MARION HIGH SCHOOL Facebook: MHS The Student Newspaper
December 2010
Volume 73, Issue Three
Student Editorials: The ACT in only 30 minutes. Most students take longer than 30 minutes to plan out and prepare for the paper, let alone doing that and writing the paper in the time The test is nearly impossible given. Some people to complete in the time given. think the ACT should be The ACT is given to juniors in given as a college enThis first submission adtrance exam, but I bedresses the issue of standardized select states across the United lieve it shouldn’t because States including Illinois. It intesting, particularly the ACT. cludes math, science, English, many very smart people This is always a huge issue and reading. The reading por- cannot finish the test in around this time of year, and time that’s given. Jessi Dryden speaks for a lot of tion of the test is exceptionally College entrance students in the following edito- difficult. On this portion of the ACT there are 40 questions should not be primarily rial. plus reading passages to be based on the ACT test. completed in only 45 minutes. For example, you go to Do you think one test should Students are also required to determine your future? The (Continued on page 4) write a well developed essay Mrs. Richart’s English III class recently studied editorial writing, and some of the students’ best compositions were given to The Student. Unfortunately, we do not have enough room to print them all, so we printed two of our staff favorites.
A ACT is a test that determines your college entrance. If students don’t score high enough on the test they could not be accepted into colleges. I am against using the ACT for college entrance.
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
Deer Hunting
New Teachers
Crime Scene Lab
New Music Review
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Pages 4 and 7
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THE STUDENT- ISSUE TWO, VOLUME 73
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The Chameleon Generation Sociologists claim that our generation is “chameleon.” This means that research has proven that we do not act in a predictable manner. In different situations, our behaviors change. It is not necessarily our fault that we are like this. Our surroundings obviously influence us; blame them. We have become accustomed to changing our behaviors to achieve the greatest success in multiple situations. In some sense, this is a really good thing. However, we do need to be careful that we do not sacrifice ourselves, or that we don’t forget who we are in the first place.
It’s not the fact that we are afraid to be unique; we have extreme differences in style and individuality. What is more worrisome is that these extremes may make us the same. Maybe we have to push ourselves to the extreme, have the brightest hair color, or buy the most unique clothes to prove that we are different. Our generation is definitely unique, no question. We should be proud, but never feel forced to be different. We already are.
The Student is a newspaper that is produced by Marion High School students on a periodic basis. Head Editor: Jordan McBride Editors: Sarah Anderson, Dakota Evans, Aaron McGee Sponsor: Mrs. Presley Contributing Staff: Kristen Fowler, Essence Kimble, Michael McAnelly, Hannah Nelson, Taylor Pankey, Nicholas Rakers Special Thanks: Jessi Dryden, Justin Maze
-The Student Staff The Student Marion High School
MHS Wins at Murray State
1501 S. Carbon St. Marion, IL 62959 (618) 993-8196
Instead of spending their Veteran's Day morning sleeping in, seniors Paige Shevlin, Katie Phillips, Sarah Anderson, and junior Nick Reim accompanied Mr. Davis to the 40th Annual Chemistry Competition at Murray State. Marion, along with several other local high schools, brought their best students to compete. Paige Shevlin took 2nd place in second year individual and, for the
third year in a row, the MHS team took first place.
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The competition included a test created by a Chemistry teacher at Murray. The teacher commented that his students thought that the test was extremely difficult. Along with a grueling hour test, the students were given a free lunch to sustain their famished minds. Congrats to the Marion Chemistry Team! -Sarah Anderson
MHS The Student newspaper
THE STUDENT- ISSUE TWO, VOLUME 73
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Editorial: Deer Hunting It is another beautiful Friday, the leaves are shining in a glorious multitude of colors. This is a perfect day to explore the local wilderness. Sadly, those who do not own a hunting permit can only view the outdoors from behind a classroom window. Hunters are allowed a day away from school to pursue their much loved hobby, while the remainder of the school is confined indoors. Though the hunting of deer is very important for population control,
some students believe it is not exactly fair to ignore the everyday nature lover. To many, a Friday off of school for the entire student body would be a better option. This proposal accommodates for hunters without making exceptions for them. Still, both supporters and opponents appear to be passionate in their opinions on the topic and the debate seems unlikely to die down any time soon. -Hannah Nelson
Senior Spotlight: Tre Martin
Senior Spotlight: Patrick Johnson
Looking back on his time at MHS, senior Tre Martin said, “My favorite high school memory would have to be Senior homecoming. The float building, the atmosphere, everything was just great.”
