Best of Eugene: High School Edition centerspread
Softball season will be a homerun success
You know it’s almost prom when... backpage page 7
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the Talisman a student newspaper
Sheldon High School 2455 willakenzie Rd., Eugene, Or 97401 vol. 41 Issue 5 April 13, 2006
High-tech cheating runs rampant
Students use high-tech devices to cheat their way to good grades by Emily Higgins editor-in-chief
Note: The Talisman staff does not advocate the use of high-tech devices to cheat or cheating in general. With the advent of cellular phones, graphing calculators, iPods, and PDAs, came the use of high-tech devices to reduce the friction of life in the twenty-first century... including test-taking. Yes, students use high-tech devices to cheat their way to good grades. It’s as simple as text-messaging a friend for the answer to number seven, programming a formula into a graphing calculator, or even snap-
Alternative fuel
ping a picture of the test with a camera phone while the teacher is distracted. “I think that Sheldon kids cheat because students have cell phones and [the phones] are easy to hide from some teachers,” said an anonymous student. Parents say that their students need to carry a cell phone to use in case of an emergency, and many math teachers require a graphing calculator, so what can the teacher do to stop high-tech cheating? “Teachers can take everyone’s cell phones. Also, I’ve been in math classes where we’ve taken tests without a calculator,” said the anonymous student. Teachers can also take the same kind of precautions they would with old-school cheating: monitor the classrooms. Aside from removing high-tech devices entirely from the classroom (students need calculators for math and most science classes), teachers could, with a more scrupulous eye, catch cheaters in the act.
But what happened to the old practice of writing notes on the palm of one’s hand? “[High-tech devices] are easier [to use] and you can get answers [by text-messaging your friends] once you see the questions,” said the anonymous student. What happens when the teacher catches a cheater in the act? The academic integrity section of the 4J Discipline Handbook defines cheating as: “…plagiarizing, turning in another person’s papers, projects, computer programs, etc., as the student’s own…” The Handbook defines the minimum punishment for the first offense as parent involvement and the maximum punishment is suspension. For repeated offenses, the minimum punishment is disciplinary reassignment/detention and the maximum punishment is expulsion. In the future, teachers can be more diligent at catching cheaters, and students can study ahead of time to plan for tests so cheating can be avoided at all costs.
Mr. Irish: Hunter Gray
As gas prices go up, more alternative fuel innovations arise by Dustin Beckett staff writer
It’s not news that gas prices are high. The fact is, the world is running out of oil, and as supply goes down and demand goes up, prices skyrocket. As the price of gas passes the $2.50 mark, people driving SUV’s are even more affected by the high gas prices. There are, however, many alternatives to gasoline. And all these alternatives are better for the environment. When most hear the word diesel, things come to mind like dirty, not biodiesel. There are different kinds of biodiesel, but the kind most consumers would use is a mix of vegetable oil and methanol. Not only is biodiesel renewable, but it’s cleaner for the environment than gas or regular diesel. Although biodiesel is currently more expensive than regular diesel, President Bush is trying to give tax cuts to farmers who grow corn for biodiesel. Doing this would encourage more farmers to grow corn for biodiesel, supply would go up, and prices would go down. There is also a way to purify french fry oil, but that’s not practical for mom who can’t spend hours treating and distilling fry oil to drive the kids to soccer practice Hydrogen is the buzzword of gasoline alternatives. Everybody wants it; GMC tells us that they are close to releasing a line of cars run on hydrogen. BMW is releasing a car next year that runs on hydrogen. Hydrogen creates tiny amounts of nitrogen oxides, but mostly water. Hydrogen is also the most abundant element in the universe, and is renewable on a practical scale, where regular fossil fuels take millions of years to renew. True hydrogen-powered cars are many years off, because it’s difficult to compress hydrogen into a practical-sized gas tank. Hybrid cars, while not an alternative, deserve to be covered here because some myths need to be dispelled. Not only are hybrid cars for the most part cheaply built, slow, and expensive, but the fact is it takes a staggering amount of time to actually start saving money on the gas tab. If a motorist is looking for a car that gets 50+ mpg, then buy a 1.8t Jetta, or any Turbo Direct Injection (TDI) diesel car. Not only are they faster, but there is the option to buy an ECU (the computer that controls part of the performance of the car) replacement that makes the TDI faster than many cars, and get better gas mileage. Europe has taken diesel to heart, and most everyday compact cars are made with diesel engines and SUVs run on diesel. Perhaps the most exciting and versatile alternative right now is FFV cars. FFV stands for flexible fuel vehicles. An FFV can run on ethanol or gasoline. Ethanol is a volatile corn alcohol. FFV has been around since the 1980s and has about 4 million users. But since it has not replaced gasoline in its 20 years of existence, it’s questionable whether it will ever catch the attention of America on a large scale. For more information check www.fueleconomy.gov.
Brittany Baker photo
Senior Hunter Gray is Mr. Irish and Homecoming King. Will he go three-for-three and be Prom King?
