Blue_And_Gold_Sept-2013

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BIG PICTURE

FEATURE

New teachers share past experiences page 5

Friday, September 27, 2013 Volume 91, Issue 1 1200 Broad Ave., Findlay, OH 45840

NEWS

Student section

Report

Card

The Ohio Department of Education recently changed their annual report card grades to a letter system instead of using words like excellent. page 4

Seniors are organizing fun themes and activities during fall sporting events. One of the main ideas was dressing up in a jungle theme and dancing to Katy Perry’s Roar. page 8

WEATHER TODAY Partly cloudy High: 77 Low: 49

TOMORROW Chance of rain High: 78 Low: 51

SPORTS Athletes balance two fall sports page 7

SUNDAY Partly cloudy High: 74 Low: 56 INDEX Editorial...............2 Entertainment....3 News/Feature.....4

Feature................5 Feature................6 Sports..................7 Big Picture.........8

take a

quick look hats off

Homecoming court Congratulations to the members of the 2013 Homecoming court.

King candidates include seniors Bailey Duvall, Austin Gutting, Nick Kairys, Nate Leo and Aaron Lewis, and Queen candidates are seniors Sybil Anast, Amanda Burrows, Katie Orr, Danielle Settlemire and Lucy Wagner.

5

things that make you look smart today

1. In 1977, a 13-year-old boy grew a tooth on his left foot.

2. The largest contributor to the first edition of the Oxford English Dictionary was a patient at an asylum for the criminally insane.

3. Sherlock Holmes never used the pharse “Elementary my dear Watson” in any of the original 56 short stories or four novels starring him.

4. Chickens were initially domesticated to fight for people’s enjoyment, not for food.

5. In an emergency, a Crayola crayon can be used as a candle and will burn for 15 minutes. sources: slightlywarped.com, todayifoundout.com, sotruefacts.com

news around the country

Wisconsin student pays for college by eating A student at the University of Wisconsin earned $18,000 in eating competitons to help pay for his education at the school.

White sororities admit black students Black students are now joining sororities that are traditionally for white girls at the University of Alabama.

blast from the past

Google birthday Google is officially celebrating its 15th birthday today.

photo illustration by Emily Wolfe

HELPING HAND

Junior Mason Hill helps senior Anna Wank pick up her books after she drops them. Assisting each other is just one part of the new Positive Behavior intervention Supports (PBIS) system implemented at Findlay High School, which includes a rewards system for respectful and responsible students. photo by Logan Harris

New behavior system emphasizes respect n By Tess Marshall

As the new school year quickly rolls in, so do new rules and regulations.

However, this year, a different approach is being taken with PBIS or Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports.

“PBIS is a framework and philosophy that believes in placing emphasis on the positive choices and decisions that students are making,” Assistant Principal Ryan Imke said.

The system aims to help promote good behavior by positive reinforcement.

“It is believed that the more emphasis that is placed on the positive choices that are taking place, the more positive the overall culture of a school building will be,” Imke said.

The new method was formerly practiced at Glenwood Middle School.

“The culture at Glenwood changed dramatically with the implementation of PBIS,” Imke said. “It created an extremely

positive culture with an emphasis on respect and responsibility.”

The new system has students collaborate to form classroom rules personalized to their particular environment.

“I like the system because if students make their own rules, they are more likely to take ownership of them,” Millstream teacher Linda Savieo said.

The new procedure is not only meant to improve student’s conduct, but also to facilitate healthy relationships between students and their peers.

“It is a great idea and will be successful as long as peers hold each other accountable for the positive behavior they want to see,” Chemistry teacher Roxanne Runion said. “Students need to hold one another accountable.”

The success of the new system depends greatly on the attitude of the students and how they are willing to adapt the PBIS into their lives.

“PBIS is a good idea, but I don’t think that we should be

spending school funds on it,” junior Erin Bloomfield said. “It seems like there are more important things that that time and money could be spent on.”

Another component of PBIS is a rewards system.

When teachers see a student exhibiting respect or responsibility, they issue them a ticket that can be placed in a raffle.

“Each staff member will receive “Respectful and Responsible Trojan” slips that they may distribute to students throughout the school day,” Imke said.

The behavior new system will continue throughout the year to promote a more positive environment for the students and teachers.

“I am hopeful that we will be able to continually stress and emphasize the great student body we have here at Findlay High School,” Imke said. “As a school community, we can continue to teach students what it means to be respectful and responsible people.”

Fall play cast members selected n By Jayden Egler

“Til’ death do us part” is a universal formality exchanged with vows that most people don’t take very seriously.

So what happens when a man’s deceased wife holds on to the promise of forever even after death, and there’s another woman in the way?

Blithe Spirit explores that very scenario with ghosts, a séance gone horribly wrong and an attempt at revenge that turns everything upside down.

“I feel like this play is really funny and has mature humor,” senior Emily Nesbitt (Edith the maid) said. “It has a lot of dry humor so it’s very sarcastic.

“Adults will find this more amusing than kids, which hasn’t really happened in the past.”

Nesbitt is excited about the play and the angle her character takes.

Rather than being a typical cleaning lady, Edith has a few surprises up her sleeve.

“I like that there’s a bit of a twist about her at the end that I don’t think the audience will see coming,” Nesbitt said.

Along with plot twists and creative angles, the play provides humor and a smaller cast.

“It’s fun, it’s a comedy with special effects, and a smaller cast than usual,” director Debbie Benson said. “It’s great to have a small cast because you get to know the kids better throughout production.”

The play itself has a supernatural theme, which is fitting because Halloween is approaching much like last year’s House of Frankenstein.

“It’s kind of funny that we’re doing this show this year because with the séance and characters coming back from the dead, it’s a lot like last year’s play,” Benson said. “Blithe Spirit’s characters are a little bit more realistic though, since House of Frankenstein’s were more like caricatures.”

The cast of the fall play Blithe Spirit is looking forward to taking on the challenge of portraying dynamic characters, and maintaining a humorous edge.

