Lakota East Spark 2012-13 Issue 1 by Lakota East Spark

Spark 53 Teachers Rehired at East

Oct. 5, 2012

FALL TV PREVIEW

www.lakotaeastspark.com

Seven Day Detox Diet

Will Mahone

East Cafeteria Revamped News:

Fourth Period

Extra Help Entertainment:

East Band Misnomer Sports:

East Golfer Wyatt Frazier

Opinion:

Head to Head Tenure vs. Merit Lifestyle:

The British

are coming

www.lakotaeastspark.com | Spark | 1

2 | Spark | Oct. 5, 2012

Spark Contents Volume XXI Issue CXLV

On the Cover design jeff back, jack dombrowski, kenzie walters, justin york Spark covers the dangers of distracted driving and the effects Ohio’s new ban on texting and driving has had on East and its students.

This Issue

08 New East Administration

Four new administrators have made East their home for the 2012-13 year.

10 East Cafe Revamp

East’s cafe has expanded its options to promote healthier lifestyles.

22 Student Feature

East junior Alyssa Weisman traveled to Israel over her summer break.

25 The British are Coming

British fashion has traveled across the pond to students at East.

30 Distracted Driving

Ohio’s new texting and driving law and how it affects students at East.

44 Special Report: Cancer

Spark continues its cancer coverage with the story of the Niederman family.

46 ‘Misnomer’ Band Feature An exclusive look at East-born band ‘Misnomer’ and its members.

52 Album Reviews

Spark staffer comments on new release from G.O.O.D. Music.

58 Starr-Studded Sisters

Sisters Anna and LeeAnn Starr take East’s volleyball program by storm.

62 Player Spotlight

East senior varsity golfer Wyatt Frazier leaves his mark on the program.

70 Head to Head

Spark staffers go head to head on the issue of teacher hiring.

www.lakotaeastspark.com | Spark | 3

opinion | letter to the editor only student who has been forced to make an agonizing decision. -Hunter Miller, East senior

My community has failed me. They have failed me as a student. I am prevented from being the “best I can be,” and the community is at the root of my stifled aspirations. The recent budget cuts the Lakota Local

School district has made have directly affected me. The removal of the busing system has caused much difficulty for me and many of my peers to get to the school they are bound by law to attend. Students became victims of a community constricted by tight wallets and conflicting opinions. The real issue at hand is the focus on the student. I rarely see students being the main focus or participating in these discussions. Rather, it is those who control the supply of money and those who are in the job of asking for the funds of the community. For me, my story is short. Because of all the district cuts and reduction of the class periods at the Lakota East High School main campus, I had been forced to make tough choices about classes that would all benefit me in one way or another. I had chosen six strong courses for me personally and waited all summer for the schedule declaring my perfect senior year schedule. I received my schedule in early August and was severely disappointed. The class I had gained so much excitement for during the summer was missing from my schedule. I shuffled through multiple friends schedules posted on social media sites in hopes of finding a solution and failed. I began pleading with the school staff to help me reconcile my issue, but to no avail. Finally, I was forced to make a decision between two classes I was very passionate about. In the end, the decision still frustrates me, but I have slowly come to terms with the realization. What I don’t understand is how my community could fail to allow me, as a student, to participate wholeheartedly in all the classes I could wish to take? If the budget cuts were not as drastic, if there had been seven periods this year, the chances of my dream schedule would have been much higher. I know I am not the

Website Commentary

POLL: Should we continue to have a moment of silence across the nation for 9/11?

GOT SOMETHING

“New online version connecting to my Facebook newsfeed” I really like the new online version of the Spark and the way it is connected to my Facebook newsfeed. I enjoy reading about what my students are doing athletically as soon as the events happen, rather than waiting a week for the Pulse Journal. Kudos to Emily Chao and the rest of the online staff for making the content so accessible. -Sandee Coats-Haan, East teacher

“The community is not focusing on the students”

www.lakotaeastspark.com

Jeff Back’s “Never Forget (Seriously)” Nice piece with a sophisticated structure. The moment gives you the excuse to dig into the bigger point, and you keep returning to that moment without getting preachy. Giving Bryant the benefit of the doubt at the end is a nice touch, too, that shows the writer’s thoughtfulness, not just about that moment, but the entire issue. It’s easy to spew dogma about 9/11, and you didn’t go easy. Nice work. -Scott Winter

4 | Spark | Oct. 5, 2012

No preference - 8% Other - 2% No, we should move on and accept that tragic events happen all the time - Yes, it is still a relatively 20 % recent event in history and those who died and/ or protected us must be remembered - 70%

“Chryssovergis has unique stance in online column” It is clear that the staffers on Spark spend a great deal of time putting together not only a high-quality magazine every five weeks, but also a sleek website that is always up-to-date on everything in Lakota. 2,500 miles away, I can read intriguing articles regarding issues at East. Spark Opinion Editor Alexa Chryssovergis’ column “Taking Chicken Personally” was one of the many brilliant articles in this publication. The column by Ms. Chryssovergis was wellwritten, with excellent support to back up her opinion. I completely agreed with her unique stance on the issue, and despite one’s stance on the fight between Chik-Fil-A and same-sex marriage supporters, I too believe that business and personal beliefs should be separated. I consider myself not only a strong liberal, but also as a same-sex marriage supporter. I am also, however, an American. As a citizen of this country, each individual has the right to have an opinion either way. I would say keep up the good work, but I know the students on Spark will continue to amaze their readers by surpassing excellence. -Alex Griffin, Bellevue, WA

To Share Your Thoughts or to Read More Stories and Comments Online, Visit Our Website at:

www.lakotaeastspark.com

TO SAY?

The Spark, which provides an open forum for students, faculty, subscribers, and community members, encourages letters to the editor. Letters can be sent to the publication at the address on the following page, dropped off in the journalism classroom (room 118), comments on our online stories and tweets/comments to our social media accounts below. Letters must be signed and the staff reserves the right to edit letters for length, grammar, invasion of privacy, obscenity or potential libel. The opinion editors will contact letter writers for confirmation. email | letters@lakotaeastspark.com

opinion | letter from the editor

Spark

2012-13 Staff

c/o Lakota East High School 6840 Lakota Lane Liberty Township, OH 45044 Phone: (513) 759-8615 ext. 15118 Email: admin@lakotaeastspark.com

Editor-in-Chief Jeff Back Editor-in-Chief Sophia Li Editor-in-Chief Natasha Rausch Business Manager Graphics Manager Photo Manager Associate Photo Manager Webmaster Writing Coach News Managing Editor Lifestyle Managing Editor Package Managing Editor Entertainment Managing Editor Sports Managing Editor Opinion Managing Editor Art Managing Editor Public Relations Director Public Relations Director Technology Director Survey Coordinator Copy Director Copy Director News Editor News Editor News Editor Lifestyle Editor Lifestyle Editor Lifestyle Editor Package Editor Package Editor Package Editor Entertainment Editor Entertainment Editor Entertainment Editor Sports Editor Sports Editor Sports Editor Opinion Editor Opinion Editor

Hannah Lee Irfan Ibrahim Ellen Fleetwood Michael Tedesco Emily Chao Jasmine Tuazon Mohinee Mukherjee Kaitlin Lange Zach Fulciniti Dillon Mitchell John Grasty Nugeen Aftab Jack Dombrowski Amber Jagpal Maddie McGarvey Arvind Madhavan Sam Hauck Onur Eroglu Katie Masterson Lauren Fang Daphne Ocran Shervani Patel Marissa Alsip Halley Davidson Rachel Hartwick Morgan Bain Angela Ferguson Claire Schomaker Chris Bowling Hannah Eads Josh Shi Sydney Aten Kyle Culp Claire Middleton Meeta Bhardwaj Alexa Chryssovergis

News Photo Editor Renée Noe Package Photo Editor Kenzie Walters Sports Photo Editor Nick Kanaly Business/PR Associate Business/PR Associate Business/PR Associate Business/PR Associate Technology Associate Technology Associate

Madyson Alexander Jack Mangold Molly Myers Mansi Patel Rahul Mukherjee Dan Turner

Advisor Dean Hume Spark is a publication that is produced at Lakota East High School. The magazine is completely student-generated through the efforts of the Journalism I, Journalism II and Journalism III-Honors classes. The publication material may not always reflect the views of the Lakota Local School District or the publication as a whole. Content is controlled and edited by the staff editors. The staff will publish only legally protected speech adhering to the legal definitions of libel, obscenity and invasions of privacy. The publication is produced every five weeks on recycled paper. Production costs are covered through advertising, subscription sales and fundraisers. The purpose of Spark is to inform the students, faculty, and community members of news, information and issues that may influence or affect them.

Sophia Li

From the Editor

‘What the hell is a compound inequality again? God, I’m totally going to fail this algebra test—’ I looked up from my notes as the car bounced over the curb. “Kevin!” I screamed my brother’s name. He swerved to the right just as we T-boned the driver’s side of a white sedan. In a split second, I caught a glimpse of a child’s car seat—right as we smashed into it. Our black Honda Accord seemed to bounce off the sedan as if we were driving bumper cars. By the time Kevin pounded the brakes, we were in the middle of three lanes of traffic, almost 30 feet away from the other woman’s car. Our airbags puffed out the smell of burnt plastic, my seatbelt was burned into my shoulder, and my math binder stabbed into my stomach. As the airbags began to sink down, the smell became unbearable, and both Kevin and I escaped out of the car, gasping and coughing. We ran toward the white sedan and saw the totaled driver side. The woman Kevin had hit couldn’t get out of her car. Her door had collapsed and she was trapped, unable to move her body or her arms. When I looked through the passenger window, I could see her dilated pupils and a mixture of shock and fear spread across her face. Some people idolize my brother. A former editor-in-chief of Spark, Kevin was extremely well-liked, smart and seemingly responsible. He was involved

in school and always had good intentions. But his golden-boy halo didn’t keep him from falling asleep at the wheel, totaling his car and nearly killing a faultless mom. Like Kevin, no one wants to be forever scarred knowing that he or she killed another human being. No right-minded person would purposefully be careless with someone else’s life. So if no one thinks it’s a good idea to drive without your eyes open or your hands on the wheel, why can’t teenagers seem to grasp that texting while driving, drowsy driving and distracted driving are all often just as dangerous? In this issue of Spark, we look into East students’ experiences with learning to drive, texting and driving and deadly car accidents. While East teens have not been on the road for long, many already have stories to tell, ranging from a girl who is not allowed to get her driver’s license to a boy who lost control of the wheel after driving too fast. We explore the effects of the new state ban on texting while driving and the actions of East students in the driver’s seat. Even though my friends like to make fun of me for getting my parents to drive me to school when I don’t get enough sleep, I’ve learned my lesson. Yes, it’s troublesome, and I have to bother one of my friends by asking for a ride home. But I’d much rather have one day of inconvenience than get into a fatal accident.

www.lakotaeastspark.com | Spark | 5

news | online

Scan this QR Code to continue reading the stories below and other stories online at lakotaeastspark.com

Spanish Club Numbers Rise First Meeting

National Honor Society Assigns Subcommittees

story nick riddick photo emily wolff

story mansi patel photo nick kanaly

Spanish club’s attendance was higher than expected at the organization’s first meeting of the year, which was held on Wed. Sept. 19. The spike in attendance was attributed to a large number of underclassmen members. “We had a huge number of students today, which is great, and I hope that maintains itself all year,” Spanish club adviser Annie Cantrell said. East sophomore and Spanish II student Spencer Ribar was encouraged by his family to join the club. “My mom made me [join the club],” Ribar said. “She said it would help my understanding of the language.” [continued...]

East National Honor Society (NHS) held its first general meeting on Thurs. Sept. 20 in to explain the agenda for the year and assign subcommittee members. Additionally, the NHS officers introduced themselves and explained the various objectives of the five subcommittees, which include finding service opportunities and making T-shirts. Treasurer Elizabeth Mages said she wanted to improve funds so that NHS would have more money to bring additional community service activities. “I want to work closely with fundraising and make sure we can keep track of the funds correctly,” Mages said. [continued...]

Students enjoy a snack while attending the first Spanish Club meeting of the year.

A Liberty Junior School student presents his project about the wheel.

Junior High Schools Adopt STEAM2 story zach fulciniti l photo kenzie walters As a result of the effort to “modernize Lakota’s academic programs,” the Lakota Local School District has set into motion its plan to implement the Science, Technology, Engineering, Applied Arts, Mathematics and Medical (STEAM) initiative by introducing Design and Modeling, a class requirement for all seventh grade students beginning this year. According to Liberty Junior School Leader Doug Noxsel, who teaches the new class, the main goal of Design and Modeling is to familiarize students with collaboration in an engineering setting. “We are focused on teamwork to come up with designs that solve problems, and then how to model and prototype devices that we’ve designed,” Noxsel said, who previously taught Technology Education at East. [continued...]

Seniors Lea Buckenmyer and Matt Severns listen as the NHS officers discuss their plans for the year.

Board Holds Special Student Recognition story mohinee mukherjee Along with discussing its regular business procedures, the Lakota Local School Board of Education held a special recognition of Lakota Ridge Junior School student Asia Werner during the board meeting on Mon. Sept. 10. Werner was born nine weeks prematurely and suffered a heart failure for the first time when she was ten days old. She was

6 | Spark | Oct. 5, 2012

subsequently diagnosed with three congenial heart defects. When she was nine months old, she was placed on the heart transplant list after suffering heart failure again. “Five days before her first birthday, her doctors were preparing her for her imminent death,” Asia’s mother Dawn Werner said. “There were indications that her kidneys were

failing, and they were talking about removing her from the transparent waiting list, which meant that she was going to die.” Even though Asia made it to her first birthday, the doctors predicted that she had, at best, 24-48 hours left to live, but that evening, Asia received a heart. [story continued on website...]

news | school

Making a SWEET

difference

East students with disabilities develop work-study skills through activities ranging from maintaining the school’s recycling program to working in the spirit shop.

East senior Elaysha Collins, who is auditorily and visually impaired, works in the East spirit shop every day during fourth period to improve her motor and social skills.

story kaitlin lange photo ellen fleetwood

s the bell signals the end of the first part of B lunch, students shuffle out of the cafeteria. A handful of students head straight towards the East spirit shop, eager to get their sugar fix for the day. East senior Elaysha Collins stands inside the spirit shop helping her fellow classmates purchase their items. Her smile radiates warmth as she grabs a Kit Kat bar for one of her customers. Collins, a visually and auditorily impaired individual, is just one of the many in a work-study class designed for special needs individuals. As part of the curriculum, students are provided with a variety of opportunities to perform daily tasks around the school. Lakota Local School District work-study coordinator Donna Haury provides a great deal of the opportunities for special needs students. Some of these include working in the Spirit Shop, cafeterias throughout the district and the Central Office. “[The job a student has] is determined by their Individualized Education Plan (IEP), which decides whether building employment skills and transitions would be of value to the student,” Haury said. “[The process is] very individualized.” Each IEP is determined by a team of teachers and the child’s parents to help meet the child’s specific needs. While creating this education plan, the team can also choose to send the child to a job outside of the district for vocational exploration. For example, TJ Maxx, Kroger and Edge Teen Center allow special needs students to either help out or work at their locations. One benefit of the work study program is that many jobs allow payment for the special needs students. Special needs students often receive a wage for jobs in and outside of Lakota, such as working in the cafeterias. However, for most jobs at East, like the spirit shop, students do not get paid.

East special needs teacher Karen Kettler believes having both paid and non-paid programs are vital to teaching students to become independent. “A lot of stuff we do [in school] is in paper and pencil,” Kettler said. “[My students] have to do functional hands-on kind of tasks and [doing activities around the school] gives them a lot of experience with that kind of thing.” To provide her students with other opportunities and enable more students to get involved, Kettler created her own activities, including running the coffee cart. The coffee cart idea came about years ago when budget cuts were taking place and

[Special needs] students get to know other people in the school building, and other people get to know them. teachers were asked by the administration to remove coffee pots from their classroom. Her work-study class, however, was able to continue the use of their coffee pot, because it was used for teaching purposes. Kettler and her students began making coffee and delivering it to teachers who requested coffee in the morning. “[The program] is funded by [teachers’] contributions,” Kettler said. “They donate money or bring in a can of coffee or creamer. As long as we have the supplies or the money to replenish, [the coffee cart] will be in operation.” Recycling is also a task that special education students do to help around East. Students go to all the classrooms and the cafeteria to gather

recyclable material. Additionally, Kettler gave her students the opportunity to clean and fold the teachers’ chalk rags. Each year Kettler tries to change the tasks, so that the students receive a variety of experiences over the course of their high school careers. Students, such as Collins, have shown improvement in social skills and various other areas, according to both Kettler and Collins’ interpreter, Monica Blevens. “[The job in the sprit shop] definitely helped with Elaysha’s math skills, being able to count money,” Blevens said. Overall, Kettler usually notices an improvement of social skills wherever the students are set to work. Whether it’s from working the coffee carts and saying hello to teachers every morning to communicating with students in non-special needs classes while doing recycling, special needs students are augmenting their skill sets. Also, the students generally enjoy their jobs around the school. “I like to work in the spirit shop,” Collins said. “I like talking to people and using money.” Although Collins appreciates her job, working in the spirit shop is not always the easiest task for her. As Blevens pointed out, it can often be very noisy in the hallway and it is difficult for Collins to hear. Other students experience their own difficulties as well with tasks such as pouring coffee, but the complications are never serious enough to prevent the student from accomplishing what he or she needs to do. In the end, these in-school activities are very beneficial, according to Kettler. “[The tasks] gets [the special needs students to go] out into the main community of the school,” Kettler said. “The students get to know other people in the school building, and other people get to know them.” SM

www.lakotaeastspark.com | Spark | 7

news l school

From left to right: assistant principals Dennis Smith and Gerry Weisgerber, associate principal Stacy Millburg and assistant principal Rick Haynes.

Altering the Administration East welcomes new assistant principals Dennis Smith and Gerry Weisgerber, while administrators Rick Haynes and Stacy Millburg adjust to their new respective roles as assistant and associate principal. story daphne ocran l infographic wingchung chow and maggie schaller l photos justin york

s school resumes for the 2012-13 school year, East students may see several unfamiliar faces in the administration. Because of budget cuts and changes across the Lakota Local School District, positions have been altered and rearranged, and new administrators have been hired to work in Lakota schools. East itself has gained a new principal and three new assistant principals, as well as a new associate principal at the freshman campus this year. “I thought [Lakota would] be a great district to work for because of the size,” said Dennis Smith, one of the newly hired assistant principals at East’s main campus. “I knew that

8 | Spark | Oct. 5, 2012

there would be many opportunities to obtain whatever goals I made for myself.” Before coming to East, Smith, who has taught special education for 13 years, now has the task of administering students with last names A-He in the alphabet. Part of his role also includes revamping East’s special education program. “Growing up myself, I was one of seven children, [raised only by] my mother,” Smith said. “I think looking back on all of that helped me decide that I really liked helping people. I really like seeing kids succeed, especially the ones that are disadvantaged.” Another new face at East is Gerry

Weisgerber, who is an assistant principal at the main campus. Weisgerber has been living in the Lakota district for 14 years, and has served as Lakota West High School’s athletic director for the past 13 years. His position was cut last year to save the district money, and the two separate athletic director positions at East and Lakota West were combined into one district-wide position, now held by Richard Bryant. For Weisgerber, this change in athletics and administration meant moving to the other side of the district. In addition to serving as an administrator at East, Weisgerber also serves part of his time as an assistant principal at Lakota West, making trips between both

news l school schools during the school week. “[Both schools are] very similar,” Weisgerber said. “I keep seeing people’s faces in the hallways at East [that I think] I’ve seen at [Lakota] West.” As an athletic director, Weisgerber said he was only able to see students through sports. “I saw [the students] in a different light,” Weisgerber said. “I’d like to get to know the students outside of that.” Similar to the consolidation of the district’s athletic directors, East has also had to rearrange previously hired staff. Rick Haynes served as East’s dean of students since 2010, but when the role was eliminated last year, he had to reevaluate his status. Despite the new job title, Haynes found only a few disparities between his previous and current position. “The only difference now is that I have teachers that I have to evaluate,” Haynes said, “but a lot of my day-to-day duties are pretty much the same as they were when I was dean.” Haynes said that part of his decision to become an assistant principal stems from his responsibilities as East varsity football coach. “I wanted to stay here at East and continue coaching,” Haynes said. “I like the interactions with my players—how hard they work and how committed they are. I try to give it back to them.” On the other side of the spectrum, Stacy Millburg went through a different position change, from East assistant principal to East Freshman Campus associate principal. When former freshman campus principal, Suzanna

Davis became the main campus principal, Millburg became one of the administrators who considered filling the newly vacant role of associate principal. “I knew that [the job] was going to be something that I was interested in,” Millburg said. “I was a little bit hesitant but I decided that professionally it was the right choice to get into the freshman campus and familiarize

I think every time you change a job it’s a big responsibility. I’m looking forward to the challenge. Every day is different. myself with the teachers and staff over there.” Millburg has noticed differences between the environments of the main campus and the freshman campus, but believes that they are two parts of a whole. “Teachers are fantastic at both places, and we have a lot of traveling teachers,” Millburg said. “The freshman campus is significantly smaller, so there’s a lot more volume of activity [at the main campus]. The cultures are different, but I think that both are positive and unique in their own way.” With Davis on maternity leave for the first

part of the school year, Millburg has had to divide her time between the main and freshman campus. She said that there are many things she hopes to improve this year, and one of her biggest goals is to find more ways to interact with students. “I don’t want to be that associate principal whom kids don’t feel comfortable talking to,” Millburg said. “I’m here and I’m available [to help].” Altogether, Smith, Weisgerber, Haynes and Millburg have all expressed the unification of the administration and the perusing goals within East. “I want to continue to build bonds with students,” Smith said. “I want to be able to create the type of path of working with students and teachers where we work as a team in order to try to help students be successful.” Weisgerber said that his new position gives him to have a new perspective on the student body, and he hopes that his job will create new bonds between himself and East’s student body. “I’ve always wanted to help whatever students I can,” Weisgerber said. “That’s always been my goal, wherever I am. I’ll always be here for them, no matter what.” The new administrators see the challenges to come with their positions but are willing and ready to take them on headfirst. “I think every time you change a job, it’s a big responsibility,” Haynes said. “I’m looking forward to the challenge. Every day is different.” SM

and other Lakota schools have new Who’s New Running the School East administrators, most of which were internally hired.

In the High School:

Lakota East Adminstrator Lakota West Adminstrator

New Administrators

Stacy Millburg Assoc. Principal (FC)

Dennis Smith Assist. Principal

Suzanna Davis Principal

administrators from Lakota Local Schools

Gerry Elgin Card Weisgerber Principal (new only to East) Assist. Principal

Brittany Grote Assit. Principal (FC)

administrator from Fairfield City Schools

Jason Jackson Assist. Principal

Adrienne Martin Assist. Principal

Early Childhood Schools Elementary Schools High Schools

administrator from Dayton Public Schools

administrator from Milford City Schools

information lakotaonline

www.lakotaeastspark.com | Spark | 9

news l school

Not only to comply with the government’s nutritional standards but also to promote a healthy lifestyle, district officials encourage students to eat

An Apple a Day

The East cafeteria keeps a variety of fruits and vegetables to help students have a balanced meal.

story shervani patel photo kaitlin owens

tudents quickly file into the cafeteria for their favorite time of the day--lunch. They usually know what food to expect while they are waiting in the endless line for food, yet at the start of the 2012-13 school year, however, there were many changes that may have caught students off guard. The Lakota Local School District has changed many of their recipes to comply with the Healthy Hunger for Kids Act of 2010 and guidelines from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. These mandates state that the schools must offer the right balance and variety of fruits, vegetables, grains, proteins and milk. The guidelines also add that the schools must increase the availability of fat-free and low-fat fluid milk in the meals, as well as reducing the levels of sodium, saturated fat and trans fat in meals. “Our products are not necessarily different,” Child Nutrition director Chris Burkhardt said. “Only the ingredients have changed. For example, our pancakes are now made with whole grain flour, and our French toast sticks are now made with whole grain bread.” While some students have noticed the changes and are deciding whether they like the new recipes or not, others do not see a difference between last year’s food and this year’s. Burkhardt has gotten a wide variety of feedback regarding the changes on the menus. “I’ve heard a lot of positive comments from the students saying that they are happy that the food is healthier,” Burkhardt said. Out of all the comments Burkhardt has heard, the most popular topic from students has been regarding the cafeteria’s new types of buns, and how many of the students do not like them. “Either the buns for the sandwiches are getting burnt, or they’ve changed to whole

10 | Spark | Oct. 5, 2012

grain,” East junior Luke Ferris said. “I’m guessing they’re whole grain, and I don’t like it at all. I’ve also noticed that in order to get a cheaper lunch you have to buy a piece of fruit and milk.” Although the cafeterias now offer newer and healthier options, not all of the students are purchasing these options. However, after running some initial reports about daily lunches, Burkhardt has determined that students are buying lunches at the same rate as in the past.“ Sometimes it takes some time for students to try the new items or to know that they’re available,” Burkhardt said. “[During the first two weeks of school,] students usually try what they are familiar with, and then after those two weeks they start venturing outside their comfort zone.”

76 out of 425 East students surveyed said that the new nutritional standards in the cafeteria have influenced them to eat healthier. According to Lakota Ridge Junior School cafeteria manager Robert Drennan, the healthier options are not the most popular items on the menu. “Mozzarella sticks and the taco bar are the big sellers at Ridge right now,” Drennan said. “That can and most likely will change over time though.” On the other hand, one new item that has become very popular is the new hummus recipe. The new recipe, created by Drennan, is

sold on Mondays at all the Lakota schools. According to an East survey of 425 students, 337 said their eating habits have not changed and 12 said they are eating less healthy. Although he appreciated the administration offering healthier choices, Ferris said it needs to pay closer attention to what it is selling. He claimed that he has tried the fruit, but he has found it to be “gross, dry or completely not ripe.” While he usually eats healthy, Ferris said his food choices depend on what his options are. “I eat pretty healthy at home,” Ferris said. “If the fruit here was actually fresh, I would eat it, but it’s not.” Within the next two years, the lunch prices will also be rising. According to Burkhardt, the district is required to raise prices to get to the national average of $2.78 Currently, the elementary schools prices are $2.00 and the secondary school prices are at $2.25. The district is constantly receiving updated memos with new changes to the menus that they must comply with. “You’ll see some small changes throughout the year, [but] I wouldn’t say you’re going to see anything major,” Burkhardt said. “We’re going to look at what the students are [and are not] eating, and we are going to look at how we can [adjust the food ingredients] or replace [the items not being eaten] with a couple of new recipes.” Lakota hoped that the new changes on the menu will alter the eating habits of students by influencing them to eat healthier not only at school but all day as well. “Students are in school for 185 days, and we want to try to make that experience different every day,” Burkhardt said. “Our goal is to have healthy students who can learn in the classroom.” SM

news l feature

EAST MEETS

WEST Former East science teacher Brittany Grote opted for a change in venue last summer, by accepting a job offer to be assistant principal at Lakota West freshman campus. story jasmine tuazon photo ellen fleetwood

ith faculty changes within the Lakota Local School District, Brittany Grote, who had been an East science teacher from 2007-2012, knew there would be a shift in administration—and a potential job opening. “I thought about [applying for an administrator position] the whole school year. At first I thought I would put my name out there, so people knew I was interested,” Grote said. “As the year progressed, I became more serious about making the shift.” After a three-month application process, Grote accepted a job offer to be the Lakota West Freshman campus assistant principal on June 25. “I loved my job, but I was also open to another experience,” Grote said. “In administration, I could make decisions on a school level rather than just the classroom level, so I could broaden my impact.” Grote, who has a teaching license in integrated sciences and a principal license for grades 7-12, began updating her resume and cover letter for her application in early January. Late March she openly applied to all the schools in Lakota. Even though Grote had only been teaching for five years, many of her colleagues, who helped her in the application process, said she had established a great reputation for herself. “I visited her classroom on multiple occasions and loved the high standards and excellent rapport she had with students,” said East science teacher Julie Deak, who wrote a letter of recommendation for Grote. “She held students accountable for their work and behavior and used innovative methods.” While she opened up to those who were involved in her application process, Grote kept quiet about her decision to apply. Because of

this, when Grote went to her first interview with the Lakota faculty and administrators on the last day of the 2011-12 school year, she brought a suit to change into after school so others would not ask why she was so professional on a day “typically dressed-down for the teachers.” “During the interview process, the administrators weren’t specific as to what position they were hiring for,” Grote said. “They were just getting my background, what I was involved with in Lakota, and my outlook on education.” In June, East principal Suzanna Davis told Grote that although the administrative positions at East were filled, there could be another position opening in in the district. Lakota West High School principal Elgin Card called Grote a on June 25 and offered her a position at Lakota West’s freshman building after the former assistant principal Jason Jackson became the associate principal. “I wanted a team member who treats people right and leads by example,” Card said. “She is right out of the classroom, so she may give perspectives that some of us who have been in administration for a while do not see.” Grote was working at Kids First Campapalooza in the summer when Card called her for her new job. “I had never honestly thought about the freshman school before, but having my administrative career in a smaller setting was a great starting place for me,” Grote said. After accepting the offer, she immediately told her fiancé and family, but waited until after she officially signed papers in the last week of July to tell her colleagues. “[Grote] called to tell me [she had gotten the job.] I was very happy for her because it was what she wanted,” East science teacher Sandee

Lakota West assistant principal Brittany Grote chose to move to an administrative position to broaden her impact as an educator.

