D r a g o n ’s F i r e N e w s
South Oldham Middle School
Fall issuee
Volume 1, Issue 1
A Famous Musician, and
an author?
Interviewed by Meredith DePuy and Ava
Lundy
Recently, Mr. Robert Parker has written an
article that has been chosen to be published in the “School Band and
Orchestra” Magazine. As you know, Mr. Parker is the band director here at
SOMS. Using his knowledge, he has written the article to advise other
band directors on how to get other beginner bands rolling.
“I was actually inspired by my former adult students that are now
band directors. They call me up and ask me for advice, and one of them said
I should have written a book. I decided to write an article for a school trade
magazine to see if anyone was interested, and apparently they are because
In this issue:
Student Council
1-2
Talent Show
4
Winter Sports List
3-4
What’s Going On
around SOMS
4-9
it’s going to get published,” stated Mr. Parker when interviewed.
If that’s not good enough, wait until you hear about the book Mr.
Parker’s planning to write!
“I may turn it into a book with other things about middle school
band directing. I haven’t quite decided yet. I am going to see how the
article is received by the professional community.”
SOMS Student Council — Student Council usually meets the first Wednesday
of every month in Mr. Reed’s room. Now that we have our representatives (which are for 6th grade
Josh Carter, and for 7th grade we have Devin Swinney, and for 8th grade we have Olivia Laws), they
will make the decisions for student council.
One of the goals of the Student Council is to make the school community stronger by doing a thing
called “Dragon of the Week”. “That’s when we pick a person we think is doing a job and making
great accomplishments at SOMS,” stated Emma Haney. We are also helping the community around
us by doing possible food drives and clothing drives.
Continued from page 1……
SOMS Student Council
Mr. Parker graduated from John Hawkins
University, and Rutgers University. He has been a
band director/teacher for 22 years. For the first five,
he taught at Millburn New Jersey Middle School,
then moved to Crestwood Kentucky, and taught at
SOMS for the past 17 years. He also directs the high
school Oldham County Jazz Connection. (Jazz band)
As the members of the student council, we
Before becoming a band teacher, Mr. Parker
had a very big solo career. He played in the Boston
Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Baltimore Chamber
Orchestra on his trumpet. Do you like the movie ET?
continued from pg. 1
will start participating more in the school
community. There will be changes in the
morning announcements,
(the pledge of allegiance). Also there will be
the ‘’The Dragon Of The Week ‘’. This
award will highlight a student( one per
grade) and their accomplishments. One of
the other things that the student council is
going to do is elect a representative for
each grade. The representative’s requirements are going to each meeting and reporting anything interesting to the rest of
the members of the student council.
These are all the members:
Meredith Depuy, Kenzie Dirks, Lucy Ray, Olivia Hill, Josh Carter,
Well, Mr. Parker was the trumpet player in that very Ian Haney, Katelynn Jasinski, Emma Laird, Devin Swinney, Sarah
movie! He also worked for the Common Wealth Or- Baldauf, Hannah Kirtland, Olivia Minov, Jesus Garcia, Itzelly Garcia,
Madison Blair, Maeve Hartman, John Keentz, Brice Cravens, Seth
chestra, playing trumpet in weddings.
Dewey, Amani Sodhi, Hannah Schilling, Heather Whitlock, Katya
Mr. Parker also won the 2013 Oldham County
Karatseaks, Michelle Propp, Olivia Laws, Elizabeth Sellers, Gabriel
Excel Award, sponsored by WHAS-TV and LG&E/
Westerfield, Sandra Garrido, Wendi Cantero.
KU. The award was presented during a ceremony at
South Oldham Middle School. When he got interviewed by WHAS 11. “Parker's band room is a place
students want to be. More than a hundred new 6th
graders have already applied for next year - a demonstration of how one teacher can affect one school.
That’s the same impact that made him the Excel winner in Oldham County. For a band leader that loves
the underdog, it’s really something special. ”
There are this many students from each grade in student council:
If you wish to join, please see Mr. Reid.
You too can make a
difference in your
school community.
