The Chronicle, 7.5

News: Homelessness in Cincinnati area continues to grow

Chronicle Sports: Castner begins construction of his football program

The William Mason High School

Volume 7

NEWS BRIEF

Lecture series to commemorate Black History Month Mason African-American Students for Change (MAASC) is hosting a lecture series throughout the month of February in honor of National Black History Month.

The lectures will take place every Thursday from 6:00 to 7:00 pm. February 18, Carolyn Jenkins will speak; Jenkins has a PhD from Xavier University and specializes in diversity, among other areas. Nicholas Jackson, school coordinator and public speaker for UGive.org (a website that connects high school students to volunteer opportunities), will lecture on February 25 on the importance of community and brotherhood, citing an excerpt from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s I Have a Dream.

Senior Brianna Terrell of MAASC said that during meetings, the club “[has] discussions, [and] usually there’s . . . an expert about race who comes in and talks to everybody.”

The goal of the lecture series, Terrell said, is “to inform people about black history [and] hopefully change any stereotypes or misconceived perceptions [people] might have.”

February 12, 2010

Issue 5

Students seeking ‘Safe Space’ can look for door stickers Alyssa Howard | Editor in Chief There are now ten Safe Spaces for lesbian, bisexual, gay and transgender (LBGT) students at Mason High School. According to the Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network (GLSEN) “Safe Space Kit,” a Safe Space “is a welcoming, supportive and safe environment for [LBGT] students.” Multicultural Literature teacher Meg McKinnon said that the program has been initiated by staff members to fulfill an often-overlooked student need.

“It is meant to assure students that there is a place where they are free to be who they are,” McKinnon said. “[The program] comes

from the fact that homosexuality is the number one cause of teen suicide. So, if we can, as educators, provide a safe environment -not that we’re counseling people; that’s not our job -- but, it’s just to give kids a no-bully zone.”

Math teacher Katie Holmes said that 10 teachers, including herself and McKinnon, have received the training session from GLSEN to facilitate Safe Spaces in their respective classrooms. While Holmes said that they plan to continue to hold training sessions for additional staff members, Safe Space certification will occur only on a voluntary basis.

According to the “Safe Space

Kit,” the training to becoming an ally for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students is rooted in the four subcategories of knowledge of the issues, support, education and advocation. McKinnon said that the training reversed her traditional role as a teacher.

“A lot of it was really just training us to listen,” McKinnon said. “As teachers, I think we’re used to being the ones to impart knowledge, and that’s not what you’re doing in Safe Space. You’re really just listening.”

As a result, the program primarily informs teachers as to where they could direct students who seek further help, McKinnon said.

“It’s easy when you’re in a position of authority, I think, to impose your own values or beliefs onto students, with good intention to try to direct them in a way you think is going to be beneficial to them,” McKinnon said. “But, as teachers, we’re not counselors.

Even if we’re trained in counseling, as Ms. Holmes is and a number of other teachers are, we don’t operate as counselors here. So, this would give us a model of dialogue that we have to refer to them to appropriate sources after that, to the counselors or to the social workers.”

Sharing our good fortune with those in need

TODAY

Comets at Fairfield tonight

Performance of The Crucible this evening Mason High School’s Drama Club is performing The Crucible tonight from 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. The show will take place in the studio lab room, D212, of Mason High School. Tickets are $7 for students and senior citizens, $10 for adults and will be sold before the show. Another performance is tomorrow from 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Those who have purchased tickets for one of the previous showtimes may exchange them for tonight or tomorrow.

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

photo by Rachel Schowalter

The varsity boys basketball team will be playing Fairfield tonight at Fairfield High School. The game starts at 7:30 p.m. Mason is currently ranked two places above Fairfield in the GMC standings. Student presale tickets are $4.

Collection bins overflow in Mason High School’s lobby after a week of supply donations made for those affected by the earthquake in Haiti.

The bins were present from January 19 to January 29.

Collected items, such as canned food, toiletries, water bottles and cleaning supplies were taken to Matthew: 25 Ministries following the collection.

From there, the items will be shipped to Haiti, where they will be dispersed.

Haiti crisis prompts high school community to give Rachel Schowalter | Staff Writer With various means of world aid pouring into Haiti since the earthquake, many have been left wondering not only how they can help, but which method will help Haitians the most. Monetary donations, supply donations and on-the-ground service have been the most prominent methods, with each varying in effectiveness of contributing to relief efforts.

Mason High School has attempted to help Haiti relief with both a fundraiser and supply collection. According to H.O.P.E. Club advisor Nicole Paxton, $4,231 was raised by International Club and H.O.P.E. Club to give to the

American Red Cross for Haiti. Paxton said that H.O.P.E. Club opted to raise money instead of collect supplies after looking online for the Red Cross’ main needs.

“We researched [whether] we should we collect items or collect money, and the news was really encouraging everyone to collect money,” Paxton said. “We felt like just by getting the word out [about donating] we could make a pretty sizable contribution to the Red Cross.”

Paxton said the ease and speed of monetary transactions also influenced the club’s decision to hold a fundraiser. According to Paxton, donated items would have taken a longer time to reach the country than monetary donations

would. Transportation problems in Haiti have arisen due to lack of funding, fuel and stable roads.

“Right now the immediate response is to give all of the clothing you can and all of the food you can, but if you can’t get it there, it’s just not going to help,” Paxton said. “Having [the Red Cross] already there on the ground, I just think it’s going to be easier for them to have the resources [on the ground] and [to be] able to buy what they need versus waiting for that donation to come in.” see HAITI on page 2

PAGE 2 | NEWS

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2010 | THE CHRONICLE

HAITI: Supply collections vary in effectiveness continued from page 1 obstacles that have been thrown at Nikki Williams, Communications Specialist for the Cincinnati them.” chapter of the American Red Cross, said the Cincinnati chapter According to Williams, the monetary donations received by the Red is currently only accepting monetary donations because they can be distributed faster and more efficiently.

Cross play a large role in sending “Money is going to be the quickest way to get anywhere,” volunteers to Haiti.

Williams said. “If [the “For every dollar that is given to Red Cross] has the the Haiti Relief fund, our international relief fund, 91 cents is money to buy the resources that are needed, used to help the people of Haiti,” they’re able to distribute Williams said. “The additional nine cents is used to help us get our [them] to more people, people there and address their regardless of how many needs, as far as their supplies that [volunteers] are there to help.” they might need while they’re over Despite the depenphotos by Rachel Schowalter there.”

Hope Church’s collection for Haiti piles up.

Williams said dency on monetary dothe donations nations for transporting to the Cincinitems, Mason resident Laura Pfeil organized nati chapter a district-wide collecare transferred to the national tion of food, toiletry, level of the Red cleaning and medical Cross, where the supplies for Haiti relief from January 14 to money’s distriAn entry to the Matthew: 25 warehouse in Cincinnati displays its devotion to assisting those in need.

January 29. The items bution in Haiti is determined by were then transported areas of need. to Haiti through Matthew: 25 Ministries, According to a non-profit organization in Cincinnati.

According to Pfeil, the difficulties in transWilliams, nearly porting items are an unavoidable element 45 percent of American of natural disasters that shouldn’t be a citizens have deterrent to collecting. donated to Haiti “[The transportation problems] are going to be challenging, but we will overrelief. The Cincome them,” Pfeil said. “I think that’s why cinnati chapter has received the world is mobilizing: to overcome those Matthew: 25’s collection warehouse is stocked with boxes of clothes and toiletries almost half a challenges.” for the Haitians. million dollars Matthew: 25 Ministries’ website said that it expects to ship 30 to 40-foot towards its Haiti addressing the immediate needs of the containers of aid to Haiti within the relief fund so far. people. According to Williams, the volAccording to Williams, the amount of aid being given to coming months. In addition to supplies, unteers are interviewed and go through Haiti will continue to grow. She said she attributes this to the the organization said it is accepting cash a rigorous training process to prepare American compassion and empathy after Hurricane Katrina hit donations. According to Pfeil, there is a for helping in natural disasters. constant relationship between monetary in 2005.

“The people that the Red Cross sends and supply donations because each one “We had Hurricane Katrina right here, and I think that a lot to disasters, such as this international of people -- when they donate, when they see these natural relies on the other. disaster in Haiti, are well-prepared disasters that are happening everywhere -- know that espe“The money will help with paying to and have [worked in] disaster [areas] cially after it happened right here, it can happen anywhere,” have the roads fixed, the cars taken there before,” Williams said. “They’re very and the gas,” Pfeil said. “Then, the items Mason High School students help move Williams said. “That urge to donate, that urge to give in some familiar with the process and they’re [will be] transported and distributed. It’s collected items from the lobby to the way, shape or form pulls on your heartstrings.” doing a fabulous job there with all the a hand-in-hand relationship of a relief parking lot. project.”

According to Pfeil, donated items allow for a personal connection to the Haiti victims that monetary donations don’t always provide.

“I think that [donated items provide] a whole element of proactive, hands-on visualization that connects the age Cady Meece | Staff Writer productions,” Volk said. “Note-orious task. We have to work extra hard to groups of children, tweens and teenagers,” Pfeil said. consists of popular songs and you can get ready for concerts and perfect the Hope for Haiti’s Children (HFHC), an organization which Singing complex songs without the relax and move the way you want to sound.” sponsors education, health care and orphan care for Haitian help of a director or instruments is a [during performances] rather than beAccording to Schneider, being an acachildren, said it is expanding on this personal connection new pop-jazz acapella group called ing stuck to a uniformed dance.” pella group makes the responsibilities by sending its members to Haiti. Tonya Hunt, US Director of Note-orious that has recently emerged Although having been an active group while on stage much harder than those Operations for Hope For Haiti’s Children, said the organizaat Mason High School. for only a year, Note-orious has comfor a conventional choir. tion’s immediate response to the earthquake was to travel Sophomore Ben Tilley said that an peted in one choir competition called “The hardest part of performing is by to Haiti to find their sponsored children. According to Hunt, acapella group is a choir that performs “Spread the Glee,” hosted by local TV far the acapella factor,” Schneider said.

Manager of U.S. Operations for Hope for Haiti’s Children, the without any instruments, and using station Fox 19.

“While we are performing, our instrucorganization has an orphanage and full-time medical clinic in only voices.

“Note-orious was chosen as one of tor is not on stage with us. It’s our Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s capital. HFHC also has a headquarters “Note-orious is an after school popthe top six groups that auditioned, and responsibility to stay together while located an hour outside of the capital, where Program Direcjazz acapella group, which is a group we got to record a song at the Fox 19 staying in rhythm and keeping your tor Debbie Vanderbeek lives. that is comprised of only voices,” Tilley studios that was aired on Christmas tone in check and blended.”

“Our first response was to find the children [whose educasaid.

“No instruments are used at all.

