The Chronicle, 8.2

WILLIAM MASON HIGH SCHOOL

The Chronicle VOLUME 8

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2010

Bringing home the hardware... again

ISSUE 2

LEVY 2010 Parents to decide outcome of levy Bobby Gibler | Staff Writer

The votes of Mason parents will be a deciding factor in the passage of the Nov. 2 levy, according to pro-levy organization Mason for Kids co-chairs Courtney Allen and Julie Womack.

Womack said that parents of students are a large target audience of the campaign. Mason City Schools Public Information Officer and Mason for Kids volunteer Tracey Carson said utilizing early voting is an important strategy in winning support for the levy.

“Certainly, part of the campaign’s strategy is making sure parents get out to vote,” Carson said. “We have a relationship with our parents, and we want to make them aware of how important this levy is for their children.”

According to Mason parent Michelle Hudepohl, the campaign’s strategy involves targeting parents because of their inherent support of the district, and

their possible reluctance to cast their ballots. “[Mason for Kids feels] like parents are the people that will be most supportive,” Hudepohl said.

“The campaign found the parents who already have kids in the Mason school system and have sent out information to them.

[Some parents] may be thinking ‘Mason always passes their levies, so we don’t need to vote.’ The reason levies don’t pass is that people [are reluctant] to vote. I would hope the Mason parents would be a big influence.”

Mason School Board Treasurer Richard Gardner said a large component of the campaign’s strategy was to ensure Mason parents were aware of importance of the levy and the necessity to vote.

“The age group [of the parents] does not have the propensity to vote,” Gardner said. “[Parts] of our efforts [are] to remind them of the need to

Mason for Kids cochair Courtney Allen

vote. We understand [they] are very busy, and sometimes Election Day just kind of flips up on them.

We know that particular age group is very positive in terms of educational issues, so [we emphasize early voting with] a big push.”

Because parents are a large target audience, Mason for Kids is using innovative strategies aimed at gaining votes, according to Womack. Mason for Kids has implemented a neighborhood engagement program which is aimed at educating engagement program which is aimed at educating parents and the community about issues see LEVY page 2

School board appoints Culbertson to fill open seat 16 years of experience of serving on the board, especially during the times of Mason resident large district growth.

Marianne Culbertson “We need someone who understands was appointed to what went into [the 10-Year Plan] and Mason City Schools’ can really support that,” Delp said.

Board of Education “[Culbertson has] been off the board on October 18 to for maybe 10 months and she is still is fill the seat formerly involved very heavily with the schools. occupied by Beth Her heart’s in the job and that’s someBoard of Education DeGroft before her thing that doesn’t necessarily show up member Marianne resignation on SepCulbertson on her resume.” tember 27.

Experience of serving on the school Sixteen residents board was not a prerequisite for appointapplied for the open seat. ment, Delp said, although the other 15 President of Mason City Schools’ Board applicants possessed no former experiof Education Debbie Delp said that Culb- ence. ertson was appointed due to her previous “We’ve got a lot of other people who Carlie Sack | Editor in Chief

Girls’ varsity golf team wins third state championship

Page 9

see SCHOOL BOARD page 3

SCHOOL NEWS 10-Year Plan sets high hopes for MHS The 10-Year Plan, a district agenda set

by Mason City Schools, expects MHS to increase academic performance and costeffectiveness substantially in the next ten years.

The district’s goals include higher standardized test scores, more participation in extracurricular activities and advances in technology by allowing students to bring laptops to class.

Page 5

HEARD IT IN THE HALLS MHS theater to sell tickets online For the first time, tickets for the fall play will be available online at www.

ShowTix4U.com. The Mason High School Theater Department will present “Little Shop of Horrors” on November 4, 5 and 6. Tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for students, seniors and children. Although tickets will be available one hour before showtime and during lunch the week of the show, tickets will also be available for purchase online with a handling fee of $.45. According to director Allen Young, selling tickets online will make it easier for audience members to purchase tickets whenever it is convenient for them. He said he hopes that the presale of these tickets will assure that all family members and friends get a seat at the show.

Last football game tonight Tonight the varsity football team will compete in their final game against Sycamore High School at 7:30 p.m. A win will give the Comets their first winning season since 2005. The Comets will enter the game with a 5-4 record and a victory will not only give them a winning season, but could land them solidly in second place in the GMC. The game will be played at Sycamore Junior High School. The Comets were victorious last season bringing home the “Battle of the Sky” trophy.

C | PAGE 2

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2010

Dual credit with UC available Ian Howard | Staff Writer

The students taking Honors Anatomy and Physiology or Calculus this year are among the first Mason students to be eligible for six and five credit hours respectively through a dual credit program at the University of Cincinnati Clermont College.

The credits will be accepted as calculus or anatomy classes in all Ohio public colleges, according to UC Clermont Academic Director Kathleen Thornton.

“The purpose of the dual credit program is to give students an opportunity to earn college credit for courses they are taking in high school that are equivalent to college courses,” Thornton said.

“They can gain college credit in addition to high school credit for the same course.”

The credits earned in the program are less expensive than credits earned at a university, according to senior Megan Wagner, a Calculus dual credit enrollee.

“It’s like $136 per credit hour at UC and here it’s only $75 [per credit hour],” Wagner said.

With these advantages, enrollment in the dual credit program has soared to around 130 students so far, according to Honors Anatomy and Physiology teacher Maggie Long.

“Most of those who are enrolled are going into physical therapy [or] nursing,” Long said. “We compared the honors [anatomy] course here at Mason [to] an intro nursing class at UC Clermont.”

Calculus teacher Nicole Harting said that her students are more hesitant about participating in the program than Honors Anatomy and Physiology students.

“There are some concerns about the transcript,” Harting said. “Do [students] want a C on there [from dual credit] or do [they] want [to] earn an A next year re-taking [the course] at the college level?”

Shelton said these opportunities

Facebook a tool to cope with grief Beena Raghavendran | Associate Editor

C | NOTES • Dual credit to UC offered for Honors Anatomy and Physiology and Calculus students • $136 per credit hour at UC; $75 per credit hour at MHS • 130 students currently enrolled in dual credit program for dual credit may be expanded next year beyond Computer Aided Drafting (CAD), Honors Anatomy and Physiology and Calculus.

“We’re working on [Microsoft Office User Specialist Education] through the [UC] business program,” Shelton said. “We’re also working on Honors Accounting through Cincinnati State.”

Senior Heidi Palmer said that dual credit enrollment was a natural step on her way to college. “[I enrolled in the program] because I want to do nursing in college [and] I will have to take anatomy classes anyway,” Palmer said.

According to Palmer, her plans to attend UC next year made the decision to participate in the dual credit program easier. However, it is not impossible for a student attending an out-of-state college to earn credit in the program, according to Wagner.

“I plan on going to North Carolina University,” Wagner said.

“They said that if [the calculus credit] doesn’t transfer as a core credit then it will transfer as an elective credit.”

Shelton said that the purpose of the dual credit programs is not necessarily to maximize enrollment.

“It’s not about whether ten kids do it or five kids do it,” Shelton said. “It’s an opportunity.”

Mason High School students are now utilizing Facebook as a tool for coping with grief -- most recently, for the loss of a MHS student.

Assistant principal George Coates said that Facebook’s conversational style allows students to cope and understand loss with one another.

“In a big way, [Facebook] is used primarily for…interaction,” Coates said. “Through the interaction, [students] begin to understand, cope and deal with situations, whether it’s grief or anything they’re going through [in] life.”

Students still experience the stages of denial, anger, sadness, confusion, guilt and fear, but now employ Facebook as an outlet for this expression and an understanding of different ideas, according to school psychologist Jeff Schlaeger. Sophomore Connor Bauer said that he finds this forum of expression on Facebook to help him relate his emotions to those of others.

“A lot of times, I see other people posting statuses or writing on a specific person’s wall, and then I see that other people are feeling what I’m feeling,” Bauer said. “That can help me because I can kind of relate to them, and then maybe talk to them one-on-one, and that can make me feel better.”

MHS administration has seen Facebook’s power to function as an outlet, Coates said, but nevertheless, some students’ feelings get lost in the large forum at times. He said the MHS Facebook page, “Never Again!”, was launched to make students proactive

photo by Beena Raghavendran

MHS’ “Never Again!” Facebook page includes links for coping and other methods to deal with grief and pain, along with a SafeSchools LifeLine.

about what they see in their school setting and to cope with their own problems. “[With this page, students] can, in a way, let someone know [about their problem], and maybe they can feel better that at least someone is going to address it, as opposed to just letting it go and seeing what happens,” Coates said.

Schlaeger said that while Facebook is a helpful sharing of thoughts, students may be aligning themselves with a cause without actually feeling the pain themselves, he said.

“In a way, Facebook could be somewhat superficial, in that [students are] attaching [themselves] to this group of people around this cause or this grief or this event, but maybe they’re not really for-

mally processing it within themselves, and not formally going through their own grief process,” Schlaeger said. “[They’re] letting this page or status…do it for them.”

Freshman Casey Lawson said she feels that Facebook activities can’t always compete with the ultimate sign of support: a direct conversation.

“I just think that face-toface conversations mean a lot more than something that you just type on Facebook,” Lawson said. “If you really want to have someone’s full support, ...I think that should be a face-to-face contact.”

Bauer, however, said he feels that Facebook’s positives in coping with grief outweigh its negatives, because of the united feeling of support.

“You can see that other people are feeling [pain,] too, and that does help a lot,” Bauer said. “You don’t have to fight an emotional battle by yourself.”

LEVY: Parents deciding factor in November 2 levy continued from page 1 surrounding the levy.

According to Womack, the neighborhood engagement program actively involves the community -- a departure from a traditional levy strategy of passing out information. “[The neighborhood engagement program] developed a way [to change the standard of having] literature dropped off at [people’s] doorstep, which is what happens in most campaigns,” Womack said.

“We recruited [neighborhood captains] throughout almost every neighborhood in Mason, and we asked them to take campaign information to their neighbor’s homes. [The captains would] try to answer any questions they could.”

