The Chronicle, 6.2

News: Students find creative ways to earn extra cash

Chronicle Sports: Girls golf team captures victory at state championship

The William Mason High School

Volume 6

TODAY StuGo selling Halloween candy at lunch Students can buy fistfuls of candy at lunch today. Student Government will have the candy for sale during each lunch for 50 cents per handful.

Seussical tickets half-price The Children’s Theatre of Mason will debut their latest production, Seussical, in the Mason High School auditorium tonight.

The show will start at 7 p.m. after some Halloween festivities. Tonight only, student tickets will be half-price at the door ($4 instead of $8).

“It’s a really fun show,” junior Grace Eichler, part of the Seussical cast, said.

“We are putting all of Dr. Seuss’s work together. There are a lot of high school kids involved in the production. It’s really cool to meet kids from all over Mason and see them all come together.”

“I love working with the younger kids and being a mentor,” Eichler said. “I love the show.”

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

Swingers

Campaigns sweep region in bid to capture crucial swing state

photo by Chuck Liddy from Raleigh News & Observer/MCT

The artwork of thirteen Mason High School students has been selected for display in Xavier University’s Biennial Regional High School Art Exhibition from November 14 through December 5. The show will be held at Xavier’s Cohen Building and will feature fewer than 100 student works. The students’ work will also be eligible for competition in an awards reception on November 21. The reception will honor artists with commemorations from Xavier faculty and the XU student art club, The Society of Visual Arts.

Since Mason students have participated in the competition, this year marks the most students from MHS ever to qualify.

Work featured in the show from Mason students includes photography, drawing, sculpture, computer art and painting. To be accepted, students were allowed only one entry to represent themselves.

This year’s qualifiers from Mason were: Jessica Brown, Tyler Fewell, Glorimar Garcia, Rebecca Kroeger, Whitney McCoy, Sam Mink, Friederike Mueller, Ossian Mendoza, Sara Olson, Alyssa Ross, Meg Roussos, Seth Simmons and Danni Wu.

Courting the

Issue 2

photo by Dennis Tennant from Newport News Daily Press/MCT

NEWS BRIEF

October 31, 2008

Area caught in the campaign crossfire as candidates battle for Ohio Mandy Chiara | Senior Staff Writer Ellen Duffer | Associate Editor Inconsistent past voting patterns and election results have determined that Ohio is neither constantly Democratic nor Republican. Polls currently indicate that Obama has leads in Cleveland and urban areas, while McCain is ahead in conservative strongholds like the northern Cincinnati suburbs. A candidate’s state of origin and vice presidential choice play a role in Ohio’s turnout, but still aren’t enough

to predict which party will win Ohio’s electoral votes. So, Ohio, along with about 18 other states, is a swing state -- up for grabs to either political party every year.

No Republican has ever reached the White House without winning Ohio’s 20 electoral votes. Beginning as early as January this year, Ohio has been pelted with political propaganda. Advertisements overflow mailboxes, signs pop up in front yards as presidential candidates sweat to sway us to their side.

Both parties constantly poll Chillicothe,

a city that is an absurdly perfect match of the Democrat and Republican ratio in the entire state. In recent past elections, the opinions in Chillicothe have paralleled and almost predicted the election outcome.

Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin visited West Chester on October 17 and Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama visited Dayton on October 9. Mason High School junior Allison Linn attended the Palin rally on the 17th with her mother and younger sister.

See RALLIES on page 2

Some fear early voting in Ohio may lead to voter fraud Rachel Schowalter | Staff Writer

Some Ohio voters who decided to vote early admit that voter fraud is possible in the 2008 election. Between September 30 and October 6, the state allowed citizens to register and vote in the same day. Because it did not require identification to be checked and validated before voting, this had the potential to encourage voting with counterfeit addresses and names.

According to the Ohio Secretary of State website, Ohioans previously had to wait at least

30 days after registration before voting. Jennifer Brunner, Ohio’s Secretary of State and key supporter of this new policy, said that over 13,141 Ohioans voted early during this weeklong window.

Senior Jordan Reeves said he decided to vote early in this year’s election when he went to register with his mother.

“I was at school one day and [my mom] said we were going to vote early,” Reeves said.

“But then I thought about it more and I got really excited.

I just feel like this is my first election and I want to do it big.

photo by Red Huber from Orlando Sentinel/MCT

Early voting continued this election despite fears of fraud.

I wanted to make a difference and I wanted to vote early.”

Reeves said that voting early was more time effective than voting in November because

he didn’t have to wait in the long lines characteristic of voting stations.

“We were out in about ten See EARLY VOTING on page 2

PAGE 2 | ELECTION NEWS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2008 | THE CHRONICLE

RALLIES: Politicians visit Mason area in appeal to voters

Chris Ware MCT 2008

Who said it?

Match the following quotes with the 2008 presidential candidates who said them: 1. “I know what it is like in dark times.

I know what it is like to fight to keep one’s hope going through difficult times. I know what it is like to rely on others for support and courage and love in tough times.”

2. “Americans are hurting right now, and they’re angry. They’re innocent victims of greed and excess on Wall Street and as well as Washington, D.C.” 3. “We need to recruit an army of new teachers. I’ll make this pledge: If you commit your life to teaching, America will pay for your college education.”

4. “I hate war. It’s terrible beyond imagination.”

5. “We measure progress by how many people can find a job that pays the mortgage; whether you can put a little extra money away at the end of each month so you can someday watch your child receive her college diploma.”

6. “When JFK said we’re going to the Moon in 10 years, nobody was sure how to do it, but we understood that, if the American people make a decision to do something, it gets done.”

-Compiled by Ellen Duffer

continued from page one “My family is very conservative,” Linn said. “I didn’t jump and yell [at the rally], I was there to listen.”

Linn watched the presidential and vice presidential debates on television with her dad and said she considers herself politically active.

“I’m always listening to what people say [about the election] in the hallway,” Linn said, “If they are wrong, I try to correct them: Obama says that 95 percent of the American people will receive a tax cut, but only 60 percent of Americans pay taxes.”

Attending the Palin rally was another way for Linn to educate herself and form her own opinions about the candidates.

“I hate when people are in the hallway and they say, ‘I’m for Obama,’ or ‘I’m for McCain,’ and half the stuff they say [about the candidates] is not true,” Linn said.

Although Linn cannot vote in this election, she says she plans to always make an effort to be politically active.

“I’m a libertarian, which is no government control in anything,” Linn said. “But I will probably vote conservative [in the future].”

Junior Eric Severson opted to attend the Obama rally in Hyde Park, catching a ride with friends junior Kris Barack Obama unexpectedly dropped by for an hour on October 12th to knock on doors in a middle class neighborhood in Holland.

Barack Obama spoke about America’s financial crisis in Toledo on October 13th.

McCain spoke at a rally in Strongsville on October 9th.

Mason High School student junior Severson, attended a rally in support of Obama in Hyde Park on October 16th.

On October 13th, Sarah Palin visited St. Clairsville and announced that she and John McCain would help the economically troubled Appalachia.

Mason High School student, Linn, attended a rally in support of Palin in West Chester on October 17th.

McCain and Palin both spoke at the Lunken Airport in Cincinnati on October 22nd.

Obama spoke at a rally in Portsmouth on October 10th.

photo by Chuck Liddy from Raleigh News Observer/MCT

VP candidate Sarah Palin whipped the crowd into a frenzy when she appeared in West Chester.

Ogungbemi and senior Nick Tuell. While standing in line to enter Ault Park, where a stage had been set up for the presidential candidate, Severson was given VIP tickets, allowing him to stand closer to the speaking podium than thousands of other attendees.

“I was just standing in line at the public entrance and people came up and offered us free VIP tickets,” Severson said.

Visiting a clearly Republican region of Ohio, Obama’s campaign might have been attempting to seek out undecided or quiet supporters of the Democratic Party, according to Severson. “[Maybe Obama came specifically to this area] to find the hidden Democrats in Cincinnati,” Severson said.

The rally allowed Severson, one of 10,000 to 15,000 audience members, to experience Obama’s speech on a different level than the usual television recording.

“It’s a lot different than watching him on TV,” Severson said. “When he’s 35 feet away from you in a crowd of 15,000 people, it’s crazy.”

Severson said that Palin’s decision to visit Ohio so close to the election could also give aid to the Republican party and John McCain, just as Obama’s rally could help the Democrat candidate.

“There are a ton of Republicans, so [Palin’s rally] could give a good boost to the Republican party’s support,” Severson said.

EARLY VOTING: Ohio allows citizens to submit ballots before election continued from page one minutes,” Reeves said. “It would have been even less time if I didn’t have to register.”

According to Reeves, the new voting policy will benefit students with after-school commitments who would otherwise not have time to register to vote.

“We don’t have time to stand in line, so if you vote early you can cut out that waiting and vote when you want to,” Reeves said. “It makes things a lot easier on your schedule.”

Part of the reason why registration was quick was due to the fact that when Reeves registered to vote, only an address was required.

“When we registered, they asked for our address, but I guess you could make up an address and there could be fraud,” Reeves said. “That could get out of hand very quickly.”

Amid fears of voter fraud, U.S. District Judge George C. Smith of Columbus ruled that Jennifer Brunner had to validate the identities of newly registered voters. According to the Associated Press, Brunner had to match voter information with government databases, such as the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles.

After an initial review, Brunner estimated that nearly 200,000 registered voters had discrepancies with their information.

Given that the review was able to catch these voter discrepancies, American Government teacher Paul Reedy said he feels confident that the election will run smoothly.

“People do get concerned about

people voting multiple times, which is understandable,” Reedy said.

“But when you look at the process closely, it’s designed to prevent the problems being brought up.”

According to Jeff Ortega, Brunner’s spokesman, such safeguards include asking voters for a photo ID or Social Security card, marking polling books if a voter has already voted with an absentee ballot and notifying the home state of a college student if he or she has already voted in Ohio.

Reedy said that the greatest deterrent to voter fraud is the consequences when caught.

“The ultimate thing is that they have very severe penalties that if you’re caught trying to vote more than once,” Reedy said. “You could face prison time and a hefty fine.”

Reedy said that it’s “typical election-year partisanship” to have Democrats and Republicans debate over whether the election process is faulty and encourages voter fraud.

According to AP American Government teacher Maria Mueller, early voting in Ohio was questioned by the Republican Party because Democrats had the greater chance of benefitting from it.

“Many believe the real reason for the Ohio Republicans challenging early voting in Ohio is because Obama voters are probably more likely to vote early and if Ohio’s vote count is close, that could make the difference,” Mueller said.

Both Mueller and Reedy said they remain positive about the safeguards in place to regulate the election, despite the fighting between

the Democrats and the Republicans.

“Let’s hope that it’s a fair, honest election and that there’s not huge controversy afterward, regardless of who wins,” Reedy said.

