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The Colonel Chronicles is Strong Vincent's student-generated newspaper. The name was suggested and voted on by newspaper staff. Each article is credited to its author or authors. The topics were picked by students, as well. The student staff of the Colonel Chronicles are also responsible for editing their work. Mrs. Godzwa and Mrs. Fisher support the students that staff the newspaper and would like to thank them for all of their hard work on the first issue! A special thanks to Ethan Pena, the Publisher of the December issue of the Colonel Chronicles.

Look for the next issue of the Colonel Chronicles when we return to school in 2022!

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 Strong Vincent School History by Samantha Brown

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 Strong Vincent School History by Samantha Brown

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Every school has a history, and some of it can be quite interesting.  Our school. Strong Vincent has a lot of history that goes back to the 1930s when it was a private school and the first one on the west side. As you read on, you will learn about who Vincent was, why the school was named after him, and what was the school area like back then.

Strong Vincent was a lawyer who became famous as a U.S. Army officer during the American Civil War. He was mortally wounded while leading his brigade during the fighting at the Little Round Top.  He died five days later. He was born on June 17,1837 in Waterford, PA, and he died on July 7, 1863 in Gettysburg, PA. He is buried in the Erie Cemetery.

Our large public school that has housed high schoolers and middle school students, was named after General Strong Vincent because he commanded Erie’s regiment in the Civil War.  This incredible picture shows how undeveloped the area was at the time. All the property North of West 8th street was owned by Charles Hamot Strong; it’s a neat coincidence that Vincent was built on the Strong estate. The Bayfront highway follows the path of the old railroad tracks on the right side of the photo . The intersection near the upper right hand corner of the school is 8th and Weschler, Reed Manufacturing is across the street from the school, one block to the west.  This is a brief history of our school, and Brigadier General Strong Vincent.

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Actress Enjoy more fun historical facts and photos of Erie, Pennsylvania at Strong Vincent High School, at 1330 West 8th St. in Erie, PA, was built in 1930. This incredible aerial photograph shows how undeveloped and the area was. At one time all of the property north of West 8th Street that is visible in this picture was owned by Charles Hamot Strong. It's a neat coincidence that Strong Vincent was built on the Strong estate. C. H. Strong was a very shrewd businessman; he was president of the Erie & Pittsburgh Railroad Company in 1908, owned the Erie Dispatch newspaper and held an interest in many other ventures.
Ann B. Davis graduated from Strong Vincent, as did Tom Lawless. Lawless played professional baseball for eight seasons, 1982 to 1990, for the Cincinnati Reds, the Expos, the Cardinals and the Blue Jays.
The Bayfront Highway follows the path of the old railroad tracks on the right side of this photo. The intersection near the upper right hand corner of the high school is 8th and Weschler. Reed Manufacturing is across the street from the school, a block to the west.
Old Time Erie

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Actress Enjoy more fun historical facts and photos of Erie, Pennsylvania at Strong Vincent High School, at 1330 West 8th St. in Erie, PA, was built in 1930. This incredible aerial photograph shows how undeveloped and the area was.

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Current Events:  A Tragedy by Almina Klino

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Current Events:  A Tragedy by Almina Klino

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November 30, 2021, was when it all happened. It was a day of great loss for Oxford High School in Oxford Township, Michigan. But, the issues started four days earlier. On November 26, 2021, Ethan Crumbley received a handgun from his father, James Crumbley, as an early Christmas present. The next day Ethan and his mother, Jennifer, were out in a shooting range where he got to try out his present.

On November 29, a school teacher witnessed Ethan searching ammunition on his cell phone and with that they reported it to school officials. The school authorities contacted Ethan’s mother through email and voicemail about his concerning behavior. His mother didn’t respond to the school right away instead she texted her son saying “LOL I’m not mad. You have to learn not to get caught.” Later that night Ethan recorded himself in a video discussing how he would kill students at his school one day.

