Vol 46 issue 7

1111 S. DEE ROAD • PARK RIDGE, ILLINOIS 60068

March 19, 2010

Spring Break 2010

VOL. 46, NO. 7

Staying safe and looking to the future See pages 6 and 7

Earthquake Update on the state of Chile Page 2

‘Alice’ Wonderland inspires film & music Pages 8-9

ACT Woes Too T much stress over the Page 12 t test

March Madness Staffer review of the tourney Page 14 GRAPHIC BY MATT ELLER

VOL. 46, NO. 7

2) President Obama met with Greece’s Prime Minister George Papandreou on March 9 to discuss Greece’s current financial state.

Greece experienced one of the worst budget deficits in the world last year.

NEWS

1) A Pennsylvania woman was indicted on March 9 for conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists and kill a person in a foreign country.

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Pennsylvania

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Greece

Pakistan 5

3) The “miracle Asian elephant” was born in the Toronga Zoo in Sydney on March 10. The elephant was thought to have died in his mother’s womb three days earlier, but has already taken his first steps and appears healthy.

Nigeria 6

4) On Feb. 27, a 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck central Chile in the early morning. The final death toll was 528 people (see story below).

Chile 4

6) At least 200 Christian villagers in Nigeria died in early morning attacks on March 7, when groups of men with guns, machetes, and knives attacked people in three villages. The motive for the killings is still unknown.

5) Israeli and Palestinian leaders have accepted indirect peace talks, according to George Mitchell, the Obama administration’s special envoy for Middle East peace.

Stories by Jackie Hazlett-Morris and Ashley Kozubal

MARCH 19, 2010

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Sydney

Earthquake strikes Chile causing shorter day and exposing preparation flaws Drew Maher

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STAFF WRITER

ess than two months after the devastating earthquake in Haiti, disaster struck again in the Bio Bio region of central Chile. On Feb. 27 at 3:34 a.m. local time, an earthquake with a magnitude of 8.8 on the Richter scale occurred just 200 miles away from the capital city of Santiago and 70 miles from Concepcion, Chile’s second largest city. The earthquake moved the city of Concepcion at least 10 feet to the west, and Santiago about 11 inches to the west-southwest.

The cities in Chile are more structurally sound than those in Port Au Prince, but many buildings and bridges collapsed, killing and trapping many. Chile’s National Emergency Office released an official death toll of 528 people.

However, the earthquake was not the end to the problems of the region.

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The earthquake’s aftershocks sent massive tremors which have caused many tsunamis in Chile and other countries, including Japan, Russia and the United States, although they are not nearly as severe. The Chilean Defense Minister, Francisico Vidal, stated that the resulting tsunami in Chile was in fact more destructive than the original earthquake.

The coastal towns and villages have an emergency alarm system that sounds if the water level rises above a certain point, and Vidal thinks that this alarm saved hundreds, if not thousands, of lives. However, Vidal thinks more lives could have been saved if a tsunami warning was issued immediately after the quake.

“The navy committed an error in not alerting the tsunami,” Vidal stated at a news conference.

In addition to the tsunamis, looting has also been a problem in the

affected regions of Chile. Hungry and desperate residents have ransacked local grocery stores in order to get food and water because aid packages were unable to be delivered, as many roads and bridges were blocked or collapsed. President Michelle Blachet stated that looting was not going to be tolerated and enacted martial law and a curfew beginning at nightfall. It has been reported that at least 160 people have been arrested and one person has been shot as police are trying to restore order with the help of 14,000 troops sent in by President Blachet.

This earthquake was also believed to have shifted the Earth’s rotational axis and actually shortened the day by about 1.26 milliseconds. This is not the first time an earthquake has shifted the length of day, as the massive quake in Sumatra in 2004 was believed to have shortened the day by 6.8 milliseconds.

The earthquake in Chile was not as powerful, but still able to change the length of day due to its positioning and the fact that the plate in Chile descends at a sharper angle. “This makes the Chile fault more effective in moving Earth’s mass vertically and hence more effective in shifting Earth’s figure axis,” stated officials at NASA. A jail break also occurred after the earthquake dismantled a wall of a prison, injuring a guard in the process. Authorities frantically tried to detain the 269 inmates that escaped and were able to capture 60. The remaining inmates were transferred to another prison.

This earthquake was one of the top eight most powerful earthquakes ever recorded. The Red Cross and other agencies are accepting donations to help with rescue and aid efforts.

VOL. 46, NO. 7

MARCH 19, 2010

Toyota recalls unsafe vehicles off the roads Sarah Tarabey

STAFF WRITER

when a 2008 Toyota sped off the road, through a fence and landed upside down in a pond. The car’s floor mats were found in the trunk of the car, where owners had been advised to put them as part of the (first) recall.”

As for Toyota’s future, the outcome is unclear. Before the recalls, the company was already having difficulties emerging from the recession, due to a decrease in sales.

Experts have recently begun to record declines in the value of Toyota’s products. Auto research firm Kelley Blue Book notes drops from 2.5 to 4.5 percent in prices for used Toyotas caught up in recalls. Additionally, the auto maker faces dozens of lawsuits over injuries and deaths due to safety problems, and many more are expected.

Billions of dollars in legal expenses and damages resulting from the safety defects could potentially be added onto the $2 billion that the company said they would spend in repairs and lost sales.

“We are just seeing the tip of the iceberg,” said Pete Moraga, spokesman for the Insurance Information Network of California. “This has the potential of being much bigger, and it depends on what Toyota does and whether it actually fixes the problem.”

INFORMATION COURTESY TIME.COM

he recent recalls issued by Toyota Motor Company could possibly become one of the largest product liability cases in the history of the automotive industry.

Beginning in November 2009, Toyota started issuing recalls that have claimed about 9 million of its vehicles worldwide. These recalls, due mainly to various difficulties with its cars’ pedals, have resulted in growing political, legal and business fallout for the company. More than 6 million of the recalled vehicles were from the United States, and the reputation of the nation’s second-largest automotive seller, known for its cars’ safety and quality, has been dealt a huge blow.

On February 23, Toyota Motor Company President Akio Toyoda addressed the United States Congress.

He apologized to them and to millions of American carowners for the sometimes fatal defects in leading models produced by his company.

“I extend my sincerest condolences to them from the bottom of my heart,” said Toyoda. “I’m deeply sorry for any accident that Toyota drivers have experienced.”

However, beyond a general promise to have greater communication and to be open to change, he did not offer any

entrapment when the mats got stuck in foot pedals. After some crashes were shown to have possibly been caused by mechanical sticking of the accelerator pedal causing unintended acceleration, the second recall was initiated. Some of Toyota’s best-selling vehicles, such as the Camry, Corolla, RAV4, Matrix, and Sequoia, have been included in such recalls.

During his meeting with Congress, Toyoda assured them of the great lengths his company was going to in order to put “safety first,” and that it was working hard to refit the millions of recalled cars and trucks. Under the recalls, Toyota will shorten accelerator pedals, replace cars with thinner mats, and install a brake override system to prevent unwanted acceleration.

However, for some, the potentially devastating effects of the faulty pedals have already been felt. One such consumer, Henry Braswell, attributes the death of his mother and father to acceleration problems with their 2005 Toyota Camry. “I’m angry at Toyota,” he said. “They cost these two people their lives.”

Stories similar to Henry’s have been flooding the news recently. A report by ABC News stated, “In the most dramatic incident, on the day after Christmas, four people died in Southlake, Texas, a suburb of Dallas,

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new company concessions. This did not appease many of the American drivers and lawmakers still looking for an explanation.

“We are growing very concerned about the public-safety issue,” said Representative Bart Stupak, chairman of the oversight and investigation panel of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. “The problem has not been exactly identified. Therefore you have no solution and consumers are left in the lurch.”

Difficulties with Toyota vehicles have been reported for several years, but in light of the company’s recent controversy, many more are publicly voicing their accusations. The consumer group Safety Research and Strategies reported, “Since 1999, at least 2,262 Toyota and Lexus owners have reported... that their vehicles have accelerated suddenly and unexpectedly in a variety of scenarios.

These incidents have resulted in 815 crashes, 341 injuries and 19 deaths potentially related to sudden unintended acceleration.” Since this report, additional complaints have brought the total to 37 alleged deaths.

Toyota issued its first recall in late 2009 to fix incorrect or out-of-place front driver’s side floor mats. They were believed to have caused pedal

Teachers vote not to reopen collective bargaining agreement Jackie Hazlett-Morris NEWS EDITOR

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n March 9, the Maine Teachers’ Association voted against opening the current collective bargaining agreement for negotiations.

The district administration had asked the MTA Union to forgo a part of their salaries in order to save 40 to 45 of the 75 teaching jobs eliminated last month.

The MTA would have had to forego a 3.2 percent salary increase for the 2010-2011 school year. The

teachers would have still received step pay increases based on years of experience and a 3.5 percent wage increase in the 2011-2012 school year.

The vote was 345-224 against reopening the contract according to MTA president Emma Visee. When asked what this vote could mean for the future, she declined to comment.

