December Issue 2010 Sycamore Leaf by Sycamore High School

the

Future star, Chloe Pavlech, 11, dishes on game, goals

Stumbleupon becomes tool for internet discoveries

page 8

FINALLY

page 17

THURSDAY DECEMBER 16, 2010 | VOLUME LVIII ISSUE 5 | 7400 CORNELL RD. CINCINNATI, OHIO 45242, 513.686.1770 EXT. 3089

kelseyDRAPKIN associate editor

n the chill of room 114, webmasters Jacob Deitloff, 12, and Ross Johnstal, 11, remain hard at work. Since August, these two young men have been working tirelessly on http://www.goaves.com, the student-run Web site of SHS.

On Nov. 22, Goaves went live. One of the best-looking and user-friendliest versions of the site went live after months of hard work and meetings. Goaves streams content from the journalism classes. This includes archives of past issues of The Leaf, coverage of SHS’s 78 sports, 48 (and counting) clubs, sound slides, videos, polls, staff portfolios, and much more.

GoAves makes online debut

First, fast, accurate

Benefits

In a busy day, staff and students rarely have time for leisurely activities. Goaves has striven to be not only an information outlet, but also a relaxing and fun online destination. The site features polls, sound slides, weekly cartoons, video clips of games, plays, and concerts, and a wealth of other interactive entertainment.

Be on the lookout for scavenger hunts to win gift cards, movie tickets, and more for opportunities to win prizes in competitions found only on Goaves. Because the Web site is updated daily, the information is more current than the monthly Leaf. Although this is true, not all information in The Leaf is found on Goaves and vice versa.

When students visit Blackboard, there are news items that may or may not apply to them or are written from a perspective which they cannot relate to. A student-run Web site allows students to get the opinions of other students on issues. News is

>> See page 3 for more on the

online voice of SHS

New features

The home page of the Web site received a complete makeover making it more user-friendly and easily navigable.

The revamped staff portfolios give students a place for all their work and will include content from all students - past and present.

The multimedia tab will take visitors to a page of pictures, videos, comics, sound slides and audio of SHS activities.

Information on sports that are not covered in The Leaf or anywhere else for that matter can be viewed in the sports tab.

The interactions tab will allow students to provide feedback on the Web site as well as participate in additional polls and contests.

Immediately after entering the Web site, visitors will have the choice of five main stories taken from the week’s events.

image by jimmy chau

Surveys and polls will be placed on the Web site by Goaves as well as other clubs/organizations to test the proverbial waters of SHS.

Battle of the Bands face off for first place, $500, bragging rights smDIPALI

news chief

Every year, bands fight to the death to be the victors of “Battle of the Bands,” the incredibly popular Student Council event that showcases the musical talent of SHS students. “I go to Battle of the Bands every year. It’s a really fun event and it’s cool to see how incredible Sycamore students are at creat-

CALENDAR 2

ing their very own music,” said Natasha Warikoo, 11. Emceed by seniors Laura Birkhead and Jeffery Silverstein, “Battle of Bands,” held tomorrow, Dec. 17 at 7 p.m., will provide audience members with the unique opportunity of enjoying five SHS bands: Earl Grey, Local Color, The Undefined, Seriously Guys?, and Bright Eyed Youth. All of the bands performing in

NEWS 3

SNAPSHOTS 4

“Battle 2010” (with the exception of Earl Grey) are participating for the first time. At the end of the show, the audience will vote for first, second, and third place. The first-place band will receive $500, secondplace will receive $250 and thirdplace will receive $100. “[I] hope everyone comes out on the 17th and has a good time listening to our music and the music of

FORUM 5

FEATURE 6-12

our the other performers,” said Ryan Kast, 12, a band member of both Seriously Guys? and Earl Grey. Entertainment during the show not only includes the featured bands but also a variety of intermission acts. Kyle Korn, 12, Samantha Furtwengler, 10, Aaron Kaufman, 12, Jon San Miguel, 12, the Senior Flyerettes, and Shaina Bahler, 11, will each perform their own act.

FUN & GAMES 13

A&E 14-15

“I played withg two of my friends sophomore year and had a blast. This year, I decided to go solo,’” said Korn. If “Battle of the Bands” has not sold out, tickets will be available at the front door for $10. All proceeds from the event will benefit local charities or scholarships.

>> See page 3 for profiles of the

competing bands SPORTS 16-19

SPOTLIGHT 20

Calendar

Thursday, December 16, 2010

sunday

monday tuesday wednesday thursday friday

2011 January

kelcieGREGA

calendar chief

saturday

XII

III

Famous Birthday: J.R.R. Tolkein

Famous Birthday: Jimmy Page Age: 66

Girls Basketball vs. Mercy 7:30 p.m. SHS Event: Scarlett Oaks Sophomore Visit

International Holiday: Religious Freedom Day

Bowling vs. Lakota East @ Crossgate Lanes 3:30 p.m.

