Advanced Placement Biology

Written By: Elizabeth Rockey

While the smell of crayfish, shark, sheep, rat, or pig hasn’t penetrated the high school building yet, Advanced Placement Biology has been hard at work learning about life. St. John prides itself on offering advanced academic courses and this course is just one of many. Jennifer Fontaine, a Saint student through middle school, and now high school science teacher, has the privilege of instructing AP Biology along with her other courses. It is a college level course that follows the advanced placement guidelines written by the College Board. The class works towards full preparation for the National AP Exam in spring.

The class investigates molecules and cells, heredity and evolution, and organisms and populations. Biology is broken down into eight major themes: Science as a Process, Evolution, Energy Transfer, Continuity and Change, Relationship of Structure to Function, Regulation, Interdependence in Nature, and Science, Technology, and Society. AP Biology moves at a fast pace and has already uncovered Units One and Two. Unit Three includes Laboratory Two, Four, and Five. These Biologists in training have been doing these experiments for weeks. Lab Two was on Enzymes Catalysis. Students explored the enzymatic activity of catalase through titration to measure the amount of substrate that remained over time. Lab Four was about Plant Pigments and Photosynthesis. Students extracted chloroplasts from fresh spinach leaves and placed them under experimental conditions to measure the rate of photosynthesis. The Dye DPIP was used to isolate the chloroplast to better evaluate the light-transmittance of light through each sample. Lab Five was on Cell Respiration. The class built Respirometers to visually observe and measure the respiration rates of germinating and non-germinating peas in different experimental conditions.

Does this sound a little too scientific for you? Well, in summary, Mrs. Fontaine’s AP Biology class loves learning all they can about biology in a short amount of time. Fontaine’s goals again are in correlation with having fun with science. Her students in this class are stepping closer to becoming future scientists of the world.  An exciting new addition to our high science program next year will be Forensic Science, also taught by Mrs. Fontaine.

Check out our Advanced Placement Biology pictures here!

http://photobucket.com/saintsscience

Lights, Camera, Action!

Written By: Elizabeth Rockey

Lights, Camera, Action! Actors and actresses have traced the stage for years at St. John Lutheran. Drama was performing when Producer and Sponsor Susan Ergle was in grade school. St. John took an intermission and started again in 2006 with the premiere of Anne of Green Gables. Mrs. Ergle didn’t start this program up again alone. Kim Sandstrom-Hawksey, a theatre extraordinaire, stepped up to the plate to pull up the curtains on drama. Since the first production, Saints on Stage has performed The Beverly Hillbillies, Cheaper By the Dozen, Annie Jr., Willy Wonka Jr., and most recently Meet Me in St. Louis. While Saints on Stage has always been open to any and all Middle and High School students, this 2011-2012 year was the “Start of Something New.”

Saints on Stage invited Elementary students starting in third grade to join the cast and crew. Saints on Stage introduced a nine class training session suitable for students with little or no theatre experience. As the bible verse says, “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.”

“Here at Saints on Stage we not only train great actors; we train great audiences too.” says Kim Sandstrom-Hawksey. These theatre workshops ended with a Dinner Theatre Showcase on January 25th, when audiences gave a standing ovation for their wonderful performance. The finale officially announced this spring’s musical, which is holding open auditions for middle and high school students. The show is sure to be a hit for all ages.  There have even been a few hints throughout this article as to which musical it is. Can you guess? We aren't "Sticking to the Status Quo" this year. Saints on Stage is proud to be producing "High School Musical!" "Bigger, better, louder, stronger, better!" as Mrs. Sandstrom-Hawksey always says. That is something Saints on Stage strives for each year, to top the best of the last year and make it better for the next.

Saints on Stage had an amazing time presenting their scenes for the Dinner Theatre Showcase and look forward to upcoming events and future performances. For elementary students, there will be a special Saints on Stage Summer Camp. More information is soon to come. For middle and high Schoolers, auditions for the Spring Showcase are February 1st and 2nd. They can't wait to start rehearsing for this spring’s musical and we're sure you can't wait to see it. Be on the lookout for order forms for "High School Musical" tickets to see the one and only Saints on Stage drama team and for participating in our Saints on Stage Summer Camp.

