By Brandon 

Well it has been quite some time since I have had the opportunity to blog. I apologize for the delay, but my life has been quite hectic. I’ll start from where I left off.

I can now officially call myself a Cocalico graduate, and I couldn’t be more excited about that. The ceremony was very nice in the large church just off 222 (You can see it from the road) and went faster than I could have imagined. The next morning I was off to the beach for a week with my best friends. We went to Ocean City, Maryland, and had a great time.

As soon as I got home, the same day to be exact, I had my graduation party. It was really nice because my family from all over came just to see me, and my friends all stopped by as well. The food was great too; my mom came through in true Cocalico style with taco salad. Simply delicious describes it best.

The following Monday, I started my newest job landscaping for Clark and Sons Lawn care Unlimited. The work is hard, and the hours are long (averaging 10 hours per day) but I don’t mind it too much. And now, we are here, today, and I finally have a moment to get things together.

Since I’ve graduated things have been crazy, and summer is flying by. I don’t get to see my friends as much as I’d like to, but I’m doing the best I can. I feel almost as if I’m back in the same rut I was in for school. Up early, bed early, not much time. It is a shame since it’s kind of a final bang for me and my group of friends, but I guess you have to do what you have to do. At least that’s what I’ve been told.

I’m sure some day I’ll appreciate the experience I’m getting from my job, but for now it just feels like I’m “back to the old grind.” I hope everyone had a great July 4th and got a chance to have a barbecue. I’ll keep you posted on any new happenings, and I’ll be writing more often now that things are finally slowing down.

By Diana 

We are in Atlanta right now. We were supposed to go to the Martin Luther King Jr. Center and then maybe the CNN headquarters (which I was very much looking forward to), but one of our vans is having engine trouble.

Yesterday, we were at the Atlanta Braves vs. Boston Red Sox game. It was fun. (And my first baseball game!) Though we had standing room tickets, some of the guys decided to scope out some seats while the girls saved our standing area. While we waited, a photographer asked if he could take our photo for the Braves’s Web site. Eventually we got some seats and it was a pretty decent view. [Read more →]

By Diana

Hi all,

Sorry I haven’t been keeping you updated on our trip like I said I would.

Tuesday evening, we arrived at the camp, which is smaller than I imagined (but that’s a good thing). All 16 of us are in the big tent. The bathrooms are pretty nice for a camp, but have their rush hours. The meals are decent, although I have trouble now and then being a vegetarian. The people in general are friendly except for the other teens. (They keep to themselves.)

GET ‘ER DONE!

Wednesday morning we went right to work. We were divided into two groups and each group was given an assignment: drywall or roofing.

I got stuck with roofing. [Read more →]

By Diana

Earlier, I posted something about being “desperate” for a great story to end the year with. Well, that didn’t work out. I tried. I got a good story idea, but not enough time to get a good story. On the bright side, I learned a lot from it. Oh well.

I just did a music review about The Bravery, so look for that in the June 14 Teen Weekend. Right now, I’m on the two-week trip to Biloxi you might’ve read about in the New Era. I’m not sure how often I’ll have Wi-Fi access, but look for my posts!

One by one the students and teachers heading for Biloxi arrived at McCaskey East early Monday morning. A Fox 43 van was already parked in front of the school when I arrived a little before 7:30 a.m. A guy named Jason set up his camera, tripod and all and recorded our arrival. He then asked students if they would do an interview but no avail. At last, while we were loading our gear into two white Sprinters, he got an interview with China and Ms. Wood. With interviews done, group photos taken and luggage loaded, we took off. Kind of.

First, we swung by J.P. McCaskey to say goodbye to the faculty having breakfast in the cafeteria. Van No. 1 (driven by Ms. Wood and Mr. Wang) led the way, honking farewells. Just as Van No. 2 (Mr. Orlowski and Mr. Thedford) rolled up, J.P. McCaskey principal Mr. Nolt unlocked the balcony door and walked out. Wait! They want us to go back. Mr. Orlowski put the van in reverse and called Van No. 1 to come back. Teachers started crowding onto the balcony, waving and cheering. Next thing we knew, we were hopping out of the van to bow and wave for laughs. Yep, we didn’t even leave the campus yet and we were having fun doing stupid stuff.

