Commended Student

Bonny Eagle High School senior Victoria Negus has been named a Commended Student in the 2008 National Merit Scholarship Program, it was announced recently by Principal Robert Strong.

About 34,000 Commended Students throughout the nation are being recognized for their exceptional academic promise. Although they will not continue in the 2008 competition for Merit Scholarships, commended students placed among the top 5 percent of more than 1.4 million students who entered the 2008 Merit Program by taking the 2006 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.

Project Graduation Wreath Sale

Seniors will be selling holiday wreaths from now until Monday, Nov. 5 to raise money for Project Graduation. Wreaths are balsam fir and are $10 without a bow and $12 with a red bow. Wreaths will be delivered by the students Thanksgiving weekend. To place an order contact Susan Porter at 929-6119 or Margaret Boucher at 929-8708.

Village Square Fair

The Village Square Fair takes place Saturday, Nov.17 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Standish Congregational Church on Oak Hill Road. Crafts, hand-knit and sewn items, greens baskets,

homemade preserves, baked goods and cookie walk. Lunch starting at 11 a.m. featuring homemade chowders and chili. For more information, call 642-2503.

Halloween Party

Standish Recreation’s annual Halloween Party will be held Oct. 27 at Bonny Eagle Middle School from 12:30-2:30 p.m.

Activities will include magic, juggling, storytelling by Phil Smith of Abracadabra Productions, games, a costume parade and of course, the Great Pumpkin Contest. The cost is $4 per child. Children must be accompanied by an adult. For more information contact Standish Recreation at 642-2875.

The Future of Nursing

On Friday, Oct. 26, Saint Joseph’s College is offering a day of focus for future nursing students. The Focus Day will give prospective nursing students the opportunity to meet with faculty, students and alumni in the nursing program and discuss program opportunities. A tour of the campus and a session related to the admission process are also included.

The Scene:

Friday night

Memory Lane Music Hall presents the Groove Disciples.

Saturday night

Memory Lane Music Hall is throwing a Halloween bash. Radion station WBLM will be on hand to celebrate. There will be cash prizes given away for the three best costumes, so dress up. “Believer,” an Ozzy Ozbourne tribute band, will perform. Doors open at 4 p.m.

Heidi’s Take

The annoying sports fan

Everyone knows them and nobody likes them – the irritating, yet ever-present, trash talking, ref bashing, and continuously swearing, sports fan. Now we all know these people exist, we see them on ESPN, we have all had to sit next to one at a Red Sox game, and we all laugh when characters on our favorite shows or movies are tortured by one. But never are they more annoying than when they take up residence on the bleachers at a high school sporting event.

Recently, I attended a varsity playoff game with a friend, and all seemed to be going well. Joyful encouragement and cheering was coming from the athletes’ parents, pom-poms were waving, and everyone wore happy smiles, until the other team scored and moved ahead. The happy shake of the pom-poms faded into an angry shake of the hand, the clapping had deteriorated into feet stomping, and the mouths filled with rallying words turned ugly. Suddenly, “Alright, nice D team,” became, “Hey! What the heck are you guys doing out there? Come on!” The “You can do its” dissolved in “What’s your problem? and “Don’t you guys know how to play?” Embarrassed kids turned from the bench and field and looked at their parents longing for them to stop.

One of the things I heard yelled several times was, “What game are you guys playing out there?” Now this particular phrase seemed odd to me. I wanted to respond, “Excuse me sir, but what game are you playing up here,” because as far as I can tell, the only game being played by him was head games.

Apparently these people have not figured out that negativity spreads. As an athlete I can tell you that once you get down as an individual it spreads to the team, and once the team has it they are done. This is exactly what happened.

While the parents were busy screaming at the refs and yelling about “illegal” moves, which by the way were completely legal, the kids were leaving the game. Mentally checking out. Gone. Ba-bye.

So here is a list of things I want you sports “fans” to consider before opening your mouths at another game.

1. If you never played the game, you shouldn’t comment on how it’s being played.

2. Even if you did play the game, that doesn’t mean that now 20 years later you know how to call it.

3. Your child plays varsity sports, stays on the honor roll, and volunteers. They are doing the best they can so give them a break.

4. The game was not lost due to “ref favoritism” and “continuous bad calls” it was lost because the athlete’s heads weren’t in it. Hmm. I wonder why?

5. And finally, please remember that you represent your child and your school, so that bad reputation that we are constantly trying to overcome doesn’t get any better with you screaming like an Irishman as if Notre Dame is down by seven points.

For all of you who find yourselves sitting next to these offenders in the future here is my advice: Move. It’s just so much easier.