Central Focus October 2010

CF

Board changes schedule p. 3 Wrestling begins training p. 15 CENTRAL FOCUS FRANCIS HOWELL CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL VOLUME 14 ISSUE 2

Fear factor Vinnedge remembered

School, community honor life of fallen alumnus fFOR MORE NEWS FHCTODAY.COM

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10.29.2010

Terrors are revealed as students share their greatest phobias

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Delve 3-6

Be Heard 7-10

In Focus 12-14

Sweat 15-18

The Scene 19-23

Shots Opening

2

Letter from the 16 editor

HOT BOX

LOVE IT 1. Pinktober 2. Chick-fil-A 3. Daylight saving time

4. NHS shirts

F

ear is an inevitable

part of our lives. No

matter how brave, or

cowardly we are, we all have fears of some sort.

LIKE IT

Whether we are af raid of

failing a task or terrified of

1. Hockey season 2. Admissions letters

insects, we cannot live our

3. Cooler weather

lives with a total absence of

4. Monopoly at McDonald’s

fear.

With it being the season

of haunted houses, horror

movies and ghost stories, the staff of the Central Focus has

made the decision to evaluate the biggest fears of students and teachers at school.

On pages 12-14 we take

a look at the biggest fears

prevelant at our school. We also answer the question

of where the line is drawn between being af raid of

4

Cover Mr. Patrick Reed’s tarantula crawls around in his classroom for the first time

8

LEAVE IT 1. Recent teen suicides 2. Jungermann construction

since one of Reed’s students gave him the

3. Boys in “jorts”

spider. Many students cited that Spiders

4. Parking tickets

are one of their biggest fears and have issues with being around them.

Photo by Kelci Davis Page design by Kelci Davis and Cory Schmitt

something and that fear becoming a phobia.

Sincerely,

Cory Schmitt

Print Executive Editor Francis Howell Central High School 5199 Highway N St. Charles, Mo., 63304 Phone: 636.851.5636 Fax: 636.851.41

Editors and Staff

Cory Schmitt Print Executive Editor Ted Noelker Multimedia Executive Editor Kelci Davis Visuals ExecutiveEditor Brendan Kinnison Delve Editor Alli Keisker Be Heard Editor Margaret Borgmeyer The Scene Editor Ellen Hinze Sweat Editor Sean Carroll iFocus Editor Mikelle McClintock Communications Editor Michael Roundcount Business Manager Anna Gingrich Copy Manager Claire Henderson Copy Manager Kyle Braden Staff Reporter Karley Canova

Staff Reporter Jolie Denton Staff Reporter Destiny Pipkin Staff Reporter

Kamrie Reed Dylan Richardson Julianna Smith Victoria Walker Jessica DiMariano Patrick Hurley Mr. Matthew Schott

Staff Reporter Staff Reporter Staff Reporter Staff Reporter Staff Photographer Staff Photographer Adviser

Letters Policy

The Central Focus is produced monthly as an integral part of the Newspaper Production class at Francis Howell Central High School. Students learn all aspects of printed media production and are responsible for contributing to each issue.

The Central Focus is a public forum for the students at Francis Howell Central High School. The staff ’s editorial policy is available in Room 139.

The staff welcomes comments and suggestions from the student body. All letters to the editor must be typed and no more than 300 words.

Names must be included with the submission of the letter, but may be withheld at the request of the author. The staff reserves the right to withhold content at its discretion.

Vinnedge remembered p. 4 Political elections loom over the student body p. 5

Delve

3

$1M in change

Board votes to put entire district on unified schedule, creating earlier start, longer breaks

By Ted Noelker

Multimedia Executive Editor

O

n Thursday, Oct. 21, the Board of Education voted 4-1, with Mr. Mark Lafata and Mr. Marty Hodits abstaining, to approve a proposed calendar for the 2011-2012 school year. This will bring about significant changes to a system that has been in place in the district for more than 40 years.

“This will probably be one of the most important decisions the Board of Eduction will make this year,” Board President Mike Sommer said

during Thursday’s Board meeting.

Since 1969, two distinct calendars have existed in the district: a yearround calendar for primary schools and a traditional calendar for secondary schools. However, the Board’s vote last Thursday will bring an end to this system after this year.

The Board approved a new calendar which will, among other things, put all schools in the district on the same “modified traditional calendar,” a hybrid of the two existing calendars.

Please read more | Calendar, PAGE 4

How it affects FHC

u School will start

Aug. 8, three days earlier than usual. u Fall and winter breaks will be two days longer. Spring break will be four days longer. u School will end at 2:25 p.m. each day.

Photo by Kelci Davis

Speaking first about his views on the calendar, board of education member Mark Lafata shows the board and the community a PowerPoint presentation he put together. The show highlighted questions and concerns he has had about changing to the more traditional schedule in elementary schools.

Central Focus October 29, 2010 FHCtoday.com/Delve

Page design by Brendan Kinnison

4

Delve

Central Focus

FHCtoday.com/Delve

October 29, 2010

Page design by Ted Noelker

School honors death of alumnus FHC community unites to celebrate sacrifice of its solider

By Ted Noelker

Multimedia Executive Editor

Lance Corporal Phillip Vinnedge, 2009 graduate of Francis Howell Central, gave his life in the line of duty on Oct. 13, 2010 when he was killed by a roadside bomb while serving as a Marine in Afghanistan.

After a week of honor shown by the school and community,

On Oct. 13, four Marines were killed in a roadside bombing while serving their country in Afghanistan. Among them was Lance Corporal Phillip Vinnedge, 19, Francis Howell Central Class of 2009.

Vinnedge was the third of three brothers to have graduated from FHC. “He was just a great kid,” Mrs. Kathy Bargeon, guidance counselor to all three Vinnedge boys, said. “He was determined to do his things his way, which was always the right way in my book.”

At school, Vinnedge was a wrestler and an active member of the 300. He was also an Eagle Scout, a skydiver, a welder and a member of a trap shooting club. Those who knew him well said he was always talking about joining the Marines after high school. Contemporary Issues teacher Mr. Tom Whelan said Vinnedge was aware of the impact of 9/11, which was what had prompted him to go into the military.

“And [Sept. 11] was a big part of the issues we talked about in class, so we clicked right away,” said Mr. Whelan, who also had

“

He was just a great

Vinnedge was laid to rest in

kid. He was good to

Jefferson Barracks National

everybody. He was true

Cenetary on Oct. 20.

Calendar from page 3 School will begin for all students on Aug. 8 next year. Breaks will get longer for secondary schools but shorten for primary schools.

The year is slated to end May 23, barring any snow days. The calendar also cuts five student school days out of the schedule by adding five minutes to the length of the school day; this means dismisal will be at 2:25 p.m. next year. Also, only four half days will be present in next year’s schedule; for middle and high school, these will be the last two days of each semester. Wednesdays will remain early release days, however, for teacher PLC meetings.

The district is estimating it will save approximately $764,000 annually in transportation costs by running buses in three “tiers” on the same days throughout the school year. Additionally, it estimates a savings of approximately $232,000 annually by eliminating five days from the calendar.

The idea of a unified calendar was

to himself.

first studied by a calendar task force in 2003.

“It was determined at that time that a recommendation to modify the calendar be withheld until such time as there were financial constraints that would prompt the topic to be revisited,” said Superintendent of Schools Pam Sloan. “The financial times that FHSD and the rest of the country currently find themselves in are unprecedented; therefore, another calendar task force of the FHSD staff, community and parents was reconvened in November of 2009.”

Dr. Reneé Schuster, superintendent of schools at the time, commissioned Chief Human Resource Officer Steve Griggs with the assistance of Director of Assessment Bryan Williams to lead the new calendar task force committee which choose its 20 members from a blind draw of about 70 who applied, according to Dr. Griggs.

After 11 months of committee meetings, study and collaboration, community engagement meetings, and community surveys, the calendar task force made its recommendation

”

— Mrs. Kathy Bargeon

his brother Corey, which was another key to their immediate bond he says.

In fact, Vinnedge “clicked” with most people, friends say.

“He was a super nice kid. He wasn’t one to start fights,” said senior Nick Book, who was in the scouts with Vinnedge for six years. “A peacemaker.”

Vinnedge enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in Sept. 2009 after graduating with perfect attendance. On Sept. 27, 2010, Vinnedge was deployed to Afghanistan. He died 16 days later when his vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb.

Principal Sonny Arnel was notified by people close to the family and immediately had the school’s flag lowered to half-mast; the district and eventually the entire state followed suit. Dr. Arnel also sent out an email to the staff on the morning of Oct. 14 informing the school of the death of one of its alumni, the first to die in military service to the country.

