Forget waiting for your 10-year high school reunion to find former friends, there’s a new way to reconnect with past classmates. Janos Szablya, who graduated from Pullman High School in 1972, began the Pullman High School-Vintage Edition facebook page in order to reconnect with other alumni, and through networking discovered generations of post-grads.
The idea to create the page came about when a reunion photo was in the works for all former students who had been in the old building of Pullman High School. Although Szablya’s class size was not large, about 125 people, those coordinating the event found it difficult coming up with a way to get everyone involved, especially those that had been foreign exchange students, or locals that have since moved abroad.
“Without the university students Pullman has a very small community, when I went to high school everyone in the school knew everyone, your families all knew each other,” Szbalya said, “ Everyone was very much a part of everyone else’s lives, I felt that those who have moved away should still have the opportunity to be involved.”
Thus, Janos Szablya began a facebook page to spread the word about the photo opportunity. Szablya said he was surprised by the amount of people in his generation who were using the technology, and the sites’ membership number increased quickly. Now with 201 members, the facebook page has become a source for reconnecting, sharing, and supporting classmates ranging from the 1930s -1970s, Szablya said.
The page has eliminated the need for stashing old phone numbers in a shoebox, a method Szablya used up until he began the site, which is also the way he was able to contact the first members.
Most updates on the pages’ wall include general inquiries such as what became of a certain person or personal information posts, but recently support from old-friends to former student Gloria “Glo” Wiley, who has since died, have dominated the space. In her last days Szablya began frequently commenting on the site giving updates on Wiley’s health and inviting former friends to call or visit her in the hospital.
“The support and responses from others have been amazing,” Szablya said, “Gloria was very well liked in high school, and people do care.”
Another event included invitations to the former high school’s basketball coach Ray Hobbs’ 80th birthday party.
“A lot of people wouldn’t have made it to that party if I hadn’t written about the party, he died shortly after, and people were grateful I posted the information and that they were able to be there.” Thornton said.
But the older generations aren’t the only ones using facebook to stay connected with other classmates; the Pullman High School class of 2009 has a page as well. With posts concerning senior skip day and dates of departure for college, students of the 2009 class are a little less excited about finding peers online.
“Younger people already have their own pages and are pretty well connected, this was new for us.” Szablya said.
As for current students, Pullman High School has begun using the course management system Moodle to help keep students and teachers connected. Moodle is similar to Blackboard and Angel learning, used by WSU faculty and students, said Principal Joe Thornton of Pullman High School.
“With facebook, the faculty can’t manage it, there’s an upside and a downside to groups on facebook for students.” Thornton said.
Thornton said the upside to a facebook page for current students can be keeping connected with peers on school-based events, the downside being that students may tend to write inappropriate messages that are then associated with the school. Because negative messages may be conveyed outside of school, the school cannot take disciplinary action on the students who writes it, Thornton said.
“I’ve come across some pages with hateful language about other students or staff members, and it’s unfortunate.” Thornton said.
However, Szablya said he has opened the page to all alumni of Pullman High School, not only to include newer generations, but also to help connect the dots with former classmates’ families who may now be in high school.
“I have six brothers and sisters, and that’s the case for a lot of other families I knew, that’s almost 10 years of having siblings in high school, so the more generations I include, the more people I can ultimately reconnect with.” Szablya said..
Sources:
Janos Szablya: 484- 620-3360
Joe Thornton: 332-1551 ext. 202
Monday, November 30, 2009
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Trend Sources
Dr. Laurie Smith: 335-6388
Jamie Smart: 334-3411
Jon Downing: jd1101@wsu.edu
Erin King: erin_king@wsu.edu
Ericia: private, will give to Ben if needed.
Jamie Smart: 334-3411
Jon Downing: jd1101@wsu.edu
Erin King: erin_king@wsu.edu
Ericia: private, will give to Ben if needed.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Trend: Sexual Orientation: taboos in middle and high schools
Although grade schools in Pullman boast having progressive sexual education programs that promote abstinence and include contraception information, the cultural aspect is still lagging. In fact, there is an entire demographic that is almost completely ignored during the sex-education process, the gay community.
“We try and keep things very broad,” said Jamie Smart, the Healthy Living teacher at Lincoln Middle School, “There are so many different opinions about that topic, we tend to avoid any details.”.
