SOARING SKY HIGH
photo by Janica Kaneshiro
photo by Ashley Martin
SEE PAGE 27
O ctober 28, 2011 Volume 9, Issue 2
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W il l i a m M a s o n H i g h S c h o o l
The Chronicle thecspn.com
SEE PAGE 15
“INAPPROPRIATE” Neighboring school district bans yoga pants
Could Mason High School be next?
C NEWS
Dessert the healthy way
Students follow new frozen yogurt trend
SEE PAGE 6
PAGE 2 | OCT. 28, 2011
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C Sean Sargent Video
Check out trampolinist Sean Sargent in action. View a video of Sargent practicing his competition routine online.
C Senior Night
Tonight the Mason varsity football team will be competing against the Sycamore Aves. View coverage, wrap-ups and special reports from the game as the seniors play for their last time on the MHS field.
C Invisible Children
Not sure about what the Invisible Children organization is about? Want some background knowledge before the assembly? Go to thecspn.com to read more on Invisible Children!
C Choir Concerts
Hear the voices of your fellow students and check out thecspn.com! See video and pictures of the MHS choir concert on Tuesday, October 25.
C Competition Cheer
As the competition cheer squad heads into its season, view pictures of their first competition of the 20112012 season.
Teachers hope for repeal of Senate Bill 5 Issue 2 threatens obstruction to teachers rights Ian Howard | Staff Writer
The outcome of Issue 2 will decide whether the human rights of over 300,000 public workers will be obstructed, according to American Government teacher Maria Mueller. Issue 2 originates from Senate Bill 5, a legislation sponsored by State Senator Shannon Jones which restricts the collective bargaining rights of firefighters, police officers, teachers and other public workers. Mueller said while collective bargaining rights for all members of the private sector remain untouched, if Issue 2 passes, then teachers will not be able to control how many health benefits they receive. “The legislation interferes with my rights as a person,” Mueller said. “There’s an equal protection issue with my ability to associate with whom I want in the capacity that I want in my profession.” Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee visited Mason to speak at a “Yes on Issue 2” pancake breakfast on October 14. Huckabee said that Issue 2 is simply the necessary progression of a state in an economic crisis. “In every state, and in every municipality in this country there is a huge crisis going on in Ohio, an $8 billion one and that’s got to be made up somewhere,” Huckabee said. “There’s really two ways [to make up for it]. One, raise your taxes, and the second way is to take the same kind of responsible fiscal steps that you have taken in your family over the past couple of years and that every business owner and operator has taken over the past couple of years.” Regardless of budget saving motives, decreasing the budget for education will bring unwanted gaps to the quality of education, according to Mueller. “It decreases the budget by diminishing public education,” Mueller said. “You’re not going to have to spend money on education that you’re not providing anymore.” Art teacher Audrey Gorman said that the legislation of Senate Bill 5 is pragmatically flawed. “Senate Bill 5 would actually take away our ability to talk openly with the administration (our bosses,) and talk about issues we’re having and ways to solve those problems,” Gorman said. “It would actually take those rights away from both the administration and the teacher’s union, and give them to the state. The state would decide how we would be organized.” Not only would it dramatically affect the good relationship that the teachers of Mason High School have developed with their administration, but it would solicit a much lesser staff of teachers in coming years, according to Mueller. “When you reduce the salaries and benefits of any profession you attract a different kind of worker. It’s going to be a different body of people because the realities are the realities people need to make a living,” Mueller said. Sadly this unpopular bill will probably have no effect
photo contributed
From left to right: Maria Muller, Diana Messer, Elizabeth Imrie and Audrey Gorman participate in a Senate Bill 5 rally on February 22 in Columbus.
at all on how voters pick their state senators in future elections, according to Mueller. “I don’t think that people one, judge their state legislators by one piece of legislation and two, quite honestly voters have a tendency to vote [with whom] they’re familiar with,” Mueller said. “They tend to vote names that they know and who do you know? The person who’s in office.” Mueller said that she sees many discrepancies in the governor’s urgency to balance the budget. Governor Kasich’s increase to his, as well as his administration’s salary certainly did not help matters, although they are not significant enough to make a humongous difference, according to Mueller. “Of course the legislation exempts most of the people who work in Columbus itself, meaning the legislators and the members of the executive branch in the higher levels,” Mueller said. “None of these issues would impact them at all.” Mueller said that she contends that even if the issue is said no to, the governor will try to set in place these measures through other methods. “Let’s imagine that the vote is no, and so what used to be called Senate Bill 5 is no longer in existence,” Mueller said. “I don’t think that the legislature will rest on ‘Oh well. We lost.’ I think that they’ll approach their objectives in other means, other ways, other pieces of legislation that maybe aren’t quite as expansive as Senate Bill 5 is. They’ll try to chip away at those same rights.”
OCT. 28, 2011
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Relatively wrong Scientists record particle moving faster than speed of light Branden Labarowski | Staff Writer
photo art by Jami Bechard
were simply inaccurate.” Senior and AP Physics student Andrew Carlin said he also thinks CERN’s word is likely trustworthy. “If that many smart people can come together and think that they did [this], then they probably did it,” Carlin said. Schneiderman said she will not believe CERN’s results until they are reproduced. “You can’t base your opinions on one experiment in cases like this,” Schneiderman said. According to Thomas, even if the findings against the theory of relativity prove true, their effect on Mason’s own Physics curriculum would be minimal. “The physics in Physical Science that we talk about here in high school is just scratching the surface,” Thomas said. “The area of physics that this will change is when you’re exploring parts of the universe where the Newtonian mechanics break down.” Although Mason’s science curriculum is in no danger of being revised, Messer said that CERN’s findings have nevertheless given MHS a good opportunity to reevaluate its idea of experimental analysis. To Messer, the CERN anomaly—and the need to repeat it before any conclusions can be made—is an upstanding example of the need to verify experiments in science.
“[CERN’s findings] are a great example of experimental analysis,” Messer said. “I [tell] my AP class [that] when they design a lab, just because they do the same thing three times and get similar results doesn’t mean that it’s an accurate lab. They need to go out and find another resource to prove that whatever they found in the lab is something that somebody else has also found.” Although it’s uncertain just what the future holds for the theory of relativity, Schneiderman said she entertains the idea of a concept as basic as the theory of relativity being disproved. According to Schneiderman, reevaluating and even abandoning fundamental scientific ideas when necessary brings us closer to the truth. “Science is about trying to understand the universe, and if you have a flawed perception of the universe, then it doesn’t work,” Schneiderman said. Carlin said he is glad that the scientific community is continuing to challenge fundamental ideas such as the theory of relativity. “If we can find ways to challenge the current thinking, it will just make us smarter and hopefully help us as [humans] towards new technologies and new understandings,” Carlin said.
photos by Branden Labarowski
Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity might be wrong. On September 23, 2011, a group of scientists working for CERN, a European organization hosting the world’s largest particle physics laboratory, recorded a neutrino particle traveling just over the speed of light, according to their website, Public.web.cern.ch. According to senior and AP Physics student Tajana Schneiderman, this contradicts Einstein’s theory of special relativity – an integral part of modern physical science. “If special relativity was proven to be false, then… it would completely overturn the foundations of physics,” Schneiderman said. AP Physics teacher Diana Messer, however, said physics students can rest assured that their field of study isn’t in danger. She said she and her colleagues believe that CERN has not disproved the theory of relativity, but has instead stumbled upon an anomaly that can be explained. “I’m a member of the AP Physics Listserv, [an online mailing list for AP Physics teachers nationwide,]… and I have not heard one comment on the Listserv that says, ‘Yes, we think this is true,’” Messer said. Messer said that CERN’s results would have been more convincing had the neutrinos been traveling faster. “[If] the CERN anomaly… [had only a] two percent error, then the neutrinos would’ve gotten there hours ahead of time, not milliseconds,” Messer said. Physics teacher Brian Thomas, however, said he would be surprised if an organization as well-respected as CERN succumbed to error. “I know the laboratory at CERN is just state-of-theart,” Thomas said. “I’d be very surprised if the results
Physics teacher Brian Thomas, pictured above, teaches a lesson in motion to his fourth bell class. Though Einstein’s theory may have been disproven, it will not greatly affect the Mason Physics curriculum.
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OCT. 28, 2011
Teaching cursive in third grade classrooms no longer required by state Rebekah Barnes | Online Editor
photos by Rebekah Barnes
Ms. Libby Beck’s third graders practice writing in cursive and typing on the computer.
Cursive writing is no longer vital for students to learn, as of August 8. The state no longer requires districts to teach cursive as a part of the curriculum. Fourth grade teacher Shawna Bender said she can’t believe the state would make this decision. “I was shocked that [the state] decided to do away with [cursive],” Bender said. “I understand because of the technology [aspect of learning], but [cursive has] just been a part of education for so long, it seems that it just went ‘poof ’ very quickly.” Mason has not let this practice go, according to K-6 grade Language Arts Curriculum Coordinator Shannon Homoelle, but is researching the best options for students. “Mason, like many other districts, is in the process of gathering research and monitoring what the state plans to assess when the Common Core [staterequired curriculum] is in full implementation,” Homoelle said. According to third grade teacher Libby Beck, cursive helps students develop their fine motor skills and improve their handwriting. Third grade student Will O’Leary said that he likes to write in cursive, just like his dad does. “I feel like a grown up whenever I write in cursive,” O’Leary said. “It’s weird.” O’Leary’s classmate, Ishaan Bhargava, said he likes learning a whole new way of handwriting. “[I like cursive because] I’m good at it,” Bhargava said. “It’s like my secret handwriting.” Beck said that to learn neat writing, cursive should be required until at least middle school to master the form and skills of cursive. However, Beck said that she does see an importance for middle and high school students to learn computing. Although it is taught in third grade, it is no longer required for all work in the fourth grade to be in cursive, according to fourth grade teacher Heather Nagel. Beck said that cursive is only required for all writing for half of the year in third grade, but when students reach fourth grade it’s no longer required. Beck said that she wonders why it was so important for her to teach it. “To [third grade teachers,] it’s kind of like it’s a waste of our time if they’re not expected to write that way in fourth grade and fifth grade and then we just keep hearing…‘Their writing is so sloppy,’” Beck said. Some of the fourth grade students like the change to allowing print, like fourth grader Charley Lustig, who said she is not a fan of writing in cursive. “I don’t like [writing in cursive] because it takes a
long time for me to do it,” Lustig said. “And my cursive doesn’t really look good so I don’t really like it…I was [happy when my teachers no longer required cursive] because writing everything in cursive kind of makes my hand feel tired, so I’m very happy about it.” However, Lustig’s classmate Dawson Allen said he prefers cursive, even though he still has room to improve. “[I like cursive] because it can be quicker when you learn how to do it,” Allen said. While some may think that cursive is only for elementary schools, senior Alejandro Trujillo said that he still prefers to write in cursive, unlike all his friends, which came from living in Europe as a child and being taught there. Trujillo said that he is the only one he knows that still writes in the traditional cursive. “I’m the only one I know that does,” Trujillo said. While a majority of high school students don’t stick to the writing they were once taught, Nagel said that it’s an important skill to have in future life and was saddened to hear it no longer a state requirement. According to Nagel, she’s wondering if cursive may become a lost art. “My heart dropped a little bit [when I heard the news,]” Nagel said. “[Students] are coming more as they use technology more often, [so] is the brain processing information in a different way [to benefit students] where this is going to be a lost art?” Beck said that even though there is so much curriculum, that does not mean cursive should be excluded completely. “I feel like…there’s so much packed into the curriculum to get done that…I don’t put cursive first, … but I don’t think that means I should just not do it,” Beck said. For Trujillo, as long as everyone writes legibly, it’s in the hands of each person to decide which style to choose. “Practically and fundamentally, I don’t think that [cursive] has any real value,” Trujillo said. “As long as we can all write in a legible way and we can understand letters, I don’t think it matters how we write.” Homoelle said that Mason will have to find a way to use both technological and classic styles to best benefit students learning. “Finding a balance between advancing technology and traditional writing will be a challenge, and Mason will continue to make decisions based on what’s best for students,” Homoelle said.