Disappearance of class rankings helps students When high schools don’t rank their students, colleges are forced to view students’ other accomplishments, such as SAT scores and community involvement by Kate Carlson contributing writer GPA, essays, and SATs; all of these are important factors to college applications. However, there is one critical factor that can make or break your chances of being accepted—class rank. Class rank helps schools determine class Valedictorian, the top ten percent of students with the highest grades, and help them determine who will achieve high grades in college. Sheldon does not rank its students. This is somewhat puzzling when briefly and arbitrarily looked at. Why would a school not provide students –
and colleges- with a helpful indicator of where they stand in proportion to their class? Although rank can be an integral part of a resume, it can be a less positive attribute if a student has high grades in a school where high grades are more prominent. There is good reason for this policy at Sheldon. About 5 years ago, a student at Sheldon applied to Notre Dame College. This student had a 3.75 GPA, was involved in athletics and choir, and was a candidate for a full IB. In the particular year that this story unfolds, it is essential to understand that there was a large amount of students with high GPAs in the graduating class. The said student was ranked in the top 17% of his class, but had gotten the highest score in the school on the SAT—a 1500 (out of 1600). A few months after he sent in his application, Carey Beneke, his counselor, received a phone call from the Notre Dame admissions representative. The admissions representative was curious as to why this student was only in the top 17% versus the top 10%
because of his GPA and SAT score. Beneke said, “I was mortified to find out that Notre Dame used class rank as a filter for their incoming applications. Apparently, anyone who wasn’t in the top 10% of their class was eliminated, so any other accomplishments were irrelevant! I was so appalled and I thought, ‘You can’t use rank as a judgment. We are going to do something about this.’ It didn’t occur to me at the time that other schools might be doing the same thing.” In fact, South Eugene High School had stopped using the ranking system as well for similar reasons. In a meeting of Sheldon Administrators, it was decided that Sheldon would eliminate the ranking system like many of the other schools in the district. Now, Sheldon students can relax, knowing that colleges will have to look beyond the numbers and statistics, and look at the accomplishments that we have worked so hard to achieve. They will have to evaluate students for their characters, versus the characters in their class rank.
2 April 13, 2006
Variety
the Talisman
Should you be friends before dating? Sheldon has A great friendship can be a reputation ruined by dating around town by Nicole Leupold features editor
Should you be friends before lovers? This is a question that I am sure many of you have pondered. I am here to tell you that if you befriend someone before you date them you may risk ruining a good friendship. Not to mention, we are in high school. At this age we tend to date people inside our circle of friends. This leads to girl dates boy, boy breaks up with girl, boy dates girl’s friend. Girl and girl’s friend pass around
the boyfriend. It’s an endless and sometimes vicious cycle. Who wants to date her friend’s ex? The only way to avoid this problem is to meet someone new. By meeting someone new, you can keep a good friendship good by leaving it just what it is, a friendship. Not only does not dating a friend prevent the corruption of a good friendship, but it allows for new friendships to form. If you begin dating someone you think may have potential, but it doesn’t work out, you will have still gained from the relationship. It would be less awkward to be friends with someone if you had attempted a
relationship and failed because you know that you aren’t compatible as anything more than friends. If you had previously been friends with that person, tried to take things to the next level, but wound up being better friends than lovers, do you think you could go back to being just friends without being uncomfortable around one another? Although relationships should never be rushed into, why hassle with the idea that two really close friends should ever be anything more? One can never have too many friends, so don’t put a damper on the relationships that you have with your friends by trying to date them.
Students from other schools in our area have contrasting views on Sheldon’s students by Torie Adamonis staff writer Are there other schools that talk trash about Sheldon? Of course there are, especially when it comes to sports. Almost every time a team loses, that team talks smack about the team that won. On the other hand, when that team wins, they still talk trash about the other schools. It’s just something that almost every high school student does. Being that this is Sheldon and we dominate in just about every sport, most students think that they can put down other schools, but did all these students ever think that all the other schools talk trash about Sheldon too? Well they do, for the same exact reasons that Sheldon does; Sheldon and all the other schools that the Irish compete against, think they’re the best at everything. One other reason why other schools talk trash about Sheldon is that Sheldon’s athletic level is very high. Take football for example Sheldon won league champions for five years in a row (2001-2005). The football team winning was not because of the Irish luck but merely because Sheldon wanted to be the best and worked hard to be the best. There are more reasons why other schools think poorly about Sheldon. One reason is that many schools think that Sheldon is the “rich” school, and that everyone at Sheldon drives a Lexus, Mercedes, or BMW. The truth is, every school all across America has the “rich” kids and the “poor” kids. Still, that doesn’t give us all a reason to put each other down, does it? It shouldn’t. Take Shelby Green for example, she’s a freshman at one of Sheldon’s main rival schools; South Eugene High School. Shelby says “I don’t personally have anything against Sheldon; it’s just a rivalry thing. It’s a great school, and fun to play against.”
A message from the Talisman The Talisman is run by students for students. The views expressed in the Talisman are not necessarily those of the Talisman staff, those of Sheldon High School, or those of the Sheldon community. If you have any letters to the editor, please drop them off in the Talisman box located in the front office. We also kindly reserve the right to edit all stories we print.
