Vol 41 issue 6 by Southwords

pholo h\ Kalie K ENTERTAINMENT COMMENTARY NEWS FEATURES Bush practices A student One former "Halo 2;;,is,reenvironmerg:al remembers I < )ey heroin's perspcc- leased A Furio tive. ' 'â&#x20AC;˘ ignorance

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SPORTS Hawks football continues t" ^oai

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NEWS DECEMBER

3. 2004 â&#x20AC;˘ VOL. 4 1 , No. 6

Remembering Joey Furitf by James Zenii On November 1, 2004, former Maine South student Joey Furio's life was unfortunately cut â&#x20AC;˘ short. On Halloween, a mix of an illegal drug and allergy medication put Joe into a coma from which he never awoke. He was not even 16 years old. At some point during one's high school career, at least one of our peers will lose his or her life, whether it be from suicide, drunk driving, gang violence, or some unforeseen event. No one expected it to be Joey. Joe had a great sense of humor and personality. He had a natural ability to make people like him. Sophomore Christine Malke appreciated Joe's flattery. "Joey made every girl feel beautiful. He would always put a smile on your face and make you laugh." Although Joe's death is a sad, untimely occurrence, his death brought so many people together. There were over 2.000 people at his wake, with three-hour long lines just to get in. Everyone that walked out of that funeral home

walked out in tears. The Joe laying in the coffin was not the Joe everyone knew. "Joe was a very vibrant and charismatic young man. His enthusiasm for everything he embarked on was

Joey was a very vibrant and charasmatic young man. His enthusiasm for everything he embarked on was contagious contagious" said Mr. Karlov, Joe's former Math teacher. Joey Furio was a smart, funny, well-liked individual. With a magnetic personality.

Joe had a bright future; he will be greatly missed by all at Maine South. He just made one mistake: he was a drug user. He got into his addiction and reached a point where he couldn't get out. He had been to rehab and he struggled to stay clean. I know deep down inside that if Joey came out of that coma, he would have made the most of his chance and quit. Unfortunately, he never will get that chance, as many people do not. Nothing positive comes out of using drugs except a few moments when you do not have a care in the world. Too many people realize this when it is too late. When people do drugs, they consider only themselves and not their families and friends, who are most directly affected by the death. Think about Joey and his family and the many joys he will never get to experience. If you have a drug addiction, please consider. Joe's mistake. If just one person learns from this tragic incident, Joe's death will not^M^e been in vain.

Obesity and sloth in America by Anna Wolonciej Americans, on average, are currently 25 pounds heavier, but only about one inch taller than Americans l%ka in the 1960s. Experts say that this severe weight gain is due to Americans' daily habits. There is much more fast food available to the consumer as compared to the average consumer in the 1960s. Also there are more television channels to entice the average "couch-potato." Another reason for this boom in obesity is due in large part to a lack of passion for exercise. Although we have better knowledge of nutrition available now. Americans tend to not know when to stop eating. According to researcher David Katz, people reach their genetic potential for height with a certain level of nutrition. "You have put every last calorie into the system that you need to reach your genetic potential," Katz said. "After that, there is only

one place for the rest of those calories to go" into fat. Currently, about two in three adults are overweight. Food is partly to blame because there is so much junk food available that stays fresh for a long time. It is much easier to reach for a non-perishable bag of potato chips than an apple, which, after a fc days, goes bad. Children are also a part of this epidemic. The average weight of a 10year-old child rose about 11 pounds since 1960. Teenage boys, about 15 years old. weighed 135.5 pounds on average in 1966. but now weigh about 150.3 pounds. [fhnri: Teenage girls around that age have gained 10 pounds in average weight over figures from the 1960s. "All the kids who are obese now will become obese adults," said Samuel Klein, director of Center for Human Nutrition. "What will happen to the next generation of adults is really scary." Obesity, in itself, is considered an epidemic, but it is also the cause of many deaths. It leads

to heart disease, diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure for starters. So why is this becoming such a huge problem in America when fast food and junk food are available all around the globe? Researchers believe a lack of exercise, or rather a need for exercise, is the problem. Many people have 300 television channels in their houses, the Internet, where you don't even have to move to send someone a message, and cars to take us I to the store down the block. Other countries don't have big problems like this. That's because teenagers can't get their drivers license until they are 18, so they get used to a lotjmw'e walking. Also, portions in fast food resta^^Bs in Europe are smaller and there is no option for "super-sizing." America is becoming a lazier nation that is reflected by our waist sizes. The one-inch height increase isn't as significant in our health as the 25 pound weight increase.

DECE-MBER

Residents scurry for flu shot hy Jess Kuhr

The Health and Human Services Secretan.. Tommy Thompson, said that no one should expect flu shots from other countries to make up for the US's loss. "There is too much risk. Foreign suppliers would only be able to provide an experimental vaccine and that would not be readily available." explained Thompson. Maxim's website said, "While this year's shortage has forced Maxim to end our program prematurely, we are dedicated to providing wellness services over the coming years." The company has a website where anyone can send themselves a reminder for next year's flu shot availability. Annually, about 20% of the population gets the flu. 200,000 people are hospitalized, and 36.000 die from complications of picture courtesy oj www.bbcnews.com the flu. Recent A scientist prepares the flu vaccine in a laboratory. reports have Kuhr said. "Now we get numerous calls every shown that the number of people with the flu day looking for the shots." this year is down. Thus far, only two states "Elderly have been lining up, risking their have had major problems with the flu. and health, just for a chance to get the shot," some states have not reported any serious distributors at Costco said. "Hours later, they cases. find out we are out and are frustrated." "It does not give us that much hope. Flu The shortage came after authorities season is not in full swing yet," Kuhr said. suspended the license of a British vaccine "We get most of the prescriptions in late manufacturer for fear of contamination. Since November through January." this manufacturer was one of the United States' The best prevention of the flu is the main suppliers, shots are sparse. vaccination, but when unavailable one should "The CDC [Center for Disease Control and avoid contact with the sick, stay home if sick, Prevention] will be distributing the remaining wash his or her hands often, and cover his or vaccine over the next six to eight weeks," a her mouth with a tissue when coughing or Public Health spokesperson said. sneezing. There are about 24 million doses of the "You should stay home when you are sick, vaccine left in the United States, when they so you don't spread your germs," Kuhr said. d hoped to have close to 100 million. "The More precautions include eating a healthy ses are being saved to those who need it diet, good exercise, and plenty of rest. A most- young children and seniors," Kuhr said. physician can also prescribe an antiviral People will have to pass a strict test in order medication. receive one of the remaining doses. One must The CDC will be watching the sales of have a chronic disease, be over sixty-five, or over-the-counter medication that people with be pregnant. Those who do pass will have to the flu might want. A huge increase in sales pay twenty dollars for the vaccine. could indicate a flu outbreak. This fall, citizens of Park Ridge have been searching unsuccessfully for a flu shot due to the current shortage. Due to a nationwide shortage of the flu vaccine, all remaining Maxim flu shot clinics have been canceled. In Park Ridge, a lucky few got the shot at Osco before the shortage. Now, there is no luck, unless you are considered high risk, such as being either elderly or a child. "We had the shots before they announced the shortage. We did not even sell out then," local Osco Pharmacist Technician Caroline