OCT. 28, 2011
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Photo art by Jami Bechard
Media bias sways potential voters
As GOP race heats up, future voters interpret opinions of candidates based on media Thom Carter | Staff Writer
With the 2012 Presidential Election fast approaching, the race for the Republican nomination has become a heavily covered topic in the media and in Mason High School according to senior Austin Jackson. Jackson, a self-proclaimed republican, said that many media outlets have portrayed these potential candidates unfairly and in a negative light that could potentially affect a voter’s decision before casting their ballot. “[The media] take[s] the worst of the worst things that [the candidates] say—like their mess up’s and mishaps—and [the media] plays them over and over again…until all you can remember is [a candidate] blundering over a speech or messing up a word,” Jackson said. According to Jackson, who said he has been paying close attention to the few debates that these candidates have participated in, the focus on blunders could easily be avoided by the media. “[The media] makes them seem so much more [idiotic] when they could take [their portrayal] the other way and only [use] smart, good [quotes] that [the candidates say],” Jackson said. Jackson said that there is no actual publication—online or in print—that treats both sides of the political debate equally. “If you’re reading only The Huffington Post, you’re only getting the most leftist view on everything, and if you only read the Drudge Report, you’re only getting the most rightist [view],” Jackson said. “I don’t think there’s a truly [unbiased publication], so you have to
read a little bit of everything.” Senior Josh Wheaton, a self-proclaimed democrat, said he understands that much of the media today has a liberal bias, and said that their coverage can at times be unfair. However, according to Wheaton, he sees no particular problem with the media’s leanings because of Fox News’ dominant viewership. “I think [the portrayal of the candidates] is a little unfair, but if you look at Fox News, they claim that they’re the best in ratings, so I don’t know what the problem is,” Wheaton said. Like Jackson, Wheaton said that in order to gain a better perspective on the potential candidates, it’s necessary to look at and consider the views from all sides of the media, liberal or conservative. “I look at everything, because they all have different [standpoints],” Wheaton said. “If you’re watching MSNBC, they favor liberals more than they do conservatives, and if you watch Fox News, they most definitely favor conservatives.” Senior Mitchell Evans said he doesn’t side with either political party and considers himself an independent. According to Evans, it’s the media’s ability to associate the candidates seeking the GOP nomination with names that may garner a negative response from potential voters that can impact an election. “If you keep hearing from one side of the aisle that Rick Perry is the next George Bush, and if you don’t have a positive view on George Bush, …that’s not going to influence your portrayal of him in a positive manner,” Evans said. “[The] same [goes] for Obama; If you keep seeing him associated with [Adolf] Hitler or
whatever negative connotation you might find, people begin to associate that with him, consciously or not, and that’s going to affect what turns out at the polls.” According to Evans, the stake that media influence has in Ohio is much greater than others. This directly correlates with Ohio’s status as a swing state and the large pallet of political views that differ from region to region. “[Ohio] is like a battleground,” Evans said. “In the north you have Cleveland, which is pretty democratic. In the south of Ohio, you have Cincinnati which is pretty republican, and in the middle it really is a contest to see which side will win. I’d say we are a hotbed of political tumult.” Much of this tumult stems from the fluctuating presidential election results of the last two decades where, according to 270towin.com, from 1996 to 2008, Ohio has voted democrat twice and republican twice, also. Despite added pressure from Ohio’s large political stake and the differing views amongst different media outlets, Wheaton said that come Election Day, he’s going to side with what he believes in, not the media. “I know [the media] may say some things, and it’s their opinion, and I will hold [their views] to some extent, but I’m going to go with what’s in my heart.” According to Evans, it’s up to voters who will be able to attend the ballots in the upcoming election to disregard the opinions of media, which can potentially sway the public’s opinion. “Whatever the media has to do with the election is insubstantial to the real point of [the election], which is to decide the policy of the country,” Evans said.
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OCT. 28, 2011
photos by Jami Bechard
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Senior Alex Sheppard, pictured above, makes frozen yogurt for a little boy , and Senior Alex Besse enjoys her strawberry flavored frozen yogurt at the Yagoot on Mason Montgomery Road in the Deerfield Towne Center
Getting cultured Mason High School students follow new “healthy” trend, and indulge in frozen yogurt Janica Kaneshiro | Editor-in-Chief
000Despite the bad economy, there’s one business that can’t be held back. Frozen yogurt has taken an upward business trend in the past year, which is apparent through the popularity of new frozen yogurt shops, Orange Leaf in West Chester and Yagoot in Deerfield Township according to senior Rachel Monnin. “First there was Yagoot, and then Orange Leaf on the other side of town,” Monnin said. “Frozen yogurt has grown [in popularity] ever since Yagoot came.” Frozen yogurt saw the height of its glory in the 1980s with the popularity of TCBY, but the trend has again reached popular status in 2011 due to the openings of yogurt shops like PinkBerry and Red Mango world-wide. Frozen yogurt, as we’re beginning to understand it in America today--with a tart taste and options of fruit toppings--began in Asia and then hit it big in New York and California a few years ago. It’s now spreading inland as it reaches popularity all throughout the country, according to stltoday.com. Alex Sheppard, senior and Yagoot employee said the reason for the spike in popularity for frozen yogurt is because frozen yogurt is generally healthier than other frozen desserts. “It gets more and more popular, and so many places are opening up because people are loving it, and because of everyone’s obsession with being healthy,” Sheppard said. Sheppard, however said that instead of focusing on improving the health of dessert treats, people should focus more on other foods. “I feel like people shouldn’t be worrying about ice cream and stuff—it’s the fast food they should be worrying about,” Sheppard said. Yagoot frozen yogurt is actually healthier in comparison to Graeter’s ice cream which is just down the street with only 120 calories and 1 gram of fat in a small original compared to 290 calories and 18 grams of fat in the same amount of Graeter’s Vanilla Ice cream. Junior Erica Boden, who also works at Yagoot, said she sees people from Mason High School coming in every day she works. “Every night I work, I come home, and my mom asks, ‘Who did you see tonight?’ and I have at least like five people I saw who either I know from school or adults I know too.” Boden said that the frozen yogurt trend shows that people in general are choosing healthier lifestyles. “I think [people are choosing frozen yogurt over ice cream] because our obesity rate is so high in America, but I also think people care about their bodies and they want to stay healthy be-
cause they want to live longer and have a fit lifestyle,” Boden said. Monnin said she prefers yogurt solely because of taste, but she also enjoys the healthy benefits. “It’s a lot healthier [than ice cream,]” Monnin said. “It’s a treat, but no guilt and less sugar.” According to Monnin, people also like to have a choice in what they eat, so getting to customize their yogurt is a big selling point for places like Yagoot and Orange Leaf. “I like the toppings at Yagoot,” Monnin said. “I think people like it too because it’s more variety and they get to choose what they want. It definitely makes it easy to make it your own.” Boden said that, despite the expense of frozen yogurt, people are still lining up to try it. “It does kind of surprise me, because it’s not cheap; all of the fruit is freshly cut, and everything is really fresh, so I think the fact that it’s taking a boost [in business] is showing that [people would] rather be healthy and pay more than be unhealthy and pay less,” Boden said. Boden said that the rise of frozen yogurt is a sign that society is making an effort towards healthier living, and also that celebrity endorsement doesn’t hurt the trend. “I think society’s making an effort, but I think it’s also a trend,” Boden said. “The effort has been made, for example in our schools, the Senate Bill is making us eat healthier food, like the ice cream in the cafeteria is technically yogurt. But it’s also a trend because you see a lot of famous people eating frozen yogurt.” Whether the trend sticks around or not, Monnin said she’ll continue to be a fan of the frozen treat. “It’s a treat anytime.” Monnin said. “People like it because it’s healthy, but it’s good, and there’s an endless variety.”
OCT. 28, 2011
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C EDITORIAL PAGE 8 | OCT. 28, 2011
Chronicle Policy
C Editorial Cartoon
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 necessarily 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, obscenity, 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 Ohio Scholastic Media Association.
Contact Information The Chronicle William Mason High School 6100 S. Mason Montgomery Rd. Mason, Ohio 45040 (513) 398-5025 The Chronicle Staff Editor-in-Chief Janica Kaneshiro Associate Editor Julia Halpin Layout and Design Editor Jami Bechard Online Editor Rebekah Barnes Sports Editor Katelyn Cain Business Manager Samantha Weaver Editorial Cartoonist Ajay Agrawal Staff Writers Ashley Calvani Miranda Carney Thom Carter Chloe Knue Branden Labarowski Katherine Hansen Corynne Hogan Ian Howard Nicole Huser Mitchell Matacia Megan McCormack James Nosek Joseph Spencer Taylor Telford Adviser Dale Conner
C Staff Editorial Financial worry is a staple in the life of an upcoming college student; scholarships are rare and you can pretty much forget about a full ride these days, but to make all matters worse, the test that determines if students can get money from a college, leaves them broke before they ever make it there. The ACT not only costs money each time a student takes it--which is increasing because of the recent acceptance of “Super Scoring” amongst colleges for admission--but it also charges 10 bucks, per order, per school to send scores for admission. Is this not paradoxical? Spend an arm and a leg so colleges will knock a few thousand off the already outrageous price of tuition? Now, some say that the price students pay for tests will come back to them ten-fold if they get a good score, but that only happens to those lucky few who can pull out a 34 or higher on the test. What about the other 99 percent of the high school population? Aren’t they just paying in hopes of being paid? We don’t feel that makes much sense at all. Why spend money to get money? If the ACT really is helping us pay for our education, why then are we broke before we ever step foot on campus?
