North Star, Dec. 09

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INSIDE Social Networking Awareness The dangers of social networking could affect anyone. Take a deeper look into what these dangers are.

FRANCIS HOWELL NORTH HIGH SCHOOL

2549 Hackmann Rd. St. Charles, MO 63303

Vol. 24 Issue 4

DEC. 16, 2009

FHNtoday.com

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“Providing an open forum for Francis Howell North since 1986.”

2549 Hackmann Road St. Charles, MO 63303

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find.it

Cover:

On the cover is a photo of a keyboard posing the question ‘Are you aware?’ referring to the dangers of social networking and asking students whether or not they understand them.

Distributed for free to FHN by the North Star staff.

Editor-in-Chief: Barbara Jean Palmer

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Managing Editor: Betsy Blanchard Editors: News Editor: Sam Dulaney Features Editor: Julia Gabbert Opinions Editor: Lauren Skinner Sports Editor: Logan Ponche Copy Editor: Ryan Firle In-depth Editor: Rachel Hunt Dir. of Photography: Lydia Ness Business Manager: Allison Sheffler

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news features sports opinion online

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life.style

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FHNtoday.com is hosting a new contest, called The Twelve Days of FHNtoday.com, in order to give back to the community.

speak.out

General Staff: Abbey Grone Liana Ramsey Adam Rapert Lizzie Johnson Bethany Brady Nicole Clouse Brittany Lounsbury Nicole Renner Chelsey Damalas Olivia Ong Danielle Yuede RJ Howes Elizabeth Diggs Scott Jones Emily Forst Sidney Shelton Hannah Hamilton Taylor Berra Heather O’ Donnell Zach Meier Kelsey Bell

fhntoday.com Photographers:

Detective Lawrence McClain of the local Cyber Crime Unit works to keep teens safe from online Predators.

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Julia Gabbert’s next challenge to herself is not complaining for a week.

See how she didn’t succeed at not complaining.

Fareeha Amir Greg Felock Jacqueline Sage Kaitlyn Williams Lauren Buxton

Nicole Thompson Sam Fitzwalter Sam Hurrell Stephanie Graflage

FHNTODAY.COM STAFF

Senior NHS participates in the Adopt-A-Family Program that provides needy families with items during the holiday season.

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Take a visit to the Cornbread in the morning show on 92.3 WIL. Learn how Cornbread got to where he is today.

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Experience a Black Friday shopping trip with senior Dianna Prost and her mother, Lea Prost, as they battle the Walmart crowds.

SPENSA, the Special Needs Soccer Association, provides special needs children with an opportunity to play an organized sport.

Freshman cheerleaders prepare for another competition with high hopes of placing first for the second time this year.

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ONLINE

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Junior Melissa Shannon expresses her thoughts on the current ban on smoking in St. Louis public places.

FHNtoday.com: Check out the story on German Club’s study party and the new episode of the Knightlife podcast.

FHNtoday.com

Editor-in-Chief: Melissa Shannon Editors: Online Editors: Katie O’Neil, David Hoehn Podcast Editor: Tori Bowden Beats Editor: Mallory Mueller Director of Digital Media: Lauren Smith General Staff: Ashley Niehaus Katharine Carney Crystal Friedman Kayla Vogt Daniel Spak Matt Higgs David Hoehn McKenna Roberts Jared Tompkin Nicole Piatchek Josh Grezinger Paige Yungermann

Adviser: Aaron Manfull

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Seniors start preparing to graduate rachel.hunt

The deadline for senior Cap and Gown order forms is quickly approaching as the last day to turn them in online is Dec. 18. Dating back to Nov.5 when Herff Jones originally presented all of the information to the senior class, the class officers have been working hard to keep everything on track.

“It was a lot of pressure choosing what exactly we wanted and thought the entire class would want,” Senior class treasurer Thu Nguyen said. “We had to get opinions from everyone.”

Along with being a class officer comes the responsibility to make decisions that will effect the senior class as a whole. For example, they had to come up with the design for the announcement cards. Even though the announcement cards are the same for everyone, seniors have the option of different inserted name cards, stickers, and an option of their own senior por-

traits in the cards. Announcements, caps, and gowns will be distributed to seniors late next semester before graduation in June - something that Senior class sponsor Kim Rastberger hopes goes perfectly.

“I like for it to all go smoothly,” Rastberger said. “For the singers and speakers [of the ceremony] to go off without a hitch. I would like for it to be ceremonial.”

With the anticipating and excitement growing from Rastberger and the senior officers, they have one thing in mind.

“I hope that day [graduation] all parents are incredibly proud after all these years,” Senior class president Soo Yang said. have not ordered your senior Cap fhn IfandyouGown packages yet, visit herffjones.

today com by Dec. 18 to place your order com without a late fee.

Senior Jessica Jimenez talks to a Herff Jones correspondent in order to get her cap and gown on Nov. 18. Cap and Gown orders were taken from Nov 11 to 19 outside the commons during lunches. This year cap and gowns will have a golden border along the sleeves and the neck line. (fareeha amir)

Winterguard starts their season barb.jean.palmer

FHN’s Winterguard is used to working hard, with this season’s extensive schedule ahead of them they have 10 great members to take on the many competitions. This season is expected to go well with the 10 strong members they have.

“When you look at the crowd you get nervous seeing all the people watching you,” junior Ashley Rehm said. “It’s nerve racking, but when you are finished you feel great and like you did amazing.”

Winterguard had tryouts and the members are now set. Because of the team’s chemistry, they are already excited about the upcoming season.

“I think it will go really well,” senior Kaitlyn Schikore said. “The practices we have had have gone well, we have a good group of people who work hard and wanna do well. It helps when they wanna be there.”

Winterguard practices twice a week on Tuesday and Thursdays from 6-9 p.m and also have a few camps on

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Saturdays. On Jan. 23, Winterguard will have their first competition and from then on out they will have a competition every weekend until April 10.

All the practices and hard work that Winterguard puts in really has a strong factor in their rankings at competitions. Last year they placed 9th at World Guard International competition and this year members feel they are going to have to work just as hard.

“It’s [this year] going to be hard cause we are competing with guards that are at a higher level and will be hard cause we have to bring ourselves up to that level,” senior Jessica Hoffman said.

This season one thing will be different: their show. The performance this season is “The Forest Of Life.”

It’s a more serious performance than they have done in the past. The new performance is about getting past the obstacles in life that people face.

“It’s different,” Rehm said. “It’s not something you see every day: weird dance moves, hard work. It’s different from other shows.”

Who’s on Winterguard Coaches: Duane Williams-4th year coaching Trisha Ostmann-5th year coaching Emma Heidman-2nd year coaching

Seniors: Kaitlyn Schikore Deanna Wohldmann Monica Putridge

Juniors: Beth Kruse Megan O’Loughlin Makenzie McColloch Ashley Rehm

Sophomores: Abby Hoffman Samantha Best

French club sells Pére Noels liana.ramsey

The French Club sold their annual Pere Noel Grams at all lunches from Nov. 23-30. The Grams were just $1 and each came with a flower and personalized note attached.

“The best part about Pere Noels is when people receive them,” French student freshman John Cartwright said. “They not only get a treat, they get a mini cultural lesson in a gram.”

This year marked the 20th year Pere Noel Grams were sold. Last year French club sold 250 grams, but this year sales fell short.

“The reason why I think we sold 200 [grams], was there were fewer people [in the club], which actually made it slower,” French Club sponsor David Fritz said.

Next year the French Club plans on advertising more, getting more students involved, and having Pere Noel sales increase dramatically.

“When Christmas comes around, I want people to think about Pere Noel and Santa Claus,” French student Mary Malkmus said.

Prizes consist of various gift certificates to restaurants and businesses around the community, such as Slackers, Culver’s, and Mcalister’s.

German club and the football team are also donating items.

-12 day contest “In order for us to get businesses in which students donate to donate, we made a flyer and took it money and will receive a raffle around to places a lot of FHN kids go ticket for each dollar they donate. to,” Senior publications member Julia Gabbert said. “We presented them -Winning raffle ticket will be unveiled on with the reasoning behind our contest, FHNtoday.com each day in which variand it was really nice to see some busious prizes will be given away. nesses help us out.”

At the end of the raffle, all of the -All proceeds will go to the money gathered will go to Adopt-AAdopt-A-Family charity.

Family which, in turn, will put the money in various students’ lunch accounts, at North, that are in need.

The motivation for the contest was realizing the importance of giving back to people less fortunate and wanting to make many students aware of this same ryan.firle results will be unveiled on FHNtoday. feeling. com to see who won a prize.

“There are people out there who “Throughout the contest, people FHNtoday.com is hosting its newest are deserving and it feels great to be contest, Twelve Days of FHNtoday.com, can check FHNtoday.com anytime after able to do something for them,” Senior school to see who that days prize winto give back to students at North. pubclications member Crystal Friedner was,” Junior publications member man said.

From Dec. 11-22 students are able Katie O’Neil said. “The winning raffle to donate money at lunch or before and after school in room 26. For every dollar ticket number will be in the rotator on that a student spends, they will receive a the home page, so it will be really easy to find.” raffle ticket. At the end of each day, the

the

Twelve Days of

FHNtoday.com

FHNtoday.com hosts contest

Care package sent overseas to Dalton brittany.lounsbury

Arlene Kearns, administrative assistant to Jack Ameis and Nancy Wade, lead and organized the Dalton Care Package fund-raiser which has been held over the past few weeks.

Over 15 boxes have been sent to FHN Biology teacher Christopher Dalton and his unit currently stationed in Afghanistan.

Along with the packages that have already been sent to Dalton and his unit, Kearns will be continuing to send boxes over for the next few weeks until all of them have been mailed. The idea behind this was to make sure that the unit will continue receiving necessities, even after the holiday season. “[He] is deployed in Afghanistan,” Kearns said. “So we decided to

The care package fund-raiser that Arlene Kearns organized receieved many items, such as food, phone cards, apparell, and writing utensils. The items will be shipped over in small increments to make sure that Dalton and his unit have a steady supply of supplies coming in.

do this fund-raiser for Veteran’s Day and send it over to his unit.”

FHN has collected various necessities for the care package, such as food, phone cards, writing essentials, and socks. Not only were essential items collected, but the Social Studies department also contributed by collecting $398.40 for phone cards and PX cards (cash cards for the base).

“I was impressed that the kids cared to donate that much,” Government teacher William Crow said.

“Also we hope that the veterans know how much they mean to us.”

Along with helping with the care package, Crow made a Veteran’s Day DVD that was shown to Social Studies classes to honor Dalton and the veterans as a whole. The DVD proved to be an eye-opening experience for students who watched it.

“It made me realize how much the veterans sacrifice to go to war and serve for our country,” sophomore Rachael Vanbooven said.

After school, Angie Mercurio comes to paint the doors, frames and replace the floor boards. They choose black for the doors to represent the school. (nicole thompson)

Hallways get makeover scott.jones

Every day after school starting at 2 p.m. and lasting until 10 p.m., Angie Mercurio comes to paint the door frames and replace the school’s base boards. According to Mr. Grippi, the doors needed to better represent our school and they lacked a consistent color. The District is funding the entire paint job at North.

“We wanted one single color to represent what our school was made of,” Assistant principal Tony Grippi said.

Painting began right after students returned from fall break. Mercurio moves one hallway at a time.

She is currently painting the middle floor but there is a goal to ultimately have the entire school painted.

Because multiple coats of paint are necessary, the project is estimated to take two to three months.

“The doors come first,” Grippi said, “But when it’s all done we do want to paint the lockers also.”

Last year the school walls were painted gold and administration hopes that the black doors will make the gold on the walls stand out more.

The school colors reflected in the walls and doors will hopefully raise school spirit.

“They just look nice,” junior Jeremy Leidon said, “Much less bland than before.”

The principals are also pleased with the work that has been done.

“I hope that the students take care of it and appreciate what the district is doing for us,” principal Darlene Jones said. page design by hannah.hamilton

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Board chooses to not reorganize School board experiences difficulties between the board members barbara.jean.palmer

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n Thursday, Dec. 3, despite some people’s opinion, the school board decided not to reorganize the board. According to the school board of FHSD, Director Mark Lafata had the opinion that it was “time for a change.”

At the board meeting a motion was put on the floor by Lafata for reorganization of the board. Lafata was President for four years and believed that there was now a lack of leadership from the current President Mike Sommer. Lafata attempted to bring the subject matter onto the agenda at the previous meeting on Nov. 19, but it was instead scheduled to be discussed at the last board meeting because it hadn’t Mike Sommer been added to the agenda 24 hours in advance.

At the meeting the board members were able to put forth their opinions on the subject, the main purpose was for them to start working as a team.

“I don’t know what the outcome of this meeting is going to be but all I want to say is whatever we vote on we all need to back and give a hundred percent support to what has been decided on and we can all focus on moving the District forward and not on the commotion going on around us,” Director Sandy Sanders said at the beginning of the meeting.