“I really wanted an experience in Findlay’s great theater program before I graduated,” senior Chase Wagner (Dr. Bradman) said. “We have a very talented cast so it should be a great performance.”

The play will run November 15, 16 and the 17 in the R.L. Heminger Auditorium.

Ticket prices are $5 and are available at the door.

Dictation

Junior Anthony Oyer opens a can of paint to begin working on the set for the fall play Blithe Spirit. The show will run November 15 to 17 in the R.L. Heminger Auditorium.

photo by Catalina Petrescu

blue & gold

friday, september 27, 2013

EDITORIAL

2

OUR VIEW

Staff policy

OUR VIEW

PBIS responsibility, respect program is a step in right direction

Blue & Gold is a monthly student publication for the students of Findlay High School.

Blue & Gold is a public forum which is funded by advertising.

A four by four white block of paper drapes across the hall walls.

Words are scribbled across the top with the acronym, PBIS for the new Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports system.

Does a paper with the words respect and responsibility on them make you work harder, study better and appreciate your teachers more?

Maybe not, but you can’t blame the administration for trying.

Don’t we already have the words “be respectful, be responsible and be productive” on the beams in the hallways?

We’ve probably passed them hundreds of times.

We repeat these two words to ourselves subconsciously as we pass by them just like that poster at the head of the chemistry room that reads, “Chem Is Try.” The only students who have taken the time to read the PBIS Matrix signs are the ones that it doesn’t apply to because they are respectful and responsible anyway, the best students.

It is a great idea, especially in a time where all we ever seem to hear are negative comments about fights that took place at Smoker’s Corner and how students don’t know how to pick up trash after themselves in the school parking lot.

In the past, students have rarely been congratulated for their accomplishments and good behavior.

PBIS is a step in the right direction, but it may just fail to miss the successful mark because some teachers do not take it seriously and just hand the raffle tickets out, while others forget that they even have them.

Another issue with it is that students of high academic quality are going to be less likely to receive a raffle ticket because good behavior is expected out of them while students who often misbehave will get tickets because it is out of the ordinary.

With the ticket system, students may feel more inclined to want them because of incentives such as the two parking spots that are now in a good location right by the entrance from the parking lot.

Hopefully, both students and teachers will begin to take PBIS more seriously so it makes some progress this year.

If not, the system will be another dud that students make fun of on a daily basis, especially when someone without a car wins the parking space out back.

As an open forum for students, letters to the editor are welcomed by the staff, but we request that they be 300 words or less due to lack of space. All letters must be signed. Blue & Gold staff reserves the right to edit letters without changing the meaning. Letters may be dropped in room 286.

Letters to the editor

Staff editorials All editorials without a byline reflect at least two/ thirds opinion of the Blue & Gold staff but are not necessarily the opinion of the administration.

Contact us Blue & Gold 1200 Broad Avenue Findlay, Ohio 45840 (419)-427-5474

About us Blue & Gold is a member of the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, the National Scholastic Press Association, Quill & Scroll and the Ohio Scholastic Media Association.

New announcement system could use improvement n

By Kaitlin Coward

“Make it a great day. The choice is always yours.”

For freshmen and some sophomores, these words may not ring a bell, but for the upperclassmen, we can recall communication teacher Debbie Benson’s cheerful voice every morning as she relayed the announcements for the day.

Then, the transition was made to video announcements, and now, both of them have been replaced by a soundless Powerpoint slideshow of the day’s news.

Last year, it was declared that all announcements would be played during the extra ten minutes of everyone’s fifth period class, whether it be 5a, 5b or 5c to even out the added time some classes were to receive.

Right now, there is a strange gap where

those announcements should be in many classes.

As clubs begin meeting for the year and SAT/ACT deadlines loom closer, students are trying to find out dates through posters in the hallway, the ever-unreliable word of mouth and even social media sites to try and keep people informed of upcoming meeting dates.

Groups are struggling to reach top or even typical attendance because it is so difficult to get the word out to new and even returning members from last year.

Meeting attendance has actually gone down for some clubs because they are having a hard time spreading information to those interested in joining the group.

Also, for seniors that last ditch attempt at increasing your SAT/ACT scores is approaching, and many students, including myself, have missed the announcement about registration

deadlines for upcoming tests.

In today’s society, we have all the technology to get information out quickly and easily, yet the current announcement system is hard to access and somewhat unreliable.

The “videos” that read the announcements through like a Powerpoint are ineffective, and it’s easy for teachers to forget to show them in the middle of the day, especially since they have to go to the website to find them.

Maybe a Facebook or Twitter page should be developed for announcements since a majority of the student population already use social media, and it would be much easier to access.

Personally, I miss the old-school PA system announcements because it’s just easier and quicker to get information out that way, but if we are going to revert back to these, they need to be done at a set time throughout the day all

week not random periods.

Currently, when an announcement is made during the day, they often interrupt class and even prevent the bell from ringing on certain occasions throughout the day.

It would be much better if announcements were read every day during the beginning of MY VIEW second period so everyone can hear them.

Either way, the current system needs to be altered in some way, even if that were to be a read-through or music along with the Powerpoint slides.

kate’s corner

to the

LETTERS EDITOR

Senior tells how to make most of final year Dear Editor, It seems like yesterday that I was a freshman scrambling to get to class on time in the huge FHS. Now realizing everything I do at school is probably the last time is very bittersweet from the last Friday night football game to our last Prom and Homecoming.

We will all be going our separate ways very shortly, and it is finally time to be who we want to be.

It is the time to branch out to new people, do what we want and live our own lives the way

Homecoming is a memorable moment for seniors, underclassmen Dear Editor, Next Saturday will be the most social, celebratory event of the school year.

Vibrant decorations, eloquent dresses and nervous jitters all come together to make an evening of magic.

Homecoming is much more than a dance following a football game.

It is a chance for high schoolers to socially equate with friends, peers and significant others.

The years spent in high school are meant to be more than learning about knowledge and rather learning about how to find where you “fit in” among your peers.

