Marian Network Student Newspaper Feb. 13

Polar Plunge p. 2

Volume 57, Issue 6

The Network Learn ho w to make healthier Choices for your lunch and gain tips from a nutri-

tion expert.

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D8-9 FOthO pp.

InDep

Dropping Beats

Network staffer reviews worlds of sound meganwoodruff

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arbuds are no “buds” of mine.

They just can’t quite drown out the sounds of an eight-hour car ride or create the perfect study zone. I, like most teenagers, require something more all-encompassing. And these days, that means full-sized headphones.

In order to rate four different brands of headphones, I listened to Bon Iver’s self-titled album, which involves a wide range of sounds and makes it easy to differentiate between various levels of sound quality.

Starting with the least expensive of the four, G-series headphones have a quality that is consistent with their price. The sound was far from remarkable, and the earpieces were simply not padded enough.

After only about 10 minutes, I wanted to

take them off.

Poor sound quality aside, if you are looking for a pair of headphones to add to your wardrobe, the G-series headphones are the way to go. Although a little bulky for my taste, they allow you to look musically knowledgeable while you are listening. They will only set you back $20, and they produce nearly the same listening experience that you would get from standard earbuds. If you want to pick up a pair, they are available at Walmart.

Increasing in both price and quality, Plattan Urbanears are my pick for the best-value headphones. The sound itself is still lacking that extra pizazz, and this is really noticeable in songs with deep bass See Headphones p. 14

State Cheer p. 12

Surprise Day

p. 16

7400 Military Avenue Omaha, NE 68134 402-571-2618

www.marianhighschool.net

February 2013

Why You Are the Way You Are Could birth order play a part? poornaramasubramanian

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very person is different. Every person is influenced through a variety of factors, including race, ethnicity, gender, and even birth order.

Birth order is defined as the sequence in which a child is born into their family. Birth order and its possible effects on the character and personality of children have long been debated.

While there have been multiple studies that show there may not be a link between birth order and personality traits, multiple studies have compiled overwhelming evidence to suggest that they are, in fact, correlated at least to some degree.

Dr. Dalton Conley, New York University professor of sociology and public policy, acknowledges that birth order can be significant in shaping the success of individuals, but only for children of large families with four or more siblings, and in families where finances and parental time could be constrained. Therefore, it is important to keep in mind that not all aspects

of birth order fit every person of that birth order.

Dr. Kevin Leman, an internationally renowned psychologist and New York Times Bestselling Author of more than 30 books, characterized each place in the family. According to him, first-born children are natural leaders and have a greater sense of confidence. They tend to be reliable, conscientious, and perfectionists who are not fond of surprises. The oldest children are usually model children who have a strong need for approval from authority figures. In addition, they also tend to be caretakers of their younger siblings, especially if there is a wide age gap between them and their youngest sibling. Most of the U.S. presidents and Nobel Prize winners are first-borns. Another interesting note is that Harvard University recently reported that 80 percent of its students were first-borns.

See Birth Order p. 7

iPads to be Fully Integrated into Classrooms sarahtownsend

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t was announced for the 20132014 school year that Marian will integrate iPads into all classrooms as a way to enhance the overall learning experience for students.

The idea to either incorporate iPads or laptops into classrooms was proposed about two years ago. “We started discussing about where we saw Marian going in the future,” Head of School Mrs. Susan Toohey said. After getting input from students, parents, faculty, and Apple, the final decision was to

integrate iPads into the classrooms.

This decision will require all students, except the Class of 2014, to lease a 32GB iPad through Marian. This requirement will be grandfathered in, since next year will be the first year the iPads will be fully incorporated. Apple came up with the strategy to lease the iPads instead of buying them. To buy a new 32GB iPad it is approximately $700, but the technology fee at Marian will be $350, which is significantly lower.

See iPads p. 2

Pops Concert p. 10

Inside This Issue...

Marian High School

[ 2 ] News

The Network [ February ]

iPads: schoolwide e-device decision finalized

photos by whitneyhayes

program so students can turn papers into buy one for $49 twice. After the two-year Turnitin,” Toohey said. lease is up, the iPad can be bought for Mr. Grant Matthies, father of fresh$100. That still ends up being cheaper than man Blaine and senior Morgan Matthies buying a new 32GB iPad. It has not been made clear exactly when is looking forward to the iPad transition next year. “It is the new wave of the the iPads will be issued. “We could issue future. There will be no more textbooks, them at the end of the school year, but we want to have time to instead, everything will put everything on be accessed on the iPad,” Technology is defi- Matthies said. them. So we might send out a letter Toohey said she is exnitely engraved in cited to start the iPad transaying the iPads are everything you do. sition next year. However, here, and students can this is the first year come pick them up in Head of School since the iPads will be fully inteJuly or we will release Susan Toohey grated into the classrooms, them the first week of things may not be perfect school. That needs to at first. “It is not going to be figured out still,” be perfect right away, but you will develToohey said. op skills and teachers and students will One thing that the iPads are currently have to work together,” Toohey said. Next unable to do is submit papers to Turnitin. year will be a learning year, but Toohey However, this will work sometime next year. “Apple is currently working on a is assured that the iPads will be a positive

“

“I think it’s pretty cool!”

-Sophomore Katie Philbin

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continued from p. 1 Another school in the Omaha area also has a 1 to 1 program, but their technology fee is $700. “Marian got a discount because we did a bulk purchase of the iPads,” Toohey said.

Students will lease the iPad for two years, and then receive a new one. Leasing an iPad every two years is necessary because technology is constantly changing, and it is important to stay updated. However, it will be different next year since it will be the first year. The current freshmen will either receive a two-year lease and then a one-year lease, or a three-year lease will be issued. These details are still being finalized.

Another benefit from leasing the iPads is that they are under full warranty. If the iPad malfunctions and it is mailed in before noon, a new one will arrive the following day. If the iPad is broken or has water damage, a new one can be purchased for $49. Within the two-year lease, you can

investment for students and teachers.

Teachers will receive specific training sessions on the iPads to learn how to incorporate them into classrooms that will be most beneficial for students. On March 22, school will not be in session and the teachers will have a training session. There will be two other training sessions in May and August. Apple certified instructors will present these training sessions and give a very directed presentation. Dates for student training sessions will be determined.

Toohey is confident that the iPads will benefit all students in regards to technology and learning. “I think we are preparing our young women for the real world of college and work. Technology is definitely engraved in everything you do,” Toohey said.

Additional information regarding the iPad decision was sent home to parents.

Refer to that letter for more details.

“I think it is a great plan in order to prepare our students to be more technologically advanced, especially in careers they seek in education.”

-Social Studies teacher Mrs. Amy McLeay

“I like the idea, but I think it is easier to read actual books than to read off the iPad.” -Freshman Maddie Kirchofer

Students Join Slam Poetry Movement lauraatherton & jessicamizaur

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ens moving at rapid pace. Girls scribbling madly for a few moments, then pausing–lost deep in the midst of the process of the sacred transfer of thought to words to paper.

This is what you might see if you were to walk into one of the slam poetry team meetings.

Slam poetry is a form of competitive performance in which poets read their own original works in an earnest, impassioned manner. Similar to a tournament setup, winners progress from round to round. Heckling and cheering in the au-

dience are encouraged in slam poetry; the atmosphere is very different than that of a regular poetry reading. One might compare Slam poetry to a Speech tournament, the difference being that it is all poetry, and it’s people’s own, original work.

Slam poetry clubs have been popping up in high schools around the country for quite some time now, and Marian has decided to hop on the bandwagon as well, under the leadership of Rebecca Rodeclaw. Rodeclaw came to counselor Ms. Kathy Janata with the hopes that Marian would be interested in partici-

pating in a slam poetry club. Janata had junior Roni Perez e-mail the school to get the word out to any students who wanted to become involved. Thus, Marian’s Slam Poetry Club was born. This year, the club members will compete in the annual Louder than a Bomb competition.

Louder than a Bomb is a slam poetry competition that takes place in Chicago each spring. Since the festival’s first competition in 2001, it has rapidly grown.

Now, more than 70 teams from all across the country compete each year. Marian’s first auditions will take place on Tuesday,

March 26 at 4:30 p.m. at the Metropolitan Community College Fort Omaha Campus.

There are about 10 students in the club right now, among them sophomore Emily Welchans. “I decided to join the club because I like poetry, and simply because it’s just fun! I like to hear other peoples’ inner voices,” Welchans said.

The club hosted an open mic night at Marian on Feb. 27 where all high school students were welcome to participate in the slam or enjoy the performances of fellow angsty Omaha teens.

Polar Plunge

Freezin’ for a Reason. 38 Marian girls participated in the annual Polar Plunge at Lake Cunningham on Feb. 16. The girls each had to raise at least $50 to participate, and Marian donated a total of $6,443 to Special Olympics Nebraska. photos courtesy of Annette Griffin

News [ 3 ]

The Network [ February ]

Student Full Day Flu Epidemic Sweeps Nation, Hits Close to Home Absences rachelrensch

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information from Marian attendance count report graphic by rachelrensch

1,365

552

Absences from Aug. 17 - Sept. 17 2012

Absences from Jan. 7 - Feb. 20 2013

ow are you feeling today? Runny nose, sore throat, maybe a fever? If so, you are not alone. The flu has been spreading across America and is now considered an epidemic.

Although it might not seem like it, there is an end in sight. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that the influenza activity is decreasing nationally. For some, however, the flu is still hitting close to home.

Of all the students who took the Network survey, 47 percent have either had the flu or someone close to them has had it. “I don’t need to be an expert to tell you that this was a bad flu season. Most

girls missed not one day, but the majority possibly three or four,” attendance office supervisor Mrs. Karen Brown said.

Senior Ellen Juracek knows first-hand how difficult it is to know someone who is sick.

“One of my coworkers had the flu, and I had to work one of their shifts,” Juracek said. “She tried to stay hydrated, but it was hard for her to even keep water down.”

According to medicalxpress.com, 30 states and New York City are reporting high influenza rates.

As a result, 29 have children have died, and that number is still climbing.

According to kypost. com, one child and two adults have died from the flu in Nebraska. To help

end this epidemic and the deaths, the CDC recommends vaccines, especially for infants, senior citizens, pregnant women, and anyone with chronic health issues. The CDC also recommends washing your hands regularly, covering your mouth while sneezing or coughing, keeping surfaces such as keyboards and doorknobs clean, and washing linens and towels in hot, soapy water often.

Catching the flu early and staying home as soon as you feel sick can also help with stopping the spread.