The reason this motion was brought to the board was because of the way a meeting was lead that happened around a month ago. It was said that the negotiations were handled poorly at the meeting and the information given lacked substance and

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that I could fix this even though I have direction from the board. The lack of tried.” communication between board memTowards the end of the meeting, bers was a concern at the meeting, and Sommer discussed his views on the according to some board members, subject and said that if he could go has been a problem for a while now. back to the meeting he would change They felt they are not being informed the way the last board meeting was as well as they should be on schedules, run. When the members voted on decisions and more. the reorganization of the board the “This is a seven-member board but motion failed 0-6-1, with six of the it’s not functioning as a seven-member members voting against the motion board,” Lafata said. “It’s functioning and Lafata abstaining. The District is as a three-member four-member board now focusing on moving forward to at times and seven people were elected help the District and its students. into this position and three people “Going forward and remember maybe four people know what is going the main reason we are sitting in these on half the time.” seven chairs is the kids in the classLater in the meeting, it was room that is why I am here and I hope brought up that each memthat is why ber of the the other six board has of you are their own here each commitand every ments and month,” that they President all needed Mike Somto put mer said. forth the “There effort to has been underan attempt stand what to try and was going make sure on with that we are the deciMark Lafata all together it hasn’t sions being made. Treasurer Mike always been successHoehn feels that being informed is a ful but we are going to continue and matter of personal responsibility. try. I am not going to give up trying “We all take the time to read, keep to make this Board of Education a ourselves informed on the issues that successful one because of we are sucare presented to us on a regular basis,” cessful up here then the kids are going Treasurer Mike Hoehn said. “We all to continue to have the chance to be have to put the effort forward, if you successful.” don’t put forth the effort you’re not If the motion to reorganize the going to know what is going on.” board would have passed, Sommer Most of the board members feel would have passed the gavel onto Suthat the problem does have a solution. perintendent Dr. Schuster who then “Until all members of the board would have started the nominations decide the outcome is to work together for a new President. Once a Presiden[we won’t have a solution],” Vice tial nomination was made, the nomiPresident Marty Hodits said. “And nations would have continued through we’re going to respect each other and the rest of the board members. And respect the knowledge of each other. because there were seven board Until that time, there is nothing we members present at the meeting, four can do so I am just going to make my members - the majority - would have statement now that I will not become had to second the motion.

President because I don’t think that I can fix the problems. I don’t believe

photo poll

Some members of the Ecology Club answer the question, “What is your favorite part of Ecology Club?”

Josh Gay, 12 “Going into nature, the trips, caving and the float trip.”

Abigail Oleshcuk, 11 “Really excited for the trips we’re taking and hanging with friends.”

Dylan Henry, 12 “[My favorite part is] friendly people, it’s fun with friendly people.”

Ashley Haywood, 10 “[My favorite part is] being in a club with other people who like nature just like me.”

get.informed The Scheidegger Center at Lindenwood University is currently hosting an art show which showcases the many works of FHN art students. (stephanie graflage)

Lindewood features FHN art Seniors Brittany Staley and Jacy Waldrop organize the gifts collected for the adopted family on Dec 8. All of the donations were brought to the St. Charles Community College on Saturday, Dec. 16. There, sponsors of the program organized all of the gifts and prepared them to be delivered to the family. (kaitlyn williams)

NHS helps families in need Students collect gifts for less fortunate paige.yungermann

For the past eight years, Senior National Honors Society has participated in St. Joachim and Ann’s AdoptA-Family Program. This program provides needy families in St. Charles, Lincoln, and Warren counties with both gifts and necessities during the holiday season.

“I have never been a part of anything like Adopt-A-Family, so giving someone presents and making their Christmas better just seemed fun and helpful,” NHS member Pamela Avila said.

NHS was given a family of five.

This family provided a list of items they would like to receive, such as a jacket for the father, Robert, and a Barbie House for the daughter, Ashley.

Each NHS member was required to bring in a donation. “[I chose to do Adopt-A-Family because] my church does it and it is a good program that NHS has done for many years,” NHS sponsor Donna Malkmus said. “I got donating the turkey, I always get the turkey.”

Malkmus collected the donated items from students on Dec. 8. On Dec. 12, Malkmus took the donations to the St. Charles Community College Center. The next day, the items were distributed among the families.

“You start out with an empty room, and then pretty soon you have a room full of stuff. We are grateful for everything that is donated,” Yvonne Tihen, the Adopt-A-Family program director said.

Due to the economy, there is an even greater need for donations this holiday season, but those who donated are also experiencing tough financial times.

“We do 600 families,” Tihen said.

“We could easily do 2,000. There is so great a need out there and not enough people to fill it.”

That is why Tihen and everyone else involved with Adopt-A-Family is grateful to have NHS helping them out.

“We are thrilled to have NHS work with us,” Tihen said. “We need the help. [The students at] FHN have always been very good to us.”

Service Opportunites for NHS Dec. 19th Salvation Army Bell ringing at Dierbergs

Jan. 23rd Saturday school at Henderson.

Feb. 27th Regional science fair at St. Charles Community College.

March 2nd NHS partakes in read across americia.

April 1st Service points are due in order to get honor cords.

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today com

To recieve more information about events and activities on NHS go to the web site

katherine.carney

The Lindenwood art show was held from Nov. 22-Dec. 14. The show included art from classical to surrealism to abstract expressionism. There were 18 FHN students who displayed 23 pieces of art in the show. It was also opened to teachers. This was art teacher Zack Smithey’s second year participating.

“We make art both for ourselves and for the public to view and it’s a nice reward for all the time spent [on the artwork],” Smithey said.

Out of the 18 students, two of the juniors who participated were Amanda DeJarnett and Jennifer Voong. DeJarnett entered a surrealist drawing and Voong entered a portrait. Like Smithey, they were both very excited for the art show.

“I’m excited because I got to see all the other work that other people did,” Voong said.

Awards for the best artwork were also given out. Sophomore Kayla Busby won first place in the drawing portion. For those who missed this show, another chance for students to see “real art” is at The Foundry where even more North students will be featured. The open house will be held Jan. 10.

“All these sorry students need to get off their sea of subdivisions and see some real art,” Smithey said. page design by zach.meier

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trid-

id

Sophomore Nina Strid lies in the grass between two symbols which represent her foundation and what it stands for. Her mother and her began this to help students who have cancer or parents with cancer or drinking problems. They also strive to make it easier on people who are just simply going through a tough time. (stephanie graflage)

Sophomore Nina Strid and her mother Cathy make a difference for children in the form of their foundation: Strid-Kid. After surviving many family hardships in the past, the two are reaching out to children facing the same problems. bethany.brady

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any people in the world need help. One way in which people get that help is through foundations. Cathy Strid created Strid-Kid, a foundation for children dealing with cancer or with parents with drug or alcohol problems.

This foundation has been a personal dream for Cathy for a while as she wants to help people. Hard-

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ships throughout the Strid family’s life has got them to where they are today: healthy, happy, heroic.

The creation of Strid-Kid was due to many aspects in the Strid family’s lives. It all started when Cathy was a little girl. She was told she would not live past the age of eight because of a rare type of cancer called Rhabdomyosarcoma (Rab-doe-myo-sar-coma).

Cathy is now in her 40s and a survivor of cancer after having it three different

times. She overcame that life-altering experience only to be bombarded by many more scary and upsetting events.

The first was when Nina was two years old. Cathy and Nina where at the mall when a huge mirror fell and knocked Nina out of her stroller. The mirror fell onto Nina’s hand, crushing it. The doctor’s saw no other way but to amputate Nina’s hand, until luckily some other doctors came along and realized that the hand could be saved.

Cathy has always been proud of how strong Nina is and always hoped her children would get involved and be able to help others as they have been helped.

Reaching out and helping others is exactly what Nina did when Trick-orTreat Street came around this year.

Nina is in StuCo and suggested that along with the funds sent to the children’s hospital, some of the funds be sent to the Strid-Kid foundation.

life.style

addiction to alcohol and sadly lost the “My mom for sure inspires me to battle to this habit. want to help,” Nina said. “I’d love to “He was a very good person,” help out other kids dealing with these Cathy said. “Everything happens for a things.” reason, maybe all this was to show us Using the bad to create good, what we can do.”

Cathy’s foundation helps the less All the funds received and donated fortunate. The foundation was creat Trick-or-Treat Street will be split ated by Cathy after a promise to her between the Strid-Kid foundation, the daughter Nina, a sophomore at North, children’s hospital, and some anonywas made to save kids and give back to mous students in our school who also others. Strid-Kid specializes in raising need some extra help. money and receiving donations to help “I think it’s really moving that children who are overcoming cancer kids who and children come from dealing with fortunate parents who It’s something for myself. I situations struggle with drug or think everyone should have are so willing to help alcohol abuse. a passion that takes them those who Strid-Kid has are unforbeen running away from the world.” tunate,” for about two teacher years and and StuCo sponsor Jani Wilkens said. takes donations from all those willing Cathy is always in the process of to donate. The funds collected are keeping her husband’s wish alive: to given to children and their families left help and inspire. Not only has this in need from illness, drugs, or alcohol foundation been gratifying to her abuse. Cathy created Strid-Kid after personally, but she really hopes that many struggles of her own. the idea of kids raising money for other “It’s [the foundation] something kids can teach a valuable lesson. for myself,” Cathy said. “I think every“I don’t really think others underone should have a passion that takes stand until they go through something them away from the world.” equally tough,” Cathy said. “Number Strid-Kid’s name came from a speone is don’t give up, you have to find cial source: Nina’s father. He passed away in Oct. of 2006 and had a love for strong people to surround yourself with. Just don’t be afraid to find inspiring children as well as teaching answers and keep going.” them. According to family, he had an

“

Sophomore Nina Strid works on the logos and Facebook page for her foundation. Nina and her family hope to reach many students who may be experiencing tough times to let them know that they are there and care about everyone’s situation. (stephanie graflage)

Nina and her brother hold up the temprary poster for the Strid-Kid foundation. The Strid family has finally come up with a logo for their signs and shirts which should be coming out soon. (stephanie graflage)

get the facts

Cancer Statistics: Real Life

Alcoholism and Your Family

• 20,000 people around the world die from cancer everyday.

• 1 in 8 deaths that occur in the world are due to cancer.

• Deaths caused by cancer outnumber deaths caused by AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria combined.

• Cancers of the lung, prostate and stomach are the most commonly diagosed cancers in men.

• The most common cancers in women are breast, cervix, and colon.

• Tobacco use is the single largest preventable cause of cancer in the world.

• The risk of a smoker developing lung cancer is 23 times higher than that of a non-smoker • Rhabdomyosarcoma, the type of cancer Cathy Strid had as a child, only affects children.

• The most common areas for rhabdomyosarcoma to grow are around the eyes, the genitourinary tract, and around the chest and lungs.

• More than 100,000 U.S deaths are caused by excessive alcohol consumption each year, both direct and indirect.

• Traffics crashes are the greatest single cause of death for people ages 6-33. About 45% of these crashes are alcohol-related.

• Underage drinking costs the U.S $58 billion every year.

• The cost of untreated drug and alcohol abuse in the U.S. in a year is estimated at $276 Billion in lost productivity, law enforcement costs, health care and welfare programs.

• Alcohol kills 6.5 times more youth than all other illicit drugs combined.

• 65% of children get alcohol from friends and family.

• 59.8% of teens reported talking with their parents about the dangers of drug use in the past year. Studies show these teens have a lower rate of underage drinking.

• Classical alcoholism takes about 15 years to develop, but it can happen much quicker in adolescents and young adults.

information from: http://www.media.net and http://www.acor.org/

information from: http://www.gdcada.org/ and http://www.robertperkinson.com/ page design by julia.gabbert & sidney.shelton

09

Lea Prost drives her van into the parking lot of the local Walmart at 4 a.m. Early Black Friday shopping has become a yearly tradition for her. (greg felock)

Door buster sales

WREAK HAVOC

on department stores

betsy.blanchard

Nov. 27, 2009.

All over the country, stores and Web sites depend on Black Friday to provide them with their greatest profit of the year. The term was coined in the 19th century, but the current understanding of the term refers to the day retailers go “into the black” or show a profit for the first time in a given year. Together, November and December typically account for over 50% of a store’s annual sales, clearly demonstrating a desperate need to attract as much business as possible not only on Black Friday, but the tail-end of the year as a whole.

Among the millions of shoppers who contributed to this Black Friday frenzy stands the Prosts, senior Dianna annd her mother Lea. 04:02 With the turn of the key, the large, tan GMC van starts to rumble. Its front and side windows are in dire need of

10 page design by sam.dulaney & nicole.clouse

defrosting, but regardless it is soon backing out of the driveway and onto Graystone Drive.

“Let’s just go,” Dianna says. “I drive to school with my window like this all the time.”

No life is seen elsewhere through the neighborhood.

It’s Black Friday.

Take your battle stations.

04:09 The windows are 2/3 of the way defrosted, just as the girls are 2/3 of the way to their first destination: Walmart. Apparently, the store’s 24-hour policy continued even for this horrendous shopping day. Even 810 Walmarts across the country without this policy will be adopting it for a night in hopes to boost sales and decrease fatalities by avoiding a long line from outside that could possible lead to stampeding. But danger still lurks.

