January Pelladium

tuesday, january 13, 2009

Save the spoons

Driving safety Driving is one of the main causes of teen fatality. An indepth look into how to remain safe while driving this winter. pp. 6-7

Deal or No Deal - Pella Style HMMM. Marion County Bank employee Mary Van Haaften stands by while Pella Christian Principal Daryl De Ruiter and Pella Community Principal Mark Lee ponder their next move in the Deal or No Deal competition sponsored

by Marion County Bank at the December Pella-Pella Christian basketball game. The bank donated $1,500 to each school’s activity fund.

•Photo by Jaime Ruisch

Excellence in Electives set for Jan. 23 debut Photography, mimes, Cajun dancing and food are just a few of the things Excellence in Electives has to offer. Held Jan. 23 from 6:30 – 9 p.m., this evening event gives teachers a chance to showcase their programs and their students’ exemplary work. The event is open to students and their families as well as middle school students and families to help them decide what they would want to participate in during high school. French teacher Beth Glasnapp and family and consumer sciences teacher Kathy Van Norden lead the Excellence in Electives Committee.

“This is the first year of Excellence in Electives; it grew out of French Night. We had such a good turnout from parents, so we decided to open it up for the rest of the staff. Mrs. Van Norden’s classes had made food for it last year. The theme for the night is Mardi Gras, keeping with a French theme for now, but it will change every year,” said Glasnapp.

Stations will be set up in the old gym, cafeteria and in the halls leading up to the auditorium.

The auditorium will feature performances from small group contests, orchestra, a one-act play,

news briefs ....

•Winter Formal is scheduled Jan. 17 from 9 p.m. to midnight. This is a formal event; dress appropriately. It is sponsored by student council.

•The Dorian Vocal Festival was held Jan. 11-12 at Luther College, Decorah. Participants from Pella included junior Todd Wegter, and seniors Carley De Jong, Dan Haws,

miming and an ensemble. The special education department will decorate the school. Journalism will be represented through pod casts and student photography.

French students will be performing Cajun dancing while the orchestra will perform music with a Cajun theme. TSA will have CO2 cars and CAD demonstrations in the gym. Projects from history, art and foreign language classes will also be featured.

Van Norden is excited to give an outlet to students to show the great things they have done. Many of these projects would otherwise go unnoticed. From her classes, there will be housing and fabrics displays and students will be serving food. She wants a chance to show students and parents what FCS is all about.

“Basically, I want people to understand that its not just home ec. We’re not just getting people ready to be homemakers and it’s not just for females. We’re preparing students for life on their own, and sometimes a professional career,” said Van Norden.

•Amanda Laverman (al.pelladium@gmail.com)

Stewart Beyer and Josh Dale.

•The next blood drive is March 10.

Results of the Nov. 24 blood drive: 105 donors donated a total of 69 pints of blood and 20 pints of red blood cells.

•Over 40 students coached by Suzi Jones are involved in speech this year in events such as individual and group

volume 21, issue 4 Spoons are disappearing from the cafeteria at an alarming rate, leading to higher food prices. p. 4

Hang Time Team Hang Time throws a Party. Find out which party member ate a ping-pong ball. p. 12

Pella ranked in bottom 10th of national air quality study

The “Des Moines Register” published the recently released results of a national scholastic air quality study conducted by “USA Today” on Dec. 8. The data, derived from toxic emissions reports submitted by industries across the country, ranked all of the Pella Community School District’s schools in the bottom 10 percent nationally for harmful air.

Realizing the poor quality of the air which they continue to breathe daily, some students including sophomore Deckar Lynch, were unsettled, and questioned what would be done to spare their lungs.

“I didn’t know that our air quality was that low,” said Lynch, who is also affected by the air on account of his asthma. “Whatever is causing the air pollution should be investigated and stopped.

Money should be put toward the

prevention of pollution of the air in town.”

The nationwide tests originated after Meredith Hitchens Elementary School in Ohio was found to have such unclean air that students and faculty were subject to a 50 percent greater risk of various cancers. Eight schools in Iowa were discovered to have poorer air than this Ohio school.

However, despite the disconcerting statistics, administration did not seem to be relatively moved.

“The story came as a total surprise to me,” said Superintendent Mark Wittmer. “I think we have to be cautious before we read too much into this.”

Some of the data collected by “USA Today” dates to 2005, and some of the toxins released into the air by local facilities could have dramatically changed to date. Wittmer also speculates

that the mere presentation of the results skews the way which they are comprehended.

“Anytime you have a study that is norm-referenced, ranking one school’s or student’s position compared to another’s, you have to be careful. Suppose (a teacher) gave a test and everyone got between 90 and 100 on the test.

Those would all be good scores, but the person who got 90 would be in the bottom 10 percent, and it could be reported that way.

It can create an inappropriate conclusion on the part of people,” Wittmer said.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources plans to further test the air in low ranking communities in response to questions concerning the validity of “USA Today’s” study.

•Nathan Kooker (nk.pelladium@gmail.com)

Graduate Linn helps organize book drive

High school graduates usually return to Pella for family, money or work. But ‘05 graduate Ali Linn brought a request for a conference she is co-chairing, Building Bridges.

A conference is held annually; this time the focus was Liberation through Education. She asked students to bring books in good condition that would be sold with the profits being donated toward Invisible Children, an organization that would help build a school in Uganda.

“There were a lot more books than I expected,” said English teacher Wendy Vander Linden, who thought a good number would be one book per student.

To encourage students to participate, Vander Linden made a contest between her advanced writing, English 10 honors and English 10 classes. The fifth hour English 10 honors class won by donating 155 books. The high school gave 567 books, with all Pella schools donating over 1,000 books.

“We received over 20,000 books in all, and we are overwhelmed by the turnout. The response has been wonderful. The committee really appreciates all the participation,” said Linn.

Many students viewed the opportunity as a way to put their old books to good use.

“It was rewarding to know that my old books

speech. District Large Group Speech Contest in Ottumwa Jan. 24 is their first contest of the season. Individual speech and group speech teams will also perform at Excellence in Electives Night Jan. 23, All-City Speech Night is Jan. 30. Pella will host State Large Group Speech competition Feb. 7.

•Madrigals sang at the Mall of

READ! Sophomore Kirsten Maakestad participates in the book drive organized by Pella graduate Ali Linn. •Photo by Michael Zeller were going to kids who really need them,” said senior Kaitlyn Schaudt, who donated 34 books. “My mom is a fifth grade teacher, so I took all of her old books.”

•Addie Smith (as.pelladium@gmail.com)

America Dec. 20.

•The first semester ended Jan. 9.

•National Honor Society members will be selling daffodils for the American Cancer Society at the end of the month.

•The senior ski trip will take place Feb. 12 at Sleepy Hollow Sports Park in Des Moines. The trip will be

funded through private donations.

•CORRECTION: Junior Todd Wegter and Mackenzie Van Zante’s names were inadvertently omitted from the list of madrigal members published in December’s Pelladium.

•Michael Ge (mg.pelladium@gmail.com)

Life

Club

STRETCH! Senior Michael Suplee participates in a stretching routine during cheerleading practice. “The stretching routine was pure agony, I was impressed by their splits,” said Suplee. •Photo by Whittney Reinier

To be completely honest, I knew nothing about what cheerleaders actually did as I joined their group for practice.

I assumed, like most, that they did nothing but wear really short skirts and yell loudly at non-attentive spectators. I was hoping that my night would involve nothing but standing around yelling cheers and waving my poms in the air while trying to look as sexy as possible. I’m remotely good at that, I thought to myself. This should be easy.

First, we started with warm-ups and stretching.

Stretching started off with a few simple leg and arm stretches, but then moved onto splits, or as I like to call them, torture. Halfway down, I gave up, and instead marveled at the girls’ flexibility as I sat writhing in pain.

We then moved onto routines, which apparently involve some sort of coordination and time structure. Having none of these, I awkwardly moved about like a drunken monkey in a sad attempt to follow what they were doing.

Even with the careful instruction from Captain Mckenzie Doren and Coach Lynn Cooper, I massively failed. It didn’t help that my attempts were broadcast to the entire school, as students and staff did a few double takes as they left for the day. I’ll probably end up on “Youtube” again.

We then moved onto the weight room, where we were instructed to practice two-people stands, where one person has to stand up on another, and then eventually on the shoulders. I gave one sad attempt to try to support the lithe senior Courtney Whitten on my thigh, but I couldn’t even handle that. Instead, I watched the flexibility and coordination of the squad with a newfound respect. I am proud to say, however, that I was able to complete all 10 of my cheerleader-style push-ups.

While I think I’ll pass on being a cheerleader, I would definitely recommend it to any good-lookin’ girl. It’s definitely a sport in its own class, as one must be perfectly fit both physically and mentally to complete even the smallest of tasks. Many of the routines require a great deal of coordination flexibility and strength. The cheerleaders, in order for the routines to look good, must give a lot of extra time – in addition to the two-hour practices – to practice their moves. It’s definitely a group that takes a lot of effort.

•Michael Suplee (ms.pelladium@gmail.com)

-BHHJOH FDPOPNZ IJUT IPNF It was recently announced that we are officially in an economic recession. The proclamation did not come as a surprise, however, as across the country many are struggling in an unstable economy. Reverberations have been felt locally as well, with the town’s largest employer, Pella Corporation, intricately entangled within the stumbling housing market.

“With the current state of the housing market, demand for our goods has been low,” said Pella Corporation Marketing Communications Specialist Kathy Krafka-Harkema.

As a result, the Corporation has laid-off over 9,000 employees throughout the country, including some here. “[In Pella] we’ve inactivated flex team workers, or seasonal workers, designed to smooth out the ebb and flow of construction. We’re assisting (the laid-off workers) with transition payments, and we’re working with the state government to look for new opportunities for these workers,” said Krafka-Harkema.