Coats-Haan said. “I was excited that someone who understands what good teaching is was going to take an administrative role, but I was sad I wouldn’t be working with her anymore.” When she received her office keys during a meeting for new administrators, Grote spent a week in July with former East science teacher and friend Kimberly Stites setting up her new office in the Lakota West freshman building. “We picked up a few items [from IKEA] and returned to her office to put it all up. Now she has a great space to work in that reflects the beautiful caring person she is,” said Stites, who now teaches at Sycamore High School. “The students are going to love her and respect her just like everyone at East did.” On Aug. 1, Grote officially started her administrative contract. She and her new colleagues interviewed potential math teachers, planned beginning-of-the-year events like open house and orientation nights, and sent letters to the students about their schedules. For a typical school day, Grote goes to meetings and helps with traffic flow before and after school, works lunch duties, monitors hallways and handles discipline. She also works with the science and special education departments at the freshman campus. Beyond these differences between her teaching and administrative jobs, Grote said that she enjoys the challenge of getting to know everyone in the building. “[This transition] was difficult in the beginning for me because I found out that I was going to change jobs in the summer, and I would have liked to have that final day at East,” Grote said, “but everyone has just been very welcoming and warm at the [Lakota West] freshman school. My favorite part of the job is getting to know everyone. I am planning to stay where I am for a while.” SM

www.lakotaeastspark.com | Spark | 11

news | school

LOGGING INTO

CLASS

In an attempt to open up their schedules, students try to juggle a load of online coursework with schoolwork and extracurricular activities. story lauren fang | photo justin york | infographic joshua shi

er four year plan was completed, perfectly etched onto a white sheet of paper. High school was going to be a difficult journey to endure with all of her Honors and AP classes, and extracurricular activities, but that was the way she wanted it. East junior Taylar Rowe expected the increased stress levels and the sleepless nights—but not the six period day that would transform her schedule. With many students in the same position as Rowe, summer online class enrollment through the Brigham Young University (BYU) Independent Study Program has increased sixfold from 37 students to 233 for the 2012-13 school year. Rowe, who plays tournament softball in the summer, was devastated when she found out that she would have to take gym and government online. “I was upset because I already have other work that I do in the summer, [and because of] tournament softball, I don’t have a whole lot of time,” Rowe said. “I knew I had to take gym in the summer because I’d planned out my schedule as a freshman, but then I found out that in order to be in choir I would have to take government and possibly economics.”

ap(EX)

Classes Offered By Apex and East AP Biology ap microeconomics ap calculus ab AP macroeconomics ap chemistry ap physics ap english *ap psychology ap Spanish ap statistics ap french ap u.S. history *ap government $700 for each class (1 credit)

Students take online classes for a variety of reasons. An East survey of 45 students enrolled in online classes revealed that 42 percent were trying to open up their schedules, 38 percent were trying to graduate early, and 16 percent were trying to recover credits. Many of them, including Rowe, took government and or economics, the two most popular BYU courses, which contributed to 56 percent of the total enrollment. The remaining 44 percent were for classes ranging anywhere from health to algebra. East was previously partnered with the University of Kentucky, but due to financial difficulties, it shut down, allowing BYU to become the most widely used program. Due to the extensive process involved for a high school to accept class credit from an outside carrier, the only other options East offers are ilearnohio, PSEO, Apex and the University of Missouri. “The curriculum department reviews the online carrier, compares the curriculum to Lakota curriculum, and makes a decision about whether that curriculum matches up well and is stringent enough before offering those courses,” East counselor Laurie MacNeel said.

Classroom

Credit 12 | Spark | Oct. 5, 2012

233 East students are taking online classes for the 201213 school year.

“The list may expand, but we want to make sure that the students are getting an education in those areas that represent an approximation of what they would be learning in the classroom.” Once the counselors are informed of which carriers are approved, they begin the process of advising students, giving them information on how to sign up, telling them how the grading process will work and whether there is an exam involved. With numerous award winning classes such as honors chemistry and first year Russian, BYU has maintained a reputation of being one of the nation’s top independent study programs. According to Northwest Accreditation Commission senior advisor David Steadman, enrollment is at a quarter of a million students, ranked second after the University of Texas El Paso, and followed by the University of Chicago and American University. BYU also has a history of competitive prices and high accreditations. It is the oldest non–profit independent study program, opening in 1921 when correspondent courses were first offered. “Our courses are a lot cheaper because many other programs are for profit,” BYU Marketing

Apex learning

$0 Cost

Credits

$7700 Cost

news | school standardization and accountability. “A high school course could be tightly regulated by the state of Ohio and controlled in the local school,” Poetter said, “but the school

132 out of 415 East students surveyed would choose to take an online class if the option was available. district will take credit from an outside entity that doesn’t have to follow any of the standards for accountability that are present in the state. To me, that’s at the heart of the problem with this situation—state and local tension.” Ohio has fallen in several statistical standards in the past two decades, in terms of college graduation rates, high school graduation rates and return on investment on education. The promotion of educational alternatives such as online classes, PSEO and institutions such as Butler Tech, is, according to Poetter, “part of the governor’s plan to increase graduation rates and to make [education] more affordable.” While he commends the governor’s focus on education, Poetter does not approve of the government advocating other educational methods. “[Learning shouldn’t just be] about fulfilling requirements [like reaching a certain graduation rate],” Poetter said. “It’s about the educational experience of the student and if we want strong students in Ohio who are capable of doing all kinds of things, they need to be well educated.’’ Poetter views online education as a “bad situation” at the high school level, but he also believes that it is a problem for people in all levels of education. “I’ve had students come to me after completing online graduate degrees and start over from scratch at Miami because they didn’t think they learned anything in their online course study,” Poetter said. “They felt so cheated that they came back for the real thing. That’s had a great influence on how I think about online education.” For Lakota, school levy failures and low state funding have contributed to increased online class enrollment. Yet Ohio has not made any changes to the unconstitutional way it currently funds schools (DeRolph v. State of Ohio). Financial problems are dictating how education will look in the future, and while Poetter is not opposed to people finishing high school through online classes, he said that students still need to value face-to-face learning. “An online class is a monologue,” Poetter said. “There’s content to be taken in by the students and then regurgitated back.

Information in almost every regard is one way because the student doesn’t have any say about the creation of knowledge.” However, Poetter said that it is sometimes important to have an online component because “it completes the course.” “When technology takes precedence over the actual stuff learned, that’s a danger,” Poetter said. “It’s fine as long as technology is a tool. My hope is that we’ll grow in terms of using online tools, but at the same time preserve the educational value of the courses taught. [Then technology] will be more accessible and acceptable in almost every phase of our educational lives.” SM

HIT THE BOOKS The number of East students enrolled in online classes has skyrocketed in the past year.

Percentage of Enrollment through BYU

26% Economics 3%

Algebra

English

30% Government 7%

History

15% Health 3%

Language Courses

information dan mennear, apexlearning.com

Coordinator Dan Mennear said. “Because we are a university, our main concerns are actual course content and the instruction.” However, many are skeptical about the quality and acceptance of this educational alternative. “I am a little bit concerned about the government class because I know that I’ll probably have to take those classes in college again,” Rowe said. “[Online classes] probably aren’t the best class compared to a [traditional] class.” Despite the inconvenience of taking an online course in the summer, Rowe’s government class has become such a problem that she has decided not to finish the course. “It’s kind of like pulling teeth because I [don’t want to complete the course] during the school year,” Rowe said. “I have all sorts of other classes that I’m taking, and I hate it.” Rowe, who did some of the work, is taking government next year because she does not have the time to complete the online course. “My mom is making me take it [as a senior at school], so I’m going to take that and economics,” Rowe said. “It’s still upsetting [either way because] I wanted to take AP Economics, but now I won’t have room for it.” According to East physics teacher Sandee Coats-Haan, who interned new teachers during the summer through an online program called the New Teacher Center, the biggest problem with online education is that it is too dependent on student motivation. Coats-Haan has not only taught an online class, but also has been a student taking one. Before her days at East, Coats-Haan was a quality control manager at P&G, where she was required to take some computer courses for certification on the Honeywell Total Distributed Control System. “The [computer courses] were kind of simplistic,” Coats-Haan said. “You get out what you put in. [Last year], the Ohio Department of Education required teachers to take classes about safe schools and [the class] was all common sense. I didn’t put the kind of effort into that course that I did when I took [an online] quantum mechanics course from Montana State.” While online education may be becoming more mainstream, many believe that educational alternatives such as online classes, will reduce the quality of education. “In terms of offering opportunity, an online course can seem really great on the surface,” Miami University professor of curriculum studies Thomas Poetter said, “but students miss out on what the state actually wants them to [know] to be ready for college and work.” Out of 415 East students surveyed, 132 said they would rather take an online class instead of one at school if the option were given. Poetter, who has written and talked about educational reform, said that most of the problems surrounding online education are

12% Courses with only one or two students enrolled

www.lakotaeastspark.com | Spark | 13

news l school

East senior Matthew Littig tries to work on his math homework during study hall amid the buzz of chatting in the background.

Fourth Period: Extra Help Wanted After a reduction in the school day, the East administration implements fourth period extra help for students and the before-school planning period for teachers. story mohinee mukherjee l infographic emily chao l photo ellen fleetwood

ith the failure of three consecutive school levies and subsequent budget cuts dispersed throughout the Lakota Local School District, the East main and freshman campuses schedule decreased from seven periods a day to six periods, making each school start 35 minutes later. To accommodate, the lunch and study hall periods were moved to fourth period instead of fifth, and the study hall was renamed as extra help. In the past, fifth bell was divided into blocks of 5A-D. The fifth period class would take place during two of those segments while lunch and study hall occupied the other half. This year, fourth bell was divided into two blocks consisting of two segments each. The first hour is referred to as 4A, while the second is 4B. The half hours within each hour are labeled as 4A1, 4A2, 4B1 and 4B2. Students are assigned to either the 4A or 4B block for class. If a student has class 4A, then he or she has lunch and extra help during 4B. A student who has class during 4B will have lunch and extra help during 4A. In previous years, students spent their lunch and study hall with their fifth period teacher and class. With the new system, students are assigned to a different teacher and are with a group of students from the same grade level for lunch and extra help. East principal Suzanna Davis said that the fourth period extra help was put in place because she wanted to find a way to use the study hall period effectively. According to

14 | Spark | Oct. 5, 2012

Davis, the half hour set aside for studying was often not as efficient as it could have been. “The feedback that we got from students, parents and teachers was that when the students remain in a fifth period class for an hour and a half, oftentimes that time wasn’t being used effectively,” Davis said. “Students would disengage and power down, so we were looking at how to retool that.” On the other hand, the extra help posed some initial scheduling problems for the counselors. East counselor Denise McLinden

272 out of 402 East students surveyed find that being banned from their lockers before 7:50 a.m. is unfair. said that searching for a student during a particular part of fifth period used to be simple. Now, she said, the chart of all the teachers and students during fourth period is spread over five pages. “We didn’t understand it at first, and we made many mistakes as counselors,” McLinden said. “Some of us understood [the scheduling process] better than others,” It’s kind of cumbersome, but now we know how to do it.” Under the previous system, some teachers

used the study halls for class purposes. After the implementation of the extra help, no teacher can teach beyond the class time allotted. Despite a few teachers using or wanting to use that time for additional instruction, Davis said that it was always the intent for students to have the thirty minutes available to get extra help. “To be perfectly honest, one of the things we heard from parents, is that in certain classes, certain teachers would lead into that time,” Davis said. “This is another way to guarantee that all students in the school have access to the extra help.” One class that utilized the study hall for instructional purposes was Symphonic Winds, but now the band students are required to go to extra help. East band director Rob Tanis understands that the administration wanted to make sure that all students had a studying period, but he still finds that “those extra 30 minutes would be nice to have.” Since the start of the school year, Tanis has discovered that he has had to be more efficient with his preparation of Symphonic Winds. “We’re not able to program the length of a concert we usually do because we can’t run through the music for the amount of time [in one class period,]” said Tanis, who added that regardless of the time reduction, the band has not sacrificed the level of music it plays. Davis also realized that the former study hall system did not specify which classes could or could not utilize the extra 30 minutes. “There are many classes that would love

news l school to have an hour and a half as opposed to an hour,” Davis said, “so how do you draw that line to say where [using the study hall time] is appropriate [and for] which classes?” Besides the effort to help students be more productive, Davis found other benefits with the new system. Now students have a chance to get to know other teachers, and assemblies regarding students in specific grade levels can happen more efficiently without disrupting other students. Although the system is new to juniors and seniors at the main campus, the extra help procedure is familiar to the sophomores. The system was implemented at the freshman campus last year. Instead of dividing fourth period into four half-hour increments, the freshman campus schedule has 30 minutes set aside right after third period for intervention, or study hall, which all freshman have at the same time. The freshman students’ lunch and class are then divided between three half-hour segments of fourth period. While the extra help period was implemented to enable students to become more efficient with their time, teachers also experienced a major change on their end. Ohio law requires that 10 percent of the teachers’ workday must

be set aside as a planning period. For Lakota Local School District teachers, this equates to at least 42 minutes per day. With the reduction of one period in the school day, teachers must work all six bells, leaving no time for a planning period during school. To accommodate this alteration, the teachers’ planning bell begins at 7:15 in the morning and ends at 8 a.m. During this time, students must remain in the cafeteria or gymnasium until they are dismissed at 7:50 a.m. Lakota Education Association (LEA) senior building representative for East, Rich Schmaltz said this process is hard not only for students, but also for teachers. “We’re going to have less access [to students] and [students are] going to have less access to us,” Schmaltz said. “When people ask, ‘How do I get around it?,’ the answer is this is what budget cuts look like. This is what happens when we have to cut and cut and cut.” At the start of the school year, students could only meet their teachers during the plan bell if the designated teacher signed the students’ planner, or the teacher came to the cafeteria or gym and met them. After a couple of weeks, LEA and East administration decided to use green passes to

monitor the number of students meeting with their teachers more closely. The passes contain the teacher’s name, student’s name, date of the meeting, teacher’s initial and the destination, which is either the East Learning Center or the cafeteria annex. Teachers at the East Freshman campus also have a planning period approximately 45 minutes before the start of the school day. During this time, students are only allowed to access the cafeteria or the media center. According to East Freshman campus associate principal Stacy Millburg, this procedure has removed issues, such as students wandering the halls, as a result of teachers choosing to help their students during the extra help or other times they are available, and the smaller size of the student body. Thus, the green pass system has not been implemented at the school. Currently, the administration plans to continue the use of the fourth period extra help and the teachers’ morning planning bell next year, because the reduction of the school day does not leave very many options available. “As far as the planning period goes, there’s no way around it with the sixth period day,” Millburg said. “We don’t foresee going back to seven periods anytime in the near future. SM

period is divided into A1, A2, B1 and B2. Extra help 8th Period: What’s The Deal with That? Fourth was noted as period 8 on students’ schedules.

1st Floor

2nd Floor

A2 A2

Senior Class

A2 A2

Junior Class Sophomore Class

A2 A2

B2 B2

B1 B1 B1

B1 B1

A2 A2

A1 B1

B1 B1

A1 A1

information suzanna davis, lakota east 4th period schedule

B2 B2

www.lakotaeastspark.com | Spark | 15

news | feature

Metals teacher Jesse Dornan, who was let go in April and rehired in May, splits his time outside of East between being a dedicated student, father and husband.

Dornan’s Army: Back for Another Year After being let go in April during Lakota Local School District’s Reduction in Force, East metals teacher Jesse Dornan was rehired in May. Dornan feels blessed to be back and to be able to do what he loves: working with young adults. story sophia li | photo iillustration ellen fleetwood and sophia li | infographic emily chao

ast metals teacher Jesse Dornan wakes up every day at 4:30 a.m. to finish his homework. He is taking the 30-credithour course load of a full-time student to earn certification in special education—but only as a part-time job. The rest of his time is divided between taking his daughter to and from preschool, advising art club every other Monday, helping his wife cook dinner, and delivering new recycling cans for Rumpke on some weekends to make extra money. And teaching five periods of metals classes a day, in addition to helping one period in the East precinct. Dornan is not trying to be some kind of Superman. He is trying to take care of his family in case he is let go from his job. Again.

16 | Spark | Oct. 5, 2012

Dornan is one of 53 teachers who were rehired after 139 teaching positions throughout the district were cut because of a Reduction in Force (RIF) in April. Both Dornan and his wife Melissa, a former East art teacher, were RIFed, but only Jesse was rehired for the 201213 school year. When the recall came a couple weeks before school ended, it was “an amazing feeling” and a surprise to Jesse. “Once those cuts were made, I knew there would be a couple recalls, but I didn’t think I would be one of them,” Jesse said. “When I received the phone call, I was stunned, shocked and a little teary-eyed. I ran down to see Dr. Kline and Mrs. Davis, and I ran into them in the hall and I gave them both a huge bear hug.” During the period of time after Jesse was RIFed and before he was recalled, he began

looking for any and all jobs, teaching or otherwise. Jesse estimates that he submitted about 40 job applications for an array of teaching positions and metalsmithing jobs, as well as odd jobs like being a 4H director for Clermont County or a Boy Scouts of America representative. Getting RIFed was no surprise to Jesse, who worried for his job months before he was actually given notice. He had already started trying to find new ways to support his family in the months leading up to the April notification deadline. “This may be old-fashioned, but I feel like as the man of the house, I’m always supposed to take care of my family,” Jesse said. “I felt like I was letting my family down under circumstances I couldn’t control.”

news | feature According to the Lakota Education Association (LEA) first vice president and East science teacher John Severns, employees who were RIFed were invited to have a meeting with the Lakota Local School District human resources and the LEA to go over their options. “A lot of people [had those meetings],” Severns said. “Each person’s situation is different, and [each person] might have a different set of questions to ask.” For Jesse, that meeting meant talking about opportunities to substitute in the district, discussing when his health insurance would end, filing for unemployment and understanding the recall process. Jesse, however, was prepared for the RIF when it occurred. Ever since Lakota failed its first of three levies in 2010, Jesse has held a part-time job to save money in case “the worst were to happen” and neither he nor his wife could find jobs. For two years, he worked at One Way Farm, a home in Fairfield for troubled and abused children. Now, Jesse delivers new recycling and garbage cans on the weekends for Rumpke as he is needed. Jesse’s six-year-old daughter, Riley, has become accustomed to her dad working two jobs. “My daughter has said, ‘You’re always gone, you’re always busy, you always work,’” Jesse said. “That’s the main reason why I’ve been getting up at 4:30 in the morning; to try and get most of my homework done before [my

daughters] wake up so that I have more time in the evenings with them.” While Jesse is thankful for being able to come back to Lakota, he never stops worrying

You’re always taught that if you’re the best at what you do, you’ll be fine. We have the best metals program in the country, and I’m losing my job. about his job security for the coming years. Jesse does not see the point in getting angry at the way things are, but he is upset by how little his hard work has paid off in relation to his job security. “It is just frustrating because you’re always taught that if you’re the best at what you do, you’ll be fine. We have the best metals program in the country, and I’m losing my job,” Jesse said. “At times with these levy cuts, I just feel like I work so hard to be the best at what I do, and it doesn’t always matter.” Jesse’s students have always been very fond of their teacher. East senior Alex Lindner and East alumna Alyssa Barr even created a Facebook page to show the public how

much students wanted him to stay. The page, called “Dornan’s Army: Students for Keeping Dornan at East,” was created in 2010 when Jesse’s job was first threatened and has gained more attention since Dornan was RIFed. According to Lindner, Dornan has not only helped her grow as an artist. He has also been there for her as a friend and taught her that no matter how bad things seem, they will always get better. “When I was sad, Mr. Dornan would ask me what was wrong and talk to me.” Lindner said. “Mr. Dornan is the most inspirational and influential teacher I have ever had. He’s taught me that no matter how bad things seem, they’ll always get better.” Even with the unstable job market for teachers, Dornan says he hopes to continue teaching art. Regardless of his status at the end of this year, Dornan is determined to find any sort of teaching job, and he is working toward getting certification in special education to open more teaching opportunities. Although Dornan could decide to work in a more secure vocation, he would rather stay where he is. “I really believe in fighting for what you love to do” Dornan said. “I promote that in my classroom, and I really model that as a teacher. I had an opportunity to get out of teaching and go back to school for something else, but I thought, ‘This is really what I love to do. I don’t want to do anything else.” SM

Overview: Who Came Back? After a Reduction in Force in April this year, Lakota still sought the need for teachers and recalled those based on tenure, seniority and job availability.

PERCENT REHIRED High School Junior High Elementary Early Childhood Other

28.26% 14.81% 71.79% 27.27% 40.00%

5% of teachers at appropriate school level

SCHOOLS WITH MOST TEACHERS REHIRED 7 Lakota East HS 4 Woodland Elem. 4 Shawnee Elem. 6 Union Elem. 4 Lakota West HS 4 Freedom Elem.

April 30

June 1

The deadline for notifying teachers that their contract will not be renewed has been changed from April 30 to June 1.

March 30 June 1 The deadline for notifying administrators that their contract will not be renewed has been changed from March 30 to June 1. The deadline for a teacher or administrator to decline reemployment has been extended from June 1 to June 15.

STEPS FOR A RIF TO OCCUR 1 The Board of Education approves to have a RIF. 2 Reduce the number of teachers first by offering retirement to those who are eligible (known as attrition).

If necessary, teachers with limited contracts will have their contracts suspended and be RIF’ed according to seniority.

If necessary, teachers with continuing contracts (or tenure) will have their contracts suspended and be RIFed according to seniority.

information diane brunsman, lakota board of education archive files, ohio senate bill 316, lakota education association master contract

53 TEACHERS 139 REHIRED

OHIO SENATE BILL 316

www.lakotaeastspark.com | Spark | 17

lifestyle | cool place

Spark editor Kaitlin Lange participates in a zombie hunt at Shoot Extreme, a new shooting range in West Chester that uses Simunition.

r e t n u h e i b zom a f o s r i o mem

After spending a day at Shoot Extreme, the new shooting range located in West Chester, Spark editor Kaitlin Lange reflects hunting down mutants of the undead using Simunition, a converted ammunition system which is used by police and military personnel for training. story kaitlin lange | photo ellen fleetwood | infographic irfan ibrahim

y eyes slowly adjusted to the narrow and dimly lit hallways as I inched my way forward. The team of fellow zombie slayers trudged closely behind me watching my every move. The only thing that stood between the zombies and my team was the loaded gun I held in both hands. Although I was in the secure location of Shoot Extreme, a brand new one-of-a-kind shooting range, I could not suppress the thought that at any moment I would need to be ready to shoot. Something would appear, I just didn’t know when. The shooting range was designed to provide a more realistic feel than other ranges. Instead of the typical well-lit room with paper targets, this shooting range was a dark maze with moving targets and a time limit to shoot each one. President of Shoot Extreme Founder Kevin Higgins says this feature makes Shoot Extreme unique.

18 | Spark | Oct. 5, 2012

“There are a very limited amount of places around the country where civilians can actually go through a shoot house, [where people walk] through a series of hallways and clear [the room],” Higgens says. “This is the only place where we are really supporting recreational competition, defensive tactical training, and reality based training all under one roof.” Although I can count the number of times on one hand that I have shot a gun, I had just visited a typical shooting range about a month ago with my dad. I had all of the time in the world to stand in the right spot, pull up my gun, aim at the well-lit clay target and pull the trigger. No zombies popping out at me. No moving targets to shoot. No pressure. I had almost endless bullets to use. But Shoot Extreme is not a normal range. Shoot extreme uses a different ammunition, called Simunition, a non-lethal brand of ammunition that police officers and special forces have trained with for the last decade.

Simunition uses real firearms that are converted to use the ammunition. The range must buy both the weapon and the conversion kit in order to properly use Simunition. According to Shoot Extreme Primary Instructor Brad Scheidt, the gun is easy to assemble. Once the guns are assembled properly, Simunition is extremely safe. It has a lower velocity than traditional bullets and thus only bruising results if hit by Simmunition. “We put you in a high stress environment which a lot of ranges stay away from because they are afraid of what can happen,” Scheidt says. “Here we don’t want anyone to hurt themselves but it’s definitely not as catastrophic here as it would be there [if someone fired a gun at someone].” It is usually used for person on person training since it provides little to no injury. “The thing we try to do in training is

lifestyle | cool place

â&#x20AC;? t e l l u â&#x20AC;&#x153;b p

Like most military/ police training facilities, ShootExtreme utilizes Simunition, a nonlethal substitute used for target and combat practice.

roof

FX CONVERSION BULLETS For military combat use, these bullets are designed for contact, and use a water based compound to mark lethal points.

gun CONVERSION

In order for a semi-automatic and automatic guns to enable the use of Simunition, it requires a bolt and barrel replacement in the original gun. Conversion costs vary with different firearms.

Securiblank bullets Used as blanks for Simuntionconverted firaarms. Provide less noise and pressure.

SIMUNITION VS. AMMUNITION

519

joules

335

159.8 decibels 192

FX Bullets

9mm Bullets paintball

Standard 9mm 0

150

275

500

Speed (in meters/second)

joules securiblank converted 9mm information simunition.com, shootextreme.com

135 decibels

1000 9mm rounds-

$515.00 1000 9mm rounds-

+$200 www.lakotaeastspark.com | Spark | 19

lifestyle | cool place

to simulate as close as possible realistic conditions,” Liberty Township second shift supervisor, Chuck Laymon says. “Anyone can stand and shoot at a stationary target for marksmanship training, but to really learn how to survive in a gun fight, force on force training is the only way you can really learn” Shoot Extreme employees are looking

Zombies are kind of the perfect fantasy target. There are no zombie protection societies out there. Nobody cares or is worried about zombie rights. Kaitlin used this Berretta at Shoot Extreme. Like all of Shoot Extreme’s weapons, the Beretta was converted to use Simunition.

20 | Spark | Oct. 5, 2012

to incorporate person on person shooting in the near future. But for now, Simunition still provides the safety needed in the high stress environment provided at Shoot Extreme. Although Higgins has a backround in the army infantry, Simunition was not in use during his service. He first heard of it on the history channel while watching “Special Ops Mission”. “It looked like a lot of fun,” Higgins says. “I wanted to see if it was possible to buy it so that we could use it that way.” At the time, the Simunition Company had a policy to not sell to civilians. In summer, 2011 the policy changed so that individuals who had the correct requirements and a solid business plan could purchase Simunition. Thus, Higgins planned out the innovative shooting range. I just had to experience the range for myself. As I continued making my way around corners, I knew I would soon be approaching my first target. One more step forward and a zombie popped up in front of me as lights illuminated it. I squeezed the trigger and nothing happened. I frantically pulled a little harder. Yet again nothing. Finally I squeezed the trigger hard enough that the gun fired, and much to my surprise the zombie fell, and the light turned off. The worker behind me probably thought I was horrible with weapons because it took me so long to shoot the zombie. I was immediately thankful that my friend and I had chosen to mislead the worker into thinking we had only shot once before so he would not judge our lack of skill. Although the gun was modified, it behaved very similarly to a real firearm. I remember having had a very similar, far-too-embarassing experience when shooting a real gun and had to try again and again to press hard enough to actually fire the weapon. The main difference, however, was the lack of recoil of the firearm at Shoot Extreme. The main thing I struggle with when shooting a typical gun is how much the tip of the weapon raises as I shoot the gun. Because of this, on my most recent shooting trip at the typical range, I failed to hit the clay targets most of the time. With the Simunition gun, I hit the zombie dead on because there was no recoil. After succeeding on accurately shooting the first zombie, I continued further down the maze searching for my text target.

