"The Best In Delco"- Jimmy DelRaso

                                                                   “The Best In Delco”

Bruce Bley begins to toss large dough
in order to make a pizza.

            Have you ever wondered what it takes to make a small time business into a successful, township landmark? Coco’s Pizzeria and Pub in Aston, Pennsylvania is just that business. The reason for its success can be mostly contributed to the owner, Bruce Bley who has been working in the pizza industry for 27 years. His energy and charismatic personality can be shown by his persistence to always please the customers, while his leadership and teachings help develop his employees into more effective workers. Bruce has been owner of not just one of the Coco’s pizza shops, but a one point two of them simultaneously. In 1990, he became owner of the Brookhaven Coco’s and then eight years later became the owner of the local hot spot Coco’s in Aston. He ran both pizzerias until 2005, and because of the success Aston’s location was receiving, he had to relinquish ownership of the shop in Brookhaven, Pennsylvania.

            Entering Coco’s Aston, you receive an assortment of aromas ranging from the hot and delicious pizzas to the tasty cheesesteaks. Following the various smells, the sounds of the pizzeria include families and friends enjoying their time at the restaurant, but mainly to hard working employees working in the open kitchen area. When ordering to go you will definitely witness the employees shuffling around one another as they travel from station to station trying to complete orders as quickly and efficiently as possible. Following that you will hear one of the multiple phones ring before an employee answers with, “Hello, this is Coco’s in Aston how can I help you?” As you observe the hectic kitchen area you will take notice of the grill, fryers, and pizza ovens off to the right of the kitchen, and opposite of those cooking station would be the wrap station, where sandwiches are wrapped up for to go orders, the hoagie, salad, and freezer area, and finally the main focal point of the kitchen, the pizza table.

Bruce places a pizza into the oven after putting all
the ingredients on to the pizza.

            Whether you eat in, order to go, or over the telephone for pick or delivery, don’t be surprised when looking at the various food options. When choosing you may notice that the prices may seem a little unreasonable for certain items, but that is only because of the customer and market demand for the food choice, as well as the cross use of the ingredients used for that item. However with that being said, you cannot go wrong with choosing any item on the menu because they are all mouth wateringly delicious. If you decide that you would like to indulge in a famous Coco’s pizza, then there are thirty-five different options ranging from the traditional plain pizza all the way to a Bacon Cheddar Cheeseburger Pizza, which includes bacon, meatballs, cheddar and mozzarella cheese, and lastly pizza sauce. On the other hand, if you would like to choose something other then pizza, the list goes on from stromboli’s, various salads, steak sandwiches, hoagies, and even thirteen different burger choices. There are also multiple side orders, including chicken fingers, fries, fried shrimp, and more to choose from if you only want a quick bite to eat.

            The slow times at Coco’s are few and far between. On an annual basis, the slowest time of the year would come during the first two weeks in August because at that time, the summer sporting activities have ended and the fall sporting activities have not yet begun. For this reason, the majority of the customers, which are families go on vacation and won’t be ordering for those two weeks. As for the busy times, they are promising and very hectic. The absolute busiest time of the year is leading up to the holiday seasons. For this reason, Friday nights are especially busy. Cooks bump into one another completing orders by dropping food into the fryer, chopping steaks on the grill, and tossing dough in the air to make the pizza’s or stromboli’s. The kitchen in the pizza shop isn’t mainly male based because the female staff or “phone girls” as they are called are busy answering the phones and refilling the empty workstations on a typical Friday night.

            The location of Coco’s is positive for business, but can also contributes to the negative aspect of business. The positive aspect in terms of location is that it’s located right off of Dutton Mill road, which is a main road going through Aston. As for the negative contribution to business, the limited parking is a major factor for customers. To help slightly solve this problem, Bruce offers out special offers or coupons, as well as inviting people to special events that occur over the weekend. He also makes sure that his business is actively involved in the community with sponsorship for the local sports teams and offering discounts to the schools around the area.

Bruce pulls out Coco's famous Sicilian Pizza
from the oven. The Sicilian Pizza is
a square shaped pizza.

            A typical day inside the kitchen starts with the opening or setting up of the kitchen. This process includes turning on the pizza ovens and soup tables, setting up the pizza tables and hoagie station, and draining the fryers. The doors open at eleven, but there may be tickets already for customers who decided to preordered their meals from Coco's online services. These orders are mainly for businesses and can be rather large at times. Lunchtime at Coco’s is a bit rather because it can be rather busy or remain at a steady pace, but since there are only up to four people working in the kitchen at a time, then they need to prepare themselves to multi-task on a regular basis. While completing orders efficiently, the cooks must also do prep work for the dinnertime rush. Prep work consists of making the different sauces for the chicken wings, cooking up the different pizza toppings on the grill, cutting up produce for the hoagies and salads, and more. Dinnertime sneaks up quickly as there are no breaks taken in the kitchen. Depending on the day, dinner can start early or late and goes well into the evening. Cleaning of the kitchen begins around 9:30 or 10:00 and can be quite vigorous. Cleaning requires just the opposite of what it takes to set up the store. A big difference though is the time that it takes to clean the store because when setting up the store, the employees do not have to cook at the same time, but when cleaning up they do. Closing time comes around eleven o’clock from Sunday to Thursday and twelve o’clock on Friday and Saturday. However, the closing employee’s aren’t able to leave at exactly closing time because more than likely they are still finishing up the cleaning process before leaving for the night.

Manage Connor McGuire
is making various sandwiches
during the busy "lunch rush"

Manager Steve Schmucker
attempts to complete
numerous orders.