Morning,” Tilley said.

“It was really While hard work is expected, Schtion we sponsor] and to help them in any way they needed, Even when extras are needed aside exciting to be able to see ourselves on neider said that the members of Notewhether it’s food, water or medical [care],” Hunt said. “We from voices, we make them ourselves, TV doing what we love.” orious enjoy their time together and sent a medical team to find our children and support them like beat-boxing.”

According to Schneider, it is more the type of songs they sing. in any way we could.”

According to Tilley, Mason Middle difficult for Note-orious to find com“My favorite thing we have sung so According to Hunt, the resources needed by HFHC memSchool choir teacher Bridgett Spore petitions in which to participate than far was the Michael Jackson medley,” bers on the ground are funded primarily by donations to the pitched the idea to find a new direction conventional choirs, due to the rarity of Schneider said. “It was the first song organization. The money is usually wired into the country, to take instead of show choir. competing high school acapella groups. we learned, and it helped us get to but with transportation difficulties, the HFHC medical team “[Note-orious] was started by “We haven’t competed in many comknow each other better and see how has resorted to carrying it themselves. Before the earthBridgett Spore, an MMS choir instrucpetitions because [Note-orious] is not a we would do as a group.” quake, the money would be received by the Program Director, because the MHS show choir from conventional choir,” Schneider said.

“It Having the opportunity to sing poputor and distributed to the HFHC sponsored children and the last year was eliminated,” Tilley said. is hard to find local competitions that lar songs is an extra reward in having organization’s orphanage. Now, Hunt said the money is being “The choir department wanted to try we are qualified for, because not many to transition from show choir to an spent on basic supplies for the earthquake victims. a different approach to show choir, so competitions are geared for our style acapella group, according to Volk.

“So many things are not able to get into the country right she presented it to the choir classes.” of singing.”

“I really like singing popular songs,” now,” Hunt said. “We have to use the monetary donations to Junior Morgan Schneider said that As if finding competitions wasn’t hard Volk said. “It’s a lot of fun to look at buy what is already there. The only method to obtain supSpore’s participation in another acaenough, Tilley said actually being in an them in a different way and to watch plies is money or connections with another relief organizapella group in Cincinnati, Bella-capella, acapella group is hard work, because, the crowd dance and sing along to the tion. It all comes down to having the money to pay for rice, inspired her to bring the idea to Mason without the use of instruments, each songs they know already.” fuel, beans, water [and other staples].” after student interest in show choir member has to make sure they can According to Tilley, Note-orious is an Although the resources for HFHC members are limited, decreased. effectively blend their voices to create enjoyable experience in which all singHunt said having members in Haiti offers a direct connection Senior Lizy Volk, a member of a single sound. This makes preparaers should take part. with Haiti relief. By providing on-the-ground services in Haiti, Note-orious who was involved in last tions for any competition or concert a “Note-orious requires a lot of focus the organization is able to witness the effects of their aid year’s show choir said her transition to challenge. and hard work,” Tilley said. “But, it’s a firsthand.

Note-orious was a huge contrast to her “The hardest part about being in the once in a lifetime chance that I’m glad I “If you’re able to see and interact with those that are experiences in show choir. group is blending your voice,” Tilley didn’t pass up.” already there...you know that they have benefited from the “Show choir was more choreosaid.

“You have to create one sound donations made [by] people in the United States,” Hunt said. graphed and was more Broadway-like with many voices, and it’s a difficult Williams said many Red Cross volunteers are also in Haiti

Acapella group replaces last year’s show choir

THE CHRONICLE | FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2010

Sports gambling spreads among student body

NEWS | PAGE 3

Community not immune to homelessness

Trevor Maxim | Staff Writer There is a prevalence of unorganized sports betting between casual fans, among which are Mason High School students who place wagers on sporting events of all types. These students participate in sports betting without ever stepping foot in a casino or logging on to an online gambling site, where most gambling takes place.

One active gambler at MHS is senior Kasim Ahmad, who said that he frequently puts money on events that are of interest to him, including both college and professional basketball and football games.

“I bet on the Bengals almost every week,” Ahmad said. “Usually, [I bet] no more than $20 --usually $5-$10 per game -- but I lost $100 on the Bengals versus the Jets game to one person.”

Because he bets often, Ahmad said he has a series of criteria that he uses to determine whether to place a bet on games, including looking at aspects of the teams such as skill level and quality of players.

“I usually pick a competitive [game], two teams that are pretty similar and just who I think is going to win based on particular things in the game,” Ahmad said. “Or, if I think there’s going to be an upset, and I think I can get someone to bet me a lot of money on an upset, I take the underdog.”

Ahmad said one of his frequent betting opponents is senior Andy Aylmore, who said that Ahmad’s gambling tactics are usually predictable. “[Ahmad] always bets on the Bengals, whether he thinks they’ll win or not,” Aylmore said.

Junior Carson Craig, who said that he bets against Ahmad as well, said he has also noticed Ahmad’s tendency to consistently favor the Bengals in wagers. Craig said he uses this fact to give himself a competitive advantage over Ahmad. “[I bet on] whoever the Bengals play, because [the Bengals] are just going to lose,” Craig said.

Due in part to this consistency in strategy, Aylmore said that over time he has won more of his wagers against Ahmad than he has lost. The success has resulted in a significant profit, according to Aylmore, which has accumulated gradually over time.

“I’ve definitely made money [overall] against [Ahmad],” Aylmore said. “I usually get up a lot on him and I feel bad, [so] I just cut [his debt] down. He currently owes me $45, I think.”

Craig said he has also been successful the majority of the time when betting against Ahmad, with gambles that have at times included consequences differing from ordinary wagers with money as the prize. “[Ahmad] owes me $30 right now, and I’ve gotten a guitar off him because he owed me so much,” Craig said.

Sophomore Will Hirst said he prefers betting with his friends using pranks as the outcome, where they create something undesirable for their opponent to do as a replacement for cash. “[Our bets] are not necessarily dollar amounts; it’s more like prank amounts,” Hirst said. “I had to dress up like a gothic kid with eyeliner [one] Friday because I lost a bet.”

Hirst said another memorable bet he made involved one of his friends changing his Facebook statuses after losing. Because Hirst said the pranks can get extreme, he and his friends have to take steps to ensure that the results of the wagers are enforced.

“We make contracts,” Hirst said. “These include all the terms and conditions [of the bet] -- such as, you have to dress stupid, facebook statuses, etc. And you have to sign it.”

Ahmad said he has also bet with a variety of things other than money, including personal favors and services for those who defeat him.

“I lost a bet to my uncle, and I had to be his caddy for 18 holes [of golf] and then babysit his kids,” Ahmad said.

Although it comes in many forms, gambling has often been the subject of heated debate, including the recent casino gambling issue on Ohio’s ballots. What goes unnoticed, however, is the betting that occurs on a smaller scale between friends, such as Ahmad, Aylmore and Craig.

Ahmad said he is aware of the controversy associated with sports gambling, which he said stems from fears of habit formation and financial irresponsibility. Ahmad said, however, that he thinks he can handle the risks that come with the activity. “[Betting] is probably pretty bad,” Ahmad said. “[But], I think I have a pretty good understanding of what risks I can take and what I can’t.”

Aylmore said he can see the possibility of gambling becoming harmful for him, financially and socially, but does not believe that it currently is, given his success rate.

“I’m not worried about [gambling] now, because I always win, against [Ahmad],” Aylmore said. “But it could be [a bad habit] in the future.”

Craig said that instead of looking at sports gambling as a financial risk, he sees it as more of an opportunity -- a substitute for the traditional part-time employment that most teenagers seek.

“I don’t have a job, so [sports betting] is my way to make money,” Craig said. “It’s a lifestyle. I’m a future professional gambler.”

photos by Dani Simms Above: Several homeless people live adjacent to I-71 in Cincinnati. Inset: The view from behind the area in which these individuals live shows the closeness of the area to the highway.

Danni Simms | Staff Writer On any given night, 750,000 people are homeless across the United States according to the National Coalition for the Homeless (NCH). In order to be considered homeless, the Stewart B. Mckinney Act said that one must not have an adequate place to sleep every night or one must reside in temporary housing (a supervised publicly or privately operated shelter designed to provide temporary living accommodations).

According to the 2008 Annual Homeless Assessment Report, 12,190 people are homeless in Ohio. A woman named Trish said she has been homeless for fourteen years, after tragedy struck her family.

“My husband died and I had to pay for his funeral,” Trish said. “[Afterwards], I was broke and then I lost everything. [Now], I’m [homeless].”

According to the NCH, “from 1999 through 2008, in 263 cities and in 46 states there have been 880 acts of violence committed by housed individuals.” Trish said that as a homeless person, she is subjected to prejudice and harassment.

“There’s no race [in being homeless],” Trish said. “It doesn’t matter if you’re white, black, Chinese, African or anything; if you’re homeless and people don’t like that, they don’t like you. You’re lower than a second class citizen, and that’s a sad thing.”

Darlene Robinson is the director of a homeless shelter, the Bethany House, and said she has dedicated her career to help people in the same situation as Trish.

“The Bethany House services [provide] emergency shelter,” Robinson said. “Homeless women and children, two-parent families and men with children [are housed]. I primarily [maintain] the budget and the grant writing [in order to] make sure that the staff has what they need and the women have what they need.”

Robinson said her personal experience with homelessness led her to the position of director at the shelter.

“I’ve been employed with Bethany for 19 years,” Robinson said. “I got involved when I was a homeless woman, [and] I started volunteering while I was still homeless. Once I got an apartment, I continued to volunteer, and then they had a [job] available. [Since] I was in college while I was homeless, they offered me the position. I’ve gotten three promotions, and now I’m the shelter director.”

According to Robinson, the first few

days of being homeless are the most difficult.

“The first couple of days [after becoming homeless] are the hardest, because [people] don’t really know what to expect,” Robinson said. “It’s a new environment, a new way of living, and things aren’t familiar. It’s [like] being put in a room with blinders on, and you don’t know where anything is and you’ve got to have someone guide you on the way.”

Robinson said that in the Bethany House’s newsletter published in January, a young child explained what it was like entering into a shelter.

“Last month’s newsletter was really interesting, because a ten year old [described] coming through the shelter,” Robinson said. “For her, sleeping in the top bunk for the first time and being in a room with other people after being an only child [was awkward]. She had never shared a room with anybody, let alone another adult, another child and her mom.”

According to CinciHomeless.org, in “the last 15 years, the homeless population [in Ohio] has increased 150 percent, [and] 60 percent of homeless men in Cincinnati work at least part-time.” Robinson said that the rise in homelessness can partially be attributed to two key factors.

“Lack of affordable housing and lack of livable-waged jobs [ are the main causes of homelessness],” Robinson said. “People are ending up homeless because of not having proper funds to keep utilities on, and a few have been displaced because landlords are getting foreclosed on.”