District 207’s administrators have said that laying off the 75 certified teachers, mostly non-tenured, would save the district $5 million in 2010-11 academic year.

The layoffs are part of a plan “We will continue to presented last month in an effort to save $15 million in cuts to combat work together to move a projected $19 million deficit in forward in the best inter2010-11 budget.

“This has been a very difficult est of the district.” process for our teachers and -Dr. Ken Wallace teacher assistants,” District 207 Superintendent Ken Wallace said in response to the union’s vote. “We We will continue to work together to are grateful that they thoughtfully move forward in the best interest of considered our request in the context the district.” of these difficult economic times, The 75 positions originally slated and we respect the decision that the to be cut will be eliminated at the end MTA reached in a democratic vote. of this school year.

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MARCH 19, 2010

VOL. 46, NO. 7

Student Council Candidate Statements NEWS

PRESIDENT: Christina Carvatta

VICE PRESIDENT: Jenny Mocarski

Maine South High School 1111 South Dee Road Park Ridge, IL 60068

SECRETARY: Julia Kashul

Dylan Heck almost two years now and this year I am Treasurer. I truly want to make a difference here at Maine South like I have begun to already.

For an example, I have started a blanket donation for the sick children in Lutheran General hospital. It was such a great, rewarding, and charitable thing to be a part of. I would love to have the opportunity as Secretary for next year to do more activities like that.

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My name is Jenny Mocarski and I am currently a freshman running for Student Council Vice President. As Vice President, I plan to increase the number of programs helping those at a disadvantage and to set up a system in which the whole student body can contribute ideas and partake in activities to improve issues regarding the school and the community. I enjoy running, reading, helping people, and biking, all on my own time. I am a member of Student Council, When people first meet me CEC, Key Club, Best Buddies, and they tend to think two things. 1.

I play the flute in Maine South’s “Man, this kid was named after Concert Band. two other Dylans with bad hair.”

(Bob Dylan & Dylan Thomas), or 2. “Hey! There are four letters in his last name!” Both are true.

However, I (Dylan Heck) was born at an early age. I have done more since then. Over my time at Maine South you may have spotted me at many places: boys’ swimming, marching in band, the musicals, volunteering at the Public Library, singing in choir, Junior Leaders, reffing house league soccer, or even lifeguarding at the public pool. Hopefully Hi my name is Julia Kashul. next year with your support you I am a sophomore here at Maine can see me as Student Council South. I have been an active President. member of Student Council for

PHOTOS BY JACKIE HAZLETT-MORRIS

Hi, my name is Christina Carvatta and I’m running for Student Council president for the 2010-2011 school year.

I am a junior this year and I have been involved with Student Council since my freshman year.

I have held two previous office terms in Student Council. As a sophomore, I was elected treasurer and my duties were handling all money that we collected for selling V-show tickets and counting all the cans for the food drive. I also helped out with the scholarships for the seniors.

The following year, I was elected vice president and my duties were to handle attendance and create seating charts, and if the president didn’t show up at the meetings, I ran them.

I’m also a three-sport athlete; I do cross country, basketball, and softball. I’m also in other clubs at Maine South; I’m on the leadership board for Brotherhood/ Key Club, Varsity Club, Spanish Club, Hawk Pride, and I’m also a junior leader.

The reason I would be a good president is I’m a good leader, I can take charge, I’m really good with helping out people, and I love volunteering in in any event that goes on in school.

Signed letters to the editor should be delivered to room LRC 1 or given to a member of the editorial staff or e-mailed to southwords@maine207.org.

SOUTHWORDS reserves the right to edit material for clarity and brevity and to reject obscene/libelous submissions.

Editors-in-Chief Caileen Bazarek Anne Wave News Editors Jackie Hazlett-Morris Ashley Kozubal Features Editors Asha Kirchhoff Joanna Madej Entertainment Editors Tayler LaBellarte Lydia Ramsey Commentary Editors Katie Hernandez Kaci Zimmerman Sports Editors Jimmy Loomos Michael Unti Charlie Vinopal Production Heads Matt Eller Ted Sherbin Graphic Designers Adrian Adamiec Marjo Pajaj Photographers Chris Anderson Josie Fioretto Miranda Kahrilas Abby Powell Adviser Mr. Stathakis

VOL. 46, NO. 7

MARCH 19, 2010

Foreign Language Week Spreads its Wings STAFF WRITER

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MS showcases talent at PRCC Beatles Night Charlie Vinopal SPORTS EDITOR

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n March 5 and 6 Park Ridge C ommunity Church, als o known as PRCC, hosted the seventh annual Beatles Night celebration in order to benefit the church’s youth program. The concert, at which only Beatles’ songs are played, attracted community members of all ages. This included many Maine South students who donated their time and talent to

the event, ensuring its success.

At this year’s concert, 16 bands performed 36 Beatles songs. One of these bands was The Break, a band comprised of Maine South sophomores. The Break member Sean Cahill-Lemme spoke of the concert, saying, “It’s really cool how people give their different interpretations of Beatles’ music.”

One of the bands that offered a more non-traditional take on

Daggers” was shown. This film mixes martial arts action with a love story, set during the Tang Dynasty in China.

In only three years, the Chinese program has cemented itself at MS. A celebration of Chinese New Year here has allowed students to get a glimpse of the culture and all it has to offer.

Also, several students were able to go on a trip to China during the summer, where they had the experience of actually living the culture they had learned about.

“More and more students and parents see that studying Chinese will open another door in their life,” said Chinese teacher Ms. Shi. “If you y studyy a foreign g language, g g it is a life-long skill. You will have a better understanding of the diversity of the world.”

The Spanish program finished off the week with ‘‘Mi Mejor Enemigo,” or “My Best Enemy.” During t h i s film,

rival Chilean and Argentinean soldiers engaged in trench warfare struggle between friendship and hostility toward each other.

The Spanish students have exhibited their skills and dedication to the Spanish program throughout the year. During this school year, students were able to raise over $5,000 which was put towards club activities, classroom resources, and charity donations. Additionally, within the past two years, students have placed second, fourth, fifth, seventh, and ninth at different regional levels on the National Spanish Exam.

German teacher Mrs. Wolf also stressed the importance of studying a foreign g language. g g “The abilityy to speak a foreign language can provide students with many opportunities for work, travel, and friendships, as well as a broader awareness of others and the world.”

some Beatles’ classics was Driving Alberta, another band of Maine South students. “A lot of great bands put a lot of hard work into the show and it was definitely worth the time,” said band member freshman Alex Giannini.

Maine South music teacher Mr. Boyle took a unique approach to his cover of ‘Something,’ by playing a ukulele. “The ukulele was actually George Harrison’s favorite instrument.

After Harrison died, McCarthy would perform ‘Something’ on the ukulele as a tribute,” he said.

In addition to these and other musicians, Maine South students also participated in Beatles night

by helping out behind the scenes. b Junior Kevin Hemphill served as stage manager while sophomore Mike Klimmeck helped serve as emcee for the event. Additionally, since the proceeds from the event go to PRCC’s youth program, MS students will also have long-term benefits from the program.

Beatles Night not only showcased the work and talent of Maine South students, but it was a fun time for all who attended. Mr. Boyle said, “It was great to see so much talent from the community. The best part was seeing the students at Maine South show off their talent and participate.”

Features

rom March 1 to March 5, as with every year, the Maine South Foreign Language Department hosted the annual Foreign Language Week. After school, students had the opportunity to view a different foreign film each day. Additionally, during passing periods, the regular music was replaced by a foreign language soundtrack which included music in French, German, Italian, Chinese, and Spanish. The main glass hallway was also brightened up by students’ hard work to paint the windows with this year’s theme “Spread Your Wings.”

Overall, the focus of the week was to immerse students in the different languages at Maine South and give students the chance to connect with different cultures.

“Foreign Language Week offers us a great opportunity to spotlight language learning,” said Mrs. Kramer, the Foreign Language Department Chair and a Spanish teacher. “It is important that young adults learn of the different languages and cultures which they can then use in their work and travels. Now, more than ever, we should be learning to communicate with our global neighbors.”

“In conjunction with this year’s theme ‘Spread Your Wings,’ we want kids to go beyond their linguistic comfort zone and take a risk in learning language beyond English,” said Mr. Dutmers, a Spanish teacher.

The Foreign Language Department also hosted a food drive during the week. Food items were brought by students during classes and by those attending the daily movies. By the end of the week, 270 pounds of food were collected. These donations were included with the Student Council

food drive, “Fighting Hunger One Step at a Time.”

The week commenced with the French program hosting “Le Dîner des Cons,” commonly known as “The Dinner Game.” This comedy has many twists that keep the audience guessing and laughing.

Recently, several French students from all five levels of the language participated in Le Grand Concours, the National French Contest. Students took a written exam and competed for prizes such as certificates, medals, books, DVD’s, trips, and scholarships.