Who to talk to, who to hang out with, who to rely on and who to date.

Homecoming is a chance for students to do all of these things.

The elaborate preparation to have a night out with some friends is a good way for students to step back from the rigorous course work, relax and have fun in the comfort of their peers.

There needs to be more events that enable this type of social interaction. senior Nick Goldacker

LETTERS What is the hardest change to adjust to EDITOR so far this year and why?

“Thesophomore biggest change Avrey Roberts is that we now only have eight periods. I liked nine better because you could take more classes. It made us distinct from other schools. Now we’re just in the mainstream.” junior Austin Woessner

“Shortened lunch kind of stinks and the fact that people can’t go out to their cars. The Thursday schedule is another big change, since we can’t sleep in, but we get out early.” senior Kelsey Fetterman

“I like the new technology policy here.

They’re much more lenient about using electronics in the halls and classrooms.” freshman Baylee Demuth

“The schedule. It’s more complicated. All the different lunch periods are just weird.”

sophomore Courtney Lanagan

“Eighth period on Thursdays. I dislike it because kids have to stay after everybody else leaves to wait for eighth.” sophomore David White

Kaitlin Coward Editor-in-chief Adam Beaty Sports editor Tess Marshall Emily Schaefer Feature co-editors Colton Hutchison Photo editor Catalina Petrescu Entertainment Editor Jayden Egler Logan Harris Tess Marshall Photographers TJ Stennett Business Editor Jordan Amann Meghan Betscher Jayden Egler Cheyenne Garnes Colton Hamilton Meghan Kirton Abbi Leathem Aaron Long Emma Penrose Tim Pollele Clarissa Rader Santo Rossilli Noah Keppers Reporters Maddie Nuhfer Artist Andy Cantrell Adviser

to the

YOUR VIEW

we want to.

Now is the time to stand up for what we believe in.

Life is too short to live with regrets.

This is a very exciting time in our lives, as well as sad.

Everyone should make the most of it and show school spirit because even though we may say we want to get out of here we actually enjoyed ourselves at school these four years.

So go to the football game, cheer on the soccer girls and buy all those homecoming court shirts. It is going to be a great year as long as we make it a great year.

Remember YOLO! senior Emily Stacy

The staff

“Class periods are now too long, and we’re usually left with extra time once the teacher is done teaching. Lunch periods are also too short, and we can’t drive.”

junior Sam Iliff

blue & gold

friday, september 27, 2013

3

ENTERTAINMENT

The Hit List 4

Bangerz by Miley Cyrus

The album is tagged as Alternative, which is something new to expect from the usual cliché pop Miley. However there is still a lot of buzz following the album, thanks to Cyrus’ recent publicity stunts. With internet parody magnets such as Wrecking Ball, the title of Bangerz and who knows what else, it will probably be interesting to say the least. The album drops early next month.

Experience 5 20/20 Part Two The second installment of Justin Timberlake’s 20/20 Experience is expected September 30.

With newly announced tracks True Blood and Cabaret, there is even more hype for part two.

Fans are hoping for a great follow up to the earlier and much talked about 20/20 Experience Part One.

7

1

Rush

The true story of Formula One rivals Niki Lauda (Daniel Bruhl) and James Hunt (Chris Hemsworth) is told by experienced director Ron Howard. Rush is expected to be bold, brisk and brilliant with striking picture, deep emotions and an excellent cast. See it for the first time in theaters tonight.

Katy Perry album

Tracks like Roar and Dark Horse have already become instant hits, and Perry promises to deliver.

Buzz surrounding her new album says she is trying to do something different than the music she is known for. See for yourself how her attempt at a new sound goes when the album hits shelves October 22.

Divergent 9 Final novel coming soon

2

The Originals From the wildy successful Vampire Diaries comes the spin-off The Originals. The preview of the show came in a special episode last year that outlined exactly what the show would be about. To see less of the Elena, Damon and Stefan drama and more of the original vampires like Niklaus, Rebekah and Elijah, DVR your TV for The Orignals on October 3 at 8 p.m. before the opening episiode of the 5th season of Vampire Diaries.

3

Romeo & Juliet Once again, the classic Shakespearean tragedy of the family feud that keeps two lovers apart is rehashed in film.

However this one is far different from the eccentric 1996 version with Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes. Because of the fresh cast and honest display of Shakespeare’s tale, this Romeo & Juliet promises to shine.

The third installment of the critically acclaimed Divergent book series is available October 22. Allegiant will end the dystopian story and remind readers of the plot before the film version of Divergent comes out on the first day of spring in March.

American Horror Story: Coven This season starts off with another entirely new plot from the previous two seasons, however it still offers some of those lovable reoccurring cast members. Deep South Voodoo and Witchcraft Trials are just a few of the topics promised to be covered this season, along with a more lighthearted feel compared to previous seasons. American Horror Story: Coven premieres October 9 at 10 p.m. on FX.

Panic! at the Disco Featuring songs such as Miss Jackson and This is Gospel, Panic! at the Disco surely will not disappoint on their latest album.

With the realease of a few songs early, it is clear the the band is still trying out new genres and music styles with every new album. Pre-orders are available now.

McCartney’s 10 Paul New Greatly anticipated by The Beatles and Wings fans everywhere is New, the accurately named brand new album from Paul McCartney. Songs were previewed at the iHeartRadio Music Festival recently, which only amped up excitement for the classic rocker’s album, which exhibits worldwide October 15.

imdb.com, www.filmofilia.com, huffingtonpost.com, righteousfilm.com, www.filmequals.com, movieinsider.com, jaciburton.com, wunderground.com, musicboxtheatre.com, imjustsaying.info, comingsoon.net

From music to movies, we tell you the good, the bad and the ugly MUSIC Yours Truly has cool rythmn with impressive vocals n By Jayden Egler

Album: Yours Truly Artist: Ariana Grande Sound: R&B/Pop Why buy it: Yours Truly is, as a whole, an okay album. There is a slight early 2000’s feel, along with a modern edge. It is exactly what you would expect it to be.

