Blue & Gold Issue 7

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Theaters heat up with summer blockbusters page 3

Heroin addiction rises in Hancock County

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blue & gold

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AAU team may help junior earn scholarship

Volume 87, Issue 7 Friday, May 14, 2010 1200 Broad Ave., Findlay, Ohio, 45840

PROTEST

Paintballers enjoy challenge

page 8

Protesters freshman Emily Mays and Findlay Digital Academy student Jazz Soto chant for free hugs across from the high school. The “Freedom Huggers” marched from George House, to the high school and then to The Courier office protesting the school’s public display of affection policy. photo by Katie Logsdon

‘Free Hugs’ protest sparks PDA policy change School board must approve revision n By Kim Maples

In response to the “Free Hugs” student protests in April, a revision to the public display of affection (PDA) policy is up for approval at the next board of education meeting, May 24.

The revision is a result of protestors meeting with Student Council members to discuss a change to the current policy, which condemns “bodily contact beyond handholding while on school premises.” This also applies to school-related functions.

The revision will read “inappropriate bodily contact while on school premises.”

“We’re trying to cooperate with the

daybyday In mid-April, a group of students formed a protest against the school’s PDA rules, which resulted in a policy change.

April 13 Sophomore Jack Olesky sends out a mass text urging students to protest the PDA policy.

Freedom Huggers,” senior Jayne Luna, a Student Council member, said. “It’s hard for us to get their needs met and have the board happy too. We can’t please everyone, but we are trying.”

The new policy has a good chance of passing, according to Barb Lockard, board of education vice president.

“It was really minor, but it may take away the stigma of ‘no hugging’ because friendly hugging is not inappropriate,” Lockard said.

“We approved the policy at the last meeting, but each board member was sent a copy (of the revision) and everyone said it was okay.

“It will have to be officially approved at the next board meeting when the student handbook is adopted.”

The purpose of the policy will remain the same, however.

“I never had a problem with the way it

was worded,” Assistant Principal Kelly Glick said. “In my thinking, it doesn’t really change anything but if makes it clearer to students, I’m all for it.”

For several days in April, students known as the “Freedom Huggers” protested that hugging should not be punishable as PDA. Senior Danny Greer said he started the protest after he and his girlfriend got in trouble for hugging in the hallway.

“We weren’t doing anything sexually inappropriate,” Greer said. “We got in trouble for just having our arms around each other.”

Though Greer received no official discipline, support for the protest continued to grow after a mass text message was sent to other students.

Despite their publicized demonstrations, Assistant Principal Nate Sorg said the protestors were without a real cause.

April 14

April 15

Students show up to school with “Free Hugs” T-shirts and signs taped to their bodies.

Protestors hold a rally in the evening, marching from George House and finally ending on The Courier’s front lawn.

Afternoon During the Senior Citizen Luncheon, a student lifts a girl, causing her feet to nearly hit a guest.

April 16 Students plan another “Free Hugs” protest day with shirts and signs.

“There is no new policy on banning hugs,” Sorg said. “If there’s a situation where somebody is greeting another student and they want to engage in a friendly, comforting, excited kind of hug, we have no problem with any of those hugs.

“There have been no students, to my knowledge, who have been disciplined for that type of hug.”

However, some students have been punished by administrators for inappropriate public displays of affection.

“It could be kissing, or more involved, romantic hugs versus a friendly glad-to-seeyou hug,” Sorg said.

Up until the first “Free Hugs” protest on April 14, only 16 students this school year had been disciplined for PDA. Four of those 16 sophomore students received in-school suspensions. Kaylee Ulrich

April 17 “Freedom Huggers” organize a rally at Riverside. Though multiple media stations came, no protestors show up.

April 29

April 28 Protestors meet with Student Council to discuss their concerns about the PDA policy.

Student Council meets with Principal Victoria Swartz and Assistant Principal Kelly Glick to propose a change to the policy.

FFE takes center stage tonight for annual Cabaret n By Leah Cramer

TA-DA

Senior Kieffer Gray and fellow Findlay First Edition members practice the opening song for Cabaret.

The year-end show opens tonight at 7:30 p.m. and continues tomorrow at 2 and 7:30 p.m. photo by Katie Trinko

Saturday

Sunday

5

For their final performance of the year, Findlay First Edition (FFE) will hold its 26th annual Cabaret show tonight and Saturday in R.L. Heminger Auditorium.

FFE members select the music, ranging from oldies to more modern hits, and rehearse without the help of directors.

“It gives everybody a chance to do their thing,” director Kevin Manley said. “Since the (FFE) kids are picking out the music, there’s going to be a lot of music that high school kids will enjoy.”

Some songs are performed by the entire

show choir, but other selections are done by small groups or soloists.

“The fact that we pretty much get to do whatever we want opens the doors to creativity on the part of the students,” junior Isaac Steinhour said. “There’s a lot of variety and a little bit of everything, so that everyone who comes should find at least one thing they like.”

Another part of the show’s appeal is the musical contribution of The Boingers, FFE’s instrumental ensemble.

“There’s a good mixture of slow ballads, inspirational music and funny, entertaining songs,” junior David Pfaltzgraf said. “The

things to make you look smart today 1. American Idol finalist Crystal Bowersox will be in Toledo today to throw the first pitch at the Mud Hens game.

2. The Hangover received six MTV Movie Award nominations, beating both Avatar and New Moon.

3. The Orlando Magic has not lost a playoff game yet this year.

High: 69 Low: 50 Cloudy

High: 69 Low: 54 Cloudy

4. Walmart plans to give $2 billion over the next five years to hunger relief efforts.

5. Prom is a $4 billion industry.

Boingers provide an energizing background to the singer/dancers. The instrumentals add an extra kick to the music.”

Cabaret is the last chance for seniors to take their final bows as FFE members.

“We get to spend a lot of time with our friends, doing what we really want to do and creating our vision,” senior Andrew Kern said.

“It’s a really good way to come together and end the year.”

Show times are 7:30 p.m. tonight and 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. tomorrow. Tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for students and can be purchased at the door.

Hats Off Junior Chloe Wires was elected as a State Board representative to the Ohio Association of Student Councils (OASC).

Wires is one of four students statewide and the first from Findlay to receive the honor. “We lead the Wires students through activities planned at OASC events,” Wires said.

2 1997

op

“The PDA policy is not clear enough. It’s really vague and it is interpreted differently by a lot of people in charge, which is confusing to students.” sophomore Ellie McKee

page

opinion

was the year the current high school PDA policy was originally put into place

Friday, May 14, 2010

Staff policy

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.

Letters to the editor

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 off in room 286.

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.

OUR VIEW

Board should revise unclear PDA policy If the self-titled “Freedom Huggers” brought anything to light, it is that the high school’s policy on public displays of affection (PDA) needs serious revisions to make it clearer.

After wearing signs and T-shirts expressing their disapproval of the policy, several protestors met with members of Student Council to discuss their issues with the rule.

The current PDA policy prohibits any bodily contact beyond holding hands while on school premises. The disclaimer for the Code of Conduct also states that this applies to all school functions.

“Freedom Huggers” brought up a valid point—does this include all off-campus sporting events? And what about Prom? Certainly there is bodily contact occurring there.

This may be why the school board is considering revising the policy at the May 24 meeting to ban “inappropriate bodily

Contact us

contact” on school premises.

But this new wording still does not address whether the rules apply to all school functions on or off campus.

If administrators want to ensure their policy is enforced, they need to be as clear as possible. This includes outlining specific school events, like Prom or football games, and how the policy will be enforced.

The policy should go further and outline what specifically is considered “inappropriate”.

By keeping the wording so vague, administrators are setting themselves up for disagreements over the policy. What may be considered “inappropriate” to an administrator may not be to a student.

The bottom line is, the new policy is still unclear. In order to avoid more protests, the school board should send the latest draft back and demand a clearer version.

Blue & Gold 1200 Broad Avenue Findlay, OH 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.