TalismanStaff Editor-in-Chief Co-Assistant Editors Ads Manager Features Editor News Editor Opinions Editor Sports Editor Backpage Editor Centerspread Editors Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Contributor Contributor Staff Advisor
Emily Higgins Amanda Halford, Ashley Ruderman Lindsay Woodard Nicole Leupold Ashley Ruderman Amanda Halford Maggie Moore Deidre Jones Maggie Moore, Ashley Ruderman Torie Adamonis Dustin Beckett Valente Castillo Terry Crane Sarah Derhak Thomas MacPherson Leslie Rutledge Dusty Snell Esme Gaisford Kate Carlson Greg Cantwell
Opinion
the Talisman
April 13, 2006
3
Sound off: the IHS vs. Honors debate One student speaks out about International High School, and One student expresses how the Honors program believes that the unique teachers allow IHS to rule the school has set her apart from the rest of her class peers by Maggie Moore sports editor
by Ashley Ruderman co-assistant editor
It is a great debate that starts as early as the last year of middle school: IHS, or Honors? A simple question that is loaded with options. How is anyone supposed to know which one to sign up for? For me, this question was simple and easy. I didn’t even blink an eye when I registered for IHS, and I love it. Now it’s my turn to make everyone else love it, too. The main grudges against IHS are easily thwarted. A zero period, an entire class dedicated to projects and the constant coloring of maps your, lasts your entire freshman year. I’m not going to lie, zero period is a little rough, but I was amazed at how quickly my brain adapted to turning on at 7:28. Now the class hardly fazes me. As for projects, it’s not what everyone says it is. Yes, IHS students have to do several projects during our high school careers, but we get approximately one per term. That is plenty of time to finish a project, sometimes even more than enough time. And don’t listen when people say IHS is all about maps; that’s not true. Maybe two or three maps a semester, but everyone does that. As soon as I wrapped my brain around the early class sessions, projects galore, and map coloring, I began to see why IHS was so perfect. IHS is all about teaching kids how to look beyond being a United States citizen and see themselves as citizens of the world. Considering what is happening in the world right now. I think that the most important lesson that everyone can learn is that we are all citizens of the same planet Earth, and we are all responsible for what happens to it. IHS is also currently teaching me to be strong in what I believe in, and how to be open to what others think, too. This is an essential skill to have in our world today. IHS is for everyone because it’s a break from the normality of school. Since kindergarten, school has always been the same for me, but IHS teachers have really broken free of that. They care about our opinions and our beliefs. They challenge our thinking, and prepare us for college and real life. I knew I was going to be happy when I chose IHS, and I was completely right. I also know that IHS is going to prepare me for everything that I might come up against in the future and that is why IHS rules the school.
When it comes to any program in high school, take away the name, and everyone involved would have the same beliefs, personalities, and academics; which is why I love the Honors program. It is the type of students that sets us apart from other programs and brings those involved closer together. The Honors program itself truly isn’t for everyone, and it’s certainly never been easy, or a class that you can ‘slide by’ in. All students are forced to push themselves to their limits: doing endless vocabulary, maps, pages upon pages of reading each night, on top of essays and big projects. Each day in an Honors class is structured. The greatest similarity between every Honors student is this: we work hard, quickly, and efficiently, not because we are required to, but because we want to. You don’t hear the phrase “I don’t care.” As uptight as Honors sounds, we all have many moments in which we joke around, get off topic, and, contrary to popular belief, debate in class. We even had an analytical unit on Lord of the Rings freshman year. For the most part everyone knows one another through class; each class switches off between different groups of students within the grade. A popular issue concerning many students when picking either IHS or Honors deals with colleges and which program holds a higher regard among admissions. To be frank, one can get you just as far as the other. Admission success solely depends on how hard you challenge yourself. To me, Honors seems to take the work of pushing out of the equation; we are always challenged whether we like it or not. To wrap this up, Honors and IHS students are quite opposite. However, until we can change people’s opinions, let’s build one another up rather than tear each other down.
Eugene area needs more for its teen population As far as entertainment goes, teens have little in Eugene/Springfield by Amanda Halford co-assistant editor It’s 9 P.M. on a Saturday night; where are you? The malls are closed, and the bookstores will be closing in one hour. Mini golf and bowling at Putters and Strike City can keep you happy until 2 A.M., but depending on your location, and the gas mileage of your vehicle, the drive out to Highway 99 may be too costly. In downtown Springfield, teens are welcomed to go play pool for a fairly inexpensive cost, and in downtown Eugene there are a few concert venues to choose from but many parents perceive downtown Eugene and Springfield to be unsafe and drug-induced parts of town that teens like us should not interact in. As far as the Eugene/Springfield area goes, the city in general has hardly anywhere for people to congregate and hang out. The community has seemingly forgotten about their teenage population, and has an extreme lack of places for teens to pass the time. Fear not though fellow Eugenians and Springfielders, the fabulous metropolis of Portland is less than two hours away! Portland was recently voted one of the “10 Greatest Places to Live” by Outside Magazine.
