Category Archives: Ascension

Before I begin, lets go ahead and rip the band-aid off. Barring a last-second change of heart, Malaki Branhams Ohio State career is over. In June, hell become the first one-and-done of Chris Holtmanns career and the highest Buckeye taken in the NBA Draft since DAngelo Russell went second overall in the 2015 NBA Draft.

Branham told ESPN last week that if he receives feedback from teams that hell be a first-round pick, he will not be returning to school. And right now, finding a mock draft with Branham going outside of the first round hell, outside of the top 20 is about as easy as finding gas for under $3.50/gallon.

In other words: he is gone.

So how did we get here? Absolutely nobody myself included thought Branham would be NBA-bound after one season. I didnt think that when he committed to Ohio State back on July 22, 2020. I didnt think that when he enrolled at Ohio State last summer, and I still didnt think it halfway through the season. Malaki was a top-40 player in his class and a four-star recruit. He was always going to be a great player, but a first-round pick at age 19, potentially in the lottery? Absolutely not. Not this quickly, at least.

But Malaki worked his tail off leading into the season and during the first few months. He gradually became more confident, hunting his shot rather than simply being opportunistic when the ball found him. In the very first game after Ohio States nearly three-week-long COVID pause, he scored a career-high 35 against Nebraska, literally out of nowhere and on the road, to boot. From that point on, Branham averaged 17 points per game the rest of the way, winning the Big Ten Freshman of the Year award and scoring 37 points over two NCAA Tournament games.

And that is where we sit now.

But earlier today, someone asked me a question that really got me thinking: If Ohio State hadnt dealt with the injuries they did this season, would Branham still be a first-round pick today?

Few if any teams missed as many games from key rotation players as the Buckeyes did this past season. Houston and Illinois may have an argument, too. Justice Sueing missed 30 games. Seth Towns missed all 32. Kyle Young missed five games, Zed Key missed three, and Meechie Johnson missed six.

This thrust Branham into roles that Holtmann certainly did not envision his young guard playing so soon. He not only had to become one of their leading scorers, but had to play big minutes all season long. He averaged 30 minutes per game on the season, but the 18-year old played 33 minutes or more in 13 of Ohio States final 16 games. If Sueing and (to an extent) Johnson were healthy the entire time, would this have been necessary? Id argue that it wouldnt.

I would argue that had Justice Sueing been healthy the entire season, Branhams minutes would have been reduced to a point where he probably is not scoring 13.7 points per game. With Sueing healthy, there would have been less pressure on Branham to score. Justice Sueing can be relied on for 10-12 points each and every night which wouldve taken some off of the shoulders of Branham and Liddell.

Once I thought about it a little more, all of the events of last season that Ohio State fans would just consider shit luck directly impacted Branham and likely helped catapult him to the position hes in now. Another great example is the COVID-19 pause the team took in December when several players and coaches contracted the virus. Branham, however, avoided it.

While his teammates were resting at home, waiting for the all-clear, Branham was in the gym. According to the Columbus Dispatchs Adam Jardy, Branham was able to continue to use Ohio States facilities during the pause, because he never tested positive throughout the entire fiasco. With no practice, workouts, or games, Branham was in the gym early each morning sometimes as early as 5 or 6 a.m. working on his craft. Since he couldnt work out with anyone on the team, his personal trainer met him at the arena each morning to get shots up. Branham did that for the entirety of the break, while his teammates conditioning lagged behind and their shots got rusty sitting at home.

When they were cleared to play against Nebraska on January 2, Branham was anything but rusty. His workouts during that break certainly helped him improve, but he was also one of the only Buckeyes who didnt look absolutely gassed that first game back. Branham was able to do all of the heavy lifting that night as one of the only players whose workout and practice routine wasnt completely upended. He scored 35 points over 43 minutes in an overtime victory in Lincoln. From that point on, he just kept on scoring. And scoring. And scoring.

So while it was awful luck that the Buckeyes were forced to stop playing at a time when they seemed to be hitting their stride, the break helped Branham make a leap from a timid freshman who looked a bit overmatched at times to one of the premier players in the Big Ten. Had that COVID pause not happened, would Malaki Branham be sitting here today as a first-round pick?