On Tuesday, the German program screened “Vitus,” a Swiss film. This delicate storyline entails a yyoungg boy who refuses to make his parents’ arents’ dream of becoming a pianistt come true. Instead, he attempts to create eate his own path in life.

The German program has as had some recent successes. At thiss year’s annual German competition, students udents won first and second place trophies. ophies.

Those students included Rebecca ebecca Hoffman, Katie Kinell, Joyce Hanck, Brian Siwek, Dan Petrokas, s, and Garrett Pluhar-Schaeffer.

During the summer, 30 students udents took part in an exchange program ogram with a school in Karlsruhe, Germany. many.

Students were able to put their knowledge of the language and culture to full use.

The middle of the week was anchored with the “tween” favorite rite “Twilight,” shown in Italian. Th is This extremely popular vampire and nd teenage girl romance becomes mes more interesting with the Italian an language moving the storr y along.

On Thursday, the Mandarin rin Chinese flick, “House of Flying ying

GRAPHIC BY MATT ELLER

Kathy Wabiszczewicz

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MARCH 19, 2010

VOL. 46, NO. 7

How to make every college visit count Joanna Madej FEATURES EDITOR

FEATURES

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ith spring break just around the corner, many students who are not going on a traditional vacation might be thinking about visiting colleges. Both juniors and seniors alike should take advantage of a week off of school to make some visits, whether it is to get started on the college-search process as a junior or to make the final decision as a senior.

While a college visit is an informative and helpful experience on its own, it is up to the visiting student how much he or she gets out of it. Here are some tips from Maine South’s Career/College Counselor Mrs. Maksymiu for making a college visit count.

First, before stepping a foot on

campus, research the college to be visited. Go on the college’s website in order to learn about the campus and any programs of interest. One can also get information from the Career Resource Center here at MS. Log on to the Family Connection website to explore any college of interest. Be sure to write down any questions and bring them to the college on the day of the visit.

Once on campus, make sure to take a tour. Visiting students should pay close attention to the residence halls, as this is potentially a new home for four years. Also, take a close look at the library, the student center, the laboratories, and the recreational/ athletic facilities. Check out the dining halls and eat in them to see what the food is like. Be sure to talk with students at the school: they are usually the experts and can give an

unbiased opinion.

Also, once on campus, try to sit in on a class, preferably one that is related to the major you are interested in. Doing this will allow you to understand whether or not the way classes are taught and class size will be conducive to a solid learning experience.

An important activity is to talk to a professor who teaches a class in your possible field of study or a coach of a sport you would like to play. Academics and extra-curricular activities are major deciding factors in many students’ college decisions, and talking to someone in the field can be tremendously helpful when selecting a school.

Another worthwhile experience is staying on campus overnight, in order to gain a picture of college life beyond the facilities, academics, and

extracurriculars. While it is possible to stay with a sibling, cousin, or friend, the school will usually set up a partnership with a student already living in a dorm.

Whatever is done or seen on campus, it is crucial to record everything. You won’t remember every single detail. “Take notes on your immediate reactions,” said Mrs. Maksymiu.

There is no substitute for visiting a college. Pictures and websites can give a lot of information, but there is nothing that can replace a real handson experience and seeing a college with one’s own eyes.

No website will give the prospective student a clear answer about what the campus feels like and if he or she would feel at home there. “Every school has its own personality,” said Mrs. Maksymiu.

Honoring Best Buddies in March Claire Cohen STAFF WRITER

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any are familiar with the Best Buddies program here at Maine South. With March being its honorary month, here is some information about the program.

Best Buddies was started in 1989 by Anthony Kennedy Shriver.

According to bestbuddies.org, the organization pledges, “To establish a global volunteer movement that creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment and leadership development for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.”

The goal of the Best Buddies foundation is to reach every area of the globe to give assistance to those who are living with intellectual and developmental disabilities. It reaches each of the 50 states and 46 countries total. This year alone, the Best Buddies program will help over 700,000 people.

Individuals are considered to have an intellectual disability based on three different factors: IQ level, limitations in adaptive skills (communication, social skills, academics, etc), and an illness present since childhood.

According to bestbuddies.org, developmental disabilities, “Result in substantial limitations in three or more of the following areas: self-care,

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comprehension and language skills, learning, mobility, self-direction, capacity for independent living, economic self-sufficiency, and ability to function independently without coordinated services.” Best Buddies aims to help those with special needs overcome these limitations.

B est Buddies is funded by corporate sponsors such as Audi and Pepsi, government foundations such as the United States Department of Education, and hundreds of individuals and private foundations.

These donations total about $170 million each year. Only 11% of this revenue is spent on administration, while the other 89% of the proceeds go directly to the Best Buddies programs.

There are six different program categories: Best Buddies Citizens, Best Buddies Colleges, Best Buddies High Schools, Best Buddies Jobs, Best Buddies Middle Schools and e-Buddies. The Best Buddies High School, College and Middle School programs work to integrate students with disabilities into a normal school environment. Best Buddies Citizens is dedicated to aiding those with disabilities in their communities and giving them the love and support they need. Best Buddies Jobs helps those with special needs obtain and maintain jobs. E-Buddies is an online pen-pal service for anyone aged 10 years or older.

The chapter of Best Buddies High Schools here at Maine South was started just last year. It’s based on friendships between ordinary students and students with special needs.

Students are matched up one-on-one to create a personal bond and often a life-long friendship. They organize monthly events like themed parties, or a movie and popcorn night. Senior Emma Ross is president of the Best Buddies program and the program sponsors are teachers Ms. Coppola and Mrs. Vainowski.

Unfortunately the MS Best Buddies program may not be around for long.

Ms. Coppola, who founded the MS pp p

chapter explains that she’s not sure if anyone would be willing to take over the special education advisor role because of all the work involved.

Junior Sarah Russell, a member of Best Buddies, says, “It’s good for people to get involved because it leads to new friendships that you possibly didn’t expect.”

Interested in becoming involved in the Best Buddies program? The organization is planning opportunities for the whole school to be involved.

Speak with the group’s sponsors or find out more at www.bestbuddies. org.

No trouble in paradise: Spring Break 2010 safety Hope Tone STAFF WRITER

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Haiti Cruises are a spring break favorite of many Park Ridge families, but some of the cruise lines have stops in areas recently affected by the earthquake in Haiti. Both the Royal Caribbean and Holland America cruise lines both own private islands off the island. Although these islands (specifically Labadee) are not directly connected to the mainland of Haiti, they are still astoundingly close to affected areas. Labadee is just six miles from a highly-populated area and, although it is unusual, it is not unheard of for refugees to be there. Make smart decisions when traveling or visiting an unfamiliar place, even if the plans are only for a day on the beach.

Dominican Republic The Dominican Republic is full of resorts and beach clubs that are frequented by the Spring Break crowds. Both the Dominican Republic and Haiti are on the island of Hispaniola. Since they share a physical border, after the devastating earthquake, many Haitians tried to flee to this neighboring country. Conditions like these make the country susceptible to increased crime due to people who are willing to do anything just to be able to feed their families.

When traveling in an area that has recently been affected by a major natural disaster, tensions run very high. There has been an influx of petty crimes since the 7.0-magnitude earthquake shook Port-Au-Prince. Definitely remember to watch belongings and stay with friends if traveling to the Dominican Republic this Spring Break.

Mexico Perhaps one of the most dangerous, and most popular, regions to travel to this Spring Break is Mexico. On February 22, the United States Department of State released a new travel alert for any American citizens planning on traveling to Mexico.

The alert was put into effect due to increased violence in the northern region of Mexico that borders the United States. Although other areas are perfectly safe, like the coastal areas that most travel to for Spring Break, the northern region has developed into a dangerous situation.

Anyone traveling to Northern Mexico for

Coming Home For the flight out, it’s important to know that a passport is required for traveling absolutely anywhere outside of the United States. The liquids rule is still in effect, so no bottles of water or other bottles of liquid over three ounces can be in the carry-on. After the attempted terrorist attack on Christmas Day, President Obama authorized federal spending on the installation of full body scanners. In the past few weeks, some of these have been installed, even at O’Hare. Full body scanners will soon be a part of traveling everywhere.

When traveling abroad, whether it be strolling along the Champs Elysee in Paris or shopping at a local market in Cancun, remember to have some form of photo identification at all times. If traveling in a group, remember to have a meeting place and always stay with at least a few people. Keep a little bit of cash at all times, in case of the need to use a payphone or take a taxi cab back to the hotel, but never carry around large amounts of money. And most importantly, familiarize yourself with the laws of the country being visited. Different countries have different rules and regulations, and it’s never good to be in a possibly dangerous situation due to overlooking basic safety precautions.

So, before jetting off for Spring Break, remember, safety first. Keep in mind all safety concerns and never do anything abroad that would be illegal or dangerous at home.

MARCH 19, 2010

“I’m not going anywhere...so hanging out with friends.”