No School: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Exams: Bells 2 and 3

Weird Holiday: I’m Not Going To Take It Anymore Day

8 Diving Larry Lyons Invitational 9 a.m.

Academic Quiz Team vs. Lakota West 4 p.m.

Religious Holiday: Epiphany

Boys Basketball vs. Oak Hills 7:30 p.m.

Swimming Larry Lyons Invitational 1 p.m.

Boys Bowling vs. Clark Montessori @ Crossgate Lanes 3:30 pm Famous Birthday: Jack London

Religious Holiday: Tu Bishvat Academic Quiz Team vs. Princeton 4 p.m. Exams: Bells 4 and 5

SHS Event: Band Concert, 7:30 p.m.

20 Famous Birthday: DeForest Kelley

Exams: Bells 6 and 7

SHS Event: Improv Theater Production 7:30 p.m. Exam: Bell 1

21 Boys Basketball vs. Lakota West 7:30 p.m. No School: Teacher Records Day

Bowling vs. Hamilton @ Crossgate Lanes 3:30 pm Boys Basketball vs. Colerain 7:30 p.m.

New Year’s Day

Girls Basketball vs. Colerain 2 p.m. SAT Test

29 Girls Basketball vs. Hamilton 2 p.m.

Early Release Day

JV Swimming vs. Norwood 6 p.m.

Boys Basketball vs. Lakota East 7:30 p.m.

SHS Event: Science Fair 8 a.m.

news

thursday, december 16, 2010

Celebrating launch of new GoAves Web site >> continued from page 1

put through the filter of a student’s eyes and written from that perspective. The news on Goaves is much easier for the students of SHS to connect to. Another factor of student-written stories is the comfort level one student has with his or her peers. Students are more likely to open up to other students on issues around the high school. There is also the benefit of viewing the accomplishments of friends and classmates that may not be covered in any other news source. Goaves is yet another credible news outlet to show the larger community what SHS is up to. The site can be accessed from around the world and therefore SHS celebrations can be seen worldwide.

Importance of Goaves to Leaf staff

As seniors come upon the time of college letters arriving, they are reminded of how expensive college is. Many seniors search long and hard for scholarships to help buffer the high costs. Colleges are referred to Goaves for students on the staff of The Leaf and Web site. In the past, students have received substantial scholarships to schools including Harvard, University of Southern California, Indiana University, Ball State, Emerson, Vanderbilt, Michigan, Missouri, and more. Each member of The Leaf staff has their own digital portfolio with all the work from their past and current years on staff. Jimmy Chau, 11, one of the managing editors of The Leaf has been contacted unsolicited by multiple colleges after they saw his wealth of work on Goaves. Juniors and seniors depend on Goaves to show themselves off to colleges and, in the process, all of SHS is showcased. “This is money. This is a huge opportunity for scholarships. The Web site is huge for seniors on staff because it shows colleges all the work they have done throughout their years on staff,” said Gabe Englander, 12. Englander, along with other seniors on staff, was growing increasingly frustrated that he had nowhere to refer his prospective colleges to in order to show them his work. Relief came when Goaves went live. But Goaves is not just a source for scholarships to the staff of The Leaf. When students sign up for Convergence Journalism, most sign up to write and be published in the newspaper. Due to space and monetary constraints, not everyone in the class can be published every month. Goaves gives those on staff who do not get their stories published in The Leaf the opportunity to be published and have their work read. The web allows diverse writing styles to flourish in forms of sound slide, polls, infographics, Q&As, interviews, podcasts, columns, and much more. The class is open to feedback on the site, whether it be positive or negative. For questions or comments, please

“Mama Grizzly” roars in Cincinnati Sarah Palin visits Kroger on nationwide book tour

claytonHAMRE

fun&games chief

o some, she is the shining star of a conservative revival. To others, she is an attention-seeking demagogue. On Friday, Dec. 3, Sarah Palin, one of America’s biggest political and media icons, graced the Kroger at Harper’s Point with her presence. Palin’s visit to Montgomery was part of her tour for America by Heart: Reflections on Family, Faith, and Flag, her latest book. Starting at 6 a.m. Friday morning, the first 500 customers who presented proof of purchase of the book at Kroger received a wristband guaranteeing them an opportunity to meet the former Alaskan governor. Officially, customers were allowed to line up beginning at 10

images by sm dipali

p.m. Thursday evening, although some fans arrived as early as 5:30 p.m. from locations all over the region, even as far as St. Louis. Those hoping to see Palin withstood temperatures in the 20’s and snow flurries with the help of folding chairs, sleeping bags, as well as heat lamps provided by Kroger. “Second to Barack Obama, she’s done more to motivate the people of this country than anyone else. It took a Jimmy Carter to get a Ronald Reagan,” said Ken Cormack, who travelled from Akron for Palin’s visit. Palin was present at the grocery store from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. signing copies of America by Heart. “I think Sarah Palin is fresh, new, pretty, down to earth , and she’s got some good ideas,” said Rick Smith, one of the very first people in line. Montgomery was Palin’s secondto-last stop on her three-week book tour, which was concluded with a stop in SC. “Sarah Palin would be a better president than the one we have now,” said Janet Roberts, another Palin fan in line at Kroger. Pundits speculate that Palin’s push for coverage from the media – including her book tour as well as her new television program, “Sarah Palin’s Alaska” – are part of an effort to gain backing and funds for a possible 2012 presidential run.