The symptoms of the flu are: fever, severe aches and pains in the joints, muscles, and eyes, generalized weakness, warm, flushed skin, watery

eyes, headache, dry cough, sore throat, and runny nose.

The vaccine this year is 62 percent effective, which means four in ten people who come in contact with the virus will nevertheless become infected. Even if the vaccination sometimes doesn’t prevent the flu, it does lessen the severity of the illness. It also prevents pneumonia which could be a result of the flu.

Although this epidemic is slowing down, Marian students and staff still need to take the CDC’s advice to help stay healthy. The more careful people are about staying well, the faster this epidemic disappears.

All-School Read Announced for Next Year gabbymaenner

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ead of the science/physical education department and chemistry teacher Mr. Jeff Hacker introduced the all-school read for next year: The Disappearing Spoon and Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of Elements by Sam Kean. The book is a nonfiction collection of short stories each focused on different aspects of science from chemistry to physics to biology.

Hacker first heard of the book from former student, Linnea Tracy, who gave him a copy of it when she graduated in 2011. Hacker read it then and passed it on when the discussions of next year’s all-school read began.

Instead of having an all-school read

committee, Marian’s administration decided to change the process by having a different department choose a book each year. “The goal is that whichever subject matter the book is on, teachers will have an easier time discussing the book in that class instead of trying to discuss one topic in a variety of different classes that don’t necessarily relate,” Hacker said.

There were five or six other options submitted by students, parents, staff, and professional organizations that were considered before the final decision was made. The Disappearing Spoon is hoped to be especially versatile, since it is a collection of short stories.

Students are expected to read the

introduction as well as chapters one, nine, eleven, and fifteen. They will be tested over these chapters, but aren’t necessarily responsible for the entire book. “I think everyone should still read the whole book because it’s interesting, and some classes may assign different chapters later on throughout the year.” Hacker said.

Each current student will be responsible for obtaining their own copy and will be tested over the assigned material in the fall. “The grade for the book test will go towards a student’s science grade,” Hacker said. The author is planning to come speak to the student body in the fall, which is something to look forward to early next year.

All-School Read.

The all-school read for next year will be The Disappearing Spoon and Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of Elements by Sam Kean. photo source: samkean.com

A Lunch Performance.

Marian’s instrumental students performed for a parent and student audience during both lunches on Feb. 6.

Students picnicked in the West Gym while being entertained for 30 minutes. They played modern songs such as “Rolling in the Deep” by Adele and “We Found Love” by Rihanna. photo by Dani Morrell

The Violin Trio.

Sophomores Meg Stahlnecker, Caroline Byrne, and Brooklynn Venteicher perform at the instrumental concert during both lunches on Feb. 6. photo by alipaasch

[ 4 ] Opinion

The Network [ February ]

R.I.P. Classic Literature

Are “brain candy” books taking over? staffeditorial

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omething bad is looming upon our world: classic books are no longer being written.

Books, often thought of as “cheap vacations,” have always been a popular way to escape the stress of reality. Readers often find themselves lost between the pages of a life they wish was their own. For centuries, writers have been writing books for readers to read. But what happens when no one is writing quality books anymore? We are left with teen supernatural romance novels and fanfiction written by subpar writers.

It has come to the attention of The Network staff that good literature is hard to come by these days. It seems as if no books from our generation are going to be meaningful enough to leave a mark on history.

The “book scene” is drastically changing in today’s society. Paper books are being replaced with electronic books causing bookstores to go out of business. Pornographic-esque works such as 50 Shades of Grey are being passed off as literature.

What are we leaving behind for future readers? Risque vampire novels written by middle-aged women, obsessive fanfiction, and predictable, made-for-movie love novels? Would George Orwell, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and J.D. Salinger be disappoint-

ed in our generation?

Members of The Network staff now find it embarrassing to be found in the young adult section of bookstores and libraries.

People are claiming bad literature to be legitimate and throwing it into the young adult section under the category “Teen Supernatural Romance.” Where is the value in these dime-a-dozen books? They are simply “brain candy” and are unfit for the education of our posterity.

There may be a few novels that will make the cut as classics. Although it is disputable, many people think that Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, and others may have what it takes to outlast the test of time due to their common themes and controversial topics.

In a world where information is so easy to come by, it seems as if our generation has lost the motivation to challenge authority and really think. The only way to keep others from controlling us is to challenge everything. In many cases, controversy is the key to creating a classic novel. Banned books often become more popular than they would be otherwise.

Telling someone not to do something is a sure-fire way to make sure they do just that.

Write something controversial. Write something to make people mad. Write

something to make the government nervous. Use the first amendment rights given to you by our Founding Fathers.

In the wise words of George Orwell, “If people cannot write well, they cannot think well, and if they cannot think well, others will do their thinking for them.”

The Network staff would like to encourage its readers to seek out worthwhile literature and even to write some of your own; after all, we need something to leave behind for future readers.

D

D

Role models are more than just a pretty face Mizaur Musings

jessicamizaur

“N photo by eileenbaca

Letters To the Editor ear Editor, Ever since the beginning of this semester, my church class has turned to focus on talking about relationships, to better prepare us for any challenges we may face in the future. After recently filling out a survey asking various questions on our thoughts about relationships and other topics, I was quite shocked, but pleased to find that most of my classmates have never been in a romantic relationship-and I don’t mean this in a bad way. As a part of such a large community of strong-minded and independent girls, I was proud of the results that the survey yielded, and now, I would like to share some of the responses with you.

As a high school student, I can testify that trying to balance homework, friendships, family life, chores, and other parts of my daily life is anything but easy. If you ask any Marian girl sitting in the hall trying to catch a few Z’s on the floor or scramble to finish a homework assignment, they would certainly agree. But add a relationship to all these things, and how much more difficult does it get? Relationships take time, participation, and lots of effort from both sides, but how much can you put into a true romantic relationship when you’re trying to juggle a job after school, chores, and the other challenges of life? In my class, the highest response to the question of whether or not we had been in a romantic relationship before was “never, but still hoping”, along with “once” and “currently in a relationship”.

I was pleased to hear this for many reasons, but the main reason being that I think each student at Marian certainly deserves an amazing relationship with someone who is worth the trouble, and if that means waiting for the right person for as long as it may take, then the wait would certainly be worthwhile.

Knowing my classmates and I share a similar viewpoint and also continue to stay positive that they will find someone they can have a healthy relationship makes me proud to be a part of this growing community. So often, we are described as “confident, independent, thinking leaders,” and we certainly live up to the title-this instance being a prime example. And when in fact, there is someone who is worth the wait, then my advice is to not be afraid of taking a risk and being a part of something meaningful. I have no doubt that when the time is right, every Marian girl can live up to this challenge while being responsible and staying true to their morals.

Sincerely,

Megan Smith, sophomore

No Need for Idle Idols:

ear Editor, This semester my classmates and I have begun the Relationships and Sexuality unit in our Church class with Mrs. Spanbauer. We have touched on different subjects such as pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and my favorite: boys. An interesting hand out I received recently is a survey called “That’s What He Said.” It includes “What guys think about sex, love, contraception, and relationships.” It is as though I was inside a teenage boy’s head for 30 minutes. The information it contains shocked, pleased, and altered the opinions that my classmates and I originally held to be true. Due to the teen angst filling the hallways of high schools, it may be unsettling to ask these kinds of questions to a friend or adult. So without further ado, it would be my pleasure to share the positive feedback with fellow my Marian sisters.

When reading this survey, a fact that quickly caught my eye was that two-thirds of guys say they would rather have a girlfriend and no sex compared to only one-third who say they would prefer sex but no girlfriend. I know I am not the only one to scowl at the unrealistic expectations of the common teenage male. To know that boys are not always the perverted boneheads they come off to be is reassuring. There is hope! Now taking that information into consideration, did you ever think about the amount of pressure guys carry? Seventy-eight percent of boys feel that there is “way too much pressure” from society that they need to have sex. Even with an absurd amount of pressure on boys, a significant number of them would rather date a girl regardless of what society tells them.

Guys are doing the best they can to balance expectations versus reality.

As Marian girls, we are strongly opinionated and rooted in our beliefs, so it is pleasing to know that many teenage guys are as well.

Even though the opposite gender is confusing and frustrating, I have to give boys credit for being courageous and honest. If the girls at our school can assist in eliminating the pressures on boys to have sex, then a positive chain reaction will occur. By respecting our bodies and boys’ opinions, males might feel less compelled to take serious steps further in relationships. This hints that abstinence is socially acceptable. In return, girls will feel less pressured by boys to go further than their comfort zone.

High school is a perfect time to challenge one another to be more respectful. The Marian community is extremely powerful and our school has the power to make a change. No matter how minuscule the effects are, we can do anything. This idea may be put into action immediately, but the effects may not be instantaneous. With patience, effort, and love I believe that our community can spread compassion and respect to teenagers everywhere.

Sincerely,

Lizzy Van Dyke, sophomore

obody’s perfect.” Words that, once upon a time, I so naively believed. Words that held so much truth... until I turned twelve and realized that, hello, um. Beyoncé exists.

Behold: the beginning of my first girl crush.

Okay, so I’m being a little bit facetious; the truth is that nobody is perfect. That aside, I still do have to admit that my greatest regret in life thus far is that I am not Beyoncé.

I, and pretty much everyone else with internet connection and any interest in media whatsoever, seem to agree that she is flawless. Even our president is a fan (Michelle, Barack, Jay-Z and Queen Bey all casually hang out on the regular, if you were wondering [Beyoncé 2016, anyone?]).

Beyoncé is a talented, classy, self-empowered, and successful artist–these are qualities that we all would be proud to possess. Simply put, a girl crush is a girl who we desire to be more like. Although wishing to be someone else is never productive, there is nothing unhealthy about having a few girl crushes here and there.

Yes, I realize that I can’t be Rihanna, but I’d settle for being her best friend. That sounds a little odd, but I mean well, really.

I would. I can’t deny that I wish I could be as naturally hilarious as the beautiful Mila Kunis. I shamelessly envy the vocal skills of Amy Winehouse. I definitely wouldn’t be complaining if I had Sylvia Plath’s gift of writing. If Lana Del Rey wanted to share her closet with me, I wouldn’t object. And Anna Karina–I really would love to borrow your face, thanks.

As far as Anna Karina transferring her good looks to me, well, that can’t actually happen. That aside, I can still use the traits and talents of those I admire to set goals for myself. Try taking voice lessons? Well hey, why not? Realizing what you admire in others helps you to get to know the person you want to become.

The media tends to place stars up on a pedestal, portraying them as the only ideal. Instead of letting jealousy take over, use celebrities’ positive traits to build off of rather than using them to tear yourself down. Take Angelina Jolie, for example.

