Photo Courtesy of Phil Sears/Democrat

By Dominic Levings

 Leon’s varsity football team, led by Coach Bill Ragans, defeated Godby High 26-7 at Gene Cox stadium Friday evening. The Lions’ defense was in full force as they held Godby scoreless until midway through the second half.

Junior kicker Sean Allen kicked a 46-yard field goal in the first quarter for the first points of the game. In the second quarter, defensive back Jacorey Ivery slammed Godby’s Jalen Richardson, forcing a fumble. Junior defensive lineman Rodney Jones recovered the ball and scored.

With four minutes left in the half, quarterback Raleigh DeVore threw a 42-yard touchdown pass to Junior wide receiver Juan Neloms. The halftime score was Leon 17, Godby 0.

 After halftime, the momentum seemed to have shifted when Godby scored and reduced the deficit to ten points. However, the Lions’ defense remained composed and did not allow another point all night. The offense tacked on another touchdown, and Godby’s quarterback, Dennis Andrews, slipped in the end zone, resulting in a two-point safety and a 26-7 final score.

Last season, in the final minute of the game, Leon defeated Godby for the first time in 12 years.

The Lions must return to work on Monday and prepare for perhaps their toughest matchup of the season – an out-of-state showdown with Valdosta Lowndes.

 The Leon JV football team fell to the Florida High Seminoles 19-14 on Thursday night. The game was played at Bobby Benson field located on Leon’s campus.

The Lions jumped to an early 14-0 lead in the first half. Fullback Vincent Mulvaney scored both touchdowns, taking handoffs from quarterback Sam Myhre.

 But the Lions were unable to maintain the lead and hold off a late second-half rally by the Seminoles. Mental mistakes and turnovers resulted in disaster for the team. The Seminoles scored 19 unanswered points and halted a final drive for the Lions’ offense with a minute left in the game.

Leon could not recover from offensive miscues. They ended the night with five turnovers, including four fumbles and one interception. The Seminoles also recovered an onside kick in the third quarter.

 Losing 19-14, the Lions drove deep into the Seminole’s red zone with less than five minutes to play. Misfortune would strike again for the Lions, and the Seminoles recovered their fourth and final fumble. The Lions were not able to get within scoring range again.

 After the game, Coach Chris Haley spoke to the solemn squad under the field goal posts.

 “Get your heads up. None of you deserve to have your heads down. The effort was there. We need to work on execution,” he said.

The Lions were told they did not have practice on Friday, and to come back to work on Labor Day. They play at Chiles on Sep. 9.

Coming into this year, I never would have imagined that I would be student body president. But the presidency was not the only surprise. I would soon come to find this year to be filled with so many other unexpected pleasant accomplishments.

From our record-breaking donations to the Tallahassee Memorial Hospital cancer wing to yet another successful canned food drive, this 2009-2010 school year has been far from uneventful.

Although I may have been the official leader for most of the year, I could not have accomplished what I did without the support and cooperation from Mr. Stewart, the administration and the members of SGA.

To Mr. Hanna, the rest of the Leon administration and Mr. Stewart, I have to thank you for helping me transition into the position.

In addition, I have to thank all of the committee heads for all of their wonderful work. Without them the elections, posters and banners, pep rallies, dances, appreciation lunches and the canned food drive would not have been as successful as they were.

Hillary, Jamie, Brooke and Savannah, I cannot express to you all how grateful I am that you were so diligent and dedicated to your duties. Your valuable input and attentiveness helped to make this one of the best Student Governments I have seen in my three years in the class.

But I cannot recognize their contributions without acknowledging the help that I received from some of the other members of SGA, members who helped with so much behind the scenes. To Caroline Navarro, Hayley Twyman, Brittney Longley and Stephanie Truman: thank you for all of your assistance. Although you were not given official titles, you were still there to take the initiative and execute your duties to the best of your abilities. And to the rest of Student Government, your countless hours of clean up and planning have made the year so much easier.

Nevertheless, not all of the year was easy. The doubling of responsibilities was anything but a walk in the park, but Leon tradition never ceases to amaze me.

With the help of my peers and the faculty and staff, we were able to keep everything going. And this was not the only time the administration and students rallied around an unforseen changes.

Who could forget the flooding of both the senior and junior bowls? Students waded through waste-deep waters to reach their cars. But they were not alone. Mr. Hanna, Deputy Stege, Coach Sabourin and other administrators were alongside the students, directing them and helping them in any way they could.

That, to me, is the essence of Leon. The selflessness, the dedication, the support, and the caring attitudes of the faculty and staff make Leon the amazing school that it is. Without it, I do not believe that our school have achieved all of our goals. As my fellow classmates and I embark on the next chapters of our lives, some will continue their education, others will join the armed services, and some plan to go out and experience the world. I believe that we will always have a special place in our hearts for Leon. The memories we have created will stay with us forever. It has been a pleasure serving as your student body president and this has truly been a year I will never forget. 