“People are going to be swarming the areas and when they bring the stuff out they’re going to get swarmed,”

mother Lea Prost says.

Very reminiscent of a war-zone.

“Me and Dianna get a kick out of [seeing it all],” she says. “We like watching.”

04:12 It’s go time.

“There’s someone walking out with a TV already,” Dianna says as they pull into the crowded parking lot.

“What the crap!”

In the pilot seat, she pulls her sweatpant-covered legs closer to her chest. “At least we don’t have to wait outside, it is waaay too cold.”

Despite the early hour, dozens of early birds pour out of the store, clutching their battle prizes tightly.

A woman can be heard whipping out her phone, and calling what is clearly a comrade to discuss her morning’s winnings. “Did you have as much luck?!” she asks with intense interest.

The Prosts are hoping they get as lucky. Four minutes later, they strut through the automatic doors, passing

ZONE R A W G N HOPPI

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two very alert policemen.

“They’ve already put stuff out,” Lea says. “I saw someone with Rock Band…dang it.”

Carts are already lining up.

People are already sitting.

04:19 Mother and daughter head to the back of the store, apparently not the only ones with this idea. The Electronics department is already bursting with vicious and nonchalant shoppers alike.

The two split up.

Dianna guards the cart, and moments later Lea returns with Rock Band.

Success. + “Friends” Season 7 + HP Deskjet F2430 (“the printer is only $25!”)

“This is only my second year [doing this],” Dianna recalls. “Last year it was ‘OK, grab a cart and grab everything you think we need.’ This year seems different.”

A lady passes by, rushing toward

the front of the store. “Ya know what?!

I’m DONE in here.”

Another lady pushes her cart by, loaded with 14 sets of girls’ pajamas.

You’d think they were free candy.

04:24 + two Coolpix cameras (one for a friend) + Crayola Glow Board + Tim McGraw CD An empty cart sails by, a sight for sore eyes.

04:29 After a second split, the two are reunited. A woman peeks into their cart, as though browsing on the shelves.

Nothing appeals to her and she heads back to her cart-fort. + Sony Speaker Dock/Clock Radio “They have microwaves for $18,” Lea says, pointing to her catalog (it’s a Target catalog – apparently Walmart is honoring enemy sale prices).

“It’s perfect for college,” Dianna explains.

“Do you know where the $18

around the entire department. + six DVDs, including: “P.S. I love you” ($5) and “Running Scared” ($2) “I feel like this line should be moving faster…”

05:40 They leave and enter a line leading to the registers in the front of the store. Just two minutes later, they shift 20 ft. forward.

Good plan.

A cop stands in a nearby aisle, his broad shoulders made even broader by an upright stance. He seems relieved that his services aren’t necessary elsewhere. He’s talking to what Dianna assumes is an undercover cop (as made “obvious” by his pedestrian clothing complimented by the wire coming from behind his ear).

05:54 The line moves around the corner. + Play Dough “We’re not usually here this long,” Lea says.

This could be because the National Retail Federation estimated that 195 million customers visited both stores and Web sites over the weekend, over 20 million up from last year’s 172 million. But despite the increase in attendance, average spending dropped approximately 8 percent, lessening from 2008’s $372.57 to $343.31 a person.

This could very well be because of a national unemployment rate of just over 10%.

06:09 The line gradually inches forward.

“The basketball hoops are only $99!”

“We can’t get everything…”

06:23 Finally, after over two hours, they’re just three away from their final destination.

06:30 They’re checking out.

Lea catches the cashier, informing her that the Bakugan set she’s ringing up should actually only cost $13. She holds up the Target catalog to prove it.

Items are rung up, one by one.

06:38 One item left: Rock Band.

- $784.79.

06:40 Mission accomplished. Now off to Target... page design by sam.dulaney & nicole.clouse

11

life.style

Senior Dianna Prost and her mother Lea leave Walmart happy with their purchases. This was Dianna’s second year shopping with her mom.

microwaves are?”

The man whose nametag reads “Gary” is clueless. The microwave is MIA. “Uhhh, ‘scuuuuze me, move along,” insists an impatient shopper, as she forces her cart rudely on by Lea. 04:42 + Tinkerbell toy To Dianna: “You wanna go look at the laptops? I’m not getting the $400 one.”

“I know that…”

Lea looks down at her list, written on a yellow notebook sheet. On it are separate lists for specific products at different stores. Walmart, Target, K-Mart…clearly, someone performed advanced reconnaissance.

“I feel like we’re not going good like we did last year,” Dianna says.

“Today is a failure.”

“No it’s not!”

Lea says, laughing. + Popcorn maker “How much is that?” Lea asks. “$15…”

- Popcorn maker 04:48 “I’d hate to work today,” Dianna says.

People walk around, using their catalogs like they’re plotting troop movements. + Wilson Football + “Guess Who?” board game + Strawberry Shortcake memory game 05:21 The two return to the car with four pairs of snow boots. One unfortunate circumstance: there are five members in their family. Dianna’s brother David wears a size 15 shoe, a size much too large for ordinary stores to carry.

But the shoes are $7 a pair. Whatta steal.

They’re soon back in the electronics department, where a Walmart employee is leaning over a box talking to customers - leaning over too far to the point you’d think he belonged in plumbing.

05:32 Customers continue to pour in the front doors, all already ready to be on the defensive.

“I feel like we’re right by a fire, it’s so hot!” Dianna complains. They maneuver their way into the line to the electronics dept. registers. It U-raps

Family creates hope in New Delhi, India Donaldsons move to India to rescue women, children from the dangers of human trafficking abby.west

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light brown two-story house sits on a busy street. Things may look calm on the outside, but on the inside, empty boxes are scattered about, labeled with words like “Family Photos” and “Clothes.” The atmosphere inside this house is filled with many emotions, feelings such as sadness, excitement, and hope.

In this house lives freshman Grace Donaldson and her family. They are preparing for a monumental move to New Delhi, India in July 2010.

Even though Grace and her family have lived in India before, this particular move has become much more difficult than assumed.

“It is exciting to be returning to a place where we have dear friends, love the culture and the food,” mother Lucy Donaldson said. “It’s saying goodbye to friends and loved ones that is proving to be a challenge.”

They consider the emotions of being torn between two different countries to be one of their biggest stresses, but it’s not changing the family’s decision to move.

“My father is starting an executive coaching firm, and my mother and I are working for an organization called Project Rescue that works to help women and children enslaved in human trafficking,” Grace said.

In 2006, the U.S. State Department estimated that as many as 17,500 men, women, and children are trafficked into the U.S. each year, many for sexual exploitation. Project Rescue exists to rescue and restore women and girls who have experienced the tragedy of trafficking and sexual slavery. Project Rescue is able to

change the lives of these young women by rescuing them and placing them in shelters. Through these shelters and other efforts, Project Rescue has brought freedom to over 1,000 young women and girls in India and Nepal.

“This issue needs to be brought to light, and every single person makes a difference,” Grace said.

Her friends also recognize the impact the family will be making.

“It is an amazing idea,” friend Julia Carney said. “She is going to be able to change peoples’ lives in so many ways.”

It seems the one most affected by the move is Grace herself. Having to meet new people and experience a new culture can be very stressful.

“When you are new, people judge you right off, and with those judgements it can be hard to make new friends,” Grace said.

Another hard part for Grace is leaving behind the friends that she has become so close to.

“I’m afraid people are going to forget about me,” Grace said, “and that I won’t be a part of their lives anymore, that I didn’t make a difference.”

Even with the short time that Grace has been here she has yet to realize the lasting effect that she has made on peoples lives, and even after she leaves that effect will still be there.

“Grace is one special person, The type of person you know you have never met like this before and may never again, “ Grace’s youth pastor Jamey Bridges said. “I love her faith, confidence and heart. She inspires me.

I love her parents and know that what they are doing is worth it.” stories of victims of trafficking fhn Toor toreaddonate money to the cause, visit

today Project Rescue’s website at com www.projectrescue.com

Grace, her mother Lucy Donaldson and her father stand in New Delhi, India where they lived before. This will be there second time living in New Delhi. (photo submitted)

Lucy and Grace Donaldson sit in the basement of their home. Soon their home will be packed up and moved to India to help an organization called Project Rescue. (photo submitted)

get the facts

Human Trafficking: Hitting close to home • • • •

At any one time across the world, around 1.8 million children are being abused through prostitution, child pornography and sex tourism.

In the UK there are 5,000 child prostitutes. 75% of them are girls.

Gangs involved in child and people trafficking make an estimated profit of $32 billion per year in the US. The U.S. has assisted countries to enact anti-trafficking legislation, trained law enforcement officials, prosecutors, border guards and judicial officers on detecting, investigating, and prosecuting traffickers, and protecting victims and provided start-up equipment for new anti-trafficking police units.

12 page design by abbey.grone & bethany.brady

• • •

It is estimated that 14,500 to 17,500 people, primarily women and children, are trafficked to the U.S. annually.

The U.S. Dept. of State began monitoring trafficking of persons in 1994.

Coverage has broadened over the years, and U.S. embassies worldwide now routinely monitor and report on cases of trafficking in men, women, and children for all forms of forced labor, including agriculture, domestic service, construction work, and sweatshops, as well as trafficking for commercial sexual exploitation. information from: www.humantrafficking.org

life.style

Morning talkshow entertains STL public elizabeth.diggs

W

hile the world sleeps, a team of five broadcasters prepare to entertain and inform on a radio station called 92.3 WIL. Inside the Bonneville International station, the cast of the Cornbread in the Morning Show are still in their pre-show meeting at 4:37 a.m., and the doors to the station are still locked. The traffic lights on Olive Boulevard are still blinking on and off at 5:46 a.m. as “Red Light” by David Nail plays on air.

One minute until show time.

“With Cornbread in the morning, your day, it can’t go wrong.”

This is the signal the team waits for. The show kicks off as Corneleous Breadinski, better known as the infamous Cornbread, discusses the first topic of the morning: the Cy Young baseball award nominees on the STL Cardinals team. Sporting his chili pepper pajama pants and yellow Cornbread Nation t-shirt, Cornbread assists the team in making jokes and taking calls from around 300 listeners per day. Cornbread talks with them about anything from Oprah’s show ending in September 2011 to various Hollywood scandals, or “piggly wiggly’s” as Cornbread describes them because of all the drama in the latest stars’ lives.

The four hour and 23 minute show takes a quick break to play the National Anthem at 6:15 a.m. and then it’s back

Cornbread, the host of the morning show that plays from 5 to 10 a.m. on 92.3 WIL, lounges in one of the many offices filled with various sports memorabilia inside the Bonneville Studio with a Santa hat on his head and a mega phone in his hand. (elizabeth diggs)

to laughing and keeping in touch with the community; two aspects Cornbread looks forward to doing each and every weekday morning.

“The best part of my job is just having fun,” Cornbread says, “Any job you can go to and have fun and be in touch with the world and meet new people is a good one.”

Some of Cornbread’s favorite topics to discuss include his 18-monthold baby and the Cardinals because he has friends on the team. Being able to accomplish big things are also a major aspect of this job. One of these accomplishments was having 6,000 people that make up “Team Breadhead” come to a Breast Cancer walk. Also, they married 100 couples under the Arch on Valentine’s Day and camped out for four days on the roof of “Pateo’s,” a restaurant across from Busch Stadium, in 2006 through the championship

until the Cardinals won the World Series.

“We’re always just looking for the next big thing to do,” Cornbread explains.

Getting into the music broadcasting industry was all luck of the draw for Cornbread. He actually delivered newspapers instead of doing any kind of reporting. His career got started with an away voicemail message.

“I had a funny answering machine message at my house and it was my creative way of putting out all the funny thoughts in my head.” Cornbread says. “I’d leave about a 45 second thing and it got around that, hey this dude has this crazy answering machine, and people I didn’t know would start calling me just to hear it so I’d change it every couple of days. One day there was a message from a guy at a radio station and he said ‘If you want

to do something with that come on down to my station.’”

Originally, that job Cornbread took at age 27 was at a station that played heavy metal music. Although Cornbread likes to rock, he believes that people gravitate more toward country music and that it chose him as well. Some of his favorite artists include The Zac Brown Band, The Dave Matthew’s Band and Darius Rucker. According to Cornbread, some of the loyal followers of the show include highway drivers and United States military members.

The U.S. Military is a favorite topic to discuss on the Cornbread in the Morning show. One of Cornbread’s stories was about a man who was blind-sided and half of his jeep was destroyed in an explosion in Iraq. This man, Patrick Miller, saved five lives by manually loading a Gatling gun. While acting as a goofy comedian most of the time, this story is an example of one of the many topics on Cornbread’s sensitive side.

Cornbread hosts the show so that it is funny and appropriate for all ages. It is a great way for Cornbread to connect with the community. Cornbreadand his co-hosts, believe in having fun at work. out what Cornbread has going fhn Check on. Visit the WIL website at www.wil92.

today com

com and click on Cornbread’s world.

VOLUME

FM

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page design by rj.howes

Volunteers provide safe home for animals nicole.clouse

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n uproar of barks and laughter can be heard coming from inside the St. Charles Humane Society.