This one is a little bit more nuanced, and Id be willing to listen to an argument either way. Some folks may say yes, Branham would have eventually hit his stride with or without that break all he needed was some time to adjust. Others might say no, that having those few weeks off to collect himself and refocus/prepare for Big Ten play was vital in his transformation into the certified bucket that he is now.

The final domino that without a doubt helped propel Branham into the spot hes in now was the unexpected departure of Duane Washington Jr. last summer. We heard it all season long, Ohio States expected lineup for the 2021-2022 season back in June was:

That meant that Branham would come off the bench as a freshman and have plenty of time to adjust to big-time college basketball. With Washington, Sueing, and Liddell on the floor, theres no reason to believe that Branham would have come anywhere close to sniffing 13.7 points or 30 minutes per game. Having him come off the bench behind those guys wouldve given the Buckeyes tremendous depth, but Branham wouldnt have had the opportunity to turn into a star so soon had Washington stayed. The minutes and opportunities just would not have been there during his freshman season.

Some folks may argue this and say that Branham is so talented, having him languish on the bench behind Washington wouldve been a fatal mistake by Chris Holtmann (hypothetically, of course). Or that given his talent he would have found a way to force himself into the lineup somehow, with or without Duane there.

Maybe thats true! We will actually never know! But my counter to that would be to take a look at two sophomore sensations in the Big Ten from this past season Johnny Davis and Keegan Murray. Both players showed in their sophomore seasons that they were superstars, and just needed the chance to play. But during their freshman years, both of them were blocked by older players who either went undrafted or were drafted much farther back than their understudies will be in a few months.

As a freshman at Iowa two seasons ago, Murray averaged 7.2 points and 5.1 rebounds per game over 18 minutes per contest. He was blocked by Luka Garza, who won the Naismith Award for the best player in college basketball. Garza was then taken with the 52nd pick in the 2021 draft. When the ropes were untied and Murray was let loose this season, he scored 23.5 points per game on 55% shooting over 32 minutes per game. He will be a lottery pick in this summers draft.

Davis, on the other hand, was blocked by a combination of Brad Davison, Aleem Ford, and DMitrik Trice at Wisconsin. None of those players were drafted, and Davis only averaged 7 points and 4.1 rebounds per game as a freshman. As a sophomore, Davis averaged 19.7 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 2 assists over 34.2 minutes per game and was named the Big Ten Player of the Year.

The point is, saying, If theyre talented, theyll find a way to get on the floor is not always true in college. Davis was more talented than Davison, Ford, and Trice, but he sat on the bench behind them because he was a freshman it happens. Murrays game translated to the NBA much better than Garzas, and is uber-talented.

Regardless, Murray still sat on the bench until it was his turn. Branham wouldve been blocked by Washington this season in a similar fashion, and at no point would he have surpassed him on the depth chart. If Duane had stayed at Ohio State, I dont think Branham would be in the position he is in today.

Duane Washington leaving, the Buckeyes getting hit hard with COVID, and the brutal injury bug all hamstrung this Ohio State teams ceiling this season. Had none of those things happened, I really think that team had the potential to make a deep, deep run in the NCAA Tournament. But at least one person got some benefit out of all of it Malaki Branham. Hes now on his way to the NBA after less than one full calendar year in Columbus.

So if you werent already salty about the difficult hand Ohio State was dealt this year, take solace in the fact that all of that also directly contributed to Branhams quick ascension from a skinny, timid freshman guard averaging nine points per game back in December to a potential NBA lottery pick.

Cheers!

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Column: How Ohio States bad luck aided in the ascension of Malaki Branham - Land Grant Holy Land

Ascension Public Schools are holding two Teacher Job Fairs to fill positions for the 2022-23 school year.

Those wishing to secure teaching positions for the current year should attend as well as those who will be graduating from teacher preparation programs in May.

The Ascension Public Schools Fall Teacher Job Fair for Pre-K to fifth grades is from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. April 12 at Sugar Mill Primary School, 39319 Germany Road, Prairieville.

Teachers looking for jobs in sixth through 12th grades should attend the April 13 job fair from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Bluff Middle School, 15464 Bluff Road, Prairieville.