3, 2004 â&#x20AC;˘ VOL. 4 1 , N O . 6

No Comment hy James

Manias

Beavers all about the Benjamins: InvcstigaK^rs searching a creek for S75,{K)() in stolen casino money found thousands of it woven into a beaver's dam. That's a lot of dam money. The mother ojclieesc-us: .\ ten year old grilled cheese sandwich bearing the resemblance of the Virgin Mary was being auctioned off on eBay at pres'^ time for over SIO.IKK). Humans are attempting to transplant faces, but only God can make faces in grilled cheese. Supcrdoy: On September 7, a four-year-old Rotweiier called 911 and opened the front door for her fallen master. Bv the lime paramedics arrived at the .scene, the p{)oeh had also made them smoothies. Cicero takes candy frotii babies: On October 28. the Town Board of Cicero unanimously voted to ban gumbail machines. Hopefully, kids won't move on to the next machine: the cicarette vendor. Time to panic. Cuhdom: The rusted shell o! an M!2 grenade was found in right field of Wriglcy Field. Experts say that Chicagoans may be disappointed in Sammy Sosa's performance last season. -M Americans i-ettini^ more fun to pake: On October 27, the government reported that Americans, on average, are 1 inch taller and 25 pounds heavier than they were in the 196()'s. Then again. I d rather be fat than have to swim naked in PE. The American UY/V; Barack Ohama and Meli&.sa Bean took seats in Ilimoi.-, congress on Election Day. Bean stole a surprise victory over Phil Crane, the longest-serving Republican in the House of Representatives. Which means that yes. Americans arc still voting by whose name is funnier. Soinehodx ,i^ive ;/)/.v ^tiy a sandwich: A man in Kansas City bit an arresting police officer and nearly bit off the ear of the officer's dog. He musl have lunch 7B. 9

DECEMBER

3, 2004 • VOL. 41, No. 6

One perspective on heroin in the community j by John Mallory When one thinks of a community affected by heroin, they may think of a rundown, poor, crimeridden community. But lately, this has not been the case. Park Ridge has been hit hard by the deaths of two former students over the last two months. Maine South has been portrayed, perhaps unfairly, as a place with a lot of drugs. But how many believed that heroin would become this big of a problem? I spoke with a current Maine South senior who has been using drugs since he started high school. He told me he experimented with heroin about 10 times, with his final time being this past October. The first thing he talked about was the recent history of heroin at Maine South. "Heroin has been around this area in bigger quantities for a few years. It got big at Maine South when I was in 8th grade [2000]," he said. Heroin is a drug that has been around since the late 1800s. It is very addictive, but also very cheap. Heroin can be taken through three common methods. It can be smoked, it can be snorted, or it can be injected with a needle directly into the veins. The student then talked about his personal experience with heroin. "I've done it about 10 times," he said. "I never got hooked on the stuff. I decided this year that I was never going to do it again because kids were dying and that was enough for me to say it was time to quit. But I also never really liked the feeling. I never got a very enjoyable experience from doing heroin. And I always vowed I would never shoot heroin [into my veins]. I would never do that. I don't know of any Maine South kids that have shot it up." He explained to me how he was lucky to never get hooked on the drug.

A very odd fact about this heroin problem "If I had a lot of money, I probably would have been able to avoid that horrible is that heroin use in urban, high crime areas comedown feeling [because I would" ve gotten has significantly decreased in the last decade hooked on it]," he said. "I would've gotten while it has increased in rich, suburban He into that niche of WMM«««M«««I»MMII»WMIWIIIIII»III«^^ '»^'*«*'»"™'™»»™"* communities. doing it and doing it, "It's just a shady situation, going down discussed some theories and enjoying it. as to why this is to the ghetto to get [heroin]. There .^ire happening in Park Ridge. Thank God that didn't criminals walking around You could happen." "There's a good He told me get a gun pointed in your face...it's a chance that the kids in Park Ridge don't have a about going to big risk you run." •wmiw-w—T good relationship with C h i c a g o t o g e t «M»M«aW»M«IIIIMMMIM«MII^^ their parents,'" he said. "They may have a good the drug. "If you know the spots in the city, you relationship on the surface, but I think that they can go and get it," he said. "It's just a don't communicate very well. Doing drugs shady situation, going down to the ghetto could be a sort of counteraction to the to get it. There are criminals walking monotonous atmosphere of Park Ridge. Kids around. You could get a gun pointed in your here also have a lot of money. They get cars face, you could get beaten up. you could gel right when they turn 16. This makes robbed, and you could get poison stuff sold transportation so much easier for them. to you. It"s a big risk you run. 1 didn't Anytime they want to go to Chicago, they have the ability to." like going down there to get it."" The high experienced with heroin can be very harsh. Depending on how much is SOUTH WORDS taken, there is an initial A student-produced newspaper of: rush that brings Maine South High School extremely euphoric 1111 South Dee Road feelings. The Park Ridge, IL 60068 overall high can last as Signed letters to the editor should be delivlong as seven ered to room V-131 or given to a member of hours. The the editorial staff. SOUTHWORDS reserves the right to edit material for clarity and brevcomedown is ity and to reject obscene/libelous submisthe hardest part sions. of taking heroin. When the drug starts to wear off, the body goes through a slight withdrawal. This can bring shaking, a sick feeling, and vomiting, among more serious things, like losing consciousness. The student spoke with regret when he talked to me about why he decided to use heroin. "I did it because I just wanted to try something new," he said. "I wanted to get a new life experience. But when I did it, I didn"t really like it. And for some stupid reason I decided to keep doing it because I heard you had to do it a few times to get used to it."

