Tamaqua Blue and White - Issue 3, Volume 1

Tamaqua Blue and White Issue 3 2

Spring sport athletes, Kelsey Patrick, Cecily Kohlmeir, Amber Carroll, Lance Williams, Emily Bumbulsky, and Dana Ansbach spending quality time together at track.

Read about the struggles of an Athlete on page 12!

Table of ContentS: Page 3: State Qualifiers Update Pages 4 - 5: A Brief Look at Weighted Grades Pages 6 - 7: Heisler’s Cows Tell Us Their Story Pages 8 - 9: A Student’s Perspective on Bullying Pages 10 - 11: Bye-Bye Birdie - A Major Success!

Pages 12 - 13: Uncovered! Students Speak Up about The Struggles of an Athlete Pages 14 - 15: A Look Back on the Best Time of February... Disney World!

Pages 16 - 17: Kony 2012... Scam?!

Pages 18 - 19: Prom 2012 – End the night with friends, not cops!

Page 20: Future Pixar Animator, Denae Starry, shares her story!

Page 21: Comic!

Pages 22 -23: Games, Games, Games!

Featured in this issue: Amber Carroll Anthony Iacoviello Beth Kistler Brandon Cunningham Bye-Bye Birdy Production Caroline Kanaskie Cecily Kohlmeir Colin Mashack Dakota Vadimsky Danielle Fox Denae Starry Disney Band Emily Bumbulsky Emily Zancofsky Erika Cassell Ethan Hull

Gabe Bumberger Hannah Miller Jacob Beers Jordan Reabold Josh Delp Julian Gerace Kayla Hope Kelsey Patrick Lance Williams Miranda Amey Monica Beshay Peter Conforti Seth Epler Stephanie Gensure Timmy Lehman

Very special thanks to the Blue and White Foundation for their kind contribution to this issue!

Jacqueline McMullen

COLIN MASHACK JOANN BUTKUS. CAROLINE KANASKIE All state qualifying athletes!

Colin’s season of hard work paid off as Colin traveled to Hershey for states. This year, he would be the only Tamaqua athlete to travel to states for wrestling, but he had a support system there cheering him on. Colin was two wins away from tying with Garth Lakitsky’s record for having the most wins in a season. At districts, he placed second and moved on to place sixth his first time at states this year, being the first sophomore in school history to do so. Congratulations on making it this far, and good luck in your future!

Caroline Kanaskie was Bucknell bound after qualifying for the 200 free. She would be swimming her favorite race at her dream college. Seeded 27th, Caroline was just happy with qualifying and being able to participate in such an elite event. However, she got sick a day before the competition, but she didn’t let that stop her. Giving it her all, she managed to place 27th in her event. Caroline says that “being there and being able to swim my heart out was a reward in itself.” She says she enjoyed being able to bond with her coaches and Joann Butkus over shopping, dinner, and the car ride. Next year, Caroline hopes to return to states with a larger group of qualifiers from Tamaqua with her. Congratulations and good luck next year!

Joann Butkus returned to states for the second consecutive year to give it all she had. Feeling more comfortable and confident, she swam the 100 freestyle and 100 butterfly seeded 20th and 13th respectively. Although her times weren’t what she was hoping for, Joann plans on using this season as a motivation for next year, and she was happy to become closer with her coaches and fellow state qualifier, Caroline Kanaskie. Joann is thankful for many things: “I realize that the opportunities that I’ve gotten are the result of a community of people working for me like my parents, friends, coaches, family and teammates. Without them, none of this would be possible or mean anything to me.” Congratulations to Joann for a successful season and on qualifying for states; best wishes to you!

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Weighted Grades A B C D F Will it really impact the everyday student of THS?

F

or a few years now, many people have attempted to convince our school district that it needs weighted grades, but so far, nothing has become of it. However, this year may bring change, and Tamaqua High might join almost every other school district by getting weighted grades. Hopefully with the combination of determined students, faculty members, and our principal agreeing that we need weighted grades, it will become a reality.

For those who are not exactly sure what weighted grades are, they are based on the simple idea that some high school classes are much more difficult than others, and these harder classes should have a more significant effect on a student’s GPA. Honors classes would weigh more than regular classes, but weighted grades would not affect non-honors students. Along with many other students and faculty members, I feel that weighted grades would improve the school. Mr. Ulicny agrees that weighted grades would be enhancement by saying, “We rank based on academic ability.”

Miss Fegley has a great point when she explains why she feels weighted grades would be an advancement: “It is illogical to assume that higher level classes are the same as lower level classes. I think the lack of weighted grades deters many students from taking more challenging classes. They would rather do less work, earn a better grade, and increase their GPA’s. I think having weighted grades would encourage students to push themselves to work harder.” How true is that!?

How many of you have either taken or even just considered taking an easier

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Tamaqua Blue and White Magazine - Issue 3

course just to ensure your GPA won’t suffer? I know I have! Mr. Toth also noticed that students are not taking the courses that they are able and capable of taking. When asked what encouraged him to attempt to weigh grades, he said, “It was noticed through the course selection process that students were not enrolling in higher level courses. Through conversation with some students and parents, the consensus was that students were focused on maintaining their GPA, thus maintaining class rank. Weighted grades would help curb this issue.” If Tamaqua were to get weighted grades, students would be more likely to challenge themselves a little by taking the higher level course because they will have a little help from the weight of the course.

