Profile on Jacob Montenegro: Sophomore Enjoys Running

By Joshua Cameron

Staff Writer

Jacob Montenegro has always had great speed and endurance. In fifth grade, his dad introduced him to running and he was great at it.

Jacob started running for the Woodlynde cross country team in 6th grade; he is now the fastest runner on the team. He is also the team captain, even though he is only a sophomore.

“It is a big honor to be the captain,” said Jacob, who finds running fun and challenging.

Jacob has some amazing memories running Cross Country.

In 6th grade, in the championship meet, he came in 15th place, overall, and helped lead Woodlynde to a first-place victory.

In 8th grade, he won sixth place in the championship and earned a medal. While he has not yet won any races, he has come in second.

His ultimate goal is to run in the Olympics. “It looks so much fun to compete and race for your country. Also, you get a lot of money, too, but I've always wanted to go because I get to see other countries while I run. I've seen track and field competitors and stuff. It looked so much fun.”

Outside of school, Jacob competes in other sports. He has been swimming since he was six. Jacob has won medals when he was 11, 12 and 13 in the 200 Medley Relay.

"I love sports like cross country, swimming and track because it helps build endurance," Jacob said.

Jacob says he is looking forward to competing with the new indoor track team Woodlynde is forming this winter.

"It will be nice because a lot of schools do track and [it] will give students a chance to do something different."  

            Jacob is now in the 10th grade and he loves Woodlynde and all the kids that go here. He plans to keep on running for Woodlynde until the day he graduates.

Profile on Larissa Crater: Wants to Be a Model

By Michael McGroary

Staff Writer

      "Ever since I was little, I've seen these magazines with models in them, and that's what I knew I wanted to be," freshman Larissa Crater explains, as she talks about her dream of becoming a Victoria Secret model. 

Larissa thinks it would be cool to show off her style. At her mother’s suggestion to help get in better shape to achieve her dream, Larissa started playing for a local basketball team in the Lower Pottsgrove Athletic Association (LPAA) for four years. In one game she scored the winning basket in the last few seconds. Unfortunately, her LPAA days came to an end and she decided to play for the Woodlynde basketball team in her first year of school.

Larissa is now in her second year at Woodlynde, and she’s hoping that her school year will not be as dramatic as her first year. Larissa had a few challenges in her first year at Woodlynde with friends, who would sometimes get upset about things and drag her into the drama. Larissa says that she learned to usually ignore the problems, and just move on, especially because she had to deal with a little sister at home.

Larissa and her younger sister, who is 11, have a love/hate relationship. Their parents try to make them get along with each other, but most of the time it doesn’t help. A technique that her parents have tried is having her little sister pick out Larissa’s clothes for her on the weekend.

Larissa is still trying to get fully used to Woodlynde, but she is doing well and is still holding on to her dream of being a model.

Profile on Caroline Kothari: The Courageous Firewalker

By Blair Epps

Staff Writer

Caroline Kothari has walked on fire!

Yes, she actually walked on hot coals as part of an empowerment organization that the sophomore was part of at Omega Teen Camp.

Caroline spent a week preparing for the event. She broke boards with her hands, bent arrows with her neck, changed negative beliefs into positive affirmations, and drew the positive affirmations as a henna tattoo on her arm.

“It was an incredible experience and I never thought it could be done,” Caroline said.

After walking through the hot coals, she had a “small fire kiss” on her feet that she said represents her strength and courage. She also felt a glow of happiness and was ready to take on any challenges awaiting her.

“Fire walking is not dangerous, it shows you what potential you have in life,” Caroline said..

She would even do it again, because she thinks the experience taught her a lot about walking through things in life and being able to accomplish anything.

Caroline wants to be a motivational empowerment leader and speaker for her career because she wants to help people reclaim their inner warrior.

“Over the past few years, I have learned to change my beliefs. It’s showed me that you can easily change your life and I want to show people it’s possible to make a change in your life at any time,” Caroline said. “My friend and facilitator, Nancy Chernoff from Montreal, Quebec, Canada, has taken me out of the dark and has helped me see the light at the end of the tunnel. She has helped me to see a brighter future.”  

Along with firewalking, Caroline has other interests.

Her favorite show is “Extreme Weight Loss Makeover Edition”, and her favorite movie is “Parent Trap”.  Her favorite food is Indian because she has grown up eating it.

Caroline's favorite Muppet is Kermit the Frog because she thinks that he is pretty cool due to his original name.

She has been attending Woodlynde for five years, and likes it because, she says, Woodlynde “lets everyone be friends.”

Caroline, 16, has a twin sister, and a brother, age 11. The twins get along okay, Caroline said. They don't hate each other but they are not best friends.

If she had to be stuck in an elevator with someone, Caroline said she would choose Anthony Robbins who is a 21st century empowerment leader, who motivates people to break through their barriers and make changes in their lives.

Caroline has two dogs, Sweetie and Lucy, and she likes to watch TV with them and hang out on the couch.

One of her main goals in life is to share how important it is to never give up.

"I would like to public speak to a group of 1,000 people before I die,” Caroline said. “I really want to spread the message of persistence."

Profile on Blair Epps: Tragedy Turned to Safety

By Caroline Kothari

Staff Writer

When Blair Epps was 10 years old, she was walking home from her bus stop to her grandma’s apartment, when a stranger took her hand and told her to get in his car.

