Sycamore Leaf--August Issue by Sycamore High School

the

Aaron Myers, 9 escapes bear attack, shares his story

Play them, they’re yours. Pianos placed around Cincinnati.

page 13

page 10 FRIDAY AUGUST 27, 2010 | VOLUME LVIII ISSUE 1 | 7400 CORNELL RD. CINCINNATI, OHIO 45242, 513.686.1770 EXT. 3089

Rule-breakers rejoice Cell phone, attendance policies change mariaMARBALLI editor-in-chief

fter years of student complaints on cell phone usage in the building, the administration has listened and responded. In the past, cell phones have been prohibited during school hours, and have frequently been confiscated or held at the front office for the remainder of the day. But those days are a thing of the past. The new student handbook states that students are permitted to use electronic devices in common areas outside of classes. “Anyone can now use their cell phones when they get out of class, during lunch, or even at their lockers,” said Mr. Chris Davis, principal. When in class, if a student is caught on their cell phone, it will no longer be confiscated. Because some cellphones are worth hundreds of dollars, it became too much of a liability for the faculty to hold them. Such a change has been pushed by students for years, and most are relieved to have their voices finally heard. “Being able to communicate during school can be so important, and it’s great that I can actually text my mom without worrying about getting my phone taken away,” said Jenlain Coyle, 12. Although the new rules are less stringent than the old ones, there are still consequences for texting in class. For a first offense, students will be given an after school detention. Even though students can now whip out their phones in the hallway, they can no longer whip out their parent-signed notes from home explaining why their child is coming in late after missing the first two bells of school… for the seventh time this quarter.

CALENDAR 2

NEWS 3-5

SNAPSHOTS 6

FORUM 7-9

After accumulating close to 10,000 tardies last school year, the administrat ion found it necessary to make a change. “Most places of employment won’t give that kind of leniency,” said Davis. Now, each student is limited to five excused tardies per semester, meani ng that they will no longer need to bring in a not e from their parents when arriving late. “We really don’t care what your excuse is anymore,” said Davis. After the fifth tardy, parent not es will no longer be accepted as an excused tardy. All proceeding tardies must be represented by a doc tor’s note or a request to appear in court, or else it will go unexcused. “We ended up having kids photocopying their notes and changing the dat e for everyday they came in late. That’s ridiculou s,” said Davis. So for the student who though t they could write up a quick note every time they wanted to come in late, the tables have been turned. After five late days, all tardies must be legitimate and signed by a doctor. Besides the new cell phone and tardy policy, there will be new laptop car ts in the business, science, social studies and eng lish classrooms by the end of September. Additionally, 20 smart boa rds were installed this past summer in hopes that by the end of first semester, every classroom will have a smart board. Students can expect a positiv e outcome from these changes.

FEATURE 10-11

FUN & GAMES 12

Law Offices of Thomas Gelwicks Blue Ash | Cincinnati 513-421-6688

Injury and Accident Law Serious injuries Serious representation www.cincinnati-accident-lawyer.com

A&E 13-16

SPORTS 17-19

SPOTLIGHT 20

Calendar

2 sunday

Friday, August 27, 2010

monday

tuesday

kelcieGREGA

wednesday

calendar chief

thursday

friday

saturday

Weird Holiday: Skyscraper Day

10:00 a.m. Boys JV. Football vs. Springboro @ Home 12:00 p.m. Boys Freshman Football vs. Springboro @ Home

September 4:30 p.m. Girls FreshmanSoccer vs. Milford @ Home

4:00 p.m. Girls JV. Soccer vs. Lakota West @ Home

6:00 p.m. Boys Freshman Soccer vs. Milford @ Home

SHS Event: Open House@ 7:00 p.m.

5:00 p.m. Boys JV. Soccer vs. Walnut Hills @ Home

Weird Holiday: Be late for Something Day

Holiday: Labor Day (No School)

7:00 p.m. Boys Varsity Soccer vs. Walnut Hills @ Home

7:00 p.m. Girls JV. Tennis vs. Fairfeild @ Home

SHS Event: 11-2 Parent/College Meetings @ 7:00 p.m.

4:00p.m. Girls Varsity Green Tennis vs. Mason @ Home

PSAT Registration

Holiday: Grandparent’s Day

Weird Holiday: Talk like a Pirate Day

Weird Holiday: International Rabbit Day

20 4:30 p.m. Girls Freshman Soccer vs. Centerville@ Home PSAT Registration

4:30 p.m. Girls JV. Tennis vs.Ursaline @ Home

5:00 p.m. Boys JV. Soccer vs. Princeton@ Home 7:00 p.m. Boys Varsity Soccer vs. Princeton @ Home PSAT Registration

28 7:00 p.m. Girls Varsity Soccer vs. Colerain @ Home SHS Event: Parent Pride Survey Review

3:20p.m. Girls Varsity Golf vs. Fairfield @ Glenview

PSAT Registration

SHS Event: New Student Breakfast @ 7:30 a.m Weird Holiday: Teddy Bear Day

16 17 4:00p.m. Boys Varsity Football vs. Princeton @ Home

SHS Event: ACT Test

PSAT Registration

Holiday: Oktoberfest begins

PSAT Registration

10:00 a.m. Boys JV. Football vs. Oak Hills @ Home

4:00 p.m. Girls JV. Volleyball vs. Loveland@ Home PSAT Registration

PSAT Registration

4:00 p.m. Girls Varsity Golf vs. Ursula & Mason @ Glenview (SR. Night)

10:00 a.m. Girls Freshman Volleyball vs. Anderson @ Home

Weird Holiday: National Apple Dumpling Day PSAT Registration

4:00 p.m. Girls JV.Soccer vs. Lakota West @ Home 7:00 p.m. Girls Varsity Soccer vs. Lakota West @ Home

SHS Event: PTO Meeing @ 9:00 a.m

‘10

4:00 p.m. Boys Freshman Football vs. Middletown @ Home 4:00 p.m. Boys Varsity Soccer vs. Lakota East @ Home

news

friday, august 27, 2010

RI-COUNTY MALL INSTITUTES YOUTH ESCORT POLICY eens unable to shop alone on Friday, Saturday evening

emmaOH

business manager, feature chief

fter facing problems with teenage shoppers, Tri-County Mall implemented their new Youth Escort Policy in an attempt to improve their atmosphere and shopping experience. As of Friday, Aug. 6, all kids under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult escort 21 years of age or older at the shopping center on Fridays and Saturdays after 4 p.m. Adults are only allowed to supervise up to four kids, or “youths,” at one time, who must remain under their watch during the entirety of the visit. Representatives from Tri-County stated that asking parents to accompany their children on Friday and Saturday nights will help the mall and its retailers by providing a positive experience for families. Mike Lyons, Tri-County’s general manager estimated that hundreds of unsupervised teenagers come to the mall to hang out on Friday and Saturday nights. Often teens get loud or rowdy, potentially intimidating other shoppers. Mall security states they have had no specific incidents to prompt the change. The Springdale Police Department says they have had no reports of criminal problems at night. “Although I don’t necessarily agree with the policy, I think adults can be scared off by large crowds of teenagers. It can also make things uncomfortable for a mom with little kids, too,” said Tess Plona, 11. Tri-County will now post two guards at checkpoints inside each of the mall’s seven entrances. The guards will ask for ID from anyone who appears to be under 18 and without an escort. Acceptable identification includes government issued ID such as a state drivers’ license or an ID card, passport, visa or military card. Any unsupervised youth will have to call an adult to pick them up or accompany them at the mall. Those who do not have a ride home will be escorted to a designated Youth Center in the mall where they can make arrangements to telephone for transportation home. Until they have a ride, they will be asked to wait in the center where they will be supervised and have access to television and games.

Customer opinions

Patrons of Tri-County Mall have mixed views of the policy. While some are relieved, others think that the policy is unnecessary and punishes kids who already behave or do not have adults to escort them on a Friday or Saturday night.

“I disagree with the policy because teenagers should have the right to go to the mall on their own and shop for things without their parents being there. If they’re being loud and disruptive they should be kicked out, but there’s no reason for the kids who are behaving to be punished,” said John Beech, 11. Representatives from Tri-County stated in an FAQ document that they do not feel that the policy is too extreme. The statement concluded that their policy has two main objectives: to create the most family-friendly environment possible and to promote safety first and foremost. Tri-County made it a point to repeat that they absolutely do want youth in their mall because teens are responsible for a high percentage of their sales. However, some teens are already attempting to find other things to do. “I don’t really go to the mall that often, but I’d rather not go at all than go with a parent,” said Eric Byers, 10. Tri-County also noted that the mall is not a babysitting service or a place for youth to hang out when their purpose is other than shopping, eating or enjoying events. “I support the policy because they’re utilizing their right to prevent soliciting and if people aren’t behaving then it’s their call to handle it how they see fit,” said Adam Kapuscinski, 12.

Other policies

The Tri-County policy is similar to the policies at Newport on the Levee and Dayton Mall, both claiming to be successful. Dayton Mall instituted an escort policy in 2003 because of large numbers of teens being loud and boisterous while at the mall. Managers of the Dayton Mall said that kids were playing tag, not shopping, disrupting shoppers and tenants and getting mouthy with each other and customers. Dave Duebber, general manager of Dayton Mall, said in an interview with The Cincinnati Enquirer that this type of behavior was impacting the success of the center and that couples and families have come back to the mall on Fridays and Saturdays since the establishment of the policy. According to a spokesman from the International Council of Shopping Centers, a trade association, there are 65 malls or shopping centers across the country with some sort of escort policy. Tri-County stated that their policy and its results are under constant evaluation. Representatives from Kenwood Towne Center said as of now they have no escort policy.

image by emma oh

New blended course gives students freedom Senior Capstone becomes independent work time for students sarahJANNING

staff writer

photo courtesy of alexis rhodenbaugh

NELSON WONG, 10, WORKS on the bike that he built for his Senior Capstone project. For students like Wong, a blended course would be beneficial because they could have more outside-of-class time to work. But students be warned, if ability to focus does not come easily, the blended course may not be the best choice.

This school year, SHS will be giving incoming seniors the option to take a blended Senior Capstone course, rather than a tradition class. The blended course will allow these seniors to work on their projects outside of class for three of five days of the week. “It will help students find times for interviews because the world doesn’t run on our school time schedule. So if we can free up some time for them to talk to professionals instead of being in class, students will greatly benefit from having more time,” said Mr. Breen Reardon, English teacher. If students chose a blended course, the web-based course, they can choose between either coming to school late during their first/second bell, or leave early during their sixth/seventh bell. If they already have late arrival, they can take their blended course second or seventh bell.

“Working out of class will help students get into ‘flow-state’ where they can have a flow of creativity, research, and interviews instead of being restricted to a 50 minute period,” said Reardon. The blended course requires no less work than the traditional class. Students just have the ability to work outside of class and get assignments and homework online instead of in the classroom. There will be articles to read, online discussion boards and activities that the students will need to participate in on their own time. Students that take Senior Capstone can do their projects on virtually any topic they are interested in. Halfway through the class, students will be required to write an essay about their project, how much progress has been made, and the research they are finding. The end of the semester class is the ultimate reveal of the projects they have

worked so hard on. There is a determined day during which students will display their presentations at school. The community is invited to judge the students’ work. The course curriculum is the same for both the traditional and blended courses, but the setting is different. Students can asses how they best work; if working outside of class would be easy enough and beneficial, then it is worth considering taking the blended course. “The students that choose the blended course have to be independent individuals that are able to focus on their work” said Reardon. Students work at different paces when working on classroom activities such as test. Those students that work faster will have the freedom to work at their own pace and not be held back by those students that like to take more time.

news

friday, august 27, 2010

photo by sally evans

SALLY EVANS, 11, FORMS O-H-I-O with students from Unifat during her summer trip to Uganda which she won at a raffle at the iDance. She stayed for two weeks with Mr. Stevan Przywara, social studies teacher, and says she had the time of her life. “To us it was more important that we make these kids smile and let them know they’re loved, rather than just focusing all on business,” said Evans.