The staff John Sisser Editor in chief

Local journalists should get facts straight before reporting n By John Sisser

When I flip on a news station or open up a newspaper, I expect to get accurate information from a reliable source.

However, it is clear that the high standards of journalistic ethics were severely lacking during the “Free Hugs” fiasco that took our school by storm a few weeks ago.

Our journalism adviser tells us over and over again the importance of getting all of our facts straight and giving each side of an issue a voice.

The attention gained by the “Freedom Huggers” is a prime example of how slight inaccuracies in the news can make mountains out of molehills.

By now, the origin of the protest is pretty clear—students got upset over the school’s PDA policy, making signs and T-shirts to have their voices heard.

The whole thing spiraled out of control when irresponsible reporting on behalf of the local and regional media got involved.

The basic journalistic principle of fact checking seemed to fly out the window, as some news sources spread inaccuracies or failed to get both sides of the story.

For example, the “Freedom Huggers” told reporters they were receiving detentions for simply hugging, and the media seemed to eat that up.

But according to administrators, no disci-

plinary action was taken against friendly hugging, except for an occasional “Break that up.”

News outlets would have known this if they had checked their facts with administrators beforehand.

Maybe they would also have known that the policy students were protesting was not new, like some television channels reported.

In fact, the same policy on PDA has been in place since 1997.

Worse yet was newscasters suggesting that all students at the high school were opposed to the crackdown on PDA. As the Blue & Gold reported March 5, approximately 70 percent of those who responded to an online poll felt PDA in the hallways

went too far. This means a majority of students probably welcomed the tighter enforcement of the policy.

Being a young journalist, I should look up to and model after our local reporters and newscasters.

In the future, I would hope those in charge of delivering information will strive for accuracy and get both sides of the story.

Kim Maples Feature editor Emily Rivest News editor

?

what’s the problem

letters to the editor

Students were not informed Dear editor, The administration of Findlay High School did not handle the “Freedom Hugger protest” very well.

The students were misinformed about the event and, therefore, took sides that they normally wouldn’t if they knew all of the facts.

The students should be informed of what is actually going on by a reliable source because we have a right to know about our high school.

The protest at first seemed to be a legitimate issue that needed to be addressed to the administration, but as the event got bigger,

YOUR VIEW

many students found out that the “Free Hug” stance was not the cause they thought it was.

I never heard a rebuttal from the high school faculty in the classroom or even on the announcements, so I did not know where the school stood.

Mrs. Swartz sent an e-mail after the press got a hold of the story, but it was not to the students—just to parents on an e-mail list.

The high school administration did not communicate to the student body sufficiently during the protest.

It is the administration’s job to inform the students and teachers about the events hap-

pening at school. Instead, they kept us all in the dark.

Sincerely, junior Lauren Heintschel

Demonstration was pointless Dear editor, This whole “Free Hugs” protest has gotten out of control. Less than half the school actually cares about it.

If people would just let it go then there wouldn’t be any bad thing going on about us.

This story made it all the way down to Texas where no one had even heard of us before.

Everyone making signs and posters was a real waste of time. One kid even got arrested because he really wanted this all to continue for something really worthless.

Mrs. Swartz is doing the right thing. Let her do her job and stop making a fool of yourself.

This will probably only last for another week or so, then the protestors will get the point that the rules are not going to change.

Everyone will be happy when this is over.

This whole thing got out of hand. Newspaper, you got what you wanted, now stop.

Sincerely, junior Janis Rizor

Was the ‘Free Hugs’ protest blown out of proportion by the media?

“Yes, it got blown out of proportion because the media thought it was the majority of students involved in the protest, but it was actually a small percentage.” senior Nick Gallo

“Yes, because we were already allowed to hug, so we shouldn’t have been protesting.” freshman Dallas Wagner

“The media always blows things out of proportion.

The people involved in the protest weren’t even for hugs, they were for groping.” junior Jen Cunningham

“They built up the ‘Freedom Huggers’ and didn’t show what they actually do in the hallways. They also did not give our administration a chance to say what they were trying to do.” sophomore Adam Menker

“Yes, because they didn’t talk to a diverse group of kids. They honed in on one certain group and it didn’t represent our student body.” teacher Jon Gaberdiel

“No. The whole reason it even started was because people were getting in trouble for hugging. It’s not right that you can hold hands with someone in the halls, but you can’t give them a hug.” junior Steven Huffman

Lexi Perrault Sports editor Katie Trinko Taylor McGonnell Co-photo editors Sam Malloy Advertising editor Hannah Gray Katie Logsdon Morgan Grilliot Abby Kehres Kieley Ray Photographers Maggie Malaney Leah Cramer Michaela Marincic Reporters Emily Lentz Autumn Simmermeyer Artists Jim McGonnell Adviser

et

3

“I am looking forward to Toy Story 3 because of all the nostalgia of having seen the first two when I was younger and it is in 3D.” sophomore Joseph Breen

$75

entertainment Friday, May 14, 2010

page

million expected to be earned by Toy Story 3 in its first weekend

THE HEAT IS ON Moviegoers look forward to a sizzlin’ summer line-up n By John Sisser

Knight and Day

Get ready for a summer of sex, vampires and talking toys.

Sure, it’s an odd mix, but this summer’s expected box office successes aren’t likely to disappoint audiences.

Flicks like Sex and the City 2, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse and Toy Story 3 (in 3-D, of course) all hope to draw in major crowds— and revenue.

Slap on those 3D glasses and bring on the summer movies.

Maybe you are looking forward to a more Director Christopher Nolan (The Dark action-packed summer film.

Knight) returns in this sci-fi action thriller.

Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz may be the Nolan sticks to his formula perfect pair to bring it to you. that brought him success in The duo teams up in Knight and the past: combining special Day for an adventurous love story effects with a well-known sure to get the adrenaline pumpcast featuring stars like ing (or at least, maybe a little Leonardo DiCaprio. more than Toy Story 3).

Inception heads DiCaprio Full of chases and exploto regular and IMAX Cruise sions, Knight and Day tells the theaters July 16. story of Paul Dano, a secret agent who falls in love with an ordinary girl while he’s Salt on the run.

Find out if the movie is a hit or a miss June The action/thriller theme 25 when Knight and Day hits theaters. continues, this time with

superstar Angelina Jolie.

When CIA agent Evelyn The Twilight Saga: Eclipse Salt (Jolie) is accused of beIt seems like just a few months ago teenage ing a foreign spy, she flees, girls were in a frenzy over Taylor Lautner’s abs narrowly escapes in The Twilight Saga: New Moon. the authorities tryBut the vampire and werewolf ing to capture her cast members return yet again for and puts her skills the latest in theTwilight drama. as a top secret agent Eclipse will dive deeper to the test.

Jolie into Bella’s (Kristen Stewart) Being Jolie’s first relationship woes—choosing bebig film since the 2008 tween her vampire lover, Edward hit Wanted, it is surprising Salt Stewart (Robert Pattinson), and her were- has gained little hype. wolf best friend, Jacob (Lautner).

However, this could make Talk about some heavy drama. the film a come-from-behind Watch Twilight fanatics shatter even more box office success. box office records June 30.

See Jolie alongside Liev Schreiber in Salt July 23.

Sex and the City 2

The cast of the racy but beloved HBO series returns to the big screen in the follow up to their 2008 blockbuster debut.

Stars Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Cynthia Nixon and Kristin Davis team up again, taking on two very different worlds: New York City and Morocco.

Carrie (Parker) and Mr. Big (Chris Noth) finally decide to get Parker married, but a snide remark by Miranda (Nixon) leaves the bride-to-be with a less than desirable wedding.

As if the movie won’t be hyped enough, cameo roles by Miley Cyrus and Penelope Cruz will certainly grab even more publicity for the film.

Catch this chick flick May 27 in theaters.

Toy Story 3 Summer blockbusters take a more animated and lighthearted approach, literally, June 18.