For pictures of our Saints on Stage, click here: http://www.photobucket.com/sosshowcase

Saints Giving Back this Christmas

Written By: Elizabeth Rockey

Brooke Land, sophomore, showing the love of Christ to the little ones at Love INC

Anchor Club and Mrs. Fontaine sponsored a Toy Drive for Love In the Name of Christ (Love INC) in the true spirit of Christmas and giving back. Love In the Name of Christ of the Heart of Florida is an organization made up of area churches, agencies, ministries, and community organizations working together, across denominational lines to identify, verify, and meet the needs of the tri-county area. Students flooded Mrs. Fontaine's classroom with toys. Some of our Saints had the opportunity to meet the children and help those in need with the annual gift giving. We are so proud our Saints for shining the light of Christ to those in need.

For more pictures smiling faces because of our Saints generousity, click here.

http://www.photobucket.com/givingback

For more information about Love INC, click here.

http://loveincheartofflorida.org/

Blessed through Bullying

Written By: Elizabeth Rockey

The sneers, fears, and tears are just the tip of the iceberg of bullying. Whether standing silently in the crowd or out of the crowd, bullying isn’t an easy thing for either “team.” Ninth grader Tarra Rotstein can testify to these things and was tired of not doing anything. Tarra felt that nobody stood up for what was right, so she decided to take a stand. As an eigth grade student, she was given the opportunity and tools to create a Public Service Announcement. She produced, “Just Kidding Can Hurt,” a brief commercial about how she has been effected by bullying.

“Chicken legs! You’re a freak!You’re stupid! You’re fat! You’re anorexic! You’re ugly!” These were some things shown in Tarra’s video. Each time an insult is shown someone says, “JK! Just Kidding," as if that takes away the feelings left by them. The words freak, stupid, fat, anorexic, and ugly wrinkled across the screen along with a plain white sheet. “JK does NOT take away from what you say. The hurt is still there just like the creases.” The powerful imagery is a reminder Tarra says that there is a little bit of truth in everything. Whether you know your friends well enough or not, tone can tell what’s true. “JK does NOT take away from what you say.”

Have you ever experienced pain and shame because of bullying? Sitting in a classroom with the same twenty-four students, for four years in a row, Tara had no place to go and no friend to turn to. She had never connected with any of the girls in her class. Merriam-Webster defines bullying “to treat abusively; to effect by means of force or coercion.” The snickers and Facebook just added to the bullying. Tarra's teasing began as early as third and fourth grade.This was real. Tarra felt upset and hurt. She wasn’t “just kidding.” She shared these feelings with her parents were upset by this treatment. Each morning when boarding the bus, Tarra felt there was only one friend she could trust.

Meeting Tarra, you would never believe that being a victim of bullying was part of her past. She is a confident and bright student, who always has a smile on her face. Her interests include riding horses, swimming, and playing basketball. Many things have come out of her experience, including the opportunity to share her message with others. Tarra gives the impression that she was blessed through bullying.

The International Student Media Festival, Excellence in Media Production and Judges Favorite award winner, also has won the prize of sharing her experiences with others.  Tarra says that sometimes the people being bullied, actually turn around and begin to bully others.  Others who make the situations worst are the bystanders, people who just stand there and do not try to stop what is happening.  The one message Tarra would share with those being bullied would be to know that “you are not alone.”

If Tarra had to do it all over again, she would tell someone about the bullying. This experience will influence her for the rest of her life. She is looking forward to living life and watching out for others now that she has overcome this experience.  “You never know,” Tarra gushes, “they just might be your boss one day.” Tarra has been blessed through bullying. Bullying, saying mean things, or just kidding can make or break a person’s day and have long term effects. Here with our St. John family, we want to encourage one another and build each other up so everyone can have a great, bully-free, St. John day.

Click below to check out Tarra's Public Service Announcement, "Just Kidding Can Hurt." http://photobucket.com/blessedthroughbullying

4th Grader's "Rule"

4th graders Blaine, Jackson, and Savannah showing off their rulers.

By Madison Kirkland     
            In 4^th grade science, the students are learning all sorts of information pertaining to matter and mass. They are discovering how to measure different objects and find the different lengths and masses of each item. By learning how to measure, they are also learning how to use centimeters and metric rulers. They apply the information that they have collected and use it to analyze charts and data. Mrs. Knutson says that she likes to see the children use their vocabulary words to answer the questions that go with each lab.

            The students love to work with each other and work through solving the problems. They also like to help each other out and answer each other’s questions. Students, Blaine and Jackson, love watching the experiments and their reactions.  Abby says, “I love being involved in each experiment instead of just watching!” Every student that was asked, said that their favorite part was checking their answers at the end and seeing all of the problems that they solved corectly!
For more pictures, click: 4th Grade Science

2nd Grade's Pond Critters!