Winter Sports
South Oldham Middle Boys Basketball Roster 13-14
6th Grade
Andrew Hamill
Ben King
Chase Lawson
Christopher Henry
Ethan Bednarzyk
Isaac Lalli
Jason King
7th Grade
Carson Richards
Conner Garrett
Jacobi Walker
Spencer Laws
Romeo Wright
Ethan Sandknop
Gabe Rios
8th Grade
Peyton Hicks
Robbie Skelton
Dustin Hubrich
Keyshaun Johnson
Noah Michel
Noah Griffin
Harrison Viers
John Downing
Keaton Martin
Nick Cranfil
Sam Clark
Tim Stragand
Trey Garrison
Trey Hicks
Will Huckaby
Mason Bowman
Miles Morrison
Justin King
Drew Zaubi
Cole McHenry
Jacob Bosco
Peyton Finkbonner
Jamartez Beaudoin
South Oldham Middle
Girls Basketball Roster 13-14
6th Grade
Claire Michel
Madelyne Boehnlein
Ellie Pinar
Skylar Sahatjian
Madison Blair
7th Grade
Taylor Bates
Devin Swinney
Lizzie Klehr
Payton Herold
Neha Konduru
Faith Stoltz
Hailey Stowe
Riley Brashear
Danielle Cloutier
Molly Moriarty
Audrey Howard
Kayla Stephens
Mallory Sasser
Taylor Limprevil
8th Grade
Anna Powell
Maggie Smith
Kaitlyn Kidd
Madi Perdue
Michelle Propp
South Oldham Middle Wrestling Roster 13-14
6th Grade
Andrew Archibald
Jaden Flener
Chas Fudold
Samuel Martineau
Brock McAlpin
Matthew McCormick
Brooks Paisley
Anthony Pierce
John Reynolds
Ian Tennant
7th Grade
Mason Hall
Gavin Hayden
Xavier Martindale
Nate Moore
Evan Rodman
Cezar Zapanta
8th Grade
Cameron Beckley
Tyler Kassinger
Isaiah McGee
Chris Scott
Alexander Thompson
Zeke Ward
Devin Ward
Gabe Wiser
Talent Show Contestants
Congratulations to the following students for making it to the next round of
SOMS Idol. They will perform in the talent show next Tuesday November
26th.
**Last year’s winner Olivia Vonnahme, will perform during the judges deliberation.
THANK YOU TO ALL THAT TRIED OUT!!!
1. Chaz Fudold playing Black Sabbath “Iron man” on guitar
2. Group dance “What the Fox Says”- 6th grade students (list to follow)
3. Isel Spears dancing to Roar by Katy Perry
4. Brianna Donnelly singing “That girl is on fire”
5. Jacob Davis playing Batman movie theme song on piano
6. Sophie Tackett and Trish Nygen singing “Popular Song”
7. Jon Marie Johnson dancing to the Sugar Plum Fairy
8. Dillon Fischer singing “Radioactive”
9. Uria Park and Tamara Schmidt flute duet
10. Brooklyn Woodrum playing trumpet
11. Madison Montross singing “See you again”
12. Kayla Stephens, Madison Bosa, Savannah Thomerson, and Paige Finkbonner singing “the cup son”
13. During judges deliberation Olivia Vonnahme last year’s winner will sing “Can’t hold us”
14. Sierra Altizer, Gabe Stern, Erica Hosler, Rylee Catherson, Mackenzie Bischoff, Savannah Cummings, Emily Howell, and others
will perform “What Does the Fox Say”
What’s Goin On Around SOMS
Perseverance
The cloudless sky beamed the sun down onto the dewy freshly cut grass as we walk to the sidelines on the
field. As I take in the smell of freshly bloomed flowers, I set my bag down on the white spray painted side line. While
lugging my soccer ball out of my bag, I glance over and notice that the other team has now arrived. Fear raids
through me like a slash of lighting as my soccer ball slices through the green grass.
“Wow,” our coach mummers as they walk down the field, “They are way larger than I expected,” he added.
Usually I try to ignore the other players so that I do not affect my focus and worry too much about the other team
and their skill level. Even though I am the youngest on the team, I always have to try to get used to the fact that
everyone that we play against will be larger than I am. This gives me a ton of anxiety before I play. Fright always flies
through me before a game just like butterflies in your stomach when going down steep hill.
Gradually time passed as we warmed up. To me it felt like time had stopped because of how petrified I was
feeling. Then the referee blew his whistle which echoed between the trees in the forest behind us. As I arranged my
soccer ball into my soccer bag, our team shouted our cheer which roars into the forest. “One, two, three Elite!” it
roared back at us as we sauntered onto the field. Running onto the field, I felt my cheeks rise as I faced the parents
as they cheered us on. “Let’s go Elite,” they hollered. The referee placed the whistle in his mouth and blew making
a loud screech.