‘Never in my life had I really known my purpose, and here it was, halfway around the world’

Sally Evans discusses life-changing trip linaCARDENAS

feature chief

or the past five years, SHS has been actively involved in Unified for Unifat, a nonprofit organization that raises money for underprivileged children in Gulu, Uganda. These diverse fundraisers range from bake sales during lunch hours to a benefit concert in May. Although thousands contribute financially to this program, only a lucky few are able to visit Gulu and see the changes they are making firsthand. Sally Evans, 11, was fortunate enough to go on a two week trip with Mr. Stevan Przywara, social studies teacher. Evans and Przywara were chosen to represent the SHS chapter in this intercollegiate trip. Students from Mount Notre Dame, Moeller, Eastern High School in New Jersey, and Miami University joined Evans and Przywara. These students were selected through a drawing which occurred in January, at the iDance. Two tickets per school were drawn at random, and for every $300 raised, a ticket for that particular school is placed into the drawing. Once the slots have become available, students must undergo an application process. Finally, Connie Ring, the Unified for Unifat moderator from Moeller High School, makes the final decisions. For the few selected, the experience was indescribable. “I can’t imagine not being able to ever visit again. It makes me so sad to come back home, because I see what people care about – cell phones, who’s dating who, iPods, etc. – and I know that the next continent over kids who are equal to us are strictly just trying to survive on what little they have,” said Evans. However, the journey to Gulu proved to be very tedious. Two long eight hour flights filled with watching The Hang-

over multiple times and a full day of driving to Gulu could be enough to drive anyone crazy. Despite all the travelling, the visitors marveled at the beauty Uganda had to offer. Upon their arrival to Gulu, the invitees were greeted with a safari and a boat ride down the Nile River. Afterwards, they visited the homes of the children in their sponsorship program. There, Evans met Ojok Ojara Phillips, the child she has been sponsoring for the past year. “Never in my life had I really known my purpose. And here it was, halfway around the world,” said Evans.

I can’t imagine not being able to ever visit again. It makes me so sad to come back home, because I see what people care about – cell phones, who’s dating who, iPods, etc. – and I know that the next continent over kids who are equal to us are strictly just trying to survive on what little they have.

Sally Evans, 11 In addition to visiting the child she sponsored, Evans and the rest of the visitors spent the week at the Unified for Unifat School. During the week they spent hours playing soccer and seven stones with the kids. That Friday, the Unifat students held a final soccer game against the staff. “I was the first girl ever who played on the staff’s team, it was so neat!” said Evans. Aside from playing with the children, the Unifat visitors also had a chance to teach some of the classes. “The kids are very smart and they have so much potential, that’s why Sycamore’s sponsorship program is so im-

portant—they can pass primary school, get into secondary school, and go on to make money and live a sustainable life,” said Evans. Finally, on their last few days, Evans and her fellow Americans went to Abitimo Rebecca Odongkara’s house to say good bye to the children from Uganda. “While we were there, the kids from the states who went spent their time getting to know the kids and building strong relationships. To us it was more important that we make these kids smile and let them know they’re loved, rather than just focusing all on business. That was mainly Connie Ring’s job – working with the mentors and figuring out what needs to be done,” said Evans. Overall, the students found this trip to be extremely eye opening and rewarding. “I can’t help but notice how resilient those Ugandans are. They are honestly some of the most caring and sweetest people I’ve ever met. At first I felt guilty, seeing all the poverty. But now I just feel lucky, to live in the United States is such a blessing and honor,” said Evans. These annual trips add to the popularity of this club. Seeing the results from all their fundraising directly benefit the kids in Gulu pushes the members to spend extra time and effort into their respective jobs. Evans is just one of the many students who have been able to participate in this this life-changing experience, and surely there will be many others to come. “The last thing I want to say is just that when people say ‘Oh, it must be hard coming home from a third world country’ I want to look at them and tell them about what they are saying. We are all on this planet together, and there are no separations of any kind because whether we like to think of it this way or not, we are equal. It’s just a matter of who shows what’s in their heart, and who doesn’t,” said Evans.

New requirements for core classes, credit flex options ellieGOLDMAN managing editor

Following the passing of legislation in the Ohio General Assembly, all Ohio schools are expected to make some changes. Here is a sampling of how SHS will adapt to respond to fit these new rules.

Core Requirements

There have been changes in core requirements that apply to any entering ninth-grade student. While the new requirements are not expected to pose big problems in scheduling, they do slightly shift the required 21.5 credits. There is now a compulsory fourth year of math instruction, as well as a necessary class in financial literacy. Many already offered courses fulfill this need, such as accounting, economics, and macroeconomics plus. The total number of required credits will not change. Rather, fewer electives will be mandated to allow space for the new classes.

Credit Flexibility

After all the hype, credit flexibility is finally taking root at SHS. In hopes of allowing students to accrue necessary credits, many different forms of learning are being accepted. Alternate options for specific classes or the entire year are being offered. One class that already offers alternate options is macroeconomics plus, for example, which meets outside of the school day and functions on an October-to-May schedule because of the placement of AP testing. This format is being considered for other semester-long AP classes such as AP government. If students are interested in getting credit while traveling, they need to propose their independent study project to a panel. The panel would then asses as to whether the project is feasible, and make suggestions. “Students are given the opportunity to formalize that learning [they would experience in travel] and get credit for it,” said Mr. Kevin Mays, assistant principal. Mays reported that the most utilized options currently are

the ability to test out of courses or take classes elsewhere for equal credit. Another opportunity is the Aves Academy, an alternative to classroom learning. Aves Academy allows students to acquire credits almost entirely online, with teachers available for a few hours daily.

Dating violence

The passing of House Bill 19 means there will be a change in SHS health classes from this point forward. It is now being mandated that students receive information about dating violence prevention. There are many programs already out there that teach this curriculum, with the hope of preventing the occurrence of violence. Erin McNew, MSW, LSW, mother of a current SHS sophomore, is an educational coordinator and educator on this topic. She described that the information her course presents deals mainly with being able to characterize a healthy versus unhealthy relationship which may turn to abuse, and ways that friends of someone in this situation could find help.

news

Texting:

friday, august 27, 2010

mariaMARBALLI

editor-in-chief

t is currently illegal to text and drive in thirty states including Kentucky, and it is probable that this domino effect will be hitting Ohio shortly. Many, teens in particular, recognize the risk of texting while driving yet continue to do so. “In my opinion texting is worse than driving under the influence because at least with a DUI, the driver has their eyes on the road,” said Officer Paul Payne. A recent study of young adults in driving simulators showed motorists who text message while driving are six times more likely to be distracted and have an accident. Most recently, Kentucky has made texting while driving a primary offense, meaning if anyone is caught texting on their phone they can be pulled over and fined up to $50 plus court costs. Additionally, it is stated in the House bill that "any person under the age of 18 who has been issued an instruction permit, intermediate license, or operator's license shall not operate a motor vehicle, motorcycle, or moped that is in motion on the traveled portion of a roadway while using a personal communication device, except to summon medical help or a law

Days are numbered for texting in cars

enforcement or public safety agency in an emergency situation." According to Payne, it is obvious when someone is using their phone in the car. “They have their head slouched down or they’re swerving in and out of lanes. And it’s especially obvious at night when you can see the phone’s light.” Payne describes his experience from last month while he was working with the traffic detail on Montgomery Rd. directing cars through the construction. He witnessed a large number of drivers either talking or texting on their phones and found it difficult to get them to pay attention to his instruction because of their lack of focus on the road ahead of them. Nearly all of Ohio’s bordering states currently have texting laws being enforced so it is only a matter of time before local students begin getting pulled over for using their phones, according to Payne. Cell phone usage in the car has been such a problem, in fact, that new software has been created which disables texting, e-mailing and Web-browsing functions of a wireless phone in moving vehicles for government agencies and businesses. This technology will be developed by WebSafety Inc.

States where texting is banned All drivers Inexperienced drivers only No ban enforced

all images by ellie goldman

Beloved brand extending borders

Graeter’s going national ellieGOLDMAN managing editor

School makes changes, meets needs moriahKRAWEC associate editor

lllThe rectangular silver panel, engraved with a symbol of a wheelchair-using person, holds much greater significance than one would initially assume. It represents a recent renovation in SHS’s accessibility. Mr. Kevin Mays, assistant principal, pointed at the metallic button near the upper bus ramp. “They retrofitted the doors and put buttons like the ones up front near the bus ramps,” said Mays. On Thursday, Feb. 4, Caroline Cameron, Class of ’10, approached Mays about a pressing issue. Cameron, a wheelchair user, had organized a petition with the help of Ms. Dawn Davis, educational assistant, and Ms. Marilyn Ray, Global Perspectives teacher. Cameron’s petition was focused on improving accessibility at SHS. Although Cameron felt that most areas were adequate in terms of accessibility, several areas, such as the bus ramp doors, stuck out as problem areas to her. “I’m depressed that no one said anything before I did,” said Cameron in a March interview. However, what Cameron did not know was that progress was already under way.

Quick, on-target installation As early as the beginning of 2010, SHS’s Central Office was making progress in revamping the building’s accessibility. By March, work on the doors was well under way.

“The accessibility issues have been mainly looked at this year,” said Dr. Keith Kelly, Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources and Business Operations, in March. Later, Kelly stated that he hoped to see the doors replaced by the beginning of the 2010-2011 school year. By Tuesday, Aug. 10, the construction involving SHS’s entrances was complete. New doors were installed in the school’s main entrance, and the doors near the business wing were replaced. “All entrances should now be fixed and allow more than adequate access to SHS,” said Mays. Additionally, Mays noted that Cameron herself tested out the doors, which accommodated her wheelchair that was above-average in size.

‘It was a bold stand’

SHS’s reactions to the changes in the building are very positive. Although some may cast a blind eye to the modifications, others think of them as a major difference. “I am ecstatic that they have responded so quickly,” said Annie Blood, 11. “It shows so much about our school and where its priorities are; it’s always putting students and their needs first.” Others, such as Ray, give Cameron, as well as SHS, much credit. “I am very proud of Caroline,” said Ray. “It was a bold stand, and we need more of this type of active involvement.”

lllAfter generations of allowing Cincinnatians to feel superior about their ice cream capacity, there is finally a plan in the works to expand the beloved creamery Graeter’s reach far beyond the midwest. An additional plant opening in Bond Hill will allow the store to supply Kroger across the US. Graeter’s is also looking to potentially open stores across the country, in cities such as Chicago and Denver, and the states of Florida and California. Many Cincinnatians feel a special connection to the ice cream brand, potentially because the store had its humble beginnings right here in the Queen city. It then expanded to serve the Ohio cities of Columbus and Dayton and the nearby Kentucky cities of Lexington, Louisville, and Northern Kentucky. Some have mixed feelings about the brand expanding even more past its current wingspan. “It’s kinda like a sweettart- I’m glad the rest of the country gets to enjoy the bomb shizel-ness of Graeter’s but I’m sad because it’s no longer a Cincinnati thing,” said Aj Bierschwal, 11. But all in all, a positive sentiment has been expressed toward the expansion. Graeter’s has been supplying Ohio with its treats for 140 years, and natural expansion seems reasonable. The company has been extending its

reach for many years now, broadening the range of services it provided for its customers. To “share the love” with its patrons, Graeter’s ice cream can be ordered and shipped anywhere in the continental US, guaranteed frozen. This has been very popular among college students who hunger for the treat while away and anyone else who is looking for a creative way to surprise a friend or relative. In order to be competitive with other ice cream producers on its level, Graeter’s also recently decided to take the artificial coloring out of its chocolatechip-mint flavor, allowing them to boast the title ‘All-natural ingredients’ This change was made with respect for the store’s customers. Instead of making the executive decision to switch, patrons were handed a survey with their orders where they could express their support or rejection of the possible switch. Noteworthy in the expanding and competitive nature of Graeter’s, the Food Network is coming to Cincinnati next month to pit creamery against creamery. The show ‘Food Feud’ will help the city decide which ice cream parlor it loves the most, Graeter’s or Aglamesis Brothers. But even after all of this expansion, devoted ice cream lovers need not worry. Graeter’s will continue to serve this community as it always has, the good old-fashioned way.

I love to go get Graeter’s ice cream with friends and I’m absolutely in love with the black raspberry chip flavor. And the fact that it’s going national is absolutely awesome.