6. Obama at the second presidential debate 1. Senator John McCain at the second presidential debate on October 7 at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee 2. McCain at the second presidential debate 3. Senator Barack Obama in Flint, MI on June 15 from his speech Change We Can Believe In 4. McCain on September 4 at the Republican National Convention 5. Obama on February 5 (Super Tuesday) in Chicago, Illinois

THE CHRONICLE | FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2008

NEWS | PAGE 3

Restrictions remain in the planning of international field trips Deanna Allbrittin | Staff Writer

After seven years of a severe decrease in the number of school field trips, Mason students and teachers are traveling together again. German teacher Melissa Jurewicz and her students are in the planning stages of their 2010 summer trip to Germany.

For Jurewicz and her students, this trip and all of the preparation are considered part of an extracurricular activity done completely outside of school, because the school does not sponsor international field trips.

According to Associate Principal Mindy McCarty-Stewart, the district no longer attaches its name to out-of-state and out-of-country field trips because of the equity of such trips as well as the legal responsibility.

Jurewicz said that the price of a summer trip to Germany, which includes airfare, hotel accommodations, breakfast and dinner, can range from $3,000 to $4,000.

“Economically, I think [the cost] makes it very difficult for the equity of a field trip,” McCarty said. “It puts additional pressure on students and parents to make those trips feasible for them.”

Jurewicz said she understands that her students may be in different economic situations and tries to help with the financial planning for international trips, according to McCarty.

“I give them two school years and a summer to plan,” Jurewicz said. “So I started telling kids this year [that] we’re going.”

Legal responsibility also has an impact on making the decision to take students on an international trip.

“The liability obviously [is] a huge factor when you take students into another country for an extended period of time,” McCarty said.

The legal accountability makes some teachers avoid the trip altogether. French teacher Abigail Gist started planning a trip to France with her French III students last year, but cancelled the trip earlier this year: there is just one thing keeping her from going on a trip with her students.

“It’s liability,” Gist said. “Just liability. I wasn’t sure how the school felt about it. I knew we couldn’t advertise in the school and that it had to be a completely independent

On the Walls & In the Halls

trip and that made me very nervous.”

Jurewicz said she takes care of the legal aspect of the trip by taking the trip through a separate company, and having her students sign a contract that absolves her of all liability in case something goes wrong. The contract covers everything from curfews and what students do in their free time photo contributed to injuries and arrests.

MHS students dine together in Munich, Germany on the last trip taken with teacher “For the trips I’ve taken, Melissa Jurewicz during the summer of 2007.

I’ve had documents drawn summers ago. up that release me and the “Academically, it helped me understand the language tour company and my family of any liability issues and more because learning German in the book is one thing, then the parents all sign them and I have them notarized but putting it to practical use is another,” Florea said. to make them legal documents,” Jurewicz said.

Even though Gist said she does not know if she is ready Since the trip is planned outside of school, Jurewicz has to take on the liability of traveling with students, she does control over which students go which she said helps her see tremendous benefits that result from taking a trip to a avoid riskier situations. She said she also has the advancountry for a foreign language class. tage of being the only German teacher in the school. “[Traveling internationally is] such a big part of growing “Since I’m the only teacher, I know my kids pretty well,” up and such a big part of foreign language,” Gist said. “You Jurewicz said. “I also know their parents pretty well.” have to go to the country.”

Jurewicz said that there are disadvantages to taking a Gist also said she sees the importance of traveling outtrip that is independent of the school. According to Mason side of Mason and seeing more of the world.

City School District’s required policy on non-sponsored “Students should see that there’s all different types of instructional field trips “recruitment efforts shall not ocways to live, there’s all these different cultures and we can cur during class time or the employee’s work day.” This be kind of isolated in Mason sometimes,” Gist said. means that all trip promotion and planning must occur off In 2010, some students will have the opportunity to school grounds. experience a different way of life on the trip with Jurewicz.

“We don’t meet at school, we meet at the library,” They will spend ten days immersing themselves in the Jurewicz said. “Information is spread via word of mouth German culture of Berlin and Munich. and then once I have my initial meeting, from there I set Florea said that visiting other countries can also be great up an email address list and I email from my home email for dispelling stereotypes. account.”

“It’s good to see the culture over there because a lot of The chance to go overseas and get hands-on experience people think of Germany and think that all the people do with the language students are learning at school trumps there is drink and eat sauerkraut, but it’s really a lot more the inconvenience of outside planning according to junior than that,” Florea said. “It’s a really great experience.”

Brandon Florea who went to Germany with Jurewicz two

Young entrepreneurs seek real world profits Samantha Stulen | Staff Writer

TUTORING: National Honor Society will be hosting tutoring sessions every Wednesday from 1:15 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. in the Media Center. Student tutors are able to give assistance in every subject. paintball: Students interested in playing paintball with peers can stop by room A302 for more information on the club. radio club: Every Tuesday, Radio Club meets in Mr. Planicka’s room (C221). The club records sports and music broadcasts and organizes the Battle of the Bands events.

Members of the club also have the opportunity to attend multiple pizza parties throughout the year.

DEAD POET SOCIETY: On Wednesdays in the Media Center, upperclassmen Honors English students will be available to edit and critique essays. Meet in the far left corner of the Media Center to get help on your essay.

MATH HELP: Every Thursday, math help will be available for all grade levels in room A212. The sessions will last from 2:30 p.m. until 4:15 p.m.

One-hundred-twenty-six students at Mason High School take the Entrepreneurs in Action class, but three students take this title literally.

Junior Suprasanna Mishra has a business helping design different sections of websites.

“We got an offer from [a company] to start designing parts of websites, just developing on a specific basis instead of doing whole websites for companies,” Mishra said. “We were improving websites that already existed.”

Mishra and fellow entrepreneur junior Sam Lyon started the internet business Sudo Desgin, created to help companies form websites.

They are also planning an upcoming project in the next few months. However, Mishra and Lyon’s first business venture was helping local business clients in Mason. “[We made] small websites for companies just to get their name out,” Mishra said. “[For example,] [if] there [was] a random website like a lawnmower company [that] wanted to mow lawns, [the job would be to] make their website and get paid depending on what the job [entailed], from three hundred dollars to a few thousand dollars.”

The pair’s goal was to help local business and provide a service for less money than other competitors who also design websites, according to Mishra.

“We were trying to help local businesses and still make a profit,” Mishra said. “When I first started getting into internet businesses, I was just exploring our competitors: they were overcharging like crazy.”

According to Mishra, the overcharging of this service helps Mishra and Lyon’s business, so they don’t need to overprice their service.

“We thought that since we [are] high school students, we don’t need a salary to support us,” Mishra said. “We [can] charge less for the

same thing and help businesses.”

Mishra’s interest in computers started in middle school and progressed in his freshman year when he took Intro to Web Design.

“I started web design freshman year because I was exploring the internet,” Mishra said. “There was a lot of what’s called Web 2.0 coming out at that time, which is flash animation, buttons and user interactivity.

As I learned more about it, it was just really interesting how [businesses] made websites. It seemed really fun to me how you could make something and anyone in the world could see it.”

According to Mishra, Web 2.0 is a development regarding how people interact with websites.

“In [the] past, you used to go to websites just for information,” Mishra said. “You go there, you read it, you print it, you’re done.

Nowadays, there are things like Facebook and blogs where you go, you read and you can interact with the author.”

Lyon said he also became interested in web design at a young age and took Intro to Web Design as a freshman as well.

“I [did] stuff like this during middle school, [so] after freshman year, I just started building on my skills,” Lyon said. “I read a couple of books, took a couple of classes with Digital Image Design I [and] II, and I’m going to be in III third trimester.”

The two business partners also have another project coming up: Project Hak. “Our real service is people contacting us to secure their websites,” Mishra said. “Websites are really insecure. After [the] Web 2.0 boom, everybody just started using scripts and all of [these] code that they really didn’t know how to use just to get the shiny factor, but in the background, it’s really insecure and people can easily hack into it.”

Similar to Mishra and Lyon’s business that was initiated by the pair’s computer interests senior Shy Ruparel met Steven Lu, a student at Carnegie Mellon University during a pre-college summer program in 2007. The two were roommates from different parts of the country became business partners. “[Lu came] into possession of two hundred server clusters and we started to mess with [the server clusters],” Ruparel said. “He already has an application called ‘Music’ [on Facebook] which has 150,000 users and he makes twenty grand every two weeks. So, I kind of jumped in on that and I help him out [writing] code.”

The Music application that Lu had created and with which Ruparel helps out is one of two music applications on Facebook that survived after the Recording Industry Association of America intervened.

“Twenty something of [the applications] died and two of them survived--iLike and the Music application,” Ruparel said. “[The others died out because] it was a lot of work to recode everything to fit the IRS’ standard.”

Both Ruparel and Mishra said they plan on continuing their businesses and love of computers after high school and already have the fundamentals of business down. The high potential to make a lot of money and to be your own boss is what entices students into business according to Entrepreneurs in Action teacher Jason Austerman, but it’s also the reward of marketing your own products and services.

“I think there’s a lot of personal gratification in becoming a business owner because you’re taking something that you thought of and you’re turning it into reality,” Austerman said.

PAGE 4 | NEWS FEATURE

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2008 | THE CHRONICLE

Cheerleaders don’t shy away from competition Team spends hours preparing for rigor of cheerleading competitions Deanna Allbrittin | Staff Writer When the Mason Competition Cheerleading Squad takes the floor at the Midwest Cheer Elite competition on October 12, they are completely silent. They breathe deeply in preparation for the two-minute performance that showcases their month of hard work.

Over the past month, the squad has learned a new routine and practiced every move hundreds of times.

According to senior Christina Rump, at the Midwest Cheer Elite Competition they had another challenge added to their usual pre-performance anxiety.

“We were all really nervous because we had just learned our routine the week before,” Rump said.

A competition cheerleading routine has many components. There are dance elements, tumbling and synchronization, not to mention that the girls must execute each step of choreography while maintaining a smile.

According to coach Paige Graves, the girls are well-prepared for each competition.

The squad normally practices twice a week for an hour and a half. Then, during the week before a competition weekend, they add two additional practices. One of the additional practices is three hours while the other is a one-hour routine touch-up. The one-hour practice is to make minor adjustments to a routine they have already perfected, according to junior Kelsey Harris.

“The main thing is the dress rehearsal,” Harris said. “We go to Midwest because it’s the actual size of the competition floor. The recreation floor where we normally practice

isn’t the right size.”

However, these two practices per non-competition week are not the extent of the cheerleaders’ work. Most of the girls go to private gymnastics lessons outside of cheerleading and are usually part of a separate squad, according to Graves.

“I have one girl who literally goes to Louisville twice a week for practice for an All-Star group,” Graves said.

Many of the cheerleaders are also on the high school sideline squads which Graves said she sees as an additional practice opportunity.

