Vol 47 issue 1

September 10, 2010

1111 S. Dee Road • Park Ridge, Illinois 60068

Vol. 47, No. 1

In with the

NEW

New principal arrives Mr. Messmer comes to Maine South Page 2

Editors’ Picks: VMAs

The 411 to school success

Fall sports preview

Southwords’ finest choose the best videos Page 5

Everything you need to know to succeed Page 8

A look at this season’s athletics Page 11

NEWS

SEPTEMBER 10, 2010 VOL. 47, NO. 1

2) Two men arrested on August 30 at Schiphol International Airport in the Netherlands are being held on suspicion of plotting a terrorist act. Both men took off from Chicago en route to Yemen.

1) On August 17, the jury in the Rod Blagojevich corruption trial convicted the former governor on one count of corruption out of 24 (see page 4).

3) On August 30, President Obama issued an executive order imposing financial sanctions on North Korean entities and business associates.

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Netherlands

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North Korea 1

Baghdad 5

4) Drilling began on Sept.

1 to free 33 Chilean miners trapped underground. Efforts to rescue the miners are expected to take about four months.

Pakistan 6

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Chile

5) On Sept. 1, Vice President Biden announced the end of Operation Iraqi Freedom and officially transferred U.S. command to Operation New Dawn, a joint U.S.Iraqi mission.

6) The death toll due to Pakistani flooding reached 1,639 on August 28. Monsoon season has displaced over 1 million Pakistanis so far.

Maine South welcomes Mr. Messmer students and staff. “They really love mechanics of what makes Katie Kinell & Sam Okrasinski STAFF WRITER & NEWS EDITOR

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aine South’s new principal, Mr. Messmer, has a good deal of experience working with students, and has a strong background in both teaching and administration.

After teaching social science for eight years in Virginia, Washington D.C., and Pennsylvania, he served as the assistant principal of a large suburban high school just outside of Philadelphia for five years.

When asked why he and his wife decided to move to Chicago he said, “We decided we wanted to be in the Chicago-land area. Maine South just seemed liked the perfect fit, and things just fell into place.”

Adjusting to being principal has been “great from start to finish,” according to Mr. Messmer. A highlight for him has been working with the

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this place, and they’re excited to be here,” Messmer said. “The teachers really love working with the students, and the students clearly are invested in Maine South, which is nice. They care about what goes on here and are proud of the school. You don’t get that everywhere.”

The fact that the students and staff have been so willing to engage a complete stranger was both nice and unexpected for Mr. Messmer. Aside from this, however, not much has surprised him yet about the students of Maine South.

“Students are a little different here and there, but for the most part they all face the same fears, needs, and wants everywhere,” he noted.

So far, the school year has kept Mr. Messmer fairly busy. He has been meeting with students and teachers, evaluating staff, and studying the

Maine South function.

For now, there aren’t any major changes in the works for the school. He is focusing on learning about Maine South and listening to the needs and wants of those who would be affected by any future changes.

One thing he looks forward to addressing is the cell phone policy, which is currently to have cell phones turned off and out of sight. As times change, Mr. Messmer believes some policies may need reevaluating in order to better fit the needs of those involved. As principal, Mr. Messmer is enjoying working at Maine he will help to make this South. school the best it can be.

PHOTO BY JOSIE FIORETTO

Chicago

VOL. 47, NO. 1 SEPTEMBER 10, 2010

Quest Food Services comes to Maine South n July 12, the District 207 Board of Education ruled to replace the existing food service, Sodexo, with Quest Food Management Services.

The Board granted the new company a one-year minimum, four-year maximum contract.

Quest intends to make the most of that time while making up for all the rumbling stomachs Sodexo left behind.

“We want to send out a highquality, but value-priced meal,” Ms. Ann Benson, manager of the Quest employees at Maine South, said.

“I know you’ve had a poor lunch program here for many years…but with our healthy choices, we want kids to try what we’re doing.”

Quest uses local produce and fresh ingredients as much as possible.

“The produce that we use is like that of a five-star produce program,” Ms. Benson said. “We don’t use a lot of processed foods here…for the most part, everything is made from scratch each morning.”

Quest is not part of the National School Lunch Program. This means

that the company can choose its own ingredients and that students get a broader selection of products that are healthy and affordable.

Using that to its full advantage, Quest utilizes creative themes and menus for each of the lines that lead into the cafeteria. For instance, there is a designated vegetarian line available in addition to a “wellness” line and an Italian (“Mama Ping’s”) line.

To make finding the right line even easier, there are even menus available at each line. “We have a line menu posted near every door to let people know what is available on that line every day,” Ms. Benson said. “When they go inside, they will see a poster saying what is available today…and every line has something new every day.”

While it could be expected that healthy things would come with large price tags, this is not so with Quest’s service. Quest uniquely manages its own purchasing and personnel to keep cafeteria line prices down.

If, for instance, the price for fresh tomatoes skyrocketed, Quest would search for an affordable, yet healthy, alternative until tomatoes were readily

participating,” noted Ms. Benson. When asked what challenges she faces in serving Maine South, she said “First, finding out what they really want and what they really like.”

But Quest holds the trump card in that respect. Where Sodexo was somewhat of a cold, distant power, Quest tries to be more of a closer, more accessible group.

To do this, Quest uses a concept called “food c o m m i t t e e s .” T h i s i s primarily what separates it from Sodexo and defines the meaning of a locally-based group.

“We bring in twenty or thirty students randomly, Junior Becky Nedza enjoys the new salad have a meeting…have [the bar courtesy of Quest Food Management. students] try samples, and available. get their instant feedback.

The one difficulty lies in getting That’s what this company is based on, those healthy choices and reasonable and that’s how we have grown…based prices to the students. Ms. Benson on these student food committees.” made it clear that that’s hard when no Quest is doing everything they can one is buying the food. to adapt to the needs of students.

“We’re waiting for people to start

News

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STAFF WRITER

PHOTO BY JOSIE FIORETTO

Tom Spytek

Natalie Kirchhoff STAFF WRITER

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he construction of a new Islamic center near Ground Zero, the site of the September 11 terrorist attacks, has met opposition from religious and political groups around the country.

The project, referred to as Park51, is a proposed cultural, educational, and religious worship center for those of the Islamic faith. However, the proximity of this center to the site of the World Trade Center has sparked much heated debate.

The projected center is a thirteenstory building that would house a mosque and other resources available for Muslims in the Lower Manhattan area. The mosque would be located about two hundred feet from Ground Zero.

A key advocator of the center is Imam Feisal Abdul-Rauf. As the leader of the anticipated mosque, he voiced his support for the project and represented many Islamic Americans and other citizens who back the center’s development. He has questioned the tolerance toward Muslims in America,

and compared his cause with those of other minorities from the past. In an interview, Abdul-Rauf asserted, “We are evolving an American Islamic identity, and the struggles we are going through today are of the same genre as what the previous faith communities had to face.” However, the idea of an Islamic place of worship so close to a memorial location has caused controversy.

Those opposed to Park51 feel that the construction of a mosque so near to an area that was destroyed by Islamic radicals is insensitive to the families and survivors of the attacks.

Many rallies have already taken place in New York in opposition to further development of the center. New York Governor David Patterson remarked on the insistency protesters, telling CNN, “what that tells me is the wounds of 9/11 haven’t healed, and I think if they haven’t, perhaps we can find ways to bring about that healing by creating a situation where people will feel more comfortable.” President Barack Obama also recently made comments regarding the project.

While he did not voice a clear opinion on the proposed location of

GRAPHIC BY ADRIAN ADAMIEC PHOTO COURTESY OF GOOGLE MAPS

Proposed location of Islamic mosque creates controversy

Park51, Obama remarked during the Iftar Presidential dinner that “Our commitment to religious freedom must be unshakable.”

Many families affected by the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center have voiced their opinions regarding the mosque and according to recent polls, the majority of Americans do not approve of the development of Park51. Some feel that such a proposal is disrespectful to those who lost their lives on September 11 and that another location would be

more considerate to the victims of the attack. However, there are still people who disagree with the popular opinion. A supporter of the mosque spoke at a rally, saying “It would be giving in to bigotry and intolerance to demand that it be moved and I think in the end, it makes us less safe because we need to show the world that we are a tolerant, open society.”