In addition to the neighborhood engagement program, Mason for Kids developed methods of keeping the public informed of levyrelated issues, including informa-

tional sessions, “Koffee with Kevin Bright”, and levy sign-up days. According to Womack, Koffee with Kevin Bright targets voters unable to get information during the day due to work or their children’s after school activities.

Mason for Kids also sponsored the “Monday Morning Motor Vote”, a carpool promoting early voting. According to Womack, the carpool was designed to inform the community of early voting procedures. “[We wanted to make people aware of] voting early,” Womack said. “You can go to the polls [in Lebanon], you can vote by absentee ballot or you can vote in person. About ten [levy supporters] got together, and drove up to vote in person at the Board of Elections.”

Mason for Kids features a personalized website with links to a pro-levy Facebook page, Twitter

site and YouTube page. According to Allen, online media has kept the community informed of issues surrounding the campaign.

“We have more than 500 members who have ‘liked’ the [Facebook] page,” Allen said. “I think that social media [mostly] keeps them informed. We have let people volunteer through Facebook, so it’s been helpful.”

Mason parent Mary Beth Koenig said parents have been extremely positive throughout the campaign and have helped raise awareness of its importance.

According to Koenig, the positivity emanating from the campaign resulted largely from the parents’ hard work.

“There are [many] parents getting the word out that it’s so important to support Mason,” Koenig said. “The energy level is extremely positive. We’re parents [and] we’re

photo by Bobby Gibler

Mason for Kids co-chair Julie Womack campaigns to gain voters’ support of the levy at Levy Sign Up Day on October 8.

proud of our school district.”

The organization’s use of social media has positively transformed the levy campaign, according to Carson.

“Facebook [has] allowed the campaign to connect in a more personal way that has never been

done [in previous levy campaigns],” Carson said. “The energy level of our parents is something [unique to this campaign].”

Gardner said the informational value that is being employed through Facebook has been a valuable tool in keeping the community up-to-date with the issues that the levy is addressing.

Carson said Facebook has encouraged and prolonged participation in the levy campaign.

“The one-on-one testimonial interactions are what are really different and really important,” Carson said. “Sometimes it’s easy to get complacent about our vote and what the levy really means. And as a district it’s important [for pro-levy voters] to keep in mind that we’re successful because we’re so supported.”

PAGE 3 | C

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2010

Club of atheist students to explore variety of religions Miranda Carney | Staff Writer

The Free Inquiry Group (FIG), a club of atheist students, will be attending religious services in an attempt to expand their knowledge of other religions. While the students have previously used this club solely as a place to talk about atheism, this year they are taking on a new interest in other religions and cultures.

According to senior Cassy Hoadley, the club president, this attempt to learn about religion is not just to fight ignorance, but also to see if there is any religion that club members may believe in.

“I think our interest [in learning about religion] is more of a cultural thing,” Hoadley said. “Especially living in Mason, we sort of have this idea that we’re supposed to be religious. We’re interested in understanding what drives people to a religious community or a religious society.”

Hoadley said this year the club is planning on going to a mosque to attend Friday congregation sermons, a synagogue for community prayer services and to services from many different denominations of Christianity.

Last year, when FIG was created, Hoadley said the club took a trip to the Creationism Museum, which has many exhibits about the theory of creation both according to evolution and the Bible.

“We want to go to these services so that way we don’t preach ignorance [and] we [can] say, ‘We have considered all of these religions and we still consider ourselves atheist,’” Hoadley said.

According to Hoadley, most people seem to have the impression that FIG is a group of non-moralistic students. Hoadley said she wants people to know the club doesn’t just criticize religion.

Although Hoadley said she is pretty sure of her beliefs, she said that the experience she gains by being open to other religions may impact her to new ways of living.

“I’m pretty certain in what I believe, but I’m definitely open to the possibility of from learning from different cultural experiences,” Hoadley said. “I might take on new beliefs because that’s what religion does in general: it adapts to the society and to the culture.”

Senior David Mamedov, another FIG member, said that religion has become a separator between the human race and he wants to figure out how people can be

photo by Miranda Carney

Senior Cassy Hoadley, president of Free Inquiry Group, discusses an article regarding religious stereotypes with other club members, seniors Max Tucker, David Mamedov and Jesse Cherubini.

both religiously different and similar.

“For me, I want to figure out how [religions] are related, just kind of learn about things and see how people who are in two totally different religions can actually really be similar,” Mamedov said.

According to Mamedov, the club is a safe place where he feels free to talk about his beliefs. Mamedov said Ma-

“We want to go to these services so that way we don’t preach ignorance,” Hoadley said.

son is a religious community, so it is comforting to have somewhere where he can talk about what he believes in without others’ judgments. Mamedov said he was never raised religiously, which caused his desire to learn about religion.

Senior Charlotte Eads said this experience will help the members learn about the mentality of religious people.

“I want to visit [religious services] to have a deeper understanding of the atmosphere of believers [to find out] what motivates them to believe.” Eads said. “I’m pretty confident in what I believe, but I’m always open to new evidence.”

While most consistent members of FIG are atheist, junior Chloe Crawford said she has been attending the

club meetings out of curiosity as a student of an undecided religion.

“I think [attending] the meeting made [me] think a lot,” Crawford said. “I am not an atheist and I went in not knowing what to expect, but I feel like coming out I knew a little bit more about that religious choice and it made me think more about what I am and what spirituality I’m going to be.”

Raised as a Christian, Crawford said the club provides an intellectual platform in which she can learn more about different types of religion as someone who is unsure of what she believes in.

Being able to openly learn about religions has made Crawford consider parts of other religions and cultures that seem to make sense in her eyes.

“I have a lot to learn from [religion],” Crawford said. “I think that to be spiritually well and balanced, you need to have an internal sense of self. I don’t know what I believe, but you need to find that balance and that’s what’s going to make you happy.”

Although there will be much more religious learning in the club this year, Hoadley said she is still confident in who she is.

“I want to say that I have considered everything and this is still what I believe, even now,” Hoadley said. “[The club is] about self-discovery and being in a safe environment to be free to do that. It’s just to provide a safe place for people to talk about things and talk about finding out who they are and where they stand in life, so they can go on to be happier.”

College majors the focus of MHS courses Jami Bechard | Staff Writer

With the 10-Year Plan, Mason High School academics are increasingly gearing students to decided college majors, guidance counselor Linda Kummer said.

However, for MHS students who are still undecided, the search for the destined major is a struggle, according to junior Courtney Brackman.

The undecided students are those without a clear idea of their area of study they wish to pursue beyond high school; Brackman can be classified as an undecided. When she is asked “What do you want to do?” she said that her answer is always the same: “I have no idea.”

Even though she is still a junior, Brackman said that she already sees herself at a disadvantage. While she said she has been trying to explore all of the options by taking “bits and pieces” of courses in different interest areas, she said she hasn’t found something that struck her.

She said she has not been able to benefit from the advanced classes at Mason that prepare students for specific college majors.

“I’m keeping my options open, ...but I feel like I’m at a disadvantage, at the same time,” Brackman said. “Some people...[know they] want to be a teacher, and their whole life, they’ve been working for that, so they’re already ahead.”

Guidance counselor Linda Kummer said that she encourages her students

to take a variety of courses in order to search for different career options and to get ideas about different areas of studies. While switching fields is possible, students are pressured to find their major so early in order to follow a specific academic “path,” laid out in Mason’s course description book, Kummer said.

“Being undecided is not uncommon,” Kummer said. “[But], you kind of have to know [your major] early so that you can take advantage of everything we have at Mason.”

Junior Colleen Kennedy is a decided to-be chemistry major, so she is taking many of the advanced core courses at Mason. She said she agrees with Kummer in that a student is expected to have a clear idea of his or her future plans in order to succeed in Mason’s advanced curricula.

“When something doesn’t jump out at you [from the many MHS classes], you feel behind compared to everybody else,” Kennedy said.

According to Kummer, MHS is a very college-focused school -- an average of 80% of students that graduate from Mason go on to a four-year college. But, a large portion of those students are undecided as they enter college, according to Kummer.

“Mason’s number one [goal is to] have a high percentage of kids who are going to college,” Kummer said. “But, do

[those students] know what they’re going to do? Not so much.”

Kummer said that students tend to stress when colleges are pressuring them to declare a college major as soon as possible. But for the decided students, who already know their college majors, there is much less stress because they have everything figured out in advance, according to junior Kristen Rudy.

“I think [knowing my major early on is] kind of a good thing,” Rudy said. “I’m not going to be struggling, scrambling trying to figure out what I’m going to do. I know. I can relax.”

Rudy said that she knows she wants to pursue early childhood education and child psychology in order to become a first grade teacher. Since she is completely set her decision, Rudy said that she is defined as the girl who wants to be a teacher.

“I think [my major choice] is coming so much from who I am that I’m already being defined [by my major],” Rudy said. “I already know exactly who I am, what I’m going to do. I understand that [my major] is going to define me but, I feel like it should anyways. It already does.”

SCHOOL BOARD: Resigned seat filled continued from page 1 could be really good board members,” Delp said. “[The board’s] comfort level was that they really need to sell themselves to the community and build a base of support with the people; that’s the best thing they can have backing them as they start a new position as a board member.”

Culbertson said her experience, including serving as Board President from 2000-2002, may have given her an advantage in the appointment process.

“I knew no one else had 16 years of experience,” Culbertson said. “[The board] said that I was kind of used as a standard for examining the criteria of others.”

While Culbertson said she had “come to terms with not being on the board” during the 10 months that she was not a school board member, she missed serving.

“You always still have ideas of how you might have done things,” Culbertson Culbertson said she will be able to use her previous experience to the district’s advantage while serving for the next 14 months.

“It’s kind of funny; I’ll be the newest, but the oldest board member, with 16 years [of experience],” Culbertson said. “I understand where we were and, hopefully, I can be a part of decisions that allow us to become more cost-effective, but not hurt the quality of education.”

C | PAGE 4

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2010

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2010 PAGE 5 | C

10-Year Plan to drastically change MHS academia District administrators set lofty goals for MHS over the next 10 years photo by Janie Simonton

Will Martin, a second-grader in Greg Hill’s class at Mason Heights Elementary, will be feeling the effects of the 10-year plan when he reaches his senior year.

