The Chronicle, 4.1

WILLIAM MA SO N HI G H S CH O O L

STYLE

Comets look to What’s up with finish season on Vera Bradley bags? a winning note Story on page 27 > > In SPORTS, page 18 > > L OC A L HA U N T S PLUS: A conversation with Mason’s new athletic director.

What plans does he have in store for Comet athletics?

Volume 4 Issue 1

O C T O B E R

2 7 ,

WHAT’S

inside Ziegler bikes her way across the the U.S.A. Story on page 22 > >

2 0 0 6

Things that go bump in the night Story on page 26 > >

HOMECOMING IS THE FOCUS OF THIS ISSUE’S PHOTO FEATURE, see Page 12 >>

Are you really safe?

M YS P A C E IS A H A V EN FOR ONL INE P R E DA T OR S

She’s allergic to the cold but she’s on the ice hockey team Story on page 23 > >

center SPREAD

‘see ya’ Mason waves goodbye to the FAVC and hello to the GMC Story on page 14 > > The Chronicle The official student newspaper of William Mason High School 6100 S. Mason-Montgomery Road Mason, Ohio 45040

photo and photoart by Peter Springsteen

NIGHTMARE ON MYSPACE, is what Mason High School senior Amy Smith’s once harmless online instant messaging system turned into.

As more and more teens surf what they think are the private and safe pages of online communities like MySpace, faceless internet predators lurk in the electronic jungle, waiting for their next victim. Story on page 2 > >

check IT OUT

94%

The percentage of MHS students who did not read the handbook with their parents before signing the contract in their planner.

Story on page 3 > >

In SPORTS: Girls golf team claims another FAVC title

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October 27, 2006

chroniclenews

Nightmare on Sexual assault blamed on MySpace MySpace.com was sued for $30 million in damages in June 2006 by a 14-year-old girl who claimed to have been sexually assaulted by a 19-year-old MySpace user. The girl and her family alledged that MySpace did not take enough precautions to ensure the safety of their users. In response, Myspace introduced more regulations on their users above 18 cannot have access to profiles of users under sixteen unless they already know their full name or email address.

However, there is concern because MySpace still has no way of verifying users' ages.

MySpace

Photo prompts spurned lover to set up murder for hire scheme against boyfriend Twenty-two-year old Heather Kane of Mesa, Arizona was arrested in September 2006 for allegedly hiring a hitman, who was an undercover police officer, to kill a woman whose picture she had seen on her boyfriend's Myspace site. Kane was willing to pay up to $1,000 for the murder, and agreed to pay $400 immediately and an additional $100 once the target was dead. To assist the hitman, Kane provided a picture of the target that she had taken from her boyfriend's MySpace page. There is no evidence that this woman was romantically involved with Kane's boyfriend.

22-year-old robbed at gunpoint after being set up by teenage girls during Internet chat session In a reversal of the typical MySpace crime, Ernest Evans, a 22-year-old MySpace user from Florida, was robbed at gunpoint last June by two teenage girls. The girls, 13-year-old Rafaella Yusupova and 14-yearold Yana Galilova, had met Evans while pretending to be an 18-year-old named Natalia, and arranged a real-life meeting. When Evans arrived, he told police that Yusupova and Galilova asked to borrow his phone and then proceeded to point a gun at his head and demand his wallet and money. A 21-year-old man who was also present has been taken into custody for furnishing minors with firearms.

Internet encounter prompts 17-year-old to meet Middle Eastern man In June 2006, 17-year-old Kathereine Lester flew to the Middle East, without the knowledge of her parents, to marry 20-year-old Abdullah Jinzawi. Lester, of Gilford, Michigan, and Jinzawi, of Jericho, Israel, had met in December 2005 through MySpace.com. On her way to Jericho, Lester was aprehended by the FBI in Amman, Jordan, and forced to return home. All charges were dropped after Lester agreed to surrender her passport until turning 18, and receive written permission from her parents before leaving the state. Though they have yet to meet in person, Lester and Jinzawi still plan on marrying.

MHS student a victim of online predator as other agencies will," Nelson said. be the page operator's "friend." However, many are not cauAccording to Nelson, police departments in other towns tious about whom they approve. Although Smith has since have arrested two Mason residents after sting operations blocked him, the man who continually called her was listed Senior Amy Smith said she put her phone number on her caught the men arranging to meet up with younger people. as one of her "friends" because she did not always double away message because she only talks to her friends online.

Several teenagers, including some Mason students, have check who she approved to see her page.

But it turned out her friends weren't the only ones interested left home to meet people they know only through MySpace.

After senior Bethany Schuelke heard about Smith's stalker in talking to her. A few weeks ago the phone calls started.

"We have had students leave to meet people that they met in home room, she encouraged her to go to the authorities.

"Somebody started calling me from this weird number," online without actually knowing who However, Smith was reluctant "I like it and I'm addicted to it. It's a because of how her parents may Smith said. "I answered and there would just be this weird they're involved with," Assistant Principal breathing on the phone."

George Coates said. way for me to talk to my friends that I have reacted.

The man that was calling Smith had traced her information Even a careful user may leave clues to don't see all the time. I'm not going to "Parents get really mad when we through MySpace.com, an online community where people their identity. have MySpaces because they don't let one person ruin my fun." can interact through maintaining web pages. He first found "There's a lot of information students want this to happen," Schuelke Smith's screen-name through a conversation she had posted unknowingly give," Coates said. "All of a said. "I think this is a parent's worst on her site and saw the away message with her phone numsudden you link things together to get a complete puzzle." nightmare." ber.

According to Coates, students wanting to protect themInstead, Smith gave Schuelke the stalker's screen name so "He used to call five times in a row," Smith said. "He left selves should make sure their webpage is set to private, she could find out more about him. To be safe Schuelke used me two voice mails. One of them sounded like he was in the where only those who they allow can view their site. an old instant messenger account when she first contacted the car and the second one, maybe I'm just paranoid, but it "I don't think there's one fool-proof method to protect your- stalker. sounded like screaming on the phone. I was really freaked selves unless you keep your webpage private," he said. "I "I had no idea how to start a conversation," Schuelke said. out for a while." know that even with the cautions taken others "It was obvious from his profile he wasn't in high school any“One of them sounded like he was aren't as protective. It's very important for Smith is one of MySpace's more, so I started off with 'Man, college really stinks.'" in the car and the more than 70 million users. them to know who they're letting view their In her conversation, Schuelke was able to find out that the The site, first launched in 2003, second one, maybe I'm just paranoid, space." stalker was 25 and working as a car mechanic in Tennessee. has recently been catching Senior Maria French has had an account "I was kind of creeped out, so I pretended to be one of but it sounded like screaming headlines due to the concern of since April and takes many of these precauthose stupid people that they look for," she said. "I think he online predators using the site tions when using MySpace. figured out what I was doing because I signed off as soon as I on the phone.� to find adolescents.

"I don't put my last name anywhere," she was done talking to him."

According to Mason High School Resource Officer Troy said. "I even lied about my last name when creating the Despite her experience, Smith continues to be an active Nelson, some police departments use undercover, or sting, account. It's extremely easy. They don't check any of the user of MySpace. operations to catch predators. information."

"I like it and I'm addicted to it," she said. "It's a way for me "[While] we don't get actively on and solicit them whereOne way someone can get access to a page is by asking to to talk to my friends that I don't see all the time. I'm not

By STEPHANIE VISSCHER Associate Editor

Congress passes act to forbid MySpace in schools In May 2006, the United States House of Representatives passed legislation to ban social networking Websites in public institutions, such as schools and libraries. The proposed Deleting Online Predators Act was passed in the House with a vote of 410-15. The act is intended to restrict minors' access to sites like Myspace and thereby protect them from online predators.

However, the act is causing controversy, largely for its broad definition of "social networking."

According to the language of the Act, sites such as Amazon.com and news sites allowing readers to discuss current events would also be banned.

Chronicle staff writer Rachel Slezak contributed to this report

MySpace trying to help citizens register to vote Recently, MySpace has added a feature that would allow members to register to vote. In order to provide this service, MySpace has partnered with the nonpartisan group Declare Yourself, a group formed in 2004 to increase the number of young voters.

In addition to being able to register, ads will be run and tools such as a "I Registered To Vote On MySpace" badge will be available to put on users profiles. These services would cater to the approximate 80 percent of users who are old enough to vote and are intended to help young people have the opportunity to get involved in their community.

National Ad campaign works to warn students and parents In August, U.S. attorney general Alberto Gonzales introduced a new campaign geared towards warning teenage girls on the danger involved in leaving personal information on the Internet. The campaign, funded by the Department of Justice, will run in early 2007. The campaign will institute educational events and public-service announcements.

The DOJ's previous campaign, Project Safe Childhood, will continue to educate community members and law enforcement officials on how to protect their children.

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October 27, 2006 What do the contracts mean?

• They specify a 2 percent cost-of-living increase for teachers this school year, and a 2.25 percent increase for the following two school years. While this is close to the expected 2.1 percent increase in the cost-of-living, it is under the 3.7 percent average annual salary increase.

• Contracts outline teachers' schedules for the school day, providing a certain amount of plan time.

• Contracts also discuss sick and personal leave, and provide a timeline for evaluation. Individual contracts may contain class size provisions.

• The new contracts also focus on professional development. This year on teacher workdays, teachers will be participating in professional development workshops on blood borne pathogens and bullying, in addition to departmental development.

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School board, teachers agree on new contract

By RACHEL SLEZAK Staff Writer The Mason City Schools Board of Education approved the Collective Bargaining Agreement with the Mason Education Association on September 12. This agreement created MEA president new employment contracts Dan Mueller for teachers at all of the schools in the district.

According to Mason City Schools public information officer Tracey Carson, the process of renegotiating contracts is routine, taking place every three years. This means that these contracts span three years of teachers' employment and will last until the next period of negotiations.

The process of devising new contracts on which everyone could agree spanned eight meetings between representatives of the teaching staff, the school board, and the school administration, beginning in this past March.

"It is important for people to recognize the amount of hours put in by both sides to come up with a good agreement," Carson said.

But before negotiations could begin, a team was assembled to represent the entirety of the district.

"We make sure we have a cross-sectional representation, including teachers from all of the buildings in the district, from various aspects of teaching, and of various age and experience," MEA president Dan Mueller said.

Next, other teachers were consulted about the topics that should be covered in the negotiations.

"The process involves surveying the membership on the direction they want to see the contracts go in, and any contract language they want to see included," Mueller said.

This year there were about 10 different issues that had to be decided on, including class size, salary and benefits, and professional development. The negotiators also had to be aware of budget constraints, a result of recent criticism of the district for spending excessively.

"The board gave the district direction to stretch

the budget so that they wouldn't have to go back to the voters with another levy," Carson said.

"The contracts are a piece of making the levy last."

According to Mueller, many teachers have concerns about the annual salary increase, a regular feature in pay contracts to allow for natural rises in the average cost of living. Because the district is concerned about its budget, these increases are falling behind the expected increase in the cost of living. Teachers' salaries will continue to rise with each year as in the past, but not at as high a rate.

"If the national cost-of-living increase is greater than the cost-of-living increase that can be budgeted, teachers lose buying power," Mueller said.

However, these concerns did not prevent them from agreeing to the new contract.

"The teachers do understand the pressure from the school board and the decreased levels of state funding, which is why the contract was ratified," Mueller said.

November vote may ban smoking in public places

By OLGA BORODULIN Chronicle Editor

photo by Shea Davidson

Area restaurants could take a hit if smokers aren’t allowed to light up in the smoking sections. If Issue 5 prevails smoking would be banned in public places.

Numbers don’t lie...

94% The amount of students who did not read the Handbook before signing the contract with their parents.

67% The amount of students who do not believe the school should be allowed to search handbags and cell phones if given reasonable suspicion.

based on a poll of 200 randomly-selected students.

Smoking will be allowed in restaurants, bowling alleys, offices, factories, retail stores, bingo halls, and bars if Issue 4 of the Ohio November ballot is passed. If not, then Issue 5 will prevail, issuing that there will be no smoking in any of these facilities. This decision is one that has waged a competition between Issue 5’s supportors, SmokeFree, and Issue 4’s supporters, SmokeLess.

Though governor Bob Taft has come out in support of the SmokeFree campaign, it is still questionable as to what the public’s decision is leaning towards.

"SmokeLess is deceptive," Taft said after his September 21 speech. "It's really a deceptive proposal that will actually roll back progressive laws that have been enacted in a number of municipalities and prevent future action by local or state lawmakers to ban smoking in public places."

The SmokeLess amendment would repeal 21 already-approved local smoking bans. The SmokeLess campaign states that barring smoking in public places such as restaurants hinders the businesses.

The SmokeLess campaign states that SmokeFree is an “uncompormising” ban. SmokeLess attests that they wish to see “smoking reduced-in fact eliminated from 90 percent of enclosed business places.”

SmokeFree, on the other hand, hopes to protect non-smokers from the harmful effects of second hand smoke.

The Secretary of State’s office ordered SmokeFree to collect 23,270 more signatures in order for the issue to be present on the ballot, according to an appeals court ruling which invalidated previous petition signatures. SmokeFree has also requested a hearing to question the validity of petition signatures collected by SmokeLess which will be ruled on in late October.

Students don’t take Handbook signature seriously

By SHEA DAVIDSON Chronicle Staff Writer Students texting messages on cell phones, carrying books in oversized bags to class, listening to Ipods in the hallways and carrying over-the-counter pain relievers are rules commonly broken at Mason High School.

Punishments for these actions may involve detention and even suspension. Still, a poll conducted by The Chronicle found that 94 percent of students did not even read the Handbook with their parents before signing the contract in their planner.

While the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution protects people against unreasonable searches and seizures, public schools have more power to annul this right besides issuing a contract. This power stems from the school’s responsibility to maintain a safe environment for students. With almost 3,000 students attending MHS, principal Dave Allen feels he has an obligation to both protect student's safety and to respect their civil rights.

"Reasonable suspicion gives us the right to search where police officers may not,” Allen said. “We have to be able to protect the 2,700 students that go here. If we see someone acting suspiciously, we would be able to search them.”

The school's authority includes the ability to search private property, such as handbags, backpacks, lockers and cell phones.

The reasonable suspicion required to search students can be as minor as a nervous demeanor while an administrator is present.

"If I ask for a cell phone and an individual took the battery out, then it would make it seem to me like they have something to hide," Allen said. "Would that be

enough in terms of reasonable suspicion? Maybe or maybe not."

Determining if a school has reasonable suspicion is a difficult task. While one court may find a school innocent, another may decide that the student’s rights have been infringed.

Despite trying to maintain a safe environment for the MHS students and faculty, Allen stresses that the administration will not explicitly try to break rights.