The two conflicting parties are still both petitioning for their causes, with a compromise yet to be reached.

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SEPTEMBER 10, 2010 VOL. 47, NO. 1

Rod Blagojevich trial extended Sarah Tarabey

NEWS

STAFF WRITER

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seat was the most obvious,” said Sarnello. Parker agreed, adding, “The Senate seat was the strongest [allegation] the prosecution had.”

One juror, a woman who would only agree that Blagojevich lied to the FBI, made all the difference.

“She just didn’t see it like we all did,” explained Sarnello. At a certain point, there was no changing. You can’t make somebody see something they don’t see.”

Tension was even more notable in the courthouse when the jury announced the single verdict they agreed on. Judge James Zagel declared a mistrial on the other 23 counts and told the prosecution he would

to shed more light on this increasingly complex situation.

Senate Republican leader Christine Radogno worries about the trial’s implication for the future. “One of my biggest concerns is that the Blagojevich defense team may have convinced people that he was just practicing politics as usual in Illinois.”

She continued to voice concerns over what she believes to be the state’s inadequate ethics reforms.

Blagojevich faces a possible prison sentence of up to five years and another trial. He is still willing to battle against a government he believes to be unfairly persecuting him. “This is a fight for the very freedom that we as

fter three weeks of intense deliberation, a federal jury found former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich guilty on only one count: lying to the Federal Bureau of Investigations.

This was considered to be one of the less-serious charges against the ex-governor. As a conclusion could not be reached on the remaining 23 counts, a retrial is scheduled to take place.

Blagojevich has been making national headlines since his removal from office in early 2009. Soon after, federal prosecutors indicted him on multiple counts in a scheme they called the “Blagojevich Enterprise.”

He faced a flurry of widespread allegations, from attempting to sell Obama’s former senate seat to racketeering and extortion conspiracies.

Four of his clos est advisers, including his brother, Robert, were also charged.

Though he continued to publicly proclaim his innocence, Blagojevich w a s n o t a b l y s i l e nt throughout his trial.

His legal team argued that while he was public Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was found guilty of only one count: lying to the Federal about his trial in the Bureau of Investigations. His retrial is set to begin the week of January 4, 2011. beginning stages, his appearances amounted to nothing. give them time to decide their next Americans enjoy,” he said. “The right Although Blagojevich promised to plan of action. Most, including to be able to be innocent, the right to testify, a decision late in the trial made head prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald, be able to do your job and not to be it unnecessary. Prosecution used this appeared emotionless, but prosecutor lied about.”

Financial troubles, however, may Schar was clearly disappointed. “It is to their full advantage.

The majority of evidence against absolutely our intention to retry this,” keep him from accomplishing his goal. Fees from his 20-person legal Blagojevich consisted of FBI wiretaps. he declared.

Stepping out of the courthouse, team have left him deeply in debt, The ex-governor referred to having the power to appoint a senator as Blagojevich waved to the fans and and a retrial would likely worsen the “golden,” and would not give it up supporters that had gathered outside dilemma.

On August 17, he was dealt another to greet him. “This jury shows you easily.

This, however, did not make the that the government threw everything blow when the government dropped jury’s deliberations any easier. “[The but the kitchen sink at me... They all charges against his brother, Robert case] was hard to follow,” said 21-year- could not prove I did anything wrong Blagojevich. Dubbed a strategic move old juror Erik Sarnello, a college – except for one nebulous charge from by legal analysts, it was likely an attempt to really focus on their main student. Fellow juror Cynthia Parker five years ago.”

Public reactions to the verdict goal of convicting the ex-governor. agreed. “I’ve been on juries before; I’ve The retrial is set to begin the week never had it this tough.” Others, like have been split. “It sounds like the James Matsumoto, immediately found case was lost in jury selection,” said of January 4, 2011. “This should really Joel Levin, who partook in the 2006 worry Rod, because they can focus like him guilty on all counts.

Eventually the decision ended in conviction of former Illinois Gov. a laser on him now,” said Bill Healy, a an 11-1 split, the majority in favor George Ryan. Many agree that there is Chicago-based jury consultant. “The of conviction on the most serious still a long way to go and are looking prosecution’s going to have a stronger charges. “For a lot of us, the Senate to the second trial as an opportunity case the second time ‘round.”

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Maine South High School 1111 South Dee Road Park Ridge, IL 60068 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 Katie Hernandez Jackie Hazlett-Morris News Editors Ashley Kozubal Sam Okrasinski Features Editors Jimmy Loomos Ally Stevens Entertainment Editors Max Mallory Kaci Zimmerman Commentary Editors Austin Bryniarski Anthony Eugenis Lydia Ramsey Sports Editors Erin Martell Michael Unti Charlie Vinopal Production Head Adrian Adamiec Production Editor Adam Smith Photography Editor Josie Fioretto Editorial Assistants Josh Timm Hope Tone Adviser Mr. Stathakis

VOL. 47, NO. 1 SEPTEMBER 10, 2010

“Last Girl On Earth” tour blows away Windy City Kaci Zimmerman ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

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screaming fans was then ready to see famous pop diva, Rihanna.

Despite the grueling hour plus intermission, the energy did not die down. If anything, it grew as the time went on in anticipation for her to begin.

Rihanna’s opening song “Russian Roulette” off of her new album “Rated R” was exotic and intense.

Rihanna came up from the floor belting her song while greeting Chicago.

Every light was a deep red and she strutted around in a one piece cargo leotard with black leather boots. She was rocking a new hair cut too: a chin length bob with a fierce shade of red.

Her pitch was perfect with every note. Her set had a military flavor, with neon pink tanks, dancers dressed as soldiers in combat holding neon rifles. There was a huge lit up “R” on the left hand side of the stage to make her presence known.

She kept the crowd going the whole time she was on stage, even when she was changing her costumes. Screens came down with music videos and remixes of her songs each time she left the stage in order to keep the at-

tention of the fans.

When Rihanna sang her new hit song, “Rockstar 101,” everyone felt like a rock star with the deep blue and purple lights flickering to the beat, the guitar blaring clear as day, and the bass bumping so loud everything vibrated; it made the audience feel as if they were part of the show.

The energy was consuming and everyone in the crowd was having a good time. Even the guys, who were dragged there by their girlfriends, seemed to be enjoying the show.

The “Last Girl On Earth” tour ended in the Windy City with a bang.

Literally. Ke$ha ended with crazy pyrotechnics as she disappeared into the sparks, and Rihanna ended with her song “Umbrella” and the neon pink tank went off releasing a huge red flare. After that everyone just stood there in awe wanting more.

With this tour being Ke$ha’s first, her fans seemed to be very pleased with how she performed. As for Rihanna, she was as flawless as porcelain. At the end of the four-hour show, everyone was satisfied and in awe of the concert that successfully showcased two talented pop stars.

Entertainment

ast Girl on Earth” tour took its last stop in Chicago, on August 25, 2010. With Rihanna headlining this world-wide tour, Ke$ha was the chosen opening performance. The United Center was the perfect venue for the “Last Girl On Earth” tour. It was roomy enough to accommodate the performers and the audience, yet small enough to see perfectly from every angle.

A half-hour before the show began, the arena was still half-empty, but fifteen minutes before the scheduled start time, seats started filling up with fans, dressed in rather promiscuous a manner. Although the concert had yet to start, there was an intense energy that encompassed the entire venue.

After the chanting for Ke$ha had gone on long enough, the lights went out and the shrieks began. There she was, in the flesh, wearing a risque costume and full of glitter singing her well-known song “Blah Blah Blah.”

Her dancers moved like acrobats and

her voice sounded flawless. From the 16th row, the whole stadium seemed to be dancing and singing as if they were her back up dancers.

The vibe Ke$sha brought to the crowd was one of energy and excitement. The screens on either side of the stage were displaying her music videos, and the strobe lights were going non-stop. Obviously stage directors wanted the lights to benefit the performance, but they got quite distracting after constantly flashing in the audiences faces. Good thing for the strobe light warning, because the frequent use of them made it possible to have a seizure at any given time.