Janie Simonton | Staff Writer

The 10-Year Plan is exactly what it proclaims to be: a plan of action Mason City Schools will attempt to follow in order to progress over the next 10 years.

In the words of Superintendent Kevin Bright, the plan is “a vision for student achievement, spending, technology and communication.”

According to a letter written to Mason residents by Bright, district treasurer Richard Gardner and Board of Education President Debbie Delp, “over the next 10 years, [Mason City Schools] will continue to provide [its] students with an education that encompasses a

challenging curriculum, multiple extracurricular activities, related support services and up-to-date facilities and technology, while limiting [its] expenditures.”

In the same letter, the aforementioned sources said that they “pledge[d] to work with [residents] to ensure that [the] schools strengthen [the] community and that [the] students are ready for success in college, in their careers and beyond.”

According to Bright, the plan seeks excellence.

“The expected effect [of the plan] will be that future levy requests will be manageable, and student achievement will remain excellent

Ten ways the 10-Year Plan will affect high school students

and even be augmented,” Bright said.

Bright said he acknowledges, however, that things may change, and the plan will be flexible. “[The district] will follow [the plan] completely, but as events change things, [the district] will modify the plan accordingly,” Bright said.

This plan will be carried out with, according to the 2009-2010 Annual Report, “a one percent decrease in state aid” in the Fiscal Year 2010, with an expected two percent decrease in Fiscal Year 2011, and it is expected “that Mason will not see any increases and may well face decreases in state revenue over the

next 10 years.”

In the assisting graphic are statistics comparing a current average MHS student to a projected average MHS student 10 years from now. Statistics have been provided

by Assistant Superintendent Amy Spicher, MHS guidance counselors Lindsay Kearns and Marty Zack, MHS assistant principal Antonio Shelton, MHS 2010-2011 Student Activities Booklet, MHS Student Activities Director Lorri Fox-Allen and Mason City Schools’ Public Information Officer Tracey Carson, and by performing calculations on current statistics based on goals outlined in the 2009-2010 Annual Report.

MHS

MHS in

NOW

TEN YEARS

Average ACT score

25.0

26.7

Number of students with formal education in another language before high school

400

8,000

Average number of pre-high school credits earned

.5

.75

Percentage of students who enroll in a two or four-year school after graduation

87 percent

93 percent

Percentage of non-freshman students earning college credit in high school

23 percent

80 percent

Percentage of students taking advantage of credit flex

.2 percent

30 percent

Ability to bring laptops/personal learning devices to class

No

Yes

Percentage of students participating in extracurricular activities

74.35 percent

100 percent

Number of students in building

3169

3539

Number of National Merit finalists, semi-finalists and commended scholars

32

48

C | PAGE 6

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

The Chronicle promises to report the truth and adhere to the journalistic code of ethics through online and print mediums.

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.

33106 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 Carlie Sack Associate Editor Beena Raghavendran Editor Intern Julia Halpin Online Editor Janie Simonton Business/Circulation Manager Cady Meece Technical/Graphic Manager Jami Bechard Editorial Cartoonist Ajay Agrawal Staff Writers Rebekah Barnes Katelyn Cain Miranda Carney Thom Carter Bobby Gibler Rachel Giesel Ian Howard Janica Kaneshiro Megan McCormack James Nosek Joseph Spencer Samantha Weaver Adviser Dale Conner

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2010

Editorial Cartoon

Sixteen attempt to get a foot in the door of the school board

Staff Editorial

Letters to the Editor

10-Year Plan sets its goals too high regarding AP classes

Tri-County’s Youth Escort Policy a bad business move

Cafeteria changes are for the better

I cannot believe a mall would ever put in an age limit to be able to walk around alone. ...I do not see why a mall would hurt their business like this. Most of the customers they get will be kids walking around with their friends, and with this rule in place, the kids aren’t allowed to be in the mall. In my opinion, all this is doing is [decreasing profits of] the shops inside the mall and is actually hurting them. ...All I see this doing is turning people away [to go] to [the] Kenwood mall instead of Tri-County Mall.

-Adam Prater, freshman

I agree with some of the changes in the cafeteria because [the lunch staff is] trying to help us [have] better choices to eat. ...The biggest problem for many students is the cookies. ...I’m not sure why this is such a big deal because it’s still a cookie; the size is just different. If you want more cookie than the regular size, you can buy another one. Another thing that the cafeteria has done is [it has] reduced the portion of the meals... [which isn’t] changing the food at all, just how much you eat. ...The lunch staff is just trying to get us to eat a healthier lunch.

-Lauren Jeffers, freshman

The 10-Year Plan states that “80 percent of MHS students will take AP or college-equivalent courses.”

This is a great goal, but slightly unrealistic. Are high school students supposed to get smarter? Or are AP classes supposed to get easier? As students will not likely receive a sudden spike in intelligence in the next 10 years, it must be the latter.

If this is true, then there may be little point in actually taking an AP class. AP classes are offered to provide an option for only those students who are looking for a challenge. But if 80 percent of students take AP classes, then that challenge is simply the new average.

This may sound like a good thing: consistently raising the bar. But, again, it is impractical that, in 10 years, that AP classes will become the core classes of MHS curriculum.

Although students should be encouraged to, and have the opportunity to, challenge themselves academically, this new standard will cause AP classes to be devalued.

AP classes must be made easier in order to convince more students to enroll. If AP classes will be easier so that more students will enroll in them, the college-like rigor of the courses may be decreased.

So AP classes won’t even give students a taste of college like they are designed to do? Correct.

MHS has already seen this plan begin to set in motion—the introduction of AP Psychology has attracted roughly 215 students this year. Our curriculum is increasingly being geared towards higher enrollment in AP classes.

This goal is understandable, though. The district wants to give its students more opportunities, while highlighting district accomplishments.

But in this attempt to make MHS students look smarter and stand out in the college application process, students will actually be at a disadvantage when they get to college to find out that the AP classes they took didn’t even prepare them.

Band deserves more credit “From Pigskins to Plooms” was an inspiring article to read. ...I am personally not a part of the marching band, but I have seen just how much hard work and dedication they put in each and every day. I give those kids a ton of credit for what they do. ...I have gained a lot of respect for those kids who choose the harder path in pursuit to do what they love.

-Lynn Kelly, freshman

Strength program enriched by female trainer Thank you for calling attention to the female strength trainer. This being the first time in Mason High School history is a big deal. ...The way the male trainer and female trainer run things and their techniques for training might be different, but they both have interests in better advancing the student athletes.

-Rachel Haynes, freshman

Too much focus on carrot vending machine To be quite honest, I don’t understand why you wrote the article about the baby carrot vending machines. Why put more spotlight on the carrot vending machines when they already have too [much]? First of all, they seem like a big waste of money for the school and the students. ...In my opinion, the school should have a variety of healthy foods, especially since lots of kids (including me) don’t like carrots. ...In addition, if the school really wanted to enourage kids to eat healthier, they should really get rid of...other unhealthy junk foods. ...I don’t feel the need for vending machines that sell carrots at our school.

-Sammy Besse, freshman

Email feedback.chronicle@gmail. com to have your voice heard.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2010 PAGE 7 | C

C OPINION Column

MTV at MHS: if we really knew each other

Julia Halpin | Staff Writer

If any of you are avid MTV watchers, you might have seen the show “If You Really Knew Me.” Traveling to different schools around the country, the show delves into the lives of specific high school students in order to reveal who they “really are.” Surprisingly so, people admit to rather personal details on this show. From drama at home to struggles with friends or health, they’re fighting past the standard rumors and gossip to get to the raw characteristics of each person within the hallways of any ordinary high school building.

Proving that no one “really knows” each other.

Watching these teenagers, who are somewhat similar to me, I imagined that exact camera crew strutting through our very own Mason High School. What would we own up to, confess, reveal about our own lives? Or even worse, are we satisfied with knowing nothing more than the surface facts about the majority of our peers?

The second football game of the season rolled around and, just like any other ordinary Friday night, I was there with my regular group of friends. One of my fellow junior class companions walks up greeting the group, giving the regular round of hugs to the surrounding girls and partaking in that weird handshake every boy seems to know. Rather than giving me a simple, “Hey Julia,” the boy bluntly looks at me and says.

“Yeah, I don’t know you.”

Too bad I sit next to you in Spanish, buddy.

Walk in, sit down, glance to your right. I’m right

there. How he didn’t even know my name, I was curious to know. Yes, it is first bell, so most of the time I’m a little sleepy. And yes, it is Spanish (not exactly my hitch), so I may be somewhat quieter as well, but really? Not even a name?

Rather than being aggravated, I chuckled, for the fact that the person I sit directly next to in Spanish didn’t even recognize me is a little humorous. Really kid, my name is the same in English as it is in Spanish, so you don’t have that excuse going for you. Even better, I sit by the clock, so it’s not like you haven’t glanced my way once or twice.

Humor aside, knowing a name of a person you see every day is right below common courtesy.

And even more so, knowing that I go by “Julia” is like knowing the name of a food you’ve never tried; it’s easy. Those kids on that MTV show may know one another’s names, but nothing beyond that. No personality traits, college dreams, hardships -- just a face that may or may not be recognizable. The thousands of faces we see every day in our school -- each one is more than just a name.

There are nearly 4,000 students at MHS and it is impossible to know every single one of them.

Maybe it’s a naïve of me to think that I would be recognized by a classmate, but seriously, MTV shouldn’t have to come to our school and pull an intervention in order for people to get to know each other.

Not all of us are going to be friends; I get that.

Even if we don’t hang out on weekends and tell one another every detail of our personal lives, acknowledging people outside your regular group of friends is, well, nice. Venture out of your personal bubble; it might make someone else smile.

In each issue, you will find two columns in print and two columns on our online companion, The Chronline.

Keep up with your favorite columnist on The Chronline at www.masoncomets.org/features/chronicle/

C

W h at Y o u T h i n k “I think it can sometimes because you can’t spend time with all your friends and you can miss out on activities that you do with everyone else when

Column

Free speech can’t justify all

Janica Kaneshiro | Staff Writer

Put simply, the First Amendment is an important one. It’s what makes us Americans. Okay, so we’ve been hearing this since the second grade, right? But it wasn’t until recently I had even considered that there might be a truly ugly part of this freedom. I don’t think it’s so much the amendment I’ve suddenly found a beef with, but more so the fact that people use free speech as an excuse for their absent morality.

