REFLECTIONS FROM THE FLAME - Bloom Trail High School

Bloom Trail High School
School District 206
22331 Cottage Grove Avenue
Chicago Heights, IL 60411
Telephone: (708) 758-7000
Fax: (708) 758-8372
We’re on the Web!
www.bloomdistrict206.org.
Click on the BTHS Link for
sports news, bus schedules, etc.
Mr. Ron Ray
Principal
Ms. Julie Largen
Assistant Principal
Mr. Michael Bolden
Assistant Principal
Mrs. Donna Berry
Division Coordinator
Remedial Education
Mr. Gregory Horak
Division Coordinator
Career Technology
Education/Art
Ms. Christine Frangella
Division Coordinator
Communications/
Social Studies/Foreign
Language
Ms. Gail Hartsough
Division Coordinator
Math/Science
Mr. Anthony Pietrzak
Dept. Representative
P.E./Driver Ed./Athletics
Mrs. Carolyn Gann
Desktop Publishing
Assembly/Mailing
Mrs. Karen Seely &
Cooperative Work
Training Class
NON-PROFIT
ORGANIZATION
Bulk Rate
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
Permit No. 761
Chicago Heights, IL 60411
BLOOM TRAIL HIGH SCHOOL
DISTRICT 206
Volume 30, Issue 3
March, 2006
REFLECTIONS FROM THE FLAME
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Principal’s Message 1
Parental Information 2 - 3
Monthly Calendar 3
DISTRICT 206
FOUNDATION
MINI-GRANTS
Bloom Trail would like to
thank the District 206
Foundation for the
following mini-grants
totaling $6,000:
Karen Totos, Science Fair
Project; Suzanne Nelson
and Susan Woodyat, One
Team – One Read;
Michael McNeily,
Government Mural
Gallery; Jim Hayden,
Trail My Ride; Chris
Clausing, Fel of the
Future; Annie Bergeron,
Biography Bookshelf and
Anime Addicts;
Kimberly Fulka,
Challenger Learning
Center.
Each principal received
an additional $6,000 for
the student newspaper,
Fine Arts, Performing
Arts, and special student -
centered educational
projects.
TURNING UP THE BLAZER
FLAME BY MR. RON RAY
The Bloom Trail learning
community is once again
eagerly anticipating the
upcoming ACT and Prairie
State Examinations for all
juniors on April 26 th and 27 th .
These grueling two day
assessments measure the
degree which our students
have mastered learning
standards developed by the
Illinois State Board of
Education. Secondary
schools across the state are
mandated to administer the
same assessments.
In an effort to prepare our
students to perform at their
very best, Bloom Township
School District 206 has
committed to the
comprehensive Kaplan
Testing program. The
Kaplan program involves
three practice ACT
examinations. In addition to
these examinations, students
are provided opportunities
within their regular classes to
break down the preparation
to match the actual exam –
ACT and Work Keys.
Parents are encouraged to
provide interaction and
positive support for their
child during the Kaplan
training. This is a demanding
program that will yield
positive results if the students
work hard and are committed
to achieving. The final stages
of preparation will include an
interactive test taking
strategy seminar hosted
by College Vision on
April 12, 2006. Our
current seniors found
this seminar beneficial.
Bloom Trail’s parent
organization. PACC,
will be planning community
based projects for the upcoming
test on Thursday, March 9, 2006.
We invite parents to volunteer
for phone calls, sign making
and other motivational
activities for our students. The
Bloom Trail community is
committed to maintaining a
steady growth in our
standardized test scores.
SICA VISUAL ARTS
FESTIVAL
Therese Belt, shown with Trail’s display, won
the South Suburban Merit Award for her
ceramic sulpture
Josh Banks, with his acrylic landscape painting,
won Best of School at the SICA Visual Arts Festival
P.S.A.E. SCHOLARS
Congratulations to the
following students who met or
exceeded the standards in the
2005 PSAE exam in the areas of
Reading, Math, and Science:
Marielle Anderson, Rosa Arroyo,
Jessica Backous, Angelica
Banuelos, Anna Baumann,
Therese Belt, Matthew Bolin,
Joseph Chott, Kelly Coleman,
John Coulter, Helen Craig,
Cameron Credelle, Tara
Eastman, Daniel Eddy, Jennifer
Galbreath, Amanda Gibson,
Julius Grice, Joshua Groesser,
Tyler Hubbartt, Amy Hughes,
Kymberli James, Colleen Jonas,
Justin Kooinga, Kelly Kopulos,
Heather Lafond, Ryan Lannom,
Gregory Mackert, Lamonica
Mason, Joshua Max, Vergia
McCary, Krystal McDonald,
James Paquette, Rafeal Parker,
Douglas Pelligrini, Nicole
Polanski, Joshua Rolek, Vanessa
Simmons, Phillip Smith, Sean
Soiret, Ryan Stewart, William
Turner, Shaun Wachter, Jessica
Wainwright, Christina White,
Andrew Wiater, Bertel Williams,
Karla Wilson, Melissa Wolford,
Erica Ybarra, William Young.