       For those of us who get lost in the idea of the pressures and stress that it takes to take a business from the bottom to the top, Bruce provides valuable knowledge. First and for most, he mentions that for him the most stressful part is the dedication that you must have when owning your own business. This stress also incorporates being reliable on those who could be considered unreliable. In terms of working on an everyday schedule when running your own business, he highly suggests it simply because when you’re at work, it takes the pressure off the employees of having to handle everything. Since being an owner is stressful enough, you will always have to place people in charge to take a managerial role. In Bruce’s case, Eric Keeth, Steve Schmucker, and Connor McGuire take on that role because in his eyes the exemplify the qualities of being trust worthy, dependable, inspire the younger staff, and most importantly committed. Finally when hiring new employees always pitch the dedication aspect of the job, but for him he says to those employees, “Work here for the challenging aspect of working at a busy and fast paced restaurant, because there are definitely easier ways to make money.”

Bruce prepares a small pepperoni
before placing it into the oven to cook.

            The atmosphere surrounding Coco’s can be very positive with all the families enjoying there meals and all of the different people sitting at the bar, chanting at the television. It does not matter the time or day, experiencing a meal at this famous pizza place is a must. Leaving with a full stomach and smile from ear to ear is always the expectation for the Coco's employees. When walking out the door, always remember the hard work of these employees and the positive feed back from the customers is why Coco’s in Aston is “The Best in Delco!”

            

Getting "Husky" at Late Night.

                If you were asked to describe the term “Late Night” the first thoughts that might occur in your mind may be the comedy styles of Jimmy Fallon or Jay Leno, but if you have ever been a student at Bloomsburg University the phrase “Late Night” may make your stomach growl. For a thrifty college student, the late night special at the Husky Lounge in the Kehr Union Building is ideal option to eat a quick snack, save some money, and mingle with friends. As the late night special begins at exactly nine thirty a wave of famished college students enter from the pitch dark night outside into the lounge. When you enter the building a rush of sights, sounds and smells will hit you like the sizzling of the grills, the cooks shouting orders, the scent of fries and burgers being cooked and deep fried, and the constant chatter of people waiting in line. Students both upper-classman and freshman ritualistically make the trek to Late Night to find a bargain. They have the choice to bring their meal back to their dorms or relax and enjoy their meal at one of the many tables. Late Night provides students with the incentive to be able to use a meal swipe instead of money. But that fact alone is not what makes Late Night so unique. It has become an informal tradition for Bloomsburg students to not only get a quick bite to eat but to relax, socialize with peers, and enjoy their college experience.

The doors to the Husky Lounge beam in the night as
students arrive for the late night special

                As you walk through the two sets of glass doors to enter inside the lounge you are instantly hit with a plethora of sights and sounds. The vibrant artwork on the walls draws your attention immediately as you enter. A large mural of a small Italian village with detailed images of villas, people doing daily business and children playing occupies an entire wall of the lounge. The floor has rosy red and dark black tiles with many green circular tables that spread throughout the dining area. Booths with lime green cushions and brown tables are situated near the walls are the most popular place to sit among customers. Each table has four to five metal green seats which during the late night special are continuously occupied. Four flat screens are mounted on each of the four walls as onlookers intently watch a football game or the evening news.

The central hub of the lounge includes two bulky, black, kitchen island checkout counters. Cashiers standing at the end of each counter wait to check people out. A line of students stands to the left of each of the counters as the cashier swipes their cards for the transaction. The lounge has multiple lines during the busiest hours of the night. Around nine thirty to ten o’clock the lounge is the most crowded. During those busy times of the night the lines have been rumored to stretch as far as through the front door. All different kinds of people graze through the lounge like athletes, students hungry after a long class, couples on a date, and even ROTC members dressed in full uniform after a PT session. Some prefer to eat alone while others dine in a large herd.



The Husky Lounge Snack Bar has been around since the 1960s
serving students for generations.

          Students use the Kehr Union Building, or "KUB" as many refer to it, for more than just the snack bar. As the social hub of the lower campus of Bloomsburg university, KUB is a massive building with a ballroom, game room, computer lab, information center, multicultural center, student government center, and last but not least the Husky Lounge snack bar. KUB was most recently renovated in 1993 to modernize and refurbish the snack bar. Click here for more information about the snack bar and KUB.

Dennis Nunan, a sophomore who lives in Luzerne Hall, frequently visits the Husky Lounge especially during Late Night. “One of the ways I made friends my freshman year was by coming to Husky. I met my best friend Matt here last year and we're rooming together this year in Luzerne.” Dennis's short and heavy stature does not deter his outgoing and friendly personality. He likes to wear cargo shorts and a t-shirt everywhere he goes and he has short red hair and a Philly accent. As he walks around he converses with familiar faces with either a quick “hey” or a flamboyant yell of name as he shakes their hand. When it’s time to eat Dennis gets his usual. “It might seem boring that I get the same thing almost every time I’m here but I just stick with a either a Swiss burger or a turkey bacon cheesesteak from the Burger Studio. Some people may call me fat for eating a lot of junk at my weight. To be politically correct I’m not fat I’m just 'husky'.”

                Ordering food during any other time of the day at the husky lounge is a quick and simple process. But during the night time it requires an extreme amount of patience for both the mind and the stomach. If you are a starving baseball player like Nate Reigner and have just come back from a night practice your patience may run too thin. Nate a short but athletic sophomore is not usually interested in waiting in a large crowd for his food, “I might just leave it’s too crowded in there. I’ll either come back later or I’ll just eat the food I have in my dorm. I need to shower anyway. "Nate leaves the lounge obviously tired and downtrodden from a long day of school work and practice. It is not uncommon for the over population of students in the lounge to deter people from eating. The special ends at midnight so people have the option to wait until it is less crowded to buy their food.