Furthermore, it is the biggest city in the state of Oregon, there are hundreds of different places to go hang out. In terms of music venues, Portland offers far more music/ dance/theatrical venues than Eugene does. I mean, in Eugene there is the McDonald Theatre, the Hult Center, and the WOW Hall, and that’s pretty much it. And as far as nightclubs, Portland has over a dozen of all ages clubs, a variety of cafes, and places to shop. But really now, the point of this rant isn’t to compare how bad Eugene is in comparison to Portland, but to try to express the need for new and inviting areas for teens. As far as Portland goes, they know that they cannot afford to ignore their growing youth population and the value it brings to their city. When you think about it, teens spend a lot of money. If there was a more diverse variety of places for them to spend their time and money enjoying themselves, then it would be only justified for the Eugene/Springfield area to want to spend money on their teens so that they can become a more developed city; a city that people from other parts of the country will want to visit and work in. The cities of Eugene and Springfield need to step up and provide new, safe areas for teens to enjoy themselves in a reasonable atmosphere with their peers. Perhaps the addition of new places for youth may reduce the amount of teen delinquency. What I do know is that without more activities for teens
Clothing: a freedom of expression Independent voice: One student defends the right for guys to wear skirts by Thomas MacPherson staff writer Should guys be able to wear skirts? The answer, is quite frankly, yes. Guys should be able to wear various types of clothing just as the opposite sex does. The Scottish highlanders have been wearing kilts for hundreds of years. To most people who wear them, it is a symbol of pride and tradition. Nowadays the wearing of skirts, although slightly different in both color and size than
kilts, has become more a symbol of rebellion than tradition or honor. It is a deliberate sign of freedom. I wear a skirt for freedom (if you know what I mean), and because I can. In my opinion, guys in skirts are awesome. How many guys are willing to wear skirts and not just on a bet? I say this not only because I enjoy wearing skirts, but because I believe that it is wrong to criticize anyone based on the clothing that they choose to wear. My point is, people should look at skirtwearing differently. In all honesty, it is a bit weird that guys wear skirts, considering that most guys wear pants, shorts, or suits, but is it always so bad to have people venture out of conformity? Everyone is entitled to their different opinions and choices. In all, the point I wish for all of you to get from this is that people should not be criticized for their stylistic decisions.
to do, the city itself will not be able to grow and prosper both physically and economically.
Ashley Ruderman photo
The McDonald Theatre is one of the few music venues in town where popular artists such as Jimmy Eat World and Modest Mouse have perfomed. The band Switchfoot will make an appearance on May 1, 2006.
Best of Eugene: Sheldon Edition
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Best Place for a First Date: 114 Oakway Center
Best Asian: 1099 Chambers Street
Swanky, low-key Thai food, with tons of choices. MA’s Pick: Kwiteau Nuah
Best Cheap Food: 490 E Broadway
5th Ave E 7 0 2 : s l r i G es -
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t bang for your buck. Guaranteed the bigges so close to campus? Perhaps that’s why it’s icken MA’s Pick: Teriyaki ch
1605 E 19th Ave.
Amazing loc ally made ic e cream. Catc h a scoop at their downto baseball gam wn location, e. MA’s Pick or at any Eu : Trust us, th gene Emerald ey’re all goo s d.
Best Shoes - Guys: 296 Ea Ave.
Best Bookstore: 525 Willamette Street
ale range of upsc e id w a rs e ff rs o rs will ll, Miss Mee ar, Miss Mee e w l a Though sma rm fo . lizing in f-a-kind shoe -o shoes. Specia e n o a u o y always give
Best Sweets: 532 Valley River Center
A great atmosphere for Mexican food, especially on the patio opening up into the courtyard of Oakway Center. MA’s Pick: Virgin Piña Colada
Best Boutique: 1030 Willamette Street
st Fifth
Best Drive Thru : 311 E 11th Street
You can’t go wrong with the very first Nike. Offering the most exclusive shoes, Nike will have you jumping for joy!
Best Music Store: 3215 West 11th
Hard to find, however completely worth it. Smith Family has your back no matter what school project is thrown at you. Best yet, sell your books back when you’re done.
Best Pizza: 933 Pearl Street
Best Gift for a Guy: 306 Lawrence Street
Best Ice Cream:
Best Cafe: 130 Oakway Center
Pick:
Best Mexican: 136 Oakway Center
Slightly unknown, but Mezza Luna’s packed with an amazing local flavor. MA’s Pick: Pizza slice of the day.
A cozy island joint perfect for a new romance. Reasonably priced, with a quiet atmosphere, so you two lovebirds can get to know each other.
Truly a euphoria experience. Delectable chocolate goodies ranging from dipped ice cream bars to hot chocolate. MA’s Pick: Kaluah Truffles
1027 Best Gift for a Girl: Willamette Street
Coffee on the go for local addicts. MA’s Pick: Iced Annihilator
Located in downtown Eugene, this small botique specializes in formal wear. With only three sizes of each item, you’re bound to get an exclusive look!
Best Market: 5th and High Street
t. If y join n! t t a p eef lloo ican b ld get a ba r e m cou ger All A Your lucky, you unami Bur s e you’r A’s pick: T M
Although a bit stra nge, CD World undoubtably gives you as many choices as possible .
Best Floral Shop: 1060 Green Acres
A serene atmosphere, Bello is a sophisticated and elegant spa located inside Reed and Cross. It offers a wide range of services from haircuts to full body massages.
Best Ven ue: 1010 Willame tte Stree t
Reasonably priced, and always beautiful, Rhythm and Blooms was our best pick for flowers. Yes boys there is a reason this is in here before prom.
y Center
Quick Mexican food th at’s still high in quality. MA’s Pick: A hearty bu rrito, with your choice of fillin g!