“The majority of my girls also do sideline which is an-

“I have two fractures in my lumbar which I got from tumbling,” Harris said. “I also tore a tendon in my foot. I had to get surgery for that.”

Harris said that her injuries would be considered moderate by some cheerleaders. Some girls on the high school competition squad have been seriously injured and some can no longer cheer at all. Some cheerleaders with severe injuries continue to compete against doctor’s orders.

“Recently, [senior] Paige Young hurt the cartilage in her chest,” Kelsey said. “She wasn’t supposed to compete, but she took one for the team and competed anyway.”

At that competition, the Mason Competition Cheer squad came in first place.

Still, despite the injuries, the practices and the first place prizes, there are many who dispute that competition cheerleading is a sport. Rump said she has gotten into many debates with people who do not think competition cheerleading is a sport.

“They think that we don’t do anything, that we just hop around on the floor and do simple things, but it actually takes a lot of strength,” Rump said.

Harris also said that people who do not think cheerleading is a sport are wrong and that they are usually thinking about sideline cheerleading.

“It’s way different than sideline cheer,” Harris said. “We tumble so much and we condition and we do these things call jump suicides and we end up out of breath. If we don’t leave practice sweating, then we know we didn’t do it right.”

“[People] think that we don’t do anything, that we just hop around on the floor and do simple things, but it actually takes a lot of strength.” other practice that they have which is at least an hour and a half,” Graves said.

Harris sideline cheers to practice for competition cheerleading. With a cheerleading background originating from third grade, Harris is one of the team captains this year and has about the same amount of experience as most of the other girls.

Harris said that through her long commitment to the sport, the countless practices have worn on her body.

As cheerleading becomes increasingly acrobatic and skill-oriented, cheerleaders’ bodies are wearing down faster. According to the Washington Post, 22,900 children went to emergency rooms with cheerleading injuries in 2002 which is more than twice as many as in 1990. Harris herself has several cheerleading injuries.

Mason’s competition cheerleading squad pumps up the audience at the Greater Midwest Cheer Expo competition.

photo contributed

Views THE CHRONICLE | FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2008

Chronicle Policy

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

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

The Chronicle is published monthly. Call 398-5025 ext.

33110 for information regarding advertising in The Chronicle. The Chronicle reserves the right to refuse advertising we deem inappropriate for a high school publication.

As an open forum for students, letters to the editor are welcome, but are subject to be edited for length, libel, obscentiy, clarity and poor taste. Letters to the editor may be dropped off in room C110 and must be signed.

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

Contact Information The Chronicle William Mason High School 6100 S. Mason Montgomery Rd. Mason, Ohio 45040 398-5025 The Chronicle Staff Editor In Chief Alyssa Howard Associate Editor Ellen Duffer Senior Staff Writer Mandy Chiara Business/Circulation Manager Kirsten McCafferty Technical and Graphic Manager Caleb Schowalter Staff Writers Duncan Fischley Rachel Schowalter Samantha Stulen Deanna Allbrittin Jordan Berger Woody Goldsmith Scott Hutchinson Jessica Kantor Cady Meece Danielle Simms Sam Stouffer Adviser Mr. Dale Conner

EDITORIAL | PAGE 5

In my Opinion

Feedback

What is the best horror movie you have seen?

“When A Stranger Calls because I babysit a lot and it was just enjoyable to watch.”

Jen Whitaker Freshman

“The first time I saw Cabin Fever, I was really creeped out.

But that was the first time.”

Kyle Kom Senior

“The Grudge because you never know what’s going to happen next.”

Umeirra Savani Freshman

Candidates’ reputations emphasized over policies Woody Goldsmith | Staff Writer

“Halloween because I love the old scary movies and I love Mike Myers. He’s scary.”

Kyle Kamphaus Junior

“Saw because of how creative it is.”

Molly Culbertson Senior

“The Shining because Jack Nicholson is a creep.”

Caitlin Smith Junior

“Texas Chainsaw Massacre because it’s scary and made me want to cry.”

Scott Strait Junior

“Black Christmas because it was really funny to watch with my friends and we made fun of it.”

Kate Stein Sophomore

Letter to the Editor

Student clarifies personal political views Coming out of my interview [with Mandy Chiara], there were so many things that came to my head that I would have thought of if I had not been put on the spot. I was thinking charging back in the room and demanding you listen to me would not settle well, so I hope to provide you with more clarification here.

First of all, I would like to correct a statement I made in regards to my family. I mentioned to you that I was raised in a conservative family and found myself to be libertarian. Though that is true, I failed to mention a few things. I had always claimed to be a conservative because I knew I certainly wasn’t a liberal. My dad had me take an online quiz called “The World’s Smallest Political Quiz.” The results said that I was very much a libertarian, and when I researched it more, I knew it was true.

My mother believes that law should be based upon the moral foundation laid out in the Bible.

Though I am a Christian myself, I believe we need to take a step back and look at the political base of America.

Our Founding Fathers started America with the hope of complete freedom: little to no taxes or government control, the ability to openly speak and worship. We need to look back to those times.

As long as someone else’s pursuit of happiness does not harm me, [ then no one, myself included,] has any business interfering.

[Something I have an issue with is] people just

accepting what is being said without even trying to look at it logically to see what is realistic.

[Obama] said that he will give $1000 to people trying to go to college. There are two problems with that. One: Where does that money come from?

The government isn’t an endless supply of money; it gets money from our taxes. So, he’s going to tax us more so he can give us $1000 for college.

Two: Do you really think colleges won’t notice that students are coming in with $1000? Think logically. By how much would tuition increase? I’d say around $1000.

Don’t get me wrong, McCain says things that don’t make much sense, too. He, for instance, proposed a government “spending freeze” for everything not military or [considered] “necessities.”

Any [group] that gets money from the government is going to put their vote in for themselves as a “necessity.” More focus needs to be put on things we can work on now. America needs a modified welfare system. America needs to stop allowing illegal aliens to use its resources without proper payment of taxes. There are so many solutions to our economic crisis, but no one has the courage to take the initial conflict head-on.

The problem is: people don’t do their research.

This is America. It’s about time people started acting like it.

Allison Linn, Junior

“Sarah Palin is an idiot because she’s from Alaska.”

“Barack Obama doesn’t know what he’s talking about because he doesn’t.”

It’s only a few days to what many are considering one of the most important elections in American history, and Mason High School is buzzing with anticipation. Planners covered in Obama stickers, kids skipping school to go to Palin and Obama rallies, and even McCain and Obama Facebook groups are now common occurrences at MHS. But does MHS know what it’s voting for?

It seems that the 2008 presidential election has turned into a popularity contest. Barack Obama seems to have taken on a celebrity-like persona while John McCain represents a gentle, paternal front. Not everyone recognizes the candidates for what they stand for; instead they blindly support a candidate based on what their friends or families say they read or see in the media.

The problem is the uninformed nature of some of the students at Mason High School. For those of us lucky enough to be able to vote, that ignorance is an important problem that we need to fix immediately. Reading about the candidates’ positions and stances on the various, important issues plaguing our country is almost a thing of the past; instead we are creating figureheads of the candidates we support and the ones we are against.

I believe that neither of the candidates is trying to make America worse; both have different ways to try to improve our country and we should respect the various ideas and opinions they have presented.

But in order to do that, we have to be informed. This election may very well be one of the most important of our time, and we must base our opinions of candidates on their stances on issues we care about. Even though some of us may not play as large of a role in this election as we hope, we must maintain a well-rounded knowledge of the candidates and issues.

Otherwise, the ideals we stand for may become a thing of the past.

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2008 | THE CHRONICLE

THE CHRONICLE | FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2008

NEWS FEATURE | PAGE 7

photo by Woody Goldsmith

Senior Lauren Caserta waves to her freshman brother, Nick, with no reply. Nick said he is not embarassed of Lauren, but the two don’t always get along.

Freshmen shamed by senior siblings Woody Goldsmith | Staff Writer

same all of the time. to her brother in the hallways every time embarrass him a little.

“They’re not the same this year,” Bass she sees him.

“When I’m around my friends, he yells For the first time, senior Laura Brignole is said. “But if you were to take Laura back “I’m not embarrassed of Nick,” Lauren my name sometimes,” Ryan said. “It’s not seeing her sister, freshman Tracey Brignole, when she was a freshman, and [look at] said. “But sometimes when I yell to him in too bad. Kind of embarrassing.” in the packed corridors of Mason High Tracey [now], they’re very similar. They’re the hallways, I think he’s embarrassed of Ryan’s attitude toward Reese’s attempts School, and the transition from home to very quiet. Tracey’s trying to figure out me. Acknowledging he has an older sister at embarrassment makes Reese see his hallway has been a relatively smooth one. what’s going on, and Laura was the same . . . I guess that’s painful.” brother in a new light.

“At home we fight all the time, because way. As they go through the process of Nick denied that he has ever been em“[Ryan] treats me differently at school she’s my younger sister,” Laura said. “But four years in high school, they get a little barrassed of his sister. He said that their than he does at home, but we’re still normally around school, we’re perfectly more confident and comfortable, and then relationship is typical of a brother and friends,” Reese said. “He just has to try to fine; we say ‘hi’ to each other in the hallthe personalities start to come out.” sister. be cool. He thinks he’s a lot cooler than I ways and we don’t fight at all.”

Even though Bass said Tracey hasn’t quite “We normally get along, but sometimes am, and he thinks that he has to be a ‘cool Laura drives her sister to school, and come out of freshman’ and in turn, Laura said Tracey holds the door her shell, Trac“Sometimes when I yell to him in the hallways,I think he’s embarassed of being with your open for her and helps with some minor ey said that brother is not me. Acknowledging he has an older sister...I guess that’s painful.” cleaning. she fits into good.”

“Sometimes she helps me clean out my Laura’s group Despite the car because we both participate in trashing of friends. challenges, and it,” Laura said.

“Her friends are really nice, and my fights break out, like in every sibling relathe embarrassment, some of the siblings Tracey laughed at the idea of helping her friends really like her,” Tracey said. “You tionship,” Nick said. “I occasionally walk find comfort knowing that they will have sister, saying she had never assisted Laura don’t want to be an idiot around [her] past her in the hall, but I’m not embareach other in the school. in any cleaning. friends because they’ll tell her.” rassed to be seen with her or around her.”

“At first, there was kind of tension “I’ve never held the door open for her, Laura said she doesn’t feel embarrassed Laruen found that she had to change because I wasn’t used to having a sibling and her car is the dirtiest thing I’ve ever to see her little sister with her group of the way she acted around her brother, around me and my friends, because everyseen,” Tracey said. friends. because she said she wanted to protect one is naturally different with their family,” Both Brignoles are active members of the “If I see her walking, I’m not embarher brother’s image of her.