Smart said if students ask specific questions concerning sexual orientation, she could legally answer them, but instead tries to keep neutral and simple about the matter. Most middle and high schools do not differ from Smart’s tactics, in some cases; sexual orientation is not allowed to be part of the curriculum.
Jon Downing, a member of the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender) community at Washington State University, went to high school in Coeur d’Alene. “My sex-education teacher was a lesbian, openly, and she still wasn’t allowed to discuss sexual orientation,” Downing said, “I’m sure if someone spoke to her in private, she would answer any questions, but I also know most people wouldn’t be comfortable asking questions like that in front of a class.”
The cultural aspect of sex-education among schools has a large impact on the comfort-level of student’s seeking information about sexual orientation and the gay community. According to the Washington state Department of Health’s guidelines for sex-education, the curriculum must be both age-appropriate and culturally appropriate. But what does this mean? And who decides what is culturally appropriate? Apparently, any topic considered to be “uncomfortable” by the community, can therefore be nixed from the curriculum. However, the guidelines also state that sexuality (including sexual orientation) may be included in sex-education courses. So who then, decides whether or not it is culturally appropriate to discuss sexual orientation?
In short, the teacher has the power to decide whether or not to give information about sexual orientation and same-sex relationships. Parents also have the right to preview any material that will be used during sex-education.
One WSU student, Ericia, worked on a project for a Women’s Studies class that involved handing out fliers or pamphlets containing resources for the gay community.
“Our target was people in high school, we wanted to give out fliers containing information about local resources for gay students” Ericia said, “We were basically brushed off by the staff, we were told that Pullman High School didn’t have any openly gay students, so the information was irrelevant.”
But, as most people will notice, just because a person is not openly gay or lesbian, does not mean they do not exist in the schools. This assumption could be considered dangerous, as it pertains to the social stigma that being gay is not normal and makes people uncomfortable, and therefore should not be discussed unless asked about. Suppressing information about sexual orientation to young students therefore reinforces student’s to feel uncomfortable about the subject, creating a non-sequitor of cause and effect. Students will not be open about their sexual orientation because there is lack of information about it, and there is lack of information about the gay community because no one is open about it.
Smart argues that the age of the students at the middle school also deters her from discussing sexual orientation. However, studies show that people in the gay community report having noticed a difference from other students as far as attraction as early as eight or nine years old.
“I may not have known I might be a lesbian at the time, but I recognized that I didn’t have crushes on all the boys my friends did, and I just didn’t make that connection,” Ericia said, “If schools got the information out about sexual orientation earlier, the earlier people in that community could recognize, accept, and adjust personally, that goes for people who are gay and straight.”
Dr. Laurie Smith, a psychologist who teaches at WSU said there is around a 10 year gap between people recognizing they may be gay, and actually coming out to friends and family, which is usually in late adolescence or early adulthood. “Information about sexual orientation should be both discussed and encouraged earlier, sexuality is a big part of human development, it’s an uncomfortable topic because we are told it makes people uncomfortable, but the younger you teach diversity, the younger that will fade.” Smith said.
Smart also argues that the sex-education process tries to stick to technicalities, biology/anatomy, abstinence, and contraception being its biggest staple points. But even in its most technical aspect, same-sex relationships have just a great of risk of spreading STDs as opposite-sex relationships.
“I never heard about Dental Dam’s in High School, we learned about contraception, but for anyone who was a lesbian, it was like, ‘we don’t need contraception, no condoms, no pregnancy’, when lesbians can just as easily spread STDs.” WSU student Erin King said.
Overall, Dr. Smith suggests a well in-depth sex-education program is best suited for students, including sexuality, relationships, and anatomy/biology of sex.
“We all know that abstinence- only programs don’t work, never have, sexual orientation is just another aspect that needs to be examined and included in sex-education” Smith said
“We try and keep things very broad,” said Jamie Smart, the Healthy Living teacher at Lincoln Middle School, “There are so many different opinions about that topic, we tend to avoid any details.”.
Smart said if students ask specific questions concerning sexual orientation, she could legally answer them, but instead tries to keep neutral and simple about the matter. Most middle and high schools do not differ from Smart’s tactics, in some cases; sexual orientation is not allowed to be part of the curriculum.