Disney and Pixar’s highlyanticipated Toy Story 3 brings the voices of Tom Hanks and Tim Allen (as the beloved Woody and Buzz Lightyear, respectively) back to both conventional and IMAX theaters worldwide. Buzz Lightyear The plot of this childhood favorite picks up after the toys’ owner, Andy, leaves for college and the characters find themselves in a day care center.

Since the executives at Disney are using 3-D technology for the third installment in the trilogy, the extra $2 per ticket will make Toy Story 3 a summer box office smash.

Inception

The Last Airbender Let’s face it—director M. Night Shyamalan hasn’t had many successes since his high-budget debut, The Sixth Sense.

However, his latest film this summer could change all that.

Shamyalan’s The Last Airbender, based on the Nickelodeon series Avatar: The Last Shyamalan Airbender, is being hailed as Twilight’s biggest competition.

The Last Airbender follows the adventures of Aang, the only one on the planet capable of mastering control of all four elements—air, earth, water and fire.

With the intense and exciting action sequences, it’s no surprise producers decided to use 3D technology.

The Last Airbender pops into theaters July 2.

Eat Pray Love After a summer of nearly non-stop action, director Ryan Murphy changes things up a bit with this drama.

The plot follows the life of Elizabeth Gilbert, played by Julia Roberts. Gilbert, although a successful married woman, is unhappy and follows her midlife crisis around the world, learning from a variety of different cultures along the way.

Though Eat Pray Love could end up being just another flop, the unique and powerful storyline exploring different Roberts cultures give it potential.

Follow Roberts and co-star Javier Bardem around the world when Eat Pray Love hits theaters August 13.

senior Logan Benjamin

Hits and

Misses

There are over 140 million videos estimated to be on YouTube.

Lucky for you, we’ve sorted through some to find which videos are worth a watch and which ones fail miserably. Read on:

Check it out

Title: Don’t Stop Believing How was it: The cool melody to the classic tune by Journey and effects of Sam Tsui singing a capella keep you enertained throughout the whole video.

Could have been better Title: I’m Yours (ukulele) How was it: Although the kid cannot sing, he is talented when it comes to playing the ukulele and makes funny facial expressions worth watching.

What a waste of time Title: Best of Skype Laughter Chain How was it: This video of people laughing is too long. For five minutes you wonder what everyone is laughing about and get bored.

Iron Man sequel lacks creativity, originality

OneRepublic mixes sounds to create unique album

n By Maggie Malaney

n By Michaela Marincic

Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Scarlett Johansson Plot: Now that the world is aware that billionaire inventor Tony Stark (Downey Jr.) is superhero Iron Man, he is put under pressure to share his inventions with the military.

Why see it: After earning $133.3 million in its first weekend, Iron Man 2 is already a box office success. Although less original than the first Iron Man, the sequel is packed with action and special effects. It tends to lose the plot by focusing too much on fight scenes and attractive girls, but it’s worth a trip to the movie theaters.

Grade: C

Album: Waking Up Artist: OneRepublic Sound: Pop Last release: Dreaming Out Loud Why buy it: Known for their hit Apologize, OneRepublic provides relief for those turned off by thundering drums and hard-hitting beats heard in most of today’s music. Vocalist Ryan Tedder’s strong tenor voice soars over the synthesizer and guitar blended with classical string instruments.

This welcomed break from the bashing and banging of rock and rap works well for the band, as the result is a creative album with unique features such as a chorus of children’s voices in Made For You and a beautiful string introduction in Fear.

Download this: Secrets Grade: A-

5

to check out this week

Iron Man

Desperate Robin Hood: Housewives The Merry Men season finale: are back. Russell Crowe and Cate Things get heated on Wisteria Lane Blanchett team when the sixth up in this remake of a classic tale. Be season of ABC’s drama comes to sure to catch this movie, in theaters an end Sunday, May 16 at 9 p.m. tonight, May 14.

junior Shyla Woodyard

My My movie movie If my life were a movie...

If my life were a movie...

Title: Miller Time Partyin’ in the USA intrlee:: Romantic Comedy/Tragedy T e G Drama Miller playing GCeansrte:: Ashley herself, Lil Wayne as her Selena Gomez and David BeckCast: boyfriend ham as her secret lover A teenage girl works in fast ott:: Ashley’s lo heart is stolen when P food to raise money and get l P Lil Wayne pulls her on stage

Invictus on DVD: Director Clint Eastwood’s inspiring Oscarnominated rugby drama starring Matt Damon and Morgan Freeman hits store shelves Tuesday, May 18.

Shrek Forever Modern Family After movie: season finale: The Dreamworks ABC’s hit series returns, comedy wraps up its first season this time with 3D Wednesday, May technology. Catch 19. But don’t fret, Shrek, Fiona and Donkey Friday, the show was May 21 when the renewed for a second season. film hits theaters.

out of Findlay in order to and sings/raps to her. She live her dream of being the thinks he’s the one until she first female president. While is drafted onto the U.S. World living in Washington, D.C., Cup Soccer Team and scores she falls in love with the son the game-winning goal. In of the current president and all the celebration, her and ultimately lives her dream.

Beckham’s eyes meet and they fall in love. Now she’ll make a huge decision. Who PG-13 will she choose?

Rated: Rated: PG-13

Coming to a theater near you

Not really coming to a theater near you

4 page

nf

“If FHS offered more foreign languages I would take the classes. America is becoming more accepting of different cultures and students should be able to communicate with them for the future.” junior Holly Barton

1, 600

schools nationwide teach Chinese classes, according to the New York Times

KEEPITBRIEF

Musicians host concerts n By Emily Rivest

Music will fill the air next week, literally, as orchestra, band and choir students perform three concerts.

newsfeature

Friday, May 14, 2010

CAN OPENER

Physics classes create year-end projects

Monday

Orchestra will perform May 17 at 7:30 p.m. in R.L. Heminger Auditorium.

The orchestra has been working for weeks on their concert pieces.

“For the spring concert, we usually do a bigger variety of music,” junior Sarah Black said. “We’re doing some classical music, then some more upbeat music too.”

Tuesday

Extravabandza, the band’s spring concert, will be May 18 at 7:30 p.m. at the band shell at Riverside Park.

Students will like the concert because it is primarily popular music, according to junior Patrick McAdoo.

“The other concerts tend to be our more technical pieces we do for our contests,” he said. “For this concert, we picked the music that a lot of people will enjoy and know.”

Thursday

Freshmen, Concert and Symphonic Choirs will finish the week with a concert May 20 at 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium.

Besides each individual choir doing their own selections, there will be a whole group number and ensembles.

“We’re going to end the concert with a song all together,” director Kevin Manley said. “We have some ensembles that are going to sing between the choirs singing more modern things like pop tunes.”

Mellot named editor in chief n By Emily Rivest

Junior Kenzie Mellot will lead a staff of 23 as next year’s editor-in-chief of The Trojan yearbook.

The staff is already forming goals for the Mellot upcoming year.

“We’re going to have a strong staff because most of the people are hard workers and we know that for certain,” Mellot said. “One of my goals is to get things done as soon as possible and make sure everything gets done in time.”

Council wins state awards n By John Sisser

Student Council members took home several awards from the Ohio Association of Student Councils’ (OASC) State Conference, April 22-24 in Celina, Ohio.

The group won the Army of Volunteers and Honor Council with Merit awards and was also named a Five-Star Student Council by OASC. Adviser Mary Beth Kennedy-Mowrey thinks the awards give the council the chance to reflect.

“We like to win awards, we get a lot of recognition but it also gives us the chance to look at what we need to improve on,” Kennedy-Mowrey said. “It allows us to do an evaluation of ourselves.”

Seniors Brianna Doyle, Jayne Luna, Brittany Schmidt, Hannah Gray and junior Chloe Wires also received the All-Ohio Student Council award.