SARAH PALIN SUPPORTERS gathered at the local Kroger for her book signing on Dec. 3. Palin, who has recently received much media coverage, garnered huge crowds at Kroger, some fans lining up the night prior to her visit. She is on her book tour for America by Heart: Reflection on Family, Faith, and Flag, and the next stop is South Carolina.

‘Battle of the Sibs’: STUCO creates new interactive event sure to entertain gabeENGLANDER

associate editor

Battle of the Siblings will be like nothing SHS has ever seen. Unlike Mr. Sycamore and similar events, Battle of the Siblings is in a game show format: 10 sibling pairs will face off in fastpaced, single elimination rounds until one pair remains. In each round, each team must complete a different task in a set time limit or face elimination. While entertaining for the audience, the games are rather odd and will force the sibling pairs to ignore potential embarrassment as they “go hard” to win.

“We chose games that don’t favor anyone, whether you’re an athlete, smartie, or musician,” said Alexandra Engelhart, Student Council Executive President. “The games are really exciting and I’m sure the audience will enjoy them.” No one but student council members planning the event know what the games will be. At the beginning of each round, an instructional video will be played, so siblings and audience members learn the games at the same time. As the siblings compete, their facial expressions and movements will be captured on video and streamed live on big screens for the audience to enjoy. But Battle of the Siblings was not created solely to entertain.

After Little Sibs Day was cancelled two years ago, Student Council wanted an opportunity for siblings to work together. Initially, Battle of the Siblings was similar to the Amazing Race, where sibling pairs would compete in a scavenger hunt. But this idea was scrapped because it would not allow an audience to watch. Engelhart and the other student council members behind Battle of the Siblings hope that in its current format, this event will be funny, fast-paced, and entertaining. The winning sibling pair will donate all proceeds to a favorite charity. Battle of the Siblings is on Jan. 8 at 7 pm in the Main Theater. Tickets will be $5.

Sounding off

all images by sm dipali

Bright Eyed Youth Earl Grey

Members: Jackson Hughes, 9, Gil Kaplan, 9, Ben Hammer, 9, Alex Masset, 9, and Justin Van Wagenen, 9. Style: Alternative electronica sound with unqiue bass riffs and synth sounds History: Been together for a year, performed at the JH Variety Show

Members: James Chrisman, 12, Ryan Kast, 12, Justin Kirschner, ‘10, and John Brooker, ‘10. Style: Our sound has been described as chilled out with some energy. People tend to compare us to the Red Hot Chili Peppers. History: We have been known to assemble chocolate milk in our mouth, wear banana suits on stage, and never play Hannah Montana songs.

Seriously Guys?

Members: James Chrisman, 12, Ryan Kast, 12, Eliot Schwartz,12, Ryan Dunn, 11, and Benji Katz, 11. Style: “A merging of Jazz, Blues, and Rock. If The Who had a child with Gnarls Barkley and through a series of unforseeable events, the child was raised by wolves, Seriously Guys? would be that metaphorical child,” said Kast. History: Formed as a cosmic alignment of musician

Local Color

Members: Advait Redkar, 12, Chase Spicer, 12, Joe Cleary,12, Jeanne Rixe, 12, and Martin Rixe, 12.

The Undefined

Members: Zachary Eklund, 9, Jeshua Pel, 9, Kyle Hackett, 9, and Matthew Groene, 9. Style: Kind of hard Rock/Blues. Decided to name themselves “The Style: Bluesey garage band, go after the “Black Key’s” sound, strong Undefined” because they do not play a specific type of music. vocals and good lead guitar, History: “It started of as me and History: Formed three days before the tape was due to Student Council some friends jamming and then we were invited to jam with Zach because they wanted to create a new, unique sound for the audience. and join their band,” said Pel.

Snapshots

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Voice of SHS launches online

New website, new features

all images by jane finocharo

Evolution of Goaves janeFINOCHARO

snapshots editor

AFTER MANY MONTHS, Journalism students finally launched their long-awaited website, www.goaves.com. Goaves is entirely student-run, with all content provided by Journalism students. The website covers all academics, clubs, activities, athletics, and departments of SHS and is updated daily. It includes news stories, polls, staff profiles, and interactive activities. The home page of the website features main news stories, polls, and other articles within each section. The News tab contains all articles posted on Goaves. The Staff tab has profiles of every member of The Leaf. The Sports and Groups tab feature pages on every sport and club at SHS. Under the “The Leaf” tab, full issues of The Leaf can be viewed back to January 2007. Updated polls are also available and students can view their results. The multimedia tab includes interactive activities such as sound slides, videos, photo galleries, and comics. Jacob Deitloff, 12, and Ross Johnstal, 11, are the Webmasters for Goaves and have put in many months of hard work to perfect the website. “The most exciting thing is watching the website evolve every day and knowing that people will eventually use all of these new features we’ve worked on,” said Deitloff.

