WestChesterBuzz.com

Hundreds of band students celebrated at an assembly in Lakota West’s gym Monday, April 9, 2012. The assembly was held to celebrate the band's accomplishment of being invited to perform at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2013. Photo taken by Cara Owsley.

Michael D. Clark reports

It’s another first for the famed Marching Firebirds of Lakota West High School, as officials today surprised band members with an invite to perform on national TV in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

The student band will march on Thanksgiving Day 2013 in New York City as a television of millions look on.

The honor – a 150 high school bands across America applied and only 11 were invited – is the latest prestigious gig for the acclaimed Butler County band program.

“Lakota West is one of the finest band programs in the country,” said Wesley Whatley, creative director of the Macy’s Parade, as he warmed up a crowd of hundreds of band students called to an assembly in Lakota West’s gym.

His announcement that the band earned their way on to the parade list unleashed screams of surprise and joy, followed by loud applause and the release of colorful confetti.

“You’ll be representing the school system, the city (Cincinnati) and this state in the parade. There will be more than 3 million spectators and over 50 million people watching on national TV,” said Whatley.

Greg Snyder, director of the 280-member band, said “it’s an awesome day!”

Tania Newbolt and other 8th grade students play in confetti after hearing that the marching Firebirds of Lakota West High School is one of only 11 high school bands in the U.S. to earn a performance in the 2013 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Photo taken April 9, 2012, by Cara Owsley.

Lakota’s band programs are no strangers to the national spotlight.

In 2008, Lakota West’s band was the first from Southwest Ohio to perform in the Rose Parade on New Year’s Day in California before a global television audience of 40 million.

Later that year, the Lakota East High School band performed during parades and memorial services in Hawaii marking the anniversary of the World War II attack on Pearl Harbor.

Lakota’s music programs and its wide travels have attracted fund-raising support and special public performances in its schools by both the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and the Cincinnati Ballet.

And in December, Lakota West’s band earned kudos from music directors from around the world during its performance at the internationally attended Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago. Only five high schools nationally are invited each year to perform there, and it was Lakota West’s third appearance since 2000.

The parade on Thanksgiving Day has been a tradition in New York City since 1924. In recent years it has grown in size and scale. The parade marches along a more than 2-mile route with more than 8,000 participants in tow including Macy’s employees, their families, celebrities, athletes, clowns and dance groups spreading holiday cheer. The event also features parade floats and Macy’s signature giant helium character balloons, but the parade’s musical heart, said officials, comes from its high school and college marching bands.

Lakota West band members were joined in the audience by band students in grades 7-9, who between now and fall 2013 can earn their way on to the performing squad through their musical expertise.

Tania Newbort plays flute for her 8th grade band and she traded shouts and handfuls of tossed confetti with her band mates at the news.

“I’ve always wanted to go to New York City and now I think I’ll enjoy being in band even more,” she said.

Posted in: News, Schools, Student achievements |

Tags: Tags: Lakota West, Lakota West band, Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade 2013, Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Lakota West band

Eagle Robotics, Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy’s first high school robotics team, advanced to a national competition after competing in the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Boilermaker Regional Robotics competition at Purdue University in mid-March.

Eagle Robotics, Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy’s first high school robotics team, celebrates after advancing to a national competition. Photo provided.

At the competition, CHCA’s robotics team competed against 40 high schools from Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Wisconsin. Local residents on CHCA’s robotics team include Edie Alexander and Gabe Sequiera, both of West Chester Township, and Kevin DeGroft of Liberty Township.

The national competition will take place in St. Louis April 25.

Meanwhile, the Lakota Robotics team 1038 and their 120-pound robot will compete in Queen City Regional Robotics event at the Cintas Center this Friday and Saturday.

The event, sponsored by FIRST, is free and will showcase 53 high school teams from the United States, Brazil and Canada.

Team 1038 is represented by students from Lakota East, Lakota West and Loveland High School. For more information, visit www.lakotarobotics.com.

Posted in: Schools, Student achievements |

Tags: Tags: Boilermaker Regional Robotics competition, Cintas Center, FIRST, For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology, Lakota Robotics team, Lakota Robotics team 1038, Queen City Regional Robotics

Lakota East High School’s 21-member Eastside Jazz Ensemble was selected to participate in the Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition and Festival May 4-6 at the Lincoln Center in New York. Provided photo.

Sue Kiesewetter reports

The Eastside Jazz Ensemble is headed to New York City to participate in the Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition and Festival at the Lincoln Center.

Lakota East’s 21-member ensemble was one of only 15 high school finalists – and the only Ohio group – selected for the May 4-6 festival in New York City. Selection was based on a three-song CD the students recorded last December.

