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WILLIAM MASON HIGH SCHOOL

FEATURES

Wrestler Josh Kline brings home state title In SPORTS page 8 > >

Are you smarter than the Academic Team?

Story on page 19 > > NEWS

PLUS: A conversation with bowler Mark Allen

Volume 5 Issue 5

Story on Page 4 > >

MARCH 7, 2008

Comet Skippers make it to World Competition See Page 16 >>

WHAT’S

inside MHS students view controversial ‘Bodies’ exhibit

AP English Lit class and administration agree on a t-shirt design

Getting your college degree may leave you drowning in a sea of debt

Story on page 4 > >

SENIORS PREPARE FOR THE HIGH COST OF COLLEGE

center SPREAD

graphic by Patrick Lipka

The Chronicle William Mason High School 6100 S. Mason-Montgomery Road Mason, Ohio 45040

With graduation just a few months away seniors must deal with the reality of paying for college and the burden that it may place upon their families, themselves, and their futures... Story on page 2 & 3 > >

check IT OUT

In SPORTS:

53

The percentage of girls who have run red lights.

Story on page 18> >

Danielle Jansen captures state swim title

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How are you going to afford going to college?

March 7, 2008

Finding financial aid may help college bound students avoid a sea of debt when they graduate

By RACHEL BROCKHAGE Staff Writer

“I was going to go to Indiana Universtiy but it was too expensive, so now I’m going to UC because I can get scholarships and it’s in-state.”

Dan McGlothlin

“I’m going to Ashland University through multiple scholarships, both athletic and academic as well as what I found online.”

Katie Wills

“I am going to live at home, take out loans and save money over the summer. I am going to Raymond Walters for my first two years and then UC for the last two.”

Mary DeLotell

“I’m going to OU. My dad’s paying for 75 percent of it and I have to pay 25 percent, so I have to have a job throughout college. If my grades slip then my parents are going to make me pay more than 25 percent.”

Mike Kramer

“I’m getting scholarships through UC. My parents are paying for my first four years and I have to pay for the fifth year myself.”

Andy McKinnon

“I’ll go to Raymond Walters as a freshman and sophmore, then go to UC’s main campus as a junior and senior. It’s so much cheaper than going to the main campus all four years, yet I will still graduate with the same degree as the people who went to the main campus their first two years.”

Allison Geiger

The College Board reports that college costs, on average, are $95 to $1,400 more than last year. The cost of a public four year university is up 6.6 percent, while the average room and board charge is at least $371 more than it was in 2006. A big question in students' minds is how to pay for the future, this is partly answered by an overload of acronyms, according to the administration in a recent presentation with the Summit College Funding Company. Whether it’s COA, EFC, FAD, FAO, PLUS or FDSLP, students have plenty of places to look. Mason High School administrators and guidance counselors don't want students to miss out.

One source for aid is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), a form from the Department of Education that students complete to receive federal financial aid. The counseling staff at MHS stresses the importance of completing the form correctly, reporting the error submission rate between 70 to 90 percent. The most common mistakes come from false assumptions about eligibility and the actual submission process. Basically: meeting deadlines.

Rachel Gentry is a student assistant for the Financial Aid office at Miami University. She said that she believes meeting deadlines for any type of aid should take top priority in the application process.

"Sometimes people wait until the last minute to turn their application in to our office: we can't guarantee them anything," Gentry said. "For the most part, we operate on a first come, first serve basis."

Deadlines also are important when submitting scholarships. The administration is currently working to make access to scholarships more available to students by posting them to venues that students regularly use. Mason High School Guidance Counselor Nikeisha Brooks feels that communicating this to students is key.

"We're in the process of trying to get the word out," Brooks said. "We post [scholarship information] to at least two different loca-

tions: Naviance and Edline."

Besides the listings directly from the school, students can find scholarships using online search tools like FastWeb or searching from College Board's homepage.

"There are a slew of web-based scholarships available to students," Brooks said.

"Scholarship search tools are excellent resources, which increase your chances of winning a scholarship. The cool thing about FastWeb is that I used that myself, in undergrad."

Brooks said that free financial aid is only

ships available from corporations that post online.

"Even though the company scholarships on FastWeb offer $500 or $1000 at a time, every little bit counts," Chu said.

Chu said she feels that the overall search for aid can lose priority with many other parts to the admissions process to consider.

"It's really stressful at this time of year because people are focused completing applications and maintaining grades from first trimester," Chu said.

Brooks said sheunderstands the pressure, but urges students to be motivated about discovering the "If a student initiates [the search process], resources available to them. and they're determined, and are out "Students must be prolooking for the resources, it's something active in seeking out scholarthat can be and should be beneficial. The ship money, even though I students who are determined, who have know it’s difficult to do with time constraints," Brooks the support from their teachers, school, said. and from their parents, are the most It's not likely that many successful." - Ms. Nikeisha Brooks students can go to college for free, like Ben Kaplan sugavailable to students who put the necessary gests in his recent bestseller, How to Go to time and effort into searching.

College Almost for Free. Student loans are "If a student initiates [the search process], one key source that can make up the differand they're determined, and are out looking ence. The College Board reports that 52 perfor the resources, it's something that can be cent of all financial aid comes from loans, and should be beneficial,” Brooks said. “The which are generally need-based. students who are determined, who have the Former Mason graduate Ryan Fitzpatrick support from their teachers, school, and from has a few tips for applying for student loans their parents, are the most successful. But and for staying out of debt. self-initiation is key."

"Applying for aid in general can be a nerveSenior Kathy Chu is one student who takes racking experience," Fitzpatrick said. "When advantage of the search tools when exploring you apply for FAFSA, communication with sources for aid based upon academic success your parents is important. Most [students] and merit. Chu plans to major in either don't have credit before enrolling in college."

Biology at Washington University in St. Louis USA Today recently reported that the averor at The Ohio State University of Columbus. age college senior graduated this year with "Washington University has a lot of scholar- more than $19,000 in debt, pointing to the ships based on merit, but you have to write a shrinking supply of federal aid and the lot of essays," Chu said. increase in private loans for why this number Chu recently competed in the highly selecis larger than ever. But as in the past, student tive Maximus Competition at Ohio State on loans have always made it easy to ignore February 2, which challenged incoming freshexpanding reasonable balances. men with a two-hour essay examination peri"Money management skills are essential," od. The scholarships awarded at the competiFitzpatrick said. "You quickly realize how fast tion ranged from full in-state tuition to awardyou go through lots of money. It's important ing the full cost of education. to learn how to handle everything responsiWhile she said she is not searching for bly." field-related scholarships, Chu finds scholar-

Four-year colleges not the only options for post-secondary education

By ELLEN DUFFER Staff Writer The number of high school students choosing to attend post-secondary school has soared within the past decade, but not all current students will be attending a traditional four-year college like Ohio State University or the University of Ryan Wagner Cincinnati. Some opt instead for a trade or vocational school.

Michael Sterling, Director of Recruitment for Belmont Technical College in St. Clairsville, Ohio, said that students often choose trade schools over college because of the experience-based teaching technique and because it is a quick way to learn a skill.

"Many [students] choose two-year schools for the 'hands-on' learning approach and the shorter time it takes to be able to enter the job market," Sterling said.

Students at technical colleges can expect to get either their certificates in as few as nine months or their degrees in two years, according to Sterling. Graduation certificates are typically issued upon the completion of a vocational school program, usually lasting less than two years.

Although Mason High School pushes for students to select four-year schools through a

college-preparatory curriculum, some students are aiming for different routes. Senior Ryan Wagner has been accepted to the NASCAR Technical Institute in North Carolina, where he will learn the skills necessary to construct and maintain racecars within a year and a half of schooling. Wagner says that this program will be a fast and effective way to start a career.

"It's something I've always wanted to do since I was a little kid," Wagner said. "It's hard to get into, [because] they take one to two kids from each state and they have a very good placement rate in NASCAR. I was debating between that and a four-year [college], but this gets you out [into the workworld] quicker and they teach just motor sports."

Because of the partnership NASCAR Tech has with NASCAR (several teachers are former NASCAR team members) and the affiliations the school has with car dealers like Nissan and Ford, Wagner said he thinks it will be easy to get a job after he finishes school.

"They have a [high] placement rate [for NASCAR jobs] at NASCAR tech so I'll pretty much be guaranteed [a job] in NASCAR," Wagner said.

Even with the help of the school, Wagner said he expects to start work lower in the field, but hopes to move up in his career after obtaining more on-the-job experience. "[My] entering position will probably either be parts assistant, parts manager, or the guy

that tears down the engines on Monday after [the racers and crew] come back from the racetrack," Wagner said.

According to Sterling, trade school graduates also make a substantial amount of money in beginner's positions, especially over those who did not complete post-secondary schooling.

"A two-year degree will enable the average worker to earn 22 percent more than someone with just a high school diploma," Sterling said. "[It] can offer a similar salary to a fouryear degree and also the option of entering the workforce with a marketable degree after two years [instead of waiting four to five for a bachelor's degree]."

Wagner says he will be making thousands more than the average American did in 2006 (the latest statistics available), according to the US Census Bureau, following graduation. "[The] average pay [after] NASCAR Tech is $70,000 to $76,000 and I'll be 19 years old when I graduate," Wagner said. "Even if I make the low end of the average it's like $60,000."

According to Sterling, nursing and criminal justice are popular programs among the students at Belmont Tech to secure a good salary and quick way into work. Other such programs available in many vocational schools across the country include cosmetology, web design, and entry-level legal careers.

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March 7, 2008

Cost is a huge factor in students’ decisions to go out of state or stay home for college education

By MANDY CHIARA Staff Writer As answers to college admissions start coming in, seniors weigh the pros and cons of choosing an in-state or out-of-state college, with distance, expense, friends and academic and extra-curricular activities on the scale.

Senior Dylan Weidlich will be majoring in forensic Dylan Weidlich science and going through the pre-med program at Loyola University in Chicago, Illinois this fall. Weidlich said he first fell in love with the school when he took classes at a nearby college, Northwestern University, the summer before his junior year.