As I’m sure many of you know, many attempts to get weighted grades have been shot down, and you’re probably saying that is just going to happen again this time. Well, when Mr. Toth was asked why those attempts have failed, he replied, “I don’t know why, presently it may not have been what was in the best interest of the students. Also, there is much more information out there now as opposed to in the past.” Mr. Toth is trying to get weighted grades, and when asked what his plan was, he said, “Communication is our plan.” That sounds like a pretty good plan to me; hopefully it will work this time! If the plan is successful, there is a lot that needs to happen before we actually get them.

Nicki Mateyak

The courses that would be weighted need to be figured out, along with how ‘heavy’ the courses would be weighted. As of now, the courses that will be weighted are still in the process of being determined according to Mr. Toth. Also, when asked what the best way to weight the grades would be, Mr. Toth said, “Create a system that is fair and equitable.” With all this hype about weighted grades, people are wondering if there is any possibility that Tamaqua will have them next year. Mr. Toth says, “I’d say anything is possible, but we want what is best, even if that means waiting a year or two, or even if it’s decided that weighted grades may not be the best.” With all this information

and dedication going into this weighted grade project, I guess we will just have to wait and see what turns out to be the best for Tamaqua High, whether it be weighted grades or no weighted grades. The future can only tell!

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Heisler's Dairy Behind The Scenes The Cows Who Make it all Happen Expose Their Story!

After Morris Heisler defeated the odds and his business continued to prosper, Holmes Cook made a new addition to the dairy. Cook is famous for his golf courses that he crafted up and down the coast, and in 1964, he approached Heisler about building one on his property. He set up shop in a building near the driving range, and Cook loved the valley so much that he lived in a trailer located behind the dairy which was later taken down when the golf course was renovated.

This golf course wasn’t only used for golfing; in the 60s, the people would get all dolled up in their Easter best and parade around the golf course. However, in 2003 the golf course was renovated. Everyone nearby must have come for its grand opening; the lines were backed up at each hole with Schuylkill County’s finest admiring the waterfalls and mineshafts as the excited children and adults alike carefully aimed for the hole at the end of the green.

So. What’s the secret behind the ice cream?! True to its original form, Heisler’s still follows the original recipe started up by the Heisler’s. Now, the business is owned and operated by Morris Heisler’s nephew, Leonard Ostergaard, and his wife, Ann. Ice cream is made two times a week, and the mix is made once a week. In 100 gallons of ice cream, only about 1/3 of it consists of solids; the other portion is made up of milk and cream.

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Tamaqua Blue and White Magazine - Issue 3

I scream, you scream, we all scream for... milk?!

Yepp, that’s right! In 1924, if you were to make a purchase from Heisler’s, you would have received a glass bottle of milk fresh from the cows of Lewistown Valley. Entrepreneur and farmer Morris Heisler originally started his business with his wife, Pearl, as a small home delivery system using a horse and carriage. Eventually, his small dream continued to grow, and they expanded their list of products to include more dairy items like ice cream. By 1957, the Heislers moved their business from the small building at the corner of Valley and Catawissa to the top of the knoll where it still stands today. By the 60s, the small little dairy bar turned into a booming business, and the kitchen was added for hot foods.

Initially, people thought Morris Heisler was psycho for starting up a dairy bar in the middle of nowhere, but as it turned out, he couldn’t have picked a better location. Lewistown Valley is the center of Schuylkill County, and it draws people from all over the region.

Did you know...

--On Heisler’s 50th anniversary, Heisler’s sold approximately 3200 banana splits in one day!

--CMPs are a skook delicacy.

--Peanut butter ice cream is a regional item.

--Cook Holmes owned the golf course until Heisler’s bought it from him in 1985.

--Heisler’s supplies approximately 100 stores with ice cream.

Jacqueline McMullen

That must be a lot of work with over 40 different flavors!

When asked about new flavors, the Ostergaards said their main problem would be trying to keep all the flavors available at once due to the limited amount of freezer space at the dairy. However, they did say that they have had to retire some flavors. Due to the crazy increase in blueberry prices, blueberry ice cream was taken off the list. Also, fudge brownie has said goodbye to the list along with a few other flavors. Out of all these flavors, what are the good old favorites? Apparently, everyone loves vanilla and chocolate. Also, butter pecan, mint chocolate chip, and teaberry are popular with the public.

Heisler’s opening day is like a holiday in the Skook.

Many people venture to the valley for their first Heisler’s experience of the season, whether it involves a CMP, milkshake, or french fries. The lines might be a little long, but it’s definitely worth the wait! Not only is

Heisler’s a place to fill your craving, but it’s also a place where memories are made. Kristen Sanchez, Jordan Reabold, Megan Wagner, Amber Carroll, and Cecily Kohlmeir recall spending many late nights at Heisler’s.

The friends sometimes stayed until close regardless of the questioning stares from strangers as they laughed and danced their summer nights away. Valley natives Alex Wagner, Caroline Kanaskie, and Jacqueline McMullen stop by Sunday nights at 7 to enjoy some ice cream and hang out. The trio loves coconut almond fudge, and they’re loving the upgraded spoons. If you were ever to hear an annoying beeping war, it would most likely be the valley girls and Ronnie Olesnovich, Cj Shellhamer, Ricky Winslow, Emily Bumbulsky, and Christine Streisel.

Emily, Caroline, and Alex also remember a time when they stopped by Heisler’s after a long run through the valley and bought food with money they earned by collecting loose change from friendly faces including Shane Baddick.

What’s your flavor?!