Editors-in-ChJet News Editors Features Editors Entertainment Editor Commentary Editors

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Carly Calkins Kate Funkhouser Ashley Rezaeizadeh Alex Schallmo Kelsey Kieth John Mallory Melissa Hansen Mike Bielaczyc Rebecca Christopher Corinne Ullrich ntomo Steve Contox Greg Mitl Bobby CrisiTT^ isniyre Katie Katz Audrey Russell Jonathan Markowski Mr. Ellefson Mr.Stathakis

FEATURE DECEMBER

3, 2004 • VOL. 41, NO. 6

1^ former user talks on this growing problem

"Some kids get about $100 of weekly He added that this doesn^t just happen in a "There are some kids that aren't motivated spending money." he said. "If they spend this in the first place," he said. "They use drugs as place like Park Ridge. "I think that there are going a>rMMHMMMa •MHHHH^^^KBHHHK all on hcroln. it can be their excuse to not do work." to be drugs in any teenage "I think there's going to be dangerous. Just like He had a very logical explanation to why community," he said. "This is drugs in any teenage commu- they don't respect a some kids never do drugs in the first place. $10 bill, they don't because the teenage years are "There are some people who don't do it." nity. This is because the teen- respect their bodies. he said. "Because maybe they're scared or the years for discovering new things, experimenting, being age years are the years for dis- $10 to these kids is don't want to get in trouble. But there are kids curious, and thinking you're covering new things...and nothing." who don't do it because they don't need it. The overall They have a great, normal life. They may have invincible." thinlcing you're invincible." purpose of the DARE friends who do drugs, but it was never for them. But if kids start drinking or doing drugs like marijuana that are viewed as program is to prevent kids from using drugs, I think there are people like that at Maine "less harmful," why do they make that step up tobacco, and alcohol. The student told me how South." he thought it failed. . to heroin? As the interview concluded, he offered some "DARE is complete bull****," he said. "I^ advice for heroin users or those thinking about "I think students like the euphoric feeling they get from drinking or smoking marijuana, don't think it helped anyone. It was something trying it. "JUSt d O n ' t g e t and they hear there's something else that will people thought was going to «»««i«™i«wM H M M M H H M M H M V M M a a i l M i caught up in the give them this feeling, and they think they work and then it didn't. All it might as well try it," the student said. "I'm not does is stop elementary school "There are kids who don't need world of heroin," he saying that alcohol is a common gateway drug, kids from doing drugs, but [drugs]. They may have friends said. "Plain and that's not a big deal. I was never w h o do drugs, but it w a s never for simple, it's not but it can be for some of these kids." In a survey on drug abuse in 2001. 2.4 offered drugs in elementary them. I think there are people like worth it." He left with million people nationwide admitted to using ^^^o°^-' that at Maine South." advice for students heroin at least once in their lifetime. 87% of He added onto the point by on how to handle J j p s e people were under age 26. The weird saying that DARE doesn't work ••"••"•• ii».iiM.<iii»iiMM«iii«iiMi«iM«tiiMMM«ii^^ ^ ^ • i g about this statistic is that there are other on anyone. drugs and the temptations of life. surveys that show that heroin use is down "Don't let anything get in the way of your "I think DARE loses its effect because a lot nationwide. In 2000, a survey conducted with of the views expressed in it are unrealistic. aspirations and dreams," he said. "If you're high school seniors nationwide showed that There are so many kids here that don't do motivated to make something of yourself, then 1.5% of them had tried heroin. In 2003, the drugs, but they smoke cigarettes or drink you should stop at nothing to accomplish this. same survey showed only .8% admitted to alcohol regularly. I don't think DARE works If you allow anything to get in your way, then trying it. you really don't want that dream that much. If on any level." He discussed how the common kid of Park He also told me that there are kids that fit you're going to allow heroin to get in the way Ridge has plenty of money to get heroin. of your future, then heroin is your future." into a common stereotype.

by Jonathan Markowski

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DECEMBER

3, 2004 â&#x20AC;˘ VOL. 41, No. 6

A look at cheating at Maine Soutb I by Anna Wolonciej i

the material. It also makes the grades that people really earn less meaningful." One student says that there are different circumstances that lead teenagers to cheat. "There is a lot of pressure on everyone to keep up good grades, and sometimes it is just easy to forget [to do homework]." Dean Kendrick also thinks these are the main reasons for academic dishonesty. She says most plagiarizing and cheating offenses that land in the deans' office occur at the end of the

but if it is just taking the main idea of someone else's work, then it is okay." Not only are there diverse opinions about the legality of cheating, but students are also undecided on the punishment that should accompany the "crime." Those who feel cheating isn't a big deal think that no extreme measures should be taken. Most students are considering average punishments, like a zero on the assignment, re-doing the assignment, or detention. D e a n Kendrick said that all of the above a r e immediate punishments when caught cheating. The most serious punishment, howeve^^l probaticSBn the class or removement from that class because administrators feel that this is a serious offense. O n e student suggested, "[A good

"What's the answer to number five?" asks one student with a notebook ^ ^ open in his lap. It's a typical morning at Maine South High School. Students are sitting against the glass windows or by their lockers and copying answers to last night's homework with one another High schools nationwide are exposed to this cheating epidemic. 97.5% of students in the United States admit to being dishonest in some way with their schoolwork. According to a recent survey, Maine South is not far behind this statistic. Approximately 96.8% of surveyed accelerated sophomores have admitted tc cheating in school. Even though most of the student population has cheated in some way, they are split on whether cheating iv acceptable or not. Man\ feel that since everyone is doing it and there is such a huge emphasis on good grades, it is okay to cheat. One of photo by Katie KM: Idca WOuld Cheating has become an everday occurence at Maine South the surveyed students be] a short said, "It is helping out detention for the less fortunate." the first time, Others don't think that even Robin Hood- semester That is when the pressure to do well then build upon it if cheating becomes a type cheating is tolerable. Many have said that is the greatest. problem." Teaching a Hawk Pride lesson was taking the credit for someone else's work is 34% of surveyed Maine South students also mentioned by another student. immoral. One student also said that teachers should admitted to plagiarizing at least once in their Maine South Dean of Students, Mrs. life. Many students think that this is a pay attention to the cheating that goes on Kendrick, thinks that there is so much cheating "different" type of cheating. They think it is outside of their own classrooms. This could going on because students do not realize that more serious because it deals with copying make a difference in minimizing cheating^ this action is a serious offense. "Most kids think work off the Internet or from a published Nationwide statistics have gready incr^ cheating is just a minor, everyday thing," she source, which isn't the work of their peers. To over the last few decades. Cheating ing^s said. them, it seems more offensive and severe. becoming an everyday way of life. Most Another surveyed student also believes A Maine South student claimed that students do not even feel guilty or ashamed cheating is something very serious, stating "It's plagiarizing is much worse than cheating on a because everyone is doing it. It is not a fair assessment of your abilities. It hurts test or homework from a friend. However, she disappointing that students are willing to you in the long run because you never learn said, "Copying word for word is unacceptable. compromise moral values to get good grades.