Grande shies away from being too inventive and sticks to a pretty basic R&B sound. That is not exactly a bad thing; if it is not broken do not fix it, right? The songs are repetitive and catchy, with bright instrumentals and impressive vocals. Grande has been compared to Mariah Carey, but she honestly has a more current style that appeals to her intended demographic. The lyrics are not exactly innovative, but it is her first album. She is undoubtedly talented, so hopefully she will produce better albums in the future.

Download This: Right There (ft. Big Sean) Grade: B+

Avicii exhibits variety and range n By Catalina Petrescu

Album: True Artist: Avicii Sound: Electric Dance Last Release: Silhouttes Why buy it: Avicii has brought out another album filled with fresh, energetic and inventive new hits. This time he plays with incorporating his electro sound into different genres like country with the wildly popular single Wake Me Up and the just as good Hey Brother. This creative blend is one of the reasons Avicii is one of the best DJs in the world and is highly demanded for events like Electric Dance Carnival, Ultra Music Festival and Ibiza. Unlike most electronic albums where there are usually one or two good songs and the rest are trashy dubstep remixes, this one shines with nearly every track. This album is great for the country boy who wants to listen to something besides Jake Owen in his truck as well as the dance enthusiast who will not be disappointed. The only negative thing is that it does not have enough of a dance element and can barely be called a “dance” album. Overall, it has a good mix of pop and slower songs with an alternative feel. True is just right.

Download this: Long Road to Hell Grade: A

Bastille’s Bad Blood is packed with TV memorable hits and dynamic sound Samberg shows diversity in new role n By Jayden Egler

n By Aaron Long

Album: Bad Blood Artist: Bastille Sound: Alternative Rock/Electronic Why Buy it: Bad Blood is a refreshingly conceptual album. Bastille is quickly gaining momentum on the charts, and becoming increasingly popular. The inventive band shows extraordinary potential to continue gaining a more widespread recognition for their music. The lead singer, Dan Smith, has a dynamic, lulling voice that sticks and makes you want to continue listening until you finish every song. The lyrics themselves are meaningful, quirky and simply captivating. They are incredibly emotive and fresh, but they all have a common theme and are relatable to everyone.

Considering the fact that Bad Blood is their first studio album, it is apparent that their future music will be just as enthralling.

Download This: Pompeii Grade: A

Title: Brooklyn Nine-Nine Starring: Andy Samberg, Melissa Fumero, Andre Braugher Plot: Detective/man-child Jake Peralta (Samberg) fights crime while flirting with fellow detective Amy Santiago (Fumero) and butting heads with his new captain (Braugher).

Why See It: From the riff on classic, serialized-police-drama brooding at the show’s start, it would be easy to write this new program in Fox’s lineup off as a spoof packed with laughs but not much else.

This, however, is simply not the case. If one read a summary of the show’s premise, he or she would probably get the idea that it was either propping itself up on ancient TV tropes or blatantly mocking them. In reality, Samberg’s comedy intelligently balances both of these aspects while adding fresh details to overused plot threads and rounding out tired character archetypes. The result might not be side-splittingly funny, but it does show its audience considerable polish and loveable characters. How long it lasts will depend on how well it continues walking the line between laughing at TV and being TV. Grade: B

MOVIES Insidious explains more than scares n By Cheyenne Garnes

Title: Insidious: Chapter 2 Starring: Patrick Wilson, Rose Bryne, Barbara Hershey Plot: After some of the incidents that occurred in Insidious, the Lambert family home is being investigated as a crime scene, this leaves the family staying with Lorraine Lambert (Hershey). Shortly thereafter, Renai Lambert (Byrne) starts to notice some strange happenings, along with everyone else, except for her husband, Josh (Wilson).

Why see it: Insidious Chapter 2 is by no means a bad movie, especially compared to other genres people seem to enjoy today. However, it is also not really a great horror movie- it is not really a horror movie at all. Besides a few jump scares and a couple of strange images, that seems to classify as “horror” these days, there is not a single horror element. If anything, it is simply suspense. Aside from some cheesy writing that the first did not exhibit, the sequel is a bit more enjoyable. Though the first was slightly creepier, this sequel ties everything together. In the long run, if you are looking for a horror movie, you should go find some 1970’s or ‘80’s ones from back when horror was actually horrifying, instead of counting on Insidious Chapter 2 to keep you awake at night.

Grade: B-

Dads excels in humor, creativity n By Santo Rossilli

Title: Dads Staring: Seth Green, Giovanni Ribisi Plot: The series follows two men Eli (Green) and Warner (Ribisi) who are both video game producers at the height of their careers. Warner is married, has two kids and runs a successful company. Even though his life seems perfect he has one problem, his dad is living with him. Warner’s dad is an old businessman always trying to be part of his son’s business and screwing something up for him. Eli is a fun, good looking guy who has everything he ever wanted and life seems perfect until his father who he hates and has not seen in years comes and moves in with him.

Why see it: The show has a great cast that works well together. Warner and his dad make a perfect combo with Warner never being able to say no to his dad and his dad thinking he is doing nothing wrong. The jokes are fresh and not repeated or overused although the jokes can get a bit sexual and racially stereotypical. Dads is a very promising show for this fall.

Grade: A

dlo27, g &2013 eul friday, september

blue & gold

NEWS/FEATURE

4

COMING SOON

Alumni present annual showcase n By Kaitlin Coward

Findlay High School’s Alumni Association will present its annual Alumni Musical Showcase Monday, October 7 at 7 p.m. in the R.L. Heminger Auditorium.

This is the concert’s 15th year.

“It’s been a success because people know what the proceeds are going to,” alumni director Roger Powell said. “For the past two years, we gave some of the proceeds to Clothe-a-Child where we clothed about 20 children each year.

“The rest of the money goes to the Alumni Association, which will be giving out a $1,800 scholarship starting this year.”