Best Salon: 160 Oakway Road
221 1 : r e urg B t s e B way k r a P ive t u c e Ex
No matter what he’s into, you can find something for him at REI. Outdoor sporting goods, jackets, sunglasses, etc., REI’s got you covered.
Best Fast Food: 67 Oakwa
Best Vegan/Vegitarian food for your hippy taste buds. MA’s Pick: A Yumm Bowl
Even under new construction, 5th street offers everything you can ask for in Eugene jewelry? Make ve lo t n’ es do rl gi t Wha shops. Food, clothes and gifts galore! of your choice, or her a custom gift ul piece from pick out a beautif consignments. Harlequin’s many
Best Bakery: 2538 Willamette Street
One of the best places to get any baked goods, whether it be cake, bread or pastries. MA’s pick: Lemon Chiffon Cake.
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6 April 13, 2006
Features
the Talisman
The IHS carnival is fun for all This years second-annual IHS carnival, to be held April 28, will be bigger and better than the last by Emily Higgins editor-in-chief No sideshow freaks or fried Twinkies here! The second annual IHS Carnival will be held on April 28, 2006, in the Sheldon courtyard and cafeteria. What one can find at the carnival is a whole heap of internationally-themed fun! “We will have a cake walk, dunk tank, petánque tournament, yoga class, a silent auction, and club booths,” said IHS Student Government Treasurer, International Carnival Committee co-chair, and junior Katherine Kahl. “Our dunk tank will feature returning student favorites [teachers] Courtney Leonard and Caleb Kostechka, as well as a few
surprises.” Many students wonder whether or not head teacher Marilyn Curtis, who last year dressed as a princess, will return for yet another year of dunk tank merriment. “We are currently working to have pastries donated by local bakeries for the cake walk,” said Kahl. The IHS Carnival committee is putting together a petánque tournament between students from each of the four host schools, coached and refereed by Sheldon French teacher and petánque team coach Angela Barley. Also planned is a yoga class taught by Sheldon campus supervisor Darin Henry. As for the silent auction, Kahl mentioned, “Items have not yet been selected, but there will be a wide range.” The IHS Carnival committee is also inviting various internationally-themed clubs from all four host schools to run booths at the carnival. Last year, the Sheldon Peace Club had a peace sign ring toss, while the now-defunct Dutch Club’s booth featured
pictures taken during their trip to the Netherlands. Sheldon’s Japanese club, French club, and Peace club have signed on. The IHS Carnival Committee is still awaiting confirmation from other schools and their clubs. As of print time, the IHS Carnival Committee was still in search of a pizza parlor to donate pizza, but don’t be worried: “Yes [no matter what], there will be a pizza and pop combo meal [sold for] $2.50,” Kahl reassured. “We’ll also be selling [past and present] IHS t-shirts from $2 - $10 as well as IHS car magnets for $5.” While IHS used to sponsor a dance, IHS switched to a carnival because “the dance didn’t bring in much interest because host schools already have those, so we thought we’d have a carnival and be a bit more unique,” Kahl explained. Even though this is an IHS event, all high school students, as well as incoming freshmen, are invited to attend the IHS Carnival. The event will be from 6:30 to 8:30 and tickets will cost $2 with an ASB card and $3 without.
Technology transforms So much the way teens view books time for so
As technology rapidly advances, many book collections decrease by Sarah Derhak staff writer Technology is a big part of society, especially when it comes to teens. Teenagers today continue to grow up with the development of technology. They have grown up watching movies change from cassettes to DVD’s, and CD players evolve into iPods. Kids today have many sources of entertainment, but how many
teenagers read as much as they watch television or go to the movies? Most teens don’t want to take the time to read a book because it takes longer and because books are often being made into movies. People would rather save time and see the movie instead of reading the book. How often should teens read? According to fellow sophomore Ashley Flock, “Teens should read and go to the movies the same amount to keep the imagination going.” Some people enjoy reading books that have movie adaptations so they can compare them later. Not every teen dislikes reading, but quite a few do. The more technology-driven our society becomes the more apparent it is that the amount of reading among kids is decreasing. Flock said, “Some teenagers are more interested in technology to keep them entertained instead of reading a book.” Technology is growing so fast that it makes you wonder what’s next for books. Will books ever go back to being our main source of entertainment? Freshman Barry Peiskee said no because “technology keeps growing and coming out with new and more interesting forms of entertainment.” People like their television, music, and other technology-driven entertainment too much to give it up. Technology is a great thing, but it has also created some problems in our society. Peiskee stated, “Technology will eventually make us power-hungry.” It will be interesting to see how technology will affect reading among future generations.
Photoshop by Evan Horne and Esme Gaisford
Avian flu has yet to hit U.S.