TRIAL RUN

Seniors Josh Rutledge, Michael Hoover and Tommy Murtha, three members of Team Please Work, set up their physics project, designed to open a 12-ounce can of Coke and pour eight ounces of it into a cup. The project, adapted by one used in an engineering class at Ohio Northern University, is designed to teach the students about more than just physics. “We had to overcome our differences and work together as a team to get stuff accomplished,” Murtha said. “It taught us how to work hard to accomplish a goal.” photo by Taylor McGonnell

Offering more languages could benefit students n By Leah Cramer

Some high school students’ knowledge of the Chinese language is limited to what they’ve learned off of the menu at Ming’s Great Wall, but junior Nan Wilson seeks a better understanding of the language.

Wilson took Chinese as a post-secondary option (PSO) class at Bowling Green State University this spring. While it did take time out of her regular schedule (four days a week she left after fourth period and returned by the end of seventh in order to attend class), she didn’t mind the drive and thinks the course is worth it.

“It’s the number one spoken language in the world, so not only do I want to be able to communicate with all those people, but it will also open doors for job opportunities later in life,” Wilson said. “The United States does a lot with China as far as politics go and I’m

planning on going into that field.”

Students hoping to take foreign language classes other than Spanish, Latin and French must turn to online courses or PSOs. For the foreseeable future, those three will be the only foreign language classes offered at the high school.

“More foreign language courses are not being offered due to many reasons,” Director of Secondary Instruction Nancy Allison said.

“There is a lack of foreign language teachers and the opportunities for picking up languages via online courses or in institutions of higher learning have expanded.”

A global society includes many countries whose languages are not provided as classes.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Foreign Trade List of the top 10 countries with which the U.S. trades, China comes in second and Japan fourth.

by the

numbers

91% of high

schools offer at least one foreign language

93% of these

schools teach Spanish

13% of these

schools teach Latin

4% of these schools teach Chinese

.06% of these

schools teach Arabic source: Center for Applied Linguistics

Five seniors will speak at commencement

Senior receives honor

n By Emily Rivest

n By John Sisser

Blue & Gold news editor Emily Rivest was named Ohio Journalist of the Year by the state chapter of the Journalism Education Association.

After submitting a 33-page portfolio, Rivest was honored at the Ohio Scholastic Media Association’s annual convention at Kent State University last month.

“Winning makes me more confident I will be able to succeed in this as a career,” Rivest said. “I have put in a lot of hours for the newspaper, so this makes it all worthwhile because it was a huge honor.”

However, Allison believes the amount of foreign language classes offered is adequate.

“Most of the smaller high schools in Northwest Ohio offer one language,” Allison said. “Findlay City Schools is fortunate to be able to offer two additional languages.”

Those whose don’t wish to take PSO are able to take foreign language classes online or through the Findlay Digital Academy, but the only online courses available next year are German 3 and 4.

While online courses lack some of the things that a classroom atmosphere can provide, they can still be beneficial.

“I would learn the language more thoroughly in a classroom session,” sophomore Sean King, who takes German online, said. “With the online courses, you miss the day to day interaction with your instructor and other classmates.”

VOICE Getting ready for the June 6 graduation ceremony, Senior Tricia Wilkins perfects her speech. Wilkins was one of three seniors selected to speak by a faculty panel. photo by Katie Trinko

Seven faculty members selected three seniors to join valedictorian Cole Lautermilch and salutatorian Morgan Hammer to speak at graduation June 6.

Seniors Michael Alexander, Jessica Braddock and Tricia Wilkins were chosen by the panel based on the content and quality of their speeches.

“We were looking for content and how original the speech was, how well it matched the theme of the class motto,” Communications teacher Andy Cantrell said.

“We looked at poise, gestures and delivery, basically, how well they delivered the speech.”

Wilkins is using song lyrics in her speech.

“I always like to listen to the lyrics of songs

and find ones you can relate to that connect to your life,” she said.

Alexander’s unique approach was based on Jeff Foxworthy’s You Might be a Redneck If… jokes.

“It’s called You Know You’re a 2010 Findlay High School Graduate If…” he said. “I was brainstorming ideas and I was trying to think of something funny to share my final thoughts about Findlay.”

Braddock is looking forward to her chance to address the senior class.

“I am pumped to address my class for the final time and leave them with an inspirational message,” Braddock said. “I wanted the graduation ceremony to not only be a celebration but motivational as well.”

Main Street News 501 S. Main Street 419-424-8810 Monday-Saturday 7 a.m.-8 p.m.

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“I’m really going to miss the fun and humor that Mrs. Hochstettler and Mr. Janton bring to the class. I wish they would continue teaching.” senior Stephen Kreuger

19

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Friday, May 14, 2010

Reinhart ready for rest of life

Bormuth will miss interaction with students

Name, years taught Laura Reinhart, 26

Name, years taught Barb Bormuth, 36

What was your favorite class in high school?

Math. I enjoy getting an answer that’s either right or wrong. There’s no gray area.

What are your future plans?

I hope to supervise student teachers in Findlay or Bowling Green, attend Bible study for the first time and go fishing on Lake Erie.

What is your favorite part of teaching?

Interaction in the classroom with students. There are so many memories: working with numerous at-risk students one-on-one and seeing that “aha” moment when they finally get the matierial, students feeling secure enough to ask me for personal advice, the every day greetings as students enter the room…There are so many interactions that make teaching rewarding.

What would you want to be if you weren’t a teacher?

A seamstress. I love to sew and create. I make any type of clothing. I sew for my daughters and am currently working on a dress for Rachel to wear to her dance at Blanchard Valley for the Special Olympics Homecoming/Prom.

What subjects have you taught?

Grades 7-12 every English class but honors. While I thought that I would want to teach the CP and Honors level students, I found that I had a talent for reaching the students who have difficulty learning.

What was the weirdest teaching moment in your career?

I was 10 minutes into a composition lesson with sophomores and juniors and they asked me, “Mrs. Bormuth, where are you?” I was teaching out of the wrong book.

What subjects have you taught?

I started as a 6th grade teacher and then taught special ed.

What is your favorite part of teaching?

Seeing students I’ve had graduate. It’s like I’ve had a part in their progress so they can achieve their goals.

What are your future plans?

I plan on doing some embroidery and quilting as a small business and visiting my grandchildren.

What was the weirdest teaching moment in your career?

I had a student when I taught elementary who thought I’d died since I was no longer his teacher. His current teacher said I wasn’t dead but he thought she made it up. I had to take a half-day to go visit him.

What would you change about the education system or the high school?

I would require less paperwork. In Special Ed., there’s a lot of IEP (Individual Education Plan) paperwork. Everyone gets almost like a book for their own plan.

I’m not a paperwork kind of person.

Q&A

What will you scream at 2:35 p.m. on the last day of school?

Welcome to the beginning of the rest of my life!

with retiring teachers

Janton’s going to take it easy Name, years taught Mike Janton, 30

If you weren’t a teacher, what would you be?

If I could have the job of my dreams, I would be a theoretical mathematician.

What would you change about the education system or the high school?

Getting rid of the high stakes tests to graduate. Too much time is spent teaching to the tests.

I feel that this does a huge disservice to the students.

What is your favorite part of teaching?

I love kids and I love to teach. I love my subject, too. But a person knows when it is time for a change. It’s like seniors.

They probably like coming to Findlay, but eventually they need that change.

What are your future plans?

Taking it easy and getting the pressure of teaching off my back. Maybe I will be ferrying cars, which is when a dealer is searching for a car that’s at another dealer, so they send someone to get it.

What subjects have you taught?

I’ve taught 22 different levels of social studies. I loved economics by far because I really enjoy letting people know what is central to them.

What was the weirdest teaching moment in your career?

I asked a student to leave a classroom for inappropriate behavior and he wouldn’t leave, so I moved the whole class and left him in the room.

What would you change about education or the high school?

Get away from the trend to teach to the test and return to the liberal arts education, which is a little bit of everything.

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teachers in the school district are retiring this year

Teaching career not finished for Hochstettler Name, years taught Kay Hochstettler, 30 What are your future plans?