The school district has also been affected, but the extent is unclear.

“The situation is full of unknowns. Gov. Culver announced a 1.5% across-the-board cut for the rest of this fiscal year. That will amount to about $140,000 in lost state aid to us. We still don’t know what the impact of all this will be on us but we do know that it will have an impact and will be substantial,” said Superintendent Mark Wittmer.

While Pella is clearly not wholly insulated from global

FAST FACT: Marion County Unemployment: 3.6%, November 2008 M Iowa Unemployment: 4.3%, November

M

United States

Jointhe

Group: Basketball Cheerleaders Number of Members: 6 Coach: Lynn Cooper Captain: Mckenzie Doren

Iowa

1.13.09 Pella

2

Pella Heritage Lace has been in business 25 years. That’s according to “towncriernews.com”.

Bruce Heerema and Mark De Cook founded the company in November 1983. Marketed though a network of independent retailers in the United States and Canada, Heritage Lace’s products have expanded into a large offering of window treatments and home textiles. Heritage Lace is a widely recognized and well-respected brand. Heritage Lace has become a major integrated American manufacturer and marketer of fine textiles.

“Twenty-five years is a long time. It’s pretty cool that they’ve been around that long,” said sophomore Christina Hibbard.

Iowa Iowa legislators are getting a head start on proposals, according to “desmoinesregister.com”. Currently, about 330 proposals are being drafted, including proposals to ban the use of cell phones while driving, stopping the use of mercury in flu shots, banning smoking in casinos and prohibiting animal confinements near tourist attractions.

“I don’t think they should ban cell phones when driving because the driver should be responsible enough for their own safety. They should know that texting while driving isn’t a good idea, but sometimes people need cells for personal calls or emergencies,” said senior Ashley Swanson.

United States Seventy-nine percent of Americans approve of Presidentelect Obama’s performance so far during the transition period, according to “cnn.com”.

This survey also shows that an equal amount of Americans believe that Obama will do a good job as president. Obama’s current approval rating is 14 points higher than the approval rating for President Bush when he was a president-elect in 2001 and 17 points higher than when former President Clinton was a president-elect in 1992. Obama’s approval rating is also 51 points higher than President Bush’s current approval rating, which is currently at 28%.

“I think he will do better than Bush. He’ll bring more changes, and hopefully, it’ll be better for the U.S,” said senior Jon Mingboupha.

•Kelsey Van Tasell (kv.pelladium@gmail.com)

Wrapping It Up ...

Source: http://www.iowaworkforce.org economic dynamics, the town is in a considerably better situation than many surrounding areas, an enclave of stability within a depressed nation.

“Because there are two corporations headquartered in town, there are a number of jobs that are safe,” said Executive Director of the Chamber of Commerce Karen Eischen.

Shutting down operations in Pella, in other words, is not really an option for Pella Corporation.

Another key indicator of the local economic state, according to Eischen, is population expansion.

“This year there have been 45 new households that have moved here. They wouldn’t be coming if they couldn’t find jobs, or if they weren’t going to retire here and boost our economy,” said Eischen.

•Will Harris (wh.pelladium@gmail.com)

Our Platinum Support...

812 University 641-628-5285 www.central.edu

CHECKING IT OUT! Sophomore Vector Baccam works on an experiment involving cleaning agents in Aaron Reasland’s conceptual chemistry class. “It was fun trying to figure out what would be best to use on staining agents. This experiment would be very useful to anyone who may be having a few troubles trying to clean out their favorite food off their favorite pants or shirt,” said Baccam. •Photo by Lisa Houser

3 Life Boat breaks language barrier

page editor

andrea huffman

1.13.09

Teaching seventh, eighth and ninth graders English has taken 2005 graduate Brandon Boat, brother of junior Derek Boat, halfway across the world to Korea. His school experience there is much different than schooling received in America.

After graduating from Gustavus Adolphus, Boat became a representative for an English Program in Korea (EPIK) along with 2003 graduate Danny George. EPIK assigned them to a school in Korea; they are employed by the government as native English speakers.

“It’s my job to provide the students with immediate and on-the-spot English,” said Boat, “The Korean government pours more money into English language education than any

other country in the world, and I’m an extension of that.”

Boat explained his job as being a human dictionary. He helps the people of the school with their spelling, word choice and proofreads papers. He even does this for the teachers.

“Think of my role similar to the function of a dictionary. Now, imagine that the dictionary wore pants, talked and required you to feed it. I’m just a reference tool for all things English,” said Boat.

However, as far as teaching the students, Boat does not give them grades. The style of teaching in Korea is very traditional and consists of mostly lecture; therefore, most students are not interested in learning English. Boat tries to apply more

Photo courtesy of Brandon Boat

Simpson strategizes to combat poverty Name: Kyle Simpson, graduate ‘04 (PHS), ‘08(University of Iowa) Why do/did you want to work at the building that directly affiliates with the UN? I’m a full-time staff member (Operations Associate) with the U.S. Committee for the United Nations Development Program, which is the official NGO representative for the UN Development Program in America. I wanted to work there because at my previous job I began researching the interconnection between climate change and human rights. I truly believe this is one of the most terrifying crises facing humanity, and I want to dedicate my life to this cause. UNDP is a world leader in combating global poverty, and they share my belief that climate change is a tremendous challenge that must be tackled head on as the world’s poorest are already suffering the consequences of climate change.

What do you do?

My job is a juggling act. I manage all the finances and IT stuff in addition to managing the interns, running the website, developing communication and fundraising strategies, and representing UNDP at events and dinners around town. It sounds like a lot, but it’s good for me, and it’s certainly giving me a lot of experience!

What’s your favorite thing that you get to do?

It’s a toss-up between having the opportunity to network with people at the events I attend and developing strategies for our various projects. For example, we are working on a Somali Women’s Scholarship Fund project with UNDP Somalia, and I care very passionately about this, and I want others to care, as well. So, trying to find ways to get people to donate and care is quite exciting for me!

•Caitlin Simpson (cs.pelladium@gmail.com)

Anderson serves, sacrifices for country The few, the proud has gotten a little bigger. Taylor Anderson, an ‘08 graduate, enlisted in the Marines last January. The mischievous kid you might remember is now training to be a firefighter, and will eventually be serving in Afghanistan. Through recruiting, basic training and now additional firefighting training, Anderson has become a disciplined Marine.

Training “I joined in January ’08 to serve my country. I’ve been to boot camp for four months. I am now training to go overseas and I just finished my combat training. After that I go to follow on school where I learn to be a firefighter, EMT and EMS. Then, I get stationed somewhere and put into a unit of Marines. Then, we get put on a rotation to go overseas. In boot camp, there are two kinds of training: physical and practical. Practical training includes Marine Corps history

and using the rifle range, where we learn how to shoot weapons. It’s also a lot of discipline. In the physical part of training, we have to swim across a pool in full gear while carrying someone. We also go on hikes in the mountains in full gear. There’s a lot of running, pushups, obstacle courses and repelling. After four months you get your title and your globe and

Photo courtesy of Taylor Anderson

anchor. After being broke down for four months, you start feeling like a person again and drill instructors talk to you like a Marine and not a recruit.”

Changes “(The Marines) changed me a lot.

The discipline it instills in me and everyone is tremendous! It is a very positive change because I had been getting into trouble in school a lot. It turned my life around and helped me to find Christ again.”

Thoughts on the Future “I just found out that within a year I will be in Afghanistan. I will do what I’m told, and use my training to help protect myself, my fellow Marines, my country, and most of all, my family.

I’m not scared because this is what I signed up for, but I am scared now that I’m engaged to ‘08 graduate Ashley Griffiths. It’s going to be rough.”

•Andrea Huffman (ah.pelladium@ gmail.com)

creative teaching techniques to create an interest in the students.

“I try to foster relationships with the students and nurture an interest in English … I try to add something different that gets the students excited to learn English; in a way, I trick them.

I design different games and activities that motivate them to learn more,” said Boat.

Up to this point, Boat is only contracted with the school he is at through August, and he has not figured out what his future plans will be. However, he has thought about staying there longer than just one year.

•Devon O’Brien (do.pelladium@gmail.com)

My Pella top 5 Junior Whitney Pavlat

EAT: “El Charro. I love Mexican, and it’s really fun to go there. I usually go with my family on Sunday after working at church and also on birthdays. I love the food, I always get the same thing.”

SHOP: “Sports Page Sporting Goods, because I love shopping for sportswear, and I work there, so I get a discount.”

BE IN SCHOOL: “Sports nutrition room because we always debate about what the better idea is in the sport world, like who will win the next NFL game or how to become a better leader.”

BE OUTSIDE SCHOOL: “My church is my favorite place to be.

I feel quite comfortable there. I sit in the prayer room a lot; I also love to work at the coffee bar.”

THING ABOUT SELF: “I love my eyes because they’re bright blue.”

•Morgan Anderson (mapelladium@gmail. com)

page editor

4

caitlin simpson

1.13.09 Process involves several steps...

How to call a snow day

50 dozen… 600 pieces. That’s how many pieces of silverware are missing from the school lunch program.

“Spoons cost $.12 a piece, and a forks, $.18 a piece,” said high school food service supervisor Cheryl Ferguson. “So far this year, around 50 dozen pieces of silverware have been thrown away, which equals around 38-40 lunches.”

Throwing the silverware away has also led to the rising of food prices in the ala carte line. The reason for throwing the silverware away is not known.

“They (the students) have been in school for years, so they should know better. They don’t throw their silverware away at home, so why here?” said Ferguson. “Please, don’t do it,” she urged.