7 ISay "Halo 2" my little friend ENTERTAINMENT

DECEMBER

3, 2004 â&#x20AC;˘ VOL. 41, No. 6

by James Manias

Sure. I m a nerd; but with 10 million copies sold in three days, 1 am far from alone. Combat evolved... The original "Halo" went something as again. follows: In the 26"' century, hostile aliens - the Soldiers of Xbox have Covenant - are destroying human space waited so long, and after colonies. They find a planet called Reach, the three years of Legendary closest planet stronghold to Earth, and kill (the hardest difficulty level). LAN parties, and everything. A ship e.scapes. carrying a super Blood Gulch, "Halo 2" has finally landed. soldier named Master Chief The ship crashEven as 1 pulled up to Gamestop at 10:30 lands on a mysterious world-sized ring: Halo. p.m. November 8, there were 20 people and With augmenting armor, improved reflexes, an Xbox outside. "It was the biggest event in and an Artificial Intelligence named Cortana, this company's history," said the manager of you survive the aliens, meet the Flood (the the Gamestop in Harwood Heights, where there really bad aliens that want to eat you and the were over 700 copies of the game reserved. bad guys), try to sunive them too. and... well, Now that the game has been out for a time I've said enough, it was the favorite game of long enough for me to beat it, I am going to almost every Xbox owner for a very long time; calmly explain to every Xbox owner who has "Halo: Combat Evolved" was released with the not yet purchased this game - all six of you - debut of the Xbox. why this is one of the best games ever made. "Halo 2." its long awaited sequel, would not Upon removing the game from its insulated disappoint. In single-player campaign mode, tin. enjoying that new game smell, and there exists a story so intricate that it makes iressively pounding the eject button on my the plotline of the first "Halo" look like a !)ox (tossing aside the first "Halo" - go children's picture book. It begins showing the figure), I came to realize that the hopes and alien in charge of protecting the Halo from the dreams of millions, the endless two years that first game being persecuted; meanwhile, the had come to pass in Covenant have found Earth and have begun anticipation of this game, invading. would finally be The Flood, the parasitic alien that resolved in a grand surprised the bejebus out of everyone finale of aliens, blood, ^^ last time, was a great plot twist. and pixels. J^Mi That being said, this second \ installment has enough twists to make plot lemonade. To those people three years ago who iS said that the Xbox was powerful but all that power was useless: real life should look as good as "Halo 2." Reflections, glowing particles, shadows, explosions, shell casings, aliens everything looks impossibly beautiful. In fact, 1 noticed (as did a lot of other people, apparently) that the cinematic sequences are sometimes so complex that it takes a second for the Xbox to

layer them. That aside, this game is very easily the prettiest game 1 have ever played. And 1 have played a lot of games. New things you can do include everything you wished you could do in the first one - and cool things you weren't smart enough to think of Pick up any two one-handed weapons and blow up a Ghost hovercraft. No ammunition? Hijack it and turn the hovercraft"s double plasma cannons on the former driver (which can be a number of different ugly creatures). Boost-dashed your Ghost into a tree and wrecked it? Hop in the gunner's seat of a Warthog - an armored jeep with a big gun on the back - and have a marine drive. You know, forget that whole last paragraph. It does the game no justice whatsoever. One of die original's strong points has evolved into a new kind of cinema/gameplay mutant that sets the bar for every future game across every future system. One year from now, however, fans will not be playing through the single-player missions; they will be playing multiplayer. Maybe they will be playing "Halo 2" online. "Halo 2" online is a wonderftil thing indeed. The online "Halo 2" community is absolutely massive. Almost every single person who has "Xbox Live." online Xbox gaming, has "Halo 2." The multitude of people online at any given time is incredible; 1 had no idea what 1 was missing until I played my first 16player game in a level 1 had never tried. It was unimaginable. It is the pinnacle of modern gaming, the product of endless ingenuity and impossible technology. I'd tell you all that my gamertag (Xbox screen name) is OneShotlim, but then everyone would challenge me and then I'd lose. This game really has no flaws. Veterans will still be good, despite the weapon balancing in this second of the presumably three game series, and newbies will catch on quickly. All in all. this review is absolutely useless. We all knew "Halo 2" was going to be colossal. We all knew it was going to change gaming forever. So, if you don't have it. get it. I have never been so sure that everyone who plays this game will enjoy it; and if someone doesn't, remember that some people didn't like "PacMan," "Tetris," and "Super Mario." The last two years have been well worth the wait. Master Chief still owns Microsoft's green giant. Now. about that "Halo 3"...

^NrCER:miNM:E] DECEMBER

3:2004 • VOL. 41, NO. 6

Eloquent eccenricity at its fines* By Diiiius: Dzien Sleepytime Gorilla Museum is not your typical boy band. In fact, one member is a (gasp) female that can actually (gasp) play an instrument! Admittedly, at first 1 was wary when I was introduced to these strange musicians. Based on what 1 saw (not heard), they seemed like another failed experiment in the works. This is not to say that experimentation is necessarily rubbish; however, 1 do know of many unsuccessful experimental bands which I consider to be pure garbage. What makes me bring up Sleepytime is the sheer ingenuity of their music and intelligence (which many musicians lack). Let's start with the music. This is true avantgarde music, unclassifiable under one genre. Considered by some to be "'an rock," this is not your pseudo-experimental progressive band fooling around with guitar effects and such. They go many steps further and build their own instniments, most of which are percussion, such as strange drums and xylophones. Along with these, they pack in typical instruments such as guitar, violin, bass, and traditional drums, which fuse the atypical to make frighteningly beautiful music. Complexity and meticulous care of the music is evident on their

album "Grand Opening and Closing," with a somewhat modest, yet concise, amount of vocals, putting m o r e instrumentation in the limelight. W h a t underlies all of this musical genius is intelligence. Nils Frykdahl. the man behind the guitar and ' (iinrren' oj \v»\t..sleep\linief;<ii Siecpytiinf Gorilla Museum is known for wild show costumes. vocals, bears the necessary wit to speak eloquently on various restriction. Being yet another strong point of topics and still has room to throw in clever the group, such shows are not worth missing. Masks. costumes, satire. strange dialogue during performances. Carla Kihlstedt, the violinist, contributes her colloquialisms, and acting all come into play soothing feminine voice to complement Nils's at most of their performances, which w a ^ i ^ harsliness. Seemingly outright opposites, these case during their Chicago visit last y e a r . ^ ^ Sleeptime Gorilla Museum's long awaited two talented vocalists blend together perfectly and, with the other members of the group, they sophomore release, "Of Natural History," was released last October, with promising sample form an ideal quintet. Although they are considered to be a great MP3s circulating popularly on the Internet. For live act, 1 was dismayed to learn that their more information, you can visit the band's recent Chicago performance had an 18+ age website, www.sleepytimegorilIamuseum.com.

