The Chronicle, 10.5

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Feb. 15, 2013 | The Chronicle | thecspn.com | Vol. 10, Issue 5 Proudly serving the William Mason High School Community

photo by Rebekah Barnes, photo art by Erica Boden

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I think we have had about...the happiest life anyone could ever have had.

Ruth Smith, (See Page 16-17)

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FEBRUARY, 15 2013

News

TrendingNow View these and other stories and galleries at

thecspn.com

C Talent Show

After reading the story about tonight’s talent show, see thecspn. com for pictures and videos of the performances.

C Senior Night

Check thecspn.com for coverage of the senior recognition after the boys’ basketball game Saturday night at home.

C Swimming District Finals

Swimmers are headed to district finals. See thecspn.com for a preview.

C NHS Dodgeball

National Honor Society dodgeball night supports Pasta for Pennies fundraiser. Check out thecspn.com for coverage.

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Raising Awareness

Young Women’s Club educates on teen dating violence Nicole Huser | Staff Writer

When a young woman goes out on a date the last thing she expects is to be assaulted, but unfortunately that scenario has become all to common. During the month of February the Young Women’s Club hopes to shed light on this issue by observing teen dating violence awareness week.

Teen dating violence is a serious issue that is more common than some think. According to Novaco.org, a site with dating violence statistics, approximately one in five female high school students report being physically and/or sexually abused by a dating partner.

According to Mason High School’s resource Officer Karli Smith, oftentimes an abusive relationship is overlooked because it does not fit the stereotypical Hollywood representation of what abuse is.

“I do think [dating violence] is fairly prevalent,” Smith said. “The problem is people don’t want to call it what it is. For instance, a girlfriend that keeps texting asking where you are at and what you are doing is controlling not concerning.”

Young Women’s Club advisor and MHS teacher Tina Roberts said that the disguised nature of some dating abuse scenarios lead teen dating violence to not be talked about enough.

“I don’t think [teen dating violence] is swept under the rug, but it doesn’t get talked about

enough,” Roberts said. “Most teenagers are not aware of the signs. It’s not just hitting, it can be verbal, emotional and sexual. Having a partner that is controlling, controlling who you see and when, for example, is a symptom to a much bigger problem.”

Senior Mandy Forsythe, a Young Women’s Club member, said that the club is marking a day of the awareness week with an orange shirt for the teenagers experiencing an abusive relationship.

“We’re going to have a day of silence,” Forsythe said. “At our next meeting we’re going to make tshirts and they’ll be orange with statistics on the back about teen dating violence. And we’re going to wear those on February 1[1]...So that orange t-shirt will give us the ability to be silent for the entire day to raise awareness. We’re going to open up the [t-shirt making] to everyone in the school, guys included, and they can make a t-shirt and join in on the day of silence.”

According to Roberts, raising awareness of teen dating violence to students is imperative.

“It’s important for students to hear about Teen Dating Violence Awareness week so that they know [dating abuse] exists, they know the signs, they know they aren’t alone, and so they can get help before they get hurt,” Roberts said.

According to Forsythe, the awareness week not only educates people on the issues surrounding

Story

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C OMEA Performances

Two students performed at the Ohio Music Education Association All-State Choir. See TheCSPN.com for information about their choir experiences.

compiled by Ashley Calvani

photo by Nicole Huser

Young Women’s Club members make shirts to wear and raise awareness on teen dating violence month.

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FEBRUARY 15, 2013

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DATING VIOLENCE: Abusive relationships look different today Story

continued from page

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teen dating violence, but also gives those in an abusive relationship a chance to escape it.

“You don’t always know if someone is going through [abusive relationships], so even seeing the week, someone that is going through it can gain strength from it, and people know for the future if they see the signs of [abuse] happening or if they’re experiencing it themselves they know they can go and get help and that people will be there for them,” Forsythe said.

Forsythe said that a big reason as to why many teenagers stay in abusive relationships is because they cannot see the situation clearly for how toxic it is.

“I think [teens in abusive relationships] can often rationalize it into making it seem like it’s okay,” Forsythe said. “They’ll say, ‘Oh well I love them,’ so it’s something that they don’t see as big of a problem versus if they were to step back and look at it from someone else’s point of view. So they really just rationalize it and make it seem okay, or maybe they don’t even see that there is a problem just because they’re so blinded by [the love].”

Teen dating violence oftentimes flies under the radar. 81% of parents surveyed either believed teen dating violence is not an issue or admit they do not know if it is an issue, according to Novaco.org.

Junior Katie Alcox, a member of Young Women’s Club, said that the lack of recognition of teen dating violence may be because being in an abusive relationship can be hard to admit to.

“I think [teens don’t talk about abuse] just because they don’t want people to know that they can’t control the situation, and they feel like they’re being undermined and can’t really stop what’s happening…they just feel helpless,” Alcox said.

An abusive relationship is also difficult to admit to because the victim feels tied to and committed to the abuser, Smith said.

“Abuse victims don’t want to admit [the abuse] for several reasons,” Smith said. “You have pride as a factor. You also have to look at it as usually in a relationship that has turned abusive, someone has already given up very sacred things about themselves to the abuser, which has caused the power surge, so there are a lot more emotional elements to it.”

While it is more common to hear stories of teenage girls being abused by their

boyfriends, the abused could be the male as well, according to Forsythe.

“We talked about that in young women’s club,” Forsythe said. “There’s a lot more guys that go through it than actually talk about it, because there’s that stigma that they have to be strong. It’s a lot on sexism that fuels and is still seen as weak to be in that submissive role.”

According to Forsythe, the biggest problem with abusive teen relationships is when it is sexual, because the line between persistent and controlling becomes blurred.

“I guess it varies from person to person, but my view on [what is sexual abuse] is that just because ‘no’ isn’t said, doesn’t mean that it’s okay,” Forsythe said. “I saw something that was a different scenario; it was about someone asking to borrow something, and they kept pressing the person saying, ‘Is it okay if I borrow it, can I borrow it, I just need this thing,’ and at the end you’re just thinking, ‘That person is a jerk, they’re just pushing to borrow this thing and they don’t really need it.’

When you look back, you think why is that okay in some cases? If you keep having to pressure someone for something then it just isn’t okay because you’re taking someone out of their comfort zone.”

There are long term effects of being in an abusive relationship as a teenager, according to Smith.

“Long term effects of being the abused are low self-esteem, depression, withdraw, substance abuse, sleep disturbance…the list goes on and on…being the abuser; there really isn’t a long term effect besides you continue with the behavior and it becomes more aggressive and more violent,” Smith said.

According to Smith, there are many ways that fellow MHS students can help end teen dating violence, regardless of if they know someone personally that is in an abusive relationship.

“High school students can help end teen dating violence by taking a stand in two different ways,” Smith said. “First, you lead by example. Treat your significant other with respect. And two, if you know of someone in a bad relationship or see the signs talk to the abused or go to a trusted adult and tell them what you see.”

1 in 3 adolescents

in the U.S. is a victim of physical, sexual, emotional or verbal abuse from a dating partner, a figure that far exceeds rates of other types of youth violence.

Nearly

1.5

million

high school students nationwide experience physical abuse from a dating partner in a single year.

1 high in school 10 students

has been purposefully hit, slapped or physically hurt by a boyfriend or girlfriend. graphics by Erica Boden

statistics from Novaco.org

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FEBRUARY 15, 2013

ully loaded

photo art by Erica Boden

Recent shootings ignite gun control debate Taylor Telford | Staff Writer

Eighty-seven people were fatally shot today in the United States. A study conducted by the University of Chicago Crime Lab and the Center For Disease Control found that guns and subsequent gun homicides and violence (independent of armed robbery) are becoming increasingly common in the U.S. With this in mind, President Barack Obama has announced his intentions to pass new legislature regarding gun control-marking the largest political effort for gun control in generations according to an article on nytimes.com, “What’s In Obama’s Gun Control Proposal?”

American Government Chip Dobson said that he understands the need to make changes to gun control in the light of the recent tragedies.

“I think it’s reasonable to make adjustments when the context provides,” Dobson said. “I would say we do need to look at the contemporary situation.”

The legislature--which still has to go a long way before become an American reality--will be spread over four areas: law enforcement, school safety, availability of firearms and ammunition and mental health, according to its outline in “What’s In Obama’s Gun Control Proposal?”

If passed, this legislation would do things such as reinstate the assault weapons ban, restore a ten round limit on magazines, eliminate armor piercing bullets and create a federal gun trafficking statute. It is predicted to cost roughly $500 million, although some of the projected cost would come from funds that have already been budgeted.

Dobson said that although he sees changes in

gun control as justifiable, he questions the effectiveness of the changes and the impact that they may truly have on the issue at hand as opposed to the political statement they make.

“I understand where Obama is going with it but I find myself wondering to some degree whether it is just window dressing for a much bigger problem,” Dobson said. “Is it political posturing?”

While the fate of this legislation is still to be decided in Congress, President Obama has already issued a list of 23 executive actions to go into effect for the time being, including things such as increasing standards for background checks and the information made available by them, creating a model emergency response plan and launching a safe and responsible gun ownership campaign, according to a listing of the executive actions on CNN.com.

Dobson says that he thinks it will be challenging to make changes to gun control because it is such a big issue for so many Americans.

“The right to own a firearm for some is a very fundamental right and that’s going to be difficult [for people to accept new restrictions],” Dobson said.

Senior Jake McCowan participates in competitive shooting and feels that the right to own a gun is a tradition that runs deep in the veins of Americans.

“Our country was founded with guns,” McCowan said. “I think we should be able to keep them and keep the country what it is and what it’s supposed to be.”

Although he feels that guns are an important right for the American citizen, McCowan does

not oppose the idea of some increases in gun control.