Robinson said that one of the only ways to decrease the levels of homelessness includes correcting these two factors.

“More affordable housing and more jobs is what it’s all about,” Robinson said. “The Bethany House gets women that have jobs and can’t afford an apartment because it’s too much, or the rent might be manageable but the gas and the electric with the rent is not something that they can [pay for].”

On a national level, according to the NCH, there are other factors that contribute largely to homelessness.

The NCH said that one out of every three homeless men has served in the Armed Forces. Another major source of homelessness is mental illness, which affects 16 percent of the homeless population.

Some Mason High School students, such as senior Nicki Perry, are volunteering at homeless shelters and, according to Perry, broadening their

perspectives.

Perry volunteered at The Outlet in Cincinnati, where homeless people receive food and participate in recreational activities such as board and card games, serving coffee and hot chocolate.

According to Perry, these opportunities to help should be taken advantage of, because homeless people are worth the time and the effort.

“You really should care about other people in the neighborhood and the community,” Perry said. “The [homeless] are all important. They all have stories and they all have lives. And the reason that they’re poor is not always their fault. Sometimes they just need that help up.”

According to Robinson, a very important way one can help homeless people and shelters is through monetary donations.

“One of the issues that [the Bethany House is] dealing with is just trying to balance the budget,” Robinson said.

“Some federal funds have dried up, and we’re always striving to be able to help women to pay their rent and pay their deposits and get bills paid.

[We also have to pay our own bills and electric [at the shelter], and the gas and electric here runs somewhere around $800 to 900 a month. So, [I’m] constantly trying to make sure that we can make ends meet so that we can keep the doors open.”

Robinson said that volunteering is also a great way to help, and that the experience reveals to the volunteer that homelessness is not always in a person’s control. “[It cannot be] assumed that because someone is in a homeless shelter they’re lazy, don’t want to work [or] they don’t have skills,” Robinson said.

“The average age of a homeless person in Cincinnati is six. Recently, a woman that was [staying at the Bethany House] retired from the post office after 26 years of service, but she still ended up here.”

According to Trish, people do not understand how hard it is to get a job or to find a way out of being homeless.

“Everybody’s like, ‘Get a job,’” Trish said. “Well, how can I get a job without an address? [People say], ‘McDonald’s is hiring,’ [but] I don’t have identification. In order to get [an] ID, I have to go downtown. I have to have $8.50 to do that. Do you realize how hard it is to come up with $8.50 out here? You’re lucky if you get a $1.50 a day. You’re lucky if you get drop offs, or anything.”

PAGE 4

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2010 | THE CHRONICLE

THE CHRONICLE | FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2010

NEWS | PAGE 5

Facebook may cause negativity in teenagers Julia Halpin | Staff Writer

Low levels of confidence in teens can be attributed to their usage of Facebook, according to a 2008 University of Georgia study that surveyed 130 Facebook users. The number of Facebook friends and wall posts someone acquires directly relates to how narcissistic they may be.

Junior Brittani Campbell said that having more friends and picture comments on Facebook can reinforce the feeling of self-importance in some of the sites’ users.

“The amount of friends you have, amount of picture comments you have -- it can make people feel better about themselves or worse about themselves,” Campbell said.

Facebook members have begun to use the site to make “friends” with which they have never come in contact, according to Campbell, who said that all of the sites’ users must be cautious when accepting these Facebook friends.

“You just have to be safe,” Campbell said.

“Say you want to meet some new friends on Facebook -- you have to watch who you’re accepting or who you’re giving friend requests out to.”

Sophomore Hannah Greve said that the possibility of unsafe interactions on Facebook is an aspect of the site that pushes her away from creating an account.

“There’s always the [information provided] in tech classes that says it’s not safe,” Greve

said. “You never know who you’re talking to.

You [think you] know [who you’re talking to], but you never know for sure.”

Along with the safety fears, frequent changes in the popularity of various social networking sites is a reason for sophomore Pahul Hanjra to not create a Facebook account.

“I don’t want [a Facebook account], because I just see Facebook as another fad that will be over in two years,” Hanjra said. “A few years ago, MySpace was what everyone had, and no one even talks about it anymore; so, I don’t want to get caught up in that.”

According to Facebook.com, 2.5 billion pictures are posted to the site each month; this can often be a source of excessive comments from the opposite gender on pictures, according to Campbell.

“Girls in particular will look at pictures and profiles, and boys will be commenting all over [their Facebook pages],” Campbell said. “[Facebook] could make someone have a really low self esteem.”

According to Greve, the inappropriate way some girls portray themselves on Facebook often contributes to the growing jealousy among girls when they use the site. “[Comparisons occur] because [girls] put pictures up of themselves, and sometimes [they’re not in] the best clothing, or the most appropriate,” Greve said.

Sophomore Emily Combs said that a personal lack of confidence is a main reason for why girls frequently compare themselves to

other girls on the site. “[The comparison] also kind of leads back to their confidence in themselves and if they’re insecure,” Combs said. “Especially girls have an issue with [their self- esteem], because they want to be like other people. In this school, there are so many people that you’re going to see everybody from one spectrum to the other.”

Even though words posted on the site can reinforce a Facebook member’s confidence, junior Hannah Sliger said that the amount of posts made each day is overdone, and leads to a lack of true feeling within the statuses and posts by Facebook’s 35 million viewers.

“If [friends] message you, it’s hard to tell how they’re really feeling, whereas if [a conversation] was in person, you would be able to see their real emotions,” Sliger said.

“It’s harder to communicate with people [on Facebook], because you don’t really know how they really feel or how they really think.”

Though Facebook users don’t have conversations that equal up to true interactions according to Sliger, the average user spends more than 55 minutes on Facebook each day, according to Facebook.com. Campbell said that the site’s members have started to spend more time on Facebook and less time doing their important daily activities.

“When I’m getting on the computer to write a paper or something, I’ll get on Facebook to just update my status, and I’ll end up being on there for an hour,” said Campbell.

According to a study referenced in The New York Times and conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation, an organization that develops non-profit research, kids eight to 18 years of age spend more than 7.5 hours a day using electronic devices such as the computer and television.

Sliger said she participated in a “media fast”, going thirty days without any form of media (including television and internet access), with Hope Church in order to eliminate distractions in her life that could sidetrack her from her faith. She said going without Facebook was a significant challenge and drove her to other ways of using her time.

“I just spent more time with my family,” Sliger said. “We were all doing [the fast] together, so if we were bored, we couldn’t just get on Facebook and talk to people: we had to talk to each other.”

Facebook users who talk to people through the site more frequently than they have face-to-face interactions, Combs said, are a contribution to some of the increased usage of the site and the narcissism found in its’ users .

“There’s going to be people that are on [Facebook] more than they are with their family or doing school work, and there’s going to be those people out there that do use it as a way to compare themselves [to others],” Combs said. “I think [the appropriateness of Facebook] depends on how you use it and how you look at it.”

Private school students have connections to former Mason peers Samantha Stulen | Staff Writer

Former Mason students have switched to private high schools, but have not forgotten their Mason comrades. The students have transitioned from the populated Mason public school system to smaller academies, but some still maintain ties to their former Mason peers.

St. Xavier High School freshman Nathan Lingler said he has made new friends at his school, but still hangs out with his friends from Mason frequently.

“I hang out with all my friends from Mason,” Lingler said.

“I talk to them through Facebook [and we hang out on the] weekends. Since most of my friends [from St. X] live kind of [on the] west side [of Cincinnati], I got the guys from Mason [who are closer], since I can’t really drive yet.”

Ursuline Acadmey junior Komal Safdar said she doesn’t stay as connected to her friends from Mason as she does with her Ursuline peers, but said this is only due to her changing interests and attending a different school.

“I’ll still go to some of the random birthday parties [for my Mason friends], or we’ll have random gatherings or I’ll see them outside of school events, like tennis, a lot,” Safdar said.

“I’ll still communicate with them and randomly we’ll meet up, [but] it’s not the same friendships, because [there’s] less in common, less to talk about. [I have] new groups of friends.”

Despite the lack of communication between times when Safdar talks to her Mason friends, Safdar said she really enjoys coming to Mason football games and other sporting events, because they give her a chance to see her former peers from Mason Middle School.

The lecture-based classes are what attracted Lingler to private school, he said, because they would allow him to prepare for college.

“The way the classes are run is what I think of college, [which] is kind of what I think of St. X, only [St. X has] smaller classes, [with] 30 [students] instead of 300,” Lingler said.

Safdar said her education at Ursuline will also be beneficial to her schooling at college.

“I really do feel like Ursuline has prepared me,” Safdar said.

“The academics are [really top-notch]; I feel like I’ve gotten my habit of studying [down] really well and [have been] working hard. This goes with the Ursuline schedule: you have a lot of responsibility and free-time on your own.”

The classes themselves are very challenging at these private institutions, according to both Safdar and Lingler. Lingler said he must make an effort at St. X to achieve grades he wants.

“My hardest class is math,” Lingler said. “I have one of the most brilliant teachers in the school, [but] I have to try and I still get 80s. At St. X, [classes are] lecture-based. I like lecture more because it’s more knowledge versus just trying to piece it all together. [This prepares me] for college.”

While both Ursuline and St. X are college preparatory, both are devoid of students of the opposite gender, which Safdar said she likes because of the freedom from being judged. “[Without boys, there are] less distractions,” Safdar said. “I feel like you’re more confident. With guys in the class, you might think twice before you answer something. Also, everyone’s just laid back. You don’t have to get dressed up every morning. It’s all girls; everyone’s just a big family.”

AJ Gatio, a senior at Moeller High School, said he regrets not spending a lot of time continuing the friendships from Mason during his high school career.

“I wish I would have done better [at maintaining Mason relationships],” Gatio said.

Gatio said he only talks to close friends, but relationships with other acquaintances with whom he hung out and was content have faded away.

“I live right in Mason,” Gatio said. “I’ll run into people, but as far as hanging out and making plans to chill with people, I didn’t do that as much I wish I would have. Now when you really want to [hang out, you] feel like there’s been a lot of time passed [and] maybe I shouldn’t do that, because that would be a little weird -- it’s been a year.”

Gatio said he has kept strong friendships over the years at

photos by Samantha Stulen Top: St. Xaiver freshman Nate Lingler sits next to a statue of the saint from whom the school got its name. Left: Ursuline Academy junior Komal Safdar and sophomore Smiti Gupta work on homework after school.

Moeller, and is friends with most students in his school due to the small class size, getting involved and having a consistent homeroom for all four years of high school.

“Transition [from Mason] is definitely a hard thing to do,” Gatio said. “I went in knowing one other person out of a class of about 270 kids. The best way to ease the transition is to get involved. For me, it was football. I knew about 90 kids before I even started class.”