Laura said. “So it was kind of weird to have MHS march“I’d make sure I wasn’t doing someone in my family watching me. But ing band: anything stupid if I knew he was it wasn’t that big of a deal because Tracey “[Laura]’s nice to me in band, but she sometimes bosses me Laura is a walking by in the hall,” she said. and I are actually really similar.” around. But when she has to, she cracks the whip.” drum major “I would be a little more self-conAnd according to Bass, Laura and Tracey’s and leader scious about what I would yell relationship has stayed strong. of the band and Tracey is a marcher. Laura rassed to tell her hi because my friends are across the hall to my friends -- especially if “[Recently] I saw Laura on Tracey’s back, sometimes struggles with her leadership probably going to tell her hi too.” it wasn’t nice.” and Tracey was carrying her and they were position when it comes to her sister.

Senior Lauren Caserta and her freshman Freshman Ryan Cosimi worried that his laughing hysterically,” Bass said. “They “I don’t try to order her around,” Laura brother Nick do not share any activities, or brother, senior Reese Cosimi, would act interact really well. They might put on a said. “I let other people do it because I friends. differently than he does at home. persona that they don’t get along, but they don’t want her to feel like I’m picking on “Before high school, we got along really “Usually at home, we don’t agree on evdo.” her.” well,” Lauren said. “And when we entered erything, and sometimes we get into some For others, going to school in the same Tracey said she enjoys her first year of high school, we pretty much stopped talkfistfights, but it’s not that bad,” Reese building has changed the relationship in a marching band, but she also says that she ing to each other.” said. “Before school started, [Ryan] always more drastic way. sometimes gives her sister a hard time.

Lauren said that they don’t see each thought I would stick him in a locker, “There’s no discomfort [between us] “[Laura]’s nice to me in band, but she other much in or out of school due to the or some of my friends would. And so, because we really don’t see each other sometimes bosses me around,” Tracey hectic nature of their schedules. Lauren is whenever I see him in the hallway, he just anymore, at home or at school,” Lauren said. “But when she has to, she cracks the involved in National Honors Society and hides behind his friends, and his friends said. “But it’s weird knowing you’re the whip.”

Drama Club, whereas Nick is involved in all call out my name, and he doesn’t say oldest and he’s the youngest and you’re Marching band director Robert Bass said the swim team. But Lauren says that she anything.” both in the same building.” he sees a definite similarity between the tries to make the few times she sees Nick Reese hasn’t shoved his brother into Brignole sisters, even if they don’t act the memorable. She said she waves and yells a locker, but he will go out of his way to

PAGE 8 | NEWS FEAURE

FRIDAY, OCBER31, 2008 | THE CHRONICLE

Teacher Cliques

Close-knit groups aren’t just for students Jordan Berger | Staff Writer Chords to “Brown Eyed Girl” by Van Morrison ring throughout the B3 pod and intertwine around students walking to class as ECA teacher Andy Goetz and English teacher Thurman Allen play their acoustic guitars. Every Friday, the two teachers meet outside the computer lab, open guitar books and begin strumming to kick off B3’s weekly sing-a-long, one of the various traditions that keep the pod’s teachers close.

But teachers in B3 are not bonded only by common interest, according to Goetz.

“There are a couple ways people form groups: some ways are natural and some are based on proximity,” Goetz said. “It’s not departmental, but where we are [located that has formed our community].”

According to Goetz, a group of B3 teachers also occasionally plays basketball at six o’clock in the morning before school.

“I don’t know what’s wrong with them,” Goetz said.

“But whatever’s wrong, that’s what brings those teachers together.”

While B3 teachers slip on their basketball shoes to bond, creativity seems to have the same affect on the Fine Arts Department, according to photography teacher Tina Roberts.

“Teaching the same subject, we have a lot of things to share and we can also get feedback,” Roberts said. “Also, being able to see each other every day helps a lot to stay connected.”

Physical Education teacher Brian Castner also said he feels closer with the teachers he is surrounded by all day: the athletic department.

“Proximity affects [friendships] a lot,” Castner said. “I used to teach in the C wing so I became good friends with those teachers. Since I moved [to the gym], now I’m closer with these [staff members].”

Although Castner said he feels connected to the teachers he spends most of his day around, common interest still plays a part.

“I’m very sports based,” Castner said. “I eat lunch with about eight to ten coaches, friends and teachers every day. The bond we’ve created has been here for awhile, [the kind] when you can take your coworkers and hang out with them outside of your job.”

Whether inside or outside of school, Mason teachers use their friendships to look to one another for support. Math teacher Heather VerStreate said she finds herself closest with a group of ten female teachers of different subjects from various parts of the building, all brought together by similar interests.

“They’re positive and it’s more about ca-

maraderie and moral support,” VerStreate said. “It gives us someone to talk to who’s been there, both inside and outside of school.”

English teacher Melanie Milligan said she counts on her teacher friends for teaching advice, but also knows she can rely on them at all times.

“If I’m sick and need a substitute, I can send my [teacher friends] my lesson plan and I know they’ll help me and put it on my desk for the sub,” Milligan said. “Or, if I’m in a hard situation I can call at five a.m. and I can feel safe.”

Similar to teacher groups of friends, high school groups also provide stability. Senior Steph Macke said she always relies on her groups of girl friends, mostly runners, for advice.

“Whenever I have boy troubles, I go to my friends,” Macke said. “Or, I can go to them with any other problems I have and they always

help me.”

Ties between students are advantageous in that they provide a helping hand, but the difference between these and teacher friendships is students sometimes find difficulty in distinguishing life-long friend ships, according to Castner.

“A lot of peo pleI was friends somebody or a teacher at the school is having a hard time, with in high school, I look now, and I realize they weren’t very good friends,” Castner we can team up and work together to help that person.”

The community also benefits from the closeness and said. “It’s all a part of growing up.” comfort Mason teachers share with one another, accordHonesty is one aspect of friendships that everybody ing to Goetz. acquires with maturity, according to Roberts.

“Every year, [the B3 pod] makes a donation to charity “Working so close together all the time, we do have instead of doing a Secret Santa,” Goetz said. differences,” Roberts said. “If we have issues, While teachers strive to use their close connections to we talk it over, whereas teenagers tend to attain group goals, they find it very difficult to become take things personally or hold grudges.” close with all of Mason faculty. According to Castner, These staff members are not only brought groups of teacher friends are very open and welcoming at together by bonds of respect, Mason; the issue isn’t including everybody, but becoming but through establishing conacquainted with the entire staff. tinuous relationships that are “If you don’t teach the same subject or aren’t in the lasting, according to Roberts. same pod, you can’t really get to know somebody,” Ver“It comes down to being Streate said. “It’s a big building.” together in the building and But, large groups of teacher friends sometimes have the working together year after ability to aid other teachers in meeting those they don’t year,” Roberts said. “The friendalready know. ships last longer and they don’t “A teacher I’m friends with may know other teachers dissolve like some high school I don’t,” Milligan said. “And they can pull me into that friendships do.” [friendship.]”

Although Macke said she finds According to Goetz, one of the most important factors comfort in her group of close that build a friendship is an excitement for these new friends, she realizes the flaws in bonds, which Mason faculty has. certain aspects of high school “If [we] go into groups where [we’re] really genuinely groups. interested, then everyone’s lifted up,” “Mason cliques aren’t exactly cutthroat Goetz said. or mean,” Macke said. “But, there are obvious and divided groups that are sometimes exclusive of others.”

Instead of focusing inward, some teachers are using their friendships and close links to better the community as well as the school as a whole. Milligan said she feels close with her pod as well as her Bible study group of teachers. photos by Jordan Berger “We’re close, but we use Teachers often find places to socialize throughout the day with groups when they our closeness to reach out share a common interest. in places,” Milligan said. “If

THE CHRONICLE | FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2008

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PAGE 10 | FEATURE

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2008 | THE CHRONICLE

Attack of the Remakes

Just when you thought it was safe to go to the movies Ellen Duffer | Associate Editor With Halloween comes the typical barrage of films designed to instill fear through the use of suspense, gore and imminent peril.

This fall marks the release of the fifth installment of the Saw series, with its premiere on October 24. The film continues plotlines from the previous films, according to the movie database at RottenTomatoes.com. The Saw franchise follows the paths of series including Friday the 13th, and Halloween, boasting eleven and nine movies, respectively.

Sophomore Noah Grubb, who came to appreciate horror films after watching several and writing a screenplay for the genre, said he attributes the plethora of horror sequels to an audience that remembers the originals and desires additions.

“The [original] movie stays with people and they’ll still remember it and then they want a new one,” Grubb said. “It seems like a lot of [movies] that are remade have a lot of sequels.”

Grubb said he generally favors the originals of horror series over one of the many succeeding installments, though he has enjoyed multiple sequels.

“Some sequels are actually better than the original,” Grubb said. “Friday the 13th Part 2 is just as good as the first one. [But] usually, I have to stick with the original one, even though sometimes the new ones are more gory.”

Powerful and frightening horror movies, according to Grubb, are more than just endless spurts of blood and guts: they invoke

suspense to keep the audience anxious for every turn.

“I like real suspense in a horror move, not the kind of Saw stuff where it’s just grossed out and that’s why it’s scary,” Grubb said. “I think the main goal in most horror movies is [to] keep the audience not-knowing -- that’s what really scares you, because you don’t know what’s going to happen and something does happen to surprise you.”

Film club adviser Thurman Allen said that he believes well-constructed horror films place an appropriate reliance on story development over special effects, focusing on ensuring that the audience cares about the characters so that there is an emotional reaction if they are harmed.

With several classic horror movies like Texas Chainsaw Massacre resulting in remakes, writers and directors often add plot twists to differentiate a new version of a film from the old and to keep audiences invested in what is happening on-screen, according to Grubb.

“Usually, the plot’s changed up a little bit [for remakes], because if they kept it just the same, it would get redundant,” Grubb said.

The unexpected events in a horror movie, Grubb said, command the audience’s attention and create genuine interest.

“If you can predict what’s going to happen throughout the rest of the movie within the first five minutes, it’s not going to be any fun,” Grubb said.

The multitude of horror remakes that transform real-blood gore into complex synthetic frights have been reaching a new generation of movie-goers: the offspring of those who

experienced the release of the original slasher films in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Grubb said viewers of the originals, however, are attracted to the remakes as well, because of an interest in the movie industry’s update.

“If a person’s familiar with the original one, you want to see a new version,” Grubb said.

“If an artist [you like] comes out with a new album, of course you get the new album.”

Allen, however, said that remakes can be disadvantageous to the original film if people are unaware of the initial movie’s existence or if the original film had developed a strong following.

“Some films, people don’t even realize that there was an original film,” Allen said. “Most people that go to see The Ring don’t realize there was a Japanese version. I think the only time [a remake] really hurts the original is [if] the original was very popular; the remake of Psycho just didn’t work for people.”

The creation of a remake can actually benefit the base film, according to Allen, as the release of what seems to be a novel movie can inspire people to seek out a copy of the original, giving them something with which to compare the more recent film.