“Sgt. Arnold, the Marine recruiter for St. Charles County, knocked on my [classroom] door and walked in in full Marine dress and told me, and even though I already knew and he probably knew I already knew, he wanted to tell me in person, ‘I just wanted you to know you were Phil’s favorite teacher,’ ” said Mr. Whelan. “And that’s when it hit me.”

The school also observed a moment of silence at Friday’s football game. A poem was composed in his honor by senior Josh Flandreau. And on Thursday, Oct. 21, more than 3,000 students, staff and community members turned out between the middle

to the Board of Education to consolidate the primary and secondary calendars into one unified calendar.

Much debate arose out of the nature of the decision, however.

Board member Mark Lafata, along with a number of elementary teachers in the district, are concerned about the academic influence this will have on elementary school students and say the new calendar was crafted from a financial focus rather than an academic one.

However, others say the academic success of the district’s students is not correlated with its calendar.

“I don’t believe students learn better because of our calendar,” Board member Amy McEvoy said.

“Our calendar has made us different and unique; it has not made us best.”

Similarly, Mr. Sommer and Principal Sonny Arnel attributed the success of the district academically to its academic programs, not to the calendar.

Thus, most agreed it boiled down to a financial decision for

school and high school to line the main campus drive as his funeral procession passed by at the request of the family.

“I think it was one of my most proud moments as a Spartan,” Dr. Arnel said. “It was just magical the way we came together as a group.”

Dr. Arnel and Mr. Whelan asked the day prior for students wishing to pay tribute to Vinnedge to come dressed nicely that day.

“I was in awe when they had the entire school come out,” Book said. “I was not expecting to see that many people come out dressed up to support the Vinnedge family and Phil.”

The entire school felt a surge of patriotism that day.

“Even tough it was tough to deal with, the way our school dealt with it, to witness the procession go through the campus is without a doubt the most memorable day of my teaching career,” Mr. Whelan said.

Indeed, the school’s faulty and students will not soon forget the honor Vinnedge was shown that day.

“We’re so pround of him,” Mrs. Bargeon said. “Francis Howell Central has a hero.”

“

He made me feel like I made a difference

and always came back to see me. ”

— Mr. Patrick Reed

Lengths of breaks Elementary 2010-2010

15 16 15

Secondary 2010-2010

fall winter spring

the Board. The nearly $1 million in transportation costs save what might otherwise be cut in district jobs or activities.

“We know we’re going to have a significant revenue shortfall,” Dr. Sloan said. “Moving away from a part of our culture is not easy, and I appreciate everyone’s patience as we worked through the process that led to [Thursday] night’s decision.

Student learning is our primary objective, and as we move forward with the implementation of the new calendar, we will continue to closely monitor the learning of all of our students.”

5 9 6

District 2011-2012

fall winter spring

8 9 10

Photo by Kelci Davis

Members of the community aplaud Mr. Mark Lafata during his presentation. Mr. Lafata recieved standing ovations at key points in his speech.

Robin is 49 years old, her major political past is being Missouri Secretary of State since 2004.

For jobs, she plans on stopping bailouts, supporting small businesses, strengthening families, lowering taxes and making college more affordable. All the while education for jobs is starting to be reformed at a high school level.

“While at tech school they had us do three fake interviews, we would do them and then they would tell us what we did wrong and how to improve, it really helped us out,” said senior Jon Gee. Blunt also plans a reform on education at every level.

According to royblunt.com, “As a former classroom teacher, Roy understands that funding and control of classrooms belongs to the states and to local communities not to Washington D.C. Heavy handed, one-sizefits-all regulations

from the federal government will hinder our students not help them.”

Carnahan also plans on an educational reform, although she plans an all out education overhaul.

According to robincarnahan. com, “The opportunity for every child to get a quality education is the promise of America. For Robin Carnahan, strengthening our public education system is about more than expanding opportunity and fulfilling the American dream.”

As for the students, they are also wanting changes.

“The government needs to hire teachers and administrators who understand what they are teaching; they need to ask the students what they would like to see with the reform, not go by statistics,” said senior Mitch Taylor.

October 29, 2010

Delve Photo courtesy of royblunt.com

Source: www.royblunt.com

EDUCATION Believes a high quality education and hard work are critical to our children’s success. He knows America’s economy and job creation depend on having a highlyskilled and highly-educated workforce. Blunt says we need to empower students and their families so that they can make education decisions that allow them to flourish.

JOBS Blunt believes the way to real prosperity is to count on free people to make their own decisions – what to buy, how much to save, when to borrow or lend, and how much. He supports a Balanced Budget Amendment to impose honest accounting HEALTH CARE Blunt is committed to reforming the system today, in ways that help working families like his parents, those in need, and especially senior citizens. One test of a just society is how we provide for our elders.

Roy Blunt on the issues

Page design by Ted Noelker

Photo courtesy of robincarnahan.com

On Tuesday, a great debate will end: the fight between Republican U.S. Representative Roy Blunt and Democrat Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan for the Missouri open senate seat that Republican Kit Bond will vacate.

Bond has held the seat since 1986. The fight for seats in the Senate is as heated as always as President Barack Obama tries to maintain Democratic control in the Senate.

Starting with Rep. Blunt, he is 60 years old, his major political past includes being a member of Congress from Missouri since 1997.

Blunt’s ideas on jobs are that the government should stop spending and encourage American’s to start their own rebuilding process; to find jobs and slowly develop their own trades, not to have the government hand it to them.

Now onto Robin Carnahan; she

Delve Editor

By Brendan Kinnison

Where do Blunt, Carnahan stand on the issues concerning students?

Foes face off Blunt Roy for Senate seat

Central Focus

Source: www.robincarnahan.com

EDUCATION Make college tuition affordable: Higher education is another important key to job creation, so we must do more to give every boy and girl who wants to go to college the ability to access that dream. Carnahan believes that no qualified student should be denied a college education just because they cannot afford it.

JOBS Invest in education and job training: Providing opportunity for our children to succeed is right for our families and fundamental to our country’s future. For America to compete in the global economy, it will require something from all of us. It’s time we get serious about investing in educating our people for the jobs of the future.

HEALTH CARE Ensure more stability, affordability and access for Missouri families and businesses: including the choice to keep their current plan and doctor.

Cut costs: for families and small businesses by creating real competition to drive down prices.

Robin Carnahan on the issues

Carnahan

FHCtoday.com/Delve

5

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6

Delve

Central Focus

FHCtoday.com/Delve

October 29, 2010

Page design by Cory Schmitt

Marching band continues to climb

By Destiny Pipkin Staff Reporter

Photo by Kelci Davis

While performing for multiple bands at the end of the Coliseum Classic, the Spartan Regiment plays the entire show for the crowd. Though they could not compete in the competition, sophomore Amy Sweeney said “playing for exhibition is still fun.”

“Now that we have Broken Through we are Rising,” said junior Sammi Strange.

Year after year, marching band has strived to do nothing less than blow the audience away with its show. Last year’s show, “Breaking Through”, left a hard spot to fill this year. This year’s marching band show is called “Rise.”

“Rise is based on the idea that we are going to be awesome and rise; the show is a lot more difficult than last years, especially in the drill and all the designs we have to make,” said senior french horn player John Gresham.

Along with the challenges the band faces with all the formations they create, Color Guard also makes quite a considerable appearance in the show.

“We’re on ladders the whole time,” said junior Genesis Carter. “I fell once; when I went up the ladder tipped, but it’s definitely worth it in the end, the ladders look really good with the show.”

The band puts in much dedication

and emotion into the show.

“As a physical manifestation of the theme, we use ladders to symbolize that we are rising, Color Guard uses them during most of the show, but then during the drum break the horns get on the ladder and use drum sticks to drum on the ladder. It’s probably the most intense part of the show and has a good crowd appeal,” said Gresham.

“

As a physical

manifestation of the theme, we use ladders to symbolize that we are rising. ”

— senior John Gresham However, in order to have a good show with ladders for the Color Guard to dance on and horns to drum on, it’s a given that it is an expensive show, and when money comes into play, so does Howell

Central’s Band Boosters.

“Band Boosters is made up of a lot of the parents,” said sophomore Amy Sweeney. “Marching band has its own band account, and this year we have been raising money through car washes, entertainment books, and right now we are selling TJ pizzas, and all of that money goes to our band account to help pay for things like the ladders that the Color Guard is using in the show, our competitions, and over summer they bought new chimes for all the bands.”

As the band steps onto the field, millions of things run through their minds, but they stay focused and remember the band’s motto, a quote

by Lou Holtz: “Ability is what you’re capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it.”

Tomorrow will be the last marching band competition. It will be hosted at Mizzou.

“The show is amazing. It’s so intense; I can’t even think of words to explain it,” said sophomore Carly Schlimpert.