How do you feel about the school year being halfway over?
Tre is very much enjoying his senior year thus far, participating, as he has done in the past, in HOSA and Jazz Choir.
Is it crazy to think that your high school career is basically over?
His time outside of school is spent at his job at Target.
Any New Year’s resolutions you are going to make?
Tre’s favorite class “would have to be Medical Careers junior year with Mrs. Mummert. Meeting the out of town people was great, and the clinicals were always fun.”
Were you worried for your first finals as a freshman? Were they as hard as you expected?
Mrs. Poole is one of Tre’s favorite teachers, although he admits, “we don’t always see eye to eye on this whole Research Writing thing.” Tre added, “We still get along.” Another of Tre’s favorite teachers was former English teacher and sponsor of The Student, Mrs. Neal.
What is your best memory from this year so far?
-Jordan McBride
It’s mixed feelings. I feel excited and a twinge of sadness.
Yeah, time just flew by. I still think I should be a freshman. I don’t really have any for the time being.
I was a little worried, but they were not as bad as I expected. I’d have to say my AP Bio trip to Kentucky Lake or going to Indianapolis with the FFA. Do you still get excited for Christmas now that you’re a senior? A little bit. I like seeing my family. -Kristen Fowler
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THE STUDENT- ISSUE TWO, VOLUME 73
Student Editorials: The ACT (cont.) T Therefore, the ACT is a very hard test that college entrance should not be based on. It is nearly impossible to complete in the requested time. This is why I am against using the ACT for college entrance. As members of the college board, it is your job to outlaw the ACT for college entrance.
(Continued from page 1)
school for 12 years, but almost everything is based on one test. So basically 12 years of school doesn’t really count for anything. Some people can have a high GPA, but they may not be very good test takers under a lot of pressure. This also has a bad effect on the test. Some people say that if you have a high GPA you should do fine on the ACT, but these people are wrong because it is a very difficult test to complete because of the time that’s given and the pressure that a student is under.
-Jessi Dryden
New Teacher: Gulley Mrs. Gulley is among one of the newest teachers at the high school. Her classroom is located in the trailer disconnected from the school building, where she teaches health careers during 6th and 7th hours. This is her first year teaching in the classroom everyday. Before this year, she had been a school nurse for Unit #2 school district since 1997, during which she would provide training on various topics to faculty and staff, as well as provide presentations on various health related issues. When beginning her schooling, she acquired an Associate Degree in Nursing at John A. Logan College. Then at SIUE, she received a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Finally, she obtained a School
Nurse Certification from the University of Illinois Chicago. Now, she is currently working on a Masters Degree of Science in Nursing as a Nurse Educator at the University of Southern Indiana. Her favorite part of teaching high school students is their creativity and energy. She has also found that MHS students are caring, compassionate, and more than willing to help those that are in need. Mrs. Gulley enjoys scrapbooking and reading with her children—Braden, who is a freshman this year, Rylah, who is four years old, and Braylan, who is one and a half. -Taylor Pankey
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THE STUDENT- ISSUE TWO, VOLUME 73
A Murder in the Library?! Lab Science, better known as Forensics, conducts the annual “Crime Scene Lab.” For those who don’t know, the “Crime Scene Lab” is a teaching aid for forensic students. The project allows students to conduct a full murder investigation, complete with blood samples, fingerprints, hair follicles, and fierce motives. This year’s scenes are scandalous affairs. In one scene Ben Moore is executed by his first girlfriend, leaving the scene covered with blood and powder. In the other, Jake was killed by his best friend Marcus over drugs and a girl.
