The Chronicle, 6.4

News: Test scores indicate girls catching up to guys in sciences

Chronicle Sports: Low game attendance is affecting player morale

The William Mason High School

Volume 6

NEWS BRIEF

Union members reach agreement On December 17 the Mason City Schools Board of Education held a special meeting to vote on a proposal by the Ohio Association of Public School Employees (OAPSE) union for vacation policies, holiday pay and sick leave benefits. The organization represents custodians, groundskeepers and maintenance workers employed in the district.

After a three year negotiation between the Board of Education and OAPSE, the two parties were able to come to a unanimous decision on policies for OAPSE union members. They will receive benefits equal to those of nonunion employees at Mason.

Union members were not present for the vote by the board -- the agreement had already been approved by all union members at a separate meeting held on Saturday, December 13.

According to the Dayton Daily News, the school district and OAPSE have never created a contract since the organization’s formation in 2006.

Mason City School District Public Information Officer Tracey Carson said that the contract is still being constructed.

“Our attorneys are still working with the OAPSE attorney to finalize the documents,” Carson said.

TODAY

Jam the Gym night against Hamilton The varsity boys basketball team will face Hamilton tonight at 7:30 p.m. in the Mason Middle School arena and is rallying support through Jam the Gym; a night where fans can pack the stands to cheer on the team. The first fans to arrive in the gym win a prize. Student admission for the game is one dollar. Take-home spirit prizes will be given out by the Mason High School Basketball Boosters (as known as the 2-Point Club).

The varsity girls basketball team will continue the Jam the Gym event as they take on Oak Hills tomorrow at 2:00 p.m. in the MMS Auxiliary Gym.

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

January 16, 2009

Issue 4

Inauguration day scheduled as “district-wide initiative” Alyssa Howard | Editor in Chief Fifth bell will end early on inauguration day, January 20, to accommodate the broadcast of President-Elect Barack Obama’s entrance to office, according to Principal Dave Allen and Assistant Principal George Coates. Allen said that the entire district will allot time during the school day for students of all grades to incorporate age-appropriate activities pertaining to the inauguration.

“District-wide, every building is going to take the opportunity to pause,” Coates said.

Although Mason High School’s schedule has never been rearranged for a prior inauguration, Allen said that the administration is viewing this year’s inauguration as an opportunity for students and staff to be a part of a monumental occasion in history.

“We are approaching it by seeing the inauguration as a significant historical event

in our lives -- both in our lives as adults and for our students, as well,” Allen said.

“It’s something special. It’s something that we want to learn from as part of a social studies perspective.”

Following Obama’s oration, high school students will be asked to articulate their thoughts in a free-write about the address, according to Allen. Despite some disrespectful comments made following the election, due to “emotions running high,” Allen said that the administration is not considering the upcoming inauguration as a source of school controversy.

“We want to take some time to talk about it,” Allen said. “We’re not going to look at [Obama’s inauguration] as a controversial piece, but as an educational piece.”

The scheduling change, which Coates said was devised by a collaboration of building curriculum leaders and administrators, is an effort of the district to reach outside of the typical areas of study to

highlight an event that will define a point in history.

“At the high school level, we thought that the students would want to live in the moment, so to speak, and watch it live,” Coates said.

The reaction prompt following Obama’s address will allow students to communicate in a secure, educational setting, according to Allen.

“Our student body understands that [MHS] is a place where our students can be themselves and be free to speak, but yet not violate others’ rights to do the same,” Allen said. “Our teachers are capable of handling appropriate discussions in the classroom. That’s why we want to give our students an opportunity to discuss. We want to give some local control, if you will, where kids can ask appropriate questions, get appropriate answers, and say appropriate things in a controlled environment, where they feel safe to do that.”

Film club denied permission to view movie Administration won’t endorse message communicated by controversial film Cady Meece | Staff Writer

the references to drug use, sex, and

You can watch it, but not here; at least this is the message Mason High School is sending to students with the denial of Dazed and Confused for Film Club viewing.

In the past, the club watched other controversial movies including Fight Club and The Exorcist, allowed due to the permission slips that were sent home, but according to Film Club advisor Thurman Allen, Dazed and Confused is the only movie that has been denied, even after students filled out permissions slips.

“It was presented to me by the administration that they thought that [Dazed and Confused] would send a bad message to the student body, implying that we supported drug use,” Allen said.

According to Allen, he is required to run the movie selection past Student Activities Director Lorri Fox-Allen so that she can give him feedback on the club’s choice.

“Usually, she gives me a thumbs-up on the movie, or suggests that we should try to find a better alternative, which is what she suggested about this movie,” Allen said.

According to Fox-Allen, the administration did not feel that the messages in Dazed and Confused were ones with which they agreed.

“Many of our staff members agreed that [Dazed and Confused] is not a movie that should be shown on campus because of

hazing,” Fox-Allen said. “Our administration felt that it does not promote the type of lifestyle that we try to promote on campus.”

Allen said that the club discussed why Dazed and Confused was rejected until everyone

reached an understanding.

“When I discovered that the movie had been rejected, the next meeting was spent discussing why the administration felt the movie was inappropriate,” Allen said.

photo by Cady Meece

PAGE 2 | NEWS

FRIDAY, JANUARY 16, 2009 | THE CHRONICLE

National statistics show girls closing the gap in math and science achievement Samantha Stulen | Staff Writer For the first time, girls are catching up to guys in math and science.

According to Time magazine, 7.2 million students in 2007 of grades two through eleven in ten states obtained scores on math tests that showed that the large gap between girls and guys has disappeared. Moreover, an equal number of girls and boys ranked amid high mathematical scores.

Kristi Otten, Mason math curriculum leader for grades seven through twelve, said that both genders remain above average in math scores.

“The scores at Mason are incredible, and even though we are seeing increases in the number of students [of] both genders that are taking AP tests in mathematics, the average scores for [Mason High School] have stayed relatively the same,” Otten said.

Debbie Rupp, leader of Mason’s science curriculum for grades seven through twelve, said that it has been a cultural occurrence from the time of the insititution of Title IX, a law preventing gender discrimination in education and other federal aid programs, to now where girls are more comfortable to take more rigorous math and science courses. Rupp was one of three girls in her Physics class as a student at MHS. “I think a lot of the girls were uncomfortable taking those classes not because of anything anybody said, [but because] it was kind of cultural,” Rupp said.

Rupp said that having knowledge out in the open about women’s education also helped to alleviate the invisible barrier. “[Girls’ education has] been talked up a lot [and] students have been encouraged by guidance counselors to do the best that they can, to achieve the most that they can,” Rupp said. “A lot of students have seen a lot of portrayals in the media of individuals on TV of highly successful females in non-traditional roles.”

From the cultural change and media depictions, both genders of students contributed to Title IX. Girls and guys perform the same tasks, learn the same material and achieve at the same levels, according to Rupp. The beliefs students had of themselves were a big part of the cultural change, Rupp said. The ripples of Title IX were felt in Mason in the late ‘70s and ‘80s. Rupp said that the cultural turn did influence MHS students.

“Whenever there are a lot of girls in my classes, we tend to do better than the men on tests and quizzes, [because girls are] basically focusing less on their sports and extracurricular activities.”

Currently, junior Emily Delman said that females are performing better in her science classes than males.

“In science classes, I notice a lot of the girls [are stronger] than the guys,” Delman said.

Senior Stella Nguyen said she noticed that when there are a lot of girl students in her classes, they will perform better than the boys academically.

“Whenever there are a lot of girls in my classes, we tend to do better than the men on tests and quizzes, [because girls are] basically focusing less on their sports and extracurricular activities,” Nguyen said. “They want to have a successful future because when you study hard, everything pays off in the long run.”

Rupp said that the numbers of students in Advanced

photo by Samantha Stulen

Recent research has shown that girls have academically caught up to boys in mathematics and sciences.

Placement and honors classes are split equally between boys and girls.

Junior Joey Starnes said he has observed in his advanced classes that women do not typically follow stereotypes.

“There’s that stereotype that guys tend to be more [skilled in] math and more direct; [that] they don’t enjoy creativity as much,” Starnes said. “I really don’t think that’s true. A lot of girls that are [in my] AP Chemistry and Honors Pre-Calculus [classes do not apply to the] stereotype because a lot of them are just not as creative as I am.”

Starnes said that it is a case-to-case situation when it depends on male versus female academic intelligence.

Nevertheless, the views of girls in math and science have changed, according to Starnes. “[They] are improving [from] the past 20 years before Title IX; before everything like that it was kind of assumed that guys are better at math and science, but as those stereotypes disappear, it allows those girls to progress from where they used to [be],” Starnes said.

Senior Ray Wang said he has noticed a significant difference with girls and guys in his math and science classes-not of academic brilliance, but rather the number of girls currently enrolled in his classes.