The day of, Ethan was at school when he was caught by yet another teacher with a notebook filled with drawings of a person bleeding out with two gunshot wounds. More drawings of guns and blood were found. There were also disturbing words that go along the lines of “ The thoughts won’t stop. Help me.” and  “ Blood everywhere.” Along with a picture of a laughing emoji with a note that states, “ My life is useless” and “ the world is dead.” Around 10 am, his parents were called in for an important meeting regarding his notebook and concerning behavior.  During the time of the meeting, Ethan was questioned and observed by many school counselors. He then talked about his concern about missing homework and other assignments, which  doesn’t explain his dark drawings and comments. After further questioning, the counselors didn’t believe that he would harm others or himself.  When the meeting with parents, principal, and other teachers was over, James and Jennifer were asked to put their son into counseling within 48 hours or child protective services would be called.  The parents refused the request and left for work leaving Ethan at school.

Around 12:50 pm, Ethan went to the restroom with a book bag that carried the weapon. Moments later he came out with the handgun and started firing shots at people in the hallway. He managed to kill four students and wound six including one teacher. The school went into lock-down and contacted the Oakland County Sheriff's office regarding the gunshots. The four victims that were killed are, Hana St. Juliana - 14 year old, Tate Myre - 16 year old, Madisyn Baldwin - 17 year old, and Justin Shilling - 17 year old. Hana, Tate and Madisyn all died that night and Justin died the next day.  They will be remembered and missed by those who were close to them.

When Ethan’s parents found out that there was a shooting at his school and the handgun was missing they warned the school. . Ethan was charged with murder and terrorism. Along with James and Jennifer who were each charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter.

So, if you are a student and hear something out of the ordinary from other students, please let an adult know so they can check into the situation.

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History of Erie’s Underground Railroad by Philip Payne and Erynn Donovan

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History of Erie’s Underground Railroad by Philip Payne and Erynn Donovan

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As we all know Erie is a historic city. But do we know how historical it is?

By 1834, the British Empire outlawed slavery. Slavery in the U.S wasn't outlawed until 1863 (formally 1865). Slaves were prominent throughout the southern United States. This means slaves had two options. They could go south or north. If they wanted to be free, they would travel north. The southern option was only available before the Seven Years War ended. In Spanish territories, any slave that escaped from the U.S would be set free. After the Seven Years War, the British took control of these areas, thus adding to the Empire and taking land away from the Spaniards. The slaves only had one option from then on, to go north.

Slavery was prominent in the south before 65’. Because of this, slaves wanted to be free. They were going north and passing through Erie to go to Canada. The underground railroad and some prominent anti-slavery groups were in Erie. Some prominent people in the Erie area were hardcore abolisionists. For example the famous John Brown lived in Crawford county and helped some 2,500 slaves by helping and sheltering them.

Slaves had to hide in the day and move at night. When they got to Erie, they had to hide or blend into the population. They could escape to Canada when they could. The underground railroad helped people by hiding them in their homes and businesses. For example, at the old Wesleyville Methodist Church at 3306 Buffalo Road, they hid slaves. Unfortunately,the church has since been demolished. Another famous place is the Perry Memorial house formerly known as the Dickson tavern. Opened in 1815 by John Dickson on 201 French St. It of course was a tavern but the underground railroad would also hide escaped slaves in the fruit celler under the bar counter. It was restored 1963 and in 1990 it was named a historical site.

Erie was once, and still is,a harbor. That’s another reason why slaves came here. We of course had ships. The prominent reason why everyone knows the Erie harbor is because it supplied Oliver Hazard Perry’s ships during The War of 1812.The ships that took slave sacross the lake where whatever ships where going to Canada at the time. Not all ships were from this harbor.

Erie has much more history than what I've just explained. If you found this interesting, I highly recommend you search this subject for yourself.

