Eagle's Eye Online

Stadium ProjecT
posted 10/6/09 * Rachel A.

Owings Mills High School is the only school in Baltimore County that does not have a stadium. However, a group of hardworking and dedicated parents have set out to change that. The stadium project’s committee consists of parents collaborating to make the goal of a stadium possible for their children.

In the past, attempts to raise money for a stadium have been made, but none have succeeded. This is, in part, because Baltimore County Public Schools does not fund the building of stadiums. All other Baltimore County schools have raised stadium money themselves and Owings Mills is working to do the same. Luckily, OM has the support of several local elected officials who are willing to help find money within the state and county’s budget to be donated. The committee is currently putting together a presentation for local businesses who will give money to the project in return for advertising space and opportunities for naming rights.

Committee member Marcie Wendell said the group is “developing an approach that will involve students, parents, alumni, and the community.” Throughout the 2009-2010 school year, there will be several activities during school geared toward the students and faculty of OM. Some of the activities may be held simply to raise awareness about the project, but others will involve fundraising and increasing our school’s spirit. Many students are already excited about the prospect of a new stadium. Junior Taylor Stern exclaimed, “I’m really excited for the stadium to finally be finished. It will provide the students with many more opportunities to go to games.”

The stadium project committee has also applied our school for a grant from Nike’s “Back Your Block” program. By voting for Owings Mills, we can earn a $2500 grant given by each Nike store in the region. However, Nike’s decision as to whom they will grant the money to is not solely based on the number of votes. It also includes spirit and the support of everyone involved with the school.

Aside from money issues, the actual building of the stadium will be somewhat of a challenge. Since the stadium seating will be built into a hill, there are a lot of details and decisions that go into creating the stadium.

In the meantime, we have almost completed our long-awaited track around the perimeter of the field. Coach Bandurchin said, “The track is almost finished. They are in the process of laying down the rubberized surface and then will line it. The goal is for it to be done by the end of September.”

Wendell and the rest of the committee have stressed the importance of student and parent involvement. The students of OM work hard in the classroom, and they deserve a stadium they can be proud of. In order for this to happen, everyone needs to do their part and show their pride in OMHS! For some students, the dream of playing under the lights seems out of reach. But for others, it is a goal they hope is reached while they are still here at Owings Mills.

swine flu
posted 10/6/09 *

In recent months, new ideas to keep from getting sick have been a popular topic of conversation in the United States. Stores are selling out of hand-sanitizer and flu shots are in short supply, but what is this new virus that has the whole country in hysterics?

Influenza H1N1 is a virus that is usually found in pigs, but after the virus mutated, humans became susceptible to the virus as well. Unfortunately for humans, because the mutated virus is so new, people have little or no immunity against it, putting them at a much greater risk. Unlike the common flu, H1N1 has the potential to not only spread quickly through society, but also be more difficult to treat.

Symptoms of H1N1 include fever, cough, sore throat, headache, chills, and muscle aches. It is predicted that most people infected with swine flu will recover without needing medical care or hospitalization, but for extreme cases with complications, doctors may prescribe an antiviral drug. So far, only 106 deaths have been confirmed in Mexico, and 27 have been reported in the United States. Other countries have experienced fatalities as well, and doctors expect more to be reported as the virus continues to spread.

To prevent contracting the virus, it is necessary to take some precautions. When coughing or sneezing, one must cover his or her mouth with a tissue and be sure to wash his or her hand regularly. Students should refrain from touching their eyes, noses, or mouths, and try to keep a safe distance from anyone displaying flu-like symptoms. If one does start to feel sick, it may be wise to stay home from school in an attempt to keep from spreading the virus further.

According to Nurse Joan Ainge, “The most important thing to prevent the spread of flu is to wash your hands before meals and after coughing or sneezing. Baltimore County also allows students to carry hand sanitizer for personal use when hand washing is not easily available.” She also said that many people are worried about this particular flu because unlike the common flu, it targets people from ages six months to twenty four years of age. BCPS asks that if anyone displays flu-like symptoms that they stay home from school and only return after they have been fever-free for at least twenty-four hours.

This season’s flu is resulting in fear but by early November there will be a vaccine available to a specific amount of people. Fear of the flu is unnecessary as long as one takes proper precautions to stay healthy.