Where only first names appear, names have been changed to protect the identities of the sources. Looking down at the glass of Irish mead in front of her, Sharon, a senior, figured it couldn't hurt to try some. After all, her mother had given it to her. Sharon liked the sweet taste so much she drank the whole bottle. When she felt sick afterwards, she climbed into bed. That's the advantage of drinking at home, she says.
A strange smell crept into the main office, wafting into every corner and lingering in the air until it became intolerable. Finally, secretary Carrie Addison decided to bring out the big guns - she grabbed a bottle of Lysol and directed a few spritzes toward the odor. Shortly after, a teacher walked into the office and noticed the new smell. "Man, who went nuts with the Lysol in here?" he asks. "We had to," Addison responded defensively. The teacher smirked and asked, "Why, somebody dropped a bomb?"
The students of Mrs. Gruwell's English class live in the midst of an undeclared war. Every day, gang violence tears apart their families and friendships. The last thing they need is a white woman who thinks she understands them.
The student population at Blair has declined to its lowest point in six years because of shifting county demographics and the reopening of Northwood in 2004, but data suggest the trend may be temporary.
The PTSA is planning to take legal action in a final push to move Blair's graduation ceremony back to Jericho City of Praise after the Board of Education rejected the church as a commencement site on Aug. 26.
Sept. 8, BLAZER STADIUM— The Blair varsity football team fought passionately against the Richard Montgomery Rockets, but was unable to claim a victory in the first game of the season, losing 14-21.