Candidates interested in attending should register and schedule interviews at AscensionSchools.org/ApplyNow.

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The starting salary for teachers in Ascension Parish is $47,283, with an opportunity to earn up to $1,800 in performance pay, a news release said.

Additionally, the Ascension Parish School Board recently approved supplemental pay for the 2022-23 school year at Donaldsonville High, Donaldsonville Primary, Lowery Elementary and Lowery Middle schools. Teachers with a highly effective or effective proficient rating can make $10,000 above base pay for teaching core subjects and $2,500 above base pay for teaching electives. Paraprofessionals can make $1,250 above base pay.

A survey of teachers in Ascension Parish found 98% would recommend Ascension Public Schools to other teachers. Below are some of the reasons why:

For more information about Ascension Public Schools and to learn about the benefits of teaching in Ascension, visit AscensionSchools.org/Teach.

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Looking for a job in Ascension public schools? Here's what you need to know about upcoming job fairs - The Advocate

During the week of March 28 April 1, 2022, the following defendants pled guilty to various charges and were sentenced in the 23rd Judicial District Court, parishes of Ascension, Assumption, and St. James.

Ascension Parish:

The above case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Phil Maples and presiding over this matter was the Honorable Judge Cody Martin.

Assumption Parish:

The above cases were prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Lana Chaney, and presiding over these matters was the Honorable Judge Alvin Turner Jr.

The above cases were prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Thomas Daigle, and presiding over these matters was the Honorable Judge Jason Verdigets.

St. James Parish:

The above cases were prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Adam Koenig, and presiding over these matters was the Honorable Judge Tess Stromberg.

Submitted by Public Information Officer Tyler Cavalier for 23rd Judicial District Attorney Ricky L. Babin.

Continued here:

Ascension, Assumption and St. James guilty pleas 3/28 to 4/1 - L'Observateur - L'Observateur

New emergency housing for women and their families escaping domestic violence in Ascension Parish is coming to the parish in a new initiative by the IRIS Domestic Violence Center of Baton Rouge and the Ascension Sheriff's Office.

The new emergency housing that will provide a 45-day stay is a way to help Ascension Parish children stay in their schools, said Sheriff Bobby Webre and the IRIS interim director Keysha Robinson.

"If we have housing units that, at a moment's notice, will be available to house a woman and her children, they don't have to change schools," said Webre, who reached out to Robinson recently about the possibility of bringing such a shelter to Ascension. "We wanted to see if it was possible."

The nonprofit IRIS Domestic Violence Center serves women and their children from eight parishes at its shelter in Baton Rouge and will continue to serve victims of domestic violence from Ascension Parish there, after the new shelter housing is available in the parish, Robinson said.

"We do get a lot of phone calls from Ascension Parish, where parents are reluctant to relocate and take their children out of school," she said. "That is a big barrier to their leaving."

The fast-growing Ascension Parish public school system has historically been one of the top-rated districts in the state and has grown by about 300 students every year for the last 10 years.

Webre said the Ascension Sheriff's Office will be working with the nonprofit IRIS Domestic Violence Center to find housing for the new shelter in the parish and will provide labor for anything that might be needed in the way of improvements for the home.

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"I think that would be a great resource for Ascension Parish," Webre said.

Seven years ago, the Ascension Sheriff's Office revamped its protocols in its response to domestic violence incidents, after the parish saw a string of murders in several of those cases.

Webre, who was then chief of criminal operations, helped put into place several new procedures, including one that was especially significant.

Deputies responding to a domestic violence call now ask victims several key questions.If a victim answers yes to any, the officer immediately helps them get in touch with IRIS, which, in addition to providing federally funded housing, offers counseling and legal advice and representation.

Robinson said that IRIS is also working with the Baton Rouge-based Capital Area Family Justice Center to bring what's called transitional housing for up to a year for victims of domestic violence in the eight parishes it serves, which, in addition to Ascension Parish, includes East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberville, Livingston, Pointe Coupee, West Baton and West Feliciana parishes.

"Housing is the No. 1 reason victims have to return to their abuser," Robinson said.

The 24-hour hotline number for the IRIS Domestic Violence Center is (225) 389-3001 or 1-800-541-9706; there is also a national, 24-hour hotline number, 1-800-799-7233.