C Letters
to the
Editor
Dear Editor, There once was a joke I heard, and it went something like this, “I’m tired of all this nonsense about beauty being only skin-deep. That’s deep enough. What do you want—an adorable pancreas?” This made me chuckle, but [it] also made me realize how shallow we all are as Americans. In the last Chronicle Beauty in The Eyes Employer really stuck out to me because there is no doubt that the article is absolutely correct. It’s sad in my op inion because the article shows how shallow the business world really is. In the business world, they would much rather hire a beautiful woman that has about half as much knowledge as a woman less attractive who is brilliant. You see beautiful models with perfect skin and perfect hair on TV commercials and shows, [who] are probably dumber than a box of rocks. Then you have the smarter less attractive people who wear an average American pant size of 14 sitting at home wishing they could have that job. The fact of the matter is that it’s simple, in the business world, if the company thinks they will attract more customers by having more attractive employees, right or wrong, they will do just that to make their business thrive. No matter who you are, life is unfair at some point, and you have to get used to it. This is just one prime example that life is unfair, and it’s always going to be unfair. Meghan Grable, freshman Dear Editor, The budget cuts are not very intelligent when there are local grants being given to classes. It doesn’t make any sense that Mason is cutting bussing and other important functions that students and groups need. Thanks to the new Senate Bill 210, clubs and sports teams to not be able to sell food for the health of students. This is going to drastically affect how things are done. ... Cameron Forsythe, freshman
Letters
continued on page
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C OPINION
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PAGE 9 | OCT. 28, 2011
C Columns
Facebook jealousy-nobody has it all
Janica Kaneshiro
Rioting just to riot
The bad side of marketing Ian Howard
Branden Labarowski
We have a lot more growing up to do
Dubstep more of an English thing
Julia Halpin | Associate Editor
Thom Carter | Staff Writer
“High school is the journey to finding your true self.” Really? Because I must have taken a wrong turn when everyone else went straight, because I’m nowhere near to finding this, could you say, “true identity.” When I was a little girl, I dreamed of being something new about every single day. I was a strange child, admittedly so, with gangly straight brown hair as long as my body, and a mouth that could run for days. I had an opinion on about everything under the sun, even when I had no idea what it was. I was the little girl that talked to grown-ups in the grocery store lanes, raised her hand to every question asked in grade school and read chapter books by the time I was five. Yeah, you could say I was a little bit of a “free-spirit.” But, the real joy in being a child is that you have no idea who you’re going to become. For some reason now, all of a sudden, I’m surrounded by teenagers who are so sure of themselves, so certain of their personalities, so confident in their abilities; they’re grown-ups. I look around and see business men in my dad’s office building, professional lawyers in big-time firms and artists with their own personal galleries. Everyone has a plan, like an athlete training for a marathon, each day marked with exactly what they have to do to get to the next level. How did everyone become so sure of themselves? I have no idea. Somewhere along the road through high school my peers figured out who they were, centered in on an identity for themselves that they would bring out into the world. Whether they’ve landed on athletics to pursue, the “hipster” identity to follow them to art school or the brain to take them to Wall Street, it seems like everyone finally knows who they are; we’re not kids anymore. Well, I’m not a grown-up. I still have that little bit of childhood spunk in me, and more importantly, I still am driving down that road to figuring out what my life is going to turn into. I can’t be fully confident in who I am as a person yet, heck, I’m only 17. This identity thing, isn’t solved in high school. We have a whole life ahead of us that’s going to take us through new relationships, new job experiences and new struggles that will eventually, mold us into the person that we’ve searched for since our childhood. We’re not done growing up yet.
When musical genres amount to nothing but a trend, they lose all credibility. We are incredibly susceptible to such a phenomenon in Mason. Here, emerging artists from primarily urban dwellings have their sound diluted when they’re music is deemed “too weird.” Dubstep, a subgenre of electronic and drum n’ bass music, is currently that flavor of the month that emerged from a scene with dramatically more flair than it has now. More than a decade ago, it was compromised almost exclusively of South Londoners harnessing the newfound power of their laptops and accompanying software. The amount of public attention was minimal, and the sound offset any other presumptions of where electronic music was headed at the time. The sound—integral for such an atypical genre—is akin to the hushed murmurs of darkened London alleyways. Burial, a dubstep artist, is a prime example of such atmospheric noise. He makes music that feels as if he plunged himself into the furthest corners of the city, scooped out the filth and pestilence, and jammed all of it through a magical program that churned out hideously sensual, yet wonderfully danceable songs. Inevitably, the sound reached the masses and was cruelly modified. Dubstep, a genre largely grounded in urban culture, was uprooted from its London roots and became a laughable disgrace. Labeling is the problem. We don’t like things that take a fair amount of explaining. We want to slap on tags that contain definitions streamlined and slimmed down in order to be brief and uninteresting. Take Skrillex, an artist that creates mushy compositions of cringe-inducing pop vocals and warped, incomprehensible synths. I don’t like the music, but what infuriates me more is that it is described as something it is not. It’s not dubstep. It’s hardly electronic. What it is instead is a buzzy, often ugly mishmash of unforgiving bass and lackluster samples which offer little in emotion, but a lot in migraines. It’s infuriating that a genre with so much promise has boiled down to a buzz word. Dubstep, in a largely suburban sense of the word, is now synonymous with shuddering bass that allows kids to harness the power of their frivolous subwoofers. The genre has become laughable; a shell of its former self that needs a return to tradition.
C What You Think “If I hear something that says [a] person is doing something all wrong and [that] you should vote for this person because [they will] do it all better, I don’t like that because it’s like you are pointing out only the wrong things of the opposite person and you should be pointing out good things about yourself, if you are going to run for something.” Ken Bredemeier, sophomore
compiled by Miranda Carney
How does the media affect your political views? “If I see a commercial for anything that’s political, then I’ll sort of go along with the commercial because I’m easily swayed, and when I see something along those lines, I will [assume] they must be correct.” Emily Burton, sophomore
“I think [media] has a negative effect [on my views] when they start trashing the other people or mud-slinging. It’s more of a negative effect because when they [mudsling,] they don’t tell you what they actually think.” Mackenzie Rich, junior
“Watching different channels with different spins on issues makes me think differently. Fox news is more right-winged so I get more of a republican bias on some issues which leads me to be a little more republican.” Kaushik Chagarlamudi, senior
“Media teaches us more about political [issues] because we don’t really learn about [politics] in school [since] we are still just taking the essential classes.” Michael Rueda, freshman
“I feel like media makes politics more accessible to youth because there are shows like the Daily Show and the Colbert Report that attract a younger audience and I feel like even that influences [us].” Colleen Kennedy, senior
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Letters
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Editor
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...It doesn’t make sense that only 130 students will utilize the $5,718 that has been given to the Environmental Science classes in the third trimester. With all of the budget cuts, the money should be used to clubs and other groups within the district that will affect most of the students. STUGO could use the money to replace the Seroogy Bar sales. This would help STUGO to continue what they do to help the community. STUGO could use the $5,718 and another $450 that went to a support education class to help the community. That would total to $6,168 that Mason could use to help STUGO keep going. This could take out some of the deficit left by the Senate Bill 210 and help to keep activities and clubs going in the future. Cameron Forsythe, freshman
Dear Editor, No more bake sales? I think this is taking a good idea too far. Senate Bill 210 says that you can’t sell unhealthy food during school, meaning no more bake sales or hot dogs at Mason High School. I think the schools should be teaching students more about making healthy choices, not just eliminating all unhealthy food during school They should be teaching that you should only eat sweets in moderation. Even if students can’t get sweets at school, they will just go home and eat whatever they want. They should be focusing on exercise too, not just getting rid of unhealthy food. Without having bake sales or Seroogy bars to sell, I think it will make it a lot harder to do fundraising for the school, because I don’t think as many people will buy fruits and vegetables at school. It will affect other causes too, because you might not raise as much money for the causes you are trying to help, like Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. You could get creative with what to sell, but it might not sell as well as a bake sale or hot dogs might. Taylor Wood, freshman
Dear Editor, It’s cold. And the bus stop still is a long way away. It seems even longer with the budget cuts that have started this year, and we students have noticed. But I believe the deduction of bus stops per neighborhood is one of the major impacts to those of us who don’t drive yet, ...Sure, this deduction probably only impacts freshman and sophomores here at the high school but then, it also impacts MMS and MI students as well. Yes, the budgets have been cut, but there are other things they could fix other than dedicuting the number of bus stops. I’m sure that no one is very fond or happy with getting up even earlier than they have been. Winter seems to last forever, and having to walk ten minutes to the nearest bus stop will be irritable, so I don’t think that of the things they cut or deduct, they should deduct bus stops.