Sparknotes reduces education p. 9 Electronics overpower relationships p. 10

Be

Heard

7

Prepared for all outcomes

Life comes with many unexpected situations and no guarantees, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be

By Alli Keisker prepared for Be Heard Editor what life brings.

Sometimes we should expect the unexpected and think of possible outcomes.

There are so many things in life that people just say “Oh, that won’t happen to me,” and they continue on with their lives as if everything will always be “perfect.” But newsflash, it won’t always be. Sometimes there are going to be bad situations that come into your life, and because you’re unprepared, you won’t have a clue what to do about it.

Take the gulf of Mexico for example, while the oil was spewing out into the ocean, BP was struggling to find a way to react to it because obviously, they didn’t suspect this would ever happen and were very unprepared. Just because people think things won’t happen, does that mean it can’t?

I mean, for three months there was thick, black oil spilling into the gulf. So what was BP doing for all those months?

I understand they were trying to cap the oil-well, but they should have been prepared for this to begin with. Honestly, you can’t tell me that not one single person who works for BP or one single person in general has ever had the thought that an oil spill could happen, and how they’d react to it.

If they would have had a plan just in case this would have happened, then so many families and aquatic life wouldn’t have been affected so terribly. Their actions affected many people who live along the gulf and many aquatic animals.

Please read more | Unprepared, PAGE 10

Trick-or-teen

Teenagers go the extra mile just for candy

H

By Destiny Pipkin Staff Reporter

ow old is too old to trick-or-treat? The line is unclear, is it a law or an expectation?

Last year, I spent my Halloween watching scary movies and passing out candy, and I noticed trick-or-treaters of all kinds, everything from fiveyear old kids decked out in their pirate and princess costumes screaming “Trick-or-treat, smell my feet!” to nineteen-year-old adults in a pair of jeans and tshirt, simply asking: “Can I have some candy?”

If you are willing to put forth the effort to put a

costume together, than that would be one thing, but to show up at someone’s front door with no costume, and expect them to just hand over the candy? Well, don’t get your hopes up.

While there are no laws specifically stating you need to hang up the pillow case and costume at a particular age, trick-or-treaters ages 13 and up have been known to get a few glares along with their Please read more | Treats, PAGE 8

Photo by Dylan RIchardson

Freshman Evan Richards shows his Halloween spirit by dressing up in a Spiderman costume and holding his jack-o-lantern. He showed off his Spiderman costume by parading around throughout theatre department while wearing it.

Central Focus October 29, 2010 FHCtoday.com/BeHeard

Page design by Alli Keisker

8

Be Heard Treats from page 7 candy on Halloween. So how much are you willing to put on the line for a snickers and a popcorn ball?

Senior Jonathan Gee claims he is not just trick-or-treating for the candy.

“I’m gonna be a legit dolphin,” said Gee. “Halloween is the one day of the year I can let out all my immaturity and just be a kid. I’m going trick-or-treating this year and when I’m 18, 19, 20, and 21...”

As long as you are respectful of fellow trick-or-treaters, despite your age, there is no real problem with a 17-year-old trick-or-treating.

However, there is nothing more frustrating than opening the door to a teenager pushing all the little kids aside to make sure they get candy first. It’s all right to be excited, don’t get me wrong, I love candy too, but it’s crucial to remember that you have had your whole childhood to run from door to door getting candy, and I’m sure we all remember the big kids on Halloween that would shove between you and your friend to take the last big candy bar in the bowl.

Whether you like it or not, around age 16 its time to begin to let your childhood go a little bit and allow the other children the chance to have there childhood. This is not implying that you have to go return your Halloween costume, its just a reminder that you need to remember how old you really are, and be considerate of the masked children around you.

To show up at a front door without a Halloween costume and ask for candy is immature. However is it really immature to have holiday spirit? I really don’t see why older children should be denied candy on Halloween if they have a costume.

Teenagers are not deprived of presents on Christmas. Halloween deserves the same respect as any other holiday, and there is most definitely no law in Missouri stating that you cannot trick-or-treat once you reach a certain age. Just show respect, have fun and try to keep in mind how you felt on Halloween when you were seven. The little boy standing beside you at the door is entitled to the same Halloween you were entitled to at his age.

FHCtoday.com/BeHeard

Central Focus October 29, 2010

Page design by Alli Keisker

Staff editorial

Cartoon by Alli Keisker

More than a marine Fallen soldier was a friend, son, Spartan

O

ne student body, one former student, and one lasting impact.

For those who were not outside last Thursday, our school was a sight to see. Our campus shone of red, white, and blue everywhere you looked.

While the school flag had been lowered to half-mast in honor of our Spartan’s death earlier that week, thousands of flags held by students were raised, hands over hearts, and most were dressed to pay respects for just one man.

It is sad such a terrible thing had to happen to one of our own, but if we have learned anything from this, it is that those who die in the line of duty are those worthy of our respect.

A Spartan was sacrificed for our should choose to celebrate this man’s rights and for just walking the same life and his accomplishments. halls as someone O u r who sacrificed school truly We hope that for d e m o n s t r a t e d themselves for us, we should feel what it is to be sacrificing himself a Spartan, by honored to have the privilege to for our rights, the coming together do so. as one to pay our memory of Phillip Lance Corporal respects to the Phillip Vinnedge death of someone Vinnedge, and what who used to walk died for more than just us though, he died for, never our halls. he died for every The maturity person who makes leaves your hearts. and pride coming up America; so from both our while a terrible school and the thing may have happened, we should middle school was tremendous. choose to not feel sorrowful, but we Up until now we have never had

“

”

an alumnus who has passed away while being in the armed forces, and so the memory of his memorial was one that will forever remain in our minds.

Hopefully, this day will be one that is never forgotten by the students, teachers, families, and families who lined the entrance to Francis Howell Central; we hope that for sacrificing himself for our rights, the memory of Phillip Vinnedge, and what he died for, never leaves your hearts.

And so we challenge you all to dedicate this year to Vinnedge, to take life each day at a time, to enjoy the rest of this year, and to find your inner Spartan, the way he did.

word of mouth word of mouth THOUGHTS ON THE STORIES WE COULDN’T FIND SPACE FOR word of mouth word of mouth COSTA RICA TRIP: TOTS EAT: Theatre held a THE SCALE: GOT PINK SOLES FOR TRICK-ORSpanish students party on Oct. 22nd to collect WEEK: SOULS: EAT: On a scale of traveled to Costa canned food for the less “Senior survival” Old shoes are NHS is holding King Leo to Rica over fall fortunate. students had wanted so that a food drive Xerxes, we offer break to do many this past week those who are for students to our thoughts activites such dedicated to in need can collect cans for on issues we as hiking and breast cancer have fresh people who are couldn’t get into ziplining. for Mrs. Clifford. water to drink. in need of food. the paper.

Xerxes

King Leo

Word

FHCtoday.com/BeHeard

Central Focus

Page design by Destiny Pipkin

October 29, 2010

Be Heard

9

Engagements taken less thoughtful I once wondered what age I would get married. I think everyone does.

Now, though, I am seeing that age has been lowered

By Victoria dramatically by Walker Staff Reporter people in our own schools. Students are getting engaged in high school now, as unbelievable as that seems.

Why would people decide so early in life who they want to be with for the rest of their lives? Then again, why is society forcing us to choose a career path at the same time? It seems some teenagers are taking things too quickly, but choosing a career at this age has very similar effects on the rest of their lives.

I am one of those people who thinks “sure, if you are really positive that this is what you want to do, then go ahead and do it,” but I do not believe that many people in high school put the thought into it that is necessary for the proper conclusion.

Just because you love them now, by no means guarantees you will love them in ten years, though it is possible you will.

To add onto this, I strongly feel that as the number of student couples becoming engaged rises, so will the school pregnancy rate. Though I may be all right with being engaged, being pregnant is a completely different topic. When it comes down to it, a relationship should never hinder a student’s studies, and being pregnant

Photo illustration by Mikelle McClintock

A high school boy proposes to his girlfriend during passing period. High school engagements seem to have been becoming a fad over the years.

will do more than just that.

I now want to point out some long term possibilities have been mentioned.

The emotional effect this can have on anybody at any age, but especially in us

high school students who have raging hormones and the occasional mood swing from time to time.

Not being sure is a red flag not to say yes quite yet. Don’t feel pressured

not to hurt your partner’s feelings.

Would it hurt more knowing your trusted partner promised to love you forever and broke that precious promise? It would for me.

Once again, I am all for it if serious thought is put in; however, take into consideration what the effects of this decision could be before you say yes.

Using sparknotes to compensate for reading is distasteful Log onto Facebook near the deadline of any English paper, and you will see a flood of statuses from students who waited until the

By Cory Schmitt Print Executive last minute to write Editor their papers. You see that many students are resorting to sparknotes.com in order to write their papers.