"Reasonable suspicion is a gray area, but is a determination by the administration that the individual is involved in something that they shouldn't be," Allen said.

According to a survey conducted by The Chronicle conducted on September 18, 67 percent disagreed with the school’s authority to search handbags and cell phones when given reasonable suspicion.

This disagreement is one reason students are required to sign contracts located in their planners, which state that each student has read the rules with their parents and that they understand them.

"It is a way up and above what is required from our students to indicate to us that they are looking at it, checking it, and understanding it," Allen said.

One can't be sure, however, that students are signing the contract without reading the rules in the Handbook.

A poll conducted by The Chronicle on September 21 found that 6 percent of MHS students this year read the Handbook with their parents and signed accordingly, while 94 percent did not.

Senior Amanda Stuk has never felt a need to read the Handbook.

"I am a senior and I have never read the Handbook. It takes too much time, there are too many rules and I don't feel a need [to read it]," Stuk said.

Do you know what you’re signing?

Do you even care?

Poll results show students really don’t care.

Assistant principal Tim Keeton knows that students do not take the Handbook seriously. "[Administrators] know that they won't read the Handbook, but we try to tell them the [rules] that will seriously get them into trouble," Keeton said.

Whether students read and take the contract seriously or not, it is a legal document that is binding and official.

"We have a Handbook committee that takes a look at our Handbooks and works with our school's attorneys to make sure everything is accurate," Allen said.

Allen says that he is going to try harder to educate students on the rules in the future.

"Not only do we have the Handbook where our rules are stated clearly, we pride ourselves on how we communicate the rules orally. If we feel as if there is a lack of communication on our part, then we will strive to better communicate that rule," Allen said.

Though students may fight the legitimacy of searches, rules will still be enforced.

"Students should get in trouble if they break the rules, because if they take a chance and get caught its their fault. The rules are fair for the most part," Stuk said.

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Logos, Logos, Logos...

An older version of the Comet used frequently with athletic apparel and on spiritwear.

October 27, 2006

Ca$ hin’ in on the Co ets Businesses are making a fortune off of the Mason logos; school district considers trademark.

By OLGA BORODULIN Chronicle Editor

A more modern version of the Comet patterned after the Tennessee Titans logo. This logo can be seen on the football helmets and is now appearing on other athletic Comet teams.

This logo seems to be a combination of the school district logo and some of the staff logos that appear around Mason High School. You can find this logo in association with some of the organizations at Mason High School including the school store, the Comet Zone.

The merger of a modern M with the older Comet logo has appeared on Comet athletic and spiritwear for the last few years.

You can find this logo on some of the buildings surrounding the athletic facilities here at Mason. This logo also shows up on the some of the team’s uniforms.

The very modern school district logo which shows up on the district website as well as many of the publications and newsletters distributed by the school district.

This Mason logo is used on many athletic programs and gear, as well as on staff t-shirts.

The idea to print t-shirts with Mason logos was an initiative that Bigg's director of general merchandise Paul McHugh viewed as a "way for the community to buy spiritwear at lower prices.” Bigg's reproduction of spiritwear was viewed by the school as a "chance to partner with local businesses" and "to celebrate Mason spirit," according to Mason City Schools public information officer Tracey Carson. But the idea of a partnership with retail stores and the school to produce spiritwear was one that was not welcomed by local businesses and Mason High School's school store, the Comet Zone.

As little as six years ago, there was no controversy over the reproduction of items with the single hand-drawn Comet logo. Now, the Mason community has fluorished with new businesses and a progressing rivalry over the sale of spiritwear.

The Comet Zone has felt the effect of such competition in their decline of sales to retail stores. The Comet Zone staff laments that their hard work goes unnoticed because they are at a disadvantage in competition with larger stores.

"The Comet Zone is only open during fourth bell, which is a big advantage to all of our competition. Why would a student go to the Comet Zone when they can just go to Bigg's anytime?

It's difficult to compete with that," Comet Zone marketing manager Natalie Collias said.

The Comet Zone attests that larger businesses shouldn't retain all t-shirt profit, but allow for some profit to be forwarded to the school store.

This would result in retail stores designating a contract with the school store, and agreeing that business ventures are made through the school store.

"Vendor[s] should have a sense of morality and ethics when working with a business like us. Competition is good but it seems like it's unfair towards the Comet Zone," Collias said.

However, in order for retail stores to be legally obligated to make a contract with the school, the school must trademark their logo, and stores such as the Comet Zone must copyright any tshirt designs. According to Justin Dhajny of the International Trademark Association (INTA), a copyright protects the way an idea is expressed.

This includes someone creating clothing with another designer's logo. A trademark, however, protects a word, phrase, or symbol.

Without this trademark or copyright, vendors can sell Mason designs to retail stores and retain total profit. Which is one reason why Mason City Schools along with MHS's athletic department are both considering trademarking.

Retail Stores sell spiritwear for community, not profit The trademarking of the logo would have a large effect on retail stores and t-shirt specialty stores which make profits off of the logo.

McHugh has been a Bigg's employee for 22 years. He attests that the venture to sell spiritwear was not one made to make profit, rather to benefit the community.

"We never tried to do anything malicious," McHugh said. "When we started selling spiritwear at our store for Elder High School, people were complementing what we had done.

Parents could go into our store and make purchases, wheareas before they would stand in a line stretching outside the door at Elder High School's spirit shop waiting for shirts. They would miss parts of the game to buy spiritwear.

This changed that."

McHugh states that Bigg's as opposed to

other retail stores such as Wal-Mart always makes contractial agreements with schools.

"We re-up this program every year and check with the school to make sure they support it," McHugh said.

Bigg's has partnered with 19 schools in the Cincinnati area on spiritwear. Of these, the greatest revenues come from Elder High School, which has a trademark on it's pantherhead logo. The least profitable programs include Turbin and Anderson High School.

Despite how the spiritwear sells in these areas, Bigg's always donates 8 percent royalties towards each school. This means that 8 percent of spiritwear sales (based on the original price) is given to the school. So far, Bigg's has given approximately $42 thousand this school year to Cincinnati area schools. Of this share, Mason has recieved around $4,200.

Despite the revenues retained from this program, McHugh does not consider the sale of spiritwear to be a safe business venture.

"Retailers take risks by selling spiritwear," McHugh said. "High schools get a check in the mail, no matter if spiritwear sales are productive or don't sell at all. While Elder spiritwear may make a large profit, schools such as Lakota East and West, Turbin, and Anderson may require for us to make clearance markdowns."

Despite loss of profit, McHugh will continue the spiritwear program unless a high school partner wishes to stop. "[MHS principal] Dave Allen doesn't have to get a trademark for us to stop printing shirts," McHugh said. "He would just have to ask us to stop. I don't know if other stores will stop, but we will. We're here to serve the community. I would never jeopardize that by selling these tshirts."

School district hopes to protect logo from misuse Though the school district is interested in retaining the amount of money made by retail stores on spiritwear, this is not the key reason for trademarking the logo, according to Carson.

Instances of logo misuse on a t-shirt medium at other schools have inspired the district's concern over whether or not to trademark.

The issue is already being discussed among the Superintendent of Mason Schools Kevin Bright and MHS Athletic Director Scott Stemple. Both the school system and the athletic department wish to copyright two specific logos, one for the school and one for the athletic department.

According to Carson, Mason City Schools has discussed trademarking the "comet swoop" with the Mason M in the foreground. Though no plans have been made yet, Carson plans to meet with advisors to discuss the trademark.

"I think the administration's feeling is that the district is probably large enough that it makes sense to [copyright and trademark]," Carson said.

The question that challenges the idea of trademarking the Comet logo is whether or not the legal expenses associated with copyright and trademark are worth the profit reaped afterword. The cost of copyrighting for a school is around $3,000, not including legal expenses, which is part of the reason why the school district is hasty in approaching this venture, according to Carson.

The other objection to trademarking the logo includes monitoring the use of the Mason blockhead logo. While most colleges police the use of trademarked gear with vigor, this act is more difficult for high schools. Carson is still questioning how the district would watch the

logo's use, and which situations would be cause of a lawsuit.

Events such as 5/3 Bank creating rally towels with Mason logos or bakeries making graduation cakes with logos are acceptable, according to Carson. Though the main initiative to trademark has been the fear of it being used in an unflattering way, no instances of this have been seen in the district yet.

Stemple looks to unify community through trademark With at least five different Mason logos in circulation, it's no wonder why trademarking the school logo has become one of Stemple's main goals this year. He hopes to create a uniform Comet logo and color. According to Stemple, Mason is one of the only school districts he has seen in his 23 years in education which has a variety of different school colors, logos, and Block M's.

"Once you've found a color, you must stick with it. It complicates things to have different colors and logos," Stemple said. "The more people you have associated with a logo unifies [the community]. When you have diversity in logos, it's not as impactful. You wear a uniform on teams for a reason. To be unified."

Some agree with Stemple and believe that the copyright would ultimately unify a community and represent a school district. However, other more artistic-minded students may not agree with having only one choice in spiritwear.

"Mason is about diversity and having one color and one logo would make every shirt the same. I like having all the different shirts and colors. It would be boring to look at just one shirt on everyone, and the school would make less money because no one would want to buy it," senior Amanda Armstrong said.

High School trademark issues seen nationally Mason is not the only school whose growth has enticed popular chain stores to create merchandise under their name. Two years ago, Glenvar High School in Salem, Virginia experienced a conflict with Walgreens, after Walgreens made an agreement with athletic director Art Lawrence to sell merchandise with their Highlander logo embroidered on it and donate 5 percent of proceeds to GHS. The merchandise ranged from $5.99 to $24.99, and a sign next to the merchandise stated that 10 percent of the merchandise would go to GHS. The merchandise was sold at 27 stores across the state, but no percentage of the profit was given to GHS over a period of two years.

There have also been conflicts between high schools and universities sharing similar logos.

The Riverside High School Beavers in Painesville, Ohio were forced to recreate the design of their high school logo because Oregon State University claimed that it was too similar to their copyrighted design.

High Schools such as Riverside and Glenvar have both experienced the problems associated with allowing their school’s logo to be public domain. This situation of possible problems resulting from being generous with local businesses is what seems to be the real reason Mason needs to copyright, according to Collias.

"Copyrighting and trademarking the school logo would give the Comet Zone some safety," Collias said. "It would allow us to try to retain some profit.”

October 27, 2006

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chronicleeditorials

October 27, 2006

STAFF POLICY The Chronicle is the official student newspaper of William Mason High School. The Chronicle is produced by students enrolled in Journalism I, II, and III. Editorials reflect the staff’s opinion but do not neccesarily reflect the opinions of the school administration or the Mason City School District.

The Chronicle is published monthly.

Call 398-5025 ext. 33110 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, obscentiy, clarity, and poor taste. Letters to the editor may be dropped off in room C110 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 Journalism Association for Ohio Schools.

CONTACT INFORMATION The Chronicle William Mason High School 6100 S. Mason Montgomery Rd. Mason, Ohio 45040 398-5025

THE CHRONICLE STAFF Editor Olga Borodulin Associate Editor Stephanie Visscher Editorial Cartoonist Peter Springsteen Distribution/Circulation Manager Michelle Rotbart Business Manager Caroline Johnson Staff Photographers Michelle Rotbart Shea Davidson

staff editorial

Pleading ignorance is simply not a good defense We've had assistant principal Tim Keeton's Big Three or Four rules told to us countless times in a musty auditorium with varying groups of whispers, depending on whether it was an athletic group or a class speech.

We've had the same small disposable Handbook that usually ends up being two times lighter after the rules in the beginning are ripped out. We've had the same reminders from teachers on pills, bookbags in the classroom, cell phones, and mini-skirts. And we can't even begin to count how many times we've heard threats on not parking in the visitor's section.

Yet every year, in almost every high school in America, students plead with administrators that they didn't know. But oftentimes the problem isn't that the students didn't know the rules. It's that they were willing to take the chance to get caught without worrying about the possibility of actually being caught.

A poll of 200 MHS students taken by The Chronicle on September 13, 2006 posed the

letters to the editor

Technical and Graphic Assistants Peter Springsteen Beth Lipton Staff Writers Drew Allen Shea Davidson Stephanie Denzel Beth Lipton Kirsten McCafferty Amanda Miller Caroline Johnson Candice Philpot Jeremy Powers Coleman Sanders Rachel Slezak Peter Springsteen Jeff Stephens Sharon Stewart Morrison Tracy Danielle Williams Spencer Webb Tricia Wolford

department, which results in a long and treacherous road to proving your innocence as a childish teenager. Your liability for your actions, however, is a bullet that you will have to take.

Don't force a bullet on yourself. Take an extra five minutes and drop off any pills with the nurse so you can take it with permission.

Park where you're allowed to park and walk a little farther. For the sake of being respectable and to avoid write-ups, don't wear the skirt that you know will show more than what's necessary. Don't take pictures on your cell phone that you know are inappropriate.

Don't take your cell phone out during class.

However, if you are going to break the rules, then don't try to pretend that you didn't know because the contract tucked away in Keeton's cabinet is engraved with your signature. Your signatures validates that not knowing is no longer an excuse.

Opinions are like a.....

We’ve all got ‘em

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0 Adviser Mr. Dale Conner

question of how many students actually read the rules before signing the legally binding contract in their handbook, which stated that they and their parents read through the Handbook. There were the promising few who had read it. Unfortunately for Mason High School, the promising few are about 6 percent. The other 94 percent either forged the parent signature, had their parents sign an inconsequential piece of paper without reading it, or simply forgot to turn the contract in.

Despite how long it takes for the contract to make it into Keeton's hands, the ink on the contract is binding. Although teenagers aren't regarded as adults in a federal sense, the signature of a parent allows for the permission for MHS to regard students as adults. This is something that students seem to misunderstand. Although you must be eighteen to be tried as an adult in a state jury, you don't have to be eighteen to receive serious punishment from the school. All that's needed is the administration's backing to involve the police

The % of people with an opinion.

The % of people who like to complain.

The % of people who like to complain to other people.

The % of people who do something about it.

The opinions vs. actions study

The % of people who write letters to the editor.

The % of people who are welcome to write a letter to the editor.

This unscientific poll was conducted by The Chronicle’s staff of number crunchers.

October 27, 2006

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chronicleopinions

Intelligence versus a social life is a choice, not a personality trait The test in front of me, my calculator blank, my pencil furiously scribbling in hopes of making an accurate calculation, I trance out of my testing mode to lament my choice to take AP Chemistry. The bell

By OLGA BORODULIN rings and I've yet to attempt three probEditor lems. I turn in my test hoping that the other answers were right, but truly not knowing whether or not I did well. I look at the homework on the board before leaving: a take-home test. You would think that my next bell should be at least somewhat easier. Well I guess if AP Calculus is easier, then my next bell is a breeze.