My ‘ah-ha’ moment came while watching a segment from CNN with Katie Couric. People from The Westboro Baptist Church were picketing across the street of a Marine’s funeral. Their message: God hates gays -- that’s why soldiers are dying. I sat and listened to the dead Marine’s father talk about how they ruined his son’s funeral, and I grew more upset by the second.

Let’s back track. Matthew Snyder, the dead marine, wasn’t even gay.

Others being interviewed said that any moralistic Christian would join this protest.

Wrong. In fact, that doesn’t even make sense.

The word here that bothers me is moralistic. What moralistic person in their right mind would protest outside of somebody’s funeral? No matter what your beliefs are, there is a line that needs to be drawn. If you overstep that line, under the first amendment or not, you’re wrong.

As a journalist, I have the

Does being in a relationship hinder your high school experience?

“It more or less enhances [your experience]; it makes it more fun.

You always have someone to hang out

“If it’s a person you like enough, it’s definitely a worth it. If you have fun with them then it’s fine, in because you either have In fun with them or other

with.”

friends.”

Junior Jonathon Miller

Senior Matthew Bertrams

you’re spending time with your boyfriend or girlfriend.”

Sophomore Madeline Heckman

utmost respect for the first amendment.

I know journalism wouldn’t exist without my right to freely inform the public, but on the other hand, I’m also a human being. If you believe God hates gays, fine, I respect your belief. I certainly don’t agree with it, but I respect it.

What I don’t respect is that these people took their beliefs to something that should be off limits and untouchable: everybody is entitled to grieve. Whether his son was gay or not, Snyder’s father had the right to grieve over his death, and this protest shouldn’t have taken away that final moment he had to say goodbye. This is where the idea of having morals comes in.

It’s not okay to make a spectacle out of something so painful like a family death, especially a countryserving marine. He went to war and died for these people.

Yes, we have this First Amendment thing because we’re Americans. We have the right to say whatever we want. Isn’t that what Snyder was fighting to protect?

Freedom?

This protest isn’t really a governmental issue or even an issue of Christianity. It’s an issue of morality. If you believe in a cause, fight for it. Hold rallies, march in front of the capital: fine. But low blows in any situation are uncalled for.

“It depends on the kind of relationship you have because if it’s awful and you break up in high school then it can really give you bad memories, but if it’s a good relationship than it actually enhances it.”

“When you’re in a serious relationship you miss out on a lot of things you wouldn’t have missed out [on] being single like hanging out with your friends on the weekends and dating other people.”

Junior Heather Zimmerman

Junior Chloe Crawford

“Relationships are about sacrifices.

You have to make sacrifice to be a relationship. a way, it could keep you from your friends.”

Junior Jimena Esparza

C | PAGE 8

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2010

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2010

SPORTS C

Representin’ the

PAGE 9 | C

Senior Lauren Ketron of the girls’ varsity volleyball team led the GMC with 65 aces in 71 games played for the regular season. Ketron is the first girls player from Mason to lead the GMC in aces.

dy-nas-ty [dahy-nuh-stee; Brit. also din-uh-stee] –noun, plural -ties.

1. a sequence of rulers from the same family, stock, or group: the Ming dynasty.

2. the rule of such a sequence.

Girls’ varsity golf team continues reign as state golf champions

TEAM

TRACKER

GIRLS’ VARSITY SOCCER As of October 25, the varsity girls’ soccer team has advanced in the sectional tournament with wins over Northwest and Walnut Hills. The team won its third consecutive GMC title and has a 15-2-1 record. According to junior Ivy Beddow, the team hopes to go far in sectionals.

“We met one [of] our major goals, which was to win the GMC and I’m happy with the results so far,” Beddow said. “I hope we still have a lot of season left to play.”

Beddow said that the team has grown a lot this year and that the wins have helped them to accomplish their goals. “We had really good leadership this year, and the underclassmen and juniors gained a lot of experience, [which] helped us have a great season.”

GIRLS’ VARSITY CROSS COUNTY

photos contributed

Left: The winning card, with a score of 611. Right: Led by the “big three” senior golfers (from left to right), Emily Wright, Erin Michel and Jessica Zhang and head coach Fred Reeder, the girls’ varsity golf team took home a state title for the third year in a row.

individual medalist, shooting a 142 twoday score.

The three-peat is complete. The Michel followed Wright with a two-day varsity girls’ golf team won the Ohio score of 153, while senior Jessica Zhang High School Athletic Association state finished with a two-day score of 162. tournament for the third straight year on According to Wright, junior Jamie ElliOctober 23 and 24. son and sophomore Tara Liebert stepped Mason became the first girls’ golf team up for the Comets, even though it was to ever win three state championships their first time competing at the state consecutively. tournament.

Senior Emily Wright, one of the top The last four years have been a sucplayers for the team, said that winning cessful time for the girls’ golf program, state for the third straight year on a difaccording to head coach Fred Reeder. ficult course is unbelievable.

“In the last four years, [we have won] “It’s a great accomplishment,” Wright three straight championships and said. “We are so proud of ourselves and [placed as] a state runner-up,” Reeder what we’ve done.” said.

The team shot a state tournament Mason placed second in 2007, losing record of 611. This broke the previous to Walsh Jesuit High School. In 2008, record by 19 strokes, which was tied Mason won their first state title, defeatbetween Mason in 2008 and Dublin ing runner-ups Walsh Jesuit and Bishop Coffman High School in 2000.

Watterson High School by 26 strokes.

Breaking the Ohio State University Then in 2009, Mason won the state Gray Course scoring record is an amaztournament over Lakota West High ing feeling, though it was not the team’s School by nine strokes. ultimate goal, according to senior Erin The only loss of the year for the ComMichel, another top player for the team. ets was at the Division I District tourna“Just breaking a record is awesome,” ment on October 13.

Michel said. “We always try and shatter “I look at [the loss] as [Ursuline Acadour own records and it was nice to break emy] just out-performed us,” Reeder somebody else’s for once.” said. “We necessarily didn’t shoot as well The third straight state championship as we could have.” was the most exciting to win compared According to both Wright and Michel, to the previous two, according to Wright. placing second at the Division I District “[State championships] build on each Tournament had no effect on the team other,” Wright said. “This one has just going into state. been the best because winning [three The team was confident in its ability to straight state championships] has never make it to state, since the top four teams been done before.” from districts make it to the state tournaThe Gray course is an extremely tough ment, according to Michel. course, according to Wright, but Michel “The main thing in districts is to just said it is because the course is the host make it [to state],” Michel said. “We, as for the state tournament. a team, were not worried about what we “Being the state championship [course] placed as long as we made it [to state].” is what makes it hard for people,” Michel Behind a score of 74 in one round from said.

Wright and a score of 75 in one round Wright finished the tournament as the from Michel, the team shot a total of 315 James Nosek | Staff Writer

at districts, losing by six strokes to firstplace finisher Ursuline Academy.

Michel said that the loss at districts helped motivate the team.

“I definitely think it was a motivational [tool]; our team has never given up,” Michel said. “[The loss] definitely [pushed] everybody [to win state].”

Reeder described the 2010 regular season as an ultimate success.

“We are undefeated [in the regular season]; we’ve won all our matches in all the tournaments across the state,” Reeder said.

In the regular season, the Comets finished with a 10-0 record. The team also won six invitational tournaments throughout the year.

In the GMC, Mason finished with a perfect record of 8-0. Led by the “big three,” Wright, Michel and Zhang, the team won the GMC Championship for the third time in four years. The Comets shot a 592 total two-day score: the lowest score in GMC history.

Wright, Michel and Zhang all finished in the top three for GMC statistics. They also were all placed on the first team AllGMC, a team of the top five players from the conference in the regular season.

“There is no question [Wright, Michel and Zhang] are the most talented [I’ve ever coached],” Reeder said. “[They] certainly [are] the most accomplished golfers in Ohio golf history.”

The team is definitely a dynasty and has left behind success that can be carried out for years to come, according to Wright.

“We set a tradition that no other team can touch,” Wright said. “[Mason’s] teams in the future] are going to try and continue that [tradition] every year.”

The girls’ varsity cross country team placed as district champions in the Southwest Ohio District Championship on October 23. The team was also first in the GMC this season, wrapping up their regular season with a blowout victory. Now, the girls look ahead to the state championship race on November 6.

Junior Monica Lake , the leading runner at districts, is confident of the team’s performance in the upcoming state meet, “We have the ability to be one of the top teams [at the state meet] and to make the podium,” Lake said.

photo by Ian Howard

GIRLS’ FRESHMAN VOLLEYBALL The freshman girls’ volleyball team finished up the 2010 season with a 12-8 overall record. Despite losing to Lakota East in the Volley for the Cure game, team co-captain freshman Jessica Smith said this was the team’s highlight game of the year. “We lost by two but it was a really good game,” Smith said. Smith and freshman Kelly Loehr are co-captains for the team this year. Smith said that she and Loehr played an important role on the team as captains. “We were really there to make sure the team had good moods during the game,” Smith said.

Because of this, the season was a success, according to freshman Courtney Breen.

“Overall, as a team, we did really good [this year],” Breen said.

C | PAGE 10

MY SPORT

IS HARDER THAN

which makes it tougher than any other sport.

All student athletes will say that their “Mentally, [track’s] just tiring,” Hunter sport is the most challenging sport to said. “And you don’t want to do anything play. All the same, in every sport, athletes else after you’ve [run]. So, if you have have to work hard to achieve their goals, homework, you don’t want to do it, but according to senior varsity lacrosse player you have to.”

Hayden Novicki.

According to Fulcher, the mental parts “With any sport, you have to work hard of football make it just as difficult as the in order to get your goals,” Novicki said. physical game.