"While driving up there I passed Loyola's campus and that's really when I started getting interested, and after that I looked into it,"

Weidlich said. "I've been interested in it ever since."

But while Dylan said he is looking forward to his future at Loyola, he and his wallet feel the disadvantage of going to an out-of-state college six hours away.

"It'll be hard to come back home and get a nice home-cooked meal or anything," Weidlich said, "and I won't have a car up there so that'll make it even harder [to come home]."

Weidlich also applied to the University of Cincinnati, but he said UC was a pretty distant second to Loyola. While UC has a good medical program, the city of Chicago has more to offer Weidlich.

"There's a lot of small theater companies that I can get involved with, and also there's a lot of medical facilities," Weidlich said.

Because Weidlich said that he felt Loyola was his perfect fit, he worked to overcome the financial difficultly of attending a private, outof-state college. Besides applying to online

scholarships, Weidlich will receive $10,000 a year as a merit-based scholarship, and is waiting to hear back about a need-based scholarship.

Still, some students remain loyal to the "Buckeye" state. Senior Justin Perkins will be entering into the University of Cincinnati's mechanical engineering program next fall.

Perkins said he definitely wanted to stay instate, but what really appealed to him was UC's co-op program.

"Basically I'm going to get a four year degree in five years-with two and a half years experience at a job," Perkins said.

Perkins also said he likes that even though he is getting thrown into a new environment, he can always come home.

"I like the fact that I'm close to home so when I get homesick for all those friends I still have a couple of people here I can come back to," Perkins said.

Class of 2008 is among the largest pool of college applicants nationwide

By NISHA GIRIDHARAN Staff Writer Students used to be able to apply to college with the confidence that by graduating with a respectable grade point average, they could be admitted into the college of their dreams. But now, in 2008, with the largest pool of undergraduate applicants ever, the competition just gets tougher, and students can't be sure they'll be accepted.

This year is proving to be pivotal for the high school grads of '08. According to The Union-Tribune, "[there will be] a record number of rejection letters from many colleges as the volume of high school graduates nationwide surges to an all-time high."

In addition to the larger applicant pool, the increase in the number of schools students are applying to is causing a swell in the number of undergraduates applying to college. According to a study conducted by the University of California in Los Angeles, 18 percent of college freshmen had applied to six or more universities in 2006, a 14 percent increase from 1976.

It has become normal for some students to apply to more than 20 colleges because they are anxious about being rejected. Senior Shining Li said she applied to 13 schools for a different reason.

"Some schools were my parents' choice," Li said. "Some were mine. We fought to the death. In the end, it was easier just to apply and wait to hear back."

The costs for these students are rising astronomically with each application costing approximately 60 dollars. The costs for Li did add up. "[It cost] around $700," Li said. "A few of the schools waived the application fee. Then again, this much money would pay for approximately 10 hours of time at a private university."

With so many colleges to apply to, this can be a challenge for students to overcome, but Li said she could have reduced the number of schools she applied to had she heard back from colleges earlier.

"Half the schools I applied to were scholarship schools," Li said. "I'd already applied to most of my safeties before I heard back from Yale; by then, it was too late to save time not applying to [my safety] schools."

But besides students just applying to more colleges, a greater number of students are ready for college and understand its importance in today's world. Most jobs today require at least a bachelor's degree in their respective fields.

With the number of students applying increasing and the number of available spots decreasing, the application process has become more dramatic. More high schools now are focused toward sending its students to good colleges rather than advising them on the best way to pursue their careers.

According to EducationSector.org, 81.9 percent of sophomores expect to go to college after they graduate and 77.3 percent of

these students actually do attend college.

More students used to attend vocational schools, trade schools, join the armed forces, or find alternate means of achieving their career aspirations; but now, the focus is on traditional four-year colleges.

According to MSN Encarta, the number of students going to college is expected to increase between 13 and 20 percent from 200 to 2010. Also, the number of students enrolling in these institutions increased from 14 million in 2002 to 17 million in 2004. Elizabeth Wissner-Gross, author of What Colleges Don't Tell You, had a few words on the college admissions process to MSNBC.com.

"College admission has become so competitive that the most sought-after colleges are turning away 85 percent of their applicants, most of whom have top GPAs, AP scores and standardized test scores," Wissner-Gross said.

But as the competition gets tougher, students find means to adapt. More students join extracurricular activities and different sports to stand out. Students have begun to take more Advanced Placement classes to prepare for college. Li said she thought it was worth it to work hard in high school.

"You only go to college once," Li said. "I don't know if [applying to 13 schools] was worth it. I'll get back to you in the spring about that."

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What factors go into choosing an in-state vs. out of state school?

“The program, the cost, and kind of the facilities.”

Kevin Powell

“Depending on how much money it is, basically.”

Kyle Wilson

“For me, it depends on how close it is and then also it depends on outof-state or in-state tuition.”

Renee Grice

“Location, because it depends on how far away it is. For some people they want to go far away, [and] other people want to be close to home. I wanted a happy medium.”

Jamie Williams

Theater students to pursue dream of acting after high school

By NINA BRESSAU Staff Writer Students who start out by taking an elective theater class soon become passionate about performing and dare to take acting into college and their future.

More than 300 students study acting and technical theater at Mason High School each year.

Almost half of them take the introductory theater class.

Senior Robyn Novak started taking theater classes in ninth grade and is now performing in school plays that reach an audience of more then 5,000 people each year. Although Novak is graduating high school this year, she is not planning on ending her involvement with her passion of acting.

"I hope to pursue theatre in college," Novak said. "I'm auditioning at schools right now. After that, I just want to do theater -- it's my life -- and try to make a living out of it, which can be pretty hard."

Novak was introduced to theater by her older sister, and took Intro to Theater as a freshman.

Since then, she has performed in twelve school plays.

MHS theater director Allen Young said that he has known Robyn Novak all through high school and that he has high hopes for her future.

"Robyn has got a lot of strengths," Young said.

"She has a lot of natural ability, she has a fantastic stage presence because she's so tall, and she's got so much strength as a person that this translates to the stage very well. She understands characters, she has a great voice, she moves well.

She's kind of like the whole package."

Although Novak is seen on every poster advertising the school plays, she still works hard to improve her acting skills for college.

"Four years ago, Robyn would never make any eye contact when she was acting," Young said.

"She would always look over someone's shoulder, so that was the first thing that we fixed."

Senior Omair Hussain is another student in theater who tries to improve his skills for the future.

"I work on voice and some of the technical stuff, but I guess most important is to constantly put yourself into the character," Hussain said.

Young said that there is definitely competition going on between his students.

"Actors are just by nature very, very competitive," Young said. "They have to be because it's such a competitive business."

Another MHS senior in the drama department who has decided to pursue the theater in college is Justin Raymundo. While he recognizes the challenges of his major, he thinks the biggest challenge is its competitiveness.

According to Young it takes more than just talent to actually make a living out of a theater career, as Novak and Raymundo plan to achieve.

"Acting is a tricky business," Young said, "You never know. The first rule is that if you would be happy doing anything else, do it."

Already accepted to he University of Michigan for musical theater Raymudo says that he chose his major based on how acting makes him feel.

"Performing has been one of the most important things in my life, and in high school it is the only thing that has made me really happy," Raymundo said.

According to Young, one has to be multi-talented, hard-working and very determined to have a profession in the theater.

"A good actor has to be willing to take risks," Young said. "They have to be willing to do things that normal people would think make them look foolish. They have to be very, very self-critical and self-aware."

“Money, a lot of money. I'm going out of state and I can't get a car.”

Julia Hustedt

“Money and I'd say the courses the school offers, because I'm going for an uncommon major.”

Michael Dulovich

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March 7, 2008

AP English Lit class and administration compromise on t-shirt

By RACHEL SCHOWALTER Staff Writer For many students in Mason High School, it's common to create t-shirts celebrating school activities. Shirts are made for sports, clubs and AP classes, complete with witty text and funny graphics. For MHS's AP English Literature class, students had to go through some negotiations in order to print their t-shirts.

According to AP English Literature teacher Nichole Wilson, the shirts contained a quote from John Milton's Paradise Lost. The quote, which reads, "The Mind is its own place, and in itself/Can make a Heaven of Hell, and a Hell of Heaven," was to be accompanied by the circles of the Inferno, from Dante's masterpiece The Divine Comedy. Controversy arose from the Milton quote and its inclusion of the words "heaven" and "hell."

Senior Emily Hager, an AP English Literature student, is also a staff member of The Comet Zone which processes t-shirt orders from classes. According to Hager, this was the first time they had complications with the design of tshirts.

"The administration did not like that we used

the word 'hell' [on the t-shirts]," Hager said.

"It's actually a very optimistic quote, saying your mind rises above everything. It's all about what you think; it's not necessarily where you are or your surroundings."

Wilson said the students wanted to place the words "AP English Literature" into Dante's ninth level of the Inferno, where individuals are frozen.

"They wanted to acknowledge the mindset, that even though you're 'frozen'; that even though you're in a tough place, it's one's attitude that determines whether a situation is good or bad," Wilson said.

Many students questioned the reasoning of the administration, and like Hager, wondered why the quote was located in the class curriculum approved by administration, but was deemed inappropriate if displayed on a t-shirt.

"I think that if we're going to read it in class, we should be able to project that we've read it," Hager said. "It's high literature, it's classic, and something that we're proud that we've read. We want everyone else to know that we understand this and this is how we feel about things."

Assistant Principal Mindy McCarty-Stewart first questioned the shirts' content, but said she

understands the significance of the quote and the students' frustration.

"In situations like this, I can respect that students feel strongly and passionately about the quote and the original design of the t-shirt, and they have ownership for that," McCartyStewart said.

The main concern was the shirts' unconcealed use of the words "Heaven" and "Hell", which raised questions on the subject of religion.

McCarty said this could have led to greater emotional responses amongst MHS students. "[When] you're referencing 'The mind can make a hell of heaven and a heaven of hell,' you're dealing with issues that so many students are dealing with," McCarty-Stewart said.

"You're dealing with religious views and so many other aspects that come into that."

A lack of context with the quote might have also contributed to student discontent, because MHS students unaware of the quote's meaning would pose many questions to administration.

