Ryan Cosgrove, also known as Wally the Clown, has added another name to the list: Santa Claus.  Ryan started dressing as Santa to entertain all the children of Branford and bring a little Christmas to the town.

Ryan started volunteering as a Clown for church events back when he was twelve, and over the years he has watched his business transform into a full time job.  Now the Branford High School Senior has a budding entertainment business – he entertains at parties and events year round making balloon animals and kids laugh.  He has even brought his talents to the children in the child development area.

“I have always been a clown at heart,” Ryan said. “And  just recently I started putting on the costume and makeup to make it a career.”

This year was his first time dressing as Santa and is planning on bringing out the costume for years to come.  Ryan liked being Santa Claus because he says, “The kids loved me when I played the role as Santa.  I’m used to kids being excited with the clown act but when I was Santa they all came swarming over to say ‘Hi!’ and tell me what they wanted [for Christmas].”

Ryan is not only a role model to the young children, but also for high school students as well.  
Ryan is proof that high school students do not need to wait until after graduation to start their lives. You can start your life whenever an opportunity comes your way. Ryan still plans to continue his education after graduation and he says “Wally will be the way I pay for college.”

Ryan is already learning valuable business skills that will set him up for whatever career he wishes to pursue.  His plans are to become a physiologist, and he has already learned skills that will help him land his dream job.  Although it may not seem like dressing up as a clown will help him become a physiologist, you need to look at the big picture.  He has learned to market himself, to work with children, and to budget his time and money.  These are all things that will put him ahead of all the other high school students looking to be physiologists.

Additional Q and A with Ryan:

Do you volunteer a lot as a Clown/Santa?
Oh yes! I volunteer quite a lot as Wally. For example in August I go to my church where the clown act all originated and I volunteer my time there and entertain the kids the whole week of the carnival.

What are the mechanics of your job? Planning and organizing?
It’s pretty laid back. The way it works is if you’re a client looking to book me for your event, you would call me book an date a month before the event takes place. You choose which package you would like to purchase. We scheduled a date to meet before the event to sign contracts and agreement forms and you pay me a $50 deposit. And then when the day of your event comes i arrive, you pay my assistant the remanding fee before I enter and then I entertain and make your event a full success!

Any interesting stories? Know anyone who is afraid of clowns?
I have many stories! If I were to write them all down I would end up writing a 500 paged novel!  One story I could share briefly is that I met my current girlfriend, who I’ve now been dating for almost three years, in my clown suit at a church carnival. And yes I do know people afraid of clowns; something every professional clown knows is how to handle that type of situation if a child is afraid of you.

Would you ever sell out to the mall as Santa?
Definitely! That’d be awesome and great for my business!

To Learn More about Ryan and his Clown business or would like to book him for a party you can check out his Wally the Clown Facebook Page by clicking here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Wally-The-Clown/244954628862559

Mrs. Craig has made new use of the after Christmas clearance sales, but what use is tinsel to a Precalc class?  The class had created a HUMAN UNIT CIRCLE; a unit circle is basically a circle split by different degrees to create right triangles.  They used this arrangement of Christmas left overs to review their material for the midterm and practice working out different problems.  This was only one of different activities the Preclac classes were involved in to get themselves ready to take the two hour test.  This just goes to show that anything can help you study, and the more creative the better!

Photo Credit: Jess Rodi and Danielle Craig

by Vinny Roca

You may have noticed that there have been some changes to the lights in the commons and on senior balcony. Since the construction of the commons incandescent bulbs have been wasting energy, inefficiently lighting the common, but recently these light have been replaced with energy efficient LED lights.

So why the sudden change? Mr. Panagoulias responded by saying that the, “The change was not mandatory but part of an energy saving initiative in Branford Public Schools.” He also noted that the changes in the light bulbs are just the beginning of a long line in changes made on all Branford Schools to save energy.

Since 2006, high schools have been offering online classes. This yea is Branford High School’s first year participating in the Virtual High School program. 40 students from Branford were piloted to take classes in VHS.