Mason High School offers eighteen “I think so much [before the game] that varsity, junior varsity and freshmen sports I actually do the wrong plays [on Thursteams. All require a certain talent or ability days],” Fulcher said. “I wouldn’t mess up to compete. According to senior varsity all week, and then Thursday [I’d] mess up football player David Fulcher, working every single play.” hard is a part of every sport.

According to junior Brad Lebling, a varThe mental aspect is an important factor sity swimmer, swimming’s mental aspect in any sport, according to senior varsity makes it difficult because there’s nothing track runner Sarah Hunter. else to think about while you’re swimming.

Hunter said that track is mentally tiring,

Track vs. Swimming

Track

“[ ] gives you the drive to complete something that’s really hard in your life,” Court said. “And when you’re done, at the end of practice or the end of meets, you feel like you’ve succeeded.”

which are attached [to your stick] which you have to use to catch a ball, pass shoot, check, dodge.”

However, sophomore Katie Marzheuser, a member of the dance team, said that dance is more demanding because you have to memorize more than one dance at a time. “[You] have to remember all of [the dances],” said Marzheuser. “[You have to] know all the counts, where your body needs to be, where your arms have to be.”

According to Luria, however, a sport’s difficulty depends on how difficult an athlete makes it.

“You can really make any sport as difficult as you want to make [it],” Luria said. “[It depends] on how much you want to put in.”

Wrestling vs. Tennis

Senior Katie Heywood “You have to be able to do more than one stroke in order to compete [in

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2010

YOUR SPORT

“To me, personally, [the mental game gets to me] a lot,” Lebling said. “I’m always thinking about winning. And also, I think…too much when I’m swimming.”

According to junior Katherine Baruk, a varsity tennis player, however, the concentration needed for tennis makes it challenging.

“If you’re not concentrated, you’re not going to be in the right position to hit the ball,” Baruk said.

Novicki said lacrosse is also mentally challenging because players must concentrate on what they are doing in order to keep coordination.

“You have to be very concentrated because it’s a very hands-eye coordinated sport,” Novicki said. “You’re not just using your hands, but you’re using your hands

Megan McCormack | Staff Writer

Junior Adam Court

swimming

],” Heywood said. “And then, it takes...your arms and your legs and your core in order to be able to compete.”

Senior Brian Luria

Junior Katherine Baruk

“[In]

tennis

“[In ], you’re not playing with a team; you’re playing against yourself,” Baruk said.

“When you get down, it’s hard to bring yourself up, because there’s no one around you.”

wrestling,

you have to be really dedicated,” Luria said.

“It’s really physical, and also, you have to control your weight. So, during the winter, your life is wrestling.”

ENDURANCE SpORTS

Lacrosse vs. Football

Senior Hayden Novicki

Senior David Fulcher “[Football

Lacrosse

“[ is] a very difficult sport because it’s so key in passing and shooting and stick skills,” Novicki said.

is] rough,” Fulcher said. “You [have to] take care of your body, because if you don’t, you’ll have so many aches and pains.”

INdividual SpORTS

Cheerleading Sophomore Melanie Adkins

vs.

Dance

Sophomore Katie Marzheuser

“The floor’s not big enough,” Adkins said.

“We can’t judge...where we’re supposed to be

“You have to be athletic enough to keep it going throughout the routines,” Marzheuser said. “And...you also have to be able to have all the technique to

cheering

[ ]. We have to change things at competitions because the floor is a different size.”

dance].”

[

C o n tac t S p O R T S photos by Megan McCormack

Technique SpORTS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2010 PAGE 11 | C

We’ve got the power Athletes split over effectiveness of Power Balance Bands Katelyn Cain | Staff Writer

Power Balance Bands, similar to the Phiten Necklaces worn by baseball players, are wristbands designed to optimize balance, strength and flexibility. The bands have seen a rise in popularity this sports season, according to sophomore Marti Sumrall.

Sumrall said that while wearing the band she noticed the positive difference that it makes.

“I noticed I was lasting through [my] workouts longer and I had a little more balance and I wasn’t tripping as much,” Sumrall said.

Sumrall, a cross country runner, first found out about the bands from an internet commercial.

“I saw the commercial and [decided] to buy the band because no one had really tried it yet,” Sumrall said.

Some of the tests developed by the Power Balance Company are supposed to show the ability of the athlete while wearing the band, but, according to Sumrall, the bands only work to an extent and its success is attributed to the athlete’s mental advantage when wearing them.

“[Some of the tests] were fake, like in the commercials when they fall over without the band and they don’t fall over with the band; I think that’s kind of phony,” Sumrall said. “But, if you get it in your head that it works, then [the band] works really well.”

Junior John Mostowy, a varsity tennis player, said that the bands physically work.

“Just by taking the tests by themselves, they do work, because I did a test where I shoved my fist into someone’s palm and with the band I didn’t fall over and without the band I did fall over,” Mostowy said. “So that proves that the bands actually work.”

Sophomore Nick Neuhaus, a junior varsity soccer player, said that the balance band only works mentally. “[The band] helped me to improve because in summer conditioning I started running better,” Neuhaus said.

“But, I probably only thought I was doing better because of the band, and it was just in my head that it was

working.”

Senior Chelsea VanHook, a varsity soccer player, has tested the bands and believes that they did not work for her.

“The bands are definitely all in your head,” VanHook said. “When I was doing the tests, I could bend down further with the band, but I was probably more stretched out when I bent down the second time.”

VanHook said, that for athletes, it’s not worth the money for a wristband that won’t improve your abilities.

“It’s definitely not worth the 30 dollars for something that just helps you mentally,” VanHook said. “You could just put on a bracelet that you already have and say it will give you better flexibility, and it would do the same thing.”

Mostowy said that he would recommend the band to all athletes because a lot of professional athletes wear the band.

“A lot of professional tennis players wear them,” Mostowy said. “The band actually does work, so athletes should buy the bands.”

Neuhaus said that if other athletes bought the band then they would see improvement

photo by Katelyn Cain

in their sport because they believe it works mentally.

“If [athletes] bought [the band] then they could get it in their head[s] that it works, and they could [perform] better,” Neuhaus said.

Sumrall said that the band is a good investment for athletes, depending on what sport they play.

“I would recommend it to runners, because you’d really want to last in a workout which will help you last longer in a race, and I’d also recommend it for sports that involve running, like football or basketball,” Sumrall said.

Despite the fact that Sumrall believes the balance band only works mentally, she still believes it’s worth the 30 dollars.

“It’s still worth it to buy the band because there was still definitely a difference when I was wearing it,” Sumrall said.

“I’ve improved in running since I’ve worn it.”

Trading Punches Cincinnati Bengals’ defensive back Adam Jones, who has a checkered legal history, was mistakenly detained, handcuffed and eventually released by the Cincinnati police immediately following the Bengals game on October 10 after swerving to avoid an oncoming car. Should Jones take legal action against the City of Cincinnati for the embarrasment this has caused him?

This incident was the fault of the police, not of Jones.

He should definitely Katelyn Cain take legal action because there was no reason he should have been arrested for trying to avoid hitting another vehicle. Just because he has had legal troubles in the past, doesn’t mean the police should arrest him for every little thing he does wrong.

The embarrassment wasn’t necessary because he didn’t do anything wrong.

No, Jones should not press charges. He should not make the event any Joseph Spencer more complicated than it needs to be and should just accept the mistake the Cincinnati Police made. It was a hectic day in Cincinnati with the home Bengals game and the Reds playoff game, so the police just reacted to seeing his car on the sidewalk.

Let it be and go win some games for Cincinnati.

Jones should not sue the City of Cincinnati because there is no need to; he brought the James Nosek arrest upon himself. Once again, Jones is the man behind another incident involving the law.

Even if he got released, he still gets in trouble with the cops repeatedly. If Jones is so embarrassed about being arrested in front of his fans, then next time he should drive a little more carefully. photos by Beena Raghavendran

Coach’s Corner

Outside the Lines...

SPORTS IN PRINT

SPORTS IN THE STANDS

The new book “Money Games,” written by David Carter offers an inside look on how entertainment has affected the business side of sports. This book explores how entertainment has become such a big part of our lives, from the popularity of fantasy sports to sports video games, and how the things that entertain us in the sports world are starting to become the culture of sports business. “Money Games” comes out on November 15.

The Ohio State University has moved its student section for men’s basketball games to create a more hostile environment for their Big Ten rivals. The school hopes that the changes in seating will make it difficult to play the Buckeyes at home and will create a more motivating environment for the basketball team.

Despite the fact that the OSU students will take up slightly more than seven percent of the seats at the Schottenstein Center this season, OSU hopes that the change in seating will get students more involved in the game.

-compiled by James Nosek

-compiled by Katelyn Cain

SPORTS ON REALITY TV Just a year ago, football player Kurt Warner led his team, the Arizona Cardinals, to the Divisional Championship in the playoffs, making them one of the top eight teams in the NFL. Now Warner is back into the top eight of another competition. This fall he is competing in “Dancing with the Stars” and has been dominating the competition just as he did in the NFL. Warner has not been in the bottom three once this season. The show airs on ABC on Mondays at 8 p.m.

-compiled by Joseph Spencer

Andy Shur Girls’ varsity soccer coach Second year

Girls’ varsity soccer won the GMC this year led the by many talented players and coach Andy Schur. Coach Schur is in his second year of head coaching the team and has led them to a combined record of 26-5-2 in that time. Schur said he credits his success to his players. “Good players make good coaches,” Schur said. “You have to let the players be who they are. When they are that talented you just have to let them play. I have to put them in the best spots to be successful.”

-compiled by Joseph Spencer

C | PAGE 12

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2010 PAGE 13 | C

the secrets behind the jump-roping Comet Skippers Samantha Weaver | Staff Writer

Students can try out for the competitive jump rope team Comet Skippers, a Mason High School activity. While the team may not be counted as a sport, the team said it functions the same as many school sports do: a combination of strong team bonds, coach and self-motivation, and practice.

Though Mason City Schools does not count jump rope as a sport, assistant coach Elaine Dulovich said that the Comet Skippers are still motivated.

Being cheered on by fellow Comet Skippers makes the team that much stronger, according to senior Comet Skipper Katie Simpson.