"The students don't have the point of reference," McCarty-Stewart said. "They're not in the class; they're not studying the literature.

They don't have an adult teacher that's facilitating that discussion to help them along in a

comfortable and protective environment.

They're just seeing this as being promoted. I think we would spend a lot of time answering questions or striking emotion that we really don't want."

The AP English Literature students agreed to decide upon another quote for their t-shirts.

Wilson let the students choose from an array of quotes that portrayed the same overall meaning as Milton's quote.

"I think students wanted to stick to the idea of the Inferno, so we went with a quote by popular vote: 'Abandon All Hope, Ye Who Enter,'" Wilson said.

This quote, located in Dante's Inferno, still keeps with the shirts' overall theme and can be seen above Wilson's classroom door.

The negotiations with the shirts met the needs of both sides: the AP English Literature students printed their shirts with a quote that held true to Dante's Inferno, but couldn't be misinterpreted if taken out of context.

"I understand that students need the context of classroom discussion to help them understand the inclusion of the word 'Hell' - or any other word in a literary work - that might make them anxious or uneasy," Wilson said.

High school Sports Med students attend controversial ‘Bodies’ exhibit

By SPENCER WEBB Staff Writer

Courtesy of Premier Exhibitions

Despite the warning that the exhibit could be disturbing many parents took the opportunity to educate their children on the anatomy of the human body.

have gone through a polymer preservation process much like that of mummification.

According to the Cincinnati Museum website, tissue water is first removed from On February 19, the Sports Medicine class went to "Bodies…The Exhibition" at the cadavers by submersion in acetone. The the Cincinnati Museum Center. The exhibit acetone is then removed in a vacuum chamhas undergone both criticism and controver- ber. Spaces that were once filled with acetone are then filled with liquid silicone rubsy in regards to how the cadavers were obtained and how the bodies are put on dis- ber that is treated and hardened. The end result is a rubberized specimen, preserved play for the general public. to the cellular level, showcasing the comSports Medicine teacher Stacy Schuler plexity of the body's many bones, muscles, said that the trip was for educational purnerves, blood vessels and organs. poses.

Jackie Wilson from Washington D.C. "The purpose of this field trip is for stuviewed the exhibit in Pittsburg, dents to get a better understanding of Pennsylvania. Wilson said she found the human anatomy and physiology by seeing display educational, but also unnecessary first hand how the human body works," and disturbing.

Schuler said.

"The same educational result could have According to Schuler, the exhibit is conbeen achieved using plastic models," troversial because people view it as a way to profit off the dead. There is also fear that Wilson said.

Wilson said she found it strange when the bodies are those of executed political upon entering the exhibit, guests did not prisoners from China. The Archdiocese of receive any information regarding the Cincinnati has also taken a stance against source of the bodies. She also said she tried the exhibit. asking museum workers where the bodies Schuler also said that the exhibit is concame from, but they could not answer her. troversial because it is open to the general Wilson said she found the preservation public for viewing.

"All of the human body is put on display, process took away from the authenticity of the human body. so there are human fetuses in different "I think most people didn't view [the bodstages of development," Schuler said. ies] as people," Wilson said.

According to the Cincinnati Museum Wilson said the exhibit is useful to those Center website, the exhibit will be on disthinking of pursuing careers in medicine, play from February 1 to September 1. The exhibit displays real human bodies obtained but that it should not be displayed for the general public. from the Dalian Medical University in the The Sports Medicine class saw the educaPeople's Republic of China. The bodies

tional side of the exhibit.

Junior Riley Stanforth, a Sports Medicine student, was amazed by the preservation method.

"It was hard to imagine they were real people," Stanforth said.

Junior Andrew Laux, another sports medicine student, said he enjoyed viewing a clear picture of what they were learning in class.

"You could see how everything works, how the blood vessels are and how the body is structured," Laux said. "I thought some of the positions were weird but it got the point across of how the muscles work."

Junior Rachel DeFrank, another student in sports medicine, said she had moral oppositions to the exhibit.

"I don't think it's right, but it's for the cause of teaching people about what is in their bodies and how they move and work during sports and other activities," DeFrank said.

DeFrank also said that she views the exhibition from an educational standpoint.

"I think it is interesting to look at what you body is doing," DeFrank said.

Schuler said the exhibit is not for everyone. However, it would be very beneficial to anyone looking to pursue a career in medicine.

"It's a great chance for the students to apply what they've learned," Schuler said.

"They can learn all this in theory but to see the human body and be able to touch it is just an amazing experience.”

Football stadium will get artificial turf

BY DREW ALLEN Sports Editor After years of playing on a grass turf field, plans are in the works to install field turf at the football stadium. In another partnership with Atrium Medical Center, the stadium will be renamed Dwire Field at Atrium Stadium. In return, Atrium will be footing the $700,000 bill.

Field turf, also known as artificial turf, offers advantages over standard grass fields. Late into the season, Mason's grass field tended to deteriorate into little more than mud and patches of grass. The same situation presented itself when the Pittsburgh Steelers played the Miami Dolphins in a rainy, nearly scoreless Monday night football game (the Steelers have refused on multiple occasions to install a turf field.)

Also, it presents dangerous holes and crevasses where athletes could easily injure themselves.

"It'll be an advantage at the end of the year

with [fewer] injuries," MHS running back and quarterback Mychael Bembry said. "But it can also be more of a disadvantage too at the end of the season."

Mason's field typically presented a difficult game plan for opponents at the end of October.

As the heat of August wore off and the weather progressively worsened, the Comets were able to use their three-pronged running attack with increased success against opponents. However, the turf will allow the team to become faster as a whole, as turf generally increases an athlete's speed due to greater traction.

"I won't have to worry about my traction or slipping anymore," Bembry said.

The new turf will also help play-calling towards the end of the season.

"On the bad nights in the swamp, the field would change our play calling," Head Coach Dave Sedmak said. "But now our field won't affect us on bad nights. Also, nine of our ten

games are on turf, so we don’t have to worry about grass fields except in one game."

According to Sedmak, practices and execution could see a noted improvement next season.

"It could give us better practices," Sedmak said. "Our practice field was always torn up, and execution could suffer. Bad weather made practices difficult, which hurt our execution.

Now our execution could improve."

Sedmak also said that this new field holds several advantages over their old grass field.

"One, the field can be used more," Sedmak said. "With a grass field you have to limit use.

Baseball and softball can use it for infield practice, we can practice on it now, and marching band will use it too. Two, it's cost effective and requires little maintenance. Third, we can host state playoff games and make some money off it. Also, turf fields can actually prevent injuries instead of causing them.”

photo by Drew Allen

The football stadium will be renamed Dwire Field at Atrium Stadium. The turf will be ready for next season.

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March 7, 2008 STAFF POLICY

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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.

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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.

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Are you morally opposed to the Bodies Exhibit currently on display at the Cincinnati Museum Center?

CONTACT INFORMATION The Chronicle William Mason High School 6100 S. Mason Montgomery Rd. Mason, Ohio 45040 398-5025 THE CHRONICLE STAFF E DITOR Shea Davidson A SSOCIATE E DITOR Jackie Swoyer S PORTS E DITOR Drew Allen D ISTRIBUTION / C IRCULATION M ANAGER Kirsten McCafferty B USINESS M ANAGER Amanda Miller T ECHNICAL AND G RAPHIC Patrick Lipka S TAFF W RITERS Nina Bressau Rachel Brockhage Mandy Chiara Ellen Duffer Duncan Fischley Nisha Giridharan Alyssa Howard Megan Roehm Rachel Schowalter Samantha Stulen Jeremy Powers Spencer Webb Kristen Yawit A DVISER Mr. Dale Conner

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letter to the editor

Our friends are not forgotten Dear Editor No one has forgotten about Dustin Russell or Anthony Pantona; maybe the ones who didn't know them, but the ones that did will never forget. People may act like they don't care and have forgotten but they certainly haven't. Dustin died months ago but that doesn't mean that people's feelings have changed.

When Dustin died it was a horrible experience from which I, myself, will never fully recover nor forget. Just because we don't constantly show emotion doesn't mean that we forgot. I, along with many others, think of the two friends that we have lost constantly.

Death is a hard thing to handle but in the end you need to convince yourself that it is a part of life whether you like it or not, even when it comes unexpectedly early. If you live in grief everyday, then you're just going to be depressed your whole life. For adults, they usually think of us teenagers as uncaring, but we feel the same pain and everyone handles things differently.

The Chronicle left friends of Ilya, Anthony, and Dustin offended, saying things like how we don't care and people who didn't know them cared more. Like I said, everyone handles tragedies differently and just because we may not show emotion, we all still hurt deep down.

The things people say are hard to listen to.

People say things like that they deserved what happened to them, but no one deserves to die.

They may have made some dumb decisions but then again, everyone does, their outcome just turned out bad. It hurts to be someone who cared so much about one of them or both and hear all the negative things people say, and the fact the "Forgotten" article says we're all coming from the same (circle).

That article makes it seem like Ilya Gikham died. In the article it says that no one cares about him and says that barely anyone goes to see him. The first hospital Ilya was at was over an hour away. Not a lot of his friends drive so

that's why it was hard to see him, and because it was difficult with everything people have going on. Ilya was recently moved to Drake hospital which is about a 20 minutes drive from Mason.

I myself go up there about every week, and every time I go there's always about 5 or more people showing up, and Ilya also said that people are always there whether it's family or friends. Having two friends die and one in the hospital was a hard experience.

You guys say that Little Miami cared more about their loss than Mason and how they comfort each other. Well from our experience everyone was there for each other. I met a lot of new people and I've seen different sides of everyone.

When Dustin died, each night everyone called each other, we met up after school and just talked about the situation, same happened with Anthony. Until this day I still hang out with those people and talk to them about it. In my opinion the loss of Dustin was the hardest thing I've ever gone through; I don't know what I would have done without the support from all my friends, having the support made the biggest difference in my life and shows me I wasn't the only one hurting, and it was nice to have so many people to talk to and get through it with.

I think about Dustin everyday and Anthony will always keep popping up in my head.