-Conner Lohens ‘11

Features

s Spring Break approaches, images of sunny beaches and cool oceans fill every high school student’s mind. Usually, it’s appropriate to focus on just these parts of break, but as the federal government continues to release more travel warnings, there is more to consider. Here are a few tips and basic safety guidelines for traveling abroad.

mission work or just relaxation should be aware of the dangers in this region at the time. In the past year there has been an increase in petty crimes, thefts, carjacking, and murders. Recently, there have even been violent attacks against the United States embassy in this region. The government urges anyone whose need to travel here is not urgent, to avoid the area.

Also, there is a travel warning in effect for the Cabo region of Mexico. Due to increased drug circulation and smuggling, the United States Department of State has advised against to traveling to this region as well.

If staying here, avoid traveling into unknown neighborhoods. Avoid going out after dark; enjoy time at the hotel instead. And most importantly, never travel alone in the city—especially after dark.

Also, the government suggests adjusting one’s cellular phone service so it is capable of functioning abroad. The final piece of advice that government offers is that tourists visiting should stay away from political activities and protests. In the past few years, several of the protests have turned violent, and have resulted in injuries and death for even peaceful passersby.

If you have any problems while staying in Mexico, it is very important to contact the United States Embassy in Mexico City as quickly as possible, because it is the most stable embassy in the country.

What are you looking forward to the most this Spring Break?

VOL. 46, NO. 7

“Going to Utah.”

-Daniel Glowina ‘12

“Not having to wake up early.”

-Haley O’Connor‘13

“Going to Florida.”

-Anastasia Baran ‘10

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MARCH 19, 2010

VOL. 46, NO. 7

ENTERTAINMENT

You are cordially invited to...

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n March 5, the much-anticipated “Alice in Wonderland” premiered.

It was the start of a phenomena to rival “Avatar.” In fact, In “Alice’s” opening weekend, the movie earned $116.3 million, beating out “Avatar’s” opening weekend, and becoming the highest-grossing 3-D film ever.

The “Alice in Wonderland” craze is sweeping across the nation—not only in the movie theatres, but in music, makeup, and merchandise.

IMAGES COURTESY OF FANPOP.COM

Visual effects salvage otherwise unremarkable movie During the first twenty minutes of the film, “Alice in Wonderland,” is captivating. The scenery is perfectly surreal and each bizarre costume is, im Burton’s “Alice in Wonderland” centers well, fit for Wonderland. The around an n adolescent Alice who faces the interpretation is flawless, interpre decision to accept cept or refuse and not overly childish or the proposal off a young man Gothic. For this, Tim Burton named Hamish. ish. deserves applause. It is also deserve Before she hass important to note that impo to answer “Alice in Wonderland’s” “Alic him, she spots 3D effects rival those a rabbit in a o “Avatar”; they’re so of waistcoat and d frighteningly real that fr runs off after it. the t audience feels like Of course, this is they are actually in t leads her down n Wonderland.

W the rabbit holee However, after to Wonderland. d.. those first 20 minutes, t th There, she iss the th desire to live in told that sincee Wonderland goes away.

Wo she has last been n In fact, fa the feeling was to Wonderland, nd, more o of a desire to depart the Red Queen een from Wonderland as quickly Wo has taken over and as p possible. ossible. Yes, the problem banished the White with “Alice in Wonderland” is the last Wo Queen. That, and she is destined to t 89 minutes. The story sto uses the names of slay the Jabberwocky, a dragon-like creature, the characters from Lewis Carroll’s novels, but on the Frabbulous day. that’s about it. It’s too much like “The Chronicles

Dominique Guerra

STAFF WRITER

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of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.”

But “Alice” isn’t appealing as a formulaic epic. The ending is a predicable letdown. It’s quite wonderless.

Another problem is that the characters and conflicts are not believable. How can the Red Queen recognize Alice in a cartoon, but not in real life? Why does Johnny Depp’s character, the Mad Hatter, sometimes have a Scottish accent?

And what was the point of the Fudderwupping dance? Was that not the most forced and painful 20 seconds ever filmed? Maybe the expectations were just too high.

Tim Burton’s rendition of “Alice” can be compared to a glorious mansion. But, it is a mansion that is only beautiful on the exterior. After a 20 minute tour, you’re left with an unimpressive finish. The choice of screenplay was Tim Burton’s main mishap, but that’s a very unfortunate mistake to make. The focus is taken away from Burton’s creative choices when you’re trying to stay awake.

On a more positive note, Helena Bonham Carter is hilarious as the Red Queen. And Johnny Depp’s makeup is awesome. Even though the storyline is not the best, the film is still worth seeing. The visual effects are truly unbelievable. Be sure to see it in 3D, because those first 20 minutes are solely worth the $10 the ticket costs.

VOL. 46, NO. 7

MARCH 19, 2010

...the even darker side of Wonderland

Music inspired by the movie as eccentric as Wonderland itself Max Mielecki STAFF WRITER

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Ca Capping off the album is Grace Po Potter and the Nocturnal’s ccover of Jefferson Airplane’s “White Rabbit.” It is pretty much what the original song would sound like if it had been recorded in 2010. A few of the other offerings, like Kerli’s “Tea Party” and Plain White T’s ““Welcome to Mystery” are no not off-the-wall excellent, but not bad, either, so it’s worth getting those songs if you’re interested in those ar artists.

O Overall, it’s better to just buy the individual ind songs that you like than to sh shell out the $9 it costs for the entire album. album It’s cool to hear an “Alice in Wonderland”-inspired Wonderlan song from your favorite bands, bands but be sure to pick and choose from ar artists you know you like.

Disney shou should be applauded on this one; it’s a nice companion comp piece to the movie, as opposed to only on releasing the traditional symphonic soundtrack. Plus, it gave the artists w p who were so inspired by the bo ook an outlet to show s book their aappreciation and d devotion to the world of Alice. th

Entertainment

lice in Wonderland” stands as one of the texts most associated with psychedelia.

“Almost Alice” is a collection of songs inspired by the new movie. It is a far cry from psychedelic rock or that Jefferson Airplane song paying homage to the story of Alice. What they’ve done here is assemble a massive array of Pop, Dance/Club, Rap, Alternative, and Indie Rock songs from well-known American artists like Shinedown, The All-American ck, and Rejects, Motion City Soundtrack, ere’s a Franz Ferdinand,which means there’s atisfy song on this collection that can satisfy any musical taste. ve Although many songs have w creative views on the story, a few just stick to the common theme off “Down the Rabbit Hole,” where the most common lyrics are “Follow me down,” “I’ve Gone Down” or some variation of that. Although the songs that do this, like Wolfmother’s “Fell Down a Hole,” do a great job in their respective genre, others, like Avril Lavigne’s “Alice,” just fall flat. One will notice similarities between this song and Lavigne’s chart-topping single, “Complicated.” If you

didn’t care for “Complicated, mplicated,” chances are ree you won’t be a fan an of “Alice.”

Other songs have ve es very creative takes on the lore of Alice ce in wonderland, like Owl icolor City’s “The Technicolor P h a s e ,” w h i c h u s e s thesizers keyboards and synthesizers lice’s to speak about Alice’s world. Another Anothe r ggreat gr eat use of Lewis Carroll’s work is Franz F e r d i n a n d ’s “The Lobster Q u a d r i l l e ,” which is a gr reeat depiction of great tthe story of Alice and the Mock Turtle and their adventures with the lobsters. It brings to mind the work of other psychedelic poets like Syd Barrett, who would be right at home in Wonderland with h Lewis Carroll Carroll.

Can’t get enough Alice?

H

ere are other ways to get your AlPurchase OPI nail polish colors with ith ice fix. And no, there’s no opium in witty names like: these suggestions.

Mad as a Hatter Thanks so Muchness Check out the original novels by Lewis Absolute Alice Carroll: “Through the Looking Glass” and Off with Her Red “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” Shop for Alice T-shirts available at Look into the new musical debut “Won- Urban Outfitters, or on urbanoutfitderland: Alice’s New Musical Adventure,” ters.com, as well as on delias.com. opening on Broadway soon.

Rewatch the old Disney movie, and Check out Urban Decay’s eye palatte of compare it to the recent Tim Burton Alice-inspired colors on urbandecay.com. version.

Talk tto someone in the drama department about the “Alice in Wonderland” pplay they put on.

Listen to the original soundtrack fro from the film, available avail on iTunes, in order to get the fe feeling of Wonderland.

Wonderlan

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MARCH 19, 2010

VOL. 46, NO. 7

staff ’s Drama III/IV presents 2010 studio show Entertainment spring break playlist Noel Konken

STAFF WRITER

ENTERTAINMENT

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s third quarter approaches, many students can plead guilty to the“third quarter slump.”

But not the drama students. It is in the first few months of the second semester that the drama kids in the PA wing are the busiest. This semester, they have been diligently working on their large group project: a studio show called “The Dance of the Spring-Loaded Closet: Part 48.”

After completing two years of drama, students are eligible to take Drama III/IV, a combined class of juniors and seniors. Students begin to work on their studio show in the beginning of the school year with a read-through of many different scripts in the hopes that they will find a story that will work well with their class. The difficulty in finding the right script is that it must have enough characters for everyone in the class to participate and it must be 45 minutes or less in length. This is because the students are only given class time to rehearse. Besides choosing a script, students have the additional option of writing an original script, or doing an adaptation.