Forum

Thursday, December 16, 2010

gabeENGLANDER

associate editor

staffeditorial

t SHS, we give importance to what our students excel in, whether it is academics, art, sports or anything else—recognition of our skills is a source of pride for the school. Through academic awards such as the Medallion, art shows and Overtures for those involved in the fine arts and the athletic events that garner such enthusiastic crowds, our students get much-deserved attention for their skills. Following in this trend, it is finally time for the young writers, designers and reporters to have their work showcased, and this is where goaves. com comes in. The Journalism Convergence classes have been working on their writing skills, cultivating them through articles for their monthly publication, The Leaf, but a printed newspaper hardly has enough space to feature each writer. It certainly does not have sufficient pages to give ample coverage to the vast number of sports and activities prevalent at SHS. And so, the student-run website is a win-win situation: those of us who work hard at our chosen activities are given attention and coverage, while all writers that desire experience and exposure get to have their pieces put up online for the world to see. Believe it or not, it was not easy to get approval for this student-run website. This past summer, it was decided that goaves.com would be taken down and reviewed by the central

the Sycamore

leaf

office administrators, causing anxiety and stress for the journalism classes. Months of preparation and emphasis on exemplary writing and design, the site was presented to the administration, and an appeal was made to restore the website. The “student voice” wanted to be heard. Thanks to the tireless work of webmasters Jacob Deitloff, 12 and Ross Johnstal, 11, the site has been redesigned and transformed into an interactive, appealing resource for the entire district. The site finally went live on Nov. 22, 2010 after winning the administration’s approval. Virtually limitless, goaves.com provides endless blank pages, waiting to be filled with information on upcoming Student Council events, or what Spanish Club is up to, or the full schedule for womens’ basketball season. Missed any past issues of The Leaf? No problem. You can read it online, and in color. With goaves.com, the “online student voice,” if you are interested in the goings-on at SHS readers can be well-informed. You will not miss a thing. Each student at SHS has something special about them. Whether it be a passion or an extracurricular activity, everyone deserves coverage, which will be given through goaves. com—run by the students, for the students.

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

What’s your opinion on the new and improved goaves.com?

It’s nice to see everything organized and catch up with what’s going on around the school. I don’t have time to figure out everything, and this is one way I can.

- Samantha Misali, 11 I like staying in touch with school spirit. Go Aves!

-Griffin Levy, 10 I think the website is really cool and I like how it features all the teams and clubs.

- Carly Lefton, 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 Oh Gina Romeo Sports Brandon Sosna Daniel Bayliss Bennett Kaplan

Calendar Kelcie Grega Spotlight Drew Gelwicks Snapshots Jane Finocharo Fun & Games Clayton Hamre Cartoonist Lilly Lefton Amaji Finnell Web Masters Jacob Deitloff Ross Johnstal

Recently, I had the unpleasant experience of arguing with my study hall teacher because I had to go to another classroom, and had forgotten to have my planner signed by the teacher I had visited. I had been on time to study hall, had my teacher sign my planner, signed out and listed my destination on the class sheet, and signed back in when I returned to study hall. But because I had not had the teacher I visited sign my plan book this specific time, my study hall teacher threatened to take away my privilege of leaving class. Although I am old enough to join the army, vote, and buy cigarettes, I am not capable or trustworthy enough to go to the bathroom without teacher permission—or to my locker, my car, or anywhere else. According to the Student Handbook, “Students are required to have a signed hall pass/planner in order to be in the hallway during class time.” No reason is given, because the administration does not need one. I understand that without this rule, some students might skip classes or take too long at their lockers. Another argument for the rule is that it makes students safer, because in the event of a disaster their teacher would know where they were. That is why I propose a compromise. For freshman year, let the existing rules apply. But if a student proves himself by not getting a single detention, suspension, teacher write up, or other disciplinary action, that student should have the privilege of leaving class without a signed planner. This would also benefit teachers and administrators, who would have more time for their own work. Obviously, if a teacher asked the student not to leave then the student should not leave. And if a student is caught abusing the system, they will simply lose this privilege and revert back to the system they had as freshmen, ensuring that this privilege will not be abused. The one downside would be keeping track of which students must get their plan books signed, but this is outweighed by the benefits in time, improved student behavior, and increased teacher-student trust. Instead of the current system, where students are treated as potential criminals, the administration should adopt this compromise to provide an incentive for student honesty and to create an atmosphere of trust and mutual respect. For comments on this column, please write to WritetoTheLeaf@gmail.com