Dustin and Anthony's friends always mention their names so that's how I know people definitely haven't forgotten about them either. When Anthony died everyone had to go through it again, but they still are there for each other even if they didn't know him as well as others.

Over all these deaths and tragedies are a big deal to us and we haven't forgotten and never will. The point I am trying to get across is if you didn't know them or go through any of the losses we've experienced, don't assume what you don't know.

Isabel Giovis Grade 10

“Yes, because they bought the bodies off the black market.”

Stephen Rausch Junior

“No. I understand the controversy, but I think it is really interesting. The way they explained it, it was legal. It was kind of gross, but it was interesting. It was a good experience.”

Kinsey Bryant-Lees Junior

“No. As long as it's educational and if I was one of the bodies-I would be happy. I think it is more of a personal opinion. I think if you're dead, it's okay.”

Riley Stanforth Junior

“No, because it is a good resource tool for people who want to become doctors. It is educational.”

Drew Reed Junior

“No. I think it is kind of gross and weird, but if they got permission, it's okay. It is their body. I would never do that or go and see it, but it's their body.”

Lynne Liao Freshman

“No. I don't think that if the people are learning anything, it is a problem. If they are already dead, then it's okay.”

Allison Linn Sophomore

“No, because there “No, because I think it are a lot more benefits is neat to see all the to it. This would proba- aspects of the inside bly be the best way to of the body. It is memorialize impactful and not what their bodies.” you can see in Hannah Inskeep a textbook.”

Senior Abby Janis Senior Compiled by Nisha Giridharan

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March 7, 2008

sports

chronicle

March 7, 2008 Jansen wins state title in 200 freestyle, finishes runner-up in 100 freestyle

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SPORTS COVER STORY

From the Sidelines to the Crowd

BY DREW ALLEN Sports Editor After finishing second in both the 50-yard and 100yard freestyle last year by a combined .65 seconds, sophomore Danielle Jansen roared back to claim her first state title in the 200 freestyle.

With a disappointJansen ing third place finish at the district meet a week earlier behind her, she dropped three seconds off her district time and finished 3.15 seconds ahead of her nearest competitior. Her win made her Mason’s first swimming state champ since Spencer Hewes won a title in the 100 breaststroke his sophomore year and the team’s second overall.

“Her key [to the win] was going out very, very strong,” Head swimming coach Mark Sullivan said. “After 50 yards in the race, she was a body length ahead, which is great for that point in the race. Setting the tone early benefited her in the long run.”

Earlier in the season, Sullivan employed some strategy to help ensure Jansen a state title in February.

“She switched from the sprint 50 free to the 200 freestyle, which is more of a distance event,” Sullivan said. “Which is unusual because at this level you typically swim the same events week in and week out. But we looked at who was coming back [in the 200 freestyle] and realized it was a wide open field.”

However, as Jansen approached the day of the finals, strategy was pushed to the side as she mentally focused herself for the race ahead.

“I was a little bit nervous,” Jansen said. “But all I was thinking about was how I should swim and not how everyone else would.”

A year’s worth of training since last February has helped her realize her aspirations of being number one in the state.

“I train year round for this meet,” Jansen said. “I thought about winning it everyday and during morning practices, which we had three times a week.”

During the race, Jansen didn’t stroll too far from her normal thoughts.

“I was just thinking about what I always think about in a race, and that was to be the best I could be,” Jansen said.

Last year’s disappointments in both the 50yard freestyle and 100-yard freestyle helped her this year.

“It motivated me and spurred me on,” Jansen said. “I felt like I had something to prove this year.”

On her way to a title, Jansen had to beat some top competition, according to Sullivan.

However, she managed to finish body lengths ahead of some of the best swimmers around.

“When you get to this level, especially in Ohio, you’re facing some really outstanding swimmers,” Sullivan said. “If you win [a title] in Ohio, you’re among the best.”

Jansen did not claim only individual medals.

Her performance in the 400 free relay and 200 Medley relay helped the team to a fourth and fifth place finish, respectively. Even with her four medals, the gold was still the highlight of the weekend. However, just because Jansen claimed the elusive title this season does not mean she is going to back off on her training for next year’s race.

“She is by far the hardest worker we have on the team,” Sullivan said. “She has the most drive and I would not put it past her to continue to excel. After a runner up finish in the 100 yard race most swimmers would be estatic, but Danielle was still pretty upset with her finish because she was so close. She’s still pretty hungry.”

photo by Patrick Lipka

Seniors who sat out; Molly Fritts, Justin Perkins, Natalie Gabel, Cody Laymon, Christina Otero and Lucas Long

Seniors make difficult choice to sit out their senior year

BY JEREMY POWERS Staff Writer The traditional student athlete enters high school as a freshman with little experience or credibility. It is usually a grind for these freshman athletes to establish themselves as key contributors to their repected teams. By senior year, most of these athletes have beome leaders for their teams.

For a certain group of senior athletes, their MHS sports careers did not reach this seniority status; instead, their careers were halted after their junior years.

Former soccer players, seniors Natalie Gabel and Christina Otero decided not to participate in varsity girls’ soccer their senior year. Gabel said her decision not to play was based on the newly appointed coaching staff.

"The change in coaching was why I decided not to play," Gabel said. "As a senior the coaches were looking for me to be a leader, and I was not ready to tackle that role. Also, I was not interested in playing college soccer."

Otero thought the benefitsof not participating on the soccer team her senior year would be a break from the physical and mental strain she endured from practice.

"I did not miss the physical strain or even the mental strain," Otero said. "Natalie and I still have scars from playing, and those I can do without."

Although Otero did not have to worry about the strains of soccer season during her senior year, she did have trouble dealing with the absence of her teammates.

"I did miss the bond I had with my teammates," Otero said. "I missed doing everything together."

On the other side of the ball, the Greater Miami Conference Champion, men's varsity soccer team also failed to return two seniors to

their roster. Cody Laymon and Justin Perkins, who played important roles in the comets' 2006-2007 Fort Ancient Valley Conference championship, could not return to the playing field because of injuries.

"I had to get [back] surgery and take four months of physical therapy prior to my senior season," Laymon said. "I did not want to take the risk of injuring myself again and having back problems the rest of my life."

Also stricken by a back injury, Perkins said he really missed not playing soccer his senior year.

He said it was tough to come to the games and know he would not be taking the field with his old teammates.

"It was definitely weird coming to the games and not seeing my teammates from a year ago," Perkins said. "Looking back, I do regret not playing, especially seeing how far the team went this season. The trimester took a lot longer without practices and the anticipation of a game."

Not only on the soccer field was this lack of seniority prevalent, senior Lucas Long also fell short of returning to the basketball court for his senior season as part of the men's varsity basketball team.

"I knew coming in that I was not going to play a whole lot, so I did not think that practicing everyday would be worth it," Long said. "I thought I was not able to give the team what it needed in order to have the best chance of winning."

Long enjoyed the winter season without basketball by still staying associated with the team.

Along with fellow students, Long created the MHS phenomenon, The Black Hole. This form of school spirit has made Long feel like he was still a vital part of the team’s success.

"I felt like making the atmosphere what it was on the home court, and bringing support to the road games really helped the team win," Long said. "I was able to help lift our team, and I

could still get in the head of the opposing team like if I was on the court."

While Laymon and Perkins were not thrilled about missing out on their senior season, senior Molly Fritts had a decision made knowing she would not be playing women's varsity basketball during the 2007-2008 school year.

Fritts’ love for the game was not enough to persuade her to keep playing basketball. She knew she would not be playing her senior year after a disappointing junior season.

"I did not want to play basketball since I was a sophomore, but I continued to play for my parents’ sake," Fritts said. "I put in time and effort junior year, and was not rewarded for the work I put in."

For Fritts, her love for the game of basketball faded and enjoying her senior year became more important.

"It was something I used to love, but it turned into a more political thing than the sport I remembered," Fritts said. "I do miss hanging out with the girls, but I like having the time to enjoy my senior year and not having to worry about something I did not want to be involved in."

While the decision to play or not is solely based on the athlete's discretion, it forces the coaches to accept the athlete's choice and make changes in result to those senior's absence.

"As much as you want [seniors] to be out there whether it's for their leadership or for their experience with the program you have to respect their decision and move on," Head Basketball Coach Greg Richards said. "If you expect them to play and they don't for whatever reason it may be, you need to respect their decision."

All of these former athletes fell short of continuing their athletic careers for different reasons, and all six of these MHS seniors' have recognized that their athletic triumphs are a thing of the past.

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March 7, 2008

Kline is state champ Heavyweight wrestler leads Comets to top 15 finish

BY JEREMY POWERS Staff Writer

photo contributed by Michael Dulovich

C C hronicle

onversation

Mark Allen Varsity Bowling What are the most important aspects about bowling to you?

Ball physics, the surface for the lane, patterns, oil density, fundamentals, and the mental game. The most important thing out of those would be the mental game. You have to be able to recover quickly and have a good attitude during the game.

How do you feel about the bowling shoes that you have to wear?

They are a lot more comfortable than regular shoes. Mine are made from kangaroo leather. They are expensive ranging from twenty to twenty five dollars a pair. Bowling in general is an expensive sport. Going to an alley for a round of bowling is about three fifty a person.

Who in your family bowls?

Everyone in my family bowls: my mom, sister, brother, aunts, uncles, cousins and my grandpa.

Who inspired you to start bowling?

My dad; he doesn't bowl much anymore [because] he has a bad knee and ankle.

He used to bowl a 235 and he could have gone pro back when he was still bowling. He is real serious about me bowling since I can get a scholarship.

Where do you like to bowl when you aren't with your team?

I like to bowl at Crossgate Lanes and Northwest Lanes. Northwest because that is where the pro-shop is at -- this is where I get all of my gear for bowling. I go to Crossgate because my personal coach, Jim Merrill, works there. They also use PBA (Pro Bowling Association) oil patterns, which is what determines the difficulty of the lane you are bowling at.

After four years of wrestling dominance, a career came down to two minutes and 48 seconds for senior heavyweight wrestler Josh Kline. Kline saw his hard work and determination pay-off last Saturday at the Schottenstein Center on the campus of the Ohio State University in the form of an elusive state wrestling title.