According to Gatio, a student’s homeroom at Moeller consists of five seniors, five juniors, five sophomore and five freshmen for all four years, allowing him to meet people of all grades.

“Each year, you get rid of the five seniors and get five new freshmen, so you’re with the same underclassmen,” Gatio said.

“I know those underclassmen a lot better than [most underclassmen]. [The people in my homeroom] I talk to the most, especially in your grade. I have three guys out of the four I’m legit friends [with].”

Gatio said he wishes he would have maintained his relationships more, but another ex-Mason student said he still communicates with his friends from Mason.

Josh Wang, a senior at Seven Hills High School, said he keeps connected to his former Mason peers by being a member of MHS’ club hockey team with fellow Mason members.

“I play hockey through the Mason club team; I play with a

lot of kids [I grew up with and] we practice two times a week and we have games,” Wang said. “Facebook is really helpful with other friends too.”

Wang said he lives in Mason and still hangs out with his friends, but has also branched out to more friends at a smaller school like Seven Hills.

“The students at my school are really open and really welcoming, so it wasn’t that hard for me [to make friends],” Wang said. “It was definitely different for me, [though]. My current class size [has] 79 kids graduating and I got to know everybody in my grade.”

However, with a small, intimate class, the atmosphere is also academically-focused, said Wang.

“We’re supposed to be like college-prep school,” Wang said.

“One of the big things is it’s a small class size and teachers really get to know and focus on their students.”

According to Wang, the lecture-based classes have also prepared him for college; he has applied to Harvard University, Columbia University, Yale University, Princeton University, Pennsylvania State University, the University of Chicago and the University of Washington. He doesn’t think, however, that going to a private school gives him an advantage in the college admittance process.

“I don’t know how much places look at [whether I attend a private or public school],” Wang said. “I haven’t really had any experience where I got in because I went to [a] private school.”

Having attended a private school and a public school in his life, Wang said he is glad he experienced both worlds.

“I had a good experience at Mason: it’s a good school, and I had a really good experience at Seven Hills, so I’m glad I did what I did,” Wang said.

PAGE 6 | EDITORIAL

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2010 | THE CHRONICLE

Views

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.

30046 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 C106 and must be signed.

The Chronicle is a member of The Columbia Scholastic Press Association, The National Scholastic Press Association, Quill and Scroll International Honorary Society for High School Journalists and the 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 Business/Circulation Manager Griffin Frank Technical and Graphic Manager Caleb Schowalter Staff Writers Jami Bechard Jordan Berger Tony DeLotell Rachel Giesel Julia Halpin Ryan Hoffman Ian Howard Janica Kaneshiro Jessica Kantor Trevor Maxim Cady Meece Kris Ogungbemi Beena Raghavendran Carlie Sack Rachel Schowalter Danielle Simms Janie Simonton Samantha Stulen Adviser Mr. Dale Conner

Round Table

Our Founding Fathers thought it was an important principle to separate church and state. Today, in 2010, do you think this separation is still important? Why?

photo by Julia Halpin

From left to right: Margaret Zhang, Tyler Fewell, Hibba Sumra, Abe Muhlbaum, Tainmai Sai, and Nazz Brandon.

The Round Table is a forum-based discussion. The students picked for this edition were selected due to their opinionated natures. To be involved in the Round Table, please contact The Chronicle in room C106.

Margaret Zhang Senior “It is still important to separate church and state, at least on the surface -- it’s literally impossible to carry out major changes to our diverse nation solely because of one religious group’s philosophy.

Behind every state maneuver needs to be a wall of solid fact, if only to universalize an issue.

That’s not to say that religious beliefs cannot be the impetus behind a change, as oftentimes, those are the core of any transformation.”

Tyler Fewell Junior “I’d question the historical accuracy of claiming our Founding Fathers intended to separate church and state, considering the set of beliefs shared among many of them. I do feel this distinction is still extremely important, as it’s a separation that’s produced debate that’s resulted in dividing the country rather than unifying it. While trying to keep religion out of schools, we’ve actually introduced atheistic ideas without balancing it out.”

Hibba Sumra Sophomore “The separation of church and state is more important today than ever before. Controversial issues such as abortion, capital punishment and euthanasia hold varying perspectives in every religion. To decide that one viewpoint of religion is more superior or influential would be remiss towards the ideals of our Founding Fathers; the same fathers who layed out the democratic ideals that have worked and persevered since the signing of the Declaration of Independence.”

Abe Muhlbaum Junior “As a religious Jew in a predominantly Christian region of America, the separation of church and state is vital to my successful education. While the motives behind the separation of church and state were drastically different in the late eighteenth century, the idea still holds water today.

Without the separation of church and state, people of my religious background would be subject to government persecution and general segregation.”

Tainmai Sai Junior “Yes, the separation of church and state is still a crucial distinction to be made in society, because in today’s society, there’s a lot of diversity creating different perspectives.

And if the church and state were not distinguished, then there would be many conflicts among groups of people.

The church and state were separated for a reason, and we should trust the forefathers and it should be kept that way.”

Nazz Brandon Sophomore “Of course. There are too many people with different veiws, religions and opinions. Adding Church to State affairs would make a lot of unnecessary conflict.

We are the nation of the free. Freedom of religion is included to not have the government stuff it down your throat.”

-Compiled by Julia Halpin

Letters to the Editor

Staff Editorial

Valedictorian competition defies objective of learning

Valentine’s Day should be a celebration of all types of love

Towards the end of the article, Mr. Reeder said that the thing that keeps these kids going is their thirst for knowledge. Now, I must respectfully disagree. If these kids were motivated by a thirst for knowledge, they’d be taking classes that they actually cared about. [Senior] Amanda LaRue said it herself. She said she took classes that didn’t matter to her and passed on classes that actually interested her. I feel like the award of valedictorian should be forgotten. It puts too much pressure on students and ultimately destroys the point of learning. We learn about things that interest us, but award of valedictorian has turned learning into a series of memorizing information and regurgitating it for the test. These students should not be killing themselves for this. Is the award really worth it when all they’re doing is playing a game of short-term memorization? I think we need to get back to the true meaning of learning in high school.

Omy Bugazia Senior

Valentine’s Day is the abused stepsister of all holidays. We hear it every year: “Oh, Valentine’s Day is artificial, created to fulfill some empty Hallmark tradition of love.” But it’s not. Officially named a holiday in 498 A.D.

by Pope Gelasius, according to History.com, the day used to celebrate love has been legitimately around for over a millennium. While the origins of the day are mysterious, linking to either Roman or Christian figures, one thing is evident: Valentine’s Day is, and has been in the past, a commemoration of that four-letter word we sometimes dread.

Often it can seem in high school that a relationship with someone of the opposite sex means validation, a virtual stamp of assurance that a person is worth the time that someone else is spending with him or her.

Sometimes we can get so

absorbed in the ideal that dating someone, especially during the month of February, seems to have become more of a priority than it necessarily should be. Don’t misunderstand: having someone with whom to spend February 14 is obviously very pleasant. But, students should avoid putting unnecessary pressure on themselves to have this significant other.

It’s natural and healthy to be alone sometimes. And occasionally, these times will fall on Valentine’s Day. Contrary to the tenets of a relationship-crazed media, and maybe even the beliefs of some friends, it is possible to not receive a rose on that hallowed day and still be content with the state of life.

With or without a significant other, also use Valentine’s Day to celebrate the platonic love that

enhances the everyday. Let best friends of both genders know how much they are appreciated. Write cards for people that are always there. Most of us know from experience that past Valentines have not always been in our lives as long as the platonic relationships that have become constants.

High school relationships can be, by design, fleeting.

As you honor these connections that come with titles, just don’t forget to celebrate the ones that don’t.

There are a lot of people that traditionally just don’t value Valentine’s Day. This year, whether flying solo or accompanied by someone special, forsake the pressures of the day for the true purpose. Hate it or love it, Valentine’s Day will continue to occur on the same day each year. We might as well enjoy ourselves.

Sports THE CHRONICLE | FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2010

The Press Box Fans often want to have their say. The Press Box is a forum for Comet fans to voice their opinions on the latest in Mason athletics.

After playing for Coach Brian Castner on the softball team, how do you think he will do as head coach of football?

“If he keeps the boys on track, I think they’ll do pretty well. [He will help them achieve a] 7-3 [record].”

DJ Engelman Senior

“The football team will do great because Castner is a great coach. [He will help them achieve a] 7-3 [record].”

Kristin Pursel Senior

“He’s very motivated by wins. I think he’s going to do well this season for the football team. It’s his first year with football, so he’s trying to start fresh.”

Amanda Allen Senior

“I think that they’ll understand more of the team atmosphere. All their hard work will pay off in the end. They’ll win more games than they did last year.”

Christin Miller Senior

SPORTS | PAGE 7

Gymnastics team maintains dynamic season getting enough rest in without getting too many rests in,” Wones said. “We’re finding that balance and trying to peak them at the right time. But, we try to spread [the training] out so we can keep them until the end of February [for our district meet].”

So far this season, the team has been able to compete in six meets so far. Now, the team will travel to compete at City Championships to try to qualify for the OHSAA District Tournament. But, the team’s ultimate goal is qualifying to compete at OHSAA State Tournament.

“The bottom line, as a team, is to qualify for states,” Wones said.

During the season, training and strength are critical, Wones said.

With each meet, the team has been able to celebrate knowing that their hard work paid off, yet with more critical meets to come, photo by Alyssa Howard the team has to stay in shape, acThe gymnastics team is comprised of 17 girls, each cording to Wones. competing for one of six competition spots.

“They’re basically right where we want them right now,” Wones Jami Bechard | Staff Writer said. “They’re experiencing success and Mason High School’s gymnastics team is un- doing well, yet there is still lots of room for improvement for each individual on each defeated going into the City Championships, event.” according to Coach Kelly Wones. Wones said Wones said that the key to the team’s sucshe is proud of the team and their success. cess during the season is the hard work of The team has been able to prove themselves the girls in the off-season. in the district.

“The girls that are returning from last year “[Our success at our first four meets] has really worked hard in the off-season and that given [the girls] some much needed conhas made a huge difference,” Wones said. fidence,” Wones said. “They’ve seen that “That, to me, has been the key of why we’re they can compete well; they’ve been able ahead: the depth of the team, and that fact to see the other teams out there and know

that so many of them work out in the offseason.”

In gymnastics the girls are separated by their skill levels, according to sophomore gymnast Jenn Bovenzi. The levels go from one to ten and ages three to 18. On the Mason gymnastics team, every girl is classified as a level eight. With six spots to fill and 17 girls on the team, many girls who aren’t at the level eight skill level never get to compete the entire season.