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John Brown Farm, Tannery & Museum, 17620 John Brown Rd., Guys Mills, PA 16327, is a historic archaeological site located in Richmond Township, Crawford County, Pennsylvania. The tannery was built in 1825 by famed abolitionist John Brown (1800-1859), who lived on the site from 1825 to 1835. It was a major stop on the Underground Railway; Brown helped some 2,500 slaves during this period. The site includes the ruins of the tannery, a one-story, rectangular structure measuring 55 by 22 feet (16.8 by 6.7 m). There was a hidden, well-ventilated room in the barn for the fugitive slaves.

In 1874, in "a wonderful state of preservation", it was converted into a cheese factory, and in 1884 it was turned into a steam grist-mill. "The structure is a relic of great historic interest, and is visited by thousands of curiosity and relic seekers, The windows and doors have all been chipped away. The Brown family have visited their old home several times within the past few years."

A fire destroyed the building in 1907. On John Brown's birthday, May 9, the site hosts a community celebration, "Spirit of Freedom".

It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

The graves of Brown's first wife Dianthe, their four-year-old son Frederick (another son was named Frederick later), and an unnamed newborn son are nearby.

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John Brown Farm, Tannery & Museum - Wikipedia

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John Brown Farm, Tannery & Museum, 17620 John Brown Rd., Guys Mills, PA 16327, is a historic archaeological site located in Richmond Township, Crawford County, Pennsylvania. The tannery was built in 1825 by famed abolitionist John Brown (1800-1859), who lived on the site from 1825 to 1835.

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As we move further into December, we are expecting colder temperatures. For the weeks to come, we are expecting highs of the mid 40’s and lows of the low 30’s. We are also expecting cloudy weather with rain or snow. We are moving into snow pants and boots weather as a layer of snow is going to become a common sight. Wind speeds stay low throughout most of the month. But the wind is COLD! We interviewed two students about their thoughts on the temperature.

“I walk home and I think the weather has been very difficult. It's been icey and chilly, and it's dangerous and difficult to get home. I feel bad for others who have to walk home.” -Kathleen Mancinelli.

“It's  very snowy , cold and slippery. I don’t really like the snow but, I’m happy we are moving into cooler temperatures. The wind staying low is nice though.” -Jonas Maisner

We will be experiencing highs and lows for the rest of December. And we all hope we will have a white Christmas!

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Erie, PA Weather Forecast and Conditions - The Weather Channel | Weather.com

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Today's and tonight's Erie, PA weather forecast, weather conditions and Doppler radar from The Weather Channel and Weather.com

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Do Grades Stress You Out? An opinion piece by Lola Valenti 

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Do Grades Stress You Out? An opinion piece by Lola Valenti 

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Middle School is a rough time for kids and I think almost everyone can agree. Everyone is going through physical changes and there is also stress on us to make sure we maintain our grades. Eighth graders can apply for Collegiate Academy, as well as other high schools, which can be very stressful. Coming from a person who has had their mind on Collegiate for over a year, it has been difficult.  I bet many other kids at SV feel the same way, even sixth or seventh graders.

I interviewed seventh grader, Sophia Ring, for her opinion. According to her, she often feels the same way. Sophia expressed she often needs teachers to explain things more than once - - especially if the assignment has multiple steps. "I'm not saying teachers need to hold our hands through the entire thing, but many of us need extra help."  A common belief held amongst many of us is we want to prove to ourselves and our parents that we can do well. My sister, Stella Valenti, an 11th grader at Erie High, says that she has a lot of stress from trying to keep her grades up and she doesn't want to disapoint anyone - including herself. Being older and wanting to get into a good college can take a toll on her.

Brielle, a Senior at McDowell High School, says that they have always had good grades but have struggled with confidence issues when it comes to academics. They said, “I’ve always been the type of person to put the stress on myself, not necessarily teachers. I think people stress themselves out with their grades because they have very high standards for themselves.” I can 100% agree with that statement. As a teenager with anxiety and confidence issues, stress on grades happens a lot. I can say I’ve cried because my grades dropped. I feel like I’m disappointing myself, and I bet that many other people feel the same way.