Gabe Englander, Moriah Krawec Managing Editor: Jimmy Chau, Ellie Goldman Business Managers: Emma Oh, Emma Rosen Staff Writers Dilnoza Abdusamatova Irfanuddin Aijaz Madison Ashley Ana Barros Emily Begley Denae Bellilti Alec Bochner John Carroll Krittika Chatterjee Rishi Choubey Brian Cleary Rohan Dalal Gariauna Daniels Mark Eilers Gabriela Godinez-Feregrino Devon Grubba Samantha Hammer Aaron Ishida Alexandria Lazar Shea Lothrop Sarah May Frank Pan Orion Radtke Casey Rayburn Daniel Rickert Cailin Rogers

Michael Saxon Aditi Sharma Shayna Siegel Chase Spicer Ilana Vinnik Sanika Vaidya

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

Feature

Thursday, December 16, 2010

My turn: alecBOCHNER

staff writer

hen it comes to relationships, there is a lot of pressure put on the males. Men are expected to open the door for women, ask them out on dates, pay for their meals, drive them places, and eventually get down on one knee and ask them to spend the rest of their lives together. To most men, these things act as a right of passage to manhood. But when it comes to women, there seems to be little expected of them, besides occasionally saying ‘please’ and ‘thank you,’ or ‘yes’ and ‘no.’ Many guys wonder, ‘Why me? Why can’t she ask me out just one time?’ Fortunately for the men of SHS, this fantasy comes true every year as the girls are expected to ask the guys to Winter Formal. “Winter Formal is my favorite dance. The girls and guys pretty much swap their traditional roles in the relationship,” said Brandon Gardner, 12. On Feb. 12 at 9 p.m., SHS will hold its annual Winter Formal dance, in which the ladies will be treating the fellas. Not only are they expected to ask, they are also responsible for paying for the tickets and dinner. “They will finally get to taste what we have to do throughout the entire relationship,” said Jay Burgin, 10. The fun part of this whole extrava-

Guys get shown up on creativity

Girls prepare to ask dates to Winter Formal

ganza is not just the dance itself, but the clever ways girls come up with to ask the guys to the event. For many females, this might be the once in a lifetime chance to show the men how to properly ask someone to a dance. “We can finally show the guys that there can be some fun to asking,” said Emily Minevich, 12. From asking on the morning announcements to making them a cake, there is not much that has not been thought of or done when it comes to asking the guys to Winter Formal. Nevertheless, the girls usually come up with an ingenious plan. “Every time there was a dance, he simply just said, ‘hey you want to go with me?’ I finally got the chance to show him up. I gave a puzzle piece that had a letter on it to each of his teachers. The teachers gave them to him throughout the day. He finally got all the pieces and put them together. It read, ‘Winter?’ I was very proud of myself. He loved it,” said Lainey Paul, 12. It can be intimidating and frightening to many females, but they must realize it is their one chance to teach the guys how they should act before, during, and after a school dance. In the great words of Cyndi Lauper, “Girls just want to have fun.” She could not be more correct. Girls: It is your time to shine and do not forget to have some fun with it.

LAINEY PAUL, 12, left, holds up the puzzle that she used to ask her boyfriend, Brandon Gardner, 12, to Winter Formal. According to Paul, many male students ask their dates uncreatively. However, Paul exclaims that Gardner adored her clever invitation.

Ladies first, but what else? When: Saturday, Feb. 12, 2010 Time: 9 p.m. Cost: $15 for one ticket

$25 for two tickets

Who pays: Girls pay for

tickets and dinner and guys pay for pictures.

Where: SHS commons Dress code: Formal attire photos courtesy of alec bochner

‘I definitely am nervous, but I hope to do well’

Theme: Rave Motion Pictures

Band, Orchestra marches through Disney

Exams loom over freshmen Members celebrate end of season staff writer

As winter break is creeping up, students are beginning to realize that mid-term exams come with the package. While some students come together to form study groups over break, others choose to procrastinate. The freshmen have the hardest time studying, and often seek help from the upperclassmen, who are usually there to assist. “Make sure that you take them seriously, they matter more than you think. I am saying this from experience,” said Michael LeNeveu, 12. Along with the building suspense of the actual exams, students are often unable to study the correct material for them. “Rather than studying for hours and hours, listen to your teachers, they are there to help you. This is by far the easiest way to get good grades on the exams,” said Alex Martinson, 10. Aside from the fact that winter break is two days shorter this year, students are still planning on study-

ing during it. This kind of attitude and dedication is what will allow for students to excel. Some students even go as far as to say that winter break is meant to take a vacation from all of the work overload, and that one should just wait until school starts again to prepare for exams. “If you don’t study over break, you should at least start studying after winter break, which will give you about two weeks before the exams,” said Kelsey Craig, 11. As many know, if one earns an ‘A’ all four quarters of a year-long course and the mid-term exam, they are exempt from the final exam. The freshman class is likely to be the most nervous for the midterms, but it is important to overcome this feeling and just study. “I don’t want to study, but I’m going to over winter break because I know that they are important. I definitely am nervous, but I hope to do well,” said Maddie Baker, 9.