Now I know you all are probably expecting me to go on some kind of crusade about time management or something along the lines of procrastination. But, I feel that there is a larger issue at stake: the lack of actual reading. English teachers assign novels to students so they can read the piece, so they can experience what has made this work of art so timeless. Whether it be

literature, non-fiction, or essays, all pieces of writing serve a purpose for the student.

They are meant to be read and discovered, and there is a whole lot more that can be learned from a novel than what could be read on sparknotes.com. While Sparknotes provides an accurate source of plot material, reading a summary on a computer screen cannot even begin to capture the emotion and tone that is evident when reading the actual novel.

Now I must admit that I am guilty of using sparknotes for a paper in the past (sorry, Mrs. Odle). But I have matured and I realized that I enjoy a novel so much more if I am actually reading it. Also, my essay scores and my test scores have increased since I started actually reading the novels that are being assigned in class.

Using sparknotes.com can be beneficial in the short term and it

is a great tool to use after you have finished reading a novel in order to get a better grasp on it. However, if you are not taking the time to actually read the novel, you are truly missing out.

Sure, taking the time to read through a novel may not be the most exciting way to spend your time, but sparknotes and similar websites cannot possibly supply the breadth of information that can be discovered by reading the novel.

So, the next time you are up late working on a paper, exit out of the internet and actually open up the book.

Cartoon by Alli Keisker

10

Be Heard

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Central Focus October 29, 2010

Page design by Alli Keisker

Electronics, relationships become more intertwined each day with teenagers

Unprepared from page 7

People need to realize that a lot of the time their decisions won’t just affect them right then and there, but will affect their life as a whole. Students at our school take the easy way out and don’t challenge themselves in high

school because it’s too much work, and then once they get to college it’s like a smack in the face because they don’t have the teacher there to hold their hand through everything, they’re lucky if the teacher even knows their name.

By taking classes that appear to be more difficult by many students, you are actually helping yourself a lot of the

Victoria Walker

Read as Kyle gives advice on ways to get in shape.

Kyle Braden

Read as Anna gives opinions on music.

Anna Gingrich

friday

friend’s lives, but when you are wanting to build a long lasting connection with someone, those things will just get in the way.

When you are constantly texting someone, you can’t truly get to know them. like you could if you were talking face-to-face.

You can’t look at the person in the eyes, you can’t hear their voice. Lack of actual communication with a person has killed the romance that we read about in novels and see in the movies.

As a result of the growing influence of media and technology on our lives, girls continue to get more and more creeped out by internet stalkers and long-lasting relationships become more and more rare. So boys, even though we may not admit it, be cheesy, be lovey, be romantic.

Read as Victoria tests different types of facial cleansers.

thursday

As the world surrounds itself with technology, populations are becoming more and more centered around a virtual life. Whether they are ordering food, meeting their potential soul mate or gaining debt through excessive online shopping, humans are growing more and more inclined to partake

By Margaret in online Borgmeyer communication.

The Scene Editor While I do have to admit my phone rarely leaves my side, it is nice to just put down my phone and talk to someone. It’s understandable texting someone may be more appealing when the conversation may be a tad bit awkward, but some conversations shouldn’t take place via text or Facebook.

Such conversations would be those in which you plan on 1: asking someone out, 2: confess your love, 3: break-up or 4: tell someone that you cheated on them with their best friend (you shouldn’t do that in the first place, but that’s a completely different story). 3 and 4 will make you seem cowardly and the possibility of hashing up whatever friendship you may have is gone; one and two will just be a letdown to the person.

If you are a boy — write this down — while some girls may not want to admit it, all of us have some want for romance, so we’d rather be asked out in person.

Now, don’t get me wrong, some people are much more charming when winky faces can be used. When a guy acts suave and flirtatious via text, it normally means they are completely awkward in person. This is true for Facebook, too. While online dating may be growing in popularity, there’s just something creepy about a random guy you see in the hallways adding you on Facebook and then hitting on you.

Texting and Facebook may be great for keeping updated on your

Cory Schmitt

tuesday

Love lines tangled

Read as Cory talks about his journey through senior year.

wednesday

Photo Illustration by Michael Roundcount

monday

Meet the bloggers at

Read as Brendan analyzes the aspects of humanity.

Brendan Kinnison

time, because you will learn more and strengthen yourself as a student, which will potentially help you get into better colleges. The decisions we make in high school affect us later on in life too, and by being that slacker kid in high school, you could end up being that loser who does nothing with their life and is forced to sleep on their

parents couch the rest of their life, all because they decided to be unprepared in high school.

Whether you realize it or not, your actions affect others, and by being unprepared for this, they changed life for a lot of people.

There are certain situations in life that can be avoided, and if they

can’t be avoided, at least people can learn to anticipate for these things to happen. Maybe from now on we’ll prepare ourselves for instances like this so that we can stop future situations from happening; it’s better to be prepared than unprepared because bad things don’t always have to happen.

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In Focus

FHCtoday.com/Print

Central Focus September 17, 2010

Photos by Kelci Davis, Cory Schmitt, Mikelle McClintock and Creative Commons

Phobic frenzy Lives of students, teachers impacted by everyday fears

Acrophobia Acrophobia is a fear or dread of being at a great height.

“You’re high up and when you are falling there’s nothing you can do about it. Nothing you can bounce back on.

You’re dead. You are pretty much hopeless; you’re going against gravity. You’ll never win,”senior Michael McPartland said.

A

phobia is an irrational, intense and persistent fear of certain situations and is classified as a common anxiety disorder by the National Institute of Mental Health. Phobias are generally classified as emotional responses because of a previous difficult life experience.

Explore this page to find out more about the most common phobias and how they affect the lives of students at FHC.

Ophidiophobia Ophidiophobia is an irrational fear of snakes.

“It all started when I was bit on my foot by a snake when I was about six. It was out at the lake by my grandpa’s house. When I was a freshman I had a teacher who had a snake. I had to move seats because it bothered me so much,” junior Nathan Ward said.

Trypanophobia

A fear of being injected or being near needles.

“When I was little I watched some scary movie and this lady was trying to poke people’s eyes out with long needles. I have been afraid ever since,” senior Jasmane Franklin said.

C

CF

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Central Focus September 17, 2010

Page design by Cory Schmitt

In Focus

Entomophobia

Coulrophobia

Entomophobia is a fear of being around or coming in contact with insects or similar anthropods, often causing a form of panic attack.

“When I was little, bees used to attack my house. I have been afraid of them ever since,” senior Tara Marty said.

Coulrophobia is an abormal or exaggerated fear of clowns, often developing while young.

“I went to a haunted house and there was a whole room full of clowns. They’re just creepy, I don’t like them at all,” senior Madeline Ragsdale said.

Claustrophobia

Claustrophobia is a situational phobia developed from unpleasant experiences in tight, enclosed spaces.

“I don’t like being in a setting with large groups of people. I don’t like to feel like I’m being trapped, and I hyperventilate if I go into an elevator,” junior Maddie Mendel said.

Aquaphobia

Arachnophobia

An abnormal, persistent fear of spiders, it is one of the most prevalent phobias in society; it is more prevalent in women, affecting approximately 50 percent of women and 10 percent of men, according to Wikipedia.

“There’s the whole part that they could be anywhere and then they could attack and poison you,” senior Kelsey Rogers said.

Aquaphobia is a dread of water or what lurks in it.

“I tense up when I swim in water over my head. I do not have much self confidence that I won’t drown when I go into water over my head,” business teacher Ms. Kay Neal said.

13

14

In Focus

Central Focus

FHCtoday.com/Print

October 29, 2010

Page design by Cory Schmitt

The anatomy of becoming afraid Thalasmus, autonomic nervous system, amygdala, other parts of the brain transform an intial emotion into a physical reaction to danger

By Margaret Borgmeyer and Cory Schmitt

TheScene Editor and Print Executive Editor

It’s a natural human instinct to experience fear. To fear a situation, to fear the future. Fears affect everyone, but very few people are aware of the mental processes that are involved when the body becomes afraid of something.

Even when searched on Google, fear is defined as a emotion brought upon by one feeling threatened.

After first glance, it is seen that fear is something more intricate than a simple feeling but is the entire body at work to bring on such a immense emotion.

According to sptimes.com, when a shocking sound or strange shape is sensed, information captured by the stimulus is sent to the Thalamus.

The Thalamus is most commonly thought to be a messenger of sorts between various sub-cortical areas and the cerebral cortex.

According to Psychology Today, Information received by the Thalamus is then sent as a notification via the autonomic nervous system to the Amygdala.

According to sptimes.com, the Amygdala “acts as protector of the body; the Amygdala put the body on ‘red alert’ when notified of a threat.”

The Amygdala functions primarily in the processing of emotional events.