“I don’t mind the background check stuff because I think the whole issue with firearms and all the stuff that’s been going on lately is stupidity of people,” McCowan said. “I think that restricting it to law abiding citizens and people who deserve to have firearms is a good idea.”

Dobson said he also understands the need to do something in order to decrease the amount of damage done by firearms, but said that he is not convinced Obama’s efforts will actually be successful in keeping guns out of the hands of people who use them to cause tragedies, and that it is more likely that it will simply keep them from the average American.

“If you put all these limits on guns, [the ones without guns will be] law abiding citizens,” Dobson said.

“The bad guys will still probably get them. Does that stop Aurora, Colorado, does that stop Sandy Hook,” Dobson said. “All those people had legally purchased guns.”

FEBRUARY 15, 2013

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National Honor Society holds annual Pasta for Pennies Talent Show tonight Corinne Hazen | Staff Writer

Mason will be bringing their talent to the main stage tonight to benefit Pasta for Pennies foundation at 7:00pm.

Senior and co-chair of the talent show Kaylea Dykes, said the talent show brings in a lot of money which goes to the Leukemia Lymphoma Society.

“We have the door prize giveaway and we are also doing a food sale,” said Dykes.

According to Dykes, they are incorporating new things into the talent show to help entertain the audience even more.

“We are doing text-to-vote which is the audience gets to text in who they want to win and then we take into account their opinions on the winner,” said Dykes.

Senior Ryan Lyons said he first performed in the talent show his sophomore year. He said he doesn’t expect anything else to come from the talent show, but a fun Friday night.

“I just hope to have a good time and show people that we can play well,” Lyons said. “I don’t expect to win the talent show.”

With so many outlets provided

by Mason High School to advertise someone’s talent, Lyons said he always continues to come back to the talent show for a reason.

“I think [the talent show], kind of puts the spotlight on the whole school,” Lyons said. “[For me] it’s not just about getting attention its more about exposing cello to a lot of different people, because a lot of people don’t know a lot about it.”

Senior Shayda Ashraf said that performing multiple times at the talent show has made coming on stage for her last time easier. According to Ashraf, winning a previous talent show was not something she expected.

“I didn’t even believe it because there were so many other acts that were amazing,” Ashraf said. “But [winning] was great, it was a really great feeling.”

Senior and NHS president Paige Richie said the goals for the talent show this year were just to make it bigger and better.

“Our hope this year is to raise awareness more so than we ever have before,” Richie said. “[We also hope to bring] in as much money as we can for the organization.”

Senior Evelyn Rueda another cochair of the talent show, said that the show is doing more than ever to help raise money for the foundation.

“We are doing a bake sale and door prizes,” Rueda said. “This year we are having the Pasta for Pennies classes making baskets, so hopefully a lot more money will come in from those.

NHS advisor Barb Shuba played a key role in the planning the talent show and said it is a good moneymaker for the Leukemia Lymphoma Society. “[The talent show] brings in around 3,000 dollars every year,” said Shuba.

According to Shuba the audience turnout for the talent show varies from year to year, but always manages to bring a somewhat large crowd.

“One year we filled the auditorium, like we sold it out,” Shuba said.

“Last year it was probably around 800 students.”

Besides raising money, Shuba said the goal of the talent show is to offer kids an entertaining night. “[We are] trying to provide a fun activity, allowing kids that don’t have the opportunity to showcase their talents [a place to do so],” Shuba said.

The Line Up Act 1 1. D-5 2. Yaffa Mehlbaum 3. Jacob Burris and Leah Hall 4. A Capella Group-Hira Adhami 5. Clayton Schreiter 6. Jaelynn 7. Run for Fun 8. Tatiana Perez and McKell Belnap 9. Kailey Schneider 10. Shayda Ashraf 11. Julia Marchese

Act 2 12. Diehl Brothers 13. Dru Bloodworth 14. Saie Joshi and Meredith Messer 15. Kendall Heydt 16. Emily Schwitzgebel and Ryan Lyons 17. Sarah Carson 18. Bhangra Group 19. Danielle and Dane 20. Angela Vettikkal

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FEBRUARY 15, 2013

CC

oca-cola culture

Coca-Cola claims low-calorie drinks will help fight obesity Sheila Raghavendran | Staff Writer

140

calories

39g

of sugar

45mg 0g of sodium

of fat

photo art by Erica Boden

Graphic shows content of one can of Coca Cola Classic. Diet Coke contains 0 calories. Coca-Cola also offer drinks like Sprite and VitaminWater.

Drinking certain sodas can help fight obesity, according to Coca-Cola. In a recent Coca-Cola advertisement, the voiceover said, “Today, we’d like people to come together on something that concerns all of us--obesity.”

Coca-Cola promotes its 180 of 650 low- and nocalorie drinks as players in the cure of obesity.

On the TODAY show, Coca-Cola spokesperson Ben Sheidler said that the company is striving to assist in solving a major national problem.

“In [the advertisement, Coca-Cola] acknowledge[s] that obesity is the issue of this generation and that we want to step into the national discourse to help identify ways to address the problem with willing partners,” Sheidler said.

While some Coca-Cola products are nutritional, the company is known for selling unhealthy sodas, according to health and personal fitness teacher Gary Popovich.

“There’s been a lot of…studies or research that a lot of the Diet Cokes...are creating problems with the gastric [system], esophagus, and stomach,” Popovich said.

Pediatrician Amy Guiot said that there are three main negative effects of soda consumption on the body.

“One: you may gain weight because you’re drinking something that has calories,” Guiot said.

“If you drink a lot of soda, this may prevent you from drinking a healthy alternative, like a glass of milk or water...If you drink a lot of soda there is some evidence that--[for] colas--[there’s an effect on] bone density.”

Soda contains empty calories--calories that do not contain much nutritional value, according to Popovich. He said that it is mostly made up of sugar, which is a diabetic problem.

Guiot said empty calories are not useful to the body and become fat if not burned off.

According to junior Burger King employee Sami Villagran, the number of calories in a food or drink are important to people watching their weight.

“It’s really rare for someone to get a small [drink],” Villagran said. “…I’m not sure about the [calories in] small [drinks], [because] no one has asked me about the small.”

In its advertisement, Coca-Cola said that by the end of the year 90 percent of the country will be able to purchase smaller, portion-controlled size sodas. Guiot said this shows the company’s ownership of part of the obesity problem and will help limit soda intake.

“If you go to a restaurant [in the United States] and you see what’s on a plate, you’re like, ‘Oh,

my gosh, this could feed an army,’--and we eat it all,” Guiot said. “But if you go to Europe…they have what is called an appropriate portion, and we just don’t have that anymore. [Coca-Cola’s] showing you, ‘This is actually all you need.’”

Popovich said that smaller portion sizes may not positively affect everyone--each body is different.

“Some sodas will attack people who are tending to be a diabetic, or who already have, or are a little overweight, or have genetics [predestined] to...go that way,” Popovich said.

Coca-Cola promises to continue researching zero-calorie, all-natural sweeteners, but according to Guiot, these alternatives are not healthy.

“Some of them are truly artificial and are made by chemicals, others actually take the sugar molecules and alter it a little bit,” Guiot said. “But the bottom line is none of these are a healthy alternative for a diabetic who can’t have sugar.”

The advertisement highlights Coca-Cola’s attempts to serve healthier beverages in schools, such as waters, juices, and low- and no-calorie drinks. In the past eight years, the amount of calories from Coca-Cola beverages in schools have decreased by 90 percent.

Cathy Crotty, assistant to the Athletic Director and in charge of MHS’ Coca-Cola vending machines, said that Coca-Cola has regulations from the Federal Drug Administration to follow.

“All these vending machines that are [in the athletics wing] and in the lunchroom--they’re not on during the school day,” Crotty said. “They’re only obligated to maintain the non-carbonated drinks with sugar…during the school day. After the school day then it’s open to anybody.”

Guiot said these actions are impactful.

“For [schools] to have soda machines that actually now have the water in it and the vitamin waters--that whole 20-ounces is only a hundred calories,” Guiot said. “Whereas you’re now looking at the smaller cans of Cokes that are a hundred calories…they’re only 4-6 ounces.”

According to Crotty, healthier, non-carbonated drinks are more popular than sodas.

“When [people] come in to fill the vending machines, it’s always filling up the waters and Powerade,” Crotty said.

According to Villagran, Coca-Cola’s fightingobesity commercial will draw in customers because it appeals to what people want--to be thin.

“It’s the look,” Villagran said. “Everyone wants to look thin. In order to be thin, you have to go through all the obesity facts and go through so many things just to be the look you want to be.”

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FEBRUARY 15, 2013

Pinching

District not finished trimming budget, more cuts to come THE

Katie Hibner | Staff Writer

More Mason City Schools employees might lose their jobs. According to The Cincinnati Enquirer, Mason City Schools will receive a 2.17 percent revenue increase in Governor John Kasich’s new two-year education budget plan dubbed “Achievement Everywhere.” However, Superintendent Gail Kist-Kline said Mason City Schools still need $6 million in budget cuts, which may come from teacher reduction as they have in the past. “[Mason] experienced a steady decline in State Foundation Payments and a $7 million loss since 2007 in [tangible personal property] taxes,” Kist-Kline said. “This and the loss of a levy in 2010 led to a reduction in staff, some of whom were teachers.”

According to Public Information Officer Tracey Carson, teaching positions were only reduced by five percent, with the number of administrators and custodians being reduced the most. Carson said these and other cuts were made while keeping the quality of Mason City Schools’ education a priority.

“We’ve closed an elementary school, consolidated bus stops, and we have 130 fewer staffers today than two years ago,” Carson said. “But you still can only cut so much because we have to deliver service to 10,000 students.”

According to Treasurer Richard Gardner, Mason City Schools can continue that service despite losses due to smart financial planning with the 2005 levy.

“Normally when [districts] pass a levy they add [programs],” Gardner said. “When we passed a levy in 2005 we cut them, so we still have savings.”