“I think [there are more girls] in math classes,” Wang said. “The biggest difference is that there are more of them [and] it used to be a lot of guys and just one girl in AP Physics. [Now], there’s a closer ratio [of girls to guys]--

like one to three or one to four.”

In Mason history, Title IX has changed the attendance of girls in math and science classes, according to Rupp.

“Title IX did have an effect because when people see more equality in other areas like sports, they’re going to look for that [to move towards equality at school],” Rupp said. “I don’t think it was ever anyone denying females the right to be in classes, it was more perception of who was appropriate in those classes. As peoples’ aspirations changed, the combinations of classes [and] the percentages [of girls in those] classes changed.”

Title IX has led to more funding towards girls’ education, and this has led to more success in academia for girls.

According to Newsweek, early elementary may feel the emphasis of education for girls as young as three.

Girls aged three to five are five percent more likely than boys to be read to at home three times a week. Also, girls are ten percent more likely to distinguish words by sight before the first grade.

As stated in Newsweek, 22 percent more girls than boys are planning to go to college. Boys once being the genderdominant at colleges, the roles once held in the educational hierarchy between guys and girls are shifted. Boys are 33 percent more likely to drop out of high school than girls. Boys dropping out of high school also lead to less attending college. The number of male undergraduates is 44 percent while 30 years ago it was 58 percent.

As well as the decrease in the proportion of men to women attending college, there is a drop in the possibility of boys taking AP courses. Girls are 36 percent more likely to take AP courses than boys, according to Newsweek.

Statistics have also shown that girls score higher on standardized tests.

According to Newsweek, twelfth-grade girls scored 16 points higher than boys on standardized reading tests and 24 points higher on standardized writing tests.

This is not true for MHS students, who attest to the fact that girls have ascended to a platform of equality, according to Time.

With MHS students of the school year 2007-2008, of the 226 males and 238 females that took the ACT, the composite scores for both genders revealed to be 25. At MHS, the equality of both genders is attested for. In the math section, boys received an average score of 26 while girls received a score of 25. In the science section of the ACT, boys received a mean score of 25 and girls a score of 24.

“I really don’t think that’s true.

A lot of girls that are [in my] AP Chemistry and Honors Pre-Calculus [classes do not apply to the] stereotype because a lot of them are just not as creative as I am.”

“I think a more diverse enrollment in any course enriches the experience for all of the students,” Otten said.

“Multiple perspectives during the learning process helps enrich the context of the material and create better opportunities for students to learn.”

Student qualifies for selective Senate organization Jessica Kantor | Staff Writer After spending years practicing his leadership skills, senior Peter Chen is one step closer to a Senate seat. Chen qualified for a nineday, hands-on experience of our country’s democratic government through the American Legion’s Buckeye Boys State Program.

Buckeye Boys State is an organiPeter Chen zation sponsored by the American Legion, the largest veteran association in the nation. The program allows 1,400 young men from all over the nation annually to experience the way America’s government works.

Five boys from Mason High School were selected to attend the Buckeye Boys State ten-day government workshop at Bowling Green State University over the summer of 2008, where they learned about another opportunity

to further their political experiences: the US Senate Youth Program. Two students from each state are chosen from the attendees of the summer workshop to attend the US Senate Youth Program, which will take place in March.

Chen said that he had a great interest in the organization from the first time he heard about it.

“I have always been interested in politics, so I just wanted that chance,” Chen said.

Chen said that the process is very selective for the US Senate Youth Program. In order to be able to apply to the program, students must be recommended by a teacher or administrator at their school, send in a resume and take a test if his resume qualified.

Once the boys that apply for the senate program are selected based on the summer workshop, they are given a test as part of their application.

“The top two scorers on the test get the chance to go to Senate,” Chen said. “The test was a government-based test, almost like a citizenship test.”

MHS Principal Dave Allen said that he has been involved

with Chen’s application process for the US Senate Youth Program for about a year.

“Peter is our first delegate [to participate in the US Senate Youth Program],” Allen said. “It is a really prestigious honor, and it is a good life experience for him. It’s perfect because he has an interest in [politics] and he is a great representative for our school.”

During the trip to Washington, D.C., the boys will get to meet senators, justices, and cabinet members, along with President Barack Obama.

“We get a tour of the White House with Barack Obama,” Chen said. “I am super pumped for that. I watched Obama throughout his campaign, and I am very excited to meet him.”

Chen said that he is looking forward to getting a firsthand experience in politics.

“It’s a long term goal for me to be a senator,” Chen said.

“This experience will definitely give me the drive I need.”

THE CHRONICLE | FRIDAY, JANUARY 16, 2009

NEWS | PAGE 3

Students raise farm animals in suburbs Deanna Allbrittin | Staff Writer

As Mason has grown, farmlands have become subdivisions and shopping centers, but some families in the area still hold on to the farming values the city was founded on.

In a city where many homeowners boast of their half-acre property, sophomore Kelly Hendrickson raises goats on her family’s two-acre property, one of the few remaining signs of farmland in Mason.

Hendrickson’s house is completely surrounded by a subdivision, a display of the transformation of the city.

“We have this really long driveway and a lot of land and then there’s all these houses around us,” Hendrickson said.

The Hendrickson family’s large property gives them room to raise goats, but twenty years ago that property almost became a Mason City park.

“We live in the older part of Mason,” Hendrickson said. “We have new subdivisions around us. Our yard was actually supposed to be a park, but it was saved.”

Hendrickson’s story is similar to many other farming-oriented families in Mason, the only difference being that most of those families sold or lost their lands.

Junior AJ Shappacher said that his family used to own a lot of land in Mason before that land became businesses, roads and schools.

“My dad used to live where P&G is and he tells stories about how Mason-Montgomery was a two-lane road,” Shappacher said. “My dad used to farm all the land where the school is now. They actually sold the land where P&G is now to Natorp’s.”

Even though much of the land is gone, the Warren County Fair, held annually in July, and the weekly Farmer’s Market are some of the few semblances of the old farming Mason left in the new suburban city. Social studies teacher Jerry Schrock believes that events like the fair and the

market are an essential part of remembering Mason’s history.

The Mason Farmer’s Market which takes place from June to October, sells fresh produce and is a way that Mason still supports the few farmers left in the area.

The Warren County Fair is a larger farming-related event which is where 4-H showings occur. The 4-H motto, according to 4H.com, is “[to be] a community of 6 million young people across America learning leadership, citizenship and life skills.”

Schappacher and Hendrickson utilize these skills raising their animals year-round while senior Candice Fulcher raises pigs on a seasonal basis specifically for 4-H. “I have a horse, but I also raise pigs in the summer,” Fulcher said. “You get [pigs] in April or May and then you breed them until July and then you go to the fair in July and show them.

While Fulcher only raises one type of animal, Shappacher raises many animals for the 4-H fair.

“This year, for 4-H, I’m taking market steers, market feeder calves and hogs,” Schappacher said. “But in the past I’ve taken things like turkey, sheep and goats.”

The students became involved in 4-H in many different ways. Hendrickson said that her childhood experiences with animals were a major influence on her life now.

“When I was little, I would always go with my mom to the Warren County Fair,” Hendrickson said.

Shappacher said he agrees with the 4-H motto and believes the responsibility and life training raising animals provides is a part of why he does 4-H. “The reason we do it is that it teaches you lessons because in the end you get rewarded because you get to sell your animal at fair, but if you have an animal that dies or something, you’re going to lose money,” Shappacher said.

For Shappacher, the generational progression of land and jobs that used to

On the walls & In the halls

photo by Deanna Allbrittin

Sophomore Kelly Hendrickson’s goats frequently roam across the long driveway connecting her family’s farm to the surrounding subdivision.

dominate Mason has also greatly influenced him.

“We joined my aunt’s [4-H] club and that got so big that my dad decided to make his own,” Shappacher said. “My sister has done it all her years. It’s basically a family tradition.”

There are also numerous awards associated with the 4-H event, rewarding people for their extensive work raising animals.

“You get awards for showing in the market class,” Fulcher said. “You’re judged on the animal’s confirmation and how well they look. You also get awards for showmanship which is how well you show off your animal.”

Fulcher, Hendrickson and Shappacher have all won awards showing their animals at the 4-H shows and all said that although they enjoy raising animals, the oddity of raising goats, pigs and cattle in a suburban environment illicit widely different responses ranging from disbelief to confusion. Hendrickson says that while some people respond positively when they learn she raises goats, others imply that they do not believe her.

