Tuesday May 9, 2017 was a very special day for some of Hawthorne High School’s students. Juniors and seniors apply to shadow the Vice Principal, Principal, Superintendent, and other Board of Education members, and the Social Studies Department selects students to fulfill these roles. This is part of Youth and Community Week, which has been implemented for over 25 years (pre-Ward times).

This year, Krista Kedl assumed the position of Vice Principal Craig Jandoli, Tatiana Vargas assumed the position of Principal Daniel LaGrone, and Carter Mascis shadowed Superintendent Richard Spirito.

The Clarion sat down and spoke to Kedl, Vargas, Mr. Jandoli, and Mr. LaGrone to find out about their experiences. Kedl and Vargas, after shadowing and fulfilling the roles of VP and Principal, attended a dinner that evening at the school, which was then followed by a Board of Education meeting.

Ms. Kedl was warmly welcomed into the Vice Principal’s office by Mr. Jandoli with a nameplate and “Matchmaker” playing in the background. From this point forward, many sources report that Kedl did not leave Mr. Jandoli’s spinning chair. Krista began her big day by leading the students in the Pledge of Allegiance and saying the announcements. She then made many phone calls to prepare for the fire drill (she even got to choose the time of the drill).

She also wrote out many detention slips, signed hall passes, sat in Mr. Jandoli’s chair, helped renumber rooms for the following school year, performed teacher evaluations, wrote more detentions, sat in Mr. Jandoli’s chair, and responded to emails. Krista used one of Mr. Jandoli’s sacred clicky pens and spoke into the walkie talkie throughout the day. For lunch, Kedl dined on one of her favorites: penna alla vodka.

Ms. Vargas also had an eventful day. She was introduced to the principal’s office and duties and was taught Mr. LaGrone’s everyday tasks. Vargas examined portfolios and attended meetings with Mr. LaGrone, as well. She also ate the lunch of her choice, which happened to be a sandwich from Subway. This is Tatiana’s second experience with a Youth and Community event, the first being involved with town council members and their duties. Vargas told the Clarion, “I’ve been in this school for four years, so you’d think I’d know how everything works, but it wasn’t until today that I learned how much they really do. It was fun.”

Both girls agreed that the experience was very entertaining, enjoyable, and not something they will soon forget. They enjoyed being in positions of power and guiding the flow of the school’s functionality. The administration was also pleased by their experiences. Mr. Jandoli is glad that he could be a part of an unforgettable day for Krista, and Mr. LaGrone couldn’t have agreed more. Mr. LaGrone also appreciated informing Tatiana of aspects of his job that most people may not be aware of; he says that it was a “fun, thought provoking, challenging experience for everyone” and that he “hopes the shadow has a memorable experience to take home and reflect on.”

At the end of the day, Krista and Tatiana definitely learned a great deal about the school, but Mr. LaGrone and Mr. Jandoli also learned something new. They agreed that having an apprentice or a second set of hands would be very beneficial and helpful to them.

Congratulations to the winners of Youth and Community Week, and the Clarion hopes that this experience will stay with them and continue to influence the students that were a part of it.