Avery Heffron, freshman
OCT. 28, 2011
Cracking the ACT code Students create coping mechanisms to get through standard college admittance exams Ashley Calvani | Staff Writer
Standardized tests required for admittance to college are important to-do’s on the checklists of upperclassmen, and a heavy weight on their minds, too, according to senior Sarah Sohn. With students’ futures relying on how well they perform on these tests, Sohn said it’s no surprise that leading up to the tests, the pressure to do well can cripple even the sturdiest young scholars. There are, however, things that can be done to ease the pressure and help students perform well on the ACT. According to Mason High School junior John Deaton, who received an ACT Composite score of 34, maintaining a positive perspective and having a confident attitude are key components of doing well. Getting extra practice doesn’t hurt either Deaton said. “My mom bought this online [program] with practice problems,” Deaton said. “It’s all about exactly what’s on the ACT. There are so many [websites] out there [with practice programs to choose from].” Carol Lehman, MHS science teacher, also teaches strategies to the science portion of the ACT at prepReady, an ACT preparation course. “No matter what test prep you go to, [for] the math and the English [portions of the ACT], you can’t be taught the content in a matter of four weeks; it’s impossible, but what you can do is teach the kids strategies to succeed.” According to Lehman, one way to apply these strategies is to practice. Lehman said the best practice resource in her opinion for students is the book made by ACT®, called, “The Real ACT Guide.” Sohn, who scored a perfect 36 on the ACT, supports Lehman’s opinion: she used the same book to practice on her own. According to Sohn, she improved her score from her first attempt by focusing, during the summer, for one week on the areas she had found troublesome. She said pacing herself was her biggest issue, and by practicing in the book and using a timer, she was able to better manage her pacing the next time she took the ACT in June. According to Lehman, especially in the science portion of the ACT, which students generally score the lowest on, pacing is biggest problem all students face. “You want to work quickly,” Lehman said. “The biggest problem with the science ACT is kids don’t finish. They’re not working optimally.” Ann Delehanty-Koenig, Guidance Department Chair at Kings High School and founder of Futures on Fire, a college admissions advising and ACT prep company, said the key to fixing the problem of pacing is becoming familiar with the test. “A lot of [the key to success] is about understanding how the test is designed and really taking yourself through practice problems, whether you buy a book, go take a class, [or] go online,” Delehanty-Koenig said. “I always say to kids, ‘You wouldn’t travel to Europe without a map.’ The ACT is the same way: if you’re going into it totally cold, it’s like going to a foreign country without a map.” According to Delehanty-Koenig, in order to reap the benefits from practicing, a student must dive into their results, too.
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OCT. 28, 2011 “Kids take a lot of practice tests, and they get their scores, but they don’t ever really analyze [questions] they got wrong and where their weaknesses are,” Koenig said. “That is probably the biggest tip ever, and not just [from] me as someone who teaches test prep, it’s what all the research says. …Time yourself, do practice problems, [and] analyze the wrong answers.” There are also some other, more specific strategies to help save time, according to Lehman. “Don’t even waste thirty seconds reading the directions [on the science portion]; you don’t need to,” Lehman said. “They don’t change. It can come down to a matter of a minute; that might be two questions.” Alex Besse, MHS senior who raised her score to a 31 the second time she took the ACT, said remembering that not all questions are the same is important. “The questions get harder as the test goes on,” Besse said. “Start at the beginning [of the test] so you get more done, because you don’t want to take longer on the harder questions and not have as much time for the easy ones. It makes more sense to just get the ones you know out of the way.” According to Besse, she took the ACT a second time to try raising her score in order to be eligible for a scholarship to the university she’s aspiring to attend: The Ohio State University. Lehman said it’s beneficial for students to have an idea of the requirements and ACT scores for schools they’re considering applying to because it gives students and idea of how they need to perform on the tests. “Have an idea of where you want to go,” Lehman said. “Know what those schools are looking for. … College is a huge commitment; you want to make sure you’re picking college that fits you first, not necessarily [trying] to be what the colleges want.” Practice and preparation, not only for the ACT, but for college as well, comes best from putting effort into classes at school, according to Sohn. “My junior year, I took Honors English and AP [Language and Composition],” Sohn said. “That was really helpful. My science classes helped, too. They don’t actually test you on what you actually learned in your science class, …but I think just having background knowledge really helped. As long as you challenge yourself and work hard in school, it’s just kind of comes from that.” Deaton agreed: he said he was surprised at how many questions on the ACT seemed to come straight from his classes here at MHS. Looking back in hindsight, Sohn said the most stressful part about the ACT is everything leading up to it. Lehman said students just need to keep calm. “Understand that those four hours are going to be taxing on you,” Lehman said. “Take the test in your home high school if possible; having to deal with logistical issues is not something you want to have to worry about. The night before…get a lot of sleep; eat breakfast; prepare yourself; it is what it is.” Deaton offered his most valuable piece of advice for taking the ACT. “Just calm down,” Deaton said. “[The ACT] is just any ordinary test pretty much. Show them what you’re worth.”
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The following information is compiled by The Chronicle staff based on the official ACT website, actstudent. org, and also the opinions of students and teachers in Mason High School.
Test Format: English
Reading
Mathematics
Science
Break
Writing (optional)
75 questions, 45 minutes 60 questions, 60 minutes
40 questions, 35 minutes 40 questions, 35 minutes 1 prompt, 30 minutes
10 minutes
What to bring: • • • • • • •
Admission ticket Student ID No. 2 Pencils (non-mechanic) Timer/ wrist watch Calculator Water Snack for break
Helpful Tips: “Take it more than once because your score is likely to go up.” - Alex Besse, senior
“A big chunk of the ACT is pacing.” -Carol Lehman
“Even if you don’t do any extra help, keeping up in school is important.” - Sarah Sohn, senior
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Political Rumblings
Round Table Club brings political discussion to Mason SEE PAGE
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No LOVE for yoga pants photo by Megan McCormack
Sisters junior Ashley Gruber and freshman Sammie Gruber own 26 pairs of yoga pants between them, which are shown pictured above on Ashley’s bed.
Controversy over yoga pants sparks debate over their place in schools Nicole Huser | Staff Writer
The popular trend of yoga pants and leggings among teenage girls has caused controversy due to the tightness of the pant, according to Robert Page, a World History teacher at Mason High School. According to WLWT Channel 5 News, Loveland High School’s administration has chosen to ban yoga pants due to the fact that they do not feel they are appropriate school attire. Mason Middle School has also chosen to limit the use of yoga pants and leggings in the school setting. Since leggings and yoga pants are form fitting, many teachers at not only Loveland but MHS as well find them to be inappropriate for school. According to Page, leggings are acceptable as long as the shirt or dress worn over them meets the dress code length requirement. “[On] the issue of leggings, I think if a dress is worn over top of them and the dress is the appropriate length, [leggings] are not a problem,” Page said. “If the dress is not appropriate, I see that as a dress code violation.” According to a bulletin on the Mason Middle School Edline page, middle school girls are now faced with restrictions on their yoga pants and leggings. If girls at MMS wish to wear yoga pants or leggings, the “accompanying top needs to cover not only the waist but at least half of the rear end as well.” On top of these new rules, MMS girls are prohibited to wear pants with large writing such as PINK or Comets on the back.
According to Mindy McCarty-Stewart, rumors that MHS will be banning yoga pants next year are false. There are still teachers and students, however, that disagree with the trend. According to Page, banning yoga pants and leggings should not be a huge issue for students. “If [yoga pants] are banned, just don’t wear them,” Page said. “Wear sweatpants; they’re just as comfortable. I don’t think it’s that big of deal to have something like that banned.” Junior Alex Underwood, who said she disapproves of yoga pants and leggings, does not consider them an acceptable form of pants.
the hallways and a teacher grabbed me by my shoulder and brought me into the office. She told me that what I was wearing wasn’t appropriate for school, and she couldn’t believe that my mom let me leave the house in it.” According to Gruber, Loveland High School is crossing the line in banning yoga pants. “It’s going too far to say that you can’t wear yoga pants at all,” Gruber said. “I do understand why [Loveland High School] did it though because they can be tight and sometimes not appropriate.” According to Gruber, banning yoga pants and leggings would be bad for students due to the price that yoga pants are. “If Mason banned yoga pants, I’d be really mad,” Gruber said. “I own a lot of yoga pants and leggings. …They get expensive, so it’d be bad for me if I could only wear them on the weekends.” Despite the fact that yoga pants are not seen as appropriate attire by many teachers, girls at MHS still continue to wear them because they have many pros, according to Gruber. “I like to wear yoga pants because they’re comfortable, they’re easy to put on in the morning and I personally don’t like the feel of jeans,” Gruber said. “They aren’t that comfortable to me. Plus, they do look good. I mean, you’d be lying if you said you didn’t wear yoga pants because they looked good on you.”
“It’s going too far to say that you can’t wear yoga pants at all.” Ashley Gruber, junior
“I don’t like [yoga pants and leggings] because I don’t really think leggings are pants, and yoga pants are pretty much leggings,” Underwood said. “When people wear them, they tend to buy the wrong size, so they’re just so unflattering.” According to the MHS student handbook, yoga pants are not a violation of the dress code. However, some teachers feel they should be and react as if they were against the dress code. Junior Ashley Gruber, who wears yoga pants and leggings often, has been confronted before by a teacher that felt wearing leggings as pants were a violation of the dress code. “Sophomore year I wore the legging [style of] yoga pants and a sweatshirt,” Gruber said. “I was walking in
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Rules of the restroom Students abide by implied set of rules when going to the restroom
Despite the name, restrooms are not places of rest, since the social complexities of school restrooms often make for an anxious setting with regular social obstacles to overcome, according to junior Demi Moses. “It’s an awkward environment–going to the bathroom, [because] you’re with some people that you kind of know [and] you don’t know if you should talk to them,” Moses said. A set of unspoken social standards to manage the awkward atmosphere in the restroom has evolved in school restrooms, according to Moses. Senior Matt Buchko said he confirms the same rule for boys’ restroom etiquette. “Don’t talk,” Buchko said. “You just don’t talk when you’re in the restroom.” This conversation obstacle in the restroom often shows students where they stand with their peers socially, according to Moses. She also said that breaking the barrier shows a major step up in friendship. “You figure out the people [who] you don’t really know,” Moses said. “If you would feel awkward talking to them in the bathroom, maybe you’re not as good of friends with them as you thought.” The impact of these situations remains, not just for a moment, but well into students’ social standings with peers outside the restroom, according to Moses. “If you have an awkward
situation with someone in the bathroom [and] then you see them in the halls, and you both know about it, it’s just even more awkward,” Moses said. Simply sharing the restroom with other people sparks social uneasiness, according to Buchko. He said boys also feel caught in an awkward scenario when they encounter other people in the restroom. “If I’m in the bathroom with somebody and then I walk out, it’s really weird,” Buchko said. Moses said she tries to resolve the awkward tensions established in the bathroom with humor. “I just try to laugh about [the situation] or make jokes, because it can be more awkward when you don’t interact at all,” Moses said. Even though girls have more confidence when handling their social restroom situation, according to Buchko, for boys it is best to avoid interaction at all costs. “With guys, it’s more of just a get-in and get-out [process],” Buchko said. “You just walk straight ahead and go as fast as you can.” According to sophomore Blake Weaver, part of girls’ assurance in the restroom is due to their advantage of less eye contact. “Well, girls have stalls, so they can’t see each other when they’re going to the restroom,” Weaver said. Still, both boys and girls have restroom experiences that become pivotal social situations, according to Weaver. He said that for boys, their experiences sometimes become a measure of guts. “[We] don’t like going in the middle [urinal],” Weaver said. “When there’s one person on each side, they get kind of embarrassed, and then some people do go in the middle to be brave.” Although the physical environment of the restroom remains constant outside of school facilities for both boys and girls, there is less social anxiety when in restrooms outside of school, according to Moses. “Outside of school, [there are] more people you don’t know at all [that you see in the bathroom], so it’s not as awkward,” Moses said. Not only does social interaction in the rest
rooms initiate awkward relationships, it also takes more time, according to Moses. She said having the restroom to yourself is a break from the time consuming social stresses. “I don’t feel any pressure from anyone [when it’s just me in the bathroom],” Moses said. “You don’t have to talk to anyone. You can be more efficient.” Weaver said he too tries to minimize the social intricacies possible in the restroom, especially using a three-step routine. “Just go in, wash your hands, get out,” Weaver said. Still, avoiding people in the restroom is a tricky task, according to Moses. She said she avoids the unwanted social tensions by enforcing a strictly business policy. “Just do what you went in [the bathroom] to do and let other people do what they went in to do,” Moses said. “Don’t talk to anyone else. Mind your own business.”