Tickets are $8 for adults and $6 for students.

Choir performs concert n By TJ Stennett

Choir will perform in their fall concert Wednesday, October 16 at 7:30 p.m. in the R.L. Heminger Auditorium.

The group is performing new songs and are looking forward to a good year.

“I am really looking forward to singing this year, and I am looking forward to having great perfomances,” junior Jonah Crafts said. “Students should come to our performances because they are really exciting and energetic.”

The concert is free and open to the public.

COLLEGE HELP

Senior Braden Miller speaks with a representative from The College Network at the annual College Fair for juniors and seniors in the main gym on September 18. Over 75 schools sent representatives for students to learn about admissions and what programs they offer. photo by Colton Hutchison

Administrators weigh in on recent report card grade, new system n By Kaitlin Coward

Findlay High School recently received an A for indicators met and a B for performance index on the new Ohio Department of Education (ODE) report card.

In order to make it easier for parents to understand the annual school report card, the ODE has changed the format from designations like excellent to a letter grade.

“We used to be classified as things like at risk, continuous improvement, excellent and excellent with distinction,” Director of Secondary Education Rich Steiner said. “This year, they changed it to a letter grade because it is something the general public understands better.”

Some of the highlighted portions of the report card are the indicators met category, which shows how many students passed standardized tests, and the performance index, that tells how well students did on those tests.

“We did very well in the performance index, where a high percentage of our students scored in the advanced or accelerated category on state tests,” Steiner said. “Our graduation rates were also high, and we met

Pacemaker finalists Other nominees include: -The Broadview -The Bruin Voice -The Spartana -North Pointe -Hi’s Eye

100% of our indicators.

“It really shows the efforts of our teaching and administrative team.”

The gap closing is one of the main weaknesses on the report card.

“We need to better our gap closing, which shows how students in minority groups are testing compared to the typical student,” Steiner said.

“We need to help those with socio-economic needs or those in poverty so they can have a better shot at graduation.

“We really want to keep kids in school, as well as continuing to strengthen teaching skills and better technology use.”

Maintaining a positive report card grade is good for Findlay City Schools’ public image.

“One of the main reasons this grade is important is public knowledge,” Director of Elementary Instruction Stephanie Roth said. “If someone is moving into the district, one of the first things they look at is the quality of schools in the area.

“We reallly want our grade to accurately reflect how well our schools are doing.”

n By Jayden Egler

Making the grade Recent report card grades include:

A

-Indicators met -how many passed the state test

B

-performance index -how well students did on state testing

D

-gap closing -how well all students are doing in testing and graduation rate of all races, income, culture and disability

Newspaper receives Pacemaker nomination n By Tess Marshall

Blue & Gold’s 2012-2013 staff is one of six schools nominated for the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA) Pacemaker Award.

The group is excited about the nomination.

“The NSPA Pacemaker award is consistently referred to as the Pulitzer Prize of high school journalism,” adviser Andy Cantrell said. “We are extremely honored to be a finalist for this prestigious award.

“I could not be more proud of the Blue & Gold staff. The are definitely deserving of this

recognition for their hard work and dedication to high school journalism.”

The judges receive hundreds of entries evaluating writing quality, content, coverage, photography, graphics, layout and design.

“It is always a goal for out staff to be a Pacemaker finalist,” 2013-2014 editor-in-chief Kaitlin Coward said. “Knowing that our hard work from last year paid off is rewarding and will hopefully keep this year’s newspaper staff motivated to continue the success.”

Blue & Gold has been nominated for seven

Get all your fall needs only at Walmart

2500 Tiffin Ave, Findlay Findlay, Ohio

sophomore Kiyomi Tachibana

Student council shares spirit week themes

Pacemakers in the newspaper’s history, and they have won three times.

“This is really great for our newspaper, especially since we haven’t won a Pacemaker since 2011,” Coward said. “It really is an honor because we had so few people on staff compared to previous years.

“We were a small but efficient group.”

The award winners will be announced at the Fall High School National Journalism Convention in Boston, Massachusetts on November 14 to 17.

Student Council has decided to make the theme of solidarity a city-wide experience, and grades K-12 will all be participating in showing off their Trojan spirit the week of September 30.

The themes are all new. Monday is Sports Day, Tuesday is Class Color Day (each grade level will be assigned a corresponding color to wear), Wednesday is Superhero Day, Thursday is Television Character Day and Friday is Blue and Gold Day. “For as many years as I’ve taught here, Spirit Week has been used to promote unity on campus,” Student Council adviser Diana Schweinfurth said. “In the past, we’ve had bonfires, as well as faculty football games.

“It’s just a nice way to get everyone excited for the Homecoming game, and the dance itself.”

Band hosts festival n By Jordan Amann

Findlay Trojan Marching Band will host its 36th annual Findlay Band Fest on Oct. 19 at Donnell Stadium.

The Band Fest is an official Ohio Music Education Association (OMEA) competition, an event where marching bands from all over the area come to perform and be judged. If their rating is high enough, the bands have the chance to go to the state competition.

“One of the neatest things about band competitions in general is getting the chance to make friends with complete strangers that have similar passions and interests,” senior Mara Wallace said. “Seeing all of the other bands also gives me a chance to learn something new.”

blue & gold

friday, september 27, 2013

FEATURE

5

o t e m o c l We y l i m a F the Alyssa Baz

Lynsey Davis

Judith Lentz

How long have you been teaching? I have been teaching art for the past 13 years. This is my first job as an assistant principal.

What are you most looking forward to this year? I’m looking forward to connecting with students.

What is one thing your students do not know about you?

Two summers ago I went to Trinidad and Costa Rica and I painted a graffiti mural with a group of teenagers.

How long have you been teaching? 17 years.

What are you most looking forward to about this year?

I’m excited to see how students do on the AP test.

What is one thing your students do not know about you?

I used to play the flute for the band “Marching Missouri” at the University of Missouri.