“In most cases, your sequel usually makes people want to go find the original first and see how it compares,” Allen said.

Although remakes can be almost identical to their older counterparts, Grubb said he doesn’t think the audience’s knowledge of the plot is detrimental to a film’s box office success.

“I can watch a horror movie twice and still think it’s enjoyable,” Grubb said.

THE CHRONICLE | FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2008

PAGE 11

Getting

PAGE 12 | THE CHRONICLE

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2008

Dumped

Do we trivialize high school relationships in the ways we break them up?

Alyssa Howard | Editor in Chief “You’re a great person, but…”

Many of us know from bitter experience where conversations introduced with that ominous phrase end. However, some students at Mason High School have been dumped with more ridiculous methods, their ex-partners choosing to terminate relationships in ways that veer into hilarity.

Senior Meredith Klohe started dating a guy from Lakota West High School last year that she had met at work. Despite a fairly involved relationship, Klohe said they began to drift apart after three months of dating.

“Right after homecoming [that year] it started going downhill,” Klohe said.

“We would talk on the phone, but it would be less frequent. People at work would keep saying, ‘You need to get out of it.’”

Unbeknownst to Klohe, her boyfriend had been dating four other girls from Lakota West simultaneously to their relationship. “[People started telling me] that he was dating other people at his school,” Klohe said. “But, how was I supposed to know about that? So, I confronted him about it...

I was just like ‘Hey, what’s going on?’ And he didn’t really own up to it, and then he just didn’t call me for a week.”

Although Klohe said the initial shock of the break-up was disappointing, she would later laugh at the situation.

“It was really sad, but then I thought about it [and I wondered] how I could be that dumb,” Klohe said.

Klohe said that the circumstances surrounding the relationship with her ex-boyfriend seemed even more ridiculous when she thought of him juggling relationships with four other girls at the same time.

“I was like, ‘Four others?” Klohe said. “’Really?’ I don’t even know how you’d balance that.”

Sophomore Zach Corcoran said he experienced a similarly abrupt end to an ex-relationship when his girlfriend changed her Facebook relationship status without confronting him in person.

“We just stopped talking on Friday and I couldn’t figure out why,” Corcoran said. “I looked on Facebook the next day and her relationship status had changed from ‘In a Relationship’ to ‘Single.’ So, that’s how she broke up with me.”

As a result, Corcoran said that he goes into relationships with a different mentality than he did during his freshman year.

“I’m a little bit more wary going into a relationship,” Corcoran said. “I watch my back more.”

However, despite his original irritation, Corcoran said that he wasn’t too personally offended by the manner in which his ex-girlfriend ended their relationship. He said he knew that both of them being only freshmen contributed to the relationship’s unexpected conclusion.

“We’re all kind of immature when we first come here,” Corcoran said. “Freshman year you just kind of go out for a couple of weeks, and then break up. But then sophomore and junior year couples last longer because you’re more mature.”

Despite his negative experience with high school break-ups, Corcoran said he still sees the positive aspects of high school relationships for students. “[Relationships are] nice to have in high school,” Corcoran said. “They keep you preoccupied.”

Senior Dori Branch said that she has also witnessed break-ups over various internet sites such as Xanga and MySpace. A couple years ago, Branch said that she broke up with a boyfriend over text message.

“I was [thinking], ‘This is so stupid,’” Branch said. “So, I said, ‘I think we should break up.’”

While Branch said that she would never use a text message to break up with a future boy-

THE CHRONICLE | PAGE 13

friend, she utilized technology on this occasion during a relatively immature part of her life.

“It was more reflective said. “We were still very school, but most of the time it

of our relationship,” Branch immature. We talked a little bit in was texting and [our relationship was all

over] technology. It just made sense to break up that way at the time.”

Today, however, Branch said she sees cyber break-ups as non-confrontational ways to conclude relationships.

“If [a break-up is] over the computer…it’s like they didn’t have the courage to break up with you [in person] or they just don’t care about you in that way,” Branch said.

In the situation of a ridiculous break up, Branch said that she would try to create some breathing room for each person.

“The first thing we all want to do is ask, ‘Do you really want to do this?’” Branch said. “But I think the best thing to do, if you really want to keep the friendship, is to step away for a little while and give that person space.”

Some of the unreasonable ways in which high school students have broken up with their partners can call into question students’ motives for dating, according to Klohe.

“Some relationships, I think, are too informal,” Klohe said. “You’re dating someone just to date someone…

Which is why I will never [date just to date] again; it’s got to be the real deal.”

While Klohe said that her preliminary reaction to her boyfriend’s behavior was to avoid the prospect of another relationship, she realizes now that the actions of one person shouldn’t overshadow the intentions of the rest.

“When that first happened to me, I was like, ‘For a while, no more boys,’” Klohe said. “But then I was like, that’s just dumb.

Just because one person did something to you, you can’t just swear off all boys.”

Although there are a myriad of stories detailing particularly strange break-ups, Klohe said that the juicy material of the MHS gossip mills shouldn’t bog down students looking for love.

“It didn’t happen to [most] firsthand, so you should still be open to [high school relationships],” Klohe said. “You can find love in high school.”

Despite the occasional outlandishly ridiculous outcomes of high school relationships, Branch also said she remains optimistic that dating in high school makes for positive life experiences.

“I don’t think it’s impossible to find your true love in high school,” Branch said. “And if anything, [dating now] gives you good experience because you get to meet people and it can make you a better person. You can find out what you like and what you don’t like, and that can help you with your dating career in the future.”

photo art created by Caleb Schowalter

A good or bad thing...

With the convenience of communication over technologies such as text messaging and Facebook, relationships are increasingly becoming digitized. As cyber and text break-ups are more often utilized instead of more conventional face-to-face methods, technology can be viewed in a negative or positive light. Are these methods enhancing or hindering high school relationships?

“I never actually talk to guys anymore [in person]: I just text them.

Conversations are definitely quicker and less awkward.”

Natalie Anton, Sophomore

“[These technologies] are better for communication. I had a friend who was dating someone from St. X, and it really helped them out. Text messaging and Facebook enhance communication between couples.”

Mary Faye Cicero, Sophomore

“With texting and instant messaging, you lose that physical, personal relationship, instead of what you say really coming from you.”

Sarah Brindza, Junior

“Wimps can hide behind technology and still get all the women.”

Kieren Astall, Junior

“You can talk to people a heck of a lot more….You can say a lot more when you’re not face-to-face. There can be a lot more interaction [with text messages and Facebook].”

Nathan Roser, Junior

“People are too scared to talk [to people] in real life, so they let the internet do the job for them. [Guys] need to be more chivalrous.”

Brett Hall, Sophomore

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2008 | THE CHRONICLE

THE CHRONICLE | FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2008

FEATURE | PAGE 15

The MHS Hallway Dictionary First Edition An ordinary visitor walking through the high school hallways between bells on any given day might be thoroughly perplexed at the vernacular exchanged between students. One’s brow might furrow at the exclamation, “Sweet!” shouted at the lockers and wonder, “I do not see any candy?” The Chronicle is here to clarify some things, so please, un-furrow your brow.

Mandy Chiara | Senior Staff Writer

beef

”

“Want to come for a ride with me in my car? I have candy.

“No, man, you’re shady.”

(beef) n.

1. serious problem “What’s your beef, man: why did you poke me?”

shank (shangk) v.

1. to slice someone to pieces with a ninja knife “What happened to you?

“I was shanked walking through an alley yesterday.”

bow chica wow wow (bou-chik-a-wou-wou) intj.

1. exclamation of excitement or boredom “Yes, I got an A on my algebra test! Bow chica wow wow!”

2. expression of attraction chica wow wow!”

“Did you see that hottie that asked me for a pencil? Bow

creeper (kree-per) n. at you in the 1. a person that gives you the willies; stalks you; looks

2. to pwn, own at life “That test totally shanked me, man.” shanked, shank•ing, shanks

library;

smiles too big “Hi (heavy, labored breathing).”

shawty (sha-tee) n.

1. attractive young woman shawty.”

“You know that girl in English? I’d like to mack on that 2. Flo Rida’s favorite word

“CREEPER!”

sick (sik) adj.

2. the bad guy on Scooby Doo “Zoiks, Scoob! It’s the Creeper!”

1. blow-your-mind awesome and/or disturbing “That new Batman movie is sick!”

deece (dee-s) adj.

sketch (skech) n. adj.

1. decent; not too bad “How are you this morning, Jim?”

1. a questionable person “That sketch just ran out of Walgreens.”

“Deece.”

2. questionable, suspicious behavior “Wow, you two have all of the same answers. Sketchy.”

for serious (fawr - seer-ee-uh s) adv.

1.what? really?

“Where did my kitty go?”

smear (smeer) v.

1. to crush; demolish “I smeared the competition in hop-scotch!”

“I ate him.”

“For serious?!”

frosh (frosh) n.

2. to spread “I smeared cream cheese on my bagel.”

1. a name for one or multiple freshmen “Did you see that frosh mosh at homecoming?”

snazzy (snaz-ee) adj.

gank (gank) v.

1. fashionable; looking fine ay.”

“Oh my gosh, Samantha looked snazzy in those flats yesterd

1. to steal “Dude, did you just gank my P.B. and J?

solid (sol-id) intj.

jack (jak) n.

1. nice job; good for you “Did you hear, we won the football game on Friday!”

1. money

“Solid.”

“You owe me a lot of jack for breaking my Furby.”

swagger jacking (swag-er jak-king) v.

mack (mak) v.

1. to steal thunder; copy-cat; mimic “Everyone was swagger jacking my suspenders idea!”

1. kissing passionately; making out with slobber and tongue “Billy is always mackin’ on Susie in C1 by the lockers.”

sweet (sweet) adj.

mooch (mooch) v.

1. to bum something off of someone; to take without paying “Man, can I mooch a ride off of you after school?”

back

raunchy (rawnch-ee, rahnch-ee) adj.

1. sexual; provocative; scandalous Guantanamo Bay is “The unrated version of Harold and Kumar Escape from raunchy.”

salty (sawl-tee) adj.

1. feeling bitter; harsh; sour

“Man, we got a lot of homework. Teach must be salty.”

shady (shey-dee) adj.

1. suggesting evil or eerie intentions

1. an exclamation after hearing good news “Sweet, we have a sub today!”

swing (that way) (swing) v.

1. to lean towards a certain point of view; characteristic “Vote for McCain!”

“Sorry, I don’t swing that way.”

toasty (toh-stee) adj.

1. comfy; cozy and warm “You look toasty in your hoodie.”

2. description of an attractive young man bell?”

“Did you see that toasty guy who winked at me in first

THE CHRONICLE | FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2008

FEATURE | PAGE16

Never skipping a beat MHS student restricts her day-to-day routine to reduce risk posed by rare heart condition

photo by Cady Meece

Sophomore Emily Kiessling is always required to wear a necklace that serves as a notifier of her heart condition, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. This ensures that she will receive proper treatment in case of an emergency.