Board of Education president Kevin Wise said Mason City Schools are eliminating a levy this May. However, more levies are on the horizon. Gardner said Kasich plans to have school districts rely more and more on local income for funding than the state.

“I’m concerned that the state’s strategy is that more funding should come from the local community than in the past, especially in suburban districts,” Gardner said.

This is likely due to Kasich’s hope to equalize education so students across Ohio can compete with each other for college admissions and jobs. Wise said the state

will level the playing field by compensating for areas with low incomes.

“Equalization [means] that the state would supplement a poor, eastern Ohio school district’s tax income so that it would be equal to [an area like] Mason,” Wise said.

Despite the district losing its edge over other schools in terms of state funding, Mason students can still gain educational advantages with career technical programs like those at Scarlet Oaks. In a broadcasted town hall meeting on January 31, Kasich said “Achievement Everywhere” emphasizes trade schooling, and Wise said it is because Kasich wants to attract large businesses to Ohio.

“One of the priorities the governor has is supplying jobs in the state of Ohio,” Wise said. “When companies are choosing to come [here], they factor in a strong capability of workers at all levels. Some [workers] are supplied through career-oriented programs at high schools.”

At the town hall, Kasich said the state of Ohio is already up 122,000 jobs. This boom allowed “Achievement Everywhere” to generate a billion-dollar reserve. Setting $1 billion aside may seem wasteful in today’s faltering economy, but Gardner said he appreciates the savings.

“A billion dollars in the state budget is really a small number,” Gardner said. “They need a cash reserve in case something changes. The state distributes 85 percent of its money, so this is a buffer.”

Everything depends on whether the plan will pass in the state Senate and House.

Kasich said at the town hall that he is confident it will, and Wise said he has faith that Mason City Schools will continue to prosper, with or without levies.

“The last levy we had was in 2005,” Wise said. “If we’re not on the ballot next year, there won’t be any new tax collection until 2015. That would be nine years between the two levies, and since we’ve grown significantly and had flat funding from the state in those years, we’re pleased with the direction we’re going in.”

CUTS

Mason City Schools, since it’s failed levy in 2010, has been making cuts and is looking to make more in the future:

2.17% increased revenue will be given to Mason City Schools

$6

million

will be reduced out of the budget in the next two years

$7

million

lost in funding for Mason City Schools in tangible personal property taxes

130 Mason employees were cut in the last two years

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FEBRUARY 15, 2013

Opinion Chronicle Policy

C Editorial Cartoon

The Chronicle is the official student newspaper of William Mason High School.

The Chronicle promises to report the truth and adhere to the journalistic code of ethics through online and print mediums.

The Chronicle is produced by students enrolled in Journalism I, II and III. Editorials reflect the staff ’s opinion but do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the school administration or the Mason City School District.

The Chronicle is published monthly. Call 398-5025 ext. 33106 for information regarding advertising in The Chronicle. The Chronicle reserves the right to refuse advertising we deem inappropriate for a high school publication.

As an open forum for students, letters to the editor are welcome, but are subject to be edited for length, libel, obscenity, clarity and poor taste.

Letters to the editor may be dropped off in room C106 and must be signed.

The Chronicle is a member of The Columbia Scholastic Press Association, The National Scholastic Press Association, Quill and Scroll International Honorary Society for High School Journalists and the Ohio Scholastic Media Association.

Contact Information The Chronicle William Mason High School 6100 S. Mason Montgomery Rd. Mason, Ohio 45040 (513) 398-5025 The Chronicle Staff Editor-in-Chief Rebekah Barnes Associate Editor Chloe Knue Layout and Design Editor Erica Boden Online Editor Ashley Calvani Sports Editor Katelyn Cain Business Manager Samantha Weaver Editorial Cartoonist Ajay Agrawal Staff Writers Erin Brush Emily Culberson Emily Faas Katherine Hansen Meghan Harris Corinne Hazen Katie Hibner Corynne Hogan Nicole Huser Sheila Raghavendran Katie Rojas Ria Shah Taylor Telford Adviser Dale Conner

C Staff Editorial Finish your peas! No. Wipe the mud of your shoes before you come into the house! No. Go upstairs and take a shower! No. As children we loved to say, no.

Now as teenagers, saying no isn’t as easy.

We take on more responsibilities than we can possibly handle at school in fear of not having the extracurricular activities to impress the ‘dream college.’ We agree to going to the party on Friday night, not because we want to, but because we don’t know how to oppose our friends. We push ourselves to the brink of an injury because our coaches have high expectations for us. Why can’t we say no now?

Because we are afraid of letting people down, we are afraid for our futures.

There’s a point where it’s in your best interest to say no. We have to have the self-confidence to make the right decision for ourselves and disregard the peer pressure.

As the line between ‘no,’ to ‘maybe,’ to ‘yes,’ becomes’ hazy--instead of trying to be adults all the time, we as high school students need learn a lesson from our younger selves.

And remember how to say no.

C Letters

to the

Editor

Dear Editor, In regards to the article about the JV white guy’s basketball team, I think it’s great that students are starting to go to their games. Even though they may not be the most exciting team to watch, you are still supporting the school and making it wonderful. Plus, these guys work really hard and definitely deserve some recognition. This just makes for another fun event for Mason students to go to, to support the school and their fellow classmates.

I really think it’s a wonderful thing and hope the Peter’s Pouncers keep their spirits up!

Molly Decker, freshman Dear Editor, I was intrigued by “Turning the Page” because in the future it could really impact their schoolings but they can also have the risk of repeating third grade. When I was in third grade I had a hard time pronouncing words and I read really slowly. Now I wonder if I can do better in school if I read faster and pronounce the right words. Even if they need to repeat the third grade it would just give them a higher score in the OAA because they would be retaught the same materials so they can be ready for the test. Still fourth grade was tough for me and I think this reading standards idea would prepare third graders for the exhausting time they’re going to have in fourth grade.

Jennifer Ly, freshman Dear Editor, I read the article about parking in the G lot. I agree with the students it is a long cold walk in the winter and hot walk. I also think the spots should be filled there is no point in empty spots, when they could be used. Even if they are used for guest are coming to the school and they need the parking. The principal can make an announcement tel students to park in the pool lot for the days large quantity of guests are coming.

Kirsten Brown, freshman

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FEBRUARY 15, 2013

Opinion C Columns

Independence is a blessing

Caught between Duff and Garfunkel Katherine Hansen | Staff Writer

Sometimes my heart starts to race when I think of what I want to write, what I want to say.

It’s like my mind and my heart have just begun to grasp some cloud of truth. Some indisputable, human truth. I feel every hair on my skin bend like a flower toward the sun, just to get closer to that idea, that fulfillment of thought and content understanding.

And then I try to put it into words and end up with something like this: The teenage crux of childhood’s bliss against fondly aged reminiscence.

It’s sickening, I know.

Yet it’s often just about all my naive, little heart can think about it (yes, my heart thinks, just like my brain), much less articulate.

I lie awake at night racking my brain and/or heart with impossible questions approaching this dilemma: How is it you can listen to Hilary Duff and Garfunkel back to back?

Or watch The Princess Diaries and Stand By Me in the same sitting? Or keep Ramona and Beezus on the same bookshelf as The Boy in the Striped Pajamas? How can you live surrounded by so many internal contradictions, Katherine?

I’ll have you know it’s rather emotionally exhausting.

But it’s more than just holding onto my childhood as it clashes with my inevitable maturity (because I’d really hate to think it’s all just a bad case of Catcher in the Rye paranoia). That’s far too narrow for this indisputable cloud of truth.

What I’m getting at, or would like to think I’m getting at, is this constant longing to stay somewhere. To escape perching between two foreseen options. For some, between company and solitude. Others, between leisure and accomplishment. Or between ease and depth. Me, right now? Between maturity and childhood.

I think the internal impasse within us all is a struggle to accept balance between two ends of a tightrope. We fixate on our particular suspension, war-torn between the two destinations. We long to have some of both but feel it’d all be lie, a hoax, if we didn’t dedicate ourselves to one or the other: I wouldn’t really be an adult were I still listening to my girl Hilary and reading my other girl, Ms. Beverly Cleary, would I? Wrong. I believe there’s room for both. I believe there’s room to balance between any two perceived fates. I believe the sweetest thing is balancing. Longing for one good thing and longing for another, all at once. Striking that pattern of earnest, delicate, poised living. *Constant longing.

C.S. Lewis: “It was when I was happiest that I longed most.”

We need not pick and limit our capacity to want, to long. The utmost happiness is right we are, caught between two good ends of an even better tightrope. And that’s the indisputable, human truth.

“I think it’s going to be kind of weird. We’ve been on trimesters forever so the change is going to be hard.”

Annie Notton, freshman “I think it’s going to be harder for people who are so used to trimesters their whole life. Especially since the sophomores will have gone through all of high school with trimesters and will be forced to switch their last year. It’s going to be really difficult.”

Elyse Nelson, sophomore

Erica Boden | Layout and Design Editor

I have witnessed quite the amount of love lives.

Between my friends’ loves and relationships, The Bachelor, as well as my parents 20+ years of marriage, I would say I have a decent grasp on the concept, despite my incomplete track record.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining about being single, but I’ve watched, and winced, over the dependency for relationships dating back to the days of Drake and Josh and cosmic brownies.

I can visually remember the dating scene during the intermediate school years. A macho guy would chat with his group of friends, and glance over at “that” girl. After a pump-up speech from his buddies, he would strut over, look into those deep-blue, fifth-grade eyes, and say, “Sally, will you go out with me?” (Where, exactly, they were planning to go is beyond me.)

Sally’s response?

“YES!” Followed by Sally rushing home to make it official on Instant Messenger.