As she gallivanted to each sides of the stage in her sequined underwear, she got the crowd going with her high energy songs. Ke$ha, handpicked by Rihanna to open for her, did not disappoint her beloved fans. She was everything that you’d expect her to be live in concert. Despite Ke$ha’s bad reputation, she did not actually brush her teeth with a bottle of Jack.

When her number one hit song “Tik Tok” concluded her performance, there was glitter everywhere, and Ke$ha ran off stage. The crowd of

Cybertron comes to Chicago tress will bring to the film.

were used to drop props from the but I think it has a really killer end-

Over the past few weeks, Huntington-Whiteley, Shia Lebeouf and the other actors took time to greet fans and sign autographs during breaks between filming.

Making it look like Autobots and Decepticons took over Chicago has proven to be a formidable task.

Parking garages and empty lots all over the city had been converted into outdoor prop houses out of necessity. n streets Fans were able to drive down such as LaSalle, Michigan Ave. and pse of a Wacker Drive to get a glimpse ed robot burning building or a severed aiting to leg, clearly on display, just waiting be used during filming. n attack, “The city is under alien ortant to so it’s very critical and important the film’s climax,” director Michael Bay told Chicago Sun-Timess columhe stunts nist Bill Zwecker. To make the plosions look convincing, mock-explosions were created using simple fireworks or construction dynamite. Cranes

Not much of the plot to “Transformers 3” has been revealed to the public just yet, but sources say that Lebeouf ’s character, Sam Witwicky, tries to take his first steps to adulthood while still staying a human ally to Optimus Prime. It has also been mentioned that the Transformers supposedly played a secret role in the “space race” between America and Russia, ultimately contributing to advances in the exploration of our galaxy.

“This one really builds to a final crescendo.

It’s not three multiple endings... As a trilogy, it really ends. [The franchise] could be rebooted again,

Tara Garvey & Adrian Adamiec Many fans have actually gotten sky, as well as for the generation of ing.” Michael Bay tells USA Today.

STAFF WRITER & PRODUCTION HEAD The “Transformers” movies have the chance to meet the new actress. various effects, such as rain. his summer, pedestrians could notice a few unusual sights in the Windy City. There were Scores of assistants clad in yellow tees and sunglasses darting in between police barriers, and the crowds that surrounded them. “Why the commotion?” one might ask before noticing the Autobot shield and the number three on the shirts of these men and women. That’s when the flaming cars and styrofoam pillars begin to make sense; “Transformers 3” has been filming in Chicago.

The film itself, though highly anticipated, has not been an easy one to finish. After the departure of leading lady Megan Fox, Michael Bay was faced with the problem of an almost complete script re-write. Thankfully though, former Victoria’s Secret model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley has stepped in for Fox, generating a buzz of excitement among fans, who are anxious to see what the new ac-

strong reputations of being actionpacked, filled with epic battles between good and evil. Based on what has been seen during the Chicago filming, the wow factor of “Transformers 3” should not disappoint.

Though fans of the series have to wait until July 1, 2011 to witness the movie, allowing for all the CGI and editing to take place, seeing the city in a full out robot war will surely be a sight to see, and one definitely worth waiting for.

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SEPTEMBER 10, 2010 VOL. 47, NO. 1

Editors’ picks for this year’s MTV VMAs Max Mallory ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

eptember 12 is an important day for a lot of musicians. It’s the day of MTV’s VMAs, one of the biggest music awards ceremonies in the world; the VMAs are famous for outlandish acts, surprise winners, and a certain incident last year involving a Mr. West. This year the editors at Southwords hand-picked our winners for each VMA category.

Video of the Year – “Telephone” –Gaga and Beyonce Gaga and B eyonce’s double effort in this video made it a winner.

“Telephone” is a nine-and-a-half -minute video for a four-minute song.

If that doesn’t say something about the effort put into this video, maybe the content will. It includes plenty of choreography, weird and crazy prison scenes, and even a nod to Tarantino’s movie “Kill Bill.” The effort from these two stars gives the video a deserving moonman.

Best new artist – tie – Jason Derulo and Nicki Minaj The editors were torn between these two competing artists. Jason Derulo is definitely a front runner with songs like “In My Head” and “Ridin’ din’ Solo.” But, Nicki Minaj is also

Best Female Video – “Bad Romance” – Lady Gaga Hmm, that name sounds familiar.

Lady Gaga has more nominations than anyone else at the VMAs this year. In the category of Best Dance Video, “Bad Romance” won in a landslide, but in this category it was a lot closer. Ke$ha’s “Tik Tok” lost by only one vote.

Best Hip-hop video – “On to the Next One” – Jay-Z This video, released as the first music video of 2010 is a front-runner for this award. It was the fourth single Jay-Z released from his platinum album, “The Blueprint 3.” The video is extremely unique, with flashing symbols, people, and characters, with the entire thing in black and white.

Best Male Video – “Not Afraid” – Eminem Eminem’s first single from his smash hit album “Recovery,” this song has a lot of nominations. The video features Eminem performing the song in the streets of New Jersey, and we all thought it deserved the award.

Eminem and Jay-Z are currently doing a unique tour dubbed “Home & Home” in which they will perform a pair of concerts in Detroit and New York. It’s unknown if Eminem will record again or not.

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extremely popular with songs like “Massive Attack” and “Your Love”.

Both of these artists have solid songs and a plethora of talent. These two tie for the award of “Best New Artist.”

Best Collaboration – “Airplanes” – B.o.B and Hayley Williams The unlikely team of this rapper and rocker became a hit when it was released in April. This is B.o.B’s first year in the music industry and this song has already hit number two on the Billboard Hot 100. Hayley’s already a veteran in the business, she’s made three albums with her band “Paramore,” with two of them going gold, and their second album, “Riot!” going platinum. This duo wins in a landslide in our eyes.

B est Dance Vide o – “Bad Romance” – Lady Gaga The formerly-most-viewed video on Youtube, Bad Romance was a smash hit on its debut. The lead single on Gaga’s second album has topped numerous “Best of 2009” lists across the web, and her album “The Fame Monster” has gone platinum in nine different countries. Gaga is currently on her second tour around the world, and also working on her third album.

She’s won three Moonmen last year, and this year she’s a contender for even more.

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Best Pop Video – “California Gurls” – Katy Perry New York had its love song with “Empire State of Mind” and now, its California’s turn. This video rivals the craziness of Gaga. Katy Perry went all out on this one. It’s literally a video filmed in Candy Land. All the props are sweets related varying from cotton candy clouds to candy cane trees. There are California landmarks which appear throughout the video, such as the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the Hollywood Sign and some West Coast beaches—all made of candy, of course.

Best Rock Video – “Ignorance” – Paramore This song from the pop-punkers hit the charts at number 67. The video, released last August, was written from the band’s personal experiences. It’s a catchy song due to Hayley Willams’ vocals and the band’s driving beat. “Ignorance” is the lead single from their 2009 album, “Brand New Eyes.” The video is definitely not something to miss.

Although these may not be the winners, these are our top choices.

Tune in to the Video Music Awards hosted by Chelsea Handler on September 12 on MTV at 9.

VOL. 47, NO. 1 SEPTEMBER 10, 2010

Scott Pilgrim vs. the box office “Scott Pilgrim vs. The World”

Nick Mateus

STAFF WRITER

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Sucking up all the vamp attention?

Paula Gawedzski STAFF WRITER

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f you are looking for some laughs these final days of summer, then “Vampires Suck” would be a good movie to watch. Brought to you by the guys who couldn’t sit through another vampire movie, this hilarious parody of “Twilight” was written and directed by Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer.

It was released on August 18, 2010, and the previews shown on T.V. were enough to make anyone laugh and want to see this movie as soon as possible. All the names were cleverly switched around and the roles were played by actors and actresses who looked freakishly like the original ones.

Bella Swan is now Becca Crane, Edward Cullen is Edward Sullen, and Jacob Black is Jacob White, just to name a few. Jenn Proske, the actress who played Becca, mimicked Kristen Stewart’s acting style down to every awkward look and twitch; even her voice sounded exactly similar.