Justin Shank

Blake Uland

Assistant Principal

Michael Thompson

Math Teacher

Spanish Teacher

Science Teacher

How long have you been teaching? This is my first year.

What got you interested in the subject you teach? When I studied abroad in Spain there was no turning back.

What are you most looking forward to about this year? Attending as many athletic events as I can. I like to support my students and I love sports.

How long have you been teaching? This is my ninth year teaching.

I took a few years off to work as an engineer.

What got you interested in your subject? I enjoy the challenge and critical thinking.

What is one thing your students do not know about you? My Bachelor’s Degree is in Herpetology focusing on venomous snake behavior.

How long have you been teaching? Eight years; two years in Arizona and six years at Liberty Benton.

What got you interested in the subject you teach? It fit my personality.

What are you most looking forward to about this year? Working with new people and helping students to reach their goals.

How long have you been teaching? This is my first year.

What got you interested in the subject you teach? Life is all around us and as a child I watched a lot of the Discovery Channel.

What is one thing your students do not know about you? I am secretly a pretty good dancer.

Megan Limes

Michael Leddy

Elizabeth Fairchild

Special Education

Spanish Teacher

Matt Best

How long have you been teaching? This is my first year.

What got you interested in the subject you teach?I had a very good teacher for precalculus who inspired me.

What are you most looking forward to about this year? I am looking forward to my first yeat of teaching.

What is one thing your students do not know about you? I live on a farm.

How long have you been teaching? This is my second year teaching.

What are you most looking forward to about this year? I am looking forward to developing as a teacher and learning how I can help students.

What is one thing your students do not know about you?

I spent five years coaching football at The University of Findlay.

How long have you been teaching? It’s my fourth year.

What was your biggest change you faced when you came to Findlay?

I’m very impressed with the dedication to academics that these students have.

What is one thing your students do not know about you? When I was little, I wanted to be a ballerina.

How long have you been teaching? 13 years.

What got you interested in the subject you teach? My dad was an influence, and my favorite teacher was a History teacher.

What is one thing your students do not know about you? I played baseball in college for Bowling Green State University.

Kristi Gerdeman

Jasmine Levesque-Neal

Rebecca Wolfe

Wendy Farabaugh

Science Teacher

French Teacher

How long have you been teaching? This is my seventh year.

What got you interested in the subject you teach? I got into science after I had a head-on collision with a semi and went through 12 surgeries.

What is one thing your students do not know about you? My favorite television show is The Walking Dead.

How long have you been teaching? It’s my first year.

What got you interested in this subject? I loved my French teacher in high school.

What are you most looking forward to about this year?

Attending a Findlay football game.

What is one thing your students don’t know about you? I hate spicy food.

Math Teacher

Guidance Counselor

Math Teacher

How long have you been teaching? This is my first official year as a counselor.

What got you interested in the subject you teach? I love getting to know people and helping them out with their problems, whether it’s academic or personal.

What are you most looking forward to about this year? I’m excited for the programs put on for the freshman. hothead_newspaperad_9_2013_bw.pdf

1

9/17/13

Math Teacher

How long have you been teaching? This is my first year.

What was the biggest change you faced when you came to Findlay?

It’s just so small and the building’s so old. Everything feels so old.

What got you interested in the subject you teach? I’ve always been good at it and I know that it’s applicable to our everyday lives.

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Science Teacher

Social Studies

friday, september 2013 dl27, og & eul friday, february 22, 2013

blue & gold

6

FEATURE FEATURE

Students commemorate Central Middle School TEAR DOWN Workers near completion of the demolition of Central Middle School.

The auditorium will be used as a performing arts center for the community. Central was built in 1923 and served as Findlay High School for a number of years.

photos by Colton Hutchison, Catalina Petrescu

n By Emily Schaefer

As Central Middle School’s demolition nears completion, past students remember their days at the school.

Mark Tuttle’s eighth grade history class was a highlight for senior Michael Kalani.

“Mr. Tuttle’s class was awesome,” he said.

“We did tons of fun things and everyone was always joking around.

“At one point, we all went down to Mr. Headley’s math class while he was teaching to sing the Preamble since he hated the song.”

Kalani also enjoyed Tuttle’s student teacher Mr. Haynes.

“Mr. Haynes was the best,” Kalani said. “He stood on top of our desks and yelled sermon speeches to teach us about The Great Awakening.

“We sang songs in class to help us remember parts of history. His class always made my day.”

Junior Carly Smith’s favorite class at Central was REACH, an accelerated reading and language arts program.

“I really enjoyed our REACH class,” Smith said. “It was always my favorite class because it let us relate to the books we read in class through fun visual projects.

“There were a lot of creative aspects to it, and the atmosphere let me think creatively and analytically. Our entire class was like a family, and our teacher Mrs. Winger always made the day interesting.”

Featured club

Sketch Comedy Club performs, writes skits n By Cheyenne Garnes

PUNCH LINE

Juniors Aaron Lewis and Caitlin Oman practice a skit for Sketch Comedy Club.

The group meets the first Wednesday of every month in room 215. photo by Catalina Petrescu

Findlay High School’s Sketch Comedy Club is a group that is becoming more popular as years pass on but it seems that not much of the student body really knows what it’s about.

The club is student-established group that focuses on writing comedic skits and being a laid back extracurricular.

The members of the club have reached higher levels such as performing live skits and forming a Relay for Life Team.

“I am always impressed with how clever the kids are,” advisor Maribeth Geaman said. “Comedy requires people to be quick thinkers and to look at the world in a different, unusual way.

“Our group certainly comes up with some different and highly unusual moments!”

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The group is an outlet to laugh and mock every day stressors.

“Its a veritable comedic catharsis at 3:15: no, no not catheter, catharsis!” junior President Tim Pollele said.

With Sketch Comedy Club growing, goals are being made.

Some of these plans include writing more skits, reorganizing and branching out to new types of humor.

“We’re planning on broadening our horizons,” junior member Aaron Long. “Hopefully, we’ll pull in new members and interest other students in comedy.”