There’s nothing wrong with being in a relationship or dating when you’re little; to be honest it’s kind of cute. But it begins to get a wee-bit out of hand when that one or two relationships create a thirst to always have that special someone. A couple breaks up and within a week, they’re both dating someone new...was there time to breathe?

It is a-okay to not be in a relationship 24/7. It’s a-okay if your rose on Valentine’s Day was from your mom or brother.

Our whole lives are ahead of us to date and be in relationships, but you only get to be in high school for a few short years. A few short years that give you time to meet some of your best friends, explore amazing activities and begin to find yourself. A few short years allowing you to prepare for the long years and full life ahead. I’m not saying to dump your current boyfriend or girlfriend, however, there’s no rush to be in a relationship.

But if you get out of high school and you’re still not in a relationship, you might as well buy a cat and prepare to be alone for the rest of your life.

Just kidding.

C What You Think Underclassmen, what worries you about the upcoming schedule changes? compiled by Meghan Harris and Erin Brush

“I’m worried about schedule changes because all of these teachers are going to be gone if they get fired. I’m worried about losing teachers and I’m fine with the old system.”

Rubina Ghasletwala, sophomore

“I think [the new schedule] could possibly screw up things such as the advanced science curriculum, we’ll have to completely reorganize that.

It just seems like a hassle but if it saves the school district money then it may be worth it.”

Nicole Barnett, freshman

“I’m worried that we’re not going to be able to have primetime.”

Rachel Rothstein, freshman

“I’m a little bit worried because there will be 14 classes and now with five in each trimester we have 15. So academically I won’t be able to take as many classes and get as far.”

Carver Nabb, sophomore

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Adapting to change

Students will see major changes in scheduling process Ashley Calvani | Online Editor

Don’t get too comfortable, underclassman--everything is about to change.

It has been officially decided that Mason High School move to a semester schedule in the 20142015 school year according to MHS Principal Mindy McCarty-Stewart. Bell schedules, curriculum, and the scheduling process will all have to adapt. Right now, McCarty-Stewart, with the help of the administration, teachers, and even a few students and parents, set up a committee that meets in work sessions monthly to discuss and work out these changes. “[We’re] looking at what options exist as we adapt to the common core and cost efficiency in scheduling,” McCarty-Stewart said. “I will be presenting the concept to the board on the 26 [of February]. We’re not taking any action [right now]. As we move forward, we’re exploring about bell schedules and all the logistics and what will be the best bet for Mason High School.”

According to MHS Assistant Principal Dave Hyatt, one way to help out students with the transition is the new course scheduling process, effective this spring. Naviance will no longer be used.

Guidance counselor Kristen Macks explained that students will first meet in small groups with their counselors to talk about classes and the new registration process. Then students will take home a paper registration form that they must complete and receive teacher’s signatures on. Once completed, forms will be turned in to students’ homeroom teachers, who will pass it along to counselors for individual review. The counselors will actually be inputting all students’ course requests themselves. Macks said that the hard copy will not only reduce the time-limited stress of scheduling on Naviance, but also ensure that students are taking the right courses and fix any mistakes early, rather than later.

“With this hard copy, students will take it around and certain classes will need teacher’s initials,” Macks said. “For example, [certain] math and science classes will require a teacher initial.

That will ensure students are correctly placed in their classes, and they’re appropriately challenged. They’re not in overly-challenging classes that they’re going to do poorly in, and they’re not in classes where they should be challenged more.

We’ll be having class meetings March 11-18, and counselors will meet with our students in groups to talk about the registration process.”

Macks said that this new process will not only be more efficient, but also help students feel confident about their schedules with the coming transition year to semesters.

“This is going to be a transition year,” Macks said. “Next year is a critical year that we clean up a lot of students’ schedules, and making sure they’re accurately scheduled is the most important thing. …

We’re seeing conflicts more and more as students rush through scheduling, then realize they want their schedules changed.

We can no longer do that. Not because we don’t want to, but because the schedules are so tight and there are 3,400 students. We really need to get it right the first time.”

McCarty-Stewart said the photo by Ashley Calvani goal is to have a semester bell MHS counselor Kristen Macks (pictured) currently assisting a student in the schedule by then so students scheduling process, making sure graduation requirements are met. can better map out their futures, though there is no set they get from teachers will be so much more in deadline. tune with success, rather than just taking a class Although McCarty-Stewart said that MHS has because your friend took it.” always succeeded with trimesters, and there is But students are apprehensive still, unsure of no way to prove that one system is better than the what this new system will mean for them. Mcother, they have come to the conclusion that with Carty-Stewart wants to reassure everyone not to the adjustments to the Common Core curricuworry. lum and in best interest of Mason City Schools’ “Be patient,” McCarty-Stewart said. “We will finances, semesters provide a very good option. create opportunity to inform [you] and strategiScience teacher Carol Lehman, who’s on the cally walk through [with you] how to plan and committee that’s planning and researching for map out [your] high school pathway. Also, from these changes, said she has had experience with research, top-performing school districts in this all different types of schedules before. state and in other states all operate effectively on a “I’ve taught in a six bell day, a seven bell day, semester schedule.” a four by four block, a tri, and I think that in Sophomore Sam Wendell, also on the committhe end…the system doesn’t define the teacher” tee, said he doesn’t think the schedule transition Lehman said. “If you’re a great teacher under one system, you’ll be a great one under another. What will be hard at all.

“A lot of people are worried,” Wendell said. “They you do is you tweak and adjust. The hardest thing want to stick with trimesters because that’s what for all of us changing is going to be the pacing. they’re familiar with. But it’s not really going to be You just go through it and get better with each that big of a change. There’s not huge surpise. We time. With every transition you have great things will still be able to take all of the classes we need and rough spots, but keep in mind is the big pic[and want]. When we know the bell schedule and ture. This is where we have to go.” the class period time, we’re having a session where According to Hyatt, talking to teachers, like a few students on the committee will actually be Lehman, will be critical in helping students talking to the underclassman about the changes prepare their schedules and futures on this new that are coming.” system.

Though there is much work left to be done, the “We want to allow teachers, the experts in the reforms are in the best interest of MHS. curriculum to say, if this is what you want to “It is a matter of what resources are available, do, this is what you need to take, based on your how to maximize them, where we are now,” strengths and weaknesses,” Hyatt said. “We want McCarty-Stewart said. “And where we want to be our students to have good conversations with our in the future.” teachers about where they’re going. The advice

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Missed them in print...

Meghan Harris

Ashley Calvani

Rebekah Barnes

Read their columns online.

thecspn.com

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Feature

Google dependency an issue in students’ daily lives “Googling” found necessary for school, hard to give up Katherine Hansen | Staff Writer

The world could not go round without Google.

At least, it sometimes feels like it, according to junior Laura Kramer, who admits Google dependency may be an issue.

“I’m conflicted when it comes to Google,” Kramer said. “It is convenient, but the same time it’s become a verb, like how people say, ‘Oh I’ll just Google it’. I’m not sure how good that is.”

According to junior Hailey Spencer, Google encompassing her life with a minimum of ten ‘Googles’ before noon on any given day is all good. She embraces the lifestyle with her selfproclaimed nickname, Google fan-girl.

“I use Google all the time, it’s ridiculous,” Spencer said. “I rely on it for everything. My Android runs on Google, I always use Google Chrome, and I want to intern at Google during college. It’s crazy.”

But Spencer is not without her research. She’s tried other available search engines all leading to the same conclusion.

“Other search engines?” Spencer said. “Oh no… I mean I’ve tried some of them, I really have, but I hate them all.”

If Google were to disappear, according to Spencer, people would attempt to improve those search engines in order to approach Google’s stature.

“Ignoring the fact that it’s a huge company and would create huge economic issues [if it disappeared], I think things like Wikipedia would be forced to have more legitimate sources if we didn’t have Google,” Spencer said. “We’d try to find a new database.”

According to Kramer, in the event of no Google people would have to revert to an even less adored source of information: books.

“We are very dependent on Google, and I don’t want to say we’d go into complete chaos if it disappeared, but things would certainly be a lot dif-

ferent,” Kramer said. “People would have to turn to books instead of the Internet, and that could honestly get chaotic.”

Yet according to Microsoft Office Certification teacher, Lori Toerner, a Google shut down would go beyond student research troubles.

“There’d be a lot of people freaking out, businesses especially,” Toerner said. “Google has transformed itself into an advertising hotspot so if you’re one of the heavy advertisers and you pop up as the first result, Google shutting down would be a huge concern.”

Between its hold on both the academic and economic world, Google is the go-to search engine, according to junior Chris Bell.

“I depend on Google a lot,” Bell said. “For everyday things, homework, research, projects.

Everything.”

According to Spencer, so does she. But she’s tried to function without it.

“I did a test,” Spencer said. “I made myself write this paper without Google and I could still do it but it was hard. There are people I know who just don’t know how to do research without [Google].”

According to Bell, when it gets to the point that Google users look for answers in place of research is when Google becomes dangerous.

“I think [Google] can become unhealthy if you go on there looking solely for flat out answers,” Bell said. “If you’re just using it to find links and then research for the answers, it’s fine.”

But with all the immediate answers, information is often discarded just as quickly as it was found, according to Bell.

“I probably don’t remember the information any longer past the test,” Bell said. “There’s not much I remember long-term from Google.”

Yet according to Spencer, Google’s information isn’t always used and forgotten moments later.

“The [Google searches for] schoolwork I learn long enough for the test or forget it within five minutes,” Spencer said. “But at other times I’ll remember something until the next year and randomly bring it up in class. And those things I remember are the stupid things, like what day some celebrity was born.”

Although celebrity birth dates and similar trvia can be found with other search engines, those engines don’t hold the same appeal as Google, according to Toerner.

“Other search engines are not near competing with Google,” Toerner said. “They just have not been able to find that niche that Google has.

A lot of the other search engines are strictly just a search engine, so I think they’re almost boring to some people because Google offers multiple services.”