The plot of this film follows the same one as “Twilight” while adding humorous and outrageous things along the way. Becca Crane is an awkward,

timid teenage girl being forced to move from Arizona to Forks, Washington. She is starting her senior year at a new high school with no friends and is not excited.

On the first day, she notices mysterious Edward Sullen, and after he saves her from being hit by a car, she can’t seem to stay away. Soon Becca notices strange behavior and comes to realize that he is, in fact, a vampire.

It’s not long before Becca’s old childhood friend, Jacob White, falls in love with her and tries coming in between her and Edward. Being with Edward is dangerous for Becca because he can kill her at any moment. It doesn’t help that she is constantly with his family because it is harder for them to control their thirst around her than it is for Edward. Throughout the movie, obstacles are thrown in Edward and Becca’s way. No one approves of them being together so it is like a forbidden teenage romance.

Not only does this movie make fun of “Twilight,” but also other things ranging from Lady Gaga to Fox News. If you are one of those “Twihard’s,” then I wouldn’t recommend seeing this movie unless you have a good sense of humor, and although there are some crude parts in the movie, it is appropriate for almost all ages.

Maggie Lynch STAFF WRITER

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he dreaded days have come upon us and we’re, once again, back in study hall. When your homework’s finished and there’s no one around to slip a note to, where do you turn? Your trusty iPod. The summer gave us something other than just a golden glow; it gave us new tunes to beat the boredom of a long study. From catchy Taio Cruz to Indie Rock bands such as Arcade Fire, there’s a song for everyone to secretly mouth the lyrics to while nobody’s watching.

Strong back beats and clever lyrics on Katy Perry’s new album, “Teenage Dream” is one worth downloading. The songs on this album such as “Not like the Movies” and “Circle the Drain” are written in such a way that they are relatable to nearly every teenage girl.

This summer held secret discoveries of new indie rock-out songs such as Passion Pit’s new album, “Manners.” “Manners” has some of the best beat-your-boredom songs such as “Little Secrets,” and the ever popular “Sleepyhead,” an ironic favorite that wakes you up. Following down the alternative music path, we find Arcade Fire’s new album “The Suburbs.” After listening to just two songs I knew this album was fantastic. It’s a perfect choice for study hall head bangers and foot tappers.

For those of you who need a pick me up as you book to the third floor A-wing, Enrique Iglesias’ new album, cleverly titled “Euphoria,” is definitely a necessity for your iPod. The already-popular hit, “I Like It,” was a summer favorite. However, you may also be keen on “One Day At Time” featuring Music: Akon. The name of this song is a great motto for the daunting school year.

If Enrique isn’t your style, I recommend replacing it with a little Bruno Mars. This guy’s music sounds as if he’s singing his romantic pieces just for you. “Just The Way You Are” and “Nothing On You” are on Mars’ new album “Doo-Wops and Hooligans.” These songs will pick you up on those cold winter mornings when it’s tough to get out of bed. And a hint for the guys out there—these songs are really good advice for what to say to the ladies.

Although Taylor Swift’s album hasn’t hit the shelves yet, her single “Mine” is already out and it is fantastic. “Mine” is just a taste of her great new album. Swift is known for romantic and relatable songs made special for high school girls and hopeless romantics. Its characteristic mix of country and pop is catchy, and will have everyone singing along.

So next time you’re in study, crank up that iPod, hope the desk in front of you has a basket for your feet, and relax. It’s shaping up to be a great year of music.

ENTERTAINMENT

cott Pilgrim is in love with Ramona Flowers. But is that enough? “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World” is based on the graphic novel series “Scott Pilgrim” by Bryan Lee O’Malley. Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera) is a 23-year-old Canadian who doesn’t have a job and cannot get over his ex-girlfriend. He is a bass player in a band called “Sex Bob-omb,” and is quite a mess. Then, one day, everything changes. A dangerously cute, roller-blading girl named Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) literally skates into Scott’s life, but there is a catch: before Scott can date her, he must defeat Ramona’s seven evil exes. Can he do it?

Scott Pilgrim’s battles with the seven exes are highly entertaining. The movie plays out like a video game with a graphic novel theme, from its hectic battles, to the comic book effects brought to life. The beauty of this movie is that Scott Pilgrim succeeds in recreating the comic book charm of the original series. Another thing this movie deserves a lot of credit for is its comedic appeal. It’s true that some of the stuff they do in the movie is a little absurd, but that’s what makes it extremely funny.

Many of the comedy movies that have come out in the past couple of years keep reusing the same basic plot idea. It worked once, so they keep doing it over and over again. “Hot Tub Time Machine,” “The Hangover,” “Old Dogs” and “Grownups” are good examples of this. They are all about middleaged men doing something batty and then ending up in a messed-up situation that is supposed to be laughable. What makes “Scott Pilgrim vs. The World” so brilliant is that it takes comic book humor, and combines it with an action-packed plot.

“Scott Pilgrim” doesn’t only cater to comedy fans and graphic novel/manga fans, but also to video game fans as well. The movie is exactly like a video game plot in itself, from fighting the seven evil exes to getting power-ups and weapons.

“Scott Pilgrim” also pays homage to many different classic video games, from some old-school game songs to joke references. Some series that are mentioned in this movie are “Super Mario Bros,” “Sonic the Hedgehog,” “Pac Man,” “Final Fantasy,” and “Dance Dance Revolution.” In the end, “Scott Pilgrim” is a great movie that can easily compete in quality with some of the summer’s top blockbuster hits like “Toy Story 3” and “Inception.” This movie is recommended for any Maine South student or teacher who likes a good comedy movie, or who is into graphic novels and/or video games.

Sing the study hall blues away with a summer playlist

SOUTHWORDS 7

SEPTEMBER 10, 2010 VOL. 47, NO. 1

Fashion

Kelsey Eichman

STAFF WRITER

Girls Fur Vest (Modcloth.com)-$64.99 A must for fall because they will keep you just warm enough. This vest can be paired with wideleg trouser jeans, huge sunglasses, and tons of jewelry, so it truly fits for any occasion.

Perfect for shopping, apple picking, or football all games. This is so versatile; wear with a dress ess and tights, any kind of jean, or almost any other er pants.

Riding Boots (Modcloth.com)-$74.99 These boots are no longer meant only for horseback riding. These are the ultimate accessory to complement any outfit and up the luxury factor.

Anyone with a sense of fashion should own a pair of these boots.

Suede Skirt (Asos.com)-$50.55 A great, younger alternative to the usual leather skirt. Meant for fall and winter. This would lookk perfect with an array of tights and boots or flats.

Trousers (Lulu’s)-$52

Gadgets Michele Lee STAFF WRITER

Anti-Theft Lunch Bags (Perpetualkids)-$10 These lunch bags are made with green splotches on each side of the bag. The fresh food will appear spoiled to the thefts, preventing them from taking your food!

2 GB USB Flash Drive (Best Buy)-$11.99 Get this USB flash drive this year to save your work and bring it back and forth. This lightweight portable device can store lots of your work, and it is compatible with most computers.

Clocky Alarm Clock (Clocky.net)-$39 Can’t wake up in time for school? That won’t happen with the “Clocky” rolling alarm clock!

Once you hit the snooze button this alarm clock runs away throughout your room beeping and flashing until you get up.

Beats by Dr. Dre (Best Buy)-$199.99 These cordless headphones can tune out noisy kids in study halls, and they make it optimal for doing homework. They also come in handy when you want to listen to music without disturbing others around you.

DualView Camera (Samsung)-$299.99

They look great rolled up or tucked into leather her boots and can be worn throughout multiple seaasons. They are incredibly versatile and a great alternative to everyday jeans.

Capture unforgettable moments this year at football games and dances with The DualView Camera from Samsung. This camera has a view screen on the back and front, making it possible to snap pictures from every direction.

Guys

iPad (Apple)-$499

Sailor Striped Sweater (Swell.com)-$68 This sweater can be worn straight through summmer and all the way into fall. It’s a classic that will never fail for being super comfortable and cute as well. It’s wearable everywhere, and with anything.