•Caitlin Simpson (cs.pelladium@gmail.com) •photo illustartion by Jake Meyer (jm. pelladium@gmail.com)

Cooking With Caitlin During the Super Bowl, three groups of people normally attend the parties: 1) fans who will actually watch the game; 2) people who want to see the commercials, or, 3) ones who go for the food. If you happen to be one of the people who only go for the food, bring this “championship bean dip,” or as I like to call it, chip dip.

This recipe is quite simple, which makes it perfect for a party. Place all the ingredients in a crock pot and mix them together with a spoon. Set the crock pot to low, and let it sit until warm. Keep the dip in the crock pot when you go to the party so that it will stay warm. Then serve with tortilla chips. Bon Appétit!

Ingredients 1 can refried beans 1 cup picante salsa 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese 1 cup Cheddar cheese ¾ cup sour cream 1 package cream cheese 1 tablespoon chili powder 1 teaspoon cumin powder •cs.pelladium@gmail.com

Our Platinum Support...

If it is snowing outside, you can bet that eyes will be glued to the bottom scroll on the TV inside, with students and staff hoping for a snow day. A snow day can be a welcome break to many people, as students have the opportunity to sleep in, or complete neglected homework. An important decision, a lot of consideration goes into calling a snow day.

The calls start at around 5 a.m. with the administration making calls to determine if it is necessary to call a late start or to call off school for the day. Many experts, as well as other schools are called in the decision making process. Director of Transportation, Harlan Den Adel is the most important person in determining if it is safe to have school. Other schools, such as Pella Christian, Peoria Christian and, at times, Knoxville, are contacted to see what they are doing in response.

“While our director is most important in making the call, we also contact the county to see how soon the roads can be cleared, and whether there is a safety risk involved with not calling off school. However, there is not a perfect formula (for calling off school),” said Superintendent Mark Wittmer.

Safety issues would involve whether there is ice under the snow on the road, and also the amount of snow that is likely to accumulate in the following hours. Additionally, school could be called off if the temperature or wind-chill dips below minus 40 degrees – any negative temperature presents risks to children going to school. Also, buses may not be able to run if it is too cold.

“A late start, as well as a cancelled school day, can present problems to parents of children who have to go to work, and have to arrange for childcare services,” said Wittmer.

While students may love the occasional day off, they’re going to have to make the days up eventually. According to Wittmer, days are most commonly added on at the end of the year to ensure that conflicts do not arise if travel plans are made for spring break, etc. Not all students will face the make-up days, making snow days so much sweeter. Seniors, who will graduate May 20, are not required to make up these snow days.

•Michael Suplee (ms.pelladium@gmail.com)

Hard surface only rule keeps school open As you are watching the news channel for the latest school closing and delay updates, have you ever seen where, next to a school, it has said “hard surface only”? This is a rule about where bus drivers can and cannot go during times when there is ice on the road.

The hard surface only rule was implemented in Pella last year. The rule does not allow busses to go on gravel roads during times when snow and ice might affect the driving. This does not mean that a student must get a ride all of the way to school, but only that they can be picked up at a designated area on a hard surface. This has caused problems with some students, but others believe that the rule is not as bad as it sounds.

“I live on the gravel road, so the hard surface only rule does affect me. So far this year the rule has not been implemented, but if it were then I wouldn’t have much of a problem getting to school… I don’t live that far from the highway… but for some people who live farther away on the gravel roads, I know that the rule is some what of a pain for them,” said sophomore Jocelyn Van Dyke.

Last year alone there were nine delays or early outs, and seven snow days. The hard surface only rule may keep a school open, but the main people that the rule affects are the bus drivers, who the rule was put into place for in the first place.

“I think it (the hard surface only rule) is a good rule, it helps to keep the school open during times that it would usually be closed. It does create problems with some of the families, but overall I think it is a really good rule,” said Director of Transportation Harlan Den Adel.

•Telan Paulson (tp.pelladium@gmail.com)

Freshman Jessica Flahive Sophomore Andrew Harvey Junior Maddy Davis Senior Jeff Ryals Teacher Dak Rasmussen

Snow day activity?

Best Dum-Dum flavor?

“Sledding.”

“Cherry.”

“Sleeping in.”

“Sledding.”

Favorite Power Ranger?

“Pink.”

“Red.”

“Mystery.”

“Strawberry.”

“Yellow.”

“Sleeping in.”

“Rootbeer.”

“Green.”

“Sledding with my kids.”

“Cherry.”

“Green- Go Dutch!”

Ice is...

“Annoying.”

“Cold.”

“Cold.”

“Fun.”

“Good in Diet Pepsi.”

• Andrea Huffman (ah.pelladium@gmail.com)

A&E Chair affair raises money for public library page editors

amanda laverman josh dale

WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE. Senior Lauren Nossaman’s chair sold for $140, tying for the most money of all the chairs sold. The chair was purchased by her grandma, Joan Nossaman. The seat displays the book’s main character Max, dressed in a wolf suit, playing in a mystical forest in his pursuit of the wild things. •Photo courtesy of Wendy Street

1.13.09

The Pella Public Library hosted an auction on Nov. 24 to aid the “Friends of the Library,” a group that not only sponsors library needs, but also other organizations around Pella. The auction consisted of one item and one item only…ornately decorated chairs.

Individuals and groups alike submitted chairs to the library. In all, 27 were sold with prices ranging from $12 to $140. The most expensive chair sold was made by senior Lauren Nossaman. Her chair was covered decoratively with scenes from the well-known children’s book, “Where the Wild Things Are.” “I got the idea by looking at previous chairs,” said Nossaman. “I found one that was decorated like the book, ‘The Giving Tree.’ I wanted to do a book, too; I liked the idea.”

The chair, pictured left, sold for $140, tying with a rocking chair painted in the style of the Dutch city, Hindeloopen. Nossaman’s chair also received awards for Mayor’s Choice and Popular Choice.

Participants of the event had about two months to complete their pieces, but Nossaman completed her chair in a week.

“I had a lot of fun. I really liked decorating the chair. I worked on it every day for a week,” Nossaman said.

Not only was her chair done quickly, it was done

5

beautifully. Library Director Wendy Street commented on Nossaman’s handiwork.

“Lauren’s chair was gorgeous,” Street said. “I got just a ton of other librarians e-mailing me about bidding on it. It generated a lot of interest.”

But, you didn’t have to be an experienced artist like Nossaman to participate in the auction. Chairs were donated by Pella Early Learning Center, the Girl Scouts and by children who attend after-school art center.

Though the library has hosted charity events multiple times in the past, this was the first time that a chair auction has occurred. Street was unsure about plans for future auctions of the same sort.

•Liz Core (lc.pelladium@gmail.com)

Jazz I begins trek toward state jazz championships

Dr. Seuss inspires Fleenor Intelligent, honest, daring, energetic, mysterious and creative are just a few words to describe Painting I student, sophomore Kelsey Fleenor.

“As far as I remember, I started formally studying and painting things in elementary school. It wasn’t until middle school I realized I was artistically talented. I think everyone can say elementary school was a horrible time when it comes to artistic talent. Compared to what I can do now, nothing I did in elementary school looks presentable. Middle school was a lot less controlled and let me experiment with various mediums, so I could actually see my talents compared to others,” said Fleenor.

Fleenor has taken Drawing I and Drawing II. She also plans to participate in Painting 2, ceramics and other art classes.

“I’m definitely a really smooth painter.

I hate showing brushstrokes if I can help it. I don’t have the patience to do realistic paintings; I’m more on the cartoony side.

I prefer to use pictures for inspiration,” said Fleenor.

“This is my favorite painting so far because I love Dr. Seuss, and the colors were fun to work with. It’s not very often I get to use colors that burn your retina. Painting is my favorite class yet. It takes everything from drawing and applies new colors and a different medium. For me, mixing colors is just a great stress reliever,” said Fleenor.

Art teacher Julie Stratton is very excited about Fleenor’s talents so far.

“Her artistic style has really started to

Our Gold Sponsors...

DR. SEUSS. Sophomore Kelsey Fleenor’s painting inspiration came from Dr. Seuss’s book “I Had Trouble in Getting to Solla Sollew.” Fleenor used primary colors for the painting, a painting of a onewheeler wubble. •Photos by Kelsey Van Tasell, Julie Stratton

shine. She is very detail oriented and I have been really impressed with how she is still learning,” said Stratton.

•Kelsey Van Tasell (kvt.pelladium@gmail.com)

Edward Jones Investments Scott Van Tasell

809 Washington St. Pella, Iowa 628-1552

An Extra Hand Cleaning Service

Embellish

Community 1st Credit Union 500 Main St. Pella, Iowa 628-2022

Eyecare Partners 823 Franklin St. Pella, Iowa 628-9225

601 Hwy. T14 Pella, Iowa 780-8160

605 Franklin St. Pella, Iowa 628-1738

Fareway

2010 Washington St. Pella, Iowa 628-9995

G&B Concrete

313 Oskaloosa St. Pella, Iowa 628-3535 Garden Chapel Funeral Home 1301 Main St. Pella, Iowa 628-2430

JAZZ FESTIVAL. Sophomore Lynae Toom, junior Brett Bogaard and seniors Stewart Beyer and Greg Ellingson played during the SCIBA district jazz festival. “We played well and showed we will be able to have success this year,” said Ellingson.

GUITAR. Senior Nick Wills played bass guitar while junior Ben Muller played electric guitar for the festival.

“I was really proud of our show at SCIBA. We played well and enjoyed doing so,” said Muller. •Photos courtesy of Sue Ward

As the new year begins, the jazz band season has been initiated full force. Jazz I has been the most prominent in competition for the jazz program.

Beginning in October, Jazz I, which consists of 21 students under the direction of Jason Pentico, has been working diligently on defining their style. This effort to be the best includes a series of grueling yet productive practices, which take place on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings at 7:10 a.m.