                The lounge provides a variety of options of food from the burgers at “The Burger Studio”, to salads at “Salad to Go” and pizza at “The Home Station.” When you walk up to the Burger Studio you place your order into a computerized menu and receive a white slip for your order. This menu gives you the option to choose a burger, a cheesesteak, or salad. Once you choose which option you want numerous amounts of toppings and side options appear on the screen.  Some of the toppings available include ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, chipotle mayonnaise, BBQ sauce, onions, tomatoes, lettuce, black pinto beans, and even hot sauce. You have the option to include a side of curly fries or french fries with a fountain drink.

Students mosey about the Lounge as they converse with each
other.

The longest lines are for the “Home Station” and “Salads to Go.” The Salad to Go offers you the option of healthier food while the Home Station offers a buffalo chicken pizza, pepperoni pizza, and chicken fingers. It is usually gone within the first minutes of the special. As you wait for you meal you can observe the cooks working tirelessly on the orders they have to prepare. The cooks in their black hats, black aprons, and brown shirts constantly communicate with each other on what orders need to be completed. You can see and hear the fryers as they sizzle and the grease pops on the stove. There is a constant movement of workers behind the counters as they try to keep up with the ticket times.

Once the orders are done the head cook Brenda yells out the order number in a  high pitched womanly voice.  Brenda is a short middle aged woman with brown hair usually worn in a ponytail. She is very personable and often socializes to her customers as she serves them. “I’ve been here the longest so I’m responsible for making sure everything runs smoothly when it’s really busy,”she exclaims. She is a people person who likes to become friendly with the regulars of Late Night. “I love seeing new faces but I’ve come to know many of the upperclassmen that come here all the time. I know most but not all by name but I try my best when I can. Usually it’s hard the first week back when the new ones are mixed with the old but I still have good memory and usually they remember me first.”
As Dennis orders his food he gives a hearty hello to Brenda who is supervising some workers as they cook the food. "Brenda it nice to finally see you!" he says in his
"Dennis you've lost some weight! Have you been working out?"
"I have actually. It was leg day today. I just got back from the rec I've been there for two hours. I lost forty five pounds in the summer", he exclaims proudly, "I think not being here all time helped too. I got to start eating more salads and stay committed but I'm getting there."
Brenda and Dennis laugh as they continue the conversation. Both have such an outgoing nature that meeting new people and remembering old friends is second nature to them.
"OK well I got to go Brenda I'll see you"
"I'll see you too Dennis," she says politely.
The ability to socialize and make new friends is very important aspect of college. Eating at the Husky Lounge provides a great way to meet new people and try new things. College is the time of your life, so why not enjoy it. The lounge gives you the opportunity to enjoy yourself through a different method other than partying. College students need to escape the intensity of school work and life. The Late Night special at the Husky Lounge provides them with that escape. But as you enjoy the food, just remember that the freshman fifteen is a very real thing. You don't want to get too "husky" at Late Night.

"The Beginning of the Road to the Future"

Middle Paxton Elementary

Do you remember the very first day of your first year of school? It might seem hard to remember but it was the start of your long road to success. For many Kindergarten students walking through the big, heavy, glass door into a tall, brick building seems terrifying. Just the beginning of the journey the children will have, they go down the hall and say goodbye to Mom and Dad and enter into a room they have never seen before. At the age of five or six years old this can be a very difficult transition for students to make. Luckily for the Kindergarteners at Middle Paxton Elementary School they receive a fantastic, helpful teacher, Michelle Bangert, who makes a seemingly difficult transition easier for her students.

Michelle Bangert became very involved with teaching Sunday School at her church and she babysat for as long as she can remember. She wanted to coach sports after college which definitely proved teaching was the right job for her. "It often feels as though it was what I always wanted to do," she shares with me with a huge smile on her face. The passion she has for the job and the children in her class when working with them every day shows she is exactly where she wants to be. She believes her involvement in high school and the leadership roles she took on as an athlete helped to shape the skills that have helped with her success in the field of teaching. Her job allows her to do what she loves while still having time for her husband and four year old daughter, Layke. Mrs. Bangert's Classroom Mrs. Bangert spends many days over the summer getting supplies and the classroom ready for the new students she will receive each year. When you walk into the class, warm, welcoming posters fill the walls. The smell of crayons and glue sticks welcomes you. Four hexagon tables with six chairs at each one hold the crayon nametags with each child’s name. Maroon carpet and cream tile cover the floors of the class. Bright yellow chair pockets line the chairs so the students have a place to put the folder they need to bring back every day. The tables house baskets holding crayons, pencils, glue sticks, scissors and erasers for the children to use. The walls contain many alphabet strips and number lines which will help the class for the entire year. A giant calendar, job chart, and word pocket line the easel sitting on the edge of the carpet. A cozy brown chair sits in the back of the room with a shelf full of books that Mrs. Bangert reads to the students at story time. With the classroom ready to go, Mrs. Bangert is ready for her students to come in on the first day of school.

As the students file in on the first day of class, Mrs. Bangert gives each student a sticker nametag until she figures out all their names. The student find their way to their seats, with some help, at the table that they will sit in for the year. After all the students file in Mrs. Bangert explains some of the things in and around the classroom. She shows them the grey racks that have bright yellow hooks where they can hang their backpacks and coats when they come in the room every morning. She tells them some of the expectations she has for the classroom – no running, always use kind words, no hitting, inside voices, respect the materials, etc. The whole first week of school, mainly spent giving the students the rules and expectations of the classroom, makes it difficult to get the students into a routine and schedule they will follow for the year.