It’s light, user-friendly, and fun. Listen to music, search the web, watch videos, share pictures, e-mail, and read books all on the large touch screen.

Aluminum Water Bottle (Target)-$11.99 Corduroys (Urban Outfitters)-$38 They are the best alternative to jeans and are the pants of fall. Their subtle texture makes an outfit more interesting and adds an element of comfort.

This trend’s longevity has proven it is a keeper.

Military Distressed Sneakers (Urban Outfitters)-$60 Distressed military sneakers can make any outfit urban. They are perfect for everyday activities and would look great with jeans or black pants. Fall is not the same without a little military inspiration.

Noodie (FootballFanatics.com)-$23 These college noodies are the perfect way to stay both warm, and also root for your future school.

They come in all colors and sizes, so there’s one for every fan.

Stay hydrated with these aluminum reusable water bottles. They are eco-friendly, and they come in many colors, sizes, and patterns so there is a water bottle out there for everybody.

iPod Shuffle (Apple)-$49 Want your iPod to be as light as a feather this school year? This new iPod has buttons to switch songs, shakes to shuffle and will even tell you the name of the song if you are curious.

M Muscle-Toning Gym Shoes ((New Balance)-$100 T True Balance of New Balance has toning collect tions for both men and women that uses stechn nology that increases muscle movement in gluts, q quads, hamstrings, and calves.

Starwars Shirt (Adidas)-$30

LogicTech Webcam (Logitech.com)-$20+ L

Own the court in this unique basketball shirt featuring Chubaka navigating the court instead of a spaceship.

K Keep in touch with faraway friends via Skype, aand enjoy all the internet video fun there is. Webcams from Logictech are as low as $20.

10 SOUTHWORDS

Features

Plaid Jacket (FredFlare.com)-$95

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T A H W BUY...

VOL. 47, NO. 1 SEPTEMBER 10, 2010

To: Mr. Messmer Re: Maine South Dear Mr. Messmer, Greetings; let’s take a journey. I know a place where the walls reek of the ‘70s. (I would continue my parody of Katy Perry’s “California Gurls” here, but I don’t know how the administration would feel about me writing the rest of the lyrics.) But seriously Mr. Messmer, welcome to Maine South. I’m Lisa Francis, and I’ll be your tour guide as I take you inside and out of our humble abode. I think you’ll really come to enjoy our little Park Ridge oasis. So as not to leave you roaming the desert all alone, here’s some direction for your “freshman” year.

So before writing this letter to you, I sat down and did what any noble journalist would do—I indulged in a bit of research and found your bio on the school website. I think you’ll find that suburban Chicago is a lot like suburban Philadelphia. After all, the suburbs are the suburbs...there will always be more trees than people and kids will always own plethora of either North Face jackets or Ugg boots.

Also, since you’re from the Philly area, I was told to insert a Blackhawks-Flyers joke right about here, but my parents always taught me that manners matter and I’m trying to make a good first impression.

I think you’ll find that Maine South is like any other high school one might come across, but we certainly have our quirks. Actually, we have so many quirks that I don’t even know where to start. How about the basics? Let’s start with bathrooms. Amongst the many perks that come with being a faculty member here in District 207, you will find that our building comes equipped with super-duper facilities designated exclusively for staff. But just in case you ever find yourself in dire straits and must use one of the student restrooms, there are some particulars you should be aware of. First of all, never use the bathrooms in the A-wing on the first floor. Our fabulous custodial staff can scrub all they want, but I’m still convinced that there are specimens in there that even the AP Bio teachers can’t identify. If you have to use a student bathroom, try to make it to either the auditorium lobby or the spectator gym...we have classy restrooms there to impress the parents.

Let’s move on to an old friend of the restroom—the hallway. As the principal, you have free reign of these micro-highways anytime you want, hall pass-free. For the rest of us, it takes some strategy. If you can, don’t leave your office until passing period is over. Right where the glass hallway in the front meets the Ralph J. Frost Administration Center is where the infamous “Suicide T” can be found. I didn’t know until the end of my junior year that that is what it was known as, but the word “appropriate” doesn’t even begin to cover how fitting the name “Suicide T” is. When walking in either direction and attempting to turn at Suicide T, one is bound to run into an awk (I’ve heard about seven girls abbreviate “awkward” to this pseudo-abbreviation so far this year) situation. You will either a.) not be able to turn at the T, thus forcing you to pretend you never actually wanted to turn there in the first place as to avoid embarrassment, or b.) you will have been able to make the turn but whilst executing, you will have run into the chest of a sweaty stranger. I still have yet to decide which outcome I’d prefer. But in conclusion, Mr. Messmer, avoid the T...leave it to the pros for now.

While we’re on the subject of touchdowns, we may as well discuss one of the largest sources of Maine South’s school spirit—the football team. Don’t get me wrong—I am incredibly proud to be able to say I attend a high school with a football program as phenomenal as ours. As principal of the Maine South machine, you should know (and probably already do) that football is an integral cog. You may hear students and even parents groan in spite over how “football is like the only thing we care about here.” While that’s probably a bit true, it’s certainly not where all emphasis is directed. All of our athletic teams and extracurricular activities are excellent, so make sure to see all we have to offer. Maybe it’s just me, but something about having the principal of the school sit in on an activity makes it feel so “legit” (another common abbreviation we Hawks use incessantly).

Commentary

One aspect about attending Maine South that really makes me tingle is the music in the hallways. Unlike what a good portion of what the student body will tell you, I actually like the subtle background noise. While I do enjoy mildly eavesdropping on the overdramatic chatter of my peers as I stroll down the hall, the hallway music has become something I can depend on, like rain or taxes. You should know that we only have about four songs in our repertoire, so in case you’re ever on a game show and forced to recite the lyrics to “Don’t Stop Believin’” in their entirety, you’ll be more prepared than the football team was against Schaumburg a couple of weeks ago.

Speaking of incessant use, I’d like to touch on the cafeteria, which most students visit at least once during the course of the day. To be blunt, I can’t tell you how fortunate you are to be starting your Maine South career during the reign of Quest instead of the Weimar Republic that was Sodexo for the last few years. Granted, we’ve only been in school for a couple of weeks, my peers and I are thoroughly impressed with the new food supplier. So congratulations—your timing couldn’t have been better, Mr. Messmer.

As I wrap this up, I sit here hoping that I didn’t forget to address any topic of utmost importance. In terms of class work, I think you’ll find that the academic atmosphere here is pretty intense. However, the student body has proven proficient at the “work hard, play hard” attitude. I have truly valued my time here at Maine South and hope that you’ll feel the same way. As a senior, it’ll be bittersweet to leave when we graduate in 36ish weeks (not that I’m counting). Hopefully this has helped you become a bit more literate in all there is to know about Hawk country. Feel free to catch me in the hallways with any additional questions—I’m the obnoxiously loud brunette who always wears a cardigan. Best of luck to you!

Sincerely, Lisa Francis, Class of 2011

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SEPTEMBER 10, 2010 VOL. 47, NO. 1

Austin Bryniarski COMMENTARY EDITOR

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COMMENTARY

hile you may be feeling anxious about a new year of school and the myriad of schoolwork that is to come, most of us can be relieved about one thing: summer homework. The packets, books, and notes that were slaved over until the early hours of August 24 are now behind us…at least for another year or so. Summer should be a time of fun and a break from Xeroxed textbooks and blank maps— and here are a few reasons why.

The premise of summer homework makes sense.

Teachers give it so that students can prepare for their next course or to make up for the time that’s lost due to May AP testing dates. But while this idealistically makes sense, it just doesn’t work. The objective is to do a little bit of work every day so that one can make the most of the information they are given.

Being the procrastinators we are, a majority of the Maine South population waits until the last week, if not night, to finish it—a perfect storm for subpar work that the student might not understand.

What happened to summer break being an actual break? Teachers, if we have a three-day weekend and you want to give us a few more math problems, we get it. We commend those of you for being so kind as to not give us homework for Spring Break or Thanksgiving Break. So why do you give it for the longest break of all? This is when we’re trying to flood our student résumés with summer programs and summer jobs. Or, we indulge by

spending countless hours at the pool and taking trips to Poland. It really isn’t fair.