“Morning practices are hard to get up for every single week, but I think it shows our commitment to it. I mean, it makes us work harder, too, because we put so much time into it; we want to be the best jazz band in our class,” said senior Tom Butler, Jazz I pianist.

To prepare for their first competition on Dec. 13, Pentico had the students take a jazz clinic during sixth and seventh period Dec. 10. During the session, professional jazz trumpeter, Mike Vix, came to hear the band play and assist in direction. He showed the students that they needed to define their sound and persevere to get to the max of their potential.

“He was a nice guy but an even better

trumpet player. Vix did a great job in assisting us as a band, and he made it as fun as it could be for a clinic; that takes talent,” said senior Matt Davids, Jazz I trombonist.

When Dec. 13 approached, Jazz I competed at the SCIBA district jazz festival.

They placed first in their 3A class. With their victory, Jazz I has now qualified for the Iowa Jazz Championships on April 14.

“I think that they are doing well as a band, and I really believe they have a lot of potential to do well at the jazz championships. This group has done a good job at getting to school on time for practice or at least pretty close. I look forward to the rest of the year with them,” said Pentico.

During this year, Jazz I will compete at the other following competitions: State Jazz Band Contest in Waukee, Jan. 17, Central College Jazzmania, Feb. 7, and Hoover HS Jazz Festival in Des Moines, March 7.

“We are doing fine in practice, especially when Mr. Pentico is in a good mood. I think people would enjoy seeing us perform because we are wicked awesome. We are fun to watch, mostly because of Alex Maasdam, so come and watch us,” said senior Nick Wills.

•Megan Card (mcpelladium@gmail.com)

Grafx2aTee

2017 Washington St. Pella, Iowa 620-8337

Kooyman Lumber 221 South St. Pella, Iowa 629-9663

Off The Square Portrait Studio

1003 Broadway St. Pella, Iowa 628-1426

Jansen’s Decorating & Kitchens 614 Franklin St. Pella, Iowa 628-4247

Leighton State Bank

Oriental Express

Leighton Processed Meats

MidWestOne Bank

Pella Glass & Home Improvement

227 Otley St. Leighton, Iowa 626-3211

900 Washington St. Pella, Iowa 628-1566

700 Main St. Pella, Iowa 628-4356

706 Main St. Pella, Iowa 620-1199

2415 Old Hwy. 163 Pella, Iowa 628-4381

6

In-Depth

page editor

devon o’brien cameron downing

1.13.09

7

Seekamp recalls experience, prompts questions about distracted driving He doesn’t remember much about that night, in 1985. It was around 11 p.m., and 14-year-old Joe Seekamp was getting a ride from his sister and her boyfriend from a tractor and truck show in Des Moines. The car carrying the three approached the outskirts of east Prairie City, and that’s where it all goes blank. Seekamp took a second to regain his train of thought.

“I’m sorry, I have a hard time remembering what happened exactly. A lot of what I know now had to be retold to me after the accident from my relatives.

When I think back to when it happened, I get a little blurry,” said Seekamp, taking a deep breath and continuing.

According to record, the car in which Seekamp was riding in collided headon by another car coming the opposite direction. It was full of teenagers, but these particular ones were under the influence of drugs and alcohol. At the time of the collision, Seekamp was thrown from his seat, hitting the dashboard. Of the three in the car, his sister was the least injured, while Seekamp was in a coma; her boyfriend died from his wounds.

“I stayed in that coma for three months, quite a long time if you ask me. The worst part was when I woke up. I couldn’t speak or eat or anything.

I had to relearn how to do everything, from using a fork, to putting the food in my mouth, to actually going through the motion of chewing and swallowing.

Yeah, it was a really frustrating time for me. That whole thing, it really changed me,” said Seekamp.

Seekamp is yet another victim, who has suffered from the recklessness of teen driving. Almost every year since his accident, 5,000 teenagers and young adults are killed in car crashes due to this same reason (keepthedrive.com). When will teenagers realize that their lack of attention at the wheel is the leading cause of death to young adults, ages 15 to 20?

“When a teenager gets behind the wheel, they feel invincible. They have

this new-found freedom, and they want to use it as much as possible. But, what I see as the biggest flaw with teen drivers is their inexperience. They may be able to drive a car, but they don’t know the road.

That takes time and experience to learn,” said David Orr, a patrol officer in Pella for 17 years.

Orr has been to numerous accident sites involving teenagers, but one thing remains the same. Most could be avoided by the fundamental technique of defensive driving.

“I would recommend defensive driving to anyone, no matter your age. Teenagers should learn to put their blinders down while driving, and to not just look ahead, but from every angle. Will that car to the left of me stop, and if they don’t what should I do? Teenagers need to take all possibilities into account. But again, this comes from experience, too,” said Orr. Orr also commented on the many distractions a teenager may face, and how they can be avoided.

“Turn your cell phones off, period.

When I am on traffic patrol, six or seven of every 10 cars I see are on a cell phone.

This is deadly, especially to teenagers, because it splits concentrations. It is hard enough to drive without having one of those to your ear. I would also have to say that driving in groups is another distraction. Many teenagers get too involved in gossip, so they forget to look at the next stop sign. Teenagers need to be getting aware to their surroundings and be alert when driving. Totaled cars can be exchanged, totaled people can’t,” said Orr. Seekamp added his words of wisdom for teenage drivers as well.

“Just be safe. Look out for yourself, that’s what I have to tell teens. Drive safely and defensively and never drink and drive, all the basics. I am just so thankful to God that he let me live. I am so very thankful,” said Seekamp.

•Megan Card (mcpelladium@gmail.com)

Myth or Fact?

1. You can get a ticket if you don’t have your license on you while driving.

2. You can get pulled over for texting while driving assuming there are no other violations.

3. You can’t get a ticket unless you are going more than five mph over the speed limit.

4. You can get a ticket if you aren’t wearing shoes while driving.

5. An officer can ask for permission to search your car without reason.

6. An officer can’t pull anyone over, at night, unless the officer’s headlights are on.

7. If you take three right turns while an officer is still following you without their lights on, you can call in and file for harassment.

8. You can get arrested if you are driving an under-aged drunk home, assuming you are also a minor.

9. You can get a ticket for driving too slow.

10. An officer can pull someone over after curfew if they think they are under 17, without any other violations. *As with any rule there are exceptions. If you have questions, send an email to do.pelladium@gmail.com.

•Devon O’Brien (do.pelladium@gmail.com) Answers from Officer Shane Cox, Pella Police’s Department

•Photo Illustration by Cameron Downing (cd.pelladium@gmail.com)

Facts on insurance rates •A teenage boy is about 20 percent more expensive to insure than a teenage girl.

•A good student discount deducts 10 percent from the overall bill.

•More high-school-aged males have high-risk insurance.

•Between the ages of 15 and 19 the price of insurance will not vary much from the original value.

•The reason boys are typically more expensive dates back to the 1950’s-60’s.

The boys would be the ones to drive to school and to pick up their date, and girls didn’t drive. Therefore it would be more expensive to insure a male.

•Addie Smith (as.pelladium@gmail.com) Information obtained from Chad Klein of Ver Dught Insurance

Do’s and Don’t’s of accident occurrence For many people, a car accident can be a stressful and confusing ordeal. Many students don’t know what to do when an accident occurs. Here are some do’s and don’t’s for you to make car accidents go more smoothly.

• DO call 911 as soon as possible if someone has not already done so.

• DO check yourself and others for injuries; even if you don’t feel any pain.

• DON’T leave the engine running when you leave the car, especially if you think the gas tank may have been damaged in any way.

• DO have a winter survival kit in case you get stuck in a ditch during the winter.

• DON’T drive away from the scene of an accident, no matter how minor the accident is or how inconvenient it may be for you.

• DO have your insurance information ready to exchange as soon as the police arrive.

• DON’T try to blame the other person for the accident; things will quickly degenerate into a shouting match (even if it really is their fault).

• DO be completely honest when talking to the police, even if you were doing something blatantly stupid like driving while texting.

•Ranier Worstell (rw.pelladium@gmail.com)

Driving adjustments Everyday, millions of people operate vehicles. Sometimes a driver can operate a vehicle without giving a second thought to their actions. A person might succumb to driving distractions without even realizing it. Below are driving distractions that you may be all too familiar, and ways to deal with them.

Cell phone: Save that ‘important’ conversation about where the ‘hot party’ is for later, preferably when you’re out of the car. In fact, 85 percent of all cell phone users engage in conversations while in their vehicle (accidentattorneys. com). While engaging in a cell phone conversation, a driver no longer has his or her attention focused on scrupulous details that come with driving, but on mindless prattle that has potential to

lead to an accident. So do yourself and others a favor: keep the driving chatter to a minimum.

Texting: In this day and age, text messaging is usually preferred over talking on the phone. A recent survey conducted for a Texas software company, NeverFail, indicates that as many as 77 percent of drivers have at one time sent a text message while driving (drivers.com).

Texting while driving? Not a good idea.

We were only born with two hands, and unless a driver can figure out a way to not use their hands to text, it’s probably best to keep both hands on the wheel. A teen driver can easily become well acquainted with a curb or another car if they’re busy texting instead of driving.

DJ-ing: We’ve all had the feeling of

cruising down the street with the music blaring. But in the split second you lean over to change the tune, an accident can occur. Instead, program your CD player or iPod to a playlist of all of your favorite tunes to avoid changing the song while driving. In addition to playing DJ, also avoid in-car karaoke sessions. We all know nothing is more fun than bustin’ smokin’ dance moves in the car while singing your favorite song.

Unfortunately, car karaoke is extremely dangerous since you won’t be able to hear other cars’ horns over the bumpin’ tunes from your sound system.