After Delonne Baker of Sandusky upset James Meder of Valley Forge in the semi-finals, Kline may have sidestepped his toughest opponent.

Baker was ranked as low as 25 in some polls and unranked in others. Meder was ranked as high as second in some polls, and many across the state favored him to upset Kline in the finals. However, Brian Brakeman, author of Ohio’s wrestling bible The Brakeman Report, favored Kline earlier in the season.

“Kline seems to be the best at this time,” Brakeman said in his annual report.

“Paraphrasing Damon Runyon, the biggest and most powerful don’t always win, but that’s the way to bet, [so] you have to go with Kline.”

As a favorite to win the state title in the 285pound weight class, Kline was proud he photo contributed Senior Josh Kline is crowned state champ after pinning Delonne Baker of reached his dream for his coach, his peers and Sandusky in 2:48. Kline was one of three Comet wrestlers competing in Columbus himself. this past weekend.

Kline was determined to reach his goal because of his family. His brother Chad and father, Rick also wrestled at the high school of, and seeing him walk around all weekend Memorial Tournament in January propelled him level, but failed to win a state championship. with a calm collected mind made me sure that to a state championship.

"It meant a lot to my whole family, said Kline. he was ready to win a state championship."

"His only loss at the James Horning Memorial "It was nice to win it for my family's name."

Kline was the second heavyweight from Tournament really focused him to win,” Head Coach, Craig Murnan explained that Mason to win a state title in the past three Murnan said.

Kline's title was one of the highlights of his years. Zach Marshall, a member of the class of Throughout the weekend, Kline was rarely coaching career. Kline was the first state cham2005 at Mason was a state wrestling champion challenged. Three of his four matches were pion coached decided by

by Murnan.

“It was definitely one of the highlights of my coaching career. To realize all pins, and he "It was defof the hard work it takes to produce a state champion is a great feeling.” was taken initely one of down once. He Craig Murnan, Head Varsity Wrestling Coach the highfaced his most lights of my challenging coaching career,” Murnan said. "To realize all in the 285 pound weight class as well. Murnan match against Matt Pritchard of Clayton of the hard work it takes to produce a state elucidated that Zach was a huge influence for Northmont, whom Kline decisioned 6-4. champion is a great feeling."

Kline's championship.

While Kline finally reached his dream last Murnan made it clear that experience, a strong "Zach was there all weekend with Josh helpweekend, he knows that his work ethic over the mind, and confidence is the key to a state ing him out and giving Josh a comfort level, past four years was the sole reason for his state championship wrestler.

Murnan said. "As a coaching staff we made championship.

"Some people might miss certain things that sure that Zach was around to help Josh see "Just being an athlete helped me win the Josh possesses, but our coaching staff can see himself as a state champion." championship, Kline said. "What you have to them,” Murnan said. "He has confidence from Even with 45 wins on the season, Murnan remember is that hard work really does pay his training, experience that he took advantage thought Kline's lone loss at the James Horning off."

What’s up with that?

What’s up with Chad Johnson? He is a pro-bowler yet again and could be considered Cincinnati’s biggest celebrity; however, he is complaining about wanting a trade. Whats going on Chad?

The COMET CULTURE Grid HOW DO THE COMETS FIT IN?

Hannah Montana is...

_______ should win a Grammy

Worst Valentines gift ever

On Gameday I...

Stupid

I should win a Grammy

Socks

Watch Coach Carter

ROBERT SHEPPERD SO., WRESTLING

A good show

Dragonforce

Little Candy Hearts

KELSEY EGAN, JR., BASKETBALL

Awesome

Paramore

An empty box of chocolates

Fake

Spongebob

Reality show I’d be on

What colleges do you want to go to for bowling?

Wichita State University, [because] they have fifteen national titles and the best program for bowling. They are one of those schools that don't come to tournaments to scout; you have to go to them first.

RASHEE BILLINGS JR., BASKETBALL

Rob and Big

Don’t think

Survivor

Pray before a game

Survivor

Who is your bowling icon and why?

Walter Ray Williams Jr. because he is in the Pro Bowling Association Hall of Fame for holding the most titles and he is a small town guy who made it big.

JULIANNA

-compiled by Duncan Fischley

LANGMAJER

SR., GYMNASTICS

Getting dumped

Always pop my knuckles before a meet

Big Brother

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March 7, 2008

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Three wrestlers qualify for state tournament Comets place fourth at district competition

BY JEREMY POWERS Staff Writer

photo contributed

District runner-up Jeremy Artrip wrestles in an early season tournament. The Comets finished 4th among 38 teams and placed eight wrestlers at the district tournament, the most in school history. The Comet freshman qualified for state along with Josh Kline and Nick Difabritus.

With eight wrestlers placing at districts, the Mason Comet wrestling team tied for finished fourth at the district competition with Cincinnati St. Xavier.

Finishing behind Elder, Moeller and Lakota West, the Mason wrestlers were on the cusp of a higher finish according to head coach Craig Murnan.

"We wrestled really well and lost a couple close matches we could have easily won,” Murnan said. "We battled through adversity all weekend and we could have easily finished 3rd instead of 4th."

The Comets produced the most district placing wrestlers in school history last weekend at Fairfield High School.

"We were as prepared as you can be,” Murnan said. "Having eight placers comes down to winning one match at a time."

Top finishers included senior Josh Kline winning the Heavyweight division, while freshman Jeremy Artrip and senior Nick Difabritus were both runners-up in their respected weight classes. All three individuals will be traveling to Columbus for the state competition.

"They wrestled really tough and put us in a good position,” Murnan said. "The tough competition during the season allowed us to have one champion and two runners-up in the district finals."

While finishing fourth is somewhat of a downgrade for the Comets compared to finishing at least second in every event throughout the season, Murnan still praised his team's effort in a strong district tournament.

"It was a tough district tournament with every team having a good amount of depth between the seniors and underclassmen,” Murnan said. "This was one of the best district tournaments that I have seen in five years."

As Murnan's mindset turns from districts to state competition he has prepared his wrestlers with light preparation.

"After four or five matches at districts you have to take a light week of practice and work on scouting our opponents,” Murnan said. "If we can wrestle like we have all year we will be fine."

Murnan also has goals for his team as a whole, which includes a first for the wrestling program at Mason.

"Our goal is to have three state placers which would be a first for Mason,” Murnan said. "It's a lofty goal because of the competition, but it is our goal."

Young Comets claim sectional championship Despite inexperience team finishes third in tough GMC

BY DREW ALLEN Sports Editor After graduating two All-league players and three other seniors, little was expected of the women's basketball team heading into their first Greater Miami Conference season. However, the team's relative inexperience has not shown in their record. Despite having only one senior in their lineup, the team has battled their way to a 14-9 record and the teams' first sectional title in seven years.

"Youth has been both a positive and negative factor this season," Head Coach Rob Matula said. "Some situations don't rattle them and they just play through them. However, sometimes they need to know when to just back off and not make mistakes."

Last season's starting lineup consisted completely of seniors. Coming off a 17-5 campaign, the underclassmen have had to play well to keep up their success.

"We started five seniors last season," Matula said. "We knew going into this year that we would have to be patient."

That patience has appeared to have paid off.

After starting with a 2-3 record, the Comets have rebounded with an 11-5 run. The highlight of their late season revival has been a five game

win streak. They posted blowout victories of 22, 15 and 17 points in three of those games. As individuals playing for a team and not a team playing as individuals, Matula credits solid team play for their recent success.

"Our entire team does a great job of practicing hard," Matula said. "Those that practice and don't play often and don't get the accolades do a good job of pushing those that do. They make the starters better."

The improved play late in the season may have resulted from improved leadership as the young team emerged from tough GMC contests.

"We have great team leadership, with one great senior in Erika Frey," Matula said. "[Our team] has a good vibe and good chemistry, but we didn't start like that. We've had to work on it, but the girls have become a unit."

The lack of one key player in their starting lineup also presents its advantages.

"Opponents can't focus on one player [in a game]," Matula said. "Our success is because we're a well-rounded team."

Defense, which has been a trademark of the Men's team for years, has become a strength for the Women's team this season.

"Our defense dictates how we play offensively, and our girls have bought into that [idea],"

Matula said.

While the Comet's have functioned well as a whole, several individual players have stepped up to lead the team.

"Cara Werner is our best three point shooter," Matula said. "Kayla Lamotte leads us in scoring, and Michaela Kleist is our leading rebounder."

In the postseason, both Lamotte and Kleist have been key in their successes. Kleist sealed their 48-46 win over Mercy with a last second lay up, advancing them to the sectional final against Colerain. After facing a halftime deficit of 27-21 during the Colerain game, they pulled ahead late in the fourth quarter and never surrendered the lead in their 53-46. Lamotte was instrumental in the win, contributing 18 points to lead the Comets.

However, the Comets were not able to mount a late game comeback against their next opponent Winton Woods. The Comets fell behind late in the 1st quarter and never retook the lead.

Matula hopes that this years experience will translate into a deeper postseason run next year.

“If experience is as important as people say it is, this year should allow us to build on our success,” Matula said. “But if we don’t work hard in the offseason, this years experience means nothing.”

Final Girls Basketball GMC Standings Lakota West Princeton Oak Hills Colerain

14 - 0 11 - 3 10 - 4 10 - 4

Mason

10 - 4

Fairfield Sycamore Middletown Hamilton Lakota East

6 4 4 1 0

-

8 10 10 13 14

GMC All Conference 1st Team Cara Werner, Jr. 2nd Team Kayla Lamotte, Soph.

Girls All Southwest District Cara Werner, Jr.

Comets fall in sectional tournament to Loveland Team concludes injury plagued season with 9-12 record

BY DUNCAN FISCHLEY Staff Writer

photo by Drew Allen

Josh Krusling looks for a open man during the Comets’ final road game against Middletown.

Krusling is one of seven seniors who will graduate for the Comets.

After finishing the regular season with a 9-11 overall record and 6-8 conference record, the men's basketball team dropped their first postseason game 44-37 to Loveland. The loss dropped them to 9-12 on the season and 6-8 in the Greater Miami Conference.