After surveying a total of 80 Tamaqua students and teachers, here are your top five flavors: 1. Cookie Dough 2. Chocolate 3. Cookies and Cream 4. Mint Chocolate Chip 5. Peanut Butter Marble Tamaqua Blue and White Magazine - Issue 3

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By: Jordan Reabold

Define Beauty Open a woman’s magazine and what do you see? At the turn of every page, an advertisement is revealed, drawing our eyes to a photo depicting a woman. A thin, happy, elegant, beautiful woman. Turn on the television and what do you see? Celebrities spending millions on plastic surgery, obliterating any flaw they can find. They sign a check, go under the knife, and endure weeks of healing and a lifetime of scars. Change the channel, and 4-year-olds are costing their parents thousands of dollars for extravagant gowns, colored contacts, spray tans, fake teeth, hair extensions—all to be judged simply for the way they smile or the way they walk. Beauty has become a part of our society. Beauty is inescapable. Beauty is life.

Every girl has her insecurities. We pick ourselves apart, flaw after flaw, hating our parents for giving us the ‘bad genes,’ waiting for the day that our eyes magically become bluer, our hair shinier, or our waistlines leaner. For some, it becomes an addiction. Some starve themselves. Some intentionally inflict physical pain on themselves. Sadly, girls literally die to be beautiful.

For a very long time, all I found on myself were flaws. It seemed to occur in a cycle. I’d wake up one day and find something wrong, and for months, I’d obsess over it. Then one day I’d see a picture of myself and notice something else.

Thus, for a few more months, I gained a new insecurity. This became ongoing for years. I never ran out of things to hate about myself, and the list seemed to grow. Over time, I became more and more particular. ‘Your eyelashes are too short.

Your hair is too thin. Your fingers are bony. Your bellybutton is too low.’

I’d listen to my guy friends talk about girls. “She’s too fat. She’s too skinny. She has a freckle.” A freckle? I’d look down at my freckle covered body, wanting to disappear. Then, of course, there were times it was directed toward me. You should probably go to the gym. Is all that food really for you? And let’s not forget that gingers have no souls. “Is that really how people see me?” I thought. I was stuck like this, and there was nothing I could do about it. Why couldn’t I be born beautiful like the women I see in magazines? I’d torture myself, flipping through the pages of those ads, saying, “I want her legs. I want her teeth. I want her nose.” Why didn’t God give me that? Why couldn’t he give me beauty?

Ironically, in those same magazines that put me down, I came across something one day that completely changed my perception. I opened to a page with a small paragraph pictured beneath a mere three words entitled, “A freeing idea.”

It said, “What would it feel like to let go of every negative thought about your body? Try it: Worship your legs for taking you on adventures, adore your abs for allowing you to lean into life, love your smile for revealing the joy in your heart. Live as if your body were perfect, not only because you’ll be more open to the world, but because in every way that truly matters, it is.” I took this in for a moment. My body? Perfect? I looked down at myself. My legs, my hands, my arms—freckles and all. And for once, I didn’t see flaws. I saw my body for what it was, and I loved it. I loved it for doing everything it was supposed to do. My legs allow me to run. My arms allow me to embrace my friends and family.

My hands allow me to hold a pen when I write, the one thing that never ceases to bring me joy. I immediately became ashamed, for how selfish could I have been to truly despise the body that allows me to live my life every day? There were people out there missing limbs, lacking the ability to see or hear or touch. There are people who have lost their hair due to chemotherapy, and they must look at me and say, “I want her hair.” There are people in wheelchairs out there who must look at me and say, “I want her legs. I want her arms. Why couldn’t God make me her?” And there I was, crying pathetically at my perfect self.

To be beautiful is to accept and to appreciate. To be able to look at yourself and be completely content with the fact that things are the way they are. To see what makes you different and admire it for that reason. To look in the mirror and see the outcome of two people who loved each other. To see all your parts as a whole. As a living, breathing human who can laugh, cry, sleep, dream…everything. It is because of our flawed parts that we are able to do this. You are the only ‘you’ in the world. What could be more beautiful than that?

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Tamaqua Blue and White Magazine - Issue 3

A T I R E I

S L E ars e Y 98

ing! k r o l W Weaver d Stil le

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a g n u Yo

Fox & e l l e i an

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By: D

For some cafeteria-goers, lunch is the most serious lesson of the day; full scholarly attention is paid to their chicken patty and chocolate milk. Yet, maybe you have ripped your attention away from your laden blue tray long enough to notice the adorable and spunky woman washing the dishes. Her name is Elsie Rita, the cafeteria worker and tough love addict who recently celebrated her 98th birthday!

Working for Tamaqua School District since the 70’s, Elsie Rita puts the slacking high schoolers to shame with her continuing devotion to working everyday and does more in a day at age 98 than most of us do as teenagers. Intrigued, the Tamaqua Blue & White recently sat down with Rita to wish her a happy birthday, and to learn a bit about someone worth knowing about.

At age 98, most of us like to imagine that we will be lounging in luxury and enjoying retirement. However, this was never what Mrs. Rita wanted for herself. Mrs. Rita loves to work; it helps keep her busy and out of trouble, she jokes. While we know her for her work in the cafeteria, Elsie also volunteers three days out of every week at St. Lukes Hospital in Coaldale, “I go over there and try to lift up their spirits.” Impressively, Elsie has been volunteering at this hospital for over 72 years; many of your GRANDparents may not have been born yet when she began! At the hospital, she goes room to room cracking jokes, sharing laughs, and most importantly, putting a smile on the patient’s face! Elsie says, “I’m happy when I see people smile, and they’re happy.” She thinks “It’s beautiful.” We certainly cannot argue with that. After Elsie gives and gets smiles, she waters the plants, and collects the recycling bins full of papers that the hospital only trusts Elsie to dispose of.