I plan to find another job teaching, on a college level preferably. Although I have thoroughly enjoyed working with my students at Findlay High School, I’m looking forward to a new adventure in a different setting.

What is your favorite part of teaching?

Working with the students, because I am inspired by their idealism. Most of the students I have had in class have not yet become jaded. They still believe there is goodness in almost everyone, and they enthusiastically demonstrate enormous compassion for others.

What was the weirdest teaching moment in your career?

My weirdest teaching moment changes from day to day. One time I had a female student in class whose name could belong to either a boy or girl. Her hair was cut short and her voice was fairly deep.

She was so exasperated with constantly being mistaken for a male, that halfway through the school year when a boy in the classroom referred to her as “he,” she whipped off her shirt to show the world she was female. I’m glad she wore a bra that day.

What subjects have you taught?

English and speech.

If you weren’t a teacher, what would you be?

A movie star.

When I was a child, I thought it would be fun to play the role of someone totally different from the person that I am.

What was your favorite class when you were in high school?

English. I have passionately enjoyed reading and writing for as long as I can remember.

What would you change about the education system or the high school?

State requirements for education. A lot of politicians have no idea what the students need.

Croy worries about future of Home Economics as schools teach to test Name, years taught Linda Croy, 26.5 If you weren’t a teacher, what would you want to be?

A mom. I left teaching for 13 years to stay with the kids.

Who’s your favorite cook on TV? Alton Brown because I learn something new every time I watch the show and he is crazy.

What subjects have you taught?

Family & Consumer service, Foods & Nutrition, Sewing, Life Skills, Child Development as well as Life Planning.

What are your future plans?

Travel, volunteer, maybe start another business, sew, read, garden and hang out with my kids. Our son lives in town and our daughter lives in Columbus, so we’ll go there and it’s lots of fun. I might go to jewelry repair school and work part time in a jewelry shop or do something with sewing or quilting.

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What was your favorite class when you were in high school?

Home Economics and music/band. I love to sew and I didn’t know how to cook until I took Home Ec. I also enjoy designing things.

What was the weirdest teaching moment in your career?

I told a student to separate the eggs, gave them a few minutes and asked if they were done. I looked down and they had one egg on one side of the table and one on the other.

What would you change about education or the high school?

The one thing I’m afraid of is as we teach to the test, a lot of schools are getting rid of Family & Consumer Science classes.

America isn’t eating healthy and getting rid of these classes eliminates learning how to eat and prepare healthy foods.

What is your favorite part of teaching?

The students and teaching Foods & Nutrition. Students come in and never have cooked before, but now they can make meals and it’s an accomplishment.

6 57 page

students participated in the Honors Career Mentorship program this year

Gladstone finds wild side at zoo n

By Maggie Malaney

Even with a full course load next year, junior Kyle Hamilton will not step foot in a high school classroom.

Taking advantage of post-secondary enrollment options, Hamilton chose to go to Owens Community College to earn his credits.

While most post-secondary students continue to take high school classes, Hamilton is taking all of his courses at Owens next year.

“I took one (post-secondary) class each semester this year just to get a taste of it,” Hamilton said. “I realized it’s a good opportunity to get ahead since the high school pays for it.

“Taking all my classes there is basically an entire year of college paid for because I’ll be able to transfer the credits.”

Post-secondary students save money on college since the district shoulders the bill for the classes, spending $58,824 last year.

Thankful that he doesn’t have to pay for his classes, Hamilton chose the community college Break down because he thought it would be an easier transition than the University of Findlay.

Hamilton is “I thought the atmosphere would be more taking four inviting and easier to adjust to due to the postsecondary diverse population a community college such classes in the as Owens offers,” Hamilton said. first semester: Even more important than the atmosphere, he’ll have to make sure he keeps up with his classes, because failing will cost him.

• English 112 “Students who sign up for the program but • Geology get a failing grade are obligated to pay that amount back to the school district based on • Government the number of semester hours they signed up for. This year each credit hour is $145,” Mike • Algebra Barnhart, Findlay City Schools treasurer, said.

Although he’ll get a head start on college, his parents worry he will be excluded from high school activities.

“The biggest concern was that he’d miss out on some social parts of his senior year,” his father, Curt Hamilton, said. “We discussed it, though, and realized he’d still be able to attend dances and athletic events in order to still be a part of the high school.

“Things are different today with Facebook and texting, so it’ll be easier for him to keep in contact with other high schoolers.”

Though there are concerns, there are plenty of benefits to taking college classes while in high school.

“Kyle will start college with advanced standing, which will help him to be able to schedule classes ahead of freshmen,” counselor Mary Burget said. “He may be able to get into an upper class dorm (when he goes to Bowling Green State University the next year).

“If all of his credits transfer, he may be able to complete his degree in three years.”

Kyle Hamilton was sure to schedule the classes he needs to graduate for first semester next fall so he won’t have to worry.

“I wanted to make sure I got the classes in that I need to graduate and classes that will count towards college the next year,” Kyle Hamilton said. “I want to challenge myself with the classes.

“The composition and literature classes that I have taken so far (this year at Owens) required more work outside of class than high school classes. You have to keep up with the classes and keep working hard throughout the day.”

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Friday, May 14, 2010

findingyourniche

Hamilton opts for all post-secondary classes n

ft

“My teacher mentorship gave me hands-on experience and helped me gain a better understanding of the profession. Now I know what it would be like.” junior Brittany Deuble

By Kim Maples

A trip to the zoo usually involves watching sleepy cheetahs sunbathe on rocks or straining for a view of the orangutans scratching each other’s backs. Interaction with animals, other than the petting zoo, is an unlikely prospect for visitors.

But senior Max Gladstone is not an ordinary visitor. Thanks to his mentorship at the Toledo Zoo, Gladstone interacts with polar bears, monkeys, lions and more almost every week.

“It (being close to the animals) is unlike any other thing because everything looks smaller or less scary in a picture, but if you’re face-toface with a lion, it’s really scary,” he said. “It gets your heart pumping.”

During his hours at the zoo, Gladstone gets hands-on experience with the animals.

“The first time I was there, within the first 10 minutes, I was learning how to feed a polar bear,” he said. “I got to see one close-up for the first time and that was really cool. They’re a lot bigger than you think.”

Besides feeding, he also cleans cages, grooms and learns how to train the animals.

“We teach them to show us their paws, open their mouths so we can check for any broken teeth or cavities and roll over to check their bellies,” Gladstone said. “We can pretty much train them so we senior Max Gladstone can check every part of them and it keeps them happy while they’re getting fed.”

Gladstone’s passion for animals was what secured him a mentorship at the zoo, which usually only accepts college students.

“I’ve been a member of the zoo for many years, so that kind of gives me a little touch in the door,” mentorship teacher Laurie Collert said. “There’s three or four other students who come from Ohio State University as well as one from University of Toledo.

“I thought they could probably take Max on even though he didn’t have that level of expertise.”

When he gets to college, Gladstone is planning on entering a career involving animals.

“I have always liked animals and they have always liked me,” he said. “I used to want to be a vet, but that wasn’t for me. I didn’t want to cut up animals.

“I want to work on a (wildlife) conservation, where I can work hands-on with the animals.”

Wildlife conservations are protected lands used to preserve habitats and animals. Gladstone will live his dream of working on one when he spends a month at Namibia Wildlife Sanctuary in Africa this summer.

“We’ll take care of baby animals that have been abandoned or any animal that has gotten shot by a farmer,” he said. “We rehabilitate them and also patrol the poaching fences and do all the regular work around the conservation.”

His zoo training will help him better know the animals he will be working with in Africa, according to his mentor Wayne Carpenter, associate curator of large mammals at the Toledo Zoo. “He learned a lot about animals and what they can and can’t do,” Carpenter said. “There’s a big difference between captivity and the wild, but the animals will all have the same behaviors and he’ll be able to identify and pick up on that.”

For now, Gladstone will continue to attend his mentorship at the zoo, even though the semester mentorship class is over.

