Manny Scott (front row, center), a Freedom Writer, spoke to York Suburban High School students. He is shown with the students in Marcella Oathout’s English classes.

York Suburban High School teacher Marcella Oathout’s class project turned into a book.

“During a diversity committee meeting, several teachers, including me, and administrators were exploring ideas to showcase how our student body has changed,” she explained.

” In addition, we wanted to provide the school and students with a sense that sometimes our stereotypes and judgments are not what we think they are – most often they are false.  As a result, I volunteered to begin a writing project with my students,” she adds.

Mrs. Oathout developed the “Tell Your Story” project, and from there students began the process of creating journals.  The students viewed clips from several films about judgment and false stereotypes, and then they were introduced to a clip from the Freedom Writers.

“This film clip inspired my students to write and share things they never had before,” the teacher noted.  “They took a project that was not graded and turned it into something amazing:  a way willingly to share their stories, and their lives, with others.  Part of the way into the project we were contacted by Leadership York.  I and several other teachers participated in the Leadership for Diverse Schools program during the 2011-2012 academic year.”

The Women’s Giving Circle was offering a $1,000 grant to schools implementing diversity activities into their district, “and Leadership York thought we may be interested in applying.  I wrote a description of several activities.”  The Women’s Giving Circle offered the class a grant with the stipulation that all of the grant funding would be used for the Tell Your Story project and publishing the text.

The end result is the “In Our Own Words” book that was distributed to each of the students who participated, as well as to the high school staff and school board.  “We are hoping to continue this valuable project in years to come, and I am currently exploring other grant opportunities for future volumes of the text,” Marcella Oathout said.

In a partnership with the Spring Garden Township Police Department, the York Suburban High School is providing work space in an office for a police officer.

High School Principal Brian Ellis said the “Office for an Officer” is not costing the district any money, but is providing an occasional presence of a policeman in the school.

The benefit to the police officer patrolling the township is that he does not have to return to the police station to make phone calls or fill out paperwork, but can pull into a designated parking spot in front of the school, enter the building, and go to the office.

The principal wrote:  “The administration is excited about this program and the opportunity to work more closely with the police department to ensure a safe and secure learning environment for students.”

Nathan Krebs is welcomed to the U.S. Army All-American Marching Band. (From left) SFC Joshua Shearer; Matthew Husler, York Suburban Band Director; Nathan Krebs; and SSgt. Derek Maiava.

Nathan Krebs, a senior at York Suburban High School, has been selected to be a member of the U.S. Army All-American Marching Band.  He is one of only 125 high school musicians from across the United States selected for this honor.

A trombonist and co-drum major of the York Suburban Marching Knights, Nathan was officially notified of this outstanding achievement at a formal announcement in the auditorium of York Suburban High School on Tuesday, October 8.

On hand for the ceremony were representatives from the U.S. Army; the All-American Marching Band; York Suburban School District Superintendent Dr. Kate Orban; York Suburban High School Principal Brian Ellis; York Suburban Band Director Matthew Husler; members of the band and orchestra programs at York Suburban; and Nathan’s family and guests.

Nathan is the son of Martin and Melinda Krebs.

As a member of the U.S. Army All-American Band, Nathan will be performing at the All-America Bowl at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, on Saturday, January 4, 2014.

Mark your calendars!

The Annual CTC Community Variety Show will take place on November 23 at 7 p.m. at York Suburban High School.

Ticket information will be available at www.ysctc.org at the end of October.