I'm not describing my day for sympathy, rather to explain the question that poses itself almost every late night of doing homework and every day during an intense test. I ask myself what life would be like if I took easier classes, didn't participate in after-school athletics and clubs and didn't take on so much responsibility.

The answer would be that I would get at least seven hours of sleep every night, not have to cram studying for tests, and have a much more prolific social life outside of athletics and clubs. I'd probably be able to attend events during weekdays and miss days of school without worrying about how much work I'll have. I'd have no expectant glances

from others for words of wisdom and no large responsibilities that leave me worried. I wouldn't have to try to pay attention while doing homework in class in order to lighten the load for that night. It seems obvious that not being involved, not having difficult courses, and not worrying would make my life a bit simpler.

But as soon as the question is asked, I wonder if I could be that person. The person who doesn't have responsibilities, who sits quietly and doesn't try to stand out, who doesn't take on leadership, and who isn't involved. I wonder if I could accept doing well being average as opposed to working as much as possible to be superior. The answer, too, seems obvious.

I couldn't be that person. I'd rather have been involved, worked too hard, lost sleep, failed in my endeavors, and had a lack of a proper social life, than to have never reached my potential. This sacrifice is one many students must make and will have to make later in life.

Students will be forced to choose between the professional and the personal, and which weighs more heavily in their lives. Though I couldn't be an uninvolved person doesn't make it wrong to be that person. It just means that those people have sacrificed other characteristics in order to lead the life they have.

However, if you do choose to sacrifice hard work and possible superiority for standard work, then don't blame it on the idea that you aren't smart enough for those classes. Nobody sitting in my AP Chemistry class (besides Mr.

Ennis) is smarter than you. They are, however, more motivated. I cringe when I hear people say that the reason they didn't take a difficult class was because they weren't smart enough. It's not about being smart. It's about personal sacrifice. It's about testing yourself and your time constraints. Take it from somebody who has been in AP classes, it's not a circle of the chosen ones. We're all just trying to work as hard as possible to do well. Some do better, and some do worse, but everyone tries.

Perhaps this is the reason for my frustration with those individuals who think AP classes require a certain level of intelligence, not integrity. Or the reason may be that I have friends whose intelligence was never discovered because they never tested it. It may be that I've known people who were meant to be involved and lead others who never led. It may be that I've seen people gain acclaim for their insight and be put onto a pedestal which no one thought they could reach.

Whatever the reason for my dismay, my hope is that our underclassmen may realize that nothing hinders them from their potential, except possibly themselves. And to my fellow seniors, I hope that your future aspirations may inspire you to be the best in your field, or at least strive to be. As for me, I'll continue to cram for AP Chemistry tests that may baffle me at times.

Nevertheless, I won’t regret having tried.

Our House should remind students of grammar’s role It was supposed to be a spirited declaration. "Whose house?" the front of the tshirt is supposed to ask.

"Our house," the back emphatically answers.

Maybe if everything had gone as planned that's all it would have been. However,

By RACHEL SLEZAK because of a miniscule grammatical Staff Writer error, in certain circles these shirts are considered the laughingstock of Mason High School.

It's not clear who was at fault, but somewhere between the initial conception of the tshirts and their production, the text morphed into "Who's house" on the front and "Our house," on the back. In a common grammatical error, the possessive adjective "whose" was confused with the conjunction for "who is."

Of course such blatant disregard for the rules of grammar and punctuation was a disgrace to our fine institution, so a change had to be made. Rather than pay to print entirely new shirts containing the word "whose," it was ingeniously decided that the words "in the" should be inserted between "who's" and "house."

This did succeed in making the front of the shirt grammatical, but it alienated the words on the back. When someone asks "who's House," the expected response would tell who House is. The answer "our house" is completely irrelevant because it is still trying to answer a question that never existed because of the error.

As a self-proclaimed nerd, I'm pretty excited about this development making punctuation so mainstream. The fact that so many people were distracted is proof that grammar does matter. In order for people to take others seriously, they have to make sure they don't have errors like this that everyone can see.

While it is impossible for all grammar to be correct all the time, when one is about to print something that will reach the whole school, it is important to take pains to ensure that everything can be easily understood and mistakes are limited. This is especially true when the words you write will be clearly visible being worn by Mason students. In this case, there were only four words, so each word carried significant weight.

Although it is embarrassing that someone involved with the shirts doesn't understand the role of the apostrophe in the English language, this mistake is only a grammatical one.

Even those of us who take pride in making

sure we don't end our sentences with prepositions and who are conscious of comma splices will come to realize in time that life can continue with one wrong word. Though the grammatical structure of the t-shirts ended up a little weird and incorrect, it is still clear that the shirts are trying to stir up feelings of Comet pride. Though there is no question mark, it's clear that a question is being asked.

Though the jokes and the controversy promise to die out, it would still be wise to remember this fiasco in the future. As the administration continually reminds us with respect to pictures on the Internet and conduct within sports teams, we all represent Mason High School. Regardless of how many people are secure enough in their grammar to wear them, these shirts are a symbol for the entire student body. As distressing as that may be to some, I think this is fitting.

At Mason, nobody is perfect or completely effective at communication, but we are energetic and dedicated. When there is a problem, some means, however outlandish, will be taken to fix it. Maybe in the future our spirit will be applied to more than just football games and pep rallies, but to grammar as well.

feedback Will the Comets be able to compete in the Greater Miami Conference?

“It won't be different; we'll still be able to dominate.”

Patrick Koman Sophomore

"Our first year is not going to be very good.

There's a chance we might get better over time in soccer.

But in football we'll get murdered."

tant bills regarding both issues may come before Congress during the next terms of the senators running for office. If you sit out on this election, you’re giving up your power for your voice to be heard when a senator is asked to make a policy about these issues.

Most likely, most of us can't be in Washington to stage rallies or protests every time controversial bills are brought before the Senate. However, voting gives us an indirect chance to have our say.

The past few years it has been frustrating to watch as the policies that I firmly disagree with are passed into law. I disagree with a lot of what is currently happening in the government, but feel that for the longest time my views have been silenced. Now that I'm 18years old, it’s a good feeling to know I could be part of either keeping a good candidate in office or shooting down the policies of a bad one. My candidate may not win and laws I support may not get passed. But that's the beauty of democracy. My disappointment is

another's success at implementing change.

The power to vote is also a huge responsibility. You aren't truly letting your voice be heard if you let others tell you what to think about candidates. Don't listen to "attack ads."

Just because the Senator Joe supposedly doesn't support troops doesn't mean the other candidate will. Or maybe their reason for voting down tax relief makes sense if you would research further than clips on the television.

You only get to cast one vote, don't let the television cast it for you. For unbiased information, search each candidate on The Cincinnati Enquirer and Pulse Journal’s websites. The websites for each candidate also provide great information on what they stand for (just be careful to read between the lines).

Of course everyone has rights in this country. But in my opinion, if you sit at home on election day you lose one of them: the right to complain about policies you did nothing to try to change.

“It'll be hard to win league, but it will be more of a test.”

Danielle Crotty Senior

“Our schedule for this year will prepare us for next year.”

Matt Lucky Senior

Lauren Custis Sophomore

"We'll be fine. "We already We have a lot run against the GMC teams of if depth on so there will our team." be little Courtney Gunn Senior difference."

Mike Dezenzo Junior

Students have the opportunity to change national policy through vote There are two conversational topics I've been told to avoid at all costs: religion and politics. Yet sometimes it is unavoidable as heated debates about issues such as the President's policies and the war in Iraq frequent my lunch

By STEPHANIE VISSCHER table. Sure, part of Associate Editor it has to do with the fact that we all are a little too opinionated for our own good. But I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that each of us has a political issue we really care about. This is why it is important that eligible students vote for their voice in congress this November.

I'm not going to say how I feel about abortion or same-sex marriage, but I think it's important for people who have strong feelings about these issues to realize that impor-

7

“I think we'll “We'll be better be able to because there compete but will be preswith our sure put on us schedule we'll to compete on have some higher levels.” tough games.”

Veronica Chad Kline Senior

Kopaygorodsky Junior

compiled by Michelle Rotbart

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T U O T GE A no-nonsense guide to some of the clubs and activities that you can !

E get involved in Mason High School THER

Student Government (STUGO) What's it all about?

Student Government is a student leadership organization in which students organize several service and social activities for MHS students, staff, and the community. STUGO is divided into five comMueller mittees: Spirit, Student Activities, Service, Staff Appreciation, and Fundraising.

Who can join? Any MHS student who is academically eligible for athletics is eligible to participate in Student Government. Registration forms must be completed to join.

How much time does it require? You must attend two committee and one group meeting a month and are required to participate in all student government-sponsored activities.

For more information contact Ms. Maria Mueller.

Academic Team What's it all about? The Academic Team is a FAVC competition. Students work as a team to answer questions in areas such as Physical and Life Science, American and British literature, Geography, World History, Government, Fine Arts and general knowledge.

Who can join? Anyone can join and will be placed on the varsity or junior varsity team.

How much time does it require? There are two meetings after school every week starting in October. After school meets on Wednesdays will begin in December.

For more information contact Ms. Debbie Cummings Future Teachers of America (F.T.A.) What's it all about? FTA is a club designed for potential future teachers. Club members will volunteer time once a week at one of the other Mason schools. While there, members will assist teachers or work with one-on-one tutoring.

Who can join? Everyone is welcome!

How much time does it require? Meetings are once a month plus weekly shadowing or tutoring.

For more information contact Ms. Sue Ellen Radcliffe Ambassadors Club What's it all about? Mason High School Ambassadors are friendly, responsible students who have committed to helping new students feel like true Comets.

Who can join? Students wanting to help others who are involved in at least one other after school activity.

How much time does it require? Meetings are once a month plus monthly outings.

For more information contact Ms. Betsy Carras National Art Honor Society (NAHS) What's it all about? The NAHS is a program for high school students with the purpose of inspiring and recognizing those who have shown an outEichner standing ability in art.

The NAHS also strives to bring art education to the attention of the school and community through community service projects.

Who can join? Students with a proven commitment to art, 3.5 grade average in art classes, outstanding ability in art, and strength of character.

How much time does it require? NAHS members are expected to attend a meeting once a month plus additional community service hours and projects.

For more information contact Ms. Liesa Eichner Amnesty International What's it all about? Amnesty International members consist of people who are committed to promoting peace, justice, and equality throughout the world. Amnesty is internationally respected for its contributions in reducing torture and abuse in hundreds of societies.

Amnesty International continued...

Who can join? Anyone with a passion for helping others around the world.

How much time does it require? There are generally two meetings each month.

For more information contact Ms. Abigail Gist

Comets In Action (CIA) What's it all about? CIA is a group designed for students of all abilities to get together during and after school for fun, social activities. If you like to have fun and help people, this is the club for you.

Who can join? Students who relate or would like to learn to relate to their peers with varying ability levels.

How much time does it require? Meetings take place one Thursday each month.

For more information contact Ms. Alison King and Ms. Shannon Branciforte.

CSI Club What's it all about? The CSI Club meets once a month to discuss various aspects of forensic science. We will review CSI episodes, analyze criminal cases, and much more.

Who can join? Anyone!

How much time does it require? Meetings are once a month For more information contact Ms.Carol Lehman.

Paintball Club What's it all about? The Paintball Club meets on Saturday mornings a couple of times a month at area paintball facilities.

Who can join? Any student.

How much time does it require? There is one mandatory meeting held to discuss the rules. All other activities are optional trips to area paintball facilities.

For more information see Mr. Jerry Schrock.

Spotlight on...

Modern Music Appreciation Club Advisor of the new Modern Music Appreciation Club Fred Reeder described the group as the "Behind the Music Club." "[The goal is] to look at artists and their lyrics and the impact on our lives," Reeder said.

Members will look at different genres of Reeder music and compare them. At the first meeting the group discussed the music of The Beatles.

"We look for commonalties among the different genres and that in general rappers and punk rockers are saying the same thing," Reeder said. "We should appreciate the differences."

Multicultural Club What's it all about? Multicultural Club is a students' organization designed to promote diversity among the student population at MHS. Who can join? Anyone interested in learning about and appreciating different cultures.

How much time does it require? There are meetings and outings throughout the year.

For more information contact Ms. Margaret McKinnon and Ms. Storey Mecoli.

Modern Music Appreciation Club What's it all about? The Modern Music Appreciation Club will meet and choose albums to listen to in advance. The music, lives and lyrics of the artist or anything else relating to the album will be discussed.

Who can join? Everyone is welcome!

How much time does it require? Meetings are on every other Monday.

For more information contact Mr. Fred Reeder.

Helpers of People Everywhere (H.O.P.E) What's it all about? HOPE is a community service club that finds opportunities to serve others.

Who can join? Everyone who has a desire to help others is welcome.

How much time does it require? Meetings are twice a month plus community service activities you decide to participate in.

For more information contact Ms. Monica Schneider.

Stock Market Game Club What's it all about? The Stock Market Game gives students the chance to invest a hypothetical $100,000 in a real-time portfolio. Check out the games Website at http://stockmarketgame.org.

Who can join? Everyone is welcome. Teams can have up to four members.

How much time does it require? There are two sessions for this game, one in the fall and one in the spring. During each session there is about one meeting per week.

For more information contact Mr. Mark McCormick.

American Sign Language Club What's it all about? This organization tries to expand students' knowledge of ASL and participates in activities such as Silent Dinners, Silent Weekends, Language Labs and ASL performance nights Who can join? Any student who wants to learn sign language and is interested in learning about the deaf community.

How much time does it require? There is one meeting every other week.

For more information contact Ms. Christine Thieman.

National Honor Society What's it all about?

NHS is a national organization for individuals with the following qualities: scholarship, service, leadership, and character.

The goal is promote character, scholarship, leadership and service in Shuba the school and community environment.

Who can join? Students who have a weighted GPA of 3.65 and have completed one trimester at Mason will receive an invitation to seek membership in NHS. Students are eligible for induction during the spring of their sophomore and junior years.

How much time does it require? There is one meeting per month plus the time it takes to fulfill community service requirements. It is expected that all members participate in club projects (Talent Show and Pasta for Pennies).

For more information contact Ms. Barb Shuba.

Mason High School Honor Society What's it all about? MHSHS is a local organization for students with scholarship, service, leadership and character.

Who can join? Students who have a GPA of 3.0 at the end of their 8th grade year or at the end of any trimester at the high school will receive an invitation to seek membership in MHSHS. How much time does it require? There is a meeting once a month plus community service hours.

Mason High School Honor Society continued..