I dashed up the field calling for the ball to be passed to me. The ball left her foot and contacted with mine. I
panicked with the ball as the other team came upon me. As the other team surrounded me, I fought for the ball as
hard as I could. She stepped in front of me and the ball, digging her shoulder into my upper arm. The pain shot
through my arm; that did not make me give up because I knew deep down I wanted the ball more than she did. I
sprinted back with no hesitation throughout me. Stepping in front of the ball and taking it back, my teammates hollered, “Go, Ashlyn!” this gave me courage and helped to eliminate my fear as I dribbled up the field.
I then learned that, “You can’t go through life quitting everything. If you are going to achieve a goal you have
to work for something.” If you keep giving up throughout life, you will never achieve anything, just like I learned in
my experience. If I would have given up on playing soccer, I would have never
have developed the confidence or perseverance that I will benefit from throughout life. With every game and practice, I gained confidence; this now helps me in
my daily life while making new friends to playing different sports.
Sincerely,
Ashlyn Haugen
Halloween
Fun!
“ RESPONSIBILITY”
By; Sandra Garrido
“ Responsibility is the price of freedom” – Elbert Hubbard
I was in shock! I was worried that I would not be able to make a sound. Good thing that we
had to sing how our letter names sound like. Like C is so. That help me relax a lot. Before, it
was my turn I could feel my veins in the top of my lungs! It was my turn next so I said to myself , I’m going to give it all I have. My turn, I blew the soft air that came out of my mouth to my trumpet and; made a beautiful sound. I
could imagine butterfly spreading there wings out near me.
However all the other days where the same. The classroom was always cold, so I was always “freezes” like a snowman. With
my trumpet in my hands I could feel all the freedom around me. The next day I was with a very bad pain. However, I had to get over it
because we where doing a “basement check”. Before, it was my turn I got over my pain. My turn next, I was ready. I blew all the air I
had. Because, of my pain I was NOT able to “hit” the note. I was so disappointed in myself. Later on, the class I was feeling better.
We did another “basement check” and I was able to “hit” the note. “Out of the basement” Mr.Parker told me with excitment. I could
feel he’s happines because I was happy too that I was able to hit the note.
However after a few days later, we learn new notes and values. After all, of this I’m so happy what we have done. Some of the
notes that we learn where A. A is the values 1 & 2. F is value 1. C is no values at all. D is 1 & 3. Some songs that we learn where.
London bridge. In London bridge we use the values C,A,G,F,D, and C. another songs that we learn where Hot cross buns, Go tell Aunt
Rhodie, Itsy Bitsy Spider A La Rueda, and ,The Frog Song.
With the frog song we had to take a test on the song. Mr. Parker will go around the classroom and say “Is there any volenters”I raise my hand and he told me “3” because he would only take 5 volunteers per day. We will played the whole song by our selves
not in groups. With all the other song we will play them in groups. What I learn was RESPONSIBILITY. For my instrument I also had, to
be responsible for cleaning my values. After this big change I really understand being responsible. I really love playing the trumpet. I
really enjoy my new teacher, friends, and especially my new trumpet.
“The price of greatness is responsibility”Pace Steven
Everything Has
Changed
Meredith DePuy
“Why? Why me?!” This is me on the way to the bus stop. “Why is it always me?!”
This was my very first time I was going to ride a bus as a sixth grader.
Was I excited… or nervous? I don’t know, but what I do know is that my feet
are carrying me up the bus steps right now! This is probably what’s going
through your head on your first day of a new school. When I was in Elementary school, my classes, friends, and responsibilities where limited, but now
that I’m in sixth grade, my classes are challenging, I have more friends, afterschool activities, and responsibilities.
Elementary school wasn’t really challenging for me, and I had the same
teacher all year. Whenever our class did math, some people were challenged;
most of us weren’t. Another bad thing about having one teacher is that you
only get to meet and work with about twenty people all year.
The responsibilities are also a lot easier in elementary. You don’t have
as much homework, and if you don’t complete an assignment on time, it’s no
big deal. You don’t have to study for as many tests, either.
Now that I’m in middle school, it’s a whole other story. First off, you
have about seven different teachers during the day! This means you work
with a ton of different people every day! This is good because you meet a ton
of new people, and get lots of different ideas to work with. This leads to making new friends!