photo by Megan McCormack
Katherine Hansen | Staff Writer
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OCT. 28, 2011 The feeling of approval can be hard to come by in a school the size of Mason High School. Being a part of that admired “in crowd” has an inconsistent meaning within the different cliques at MHS. Whether you identify as a goth, a prep, an athlete or a nerd, the definition of popular varies from person to person. This special report is a student perspective of popularity, its meaning and its relevance to MHS.
Megan McCormack | Staff Writer
t the high school level, one trend will always be in style—it has sustained itself for years in high schools thus far. The students who are privileged to claim the title of “popular” will always be a topic of discussion in high school because gossip is a form of entertainment, according to senior John Mostowy. Popularity is often the way high school students define themselves, according to senior JD Sprague, who said that he bases popularity on great and known accomplishments in the school community, rather than looks alone. “I define popularity as…outstanding achievement,” Sprague said. “When I was a freshman, I thought Zach Brown was popular because he’s really good at basketball, and I played basketball. Or even last year, Zach Wills [was popular] because everybody knows he’s the best cross country runner ever.” Mostowy said that the popular students here at Mason High School differ from the rest of the student body and create a persona for themselves. “[The popular people at MHS are] the rowdy people, the loud people,” Mostowy said. “They tend to grab everyone’s attention because they made themselves heard; they stand out.” Freshmen Sydney Rebella, who said her definition of popular is someone who is known for being kind, said that she views popularity as something to strive for. “[How important popularity is] depends on the person,” Rebella said. “I would say [popularity] is a good thing, because I think it’s very important for people to be nice to each other, because if you [aren’t, popular-
ity] can hurt people in ways that it shouldn’t.” According to freshmen Mackenzie Hogan, however, students shouldn’t focus on being popular because having good friends is more important. “Some people take [being popular] over the top and focus their whole freshman year on being popular, but if you’re around the people you like, then…who cares?” Hogan said. “A lot people think [popularity is] important, but you shouldn’t make it a priority.” Spague said some students may classify themselves as popular rather than having the title given to them, but he also said that popularity is how others see the self-proclaimed popular student. “[Popularity] can be [self-defined], but I also think people take it more serious than it really is,” Sprague said. “I don’t really like how…high school [popularity] is opinion based, …but [in high school,] it’s…not what you do, but what other people think about you [that makes you popular].” Senior Carson McKenzie said that she no longer sees popularity as important because it wasn’t what she expected it to be. “[Popularity] becomes less of a big deal, and you don’t really tend to care about it anymore,” McKenzie said. “What I thought was popular really isn’t, and the people that I thought were popular were not ideal people.” Mostowy said that his view on popularity changed throughout his four years at MHS. He said as a freshman he believed popularity to be based on talents, but now he views popularity as something negative. “Being popular, as a freshman, meant being really good at sports or being really smart…being talented
in general,” Mostowy said. “And now, after these four years, people know that you’re talented, people know that you’re really smart, really strong, whatever. But… the more interesting thing is the troublemakers, what are they getting into and how they got into it. [Popularity] is more negative based [as a senior] than it was positive as a freshman.” According to freshman Lucas Edwards, MHS sees popularity in a negative light rather than something positive because of the people who are portrayed as popular. “As a whole, I feel like [MHS views popularity] negative[ly]…because I feel like most of my friends would look at a popular kid and say they’re a snob or a jerk,” Edwards said. As a whole, Mostowy, said that popularity at MHS is viewed negatively because it’s the troublemakers who are talked about the most. “People view popularity as more of a negative thing, because we talk more about trouble than…about talent,” Mostowy said. “[Trouble] is more exciting to talk about, it’s more exciting to talk about the kids who got arrested than the valedictorian who got an A on her test.” Even though he said popularity is viewed negatively, Mostowy said MHS students are gracious and all students should be able to find their place, even in such a big school. “This community is pretty welcoming; you can find yourself pretty much anywhere,” Mostowy said. “Obviously as a freshman, you’re going [be] intimidated by the huge school size, but…you should be able to find your niche with some close friends.”
photo art by Jami Bechard and photos by Megan McCormack, Corynne Hogan and Mitchell Matacia
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SEPT. 30, 2011 | PAGE 17
Corynne Hogan | Staff Writer
“[Partying] doesn’t sound fun to me--I like to remember what I did. It’s just a personal choice—I’ve never been into [it]. …I’m proud of myself [for not partying, and] I think I’ll be really proud of myself [later on in life,] because I [won’t] have any regrets. …It [can get] awkward [though,] because [my friends will] be talking about something [that happened at a party] and they don’t talk about in front of me, because they don’t want me to think badly [about] them. I won’t look down upon someone just because [they made that] choice—it’s just my personal choice not to [party]. …At cheer sometimes, [my friends] will talk about going to parties together, [and] I know I won’t be invited. It hurts sometimes. …[I’ll] feel upset when they [try] to keep [the party] a secret and [avoid] talking about it in front of me, but, in the end, I’m happy with who I am and my choices, because I know it’s the right thing for me to do.”
In high school, it’s not unheard of for students to wrestle with feeling accepted. As the grueling pressure on students to fit in grows, it’s refreshing to see others slip out of that burden and find comfort in their own skin. Feeling comfortable with yourself in high school is a constant battle. The Chronicle examined this battle, and various Mason High School students revealed their struggles of fitting in and how they overcame them.
“I think people who have never been fat in their life [don’t understand it]. They [think that it’s not a big deal], [but] from my [old] perspective, it is a big deal. … There was definitely a part of me that was really uncomfortable, and just upset with myself as a person…[But] I [was] one that [didn’t] let [my frustration with being overweight] show [because] it was an internal struggle. …[One day, my girlfriend suggested that I] should just try [eating vegetarian] for a week. … After a week, I [decided] to try [continuing it], and eventually it just set in as a lifestyle, rather than a diet. …[Ever since I went vegetarian], I just feel more comfortable with myself. I feel like I can do more, even though I wasn’t restricted of doing things in the past. …It’s that effort to be who you want to be that I think makes people content with themselves. …I thought that [someone’s external appearance was] what [someone] looks for in a person. …Now that I’ve lost the weight, [I see] that people treat me just the same. …I was treated really well before [I lost the weight], and I’m still treated really well [now, after I’ve lost the weight]…because I just get along well with people. …I think [true popularity] isn’t the amount of friends you have on Facebook, it’s not the high fives [you receive] in the hallway, [but] it’s the fact that people know…that you care. … [It’s] people respecting you and trusting you. ”
“‘None of the guys in Mason [wanted] to be my friend because they [all knew I was] gay…I was constantly dealing with the depression of not fitting in. … One day, I was walking to my locker, and [a student and his friend] were behind me, making gay jokes. [So] I just turned around and said to them “What the heck is your problem? You need to leave that [topic] alone and leave me alone.” [This incident occurred] during diversity week, and [in one of the videos we watched for diversity week], there was one person [in the video] who was gay. After [we watched the video, the student] walked up to me and said “I am so sorry for everything I’ve done to you.” [His apology] made me so happy and [I forgave him]. I [realize] there’s a lot of pressure on straight guys being friends with gay guys because [they don’t want to be called gay, as well]…[So], I [dealt] with depression because of discrimination. My depression just stopped [though, last] year because everyone was finally getting over [me being gay]…I think [coming out] was the best decision in my life, because now everything is out there, and I don’t have to hide it [anymore]…Right now, I’m very satisfied with myself. …When I first came out, there was a lot of bullying [from a few different] people, but as [everyone] got used to [me being gay] and more comfortable [with it], then people started to become my friend [again].”
“It was terrifying…I was just so overwhelmed because we moved [to Mason from a small town in Illinois] last minute and I had no idea [what Mason was like]. I was just thrown into [freshman year,] and I was scared to death. [Freshman year], I was really shy, wouldn’t talk much, naïve and I was so unaware of everything…I struggled a lot, early on, with making friends… [I started to focus on] knowing as many people as possible [so] I [didn’t have to] sit alone at lunch [and] when I [changed] classes, I [would] know people…[When I started going to] Young Life, that helped [me] a lot…[So] I started hanging out with people [who went to Young Life]. Once I started to make good friends, I met people through them and then, I opened up, over time…[Now, as a senior], I’ve become more social, confident…[and] more relaxed and comfortable where I am.” photo art by Jami Bechard and photos by Corynne Hogan
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Mitchell Matacia | Staff Writer
he value of acceptance is important to many students at Mason High School, but inclusion is overemphasized according to self-proclaimed outcast, junior Jordan Southerland. Southerland said he goes against the regular crowd, and tries to embrace his own beliefs and style through the clothes that he wears. “[I wear] boots, Tripp shorts, [a] chain, spikes [and a] band t-shirt, plain and simple,” Southerland said. Southerland said the clothes he wears prompt people to depict him as intimidating and as somebody he’s not. “I represent [a style that] has pretty much died off,” Southerland said. “[Some people say,] ‘Look at that weirdo’. [Some people call me] creepy, anti-Christ-ish, all of that good stuff; ...that’s why I just ignore it.” While Southerland said that the clothes he wears define some aspects of his beliefs, he attributes most of the negativity he receives towards high school popularity, specifically, cliques. “If you want to fit into a clique you have to be exactly like them,” Southerland said. “If there’s a slight difference in you, they don’t accept you. You’ve got to like the same bands they like, the same shows they like, or whatever their clique is all about… [I believe] A clique is where [the people involved] represent themselves as one thing.” According to Southerland, a clique is centered around a common similarity between students. He said he doesn’t care to fit into groups of students who reject him. He said he’s experienced the feeling of
being deserted by someone who wants to improve their high school status. “It’s like a heavy set kid trying to get skinny and trying to fit in with a cooler crowd,” Southerland said. “[If] you try to talk to him again - he doesn’t really want to talk to you because he lost all of the weight, and he’s hanging out with a “better” crowd, so he thinks he’s better than you.” Although Southerland has seen people leave to aspire to be in a new crowd, he said that he’s tried to remain true to himself.