The targets at the range also make this place unique. Shoot extreme invents all of its own targets to respond when shot at by falling. “The real key is we have developed our own target technology that really enters a new element into shooting,” Higgins says. “It’s fun to shoot targets that react.” Shoot Extreme seemed odd when I first heard stories about it. I read media hype talking about preparing for the zombie apocalypse and I was weirded out. I hate scary movies, so the end of the world zombie apocalypse thing is not something I tend to focus on. Still when the owner explained his reasoning for using zombies, I couldn’t help but think he was a genius. “Zombies are kind of the perfect fantasy target.” Higgins says. “There are no zombie protection societies out there. Nobody cares or is worried about zombie rights.” The other part of Shoot Extreme I was initially skeptical about was the idea that average joes could just go into the shooting range and borrow a weapon. I am a huge advocate for the 2nd Amendment, but this had dangerous written all over it. I was incredibly wrong. The range was almost too safe. My dad had to come in and sign a waiver for me. Nothing says “yes, I’m still a minor” quite like that. We then had to go through metal detectors to ensure we were not bringing in our own weapons and were given eye protection before picking out our gun. With the various types of safety features at Shoot Extreme, Laymon does not believe the range will encourage any more dangerous activity. “There are some people who say that Shoot Extreme is nothing but training people to be better killers. That’s not its purpose,” Laymon says. “Any product can be used for good or bad. Everyone knows when you go through the basic driving class, that you don’t drink and drive, you don’t drive recklessly, you don’t drive distracted. But what do we see constantly all day long?” The entire experience cost $20 and lasted less than 10 minutes, mostly because Simunition is so expensive. This price allows for two rounds of bullets and a worker designated specifically to help an individual shoot. Despite the price, I find myself begging my dad to go Shoot Extreme quite frequently. The few minutes I spent peaking around corners and going in for the kill were far more worthwhile than going to see a two-hour movie. “Anyone can go to a movie,” Scheidt says. “You may like the movie or you may not like the movie, but you come here to Shoot Extreme and the experience is something that you are never going to find anywhere else.” SM

lifestyle | cool place

A new Fresh Market opened Aug. 22 in the Voice of America shopping center,

KEEPING IT FRESH The new Fresh Market provides a variety of fresh and colorful fruits, vegetables, nuts and candies for costumers. Organized in an eye-catching way, the Fresh Market is unlike the typical grocery store.

story avery cook | photos emily wolff

he aroma of the freshly brewed spiced coffee and cinnamon brooms permeates the air. The vivid colors of flowers just inside the door, the worldly vineyard-style arbors, and the old, European-style wooden floor compliment the arrangements of colorful fruits. Soft classical music fills the open space. Grocery shopping at the Fresh Market is not just a task--it's an experience. “What sets us apart from other [grocery stores] is that [we are] an actual old style European shop--you go in and just enjoy the sheer shopping experience,” Fresh Market Manager Jemarcus Parker says. “We get costumers who shop in our store for hours just because they can come in and enjoy all the beautiful colors and the nice atmosphere.” The store has an ambiance of peace and timelessness as the costumers stroll through the table-height aisles and enjoy a free sample of a gourmet coffee. “I really like the atmosphere of [the Fresh Market]; it was just peaceful, you enjoyed your shopping experience,” says East senior Hunter Miller, who frequents the store. “The music had an air of class, and you [can] relax in the store, you don’t feel like you have to rush through.” Fresh Market is well known for their abundance of healthy choices. The store puts a healthy twist on foods that normally are unhealthy. “I've never been one to go for healthy foods, but when I went there, I wanted to eat healthy food because it looked so yummy and tasted good,” Miller says. “I bought whole-grain spaghetti, healthy cookies, a bag of peppers to pack for my lunch, and these carrots that are just phenomenal.” In addition to the healthy choices, the store takes pride in their customer service, which plays a key role in making the Fresh Market shopper-friendly. In order to achieve this high level of customer service, employees

are always readily available and applicants are thoroughly screened for friendly and outgoing characteristics. “We want people [working here] that have the social skills to hold a casual conversation,” Parker says. “Everywhere [a customer] turns [they] can see an employee who is there to assist [them] with anything.” Another part of the customer service is allowing the customer to try any product on the spot, so that when they go home, they're sure to be satisfied. “I want you to be happy with [your purchase] before you get home,” Assistant Manager Steve Elliote says. “If you've never had something, I'll open up a bag for you and let you try it on the spot. That's how important it is for us to let you try something--to let you know it's quality because that's what you're expecting.” The Fresh Market has many unique product selections including a bulk candy department, nut department and an old style meat and seafood department. The candy and nut section is an expanse of exclusive trail mixes and many different kinds of candies, from gummy bears to chocolate bars. With over 30 different types of nuts and 40 different types of mixes available at various times, there’s something for everyone in the bulk section and samples are always available. When a customer walks through the Fresh Market meat department they won't see the foam plates covered with clear plastic wraps seen in most grocery stores—instead, display cases are filled with that day's highest quality fresh meats. “We cut to order, as opposed to other grocery stores that have a self-service meat department where their meat is pre-cut and already packaged,” Meat and Seafood Manager Charlie Licata says. “What sets us apart is the freshness of our meat, especially the ground beef which has no additives, and is made from

natural beef. It is all ground from premium center cuts [locally,] not pre ground 500 miles away.” This freshness philosophy carries through to the produce department, where many of their products, including corn, green beans, bell peppers and even some potatoes are sourced from local farmers. Produce is kept fresh by constantly being turned over, a process in which employees sort through products and take out anything that has spoiled or is no longer up to the stores fresh standard. “If it's not attractive when it's delivered we will refuse it,” Elliote says. “It's not the same stuff that you're going to buy from our competitors.” The Fresh Market keeps their produce attractive by a process called “crisping,” in which vegetables are cleaned and freshened up every single night—everything is crisped at night so that it isn't left out over night to wilt. This allows for the food to last longer when the customer takes it home. The bakery also has high standards, baking their bread every other day if not every day and crafting fresh salads daily, including the popular chicken salad. “Every morning we get here at the crack of dawn to pull all of the old products so that we can donate to food banks,” Bakery Manager Lucille Mitello says. “We bake [the bread] fresh every morning and we estimate, based on the volume, how much of each product we think we'll sell.” Customers can be sure they're getting the highest quality products at Fresh Market because of their above average standards. “We're probably more picky than the consumer,” says Steve Elliote, Assistant manager. “If its not perfect looking, we wont put it out, [the customer] may think its perfect, but if we don’t. We want it to be absolutely perfect.” SM

www.lakotaeastspark.com | Spark | 21

lifestyle | student feature

Sea

From

Seato

East junior Alyssa Weisman thought her pilgrimage to Israel was just a part of Jewish tradition. But after spending a week traveling through concentration camps followed by four weeks in Israel, Alyssa found a new “home” in Israel. story and sidebar natasha rausch | photos michael tedesco and alyssa weisman | infographic emily chao

lyssa Weisman stares at the 485 meter-long wall. Kotel—The Jewish word for the Western Wall. A symbol of Judaism. A place of prayer. She thought it was just another site to see on the trip. She didn’t realize that this moment woulud actually mean something to her. She didn’t even realize how much Israel would mean to her. The men and women are separated to different sides of the wall, the women’s side only one third of the men’s. Alyssa fights her way through the crowd until she touches the sand-colored stone. She doesn’t know what to think, or say, or pray. She’s not like the others who burst into tears once they reach the wall. She’s emotionally numb. So she just stands there and stares at the letters. Hundreds of letters packed into every crevice and crack, even overflowing onto the ground. All of them are prayers, many addressing deceased friends and family. Alyssa reaches in her pocket for her letter praying for her lost friend and her lost grandpa. She squeezes the letter in the first spot she sees. And walks away. But she can’t turn her back to the wall. So she walks away facing it, running into a few people on the way.

Journal Entry Day 14: I am standing in a

country smaller than the state of Ohio. Yet somehow this tiny country is much more magical than anywhere else. The feeling of being in Jerusalem and sitting in front of the Western Wall is indescribable.

22 | Spark | Oct. 5, 2012

There were at least 1000 bodies of ashes in there. It was chilling. It’s weird to think that the grass there is so green, but all of its nutrients come from all the bodies in the pond. *** Alyssa always knew that before her junior year she would go to Israel because her mom, Ellen Bowmann, loved Israel during the year she spent there as a young adult. “After high school I just wasn’t ready to go to college. I wanted to explore and travel, so I went to Israel,” Bowmann says. “I wanted Alyssa to be able to witness and be part of a different culture just like I did. It’s her birth right to go. It’s our home land.” Alyssa heard about the five-week summer trip to Israel through her youth group known as North American Federation for Temple Youth (NFTY). NFTY recommends that Jewish teens

travel to the Holy Land after their Bar mitzvahs or Bat mitzvahs—but it costs $8,000 to go. The Cincinnati Jewish Foundation and Federation have worked together for 12 years to help the NFTY cause by donating $6,500 to each Jewish teenager in the area who are planning to go on the trip. “Studies find that sending teenagers to Israel is one of the best ways to connect Jewish teens to their religion,” says Sharon Spiegel from the Jewish Federation. “ They grow up and have a better Jewish identity as well as a connection to the state of Israel.” Because of this, Alyssa only had to pay the remaining $1,500 and the flight to New York where everyone meets. Since her dad works for Delta, the flight was free, so her mom flew to New York, too, to see her before she left for five weeks. “I got up at 4 a.m. for the flight,” Bowmann says. “I was crying—I was happy for Alyssa, but my baby was going to be in another country.” By the time Alyssa left her mom and boarded her 8-hour flight to Prague, she was overwhelmed with the 120 people in the program that she met. All of them were from different places around the United States. The only other person on the trip from Cincinnati was her friend Jackie Rudich. “After my Bat Mitzvah [Alyssa] and I felt more connected to Judaism,” Rudich says. “The trip was a lot more comfortable at the beginning because Alyssa was that one person that I knew I could talk to. But both of us still

The Western Wall Kotel is the Jewish word for the Western Wall, one of the most sacred sites of Judaism. The wall has three different layers of rock which show the three different eras during which it was built. The wall sits atop a plateau known as the Temple Mount and next to the Wall was a temple until 586 B.C.E. when the Babylonians drestroyed the temple according to the Book of Jeremiah in the Torah. The temple was later rebuilt, and destroyed in 70 A.D when the Romans overtook the Temple Mount. Even after both temples were destroyed, the Wall remained. Until the 14th century, Jews were not given any access to the wall. And until the 19th century, they were only given limited access. After that, Jews named Kotel the “Wailing Wall,” to signify its emotional impact. Now, however, most Jewish people recognize this religious symbol simply as the Western Wall.

Alyssa was able to experience the culture of Israel during her trip.

The train tracks, the barracks, the gas chambers. “I saw this little pond the size of my bed,” she says. “There were at least 1000 bodies of ashes in there. It was chilling. It’s weird to think that the grass there is so green, but all of its nutrients come from all the bodies in the pond.” After the tours, there wasn’t much to do besides play games in the hotel. Especially on Chabot, the Sabbath day. On this day each week, no work is allowed to be done and no cars are allowed to be driven. The next day everyone boarded a plane to Israel where they would stay for four weeks.

We entered into hell known as Berkinau. The journey we were about to begin was the Path of the Dead. Silently, we walked down the gravel path to the gas chamber, then to the pond with thousands of dead bodies underneath. The first week of the trip, the group traveled to Europe. Each day spent remembering the Holocaust was more emotionally overwhelming than the day before. The first day was spent in Prague, the group toured what was used as a Jewish quarter. The next day they toured the Terezin Ghetto. Then Schindler’s factory. Then the Krakow Ghetto. Then the concentration camps. In Auschwitz, Alyssa walked through the museum, then in Berkinau she walked through the actual camp. Everything was just left there.

Journal Entry Day 10: It is 3:45 a.m and we are about to embark on the most intense hike of Negev, the mountain called Har Shlomo. The land here is so beautiful. At the top, I can see Egypt and Jordan and Lebabon. Her first big trip in Israel was to NegevYa, a desert where the group stayed for four days. And for the most part, they ate watermelon and drank chocolate milk from a plastic bag. Each morning everyone prepared to go hiking. Before noon, everyone had to drink at least five liters of water because the temperatures average over 100 degrees during the day. “I would carry my camel backpack with me everywhere,” Alyssa says. “I still carry that bag to school every day because I am used to drinking so much water.” In addition to drinking 5 liters of water, Alyssa was required to wear a baseball cap, sandals and a t-shirt every day to prevent sunburns. At night, she slept in a tent in the desert. On the rocks. But that didn’t matter because Alyssa hardly even slept. Instead, she would stay up to talk to her new best friends abut Israel. After a week in the desert, Alyssa could choose between three four-day trips. Play games in a hotel and plant eggplants in a journey called Tikkun Olam. Explore the Israeli army. Or walk from the Sea of Galilea to the Mediterranean in a 79-kilometer trip called

ISLAM

CHRISTIANITY

made so many new friends. It was really neat to meet people from different places and have that Jewish connection with them.”

Journal Entry Day 5:

COMPARISON: RELIGIOUS SITES AROUND THE WORLD

BUDDHISM

Yam el Yam. She chose Yam el Yam thinking it would be the more adventurous. But each day when Alyssa woke up to walk another 20 kilometers, she envied the Tikkun olam kids, because of their time to relax and sleep while she walked through the desert for four days. “Then when I got to the Mediterranean, I couldn’t believe it,” Alyssa says. “I had just walked across an entire country. And I could say that I did so much more than the Tikkun olam kids.” After Yam el Yam, Alyssa traveled to what she thought was going to be a dangerous place—the Gaza Strip. This 25 by seven mile long strip of land runs between Egypt and Israel and has been a place of violence. Yet this was not Alyssa’s experience at all. She felt incredibly—secure. “When we went to the Gaza Strip, I thought that bombs might go off,” Alyssa says. “But I didn’t feel unsafe or anything because there are so many bomb shelters for protection. There is even a preschool on the strip. So being in a place that everyone said was dangerous was really no big deal.”

Journal Entry Day 26: The Israelis, Amer, Shalit, Ratem, Tal, Sheron, Daniel, Ofek and Harel arrived. They are all really nice and they speak English too so it was

HINDUISM

JUDAISM

Kaaba

Potala Palace

Vatican City

Varanasi:

Western Wall:

“The House of God” Approximately 2 million Muslims complete the pilgrimage annually

Dalai Lama’s Palace Approximately 1 million Buddhists and tourists visit the site annually

Home to St. Peter’s Basilica and the Pope Approximately 18 million visitors yearly

Home to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple Approximately 21.9 million visitors yearly

Wailing Wall or HaKotel Ha-Ma’aravi Approximately 5 million visitors annually

www.lakotaeastspark.com | Spark | 23

lifestyle | student feature easy to talk to them. In Israel, before a person can graduate from high school, they must take an English test to prove that they can fluently speak the language. That made communication with the Israelis much easier since Alyssa along with the rest of the group could not fluently speak Hebrew. They can only read it. So, the Israeli kids took the liberty of teaching them useful phrases. Like, “Where’s the bathroom?” and “No, that’s too expensive.” Alyssa wants to learn the Hebrew language so that she can move to Israel—like her mom

did for a year—when she graduates from high school. Alyssa wants to become a permanent citizen and join the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) for three years as all high school graduates are required to do. “The army in Israel is different because there are so many jobs since everyone has to join,” Alyssa says. “The IDF is one of the most powerful armies in the world and since everyone does it, there is a lot bigger sense of community.” After three years in the IDF, and a year of traveling through Europe and the Middle East,

Alyssa will enroll in the Televiv University in Israel and possibly study sign language. She decided that she was in love with Israel after five weeks in the Holy Land. After hiking across a desert for four days. After walking through the Gaza Strip. After putting her prayers in the Western Wall. After all, it’s her home. She just can’t leave Israel.

Journal Entry Day 35, the Last Day:

Everything here in Israel is a little bit brighter, prettier, and a little sweeter. Never will I forget Israel. The Holy Land. SM

SEE THE SEA: ISRAEL In a six-week trip this summer, East junior Alyssa Weisman saw many sites in Europe that correlated with her Jewish roots as well as experience the culture and religious aura of Israel.

ISRAEL

POLAND

Population: SEA

Warsaw TERRANEAN

AuschwitzBerkinau

CZECH REPUBLIC

Tel Aviv-Yafo

lem 24 | Spark | Oct. 5, 2012

East students out of 500 people surveyed have been on a mission trip.

Negev Desert

Dead Sea

Bar Mitzvah: Coming of age ritual for Jewish boys at age 13 Bat Mitzvah: Coming of age ritual for Jewish girls at age 12 Tishba B’Av: A Jewish holiday that occurs on the ninth day of Av (usually in July or Aug.) that commemorates the destruction of the First and Second Temples Torah: The Jewish holy book

5% of population

Israel is the only country where majority of people are Jewish.

CUISINE IN ISRAEL: Falafel: chick peas and cilantro fried into a ball, Arab origins

Schnitzel: breaded meat cutlet that is fried, European origins

Hummus: Arab origins,dip made from spices and chickpeas

Shawarma: meat roasted on a vertical spit, like a gyro, Arab origins

information israel bureau of statistics, cia factbook, jewfaq.com, religionfacts.com, unesco world heritage foundation, sacreddestinations.com, travelandleisure.com, google maps, photos used with paid permission from mctcampus.com or labeled for commercial

Western Wall

Har Shlomo

ASPECTS OF JUDAISM:

7,590,758

Sea of Galilee

Haifa

MEDI

Krakow

Prague

FAST FACTS: ISRAEL

The

British

lifestyle | photoshoot

are

coming

Jake Beggs and Allison Brennan model the British fashion that has influenced American style.

The Royal Wedding and the 2012 London Olympics have drawn the world’s attention to Great Britain and set the stage for the new era of fashion. Now, British TV shows like UK Skins influence America’s everyday style.

story haley collins | photos ellen fleetwood models jake beggs and allison brennan

On April 29, 2011, the world peered at their television screens, awestruck as they watched Kate Middleton promenade down the aisle toward Prince William. In spring 2012, publicized celebrations from the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II brought fantasies of English royal life to the minds of many. The 2012 Summer Olympics brought worldwide attention to Great Britain, as images of the London Bridge spread around the globe. Because of these major events, England has influenced U.S. fashion trends.

“There are a large [number of Americans] who greatly admire British style and culture,” Rhode Island School of Design Professor Emeritus of Apparel Design Lorraine Howes says. “Even if they aren’t ‘royal watchers,’ they are fascinated by the traditions and ceremony.” British fashion for women is characterized as having a thrown-on look. Various patterns, styles and prints are mixed together. The key is to appear edgy yet feminine; natural-looking, messy hair and vintage pieces are ideal. For men, a more formal, business casual look is

popular for everyday wear. Women’s pieces such as high-waisted shorts and combat boots, which are gaining steadypopularity among America’s youth, have already been the norm in Britain for quite some time. Men’s fashion displays similarities to England with basic pieces such as v-neck shirts and sweaters paired with button-up shirts underneath. East senior Amber Jagpal visited England this past summer and also attended the Olympic Games. The fads she saw in London

www.lakotaeastspark.com | Spark | 25

There is a large number of people who greatly admire British style and culture. Even if they aren’t ‘royal watchers,’ they are fascinated by the traditions and ceremony. resemble clothes she has seen kids from school wearing. “This past summer, a lot of the girls wore high-waisted shorts and crop tops, which are big [in the U.S.] now,” Jagpal says. “I saw a lot of maxi skirts, which are slowly starting to become more popular over here. [In addition,] girls would wear combat boots with jean shorts or nice dresses to give off an edgy vibe.”

ell-known American clothing stores have updated their merchandise to display this new trend. The clothes that PacSun sells include button-up shirts, boots with a punk flair and sweaters of various styles, such as cardigans and pullovers. Popular women’s retailers in the U.S., such as Forever 21 and dELiA*s, have also recently begun to sell similar British-inspired apparel. Former Lakota student and Mount Notre Dame (MND) junior Catherine Rainford is a first generation American; her parents moved to the U.S. from England 20 years ago because of her father’s job. Rainford has many family members who live in the United Kingdom (UK), and she notices similarities between their style and the fashion choices of her peers. “High-low skirts [are popular] and girls at MND wear them on the weekends,” Rainford says. “[In Britain] they wear a lot of bustier tops and flowy, long skirts, which are things you also see people wearing [in America.]”

26 | Spark | Oct. 5, 2012

merican males have not been as greatly impacted as women have by fashion trends originating in England because they tend to aim for more conservative and traditional choices when it comes to clothes. “British style has been more noticeable on women than men,” Associate Professor of Fashion Design at Kent State University Vince Quevedo says. “The more upbeat and trendy clothes of the British men have not yet hit the stores of the mainstream United States. American men are just getting into the slim, sleek and modern look the British have been wearing for many seasons.” East junior Madi Root has been captivated by European style because she is an avid fan of the British teen drama Skins, a television show that focuses on the controversial aspects in the lives of fictional teenage characters in Bristol, South West England. Root’s personal fashion choices have been affected because of watching the UK version of Skins. She associates Effy Stonem, the series’ rebellious character who has a punk-influenced style, as a fashion idol. “[Effy] wears a bunch of fishnet leggings with boots [in the show,]” Root says. “She’ll wear a simple shirt, flannel, jeans and combat boots. I go to thrift stores just to find flannels and band t-shirts.” East junior Ally Frangiosa also watches UK Skins and has seen similar clothing to what the characters wear appearing in the East hallways.

“The guys in Skins wear capris and dress classier. I’ve recently noticed boys at East wearing capri pants,” Frangiosa says. “I’ve also noticed girls at our school dressing in the same style [that the girls on the show do.] They wear lots of stripes, floral and lace, and I’ve noticed [British-inspired] punk elements like combat boots.”

dditionally, the British flag is an element commonly appearing on clothing apparel and accessories. Rainford’s phone case displays the Union Jack on it, and people have seen the design worn in the halls at East. However, the opposite is true in Great Britain. American stores such as Delia’s sell boots, pants and shirts with the British flag on it. Pac Sun also sells shorts with the flag on it. Although citizens of Great Britain wear their countries flag, Great Britain fashion is in influenced by America as well. The American flag is a trend on clothes worn by the British. “Since the Olympics, a lot of people wear British spirit-wear,” Jagpal says. “But there were so many clothes that had American flags on them. I would walk into stores and there would be whole sections of American flag jeans or sweaters with big American flags on them.”

n addition, Root notices that popular hairstyles in America are another factor affected by trends originating in England. “I found some really good hairstyles off of UK Skins,” Root says. “Effy has a light wave, almost like a little curl. I went to Mitchell’s to get a perm [like Effy’s hair,] but with my hair being so thick, it wasn’t really possible. So I just wear it natural and try not to straighten it.” Rainford has noticed British influence in the hairstyles she sees on American teens, too. “[My British cousins] just do whatever to their hair; they’ll wear it with a natural wave,” Rainford says. “When a British cousin of mine went to a festival, she wore a bun [on the very top of her head] with a headband. I’ve also seen my cousins wearing sock buns [before they were popular in America.]” Fashion trends are constantly changing, but as of now, Britain is in the limelight of the fashion industry. SM

To see more photos of British lifestyle, go to the Spark website:

www.lakotaeastspark.com

lifestyle | photoshoot

Yellow sundress from Target - $20 Black leather jacket from TJ Maxx - $19.99 Black leather boots from TJ Maxx - $39.99 British crop top from Macyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s - $19.99 Burgundy short sleeve top from H&M $5.95 Grey jacket from H&M - $39.95 Long sleeve white sweater from A&E $29.95

www.lakotaeastspark.com | Spark | 27

lifestyle | narrative

etox angers

East junior Halley Davidson tests a seven day Pinterest diet and relays her experience about this unhealthy way to lose weight. story halley davidson | photos ellen fleetwood

or seven days, I thought of nothing but food. When I was about to eat, I was consumed in my meal. When I was stuffed to the brim with vegetables, all I could think about was what I would eat next. On the last day of my seven day diet, I could think of nothing except the sandwich that was sitting in the fridge waiting for me. I had first heard of the Seven Day Diet Detox when browsing the Health & Fitness section of my Pinterest.com account. At first glance, it didn’t appear to be anything spectacular. But the high number ofå “re-pins” and comments from people that have used the diet successfully made me take a second look. With the diets promise of losing 10 pounds, I immediately opened Google and researched more on the diet. But this time, I was horrified. The Seven Day Detox Diet works by breaking down the basic food pyramid into a seven-day meal, training the body to lose weight as quickly as possible. Each day consists of eating specific foods, and sometimes only specific amounts. Most of the foods in the diet are fruits, vegetables and proteins. By giving the body only certain nutrients and components of the food pyramid, it pushes out all of the toxins that build up when eating unhealthy foods. As a key component in flushing out toxins, water is imperative in the detox. The diet calls for at least 80 ounces of water a day. Having had success from a detox diet before, I thought it may be interesting to see how effective this specific diet was. On a Friday evening, I bought all of the required foods in the diet. I stocked up on all of the fruits and vegetables I could fit into my grocery cart and prepared to start the diet from hell. Going into the diet itself, I knew very little about how the diet would affect my body, mood and health. Day One (Starting weight: 142 pounds): Eat all fruits except bananas. Watermelon and cantaloupe are the best. Day one prepares the body for the detox. The only sources of nutrition are fruits, which

28 | Spark | Oct. 5, 2012

provide many nutrients that are required for sustainable life. After my first day of eating sweet and juicy fruit, I only thought about salty foods. Overall my body seemed to be doing okay—I felt light headed and had a minor headache throughout the day. I found myself complaining about my baggie of peaches as I watched my friends indulge in chicken sandwiches and French fries at Chick-Fil-A. Day Two (140 pounds): Eat all vegetable. There is no limit on amount or type. For a complex carbohydrate, start the day with a large baked potato with butter for breakfast. Having complex carbohydrates with oil butter provides higher energy levels early in the day. I noticed this higher energy level in my own body. Eating the vegetables provides essential nutrients and fibers, enabling the body to process food as normally. Having eaten only bland vegetables on this day, I was craving flavor. I found myself drinking a lot of water instead of eating because I was sick of eating broccoli and celery. I felt jittery and was having trouble keeping my mind focused throughout the school day. I was bruising very easily due to my lack of potassium and protein. Day Three (136 pound): Have a mixture of fruits and vegetables of your choice, with the exception of bananas and potatoes. Any amount, any quantity. By day three, the body began to burn excess weight because of a low supply of glycogen, or natural sugars. Because fruits provide carbohydrates for energy, the potato isn’t necessary this day. This day was easier for me than the other two days, even though I was at school. I was still extremely hungry all the time, so it was helpful that I could eat both fruits and vegetables. Planning ahead and packing lots of snacks helped me stay on course throughout the day so I wasn’t starving or exhausted. Day Four (133 pounds): Eat bananas and milk. Today you will eat as many as eight bananas and drink three glasses of milk. You

lifestyle | narrative may also eat the “Wonder Soup.” The bananas on day four make up for the lack of potassium throughout the first part of the diet. The “Wonder Soup,” which has 0 calories and is composed of vegetables, helps to keep the body sustained while also providing nutrients that are absent from bananas. The milk helps to replenish a loss of calcium. This day was the worst part of the diet. Because bananas are one of my least favorite foods, it was extremely difficult to eat six of them. The milk was okay, but it left me very thirsty with a coat of phlem in my throat. Eating wonder soup helped with my salt craving because of the garlic and vegetables that are in the soup. Day Five (133 pounds): Eat beef and tomatoes today. Eat two 10 ounce portions of lean beef. Hamburger is okay. Combine this with six whole tomatoes. Increase water intake by one quart. The large amounts of beef make up for the large absence of protein in the diet, while tomatoes are a low calorie way to get fiber that helps with digestion. The increase of water helps purify the body system because of the low amounts of vegetables and fruits. By this day, I noticed some very distinct changes in my muscles and was ready to get some protein in my body. I felt as if my muscles had shrunk, rather than the fat around my stomach or thighs. The beef tasted great—I was finally able to eat food with substance. By day five, I had lost all of my extra energy and was fatigued earlier in the day. Day Six (132 pounds): Have all the beef and vegetables desired. This day had the most variety so far in the diet because it covered a greater range of the food pyramid. Similar to day five, the beef provides the body with iron and proteins, while vegetables provide vitamins and fiber. The meals on this day were the most enjoyable for me because I was able to eat an almost completely balanced meal by having vegetables and a serving of beef. However, I still felt grumpy and was very moody— Even

though the diet plan specified that I should have felt otherwise. Day Seven (132 pounds): Eat as much brown rice, fruit juices and vegetables desired. Because it was the last day of the diet, the body was being reintroduced to complex carbohydrates like brown rice. At the end of the diet I felt much lighter and noticed loss of weight in in my thighs neck and chin. It was an easier day, though, because I was allowed to have my first complex carbohydrate in the last five days. It was refreshing to be able to mix the flavors of sweet fruit juice, vegetables and rice. End Weight: 130 pounds

out of 401 East students surveyed have participated in a diet. Though the diet is intended to heal the body, it is not sustainable for proper health. “There’s a generally poor nutrition about the diet,” Springdale-Mason Pediatrics pediatrician Dr. Linda Jost, MD says. “What’s really lacking in this diet is general and essential minerals like iron, protein and calcium on some of the days.” One of my doctor’s main concerns was that the diet did not include the recommended 50 grams of protein a day. A protein deficiency can result in multiple symptoms such as lethargy, easy bruising and a noticeable change in mood. A lack of protein can also cause a considerable amount of weight loss, which is one reason the diet appeared to be so effective. “Because it’s very low on protein, you are losing more muscle than you are losing actual fat,” Jost says. “The biggest problem is that it promotes weight loss, but it’s too fast.” Exercise was also neglected in the diet. This is the key to any diet when people are trying to

lose weight in an effective, yet healthy way. “There are four major food groups, but exercise should be the fifth,” says Jost. “I think if you match regular exercise with eating a healthy diet that contains all of the food groups, you may really like the results you get.” Another issue is because there is a low amount of protein, the muscles will begin to suffer from atrophy if someone is not sustaining their muscles with proper exercise. “Once you don’t use a muscle for so long your body will think that you don’t need [the muscles] and they begin can to deteriorate,” LA Fitness trainer Brandon Moore says. Due to the low amount of calories in the diet, the best exercises would include muscle training and development. Cardio would only exhaust the few calories stored in your body and you would quickly become tired and crash. “Some days you’re probably getting only 1000 [calories in the diet],” Jost says. “A teenager requires at least 2000 or more calories a day to function properly.” East junior Tara Stith also tried the seven day detox and struggled with the results. Stith found the lack of protein unbearable and added a handful of nuts to the diet each day. Even with this addition, Stith discontinued the diet after five days. “I felt like it was hurting my body,” Stith says. “It was making me always feel tired.” Overall, the Seven Day Diet Detox has been very effective in terms of rapid weight loss, but not as a healthy decision. The consequences of fatigue, breakouts, irregular bowel movements, muscle atrophy, moodiness, dull headaches, irritability and lack of focus are not worth the 12 total pounds lost. And because the weight I lost was mostly muscle and water weight, I gained seven pounds of the weight back in the week following the diet. In the end it seemed as though the diet was never worth it in the first place. “You’ll feel tired, you’ll be irritable and not well, and you won’t have the energy you need to do your daily routines,” Jost says. “You’re essentially starving yourself.” SM This seven-day diet limits the types of foods Halley could eat. Instead of cookies and fries for lunch she had to eat celery and cucumbers.

www.lakotaeastspark.com | Spark | 29

And it’s true that young adults cause a disproportionately high percentage of automobile accidents every year. In 2011, 9.1 percent of all Ohio car crashes occurred with a driver at fault who was aged 16 to 20, the highest of any age group. These high numbers, however, may not be due to teenagers being bad drivers. On the contrary, says Jack’s Driving School instructor Joe Lee, adolescents are perfectly adept at controlling a car. It’s the attention aspect at which they are not so great. “[Teenagers] have the physical ability to control their car. But they don’t have the ability to control emotions while driving,” Lee says. Additional research shows that teenagers also have trouble making prudent judgments about multitasking in the car. Consumer Reports noted that in August 2011, only 30 percent of respondents ages 18 to 29 believed that it was very dangerous to use a handheld device when driving, while 53 percent of those 30 years and older did. Dr. Aaron Luebbe, an assistant professor at Miami University, says this research goes against current knowledge that the brain can only perform one task well at any given time. “While it may seem like you’re doing two things at once, in reality your brain is just constantly switching between one thing and the other,” Leubbe says. According to Dr. Paula K. Shear, a professor of psychology and psychiatry at the

30 | Spark | Oct. 5, 2012

The student driver sticker is often seen as a modernday scarlet letter, a black-andyellow banner that proclaims to the world that the driver in this particular car is not to be trusted under any circumstances.