Andi DiMasso, 9

BEHIND

Snapshots Friday, August 27, 2010

the scenes of

The Sycamore

LEAF linaCARDENAS & emmaOH business manager, feature chief feature chief

here is much more to Convergence Journalism than publishing a monthly paper. Sure, that may be the biggest part of it, but this particular course demands much more from its students. First of all, advertisement revenue must be gathered in order to have enough money to print each issue of The Leaf. Each issue costs around $1300 to publish, so advertisement incomes are imperative. Each student is required to sell $300 worth of advertisements. Aside from improving sales skills, in Convergence Journalism, students learn to use advanced publishing programs, such as Adobe InDesign, Adobe Illustrator, and Adobe Photoshop. Yet, undeniably, the best part of Convergence Journalism is the bonds and friendships made. On deadline week, those who hold editorial positions may stay after school for hours at an end, adding the finishing touches to a particular article or page. Of course, these students are hard at work, but nonetheless, they grow closer together while exchanging interests, ideas, and jokes that only those who belong in room 115 would understand. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Journalism is just like inside CNN, people working hard on stories and sending out information but at the same time, they are having fun,â&#x20AC;? Mihir Kulkarni, 12, after taking a behind the scenes tour of the CNN workplace.

editors-in-chief

managing editors

Brandon Sosna & Maria Marballi

Ellie Goldman & Jimmy Chau

associate editors business managers Moriah Krawec, Kelsey Drapkin & Gabe Englander

Emma Rosen & Emma Oh

news chief

feature chiefs

a&e chiefs

SM Dipali

Lina Cardenas, Jimmy Chau & Emma Oh

Emma Rosen & Gina Romeo

sports chiefs

Danny Bayliss & Bennett Kaplan

spotlight/forum chiefs Drew Gelwicks & Shivani Parikh

calendar chief Kelcie Grega

Forum

Friday, August 27, 2010

gabeENGLANDER

associate editor

The next oil spill on the Horizon?

staffeditorial

ew school year, new rules. After years of complaining about the confiscation of hundreds of cell phones, the administration has finally received our message. (Pun intended.) Students are now allowed to use their cell phones in the hallways, during lunch and at their lockers. Additionally, thanks to teenage desire to have the coolest, newest, most expensive phones, teachers can no longer confiscate your cell phone for liability reasons. For those of you rebels who previously used your phones anyway, you no longer have to live life on the edge. And for those of you who kept your phones turned off and hidden in the bottom of your backpack, you can finally text your parents or friends without that post-rule breaking guilt. Before you start jumping for joy, keep in mind that while you no longer have to worry about your teacher reading that text you just sent to your friend, there are still limits to student cell phone use. Now, instead of having to pick up your phone at the end of the day, you have to spend a half hour with whoever owns the eyes that caught you texting during class. (Cue eye roll.) Although now the new rule seems a little less great, remember school is meant for learning anyway, not texting your friends. If you have to send a text you can now freely do so while you walk to class or eat your lunch. But for your benefit, it is probably best to keep your cell phone in your backpack during class. However, while it is now a little easier to text, it will not be so simple to stroll in late with a handy excuse from mom or dad. For those of you who like to sleep through first bell, it is recommended that you kick the habit ASAP. In response to the number of tardies

the Sycamore

cartoon by lila englander issued last school year, each student is now limited to five late days per semester. Students are not required to bring a note for these tardies, but after five days parent notes will no longer count as excused. Sorry to all of you who are just now perfecting the art of forging mom’s signature. In other words, you can be late five times. Any following tardies will have to be confirmed by a doctor’s note or a request to appear in court. Otherwise, your tardy will count as unexcused. On the bright side, if you have any days saved up at the end of the semester, we’ll meet you at Starbuck’s for a non-fat caramel macchiato, two pumps not three. (Just kidding, administrators.) While these are the two biggest adjustments, there are many other changes that will take place at SHS this year. For example, new laptop carts will be added to the English, Business, Science and Social Studies classrooms in order to promote using less paper and “going green”. And who doesn’t appreciate less paperwork? In closing, this year, like every other is accompanied by new rules and policies. However, it is important to note that changes like these are made with the help of input from the student body. As we start a new school year, remember that your voice is important at SHS. This is our school, our opinions matter. Make sure yours are heard. The Sycamore Leaf welcomes your response to our articles and columns. Letters to the editor or any other questions or comments are always encouraged and appreciated. While we recommend getting involved and joining a club or sport, remember: your voice can be heard through the newspaper, too. With that said, here’s to a great school year.

leaf

Mission Statement: The Leaf, the official newspaper of Sycamore High School, serves as an educational tool in the training of student journalists to provide information and editorial leadership concerning school, national, and world issues, to provide a public forum for the exchange of ideas and viewpoints, and to give coverage to newsworthy events directly related to the diverse school population. Editorial Policy: Although students work under the guidance of a professional faculty member, the content is ultimately determined by the student staff and should reflect all areas of student interest, including topics about which there may be dissent and controversy. Students cannot publish material that is obscene, libelous, or will cause “a substantial disruption of the educational process.” Content that may stimulate heated debate or discussion is not included in this definition.

Sycamore High School 7400 Cornell Road Cincinnati, OH 45242

leafing through the masses

How do you feel about the changes in cellphone and tardy policy?

I like that this takes away the pressure of students trying to hide their phones while texting.

Adeel Malik, 12

Sometimes being late isn’t our fault so having some flexibility will be nice.

Marjorie Keith, 11 It makes sense to be able to use our phones at school. It’s a lot more convenient.

Dylan Romeo, 9 Editors-in-chief: Brandon Sosna, Maria Marballi Associate Editors: Kelsey Drapkin,

The Leaf operates as an open forum for the healthy, robust exchange of ideas. Opinions expressed in the editorials are those of The Leaf staff. Letters to the editor are encouraged. All letters must be signed. The letters, not to exceed 300 words, may be edited for clarity, spelling, and grammar. Letters may be placed in Mrs. Cheralyn Jardine’s mailbox, dropped off in room 115, or e-mailed to jardinec@sycamoreschools.org. The Leaf reserves the right to decide not to cover a death based on relevance, timeliness, and circumstances decided on by the editorial board. In cases that the editorial board decides not to cover a death, letters to the editor in regard to that death will be printed. The Leaf’s complete editorial policies can be found at www.goaves.com. For comments about columns, please write to writetotheleaf@gmail.com

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

News S.M. Dipali Forum Shivani Parikh Feature Jimmy Chau Emma Oh Lina Cardenas A&E Emma Rosen Stuart Lindle Gina Romeo Sports Brandon Sosna Calendar Kelcie Grega Sam Hammer Spotlight Drew Gelwicks Snapshots Jane Finocharo Fun & Games Clayton Hamre Cartoonist Lilly Lefton

The four month, 206 million gallon Deepwater Horizon oil spill is coming to a close. As high school students, we should be particularly concerned, because the damage caused by BP will remain with us for much of our adult lives. Given our personal stake, we should be even more alarmed to know that BP is already planning its, “biggest challenge to date.” This ‘challenge,’ is a new drilling project off of Alaska’s Arctic coast. The well, named “Liberty,” would be drilled two miles below the ocean floor and six to eight miles horizontally. Yes, you read that correctly: drill two miles down, a depth double that of the Deepwater Horizon explosion, and then drill six to eight miles sideways. The Liberty well would be the longest ultra-extended reach well ever attempted. Complicating matters, extended reach drilling has the unfortunate combination of being both unproven and more liable to the type of gas kicks that caused the explosion on the Deepwater Horizon. BP itself estimates that the Liberty has an 8% chance of a large spill. By building its own gravel island in the Beaufort Sea and connecting it to the Alaskan coast, BP has managed to bypass the federal moratorium on new drilling in the Arctic, and has gained almost all the approvals it needs to begin drilling. Considering that it has only been two months since BP caused the largest oil spill in American history and that BP is still on probation for a 2006 spill in Alaska, one would hope that the federal government would be more skeptical about BP’s latest adventure. Luckily, there is still hope. With most permits already approved, the final judgment rests with the Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar. As Salazar has not made a decision yet, there is still a chance he will reject BP’s application to drill. When the Deepwater Horizon exploded in April, the silver lining was supposed to be that the federal government would finally learn that the dangers of deepwater drilling outweigh the benefits of cheap energy. In order to prevent another catastrophic oil spill, I implore you to write a letter to Secretary Salazar asking him to reject BP’s application to drill. By sending a handwritten letter to Secretary Salazar, we can show that we care about the future of our oceans, our country and our earth. For more information, please see wwww. greenpeace.org.

Gabe Englander, Moriah Krawec Managing Editor: Jimmy Chau, Ellie Goldman Business Managers: Emma Oh, Emma Rosen Staff Writers Daniel Bayliss Denae Bellilti Rishi Choubey Jane Finocharo Drew Gelwicks Ellie Goldman Kelcie Grega Samantha Hammer Clayton Hamre Sarah Janning Bennett Kaplan Moriah Krawec Stuart Lindle Sarah May Frank Pan Shivani Parikh Orion Radtke Casey Rayburn Daniel Rickert Gina Romeo Aditi Sharma Chase Spicer Daniella Star Ilana Vinnik

Photographer Jeremy McDaniel Adviser Cheralyn Jardine About us Professional memberships: • Columbia Scholastic Press Association • Journalism Education Association • National Scholastic High School Press Association • Ohio High School Media Association • Ohio Professional Writers (National Federation of Women Writers) • Quill & Scroll International Journalism Honorary

forum

CON

PRO

friday, august 27, 2010

shivaniPARIKH

emmaOH

forum chief

business manager, feature chief

chool is meant for learning and expanding our knowledge, but not all education can occur within the confines of school grounds. Senior capstone, a popular semester course where seniors focus on a topic of their choice, culminates in a huge project presentation. Though very popular, the course does have its limitations, one of them being that students must remain on campus to conduct any research during school hours. This policy can hinder those who have chosen topics that range beyond the halls of SHS. For example, Nelson Wong, ‘10, whose project was to rebuild his father’s motorcycle, would probably have appreciated being able to work from home. We are encouraged to allow our imaginations to take us anywhere, but how is that possible when we must remain in school to work? An open campus policy is essential to kindle the interests of seniors and assist them in turning out well-thought-out projects, exhibiting their best work. Other schools, such as St. Xavier High School, already implement a similar policy, and have met with success. At St. X, students having free periods are allowed to roam the grounds and use school facilities as well as outdoor areas. The “off-campus privilege” for seniors is the ability to go out to nearby restaurants during lunch. If other schools can allow their students to leave campus on a regular basis without considerable difficulty, it is only fair that students in senior capstone should get the opportunity to leave campus in order to do research to ensure a thorough project. Though SHS does offer countless opportunities to its students, preparing them for college and the real world, it cannot offer everything. It is just a building, after all. If a class such as capstone is going to be offered, it is essential that those taking it be given every chance to do their best. A campus is like a parachute: it works best when open.

images courtesy of Yearbook

CLOCKWISE: AARON SEARS, Josie McKinnon, Stephanie Webster, Meghan Marth, Nelson Wong, and, Whitney Osborne, all class of ‘10, present their Capstone projects. While Wong especially would have appreciated time to work outside of school, the new open campus policy will certainly change Capstone.

f the purpose of school is to learn, then we should be able to do so while we are physically in school. Senior capstone has been at SHS for two full years and has been immensely successful. Students in Capstone are allowed to research any topic of their choice, and are given time in class to research in the library and on the internet. And if that is not enough, they Capstone students have an entire semester to work outside of class. While opening the campus is an idea with good intentions, it has great potential to be misused. If a student chooses to go to Starbucks or run errands instead of work on their project, how would their teacher ever know? The argument goes that if students slack off, they only hurt themselves. But why even give them this opportunity? On top of all of this, how does the administration plan to ensure that students return back on time? Giving out tardies and detentions will not defer from the fact that there will occasionally be heavy traffic or bad weather. Also, because the administration is responsible for us while we are here, will they be held responsible if someone gets in an accident or their car breaks down while they are out of the building? Research projects are not limited to just Capstone. English reports, science projects and history presentations also require a great deal of work and often times no class work time is given. There is no reason that Capstone students should not be able to get their work done in the same fashion as the rest of the students at SHS. Just because students cannot leave during the school day does not mean that they cannot create a project backed by firsthand research. This research needs to be done on their own time, just like all other homework. Capstone worked well in its former format, as the class’s popularity illustrates. After all, if it ain’t broke…

Want to voice your opinion and see it published? The topic for next month’s pro-con page will be whether the new summer reading policy succeeded. Responses from both students and teachers will be accepted. Write to us with your opinion and you could be published. Just fill out the information sheet to the right and attach your response. Please keep the response under 300 words. Either email it to writetotheleaf@gmail.com or drop it off in room 115.

