Amherst News-Times, 2000-05-10

              Doctor has eye on business — Page 7|Girls set new track records — Page 11
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Wednesday, May 10, 2000
Amherst, Ohio
Hailing Ohio's heroes
Ohio author Rick Sowash visited Harris Elementary School last Friday. The author, known for his
energetic storytelling and musical renditions, entertained students with a little help from the fourth
grade student body. Teachers Sherri Parent and Dave Zajkowski had their 46 students participate in
the "Heroes of Ohio: 23 True Tales of Courage and Character; a presentation based on a book Sowash wrote. Students researched and studied famous Ohio historical figures, such as Johnny Ap-
pleseed, Neil Armstrong, and Ton! Morrison. Stsudents then dressed as the heroes and answered
questions by Sowash concerning their character. At left Sowash asks Kevin Diedirck, right, questions
about Simon Kenton, a man who once saved Daniel Boone's life. At right, Sowash, center, waives
with the fourth grade students who participated in the program. (News-Times photos by Keith
Gribbins)
Community Chorus to entertain in concert
by KEITH GRIBBINS
News-Times reporter
The Amherst Community Chorus
has readied their eclectic group of
choral talent to shower the Amherst
populace with their spring concert
"Encore" on Friday. May 12.
The 73 members of the community chorus are not only a smattering
of different styles of vocal talent,
but a melting pot of age and background that is a pretty good representation of Lorain County, according to director and co-founder
Simone Gall.
At 7:30 in the evening at Sl
Joseph's Social Hall, the Amherst
group will take to the risers to give
the locals a 35-minute retrospective
on the last 100 years of music in a
millennium review performance.
"It's toe-tapping, foot-stomping,
just a high energy performance," explained Gall. "We have a wide variety of music for everyone. It's going
to be a very uplifting performance.
So just sit back, relax, and let us
take you on a trip down memory
lane."
The presentation will contain seven sections, focusing on different
styles or compilations of music.
The Amherst Community Chorus will perform their Spring Concert Friday, May 12 at 7:30 p.m. at St. Joseph's Social Hall in Am
herst. The singers, made up of 54 women and 19 men, are a compilation of all ages and backgrounds.
From "That Old Black Magic" and
"You Are the Sunshine of My Life"
to 'Twist and Shout" and "Imagine"
the local singers are aiming to bum
down the house with the melodies
that captured the attention of the last
lOO^years.
Gall, a vocal instructor al Powers
Elementary, teamed up Debbie Le-
Sucr, husband Steve, a vocal teacher
at Lorain Whitter, and members of
the group to compile the musical
mix.
"It depends on what's best and
brand new. We want something
with audience appeal," stated Gall
about the chorus's musical choices.
"Something with universal appeal,
no matter where we go."
That dedication to the integrity of
the program along with their musi
cal talent has made the group a favorite all over Lorain County. Visiting retirement homes, the local Jamboree, Anchor Lodge, and making
seasonal performances, the community chorus has found their niche
in the surrounding areas. The chorus
is already slated for the Berlin Basket Festival in August and is
booked up with seven engagements
for the Christmas season.
The vocalists that make up the
musical group are all volunteers,
and make up an interesting cluster
of individuals, according to Gall.
The chorus is made up of 54 women
and 19 men from not just Amherst,
but Berlin Heights, Brownhelm,
Collins, Elyria, Grafton, Lorain, and
Wakemen.
The group boosts couples, families, and individuals from all walks
of life and with ages from the teens
to the 80s.
"It's a lot of talent from all over
this area that would have been unrecognized and untapped without the
chorus," stated Gall.
Gall and members encourage the
public to come out and invest an
evening with the community chorus
that will begin with "Do You Hear
the People Sing" from Les Miser-
ables arid end with the group's signature piece, "The Old Irish
Blessing".
Tickets can be purchased at the
door, adults will cost $4, senior citizens $3, students $2, and children
under five may attend for free.
Matt Adkins, shown with his parents,
earned the rank of Eagle Scout during a spe
cial ceremony held March 12.
Junior Achievement gives
students work experience
Adkins named Eagle Scout
during March ceremonies
Matthew Adkins was honored
Sunday, March 12, with the presentation of his Eagle Award.
Adkins served as Quartermaster,
Patrol Leader and Senior Patrol
Leader. He has earned 22 merit
Since 1992, he has earned seven
Serial awards, including Red
oss First Aid, CPR and is the
fourth recipient of the Donald
Jameson Lifetime Scouting
Achievement Award.
Adkins's Eagle Service Project
was organising and leading the
building and installation of four
new benches in Lorain County
MetroParks' French Creek
Reservation.
Lorain mayor Criag Foltin presented Adkins with a proclamation
from the city of Lorain, recognizing
his achievement of attaining the
rankofBafto.
by KEITH GRIBBINS
News-Times reporter
Nord Junior High students
have been getting a chance to
see the world of work from
their desks.
The local junior high has
teamed up with the Junior
Achievement of Lorain
County to supply the student
body with a program that
teaches kids how to develop
positive attitudes about their
education and how it relates
to the working establishments
that are in store for their
futures.
Only in its first year at the
junior high. Junior Achievement is opumiMic about Inspiring ihe young people of
Nord to the value of free enterprise, business, and economics in hopes of improving
the quality of life for the
work force of the future, according to program manager
Mary Ann Littell.
"We build bridges between
to grow," Littell stated. "We
get people from the community to share their perspective
of being in the real world in
the classroom. It's really quite
exciting."
Junior Achievement has
fostered such a relationship
with Johnson Controls, an assembly line company that focuses on the welding and assemble of seats for the Ford
Econoline Van.     Three Johnson employees devoted 45
minutes a week in the past
few months in Nord classrooms, leading students in activities that are relevant in today's work world.
For months seventh and
eighth grade students have explored careers, learning proper
interviewing techniques, creating personal budgets, digesting
business operations, while all
the time getting to sink their
teeth into the notions of free
enterprise in the United
States.
Students became immersed
in global economics, personal
finance, and tat American
The eighth graders center
on the principal characteristics
of the US economic system
and the role of business in iL
Their activities reinforced economic concepts taught in U.S.
history, state history, and
civic courses. They also
teamed the steps in organizing a business and producing
and marketing a product as
well as studying the social responsibilities of business and
the role of government in the
U.S. economy.
The seventh grade program
focused more on helping students assess their personal
skills, interests, explore career
options, learn job-hunting
skills, and simply discover the
overall value of an education,
Technically the program centered on budgets, personal and
family financial management,
and the use of credit. But
these activities also reinforced
the economic concepts taught
in chaining a career and
learning life skills,
"It's a great way of bringing the i naimiiKy huo ure
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