University of Cincinnati, one of the reasons why it might appear that some student drivers are not thinking maturely may be just that— their brains have not fully matured. The human brain goes through rapid changes during the adolescent years, and many cognitive functions like language and attention develop rapidly. Some of the most important changes do not occur until well after adulthood. “There are parts of the brain that don’t finish maturing until [people are in] their early 20s,” Shear says. “That tends to be the frontal

207 out of 401 East students surveyed have been in a car accident.

lobe of the brain, which [typically controls] problem-solving and decision making.” And these missing pieces, Shear says, may be one of the factors behind why student drivers are often seen as more immature and impulsive when compared to their older counterparts. A side effect of not having a fully matured brain is a lack of what scientists refer to as affective processing, or how calmly one can manage and work in a given situation.

In this way, being calm is especially difficult for adolescents who still have not developed the necessary control mechanisms. Dr. Luebbe describes the two types of decision making: a cold system, which is the intellectual, rational side; and a hot system, which is the more emotional side. While teenagers have the capacity to reason, they do not have the control mechanisms to prevent them from jumping automatically to the hot system in social situations. “Teenagers have the ability to do the cold [system] really well, but they sometimes can’t suppress the hot types of decision-making,” says Luebbe. “Sometimes the hot system wins out against the rational, analytical, pros-versuscons types of processing.” Another suggested theory to explain the high teenage accident rate is that, aside from their developing frontal lobe, adolescents often lack the ability to think ahead about possible consequences, especially in social situations. “It would be reasonable to say that adolescents might not be as good at foreseeing future problems,” Shear says. “If you have a consequence that’s down the line, that’s the kind of thing that adolescents aren’t as good at [predicting] as someone in their 30s would be.” Impulsivity is even more dangerous because it offers a short-term reward that may be, for teenagers, more important than avoiding a long-term punishment. “Teenagers are a lot more sensitive to

things like reward and incentive, especially in social situations.” Luebbe says. “It depends on the individual, but most adolescents would respond to a [sooner reward] much more favorably. Teenagers, more so than adults, are more likely to take immediate reward versus delaying that reward.” There are also outside factors that make teenagers more dangerous behind the wheel than any other age group. Luebbe says that at this point of their lives, adolescents look more to their friends than to their parents to decide right and wrong. “The prefrontal cortex and central striatum are really sensitive to social interactions,” Luebbe says. “So teenagers are actually more receptive to social interactions and this is a bigger part of their life than [it is for] younger or older individuals.” Social influences like hanging out with friends, partying or even responding to a text message hold a higher priority among teenagers, and thus may lead them to make riskier decisions. “When a teenager hears a phone ringing or vibrating in the car, it activates the same parts of the brain that respond to reward,” Luebbe says. “So while some people may be addicted to sex, drugs or gambling, teenagers can just as easily be addicted to texting.” Luebbe also says that peers can be especially dangerous in a situation where taking risks or acting impulsive is required in order to fit in. “One of the things that we do know is that adolescents are more likely to take risks around their friends,” Luebbe says. “If there was some sort of punishment from peers, that peer negative consequence would be more impactful than a parent’s negative consequence.” Teenagers also learn more from positive experiences rather than negative consequences, so going to a party or a late-night joyride without getting caught may have more of an impact on how an adolescent determines what is acceptable than punishment or even the threat of arrest or death. Even when there are psychological effects explaining why impulsive or sensation-seeking teenagers are more accident-prone, other factors play into the high crash rate as well. Lee says that, of all the reasons why adolescents have such high accident rates, inexperience is one of the most important, along with the inability for teenagers to recognize their own shortcomings. Adolescents may not be aware that their lack of driving experience leaves them more accident-prone. “[Teenagers] fail [their driving test] at Sharonville and they’ll go to Lebanon because they think it’s easier. And then they pass there when really they shouldn’t be driving. But they don’t realize that yet because they’re young,” Lee says. “The problem is that you may know [driving] mentally, but until you get into the situation, you don’t have the experience.”

The new texting and driving law addresses the problem of teenage distracted driving. photo illustration ellen fleetwood

Lee proposes that the minimum required incar hours be raised and says that the application process for an adolescent to get his or her license should be much more strict, and should allow for references to have input on whether the applicant has enough maturity to handle having a license. “Obviously the students and the parents make their own decisions on [getting a license] and the state has those tests for a reason, but I think they’re a little too easy,” Lee says. “I have had some students where, after eight hours, I’d think, ‘Yeah, you’re ready to go,’” and I’ve had some where I’m thinking, “You are going to lose your license the second you get it.’” Lee also says that driving tests should be more difficult across the board in order to discourage people from going to a certain location just to pass an easy test. He wants for tests to weed out bad drivers and be like the test at Sharonville, which boasts a 28.3% fail rate, the highest in the state. “There are many more people failing at Sharonville [Bureau of Motor Vehicles] because it’s a much harder test. And that’s good,” Lee says. “Not everybody should have the ‘right to drive.’” Yet despite this laundry list of reasons why

adolescents should not be driving, many agree that putting a 15 or 16-year old behind the wheel isn’t dangerous. They believe that the current driving age is just fine as it is, as long as teenagers are made aware of the risks and dangers involved with driving. “I don’t want to come across that teenagers can’t make good decisions, because they actually can,” Luebbe says “We just know that teenagers tend to look for exciting opportunities and that, especially when friends are present, teenagers are more likely to take risks.” Many people agree that risks are too high, including Dr. Raymond Witte, an Associate Psychology professor at Miami University and a staunch proponent of the new texting ban. Witte, who has been working at Miami for 20 years, states that multitasking is dangerous for everyone, including teenagers and adults, and that a driver’s attention cannot be split between a phone and the wheel. “[Having texting and driving as a primary offense] should apply to everybody,” Witte says. “By the way [lawmakers] are choosing to implement [the ban], they’re sending a pretty clear message.” And that’s one message that won’t come in a text. — Josh Shi

www.lakotaeastspark.com | Spark | 31

House Bill 99: Fast Facts infographic courtney yanza

For minors, the use of a handheld electronic communication device is a primary offense. For drivers over 18, it is a secondary offense.

A preprogrammed GPS, an emergency phone call, or using a phone outside of the lanes of travel are the exceptions to the law.

House Bill 99 makes it illegal to talk on a cell phone, text, email, use computers/laptops, play videogames or use a GPS (such as one on a phone) while driving.

Even though this law went into effect in August, there is a six month grace period. This means that drivers who are pulled over for breaking this law will only receive a warning for the first six months.

Minors can be fined 150 dollars and have their license revoked for 60 days for a first time offense; a second time offense could result in 300 dollars and a one-year loss of license. It is a minor misdemeanor for adults. 32 | Spark | Oct. 5, 2012

O On August 31, Ohio became the thirtyninth state to pass a law banning texting while driving. Known as House Bill 99, the law not only prohibits the use of cell phones while driving, but also makes it illegal for drivers to have handheld electronic devices while behind the wheel. The law’s main provision affects at least 212 of the 385 East students surveyed, who have all texted while driving some time prior to the passing of the law. As a driving instructor, Tom Hauser of Tom’s Superior Driving School is fully informed of the law and its implications. “I agree with the law and I don’t think it should be ignored,” Hauser says. “Before the law was passed, the police had to have a [primary] reason to pull you over, but now if they see you texting, they can just stop you— when a cop goes by and sees you texting, he’s going to give you a ticket.” With the passing of House Bill 99, the police have been given this authority in hopes of decreasing the number of car crashe associated with the use of electronics. Statistically, a driver’s risk of crashing is increased by 20 percent if they text while driving, according to the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute. East junior Alesha Hamilton is also a strong supporter of the new law, but is concerned that the danger of drivers texting on the road will still be prevalent. “There isn’t a single text message that is important enough to risk one’s life,” Hamilton says. At the same time, however, Hamilton does not feel safer on the road, even with the enactment of House Bill 99. “There are laws against killing people, and it still happens,” Hamilton says. “Unless this rule is actually enforced, there is no way that people will stop doing it.” East senior Erika Kavalauskas shares Hamilton’s position on the law. Before the law was enacted, Kavalauskas would occasionally text at stoplights “because it was easy,” but the law has changed her behavior. “I think the law is fair because people our age aren’t good at multitasking yet. Older people are more cautious when driving, so it’s easier for them [to text without trouble],”

Kavalauskas says. “We’re just learning to drive, so it’s easier to just focus on one thing.” Texting while driving is not the only problem among teenagers, though. Governor John Kasich also banned talking on the phone while driving to those under the age of 18. “I think talking while driving and texting while driving are two separate issues,” Clinical Psychologist Dr. Susan Mendelsohn says. “When we have people in our cars, we have conversations with them. Throughout history, I don’t recall when this was a problem that needed to be brought to the attention of law-makers. I do, however, feel that using a hands-free [electronic device] would be a safer alternative to holding [a cell phone].” Mendelsohn feels that using a cell phone to talk while driving is not as big of an issue as texting while driving. “Texting while driving is just as dangerous as driving while intoxicated,” Mendelsohn says. “If our mind is impaired or distracted in any way, it can lead to problems on the road.” According to Car and Driver Magazine, an unimpaired driver travels 55.44 feet while braking. Being intoxicated adds four feet to this distance, while sending a text message adds 70 feet. It is not feasible for someone to be able to drive and look at their phone simultaneously. In fact, the official U.S. government website for distracted driving reports that sending or reading a text takes a person’s eyes off the road for 4.6 seconds. This is especially true in rear-end collisions, during which 93 percent of drivers look away from the wheel in the last three seconds before impact. “It is true that many of us know how to multi-task, but the driver’s seat of a vehicle is not the place to do so,” Mendelsohn says. “Paying attention to the road and the [cars] around you are the only tasks you should be concerned about while driving.” The law not only bans cell phone use while driving, but also prohibits the use of

It is true that many of us know how to multi-task, but the driver’s seat of a vehicle is not the place to do so.

laptops, tablets, Bluetooth devices and GPS devices. Mike Keener, who delivers pizzas for Raymond’s Pizza, will be affected by the illegalization of GPS use while driving. But because he is over 18 years old, Keener is not especially concerned about the impact of this law on his livelihood because these actions only constitute secondary offenses. “I will not stop [using the GPS on my phone to locate houses],” Keener says. “I will, however, be more cautious of who I’m driving next to.” West Chester Chief of Police Erik Niehaus says that new drivers are already dangerous enough without using distractions such as GPS’s and cell phones, and that teenagers who text while driving make driving more dangerous for all. “Teenage driving is high risk for all, regardless of texting. However, texting is obviously a big distraction because the eyes are down and off the road,” Niehaus says, who has been Chief of Police for 18 years. “Ceasing anything that distracts the driver will make driving a safer activity.” — Shervani Patel

Q&A with a co-sponsor of the ban on texting bill Nancy Garland

A traffic court information sheet is supplied along with the ticket.

photo kenzie walters

the house and the senate. We have attorneys and we basically say, “This is what we want to accomplish with this legislation.” They then draft legislation. They then send it back to us. We make changes to it if necessary. I had presented the bill four years ago in the first term that I served. That bill has changed a little during legislation. Last year changes were made to the bill, small modifications, nothing major. We got to the house last year and then it went to the senate. The senate then changed the bill quite a bit before they actually passed it. They then sent it back to the house and we passed. There’s a lot of involvement from various groups of people before a bill is ultimately passed.

Morgan Bain: Why did you choose to co-sponsor the texting while driving bill?

MB: What were the changes that the senate made?

Representative Nancy Garland: Well it’s an issue that has been brought to my attention by a constituent whose husband was killed in an accident from talking on a cell phone, not texting. She has been working on this for some time before I was in office. I agreed with her that I would certainly try to pass a bill banning talking on the phone but texting was a good start. Then an uncle of one of my son’s best friends was killed from being hit and it had to do with texting and driving. There were several situations that contributed me to want to protect citizens of Ohio.

NG: Well, first of all, they added that 16 to 18 year-olds could not use any handheld devices at any time which means that sixteen to eighteen year olds can’t use cell phones or a GPS. They really can’t do anything while there’re driving. They also changed that the violation would be primary instead of a secondary offense. And by primary that means that police can pull you over if they saw you texting and driving. The senate wanted it to be a secondary offense, which was one of the reasons we couldn’t get it passed a couple years ago. For sixteen to eighteen year olds it’s any handheld device. For anyone over eighteen, it is just texting and driving and it’s a secondary offense which means they have to stop you for something else. And then if someone gets pulled over, they can also charge [them] for texting and driving.

MB: How was the bill written? NG: There’s lots of different ways to get legislation written. There were other bills that were out there. The process for us is through

MB: Why was the decision made to make it a secondary offense for 18 and older? NG: There are some folks in the Senate that feel that it is a violation of their freedom to not be able to text and drive, talk and drive, do whatever they want to. Therefore, they feel that it really takes the enforcement out of the legislation, so they want to make it secondary. They fear a strict bill if we put it as a primary. I personally was opposed to making those changes but we would not have gotten any legislation passed if we demanded it was a primary offense. I feel that this is a good step forward but I feel that we need to change it to be primary for everyone. Actually, most of the committees that I represent already have blogged ‘make it a primary offense.’ The law as it was passed says if a city has a stricter law, then that one is the one that rules. The cities of Columbus, Cleveland, and Toledo all make it a primary offense. It should be a primary offense statewide. That’s what we hoped this bill would do, but to begin, it is a great step forward for people to have sixteen or eighteen year olds not be able to talk on their cell phone and drive. We took two steps forward and one step back. MB: Do you believe this law presents the circumstances for age discrimination? NG: You can certainly make that argument, but there are facts that there are a lot more accidents with people that age. They’re new drivers, they’re inexperienced drivers, so when you add other distractions to what they’re doing besides driving, you are going to increase

www.lakotaeastspark.com | Spark | 33

Rep. Garland cosponsored House Bill 99, the new texting and drving law.

photo used with paid permission from mct campus

that if you had rationale, you also can’t drink until 21; that’s age discrimination also. We know that many accidents are caused by inexperienced drivers but also by distractions which many times are cell phones. MB: Do you think it will be a problem for police to be able to pull people over based on how old they look? NG: No because I think if they see somebody that is driving in a way that looks like they are on their cell phone or are texting and they pull them over and find out they are over eighteen, then the penalty is going to be different. They also have driving laws on the books. In many incidences, the police would be able to use the distracted driving penalties anyway. With the law, we are just trying to get to a certain behavior that we know causes accidents. For people that have testified over the last few years they have been jilted from accidents because of texting while driving. Anything that a policeman does, if they have reason to believe that somebody is doing something, they have reason to pull them over. Now there is underage drinking, that’s one thing. It really isn’t any different than any of our other laws.

we are just trying to get to a certain behavior that we know causes accidents.

MB: What is the reasoning behind the strict sanctions on other electronic devices? NG: It was the Senate that added those provisions. I really was not involved in those discussions but my understanding is that a young inexperienced driver doing anything other than driving [his or her] car can have adverse consequences. A lot of people have seen people typing on their iPad. There are a lot of things that didn’t apply to a handheld device. Basically we are trying to modify behavior and that behavior is to keep your eyes on the road instead of texting. MB: Do you think this law might cause a problem from people who are frequently using a GPS? NG: We haven’t had GPS [devices] for that long. It used to be [that] you had to pull over and look at a map. Now it seems that many people don’t even know how to read maps. But I think that if you are lost, there’s usually some place that you can pull off the road and figure it out. So from that stand point I don’t think that it should cause a problem. MB: Do you think that this law is going to be effective on people over eighteen since it is only a secondary offense for them? NG: If you are talking about around my area in Columbus, Cleveland, and Toledo then it already is a primary offense. In fact, I just read that another community in central Ohio is going to be changing the law to a primary offense. I think that communities are going to go ahead and pass their own [laws]. Another thing is I’m not running for reelection but Rep. [Rex] Damschroeder wanted to retry it. When the governor signed the bill, he expressed wanting to make it a primary [offense] so the work on the issue has not stopped.— Morgan Bain

S She’s embarrassed that her parents have to drive her everywhere. Every day, she walks out to the school pick-up zone while her friends are able to drive themselves home. And when she stays after school for a Student Government meeting, she has to wait alone for her parents long after everyone else has left. East junior Kelly Evers and other teenagers across the nation are waiting for rides as fewer 16 yearolds are getting their driver’s license. According to the Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV), the number of 16 and 17 year-old drivers in Ohio decreased nine percent from 2006 to 2010 while the number of 19 and 20 year-old drivers slightly increased. This decrease was not limited to Ohio, however; in 2010, the Federal Department of Transportation noted the number of licensed 16 year-old drivers had decreased by more than one million since 2005. Tom Hauser, driving instructor at Tom’s Superior Driving School, says that he has noticed this trend in his own classes during the past few years. “I think the number of students in attendance is dropping because of the economy situation,” Hauser says. “Most parents just do not have the extra income to pay for the expenses of driving school, car insurance and gas.” Especially in the last few years, paying for car insurance has become significantly more difficult due to an overall increase in the number of car accidents. “A few years ago, we would have been notified of a few accidents per month. Over the past couple of years, it has become a few accidents per week, and the insurance rates for teenagers in these accidents increases,” says Marta Venturato, local Allstate Insurance Agent. In addition, Venturato says that as many schools are losing their busing services, more and more parents are buying their teenagers new cars, also adding to the cost of driving. “Most parents work and are unable to transport teenagers to and from after-school activities,” Venturato says. “In the past, most teenagers just occasionally borrowed their parents’ vehicles, but now, many parents

purchase another vehicle about the same time that they add a teenager to their insurance policy. “ These costs have kept East junior Parklynn Petty from getting her driver’s license, even though she has completed driving school. “It is my brother’s first year of college and my parents have been saving up for that,” Petty says. “I knew that paying for my car insurance was not going to be their biggest priority when I can find rides with other people.” But for Petty, having to arrange rides with other people makes going places and hanging out with friends difficult to schedule. “It is definitely annoying always having to

make sure that my parents are able to take me places and then having to worry about finding a ride home,” Petty says. “I cannot go places whenever I want to, like a lot of my friends can. If I forget about an after-school meeting, I often cannot go because I did not plan a ride ahead of time, while my friends that can drive are able to stay.” While cost is the main factor that leads to inconvenience for students like Petty, there are also legal requirements for aspiring drivers. Once a teenager has their temporary license, they then have to spend 24 hours in driving school, eight hours of driving time with a certified instructor and 50 hours of driving

Fewer teenagers are getting their licenses immediately after turning 16.

time with a licensed adult. For many teenagers like Evers, fitting these requirements into their already busy schedule can be enough of a reason to delay getting a driver’s license. “After school, I have track at least two days a week and gymnastics three days a week,” Evers says. “I do not have a lot of free time to practice driving, so it is going to take me a while to get all of my hours in.” Tom Hauser says that for whatever reason, most teenagers do not fulfill the 50-hour affidavit. “A lot of students begin the in-car without having even driven their parent’s car,” Hauser says. “It is not that parents do not care, they just do not have the time to spend 50 hours teaching their teenager to drive.” With these costs and time obligations, some teenagers choose to wait to get their driver’s license until they are 18 years old and no longer required to attend driving school. But Hauser says that while skipping driving school may seem like it saves money, it may end up costing more in the long run. “Insurance is about 50 percent higher for people who do not go to driving school,” Hauser says. “That could add $100 more to monthly car insurance costs. After 12 months, that is $1200, which is a lot more than the cost

It’s not that parents don’t care,

they just don’t have the time to spend teaching their teenagers to drive. photo ellen fleetwood

www.lakotaeastspark.com | Spark | 35

What Kinds of Crashes are Most Common?

29 percent of all U.S auto collisions are side impact collisions, also known more commonly as “T-Bone.” of driving school.” Evers says that once she is able to fulfill the time requirements and get her driver’s license, it will make her busy life a little less hectic. “To be able to drive myself to and from extra-curricular activities and school will make my life simpler,” Evers says. “I will not miss out on doing things with my friends because I won’t have to work around my parents’ schedule.” — Marissa Alsip

E Every day about 93,000 traffic tickets are written in the United States, with Ohio writing the majority of these tickets per year. That means every day in Ohio, a lucky few people are handed that dreaded slip of paper. But a ticket isn’t as simple as saying, “Sorry, officer” and paying a fine. No matter how minor the offense, a traffic ticket requires a court appearance, which has contributed to why a third of surveyed East students have found themselves in a traffic courtroom since they’ve gotten their license. One of these students is East senior Megan Jesse, who went to traffic court last year after side-swiping another car. Jesse was looking down at her GPS when traffic suddenly stopped, and she couldn’t brake in time. The court ruled she would only have to pay a fine, but the consequences could have been worse. “I was terrified,” Jesse says. “If they had taken away my license I would have been in huge trouble, not to mention the fact that it

36 | Spark | Oct. 5, 2012

photo used with permission from Natalie Hughes

infographic delena duong

percent of all U.S. Automobile collisions are head-on.

would be really hard to get around.” Then on September tenth, I found myself in the same place as Megan Jesse. Traffic court handles cases of moving violations, which can range from rolling through a stop sign to failing to yield, or in my case, having a busted taillight. I was driving down Cincinnati-Dayton Road, when I was unexpectedly handed a ticket for my taillight being white instead of red. This was a primary offense, meaning that the cop pulled me over for the sole reason of my light being busted. But something like not buckling a seat belt, or having too many people in the car, is a secondary offense; the officer would have needed to cite a primary offense in order to pull me over for a secondary offense. Unfortunately, I had no prior knowledge that my cracked taillight was an offense at all. Needless to say, seeing a cop turn on their lights behind my car was absolutely terrifying. When I finally squared with the fact that I wasn’t imagining those blue lights in my mirror, I realized I had nowhere to even pull over. With dense forest on either side of me, and no shoulder to pull into, I made what seemed like a logical decision. I kept driving. This road was scary enough already, I wasn’t going to stop in the middle of it. Besides, the cop would understand if I waited until there was an actual shoulder to pull over to, right? Wrong. The officer that pulled me over was angry that I waited an extra minute and a half to pull over. So angry that he not only wrote me up for my taillight, but also charged me with the obstruction of a public safety vehicle. Two tickets in an hour, both of them for reasons I was unaware of at the time. Along with all the new fun facts I learned about the law that night, I also found myself with a court date and new plans for the tenth of September. Getting pulled over was a pretty bad feeling, but getting back in the car to go to court was probably even worse. It felt exactly like being in the waiting room at the dentist. My momm and I pulled up to the Juvenile Corrections Center in Hamilton and went through airport-esque security, putting our keys and phones through a metal detector and hoping the machines wouldn’t beep. Then when we sat down, I

30 percent of all collisions are from the rear. When rear impacts occur, the driver in the back car is usually the one responsible. realized I didn’t have a clue what traffic court actually was. Michelle Bruner is the Supervisor of Delinquency at the Hamilton County Juvenile Court, where traffic court is held Monday through Friday starting at 2 P.M. “There is no set number of how many cases are heard each day in court,” Brunner says. “Some days there may be as many as 20 or as few as two. However, I would say on average, there are about 15 per day.” Though the number of teens seen in traffic court has been decreasing since 2007 when 5,664 cases were cited, last year, 3,332 minors were tried at the Hamilton County traffic court. I turned to the girl next to me. “So what are you in for?” I asked. She’d been T-boned and the women who hit her fled the scene of the accident, leaving the girl, who was my age, with a ticket for failure to yield. She was equipped with a plan to plead not guilty with evidence to support her case. Her situation seemed a lot more serious than my taillight. The girl left to stand before the magistrate that would hear all of the cases that day, and a new kid sat down next to my mom and I. He’d been busted for racing and wrecking his BMW—another case more severe than mine. My case was next in line to be heard. I was given the option to either admit or deny the claims presented against me, denial resulting in a reset of my court date and the right to hear and question witnesses. But I admitted my guilt. The magistrate asked me to explain why I didn’t pull over immediately, and made me assure him that my taillight would be fixed. The magistrate merged my violations together, making my obstruction-of-publicsafety violation virtually disappear. And the busted taillight wouldn’t even show up as points on my license. The fines and consequences involved in juvenile court cases, however, can vary based on the number of offenses. In most moving violation cases, the judge has the right to impose a fine of up to $50, in addition to an up-front $77 court fee for moving violations or $43 fee for non-moving violations. A teen’s first moving violation usually results in a fine, or in more serious cases, a suspended license.

If someone under 18 receives a second moving violation, he or she incurs a 90-day license suspension. If a juvenile with a suspended license is given a ticket for a moving violation, their license is suspended for a year with no option of driving privileges, which cost $50 and include the right to drive to school or work. The girl who was T-boned and pled not guilty was assigned a new court date to present her evidence. The boy caught racing got his license suspended for an entire year. And here I was, wasting the judge’s time over my busted taillight. It all felt a little silly. My mom paid my $130 fine and signed me up for my required session at Carteens, my next big adventure. Carteens is a traffic safety program that informs teens about subjects like excessive speed, driving under the influence, seat belt safety and other important topics related to driving. Megan Jesse was also sent to Carteens after her crash. “Carteens is a lot like driving school,” Jesse says. “It’s a little gruesome, but it definitely reminds you to be careful.” I’m not sure if I need to know anything about seat belt safety to fix my busted taillight, but it’s a mandatory part of my sentence. My fines have been paid and my taillight has been fixed. I don’t expect to be back in traffic court anytime soon, but if I am, at least I’ll have some experience under my seatbelt, which will be buckled of course. — Kenzie Walters

I turned to the girl next to me.

