ITC improves to 4-0 with huge victory over Cato

SYRACUSE, NY – Cato-Meridian's offense stalled today when they ran into the "Big Blue Wall" that was the IT Central Eagles' defensive line. The Blue Devils' were held at zero on the board that also came with various sacks by Jamci Vale, an interception by Emanuel Flowers, and even a blocked punt by Josh Gleba.

While Cato's offense stalled and couldn't really get going, ITC's offense soared up and down the field like the eagles they are--With 42 first half points and a 56-0 victory. All together the "Tech Stars" Saquan Doizer, Kashiem Jones, Delquan Ross and Jahcin Ingram only scored 14 points of the 56 points. It was a lot of the running of Chris Williams (3 touchdowns), Shakier Denim (2 touchdowns) and Freddy Dodd(1 touchdown) that did it for the eagles today behind a good showing from the offensive line.

In the end it was a good day for the eagles. We improved our record to 4-0, and we are on a mission to finish undefeated.

The next stop for the recently dubbed "Big Blue Wrecking Crew," is Saturday October 3. Join us as ITC gets tested by the Phoenix Firebirds at Corcoran HS @1pm.

Written By: Michael McCrary

Photos By: Jake O'Connell

Click here for more photos

Stepping up to the game

SYRACUSE, NY – Game fuels were pumped today for both the Volleyball and Football teams as we held the very first ITC pep rally. Regardless of not having a football arena or a gymnasium, the pep was still brought out from the crowd. Students of IT Central were dismissed early from their fifth block classes and sent to the middle basketball court. As the crowd settled, Mr. Bramoff, the host, introduced our very own football team. With the help of Mr. Williams, they lead the TECH jacks as a quick warm-up.

The Volleyball team, was called out one by one, and seated on the bleachers with the crowd applauding each individual. After the volleyball team, the adviser of each class's Student Government announced the winners for that grade.


“How far can you go?” was the question for the diet-coke mentos contest. Soda bottle caps were designed by Mr. List to allow the soda to erupt higher into the air. They competed, you decided--Jeshua and Adnan were the winners of the contest.

Five people from each grade level and teachers competed in a hula-hoop contest with Alamfi Olacio outlasting the competitor with the runner up being Ms. Nelli. The football team was introduced, one by one, by Bramoff and sent to sit on the bleachers to be in the team picture with Coach Reese, Coach Scholtz, and Coach Bramoff.

With just a few minutes left until dismissal students gathered behind the football team as a large group to be in the IT Central school picture.

Students were dismissed a few minutes early at the end of the event. The enthusiasm in this event will hopefully help inspire our athletes to strive harder for victories. The next football game will be held at our home field @Corcoran at 1:00 PM on September 26, 2009. The "Big Blue Wrecking Crew" will go against Cato-Meridian. It's time to go 4-0.

For more photos, check out IT Central's new flickr page.

Written by Sanjeev Kumar
Photos by Jake O'Connell

Gearing Up, For the Future

SYRACUSE – IT Central Students went on yet another (mis)adventure today when the group, with students from South Kortright HS, met at the Schine Student Center to get a tour of Syracuse University.

The tour was hosted graciously by GEAR UP who also provided lunch. After lunch, Alice Roberson, the Director of NYS GEARUP, and Paul Turner, the Director of NYS GEARUP for SUNY Cobleskill, gave small speeches about getting ready for college. Roberson spoke mainly about NYS GEARUP and Turner talked about the four different types of financial aid.

After Roberson and Turner's energizing speeches, students from IT Central and South Kortright began socializing. As the students mingled, a dance contest of sorts was brewing in the middle of the lunchroom's basement.

Students from South Kortright are motivated to get a post-secondary education as we learned in our series of interviews. Katherine Dixon wants to attend Ithica College and Tanner Metzko, a South Kortright Senior, is looking at SUNY schools.

After a short time of mingling with the South Kortright students, we were split into groups based on school and led on a tour around the campus. The IT Central tour was lead by three SU students, Gaby, Emily and Eric. They introduced us to many of popular buildings on campus. We were shown the Newhouse School, Steele Hall, Carnegie Library, Hendricks Chapel, Crouse College, College of Law, and many student’s favorite: The Carrier Dome. An activity that most IT Central students participated in at the Dome was jumping between the columns. The students were both amazed and fascinated to find out that jumping in the columns of the dome caused a reverberating echo.