Originally posted here:

Emergency housing for victims of domestic violence coming to Ascension Parish - The Advocate

Staff Report| Plaquemine Post South

Plaquemine High baseball coach Tait Dupont said his teams performance over the last week gives him hopes for a solid playoff run.

The Green Devils, 14-8, took a 7-3 win over a solid Episcopal on Friday, but fell short 9-4 Saturday at Ascension Catholic.

The performance against Episcopal brought together a combination of solid pitching, timely hitting and savvy base running.

PHS built a 5-1 by the fourth inning, when the Knights tacked two runs over two frames, but defense and an Alaaj Provo run off a Daniel Lathan grounder to second helped the Green Devils secure their victory.

The Green Devils finished with 11 hits.

Lathan (2-for-4) and Skyler Tullier (2-for-3) each tacked two runs for PHS. Lathan, Provo, Colbi Dennis and Gerald Williams each knocked in one run for the Green Devils.

Williams, who had a double for PHS, took the win on the mound. He struck out six and walked six, while Caleb Weber struck out two and struck out one in relief.

Williams and Weber were awesome on the mound against Episcopal, and we swung the bats well and also built a lead and added to it, Dupont said. Were playing some really good ball right now, and our goal is to win every week as we get ready for the playoff season.

The Green Devils could not pull their way out the hole after Ascension Catholic scored nine runs over five innings en route to a 9-4 win in Donaldsonville.

A Marshal Saurage line-drive double to right brought in Provo, Lathan andKeegan Landry to put Plaquemine ahead of ACHS 3-2 in the top of the third, but the Bulldogs notched two runs in the fourth to regain the lead.

Against Ascension Catholic, we faced a really tough pitcher and battled to take the lead, but we couldnt stop their offense, Dupont said.

The Green Devils visit Eunice on Friday and host Eunice on Saturday.

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Plaquemine makes impressive showing in win over Episcopal - Post South

Tuesday, April 5th 2022 - 09:20 UTC Mr. Nigel Phillips will be taking office next August as governor of St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha

Mr. Nigel Phillips CBE, currently governor of the Falkland Islands has been appointed Governor of St Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha in succession to Dr. Philip Rushbrook. Mr. Phillips will take up his appointment in August 2022.

The incoming St Helena governor is married to Emma Phillips and have a daughter. Since 2017 he has been governor of the Falkland Islands and Commissioner for South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands. He is a Royal Air Force Commissioned Officer who in 2016/2017, was appointed to the UK Permanent Representation to the EU as deputy military representative. 2014/2016 MOD, head of Russian Strategic Studies, in 2013/2014 Member of the Royal College of Defense Studies; 2012, Language training in Russian, Defense Academy; 2010/2012, Defense Attach in Warsaw and 2003/2007, Defense Attach in Stockholm; 2007/2009, Defense College of Communications and Information Systems.

In the Falkland Islands, Mr Nigel Phillips will be replaced by Ms. Alison Blake CMG, who will be take up her appointment as the first woman governor of the Falklands during July 2022. She is the former ambassador in Kabul from 2019 to 2021.

The appointment of Mr Nigel Phillips coincides with a release from the St Helena Statistics Office with estimates of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and Gross National Income (GNI) for the 2020/21 financial year, together with revisions for some earlier years.

GDP is a measure of the total value of all the goods and services produced on St Helena, and for 2020/21 it is estimated to have been 39.2 million, or 8,690 per person. GNI, a measure of the total income of all economic units resident on St Helena, is estimated to have been 39.7 million, or 8,770 per person.

When price inflation is taken into account, total GDP is estimated to have grown by 2.4% compared to the previous year, but when population changes are also taken into account, GDP per capita increased by 3.4%.

The sector with the biggest percentage increase in the volume of goods and services produced in 2020/21 compared to the previous year was Government and Public Administration, which includes Health and Education Services. This was likely a result of the additional resources provided by the UK Government to support the Health Service and to make other arrangements in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including the development of quarantine facilities.

The volume of activity in the Construction sector also grew, by 8.4%, also likely due to the additional construction activity needed for the COVID-19 response, and also because of the increased investment through the Economic Development and Investment Program (EDIP).