But also the stress can come from our fellow peers. Eighth grader, Jorge Bonifacio, says that when working in groups, sometimes, one or two people do all the work for the project and that puts a lot of stress on him. For some, this stress could make people anxious or depressed - - but for him it just simply makes him mad. This comment makes perfect sense because I feel that way, too. Stress from grades can stem from many different things like our peers, teachers, parents, or from ourselves. It can definitely affect our moods and emotions. I'm lucky to go to a middle school with teachers and principals who care about us. I know teachers are stressed out too, but we're all in this together.

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Are you studying and not getting the results you hoped for on the test and or quiz? Well, there may be some things you’re doing incorrectly that are affecting your results on the assessment. Studies show that having a clear and clean environment for studying is very helpful and here's some ways you can do that.

-Clear your desk. If you have any unnecessary clutter it may distract you from studying to your full potential.

-Try to study in a quiet place. If your family members are in the same room as you when you’re studying and they’re having their own conversations, you might be distracted by them.

-Keep your mind clear as you’re studying. Any distractions can stop you from studying to your full potential.

Lots of people like to snack while they’re studying and some even say it helps them concentrate.  Yet, a mistake many people make is not snacking smart. You may think coffee, candy, and or anything super sugary may help you stay energetic throughout the study time, but in the end you’ll have a sugar crash. That will cause you to be way too tired to continue studying. If you want to stay focused and make sure you’re doing your best, then you want to snack healthy and smart! Studies show food like apples, edamame, or nuts (like pecans or cashews) are best to keep your energy up. Nuts are  rich in omega-3 fatty acids that support cognitive (brain) function and help you concentrate! While apples are a leading source of quercetin, an antioxidant plant chemical that keeps your mental juices flowing by protecting your brain cells.

A common mistake when studying is too many people just read over their notes and hope they remember it. Actually, one of the best ways to remember something is to write it over and over again. Say for example, you have a rule in Science you’re supposed to remember. Instead of reading it over and over again, you should write it over and over again. Writing by hand forces your brain to process the information. Flash cards are also one of the best ways to remember something like your vocabulary words. On one of the sides of a paper or card, you would write the word and the other you would write the definition. Read the word and try and think about what the definition is and once you think you’ve got it, switch sides and see if you got it right. You want to keep doing this until you can zoom through the cards successfully.

An effective way to remember something difficult is to explain it in simpler terms. This is called The Feynman Technique. The Feynman Technique is an efficient method of learning a concept quickly by explaining it in more plain and or simple terms. It is based on the idea “If you want to understand it well, you want to try and explain it simply.” If we explain a concept in our own words we are likely to understand it better.

There are many ways you can study and these are just some of the best ways. If you want, feel free to do your own research on studying to get the best results on your upcoming assessments. Thank you and I hope you take some of these methods into consideration.

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Boys' basketball: They already have their teams set and started nearly two weeks ago. Basketball is happening after school for all grades. The teams had a tournament Saturday, December 4, and 8th graders came in 2nd place. We beat Woodrow Wilson on December 12th.

Swimming: Boys and girls had after school tryouts for all grades on Thursday, December 16.

Wrestling: Boys and girls in all grades will be able to participate in wrestling after school.  The sport will start when a coach is hired.

Volleyball starts in February for seventh and eighth grade girls.

Questions about sports at SV? Email Mr. Pagano (rpagano@eriesd.org).

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How to Improve Our Learning Environment: From a Student’s Perspective by Kaleena Higby

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How to Improve Our Learning Environment: From a Student’s Perspective by Kaleena Higby

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During the previous school year, students in the Erie School District had to work from home. The students’ ability to work varied depending on their at-home learning environment. Coming back to school after a whole year of learning at home proved to be difficult for some students. The student’s ability to work may  have been very different at home than it is at school.

My intentions are to gather opinions from students on what could be done to help them work more efficiently or feel more comfortable in their learning environment at school.  During the process of gathering information, I interviewed students that ranged from 6th grade to 8th grade; honors classes, regular classes, and integrated classes. A majority of the students I interviewed shared common opinions on how their environment can be more comfortable and how they can learn more effectively.