So far, the program has been running smoothly. In fact, the board of education is so pleased with the success of the program that they’re hoping to one day have it be a requirement for BHS students. “It’s a long term goal-maybe 3-5 years from now-to have every student [at BHS] have the requirement to take a class online,” says Mr. Panagoulias.

Some students may be wondering why exactly we should be taking online classes. What’s wrong with the classes we take every day at school? Mr. Bouley, the only teacher at BHS to teach an online class so far, says while of course our day-to-day school classes are always a good way to learn, online classes will enrich your learning in a different kind of way

“It’s a very different experience, teaching in a [physical] classroom with students and one online,” he said. “It’s hard to say which one is better…online students are very independent learners… and can get individual help from me. My classes here have the benefit of hearing stories from myself and working with other students.” In addition to teaching AP psychology classes here at BHS, Bouely teaches an online philosophy class.

Mr. Panagoulias is hoping to get more teachers like Mr. Bouely to teach an online class, because for every one teacher our school contributes, we get about 50 seats for students to join the program.

The world around us is always changing, and the use of technology is growing all the time. “It’s important”, as Mr. Panagoulias says, “for our students to work with technology skills.  It will be very good to have those skills when they go to college and in the work space.”

VHS also offers a much wider course range than our school typically could. Teachers from all over the world teach the courses, and they make sure that language and time zones never stand as a barrier. You could be in a class with students from Alaska, China, Texas, and someone from the town over. This type of interaction will open student’s eyes to new worlds.

Mr. Panagoulias and the rest of the school board are very excited at the prospect of having VHS be a part of every student’s high school experience. However, “there’s a lot we still have to learn,” says Panagoulias. “We want to be able to give full support for the students. We still have to figure out what kind of support that is.”

As for now, things seem to be working out well; some students have finished with their semester classes and liked it so much they are moving on to a new class for the second half of the year. If you’re interested in taking online courses next year, talk to your guidance councilor today!

 Class Act is unknown by many who roam the halls of Branford High. It is our in-school restaurant/catering business that is operated by Mr. Bannon (the chef instructor). Students who take the Occupational Food Service class, that is offered here, have a chance to help

out with the business. The classes are all year and take place in periods 4, 5, and 6. Class Act participants take pride in the teamwork needed to run the restaurant and are happy with the work they devote to providing a wonderful service to the High School and Branford Public Schools community. There are various items sold at Class Act. Homemade scones, quiche, and bagels are served in the morning. At lunch, soups, stuffed breads, and sandwiches are available. Take home dinners are offered each week, too. Besides cooking and selling food in the school, the students cater many meetings for several departments and provide great spaces to hold events or functions.

Mr. Bannon commented, “If you are at all interested in learning what it takes to make a restaurant or any business run smoothly and have an interest in food, you will fit in with our crew.  You don’t have to want to become a chef to get some great skills and knowledge out of the Occupational Foods courses here at BHS.  We have fun learning and the best part is we get to sample what we produce!  Hope to see you in the kitchen!”

Class Act is all about teamwork in business and making delectable food, so if interested, ask your guidance counselor about signing up for Occupational Food Service class which will allow you the privilege of being a member in Class Act!

The Bhsbuzz is now on Facebook! Become a fan and you could have your name placed in a drawing to win a $20 gift card to Dukin’ Donuts!  Like us between Monday Dec. 11th and Thursday 22nd, winner will be picked on the Friday Dec. 23rd.  Good Luck! Go Right to the Page by clicking HERE!

by Meglin Bodner

It is that time again – when the cast for an unknown play assembles and rehearsals are attended up until opening day. This year, the fall play is a Shakespearean comedy called Twelfth Night. The main character Viola, played by Katrice Kemble, gets shipwrecked on the Illyrian shore.  Assuming that her twin brother Sebastian (Dan Lalor) is dead, Viola disguises herself as a servant using the name Cesario and serves Duke Orsino (Sam Brookman) with the help of a captain (Griffin Sandler) who saved her. Orsino is in love with Lady Olivia (Molly Hughes) and uses Cesario to tell Olivia about his love for her. Lady Olivia believes Viola is a man and falls in love with “him”.

