Blue and Gold December 14, 2009

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Five seniors tell their fascinating stories page 3

Teens need help to break addictions

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Senior travels to New Zealand for international unicycling events

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blue & gold

Swimmers get ready for first invitationals

Volume 87, Issue 3 Friday, December 18, 2009 1200 Broad Ave., Findlay, Ohio, 45840

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Students come back to Smokers’ Corner Administrators plan more patrols of area n

By Emily Rivest

After moving down the street earlier this fall, student smokers are migrating back to the corner of Broad and Swing Avenues. After increased patrols by administrators and a new line-of-sight policy, students left Smokers’ Corner but they are now returning. The cold weather could be one possible reason for the increase at the corner, as students only began coming back as winter came and the temperatures dropped. “I do not know if the weather is having anything to do with it,” Assistant Principal Nate Sorg said. “Maybe the students just don’t want to walk as far down the street when it is so cold outside, so they stay closer to the school, on the corner.”

Fewer patrols However, Sorg thinks there may be a more likely reason for the return. He said administrators may have believed the problem was solved, so they stopped patrolling as much, just like how sometimes drivers speed when they haven’t seen a police car in a certain spot for a while because they get more comfortable. “With anything you kind of get comfortable,” he said. “We were going over there daily but maybe we need to go back now. “I believe we got a bit relaxed, thinking our efforts were successful but maybe we need to concentrate on there more. It is something we need to continue to be aware of.” Principal Victoria Swartz also agrees there is a problem. “I have noticed that the number of

students at Smoker’s Corner has increased and that we have not done enough to police that area as an administration,” Swartz said. “I do know that the assistant principals have a plan to increase their presence there to help deter students from standing on or near the corner. “I would be interested in seeing how the students feel about smoking on the corner. It might make for an interesting survey.”

Still successful Despite the recent increase, the new policy has been successful. “In some cases, students were smoking and when they’ve come back to school, we have searched them,” Sorg said. “If they were uncooperative with us at all or had anything with them we may have disciplined them by closing their lunch or even giving them an in school suspension.” Even though it seems there are more people on the corner, they may not actually all be students. “It is not just more students over there,” Sorg said. “It may be past graduates, older boyfriends or girlfriends, older friends, we’ve even seen parents over there. “It may be more people, but it may not be more students.”

Smokers agree No matter who is on the corner, students smoking there agree with Sorg that the decrease in administrator patrols and discipline led them back. “They don’t get us in trouble any more, (the) cops maybe, but the principals don’t,” senior Josh St. Louis said. “The whole thing is really stupid. “It’s not fair, people are going to smoke regardless so they should just let us smoke here (on the corner).”

Kiss Me, Kate auditions scheduled for Jan. 11-13 n

Musicians leave next week

Marching band prepares for upcoming Orlando trip

By Emily Rivest

Tryouts for the musical Kiss Me, Kate will be Jan. 11-13 after school in the auditorium. For anyone who missed yesterday’s meeting after school, informational packets can be picked up from co-producers Andy Cantrell, Craig VanRenterghem or producer Debbie Benson. The directing cast picked the show for many reasons. “We wanted a show that would have several great leads, both for guys and girls,” co-director Andy Cantrell said. “We were looking for a show with big production numbers, strong characters and would feature the chorus that was not only vocally demanding but a tough acting show.” In the musical an acting troupe puts on Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew and their lives have many similarities to the show. Cantrell thinks students will still enjoy the musical, even though it is an older show, first performed in 1948. “It’s a fun fast-paced show,” he said. “It really explores the dynamic between men and women and that’s fun stuff.” This fun aspect will make the show different from last year’s Les Misérables. “It’s a comedy with some really good music,” VanRenterghem said. “It will stand out a lot from last year’s musical because Les Mis was definitely not a comedy.” Even with the jokes, this will be a difficult show for the cast. “It’s a very vocally demanding show,” VanRenterghem said. “It s a different style of music. It’s a lot of jazzy music which some kids are not used to singing.” Kiss Me, Kate will be March 19-21 in the Central Middle School auditorium.

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A senior girl smokes a cigarette on the corner of Swing and Broad avenues. Earlier in the year, a new line-of-sight policy drove students away from Smokers’ Corner but decreased patrols by the administration and security are bringing them back. photo by Katie Trinko

THEY’RE BACK

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BAND

Senior Eric Smith plays his mellophone during one of the marching band’s halftime shows. The band heads to Orlando, Fla. Dec. 26 to play in three parades, including the Orlando Citrus Parade, which will be broadcast on WTVG channel 13 at 10 a.m. Jan. 1. photo by Katie Trinko

By Leah Cramer

Senior Stephen Krueger has been waiting for this ever since he was a freshman. Every four years the band furthers their musical experience by taking a trip and this year they will be participating in activities in Orlando, Fla. from Dec. 26- Jan. 2. “It’s the one thing I’ve been waiting for the whole time I’ve been in band,” Krueger said. “The anticipation has definitely been building and has reached it’s highest point now that it’s so close. “It (the trip) is the icing on the cake for us seniors.” One opportunity they will have is performing in three parades, Macy’s Holiday Parade at Universal Studios, Disney World’s SpectroMagic Parade and the Orlando Citrus Parade, which will be broadcast on WTVG channel 13 at 10 a.m. Jan.1. “Getting to march in a parade that will be on television is really exciting because our parents back home will be able to watch it,” Krueger said. “It’s a cool way to show our Trojan pride.” In order to prepare for marching in the parades, band members have been practicing on their own as well as during class. “We rehearse all together during ninth period, but the students understand the importance of individual practice outside of official rehearsal,” director of bands Tim Mattis said. “Every single person’s contributions are important.” The parades are not the only reason for the Florida trip. The band will also attend a Magic Music Days Performing Arts Workshop, Disney’s You’re Instrumental. With this program they will get to work with Disney technical producers to rehearse and record background music from a segment of a Disney movie, then watch it played back with their sound recording. “It’s a neat preview for what it’s like to be a professional musician,” Mattis said. “For many of our students who are considering careers in music, it gives them a glance into a real world experience.” However, the trip will not be all hard work, they will visit EPCOT Center and Animal Kingdom at Disney World, among other attractions on their trip. “We’re going to visit a lot of places that I otherwise never would have gotten the chance to go to,” sophomore Shelby Fletcher said. “Another thing that’s really great about the trip is that I get to experience everything with all my band friends.”

Top

news stories of the

decade in a random poll of 100 students

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2009 A transgendered man gives birth to two children.

2009 Politicians work towards health care reform.

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2009 Global economy collapses.

2005 Hurricane Katrina kills over 1,800.

2009 Michael Jackson dies.

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2003 U.S. invades Iraq, removing Saddam Hussein from power and executes him.

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2009 President Barack Obama first African American president. 2007 Shooting at Virginia Tech becomes deadliest in nation’s history.

in the know Want to know what the band will be doing in Orlando? Here’s their schedule. Dec. 27 Hollywood Studios Dec. 28 Attend Magic Music Days Performing Arts Workshop Dec. 29 Universal Studios March in “Macy’s Holiday Parade” Dec. 30 March in “Orlando Citrus Parade” televised on WTVG channel 13 at 10 a.m. Jan. 1 Dec. 31 Magic Kingdom and watch fireworks March in “SpectroMagic Parade” Jan. 1 Spend day at Cocoa Beach Jan. 2 Animal Kingdom

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2001 Sept. 11 attacks kill 2,976

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2003 Bird flu, swine flu, Mad Cow Disease and SARS infect the world.


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