Administrator Tina Sargent passes through the entrance and by a small plaque next to the door.

“In honor of my parents Leonard and Alma O’Dell who taught me the value of unconditional love and respect for all living creatures.” - Alice M. O’Dell.

The smell of Clorox wipes and dog treats fills the air. It’s a Monday and that means it’s time to clean. “Turn Me Loose” by Loverboy plays in the background making this early Monday morning work more enjoyable.

The dogs are taken outside while staff help to sanitize the entire building. Floors are mopped and kennels are washed thoroughly with Trifectant cleaning solution. All bowls are scrubbed clean in a large metal sink.

At the Humane Society there is a certain bond between man and animal.

Staff and volunteers place toys and treats in the kennels on top of large, lush pillows and blankets. Even during the early morning, staff at the St. Charles Humane Society are up and ready to keep the kennels as clean and as comforting for the animals as they can. With 11 staff members and over 100 volunteers willing to devote themselves to hours of diligent work, dedication is easily detect here.

“I’ll tell you what, when you come here you get attached,” Sargent said.

As Sargent walks into the back cleaning room the churning sound of a washing machine power washing through loads of blankets, towels and toys can be heard. On the right lies a bath tub, three feet wide by five feet long. All dogs take their turn getting a thorough washing. Sanitation is key for keeping away disease and helping the animals to stay clean and healthy.

On her way around the building, Sargent passes by many cages and kennels. At one particular cage a sign displays information on a young female Doberman: “Lola, spunky and energetic. Two and a half years old, a very sweet girl.”

14 page design by elizabeth.diggs

Lola has just returned from her mid-morning walk. As she trots into the building it seems as if she is smiling, happy to be home. She runs into the many pairs of open arms in front of her with faces bright and happy to see her. A woman in the background cheerfully sings the tune of “Copacabana” by Barry Manilow.

“Her name is Lola, she was a show girl.”

Lola is walked outside to the outdoor kennels. St. Charles Humane Society owns five acres of land. Outside there are over 20 cages and kennels so that every dog gets to have some outdoor free time. With playtime, baths and comfortable living, it’s clear the animals are treated very kindly here.

The friendly smiles and wagging tails make it easy to see the level of comfort provided at the kennel.

“The staff is fantastic,” Sargent said. “The volunteers are wonderful and the animals are great. I have not had one problem.”

At the outdoor cages, you can hear the pitter-patter sound of trotting paws as a friendly, loving face comes to greet visitors at the fence. Each affectionate animal will be sure to give a playful bark, a sniff or a wet kiss.

The main goal at the Humane Society is to find loving, responsible parents to provide a forever home for the animals. In the orientation room, where individuals get acquainted with the animals that they are considering adopting, many photos of happy, lucky dogs that found a forever home can be seen. The St. Charles Humane Society works diligently to make sure an animal is going to a home where he/she will be well treated and cared for.

“I like seeing the animals each day,” Sargent said. “I like seeing new animals come in and which animals got adopted.”

As many lay asleep in their beds, volunteers and staff at the St. Charles Humane Society are up and devoting their time to giving animals a better life. There is an undeniable feeling of love and friendship in the air.

fhn or see upcoming events, visit the St.

To volunteer, look into dogs for adoption

today Charles Humane society Web site at com www.stcharleshumanesociety.org

Staff and volunteers at the St. Charles Humane Society work to provide healthy and pleasant environments for all of the animals that call it their home. Many different breeds of dogs and cats live at the shelter. Each and every animal gets food, a nice place to sleep and that always needed play-time.(kaitlyn williams)

Are you ready to adopt?

Here are a few questions to consider before making the decision to adopt a pet.

Do you or any family members have allergies to pet dander?

Will the pets you already own get along with other animals?

Will you have time to train the animal properly?

Are there rules against having pets where you live?

Do you have enough space for a pet?

Is there a veternarian near by in case of an emergency?

Can you financially support your pet?

Will you be able to give the pet the attention it needs?

FUND RAISING! Contact Us For Your Organization’s Next Fundraiser Call Tom Weymouth at

636-946-8772 for more info.

WE SUPPORT KNIGHTS ATHLETICS

We are on Facebook!

Search “McAlister’s Deli St. Louis, MO” to become a fan.

1598 Country Club Plaza Dr. St. Charles, MO 63303

LAST CHANCE! for a $50 yearbook Price goes up to $65 on Jan. 1 Not sure if you bought one?

Go online to FHNtoday.com for a list of who purchased a yearbook.

Pay by check or cash in room 026 or the main office Pay by credit card on fhntoday.com

spencer creek dental care

307 S Main Street St. Charles, MO 63301 (636) 949-0105 msbstchas@sbcglobal.net www.mainstreetbooks.net

A beautiful smile is a lasting impression.

(636) 928-0880

www.spencercreekdc.com

ACT SAT/PSAT PREP 1-800 CAN LEARN

Dance Connection Performing Arts Center 71 Boone Hills Dr. St. Peters, Mo. 63376 636-447-3365 www.stldcpac.com Classes in: -Jazz -Tap -Ballet -Acro Voice/Piano Lessons Birthday Parties

“Education Through the Arts” 2772 Muegge Rd. St. Charles, MO 63303 Tel: 636-928-0066 Fax: 636-928-3990 StCharlesMo@hlcmail.com

GIVE YOURSELF A HOLIDAY PRESENT! 35% OFF ANY ONE HAIR SERVICE OR 25% OFF ANY ONE NAIL SERVICE (retail product purchases not included) Valid through January 15, 2009 Appointments & Walk-ins welcome Interested in Cosmetology or Nail Training? Classes now forming.

Please visit our Web Site at www.praob.edu for more information.

Financial Aid available for those who qualify.

All services performed by students under the supervision of licensed educators.

Family friendly Homemade entrees Sports Specials Karaoke

Two Locations: #18 Northwest Plaza St. Ann, MO 63074 (314) 298-8808 5065 Highway N Cottleville, MO 63304 (636) 447-0650

The Academy will be closed the week between Christ!% / ' 47>/ % / &' '/./ 3/ 0/ //<95=: mas and New ,97:-/8?>2>>5> Years. ;5<;/ %' / /./ & # && 0/ //<995: ,<9<-/::=25<;5

"( / $ / / " / !1/ 9;6/ / / " / (" / /8;6/ / / " / ("

Have you purchased your 2009-2010 yearbook yet?

!

&' / %/ ) 3 & ' /( / /+ */ /' /%%%3 ' *3 / /" )' 3

The deadline is approaching that

will increase the price from $50 to

$65. ' '&/ /'#' &'*& / / /% / '& 3/// &&/ # / ) /* / / / / # / /& / ' 3

To see if you have purchased a yearbook, go to FHNtoday.com Go online to FHNtoday.com or to room 026 before Jan. 1. and purchase your yearbook.

Checks can be made out to FHN.

Check out the new Knight Life today on www.fhntoday.com A story on Oasis food pantry, around the commons, sports, and more!

Cyber awareness

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Photo Illustrations by rj.howes

page design by barbara.jean.palmer & kelsey.bell

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The real dangers of online dating Home Your profile Invite Public timeline Badges Settings Help Sign out

What is your opinion about online relationships and internet dating services?

Comment - Like - Share

What are you doing?

Characters available: 140

Learn the cons of online dating and how it can affect you.

Meagan Bruns, 12

They can be helpful to some people, but you have to be careful.

Kaley Short, 11

It’s stupid and people need to meet in person. It’s also dangerous.

Update

What You And Your Friends Are Doing

1 2 3 4 5 6

In America alone over 40 million people use online dating sites.

Not everyone on an online dating site is honest about their identity. Photos aren’t always realistic, some people lie about other things such as their age, location, and name.

They’re good for some people but for others they don’t work out.

Amada Edmiston, 9 I think they’re weird, because people should fall in love on their own, not through a website.

Graphic by kelsey.bell & danielle.yuede

Establishing an online relationship runs the risk of meeting a dishonest person who is not in search of a relationship, but to lure targets into a false sense of security and cause harm.

Cyber stalkers can use internet dating sites to make contact with people, then begin stalking them in real life.

People could be seeking affairs online. People can lie about their real would relationships in the online world

Online scammers also exist in the online dating world, they are people who will seek out the trust of people to get large amounts of money, Graphic by kelsey.bell & barbara.jean.palmer

Information from www.associatedcontent.com, www.publicbookshelf.com, and www.getonlinedatingfacts.com

20

Heather Hale, 10

page design by barbara.jean.palmer & kelsey.bell

in.depth

Sarah Griffin experiences Myspace fraud

? danielle.yuede

S

arah Griffin did these drugs…

Sarah Griffin has sexual relations with these guys…

Sarah Griffin hates these people…

Junior Sarah Griffin had statuses like these typed on “her” Myspace profile. During Sarah’s sophomore year, someone made a fake profile of her and posted rumors.

“A lot of rumors got spread around because of it,” Sarah says. “It violated my privacy a lot.”

Sarah found the profile when she looked on a friend’s Myspace. She saw her name but recognized the picture wasn’t hers. She clicked on it and realized she was right. Someone took her pictures and information and then typed rumors about her.

“I felt like they were taking me and recreating me into something else, something that I am not,” Sarah says.

Sarah has no idea who made the profile or why. She only guesses.

“I am not the nicest person sometimes,” Sarah admits. “Maybe I made someone angry. It was like someone was trying to get back at me for something.”

When Sarah found the profile she told nobody except friends because she didn’t want to disappoint her parents.

FHN crisis counselor Debbie Ma-

son says teens should tell someone.

“Tell parents, counselors, resource officers, or police department,” Mason says. “As an adult it’s identity theft.

When people say stuff anonymously, it can be taken to harmful levels.”

Although Sarah’s experience was created through a social networking site, she doesn’t blame it but rather those using it.

“I don’t think it is Myspace’s fault,” Sarah says. “It has to do with the people on it. You should know who you are adding and keep your profile private. You just have to watch for all of that.”

School resource officer Patrick Fitzgerald has dealt with numerous cyber identity theft cases and agrees that teens should be aware of the dangers.

Fitzgerald says the punishments range from misdemeanor to felony.

“In high school we deal with more misdemeanors,” Fitzgerald says. “The difference between misdemeanor and felony is the person is trying to gain something.”

Sarah has looked past the situation and is handling it with optimism.

“The main thing is, don’t let it bother you as much,” Sarah says. “You know who you are on the inside and even if stuff gets out, just remember that people will forget. Just give it time and keep your chin up.”

Sarah Griffin likes English.

Sarah Griffin is involved in FHN choir. Sarah Griffin loves these people…

Sarah Griffin had someone impersonate her on Myspace by making a fake profile using her name and pictures. The question mark symbolizes the anonymous person who created this profile. (crystal friedman)

How do you know if a person is really who they say they are on facebook?

Comment - Like - Share

Matt Matyi, 9

Because of the the things they say.

Sara Jewson, 10 By looking at the mutual friends and their pictures.

Robbie Springman, 9 Talk about it outside of Facebook.

Melanie Voisey, 11 You never really do. It’s kind of scary.

Liz Crandall, 12 You don’t. It is hard to know for sure.

page design by barbara.jean.palmer & kelsey.bell

21

District looks at social networks while hiring sidney.shelton

T

here are currently about 1,450 certified staff members employed in the Francis Howell School District. All 1,450 staff members that work for the district have had their backgrounds checked through the FBI, the state of Missouri, Division of Family Services, and for some even their social networks.

“We want to make sure we have a safe school for all the students,” Board of Education Vice President Marty Hodits said.

“It tells information about an individual and it would give you some information about inappropriate information.”

The District has been checking social networking sites for about two to three years. The District decided that they needed to start looking at sites like Facebook after they became more popular. Because the District doesn’t check these sites regularly, they have the teachers sign a sheet stating that they don’t have anything inappropriate on their page. So far, no teachers have been denied jobs as a result of a social network check.

The District recognizes that Facebook and other Web sites have grown enormously over the years for several reasons.

“For present generation, the young people, you’ll want a lot of information quickly,” Hodits said, “To be able to talk to people and get responses quickly.”

Because of the severity of the personal information people put on the sites, FHSD has found it a necessity to start checking specifically for inappropriate material such as racy pictures and negative comments regarding education and kids.

22

page design by barbara.jean.palmer & kelsey.bell

What do you think about teachers befriending students on facebook?

Comment - Like - Share

Kaylie Habighorst, 12 I don’t think that it’s a big deal, as long as they are not creepy about it.

Mack Weaver, 10 I think it’s fine, as long as there’s nothing bad.

Sarah Bruce, 10

I think it’s kinda creepy, and I don’t really think they should do it.

Catie Blake, 9

I don’t really mind it, but I think they are just trying to scope people out.

should be careful - schools aren’t the “It leaves us with minimal only ones utilizing the information put amounts of surprises of the person’s on social networking sites. past history or present,” Hodits said.

“I think in this current environ“You have to look at the whole thing. ment of technology that it’s something We want the best employees and the that all employers are doing,” Board one who has the best interest in the Director Stephen Johnson said. kids.”