When the brain is notified of such threats, its first reaction is to freeze; a human’s

Illustration by Wikimedia Commons

subconscious knows that fixing one’s self in one position can mislead the threat.

Messages are then sent to the heart, telling it to pump blood faster and faster.

This action is the feeling of one’s “heart racing.” As blood is pumped faster throughout the body, the body’s temperature begins to raise and the body begins to sweat.

The skin becomes pale.

The sensation of “goosebumps” overcome the body and the stomach seems to “drop” as the face becomes flush, a result of blood vessels dilating. Blood

pressure is rising, the eyes are dilating and eyebrows raise.

Glucose and blood are pumped into the muscles to help the body prepare for any quick and powerful action it may have to take.

The senses become sharper and the brain becomes more observant so one will be more aware of the surroundings around them.

The point at which a fear of a situation develops into a phobia is not a set in stone dot, according to confidencemanual.com.

But at some point, the continuing presence of this fear will develop further and build into a phobia.

Studies show that the point at which a fear can become a phobia varies and that it may depend on the genetics of that person. It is also speculated that since the Amygdala connects memory with emotion, that it creates a fixed sense of fear in the person, according to confidencemanual.com.

Ragsdale, Adams make it to state tournament p. 16 Golf shows camaraderie p. 17

Sweat

15

Smaller, quicker, smarter

By Ellen Hinze Sweat Editor

Early enthusiasm Wrestling team begins training for the season to come

By Julianna Smith Staff Reporter

F

rancis Howell Central’s wrestling team has finished in third place in state the past two years. This season, Head Coach Steve Cross and the team would like to pursue the title of the best by practicing two months before the season to attain their goal of state champions. This season’s

practice revolves around technique, conditioning, strategy, and endurance.

There is one primary goal for this year’s wrestling team.

“Coach Cross really wants us to be state champs this year,” said senior Justin Dickey.

According to Coach Cross, the only way is with a lot of practice, so the team is practicing two months before the season.

According to senior Andy King, this preparation is also for tournaments and college opportunities for the seniors.

“Practice makes perfect,” said sophomore Marcus Rudiger.

The team practices four times a week off season, in which each practice is approximately two-and-a-half hours Please read more | Enthusiasm, PAGE 17

Photo by Kelci Davis

Struggling to hold a 45-pound weight over his head, senior Luke Knoche lets the strain show across his face during wrestling practice. The team started out with jogging and 60 pull-ups before going into weight lifting and finally finished off by running on the track.

Central Focus October 29, 2010 FHCtoday.com/Sweat

Being bigger, faster and stronger is the goal for most football teams.

They work out in the weight room to achieve the “stronger” status. They run the track to achieve the “faster” status. And with this hard work they become bigger. Their diets change to protein based meals for muscle gain. In football, the bigger you are, the easier it is to break the line of scrimmage, but for the Spartans, it is just the opposite. Two players at the height of 5’9” and 5’6”, Kaleb Cooper and Emmanuel Rivera are taking on the big guys.

The Francis Howell Central Spartan football team’s starting running backs are not the normal size. Instead of being the big Kaleb Cooper runners of the team, Cooper and Rivera are small and agile.

“Bigger guys can rush the ball and gain 2-3 yards per play, but the smaller Emanuel Rivera guys can go into a space and gain more on some and less on others,” said Head Coach Todd Berck.

He says the desire and passion for the sport is more important than size although the size can help. Cooper and Rivera are proof that desire and passion along with talent can come in a small package.

“I don’t need to be bigger. Speed is everything when it comes to football.

I make people miss. They think I am going to run hard, but I don’t. I juke them,” said Cooper.

Please read more | Smaller, PAGE 18

Page design by Ellen Hinze

16

Sweat

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Central Focus October 29, 2010

Page design by Kelci Davis

Photo illustrations by Michael Roundcount

Senior Madeline Ragsdale and sophomore Kourtlyn Adams became the first girls tennis players in school history to qualify for the state tennis tournament earlier this month. The duo participated in the tournament Oct. 22-23 in Springfield, dropping both of their matches. “The teams at state were amazing,” Adams said. “Everyone there was like a pro.”

It takes two Adams, Ragsdale become first girls tennis players to reach state

By Claire Henderson Copy Manager

Senior Madeline Ragsdale and sophomore Kourtlyn Adams made history by becoming the first tennis doubles team in school history to qualify for the state tournament. They played in the District 7 tournament over fall break, winning their final game against Parkway Central, which was the highlight of the duo’s season, according to Adams.

“We almost lost that match, but we had our team there to support us,” Adams said.

The girls placed second in District 7, which sent them to play against Fort Zumwalt West, the first place team in District 8. The girls defeated FZW 7-6, 6-4, and as a result, qualified for state.

“It was unexpected,” said Adams.

“I just wanted to play hard.”

Ragsdale is the No. 3 singles player, and Adams is the No. 1 singles player, but their coach, Mr. Patrick Reed, entered them into the district tournament as a doubles team. They have been playing together as a doubles team all year, in addition to their duties at two of the team’s top singles players.

“It was a no-brainer,” said Mr.

Reed. “They like playing doubles.” two years, Ragsdale, being a senior, is The girls play well together able to support Adams when she gets because of their own individual frustrated or has a bad play. talents, according to Ragsdale.

“Everytime [Kourtlyn] gets down “Kourtlyn serving and me playing on herself, I just try to let her know at the net wins us a lot of games,” that its okay and that she’ll get the said Ragsdale. next one,” said Coach Reed Ragsdale.

Madeline is a agrees that they A d a m s each have their recognizes and superior net player a p p r e c i a t e s own strengths that got them Ragsdale’s and Kourtlyn is where they are support on and an incredible now, and they will off the court. contribute to their “She always baseline player. performance at tells me to calm the tournament. down, she’s a Together, you “They both cheerleader on have a formidable the court, and have unique skills,” said Coach she is always doubles team.

Reed. “Madeline happy or telling is a superior — Coach Patrick Reed a joke,” Adams net player, and said.

“Our Kourtlyn is relationship as an incredible partners [makes baseline player, so when you have us successful].” those skills together, you have a Both Adams and Ragsdale will formidable doubles team.” admit that they struggled through Their success also comes from obstacles to get where they are today. moral support from each other and “What we tried to overcome was the rest of the Lady Spartans tennis beating Howell, which didn’t work,” team. Though both Adams and said Adams. “But Howell didn’t go Ragsdale have been on the team for to state!”

“

”

The girls fought their way to the finish and stood proud in the end.

“After losing to Timberland a bunch of times, we kept our heads up; we kept fighting,” said Ragsdale.

Adams and Ragsdale competed at state in Springfield on Oct. 22-23.

They played two matches, both of which they lost. The competition was more fierce than the girls had ever experienced, according to Adams.

While competing at state, the girls experienced feelings they had not felt during competition before.

“I got nervous, and I never get nervous. I had butterflies,” said Adams. “There was pressure to win because there were crowds watching and scouts watching.”

Though competition was tough, the duo remembered that it was all about having fun and supporting each other.

The score did not matter as much to them once they had taken a step back.

“I had a lot of fun with Kourtlyn,” Ragsdale said. “We get along really well.”

The partnership has been successful for many reasons, the most important being support for each other, according to Adams.

“We’re always cheering one another on.”

Qualifying

The girls defeated FZW’s top doubles team in districts 7-6, 6-4, and as a result, qualified for state.

State

At state, Adams and Ragsdale lost to pairs from Pattonville H.S. and Rock Bridge H.S.

Overall

Ragsdale and Adams had a record of 12-15 as a doubles team after the state tournament.

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Central Focus

Page design by Julianna Smith

October 29, 2010

Sweat

17

Golf team drives spirit up to par

Smaller team tries to improve spirit by attending other teams games

By Kyle Braden Staff Reporter

The thrill in the air, the buzz, the excitement. The roar of the crowd inspires the team to run faster, hit harder, and strive to win.

The girls golf team has been attending other sport games, as a team, in hopes of raising school spirit.

“It’s a ‘lead by example’ deal,” said senior and golf captain Emily Klobe, “We as a golf team hope to promote school spirit by showing everyone that other sports matter to us, not just ours.”

The golf team’s positive efforts have

not gone unnoticed by other athletes.

“Our school needs more school spirit and the golf team has helped,” said varsity soccer player Tim McCormick, a junior.

Thus far, the golf team has been to a girls varsity tennis match and a boys varsity soccer game. They also intend to attend a varsity volleyball game.

“Personally I don’t like watching sports because I’d rather play them, I go because it’s fun to hang out with my friends on the golf team,” said junior Emily Carroll.

“I do think that us going does help encourage the players to do better.”

Some sports players do not fully agree that the crowd affects the players.

