Nappanee Advance-News, Volume 129, Number 13, Nappanee, Elkhart County, 30 March 2006 — Page 1
AdvaiSii; i tews
Embrace the Pace
BEAUTIFICATION Nominations are now being accepted for the Nappanee Area Chamber of Commerce first quarter Beautification Award. The first quarter qualifications include interior. A letter or phone call to nominate a business will be accepted until March 31. Please reply by sending a letter to the Nappanee Chamber of Commerce, 451 N. Main St. Suite 100, Nappanee, IN 46550, or telephone the Chamber of Commerce at 773-7812. FREE MASONS All Nappanee and Bremen Free Masons are encouraged to attend the Bremen Lodge 414 meeting Tuesday, April 4, at 6 p.m. Chili will be served at 6 p.m. CLASS OF 1944 The Nappanee High School Class of 1944 will meet for breakfast at The Country Table Restaurant on April 6 at 8:30 a.m. EGG HUNT The Nappanee Rotary Club Easter Egg Hunt will be held on Saturday, April 15 at the Callendar Sportsplex, Stauffer Park, beginning at 9 a.m. The hunt, which is open to children ages 1 to 9, will include gold, silver and candy-filled eggs with cash. An Easter egg basket and candy prizes will also be offered. For questions or comments contact Patrick Thompson, Nappanee Rotary Club, at 7734196. LUNCHEON The First Church of God will host a Soup & Salad Bar Luncheon on April 20, between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Cost is $6. The church is located at the comer of County Roads 7 and 54. TENNIS LEAGUE The Bremen Summer Tennis League will begin See AROUND) Page A 2 Contact Us Advance News 158 W. Market St. P.O. Box 230 Nappanee, IN 46550 Office Hours: 10 a'm. to 2 p.m. ' Wednesday through Friday Phone: 574-773-3127 (news) 1-800-933-0356 (ads) " Safii -: "■ stt Fax 574-773-3512 E-mail' [email protected] * " £ r■* * -ft
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It’s bon voyage for Bonacorsi
By Anthony Godson Editor Just as Wa-Nee schools filled a principal's seat which was vacated because of a retirement, it must now do the same thing all over again. The Wa-Nee School Board of Trustees chose Randy Cripe to fill in at Nappanee Elementary after the retirement of Genie Tobias, and now it must look to replace Louis Bonacorsi as principal at NorthWopd High School. "She got the ball rolling," Bonacorsi said about Tobias' retirement. "(NorthWood Middle School Principal) George Roelandts, (Wakarusa Elementary Principal) Larry Nafziger, Genie Tobias, (North Wood High School
High school makes a big production
By Anthony Godson Editor For its latest musical production, the North Wood High School Performing Arts took the production value up a notch. In bringing the Disney production Aida to the North Wood stage, director Barry Houser and the rest of his team (student director Alison Leavitt, vocal director Jeff Cramer and technical director Steve Phillips) were careful to choose the right actors for the correct parts. "We held auditions back in November, where we had all the actors sing the songs," Houser said."Wethen chnsp thp most suited actor for each character." The role of Aida was awarded to senior Carrie Rivera, while senior Haley Yoder took on the part of Egyptian princess Amneris. Senior Greg Miller then got the lead male role as Radames, the Egyptian captain who captures the Nubian princess Aida, only to later fall in love with her. i "When we were looking to fill
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Princess Amneris (Haley Yoder, far right) and her Palace Women perform a song and dance as a part of Aida.
Students help raise money for scholarships
By Anthony Godson Editor As has become tradition, North Wood students manned the telephones on Monday and Tuesday nights, looking to raise
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ADVANCE NEWS PHOTOA.W. GADSON North Wood seniors Corey Emery and Patty Safinas try to raise some money for scholarships on Monday night
Serving Nappanee & Wakarusa
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Louis Bonacorsi has spent much of his adult life in the Wa-Nee School Corporation, as this 1973 Logue photo (left) proves. At Monday night’s meeting of the Wa-Nee School Board of Trustees, Bonacorsi’s retirement from the principal’s position at North Wood High School was accepted.