The two crime scenes were located in the library temporarily shutting it down in that section. Christina Stone, a forensics student, said, “It was a fun and a great learning experience.” Ms. Grant (to be Mrs. Robinson next summer, Congratulations!) the lab science teacher, said, “I hope that the students like it, and have fun with a new learning experience, and become future crime scene investigators.” -Nicholas Rakers
Student Editorials: Lower Taxes When is the last time you heard someone saying they want lower taxes? Taxes are what helps take care of our grandparents, yet Americans don’t realize those taxes take care of the elderly and that those taxes pay for those programs. We as Americans expect Medicare patients to have the best healthcare, but by lowering taxes we’re giving them fewer options for their care. As a community and as Americans we can do better. The tax problems for Medicare for our senior citizens are just one of the many obvious problems we are facing in our healthcare system. Doctors are actually
“ditching” Medicare patients due to Medicare cuts. Our obligations are all wrong. The way we provide health care to the elderly empowers us to change the foundation of our lives. The reason why we passed Medicare coverage was to help the less fortunate, and now we’re ready to pretty much throw it away in one generation. It is our moral obligation to help people who cannot help themselves. Now is the time to fix our tax system and get rid of the fraud and waste. History shows us that we, as Americans, in order to move forward, have to take care of all Americans. As of now, if
we make more cuts in Medicare, Medicare patients will not be able to afford the medication they need to survive. Some Americans think that lowering taxes is a great idea because they will have more money in their pockets. But these same people when they get older want to have Medicare provided to them. We need to provide all of the necessary prescriptions and care our senior citizens need. Hospitals all over the U.S. have made progress in establishing good health care for Medicare patients, and have done so within their budgets. As we know, these (Continued on page 8)
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THE STUDENT- ISSUE TWO, VOLUME 73
THE STUDENT
Football Season Wraps Up Once again, the Marion High School football team produced a successful season. The Cats finished with a 9-2 overall record, were the South Seven Conference champions, and made it to the second round of the IHSA state playoffs. They managed to excite crowds at every game with an explosive offensive front as well as a defense that continually stalled even the best of drives.
Senior Captain and offensive lineman, Matt Griffith, commented on the season, “This past year had its share of ups and downs, adversity and victory, but the greatest legacy we can leave behind as a team would be that we never let adversity control how we played as brothers.” As we leave this season behind us,
the thoughts of next fall are already brewing in the minds of many here in Wildcat Country. Let’s just hope those Wildcat’s coming up never forget that in order to achieve their dreams they “gotta be 11.” -Aaron McGee
Bowling Season Off to a Great Start The MHS boy’s bowling team began their season last Tuesday with a win against Massac County. They followed up Tuesday’s win with a victory over Carbondale last Thursday, making the boy’s record a promising 2-0. Jeremy Johnson coaches both the boy’s and girl’s bowling teams. The girl’s team begins their season this Tuesday with a home
match against Massac County. All home matches and practices for both teams take place at Marion Bowl. When asked about the upcoming season, senior Christina Stone said, “We’re extremely excited; we’re going to do great this year! Hopefully we’ll either go to state as a team, or as individuals.” Stone added, “We had some
people come extremely close last year.” This season looks to be an exciting one for both teams with the boy’s team off to a great start and the girl’s team poised to do the same. Good luck to all of our Bowling Wildcats! -Jordan McBride
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THE STUDENT- ISSUE TWO, VOLUME 73
New Teacher: Damron Mrs. Damron is another one of the many new teachers on staff since August 2010. In room F101, nearly five minutes away from Ahall, she teaches something she’s been teaching almost all her life, sewing. In that category, she is proud to be teaching Consumer Economics, Clothing I & II, Fashion Merchandizing, and Life I & II.