Junior Aneta Darlak agrees. “It’s boring. I don’t want to sit at home reading while I could be outside.

There is a reason it’s called summer vacation; so I can have a vacation and not sit and do homework on a day-to-day basis.”

While Aneta may have a similar opinion to that of the rest of the student body, studies show that a summer occupied by any sort of educational activity is beneficial. This is a main argument of supporters of year-round schooling, as seen in a PBS article circa 2008. I think an educational trip to the museum or going to an art fair is a good way to make up for the time that we are not in school.

(Park Ridge’s Concert in the Park, anyone?)

Those tests and essays on the summer material are also pretty annoying...to start out the school year with a test on “Frankenstein”? We should be starting school by playing ice-breakers and decorating nametags, not by filling in little black bubbles.

At least someone is on our side: New York State has produced guidelines for summer homework if a school issues it, according to stophomework.com.

The site also cited a study that there is apparently no correlation between homework (summer or not) and the achievement of students.

Who am I to complain though? I, just like all of you, have been and still am complaining, and yet there has not been progress made on our part.

I guess I’ll just have to suck it up and scale the mountain that is summer homework, come senior year.

Blago proves politics a hairy issue Hope Tone ASSISSTANT EDITOR

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ver since December of 2008, when Rod Blagojevich was arrested for allegedly selling President Barack Obama’s seat in the Senate, he has been at the heart of media attention. The trial that followed has been no exception and this media blitz is having a significant effect on the public opinion.

After two more months of deliberations, the jury in the Blagojevich trial found him guilty of only one of twenty-four charges. Following the trial, Blagojevich’s attorney Sam Adams Sr. spoke to the media about what the cost of the retrial would be.

What Blagojevich’s attorney neglected to address was the moral cost of letting not only a guilty man, but also a governor who had violated the trust of his people, off of the hook.

While the cost of a second trial may be high, I do not understand how Blagojevich and his supporters think that the issue can just be thrown to the side. He was, after all, not acquitted of his crimes.

The jury simply could not come to a unanimous decision. Consider, for example, if a person who had committed a horrific crime like murder or rape had not been found guilty because of one person in a jury. In such a situation, the public would most likely support bringing the criminal to justice. But, in a crime such as this, I think it is harder for the general population to either be as angry with Blagojevich or

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to simply relate to the effects of his crimes, as they would be able to do with an axe murderer.

Overall, I believe that the situation Blagojevich has caused just shows the decreasing moral standards that today’s politicians are held to. These men and women make the decisions that influence our lives daily, but some of them cannot even make ethical decisions. This is not a recent trend, but one that has been developing for many years.

The late Ted Stevens, the longest-serving Republican Senator to the US Senate, was found guilty of accepting bribes in a 2008 trial. In 2008 Democratic Senator John Edwards admitted to having an affair and another child, even while his wife was suffering from breast cancer. Both men held considerable power on Capitol Hill, but showed serious behavioral flaws. How can we trust men and women to make decisions that affect our every day lives if they cannot even make the moral choices? Today’s political campaigns have turned into a competition between the lesser of two evils rather than seeking the truly best candidate. Why is it that American voters are often left with no good alternative?

It seems as if the Rod Blagojevich trial has turned into a prime example of the decaying standards of the American Politician. But, unless we hold our leaders to the same standard we would hold our friends and family members to, then there is no way for the political system to recover. In the end, at least Blagojevich was convicted of something.

When did you finish your summer homework?

Summer homework? More like bummer homework

“Week before school started.”

-Marissa Hyland‘11

“I didn’t...?“ -Tommy Bakken ’13

“Second half of July.”

-Ryan Mays ‘12

“Early on.”

-Alex Moderhock ‘14

VOL. 47, NO. 1 SEPTEMBER 10, 2010

Religious intolerance is reason for controversy Lydia Ramsey COMMENTARY EDITOR

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Jackie Hazlett-Morris EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

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hen I realized that this would be my last first-day of high school, I was ecstatic. “I can’t wait until college,” has been my mantra for four years. But when it hit me that college is a mere nine months away, I started to panic. There are applications to be done, furnishings to be bought, recommendations to request, transcripts to be obtained, and friends to bid farewell to. And on top of all of that, I have to keep my grades up so my college of choice doesn’t decide to retract my acceptance when they see my final senior grades.

“Senioritis” is a luxur y that can’t be afforded for more and more graduating students, with

many colleges increasing both the requirements for acceptance and their tuition. Scholarships are quickly becoming a necessity in this less-than-ideal economy.

Unfortunately, this is a catch-22: the more involved you are, the more scholarships you can qualify for, but the less time you have for schoolwork and upkeep of grades. The goal is to have a healthy balance—stagger your extracurriculars and make sure to put schoolwork first. Colleges like to see involvement, but more and more have been stressing the importance of academics. We can’t just join lots of activities just to have it look good on a college application.

Senior year should be the year when you have all your “fun” classes scheduled. Those electives you heard about in the hallway your freshman year only to find out they were “for seniors only.” Now, as part of the elite

upperclass, I know many students, myself included, are wondering, “What happened to an easy senior year? Were those myths I heard, of students who only carried a folder and a pen to class every day?” It would appear that, yes, our parents and older siblings misled us when describing their “epic” last year of high school, and, yes, we will need more for class than just a pen and paper.

But the essence of senior year hasn’t changed—it’s still the year for us to find our niche, where we really belong, regarding our college or our career. So while this year may not be full of senior electives, it should be a good precursor to college—challenging but manageable with a little discipline and time-management.

Apart from the academic and financial task of the college acceptance process, the emotional toll of going off to college is incredibly draining, both

for the student and the family. A year from now, we will be bidding farewell to family and friends and realizing it may be months before we see them again. Inevitably, homesickness will kick in and you’ll miss the way your aunt pinches your cheeks, and your mom kisses you good night, and you’ll even miss that annoying girl in English class that wouldn’t shut up.

High school has been our home (sad, I know) for four years, and leaving will be like ripping off a band-aid—painful but necessary.

College means leaving behind everything that is comfortable and jumping into the freezing abyss known fondly as “independence” and staying afloat. So enjoy the security of high school, and the comfortable routine of living at home, and even though it may feel like high school will never end, graduation will come all too fast.

Commentary

he terrorist attacks of 9/11 left the whole world shocked. It was by no means the first attack sparked by religious intolerance, but it was dramatic, and it especially had a huge impact on the United States as a nation. The act was carried out by al-Qaeda, a Muslim extremist group aimed at bringing down the democracy of the United States, and, by extension, the religions its citizens participate in. Nine years later, there is still a gaping hole in the center of the business district of Manhattan, a constant reminder of the horrific attack that took place because of intolerance. Now is the time to move on, and glean from the experience knowledge of how to not create another incident like it from ever happening again.

What the United States can start by doing is finding religious tolerance in itself. Our nation was founded upon the ideas that there is no one set religion, and there a clear distinction between the church and state. The first Amendment of our Constitution states that, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;…” This freedom, and the others listed in the First Amendment, is granted to every single American citizen. Every

religion, great or small is allowed, and who practice the Islamic faith should expression, “one bad apple doesn’t there cannot be a double standard. It be granted the same rights as all these spoil the bunch” is not being taken into seems ridiculous to make this one an other religions. That includes the consideration by many Americans. exception to the Constitution. When right to practice their religion in a Al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups we start deviating from Amendments place designated for—worship in this represent a small group of extremely that have been in place since 1791, it case, a mosque. radical Muslims who interpret the opens a Pandora’s Box of exceptions.