Within the team, there is tough competition to fill six spots out of 17 girls for big meets Wones said. In gymnastics the athletes compete as individuals, and then their individual scores are tallied up to compile a final team score, according to Wones.

“It’s an individual sport, [with] individual performances, but it’s a team,” Wones said.

“The top four scores on each event constitute your team score. They really root for each other, but at the same time they’re competing against each other, so that can make it hard. We really strive to stress team first to them. The gymnastics team comes before any individual, that’s really our focus … It’s a fine balance of being able to focus on your own abilities and your own routines but yet contributing to the team, too.”

Mason’s gymnastics team has never qualified for states in the past, according to Wones. The girls have spent hours practicing and preparing for the state tournament.

Their main goal is to progress to State in March for the first time in their team’s history. “[Making it to states] would mean the world,” Bovenzi said. “I really think as long as we just focus hard, like we normally do and just work for it, I think we can do it.”

that they can hold their own against them.

It’s good for them to know that they can go against tough competition and still come out on top. Yet, they still see that need to go back to the gym and work on some things.”

Senior captain Jenna Bookman said she is motivated by the team’s success, but she is aware that the team can’t let the wins hold them back.

“It’s really exciting and it’s motivating to try to keep our scores up and keep winning, but it’s also pushing us to work harder,” Bookman said. “We’re just watching to make sure we don’t get over confident or put off any bad impressions of our team.”

This year’s team is filled with many star athletes according to Wones, and the depth of high-level athleticism has resulted in success.

The team consists of 17 girls that train every day of the week. Yet, Wones said she has to keep the girls workout schedule balanced to prevent injuries. photo by Alyssa Howard “Gymnastics is a sport with a lot of high impact, so we have to find a nice balance of The key to the team’s success this year has been staying in shape during the off-season.

-Compiled by Tony DeLotell

Team Tracker The junior varsity girls’ basketball team currently holds a record of 23-1 through 24 games. Sophomore Jayla Garner said the team works well together as a whole. “We communicate and have great chemistry,” Garner said. Despite its stellar record, Garner said the team can make some minor improvements. “We could work together more on defense, even when it’s not needed as much,” Garner said. photo contributed

The varsity wrestling team is currently ranked third in the Cincinnati area. The team can still improve in its overall progression, however, according to junior Jeremy Artrip, who has posted a personal record of 22-4 this season.

“We need to have the same mindset and the same goals,” Artrip said. Artrip said that the close ties of the team have proved advantageous to the team this season. “After being with the same group of guys for two years, I’d say we are more connected,” Artrip said.

photo contributed

PAGE 8 | SPORTS

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2010 | THE CHRONICLE

Castner revamps football program Team will rely on a foundation of four fundamental principles

Ian Howard | Staff Writer The restructuring of Mason’s Varsity Football team goes far beyond writing a new playbook, according to Varsity Football Head Coach, Brian Castner.

“You’ve got to create a culture [that understands] the coach’s beliefs and the whole Mason football philosophy.” Castner said.

Enlisting the help of a coaching staff to assist him in implementing this culture is one of Castner’s top priorities. Returning to the coaching staff after taking a year off from his coaching at Mason will be former University of Michigan stand out Paul Berry who will coach the offensive line. Another former coach returning to the mix will be Casey Popplewell who will also coach the offensive line.

“Coach Castner’s my friend,” Popplewell said. “When he got the job he asked me if I wanted to coach again. . . . we believe in the same things, [so] I decided to do it again.”

Based on the experience of the coaches, Castner said he is confident about the ability of his staff.

“We’ve got a lot of great

people, a lot of great coaches,” Castner said.

As far as the performance of the team, Castner said it will be greatly dependent on the attitude and ability of the seniors.

“It’s going to rely a lot on how much the up and coming senior class want to take on their shoulders and say, ‘This is our team,’” Castner said.

But the greatness of the senior class goes far beyond an increase in the ability of the team.

According to Castner, it acts as an essence of the seniors’ livelihood.

“The seniors need to take ownership as far as their demeanor, as far as the way they represent Mason High School,” Castner said.

“This is their year; this is their 2010 season.

They’re only guaranteed 10 games: they’re only guaranteed so many practices. What they want to do with it is up to them.”

In carving Mason seniors’ triumphs, Castner said he is only looking to the future of the program.

“I don’t really care much about the past,” Castner said. “I am going to prepare what we can do as far as today and what we’re going to prepare for this upcoming season.”

Castner said that his major goal as a coach is to revolutionize the way players think about football.

“We’re

going to try to build a football family and get everybody on the same page and create that atmosphere that kids want to be around all of the time, and I think we’re doing that right now,” Castner said.

According to Castner he has been impressed with the high number of players committing to the off season weight room work-outs on Monday, Wednesday’s and Friday’s. Despite evidence of the commitment of the team, Castner said that the true test will start at the beginning of the season.

“I’m not going to say we’re better than the team before us or the people that came before us, just because we really won’t know that until we put the product on the field August 27,” Castner said.

Castner said this also applies to the betterment of the team compared to other teams in the upcoming season.

“I don’t really compare us to [other teams]: I compare us to ourselves from day to day,” Castner said.

This attitude will be regulated by a new football-family culture and a set list of priorities, according to Castner.

“We have the big four as far as faith, family, academics and football, and that’s

our priority list and that’s what we’re going to rely on,” Castner said.

Castner said that the big four expands to mean far more than just a list.

“We’re going to do a lot of team activities and stuff as a family, and we’re going to create that culture that we’re looking out for each other,” Castner said. “We’re going to take care of each other.”

To motivate the team and the seniors especially, Castner said he uses routine question asking to enforce team pride.

“There [are] three questions that I ask them almost every day: Are you giving great effort?

Can I trust in you? And are you committed?”

Castner said.

According to Castner, the number one thing he can count on is how the team spends its time weight lifting and training.

“We’re going to do what we do,” Castner said. “We’re going to do it at a high level of intensity, have a lot of energy going around the room and around the field.”

photo art by Alyssa Howard

Diehard fans forsake loyalty in college decisions Janica Kaneshiro | Staff Writer

Senior Logan Howell said he belongs to the small percentage of students at Mason like him who walk the halls in all their gear from one college, but are going to an entirely different one. Howell said he grew up an intense fan on the University of Cincinnati, but is now debating between attending Indiana University or the University of Dayton.

“I was a big fan of the University of Cincinnati,” Howell said.

“I’m a big fan because both of my parents went there, and I’ve grown up loving Cincinnati.”

Howell said his car best exemplifies his support for UC. “I have a red [Ford] Mustang,” Howell said. “My license plate has the UC ‘C’ symbol, and it spells ‘cincy1’.”

Though it seemed inevitable that he would choose UC as his future college, when it came time to choose a school, Howell said he was stuck with a tough decision.

“It was difficult for me because I’ve always wanted to go to UC,” Howell said. “But after looking at many different colleges I realized that UC might not be the best choice for me and that there were better options out there.”

Senior Bobby Starnes also found the decision to go elsewhere difficult, but he said that he had to take practicality into account when selecting a college.

“I mean, it would be cool to go to [The University of North Carolina], but I went on two visits there, and it really just isn’t what I’m looking for,” Starnes said. “It’s extremely hard to get into. I probably would have gotten in if I had applied, but financially it wouldn’t have made a lot of sense because they wouldn’t have given me much scholarship money. I just found other places that fit better with what I was looking for.”

Senior AJ Schappacher, a big fan of The Ohio State University, however, didn’t find the decision to go elsewhere difficult.

Schappacher said he’s attending Northwestern Ohio University to fulfill his career goals, but he still plans on remaining and OSU fan.

“I knew I wanted to do diesel mechanics, because I just like doing that all the time and I figured I should go to college to do something that I like doing,” Schappacher said. “[NOU] isn’t that far away from Columbus, and my sister can still get me season tickets and everything, so I figured I might as well go to school for what I want to do because that’s what school is meant for. And then I can still take part in going to [OSU] football games and stuff on the weekend.”

Howell, who wants to double major in Mathematics and Education, said he made the decision based on discovering better programs he was interested in than those at UC. “I decided against it because [UC’s] education program isn’t what I expected to be, and both Dayton and Indiana have a much stronger one,” Howell said.

Starnes, who will be attending Clemson University in the fall, said that attending a rival college will make being a fan of UNC difficult.

“Yes, [I’ll still be a UNC fan], to an extent,” Starnes said. “It’s almost [going to be] worse because Clemson is kind of considered a rival with North Carolina. So , I don’t really know how I’m going to react the first time they play each other and I’m there, but there’s no way I’m going to go to Clemson and not be a Clemson fan. It’ll be interesting.”

Schappacher said that he gets mixed reactions from people who find out he isn’t going to OSU. “Some people are shocked, but then some people understand

photo art by Caleb Schowalter

Although senior Logan Howell has been a fan of UC his whole life, he is currently deciding between different colleges for next year.

that I’m going to school for what school’s meant for: getting your degree for what you want to do with the rest of your life,” Schappacher said. “But then again, I can still be a fan at heart and everything.”

Schappacher said that even though he selected NOU as his college, he is still going to wear his collected OSU jerseys and shirts around campus next year.

Like Schappacher, Howell said that going to a different college isn’t going to stop him from wearing his UC gear around, even if he becomes a fan of his new college.

“I’ll be a fan of my new college, but UC will always remain my number one,” Howell said.

THE CHRONICLE | FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2010

PAGE 9

PAGE 10 | SPORTS

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2010 | THE CHRONICLE

Kayla Lamotte

Ch@tRoom

What you won’t find on Facebook

The_Chronicle: Would you support an NBA team in Cincinnati?

q TV Show: Bad Girls Club

Freshman_Billy_Highfill: I think it’d be neat

to have an NBA team in Cincinnati because all our other teams are bad. Maybe it will bring a new beginning to the city.

qMusical Artist: Kanye West

Junior_Josh_Hayes: The only closest NBA team is in Cleveland. If we had a team in Cincinnati, I would cheer for them. We have every other sport except professional basketball.

qMovie: Rent

Senior_Thang_Nguyen: We need it for

q Superstition: “Me and Sam Templeton always go to Noodles and Company [on game days].”

Cincinnati. I would be a season ticket holder.

Junior_Katie_Knollman: As long as they represent Cincinnati well, I would root for them.

Senior_Corey_Wane: It’d be awesome to have

q Trade Places for a day with: Michael Jordan

a pro basketball team here. It’d be a new start for sports in Cincinnati.