The sectors with the biggest percentage decrease in the volume of goods and services produced in 2020/21 compared to the previous year were Accommodation and Food Services (-39.9%), a direct result of the drop in international passenger traffic caused by COVID-19 restrictions, and Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing (-32.1%), likely a result of the closure of the St Helena Fisheries Corporation and the inability to process fish for export. But the Statistical Bulletin also notes that these are two of the smallest sectors, accounting for less than 3% of GDP.

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Nigel Phillips CBE from the Falklands to governor of St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha - MercoPress

Today, Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford became the first healthcare facility in Rutherford County to offer a potentially life-savingstrokeintervention called thrombectomy. Thrombectomy is a minimally invasive procedure in which an interventional radiologist uses a catheter to remove a thrombus (blood clot) that has formed in an artery or vein. Previously,strokepatients requiredtime-consuming transfer to Nashville in order to receive this intervention.

Residents of Cannon, Warren, and surrounding counties will also benefit from the new offering at Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford, asstrokepatients at Ascension Saint Thomas Stones River in Woodbury and Ascension Saint Thomas River Park in McMinnville can now be transferred to Murfreesboro rather than Nashville for this intervention.In advance of the program launch, caregivers and staff in the emergency department, interventional radiology department, and critical care unitprepared by participating in hyper-realistic drills with neurohospitalists, emergency medical services workers, trauma dispatchers, the stroke program coordinator and many others.

According to the CDC, someone in the United States suffers astrokeevery40 seconds. Further, someone dies of astrokeevery four minutes. These sobering statistics highlight the meaningfulnature of the new thrombectomy capabilities at Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford. Because swift removal of the blood clot is essential to reducing brain damage, time is of the essence in the hours immediately following astroke. Reduced transport times will improve patient outcomes.

There is a huge need for thrombectomy capabilities right here in our community. In the context of astroke, every passing minute means lost brain tissue, said Dr. Jennifer Burba, neurohospitalist andstrokeprogram medical director, Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford. Offering this important intervention closer to home will save lives and reduce apatients likelihood of acquiring a life-altering disability due to an acute stroke.

Timely thrombectomy is the gold standard treatment for large strokes. Stroke patients have substantial improvements in their recoveries depending on how quickly clots are removed, said Dr. Julian Yang, chief medical officer, Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford. All of Middle Tennessee benefits from this added capability to our hospital.

Pictures are from a recent stroke drill.

Link:

Life-Saving Stroke Intervention Offered in Rutherford County for the First Time - rutherfordsource.com

Oakland Universitys School of Nursing and its Board of Visitors have announced the 2022 Nightingale Award winners and runners-up. This years top nurses in Michigan come from a variety of clinical positions and settings and are recognized as exceptional in their areas of nursing.

The invaluable role nurses play in health care has been made more apparent these past few years and the Oakland University School of Nursing is hosting this annual event during National Nurses Week to celebrate the professionals who improve peoples lives.

Thanks to generous support from Presenting Sponsor Ascension Michigan, along with other sponsors, individual donations and support from the School of Nursing Board of Visitors, The Nightingale Awards provides future nurses with scholarships, like the Nightingale Legacy Scholarship. This endowed scholarship is awarded annually to nursing students who display the pioneering spirit of Florence Nightingale.

We take our mission of educating and helping to create top nurses in Michigan very seriously, said OU School of Nursing Dean, Judy Didion. Our goal is to create more nurses who emulate the spirit and tenacity of Florence Nightingale innovative, passionate nurses who can change the world.

The Nightingale Awards event will be on Wednesday, May 11, 2022 in the Oakland Center Founders Ballrooms, on Oaklands main campus in Rochester Hills, Michigan. Each of the 10 Nightingale Award winners will receive a check for $1,000, a solid bronze statue of Florence Nightingale and a Nightingale ceremonial pin. Runners-up receive a commemorative plaque. Nurses were nominated by their peers, supervisors, and patients in recognition of their superior nursing expertise.

For more information on the event, please contact Kate Lionas in OU School of Nursing at (248) 364-8723 or by email at nightingale@oakland.edu or visit oakland.edu/nursing/nightingale.