Though the District checks employee’s social networks sites before How many teachers are you they hire employees, they do not friends with on facebook? have the rights to check the students 2% 5-6 even though Superintendent Renée 6% Schuster feels they are the reason for 9% 6 or 3-4 more the majority of the District’s social networking problems.

“We have problems with students 59% 24% None bullying each other and [posting] inap1-2 propriate pictures,” Schuster said.

However, the District doesn’t get involved with the student’s social networking sites until after the police or if there is a complaint. As for teachers, Schuster feels it is OK for them be on the internet as long as they are careful with what they post. Furthermore, teachers aren’t the only adults who

The North Star surveyed ten percent of the school in order to to find out how involved students are with social networks.

How much time do you spend on social networking sites weekly?

What were the photos of?

35% Other

Have you ever posted inappropriate photos of yourself on any social networks?

8% more than 15 hours

6% 11-15 hours

20% Yes

4% 51-250

1% 251-500 3% 500+

14% 11-15 hours

How many friends do you have on Myspace?

56% 1-5 hpurs

80% No

29% Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have one 14% 500+

46% 54%

12% 0-50

80% Dont have one

16% none

38% Drinking/ smoking

27% Revealing photos

How many followers do you have on Twitter?

11% 0-50 21% 51-250 25% 251 - 500

How many friends do you have on Facebook? said that they have lied about personal information on social networking webites. said they have always been truthful about themselves on social networking websites.

18% donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have one

9%

0-50

16%

27%

500+

51-250 30%

251-500

In the news

Sexting becomes a problem Sexting has become a problem with teens. Sexting is sharing sexually explicit photos, videos and chat by cell phone or online. Young people have faced charges, sometimes felony charges for sending nude photos. Missouri and Illinois both have laws against sexting.

For more information go to http://bit.ly/2AYO

Cyberbullying affects victims A 12 year old from St. Charles County tried to commit suicide on Nov. 5 by taking 200-milligram ibuprofen pills. The girl is in the 7th grade and was harassed by some 8th graders through Myspace and texting. The bullying through texting led her to attempt suicide.

For more information go to http://bit.ly/7TMNik

page design by barbara.jean.palmer & kelsey.bell

23

in.depth

Social networking in your school

Cyberbullying can be punishable by law

With so many kids on social networks sites there is bound to be a problem. Cyberbullying is one of the down sides that comes from using social networking sites. (lydia ness)

kelsey.bell

T

he act of an adolescent using digital technology as a way to harass, threaten, humiliate, or embarrass another adolescent is defined as cyberbullying. When an adult is involved, it’s then defined as cyberharassment. According to FHN Officer Pat Fitzgerald, some teens engage in cyberbullying without realizing that it’s a problem.

“I think it’s a big problem,” Fitzgerald said. “Bullying has always been there, but with the technology of the internet and texting, there’s more opportunity to threaten others.”

The opportunities include actions such as, posing as someone else on a social networking site and spreading

Cyberbullying solutions

1

Avoid bullying back. If someone is persistently bullying you online, do not respond. Stop the instances by immediately deleting the user from your friends list and adding them to your block list.

Take a look at ways to help prevent and deal with cyberbullying amoung you and your friends.

4

Don’t take part. If someone forwards a message to you containing a mean rumor, photos that have been posted without consent, or a private conversation with someone else’s personal information inside, do not keep spreading that content.

Graphic by kelsey.bell

24

2

page design by barbara.jean.palmer & kelsey.bell

Ignore it. After receiving a message that you believe could contain something harmful, delete it before even reading it. Anything a rude cyber bully has to say doesn’t need to be read.

5

3

Get help. The things cyber bullies can do can leave a lasting impression on their victims. If you experience cyberbullying, simply stopping the messages may not be enough to fix the situation. Talk to someone you trust if you need help.

rumors online, all the way to sending harmful messages to others. Sophomore Alex Shannon has experienced cyberbullying first hand - as a victim.

“These girls in my middle school made a mean video about me and my friends, then sent it to me,” Shannon said. “It really hurt me, but mostly made me mad. They were too scared to come up to me and say it to my face.”

According to Shannon, The main problems she saw concerning cyberbullying were the lengths the bullies go to in order to hurt the other person.

“I think whenever people are cyberbullying they act differently than they do in real life,” Shannon said. “They’re meaner because they’re not scared of what the other person might do.

They’re not face to face.”

Kids may not fear the outcome of

Report it. Complaints about cyberbullying can be submitted to the site’s moderators.

If you report incidences not only does the situation get handled, but you won’t be held to blame for any retaliation that could have resulted if you tried to handle the problem yourself.

6

Prevent it. People often become cyber bullies to fit in with their group of friends, or to be funny. Prevent cyberbullying among your friends by making it known that it’s not cool.

Cyber tips

Home Profile Friends Inbox

Have you ever chatted mean things to someone on a social network?

Settings Logout

What is on your mind?

What do you think about Cyberbullying and the law

46% no

54% yes

39% 61%

that has been placed because of it?

Share

freshman Emily Meyer “It’s all around the internet but I don’t do it. I like them depending on how severe it’s you can’t go to jail for calling someone a jerk over the internet.” said they have been harrassed/bullied by someone online before. said they’ve never been harrassed/bullied by anyone online before.

How do you feel about laws being passed to prevent cyberbullying?

Comment Like

sophomore Brea Holmes “It’s not necessary and more people should be aware about it.”

Comment Like

junior Jeremy Brinkman “Its’ got a negative impact on our lives it hurts everybody around you.”

Comment Like

Comment - Like - Share

Tariq Eddington, 12 I think they are good, but I don’t think they’ll be enforced.

Haley Gilbert 10 I think it’s a good idea depending on how the law is used.

Alex Lalonde, 10

junior Matt Spak “I think that it’s a crime that is stupid and immature. They are good laws after what happened to Megan Meier.”

Comment Like

freshman Jasmine Wahlbrink “It’s bad and it’s [law] a good idea because it will prevent it.”

Comment Like

sophomore Tyler Messmer “I think that cyberbullying could be avoided if people were respectful online.”

They aren’t going to help.

Comment Like

Kayla Koeneman, 9

I think it’s good that they passed it but I think there’s still going to be cyberbullying.

junior Marita Shaw “I don’t like it because it’s just another chance for the big guy to put down the little guy.

Everyone makes a difference in this world.”

Comment Like

Graphic by barbara.jean.palmer & kelsey.bell & sidney.shelton

page design by barbara.jean.palmer & kelsey.bell

25

in.depth

cyberbullying, but according to Police Commander Mike Jewson, it can have serious consequences.

“There are some instances with bullying on the internet that if you do, you can be charged with a crime,” Jewson said, “Like if you provide false info about yourself.”

Missouri statute on harassment states that if someone knowingly frightens, intimidates or causes emotional distress to another person through any electronic communication, it results in a class A misdemeanor. A second violation results in a class D felony.

“People need to be conscious that it is a crime,” Fitzgerald said. “A lot of times when people do it, they don’t realize that. Their answer is always ‘everyone does it.’ Internet bullying does seem different, but the end results are the same.”

St. Charles County Cyber Crime Unit tracks predators online kelsey.bell

I

Detective Lawrence McClain works at his desk on Nov. 20. McClain is a digital detective who looks for evidence of a crime on any digital technology. Items he scans for evidence include laptops, cameras, cell phones, and much more. (fareeha amir)

The detective team at the St. Charles Sheriff’s department has this black chest-like server which contains all the digital evidence they obtain from a crime. The server is decorated with lights for the holiday season. (fareeha amir)

26

page design by barbara.jean.palmer & kelsey.bell

n a dimly lit room with walls lined with computers, TV screens, and other equipment, Detective Lawrence McClain works in the lab as a full time forensic examiner at the St. Charles County Cyber Crime Unit.

The main purpose of the Cyber Crime Unit is to help investigate, solve, and prevent cyber crime. Among the crimes being investigated, many of them involve helping kids against the dangers they may face online.

“When people think about criminal justice and crimes that have been committed over the years they think about looking for fingerprints and DNA,” McClain said.

“Well, there’s usually not a crime committed today that doesn’t involve some sort of digital evidence, unfortunately about 80 percent of our caseload includes crimes against children.”

One of the dangers kids face online are sexual predators. A predator is someone who attempts to exploit vulnerable people, like children, for sexual purposes. According to McClain, the profiles of nearly 27,000 registered sex offenders were found and removed from Myspace in 2007.

Myspace is not the only place predators can be found, users of any social networking site could be at risk.

“People who I don’t know have sent me friend requests [on Facebook and Mspace] before,” sophomore Sara Jewson said. “It’s really creepy

because sometimes it’s guys who are way older than me.”

As a way to help reduce the number of these online predators, investigators of the Cyber Crime Unit are online everyday in an under-cover capacity. They create profiles on social networking sites where they pose as minors in order to find people who may target children online, including the kids shown on their fake profiles. The specific methods used by the Cyber Crime Unit to catch the predators are classified.

One of the Detectives that takes part in these type of investigations is Detective Marsha Corley.

“I have three profiles of 13-year-old girls,” Corely said. “I’ve had four different men drive to meet me, they actually show up to see who they think is a 13-year-old girl.”

When an investigator encounters one of these predators, they immediately seize the computers, cell phones, and whatever else was involved. They then proceed to get a complete analysis of the equipment to show exactly what occurred.

“Almost all the time the person will say, ‘I didn’t do that,’” McClain said. “Well that computer or cell phone is an independent third party witness that is going to show exactly what happened.”

According to McClain, kids should follow basic guidelines, like keeping personal information private,

person you’re talking to in the physical world, then you don’t really ever truly know who that person is,” McClain said. “We hear kids all the time saying ‘well I know them.’ Just because you know someone in cyber-space doesn’t mean you actually know them.

“The internet is a wonderful tool, we deal with the downside of it. The dangers can be prevented, however, if you are smart about how you use the internet.

What would you do if you felt a person talking to you online was a predator?

Comment - Like - Share

Maddie Eifert, 9 I would stop talking to them and tell my parents.

Profile safety tips Some predators have the ability to track people from their profile information on social networking sites. Having a safe profile is a way to prevent yourself from becoming a predators target.

1. Privacy Settings: Setting your profile to private limits access to your personal information for people who are not on your friends list. This allows you to keep strangers from reading your whole profile.

2. Screen name: Choose your The North Star screen name carefully. Don’t use your full name anywhere on the site, it’s safer to only use your first name, or a nickname.

3. Profile photo: Use caution when choosing your profile photo, and any other photos that appear on your page. Remember that you don’t have control over who sees your photos. Anyone on the site, even complete strangers can access your profile photo regardless to whether your profile is set to private or not.

View my : Pics | Videos 4. Friend Requests: To insure that no one threatening is on your Contacting North Star friends list, don’t accept requests from people you don’t know in real life.

Send Message 5. Messaging and Blocking: If a stranger sends you a message, be Add to Friends careful if you decide to respond. If the messages or friend requests Block User persist, and you feel uncomfortable add the user to your block list.

Ami Francis, 10

North Star Blurbs

I would delete them off of my profile and never talk to them again.

About me:

Alex Little, 11 I would stop talking to them, then I would block them.

Amanda Dejarnett, 11 I don’t normally talk to strangers online because of situations like that, I guess I would block them.

Erin Martin, 12 I would delete them from my friends list and stop talking to them.

in.depth

to prevent themselves from becoming a target.

“We ask people to protect three main things: their name, their full identity, and their reputation,” McClain said. “Just think before you post.

The ability to search the internet gets better and better everyday, giving out that information just puts yourself out there even more.”

In addition to these precautions, not talking to strangers is something people learn from childhood. The same principle applies online.

“Unless you really know the

6. Personal Information: Don’t fill out too much personal information.

People on social networking web sites don’t need to know things like your address, phone number, or the name of your school. You don’t know how strangers on social networking sites might use that information. If for some reason someone might need that kind of information they can contact you in real life and ask you to privately provide it to them. If personal information gets into the wrong hands, it could risk your safety.

Who I’d like to meet:

7. Suspicious activity: If someone you don’t know in real life tries to meet with you in person, asks you overly personal questions, or tries to send you offensive photos, report the user to site administrators.

North Star Friend Space St. Charles County Cyber Crime unit 5. Top friends: As a way to let the users on your friend’s list know about cyber safety, add the St. Charles County Cyber Crime Unit to your friends list and place them on your top friends

Information from www.scambusters.org/myspace.html

Graphic by kelsey.bell

page design by barbara.jean.palmer & kelsey.bell

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occer becomes more than a sport for special needs children Organization makes difference for local kids

Alex laughs as everyone does the Hokey Pokey together. The group all sang and danced together. (kaitlyn williams)

Soccer games were played at the Anheuser-Busch Soccer Park in Fenton.

Many of the volunteers and athletes dressed up at the event for Halloween. (kaitlyn williams)

30 page design by danielle.yuede

logan.ponche

I

t was chilly morning in Fenton Missouri. But despite the temperature hovering around 40 degrees, 90 or so parents, soccer players, and children are gathered in sweatshirts and costumes on the turf field at the Anheuser-Bush Conference Center (Soccer Park).