Name: ______________________________________ Grade: ________ Fifth bell teacher: ___________________________

forum

friday, august 27, 2010

RESHMEN GUIDE TO SURVIVAL

ind your way, thrive this school year

kelcieGREGA

calendar chief

reetings, freshman. You have made your final exit from the confinement of junior high, ready to finally begin your first year of high school. There are a lot of things to remember when starting high school, and freshman year is typically the concrete foundation on how you will do for the next four years. So consider these tips to ensure you start on a good note.

Make good impressions The impressions you make in the first week of school will stick with you for a long time. (Especially those you makes with teachers.) Be sure to show up on time to class and get all of those first week of school slips signed as soon as you can. While you want to show you can be independent, don’t be afraid to ask for help.

Make new friends Being academically successful is not the only important thing in high school. Make new friends and be known. If you see someone from one of your classes, smile and wave. Knowing people in your classes will help later when group projects are assigned or if you have a homework question.

Studying is key

Get involved

While you may not have had to study much in junior high, most classes at SHS require frequently reviewing of the material you are learning in class. It is important to take good notes and pay attention, that way you will not have to commit so much time to studying later.

Join in extracurricular activities. This will help you get to know others and you will also be able to learn outside of the classroom. (Plus, it looks good on your college applications!) Do not be afraid to try new things!

Stick with other freshmen

Stay organized

Although you will make many new friends in high school, it is important to stick with kids your own age sometimes, too. Freshmen partaking in upperclass activities can really annoy the older kids. However, while Senior Halloween and Dart Wars are for the upperclassmen, do not stray away from other events. Football games and the student section are always open to all.

While some people are naturally organized, others struggle with being neat. Life in high school will be much easier if you keep your things organized. Use your planner, make a schedule for homework and make sure you have a designated folder for everything. image by charlie manion

Do not freak out Having more homework while trying to fit in time with your friends can be stressful. Don’t let it take over your life! Whether it is sports, art or music, it is important to have an outlet to deal with your stress. Stay positive and learn to laugh at your mistakes.

Be yourself

Have fun

Do not change in order to accomodate everyone else. When coming into a new building you have the freedom to become who you want to be. It is important to find friends that like you for you!

You only get to be in high school once. (Hopefully.) So enjoy every minute. Keep an open mind and positive attitude. If you balance your new-found freedom with an apt amount of studying, you will be good as gold at SHS.

image by kelsey drapkin

Should bus drivers be included in yearbook? Underappreciated employees deserve recognition SYCAMORE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS

hannaleeGOLDMAN

Every year, she learns the name of each student who rides her bus, and learns them SHS is very good at paying homage where quickly – more so than many of my teachers! In elementary school, I remember being so proud homage is due to the many adults who make our school experiences possible and incred- when I was the Student of the Week on our bus. My name was displayed in the front of the bus, and ible. The nurses, educational assistants, I received a goodie bag with treats and a jump rope. teachers, custodians, and administrators We all still look at those names now to see if any are all recognized for how much they give to of our neighbors are the ‘special one’ that week. make our district one of excellence. During the winter holiday season and at the end of But what about the group of people that the year, we are surprised with little treats, which make it possible for around two thousand students to even enter the doors every day? my family has loved reciprocating! I am telling you all of this to show how much I am speaking of the men and women who drive the school buses to and from SHS, the Gantzer has meant to me in my career as a student in the Sycamore Schools District. In junior high, E. H. Greene, Blue Ash, Maple fact, I have asked Dee to sign my yearbook every Dale, Symmes, and Montgomery. year—in the page I leave for adults only. My bus driver is Diana ‘Dee’ Gantzer, This may help to explain how upset I was when I and I have been greeted with a smile and a first realized that although the teachers, educational ‘Good morning’ since I first rode her bus in the second grade. She has been a bus driver assistants, custodians, nurses, and administrators are for the district for a total of twenty two years. all recognized with headshots in the yearbook, bus staff writer

drivers are not. When bringing this up with adults at school, the main response has been about a lack of space. I feel that if we have space for over one hundred staff members in a four hundred-page yearbook, we certainly have room for these men and women as well. If students are willing to pay over $60 for a yearbook, an exceedingly slight increase could not make a difference to those who want one. This is perhaps one of the most underappreciated groups in our district, and I am ashamed and angered at how little we recognize them for their great service, a service that makes it possible for Sycamore to reach the families it has. The Sycamore Log has headshots of over two thousand students and adult staff, as well as many pages devoted to the dayto-day activity of SHS. There is, without a doubt, room for our bus drivers.

“Secrets with girls, like loaded guns with boys, are never valued till they make a noise.”

-George Crabbe

drewGELWICKS

spotlight editor

High school can be broken down into two aspects: academics and social. Social can be broken down into relationships. Relationships are connected to dialogue. Dialogue then divides into secrets and confidentiality. These factors are what make up a friendship. At SHS, as well as any other high school, rumors spread; some factual, most not. This comes with being a teenager. One of the hardest parts of being an adolescent is figuring out true friendships. This means: who can I trust with personal information? All of us have secrets. We must use great precaution in deciding to whom we divulge these secrets. When someone does confide in another, the bond between the two people becomes stronger, while at the same time, more fragile. With every friend, there are certain barriers in the relationship, some more prevalent and stronger than others. These barriers are based on respect. The mutual respect two people hold for one another determines the friendship they share, and the barriers between them. Friends must respect each other’s barriers. The well-known saying, “Good fences make good neighbors,” is applicable to these barriers. If someone does not know what is going on in your backyard, there are no complications. This is because there is no exposure between the two neighbors. When applied to friendship, a ‘fence’ among two people can make it safer, yet not as rewarding. Everything comes down to vulnerability. As young adults, we are very susceptible to harm. We are not completely sure who we can trust, and who will talk behind our back. Trust is the most important ingredient in the friendships we hold. If we really want to have true, strong relationships, trust is vital. Because once someone breaks the trust of another, and tells another person a secret, the relationship implodes. One can never truly appreciate the significance of keeping one another’s trust until that trust is broken. Once the secret is divulged to others, there is no way to get it back. It’s out, and no longer in your control. Just like a loaded gun, a person with your secret can be dangerous. Reputations can be ruined, friendships can be broken, rumors can be spread, and false accusations can be made. If telling secrets is so dangerous, then what is the point? Could your current confidant potentially be the person that brings your world tumbling down? Even with the potential consequences of divulging information to another person, it is still worth it. That is why we have friends; it’s important to us as humans. When a friendship works, and the trust between one another is strong, it is great. For comments on this column, please write to WritetoTheLeaf@gmail.com

Feature

Friday, August 27, 2010

“I thought it was James coming to wake us up, but then I heard it exhale,”

Aaron Myers, 9 recalls bear attack jimmyCHAU

managing editor, feature chief

emmaOH

business manager, feature chief

t first glance, Aaron Myers, 9, looks like a normal, incoming freshman. However, his summer experience was anything but normal. During his trip to the Boy Scouts of America’s Philmont Scout Ranch, he became the ranch’s second victim of a bear attack this year. Aaron attended the 12-day trip near Cimmeron, New Mexico, along with 8 other scouts and three adult leaders including his father, Craig Myers, from Troop 151. The group’s journey took them 60 miles over a span of 10 days, where they encountered a total of four bears. “There’s one bear per square mile where we were,” said Aaron’s brother, Collin Myers, 11. However, it was not until the last morning of the trip that one attacked. On the morning of Wednesday, July 7, Collin woke up to what he thought was a prank. “I felt something hit me in the face through the tent and I thought it was James [Perryman, 11,] trying to wake us up in a creative way, but then I heard it exhale,” said Collin. Collin collected himself and started talking in a normal voice, trying to wake up his tent mate. Soon everyone in the camp was talking, following the bear protocol taught to them earlier in the trip.

“You’re supposed to start talking loud. Most of a bear’s diet is vegetation, 10 to 20 percent of the time they eat meat, but it’s usually carcasses so it’s important to let them know that you’re alive,” said Collin. Meanwhile, Aaron stood up in his tent. “The tents aren’t very big so when I stood up my head hit the top and all of a sudden I felt it. It wasn’t really biting my head, more like gnawing,” said Aaron. Aaron’s screams sent crew leader Mark Motley running from his tent. After Collin saw him run across and knew the bear was not outside of his own tent, he followed. “It’s funny, because I slept with my knife next to my head and everyone kept saying, ‘you’re not going to need that,’” said Collin. Motley started yelling at the bear, while others grabbed pots and pans to fight him off. It wasn’t until Motley threw a large rock that the bear finally let go and Aaron was able to escape. “It only happened for about 15 seconds,” said Aaron. Aaron’s father then picked him up and carried him away from the commotion. Fortunately, Collin and another scout had completed 20 hours of wilderness first aid training to prepare for the trip and were able to administer immediate care with the first aid kit.

Scouts put Aaron on a stretcher and carried him a quarter of a mile to the main cabin. From there, he was loaded into an SUV that transported him approximately 25 miles to a medical center at the base camp. There, the doctor’s mended Aaron’s wounds. “They were mainly worried about blood loss. I had to take a shower to clean off the dried blood and then I went back into the room. It didn’t hurt until they had to irrigate my head, meaning they cleaned out all of my cuts with water, and then they started putting in the staples,” said Aaron. Aaron received a total of 19 staples in his head but did not sustain any internal injuries. “After that they wrapped my hand and my head and sent me to a hospital in Santa Fe for a CAT scan and a check up on my staples. They said everything was fine,” said Aaron. Soon after, wildlife officials put the bear down after deciding it was too aggressive to live among the visitors of the ranch. The experience has earned Aaron the nicknames ‘Bear Bait’ and ‘Baaron’, but he does not mind. Aaron, Collin, and Perryman laugh about it and crack jokes when they look back, and when asked if they are now scared of bears, Perryman simply replied, “I’m just mad the bear made us wake up early.”

photo courtesy of james perryman

AARON MYERS, 9, GIVES two thumbs up after receiving 19 staples in his head. Myers was attacked by a bear while on a trip with his Boy Scout troop. Thankfully, he did not sustain any internal injuries.

Homecoming

emmaOH

business manager, feature chief

a. Homecoming Basics

High school can be overwhelming as it is, so before everything gets too confusing, here is the breakdown of Homecoming week.

1. Spirit week

3. Tailgate A few hours of fun for students interested in tailgaiting before the Homecoming football game. Tickets will be sold at lunch. Food and drinks will be sold and there is usually live music, as well.

4. Football game

The week before the Homecoming Dance, a different theme will be assigned each day. This means that Monday through Friday, everyone is supposed to dress to the appropriate theme. For example, on Monday you might be asked to wear a band t-shirt. The themes have not yet been chosen, but student council will announce them within the next week.

Come decked out in green and gold on Friday at 7:30 p.m. to support our team at SJHS. At the game, Homecoming court will also be announced based on who your class voted for. Make sure to vote at lunch.