“So what are you in for?”

More than half of surveyed East students admit to texting while driving.

Cracking Down Deputy Doug comments on teenage distracted driving in and around East as well as the effect House Bill 99 will have on the school.

159

photo illustration ellen fleetwood

out of 485 East students surveyed have been to traffic court.

School resource officer Deputy Doug Hale is outside Lakota East High School at 2:45 p.m. each day, directing the flow of cars leaving the parking lot. It’s a dangerous job. Deputy Hale has almost been run over twice due to distracted drivers. He warned students during the assembly on the first day of school that if he saw a student driving with a phone out, he would take it away. That’s not just Deputy Hale’s policy. It’s the law. The new House Bill 99 prohibits the use of handheld electronic devices for people under the age of 18 and makes it illegal for adults to allow texting to interfere with their driving. Adults have to be pulled over for a traffic violation before being nabbed for texting, but police can pull over any teenager they see using a phone. Hale says that this law may prove difficult to enforce. “There are some kids that you can tell are underage, but others not,” says Deputy Hale. “There are people [at East] who look like fourth graders and others who look in their twenties. It’s going to be tough [to identify people’s ages] and very much up to the discretion of the officers. I myself haven’t seen any guidelines.” Erik Niehaus, West Chester Chief of Police for eighteen years, says that officers under his jurisdiction will try to enforce the new law to its fullest extent even with the difficulties in judging the age of drivers. “It has to be reasonable, but we will do everything in our power [to enforce the law],” Niehaus says. “If it’s running a license plate to see how old someone is, or visually seeing how old someone seems to be, we’ll take every route available to enforce the law.” Regardless of the difficulties the agespecific provision presents, Niehaus says that the law will be fairly enforced, as are all of the department’s numerous new rules. “Our job as law enforcement is to do just that: enforce the law,” says Niehaus. “This happens fairly frequently where new laws are made. It’s our responsibility to make the officers aware of [new laws]. It’s not a burden. It’s just another law they need to know. The guidelines for the age provisions are the law itself.” — Katie Masterson

www.lakotaeastspark.com | Spark | 37

DISTRACTED DRIVING

What Text is worth your

LIFE? With the passage of its new legislation dealing with texting and driving, Ohio became the 39th state to ban the practice. So what is the big deal? infographic jeff back

information distraction.gov, dmv.ca.gov, stoptextsstopwrecks.org

Is an Increase in Texting the Root of the Problem? Since 2005, text messages sent per year have increased by more than 2800 percent. In June 2011, more than 196 billion texts were sent or received in the United States alone.

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

81 159

Text Messages per Year (in Billions) 363 1005 1563 2052 2304

Crunching the Numbers on Texting While Driving On average, sending or receiving a text takes a driver’s eyes from the road for 4.6 seconds. At 55 miles per hour, that is the same as driving the length of a football field—blind. 38 | Spark | Oct. 5, 2012

times more likely a driver is to cause a crash while text messaging behind the wheel of a vehicle.

Using a cell phone while driving a car can delay a driver’s reaction time as much as having a blood alcohol concentration at the legal limit of .08 percent.

Are We Too Confident as Drivers? 77 percent of young adult drivers are very/ somewhat confident that they can safely text while driving. 35 percent think they will not get hurt.

percent of drivers rate themselves as better than the average driver.

At any one typical daytime moment, as many as 10 percent of drivers are using a cell phone. 55 percent of teens think texting and driving is easy.

How Many Accidents are Caused by Distracted Driving? In 2010, 3,092 people were killed in crashes caused by distracted drivers. An additional 416,000 people were injured in craches involving a distracted driver. 10,000 people=

416,000

100= people

3,092

this Age group has the greatest proportion of drivers who drive while distracted. In 2009, 16 percent of drivers under 20 who were involved in fatal accidents were distracted at the time of the crash.

UNDER 20

995

of those killed in 2009 in distracted driving crashes were reported as having a cell phone as a distraction. This equaled 18 percent of distracted driving fatalities that year.

Break it Down

percent of teens ages 16-19 have driven while distracted.

percent of drivers use cell phones while they are driving.

percent of drivers under 35 text while driving.

What Exactly is a Distraction While Driving? A distraction is any object or event that prevents a driver from operating a motor vehicle safely. three types of distractions can impair a driver.

Visual Distractions

take your eyes off the road. Cognitive Distractions

take your mind off the road. Manual Distractions

take your hands off the steering wheel.

Principal Actions that cause distracted driving Cell Phone Use

Reading

Looking Outside the Vehicle

Reaching for an Object in the Vehicle

Applying Makeup

Eating

www.lakotaeastspark.com | Spark | 39

E East senior Hannah Hall is busy. All of her time outside of school is spent in marching band rehearsals or working at Kings Island 20 hours a week. Hall works tirelessly to earn money to buy her own car. “Hopefully I’m going to be able to buy a car by this coming year, but it just depends on whether I can manage to save up” says Hall. But the increasing cost of owning a car continues to keep Hall from reaching her goal. According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), the price of owning and operating a car has increased from 56 cents a mile to 59.6 cents a mile, an average of $8,946 a year and a 1.9 percent increase in cost over the last year. To save money, Hall carpools with her friend, co-worker, and fellow marching band member, East senior Rachel Carter. “We carpool to pretty much everything” says Hall, whose parents trade off with Carter’s in order to get the girls to school and work. By having their parents trade off on commutes, which are often to school, band rehearsals and competitions, Hall and Carter are not only saving gas money, but also

helping their families save money on insurance payments. “A youthful driver, which is anyone under 25, can add about $400 or more to a policy,” Says Liberty Mutual Insurance customer service specialist Susan Drees. “We will also take into consideration the type of car and your grades. If you do not qualify for the Good Student Discount, the rates can be $1600 and up.” Being an “A” student in four Advanced Placement classes, Hall would qualify for the Good Student Discount, which provides up to a 15 percent discount to students between the ages of 16 and 25 with a “B” average or better. The largest cost of a new car comes not only from the base price, but also from the increase of insurance costs. “On a new car, it can be up to $1200 plus,” says Drees. “The reason is the coverage. If you are driving an older car then it can have a liability versus a new car where you will want to insure the car for comprehensive coverage, which pays for things like fire, theft, vandalism, hail storms and hitting a deer, and collision coverage which pays for an accident.” 51 percent of 655 East students bought their car new instead of used, and 86.5 percent own a car more than five years old. According to the Geico insurance plan, there are large discounts for vehicles that have built-in safety equipment. Of these, the highest is a 40 percent discount for full-front seat air bags and a 25 percent discount for driver-side air bags. There is a discount of up to 25 percent on the comprehensive portion of the insurance for cars with built-in anti-theft systems. “A big [driving technique] is coasting when you can,” says Singer, owner of Academic Automotive. “It takes just as much power to slow a vehicle from 50 miles per hour as it does to accelerate. When we hit the brakes, all we’re doing is taking all this massive momentum that

The increasing expensese of driving are forcing drivers to look for creative ways to save.

photo illustration kenzie walters

The price of owning and operating a car has increased by

1.9 percent this year.

we burned fuel getting it up to that speed, and we’re just absolutely wasting gas by hitting the brakes.” The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that not speeding, rapid acceleration and quick braking could increase fuel economy up to 33 percent, saving anywhere from 19 cents to $1.23 a gallon. Avoiding annual maintenance could cost a driver much more than expected. A poorly tuned engine, as reported by the EPA, can consume 50 percent more fuel than one that is properly tuned. “Tune ups are not going to affect fuel mileage until it becomes a misfire (a cylinder in the engine fails), so your engine will clearly start running poorly,” says Singer. “When you do a tune up on time there should be no difference of fuel mileage before or after.” Car engines also benefit slightly from use of a higher octane fuel. However, these benefits do not outweigh its costs. “Most vehicles can use cheap gas unless it’s like a sports car where the owner’s manual recommends a higher octane,” says Singer. “So if they don’t specify octane, then you can use the cheaper gas. You’re getting nothing for that extra money.” One technique that helps reduce gas mileage is keeping the windows up while driving on the highway. “Driving down the highway with your windows down and air conditioning off gives you worse gas mileage,” says Midas technician Brian Hovatter. “The open windows cause wind drag that works against the car.” Another way to reduce the cost of fuel is to find the cheapest prices in the area, which can be easily accessed through mobile gas apps for smart phones. “If I could afford it, I’d pay for a new car, but I’m probably going to end up getting one used,” says Hall. “I’ll get my [required] hours and I won’t complain, but getting the money, it’s like catch 22; I need my job to buy a car, but I need a car to get to my job.” To reach that new car, Hall plans to use any technique she can to save her money. — Lauren Mazella

J Junior Erin White cuts through the Kroger parking lot on the way to school in the morning. It shortens her route by 10 minutes, she says. That is 10 minutes less spent waiting in a line of traffic, and 10 more precious minutes of sleep every morning. 10 less wasted minutes, five days a week. Although administrators and police authorities have told students not to do so, Erin is part of the 36 percent of East students who cut through the Kroger parking lot in the mornings to take the quickest and most efficient route to school. Junior Evan Connaughton is also among that 36 percent, eliminating his time spent in traffic around the school in the morning by cutting through the Kroger parking lot. “Cutting through the Kroger parking lot lets me skip a very long line of cars and get to school much faster,” Connaughton says. According to Deputy Doug Hale, traffic around East in the mornings is most congested from approximately 7:30 until 7:50. It is during this time that East’s parking lot and the surrounding intersections fill with students and parents alike. Rather than wasting time and gas by waiting in long lines of cars, many have changed their morning tactics to cut through or even park in the lots of Kroger Marketplace, Mercy Hospital and El Rancho Grande, three buildings directly surrounding East. Deputy Doug admits that this is a problem, one that is out of his control. “There’s not much we can do because it is private property,” Deputy Doug says. “But the property management has been in contact with the school district and myself because they’re concerned about it. I’ve made recommendations that they just block it off, because it’s private property and they have the right to do that.” The surrounding businesses, however, are not doing much to prevent high school students and their parents from taking a shortcut through their property. “We’ve never stopped anyone, we’ve never really policed it,” says Bryan Davis, Associate Manager of Kroger Marketplace. According

to Davis, Kroger does not have an official policy preventing students from parking in or crossing through its lot in the morning. “I would say that [the main issue] is just general safety,” Davis says. “Obviously we have a lot of customers, not necessarily in the mornings, but in the afternoons. If [students] are cutting through the parking lot, we just want to make sure that our customers and associates are always safe walking to and from their cars.” Deputy Doug also agrees with Davis’ concern. “It’s more of a safety issue,” Deputy Doug says. “The kids have to cross the street [to get picked up by their parents in the Kroger lot at the end of the day]. And I know everyone’s in a hurry. And the problem that the property management is concerned about is the safety of patrons coming in there.” Davis is also concerned with the parking spaces taken up by students or their parents that park in the lot. “All they’re doing is cramming the parking lot more and more to where our actual customers are having to park further away from the building,” Davis says. “If it continues and if it gets to a point where it’s a dangerous situation, then I’m sure that we’ll have to make adjustments accordingly.” Davis says if customers complain, the situation will escalate from a slight annoyance

Despite protests from business owners, cars continue to cut through the Kroger parking lot every morning.

to business disturbance. “We don’t want to lose customers to something so silly as students flying around the parking lot,” Davis says. Ramiro Hernandez, Associate Manager of El Rancho Grande, however, holds the opposite mindset. Hernandez believes that discouraging students from passing through or parking in his lot will have a negative impact on his business. “We have a lot of customers from Lakota, and they’re all good people,” Hernandez says. “If we keep them out, they will not want to come [to El Rancho Grande] anymore.” Hernandez says that the parking lot in front of El Rancho Grande is large and open for anyone to park in or pass through, and that he has never noticed students speeding through the lot at dangerous speeds. “If you keep people [out], they won’t come anymore to eat,” Hernandez says. While Hernandez and Davis have different philosophies about students using their parking lots before and after school, no immediate action is being taken to prevent such situations from occurring. As for White and Connaughton: they will continue to take a shortcut through the Kroger parking lot every morning before school and savor their 10 extra minutes of sleep. — Alexa Chryssovergis

www.lakotaeastspark.com Sparkfleetwood | 41 photo |ellen

sepcial report | cancer

The Niederman family stands in the commemorative garden dedicated to their father.

Saying Goodbye to Bob

Each issue of Spark this year will report on the lives affected by cancer. This issue reports the story of farmer Bob Niederman, his battle with cancer and how his passing has change the dynamic of the Niederman family.

Each issue of Spark this year will feature a story about the effects of cancer in the community.

story madison shelton | photo ellen fleetwood

pril 1, 2011 marked the beginning of a new chapter in the lives of the Niederman family. That day, Robert Niederman, known as Farmer Bob and the owner of the 214-acre Niederman Farm, was diagnosed with large B-cell nonHodgkins lymphoma while visiting the hospital for a bleeding ulcer. Doctors were unsure if the lymphoma they found could be cured before it entered the bloodstream. “[Cancer] absolutely has the potential to stop your world in its tracks,” says Bob’s wife of 23 years Bethann Niederman. “But we couldn’t stop. We still had a business to run, we had a son graduating from high school, and we had day to day activities that needed to keep going.” The family began to take on new roles in order to give Farmer Bob the best possible care. Elizabeth, the oldest of the Niederman’s five children, took a year off college to be with

42 | Spark | Oct. 5, 2012

the family while her brothers and sisters began learning new jobs around the farm. Bethann Niederman became Farmer Bob’s full time caregiver keeping track of doctor’s appointments, medication, insurance information, and Bob’s physical wellbeing. “It’s a full time commitment,” says Bethann. “It’s a full time responsibility with the type of cancer he had. We had to do everything the doctors said as quickly and efficiently as possible because of how fast the cancer was growing.” Despite all the time and effort the family placed into Bob’s care, the lymphoma was still rapidly growing and spreading throughout his body because the cancer had entered his blood stream. After several months of chemotherapy, it became clear to doctors that Bob would need a bone marrow transplant. “Unfortunately there are strands [of non-

Hodgkins lymphoma] that are chemo resistant, where we have thrown everything at them but the lymphoma continues to grow through the chemotherapy,” says Laura Parker, bone marrow transplant nurse at Jewish Hospital. “At that point if we can get enough chemotherapy to get the disease under control we will put them through a bone marrow transplant hopefully to cure them, but if not, to give them a few more disease free years of living.” In order to complete a bone marrow transplant, doctors needed to find a perfect match, who was willing to donate peripheral stem cells for the procedure. “It’s normally but not always inside the family that you find someone with the correct blood typing needs,” says Parker, who began working at Jewish hospital in 1989. “If they have no one in their family that matches them we go to the donors system, which is

sepcial report | cancer where people have signed up to give samples of DNA. We compare the patients DNA to different donors in order to find a match.” In Farmer Bob’s case, one of his three sisters was the match the doctors needed in order to begin the bone marrow transplant in August. First, Farmer Bob was given high doses of chemotherapy to wipe out his bone marrow. Then, his sisters stem cells were inserted into his body and the new stem cells were able to repopulate his lost bone marrow. As the Niederman’s went through the bone marrow transplant process, the Center Point Christian Church held a blood and bone marrow drive helping spread awareness in the community about the constant need for new donors. “If we can create awareness about the need of blood donations and bone marrow donors,” says Bethann. “Then somewhere we are helping someone else.” The Niederman’s appreciated the support from the community, but following Farmer Bob’s bone marrow transplant their main focus became caring for Bob. Instead of being with his family on the farm, Farmer Bob had to observe an isolation period at Jewish Hospital for 100 days. ”He was too sick to have the desire,” says Bethann. “In his heart he wanted to be outside, but physically he was too sick. After the transplant he was never able to go back to work.” During the isolation period, friends and family were allowed to visit Farmer Bob at the hospital. His daughter LeAnn, however, was too young to enter the unit. “[Bob and LeAnn] could talk on the phone, but she couldn’t go visit him,” says Bethann. “It was a struggle mentally and emotionally.” During this time, Bethann began attending a patient support group offered at Jewish Hospital. The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society provided information about bone marrow transplants and chemotherapy so the family understood the operations the doctors were preforming on Farmer Bob. “I don’t know how to put it into words other than: the chemotherapy that [Bob] had it killed—everything,” Bethann says. “It was so excoriatingly painful that he had to have a morphine pump that he could take as often as he needed. If they could figure out how to get a chemotherapy that would only hit the cancer cells, then it wouldn’t destroy the healthy cells and it would save time.” Attending the support group not only gave Bethann information about Bob’s cancer, but also allowed the Niedermans to meet and interact with other families. “It’s a new kind of bond meeting families going through the same cancer we are,” says Bethann. “We met because of our loved ones and now we are friends because of our grief; we share the same loss.”

Like families with a cancer patient, medical professionals also have to see the physical, mental, and emotional toll that treatments like chemotherapy and bone marrow transplants have on their patients. “Occasionally there are patients that we had higher hopes or expectations for and they had complications that aren’t common but they happened to be the one in a million that got it—that’s tough to watch,” Nurse Parker says. “It is not what you wanted for the patient. But unfortunately we have no guarantees and do not know all the possible side effects a patient can have.” In November, Farmer Bob was able to return home to the farm and his family. During

be altered because of what they experienced.” Throughout the cancer journey, the Niederman family adjusted to changing circumstances and treatments for Farmer Bob. The family continues to learn without Farmer Bob there as they fall into new roles on the farm and within the family. ”This year we are in survival mode. We are all learning how to deal without our farmer,” says Bethann. “At the same time, we are grieving him.” Now, the Niedermans treasure the simple things like having Saturday breakfast together as a family, going out for ice cream, or just waking up pain free. Before Farmer Bob was diagnosed with non-Hodkins lymphoma, the

“On a bad day, I look at my kids and realize my work is not done. My children have experienced a life loss that no child should ever have to experience.” Bob’s stay at the hospital, the Niedermans were supported by friends who brought food, cared for the children, and worked on the corn maze. Bethann was determined to take care of Bob in the comfort of their home for as long as possible, but there came a point when even the doctor’s medication was not strong enough to fight the cancer and the family turned to hospice. “There’s a large misconception about hospice care,” says Bob’s daughter Ashley. “When you don’t need hospice [care] you don’t understand it.” According to the Hospice of Cincinnati philosophy the goal of Hospice care is to provide families and patients with comfort care in order to keep the patient as pain free as possible. Hospice nurses are there for end of life care to support the family when the patients only have days left. “Hospice was right when we needed it. They provided comfort and peace,” says Bethann. “They physically provided pain relief for our family and for Bob. When we got to the point where we needed hospice we understood the importance of the organization and the comfort and support they provided.” Farmer Bob fought Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma for eight months, receiving several rounds of chemotherapy and a blood marrow transplant. On December 14, 2011, while in the care of hospice nurses, Farmer Bob died. “If you have kids that are having bad days with their parents, they should thank their lucky stars that they still have parents,” Bethann says. “God has plans for my kids that will forever

family had never been affected by a serious illness. “When you get that cancer diagnosis, it makes you stop and analyze your life,” says Bethann. “You sometimes have a very short time to make sure you have done the right thing, that you have said the right words, that you have said your ‘I love you’s, that you have given forgiveness, and thank yous.” As time goes by, the Niedermans endure the grieving process in various ways. Sometimes they just cry together and other times they pray. Even on hard days, the family keeps going because they know that Farmer Bob would not want them to give up. “On a bad day, I look at my kids and realize my work is not done yet,” Bethann says. “My children have experienced a life loss that no child should ever have to experience, but that’s life. And it will be a new chapter for them. So if that means getting them work, helping them, and encouraging them to learn from this experience and help others, then I will do that.” For the Niedermans, cancer is just another chapter in their family’s story. The story began long before the first signs of lymphoma and will continue years after the loss of Farmer Bob. Armed with hope and faith, the family will continue to operate the farm, give to others, and cherish the small moments. “Cancer opens your eyes to how precious life is,” Bethann says. “It also makes you realize how important hope is. Our family believes that [Bob] didn’t face a hopeless end, but that he had and we have endless hope because of our faith.” SM

www.lakotaeastspark.com | Spark | 43

STAN the d nut man

513-759-0016 The best donuts in West Chester

made fresh daily! 7967 Cin-Day Rd.

(513) 759-6532

BRING THIS AD AND YOUR STUDENT ID AND RECIEVE A FREE CLASSIC SIZE MILKSHAKE 44 | Spark | Oct. 5, 2012

Cinci-Dayton Rd. Lakota Plaza shopping center

Stan the Donut Man

Fountains Blvd.

Union Centre 9434 Civic Centre Blvd

Tylersville Rd.

in the Lakota Plaza

entertainment | book review

SLAUGHTERHOUSE-FIVE:

or the children’s crusade

KURT VONNEGUT book review zach fulciniti art chris bowling I wonder if Kurt Vonnegut ever felt inadequate. I wonder if he ever felt like a failure. Like he couldn’t write a thing worth reading. I wonder if he ever felt like he wasn’t worth a thing to anyone. Maybe that’s why he joined the service. Maybe he felt hollow. Maybe he felt he needed purpose. I suppose he found it. His time as a prisoner of war in Dresden, Germany, when it was fire-bombed during World War II, permeated everything he ever wrote. Above all, it gave him his masterpiece, Slaughterhouse Five. Slaughterhouse Five is probably the best book I’ve ever read, for reasons I’m still trying to discern. I can say this with certainty: it took me longer to read than any other book, which is interesting, because Vonnegut’s Cat’s Cradle took less time to read than any other book. What I mean is that, I’m still reading it. I don’t have it open before me, but for the past few days I’ve been flipping through its pages in my mind, imagining each word on each page in a million different ways: forward, backward, upside down, inside out. It’s not because I feel I don’t understand it; it’s because I’m trying to understand it more. It’s affected me in such a way that my mind has gone rogue. It’s taken the matter of Slaughterhouse Five into its own hands, wringing out every phrase for more of whatever it is that makes Vonnegut’s prose so salient. And I certainly don’t think it’s that I don’t understand it. The plot is easy to follow: Billy Pilgrim, an American soldier in World War II, is captured by German forces and led to Schlachthof Fünf, or Slaughterhouse Five, in Dresden, soon after becoming unstuck in time. He lives his own life as a nonlinear narrative, looking back on things that have yet to actually happen to him, including being abducted by an alien race known as the Tralfamadorians. Billy is afforded the peculiar pleasure of remembering fondly his own death. Certainly most of my consternation has to do with Vonnegut as a storyteller. He is stark and frightening and a riot. Everything I feel about him is encapsulated in the line, “Billy turned on the Magic Fingers, and he was jiggled as he wept.” Everything he’s written screams, “no, it doesn’t make sense, and yes, I’m terrified as well.” I suppose that’s why my mind insists on rewinding and replaying these images, these phrases with meanings that escape me. The emotionally shaken protagonist finds comfort in his ability to revisit the

memories that define him, even the painful ones. He waits patiently, knowing the Tralfamadorians are on their way to take him. He tells a crowd he knows his death is coming and they shouldn’t fight it because he knows he can’t. The inhabitants of Tralfamadore tell him that free will is an illusion, and they prove it to him by showing him that he can already see what will happen to him and that he can revisit what already has. The rest of us aren’t afforded that bittersweet comfort, maybe that’s why my mind keeps trying so hard to make it so. I want to be Billy Pilgrim. He’s weak and incompetent, but free of inhibitions because he knows exactly where he’ll fail and exactly where he’ll succeed. He knows exactly where his pain is and exactly where his triumph is. It’s all part of a plan that he doesn’t need to understand because there’s nothing he can do to alter it. It is a bleak and misanthropic interpretation of life, but it is one that provides a strange comfort, the kind that spares you from the feelings of inadequacy that might keep you from doing all the things you want to do, writing all the things you want to write, or being all the things you want to be. I suppose I keep revisiting it because it appears to me a fresh alternative to the way I’ve been living thus far. Even now, as I sit writing this review, I keep typing and deleting, typing and deleting, words and phrases that I don’t think hold up. But if I were given the knowledge that yes, this phrase will work, and no, this word won’t, and dear God delete that because it is the worst thing you’ve ever written, I wouldn’t be stressing so much. I wouldn’t be on my second hour of writing this 900 word review. I’d be done and I’d be on to the next thing I’ll write, whatever that will be. But do I want that? Do I want to know? Maybe Billy Pilgrim needs this alternative, to see and know his whole life while it’s happening because he can’t handle it otherwise. Maybe the rest of us are meant to be plagued by stress and doubts and constant reminders of all the failures we’ve yet to know. Maybe because it makes us stronger. It may keep us from doing some things we should do, out of fear, but it is our choice not to do them. We know we should do them anyway; we should overcome our fears because they’re irrational. Maybe Vonnegut means to say that he has no regrets, that Dresden caused him pain and fear and doubt but he must overcome those things because it means he is alive, it means he has free will, something Billy Pilgrim does not. Or maybe he just means to say, “no, it doesn’t make sense, and yes, I’m terrified as well.” SM

www.lakotaeastspark.com | Spark | 45

entertainment | feature

sounds from the basement Kyler Davis performs with Misnomer at the Edge Teen Center’s band night.

he gray wall in the basement of Grandma’s house is painted, but only halfway. It’s a storage space, with Christmas decorations packed in plastic boxes and red leather bar stools scattered in random areas. Drum heads line the walls, one with “my very first” written on it in black Sharpie. Another says “prove them wrong,” and the last one says “commit.” As the boys start to arrive at their band practice, a clamor fills the basement—the setting up of instruments, extended guitar riffs, and warm-up beats on the drums. This cluttered basement is where the magic happens. After some practicing, the three boys move out to the porch for a break. They sit in maroon, flower-patterened chairs under a sign on the wall reading “Grandkids welcome; leave parents at home.” Cigarette butts are arranged in a pile next to a broom. One boy wipes his hair off of his forehead, it’s still sweaty from marching band practice. Another, with hair below his shoulders and three-quarter-inch gauges, casually lights a cigarette and leans back. The third sits up straight in a tie-dyed shirt ripped at the sleeves, black Vans and an assortment of bracelets decorating his wrists.

46 | Spark | Oct. 5, 2012

East students Kyler Davis, Randy Clark and Dominic Franco form a new kind of garage band. story rachel hartwick photos michael tedesco

“… so I took my hat, and I threw it on the ground, and I said ‘I quit!’ and walked out!” the bare-footed marching band boy tells the others in a broken Southern accent. “So now, I am an unemployed indie musician fighting for food on the streets.” “Anybody else want a glass of milk?” interrupts Grandma, poking her head out the porch door after handing a glass to her grandson, Senior Randy Clark. “No thanks,” Junior Kyler Davis answers, as he pockets his makeshift guitar pick made from the corner of a Max and Erma’s gift card. “Alright guys, let’s be serious,” Senior Dominic Franco announces. This proves a hard task for the boys, who are nothing short of goofballs. They break out into random accents, sarcastically use language they wouldn’t want their parents to hear, and burst into songs with ridiculous lyrics. But they all share one thing that they are serious about—an undying passion for playing music. “Our goal as a band is to help people understand that music is just an audible emotion,” Franco says. “I think that’s what people are going to get out of our music when they hear it.”

entertainment | feature

“I feel like a lot of the stuff I write is relatable and I want that effect on a lot of people.” Misnomer, the trio’s name for their band, is composed of Clark on the drumset, Davis on guitar and lead vocals, and their newest edition to the band, Franco, on bass. Misnomer came out of Davis and Clark’s last band, Idio, which was composed of the two with the addition of Andrew Dickieson, a mutual homeschooled friend. After Dickieson moved to Canada in March, Davis and Clark didn’t let the band die, deciding to change its name to Misnomer. The band was only two-man until August, when they agreed that a bass guitar was necessary to give the band a “denser sound.” “Now that I think about it, it’s like magic that we’re all together now,” Davis says. “I remember seeing him play in [in his previous band] Abandon Ship and being like, ‘damn, look at him!’

n addition to playing at parties, bonfires and The Streets of West Chester, Misnomer has played at different venues eight to ten separate times, including The Edge, The Warehouse, The Underground, and The Attic. They’ve made an adequate amount of money from these shows. The Underground pays $2 for every person the band brings in and once 50 people is passed, they pay $3 per person. The Warehouse and The Edge put the money in a pot and divide it among all the bands that played. But they haven’t spent a dime of it on themselves. The money Misnomer makes is put solely into the band. Before they spend it on amps, snare drums, and repairs, they give a fourth to their booking manager, 19-year-old MaKenzie Southward. “They told me, ‘we want everything to be completely even because you are part of the band, you’re just offstage’,” says Southward, who plays drums in her own band. “The way we describe it is that Misnomer is four people. Three players, and me. I [book their shows] and take them water while they’re playing.” But Misnomer woudn’t have that same success in shows without their weekly practices in Grandma’s basement, which she gladly welcomes them to use. “They can come here and go down to the basement and feel comfortable and they’re not bothering anybody,” says Debbie Webb, Clark’s grandma. “They call it the Ghetto Basement. They recorded something and they said, ‘Grandma, we made it in the totally ghetto basement of yours!’”

hat sets Misnomer apart from typical high school garage bands is that every one of their songs is written from scratch by Davis, Clark and Franco. It’s something that the band members put a lot of pride in doing. “When bands do a lot of covers, what’s the point?” Franco says. “It’s not your emotions, it’s not your music, and it’s not your sound. You’re just copying—it’s plagiarism is what it is. Davis says that he and Randy have always had chemistry when writing music with one another, feeding off of the other so well that after their first practice, they had one of their most popular songs, “Settle on the Stars,” written in ten minutes. Writing lyrics is something that comes naturally to Davis—they’ll hit him at random times of the day, in class, or before bed at night. Taking advantage of his active mind, Davis has what he likes to call his song book, a little notepad he keeps with him at all times to fill with lyrics.

