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Whitby Free Press, Wednesday. March 31, 1993, Page 29 ~Meranda Waters HENRY ST. H.S. We waited for it for weeks. Secretly, rnany were waiting sinca the first day of school. We counted down the days, the hours, the minutes and, yes, even sadder stili, the seconds. Perhaps the rarest of ail, the teachers were aven waiting for it (though, if questioned by a higher authority, would rarely admit it.) All of us wished it would last forever. Most were willing te leave their books behind, their assignments, their jobs for this one moment. Few considered the consequences of this act ... few cared. What this moment offered was a taste of a new life, a new routine, a new time te get up in the morning. No one would pass up this opportunity. No oe. As time passed, our expectations grew and grew, se, large, in fact, we thought we might burat. And as it came nearer, it almost seemad unreal. Had we al imaginad it? Could 1,400 people dream the sanie blissful thing? We deubted it. It was reai. One murmured, "Time has passed se quickly" and those who were net speechless. agreed. We began te, imagine ourselves in new, exciting places, places we had neyer seen before: the freshly groomed slopes of Vermont, the st white beaches on the Fleida coast or the colourful characters at Disneyworid. However, not all would venture off te far-off places. Some were content to stay put and do what they wanted te do for a change. Others were forced te stay behind. But it wasn't necessarily the idea of getting away but the idea of getting out. And as that day arrived, as it does every school year, we were elated. Wa could taste the freedom. Few could hide their excitement. There were many who were se anxious, they left early. It was as if they knew something the rest of us did not. As it turned out, they were the lucky ones. Little did the rest of us know that our dreams would be shattered by a thing called 'weather.' t blew and it stormed. I rained and it snowed. t was something some had nover aven seen before. t left us in airports, it kept us at home. t left thos e hlplassly unprepared in the back of police rescua cars aftar being trapped in a white-out. t even left some swimming in their living room. It swept the east coast of our continent, not shewing any Mercy. "Why now?' many wonderered. "Couldn't it have waited 'tii next week?" What we endlessly waited for was over too quickly. t cam e without warning, the "storm of the century" did. And, in its wake, it left us sad and feeling cheated out of our long- awaited March Break. JENNIFER BEER (right), Kari Godfrey (second from right) and Heather McCrae (second from Ieft) check out a spinning disk, one of the projects at the reent Bellwood Public Scflool science fair. The disk is an optical illusion -- although black and white, you can see colours when It spins. Durham Board of Education Challenge begins:a Students match technical skillis Welcoma back Austinites. L hope averyona had a great vacation. Tee bad we couldn't hava had another week off. Unfortunataly, it is back te work as usuaL. First of all, best wishes go out ta Mrs. Foota on the birth of her daughter Natalie, a new baby sisterfer Nathan. Aise, 1 would like te congratulate Mr. MacTaggart on the birth of his son Sean. This is the MacTaggart's first-born, and w'ra sure the 'proud papa' will ba bringing in many pictures of his « little bundle of joy. Father Austin is developing 'social awareness.' Part of that includes getting involved in the anti-racism movement. Austin will soon ba flying the officiai anti-racism flag; thare will be a flag-raising oeremony in the near future ta commemorate the avent. Ln addition, Austin's Environmental Action( firat formed in 1989 wi three members, includi staff supervisor -- is agair flight. Meetings resume oi 29 and ail naw memb welcome. So, if you are in in protecting our environr sure te attend the meetinE Finally, the 1 International Club isF avents for Human Righti This social awareness meets every Wednesday always looking for tho oppose social injustice of zi and in aIl corners of thei you meet these requii then join Austin's1 International Croup today Let's keep our fingars that March goes out like I, for ona, could use somej spring sunshine. Couldr Until we meet again smiling. *Mj April 1, 2 and 3 are the dates L 1 A of the fifth annual Durham Skills Callege..n this year include unJarchitectural drafting, auto body M N repair, auto mechanics, baking, brick masonry, building construc- tion, cabinetmaking, child care, Club -- CAD, clothing construction, com- th only munication technology, cosme- ng the tology, culinary arts, design and n taking tachnology, alectronics, graphic n March communications, horticulture, )ers are nianufacturing technology, terested masonry, mechanical drafting, nent, be numerical control (CNC), 9. photography, precision Amnnesty înachining, residentiai wiring, planning sheet metal, small angine repair ;s Week. and welding and iabrication. 1group The challenge has grown in ,and is size and papularity since its se Who inception in 1989. With the help any kind of Durham Region Action world. If Committea fir Training, the ramants, challenge has given a much ~Amnesty needed boost te technological Y. education with the Durhamn 3crossed Board of Education. a lanib. It has created a greater soothing awaraness and appreciation of n't you? technical skills and has provided -keep the forum for partnerships and positive discourse between local employers, students, parents and educatars. Industry and education work together ta help easa, the transition from school ta work. District 17 of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation (OSSTF) and the Durham Board of Education are jointly sponsoring the eighth annual Student Recognition Night ta be held at Harwood Secondary, Ajax on Thursday, April 1 at 7:30 p.m. Up te four studants from each of Durham's 19 public secendary schools will be recognized for their contributions ta school life and for achievement of personal excellence. The award winners were Teachers, board reach tentative agreement FROM PAGE 3 chers, bargaining will soon resume on a new contract for the board's 1,476 secondary teachers. Mediatar David Whitehead has been appointed by the provincial Education Relations Commission ta oversea the naxt round of ShirlIey Smith, president of District 17 of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers Fada- ration. said Whitehead is trying to arrange a meeting the first week of April. But due ta provincial spending restraînts, Witehead will only be available for a maximum of twe days, Smith said. In te past a mediatar was on caîl until a settlement was rea- ched. «It may put more pressura on the two sides te bargain sa-ri- ously," said Smith. No further datails of the tea- chers' contract demands have been made public since release of a provincial fact finder's report last December, Smith said. In her report, fact finder Heather Crisp concluded that the board's monetary proposaI was net suflficient to obtain a collec- tive agreement with the tea- chers. -But Crisp also warnad tea- chers that their desira for a one-year contract may be risky sinca economic conditions are likely te, worsen. The union was seeking a 3.1 p er cent increase over oe year. Te board h ad offered three in- creases of 0.5 par cent over a twe-yenr pariod. Secondary teachers hava been without a contract since last August. A secondary teacher in Dur- ham with 10 years' axperienca now earns $64,345. Further information can be obtained by calling the preject facilitatar for technology at the Durham Board of Education at 666-3821, ext. 502. chosen by their teachers according to the following criteria: * a student who gives of himself or herself for the good of the whole school community or the larger community; * a student who has achieved personal excellence through unique, çlstinguished effort; e a student who has overcome obstacles ta achieve personal success; -, a student who demonstrates good citizenship; e a student known by staff and students as the one ta count on for help or anthusiastic support; a dependable, conscien- tious worker. Syivan FilLearning Centre- *Bîx>st votur <.111(1" gr;1d(S. *Progran-r'.iii rcadrng. math, algebra, wrnting studv ski/fs, homruurk sip- port and tinte management. Jennifer Ayling FATHER LEO J. AUE Stdi.t ob ac.hevemnt Photo by Mark Reesor, Whithy Free Press 99