Eating: We’ve all done it: attempting to stuff our face while driving. Let’s be honest. Unwrapping food, opening pop bottles, sifting through containers and

chewing are not good activities to try to attempt while driving. Bottom line: drinking and driving always ends in disaster.

Joyride: Sometimes an individual drives for fun, or to release some steam.

However, driving while angry or upset could actually have the opposite effect on a person. Driving angry is like driving drunk. While in an angry state, an entity isn’t in the correct state of mind to make good decisions, or is too amped up to realize that they’re flooring the gas and not staying on the road. Do yourself a favor and wait to drive until your heart rate has returned to a normal level, and your fists aren’t clenched.

•Caroline Phillips (cp.pelladium@gmail.com)

Answers: 1. fact; 2.myth; 3.myth; 4.myth; 5.fact; 6.myth; 7.myth; 8.myth; 9.fact; 10.fact.

8

Opinion Editorial Cartoon

page editor

ranier worstell

1.13.08

Q:

How has the current economic situation affected your Christmas, if at all?

“I think since the economy was down my parents had to set a limit of how much money to spend. Coming from a big family we didn’t spend as near as much as we normally would have. But it is hard not to go over budget because everyone’s so used to paying old prices and not the high prices we have now.”

-Freshman Ashley Parr “The economy didn’t have much impact on my family. But for others, it took a toll on their budget. Money is in short supply for some and may affect their purchases throughout the holiday season.”

-Sophomore Emily Drey “I think that with the economy down, it didn’t really matter at all of who got what.

Chillin’ with the fam and chowin’ down the ham is what it was all about!”

-Senior Alex Lopez

•Eric Moore (em.pelladium@gmail.com)

[ Alt. News] Without a doubt, one of the largest events in world news over the past month was the constant rioting in Greece. The Dec. 6 killing of a teenage boy by a policeman sparked the riots and protests. The only justification for the shooting was that the boy was apparently in a bad neighborhood. While the protests began as vigils and peaceful demonstrations by the boy’s classmates, they quickly escalated into violence.

Rioters in Athens, consisting mostly of youths, used this event to show their discontent not only with the murder of the teen, but also to vent their disapproval of the current state of the government as anarchist groups joined in the action.

Petrol bombs were thrown, buildings were set on fire and cars were overturned.

Police fought back with tear gas and riot gear. Within

the first week, the rioters had called for the Prime Minister’s resignation.

When I first heard of the events going on in Greece, I pushed it aside. “Those Greeks are just crazy,” I thought to myself. Yet at the same time, I couldn’t help but be impressed by it; nothing this large-scale would ever occur in the United States. I was left with mixed feelings about the whole thing.

Luckily, someone cleared up my thoughts for me.

Simply put, this person stated that the Greeks are a very passionate people.

When they feel they have been treated unjustly, they will air their grievances. In this case, they are letting the policemen and government officials that they do not approve of the way they are doing things. To me, it seems like the riots are not only a reaction to what happened, but also a warning that it had better never happen

again.

This reminded me of something I once heard, that in a democracy, the government should be afraid of its people. However, in the United States, the people are now afraid of the government. The government does things we oppose all the time, and it seems like everyone just sits back and accepts it. We are too complacent and afraid to act, because “something” might happen if we do.

Maybe that could be a good thing, experience a little civil disobedience.

I, in no way, advocate riots and the destruction of property, but I do think that people should act on their feelings. Next time something that you don’t approve of happens, do something about it.

Don’t accept the injustices anymore.

•Marcus Haustein (mh.pelladium@gmail.com)

Staff Editorial

Driving is often taken for granted. It’s seen as some sort of effortless task required in altering your global position. One of our own staff even remarked, “Driving is so easy, I don’t understand why people are bad. I could drive with a blindfold.”

This is the sort of naivety that gives us, teens, the bad reputation and the generalized label of “bad drivers.” We feel safe doing tasks such as texting, applying layers of makeup, and shuffling through our mp3 players. We don’t realize the risk involved in such deeds. We do these things with the same attitude as if we were, indeed, encompassed in the safety of our bedrooms.

To some degree, that anonymous staff member was correct. Driving really is relatively easy. The truth is, we make driving hard on ourselves with all these useless distractions.

It’d be interesting to see numbers on what percent of these 5,000 deaths a year are from distracted teens driving.

Everyday, 12 teens die from driving related accidents. This number has been constantly rising for years now, and shows no signs of slowing down. In fact, it’s the leading cause of death in people aged 16 to 19. One in three deaths from this age group are related to vehicular accidents.

This is not a bulletin in attempt to wipe teens clean of the stereotype, but rather to possibly raise awareness of the endangerment we are putting, not only ourselves in, but also the safety of every other motorist on the road.

The staff voted 16-2 in favor of this editorial.

“Well, I wouldn’t say it affected my Christmas at all because we did everything the same as any other year as far as gifts and traveling to Minnesota to go to my grandma’s house for Christmas.”

-Senior Taylor Smith “I think that it affected my family very little. My parents got us more practical gifts that we can use for a long time, which was new, but cool. And I actually think that Christmas was more fun this year. I wasn’t concerned about the presents and what I was going to get, I was focused on what was important.”

-Junior Matt Dowey •Tyler Elliott (te.pelladium@gmail.com)

Wal-Mart employee trampled to death in Black Friday stampede According to cnn.com and nytime.com, on Black Friday (Nov. 26) Wal-Mart employee Jdimytai Damour was trampled to death in the Valley Stream, NY WalMart. Damour, 34, was placed at the front because of his large size (270 lbs, 6’7”). However, he had no experience in crowd control and was trampled by 2,000 shoppers rushing in for the sales.

The family members of the victim are now filing a complaint with the New York State Supreme Court, claiming that Wal-Mart had inadequate security and had advertised in a

way to specifically attract a large crowd to “create an environment of frenzy and mayhem.”

Wal-Mart is cooperating with authorities, is offering help to Damour’s family and promises to do better in the future. Wal-Mart also says they were prepared for the crowds by adding extra help, setting up barricades, hiring security and consulting with police.

“I think Wal-Mart should have been prepared, instead of saying they will be in the future. They should help the family since it’s partly their fault he died. They should

have better prepared him for his job.”

-Senior Alicia Sadler “I feel bad for the guy, and it’s not just Wal-Mart.

All stores need to be better prepared for Black Friday.

I got hit by an 80-year-old woman in Target.”

-Freshman Austin Davis “I believe that today’s society has so much focus placed on materialistic things, so much so that people are willing to stampede, trample and kill people.”

-Junior Caitlin Mock •Amanda Laverman (al.pelladium@gmail.com)

as an informative, educational and entertaining communications media and to provide an open forum to students and readers. •Letters to the Editors are welcome and encouraged. These letters must be signed and should, in no way, be libelous, irresponsible or obscene. Letters must have verified facts and should deal with issues. The Pelladium reserves the right to edit grammatical errors, libelous content or length due to the space limitations.

Letters may be brought to Room 201 or sent to Pella Community High School, Box 486, Pella, IA 50219.

•The Pelladium will strive to deliver information in a fair and truthful manner. The Pelladium will function in accord with all applicable laws, both in regard to the rights and restrictions of journalism.

•The views expressed in this publication are those of the individual writer and not necessarily those of the Pella Community High School Administration or the Pella Community Schools Board of Education.

The Pelladium will make retractions in the event of errors made in the content of printed stories.

Retractions will be printed in the issue immediately following the issue containing the errors. •The The Pelladium is a monthly tabloid produced by Pelladium is a member of the Iowa High School the high school journalism department to serve Press Association.

Co-Editors: Will Harris, Marcus Haustein Copy Editor: Michael Suplee Design Editor: Cameron Downing Page Editors: Nicholas Birkel, Josh Borgerding, Cameron Downing, Clarke Hammes, Will Harris, Marcus Haustein, Andrea Huffman, Amanda Laverman, Devon O’Brien, Caroline Philips, Andrew Sagers, Caitlin Simpson, Josh Van Ee, Ranier Worstell Photographers: Josh Dale, Tyler Neff Cartoonists: Michael Ge, Eric Moore, Ranier Worstell Business Manager, Associate: Josh Borgerding, Megan Card Reporters: Morgan Anderson, Liz Core, Tyler Elliott, Michael Ge, Caleb Klyn, Nathan Kooker, Telan Paulson, Addie Smith, Kelsey Van Tasell Adviser: Ann Visser Photo Adviser: Jeff Bokhoven Editorial Board: Mary DeVries, Cameron Downing, Greg Ellingson, Will Harris, Marcus Haustein, Dak Rasmussen

page editor

nicholas colin birkel

POINT Cell Phones and Driving Not a Viable Combination !!!Everybody realizes that one needs his or her hands in order to operate a vehicle.

This necessity may be the sole inspiration for the invention of the steering wheel, and its strategic placement in front of a driver’s body. The thing is, phone usage and textmessaging while driving has become an increasingly popular pastime among teenage drivers, even in our community.

Nine states now regulate the use of cell phones behind the wheel in an attempt to combat the number of distracted-teenager car accidents per year. California, among them, recently adopted one of the United States’ most infamous driving policies, fully restricting the use of cellular devices by drivers under the age of 18, and limiting such devices to ‘hands-free’ functioning for drivers over 18.

There could be no better way to evade the horror of a car accident then to simply turn off that cell phone. If a driver is so socially attached to the little device, strict legislature similar to California’s is logically necessary and should be supported. Implementation of a ‘phones-in-the-car’ ban may well be Iowa’s next step to safer roads.

Of course, if such rulings were !

Josh Borgerding’s

passed, minor inconvenience for some communication addicts would be inevitable. Those who could not bear to part with their flavor-of-the-week as they travel, or those who constantly utilize the emotionless extravaganza known as textmessaging would undoubtedly suffer.