She’s not only stunning beyond words, but also uses her beauty and fame to help promote humanitarian causes.

Look to your girl crushes for more than just their appearance; let them serve as reminders to be your best self possible.

Although it is important to realize that perfection is unrealistic, don’t let it stop you from using the strengths of others to work towards the person you would like to be. Put all of your insecurities, as Beyoncé says, in a box to the left and run the world, girl.

The Network [ February ]

Opinion [ 5 ]

Feminism: Uncalled-For Radicalism or Cry for Equality?

Lex Go

alexisvinton

F

oreword: I am not a crazy feminist; I simply believe in equal rights.

Women are equal to men. There should be no disputing that.

I thought, in present day, that we had finally moved beyond the male-dominated world that existed in the previous centuries. However, judging by the attitudes

of boys I know, this is not the case.

The obvious solution to this “problem” would be for women to speak up. But in our society, any woman taking power and standing up for what is right would be considered a feminist, which has gathered a negative connotation in today’s world.

Therefore, in considering myself equal to a man, I am called a feminist.

By stating a simple, correct idea, I am deeming myself a certain word that is not appropriate for a school newspaper. I am some crazy, radical, bra-burning girl just because I am not going to clean and cook for a boy who can just as easily do it himself.

Women who clean, cook, and generally do everything for men are not helping the cause. They are simply making it harder for women to shake the subservient roles given to them by the pig overlords.

Boys are afraid of strong women

because they know that their chauvinistic attitudes don’t stand a chance against childbirth and the menstrual cycle.

Women know this, yet they refuse to do anything about it. We let old men run our country without even questioning why there has never been a woman president. And we wonder why the economy is in ruins.

Women can never hope to be the Pope or even a priest. A woman has never been the president of the United States. Our entire world is rooted in the fact that women are somehow the lesser gender.

I’m not saying a woman has never tried. We all remember Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin.

But (no surprise here) they were judged by how they looked and what they wore rather than their actual thoughts and political stances.

If we judged males the same way we

judged female political figures, then half of our past presidents wouldn’t have made the cut.

Have you seen George Washington and his wooden teeth? Or William Howard Taft? He had to have a custom made bathtub installed in the White House because he didn’t fit in a normal sized bathtub.

If we judged these men the same way society judges women, then John F. Kennedy and Paul Ryan would rule the world, regardless of their political abilities.

Many women think that there is nothing they can do about women not being considered equal to men. This is false.

I know from experience that it is pretty easy to put a boy in his place.

I believe that women are equal to men.

I am not, nor will I ever be some man’s housewife. And if this makes me a feminist, then I am proud to be one.

cartoon by nicolamccutcheon

Wilson 1 Jane Wilson Ms. Sisson American Literature, Block A 18 February 2013 Title Here

Not All On Board Procrastination Station gabbymaenner

M

y stomach drops. I can feel my nerves racing and my anxiety kicking in. My project is due tomorrow and I haven’t even started.

This feeling of total panic ceases to leave me until the next day once everything has been turned in . . . on time.

I am not one of those people that can perfect a paper the block before it’s due or cram for a final the day of. Procrastinating is my worst nightmare.

Friday afternoons are the greatest part of the week. Everyone (including myself) seems to leave school happy and ready for the weekend to start.

But come Monday morning, girls are sluggish and tired having stayed up all night finishing homework assigned two weeks ago.

Believe me, I am not immune to this kind of lifestyle. I have been there. I have felt your struggles. I was straggling up soph lot most mornings up until my senior year.

Then, all of a sudden I got an urge. I felt the need to work ahead one day. Then I realized that the next day was so much less stressful, and the day after that even less.

The more I worked ahead, the less stress I felt. If any of you, fellow class-

mates, are feeling the stress of a deadline, just hear me out. It could change your life.

And let me ask you this: what were you doing on your Jan. 30 snow day? I was writing the Gospel of Mark, summarizing each chapter for Faith class. Once that was finished, my whole next week looked a whole lot brighter.

That following Monday I made a goal to get all my research done for my lit paper on the Holocaust, and I ended up writing my whole paper right then and there.

It saved me tons of time and stress. I recommend you procrastinators give it a try.

The Network

The Network is a monthly publication of the journalism students at Marian High School, Nebraska’s only Class A, Catholic, North Central Accredited college preparatory school for girls. The Network is a member of the N.H.S.P.A, N.S.P.A. and the C.S.P.A. It is our goal to provide an accurate and informative news source for the student community. Opinions expressed on the opinion pages do not necessarily represent those of the entire community. Students, faculty, and friends are invited to voice their opinion in Letters to the Editors. All letters must be typed, signed, and sent to: The Network, Marian High School 7400 Military Ave. Omaha, NE 68134 Or e-mailed to us at: netpaper@omahamarian.org Follow us!

An electronic version of this paper can be found at: Visit our website: Twitter: @MHSbeat www.omahamarian.org/netpaper http://www.omahamarian.org/netpaper Instagram: @thenetworkstaff

I realize it’s not easy. It took me a long time to figure out that procrastinating does not make my life any easier. The “oh, I’ll do it tomorrow” attitude we all face during long extended assignments can get the best of us sometimes.

But I found that the only way to beat my lazy habit was to force myself to break it. It’s like ripping off a bandaid: dreaded and painful.

But I know you can do it, I believe in each and every one of you. Once you start something, go right ahead and finish it.

My name is Gabby Maenner, and I am no longer a procrastinator.

Managing Editors: laurentussey & meganwoodruff Copy Editors: nicolamccutcheon & poornaramasubramanian Photo Editor: sarahreynolds Front Page/Graphics Editor: sydneyrhoades Online/Convergence Editor: jessicamizaur News Editors: rachelrensch & sarahtownsend Opinion Editors: eileenbaca, & megandennis Feature Editors: gabbymaenner, annamandel, erinmcquillan & annapope Sports Editors: emilyjohanek & haleysnyder InDepth Editors: lauraatherton & alipaasch Entertainment Editors: bizzyboulay & theresakennelly Photo Essay Editor: mariacorpuz Columnists: jessicamizaur & alexisvinton Reporters/Photographers: whitneyhayes & marieroubidoux Adviser: mrs.marshakalkowski

The Network [ February ]

[ 6 ] Features

Senior Remembers Lost Loved One

Marian Girls Deal with Grief annamandel

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any Marian girls have had to deal with grief in some way, and it is not something to be taken lightly. Grief is serious. Grief is painful.

According to the Family Life Office of the Archdiocese of Omaha, there is a “bill of rights” for a grieving person. The bill includes such things as: You have the right to experience your own unique grief. You have the right to talk about your grief.

You have the right to feel a multitude of emotions. You have the right to be tolerant of your physical and emotional limits.

You have the right to experience “grief attacks.” You have the right to make use of ritual. You have the right to embrace your spirituality. You have the right to search.

You have the right to treasure your memories. You have the right to move forward in your grief and heal.

Around the Marian community, students are lucky to have such a strong support system. Sister Joan Houtekier, Marian Minister, is one of many who offer the community some assistance. “Grief is hard, especially for teens because sometimes it’s their first significant loss,” Sr. Joan said. “Grief is a normal event in a person’s life. Grief can be like waves, it can wash over us unexpectedly, when we are in church, hearing a favorite song, etc.”

Grief is not a bad thing though, according to Sr. Joan. “We grieve because the person was important to us; they have a special place in our heart,” she said.

Human beings can’t ignore grief. “At first, we can be numb, then reality sets in.

We can become angry; we may feel guilty; but we must try to come to terms about it,” Sr. Joan said.

At Marian, support group meetings have formed for those who have lost grandparents. This school year alone, the Marian body has lost more than 45 grandparents. Sometimes it is hard to talk about grief, but it is good to be able to discuss the loss with others who are in the same situation. Two separate sessions have been held this February.

“I gave the girls journals to make.

Sometimes if we have a memory when we miss them it helps us process the sadness,” Sr. Joan said. In the memory books, the girls were asked to write down stories about their grandparents, history about them, and to maybe even place pictures in the books. “The memory books will be a good reminder to the girls of their loved ones,” she said.

“If a friend or someone close to you has lost a loved one, do not take it lightly. We have to listen to them. It helps the person when they realize that someone else acknowledges their loss,” Sr. Joan said.

Grief is hard to overcome, but what students can overcome makes them stronger.

Students must let go and let God. As Matthew says in his gospel, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”

nicolamccutcheon rief is one of the hardest things to cope with, and not many know that better than people who have lost close friends. With tears in her eyes, senior Miranda Tingley remembers the loss of her friend, Kylie Remmereid.

Remmereid was a junior at Bennington High School when she lost her life in a car accident on Nov. 21, 2011.

“One of the hardest parts of dealing with the death of Kylie was accepting the truth of the situation. For the longest time I was in denial and could not grasp the magnitude of what actually happened on Nov. 21. I forced myself to believe my own lies that it was all a dream, and I begged myself to wake from the nightmare,” Tingley said.

Remmereid had many friends in the Marian community. The strength in the number of Remmereid’s friends helped many of the girls deal with the loss and grieving process.

“It did help to be surrounded by family and friends that cared about my well-being. Unfortunately, a large group of my friends were equally as affected by the accident as I was. It was extremely difficult

G

to comfort my own friends and be strong for them while I was weak and struggling inside,” Tingley said. “I felt hypocritical telling them that everything was going to be okay, when I didn’t even believe my own reassurance.”

Even with the strength and support from many different parts of the Marian community, it took, and still takes, Tingley time to heal.

“I know that my grieving process will be measured in years. I am slowly healing and coping with the loss of Kylie, but I am confident that the time of complete healing will never come, at least within the near future,” Tingley said.

The wounds that Tingley and the rest of Remmereid’s friends and family endured the night of her death are very slowly healing and becoming scars. Remmereid’s memory will always live on through the hearts of the people she touched.

“I am proud of how far my friends, the Remmereid family, and I have come, and I have faith that we can only progress from here,” Tingley said. roadside memorial photo courtesy of Miranda Tingley

How To Deal: Marian students and teachers share their own coping stories a pet...

eileenbaca unior Morgan Mitchell had a beautiful black labrador retriever whom she loved very much.

Sadly she was only blessed to spend three years with her. But those three years were filled with love. She got her dog, whom she named Ellie, when she was a puppy from her cousin. Ellie was an essential part of their family, and beloved by everyone. Ellie’s life was cut short. Mitchell’s dad was playing catch with Ellie when she ran a little too far away. Mitchell’s dad heard a car screech and knew it was Ellie. Ellie died that night after being hit by a car.