“My friend, when I told her, was like,

Art careers abundant but insecure Ellen Duffer | Associate Editor

Information that can be found in the walls of MHS. OGT PREP: Between January 19 and March 13, Mason High School will be offering free OGT preparatory sessions for all sophomores, juniors and seniors on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2:30 to 3:15 or 3:15 to 4:00 in various classrooms. Separate sessions will focus on math, reading and science.

BOWLING: Fun League Bowling starts next month. Form a team of five people and sign up in the offices or cafeteria.

BURRITOS: Visit the CometZone to make a purchase and enter for a chance to win a free burrito from Chipotle.

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL: Every Monday, the club meets in room A107 to commentate on and debate global human rights. Snacks are provided.

‘Yeah and I raise two unicorns and a cow,’” Hendrickson said.

Fulcher raises her animals on someone else’s farm to avoid trouble with neighbors.

“I live in a ranch with a big yard, but I know that if I were keeping pigs in my backyard, people would get pretty upset,” Fulcher said.

For others, like Hendrickson’s neighbors, Hendrickson’s goats are the reason they enjoy living next to her house.

“Our neighbors love the goats,” Hendrickson said. “Someone beside us bought the house because they could see the goats from their kitchen windows.”

Even though Mason High School students live in a city where less than fifteen years ago Mason-Montgomery was a quiet twolane road, it is difficult for most students to comprehend an environment where people raise animals.

“Many people don’t know what 4-H is,” Shappacher said. “[I] try to explain it to them, but coming from a city like Mason so many people don’t realize how much it takes.”

Although the typical perception of art students assumes they will succumb to poverty, some at Mason High School continue to pursue the arts. According to senior Danni Wu, the common “starving artist” stereotype, though a worry, will not keep her from following the art path into college.

Wu, pressured into working vigorously in her academics toward the beginning of her time at MHS, said she didn’t enjoy that route as much as she did being an artist.

“I started out my high school career as strongly academic, mainly because my parents forced me to,” Wu said. “But, I see art as a career. I could go into something medical, like my parents want me to, but I don’t feel like it [would be] following [my] passion.”

According to Wu, who is taking a variety of drawing, painting and digital image design courses and considering furthering her education at the School of Visual Arts in New York, the Maryland Institute College of Art or the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, listening to your true desires holds the most importance when choosing a career.

“If there’s anything I’ve learned from teachers, it’s that it’s best to follow your passion,” Wu said. “I’m one of those people where if I don’t like something, I won’t try hard.”

Art teacher Liesa Eichner, after showing some of her art in a gallery in Chicago then moving to Ohio to teach, said she agrees that pursuing what you adore is the best option.

“Listen to yourself, follow your intuition: what you love,” Eichner said. “Look at what you love [and] the things you enjoy and use those to create a career, because then you’re going to be happy and you’re going to make money at the same time.”

In the current economic downturn, the availability of funding has become a determining force for the futures of some, especially due to the increase in college tuition, according to Wu. One of her qualms regarding the upcoming years of her life, she said, concerns money. “[You] see people in the entertainment industry make it

big, but [you] don’t know the back-story of having to deal with loans,” Wu said.

While some artists, like Eichner, can open galleries to display and sell their art, others decide to work for companies: advertising, design or new media, for example, according to Digital Image Design teacher Aaron Roberts. Students, Roberts said, should try different forms of art to discover what suits their interests when selecting a career, since the possibilities are vast.

“The wisest career option is always what makes you happy, always,” Roberts said. “If money makes you happy, the wisest career option is where you feel as though you can advance. If that’s not what makes you happy, you’ve got to explore the careers for yourself. Your first two years of college, especially, you should continue your exploration.”

People can be successful in any art career, according to Eichner, who said she has known someone who made onehundred thousand dollars annually because of the effort that they put into their various jobs. Motivation and hard work, she said, contribute to the success of an array of artists.

“There are really famous artists right now who are millionaires,” Eichner said. “It’s what you visualize for your life that comes true. [But,] you have to put the work into it; you have to have the drive. There [are] a lot of design executives or account executives that are making good money with what they do.”

Though, according to Eichner, advertising design, art education and industrial design are the fields with the most readily available jobs, there are a number of occupations that will allow people to utilize a degree in art, according to the National Art Education Association. Such jobs range from museum curator to lighting designer to product designer to cake decorator.

Wu said the prospect of being art artist means the possibility that her work will be seen.

“Success would be [to have] a message reach an audience,” Wu said.

PAGE 4 | NEWS

FRIDAY, JANUARY 16, 2009 | THE CHRONICLE

High school schedule conducive to bad eating habits Rachel Schowalter | Staff Writer During every class period at Mason High School, students can decipher the faint sounds of munching and the crinkling of plastic bags from the drone of a lecture.

MHS students are eating more frequently in each class, whether it means skipping breakfast or slowly eating their lunches throughout the day.

Junior Grace Eichler said that she brings small snacks to every class to make up for the breakfast she misses in the morning.

According to Eichler, she often skips breakfast because MHS starts much earlier than her old school in South Carolina. She said that when she awakens, she simply does not feel hungry.

“I really don’t like eating in the morning, especially because it’d be like eating breakfast at six o’clock,” Eichler said. “I basically eat in every class that I’m allowed to eat in. Sometimes I’ll bring a bag of cereal, graham crackers or a granola bar.”

Eichler said that eating frequently helps keep her awake and occupied while in class.

“I always have to do something, and eating is just some mindless thing that I can do while I’m working and listening,” Eichler said.

Junior Larra Lapid said she also skips breakfast because she doesn’t have time to eat in the morning. Instead, she said she brings in a box of cookies or cereal and eats it throughout the day. “[My diet] is more spread out, but I do have dinner,” Lapid said. “I just don’t have breakfast or lunch. It’s more like snacks; I just munch on stuff.”

Health teacher Gary Popovich said that if teens continue their bad eating habits, the results could be detrimental.

“I think because a lot of foods are processed, certain types of cancers and cholesterol issues [could arise],” Popovich said. “I hope not, but I think that’s where it’s going to head.”

According to Popovich, teens’ bad eating habits can carry over into college with the infamous “freshman fifteen” weight gain, where late-night eating and partying runs rampant. Lapid said that if she continues

photo by Rachel Schowalter

Junior Amanda LaRue snacks on portions of her lunch throughout the school day, spreading out her bag’s contents across her desk during multiple class periods.

to eat unhealthy, she will be feeling the effects of her diet in college.

“It won’t be the freshman fifteen [for me], it’ll be the freshman fifty,” Lapid said.

In order to keep his students eating healthy, Popovich said that he encourages them to eat in class to make up for their missed breakfast.

“Breakfast is by far the most important meal of the day, and I think most of the kids end up skipping it because of time or a variety of reasons,” Popovich said. “I let them bring in grapes, cereal and a lot of the kids eat during other periods of the day. Unfortunately in the United States I think we have it backwards, where we eat our biggest meal for dinner, and most people say you should eat it in the morning.”

According to Popovich, high school students’ bad eating habits can mostly be attributed to America’s fast-paced culture, where they cannot find the time to eat healthy meals.

“I know when I was little, we actually sat down as a family and ate our meals,” Popovich said. “I think a lot of kids are getting up on their own, and sleeping as long as they can, and they’re skipping the meal that I think is the worst meal for them to skip.”

Popovich said he encourages students who are pressed for time to buy healthy foods that can be eaten on the go.

“When they say time’s a factor, they just need to get something in the house that they like to eat,” Popovich said.

Some students are turning to small meals throughout the day as a source of a balanced diet, as opposed to three square meals a day. Senior Lauren Bridges said that she tries to eat snacks throughout the day instead of three larger meals.

“As long as they’re healthy, I think it’s good to help you get all the nutrition you need, and it builds your metabolism, so you’re not settling a bunch of food in your stomach for a few hours,” Bridges said.

According to Bridges, her diet changed after she quit dancing at a studio and began working at Lifetime Fitness in Mason.

“I started going there a lot and getting

really interested in all the things about fitness and nutrition,” Bridges said. “Then, I started working at the café there, which is really healthy. It is an interest that’s developed where I enjoy learning about nutrition.”

Bridges said that her diet is probably “lighter” than most students’ at MHS, with many fruits and vegetables. She said that she eats according to her unique taste and is more “conscious” about what she consumes.

Junior Amanda La Rue has also taken to eating throughout the school day; she eats parts of her lunch during each of her classes. She said she has been known to bring in a container of peas or a cold hamburger patty to eat at nine in the morning.

“I space [my lunch] out throughout the day,” La Rue said. “It depends on my class schedule: if I have science or band I can’t eat during those classes, but during my other classes I’m free to eat little snacks. I eat part of my lunch before lunch and the rest during lunch and after school.”

According to La Rue, she began changing her eating habits after freshman year when she “ate too much and exercised very little.”