Junior_Daron_Prater: It would be fun to have an NBA team here because all the other sports teams suck.

qTalent you’d like to have: Singing

Freshman_Connor_McVey: It would be

sweet because all the professional players would be in Cincinnati, and you wouldn’t have to travel to see them.

q Food: Pasta q Athlete to watch: LeBron James

-Compiled by Ryan Hoffman

qTeam: New Orleans Saints

TweetingTwits

qWorst Habit: Laziness q Greatest Love: “Sleeping and my dog, Biggie”

maualuga58: Sorry for bringing humiliation n q Heroes: Candice Parker embarrassment to this Organization n to dis q If you could have a million of great city of Cincinnati. anything: Dollars

-- Bengals linebacker Rey Maualuga after being charged for driving under the influence

q Weirdest thing you’ve ever

eaten: Frog Legs -As told to Tony DeLotell

-Compiled by Tony DeLotell

SportsRant

Tony DeLotell | Staff Writer

Should Cincinnati have an NBA team?

The idea of a professional basketball team representing the city of Cincinnati has been batted around over the past couple of years. There would be a few question marks if an NBA team decided to occupy Cincinnati. Ohio already has an NBA team in Cleveland, a very respectable franchise with championship contention this year, so why is there the need for a second franchise not far from Cleveland? With the NBA not being as popular as it is in other states, why bother? The NFL and MLB are promoted here, so I don’t think the NBA will be as greatly appreciated as the Reds and Bengals. An NBA team played for Cincinnati in the past, but ended up moving to Kansas City and becoming the Kings. After the team’s short stop in Kansas City, the team moved to Sacramento. So what’s to stop the citizens of Cincinnati from thinking a team won’t just come and go again? Cincinnati hasn’t needed a basketball team since the last one left, and the city Ryan Hoffman | Staff Writer doesn’t need one now.

The problem with Cincinnati acquiring an NBA team is simply the NBA itself. Professional basketball in this country has nowhere near the popularity of professional football.

The season is too long, the players are grossly overpaid and unmotivated, and I can’t help but get the feeling that people in this country, including here in Cincinnati, just would not care. If you don’t believe me, if you insist that the NBA is relevant, then try this: name every NBA team in the country. Aside from hardcore fans, this task is not at all as easy as it sounds. What this means is that most people don’t pay attention to professional basketball.

Making any efforts to gain a team here would be a waste of time. We already have enough unsuccessful sports teams to worry about -- if we have to add one more, let’s at least pick a league that still has some potential for growth and excitement.

Trevor Maxim | Staff Writer

While Cincinnati Gardens is currently the home of a Continental Indoor Football League team named the Commandos, fifty years ago a basketball team by the name of the Cincinnati Royals called the Gardens their home. Hall-of-Famers like Bob Cousy and Oscar Robertson suited up every night to play in front of Cincinnatians like us. It’s a shame that the Cincinnati area was stripped of that excitement in 1972 when the Royals changed their name to the Kings and left for Kansas City. Inconsistency seems to be the staple of Cincinnati professional sports.

The Bengals and Reds have had no playoff wins since the Reds won the 1990 World Series. Twenty years have passed and I think the city deserves another chance at greatness. An NBA team would generate loads of money for the community, as well as bring in opposing players like Kobe Bryant and LeBron James for our viewing pleasure. People living in the Cincinnati area have to drive to Indianapolis or Cleveland in order to see those stars. Anyone who went to a Royals game when they were in town will be sure to grab their season tickets as soon as they go on sale, and new fans will inevitably be quickly recruited.

photos by Alyssa Howard

THE CHRONICLE | FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2010

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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2010

THE CHRONICLE | PAGE 13

TEST THE COMPATIBILITY Rachel Giesel | Staff Writer Janie Simonton | Staff Writer

A) What do you like to do in your free time? Hang out with friends Are you more likely to yell or talk calmly in an argument? Scream Do you spend money or save it? Spend.

2) What do you like to do in your free time? Catch up on 24 episodes and Facebook stalk (you know you do, too) Are you more likely to yell or talk calmly in an argument? Calm -- and sometimes too nice about it Do you spend money or save it? Save my own -spend my parents’

B) What do you like to do in your free time? Hang out with friends (movies, out to eat, sleepovers), run, go to youth group Are you more likely to yell or talk calmly in an argument? Usually talk calmly Do you spend money or save it? A little bit of both

3) What do you like to do in your free time? Hang out with my friends Are you more likely to yell or talk calmly in an argument? Definitely yell Do you spend money or save it? Spend. Shop ‘til [I} drop 4) What do you like to do in your free time? Facebook, run, hang out with friends Are you more likely to yell or talk calmly in an argument? Talk calmly Do you spend money or save it? Mostly spend it

C) What do you like to do in your free time? Hang out with my friends Are you more likely to yell or talk calmly in an argument? Yell Do you spend money or save it? Both D) What do you like to do in your free time? We watch tons of movies, play games and a lot of dumb stuff little kids would find fun.

Are you more likely to yell or talk calmly in an argument? Talk calmly but sarcastically Do you spend money or save it? SPEND!

E) 5) What do you like to do in your free time? Play laWhat do you like to do in your free time? Hang out crosse, run, listen to music with my friends or do something active Are you more likely to yell or talk calmly in an arguAre you more likely to ment? Neither; I death glare yell or talk calmly in Do you spend money or save it? Save up for big an argument? Talk things, then spend it calmly and try to work things out Do you spend money or save it? I love to spend money!

Couples

1) What’s the last thing you do before you go to sleep?

Text [my boyfriend], check Facebook I would love to travel back in time to… a time when horses were the mode of transportation Do you prefer texting or talking? Texting 2) What’s the last thing you do before you go to sleep?

Say goodnight to [my boyfriend] I would love to travel back in time to… when I was 5. If you want more of a time period, then back to the 1920s.

Do you prefer texting or talking? I text more, but I don’t mind talking on the phone 3) What’s the last thing you do before you go to sleep?

Call my boyfriend I would love to travel back in time to… the Blink 182 concert last summer Do you prefer texting or talking? Talking on the phone 4) What’s the last thing you do before you go to sleep?

Brush my teeth I would love to travel back in time to… the 70s!

Do you prefer texting or talking? I text more, but I like talking better.

5) What’s the last thing you do before you go to sleep?

Watch an episode of Family Guy I would love to travel back in time to… see Jimi Hendrix in concert Do you prefer texting or talking? Talking on the phone

Answers: Taylor Hammons (1) and Gator Schrand (E).

Christin Miller (2) and Scott Spencer (A). Jamie Sobotka (3) and Andrew Carlin (B). Sarah Kolish (4) and Alec Schlosser (D). Devon Buesking (5) and Nick Pasquale (C).

1) What do you like to do in your free time? Read or sleep Are you more likely to yell or talk calmly in an argument? Yell Do you spend money or save it? Mostly spend

GIRLS

BOYS

A) What’s the last thing you do before you go to sleep?

Text [my girlfriend] & brush teeth I would love to travel back in time to… when Einstein was alive. We could have cool chats.

Do you prefer texting or talking? I text more, but like talking also B) What’s the last thing you do before you go to sleep?

Talk to my girlfriend I would love to travel back in time to… a Bob Marley concert Do you prefer texting or talking? Talking on the phone C) What’s the last thing you do before you go to sleep?

Get my stuff ready for the next morning I would love to travel back in time to… see Archie Griffin play Do you prefer texting or talking? Texting D) What’s the last thing you do before you go to sleep?

Talk to people on Omegle.com I would love to travel back in time to… tell myself to never take Sports Med I. Do you prefer texting or talking? Texting because I hear [my girlfriend’s] voice all day long, who wants to hear that more?

E) What’s the last thing you do before you go to sleep?

Text [my girlfriend] I would love to travel back in time to… watch the Reds play in a World Series Do you prefer texting or talking? Texting

Guy Best Friends

1) What’s the number one thing you want to do before you die? Skydive What three things would you take on a deserted island? Megan Fox, steak sauce, FOOD Are you a morning person or a night owl? Morning

A) What’s the number one thing you want to do before you die? Meet LeBron James What three things would you take on a deserted island? LeBron James, batteries, steel wool Are you a morning person or a night owl? Night owl

2) What’s the number one thing you want to do before you die? Be considered a legend at Clemson University What three things would you take on a deserted island? Squirtle, Davey Jones and a girl Are you a morning person or a night owl? Night owl

B) What’s the number one thing you want to do before you die? Spend a day with Megan Fox, Yvonne Strahovski, Amanda Gift What three things would you take on a deserted island? Satellite phone, Jack Bauer, steak sauce Are you a morning person or a night owl? Night owl

3) What’s the number one thing you want to do before you die? Find a nice summer home in South Cali[fornia] and open a winery with business partner, [my best friend].

What three things would you take on a deserted island? [my best friend], his dog Emmy and satellite phone Are you a morning person or a night owl? Night owl, fo’ sho’

C) What’s the number one thing you want to do before you die? Become famous, so I can get out of Mason.

What three things would you take on a deserted island? A girl, my car, another girl Are you a morning person or a night owl? I’m an all-arounder

4) What’s the number one thing you want to do before you die? Meet LeBron James What three things would you take on a deserted island? Steel wool and batteries, cheesecake, entire [Cleveland] Cavs team Are you a morning person or a night owl? Night owl 5) What’s the number one thing you want to do before you die? Have a healthy, long-lasting marriage What three things would you take on a deserted island?

Buffalo Wild Wings, a girl, a nice car Are you a morning person or a night owl? Night owl

D) What’s the number one thing you want to do before you die? Adopt a child with [my best friend] What three things would you take on a deserted island? Lotion, a box of tissues, a photo of my best friend and I Are you a morning person or a night owl? Night owl E) What’s the number one thing you want to do before you die? I want to own Chipotle What three things would you take on a deserted island? Squirtle, Davey Jones and an attractive female partner Are you a morning person or a night owl? Night owl.

All night, every night.

Answers: Nisarg Bakshi (1) and Kunal Seenivasan (B). Bobby Starnes (2) and Matt Radomski (E). Alex Khadr (3) and Austin Brune (D). Kevin Fitzgerald (4) and Chuckie Chiara (A). Jacob Kinnett (5) and Dan Pierson (C).

Girl Best Friends

Sites like EHarmony.com, Match.com and FriendFinder.com examine various characteristics to “perfectly” match two people together to create a relationship. The Chronicle decided to test the theory that people can be matched by qualities of their personalities by comparing different relationships within Mason High School. Thirty different people in 15 different relationships -- girl best friends, couples and guy best friends -- were surveyed with questions that would reveal their personalities. Below are listed, anonymously, the answers they’ve given us. Use the responses to determine who is a half of each select couple and check your guesses with the answers located on the bottom of the page to see if you think those in the real relationships are actually compatible.

Answers: Maddie Adams (1) and Allie Williams (C). Kristy Dezenzo (2) and Jamie Lawson (E).

Danielle Wagner (3) and Kelsey Wiedenbein (A). Jessica Harrison (4) and Alyssa Zeltwanger (B). Alex Johnson (5) and Sam Hayner (D).