As the second week of school begins many changes take place in the classroom environment. The students seem more comfortable with the classroom setting and they begin to talk more. The students also start interacting with each other which Mrs. Bangert loves to see. Mrs. Bangert states when the second week starts she can actually start teaching the students new material. The second week brings more excitement to the classroom, with the children eager to learn. Each child receives a paper to do for morning work once the second week starts. After the bell rings at nine o’clock and the Pledge is said, the students need to find their assign seat on the carpet and get ready for the morning routine. The job chart changes each week and children get to do small tasks around the classroom, weather, temperature, date, number of days in school, etc., and report back to the class. Mrs. Bangert teaches them a new letter of the alphabet, the date, and gives them a preview of what the day will consist of. Once they learn all the capital letters, they will go back and learn all the lower case letters. Lower case letters seem more difficult for the students to learn and write because they need to distinguish between a giraffe (top line) or puppy dog letter (middle line). They then go back to their seats to practice the new letter.

Wet-Dry-Try Chalkboard Method

After they practice with the Wet (sponge), Dry (paper towel), Try (chalk) method on a chalkboard, the students clean up and go to the story chair for story time. Mrs. Bangert always gets the children to answer questions about the stories. Today they read the story Chrysanthemum and learned about bucket filling and bucket dipping, how to define character, the setting, theme of the story, and why not to make fun of others. Once they finish with storytime, the children go back to their seats and do writing and math. Snack time, many students favorite time of day, comes next and right afterwards they get to go to recess. At the end of recess they come back in and work on some more schoolwork for an hour and they get to go home. Mrs. Bangert then gets to have an hour break before the second set of Kindergarteners come in for the afternoon. 

Elementary teachers, who do so much for each child that walks into their classroom, do not receive near enough credit. For children that may not have the best home life, teachers often provide a very steady environment for them. Most teachers also feel very connected to the students at the end of the year and have a hard to see them go. A typical day for a teacher begins around seven in the morning and they often stay in their classroom until five. Mrs. Bangert reveals, “although the schedule is the same, the day is far from typical when you are dealing with five and six year olds.” When working as an elementary school teacher, you need to have flexibility. Sometimes your day might not go as planned and you need to work around whatever comes up. A teacher cannot get frazzled with every little thing that happens because that makes the kids get frazzled as well. “There are always students that are challenging for a variety of reasons. Some have special needs like autism, some have behavior problems and some just need additional help.” Teachers have to prepare to help the students who need extra attention and provide a strong learning foundation for all the students.

If we did not have teachers like Mrs. Bangert, who makes the transition for students much easier, school could be dreadful for many children. She makes the learning environment a welcoming place for all the different students she has. The amount of time and effort she puts in her work shows her passion for the job. Mrs. Bangert most loves “seeing the growth my students make between the beginning of the year and the end of the year. The excitement and wonderment that some of them show when something finally ‘clicks’ is priceless.” She enjoys running into former students who remember her and see how far they have gotten. Her favorite advice to give to anyone, “don’t forget that you can even learn something from a bad experience.” Take what life gives you and try to make the best you can out of any situation.

The First Game



Penn Township practice field

After three months, three coaches, thirty junior high girls, and a remarkable amount of work, Tammy Newberry watches from the third base line as the Selinsgrove Seals score their winning run for their first game and win of the season. Tammy is the head coach of the Selinsgrove Seals junior high softball team and assistant coach for the high school team. While many coaches may only stay on a team for a couple of seasons, for the last ten years, Tammy has been the coach for the Seals and always looks forward to watching the players succeed and learn from their failures throughout the season. Tammy’s dedication to coaching puts her through many trials and tests, but she continues to coach due to her love for the game and watching the girls improve from junior high to high school softball.

Selinsgrove softball player up to bat

            As any good coach knows, the players must master all of the basic components of softball before being thrown into a game situation. “Softball requires the ability to throw, catch, hit the ball, run the bases, and know what to do with the ball at each of the positions,” Tammy remarks with seriousness. Each practice begins with drills and warm ups that include each of these areas. The girls line up from the chalky white first base line all the way between second and third base to begin practice by throwing to each other. Although this may seem unnecessary most important element of playing softball.  Alongside throwing and catching, swinging a bat becomes vital when trying to score runs to win a game. Learning and relearning these basic components of softball helps the girls improve throughout the entirety of all the practices and games.

Tammy Newberry having a team meeting before
the first game

                        Winning the first game of the season not only sets the stage for the rest of their games, but also displays how much effort occurred throughout the preseason practices by both Tammy and the girls. “As a coach, I try to prepare the girls the best I can to be ready for that first game, because the first game of the season is always the hardest. It also allows me to see what areas of defense and offense the girls need to improve on.” While walking onto the unkempt practice field for the last time before their first game, the girls wear looks of nervousness and appear on edge. Having previously played for junior high and high school softball herself, Tammy knew exactly what thoughts were running through their heads and how to get them ready for the big game. Through the years, Tammy learned that simulating real game situations in areas such as base running, team defense, and batting greatly improves performance during actual games.

During this final practice, the girls line up on home plate all the way down to first base as Tammy begins dividing them into teams for a scrimmage. This scrimmage, being very similar to a real, seven-inning game, will help the girls be more prepared for their first game they will be facing the next day. The players took their positions on the field and pulled their blue and white batting helmets onto their heads and grabbed their bats as they started the first inning of the scrimmage. Towards the end of the second inning, the girls' looks of nervousness and anxiety start to disappear and are slowly replaced with looks of determination and excitement as the game begins to liven. Tammy takes note that the girls are more aggressive both at bat and in their defensive positions as the scrimmage progresses, which is just what she expects as a coach. In the final and seventh inning, the girls are breathing heavily and wear wisps of sweat on their faces, but smiles also form as they are satisfied by their hard work and newly found confidence. At this point, both Tammy and the girls begin to feel certain of their abilities to play as hard as they can for the upcoming game against Jersey Shore the next day. 