In the parking lot behind the bleachers of the field, a woman named Becky stands outside her silver minivan. At the moment she is busy fumbling with a pair of very small, pink cotton gloves covered with red peace signs. When she gets the gloves untangled, she stretches out the wristband and slides them over the hands of her daughter, Alexandria, who is waiting beside her, busy bobbing her head to headphones that pipe music into her ears. Today, like every Saturday for the past few months, Becky and Alexandria (most people call her Alex) are at the Conference Center to play soccer.

However playing soccer is a task much easier said than done for Alex. At the age of 7, Alex has been diagnosed with an autistic spectrum, Cerebral Palsy and an anxiety disorder. Alex needs assistance with almost every aspect of her life, and playing soccer is no exception. Which is why she is in Fenton with her mom this Saturday morning.

It’s on this field that SPENSA, the Special Needs Soccer Association - a non-profit soccer program for children with disabilities, meets. For some kids like Alex, SPENSA is their only opportunity to play sports. And while it only lasts for an hour, what takes place these Saturday mornings no chill could stop.

When the gloves are on, Becky puts a fuzzy, bright orange hat on over Alex’s curly black hair, and wheels her toward the field. With her right hand, she pushes the wheelchair with Alex in it. With her left, she pushes an orange walker.

Alex bobs her head.

“She listens to music so she doesn’t get overwhelmed,” Becky said.

Everyone gathers at the bleacher side of the field near the entrance to the park. Most of the people here now are volunteers who consist of local boys and girls soccer club teams, but other groups and individuals are here as well. At the front of the crowd, a table sits covered with so many different colored name-tags and sharpie markers it’s a miracle none fall off.

Donna Byrne, the administrator, sits behind the table wearing a white coat over pale green scrubs. A stethoscope hangs around her neck. Today is one of the last Saturdays in the fall session and because it’s Halloween, kids and

Alex’s “buddies” position themselves around her and help her out onto the field. Maddie stands behind Alex while Mallorie and Abbey stand on either side. Near the side line, two small yellow goals are placed about 10 yards apart.

“Come on Alex, let’s go!”

Once on the field, Mallorie places the ball at Alex’s feet. Alex slowly kicks it forward towards the yellow goal; the ball rolls less than a foot in front of her with each kick. Maddie helps push her walker in the back while the other two shout encouragement to her.

“You can do it! You’re almost there!”

When it seems Alex is starting to make some real progress, her leg brace gets stuck underneath her. But before she can loose her balance, Abbey is there to help. She swoops down and repositions Alex’s foot. Once unstuck, Alex continues closer towards the goal.

She’s only a foot away now.

“Come on! Come on! Yes!” The girls shout.

With one final kick the ball rolls across the line. All of the girls cheer.

Alex smiles.

It’s moments like this why Janet Oberle has been coming to SPENSA for 13 years. A volunteer when she was in high school, Oberle is now president of the board for SPENSA. “What draws me back every week is [the ability] to give this opportunity,” Oberle said. “For me, I learn so much from the kids. Each week you’re reminded to never underestimate someone’s abilities.”

At the end of the day, all of the

volunteers and players circle up around the middle of the field for their traditional send off. The hokey pokey.

You put your right hand in, you put your right hand out, you put your right hand in and you shake it all about.

“Oh this is the best,” Board member John Schneider said. “The kids have so much fun, it’s really pure.

You come down here and you see what soccer is really about.”

You do the hokey pokey and you turn yourself around, that’s what it’s all about.

Mallorie, Abbey and Maddie help Alex do the dance. All four girls can’t stop smiling.

That’s what it’s all about.

play.hard

volunteers alike dress for the occasion. Anytime a parent and child walk up Donna smiles and asks “do you want boys or girls?” At the same time another woman, Shirley McBroom, ropes in volunteers - either boys or girls- from their teams in twos and threes to match up with a player. These volunteers will be the player’s “buddies” for the day. The entire operation picks up just after nine, when most of the players come in.

When mom and Alex reach the sign up table they meet Alex’s “buddies” for the day. Today there are three girls from Saint Louis United Soccer Club. Abbey, dressed as Spiderman, Maddie, dressed as a Dalmatian and Mallorie, dressed as a ninja turtle.

“Hey, are you ready to play soccer today?” Maddie the Dalmatian asks.

Alex has one hand holding the ear of her headphones like a DJ while Becky puts on her white leg braces.

Alex had surgery last December to lengthen her hamstrings. Limited mobility is a common symptom for children with Cerebral Palsy, the surgery cut some of the tendons in order to give her a larger range of movement.

“Alright you ready?” Becky asks Alex.

Alex opens her arms and her mother picks her up. She leaves her chair and the two go straight into a hug. She tucks her head to one side and for the first time, seems to relax a bit. Mother and daughter slow dance as they turn around to face the walker. When they reach 180 degrees, Alex lets go of her mothers waist, grabs a hold of her walker and steadies herself.

“Alright let’s go,” Maddie says.

What is SPENSA? Stands for: Special Needs Soccer Association Years running: 20+ Funding: Donations from individuals and corporations Ages of Athletes: 5-21 years old Location: Anheuser Busch Conference and Sports Center Kind of organization: Non-profit Runs: September through November and March through May Web site: www.spensa.org

Athletes and volunteers stretch before playing and doing drills.

SPENSA brings the opportunity of playing soccer to anyone with a mental or physical disability in the St. Louis area. (kaitlyn williams)

page design by danielle.yuede

31

Pressure does not hold back freshmen emily.forst

Senior Blair Williamson tries to get the puck around his Fort Zumwalt South opponent. The Knights ended the game with a 3-0 score, continuing their winning streak. (nicole thompson)

New coach brings success hannah.hamilton

A

s of Dec. 10 , the Varsity hockey team has already gained a record of 5-1-2, has played a number of memorable games, and has racked up 41 goals.

“I think they play together well,” Head coach Paul Bruemmer said.

“There’s a real good chemistry among the kids.”

This year Bruemmer took the position as head coach, for the Knights while Adam Tesson and Bryan Fuhler occupy the position as assistant coaches. Bruemmer has been coaching Knights’ hockey for three years along with Tesson and Fuhler.

“I was happy to hear that he was the new head coach because most of us are a lot more comfortable with him because he was our JV coach last year,” senior Johnny McPeak said.

This year the team has four juniors and ten seniors. The number of seniors this year has made an expansive impact on the teams’ success so far.

“I think what makes the team this year different from teams in previous

32 page design by adam.rapert

years, is the fact that there is a larger number of seniors,” Fuhler said.

“They [the seniors] understand their roles, and they play at a higher level.”

Along with the teams’ other contributing factors for their success so far, the team is enthusiastic about the new captains that will be helping the team this season. The captains are chosen by the coaches based on leadership skills, experience, and trust. This year they are seniors Michael Comer, Justin Kendall, and Matt Stobart.

“Our three captains will be a big part of the team this year,” senior Robby Friedlein said.

Often overlooked, the crowd also plays a large role in the team’s success.

“I would like to see more people out there, more of the student body,” Bruemmer said. “And I think we are a fun team to watch this year. We’re a lot better than we were last year.”

fhn

today com

To see photos from the ice hockey season, check out the albums page at FHNtoday.com.

The freshman Cheerleading squad is preparing to take first in their upcoming competition. On Jan. 10 they will be competing in an area-wide National Cheerleading Association competition to be held at The Family Arena. The team earned first place at State Regionals on Aug. 4 and they hope to continue their success.

“They know what to expect now,” freshman Cheerleading coach Lindsay Brinkley said. “They’ve also been working really hard, and do [well] under pressure.”

The team has been focused on improving on their tumbles and stunts.

According to Brinkley, they have gotten to this point because of hard work, dedication and team effort.

“We practice three days a week and we are always working on improving our routines,” freshman cheerleader Colleen McCurry said.

The girls are looking forward to showing off their improvement. Freshman cheerleader Allie Medlin believes the team is beginning to be able to work together to achieve success.

“Our back-hand springs have improved and we have a lot more advanced stunting and we are starting to work more as a team,” Medlin said.

winter sports: by the

numb3rs

Here are some random facts about FHN’s winter sports and the athletes playing in them.

BRUNETTES ON GIRLS’ BASKETBALL TEAM:

7

RETURNING STATE WRESTLERS:

2 AVERAGE BOWLING SCORE:

155

TALLEST BOY ON BASKETBALL TEAM:

6’7” GOALS SCORED BY HOCKEY TEAM:

41

GIRLS ON SWIM TEAM:

25

Girls dive into new season adam.rapert

The girl’s swim team has yet another young team. On top of that, size has decreased. Last year the team had 30 swimmers, this year the team has 25. They lost Lauren Thrasher, a State swimmer, as well as six other seniors.

“I believe this year will be a lot like last year,” Coach Chip Crow said.

“There is a lot of young ability with all the new swimmers.”

With a new season comes new goals for all the individual swimmers.

“My goals this year are similar to last year’s,” junior Amy Getzlow said.

“I want to make it to finals in both the events I swim and just overall improve my times from last year and through out this year.”

The girls won their first meet on Dec. 7 against Hazelwood Central

Swim coach Beth Phillips gives directions to sophomore Rebecca Hutson at practice on Dec. 2. The girls swim team has practice from 8-10 p.m. on week days at the Rec Plex. (sam hurrell)

with a score of 102-64. It seems the team’s youth and size hasn’t been a disadvantage.

“I believe we won because we had a little bit stronger of a team,” Coach Beth Phillips said. “We took a lot of first and second place finishes, and that really helps out.”

nicole.clouse

K

nightline’s annual competition at Lindbergh High School took place on Saturday, Dec. 5. Hundreds of schools from all around the St. Louis area and the Francis Howell School District, including rivals Howell and Francis Howell Central, attended the event. With so much competition and rivalry, Knightline set aside much of their time and worked vigorously to perfect their routines.

“Besides our regular practices that we do every week,” sophomore Sarah Cole said, “we practiced the week before the competition, everyday from 6 a.m. until school started and after school from 2:30 until 5. The practices were really intense and our team worked really hard.”

As the team strived to perfect their routines, many steps were taken to ensure that their dances were as good as they could be.

“We practiced a lot,” coach Kelly Pierce said. “We video-taped and critiqued ourselves so that we could improve and get better with out routines.”

The event started at 8 a.m. and awards were given at 5 p.m. All throughout the day teams performed and competed for a variety of awards.

Although their pom routine did not place at the event, the long, painstak-

with senior Michael Blanzy

Senior Michael Blanzy talks with the North Star about his time on the bowling team. A bowler for years, this is Blanzy’s first season playing in a league.

Senior Alicia Delaney performs the Knightline’s tribute to Michael Jackson at senior night on Oct. 30.

Varsity danced Dec. 5 at the Lindbergh high school competition and placed third. (fareeha amir)

ing practices did pay off in the end.

Varsity Knightline took third place out of nine for their kick routine.

“When our name was announced for third place our team got really excited,” freshman Kelly Gannon said.

“It was a big surprise and we were all really happy.”

Knightline’s next big competition

will be at St. Charles High School in January. With additional hours of practice and preparation, Cole says Knightline hopes to progress, overcome obstacles and better themselves.

“Our team hopes to improve in the upcoming weeks,” Cole said. “I know we can improve a lot and accomplish more challenging goals.”

Players recognize returning experience, chemistry olivia.ong

Senior Fiona Brooks goes for a jump-ball against her Troy opponent. The Varsity girls basketball team is 2-2 as of Dec. 10. Their next game is Friday Dec. 18 at Holt. (file photo)

&A

play.hard

Knightline squad strives for perfection Q

After winning only one of their first three games, it can be said the girls basketball season has had a rough start. However, unlike last year, this year’s team is still expected to perform more competitively throughout the rest of the season.

“For the first time we [the team] should be able to have close games with every team that we play against,” Head coach Dawn Hahn said. “We have more experienced players this year than the last.”

First time Varsity player junior Rachel Pauley has high hopes.

“My strategy in a game would be just to always to hustle and never give up,” Pauley said.

The team’s natural chemistry only makes Hahn’s job easier, for she is always striving to bring the team closer and therefore making them even more

successful.

“Everyday I work with the team’s chemistry, also I try to focus on how the girls can learn how to play better together,” Hahn said.

As for senior Fiona Brooks, after playing varsity for three years she hopes to finish her last year with the team on a good note.

“Since I’m a senior this year, I’m looking forward to playing and winning all our games,” Brooks said. “I’m pretty sure that this year will be so much better than last, because we have six Varsity players retuning, and the team works really good together, but most of all I’m just looking forward to having fun with the rest of the team.”

The girls next play at home this Friday, Dec. 18 at 7 p.m.

fhn

today com

To see the scores from the girls basketball season, check out FHNtoday.com.

as told to zach.meier

NS: What’s your biggest expectation for the rest of this season?

MB: To improve my average; I would like to end this season with the average of a 140.

NS: Where is your favorite place to bowl?

MB: Cave Springs Lanes would have to be my favorite; the lanes are not too oily and not too dry. If they are too dry then your ball will hook too much, if they’re too oily they don’t hook enough.