Thankfully, she knew enough not to listen, to avoid being kidnapped. She ran away and called the police, who took her to a woman who worked for the FBI. In the end, the man was caught and sentenced to two years in prison, and Blair is safe and sound.  

When asked how she felt about this experience, the freshman replied, “I don’t feel like I’m so special, or like I'm an important person.”

She added: “I don’t need anyone to treat me like I always need supervision, or always need to be protected.”

“I am an independent young woman and I can handle myself. What happened that day was a test and I passed that test. That doesn't mean that I won't have any more tests like that, but that day proves that I am strong enough to handle myself. I’m afraid of that day, but I'm not spooked.

She added: “I am glad that I remembered to run away and not listen to him.”

Blair wants to become an actress when she grows up because she feels that acting comes naturally to her. She says acting is something that flows for her. Her desire to act started when she was little and she always wanted attention; she soon found that she can get attention through acting.

Blair also wants to be a writer when she is older because it lets her use her creativity. She says she loves to write poems and short stories. Blair spends a lot of time working on each piece to make sure it’s strong.

Blair, who has two sisters named Jamiri and Monique, has always had a strong interest in skydiving. "I want to skydive before I die because I always wanted to fly."  

Blair has a cat named Bell Bell and a dog named Jojo. Blair named her dog Jojo after a friend came up with the name. Blair’s sister named the other cat Tinkerbell, but when she went off to college, Blair renamed the cat Bell Bell.

Blair is a new student at Woodlynde, and the freshman says her favorite thing about Woodlynde is that the school meets her learning needs and the teachers help her one-on-one.

“I love Woodlynde School. I picked it because it suits my learning strategies. Everyone is very nice, pleasing, and we are all here for the same reason. I believe that I can shine in this school and be the best learner I can be.”

Bienvenue Mme. Brandabur!

The Informer had a chance to interview the new French teacher, Mrs. Brandabur, about everything from her impressions on her first day of school, to what she likes to do in her free time. Furthermore, she compares her Woodlynde experience with her previous schools. When she isn't in the classroom she has some exciting hobbies that keep her active through the summer!             

What are your first impressions of this school?                                                                        

What a calm and wonderful place to learn!  I also find that the students are so supportive of one-another.  

How does Woodlynde compare with the other schools you have had experiences with?

 I was with the Abington School District before.  The two schools are very different in terms of their size. I love the way the day starts here. I have a wonderful group of students as my Advisory and it's such a nice way to start the day!  At Abington, there isn't a morning assembly, we had Homeroom.  Homeroom is only 22 minutes, and it's very hectic.  The students create a daily news show and it was about 15 minutes long.  Between handing out notices, the Pledge of Allegiance and taking attendance, it was hard to actually check in with my students to see how things were going. 

What are some of the more unique aspects of Woodlynde you have noticed?

 The small class size means that I have time to check everyone's work as they complete it.  I can make sure everyone is on-track as we progress.  

Were you nervous the first day of school?

 No, just excited.  I was, however, a mess at Back to School Night!  

How many classes are you teaching?

 I am teaching 5 sections of French, 2 of which are independent study.  Soon I hope to have a group of students enrolled in an 'eco-craft' class, where we can create lap-top bags and shoulder bags made with packaging materials.   

How do you like them? 

I love every class but one.  (Just kidding, I really do love them all.)

Why did you choose to be a French teacher? 

I was a substitute at Abington and really enjoyed it.  One day I had a student that was very sad, and he cried after class.  I sat and talked with him for a long time, but I couldn't follow up with him because a substitute doesn't have that right.  I didn't want to be in that position again.  

What college did you go to? 

I have a degree in French and Business Administration from the University of St. Thomas, in St. Paul, MN.  I also studied at the Sorbonne in Paris for a year.  I am currently attending Chestnut Hill College to complete my Master's in Education and I will finish in May, 2014.  

What are your Hobbies?

  I love to bake and cook, I love to sew and I love to hike and bike.

How did you spend your summer?

  Each summer, I host a week of 'mom-camp' where I teach a group of 8 girls to sew and cook.   We usually travel a fair amount, but this year we just spent a week in Canada.

What are your favorite t.v shows?

 Madmen and Downton Abbey.  I only watch these two shows because I can't find time to get caught up in any other series!  It amounts to about 12 hours of TV a year.

What type of music do you like?

  Anything that's on the radio.

The 2013/14 Informer Editorial Staff

Say Hello to this year's senior editorial staff.  Cassia Enright, Luke Alonso, Ryan Harvie, and Emily Bank are all excited to bring you all the news you can use as a Woodlynde fan, friend, faculty member... or student.

Follow the Informer blog by clicking join this site in the top right corner.  Ryan Harvie, sports and opinion editor, states "We really hope to maximize our online presence this year.  We need everyone's help." So, help us out: join/bookmark/tag/comment/and all the rest that makes the internet great. 

The editorial staff is looking forward to making this an informative year at Woodlynde! 

Enjoy your meatball subs,
The Informer
 

Liz Carney: Nightmare Poem

Liz Carney is a freshman at the Woodlynde School.

NIGHTMARE

Hiding in the dark,

Stalking your every move,

Waiting,

Red eyes filled with hunger,

Sharp teeth stained with blood,

Ready to strike,

To sink its fangs into your flesh,

To crush your bones,

To rip your limbs,

An invented image come to life,

You can't run,

You can't hide,

It will find you,

Its name so deadly,

So terrifying,

Its name?

Nightmare