“I did track the end of my sophomore year and I found that with track, when I ate healthy foods constantly throughout the day, I performed a lot better at track in the afternoon than if I didn’t eat very much or if I ate junk food,” La Rue said.

According to the Cleveland Clinic website, My.ClevelandClinic.org, eating six small meals each day has shown to reduce cholesterol, avoid major changes in blood sugar and help the metabolism by sustaining energy throughout the day. The clinic suggests that each small meal be evenly portioned in calories, containing many fresh fruits, vegetables and low-fat foods.

Although Popovich said he encourages students to eat healthy, he realizes that “every kid is different” and will do what works best for them.

“Most [students] know what they should do and how they should eat, it’s just a lifestyle choice that they choose to live by,” Popovich said.

Scouts benefit from program completion Woody Goldsmith | Staff Writer By senior year, most Mason High School students have quit the Boy Scouts of America -- but some students have stuck with it. After twelve years of participating in the Boy Scouts program, senior Nick Tuell has reached the highest attainable position: the Eagle Scout.

According to the Boy Scouts of America website, there are over 1.7 million Eagle Scouts worldwide. As one of these Eagle Scouts, Tuell is privy to the benefits that come with attaining the position. An Eagle Scout is eligible to join the National Eagle Scout Association (NESA), which is directly involved in administering scholarships to Eagle Scouts in the organization. Additionally, the American Legion, the National Jewish Committee on Scouting, the Sons of the American Revolution and many colleges and universities offer scholarships to qualifying Eagle Scouts.

Tuell said he recognized the monetary advantages of staying with Boy Scouts. He said that being able to mention his Eagle Scout status in applications and interviews would be helpful, and that he knows about the potential scholarships that can come with achieving this status.

“I’m aware of a couple of [the scholarship opportunities],” Tuell said. “But that’s not why I joined [Scouts]. I joined it because of the experience, not because of what I could get in the aftermath.”

For Tuell and the other Scouts with Eagle Scout aspirations, the process of reaching this prominent position is a difficult one. According to USScouts.org, in order to become an Eagle Scout, a Scout must complete a variety of tasks before his eighteenth birthday.

A potential Eagle Scout must first be active within the troop for at least six months as a Life Scout, the rank directly below the Eagle Scout. Additionally, Scouts must demonstrate Scout Spirit by following the Scout Law in everyday life, which among other things, requires friendliness, loyalty and reverence.

“The Scout Law is twelve points on how to be a good man,” Tuell said. “Growing up with the program, it hasn’t

been really hard to do. It’s just being a good person, and those are just key elements of being it.”

Another requirement is the acquisition of at least 21 merit badges. Earning a merit badge requires completing a list of required activities within a given field, which can include: pottery, woodwork and safety. Tuell said that it was difficult to get the 21 badges (12 of which are specifically required to become an Eagle Scout). A possible Eagle Scout must also serve actively for a period of six months in a position of responsibility.

For Tuell, the position of responsibility meant being the Senior Patrol Leader within the Scout troop. His job included the task of planning and conducting troop meetings, campouts and volunteer activities.

“It’s a lot of hard of work and stress,” Tuell said. “But in the end, it’s really cool because all of these people look up to you. It’s literally like being a parent. It’s extremely frustrating, but you start to appreciate your parents and how they have to deal with all that stuff. You’re learning to be more respectful for people who have to look out for you, because you have to look out for other people.”

Additionally, to elevate to the rank of an Eagle Scout, a Scout must plan and develop a service project. Tuell said that the point of a service project was to do some sort of physical labor within the community without compensation. Tuell’s service project was to plant 200 trees behind the St. Susanna Parish with the help of his friends. He said his service project was time-consuming and difficult, but that it was a rewarding process as a whole.

A Scout must also take part in a Scoutmaster conference, which entails a one-on-one discussion between the potential Eagle Scout and the leader of the troop over ideas and feelings about the group and about the organization as a whole.

Finally, a Scout must successfully complete an Eagle Scout Board of Review. Tuell said the Board of Review is an intensive process that requires a Scout to answer questions about his troop, life, future plans, etc. The five interviewers (which can include the committee of the

photo contributed

Senior Nick Tuell, at his Eagle Scout ceremony on September 28, 2008, lights candles symbolizing each of the seven Scout ranks and twelve points of Scout Law.

troop, Scoutmasters and benefactors to the troop) have the ability to prevent a Scout from becoming an Eagle Scout, which Tuell said was a lot of pressure.

“The Board of Review was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do in my entire life,” Tuell said. “My Board of Review was ten days before my birthday, so to get [the five interviewers] all together again, before my eighteenth birthday, would have been very impossible.”

After completing the necessary requirements, an Eagle Scout is, for all intensive purposes, finished with the Scouts program. Tuell however, said his interest in the Scouts program motivated him to become an Adult Leader in his troop, a job that requires him to become a mentor for the up-and-coming Eagle Scouts.

And while it may seem that a twelve-year veteran of Boy Scouts would find it difficult to maintain interest in the program, Tuell said his new position in the Scouts has provided different, but enjoyable ways to benefit from the program.

“I keep doing it because I feel like it’s my responsibility,” Tuell said. “And I still feel like I have a lot to teach the little guys.”

Views THE CHRONICLE | FRIDAY, JANUARY 16, 2009

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

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

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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.

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Do you feel threatened by current statistics that show that girls are catching up to guys academically?

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 Deanna Allbrittin Jordan Berger Duncan Fischley Woody Goldsmith Scott Hutchinson Jessica Kantor Cady Meece Rachel Schowalter Danielle Simms Sam Stouffer Samantha Stulen Adviser Mr. Dale Conner

“No, I think it’s good for the advancement of the world.”

Shy Ruparel Senior

“I don’t feel threatened by it per se, but if it got to the point where it’s me and 20 girls sitting in a room, then I’ll be scared.”

Rodney Vaccariello Senior

In my Opinion

“It doesn’t matter how smart boys and girls are [as a whole], but how smart the individual is.”

Richie Eckenrode Senior

“No, because more than half my friends are girls and they’re smarter than me, so I’m used to it.”

Brendan Rice Senior

“No, I don’t really have an opinion on that.”

Tong Zhan Senior

“I’m shaking in my boots.”

Nathan Rapp Senior

“No, because no matter what, [guys are] still at the top.”

Jared Kolwyck Senior

“Women are equal to men. Except at sports.”

Jeff Brown Senior

Staff Editorial

This new year: slow down America is constantly moving. People fly through street, anxious to finish errands and move on to multiple other tasks. Completion of one objective means the beginning of yet another.

“Express” businesses specifically designed for quickening stops are becoming more prevalent in this fast-paced age, integrating drive-thru windows and delivery service for all types of products, including medication and groceries. Attempting to cut down the time it takes to run small errands, the drive-thru has become a staple of American culture as people pack their schedules with an endless number of appointments and trips.

Even coffee shops allow busy citizens to purchase extra-large vats of caffeine to assist in maximizing days successfully. All twenty-four hours must be fully exploited to calm fears of having to set aside important assignments, resulting in the slackening priority of sleep with each succeeding generation. The recommended nine hours per night are rarely fulfilled.

People proclaim to desire more hours in each day, but maybe the cure for an ongoing struggle against time management and exhausted mentalities is to slow down. Reduce the amount of unimportant errands to allot more time to meaningful plans and goals of the utmost value.

Scheduling personal days simply for the purpose of enjoying life will lead to happier humans. The whirlwind natures of each indi-

EDITORIAL | PAGE 5

vidual zipping around cities and suburbs alike are more apt to cause accidents and hold up already arranged meetings than allow more to be fit in less time. With the advent of the New Year, take advantage of the hundreds of opportunities for breaks that arise.

Sitting at a red light, impatiently awaiting your turn to continue your busy day, someone with a likewise hectic schedule may lose focus on the road while ruminating over the infinite list of tasks piling in his or her brain, causing a collision.

Be observant. Find the joy in simple events of everyday. Live life. To be too entirely busy to participate in what you sincerely desire to do is unnecessary if priorities are straightened.

Think of the early 1950s, before the American frenzy escalated. Grocery shopping, though commonly an activity only for the females of the home, was an enjoyable experience. The high heels and full skirts of stereotypical women, though impractical (and somewhat painful) for daily wear, served to slow down frantic shoppers.

After a long day of work, men and women alike could relax with their families in the comfort of their own homes. Now, family dinners are scarce or forced, due to the impatient nature of people anxious to finish homework or make a speedy shopping trip.

In 2009, take a minute to embrace the values and particulars of life. Stop and smell the roses.

Function over form: life in an artless society Alyssa Howard | Editor in Chief Save the art programs!

Such has been the cry of high school art departments spanning the nation for the past twenty years. Consequentially, these proactive students and teachers throughout the country can and have been unjustly depicted as bleeding-hearted beggars for budget justification.