Cady Meece | Staff Writer While Mason students walk the halls complaining about trivial daily occurrences, one student is taking on a much more serious problem without making a sound. On July 6, 2008, sophomore Emily Kiessling was diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, an incurable disease that has caused the left ventricle of her heart to be three times its normal size. The ventricle is what controls the blood flow through the heart; Kiessling said that this increases daily dangers for her.

“It’s a big deal because if the blood isn’t flowing right, I have a very high risk of having a heart attack,” Kiessling said. “If [the ventricle] gets any bigger, I will need surgery.”

Sophomore Abby White said that she knew as soon as Kiessling was diagnosed how much the condition would affect her lifestyle.

“When I first found out that Emily had this disease, I was so scared for her and her family,” White said. “I’ve been friends with her since I was three and I could imagine how hard it had to be for her, being the type of person she is.”

As a dancer of 13 years, being diagnosed with this disease is especially hard for Kiessling. She made the junior varsity high school dance team this year, but now that dancing is too risky for her to participate in, she helps out with the rest of the team.

“Usually, I work the music, do paperwork for the coaches or just watch,” Kiessling said. “I’m still part of the team, but I’m not allowed to compete. It’s just different because I can’t dance for the rest of my life, and dance is my life.”

Sophomore Demi Landando, another close friend and fellow dancer that Kiessling met during her freshman year said that she feels bad that Kiessling can no longer participate in her favorite activity.

“I feel bad because she can’t dance and I can,” Landando said. “It’s really hard because I know that we both have a passion for dancing and I know how hard it would be for me if I couldn’t dance.”

Not only has hypertrophic cardiomyopathy ended her dance career, but it has also taken a toll on her everyday life, including her school days. According to Kiessling, she cannot participate in any gym class, specifically activities such as push-ups, weight-lifting, and running.

“Stopping and starting in different activities is the main concern,” Kiessling said. “It makes my heart pump harder, forcing my heart rate to increase, which could cause me to have a heart attack.”

During school, Kiessling said that it can sometimes be hard for her to walk up the stairs because she gets winded

and light headed. Kiessling said she also she has to watch what she eats since she cannot exercise and she cannot drink caffeinated soda, including energy drinks, that would cause her heart rate to sky rocket.

“Almost everything has changed because of my disorder,” Kiessling said. “I have to make sure that I don’t get too excited or do anything to raise my heart rate.”

White said she sometimes finds herself acting like a mother by always being aware of what she is doing and how it could affect Kiessling.

“She’s still the same, hyper Emily as always,” White said.

“She’s always trying to do things that she knows she’s not allowed to do, so I am always looking out for her.”

Along with dealing with the worries surrounding her every day activities, Kiessling said she constantly has the thought of death presented on a daily basis.

“It’s really hard [to deal with the fear] and I have to be extra careful with whatever I do”, Kiessling said, “[Luckily], I have gotten used to it and I try not to think about it or let it get me down.”

According to AmericanHeart.org, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy only affects one in every 500 individuals.

“Not many people know that they have the disorder,” Kiessling said. “I was very lucky to find it at all. I will miss being able to hang out and do what I want without worrying about my heart rate, but I’m glad that I at least know that there is something wrong so that I can do my best to keep it under control.”

THE CHRONICLE | FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2008

PAGE 17

PAGE 18 | FEATURE

photo contributed

Junior Brooke Mattina got the chance to meet Mitchell Musso, who plays Olver on the popular Disney Channel show Hannah Montana.

Jessica Kantor | Staff Writer Hannah Montana, Miley Cyrus and the Jonas Brothers have taken center stage in the lives of Mason High School students and other teenagers across America. The stars who originated on the Disney channel are gaining fans that are the same age as they are -- and sometimes even older -- rather than the typically younger Disney audience.

Junior Gabi Schneider said she has been a fan of the group of brothers since her freshman year. “[The Jonas Brothers’] beats and lyrics speak to me,” Schneider said. “I have a connection with their lyrics. I saw one of their music videos my freshman year, and that’s what started it; that’s when I realized I loved their music.”

The Jonas Brothers’ hit singles first started showing up on the Disney Channel in 2006. They are still on top -- in January, their concert tickets sold out within two minutes of being available.

Junior Brooke Mattina said she has also been a fan of Miley Cyrus and the Jonas Brothers for a long time.

“I am not obsessed with them [as people], just their music,” Mattina said. “I like music with a good beat that you can dance to.”

The Jonas Brothers’ fans look to them as role models.

After all, Nick, Kevin and Joe Jonas are around the same age as students in our high school, at ages 16, 20 and 19, respectively.

Junior Allie Hauck said that Jonas Brothers fans can be over the top. “[Their fans] are overly obsessed,” Hauck said.”They know too much about [The Jonas Brothers]. I think it’s a

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2008 | THE CHRONICLE

Defying Disney Stereotypes looking up to teenage celebrities

little obnoxious. I used to like the Jonas Brothers before the spotlight [at our age], like they are,” she said. “No one they were on Disney Channel. Now, they are so conformed has a right to judge them. By being in Hollywood, they are and I was turned off by that.” forced to mature so quickly.”

Schneider said she finds that because the Jonas Brothers Although there has been plenty of negative press about are of a similar age, they are easy to relate to. these pop stars, their success is undeniable. With the Jo“Just because they are on Disney Channel doesn’t mean nas Brothers song “S.O.S.” reaching the number one spot that their music is aimed towards young kids,” Schneider on iTunes and their second album coming close to selling a said. “They are going through the same problems as us, million copies, fans definitely have reason to be excited. and it’s easier for them to connect to their older fans.

Hauck said that she only judges fans of the Jonas BrothThey have normal teenage lives, too. People are shocked ers when they ask for her opinion. [to hear that I am a fan] and ask why I listen to ‘little kid’ “I usually shrug it off [if people like the Jonas Brothers] music, but the Jonas Brothers’ music is actually aimed because a lot of people are fans,” she said. “I still like some towards people our age.” of their music, but it isn’t as meaningful as it used to be.

Mattina said she agreed that these teen stars are easy to relate to for high school students.

“Little kids can’t understand the meaning behind the songs,” Mattina said. “Their music can’t be connected easily to younger kids.”

Hauck said she disagreed that their music has deep meaning for older fans.

“All of their music has gotten to be just the catchy stuff that gets stuck in your head instead of the meaningful songs they used to write,” Hauck said. “Most Disney [stars] haven’t even been to high school like us. It’s weird to look up to people who are nothing like us and haven’t had the same experiences.”

Mattina said she disagrees that it’s abnormal to look up to people that are close to her own age.

“You can look up to anyone,” Mattina said.

Hauck said that Disney has pushed the Jonas Brothers to conform to something they weren’t photo contributed before.

The walls in junior Gabi Schneider’s room are plastered with “They are posters of various Disney Channel stars, reflecting her love of a hip thing young artists like Hannah Montana and the Jonas Brothers. because Disney has pushed them to be big,” Hauck People think the Jonas Brothers are cool and then try to said. “I don’t think they be cool by association.” personally wanted to be Mattina said that she has learned to put up with the big; Disney pushed them negative talk about the Jonas Brothers and Miley Cyrus. further than they wanted “I stopped wearing Hannah stuff because people said to be pushed.” bad things about it,” Mattina said. “But now, I love them Mattina also said she so much I don’t really care what other people think.” wishes people would Schneider and Mattina both said that their peers are stop judging Miley Cyrus surprised to hear that they listen to other types of music and the Jonas Brothers. besides the Jonas Brothers’ pop style.

Between Cyrus’s racy “If I am talking about other kinds of music, [people] pictures showing up on are shocked,” Schneider said. “When people judge me the internet and a genbecause I listen to the Jonas Brothers, I just tell them eral stereotype of Disney that they like their music and I like mine. A lot of people being for young kids only, judge [the Jonas Brothers] before they listen to them. I these two pop sensations don’t judge others by what music they listen to, so they have had their share of shouldn’t judge me either. I’ve learned to ignore the criticism. [negative] comments.”

“Imagine being under

Sports P THE CHRONICLE | FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2008

The Press Box

Fans often want to have their say. The Press Box is a forum for Comet fans to voice their opinion on the latest games.

SPORTS | PAGE 19

erfection Achieved

After the men’s soccer team’s 3-2 win over Fairmont.

“It went well in the first half, we let it go in the second half and at the end we pushed it up and won. “ Ryan Goodhew, Sophomore photo by Duncan Fischley

From Left to Right: Deanna Mychalishyn, Emily Wright, Jessica Zhang, Elizabeth Nebraski, Alexis Nelson, Erin Michel, Coach Fred Reeder Jr.

Comet golfers conclude perfect season with state championship Duncan Fischley | Staff Writer “They counter attacked well, had good trapping and good fast play.”

Kimmy Connor, Junior

“They did pretty good. At the end they lost some goals, but they made it through.”

Danny Ly, Sophomore

“They had really good defense, it was really close.”

Katelynn Finklea Senior

Perfection is defined as an exemplification of supreme excellence. Mason High School head golf coach Fred Reeder Jr. wouldn’t disagree with that definition.

After disposing of the field in record breaking fashion, the Comet women’s golf team capped a perfect season by bringing home a state division one championship cruising to victory by 26 strokes over Cuyahoga Falls Walsh Jesuit After finishing second a year ago Reeder felt his team’s approach was almost businesslike.

“It was different this year,” said Reeder.

“We really weren’t in awe of the tournament as we were last year, it felt like any other tournament that we have been to.”

Three top ten finishers paced the Comets. Sophomore Erin Michel was third with a 153, senior Alexis Nelson notched a seventh place finish with a 158 and sophomore Emily Wright was tenth with a 160.

Girls golf at Mason has only been around seven years and Reeder has been on board as coach the entire time.

“The year [girl’s] golf was formed has been our only losing season so far,” Reeder said. “We were five and eight and only had six girls on the team.”

Reeder admitted that this year presented him with a tremendous coaching problem, but a good problem to have.

“I could switch out any of the ten girls in

the line up and still win any of our tournaments” Reeder said “I have ten total girls [on varsity]; the problem is I can only play five of them.”

On the first day of the state championship on the The Ohio State Grey Golf Course, the girls notched a new state record with a 307 stroke score.

Though most teams would think that this was a huge deal, it was what was expected from the Mason girl’s team.

“All year long we have had some really good scores at tournaments, we have been around that [307] number all year long”, Reeder said.

It was an incredible run for the Comets and anything short of a state championship would have been a disappointment considering the team dominated their opponents their entire season.

For most teams this success could go to their heads but according to their head coach this isn’t the case. “ The best thing is I get just as many compliments about their talent as I do about their sportsmanship” Reeder said.

“They just enjoy playing the game of golf.”

Senior Elizabeth Nebraski started playing golf at the age of seven and after winning the state title, she has been able to end her high school career on an amazing note.