NS: What is the best part of the game?

MB: The clutch endings because

they are exciting.

NS: What is the reason you decided to bowl?

MB: My mom, she is good at bowling and she taught me how.

NS: How many years have you been bowling?

MB: This is my first year bowling

on a league. Over the summer it was consistently fun and cheap so I stuck with it.

NS: What is the best thing about bowling?

MB: Hearing the pins crash when

you get a “textbook strike.”

page design by olivia.ong

33

Junior Andre Wooten lunges towards the ball in North’s first Varsity boy’s basketball game. On Friday, Dec. 4, Varsity won by a score of 47-38 against FZN. (lydia ness) Senior Brandon Szuba takes on a Wentzville Holt player on Dec. 2. The Knight wrestlers started off with a rough season, but are planing to do better by practicing six days a week. Szuba is looking forward and achieving his goal to place for state this year. (jacqueline sage)

Wrestlers grapple for positions

Lack of players in weight classes prevent Knights from first win mckenna.roberts

I

n most sports, each person has a team by their side to back them up and help them out, but that’s not the case for wrestling. When they play, they look their opponent in the eye and try to figure out their first move. From that moment on, the win depends on them.

“I like knowing that it’s all me out there and no one can lose or win it for me,” Varsity wrestler Harold Ritchie said.

The team this year consists of two returning State wrestlers as well as both new and returning members.

get to know

WRESTLING

SWIMMING

BASKETBALL BASKETBALL

your athletes

Practicing six days a week and fully dedicating themselves all season long, the boys are moving along although they encountered a bit of a rough start by losing to Holt on Dec. 2 by 51-23 margin.

“We are still trying to figure out weight classes right now,” Head coach Harold Ritchie said. “So we still have many missing which will cause us to have to forfeit for them giving the other team six points towards their score.”

With only 14 weight classes and some classes remaining unfilled, the team will have a lot to overcome after the start of this year’s season.

Although the team is still working on ironing out the kinks, they pulled through on the Dec. 4, 12-team Parkway South Tournament with a third place finish overall. The Knights were led by Brandon Szuba, Jason Shell and Ritchie, who all went undefeated and took first place in their weight classes. Teammates Sam Stewart and Tom Foley also helped lead the team to success by finishing in second place in their class.

“We try to get better every day, it’s one of our goals,” coach Ritchie said.

“At the end of the year all the practice takes care of itself and it’s what leads us to success.”

athlete who you compare to

sports skill where you excel

all-time best sports movie

favorite artist

Evan Longoria

passing

White Men Can’t Jump

All That Remains

Shaq

and one’s

Space Jam

Owl City

Michael Phelps

free-style

The Longest Yard

Lil’ Wayne

Is Superman an athlete?

take downs

Rocky

Marvin Gaye

Jared Agre, 9

Erin Powelson, 10

Brittany Burke, 11

Jeff Shell, 12

Seniors, juniors unite team julia.gabbert

T

his year the Varsity boys basketball team is composed of 12 juniors and seniors who have practiced diligently since early November. Many players, as well as head coach Bill Moyer, feel confident about this season.

“I think we’ll have a good season,” junior Jake Sander said. “We’ve been working hard off season and working hard as a team. We’re all pretty good and we’re going to come together as a team.”

In addition to Sander, senior Joachim Thankesley is also new to FHN and the team.

“They’re typical teenagers, so it makes no difference where they’re from,” Moyer said. “We have team goals that we need to achieve, so people coming from different schools should not be a big factor.”

The first home game took place on Dec. 4 against FZN, with the Knights defeating the Panthers 47-38.

“It [the game] gets us determined for the season,” senior Wes Simone said “It was a very, very big win. It helped get us prepared for Ritenor.”

The team is looking forward to the season and is looking to improve last year’s record of 11-15.

“It’s a new season, it’s a new beginning, we’re optimistic going into a new year,” Moyer said. “We feel we have a better team, so we’re looking forward to improving on last year.”

out scores and pictures fhn Tofromcheck the basketball team, go to

today FHNtoday.com. com

34 page design by logan.ponche

photo

Friends Forever photography by stephanie graflage page design by name.here

OD

Loren Ingle stands holding a photo of herself fishing at age three. “When I was little I wasn’t afraid of people, I would just go up to them and start talking,” Ingle said. “In middle school I became more shy, but once I got to high school I became more outgoing.: (stephanie graflage)

Jan.

Standing and displaying a photo of herself as a young girl, senior Aramis Owens realizes just how much she has changed.

“When I was a child, I was definitely a tomboy and was very sporty, “ Owens said. (stephanie graflage)

Senior Randi Yousey stands and holds a picture of herself as a child. She was a little different than she is now “One word to describe me as a child is calm. I would also say I was adventerous and trick,” Yousey said. (stephanie graflage)

Feb.

March

April Best friends Loren Ingle, Aramis Owens, and Randi Yousey all take time to capture memories from each month of their last year of high schol. (photos submitted)

Best friends since fourth grade, Ingle, Owens, and Yousey enjoy have fun together and laughing a lot. “No matter how old you get, some things never change,” said Yousey. They still like to hang out and play different games. (stephanie graflage)

The three frame a picture in which highlights one of their many favorite high school memories. “One night we decided to go to Steak N’ Shake for dinnerand when we came out we realized Aramis had left her car on the entire time,” Ingle said. (stephanie graflage) Ingle, Owens, and Yousey each hold their camera which displays different parts of their face in a arrangement that shows how there friendship has brought them together.

“We are all really different, but have the same personality,” Owens said.

“We also all have a good sense of humor so we always have a good time together.”

They have been through everything together, and know that when those tough times arise they will be there for each otherw.

“Because we have a good sense of humor and similar personalities we don’t ever fight,” Ingle said. (stephanie graflage)

36 page design by stephanie.graflage

May

June

July

Aug.

Standing outside talking about each other’s day, the girls wait for the parking lot to clear out. “I know I can call them all the time without the other one getting mad,” Owens said. (stephanie graflage)

The girls go to pound it, but Ingle instead slides her hand under yelling snail. “We’ve been friends for so long that we are just our goofy selves when we are around each other. (stephanie graflage) After graduation the three girls whill all go off to college in defferent parts of the U.S. It will be hard for them, but they know they share something that will always tie them together.

“No matter what kind of seperation there is, if you are best friends, then there will always be something that holds you together,” Yousey said. (stephanie graflage)

Sept.

Oct.

Nov.

Ingle, Owens, and Yousey stand facing seperate directions demonstrating that after high school they will be going their seperate ways. “I think it’s going to be hard to seperate from all of my close friends because I am going to Ok. for six years, and I won’t get to come back a lot,” Yousey said. Their friendship of will be tested, but they know they have a rare bond they will tie them together forever. (stephanie graflage)

Dec. page design by stephanie.graflage

37

photo

Walking down the hallways at FHN, they will always keep with them the memories made and moments that made them who they are today.

“I have made so many friends, and that has forced me to be more outgoing,” Ingle said.

“Leaving FHN will be hard because I will miss seeing all of my friends.” (stephanie graflage)

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Dec. 11th through Dec. 22nd donate money during all lunches or in room 026 before and after school for your chance to win prizes. For every dollar you donate you will receive a raffle ticket that enters you into a drawing. All proceeds go to Adopt-a-Family to help out needy families here at North.

Looking to buy North items for the holidays.

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38 page design by mallory

Stephanie Graflage and Lydia Ness follow Ryan Gannon and Nick Ganousis around during mock rock and experience what it is like to be a mocker.

podcast

Weekly soundslides

Check out the podcast today for information on the Oasis Food Pantry, a story on the train town at Ace hardware, as well the regular sport segment, and in the commons.

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UP&COMING

...to a theater near you DEC. 15

“AVATAR” preview by sidney.shelton

Avatar features the story of Jake Sully. He is selected to go to another planet - which also happens to be home to the Navi, an entirely different race. In order to breathe on Pandora, the humans are turned into Avatars (Navi hybrids) and so begins Jake’s adventure. It’s sure to be action-packed and full of incredible special effects.

PG-13 DEC. 25

“SHERLOCK HOLMES”

GLEE: SEASON ONE abbey.grone

Every Wednesday night at 8 p.m., you will me find me on my long tan couch pointing the remote to my TV and pressing that button that takes me to Channel 2.

As the first season of Glee comes to an end, the one hour a week that I sit and watch TV is now over. Glee is undoubtedly one of TV’s hit phenomenons. Every thing about this show is good - there is never a dull moment. Either Sue Sylvester, head of the cheerleading squad, is making

someone’s life miserable or Terri Schuester, wife of the head of Glee club, is stirring drama up with her husband’s students.

Until next semester when the first episode of season two starts, I will have to manage by watching re-runs which is easy to do) or listening to the accompanying CD that features most of the songs sung by the cast in the episodes. I might actually have to find something productive to do on Wednesday nights.

On top of the show’s great plot, the music just tops every thing off. The

MUSIC: SUNSTREAK lauren.smith

Upon receiving the Sunstreak’s new ablum, Once Upon a Lie, I was skeptical. From the cover, it looked like every other pop punk bands’ cover out there. But then I popped the CD into my player and that’s when I realized that the Sunstreak was really unlike most

other bands out there.

From the opening sounds of the title track “Once Upon a Lie” to the chorus of “Great White Coma,” the Sunstreak does not disappoint. The voices of Tony Rebis, Jack Flynn and David Schuler mesh together in a new way that is surprisingly pleasant to the ears.

Not everything about this album is perfect though. Some songs on the album start to sound a little bit like

show is full of unfamiliar, yet extremely talented performers. And considering the wide range of unique personalities, it’s clear the Glee club at McKinnley High seems to accept everyone.

Last week’s finale unveiled more than one hefty surprise. Without giving too much away, let’s just say you’d need more than just a knife to cut through all of the tension.

If you’re interested in catching a few episodes of Glee, check out hulu.com.

preview by nicole.renner

Once again a brilliant piece of literary work is being made for the big screen. Robert Downey Jr. has taken on the role of Holmes himself; furthermore, Jude Law will play as Holmes’ trusty colleague, Watson. The movie will capture the all of the danger, excitement, and wonder as Holmes sets out to decipher a perilous mystery.

PG-13

DEC. 25

“NINE” preview by julia.gabbert

Jack’s Mannequin in the opening parts. Also, some of their lyrics can get a little stereotypical and repetitive when it comes to love (there’s only so many times you can “promise” something), but they aren’t as bad as other songs that shall remain nameless.

Other than that, I’m not complaining.

So I urge you all to give the Sunstreak a chance.

“Nine” tells the story of a famous Italian filmmaker and his quest to overcome a mid-life crisis and balance the many women in his life. Starring Nicole Kidman, Kate Hudson, and Fergie, “Nine” promises to be epic and fun, competing with other Broadway musical film adaptations such as “Chicago” and “Moulin Rouge.”

PG-13 page design by betsy.blanchard 41

speak.out

ENTERTAINMENT

North Star Take: use your judgement editorial.staff

I

n this day and age, it is almost impossible to find a high school student that you can’t find on the Internet. Facebook and MySpace being most common, but definitely not the only ones. Many students will even admit to spending hours on end each day uploading photos and personal information, chatting with friends, and “stalking” people they may not know so well. For many reasons, social networking is great for kids. They can bring students from other schools together and spark conversations between two people. But are people getting a little too comfortable on the World Wide Web? Have you ever browsed through someone’s photo albums and seen something that would make your parents squirm?

Be aware - the things you post on the Internet can be seen by anyone.

And once you post it, never goes away.

Sure, you can delete anything, but for that short period it was up, people could have already seen it, made judgments, and possibly even have taken a screen shot of it. Be careful not to post anything that could potentially hurt you. The party you got a little too crazy at last weekend may have been fun at the time, but would you want your grandmother to see that side of you?

Officer Patrick Fitzgerald looks at students facebooks during school hours. Fitzgerald is allowed to look at them at any point. Some of the most common reasons why he looks at the profiles is if people are being threatened or if illegal things are going on. (jacqueline sage)

There are some police officers that have access to Facebook and MySpace.

Not just viewing profiles, but actually logging into and investigating accounts. This means they also have access to conversations you may have with people that not everyone can see.

No one is singled out. These officers have access to any account that may

show any evidence that a crime had occurred, or any other event that could alarm police. Police may take action depending upon the situation. For example, if something inappropriate is posted (scandalous photos, underage drinking, etc.), they may get in contact with your parents or school, rather than take legal action. According to an

officer, the police only scan profiles under extreme circumstances, but the fact remains: authorities have access to your profile.

Protect yourself on the Internet. Be aware of who you are talking to. Don’t post anything too personal. Remember you could be being watched by your parents, teachers, the law, or even someone you don’t know that may give MySpace and Facebook “stalking” a literal meaning. Think of all of the friends-of-a-friend you have seen online. Now think of all the people that could be doing the same thing to your profile. Online predators are out there. MySpace recently removed 90,000 registered sex offenders from their site, and an estimated 20% of high school students admit to meeting up with someone they had only met on the Internet. It is statistics like these that prove the threat and vulnerability posed to teens online.