Sketch Comedy Club meets the first Wednesday of every month in room 215.

friday, september 27, 2013

blue & gold

SPORTS

7

Athletes participate in two fall sports

Passing the test

n By Adam Beaty

For many, school appears to be a large obstacle between them and the rest of their lives, but high school should not be about narrowly meeting the borderline.

For senior Olivia Bair, high school is about doing everything that interests her, including participating in two fall sports.

“I wanted to try a new sport this year which ended up being golf,” she said. “I enjoy participating in all the extracurricular activities that I do and being part of a community.”

Bair’s soccer games are always prioritized over golf because one of the requirements to play dual sports is to focus more on one.

“On days that I have a soccer game, I don’t go to golf at all, but as long as the two schedules don’t conflict I go to both,” Bair said. “By the end of the season, I’ll only have missed a few golf meets.”

For those in a sport and multiple extracurriculars such as Findlay First Edition (FFE), their schedules are similar.

“It’s quite hard to balance, but soccer is from 4 to 6 p.m. and FFE from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. so I’m going an extra six and a half hours of school,” junior Rasheed Ajala said. “My week is devoted to FFE and soccer so it gets draining after a while, but I try to set things to look forward to such as Homecoming.

“At least I will have some hope at the end of the tunnel.”

Although Bair’s and Ajala’s schedules are busy, it all has a purpose.

“My goal is to get into the Naval Academy and all the clubs and sports that I participate in will help prepare me for that,” Bair said. “The Academy will be the best way for me to become a doctor in the Navy.”

Senior Lara Munoz also loads her schedule with two fall sports.

“Soccer takes up most of my time and I run on my own for cross country when I can’t make it to practice,” Munoz said. “I always attempt to finish homework ahead of time if possible.”

Similar to Bair, Munoz does not expect sports to really benefit her college plan.

“I don’t plan on being the next Mia Hamm or Kara Goucher,” Munoz said. “I love sports but I also want to find a good college that will be fit for my future.”

Universities generally do not search for students who play multiple sports and activities, but it can stand out an application.

“I feel like there is no real benefit to me by playing soccer, running track and participating in FFE, but you never know what colleges look at and the possibility of a scholarship,” junior Rasheed Ajala said. “I thought school was all about being involved and doing as much as you can while

Senior Olivia Bair prevents Perrysburg from scoring a third goal in last Monday’s game. The girls were behind with a score of 2-0 at the end of the first half, but ultimately lost with 2-1.

SAVED

photo by Tess Marshall

maintaining the highest grades possible.

“Everyone has the capability to maintain a 3.5-4.0 GPA if they really applied themselves and took responsibility for their learning.”

Playing dual sports is not only a testament of the love for the sport, but

also it demonstrates having control over your high school career.

“I challenge myself because I don’t want to just go through the motions like everyone else in high school,” Bair said. “I try to learn everything that I can.”

Fall sports exceed expectations and improve in TRAC Boys Soccer

Volleyball

n By Colton Hutchison

n By Meghan Betscher

Overall Season: “We are developing as a team quite nicely,” coach Bill Geaman said. “If we can continue to get better play out of our midfield and forwards, we should become a more dangerous team.”

Record: 6-2-2 Predicted League Champion: “Toledo St. Johns is the favorite,” senior Nate Leo said. “But the way the season is going, it’s a free for all. Anyone could come out on top.”

Team Strengths: “Our ability to keep positive if things don’t go our way,” Geaman said. “We have been down in games and we show a lot of resiliency to continue to push forward and try to score. We just don’t give up.”

Need to Improve: “Our speed,” Leo said. “We need to execute quicker, along with improving our thinking and quick decision making on the field.”

TRAC Outlook: “We are right in the thick of the TRAC race,” Geaman said. “If we beat St. Johns we will have a chance to either finish tied for first or second place.”

Overall Season: “It’s going better than I expected,” coach Bob Moran said. “This year was hard because we had to replace seniors, with only one starter from last year, but we are playing hard and believing.”

Record: 11-4 Predicted League Champion: “St. Ursula, they won the city league for multiple years in their old division and they are undefeated,” Moran said.

Team Strengths: “We are quick, our defense is always moving and the past couple of games our communication skills have been really good,” Moran said. “We do so much better when we talk on the court, the passers are always on their feet and success comes when the team communicates.”

Need to Improve: “Although it contradicts itself, we need to work on talking consistently and not losing our communication skills halfway through the game,” Moran said.

TRAC Outlook: “We are predicted to be fourth in TRAC, so of course we want to be higher than that prediction and keep on improving our game,” Moran said.

n By Catalina Petrescu

Junior Corinne Hoffman hits a forehand down the line.

Hoffman won in straight sets, and the Trojans knocked off Ottawa-Glandorf 5-0.

photo by Catalina Petrescu

Overall Season: “We’re off to a slow start due to a tough match schedule.

Our schedule should lighten up further into the season,” coach Sean Swisher said. “We’re progressing and getting better.”

Record: 6-11 League Champion: “Notre Dame because they have two returning state qualifiers and three of the top four singles players in Northwest Ohio,” Swisher said.

Team Strengths: “Our team leadership and comradery are very strong this year,” Swisher said. “The girls are always working to get better and everyone loves to have fun.”

Need to Improve: “We need to convert game points and win close matches,” junior Emma Miller said. “We could be more aggressive.”

TRAC Outlook: “Middle of the pack because we already have four losses and we’ve played some tough teams,” Swisher said.

n By Colton Hutchison

Girls Cross Country n By Emily Schaefer

Overall Season: “This year, our goal is to get the team to qualify for regionals,” senior Sarah Barwig said. “Everyone is really dedicated and we have a good chance of qualifying.”

Predicted League Champion: “Clay is probably going to be the league champ,” Barwig said. “They typically run very well.”

Team Strengths: “We have very strong senior leadership this year,” coach Mark Gleason said. “There’s also a lot of talented freshmen that are already running with the varsity.”