The Avian Influenza is not as dangerous as initially reported by Esme Gaisford contributing writer
The Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) moved into American news only a few years ago. The flu, commonly spread through
avian intestines, saliva and droppings, is highly contagious among birds and has spread through populations in Asia. The flu can be easily spread from one bird to another through contact with feces or saliva, or contact with a surface that has had contact with either substance. For the avian population the flu can be very deadly. However, the Avian Influenza does not easily spread to other species. There have been cases of those who handle birds, and handle bird droppings to be infected by the flu. In some cases even cats have been infected from eating the infected birds. The first case of cat infection were reported in 2002, although the risk is reported as very low. Dr. Paul Hunter, from the University of East Anglia, told BBC news, “Cats tend to go for sick birds, so it is not unexpected if cats catch and kill infected birds,” and although the risk of infection is real, it is “not huge”. The risk of Bird Flu infecting a human being is low and can result in symptoms as mild as a bad cold or as dangerous as severe acute respiratory syndrome. The Avian Influenza has recently dropped from American newscasters’ lips. Breakouts of Bird Flu in human beings have been primarily in Asian countries, but remain rare across the globe. Sheldon students have noticed this change, senior Chris Wilson said, “I don’t know much about it; it is being left out of the news. But I think that’s because it is somewhat under control from reaching the USA, and I do watch the news regularly.”
little credit
Students are not earning the AP college credit they spend so much time working toward by Ashley Ruderman co-assistant editor Grueling classes, an equally demanding test, and…no college credit? This may be the case when applying to receive college credit for AP classes. Many US high schools offer AP classes that serve as college preparatory classes used to pursue the next level of instruction. Bring it back to the basics - AP classes allow students who score well on tests to skip college courses, thus allowing students to spend money on other classes, text books, and other needs. Colleges have many regulations on just exactly which AP classes “count” as college courses. The minimum score needed to potentially receive credit is a three on a one to five scale, five being the highest. However, AP policies vary from college to college. For example, some schools only allow AP credit to be put towards electives. Once the time comes to start fighting the weary battle of claiming credit for AP classes, many colleges have very specific requirements as to which subjects they will accept credit in. Some schools pass out credit in almost any subject under the sun, while others choose to dole out credit in very few and select classes. The University of Oregon accepts AP credit in 33 subjects, with a minimum passing score of three. Oregon State University accepts credit in 29 subjects, with a score of three or higher. Private institutions, Stanford University accepts AP credit in twelve subjects, with minimum scores of at least four, preferably five, and on rare occasions, three. On the east coast, Harvard College accepts AP credit in thirteen subjects; however, the only score accepted is a five. Generally, the tougher the schools entrance requirements are, the pickier admissions officers will be when students attempt to claim credit. The biggest issue at schools that do not accept AP credit in certain areas is simple; many staff and facility members of colleges do not feel the education obtained from an AP high school class is equivalent to a real college class. Many college professors believe AP classes concentrate too much on preparing and scoring well on the test, and lose focus of the actual material they are teaching. “I would say that the AP classes that the Sheldon English department teaches are very comprehensive and equally replace the English 101102 college courses,” said AP English teacher Melva Boles. All colleges may not give students credit for taking AP classes, but they certainly do not discourage taking these classes. As difficult as the classes may become, they are still good to take because they allow students to start adjusting to more demanding classes, as well as being excellent résumé builders. “If you believe you put enough effort [into your class] and you really want to learn, you will probably get use out of AP credit, especially if your college accepts it,” said senior AP English student Joanna Johnson. So don’t tune out completely in class; continue to work and study hard. The future in the college world is subject to change at any moment.
Sports
the Talisman
April 13, 2006
7
Lacrosse is just getting warmed up... The popular Sheldon boys lacrosse season is underway and they are already winning important games by Ashely Ruderman news editor
With one league win into the regular season, the Sheldon boys lacrosse team is off to a promising start. A disappointing loss in the third round of playoffs to Oregon Episcopal School last season held the team back from showing off its true talent. However, a summer of hard work and a school year of preparation will undoubtedly aid the team in adding to their collection of league titles, and with luck, push the team to place well at state. As lacrosse becomes more popular, the program at Sheldon continues to grow, with many new players suiting up, ranging from freshman to juniors, all at different levels. Although the last year’s varsity team set the bar quite high when it came to talent and ability, the returning veterans and select first-year players have already made a commitment to giving their all this season. After all, it doesn’t get much better than a 10-8 win over 2005 state champions Lake Oswego. Hard work has truly paid of in terms off team placement for a few juniors, such as Matt Arbuckle and Matt Johnson. Both earned a spot on the varsity roster this year as new players. “I think that playing other sports helped starting players out. I played baseball, and Matt Arbuckle played football, and we have both been successful,” said Johnson. Setbacks so far this season have been few, however nothing can compare to a season-ending injury. Senior
Dusty Beckett photo
Varsity lacrosse coach Ike Sanderson coaches students at practice. Boys Varisty Lacrosse has only lost one leauge game, and they are driven to keep it that way. Dan Roufs joined previously injured Derek Sproul on the sidelines after tearing his ACL during practice a few weeks into the season. “I was looking forward to an awesome season of playing. It’s so frustrating to get injured again and have to watch the remainder of the season from the bench, but I will continue to encourage and support
my team to a state championship,” commented Roufs. Despite a few kinks in the wire, the Sheldon boys lacrosse season should be exciting and successful. Games will continue through the month of April and into midMay, with playoffs following shortly after. Don’t be shy, come out and support the Sheldon boys lacrosse teams!