            Scrimmages and other coaching techniques play a big role not only in the physical aspects of softball, but also in some crucial, mental standpoints that come along with the sport. Tammy explains that another part of her role as a coach is to prepare the girls mentally for the season, including their sportsmanship attitudes along with accepting their roles or positions on the team. One of the most important outlooks that a player must come to terms with is that their position is important for the whole team and should be taken seriously whether they want to be playing there or not. If someone is not going to have this outlook, they sit the bench until they understand why this is so important. Another job that both Tammy and the girls need to fulfill to create a good playing atmosphere is cheering on each other both in times of victory and failure. One of the rules that the players and Tammy play and learn by is "No excuses." Creating excuses does not allow the girls to learn from their mistakes, it only justifies their failures. Good sportsmanship is a serious part of playing any sport and helps determine whether or not a team is going to succeed or fail in their ventures. Mentally, the girls are now prepared to go out and strive for their first win of the season and continue to face the future games with confidence, even if it requires learning from previous mistakes.

Tammy Newberry at one of her practices

  

            “This first game is going to either charge these girls with confidence or take some of it away. In either situation, these girls will strive to improve and it’s one of my jobs as a coach to help them do just that,” Tammy says with confidence. After the umpires finished checking both teams’ bats and helmets, the girls in blue jerseys, white pants, and blue socks grabbed their dirt-covered mitts and took their positions on the field to start the game. Another major job that Tammy must fulfill as a coach requires her to help the girls out while they hit by coaching from third base. As Tammy stands along the third base line in her bright red shirt that reads “Coach Tammy,” she gives the girls up to bat and on base signals to hit or bunt the ball and to steal the bases. “The girls aren't completely on their own during the game. All three of us, including Coach Kreger, Coach Rogers and I, are there to guide them and give them strategies to help them succeed,” Tammy explains As the game reached the end of the fifth inning, the atmosphere began to liven and the crowd began to cheer words of encouragement as the Selinsgrove Seals scored their eleventh run. Past the newly lined infield, freshly cut outfield, and fence, the final score read eleven for the home team and zero for the away team. The girls performed almost flawlessly and ended the game early with a ten run rule also known as a mercy rule. After the game, Tammy produced a look of satisfaction upon her face for both how well the team played and knowing that she was able to assist in the win through her coaching at practices and during the game.

A Royal Ball

     Everyone knows the story of Cinderella going to the ball, and generally, everyone thinks going to a ball is just something a princess in a fairytale would do. But for the Airmen at Dover Air Force Base, in Delaware, the Air Force Ball is a yearly occurrence that everyone looks forward to. Imagine everyday life as an Airman which consists of following orders, dressing in perfect regulations, eating boring cafeteria food, following strict schedules, etc. Perhaps one of the best rewards would be a night of recognition, delicious food and drinks, letting loose and dancing, and fellowship with friends, family, and other Airmen. That is just what the Air Force Ball is, and each year, it truly is a night to remember and cherish.

     Dover, Delaware, is a small city compared to most, but charming and endearing nonetheless. The Air Force Base in Dover can be added to the list of the many bases throughout the world. It can be found only a short distance from Dover Downs Hotel & Casino, where the 67^th Air Force Ball is being held. "Dover Downs is a venue that can host a huge amount of attendees, be rented at a great price, and has a beautiful setting," informs Senior Master Sargent Klink who organized this monumental event for the fourth year. She believes Dover Downs to be the best choice for the Air Force Ball venue.  When approaching Dover Downs, a first-timer my feel a bit of confusion by the different parking lots. Some marked with signs that read, “Valet Parking Only,” and others reading, “Visitor Parking.” Different entrances will take you to the casino, hotel, or ballroom. An assortment of people can be found coming in and out of those different entrances. Some people are dressed to the nines, either exiting or entering the ballroom spinning doors. Some people are dressed in average looking clothes because they are on the way to the casino to gamble the night away. Others are dressed in matching maroon uniforms, those being the valet parkers. At 6:00 P.M., many cars began to pull into the large parking lots. People in long formal dresses, Air Force uniforms, or suits step out of the cars and make their way past a large fountain into the ballroom entrance. Lieutenant Colonel Baugh opens the door for his date and escorts her into the building with confident strides. For more information on Air Force Ranking, visit this site: Air Force Ranking. 

     A large curving  marble staircase leads to an upstairs room, and makes a perfect backdrop for couples who are getting their picture taken. A professional photographer takes pictures of couples who want to order some prints, similar to what they do at high school proms. The line for photographs reaches back to a small bar where a bar tender moves quickly and effortlessly to fill the orders of the people. Bottles of liquor fill the table behind the bartender and the smell of wine floats through the air. Everyone seems to have an alcoholic beverage in their hand, showing that they are at least twenty-one. Those who are underage are content with ice water in their glasses. In the sea of dark navy blue uniforms, the bright colors of women’s dresses stand out. Bright green, orange, pink, purple, yellow, and sky blue are among the rainbow of colors of the beautiful gowns. Younger guests are mostly likely re-wearing a prom dress from previous years, happy to get some extra use out of the expensive.