“I get to be around really cool animals and feel and experience different things I want to do in my future,” he said. “It’s taught me that it’s really what I want to do and that it’s probably my dream job to work on a conservation.”

“

Everything

looks

smaller or less

scary in a picture, but if

you’re face-to face

with a lion,

”

it’s really scary.

Stepec’s dream job is miles in the sky n

By Kim Maples

When junior Jake Stepec steps on a plane, he isn’t thinking about snagging a window seat or feasting on packets of salty peanuts. Instead, he’s picturing the design of the plane and flashing dials in the cockpit.

Since middle school, Stepec has had a fascination with flying, one that may carry over into his future.

As part of the Honors Career Mentorship program, Stepec spent 18 hours with pilots and mechanics at the Findlay Airport exploring careers in aeronautics.

“Ever since I took my first plane trip, I liked being in the air,” Stepec said, “I thought it would be cool to do it as a living. The more I thought about it, it’d be cool to actually design the planes and all the stuff that goes into it.”

Stepec is still deciding between becoming a pilot or an aeronautics engineer, and his mentorship helped him learn more about both.

“They show me the ins and outs of what they do every day,” Stepec said. “We went into one of their corporate jets and did a whole preflight check. We also planned a trip somewhere to see the computer programs used for that.”

Though Stepec couldn’t actually fly, the experience will help him decide on a career.

“There are many different professions in aviation,” mentor Mitchell Hammond of Marathon Oil’s Aviation Department said.

What is ROTC? “It’s my hope that we gave him some basic • Stands for knowledge of what we do as corporate pilots Reserve as well as other aviation careers.”

Officers’ From his experience, Stepec learned that Training Corp he wants to fly corporate if he were a pilot.

“It’s not as competitive, and even though • Provides a the pay’s better in commercial, your schedule four-year in corporate is more flexible,” he said, “and the college pilots in Findlay get to live here and be home scholarship a lot.”

Stepec also learned which path to follow to • After college, reach his career goal. participants “I couldn’t decide between (joining serve four the) military, college or both,” Stepec said. years in the “Everybody I talked to there (mentorship) said Army and four the military gives you more experience and more in the more companies are looking for experience than education nowadays.

Individual “I might try the ROTC (Reserve Officers’ Ready Reserve Training Corps) program, which is basically that the military pays for you to go to college anywhere with an ROTC program.”

Mother Wendy Christman is supportive of his goal, but apprehensive about him possibly joining the military.

“I would rather see him going to a flying school than going into a service, because I have fears for that,” she said. “It (becoming a pilot) is something he has always want to do and I admire him, but it makes me nervous, with hijackings and everything.”

But before he considers becoming a pilot, his mentor said the first step is to take flight lessons.

“It has been my experience as a flight instructor that it takes a few flight instruction hours for a person to realize if flying is a career for them,” Hammond said. “I hope Jake does take flying lessons. He would like it and do well at it.”

Stepec is still deciding how to pursue his dream.

“I’m not sure if I want to take them (flight lessons),” he said. “It’s expensive. I may take a Discovery flight, where you go to a company and they take you up in a small plane, to see if I actually like to fly.”

ft

“There are a lot of kids that abuse drugs. It seems to be the lifestyle of kids these days and it makes you ‘in’ and ‘popular.’” freshman Julia Filkins

6.2

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Friday, May 14, 2010

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million users 12 and over abuse prescription drugs

County heroin users double in past year New addicts younger, more inexperienced n

By Kim Maples

It can begin with a shot in the arm, a smoke at a party or even the abuse of OxyContin, a prescription pain reliever.

However it begins, it only takes once to be hooked on heroin, an illegal and highly abused opiate drug.

The death of 19-year-old Taylor Akerman, who accidentally overdosed on heroin, brought to light the rising use of the drug in the area.

“We’ve seen our numbers almost double in the past year,” detective Lieutenant Sean Young of the Findlay Police Department said. “Unlike in the past, a lot of the heroin users are in their late teens and early 20s.

“It’s affordable and easy to get. Based on how accessible it is, we’re going to see a rise in younger people getting it.”

The rise of heroin is also a concern because users in the area are inexperienced.

“With that inexperience, you get a lot of overdoses,” Young said. “They’re not familiar with their own tolerance, and the purity of the heroin is not consistent, which is dangerous for the user.

“Hypothetically, I may buy heroin from one dealer and it’s weaker than buying it from another, but if I take the same amount, it could kill me.”

Heroin addiction can even start from legal prescription medicines.

“We’re really concerned that the community is aware that it is happening here and how serious it is,” Precia Stuby, executive director of Hancock County Board of Alcohol, Drug Addiction & Mental Health Services, said. “People often get addicted to prescrip-

tion pain medications like OxyContin or Vicodin.

“Then what happens is someone addicted to that can no longer get the prescription, but they still need to get that high, and someone will offer them heroin as a substitute and it goes downhill from there.”

The peak high off heroin can last between 15 to 30 minutes, according to Nate Herr of the Family Resource Center.

Besides the negative health effects, trafficking heroin is also a third-degree felony.

“The beauty of it is that the judge really gets to evaluate what the penalties are and see what’s best for the user,” Young said. “In recent years, their focus is in drug rehabilitation, but it’s a hard drug to kick.

Unfortunately, for those who wish to quit, Blanchard Valley Hospital does not have a detoxification unit.

“I’ve seen a lot of teens showing up in the ER withdrawing (from heroin) and drug sick and wanting help,” licensed professional counselor Jeff Earle, who also works for Emergency Services, said. “Our community doesn’t offer a heroin or opiate detox center, so there’s really no place to put them.”

The best way to prevent addiction is to stop it before it gets worse.

Some warning signs include greater absences, poor school performance, agitation and varying periods of high and low energy.

“People close to them may notice things missing because they (addicts) have to pawn things to get money,” Stuby said.

The people around them are also an indicator of heroin addiction.

“All it takes is for one friend to get it (heroin) and influence another friend and all of a sudden the whole group has heroin,” Earle said. “It spreads like that.

“Addiction never stays the same. It’s always going to get worse.”

graphic by Kim Maples

By the numbers Source: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

4

times more prescription drug abusers in the last 20 years

2.9

percent of drug users age 12-17 abused prescription drugs

42.8

percent of prescription pain reliever users got the drugs from a dealer

Prescription drugs become youths’ latest addiction n

By John Sisser

Right now, take a look around your classroom.

Pick out five students. They could be a friend from elementary school, the new kid from out of town or the class genius—and chances are, one of them is abusing prescription drugs.

According to the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), around 20 percent of teens misuse medications like Vicodin and OxyContin, making prescriptions the most common drug abused by teens, next to marijuana.

“It is a problem and it is something our community is addressing,” Pat Sudlow, a Certified Prevention Specialist at the Family Resource

Center, said. “We have had community meetings to show how much of a problem this is once you are addicted.

“Doctors are prescribing more prescription drugs today for pain than they did in years past. The more they are prescribed, the more they are abused.”

Sudlow is right. Last year, prescription drug sales hit $300.3 billion, according to Gary Gatyas at IMS Health. Though the struggling economy has slowed sales slightly, the market continues to grow.

Although teens often perceive them to be safer than street drugs, abusing prescriptions can be detrimental to a teenager’s health.

“A side effect of prescription drug abuse is that it could lead to addiction, meaning the more they take, the more they want,” CVS pharmacist Jim Kroner said. “There are also social effects, like loss of friends.

“The addiction could lead to crime, like stealing from stores or stealing from relatives.”

A study by the ONDCP also shows around 4.5 million teens abuse prescription drugs.

This activity can be anything from using medicine to get high to simply taking a drug without a prescription.

However, not only is this an extensive problem—it’s growing.

Drug abuse has more than quintupled in the last 20 years according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), a trend that shows teens are ditching the drug dealers for the medicine cabinet.

It isn’t just the medicine cabinet, either.

Since prescriptions are legal, many are available for purchase online. This is how 17-yearold Ryan Haight of California bought the prescription drugs that took his life in 2001.