Though they lost the game, Coach Greg Richards thought that the team still did their best against the Loveland team, having lost to them earlier in the season 36-32. Richards said he believes that the season overall went well for the team, even with the early exit in the post season.

"As the season went on we got better and finally started to play Mason ball,” Richards said. “We had a tough one against Loveland, we did some things well and some things could have been improved on."

The season has had its up and downs due to the ongoing injuries and illnesses that plagued the team constantly. With some of their star players out for games on end, the underclassmen had to play early and prove themselves for their coach. Junior Luke Sutphin averaged 7.2 points a game, and scored double-digits six times. Sophomore Austin Brune led the team in both assists and steals, and Junior Derek Cox led the team in free throw shooting percentage, averaging 82 percent over the season.

"Because of the injuries [and] illnesses affecting us throughout the season, we have been starting more underclassmen. It got to the point were we had four underclassmen and one senior starting," Richards said.

These injuries and illnesses really hampered the team. This put them through some tough situations to go up against every time they had a game. Lipscomb bound point guard Zach Brown missed several early season games. Brown was out with a broken wrist for the first 12 game, and sufferedfrom a broken nose in their first postseason game against Loveland.

"Zach missed the first 10 games due his broken wrist; Luke Sutphin had to miss a couple games. We have had to face a lot of adversity this season," Richards said.

Despite his early season injury and late start, Brown still pulled off a highly successful season. He was an honorable mention on the 2007-08 Associated Press Southwest AllDistrict basketball team, and averaged a team leading 15.4 points in his 10 games.

With the season over, the boys are getting ready to face the challenges of next year. Seven seniors are graduating this year leaving several openings in next years varsity line up.

"We have to wait 30 days before we can officially do anything according to the state,” Richards said. “We will be doing a lot of lifting in the weight room, and we will do a summer league to get in shape.”

With this season is over; the guys are looking towards next year to show what they are really made of. Despite finishing in the middle of the pack in the GMC, the Comets proved that they can compete in what many consider to be one of the top leagues in the state.

"We got better as the season went on, and we had to grow up and face a lot of injuries,” Richards said. “I think we showed that we are able to compete in the GMC."

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March 7, 2008

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Even though most fads of the 80’s and 90’s have faded over the years, Mason High School students still have their favorites from these decades. The Chronicle picked out some of the most memorable movies, bands, TV shows, styles, and toys from both the 80’s and the 90’s to discover that some things never really do go out of style.

By KRISTEN YAWIT Staff Writer

The Rubik’s Cube The Rubik's cube debuted in 1980 and continues to be the world's best selling toy. MHS Sophomore Anna Lin became intrested interested in the Rubik’s cube last year and can solve it in two minutes.

"I was just bored over spring break last year," Lin said.

To solve the Rubik's cube, there is a pattern that is given in the instructions. To most consumers, the pattern is difficult to understand.

"It took about a week to understand it." Lin said.

Solving the Rubik's cube is time consuming and challenging. The fastest time of solving it is 9.55 seconds by Ron van Bruchem of the Netherlands.

By MEGAN ROEHM Staff Writer

The Brat Pack The most memorable group of celebrities of the 1980s was the Brat Pack. This term was coined after its members, Emilio Estevez, Anthony Michael Hall, Rob Lowe, Andrew McCarthy, Demi Moore, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald, and Ally Sheedy, were featured on the cover of New York Magazine in 1985. Some of the popular movies these actors starred in together are The Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, and St. Elmo's Fire.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles The Ninja Turtles are a favorite among young kids today, but many don't realize that the television show debuted in the 1980's. Ninja Turtles originated from a comic book, which led to a television show, action figures and movies. New versions of the show appeared in the late 1990's and early 2000. MHS Senior Dan Miner admired the crime fighting group as a child and still does today.

"It's their strong passion for fighting crime," Miner said.

Donatello is Miner’s favorite Ninja Turtle because he is intellectual, and uses his scientific thought instead of violence to solve conflict.

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off In this 1986 movie, high school senior Ferris Bueller fakes sick and skips school to hang out around town with friends. Bueller and his friends manage to take a 1961 Ferrari to Chicago, eat at an expensive restaurant, and participate in a parade without getting caught. MHS senior, Tim Oliver, is a fan of the movie as well as a fan of Bueller.

"He's a unifier," Oliver said. "He's all around awesome."

Classmates and community members who think Bueller is really sick in the movie send flowers to the Bueller home. Bueller remains a favorite among classmates in the movie, as well as students here at MHS. Tim Oliver

Furby

Friends Another popular form of entertainment in the nineties was the TV show Friends. It is a catchy sitcom about six friends living in New York, experiencing the romance, happiness, and the drama in life together. Junior Brittaney Oberle said this is her favorite show because it is funny, and different from other shows that are on TV. "I have seen every episode over and over," Oberle said. "I even have the Friends 'Scene It' game!"

While there are no more new episodes of Friends playing on NBC, that doesn't mean it's the end of these friends. There are DVDs of every episode, from all ten seasons of the show, because viewers can never get enough of this nineties hit.

Leggings Clothing styles have always made re-appearances, and lately it's the styles from the 1980's that can be seen in the halls at MHS. Leggings date back to the Renaissance period, but became popular in the 1980's during the aerobics craze. Senior Megan Bracher is just one of the many girls at MHS who wears leggings.

"I think they look cute under shorter dresses," Bracher said.

The style has been modified since the 1980's though, because girls today aren't wearing bright pink and neon green leggings. Bracher said she prefers neutral colors.

"Usually they look good in black or brown," Bracher said.

Journey

Backstreet Boys

Overalls

Megan Bracher

Recently, hit songs from the 1980's have made a comeback, and can now be heard on popular radio stations and on hit television shows. Journey is one of those bands with hit songs making a comeback. The band was formed in 1973, and was active up until 1987. One of their hit songs, "Don't Stop Believing," debuted in 1981 and topped the charts. Today it still tops the charts among students at MHS. Sophomore Kevin Fitzgerald got into Journey after hearing them on the radio.

"I heard it once on a radio station, and I liked it so I downloaded [their music] off of iTunes," Fitzgerald said.

"Don't Stop Believing" is Fitzgerald’s favorite song, which today is considered Journey's most memorable song. The song's timelessness is seen here at MHS as it is often played at Prom and Homecoming.

In the nineties, many students in high school today were still too young to know much about what was "in style," but somehow their parents made sure they had a taste of the latest fashions. One popular article of clothing in the nineties was the overalls. Senior Kyle Raffel often wore this 90s fashion.

“Oshkosh overalls were like the Banana Republic for four year olds,” Raffel said. “I wish I could still wear them today.”

Along with overalls, there were Keds Canvas shoes, fanny packs, and Adidas wind pants.

Many young girls also sported the baby-doll dresses, butterfly Kyle Raffel hair clips, and backpack purses.

And while today, many of these styles are no longer "in," whether it is regretted ever wearing them or not, these fashions will remain the looks of the nineties.

In the nineties, boy bands were a huge success, especially in the eyes of the preteen girls that had celebrity crushes on all of the members. Among the most popular of these bands were NSYNC, 98 degrees, and the Backstreet Boys. Their albums were top of the charts, and their concerts were packed full of fans. But what was the best part about these boys? Senior Lauren Woycke is among the many young girls that loved this boy band, and for many reasons.

"They were the hottest group at the time," Woycke said. "They were all good looking, and their music is really good to dance and sing along with."

Woycke has all of their albums and attended their concerts when she was younger.

Thanks to their looks and their musical talent, the Backstreet Boys will also remain a memorable part of the nineties.

"I still listen to their CD's," Woycke said. "After cheerleading we have dance parties, and we listen to [the Backstreet Boys] all the time!"

Back in the nineties, the must-have toy for young kids was the Furby, a little stuffed creature that could talk, and give love to its owners. Sophomore Emily Pitkin said she enjoyed the Furby when she was younger. "[The Furby] gave you the maternal figure feeling because you had to take care of it," Pitkin said. "Plus, the commercials made them look really cool."

There was a lot of commotion over these little creatures for awhile, and many kids had them when they were popular. The creatures were sold out everywhere during the holidays, and parents waited in line early in the morning in order to surprise their child with one. According to some people, the Furby was not worth all of the trouble of buying one.

"I don't think they were worth it," Pitkin said. "They definitely didn't live up to the hype of the [advertisements]."

But, while most people wanted them at some point, whether they were worth it or not, they will be remembered.

10 Things I Hate About You There are many movies that were popular in the nineties, one of them being 10 Things I Hate About You, starring Julia Roberts and Heath Ledger. It is a romantic comedy about a sophomore girl, Bianca, who isn't allowed to date until her sister, Kat, (Roberts) starts dating. Her sister being the bitter, mean-spirited girl that she is, has no interest, nor luck, in dating.

Bianca and the guy she likes try to set her up with the new guy, Patrick (Ledger), who surprisingly turns out to be just right for her.

There is just something about these romantic movies of which some people cannot get enough of. Senior Hilary Greenier loves this romantic comedy, and continues to watch it frequently.

"It is my favorite movie because it is a classic love story while keeping the raw humor of high school and teenage years," Greenier said.

This 1999 movie gives a taste of both the humor and the romance teens go through in high school when it comes to dating. It still remains a hit with many nineties kids today.

"I still watch the movie anytime it comes on TV or when I have an afternoon off," Greenier said.

Hilary Greenier .

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March 7, 2008

Time in the Trash

What you’ll find on page...

15 fiftee

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Wasting away...or wasting time at school

Students have themselves to blame for not using class time to their advantage

16 sixtee

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Comet skippers are going big time

18 eighte

Who’s the better driver... girls or guys?

en

By SAMANTHA STULEN Staff Writer

ninete

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Students and teachers debate on who really won in their academic battle

20 n t y t w e

TiVo & DVRs have changed the way people watch television.

r ckie Swoye photo by Ja

19

In front of the Mason Student Agenda, any student can find the regular bell schedule consisting of seventy-five minute classes, five times a day.