However, what more is abandoning your cell phone temporarily than wearing your seat belt? State legislature forces drivers to comply with the latter of the two.

Distracted driving provoked by cell phone usage is easily avoidable, and if legal regulation is the only tool that can be used to pry the eyes of teenage drivers up towards the road ahead of them, then by all means this regulation should be passed.

It is an undeniable fact that employing the uses of a cell phone while driving is a dangerous mix. Even if the law takes away some of the conviences of talking and driving, it’s worth the sacrifice if it means saving the lives of other, undistracted drivers. !Nathan Kooker (nk.pelladium@gmail.com) Information from DrivingLaws.org

Postulates

! ! (jb.pelladium@gmail.com) ! !

As I sit in front of my computer, I find myself unable to come up with anything of true value to anyone. I run ideas through my mind, judging each one on its inadequacies.

I am not sure when a change was made, but I think I may have become what some would refer to as an overachiever. I have subconsciously taught myself that every product must be my best.

Overachiever: I question the validity of the word. Is it not true that each individual has a personal standard that he or she abides by? Knowing this, how can a student be looked upon with disdain or jealousy because of what he or she has done?

Who decided to place the label of overachiever on people? Why would anyone use a word with negative connotation to label someone who is doing well? The answer is far more difficult to produce than the question. It comes down to fear. Each one of us has a deep-seeded fear that we will never make it. We will never get into the college we want or get the job we want.

There is always that chance that success will never find us, and we will watch our peers rise as we fall. It is not always evident, but on the brink of sagacity, the connection between this fear and success becomes all too clear.

I suppose that some do not believe that willpower can be an impetus for change.

They believe that there are limits to where they can go and what they can do. In centuries past, this may hold true; however, in a world linked by multiple means of communication and transportation development that could only previously be seen on the sci-fi channel, it is evident that the change you seek can be attained. Even I, a high school student have been able to maintain dialogue with educators halfway around the globe.

Even though not everyone would admit

9

1.13.09

it, we are all looking to be as great as the heroes we see on TV or read about in books. I guarantee that everyone wishes they had a superpower, but not everyone acts on this impulse. Perhaps, it is because heroes are seen as overachievers themselves.

I believe that if anyone wants to develop superpowers, they must go beyond the classroom and do something extraordinary.

Intellect is one of the most important gifts that can be bestowed. I cannot even begin to tell you about the high you get once you start a project bigger than yourself.

Learning about something few know about is an opportunity that I truly cherish.

I implore you all to engage in a project that no one would expect you to do. Your

Overachiever: I question the validity of the word. age is not a limiting factor. It does not inhibit the progress you can make. The only limiting factor anyone has is the settlement for mediocrity. Do not demand results unless you actively search for them.

Note: I would like to point your attention to the Pella High School Science Club. I started it with a couple of my AP physics friends.

Perhaps some of you out there are interested in pursuing scientific careers. If so, I implore you to visit our booth on excellence in electives night, Jan. 23. Maybe you will have enough time to check out the epidemiological research that I did on the student body.

COUNTERPOINT Full cell phone ban over­the­top, unnecessary Using cell phones while driving has been debated for years. Many people find it irresponsible to talk on the phone while driving because it takes the driver’s focus from the road to the conversation.

Currently, only six states have banned cell phones while driving, but many more are looking into it, including Iowa.

Personally, I don’t believe a full ban is necessary. Many states have partial bans on cell phone use, which I think would solve the problem much better than completely obliterating the idea of talking on the phone while driving. For example, I think text messaging while driving is really irresponsible because, unless you are insanely good at texting, you must take your eyes off the road to see what you are doing.

I can also see how it would be a good idea to ban young drivers from using their cell phones while behind the wheel. Drivers who are only on a learner’s permit, school permit or limited license should be banned from using their cell phones until they gain their full license at age 17.

However, it is possible to drive safely while talking on the phone. Many people I

know, including myself, already drive with only one hand on the wheel anyway. It’s just as easy to see the road this way as if driving with your hands at nine and three on the wheel. Now, just put a cell phone in the other hand. It is honestly not that difficult to drive safely while on the phone.

While driving, it can be convenient to quickly call someone for directions. These calls usually take about 20-30 seconds, but if cell phones were banned, it would be necessary to find a place to pull over just to make the call.

I think it makes sense to have a law banning text messaging while driving, as well as the use of cell phones by drivers without their full licenses. It would also be a good thing to have additional fines for cell phone-related accidents. However, I know from experience that it is not hard to drive while on the phone. The bottom line is that people do worse things than talk on the phone while behind the wheel, and unless there is a law that prohibits all forms of distracted driving, I do not think that cell phones alone should be banned. s-ARCUS (AUSTEIN (mh.pelladium@gmail.com)

Brink of Sagacity

Eric Moore’s (em.pelladium@gmail.com) Get a job. Lose weight. Be a better parent. Quit smoking. These are just a few of the New Year’s Resolutions that circulate around us every year. It’s a time for people to step back and say, “Hey, this year wasn’t the best. I’ve done some things I regret, but now I’ve got a whole new year to better myself.”

People envision being given a whole new piece of paper, free from their past errors.

Things are going to be different/healthier/ happier. Yet, as most of us are aware, many of these new goals and aspirations are abandoned at least by February.

So why is it that a small amount of people actually follow through with their goals? The answer is the whole “New Year’s Resolution” mentality. Sure, recognizing that you’ve made some errors is good, and it’s also good to realize you can’t change what you did, so there’s no point in wasting more of your life thinking about it. I don’t mean that you can’t learn from your past mistakes, but beyond learning what you did wrong, there’s no point in toiling over the past. The flaw in the New Year’s Resolution is viewing it as a new, separate thing than the previous year. Sure, technically it is a new year, but you’re the same person, meaning you’re bound to repeat your same mistakes.

Pretty soon you start making exceptions and pretty soon it’s December again and you’re back where you started.

People who really wish to make a change in their life should be able to start anytime, and they need to be willing to commit to it and be aware of what that commitment will involve. You don’t need a whole new year to better yourself, you can start anytime.

Of course, as many people will say, starting is the hardest part. Taking the leap, the plunge, dipping your foot in, however you’d prefer to put it. The best thing to do is just to do. Do it and don’t hesitate.

I’m not saying that you should just go for something without thinking about it but

Starting is the hardest part...do it and don’t hesitate. if you have something you want to do, a goal to achieve, you know that it’s right and worth going for.

To help you achieve what you want to, it’s good to set a few goals. You know what you want to do, and you know how long it will take to make what you want happen.

Having a planned set of goals enables you to see what you have left to do. People like time and numbers. The unknown is scary and uncertain, so the known things are embraced. You want to know how long it’s going to take for your pizza to arrive, you want to know what the weather will be like, and you want to know how much you weigh. So why not set something out that you can control something that gives you perspective. Possibly the best thing about making goals is when you start to achieve them, and you are able to look back and be proud of what you accomplished. This sense of accomplishment also gives you encouragement to go through with other things you may want to improve.

Don’t use 2009 as an excuse to start something or change something. Think about it and if it’s beneficial, logical, and practical then just go for it and don’t hesitate, or else you’ll find yourself knocking on the door of 2010.

10

Reviews

“Twilight,” one of the most highly-anticipated movies of 2008, has finally arrived on the big screen. Girls around the world are crushing on the teenage heartthrob, Robert Pattinson. Pattinson played Edward Cullen, a teenage vampire. Edward courted a girl of 10 named Bella (Kristen Stewart), the daughter of the police chief in Forks, WA. Bella and Edward met in their biology class, where Edward acted as if he were suffering from a minor seizure. It was later revealed that Edward could hardly control himself around the smell of Bella’s blood. Bella, no surprise, fell head over heels for Edward. That always seems to happen in romance movies ... the good girl falls for the bad guy.

Towards the belly of the movie, Bella began putting the pieces together. She analyzed all of his odd traits and discovered that Edward is, in fact, a vampire. When she confronted him, he showed her his talents and demonstrated who he truly was. With the shared knowledge of Edward’s secrets, the two embarked on an action-packed chase that had everyone in the theater on the edge of their seats.

All pride aside, I will have to admit the movie was not bad, aside from its predictability. It was the typical storybook ending that would have any teenage girl gleaming with joy. The movies action is what struck a chord with me.

•Tyler Elliot (te.pelladium@gmail.com)

8.5

Listen: Day and Age

“Day and Age” is the Killer’s third album and is not a disappointment. The music on this album is easy to listen to because all the instruments go well together. With the smooth electronic beats and catchy lyrics, this album has it all. The songs all have their own unique style, and I can’t say there is a song I don’t like off the album. of 10 There are 10 songs on this album with “Human” headlining as the hit single. This song is intense because it has sweet electronic beats, and the vocals are clear. It also happens to be my favorite song from the album. Another good song is “Joy Ride.” The instruments in that song sound really clean and well put together.

The album differs from the other two albums “Hot Fuss” and “Sam’s Town.” There are a lot more electronic sounds in this album that are extraordinary especially in the intro of “Human.” The music starts out soft, and then it begins to build up with the guitars getting louder.

The music in this album can either be very calm and soothing to listen to, or it can be fast and energetic. This is really convenient because if you want a calm song to listen to before you go to bed, you have that possibility, and if you want a song to rock out and dance to, you also have that.

This whole album is revolutionary. The music is a lot different from most genres, and it’s very unique. It sounds like a classic 80’s electronic band mixed with indie pop bands today. It’s always great to experiment with genres in music, and that is how we have so many genres and sub genres today.

This album is a must-buy. and I recommend it.

•Tyler Neff (tn.pelladium@gmail.com)

9.0

Play: Fallout 3

What would you do if the world were to come to an end? Would you live your life as a paragon of virtue, or make your life as pleasurable as you could at the expense of others?