Holiday concert brings winter cheer by Melissa Hansen Winter is one of the best seasons of the year. While it may bring harsh weather, the frigid air is overlooked once snow is set for packing snowballs and—when the cold gets too cold—the hot chocolate warms up rosy cheeks. Another great tradition around winter time is the customary wassailing from all parties in the holiday mood: girl scouts, neighbors, and the Maine South music department. Every year, the Maine South Music Boosters sponsor two holiday concerts featuring the Mixed Choir. Concert and Chamber Choirs, Vocal Jazz Ensemble, and the

Symphony Band and Orchestra. These concerts, led by Mr. Danckwart, Ms. Pascal, and Mr. Pressler, are not only opportunities to show off the musical prowess of these organizations, but they serve as situated caroling for the local public. Traditional carols are heard without a moment of rest; in between the large group numbers, small ensembles play holiday favorites. The highlight of the program is the finale when all of the groups join together to perform the annual "Tribute of Carols." where audience members are encouraged to sing along with the choir and band. Although admission is free, the Music Boosters raise funds before and throughout the concerts. Before the concert, people are able to buy poinsettias which will be placed onstage during the concert and then given to the

purchaser. Also, a goodwill collection goes around during the concert to collect donations. "The Music Boosters help all aspects of the music department financially," says Music Booster co-President Mrs. Penni Bratko. "For example, we bought the new sound system that is being installed in the auditorium because it would benefit all of the organizations." Both concerts will be performed on Sunday, December 10. The first concert will be at 2 p.m. and the second will be at 4:30 p.m. Since the auditorium is heated, the audience doesn't | ^ ^ to mind the chilly winter in their doorwa^™ typical caroling fashion to enjoy this truly fantastic holiday spectacular. After all, these concerts provide an afternoon of classic carols that will have the audience in a holiday mood, ready to sing along.

COMMENTAR' DECEMBER

3. 2004 • VOL. 4 1 . No. 6

Never before did 1 really consider that those people who sit around me in classes would not be doing the same a year from now. Friends and faces that I have grown accustomed to will no longer be there next year as 1 walk across ^—^ by Carly Calkins an unfamiliar campus. Even my childhood \ friends won't be there to talk with every now *a(ij?«i«* My senior year is and then, leaving me to smile and reminisce almost halfway complete. about what once was. This scares me. My college applications Actually, knowing that I only have one are in, and soon, hopefully, 1 will hear from more year with my classmates and friends has that certain college and my future will be just fueled my case of senioritis. For some secured, my nerves settled. It sounds simple reason, having a meaningful conversation with enough, however, 1 remain conflicted. Walking a classmate seems to be worth so much more through the A-wing hallway, I constantly find these days than finishing up that tedious math myself thinking of being in a different place at worksheet. In so many instances this year, I a later time. It's hard to concentrate on where 1 have found myself in this predicament. And still am—high school. During the past four in so many instances, this truth-seeking years, teachers have made the notorious slogan approach to high school has trapped me. But, "senioritis" seem like a conscious choice that I really have not minded because 1 know 1 will many fourth-year students make because they not regret solidifying friendships and making are simply lazy and no longer feel like doing new ones when I leave this place. So, contrary the busy work that classes still require. In to authoritative belief, there is something of contrast, I have grown to learn that senioritis substance instigating this lack of studiousness means something so much more than a simple that seniors subconsciously and consciously possess. choice to do nothing tangible.

eoitors

Still, it is not entirely our fault. Yes, the choice is always ours; but, tell it to that one friend whom you haven't talked to in the longest time, or even that friend that you have always wanted to make. Or how about that party you've always wanted to throw and didn't socially dare. Or even that one club that always intrigued you and not until senior year did you decide to pack your schedule even more and actually join it. The list of diversions that accompanies senior year is endless. How is senior year really supposed to be anyway? Is it supposed to be like all the other secondary years? Are class rank and GPA supposed to matter as much? Lately, at least in my case, new math formulas and Newton's Laws just simply aren't as stimulating as they once were (or weren't, actually). All I want to think about is enjoying the present, but, instead, all I can really think about is my future. All we have been taught to think about at Maine South is our future. College...Job...Money...life's formalities. When have we been given the time to sit back and enjoy the company around us? Never, which is why 1 am choosing to do it now.

Ending environmental ignorance by Tim Bumight

My Environmental Science class and I recently took a field trip to the James Woodworth Prairie Reserve. The prairie was intended to recreate the natural, native prairie as it was before settlement. Unfortunately, the acre plot is directly behind a row of garages. Across the street, we saw a department store. Ten feet away from the endangered prairie is a McDonald's. We knew we were in bad shape when we saw a cheeseburger wrapper float by instead of a monarch butterfly. Maine South students see this type of thing everyday. Our school is located on a garbage dump. We can't build much else or we will sink into the pit. Our pond is so polluted we are scared of it. I asked someone to jump in for money and he said, "Not unless you cover my hospital bills." We look out across the street and see nothing but buckthorn, an invasive species which is killing our forest. Our world is decaying all around us and no one cares. The environment as we know it is a cancer fatient ready to die. We have less than \9c of our native land left, and we can only blame ourselves. With the last remnants of our world evaporating, you would think we would try and save it, not hop on and enjoy the ride down. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) previewed its fiscal year budget indicating the

likelihood of dramatic reductions in environmental spending and other "secondary priorities." OMB Director Mitch Daniels said the Bush administration intends to shift its budgetary emphasis toward military defense and homeland security spending at the expense of other program funding. Clearly, they would rather spend the available $145,000,000,000 on bullets and coffins. George W. Bush has eliminated over 250 environmental protection laws. He has made it legal for other countries to sell endangered species to us, giving the poachers more incentive to kill. Bush has even waved pollution penalties of oil companies totaling $39 million. He said it was accidental, most likely a calculation error. Bush has proposed a $500,000,000 cut on Clean Water Act enforcement. He has shut down the EPA office that was restoring the Florida Everglades. He has tried to compensate by forming something called "The Clear Skies Act.'" This may seem like a good thing, but his numbers were released and it showed that the act would allow for 21 million more tons of pollution emitted than the current plan. Bush has agreed to double logging efforts in the Northwest. He has lifted pollution bans in every major national park. In some cases.