It is often intended for students to take advantage of time at the end of each class to get started on homework or work on group projects.

Most students, however, do not.

Sophomore Amanda La Rue said that she does not generally use this time because she socializes at the end of class.

"You can't see all the people in your class at home," La Rue said. "The only way you can talk to them is through Facebook, email or text. So in order to get to see them in person you have to do that during class.

Especially if it's at the end of the day [when] you don't feel like working."

This time given at the end of class is wasted by students and is made up later at home doing their homework that could have been done during allotted school time.

"Pretty much every day of the past year and a half I get loads of homework," La Rue said. "I stay up late --

usually until ten, eleven, sometimes midnight, or even later -- to finish my assignments. That is the motto of the procrastinators. Homework's like wine; [it] gets better the longer you wait."

Some teachers give this extra class time to work because they know that students have jobs, sports and other extracurricular activities that limit their homework time at night. Junior Stephen Rausch said that his extracurricular activities do not influence how he spends his class time during the day.

"I'm lazy and I do [my homework] after my job when I get home," Rausch said.

"I [have] stayed up until two o'clock in the morning writing a paper for English."

For others, it's out of personal choice to spend their class time on things other than homework. Both freshman Aaron Weldon and Rausch said that it is easier to focus on their work at home than in the last few minutes of class.

"Well at home it's quieter and you're not distracted by friends," Weldon said. "[In class] it seems like everybody else [isn't working]."

La Rue said that she tells herself on big projects that she will eventually have time to do it.

"But then tomorrow comes, and I don't have less homework," La Rue said.

"I keep putting the project off until it's finally crunch time, and so I cram, and I try to squeeze all my homework into a smaller amount of time."

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March 7, 2008

Jumping for Joy

photos by Michael Dulovich

Stephen Simpson and Ally Haidet

Ally Haidet

Patrick Vorbroker

Comet jump ropers will skip to South Africa

By SHEA DAVIDSON Editor and JACKIE SWOYER Associate Editor While Mason High School students have seen the district's Comet Skippers jump rope team perform during halftime at basketball games, the team's growing popularity has led to performances on a much wider scale of both national and international competitions.

Before performing, whether in a tournament or halftime show, senior Michael Dulovich says that checking his shoes are most important.

"First and foremost, I check and make sure my shoes are tied, because if they come untied you run into problems," Dulovich said.

Sophomore Alex Simpson says she fights her nerves by staying optimistic.

"I take a big breath and smile, because that helps the nerves," Simpson said. "I also think to myself that no matter what happens, I [will give] it my best performance."

Mason first started the Comet Skippers jump rope team four years ago under Mike and Carmen Simpson, the husband and wife duo also known to Alex Simpson as "mom and dad." The team has grown now to about 70 jumpers from kindergarten through high school age groups, and with its growth the team has seen many successes.

Dulovich said that there are many misconceptions made about jump roping that are inaccurate.

"When someone says jump roping they think girly female activity, but jump roping is just as much of a sport as wrestling or gymnastics," Dulovich said. "People should look at jump roping as gymnastics with a rope."

Carmen Simpson said that the sport's intensity is affecting its popularity nationwide.

"Jump roping is an extreme sport that is growing quickly throughout our Nation," Carmen Simpson said. "We are proud that Mason is now on the map nationally."

In its first year, the team qualified ten members to perform at the USA Jump Rope Nationals; in its second year, over 40 qualified. Just last year the team sent over 50 of its jumpers to the national event.

More recently, the Comet Skippers' success has hit an international front. The Comet Skippers hosted the 2008 US Trials World Qualifier in Mason from January 25-27, with six high school students and five middle school students qualifying.

High school freshmen Ally Haidet, Mia Davis, and Katie Davis, sophomores Brendan Kelly and Alex Simpson, and senior Stephen Simpson are now eligible to represent the United States at the World Competition in South Africa this summer.

Parent Rob Vorbroker said that the opportunities to compete at national and international levels benefit the team back at home.

"The competition at this level is truly amazing, so the benefit to the Comet Skippers' team will be the experience that these jumpers go through and bring back to our squad," Vorbroker said.

Preparation for these kinds of tournaments, which include different events in categories of speed, power, and freestyle, requires dedication of the team members. The team has three two-hour-long mandatory practices each week, where the Skippers work on both individual and pairs routines. Each of these practices involves intense endurance training. Vorbroker said that it is essential for jump ropers to handle both this

said.

This sense of camaraderie is also seen during the practices between the older and younger members of the team. According to Dulovich, the older jumpers help to lead warm-ups during practices and often teach tricks to the younger members.

"We help [the younger Skippers] with learning new tricks, and keeping them organized during practice," Dulovich said.

"When we go on trips the kids can come to me if they need anything."

Carmen Simpson said she agrees with the abilities of the high school jumpers as role models. "[All jumpers] practice as a single unit," Carmen Simpson said. "This has brought about special relationships with our high school students and the younger team members in a very positive way."

Several Comet Skippers have taken their passions for jumping beyond competition in tournaments. Members of the Comet Skippers have participated in background roles as extras in movies, according to Carmen Simpson.

"High school Comet Skippers members [Alex Simpson and Ellie Thieken] were in the Disney movie Jump In, and two at the middle school [Jasmine Staples and Esther Yim]," Simpson said.

Alex Simpson said the opportunity to be in the movie was very fulfilling.

"My most rewarding experience [as a jump roper] had to be being an extra in the movie," Alex Simpson said.

Another Comet Skipper was featured on television in 2006 for doing a donkey kick, an individual jump-rope trick.

"Jeress Pendleton, who is currently an eighth grader, was in the XBOX 360 commercial, and can be found on the www.jumpropevideos.com site," Simpson said.

There is also a video on YouTube of the Comet Skippers at the 2006 US Jump Rope Nationals that has received over 30,000 hits.

With the World Competition approaching this summer, the Skippers' accomplishments continue to mount. Vorbroker said he believes that the opportunity to perform among former champions will bring the team together.

"This is the first foray onto the World Stage for jumpers from the Comet Skippers and we are honored to be there," Vorbroker said. "To be on the same squad, and to dress in the same uniform of red, white, and blue colors with former National and World Champions is truly amazing."

From Mason, Ohio to Cape Town, South Africa

Mason

Cape Town

Approximate Distance: 8270 miles endurance and persistence.

"Try jumping rope as fast as you can for 30 seconds," Vorbroker said. "Now imagine doing three minutes. Imagine being able to jump and rotate the rope two times before landing.

How many times can you do that in a row?"

Vorbroker also said that the ability to mentally concentrate during the competitions is just as important as physical performance.

"Mental concentration is key when performing the freestyle routines," Vorbroker said. "If you miss a skill, you have to forget about it immediately and continue on. When working on a multiple person routine you have to learn to trust and depend on your team mates."

Alex Simpson said she feels lucky that she and her teammates have good relationships with each other.

"I feel very grateful to be on this team because I know that my teammates will never quit or let each other down," Simpson

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March 7, 2008

Battle of the Sexes:

Who’s the Better Driver? photo art by Patrick Lipka

Insurance company statistics don’t lie; rates for girls are better but not by much It’s a matter of science: girls are better drivers

By RACHEL BROCKHAGE Staff Writer If there's one thing you remember from driving school, it's this: you get into accidents because of the tendency to act indecisively, whether it's in the middle of an eight way intersection or when turning into your neighborhood. But this advice doesn't mean anything to someone pushing 50 on a street clearly marked 25, or to one of the fifty million drivers that cut me off, at the last possible moment, on the way to school.

Research indicates that this person probably isn't a girl.

There are hard stats to prove the stereotype that girls are better drivers. You can investigate insurance records, reports from the Ohio Safety Patrol, actual policies, etc. But it's basically a matter of maturity. Girls have consistently proven to have a more conservative driving behavior; research has even shown that girls are more likely to wear a seatbelt.

There's actual science behind the issue of maturity: girls typically have a stronger connection between amygdala and the prefrontal cortex, which relate impulse and judgment. So it would make sense to say that men surpass women in driving ability by age 35.

That doesn't mean you should believe the "old grandma" stereotype: who wouldn't rather have a million of their grandmas on the road, verse a million of their boyfriends?

But what about that age-old argument about the danger of using a cell-phone on the road: for me, at least, I never use mine unless I absolutely have to, which is only when I'm trying to get directions from my dad, or talking to my friend, or checking my voice messages, or changing the screensaver . . . whoa, that was a close one! What was I saying, again?

Oh, yeah. The point is not that boys shouldn't get their license 'til they're 21: that's a tough argument. What we really need to do is limit the number of collisions by becoming safer drivers. All I'm saying is that this may be harder for boys.

By RACHEL BROCKHAGE Staff Writer A study at The John Hopkins University on nationwide car crashes recently debunked the argument that women are better drivers than men, women 35 years and older having a greater risk of crashing than men of that specific age range. A survey conducted by the Prince Market Research found that while 93 percent of men knew the correct amount of air they were supposed to keep in their tires, 51 percent of women had no idea.

But the gender trend for student drivers, that girls are safer drivers than guys, has yet to be challenged. A recent study conducted by the CDC points to carelessness as the cause for why male students are more likely to crash. Carelessness: defined as likeliness to drive while intoxicated, exceed the speed limit, and generally take more risks. The study stated that male students were 4.7 percent more likely than female students to rarely or never wear seat belts. The Washington State Office of the Attorney General claims "males under the age of 30 are charged higher [insurance] rates than females because they are involved in more accidents per mile than any other demographic."

When it comes to getting a quote for auto insurance, policy holders will be charged higher rates for male students. In a recent interview with CNN, Jeanne Salvatore, the vice president for consumer affairs at the Insurance Information Institute, claimed that adding a teenage daughter to a parent's family policy could increase auto insurance premiums by 50 percent. If a teen son is added, the rate is even higher.

"The premiums sky-rocket to 100 percent [if a son is added]," Salvatore said.

These rates reflect local trends as well.

Dave Beckett from the Dakin Insurance agency said that teenage boys had more claims than girls, and that the rates reflect the increase.