2. Parade

5. Dance

This will take place the Friday before the football game. Anyone from sports teams to teachers to friends are invited to participate. It begins at SJHS and ends at SHS. Most people will be riding in vehicles or on the back of trucks. No ticket purchase is necessary.

b. Do’s and Don’ts DO:

go with a group of friends. relax and enjoy the dance. wear deodorant. bring gum or mints for after dinner. ask your date in a creative way. DON’T:

Enjoy dinner with a group of friends or couples and arrive at the high school no later than 9 p.m. You can dress up or dress to the theme. This year’s theme is carnival and circus. Remember your student ID and tickets!

be afraid to dance. ditch your date. ask someone over text messaging. be scared to go as just friends.

feature

friday, august 27, 2010

smDIPALI

news chief

irst, it was Xanga. Then, it was MySpace. Now, it is Facebook. Since the beginning of the Xanga, arguably the first step in creating a networking tool via the internet, one question has always arose in users’ minds; “Is my personal information safe on this website?” Even with the emergence of Facebook, a social networking site whose popularity vastly outshines its predecessors, it seems as if users are still constantly burdened with the fear of losing their privacy to such a widely used website. “Sometimes I wonder if it is really easy for random people to look at my profile,” said Ritvik Vasudevan, 11. Vasudevan’s concerns are not completely unrealistic. Researchers have found that bypassing Facebook’s security walls can actually be quite simple to an experienced hacker. With personal information listed on profiles, such as phone numbers and addresses, this could be a serious threat to the privacy of many Facebook users. However, sometimes a skilled hacker is actually unnecessary to view certain things on a person’s profile. In fact, all one has to do is type a person’s name into Google and more often than not, their Facebook page will be the number one search result. A researcher could merely click on

: that link and gain access to the person’s picture and friends list. But, changing one’s privacy settings on Facebook has become quite the hassle with all the revamping CEO Mark Zuckerburg has done to Facebook’s layout. “Navigating the Facebook privacy settings is not very easy. Most people disregard it completely and are unaware that their information and pictures are available to people on Facebook that are not their friends,” said Amy Ham, 10. Facebook’s privacy controls have recently come into scrutiny by the Wall Street Journal who recently reported that Facebook has been sharing users’ personal data with advertisers without the users’ consent. The information included usernames and ID numbers that could be traced back to individual profiles. Depending on the user’s individual privacy settings, it could show things such as a person’s name, age, phone number, or address. Large advertising companies such as Google’s DoubleClick and Yahoo’s Right Media were identified as having received this data, but they claim to have not made use of it. Whatever the case may be, privacy issues regarding Facebook have become a huge topic in the media. Time will only tell if Facebook can survive such a discussion.

privacy settings change; students reflect opinions

Sometimes I wonder if it is really easy for random people to look at my profile.

Ritvik Vasudevan, 11

Images by

Daniel Michael, Inc.

Photojournalistic Photography

image by lina cardenas

CONSTANT CHANGES IN privacy settings leave users unaware of what parts of their profile are public. Because of this, one does not need to be an experienced hacker to view so-called “private” information.

513.759.6760 10816 Millington Ct, Suit 116 Cincinnati, OH 45242 Photo@DanielMichael.com

Fun&Games

Friday, August 27, 2010

Wordles

school

E K A M

claytonHAMRE

c i

hour

eclips

be bush at

kill

Answers: 1. Hole in one 2. Makeup 3. High school 4. Arctic circle 5. Master’s degree 6. Rush hour 7. Bottom kill 8. Partial eclipse 9. Beat around the bush 10. Capital city 11. Fall of Rome

M E

Last issue’s winners: Andrew Coddington, 12 Robbie Falick, 12 Aaron Grzegorzewski, 12 The location was the ledge across from room 115.

If you think you know where in SHS this photo was taken, e-mail your answer to WriteToTheLeaf@gmail.com. The entrant who correctly identifies this location will win a Graeter’s gift certificate for $5.

Caption contest To submit a caption for this picture, send your submission to WriteToTheLeaf@gmail.com. The winning captions will be displayed with the picture on goaves.com.

photo by clayton hamre

Medium difficulty puzzle above, high difficulty puzzle below.

Where is this?

fun&games editor

master’s°

city CITY city

Chapter 2: Everest Quest

Sudoku A number should appear only once on each row, column and 3×3 region. For puzzle solutions, go to goaves.com. Puzzles from Sudoku Collection (www. sudokucollection.com).

e’ve got a quest,” said Roger Triever, captain of the UNSS Starship. “A quest for Everest. Stolen by some alien pest– one that must be put to rest, lest all our mountains are by them possessed. I suggest, or rather request, that you all try your hardest to pass this test. Yet, even if up we mess – be our souls blessed, for we tried our best.” The crew of 142 technicians, specialists, and diplomats applauded their captain’s inspirational speech. “But, seriously, before we start, we have to decide what the heck we’re going to do.” A murmur of agreement spread through the team. “Roger,” said Carlotta Biota, chief astrobiologist, speaking from the front row of the assembly hall, “you realize that the best thing to do would be to go to Proxima Centauri, right? That’s where the receipt signal was coming from.” “Uh, thank you, Carlotta,” mumbled Roger. “So that’s our course of action,” she said to the gathering. The road to Proxima Centauri was long and dark, and not anything like a road, either. But none of this mattered, because they had the Impossibility Drive, allowing the Starship to reach the Sun’s closest neighbor within several hours. Proxima Centauri is one of the less remarkable stars in the Milky Way – a mere one-seventh the diameter of the sun, it glows a cool, murky red, occasionally shining a bit more during one of its magnetic hiccups. It has no chance of expanding and going out in a magnificent, terrible supernova, either - it produces so little energy it can hardly keep the ice off the nearest orbiting asteroids, thus dooming it to uninspiringly simmer away until the end of the universe. “I was expecting something a bit more inspiring,” said Roger, looking out a porthole upon the Starship’s arrival. “Why? It’s just a red dwarf star,” replied Ralia, walking by. “I’m going to tell Carlotta it’s time to send the contact signal.” Roger followed her back to the bridge, where much of the crew was gathered. “Okay, everyone,” said Carlotta. “This is a very important moment in the history of humanity.” A few people rolled their eyes. “I’ve detected remnants of the same receipt signal we detected on Earth emanating from a minor planet, as well as other structured radio signals. Therefore, I am going to broadcast the squares of the first twenty prime numbers, and see if there is any response.” The crew members shrugged. “Sounds good,” an agriculturist said. Ralia and Carlotta began typing numbers into a nearby computer. “All set,” Carlotta announced a moment later. Just as she was about to press the final button, Ralia knocked her away. “Wait – Carlotta – how could you!” she cried. “W – what?” sputtered Carlotta. “One isn’t a prime number! I thought you were smarter than that!” 4, 9, 25, 49… About an hour later, the inhabitants of the distant planet returned the signal. “They know we’re here,” said Carlotta. “Wait, there’s something else.” An image was being transmitted. It was a map of the solar system, pointing towards the planet. “Roger, bring the Starship into a high orbit around that small planet. I’m quite sure that’s what its inhabitants want us to do.” Roger hit a few switches and pulled a few levers. “We’ll be there in about two hours.” As the minor planet neared, the Starship’s sensors gathered data about the planet. It had a rocky surface and a thin, barely-breathable atmosphere. “Roger, Ralia – there’s another signal!” Carlotta announced as the Starship entered an orbit around the planetoid. This time the data broadcast was an animation of an airlock opening and an object entering the chamber. “Yes – there’s a small object approaching,” Roger said, checking the observation tools. “I’ll align the ship.” A few minutes later, the object – a container - arrived in the airlock. It was brought to the bridge. As Roger, wearing protective gear, removed the lid, Carlotta, Ralia, Luke, and James watched closely and held their breath. “You’ve got to be kidding me,” said Carlotta, peering inside. It was a box of earmuffs.

A&E

Friday, August 27, 2010

‘Play me, I’m yours’

Indie music offers alternative options

ginaROMEO a&e chief

Pianos bring musicians, audiences together

editor-in-chief

t first hit Birmingham, then Sydney, London, Barcelona, New York and now Cincinnati. ‘Play me I’m yours’ is a worldwide phenomenon started by artist Luke Jerram in 2008. The idea came to him while standing in his local Laundromat wondering why the same group of people that gathered weekly to do laundry had nothing to say to each other. He realized that there must be hundreds more “invisible communities” spending time together in silence. How do you keep that from happening? Place a piano in a public arena and let people come together through music. While this revelation proves to be an extremely successful idea, it came almost by chance. In 2007, Jerram was commissioned to perform his “Sky Orchestra,” a performance artwork of his that involved playing music in surround sound from seven hot air balloons across the city of Birmingham at dawn to inspire the public. Jerram had promised city council that

he would reach an audience of 100,000 people. But unfortunately, on the day of the performance when he and his team turned up to perform, the MET office got their weather prediction wrong and it was too windy to fly. They then had to pay all the pilots and musicians for the failed attempt and had no artwork to show for it. Because of his new dwindling budget, he had to think of a new idea in three weeks that would reach just as many people; hence, “Play me, I’m yours.” Jerram has installed around 273 pianos in over a dozen cities around the world in hopes that they would invite the public to impulsively sit down and play a song. His idea has also inspired hidden musicians who do not have access to a piano to publicly express themselves and explore their talent. Jerram compares this artistic project to Facebook. It is a public, blank canvas for anyone to share their creativity. Each piano has been individually handpainted and placed in 35 different spots throughout Cincinnati including Music Hall, the Cincinnati Zoo, Great American Ball Park and in front of libraries, and town

squares, among many other locations. Closest to home, a piano has been installed at Blue Ash Towne Square off of Cooper Rd. where children and adults have paused in the middle of their daily lives to play a little song. “I love Play me, I’m yours and I think it’s so awesome that it’s actually in Ccincinnati. It brings people together and allows them to express themselves,” said Emily Mondro, 12. “Play me, I’m yours” is also Cincinnati Public Radio’s way of celebrating a combined 150 years of public broadcasting. It began on Monday, Aug. 9 and will end on Friday, Sept. 17. After their final songs have been played, all the pianos will be donated to community centers and schools. After Cincinnati, 40 cities have already requested to be the next destination for painted pianos. Since 2008, these artwork installations have reached over 1 million people. So next time one walks across the Blue Ash memorial, expect to hear the faint sounds of a child’s “Chopsticks” or a hidden musician’s “Moonlight Sonata.”

all images by gina romeo

BLUE ASH TOWN square is home to the nearest “Play Me, I’m Yours” piano. Parents, children, and SHS students alike find enjoyment in stopping by the piano and playing a quick tune or two. Chris Garza, 10 is just one of the many students who have recently taken advantage of this musical opportunity. “I think the idea of putting a piano in the middle of the square is great. Not only will it be entertaining, but it will also be a chance for people who don’t own a piano to play,” said Kevin Inskeep, 10.

Busy summer? See the top 5 movies you missed.

page 14

New fashion trends to be seen this fall. Be in style.

For comments on this column, please write to WritetoTheLeaf@gmail.com

HIGHLIGHTS: page 15

‘The Last Airbender’ misses mark.

page 16

this month in a&e

mariaMARBALLI

Turn your radios down. Switch off MTV. Exit out of the iTunes top 100. If your music section of Facebook consists solely of artists like Lil’ Wayne, 3OH!3, and Ke$ha, it is about time for a change. News flash: the music scene is not just a mindless mass of pop and hiphop zombies sampling one another’s music to make their own version of the exact same song. Contrary to popular belief, music goes beyond the radio, beyond the Billboard charts. As exploring new, more original musical options can sometimes be a hassle, simply use this column as a source. If nothing else, take the time to check out these three bands: Andrew Jackson Jihad Speaking of originality, Andrew Jackson Jihad is practically the definition. The band consists of duo Sean Bonnette and Ben Gallaty. With their use of instruments like upright bass, banjo, and acoustic guitar, and controversial, snarky lyrics, the band’s sound can best be described as “folk punk.” Currently, the group has produced over fifteen albums, including my personal favorites, “Can’t Maintain,” “Only God Can Judge Me,” and “People Who Can Eat People Are the Luckiest People in the World.” Beirut I will admit, I was skeptical of Beirut on my first listen. I had never heard an American band with such a distinct sound. But after a few more songs, I realized what a breath of fresh air Beirut was. The band fuses elements of Eastern European folk with Western pop to make a sound unlike any other, with the help of the accordion, trumpet, and violin. Not to mention lead singer and founder Zach Condon, sings with more heart than any artist on the popular charts today. Arcade Fire So here is my confession: the first time I ever listened to the song “Wake Up,” by Arcade Fire, I cried. If that does not say something about the kind of music that this band produces, I do not know what could. Arcade Fire is a seven member band from Montreal, headed by husband and wife couple Win Butler and Régine Chassagne. The group has released three critically acclaimed albums, including their latest, “The Suburbs.” If you are looking for powerful music, Arcade Fire is definitely the way to go.

a&e

friday, august 27, 2010

Top 5 movies hit theaters

shivaniPARIKH

forum chief

‘Inception’

‘Toy Story 3’

Coming from one of the makers of “The Dark Knight” and “Memento,” this film follows suit as mind-bending, actionpacked and thrilling. No doubt the most talked-about movie this summer, “Inception” has enthralled audiences world-wide. Most of us left the theatre wide-eyed and excited, debating the meaning of the end. With fantastic effects, a great cast and a compelling storyline, “Inception” left us wanting more. Featuring “Titanic” hunk Leonardo DiCaprio didn’t hurt either.