                

2nd graders Emmie and Adella enjoying reading about different animals!

Written by: Madison Kirkland                     

                   Second grade has been very busy working on science and social studies. They have recently been studying animals and their different environments. This week in particular the class went over animals that lived in ponds, or to them “critters in the pond!” They learned about many animals such as beavers, otters, and frogs. The students have not only been reading a multitude of books, but have also been incorporating their weekly subscription to Time Magazine in order to learn more about these pond inhabitants.

When a few of the students were asked what their favorite part of this activity was, they answered by saying how they loved the books they read in class also counted towards their Accelerated Reading points. Second grade student, Carson, says that he really enjoyed trying to recite all of the animals that live in ponds. Carson and Evan even tried to see who could remember the most animals. Emmie and Anna really enjoyed learning about what the animals do during the day. Mrs. Fischer, second grade teacher, stated that over all, the students really appreciated being independent and reading the books by themselves on such an interesting topic.

To see more pictures Click:2nd Grade Reading About Critters

Alexander, Saints Make History

 

Sat. November 19, 2011 at 12:15 a.m. | By Richard Burton

Copied from the Ocala Star Banner

Sat. November 19, 2011 at 12:15 a.m. | By Richard Burton

LAKELAND — It was only fitting that senior tailback Calib Alexander capped the biggest win in St. John Lutheran football history.

Alexander, who earlier in the game set single-season Marion County records rushing yards and total touchdowns, scored on a 10-yard run and added the game-winning two-point conversion as the Saints earned their first-ever postseason win, 28-26, over Lakeland Victory Christian in the Region 2A-2 semifinals on Friday at Lake Gibson High School.

"We wanted it more (than Victory Christian) did and we wanted another shot at Warner Christian," said Alexander, who finished with 159 yards and three touchdowns on 23 carries. "(The overtime) was crazy. It feels great to win."

With the win, St. John will visit Warner Christian, a three-time Class 1B state runner-up, on Friday night in the Region 1A-2 final. Warner Christian beat St. John earlier this season, 48-25, at Brick City Park.

Victory Christian (8-3), which forced overtime on a 69-yard scramble for a score by quarterback Demitre Brim (18 carries, 189 yards) and ensuing two-point conversion run by Chris Nelson off a muddle-huddle snap with 1:05 left, couldn't contain the Saints when it counted.

The Storm got the ball first in overtime and went up 26-20 on Brim's 8-yard scoring pass to Sa'vaunn Bond, but Nelson was stopped on the two-point attempt.

The Saints (9-2) went right to Alexander, who scored the game tying touchdown on a sweep on his team's first play.
From there, Alexander took an option pitch and made it into the end zone on the left side, setting up a celebration for the Saints.

"I'm proud of the kids," St. John coach Dennis Meunier said. "They played this one all the way through."

Alexander's records and a 72-yard kickoff return by Jamonte Jones were the story for the first part of the game until Brim's heroics brought the Storm back.

Entering the game, Alexander needed 70 yards and one touchdown to become the area's all-time leader in both marks. He also needed 90 yards to pass former Forest/Vanguard running back Roosevelt Ross for second-place on the all-time area career rushing list.

He got the touchdown mark on a 36-yard run at the 6:40 mark of the second quarter, one play after Victory lost the ball on a fumble.

The touchdown was his 36th on the season, enabling him to break a tie with former North Marion standout Albert Gary, who scored 35 times in 2007 and is currently playing at Iowa State University.

Jones added a two-point conversion and the Saints had their first lead of the game at 8-6.

Alexander then took care of the area's all-time single season rushing mark and also passed Ross on his next carry.

Needing just seven yards to pass former Dunnellon standout Alvin Young's single-season area mark of 2,217 yards rushing set in 1977, Alexander broke off a nifty 74-yard scoring run in which he broke several tackles and got stellar blocking on all levels from his teammates.

"It's been the offensive line and they've been great all year," Alexander said. "They don't get much credit, but they have done great. On the (record- breaking run for the total yards), there were a lot of downfield blocks that made a big difference.

"We've been together for three years in the playoffs (the first two in the Sunshine State Athletic Conference) and we've got great chemistry."

Alexander now has unofficial totals of 2,306 yards rushing and 38 touchdowns for the season, and 4,913 yards for his career.

After Victory pulled to within 14-12, Jones ran back the ensuing kickoff for a score and the Saints led 20-12 with 31.2 seconds left in the third quarter.