Think of that next time you feel as if you can’t even bother walking to the recycling bin. Mrs. Rita concludes her hospital visit by leading the patients in an exercise program. Rita passionately explained to us that, “ I don’t care how old you be or could live to be. Whether you be 40, 60, or over a 100, you got to move!” Obviously, Elsie is benefiting from this belief and it would do us students well to think of her next time we dredge lousily onto the gym floor! At the end of the work out, she recites her famous quote, “I love you all. God love you. God bless you. God bless America.” Afterward all that, Elsie hops on the STS bus and goes to work in the cafeteria! Wowza!

Along with volunteering for the hospital, Mrs. Rita has been a member of the National Ladies Auxiliary of Veterans of Foreign Wars since the 1940s! She later in life became the district president of this honorary group, and all her hard work in recognized by a plaque in her parlor given to her by the group for being such a distinguished, life-long member. Elsie keeps herself busy with these things, and knows that “You can do a hell of a lot when you’re 98 years old!” Judging by her list of involvements, we would say so! Perhaps the seniors claiming to too fatigued by high school should take a page out of Elsie’s book. Outside of all this work, Mrs. Rita enjoys the company of her 3 children. Elsie has one son, Joseph, and two daughters, Rita and Patsy. Between the three of them, they have given Elsie multiple grandchildren and even great-grandchildren to brighten her years and to keep her smiling like she loves to.

At age 98, Elsie knows a lot more about life than we do, so we had to ask her for a little help. Elsie told us that the number one thing that she learned from all of her years is “To think twice before you give an answer. He might take it as a joke while she might call the cops!” Here, Elsie playfully winked at us and proclaimed, “You’ll learn when you are 98. I’m always in trouble!” We hope it is the fun kind of trouble, Mrs. Rita! When asked to give advice to our school’s seniors that are heading out into the real world, she gives these two thoughts: “No smoking or chewing the tobacco” and “Drinking, if ya can’t control yourself, don’t even start.” For everyone else, Mrs. Rita wants us all to be honest with one another: “Be truthful, it’s gonna hurt. Do you realize if you tell a lie...it gets bigger and bigger. You don’t know where to start if you want to confess. You are lying to yourself.” Finally, Elsie closed her advice statements by shaking her fist in the air and exclaiming, “Tough Love!” Yet, we here at the Tamaqua Blue and White found nothing tough to love about this inspiring woman.

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Bye-Bye Birdie

A Hip-shaking, Solo-Belting, Commotion-Causing Stunner of a Show!

In the past few years, Tamaqua Area Drama Club has presented you with shows containing everything from cowboys to Oompa loompas to fairy godmothers. However, all of these pale in comparison when held up against the sight of senior boy and first time drama club member, Anthony Iacoviello, in his dazzling, sparkling, vision-clouding gold lamé suit appealingly topped off with a black pompadour wig and a “Love Me” attitude. Regrettably, Anthony does not simply don this outfit as a usual pastime of his, and was actually playing the show’s lead role, Conrad Birdie, in the March performance of “Bye Bye Birdie”.

Bye Bye Birdie, for those who did not have the pleasure of seeing the performance themselves, is the story of a what happens when an Elvis Presley inspired character, Conrad Birdie, is drafted into the army. His manager, Albert J. Peterson played by junior Jacob Beers, sees this as an absolute tragedy.

However, the manager’s Spanish

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secretary/girlfriend sees it as an opportunity, and devises a plan for Conrad to appear on the Ed Sullivan Show singing a song written

by Albert titled “One Last Kiss.”

Like the name suggests, Conrad will be giving one last kiss to a lucky fan before going off into the army. The lucky girl happens to be Kim McCafee, played by junior Molly Betz, who just started “going steady” with Hugo F. Peabody, played by junior Dallas Meese. When the time comes for the final lip-lock, the usually subdued Hugo rushes the stage and pops Conrad right in his puckered up mouth! More craziness ensues, but the “Tamaqua Fun facts: Blue & White” likes to present you Anthony Iacovellio can fit into women’s size 10 fake leather pants and is quite proud of it. with good stories, not ruin them; ned her be sure to catch the ending to Stage Manager, Tiffany Kramer, sprai g to set tryin show d secon ankle the night of the this musical and movie personbroke a you glad We’re . prop large mely an extre ally! While the events occurring leg, Tiff! Har Har Har onstage were certainly exciting, Several Members of the cast of the 1982 pull back the blue velvet curtains aqua production of “Bye Bye Birdie” attenTamded the production. and you will see the real magic the play, somebody broke that goes into a performance. The Within 5 minutes ofmicr ophones that had to one of the precious drama club began working back in be used the rest of the night! And it definitely December for the March 23rd and wasn’t me, nope. Not me, I swear….

The scarf Anthony wore during the Ed Sullivan Show 24th show dates. was actually the same scarf the 1982 Conrad wore!