The tour guides also discussed the many extracurricular campus activities that can be done on the SU Quad. Activities such as sledding with a cafeteria tray in the winter, the myths of the kissing bench, outdoor activities (such as Frisbee, and Cricket), and the various clubs. The clubs ranged to everything from extreme, like rugby club, to weird, like people watching club. It was a great day for a tour in SU as it was a bright and sunny day.

The year is moving very quickly, and we, the junior class, must now be more aware of the resources like GEAR UP. As we work to be a 21st century technological school, we must prepare for a post-secondary education. More opportunities like this trip are essential as they can finalize our decisions and ensure a secure future. We need to step up our game in the academic field just like we are doing on the football field and go shoot for success.

Written by Sanjeev Kumar
Photos by Amanda Williams, SU

Trivia! (Prizes too!)
Use all your resources to answer these four questions correctly. Tech Know will buy the winner pizza on Friday. In order to compete post your answers in a comment below along with your name and homeroom teacher classroom number.

1. What does GEAR UP stand for?
2. What are the four types of financial aids?
3. What University is a competitor against the SI New House school of Communications?
4. Which famous politician graduated from the SU School of Law?
5. (BONUS-For a Soda?)What is the only building on the SU campus without a name associated with it?
   

Joe Biden Talks about Education @ SU

Vice President Joe Biden spoke today at Syracuse University's Schine hall about education. On stage with Biden at his Law school alma mater were two members of The Middle Class Task Force, Secretary Geithner and Secretary Duncan, as well as Syracuse University Chancellor Nancy Cantor and a panel of education experts. The students who attended were primarily members of the Superintendent's cabinet along with a lot of local politicians many other people who are just concerned about education in the United States.

Several topics were big at the speech today, including simplifying the FASFA (Federal loan application)process. As well as the Income Based Repayment plan, which is a new plan for federal and government loans where your required monthly payment is capped at an affordable rate based on income and family size. The Middle Class task force also discussed improving the Section 529 (college saving) plans.

Currently the United States of America ranks in at about 15th on how many high school graduates go on to (and succeed at) some kind of post-secondary (college) education. When not to long ago we were ranked #1. Out of 100 and some odd countries 15 isn't bad but Secretary of Education Arne Duncan beleives that The statusquo is no longer good enough.

The government has set aside around $100 Billion more for education (it seems more for post-secondary) and according to the speakers none of that will come from taxes. They said not 1% would come from taxes, it would all come from switching around funds, and cutting back on Bank subsidiaries. Which is phenomenal because last year alone, post-secondary students borrowed $80 million for education. Which is roughly a 16% increase from 2007. When an SU student in the audience asked Biden if this was a guarantee Biden explained that there will be times, when other things take priority. If national security becomes an issue, it will take priority. If putting more cops on the streets in dangerous cities is what needs to happen it will take priority because without safe streets, or a safe nation students can't feel safe walking to school.

Joe Biden said today that when he's done with his term, if people write one thing about him or remember him for one thing years from now, he hopes that it will be that he was truly passionate about education. After listening to him speak about it, and seeing the Earnestness in his face, I feel absolutely safe saying that Vice President Joe Biden is a man who is truly passionate about education.

"We don't only want to come out of this great recession with a growing GDP but with a new platform for the 21st century" -Joe Biden @SU 9/9/09

This is the change we expected from Barack Obama, Joe Biden, and the administration. Rather than focusing on one issue, and putting the rest off, they're focusing on the important things.