“I’m extremely excited. It’s an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play in the Lincoln Center and get world class instruction with jazz greats,” said senior Aaron Todahl.

“We’ll be exposed to the world’s best jazz,” added Brendan Todahl, Aaron’s twin brother, who is also making the trip.

For the last three months Brendan and Aaron have played and listened to Duke Ellington’s music almost exclusively at their West Chester Township home.

“I’m excited, but not intimidated. Getting to play in front of the jazz greats is really awesome and I’m looking forward to it,” Brendan Todahl.

This was the first time jazz director Todd Hartman applied to be part of the festival, which includes workshops, jam sessions, rehearsals and performances at the House of Swing at the Lincoln Center’s Frederick P. Rose Hall.

The students began listening to Duke Ellington’s music in October, got the music they would record in mid-November and then recorded the competition CD in December.

“We pretty much had it in our heads before we got the music,” said senior Kyle Vanden Eynden.

“This is like the Super Bowl of high school jazz festivals,’’ Hartman said. “It’s one of the most selective jazz festivals in the country. It’s a huge honor for our kids and we’re really proud.’’

This is Vanden Eynden’s first trip to New York. In preparation, the Liberty Township teen said there have been extra practice sessions for each section of musicians, by instrument. (more…)

Posted in: Schools, Student achievements |

Tags: Tags: Eastside Jazz Ensemble, Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition and Festival, Lakota East, Lakota East jazz band, Lakota East jazz bands, Lakota East music program, Lakota Eastside Jazz Ensemble, Lincoln Center

To let West Chester and Liberty Township residents catch up with the news that they need to know, WestChesterBuzz.com will list and link to all of last week’s top local stories every Monday. (Stories are listed in order of date)

Lakota schools’ budget ax falls – The Lakota school board approved just more than $10.5 million in budget cuts for next school year at its meeting last Monday. Overall the school district will cut 141 teaching, classroom specialist, school nurse and school staff positions, in addition to nine school and central office administrators, according to The Enquirer.

Kay Rogers pleads to keep her savings – Former Butler County Auditor Kay Rogers’s attorney asked a federal judge to intervene last Monday to stop federal prosecutors from following through with the garnishment of about $250,000 in retirement savings, according to The Enquirer. According to her attorney, without her savings she will be “unable to support her family” upon her release.

Parents worry about Lakota’s future – The Enquirer’s education reporter Michael D. Clark wrote a story about the parents and their concerns after the Lakota school board made roughly $10.5 in cuts last Monday.

Lakota freshman visits spring training as MLB.com writer – An exceptionally gifted writer from Lakota West Freshman School in West Chester visited spring training sites last week and interviewed dozens of baseball players for MLB.com.

Lakota East students make video to stop cyber bullying – Lakota East and Butler Tech digital media arts students are participating in The Great American NO BULL Challenge in order to fight and bring awareness to cyber bullying. The NO BULL Challenge is a video contest where teens create a two-to-five minute video on how to combat cyber bullying. The local students’ solution is simple – “Post Positive.”

Lakota West grad Matt Klinker retires from pro baseball – After bouncing between the Cincinnati Reds’ AAA and AA minor league teams for the past three seasons, West Chester native Matt Klinker has decided to retire from the game of baseball and is currently training to become a salesman for Pipe Products.

NoLakota spokesman booted after controversial blog post – A blog posted by Rich Hoffman, who up until last week was the spokesman for the anti-school tax levy group NoLakota, went viral and offended many community members. In the post, Hoffman was very descriptive on his opinion of Lakota mothers, who he referred to as “prostitutes.” After The Enquirer featured the post’s content in a separate article, Hoffman was banned from further association with NoLakota. Hoffman has since responded to The Enquirer article on his blog Overmanwarrior’s Wisdom.

Local businesswoman Liz Rogers in the news again – Liberty Township resident Liz Rogers was in and out of the news this past week after she surrendered to authorities on a warrant related to a debt. Later in the week, she would pay off the debt and criticized the media. Rogers’ financial situation has become newsworthy after the city of Cincinnati decided to give her and her husband nearly $1 million in funds to open a soul food restaurant at The Banks.

Lakota West community mourns the loss of a student -A Lakota West junior died and four other students were injured in an automobile crash Friday night. Ezekiel “Zeke” Stepaniak of Liberty Township was the junior who died. Lakota West sophomore Ashley Stacy, 16, was treated for serious injuries at Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton. According to the school district, her condition has improved. The school district is making counselors available this week at both Lakota West High School and Lakota West Freshman School.