Page 2 Volume 30, Issue 3 Reflections from the flame Page 3
YEARBOOK EXCELS
Last year’s yearbook entitled
“Let the Games Begin”, was
awarded a certificate from the
Eastern Illinois Press
Association for placing third in
a state competition in the
category of Theme
Development. Senior editors
Sydney Nehf and Amanda
Bowman were very pleased to
hear that last year’s hard work
really paid off.
TURNABOUT KING &
QUEEN
Jas’mine Jackson and Noah Hunter
MILTON CREAGH
MATHLETES WIN
Congratulations to the Bloom
Trail Mathletes and sponsors
Ms. Erdmann and Mr. Rapcan.
The team took an overall 3 rd
place in their recent conference
competition against Rich South,
Thornton, TF North &
Thornridge.
Awards were given to:
3 rd place: Shaun Wachter, Bertel
Williams, Kyle Hennelly, &
Vanessa Simmons.
2 nd place: Caitlin Perry & Ieva
Misiunaite, Kelly Kopulos,
Alondra Sierra.
1 st place: Caitlin Perry, Ieva
Misiunaite, Susan Vadeboncoeur,
Crystal Jasso, Jaclyn Przybyla,
Chantel Johnson, Miranda
Jasinski, Caitlin Perry & Ieva
Misiunaite.
Additional congratulations are
extended to team members Will
Young, Cameron Credelle, Steve
Brown, Brittany Patti, Sharon
Kozy, Joe Tucker and Marielle
Anderson.
Powerful Guest Speaker
Milton Creagh was a recent
guest speaker at Bloom Trail.
Mr. Creagh spoke to the
freshman class about the
dangers of gangs and drugs. He
also spoke about positive
relationships and being
successful in life.
More than eight million
Americans have heard him
speak live. Milton is the former
host of the National PBS
television series, “Parenting
Works!”
Milton was also featured in
three nationally syndicated
television specials for MTI/
Coronet Films: “Trap: Selling
Drugs in the Inner City”,
“Prejudice: Dividing the Dream,
and Diversity in the USA”.
For more information visit
www.miltoncreagh.com
BPA
Business Professionals of
America is a nation-wide
student organization promoting
professionalism and
citizenship.
Congratulations to the
following students who will
compete at the State Leadership
Conference in March in the
events named: Laura Aboagye
and John Coulter - Prepared
Speech; Mimi Harris and Kyesha
Jackson - Interview and Human
Resource Management; Gerald
Hollowell and Laura Aboagye -
Small Business Management
Team; Jeremy Lewis - Payroll
Accounting; Gala Scheard -
Desktop Publishing; Alexis
Weisfus, Amanda Elliott and
Jessica Husarik - Economic
Research Project, Team;
Shawanna Wilburn - Economic
Research Project, Individual;
Whitney Chandler -
Entrepreneurship; John Coulter
and Tanika Wayne -
Keyboarding Production; and
Mike Perdomo and Rickey Taylor
in Small Business Management
Team; Marielle Anderson - Legal
Office Procedures and
Fundamental Accounting;
Katie Counts - Advanced Office
Systems; Doroteo Del Toro -
Graphic Design Promotion;
Josh Gonzalez - Advanced Office
Systems; Crystal Jasso, Alondra
Sierra, and Susan Vadeboncoeur
- Global Marketing Team;
Tomek Potrawski and Bertel
Williams - Fundamental Word
Processing and Fundamental
Accounting; Patti Turner -
Interviewing Skills; Susan
Vadeboncoeur - Legal Office
Procedures; and Shaun Wachter
- Fundamental Accounting.
Coordinators for the BPA
programs are: Mr. Robert
Belzeski, Mr. Mark Pesavento
and Mrs. Susan Woodyatt.
NJROTC MILITARY
BALL
The Third Annual Naval
Junior Reserve Officer
Training Corps (NJROTC)
Military Ball will be held at
Villa De Bruno Restaurant in
Lynwood, on Friday, March
31, 2006.
The Bloom Trail and Bloom
Township NJROTC Units
currently boast 125 and 165
cadets, respectively. In past
years the Military Ball has
been well attended by both
cadets, parents, and
distinguished guests, alike.