When we were toddlers, Pixar brought us an animated movie centered on our favorite things: toys. A few years after that, “Toy Story 2” continued the beloved tale about Andy and his friends. In 2010, when most of us had let the childhood favorite fall to the back of our minds, “Toy Story 3” was released. In contrast to other sequels, this film shined. The new story and characters blended easily with the personas of our favorite toys. Adorable and heartwrenching, this movie was enjoyable for all ages.

‘Eclipse’ You would have to live under a rock to not be aware of the current “Twilight” craze taking teenage girls and middle-aged moms by storm. Its popularity has been unparalleled this summer (thanks to its loyal fan base of tween girls), and the third installment of the saga, “Eclipse” did not disappoint with its share of sparkly, “good-looking” vampires and ferocious werewolves. It did have other redeeming qualities, in the form of better effects than its predecessors and intense fight scenes.

‘Dinner for Schmucks’

What otherwise could be seen as a cruel, meanspirited plot is ameliorated by Steve Carrell’s lovable hilarity. Based off of a French film of the same story, “Dinner for Schmucks” avoids being insulting and is simply, for lack of a better word, funny. Both Paul Rudd and Zach Galifianakis contribute to this. The dinner gradually gets more and more ridiculous, until it descends into slapstick, garnering bursts of laughter. This is an entertaining movie that is worth seeing.

‘Scott Pilgrim vs. the World’

Not quite like any other movie, “Scott Pilgrim” is of the video-game and comic-book style and keeps you laughing from start to finish. Michael Cera, the quintessential nerd of “Juno” fame, takes nerdyness to an extreme level, while quirky characters like his room mate (Kieran Culkin) and crazy ex-girlfriend (Ellen Wong) add constant comedy. A story of teen love and fighting for what you believe in, this movie leaves you smiling and feeling empowered.

illy bandz craze sweeps nation

ale of bracelets skyrockets

What does your number of silly bandz say about you ?

over 20

Can I give you the number of my therapist?

11-20

You are bordering on obsession.

6-10

1-5

Kids flock to you in public places.

You are moderately trendy. You are behind the curve. Get silly!

shivaniPARIKH

forum chief

hen we were children, most of us were crazy about toy cars, enamored with Easy Bake ovens, forever playing with Furbies, but eventually moved on. We gravitated towards iPods and video games; we left our childhood fancies behind. The recent surge in popularity of “silly bandz” seems to prove otherwise. What exactly is it about these simple, cheap rubber bands that make fans of all ages clear the shelves of grocery stores? Re-purposed by Toledo, Ohio-based BCP Imports (those who distributed Livestrong bracelets) from office-supplies to children’s toys, silly bandz have taken the nation by storm. “I wear silly bandz because they are silly. And because the bright colors and shapes make me giddy inside,” said Laura Birckhead, 12. It is not uncommon for seniors in high school to acquire and relish their funky wrist accessories. In fact, silly bandz afficionados can be of any variety: the trend extends across gender and age lines. It seems as though everyone is getting silly.

“Everyone I know has at least has a few of them. I don’t understand why they are so popular, they’re just rubber bands. That being said, they can be fun to trade,” said Saeed Piracha, 10. One may be curious as to the origin of this craze. Thanks to publicity via Facebook (the silly bandz fan page boasts over 83,000 fans) and YouTube videos of proud owners showing off their collections, children across the nation have jumped on the band-wagon and began compiling their collections. The trending toys come in a variety shapes, organized in packs by theme, such as princesses, Western, under the sea, patriotic, etc. Coveted are “rare” bands such as the penguin, and glow-in-the-dark bands peppered into regular packs. Though fans are abundant, not everyone is enthusiastic about this new trend. School authorities across the nation, for one, have been less than tolerant of the wearing and trading of the accessories. There are also students who do not promote the use of silly bandz and find it pointless. “I don’t understand why people love them so much. They’re kind of dumb,” said Sarah Inskeep, 11. Regardless of our feelings on silly bandz, for now, they are here to stay. There will be no judgement passed if you choose to hop in your car, journey to Super Kroger, and adorn your wrists to full capacity.

images by shivani parikh

a&e

friday, august 27, 2010

‘I see everything as a sculpture’

Fall fashion designers share innovative ideas denaeBELILLTI

staff writer

image courtesy of altavista.com

THIS AUTUMN IS going to be the season of the military jacket, as this Calvin Klein model displays on the runway. Also popular this fall will be colors such as aubergine, berry shades, mallard and old gold; leather-wear such as purses, pants, and bomber jackets; and the return of heritage styles where people are wearing heirloom jewels and many different forms of beading. Say goodbye to short-shorts and tank-tops: not only are they out of style, but they go against the SHS dress code.

fter a long break from school, summer comes to an end, as does its styles. This fall we are looking at various trends which will be incorporating brushed wool, rugged tweed, and silky velvets. These fabrics will be featured in more militaristic cuts and styles. To no surprise, leather is still a common trend; however, it has recently been seen in a variety of ways. We have seen leather pants coming back, bomber jackets, and of course handbags. Once the weather really begins to change, it seems that military coats will be very popular as well. When looking at fashion week trends from major fashion areas around the world such as, Los Angeles, London, Paris, Tokyo, and New York, all feel the same about the aviator jacket. It is being worn in all areas, and is, of course, available in leather. This season’s styles are also being described as a color story. This means that this fall will feature classic colors of an autumnal palette, such as camel, and newer colors such as aubergine, berry shades, mallard, and old gold. It seems that the next big trend worth talking about is the return to heritage. Many international styles are featuring their native styles on the runways. Accessories are now including heirloom jewels, and other forms of beading. Designers state that their fall styles are feminizing masculine pieces and fabrics to create looks that any girl

Curricular theater: kelseyDRAPKIN associate editor

With over 40 students signed up for the Acting Ensemble class, Mr. John Whapham had to make a tough decision about what he sees for this top acting class. He decided to split the class into two sections, therefore able to include all who wanted to be in the class. The two chapters of the class are made for different skill levels. Acting ensemble ‘A’, or ‘varsity’ as referred to by students in the class, is for more advanced actors and actresses. Acting ensemble ‘B’, or ‘JV’ as referred to by students in the class, is a step up from Acting Technique. “I think the way they separated Acting Ensemble to include more people was a great thing to do both for the school and the students involved,” said Tess Plona, 11. By doing this separation, there will be many more opportunities for students schoolwide to attend performances. Ensemble ‘A’ will have a show of their own in the winter season much like last year’s ‘Anon(ymous)’. This show was announced to be ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream.’ Ensemble ‘B’ will perform smaller, one-act type shows every quarter.v

I understand why he made two Acting Ensemble classes to give more people an opportunity to act. I understand why it was done, although I don’t really agree with it.

Samantha Misali, 11

I like the changes to Acting Ensemble. It creates a lot more opportunity to a lot more students to grow into great actors and actresses.

Brandon Ramos, 11 I think separating Acting Ensemble into two classes is a great idea. It will give the students in ‘B’ more experience.

Laura Birckhead, 12

would want to wear. Newer designers have been working on more feminine trousers and other masculine-madefeminine looks. As mentioned before, many designers and workers in the fashion industry are very much influenced by their own or others culture and heritage. Reem Alasadi, an Iraqi fashion icon, is inspiring many in the business. At the age of eight, Alasadi immigrated with her family to Maidstone, Kent, where she began her infatuation with fashion.

One day you are in, and the next, you are out. -Heidi Klum, model iiiBy the age of 16 Alasadi was accepted to both Central St. Martins, and The London College of Fashion. With a year to kill before heading off to school, she began apprenticing at a small store in Maidstone, with Karen Millen. After spending a significant amount of time with Millen, Alasadi realized college was not for her. By the age of 21 she had her own small store in London. However, Alasadi soon lost herself in her own success. Falling into debt, she realized that her only hope was to ‘dig her way out.’ Alasadi then seeked profit elsewhere, by hanging her hand-made garments over rubber bins, hardly resisting her temptations to feature her old looks in new ways. Soon her flea market

stand was a popular hangout for designers and stylists. In ’01 Alasadi visited Japan to adopt a Harajuku appeal to her styles. She began selling vintage items, which then lead her to the creation of two new collections. One created from recycled pieces and the other from new fabrics made to look older. Similar to the rest of the fashion world, Alasadi offers her collections twice a year. Alasadi’s story illustrates the fashion world perfectly. Her story describes the intense hard work it takes to enter the industry, the immense amounts of time and effort needed to remain successful while in the industry, and the creativity needed to do it all. Fashion is a fast growing, constantly changing, and very harsh industry. As said by fashion icon Heidi Klum, “One day you are in, and the next, you are out.” Designers are demanding, with the intention of getting their constant fix of new trends around the world. Thankfully, this harsh industry provides the new styles and trends that are shopped for each season. Without their unimaginable hard work, styles would never change. Seasons are influenced by so many things. “I see everything as a sculpture. We do not use patterns, we drape everything. When we sweep the floor at night we keep every speck of fabric,” said Alasadi in an interview. This season is influenced by heritage, masculinity, and new colors. More notably, this season is taking a “going green” approach. Designers are recycling previous looks and fabrics, to portray more vintage looks.

Acting Ensemble two courses, more opportunity for actors

This year’s show lineup: 1. ONE ACT PLAY FESTIVAL Oct. 8, 2010 ; 7:30 Featuring students from Anderson and SHS

2. All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten Nov. 18, 19, and 20 ; 7:30

3.Improv Show Jan. 14 and 15 ; 7:30

4. A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Feb. 3, 4, and 5 ; 7:30

5. Phantom of the Opera April 14-17 ; 7:30

a&e

friday, august 27, 2010

all images by emma rosen

‘I knew it would make a great feature film’

M. Night Shyamalan’s new movie lacks diversity smDIPALI

news chief

ire. Air. Earth. Water. In a mystical world with unique residents, these four nations are tied together by destiny. That is, until the Fire Nation launches a brutal war against the other three nations. In “The Last Airbender,” the audience follows the trials of Aang, the Avatar. Caught between courage and combat, young Aang is the only one in the world who can manipulate all four elements. The movie, “The Last Airbender,” is based off “Avatar: The Last Airbender,” the hugely successful Nickelodeon animated series. Widely famous M. Night Shyamalan directed the movie and kept it at a PG rating. Shyamalan told reporters that this decision resulted in, “wonderful things for the whole theme of the movie.” Shyamalan admitted to reporters that he very much wanted to direct this movie from the beginning. “Watching the cartoon series on Nickelodeon every night was kind of like a family event. I knew it would make a great feature film,” he said. The film stared Noah Ringer,

playing the hero Aang who prefers adventure over his job as an Avatar. It is the responsibility of an Avatar to maintain or restore peace and balance it in all four nations. Aang travels with Katara, played by Nicola Peltz, and Sokka, played by Jackson Rathbone, to the North Pole to learn waterbending techniques. Meanwhile, the Lord of the Fire Nation wages a seemingly endless war against The Earth Kingdom and The Water Tribes, as he has already vanquished The Air Nomads. The Lord sends his son Prince Zuko, played by Dev Patel, to capture Aang. Shyamalan and the movie’s producers have recently come under fire regarding their casting choices because the actors and actresses in the movie are primarily Caucasian. In a series that is based off a completely Asian cast, critics claim that such a blatant disregard for these important cultural aspects is an issue that will not fade away. In fact, Roger Ebert, a well renowned movie critic, shared his opinions on the decision to have white actors portray the characters in the movie. “Fans take it for granted that its heroes are Asian. Why would Paramount and Shyamalan go out of their way to offend these fans? There

are many young Asian actors capable of playing the parts,” said Ebert in his review of the movie. Some view the casting choices as another movie that exemplifies the need for a debate in Hollywood regarding racial diversity in films. Unfortunately for Shyamalan, casting primarily Asian actors might have resulted in a higher regarded film. Ringer and Peltz both gave sub-par performances in “The Last Airbender” that hindered the movie’s overall success. It seems as if Shyamalan spent the bulk of his production time perfecting the “bending” movements and special effects. While those aspects of the movie were awe inspiring, the incredibly poor acting by main actor Ringer, supposed favorite of Shyamalan, made the “The Last Airbender” fall short of viewers’ expectations. Maybe Shyamalan has lost his touch. Maybe Ringer should star in horror films where the blank expression that he wears throughout the movie is more fitting. Or maybe “The Last Airbender” is better off staying an animated television series. Whatever the case may be, fans can only hope that part two of the “The Last Airbender” is a drastic change for the better from part one.