For Kramer, her hesitance to trust even the most competitive of alternate search engines is not so much out of boredom, but comfort. The familiarity of Google is irreplaceable.

“I don’t know about Bing,” Kramer said. “I just like Google because it’s always been around, ever since the Internet got big, and nothing’s really changed about it. I’ve just used it longer and it’s more of a home.”

And the thought of having a home taken away is both unbearable and unfathomable. According to Toerner, many people develop a lifestyle around Google, for better and for worse.

“It becomes a way of life for some people,” Toerner said. “I could see how somebody, how their finances, their emails, their websites, their everything, is Google. People have a trust with Google.

It’s part of their package. They’ve got people to buy in and it just becomes a way of life.”

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Allie S Russ hea ia

Nate S Korea ette

ette

S hel Rac a Chin

Eric S e Vietn tte am

k

roaddric Lydia B Ethiopia

CA

n Immigrant’s

Tale

Adopted students make home in the United States Ria Shah | Staff Writer

They were lost and now are found. Many students in Mason High School, were given a second chance when they were adopted by U.S. citizens and given a chance to live here in America.

MHS senior Allie Shea, a student born in Russia, flashes back to a bittersweet time where war invaded her home country in light of two American’s adopting her. “[I was adopted] in Russia, in Stavropol city,” Shea said. “And my orphanage, in the hospital, I was abandoned, so they took me to the Mushuk baby house. I also found out from my parents that my hospital was the one that was taken over by the Czechnian rebels, that was why I was in the hospital for so long. My parents were going to come to get me but because of the rebel situation, they had to go through another family, that was there, had to adopt

me to get me to America. It was a long process, but I got to America, and I was nationalized in Kindergarten--I remember that.”

Rescued from an intense Russia, Shea’s experiences haven’t hindered her curiosity.

“I’d like to go back and find my siblings,” Shea said. “I apparently have three of them, it says it on my records that I got. [My parents’ names] are Valentina and Victor Capernova. And my original name is actually Irina, but my parents that adopted me changed it when I came to America. Personally I would have kept my name, Irina, because I like it.”

Junior Anthony Lokar has a much more local situation: a birth family that remains intertwined in his life.

“I realized that my mom was single,” Lokar said. “She was a school teacher so she was really busy and she just thought that I would have a

better life if I got adopted. I’ve kind of always known [my birth family] like any uncle or aunt.

They’ve kind of always been in my life. They came to a lot of my sporting events, even when I was younger too. I just consider them like an uncle and aunt; I call them by their first names but [I] love them just as much as any other family member, it’s not weird at all. [My mom’s name is] Cathy [and] I’ve only met my birth dad once, because he left.”

For sophomore Eric Sette, his voyage to America was not a one-way ticket. Eric’s adoption parents have taken him back to Vietnam to meet his birth family. “[My birth family] lives outside of Hanoi, Vietnam,” Eric said. “Throughout my life we’ve been corresponding over letters, so a couple years ago, we decided to go back to visit them.

We had a translator, and we went out to their vil-

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photos contributed

Left and right: The Sette family adopted Eric from Vietnam, Rachel from China and Nate from Korea. Middle: Anthony Lokar was adopted by his family in the United States.

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lage because they live on the outskirts. It was kind of awkward because I didn’t really know the language, but it was just a really, really neat experience meeting face to face with them. It was really emotional…but they were really hospitable and they aren’t that well off, because they all lived in this one small house.”

Eric’s mother, Karen Sette, said adopting had poked her curiosity; an interest that eventually came to life.

“I thought, ‘[International adoption] is a really cool thing to do,” Karen said. “I want to do that after I get married.’ After [my husband Rick and I] got married, we had infertility problems, we lost three pregnancies. We were planning to adopt anyway, so we went ahead and decided we would [adopt].”

“Lots of questions” are just one piece of visiting a long lost family member, Lokar said.

“We set up a meeting with [my birth dad],” Lokar said. “I had a lot of questions for him, but we didn’t have much time. He lives in Indiana now…It was just weird to think of him…I wasn’t really mad at him, I didn’t feel like that. I just kind of talked to him, asked him questions about his life. He has his own family and a daughter, she’s [around] 30.”

Karen says showing her children a vision of their blood lineage is significant.

“We tried to help them stay somewhat connected with their Asian cultures,” Karen said. “…[We had] taken each of them back to their birth country for a tour when they were 12.

[My daughter Rachel] was able to visit the orphanage she was in for 6 months, [my son Nate], to the hospital he spent the first month of his life [in]…And [my son Eric] was able to meet his birthmother and her parents, siblings, and some of his Vietnamese cousins. It was

quite an emotional reunion.”

Playing the role of ‘adopting’ is a position familiar to MHS math teacher Tina Broaddrick.

“My husband’s adopted,” Broaddrick said. “And so we knew pretty much from the time that we got married that we probably would end up adopting. Not only was adopting something that we probably would do, now it became the way we were going to grow our family.”

Choosing Ethiopia to adopt her daughter, Lydia, was a process in itself, Broaddrick said.

“We had started looking at Africa,” Broaddrick said. “just knowing that there must be a lot of need…Ethiopia, it was up and coming…they had a good system, [there] wasn’t a lot of the black market stuff that you hear about in other countries, they take very good care of the babies; just a really good situation for being able to adopt from there.”

According to Karen, picking the right agency for international adoption is vital.

“We picked our agency very carefully.” Karen said. “You really have to do that because there are agencies out there that are not structured well…they take your money and you end up without a child.”

Eric’s Sette’s sister MHS senior, Rachel Sette, has spent time thinking of all the ‘what if ’s.’

“Now that I’ve gotten older,” Rachel said. “I’ve thought more about it…like, ‘Oh, if I wasn’t adopted, I would be an orphan…I wouldn’t have a family’. And more about how blessed I am to be in a family…I’m just so thankful right now, that I was adopted. I have so many more opportunities than I would have. For me, I want to adopt [internationally] when I get married, or have kids.”

Lokar answers his innocence by understanding that sometimes life happens.

“I kind of always knew [I was adopted],” Lokar said. “It wasn’t really a question of, ‘Am I adopted?’ The first question I had when I was told [that I was adopted was], ‘Why didn’t my [real] parents love me?’ But I don’t think that was it at all, I just think they weren’t prepared.

And I think that’s also why people go through adoption, because they’re not ready to have kids, and they do, it just kind of happens.”

Having parents who don’t physically resemble you is sometimes all-inclusive with the adoption package, according to Rachel.

“When we would go in public,” Rachel said.

“When we were younger, or sometimes even now, people look…[once] we were at Costco, and there was a sample, when we were little, we would go get it, and they’d be like, ‘Oh wait your Mom has to be okay with it’. And my mom is standing right there. And were like, ‘Oh, that’s my mom’. And they’d look and just be like, ‘Oh, okay’.”

While adoption may seem as a backup plan for many, Karen said how adoption doesn’t have to be alternate option.

“Most [kids in] Mason High School [are thinking of] getting married,” Karen said. “And having a family and we always like to encourage [to] consider the kids who are already poor and don’t have a family. We consider [our kids] a gift from God, each of them. We’d like to encourage everyone to consider adoption.”

While many countries are poor in areas of food and technology, many lack a population able to care for their offspring.

“In the U.S.,” Karen said. “At least for babies, there’s a hundred people waiting in line for every baby, not a literal statistic. And overseas, there a hundred babies waiting in line for [adoption].”

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throughout the ages Rebekah Barnes | Editor-in-Chief

Fourth Grade: The “Secret Crush” Stage There’s mixed feeling on the word “love” in the fourth grade. But crushes are alive and well. But for Jessica Fleming, who’s friends have boyfriends currently, she’s not to keen on being “in love.” “[Being in love makes me think] ew, right now,” Fleming said.

Fourth grader Nathan Schramm said that fourth grade love isn’t the envy of his classmates.

“Eventually but not now…I don’t think it’s gross but it’s not really fun. Because everybody would make fun of you. …I just hear some people say they make fun of [people with boyfriends and girlfriends,” Schramm said.

For Jordyn Harper, she’s more idealistic, but knows that sometimes love doesn’t always work.

“Well it’s kind of romantic and nice…and you might have a crush on someone and you might love them and they might love you back or they might not,” Harper said. “Well there’s this boy in my class and he loves this girl but she doesn’t love him back and he actually told her and she said it was weird.”

Harper said, for now, crushes stay a secret, but maybe one day she would have the courage to speak up about her true feelings.

“I’d keep it a secret but if they were in my class for years and years up until high school or middle school, then I might have the courage to tell them,” Harper said.

Schramm has high hopes for the fifth grade—that’s when he plans to hit it off with the ladies.

“I think next year [I’ll find love]…because I’ll be getting older and stuff,” Schramm said.

FEBRUARY 15, 2013 | PAGE 17

Relationships and perspectives on love change with age High School: The “Getting Serious” Stage

Married

While some of their classmates may think they are taking it too fast, seniors Jennifer Williams and Josh Aumann said that they balance their love and the busy life of high school. As the two met in third grade, and even dated in fourth grade, they started hanging out once again two years ago. Their perception of love has definitely changed throughout the years.

But according to the two, balancing can be the hardest part of their relationship. How long have they been dating? Aumann sits and does the math on February 1 as Williams stands impressed.

“One year, one month and fifteen days,” Aumann said.

The two said, “I love you,” Williams said it was the right time.

“Well for me, we were in the car one day, he was driving me home and we just looked at each other and it just kind of felt right after the day,” Wiliams said. “It was a really great day so I think it just kind of came out and felt right.”

And as the end of their senior year approaches, they have decided to continue their relationship as they are going to the same college together. The couple has support from their parents but Williams said some of her friends are not on board. “[Some of my friends] don’t exactly think it’s the right thing to do, but for me I think it’s my decision and if I feel it’s right I should. But they think being in high school and trying to work stuff out is too young and you shouldn’t be focusing on that,” Williams said.