“We had a perfect season,” Nebraski said. “How many people can say that they were state champions?”

Returning to Mason with the state

Ohio Division I State Golf Results 1 Mason 2 Cuyahoga Falls Walsh Jesuit 3 Columbus Bishop Watterson 4 Cincinnati St. Ursula Academy 5 Cincinnati Ursuline 6 Upper Arlington 7 Ashland 8 West Chester Lakota West 9 Rocky River Magnificat 10 Massillon Jackson 11 Massillon Perry 12 Hudson

championship trophy in their hands and medals around their necks, the girls came home to a proud town congratulating them on their state victory “More people knew that we won state than I expected, it feels good to know that they care about us”, Nebraski said.

Even though he was basking in the glow of his state championship medal, coach Reeder couldn’t help but think of next year. With several players returning and a host of talented players poised to take their position on the varsity roster, Reeder feels the team could be on top again next season. “ I expect that we will win state next year” Reeder said, “It is the beginning of a dynasty.”

“I expect that we will win state next year. It is the beginning of a dynasty.”

Team Tracker

photo contributed by MHS Yearbook

The Mason girls varsity tennis team finished the regular season with a record of 10-6 and a GMC record of 8-1. The girls’ efforts secured them a second place ranking within the GMC while propelling several players into district championships.

Senior tennis player Lauren King believes that the overall season went well. “I felt like we played pretty [good] this season,” said King. “We all played hard and in the end the season turned out to be a success.”

The JV water polo team finished off the season with a 4-8 record. The team consisted mostly of first year players who steadily improved throughout the season. Though their year didn’t start off strongly, Coach Mark Sullivan said he felt like the team as a whole improved by the end of the season. “By the end of the year I was pleased with how they had done,” Sullivan said. photo contributed by MHS Yearbook

photo contributed by MHS Yearbook

PAGE 20 | SPORTS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2008 | THE CHRONICLE

Boys cross country claims regional title, headed to state Girls finish fourth; sneak into state meet Duncan Fischley | Staff Writer The boys cross country team is headed to state and won’t have to make the trip to Columbus by themselves. After racing to a first place finish in the regional meet on October 25, the boys will head to Columbus in hopes of bringing home a state championship title. They’ll be joined by the girls team which earned a fourth place finish that allowed them to send the entire team to state.

Coach Tom Rapp said he is excited to be going back to state, since the boys are one of the favorites to bring the state championship home.

“I’m not nervous at all; in fact I am

actually excited,” Rapp said. “We have a good chance of winning. We are the cofavorite to win the state tournament, right along with Medina High School.”

Winning the state tournament has been the main goal of the team since the beginning of this season. Last year, the team qualified with Zach Wills placing fourth.

“Qualifying for state has been one our goals for this year, but we won’t be happy with just that: we want to win it,” Rapp said. “The team might have individual goals, but [those] are second to [the] team.”

Last year the girls were able to qualify for the state tournament, placing ninth out of the 16 teams. This year, they are aiming for a top-five finish.

“If we run well, I believe that we have a chance to get fifth or sixth place,” Chip Dobson, coach of girls cross country, said.

Both girls and boys are excited to be going back to the championship. For the boys, it is a chance for the team to go down in Mason history as the first boys cross country state champions. The girls want to go even further than last year’s team.

“The girls are excited for the guys,” Dobson said. “There used photo contributed by MHS Yearbook to be some competition between Left to right: Comet runners Zach Wills, Matt Kinthe two, but now the girls want caid, Matt Larcomb, Ed Carlin, Tate Honoker and the guys to do their best.”

Matt Kahl prepare to run.

Wrestler inspiring others to look past their own limitations Kirsten McCafferty | Chronicle Staff Last season Hillsboro High School wrestler Dustin Carter became a national figure when his drive to claim an Ohio state wrestling title captured the attention of the entire nation.

Carter, who only has partial arms and legs, has appeared on Fox Sports and David Letterman sharing his inspirational story. Last week he brought his incredible tale to Mason High School to a packed house in the high school Harvard Room.

Carter’s story is an amazing one. At the age of 5 Dustin suffered from a blood infection, a rare case of meningitis, according to Dustin’s mother, Laurie Carter.

“He literally woke up one morning, and he was fine,” Laurie said. “That afternoon he started complaining of his neck hurting, and a couple hours later he had a headache and a fever. Then eight hours later he was on life support in the hospital.”

The next morning the Carters were told their son was not going to live. His doctors were able to stop the spread of the disease with many surgeries.

“He has had 33 surgeries,” Laurie said. “When he came home from the hospital he couldn’t sit up on his own, he couldn’t feed himself; he was bandaged from neck down, and stayed that way for a little over a year.”

Although his condition was stabilized, Dustin’s parents were told that his disabilities would always render him reliant upon others. “[The doctors] told me he would never be inde

pendent and would be dependent on his father and me for all his care,” Laurie said.

But Dustin became more than independent; he became a talented competitor in one of the most grueling sports in high school, wrestling, qualifying for state his senior year.

“Every person has a talent, everyone has something in their head that can make something just soar, anybody and everybody has a skill,” Dustin said. “Mine is wrestling.”

Dustin began wrestling in the eighth grade.

At first he was stubborn, according to Laurie, only using the little technique that he knew, and unwilling to be coached. But, as he grew both as a person and an athlete Dustin said he realized that hard work had to come from within.

“The best coach to yourselves is you,” Dustin said. “No one can teach you more than you.”

His hard work, stubbornness and strong will have been a big help in Dustin’s success in reaching his goals, according to Laurie.

“He has done very well,” Laurie said. “It’s because he is very strong willed, and very independent and that’s what has gotten Dustin where he is: no one has gotten him where he is today but himself.”

Dustin said that his hard work in wrestling paid off during his high school athletic career and continues to pay off today.

“I lived the dream, and I still live the dream,” Dustin said. “I know what it feels like to stand under God knows how many lights, with thousands and thousands of people watching me, with eight mats on the ground, and the best refs in your corner. I know what that feels like to be great.”

photo by Kirsten McCafferty

Dustin Carter entertained and informed a packed house in the Mason High School Harvard Room last week.

The Express adapts classic sports movie subject matter Danni Simms | Staff Writer The Express opened the weekend of October 10 with $4,731,000 in sales, according to Boxofficemojo.com. The movie is about Ernie Davis, the first African-American Heisman Trophy winner.

Students at Mason High School, such as junior Olivia Hutchinson and freshman Jake Suess, plan on seeing The Express which is about events that occurred before their parents were born, but according to both, still hold cultural value today.

Ernie Davis was a halfback who led Syracuse in 1959 to its only National Championship. In 1961, Davis received the Heisman Memorial Trophy, named for famous coach John W. Heisman: an award reserved for the best college football player of the year. Despite his collegiate success, Davis would never play a minute of professional football, as he succumbed Leukemia in 1963.

The Express, based on the book Ernie Davis, The Elmira Express by Robert C. Gallagher, begins with Davis running away from a band of boys who are threatening to beat him up because of his race and because he was on the wrong side of town. Davis out runs the gang with the speed that eventually would allow him to have a successful college football career.

When Davis arrives at Syracuse, he replaces the famous Jim Brown as number 44. After Syracuse loses its first game before Davis is eligible to compete, Davis sets the

tone for how hard he works when he voluntarily participates in the late night punishment practice.

Once Davis begins to play, his presence in the game along with that of the other African-American players, attracts cheap calls from the referees and late blows after the whistle. This continues throughout the movie, and climaxes at a game against West Virginia when the coach moves to take Davis out of the game because of the physical danger. After the success against West Virginia, Syracuse remains undefeated and makes it to the National Championship game against Texas where they win. In 1961, Davis earns his Heisman Trophy along with a visit from President John F. Kennedy. However, while practicing at an All-American Camp after his last year in college football, Davis passes out and is rushed to the hospital where he tests positive for Leukemia. Davis is drafted to the Cleveland Browns but he never plays in a game due to his illness.

Sophomore Mitch Beebe saw The Express within the first week of its opening.

“It was a really great movie,” Beebe said. “It gave you inspiration, and [showed] that you can do anything you want as long as you put your mind to it.”

Though Beebe said that almost every other movie he watches is sports related, junior Anjana Venkatesan said she generally shies away from the genre due to repetitive plot lines and themes.

“There’s not that much stretch,” Venkatesan said. “You

have the determination and the perseverance and all that, but once [it has been done] once it gets pretty cliché.”

Suess, a student who is interested in seeing The Express, said he recognizes the recurring themes in sports movies such as overcoming obstacles, but that the obstacles and other elements of the movies are made unique.

“Some movies are reused but they’ll still do their own spin off,” Seuss said. “The ones based off of true stories [are good]. Like Radio, Remember the Titans, or Glory Road.”

According to Venkatesan, good sports movies such as Remember The Titans develop a strong plot line outside of athletics.

“I don’t feel like sports is a good core element to any story,” Venkatesan said. “Generally, the really good sports movies have a different plot that is outside of sports that just happens to include [sports].”

Though Venkatesan and Hutchinson differ in movie tastes, Hutchinson also said that her appreciation for sports movies often lies outside the athletic aspect.

“My favorite sports movies are Remember the Titans and Miracle,” Hutchinson said. “Both the victories and the end of the movies mean more than just the game.”

According to Hutchinson, sports movies show their value when they reveal that success can truly be colorblind.

“To me, sports transcends race,” Hutchinson said. “It is a big moment in history [when this happens].”

THE CHRONICLE | FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2008

SPORTS | PAGE 21

Can it get any worse?

Cincinnati fans wrestle with heartache and futility Sam Stouffer | Staff Writer As sophomore running back David Fulcher Jr. scans the stands packed with spectators at Friday night football games, he sees his dad, David Fulcher, once part of the greatest Cincinnati Bengals team to ever play. During this golden age of Bengals history, the team was famous for its “WHO DEY” chant, popularized by Cincinnati fans, cheering their team to qualification for numerous Super Bowl championships during the 80s. Those days are now a distant memory; the Bengals are far from Super Bowl-bound this season, the teams record right now is 0-8.

“It is frustrating because the team my dad played for in 1988 was so good and now they have come to the point where they are pathetic,” Fulcher Jr. said.

The Cincinnati Bengals have had two Super Bowl appearances in their 40-year history, in 1982 and 1988. As a former player, Fulcher Jr. said that his dad also laments the recent weaknesses of the team after having participated in one of the team’s landmark accomplishments. “[My dad] is frustrated, too, because he knows they could be so much better than what they are now,” Fulcher Jr. said. “He just wants them to do something smart with the team.”

The Fulchers are not the only bothered Cincinnati fans: junior Kasim Ahmad said he is also suffering with the Bengals’ losing this season. However, Ahmad said he can’t help but have faith in his favorite team. Every weekend he makes friendly wagers that the Bengals will emerge victorious, but lately has been coming up on the losing end due to his team’s frequent losses. Despite opinions of his peers that the bets are foolish, Ahmad said that he unfailingly believes in the Bengals.