“One of our goals as a team is to always be cheering each other on,” Simpson said. “At competitions we always try to cheer really loudly the entire event when we have someone on our team up; it always helps to have someone cheering for you.”

The team gets its motivation to perform well at competitions by the cheering from teammates, who are thought of as family, freshman Comet Skipper Brittany Astles said.

“We all pretty much just cheer for each other,” Astles said. “There are around 60 of us, so it is just like one big happy family always supporting each other.”

The team also stays close-knit because of an older jumper/younger jumper relationship that is a main focus of Comet Skippers.

“One thing that we do to keep the team tight with each other is to have a little sister/brother and big sister/brother program,” Simpson said. “Each one of the older kids is paired up with a younger [jumper], and mentors them throughout the year. That way, we keep the bond between the age levels really close.”

Comet Skippers hasn’t lost a jumper in the transition from eighth grade to freshman year, according to Elaine.

“The kids are really devoted,” Elaine said. “On other jump rope teams, kids quit going into high school because they are afraid of how jump roping makes them look. Our kids stick with it.”

Teammates are always supporting each other, but the natural competition of the sport can be seen through the individual jumper’s improvement, according to sophomore Comet Skipper Christina Dulovich.

“When you look across the gym and you

see someone doing something that looks really cool, your initial reaction is to say ‘I want to learn how to do that, or something even better than that,” Christina said. “That is where the individual competition starts, and then you get better as a team.”

The excitement isn’t the same as a Friday night football game to the students because they don’t know the other team, according to Astles.

“We don’t ever compete against people from around Mason; we compete with [people from] other states,” Astles said. “So, the students don’t really relate.”

Comet Skippers has gone to competitions in places as far away as Texas.

Astles said it is a nationally-ranked team, but still is hardly ever recognized at MHS. “We go everywhere from Texas to Michigan,” Astles said. “We have placed third and fifth at national competitions before, but everything is so far away that it is hard for Mason students to get excited because they can’t physically go to very many of our competitions.”

Comet Skippers is distanced from other school sports because of the wide spread of its competition locations, and the fact that it competes against people from everywhere in the United States, according to Simpson.

“We aren’t just a high school sport, we are a ‘schools from all over’ sport,” Simpson said. “So I guess that kind of makes our team feel like we aren’t associated with Mason High School, when [technically] we are.”

Since not many students are able to go to the competitions, Comet Skipper teammates are their own cheerleaders. Even though they don’t have peers at the events to cheer them on, the jumpers stay motivated, according to Christina.

“We all support each other,” Christina said. “You always know when you go to competitions that you will have someone there to support you, whether it is your coaches and teammates, or another team.”

With so many national competitions, teammates have made friends with teams from other states, according to Astles.

“We have friends on teams from all over,” Astles said.

Different teams cheer for each other at jump rope competitions, according to Christina.

“It’s a normal thing for different teams to cheer each other on, which is nice,” Christina said. Even if you are on a different team than someone else is, you can still cheer for them.”

Jump rope is a really different sport when it comes to rivalry, according to Simpson.

“In most sports, teams hate each other,” Simpson said.

“But with jump rope, everyone on different teams is like best friends. I have friends from all over the country that I have met at competitions.”

Seeing friends that Comet Skippers make from all over helps to motivate the jumpers at competitions, Simpson said.

“Going to competitions is always fun and motivating because you get to see what other people are doing, and you get to see friends that you don’t see on a regular basis,” Simpson said. “You also get to see people that are really good and say, ‘I want to finally beat them,’ and that gets me really motivated.”

Comet Skippers is always trying to get better as a team, Christina said, even if it means traveling all the way to Germany to learn about the different styles of jump rope across the world.

“Every summer we do a program where we go to Germany to teach [German jump ropers] about our style of jump rope, and learn about [the European] style of jump rope,” Christina said. “The European style is more fluid, smoother movements, when we focus on harder tricks, so it’s good to learn about the different styles.”

The team wants to entertain, but is always looking to be considered a sport, according to Christina.

“Colleges ask us to come and perform for their half-time shows, which we love to do,” Christina said. “But we don’t want to be known solely for entertainment purposes.”

Christina said that Comet Skippers still work just as hard as other school sport teams.

“We have around 12 hours of practice a week, and have just as much competitiveness in our sport as other sports do,” Christina said. “We still have to work hard at what we do, to be able to do well.”

Some people may say that jump rope is not a sport, Christina said, but when you get down to the heart of it, it really is.

“We are a sport,” Christina said. “Some people think all we do is Double Dutch on the sidewalk, until they try [our type of jump rope] and end up crying because they can’t do it, or it’s too hard.”

photo by Megan McCormack photo art by Jami Bechard

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Finding ‘true love’ Dating dynamics vary in high school TRUE RELATIONSHIPS

Julia Halpin | Staff Writer

Although what seems like hundreds of couples walk through the hallways of Mason High School, the dynamics of a relationship vary with each boy and girl. While some opt for the more casual dating, others choose serious long term relationships.

According to junior Kendall Murphy, who said she is in a serious relationship with junior Sebastian Mejia, love can definitely be found in high school years.

“I think it’s possible [to find the person you’re going to marry in high school],” Murphy said. “I don’t like it when people say that we don’t know what love is. I don’t think anyone really knows what love is and if you feel like you’ve found it, then you’ve found it. It’s not based on other people’s feelings; it’s based on yours.”

Sophomore Annmarie Lake said that while it is possible to find love in high school, most of the time she doesn’t find it to be genuine.

“I think mostly in high school [love is] just infatuation, but you can find love,” Lake said.

“I think [some people] don’t realize what love is.

They’re just infatuated or they think they’re in love, but they’re really not. I think it’s kind of dangerous if you think you fall in love in high school.”

Mejia said that he knows his relationship is more serious than other students’ relationships because of how well he and Murphy know one another.

“After a certain time you get to know [your boyfriend or girlfriend] and [he or she] becomes like your best friend,” Mejia said. “[Murphy’s] family’s kind of like my family, and vice versa. You know it’s serious when you can call your girlfriend’s mom, ‘Mom.’” According to Lake, she has specific views on dating in high school and would rather think about marriage now, than later.

“You’re probably not going to marry whoever you date in high school, and marriage is whoever you’re going to spend your whole life with,” Lake said.

“Treat each other how you would want someone else to be treating your future spouse.”

DATING ISN”T ALWAYS SERIOUS Senior Gabe Shreve said that he doesn’t believe that high school students should look for their future spouses because of the secluded nature of high school.

“I don’t think anyone should look for that person [in high school],” Shreve said. “You have the same culture, basically because you all grew up in Mason.

Once you get outside of [the same culture] you’re going to realize that other people are way different [and] live differently. Everyone’s different than just where you lived.”

Though she doesn’t doubt her relationship, Murphy said that finding a serious relationship in high school was not something she expected for herself.

“I use to…just hang out with other guys, not really looking for anything,” Murphy said. “I started dating [Mejia] on and off and we didn’t talk for four months, and after that I just realized that I really wanted to be with him and that he made me really happy. He made me feel differently than anyone else has made me feel.”

Murphy said that even though she chose a serious relationship for herself, she still doesn’t think any less of her peers that would rather not have a committed relationship in high school.

“I know that I don’t want to be with anyone else, and I know that he doesn’t really want to be with anyone else either,” Murphy said. “We don’t frown upon [non-serious daters] or anything, it’s just not what we want to do.”

Reflecting on a past relationship, Shreve said he realizes that serious relationships burden the amount of fun you can have in high school.

“If you’re dating one person all of high school, then you’re wasting time,” Shreve said. “I dated [my ex-girlfriend] for two years and I see it as a waste of time, now that I look at it. You have more fun and you can do basically what you want [without a serious relationship]. You’re not limited to what the other person wants you to do.”

FINDING ‘THE ONE’ Lake said she that she believes most people won’t find their future spouses in high school, and she personally wants to be confident before beginning a relationship. “[I always have to ask myself], ‘Do I really like this person?’” Lake said. “I think most people [in high school] date because of looks. You probably won’t fall in love and marry the person you date in high school.”

Unlike students who date multiple people nonchalantly or “buffet date,” Mejia said that he picks his more serious relationship because he doesn’t fit with casual dating.

“To me, buffet dating is all right because you get to meet new people and experience that kind of bond between other people,” Mejia said. “But, if you go to a buffet and eat too much, you’ll get a stomachache.

Maybe one of [the people you dated] was ‘the one,’ and you messed it up because you ate too much.”

Though Mejia said he thinks that love and marriage can be found in a high school relationship, he said he is still able to recognize the reasons someone would choose to not have a serious relationship during their high school years.

“Don’t put yourself out there way too much unless you really, really love the person, which I do,” Mejia said. “If you’re going to put yourself out there, make sure it’s a [with] person that you like a lot, [and someone with whom] you have a lot in common.”

Shreve said that with a serious relationship comes a lot of responsibilities that he sees as a hassle.

“You have to memorize [your boyfriend of girlfriend’s] birthday; you have to get something for Valentine’s Day [and] Halloween,” Shreve said. “Not to sound cheap, [but serious relationships are] just a waste of money [and] time.”

IS IT LOVE?

photo by Megan McCormack photo art by Jami Bechard

According to Mejia, any relationship has steps it should take before it gets to love.

“Love is something that grows onto you,” Mejia said. “When you look at someone, at first you’re attracted to [him or her], and then you start talking, you get to know [him or her], and that’s the personality aspect. It’s like the attraction and personality, and that’s the dating phase. Then marriage is when the person has grown on you and on top of [his or her] personality and [his or her] attractiveness, [he or she] makes you a better person.”

When looking back at a past serious relationship, Shreve said that he doesn’t believe he was actually “in love.”

“I thought I was in love, but I don’t think I was at the time,” Shreve said. “I don’t think anyone in high school knows what love is like fully; [students] don’t understand [love] just because of [their] maturity level[s].”

Murphy said that while she loves Mejia, she finds different ways to define love within specific relationships.

“I think there are different forms of love,” Murphy said. “I think you can truly love someone, like your partner in life compared to your friends, but I don’t think you can actually love more than one person.”