Posted in: Board of Education, Crime, Levy news, News, Schools, Sports, Student achievements |

Tags: Tags: Ashley Stacy, Butler County Auditor, Butler County crime, Butler Tech, Cameron Winters, Cincinnati Reds, Cincinnati Reds baseball, Cincinnati Reds spring training, crime, Cyber Bullying, cyber bullying Butler Tech, cyber bullying Lakota East, Dynus, Jim Smith, Kay Rogers, Lakota, Lakota athletic cuts, Lakota cuts, Lakota East, Lakota elementary cuts, Lakota high school cuts, Lakota junior high cuts, Lakota Local Schools, Lakota preschool, Lakota preschool cuts, Lakota preschool program, Lakota reductions, Lakota school levy, Lakota West, Lakota West baseball, Lakota West sports, Lakota West student death, Liberty Township business news, Liberty Township crime, liz rogers, Liz Rogers Liberty Township, mahogany's bar and grill, mahogany's bar and grill banks, Matt Klinker, Matt Klinker Cincinnati Reds, Matt Klinker retires, Meggie Zahneis, Nathan Phu, NO BULL Challenge video contest, No Lakota, No Lakota levy, NoLakota, NoLakota Levy, Rich Hoffman, Sandra Beckwith, the banks, the banks Cincinnati, The Great American NO BULL Challenge, u.s. district judge sandra beckwith, West Chester crime, Zeke Stepaniak

Contest details

Lakota East and Butler Tech digital media arts students are participating in The Great American NO BULL Challenge in order to fight and bring awareness to cyber bullying.

The NO BULL Challenge is a video contest where teens create a two-to-five minute video on how to combat cyber bullying. The local students’ solution is simple – “Post Positive.”

Currently the video is one of more than 150 submitted in the challenge. Creators of the 15 top videos will be invited to the NO BULL Teen Video Awards in San Francisco.

People can vote for the local students’ video by visiting the “Post Positive” webpage on the NO BULL Challenge’s website. Voters can only vote for one video once a day. The voting period will begin April 1st.

Posted in: News, Schools, Student achievements |

Tags: Tags: Butler Tech, Cyber Bullying, cyber bullying Butler Tech, cyber bullying Lakota East, Lakota East, NO BULL Challenge video contest, The Great American NO BULL Challenge

Meggie Zahneis, 15, shows off her media credentials in Goodyear, Ariz., at the Cincinnati Reds Spring Training Complex March 9, 2012. Photo taken by Michael E. Keating.

Unlike other journalists during spring training, players and managers alike are happy to see MLB.com’s newest reporter. She is always greeted with a smile and in the case of Cincinnati Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips the Lakota West freshman is even greeted with a kiss.

Their relationship began in December when Phillips visited the Lakota West Freshman Campus. He was there, along with Sharon Robinson (Jackie Robinson’s daughter) and Reds COO Phil Castellni, to honor Meggie Zahneis as she was named a youth reporter for Major League Baseball.

The 4-foot-11 Maggie Zahneis was considerably shorter than 6-foot-11 Andrew Brackman, who is a former Lakota elementary student and Moeller graduate now with the Reds. Brackman was one of the many players Zahneis interviewed for MLB.com during spring training. Photo by Michael E. Keating.

Zahneis received the honor after her grand-prize winning essay from the 2011 MLB Breaking Barriers’ essay contest fell into the hands of MLB Commissioner Bud Selig.

Her essay: “I’ve had to endure one health issue after another, and it certainly hasn’t been easy. I’m often socially shunned, and as I grow older and prepare to enter high school, this issue has become more and more prevalent.

“I know what it’s like to be different from everyone else around you, to overcome obstacles, to confront adversity. It may not be on the baseball field, but I face many of the same social and emotional barriers that Jackie Robinson did … Everyday, I try to make a conscious commitment to focus on the things I can do, and not the ones I can’t. I like to think I have the determination to forge forward with my strengths and use them to the advantage of not only myself, but of other kids with special needs. It’s my dream that someday, just like Mr. Robinson paved the way for African-Americans to play baseball, I can pave the way, through my writing, for other kids with special needs.”

Just prior to the December ceremony at the Lakota school, Castellni said he had spoken to people in Selig’s office and they claimed to “have never seen him more moved from anyone’s individual story like this one.”

Her story is quite remarkable. Zahneis, who was born with the rare disorder called HSAN II (Hereditary Sensory and Autonomic Neuropathy, type 2), has had to undergo countless surgeries in her 15 years of life and also has inability to feel pain, temperature and touch the same way as the rest of us.