Life gets complicated when Viola falls in love with the Duke who has no idea that Cesario is actually a woman. Later on, numerous characters work together to make Olivia’s head steward, Malvolio (Chris Marsala), believe that Lady Olivia wants to marry him. Malvolio receives the falsified letter that says just that and does what it says in order to have her hand in marriage. Olivia is shocked by what she sees and leaves the scene. Those who wrote the letter send Malvolio to a dark cellar, claiming that he had gone mad.

Will Malvolio be released from the dark cellar and discover the fake letter? Is Viola’s twin brother really dead? Does Viola’s identity become known? What happens next will be shown at the auditorium on December 8, 9, and 10^th at 7:30 pm. All tickets are $5.00. Bring your friends and family along for a memorable play that will leave you laughing.

Click here for full cast list…

Characters                                                                                           Cast

Orsino……………………………………………………………………………Sam Brookman

Olivia………………………………………………………………………………Molly Hughes

Feste…………………………………………………………………………….Daniel Stradtman

Maria…………………………………………………………………………….…Elise Ryan

Sebastian……………………………………………………………………………Dan Lalor

Antonio…………………………………………………………………………….Tyler Evon

Curio/Juggler…………………………………………………………………….Patrick Mullane

Captain………………………………………………………………………….…Griffin Sandler

Fight Choreographer…………………………………………………………………Ziqi Wang

Swordsman……………………………………………………………………………Dan Fry

Balloon Man…………………………………………………………………………Eric Doing

Ringmaster……………………………………………………………………………Rob Hardy

Viola………………………………………………………………………………Katrice Kemble

Malvolio……………………………………………………………………………Chris Marsala

Fabian………………………………………………………………………………Marissa Salazar

Sir Toby……………………………………………………………………………..Noah Perito

Sir Andrew………………………………………………………………………….Sam Bibbins

Valentine………………………………………………………………………..Cameron Nicholas

Priest……………………………………………………………………………….Rob Hardy

Hobo Band –                                                                                      Keystone Kops –

Megan LaCroix                                                                                  Cale Brooks

Spencer Steinke                                                                                 Cameron Nicholas

Rachael Hanchuruck                                                                          Keegen Biancur

Aria Jones

Mimes –                                                                                             Clowns –

Page Machniez                                                                                   Page Machniez

Carlye Mazzucco                                                                               Carlye Mazzucco

Michaella Crane

Roustabouts –                                                                                     Sara Mierz

Cooper Biancur                                                                                  Aria Jones

Luke Stannard                                                                                    Rachael Hanchuruck

Nick Sarg                                                                                           Skyler Sandler

Chris D’Antonio                                                                                 Francesca Cimino

Equestrian act –

Haley Brown

Mary Colleen Whitney

Hailey Nelson

You may have noticed the firefighters going around the schools for the past few weeks and wondered what they are doing at our school. The reason was that our fire alarm system was down and useless during the past weeks so firefighters stood guard in our hallways, protecting us, while at the same time receiving hefty overtime dollars. The reason for the malfunction was a fire in the school around three weeks ago.

With the fire came many rumors. One student, who chose to remain nameless, told the Buzz he heard that, “Dr. Chen caused the fire.” Another student told the Buzz that, “Someone told me a girl left a curling iron in the bathroom…or was it a hair straightener.” However, the rumors were in this case only rumors. Mr. Panagoulias explained that there was no fire, but rather, “A sprinkler head malfunctioned in a food storage area of the cafeteria.  This caused a technological malfunction of the control panel in the main office and loss of alarm communication in parts of the building.” In the end, the truth, like almost always, turned out to be less exciting than the rumors.

Nevertheless, the malfunction has cost the town a great deal of money in both paying the overtime of the firefighters and fixing the sprinkler system. How is the system working to date? Mr. Panagoulias stated that, “The control panel in the main office has been replaced and all systems have been tested.” The random fire alarms are over and the fire fighters have left.

