It has been a great experience this year to be writing the Bruin blog for 2011-12.  I had the chance to cover some great events in Baldwin history, such as the football team winning at Homecoming, the Senior Sweep at Intramural Nite, and Boys basketball capturing the Long Island Championship.  I will always remember this year as being a great time in my life.

As a senior, I look back at my years at the high school and realize I will miss this school and the people who have surrounded me for the past four years.  From the students to the teachers and the rest of the faculty, Baldwin High School will always be a symbol of my growth into a young adult.  Most importantly, I will always remember the Baldwin community and what it was like growing up in this town.  I appreciate receiving the opportunity to write the Bruin blog this year.

So goodbye Baldwin High School and goodbye to the readers of the Bruin blog!

This is Janelle James signing off.  It has truly been a pleasure.

It was a sentimental moment for the seniors on the Baldwin Varsity Boys Basketball team at Senior Night on February 13 when each senior on the team was commemorated. This was the last night they would play at Baldwin High School. The people in the stands as well as by the Baldwin High School cheerleaders showed their appreciation.  Since the majority of the team is made up of seniors, they will surely be missed.

Each senior walked down with their parents or siblings and was presented a gift by each cheerleader.   It was evident how much it meant to each senior to be leaving Baldwin High School and how it feels to be a Bruin.  The seniors honored that night were: Mykeil Tzul, Brandon Williams, Myles Ojeikere, Hassan Keita, Kyle Richardson, Rashid Lezane, Terrence Robins, Andres Gonzalez, Kirk Staine, Jared Francis, and Kevin Figaro.

Although this was a ceremony, there was still a game to play against the Calhoun Colts.  The seniors wanted to start off with a bang and end with a win. In the first quarter, Baldwin finished with a score of 19 to Calhoun's score of 9.  Second quarter brought an even greater Bruin lead with their score of 42 over the Colt's 17.  Already halfway through the game, Baldwin was in the lead and they kept it that way with a score of 62-32 at the end of the third quarter.  The Baldwin Bruins set out to do what they came to do that night.  When the final buzzer rang, they had a final score of 75, defeating Calhoun's score of 46.

Coming to that last game in Baldwin meant something to me as well.  I'll miss hearing about our school sports and going to games.  This game was yet another farewell to Baldwin High School as I near the end of my high school years.

After winning this game, the Baldwin Bruins continued their winning streak and went on to win the Nassau County Championships, along with the Baldwin Varsity Girls Basketball team.  They made history for both teams from the same town to win the title.   As they both faced their final game to win the Long Island Championships, unfortunately, the girls were not able to take home the win.  However, in happier news, the boys defeated Floyd and were able to represent Baldwin and win the Long Island Championships for the second time in Baldwin history.

On March 16, as the boys headed to Glen Falls to play for the state championships they were given a sweet farewell from faculty and students at Baldwin High School. They were wished plenty of "good lucks" as they boarded the bus to sustain them during the ride upstate.  Regrettably, the Bruins lost by 11 points to Rochester's Aquinas Institute, ending their season.

The Baldwin Varsity Boys and Girls Basketball teams should both be proud of their accomplishments this season.  We could not be more proud of them.  They represented Baldwin in every game they played and they showed what Baldwin represents: hard working and dedicated students.  I know I speak for everyone when I say I am glad to be from Baldwin.

      It was only two minutes into fourth quarter, but everyone in the Baldwin stands knew that the Lady Bruins Basketball team would be victorious by the time the final buzzer rang.

    The Lady Bruins Basketball team started off well against Levittown’s MacArthur High School on January 6 – with a score of 18-9 by the end of the first quarter.  At half time, they were up 16 points and they continued to dominate over MacArthur.  It ended as a pretty close game with a final score of 52 Baldwin, 42 MacArthur.  Everyone from offense to defense played well that night, but four special ladies scored the big points: Alexandra Hampton scored 21 points, Ja’nae Degraff had 12 points, and Amber Harrison and Ayanna Hudson both scored 6 points each.

    I have a lot of admiration for these players.  Being a great team takes practice and dedication.  It’s nice to see students out of school doing something they love and doing it well.  This team has already proved how successful they are when they won the Long Island Championship last year.  The Lady Bruins put to rest that belief that girls can’t play basketball or any sports for that matter.  Nothing is going to stop this team if they just continue to work hard, persevere, and work as a team. 

Baldwin High School students and teachers learned about the health consequences of smoking and how they can stop their loved ones from this addictive habit at the annual Great American Smoke Out on November 17.  I have participated in the Great American Smoke Out for three years straight as a member of SADD (Students against Destructive Decisions).  The club sets up a booth in the commons so students can view the many posters, signs, and advertisements about smoking.  They can also play our Wheel of Smoking to win prizes by correctly identifying the diseases caused by smoking.