Those disabilities, along with being completely deaf without the aid of her cochlear implants, have not stopped Zahneis from her accomplishing her dream of becoming a sports journalist.

“Writing has long been a dream of mine,” Zahneis said. “I wasn’t quite sure about it because it is so hard to get a job in that field, but I wrote the essay and I didn’t think anything would come of it … but I won and here I am.” (more…)

Posted in: News, Schools, Sports, Student achievements |

Tags: Tags: Andrew Brackman, Brandon Phillips, Breaking Barriers, Brett Tomko, Bud Selig, Cincinnati Reds, Cincinnati Reds West Chester, Hereditary Sensory and Autonomic Neuropathy, HSAN II, Lakota West, Lakota West Freshman Campus, Lakota West sports, Manny Acta, Matt LaPorta, Meggie Zahneis, MLB Breaking Barrier's contest. Major League Baseball Breaking Barrier's contest, MLB Commissioner Bud Selig, Phil Castellini, West Chester photos

The Lakota East High School Eastside Jazz Ensemble was recently selected as one of only fifteen high school jazz bands invited to participate in the Essentially Ellington Festival in New York City this May.

As part of the festival and competition, the Lakota East jazz band will perform at NYC’s Lincoln Center May 4-6.

The Eastside Jazz Ensemble, under the direction of Todd Hartmann, was selected through CD audition from among 111 high school jazz bands.

“The Essentially Ellington Festival is the top high school jazz festival in the country, if not the world. It is the Super Bowl of jazz festivals.” Hartmann said.

Lakota East is the only Ohio high school selected to participate and one of only two high schools in the Midwest to receive this honor.

The Lakota East band programs are supported through funds raised by the Lakota East Upbeat Club.

Posted in: Events, School events, Schools, Student achievements |

Tags: Tags: Essentially Ellington Festival, Essentially Ellington Festival in New York City, jazz band, Lakota East, Lakota East Band, Lakota East jazz band, Todd Hartmann

Two Mars Hill Academy seniors, Andy Giese of West Chester and Esther Cunningham of Liberty Township, recently achieved finalist status in the National Merit Scholar program.

Giese and Cunningham had been named semi-finalists in the fall due to their qualifying scores on the Preliminary Scholastic Achievement Test. To become a finalist, a semi-finalist must have an outstanding academic record throughout high school, be endorsed and recommended by the high school principal and earn SAT scores that confirm the student’s earlier performance on the qualifying PSAT.

Earlier this month, Lakota West and Lakota East high schools announced its National Merit Finalists. Receiving the honor from Lakota West included seniors Johanna Blake, Sophia Cramer, Kayla McGinnis and Adam Williams. Meanwhile, Dwight Hu, Whitney Wyckoff and Laura Moak received the honor from Lakota East.

Lakota East also had a 2012 National Achievement Award winner in Michael Dudley through this same competition.

Approximately 1.5 million juniors representing 22,000 high schools nationwide take the PSAT each year; less than 4 percent of these students receive recognition as either semi-finalists or commended students. Semi-finalists represent less than 1 percent of seniors nationwide.

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation is now in the process of selecting the winners for 8,400 Merit Scholarships that will be awarded beginning in March.

Posted in: Schools, Student achievements |

Tags: Tags: Adam Williams, Andy Giese, Dwight Hu, Esther Cunningham, Johanna Blake, Kayla McGinnis, Lakota East, Lakota East National Achievement Award, Lakota East National Merit Finalists, Lakota West, Lakota West National Merit Finalists, Lakota West student achievements, Laura Moak, Mars Hill Academy, Mars Hill Academy Mason, Michael Dudley, National Achievement Award, National Merit Finalists, National Merit Scholarship Program, National Merit Semi-Finalists, Preliminary Scholastic Achievement Test, Sophia Cramer, Whitney Wyckoff

To let West Chester and Liberty Township residents catch up with the news that they need to know, WestChesterBuzz.com will list and link to all of last week’s top local stories every Monday morning. (Stories are listed in order of date – due to a short-handed staff, there will not be a “Last week in West Chester” post next Monday)

House Speaker John Boehner talks jobs at Hamilton plant: U.S. House Speaker John Boehner visited ThyssenKrupp Bilstein of America in Hamilton last Monday morning and called on President Obama to work closer with republicans to revive the economy faster. Acknowledging the nation’s ebbing jobless rate, which dropped to 8.3 percent in January compared to 8.5 percent in December, Boehner said the recovery should be further along.

Rick Santorum wins local Tea Party straw poll: Mitt Romney may have won the Nevada caucus and recent primaries in Florida, South Carolina and New Hampshire, but he finished third in the Liberty Township Tea Party straw poll last Monday night. Ironically, Santorum went on to win caucuses in Minnesota and Colorado, as well as a nonbinding primary in Missouri the following night.