2022 Nightingale Award Winners & Runners Up:

Excellence in Advanced Practice Nursing

Winner: Makenzie Thimm, Ascension Southeast Michigan East and West Regions, Harrison Township, MIRunner-Up: Michelle Whalen, Michigan Medicine, Saline, MI

OU School of Nursing Distinguished Alumni

Winner: Annmarie Switchulis, Accent Care Hospice, Detroit, MIRunner-Up: Sara Schwartz, Ascension Providence Novi, West Bloomfield, MI

Excellence in Education

Winner: Olivia Keesee, St. Joseph Mercy Oakland, White Lake MIRunner-Up: Mary Royce, Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, MI

Excellence in Research

Winner: Kechi Iheduru-Anderson, Central Michigan University, College of Health Professions, Mount Pleasant, MIRunner-Up: Julie Kruse, Oakland University School of Nursing, Millbury, OH

Excellence in Nursing Leadership

Winner: Ashton Austin, Ascension Providence Southfield, Commerce Township, MIRunner-Up: Levi Launder, Beaumont Hospital, Taylor, Beverly Hills, MI

Executive Administration

Winner: Jan M. Doolittle, Michigan Medicine, Canton, MIRunner-Up: Renay Gagleard, St Joseph Mercy Oakland, Lennox Township, MI

Nursing in the Community

Winner: Madelyn L. Torakis, Henry Ford Hospital, Grosse Pointe, MIRunner-Up: Mary MacKinnon, Oakland County Health Division, Troy, MI

Post-Acute Care & Specialty Nursing

Winner: Karen Habte, Ascension Providence Southfield & Novi, Rochester, MIRunner-Up: Amanda Burgon, DMC-Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan, St. Clair Shores, MI

Staff Nurse

Winner: Isabelle Miller, University of Michigan Health System, Canton, MIRunner-Up: Prisca Onwenu, Henry Ford West Bloomfield, West Bloomfield, MI

Peoples Choice Award

Winner: Amber Watson, Henry Ford Hospital- Detroit, Sterling Heights, MIRunner-Up: Kelley Ryan, DMC-Childrens Hospital of Michigan, Harrison Township, MI

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Oakland University Announces the Winners of the 34th Annual Nightingale Awards for Nursing Excellence - 2022 - School of Nursing - OU Magazine - News...

There are a lot of memorable parts of the Season 3 finale of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Graduation Day, Part 2. From beginning to end, the episode represents some of the shows best writing and character development. But Buffys graduation scene, featuring the climactic battle between the Scoobys and the Mayor and his minions as they try to prevent his ascension is one of the most iconic scenes of the whole series.

Graduation Day, Part 1 ended with the showdown between Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and Faith (Eliza Dushku) that had built up all season. Buffy winds up stabbing Faith, which leaves her incapacitated and confined to a hospital bed for the finale. (Though Faith does get to show up and guide Buffy around in her dreams, so she isnt entirely absent.) The finale starts out with an update on Angels predicamenthe is dying of some sort of sickness that can only be cured by drinking a slayer. There is also an indication that Angel (David Boreanaz) expected Buffy to deliver Faith to him as a sort of sacrifice. (I didnt rewatch Part 1, and I dont remember, but is that accurate?) Instead of Faith though, Buffy offers herself to him.Which results in a scene just as offputting and problematic as that sounds. Buffy voluntarily offers up her neck to Angel so he can feed on her and as he does Joss Whedons direction takes on a decidedly erotic tone, as do Gellar and Boreanezs acting choices. Especially in hindsight, it gets a little hard to watch. But the scene exists to get Buffy incapacitated and into the same hospital as Faith, and once that happens, Buffy is put at the mercy of the grieving Mayor of Sunnydale.

Harry Groeners performance as Mayor Richard Wilkins III is one of the most deliciously memorable villains in television history. The aww-shucks demeanor and germophobia were always the perfect masks for the evil that lurks beneath. Now, he is in the hospital fretting over Faith, who, while she had been his tool and puppet, he obviously also cares for. This leads to some great confrontations with Buffy and the Scoobys but ultimately just serves as the prelude. The Mayor has planned his ascension into the demon Olvikan for the 100th Anniversary of Sunnydales founding and it is set to happen during Buffys graduation ceremony at Sunnydale High School.