“I tend to put $20 on the Bengals every weekend, and so far I am down $120,” Ahmad said. “It is getting extremely frustrating because I haven’t been able to talk trash to any other fans. Sometimes I think I’m making a mistake just because people always tell me [the Bengals] are going to lose. But, in the back of my mind I always think they can pull it off.”

With the Bengals off to a rough start, there aren’t many faithful fans out there like Ahmad. Fans are putting up tickets for sale below face value. People have been selling tickets for a mere $46, opposed to the regular price of $72.

While Cincinnati fans seem to be losing faith in their underdog team, Ahmad said he has positive expectations for the Bengals.

“I think the Bengals will end up going 9-7 and win the [American Football Conference] North,” Ahmad said.

“Everyone has their doubts and although the Bengals are considered one of the worst teams in the NFL, I think they

photo by David L. Pokress/Newsday/MCT

Bengals fans are getting used to seeing their team on its back. Back up quarterback Ryan Fitzgerald fumbles the ball in the Bengals’ loss to the New York Jets. are going to surprise a lot of people.” out the season is when it starts to get hard to watch.”

According to junior Jared Dvorsky, Cincinnati Reds The annual attendance for Reds games is one of the baseball fans, including himself, are also feeling dissatisworst in the league. For the 2008 season the Reds had a faction with their favorite local team as the World Series total of 2,058,632 people attend games, trailing the league approaches. average of 2,755,082 fans in attendance per team annu“I am extremely frustrated at this point and it gets ally. Even with the declining fan turnout, Dvorsky said his harder and harder to watch every game by the end of loyalty to the team has not waned. the year,” Dvorsky said. “But for some reason, I still have “I honestly think the Reds can turn it around and get to hope.”

500 next year,” Dvorsky said. “Our farm system has promThe Cincinnati Reds used to be known as one of the ise and the pitching staff is developing. We can make it to toughest teams in all of baseball, but in past years, the the playoffs in two years.” records have not demonstrated this strength. The Reds There are still loyal fans out there that go to games and have not had a winning season since 2000 and their last still strive for Cincinnati to turn it around. Even though the play-off appearance was in 1995. Despite the struggles bandwagon has ended for Cincinnati, the loyal and proud of the Reds, Dvorsky said he still does not find himself fans are still hanging tough, buying tickets and going to questioning his loyalty. the games, getting through this hard time.

“It really isn’t that hard for me to stay loyal but it just is “I believe in Ocho Cinco,” Ahmad said. frustrating because we lose so much,” Dvorsky said. “Every year Cincinnati gets excited for opening day but through-

Some athletes forced to spend more time in the trainers room than on the field Scott Hutchinson | Staff Writer Friday night. The stands are packed, the fans are pumped, and just like last year, junior linebacker Scott Spencer is manning his usual spot on the sidelines, leaning anxiously against his crutches. While Spencer is a member of the football team, he is also a member of a different class here at Mason: the perpetually injured athletes.

“I’ve been dealing with some sort of injury pretty regularly since middle school,” Spencer said. “I’ve fractured my wrist, my tibia, my fibula, all of my fingers, and my thumb. I’ve also dislocated my shoulder, lacerated muscle tissue in my hand, strained a few muscles in my neck, and had a couple of high ankle sprains.”

While some athletes would choose to give up after dealing with such adversity, Spencer is pushing onward, still attending each football practice and going to all of the Comet’s games. Also an Adidas AllAmerican goalie for the Mason Lacrosse team, Spencer is planning to be in the net for the Comets next season despite the risk of a repeated injury.

“I hate standing on the sidelines, knowing that I can’t go out and help my teammates,” Spencer said. “I’ve put so much into [sports] that I feel like I have to get out there and play hard so I can be assured that I didn’t take all of this physical punishment for nothing.”

Though he hopes to make a solid comeback from his most recent injury, Spencer is well aware that getting back won’t be easy. After spending the past months in grueling physical therapy sessions after school, Spencer will continue his training throughout the off-season to assure that his body will be ready to go before he takes to the fields next year.

“The therapy his painful,” Spencer said, “but I’ve learned a ton from the trainers. I bet I can tape an ankle faster than anyone in the school.”

Spencer has become a familiar face in the trainer’s room over the past few years, but he’s not the only regular. Junior Taylor Celestin is also a member of this injury prone club. Celestin has received two dislocated shoulders and sustained a level two concussion, all since the beginning of the year.

I am a believer that everyone is going to get hurt at one point in their lifetime. All of my injuries just happened to occur all at once,” Celestin said.

A cornerback on the football team and a sprinter for the Mason track and field team, Celestin also knows the pain of sitting out. This past season he was forced to miss the GMC Championships, a meet in which he was expecting to perform well, after going head first into the track during practice, causing serious cuts and a level two concussion.

“That whole experience was tough on me emotionally, as was my shoulder injury in football. It’s hard to go out there and jump hurdles or make tackles knowing that I could blow out my shoulder or mess up my face again,” Celestin said.

Celestin has visited many doctors concerning his frequent injuries and even underwent surgery this past summer in order to assure that his shoulder would not dislocate again. While some specialists have advised against his return to either sport, Celestin is determined to make a comeback.

“I have a seven month recovery time on my shoulder, and then I’ll be back at track,” Celestin said. “Hopefully I can play football again too. It’ll be my senior year and I want to be out there even if it means I have to be more careful about my shoulder.”

Despite their setbacks, both Celestin and Spencer have managed to find positives amongst their painful situations. For Celestin it is a chance to recover. Had he not undergone surgery, he would have had a 97% chance of dislocating his shoulder for a third time, and would likely be done with sports as a whole. As for Spencer, his frequent injuries have earned him, if nothing else, a nickname.

“My friends call me Grandpa,” Spencer said.

Some typical injuries • The most common injury that athletes face is a muscle pull.

• Neck strain or spasm is the second most common. When an athlete neck takes a sudden jerk, the muscles in the neck start to spasm because of the awkward positioning of the neck • Strained lower back occurs to athletes who are lifting heavy weights or moving their backs awkwardly.

• Tennis Elbow is the irritation of the muscles and tendons in the forearm.

• Runner’s knee happens to those whose knee caps are out of alignment; this causes the cartilage on the back of the knee to wear out which in turn causes swelling and pain around the knee.

• Shin splints take place when an athlete has been running or jumping on hard surfaces.

• Sprained ankle, the foot is rolled or twisted causing the support ligaments of the ankle to give.

• Achilles tendonitis, mostly from jumping sports, happens when the tendon on the back of the heel is inflamed.

• Fractures.

According to Medical Review Board

PAGE 22 | SPORTS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2008 | THE CHRONICLE

Game Changers

Getting To Know...

Kelly Sullivan

Finishing his last year at the top, senior soccer player Zach Patterson tied for first in the GMC. This season he scored 12 goals and had 29 points.

In three soccer matches Patterson was the only comet to score, and the team was still able to win two of those games and tied the third. The entire soccer team had a successful season ending 12-3-3.

Varsity volleyball player Senior Kelsey Wood helped her team get second in the GMC. They finished their season with a final record of 20-3. Wood ended her senior year with an impressive 97 kills, 7 aces and 87.2% serving average. Wood has played volleyball for nine years; with it now over she is glad that she ended

Senior Kelly Sullivan has been a force to reckon with in the water. In fact he has spent most of this year in the water. Captain of the Varsity Water Polo team, Sullivan lived in the water practicing for his next big match. Even though the water polo season has ended for the year, Sullivan will always be a fish in or out of water.

Why do you feel that you were made captain of the water polo team?

her high school career on a high note.

I am one of the better players on the team and I think that I step up to the challenges in front of me. The team counts on me to lead them to be there.

Why do you play the sport of water polo?

Senior Emily Pham and junior Sso-Rha Kang are exceptional singles tennis players who proved their versatility by competing in doubles. Though Pham and Kang enjoy the presence of another teammate on the court, they feel like doubles has its own set of difficulties that are different from singles. Pham and Kang captured the GMC Doubles title, continued on through sectionals and lost at districts.

Sports Talk

“The Fish”

What do you do in your spare time when you are not in the water?

I usually go to other sporting events with my friends, or just hang out with them. Eating and sleeping, water polo doesn’t give you a lot of time to sleep so I try to get as much as possible.

I play because it is a fun sport when you have the talent to play it. My dad got me started swimming when I was young and I have been playing [water polo] since I was in eighth grade; I just kept on going after that. Plus the girls get to check you out.

-Compiled by Danni Simms

Should a 0-8 Bengals squad pack it in for the season, or is there still some good to pull out of the wreckage?

“The Bengals should take a page out of the Patriots book and film other teams’ practices.”

-Jim Toth, Senior

“Leave Cincinnati, go to Rhode Island and never come back” -Carson Craig, Sophomore

“They should [just] keep playing even though they know that they’re going to lose” -Brad Merritt, Sophomore

Do you celebrate when you win a match?

Sometimes, if we win, I will get in a good lift in after a good game. I’ll celebrate with my teammates and we will go spend the night out on the town. I will usually be sipping a two liter of Mountain Dew the entire time.

How much time do you spend in the water?

I spend a lot of my time devoted to the pool, during the week I spend two and a half hours for five days a week for practices and three on the weekends. We spend half of our practices on dry land doing workouts such as sit-ups, push-ups, and running. We had morning practices but we have finished those right now.

During a water polo match what is going on underneath the water?

There is kicking, grabbing; it is not legal to punch or kick someone in water polo, but more often than not people get away with it. Sometimes you might get away with chucking an elbow at someone when the refs aren’t looking.

Are you uncomfortable or embarrassed wearing a Speedo?

I don’t mind them; I feel that I could go out in public with them. I have been swimming since I was little, so it doesn’t really bother me. Besides, if you were to [go] out in a [bathing] suit in water polo, it would be around your ankles as soon as the whistle blew.

“They need to keep playing or they risk the possibilty of lossing T.J and/or Chad through free agency or hold out” -Taylor Nieman, Senior -As told to Duncan Fischley

Stat of the Month

Comet Culture Grid Name

Favorite Halloween Costume

Scariest Movie

Worst Fear

Worst Way to Die

The Cincinnati Bengals...

Pat Eagan Varsity Football Junior

Neil Patrick Harris

Movie from Sex-ed class

Girls

Hungry

“ROCK!”

Mike Blue Power Mckinley Ranger Varsity Soccer Senior

The Amityville Timberwolves Drowning Horror in your own blood

“Should hold open tryouts at county jail”

Katie Earhart Varsity Cheer Junior

Jaws

“...are orange”

Bumblebee

Sharks

Shark Attack

19 Goals

Courtney Collins, Senior, Girls Varsity Soccer

THE CHRONICLE | FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2008

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