For more information contact Ms. Liesa Eichner Speech & Debate Forensic Team What's it all about?

The Forensics Team (speech & debate) is an extra-curricular organization which focuses on the art of competitive public speaking, debating, and oral interpretation of litDonahue erature.

Who can join? Everyone is welcome.

How much time does it require? As much as you want to put in to it, plus weekend tournaments.

For more information contact Ms. Melissa Donahue.

Vicissitude (Literary Magazine) What's it all about? Help put together and publish MHS's very own literary magazine!

Students will be asked to help solicit submissions, participate in fund-raising events, advertise for the magazine, help edit and layout submissions, and attend meetings on a regular basis.

Who can join? Anyone with an interest and talent in writing and working as a team is welcome to fill out an application.

How much time does it require? Meetings are usually once a month during the first trimester and become more frequent during second trimester. Time is especially demanding for those in leadership roles during the third trimester.

For more information contact Ms. Patricia George.

Intramural Broomball What's it all about? Broomball is a unique sport that it is played on ice with no skates, only shoes. The rules and objectives are similar to hockey. Helmets, sticks, and broomballs provided. Games are played at SportsPlus.

Who can join? Everyone is welcome to play during the fall and spring seasons!

How much time does it require? Games are Thursdays from 3:30 pm and 5:30 pm at SportsPlus.

For more information contact Mrs. Jill Mignery.

Art Club What's it all about? This is an organization that tries to expand the students' interaction and connection to the visual arts beyond the school and into the community through special art activities and lessons and organized trips.The Art Club tries to bring the best our students have to offer to the community through various art based community service projects.

Who can join? Anyone!

How much time does it require? There are monthly meetings in addition to time spent working on special projects.

For more information contact Ms. Liesa Eichner.

Mason Table Tennis Club What’s it all about? This club meets after school in the commons to play table tennis.

Who can join? The Mason Table Tennis Club is open to any table tennis lover.

How much time does it require? The club will meet twice a week from November to February.

For more information contact Mr. Ken Whitney.

Photo Club What's it all about? The Photo Club goes on two field trips each trimester to take photos and gives students an opportunity to work in the darkroom on their own projects after school.

Who can join? Anyone who has completed Photo I can join!

How much time does it require? Meetings are once a month.

For more information contact Mrs. Tina Roberts.

Outdoor Club What's it all about? This informal club is for students who enjoy canoeing, rock climbing, hiking and serving the community.

Who can join? Anyone who loves the outdoors.

>> CONTINUED ON PAGE 9

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T U O T GE A no nonsense guide to some of the clubs and activities that you !

E can get involved in Mason High School THER

>> CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8 Outdoor Club continued...

How much time does it require? Students may attend as many or as few trips as they wish.

For more information contact Mr. Kyle Warren.

Radio Club What's it all about? Our goal is to have an FM radio station for Mason High School. Fundraising events will include a Battle of the Bands and various other events. The King group will be making connections with local people and businesses.

Who can join? Students interested in radio production.

How much time does it require? Meetings are on Tuesdays and Thursdays. There is also some work done outside of the meetings.

For more information contact Mr. Collin King.

Science Fiction ~ Sci/Fi What's it all about? Members of Sci-Fi will be able to watch classic Sci-Fi movies as well as newer ones. We discuss science versus fiction and whether there is truth and evidence in the concepts or ideas of the movies.

Who can join? Academically eligible students who love Science Fiction.

How much time does it require? There are two meetings each month.

For more information contact Ms. Sue Ellen Radcliff.

Jazz Band continued..

Thursday at 4:30 pm.

For more information contact Mr. Robert Bass.

¡Pura Vida!

What’s it all about? Come enjoy leanring about Spainish and Latino cultures, meet new friends and practive your spoken Spainish.

Who can join? All students are invited!

How much time does it require? The club meets the first and third Thursday of each month. Come when you are able.

For more information contact Ms. Debbie Perry.

Chess Club What's it all about?

Chess club is a place for students to play and enjoy chess with their peers. All skill levels, including beginners, are welcome.

Who can join? Any Mason student interested in Chess.

How much time does it require? There are no requirements for attendance at meetings, however interscholastic team members are required to attend one meeting per week and all matches and tournaments during the competitive season.

For more information Mr. Mark Meibers.

Science Fair What's it all about? Students devise their own science fair topics and work through the scientific method. In the end, they present their results to judges in written and oral formats at the local science fair in February. Based on their performance, students may go on to the district, state and/or international science fair level.

Who can join? Any student that is interested in science can participate in the Science Fair!

How much time does it require? As much time as it takes to research and complete your project.

For more information contact Ms. Jill Mignery.

Jazz Band Who can join? First session is open to all students who play a jazz instrument. Second session is available by audition only. It is more of an advanced class.

How much time does it require? First session meets once a week on Tuesdays at 2:30. Second session meets twice a week on Tuesday and

Dodgeball Club What's it all about? This club is designed to involve students in the competitive yet friendly and fun environment of dodgeball. Students will learn the rules of the game, and compete against teams made up of other students.

Who can join? Any student who wants to play.

Teams of up to six are welcome.

How much time does it require? Games will be held once a week after school starting in spring.

For more information contact Mr. Dan Distel.

Drama Club What's it all about? Students attend social events together and work as crew or cast members of school productions. The club also attends regional and state conferences.

Who can join? Any student at the high school who enjoys the performing arts.

How much time does it require? Participation in the club requires only monthly attendance at

Spotlight on...

Young Women’s Club The new Young Women's Club at Mason is something that photography teacher and advisor Tina Roberts has been considering for the past couple of years.

"I think young girls at the high school age tend to have self esteem issues," Roberts said. "They get lost in what to wear and who Roberts they're dating, and lose themselves in that."

According to Roberts the goal of the club is to help girls to figure out who they are.

"To help them have better self esteem and find out who they are as a young woman in today's world," she said.

Members will watch and discuss movies, welcome guest speakers, and also keep journals.

Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) Who can join? Everyone is welcome to participate.

What's it all about? The Fellowship of Christian Athletes is a national organization dedicated to spiritual growth and leadership training. FCA supHuff ports all Mason athletes, students and faculty.

For more information contact Mr. Rick Huff.

Science Olympiad What's it all about? Students will prepare for 23 science related events as dictated by the National Science Olympiad. Students will also participate in fund-raising activities and social events.

Who can join? Any student that is interested in science can belong to Science Olympiad. If a student wishes to be one of the 17 students on the competitive team, they will have to show the most commitment in terms of regular attendance and documented progress/contributions on events.

How much time does it require? Students will donate varying amounts of time depending on how committed they want to be. Members preparing for competition should expect to put in more time.

For more information contact Ms. Aimee Hansen.

Wrestling Clubcontinued..

How much time does it require? Practices are every Tuesday and Thursday in the spring.

For more information contact Mr. Craig Murnan.

German Club What's it all about?

German Club is a fun opportunity for students to celebrate German culture. Some activities include watching movies in German, celebrating holidays and taking trips to restaurants and festi-

Jurewicz vals.

Who can join? Any high school student interested in German culture.

How much time does it require?

The German Club meets once a month, normally the last Monday of the month from 2:20 until end of meeting, which lasts approximately 1 to 1/12 hours. Meetings are held in Mrs. Jurewicz's room. Meetings will begin in September and run until May. For more information contact Ms. Melissa Jurewicz.

meetings plus ten hours of theater work per trimester.

For more information contact Mr. Allen Young.

Mason Equestrians What's it all about? Club members meet to discuss horses and plan activities. We plan trips to Equine Affair, The Kentucky Horse Park and other equine events. We hope to begin some community service goals as well. Fund-raising to help pay for our activities is also included in club activities.

Who can join? The club is open to any student interested in sharing experiences, knowledge and a love for learning more about horses. Students do not have to own their own horse.

How much time does it require?

There are one or two after-school meetings each month.

For more information contact Ms. Audrey Gorman .

Math Team

Skateboard Club How much time does it require? One meeting per month What's it all about? This club is for skateboarders, roller bladers and those with interest in either of these activities. Students will meet to discuss these extreme sports and to encourage each other to improve.

Who can join? Any student with an interest in skateboarding and rollerblading.

For more information contact Ms. Melanie Milligan.

Wrestling Club What's it all about? Learn Freestyle and GrecoRoman wrestling techniques, drills, and competition. Fun is stressed.

Who can join? Any high school student

What's it all about? The Math Team is designed for students who enjoy mathematics and are interested in broadening their understanding of math. Students will be able to participate in math Blask competitions, explore careers in mathematics and work on fun math puzzles and brainteasers.

Who can join? Everyone is welcome!

How much time does it require? There are two meetings a month plus math competitions.

For more information contact Mr. Eric Blask.

Mason Skippers - Jump Rope Team What's it all about? Come join a growing and exciting sport and get in on the ground floor as we develop a competition/demo jump rope team here in Mason. This sport is a great cardio exercise and aids in muscle development, coordination and endurance. We will compete at the regional and national levels and possibly the Junior Olympics. We will also do demonstrations that promote the sport at schools, festivals and various other venues.

Who can join? Anyone in any grade can join!

How much time does it require? Practice will be twice a week in the fall and three times a week in the spring.

For more information contact Mike or Carmen Simpson at 398-9096 Film Club

What's it all about?

Members of Film Club will screen films, both classic and recent releases in a variety of genres and nationalities.

Following the film, students will discuss the issues and themes raised Allen in the film as well as the artistic aspects of the film.

Who can join? Students must be academically eligible to attend meetings.

How much time does it require? Meetings are twice a month.

For more information contact Mr. Thurman Allen.

Knitting Club What's it all about? This club is for any knitting or crochet lovers, or those that want join in the hottest trend! Learn new techniques or just hang out as you work on your latest project.

Who can join? Students who enjoy knitting or crocheting or would like to learn.

How much time does it require? Meetings are two Tuesdays month. Comes as often as you like. For more information see Ms. Monica Schneider.

Comets for Christ What's it all about? A club focused on teaching and equipping students with new techniques or strategies from the Bible, speakers, and videos in order to help them better share their faith with others.

Who can join? Anyone!

How much time does it require? Meetings are every other Monday for an hour.

For more information contact Ms. Beth Killian.

Law Enforcement Club What’s it all about? Work more with Officer Nelson to learn about law enforcement and participate in simulations.

Who can join? Everyone is invited!

How much time does it require? Meetings will be bi-monthly. Devote as much time as you would like.

For more information see Mr. Paul Reedy.

Didn't see anything you like? Want to start your own club?

Many of the clubs that you have read about here have been because students wanted to start a club. All you need a is a teacher sponsor and a solid idea and you just might have the beginning of a new club.

Allen Remember all clubs must have a sponsor and need to be approved by the school board. Many of the new clubs over the years have been started by students.

Who do I contact about starting a club?

Ms. Lori Allen can can get you started.

Where can I find her?

To begin a new club see Ms. Lori Allen in the Guidance Wing. Her office is in room A62 or you can go to MasonComets.org for a registration sheet.

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THE

Hubley Driving School

STUDENT OF THE MONTH

Tong Zhan Class: Sophomore In-School accomplishments: GPA 4.24 Teacher Awards: Honors Algebra II, Physical Science, and Honors World History during freshman year.

Science Olympiad State Qualifier in 20052006 year 2nd Place Fermi Questions-state Science Olympiad Out of school accomplishments: Blue Ash Youth Symphony Orchestra (BAYSO) member American Mathematics Competitions (AMC 10) State Winner 3rd Place-Ohio Math League 1st Place-OCTM Math Contest 3rd Place-OHMIO Math Contest USA Mathematical Olympiad qualifier Math Olympiad Summer Program (MOP) Qualifier

5606 Tylersville Road Mason, Ohio 754-8652

Personal Quote: "Hard work, persistence, and learning from failure. These are the only secrets to success."

Favorite Classes: AP History Any Math class Future plans/Goal: Go to a good college and major in Mathematics, Computer Science, or Finance Teacher Quote: "[Tong] Goes above and beyond what is expected of him…creating team websites, researching additional competitions, [and] helping other team members with problems."

-Eric Blask, Math Teacher, Math Team Advisor

Hubley Driving School

5606 Tylersville Road Mason, Ohio 754-8652

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HOMECOMING LOOKING BACK

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Headin’ down a new road Comets will exit FAVC to join Greater Miami Conference in ‘07 beneficial for Mason's athletes but will also help them stand out among other schools.

"This is great promotion for our program and school district because of the higher level of competition the GMC brings to us night in and night In 1964 Mason helped out," Stemple said. establish the Fort Ancient Even though the conference switch moves the Comets into a more comValley Conference. Fortypetitive league, Stemple says expectations have never been higher in the two years later Mason now athletic program. looks in the rear-view mirror "Our goal is to win as many conference titles as we can," Stemple said. to find the FAVC behind it.

"Realistically, challenges do exist for us. Ultimately our goal is to win the New competition, new rivalAll-Sports Trophy because in Mason we strive for excellence in every ries and a new league await sport." the Comets next fall.

Stemple says the Comets' success in the FAVC will make the move to the Mason has been explorGMC easier. ing a move to the Greater Miami Conference "It's a good thing that we are for several years due to the districts used to winning because sucgrowth. Mason has an enrollment of 1,902 students in What they’re saying... cess breeds success," Stemple grades ten through twelve. Those 1,902 students make said. "Our kids, coaches, Mason larger than the next biggest school in the FAVC, administration and board memAnderson, by 768 students. Mason will be the third"If you don't prepare well and bring your best bers have found ways to make largest school in the GMC. Varsity football coach Gary effort, you will likely suffer a loss." success over the years. I don't Popovich believes the GMC will be a good fit for Mason. GMC commission Steve Shuck want the fans and members of "It's where we belong," Popovich said. "Besides the "We can't look at our schedthe district to change their winobvious schedule changes and everything, we have been ule and overlook anybody ning mindset at all. They need preparing for this move for a while. Our enrollment is anymore." Comet head to expect to win because we are just too big for the FAVC." going to breed winners even in GMC commissioner Steve Shuck agrees with Popovich football coach Gary Popovich the GMC." that Mason will be an excellent addition to the league.

"The biggest difference for Stemple says GMC member"Mason is a large school district that continues to ship will increase college scholgrow," Shuck said. "They were a part of a conference that Mason is that in most sports, the GMC offers no arship opportunities for Mason had smaller schools and that isn't the case with the Popovich 'automatic' wins.” athletes.

GMC." GMC commissioner Steve Shuck "Moving conferences puts us Mason is now a part of one of the highest ranked athon the map for Division I colletic conferences in Ohio; the Comets will see a vast dif"We play the pretty much the lege athletics," Stemple said. ference in competition, according to Shuck. entire GMC this season and "We will start to see more of "The biggest difference for Mason is that in most we have been playing those our athletes getting looks from sports, the GMC offers no 'automatic' wins," Shuck said. teams for several years. colleges because we are going "You must come to play every night if you expect to do We're ready to step in and up against teams with top well." compete for league titles recruits night in and night out."