As long as we view art in society as auxiliary, as a disposable manufacture snapped up by “sophisticated” consumers, we will continue to live in an artless society. For the first time, our era is characterized not by the styles of artistic expression that we choose, but by our advances in technology. The order of the day is industrial improvement, and our values are clear in our emphases in everyday life. We are living in the Age of Computers.

Amongst giants of innovation such as Microsoft and Apple, the creativity and drive that also underlie the various art forms are dwarfed by our conveniencecrazed culture. We are constantly searching for the cheapest and the quickest; our wallets are generally guided by utilitarian impulses. Even if we are buying art, these purchases, in large part, can be classified as part of a larger aim to immerse ourselves in a history and a culture.

When did our society abandon the sense of necessity in expression? Art is all about communicating a message, whether it comes verbally, tangibly or visually. When we disregard the importance of these voices, we could miss hearing something that changes us, our environment, our world.

Although these messages can be conveyed through the relatively new medium of graphic design, we’re losing the lifestyle that was once characteristic of art.

The intense expressionism is missing; the sense of physically creating something to represent the world is lost. The emphasis on computer-generated art is continually removing us further and further from the traditional tools of the trade. We remove ourselves from the world around us as we abandon the canvas for the computer screen. Our emotions are poured into machines instead.

And those “bleeding-hearted” art teachers and students are losing the battle.

We’ve forgotten the value of the art that used to characterize cultures. In our quest to maximize efficiency and minimize excess, we’ve eliminated the art in our own lives. Until we truly realize the primal need that art fulfills in our communities, these dying art programs can never be sustained. Extra money devoted to the field in high schools is a poor analogy to our society’s understanding of the worth of art. Despite budget additions and the purchase of new materials, the knowledge has to be there that art is a field that is necessary to the core of the human experience. Without understanding, no amount in dollars and cents can justify meaningful strides in artistic creation.

We need to blend function with form, realize that the two are indelibly intertwined -- only then can we truly save the art programs.

PAGE 6

FRIDAY, JANUARY 16, 2009 | THE CHRONICLE

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Applications are due by Friday, January 23 at 2:15 p.m.

To enroll in Journalism I for the ‘09 - ‘10 school year you must apply, go through the interview process and receive Journalism teacher approval to register for Journalism I. You must be enrolled in Journalism I to be a member of The Chronicle staff.

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Interviews will begin prior to the class registration process.

THE CHRONICLE | FRIDAY, JANUARY 16, 2009

NEWS FEATURE | PAGE 7

The Catch-22: Moral dilemmas As the new year begins, MHS students will face tough decisions.

What would you do?

Mandy Chiara | Senior Staff Writer

“I would turn down the other person because I already made a promise with my friend. I’d be happier with my friend too because I know them better.

It would be easier to be myself around them.” Stevie Branch, sophomore

The Dilemma You have generally maintained high grades in all of your classes throughout high school. This year you are struggling in an AP class. You feel the teacher grades subjectively and that you will not receive an A no matter how much effort you put forth. On top of that, you are working towards getting into a prestigious college. The teacher travels and you are a student aid for another teacher that occupies the room later in the day. You are studying in the tutorial and notice the answer sheet to the test you are going to take tomorrow. The sheet sits uncovered on the table. You have been studying for this test for days, so it’s not like you are completely cheating right? Do you glance at the sheet and copy the answers in your notebook? Is it cheating?

The Responses: “I would not look over at the sheet because even though I would not get caught, it’s wrong. And I would probably cough it up later.” Grace Fischley, sophomore

The Dilemma Spring Break is finally here. You and your family are going to the Caribbean to relax. You are glad; you need a break from school, your friends and even your boyfriend/girlfriend. You and your cousin are walking along the beach when you spot the most attractive person you have ever seen in your entire life. Your cousin sees you staring and waves the person over to the two of you.

You and the gorgeous person end up talking for what seems like forever. Your cousin has went back to the hotel out of boredom. No one would know if you cheated on your boyfriend/girlfriend. What if this is true love?

Do you walk away from what could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity? Would it really be cheating?

“You could clean up [the other person’s] side and tell them that they owe you one.” Brennan Kallmyer, junior

“You stay and clean it up because it will help you keep your job. In this economy, especially in a restaurant, it is important that you can maintain an income, and especially for our age group. It will look good to your boss.

You don’t have to be so blatantly obvious about it, just put the bug in your boss’s ear. Even if the other person doesn’t do their work, you are still responsible.” Spencer Webb, senior

“I would say, well, if I had a girlfriend I would not cheat on my girlfriend because I would not like to be cheated on. I don’t believe in a long distance relationship so the odds of that happening… and God would know. And I’d feel guilty. I’m sure I’d flirt, everybody flirts.

A little flirting is okay, but no touchytouchyness, no matter how bad I would want to.” Brendan Rice, senior

“[I would] ignore the paper because if the college finds out you cheated, you’re screwed. Getting a ‘B’ would not be as bad as cheating. Then you can shove it in the teacher’s face when you get a five on the AP exam.” Bonnie Smith, senior

“I’m torn. If he was your true love you would regret it, passing it up. But I believe that if he really was your true love fate would bring you together later.”

Gianna Mocilnikar, junior

“I would just leave it. No matter how hard you try to cover it up someone will find out; if you’ve been studying you’ll get a good grade.” Ray Wang, senior

“Yes, I’d go for it because, I mean, I’m in the Caribbean. I’d feel bad for a while but then I’d get over it.” Jacob Simmons, freshman

It’s senior year. Your best friend (who is of the other gender) asks you to prom. It’ll be fun: you two have always been close. You’ll be able to let loose and hang out with your friends. But as you agree to go to prom with your best friend, you can’t help but think that if a better offer comes along, you’ll take it. The other person you have in mind is someone who you have dreamed and longed to ask you to go, but who you figure will never ask you. A month later, the other person finally gets the guts to ask you. This is what you’ve always wanted. Do you ditch your best friend for your dream date? Or do you turn down the other person for a promise you already made?

With whom would you be happiest with? Is it wrong to go back on a promise, even if you’d be happier with the other person?

You work at a clothing store. The day has been incredibly slow and your “Hi, did you find everything okay today?” smile has faded. You count the money in your drawer to make sure it’s correct before you turn it in and clock out. You are 50 dollars over the amount you are supposed to have! You count the money five more times and are certain you did not make a mistake. The store you work has no cameras and you are sure you would not be caught. In the big picture, the company won’t really miss a measly 50 dollars will they? Do you keep the money, or do you turn it in?

The Dilemma

The Responses: “I would turn it in because it’s not my money and I didn’t earn it.” Katie Turfan, sophomore

The Responses: “I would probably go with the first person because it would be [more fun] because he’s your friend. I wouldn’t want to get him down and make his feelings go down the drain.” Lauren Baker, sophomore “That’s really hard actually. I would probably stick with the best friend because it’s just a high school relationship and you’ll probably never see the other person again. With the friend, you probably keep that relationship later in life so the friendship is more valuable at this point in our lives.” Shyamal Ruparel, senior

The Responses:

The Responses:

“No, I’m going to have to go with cheating IS a big deal. One of the most important things you have is your integrity. Once you lose that, what do you have?” Nathan Rapp, senior

The Dilemma

person has not done his share of the work and half of the place is still a mess. Do you leave the mess for your boss to find tomorrow morning while she is rushed to take care of breakfast customers? Do you stay and do the other person’s work? It is your responsibility to close, but the other person did not do his work -- still, that won’t change the work your manager will have to do tomorrow morning. What do you do?

“This might sound pathetic, but I would turn it in, just to feel good about myself.” David Lee, senior

“Well, I would tidy up their area but not completely clean it. I would tell my manager I did my work and some of their’s. I don’t think it’s fair if I would be blamed when I did my own work.”

Chelsea Coleman, junior

The Dilemma Your life-long best friend has not been himself lately.

When you approach him about it he confesses that he has been contemplating committing suicide. Shocked with his honesty and grateful that he trusts you with the information—you find yourself torn. If you disclose the information to a counselor or parent, someone will undeniably be coming to your friend with questions he does not want to be bombarded with. He would most likely be sent to a psychiatrist. But if you do not tell anyone your friend will potentially hurt himself. You want to spend more time with him, maybe talking with him would help and you could figure out what’s bothering him. Do you tell someone and lose your friendship with him? Or do you try and “work-it-out” yourself?

The Responses: “I would definitely talk with the person more and spend more time with them.

I would find out why they are thinking that stuff and try to figure out what else in their life is causing it because there are definitely other things. I would pray for guidance and I would bring it to my parents. We would figure out what to do from there.”