In the Islamic faith, it is required Qur’an in a much different way than It is understandable that some by one of the five Pillars to pray five the majority of Muslims. It’s almost may find it odd to consider that times throughout the day. This gets like calling all Christians members of putting a mosque near the location to be quite difficult, for in addition to the KKK, a clear misrepresentation. where Muslim extremists flew planes taking the time out of a busy workday, This is where the problem is. The into two skyscrapers. But extremists get all the press time weren’t there Muslims in the for their actions, and many World Trade Center when it opinions are based off this very was hit? narrow scope. But in fact, there Since the mosque are approximately 1.57 billion isn’t on Ground Zero, but people who practice Islam all rather a few blocks away, over the world. If terrorism was the point is moot. This is a part of their religion, the world no longer just a discussion would be falling apart. on having a religious house The world is too diverse on a national landmark, to exclude any one religious PHOTO COURTESY GOOGLE MAPS but goes much deeper, into group, especially one as large This old Burlington Coat Factory building is the promany Americans’ inherent and peaceful as the Islamic faith posed site for the new mosque. Its location, a few prejudices against the is. It is one of the three major blocks away from Ground Zero, is not on the site of Islamic faith. monotheistic religions of the the terrorist attacks of 9/11.

If you visit downtown world, and it is here to stay. This Chicago, you find many intolerance is just adding fuel to churches and synagogues scattered they must find a quiet place to center a fire that could easily be put out in around the city. The same is true for themselves, face towards Mecca, and classrooms and conversation. The first New York. It has famous cathedrals immerse themselves in their religion. step to coexisting is understanding, and a variety of places for worship. Having a place for prayer in the and that can start here at the high New York City is a microcosm of the heart of New York’s business district school level. To learn more about the world in a way, drawing in people would give workers of Islamic faith Islamic faith, head over to the Islamic from every livable continent, race, the opportunity to have this time Cultural Center in Northbrook, IL. orientation, and religion. There are to devote themselves to the religion In an informational session, you can so many religions in this world, and they practice. learn just how peaceful and conserved they are not being protested. Those It goes to show that the idiomatic the religion is.

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SEPTEMBER 10, 2010 VOL. 47, NO. 1

Boys’ Golf

Last year the girls’ swimming team performed very well, placing high in the sectional meet, as well as having spectacular single performances. As for this year, Coach Kura said, “We hope to continue working hard to achieve our goals which is to place higher than seventh in sectionals, and setting at least two or more school records.” The team has a lot of talent, with sophomore Lauren Buszyldo as well as underclassmen Maddy Coffey and Tyler Gooding. They hope to build upon their success with another great season.

Last year’s golf team had plenty of upper-class talent. Although most of last year’s team were seniors, and have since graduated, the current seniors and underclassmen are performing well.

Coach Scott commented on the performance thus far saying, “We are off to a great start, already breaking school records. Our goal is to advance to the sectionals.” This year they are hoping to get a great amount of help from senior Spencer Groessel, Nick Karas, and Nick Wisniewski.

PHOTO BY JOSIE FIORETTO

Girls’ Swimming

Sophomore Lauren Buszyldo swims the freeestyle in a recent meet.

SPORTS

Dave Eckhart runs in a recent meet at Maine South. Eckhart is an important part of this year’s team.

Girls’ Tennis The girls’ tennis team had an incredibly productive season in 2009, going 7-6 overall, along with a 3-2 finish within their division. Beyond that, the team achieved second place at the Hawk Invite along with a first-place finish in the Jacobs Invite.

In 2010, the Hawks hope for the same success with promising doubles teams: sophomores Claudia Aniol and Nicole Kitsuse, and the state ranked junior twins Audrey and Haley O’Conner. New coach Mrs. Bondi said of the team, “Since I did not coach last year, I am still trying to fine tune the lineup, but am confident that our team will continue to improve as the season unfolds.” With the help of her talented team, Coach Bondi is on pace to do just that.

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Three-year varsity runner Dave Eckhart has consistently been one of the best runners on the boys cross country team, and hopes to perform well in his final season at Maine South. Coach Nordahl said, “The team last year didn’t get the credit that it deserved; we were snubbed by not being placed within the top 20 pre-season polls last year… This year we hope to not only finish within the top 20, but if all goes well, the top ten.” Eckhart, with the help of fellow senior Luke Rossi, junior Michal Filipczak and sophomore Jon Vacarro will try to establish Maine South’s dominance in cross country.

Girls’ Cross Country Last season’s girls’ cross country had a great amount of talent, especially considering Kristen Zillmer was one of the best runner’s in Maine South history. They placed 7th at sectionals, just below what their team goal was in 2009. With Zillmer and a cast of other seniors gone, the cross country team has to begin moving forward with the underclassmen.

Some of those include juniors Austin Beaugureau, and sophomores Megan Lemersal and Madeleine McGrady. Led by strong senior leadership in Kayla Trewartha (all conference last season), the cross country team hopes to be a serious contender.

“Last year we had a good season, but ended up barely missing qualifying for the state meet… we are going after the same goal, hoping that if we train a little harder, we will make the top 5,” said Coach Downing.

PHOTOBY BYMIRANDA MIRANDAKAHRILAS KAHRILAS PHOTO

PHOTO BY MATT BOYCE

Boys’ Cross Country

Kayla Trewortha leads the pack in a varsity cross country meet on Aug. 31 at Maine South.

Girls’ Golf Last year, girls’ golf ended the season tied for third in conference, with an overall dual meet record of 6 - 7. Even though one of the best golfers in the state was lost, Coach Hamann isn’t worried. “Even though Rachel Oberheide has now graduated, I believe that we have one of the deepest teams that we have ever had,” he says. “We currently have eight girls on varsity that can step up any time.” This year, the golf team hopes to become one of the best teams Maine South has ever seen.

Varsity players senior Mary Daly, juniors Claire McGuire, Meredith Machon, Carly Inman, Sarah Ann Ronan, Valerie Castelluccio, and sophomores Kathleen Daly and Kelly McCone are all expected to do great things.

VOL. 47, NO. 1 SEPTEMBER 10, 2010

Boys’ soccer hopes for ‘10 redemption Kevin Hemphill STAFF WRITER

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or many of the players on this year’s team, the memory of losing to New Trier in last year’s sectional final is still crystal clear and just as painful. The boys are using that as motivation to help them be their best this year.

Despite losing many key players on both the offensive and defensive ends, the Hawks have ten returning veterans from last year’s team. They are looking to build on last year’s success and certainly avenge their final loss.

The hard work started over the summer when the boys played in the Summer League, where they finished with a 7-2-1 record.

There were no playoffs this year for the Summer League, which was disappointing, considering the Hawks were the 4-time defending champions.

Coach States was very pleased with the summer progress. “It was a successful summer. The guys played really well. It prepared us well for the upcoming season.”

One key to this year’s success will be returning goal-keeper Richard Balek. He had a strong season last

PHOTO BY GARRETT KLEPITSCH

year and looks to continue his success this year.

Senior captains Martin Sullivan, Ben Hannon, and Kevin Murphy will also lead the Hawks.

Sullivan and Hannon are returning varsity players, while Murphy is a varsity rookie.

One of the challenges this year for the captains will be managing the seniors on the team. The Hawks have 17 seniors on the current team. Coach States expects a lot of leadership out of all of them, and to accept the responsibility given to them. He considers the Senior Alex Hartmanis tries to get past a defender in the 2-2 tie against Kelly High large number of seniors an School on Thursday, August 26. advantage for the team. state, is one of the Hawks’ main goals that went undefeated last year until “We have a solid nucleus of this season. the playoffs. The Hawks dominated returning players, which helps to The others are to repeat as most of the second half, but eventually provide stability for the other half of conference champs, which involves fell to the Pirates due to letting up an the team stepping up to the varsity defeating rival New Trier, win the early goal. level,” said States. “The first couple of regional title, the sectional title, and The Hawks played to a 2-2 tie weeks... will show how well this group ultimately state. The sectional title against Kelly High on August 26, has bonded together.” will be an important victory for the with goals from Termena and Jamie Performing well at the Quincy Hawks, as it eluded them last year. Thompson. The team is looking Tournament and the Pepsi Showdown, The Hawks started off the season forward to the Pepsi Showdown, one of the premier tournaments in the with a 2-1 loss to Palatine, a team starting September 4.

Bears are buyers for 2010 season Mike Miller

STAFF WRITER

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three former head coaches on Lovie Smith’s staff in a last hurrah to make the playoffs and save Smith’s job.