Mitchell and her family were crushed by their beloved dog’s death. Time may heal all wounds, but Mitchell still misses her sometimes. “I don’t miss her that much anymore since we got new dogs, but when I see pictures, I miss her,” Mitchell said.

J

“

Dear Ellie, It’s been a few years now, but I still miss you. I wish you could have been with us longer. You were a really good first pet and I will always remember you.

Morgan Mitchell

”

a classmate...

annapope uring her senior year at Marian, English teacher Ms. Connie Cavel lost one of her fellow classmates to cancer. In 1968 before graduation, Kathy Gregory’s life was taken after a long battle with bone cancer. In grade school, Cavel’s classmate was diagnosed with the disease and had to have her leg amputated.

“She wore a prosthesis along with a wig for the majority of her life, but she said the prosthesis was stiff and always hard to walk in,” Cavel said, “Although, she never really complained.” Cavel described her classmate as a very private person with a small group of close friends that were always there for her. Gregory spent her last months in the hospital and when offered her diploma early, she refused. Cavel visited her classmate in the hospital, which was her first experience with a person who was deathly sick. “It was one of the most difficult things I have ever experienced,” Cavel said. After their classmate’s death, most of the senior class attended Gregory’s funeral, even though they might not have all known her well. Other than the funeral, Cavel’s class dealt with the grief simply by carrying on with their lives but never forgetting their classmate. “Even though we weren’t best friends, I still take her death with me every day,” Cavel said.

D

“

It was one of the most difficult things I have ever experienced.

Ms. Connie Cavel

”

a parent...

nicolamccutcheon r reshman Carllie Meeks knows first hand the loss of a loved one. Meeks’s father Allen Williford passed away on Oct. 5, 2011 when Meeks was a eighth grader at McMillan Magnet School. Through her struggle to cope with his sudden death, Meeks found strength in being around her family. “Doing things to keep my mind off it helped, too,” Meeks said. Even though her father is not physically present in her life, Meeks holds the many fond memories she has close to her heart. “He would always make up raps and songs to try and be funny,” Meeks said. A unique connection Meeks has with her father is through his purple El Camino car.

“It’s in our garage, and every time I see it, it reminds me of him.” Meeks will always remember the good times she had with her father, and knows he is always watching over her. “We celebrate his life together and think about him, but rarely talk about him as much as we used to,” Meeks said.

F

“

We celebrate his life together and think about him a lot.

”

Carllie Meeks

annapope

O

an aunt...

n Nov. 27 2013, senior Lindsay Bolamperti and her freshman sister, Lauren, lost their aunt, Cheryl Dwyer. Toodie, as she was referred to by all close family and friends, had been sick for several years and after growing weaker and weaker, finally passed away.

Following the days of Toodie’s death, the Bolamperti’s and their entire extended family spent the week together going through pictures, talking about memories and celebrating her life. The Bolamperti sisters were both very close to their aunt, since they spent a majority of their time as kids at her house with their cousins. The Bolampertis explained how big of a deal every birthday and holiday was to Toodie and how she loved dressing all the cousins in the family in matching outfits all the way from the bows to the shoes. Lindsay’s favorite memory of her aunt was when she won her, her sister and their cousin three tickets to the Hannah Montana concert one year. “Toodie was my favorite aunt and still is. She was also my godmother,” Lindsay said. Dealing with the grief was easier for the sisters due to the time the family spent together after Toodie’s death and all the love that was shared between them.

“

Toodie was my favorite aunt, and still is.

Lindsay Bolamperti

”

The Network [ February ]

Features [ 7 ]

Mary Hilton: The most

interesting sophomore in the world*

Music: “I last listened graphic by sarahreynolds

to ‘Nookie’ by Limp Bizkit

which is very embarrassing and I’m probably going to get a lot of ridicule for it, but I love them so much.”

Fashion: “I like to wear

men’s clothing and a wallet chain because I’m inspired by the idea that you should wear what makes you feel good.”

Motto: “Be yourself and not what others

expect you to be.”

Fun Fact: “I’m

an anarchist (I oppose all forms of government). I think that they are brainwashing us and it’s all a hoax. I don’t think that we can trust it.”

*

As determined by the February Network Google Survey

Birth Order:

Does it affect Marian girls’ personalities?

Grandparents Day Mass.

Senior Anna Hautzinger and junior Nora Neary accompany their grandmother in the presentation of gifts during Grandparent’s Day Mass held on Jan. 29.

continued from p. 1 my older sister because they would’ve gone through certain experiences with her.

And my younger sister can definitely get away with more,” Edwards said. “I would definitely say that I am more independent than both of my sisters.”

And finally, the baby of the family, the youngest child, cannot be forgotten. According to Leman’s theory, these children are often the most outgoing and sociable of their siblings. The youngest have no fear of being the center of attention and are often risk takers. However, some youngest children who are significantly younger than their closest sibling also pick up some character traits of that of the oldest child, including a sense of responsibility and caretaking. Some famous examples of youngest children include Jim Carrey, Steve Martin, Johnny Depp, Matthew McConaughey and Cameron Diaz.

Freshman Faith Vinton, the youngest of three girls, is the baby of the family. As the youngest, she has been able to observe her older sisters mistakes as well as triumphs, and learn from them. “I try hard in school because Alexis and Annette both do that.

And I try different things like all sort of sports and activities, I mostly do things that they tried too,” Vinton said. “As the youngest, I’m kinda expected to do some of what they did. I also get away with almost anything.”

However, not everyone can fit into these categories. Some people have had experiences that have allowed them to develop character traits from two categories.

Senior Bridgit Peterson has had one such experience as the baby of seven children in her family, but the age gap has also enabled her to have experiences similar to that of the oldest or only child. In fact, Peterson has 12 nieces and nephews, the oldest only two years younger than herself.

“I think that [birth order truly does affect some character traits of children] because I think that everyone has their own personality, and I can pick and choose what I want from their [my older siblings’] personalities; I can be a mixture,” Peterson said. “When I was younger, I could tell more clearly that I was the baby. Now, as I’ve gotten older, I can participate in the family events more.”

Although each person is different, and external factors such as family circumstances all have an effect on a person’s personality, understanding birth order can make a difference in helping individuals understand why they act the way they do.

Put potato chips in the fridge so they stay fresh!

- Sophomore Kate Pickering

My grandpa told me that even the smallest of men can have the biggest of hearts.

- Senior Alayna Stokes

The Valu able Lessons Learned F rom Grandpare nts

his shares y papa oking tips M o c My grandpa taught me akfast ays, different painting techniques. bre h me. He s ugh no wit e small Over the years he has give , n If it’s the omelet “ me different paints and brus in ” hes to go in the omelet.vis and showed me how to use es Claire Da it gosh an them and that will always be Fre m a special bond that we have.

- Sophomore Sierra Sh upe

graphic by poornaramasubramanian

Senior Michaela Smith is the oldest of seven children in her family. “I think as the oldest, I have more responsibility and am expected to do more, so it made me more mature at a younger age,” Smith said. “When we were younger, I was definitely responsible for more things than my younger siblings, and I was extremely bossy and always trying to be in control.

I still am kind of bossy and more responsible, but I’ve learned to be more patient and understanding, and I’m pretty good with kids.”

Although she comes from a smaller family, junior Maggie Witzenburg, the oldest of two, has had a similar experience. “I am the organized and more cautious one.

I am risk averse and I think it’s because I’ve had to make mistakes myself rather than learning from older siblings. This also made me more independent, since I can’t rely on older siblings for anything,” Witzenburg said.

Conley mentions that only children often exhibit characteristics similar to that of the oldest child. They hate criticism, hold high expectations of others, and are inclined to be perfectionists. Often times, they tend to also be more confident, articulate, and more likely to use their imagination than other children. Some famous faces who are only children include Franklin D. Roosevelt, Tiger Woods, Maria Sharapova and Leonardo da Vinci.

As for the middle child, Leman recognizes that they are the hardest to characterize. His theory suggests that they are guaranteed to be the opposite of their older sibling, but that can manifest in different ways. The middle children often feel like their older sibling gets the glory while their younger one is allowed to do anything and therefore, they tend to be attention-seekers as they try to win their parents’ attention. This behavior is often referred to as the “middle child syndrome.”

In general, middle children tend to have the ability to read people well and are peacemakers who see all sides of a situation, in addition to being independent and inventive. Some well-known middle children include John F. Kennedy, Princess Diana, Miley Cyrus, Martin Luther King, Jr., Abraham Lincoln and Sarah Palin.

Freshman Mallory Edwards is the middle child of three girls in her family.

She believes that birth order can affect personality and traits of children, based off of her experiences. “I feel that my parents are a lot easier on me than they were on

A Hearty Dissection. Anatomy and physiology block B seniors Hannah Martin, Tori Grovas, Leah Teutsch, Catherine Boyle, and Molly Clow observe teacher Mrs. Kacie Lindeman point out different structures inside a pig heart. Anatomy students dissected pig hearts in small groups on Feb. 7. photo by gabbymaenner

Beef. Ham. Lamb. Pork. Veal. BiApples. Apricots. Bananas. Cherries. GrapeAmaranth. Brown rice. Buckwheat. BulBok choy.

Lunch Program son. Rabbit. Venison. Liver. Gibfruit. Grapes. Kiwi fruit. Lemons. Limes. gur. Millet.

Oatmeal. Popcorn.

Rolled oats. Vegetables.

Broccoli. ColProtein.

Fruits.

Grains.

D a lets. Chicken. Duck. Goose. Turkey. Ground chicken.

Mangoes. Nectarines. Oranges. Peaches. Pears. Papaya.

Quinoa. Sorghum. Triticale. Whole grain barley. Whole lard greens. Dark green leafy lettuce. i Hits Chicken eggs. Duck eggs. Bean burgers. Black beans. Pineapple. Plums. Prunes. Raisins. Tangerines. Strawbergrain cornmeal. Whole rye.

Wholethe wheatSpot bread. Whole Kale. Mesclun. Mustard greens.rRomaine y Chickpeas. Falafel. Kidney beans. Lentils. Lima beans. ries. Blueberries. Raspberries. Cantaloupe. Honeydew. wheat crackers. Whole wheat pasta. Whole wheat sandlettuce. Spinach. Turnip greens. Water-

InDepth [ 9 ]

[ 8 ] InDepth

Navy beans. Pinto beans. Soy beans. Split peas. White beans. Cod. Flounder. Haddock. Halibut. Herring.

Mackerel. Pollock. Porgy. Salmon. Sea bass. Snapper.

Swordfish. Trout. Tuna. Clams. Crab. Lobster. Mussels.

