High school stays alive with activities, even after hours

Written by Cathy Finnegan Monday, 06 February 2012 00:00

Ocean City Police Officer Michael Tabor, center, chats with Casey Shacklett, Caryn Broadley, Cathy Finnegan and Holly Shacklett at the concession stand during the Ocean City High School basketball game. Ocean City High School doesn’t close at the end of the school day, because that’s when the extracurricular activities begin.

When this columnist arrived at the high school at 6:30 p.m. on a Tuesday, it was a hub of activity as the boys basketball team was playing Wildwood Catholic in the main gym, the girls basketball team returned from their road game and headed for the locker room, the Ocean City wrestling club had a meet in the smaller gym and the Intermediate School thespians were in the Hughes Performing Arts Center rehearsing “Bye, Bye Birdie.” Gail Ping was waiting at the entrance for Court House Towing to arrive because she locked the keys in her van after unloading sets and props for the play. I peeked in the PAC where Mark Miedama was going over the rehearsal schedule with the cast; this was their first time in the state-of-the-art facility. Fifth-grader Theresa Stratton was delighted to see an old friend, Primary School nurse Alice Wolf. As I walked down the hall to the basketball game, I stopped to chat with Athletic Director Chris Lentz and Sue Annarelli and Lisa Hurff at the ticket booth. These ladies had been on the job since early in the morning, but don’t mind the long hours because they enjoy working with friends. Police Officer Michael Tabor was on duty at the school and Caryn Broadley and Casey and Holly Shacklett were running the concession stand for the girls field hockey boosters. Cheryl Sullivan stopped for a slice of pizza, which she admitted was her supper, Alice Wolf got a pretzel from Brenda and Don Moiso’s Philly Pretzel and Drew Breckenridge picked up a couple of slices of pizza.

As I headed back to the PAC, I passed Scott Williams on his way to see his sons, Sammy, Louis and Nick, wrestle in the small gym. I caught up with Lisa Mack and Ellen Byrne at the side of the stage fitting poodle skirts on Allison Wiltshire, Rosalie Graham and Samantha Levai. Lisa Mack’s daughter, Oliva, has the lead in this year’s production and has appeared in the last five plays, so this is Lisa’s fifth year in charge of costumes. This is Ellen Byrne’s first year helping with costumes at the Intermediate School, but she is no stranger to the job. Ellen was in charge of costumes in her high school and college plays. Ellen’s daughter, Caroline, also has a lead in the play. Ellen is a lawyer in Sea Isle City, but is very involved in her daughter’s activities. When she served up Girl Scout cookies at rehearsal, she told me she is the regional Girl Scout cookie coordinator. At the back of the PAC, I spotted Steven Trauger and Travis Waid at the sound board and stopped to chat. Travis, who was a broadcast engineer at TV 40, admits he is “Mr. Mom” at home while wife Missy Doyle-Waid is a Methodist Minister in Millville. So he is in charge of their three children, Abby, Gabrielle and Micah, who are all appearing in “Birdie,” their first play. Travis worked on the scenery and helped with props and loves working with the children.

Chris Leonetti was sitting about six rows from the stage and said she was “just a mom” as son Andrew is in the fifth grade chorus, but on further investigation I learned she does whatever needs to be done for the production. Meanwhile back on stage, the crew moved furniture for the next scene. Kelsey Williams, who plays basketball, pulls the heavy velvet curtain while Robel McKenna and Bridget Young serve as prompters in case anyone forgets their lines. Another basketball player, Braedyn Kistler was in charge of props, but Dante Meola insisted he took care of the “heavy” lifting. Like Olivia, Juliana Kemenosh also has a lead in “Birdie” and appeared in all five plays while at the Intermediate School. Olivia said last year’s production of “The Wizard of Oz” was her favorite while Juliana’s was “Fiddler on the Roof” in 2010. I enjoyed chatting with the effervescent fourth graders in the chorus, Ashley Mathers, Sissy Roberts, Lindsay Farmer, Georgia Sullivan, Gabbie Eiler, Keely DeMarco, Gabby Hart, Regan Fredericks and Grace Burke, who, when I told them I grew up in the 1950s, wanted to know what it was like, and did I wear poodle skirts and saddle shoes, and did I get “pinned” and what did it mean. Joe DeMarco, who came by to pick up his daughter after rehearsal, invited me to the Knights of Columbus awards dinner in May.

Marion and Ned McCaughey opened their home in Marmora again for the Exchangette Installation Dinner. Guests arrived during halftime of the Patriots v. Ravens football game and were greeted by Ned and their canines, Molly and Marley, while Marion organized covered dishes, hors d’oeuvres, side dishes and desserts. Outgoing President Joyce Trofa arrived with a large crate filled with Exchangette trinkets for the new president. Mary and Bill Woods reported on the great time they had on their recent vacation in the Poconos with granddaughter Eva McKnight, who enjoyed skiing and ice skating with her aunt, Liz Woods. Jan Smith, who appeared in Colony Club plays over the years, recently appeared in a Kerbeck TV commercial. She and daughter Christina were shopping for a new car when Jamie Ginn spotted her friends and invited them to join her in the Saturday morning program on TV 40. Even before her installation as president, Denise Jessel lined up hostesses for the monthly dinners with some help from Maribeth Neall, who got new members Anita Culp and Judi Roseland to sign up for November. Gail and Bob Blevin just returned from a vacation in Punta Cana. Vonnie Price showed up with her famous lasagna she spent the afternoon making from scratch and everyone lined up quickly to enjoy the delicious dinner with a smorgasbord of tasty casseroles and salads. Joanne Budnick cut her home baked apple pie and sent the first slice over to my husband who was watching the 49ers v. Giants game on television with Bob Smith, Warren Roseland, Bob Blevin and Gary Jessel, who joked about being the “First Husband.” Exchange Club President Jon Batastini served as installing officer with the longest ceremony on record and garnered off-the-wall comments from the peanut gallery, Curt Gronert and Ed Price. Following the installation, Jon presented Joyce, Denise, Linda Gronert and Marion McCaughey with bouquets of fresh flowers.

Ellen Byrne and Lisa Mack try costumes on Allison Wiltshire, Rosalie Graham and Samantha Levai for “Bye, Bye Birdie.” Teacher and director Mark Miedama is surrounded by cast members Caroline Byrne, Taylor Pagano, Pat Kistler, Eddie McLaughlin, Juliana Kemenosh, in front, and Michael Pinto, Charlie Wiggins, Mitchell Roze, Charity Beckert, Oliva Mack and Sophia Talese at the “Bye, Bye Birdie” rehearsal. Gail Ping, seated center, is surrounded by “Bye, Bye Birdie” stage crew members Kelsey Williams and Bridget Young, seated, and Braedyn Kistler, McKenna Robel, Travis Waid and Dante Meola. Members of the chorus Ashley Mathers, Sissy Roberts, Lindsay Farmer, Georgia Sullivan and Gabbie Eiler, in front, strike a pose with Keely DeMarco, Gabby Hart, Regan Fredericks and Grace Burke. Ralph Bingham, center, presents a check for $5,500 from St. Peter’s UMC to Ecumenical Council Co-President Nate Davis while Bob Roth, Emma Davis, Andrea Paul and Gene Lindacher look on. Jon Batastini installs new Exchangette officers as Joyce Trofa passes the gavel to Denise Jessell, while Gary Jessel and Linda Gronert look on. Ned and Marion McCaughey, center, welcome Warren and Judi Roseland and Anita and Bill Culp to the Exchangette Installation Dinner.