There is a general consensus that he can succeed and have the Bears offense in a position to make a run at the playoffs.

Of course, the man with the most to l o s e wou l d also be very optimistic about the upcoming seasons.

According to Smith, there is no reason to think that the Bears can’t make the playoffs in 2010.

Even with the optimism accompanied by these signings, the fate of the Bears season rests with the offense and arm of one man: Jay Cutler.

Last season, the Bears were a chic pick to make it to the Super Bowl after their offseason trade to get Cutler.

However it didn’t go as planned, as Cutler threw four interceptions in the opener and finished with a league leading 26.

Stuck with a shaky at best offensive line and a group of inexperienced receivers, it’s up to Cutler to create offensive opportunities.

This season may be his one chance to show that he has the savvy and the decision-making to be a top flight franchise quarterback in this league, not just a reckless gunslinger who trusts his arm more than his head.

The Bears play in a tough division, with the Vikings, Packers, and the much-improved Detroit Lions. But they can still can bear down and make the playoff if Cutler finally harnesses his immense talent, the defense shows solid improvement, and the running game with Matt Forte returns to 2008 form.

Sports

hen the days become shorter and the leaves begin to fall, it means only one thing. Football season.

With high school football already begun and college football beginning this week, football season is looking good. But the most anticipated return for most football fans is the NFL. This season figures to be one of the most balanced seasons in recent history, with no clearcut favorites in either league.

All of these story lines are national news, but the most important story in the Chicagoland area is, as always, the Bears.

The Bears are coming off a disappointing 7-9 season, one filled with such highs as beating the Vikings, and lows such as getting blown out in back-to-back weeks by the Bengals and 49ers.

In order to improve on last season,

the Bears’ managers were big spenders in free agency. They signed defensive end Julius Peppers to bolster a woeful pass rush. They also signed running back Chester Taylor and tight end Brandon Manumaleuna to improve the mediocre running game.

Another big offseason addition was offensive coordinator Mike Martz.

Martz is the former head coach of the St. Louis Rams who led his team to an app e arance in Sup er B owl XXXVI, and was at the command of the “Greatest Show on Turf.”

His job is to revive an offense that was plagued by turnovers and inconsistency last season. He is one of

SOUTHWORDS 15

FOOTBALL

• GIRLS’ VOLLEYBALL • CROSS COUNTRY • GIRLS’ TENNIS • GOLF • BOYS SOCCER • GIRLS’ SWIMMING

Football suffers first defeat in 2 years Julian Douglass

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STAFF WRITER

ob Dylan once wrote one that “the times, they are a-changin’.” At the time, he was referring to the civil rights and anti-Vietnam movements of the 1960s, but the song also serves as an appropriate theme for the Maine South Hawks’ football season.

Gone is the era of Charlie Goro, Matt Perez, and Tyler Benz; in their place is an entirely new wave of players hoping to make a difference. “I’m excited for it,” said senior linebacker, tight end, and kicker Marcus Nelli.

“I’ve been looking forward to this for a couple of years now. I know it’s my team, the seniors’ team, and I’m looking forward to take it over.”

The team also has trusted seniors that can lead apart from Klein with Victor Nelson and Imran Khan.

Unfortunately one of the senior leaders, Connor Klein, broke his ankle in the first game of the season and will be out at least 4-6 weeks.

There is someone new to the lineup this year in transfer senior and left tackle Charlie Terry. “The first impression is football,” said Terry, who moved from Lincoln Park High School.

“Everyone here is here to win, not just to go to the playoffs.”

When asked ab out his f irst impressions of Maine South, he had nothing but praise for the coaching staff, “I first thought I was a pretty good lineman when I got here, but then I quickly realized I had a lot of work to do,” said Terry. “Thankfully, when you have twenty-two coaches in a single program, it’s really easy to get great feedback.”

With experience also comes youth.

At the quarterback position, the Hawks have two young quarterbacks vying for a starting role __ sophomore Matt Alviti and junior Jimmy Frankos.

“We’re both going to get time, so I just look at it as having two starters as quarterbacks,” said Frankos on the dual-QB dilemma. Alviti shared similar thoughts. “Yeah, it’s good [for us]. Every time we compete with each other, we both keep getting better and better.”

After the preseason hype died down, the Hawks finally took the field to play the Saxons of Schaumburg in the season-opener. But the result was not the one many Maine South fans had become accustomed to.

After forcing two quick three-andouts, the defense __ expected to shine this season __ let up a touchdown drive with a four-yard run by running back Shepard Little, who rushed for 239 yards and the one touchdown. Little was playing in his first game since becoming sidelined his entire junior year for disciplinary reasons.

Maine South scored late in the half on a five-yard run by Paul Preston to make the score 9-7 at the half. The Hawks had a golden opportunity to start the second half strong, recovering a fumble on the Schaumburg 22-yard line, but were only able to record a field goal.

Maine South faced its second golden opportunity later in the third quarter. With the Hawks driving and getting close to the end zone, Alviti gave up crucial fumble on the Schaumburg 3. Schaumburg took advantage of the gift and followed it up with a 97-yard touchdown drive.

Both Schaumburg and Maine South traded touchdowns in the fourth, but it was not enough, as the Hawks fell for the first time since 2007, falling 29-17.

It was their worst loss since a 61-12 lambasting against Warren Central out

of Indianapolis in 2006.

The two quarterbacks stats were almost identical: Frankos completing 10 of 13 for 83 yards, while Alviti went 11 for 20 with a 36 yard touchdown strike to Will Krug. Schaumburg quarterback Mark Iannotti went 10 for 11 and for 77 yards.

“We didn’t get some key defensive stops,” said head coach Dave Inserra after the game. He added, “But in reality, it was 15 to 10, we had put together a great drive, and just weren’t able to score as we fumbled the ball.

We can’t turn the ball over.”

“We’ll evaluate the quarterbacks on film,” Inserra said. “I thought both did well with the short passing game, but when we tried to roll out, we did not get the protection we wanted. If you can’t run the football, then you’re not helping the quarterback.”

Hopefully for the Hawks, the improvement comes sooner than later.

As Inserra said to the team after the game, “It’s a long season, and maybe the loss wakes some of us up. Whoever thought that ‘since we’re Maine South, we’ll just screw around in practice, show up, and cream the opponent’ was wrong.”

Hawks’ girls volleyball digging new coach STAFF WRITER

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oach Sebastian Acevedo is taking girls Maine South Volleyball to new heights this season. This first-year Maine South coach replaced prior varsity Coach Kelly Markworth.

Acevedo is looking forward to coaching and making the Maine South Hawks girls’ volleyball team a tough one to beat.

Last year, the varsity girls ended their season with a record of 9-16.

Coach Acevedo looks to improve the record this season significantly saying “Some of my expectations for this team are to win regionals and compete at sectionals,” Experience is not a problem for this coach of 11 years and player of 19. Coach Acevedo

previously coached at Gordon Tech High, where he attended high school, and Luther North high school. He is also the current director and coach of club volleyball team Ace Point Match, where numerous Maine South girls play club volleyball.

Acevedo is also the owner and founder of Top Flight Training, a speed and agility training company, something which certainly impacts his unique coaching style. He hopes to form a team that is comfortable with each other both on and off the court. The girls are a hard-working, energetic team eager to take in Acevedo’s new coaching style.

The girls lost their season opener against Conant in two games. Neck and neck throughout the entire match, the Hawks almost pulled out a win.

The girls’ next opponent was Regina, only two days later.

They came back strong and aggressive, winning with a serve into the net

by Regina. Unfortunately the girls went on to lose to Maine East to make their record 1-2.

This energetic team was continuJunior Michelle Roberts sets up junior Nina Duric ously talking and for a spike. cheering each other on the entire match. Encouragement between games and at every time out.

The girls volleyball squad have a on the court from both the girls and coach Acevedo could be heard far up big game coming up the second week into the stands. The sophomore vol- of September when they play rival leyball team led cheers and chants in New Trier Trevians.

PHOTO BY HOPE TONE

Nicole Johnson