THESE SCREENSHOTS DISPLAY the awe-inspiring special affects that Shyamalan managed to pull off in “The Last Airbender.” However, the performances the actors pictured gave were less than satisfactory. The actors pictured (top to bottom) are Noah Ringer, Dev Patel, Seychelle Gabriel, and Jackson Rathbone.

hanges abound for choral department hoirs mesh for interesting experiment

kelseyDRAPKIN associate editor

CHAMBER CHOIR ENTERTAINS the audience at last year’s Winter Concert. This year, not only will the men in Chamber Choir be singing with just Chamber Choir, but with Touring Company too. This new setup will ensure that enough male vocal power is present in both Chamber Choir and TC.

For two years, SHS has known Touring Company, Chamber Choir, and Aviator Chorale as separate entities. Due to low male interest, the decision has been made to somewhat combine TC and Chamber Choir. In this new setup there will continue to be two choirs by name. By physicality, the lines between the choirs have turned grey. There is one class, Select Choir, that includes Chamber and TC and shares a group of men. There is an array of opinions accompanying this decision. “It'll be an interesting experience

in choir, especially working with different people and other genres of music,” says Molly Balk, 10. Balk’s response is mirrored in many other students. Most do not know what to expect. This blend will not only mesh choirs, but will also combine two distinctly different styles of music. Touring Company generally does more pop, modern music whereas Chamber Choir does more classical repertoire. “I’m not too fond of the changes to Touring Company and Chamber. Personally, I don’t like singing

classical music and by mixing both groups, I’ll have to. But I think for the program, it was the right choice and it will definitely broaden our vocal horizons,” Brandon Ramos, 11. The groups will perform some selections as individual choirs, along with performing some as a whole group. Another new addition tot he choir department is the all girl’s choir, Bella Voce, which translates to “Beautiful Voice” in Italian. Only time will tell whether this experiment will work out for the better.

Sports

Friday, August 27, 2010

Alston digs for gold Runner participates in elite Junior Olympics, ranking among best of peers rishiCHOUBEY

staff writer

Opening day: Angus King Stadium

Withrow Tigers Coach: Doc Gamble Last season: 8-2 (6-0)

Remaining season

schedule Adam Reinhart, 12, dominant in past, prepares for future

7:30 p.m. Previous meeting (2007):

Sycamore W 28-21 @ 9/3

v. 9/10

v. 9/16

Sycamore Aviators Coach: Scott Dattilo Last season: 2-8 (0-7) @ 9/24

Alston, standing at 6’0”, looks like an athlete. However, his interests show a side of him few would ever know. “I enjoy running track, but I also have other interests and things I want to do in the future.” Alston enjoys both cooking and watching the Food Network in his free time. “I am hoping to get a scholarship through track,” said Alston, “so that I can major in Hospitality Administration or Management. I eventually want to open my own restaurant.” While he did accomplish a lot this summer to increase his chances of getting a track scholarship, he remains humble whenever he is asked about his experience in Sacramento, CA. If asked if he is the fastest person at SHS, he will always say no. “There are a few kids at school that I think could beat me. I do not want people coming up to me and thinking

Editor predictions

VS. @

Beyond Track & Field

v. 10/1

@ 10/8

Sosna: Sycamore 17-14. Do I have any basis for this pick? No. Was SHS picked to finish 10th in the GMC by their own coach? Yes. Nonetheless, my heart trumps my head here, SHS wins. Bayliss: Withrow 24-13. Gamble’s Tigers retain too much talent, despite a strong SHS effort. Kaplan: Withrow edges out SHS, 28-27. A pumped-up crowd plays determining factor in this nailbiter.

v. 10/15

helmets by ohiohelmetproject.com

@ 10/22

HIGHLIGHTS: F

page 18

Summer heat beating down too hard?

page 19

v. 10/29

this month in sports

photo by brandon sosna

NICK ALSTON, 11, COMPETED with some of the country’s best young runners. He placed 25th out of 40 runners in his age group at the Junior Olympics in Sacramento, California. Alston has to finish in the top six at state competition and top three at regionals in order to clinch a spot at the national level.

he USA Track & Field (USATF) organization that develops and selects Team USA for the Olympics and other international championships also holds an annual track meet for high school students to develop future athletes in the sport. This year, their Junior Olympics were held in Sacramento, CA, and SHS had one representative at the meet. Nick Alston, 11, ran the 100 meter and 200 meter dash this summer, competing at a national level against some of the best runners in the country. “In my age group, I placed 25 out of 40. I ran my 100 in 11.33 seconds and my 200 in 23.40 seconds,” said Alston, Alston’s top 100 time has been clocked at 11.24 and his fastest 200 time at 22.5. Although he did not run the 400 meter dash at the Junior Olympics, he has been timed at approximately 52 seconds. In order to qualify for the Junior Olympic in California, Alston had to place high at both the state qualifiers and at regionals. “At state I came in second in the 100, running an 11.33 and first in the 200 running a 22.5. I then qualified for regionals which were at EKU,” said Alston. The top six runners at the state competition in each event went to regionals where only the top three in each event qualified to compete at the national level. “I remember watching him [Alston]

at soccer try outs during our freshmen year,” said Brendan Corcoran, 11, “When we were checking times on the 100 and the 40 meter dash, Nick beat all of the varsity athletes. It impressed everyone.” Alston no longer plays soccer, a sport he played up until sophomore year. “I could not play this year because I ran club track this summer for the Cincinnati Allstars. By the time I was done with that, I decided to join cross country to improve my endurance. I will probably swim in the winter too,” said Alston. Alston believes that he can improve a lot before the track season kicks off in the spring. “I need to stay relaxed. My nerves sometimes hold me back. Working on block starts will help too. There is always something you can do to improve.”

Official scorer: E-MLB Part one brandonsosna

editor-in-chief/sports chief

For the first time in my life, the Cincinnati Reds are in the thick of the playoff race. Well, outside of a sweep in ’95 one-game playoff loss to Al Leiter’s Mets in ‘99, but even then, the finality of the loss was incomprehensible to this writer as I cried myself to sleep that night. I spend hours a day with the sole purpose of killing time between games. The local nine have captured my soul. Off days are like a back to work Monday. Inevitable. Painful. Boring. All my hard earned money has gone toward tickets for a seat at Great American Ball Park. Tonight’s game will be my 34th. But despite the thrill of watching the Redlegs take to the field every night with a must-win mentality, I cannot get one thought out of my head: Major League Baseball stinks. Of all the professional sports, the MLB has the most flaws. And the hypocrisy that oozes from the league’s front office is far worse. The inequality is unjustifiable. The playing field is as level as the Rocky Mountains. No year in recent memory has been more representative of these assertions than this. It all starts with the salary cap, rather, the lack of a salary cap. Just look at the pennant races. In the American League East, the New York Yankees payroll is $166 million greater than the second place Tampa Bay Rays. Fair? No. In the AL Central, the Chicago White Sox payroll is double that of the Minnesota Twins, $121 to $62 million. In the AL West, a slew of injuries has hampered the Los Angeles Angels, but in a typical season, their $119 to $68 million payroll advantage would certainly give them the edge in a playoff race. In the National League the trend continues. While the San Francisco Giants and San Diego Padres are almost even in payroll, the Los Angeles Dodgers exceed the others’ payrolls by around $43 million. In the NL Central, the St. Louis Cardinals trails the Reds in games, but lead Cincinnati by $25 million in payroll. Fortunately for the smaller market clubs, throwing money at players does not always equal success. If the season ended today, eight of the top ten teams in payroll would not be playing in October. And of teams below the league average of $80 million, six would be playing playoff baseball. But before the first pitch on opening day, the smaller market teams are in a hole. And Major League Baseball likes it this way. A player cheats and utilizes performance enhancing drugs and he is suspended anywhere from 50 games to an entire season and a repeat offender is subject to expulsion from the game of baseball. (At risk of going too far off topic, I will say baseball’s refusal to test for HGH and release test results proves to me that no one wants to know the severity of the problem in today’s game.) One’s reputation is thrashed and any hopes of making baseball’s Hall of Fame go down with it. It makes sense. They cheated. They tilted the playing field and gave themselves an unfair advantage and have to pay the price. Teams year in and year out do the same thing, but with jumbo-sized checks instead of pills and needles. And it’s completely acceptable. The difference between the two is a matter of opinion, but the result is still the same. No one person can argue that at the beginning of a season every team has a chance. Because they don’t.

For comments on this column, please write to WritetoTheLeaf@gmail.com

sports

friday, august 27, 2010

Reinhart shows off skills on road to state dannyBAYLISS

sports chief

any young athletes dream big. They strive to have that special “wow” factor, to earn well-deserved accolades, and to be referred to as the best. Adam Reinhart, 12 has all of the above. The tennis talent recently finished a season where he reached the state tournament, going up against fellow phenoms and future collegiate athletes. “I am pleased what I have accomplished this past year,” said Reinhart. Led by Reinhart at first singles, SHS went through the regular season much improved from last season. The team ended up going 12-5 overall and won all nine conference matches. This earned them the regular season title. “I am really happy with how the team did this year, because we rebounded from a rough season last year. It is our goal every year to win the GMC, and we did that this year,” said Reinhart. Reinhart went 24-8 overall and 7-1 in conference play. Then came the GMC tournament, where Reinhart’s talents were on full display. His team edged out Lakota East for the title and Reinhart came in second place, losing only to East’s Zach Mueck, 11. Reinhart’s run was far from over though. His next stop was at sectionals on Saturday, May 15 where he met top-seeded Mueck again. Reinhart, the second overall seed, met Mueck in the finals determined to avenge his loss. Unfortunately for him, history repeated itself as Mueck took down Reinhart 6-1, 6-0. But Reinhart would get one more shot against his GMC rival. Both moved on to the district tournaments, which began Thursday, May 20. Fate certainly had its way; as yet again Reinhart was matched up against Mueck for the finals. Instead of a quick exit, Reinhart matched Mueck point-for-point. Mueck edged Reinhart in a first set tiebreaker, winning 7-6 (7-4). But even a deflating outcome in the first set would not faze Reinhart. He stormed back, winning the second set 7-5. In the third set, with Mueck up 5-4 serving, Reinhart earned three quick points. To Mueck’s credit, though, he recovered from the 0-40 deficit to win the game, earning him the district championship and a trip to the state tournament. Despite the overall out-

come, Reinhart was very pleased with the how he performed. “My latest match with Mueck was a great match. Neither of us played poorly and it just came down to some lucky bounces and big points in the third set. When I played him the last time I tried to stay relax because I tend to get too excited which hurts my play and that was pretty successful. There are a few things though I have worked on and improved since the last time we played, so I think the next time him and I play I will be able to beat him,” said Reinhart. Despite losing to Mueck, his finals performance in addition to upsetting St. Xavier’s Ryan Bandy, ’10 earned him a trip to the state tournament, taking place in Columbus on May 28 and 29. In his first state match Reinhart faced Nolan Marks, 12 from Chagrin Falls Kenston. He persevered to win 6-3, 7-6 (6-3). In the quarterfinals his opponent was Kevin Metka, ’10, who will be playing tennis for Ohio State. Reinhart played well, but ended up on the losing end of a 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 match. Metka went on to defeat Mueck in the finals, and dropped only one set the whole tournament. “I am happy with qualifying for the state tournament and making it to the quarterfinals. However, even though I am disappointed that I lost in the quarters and couldn’t hoist the trophy I am proud of the way I competed,” said Reinhart. Despite the season being over, there is a lot of tennis left in Reinhart’s high school career and beyond. He is set on working hard in the offseason to improve his game. It also seems as though Reinhart will pursue a collegiate career as well. Multiple Division III schools have been recruiting Reinhart, but Reinhart’s passion is to play Division I. Some Division I schools, including Toledo, Xavier, University of San Diego, Georgetown, Connecticut, Brown, and St. Bonaventure have been recruiting him as well. With an undeniable work ethic and talent that shoots through the roof, he can do wonders. “I am greedy when it comes to tennis so I will keep working as hard as possible to improve and be the best,” said Reinhart. Wherever destiny leads Reinhart next for tennis, he is sure to make plenty of racket.