Looking back: end of remarkable decade

emilyBEGLEY

staff writer

Throughout their long and dedicated season, the marching band devoted their time to afterschool practices, Friday night football games, and a total of seven successfully competitions. Following classes on Nov. 10, members were given a chance to do just that – as a reward for their immense devotion and hard work, the band departed for Disney Land in Orlando, Fl. Although the vast majority of the group decided to attend the Disney Trip, the event was not a necessity. Members who wished to participate were required to pay fees covering travel, meals, and rooming at the beginning of the year. After a trip approximating 17 hours on provided coach buses, excited band and orchestra members arrived at the Rosen Centre Hotel on Nov. 11, kicking off their three-day vacation. Members visited various parks throughout their time in Disney. The groups explored Hollywood Studios, DisneyQuest, Animal Kingdom, Downtown Disney Marketplace, Epcot, and Magic Kingdom. “Space Mountain was my favorite part about Disney. Magic Kingdom was by far the most entertaining park,” said McKenzie Morgan, 12.

Maple Dale levy passes, major changes expected

page 9

Audiences enjoyed a concert executed by the orchestra in Downtown Disney Marketplace on Nov. 12. Members of the band were required to attend and recognized familiar selections including “A Whole New World” from the Disney classic “Aladdin.” On Nov. 12, both the band and the orchestra attended the “You’re Instrumental” Workshop located at the Epcot Pre-Show Backstage Area. Bringing the experience to a close, the band marched in the Disney’s Main Street Electrical Pre-Parade on Nov. 13. The performance took place in front of audiences in the Magic Kingdom. “I think the parade was really awesome. It was awesome to march down Mainstreet in Magic Kingdom and see the castle all lit up,” said Kathryn Duff, 11. Following a memorable and successful season, the Disney Trip gave the marching band an exciting opportunity to celebrate their achievements. The experience is one that members are not likely to forget. “It was great to spend time with friends. Even though we had so much make-up work, it was still worth it,” said Connor Dowlin, 12.

HIGHLIGHTS: page 10

Animal shelters face heavier influx of abandoned dogs, cats

page 11

this month in feature

aditiSHARMA

feature

thursday, december 16, 2010

Graduating early 11 Seniors, junior share plans

gabeENGLANDER

Nora Zaenglin, 12

inishing high school early sounds very appealing. Specifically, the no more school part. But this is not an easy decision for anyone, and each of the 11 seniors and one junior worked hard to earn the necessary credits to graduate and make concrete plans for their lives after SHS. Whether they chose to enroll in college, work, or travel, they are excited and nervous for what their future’s hold.

What: I plan on getting my goal weight/ measurements, packing a carry on, and going to New York to look for a bigger (modeling) agent. I will stay in New York for a little bit and if they (modeling agents) don’t like me, I will come home. Then I will start on my 2 AP portfolios and look for a job.”

associate editor

Daniel Samet, 12

Christine Amoroso, 11

What: I’m going on tour managing bands, as well as working as a manager and booking agent for the bands on my company Stockholm Syndrome Artist Services’ roster. I don’t have any tours locked down yet, but I’m going out as a merchandise manager for the band Phone Calls From Home on their next album cycle in the spring.

What: I plan on working after graduation then going to college next year where I wish to major in biomedical technology and minor in fine art. I also wish to travel, hopefully to Japan, Italy, and backpack through China. My dream is to lead research for children’s terminal illnesses, so that one day they too can lead happy, healthy lives.

Haruka Maeno, 12

Stephanie Behrens, 12

What: I will be attending university in Japan. The Japanese school system starts in April and ends in March; therefore, I am going to graduate in January and start university classes from April. I was accepted by the university that has been my top-choice there, and I plan on majoring in biochemistry.

What: After the semester I am going to Xavier University, where I will major in post secondary education of mathematics and minor in social science. Since I can remember, I’ve wanted to be a math teacher. Math has always come easily to me, and everyone enjoys doing things that they’re good at.

Olivia Amend, 12

Helen Locey, 12

What: I’ll be starting at Xavier for their Spring Semester. When the semester is over at Xavier, I’ll be transfering to Eastern Kentucky for the fall. I’m currently working at Salon EnVie and will continue to work there while I’m at Xavier.

What: I’m going to continue working at LaRosas and save up money for when I start college at DePaul next year. I plan on majoring in anthropology. I’m moving to Chicago in August and rooming with Taylar Ventura, who is also going to DePaul.