Much love, Brittany Williams

Where do I start?

Isn’t there a typical saying about “Time flies when you’re having fun?” Well in this case it is the truth. It seems like only yesterday when I mailed out your welcome back letters, but in reality a whole school year has transpired, and we are now nearing the end.

As I reflect on the year, I am drawn to the contents of that first senior letter. In that letter I told you that the success of this school year would not be determined by me or any other adult at this school but by you, the Class of 2010. Your leadership and strength would define your class and ultimately determine the outcome of our school year.

You certainly didn’t let me down, and for that I can’t thank you enough!! You have accomplished so much in the classroom, on the athletic field, and in the arts. However, I am most proud of your achievement in our community. Your commitment to help others has certainly not gone unnoticed.

As a result of your hard work and compassion, on Friday May 21, Tallahassee Memorial Hospital dedicated an entire wing of their Cancer Center in honor of the Class of 2010 for all that you did to help furnish the newly remodeled rooms in their unit. WOW!!! What a wonderful year, and what a great class you have been. The Class of 2010 will always hold a very special place in my heart!!

In 1910, a man by the name of Malcome McNeill served as Leon’s Senior Class President. On June the 3rd, 100 years later, his great, great granddaughter Juilet Turner will graduate with your class. Being the 103rd graduating class from Leon High School certainly separates you from other 2010 graduates. Leon High School carries so much history and tradition, and soon you will be joining the thousands of other Leon graduates that have come before you. As you enter your new chapter in life, never forget your roots. With a diploma from Leon High School, you are more than ready to accomplish your next goal in life whatever that may be. Always remember, never give up on your self or your dreams; they really can come true. Just take me for example.

Fondly,

Rocky Hanna

Principal

 My junior year has been hard. I slept an average of just six hours per night. My work load was exhausting. The extracurricular activities were beyond demanding.

Now, the school year is finally winding down. Course request forms are complete. Advanced placement exams are over. The seniors are leaving. The summer is approaching.

Most importantly, I am ecstatic about my senior year.

However, there are a few annoyances that need to be addressed.

These problems are aggravating. They cause worry. They continue to irritate me.

But they can be easily fixed. Once fixed, my senior year will be worry-free and I will be proud of every moment.

Some ridiculous dress code rules should be discarded. A shirt that has two-inch straps serves the same purpose as a shirt with one-inch straps. Shorts with inseam of five inches are not easy to find. A three-inch inseam is reasonable and appropriate.

As long as the outfit is not offensive, violent, revealing or strapless, it should not be an issue.

But if these ridiculous rules are to continue, cardigans or jackets should be allowed to cover up any violations. At church, for instance, people frequently cover up a nice summer dress with a cardigan.

There are three types of blockers in the hallways of Leon: the ones who walk one mile per hour, the ones who ride the middle and the ones who come to a complete halt.

Why can’t everyone just walk and talk at a normal speed on the right side of the hallway?

Leon does not need to have specific stairway guidelines to avoid such traffic.

The majority of the letters to the editor I receive pertain to complaints about the short lunchtime.

The current 38-minute lunchtime requires students to sprint to their cars, ingest their food in five minutes and illegally park up top to avoid being tardy.

A solution was mentioned in a previous letter to the editor.

This year, students have six minutes to walk to class, whereas last year students had five minutes.

The extra minutes between each class amount to about five minutes that could be added to lunch.

Also, with the hallway problem fixed, the extra minute in between classes will be unnecessary.

Every time I see trash at Leon, my heart sinks. Trash cans are everywhere. Yet people continue to throw away their waste without the patience to walk an extra 10 steps.

Trash campaigning should be ongoing for the entire year, even if it is exhausting to keep up.

The short warnings on the announcements won’t stop any lazy litterers.

With everyone involved in keeping our school clean, the students would feel pride in walking up to the place they respect, not the place they trash.

Ashira Morris: I received an e-mail from Mrs. Crews.

Steven Keller: Ashira called me while I was at UVA for a scholarship interview. It gave me something to brag about.

SK: My dad molded me to be what he used to be at my age. Some people fear being like their parents, but for me that’s perfectly OK.

AM: In an unconventional way, my sister Bayla. We compliment each other. She keeps me happy.

AM: I haven’t had any great travesties. If you don’t see any difficulties then you don’t have any problems.

SK: I don’t dwell on mistakes I’ve made. I learn from them and then put them out of my head. That’s why I’m able to enjoy life.

AM: Anything by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

SK: Is Catch-22 serious enough?

AM: The camaraderie.

SK: Everything I am involved in. I don’t what it will feel like without seventh period tennis.

AM: I’m happy with how it turned out. Nope. Not at all.

SK: I wouldn’t change a thing.

At most high schools, the valedictorian is the one who speaks at graduation.

But not at Leon.

This year, graduates Steven Keller and Ashira Morris will address their classmates during the commencement ceremony on June 3.

