The Sun Will Come Out... To-WORO?

Written by: Kanita Tariq 

Sparta residents have experienced snow storm after snow storm this particular winter season, and for some, the unusually extreme weather has been neverending and excessive. Students had the prospect of potential snow days or delays (even delays that turned into snow days!) nearly every week in February leading into March. One thing all members of the Sparta High student body and faculty alike can relate to is checking the famous Woroworld blog for weather updates and snow day predictions at least once a period the day before an anticipated storm. However, it is an uncommonly known fact that the man behind the blog is none other than a former science teacher at Sparta High School, Mr. Mark Worobetz.

The weather had always fascinated Mr. Worobetz since he was a student himself. "Weather will always impact you. It isn't like sports - next year's quarterback doesn't affect you [personally] the way weather does," he says. The blog itself began as a tool for the classroom when he taught at Sparta High. Before Google Classroom existed, Mr. Worobetz used his blog to post supplementary materials for his classes and added snow day forecasts as a bonus feature. Although he is now retired, he decided to maintain it - getting nearly 400 to 500 hits per post, and a couple thousand when the weather gets crazy, like it had in the last few weeks. 

Mr. Worobetz now resides in Florida, but he uses a variety of sources to collect data for his predictions. He monitors the weather channel, the National Weather Service,  blogs from local meteorologists, and analyzes the situation via a security camera installed in his Sussex County home. He also factors in the timing of each storm and how bus and school schedules would be affected. His passion is clear, as the blog is extremely important to him - "I'm updating weather from the golf course! Excuse the spelling mistakes at times!" 

It's hard to believe, but weather (specifically climate change) has been politicized to become a national controversy. With Mr. Worobetz's dedication to weather, he has a strong opinion on the subject. "The thing about climate change is, there's a consensus in the science community about it. It's like cigarettes causing cancer - there's a consensus in the medical field. It personally upsets me that it is considered by some to be a 'hoax,' implying that there's some sort deception about it. Back when I was young, the government relied on scientists. Now, they vilify them." 

As spirited as Mr. Worobetz is, he's not interested in chasing tornadoes as one may think. "I'd be more worried it would ruin my car! I understand the adrenaline rush, but I'll just watch rocket launches from my house in Florida for now!" 

All in all, Mr. Worobetz looks back at his time as a teacher at SHS fondly. His advice to students? "As long as you have a passion for whatever you do, no matter what it is, enthusiasm gets you through a lot. You hardly ever hear of anyone getting fired for being too passionate." 

And of course, we had to ask- can we expect spring in the near future? He teases with a chuckle, "there will be rain at the end of this week."  

Kanita Tariq, Lauren Groff, Mr. Mark Worobetz (AKA Woroworld), Elise Kerim