Randy Clark practices with Misnomer in his grandmother’s basement.

Describing him and his fellow band mates as “hopeless romantics,” Davis has incorporated dark romance concepts into his songs he writes, including “Advice,” which includes one of his favorite original lines, “make it quick and make it sick.” “[The line] is about a girl that I entered a sort of relationship with knowing I’d get hurt. I knew all along that something wasn’t going to work out,“ Davis says. “It means I can’t wait until you destroy me, but when you do, just make it quick, and make it sick so I cry.” Clark remembers a night when he and his friends were at a bonfire and Davis played a song on his acoustic guitar that he had recently written about situations that he and Clark had gone through. The song had a huge impact on Clark. “I was crying and shaking because I just loved it,” Clark says. “The one line that got me was, ‘You’re so set on leaving that you’ve already gone and I caught you red handed, putting gloves on.’” That’s the effect Davis wants to have not only on his friends and family, but also on anyone who listens to his music, so they can form their own open interpretations. “I feel like a lot of the stuff I write is relatable and I want that effect on a lot of people,” Davis says. “When you’re able to transfer that emotion and passion to someone, it’s a really beautiful thing.” So they play like who they are. Each one of them has his own story beyond Misnomer—Randy spends his free time playing in the drum line in East Marching Band and fishing. Dominic takes post-secondary classes through Miami Hamilton and works 45 hours a week between The Bounce House Guys and Starbucks. Davis used to be a “gangster” and football player who would deck out in flat bills and Jordans, but now he’s a talented skateboarder who lost 60 pounds. But all of them take music to a whole other level. The writing on that last drum head in that half-painted, packed to the brim Ghetto Basement describes Misnomer’s attitude towards its passion in one word. “Commit.” SM

www.lakotaeastspark.com | Spark | 47

entertainment | movie reviews

photo used with paid permission from mctcampus

Movie Reviews Joaquin Phoenix as Freddie Quell (left) and Phillip Seymour Hoffman as the Master”

EDITOR’S

choice by dillon mitchell

The Master The Weinstein Company 137 Minutes ∙ R

xactly what The Master is about is difficult to pin down. Mainly because The Master is about many things, but specifically it’s about Freddie Quell (Joaquin Phoenix), a former seaman in the second World War who had a hard time fitting in the Navy and has an even harder time adjusting back to normal civilian

48 | Spark | Oct. 5, 2012

life. Freddie is the kind of guy who will drink anything to guarantee he feels nothing. For a while after the war ends, he drifts from job to job before finally jumping onto a random boat while in a drunken stupor. Upon that boat, he meets the titular “Master” (Phillip Seymour Hoffman), the leader of the Cause, a cult-like organization with its own set of beliefs (like the Earth being trillions of years old). The rest of the film follows Freddie as he becomes enthralled with the Master and his Cause.

eally the difficulty in discussing The Master is putting into words what’s good about it, because everything is good about it (it can be dense occasionally). The cinematography is beautiful, the first movie to be shot on 65 mm film since Kenneth Branagh’s Hamlet, released in 1996. The musical score is beautiful, composed by Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood. The directing and

writing, done by Paul Thomas Anderson (There Will Be Blood), are beautiful.

ut the characters are what make the film. Hoffman’s “Master” is an unstable, almost delusional lunatic who believes in nothing more than what he preaches, which he also happened to have written. He’s paranoid to the extent that he buried his life’s work in a desert and carries a gun when digging it up. His wife, Peggy (Amy Adams), is just as caught up in the Cause, constantly breaking down because she thinks everyone is attacking her husband.

reddie is the key of the film though. He’s what elevates the film to perfection. I could write an essay about how Freddie is one of the greatest cinematic characters of this millennium. His obsession with everything the Master says, to the extent that he beats anyone who disagrees with the Cause, is

haunting. But it’s almost adorable. Freddie is alone in life until he meets the Master, someone who gives him purpose, and loves him, and trusts him. Their relationship is paternal in a sense. At the beginning of the film, there’s a scene in which Freddie curls up next to a woman made of sand that he finds on a beach. And then he finds the Master. And when Freddie eventually leaves the Master, that same scene is shown.

hat’s why The Master succeeds. It has so much to show the audience, and it does so, but it does so through Freddie. The Master may be the titular character (a fascinating, manic one at that), and he’s essential to everything happening in the film, but Freddie is the anchor, the best damn anchor. In my nearly two and half years of writing for Spark, never once have I given a film or album five stars. But The Master deserves just that.

entertainment | movie reviews

Resident Evil: Retribution Screen Gems ∙ 96 minutes ∙ R by

reviously, I might’ve been inclined to think no one ever taught Milla Jovovich, star of the Resident Evil movies, how to act, but now having seen the

Zach Fulciniti

latest in the series, Resident Evil: Retribution, I’m more inclined to think she’s never actually seen someone do it. Watching Jovovich try to inject her lines with anything resembling emotion amounts to watching an android try to achieve sentience by scrunching its eyes, clenching its fists and shouting “I AM A MAN” at the top of its artificial lungs. But in her defense, even a vaguely animate performance would not have done much to salvage Retribution. In fact I can’t even claim her seeming lack of vitality is my greatest frustration.

No, that title would probably go to a series of ineffective and incompetent narrative devices that are used by director Paul W.S. Anderson with all too much frequency. It’s also worth noting Jovovich and Anderson are married, which explained so much my ears started ringing. But back to the incompetence. The opening scene, which bridges the gap between this and the previous film, Resident Evil: Mayhemaggedon (or whatever), trundles along in reverse for a full three and a half minutes. It’s a nauseating scene that

End of Watch Open Road Films 109 Minutes ∙ R

Trouble with the Curve

Warner Bros. 111 Minutes ∙ PG-13 by

rouble with the Curve is deeply thematic, portraying the struggling relationship between a father and a daughter. Gus Lobel (Clint Eastwood) is an aging baseball scout who has discovered many MLB greats. He has a reputation for using nuances like the sound the ball makes when it hits the bat to judge whether a prospect is talented or not. However, his superiors are pressuring him to retire because of his old age, saying that his best scouting days are behind him. He is given the opportunity to go to North Carolina to scout a player, who is believed to have enormous potential, by his longtime friend and boss Pete Klein (John Goodman). He brings his daughter, Mickey (Amy Adams), who is hostile towards him because he neglected her

Onur Eroglu

while she was growing up. The film mostly consists of confrontations stemming from the clash between Gus’s stubbornness and Mickey’s frustration with rejection. In the beginning, the tension between them drives the film. However, through course of the film, the tension is relieved for no apparent reason. Mickey goes from berating her father for not thinking she can help him to doing cartwheels on a baseball field in a matter of minutes. Maybe it was the arrival of Johnny Flanagan (Justin Timberlake), a former player Gus had scouted who helps mend Mickey’s relationship with Gus—all the while pursuing Mickey on the side. The film is highlighted by important themes, such as distrust of a formerly neglectful parent, but often the themes are spelled out for the audience through dialogue between Gus and Mickey. The relationship between Gus and Mickey is portrayed well, but poor writing and a chaotic plot lead to disappointment.

shows Jovovich’s Alice emerge from a freezing ocean on her back and then fly feet first onto a large freighter while the antagonist, Jill Valentine, is yanked into a helicopter as bullets fly into the barrels of her guns. The helicopter is one of many that’s fleeing the violent scene backward. Obviously the progression of the scene is not hard to follow, but it does raise the question “why the hell.” As do most of the action sequences, including one where Alice is punched quite hard in the chest (my favorite part of the movie) and we see an x-ray style shot of her ribs cracking and her heart being flattened like a pancake (it’s beautiful). I heartily await the next in the long-running saga, Resident Evil Six: Electric Boogaloo.

rowing up in today’s society, with movies like Paul Blart: Mall Cop, 21 Jump Street, and Training Day, it’s easy to hate cops. It’s easy to see them as either big buffoons or cocky brutes who take pleasure in abusing their power. Too many movies make it seem as if finding a noble, respectful police officer is a rare occurrence, when in reality, most of them are like that. End of Watch doesn’t hold back on showing their mistakes and sometimes barbaric attitude. But, unlike other films of the genre, it provides perspective and portrays them as identifiable human beings with relationships and personalities. Taking place in the crime-filled streets of Los Angeles, End of Watch follows two mouthy, ghetto police partners as they patrol the city and take on calls that test their

Nick Riddick

abilities to deal with high stress situations and moral ambiguity. Brian Taylor (Jake Gyllenhaal) and Mike Zavala (Michael Peña) eventually stumble upon a drug cartel involved in human trafficking. This discovery, along with their constant profiling of a local Mexican gang, eventually causes them to be marked for death. Since both have wives, they become conflicted between their families and their duties. But their families aren’t the noteworthy part of this. It’s about them. It portrays the relationship between Brian and Mike, revealing their individual problems, emotions and experiences throughout the film. The dynamic element of this film takes two, otherwise nameless cops and attaches the audience to them while showing their human side. On the surface, End of Watch is just another cliché movie about a cop shootout. But it’s a story about friendship, morality and perspective. A story that’s worth a trip to the theaters.

www.lakotaeastspark.com | Spark | 49

Fall

entertainment | tv preview

Television Preview

infographic dillon mitchell and josh shi photos used with paid permission from mctcampus

Most Anticipated

Literally Nothing

Least Anticipated

New Girl

Fox is hardly the worst network (CBS takes that award, with its 500 CSI’s and that fat person-exploitation comedy Mike and Molly), but Fox has nothing at all redeeming this year. Their dramas are tired and cliche, the comedies are surprisingly unfunny and the reality shows are, well, reality shows. Fox only has 14 TV shows this fall, which might be why the schedule looks so barren and dull. But it’s more likely that Fox is actually just trying to cater to the idiotic masses.

New Girl is nothing more than pure exploitation of America’s sick obsession with manic pixie dream girls (in this case, Zooey Deschanel). Deschanel’s character, Jess, is hardly even a person, let alone a 20-year-old. For example, one episode of the first season involved her not being able to say the word penis, because it made her feel uncomfortable. The second season looks to be another unfunny collection of Deschanel’s quirkiness.

Revolution

Animal Practice

Revolution could be re-dubbed as “least likely to survive past one season,” which is a real shame, as it showcases actual storytelling and originality, two traits found almost nowhere else in NBC’s barren lineup. Produced by J.J. Abrams, the show follows the Matheson family as they try to survive in an America set 15 years after all power was cut off. If the Abrams stamp of approval isn’t enough, there are also crossbows.

Animal Practice almost seems too stupid to exist. Like if Dr. Dolittle was a TV show and wasn’t sort of funny. Also, it isn’t the 90’s anymore, so this kind of tomfoolery in a TV show is both unwarranted and unforgivable. Starring Justin Kirk, best known for his portrayal of Andy on Weeds, Animal Practice goes beyong just being a low-quality comedy. It’s symbollic of NBC’s death, a suffocation by being weighed down by screwball comedies. It’s a voluntary suffocation though, as NBC tries desperately to get anyone to watch it’s network.

The Middle

666 Park Avenue

The Middle is a quaint comedy about an average family living in Indiana. The best part about The Middle is that it never tries to over do anything. Comedies nowadays are flashy and vapid most of the time, but The Middle is just funny by being relateable (let’s face it, we’re all from average families). It’s also a plus that the Janitor from Scrubs (Neil Flynn) plays the blue-collar father. The Middle is one of the few comedies that hasn’t become diluted to pure garbage (cough, Modern Family, cough).

FX’s American Horror Story works for a lot of reasons. One is its campiness (it can be hilariously bad in the best way), but the biggest factor is the gratuitious sex and violence. 666 Park Avenue looks to be jumping on the horror-thriller genre of TV popularized by American Horror Story. Only this is on ABC, so everything good (like nudity, and blood shed, and profanity) is going to be missing in action. Which makes 666 Park Avenue, which focuses on a couple that moves into a haunted apartment building, pointless and boring.

Vegas

The Big Bang Theory

Vegas could be a hit-or-miss show. It’s set in the 60’s and focuses on Dennis Quaid’s Ralph Lamb, a sheriff in the early days of Las Vegas. As the city begins to develop, Lamb comes to conflict with Vincent Savino (Michael Chiklis), a Chicago gangster. Vegas has potential, namely its star-power, but it also has the possibilty to end up like ABC’s failed Mad Men-wannabe The Playboy Club. But it could use its high level of campiness to its advantage.

50 | Spark | Oct. 5, 2012

The Big Bang Theory is insulting to watch. It’s a bunch of stereotypes, from the quasi nerds in their super hero shirts and to the blonde with which they’re all smitten. The Big Bang Theory has never been funny, so the fact that it’s on its sixth season is astounding. What’s really confusing is where CBS finds the idiots that find this show funny enough to put them in a live audience.

entertainment | column

requiem for a tv show Josh Shi

Entertainment editor contact josh at josh.shi@lakotaeastspark.com for about two seasons. I started to resent The Walking Dead for trying to make me care about the petty bickering between two ex-cops who had bigger things to worry about than who was having sex with a bland, unfaithful parasite. I even had to do some intensive soulsearching after I officially replaced 30 Rock as my favorite show. Breaking Bad restored my faith in humanity. All the Jersey Shore’s and Outsourced’s and Days of Our Lives’s were forgiven. I was even almost ready to forgive the joyless dullards at FOX who green-lit the spunk-filled train wreck known as New Girl (almost). If this specific set of events had to happen in this specific order to create Breaking Bad, then all was justified. History had run it course, and God could let the rest of time run on cruise control for all I cared. But all good things must come to an end. The final season of Breaking Bad has been split into two halves, with the last eight episodes set to air in 2013. Which means that, in about a year, the most beautiful creation to grace the Earth will be finished, with nothing left to remind us of its glory besides box sets, merchandise and a universal distrust for anyone who drives a Pontiac Aztec. And yet, it’s a bittersweet moment. Breaking Bad, like any other series, would not be complete without a satisfying conclusion. After all, the Harry Potter franchise would have been nothing if Harry decided that, screw it, he should just go live in hiding in Eastern Pakistan or something. Neither would The Chronicles of Narnia have the same charm if it ended with Aslan on the stone tablet, going through the stages of decomposition like a normal lion who wasn’t supposed to be a metaphor for Jesus. We all have to part with our loved ones sometime, and Breaking Bad to me is nothing if not the great-grandfather I never had, teaching me stories about character development, casting and manipulating people. It’s because of Breaking Bad that I learned to see television shows not as a way to burn time, but as an entertainment and art form on the same level as a Broadway musical or one of those paintings made by elephants. art used with paid permission from mctcampus Netflix in my eyes turned from a black hole sucking away time and human dignity into an

There I was, living my dull, predictable life in my dull, predictable world, watching my dull, predictable TV shows that should have been canceled long ago but weren’t probably because the producer was sleeping with a network executive. Then Breaking Bad came, showering the world with gifts that bounced between wacky fun and gritty realism with no visible border in between. Vince Gilligan, now known to me as The Once and Forever Savior of Television and Owner of My Firstborn Son, created a masterpiece—a show that surpassed all expectations with a great premise, explosive plot, and dynamic and relatable characters with some of the best character arcs in the history of narratives. I was blown away. Suddenly other TV shows were petty and meaningless. I started to resent House for outstaying its welcome

investment in my cultural knowledge. Because of Breaking Bad, I started to watch television shows for what they could offer me artistically. I watched Game of Thrones, a show that impresses me every time I watch it, and American Horror Story, a show that scares me every time I watch it. And even though we may never hear the story of Walter White again, we should be grateful for the memories and the good times. And on the bright side, they might make a spin-off following Saul Goodman, a show for which I would be willing to cancel family plans based on premise alone. Other great shows are coming to their ends as well. The wildly-hilarious-but-underrated 30 Rock is in its final season, and Community is also in its final stretch, although I have already said the necessary adieus when Dan Harmon announced his departure from the show at the end of last season.

But, like a man who has been hanging from a cliff for twenty years, we all have to learn to let go. But, like a man who has been hanging from a cliff for twenty years, we all have to learn to let go. Great shows will come and great shows will go. It’s the circle of life. All we can do is look ahead to what will come next with open hearts and minds, unless it’s from NBC, in which case we should turn away from it brandishing a clove of garlic and a wooden cross. So, Breaking Bad, we will move forward. We will cherish our memories forever within multiple disc sets for $55.99 ($65.99 for the Blu-Rays). Your five short seasons on this earth were a blessing to us all, and your light will shine on forever. R.I.P. Breaking Bad (2008-2013). SM

www.lakotaeastspark.com | Spark | 51

entertainment | album reviews

Album Reviews EDITOR’S

Kanye West is the owner of G.O.O.D. Music, which stand for “Getting Out Our Dreams.”

choice by dillon mitchell

nd they know that they’re talented. The confidence is oozing out of every song. Like on the second single, “New God Flow,” when Pusha T raps “I believe there’s a god above me/ I’m just the god of everything else.” Or on the opening track “To The World,” when Kanye raps “R. Kelly and the god of rap/S----ing on you, holy crap.”

G.O.O.D. Music Cruel Summer GOOD music

G.O.O.D. Music, led by Kanye West, showcase their slick and hilarious rhymes photo used with paid permission from mctcampus

he first time I heard “Mercy,” there was a blunt in my right hand. I can’t count on both hands and feet the amount of times I’ve gotten stoned listening to that first single off Cruel Summer. I’ve only listened to “Mercy” twice sober, mostly because it’s a perfect song to listen to while smoking weed. The bass is killer, and the lyrics are hilarious (“Roll my weed on it/That’s an ass tray). That being said, my expectations for Cruel Summer were somewhere between

52 | Spark | Oct. 5, 2012

Rolling Papers and Reasonable Doubt (this is still Kanye, after all). The same way Watch the Throne was Jay and Ye rapping about how great it is to be the 1%, I thought Cruel Summer would be the G.O.O.D. troops (Kid Cudi, Big Sean, John Legend, Common, Pusha T, etc.) rapping about how great it is to do drugs and have sex with women. But Cruel Summer is an entirely different animal.

aybe that’s because this isn’t a Kanye album, which might be redundant to say, but people

need to realize this is a G.O.O.D album. This isn’t My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, because it can’t be. Nor is it trying to be. Cruel Summer accepts what it is—a culmination of talented artists.

nd talented they are. Just listen to “The One,” one of the best songs off the album. Kanye’s first lines are “Yeah, I’m the one baby/ Since god gave his only begotten son, baby.” Later on, 2 Chainz raps “I should’ve went and cut the grass/Snake ass n----s in my f---in’ face.”

o maybe Cruel Summer is like Watch the Throne, only instead of preaching wealth, G.O.O.D. is preaching itself. And they do a damn good job of it. There are few weak links, notably “Higher,” an odd electro-R&B mash up that doesn’t do much with a repeating chorus of “Higher than a motherf--er.” But it’s overshadowed by the rest of the album, from the starstudded “I Don’t Like” remix to “Creepers,” a short and sweet dose of Kid Cudi that beats anything he’s released after the first Man on the Moon.

bviously it has some short comings, the most notable being that even if this isn’t a Kanye album, per se, Kanye is still the king. His lyrics are always the highlight of any song he’s on, and he can rap about anything, from being literal Jesus to being the God of rap. It’s an inconsistency throughout the album, but it really could not have been avoided.

ltimately, Cruel Summer feels like a triumph in almost every way. It’s everything that was promised and more. Versatile, endlessly catchy, occasionally self-aware and often times hilarious, it offers an unprecedented look into a group of rightfully egotistical stars. Occasionally, it stumbles over its own talent, and it’s hard for everyone else on the album to keep up with Kanye, but it’s still the album to beat right now. Even if half the album ends up beating the other half.

entertainment | album reviews

Ben Folds Five The Sound Of The Life Of The Mind

The Sound Of The Life Of The Mind is like a good dream, and I never want to wake up. Ben Folds, Robert Sledge and Darren Jesse are back together and making music again. It’s been 13 years since the last Ben Folds Five studio release, and for devoted fans, their latest album is nothing short of a miracle handed to them by God, a.k.a Ben Folds. “Michael Praytor, Five Years Later” is an outstanding track

Chris Bowling

from the album. It features Sledge’s fuzzy bass, Jesse’s tight jazz style and Folds’ erratic piano playing that are essential to any Ben Folds Five track. The song is catchy, and it jams in a way that only these guys can manage to pull off, but the record isn’t just made up of pseudo punk rock tracks. The majority consists of calm pieces that show a different side of the band. “Thank You For Breaking My Heart” is a somber track that displays vulnerability, which isn’t always apparent in singer/ pianist Folds. It also contains great patience in developing its musical

ideas with more distinguished instrumentation. But there’s still something that the album lacks, namely punch. Past albums have had several tracks that are so unique and powerful that they become instant favorites, but The Sound Of The Life Of The Mind lacks in that area. “Sky High,” and “Michael Praytor, Five Years Later” are the closest to reaching that but they’re no “Brick” or “Narcolepsy.” The reunion alone is a dream come true and The Sound Of The Life Of The Mind just sweetens the deal. It features a more mature side of Ben Folds Five as well as styles cherished by fans, the only problem being the album’s lack of an awe inspiring effect. But the album is still great and the fact that Folds, Sledge and Jesse can once again grace the stage together leaves no room to complain.

WHAT EAST IS LISTENING TO as told to

chris bowling

Paul Moak freshman

“Sweet Life” frank ocean Kevin Waldmann sophomore

“Little Black the black keys Submarines”

David Byrne & St. Vincent

Love This Giant

Annie Clark and David Byrne wanted to make an album that clashed like Beauty and the Beast. Love This Giant is exactly that. In the album’s opening track, “Who,” it kicks off with attitude. The song is a conversation between Clark and Byrne, between French horn and saxophone. It’s a perfect example of their musical compatibility. The instrumentation is what brings the album together, though. It’s jazzy, and it hardly slows down over the course of the album, even though it sometimes overpowers the vocals. Overall, they made the right choice when they made Love This Giant, a powerful album and a beautiful mix of their personalities.—Hannah Eads

Carly Rae Jepson Kiss

It’s safe to say that “Call Me Maybe” was the anthem of Summer 2012. Poppy, upbeat and infectious, it allowed shallow teenage girls to sing about their favorite subject matters, namely themselves and toned white men respectively. But Carly Rae Jespen’s latest album, Kiss, doesn’t promise the same staying power as her number one single. Most songs on it are repetitive and uninspiring, which is to be expected to an extent from a mid-twenties pop star. Kiss is stacked to the brim with super-cute, girl-wants-the-D lyrics and mindless, over-produced beats. It does the job for a quick listen, but don’t expect Kiss to have any lasting effect.—Josh Shi

Andrew Haug

P!NK

junior

The Truth About Love If Miley Cyrus and Pete Wentz ever got together and had a baby, they’d name it The Truth About Love. P!nk’s new album kicks off with “Blow Me (One Last Kiss),” which could disappear into all the other pop-rock songs on the radio. Immediately following that, she rocks out in “How Come You’re Not Here?,” a song that contains almost the exact guitar riffs and drum beats as Fall Out Boy’s “I Don’t Care” and The Black Keys’ “Howlin’ For You.” Even though the style is inconsistent, her lyrics are steady with resentment for her husband, Carey Hart. However tasteless the album is, P!nk delivers a catchy chorus that accents her unique voice.—Amanda Weisbrod

“Disseminated”

Josh Oursler

“I Believe In Goddess”

soul coughing

junior

nofx

Anna Starr senior

To read more album and movie reviews go online to

lakotaeastspark.com

“Truck Yeah” tim mcgraw www.lakotaeastspark.com | Spark | 53

East sophomore Mohamed Almardi fasted during Ramadan this past socccer season.

Running on

empty

Being the top-goal scorer on the East Boys’ soccer team comes with a lot of pressure, but Mohamed Elmardi is able to do it on an empty-stomach during the month of Ramadan. story sydney aten | photos michael tedesco and justin york | infographic irfan ibrahim

reseason soccer conditioning was tough for East sophomore center midfielder Mohamed Elmardi. Not because it’s too hot. Not because he’s in poor shape. Not because he dreads running. But because he is starving. The second year varsity boys’ soccer player is Muslim. Just like the 2.1 billion Islamic followers, he observes Ramadan, the most sacred month of the Islamic calendar, by fasting. No eating. No drinking. Sun up to sun down. Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, is one of the Five Pillars of faith. Sawm or fasting during the holy month, is the fourth pillar, or obligation, that must be fulfilled in the lifetime of a Muslim. During this sacred month, which began on July 20th this year and ended on August 18th, Muslims across the world refrain from eating, drinking, and sinning, showing that they are committing

54 | Spark | Oct. 5, 2012

their entire body and soul to this time of reflection and improvement that marks the time when Muhammad, the prophet of Islam, received his first revelation. But this lack of food doesn’t stop Elmardi, who currently leads the Thunderhawks with five goals, from putting the ball in the back of the net. “Even though it was really hard to go without eating during soccer training, I chose to fast because of my religion,” Elmardi says. “I know that it is the right thing to do “When I was younger I used to cheat all the time and I would end up eating, but now as I’ve gotten older I know how important it is for me not to break the fast and to honor my religion.” Lakota East head soccer coach Danny Landrum is thankful to have such a skilled underclassman perform for the team, even with his fasting. “Mohamed has such a big presence in the center of the field,” Landrum says. “He has

a natural ability to play the game of soccer. Even as a sophomore he brings a great deal of leadership to the team.” Elmardi says the most difficult part of abstaining from eating or drinking from five in the morning to nine at night, was seeing his teammate’s drinking water after a workout, wishing he could do the same. But his strong willpower to respect his religion helped Elmardi stay mentally strong when his body was physically weak. “It took my body about two full weeks before it felt like it had somewhat adjusted to ravenous pains, but at first, playing soccer was tremendously tiring,” Elmardi says. “It’s really hard because you feel extremely weak and tired. It’s especially difficult when the coaches make the team run and I tried to keep up with everyone because I didn’t want to be ‘that guy’ that sat out.” Landrum says it was very challenging to cope with Mohamed’s fasting at the beginning

of the new season. “You obviously have to run a great deal during games and practices and Mohamed would get dehydrated. It was also very difficult because he would get muscle strains,” Landrum, the 16 year head coach says, “It makes such a huge difference when he isn’t fasting and can eat and drink. We are so glad that the month of August is over.” Unlike most Muslims, who engage in a daily pre-fast meal before sunrise called Suhoor, Mohamed does not typically eat in the morning because he doesn’t like getting up early. The lack of food before sunrise makes it even more difficult for him to play on an empty stomach. According to Dawn Weatherwax, a registered sports dietitian and founder of Nutrition 2Go, the issue that fasting athletes tend to encounter is constant fatigue due to lack of food. “Once you go about 12 hours without eating, your body can start tapping into muscle to use as an energy source,” Weatherwax says. “And when you’re active your body tends to tap into that storage much faster.” Weatherwax says that the fatigue and decrease in carbohydrates causes the body to become more susceptible to injury due to lack of concentration while playing. Over time, however, the body may adapt. “Athletes who fast tend to feel as though their stomachs are a bit smaller, and therefore

they don’t feel as hungry because when they tap into that muscle to get energy, it can create a decrease in appetite,” Weatherwax says. “Sometimes as you progress, your body might start to get used to [the lack of food].” Although playing on an empty stomach made it extremely difficult to get through the rigorous summer training, Mohamed’s fasting served as motivation for senior Brandon Clement and the rest of his high school teammates. “Mo would talk about how he couldn’t eat or drink anything when we were at conditioning in the summer,” Clement, a captain, says. “It was crazy that he could run so much and not eat or drink before and after. He inspired all of us because I know that I definitely couldn’t do what he did. I have to eat and drink before conditioning because it’s one of the worst parts of the season. It’s hard to train when you can eat. I can’t imagine not eating. I don’t know how he kept up with us.” Even with an unsatisfied stomach, Mohamed’s skill carries the team. “Mohamed has done everything for us this year,” Clement says. “He is a great defender, he’s good on the ball and off the ball, and he has really good vision. He’s just a good allaround player. We definitely need him.” For Mohamed, his inspiration to be a better person, to live a better life, to use his innate soccer skills, comes from his religion.