“I wouldn’t say that the girl’s golf team coming to the games helps me play better,” said McCormick, “I’m just too focused on playing the game.”

Junior Mara Drimak, a tennis player, finds that she gets her drive to play from the girls golf team.

“I think the girls golf team is a wonderful support. I loved their cheering and pretty signs. I felt more inspired to play better while the golf team was cheering us on because if your fans are excited you get excited as well.”

Photo by Kelci Davis

During the final home football game, the stands erupt in cheers when junior Jayden Lumpa makes a 20-yard run. The golf team attended this game to help cheer on the Spartans.

Endurance is the whole philosophy and purpose for the from page 15 team in the weight room. The weight Two of the practices are open gym room is basically open gym for each days, the other two are conditioning individual, so they can build on what days. During the season, the team they feel they need to work on. practices 6-7 days a week, according Coach Cross has always pushed to Dickey. According to wrestlers, his team, and this year, According practice is unlike any other practice. to Rudiger, practices can get “Wrestling is not really a sport where tough. you do the same thing constantly, “We are sore for a couple days after we train in different drills and conditioning, and premiere fitness is conditioning pretty hard,” said to be Rudiger. completely In a Wrestling ready,” said competition, King. g e n e r a l l y is not really a W h e n intimidation is a sport where you conditioning factor. According days come to King and do the same a r o u n d , R u d i g e r , practices intimidation is thing constantly. consists of a factor amongst We train with warm-ups, themselves and drills (groups other players, different drills and of two or but they have to three), and remember what conditioning to be techniques of you practiced completely ready. many kinds. and worked for, According and keep going.

— senior Andy King to Rudiger, “I do get practice starts intimidated, up with a 30but I try to get 40 minute warm-up at each practice. around it,” said King. “Before it starts Then they proceed to 30-40 minutes you feel the intimidation, but once it of “Live”. Next the MMA fighter actually starts, you just have to focus “Rocket” comes in to train with on what your doing.” them on conditioning. Following However, according to Dickey this, they hit the track for track runs intimidation is not much of a factor and sprints. in wrestling.

Next the team does a drill with “I don’t think intimidation is too consists of lifting tire circuits, which much of a factor because we’ve been is where they take turns as a group in the top for the past five years so and individually lifting tires. we are basically undefeated.”

A huge use of endurance is used Wrestling is the composition as they transition their practice to of the physical ability, passion, many push-ups, sit-ups, and timed endurance, strategy, and technique. drills, where they work for speed. according to Rudiger, However, on open gym days, “Anyone with a decent amount of the wrestlers basically workout athletics can do it, it is just a lot of freely, with some team workouts all mental work also, that people don’t together. realize,” said Rudiger.

Enthusiasm

“

”

Photo by Kelci Davis

Senior Justin Dickey lifts weights in open gym wrestling practice with his teammates to prepare for the season. Dickey has been on the wrestling team for four years.

18

Sweat

Central Focus

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October 29, 2010

Page design by Jolie Denton

Smaller from page 15 Both Cooper and Rivera hold the offensive line men responsible for their success.

“They block their hearts off for the success of the team,” said Rivera.

Berck also chooses plays to better utilize the skills of the smaller players.

“We run the triple option which takes advantage of the player’s speed and makes the defense play something we call ‘responsibility football,’” said Berck. “The defense would have to key onto all the players.”

The linemen’s goals are to block the offensive team from the getting the ball and keeping the big offensive line men from making a tackle on the smaller lineman.

“Bigger would be better but I have my speed. It’s the edge I use to outrun the defense,” said Rivera.

Photo by Ellen Hinze

At the last home game of the season, the football fans came out to support their Spartan football players. Despite high hopes, the Spartans lost 41-0 against Howell.

Tackling more attention I think there is so much emphasis on the football team because so many people have played it.

It’s also a big motivator in the school with so

By Jolie Denton many players on Staff Reporter the team. People know they can always find out about how the team is doing.

Unfortunately, for smaller sports like golf and tennis there is not a lot of information announced. I myself have been on the girls golf team for three years, and when announcements have been made about the golf team, people would tell me “I didn’t know you were on the golf team.”

This feels like “Wow, there goes three years of playing and not even being recognized for even playing.”

Turning Points Key points of games from the past 30 days

Photo by Jolie Denton

Fans watch as the boys soccer team takes on the Francis Howell Vikings. The game was tied at 2-2 after an overtime period, so the game was decided in a penalty kick shootout, which the Spartans lost.

The girls golf team has had a great season and so has the girls tennis team. Both teams have team members going to state.

That is a great accomplishment.

It is exciting to hear that for the first time in Francis Howell Central history, the lady Spartans tennis team is going to state.

When the announcements are

on, students can’t usually hear them in class. Either because teachers are talking or people are being so loud and obnoxious that people who actually would like to hear them can not. But when larger sports teams are being announced, they tend to listen.

Football is a national sport where more people would like to

see tackling and physical impact between players.

Other sports like cross country, golf, and tennis are not contact sports so they do not get as much attention.

Also, these sports don’t get a lot of recognition. Most of their games are during the week and many people do not know where or when the games take place.

Most people want to see the varsity football games. For the varsity football, their home games usually start at 7pm on Friday nights and it gets announced on the intercom in both the morning and at the end of the day. These games are in primetime for when people are free.

For other sports, not a lot of announcements are made for students to know when and where the games are taking place until after the games have played. These sports are just as deserving of attention as the larger sports.

Football beats Timberland in Homecoming game

Boys soccer lose a heartbreaker to Howell

“You can’t win without that 12th man. They help you.

They drive you to win.”

— senior Jonathan Langford.

Questionable call mars defeat to Francis Howell in penalty kick shootout on Oct. 21.

Photo by Kayla Labarge

Senior Kaleb Cooper attempts to break a tackle during the Spartans game against CBC. The football team found success by taking advantage of the speed and agility of players like Cooper, junior Jayden Lumpa and senior Emanuel Rivera on offense.

Definition of horror redefined p. 20 Loud music poses risk to listener p. 21

The

Scene

19

Pumpkin crunch Recipes add a new flavor to the holiday season

By Mikelle McClintock Communications Editor

W

ith Halloween and Thanksgiving quickly approaching, many families prepare for friends and family to visit their homes.

Some may choose to continue baking the traditional sugar cookies decorated with orange icing to resemble

pumpkins; some may continue to make that forever loved apple pie; some may continue to simply go to the store to buy the desserts of their choice. But for those who are brave enough to experiment, adding those ingredients that just “sound good” with the originals are key.

By choosing ingredients based off of the flavors commonly associated with fall,

a simple dish can be made to embody the holiday season as a whole. Many classic recipes, such as simple yellow cake, have been spiced up with the addition of pumpkin, cinnamon, and nuts.

Pumpkin Crunch cake does just that; it is a moist, yet crunchy, cake that goes great with coffee.

Please read more | Pumpkin, PAGE 23

Photo by Mikelle McClintock

More often than not, desserts seen at autumn parties consist of the common cupcakes with spider rings stuck in the icing or a big cookie cake with a ghost made out of icing. This new twist on a classic cake flavor piqued everyone’s interest with its buttery pecans and sweet pumpkin taste.

Halloween traditions modernize

By Karley Canova Staff Reporter

Walking through the darkening streets of a neighborhood, children peer through a scary mask or makeup. It is cold, but the little ones do not care. They run, screaming happily; slow to approach the glow of a porch light, which signifies a participating household. The doorbell

sounds off, and a moment later, hand fulls of candy are being poured into their baggies. They scamper away with smiles; anxiously awaiting the neighbooring house to answer their door and add more to their candy collection.

Halloween. It seems to have a similar meaning to many people, whether it is for candy, to be someone

else for a night, or just hanging out with friends. Since it originated from demonic means, into the modern - day partying and haunted houses, ideas have changed.

“It was important when I was smaller,” said sophomore Kelsey Singleton, “I could dress up as stuff and my parents wouldn’t judge me.”

It is a typical idea to see Halloween

Central Focus October 29, 2010 FHCtoday.com/TheScene

as a simple holiday, filled with the costumes and candy.

“It meant more than getting free candy - it was a time of dressing up in ridiculous costumes!” said sophomore, Mallory Stern. “It was about having fun and showing the immaturity in myself!”

Please read more | Evolution, PAGE 22

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reviews

“Teenage Dream”

by Katy Perry

Page design by Margaret Borgmeyer

Scariest horror movie villains!

By Destiny Pipkin

1. Freddy Krueger “The Nightmare on Elm St.” Series 2. Michael Myers The “Halloween” series 3. Jigsaw The “Saw” Series 4. Norman Bates “Psycho” 5. Jack Torrence “The Shining” 6. Pennywise the Clown “It” 7. Jason Vorhees “Friday the 13th” series.