“Fallout 3” gives you the chance to decide how you’d live in the aftermath.

“Fallout 3” is the most recent installation of the Fallout series, made by Bethesda Game of 10 Studios. The game is set in the post-apocalyptic wasteland of what was formerly Washington D.C. A massive nuclear war has devastated the Earth and the people living on it. The main character, you, is one of the lucky few who was raised in a vault, an underground fallout shelter designed to save the remnants of the human race from a nuclear attack. You are soon forced out from the comfort of the vault and into the inhospitable world due to the mysterious disappearance of your father. The main goal of the game is to find your father and unravel the mystery of why he disappeared, but the game is hardly limited to the main story line.

The best thing about the game is its massive scope. It is one of the largest games I have played in a long time. Combined with the decrepit irradiated landscape, the game creates an impressive visual portrayal of a world gone horribly wrong. The massive game world also offers gamers opportunities to do almost anything. Want to live your life robbing every person you meet on your travels? Or, would you prefer to uphold the law and be the gold standard of justice? The game world offers you hundreds of opportunities in dozens of locations, so no two games in “Fallout 3” are going to be the same for the average gamer.

Another interesting feature of the game would be the unique feature known as V.A.T.S. (Vault Assisted Targeting System). Whenever a player is in a combat situation, V.A.T.S. brings up the option to prioritize the opponents you must engage. The game then carries it out in slow-mow, creating a cinematic scene akin to an action movie. The only downside to V.A.T.S is the fact that it leaves out any real time combat in the gameplay. I had to use V.A.T.S exclusively to fight off the hordes of enemies in the game, robbing me of the satisfaction of the multiple headshots the game executed for me.

Overall, “Fallout 3” left a positive impression on me. The sure amount of gameplay possibilities and the innovative features, weapons and events in the game made me feel that it was an excellent experience as a gamer that should not be passed up. While “Fallout 3” may be lacking in manual combat and pale in comparison graphically to other Xbox 360 games, the game clearly knows where it wants to go and takes gamers there in grand style. I feel confident in saying that “Fallout 3” is a game worthy of both praise and purchase.

•Andrew Sagers (as.pelladium@gmail.com)

8.5

Our Gold Sponsors...

Pella Motors

604 E. Oskaloosa St. Pella, Iowa 628-4124 Pella Supply and Metal Fabrication 717 210th Ave. Pella, Iowa 628-2352

Sports Page Sporting Goods 1582 Washington St. Pella, Iowa 628-4999 Sports Page Bar & Grill 1111 W. 16th St. Pella, Iowa 620-1149

State Farm, Agent Kevin Van Wyk 606 Oskaloosa St. Pella, Iowa 628-2550

Stravers True Value 818 Main St. Pella, Iowa 628-3330

American Family Insurance. Erikka Ter Louw, Agent 604 Liberty St. Pella, Iowa 628-1581

josh borgerding

1.13.09

Watch: Twilight

Red Rock Chiropractic 1400 Fifield Rd. Pella, Iowa 628-9997

page editor

Go: Pella Cinemas The local Pella Cinemas is one of the few forms of entertainment that the young, the old and the somewhere-in-between can of 10 go for a well priced form of evening entertainment. Or at least that’s what it should be— or what it has failed to be.

Being the only theater in town, we hope for a healthy variety in the films that light up the three screens.

Unfortunately, it has failed to do so as of late. In past months I have seen some highly anticipated movies be passed by for movies of lesser quality, which appeal to few demographics. During the opening days and weeks of two of the most anticipated movies of the fall season, “Twilight” and “Quantum of Solace,” the high school population was left scavenging for rides to far and distant lands in search of their big screen heroes. Many others and I in these fateful times would pass by the three posters illuminated in the night air, only to see our hopes of seeing the newest James Bond flick and the screen-adaptation of the best-selling vampire romance dwindle.

In their stead, they tried to console us with “Bolt,” “Madagascar 2,” and a romance that few had heard of dubbed “Fireproof ” (with wedding rings for o’s, the only thing missing was Drew Barrymore’s smiling face). It pained me to see that if I was over 10, and not a fan of sappy love stories, I would be driven out of Pella to pay twice as much for a movie. Luckily, I wasn’t the chauffeur, and didn’t have to pay a much higher quantity for petrol. The entire high school seemed to have been overlooked until a later date, when after most who had wanted to see “Twilight” had seen it, that movie came to grace our town’s presence.

Though I could not feel the pain of not seeing “Twilight” on opening night, as I wasn’t interested myself, I could relate to the many who did by my own inability to see Daniel Craig show people how caring he can be by beating South America’s axis-of-evil thiswayandthat until weeks after it came out…in Des Moines.

At the very least, when I go to see with an almost unanimously rated under-average movie such as “The Day The Earth Stood Still,” I should not find out that for the second time this year, the cost of viewing has risen. A once caring and loving $4 theater has turned into a not-so-loving and not-so-caring $5 theater. I would gladly pay five dollars to see more anticipated movies such as “W.” which (for some reason) was never shown in our theater. Yes, yes, I know that out there somewhere is a parent company meticulously counting what movies make the most money where, divvying out these movies to more liberal, larger cities, and giving us “Four Christmases” for weeks on end.

I am not, and never will be a business major, but it seems to me that if we raised the quality of movies, more people would watch movies in Pella, and we could lower prices, making everyone happy.

So for now, I make an appeal to pander to the needs of our two high schools in this great town with future releases.

I also plea that never again will “Bolt” and “Madagascar 2” be two of my three choices for cinematic adventure unless the third choice is a double feature of “Casino Royale” and “Quantum of Solace.” That’s not a joke. Make it happen, it will make us feel better. You can still win us back.

•Nicholas Colin Birkel (nb.pelladium@gmail.com

5.0

The Latin Bistro

813 Washington St. Pella, Iowa 620-8888

Van Berkum Appliance 822 Main St. Pella, Iowa 628-4000

Van Hemert Chiropractic Center 1310 Washington St. Pella, Iowa 628-2099

Ulrich Ford-LincolnMercury

Van Gorp Insurors, LTD.

Vander Ploeg Bakery

1130 W. 16th St. Pella, Iowa 628-2184

723 Main St. Pella, Iowa 628-4100

US Bank

Van Gorp Corporation

Vermeer Sales and Service

801 Broadway St. Pella, Iowa 628-2121

1410 Washington St. Pella, Iowa 628-9212

711 Franklin St. Pella, Iowa 628-2293

661 Hw. T 14 Box 168 Pella, Iowa 628-2000

page editors

josh van ee 1.13.09 clarke hammes From student to teacher/coach, Burch assumes head wrestling job From student to teacher, Joe Burch is now involved with the very same high school that he graduated from in 2003.

Burch spends his days at the high school as a coach and at Madison Elementary as a physical education instructor.

After attending school at Central College and finishing with a bachelor’s degree in exercise science-physical education, Burch saw his dream come to life as he was hired almost instantly. Madison Elementary added Burch to the staff at the beginning of the 2008-09 school year, and he is now settling in as one of the main physical education teachers.

“This is my dream job! I am so excited to finally be teaching after going to college for the past four years. Now the day where I don’t have to worry about homework anymore has finally come. Being in Pella has made the transition from college much easier just because I already knew many of the students and teachers,” said Burch.

Along with being a P.E. teacher for elementary students, Burch was named

the head coach for the current high school wrestling team, and come spring, he will fill the head coaching position in tennis.

Burch has many aspirations for both sports and is focused on making these visions into realities.

“I have many short and long term goals for each program, but there are a few important ones that I want to accomplish. I hope to bring new ideas to each program and create an environment where student/athletes feel like they can be successful. These include academics, extracurricular activities, and life, in general. I am confident that my athletes will improve greatly from when they start and where they end up in these programs,” said Burch.

Burch has lived in Pella his whole life and is beginning to give back to the community in which he was raised.

“Right now, I’m really enjoying teaching at the elementary level in Pella, but who knows what the future holds for me and my career,” said Burch.

•Clarke Hammes(ch.pelladium@gmail.com

Jock Talk

•Clarke Hammes (ch.pelladium@gmail.com)

Sophomore Makenzie Vander Molen is in the middle of her second year of varsity basketball. Vander Molen has been involved in school basketball for the past four years and plays starting point guard. “I hope we continue to get better as the season goes along to prove to any nonbelievers that our team is just as strong as last year, even with our losses,” said Vander Molen.

Junior AJ Arrendell is currently involved in his second year of varsity wrestling.

Arrendell is captain with senior Austin DeJong, and wrestles in the 171 lb. weight class. “I really hope that our team can continue to grow strong and win some dual meets this year. I really want to be able to crown three or four conference champs as well, and I think we have the ability to do STRUGGLE. Junior captain AJ Arrendell brings his that,” said Arrendell. opponent down to the mat during the Pella Invitational meet Dec. 20. •Photo by Jaime Ruisch

Junior Blaine Forsythe has been involved with basketball for the past five years and has started another season of varsity basketball. Forsythe runs the show as starting point guard, and has done so for the past two years. “We would like to beat Pella Christian once this year to show us that we can play with the best. We also have a more specific goal of being conference champs as well. I hope we can come together as a team to accomplish both of these things,” said Forsythe.

Our Gold Sponsors...

Windmill Cafe 709 Franklin St. Pella, Iowa 621-1800

Vincent S. Klyn Attorney at Law 729 Main St. Pella, Iowa 620-1707

Work Systems Fitness and Rehab.

308 SE 9th St. Pella, Iowa 628-4622

Wells Fargo Bank

Dr. Mark Recker Dr. Eric Recker

712 Washington St. Pella, Iowa 628-1606

935 Main St. Pella, Iowa 628-1604

Grafx2aTee

2017 Washington St. Pella, Iowa 620-8337

11 Forté receives multiple awards at state event With the arrival of the ISDTA State Competition Dec. 5, varsity Forté was ready to compete at Veterans and Hy-Vee Auditorium in Des Moines.