by Jake O'Connell

First Day @ ITC

School began in a very atypical fashion for students of I.T. Central today. After entering the "front" doors we were greeted by Mr. R. Piraino, Jr. Dean of Students and directed down the hall way to wait in room 101 (the new science lab.) At around 8 students were separated based on grade into 4 rooms. After getting settled down we heard the opening remarks from some of the teachers, and we got to watch Mr. Williams' welcome video.
After the video, we watched the Disney-Pixar movie Wall-E. A lot of people didn't get the message from the movie, or the point of why we watched it. One of the school's big new focuses is on the future, and what we can do to improve quality of life and ensure environmental stability. The very deep message of the movie was in true SCSD fashion contrasted by the hundreds of sheets of paper wasted on incorrect locker combinations which were right, then wrong then right again. Hopefully the movie touched all of the students, because on the path we're taking as a nation and as a global community that is truly where we're headed.
After the movie, and some more remarks from teachers, we had lunch during which we watched President Barack Obama's back to school speech. Then we ran an abbreviated day (15 minute blocks) on a day 1 schedule. All-in-All a great way to start school!

by Jake O'Connell

{cover photo "Wall-E" by ElDave on flickr (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)}

ITC Eagles open up season with a 42 - 20 victory against the General Brown Lions

It was a great Saturday afternoon for football as your ITC Eagles beat the General Brown Lions by a score of 42 - 20. During the first drive of the game junior running back Saquan Doizer scampered down the side lines for an early game lead and the rest was history. The Lions could not defend the combined efforts of Dozier, Delqaun Davis and Kashiem Jones, who powered past them early and often on the way to victory. Of course I have to give props to myself and my fellow linemen as we held our own against the strong defensive front that the Lions presented.

The defense played two halves of brilliant football and only allowed one touchdown on the day. The other scores that the Lions made were off of offensive mistakes. As a Defense we forced 3 fumbles and recovered two bringing our turnover collection to three on the day. The front line of Aaron "Big Show" Loux, Jinnah Clark, Emanuel Lewis and Aaron Clark along with the talented core of line backers did an excellent job of containing the lions balanced running and of course our defensive backs contained there passing game.

This day however did not come without controversy. During the third quarter Head Coach Mr. Reese was ejected out of the game due to unsportsmanlike conduct and we as a team fell apart. We committed many mental errors which led to an abundance of penalties and four fumbles. As a team we rebounded and rammed the ball up the gut to kill time on the way to victory. Join us again as we head into another battle with Jordan Elbridge on Monday September 14 hungry for another victory.
Written By: Michael McCrary
Photo's By : Jake O'Connell
For more photos by Jake click here.

Success Begins Before School for ITC's Freshmen Class

A sense of pride and hope was displayed by the staff and juniors at the freshmen orientation ceremony from 4 P.M. to 6 P.M. at IT Central on September 3, 2009. The staff and juniors wore black robes representing the unity of the ITC community. The Ceremony was lead by the Master of Ceremonies, Michael McCrary. After greeting the parents Mike invited Mr. Piraino to talk about the candle ceremony. Of the 8 juniors who took part in the ceremony 5 were representatives of the principles of the National Honor Society, Service(Sanjeev Kumar); Leadership(Saddiyyah Alexander); Scholarship(Malaysia Parks); Character(Julianne Knittel). With Mr. Piraino holding the Candle of Knowledge. A brief speech was given by our new principal, Mr. Williams along with representatives from Say YES to Education (SCSD) and GEAR UP (SU) discussing the resources that school will give to our incoming freshmen. Then, each freshman was called in order to split them up into two teams. As the students joined their groups the juniors pinned an I.T. Central logo pin on each student.

The two groups, were put in different rooms to explain various subjects from the rare qualities found in this school and it's students to behavior expectations. Schedules were handed out for students to analyze amongst themselves and their peers. As this was occurring, the football team helped transport food out to the field. When the food was grilled and ready to be served, everyone ate as a group interacting with each other and relaxing with the beautiful sunny day. A few interviews were conducted on teachers, freshmen, guidance counselor and the new principal. To see these various interviews, please refer to the video that is in this article.

We want to achieve excellence in our school but community is also important to us. We hope that this sense of pride and community was established in the orientation. We seek higher than the bare minimum and we expect students to work at 110%. This school is unique in ways that we don’t go for a high school diploma, but go for a college diploma which will bring our society up and running for more success within the education aspect of Syracuse. “We will graduate! We will go to college! We will succeed in college! We are I.T.!” All of this will happen because: I.T. works.

Written by Sanjeev Kumar
Photos by Jake O'Connell
For more photos by Jake, please click here