Jordan Vaccariello, senior “I would definitely try to tell someone because I don’t think a life lost is worth a friendship. I think compromising your friendship is okay in situations like that.”

Bhanu Banda, freshman “I would try and tell someone even if I would lose their friendship because then it would also be my fault if something happened to my friend.” Carlie Demann, junior

The Dilemma You work at a restaurant. It has been an agonizing day and you were supposed to get out of work an hour ago.

On top of that, you are supposed to meet some friends after work. You hurry up and go through all of the work for closing. There is one other co-worker there with you.

The manager trusts you two to lock up. The other person has been leaning against the counter and texting all night while you have been running around cleaning. You have finished your part of closing and are ready to leave.

You look around the restaurant and see that the other

“I would say I would try to work it out myself. If he’s already depressed losing our friendship would be another thing on his shoulders. I would try to be there for him. But in the end, if I feel it’s my only option, of course I would tell someone.” Beena Raghavendran, sophomore

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THE CHRONICLE | PAGE 11

Pinning Cancer Scott Hutchinson | Staff Writer On December 12 the Mason Comets Wrestling team hosted Greater Miami Conference rival Oak Hills in a dual meet at the Mason Middle School Arena. With strong performances from senior Dan McCormack and juniors Robert Shepherd, John Bovenzi and Christian Gonzalez among others, the Comets won the meet much to the excitement of the packed arena.

While the home team was victorious, however, many of the victories of the night occurred off the mat. The Oak Hills meet, in addition to being an important inter-conference match, was also the night of Pin Cancer, a fundraising event held by Mason Wrestling in order to support former Mason wrestler Josh Eastham, who graduated in 2007, and has been battling cancer. Green t-shirts reading “Pin Cancer” were sold at the door along with tickets and eventually the home side of the arena

was swarming with Mason Comet green. The final proceeds of the event totaled $1,625 and were given to Eastham and his family in order to help with medical bills. The event was kicked off by the Mason High School Drum Line which was followed by a night of wrestling in front of a large Mason crowd.

“It was just a special night,” Head Coach Craig Murnan said. “It was good to see that the Mason community came out to support the cause.”

photos by Rachel Schowalter and Scott Hutchinson

THE CHRONICLE | FRIDAY, JANUARY 16, 2009

PAGE 12

THE CHRONICLE | FRIDAY, JANUARY 16, 2009

FEATURE | PAGE 13

What students want to disappear after the ball drops Jordan Berger | Staff Writer As hallways bustled with popular fads and morning shows discussed top films and interests of 2008, students at Mason look forward to the aftermath of the sparkling ball’s drop in Times Square to mark the beginning of a new year, refreshing interests and the departure of well-known, over-discussed crazes.

little cone if you can picture that.”

However, some students are able to get away with the skinny jeans and sweatshirt arrangement if done correctly.

“There are some cute combinations but you’ve just got to pull it off right,” Bizzarri said.

“But tight skinny jeans and their boyfriend’s football sweatshirt . . . Can you say mint chocolate chip?”

Books and movies: Twilight

Technology: iPods and Facebook

Senior Allie Kolish said she hopes 2009 will provide a new direction that strays from the mainstream book series and movie Twilight.

“I’m annoyed that everyone is so insane about it,” Kolish said. “When I heard stories about girls who sent Edward Cullen letters that said they’d die if they didn’t meet him, it was the breaking point for me.

That’s a little too crazy.”

The wide variety of Twilight fan locations and places of discussion are ever-expanding and immense which adds to the annoyance, according to Kolish.

“All I hear is every girl saying ‘Edward Cullen, Edward Cullen, I love him, he’s my boyfriend, Team Edward,’” Kolish said. “That’s dumb. An Edward Cullen cut-out was even at our New Year’s party. It’s ridiculous.”

The concrete fantasy material of the book is not the only component of students’ judgment of the series; some students aren’t affected by the Twilight books, but rather the hysteria swarming and enclosing around them.

“Sometimes it’s just a little over the top with how obsessed they are,” Kolish said.

Music: Jonas Brothers

While movie fans flock to the cinema and avid readers begin books, other students are hoping for a metamorphosis in an alternative type of entertainment: music.

Senior Zohair Hussain is hoping to hear less about pop bands like the Jonas Brothers and more about new music on the rise in 2009.

“I don’t see why the new fad is to like the same music as preteens,” Hussain said. “I hate how its fans are more caught up in the hysteria that surrounds the band rather than the music. And, I’m sick of hearing about the ‘cute one.’”

Instead, Hussain said he wants to see a music scene that is more about the talent than fashion or popularity in 2009.

“I thought boy-band pop died out a long time ago,” Hussain said. “There’s no need to bring it back.”

Fashion: Crocs and skinny jeans gone wrong

As students pulled on their dress pants and sparkly sweaters for the holidays, some were hoping the start of a New Year would initiate the expulsion of popular fashion trends, and that 2009 will see the establishment of innovative approaches.

The comfort-based footwear brand, Crocs, is at the top of the list to depart the fashion scene, according to senior Mallory Hogan. “[Crocs] went too far when they started putting fancy little sticker things on them,” Hogan said. “And Crocs were already crazy as it [was]. They’re everywhere.”

Sophomore Madi Ewing said she somewhat agrees, but thinks they are suitable in some cases.

“Only certain people can pull off [Crocs],” Ewing said.

“But, Crocs are being replaced with moccasins, anyway.”

Other than hopes for popular new designs in shoes, some students agree that 2009 should bring a completely new wardrobe, according to junior Carmen Bizzarri.

“I’m sick of seeing skinny jeans paired with oversized sweatshirts,” Bizzarri said. “I think it’s unflattering. If you wear a huge sweatshirt, you might as well just wear some sweatpants.”

Bizzarri said the trend is not only annoying due to its awkward appearance, but also because of the vast amount of students taking part.

“Every morning I get irritated because my locker is in a pod where [the majority of girls wear the combination].” Bizzarri said. “I just think it makes them resemble ice cream on a

The student body’s anticipation for a fashion transition is not limited to clothing. Apple’s new model of multichromatic iPods that arrived in stores fresh for the holidays put an end to some students’ dealing with new technology, according to senior Emily Staresinic.

“I’m sick of this complicated technology that is hard to understand and isn’t even long lasting or durable,” Staresinic said. “I got one of the new iPods because everybody was talking about them and I dropped it from like 2 feet and it shattered.”

Rather than hearing rage about popular items because they have interesting shapes or colors, some students wish to oust the technology community of complicated and overworked devices.

“I just want to see a less sensitive iPod and easier to work [devices],” Staresinic said.

Like Staresinic, junior Trevor Maxim said he also wants to hear the end of one part of technology in the New Year, but this part lies within the actual technology, inside the computer, revolving around a website the majority of students know well.

“I want Facebook stalkers to go away in 2009,” Maxim said. “They create very awkward situations and they basically live on the website.”

According to Maxim, a Facebook stalker is someone that stares at pictures for long extended periods of time, sends excessive amounts of messages and comments on nearly every page.

“One time my friend was bombarded with so many messages and comments from the same person that he quit Facebook altogether to avoid being the target of their obsession,” Maxim said. “I feel like I’m afraid to do or say anything on Facebook.”

Maxim said he wants to feel safer and more comfortable on the internet in the new year and the approach to do so would be getting rid of the News Feed section of Facebook.

“The News Feed only created more stalkers on the website,” Maxim said.

Not only does Maxim want to rid Facebook of overzealous users, but also said he encourages them to find alternative entertainment this year.

“Enjoy some fresh air outside,” Maxim said. “The world has many activities to offer that don’t involve starting at pictures on a computer screen.”

In school: The Big Five

The year of 2008 as well as prior years brought class meetings that listed the rules of Mason High School through a simple and well-known phrase: “The Big Five.” No prescription or over-the-counter medications, no hazing, no cussing...The list continues.

Every Mason student has heard The Big Five since the eighth grade, yet some are no longer fazed by the expression, according to senior Sarah Read.

“I don’t even know what The Big 5 are anymore,” said Read.

While repeating rules has a legitimate purpose in a high school, some students believe the reiteration of The Big Five is monotonous because it’s been heard so many times. “[The Big Five] annoys me because it makes it seem like there are only five big rules that everyone has to go by,” senior Jessie Vearil said. “The list just keeps getting longer and nobody remembers the rules until someone breaks them.

Basis and reason for the popularity of current trends are debated, however. Nearly all students agree on one aspect of these admired and disliked pillars of 2008: they are known, debated and unforgotten although some strive to do so. A portion of students choose to embrace the crazes, but 2009 is screaming for a fresh face underneath caked on vogue.