Octopus. Oysters. Scallops. Squid. Shrimp. Anchovies.

Beef. Ham. Lamb. Pork. Veal. Bison. Rabbit. Venison.

Liver. Giblets. Chicken. Duck. Goose. Turkey. Ground

ut o b A d rne e c n o ens z i U.S. C t i C or F h t l a He

With New Improvements

Watermelon. Orange juice. Apple juice. Grape juice. Grape- wich buns and rolls. Whole wheat tortillas. Wild rice.Corn- cress. Cassava. Corn. Fresh cowpeas.

MyPlate. fruit juice. Apples. Apricots. Bananas. Cherries. Grapefruit. bread. Corn tortillas. Couscous. Crackers. Flour tortillas. Introducing Green bananas. the Green peas. Green lima Previously known as the Grapes. Kiwi fruit. Lemons. Limes. Mangoes. Nectarines.

Grits. Noodles. Pitas. Pretzels. Whitesabread. rahreyn White sandwich beans. Plantains. Potatoes. Taro. Water olds Pyramid, MyPlate Oranges. Peaches. Pears. Papaya. Pineapple. Plums. Prunes. buns and rolls. White rice. Spaghetti. Macaroni. chestnuts.

Black beans.

Black-eyed peas. & an Amaranth. Food na p has now been updated to Lentils. op Raisins. Tangerines. Strawberries. Blueberries. RaspberBrown rice. Buckwheat. Bulgur. Millet. Oatmeal. Popcorn.

Garbanzo beans. Kidney beans. e ch s meet the requirements hile lunches change n ries. Cantaloupe. Honeydew. Watermelon. Orange juice.helre Rolled oats. Quinoa. Sorghum. Triticale. Whole grain bar- Navy beans. Pinto beans. Soy beans. S[plit today's nutrition. to day, there is wheat always bread. of rac Apple juice. Grape juice. Grapefruit juice. Apples. Apricots. ley. Whole grain cornmeal. Wholeday rye.

Whole peas. White beans. Artichokes. AsparaThe USDA has updated one thing about them that remains the needs for vegetables constant. The lunch man, Tim Eoriatti, nhealthy eating is not just an and grains. The portions always makes the wait in line worthwhile. issue here at Marian, it’s also a naon MyPlate represent No matter if you’re there for the deliciously tional problem. According to livestrong. the intakes of each food UN-cooked cookies or for the perfect comcom, nine out of ten school lunch programs group that we should be bination of warm breadsticks and pasta, you don’t meet the nutritional standards set by the consuming daily. can guarantee you will be served with a smile.

U.S. government, although Marian isn’t obligated As the lunch choices have changed over to follow these standards because of the independent the past few years, Eoriatti’s nutritional focus lunch program. Unhealthy eating habits at schools are remains on portion sizes and fair prices. From playing a huge role in childhood obesity, yet it seems as veggie trays and fresh fruit bowls to various salads, Eoriatti has though nothing is being done about it. gradually added healthier options to the lunch program. “When I decide to add new Offering students sugary snacks and sodas also plays a part. items to lunches, I am looking to improve not only taste, but also nutritional value, Schools turn to these machines to help with obtaining money so we are constantly enhancing the lunches,” Eoriatti said. Some daily healthy options for supplies, and although it works, it’s hurting the students in the available include yogurt, fresh fruit bowls, veggie trays, salads, and baked potatoes. long run. The Center for Science in the Public Interest has found As more options are added into the lunches, some students are beginning to worry that 98 percent of high schools and 43 percent of elementary schools if the healthy food is overlooking how bad the other food can be. “Most of the girls have vending machines filled with junk food. With unhealthy choices that regularly buy lunch do not seem to overeat, so I assume they understand that all such as these constantly around students, what are they actually learning the foods are not bad moderation,” Eoriatti said. Every lunch served at Marian, whether about what to put in their bodies? considered “healthy” or not, is at acceptable nutrition values according to Eoriatti, as long Some schools have tried to give more choices of healthy foods, yet still as the portions are under control. serve cheeseburgers, French fries, and pizza. Even with fruits and vegetables Because Eoriatti is an independent vendor and Marian does not obtain government subto choose from, some students will choose the meal that tastes the best; this sidies for their lunch program, there are no nutritional standards that must be met. Eoriatti would most likely be that slice of greasy pizza, or those salty French fries. serves lunches that he knows girls enjoy. However, in order to increase nutritional value, he Childhood obesity is a big problem here in the U.S. and a big part of that substitutes leaner lunch meats in the sub sandwiches and more greens in the salads. “My main problem starts with school lunches. To change the lunches into more healthier, focus is on making the lunches both delicious and affordable,” Eoriatti said. sustaining choices would be the first major step in tackling this growing problem in America. Change your lunch, and you could change your world.

U

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Nutrition. The Food Plate. Focus on fruits. Vary your veggies. Make at least half your grains whole. Go lean with protein. Get your calcium-rich foods. Nutrition. The Food Plate. Focus on fruits. Vary your veggies. Make at least half your grains whole. Go lean with protein.

Get your calcium-rich foods. Nutrition. The Food Plate. Focus on fruits. Vary your veggies.

Make at least half your grains whole. Go lean with protein. Get your calcium-rich foods. Nutrition. The Food Plate. Focus on fruits. Vary your veggies. Make at least half your grains whole. Go lean with protein. Get your calcium-rich foods. Nutrition. The Food Plate. Focus on fruits. Vary your veggies. Make at least half your grains whole. Go lean with protein. Get your calcium-rich foods. Nutrition. The Food Plate. Focus on fruits. Vary your veggies. Make at least half your grains whole. Go lean with protein. Get your calcium-rich foods. Nutrition.

The Food Plate. Focus on fruits. Vary your veggies. Make at least half your grains whole. Go lean with protein. Get your calcium-rich foods. Nutrition. The Food Plate. Focus on fruits.

Vary your veggies. Make at least half your grains whole. Go lean with protein. Get your calcium-rich foods. Nutrition. The Food Plate. on fruits. veggies.

Make at least You AreFocus What You Vary Eat:your Dietitian Discusses Nutrition half your grains whole. Go lean withavingprotein.

Get your calcium-rich foods. Nutrition. The Food a balanced and nutritious diet is essential for overall health, especially important in decreasing the risks of osteoporosis. It is especially important to consume in the teenage years. Consuming the “right” nutrients help teens to look and enough dairy before turning the age of 20. During the teenage years, is the time when bones Plate. Focus on fruits. Vary your veggies.

Make at toleast half feel their best. However, sometimes it is difficult determine what the “right” develop and become strong. nutrients are. Lindsay Martian, a registered dietitian and a licensed medical nutrition Consuming healthy fats is important because they help absorb all of the key vitamins. therapist spoke to the Women’s classes on Feb. 11.

Martian cleared up comyour grains whole. Go lean with protein.

GetHealthyour calciumrich For example, if a person eats a salad and uses fat free ranch dressing on top, that premon myths about food and eating habits, and also gave examples of the essential vents the nutrients from being fully absorbed in the body. So instead of using a fat “look good” and “feel good” nutrients. dressing, try using a vinegar dressing or add avocados on top (two examples of foods. Nutrition. The Food Plate. Focus on fruits. Vary your free Martian emphasizes the importance of having variety and balance in our diet. healthy fats) which will allow the nutrients from the salad to be absorbed in the Protein is important because it is a component of every cell in the body. Protein body. veggies. Make at least half your grains whole. Go lean with prois an essential building block in bones, muscles, cartilage, skin and blood.

Ms. Ronda Motykowski teaches the women’s health classes. “The nutrition unit Fruits and vegetables are loaded with vitamins and minerals. They serve seems to be one of the favorite because the girls get to have a hands on experitein. Get your calcium-rich foods. Nutrition.

The Food Plate.

Focus as a great source of antioxidants which help to fight off diseases.

“Make ence with what they are doing with their everyday eating habits by using differit a new habit to try a new produce item each week. Every time you pick ent apps. I know that some kids that have taken the class have totally changed new produce item,half it gives you different minerals and antioxidants,” on fruits. Vary your veggies. Make at aleast your grains whole. their eating habits because of the class,” Motykowski said.

Martian said.

Junior Amalia Hansen is currently in the Women’s Health class, and has Whole grains are an excellent source of fiber and vitamin B. Eatlearned many life nutrition skills. “We used a calorie tracker and we were Go lean with protein. Get your calcium-rich foods. Nutrition. ing whole grains on a regular basis helps lower risk of many chronic able to see how much sugar, protein, and fat we were eating. This helped diseases. When trying to decide if a certain food contains whole healthier because we saw the bad things we were eating and The Food Plate. Focus on fruits. Vary your veggies. Make at uswhatto eat least half grain, check the back of the package to make sure it says whole to omit from our diet,” Hansen said.

Oftentimes, the package says it contains grains, but not It is important to be aware of what is in the food that is eaten on a your grains whole. Go lean with protein.grain.

Get rich foods. whole grains. your calciumregular basis. Instead of just grabbing something from the shelf of Dairy is a great source of calcium and is especially grocery store without looking at the nutrition informaNutrition. The Food Plate. Focus on fruits. Vary your veggies. the Make at tion, pay attention to the good nutrients and make sure they outweigh the bad nutrients. “A lot of people Amaranth. Brown rice.

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Blueberries. Raspberries. Cantaloupe. Honeydew.

[ 10 ] Features

The Network [ February ]

Pops Concert 2013 February 16-17

Below: Final Pose.

Freshmen Sarah Morse, Faith Vinton, and Anna Abbott perform “Circle of Life” with both choirs.

Above: Vocal Sensation.

Senior Nyoke Dumba belts out her solo as a part of a sextet that performed “Titanium” by David Guetta.

Above: It’s All for the Best!

Junior Rachel Wortmann poses during the Select Women’s Choir song, “All For the Best.” photos by mariacorpuz

Left: Sister, Sister.

The sister duo of senior Kellyjo and junior Mary Rose Steier sang “Good Riddance” by Green Day.

#TaylorMeetLauren

Twitter world tries to make a little girl’s wish come true

erinmcquillan

#T

aylorMeetLauren. It’s been all over Twitter, Facebook, and the local news. Of the 247 Marian girls that took the latest Network survey, 70 percent know about it.

It’s impacted many people, and it’s all for a 10-year-old girl named Lauren.

Lauren Hacker, or Lolo to her family, is a fifth grader at St. Margaret Mary’s School who is diagnosed with acute myelocytic leukemia. Acute myelocytic leukemia is a rare cancer located in blood cells.

On Dec. 11, 2012, Lauren came home from school not feeling too well. She said she felt sick so her grandma, Sandra or to Lauren, Nanny, took her to the doctor.