     A tall, African American man wearing his Air Force uniform with countless badges and patches on it, comes bustling through the crowd and snaps a picture. The flash catching several peoples’ eyes. Another flash, and yet another, and soon he gets close enough to hear the clicking of the camera as he continues snapping picture after picture after picture. “Can you tell I like taking pictures?” Lieutenant Cononel Baugh exclaims with a huge smile as he adjusted his black-rimmed glasses. He has attended what he says seems like countless Air Force Balls, but his excitement boils over at each and every one of them. He takes the pictures to upload to his Facebook profile, he informs, as a way to document the joyous occasion. He promises to “tag” guests in the pictures he uploads if they "shoot him a friend request." Surely he strives to gain more friends on Facebook. Lieutenant Colonel Baugh’s enthusiasm seems to capture the mood of everyone else in every direction the eye can see. The bow-tie on his neck seems to fit his personality perfectly.

     The evening truly is set up for the enjoyment of each and every guest who paid for a ticket. For guests who have small children, a babysitting service is available in the back hallway. The beloved movie, Frozen, plays on a big screen T.V. and a couple dozen freshly made cheese and pepperoni pizzas await to be feasted on by the hungry children. A couple Airmen who volunteered as babysitters mention how they are disappointed at not getting the chance dress up and actually attend the ball. Airman First Class Civil explains with a genuine smile, "An Airman is always ready to serve others, so when asked to be a babysitter, I didn't think twice about helping out rather than attending the ball." She bends over to pick up a toddler who instantly begins to play with her long black locks. Back in the main ballroom, a small band complete with guitars, cellos, violins, a keyboard, and a drumset sat off to the corner, playing an assortment of tunes that blended in with the chatter of everyone spread out in the ballroom. Airman Bryan Henry rattled off the titles to a few of the songs the band played, impressing the older Airmen around him. Lieutenant Colonel Baugh mentions how he is impressed that a young Airman of 19 would know so many Oldies songs.When asked which part of organizing the ball proved to be hardest, Senior Master Sargent Klick said, "Getting a first speaker. This year we had four different speakers back out at the last minute." No one seems to mind  as a video about the Air Force history takes the place of a speaker

     The ballroom is decorated beautifully. Large paintings adorn the walls, murals painted on the ceiling where intricate chandeliers also hang, hundreds of circular tables are covered in pure white tablecloths, and centerpieces of beautiful and fragrant yellow mums are there to remind guests of fall and the changing of seasons. The silverware shines like it was just polished, and complementary glasses sit in front of each plate. Small candles set the mood and name tags label each guest’s spot at the table. The stage holds the same yellow mums that stand out beautifully against the dark blue curtains. A podium on each side of the stage marks the place where the hosts read the schedule of events.

     The fellowship and friendly banter extinguishes as the playing of the National Anthem is announced. The room becomes completely silent as a violinist plays the notes perfectly to the Star Spangled Banner. Everyone shows so much respect as the song is played. Lieutenant Colonel Baugh, with his hand placed over his heart, holds a new look of complete seriousness on his face. The room holds the silence as POW/MIA Ceremony commences. Everyone pays respects to the soldiers who were prisoners of war or missing in action. Not a single disrespectful noise can be heard in the room of over 500 people. Soon afterwards, the toasts are given and a magnificent dinner is served. Large salads start everyone off, and a plate packed full of steak, grilled chicken, mashed potatoes and mixed vegetables is served to ladies first. Dessert is a tasty strawberry cake with a decorative chocolate flower painted on the plate. No one’s stomach has any space left in it after the meal is over, and all the plates are virtually been licked clean. A small program is played on a screen that drops from the ceiling and when over, each and every guest stands up and takes part in singing The Air Force Song:

Off we go into the wild

Blue yonder, climbing

High into the sun;

Here they come, zooming

To meet our thunder, At

‘em boys, give’er the gun!

(Give’er the gun!)

Down we dive, spouting a

Flame from under, Off With one helluva roar!

We live in fame or go

Down in flame- Hey!

Nothing’ll stop the U.S.

Air Force!

     At that, guests are turned free to the dance floor as a D.J. begins playing classic dance music. A very important man walks up and introduces himself as Chief McCoy. He has uncountable badges, ribbons, and patches on his perfectly tailored uniform. His petite wife, Lisa, follows close beside him in a short, bright orange and beaded dress. Her bright blonde hair frames a very friendly looking face as she begins to strike up a conversation about the town of Dover. “Oh! You’ve been to Dover’s mall? Did it take you ten minutes to look at everything? I’ve never been in a smaller mall than the one they’ve got here!” But she quickly calls herself a liar and explains that her hometown mall was just as bad. She moved to Dover after marrying her husband who has been stationed there for years. Although Dover has a “certain charm,” she says, she truly would love to move to a big city such as New York.

     To the Airmen of Dover Air Force Base, and their wives, husbands, girlfriends, boyfriends or family members who they took as their guests to the 67^th Air Force Ball, the night of September 6^th was a special day out of the year to have a great time. According to Senior Master Sargent Klick, the ball was a success and a total pay-off to her hard work. "The goal was to get more Jr. Airmen to attend...22% of attendees were in this rank," she states with pride in her work. The Air Force Ball is one day out of their year of service to really celebrate what they stand for. Lieutenant Colonel Baugh could not get enough of everything the night had to offer, while Lisa McCoy dreams of big cities. But to every guest there, nothing could beat the feeling of becoming a prince or princess at a ball. 

Diana's Delicious Dessert

           We always see a smile on peoples face when they are eating a delicious dessert. Eating the dessert is only half of the equation, the other half is the bakers who create it. Bakers are artists, and their sweets are their canvases.

The campfire on a beautiful clear night.