Favre takes Vikings from adequete to awesome dannyBAYLISS

sports chief

image by bennett kaplan

ADAM REINHART, 12, FOLLOWS through on a serve in a match this past season. This season will be his last at SHS, and he will try to make it one to remember. With multiple college offers, Reinhart will have to make a tough decision this year.

Band Camp prepares members for new season emilyBEGLEY

each member displays a different costume by the end of the closer. “I think the show is going to be great Ushered in by the arrival of the school because it’s different than anything we have year, members of the marching band continue to prepare for the beginning of done before, and it should be awesome,” said their new season. The group anticipates Lauren Barrett, 12. Although not all details of the show have yet impressing both students and judges with their show entitled “Who Are You.” been determined, the band will open their show with “Who Are You” by the Who, followed by Subsequent to many hours of practice put in throughout the summer, the band is “All By Myself” by Eric Carmen. Many members are looking forward to the opportunity to looking forward to showing off the results of their unwavering dedication at upcoming perform to these familiar compositions. “I’m happy we are doing music that people football games and competitions. will actually be able to recognize,” said BaiThe group’s upcoming performance ley Dowlin, 12. will differ from the marching band’s Preparation for the new season began early previous shows in that it will feature songs by famous artists such as The Who on over the break. The band regularly met over the summer to begin working on music as opposed to original pieces. for the show. Revolving around individuality, the The color guard also met at SHS on Thursshow will begin with all members, days to cover important basics and techincluding the color guard, dressed in band uniforms and facing backfield as to niques, as well as to begin learning the work for their performance. conceal identity. Any new member of the band or color guard Periodically throughout the show, the was required to attend Rookie Camp on June guard will remove their band uniforms 3-4 in order to become accustomed to the to reveal their own unique outfit until staff writer

Cloud Nine

group’s expectations. Band directors and veterans worked with new members to cover basic aspects of performing, such as essential marching techniques and timing. In order to improve techniques and build confidence for their performance, all members of the guard were expected to attend Guard Camp. The event took place throughout the weeks of June 21-24 and Aug. 2-5 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. “I was really excited to get back in the routine of things and hang with friends,” said Barrett. During the month of Aug., all members of the marching band participated in Band Camp – two weeks of extensive practices that prepared the band for the approaching season. The event occurred Aug. 9-12 from 8 a.m. – 8 p.m., Aug. 13 from 8 a.m. – 12 p.m., and Aug. 16-20 from 8 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. The beginning of the school indicates the approach of a new season and the potential for numerous achievements for members of the marching band. For a complete calendar of scheduled events, visit www.sbob.org.

Somewhere in Minnesota, Brad Childress breathes a huge sigh of relief. Tavaris Jackson can be found behind a phony smile as he talks to reporters. All that does not matter now, as Brett Favre has decided (once again) to get up from his rocker and hobble through his 20th season of professional football. Only Favre. Only Favre can trade in a ‘proud grandpa’ shirt for a purple number seven jersey. Only Favre can leave a team and its nation in so-called limbo for months over a decision like this, although anyone could have seen this coming. Only Favre could endure the process of healing a bum ankle, a process which probably is not complete. And why not? The man deserves it. Take a look at his statistics from last year. Do they mirror the expected results of a man who is two months shy of his 41st birthday? In a sport where the average age of retirement is 33-35, Favre’s record of 275 consecutive games played puts him in a class of his own. But you did not need me to tell you that. ‘Favre’ is no longer a household name in just Atlanta, Green Bay, New York, or Minnesota. Some love him, some hate him. And some are just tired of hearing about him. Favre’s saga can even be found at the epicenter of office pools (Congratulations to whoever selected Aug. 18). I can empathize. Recently I have gained my fair share of Brett Favre headaches. When you’re getting more air time than someone like Snooki, you know you have achieved ‘prima donna’ status whether you like it or not. At times television viewers cannot go a day without seeing one of Favre’s Wrangler Jean ads or laughing at his ironic waffling in his Sears commercials. Even Sports Center, the station that Favre’s news has taken over, made him the focal point of a clever commercial. And like it or not, Vikings fans, he is also the focal point of your super bowl dreams. Before Favre, the Vikings were definitely not lost, especially with the likes of Adrian Peterson and Jared Allen. I would even argue that they are still a playoff team without Favre at the helm. But Favre makes everyone better around him. He is the kind of guy you want to have next to you in the locker room; the kind of guy that can have the team’s success put squarely on his shoulders and still perform well under pressure. In a league where the good ole’ days of grind-it-out football have taken backseat to aerial displays breaking scoreboards, it is almost necessary to focus an offense around a great quarterback. And no matter what team you root for, you love to see Favre play. He’s a strong, resilient leader who just happens to have more gray hair than your average nursing home. With Favre’s arrival, it is definitely safe to say that the Vikings are again one of the top threats to win it all. Pay no attention to the fact that their fate depends on an injured left ankle. Ignore the fact that an interception has ended the last three years of Favre’s career. Do not get angry over Favres attentiongrabbing antics about retiring, but praise the man for wanting to play the game he has known and loved his whole life. Favre stated that he will call it quits after his contract expires this season. Whether this promise will stand true remains to be seen. As long as Favre is able to play, he will want to play. Even if it is ten more years, I will put up with the offseason shenanigans just to see favre don a professional uniform. “He’s coming back.”

sports

Too hot to handle: friday, august 27, 2010

Meet the New Staff!

Under New Management!

Heat forcing teams to alter schedules, routines emmaOH

business manager, feature chief

ith multiple athletic teams practicing in near 100 degree weather, SHS coaches and trainers are taking preventative measures to keep their players from developing heat exhaustion or other heat related injuries. Heat exhaustion is a milder form of heat related illness that can develop after several days of exposure to high temperatures and unbalanced replacement of fluids. Those most prone to heat exhaustion are elderly people, people with high blood pressure and people exercising in a hot environment, like our athletes. “It can be scary to practice in hot weather because sometimes people look like they’re going to faint or pass out,” said Sally Evans, 11. According to a study done by the Center for Disease Control, there were 8,015 heat related deaths in the United States between 1979 and 2003. With temperatures climbing higher each year, it is important to be

Harpers Station Fast facts: heat11375index Montgomery range Rd. • Cincinnati, OH

cautious while exercising outside. Many teams are practicing earlier in the morning or later in Monday thru Friday 9am-9pm the evening to avoid the hottest Saturday 9am-6pm • Sunday 11am-4pm parts of the day. Additionally, Adult - $12 • Kids- $10 players are given more frequent 3145-1 IfUnder heavy equipment is necessary, practice water breaks with longer resting Meet Meet Under New New periods. should be called off. Coaches should recheck theStaff! the New New Management! Management! Staff! “For soccer games, sometimes temperature and humidity every thirty minutes we take water breaks fifteen minto monitor for increased heat index. Any outside utes into each half when it’s too 11375 • Cincinnati, OH occurring above 104Rd. degrees should be 11375 Montgomery Rd. • Cincinnati, OH activityMontgomery hot,” said Ryan Reid, 11. cancelled. Because Ohio does not have set Monday thru Friday 9am-9pm guidelines for practicing in the Monday thru Friday 9am-9pm heat, SHS coaches have to rely on Saturday 9am-6pm • Sunday 11am-4pm Saturday 9am-6pm • Sunday 11am-4pm their common sense and instinct Adult - $12 • Kids- $10 Adult - $12 • Kids- $10 when determining if it is safe to 3145-1 3145-1 Helmets and other possible equipment practice and how often to give Meet Under the New New should be removed if not involved in contact. water breaks. Management! Staff! Trainers and coaches have Time of outside activity should be reduced. already made it their first priority Coaches should consider postponing practice to ensure player safety. 11375 Montgomery Rd. • Cincinnati, OH to later in the day. They have taken multiple, necessary steps to make sure the players are safe. Monday thru Friday 9am-9pm “All practice areas have water Saturday 9am-6pm • Sunday 11am-4pm hoses, so if a player needs water it Adult - $12 • Kids- $10 is there. Football players normal- 3145-1 Coaches should provide ample amounts of ly condition with their equipment water, offering optional waterbreaks every 30 on, but during high heat they are minutes. Players should have ice down towels allowed to take their helmets, pads and shirts off,” said Perry for cooling and should be monitered carefully. Denehy, athletic trainer.

513-489-4448

heat index 100 - 104

Harpers Station

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Harpers Station

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image by jimmy chau and emma oh

HAIRCUT

Meet the New Staff!

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Harpers Station

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GoodApril for 41 family members! Valid Thru April 30, 2010 Good for 4 family members!

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end of September!

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Spotlight

friday, august 27, 2010

‘I’ve always wanted to be a hero, save lives, and serve my country.’

Dowlin, 12 has drive for success

drewGELWICKS

spotlight editor

Connor Dowlin, 12 What did you do this summer? This summer, I went on an epic waterskiing trip at Lake Norris, Tenn., vacationed at Martha’s Vineyard, and also chilled at Nantucket with Brian Boyle, 12. I also went to summer camp with my Boy Scout troop. I had a great summer! What does it feel like entering into your senior year of high school? It feels awesome to be one of the top dogs in the school and to be able to call seniority on the savage little freshmen, but I’m going to be really sad seeing all my friends leave after this year. What are you most looking forward to this year? Of course getting good grades, getting a job to earn a lot of money, and boosting my bench press.

Are you and your twin, Bailey Dowlin, 12, close? Yeah, we’re pretty close. We’re always willing to help each other when the other is in need of a friend.

Why did you choose the baritone? I chose the baritone because it’s an awesome, low brass instrument, and it’s the manliest instrument in the marching band!

What do you want to do after high school? Why? I want to go into the Navy because I’ve always wanted to be a hero, save lives, and serve my country. Plus ,the fact I like guns helps.

Are you planning on continuing your marching band career in college? I would, but none of the colleges I want to attend have good marching bands.

Is there a certain unit you would like to be in? In the military, I’d like to first join the Marines, then after a few years, I’d like to go more hardcore by joining

What are your afterschool hobbies? I like to weightlift a lot after school, see movies with friends, and airsoft a lot. You say you work out a lot. How many pounds can you bench press? I’ve been stuck at 240-250 pounds for a long time, but I’ll eventually boost my bench. It’s not that great now, but I can do the pecs dance like no other. My benchpress goal in life is to be able to benchpress at least 400 pounds. How long have you been doing this? I’ve been weightlifting for about 2 years in total. Who are your closest friends at SHS? I have alot of friends, but my best friend is definitely Brian Boyle, 12. He’s such a boss. Which teacher has made the biggest impact on you throughout your SHS career? I’ve had a lot of really good teachers, but I have to say Mrs. Rosemary Ennis was probably the best teacher I’ve ever had. She was very organized with her class, worked hard to make sure every student understood what was going on, and did an excellent job teaching the subject. AP American was the best class I’ve ever taken.

the Navy Seals. How do your parents feel about this? My parents hate the idea of me going into the military, but they need to understand that I will make my own life decisions about my career. How long have you been in marching band? I joined my sophomore year, and have played with them ever since. What instrument do you play? I play the baritone.

images by drew gelwicks