She was admitted to Children’s Hospital that day. When doctors drew Lauren’s blood, they learned she was anemic, had no white blood cells, and her platelet count was low. These three signs are called “three cell lines” down and they are signs of leukemia.

The next day, they took Lauren into surgery to extract bone marrow from her hips to confirm the diagnosis of leukemia. She was officially diagnosed on Dec. 12, 2012. “Some people thought that was when the world was going to come to an end. In a sense, it did for us,” said Lauren’s mom, LesLee, a seventh grade science teacher at St. Roberts.

Lauren is a huge Taylor Swift fan. She knows all of her songs and while in the hospital, she sits in her bed, listens to music and learns the words to Swift’s new album, “Red.” LesLee had bought tickets to Swift’s concert for Lauren and her

Lauren’s family is trying to bring Taylor Swift herself to Lauren.

On March 13 and 14, Swift is opening her “Red Tour” with Ed Sheeran in Omaha at the CenturyLink Center.

The Hackers are hoping to Visit From Her Idols. Seniors Maggie Heim and Annie Coder get Taylor to visit Lauren Hacker in the hospital. They brought her gifts and come visit spent the afternoon with her. photo courtesy of Annie Coder Lolo at the friend for Christmas before Lauren was hospital in between shows. diagnosed. However, since Lauren isn’t LesLee’s students, Sydney Monahan, supposed to get out of the hospital until Ellie Mulligan, and Lauren Kubat, created June, she will be unable to attend the a video for Lauren to Swift, asking her March concert. to come visit Lauren. Kubat changed the Since Lauren was diagnosed so close words to Swift’s hit song “You Belong to Christmas, the Hackers didn’t get to With Me” to “Come See Lauren Please” celebrate too much. Therefore, Lauren and performed and uploaded the video never found out about her gift. Lauren’s to YouTube. mom didn’t tell Lauren that she had There are also two videos being made bought tickets for her because she didn’t by professionals Zach and Adam Sieff want to upset Lauren even more by that will be sent straight to Swift’s house. telling her she wouldn’t be able to go to One will explain Lolo’s story and the her favorite artist’s concert. Therefore, other will be called “Lolo’s Thunder”

in which different elementary and high schools have students yelling “Taylor Swift, go visit Lolo!”

Seniors Maggie Heim, a varsity volleyball player, and Annie Coder, a varsity volleyball team manager whose mom is LesLee’s teacher assistant at St. Robert’s and has become family friends of the Hackers, visited Lauren on Feb. 5. Lauren plays volleyball at Nebraska Elite Sports and Fitness and St. Margaret Mary’s School. She also attended the Marian Volleyball camp where she met Heim.

“Maggie Heim is the coolest ever,” says Lauren’s mom from a journal entry on CaringBridge.org, a website for keeping families up-to-date on health of loved ones. The Marian girls brought her a volleyball signed by the entire 2012 varsity volleyball team, a “Future Marian Girl” t-shirt and a giraffe hat with matching mittens.

Heim and Coder both tweeted and told their friends about Lauren, trying to get the word out. Heim sent out a massive text message asking people to tweet #TaylorMeetLauren to all her contacts. Since then, #TaylorMeetLauren has definitely gotten attention. Lauren’s story has been on the local news, famous twitter profiles (some with thousands of followers) have tweeted it, Creighton Basketball players, and even Zach Potter, a professional football player for the Jacksonville Jaguars, have tried to get the word out.

Now all there is to do is wait and hope, that this incredible message gets to Swift and that she accepts. It has so much love and support behind it.

Strike a Pose.

Senior partners Sarah Berger and Conor Townley pose during their routine on February 9, 2013.

The Boys Strut Their Stuff.

The senior Prep boys create a formation without the Marian dance team to show off their skills.

Heels Over Head.

Senior Kyrie Killen high kicks during the performance at the Creighton Prep home basketball game.

photos by mariacorpuz

Couples Dance 2013

Hip-Hop It Out. Senior “couple” Hayley Higgins and Sam Johnson finish off the dance with some hip-hop moves.

Features [ 11 ]

The Network [ February ]

How the Pope is Elected

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Maximum of cardinals under the age of 80 may vote Cardinals vote in the Sistine Chapel The votes of at least of the cardinals are needed to The dean of win the electhe College of tion Cardinals asks the candidate if he accepts the post and Cardinals what his papal pledge name will be obedience to the new pope who is vested in a The dean white casdeclares to the sock and world, “We have a skull cap Pope”

2/3

Information source: Catholic.org graphic by annamandel

Church Makes History Pope Benedict XVI resigns marieroubidoux

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istory unfolded before the world’s eyes on Feb. 11, 2013. After eight years of leading the Catholic Church, Pope Benedict XVI announced his resignation, the first time this has happened in almost 600 years. Members of the Catholic Church, non-Catholics around the world, and even Marian girls are experiencing this history first-hand and offering their opinions and thoughts on the matter.

When Ms. Pat Travis asked her Block D Morality class about the recent announcement, junior Araya Santo was one of the first to respond. “Someone had asked about what happened and she [Ms. Travis] started to explain why he stepped down- and that it’s the first time it’s happened in almost 600 years,” Santo said.

Pope Benedict XVI was elected on April 19, 2005 at the age of 78. Due to recent health complications, Pope Benedict didn’t believe he was capable of leading the Catholic Church to his fullest potential and announced his resignation on Feb. 11. and fully

resigned on Feb. 28. The last time this has happened was in the year 1415, making this a new mark of history for the Catholic Church.

One of the topics brought up in class was the age of the Pope.

“I personally think they should elect someone younger. He may not be as wise, but it could work more with our generation since we are the future,” Santo said.

One of the basic requirements of electing a Pope is that he cannot be over the age of 80. Electing a younger Pope could also ensure that he could reign for decades.

Pope John Paul II was elected at the age of 58 and oversaw the Catholic Church for nearly 27 years.

Another point Santo touched on was the type of Pope she thought the Catholic Church should elect. “I hope to see a more progressive Pope. Things get done, but they get done so slowly, and it almost becomes out of date. Maybe if we had someone more progressive, things could get done faster and more towards what people want today,” Santo said.

Freshman Clara Wertzberger had some differing views on the subject. “A lot of people are saying it has to do with a scandal, but I don’t really believe that. I think he just resigned because he couldn’t really do his job anymore,” Wertzberger said. She also talked about how she hopes for a more traditional Pope to carry on the customs of the Catholic Church. “Our faith is what it is. God established it with the knowledge society would change it, but it’s good to keep it the same.”

However, Wertzberger does hope that the Pope will focus more on the younger generation which could lead to a stronger Catholic community. “I really hope the new Pope will focus on new generations and help people understand more fully,” she said.

“It would be good to educate more people and have them grow up stronger in their faith,” Wertzberger said. Through church camps and teaching Vacation Bible School at her parish, Wertzberger sees the interest and love of faith and learning that the children show.

Senior Steals Snow Days, Finds Redemption megandennis

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enior Regan Curtiss has been blamed for the lack of snow days these past two years. Up until an incident last year, snow days were certainly not unheard of. However, one day in the early winter of 2011-2012 school year, Curtiss decided to steal a snow goddess*.

Snow goddesses, for those who have not had a social studies class with Mr. Tom Baker, are a group of approximately 10 stuffed animals and figurines that sit on the window ledge in the back of his classroom, room 320.

There are all different sizes and types of animals, even one that plays music.

Legend has it that the snow goddesses will “possess” a quiet student to get up during class and begin to dance.

This ritual predicts an upcoming snow day.

However, according to Baker, if the snow goddesses are disrespected, there will be consequences. This is exactly what happened when Curtiss stole one. “Junior year, I disrespected the snow goddesses by putting one on the floor,” Curtiss said. “I did it to anger Mr. Baker, and I didn’t believe in the legend.”

Needless to say, the legend seemed to appear true as the days during the winter of the 2011-2012 school year passed with no snow days. But what some may call karma, Curtiss found to be a coincidence.

This winter, before the end of the first semester, Curtiss decided to steal a snow goddess.

“One morning, I stole the one that sings ‘The Macarena’ and stood outside his classroom and played it,” Curtiss Offering to the Snow Goddess. Senior Regan Curtiss wears her crown and holds her scepter said. That given to her by social studies teacher Mr. Tom Baker. Curtiss’ offering has been successful twice day, Mr. photo by megandennis Baker made so far this school year. an announcement over received its first snow day in two years. to say Curtiss believes. “Never again will I the intercom to the school that it “Mr. Baker had promised me that he doubt the power of the goddesses.” was to be returned. It was returned would give me a crown if we ever had a Curtiss’ repentance must have pleased shortly after, but there were still no snow day. So before school on the mornthe snow goddesses so much that the snow days. ing after we got the snow day, he came February 21 snowfall brought another In late January, Curtiss decided yelling my name down the hall and I was snow day. to apologize for her wrongdoings. crowned,” Curtiss said.

She had prepared a simple ritual that startCurtiss was crowned by a classmate and *Note: The Network fully admits that ed with a dramatic speech and led up to a given a scepter to wear and carry around believing in pagan gods and goddesses is song. “I changed the lyrics of ‘I Dreamed a for the day. Mr. Baker even cleared the not part of the Catholic faith. But we feel Dream’ into an apology for the goddesses,” staircase for her at one point. “He moved that God would approve of fun traditions Curtiss said. everybody out of the way the whole way to in classrooms.

Six days after this repentance, Marian art class for me,” Curtiss said. It is now safe

“ ”

He [Mr. Baker] came yelling my name down the hall and I was crowned.

Senior Regan Curtiss

[ 12 ] Sports

The Network [ February ]

Opportunity for Growth: Dance Team Opens Tryouts for All Grade Levels bizzyboulay Mrs. Susan Toohey, and recruitment director, Mrs. Molly Woodman, and looking into what some other high school dance teams did, Delisi talked to senior captains Morgan Tooley, Kyrie Killen, and Sarah Berger.

Together they made the final decision to open tryouts to incoming freshmen.

“The possibility of losing incoming freshman to other high schools is getting greater because they can’t try out here, but they can try out at other schools,” Delisi said.

“I don’t want to deny incoming freshmen if that is truly what

“

they want to do for four years.”

Five years ago, Marian lost one or two girls to other high schools for this reason, but now that number has increased. This year, Delisi hand wrote notes to 30 girls who expressed an interest in dance and dance team. In her note, she encouraged them to take a look at Marian’s dance program.