Mason leaves behind six FAVC All-Sports trophies in from the start."

Boys varsity basketball the last 10 years including four in a row. Shuck described Comet head basketball coach Greg Richards has been a the GMC schedule as one of the most difficult from top Richards coach Greg Richards part of Mason in the FAVC to bottom in Ohio. since his playing days in high "You can't look at a schedule and know that you will school. win 60 percent of the games by just showing up," Shuck said. "If you don't "The FAVC has been very good to us for 40 plus years and now that we prepare well and bring your best effort, you will likely suffer a loss." are leaving, it's kind of sad to see us go," Richards said.

MHS athletic director Scott Stemple, knows the GMC's deep talent pool Richards played varsity athletics at Mason in 1974-1977. and believes that Mason's coaching staff will be ready to step up to the "It's funny to think that I was part of the original FAVC," Richards said. "I challenge. played when it was Mason, Kings, Clinton Massie, and all those old "As a coach, I never viewed any game as an 'automatic win,'" Stemple teams." said. "If you go into a game with that approach, you'll never reach your Richards addressed the fact that Mason moving is a big turn for the athgoals." letic department, but said it changes nothing for the way the basketball proIn the 10 combined FAVC contests between Amelia and Walnut Hills in gram will prepare. football, Mason is an undefeated 10-0 against both schools. The Comets "We're going to keep doing what we have been doing and we'll be fine," will not Richards said. "Our record against the GMC is above .500, so you can say encounter this that we have been pretty successful already." type of a situaThe Comets play eight out of 10 GMC schools this season in basketball. tion in the "We play the pretty much the entire GMC this season and we have been GMC, moving The transition to the GMC may be playing those teams for several years," Richards said. "We're ready to step away from the tougher on some sports than others in and compete for league titles from the start." considered but the Comets will a bring proud athMason's football team, which has won the FAVC three years in a row and "automatic letic tradition to the GMC. four of the last seven, will face new challenges in the GMC. wins" in every A strong Track and Field program "We have to step up our play because the GMC has the best competition in sport accordwill step right in and be among the town," Popovich said. "We have to continue to get better." ing, to conference’s best. For several years Popovich shrugged off any notion of added pressure in the GMC. Commissioner the boys basketball program has has "As a staff we are very confident," Popovich said. "The key as a coach is to Shuck. gone up against GMC schools in non-conference games and faired sell your kids on the fact that they can compete and we already understand "We can't look extremely well with an above .500 record. what the GMC is about and in order to win, the athletes have to believe but at our schedule Head swimming coach Mark Sullivan knows the GMC well. Under simple enough, we need and overlook Sullivan’s leadership at Sycamore the Aviators were among the dominant to sell what we believe anybody anyTrading places... teams in the city. During his tenure as Comet head coach Sullivan and from day one." more," Mason’s admission to the GMC was the Comets have dispatched of FAVC foes with little resistance. The Popovich says that Mason made a little easier when Milford decidPopovich said. move to the GMC is one that the Comets are ready to make. has set itself up for suc"Playing any ed to leave the Fred Reeder and the girls golf team is young and in their final year in cess in the GMC. team in the GMC and accept the FAVC went out in style dominating the league with a relative young "Every year we look at GMC is going an invitation to join group of golfers. The GMC competition will provide a new and welcomed ways to get better and to be a chalthe FAVC. The challenge for this talented group of young golfers. we're going to continue to lenge for us."

Eagles will begin Spring sports baseball and fastpitch softball have been competing with do that," Popovich said.

Stemple play in the FAVC in and defeating GMC opponents for the last few years. Fastpitch head "This is no culture shock believes jointhe ‘07-08 season. coach Brian Castner and his squad doesn’t shy away from any opponent because we have been ing the GMC taking on all comers and in most cases coming out on top. waiting for this.” is not only

By MORRISON TRACY Staff Writer

COLERAIN - The Cardinals have a nationally prominent football program that is rarely tested in league play. They have won two straight state championships, and have the Number 1 team in the state again this year.

Colerain has also been strong in girls cross country, and has been the top local challenger to Mason in recent years.

SYCAMORE - The Aviators are experiencing a resurgence in football this season under a new coach, and are likely playoff-bound.

The basketball program has been aboveaverage, and made a miracle run to the final eight of the state tournament three years ago. Current Mason swimming coach Mark Sullivan built Sycamore's program into a powerhouse before coaching the Comets.

MIDDLETOWN - Middletown probably has some of the richest tradition of all the schools in the GMC. Under legendary coach Paul Walker the Middies won five state mens’s basketball championships including an impressive streak where the Middies won 76 straight games.

Although they’re recently not as strong as in the past, the football program has produced incredible talent including receiver Cris Carter who played in the NFL after a tremendous career at Ohio State. In the past few years the track and field program has been one of the top programs in the state.

PRINCETON - The Vikings were a football powerhouse under legendary coach Pat Mancuso in the 1980s. They have had trouble, however, replicating that success recently. The school has become a basketball powerhouse for both boys and girls. Princeton ended Mason's season in last year's state boys basketball tournament.

OAK HILLS - The GMC's biggest school has not had athletic success proportionate to its enrollment advantage. The basketball program has struggled in recent years, despite fielding numerous Division I college prospects. The football team hired a new coach this year after years of mediocrity.

The girls volleyball team consistently finishes in the upper-half of the league.

LAKOTA WEST - The Firebirds' best sport is boys basketball.

Longtime coach Mike Mueller, who won a state title in 1990, has pushed the team to new heights.

Football has been inconsistent, but has been strong in the past three years. The girls volleyball program dominates league play. The Firebirds boast a strong soccer program on both the boy’s and girl’s side.

FAIRFIELD - The Indians dominated Greater Cincinnati Baseball in the 1980s, during a time when the community was similar to Mason. The second largest school in the GMC has struggled in all sports recently, and has been plagued by constant coaching turnover. Fairfield has changed coaches in football, basketball and baseball in the past two years.

LAKOTA EAST - After struggling mightily for many years, the boys basketball program has been among the city's best in recent years. Two years ago, the team was a favorite to advance to the state Final Four, but was upset in the first round. Football always contends for a second-place league finish. Girl’s basketball has yet to make name for itself. Boys and girls soccer are among the best programs in the city.

HAMILTON - While the football team has struggled , the boys basketball team won the State Title in 2004.

That year, the Big Blue handed Mason one of its most crushing losses ever in tournament play. The baseball program is a perennial state-title contender.

The GMC at a glance

“The new kid on the block”

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Some sports stuff we thought you might be interested in....

The FAVC you didn’t know about As you may know Mason is in the Fort Ancient Valley Conference. In fact the Comets are charter members of the conference dating back to its inception in 1964.

Back then, along with Mason, the league included teams like Clinton Massie, Blanchester, Little Miami, Springboro, and Waynesville. Over time the league has changed several times with additions like East Clinton in 1974 and Lockland in 1977.

In 1979 Middletown Madison even joined the ever expanding FAVC. Many teams have come and gone and for a while neighboring Lebanon joined the league before heading back to the Mid Miami League.

In the late 90’s the league split into two divisions to accomodate the growing Division I schools as well as the smaller schools. But that wasn’t the end of it. In 2003 Goshen informed the FAVC that they were heading to the Southern Buckeye Conference, a league comprised mostly of Clermont County Count Schools.

In 2006, the final year of Mason’s association with the FAVC (see story centerspread), the league exploded to include three divisions which look like this.

Buckeye Division Mason, Anderson, Winton Woods, Harrison, Loveland, Glen Este Cardinal Division Amelia, Kings, Little Miami, Turpin, Walnut Hills, Wilmington Scarlet Division Edgewood, Mount Healthy, Northwest, Norwood, Ross, Talawanda Have you even heard of some of these schools? Edgewood, Talawanda...where are they? Talawanda is in Oxford, home of Miami University, and Edgewood is in Trenton, a rural suburb of Butler County.

Actually many of these schools have very proud athletic traditions.

Edgewood has been a powerhouse in Division II football for several years with several state football play-off appearances.

Talawanda nestled in the friendly confines of a college town has produced several quality basketball teams that used to dominate the Mid Miami League. In the early 90’s Talawanda stunned a heavily favored Princeton Viking football team, a team that many people had penciled in to make a trip to the state finals, by making it into the Division I state football play-offs.

Bolstered by their tremendous growth in the last 10 years, Mason has dominated and outgrown the FAVC. But what exactly is Fort Ancient? The FAVC bears the name of Fort Ancient which is a major North American archaeological site, this National Historic Landmark features 3.5 miles of earthen walls enclosing mounds, gateways, and stone pavements built by the Hopewell Indians (100 B.C.–500 A.D.) and two agricultural settlements built centuries later by the Fort Ancient Indians (1000–1650 A.D.). Fort Ancient is actually a short drive from Mason on St. Rt. 350 in Oregonia.

An ancient Native American Next year Mason bolts artifact found at the FAVC for the chalFort Ancient. lenge of the Greater Miami Conference, a conference named after a big river, and Milford, who once participated in the GMC, will fill the Comet’s vacancy in the FAVC. This is just a little tidbit of information about the FAVC that we bet you didn’t know, and we bet you didn’t know the Fort Ancient Valley was so big. Or maybe the league is actually bigger than the valley.

photo by Shea Davidson

By MICHELLE ROTBART Chronicle Staff

Bengal wide receiver and kick returner Tab Perry answers questions while on the air with talk show host Lance McAllister.

Bengal fever sweeps through Mason cafe

Excitement buzzes through the crowd. All that can be heard is the din of voices, anxiously waiting for their heroes to approach. Then, "Welcome to the Jungle" blares over the intercom. The crowd jumps to their feet, applauding their idol's entrance. Chills go down the spines of all those watching. No, this isn't Paul Brown Stadium on a sunny September day.

These throngs of adoring fans can be found at Mason's Willie's Sports café every Friday afternoon, during the weekly Bengals Pep Talk radio show.

By DREW ALLEN Staff Writer

Willie’s Sports Cafe in Mason has become a hot spot for Bengal fans to rub elbows with some of their favorite players

Four years ago, this hype and furor of the fans was almost non-existent. In 2002, the Bengals had just endured their latest losing season of 2-14, and fans were calling for Dick Lebeau's pink slip. Enter Marvin Lewis, now regarded as the team's savior.

"If you go back to the pre-Marvin Lewis era, we had good crowds at the beginning because of the hype for the team and a new season," said Lance McAllister, host of the Bengals Pep Talk show. "Eventually, as the season wore on, the crowd began to be just family and friends.

At some points, you could yell into the restaurant and hear your voice echo."

However, since Marvin Lewis was named head coach, things have changed dramatically for the weekly radio show.

"Since Marvin came to this city, it's been an entirely different tone," McAllister said. "No longer is it depressing for us or the players [to do the show] because the restaurant is empty."

This sudden surge in fan interest that comes with a successful team has also benefited Willie's, one of six cafes throughout the Cincinnati area. "[September 8th] We had over 200 people show up," William Dudley, the general manager of Willie's, said.

"And as the Bengals keep doing better, business will continue to do better."

Two days before the Bengals were set to play the Browns, with Madieu Williams as the principal guest of the evening, Bengal fans congregated in full orange and black attire. T-shirts bearing anti-Steelers slogans and the ever popular Fear Da Tiger shirt seemed to be the dress code of the night. Fans brought large helmets, autographed footballs, and other collectibles, hoping to get an autograph from Madieu. However, no matter what they were wearing that day or carrying to be autographed, nearly all of them were there to feel some connection to their hometown team.

"This is a great way to get people to connect [to the Bengals]," McAllister said. "It's also a great way for people to see what's going on [with the team]. They're largely curious about it."

The show, which is broadcasted on 1530 Homer, has also provided unprecedented publicity for Willie's.

"Every time the radio [1530 Homer] makes an announcement [regarding the show], we get new customers and people from the community that didn't know we were here," Dudley said.

After just one week of the Bengals Pep Talk being hosted, fans showed up in enough force to warrant a move in the setup of the show.

"On the first night, we were stuck in the corner, right underneath the Blue Moon Sign," McAllister said. "But the bulk of our listeners couldn't see us, and we had people crowding right up to our desk."

Besides the recent successes of the Bengals and the overwhelming fan response to Marvin Lewis, McAllister also attributes the show’s popularity to other sources.

"Our guys are great interviews, and they're always personable," McAllister said. "We also get to have former players, and [Bengals] beat writers. It really helps to cover the entire spectrum."

On Sept. 15, only hours before the Bengals convincing win against their division and state rival the Cleveland Browns, talk centered around almost every topic conceivable. McAllister and Madieu made references to classic horror movie moments, bantered about the name of Madieu's now-famous dance (The Unofficial Swoop), and discussed the aggressiveness of Cincinnati's defense the previous week against the Chiefs. In the past, the show has also had its fair share of moments from the fans.

"One time last season, we had just gone to a commercial break, and this 82-year old woman came up to our table," McAllister said. "She asked to sing her own Bengals fight song that she had written into the microphone. I was apprehensive at first, but I let her. When she started, I was nervous, because I thought it was going to get kind of ugly. But she started singing, and at first, there was mixed reactions from the crowd. Then she sang it some more, and the entire restaurant started getting into it. We had a great response to it."

Outside of bizarre moments and conversation edging on the purely spontaneous, the Bengals Pep Talk has become the focal point of Bengals activity on Firdays, and this now resides in Mason. Fans converge here in Mason once a week to prep for the next big game, and they adamantly root for their hometown team.

"Having the Bengals here brings the Bengals into the community, and people from the area will come in and come together," Dudley said. "They get things signed and such, and get to see their favorite players."

"In the season it becomes a meeting point for fans in the community," McAllister said. "People leave work and school early to see us. It's become a sort of a priority for people on Fridays."

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Conversation A CONVERSATION WITH...

Mr. Scott Stemple, Mason High School Athletic Director

October 27, 2006

Girls tennis places doubles team at state

By KIRSTEN MCCAFFERTY Staff Writer The girls tennis team led by Fort Ancient Valley Conference Coach of the Year Carol Lehman, senior Amanda Downey, junior Ashley McCall, and sophomore FAVC Player of the Year Emily Pham won the conference for the first time since 1998.

After making it to state a year ago the doubles team of McCall and Pham advanced again this year. Joining them was the all-

FAVC Tennis standings Mason Anderson Loveland Harrison Winton Woods Glen Este

5-0 4-1 3-2 2-3 1-4 0-5

freshman doubles team of Lindsay Shaefer and Sso-rha Kang.