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“Bro” culture a lifestyle for some MHS males Thom Carter | Staff Writer

If you’ve heard the word ‘Bro’ or greeted a male buddy with the term, chances are you’re not the only one. According to self-proclaimed Mason High School ‘Bros’, many guys, namely MHS lacrosse players, have been embracing the term as a lifestyle, complete with appearance, vocabulary, and attitude.

According to junior ‘Bro’ Steven Erbeck, he and his lacrosse teammates have made ‘Bro’ more than just a simple term.

“You just [have to] be chill,” Erbeck said.

According to Erbeck, the ‘Bro’ culture became popular with him and his friends beginning last December. Since then, he and Lacrosse teammates have called themselves “LAX Bros”, even though the movement began jokingly.

“It started as a joke, really,” Erbeck says. “Then it turned into something where you’d see someone in the hallway and know [he was] a ‘LAX Bro.’” A nickname was even coined in the process when junior Daniele Tedoldi began commonly referring to Erbeck as “Brobeck.” Erbeck said he thinks that he and his friends are now viewed as “some of the bigger ‘bros’ at the school,” a concept he said he is enjoying.

“It makes us feel like we’re part of something special,” Erbeck said.

A video called “The Ultimate LAX Bro” began much of the ‘Bro’ craze. The video, as seen on YouTube, is a documentary depicting a day in the life of Brantford Winstonworth, a Division I lacrosse player whose mannerisms and appearance have, according to Erbeck, been embraced by him and fellow teammates.

“One of my friends showed it to me and I laughed,” Erbeck said. “That’s probably where the term ‘LAX Bro’ came from.”

Beyond the talk, the look, and the lifestyle, ‘Bros’ like Erbeck do have reasoning behind their decision to be a ‘Bro.’ Erbeck said he admires much of the recognition ‘Bros’ typically receive. “‘Bros’ are [people] you look up to,” Erbeck said. “As a teenage guy, you look up to someone who gets a lot of girls and is a good lacrosse player.”

Erbeck also looks forward to the numerous aspects of being a ‘Bro’, and enjoys many things associated with the lifestyle, including lacrosse and lifting, particularly at Life Time Fitness Center.

Tommy Hirsch, a sophomore on the junior varsity lacrosse team, also declared himself a ‘LAX Bro’, and said that many want to be a part of the craze that Hirsch said he has become part of.

“I think it’s something that everyone wants to be a part of,” Hirsch said.

“When you see a guy call another guy a ‘Bro’, you can tell they’re close [and] you can tell they’re friends.”

Hirsch said that being a ‘Bro’ is a lifestyle, one that comes with a slew of characteristics and attitudes that coincide with the term. “[‘Bros’ have] swagger, confidence, [and are seen as] just [being] outgoing [and] having fun,” Hirsch said.

According to Erbeck, ‘Bro’ is a phase that he compares to skinny jeans -- no one can predict whether it will be in one day or out the next. Erbeck said he doesn’t see it slowing down anytime soon, though.

“It’s on the rise right now,” Erbeck said. “I think it’ll stay popular for a while.

According to Erbeck, ‘Bros’ aren’t people that

act as the VIP members at a club that is Mason High School.

“It’s not exclusive,” Erbeck said. “There’s not a Facebook group that says: ‘Only Bros Allowed’.”

The term ‘Bro’ has even begun appearing in the entertainment industry, popping up in

numerous film and T.V. productions.

Barney Stinson, a character played by Neil Patrick Harris on the CBS sitcom “How I Met Your Mother”, has employed the term ‘Bro’ as one of his trademark lines. It even spawned “The Bro Code”, a book containing article after article of ‘Bro’ do’s and don’ts, almost like a ‘Bro’ Bill of Rights.

Thanks to the popularity of the ‘Bro,’ a subgenre has even been conjured up. Films like “I Love You, Man” and the TV show “Scrubs” epitomize the ‘Bromance’, or a romantic comedy that features two guys forming a bond that is essential to the plot.

While ‘Bros’ make a name for themselves in entertainment, Hirsch said he still preps before

heading out for the night and “going ‘Bro’.”

“Put on your favorite LAX pinny, a flat bill, some RayBans, some mid-calf ’s, and you go ‘Bro,’” Hirsch said.

“It’s just a style.”

‘Bros’ like Erbeck and Hirsch said they also engage in numerous activities that further displays their status.

photo art by Jami Bechard

“Bro” articles from “The Bro Code” by Barney Stinson of the sitcom “How I Met Your Mother”, played by Neil Patrick Harris

“You [have to] go to the gym to be a ‘Bro’,” Erbeck said. “That’s a big part of my life.”

According to Erbeck, being a true ‘Bro’ goes beyond the appearance and the vocabulary that is the act he said many put on; instead, he said it is the unique nature of their group that is important to him. After all, Erbeck said that he and his fellow ‘Bros’ feel part of something special.

“We [didn’t] just tag along,” Erbeck said.

Much of it is summed up by what Hirsch said is his favorite ‘Bro’ motto.

“Work hard, party hard,” Hirsch said.

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Between five jobs, Schuler uses meditation, organization to control stress A common excuse among high school students is, “I didn’t have time,” and many times, they feel like their teachers don’t understand their busy schedules, according to Mind and Body Wellness and Sports Medicine teacher Stacy Schuler. She said what many don’t realize is that school is just one aspect of many teachers’ lives. For example: Schuler has five other jobs.

“I teach at Mason High School,” Schuler said. “I work for Atrium Medical Center, so that means I do athletic training at Mason and other schools that Atrium covers. I work for Miami Valley Hospital. I do athletic training for [Alter High School], and I also do strength and conditioning [there]. I also work for the sports advantage clinic [at Miami Valley Hospital], and that’s for people who do post-surgery rehab, and athletes trying to improve their fitness. I [also do] yoga and personal training at people’s houses.”

Senior Justin Lamb, who works with Schuler after school in the training room and at the Atrium as an intern, said she has taught him various ways to deal with time constraints.

“She’s taught me a lot,” Lamb said.

teachers as anything else besides the [people] standing in front of the class.”

Besides just her paying jobs, Schuler said her other time commitments include being an avid animal rights activist, starting her own business, to practicing her black belt in the art of Ninjutsu.

“I have my own photography business,” Schuler said. “Also, in my spare time, I love to do my martial arts training. That’s something that, right now, I only get to do really very sporadically, [and] it used to be a weekly thing for me.”

Schuler said she was raised as a busy person, so it’s only natural for her to want to take on several commitments. She said her current time commitments fill her schedule with activities from dawn to dusk. “[Monday through Friday,] I wake up at five a.m.,” Schuler said.

“I’m usually home around ten. On Friday nights [I get home] a lot later because of [football] games, so sometimes I won’t get home until midnight. On weekends, I still have to get up early because I have football injury checks in the morning. I usually

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2010

TEACHERS’ SECR

The Balancing Act Janica Kaneshiro | Staff Writer

organization aren’t enough to keep her relaxed all the time, and when she gets really stressed, she tries to change her perceptions.

“If you just...get perspective on a situation, [you] realize that stressing does you no good,” Schuler said. “It’s not going to fix the situation and it really just takes you further away from any sort of resolution or any productive work towards whatever needs to be done.”

Senior Chloe Crites, who is in Schuler’s Mind and Body Wellness class, said that Schuler has taught her to look at her commitments with a fresh perspective when she gets stressed.

“I think it’s crazy [that Schuler has so many jobs],” Crites said. “I can’t imagine her schedule, because I get stressed and I just have one job. But [by being in her class,] I’ve learned from her that [when I get stressed, it helps] to know everything has a purpose and if I focus on one thing at a time it isn’t so bad. She teaches us to always take a break for yourself, because that helps you focus.”

Schuler said she isn’t perfect and

ET LIVE S Beth Celenza: English teacher/ Wedding Planner

photos contributed

“I like the creativity that comes with wedding planning,” Celenza said. “It helps me [as a teacher] because I get experience working with different types of people and making them happy.”

Nikki Wilson: English teacher/ Server at Brown Dog Café

photo contributed

“A lot of what I teach has to do with food and how it impacts society,” Wilson said. “[In order to teach better], I wanted to learn more about food, and I decided to work in fine dining.”

Jennifer Mott:

Spanish student teacher/ Professional juggler at the Cincinnati Circus Company

photos by Janica Kaneshiro

Stacy Schuler’s jobs include Mind and Body Wellness teacher at MHS, athletic trainier for Atrium Medical Center and yoga trainer.

“With physical training everything is about time management. She’s taught me that you have to keep everything in place for everybody, like water for the football players and dealing with injuries in a timely manner. She’s really good at managing her time; she has to be.”

Schuler said she understands that students sometimes have hectic schedules since her own demanding lifestyle is crazy.

“Kids [say], ‘You don’t understand; you don’t know what it’s like to be busy,’” Schuler said. “But I’m like, ‘Yes, I really do understand what it’s like to be busy.’ Sometimes I laugh because I feel like students don’t see

have games and tournaments on the weekends [at which I have to work,] so I might get up at six a.m. on Saturdays, and I won’t get home till 8:30 or 9 p.m.”

With everything she does, Schuler said that she can get stressed out, but sleep and organization are major factors in the way she handles it. “[T]he way I deal with [stress] is really through yoga and meditation, because even if I don’t get enough sleep, …I meditate,” Schuler said. “If I lost [my iPhone calendar,] I would show up to the wrong place wearing the wrong work shirt or something, so I have to be really organized.”

Schuler said that even sleep and

she knows of a healthier lifestyle than she is living now.

“I used to wake up earlier to come in [to the school] and work out,” Schuler said. “But I just wasn’t getting enough sleep, and as much as I preach a healthy lifestyle, I would say I’m not a good example of a healthy lifestyle right now.”

Even with her demanding schedule, Schuler said she aspires to do even more in the future.

“There’s so much I want to do,” Schuler said. “I love learning other languages [and traveling]. So [I want to do] more of that. I also really enjoy music, ...so there [are] things I want to finish, and things I don’t have enough time for. I also want to spend more time with the people close to me.”

photos contributed

“I’ve been [juggling] for four years,” Mott said. “And it’s the most fun job ever -- besides teaching, of course -- and it’s a great way to make money on weekends.”