Clinics are at 6:20 a.m. on April 2, 3:30 p.m. on April 3, and 6:20 a.m. on April 4 and 5. Incoming freshmen will only be allowed to make the junior varsity team, which was started in 2005. “I see a lot of

I don’t want to deny incoming freshmen if that is truly what they want to do for four years.

Dance Team Coach Michelle Delisi

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he Marian Dance Team is making some changes for the 2013-2014 school year. In the past, only students who were to be sophomores, juniors, or seniors in the next school year were allowed to try out. But this spring, incoming freshmen are encouraged to try out for the squad as well.

Why the change this year? This decision has been in the works for about five years, according to coach Mrs. Michelle Delisi, who came to Marian in 1978, when the dance team was known as the pom pom squad. “Coming into high school is a transition,” Delisi said.

She wanted new students to get acclimated to Marian before they tried out for a time-consuming activity, such as dance team. Girls on the dance team are not able to play seasonal sports besides track and cross country, due to the busy performance and practice schedule.

After talking to head of school,

advantages because they can start to learn the way the dance team works, especially the technical part of dance team,” Delisi said, “I also see an advantage for those shy freshmen who really wouldn’t put themselves out there to become part of a team and get involved right off the bat.”

Captain Sarah Berger is excited for this opportunity. “I think this is a great way to gain more experience and to make dance team a little more competitive. Four years of dance team looks better than three on a college application,” Berger said.

Of course, this will make the dance team bigger than its already large 26-girl team, but that will just require a bit more team bonding, according to Delisi. “I’m really excited about this opportunity for the incoming freshmen,” Delisi said. “I want their experience to be great from the minute they walk through the doors at Marian.”

Sisters Splash Their Way through State Competition sydneyrhoades I could help her with her nerves. We just helped each other,” Gornall said.

The Gornalls did well in their respective events, with both of them placing in the top 16 swimmers for both the 100 butterfly and 100 backstroke. In addition, their medley relay team took seventh in the state.

On the Friday of the state meet, only those with the best 16 times in each event came back to compete on Saturday.

There were 12 events at the meet and out of those 12, Marian girls swam in either the consolation or championship heats of every event except for two.

Overall, Marian tied for third place with Elkhorn/Elkhorn South. Millard West took first, followed by Lincoln South.

As a side note, Gornall mentioned that social studies teacher and head swim coach, Mr. David Anderson (commonly known as DA) now has the longest held record in the state of Nebraska for the 100 breaststroke.

Gornall’s thoughts on the end of the meet were that she is “so proud of my team. I think we did really well…load of best times!”

Photo courtesy of Lauren Gornall

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alking into a huge, humid room in your swimsuit on statewide television may not be everyone’s idea of fun. However, for the swim and dive teams, this is exactly what they faced on the weekend of Feb. 21-23.

Over the span of three days, Marian’s swim and dive team competed in the 2013 State Championships. Marian was the one of the largest teams at state, with 13 girls competing.

This year, the team was unique because it featured a sister duo, both of whom competed at state.

The Gornall sisters, freshman Jenna and senior Lauren, were able to compete together this year.

Not only did they swim on the same medley team, but they also swam in the same two events: 100 butterfly and 100 backstroke.

While some sisters would find it difficult to compete against one another, Lauren found no such difficulties. “It was so much fun cheering each other on,” Gornall said.

It was also special for the girls to compete together because with Jenna being a freshman and Lauren being a senior, they shared each other’s first and last state meet. “It was great spending my last state with her there and it was her first so

Sisterly Love. Senior Lauren Gornall and freshman Jenna Gornall pose together while undergoing state swimming activities. They swam in the same medley and also competed in their own individual events during Feb. 21-23.

emilyjohanek

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tanding on the sidelines, these girls always have a smile on their faces and spirit in their hearts. These 21 girls support not only the sports teams, but also the school as a whole: they are the Marian cheerleaders.

Being a positive support system for Marian, the cheerleaders encourage students to succeed in all their endeavors.

During extended homerooms, the squad waits patiently for their cue to lead the student body in Marian’s fight song.

For every volleyball and basketball home and away games, the cheerleaders cheer enthusiastically by leading the crowd in chants and hand motions.

Co-captain junior Amanda Wolf, said, “My favorite sport to cheer at is volleyball.

I love watching their games, and they always get so intense that sometimes I forget that this is just high school.”

The squad also acquired a new coach, John Yenny, at the beginning of the season which started in June. “One of my favorite parts of cheerleading is my coach.

He’s really funny and pushes us to do our best,” freshman Devon Gottsch said.

The cheer squad has made major improvements over the years in regards to dance moves and tumbling. “My favorite move is the doggy roll, V-I-C-T-O-R-Y. The cheerleaders jump up in excitement as they hear the announcer award Marian which is used third place. It took the cheer team two months to perfect their state routine performed on Feb. 16. many times in our experiences and team bonding. “One of leaders in school activities. state routine. I like my favorite memories of the season has The cheerleaders focus on being the how it’s a dramatic level change,” Wolf to be State Volleyball.

I felt closer to my primary support system and the epitome said. squad by just chilling with the girls at the of school spirit. Also, cheerleading brings The cheerleaders performed at state on hotel, ” Wolf said. unexpected benefits for the cheerleaders.

Feb. 16 at the Heartland Center in Grand Throughout all the countless memories “I think cheerleading builds us up as Island. The squad made Marian proud and routines, the cheerleaders have grown people and becomes a positive influence and took home third place at state. not only closer to each other, but also as for the school, ” Gottsch said.

The cheer season has been full of new

photo by nicolamccutcheon

Bring It On: Cheerleaders Make Some Noise at State Cheer Performance

The Network [ February ]

Sports [ 13 ]

Senior Spring Signers

The six seniors signed on Feb. 6. graphic by theresakennelly

Payton Horacek Track and Field

Nyoke Dumba Soccer “ I never thought I would be playing D1 soccer two years ago, it’s a blessing and I’m really excited.”

“I can’t wait to travel with the team and compete on the division one level!”

UNO

DePaul University

Texas A&M

UNO

Gini Yost Soccer “DePaul is a great fit for me athletically and academically, I look forward to attending in the fall.”

“I’m excited to take on a new journey. I am looking forward to meeting new people and continuing to grow and improve in my skills in track and field.”

UNO

Nicole Liske Track and Field

Hustle, Heart Set Basketball Team Apart emilyjohanek

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“I am most looking forward to making new lifelong friends on the soccer team and traveling all over the country, especially in the south now that Texas A&M is in the SEC [Southeastern Conference]!”

Taylor Saucier Soccer

fit together and everyone played a great ard work, dedication, and heart are not lacking in the 10 members game. It was the highlight of the season,” and four swing players of Marian’s Schmidt said. The Crusaders defeated Lincoln Southwest.

Varsity basketball team. The season has Throughout the season, the basketball been tough, but the team has stuck togethteam focused on giving 100 percent every er and grown closer through it all. game.

After beating Lincoln Southwest, Ending the season with an overall rethe team received an additional surprise. cord of 8-15, the Crusaders played a tough “My favorite memory would be receiving season. “I never questioned the team’s our ‘black effort, hard shirts’,” work, and Bartolodesire. mei said.

They Schmidt played designed hard and shirts that that’s the say, “We’ve ultimate got heart,” goal; I was on the pleased front and with the “Hustle season,” and heart Coach set us Lisa apart” on Schmidt the back. said.

With This was practices Schmidt’s Defense. Senior Anna Bartolomei hustles back on every day first year defense against Millard West on Feb.14 at Marian.

The and multias Varsity’s Crusaders celebrated Senior Night and the team’s last ple games head coach. home game of the season. throughout As the photo by mariacorpuz the week, Crusaders the team headed into has bonded over endless hours together. “I Districts at Lincoln Southeast on Feb. 19, would consider our team close, especially they faced Norfolk for their first game. when we took the Suburbans to Lincoln; Although the Crusaders were not victoriwe played pump-up music and sang.

Mrs. ous, senior Annie Wolfe hit a buzzer shot Schmidt would sing, too, ” junior Maddie sending the game into overtime. It was an adrenaline-pumping game and an exciting Carlisle said.

The team worked extremely hard end of the season. throughout the season and the underclassBefore Districts, the team played their men will continue the hard work in the last home game on Feb. 14 and celebrated years to come.

“I’ve learned that some of Senior Night. All five seniors started the the little details make the biggest differencgame, including injured forward, Sarah es, ” Schmidt said.

Townsend. These five seniors have been The Crusaders were not lacking in playing on Varsity together since their commitment or hard work for the past sophomore year and have seen it all. “Over couple of months.

“Our team as a whole is the past three years together, this is our hardworking and tried to make season the best record,” senior Anna Bartolomei said. best it could be.

It has been a lot of work, Schmidt and the team achieved a great but also a lot of fun, ” Carlisle said. feat: it was the first time Marian has beat a top five team in five years. “All the pieces

Alex Johnson Soccer “I’m looking forward to bonding with my new teammates and getting better as a player at the next level.”

Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville

Make Sure You Support Your Marian Athletes this Spring!

Soccer

Varsity

Marian vs. Papio South March 21, 4:30 p.m. at Marian

JV

Marian vs. Papio South March 23, 12:30 p.m. at Marian

Reserve

Marian vs. Omaha South March 16, TBD at Omaha South

Track Varsity

Millard West Invitational March 23, TBD at Millard West

JV

Meet on March 22 2:00 p.m. at Bryan

Freshman

Invitational April 20, TBD at Millard West

Tennis

Varsity

JV

Marian vs. Millard North Marian vs. Millard North March 28 4:00 p.m. at March 28, 4:00 p.m.

Millard North at Marian

graphic by haleysnyder & emilyjohanek

[ 14 ] Entertainment

The Network [ February ]

Headphones: Finding the best way to drop beats Continued from p. 1

or heavy beats.

However, what the Plattan Urbanears lack in sound, they make up for in looks.

Each pair of these headphones is one solid color, from the top of the headband to the end of the cord. This creates a neat, bold and bright look. The Plattan Urbanears are available in 14 different colors, and also come in different types of fabric coverings, such as denim.

These headphones also rate well in comfort because they are padded and comfortable even after long periods of listening. However, they do get really warm and sticky after an extended amount of time.

Overall, Plattan Urbanears are the right choice for people who are looking for the full package in headphones at a reasonable price. They score well in sound, style, and comfort, and they are available for $59.90 on their

website, at Urban Outfitters, and at the Apple store.

Jumping up the price ladder significantly, Bose On-Ear headphones were my first true experience in full-sized listening. They quickly opened my eyes to the wonderful worlds of sound. In a few minutes, I almost forgot I was wearing them, because the noise seemed to be coming naturally. The base was noticeably clear, and the headphones successfully blocked out distracting noises as well.