"It's really exciting," coach Lehman said. "To have two freshmen, that speaks loads."

After blazing their way through the opening rounds, McCall and Pham, who were defeated last year in the second round, dropped a closely contested semi-finals match to Christine and Nikki Chiricosta of Avon Lake 6-4, 6-3. The duo had to settle for fourth place when the fell to Dublin Jerome’s Caroline Farrar and Jessica Easdale 6-3, 6-2.

"I'm definitely happy with how we played, but I was hoping to win like everyone else," Pham said. "The good think is we played our best and hopefully next year we'll do better."

What are you looking forward to the most about Mason in the GMC? The thing that's exciting is that the GMC is such a high profile conference not only in the southwest but also in the state of Ohio. This is great promotion for our program and school district because of the higher level of competition the GMC brings to us night in and night out.

What is your goal first year in the GMC? Our goal is to win as many conference titles as we can, first year or not. Saying it realistically though, challenges do exist for us. Ultimately our goal is to win the All Sports Trophy, because in Mason we strive for excellence in every sport.

GMC commisioner Steve Shuck said, "There are no automatic wins in the GMC." What's your opinion on that?

As a former coach , I never viewed any game as an automatic win, and I think that if you go into a game with that approach, you'll never reach your goals. In the long run you will fall short. Our thought or mindset needs to be that we respect everyone, but fear no one in every game.

As an AD, do you feel it’s necessary to upgrade the way you train for the GMC? In some sports we need to upgrade but in the GMC we are going to see a different type of athlete that we haven't seen in the FAVC. Our goal is to continue to improve in training so we are able to continue to compete. We need to evolve with our competitors It’s not like we haven't been exposed to the competition but we need to have the endurance and mind set that we are facing top of the line programs every night.

We've gotten used to winning at Mason. How are we going to prepare our coaches and athletes to succeed in the GMC? (What does our mindset have to be?)

It's a good thing that we are accustomed to winning.

Success breeds success, our kids, coaches, administration, and board members have found ways to make success. I don't want the fans and members of the district to change their winning mindset at all.

They need to expect to win because we are going to breed winners.

What's the image associated with Mason being in the GMC? The image Mason gets is tremendous being a part of the GMC because this is a conference that produces a lot of high-profile scholarship athletes. The move is putting us among a special group of peers and people because now our athletes are associated with the best competition every night. It puts us in a position where our athletes get a better look from colleges because we are playing with those top recruits on a regular basis. We stack up much better now.

How does it feel to walk into a situation as an AD where we are making the transition to a higher conference like this?

The issue right now is going to the FAVC meetings for athletic directors and also having to go the GMC's meetings to make sure we keep pace with that conference. What I have to do is make sure we have a smooth transition while at the same time stay knowledgeable about our new affiliation.

- by Drew Allen, staff writer

Soccer team repeats as champs

By JEFF STEPHENS Staff Writer Defending a title in any sport is not a simple task, but for Mason High School's boys varsity soccer team, it seemed a breeze as they were crowned league champions for the second year in a row with a perfect record in the FAVC this season.

The season started slow with an opening record of 0-2-2 with only one goal in those first four games. The turning point came when the team defeated highly-ranked Lakota West with a score of 3-1. The win was a huge confidence boost for the team. Since the victory, the team has rallied to a record of 9-1-1.

"It is a wonderful accomplishment," coach Jay Reutter said.

Even though the Comets swept the league to a perfect record, the team had numerous struggles along the way. Several key players were sidelined due to injuries, including one of the team's three seniors. Peter Springsteen missed most of the season with an ankle injury, leaving seniors Spencer Tepe and Ryan Winkler to lead the team.

The question emerged as to whether or not there would be someone to stand up and take a leadership role for the team. Junior Niro Wimalasena quickly disposed of that question by taking on the task.

"He is without question our leader," Reutter said. "With so many young players, strong leadership is essential."

Before their league title in 2005, it had been 11 years since Mason's last league title.

"Back-to-back league titles are very significant for our program," Niro said. "Competition in the GMC next year will be a lot greater than in the FAVC, but it's great to leave the FAVC as league champs."

With 17 juniors on the team this year, there was speculation that this could have been a building year.

"Playing varsity soccer is a big jump from JV and there is a ton to learn," Reutter said. "My question this year was how quickly could we grasp how the varsity game is played and learn our system of play. The guys have done it very well."

photo by Dwight Huff

Senior Spencer Tepe was among those who helped step in and give the Comets leadership throughout the season.

Comets look to end season on winning note

Four in a row for Comet cross country team

By MORRISON TRACY Staff Writer

By JEREMY POWERS Staff Writer

The Mason Comets walk into tonight's game against Loveland looking to exit on a winning note. After a season hindered by injuries, the Comets are on the verge of bouncing back and ending the season with a 5-5 record. Despite the disappointing year, coach Gary Popovich is optimistic moving into week ten.

"We're finally getting some kids back that we have missed all season," Popovich said. "We're playing well and we had a good win homecoming weekend and I hope we continue that style of play into the final week of the season."

The Comets were dealt a big blow when two year starter senior quarterback Matt Koman was sidelined week one in a game verse Colerain. Koman suffered a neck injury which put the quarterback out for the first four games of the season, in which the Comets fell to 1-3 going into week five.

"Injuries are an excuse," Popovich said. "We, as a team, needed to adjust, play unselfish, and change our mindset when we go into games. As a coach I have learned a lot this year in dealing with the detrimental injuries."

Mason has shown its flashes of brilliance in games throughout their rollercoaster type season.

"We're barely .500 for a reason," Popovich said. "It's everybody because when we play our team game, we win every time. In all of our losses we played as individuals and this season we didn't find ways to win, we found ways to lose games down the stretch which has been the biggest difference from this season to last season."

Moving to the Greater Miami Conference next year will introduce Mason to new schools and new styles of play.

"I'm looking forward to playing new teams and seeing a new type of schedule," Popovich said. "As a coaching staff we need to rejuvenate and start fresh but overall we have a good group of returning kids minus the loss of some key seniors."

According to Popovich, the biggest thing for next years Comet squad will have to be the belief that the team can compete in the GMC. "Believing is the most important part," Popovich said. "Our ability to stay together as a team and improve week to week is going to make us or break us next season."

With the season coming to a close, Popovich finds the most impressive point of the season to be the ability to not blame others.

"Obviously its been disappointing for everyone but seeing our kids stay focused and not point fingers is so impressive," Popovich said. "Nobody blamed anybody for our ups and downs this season. Looking back, all I want to do is win our last game for next year’s sake."

For the fourth consecutive year, Mason High School’s girl cross country team has won the FAVC Buckeye title. The team edged out a talented Loveland squad to capture their 8th overall championship.

Junior runner Stephanie Chaney received Runner of the Year honors with a time of 19:12.55 on her 5K race.

"I feel really good. A lot of stress has been released with our victory," Chaney said.

Fourth year coach Kelly Affatato was selected as Coach of the Year. She has won the FAVC title all four years at the helm.

"I am flattered to have been voted Coach of the Year by my peers, but the most important part for me was that my athletes won the team title and Stephanie Chaney won the FAVC Champion," Affatato said.

The lady Comets have turned heads this season, upholding their reputation as one of the top teams to be dealt with, without their former star runner, 2006 graduate, Angela Bizzari.

"This year is not about the key runner, it's more of a team effort every race. Everyone thought we would be worse, which motivated us to be better," sophomore Emily Starsenic said.

As Chaney and the girls become prepared for district competition, the FAVC title will be in their minds, to help boost their confidence.

"We just want to keep getting better as the season comes to an end," Chaney said.

St. Ursula Academy, who is at number one in the city, and Colerain, who is at number four in the city, accompany Mason in the cross country Honor Roll for the greater Cincinnati area. The team has a strong record, a difficult schedule, and a conference championship, which will benefit them as they prepare for another run at a district and state cross country title. Affatato was very proud of her teams' success and optimistic about district competition this weekend.

"We've been having a really successful season. I think we can compete with most of the teams in our area. It should be an exciting few weeks," Affatato said.

October 27, 2006

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Chronicle candids

Comet golfers earn FAVC title Mr. Matula... why so glum?

If you think science teacher Rob Matula looks a little displeased, then you’re right.

Matula, a life long Pittsburgh Steeler fan, lost his bet with junior Brad Langford when the Bengals knocked off the Steelers on September 24. As a result, Matula had to wear a Bengal’s jersey to school the following day. photo by Jeremy Powers

The Comet Culture Grid How do the Comets fit in?

Who would sing a song about you?

KEVIN WEHBY Sr.,Football

Merle Haggard

MR. GARY POPOVICH Football Coach

STEPHANIE STARSENIC Sr., Cross Country

MR. PAUL REEDY Girls Soccer Coach

Prince

Ne-yo

Jack White

Kenneth Cole

New Balance

Addidas

RYAN WINKLER Sr., Boys Soccer

J’Style

Shoe company you would sign with?

I knock fools out with black Nikes on my feet.

Worst animal to be let loose on a plane?

A skunk would Tasmanian probably Elephant Baracudas Elephant Devil spray everyone.

Favorite artificial flavor?

Peaches & Creme

Last movie you saw in theatres?

What would you call your clothing line?

Invincible

Mohawk it (Like Tommy Z)

Cars

Men in Black

I am...

Iron Man

MRS. CAROL LEHMAN Girls Tennis Coach

Cool and the Gang

Addidas Gucci

Mountain Dew

Fun

chroniclesports 19

Raspberry.

I’m allergic to orange.

Blue in a blue Strawberry snowcone.

You, Me, and Dupree

I got a headache from The Bourne Supremacy.

Fourty Extremely and Over clothing Athletic Line with a Sporatic Chic A Energetic simple person

Talladega Knights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby

Sleek for Men

A Stud

Anaconda

Talented sophomore named player of the year

By COLEMAN SANDERS Staff Writer Led by FAVC Player of the Year, sophomore Alexis Nelson, the girls' golf team plowed their way to a 13-3 regular season record, the FAVC Tournament crown, and a post-season run that ended at the District Tournament.

Along with winning the FAVC award, Nelson led the league with a 40.12 scoring average and shot a 77 at the tournament.

Alexis Nelson Despite all of her successes this year, Nelson still remains humble, attributing the wins to the team.

"Our team has a strong bond. We're not about individuals," Nelson said.

While stressing the importance of all team members in helping the team achieve their lofty goals, head coach Fred Reeder sees a bright future for the talented sophomore.

"Alexis is already one of the best golfers in the Cincinnati area," coach Fred Reeder said. "She's only going to get better."

Her amazing play has contributed to Comet dominance this season. Eight Mason girls placed in the top 15 of the FAVC in scoring average. At the FAVC tournament, Mason took the top five spots and another Mason golfer rounded out the top 10. They beat runner-up Kings by 63 strokes.

After shooting a school-record of 318 at sectionals, they placed sixth at districts, scoring 353 and capping off a remarkable year.

Because senior Kelsey Nelson, Alexis' older sister, will be the only one on the team to graduate this year, Mason appears to be ready to contend in the GMC. "I see really good things in our future," junior Tara Buesking said. "We have two great incoming freshman next year and with a year of improvement, we'll definitely make it to state."

With an outstanding nucleus set in Nelson and with the rest of the team being young, talented and learning, there's reason to believe in the future success of the team.

"We have such a strong foundation with this young team that I think we'll be fighting for the conference and state title in the next couple of years," Reeder said.

Volleyball serves up championship in coach’s first season at the helm

By DREW ALLEN Staff Writer For the first time in three seasons, the Mason girls volleyball team claimed the FAVC. Walnut Hills has managed to win outright or share the title each season, while Mason has finished either second or third in the conference. However, the Comets managed win the elusive title for good with a convincing 25-6, 25-15 and 25-13 win over Winton Woods.

Throughout the season, the team was led by seniors Amanda Fago and Molly Rowland, who both were named all conference. Rowland is ranked 13th in kills in the FAVC with 184, and Fago is ninth in digs with 222.

"Amanda and Molly have been our two all around players," head coach Tiann Keesling said. "Amanda is an outside hitter and is also leading the team in defense. Molly plays middle for us and has done an excellent job at the net blocking."

Junior Justine Congdon and sophomore Cara Baarendse have also been strong contributors

for the Comets; ranking in the top 10 in the FAVC in two categories. Congdon is ranked third in aces, having accumulated 55 during the season, and Baarendse is second in kills with 222.

"Justine leads the team in serving," Keesling said. "She has compiled [more than] 50 aces this year. Cara also leads the team in kills."

Keesling, who is in her first year as head volleyball coach at Mason, stressed the importance of communication and preparation throughout the season.

"We must communicate at all times and play our game," Keesling said. "They also have to come to each match ready to play and ready to focus on what we have been working on."

Keesling feels the team can make a run in the tournament but some improvements must be made.

"Our defense is another area of focus for us," Keesling said. We did a lot of flopping around on the floor at the beginning of the season, but we have improved by moving our feet to the ball."

Conn nabs player of the year honors; boys golf team finishes season on a sour note Cherry

Cars

Groovy Lehman Wear

Lucky to have two great kids, family, friends, and a job.

By COLEMAN SANDERS Staff Writer Despite the outstanding play of senior Chase Conn, FAVC Player of the Year and league leader of several statisChase Conn tical categories, the Conn earned team's tumultuous seaplayer of the son bitterly ended October 3 when the team year at the FAVC failed to qualify for sec- tournament after firing a 73. tional play at Glen View Golf Course.

Picked to win the league in their last year of FAVC play and move on to the postseason, the squad only mustered a 3-4 regular season record.

"We had a lot of rain-outs and some tough matches. It was hard to get going," said senior Ryan McCafferty. "We were highly favored but we couldn't produce."

After grinding through the regular season, the Comets finally made it to the FAVC Tournament, where Conn led the field by six strokes with a score of 73, and in doing so, wrapped up his third straight FAVC Player of the Year title.

The award was a personal goal of Conn's.

"Before the season my parents and I sat down

and talked about my goals. Winning the Player of the Year award was one of them," Conn said, who also led the league with a 39.10 scoring average. "Winning for the third time meant so much to me," he said.

With Conn's performance the team was in position to take the league championship.

Instead, in a heartbreaking turn of events they left with nothing.

A rules violation led to a score disqualification which dropped the Comets from contention. The effect of losing the tournament in such an unexpected way and of being viewed negatively by contenders did affect the Comets' performance, according to McCafferty.

"Our morale definitely went down," McCafferty said.

Conn believes that the lingering effects of the disqualification were part of the cause that the team failed to advance through Sectionals the following week.