he has given special permission for companies to mine, drill, and log in national conservation sites. Bush has asked the Supreme Court to allow him to put roads through protected lands. He rarely allows for any approval of new largescale environmental restoration. With such ferocity, it may be too late to save the Earth. Not many people know about this abuse, and I can understand why. When Bush must announce another law abolishment, funding cut, or drilling site, he does it at a time when no one will listen. Studies show that most of these terrible announcements occur on Friday afternoons. People are so caught up with the anticipation of the weekend; they won't bother with another press release. These releases are also buried under the usual weekend news so that when we return to school on Monday, no one hears anything. The Friday record is so large, it wouldn't fit in this article. For more information on this, go to www.nrdc.org With all this cutting, drilling, mining, and fighting going on, the environment has taken a backseat. Our environmental protection has essentially been demolished. When our skies are black, our rivers brown, our oceans toxic, our trees down, our land dug, and our innocence lost, then maybe Bush will regret his plainly wrong decisions. Let's hope it's not too late.

COMMENTARY DECEMBER

3, 2004 •

VOL.

41, NO. 6

Kerry/Edwards: D.O.A. by Mike Bielaczyc Keiry/Edwards '04 was found dead early November 3. 2004. mere hours after 59.459.765 people voted for George W. Bush, resulting in 274 electoral votes to John Kerry's 252. The campaign went into cardiac arrest following a series of misstatements regarding the war in Iraq and lesbianism. The campaign had. from the begining of its existence, shown symptoms of a weak immune system and bleeding heart. Crippled by an enlarged brain and genetic predisposition to rambling, the "Real Deal Express" never quite managed to fight back against the illness, nicknamed "BC04." that, with machinelike precision, steadily cut down its credibility. The illness, personified by a tumor classified simply as "W," fed off Kerry/ Edwards' inability to answer accusations of everything from playing politics with Vietnam to not supporting the military. The now-accepted realization that that the illness has claimed more than 1.000 U.S. soldiers and over 100,000 Iraqi lives (a conservative estimate by most counts) seemed to not be able to slow the illness's destructiveness. In its final days, the Kerry/Edwards campaign attempted to harken back to the days of the Democratic primaries, when "electability" and "intelligence" put John Kerry in stable, even strong, condition. However, no amount of reminiscing could erase the fact that the campaign lost its way and effectiveness as a political machine when it would not. or could not. summon the same no-holds-barred attitude BC04 had always utilized. The suffocating nature of the illness cut off air supply to Kerry/Edwards" brain, allowing for such gaffes as the now infamous "I voted for the $87 billion before I voted against it." In the end, surgeons from Clinton/Gore General Hospital could not find a cure for BC04's ability to weaken Kerry/Edwards so successfully. Holding nothing sacred, BC04 distorted and exaggerated the Kerry persona and agenda to the point that regular voters bought the argument that Kerry was a flip-flopping, tax raising, "pro-abortion." Osama bin Ladenloving weakling who is physically incapable of making a decision. Preferring BC04's ability to smear a record without admitting mistakes at the cost of the

entire nation's welfare, the surprisingly high number of voters chose "traditional values," such as dishonest warfare and religious zeal, over logic and credibility. When asked to comment on the life and death of the Kerry/Edwards '04 campaign, one commentary editor from a local high school newspaper had this to say: "John Kerry's campaign died a premature death because he cared too much. He understood too well the complexities of the election and wanted to focus on the important issues: Iraq, terror, the economy, America's loss of credibility, etc. He concentrated too much on what really mattered, and as a result, did not have the time or willingness to respond to vicious personal attacks and divisive wedge issues that ultimately decided the voters' minds." In lieu of flowers, the Democratic party requests donations that will be used to purchase a backbone.

c O

"Boyliicnd. . .that affects more people." -Ceci Rice '07

"Girlfriend, because tests don't have fists!" -Pat Moran '05

4—»

"Boyfriend, because it's not honest." -Elizabeth Tabin '07

.S O CLJ ;-i

O 4—>

"Boyfriend, its more emotional." -Julianne Streff '07

x: an b\ Jonathan Markowski

by Sam By me and Karen Mageira

DECEMBER 3, 2004 • VOL. 41, NO.

OPPOSING V p^

**te€hmkg}^ in schools is only a hindrance to ieijrmn£*

Yes-the effect of technology on learning is negative by Gina Jenero Technology is only a hindrance to learning. Technology to a teenager is mostly computers, televisions, and all of their fantastic programs. From online video games to Microsoft Word Processor, so many tasks can be completed on one single computer. It's much like Pandora's Box. By opening one small file, millions and millions of answers are just before your eyes, whether they are good or bad. On televisions, can watch the Discovery Channel or tune lo the latest episode of "Maury." What have you learned from these shows that you cannot learn from your own life? How in any way is technology causing you to learn to make the right decisions? Often, it's not. Therefore, based upon this information, technology is an obstruction to the concept of learning.

When people log onto their computers, they can simply click the mouse a few times, press a few keys, and have the answers to their homework within seconds; that's if they're not interested in learning anything. Learning in a superior way would involve challenging yourself to find answers without the help of outside sources. With all of the outside sources we have right in front of us every day, it is almost impossible not to use them. Sure, you can sign onto Google and copy down notes, but are you really learning about what you just happened to copy down? Technology is taking up so much time in our lives, that we never have the chance to pick up a good book and use our imagination and creativity. By following technology, your brain is not being fully exercised or put to work. Maybe some people like it that way, but that just goes to

No-technology is essential by Graham Stapleton The Oxford English Dictionary defines technology as the application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes. We tend to think of technology as modern electronic things such as computers, televisionss or the X-box. Technology is not only new things, but everything that makes up a certain field. Therefore, the technology involved in learning isn't just the overhead projector or the computer. It also includes pencils and paper. All of those items definitely do not hinder but allow it by making the process ^ ^ .arning. 1 ier. One of the single greatest technological advancements which benefited learning is the pencil. It sounds kind of corny, but it's true. Another great technological innovation is paper. Paper is a useful learning tool because you can write anything you like on it. In the

learning process, paper has one purpose; to serve as a recorder. The pencil allows us to draw or put our thoughts down on paper. Pencil and paper are probably the most basic pieces of technology used in the learning process and probably the most useful. In many ways, much modern day technology is a more complex form of pencil and paper. All of these conveniences do exactly what you can do on paper except they cost a lot more. Therefore, modern day technology doesn't hinder learning because it is basically the same as pencil and paper. The learning process is a very complicated thing and requires many tools to be put in action. Some of these tools are simple and some are very complex, but they can all be classified as technology. These many tools benefit education and do not hinder it in any way.

show you how technology has affected the people within our society today. Technology cannot teach life lessons. Learning does not only have to do with being book smart, but also street smart. Looking up the definition of "life lessons" on the internet is definitely not going to get you the answers you're looking for. Technology does not allow people to experience things first hand. How can we learn from second-hand knowledge? It is almost impossible to get the full effect or meaning behind the answers if we have no opportunity to think about them ourselves. With technology, there is no room for thoughts outside of the norm. We are mainly pushed to believe what is printed before us. Productive learning in life cannot come from what we are required to believe. Technology is a stumbling block in the thinking process.