But just as soon as I forgot I was wearing headphones, I started to remember again. Although padded, the Bose OnEar headphones put pressure on my ears after a solid 45 minutes of listening, and eventually it couldn’t be ignored.

The quality of sound that these headphones produce is well worth the $139.99 that they cost, but don’t expect too much if you’re looking to make a fashion statement by wearing them. My guess is that the company isn’t attempting to appeal to the stylish individual, because they are

standard and uninteresting. On the plus side, they don’t really stick out either, so you can discreetly wear them in public if necessary. If you want to be able to fully experience the musical quality of your favorite artists, you can find these headphones at Costco Wholesale and on Amazon.com.

The social and advertising hype around Beats by Dr. Dre led me to expect exceptional sound quality when I tried them out, and I wasn’t disappointed. The sound of the Solo Beats was rich, and it almost felt like I was in my own little bubble while I listened. However, when I compare this sound to that of the Bose On-Ear headphones, I really can’t locate much of a difference. Solo Beats are also well-padded, although I found them a little bit uncomfortable due to their circular shape on my ear.

At $199.95, Solo Beats are the most

expensive for one reason: branding. The $60 that separates these headphones from those that have similar sound quality pays for the sleek brandname look. Solo Beats are available in eight different colors and complement various fashion personalities.

They can be purchased on their website and at RadioShack, Best Buy, Target and Walmart.

All in all, my biggest piece of advice for readers would be to try headphones out (if possible) before you buy them. In addition, you should decide what factor is most important to you. Although headphones of high quality are a bit of an investment, I find the frequent immersions into the worlds of sound to be worth it. Attending my own personal concert every time I put them on seems like a pretty good trade-off. cartoon by jessicamizaur

Sweethearts Only Marian Girls Would Understand British Invasion English Television Shows Start to Take Over meganwoodruff ritain is doing it again.

First it was with the irresistible music of The Beatles. Then it was through the magic of the Harry Potter franchise. But this time, it’s with the addicting plot lines and character development of British television shows.

Britain is finding a way to sift its way into American culture, and Marian girls are loving it. In fact, of 247 Marian students surveyed, 55 percent currently watch a television show that was either inspired, developed or created in England. Two of the most popular British television shows that are currently watched by Marian students are Downton Abbey and Sherlock.

Downton Abbey is a historical drama set in Northern England in the 1910s. It follows the lives of an aristocratic family living in a country house, as well as their servants. Many historical events, such as World War I, also play big roles in the plot.

Downton Abbey aired its first season in the United States starting in early 2011. The third season recently conclud-

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ed on PBS, and the fourth season has already begun filming.

Viewer reception in the United States has been fantastic; Downton Abbey has won both an Emmy and a Golden Globe.

Marian students too, are giving the show rave reviews.

“I just started watching a couple weeks ago and I’m already on season three. I’m not completely caught up with new episodes, but I’m obsessed!” junior Madisen Waters said.

“I think what separates it from the rest of the shows on TV is the quality of the series itself. It doesn’t have to be provocative or violent to gain viewers, its stories alone make you want to keep watching,” Waters said.

Waters also likes the fact that the show is something that can bridge the generation gap. “I think Downton Abbey could appeal to almost anyone, and it’s appropriate for preteens and elderly alike. It keeps it classy and exciting at the same time, and that’s what I like about it,” she said.

Another popular development in

British television is Sherlock, which is a modern-day take on the classic Sherlock Holmes stories of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

Some of the episodes are based on original Sherlock Holmes stories, but are adapted to work with the science and technology available to Sherlock in modern-day London.

Similar to the novels, Sherlock is joined by his sidekick, Watson, and is often faced with the threat of his archrival, Moriarty, in several episodes.

The first two seasons only contain six total episodes, but each episode is 90 minutes long.

The third season has been commissioned and will begin production in March.

Although there is not a broadcasting station that airs the show in America, the episodes are available on Netflix and Amazon Prime, and many Marian students use these services to follow the show.

photo source: Carnival Films Junior Natalie Bialas enjoys watching Sherlock because she thinks it offers unique plot elements. “Since each episode is an hour and a half long they are able to make them really detailed and are not trying to cram a bunch of things into a short amount of time,” Bialas said.

After the cliffhanger ending at the end of season two, Bialas looks forward to the third season.

From the British accents to the intellectual appeal, British television shows are finding ways to hook American viewers. And amidst this British invasion, Marian girls keep tuning in.

The Network [ February ]

Entertainment [ 15 ]

Reunited and it Feels so good Fall Out Boy B emilyjohanek

ands inspire their fans to be a part of something greater. Whether it is the choreographed dances, the harmonizing among the members (the harmonized voices), or maybe a little bit of both, musical bands from the 90s and early 2000s are making a comeback.

Reunited in August 2012, Backstreet is officially back with all five members performing on Good Morning America. The band announced an upcoming album in 2013 and a tour, for which dates have not been released.

In the 90s and early 2000s, BSB fans were dedicated and obsessive. “I’ve been a fan ever since I was born. I have two older sisters who liked them so I did too,” sophomore Sierra Shupe said.

The members Nick Carter, Brian Littrell, A.J. McLean, Howie Dorough, and Kevin Richardson began performing in 1993 and now they will be celebrating their 20 year anniversary on April 19. Their ages are currently ranging from 33 to 41.

“My favorite member is Nick Carter because I always thought he was cute. He’s also related to Aaron Carter and I loved him too,” Shupe said.

Source: tekstovi-pesama.com

Source: usmagazine.com

Backstreet Boys

Fall Out Boy’s lead bass player, Pete Wentz says that they never broke up but rather needed time to reconnect with music that means something to them.The band reunited in early Feb. 2013 after a three-year break and are currently working on a new album, “Save Rock and Roll,” available May 6. The album will be immediately followed by their “Save Rock and Roll Tour” which begins May 16 and comes to an end on June 30.

Freshman Delaney Thomas does not consider herself obsessed with the band, but really likes them. “I have been a fan since their fourth album, Folie á Deux [released in 2008], came out,” Thomas said.

Fall Out Boy consists of four members: Patrick Stump, Pete Wentz, Andy Hurley, and Joe Trohman. “My favorite member is Patrick Stump because I love his voice,” Thomas said.

Destiny’s Child

During the halftime show of Super Bowl XLVII on Feb. 3, the beloved R&B girl-group, Destiny’s Child, reunited with an unexpected performance. “I’ve always been a fan but my re-obsession was when they performed at the Super Bowl,” senior Kristin Nietzel said.

The three members, Beyoncé Knowles, Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams, released a new album titled “Love Songs” on Jan. 29, the band’s first album since 2004. “My favorite song right now is ‘Jumpin Jumpin’,” Nietzel said.

Although this trio was most popular during the 90s and early 2000s, Destiny’s Child still touches the hearts of many today. “I wake up Source: htbackdrops.com to Destiny’s Child pandora every morning,” Nietzel said.

Music not only brings people together, but also brings fans back to a certain time or place in life. With these particular bands reuniting, it allows people to flash back to the music that defined their early childhood and lovely pre-teen years.

Marian High School Presents the 2013 Spring Play

March 2013

graphic by bizzyboulay

1 2 9 3 4 5 6 7 14 15 16 10 11 12 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 30 1 2 3 4 5 6 Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday Thursday

Friday

SAT Spring Play

Marian Mom’s

Spring Play

Spring Break District Speech

Select Women’s Select Women’s Choir goes to Choir goes to Chicago Chicago

No School Easter Break

Spring Break District Speech

Spring Break

Dance Team Banquet

Marian Mom’s Cheer Tryouts State Speech

Select Women’s Choir goes to Chicago

Easter Break

Dance Team Clinic

Saturday

Dance Team Clinic

Dance Team Clinic

No School Select Women’s Select Women’s Choir goes to Choir goes to Chicago Chicago Conferences

Easter Break

Newspaper Distribution Dance Team Clinic

Dance Team Tryouts

edea Performance Dates: Friday, March 8th @ 7pm Saturday, March 9th @ 7pm Sunday, March 10th @ 2pm

Adults - $8 Students/Children - $5 All performances will be held in the Quad. Tickets will be sold during both lunches March 4, 5, & 6 or can be purchased by contacting Mrs. Michelle Delisi at delisi@omahamarian.org.

photos: zazzle.com, screenrant.com, blog.zap2it.com, awczurich.org, kuyakevin.blogspot.com, yourplaceinvermont.com

graphic by laurentussey

Bustin’ a Move. After students coaxed literature teacher Ms. Connie Cavel onto the dance floor, she showed off her moves as students cheered her on at the dance party. The students formed a dance circle around Ms. Cavel. Throughout Surprise Day, teachers rotated throughout the activities in order to keep things under control.

SURPRISE DAY!

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Fun and Games. Juniors

Cha’Rae Brown and Claire Adams get tangled up in a game of Twister in the arts and crafts room. This year, Surprise Day was originally planned for Jan. 30, but that Wednesday was a snow day. Stubo worked with their moderators Ms. Megan Piernicky and Ms. Maria Hahn to reschedule the Marian tradition. “Surprise Day isn’t just something that we can quickly throw together. We worked to find a compromise that would suit everyone’s needs. It’s complicated because the academic calendar is so tight at Marian,” Piernicky said. On Feb. 14, Dean of Discipline Ms. Ronda Motykowski called all of the students and faculty down to the East Gym during Block G for an emergency meeting. After Ms. Mo’s announcements, she subtly announced that it was Surprise Day. The student body jumped up and started cheering for the day they had all been waiting for.

The Network [ February ]

Wild About Coloring. Sophomore Amanda Flatley enjoys coloring in the arts and crafts room held in Room 119 after getting her face painted in the Quad. This room also included making bracelets and playing games. Other activites included yoga, Zumba, Wii Sports and a nap room.

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ber Anna Morrison pours in the cotton candy sugars in order to make more. The cotton candy machine is a hit every year. Freshman, sophomore and junior Stubo members worked hard throughout the day to make sure that Surprise Day ran smoothly. The members rotated through a variety of events.

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A Sugar Rush. Sophomore Student Board mem-

Senior Crowd Surfing. Senior Student Board member

Morgan Tooley gets lifted during the dance party in the cafeteria by her classmates in celebration of Surprise Day’s arrival. The senior Stubo members were able to enjoy their final Surprise Day insted of having to worry about running the activities. Juniors Maggie Witzenburg and Caroline Hendricks co-chaired this event sponsored

by Student Board. Stubo had been planning Surprise Day for a couple of months.

photos by mariacorpuz, theresakennelly & poornaramasubramanian