schools around the world have a wide varieties of after-school activities, from sports to chess to larking. Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School offers a pretty wide variety of clubs and sports already, but the staff is always up for students coming up with new ideas and starting new clubs. That's just what two juniors, Joel Doherty and Max Brown, are wanting to do. They have an activity in mind in which is fun and which will draw pretty big crowds. This activity is called table tennis or ping pong.

Ping pong has been around for ages, and has even had its own professional stage. The sport was featured in one of the most widely known movies in America, Forrest Gump. The main character, Gump, became a ping-pong champion after being injured in the war. He fell in love with the sport and quickly picked up the essentials of the game. In the movie, he could beat everyone.

“This sport is really fun and would hopefully get a bunch of people together, where they could meet new people and improve their skills,” comments Doherty, one of the juniors who is working on this. Says his friend, Brown, “The intensity of the game and it being not that hard to learn is the best thing about it."

The Ping Pong Club is something they want to start as soon as possible. What's stopping this is the lack of a counselor or coach. If you're interested in helping the group out, get in touch with either Mr, Moccia or the two students who want this club to be an official activity at OHCHS.

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

A Family In Need

Camp Sunshine is a year- round retreat for children and their families with a life-threatening illness. Families stay one week at the retreat, located in Raymound, Maine on the shore of Sebago Lake, free of charge. During this week both children and families participate in adventurous and safe activities and are offered support groups to learn ways to cope with the illness the family faces.
Since opening in 1984 by Anna and Larry Gould, Camp Sunshine has served over 32,000 family members from 48 states and 22 countries. Over 24,500 volunteers have contributed 820,000 hours of time. As well as families of children with a life threatening disease bereavement programs are offered for families who have lost a child from an illness. This camp has affected the lives of many. It is known as "being one of the only programs in the nation addressing the impact of a life threatening illness on every member of the family".
Every year Seniors of Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School are required to complete a Senior Project. This project must give back to the community in some way. This year being my last year at OHCHS, I  will be trying to raise enough money, $2,000, to send a family to Camp Sunshine. To help raise enough money to send a deserving family to Camp Sunshine contact (207)838-7930. Or to learn how you can volunteer your time at Camp Sunshine contact Camp Sunshine's Executive Director Matt Hoidal (207)655-3800

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Oxford Hills has some MAJOR Talent!



[caption id="" align="alignright" width="248" caption="Talent Comes to OHCHS"]Former logo of American Idol from 2002 to 2008.[/caption]


A mix between the hit shows 'American Idol' and 'Americas Got Talent', Oxford Hills Got Talent is the new rave in the school. Consisting of singers, dancers, magicians and more, this show is gonna' rock your shoes off. The contestants that wish to be in the actual show must go through auditions, with judges and peers watching. From there, you wait until the day of Winter Carnival where Mr. Cummings, the headmaster of Key Club, announces the top 10 acts that will perform in the real deal.

Three judges determine who will win the cash prize. The winner receives $200 while the runner-up receives nothing. There is also a crowd favorite contest, the winner of which will also receive $100 cash prize. The three judges are Stacey Hanscom, Barbra Ruth, and Sasha Campbell.

This being the third year of this event, it is already a crowd favorite. People of all sorts attend the event, students, parents, and others in the community that enjoy the arts.

The contestants each do one 4-minute performance, and the top 4 perform again to see who the winner is.

During the event there will be free refreshments in the cafeteria.

All proceeds for the event will go directly to the Key Club.

So if you want to come join in on the fun and support your fellow Oxford Hillians in their art, come to the show. The show is on March 11th at 7 pm in the auditorium. Prices are $5  if you buy before hand and $6 at the door.

The contestants with their act are as follows:

1.    Lacy Landry – singing
2.    Lindsey Redgate – singing
3.    Jasinda Mills – singing
4.    Matt Bouchane – singing
5.    Caitlin Fouler & Clare Robertson – dancing
6.    Caleb Ferris – singing
7.    Shelby Downs – monologue
8.    Meredith Potter – singing
9.    Zach Waite – singing
10.   Jesse Newcomb – singing

Friday, March 4, 2011

Introducing our New Viking Voices Editor

by Ms. Pamela Chodosh

Like most publications, our Viking Voices Online News Journal now has an editor. His name is Jon Kuvaja and he is a senior at OHCHS. He is editing our work,  managing story assignments and taking care of many other behind-the-scene tasks. He is doing this as his senior project.


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="121" caption=""]On The Culture Of Death, part 2[/caption]


Jon has a keen interest in writing and a natural ear for language. Though he has never been an editor before, he is quickly learning what it takes. He may work with the Advertiser Democrat to see what a real-life editor does day-to-day. He certainly will be learning as he goes, as will we. We are excited to have such talent behind the scenes. You won't see his writing, but you will see the results of his editorial eye.

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

High School Teacher Overcomes The Negative

Tamara Douglass says she has "always loved helping other people." Maybe that's why she's so good at what she does.

Mrs. Douglass works at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School with Special Education classes. She didn't always intend on being a teacher, but after starting a career with her Business Administration major from the University of Maine-Orono, she realized she enjoyed teaching and began volunteering in classrooms when her children entered school. Soon after she earned her teaching certificate and began substituting.

Growing up in the same small town as Mrs. Douglass, I have had the pleasure of getting to know what a friendly and helpful woman she truly is. She is never found without a smile on her face and never passes by without a "hello".

What makes Mrs. Douglass different than every other friendly woman is she doesn't let her disease, Alopecia Areata, affect her attitude. Alopcecia Areata is an auto-immune disease which makes the body rejects hair follicles. This means Douglass has no hair.

There are three types of Alopecia: Alopecia Areata, Alopecia Areata Totails and Alopecia Areata Universalis. This disease affects 4.7 million people in the United States alone.
Mrs. Douglass was diagnosed at a young age. The disease has come and go as she has aged. Although a cure for Alopecia is yet to be found, Douglass maintains her upbeat outlook and tries not to let it get in the way of her day.

Having struggled with Alopecia for so long, Mrs. Douglass has learned a lot. The most important thing, she says, is "be accepting of other people and they will be accepting of you."

For more information about Alopecia Areata you can contact the National Alopecia Areata Foundation or visit www.naaf.org.