Irish golf is now in full Sheldon’s boys baseswing and ready to win ball gears up for the With promising players, season ahead Sheldon boys golf continues to dominate by Dusty Snell staff writer Former Sheldon graduate, winner of a state title and current head professional at the Emerald Valley Golf Club, Todd O’Neil coaches the high school golf team leading it toward a winning season. The golf team looks forward to a great season as do many others under this amazing coach. Sheldon’s boys golf team only lost three seniors and is expected to come back strong coming into the season.
Junior Jack Dukeminier is one of the best in the state, but Dukeminier will be challenged by senior Trevor Moffit. Moffit is having a very good year and shows a lot of commitment to the sport and the team. Sophomore Phil Bagdade and sophomore Nick Polski should both be expected join in on most varsity tournaments throughout the season. Senior Justin Hansen and junior Brent Mckee are both favorites to challenge for the top five and make it into many tournaments this season. Golf players from Sheldon and fans of the team are all hoping for a league championship title against their biggest rivals in the league, South. “We will mainly be battling South in our league; they are pretty good,” said Brad Egbert. Sheldon is also a favorite for the state title this year. “We are struggling now; we need to pick it up if we want any chance of being competitive at state,” sophomore Michael Hanks revealed. Sheldon is definitely looking to repeat good seasons of the past.
Softball starts up with a forecast of good fortune
With three wins under their belts, the Irish ladies are on a roll by Tori Adamonis staff writer
It’s 2006; a new year, and a brand new season for Sheldon’s girls softball team. With having only lost one player to graduation, and having the home team advantage, the Sheldon girls softball team has a bright outlook on this season. Last season was the “rebirth” of fast pitch softball. A brand new coaching staff was there to learn from the players as well as teach them. Also, last season produced winning records for both the varsity and junior varsity. This year they’re expecting to do just as well and possibly better. This year’s varsity co-captains are seniors Lauren Ling and Kaycee Gamez and sophomore Lacey McJunkin. So far, the Sheldon Irish
varsity softball team has had five games and has won three of them. Good job ladies! The junior varsity team has had three games and has won two of them. Keep up the good work! Varsity player sophomore Kaitlyn Patterson said, “My coach is the type of coach that brings the best out of me and makes me want to do better.” Patterson also said that her mom influences her to do better in softball because her mom was very good at the sport and got her involved in the sport as well.
Spring time is here, and that means baseball is here too by Terry Crane staff writer
It’s a fresh and new baseball season for the boys of Sheldon High School, full of opportunity and victorious possibilities. With a lot of the top varsity players now graduated and moved on, this year’s team needs to step it up a notch to keep up with the expectations set last year. Not only the varsity team will need to do better this season, but also the freshman and JV teams will have to up their games as well. Some of the best players are moving to varsity. Sheldon has twenty-two league game chances to be victorious and to show their true colors. With only ten home games, Sheldon doesn’t have as much of an advantage as they would if they had more home games. One other disadvantage is the fact
that the majority of the early season games are against out-of-town teams, such as: Sprague, West Salem, South Salem, and Redmond. Starting out on the road too much can put a damper on the team as a whole when it comes to wanting good solid home games to lead the season off. There will be a lot of good competition this season. “I think that Sprague will be our biggest competitor this year,” said JV baseball player Benjamin Sundberg. Baseball is not just all fun and games, though; these players go through a lot of training and hard work to get to the position that they are in. Doing off-season organized training such as taking a “strokes” class can make the real difference when it comes down to getting back to the game and playing hard. When it comes to having a good solid team to win games, it comes down to all the players working together. “Our kids have great energy; I think they are very proud to be ‘The Irish’. With that comes the expectation of winning,” said Sheldon varsity coach Kenny Niles.
Backpage
Diary of a Rebel Mind
These are the inner thoughts of a cynic, whose life is ruled by embarrassment and jealousy. This unfortunate Sheldon student wishes to remain anonymous. However, if you wish to know who it is, look for the one with a bag over her head, for she leads a life of embarrassment and shame. Ha. That loser. by an anonymous source I’ll skip the introductions. You should know me by now. Spring Break. It’s the week-long holiday we look forward to. Our week-long escape from school. Our week-long period of ultimate bliss that’s filled with laziness and parties. You know, I don’t think a week is long enough. There’s so much to do in a week, but everything I wanted to do couldn’t get done in a month, let alone the ten days’ worth of “vacation”. Shouldn’t vacation last longer than ten days, two of which were spent driving, and the last day
spent sleeping? Meh, maybe that’s just the way I think, but I’m pretty sure over half the school would agree. Given the time of year, you teenage degenerates are probably flipping out right now. The reason? Prom. Of course. I definitely see this as a reason for behaviors such as spending over 14 hours at the mall in less than three days, getting angry when you can’t get the right shade of lipstick, or losing sleep because you’re too busy planning what shoes are best to wear. That doesn’t seem over the top at all. I don’t know about you, but I don’t think it’s healthy to count down to the second when prom will begin. Why do you guys get so worked up? You buy a dress, you buy a pair of shoes, get some makeup on, try not to spill anything, and you’re good to go. What is the big deal? It’s just a dance. I know, I know, some of you obsessed prom freaks are gonna’ go off on me about how wonderful prom is and what an exciting event it is and how you only
get it twice (three or four is possible), etcetera etcetera. It’s not that important. You dance, you have fun, you go home, and that’s the end of the night. Boys, I completely sympathize with you and your whole rent-a-tux-since-it’sonly-one-night thing. No biggie. Gotta’ shell out a bunch of money for what you need, but there’s a chance it might be worth it. But you girls, you completely lose your minds about dresses and limousines and where to eat and you pay so much for something that only happens once or twice. What’s the point of buying shoes and a dress if you’re only going to use them for four hours? I swear, you’d think men were actually smarter than women. Here ends my rant, but for a change, I’ll leave you all a piece of advice: relax. Don’t let a small event like a dance change your life; it’s not that important. Stay safe, try to at least act smart, you get the idea. Until next time, Sheldon, I bid you adieu.