Tamaqua Blue and White Magazine - Issue 3 Emily Zancofsky’s hair for the show was roughly 4

Danielle Fox That’s four months for two nights—talk about anticipation! The cast and crew of 50 plus spent the time pretending like they had learned their lines by deadlines set by the returning director, Janet Smolden, and awkwardly then confidently dancing the choreography of lead role and choreographer, Erika Cassel. Erika, who also plays Rosie in the show, set the bar high for the sometimes somewhat awkward collection of Dramaians who had to learn how to do jazz boxes, dance lifts, and the jitterbug while not tripping over their own two feet (except when that, too, was part of Erika’s choreography). This show was the most dance intensive show done by the group in years, and required extra rehearsal to make sure the Conrad-induced fainting looked like fainting and the jitterbugging didn’t look too bugged out. Beyond moving and grooving, drama club had an army of stage crew under the direction of Tiffany Kramer and set design that was greatly benefited by the artwork of Denae Starry (look for her personal interview in this edition!).

Dallas Meese, who played the punch-a-celebrity-on-TV Hugo, and Erin Raymond, who played the snarling-jungle beast role of Ursula, were able to answer a couple questions for us about this year’s show. Dallas describes the show in three words: “Rock ‘N’ Roll.” Couldn’t have put it better myself. Dallas goes on to say there is no business like show business, “Because show business is fun-business.” Erin Raymond gushes to us that she loves performing. “Seriously, when I see all of those audience members out there, it’s like flipping a switch. I love that you can be normal backstage and then be some ridiculous person on stage without missing a beat.” It must be a pretty unconditional love because Erin reveals to us that she actually got punched in the face hard enough to get a nosebleed during this year’s show! Apparently walking backstage in the dark between scene changes is a dark and dangerous thing. However, Erin understands the love-hate relationship of the stage and tells us, “There’s no business like show business because show business takes no prisoners.” Strong words from a strong actress! Thank you Erin and Dallas for a deeper view into the show!

All and all, this year’s show was as dazzling as Conrad’s outfits, and we offer our congratulations to the cast and crew of this year’s “Bye Bye Birdie” for an extraordinary show. The Tamaqua Blue and White hopes that you are all showered with Sovereign Majestic awards, and the fond memories of your show are ever lasting.

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“It’s hard to have a relationship with someone who gossips about high school events more than I do.”

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Tamaqua Blue and White Magazine - Issue 3

THE DIFFICULTIES OF AN ATHLETE

By Jordan Reabold

Coaching, regardless of the sport, is a tough job to have. Coaches must be amiable enough to make students comfortable, yet show enough authority to demand their respect. It’s a fine line, and it’s one that’s being crossed too often—yes, even here at Tamaqua.

More students are quitting, less are trying out, and some teams have even become nonexistent. The reason, though kept hushed by all involved, seems to point in one direction: the coaching. A survey of 25 students was conducted, and one question in focus was, “What does it take to be a good coach?” Danielle Fox thinks, “You need to put in the same amount of effort in a losing season as a winning season.” Jacqueline McMullen expresses, “It takes someone to praise you when you succeed, push you beyond your limit, and help you fix your mistakes when you fail.” Do Tamaqua coaches fall under any of these categories?

A3&$@$?!!!

Where else does this occur? Two football coaches from San Antonio, Texas, received negative publicity for unhealthy coach-athlete relationships during the 2011 football season. Sources claim that the disputes were due to “purported verbal abuse of players and assistant coaches during practice and games,” and use of “inappropriate language.” It is clear that coaches need to be tough, but when it comes to language, where do schools draw the line?

Athletic director of Harlandale Independent School District, Rudy De Los Santos, states, “I think cursing is always going to be around in athletics, but when you cuss a player and berate him, that crosses the line.” Jerry Comalander, athletic director from North East Independent School District, seems to disagree: “I believe there are ways to get the most out of a youngster without resorting to cursing.”

Drop and give me 20!

While cursing may be one mere issue, verbal abuse in general seems to be prevalent in teams that fail to build strong cohesion. Frank Lenti, a football coach from Mount Carmel High School in Chicago, addresses using fear as motivation. He states, “After repeated exposure to fear tactics, athletes become immune to threats, and continued punishment may destroy their desire to participate.” The self-esteem of the athlete is definitely affected by their coach’s criticism, and one simple remark, even if it’s directed toward one player, can make or break a team. As for Tamaqua student athletes, 28% of students surveyed claimed that their coach has once said something to humiliate or hurt them.

Txt me L8R While some coach-athlete relationships tend to be unhealthy, others are far too comfortable. It’s becoming extremely common for coaches to text their players, and many are even Facebook friends.

Is this healthy? Kayla Hope, a member of the soccer, basketball,

and track teams, makes a good point. She states, “My coaches act as friends and always want what is best for the team; however, the friendship figure rather than authority can often hurt the atmosphere of the team.”

The Bad News We here at Tamaqua, rather than assuming, decided to get to the bottom line in terms of how effective coaches are in the lives of students. When asked, “Have you ever quit a team because of a coach?” 72% responded with ‘No,’ while the remaining 28% chose ‘Yes.’ Could this be the reason for students neglecting to even try out?

An anonymous student expresses their coach-athlete relationship by stating simply, “I don’t have a relationship with my coach.

I have no respect for them because they have no respect for me.”

Another student states, “The relationship I shared with my coach was not very healthy at all. She was rude, inconsiderate, and hateful. None of us looked up to her whatsoever.” Finally, Danielle Fox, a previous cheerleader, explains “It’s hard to have a relationship with someone who gossips about high school events more than I do.”

One student expressed that, in order to be a good coach, they must be “willing to give positive reinforcement and be willing to participate in drills.” Results of the survey found that 52% of coaches do participate in workouts, while 48% do not. Could a simple act such as this truly make for a better coach?