After much debate, both Drama III/IV classes decided on the same concept: an adaptation on The Neo-Futurist plays from “Too Much Light Makes the Baby go Blind.” This decision altered the traditional way the studio show has normally been conducted.

If you have seen the studio show in years past, you may remember two funny performances.

This year will be different. Both classes will be doing a combined show of 30 plays in 60 minutes, with no rehearsal between the classes. As a result, this show will keep both audience members and the actors on their toes.

The Neo-Futurists are a group that originated in Chicago. They are noted for being the most “highly regarded experimental theatre company in America,” their first big break being “Too Much Light,” in 1988. Their show’s formula consists of a small cast of four to eight actors and actresses performing 30 plays in 60 minutes, trying to beat the clock. The show promises a variety of emotions and intellectual ideas. The NeoFuturists premiered new shows weekly, and soon gained national recognition and are still in the works today.

Drama III/IV students have used their methods in making an exceptionally versatile show. There are skits with drama, comedy, social statements, and some are just plain weird. Drama student David Petersen says, “I like the concept of this Neo-Futurist thing immensely. The randomness of it all keeps it interesting, as well as adding an artful twist to the expressions and interpretations already in the shorts. Coming to this show, the audience members will need to be on their game and actively participate

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in the show. It is the audience members who chose the order of the scenes to be performed. So while the audience is cued and begins to call out numbers representing the scenes on their ‘menu,’ the performers back stage are rumbling through props, and costumes, trying to make it on stage.

We put the show in the hands of the audience.”

D r a m a s t u d e nt s w i l l p e r f o r m s o m e s cenes wr itten by The Neo-Futur ists themselves as well as some original pieces.

Kristen Krajecki states, “It was interesting and fun to be able to write something that others would get to watch, but it’s very intimidating and nerve-wracking to consider what others might actually think when they see it played out.” Out of the 30 plays, 18 are Maine South originals.

Now that the showing is coming soon, the drama students feel very confident that their performance will run smoothly. They have all been working so hard, and the process has been tiresome, but as Jenna Hesseln mentions, “It was definitely worth it.”

The performance of “Dance of the SpringLoaded Closet: Part 48” will take place at the Speech, Drama, and Broadcasting Boosters open house on March 31 at 7:30 pm in the Watson Auditorium. Besides seeing Drama III/IV’s performance, be prepared to be entertained by a previewing of Broadcasting’s short films. It will be an evening to support your peers’ artistic creativity.

And what’s more, admission is free. So come out to see a great show, and enjoy a reception after.

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veryone needs music to jam to over Spring Break. Whether at the beach, skiing, or just sitting at home finally getting the rest you’ve been searching for, the Entertainment section has just the playlist for you.

“People Got a Lotta Nerve,” Neko Case “Psychic City (Voodoo City),” YACHT “Shine Blockas,” Big Boi ft. Gucci Mane -Adam Smith “Hypnotize,” The Notorious B.I.G. “Sleepyhead,” Passion Pit “Vultures,” John Mayer -Madeline Petersen “Freakum Dress,” Beyonce “MMMBop,” Hanson “Renegades of Funk,” Rage Against the Machine -Wednesday Walesa “Holiday,” Vampire Weekend “2 Weeks,” Grizzly Bear “Fader,” The Temper Trap -Mary Ann Bennett “The World at Large,” Modest Mouse “Peace Frog,” The Doors “Jump,” Van Halen - Max Mielecki “Love Like a Sunset (I & II),” Phoenix “Keep the Car Running,” Arcade Fire “Plastic Beach,” Gorillaz Music: -Max Mallory “All My Days,” Alexi Murdoch “Brown Eyed Girl,” Van Morrison “Just Dance,” Lady Gaga -Floy Laverty “Good People,” Jack Johnson “Hard Sun,” Eddie Vedder “I Shot the Sheriff,” Bob Marley - Sam Iorio “The Beach,” All Time Low “Tidal Wave,” Owl City “Boots & Boys,” Ke$ha -Lydia Ramsey “Hey Soul Sister,” Train “California Bound,” Carolina Liar “Carry Out,” Timbaland feat. Justin Timberlake - Tayler LaBellarte

VOL. 46, NO. 7

MARCH 19, 2010

Frimpong case proves racism is still in courtrooms Katie Hernandez COMMENTARY EDITOR

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PHOTO COURTESY ESPN.COM

Eric Frimpong sitting with his defense team at his court hearing in 2008.

clue. I’m just assuming…” According to transcripts, when questioned about the rape, she admitted that she had little memory of what happened.

Doe cannot be so certain to blame Frimpong, especially with the little evidence supporting her accusation, when she didn’t have a clear memory of the actual occurrence.

Furthermore, violence is completely out of character for Frimpong. According to his coaches and teammates, Frimpong had never acted violently or aggressively towards anybody. Tim Vom Steeg, Frimpong’s coach, noted, "Frimmer was very humble and considerate, on and off the field." His former teammate, Alfonso Motagalvan, stated, "He’s just not capable of doing something like this."

In fact, his well-known good character was honored by a campus-based Eric Frimpong Freedom Fund, which raised $25,000 within a few months. Frimpong’s likability brought a lot of attention to the case. Throughout the trail protesters gathered in support of Frimpong with rallies, posters, flyers, and fund raising activities. Despite the finality of the verdict, some of his supporters still continue to fight for his release.

On the other hand, Jane Doe’s character isn’t as respectable. From underage drinking, to late night partying, to a juvenile DUI, she hasn’t been the most ethical person. It’s never okay for someone to be raped, but her actions along with the evidence make for an even more questionable accusation.

Frimpong was always the main suspect in the investigation. The police didn’t accuse Randall, the victim’s jealous boyfriend, or the can collector who turned in Jane Doe’s

purse, which was short $30.

Astonishingly, none of that seemed to matter to the all-white jury. They came to the conclusion that Eric Frimpong was guilty of rape, and Judge Brian Hill sentenced him to six years in state prison. After familiarizing myself with the case, I couldn’t comprehend how this upstanding citizen was dealt such an injustice. He was charged with a felony, sent to prison, and was forced to abandon his dreams.

Curious to find out if any luck had come to Eric since his sentence back in 2009, I contacted Sam Alipour, the author the ESPN article, Alipour wrote, "Eric remains in jail and is in the process of appeal. Nothing new to report."

Frimpong’s case resembles to the case of the Duke lacrosse players.

Many thought these players were guilty because the prosecutors were able to build up a story. Later, all charges were dropped and it turned out they were completely innocent.

Although the cases involve similar affairs, the Duke boys had an overwhelming advantage: they were the sons of wealthy white families who were able to challenge the justice system. Eric Frimpong is a poor kid from Ghana. This reveals a lot about the American judicial system’s values in convicting defendants.

Similarly, Ben Roethlisberger, the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback, has been in the media recently because he has been accused of sexually assaulting, not one, but two college girls, on two completely unrelated occasions, but he has yet to see a formal trial. How is it that a man gets away with two counts of sexual assault? Easy: a truck load of cash, and a high-profile lawyer. According to

Commentary

n 2005, he left his native country to play college soccer at UC Santa Barbara. In 2006, he led the Gauchos to their first national championship.

In 2007, he was selected to play for Kansas City Wizards in the Major Soccer League draft. A few weeks later, Eric Frimpong, the rising soccer luminary was charged with raping a fellow UCSB student on the beach near his house. Currently he remains in prison at the California Correctional Institution.

There is more to this story than meets the eye, though. “The story of prisoner F95488,” appeared in a 2009 July issue of ESPN the Magazine. The outcome of his trial left me utterly confused. The victim, who remained as Jane Doe throughout the trial, claimed that Frimpong had raped her sometime after midnight on the beach near Frimpong’s home.

The white college girl cries rape on a young black man, and there is no physical evidence to support her claim, yet he goes to prison. The case was the real life encompassment of the trial in Harper Lee’s “To Kill A Mockingbird.” According to Doe, read by her advocate in court, "I don’t care that that he’s a soccer star…and I’m a nobody…Eric Frimpong ruined my life."

As tragic of a story as this is for Doe, one has to look at the situation with an objective view.

According to ESPN, the evidence is in support of Frimpong. Doe’s accusation isn’t legitimate because she had very little memory of what had actually happened that night, due to her near-toxic blood alcohol level.

The only semen found on her underwear from the night of the incident belonged to her white, hotheaded boyfriend Benjamin Randall. Also, Doe claimed that she wore a ring on her finger and that she hit her assailant so hard "all my knuckles were screwed up." Oddly enough, Frimpong had no signs of having commited rape, such as blood, semen, or scratches on his body or clothes.

If the rape had occurred, it’s unlikely that he would come away without any of these signs.