8. Count Dracula “Dracula” movies 9.Darth Vader The “Star Wars” series.

10. The Leprachaun “Leprechaun” 11. Scream The “Scream” series 12.Jeepers Creepers “Jeepers Creepers” 13. Demon “Paranormal Activity” 14. Sharktopus “Sharktopus” Movie 15. Willard “Willard” 16. Wicked Witch Of the West “WizardOf Oz”

October 29, 2010

Page design by Destiny Pipkin

Evolution of horror Psychological thrillers of the past develop into the blood, gore of today

By Destiny Pipkin Staff Reporter

Scary movie nights! The stormy nights when popcorn is popped, pizza is ordered, and friends gather to pull an all-nighter filled with scary movies. Everyone is there for the same reason: for the simple thrill student’s get from watching people strive to keep there life intact.

While every scary movie fan is in search of the same basic effect, some prefer the old scary movie style of suspense and mystery, while others prefer the new movies with straight-up gore.

Scary movies have evolved and changed extremely over the last 60 years. From silent Nosferatu movies with boxes of dialogue placed intermittently between the action, to present day movies like Paranormal Activity, where the audience is put in the seat of the victim.

For some, like sophomore Jack Burgoyne, the thrill is simply the “what if ” factor.

“I like the newer scary movies like Paranormal Activity better, because I can actually relate to what is going on in the movie. Old movies are out-dated; I can not see myself in the situation.” said Burgoyne.

Bringing up the advantage of modern movies over earlier dated movies, society tends to base appeal on whether or not it can apply to our own lives. This is due to the fact that we no longer find ourselves in the same predicaments as people from the 30’s often found themselves in, and feared.

With advances in technology such as cell phones and GPS’s, it is not quite as frightening to get lost in a sketchy place.

In order to keep up with times, the newer horror movie villains often drug their victims, then take phones and GPS’s while the victim is passed out.

By doing this, it keeps fans like Burgoyne satisfied with a more realistic plot. However for others, a realistic plot is not exactly what they’re looking for.

“I feel like I don’t even have to think when I’m watching new movies, they just lay everything out for me.” said senior Adrianna Corcione.

Old horror film fans are seemingly disappointed with the lack of

imagination in their gorier scenes. I see own generations’ it and think, if that I prefer old scary was more recent scary happening movies. They seem to me I would be movies. The good to be missing what like ‘WOAH!’” some peole feel is the said sophomore storylines have just more essential aspect C h r i s t o ph e r been used up. All of “horror”, such as Schukar. psychological mind Is that all technology the new movies are games, atmosphere, has done for us? Or and foreign have robots, blood just remakes of an creatures. spewing everywhere, old one.”

For others, they and 3D vision replaced believe that it is — Scotty Thomason thought, suspense, and the technology that a valid storyline? has created a more “I prefer older scary intense scene for disaster in scary movies, movies,” said senior Scotty Thomason. like the Saw series.

“They have better story lines. I guess the “Newer movies have more technology, good story lines have just been used up. so they can m a k e

“

All the new movies are just remakes of an old movie.”

Maybe the problem is that all the good story lines have been used, or maybe today’s generation just does not feel like it is necessary to have a good storyline when there is enough blood and gore in the movie.

We have evolved from horror movies in drive-ins about aliens and wax museums, to a boy becoming a serial killer and decapitating a girl simply over a bad break-up. Whether it is because our imaginations are dying, or if our priorities have changed, or if there is just a change in appeal from murder mysteries to gore, scary movies have changed from psychological thrillers into murder fests of blood and gore.

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Central Focus

Central Focus

Page design by Patrick Hurley

October 29, 2010

Crank it up Students push their hearing to the limit

By Patrick Hurley Staff Reporter

As technology improves throughout this day and age, so does our way of listening to music.

From radios to boomboxes to the pocket-sized mp3 players, the evolution has given us easier access to our favorite jams; however, all of this exposure to music could be leading to unforeseen impairments.

Over the past 20 years, teenage auditory problems have increased more than 30 percent.

Many listeners don’t know how loud is too loud, damaging their hearing in some cases permanently. Anything above the 80 decibel point is harmful to the ears. To have a comparison, 80 decibels is roughly the sound level of an alarm clock.

Prolonged vulnerability to even this level of noise can be stressful to ears. Many ignore this risk, saying that it’s inevitable if even this volume of sound can hurt their hearing.

“It’s going to happen eventually,” says Ryan Silver, sophomore.“They’ll have some sort of surgery [to correct hearing impairments] by the time it really takes effect, anyway.”

Silver owns an iPod Nano, which maxes out at 100-115 dB. What you stick in your ear also plays a major role in hearing loss as well. Due to the fact that they are closer to the ear drum, earbuds are actually more harmful than headphones.

“[Losing your hearing] is going to

happen eventually.”

— sophomore Ryan Silver

“I don’t really mind ‘loud’ music” says Annie Banks, mother of two sophomores. “I just worry about iPods and the damage from the headphones.”

Studies have shown it takes only about an hour to do severe damage to the ears at the decibels we listen to our music.

Due to a lawsuit issued to Apple over hearing loss, France pulled iPods off shelves to install an updated software that keeps the volume at 100dB: however, the

United States has not followed in this adjustment.

Other students find themselves listening to loud music on the way to school. While to them it may not seem “loud,” car stereos can reach 120 dB, almost to the point of permanent hearing damage.

To some students, however, they find solace in their booming music.

Many students feel that it keeps them sane on those “dark and creepy rides home.”

“I hate driving alone,” said Rachel Braun, junior. “If my music’s loud, I’m not as nervous. It actually keeps me more focused.”

For other students, the loud music gives them a way to escape from issues their having.

“I like to get lost in the songs I like, that’s why I listen to mine louder,” said Silver. That escapism comes with a cost, though.

If you have ever came home from a concert, your ears ringing, you’ve suffered from what’s called Tinnatus, a sensation of noises in your ears.

When you listen to loud music, you actually kill tiny hair cells deep in your ear which respond to sound waves picked up by your ears.

The death of these cells causes a “buzzing” that is not actually there.

The longer and louder the exposure is, the more damage there is.

Photo Illustration by Patrick Hurley

Losing music’s personal touch The term “musician” in this day and age covers an immense portion of the public.

There is

By Anna Gingrich such scarce Copy Manager originality present on the music scene that one might question whether a person could call themselves a true musical artist.

A true musical artist is a person who loves music. This person will take the time to write the words, play the melody, and fuse it all together into something they can truthfully be proud of: a song.

When the radio is tuned to any mainstream station, it is easy

to detect the songs which utilize the auto-tune microphone.

An auto-tune mic alters the human voice to correct it, and automatically tunes it to the correct pitch.

People who use it could be considered those who lack the ability to sing on pitch altogether.

This then begs the question of why t h e y would write songs in the first place.

Talented citizens of the world take the time to turn themselves into artists, so what is it that people with no talent do?

Another issue on the music scene today is that artists cannot conjure up enough interest to write their own lyrics. However, they do have enough money from their first album (the phase of “pre-I’m kind of a big deal”) to pay the next guy to write some catchy

lyrics and beats for them to drop.

There are then those artists who use both the auto-tune mic and another lyricist for their own songs. These “artists” include TPain and Lil Wayne. They both rap on the mainstream music scene.

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Other mainstream artists who are not rappers that use the autotune mic include Owl City and Ke$ha. These artists, though they write their own songs, either rely on the mic for accuracy in pitch, or use it as an interesting effect.

Either way, the auto-tune mic is present in almost every artist’s recording process. However, the effect can either be positive or negative. There is a difference between making the microphone your source for a good song, or, granted that it was good in the first place, adding it to make the song better than it originally was.

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16 most original songs

By Anna Gingrich

1. “White Blank Page” Mumford & Sons 2. “We Tigers” Animal Collective 3. “Animal” Mike Snow 4. “Starts With One” Shiny Toy Guns

5. “Polite Dance Song” The Bird and the Bee 6. “If I’m James Dean, You’re Audrey Hepburn” Sleeping With Sirens 7. “Comfortably Confused” I See Stars 8. “Treasure Island” Brighten 9. “Fever” Family Force 5

10. “I Just Wanna Live” Good Charlotte 11. “Tonight” Lyyke Li 12. “Fell in Love Without You” Motion City Soundtrack 13. “Extinction” I Am Abomination 14. “Diamond Girl” Ryan Leslie 15. “Annie” Safety Suit 16. “All Things Go” Tom Quinn

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my Lolita focuses on modesty

By Victoria Walker

Staff Reporter

FHCtoday.com/TheScene

Central Focus October 29, 2010

Page design by Kamrie Reed

What a girl likes T

he staff of the Central Focus surveyed girls at school to find out what qualities they look for in a guy. Here’s what they found out after surveying several hundred girls.