Micah Faler:

History teacher/ Owner of Faler Lawn and Tree (landscaping and tree service)

photo by Janica Kaneshiro

“[My] business expanded [from a summer job to] a year-round job and by owning this business,” Faler said. “Since I live outside the Mason school district, owning a business operating within Mason helps me feel more attached to the community.”

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2010 PAGE 19 | C

Going Thrifting Vintage trends cause increase in thrift store shopping

photos by Thom Carter and Beena Raghavendran

Thom Carter | Staff Writer

As fashions come and go, the teen demographic are looking in thrift stores for a look that disregards the phrase “so last season,” according to junior Camden Moser.

“A lot of the [teen] demographic have started looking into thrift stores for that vintage look,” Moser said.

Senior Sarah Kolish said that thrift stores have had a spike in popularity thanks to the older clothes found at thrift stores that teens wear to achieve a trendy look.

Mason has multiple thrift stores with local locations serving the community.

Moser, who considers himself to be an avid thriftier, said that stores such as St. Vincent De Paul and New 2 You have become some of his most frequently visited locations and that he is there every weekend.

“It’s a three to one ratio of trips to the thrift store and trips to [the mall],” Moser said.

He said much of it has to do with the variety of clothes in a thrift store.

“You know exactly what you’re getting into when you walk into an Abercrombie or an H & M,” Moser said. “But a thrift store just

keeps you on your toes.”

According to Moser, it’s the randomness and unpredictability that keeps him coming back to a thrift store time and time again.

“One time you could go in expecting to find a nice tweed jacket and you might come across a 1990’s sail boating championship [shirt],” Moser said.

Moser said that thrift stores provide a sort of excitement that other stores simply can’t.

“After a while, it draws you in and it’s kind of like a treasure hunt of sorts,” Moser said. “You’re trying to find that one perfect thing [and] you’ll just come across something that’s pretty stellar.”

Kolish, who said she shops at thrift stores twice a week, has a similar searching strategy when it comes to the gems that might be amongst the clutter in a thrift store.

“You have to look through everything because usually it’s all just a bunch of [clothes] everywhere,” Kolish said. “You have to search for the good deals and good clothes.”

According to Kolish, shoppers are more likely to find unique styles in a thrift store than they would in a

typical mall setting.

“You find more unique stuff at thrift stores than stuff at the mall,” Kolish said. “The styles are more unique.”

Like Kolish, Moser said he appreciates the unique styles only found at a place like St. Vincent De Paul and his personal style is enhanced by clothes found exclusively at a thrift store.

“There’s really no two things that are the same at a thrift store,” Moser said.

“You’re not going to end up looking exactly the same as everyone else.”

While thrift stores contain clothes that promote personal style, Kolish says it’s also the inexpensive nature of the clothes that seems to fit into the teenage lifestyle so well.

“Teenagers don’t have a lot of money and there’s a more unique style [that come from thrift stores] than stores [teenagers] usually go to,” Kolish said.

According to Moser, teens that have trouble finding jobs and are strapped for cash can make even the smallest amount work in a thrift store.

“If you have a couple of dollars you’re going to be able to walk in and get a couple of things and possibly more,” Moser said.

Thrift stores are also good for finding styles that might be expensive in malls or online, Moser said.

“I don’t want to go out and pay $120 for a blazer online when I can probably go to the thrift store and buy a reasonable one that is almost the same style for $6,” Moser said.

While cheap clothes are one reason why Kolish said she returns to thrift stores, she said that they’re also good for finding something that could be used for comedic effect.

“A lot of people, for ugly sweater day, go to a thrift store [to buy] the ugly sweaters,” Kolish said.

According to Moser, the comedic use dawned on him during spirit week when he saw other students wearing clothes from the thrift store.

“It’s fun to show up at school wearing ridiculous things [to see] what the reaction will be,” Moser said.

The eclectic nature of thrift store clothing,Moser said, is reflected in Moser’s latest purchase. “[It was] a powder blue blazer and cherry red pants,” Moser said.

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15 inches

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2010

of fame

While many students at Mason High School hope to represent William Mason High School in athletics, in the classroom and in the community, senior William Mason Hoge truly is the best representative of our school by name alone.

JUST FOR KICKS

photos by Rebekah Barnes

Hacky sack increasing in popularity Rebekah Barnes | Staff Writer

photo by Joseph Spencer

What’s the story behing your name, William Mason Hoge?

“Well, my family has always been in Mason. ...I was supposed to be Charlie Mason, but it sounded too much like Charles Manson, so my parents went with William, a family name.”

What’s it like having the name Mason in our school?

“People who don’t know me hear my name is Mason and they think it is kind of funny. Then they hear it is William Mason and they think that is weird. ...I got a lot of slack at first for my name.”

Is it frustrating when people yell ‘Mason’ at your soccer games?

“I don’t get confused much because most of my friends will say ‘Mas’ when cheering for me.”

What is your favorite combination of Speedway slushie flavors?

“Coke and the red one.”

What’s difficult about being named Mason?

“It’s hard to attend football games with my name.”

What are your goals in the next few years?

“I hope to play soccer in college and major in business.”

What happened when you got that red card during one of your soccer games?

“I said something bad to the ref. I cannot use the word that I chose.”

What’s your favorite dance move?

“I don’t dance that well.” compiled by Joseph Spencer

[

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col·umn inch (n) - an area one column wide by one

inch deep, measuring the type that fills the space

The hacky sack has become the newest fad for students at Mason High School, according senior Elisabeth Renner.

Renner, who has been playing hacky sack for about 10 years with her family, said she was shocked at how the game reached her fellow MHS students.

“I was kind of surprised [that hacky sack is popular in Mason],” Renner said. “I thought it was just my little group of friends [who played]. I just brought [the hacky sack to my friends] and was like ‘Oh this is fun! I just thought it was really surprising because I didn’t think that other people would really know much about [hacky sack].”

Junior Nick Hartshorn said he is an avid “hack-ster” himself, and that hacking has become a large fad in Mason society.

“It’s getting more popular, I would say, more and more people are picking it up,” Hartshorn said. “It’ll be soon like those water bottles, maybe moccasins.”

With its increasing popularity, experienced hackers are starting to spread the fad throughout fellow classmates around school, according to Hartshorn.

Senior Tony Rood, said he found out about hacky sack through a fellow band member and since has been playing nonstop.

“My drummer in my band is really good at hacky sack so we would play [together],” Rood said. “Eventually I bought my own hacky sack and brought it around school and started playing it whenever I could. I used to play a little bit [before I bought a hacky sack], but once I bought my own [hacky sack], I just brought it everywhere because you can play everywhere.”

Due to the rise in hacky sack’s popularity, the Hacky Sack Club has been introduced to by Renner and Kujawa.

“We were just playing [hacky sack] out in the parking lot, waiting for all of the traffic to go by [when we thought of the idea to start the club],” Renner said. “Then we were thinking it would [be bad] if it got cold in winter. We thought we should make it a club [so] we could have indoor space [because hacky sack] was getting a lot more popular [around school].”

In addition to the motivation to keep their hobby of hacking continuing throughout the seasons, Kujawa said that the inspiration to get involved with their school also helped.

“We always heard about how it’s so important to get involved in clubs,” Kujawa said. “I’ve been involved in other clubs, but I thought [about] how much fun it would be [for Renner and I] to actually start our own club. And so we thought, ‘We love hacky sack; let’s do it.’”

The Hacky Sack Club is being held in history teacher Daniel Distel’s room, Z107, after school. The next meeting is November 12th and will meet every other Tuesday, run by Kujawa and Renner.

The club is a laid-back atmosphere for hackers to play, according to Kujawa. Hackers form circles to play and socialize amongst themselves. Renner and Kujawa said they have plans to also have a meeting to make hacky sacks themselves.

To play hacky sack with a group, Kujawa and

Renner said that their most popular choice of play with all of the players in a circle. One person serves the hacky sack, by either throwing it to someone else, or drop-kicking the hack themselves. From then on, players kick the hacky sack to keep it off the ground. Only rule: no hands. Hackers try to get a ‘full hack’, where the hacky sack has been successfully hit at least once by all members of the circle without hitting the ground, and then can move on to trying to achieve double and triple hacks.

But, players can play hacky sack by themselves, same rules apply, but they kick the ball to themselves. This is similar to soccer players who juggle the soccer ball.

Experienced players, such as Renner, begin to learn different ways to serve, kick, and use the hacky sack as they continue to play. Stalls are when you stop the hacky sack on various parts of your body like the top of the foot or even the forehead. Many players invent different ways to kick the ball as they continue on playing.

Having an outlet to meet and engage with other hacky sack players and enjoy the new games and tricks, Kujawa said, helps hackers bond together.

“It brings people together over one interest,” Kujawa said. “Everyone who likes [hacky sack] can easily relate over that.”

Rood said he helped several people get into to the world of hacking, including Hartshorn. “[Rood] threw the hack to me, I did what came naturally,” Hartshorn said. “It was a hack attack.”

It is easier to learn the game of hacky sack when joining a circle of hackers rather than learning individually, according to Rood.

“It’s easier when you play with people who are already pretty good,” Rood said. “The more you do it, obviously, the better you get. And eventually you can play [by] yourself.”

For Renner, experience is her strong point.

She has had the game of hacky sack has been in her family since the creation by John Stalberger and Mike Marshall in the late 1960s and early 1970s. “[Hacky sack has] kind of been a part of my family,” said Renner said. “We always go on vacations and all my family goes down and [we play hacky sack]. It originated in the sixties or seventies, so my [grandparents] were all kids [during that time] and it kind of just kept going [through the generations].”

Senior Emily Kujawa said that the ability or experience of the player shouldn’t matter, as long as the hackster enjoys the game.

“You might not be that good, but it is still really fun,” Kujawa said. “Everyone who plays [hacky sack] and isn’t that good at it, they still keep wanting to play it. It’s not competitive or anything, it is just kicking [the hacky sack] around.”

Hacky sack is also a way to find new friendships and have a “good hacking time”, according to Rood.

For Renner, anyone can enjoy the game of the hacky sack, and should represent something special for each player.

“Hacky sack is love,” Renner said.

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