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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2010 | THE CHRONICLE

THE CHRONICLE | FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2010

FEATURES

FEATURE | PAGE 15

PAGE 16 | FEATURE

The

Clash

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2010 | THE CHRONICLE

of the Commons

Students harbor polarizing opinions about which cafeteria is the optimal eating environment Carlie Sack | Staff Writer As the lunch bells ring in Mason High School, students face a grueling decision: eating in the large commons or the small commons.

Sophomore Kate Kraatz said that she eats in the small commons because it is less crowded and much quieter. “[The small commons] is a lot less crowded, and it is a lot easier to find seats, so you can sit with your friends,” Kraatz said.

Senior Stephen Hendrickson said that he also favors the peacefulness of the small commons.

“I couldn’t handle the congestion [of the large commons], so I moved out,” Hendrickson said. “I left the chaos of the large for the serenity of the small.”

While the low noise level is the reason that some students prefer the small commons, it is the same reason as to why others dislike it, according to freshman Jen Center.

“The small commons is too quiet,” Center said. “It’s too awkward.”

Freshman Katie Darrah said that she agrees that the quiet-

ness of the room is eerie.

“You feel like you’re being watched,” Darrah said.

Center said that the atmosphere of the small commons is stifling, while the large commons allows students more freedom. “[The large commons] is bigger and louder, and you feel more comfortable talking,” Center said. “You can’t be yourself and be loud [in the small commons].”

Senior Justin Lightfield said the loudness and freedom to be outgoing of the large commons are not appealing him.

Lightfield said that he tries to avoid the “fast-paced lifestyle” of those who eat in the large commons by eating in the small commons.

Junior Lynne Liao said that she eats in the small commons for more practical reasons, such as proximity to her fourth bell classroom and a shorter lunch line.

“The [lunch] line is smaller and you don’t feel like you’re getting run over,” Liao said.

Kraatz said that the closeness of her classroom in the F-wing also helped to determine her choice of cafeteria.

“A lot of music people eat in here, [like] band and orchestra people because our classes are so close,” Kraatz said.

According to Center, students’ personalities determine the lunchroom in which they eat.

“More outgoing people eat [in the large commons],” Center said.

Hendrickson said that he believes the commons affects student’s behavior.

“There are major differences between a large commoner and a small commoner,” Hendrickson said. “Large commoners seem a bit more rude. They are animalistic.”

The division between students’ choice of cafeteria often separates friends during lunchtime, according to Center.

“I don’t know why [my friends] eat in [the small commons],” Center said. “It can be frustrating, because they don’t want to eat in [the large commons], and I don’t want to eat in [the small commons].”

But Lightfield said that the deciding factor of the choice between cafeterias is the sunlit atmosphere of the small commons.

“It’s always sunny in the small commons,” Lightfield said.

photo art by Caleb Schowalter

OCD affects students’ daily lives Ellen Duffer | Associate Editor

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is more serious than most think as they casually use it as an excuse for being organized or picky, according to senior Caitlin Smith, who was diagnosed with OCD last summer. The disorder, affecting up to 1 in 100 children, according to KidsHealth.org, and 2.2 million adults, according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), is attributed to anxiety that causes “recurrent, unwanted thoughts (obsessions), and/or repetitive behaviors (compulsions)” and interferes with normal, daily life, the NIMH said.

Common obsessions, or undesired visions that stick in the mind, are those that involve violence or harm occurring to loved ones; compulsions may be anything from checking to ensure that doors are closed to counting words and syllables in phrases, as Smith said she does.

“I have compulsions and obsessions,” Smith said. “My obsessions get really bad [because] I have this thing called ‘Pure O,’ which is basically all mental. A lot of people don’t know I have OCD, because I do it all on the inside.

[But,] I count everything on my fingers, and it has to be in fives, because you have five fingers…[Also,] I’ve been known to leave my friends’ houses to go make sure my garage door is shut.

“It was a big red flag to my therapist, because it’s considered OCD when it interferes with everyday life or when it takes up a couple hours in a day. I’ll be at my friend’s house and

I’ll make up an excuse and I’ll just leave to make sure the garage door is shut. I worry to the point where I’ll just panic.”

Junior Jessica Davidson, who was diagnosed with OCD when she was five years old, said her compulsions have changed as she has aged. Excessive actions (compulsions) associated with hygiene, she said, triggered the diagnosis; she now worries over situations and things that people have said.

“I’d wash my hands until they were raw, bleeding and cracked,” Davidson said. “I brushed all the enamel off my teeth. I went to the dentist and he was just so shocked. [Now,] I guess [my obsessions and compulsions are] more centered on social situations, everyday things. I have a lot of movies that play in my head, conversations replayed. I still do teethbrushing a lot. It just depends on the situation. ” Smith said acting on compulsions, however, does not appease any feelings of anxiety she has. Doing what she thinks she must do, she said, is not a solution; nor is refusing to surrender to the compulsions.

“I feel worse about myself after I do a tic,” Smith said. “I do it so I won’t have a panic attack. I don’t do it out of pleasure. If I tell myself not to do it, I’ll end up doing it more.”

To attempt to temporarily shake obsessions and compulsions from her head, Davidson said she delves into books. She said they allow her to momentarily evade anxiety.

“Reading has always been a big thing for me,” Davidson said. “It takes my mind off of things. OCD makes you terribly self-absorbed:

you worry about what other people are thinking and it all comes back to you. Reading makes you not so self-absorbed and it pulls the OCD away a little bit.”

Sometimes, avoiding the effects of OCD isn’t feasible, according to Smith, and this could be detrimental to her academic career, she said.

“There’s been numerous days where I’ve missed school because I get a panic attack,” Smith said. “Or I’ll get migraines. I’ll end up just crying and sobbing because I don’t know what to do with myself. I can’t come to school, because I can’t concentrate on my schoolwork, and my grades suffer because of it.”

Davidson said she is often distracted when working on assignments because of extreme anxiety. This, she said, frequently results in her inability to complete her work.

“Homework is very difficult,” Davidson said.

“When I’m away from school and someone’s not teaching the subject, I’ll start to wonder if I’m doing a problem right, and then it’s so crippling that I can’t finish the assignment.”

While OCD can severely harm the ability to focus or accomplish tasks, Smith said she that she can use her counting compulsion to help her recognize good writing.

“It plays to my advantages, but it also is a disadvantage,” Smith said. “My writing was the best ever my junior year, and I play that to my OCD, because it helped me vary my syntax. [Because] I’m constantly surrounded and counting the words, reading and writing come really natural to me. I’ll just be like, ‘That doesn’t sound right. That doesn’t sound good…It doesn’t flow.’ But, I can read a whole

two pages of words [and] not understand the meaning, but I can recite three lines word-forword.”

With time, Smith said she has learned to subdue the negative effects of OCD when she knows she must forsake time spent allowing compulsions to take over to instead accomplish what will benefit her in the future.

“I’m pretty quick with [the counting] because I’ve trained myself for things like the ACT and AP classes [where] you can’t be slow,” Smith said. “I learned to mask the OCD so I could focus on my schoolwork. My OCD is my subconscious.”

After several years of struggling to overcome OCD with multiple medications (to treat both the OCD and the side effects of the various prescriptions), Davidson said she is beginning to experience a life that is less shadowed by the disorder.

“I’m actually much better now,” Davidson said. “At one time, I was probably on six medications. Five months ago, I was taken off all medication, and it made the biggest difference. I feel like a different person. [My OCD is] still present, but it’s not as bad as it used to be -- not by any measure. It completely eclipsed everything else in my life. To have that taken away, I’m totally different.”

Though Smith said she could take medication or participate in treatment to suppress her OCD, she said she knows that it will never be completely eradicated.

THE CHRONICLE | FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2010

PAGE 17

TURBO CHARGED Energy, excitement and excellence in research and high tech engineering education — UC’s newest college has it all! www.ceas.uc.edu

College of Engineering & Applied Science

PAGE 18 | FEATURE

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2010 | THE CHRONICLE

Science fiction writers make faulty predictions for year 2010 Beena Raghavendran | Staff Writer

photo art by Caleb Schowalter/photo courtesy of MGM

Welcome to the future -- although, according to Mason High School’s science-fiction fans, it probably isn’t what you expected.

2010, five years before the setting of Back to the Future Part II, sees no sign of Michael J. Fox’s self-drying jacket or shoes with automatic laces, no waiters on crackly computer screens serving drinks at restaurants and no flying cars causing traffic jams on the skyway.

Other speculated technologies currently missing from 2010 life, according to junior Kase Corstanje, include the discovery of new life forms, faster-than-light travel and solar system explorations. “[We aren’t] finding life forms out there, [or] exploring hyperspace, [which is] faster than light travel,” Corstanje said. “That was something in almost any science fiction universe that we don’t have. [And] holograms, those aren’t out . . . [Basically,] we haven’t expanded off of earth as other sci-fi series have expected us to [by 2010].”

Twentieth-century writer Arthur C. Clarke depicted our world today in his 1982 novel 2010: Odyssey Two as one co-existing with another society on the moon (humans had already occupied the moon in his novel’s prequel, 2001: A Space Odyssey). Corstanje said Clarke also speculated 2010 to be the year humans meet aliens; Corstanje is, however, skeptical as to whether it will come true in this year.

“The year of contact [is] 2010, according to A Space Odyssey,” Corstanje said. “I don’t think that’ll happen in 2010 or anywhere near [now] . . . But, the year is young.”

Sophomore Alex Mezhvinsky, a member of MHS Film Club, said he finds the glaring differences between 2010 science fiction predictions and reality in the detailed speculations about robots controlling society -- an element missing from our life today. “[2010, in science fiction, is] much more focused on robotics and stuff like that,” Mezhvinsky said. “With the advent of genetics, we’ve become more biotechnological along with the cyber technology that we had, but back then, since [authors] didn’t know [about our eventual scientific shift to genetics and cyberspace], they focused on robots [rather than predicting our current computerized world].”

AP American History teach Steve Prescott said that NASA’s peak in the 1950s and 1960s, spurred early on by Kennedy and later in the century by President Reagan, set a gloomy, fore-

boding tone for futuristic science-fiction.

“With the development of the arms race and nuclear weapons and, more recently, suggestions about ‘Star Wars technology,’ which is SDI (Strategic Defense Initiative) . . . during the Reagan administration, moving warfare to space has brought an even more scary, ominous tone to how long we’ll be left here on Earth,” Prescott said.

The vast number of achievements in the last half of the twentieth century has fueled science-fiction’s rocketing from the 1950s to 2010, according to junior Claire Molitors.

“Once the whole technological movement got rolling, then people started thinking, ‘Well, look at all these advancements we’ve made so quickly,’” Molitors said. “[They thought it would] be like a snowball effect, so it [would] keep rolling and rolling and rolling. But, it’s [recently] kind of hit a plateau of sorts.”