Nathan Blust, 12

Tim Matsuzaka, 12

What: I’ll be taking classes for college credit and then enrolling in UC. I don’t know what I want to study yet, but I’m considering engineering.

What: I’ll bump up my hours at my two jobs, as a cook at Ando’s and as a desk attendant at Performance Alignment, to save money for college. I’m hoping to go to OSU, but I am still considering UC.

Robert Mynatt, 12

Suttida Beungbon, 12

What: I’ll be working full time renovating golf carts in Milford. After that, I plan on enrolling in Cincinnati State. I’m not sure what I want to study though.

What: I want to work full time in a restaurant to save money for college. Then I want to go to Cincinnati State, where I will try to become a chef.

eniors stress over college applications truggle to make deadlines

frankPAN

staff writer

Currently, seniors are at an important stage in their learning careers where the decisions they make now will affect them for the rest of their lives. Standardized testing is all but done and the focus has shifted to college applications. “College applications are even more stressful than the SAT,” said Scott Owen, 12. Many seniors feel Owen’s sentiment. The process of choosing a list of schools, visiting a few of them, narrowing the list down to a handful, and then completing the application for those respective school can feel overwhelming. “My suggestion is just to jump in and start an application… students can ask their counselor which schools have the easiest applications to complete,” said Mr. Vince Rahnfeld, counselor. “The key is to begin.” “I started early in looking at the college process so that it would not be as daunting,” said Carolyn Raithel, 12. Almost every school in the United States has their own application form or a form that can be accessed through the Common App, which is an application form that saves a student’s information and can be used for multiple colleges. “Most of my schools were via the Common App so filling the form out once was really easy and convenient,” said Rebecca Tregubov, 12. Completing an application usually includes filling out personal background information, sending out test scores, and writing one or more essays. There are a couple admission periods that colleges universally follow.

Early Action is a popular one that a lot of colleges have adopted because it gives admission period students a quick decision without forcing students to commit. Early Action deadlines depend on the school, but most were Nov. 1, Dec. 1, or Dec. 15. Early Decision is another option. This, however, requires a student to formally commit to one college, and, if selected, he or she must attend that school after signing an official document. The advantages to Early Decision are that, if admitted, the entire college search process would be done, and though many colleges will not openly admit this, applying Early Decision improves a student’s chances for admission. “I am doing an Early Decision school and if I get in, all my stresses over the college process will be over,” said Ravi Sheth, 12. The final method of applying is Regular Decision. Most Regular Decision deadlines are in or after January and students will be notified in the following months. “For most seniors, the college process will run until the end of April,” said Rahnfeld. “There are only a handful of seniors that have already chosen their school and sent in their deposits already.” The college search may seem arduous and demanding, but with the help of your guidance counselor and the college center at SHS, as well as support from family and friends, stress can be alleviated. “If you need any sort of assistance or help, just see your counselor and talk about it with them,” said Rahnfeld. “We’re here to help.”

7 Carrottopolis hauls in first place at Greek Games

photo courtesy of brien miller

JORDAN REED, 11, IS cheered on by his Carrottopolis teammates as he and Adam Cole, 11, face off against Waka Flocka Flopolis’ Will Bundy, 11, and Michael Gray, 11. Reed and Cole went on to win the tug of war match, putting Carrottopolis in a tie for first place with Waka Flocka Flopolis. But because of errors in Waka Flocka Flopolis’ paper, the win was given to Carrottopolis.

Fusion Restaurant serves up three course meal to parents, faculty

photo courtesy of gariauna daniels

BEFORE SENDING SERVERS Ryan Gaffney, 10, Kaitlyn Miller, 12, and Brandon Woods, 11, off to serve guests, chef Deborah Klemt places a wild onion on Gaffney’s plate. It took students in Gourmet Food most of second quarter to plan the meal, cook the food, and decorate the classroom. “We do this project so that (students) can present to parents and teachers what they are doing in class and so they can get a feel for what a real restaurant is like,” said Klemt.

Dave and Buster’s Senior Night Thursday, Jan. 20 9 pm to 1:30 am. Tickets: $30. Today and tomorrow are the last days to purchase at lunch. After is $35. Activities: Unlimited food and drink, tournaments, a ton of game chips, basketball shootout, billiards, golf, video games, Daytona race cars, Dance Dance Revolution, and prizes. Notes: Seniors must ride busses to and from event and are not allowed back into SHS after event.

Caress Begley Your Independent Avon Sales Representative

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thursday, december 16, 2010

‘Discover the best of the web’

all images by emma oh

StumbleUpon jimmyCHAU managing editor, feature chief

& emmaOH

business manager, feature chief

ach day nearly 2 billion people log on to use the internet. Whether they are doing research, checking Facebook or just surfing the web, internet users sort and skim through thousands of websites each second. However, not all of these websites provide useful information. Sometimes, sites have fake facts or do not properly allay the curiosities or questions of internet users.