"The season felt like a major disappointment. It was an accomplishment that we felt we should have had, but it was taken away from us," he said.

Their season, which was looked upon as one of high expectations, has fallen short, according to coach Dick Sutphin.

"That was just the icing on the disappointment cake," he said.

20

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October 27, 2006

ATHLETE OF THE MONTH

Ale xis Nelson Sophomore

For t Ancient Valley Conference Player of The Year FAVC Tournament Champion 40.12 Stroke Average ***************************ECRLOT**C-086

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October 27, 2006

the

chroniclearts&entertainment

Reviews

Lights, Camera, Action...

Faraj dreams of becoming filmmaker

By AMANDA MILLER Staff Writer Conrad Faraj said his dream is to someday be on the big screen, to have his name in the credits of major films. Mason High School sophomore Conrad Faraj knows what he wants to do with his life.

"I'm destined to be a filmmaker," Faraj said.

"It's something I like to do, and it's what I have in mind right now for my future."

Faraj may not have his films playing in theatres yet, but he has had an opportunity to be on television. Faraj was contacted by the Independent Film Channel, IFC. The IFC provides independent filmmakers with a chance to have their short films played on a show called Media Lab Uploaded. The films are picked from ones previously submitted online, and those with the most votes are placed on the show.

However, when the IFC contacted Faraj about acquiring a trailer of his film, The Weeping Woman, he was in Honduras filming The Weeping Woman 2, and was not able to get a DVD of his work submitted on time.

Faraj has been making movies since he was in the seventh grade, but said he did not become serious about it until the end of his eighth grade year. With the financial support of his parents, Faraj has produced 52 short films and documentaries so far.

The short films Faraj make come from the conceptions of his mind, movie classics, and input from his friends. The documentaries Faraj makes deal with what he feels is important.

"I think that people need to know what is going on and get the information out to them," Faraj said. "I like doing my documentaries on things that really matter. I use them to express myself."

However, Faraj does not anticipate focusing on documentaries in his future career.

"I will mostly do film," he said. "I think documentaries are more for TV- type people, and I'm more of a motion picture kind of person."

Faraj is not the only Mason student that wants to pursue a career in film. Faraj's co-producer/editor, sophomore Brennan Eden has also taken an interest in film editing and cinematography. Eden helps Faraj develop characters' personalities when he writes the script.

"I'm already making movies now, so I'll already have the experience I need for later," Eden said. "I might also have an interest in cinematography."

Faraj and Eden put time and effort into their films, making each of them their own. Filming take place where Faraj decides is the best spot for the setting, but usually the setting is in his neighborhood. Some shots are taken in front of either the blue or green screens that Faraj owns.

"A blue screen is the same thing as a green screen, just blue," Faraj said. "You can use it to

During rehearsals for Our Town in midSeptember, students were not the only ones who were taking on new roles.

MHS drama teacher Allen Young has temporarily Lisa Speiller relinquished his position of director to Mason Middle School English teacher Lisa Speiller. Young instead will be helping to produce the show. After six years of being the sole director of MHS productions, Young's decision to step down was made in order for him to spend more time with his two children, Lily, 2-year-old, and 5-month-old James.

"It is hard to do theatre all year long," Young said.

As a producer, Young will still be involved in various aspects of the play. This includes set construction, advertising, and serving as a mentor to Speiller.

Speiller served as a directorial intern for Young, and has worked with him for five years.

Speiller also directed a one-act play for a state competition in the spring of 2005. She is

Book Operation Stormbreaker not a children’s book

By STEPHANIE VISSCHER Associate Editor

photo by Olga Borodulin

Faraj’s films are already featured on the Independent Film Channel. put effects in the shots when you're editing.

But if somebody is wearing blue that day, we can use the green screen and vice versa."

However, Faraj has not limited his filming locations to his neighborhood, or even to the country. Filming for The Weeping Woman and The Weeping Woman 2 was done in Honduras.

The editing and production of special effects are done on Faraj's computer, using Las Vegas Studios software.

Faraj is also in Film Club, and has put his work in the club's Student Film Festival.

"It gives students that have made their own films or clips a chance to showcase their work on a big screen," Film Club advisor Thurman Allen said.

Film Club also teaches students about the technical and critical aspects of movies and cinematography.

"All that I've given [Faraj] is a venue to showcase his work," Allen said. "He knows what he wants to do."

Faraj does not treat film-making as a hobby because he hopes it will be apart of his future.

"I have the power to create something," Faraj said. "Let's say I have a book, and I like the book, and I want to make it into a presentation.

So we take that book, and make it into a film.

We have the power to do all that, and all the editing and effects if we need to."

Faraj knows that fame and money are a part of his dream, but they are not the most important part.

"I think that if you try hard enough and put a lot of effort into it, those dreams can happen and ultimately come true," he said. "I know many people who are in desperate need of money to make the movies they want to make; yet I have a different philosophy. I try to do things as low-budget as possible. Money is just a word for me."

Fall play to have “stand in” director

By SPENCER WEBB Staff Writer

21

scheduled to direct a MMS play in the spring.

"Whenever you do something, you do it in your own style," Speiller said. "But I certainly had one of the best teachers."

Students who had Young for three years in high school do not lament his decision in deciding to produce instead of direct this year.

"I don't think [adjusting to the new director] would be too difficult, just different because it'll be different working with a director that would have different techniques in developing characters," said junior and actor Mike Weingand, Although Young might be taking a vacation from directing, students will not be without his guidance and advice for too long. Young will still be involved in directing other drama productions.

The drama department is already looking forward to working with him on Shakespeare's The Tempest.

Though Young might miss building characters and bonds with his actors, he will be at home building bonds with his wife and two young children.

When Mr. Young was asked if he had any regrets in leaving the production for his children, he simply said, "Nope... not at all."

The new film Stormbreaker has been called by early reviewers as a "cross between Harry Potter and Spy Kids," which scares me. It's no secret that Hollywood has a habit of take great books and dumbing them down for the masses. Maybe another Agent Cody Banks sells more tickets than a teenage version of James Bond, but I'm still worried that this opportunity to expose Anthony Horowitz's great book to a wider audience may be messed up by the greed of big time producers. Don't believe the trailers: the original Stormbreaker novel by Anthony Horowitz is anything but a children's book.

The story is about orphaned British school boy Alex Rider whose guardian uncle is mysteriously killed in a car accident. Upon further investigation by Alex he discovers the truth, that his uncle was actually an agent for MI:6, AKA the British version of the CIA that also employs James Bond). It appears his uncle's death left his current mission unfinished and the head honchos at MI:6 ask Alex to fill in.

The plot of the mastermind is easy enough to understand: the criminal mastermind plans to release a virus in donated school computers. Which is a nice change from half the James Bond movies I see on the weekly Spike TV marathons. But the book actually takes its subject seriously (exploding zit cream aside). Horowitz does bring up the issue of how far a government is willing to go for "national security." Mrs. Jones constantly questions throughout the series whether they are permanently damaging Alex's mental state (in book three he witnesses firsthand a Russian general commit suicide). She's always protesting how he's just a child, and asking whether haven't they put him through enough?

Don't judge this book by it's length (256 pages). Just because you can finish it in a weekend (and you will, it is that good) doesn't mean it doesn't have any literary value. Well, okay, but in the same way that brownies have no nutritional value. It doesn't take long to digest, but is delicious all the way down.

Music

The Killers’ style is bold but repetitive

By SAM GOLDSMITH Contributing Writer Let's face it: we don't think much of Las Vegas, even if it's a popular tourist attraction. It's the definition, it seems, of sleaze and dinosaur music acts. That ended up changing when The Killers unexpectedly came onto the scene in 2004 with their debut album, Hot Fuss, which ended up going triple platinum.

With a surefire energy and passion emanating from the glitz of their town, their music infectiously spread across the board, yielding a Top 10 single ("Mr. Brightside"). After a couple years of touring, they went into the studio with producers Flood and Alan Moulder to make their sophomore album, Sam's Town, named after a hotel/casino in Las Vegas.

To tell you the truth, I have decidedly mixed feelings about the album. When you begin the album with its title track, you immediately realize The Killers are breathing a different kind of fire. They sound big and bold with broad musical strokes. This is apparent on their leadoff single, "When You Were Young," which invokes an honorable "Born to Run"-era Bruce Springsteen musical approach. It weaves a tale of a need to find redemption in a fellow human being, even when doing so ultimately leads to disillusionment.

Not so oddly enough, the album works best when it slows down to tell stories of people who seem like they actually reside in Las Vegas, the hometown to which this album is dedicated. In the subdued "Read My Mind," a man tries to inspire hope in the woman he loves when she believes that there is nothing for either of them.

I believe the main problem of this album is that The Killers are overcompensating and overconfident of the majesty of their material. The theme of redemption repeats on so many of tracks that it starts bordering on the ludicrous. Brandon Flowers has been quoted in saying that this is one of the greatest albums of the last 20 years. I find this album to be not very close to that claim with the repetition of themes, both lyrically and musically. I do think The Killers are a great band and I admire their willingness to reinvent themselves, but I don't think their new sound is fully carved out just yet.

Movie The Grudge II left me with a grudge

By CANDICE PHILPOT Staff Writer The elements of Japanese horror films differ from films in the United States. While American horror films rely heavily on gore, sexual themes, physical terror and the element of surprise; Japanese films present an unsettling, psychological terror that is rarely seen in American cinema.

Along with disturbing imagery and prolonged suspense, “j-horror” causes the movie-goer to leave the theater with a lurking sense of terror. The Grudge, while an American remake, successfully incorporated these elements. Its sequel, however, fails to compare.

The Grudge 2 is not a remake of Ju-On 2, which could explain its lapse of Japanese elements.

Nonetheless, I found myself confused and having to remind myself what movie I was seeing and whether there had been some kind of horrible mistake. From teenage school girls daring one another to go inside the haunted house, to a character running for her life down darkened corridors, the film reeked of American components and greatly lacked the Japanese ones that made its original so compelling.

The villain of the films, a woman who is viciously murdered by her husband, haunts and kills any person who enters the house in which she died. In The Grudge, the ghost is seen in only a few instances, and only in whole at the climax of the film. This creates suspense and allows the villain to remain mysterious. In The Grudge 2, the ghost appears as much as the heroine, lowering how frightening she appears to the audience. While the appearance of the character is still, for lack of a better word "creepy", these scenes are not as frightening as in Ju-On or The Grudge.

I wish I could say that the movie's ending allowed me to leave the theater with a sense of completeness, or surprisingly enough, fear. But, in all frankness, the only thing I felt when I left the theater was disappointment. And maybe a little bit of confusion.

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chroniclepeople

October 27, 2006

Ziegler fulfills promise she made to her sister; bikes all 50 states

By TRICIA WOLFORD Staff Writer

photo contributed

MHS Calculus teacher Nancy Ziegler takes a moment to pause and enjoy the view in the shadows of the Denali National Park in Healy, Alaska. Ziegler finally fulfilled a promise she made to her sister when she completed their goal of biking through all 50 states. Ziegler has been instrumental in raising AIDS awareness at Mason High School, when she departed from the MHS arena in 2005 prior to spring break on her AIDS Angel Ride where she biked to raise awareness for this deadly disease.

have done what I've done. This is a major accomplishment for me. And it was a challenge. But I love challenges," she said.

One of the things she enjoyed most about her MHS Advanced Placement Calculus teacher journey were all the people she met along the Nancy Ziegler is a cross-country bicyclist. She way. has traveled along the Delaware coast, gotten "I met a man from Scotland, a woman from lost in Rhode Island, biked a heat wave, and Africa, and I even hiked for a day in Alaska survived close calls. This summer she completwith a man from Australia," she said. ed her goal of biking on all 50 states, a goal Ziegler's love of biking has also required a she's been trying to achieve for 20 years. rigorous diet and exercise schedZiegler, who has been a comule. petitive bicyclist for 30 years, "I bike around 25 or 30 miles thought of the idea when she and her sister first started bik"I almost quit. It every other day in the spring.

I can't eat McDonalds. It ing. took me three And makes me sick. So I eat Subway "We said, 'Wouldn't it be cool if we could bicycle in every years to say, 'I because everything they have is fresh." state of the union?'" Ziegler will get on my Ziegler has never feared the said.

Four years later, Ziegler bike tomorrow, or dangers of biking cross country.

"I'm a very free spirit. I go with would be left to complete the I will never bike my instincts. And I really trust goal herself, when her sister I'm supposed to be doing was killed in a fatal hit-and-run again.' I got on that what I'm doing." accident. my bike the next While trying to survive the "I almost quit. It took me three temperatures and rough years to say, 'I will get on my day because I high areas on her expedition, Ziegler bike tomorrow, or I will never bike again.' I got on my bike knew my sister remarked that an angel trinket to her during the MHS the next day because I knew wanted me to.� given 2005 AIDS Angel Ride my sister wanted me to," Campaign is what reminds her Ziegler said through watering of her goal. eyes.

"Anytime I feel like giving up, I touch my Since her sister's death, Ziegler has continued angel, and I remember why I'm doing it. I biking. Biking isn't her entire life, but she believe people are good. I believe we are good. admits it takes up a lot of her time.

I truly believe in the good of human kind."

"A very big portion of my life is devoted to Ziegler's passion and belief in the good of biking. I love it. It's a freeing of my spirit," she mankind has pushed her through the mountains said. and valleys of 50 states, through neverending She commented that the journey of traveling trails and scorching heat, and through the loss all 50 states was extremely demanding, but of a sister and friend. This, she believes, has says she overlooks the pain and sweat, and been the ride of her life. focuses on her big accomplishment.

"There aren't too many people my age that

the

October 27, 2006

chroniclepeople

23

American Heritage Dictionary

interesting in·ter·est A state of curiosity or concern about or attention to something Bombmaker turned teacher

AP Chem teacher once a classified uranium expert

By CANDICE PHILPOT Staff Writer As the Advanced Placement Chemistry students file into Chris Ennis' classroom, their arms filled with books and prepared for the day's activities, they are unaware of the scientific experience their teacher has under his belt.

Chris Ennis, who has been teaching at Mason schools for 16 years, held one very unique position prior to the start of his teaching career.

"The plant was called Fernald Feed, Materials and Producation Facilities," Ennis said. "We dealt with pleated uranium."

Uranium, a scientific element with radioactive properties, is often used to make nuclear weapons.

"The uranium used in the bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima is uranium-235. It takes a very lengthy and difficult process to get that," Ennis said. "We worked with what t was left over."