“Fasting during Ramadan has taught be to be patient, to be appreciative of all the things I have because some people aren’t as fortunate,” Elmardi says. “Fasting shows that [Muslims] care for others. I get to see what it is like for the people who don’t get the opportunity to eat like I do.” Almardi has been on the varsity soccer team for two years.

BPT AD www.lakotaeastspark.com | Spark | 55

sports | player spotlight

The

Will to

Win

After two losing seasons, East senior Will Mahone is in it to win and is leading the team with the most rushing yards. story john grasty photos michael tedesco infographic jack dombrowski

e never thought he would start the first game of his sophomore year. But after Brady Sowders was benched and Stephen Sensel was moved to wide receiver, East senior running back Will Mahone found himself face-to-face with the powerhouse Centerville Elks in his first varsity football game. “Originally I thought I was going be backup for J.D. [Whetsel] and Stephen [Sensel],” the running back Mahone says. “I was terrified. I was more worried about catching the ball and not messing it up than running well. The first time I ever got the ball, I got leveled.” The first game served as an unfortunate precursor to the rest of the season; the Hawks would go on to win only three games in the first year of the Rick Hayne’s Triple Option Era, including a 27-7 loss to Lakota West to finish the season that Mahone considered an “upset.” Up to that point in his scholastic football tenure, he had only ever lost two games. “A lot of times, I wish we had gone back to the spread [offense],” Mahone says. “It was depressing. I wasn’t used to losing that many games. It made me desperate.” Mahone’s teammates took notice of his

56 | Spark | Oct. 5, 2012

Will Mahone is the leading running back for the East Thunderhawks.

sports | player spotlight hunger to succeed: they voted him as one of four team captains before the beginning of the 2011 season. “He’s quiet, but whenever he does say something it’s never negative, it’s always positive,” senior offensive lineman Kyler Corbett says. “He’s one of those guys that leads by example.” Mahone set a strong example when he had 132 total yards and two touchdowns in a 38-37 triple overtime win against Winton Woods. But then came the La Salle game. Starting quarterback Rob Harpring was benched after an early interception. In his place came Eric Eichler. Despite a monstrous 191 total yard effort from Mahone, East lost 2723. They went on to win only two more games that season. Once again, they dropped the final game of the season to Lakota West, but in even more heartbreaking fashion. After taking the lead with 4:09 left, the Hawks would surrender a four-yard passing touchdown with 31 seconds to go to put the score at 25-20. Mahone ran for only six yards in the game. “From La Salle, we just went downhill,” Mahone says. “I really didn’t understand why [Harpring was benched for Eichler]. It was like sophomore year all over again. We lost our morale. I kind of just wanted to shut down after that.” But Mahone is never one to give up. He just goes out and makes plays. “He looks out for you,” senior slot back Chamoda Palmore says. “He’s got your back. He never quits. You can always count on him to make a play.” One play Mahone made in the 2011 season was when he was called on to throw the ball in the September 30th game against Mason High School. “We do [the passing play] in practice every week and I’ve always been pumped about it,” Mahone says. “We get to the game [and the play is called] and I’m like ‘Yes’.” He delivered a 28 yard touchdown pass and now, along with Sycamore junior quarterback Greg Simpson, is one of two GMC players who can say he has scored a passing, receiving and rushing touchdown. For his senior season, Mahone was given several more chances to make a play when junior Mikel Horton transferred to Lakota West and Mahone took his old spot at running back. East also made the decision to move their offense to a shotgun based triple option and away from the “three yards and cloud of dust” mentality. “I am excited about [the new offense],” says Mahone, who has run for nine touchdowns this season. “I’ve wanted the ball since sophomore year. Now it’s my chance to do something.” Before Mahone got his first touch of the season, he had already established strong camaraderie with his fellow running mates:

Palmore and junior slot back Bobby Brown. The trio spent a large amount of time together during the offseason playing basketball to their traditional Friday night dinner and walking to their cars after practice each day. The self-described “Big Three” has high hopes for the year. “We believe we’re the best,” Palmore says. “We’ve got a lot of talent. We are close friends.

Will is a very tough kid. He never goes down on first contact. He’s run that way his whole life. And when it is our time to shine, we are going to take it.” In the first game of the season against Western Hills, the “Big Three” delivered a performance worthy of their basketball playing counterparts, as all of them found the endzone. Mahone came through with a LeBron-like performance of 143 yards and three touchdowns on 16 carries, including one run in which he ran over two defenders and cut-back another. Senior linebacker Jake Chestnut claims Mahone has been running like that since their first grade Tomahawk days. “He’s a very tough kid,” Chestnut says. “He never goes down on first contact. He’s run that way his whole life.” Haynes agrees that Will is a perfect fit for running back. “He has great vision,” Haynes says. “He’s hard to bring down. He keeps his pad level low.” Mahone hopes to carry the ball all the way through a week 10 meeting with Lakota West to a state playoff berth. “Losing to [West] eight times is enough I think,” says Mahone, who is currently averaging 101.4 yards per game. “Our goal is to get to that 11th week.” Colleges have taken notice of this punishing running style. Several Division One universities have expressed interest in Mahone, and he now considers Wake Forest University and Indiana University to be his final choices. “He’s a kid that I hope to be playing with at the next level,” Chestnut says. “Hopefully I’m not playing against him.” SM

Considering All Options

In order to keep up with the changing trends of football strategem, the East football team has adopted the triple option, a play designed to utilize running back Will Mahone, the GMC’s sixth leading rusher. Displayed is the difference between this new shot gun based offense and the team’s previous offense. Center W

Will Mahone - Slot Back 2011 Running Back 2012

2011 - After calling one of the two slot backs in motion, the quarterback will either hand the ball to the fullback up the middle, keep it himself or pitch the ball to the man in motion. The majority of plays are run to the inside.

2012 - After calling one of the wide receivers in motion, the quarterback will either hand the ball to the running back on a stretch play, keep the ball himself or pitch the ball to the man in motion. The majority of plays are run to the outside.

Percent of Passing Plays Percent of Running Plays

100% 80% 60% 40% 20% 0

East

West Farifield Sycamore

2012

www.lakotaeastspark.com | Spark | 57

sports | feature

Starr-Studded

SISTERS Anna Starr has always wanted to play volleyball with her little sister LeeAnn on the same court, and now that LeeAnn has made the varsity team as a freshman, the inseparable sisters have the chance. story claire middleton photo used with permission of starr family

hen East senior Anna Starr was in the seventh grade, she and her fourth grade sister, current East freshman LeeAnn Starr, sat down and did some math. They figured out that they would actually get to play volleyball together. Even though it was only one year, it was enough. It was their goal. Their vision. Their dream. Before Anna started playing volleyball, she played basketball during the third grade for the Lakota Thunderbirds. She then followed her basketball teammates to the volleyball court and began playing for Lakota Sports Academy. LeeAnn first picked up a volleyball when she was in kindergarten, since she was constantly brought to the gym to watch her older sister play. “I was jealous because my mom helped [Anna] in the back yard,” says LeeAnn, who has had 52 kills this season. “I wanted to learn how to play, so I could have all the attention.” As the girls continued their volleyball careers, they found a number of ways to play together. In the summer of 2011, the sisters won the 16’s division of the USA junior doubles beach volleyball tour, despite the fact that LeeAnn was playing up two age groups and recovering from a fractured tibia. “LeeAnn was in a tremendous amount of pain,” their mom Rhonda says. “They worked very well together. For them to come together and win it was a really cool thing.” This past summer was filled with conditioning days, a summer league and tryouts. On the last day of tryouts, the girls were prepared for anything. One by one, each girl was called back to the office where the coaching staff would tell them which team they made. As a returning varsity player, Anna was called back first. About an hour later LeeAnn was called back into the room. This was it. Their fate was in the coaches hands. “[When LeeAnn came out] I cried,” says Anna, who has 207 assists this season. “Then

58 | Spark | Oct. 5, 2012

I made her cry, because I was crying. I mean I thought she’d make it but you never know. It’s a complete toss up every time.” Reaching this goal of playing together hasn’t been easy. Because the family puts all their time and money into volleyball, they have had to make incredible sacrifices. Rarely going out to eat. Never going on family vacations. Celebrating smaller Christmases. “My parents give up a lot,” Anna says. “Especially since we’re more involved in the sand community now. Those are the weekends, even the days, we’ll get a call that morning asking if we can play at 7 p.m. Sometimes it’s two hours in advance. My mom is always like, ‘I will take you there!’.” Rhonda, who doesn’t work outside of the house, has often contemplated getting a job to help contribute to the growing costs of club volleyball, lessons and now the school fee for two volleyball players. Knowing everything would change if their mom did get a job, the girls instead opted to cut back on other things. “We take lessons together because financially it makes sense,” Anna says “It’s nice because we remind each other of the things we’ve been taught to do and the bad habits that we need to break.” Often times the girls go straight from practice to a lesson. “Their dedication is insane,” says three-year varsity coach Casie Garland. “They are both wanting to learn more every day. It’s just a great opportunity. They’re two great kids. Not a lot of people get a chance to play with their sister, and its just kind of cool to see.” East senior libero Madeline Garda has seen the positive effects of the girls playing with each other. “They work well together,” Garda says. “Of

course it’s easier for them to get on each other’s nerves, but they're both great teammates to everyone else and each other.” During a game, Anna’s face lights up when her sister gets a kill off one of her sets. She gets excited. Crazy, even. It’s what they have always envisioned. But the season is short. It isn’t going to last forever. After the final volleyball hits the floor and her senior season ends, Anna will be playing Division I volleyball for Wright State University. “I’m going to go into deep depression,” LeeAnn says jokingly. “I’m going to be so sad. But it’s okay. I’ll go hang out with her at her dorm, and we’ll Skype of course!” When East returns for the 2013 volleyball season, LeeAnn will be missing her best setter and her best friend. “I just like having a setter who understands everything about me,” LeAnn says. “She knows how to change something to make it better for me, because she knows everything about me. She knows what to say, what not to say, and how to say it.” SM

sports sports| |88things things

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT The Perfect Swing

story Christina Brinkman east varsity girls’ golf (as told to sam hauck) photo ellen fleetwood

Committing to your shot

“If you have any doubt about which club to use or where your going to aim, you will never hit it well because you’re thinking too much. Commit to your target and your club.”

Back off “It is never good if uncomfortable when standing over the ball.”

you’re you’re

Play to the middle

“Aim for the middle of the green on every approach shot. Going for a sucker pin way left or way right will end in trouble.”

Choosing the right club

“Take the wind, ground conditions and hills into consideration when selecting a club.”

Consistency

“Every time you hit the ball, you need to have the same grip and stance. When you change one little thing, it can change the way you hit the ball.”

Pre-shot routine “Do the same thing before every shot. Have the same mentality before every shot, whether it is a foot putt or your drive.”

Follow through “Quitting on your swing is the worst thing you can do. Nothing goes right.”

Practice

“The worst feeling is being in a tournament or a match and having to do a shot you’ve never practiced before. You don’t know what to do.”

www.lakotaeastspark.com | Spark | 59

01110001010001001001011101000100101010010001010 0111

sports |Q&A 0001010001001001011101000100101010010001010 01110001 010001001001011101000100101010010001010 011100010100 01001001011101000100101010010001010 0111000101000100 1001011101000100101010010001010 01110001010001001001 011101000100101010010001010 01110001010001001 011100 01010001001001011101000100101010010001010 0111000101 0001001001011101000100101010010001010 01110001010001 001001011101000100101010010001010 011100010100010010 01011101000100101010010001010 0111000101000100100101 1101000100101010010001010 01110001010001001001011101 000100101010010001010 01110001010001001 011100010100 01001001011101000100101010010001010 0111000101000100 1001011101000100101010010001010 01110001010001001001 011101000100101010010001010 011100010100010010010111 01000100101010010001010 0111000101000100100101110100 0100101010010001010 01110001010001001001011101000100 101010010001010 01110001010001001 011100010100010010 01011101000100101010010001010 0111000101000100100101 1101000100101010010001010 01110001010001001001011101 000100101010010001010 011100010100010010010111010001 00101010010001010 0111000101000100100101110100010010 1010010001010 01110001010001001001011101000100101010 010001010 01110001010001001 011100010100010010010111 01000100101010010001010 0111000101000100100101110100 0100101010010001010 01110001010001001001011101000100 101010010001010 01110001010001001001011101000100101

BY THE

NUMBERS

Assists by senior soccer player Katie Sulek, 8th in the GMC

71 2.69 16:04 .857 42.6 Yards of senior football player Chamoda Palmore’s longest run this season, 3rd in the GMC

Kills per Game of senior volleyball player Ashley Evans, 8th in the GMC

Time of junior Ben Call’s fastest cross country run, 2nd in the GMC

Winning percentage of senior girls’ tennis player Taylor Holden in first singles, 2nd in the GMC

Strokes per nine holes of senior golfer Hannah Lee, 9th in the GMC

60 | Spark | Oct. 5, 2012

QWITH &A

District Athletic Director

RICHARD BRYANT

interview maddie mcgarvey photo used with permission of eastthunderhawks.com

MCGARVEY: How have you been adjusting to the becoming the athletic director of both East and Lakota West this year and taking over some administration roles? BRYANT: It’s been difficult and rewarding all in the same breath. The work load is tremendous, but the work that I am doing is the work that I love. I think that the biggest adjustment has been with the time away from home at nights and on the weekends. Change, like everything else, is a challenge and we will adjust and move forward! MM: What is the most difficult part about going between schools? The best part? RB: Organizationally speaking, keeping everything straight at both schools is a challenge. Scheduling is something that I am working through right now for next fall – making sure that everything is correct is a task in and of itsself – and that is only half the battle! The best part is meeting and working with all of the new people that I have some across. It is not an easy transition moving to a rival, but I am very happy with the transition. MM: We understand there will be a new

addition to the Bryant family. How will it be balancing these new changes? RB: Mrs. Bryant and I will welcome our third child at the beginning of April 2013. The balance is difficult to achieve. I am and always will be dad and husband first, regardless what I do as a day job. My wife is extremely supportive of me and my professional responsibilities. My girls are one and three-years-old, but as they get older I will include them as much as possible. I do not know if it is a good thing or a bad thing, but sometimes our family time is at an athletic event! MM: What does your schedule look like throughout the week? How much time do you spend? RB: It is very fluid—as far as hours a week, at this point my highest has been close to 90 hours and the lowest has close to 60 hours. MM: What colors will you be sporting at the East vs. West football game? RB: Great question—I’m looking into a good mix of both—red pants and a black top? I will be under a goal post trying to take

Want more Sports coverage? Scan the QR code on the right or visit our website to stay up to date on every East sport.

Girls’ volleyball - 1st in GMC

Nate Mays - 3rd

sports | hawk culture

Scoring the Scholarship

East senior Andi Felix strikes the ball against Middletown.

East senior Andi Felix is taking her soccer skills from the fields of the GMC to the fields of Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania. story brett colburn | photo nick kanaly

hen East senior forward Andi Felix steps onto the soccer field, she knows that the other team is focusing on her. She instantly changes from an above average student sitting in Mrs. Lamb’s AP Calculus class to being the third highest scorer in the Greater Miami Conference (GMC) with eight goals and the leader of the East girls’ soccer team. Felix, who plays her club soccer with Ohio Elite is also the only girl on her team that will continue her career at the collegiate level when she attends Division II Slippery Rock University (PA) next fall. According to Felix, being the only girl that has a scholarship to play college soccer motivates her to work even harder on the sport. “There’s always pressure on me,” says Felix, a two time All-GMC first team member. “It’s not pressure anyone else puts on me though. I’m just always putting the pressure on myself to be a better player and teammate.” Senior midfielder Brooke Huber believes in Felix because she leads by example.

“Andi is a great leader because we can always count on her,” Huber says. “She shows up to practice every day ready to play hard.” Felix is receiving the largest scholarship ever given by the university to an American girls’ soccer player at 50 percent, which is double than that of the second highest. “Slippery Rock has a lot of players from Ireland that they give scholarships to,” says Felix, who is tied for the team lead in assits with three. “But since they only have a total of 2.7 full scholarships to give out, they normally don’t give out big scholarships to girls from the U.S.” The decision to go to Slippery Rock was made after Felix visited other colleges, including Lipscomb University. According to Felix, when Slippery Rock head coach Noreen Herlihy heard about her talking to Lipscomb, a Division I soccer program, Herlihy told Felix that if she wanted a full-ride scholarship, she should go there. However, even with the opportunity to go

to school for free and play soccer, Felix chose to go where she was going to feel the most comfortable. “Lipscomb wasn’t right for me,” says Felix, who is planning on majoring in exercise science at Slippery Rock. “I just felt more at home at Slippery Rock, and their campus and coaching staff was what I was looking for.” East girls’ soccer coach Amy Krieder says that Felix has what it takes to play at Slippery Rock and at other schools at the collegiate level. “Andi has a phenomenal work ethic and tremendous talent which makes her appealing to any college program,” the third year Hawks coach Kreider says. “She is incredibly fast and has great ball control which is an asset [for college teams].” For now, Felix hopes the same skills that have led her to a scholarship can help lead the Hawks to a successful 2012 campaign. “Winning a GMC title our senior year would be awesome,” Felix says. “It would just be great to end on a high note.” SM

HAWK CULTURE A look into the lives of East athletes and coaches infographic gebe olivencia

Zach Daniel FOOTBALL

Tiffany Huber GIRLS’ SOCCER

Ben Miller BOYS’CROSS COUNTRY

Favorite olympic event?

TABLE TENNIS

GYMNASTICS

1500 METER RUN

Favorite pump-up song? Lance Armstrong is...? Favorite candy Will the Reds win the World Series?

MAKES YOU EYE OF THE TIGER WHAT BEAUTIFUL

Haley Harrison GIRLS’ TENNIS

Danny Landrum BOYS’ SOCCER COACH

GYMNASTICS

WOMEN’S GYMNASTICS

SWIMMING

TILL I COLLAPSE

OUTTA MY MIND

WANT U BACK

ANYTHING BY DISTURBED

AMAZING

MY BIRTHDAY TWIN

A QUALITY PERSON

ANYTHING HERSHEY

THREE MUSKETEERS

REESE’S CUPS

OF COURSE

YES

A CHEATER

INSPIRATIONAL

STRONG

THREE MUSKETEERS

KIT KAT

FASTBREAK

OF COURSE

HECK YEAH!

YES

in GMC receiving touchdowns

Katie Dunaway CHEERLEADING

PROBABLY NOT

Abbie Vanfossen - 3rdwww.lakotaeastspark.com in GMC in 5K time | Spark |

sports | player spotlight

East senior Wyatt Frazier drives the ball down the fairway.

story kyle culp photos justin york infographic jack dombrowski

ON THE

As a four year varsity golfer, East senior Wyatt Frazier is an ace on the links. And whether heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s playing for a chance at the state tournament or on a lazy Sunday with his friends, fellow golfers always look for a chance to hit the course with Wyatt. After placing third in the Greater Miami Conference tournament this year, he looks to continue playing at the collegiate level. Without a doubt, Wyatt Frazier is

UPSWING

62 | Spark | Oct. 5, 2012

was hungry. It had been over 24 hours since the last legitimate meal had entered my stomach. He asked if anyone wanted anything to eat. I kept my mouth shut. Apparently, my eyes told the true story. “What do you want, Kyle?” says Wyatt Frazier, senior leader of the East boys golf team. “You want a hot dog don’t you?” My lack of response was enough to confirm his belief. “I knew it!” Wyatt grinned as his hand beckoned over the Wetherington employee. “He is the nicest kid you will ever meet,” East junior golfer Danny Meyer says. “He does that sort of thing for everyone. He is the kind of guy who would do anything for you even if it is well out of his way.” In high school golf, his kind of personality is a rare breed. Rounds usually consist of a little awkward conversation with relative strangers. But not in Wyatt’s group. “I usually try to talk to [parents and players], even if I don’t know them,” Frazier says. “I’m not the most silent golfer in the world.” The way Frazier handles himself on the course is something fellow players and parents admire. While playing at the Mason invitational, Frazier was walking to the tee box after a birdie when the grandfather of senior Alex Ebel, the number one golfer for Mason’s varsity team, called out to Frazier jokingly asking for an autograph. Frazier turned and with a smile said, “After this drive I’ll sign whatever you like.” “Most teenage golfers are seen as more of a problem than they are worth, but not Wyatt,” 15 year varsity Head Coach Jeff Combs says. “Every golfer around here knows him. Coaches, players, parents, and the golfers at the Heritage Club love his positive attitude. That is not common around the golfing community.” Also at the Mason invitational, after watching Frazier nearly hole his second shot from about 150 yards out, the Mason High School assistant coach Tim Lambert applauded

“Every golfer around here knows him.” Frazier. After his own player Alex Ebel did the same, however; Wyatt was the first to look over and congratulate the Comet for his shot that left him with a short put for birdie. “Wyatt is the kind of kid that every coach wants on his team,” Lambert says. “He is just a quality kid with a great personality, a great swing, and a great work ethic.” This work ethic has helped him develop a consistent swing. He hits bucket upon bucket of balls every day during the season and occasionally even plays an extra nine holes after other players from East have left practice. And it shows. “The strongest part of Wyatt’s game is definitely ball striking,” Combs says. “I have coached Wyatt for four years now and I have rarely seen him not catch the ball solid at impact. Even when a shot isn’t necessarily on target, he still puts himself around the green with an opportunity to save par.” Being the only senior on varsity A, Frazier was forced into a leadership role at the beginning of the season. Ever since the teams’ trip to Mount Vernon for a tournament the group of six varsity players has come together under Wyatt’s leadership. “I try to lead by my attitude more than anything,” Frazier says. “I don’t really push anyone around, but I give advice when they ask more often than not.” Combs is proud of the way Frazier has stepped up this year. Despite losing three seniors from last year’s Greater Miami

Conference (GMC) winning team, the team has followed Frazier’s lead on and off the course, which helped the team finish fourth in the GMC. “Wyatt is the reason for the team’s great chemistry this year,” Combs says. “His positive attitude and example have helped the younger players a lot this year.” With Frazier’s individual third overall place in the competition he is one step closer to the performance he needs to have if wants to play golf in college. Hours on the driving range, practice rounds after everyone else goes home, and every shot he has lined up in the past four years will pay off for Frazier if he gets to golf in college. Combs is positive that Frazier has the ability to hit stroke for stroke with all the best players in the state. However, he feels that Frazier’s playing for a college team hinges entirely on his ability to get exposed to the top programs in the nation. “On any given day Wyatt is easily one of the best golfers in the GMC, if not in the city,” Combs says. “ If he gets hot I would say he could compete with anyone in the state. However if he wants to play at a big time school like Ohio State, he would probably have to walk on and prove himself, which I think he can do if he wants.” Every day until the season ends whether he gets a college offer or not, Frazier will be on the course fine tuning his game. He will be out making sure he has every shot in his arsenal: the fade, a low stinger into the wind, the bump and run, maybe even a flop shot or two. Despite the fact he is always trying to learn more about the game, Frazier never hesitates to take time out to do the little things. He always has time to give a fist bump to the opponent who sinks a birdie putt, flash a smile to the player who is having a rough round, or give a tip to the kid whose swing is going awry. SM

Wyatt practices golf every day at Wetherington Country Club.

www.lakotaeastspark.com | Spark | 63

BREAKDOWN: GOLF BALLS

Let’s break it down

Taylormade Penta TP

Golf balls - Golf balls are built up from the core for different swings, Wyatt has used all three of these. Wyatt’s trajectory - A complete breakdown of shots by 4 of Wyatt’s clubs using TRACKMAN Technology. Wyatt’s Clubs and scores - A peak inside Wyatt’s bag and a complete breakdown of his scores this year. Wyatt’s Swing - A complete mechanical breakdown of Wyatt’s swing off-the-tee.

1 - CORE - The ultra-soft, low-compression core promotes a high launch and low spin off the driver in order to optimize distance. 2 - INNER MANTLE - Best for players with ball speeds ranging from 140 -160 mph, this layer is designed to optimize launch. 3 - MIDDLE MANTLE - Best for players with ball speeds ranging from 120 -140 mph, this layer is designed to optimize control. 4 - OUTER MANTLE - Best for players with ball speeds from 120 mph and below, this layer is designed to optimize spin. 5 - Cover - The Penta TP’s soft, durable Urethane Cover delivers a lower launch angle and higher spin rate, while maintaining a soft feel.

BREAKDOWN: WYATT’S TRAJECTORY

Max Height: 40.3 yds

Max Height: 36.9 yds

Max Height: 32.1 yds

Max Height: 33.8 yds

Axis Tip: 2° Launch Spin: 5530 rpm Lateral Movement: 3 yds Left

Axis Tip: 4° Launch Spin: 5260 rpm Lateral Movement: 10.8 yds Right

Axis Tip: -1.3° Launch Spin: 4310 rpm Lateral Movement: 3.8 yds Right

Axis Tip: -17° Launch Spin: 3400 rpm Lateral Movement: 23.5 yds Left

Club Head Speed: 73.4 mph Ball Speed: 96.8 mph Carry Distance: 126.4 yds Total Distance: 129.5 yds

Club Head Speed: 87.4 mph Ball Speed: 115.2 mph Carry Distance: 168.8 yds Total Distance: 177.1 yds

Club Head Speed: 92.7 mph Ball Speed: 128.0 mph Carry Distance: 199.4 yds Total Distance: 214.2 yds

100

125 150 175 Distance (yards)

200

Club Head Speed: 107.0 mph Ball Speed: 155.9 mph Carry Distance: 257.9 yds Total Distance: 279.0 yds

225

250

275

BREAKDOWN: WYATT’S SWING

1 - SET UP - With a specific target picked out in front of him, Wyatt sets the club down with the face pointing toward the target, he then sets his feet, knees and hips parallel to his line.

64 | Spark | Oct. 5, 2012

2 - TAKE AWAY - Simultaneously turning his shoulders and arms back and extending his arms away from his body, Wyatt turns the club upward in order to ensure a square face upon impact.

3 - PEAK - At this point, Wyatt’s left shoulder is turned 90° and stopped under his chin, his hips are turned approximately 45° and his wrists are hinged back to elongate the descending swing.

Titleist Pro-V1x

1 - CORE - The Pro-V1x’s High Velocity Dual Core allows players with average ball speeds from 140 mph and higher to achieve optimal ball compression and distance off all clubs. 2 - CASING - This layer is comprised of a responsive ionomeric casing designed to optimize SPIN. 3 - Cover - The High-Performance Urethane Elastomer™ cover has a spherically tiled 352 tetrahedral dimple design holds its line in the wind.

1 - CORE - The Pro-V1’s Innovative ZG process core technology allows players with average ball speeds from 120 -150 mph to achieve optimal ball compression and DISTANCE off all clubs. 2 - CASING - This layer is comprised of a responsive ionomeric casing designed to optimize SPIN control around greens. 3 - Cover - The High-Performance Urethane Elastomer™ cover has a spherically tiled 352 tetrahedral dimple design holds its line in the wind.

Titleist Pro-V1 1

BREAKDOWN: WYATT’S Clubs and SCORes In the bag

Distances

*Ping i15 9.5° Driver

285 yds 250 yds

Ping i15 14° 3 Wood 220 yds

Cleveland Launcher 3 Hybrid Mizuno MP-69 4 Iron

190 yds

*Mizuno MP-69 5 Iron

180 yds

Mizuno MP-69 6 Iron

Birdies This Season

170 yds

Mizuno MP-69 7 Iron

155 yds

*Mizuno MP-69 8 Iron

145 yds

Mizuno MP-69 9 Iron

130 yds

Mizuno MP-69 Pitching Wedge

78.4

120 yds

*Ping Tour-S 52° Gap Wedge

100 yds

Titleist Vokey 56° Sand Wedge

90 yds

Titleist Vokey 60° Lob Wedge Titleist Scotty Cameron Monterey Putter

200 yds

Average Score This Season

N/A

Tournament

Course

Course Total Yardage

Centerville Invitational

Yankee Trace Golf Course 6662 Yards

Eagles This Season

Score Wyatt - 74

EAST - 324 (7th)

Winner - 285

Kettering Fairmont Invitational NCR Country Club

6400 Yards

Wyatt - 77

EAST - 298 (2nd)

Winner - 293

GMC Championship

6800 Yards

Wyatt - 74 - 76

EAST - 645 (4th)

Winner - 614

4 - Approach - As if connected with a string, Wyatt’s entire body turns simultaneously. His arms drop, and his hips begin to turn back toward his target shifting his weight forward into the ball.

Weatherwax Golf Club

5 - IMPACT - As he explodes through the ball, Wyatt’s arms push through the ball, his right arm turns over his left arm, and his left wrist flattens out causing the club face to strike the ball square.