The Good News All in all, findings from the survey revealed mostly positive remarks about Tamaqua’s coaches. Cecily Kohlmeir, a member of the cross country and track teams, gushes, “I share a close relationship with my coaches since I’ve been with them for over five years. I look up to them a lot because they influenced me in several aspects of my life. They are figures of authority but also role models to me.” Matt DelBorrello, a member of the football and baseball teams, gives his coaches 100% credit for his success, and 24% of surveyed students feel similarly. “Almost every coach I’ve had has made a positive impact on my life in some way,” he says.

For high school students everywhere, getting involved in sports can provide countless positive outcomes. Being part of a team builds lasting friendships, improves leadership, and teaches morals and lessons that students carry with them for the rest of their lives. Coaches play a vital role in accomplishing these feats, along with a successful season in the end. Though some coaches and athletes don’t see eye to eye, at the end of the game, there’s always one thing that coaches and their players synonymously strive for: a win.

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Taking a Trip to Walt Disney World Marching with Mickey Mouse and other Disney Characters!

Do you know the place what covers 30,500 acres, and approximately 17.2 million people go there every year?! Here’s a hint, it’s also known as the happiest place on Earth! You guessed it! It’s Disney World! Every 5 or so years, the Tamaqua Area Raider Band gets an awesome opportunity to go there and march down Main Street USA. How cool is that? Luckily, for everyone in the marching band, this was the year they were able to go to Disney World in Florida.

Everyone in the band was so excited for the experience of a lifetime, and they made sure they were ready! Every Wednesday, they practiced after school for about 5 weeks prior to their trip to make sure everything was perfect. Freshman Jamie Mateyak, said that “practice was stressful but fun because Mr. Beltz had to make sure we had everything absolutely perfect, especially that we were all in step.” As February 14th, the day they were leaving for Florida, approached, everyone’s anticipation grew. They were all very nervous yet excited to get out of Tamaqua and arrive in Florida! A few days before they left, Janelle Cinicola said that she was “so anxious and excited to perform for such a big crowd of people. I was a little nervous because of the pressure that the band as a whole had to put on a performance that represented Tamaqua.”

On February 14th, while every other student in Tamaqua was either enjoying their Valentine’s Day or stuck in the mid-winter blues, the members of the Raider Band were pumped and ready to get to sunny Florida! Once they got there, they had one practice, and then they were ready to march down Main Street. I couldn’t imagine the mix of emotions each and every one of the band members felt as they got to march towards Cinderella’s castle in front of thousands of people, a much bigger crowd than they are used to. Freshman Bailey Hartung described her pre-marching feelings by saying, “It was really hard to believe that I was moments away from marching down Main Street. I was a little nervous but mostly excited for that once in a lifetime opportunity.” Junior Amanda Solt describes

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Nicki Mateyak

her feelings: “When the gates opened to march out, I was thinking, ‘OMG is this really happening?’ The best part was seeing people from many different parts of the world enjoying our performance.”

Lucky for me, I got to travel down to Florida to watch the band, and I’m really glad I had that opportunity because they looked absolutely fantastic. After the parade, I talked to drum major, Molly Betz, about how it felt to lead the Raider Band towards Cinderella’s castle. She stated that “it was absolutely surreal. Seeing Disney World spanned out in front of me, and thousands of spectators was the most amazing feeling.” Once they were done marching, the members of the band were glad they did well, yet disappointed that it was over so quickly. Amanda Solt said, “The only bad part about it was that it had to end. It was as if you blinked, and the parade was over.” After their adventure was over and they were boarding the plane that was taking them back to Tamaqua, everyone definitely agreed that Disney World was one of the happiest places on Earth.

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Kony 2012

One Goal: Making the Invisible Children Visible.

Please, if you will, imagine this. You wake up in a small dark room surrounded by one hundred or so people. In this room which can hold around fifty people comfortably lives everyone you know. Some of them are sick and dying, and lay awake every night wracked with pain. Others are too young to understand why they must make the trek to this decrepit building every night. Your village is almost ten miles away, but it is better to walk the distance every morning and every night than to risk being exposed. You barely eat enough food to keep yourself alive because the soldiers steal most of it for themselves. They raid all the villages in your area for food and for victims during the nights. They take anyone your age for their army and anyone who tries to stop them or refuses to go with is killed without mercy. You used to hope that it would all get better, but this life is all that anyone knows now. You just go back to sleep and await the day that they come for you, the day that your life ends.

This is truly a sad story. What makes it worse though, is that it

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is 100% real. This sort of thing is happening every single day.

Unfortunately, a great deal of us have no idea. It was only very recently that I discovered these atrocities for myself, and now I write to you in the hope that you will eventually come to feel as I do; come to realize the grave injustices of the world and attempt to one day correct them. I don’t expect to motivate any of you to immediate action, and I don’t expect to persuade any of you to believing in this cause. I simply write to inform you, and that is all.

First, a history lesson. In 1986, a very oppressive dictator came to power in Uganda, which is a country in central Africa. A local activist started a militant rebel group with the purpose of starting a revolution and ousting this dictator, and she named it the Holy Spirit Movement. The movement had very little support in the area, but that was it. It accomplished almost nothing. When the leader was exiled from the country, the group had no clear successor.

Dakota Vadimsky Then came Joseph Kony. He took control of the group and changed its name from the Holy Spirit Movement to the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). He lost all support the group previously had. To gain soldiers and supplies, Kony started to raid villages in northern Uganda, stealing food and kidnapping children. He became exactly what the group set out to stop, an oppressive dictator.