"The exact percentage [of the difference of the genders] will depend on what insurance company you are insured with," Beckett said. "We write for 8 different companies and each one has different rating factors for youthful drivers. However, rates for youthful males are, in general, 10-25 percent higher than rates for youthful females."

Junior Brittney Spaeth agrees with the stats.

"I admit, [girls] like to text," Spaeth said.

"But guys are all about speed, about going fast. It's all about how they look. Girls are definitely better drivers."

Senior Adam Manning's driving record seems to indicate this is true. Manning, at last count, was charged with three driving tickets, involved in two accidents, and had his licensed suspended for a year.

"Both of the accidents I was in were caused by women flying down the highway and completely out of control," Manning said. "But guys are definitely more aggressive drivers."

Insurance agent John Luttrell with SFM Insurance claims that the rates aren't reflective of all the factors that go into policies for student drivers.

"I do not think that girls are better drivers than boys,” Luttrell said. “They just are not on the road as much and are not involved in as many accidents. As we know, each situation can be different, but my estimate for adding the young drivers depends greatly on the car and the driver. Good student discounts help many young drivers who have a 3.0 grade point or better . . . the increase on the policy applies only to the vehicle that the new driver is assigned to."

66% of boys said they have run a red light.

Watch out, there’s a woman on the road!

By DUNCAN FISCHLEY Staff Writer In my opinion, women have no real ability to drive. Every time that I have been in the passenger side of a car with a female, I have felt entirely unsafe. Either she is driving so slow that a car could crash into us, or she is out on the highway going so fast that we risk crashing into someone else.

It seems to me that women who drive can be broken down into two groups: speeders and grandmas. The speeders are the girls who drive around putting on make-up and texting on their phones. My friend saw one of these "multitasking drivers" on the highway one time -- she was putting on mascara, talking on her phone, and driving with her knees, all at the same time. I don't really know how she did it, but it's only a matter of time until she gets in a wreck.

The grandma drivers, though, can be just as bad. They are really slow and cautious, never going over fifty-five miles per hour on the highway and always slowing down the rest of traffic. They will just sit at a stop sign waiting, their old Cadillacs puttering away while they wait for the imaginary car to pass through the intersection for the seventieth time. It doesn't take long before you get frustrated enough to honk your horn to get them moving along.

I am not saying that some guys can't drive because there are some reckless male drivers; it is just that there are more women who can't drive. All I want is for the female drivers of the world to drive normally. To the speeders, if you feel the urge to whip out your cell phone or the necessity to multitask in your cars…please don't. To the slow, cautious women, pick up the speed a little bit -- we would all like to go home before our hair turns gray.

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By

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March 7, 2008

By ALYSSA HOWARD Staff Writer

to Pho

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Are you smarter than a fifth grader? That is the question posed by the FOX show of the same name every Thursday night. Hosted by Jeff Foxworthy, the quiz show tests adults on grade-school level questions. Since its premiere on February 27, 2007, Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader? has drawn an average 12.8 million viewers per episode.

Mason High School took up a similar challenge on February 4 in a competition pitting the MHS Academic Team against a group of staff members. So the group of teachers sought to answer the question: Are you Smarter than the Academic Team?

Before the Competition

After the Competition

Chemistry teacher Chris Ennis said that he thought so.

"The staff members will win‌except for the math questions," Ennis said. "I've seen these guys on math -- [they're] way too good."

However, assistant principal Tim Keeton said that he disagreed.

"The students [will win] this year," Keeton said. "We beat them last year."

Keeton, who said that he predicted the staff team's strength to be in science at the competition, Mr. Tim Keeton lamented the loss of a valuable team predicted the staff team would be player this year.

"Last year we had Mr. Frank, who stronger in was strong in geography," Keeton science. said.

Unlike the divided opinions of the staff, the Academic Team said for the most part that they believed the victors of the competition would be themselves.

Junior Shy Ruparel said that he thought the students would win, emphasizing the advantage of the Academic Team.

Nadira Long "All [the teachers] have are college degrees," Ruparel said. predicted a convincing "We have heart." student victory.

Ruparel said that he expected the students to dominate the lightning round with random knowledge-based questions due to their wide spread of knowledge.

"We don't have to teach and manage classes [like the teachers], so we get to study different areas," Ruparel said.

Sophomore Nadira Long said that she also believed without question that the students would win with their advantage.

"Of course the students [will win]," Long said. "I think we have better memories."

However sophomore Amanda La Rue said that she had a different perspective of the team's realistic outlook for the competition.

"We want to win but we are a little skeptical," La Rue said.

Although La Rue said that she hoped for a win against the teachers, she said that she expected results to the contrary.

"I thought the teachers would get a big lead [in the beginning] and win," La Rue said.

The staff and student teams commenced to prepare for three rounds of academic competition. The first round, called the team round, would be comprised of 10 sets of three questions each. Next there would be the alphabet round, consisting of 20 questions to which the answers always start with the same letter. Last is the lightning round, a series of toss-ups worth two points each.

After a three-round battle of brains, the winner of the academic competition is still disQ: What act in the putable. The students started out in the lead 1890s specified that with a score of 24-7 at the Federal the conclusion of the first round. The teachGovernment would ers caught up through purchase silver at Mr. Chris Ennis was the second round, at the confident that the standard rates? end of which they trailed teachers would only three points with a ultimately prevail. score of 38-35. The third A: Sherman Silver round saw the staff team prevail with a final score of 53-50 - but it wasn't over yet. In a stuPurchase Act dent-requested and unconventional "rematch" round of twenty questions, the students won with a score of 66-59.

Students and teachers vary in their opinions over who the real winner was.

Ennis said that he thought the teachers won despite the students' advantage over the teachers going into the competition.

"Without a doubt the teachers [won]," Ennis said. "[The 53-50 score was] in regulation -- and they have three times the brainpower we have."

While Keeton said that he believed the teachers were victorious in the original competition, his opinion varied in who deserved to win.

"They [deserved to win]," Keeton said. "We tended to help each other a little bit, whether we were on the panel or not.

[The students] stick to the rules."

Ruparel said that the students won despite the unofficial addition of twenty questions to the conventional three-round format.

"In the end, the right team won," Ruparel said.

Amanda La Rue felt Long said that although she originally thought the students in the end that were going to win, the teachers proved themselves smarter than everyone was a the students. winner.

"I think ultimately the winners were the teachers," Long said. "[The competition participants] had to remember things that obviously we couldn't."

Summing up the competition that included four rounds of intense mental sparring, La Rue said that she didn't see a clear victorious team emerge.

"I think everyone won in the end," La Rue said. "We're all winners."

Trivia

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March 7, 2008

Don’t pause your schedule for your favorite shows Advertisers react to fast-forwarding DVR allows viewers to catch their favorite shows at their convenience

By ELLEN DUFFER Staff Writer Television has come a long way since 1997. Ten years ago "VHS" was the common acronym that allowed people to fast-forward, but now TiVo and DVR have taken over. Such creations are changing the way many MHS students watch television, as the companies controlling them add innovative features. Those who once had to allot time from their busy schedules to view their favorite shows can now truly watch what they want, when they want.

Sophomore Julia Lamorelle, taking three honors classes and participating on the varsity swim team, never has time to watch her choice of shows, like Two and a Half Men, when they are on TV. "I don't have time to watch regular TV; I have so much going on and I have hard classes that I have lots of homework for," Lamorelle said.

Sophomore Kelly Ossim, a frequent user of DVR, says that along with allowing users to watch programs on their own time, recording shows offers an advantage that basic cable doesn't.

"You don't have to go through commercials -- that's a major benefit," Ossim said. "I get really frustrated with commercials and instead of sitting and watching them, I find a new show."

Earlier this year, a study conducted

by Nielsen Media

Research showed that more than half of all DVR users skip commercials. Because viewers are commonly skipping commercials, Ossim believes companies could lose a valuable source of advertising.

"I think that DVR will cause people definitely not to watch commercials," Ossim said. "Then there wouldn't be any point to commercials and people would have to find different ways to advertise."

Lamorelle agrees, saying people are not focusing on commercials as much as they used to.

"I think that a lot of people are paying attention more to the TV and not the commercials," Lamorelle said.

"I don't even know half the movies that are up now or what they're about, because I don't watch commercials, so advertising is probably going down."

Ossim says the introduction of digital video recording has changed her television viewing habits in another way since her family got DVR a few months ago.

"I watch more of what I really want to watch," Ossim said. "We have all this stuff recorded on DVR, but then I just go through and pick what I want; it's more of what we like because that's what we'll tape."

Lamorelle, who watches shows that air at inconvenient times, finds that recording shows has enabled her to satisfy her preferences. "[TiVo is] more efficient and I like to watch a lot of different shows," Lamorelle said. "For example, Lost is Wednesday night at 10 to 11 and last year that was too late for me, plus homework and stuff, but now I can watch that."

Viewing shows from the recorded database lets Ossim have a sense of control as well.

"I just kind of stop watching the show when I feel like it and come back to it later," Ossim said.

By ELLEN DUFFER Staff Writer

Eighty percent of DVR users skip at least the majority of commercials when watching television, according to a survey published by Nielsen Media Research earlier this year. That 80 percent is causing advertisers and DVR service providers to rethink the way ads are displayed and to investigate the reasoning behind fast-forwarding.

TiVo tested one new form of advertisement two years ago in which ads appeared while fast-forwarding through commercials. This smaller ad could be removed from the screen with a click of "clear," or the viewer could receive more information regarding the product by hitting the "thumbs up" button on the remote.

The technique, similar to the pop-ups seen when surfing the internet, has yet to be integrated into current television, however.

Another method of television advertisement involves interaction to attract the audience. E! recently held a game that required viewers to watch commercial breaks, waiting for code phrases that could be submitted for a shot at prizes.

Along with attempting to entice people to watch advertisements, companies can pay to understand why commercials are skipped. Starcom MediaVest Group, with TiVo, launched the Power Watch Consumer Panel that allows advertisers to purchase information to learn why people fast-forward through ads. Companies can then plan their commercials according to the reports and correctly situate them within a show.

To assist with placement, Stop/Watch, yet another program TiVo offers, reports second-by-second data on commercials being watched and spot ratings.

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