“Popularity . . . is not something I’m too concerned or worried about and it doesn’t change how I feel about what I like,” Hussain said. “The emphasis on fashion is ruining actual talents . . . and [the popular styles] of 2008 are a perfect symbol for that digression.” photos by Jordan Berger

THE CHRONICLE | FRIDAY, JANUARY 16, 2009

Now you have no

excuses Every year The Chronicle accepts applications there’s always one person who comes in with the lame excuse that they didn’t know about it. Despite all the announcements, the posters on the wall, and the advertisements in the newspaper, they will say “I just didn’t know about it.” Well, now you know...

The Chronicle is now accepting applications for next year’s staff.

Stop by room c110 to pick up an application and stop making excuses.

PAGE 14

Sports THE CHRONICLE | FRIDAY, JANUARY 16, 2009

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 15

Comets teams not demoralized by consistently empty stands

How do you think Mason matched up against Princeton, the number three team in Ohio?

“[Mason] played pretty well. I thought Princeton was more athletic than us, but Mason [players were] doing well playing their own game.”

Brendon Begley Freshman

“[Mason] did a lot better than expected.

They had a lot more momentum than Princeton did. [I] also felt like they outplayed them, even though they lost.”

Anthony Pilone Senior

“It was a close game, and everyone was standing up cheering for them because of how close it was. It was just an exciting game to watch.”

Brennen Meyer Junior

“I felt like they did really good. I felt like they stepped it up just for that game. You could tell that they really wanted to win.”

Ashley Frye Freshman -Compiled by Duncan Fischley

photo by Danni Simms

The Lady Comets’ varsity basketball team regularly plays to an audience mainly comprised of parents, according to senior Michaelea Kleist.

Danni Simms | Staff Writer Despite the immense popularity of the Black Hole in supporting the men’s varsity basketball team, some other athletic groups continue to suffer from a lack of attendance at varsity competitions.

When the men’s varsity basketball team faced Loveland in a non-Greater Miami Conference match, 693 student tickets were sold. Conversely, at the women’s varsity home game against Hamilton, only 52 student tickets were sold for attendance. In general attendance, the men’s game outsold the varsity women’s competition by 998 tickets.

Varsity women’s basketball player senior Michaelea Kleist said that the audience base at women’s games is usually almost exclusively parents.

“There are always definitely more parents there than there are students,” Kleist said. “For our parent section there is a good amount [of support], but for our student section we have part of our freshmen and

[junior varsity teams]. Then, we have a couple of other people, like Zach Brown, [who] comes to all of our games.”

Kleist said that she used to expect better game attendance, but no longer does after her first season on varsity. According to senior varsity men’s basketball player Rashee Billings, however, the Black Hole is continuing to evolve into a major student organization at MHS that maintains high student support of the men’s basketball program during this season.

“Last year was the first year of the Black Hole,” Billings said.

“It’s progressing into something really big [this year].”

According to Billings and Kleist, the crowd’s support is helpful for the athletes during intense competition.

“The student section gets [the players] into the game,” Billings said.

As a Black Hole participant, Kleist said she observes the positive effects of the student section on the team’s playing.

“I definitely think the Black

Hole has an impact on [the team] because [it pumps] those guys up [and] gets them ready,” Kleist said. “The fact that [the Black Hole] would travel 40 to 45 minutes to come watch them play in some trashy gym definitely pumps them up.”

Attendance to competitions on the mat has improved throughout the last three years, as well, according to varsity wrestler junior Andy Porter. As a result, Porter said, the team has been driven to better performance.

“My freshman year I started varsity, and [for] our first dual [meet] we only had 40 people there,” Porter said. “Now we are averaging like 300 to 400 people.”

This growth in attendance has helped to motivate the wrestlers, according to Porter.

“When you have a bigger crowd you want to impress the crowd,” Porter said. “It gets you that drive to go that extra minute.”

As a varsity gymnast for MHS, junior Sarah Taylor said

she also sees the benefits of a crowd on the team’s performance.

“If [there are] people watching [and] cheering for you, it definitely helps,” Taylor said.

However, a big crowd has its downside according to Taylor. “[It is bad] if there is someone screaming while you are on a beam,” Taylor said.

Porter also said he sees the negative side of a large crowd for a sport like wrestling.

“It can get your nerves going,” Porter said. “You’ve got to take that nervous energy and harness it, and put it into good energy on the mat.”

Though her team does not have huge turnouts to their games, Kleist said her team is still able to perform well. “[Empty stands], in all honesty, don’t affect us,” Kleist said. “Yeah, we wish people would come, because we do work hard, just as hard as the guys do. But, in the end we’re out there for each other.”

Team Tracker

photo contributed

The Mason boys’ bowling team is well on its way to an undefeated season and a Greater Miami Conference title after starting 8-0, and is currently first in the conference. Junior Chuck Hammond said he is certain that the Comets will maintain a victorious record. “We’re going all the way,” Hammond said. “No one can stop us. If you have a problem with it, come talk to us.”

The junior varsity girls’ basketball team is undefeated with a 7-0 start and currently has four freshmen on the team. Although the team is young and a little inexperienced with high school play, it has high hopes for the rest of the year, according to freshman Haley Haffner. “I really think we can keep winning games and stay undefeated for the whole year,” Haffner said.

photo by Sam Stouffer

PAGE 16 | SPORTS

FRIDAY, JANUARY 16, 2009 | THE CHRONICLE

Comets travel far and wide in preparation for post-season

photo by Rachel Schowalter

Junior Robert Shepherd takes on the competition at the Pin Cancer event.

Scott Hutchinson | Staff Writer Mason’s varsity wrestling team is building up its early season repertoire against tough competitors from all around the state, according to Head Coach Craig Murnan. Through the early half of the season, Mason’s schedule includes matches against many of Ohio’s traditionally dominant programs including Moeller, St. Xavier, St. Edwards and most notably, Graham, a national powerhouse which secured the country’s number one ranking in many preseason polls. While this sched-

ule has allowed the Comets to enjoy only minor success, Murnan said that there is certainly a method behind what many would consider scheduling madness.

“In our sport, you never really know where you’re at until you wrestle against the best,” Murnan said. “As a coach, I think the regular season is essentially just practice for the end of the year, so if you’re going to practice you might as well do it against the best. That’s why we like to take on tough opponents early in the season.”

While success can be hard to find against strong competition, junior John Bovenzi

Court Report

Comet basketball teams no longer overlooked in GMC race Staff Reports

Comets rebound from Princeton loss with win over Sycamore The Comet boys’ basketball teams appear to be well on their way in their goal of erasing the memory of last season’s first losing record in 17 years.

In fact not only are the Comets erasing that memory, but they have become a factor in the Greater Miami Conference race.

After nearly pulling a shocking upset at Princeton last week, the Comets returned home to hold off Sycamore 49-43. However, it was the loss to Princeton that may have sent the bigger message.

The Comets had a slim lead in the final minutes before a Princeton outburst pushed the Vikings ahead for a good 49-43. Despite the loss, the Comets saw some key players step up in a big way, which bodes well as the team dives deep into league play.

“Both Rashee [Billings] and Luke [Sutphin] had a great game,” senior Zach Brown said. “They both had to take two of [Princeton’s] toughest players. A big reason why the game was kept so close was that they boxed out their guys well.”

Long-time Comet coach Greg Richards said he was pleased with the effort but he wasn’t taking home any moral victories from the Princeton defeat. Richards said he felt the team needed to close the deal in the final minutes.

According to Richards, the team executed everything perfectly until the final two minutes of the game.

“We just need to finish,” Richards

said. “The rest of the game we boxed out and defended well kept it a low scoring game....We need to be able to handle those high pressure situations.”

The Vikings came into the game the number three-ranked team in the state with three division I college signees on their roster, but the Comets ignored all the press clippings.

“Our kids believed we weren’t just going to compete, but that we were going to win against [Princeton],” Richards said. “We could have folded against such a strong team but we fought hard.”

After notching a win against Sycamore just three days later, the team improved to 7-2 and 4-1 in the GMC, putting them just one game behind Princeton and Middletown.

Lady Comets a factor in GMC race Coach Rob Matula’s women’s basketball team has officially entered their name as a team to deal with in the GMC race. The Comets, ranked number seven in Cincinnati, knocked off number eight, Sycamore, 40-31 on Saturday, January 10 to improve their record to 7-3 and 5-2 in the conference. The Comet win allowed them to keep hold on third place behind Lakota West and Princeton in league play.

The Comets will get a chance to test their improvement against West next Saturday, January 24 at Lakota West.

West is led by Duke signee Alexis Rogers, but the Comets will counter with their own Division I signee senior Michaelea Kleist who has committed to Eastern Kentucky University.

The Comets can’t get caught looking ahead, as they will face Oak Hills and Seton prior to the game against West.

said that challenging matches are not only something that the team feels confident about pursuing, but also something to which they look forward.