Jon Downing, a member of the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender) community at Washington State University, went to high school in Coeur d’Alene. “My sex-education teacher was a lesbian, openly, and she still wasn’t allowed to discuss sexual orientation,” Downing said, “I’m sure if someone spoke to her in private, she would answer any questions, but I also know most people wouldn’t be comfortable asking questions like that in front of a class.”
The cultural aspect of sex-education among schools has a large impact on the comfort-level of student’s seeking information about sexual orientation and the gay community. According to the Washington state Department of Health’s guidelines for sex-education, the curriculum must be both age-appropriate and culturally appropriate. But what does this mean? And who decides what is culturally appropriate? Apparently, any topic considered to be “uncomfortable” by the community, can therefore be nixed from the curriculum. However, the guidelines also state that sexuality (including sexual orientation) may be included in sex-education courses. So who then, decides whether or not it is culturally appropriate to discuss sexual orientation?
In short, the teacher has the power to decide whether or not to give information about sexual orientation and same-sex relationships. Parents also have the right to preview any material that will be used during sex-education.
One WSU student, Ericia, worked on a project for a Women’s Studies class that involved handing out fliers or pamphlets containing resources for the gay community.
“Our target was people in high school, we wanted to give out fliers containing information about local resources for gay students” Ericia said, “We were basically brushed off by the staff, we were told that Pullman High School didn’t have any openly gay students, so the information was irrelevant.”
But, as most people will notice, just because a person is not openly gay or lesbian, does not mean they do not exist in the schools. This assumption could be considered dangerous, as it pertains to the social stigma that being gay is not normal and makes people uncomfortable, and therefore should not be discussed unless asked about. Suppressing information about sexual orientation to young students therefore reinforces student’s to feel uncomfortable about the subject, creating a non-sequitor of cause and effect. Students will not be open about their sexual orientation because there is lack of information about it, and there is lack of information about the gay community because no one is open about it.
Smart argues that the age of the students at the middle school also deters her from discussing sexual orientation. However, studies show that people in the gay community report having noticed a difference from other students as far as attraction as early as eight or nine years old.
“I may not have known I might be a lesbian at the time, but I recognized that I didn’t have crushes on all the boys my friends did, and I just didn’t make that connection,” Ericia said, “If schools got the information out about sexual orientation earlier, the earlier people in that community could recognize, accept, and adjust personally, that goes for people who are gay and straight.”
Dr. Laurie Smith, a psychologist who teaches at WSU said there is around a 10 year gap between people recognizing they may be gay, and actually coming out to friends and family, which is usually in late adolescence or early adulthood. “Information about sexual orientation should be both discussed and encouraged earlier, sexuality is a big part of human development, it’s an uncomfortable topic because we are told it makes people uncomfortable, but the younger you teach diversity, the younger that will fade.” Smith said.
Smart also argues that the sex-education process tries to stick to technicalities, biology/anatomy, abstinence, and contraception being its biggest staple points. But even in its most technical aspect, same-sex relationships have just a great of risk of spreading STDs as opposite-sex relationships.
“I never heard about Dental Dam’s in High School, we learned about contraception, but for anyone who was a lesbian, it was like, ‘we don’t need contraception, no condoms, no pregnancy’, when lesbians can just as easily spread STDs.” WSU student Erin King said.
Overall, Dr. Smith suggests a well in-depth sex-education program is best suited for students, including sexuality, relationships, and anatomy/biology of sex.
“We all know that abstinence- only programs don’t work, never have, sexual orientation is just another aspect that needs to be examined and included in sex-education” Smith said
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Math...
1. $7,885
2. 83%
3. mean: $67,500 Median: $40,000 neither
4. I have to ask my dad :)
5.25%
b. 25%
6. 10%
7. Median $207,000 Mean:
8. I would get 4 slices, everyone else gets three.
9.Pullman,
10. $150,000
2. 83%
3. mean: $67,500 Median: $40,000 neither
4. I have to ask my dad :)
5.25%
b. 25%
6. 10%
7. Median $207,000 Mean:
8. I would get 4 slices, everyone else gets three.
9.Pullman,
10. $150,000
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