During Kony’s brutal campaign, he made children kill their own families, turned kidnapped girls into sex slaves, and indoctrinated his soldiers into following his twisted philosophies. In the entire span of the conflict, Kony and his LRA kidnapped over 30,000 children, and killed almost twice as many innocent civilians. In 1996, the government of Uganda attempted to combat this issue by setting up Internally Displaced Person camps.

The camps became rife with violence, disease, rape and poverty. Since there was no way to make money in the camps, there was no way to acquire supplies besides what the government could provide, which was meager at best. While the conflict was at its worst, over 1.7 million displaced people lives in these camps.

It wasn’t until 2005, nearly twenty years after the beginning of these atrocities, that the International Criminal Court (ICC) finally issued an arrest warrant for Kony and his top lieutenants. To this day, as far as it is known, only two commanders and Kony are left alive and wanted. A year later, in 2006, the LRA agreed to peace talks with ICC in what is now South Sudan. During this time, the LRA moved from Uganda and into Northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where they continued their operations. The peace talks turned out to be a stall by the LRA, as they used the time to resupply, rearm and hide their camps. No representative ever arrived to sign the final treaty, and hostilities continued as they were before.

In retaliation to this, the governments of DRC, Uganda, Sudan, The Central African Republic, and the United States planned and executed a military strike against Kony in December of 2008. The strike failed, Kony escaped and to this day is still in hiding. As an act of revenge on the strike, the LRA attacked all surrounding villages in force during Christmas, specifically targeting churches and other communal areas. They have performed these “Christmas Massacres” at least two more times after this, causing more than 1,100 casualties and 300 abductions in total. The LRA and Joesph Kony are still on the loose today. Although their numbers have dwindled, they are still a serious force that threatens to tear the already fragile governments of central Africa asunder.

While the LRA has moved out of Uganda, they are still a significant threat to the region. The people of Uganda have yet to recover. That is where Invisible Children comes in. Invisible Children is a non-profit, charitable or-

ganization that was founded in 2006. They are a group of activists and humanitarians who are dedicated to bringing peace and prosperity to the regions affected by Kony and the LRA. They are also dedicated, with the launch of the Kony 2012 campaign, to the finding and capturing of Joseph Kony. Their work, while based primarily in the United States, has extended to all effected countries in Central Africa and has ranged from education and health programs to an early warning system for all civilians.

This year, with the commencement of the Kony 2012 campaign, Invisible Children has set a definite goal and developed a strategy to do it. That goal: stop Kony by the end of 2012. To do this, on March 5th, 2012, IC released the Kony 2012 documentary to the web. This 30 minute video told the story of the LRA through the eyes of those directly affected and related the actions and plans of the movement. Almost overnight, it became the most popular video on YouTube, and it is now the most viral video ever released on the site. The official Kony 2012 website was unveiled on the same date, with corresponding pages on FaceBook and Twitter, and included a way for visitors to easily sign their names to the pledge that Kony will be stopped this year. Invisible Children travels the country, bringing the Kony video and speaking at events in order to inspire more people. They hold public rallies in major cities to gain support, and they sell supplies such as bracelets (made by displaced Ugandan civilians), T-shirts, posters, stickers, buttons and more on their websites to raise awareness. They have also recruited the help of twenty cultural influences (Oprah, Lady Gaga, Bill Gates, Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber, Angelina Jolie, and George Clooney, among others) and twelve political influences (George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and John Boehner, among others) to aid in gaining support.

By using their site, you can message any of these people directly asking for their help in the cause or supporting their position in this movement. All of this support will come to its peak on what has been appropriately dubbed ‘Cover the Night.’ On the night of April 20th, after sunset, thousands of Kony 2012 supporters will take to the streets, putting up posters, flyers, stickers and any other means of advertisement to broadcast Joseph Kony and the LRA to the rest of the world in the hopes of making him the most famous – and thus most wanted – person in the world.

Invisible Children will not stop until the people of Central Africa can breathe easily and live the lives they deserve to live. They will continue to fight for justice and peace as long as injustice and war exist. As I said before, I do not intend to persuade any of you, though I do hope that I have in some way. If you came away from this article with a broader knowledge of this world, or of at least some small part of it, then that is all that matters. What you do with your new found knowledge is completely up to you…

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Prom, Parties and Police Cars: Why Drinking and Driving gets Seniors Nowhere

Prom is a big deal. Girls get big dresses and have big hair. Couples come in big cars, and people spend big money. Everything about it is big, big, big, for it’s the last big event before we graduate and head out into the big world. It is a big time in our lives and a big night. Yet, if you get arrested for drinking and driving come May 11th, prom night will instead just feel like a big mistake.

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Presenting readers with the straight facts, the Tamaqua Blue and White isn’t insinuating that any seniors will get caught drinking and driving, but we shall still explain what would happen if someone would choose to grab a drink and the wheel instead of a dance partner. Drinking and driving after prom is going to cost the offender more than any princess gown, fresh-tothe-death tux, or a picture package ever could.

Danielle Fox According to the research and statistics of Lawfirms.com, fines can be up to $2500, not including the court and punishment fees. A judge can sentence an underage drunk driver to drug/alcohol classes, driver’s education classes, and 30-60 days of community service. Taking a drug/ alcohol class at age 18 can be awkward enough. However, having to ask your parents to drive you to your drug/alcohol class because drinking and driving made you lose your license for up to 3 years is even worse. While Hollywood commonly makes it out to seem like the spot to go after prom is a lush hotel scene with all of your friends still fabulously dressed, drinking and driving will provide you with an even trendier place to spend the night: the Schuylkill County police station.