When interrogated by Marry Barron, Frimpong’s attorney, about what had supposedly happened on the beach Doe claimed, "I have no

Fox Sports, Roethlisberger hired Ed Garland as his attorney. Garland is famous for getting NFL heroes out of legal binds—Garland was able to reduce a murder charge against Ray Lewis to a misdemeanor. It’s strange that Roethlisberger walks freely when the first rape claim happened over two years ago, yet within weeks of Frimpong’s accusation he was tried and sentenced to six years.

But even in a fairy tale world where Frimpong could afford a lawyer of the Garland status, who’s to say issues of race wouldn’t supercede justice? Let’s take Michael Vick’s case for example. Why did he face jail time for dog fighting, when Roethlisberger remains free after being accused of sexual assault? The only difference between the men was the color of their skin—both were extremely wealthy, both had an impressive defense team, and both faced serious felonies, but one got off completely.

In some areas of the United States, racism is still prevalent; but the fact that it still seeps into our court systems shows the corruption of the U.S. legal system. If Frimpong had been rich, white, and the semen found on the victim been of a black man, would he be playing in the MLS today? It’s quite possible he would be. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Santa Barbara County contains nearly 410,000 residents, but only 2% are African American. In Alipour’s article, he quotes Tim Foley, a Santa Barbara resident of 30 years, who notes, "I love this town, but there’s no question there’s racism here."

Eric Frimpong was on his way to becoming successful, making a living, and then returning home to help the family he left back in Ghana. Sadly, none of this is now possible. The case against him ruined his chances at living the dream. But according to Alipour, Frimpong remains positive and holds out faith in the American justice system. He continues to denying the rape, and is now coming upon his second year behind bars.

No system is perfect, but when dealing with the lives of human beings, it’s not right for the wealth and race of a defendant to determine a verdict. With Frimpong’s upcoming appeal, hopefully an unbiased court will have a chance to look deeper into the case, and when reevaluated, Frimpong will have a chance at freedom.

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MARCH 19, 2010

VOL. 46, NO. 7

Torn between moving on and reminiscing Teddy Sherbin PRODUCTION HEAD

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t’s March and there are less than two months left in the school year.

Spring is here, the weather is warmer, students are counting the days left, and senioritis is in full swing.

The days for the class of 2010 are dwindling and students are starting to realize it. “It’s crazy to think that we’re graduating,” said senior Paula Papaioannou.

Many other Maine South seniors agree with her, myself included.

There is so much to miss and to think about missing that sometimes it gets overwhelming. Students say they are going to miss everything from the dances to the football games to just singing “Hey, Baby” with the band.

Among all of these people, there are still those who say they are ready to graduate. That used to be me. I used to be convinced that when I graduate I’d say, “I’m done with everything at this school.” Four years of one thing tends to get repetitive. I found, however, that no matter how monotonous four

years may seem, it’s enough time to get attached to plenty of things.

Especially as a child, a lot of people and things influence you and it’s easy to become close to them. Missing these when they go away is human nature. For me, four years has been a long time spent dealing with the same people every day. I have made strong friendships along with some great “classroom friendships.” Inside jokes abound among senior friends. Nobody has gone through this high school without having that connection.

Many seniors I have spoken with agree that strong friendships are a crucial part of high school. When asked what they’d miss the most next year, the first response out of almost everyone’s mouth was, “My friends.”

Friends are an important part of our days. One senior said, “It’s going to be weird to not see all of my friends before school.” Seniors are starting to realize that there is soon going to be a last time sitting in the back hallway with their friends talking about their weekends.

As a senior, I’ve had to accept

that this is a time for a lot of “lasts.”

This feeling carries through most of the senior class. Many athletes expressed sentiment about the last home football game or the last season of their particular sport. The fine arts students felt upset at the end of the final winter play of their high school careers.

When I talk with juniors, I hear a lot of them saying that they are done with Maine South and just want to graduate. I’m here to tell them to slow down. You don’t realize how much you are going to miss until it’s nearly behind you. It’s going to hit at different times for different people. Senior Pamela Rivera said, “It will probably hit after graduation when everyone’s status on Facebook says, ‘Yes, finally done!!!’ ” I think she’s exactly right.

Right now, the reality of leaving the world of high school behind won’t become tangible until it’s done.

Until that time, seniors can get sentimental already. All you have to do is ask them about how things are going to be next year. One student commented that being asked questions

about next year was enough to make him miss his friends. Many seniors find that the feelings associated with graduating and leaving high school are unavoidable.

So how can underclassmen deal with this now? The answer isn’t always easy.

Live it up now. Spend as much time with your friends as possible. Don’t wish for high school to be over. Don’t hope for time to speed up. Every ACT, every bad test, every project – it’s all worth it to spend a few more hours with the girl that sits behind you in math or the teacher that you fist bump in the hallway.

When you get through your piles of homework, call a friend, just to talk.

These are your friends. You need to form unbreakable bonds now so that when you go to college, you can keep in touch by more than just Facebook chatting.

Look for ward to breaks and enjoy the times when you have no homework, but let high school be what it is: The shortest and most important time of your life.

COMMENTARY

ACT: A Crazy Time (for juniors) Nora Elderkin STAFF WRITER

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his past weekend, I asked a group of my friends if they wanted to see a movie during the day on Saturday.

Almost every single one of them declined because they had ACT Prep Class at some point that day. One girl didn’t have class until Sunday, but she had to prepare for it. All I’ve been hearing about lately is “ACT this” and “SAT that.” It’s wonderful to plan for these big tests, because, let’s face it: they are important. But they are not something that we should be making ourselves sick over. Junior year is stressful enough as it is; students should not blow these tests out of proportion.

The stress caused by standardized testing is mostly because of the expectations that go along with it.

Students feel immense pressure to do well from both colleges and their parents. Junior George Gonzalez says, “The stress of your parents on your back about being prepared for the ACT can be more stressful than the actual studying part.” Most students only want the best for their

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children, but, ironically, according to CollegePrep101.com, all this stress can actually negatively affect performance on standardized tests. Learning to relax and stay calm may be the best way a student can prepare. Feeling confident leads to a better approach, so utilizing a prep class or a test book does come in handy as long as those aren’t what provide the anxiety.

Even for colleges, ACT/SAT scores are far from being everything. Some great schools such as Wake Forest pride themselves in not even requiring applicants to submit their ACT or SAT scores. Colleges really do want a well-rounded student. Truthfully, studying for the ACT forever still won’t necessarily give you a score more than a few points higher than it would have been otherwise. Focus on things that you can affect the outcome of, like community service or taking the hardest classes that you can succeed in. Most colleges are more concerned with who you are as a person and as a student than your test scores. They want the kind of student that will get involved and really add something to their school. Colleges want leaders and students that aren’t afraid to take

initiative. Testing is just one aspect of an application. Even students with poor scores get into their topchoice schools because of strong essays, recommendation letters, and interviews. Schools know that tests don’t always tell the complete story.

There are other factors in wanting to get the highest score possible as well. One junior admits, “I want to do as well as my friends. Having a good score will be like proving to myself that I’m smart.” Many students feel this way, but the ACT and the SAT are not measures of intelligence and they should not be treated as such.

Many brilliant students don’t do well on standardized tests simply because they aren’t good test-takers. One should not place his or her self-esteem on the outcome of these tests. It’s good to recognize their importance, but it’s also necessary to remember that there is more to one’s academic ability than the ACT. A good score for one person could be a not-so-good score for another.

If worse comes to worse and you feel that you’ve completely bombed the ACT, you can always take it again.

ACTtestquestions.com states that

“over half off the students who retake the ACT receive a higher composite score on the second test. Less than 1/4 off the students retaking the test received a lower score or maintained the same score.” There are always options.

Freaking out about a standardized test will not give you a perfect score, but it can cause damage to your mental and physical health.

The night before the test, go to bed early. The day of, have a real breakfast and make sure you aren’t rushing around. Wear comfortable clothing with layers so you will be prepared for any testing-room climate. Only bring a calculator that you actually know how to use. When the test is about to be passed out, take a deep breath and do your best to just relax. No matter how you do, it isn’t the end of the world. Just remember, soon your Saturdays will be movie-filled and stress-free.

VOL. 46, NO. 7

MARCH 19, 2010

Seniority should count in athletics PRODUCTION HEAD

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say that the point of sports teams is to develop teamwork. With March Madness starting up and professional sports dominating the media already, high school sports should not be about star players and winning.

Varsity basketball player Marissa Duric sees logic in the idea of time and dedication to a team. “It’s understandable that a coach wants to win and the underclassmen may have the talent that makes up for their lack of experience… While p l a y i n g time shouldn’t be based solely on s e n i o r i t y, i t should play

I am stressing to find and fill out scholarships to figure out some way to pay for the ever-increasing cost of higher education.

The tuition crisis is a direct result of the economic hardship the United States—and the world—has been experiencing. States are scrambling for revenue to match their bills for 2010, and, as a result, many public schools will be forced to cut everything from music classes to the length of a school week. These cuts are not the only changes public schools are seeing, though. At the same time, tuition for public education has been predicted to increase anywhere from 9% at our very own University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign to 32% at the University of California.