Teens are not the only ones at risk, however. Teens are just as likely as adults to be monitored online by strangers.

Be aware. Be smart. Be conscious.

on behalf of the

North Star editorial staff

Personalities shine more brilliantly than piercings do allison.sheffler

A

bout three years ago as an incoming freshman, I wanted my nose pierced. I wanted it so badly, I begged my dad day after day to let me get it done. However, he wouldn’t budge. His answer over and over again was “No, Allison. It represents you badly.” Back then, I really didn’t understand but you know the saying that with age comes wisdom.

Before I get to far into this column, I’d like to make something very clear.

I’m not hating on people who have facial piercings but just the piercing in general. I’m not writing this to upset anyone. I’m simply writing this because it’s my opinion and I’ll stand by it.

42 page design by scott.jones

Facial piercings look awkward and they make me feel uncomfortable. I know that sounds strange but when I see someone with a ring through their nose like a bull, I start cringing.

I don’t understand how people think these piercings look good on them. If this is a way for you to express yourself, there are better and more appropriate ways than putting a hole in your face.

One of my dad’s reasons was “I don’t see the CEO of (insert big company name here) with their face all pierced up.” And he’s right. People who are high up in the company chain, don’t have their eyebrows or any other spot on their face pierced. I’m not saying to be successful you can’t have piercings on your face but seriously,

find me someone who has their nose pierced and owns a big company.

I’ve also found other reasons of why I’m glad I never went under the piercing gun. The biggest one?

Regret.

On my 60th birthday, I wouldn’t want to be blowing out my candles with my lip pierced. This would be kind of silly in my mind. My grandchildren would be embarrassed to say I’m their grandma.

The fact is that everyone needs to stop and think before making a decision like that. Sure, you can take out a piercing and it will close up. But then you just wasted your money on getting it done. You’re better off to stop and realize that you don’t need it in the first place.

speak.out

S M E L L sam.dulaney

‘Tis the season for sweet smelling seasonal body butter! My yummy smelling mango lotion is awesome for any other time of year, but I think that to fully embrace the winter season, it’s time for a switch.

I’ve been using Beauti Control’s Sugar Cookie Body Butter instead. Only sold

by Beauti Control consultants, it’s a bit tricky to find some of this butter, but so worth it. It smells so delicious!

On top of that, it’s more moisturizing than just lotion. Every year my hands crack from being outside in the cold too much. The shea butter and vitamin B and E in this lotion really help keep my hands free of cracks.

Truth be told, the only thing I dislike about this product is the price.

For just a 6 oz. tube of butter, it costs $20! That’s a lot of dough for hands that smell like cookies. My mom gave this to me as a gift, otherwise I don’t think I could afford to spend that much on some body butter. Thank goodness for the season of giving!

Senior, Julia Gabbert continues her monthly give up experiment, by trying to spend a week with out complaining. (sam fitzwalter)

JULIA LIVES WITHOUT: complaining julia.gabbert

Illustration by rj.howes

2012 is only the beginning, not the end lauren.skinner

D

ec. 21, 2012. It is said that the world will end that day. Well I’m sorry to all those people who believe that, but seriously? How many world crises have been said to be signs to the end of the world? Quite a few, and much to our surprise we are still orbiting around the sun just fine.

It is said that more natural disasters are going to occur that will lead up to Dec. 21, 2012. Natural disasters happen and we can’t avoid them. But how are people predicting them two years in advance? Our meteorologists can’t even predict what’s going to happen on a given day.

If there was actually a way to predict, accurately, when a disaster was going

to hit, wouldn’t they want to give us advance warning, so maybe we could prevent so much suffering?

People also think that such things as planet X, a problem with planet alignment, or a meteor hitting Earth is going to happen; however, those predictions have been proven false

by NASA. After learning more about why the world isn’t going to end, I searched NASA’s website and found that they have answered questions about these topics. Planet X is really a dwarf planet that won’t orbit close enough to damage Earth. The alignment of planets is really our winter solstice, which is where the sun and Earth align with what is said to be the middle of the Milky Way - but that happens every year. NASA also keeps

track of any large asteroids that could do any major damage to Earth.

The Mayan calendar, just like our calendars, is set up in cycles. When one cycle ends a new one begins, but the difference between our calendar and the Mayan Long Count calendar is that theirs expands over years. The Mayan calendar starts at the existence of the tribe and just because the year 2012 is the year the calendar ends doesn’t means our world will end too.

On Dec. 21, 2012 the world isn’t going to end. No one has found sure fire proof to it ending, the scientist at NASA can’t even find proof to these predictions, and the Mayan calendar doesn’t mark the ending of the world, it simply marks a new beginning.

I survived without my phone.

I survived without money. You’d think surviving without complaining would be easy. Well, you’d be wrong.

I guess I’m just a natural born complainer. Things just get under my skin so easily, the complaints just slip out. Everything from being tired, to the “idiots” on the road and annoying customers, I just can’t keep my thoughts to myself.

When people got word of what I was trying to do, the majority of them laughed in my face.

“Never going to happen.”

“You’ll never make it.”

And as much as I wanted to prove my skeptics wrong, they were right. I tried several methods to keep my complaining under control, but in the end, none were working and I needed to stop lying to myself.

Maybe it’s become human nature now - to let others know when you’re upset. I know it’s definitely become high school student nature.

Maybe if we all took a week to think positive and hold our complaints inside, the world would be a brighter place. Or maybe we’d all just implode.

All I know is not complaining really sucks.

fhn

today com

To see the day-to-day struggle that Gabbert had to endure during her week without complaining, check out her video blogs on FHNtoday.com.

page design by katharine.carney

43

T W E ET katie.o’neil

What are you doing? On Twitter you can answer this in 140 characters, but there’s a way to step up your tweeting. Brizzly takes the Twitter account that you already have then adds to the experience. Brizzly automatically shortens your URLs, however you still see the full URL on other peoples’ posts.

On Brizzly TwitPics now show up below the tweet. Brizzly also makes managing your Direct Messages simpler by showing them separately in the side. The most unique feature that Brizzly supplies so far is the Trends and News feature. On Twitter you can see what is trending, but Brizzly lets you and other users explain why something is trending along with supplying a quick search function. Brizzly also supports multiple Twitter accounts and even Facebook, so you can truly tell everyone whats on your mind all through Brizzly.com.

L I S T EN jared.tompkin

The new Zune HD mp3 player is something to get excited about. It sports a sleek new look, with a smooth touch-screen browser. The internet capability allows the user to access the marketplace straight from the device.

With the Zune pass, a $15 monthly fee, the user is allowed to play any song from Zune.

Although the new apps aren’t much to brag about, the apps are full of good stuff, with more on the way.

The Zune HD also offers HD radio and “HD TV out,” where the user can attach audio/video jacks to the Zune and television input and play anything in HD quality. These features are exclusive to the Zune franchise. If you’re looking for a multimedia device and less of a video game system, the Zune HD is for you.

44 page design by mckenna.roberts

Junior Melissa Shannon gives her opinion of being supportive of the new smoking law. The law indicates that smoking is banned in St.Louis public places. (nicole thompson)

Our health should be up to us melissa.shannon

S

t. Louis County has recently passed a law banning smoking in public places. That’s one step towards banning it throughout the rest of the state. Having to walk through a cloud of smoke to enter a building does not provide a good first impression of the building, so the approval of this ban has my support 110 percent.

But unfortunately, St. Louis and St. Charles are two totally different counties so the St. Louis ban has no impact on the St. Charles area - so far anyways.

So many people seem to think that since St. Louis passed a smoking ban St. Charles will too, but it’s not just

because they did it first. It’s because of matters that have occurred in our county. With the passing of it, now St. Charles is believed to have a higher chance of introducing a possible public smoking law. Last year a very similar ban was urged by a city commission, but none of the ten council members would even introduce the bill. I think they should have at least opened it up to the public for them to decide. There are other people that live in this county too, not just them, and we should be able to vote on it if we want to. I think we should take it into more consideration that this would be a lot healthier for kids and adults to not have to constantly walk in

and out of smokey entrances and exits to buildings, restaurants, and even museums.

It’s ridiculous though that this ban excludes casinos, bars (that make 75 percent of their sales in alcohol), some hotel rooms, and in Lambert airport. If they are in the county they should have to obey the ban also.

The bars I understand because more than likely if you’re going to a bar you understand that there will be smoking there, there’s just not much you can do. It’s just the atmosphere. But as for the airport and casino, they are family environments. Parents should not have to walk their kids through smoke to enter their destinations. Hotel rooms are at the visitors’ discretion and they chose whether they want a smoking or non-smoking room and when visitors stay at hotels they are meant to feel at home.

On top of it all, the law does not get placed into effect until January 2011. I suppose they are letting the businesses prepare themselves, but why would we pass a law in 2009 that doesn’t even take place for two years? I think that the ban should be placed into affect a lot earlier.

Of course it’s everyone’s own responsibility if they chose to smoke or not but it’s not fair that they are making the decisions for those around them. It’s a pretty upsetting sight when a family can’t even enjoy a meal at their favorite restaurant because the barrier between the smoking and non-smoking parts is a wall that goes half way up to the ceiling.

End of semester finals shouldn’t be this stressful lizzie.johnson

N

ow that the pressure of the first quarter of school has finally lifted, most of us are looking forward to the holiday season: ornate trees, colorful lights, and warm food.

However, most of us are also taking around seven classes this semester.

That means before we’re allowed to enjoy our Christmas cheer we must first take seven finals, not just one.

Don’t get me wrong, I understand that the end of the semester creeps up on us all, but is it really necessary for each class to demand a review packet, a lengthy paper and a last minute project all within the last weeks of the semester? That leaves many students

struggling to complete a slew of projects and papers, and find the time to actually study for the final itself.

I don’t think it’s too much to ask for our work to be a little more evenly distributed. I would much rather have additional work during the slow periods of the semester, and there definitely are slow times, than have so much to accomplish right before the holiday season.

Busy work just stresses students out even more, and packing projects into the end of the semester just isn’t logical. Teachers can’t expect us to direct all our attention to one class. We all have Christmas cheer on our minds, so as a student, I beg our teachers to let us have some.

Senior Lizzie Johnson stresses over end of semester finals. (kaitlyn williams)

Letter to the Editor Guidelines

katharine.carney

T

here are people out there who will change your life. I suggest you go and find that one person who makes you see things in a different way. This person for me is my cousin Paul. He was born with severe learning disabilities and has crossed many challenges in his life that I can’t even imagine. I look at him and it really makes me reevaluate my own life.

Just from knowing him, my eyes have been opened to so many things and I’ve been taught many lessons that I wouldn’t know otherwise.

For the most part, Paul tried to keep in normal classes throughout school and he plays the cello and percussion. He also graduated with honors. He has taken on so many different things and it makes me admire him that much more. I complain about little things like being sore from tennis practice, or taking a math class that is too hard. But having to do all of that with learning disabilities? I really don’t know how he does it.

Going through what Paul has to go through everyday would make me have a very negative attitude towards life, but Paul is always smiling. So when I’m around him, he makes me smile. I would also think that having a learning disability would make him shy, but

speak.out

One person can change a life forever

• Letters must be signed by the author and verified for publication • Letters may be submitted to room 026 or Mr.Manfull’s mailbox • Letters must include the author’s phone number and e-mail for verification • Letters should not exceed 300 words

Katharine Carney and her cousin Paul Mullins are at their aunt’s house during summer vacation of 2009.

Katharine has learned a lot from her cousin Paul and enjoys spending time with him. (photo submitted)

once you get to know him he is always talking! I look at that as a good thing because it really shows that his disabilities have not slowed him down. Paul is now attending a community college and he is even learning how to drive.

I am thankful that Paul is my cousin because without him I do not think I would have ever gotten to know anyone as wonderful and someone who

student

favorites

the North Star talked to four students about their winter favorites.

is as full of life as him. Paul inspires me to strive beyond my best and not complain about the little things that tear me down because I know things could be a lot harder. So go out there and find the one person who inspires you and makes you want to be better.

I promise you it will change your life forever.

What’s your favorite thing to do in the snow?

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What is your favorite snow day memory?

Having snow ball fights with my friends.

• Letters will not be printed if content is obscene, profane, invasive of privacy, encouraging physical disruption of school, and/or implies libel • Letters may be edited for length, grammar, spelling, and content • Authors will be notified if any changes are made to the letter by the editorial staff

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today com

For the full-length version of the editorial policy, and the full-length version of the letter to the editor guidelines check out FHNtoday.com

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What’s your favorite winter treat?

A few years back when we had that massive ice storm.

Hot chocolate.

Christmas cookies.

Sledding.

Last year on Barnwell’s hill.

Hot chocolate.

Cookies.

Creek Hockey.

When V.J fell in Springmill’s lake.

Hot chocolate.

Cookies and milk.

Tackling snowmen with my best friend Morgan Robben.

Falling through the ice with Abbie Krenning.

Hot Cocoa.

Candy canes.

Luke Schreiber, 12

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What’s your favorite winter drink?

Jessica Crossen, 11

Jared Hurr, 10

Catie Blake,9 page design by brittany.lounsbury

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