To combat scenarios like this, Congress

passed the Ryan Haight Online Pharmacy Consumer Protection Act last year, requiring online customers to see a pharmacist before purchasing the drugs. The law went into effect Jan. 15.

Though precautions are being taken to ensure the safety of prescriptions, Kroner believes a pharmacist’s power is limited.

“Basically, it is hard to control abuse with teens,” he said. “We ensure all our prescriptions are legal, but unfortunately, once it leaves our stores, it is out of our hands.”

Until more can be done to keep these medications out of the wrong hands, prescription drug abuse will remain a growing problem.

“Many times, teens can get them from family members or at home—they are more accessible,” Sudlow said. “Kids don’t realize how addicting they can be because they are from a doctor, not off the street.”

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“I go paintballing almost every weekend during the summer. I have a lot of friends that paintball and everyone in my family does as well. It’s just a great time.” sophomore Zach Abell

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millon people play paintball each year in the United States.

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Friday, May 14, 2010

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“I really like coach Nunn because she is really positive and has helped the team get a lot better this year.

She’s good at relating to the girls and making sure that we stay drama-free and focused on the game.” sophomore Brooke Logsdon

6

sports

boys track members have been named All-Ohio athletes

page

triple

Friday, May 14, 2010

Elbin finds success coaching three sports n By Lexi Perrault

Working a typical day as a guidance counselor then going home to relax just isn’t Ray Elbin’s style.

Instead, he puts in extra hours at school and manages to coach three sports.

Elbin first began coaching basketball with experience as a point guard, playing seven years in high school and college.

“My most memorable game in high school was actually my last game against Akron Central Hower,” he said. “They beat us in a close game and went on to be state runners-up.”

With memories of his own experiences, Elbin decided to coach.

“It appealed to me to coach basketball because of the competitiveness of the sport,” Elbin said. “It is a great challenge to take a group of players and try to form a cohesive unit that can win games.”

Although Elbin has coached basketball for 24 years at Findlay High School, 32 in all, one season is his most memorable.

“During the 2006-07 school year, the basketball team made it to the final eight in the state tournament,” Elbin said. “That was memorable because we were so close to getting to the finals in Columbus and every basketball coach in the state wants to make it there.”

Elbin soon took on a different court, finding time to coach boys tennis. Over the years, he has led his teams to 11 Greater Buckeye

Elbin’s history with sports

1973

threat

Conference (GBC) titles and sent two players to state.

State qualifier sophomore Chikara Oshima appreciates that Elbin puts in extra time to help kids improve.

“He dedicates a lot of time to the team and always finds a way to motivate his players,” he said. “That is important and he does it well.

“He motivates me by always having something positive to say about my game and that leads to confidence.”

He also coaches his son, Zach, in tennis and basketball.

“It can be trying at times to have my dad coaching me, but he knows what he is talking about and I succeed because of him,” the senior said. “He puts forth effort for everyone.

He never leaves anyone behind.”

For Elbin, putting forth the effort for everyone also includes coaching the girls tennis team. With this decision, he has added six more GBC titles to his resume.

Junior Nicole Bosse appreciates Elbin’s positive feedback on the court.

“He really cares about everyone on the team and is always encouraging us in a positive way,” Bosse said. “He focuses on each individual player and tries to make them the best they can be.”

It isn’t the recognition that keeps Elbin coaching, but the people he works with.

“I’ve been lucky to work with good people and it has made all the difference,” Elbin said.

“I’ve worked with good athletic directors, administrators, coaches, supportive parents and, most of all, good players.

“The best coach in the world will not optimize his or her success without good players.”

9

Played four years of basketball for Nordonia High School

1978 Played three years of college basketball for Mount Union

1986 Began coaching boys basketball at National Trail High School

1994 Started coaching boys basketball at Findlay High School (FHS)

1997 Decided to coach boys tennis at FHS

2000 Began coaching girls tennis team at FHS

ADVICE

Tennis coach Ray Elbin gives advice to his players during the Fremont match. Elbin captured his 11th straight boys Greater Buckeye Conference (GBC) title last Saturday. photo by Taylor McGonnell

Softball faces Perrysburg in sectional final

Tennis wins 11th straight GBC title

n By Leah Cramer

n By Michaela Marincic

After a slow start to the season, the softball team made a comeback to win its first sectional tournament game against Lima Senior last Saturday.

The team’s 15-0 victory against the Spartans allowed them to advance to the sectional final game against Perrysburg, which was played last night.

“We definitely hit well and didn’t make very many errors, which leads to a win in any game,” sophomore Stacy Graham said. “The game was a good start to tournaments.”

Team members adjusted to new leadership as Angela Nunn took over as a first time coach.

“There are always challenges as a first year

5

coach but it has gone well overall,” Nunn said.

“It has been a learning experience every day and a pleasure to coach these girls.”

The new partnership between coach and players led to a third place finish in the Greater Buckeye Conference with a 6-4 record.

“I had hoped for second, but I knew we were going to face some really tough teams,” Nunn said. “Napoleon is really strong.”

Although this season is over, team members are optimistic about next year.

“They will be losing some key seniors, but there will also be a lot of returning juniors, so the team won’t be as young as it is this year,” junior Alex Opp said. “The team next year should be really strong.”

Chikara Oshima Grade: 10 State appearances: 1 Personal goal: “My goal is to get back down to Columbus (state),” Oshima said.

“I have a tough road though.

‘I have to face some good competition.”

Getting to regionals goal for boys track

Things you need to know about new softball coach Angie Nunn

n By Maggie Malaney

n By Lexi Perrault

1. Works as intervention specialist “I am an intervention specialist at Northview Primary School,” Nunn said. “I work with kids with learning disabilities. Kids who need help with reading, writing and math come to me for support.”

2. She’s an athlete “I played high school softball at Versailles High School for all four years on varsity and played four years for Tiffin University as a centerfielder,” Nunn said. “I also played basketball for Tiffin.

“The best part about playing those sports is being competitive and also the friendships that I have built.”

3. Fan of team players “I look for a player with a good attitude,” she said. “They have to have a strong work ethic and be a leader and team player.”

4. Pet Peeve “I hate laziness,” Nunn said. “I was raised to work hard for everything I have and others should too.”

5. Exercise is her obsession “I obsess about staying in shape,” she said. “It has been hard for me since softball started because I don’t have time to run or lift weights.

“That has really been a hard adjustment for me.”

whose new freshman could challenge Oshima, the Trojans’ only state qualifier last year.

“The biggest threat (at sectionals) is Perrysburg,” Oshima said. “They have really good singles players.

“They’re used to facing good opponents, and they are high-caliber players themselves.”

If Oshima returns to state, he could go racket to racket with Cincinnati St. Xavier’s senior Ryan Bandy, who placed third last year, and Shaker Heights’ junior Tommy Marx.

“Marx and Bandy are two of the best players that will join the winner of our district,” Elbin said. “Chikara put up a good battle last year, but now he has more experience; we’ll have to wait and see if it’s enough.”

Propelled by a 10-year win streak, the boys tennis team snagged its 11th consecutive league title by winning four of five matches.

Sophomore Chikara Oshima, junior Connor Hoban and freshman Eric Schiable took the titles in first, second and third singles and senior Connor Jack and junior Brady Tharp won the second doubles.

“I’m pleased with how we’ve played, but we’re still a long way from the end of the season,” coach Ray Elbin said. “I hope the best tennis is still to come.”

The team hopes to continue its winning streak when it heads to sectionals. However, the tennis players worry about Perrysburg,

Coach Nunn

Focused on finishing in the top three in the Greater Buckeye Conference (GBC), the boys track team anticipates an exciting but challenging championship.

The GBC title will be decided today at 3 p.m. at Donnell Stadium.

“In order to get top three we’ll need two people to score in as many events as possible,” coach Brian Rosendale said. “We’re going to need one of our best performances of the year to pull it off.”