Photo Credit: Alison Chew

By Alexandra Augustak

With the winter season coming along, you may notice changes in your skin’s texture. The cold and dry air associated with the winter season causes sensitivity and irritation in your skin to become even more evident. Your lips, especially, are prone to irritation as they are delicate and thin compared to normal skin. The cold weather naturally causes you to lick your licks for more comfort, which in essence, is what’s causing the lips to dry up even more. When licking your lips, your saliva strips away the natural oils produced by your body that keep your skin protected, leaving them dry and cracked.

Lip balms are a convenient and popular way of dealing with irritated skin, but what the lip balm corporations don’t want you to know is that sometimes the most common ingredients in any lip balm on the market can irritate your lips even more. Here are some important things to remember the next time you’re purchasing a lip balm product:

Avoid flavored or scented lip balms

Your best bet for buying a lip balm that does not irritate your lips is buying one which has no added scents or flavors. Scents or flavors actually causes even more licking of the lips, sometimes subconsciously, which in the end causes the lips to dry up.

Avoid lip balms with methanol as an ingredient

Methanol is an alcohol which is used in lip balms to give a cooling sensation. In reality, what is producing that sensation is the act of methanol penetrating your skin and stripping away protective layers of dead skin which in the end may cause even more irritation and dryness.

Get lip balms with sunscreen

Excess moisture from lip balms often causes the outside protective layer of your lips to degenerate, leaving them more vulnerable to ultra violet rays from the sun. Lip balms with sunscreen help protect your lips from these harmful rays and keep them healthy.

Other ingredients to avoid that may cause irritation

Lanolin, camphor, paraben, phenol, salicylic acid

Easy alternatives for lip balms

If you can’t find a lip balm that will not irritate your lips, simple remedies such as Vaseline or olive oil can help keep lips moisturized without the superfluities of scents or flavors that actually increase irritation.

Citations:

http://thebeautybrains.com/2008/03/20/is-menthol-lip-balm-bad-for-you/

http://www.livestrong.com/article/309032-lip-dryness-with-chap-stick/

http://health.howstuffworks.com/skin-care/beauty/skin-and-makeup/addicted-to-lip-balm1.htm

by Marisa Kaplita Editor-In- Chief

From food drives to turkey walls to delivering holiday meals, Branford High School takes its Thanksgiving  very seriously.  Everyone from students to faculty was eager to help out the town to make sure every Branford family has a great thanksgiving day.  No one should go hungry on Thanksgiving and the Branford Food Pantry along with a little help from the High School, made that a possibility.

Advisory classes collected non perishable food items and money to donate to the Food Pantry, and Mr. Lyons and Ms. Monks took their own initiative and collect food items in their own classes, as well as their advisories, and they collected multiple boxes full of food!

The faculty also had their own way of helping out. Librarian Pam Roy spearheaded a collection for turkeys. Every time a member of the faculty made a donation, their name was added to a board to keep a tally in the faculty room.  This display was just one creative ways to get everyone member of BHS involved in the community.  Their goal was to collect $1000, and they collected $1,245.

Preview

On November 22, there was a field trip to go out and deliver food from the Food Pantry to different people in the community.  Many students took advantage of this opportunity and left school for a few hours that day to do some volunteer work.  The over 20 students drove over to the pantry, started loading up cars with boxes of food, which included butter, juice, carrots, apples, crackers, etc. and frozen turkeys; pretty much everything a family needs to have a filling Thanksgiving meal! They left in groups of 3-7, to carry boxes and turkeys up to people’s houses and then came back to help sort food items or load more cars.

It is important for kids to see the importance of volunteering and the difference they can make in someone else’s life.  Without these deliveries, most of these families wouldn’t get to have a proper Thanksgiving meal, so it means a lot to them that there is something like the Food Pantry that is here for them.

I hope that all the student’s got something out of this trip, even if they were just using it as an excuse to get out of school for the morning.  It is great that the school is able to schedule these types of field trips, and the turnouts are even better. Thanksgiving is just the start of the holiday season and there are still plenty of opportunities for students and faculty to help those in need in the community.

And if you missed your chance to sign up for this field trip, and would like to sign up for the next on in December, you can contact Mrs. Pugila at apuglia@branford.k12.ct.us.