[Read more →]

By Diana 

Doing phone interviews from my desk at home gets old sometimes. I like going out for my assignments. Just recently, I headed over to Strasburg to see The Joe Baker Trio perform their first gig at a coffee shop called Merenda Zug. It was all very cool and a lot of fun despite not being familiar with the place or the people (except for the friend of a friend from McCaskey that I ran into).

When I got there, I forgot how awkward I can be when thrown into unfamiliar situations or places. It didn’t help that an amp and guitarist Joe Baker was blocking the front door either. Once I found my way inside, I started taking photos because I didn’t know what else to do. The music was too loud for interviews and owner Cindy Baker wasn’t around. Many of the photos, I think, didn’t even turn out that great. Frankly, it sucked. However, I have never bailed out on an assignment simply because I was uncomfortable and I wasn’t about to start.

I finally got around to introducing myself to some people and doing interviews. Everyone was really friendly. The band was cool. I’ve interviewed only four so far – two high school bands and two bands signed with major record labels – and The Joe Baker Trio had to be the most fun. The signed bands were professional of course, and the one high school band was pretty quiet. The Joe Baker Trio, on the other hand, was pretty outgoing and joked around bit. I liked that they didn’t take themselves too seriously.

When Cindy Baker arrived, she had the usual “Wow, you’re young!” reaction. Yes, I know. I suppose being a high school student working for a real newspaper has its pros and cons. It makes you more approachable, but at the same time, some people don’t take you seriously. Later that evening, I was interviewing a group of teens at one of the tables outside. They had the other common reaction where they weren’t sure what to say or what to make of the interview.

I usually don’t stand out in a crowd much, but I must have been attracting some attention because when I looked up from my notebook, there was a small crowd of teens forming around me. One guy held out his hand and in confusion, I shook it. He introduced himself. Eric Weaver. He asked if those were quotes I was scribbling and if I could interview him too, so I did. Afterward, he and his friend, Brandon Arechavala, thanked me for interviewing them and including them in the student paper. Student paper? No, this is for the Lancaster New Era. It’s a county paper. COUNTY! COUNTY! I think he started jumping up and down around then. That was new.

By Brandon 

A few weeks ago I posted about my battle with senioritis. Today, I’d like to post about my battle with “conclusion-itis.” I have been in the school district of Cocalico for 13 years. Thirteen years! That in retrospect is my entire life. Everything I’ve built up, everything I have ever really known, will be gone in a matter of days (Yes, I’m still keeping track, it’s eight to be precise) and that is hard to swallow.
With some last minute projects being completed to the best of my ability (ahh senioritis), and some final banquets, my eyes are on the clock. Life is all too often compared to a clock, but I can’t seem to find a better analogy to use today. Time really is running out, on my friends, on my teachers, even on my mom.
For my friends, you have been everything to me, my life, my weekend, my safety net. I thank every one of you for everything. Just these past couple of weekends I have had prom and the senior class trip. They made these days and nights stand out for me.
(My best friends and I)
(My group of friends)
For my teachers, you have taught me all I know. I owe you all a thank you and a lot more. They have opened countless doors for me, and I am grateful for the opportunities I received from them.
Finally, for my mom, you are truly special. She works at the high school, and seeing her every day has made my years there a little bit easier. When I leave, I know things won’t be the same for her. They won’t be the same for me. I guess it’s growing up. I love you, Mom.
I know college will be great for me, and I couldn’t be more excited to have accomplished my dream of attending Penn State. But knowing that I have to leave everything behind has made me step back, made me think about it. It really is bittersweet, and until you experience it, you never really know. Who hears me?

By Diana

With the end of the school year quickly approaching, McCaskey High School’s Vidette is working hard to pump out just one last issue. For some, it’s just another issue. For others (mainly seniors), it’s either a long goodbye or a chance to end the year with a bang. I’m inclined to the latter, but it has proven to be no small feat.

Long story short – Vidette’s grant money is running out and we could afford only one more issue this school year. This messed up our production schedule because we had planned two more issues. That in addition to our inconvenient week of final exams forced the editors to push the deadlines a week earlier.

Fast forward.

With a whole week lost, I’m frantic to get the “big” story I wanted to end the year with.