“After about the first trimester of freshmen year, I didn’t really care [what people thought of me],” Southerland said. “A lot of people change when they get to high school,” Southerland said. “I haven’t changed much since freshmen year - besides people giving me [less trouble]. Because you know freshmen, they go through a little bit of hell. After about the first trimester of freshmen year, I didn’t really care [what people thought of me].” Southerland said he believes his difficulties throughout freshmen year derived from the importance of fitting in. He said he believes freshmen feel the need to blend in order to get through four years of high school. “[Blending into a crowd has to do with] everything from peer pressure [to wanting] not to get made fun of,”
Southerland said Southerland said that although high school is important, it’s not the pinnacle of a person’s life. “The classes and everything are the important part,” Southerland said. “The education is the important part, but what people think of you-friends and everything --[is not important], because you know it’s just high school. It doesn’t really matter what people you hung out with or [what] people that made fun of you are. It’s just the four years before you hit adulthood.” A lot of Southerland’s attention isn’t focused on how people perceive him but instead is placed on his core group of friends along with his family. A typical day in Southerland’s life is similar to other high schoolers. He gets up for school and spends seven hours in classes, but on most days he comes home to babysit his sister who has Erb’s Palsy, a nerve disorder. “[I] Play guitar, listen to music, chill with friends if I can,” Southerland said. “Usually after school I have to go and babysit my sister. She has Erb’s Palsy, [but] she can play drums pretty good. I play guitar while jamming with [her].”
photo by Mitchell Matacia
OCT. 28, 2011
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living the double life First generation American students choose between two cultures Miranda Carney | Staff Writer
photos and photo art by Jami Bechard
For many first-generation American students, going to school means living in a culture very different from that in their home, according to senior Diana He. From the traditions to the expectations, many students are not only raised with two different perspectives, but with two different sides of their life. He, whose parents moved to America during the Chinese Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), said her parents moved to America for the opportunities for education and for their family. “I am a first generation American,” He said. “My parents were born in China and my brother was also born in China. My parents lived during the Cultural Revolution time period and they were given one chance to get out of China. They decided to take that risk, to go for it, because they were going to get an education here, and they had a chance to make a family. In China you can only have one kid, and they had me as their second child.” Although America has brought many opportunities for He’s family, she said she still has different identities depending on where she is, and whether she is considered American or Chinese. “[My culture] depends on where I am,” He said. “When I am hanging around with my parents, or family friends, I am considered America because I can’t speak [Chinese] as well as them; I don’t have the same customs…but at school I feel like [I am considered] ChineseAmerican.” Senior Emma Zhao, who is also a first generation American, agreed that she had two distinct cultures in her life, but said she felt like she had no culture she could identify herself with. “Sometimes, I feel like I miss out on [Chinese culture],” Zhao said. “China kind of belongs to my parents, but I don’t really belong there because it’s not my native language. …Even though my parents belong in China, [I] don’t really have a country or anywhere to belong to.” He’s parents are similar in creating a Chinese-cultured environment, according to her. In her home, she said she speaks ‘Chinglish’ which,
according to her, is a mix between Chinese and English. Other than the language difference, He said her parents push her more to succeed because of the Chinese values they were raised with. Sophomore Nitya Nambiar, another first generation American student whose parents moved to America from India, said she has adapted to American ways at school, but keeps her Indian culture alive at home. “I adopted more [American] clothing by going [to school] and [learning] their lifestyle,” Nambiar said. “In a way, I don’t go home every day and eat Indian food, but in general I’m not as Indian as I would have been outside [of America].” One unique aspect of having two cultures, according to He, is that eventually she will choose one to associate her life with once she is out of high school. For He, she said this means leaving behind some of her parent’s attachments to China. “I’ll still install Chinese values and cultures [into my life], but I won’t go back to China,” He said. “I visit China now, but when I’m by myself I won’t. I don’t like going back there, but I’ll still keep the values. I don’t understand [China] as much as [I understand] America.” He said that although her parents push Chinese traditions and values, they realize she was raised in a different environment than they were. “You don’t want to be seen as too Asian,” He said. “My mom always gives me these jade necklaces, and I don’t wear them in school here because that would be culturally stigmatized.” Zhao said when she is on her own after high school, she will have a mix of her cultures, but will mainly stick with her Chinese heritage. “I think I’ll still [have] the values that I think are good values, like getting good grades and respect,” Zhao said. “But I don’t want [my children] to get the Chinese stereotype of not doing sports just because they’re Chinese. I’ll probably make them learn Chinese too, and [make] Chinese food just because they are Chinese.” While in high school, Zhao said many first generation American students juggle two different cultures in their household and with their classmates. Although certain pressures come with choosing which culture to associate with, there are benefits that come with living two lives, according to Zhao. “[Having two] different sides [of my life] is definitely beneficial, because I feel like if I was just a Caucasian person growing up in America, I wouldn’t have a choice in heritage,” Zhao said. “I would’ve grown up that way and that’s it, and if I’d grown up just in China it’d be the same way, but since I have both, I can kind of choose between them. …I really like having both [cultures in my life] because I can choose what I want to be.”
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THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED Drama students choose between practical careers and life in theater
Julia Halpin | Associate Editor
Dreaming to be an actress, and beginning her life in theater in the first grade, senior Alyssa Cousineau said she had a tough decision to make in regards to her future. With words like “unpractical” and “unrealistic” describing careers in theater, deciding whether to follow a passion or to go down a more traditional path was a debate that she, and other students in Mason High School’s Drama Club face, though the decision varies from person to person. Her passion for acting and the undeniable feeling she has on stage is what, according to Cousineau, drove her to her decision to pursuing a future in theater. “To me, acting is the closest thing we have to time travel,” Cousineau said. “You can be absolutely anybody you want to be and it’s nice to go on stage, and step onto a place where absolutely everything…hat has been stressful… can just [be left] at the door, and [you can] go be somebody else. …It’s nice to take a break from reality.” Though she did consider other options, Cousineau said that she landed on acting because doing something that brought her happiness was much more important to her than doing something that would bring her automatic success. “I debated the whole thing where [acting
is] not practical and I’m not going to get anywhere with it, but then, I thought about it, and I honestly don’t think I could ever be happy doing anything else,” Cousineau said. “Once I figured out that I could have a realistic career in this field, then I decided why not, why not do something that makes me so happy instead of doing something that only makes me mediocrely happy.” For Cousineau, she said the debating between acting and other college majors like Education and German ended once she realized that acting was all she could imagine herself doing in her future. “I started thinking about it and taking music theory classes, and I just realized that it was stressing me out more than I needed to,” Cousineau said. “I debated other things, [but acting is] all I do, and that’s all I’ve done ever since I was little, so I can’t imagine not doing something else; I can’t even think about it.” Though Cousineau did decide to pursue her passions, other MHS students, like senior David Gill, said he chose different routes for himself. “It was really a decision I faced, just because I researched a lot of art schools…and they’re some of the most competitive art schools in the nation, and it’s not the fact that I was lazy, it’s just the fact that I didn’t want to go through all of the processes of doing that, when there’s so little of chance of me getting into a school like that,” Gill said. “The fact that I was able to pursue other hobbies like French and English… and also have theater as a background is kind of like the best of both worlds for me.”
Considering the instability in an acting career, Gill said that his other passions in life led him to choose another path aside from acting. “The unrealistic nature of [theater careers] was kind of a subconscious thing that I had [in my head], but my other passions in life kind of drove me, along with the subconscious feelings that I had about it being unrealistic; they all drove me towards another career choice besides acting,” Gill said. Finding more opportunity in other fields, Gill said that he warns students against pursuing a life in theater. For him, he said that while he encourages other students to chase after their passions, the unrealistic nature of an acting career is something to be considered. “As harsh as this is to say, it is not a very realistic opportunity for a lot of kids, [because] there are so many kids [who want the same job],” Gill said. “There’s only so few positions that they can have; it’s not entirely realistic, and while it’s good for them to pursue their goals and their dreams, I don’t think it’s the best opportunity for them to take.” In making that decision, comes the possibility of leaving the theater world behind. Planning on still acting in shows in college, Gill said that he feels sad to leave a part of theater behind, but knows he is doing the right thing for himself. “I’m confident in [my decision], it is bitter sweet though, just because [acting] is something I really love to do, but I know it’s not really where I should be,” Gill said. I’m satisfied with where I’m headed, but I’m not satisfied that I have to leave all of this behind.”
photo by Jami Bechard
OCT. 28, 2011
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“Hey, wanna go out?”
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photo by Corynne Hogan
Teen relationships replace courtship with technology Taylor Telford | Staff Writer
Jockeying for girl’s attention, critical exchanges of phone numbers, the perfect “first” date: courtship rituals that were once inherent in dating are now all but dead, according to Health teacher Gary Popovich. In the eyes of Popovich, our generation has made serious courtship a thing of the past, according to him. Popovich, who has now taught at Mason for 18 years, said that he has witnessed decay in the role that courtship plays in teen relationships throughout his time teaching high school students. “Kids are growing up faster [than they did before], and as a result they live and do everything at a much faster pace,” Popovich said. One substantial difference from life when Popovich began teaching is how integral technology and social media are as far as influencing relationships, according to Popovich. Popovich said he thinks uses of such methods have an impact on how teenagers get to know each other. “Courtship now is kind of done over the phone, by text or Facebook and through other social media,” Popovich said. “When we get to know people through texting and social media…the motion isn’t there. You don’t really know if they mean [what they are saying].” Traditionally, relationship dynamics would be learned in the household, with kids using their parents as a model, according to Popovich. However, Popovich said that due to the breakdown of the traditional family unit, kids no longer have as many examples of stable relationships.