Need to Improve: “Right now, we have a time gap in the varsity team,” Gleason said. “We’re working to get our middle pack up to running with our front two runners and gaining confidence in our abilities.”

TRAC Outlook: “So far we’ve done really well this year,” Barwig said.

“We’ve continued to improve and everyone has a positive outlook for the rest of the season.”

Girls Soccer Overall Season: “We had a tough start with five road games but it’s been successful so far,” coach David LaRocco said. “We plan on winning a few more games still.”

Record: 7-2-2 Predicted League Champion: “Hopefully it’ll be us because we are undefeated and there are only a few more game to go,” LaRocco said. “It could also be Notre Dame, they have quality coaches and players. Nothing we don’t have but we differ in approaches.”

Team Strengths: “Our defense is really strong, we were on a six game shutout streak and that was a big deal for us,” senior Olivia Bair said.

“There have only been a few goals scored against us in the past ten games.”

Need to Improve: “Communication, it’s the middle of the season and everything becomes a drag,” Bair said. “It’s similar with all sports.”

TRAC Outlook: “Our game against Notre Dame will probably decide if we end up in at least the top three,” LaRocco said.

Girls Golf n By Adam Beaty

Football Overall Season: “2-2 is not how we would liked to have started,” senior Andy Strzesynski said. “ I know that we can step it up and play better than we have been.”

Record: 2-2 Predicted League Champion: “Toledo Central Catholic are the returning Division 2 State Champs,” coach Mark Ritzler said. “They have many starters from last year returning.”

Team Strengths: “One of our strengths as a team is the competitiveness on both offense and defense,” senior Nick Kairys said, “There are no superstars on the team, everyone is working together.”

Need to Improve: “Special teams,” Strzesynski said. “We have been giving up too many yards to opposing teams on punt and kick returns.”

TRAC Outlook: “The TRAC is very competitive,” Kairys said. “We will have to show up ready to play right from the start for every game.”

Senior Ciara Ralston gets ready to serve against Whitmer. The Lady Trojans came out on top over the photo by Tess Marshall Panthers.

n By Adam Beaty

Girls Tennis

FOCUS

ACE

UNDER PRESSURE

Junior Joey Hammond dodges an opposing Anthony Wayne player to continue running down field.

Findlay came out on top with a score of 31-14. photo by Logan Harris

Boys Golf n By Adam Beaty

Overall Season: “It has not gone as well as I hoped, but we are definitely getting better for tournaments,” senior Jarrett Quanrud said. “It has been more of a rebuilding year, we have a top four but there are a lot of junior varsity players too.”

Predicted League Champion: “We will probably be the league champion,” Quanrud said. “Our biggest competition is St. Johns and we are starting to become better than them so we have a shot.”

Team Strengths: “All of us get along well,” Quanrud said. “It’s always tense before a tournament and having everyone there makes it less stressful.”

Need to Improve: “Our team needs to work on focusing and keeping our heads in the game,” Quanrud said. “All of us tend to lose a few rounds or shots, and it messes with your head.”

TRAC Outlook: “I’m certain we will either place first or second,” Quanrud said. “In years past, we have rarely placed anything other than that.”

Overall Season: “We have a new coach this year, Michael Coyer, so we trying to get use to that still,” junior Suzanne Short said.

Predicted League Champion: “St. Ursula will probably make it, they have two girls who shoot par or below which is really good compared to everyone else in TRAC,” Short said. “We have many beginners and there aren’t that many returning players.”

Team Strengths: “We are close and able to get along,” Short said. “It makes playing much easier when you see teammates on the course.”

Need to Improve: “Playing in general but more specifically course management,” Short said. “We have a tough time judging distances and knowing where the sand traps, greens, etc. are.”

TRAC Outlook: “We will most likely place either fifth or sixth mostly because our averages have been around there,” Short said. “We have never placed last in golf either.”

Boys Cross Country n By Adam Beaty

Overall Season: “It’s gone well, as expected,” coach Mark Gleason said.

“We are running with many inexperienced runners but the younger crowd has really stepped up. This past graduation we lost 21 of our varsity runners so that took the majority of the team.”

Predicted League Champion: “It would have to be either St. Johns or St. Xavier, they have a lot of strong runners on their team,” senior Brad Dufek said. “They have more runners while we only have 11 guys on our team.”

Team Strengths: “We have a good number one runner and our two to five are relatively close in times,” Dufek said. “Since two to five are close together in times, we work off each other during races to stay motivated.”

Need to Improve: “Not going out too fast on the first mile, if you do then it is hard to stay on pace for he rest of the race,” Dufek said.

TRAC Outlook: “There is about a month left before the league meet and the end of the season so it’s hard to say,” Dufek said. “There is still a lot of time left for improvement. Nothing is set in stone.”

friday, september 2013 dl27, og & eul friday, february 22, 2013

blue & gold

8

BIG PICTURE FEATURE

Blue and Gold in the Bleachers

HANDS UP

The student section at the Lady Trojans soccer game perform Rollercoaster. This has become a tradition of the student sections and is performed at all major sporting events.

photo by Colton Hutchison

RAISING THE FLAG Seniors Clay Robertson and Clayton Hildebrand show their school spirit by raising the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s flag before the football game against Sylvania Southview.

The Trojans lost in a close battle 20-17.

OFF TO THE RACES

ROAR

Senior Nolan Rodman and sophomore Grant Akin lead the pack in a friendly wheelbarrel and leap frog relay.

photo by Logan Harris

photo by Colton Hutchison

Fans point and yell towards the players at the football game against Sylvania Southview. Students were encouraged to wear animal print clothing for a music video to Katy Perryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s single Roar. The music video was made and entered into a competition to try to win a concert from Perry. photo by Tess Marshall

LEAP FROG

Seniors Shelby Roether, Emmalese Nuerge, Nolan Rodman and sophomore Grant Akin get off to a good start in the leapfrog/ wheelbarrel relay race. This was the start of a competitive but fun night at the Lady Trojans soccer game. photo by Colton Hutchison