NEXT W E E K : CONVINCING

CHILDREN

THAT SANTA CLAUS EXISTS IS IMMORAL.

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PORTS DECEMBER

3, 2004 â&#x20AC;˘ VOL. 41, NO. 6

No matter the result, Hawks are winners by Steve Contomo

After winning yet another CSL South Championship, and once again ending the regular season with an undefeated record, the Maine South Football team found themselves in familiar territory. For the third year in the last four years, the Hawks made it to the semi-finals. In 2001, the Hawks were upset by Downers Grove South in the final seconds of the game. Last year, the Hawks trounced Lake Park before they reached the title game. Due to the Thanksgiving break, although the events have occurred, this issue of Southwards is slightly delayed. 1 dare not make a prediction. However, I will say that the Hawks were by no means underdogs. The Hawks are seeded number one. and will carry this ranking into the game. How have they done it? How has a team that lost so many quality starters and leaders last season bounced back so quickly to become the number one team in the state? Because losing hurts too much, especially when you've been trained to be winners. After last year's 8A Championship, the juniors, who have now become seniors, wasted little time preparing for this season. They quickly started working out in the weight room, jumping rope, running, and mentally preparing for their final run at state. Guided by the leadership of Steve Madden, Lewis Borsellino, Mike Anderson, Andrew Rizzo, Matt Kane, and Frank Pagone, manyof the seniors dedicated most of their after school time in the weight room. The leadership trickled down to the new juniors. Soon, a team was formed.

Early on. it looked like the Hawks were going to be a strong team. After having two teams take first place at the prestigious University of Illinois 7 on 7 Tournament, the Hawks anxiously awaited the regular season. Yet. there were still plenty of holes to fill. And by the time week two rolled around, it was starting to show. The Hawks played Warren that week, and were almost humiliated by a team that they

\ndy Cupp hits a hole agaisnt Stevenson overwhelmed the previous season (at the time, no one knew that Warren would finish in the top twenty). However, with Sean Price at quarterback, the Hawks were able to come from behind and steal a victory. Soon, the Hawks would need to find a new leader. Against Deerfield, Price broke his left collarbone on a hit he took late in the fourth quarter with the Hawks leading by a significant margin. Tyler Knight, the junior back-up, stepped up his play and guided the Hawks to five more regular season victories. And so the playoffs began, looking quite similar to last year. After all. the Hawks again had the number one seed, the opportunity to play conference opponents they had beaten in the regular season, and the prospect of playing Warren again and eventually Stevenson. Yet no one could find a way to stop the Hawks" offense. Derek Walsh dominated teams at the wide receiver position, and his complement, Borselino, was just as difficult for defenses to

stop. Mix that with two capable quarterbacks, two versatile running backs, and a beast of an offensive line, which averaged just over 42 points a game. The Hawks" success as a team is a reflection of the accomplishments of their individual athletes and vice versa. By no means is football an individuaLs sport. The success of an individual can only go as far as his teammates can take him. As a team, the Hawks produced ten CSL South AllConference athletes. The two go hand in hand and it is why the Hawks had the opportunity to compete as far into the IHSA 8A playoffs as they did. The Hawks have no superstars on the team, just sixty guys willing to put it all on the line, some of them willing to tojstep out and be a le some of tlSn willing to take backup and scout team roles. Players have put up outstanding numbers, but compared to some schools that produce half a dozen Division I bound athletes, Maine South Football is lucky to produce one. However, these programs do not produce perennial state championship competitors because the rest of their team cannot take them that far. They may be stars, but six stars cannot replace 60 hard-working athletes. Talent can take you far only if you are willing to work. Something else to credit to this year's senior class: the team has only lost ONE regular season game in there entire career. That loss was back in their freshmen year. The seniors have only lost two total games in their career, the second being last year's state championship. ^ ^ As the students, teachers, and faculty i ^ B t on another outstanding football season for the following weeks, there's another class working out in the weight room, getting ready for next year. If the Hawk tradition continues like it has under Head Coach Dave Inserra, it will be another successful season.

SPORT DECEMBER

3. 2004 â&#x20AC;˘ VOL. 41, NO. 6

^ i r l s swimming ties for fourth in conference by Frank Lukes

It may not have looked like it, but the girls swim team had a good weekend at the CSL South Conference. The team traveled to Niles West where they were dealt a disappointing fifth place finish. Coach Deger noted, "We were very happy with the swims, but not real happy with slipping into fifth, but our focus is now for [Sectionals and State]. The girls faced tough competition against powerhouses New Trier. GBS, and Evanston. They were three points shy of finishing over Niles West, but topped Waukegan with a 108 point lead. "We took fifth [in conference] trailing Niles West by two

points, but it didn't help that we disqualified a relay," said Deger. In lieu of the first 200 medley team disqualification, the second team of Leann Olson, Colleen Muszynski, Laura Boysen, and Helen Sapieka landed a sixth place finish with a time of 2:00.97. "Our second relay swam well with Colleen and Helen getting personal bests in their legs of the relay," commented Deger. Next, Junior Lauren Zillmer had an excellent showing with a sixth place finish in the 50 free, and a fourth in the 100 free. "The combined fourth and sixth places for Lauren and her relay points will most likely have her garnering All-Conference honors," said Deger. Not seeded to win any points, Kelsey Keith swam an excellent race in the 500 free and

nabbed a spot in the top twelve. "We had a great swim by Kelsey who inexplicably went crazy and dropped about 21 seconds, sneaking into the top twelve," Deger said. In the 200 free relay Muszynski, Sapieka, Boysen. and Zillmer were flawless and were thrilled to break the school record of 1 ;45.25 with a time of 1:44.80. Colleen Muszynski. though, went home with the highest place finish with a third in the 100 breaststroke, earning her automatic AllConference honors. "She was one very happy swimmer after that race," said Deger. "Getting All-Conference in our division for a team like ours is so very difficult." On a final note Deger said, "We will end up in a tie for fourth in Conference overall, because of our dual meet win over Niles West."