The entire season, really the entire series up to this point, has been building to Buffys graduation scene. Buffy the Vampire Slayer was after all conceived as a story about a high-school girl who happened to fight evil supernatural forces. The end of that part of the story had to happen somehow, but the way it plays out is more of a culmination than viewers of the show may have expected. The graduation ceremony itself takes up over 11 minutes of running time and contains some of the most ambitious effects, staging, and choreography that the show had tried up until that point. Some of those parts have certainly had a more lasting impact than others.

The emotional center of the scene is the interplay between the Mayor and Buffy. As Wilkins gives his speech he starts to stare down Buffy, talking about the people who cant be with them, and who should be with them. Hilariously, the Mayor drones in front of the assembled masses for several minutes before he gets to the big finish (even if he does have to skip his section on Civic Pride). Groeners incredible performance kicks everything up another notch here at the end. The tension keeps building as this speech ramps up, with cutaways to the crowd and the growing sense of dread becoming ever more palpable, even as the speech itself continues to be exactly the type of trite nonsense that politicians always deliver at graduation.Eventually, the sky darkens and Wilkins does take on the form of Olvikana giant snake creature. The transformation and snake effects are done entirely in computer animation and it is safe to say that they have not held up well to over 20 years of innovation. While in human form the Mayor was a marvela smart and vicious villain with recognizable human traits and weaknesses. This giant, computerized, snake monster has none of that. That fact casts a bit of a pall over the rest of the scene. Any show with the budget limitations that Buffy had to endure would have been better off to take the Jaws tack with the revelations and unfortunately, they decided instead to put their limitations on full display.

A lot of that has to do with Joss Whedons limited skills as a director. No matter what has happened to his legacy, it is true that Whedon became a pretty skilled director. But that is not the case for Graduation Day: Part 2throughout the episode the camera positioning is clunky and awkward, and the less said about the lighting the better. (Ill just say, I wish someone would have unplugged a few of the lights so there was some contrast in any of the frames.) But that all pales in comparison to the issues during Buffys graduation scene.The staging of the fight scene following the Mayors transformation is just awkward. The assembled students fight the giant snake in front of them. But then they move, as a group, to some stairs in the middle of the school and are attacked from behind by the Mayors vampire minions. This leads to some hilarious interplay as extras seemingly throw themselves into the onrushing vampires for no reason. Then Angel and additional minions arrive as reinforcements but everything becomes a jumbled mess. It all seems as though the director had no real understanding of how any of it would look on screen, and thats a shame as it seems clear it could have been an epic battle, even on the shows limited budget.That may make it seem like the scene is bad, but thats simply not the case. Like the show itself, Buffys graduation scene succeeds despite its limitations. Even in the midst of the chaos, the shows real strengths shine through. The writing, acting, and character work continue to shine no matter how weird the direction and blocking seems to become. During this scene, each of the main characters gets a moment to shine and it becomes impossible not to get swept away with them.

Just as the Mayor transforms, Buffy calls out to the assembled class to attack and everyone in attendance is revealed to be armed to the teeth. The great part about this is that the entire Sunnydale Class of 1999 essentially has a character arc. They started the series as vapid teenagers, unable to understand the evil around them, and acting horribly toward Buffy and the rest of the Scoobies. But now, after three years of work, three years of being there side by side with the Slayer, they are finally able to move past all that and act to save themselves and fight alongside our heroes. The moment and the entire idea speak to the themes of identity and transformation that are at the heart of what makes the series so appealing and indelible.

With our main characters, while all of them would change significantly from here, this scene allowed them to be at their best in the service of each other. Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter) got to dust a vamp, and it is framed in such a way that you can tell she is good at it, and that she enjoys it. Xander (Nicholas Brendan) leads the troops, even though this is just because he was Army Guy at Halloween and his actual skills are really suspect, but this may be the most heroism he displays in the entire series (OK, I admit, Im not a Xander guy.)