But for Aumann, his boys have his back.

“My friends don’t really care,” Aumann said. “They’re like, ‘If you like her, you love her, you should stay with her and do whatever you can to keep her around.’”

To keep the love growing, it’s all about communication and trust. Williams even said that being friends first only helps a relationship. According to Aumann, one key to a healthy relationship is understanding.

“I would say communication and understanding [is the key],” Aumann said. “Understanding what makes her mad, so I don’t do it or do something stupid. And understanding how to make the other person happy.”

The priorities have shifted from each other to their children, Matt and Heather Nagel have had a taste of married life and life with kids.

It’s now about making time for each other. After being introduced at a dinner party, it was about nine months before the two actually started dating. But after taking a break, the two figured out that they were meant to be together. It’s different now—with two kids in tow, the couple has to flip priorities to meet the needs of the family.

“Now that we have kids, our first priority has switched to the kids, so we don’t take as much special time for the other person,” Heather said.

But for Matt, you need to make time for your significant other.

Their perception on love has definitely changed, for Heather, she realized that love isn’t as magical as she pictured growing up.

“When I was younger I kind of thought love was like the movies and the spark and all about the romance and the flowers and I think as I’ve gotten older, it’s just about that person always being there for you and the special moments are not as flashy and scripted as a movie, they’re just more like everyday moments,” Heather said.

For those in love, or falling there, Matt said need to take a look at the future ahead. And its true for Heather too. She said that she does want the crushes she had in her high school years as the father of her children.

“What I thought I liked in high school even what I thought I liked in my twenties,…was the person who walked into a room and everybody looked at and had all that charisma, but he was going out every night and he had different things about him that were exciting but is he the person I would want to be the father of my babies? Not really,” Heather said.

Matt knows that love is the top priority in life, in whatever stage of life you are in.

“It’s a beautiful thing, once you find it,” Matt said. “You put all of your priorities in life and finding right person has to be on top.

As much as you want [to say], ‘Oh I want the career, or I want the house or the dollars or to do all of this world travel and everything.’

In the end, the biggest thing is finding the right person.”

with

Kids: The “New Priorities” Stage

Forever: The “Never

wanting to be apart”

Stage

Ruth, 92, and Jim, 94, have been married for 70 years. That’s 25,550 days. And they wouldn’t have it any other way.

“I think we have had about… the happiest life that anyone could ever have had,” Ruth said. “I don’t think…any of the… children could disagree with that. …And we still enjoy being with each other, after all 70 years.”

After meeting each other in Washington D.C., and working side by side for years as friends, they aren’t quite sure where they took the turn from friends to dating, to which they say, “we didn’t know what dating was.” But, before Jim was deported in World War II, they got married. And then Jim was shipped off to India to help with finance matters in the war.

“See, I went from Washington D.C. to overseas right after we were married and I wasn’t home for three four years after that,” Jim said.

But Ruth never wavered in her commitment to her husband.

“When he was in the service or over seas I never, ever, ever dated or anything while he was gone,” Ruth said. “…Not everybody was like that.”

Ruth doesn’t even recall moments of fighting, arguments or friction between the couple, and suggests that those in love or about to be married is to welcome the future to come.

“You look forward to what your life is going to be,” Ruth said.

“I think that is an important thing, one of them. We got along, we didn’t have little spats or anything like that and we were pretty sure of ourselves.”

With complete dedication while the world around is a battle with a divorce and separation. For Jim, it’s simple: they just never thought of separation.

“The love part never changed,” Jim said. “How could it? We wrote letters back and forth, of course. Well you don’t think…of separation or anything like that. We took [the vows] serious to begin with, we just never thought of anything but being married. …Each one of us thought of the other as a partner. And that’s it.

We didn’t think of not being together. We just accepted it as a way of being in a marriage.”

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C Backstage crew responsible for show’s visual appeal Behind the curtain

Meghan Harris | Staff Writer

The members of the backstage crew won’t see their names up in lights. But their vitality to the success of the Mason Drama Department is undeniable, according to drama club advisor Allen Young.

“They’re insanely important,” Young said. “In fact, more kids are involved in theater crew than they are on stage. ...They’re responsible for the set design, building the costumes, renting the costumes, altering the costumes, [and] we have students who do our lighting…It wouldn’t be as full-fledged theatrical experience without all the kids working.”

Although the backstage crew is known as the backbone of the theater club, junior Jacki Miller said students outside the drama department don’t understand all that the crew is responsible for.

“No one really knows who we are,” Miller said. “You don’t know how [the show] all works until you experience it yourself.”

According to Young on the night of a performance the students are responsible for running the entire production just like a professional show.

“During the show itself, the students run everything,” Young said. “The adults are there in case there’s an emergency, but the director sits in the house and watches the show.”

Despite the time and energy the members of backstage crew put into the school’s productions, sophomore Jessica Cooper said their work often goes unnoticed.

“The biggest misconception of crew is that we aren’t all that important,” Cooper said. “You wear you’re show shirt and people say, ‘Oh! What part were you?’ and you reply, ‘Well, I helped paint the set.’ You see their face fall, as if painting isn’t cool.”

According to Miller, the pressure to make the set perfect falls onto the shoulders of the crew.

“We tend to put a lot of pressure [on ourselves]…[and] downgrade ourselves,” Miller said. “We blame ourselves for everything, and it takes a lot to kind of pick yourself back up and do it again.”

Miller said that although the work is grueling, backstage crew’s job is to make sure the show is visually appealing so the actors stand out.

“Our job is to highlight the acting,”

Miller said. “Because while [some] people do come to the shows to see [the stage and set] traditionally people come to see the actors and to see people perform the show.

Backstage job is to enhance it,” Miller said.

Despite the disappointment of not making the cast, Cooper got involved with backstage crew to be a part of the production.

“I first got involved in crew after auditioning for an onstage role of last year’s production of Dracula,” Cooper said. “When I didn’t get [the part,] I just decided to do crew, and I found a secret family of people exactly like me.”

Although her love for acting still stands, Cooper said she has found her home backstage.

“I love acting almost as much as crew, but I prefer crew because that’s where my real family is. I have friends who are actors, but crew people are the ones I talk to,” Cooper said.

Cooper said the family atmosphere that crew provides often draws in people who feel like they don’t belong.

“The best part about crew is the lasting friendships,” Cooper said. “If you feel out of place, or awkward, it’s likely that you would love the opportunity crew brings you to just be yourself.”

According to Cooper, backstage crew is not all fun and games. Cooper said the looming time constraints make their role stressful.

“The worst part about working backstage is the sense you are running out of time,” Cooper said. “There is a ton of hair-pulling and worry the set just won’t get done in time.”

With all the work put into making the set perfect, Cooper said it’s hard to let all of the work go unappreciated.

“I feel like backstage deserves more recognition,” Cooper said. “When most people go to a show, they think about the actors. They don’t look at the floor and think, ‘Hey, that floor is so detailed, I wonder if people worked ten plus hours painting it?’ Then again, it’s sort of a good thing not to be noticed. No one notices when a set is good, but they definitely know when a set is bad.”

Photos by Corynne Hogan

From top to bottom: Jacki Miller paints the floor for the set design of Fools. Gabrielle Honda works on lighting.

Emily Stretch builds the set with a staple gun.

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Military life affects family dynamics with parent overseas Katie Rojas | Staff Writer

Out on the battle lines, Nick Fago fights for the country as his son, junior Dominic waits anxiously at home, not seeing dad for six months.

This is junior Dominic Fago’s reality. Dominic’s father, Nick Fago, has been a Lieutenant Colonel for the Ohio Air National Guard for 27 years and has been deployed overseas to Iraq, North Africa, and other locations in the Middle East on six different occasions in his military career.

Dominic said that although it is difficult being photo contributed

away from his dad, it brings him closer to his mom and siblings.

“As far as the family goes, it definitely [brings] us closer together,” Dominic said. “We value our time together. It also helps us with how we approach things -- we never give up on what we’re doing, we keep pushing on.”

Nick also said that being away from his family for months at a time is hard but having a strong and supportive family at home enables him to

accomplish his missions.

“For me, being away from family is very difficult, but it’s part of the job,” Nick said. “Having a supportive family at home enables me to go over there and focus on the mission. Normally when I’m overseas I’m working 12 to 14 hours every day, and that’s all I do. I don’t have to take kids to practice, I don’t have to help them with homework -- I have none of that. I’m leaving all those burdens at home. The fact that [my family is] able

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to keep things rolling at home makes it easier to focus on my job overseas and not have to worry about what’s going on at home.”

Nick was deployed for six months last year, and this April he will be deployed to Italy for three months. Dominic said that in addition to affecting the family, his father’s deployments affect him individually in his everyday life.

“I know [my dad in the military has] definitely been an inspiration to me, especially in football,” Dominic said. “I look at what he does and everybody in the military, and what they have to go through, and even if we’re doing a really tough workout in football, it makes you realize that it really isn’t that bad compared to what other people are going through.”

Dominic said his family has had to adjust traditions to make sure the whole family is home to celebrate.

“His last deployment, he was going to be gone over Christmas and Thanksgiving, [so] one day we had Thanksgiving, and the next day we had Christmas,” Dominic said. “We just enjoy our time together and do a lot of stuff as a family. If he was gone over a holiday, we’d have that holiday before he left.”

Nick said that the family tries to spend quality time together before he leaves for his deployments.

“We obviously try to spend as much time as possible [together], [and] get a vacation in if the kids aren’t in school,” Nick said. “We’ll usually spend a quiet weekend in, [and] depending on when I’m leaving, go to dinner.”

According to Dominic, his dad’s last few deployments have been a lot easier on the family because of technology such as Skype, which enables the family to check in almost every day.