I was having an unbelievably hard time thinking of story ideas (which was a first). I did everything I usually do, but came up empty. Then I tried something I read reporters do when they need a story and finally got something. However, lead after lead didn’t check out.

Including the extra days the news editor and Vidette adviser trusted me with, I am now looking at a three-day window to pull a story together. An impossible deadline if you ask me.

Welcome to the new home of Teen Weekend’s blog! After a trial run on WordPress, it’s now officially on LancasterOnline. Two local students, Diana Le and Brandon Frese, have been recruited to post their thoughts and musings on random subjects in this space. (Better them than an old person like me, although you may hear from me on occasion.)

Both are great kids, with a lot of interesting things to say. Enjoy, and let them know what you think.

-Diane Bitting, New Era staff writer and moderator

By Diana

Amid all the AP and IB testing, meetings about the Biloxi trip, everything else a high school senior juggles and the happenings at New Era, I almost couldn’t find time to celebrate my 18th birthday. Yup, that big milestone birthday where you’re no longer (legally) considered a kid. It didn’t help that my closest friends were on a field trip in New York City either.

I did find time and something to do on my birthday with another good friend however. It wasn’t big, it wasn’t mischievous, but it was all right. Better than nothing. It fell on a Thursday too, so I was able to enjoy a new episode of CSI and some really good cake. I also forgot to enter the CSI contest. You know, one of those must-be-18-years-of-age-or-older contests. It just happened to end on my 18th birthday, but I was too sleepy after the show to remember to enter.

Turning 18 is supposed to be a big deal and it probably is, but I don’t feel too different. Maybe it’s because I’m not the type who’s going to go out and “milk it” or act all grown up. Maybe it’s because I still don’t have my driver’s license. Maybe it’s because I still have just under a month of school left or maybe it’s because I never had anything planned in the beginning.

Although I don’t feel like I’ve left adolescence for the official adult world yet, I probably will miss it a bit. I mean, don’t we all miss our milk and cookies before naptime? I’ll probably miss high school just like I miss middle and elementary school. I’ll probably visit too, just like I still do at my middle school. There’s just something about being older and roaming the empty halls, visiting familiar territory and old memories.

But until the adult world (and nostalgia) kicks in, I cannot wait to get out of here.

By Brandon 

Despite my 18 years of adventures on the planet, I often find that I have to ask myself, “Is there life outside of the U.S.?” or “Is there life outside of Pennsylvania?” or even “Is there life outside of Lancaster County?”
Well, recently in my AP language class, a man from South Africa came in to talk to us. I was pleased to hear from him, as I am interested in other cultures throughout the world. I love to learn about other areas of the globe.
Ferdi Van Wijk had some very interesting things to say. He is from a city called Bloemfontein, where he is an economics teacher at an all-girls school, and he speaks four of the 11 official languages of South Africa.
He stressed to our class that there is no one dominant culture in South Africa, that it is a melting pot of a little bit of everything. He also told us that despite the amount of money people pay to hunt big game there (the “big five” most dangerous animals being the lion, the leopard, the rhinoceros, the elephant and the water buffalo), that South Africa strives to protect its animals.

They have an amazing national park in Kruger National Park, and in addition to the “big five,” South Africa is also home to Humpback whales and Great White sharks.
He told our class that the homes do not look similar to the houses here , since it is summer about nine months out of the year in South Africa. Mr. Van Wijk said a good house would cost about $50,000, or about five years of a teacher’s salary.
He also told us several times that he is pleased by how hard American kids work (See parents! We do work hard, and you doubt us), and that it isn’t like what is shown on TV. I was glad to hear that. He told us that South Africans must pay up to five times as much for vehicles in his country, despite the fact they produce a significant portion of the world’s cars (especially Hummers). He, however, was not a negative person, and was positive about American culture, contrary to how I anticipated he would think.
It was really cool to learn about another area of the world, especially since I have lived in Lancaster County my entire life. It inspired me to look into other cultures, and I hope that this blog will do the same for you. Mr. Van Wijk left us with this closing comment, “There is a world out there, get on a plane and go see Europe. Go see South America. Go see South Africa, or Vietnam. Don’t live in a box.”
Is there life outside of Lancaster County? Yes, and we need to get out and see it. If anyone has any experiences of other cultures they would like to share, please feel free to do so, I would love to hear about them.