Corstanje said he feels that without the 1950s Space Race in America against the Soviet Union and the competitiveness of the Cold War, space technology and the classic forms of speculative fiction would not have emerged until much later.

“If there was no competition with Russia . . .

Star Trek probably wouldn’t have come into fruition [until later and] Star Wars may have been pushed back, because there wouldn’t have been this fascination with space and the universe like there was then,” Corstanje said.

Because we haven’t reached 2001: A Space Odyssey’s predictions of moon habitation and Back to the Future Part II’s ideas of hoverboards and flying cars, Molitors said she thinks we have fallen short of science fiction authors’ predictions for 2010. “[Science fiction writers] tried, kudos to them, but I don’t think they quite made it,” Molitors said.

Corstanje, on the other hand, said he thinks that we have beaten twentieth-century sciencefiction writers’ predictions in some ways.

“They seemed kind of behind the times, because a lot of stuff they predicted, like robots, [and then the] Internet came out in the 90s,” Corstanje said. “It’s kind of a hit and miss [accuracy] . . . They’ve been accurate with other things and been way off [too].”

Allen said he is hopeful for what the future will bring, even though flying cars and life on other planets may look unattainable to us now.

“Are there scientific impossibilities?” Allen said.

“Probably. But there [have] been a lot of those over the years that suddenly [are] not quite as impossible anymore.”

Science Olympians navigate tough competitions Team members participate in several events to test their science knowledge Jessica Kantor | Staff Writer When Science Olympiad’s place in competitions is announced during third bell, Mason High School students may not realize that just 15 team members have spent several hours a week preparing for their specific events and studying all aspects of their topics to prepare.

Science teacher Aimee Hansen has been the adviser since she started the club seven years ago.

“This is my seventh year of Science Olympiad,” Hansen said. “I started the club here at Mason High School. I taught in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and I was the Science Olympiad adviser there for two years.”

Hansen said she saw an opportunity at Mason when she first began teaching science students.

“I felt there was a need [for Science Olympiad],” Hansen said. “I had all of these really smart students -- but this is not just a club for smart students. It is competitive, looks good on a resume and is a good team-building sport. We didn’t really have anything like it. I had some kids in class, and I would keep looking at them and saying, ‘I know that kid would be perfect for Science Olympiad.’”

Senior Nicki Perry is in her first year on the Science Olympiad team and plans to translate her competition into a career in her future.

She competes in the cell niology section of the competition.

“I have always loved biology,” Perry said.

“It is what I want to major in: microbiology. I took AP Biology last year and absolutely loved

it. I want to study viruses and bacteria or molecular cell biology. The cell biology test is more of rote memorization and checking facts, and it is not extremely out of reach for anyone who has taken AP Biology. It is a little more indepth and takes more narrowing of focus.”

The Science Olympiad team prepares yearround for its competitions, most of which take place from January to April.

“We attend about four or five competitions and each has 23 events,” Hansen said. “It is sort of like a track team for science. We have a team of 15, so 15 students have to be spread out to cover 23 events. It is an all-day event with five sessions, so there is a lot going on at one time.”

At the competitions, students showcase the skills and material they have been developing for the past year.

“The kids always work in pairs, and they get medals for the top six spots in the events, and then as a team we get a medal,” Hansen said.

The Science Olympiad competitions come with specific guidelines and rules for students to follow.

“We get a rule book that comes from the national organization,” Hansen said. “The club is totally student-run. The students are event leaders for each of the events. They hold meetings to help their group prepare.”

Since the team is fairly small, students compete in multiple events at competitions. Perry said she also plans to compete in ornithology this year: the study of birds.

“For ornithology, there is a book that you have to be familiar with,” Perry said. “You can

study collectively as a team, but we do it more individually.”

Perry said she will take the time to study the book and prepare to know a wide variety of facts about the birds.

“They give you a picture [during the competition], and you have to identify the bird and then know what page it is on in the book in order to answer more specific questions,” Perry said. “Sometimes, the birds are not in the book and you need to know the information. They are all North American and there are over 100 of them. For some, you even have to know what their songs are.”

There are several types of events that comprise the 23 total. Students on the team meet at various times to study or build for their specific event.

“For building events, students build Mondays and Fridays after school,” Hansen said. “They work on them all year then bring the final product to the competition. The other students study and look up resources. For some events, they can bring binders, so they prepare those in advance. But every event is different, so there is no one way to prepare.”

Students gather every so often to make sure the team is on the same page.

“Our whole body meets once every two weeks,” Perry said. “Builders meet at least twice a week because they have to physically make what they use in the competition. Studying is more on a single basis.”

Science Olympiad can take as much time as four hours a week, depending on the event in which a student chooses to compete.

photo by Jessica Kantor

Senior Rohit Rao conducts research for chemistry lab, one of his primary events.

“[The commitment] is most intense from January to April,” Hansen said. “The building events are probably about four hours a week of prep time. The study events depend on the student, but could be a couple hours a week for preparation.”

Hansen also puts in a large amount of time to prepare and fundraise for the team.

“I stay after school a lot,” Hansen said. “I have another coach, [science teacher Brian] Thomas, who stays after with the builders.

I work on things whenever I get a chance. It takes a lot of work: I prepare the schedules and do all the fundraising and financing.”

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THE CHRONICLE | FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2010

FEATURE | PAGE 21

Students travel lengths to experience live music Kris Ogungbemi | Staff Writer Experiencing live music is not always convenient, but chasing favorite bands to concert settings is a top priority for some students at Mason High School. The end for these students justifies the sometimes extreme means. Ticketmaster, a popular ticket vendor, reported selling “more than 141 million tickets valued at over $8.3 billion on behalf of its clients.”

Senior Rebecca Herman said she has a weakness for live music. Having seen more than a dozen concerts, Herman said that she enjoys live performances because of the visual aspects that aren’t available in sound recordings.

“I love concerts because it’s fun to see your favorite bands live, and if they put on a good show, it just makes you love them even more,” Herman said. “[My favorite bands] put on a really fabulous show.

It’s very entertaining.”

Herman has gone to great lengths to see these concerts, whether it is driving hundreds of miles or paying dozens of dollars.

“I was driven five hours to Toledo, Ohio and then instead of spending the night, we drove home,” Herman said. “So we got home [at about 2:00 a.m. and] usually [concerts cost] 20 bucks. If we spend the night, it’s [about] $45 total.”

Senior Shane Riley said he has attended over 70 musical concerts and festivals. Riley said he has gone well out of his way to see his favorite bands in concert.

“I went to a music festival in New York City so that was a hassle,” Riley said. “It took about 11 hours, [and] we [had to stay] with my girlfriend’s aunt, so that was kind of a hassle.”

Riley is a musician and said because of this, he can value a musician’s ability to play in a live arena.

“I make music, so I can appreciate someone who does that and does it as well as most of the bands I’ve seen,” Riley said.

“It’s just good to see bands I like in person.”

Senior Ethan Brown has attended over 30 concerts. Brown is a musician as well, and enjoys the feeling that comes with shar-

ing a musical environment with one of his favorite artists.

“I’ve been to between 30 and 40 concerts,” Brown said. “I’m a musician [and going to concerts] makes me feel like a part of the music. There’s something intimate about sharing the

experience with the musicians.”

Brown said his favorite part of concerts is the energy the crowd provides.

“I like the crowd to be into [the concerts],” Brown said. “I can’t stand going to a concert where everyone is just standing there awkwardly watching [the artists] perform. If it’s a rowdy song, I like the crowd to be pushing and shoving. The crowd

should be playing their role in the artwork.”

Brown explained that Radiohead is his favorite band to see in concert because of its commitment to keeping concerts more about the music instead of visual details.

“My favorite artist to see in concert is Radiohead,” Brown said. “They’re one of the few artists that have kept innovation about the music. A lot of times, concerts turn into a show or a trapeze act where it’s not the music -- it’s about the fireworks and the way they’re dressed. Radiohead still gives you goose bumps.”

Because of his love for concerts, Brown said he has gone through considerable hassles to get to a concert he really wanted to see.

“The tickets [for a Dan Deacon concert] were originally for [me and Senior Ian Free], but he lost his football pants so I asked [Senior Tyler Plank] if he wanted to go,” Brown said. “We had a football meeting and the meeting went an hour longer than it was supposed to. We were watching the clock and shaking because we wanted to get out of there so bad.”

Brown said the late football meeting made him arrive in just enough time for one of the best concerts he’s seen.

“That show was nuts,” Brown said. “We didn’t think we were going to make it there for awhile. We didn’t miss one song; as we walked in [Dan Deacon] was walking out on stage.”

Though he puts in a lot of work, Brown said will keep doing so because he is continually amazed by an artist’s ability to innovate.

“No show is the same,” Brown said. “There’s never been a concert where I’ve said, ‘Oh, I’ve already seen that concert.’

Sometimes, [the artists] get predictable in their acts, but the atmosphere is always different,” Brown said. “[I’m] still blown away by what [artists] are able to do with instruments that have been around for years.” photo by Kris Ogungbemi

PAGE 22 | FEATURE Jordan Berger | Staff Writer As distinct days slowly blur into a past, seconds between the present and the end of students’ lives diminish. Witnessing the disposal of time, students prioritize their goals and contemplate how the remainder of their lives will be spent before they “kick the bucket,” according to senior Ashley Sojda.

“When I saw the previews for the show called The Buried Life on MTV, where [people] make a list of things and go do them, it made me think,” Sojda said. “[People] always say life is going so fast, so I decided to make a list of things I wanted to do before I die.”

The necessity for daily accomplishments encourages students to create these lists of ambitions, according to Sojda. “[Lists] help you set goals,” Sojda said.

“They make you realize that every day you need to accomplish something. Every day is one less day you have, and you want to make it worth it.”

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2010 | THE CHRONICLE

What’s on your bucket list?

Students ponder what they would do in their final moments aBe a contestant on Jeopardy aStart a flash mob in the cafeteria Linnea Wilson Senior

aWork at Microsoft aMeet Michael J. Fox Stuart Bowman Sophomore

aSmash a guitar aHave something named after me aBe on a game show Ashley Sojda Senior

aRun a marathon Alyssa Ross Junior

aBe on a TV show aSwim with sharks Ashley Newman Sophomore

aBe a gospel singer at a southern Baptist church Mary Anne Crone Senior aSing karaoke in a public place aSwim with dolphins Danielle Jansen Senior aLive in Africa for a year Malorie Nealis Junior aGet over my fear of heights Chelsea Vanhook Junior aI want to see Romeo and Juliet the play aMake a million dollars Jen Center Freshman aGo skydiving Allison Truckenbrodt Freshman

photo art by Jordan Berger

THE CHRONICLE | FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2010

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