Do you prefer skinny jeans or baggy sweat pants?

Lolita, the Japanese clothing style of modesty and girlish appearance, is a diverse fashion statement from the Visual Kei music era.

Lolita, also called Loli, is a fashion designed to cover skin and to look cute.

Lolita contains dresses, coats, blouses, skirts, and in some styles pants.

The styles consist of: Cute Gothic Country Victorian Alice (designed after “Alice in Wonder-land”) Classical The colors depend more upon the style.

Cute Lolita has pastel colors like baby blue, pale pink, light yellow, cream, mint green, and lavender.

These often have prints with cute designs on them, such as cupcakes, cherries, teddy bears, or bunnies.

Gothic Lolita, however, has darker colors such as black, maroon, and violet.

Classical and Victorian are deep rich colors, Alice tends to follow red, black, or baby blue with a card print.

Though practically unheard of here, this is really popular in Japan and among anime fans.

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Do you prefer Harry Potter or Twilight?

83

71 percent preferred baggy sweat pants 29 percent preferred skinny jeans

Do you prefer big muscles or skinny arms?

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72 percent preferred big muscles 28 percent preferred skinny arms

Do you prefer six-pack abs or flabs?

92

Do you prefer your guy have facial hair or be clean shaven?

67

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Do you prefer glasses or braces?

Evolution from page 19 Mr. Bob Storts, a teacher in the art department, remembers that as a child most of the costumes and treats were home made.

“It wasn’t strange to get home made treats,” said Storts, “and more costumes were home made. They weren’t as elaborate.”

Now, whenever a child is running from house to house, if the treat isn’t store packaged, it is considered hazardous.

For others, as a child, Halloween was not much of a widely celebrated holiday.

In one girl’s neighborhood, the kids were scarcely involved in trick - or - treating.

“It was mainly old people, and they didn’t want to buy candy or decorate,” said

92 percent preferred six-pack abs 8 percent preferred flabs

Do you prefer a sweater vest or a polo shirt?

67 percent preferred clean shaven.

33 percent preferred facial hair.

100

83 percent preferred the Harry Potter series 17 percent preferred the Twilight series

100 percent preferred glasses over braces

sophomore Kelsey Colley.

Years later, those children have grown, and they have changed. It seems as if Halloween is not based around sweets anymore.

For Singleton, she remembers trick - or - treating with her brother, and a fairly small amount of kids. Now, most of them have moved on, moved out, and left her to experience a quiet Halloween on her street.

“Everyone says when you get older, you can’t trick - or - treat. But I think it was just a way to have fun,” said Singleton.

Jennifer Lee, an employee at the local Spirit Halloween Store, does not think you can be too old to go get dressed up.

“I’m going trick - or - treating, and hell, I’m twenty years old,” said Lee. Maybe it’s that kids do not quite understand the soul purpose in the spirit of Halloween.

69 percent preferred a sweater vest 29 percent preferred a polo shirt

Do you prefer earrings or gauges?

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70 percent preferred earrings 29 percent preferred gages

“What’s fun about Fairy Princesses?

I wanna see Scream come back, bloody axes, Freddy and Jason!” said Colley.

“Halloween just isn’t scary anymore.”

The people, the places, the tricks, the treats - they all are altered in the passing of time.

“I want more people to participate,” said Stern, “Too many people just get drugged up.”

Besides the changes in the participants, Halloween has different means of decor and places to be.

As children, the main decor consisted of fake spiderwebs, flashing lights, plastic body parts and caution tape.

“There’s definitely more animatronics,” said Stephanie Smith, an employee at Spirit Halloween Store. “It’s really for scaring the pee out of yourself!”

Inside, Spirit Halloween consists of life - size figures of classic horror movie

characters. Freddy Krueger, PinHead, Micheal Myers and Jason Vorhees all start up at the press of a button, with several sayings and well - known theme songs.

The whole idea for the new technology is to create a scare for Halloween ghouls and guys.

“It pumps your blood!” said Singleton.

When Mr. Storts was a kid, haunted houses were not a part of his Halloween experience. Now, according to Storts, it’s a big attraction. This year, Storts plans to stay home with his son and watch horror movies, while switching off with his wife to take his younger trick - or - treater out and about. While he has never been much of a Halloween fan, the art department goes “overboard with costumes,” according to Storts.

“There’s... pressure to participate,” said Storts, “and if you don’t, you’re kind of a stick in the mud.”

Central Focus

Page design by Cory Schmitt

October 29, 2010

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Spicing up Halloween treats Adding different ingredients and tastes to any classic recipe can add to the flavor of fall get-togethers

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Students choose alternative paths

By Margaret Borgmeyer

With the time to turn in college applications approaching, students must decide what schools will be most beneficial for the career of their choice.

Those applying may choose state schools or universities, but for those who are artistically inclined a art institute may be better suited.

“... they focus on just the art, you learn exactly what you came to learn. There are more interesting teachers and people, who want you to do whatever your vision is.”

- junior Sam Kennedy

Photo by Mikelle McClintock

Pumpkin Crunch cake mixes the sweet taste of cinnamon with the unique pumpkin and chopped pecans flavoring; when topped with whipped cream, Pumpkin Crunch Cake can be the perfect dessert for a fall night. Making eccentric dishes for guests can be a stimulus for the senses, taking a typical holiday visit to an out-of-this-world experience for the taste buds.

Pumpkin Crunch Cake

You will need:

By Mikelle McClintock Communications Editor

9x13 in. pan Large mixing bowl 1 box yellow cake mix 15 oz. can of solid pack pumpkin 12 oz. can of evaporated milk 3 large eggs 1 1/2 cups of sugar 1 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 cup of chopped pecans 1 cup of melted butter (or two sticks) Whipped topping of your choice Baking preparations: Preheat the oven to 350 Grease bottom of 9x13 pan

1 3 5 7

Combine pumpkin, evaporated milk, eggs, sugar, cinnamon and salt into large bowl

Pour the mixture into the greased 9x13 pan Sprinkle cake mix lightly over the pan Top with 1/2 cup of pecans Drizzle cup of melted butter over pecans Bake at 350 for 50-55 minutes, or until golden brown After baking, let cool and serve chilled with choosen topping

2 4 6

“An art institute surrounds you with people who want to try as hard as you. There may not be as much diversity with majors, but it is a better enviornment.”

- junior Melissa Mossinghoff

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Central Focus October 29, 2010

Page design by Kelci Davis

Photo by Jessy DiMariano

Surrounded by thousands of students linning the street, police car 559 leads the funeral procession past the school. Having just left Baue Funeral Home, the procession went out of its way to pass the school on the way to the Church of the Shepard at the request of the Vinnedge family.

‘A sad homecoming’

Photo by Amber Roth

With dog tags hanging from her neck, senior Julie Diller solemnly watches the hearse pass by. Along with many others, Diller decided to dress up as a way to show respect.

On the morning of Thursday, Oct. 21, the funeral procession for alumnus L. Cpl. Phillip Vinnedge passed by the school in front of thousands of students and faculty showing their support. Principal Sonny Arnel called the procession “a sad homecoming.”

9:16: Dr. Sonny Arnel interrupts classes informing them of the plans.

9:17: Assistant Principal Marletha Davis sings “America the Beautiful,” over the intercom.

9:19: Classes from FHC and Saeger dismiss to the campus. American flags are distributed on the way out.

An ambulance, fire truck and police cars wait by the entrance to the school.

9:26: Sirens heard.

9:35: The funeral procession enters campus.

9:40: The procession stops at the front of the school. “Taps” is played at the front entrance to the school.

9:41: The procession prepares to leave campus and drive to the Church of the Shepherd.

9:45: The procession exits campus.

Photo by Amber Roth

Wrapping her arm around senior Ashlee Broadland, English teacher Laurie Fay watches quietly as the procession for Lance Corporal Phillip Vinnedge goes by. “The whole procession was very moving and powerful to see the entire faculty and staff show their support for Vinnedge’s family. However, I was disappointed in those who did not participate because he was not just a soldier, but a son, a brother and a fellow member of the FHC family,” Ms. Fay said.

Photo by Amber Roth

Seniors Sydney Connor and Mary Beth Daughtery embrace after the procession.

Many students were affected by the death, though most did not know Vinnedge.

MORE COVERAGE ONLINE Photo by Amber Roth

Photo by Ellen Hinze

Holding American flags, students of all grades observe the 101 Patriot Guard motorcycle riders preceding the hearse. Students were let out during fourth hour so they could show their respect for the fallen Marine.

Holding a flag in one hand, sophomore Hannah Johnson wipes her tears as Mrs. Sara Martens stands by. Johnson was Vinnedge’s neighbor and left to attend his funeral after the procession left.

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