One baker named Diana lives in downstate New York, basically in the middle of nowhere, right next to me. She is my neighbor of maybe two weeks, as she recently moved from Garden Grove, California. Diana has long blonde hair that flows just past her shoulder blades, with very freckled sun-kissed skin, and presents a very bubbly-happy-go-lucky personality. She is wearing black sweatpants with an Adidas symbol right below the hip, and a large grey sweatshirt.

            The sky was extremely clear after a day filled to the brim with rain storms. Welcoming Diana, we sat down and started to talk about life, how beautiful the stars were, and how good the dwindling fire smelled. “Makes me think of the smell of a delicious dessert in the oven,” Diana jokingly says.

Diana enjoys spending her days working on cakes and pastries of all different types, but she says she primarily works on cakes. ”Birthday cakes are my favorite to make” she exclaims.

“I made a Lego birthday cake once for a kid named Bradley” she says whiled crossing her legs. First she made some chocolate cake, which is her favorite cake she happily proclaims. "The aroma of the chocolate cake while it is in the oven is torturous, all you want to do is eat it" Diana declares. Once the cakes were cooled she stacked them into an 11”x13”x5” size shape, one on top of the other. Next rice-krispies are made for the circular appendages that stick out of the top of the Legos. Then she shaped fondant, to go on top of the delicious dessert, which helps in creating a smooth surface. Next she painted on edible paint to create a green Lego, because green was Bradley’s favorite color. The final touches included: a Happy Birthday Bradley Banner, the placing of assorted Legos on the cake, and arranging orange balls of sugar around the border of the cake. “This was definitely in the top 5 of my all-time favorite cakes that I have made!” she says excitedly.

           She works in downstate New York,at a Weis Store, in the Bakery Department, as the Head Bakery Director. As the Bakery Director, she loves her job. "I have been a professional baker for 20 plus years" she. Diana states that when you walk in the bakery your nose just goes crazy. She says she likes to have things in order, and to keep them that way. Making lists helps she mentions. At the top of her list is washing your hands. Next on the list is taking care of the ordered cakes, and seeing that every worker is correctly executing the job at hand. She says her employees get a little mad at how critical she is sometimes, but she wants it done correctly.Being a very motivated person sometimes causes others to take that as being rude. Diana flips her hair and says she doesn’t mean for that to happen, but if it does, oh well, unless it is the customer then she genuinely cares about them.

Whenever Diana answers a question she answers it with a smile. My motto is to always put a smile on the customer’s face, if the cake is wrong we will fix it free of charge. To us, customers are priority. Without them, we wouldn’t have our business. This is a very good motto because the more happy customers you have the more business you will have. There is nothing more rewarding than someone coming back and ordering from you again. She is a very dedicated woman when it comes to making people happy.

Diana once had her own bakery called “Fabuuulous Cakes,” it was small but she did not care because it was her business and that was all that mattered. She tells me the bakery was decked out in bright colors, all the colors of the rainbow for sure. “I wish I still had my own bakery but I’m glad I was able to have a chance to get away from my past and dealing with a divorce; you can’t change your past but you can just look forward to the future” she says. Eventually she will have her own bakery again and be able to have freedom but for now, this will do she proclaims. Having your own bakery is much different than working for a chain store. For example, when she made cakes at her bakery she was able to put whatever amount of anything in a cake that she wanted, without getting in trouble. Now she has to follow the set of rules, given by corporate. This doesn’t matter but it does take more time to change her mind set from what she used to be doing, to what she has to do now.

Diana’s passion for baking came from her childhood. When she was little her Aunt babysat her every week in the summer, since her parents had full-time jobs. Her Aunt was a professional baker, who worked from home. Diana says she always asked how she could help. ”I just loved when she let me eat the cake scraps, it’s the part of the cake which is cut off when shaping” she explains. She tells me that she would also eat the raw batter as soon as the mixing was done. She says the batter was so delicious and she sometimes would rather have the batter than the cake itself. Although when the cake is put in the oven the smell is excruciatingly good, so good it would make your nose dance with happiness she said. They would always “ice” the cakes after the cakes had had a few hours to cool. Diana wasn’t allowed to help with the final product because she was so young and her Aunt didn’t want her to ruin it.  When her Aunt would make a cake she would teach Diana to always give the customer the best product possible. This meaning always do your best.

Diana smiling for a picture.

People tell her she’s crazy when she says she bakes at home too. They ask her, don’t you get tired of all the sweets? She always tells them "no way!" She loves to get as much baking in as she can and trying new things. Home is where she is able to experiment. If something tastes great she continues to make it from home, if not, in the trash it goes.
Another reason Diana likes to bake at home is for friends. She loves to bake and invite friends over to try new treats. “My friends are always my critics,” she says. “Without the critique from them, I do not know how I would be a baker today. I can always trust what they say because they know when to tell the truth.” She also love to help her friends out when needed. She always keeps her baking supply stock full and when she is asked for a cake, she gladly bakes them. She loves to bake her friends and family free cakes for birthdays. “The children of my friends and family mean so much to me, and see the smiles on their face when they see a cake I made, that is my payment.”

     She was always in the baking atmosphere so that is how she thinks it became her passion. “I love to bake regardless of where I am whether it is at home, or if it is at work I love it!” she demands. Diana loves the joy it brings her. She claims that no matter where you are, no matter what you do, you should always be happy with it, and put forward your best. Having a smile on your face can go a long way. Smiling radiates happiness and it shows. That is why Diana always bakes everything with a smile.

Early Childhood

         Have you even imagined on being an early childhood director or what the job would be like? An early childhood director puts in a lot of work in for the children and the classrooms and the teachers. Making sure that everything is in the right room for the right age group. The areas that the early childhood director works in is babies till kindergarten.