The others all get their moments too, but this conflict is really between Buffy and the Mayor and it is in their interactions that it reaches its climax. Buffy orders the others away and gets the giant snakes attention all to herself. Once she does, she pulls out the dagger that she used to stab Faith and taunts him with it. Somehow, the tech team behind this ridiculous CGI snake monstrosity is able to give it the perfect emotional response. The snake is the mayor at that moment, hurt, angry, and seeking revenge for the loss of Faith. Buffy leads him into the school, all the way to the library, which is strapped with explosives. Well gosh, Mayor Wilkins, Olivkar the demon, says as he explodes. With that Buffys graduation scene comes to its conclusion. And it is perfect.

The destruction of Sunnydale High, and the library in particular, was unexpected. The library had been the symbolic home of the entire serieslike the bar in Cheers or the study room in Community this was where we found these characters at their most at ease with the world. Its destruction is the perfect capper to this scene and in turn the capper of the show up until this point.With this 15 minute scene Buffy The Vampire Slayer really cemented its legacy as TV series. The season-long arc came to a head in the most satisfying possible way with the Mayor living up to his billing as both the most well-rounded and most dangerous villain the Scoobys had yet faced. This scene contained all the tropes of televised high-school graduations while at the same time completely subverting them to the thematic and emotional needs of the characters. Also, Buffy and Giles (Anthony Stewart-Head) got to blow up the entire school to save the world. And whats more high-school than that?

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Buffy's Graduation Scene Signals the Ascension of the Series - 25YearsLaterSite.com

Staff Report| Plaquemine Post South

The wait is over for the St. John softball team.

An 11-1 rout over visitor Ascension Christian last Thursday paved the way for the Eagles to capture their first District 7-1A championship since 2016.

Weve been on a dry spell, head coach Cindy Prouty said. We couldnt beat Ascension Catholic for a few years and then Ascension Christian had a couple years where they won it.

We beat Ascension Catholic 2-1 last year but lost 2-1 to Ascension Christian so we had to settle for second, she said. But this year, and hopefully for the next few years, I really want us to have a run.

Charli Neumann (3-for-4) propelled St. John with six runs on three hits. The eighth-grader belted a grand slam in the third inning and smacked a homer in the sixth inning.

The Eagles piled six runs in the third, with RBIs from Neumann, Cassidy Cannella and Kynleigh Rhymer.

Rhymer allowed the Lions one run on one hit. She struck out 10 and walked one.

The Eagles still need to clean up the game before the post-season fray begins, Prouty said.

Class 5A foe Live Oak took advantage of six Eagle errors for an 11-6 win on Saturday in Watson.

While the St. John already had the district title in the bag, a win over the highly regarded Live Oak a perennial state contender would have been a big help, Proudy said.

We missed the opportunity to beat a quality 5A school, which would have helped us in the power ratings, she said.

Individually, Rhymer continues to make solid showing at the mound (11-2, 1.89 ERA) and at the plate (.537, 23 RBIs), while Kaylee Richard remains strong at bat (.480, 16 RBIs). Neuman has stepped as DP (.451, 24 RBIs).

Prouty said she hopes for a stronger showing from catcher Cassidy Canella.

She started the season on fire but she is in a bit of a slump, she said. Shes still batting .449 with 12 RBIs.

Meanwhile, Ali Mancuso suffered a broken nose during practice Friday evening, just when she turned her season around, Prouty said.

She started off slow, but has since started hitting like a champ (.311, 13 RBIs), she said.

Prouty said freshman Karsyn Vadnais has also stepped up her game, doing well defensively and hitting .429.

Shes also our number-two pitcher and has done well when she gets an opportunity at the mound, Prouty said. Now we need juniors Baylie Romero, Emma Perry and Emily Burleigh to step up their game.

If we can get those three going, we will be a contender, she said. Weve got what it takes we just have to put it all together.

St. John will face quality foes next week when they battle Thibodaux High and neighboring rival Brusly, a perennial Class 3A contender which will move up to 4A next season.

Quality competition will help lead us into postseason play, Prouty said. Im excited to see where we go.

Prouty hopes to see the 2022 Eagles experience the same exuberance she and her teammates enjoyed when they won the Class 1A state title in 1985.

But it will mean ending the one-and-done scenario the Eagles have endured over the last few years.

Im hoping this year we can get the monkey off our back, she said.

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Dry spell over: St. John wins first district softball title in six years - Post South