by Valente Castillo staff writer
see the writer’s or poet’s view, but in the general public’s words. Over the years these words have changed and evolved, but some still have the same or similar meanings. Different cultures also have different styles of slang from “dude” to “homie.” They are the same word, but from a different culture. Sophomore Eddie Rojas uses slang from California. Slang words are also in music, TV, and the media in
general. Rojas’ biggest impacts on him slangwise are his cousins. Rojas said, “Slang wouldn’t affect me because it’s not important.” He also realizes that he can live without slang and it cannot define him. Rojas disagrees that people use slang to be cool; he believes if it’s part of their culture, they are free to use it. When asked about adults using slang he explained that it’s normal for him. In fact he also gets some words from his parents. Slang is a huge part of our lives and it always will be.
Slang: the spoken version of chatspeak
Slang originated a long time ago during the 16th century when society also took notice and interest in it. Society had many uses for this. Criminals often used it in concealing their plans, writers and poets used it in their books and performances to draw attention (since that was how everyone started conversing) of people to make them
Panic! At The Disco concert by Leslie Rutledge staff writer
“Swear to shake it up, and you swear to listen.” This is what Panic! At The Disco promised to screaming fans at the March 9th Truck Stops and Stateline’s tour held at the Crystal Ballroom in Portland. This wonderful concert featured the bands Acceptance, Hellogoodbye, and the headliners The Academy Is. All of the bands played incredibly, and Hellogoodbye even dressed up as a werewolf-Santa, a banana, and a pizza for their last performance. Panic! At The Disco was the most awaited of the bands, but The Academy Is was the best of the performances. “I was so impressed with how Tom (the lead singer of TAI) played, he really swooned the crowd,” said fan of TAI and former Sheldon student Bethany Jo. So now that the long-awaited Truck stops and Stateline’s tour has come and passed, it is time to reflect on one of the most anticipated concert tours of early 2006 The Black Clouds and Underdogs tour. “It’s an emo/ pop-punk extravaganza,” said online journalist Bill Lamb. This colossal tour features these bands: From First to Last, Hawthorne Heights, The AllAmerican Rejects, The Hush Sound (during March 16th through April 19th), October Fall (during April 20th through May 13th), and the headliners Fall Out Boy. The sold-out concert was held at The Pavilion at the Oregon State Fairgrounds in Salem, and was amazing. All of the bands were insane, but Pete Wentz of Fall Out Boy was particularly insane while he jumped around the stage. The next concert that has fans waiting in agony is the Honda Civic tour, featuring The Black Eyed Peas at the Theatre In The Clouds, in Portland on May 14th. See you there?
You know it’s almost prom when... 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25.
by Deidre Jones backpage editor You get a job strictly so you can go to prom. You plan on quitting once prom is over. You first plan to buy a dress before getting a date. You train for and engage in “Endurance DressChanging.” You find yourself almost $200 in debt to your parents because you just had to get the matching makeup, handbag, and shoes that go perfectly with your dress. Your friends are more excited than you are about what you are wearing. Your date goes to get lessons on how to put on a corsage. The school’s funding takes a nosedive into nearlybankrupt because the DJ, the balloons, the streamers, and the snacks cost so much. There is a sudden rise in applications to dance classes. Attendees of prom begin choosing the songs they want to hear six months in advance. More than half the female attendees are found crying at school days before prom because something was spilt on the dress and the dry cleaners aren’t open. Girls and guys alike start rehearsing their “photo face.” Limousine companies are booked solid, until four months after prom. You’re freaking out because the $400 dress you just bought turned out to be the exact replica of your arch rival’s. Hair spray, mousse, and gel are on high demand. The most expensive restaurant in town is packed, even with reservations. The least expensive restaurant in town has a line down the street, and every person in the queue is in formalwear. Your prom-committee friends won’t return your calls because they refuse to give you a discount. Your dad gives your date ultimatums about when you should be home in advance (i.e. “You’d better get her home on time or else,” etc.) Your mom is more concerned about your shoes matching your dress than when you’ll be home. You’re hosting the prom after-party. Your parents are supposed to be out of town for the afterparty. You make sure none of your guy friends ever gets to meet your mom. (American Pie reference) You beg your parents to buy you accessories because you blew all your money on your dress/tux. You spend your Fridays and Saturdays that lead up to prom watching movies like 10 Things I Hate about You, Never Been Kissed, American Pie, She’s All That, and the classic prom horror, Carrie.
Balloons
Limousine
Celebration
Morp
Corsage
Music
Cummerbund Party Dance
Prom
Dress
Queen
King
Tuxedo