This year’s Military Ball will
serve as an opportunity for
members of both NJROTC
Units to collectively celebrate
their outstanding achievements
in typical military ceremonial
fashion.
GUYS AND
DOLLS
“Guys and Dolls” will be
performed in the E.E.
Neubauer Auditorium on
March 31 st , April 1 st , 7 th and 8 th
at 7:00 p.m. The show is based
on Damon Runyon’s famous
characters. The cast and crew
are made up of over 60 students.
Several seniors will be taking
their final bow on the stage
including, Jessica Backous, Ericka
Medina, Stephanie Vevers, Sarah
Greenlee,
Samantha
Dombrowski, Curtis Schwering,
Joe Zola, Ja’Van Cato, Billy
Sanders and Will Young.
REFLECTIONS IN TIME
March
Day Date Event Location Time
Fri. Mar. 31 “Guys & Dolls” Auditorium 7:00 p.m.
April
Sat. Apr. 1 “Guys & Dolls” Auditorium 7:00 p.m.
Fri. Apr. 7 “Guys & Dolls” Auditorium 7:00 p.m.
Sat. Apr. 8 “Guys & Dolls’ Auditorium 7:00 p.m.
Mon. Apr. 10 Board of Education Meeting Admin. Center 6:00 p.m.
Thurs. Apr. 13 Parent/Community Advisory Meeting Commons 7:00 p.m.
Fri. Apr. 14 Spring Break Begins No School
Monday, April 17 - Friday, April 21 Easter Break No School
Mon. Apr. 24 Classes Resume
Wed. Apr. 26 PSAE Testing - Juniors Early Dismissal 12:15 p.m.
Plan Testing - Sophomores
for Everyone
Explore Testing - Freshmen
Special Activites - Seniors
Thurs. Apr. 27 PSAE Testing - Juniors Early Dismissal 12:15 p.m.
Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors - for Everyone
Regular Schedule
Fri. Apr. 28 Prom No School
May
Mon. May 8 Board of Education Meeting Admin. Center 6:00 p.m.
Thurs. May 11 Parent Community/Advisory Meeting Commons 7:00 p.m.
Wed. May 17 Senior Awards Night Auditorium 7:00 p.m.
Prom Assembly ~ Friday,
March 17 th . All details for Prom
will be revealed including Prom
Court nominees.
Prom ~ Friday, April 28 th .
Tickets are $140.00 per couple
and $70.00 for a single. Tickets
will go on sale beginning March
20 th through April 13 th . Cash or
money orders ONLY!
Chess ~ Congratulations to the
following Bloom Trail Chess
Club members who qualified
for the state competition held
in Peoria Illinois’ Civic Center:
Vergia McCary, Byron
Hopkins, Kevin Ekstrom-
Strange, Brian Maxwell, Sean
Soiret.
Poetry ~ Creative Communications
has just announced that
two of our finest freshmen have
entered a poetry contest and
were chosen to have their work
published. We look forward to
seeing their poems; Cassandra
Delarosa "My Story, My Life"
and Amanda Foresta "The
Realm" published in the anthology
A Celebration of Young
Poets.
Books ~ Congratulations to
the following students who
have read all 22 titles from the
Abraham Lincoln High School
Book Award list: Amber
Medrano, Vanessa Simmons, &
Mike Harris.
STUDENT
Art ~ Bloom Trail currently
has work on display
at South Suburban
College for the SICA
Visual Arts Festival
Two of our students
have won special
awards.
Josh Banks: Best of
School for his acrylic
landscape painting and
Teri Belt: South Suburban
Merit award for her
ceramic sculpture.
CORNER
TRAIL BLAZER
OF THE MONTH
Nominations for Trail
Blazer of the Month are determined
by a student’s
achievements, attendance
and discipline record.
One student from each
class is recognized each
month.
Congratulations to the following
Students of the
Month for December:
Megan Granko, Senior;
Jimena Hernandez, Junior;
Tyler Vane, Sophomore;
Brittany Simmons, Freshman.
February Trail Blazers of
the Month are:
Brittane Green, Senior;
Steve Motsinger, Sarah Del
Toro, Jacob Wilson, Juniors;
Julia Serrano, Sophomore;
Miguel Linares,
Stephen Kelly, Freshmen.
This program is sponsored
by Ms. Michele Glackin,
social worker, and Mrs.
Laura Lauritsen, counselor.
In addition to prizes from
McDonald’s Blockbuster
Video, and Jewel Foods,
students receive a certificate
and another small
prize.
STUDENT
OF THE
MONTH