Congratulations to the fall All-Conference, All-Area, and All-State athletes. Thank you for great seasons and for representing Maine South to the finest of your ability. Who will win the Super Bowl this year?

Philadelphia Eagles-The Eagles have been the team to ^Mtal^ beat in the NFC for the better W^^Kr I part of the last decade. No team l > i ^ ^ R _J has been more explosive on offense while also being able to shutdown teams on defense. Coach Andy Reid has yet to take his team to the promise land, but the front office's off-season commitment to improvement is going to pay off this year. With the addition of Terrell Owens, the Eagles finally have the big threat receiver they need to compliment quarterback Donovan McNabb's pass attack. Jevon Kearse also adds ew element to the defense. For the last few son's, Philly has relied on heavy blitzing to get to the quarterback. Now, with a proven pass rusher in Kearse, the Eagles are able to drop more guys into coverage, something they needed to do after losing key players in the secondary. Philly fans will have nothing to complain about this year come February.

New England Patriots- As unfair as it is that the Boston area already got two ciuimpi\onships in the same year. 1 think they'll get a third. Management-wise, the Patriots are the best coached, prepared, and discplined team week in and week out. Personal-wise, they are basically th. same team that won last year, plus the explosive Corey Dillon. Tom Brady brings more to the table than quarterback in the league, their recievers are drastically underrated, and their linebackers as a unit may be the best in the league. Though they are a great team, the other contenders have some major flaws. The Eagles just plain choke, the Steelers won't reach a Super Bowl with a rookie quarterback no matter how long his last name or winning streak are, the Jets have too many injuries to overcome, and the Colts have their defense to overcome. This is why I think thePatriots are still the team to beat.

PORTS FAI.I.

2004

CROS.S Coi ^TR^ • GOLF • FOOTBALL* CIRLS" TENNLS • Bo^ s' SOCCER • GIRLS' SWI.M.MING • GIRLS' \ OLLE^ BALL

Girls Volleyball Player Commentary

Sweet season despite sour ending by Katie Kloess To tell you the truth, I never wanted to write this article. I never wanted to leave the gym that had my name on the wall. I never wanted the season to be over. For some reason, the fall sports season always seems to go by so fast. We started our season the last week of the summer. There were a lot of expectations put on us that we worked very hard to try to live up to. We started our journey this season playing Maine East. We lost to the Demons in a close three games, but after that game, we were ready for a victory. Our first victory came about a week later against Maine West. It felt good to get a win under our belts. At the Early Bird Tournament, we beat some very good teams like. Woodstock. Resurrection and Schaumburg. We ended that tournament just like last year, fourth place, losing our last game to the eventual Class lA State Champs. St. Francis. In conference play, we finished a respected .^rd place. Our only conference los.ses were to Evanston. Niles West, and the state qualifying New Trier squad. Even though we had four losses, every loss went to a close three games. The season got a little frustrating at times be-

cause we knew we had the talent, we just couldn't figure out how to Win games. The Maine West Pumpkin Tournament provided a lot of tough competition from some top ranked teams. On the first day of the tourney, we lost to the state qualifying squad from Hersey, in a close three games. After beating Oak Park, we again lost to the girls from Maine East. We finished the tournament with a loss from a good Jacksonville team, but we found a way to pull together and again beat Maine West. In the post season, we played our first game of Regionals against Deerfield. We came home after that game proving that we belonged in the post season and were ready for some more. A few nights later, we went back to Wheeling to play them for the Regional Championship. On that Saturday night, we saw our season pass before our eyes. That game summarized our whole season. We had some great swings and digs, but then it was like we just fell apart in the last game. The team played with so much emotion, knowing that our season could end with a simple whistle to end the match. It was a tough game to lose because it was our last. Never again will any of the seniors play for the

Hawks in a post season volleyball game. This season proved to be quite different from last year. The goal of giving the school a day off to watch the team downstate was ended earlier than thought. The ironic thing though is that the "day off would"ve been the Friday when we had school off for Veteran's Day. Even though there would have been no field trip, the girls were very disappointed to not be able to take the journey to Bloomington- Normal. Illinois. It was very frustrating to hear that the school's biggest rivals. New Trier, had qualified as well as the team from Hersey that we had gone to three games with. We ende| season a little under .500 with a record wins and 19 losses. Our record never really summarized our play in our games. We had a lot of very close matches and a lot of them went to three games. Even though the ending wasn't quite the same as last year, it was truly a memorable ride. So now ends the season. It's time to replace the names that hang on the wall. Thank you for all of your support for these past years. Good Luck next year. Girls!

Girls' cross country wrap up: Girls run wild by Danielle DiVito ^cs. its true everyone, the girl's cross- they qualified for the next round. These girls country season has come to an end, but the made sectionals by an astonishing two points, memories haven't. Several weeks ago. the making them the fifth andfinalteam to qualify. Varsity girls qualified for Regionals at Almost one week later the girls were ready Wheaton. Twenty teams, equaling 160 girls to run their shoes off at sectionals. Although from the Chicago-land area, travled to Wheaton they tried as hard as they could they did not to determine who would make sectionals. advance to state finals. Maine South's Varsity runners consisted of •'It was a windy day. I almost blew away in seniors Kim Coppin and Annie Eriksson, the wind while accelerating on a turn, but I Juniors Jessica Diffendal and Amanda tried my hardest as well as everybody else," Swanson. and Sophomores Laura McGinnis, said Eriksson. The girls ended their season by Katie Seiwert, and Kelsie Engle. These girls placing players in the top fifty-nine at ran their hearts out. With Coppin placing sixth, sectionals. McGinnis 19'\ Eriksson 2V\ Seiwert ?>T*'. Overall, this season brought more than just Engle 47'\ Diffendal ST', and Swanson 56'\ ribbons, medals, and trophies. It brought new

friendships, personal goals, and great comradery. The leaving seniors will be missed, and the returning girls will be ready for what's in store for next year. Eriksson also notes. "It was a fun experience, and I'll miss it a lot. Everything from the giggles, to the shin splints, and most importantly. Coach Gabauer. This season certainly was [full of] style!" So what's in store for next year? Only time will tell.^^^ that thought, girls, keep training so w^Wn repeat this year's season next year. In the words of Alison McElwee, "Drop it like it's hot." Great season girls, and a special thanks to coaches Gabauer and Landendorf. See you girls running strong next year!