Common opinions:

Study Hall – Students find it hard to get their work done during class while others may get distracted, may not have the time, or the resources to finish their work at home. Some students who ride the bus aren’t always able to come into school early or stay after for special help or tutoring. Students and school buses alike don’t have a flexible schedule. Being able to take time out of a class for a scheduled study hall is suggested to help students finish their work and turn in their assignments on time.

More group work/projects – Students feel that Covid has caused them to feel more isolated or less social. Students enjoy being able to interact with their peers and team up to go over questions to find a common answer. Having the ability to work with partners may make students feel more engaged or feel happier when working.

Music during downtime – Students and teachers share common opinions on music being played during downtime. While working out of a book, teachers have noticed students accomplishing more. Music helps the students to relax and focus on what is in front of them. Classical music may be played during testing times as well, helping the students to focus and feel less jumpy or stressed. Oftentimes, when a student had mentioned music being played during class the rest of the class, as well as the teacher, had agreed.

Mask breaks – some students had mentioned that they would like a time other than lunch where they would be able to take off their masks for a short amount of time, need it be one at a time or a group sent out into the hall for a breather. Some students may find it hard to breathe under the mask, may find it suffocating at times, or may find the mask to be really hot. At times, even teachers would agree that masks can feel a little unbearable.

Special suggestions:

Inspirational quotes/posters – One student had mentioned that putting up inspirational posters or quotes can improve the liveliness of SV’s students or encourage them throughout their day. It can also be a good idea to put up a white board or a cork board where students can write down inspirational quotes or positive thoughts in the main lobby, near the auditorium, or near the Little Roundtop Bank. Improving the mental health or changing the mindset of our students can improve their performance in school.

Art displays in the hallway: That same student who suggested inspirational quotes and posters - also thought we should have more art displays throughout the school. I noticed that a majority of the art displayed is only featured on the ends of the halls. By displaying more artwork in the hallways, students could gain more self confidence or pride, as well as impressing parents that may come in for conferences with their child’s creativity. Putting up more art displays could set a better image for SV as well.

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What Do You Do Over Winter Break? by Jazmyn McGerl

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What Do You Do Over Winter Break? by Jazmyn McGerl

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What do you do over winter break? Do you walk at the beach? Do you spend time with family and friends? Do you sleep in late?

Well, if you are bored over the break here are some things you can do.

Hang out with friends

Go shopping and find gifts for your family and friends

Play a board game

Draw!! ( Who doesn’t love drawing?)

Eat all the cookies ( I mean, who doesn’t love sweets?)

You can help cook food and help wrap presents.

Walk your dog ( I would grab a coat! Brrr!)

Read a book ( If you don’t like reading...just try a different book!)

Do any missing assignments (Don’t make your teacher mad!)

Watch movies

I really hope you liked these suggestions. Have a good break!

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Returning Clubs

Our returning clubs are Dungeons and Dragons, Karate, Garden Club, Quiz Bowl, Bell Choir, and finally Anime Club. Most of these clubs are already filled up so sign up now.

Our new clubs
There are also a few new clubs to offer:   Newspaper Club, Positive Vibes Only Club, C.R.A.F.T Club, Winter Décor Club, Holiday Cookie Club, and Holidays Around the World.

Future clubs/club ideas
The students would like to start a Snow Club where students would do outdoor activities and play in the snow. Social Club is a new club that is expected to start when we come back to school in January.  This club is going to be participating in all the afterschool activity options and will be planning to make new clubs, setting them up, and helping Miss Kaitlyn.

Our trade clubs are Auto Mechanics  and Cosmetology. The school has already done cooking, construction, and nursing. The purpose of these clubs is to help students explore possible future career paths. Throughout the rest of the year, more career clubs will be added to the list. Miss Kaitlyn is always looking for suggestions for any type of club ideas. She can be e-mailed at kfalk@eriesd.org.