Those good performances will need to continue when the team’s focus shifts to districts, regionals and state.

“Our main goal is to place as many people as possible in the top four (at districts) to qualify for regionals,” Rosendale said. “Then do the same thing again to qualify for state. All of our relays have a great chance at regionals.

“If they do well, they could all make state.”

Sophomore Ian Frankenburg, a member of the 4x800 relay, hopes they will qualify for state and use it as a learning experience.

“We all give 100 percent in practice and go our hardest during workouts,” Frankenburg said. “If we make it to state we could do

SPEED

Sophomores Ben Carnes and Nick Blackburn race in the 4x400 relay.

The championship will be decided today at 3 p.m. at Donnell Stadium. photo by Katie Trinko

alright, but we are so young that it’ll be hard to place in the top eight.

“This year it’ll be good to go (to state) and get the experience so that we can come back strong next year.”

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Did you know...

?

LeBron James is averaging 30.9 points per game in the 2010 NBA playoffs.

&

The Boston Celtics have the most NBA series wins with an overall record of 17-3.

Meet new softball coach Angie Nunn

Volume 87, Issue 7 Friday, May 14, 2010

page 9

Henri Richard of the Montreal Canadiens has his name on the Stanley Cup 11 times, more than any other NHL player.

Ticket to the top King James team offers Ammons opportunities n By Leah Cramer

Basketball is just a game to some, but to junior Brock Ammons, it’s a possible ticket to a college scholarship.

One thing that will help him achieve his goal is playing for the King James Shooting Stars, an American Athletic Union (AAU) travel basketball team. The team’s coaches select some of the best high school players and try to give them as much exposure to college coaches as possible.

“Getting to play with that kind of competition and being considered good enough to play at that high of a level is definitely an honor,” Ammons said.

Orlando, Houston and Chicago.

“When we go on trips we’re basically treated like college students and get to go wherever we want and take complete responsibility for everything,” Brock Ammons said.

“I get the opportunity to go to new cities and meet new people.”

But opportunities available to him as a team member come at a time-consuming cost.

“It’s a huge time commitment,” Brock Ammons said. “I go to Akron once a week, which is a two hour drive, we practice and then with the drive back I’m usually gone from 4–11 p.m.

“Then we travel for games most weekends and sometimes I miss school on Friday and don’t get back until late Sunday.”

Time management

Ammons played on a different AAU team (CBIZ) last summer and when they played the King James Shooting Stars, he impressed their coaches and got an offer to join their team.

“Joining our team gave Brock a better chance to be seen by more college coaches because we do more traveling,” coach Don Anderson said.

However, the time he spends with the team is well worth it to Ammons, whose ultimate goal is to get a full scholarship to a Division I or II college.

“It’s the highest level of amateur basketball in the country,” Anderson said. “Also, it teaches these young men about team unity and how to build team spirit, as they all come together from different parts of the state and bond and have fun whether we win or lose.

“It creates a college environment, so when the boys get there, the transition will be easier.”

College prep

Summer work

Aside from the advantages of playing in front of college coaches for scholarship opportunities, being on the team will also help the junior gain new skills.

“He will be challenged on a consistent basis,” father Jon Ammons said. “The game is so much quicker and the athletes are all well skilled. Practicing with these elite athletes will improve his game.

“The biggest benefit is it will prepare him, hopefully, for college level basketball.”

One of the steps to getting a college scholarship are the July tournaments. The team takes a break from games in June and just practices, but when July rolls around they pack up and head off to tournaments across the country.

“It’s the main time for us because that’s when a lot of Division I coaches come out to see us,” Ammons said. “First we drive to Chicago and stay there for four days, then we fly to Atlanta for a week, come home for two or three days, fly to Kansas City for five days, fly to Orlando and then come home.

“It’s a chance to play against the best competition, see new places and meet new people that I get to build lifelong friendships with.”

AAU experience

Celebrity sponsor Cleveland Cavalier LeBron James sponsors the team, paying for things like their shoes and travel expenses for away games to places like

BIG SHOT

Junior Brock Ammons was one of 25 boys hand-picked from Ohio, Michigan and Pennsylvania to try out for the King James Shooting Stars, and one of 10 that made the American Athletic Union team. The team travels to Chicago, Atlanta, Kansas City and Orlando to face top competition around the country. photo by Katie Trinko

Girls track hopes to upset Napoleon Team faces tough Perrysburg at district invitational n By Lexi Perrault

SHUTOUT

Senior Clay Paul pitches his way to a 10-0 win over the Fremont Little Giants. Monday Anthony Wayne ended the Trojans’ season at sectionals with a final record of 13-11. photo by Taylor McGonnell

Anthony Wayne ends baseball’s season n By Michaela Marincic

Baseball players walked off the field Monday night at sectionals with a 7-0 loss hanging over their heads in a season-ending defeat to Anthony Wayne.

According to junior Alex Henry, the loss was a surprising and sudden finish to the year.

“We thought we would take the win, or at least come closer than we did,” Henry said.

“We made mental mistakes and should have been more focused.”

Even with the disappointing end of the season, the Trojans slid into second place in the Greater Buckeye Conference to tie with Napoleon at 7-3. Sandusky took the crown with an 8-2 record.

“Sandusky played solid defense and didn’t

61 % Winning week

The Trojans’ overall winning percentage for all varsity sports the week of May 4-11.

make mistakes all season,” senior Clay Paul said. “We had a few mess-ups when we played them that cost us.”

Looking past the losses to next year, coach Jeff Stutzman predicts the team will match or surpass this season, headed by 12 seniors.

“We have a lot of players coming back, so I have high expectations,” Stutzman said.

“With all the returning players, we only have to reload, not rebuild the team.”

With the combination of returning and new players, the coach hopes the team will have a strong line-up.

“We have a good freshman class coming up (14-6),” Stutzman said. “We will be able to shape the team by filling in the weak spots and also have good pitching depth.”

5

Best batting averages Senior Clay Paul: 5.25 Junior Alex Henry: 4.60 Senior Sam Adams: 4.10 Senior Brenden Powell: 3.90

To capture the Greater Buckeye Conference (GBC) league title on May 14, the girls track team will need a lot of luck.

Hoping to win its third straight GBC championship, the team will need to defeat Napoleon, whom they lost to, 85-52, on April 14 at Donnell Stadium.

“The last couple of years we’ve been able to win the league, but with losing key runners and being such a young team, we will need a lot of luck,” coach Mark Gleason said. “It (GBC championship) is between us and Napoleon.

“They (Napoleon) have a lot of returning upperclassmen and we have beaten them in the GBC the last two years, so I’m sure they’re out for revenge.”

Sophomore Kyesha Neal is hoping to win GBC in discus and shot put and also make an appearance at the state tournament.

“In order to make state I just have to go hard in practice with drills and weight lifting,” Neal said. “My biggest competition will be the girls from Fremont and also Bowling Green.

“Usually if you throw 30-40 feet in shot put and 130 feet in discus you have a good chance at going to state, so hopefully I’ll get there.”

Before focusing on state, the girls must face a tough Perrysburg team at the district tournament May 19 at Tiffin Columbian High School.

“Perrysburg will be our toughest challenge,” Gleason said. “They’re good every year and this year they have almost everyone returning.

“They’re just a good, solid team.”

However, sophomore Miranda Price believes the team is up to the challenge.

“To beat them, everyone needs to perform at their best and stay healthy,” Price said. “We also need to run with heart that day.

“If we do that, we will be successful.”

FHS coaches with the most league titles

Laux

Snow Elbin

17 17 16 14 12

Volkmer ‘Rock’ Snow: boys and girls swimming Albert Laux: boys soccer Ray Elbin: boys and girls tennis Tom Reynolds: boys golf Carl Bachman: boys basketball

source: The Courier’s Dave Hanneman

freshman Tess Hiatt

Junior varsity final records Baseball Softball

14-7 10-12

Freshmen

final records

Baseball 14-6 Softball 4-17 sophomore Gage Lasley