She taught three years in Herrin schools. She has also taught college classes in computer and construction at John A. Logan. She’s currently working towards her Master’s degree at S.I.U.
Damron is a proud mother of Prior to this first year at Marion four. She loves High, she attended school at Rend teaching, and obLake College where she studied viously loves her interior design . Then, after going to job, looking forJohn A. Logan College, she later ward to each day transferred to Southern Illinois Uni- with her high versity where she received her school students. Bachelor’s Degree in Education. Her hobbies are
cooking, sewing/crafts, and hiking. Her husband teaches welding at John A. Logan. She’s ultimately in love with her only grandchild, two-year-old, Abbygale. I hope you get a chance to meet her and have best wishes for her first year. -Essence Kimble
New Teacher: Stearns Among several of the new additions to the English department is Mrs. Stearns. She moved this year from Nashville, Tennessee, but she is originally from Eldorado. She is teaching English I, English II, and Individualized Reading for Marion High School. She has been teaching for four years. At her last school in Franklin, Tennessee, she taught 7th grade Language Arts. After graduating high school, she attended SIUC, where she received an Associates Degree of Science. Then she transferred to Murray State, where she received a Bachelor of Science. She then moved on to Middle Tennessee State University, where she obtained a Masters Degree of
Education in School Leadership/ Administration. After that she returned to Middle Tennessee State University, and received an Educational Specialist Degree in Curriculum Design and Instruction. Mrs. Stearns says that her favorite part of teaching high school students is that they sit still (most days), because she is used to teaching hyper middle school students.
Her favorite hobby at the moment is decorating the new house she bought this summer. Mrs. Stearns is currently pregnant with a boy, who is due on February 25th of next year. -Taylor Pankey
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THE STUDENT- ISSUE TWO, VOLUME 73
Student Editorials: Lower Taxes (cont.) (Continued from page 5)
programs are popular among senior citizens, but they are not popular among the youth. Right now the Medicare tax rate is at 6.2%, so the government takes 6.2% out of everyone’s check. Younger Americans think that is a big chunk taken out of their checks. Then the youth are like, “I do not need Medicare, I’m young. So why do I have to pay for a service I am not even using?” The answer is when you get older you will appreciate that little 6.2% tax taken out of your check. Then
you will wonder how people can have the audacity to want to lower these taxes. It is absurd that people do not care about this issue. We cannot lower these taxes and expect to cover all of these senior citizens. We also cannot have the mentality that if you did not make something of yourself and if you cannot afford healthcare as a senior, then you are out of luck. We need to step up as Americans and know that it is our moral obligation to help our seniors and if it wasn’t for them we would not be here. Also, if we expected them to take care of us
as children because we could not take care of ourselves, then what makes them any different. On my behalf and the behalf of seniors and seniors to come, I am asking all Americans to not lower taxes because lowering these taxes affects more than your pocket book, it affects people’s lives. There are consequences for our brazen actions we take as a nation. It is about something bigger than yourself. -Justin Maze
Punk Goes Pop: Vol 3 Review Punk Goes Pop Vol. 3, Most songs take on a whole the third entry in the new shape and sound, such as Punk Goes Pop series, features a great variety of punk bands covering popular songs. The album includes a good diversity of punk bands ranging from Asking Alexandria to Of Mice And Men and even The Ready Set covering hits by artists such as Lady Gaga, Akon, and Justin on Akon’s “Right Now (Na Na Na)” performed by Asking AlTimberlake. exandria and Jamie Foxx’s
“Blame It” covered by Of Mice And Men. One of the best renditions on this album is Cute Is What We Aim For’s acoustic version of “Dead And Gone” (originally penned by T.I.). My Favorite song on the CD is Woe, Is Me’s hardcore cover of “Hot N Cold” by Katy Perry. This is by far the best album in the Punk Goes Pop series. I would recommend it to anyone who loves punk or pop. I give it a 4 out of 5 stars. -Nicholas Rakers