            The early childhood director out at Christ Wesleyan Church works there. Mel is a easy going woman she knows what she is doing. Her tone of voice makes you feel welcoming and inviting to be either a child, parent, and even a teacher. She would never trade the job for the world. The church that she goes to is also a school. During the week for school the teachers already have what they need for that day in the classroom. Mel is responsible for the preschoolers that are there for the half day. Mel makes sure that the teachers have snack ready for the kids when it comes time for snack and the teachers have all their teaching supplies in the room. On Wednesday night activities at church Mel makes sure that the helpers are there before the kids get there and also to make sure that the check in system is set up for parents to check in their children before going upstairs for the activities. Sunday for church Mel and another helper have everything set up and overlooking the volunteers that help out on Sunday mornings. As they are getting into the room a teacher tells Mel “I look forward to seeing the kids come here every Sunday with their smiling faces.” In a soft tone voice.

            There is a lot of responsibility when becoming an early childhood director. Mel handles all the paper work that needs to be done for the teachers every week she has someone copies the papers and cuts out the papers as well as Wednesday night and even on Sunday morning for church. The rooms that Mel points out that she helps in is the safari room for the infants. She enjoys having the babies every week for school and on Sunday morning for church when she is here. She works every day during the week, on Wednesday night she comes back to church from 6:30 at night till about 9 pm. On Sunday she comes in at 6 am to make sure all the rooms are unlocked and to double check everything is done before 8:50 am before the kids come upstairs. There are other rooms that she helps out in and makes sure that the teachers have everything that they need. The circus room are for the 1 to 2 year olds the room looks like the big top. On the walls are painted with horses, bears, people that work in a circus,  and the toys that the children play with are building blocks, baby dolls, puzzles. The fire station room  the 3 years old the room is pained like a fire house having the bunk beds that the fireman use, the fire gear that fireman use. The toys they play with is a big stuffed dog, blocks, toys that go along with the theme of the room. The last room is for the 4 years old are in the airport room it is painted that has different types of plans on the wall the toys that they place with is kitchen area, dress up, and the plan theme toys. Then they move up into where the children do more activities. All the rooms are painted to look like each area that she works in. The different areas she has accomplished with working at the church and being the early childhood director is having the kids work together as they get older and grow. Having the teachers show the kids how to help each other and to share with one another. Training the teachers to have a good heart, and make sure that they know what they are doing when working with children. Showing the children love is a big one that Mel tells the teachers and helpers.

            When working in each of the rooms of the different age groups teachers  have the love for the kids the passion to be able to work with them. There are different training that Mel reprimands for teachers to take and even herself. The training include behavior, first aid, and special needs training. For herself she took childhood training, and she also helps train the teachers and helper to make sure the rooms and children are safe when they come to school. Even on Wednesday night activities, and on Sunday mornings.  Mel makes sure that the teachers have background checks to make sure that the children are going to be safe with the teachers and helpers. So someone doesn’t have their background checks they wouldn’t be able to work with the kids until they have that done. It is a safety reason for the church so nothing would happen to the kids and the parents would feel more comfortable with taking their child to church and also school.

            Being an early childhood director can be a stressful job but its how someone would  handle the job. But the children can change the way you feel that day. The kids know when your not in a good mood or having a bad day. They will try everything to please you to show that they want to be there for you. The children love to give the teachers hugs and want to help them. They get all excited when teachers or even helpers ask that child to do prayer or even be the line leader and even work with them with their bible verses.  Mel tells a story about when she was having a bad day “it was a Wednesday night and there was two brother, the little brother went to the bathroom and came out and said he pooped, Mel asked him if he washed his hands and the little boy said “yes” then his older brother asked him if he whipped and the little boy said “no” and went back into the bathroom to do that.” everyone was laughing because of how cute it was. This is why when working with kids they know how to put someone in a better mood. I even work with the kids on Wednesday and Sunday mornings. When Mel was asking the kids on Wednesday night each of the teachers names to the kids learn them Mel came to me and asked the kids “what my name was and one little girl said I don’t know her name but I love her and came up and gave me a hug. The teachers were laughing and it made my night even better.  “It is all how you handle the stress of the job. It is very rewarding as well when being a teacher or even being an early childhood director” quoted by Mel.

            Some kids have a hard time getting use to a new room when they move up in years. Some of the babies that turn a year they move up to the circus room. The rooms help the children development. The most important to Mel is giving the kids the love they need, showing them how to play with other children and to learn how to share with one another.  Watching them grow and move up is the best feeling to have being a teacher. When they children don’t share with another child a teacher steps in and helps them share and play together right. A teacher in the circus room was teaching children a song and making noise with the interments that was for the lesson. When the children first come into the room the go to the toys and play with the toys. The TV is also on so if they are having a hard time coming into the room its suppose to help them get distracted. When it is time to clean up and the teachers give they something to color and then they go into the lesson.  The children are yelling and marching around the room. Some are going around the teacher and smiling and laughing as they do. Two children are watching as the teacher and their friends march around the room yelling a song. The children are having a lot of fun with being around the teachers. There is a child that is hitting the drums on the table she is looking around at everyone, she is special needs. She smiles up at the teacher. There are babies crying in the other room, I am a helper in the rooms. I hold one of the babies and start putting the baby to sleep. Mel asked me to help with the babies since most of them were crying and needed help with holding them and comforting the ones that were cry. I have a story to share “In the safari room I had two baby girls crying I held one and the other little girl was still crying once I put down the baby to pick up the other one the one I put down would start in on crying. I had my hands full that day.”  It was a fun day that Sunday.

            As you think about being an early childhood director its best to see what you can handle and what you can’t. All the hard work does pay off in the end when being around the children and seeing them grow up.