Here, an offender can spend anywhere from 2 days up to a year as a penalty. A stay here is more “steel bars” than “five stars,” and the service doesn’t have your comfort in mind. Noted that most Tamaqua seniors will not be spending prom night in a lush hotel and will more likely be in someone’s living room, backyard, basement, or possibly even their own room, it still beats a dark, scary cell while you are wearing a suit you have to give back to the rentals tomorrow or a dress you can’t breathe in, let alone sleep on a bench in.

A lot of this information can seem like nothing new, for Tamaqua Area High School has always made a big deal about safety during prom night. The continuing tradition of Prom Promise Week led by T.A.S.G.A. stresses the dangers of drinking and driving throughout the week leading up to prom. Most memorable is Grim Reaper day, where our classmates and friends symbolize the offenders and victims of drunk driving, and we experience what it would be like to never hear your best friend’s voice again. In addition to Grim Reaper day, all of the seniors have the option to sign a large cut-out key pledging not to drink and drive after prom, yet the pledge means a lot more than this alone. By signing a perhaps insignificant looking piece of construction paper and cardboard, you are pledging not to put your friends’ lives in danger.

You are pledging to the hope that when we graduate, there will not be another empty seat that should have been filled by someone who’s right to graduate was sto-

len away by someone who thought their right to a drink and their right to the wheel was more important. It is especially important to stress the dangers of drinking and driving at our school because Schuylkill County teens are more likely to drink and drive. In fact, we are more likely to drink than teenagers nationwide. According to the article “Schuylkill County has a Drinking Problem” written

by Republican Herald Staff Writer, Maria Heme, 82.6% of county seniors have consumed alcohol compared to the 78.4% nationwide. This is a scary statistic when followed by the fact that teens who drink are twice as likely to die in an alcohol-related crash as determined by a study held by the National Institutes of Health.

Drunk driving is a dangerous, life-threatening thing, but so can driving in an 8-layer tulle gown. Instead, consider riding in style, and be chauffeured. Seniors before have taken limousines, the Ebony & Ivory trolley, buses, and horse-drawn carriages. Figuring out where you will end the night before you start it can eliminate your need to drive if you take a limousine, the trolley, or a bus since they will drop you off at your start location.

Some people are riding dirty in restored Mustangs, borrowed challengers, and assorted sports cars. However, if you crash one of these cars while driving drunk, hope that the police officers will get to you before the owner of the crashed hotrod does.

We conducted our own survey for this article in which 25 Tamaqua seniors were asked if they planned to go home after prom. Out of the 25, 19 participants responded that they plan on going out instead of returning home. “Absolutely not!” “No!!!” “Not a chance!” “Would You?,” the participants made it clear that the night doesn’t end after the last slow song. Knowing that the majority of our Cinderellas won’t be returning home from the ball before the clock strikes 12, we here at Tamaqua Blue & White hope that your pumpkin carriage gets you there safely and that everyone has a great prom, graduation, and future. The Tamaqua Blue & White Magazine just hopes that you miss us a little when we’re gone.

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Denae Starry: The Girl With the Talent

Many students are aware of the art department electives available here at Tamaqua Senior High School, but few appreciate them more than 11th grade student Denae Starry. As a junior, she has already taken Intro to Art, where she enjoyed working with pen and ink, and Intro to Graphics. Unfortunately, she has not been able to fit any others into her schedule. She looks forward to next year because she plans on “taking all of Mrs. Chromiak’s remaining courses because the senior schedule is way more lenient.”

Although Starry has not been able to immerse herself into all of the course offerings at the high school, she is no stranger to artistic endeavors here. She has created and painted sets for drama club and designed the programs and t-shirts for the school musical. She even plans to graciously offer her talent to the community by planning a mural for her Girl Scout Gold Award at her church. The young artist expresses, “I’m working on teaching about 25 elementary school children art techniques and putting on an art show for them similar to the one we have during our science fair.”

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Starry’s artistic talents were evident early on: “A lot of my pictures adorn our fridge even today.” She recalls a drawing activity while she was a student at Rush Elementary School where she made a picture that featured dozens of leprechauns standing on each other’s shoulders.

She titled the piece, “Leprechaun Pyramid.” She was obviously born with a talent (her genetics boast an “amazing” artist of a grandfather, an uncle who is a “phenomenal” painter, and a modest mom who is a talented artist herself); with a background such as this, her dream of becoming a multimedia artist seems to be a natural choice. In the near future, she hopes to find herself drawing for Pixar, “a pretty sweet job to wake up to every day,” animating their famous movies.

One day, you may be watching a sequel to Toy Story, Cars, or Monsters Inc. and recognize the artistic renderings belonging to a talented former classmate, Denae Starry. For those who can’t wait, she just might be able to squeeze you into her art class schedule...

Games

Good Luck - You’re going to need it!

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Greg Gehman

Answers Where is this!??

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What would you like to see at Tamaqua High?

Less Ho

mework !

d Polos e r o l o C t Differen

To be able to buy drinks from a vending machine and drink it in our lockers.

Ice crea m or fro z yogurt vending en machin ei cafeteri n the a!

Weighted Grades!

Nap Tim e!

The cafe te course! ria to sell Guer s, of

Kool-Aid in water fountains!

Swivel chairs in every class!