Assistant Principal) Rick Coffin and me all started here at about the same time. We used to joke about who would be the first to
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ADVANCE NEWS PHOTOS/A.W. GADSON The three main actors from Aida ,Haley Yoder (in red), Carrie Rivera (center) and Greg Miller, receive the last round of applause.
the role of Radames, we had to find someone who could pass for an Egyptian soldier, as well as having a deep voice," Houser
money for Dollars for Scholars. In an effort to raise more scholarship dollars, 96 students tried their hand in the telemarketing game, trying to persuade local residents to donate to their
retire, and who would be the last." Well he wasn't the first to announce his retirement, and he
said about casting Miller. For Miller, whose character evolves from a stern army captain into a man who falls in love with his captive Aida, the play required him to change his character as the play, moved along. "It's interesting to have to change your character," Miller said. "In the beginning, he's a tough sea captain, but he then begins to get softer." To play the role, Miller had to get out of his normal vocal range, which proved to not be that easy of a task. "I normally sing bass, but the character is a tenor, so I had to practice a lot," he said. In filling the role of Aida, 'Rivera was just the right vocal-
cause through a phone-a-thon. I "We are just trying to raise some money for seniors to go to college," North Wood senior Carly Hartman said. For Hartman, calling strangers to ask to donations is a bit uncomfortable, but she saw her way through it. "It's a little hard to ask for money, but since it goes to a good cause, it's easier," she said. Senior Nate Davidhizar was even more nervous than Hartman. "It's nerve-racking," he said. "I know that I hate people calling me." The students fight off their nervousness to raise the money, with $22,000 being raised in 2005. "In our first year, we raised $10,000," North Wood Principal Louis Bonacorsi said about die phone-a-thon, which began 10 years ago. "Since then, it's just been growing and growing." The phone-a-thon ran from 6 to 9 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday, with two shifts of students working in the North Wood High School office, and another two shifts manning
certainly won't be the last. At Monday night's meeting of the Wa-Nee School Board of Trustees, Bonacorsi's retirement was approved, ending a 37-year career in the Wa-Nee School Corporation. "I never planned to stay for more than one year," the energetic Bonacorsi said. "I've had the opportunities to leave in the past, but there is no better place to teach than here. I've been blessed with good students from good parents and grandparents." Bonacorsi came to Wa-Nee from Clinton, Ind., a small Italian community of almost 5,000 residents. He came to WaNee back in 1969 as an Industrial Arts and Graphic Arts teacher, and worked in that
ist. "The voice of Aida had to have a big range," Houser said of Rivera, who took first place at this year's Indiana State Fair in the duet vocal competition, along with junior Lance Mullins. To fill the role of Amneris, the Egyptian princess who is set to marry Radames, Houser chose Yoder. "She just has the materialistic kind of a look that helps to portray a princess," Houser said. Along with the above mentioned actors, Mullins also played the role of Merieb, while Ty Stutsman played Radames' father Zosier. Combined with the music
"IPs head to ask for money, but since It goes to a good cause, It’s easier." noraiWvUi nvm uany nanmi:
the phones at NTA. "(NTA) is owned by Dave Tompos, and he lets us use his facility and phones," Bonacorsi said. While working the phones, the students call numbers which have been submitted by other seniors. On those lists, it is noted if some of die numbers to be called have donated in the past. After those lists are exhausted, random numbers are called. "The school then gives us a copy of a phone book," Hartman said. When making the call, students read from a script, but may improvise when needed. "Most of the people I've called haven't been mean or rude," Hartman said. With a low-rudeness ratio, and high donations, Bonacorsi
capacity until 1984, when he became assistant principal. Two years later, he was the principal. But before being named principal of North Wood, Bonacorsi made his mark on the wrestling mat, being named coach of the North Wood wrestling team in 1972. "I had never wrestled a day in my life," Bonacorsi said about getting the coaching job. "I was asked if I was interested in doing anything with the athletic program. I said that I didn't know much about it, but I would learn." He certainly did leam, garnering a 78-53-3 record between 1972 and 1984. He helped coach See BONACORSI, Page A 6
from the pit orchestra, which was directed by A. Michael Tifford from Amish Acres, and the elaborate lighting, Aida proved to be more than just a high school play. "The kids are well-above where they've been in the past," Houser said. Miller also agreed that the Elton John and Tim Rice-written play had been going great following the matinee show on Saturday afternoon. "It's going really well," he said. More photos from Aida can be found on 81.
believes that is a testament to the Wa-Nee community. "To raise over $20,000 for working three hours for two nights is great," he said. "It's only because of a great commui nity." • If a donor does decide tcJ make a donation, the student caller writes down the donation amount on a slip of papery which is then placed into an envelope with a self-addressecf stamped envelope. The envelopes are then mailed out; with die students then only to sit back and wait. And with almost half of thtf senior class volunteering for th£ project, it's easy to see why theji doit : See PHONE-A-THON r Page A 6