Lakota high schools announce National Merit Finalists: Lakota West and Lakota East announced early last week its National Merit Finalists. Receiving the honor from Lakota West High School included seniors Johanna Blake, Sophia Cramer, Kayla McGinnis and Adam Williams. Meanwhile, Dwight Hu, Whitney Wyckoff and Laura Moak received the honor from Lakota East High School.

Firebirds pull away late to defeat Lakota East: After losing by the score of 74-34 to Lakota East last season, Lakota West has defeated its school district rival twice this winter in two closely contested basketball games. The latest victory for the Firebirds took place last Tuesday night when they outscored Lakota East 30-17 in the second half en route to a 57-46 win.

West Chester firms to cut 375 jobs: Nearly 400 workers in West Chester will lose jobs later this year as result of termination notices filed with the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. Liz Claiborne Inc. confirmed an announcement last year that it will shut its distribution center at 8741 Jacquemin Drive by Sept. 1, eliminating 365 jobs. Separately, Schneider Logistics Inc. said it would eliminate 10 positions by the end of March.

Butler-Warren Road widening project to begin this month: The widening of Butler-Warren Road should ease congestion for thousands of motorists in southeast Butler County and southwest Warren County by year’s end. Plans call for a 2.2-mile stretch of the road between Tylersville and Liberty Way/Mason roads to be widened from two to five lanes at a cost of almost $10 million. County Engineers announced last Wednesday the project would begin Feb. 27.

Butler County Commission candidates participate in forum: Candidates in the Butler County Commission and Butler County Clerk of Courts races participated in a voting forum at the Lakota West Freshman Campus in West Chester last Thursday night. The event attracted a good crowd and featured Republican primary commission candidates including current county Commissioner Chuck Furmon, state Rep. Courtney Combs and political newcomer T.C. Rogers. Also taking the stage in the commission race forum was Democrat Jodi Billerman and Libertarian Daryl R. Olthaus. Both, Billerman and Olthaus, will run in November against the winner of the Republican primary March 6.

Goodcents Deli Fresh Subs opens in West Chester: Goodcents Deli Fresh Subs will open its first Ohio restaurant at 10 a.m. Friday in West Chester. The restaurant, which will be open regularly from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Sunday, is located at 9216 Allen Road in the former Tazza Mia Café off Union Centre Boulevard. The sub chain, which has 96 locations in nine states, prides itself on its freshly baked bread, sliced-to-order meats, healthy food options and inexpensive catering.

Posted in: Business, Election, Events, Government, News, Political events, Schools, Sports, Student achievements, Tea Party, Winter Sports |

Tags: Tags: Butler County Board of Elections, Butler County Commissioner electiion, Butler County Commissioner primary, Butler County Commissioners, Elaine Herrick, Goodcents Cincinnati, Goodcents Deli Fresh Subs, Goodcents Deli Fresh Subs Cincinnati, Goodcents Deli Fresh Subs West Chester, Goodcents West Chester, John Boehner, John Boehner Cincinnati, John Boehner photos, John Boehner West Chester, Ken Korn, Lakota East, Lakota East basketball, Lakota East Sports, Lakota West, Lakota West basketball, Lakota West sports, Last week in West Chester, Liberty Township Tea Party, Plan for America’s Job Creators, Super Tuesday Ohio, ThyssenKrupp Bilstein of America, ThyssenKrupp Bilstein of America Hamilton plant, VanGorden Elemenatry School, West Chester Tea Party

Lakota East High School’s mock trial team, coached by attorney Ian James Stegmaier and Lakota East faculty advisor Dean Hume, competed in the district competition Feb. 3.

The trial took place at the Butler County Common Pleas Court in Hamilton. One team competed in Judge Keith Spaeth’s court and one in Judge Charles L. Pater’s court.

The team is pictured above front row (left-to-right) – Emily Chou, Shivang Patel, Sophia Li, Hannah Lee, Devin Casey and Sean Lewis. Back row (left-to-right) – Faculty Adviser Dean Hume, Tommy Behan, Nikki Kaine, Elaine Laux and Attorney Ian James Stegmaier.

Posted in: Schools, Student achievements |

Tags: Tags: Dean Hume, Devin Casey, Elaine Laux, Emily Chou, Hannah Lee, Ian James Stegmaier, Judge Charles L. Pater, Judge Keith Spaeth, Lakota East, Nikki Kaine, Sean Lewis, Shivang Patel, Sophia Li, Tommy Behan