Information taylormadegolf.com, www.titleist.com, www.golfexchange.com [Trackman], www.sopgajrtour.com, golfetccary.com, Lakota East Golf Coach Jeff Combs, Wyatt Frazier

6 - RELEASE - Continuing to turn through the shot, Wyatt’s arms extend out in front of his body, his right arm completely turns over his left, and his club face point upward just like the take away.

7 - FOLLOW THROUGH Completing his swing, Wyatt’s arms are wrapped around his body, his weight is shifted onto his left foot, and his belt buckle points directly toward his target.

www.lakotaeastspark.com | Spark | 65

sports | opinion

fantasy physics Brett colburn

staff contributor contact brett at brett.colburn@lakotaeastspark.com

P Physics is my favorite class. Not because of vectors, projectile motion, or centripetal force. CP Physics is my favorite class because of football. My table in the back of the room instantly transforms into a football prediction league, fighting for bragging rights and a Chipotle gift card by picking games correctly. Football has stretched out far beyond just the game between the hedges. The game has expanded into a fantasy world. The new football season allows people who have never set foot inside a National Football League (NFL) stadium, let alone an NFL locker room, to the owner’s box of their own personal expansion teams. From the comfort of their own laptops, fantasy football gives casual fans the ability to feel as if they have actually bought the Dallas Cowboys. Not only do fans create and own teams, but they also take the role of head coach— setting line-ups of drafted players to take on other fan-created teams. These fantasy match-ups instantly become the focus of many fantasy footballers, as opposed to any actual game itself. And as I sit in my online draft lobby with other East students, casually telling each other how good our teams are going to be, or that we have the best drafting strategies known to man, I realize that I, along with 27 million of my fantasy football colleagues, am sadly addicting to a game that doesn’t really exist. The fantasy football craze has been lifted to an outrageous level in America today, to the point where NFL fans would rather cheer for their fantasy running back than their hometown team. The lure of being a successful fantasy genius is placed above being an actual intellectual in today’s American society. Owners everywhere spend their Sunday afternoons glued to their Macbooks and iPads, addictingly refreshing their fantasy page. Many owners take time out of their work day to check their upcoming fantasy game and set what they think to be the best starting line-up. The workplace can

66 | Spark | Oct. 5, 2012

often become an episode of Monday Night Countdown, minus the whoops and whaaps of ESPN analyst Chris Berman. Topics of water-cooler conversations are no longer “Who won the Lions vs. Packers game?” Instead, the question becomes “How many points did Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers get last night?” More conservative owners, however, may choose to flip through their NFL Sunday Ticket package to check if Peyton Manning threw for the 350 yards they need, but only threw for one touchdown so the Jets defense they also own doesn’t give up too many points. The man to blame for all of this fantasy

The fantasy football craze has been lifted to an outrageous level, fans would rather cheer for their fantasy running back than their hometeam. chaos? Not ESPN fantasy football analyst Matthew Berry, or any of the other 11 designated fantasy football columnists for ESPN.com. The culprit of this fantasy obsession is former Oakland Raiders partowner Bill Winkenbach. In 1962, Winkenbach and two others created the idea for fantasy football, about eight years after Winkenbach created his original fantasy game: fantasy golf. The game of fantasy football became more prevalent with the creation of the internet and has since grown to become America’s modern pastime. In a recent survey, 35 percent of East students admit to participating in some sort of fantasy league, with levels of dedication

ranging from checking it once after the draft and never looking at it again, to the extremists who check their phones every 10 minutes to look for the next Victor Cruz on the waiver wire. This fantasy epidemic has spread throughout the game so much that the NFL directed stadiums to show fantasy point statistics on the video boards during games. This move by the league isn’t for the promotion of their players or to appease its fans; it’s to compete with the effects that fantasy football has on the game. Oftentimes, fans would prefer to stay home in their La-Z-Boys, kick back with some Doritos, and watch the progress of their fantasy teams on their 60 inch plasma televisions. This demoralizes revenue for the teams and the league, so to drive up attendance, the NFL brought fantasy football into their stadiums. Fantasy sports mean so much to society as a whole that according to World Fantasy Games, the total market impact of fantasy sports is estimated to be roughly $4.48 billion, with total consumer spending estimated at $800 million. These online games have become an economic stimulus package by themselves. The effects of the league within the league even spread through to broadcast media, taking precedent in many episodes of SportsCenter once the daily Jets saga is over. Every Sunday morning, ESPN2 dedicates a half-hour to fantasy football alone, having socalled “experts” tell fantasy owners to start Oakland running back Darren McFadden or sit Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green for one reason or another. On every bottom line of an NFL broadcast, there are fantasy updates and stats for all skill position players so fans can check their progress on their games. Injury updates have become more of an importance to any owner, trying to piece together the perfect starting squad. And for me, the injury status of Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez is far more important than finding the distance between two trains leaving Chicago. SM

www.lakotaeastspark.com | Spark | 67

opinion | column

A DYING DREAM, A living nightmare angela ferguson

package editor contact angela at angela.ferguson@lakotaeastspark.com

ight thousand miles away from home, I was sharing a too-small-to-be-shared umbrella at Guangxi Normal Foreign Language High School with student Chēn Yáng Yáng. Bob, as he was dubbed by his English teacher for simplicity’s sake, was a senior living on campus at this prestigious school nestled in between some of China’s most beautiful mountains. While dodging puddles on the track, he told me about his monotonous life. Only going home to see his parents every couple months. Attending classes six days a week, 10 hours every day. Studying at all hours of the day and night for fear of the fastapproaching college entrance examination. And hating every minute of it, but following through anyway in hopes of an eventual way out of China. The more Bob expressed his frustration, the more the umbrella drifted toward his side. My left shoulder was soaked within minutes, but soon the subject shifted from his life to mine, and the umbrella returned to its original position in the middle. I asked what he thought about the United States. Finally cracking a smile, he said he wanted to come to America because “it’s great.” But we then moved on to more important topics, like the Mission Impossible movies and superheroes. After I named Spiderman as my favorite, Bob offered his own pick: Superman, because “he showed the American spirit—that if a man wants something and works hard, he’ll get it.”

n my 15 years of living in the United States, I had never met a single American so confident in what a Chinese high school student described to me as the American Dream: the confidence that with hard work, anyone can prosper; the promise that with determination, anybody can create a better life for himself. Americans just don’t put stock in such idealism anymore, and who can blame us? In 2010, the American poverty rate was the highest it has ever been in the 52 years that U.S. Census Bureau poverty estimates have been published—46.2 million Americans living in poverty, compared to only 5.1

68 | Spark | Oct. 5, 2012

million millionaires in America. If labor and determination always led to success, single moms working three jobs at minimum wage and college students working the night shift to pay off their student loans would be the wealthy and successful. If the American Dream was attainable, returning war veterans would easily be able to find work and provide for their families, while farm laborers in the Southwest wouldn’t be sweating in fields 12 hours a day with no hopes of promotion.

ith high unemployment rates and the poor economy leading the pack as the nation’s two biggest concerns, only 23 percent of Americans are satisfied with the way things are going in the United States,

AMERICANS JUST DON’T PUT STOCK IN SUCH IDEALISM ANYMORE according to a recent Gallup poll. And as thirteen million Americans are unemployed, those for whom the American Dream is supposed to prevail can hardly count on being able to put food on the table. Because no amount of raw labor and determination seems to make a difference to those single moms and college students, they are forced into complacency with the status quo; it’s a vicious cycle that keeps the rich rich and the poor poor. There’s no use working within the system, because the system doesn’t work. These Americans are bent on capturing an ever-elusive American Dream. The economy is in shambles and opportunity isn’t exactly waiting at every corner. And yet, the Department of Homeland Security reported that in the midst of the “Great Recession” more than one million foreigners immigrated to the U.S. last year, nearly half of them from

Asia. For these people, the Dream still exists.

t’s not as if the Dream is quintessentially American anyway. The only reason the American Dream holds so much repute is that it’s also the Chinese Dream, the Mexican Dream, the Indian Dream; the same idea exists in every country. But perhaps the fact that such a universal idea is labeled as American indicates something about why the idea’s grasp on Americans themselves has grown so weak. In the early twentieth century, when the U.S. was primarily a nation of firstgeneration immigrants, individuals had no other choice but to hit the ground running in this new country. And today, millions of foreigners like Bob still have this work ethic that’s fueled by the drive to live their own American Dream. It’s not the chance to breathe American air or to be on American soil, but to rise up to the challenge and make a living in the country that was once boasted of being the “land of opportunity.” For immigrants, it still is. But most of those who have always lived in it, the land of opportunity is just a piece of land. As citizens of the world’s secondrichest country, Americans’ need to take full advantage of their resources has eroded with each generation. With opportunity as a way of life, we possess a sense of cultural entitlement. And with a view from the top, it’s hard to work as if we’re still at the bottom. Put simply, those not at the bottom of the social ladder have grown numb to what it means to pursue the American Dream for which so many once flocked to these shores. Even now, only 13 percent of surveyed East students believe the American Dream still exists. In Liberty Township, as well as the rest of the country, the American Dream is dead in the sense that more often than not, Americans are either unsuccessful in their pursuit of it or insensitive to the Dream’s meaning. Nevertheless, the American Dream is still out there for whoever wants to attain it. But most of those who attain their own version of the Dream aren’t American at all. SM

opinion | east speaks out editorial cartoon judy nguyen

A dolla makes me wanna holla, Honey Boo Boo!

Here comes honey boo boo

What exactly am I learning?

LAKOTA EAST

SPEAKS OUT

is the american dream dead? It depends on your opinion and where you come from. If you come from a well-developed country you’re probably not going to [progress] much more than what you [were back home]. -East junior Alyssa Stegmaier

Not entirely, but I think it’s slowly dying. We’re losing a lot of jobs to foreigners who actually have work ethic, and we feel like we have a sense of entitlement. But it’s not entirely dead because there are still a lot of people who work extremely hard. -East junior Austin Asa

Yeah I think the American dream is dead. People today, all they really want is money. They aren’t trying to go for the nice lifestyle, having a family. -East sophomore Matthew Manley

I still think that people can work for and achieve what they want to. I don’t think it’s dead. -East senior Pooja Thundathil

Go online to lakotaeastspark. com to read Maggie Schaller’s column on “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo” and Jeff Back’s column on the observance of 9/11.

44 35 69 24

percent of students out of 468 surveyed that look and feel more attractive when tan

percent of students out of 425 surveyed are involved in a fantasy football league

percent of students out of 301 surveyed have been in a car accident

percent of students out of 431 surveyed that believe the ‘American Dream’ does not exist anymore

percent of students out of 374 surveyed that have no prefernce as to if a company should be able to make employees attending a political rally mandatory

www.lakotaeastspark.com | Spark | 69

opinion | head to head

teacher layoffs:

ntry-level high school teachers have guts. in their individual thought head Most people interested in teaching would go processes. Taking the time to the elementary/kindergarten route, due to pinpoint problem areas with its 17 percent job outlook, which, according to the a struggling biology student Bureau of Labor Statistics, is three percent higher or making sure a straight head than the average. High school educational has a job “A” physics student stays on potential of seven percent. track is part of an educator’s job, and that is not Teaching primary school is the safer option. checked on and supported under the senior good Yet, there are still college graduates interested behavior policy that tenure entails. in teaching teenagers the subjects that they are lthough a handful of states employ a merit pay passionate about. They are educators who are system, not enough have fully employed it to ready to give their 100 percent in teaching kids now through the latest methods and practices, such as ensure complete academic improvement. EducationNext conducted a study on the social media, flash card makers and instructional computer programs. They have a vision. Their increase of academic improvement significance that drive is uninhibited by the security of seniority and merit pay has in other countries. They found 7.8 tenure, and they are willing to do anything to make percent significance increase in math, 8.7 percent in science, and 5.6 percent in sure education is top priority. reading. Results also showed Taking those same entryThe work of a trend in merit pay and level high school teachers and a teacher Program for International then giving them a date for when they will have a virtually should reflect Student Assessment (PISA), the more money paid guaranteed job security is a combination into that, teachers, the higher the an active regression on the of student score. This means, according progress of education. To maintain a teacher’s will performance to the merit pay system, teachers all over the world to persevere with students, and resume. saw increases in academic merit pay must be established. success within their respective Tenure has the potential to act as a cap for a teacher’s pedagogical integrity. As classrooms. According to the Organization for Economic valued as experience is, it is only one facet of being a good educator. Evaluation of a teacher should Cooperation and Development (OECD), the U.S. is currently ranked 24 in science, 12 in math, and 26 in reflect both student performance and resume. The success of merit pay was confirmed when reading. Most of the countries which employ merit University of Florida surveyed 500 schools that pay as the primary form of teacher salary, such as initiated merit pay programs and found a trend of Finland and South Korea, ranked the highest in the three subjects. The total enforcement of merit higher academic performance from their students. pay affects the success of students, and the U.S.’s This method has yielded measurable progress. attempt to adopt merit pay has mostly involved enure was originally established with beneficial supplementary bonuses to academic advancement. intentions, the main goal being to reward senior Recently, the Chicago Public Schools systems educators with protection from termination without was offered a 35 million dollar grant to start using just cause. The reasons for termination of a tenured merit pay, but is being struck down by its own teacher are moral misconduct, incompetence based teachers’ union, claiming the current tenure system on state educational guidelines, insubordination, is secure. They view merit pay as inappropriate for and disability that prevents effective teaching. an inner city, due to that particular demographic’s These requirements do not change the fact lower test scores becuase of it’s high poverty rate. that tenure is mostly only limited on behavior, Revolting against merit pay transition is the something expected out of any professional. This first act against educational evolution. Teachers keeps academic performance on the back burner. don’t want to give up their guaranteed position and If a teacher is being paid and secured for being money for a possible improvement. Without taking well behaved, rather than striving for greater the initial leap, the demographic won’t change along academic success, the message being sent is that with the OECD. the bare minimum is acceptable. Education is not Whether it is the tenured AP Chemistry teacher a just a potty-training seminar, taught the same or the Chemistry 102 teacher fresh out of college, way to all students regardless of any disparities merit is most important. SM

IRFAN IBRAHIM

irfan.ibrahim@lakotaeastspark.com

70 | Spark | Oct. 5, 2012

meriT V.S. seniority

opinion | head to head

he bright red clump of “Chicago Teachers’ mindset, all of which play a big role in a student’s Union” shirts stands out against the desire and ability to learn. The tests do not schoolyard backdrop. Teachers stand accurately depict a teacher’s ability in its entirety. together, breathing the warm September air and Testing doesn’t show improvement—it shows donning signs of every kind: status. If a teacher helps a fourth grade student go On strike for a fair contract. from a first to third grade reading level, that teacher Rahm, do you have to bring your own toilet paper to should be rewarded. Just because he or she did not work? get the student up to a fourth grade reading level Attack poverty, not teachers. doesn’t mean he or she wasn’t effective. In fact, “Attack poverty, not teachers.” The seven day that’s a great accomplishment. On the test results, strike that started Sept. 10 and lasted through Sept. the student and teacher would both fail. But if they 17 had thousands of the 26,000 teachers in the were evaluated on progress, both would earn 100s. teachers’ union standing outside and holding signs But if standardized testing is not used, teachers in search of a new contract. would have to be evaluated individually potentially Chicago Public Schools (CPS) decided to enforce individuals, which would lead to inconsistenty policies that mayor Rahm Emanuel put in place, throughout the district and state. Hiring people in including a requirement for teacher evaluations each district to evaluate other teachers would be an to be based on performance expensive and lengthy process. rather than seniority. Nearly Although merit Not only is a seniority system 6,000 CPS teachers could efficient, but it also provides pay sounds be laid off based on this job security for experienced like an ideal evaluation system. teachers. New teachers already Although merit or expect that they will be the situation, it performance pay sounds like first to go if a Reduction in hasn’t been an ideal situation, in which Force occurs, giving them teachers are paid according proven to work. the opportunity to apply for to their effectiveness, new jobs and positions. With performance pay hasn’t been proven to work. the lengthy process of performance evaluation however, the notification of layoffs would be later pay-for-performance program was in the year and many teachers would not know if implemented in Nashville, Tennessee public they were to be laid off or not, limiting the amount schools, in which teachers were given up to $15,000 of time they have to apply for jobs. in bonuses for being effective teachers. A study Senior teachers have years of experience and by Vanderbilt’s National Center for Performance education. They have been through the sink-orIncentives showed that merit bonuses did not swim years and have experienced the unsuccessful improve student test scores or teacher performance. trials, leaving them with the knowledge of how Along with Nashville schools, several other to succeed. In fact, senior teachers know which school systems in cities like New York City and methods work best, ensuring that they teach Newark, New Jersey have experimented with merit effectively. They are more able to create a strong evaluation programs and received lackluster results. standing in the community because of the new Bonus pay for higher test scores even prompted and ongoing relationships they have made over the cheating and corruption in Atlanta, Georgia last years that they have been teaching. Parents trust summer. The official report by the state of Georgia them, leaving the district in a positive light. accused 178 teachers of changing standardized test According to a recent Gallup poll, 78 percent answers in order to increase performance under No of parents surveyed have confidence in teachers of Child Left Behind. The district was run with fear, the public school system, meaning that the current intimidation and secrecy in order to raise reputation. system is very much intact. It works. The standardized testing results involved with the Although performance should come into play evaluations were proved to be falsified. in decisions for cutting teachers, seniority is the Performance pay programs are generally tied easiest, most efficient way. Unless teachers are with standardized testing to measure teacher blatantly disregarding their duties, in which case effectiveness and ability. Performance evaluation they would be fired, seniority should determine the based on standardized testing, however, is not an general order for lay-offs. accurate evaluation technique for teachers. Many That’s why the teachers in CPS are fighting for factors in students’ lives are uncontrollable, like seniority evaluations. They know what will work for household income, family history and student them and merit pay is definitely not it. SM

NUGEEN AFTAB

nugeen.aftab@lakotaeastspark.com

www.lakotaeastspark.com | Spark | 71

opinion | column

JUMPING HIGHER AND HIGHER Josh shi

entertainment editor contact josh at josh.shi@lakotaeastspark.com

andatory, but not forced. It’s a curious statement. It belongs in the category of “Things Said by People Furiously Backpedalling to Get Out of the Way of a Public Relations Nightmare Created by Themselves.” For more examples, see also “I don’t like Mexicans, but I’m not a racist” and “Sure, officer, I hit her a couple of times, but that doesn’t make me a wife beater.”

ut apparently no one explained this to Murray Energy, a coal mining company which shut a mine down for a day last month to make its employees attend a local Mitt Romney rally without any sort of compensation. For the miners, the rally was “mandatory, but no one was forced to attend,” said Chief Financial Officer Rob Murray. That is, no one was directly forced.

say that the employees felt pressured. To make matters worse, according to many anonymous sources, lists were circulated among supervisors to record the names of people who did and did not attend the rally, and many miners who did not attend feared they would lose their jobs. Employees went to local radio stations and other news outlets to tell their story, but even then they remained anonymous. They confessed how they were afraid to stand up against their bosses because they needed the job desperately. One of the worker’s wives called in anonymously, saying that attending the Mitt Romney rally cut down on the already meager free time that she and her husband spent together. People cried out that making demands like this is unfair.

editorial cartoon chris bowling

72 | Spark | Oct. 5, 2012

owever, the problem arises when he tries to justify himself as a defender of the common man. At the rallies, many employees saw no expense spared—jugglers, amusement park rides and golf carts galore—while in other mines, workers were being laid off left and right.

A command of “jump” should not just be answered with “How high?” but also “How many times?” and “Thank you for the exercise.”

ut it is no secret that Murray Energy CEO Bob Murray is a staunch Republican. And ut there were many warning signs. Murray he supports Romney with admirable gusto, Energy has always had the notion that having donated over $900,000 through a job is a job and that, especially in these his company within the past two years, troubled times, a man with a job should be according to the Center for Responsible happy to do anything his boss asks him to Politics. He also teamed up with Romney in do. A command of “jump” should not just May for a fundraiser in West Virginia. Before be answered with “How high?” but also Romney became the front runner, he backed “How many times?” and “Thank you for the Rick Perry. exercise.” So it wasn’t much of a stretch to And there’s nothing wrong with that. If Bob Murray thinks that his business would be better off under the presidency of a certain candidate, then he has the right to support Nothing makes me more proud than seeing free-spirited Americans taking whomever he charge with their vote. wishes. Murray is even perfectly entitled to not pay his workers. His energy company is a private corporation, and he can make decisions on how he wants to run his own business.

Murray tried to justify the mandatory rally by saying that he wanted to make sure that his workers understood what would happen to them and their jobs if President Obama stayed in the White House for another four years. At least, that’s what he said to the public.

n reality, Bob Murray wanted to make sure that he stayed rich for the next four years under the supply-side evonomic policies of Mitt Romney. His attempt at getting out the vote by intimidating his workforce can be seen as a feeble grab at establishing a political machine at worst and a blatant disregard for other peoples’ views at best, and how he can require the unpaid attendance of his workers is beyond reasoning. Ignorant, but not illegal. SM

opinion | column

welcome to the hellmouth Zach Fulciniti

Package managing editor contact zach at zach.fulciniti@lakotaeastspark.com

hat’s funny, and I really do use that term loosely, is that on any other occasion, I still wouldn’t want to overhear a conversation between my mother and her gynecologist’s receptionist. If I sat down and thought hard about what could actually make that a more painful scenario, I probably couldn’t have come up with the one I was in. “I was told that you guys would have the report already, and I’d be able to schedule the biopsy today.” “I know that, ma’am, but like I said before, we haven’t received it yet and we won’t be able to before the office closes today at five.”

odding Bluetooth. Otherwise, I’d only have to hear one side of the conversation, but my father decided on a car with Bluetooth, so now I get the full monty. And to add insult to injury, if ever that phrase were so appropriate, the woman insists on being rude to my mother. “I’m sorry, I’m just a bit nervous. I’d like to get this done as soon as possible.”

he’s now choking back tears and that’s when I start turning up the volume. It’s “1904,” by The Tallest Man on Earth. It’s beautiful, although the rest of the album was sort of maudlin. He said he wanted to make a record where the music sounds like it might just fall apart at any moment. I get that. I keep turning the little black wheel back and forth and the volume goes from ear-splitting to barely audible and back again. It’s like I can’t handle listening to my mom talk like this, so I turn it up because I don’t feel like crying, but then I think if my mother can deal with the fact that she might have breast cancer, the very least I can do is listen to her talk about it. So I turn it back down.

ow it’s “Jesus, Etc.” humming quietly in my ears and sure enough, tears. My dad keeps stopping and asking for directions, but nobody seems to know how to get where we’re going. We’ve never been to Kent, Ohio before, the three of us, so it certainly seems like Mapquesting this would’ve been a good idea.

“Like I said, ma’am, there’s nothing I can do right now.” I guess it’s the cancer thing. I mean, cancer certainly isn’t the only tragic ailment. It’s not the only one worth being scared of.

ut it’s sort of like when you’re a kid and someone tells you there’s a scary monster under your bed, and you ask if it’s the boogeyman and they say no, it’s the mattress monster, or whatever. The point is, the mattress monster may be as frightening as

THE NAME SENDS SHIVERS DOWN YOUR SPINE, AND YOU GET A LOVELY IMAGE IN YOUR HEAD OF THE MOST TERRIFYING THING YOU COULD EVER POSSIBLY IMAGINE. the boogeyman, he may be as strong, hell he may even be stronger. But it doesn’t matter. You know the boogeyman. The name sends shivers down your spine, and you get a lovely image in your head of the most terrifying thing you could possibly imagine and you spend the whole night with the covers over your head, pulling them back every minute or so to breathe some cool air. That’s how my mom feels right now. She’s scared of something she doesn’t fully

understand and, if it does actually turn out to be the monster hiding under her bed, she has no way to fight.

e’ve turned around again because apparently not one gas station attendant in this sad little town knows how to get to the highway. It doesn’t seem like it should be that hard. And even the doctors, the shamans, the medicine men, the best they can give you is a choice between “scorched earth” and a war of attrition against your own body, in the hopes that the cancer will give up before the rest of your body gives in. I can’t help but think of Vonnegut saying, “This weapon proved to have the power of a banana-cream pie three feet in diameter when dropped from a stepladder five-feet high.” “Well, I guess we won’t be able to schedule the biopsy today, then.” “We Are Nowhere and It’s Now,” and at this point, the volume doesn’t matter and it doesn’t matter what the receptionist says or how upset it makes my mom because she might have cancer and I’m not quite sure how to go about dealing with that. So I’m going to weep softly and try not to let my parents hear me because the last thing I need right now is for my mom to have to be concerned about how I feel. “You’ll have to call back on Monday during office hours and, hopefully, we’ll be able to schedule it by then.”

or the most part, I can’t wait for this conversation to be over, but part of me doesn’t want it to end. I have no idea what my mom’s going to say when she hangs up, and it’s doubtful I’ll be able to handle it, whatever that means. So I’m going to be cruel and I’m going to listen to “Big Red Machine” with the volume all the way up, and if she decides she does have something to say, I won’t even have to pretend I wasn’t listening.

e’ve just pulled away from another gas station. We’re headed back in the direction we came from. I hope my dad knows where he’s going this time. SM

www.lakotaeastspark.com | Spark | 73

opinion | the final word

the final word

Natasha Rausch Editor-in-Chief

y toes inch toward the knee-deep water as I stare at my reflection in the fountain. A crowd of people meander around the Washington DC World War II Memorial. Silence. Maybe it doesn’t mean as much to them as it does to me. Or maybe it was the stars, thousands of stars, draping the surrounding walls. Representing the forgotten war, the lost lives, the broken families. I stare off at the stars and sit criss-cross in front of the fountain. All I can think about is how much I miss my brother. Then I realize, I am a failure. *** The phone rings just before another I-hate-Saturday-workday argument erupts with my dad. The phone is hiding on the basement staircase, not in its usual spot on the counter. The number is unknown but we pick it up anyway. It’s my brother Nate. My Marine. My hero. And my anger’s gone. And in it’s place? A smile. My dad and I scrunch close to hear my brother talking. He hardly calls. So I savor every moment I can hear his giddyboyish voice. Even if he is talking in Marine lingo and about satellite communications. Something I’ll most likely never understand. My mom squeezes into the circle. She misses him, too. Now that we’re all there, however, his voice changes. More like a Marine now. This isn’t a call simply for small talk. “I’m being deployed to Afghanistan for six months”—my ear strips away from the phone before the tears stream down my face. I sprint up the stairs. I can’t let him hear me cry. I can’t let him know I’m scared. I can’t let him go. He comes home a week later. Just seven days of goodbyes, of crying, of wondering, “Are these the last days? The last moments?” Then he leaves. I wait for the moment when he’ll call, when he’ll tell me he’s OK. But he doesn’t even feel like my brother when he’s so far away. And on the rare occasion he is given permission to

call from Camp Leatherneck in the Helmand Province, I don’t have much to say. I don’t want to have to say goodbye. I just want to hear his giddy-boyish voice. I’m afraid, like usual. I’m not like him. I haven’t seen danger and approached it with courage. I haven’t made friends with victims of terrorism. I haven’t saved lives. I can hardly pick up his calls without crying. I failed him as a supporter. As someone who can help him escape from the war zone for a few minutes. As a little sister. *** Six months later he comes home safely. We all cry tears of joy. It’s like he’s actually my brother again. If only for a week. Our family travels to Boston. It’s a 14-hour car ride and my brother, sister and I just sit in the back, eating Twizzlers, and watching funny movies that my parents probably wouldn’t have been too happy with. I’ve forgotten how sarcastic and funny he is. We’re pretty similar that way. And we both love basketball. After trekking around Boston for a week, Nate sees a sign for a Celtics game against the Wizards. He searches all night for tickets and finally finds five cheap ones. It’s my first professional basketball game. I make sure to memorize every player on the team. Rondo #9. Garnett #5. Pierce #34. That’s his favorite player. We even buy Celtics shirts before the game started. Cheering for the team. High-fiving each other. Booing the refs and the Wizards. Eating nachos. Just hanging out. On the metro back to the hotel, we’re tired. Nate leans forward and rests his head against his arm. I rest my head on his shoulder. Then I cry. That is our last night in Boston. After the trip we only have a couple days of hugging, crying, goodbyes. Then brotherless—again. A week later, the awkward phone conversations continue. But I just can’t handle them anymore. I can’t handle feeling so distant from someone who should be my best friend. I can’t handle listening to the absence of his giddy-boyish voice. I can’t handle that I failed him as a little sister. I can’t handle that he is the greatest person alive. That he’s my hero. And I’m too afraid to talk to him when he’s so far away. I can’t handle that the only thing I see in my reflection in the fountain water is a failure. sm

ARE YOU STRUGGLING WITH A SPECIFIC SUBJECT? WE CAN HELP.

in West Chester Across from the Beckett Ridge Kroger

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t wait for a bad report card. Call today!

Improve your Study Skills

Call 513-860-4716 for more information