“I think that how to treat the opposite sex is something that should be taught in families, but with the divorce rate being what it is, kids are just growing up independently, without guidance on things like that,” Popovich said. “At this point, I think courtship is a lost art.” Popovich said he thinks the media’s portrayal of romances influence how adolescents view relationships, and how seriously they take them. “I think a lot of the television shows that kids watch like ‘Two and a Half Men’ and some of the other ones…even the music that’s on the radio is really not modeling positive things about dating, courtship and relationships,” Popovich said. “It’s just not remotely realistic.” In the eyes of some students, such as junior Kevin Noriega, high school relationships are simply not worthy of putting a lot of consideration into or fixating on. “I don’t really take [dating] that seriously,” Noriega said. “I just try to live in the moment.” For Noriega, he said the length of time he has known a girl plays little part in whether or not he is willing to engage in a relationship with them. “If I just met a girl a week ago, and I liked her enough, I would probably date her,” Noriega said. While Noriega opts for a more casual outlook on dating, he said that he admits that it could be negatively affecting the relationships he does choose to invest in. “My relationships usually don’t last all that long… maybe about three months or so,” Noriega said.
For Algebra and Statistics teacher Mark McCormick, courting in a short time frame does not necessarily foreshadow an unsuccessful relationship. McCormick became engaged to his wife of 25 years after knowing her for only 6 weeks. They met on a blind date arranged by McCormick’s sister, and he said they clicked immediately. McCormick said he emphasizes the importance of courtship in the early stages of a relationship. “I think courtship in a relationship is very indicative of how the relationship is going to turn out,” McCormick said. “I’ve been married 25 years, and not much has changed in comparison to how things were when I first met my wife.” For teenagers hoping to build a truly successful relationship, Popovich said he suggests that they put effort into spending time on-on-one, rather than communicating via social media. “In order to really court someone, you have to look them in the eye,” Popovich said. Popovich said he does not believe that courtship and romance are completely dead in the halls of Mason High School, but are something that needs to be improved upon. “Dating is just like anything else,” Popovich said. “If you want to succeed, you have to be passionate and willing to work at it.”
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Person of Interest Freshman Maeve Morris said she is passionate about both fashion design and optometry, and the person who helps her most with fashion is her mother.
talking politics MHS students create club to raise awareness of worldwide political issues Chloe Knue | Staff Writer
When did you start designing your own clothes? “I guess around third grade, I asked my mom for a Christmas dress, and I drew a picture and she was able to make that for me, and one for my American Girl doll.” What’s the fanciest, most elaborate thing you’ve designed? “The most elaborate thing, I think it was the dress I made most recently. We had to do a lot of mixing of patterns to get it to fit right and to look the way I wanted.” Is it a philosophy of yours not to regret anything? “Yeah, I think things happen for a reason and [they] just make me a better person. So, maybe fashion mistakes I’ve made make me better today.” Does your artistic ability help you in fashion design? “Yeah, definitely. I’ve always liked drawing and painting—well, not really painting, but I like drawing and I’ve always liked art class. That’s always been my favorite class. That definitely helps.” What do you want to pursue in life? “I’d like to go into fashion, but I also want to be an eye doctor. I just find it really interesting.”
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In 2007, researchers at Harvard University surveyed 1,800 American teenagers between the ages of 12 and 17. What they found was that 60 percent of teens said they pay little attention to the daily news, and 28 percent said they pay no attention to the news each day. At Mason High School the goal of the Round Table Club is to get Mason students talking about politics, and all Mason students are encouraged to get involved in the discussion according to club founder Alex Mezhvinsky. “We allow everyone whether political junkie or novice, to come in and talk or simply listen,” Mezhvinsky said. “Without the constraints of school and peers, the Round Table Club provides an interesting place that endorses both a diversity of opinion and clear-cutting general analysis that gets to the heart of an issue. We are not trying to save the world. We are trying to help students understand it.” Mason High School Social Studies teacher and the Round Table Club’s advisor, Steve Prescott said he is impressed with the level of commitment the club members exhibit; the members are not required to show up to the meetings every Friday, but they do because they are excited about learning and learning about different perspectives. Senior club member Sahir Rama said the club gives students the opportunity to be active and question what is going on in politics; the club’s ambition is to get students excited about the politics that are happening in the world around them. “We are simply hoping to raise awareness and interest in politics,” Rama said. “We want students to become more active and question why things are done in the world instead of just accepting.” According to Harvard University, less than a third of American teenagers are connected to the news -- Alex Mezhvinsky said that is where the Round Table comes in; they want to get people talking.
The club is an outlet for students to examine issues and be involved in a world where teenagers are typically not that invested in news, according to club member, senior Wesley Osler. “I personally believe that most American teenagers do get the reputation of being ignorant when it comes to politics,” Osler said. “Because they either do not know where to start or do not believe they need to [get involved].” The stereotype of teenagers being disconnected is a theme that does not stay true with the Round Table Club members -- there is so much passion and enthusiasm being displayed in the meetings; that students do leave the table feeling they have caught the political bug according to Mezhvinsky. Sophomore club member James Gao said, “[The Round Table club] is a good way to foster political knowledge and become more educated. According to Mezhvinsky controversial topics do come up. The club has talked about issues such as if intelligent design and alternative science should be taught in schools. “We literally discuss everything, from what is going on in Libya, to religion, to scandals that occur within our school,” Osler said. “If someone brings up a topic, odds are it will be discussed. The club is a discussion group; we discuss.” Gao said he is able to keep discussion flowing by discussing current events such as the Wall Street Riots and the growing wealth gap. “The topics we discuss are issues that affect the daily lives of students [at MHS],” Mezhvinsky said. The purpose of the Round Table club is to succeed in teaching students to feel comfortable articulating and supporting their own opinions according to Mezhvinsky. “I hope that when people leave our meetings on Friday, they leave with a new sense; I hope that they leave feeling they said something valuable; something important,” Mezhvinsky said. “I hope they are proud of spending an hour on a Friday afternoon, talking politics. I know I am.”
Which Harry Potter character do you identify with most? “Hermione. The actress, Emma Watson, was who got me to cut my hair short.”
compiled by Branden Labarowski
photo by Chloe Knue
So are Hermione and Emma Watson role models for you? “Yeah. I actually like a lot of Emma’s fashion, and that’s where I get a lot of inspiration.” Left to Right: Sophomore James Gao, senior Alex Mexhvinsky, and sophomore Ian Campbell discuss police brutality at the October 14 meeting.
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OCT. 28, 2011
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FOOTBALL’S PLAYOFF POSSIBILITY Varsity football could reach the playoffs for the first time since 2004 with a win against Sycamore tonight
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photos by Corynne Hogan
World class trampolinist, junior Sean Sargent, practices his overseas competition trampoline routine at Kids First Sports Center in Cincinnati, Ohio, on Saturday, October 8.
Junior Sean Sargent reaches new heights in an unusual sport James Nosek | Staff Writer
All junior Sean Sargent could do was look ahead. Literally, at the double mini trampoline which stood before him, but also mentally at the “rudi-out-pike,” that he said he was about to perform during his trampoline and tumbling practice. Standing tall, flexing his hands, Sargent said he kept his eyes glued on the structure, then suddenly put his head down and started sprinting. As the world class gymnast approached the slanted side of the double mini, a type of a miniature trampoline, he jumped; bouncing almost 10 feet in the air as he flipped two times to come back down and do one and a half more full body twists. Sargent just performed a move that is an 803 on the FIG shorthand rating, making it one of the hardest trampoline moves based on the scale. According to Sargent’s head coach, Steve Anderson, a former world competitive gymnast himself, he wasn’t satisfied, “Somebody impress me, please,” Anderson said. The only thing Sargent said he could do in response was smile as he headed back to the start to get
more repetitions in. This is a normal Saturday, Sargent said, which means he wakes up early for the nine o’clock, three hour practice for the Queen City Trampoline and Tumbling Program a part of Kid’s First Sports Center. Sargent said ever since he was a little kid, Queen City has been his “second home” because of how much time he has spent there between his mom, Annette Sargent, who is a coach, and his two older brothers who were Queen City gymnasts themselves. Sargent said that this was one reason he got into the sport at an early age of six, because of the constant notion of being in the gym and watching his brothers. For over 13 years Anderson has been his coach and Sargent said he owes a lot to him for the help in the sport but also in life; he considers him almost as a second father. Anderson said that he is proud of Sargent’s growth as an athlete and sees a little of himself in Sean. “It is a real honor to see Sean earn his way,” Ander-
son said. “I went to New Zealand [a part] of the US National Team in 1992, I’ve already been there before [and] that’s the neat part about seeing Sean do it, it’s gratifying.” Towards the end of practice Sargent said he started to work on his routine that he would be performing in a month at the World Age Group Championships in Birmingham, England. For the individual trampoline competition, competitors are required to do two “heats,” the first run containing 10 skill requirements and the second, being a “freestyle,” run. In Birmingham, Sargent said he will be competing in two other events besides the individual trampoline: synchronized trampoline, a trampoline event rated by the unity of two partners, and the double mini, which is a two skill event on smaller trampoline.
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you missed
Cross Country
The boys’ and girls’ cross country teams won the District Championship on Saturday, October 22. The girls team finished with a total of 27 points, which is the best score in the history of Mason girls’ District Championships, and the boys finished with 41 points.
Football
The Comets lost to the Middletown Middies 21-14, on Friday, October 21. The Comets’ offense was limited to 175 yards, giving Mason an overall record of 6-3. The team takes on Sycamore tonight. results as of October 24, 2011
C Quick Hitters Primetime Performer
Varsity football running back Darryl Johnson won the Beacon Orthopaedics Primetime Performer for the week of October 14. Johnson won 50 percent of the votes and a total of 22,390 votes were cast. Johnson has 19 touchdowns and 1204 rushing yards on the year.
Tennis Duo loses in second round The girls’ tennis sophomore duo of Nina Cepeda and Lynn Kelly bowed out in the quarterfinals of the Division I State tournament on Friday, October 21. The two won their first match in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3, but lost in the second round 7-5, 6-4.