        Some people might say that taking part in the Great American Smoke Out is just a way to get credit for a club, but it isn’t.  I have never personally liked smoking and I don’t understand why others, specifically teenagers, would want to pick up such a life-threatening habit.  Maybe it is because I have experienced losing someone close to smoking.  When my great aunt died of lung cancer due to smoking, my grandfather, who had been smoking for years himself, finally decided to give it up.  I’m happy that Baldwin High School is trying to show students that smoking isn’t something that’s cool to do; it’s something that destroys your body little by little. 

        If you want additional information on how you can help someone you know quit smoking, check out these websites:

www.quitsmoking.com

www.cancer.org

“We’ve got spirit yes we do, we’ve got spirit how about you!” 

At the 67^th annual Intramural Night groups of girls from each grade at Baldwin High School came out and performed their best in aerobics, dance, and stunts.  Although each grade performed their best, this year it was a senior sweep.  Seniors dominated every category including cooperation and ticket sales.  Senior captains Robyn Cascio and Joelle Dupiton (Aerobics), Gianna Navarro (Stunts), and Danielle St. Victor and Candace Johnson (Dance) led the seniors to victory. 

 The stands were packed as students, families, and teachers helped cheer on the girls.  This year there was a special dedication to Alexa Hinds who sadly passed away from cystic fibrosis in May.  She was a former Intramural Night and Sportsnite captain and we were all proud to honor her.  Intramural Night also showcased the captains for Sportsnite, the Mistress of Ceremony, and Song and Cheer. 

This was my first year taking part in Intramural Night.  I chose to do it since this is my last year at Baldwin Senior High School, and I am so happy with my decision.  I honestly had a great time and I look forward to doing Sportsnite.  I felt closer to my classmates and really experienced a sense of school spirit.  It took a lot of hard work attending each practice and perfecting each move, but it was all worth it to see the seniors win every event.  I have a newfound appreciation for the girls who have taken part in Intramural Night for the last 4 years because it shows how much they love their school and how much time they are willing to put in it to win.

Aerobics:

 1^st Place: Seniors

2^nd Place: Sophomores

3^rd Place: Juniors

4^th Place: Freshmen

Stunts:

1^st Place: Sophomores and Seniors

2^nd Place: Freshmen and Juniors

Dance:

1^st Place: Seniors

2^nd Place: Juniors

3^rd Place: Sophomores

4^th Place: Freshmen

Final Results:

1^st Place: Seniors

2^nd Place: Sophomores

3^rd Place: Freshmen and Juniors

Mistress of Ceremony:  Robyn Cascio

Song and Cheer: Joelle Dupiton, Kelsey Watkins, Amita Singh, and Karlee Yanantuono

Captains: Ciara Geraghty, Jackie Eriksen, Gianna Navarro, and Leiora Hughes

When the fourth quarter finally ended at the Homecoming game on October 21, the Bruins held their heads up high when they emerged from the field.  The final score was 48-20.  They had successfully defeated Port Washington on their home field at the “Friday Night Lights” game.   Many came out to support and cheer on the Bruins.  From students to teachers to parents, all were there to witness Bruins victory. 

Earlier that day at Baldwin High School, students in grades 9-12 were already in high spirits for the game.  For the annual Pep Rally, the gym was completely decorated with balloons and students were decked out in blue and gold.  The Pep Rally showcased the Baldwin Varsity Cheerleaders and Baldwin’s own Step Team.  Each sports team showed its skill and dedication in representing Baldwin.  The crowd in the stands couldn’t get enough! Even though this was the football team’s big day, all of the fall sports were recognized as well.  The teams included Cross-Country, Girls Varsity Tennis, Girl’s Varsity Soccer, Boy’s Varsity Soccer, Girl’s Varsity Field Hockey, and Girl’s Varsity Volleyball.  Baldwin Bruins pride was most evident when the Varsity Football team came out onto the floor.   The fun didn’t end there however.  The Baldwin Pep Band entertained the audience with songs, such as “Y.M.C.A” while MC’s, Myles Ojeikere, Zach Newton, and Nicole Markowitz kept Pep Rally moving and we were even surprised with an impromptu rapping by Myles Ojeikere. 