As described on the Huffington Post, the University of Arizona was

recommended to increase tuition 31% for the 2010-2011 school year, putting the tuition costs next to the University of California Berkeley. The University of Texas at Austin is recommending a 5.6% tuition increase for the next school year and also plans on starting a $65 fee per semester to participate in any extra-curricular activities.

To shed light on what these incre as es me an in znumb ers, according to FinAid.com, an 8% increase means that the cost of college doubles every nine years. This means that for a baby born today, college tuition will cost more than three times the current rates, or about $80,000 per year at a school with tuition like the University of Illinois.

Student protestors are calling this a “crisis in governmental priorities.” The Obama administration has begun to

some sort of role.” This opinion is certainly justifiable because of the team-based nature of basketball.

Duric brought up another point which coaches would certainly agree with: “Underclassmen look for their seniors to be their leaders and role models.” This speaks to another positive aspect of having upperclassmen athletes. Regardless of who scores the most points or dominates defensively, there is something to be said about raw experience that can show itself in tough situations. For example, it is easy to imagine the daunting situation that a bunch of freshmen and sophomores would be in if they were to be thrown into the final game of a tournament without anyone to look to for security. This kind of confidence helps the team win.

Playing upperclassmen not only attempts to provide a beneficial experience for athletes throughout their high school career, but it also deviates from the f lashy idolization that dominates the adult sports world.

Whether they motivate their entire team with a story of a past game or show the dedication required to play sports at Maine South, upperclassmen athletes can, and should, define a team and be in the game.

College tuition quickly on the rise Anne Wave

T

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

he time has finally come for me. I am a second semester senior with no care in the world other than living until June 6th to graduate from high school. Tradition tells me that I get to sit back and watch the next six months fly by until I will be walking into college. The things on most seniors’ minds at this point are finishing homework assignments with minutes to spare or literally surviving through the weeks until graduation.

I feel, however, that this year, these things have changed. Instead of being relaxed watching the clock,

Commentary

ports stand as a very dominant ch oi c e for e x t r a c u r r i c u l ar e x p e r i e n c e s at Mai n e S out h .

Students join because they want to compete, but they also seek teamwork experience and camaraderie. Should this experience end in a student’s later years as soon as an underclassman super-star comes into the program?

Or, should the program utilize all players equally, focus more on leadership in older players, and accept young talent as a bonus?

A coach may decide how to play his players based on his philosophy of high school athletics. A coach must decide if these programs are meant to win, push players up to the college level, or provide a fun, nonexclusive extracurricular experience.

This ultimately determines how much playing time certain players will get.

Multiple athletic programs have recently had great success. Some of this success is partially attributed to a policy that looks at talent rather than grade level. This year’s football team consisted of choice starters who defined the team’s style. In fact, many of these starters played multiple positions on both offense and defense.

This exemplifies Coach Inserra’s philosophy of keeping the best players on the field as much as possible.

On the other hand, some coaches

may not be fueled by a blazing desire to win a title. Some may just want to provide students with the opportunity to compete. As new sports spring up at Maine South such as water polo and lacrosse, a different method might be in order. Since most students are new to these sports, a teamwide teaching approach should be used. The coaches should pull from every age group and accept all skill levels. These new programs need to develop talent for experienced and inexperienced players alike in order to establish themselves at Maine South.

In this case, the older students can take positions of leadership because most of the players are at a similar skill level.

So, where does seniority fit in? In part, the spirit of the team thrives on it. Much enthusiasm and motivation come from seniors who are competing in their final season at Maine South. Students can’t miss the player-made T-shirts, signs, and other media that show off the spirit of the team, especially from the seniors.

Upperclassmen also have fulfilled an important goal of extracurricular activities: staying with the program throughout their entire high school career instead of quitting. There will always be prodigious underclassmen who have been engineered by themselves or their parents to excel in a sport. However, any coach would

GRAPHIC BY ADRIAN ADAMIEC

Matt Eller

discuss the need to aid failing public education and reducing dropout rates, but has said nothing about combating the tuition crisis. The government needs to put this issue on their agenda.

Either a student loan relief program or a state loan relief program in which the national government lends money to the states to be repaid when the recession turns around are necessary for the prosperity of this nation. If higher education becomes affordable for only the extremely affluent, the success of the United States will be completely at risk.

If fewer people are being educated at the highest levels, the United States’ intellectual prowess will fall. If a college degree becomes an increasingly rare commodity, the country will be poorly prepared for expanding global competition.

SOUTHWORDS 13

MARCH 19, 2010

VOL. 46, NO. 7

Madness and mayhem mean it must be March Jimmy Loomos SPORTS EDITOR

These teams, with mid-level seeds, could be the difference in making your bracket a success. They all have the talent, ability, and skill to compete with the top teams; all that’s left is execution.

Butler: The Bulldogs started off the season ranked in

Cinderellas These teams may have some p pretty high seeds, but if they have all things going their way, including a little luck, a deep tournament run may not be out of the question.

Siena: The Saints have been solid all season long with a 17-1 final record in the Mid-American Atlantic Conference.

They finished on a hot streak winning 21 of their final 23 g games.

They have four players averaging over 10 points per game, with two of them averaging over seven rebounds.

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14 SOUTHWORDS

Upset Alert

have two players who average double digits in points, and they go about 11-men deep.

Notre Dame: The Irish may seem like a weird pick for an upset, but at points this year they struggled.

Now with all-American Luke Harangody back (23 ppg), the Irish look to be unstoppable. They have won their last four games against Pittsburgh, Georgetown, Connecticut, and Marquette—all possible tournament teams, which means their up to the challenge when facing talented squads.

PHI

For the past few weeks of the season, Kansas, Kentucky, Syracuse, and Duke have been on top of the AP College Basketball Polls, and going into the Big Dance, these four are the clear favorites to make it to the national title.

Kansas: Going into the season, Kansas was number one on everyone’s poll. After winning the national championship last year, many thought with a strong core returning that they had a legitimate shot at a repeat, and signs seem to be pointing that way. The Jayhawks have four players averaging in double figures, including all-American Sherron Collins who leads the way with 15.3 points per game (PPG). The Jayhawks nearly ran the table in the Big 12.

With one of the nation’s top point guards in Coll i ns and a top-tier big man in Cole Aldrich, this team has all the right pieces.

Kentucky: The Wildcats easily have the best freshman class this year in all of college basketball, and arguably the best one in history. Three of their top-four scorers are freshmen, including sensation John Wall who averages 17.0 PPG, and DeMarcus Cousins who is averaging a double-double. Only their inexperience could keep them from a title.

Syracuse: The Orange may be the most balanced team in the NCAA this year. They have seven players who have played in every game this season, and all of them average over eight points per game.

Also, they have four players averaging over five rebounds per game, and three who rack up at least three assists every contest. This squad seemed to be destined for the final four, until their ugly loss to Louisville on March 6. But still, they have

out of nowhere to shock the basketball world. They finished tied atop the ACC with Duke and capped off their conference season with a decisive victory over the Blue Devils. This season they also beat Indiana, Florida State, and Boston College among others. Senior Greivis Vasquez, who is averaging 19.6 PPG, adds another incentive for the Terps by wanting to finish out his career on a high note Texas: Let’s not forget that this team was once considered to be the best in the nation, but after a cold spell, they no longer find themselves on top. The Longhorns have

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The Favorites

beaten Villanova, West Virginia, and Georgetown.

Duke: The Blue Devils have met the quality games out of any team in college basketball, winning 17 games against teams in the RPI top 100.

Even though they have three players averaging over 15 points per game, the team falls after those top three.

They also lack a dominate big man to accompany Kyle Singler in the post.

the top 10, but after losing several games early in the season, they had to fight their way to finishing in the top 15.

The Bulldogs were one of the few teams to finish conference play undefeated, as they finished the year with an 18-0 Horizon League record.

They have also beaten Ohio State, Northwestern, and Xavier. Some experts are even suggesting that they could be a Final Four team.

Maryland: The Terrapins came

enough talent to get to the Final Four, but they need each player to be playing his best basketball.

They have six players averaging over nine points a game, and they have four players who have made at least 30 three-point shots this year. Plus, they have big wins over Pittsburgh, Michigan State, North Carolina and USC. Louisville: The Cardinals are the only team to have beaten Syracuse twice, one of them coming in their last game of the season. At one point they were considered a bubble team, but now they have a shot to make a deep run. However, they only

Cornell: The Big Red have proven this year that smart kids have game too.

Cornell has competed with some of the nation’s finest this season with games against Kansas and Syracuse.

For almost all of both games they stayed within single digits. They also finished Ivy League play with only one loss. Ryan Wittman leads the team with 17.5 PPG. California: The Golden Bears seem to have found themselves again after being ranked to start the season. While they struggled in nonconference play, they were able to lead themselves to a first place finish in the PAC 10. They have the talent to make a deep run in the tournament, but now they must play like the top-20 team that they were once considered to be.