OCT. 28, 2011
Even with the difficulty of synchronized gymnastics, Sargent said while competing last July at a competition in Alberta, Canada, he won a gold medal for synchronized trampoline with a partner from Colorado, Sam Chiaccia, as well as obtaining a bronze medal individually. He said the gold medal was a huge accomplishment, and especially with a partner that he started working with last year. The competition in November will also include the team of Sargent and Chiaccia. photo by Corynne Hogan Trampolinist Sean Sargent will be competing in the World Age Group Champion“It’s worked out really ships in Birmingham, England next month. well so far [with Sam],” Sargent said. “We coordinate Another sport Sargent said he competes in besides from across the country and we show up at meets [to] trampoline is diving as he is a part of the Mason High have training sessions [and] that’s all we get [to train School swimming and diving team. with each other].” Both of his first two years Sargent made it to state for The World Age Group Competition coming up next diving, getting tenth his freshmen year and eighth last month will be the third international event for Sargent year. He has made first All-GMC in both years as well. in his young career. Sargent will be a part of the US Although diving isn’t Sargent’s main priority as it National Team; one of four athletes of the 17-18 year relates to sports, gymnastics being number one, he said old division to represent the United States. In this age during the diving season he puts in just as much effort. group, he will be competing in Junior Elite which is the Sargent said he likes the “team” atmosphere in diving second most prestigious division in gymnastics behind because sometimes trampoline can feel too much like the senior elite; which includes the top athletes in the an individual sport. world, according to Sargent. “Being involved in diving has been so good [for] me,” When Sargent competed in France last year, he said it Sargent said. “It is important to be involved in a high wasn’t his best showing to date as he didn’t qualify for school sport, just for the experience.” a medal, but he enjoyed the experience of traveling out Not only is Sargent proud of his accomplishments of the country for the first time. but he said he enjoys everything about the experience “Getting the opportunity to travel to different counof winning medals and traveling the world. tries is definitely more than worth it, being able to “It is one of the most exciting things I could be inbe immersed in different cultures and even [making] volved in, being able to travel internationally and with some friends from different countries has been great the US National team is a huge privilege for someone for me,” Sargent said. “It’s interesting to build relationat my age [but] I’ve enjoyed it so much,” Sargent said. ships with people from other countries.” “I’ve loved what I have been able to do.”
C The Numbers
92 Girls’ varsity soccer goalkeeper, senior Morgan Cole, has a 92 percent save rate through the regular season, with 76 saves and only 7 goals allowed.
7 October 15 marked the first time in the GMC Championships, that seven cross country runners in the same race all finished under 17 minutes.
21 Through the regular season and one playoff game, Sophomore varsity soccer player Jack Clark, has scored 21 goals, breaking the record single season scoring record, last held by Caleb Eastham.
2 Sophomore Nina Cepeda and Junior Miguel Cepeda become the second brother and sister duo to both make it to State in Tennis; the first duo was Matt and Darcy Poulous.
5 This year five runners were nominated on the first team all GMC: Monica Lake, Mackenzie Jensen, Tori Martin, Lauren Wood and Bridget McElhenny.
results as of October 24, 2011
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SEVEN YEARS IN THE MAKING With one game left in the regular season, the Comets face a must-win game tonight to make it to the playoffs Katelyn Cain | Sports Editor
A win they’re in; a loss they’re out. After five straight losing seasons, and seven years since a playoff berth, the Comets only have to win tonight against Sycamore to gain a spot in the playoffs, according to offensive lineman, senior Taylor Cole. Cole said that if the team makes it to the playoffs, it would be a great accomplishment. “It would be a great accomplishment, especially with how tough the GMC is, and how tough our schedule is this season,” Cole said. “Being the first team since I believe 04’ to make it to the playoffs would be a great accomplishment.” According to head coach Brian Castner, if the team makes it to the playoffs, he would feel more happy for
the players than for himself. “I’m more happy for the players [than for myself], who have been told that they are too slow, too small and not tough enough,” Castner said. “I’m more happy for them, because we’re just one win away.” According to Cole, the differences between this season and past season were the offseason workouts and the close senior class. “Our offseason work definitely helped…the workouts were really hard.” Cole said. “And our senior class was tight. We stayed close together through the ups and downs, and we all trusted each other to do the right thing; make the plays when they needed to be made.” Cole said that if the team makes it to the playoffs, the
team goal would be to focus on each individual game. “Our team goals would be to take one game at a time and make it as far as we can by working together. Just beat who we have to play, don’t think ahead too much. Just take it one week [at a time],” Cole said. The Comets have also reached another milestone this season, according to Castner, by having the first winning season since 2005, with a record of 6-3. Cole said this was a huge accomplishment for the team and a great feeling. “It feels really good to be the first winning team since back when I was in sixth grade; especially with the tougher competition in the GMC,” Cole said. “But we’re not done yet. We still have more wins to come.”
Quarterback J.D. Sprague celebrates after Comets recover a fumble during the game versus Oak Hills on Friday, October 14.
C Trading Punches How out of whack is the NCAA? They are sitting by, watching teams jump conference to conference, they allow Notre Dame and Texas to broker their own TV and network deals that bring in millions of dollars to their schools, but if a football player at Ohio State gets a job to make a few bucks so he can a buy a nice shirt to take a girl out on a date he gets suspended for five games. Is it out of control?
The NCAA is way out of control. The biggest thing is not the larger sports, like football and basketball where most of the issues are, but, smaller programs such as tennis, and swimming, are impacted. The switching of conferences hurts these sports; while a group of Cincinnati football fans will travel to see the football teams to play far away teams such as Boise State or teams in California, who is going to travel that for the small sports? The NCAA is a sanctioned association over Joseph Spencer all sports, and they should start working to help all sports.
The only thing that is out of control is the violations by these colleges, coaches James Nosek and players who are not following the rules. Even though I don’t agree with all the NCAA’s rules 100% of the time, there are too many violations from pretty much every big football program. But looking at colleges getting TV deals and moving from conference to conference, that’s just business so I can’t say that’s out of control. Maybe people should look past that and look at how many violations there have been in the last year.
photo by Mitchell Matacia
Whatever happened to focusing on the actual playing of the game? The NCAA allowing schools to sign TV and network deals is crazy, especially if they don’t even let athletes get jobs without flipping out. How can they not let the little things slide, but allow huge problems like signing TV deals? What the NCAA needs to work on is being consistent with their rules. Either not allow any of those things, or allow all of them. Going from conference to conference isn’t valid either. If Katelyn Cain you’re going to change conferences, it needs to be somewhat close.
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They got
OCT. 28, 2011
MAD skills
photos by Mitchell Matacia
Jami Pfiefer and Jack Clark know how the find the back of the net, not only do they lead their respective teams in scoring, they also lead the GMC.
Goal scoring duo has a knack for finding the back of the net Joseph Spencer | Staff Writer
Girls’ varsity soccer player, junior Jami Pfeifer, and boys’ varsity soccer player, sophomore Jack Clark, lead the Greater Miami Conference in total points scored. Points are a combination of both assists and goals. Both players have scored over 35 points with Clark leading the way with 47 and Pfeifer with 37. Clark said he knows that each goal he scores helps his team and this is what he takes the most pride in. “The best part of scoring a goal for me is knowing that I helped my team take steps toward winning,” Clark said. Pfeifer said that she feels that the best part of scoring is the reaction from teammates. “The best part of scoring a goal is the motivation that is brings to my team,” Pfeifer said. “Celebrating with my teammates and bringing a new sense of motivation is what drives me to score.” According to Clark and Pfeifer, they are both extremely team-oriented players, and credit their success in the GMC to their teammates and coaches. “Without my coaches and my teammates I would not be in the position I am today,” Pfeifer said. “They are
“It feels great to lead the league but, the best part of each point I score helps my team get that much closer to winning.” Jami Pfeifer, junior
the ones who set up the plays and get me the ball so I can do what I am capable [of].” Clark said that he agrees that it is his teammates who help his success and he is most excited about how the team is doing this fall. “Our season has been going very well,” Clark said. “We’ve been competing in every game and have been able to pull out some huge wins that have allowed us to be [second in the GMC].” According to Pfeifer, after watching Clark play, she can see why Clark is at the top of the league in points. “Jack’s speed is unbelievable,” Pfeifer said. “His ability to handle the ball at the speed that he can is amazing and something I could take notes on. It is the biggest
reason he is able to score as much as he does.” Clark has also been able to see Pfeifer and was amazed by how well she shoots. “Jami has one of the best shots that I have seen at the high school level,” Clark said. Pfeifer first started developing her shot when she was just three years old with her brothers in the backyard. “I first picked up a soccer ball when I was three,” Pfeifer said. “My dad started coaching me and at a young age, I fell in love with soccer. I decided that I wanted to try and continue my career as far as possible.” Clark also started soccer at a young age and really pushed to one of the best during offseason workouts with his teammates. “Much of my success is due to working hard with my teammates during the offseason.” Clark said. Pfeifer said that scoring so many is great individually, but is even better in the ways that it helps their teams. “I take a lot of pride in scoring,” Pfeifer said. “It feels great to lead the league but, the best part if each point I score helps my team get that much closer to winning.”
C Sports Column Cubs fans hope that former Red Sox General Manager Theo Epstein won’t be another Chicago failure James Nosek | Staff Writer
The Chicago Cubs have shrined themselves around the word “scapegoat,” for about 103 years. Or in plain terms, a Cubbies fan’s nightmare, the year of 1908. If you watched the fantastic ESPN Films “Catching Hell,” or if you have heard me complain over the years, you know exactly what’s going on. The north siders have blamed black cats, players, managers, and one fan, Steve Bartman. You name the excuse and it’s most likely been thrown around Wrigley Field at least once. All Cubs fans want is a world series, and if it doesn’t
happen, there’s only one choice but blame someone, that’s pretty much human nature right there. If they don’t win a world series in the next five years, it’s simple who the new scapegoat will become, and that is the newly signed general manager Theo Epstein. He is the former Red Sox hero and the youngest GM to ever win a World Series. Theo means God in Greek — that’s a little too much of coincidence, and to Boston fans Epstein was a God. What I want to know is can he bring his “God” side of him to Chicago, because remember one thing for the Cubbies, big acquisitions become horrible acquisitions. Baker, Garciaparra, Zambrano, Soriano, are a few
names in the last 10 years whose production value is terrible and they still got big contracts. Epstein has one job right now and that is bring a World Series title to the north side, it won’t be easy by all means, the Cubbies aren’t that 2004 Red Sox team that Epstein had. This current team needs a lot more work and to be honest the Cubs have a good pay roll (6th in the majors), but that is not what the Sox had when they went on their World Series runs. Let’s say Epstein is not the savior the Cubbies are looking for, what if this whole situation goes hay wire, and more than likely it will (remember the Cubs are cursed), at least there is someone new to blame.
OCT. 28, 2011
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