The two seniors were elected to speak by their fellow Summa Cum Laude honorees (3.9 to 4.0 unweighted grade point average).

There are 19 Summas in the class of 2010. They conducted the vote after the Pierian Honor Society inductions in March. The students involved were allowed to withdraw their names if they preferred not to be chosen to speak.

Leon has been using a Summa process since the 1994 graduation ceremony.

This process was originally proposed by Eran Nettles, who was one of the Leon Summa Cum Laude graduates of 1994.

“There were so many people in this class who were top students and deserved honors,” Nettles said in 1994 interview with the Tallahassee Democrat. “We just wanted more than one person to be recognized, to be more fair.”

The graduation speaker privilege in most other schools is given to the valedictorian and salutatorian, which Principal Rocky Hanna described as leading to “petty” competition.

“I love what we do and how we do it,” Hanna said, “It has served us well.”

Leon is one of a few schools that uses unweighted GPAs to determine class rankings. This system has been used since 1990, due to an incident where the two top students shared identical GPAs.

One student had five academic honors classes and two study halls, while the other had five academic classes and two music classes. The student with two study halls was declared valedictorian, which caused the Leon County School Board to look into an unweighted system.

“As always, the Summas did an outstanding job of voting for the two students to speak for the senior class,” Hanna said.

Seniors Tira Bacon and Courtney Lipford were the leaders of the softball program this season.

Lipford came through in the clutch with a three-run home run in extra innings against Lincoln High to put the Lions into the district championship game.

That home run also made the Lions eligible for the regional quarterfinals, a feat that had not been accomplished since 2003.

Lipford led the Lions this season with six home runs, breaking both Leon High and Tallahassee records.

Lipford plans to play at L.B. Wallace Community College in Alabama.

Bacon, a right fielder who came back for her senior season, does not plan to continue on the collegiate level.

One of the most important contributions that both made to the team is a sense of leadership that was vital for such a young team.

Student Body Vice President
Chris Hill

Senior Class President
Brooke Eubanks

Senior Class Vice President
Tori Bradley

Senior Class Treasurer
Brad Olson

Senior Class Secretary
Amy Chaaban

Junior Class President
Hunter Munson

Junior Class Vice President
Waverly Chin

Junior Class Treasurer
Sarah Emmanuel

Junior Class Secretary
Brandi Johnson

SAC Representitive
Chelsea Williams

After nearly five years at Leon, Assistant Principal of Curriculum Billy Epting has accepted the position of principal at Canopy Oaks Elementary School. Also, Assistant Principal of Attendance Geni Everett is retiring at the end of this school year after four years at Leon.

“I will miss the interaction with high school kids,” Epting said. He says he will also deeply miss the “extras” offered at high schools, such as chorus concerts, football games and Mane Event performances, to name a few.

However, Canopy Oaks made an offer that Epting could not refuse.

“I like the idea of being a principal again,” said Epting, who was principal at Holy Comforter Middle School for six years prior to coming to Leon.

During his time at Leon, Epting worked tirelessly on the master schedule, course requests and student course code directories.

On top of the mountains of time that Epting invested in curriculum, he was also seen at many Leon sporting events, continuously supporting his Leon Lions, on and off the field.

“I’ve always been able to count on [Epting],” said Hanna, who made Epting part of his administrative team in 2006. “He is a fine man and a great administrator.”

Epting certainly had numerous accomplishments at Leon, but one that stands out in his own mind is that he was able to build a master schedule each year.

“Almost all of our kids were able to get the courses that they asked for,” Epting said. “We have a really high percentage of kids who get their first-choice classes.”

Epting’s son, Eric, is a freshman at Leon. For a son, the bonus of having a dad who works at his school was nice.

“I used his office as a locker,” Eric said. “But he’s very excited to go to Canopy Oaks. It’s a new experience for him.”

As kids, Hanna and Epting grew up in the same neighborhood. That strong foundation served them both well as they teamed up to give the students of Leon a positive high school experience.

“We have had a great working relationship over the past couple of years,” Hanna said.

Epting will be replaced by Sarah Hembree, who formerly taught at Deer Lake Middle School and Cobb Middle School. She was also Grants Coordinator at the Leon District Office.

Epting is unsure of what the future holds for him.

“Looking down the road, I may make it back to a high school position again,” Epting said. “I enjoy working with kids. As long as I can keep doing that, I think I’ll be OK.”

Everett, who is in the Drop Extension Program, will officially retire June 30 after 39 years in the education field.

“I have applied to be hired back at Leon, but it is unclear if the school budget will allow it,” Everett said.

If Everett is not able to work next year, she would like to travel and perhaps work part-time.

“I like working with students,” Everett said. “I would love to continue to work at Leon.”

If she is not able to return, she will be greatly missed for her unceasing dedication.

“Change is not always easy and Leon High School is much bigger than any one person,” Hanna said. “But there are certain people that pass through [this school] that are not easily replaced.”