Philpo e ic d n Ennis' position at Fernald from 1983 to 1985 as a metallurby Ca w photo nis no gy technician was considered classified, and his work aided is En ut eler h C er bo teach ents a more than the United States government in what could have potentially Chem hing stud become bombs dropped on the Soviet Union if the Cold bs, s. h AP m c g o a u b te o bomb ys d in Alth War had escalated. create his da those use s to d g n spe "We made uranium metal and shipped it to Washington ch as was helpin u s ts e men state where they would store it in a reactor," Ennis said. ago, h s r a e 20 y "[They would] extract the plutonium, and that would then be turned into bombs."

While Ennis enjoyed his work at Fernald, he understood the dangers involved for simply coming to work everyday.

"Whether you're melting uranium, or any other type of hot metal, it is very dangerous. If hot uranium hits the air, it basically explodes," Ennis said.

Not only was Ennis subjecting himself to physical danger, but putting his health at risk as well. One hazard is radiation poisoning, which damages body tissue and can eventually result in cancer.

"We had to wear little meters, and every month you had to turn them in to see how much radiation you had been exposed to," Ennis said.

After working at Fernald for two years, nearing the end of the Cold War, Ennis claims he left the plant for two main reasons.

"When I got the job, I didn't know where the uranium was going,” Ennis said.

His second reason was the radiation exposure.

Shortly after Ennis left the plant, Fernald began to experience many problems involving the hazards of its work.

"They kept having accidents where uranium would get outside of the plant. They tried to keep up the cleaning, but eventually they had to shut down production," Ennis said.

Now, over 20 years later, Ennis looks back on his experience at Fernald with nostalgia.

"I was able to do things that I know only a handful of people on Earth have been able to do," Ennis said. "I was never bored. I was often worried, but never bored."

American Heritage Dictionary

teach - te·ach To impart knowledge or skill to; to cause to learn by example or experience Local author promotes diversity

Hyder hopes to instill equality in children through novel

By TRICIA WOLFORD Staff Writer Zakia Hyder, Mason resident and professional writer and editor, has been a fan of literature ever since she was young. Now Hyder has reached what she considers her first big milestone by publishing her first book, "I am an American, Too." Hyder's book combines words and detailed pictures to express emotion. The book tells the story of an American Muslim boy named Ahmad; who faces anti-Muslim harassment and judgment after 9-11.

Ahmad's community joins together and shows his family that good always outweighs the bad.

"I think it's a typical children's book," Hyder said. "I view it as a story that appeals to all children who must face the uncertainty of the adult world."

Hyder said that conveying emotional messages to youths can sometimes be difficult, and explains why she made a children's book.

"I want children to be able to understand what happened at a children's level, and the best way to convey emotion is through not just dialogue, but pictures, too," Hyder said.

Hyder said she wrote the book because since the terrorist attacks she's noticed childrens' books have changed. "Among the typical childrens' books; writers are addressing more serious natures," Hyder said.

She also wrote the book because she believes children were confused after 9-11, and needed help understanding what happened. "Children were hurting after 9-11," she said.

"They were confused and upset. Muslim children were feeling extra confusion. The entire community was labeling them as bad people. So, the level of comfort had somewhat changed."

As a mother, Hyder said she knows it is in a parent's power to help children come to grips with the terrorist attacks.

"It is our obligation to use the resources available to us to help children understand

what's happened, and channel their emotions in the right direction," she said. "My best resource is writing."

Hyder feels it is important for her to make her children feel like a significant part of their family; and their world.

"I felt it was very important as a mother to participate in the community and to set a good example for my children."

Hyder believes that participating in the community will teach her children to appreciate diversity; and all the different types of people on the earth.

"In Mason we're surrounded by a compassionate and diverse community," said Hyder.

Hyder hopes her book will help people to be able to appreciate diversity a little more, Local au and make the community a slightly better first no thor Zakia photo b hopes vel, I am a Hyder pub y Tricia Wolfo place to live. n Am rd o f te erican lished her achin "I am an American, too" is available at tance o g ch , too f acce ptanc ildren the , in Joseph-Beth Books in HydePark, Agora e. impor Books in Mason, and common online retailers such as Barnes & Noble, Amazon, and Book Ladder.

American Heritage Dictionary

unique u·nique - Without an equal or equivalent; unparalleled Brrrr...I’m freezing

Gruseck deals with a chilling illness

By STEPHANIE DENZEL Staff Writer

l

ze ie Den

phan

by Ste

ver she ne e sure including k a m her to ands, forces bare h allergy old with her ’s k c e c ing Grus snow. s anyth touche photo

With the winter season approaching quickly, junior Meredith Gruseck has more than just the common cold to worry about. When Gruseck plays in the snow or touches ice, her skin will swell up, develop hives, or become itchy. Gruseck is one of the few people who have Cold Urticaria, an allergic reaction to the cold.

During track season her freshman year, Gruseck experienced shin splints and iced her leg to relieve the pain. Instead, the ice pack did just the opposite.

"I took the ice bag off and my leg was all red, but only in the places where the ice was," Gruseck said. "I showed my mom and she said I burned my leg."

After a year without any other unusual reactions, Gruseck had an allergic reaction to an ice pack in the middle of her sophomore year.

"This time my mom really looked at my leg and she decided to take me to the doctors," Gruseck said.

By the time Gruseck and her mother arrived at the

hospital, the swelling from the ice pack had subsided.

After Gruseck explained to the doctor what had happened to her leg, the doctor decided to administer an ice test.

"An ice test is where they put the ice pack on your leg, leave it there for five minutes, take it off, wait a couple minutes, and it's suppose to swell up," Gruseck said.

When the doctor performed the ice test on Gruseck, her leg did not exhibit any of the symptoms. It did, however, display these results on her way home. After a second trip to the doctor, Gruseck was diagnosed with Cold Urticaria.

Gruseck has learned to survive with her uncommon allergy. Although she is not running anymore, she has taken up two unusual sports for someone who is allergic to the cold-water polo and ice hockey.

"I have to be really careful of swimming and cold things," Gruseck said. "But I play ice hockey, so it's kind of ironic."

24

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October 27, 2006

chroniclepeople “What

are you listenin

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Senior

s t o h s p a n S Smile! You're on Candice's Camera!

With close to 3000 students and over 100 faculty members it is sometimes hard to keep track of everything going on here at Mason High School. This year, The Chronicle is starting a new feature to address rumors you may have heard in the halls, to catch up with staff members and to inform you of what really is going on in the "D-Wing."

Look for these and other Snapshots randomly placed throughout The Chronicle this school year.

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veral precauti schools in Tex as bega on n Questio . Senior Brigh am Ben banning swea n: “Wil tshir nin l Mason hooded High Sc gton wondered ts as a safety sweats , hool no hirts?” t allow studen ts to we ar Answe r by MH S princ "No. Th ipa ere are any num l Dave Allen: kids to ber of w concea l ays for th concea l things. ings if they wa nt to If sweatsh we ban n irts we would b ed hooded ban eve asically rything. have to Our stu earned dents h the resp ave ect to w want to ear wha we t the able thin ar. It wouldn't be a rea y g to do sonat this p oint in ti me."

the

October 27, 2006 The Chronicle Available FREE to Mason High School students, faculty and staff.

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the

October 27, 2006

chroniclefeature

Haunted in Ohio Mystery surrounds many Mason area haunts

By Sharon Stewart Staff Writer "Bloody Mary. Bloody Mary. Bloody Mary," superstitious teens slur in dark bathrooms. The air is thick, and their skin is crawling in anticipation. Many adolescents, eager for a thrill, can testify to a futile curiosity as to whether these ghost-tales are fact or fantasy. Believers or not, though, Ohio has had strange occurrences of its own, substantially within Mason's own corporation limit.

Many locals are oblivious to the alleged ghosts haunting Paramount King's Island from generations of deaths and devastation. KI employee and MHS junior Billy Kingsolver vouches for the common belief that "Tower Johnny" causes arbitrary mayhem around the park.

On Grad Night, May 13th, 1983, "Johnny" attempted to scale the fencing around the Eiffel Tower's 50-foot platform and fell to his death. He was cut in half by the elevator cables, and legend has it that the cables themselves are in a junk pile behind The Beast rollercoaster.

According to sources at Forgotten Ohio, Johnny roams the park along with the ghost of a little girl with blonde hair wearing a blue dress. She is said to be buried in the decrepit cemetery between the parking lot and the campgrounds, and plays in the Waterworks rides and scares tram drivers after hours.

A mile past Kings Island rests the notorious powder factory, formally known as Peters Cartridge Company. Built in the 1860s, the mill which once propelled Kings Mills economy now sits crumbling along the Little Miami River. Explosives and bullets were manufactured here for more than a century in support of the Civil War and economical needs.

Since the end of the 1950s, however, the building was vacant until artist Greg Storer rented it out for local art lessons. Mason sophomore Courtney Wittekind has attended his classes at the powder mill for one year.

Before the days of labor unions, explosions and fires were induced frequently upon hundreds of innocent railway personnel and plant workers, whose souls are said to avidly haunt the vicinity.

"I think it's a little scary,"

Wittekind said. "I wouldn't say I'm someone who usually believes that stuff, but when you're in that crazy of an environment, it makes it seem all the more possible."

Storer wasn't so hesitant about the hauntings.

"Absolutely this place is haunted!" he said.

While Storer has "never had a negative or scary experience" in his 12 years at the mill, the "happy" nature of the spirits make themselves evident by the "funny little things" they do to him, such as turning lights off and on and displaying fleeting shadows down hallways.

The same seems plausible, but not likely, for the infamous Chokolate Morel, only half a mile north of Mason High School, recently renovated into Tea Roses on East Main Street. Built in 1870, the private residence thrived for 30 years until Rebecca McClung was found bludgeoned to death at 61-years old in her upstairs bedroom on April 12, 1901.

According to Dr. Van Dyke, who testified in court, the bones of her face were broken and she was covered in blood, also splattered about her bedroom until it was recently cleaned.

A former resident told Sally Gasior, Tea Roses' owner, of how bloodstains were still visible before they painted the floor.

When tried for murder, her 75-year-old husband, John, avoided conviction, and Rebecca is said to have haunted the house since.

Past Chokolate Morel employee and MHS senior Ian Lindemuth remembers when the Chokolate Morel was closing up for the night and everyone heard silverware mysteriously drop across the floor with no one upstairs.

"I've always been a believer in the supernatural, so I do think that something knocked the stuff off," Lindemuth said.

"But I don't believe in harmful spirits, just things that go bump in the night."

The business' next door neighbor, Ohio Beads and Gems, agreed with Lindemuth, remarking, "The mice are real, but I'm not sure about the ghosts.�

photo by Sharon Stewart The powder factory in Fosters is notorious for its history of awkward sightings and chilling tales.

the

October 27, 2006

Fashion wire

Gianni Versace, Giorgio Armani...Drew Shields?

By Danielle Williams Staff Writer Fashion epitomizes self-expression and allows an individual to create, influence and inspire to attain a look that sets a person apart from conformity. Imagine, without the influential expertise of designers, selfexpression would be unheard of. However, these infamous designers all had to start somewhere and I'm sure it wasn't Project Runway! In fact, most designers began at an early age, similar to senior Drew Shields.

"Designing clothes is something I've liked ever since I was little," Shields said. "Apparently I used to draw clothes a lot, so I thought I might as well give it a shot."

Shields designs clothes on desgin programs such as, Milkshape and Poser, and after possibly attending Parsons New School of Design or Pratt Institute School of Art and Design, two highly renowned fashion schools, he will be one step closer to his dream of becoming an esteemed designer.

"I want to be a couture fashion designer," Shields said. "Couture is where the designs are hand-made and extremely detailed. Even the patterns are made."

Names are essential in the fashion industry and Shields already has one in mind.

"Atlaua is what my line will be called, which in Mayan, translates to 'mind god,'" Shields said. "I'm half-Mayan so I thought it would be cool."

Shields gives little consideration towards what his high school critics may think. He only hopes to inspire the future of fashion with his ideas.

"I could care less what people will think about my designs. I just want

Express Yourself Name: Maureen Adaghebalu Age: 17 Style Inspiration: Gwen Stefani.

"I think what she is doing is cool. She isn’t living up to anyone else's fashion standards, and I like that she's doing her own thing."

Favorite Store: Gabriel Brothers and Rampage Wadrobe Spice: "There's nothing better than matching a good pair of “I like grabbing earrings." different pieces of That’s gotta go: "I think a lot of things people's outfits and can be pulled off with the mixing them right outfit, but real anitogether to make a mal fur is just cruel. I style all my own." think everyone should be a friend with the faux!”

Signature Color: Burgundy. "It's the perfect rich color, and I can't think of anything it doesn't go with.”

Guy vs. Girl takes His&Her Q&A Most girls like a guy who has a little style. What’s your take?

Her take

“I don’t care what guys wear, they don’t have to have the “nicest” clothes to look good, they just need to look put togeather.”

Junior Chanel Allen

His take

“Style doesn’t matter to me.

The girls will like me no matter what I throw on in the morning.

My charm will win them over anyways.”

Senior Brock Martin

Style Statistics Do you care about the unhealthy effects that tanning may have on you later in life?

Yes 29% No 42% I don’t tan 29% Based on a poll of 100 randomly-selected students.

photo by Danielle Williams

Senior Drew Shields (above) checks out other designer’s collections online and forms design ideas of his own.

What’s up with

that?

Vera Bradley, the new “it” bag?

By MICHELLE ROTBART Staff Writer Louis Vuitton, Dooney and Burke, and Coach have reigned in previous years in the world of high-quality handbags. However recently as I have walked down the halls I noticed less “C” and “LV” logos on leather and more various bright distinctive pink and green patterns on cloth. Which got me thinking, what’s up with that?

It seems that the newest queen of handbags is none other than Vera Bradley by Patricia Miller and Barbara Bradley Baekgaard. The once oldlady style bags are now the hottest item for young women to own. You can’t walk down B2 without seeing one.

“The bags are popular because they are functional but still good looking,” Debby Cassinelli, represenative of Vera Bradley in The Red Door, said.

The purses appear to be very versatile, practical and fun. With the many different sizes, and colors ranging from Citrus to Windsor Navy it seems that no season or girl could go wrong.

“The Vera Bradley line is cute, washable and goes with just about everything,” senior Sam Smit said.

Since these high-quality bags cost an average of 60 dollars, no wonder so many girls collect them all.

Style giveaway You want it? We know you do. Get your own Vera Bradley backpack Everyone knows that an “it” backpack is the perfect accessory to any outfit. Do you want your own Vera Bradley backpack?

Email us at mhschronicle@yahoo.com and tell us why that awesome bag would be the perfect addition to your ensemble. Lay it on thick, the best response will get the bag!

Three chicks with style...

Got a question?

Got a comment?

Need some style tips?

Email Michelle Rotbart, Sharon Stewart, or Danielle Williams at mhschronicle@yahoo.com

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