“He does a really good job of being with our family when he’s here,” Dominic said. “When he’s gone, he does miss some things, but we always video tape them and send it to him. My mom usually videotapes [football games] on her camera. Also, the games are recorded by our coaches and I just give my dad my account so he can watch our game film, and then we’ll be able to talk about it together.”

Dominic said that even though communication may have become easier, it still takes a toll on his mom.

“My siblings are more independent,” Dominic said. “They can stand on their own two feet and they know how to cope with things. For my mom, it makes her rely on her kids more. I know it’s definitely hard on her, but especially as we’re getting older, it’s a lot easier on her because she doesn’t have to be too concerned with us.”

Dominic’s mom, Jennifer Fago, has learned how to handle being alone for the time that her hus-

band is gone on deployments through experience and a support group.

“I have to be both the mother and the father and take on all the roles,” Jennifer said. “My work load at home is increased because we’ve got to do all the homework, we’ve got to do all the transportation of all the kids...and if something is broken or needs to be repaired, I have to be ready to take care of that end of it as well. It’s being a single parent. It’s a challenge I take on, and it’s something I have to be ready for every time [my husband] is deployed. We do have a nice group of family and friends that I can also rely on.”

Nick said that he realizes that he misses special events in the family, but he tries to compromise time missed by doing things with the family when he is home.

“It’s tough because you miss birthdays and anniversaries,” Nick said. “We do at least one family vacation a year, sometimes two. When I’m home, I’m coaching and I’m involved with the kids as much as possible. Every two or three years, I know I’m going to be gone for at least six months.

When I’m home I try to make the most of it.”

Jennifer said that it is hard when Nick is gone because he is such a vital part of the family.

“I do miss [my husband] a whole lot,” Jennifer said. “It’s like a piece of you is missing because not having his presence in the house is lonely and it’s a lot more stressful. You don’t have your partner there to talk things through and for that comfort and support.”

Dominic said that whenever his dad comes home, they set aside time as a family to simply talk and hang out.

“When he comes back, I feel relieved that he’s home, and that he’s able to jump right back into everyday life,” Dominic said. “We always go out to dinner or lunch whenever he gets back-we usually go to Dewey’s Pizza--just to hang out and to catch up on things.”

Jennifer said that there are hard parts of being a military family but there are also rewarding parts.

“The hardest thing has always just been for us is the unknown,” Jennifer said. “Things change so often. He will say he is going to leave this date or come back on this date and it always changes by two or three days or a week...The best thing is the pride and respect we get and the children experience when he comes and goes...It makes you much more patriotic. My children are very proud of their dad and him being in the military.”

Dominic said that having his dad in the military has changed his outlook on not only his father, but everyone in the military.” “[Having a parent in the military] makes you realize how hard he’s worked, and it makes you proud of who your father is,” Dominic said. “It really makes you look up to people in the military, and you have that connection of knowing what they’re going through.”

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photo contributed

From the soldier’s perspective:

“For me personally, it’s been great serving in the military. We have a lot to be thankful for in this country, and travelling throughout the world gives you a greater appreciation.”

photo contributed

From the son’s perspective:

“I know [my dad in the military has] definitely been an inspiration to me, especially in football. I look at what he does and everybody in the military, and what they have to go through, and even if we’re doing a really tough workout in football, it makes you realize that it really isn’t that bad compared to what other people are going through.”

photo contributed

From the wife’s perspective:

“I do miss [my husband] a whole lot. It’s like a piece of you is missing because not having his presence in the house is lonely and it’s a lot more stressful. You don’t have your partner there to talk things through and for that comfort and support.”

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an on a mission

Mormon students prepare for post high school service Corynne Hogan | Staff Writer

the earthquake hit. It destroyed [so much]. So she did a lot of service. …I’ve [also] talked to leaders and different people in my church that have gone on missions and they loved it.”

Inspired by his parents’ stories, Johnson said he wants work in a mission field because he wants others to know about the Mormon faith.

“When you know something is true, you want to share it with people,” Johnson said. “That’s the motivation for me. …You teach [people], show them what we believe and ask them if they would like to learn more.”

Tyler Ackley, a Mason High School 2003 graduate, completed his freshman year at Brigham Young University before he went on his mission in Madagascar.

“It is the hardest thing I have ever done, but it was also the most rewarding. I left a boy and came back a man,” Ackley said. “Seeing people living in such extreme poverty…made me less materialistic and appreciate the things I do have more.

It also taught me that people don’t need ‘things’ to be happy. My belief in my church and in my

Savior was also strengthened simply by seeing how others were blessed as they followed God’s commandments consistently.”

According to Ackley, he took a seminary class every morning before school and studied in a training center for 9 weeks in order to prepare for Madagascar.

“The transition from ‘normal’ life to missionary life was one of the hardest parts of being a missionary,” Ackley said. “Not only is it very physically demanding…but missionaries…do not date listen to popular music, go on vacations, and [they] follow a very rigid schedule.”

Conley said his faith in God will help him settle in to the mission and prepare him for the two years he will spend there.

“I know the first few months are going to be tough, I’m expecting that,” Conley said. “People say…that by the time you have to go, [you’re] so used to [your] life there, without all of the distractions. …I’m going to have to have a lot of faith in God…and that will help get me through it.”

photo by Corynne Hogan

With the Book of Mormon in one hand and the Bible in another, senior Ben Johnson will soon be weaving his way through the streets of Sacramento evangelizing his Mormon faith.

This March, Latter Day Saints member Ben Johnson will graduate early to begin training for his two-year mission in Sacramento California, where he’ll spend his time biking door-to-door, sharing his Mormon faith with others.

“I’ll be knocking on doors and asking people if they want to learn more about our church,” Johnson said. “There’s a lot of service involved. You knock on their door and ask them if they need anything [and are] just building relationships with people who don’t really know anything about the Mormon Church.”

Senior Hunter Conley’s desire to serve others is motivating him to head on a mission shortly after he graduates. “[Caring for] children, helping out and [serving] is pretty much what I’m going to be doing while I’m [on my mission],” Conley said. “My oldest sister went to Chile and she was there when

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Person of Interest Rayce Davis, sophomore

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On the red carpet

Award show season huge hit for MHS students Emily Culberson | Staff Writer

Rayce Davis is a Motocross (MX) star with dreams to compete in high level races, and despises Lady Gaga.

Quick Facts: Celebrity you despise the most: Lady Gaga If you were president for a day, what would you do: Make dying your hair blond illegal Goal: Ride in Loretta Lynn’s Championship Race Best Trick: Whip-throwing the back end of the bike out to the side Best Motocross achievement thus far: 18th place finish at a race in Michigan against 60 other competitors

Who is your favorite MX Rider?

“Derek Anderson…there’s this smaller guy named Derek Anderson and he’s kind of barely getting by race by race and stuff. I just like him because people do a lot of articles on him. I met him up in Michigan and I really like him.”

How do you train for MX? “I work out four days a week and ride the other three days. Riding for 20 minutes straight is what I prepare for, and then just working out all the time is pretty much how I get in shape for it. It’s a lot harder than people think it is.”

How did you get involved in MX? “I always had an interest in it and my uncle had always grown up around it…he helped me out with a bike and I’ve loved it ever since.” compiled by Taylor Telford

PAGE 25 what the audience wants to be entertained by,” Arnold said.

As a child, sophomore Leah Hall distinctly remembers pretending to be one of the stars strutting down the runway.

“My sister would give me a makeover and do my hair…[then we would] get in really fancy dresses [for the awards show],” Hall said. “I would always try to get my dad in a suit but he never actually would. [After dressing up,] we would [all] sit on the couch and watch the awards [together].”

A love of a specific celebrity can be a reason for watching as well. Magness doesn’t always watch the awards live, but she does when a specific pop idol is performing.

“Whenever Lady Gaga performs at an award show, I always watch it the night of,” Magness said. “But typically what I do is I [DVR the show and] watch it the next day when I get home from school.”

But for Karri, it is history that mesmerizes her to the brink of obsession.

“I don’t know why I find fascination in just memorizing Wikipedia pages about [award show superlatives],” Karri said. “I have wasted countless number of hours that I should have been studying [researching]…it’s pretty unhealthy…[but] little superlatives are really fascinating.”

But Karri has trouble finding someone who can relate to her passion.

“I’ve kind of failed in convincing people [to follow academy award shows],” Karri said. “[My friends] usually think I’m weird because no one else really watches them except for me…and I understand that. [I guess] movies are just something you need a more mature appreciation for.”

Speechless. That’s how junior Sri Karri describes herself when it comes to award season.

“I can’t even put in to words why I’m so obsessed with [awards shows],” Karri said.

“Picturing the grandeur of the event...like the Academy Awards…the biggest movie event in the entire world…you really just yearn to be in the same crowd as them.”

Karri said she is addicted to awards, specifically the inspirational acceptance speeches.

Sandra Bullock’s “Best Actress” acceptance speech at the 2010 Oscars still sticks with Karri today.

“When Sarah Bullock won the Oscar for best actress, she thanked all of the mothers who take care of their children no matter where they come from,” Karri said. “You can only feel emotionally connected with [something like that if] you are watching live.”

Junior Lauren Magness also said she enjoys viewing the film and music she loves get acknowledged for their excellence.

“I like watching everything that I have enjoyed media-wise in the past year be [officially] recognized,” Magness said. “I not only get to see what the fans [think] of [a song or movie] but also what professionals in that field [think].”

According to Magness, award shows can be divided in to two opposing categories: popular vote shows that represent the opinions of the common audience and academy shows that consist of distinguished groups of renowned celebrities voting.

Karri said that the shows that represent the common public are usually more popular among teenagers.

“Movie award shows are some of the longest events,” Karri said. “[Also] usually no one has ever heard of a lot of movies that are honored by [movie] award shows…with the Grammys [there is] the pop culture and it’s obviously tailored to a much younger crowd.”