Girls’ track starts strong Daniella Kroschel

STAFF WRITER

D

espite some injuries that hit the team early on, the girls’ track team is doing well and competing hard. The team has won every meet so far except for the Hawk Invite, in which they finished a close second.

They conquered the Wheeling Invite and won the first-place trophy out of the eight teams that competed there.

“Despite early season injuries, we had a great team win at Wheeling, and I’m confident we’ll have a great season,” said senior captain Noelle Tazioli.

Mr. Wolcott, the coach of the throwers, is hoping the team will have a strong showing at the Indoor

MARCH 19, 2010

Conference Meet.

Senior Molly Kowalski also has high hopes and is ready for Conference where she is confident the team will aim for their personal best.

So far in the season, there have been some school records that have been broken. Veronica Sklarzewski tied the school record in the high jump. She has also gotten very close to another record in the long jump, with her best jump at 34 feet.

Jumping a bit higher is Jackie Bono who just broke the school record for pole vault. She beat 9’9’ and is aiming for 10 feet.

Bono, along with hurdlers Taylor Suscheck, Sklarzewski, and Megan Cronin, are fierce competition. They Erin Oberman clears the bar pole vaulting at the March 9 meet. The girls’ track are hoping to dominate conference. team turned out another stellar performance against New Trier.

PHOTO BY MIRANDA KAHRILAS

VOL. 46, NO. 7

Boys’ basketball makes a deep postseason run Julian Douglass STAFF WRITER

“H

fan wise or crowd wise, we’re going to come out and win,” said senior Lenny Allegretti.

Whether or not the crowd was a factor, the atmosphere inside the Maine South gymnasium was definitely comparable to some of the football games. It was a back-andforth first half with both teams making scoring runs. By halftime, Notre Dame had a 22-20 advantage.

The second half of the game was the most action-packed thriller of them all. The Hawks chose to use a safe backcourt technique, using secure ball handling and clutch free throw shooting to seal the deal. But that didn’t stop Notre Dame from making the game interesting. With 3:48 left on the clock, Maine South recently coming off of an eleven-toone run and leading by eleven, Notre Dame made a stunning come back with the help of Rodney Pryor, who scored twelve of his game-high seventeen points in the final four minutes of the game.

Reflecting on Notre Dame’s final surge, junior Matt Palucki commented, “That was impressive. They gave us a taste of all that the playoffs are about.”

Maine South held on though and was able to run out the clock after inbounding the ball, a calm end to a fierce contest. The Hawks won their first Regional Championship since 2005.

“It was great revenge since we got knocked off by them [Notre Dame] in regional competition last year,” said PJ Killean.

Coach Tony Lavorato credited the win to the fact that the “…team held it together in the second half behind the senior leadership.”

The senior leadership was crucial because the bonds they helped create were a big factor to their success.

“We have a lot more maturity, a lot more seniority, a lot more basketball IQ in general,” said senior Justin Tworek on the difference between this year’s team and the one that lost to Notre Dame in the regional finals last year.

The final story of the night was the team’s response to losing Senior Kevin Schlitter for the season to a torn ACL. “It meant a lot to them [the team], with me being injured,” said Schlitter. “They still found a way to overcome adversity, and hopefully we will go even past sectionals, super-sectionals, and advance to the state competition.”

The Hawks are well on their way.

With a 42-40 victory over New Trier on March 10 and a 43-41 victory over Glenbrook North on March 12, Maine South will look to continue their run in the state playoffs in their upcoming games. At press time, the results of the March 16 game against Whitney Young were not available.

Sports

opefully we’ll get a lot of people here and get this place rocking, for once. It should be a good game.”

These words were said with a small smirk, even a sarcastic giggle, by senior shooting guard PJ Killean.

In truth, Killean believed that the rights for regional bragging rights between Maine South and Notre Dame would be strongly based on fan support. Killean thought, though, that Notre Dame would have the dominating fan base. Luckily for Maine South, he was wrong.

The gym was completely packed, and at the end of the night, Maine South hoisted the regional championship plaque above their shoulders and cut the net, beating Notre Dame 53-52 in front of the most enthusiastic audience in recent Maine South basketball history.

After losing to Galesburg over Martin Luther King weekend, Maine South won eleven of its last twelve games. One of these victories came over highly-talked-about Waukegan, the favorite to win state this year with its crown jewel and most likely Mr. Basketball of Illinois, Jeremy Richmond.

Then came the playoffs. First up were the Grenadiers from Elk Grove.

It was a rather quiet night at Maine South, as students failed to show because it was not a prime opponent.

Despite the small crowd, Maine South took care of business, winning 56-41.

The game was unexpectedly tense in the first half, when Maine South led by only one after the first quarter, but then they shifted into overdrive, as the Hawks went into halftime with a 12-point advantage. From there, the game was out of reach the rest of the way for the Grenadiers. Team leaders included senior Justin Wasik, scoring a team-high 17 points, and senior Pat Maher, finishing the game with eight.

The results did not please Head Coach Tony Lavorato, Jr. though.

“From here, we need to get better,” he saidafter the win. “We have a couple of days to prepare for our next contest and we are looking forward to a regional championship on Friday.”

After Notre Dame won over Leyden, 64-55, it appeared that Friday night would bring a game of bitter rivalry and revenge for the Regional Championship. Expectations were high, as some of the Hawks players had the notion that the intensity off the court would offset the evenly matched teams and no longer would home-court advantage be a factor.

“I think it will just be more of a neutral-court game. Even though we’ve done so well on our home court, I think both crowds will be equally ferocious and intense,” said senior center Kevin Schlitter. Other players thought that despite the big crowds, playing at home would reward.

“Playing at home is always a big factor; you never want lose on your home court, and it doesn’t matter

Correction: Southwords would like to apologize for a mistake published in the last issue, the Maine South Cheerleaders finished 25th in State.

SOUTHWORDS 15

BASEBALL • BADMINTON • BOYS’ GYMNASTICS • GIRLS’ SOCCER • TRACK • SOFTBALL • BOYS’ VOLLEYBALL • WATER POLO

Daniella Kroschel

STAFF WRITER

W

ith the immense talent that is on the boys’ track team, positive results are inevitable Lately for the boys’ track and field team, things have been more than hectic. With all that is going on at once, there is no space left to move around the field house.

However, throughout the hectic atmosphere, they have been performing far above average. Currently there are over 170 athletes on the team and almost each one is contributing to the team’s success “This is one of our biggest teams ever and has the potential to be one of the best if we stay focused, work hard, and stay healthy down the stretch,” says Head Coach Brian Fee. The Hawks have been performing at their best at meets so far in their season. They have won every meet so far including the challenging Niles West invite March 5.

The squad is looking to improve on their success that they enjoyed last year. In 2009, they made it to State and placed in the top ten. The team is looking forward to repeating their

triumphs.

There are a lot of returning runners including twins, Alec and Mike Long, who are All-State runners in the 4x400 meter relay. David Eckhart, who was a State qualifier last year in the one-mile run, is also back.

“We have a solid team and along with the upperclassmen, we are getting ready to be in the Top Ten again,” Eckhart noted.

Football star, Matt Perez, is also chipping in to help the boys’ squad.

Last year, the Indiana recruit was an All-Conference athlete and was a state qualifier for the team in the 4x100m relay and 4x200m.

The coaches are looking for big things from these runners as well as the rest of the team. They have put a lot of effort in the season so far and are ready for the Indoor Conference coming up.

There are many younger runners on the track squad that are doing jumping, whereas the other events are reserved for seniority on the team.

In the Pole Vault, Andrew Terenzio and Nick Wisniewski are the top guys.

They get over the bar and aim higher each week; currently, their goal stands

Katie O’Connor

Who is in your Final Four?

PHOTO BY MIRANDA KAHRILAS

Boys’ track preparing for the outdoors

Victor Ayala participates in the long jump in a track meet last month at Maine South. The track team is finishing up their indoor season this month. to become better in the next couple at 12 feet.

Luke Mottley is another jumper of years.

As far as the throwers go for the who is so far having quite a year; the junior has been winning the long jump Hawks, senior Kyle Klepich and junior and the high jump. Along with the help Frank Colletti are both battling for first of dominant senior, Jason Frangos, place. Each of the throwers continue to the jumpers are looking forward to a perservere are constantly improving.

Both of them are keeping up with pace positive year.

According to Mr. Lonergan, this of the contentious CSL south.

This season, the boys’ track year, the jumpers are mostly the same group as they were at last year. With team is looking to build upon their younger members being on Varsity, upperclassmen’s success with the talent they have gotten some good experience of their younger runners.

Adam Sirvinskas

Lindsay Parrino

Adam Mueller

For what?

Kentucky, Ohio State, Kansas, Syracuse

What is that?

Duke, Ohio State, Kansas, Siena

What is your favorite Spring Break destination?

Alaska

Miami, Florida

Africa

Hawaii

What is your favorite thing about spring?

Flowers

Tulips and Roses

It’s my birthday!

Spring Break!

What is your favorite Spring Sport?

Softball

Croquet

Softball

Water Polo