Forté took three routines to state, all choreographed by Andrea Dana, competing in the prop, pom and military categories.

Competing in the prop category was a first for the team in five years.

Forté bounced into a second place finish BOUNCE Forté performs their prop routine at state for their prop routine and won the ISDTA competition Dec. 5. This routine placed second, with an added bonus of receiving the Judge’s Choice Award.

Judge’s Choice award. Only three routines •Photo by Josh Dale receive this award.

“I was so surprised we got judges choice two years in a row. We are so thankful for our choreographer Andrea (Dana) for all her hard work,” said junior captain Caroline Phillips.

Forté’s pom and military routine both received first place ratings.

“I am extremely proud of the team. They have worked very hard and performed phenomenally; I couldn’t ask for more. Not only did they receive awards for their dance ability, but they earned an excellence award for their team GPA,” said Coach Melissa Wimmer.

“It was so nerve-wracking competing this year as a senior because we’ve always been so successful in the past. But, we worked so hard, and it ended up being the most successful year we have had during my years on Forté. State 09’ is a memory I will never ever forget,” said senior captain Katie Allen.

•Caroline Phillips (cp.pelladium@gmail.com)

After 25 years ...

Town rivalry moves from Central gym to home gyms For the past 25 years, the much anticipated Pella vs. Pella Christian basketball game has been held at the Central College gym, a tradition as long standing as the game itself.

Starting this year, however, the game’s venue has been switched to the Pella High School and Pella Christian gyms. This has caused many fans to question the gym’s capacity and why the game’s location changed in the first place.

In the past, the game’s location was at Central’s Kuyper Gym due to the small size of Pella High’s first gym and the 1,800 person capacity of Central’s gym. In order to play at Kuyper Gym, Pella had to pay a $675 rental fee, as well as losing hundreds of dollars in concession revenues. As the years passed the gym’s capacity was decreased to 1,600. Combined with the 1,500 person capacity of Pella High’s new gym, the school district saved hundreds of dollars that can then be spent in other areas.

“We’re looking forward to the change in venue back to our own school’s facilities.

It will mean a return to a regular schedule, as the game’s timing was always subject to the gym’s availability. At the same time the tradition between these two perennial contenders will continue,” said Athletic Director Bill Van Horn.

While the financial incentives are clearly advantageous, the sentimental value of the game’s traditional venue and the feel of the court cannot be measured in dollars.

“Playing at Central College offers an atmosphere unlike our normal high school gym. The whole town gets into it, and being able to play in front of that kind of crowd is a unique experience. Not playing at Central anymore is disappointing, but we still look forward to playing Pella Christian,” said senior Bryn Boswell.

Due to a sold-out gym, no rental fee and the added revenue from concessions the school earned more money than it normally did in years past, making the change in venue a success.

“I think it [the change] went well, as the first round of playing at the high school went well. It’s nice to play such a high level game on our home floor. While we appreciate what Central College has done for us over the many years we’ve played there, it’s [the change] has turned out quite well,” said Van Horn.

The next Pella-Pella Christian game is scheduled at Pella Christian High School Feb. 3.

•Andrew Sagers (as.pelladium@gmail.com)

Green Sponsors...

Bouwers Insurance Agency, 808 Washington St., 628-9235 Classic Aviation, 501 W. 15 St., 628-9393 Comfort Inn & Suites, 910 West 16th St., 621-1421 Copy Connection, 808 East 1st St., 628-4332 Digital Solution, 809 W. 8 St., 628-0088 Dutch Meadows Garden Center, 100 1/2 Vermeer Rd., 628-4450 Georges Pizza, 629 Franklin St., 628-2802 Gosselink’s Christian Bookstore, 719 Franklin St., 628-4911 Maid-Rite, 1590 Washington St., 628-4442 Midtown Tire Company, 109 E. Oskaloosa St., 628-1072 MidWestOne Investment Services, 700 Main St., 628-9973

Midwest Sanitation, 906 West 9th St., 628-2610 Papa Murphy’s Pizza, 412 Oskaloosa St., 628-7272 Pella Concerete Contractors, 669 S. Highway T14, 628-3753 STC Tire & Exhaust, 815 West 10th St., 628-3153 Town Crier, 810 East 1st St., 628-1130 Tri-County Vet , 650 Hwy. T14, 628-4040 Tulip City Agency, 700 Washington St., 628-1270 Ulrich Meat Market, 715 Franklin St., 628-2771 Van Maanen & Associates, CPAs, 705 Main St., 628-3737 Van Maanen Seed & Chemical, 2073 Eaton Ave., Leighton, 626-3471 Walmart, 1650 Washington St., 628-4583

12

Mental Hug

1.13.09

How To:

We were out of ideas. They told us to call senior Grant Naschke. Ring, ring.

HT: “Whachudoin’?”

GN: “Nothin’ chillin’ at the Holiday Inn . . (inaudible) . . Let The Party begin.” (In the background, we could hear someone yelling “Stop. Drop. Kaboom!”)

HT: “Sick, oh, sick. We’re coming.”

What follows is a list of little known facts about The Party.

• The Party, In Actuality, was commemorating Kenyan Independence Day. • Senior Cameron Downing stood on the counter to give a speech, which was eerily similar to one delivered during the Will Smith flick “Independence Day.” Only Camtron ended his version with F*** The British! (Memo to the Historically Impaired: Britain colonized Kenya for most of the 20th century.)

• F*** The British was a slogan coined by one of this paper’s editors. He contemplated taping a piece of paper with the phrase emblazoned to his shirt, opting instead to scream it during quiet intervals.

• The other editor locked himself in the bathroom for the majority of the night, forcing others to resort to Absurd Means to use The Loo. One person, for example, slipped a note under the bathroom door begging the editor to leave, but praising his dedication. Another used the sink . . .

• Senior Heidi VanderMolen told people who accompanied her to Spain all about That One Time In Spain, When We Did That One Thing In Spain. She also spoke of That Other Time In Spain, When We Did That Other Thing In Spain.

• Party members decided to call themselves the Whole Sick Crew.

• Junior Nolan Chiles, who received an invite, didn’t come, rendering the Whole Sick Crew incomplete, dismembered, unwhole. (How could you, Nolan?)

• No one died at The Party. However, there was some collateral damage, involving Chips Engrained Into Carpet.

• The Whole Sick Crew phoned senior Katie MacRunnel, singing Happy Birthday. In Actuality, it was her birthday.

• Senior Stewart Beyer inexplicably drove his car into a ditch near junior Derek Boat’s house, frantically calling the Whole Sick Crew for an Auto Bailout. The Rescue Car, however, also became stuck. After an hour or so, we dislodged the Rescue Car; the Auto Bailout was a success.

• Junior Caroline Phillips ate a ping-pong ball.

• There was no cake. Which was a mistake. Whoever didn’t bring the cake should be burned at the stake. Or thrown in a lake. We really should’ve had cake.

• A game was played in which one chooses a topic, and everyone must say something that relates to the topic, until someone messes up. Topics included R Kelly, senior Jake Meyer and Musical Artists. Musical Artists lasted seven hours, until Some Idiot said Nickelback and everyone quit, disgusted.

Brain Toothpaste •Eric Moore

*We know that starting your resolution can be the toughest part, so to ease your stress level, numb the process with hypnotism.

A local hypnotist is easy to find; try the yellow pages. Once you’ve got someone to do the job for you, sit back, relax and let your subconscious do the work. *Get a tattoo of your resolution on your forehead as a permanent reminder of your commitment. If you’re really dedicated, make your friends get tats on their heads, too, so you can be reminded even when you’re not standing in front of a mirror. *Replace old habits with new ones. Instead of an unhealthy old habit, such as drinking toilet water, try replacing that by drinking organic tea or goat’s milk.

page editor

andrew sagers Keep New Year’s Resolutions *Put a picture of someone inspiring, like Oprah, on your refrigerator. This will give you the motivation to accomplish your goal. *Be specific with your resolution. Instead of saying, “I want to lose some weight,” try writing an essay (with sub-headings) about why you need to lose weight and how you’re going to do it. *To make your resolution last, stick with it for 21 days to make it a habit. We don’t actually know if this works from personal experience, but it’s worth a try.

•Liz Core (lc.pelladium@gmail.com), Morgan Anderson (ma.pelladium@gmail. com)

Top 10 New Year’s Resolutions 1. Get better grades. It’ll help you in the long haul, we think.

2. Cut back on the McDonald’s; you don’t want to be SuperSized.

3. Avoid tardies. We speak from experience.

4. Stop drinking soda pop; You don’t want those pearly whites to be purp(le).

5. Stop playing your favorite video game. It’ll be even more awesome when you LVL, IRL (In Real Life).

6. Perfect your skills with the bow staff. Napoleon would be proud.

7. Put money in da’ bank. No one likes overdrawing.

8. Donate billions of dollars to Wall Street.

9. Go ape CRAZY (censored) on an unassuming object .... twice.

10. Sign up for Hang time.

•Cameron Downing (cd.pelladium@gmail.com), Jake Meyer (jm.pelladium@gmail.com)

• The water in the hot tub was Bordering on Scorching; Mr. Naschke burnt his buns.

• Our Captors enjoyed the celebration so much they decided not to take us to the Bammy-Bammy-Head-Gets-Slammied Chamber, or give us the always mean TwistyTwisty-Mouth-Eat-Fisty Treatment.

• The Party may or may not have ever occurred, this may or may not be a work of fiction, you may or may not be confused.

•Sir William Harris (wh.pelladium@gmail.com), Nicholas Colin Birkel (nb.pelladium@gmail.com)