“I love going against the best out there,” Bovenzi said. “I get to see how I match up with the state’s strongest guys and win or lose; I know I can learn something from it.”

This learning stage, though it may be plagued with losses, is something that Murnan said is vital for the team’s success.

Whether the Comets are victorious or not, Murnan said that battling it out with talented teams can be a valuable teaching tool, as well as a significant confidence builder as the team enters the final stretch of the season.

“When you’re wrestling against strong teams day in and day out, you’re not going to have success in every event,” Murnan said. That’s just the nature of our sport.

However, if you can build upon the success that you do have, you’re going to feel pretty good about your chances coming home to face local competition at sectionals.”

Whether these difficult, mid-season matches end in victory or not, improvement is the true measure of success, according to Murnan.

“When you wrestle talented teams during the regular season, you gain great experience,” Murnan said. “Then, when it really matters, you think, ‘I can do this.

I can stay in this match and I can win this match.’ That’s what we’re trying to instill through our schedule.”

With such talented teams on the Comets schedule, Mason has not enjoyed the com-

fort of local competition much this season.

With away meets at the Madina Invitational in Cleveland and the Graham meet in Urbana, the Comets have spent much of the season on the road. The grinds of travel, Murnan said, can take their toll on the team.

“You’re up early and you’re back late,” Murnan said. “It can take its toll, but we always seem to be rested up come time for competition.”

Despite the difficulties faced during travel, it is the wrestler’s ability to manage his own health and time that pays dividends during matches. According to Bovenzi, the wrestlers are responsible about dealing with the travel because they do not want to jeopardize their chances come match time, he said.

“We usually sleep as much as we can and sometimes we’ll ride down the day before the match to try to eliminate some of the travel stress,” Bovenzi said.

Whether it’s the frequent traveling or the sheer strength of their schedule, there is always a challenge facing the Comet wrestlers. Still, following an eighth place finish at the prestigious, 40-team Madina Invitational and a big win over Oak Hills at the Pin Cancer event, Murnan said that the Comets hope to keep it together as they prepare for a run at the end of the year.

“We’ve got a very young team this year,” Murnan said, “but we have a lot of guys that we expect to make a run at state.

We might be taking on the state’s top-tier programs, but we’re a good team too.”

Sullivan “satisfied” with Comets after Big 8 invite Sam Stouffer | Staff Writer

cessfully. Jansen built off her 2008 state title in the 200 yard freestyle with second The varsity swim team reaped successplace finishes in both the 50 and the 100 ful results at the Big 8 Invitational Meet yard freestyle. Jansen said, however, that in Canton on December 19, with a fourth she was disappointed with her perforplace finish for the girls and sixth place mance at the meet. for the guys’ team. Although Head Coach “I did all right, I guess, but not as well as Mark Sullivan said that both teams usually I wanted to,” Jansen said. “I knew what to experience success at this point in the sea- expect because we compete against the son, he was satisfied with the team’s oversame schools every year.” all performance. In The Mason girls’ addition, the team swim team is used is either first or to performing under a close second in pressure at high levels the Greater Miami of competition after Conference for placing third at the almost all events. district meet last year Sullivan said he and fourth at the was pleased with state meet. The Big 8 his team’s efforts.

Invitational is a great “I thought [the sign as to where the swimmers] did direction of the team photo by Sam Stouffer okay,” said Sullivan. Junior Kayla Wiemers, one of the team’s top breast- is heading, according “It was tough be- rokers, contributed to the team’s performance at the to Jansen. cause the defend- Big 8 Invitational in Canton.

“It’s okay that we ing state champididn’t do as well as we ons and the runner-ups were there also.” wanted because we are really worn down The Big 8 Invitational is an annual meet and working extremely hard which is all showcasing the fastest eight teams in that matters right now,” Jansen said.

Ohio, traditionally serving as a preview With nine practices in a typical week, to the state meet on February 25. Other both the girls’ and guys’ varsity swim schools included such swimming powerteams practice almost nonstop. But, all houses as Centerville, Strongsville, Upper this hard work will have its rewards as the Arlington, Ursuline Academy, Glen Oak, team heads into post-season and begins Firestone and Hathaway Brown. The Matapering for the sectional, district and son girls’ team finished with 285 points, state meets, according to Jansen.

156 points short of the champion Upper “All this hard work will pay off at the end Arlington. of the season when it counts,” Jansen said.

Sullivan said that the teams’ perforAccording to Jansen, the team’s preparamances at the Big 8 are usually indicative tions will train the swimmers for a solid of the path that they are on for the rest of run at the state meet. the season. As a result, the meet is highly “We plan to place better than fourth competitive, which can generally make for because we are going to be a lot faster at some fast swims. the end of the season and we have a lot “It is such an intense atmosphere when of girls that have improved,” Jansen said. you put all those teams together in one “[They will] contribute to our state run this setting,” Sullivan said. year.”

Although the competition was tough, junior Danielle Jansen still performed suc-

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SPORTS | PAGE 17

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 16, 2009 | THE CHRONICLE

Game Changers

Getting To Know...

Sophomore Alex Perez won first place in the Cincinnati Country Day Quad tournament for the beam event. Perez competes in all four events: beam, bars, vault and floor. She has been honing her gymnastics experience since she was four years old.

On the boys varsity swim team senior Andy Supronas been a top competitor for the Mason team. Contending in the 50 freestyle and 100 freestyle, he has helped his team to victories. This season, he’s still striving for his best times: 21.57 seconds (50 freestyle) and 47.57 seconds (100 freestyle).

Luke sutphin

Slam-dunking the competition

Varsity boys’ basketball player senior Luke Sutphin has started out his last season strong, averaging thirteen points per game. Sutphin could be sleeping or watching his favorite movie Gladiator, but instead he participates in the sport that he has been dedicated to since the fourth grade.

“The Black Hole intimidates the other team and motivates our team which can have an effect on the final score.”

Lexi Orlando, Junior

What will you be doing that is basketball related after high school?

Probably just playing in college and pick up games at [recreation] centers.

Who is your favorite basketball team to follow and why?

Cincinnati Bearcats [is my favorite team] just because I’ve always been a Bearcat fan, and I’ve loved them ever since they had Kenyon Martin.

Are you going to play in college?

I have some smaller schools looking at me, but I will probably decide at the end of the season.

What got you started playing basketball?

Probably my friends. Back in grade school we always used to just play basketball and I decided to play organized [ball] after that.

What do you most appreciate about basketball?

The hard work I get to put in with all my friends and just getting to see results. We practice really hard all week and then getting to win the game on Tuesday or Friday makes it all worth it, and I get to do it with my buddies.

If you were not at basketball practice where would be?

At my house sleeping.

So other than sleeping, what do you like to do?

Besides sleeping I like to hang out with my friends, play video games, watch TV, play ping pong and eat.

How has basketball shaped your high school experience?

Basketball has probably made my high school experience a lot more fun because you meet a lot of people and kids know who I am just because of it. You get to talk to different people and meet kids from other schools.

What has basketball showed you about who you are?

It’s showed me that if I put my mind to something, I can do it; and it showed me that If I work hard I can get better.

“Yeah, it affects the opposing team during free throws and as they try to call plays when coming up the floor.”

Todd Reed, Freshman

What is the best game that you have had?

My best game was last year against Middletown at home. I had 22 points and I hit the game winning free throw with seven seconds left and we beat Middletown who was ranked ahead of us. It was a big upset.

For four years, senior Ryan Ackerman has been a part of the boys’ varsity bowling team. As of now, in his high school career he has won sectionals, placed at state, and made the GMC first team for bowling. His best score, which includes two rounds of bowling, is a 520.

Sports Talk Do you think the Black Hole affects the outcome of games?

“I definitely think it influences whether or not the opposing team makes a free throw. So it could affect the final score.”

Robbie Winkler Junior “Yes; the Black Hole heightens the enthusiasm and motivation of the players into performing to their best ability.”

Hailey Morris, Senior

-As told to by Danni Simms -Compiled by Sam Stouffer

Stat of the Month

Comet Culture Grid Name

My New The cafeteria Year’s Resolu- should start tion selling...

I can never have too much...

I’m so sick of...

Rap name

Freshman Finish in the Morgan top 3 at state Emter, Varsity Swimming

Less greasy pizza

Ice cream

My little Morganza sister’s comebacks

Senior Taylor Nieman, Varsity Bowling

Lose 300 pounds

Medication

Kool-Aid

Soulja Boy

Niemanator

Senior Ed Carlin, Vasity Track

Have fun

Exotic birds

Steeler’s football

School

E-Nasty

0 8 Mason Boys’ Bowling Record

as of publication date

THE CHRONICLE | FRIDAY, JANUARY 16, 2009

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