At the end the big announcement was made for Homecoming Court: Travis Finley (Homecoming King) and Ayanna Hudson (Homecoming Queen), Treyvon Mask (Homecoming Prince) and Rachel Fraser (Homecoming Princess),  Mylz Wilson (Homecoming Duke) and Suraya Cadet-Diaby (Homecoming Duchess),  Bakhatawar Khan (Homecoming Lord) and Symphoni Flowers (Homecoming Lady).  Students raved about the day. Senior Esohe Aibangbee, sister of Defensive Lineman, Osama Aibangbee, said “They have had a great season so far and I’m glad they defeated Port Washington at Homecoming.”  Since this was my final Homecoming I appreciated this one the most.  It made me truly appreciate Baldwin’s school spirit and I will miss that when I leave.  Congratulations Baldwin Bruins and I hope you continue to dominate this season!

Hello, my name is Janelle James, and I am proud to be the new “eyes and ears” of the Bruin Blog.

Do you ever wonder what’s been going on in Baldwin High School? What activities the students have been taking part in? Thinking of participating in a club, sport or activity yourself?  As my assignment in the Senior Internship class, every few weeks I will be covering some of the many events and faces that play an active part at Baldwin High School. 

The time is finally here for hot weather that makes your legs stick to your seat in class and your mind wander about the excitement the summer has in store. For seniors, however, it is much more. It is a time we will remember for the rest of our lives. We spent all year stressing about graduation, college and prom and now everything is being put into motion. 

As we send our final transcripts to the colleges we will be attending in the fall, it really hit me that I won't be coming back to this place I love so much. It is very strange watching the underclassmen talk about all the things they plan on doing in school next year. 

On the last day of classes, we will have our "Senior Day" in which all the seniors spend the day together signing yearbooks and counting down the final seconds in Baldwin High School. The Prom is set for June 23 at Russo's on the Bay, where we will see one another all dressed up and be together for one last fun event. Then on June 26, Graduation Day, we will say our goodbyes to high school and all the wonderful things it has taught us – and step into the next phase of our lives. My teachers, coaches and classmates really made Baldwin High School a place that I will miss. The memories of this time will last forever; from our last day of classes with our teachers to our final goodbyes with our fellow classmates.

I would like to thank my mentor Cristina Schmohl, my Senior Internship teacher Mr. Kelley and the District Office for affording me the opportunity to create this blog and explore my interest in Public Relations. This experience has shown me that I do have a love for writing and has guided me toward majoring in Communications when I attend The University of Scranton in the Fall. I hope this blog will continue to grow as more and more great things happen here in Baldwin High School.

When I walked into my classes today I saw a SMART Board in every room along with a teacher reading a manual trying to learn how to use it. Technology at our school has really taken off.

We promote "going green" and helping the environment and SMART Boards are just another way for teachers to save paper and provide students with new, fun ways of learning. Business teacher Mr. Kelley said "By incorporating SMART technology, students are more engaged because they are taking an active role in their education."

There are auditory learners, visual learners and people who learn best by using their hands. SMART Boards attend to all types of learners because it can show video and notes and students can actually go up and write on it like a chalk board! These interactive lessons will make learning more fun and will make students more interested in what they are learning! Teachers can say goodbye to dry hands from using chalk all day and hello to the new, "smarter" way of teaching.

Every classroom now has a SMART Board and the teachers are ready to learn how to apply the technology in the classroom. In my Calculus class we use the SMART Board every day, and without it, I do not think I would understand certain topics as well as I do now. As technology improves, so do our schools and consequently so will students' grades. You can check out how the SMART Boards work online at http://smarttech.com/us. I can't wait to see what they come out with next!

As a player on Baldwin High School’s Girls Varsity Basketball Team for four years – and team captain for the last two years – I can say that being a Bruin is very special.

This year, our team went undefeated in Conference and won the Nassau County Championship for the second year in a row, and the third time in Baldwin history. We went on the win the girls first Long Island Championship for our school and made it to the State Final Four. We were so inspired by our town’s and school's support. The fan turnout at the games was unbelievable. I remember stepping out on the court in the fourth quarter of the Long Island Championship and hearing the roar reach an ear-shattering level. Our one team was able to affect a whole town and really ignite that Bruin pride. The picture below was taken by me from inside the coach bus while Baldwin sent us off to States. The turnout was unbelievable.

Athletic Director Ed Ramirez said, "The girls basketball team had an amazing season.  They brought the school and community together with a feeling of pride and excitement! This special group of girls has changed the culture of girls athletics and have raised the bar of excellence." Our athletic department offers us so many opportunities to achieve our dreams. I have been on teams in this school that have lost every game and teams that have won every game but they all have provided me with the same insight:  they allowed me to be a Bruin. As a senior looking back on my high school experience, that is probably the most special connection I have had. It was only four months ago that the season started with just 13 girls and a love of basketball. Now the season is over but the legacy is left within the walls of Baldwin High School forever.