But Karri, who adores movie award shows, prefers to hear professional opinions.

“I don’t know why I connect with movies so much,” Karri said. “The fact that a movie with a two million dollar budget [can beat] a movie with a two hundred million dollar budget just because of the sheer plot line…seeing those being honored at the award shows [is personally] exciting.”

Sophomore Ryley Arnold prefers to see what the culture recipients vote as the best. “[There should be] more people choice kind of awards [so] people who are makphoto taken from oscars.org ing the entertainment understand

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Sports

ALL HANDS IN Comets take impressive record and number one seed into postseason

photo by Corynne Hogan

Chloe Knue | Associate Editor

The Mason girls’ basketball team is headed into the postseason with a target on their backs. The Comets are the number one seed in the upcoming sectional tournament. The Comets are 19-1 with their lone loss coming to Princeton, a team they could see again on the tournament trail.

According to head coach Rob

Matula, everybody is going to be shooting for them as the number one seed.

“If everything plays out we’ll have to play two league teams to get out of sectionals,” Matula said. “Which is always tough, cause they know about us.”

Matula expects to compete with big competitors that are supposed to

make a run in the tournament like Fairmont, Centerville and Princeton by playing hard and doing what they’ve been doing all season.

“Just like any game we play I would expect that we go out and do what we do and play as hard as we can possibly play in order to put ourselves in the position to win,” Matula said.

Coming off a loss at the end of the regular season to Princeton, senior starter Madi Melnick said that the teams confidence hasn’t been shaken and feels that if the team comes out with the right attitude they can beat anybody.

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FEBRUARY 15, 2013

Story Continued From Page 27 “I wouldn’t say the loss was really a bad thing because it’s better we have a loss now than in the tournament run,” Melnick said. “I just think that our team needed this little bit of a setback to overcome adversity and deal with it, so that we can keep working hard and make our practices even more competitive.”

Matula said that the loss just

proves the girls have to be ready to play when they are playing in big games.

“One game I don’t think determines what you are going to do the next big game,” Matula said. “I think our guards, all our of our guards need to be able to step up their game defensively and offensively, we have depth this year, as a collective group are guards are really going to

have to be able to play better.”

Because there are such high expectations for the Comets to go far in the tournament, Matula said that if the team doesn’t go as far as predicted he will be disappointed, but will not consider the season a failure.

“I personally don’t put a lot of emphasis on [exactly how far we make it],” Matula said.

“Because having the chance to

coach a team like this and to have players that are as hard working as the players we have, and to understand that on any given night something can happen that causes you not to win. [I would be] disappointed, but [not consider it a] failure, not after having the season that we’ve had.”

From left to right row one: Sydney Neal, Haley Vorherr, Aly Herren, Madi Melnick. Row two: Ashley Brown, CC Wilson, Jailyn Mason, Sami Rutowski, Sarah Ammons. Row three: Lauren Van Kleunen, Jenna Gunn, Kayla McDowell, Liz Lothrop.

photo by Corynne Hogan

C The Numbers

177.0 The varsity wrestling team won the GMC meet with a score of 177.0 points. This is the fourth year in a row the Comets have won the GMC.

0 The number of GMC losses for the girls’ bowling team. They won the GMC with a record of 8-0.

81.7 1.40.43 12.9 Senior varsity boys’ basketball player Drew Matula leads the team with a free throw percentage of 81.7.

Time of the girls’ 200 yard freestyle relay at sectionals which placed second below Ursuline.

Swimmers were sophomore Julia Volpenhein, junior Zoe Thatcher, freshman Gabby Marinelli and Junior Maureen Sullivan.

Girls’ varsity basketball player junior Jenna Gunn’s average points per game as of February 9.

results as of February 11.

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C MHS athletes find supportive community through Playin’ by the Book

growing Christian organization Emily Faas | Staff Writer

Fields and courts are not the only place you can find athletes at Mason High School. Every Thursday night at seven o’clock at The McDowell’s house in Mason, you’ll find dozens of athletes discussing not only games and matches, but their faith as well.

Jenn and Dave McDowell started hosting Athlete Impact seven years ago when they had two children who were high school athletes. It started off with their children and a handful of their teammates, and now has grown to over 50 athletes in their home each week.

“When we started we had five kids,” Dave said, “and we said ‘what do you guys want?’ and they said they want a lot of food, and Ms. McDowell now cooks for 50-60 kids each week, we wanted topics that are relevant to sports, to school, to friends and to their faith.”

The group started by Jenn and Dave wanting to have a lasting effect, not only on their children’s sports, but also their faith.

“We felt [our children] we’re spending a lot of time with their teammates,” Jenn said, “We felt that if we could be an encouragement to have an Impact on them, which is why we called it [Athlete Impact], for a good part of their day, it could be kind of neat.”

Junior Lucas Sagraves has been going to Athlete Impact for three years and said that the tone of the group is what sets it apart from a normal church gathering.

“It’s not just [a] general youth group you go to at church,” Sagraves, “Even if you don’t come [to Impact] for the spiritual side, people just come to hang out with people.”

Chloe Knue | Associate Editor It’s the feeling on a Friday night, standing in the bleachers with your friends, as a behind-thehead buzzer beater shot, swishes through the net to bring the team into the locker room before the half --that makes high school athletics something special. In college sports, the talent level may drastically increase but it’s the community atmosphere and Friday night feeling that goes a long way with high school students, and that is something you can’t experience watching ESPN.

According to freshman Monica Touby, introducing Christianity to people is a lot easier if Impact is involved.

“All of the friends that I’ve brought like it,” Touby said, “It’s not ‘in your face,’ like you need to be a Christian [right now]. Impact is a more casual way to introduce [Christianity].”

What really keeps Sagraves going to Impact is the quality of the guest speakers that change from week to week.

“There are normally really awesome speakers,” Sagraves, “They bring in [speakers] from all over the place, whether they are from the Army [or] the president of Athletes in Action, they bring in really awesome athletes as well. They are typically pretty [incredible], with great messages.”

Although the group is called “Athlete” impact, Sagraves said anyone can learn something that they may have not known about themselves.

“A lot of the [messages] aren’t just sports stories,” Sagraves, “a lot of them are life stories as well about how faith has helped people that are married, and how [faith] brings people together.

It doesn’t always have to be about sports.”

The lives of athletes and all high school students can be stressful and busy, but Jenn McDowell said that no matter how often people can come to Impact, they will be welcomed with open arms.

“We don’t want to try to control [attendance] or anything and say something like, ‘Oh where were you for three weeks?’” Jenn said, “We don’t say that, [because] we know when the kids are in sports it’s hard to stay disciplined and use a whole night up to come to [Impact], which is why our [door] is always open.”

C Trading Punches What appeals to high school students more: high school or college sports?

photos contributed

From top to bottom: MHS seniors dress up at Impact for Halloween; students’ shoes piled up during Athlete Impact; the original group who attended Athlete Impact.

Katelyn Cain | Sports Editor Setting aside all your cutesy, sentimental words Chloe, let’s get down to the facts.

If you asked ANY high schooler whether they’d rather go to a high school game or a college game, you’d be crazy to say they’d choose high school. Not only that but I’d say that people are even MORE attatched to college teams than high school. It comes down to the fact that college athletes have more skill than high schoolers. College sports separate the men from the boys, so to speak. And let’s face it, who wants to see a bunch of boys embarassingly missing dunk after dunk when we could be watching athletes with real skill.

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Making a Splash Senior diving couple has high hopes for the season before heading to college Erin Brush | Staff Writer

Ever since they were gymnasts at age six, Maddie Sewell and Sean Sargent have been pushing each other to be their best. Today they’re the top senior divers at Mason High School and have been dating the past year and a half. According to Sargent, their relationship allows them to continue to motivate each other in diving.

“From what our coaches have noticed we tend to push each other in competition because we’re pretty close in skill level,” Sargent said. “We’ve both been around gymnastics and diving long enough to where we can coach each other, give each other corrections, and motivate each other in different ways.”

Both have been extremely successful so far in the season and each is leading the conference, Sewell with a score of 272.40 and Sargent with a score of 336.60. The pair has also placed well in several large regular season meets.

“A highlight of my season was the Southwest Classic Championship which is supposedly the biggest high school meet in the country for swimmers,” Sargent said. “Maddie and I both won our respective divisions.”

According to Sewell, her key to success so far this season has been putting an emphasis on consistency in her diving.

“I know a lot of divers are really worried about big dives but my coach and I like to focus on staying consistent and focusing on dives that I know I can score well on,” Sewell said.

Recently both divers committed to become Division I athletes. Sargent signed with Miami University while Sewell has plans to attend Michigan State University in the fall.

“For me it was striking a balance between academics and sport because although I’ll be [at Miami] on an athletic scholarship, academics are playing a much bigger role in my attendance there,” Sargent said. “Miami was the one place I found where I could really balance those two.”

On the other hand, Sewell said she based her choice on how comfortable she felt at the Michigan State campus.

“When I went up to Michigan State the campus and the coaches were both really nice,” Sewell said. “The girls that I met were friendly and I can really see myself going there.”

Now that they’ve finalized college plans, Sewell and Sargent look to tackle their next challenge, the state championship on February 20.

photos by Corynne Hogan

“Next we’ll start to back off at practice and focus on mechanics,” Sewell said. “Last year wasn’t the best season for me, especially at state. I would just like to have a good meet with consistent dives.”

According to Sargent, his goal is to place in the top five at state this year in order to top his previous sixth, ninth, and 17th place finishes from past years, but also to have more confidence with his dives.

“When I’m nervous about state I just compare where I am now to where I was last year,” Sargent said. “I’ve made so many changes and I’ve been diving so much more than I have in the past. It’s made a big difference already this season, and to see how that plays out at state is exciting.”

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