About StumbleUpon

StumbleUpon helps bored or curious internet users all over the world find high quality videos, websites and pictures matched to their own personal preferences. These pages have been explicitly recommended for each user by a friend or one of the 8 million

discovery engine becomes

internet obsession other websurfers with similar interests. This means that when a user “stumbles,” they only find pages that friends and like-minded stumblers have recommended. This is possible through the use of like/dislike ratings. These like/dislike ratings are then used to form collaborative opinions on website quality. While StumbleUpon sounds

like any old search engine, it is actually defined as a “discovery engine.” Rather than search for through pages of results, StumbleUpon members are taken directly to web sites matching their personal interests and preferences.

How is it useful?

The content of the World Wide Web changes every second.

Reviews, remarks: “The Most Addictive Website Ever” “StumbleUpon is the greatest thing ever invented. The site makes the Internet infinite in its possibilities yet totally accessible. Warning: never has a website hijacked my brain, my attention span, and time itself quite like StumbleUpon.” “The Oprah Magazine,’”January 30, 2009

“StumbleUpon second globally to Facebook and leads in US” “StumbleUpon over the past year has been consistently in the top two Social Media sites in terms of generating global website traffic. Indeed, in the US in March StyumbleUpon was number one ahead of Facebook in terms of website traffic generation.” StatCounter, April 22, 2010

StumbleUpon is a unique approach to keep on top of this constantly evolving pool of information by using community participation to filter through irrelevant or useless websites. The sites on StumbleUpon that are considered high quality can be immediately shared with other like-minded users. Old or low quality sites can be removed if their ratings become too low.

This helps members maintain a database of the most up to date, well created sites possible.

Growth

Today, StumbleUpon has 8 million members and around one billion stumbles each year. The company has made a number of adjustments to its features and continues to do so to this day.

History of StumbleUpon StumbleUpon was founded in November 2001 by Garrett Camp, Geoff Smith, Justin LaFrance and Eric Boyd. The website’s immediate popularity helped gain support from investors such as Ram Shiram (Google), Mitch Kapor (Mozilla), and Brad O’Neill (Silicon Valley). At one point, StumbleUpon was owned by eBay, who paid $75 billion for it. In April 2009, Camp, Smith and several other investors bought it back. StumbleUpon is now an independent, investorbacked startup, with offices in San Francisco and New York City.

What do you want to discover? StumbleUpon offers nearly 500 unique topics to explore. Some of these categories include: Arts/History

Health

Music

Commerce

Hobbies

Religion

Computers

Media

Sports

feature

Friday frenzy Students wait out long lines to find deals

Teen writers practice, hone in on art form Emotional output

moriahKRAWEC associate editor

According to one survey by the fantasy author Jim C. Hines, the median age for a newly published author is 36 years. The same study indicated that these writers, on average, had been actively practicing their craft for 10 to 11 years prior to their publication. However, these statistics should not daunt a young, aspiring writer. Regardless of one’s age, creative writing can be an enjoyable and fruitful hobby. By her personal count, Brooke Esper, 10, has been a writer for her whole life. Esper, who is also a Creative Writing Club member, summarizes her experience with the written word quite simply. “I just started and never stopped; there was no beginning,” said Esper, who also joked that she was born with a pencil in hand. Although many younger writers enjoy the writing process overall, Esper has a favorite stage: brainstorming. “My favorite part is coming up with the idea. It makes you feel like you can do or write anything in the world. You’re like a just superhuman,” said Esper.

Writing does not only give the writer control of his or her own fictional world, but in some instances, of the writer’s own feelings. Many teen writers such as Esper find that their hobby can help them express or ease negative emotions. “Writing can help settle me from sudden rages that might [otherwise] overcome me,” said Esper. Notably, Esper has observed that writing a poem or a story can help relieve stress. Although this is usually not true of perfectionists and those who dislike writing, getting words down onto paper or a word processor can be a stress buster. Even with her hobby’s merits, Esper realizes that she is far from perfect. Although she has attempted to write a novel or novella in the past, Esper has found that she has difficulty developing the story. As a result, Esper mainly finds herself creating poems and short stories. For many teens, writing is an activity done in class, yet for others, like Esper, it is a hobby and a beloved activity, as it is for people of all ages.

Writing can help settle me from sudden rages that might [otherwise] overcome me

Brooke Esper, 10

staff writer

carden

markEILERS

In order to keep up with standards upheld by National Honor Society across the country, new rules were recently put into place, effective immediately. Members of NHS, new and old, must abide by these new rules in order to remain a member of the society. However, it is important that members know the new rules set into place so that they do not lose membership. Yet, with a surplus of rules already put into place, it can be hard for a student to discern the fact from fiction, but what exactly are the new rules versus the old? In previous years, NHS had a set of requirements that gave guidelines to members on what they needed to complete by the end of the year so that next year they would still be considered a member of the club. “I do not think that it is fair that students should be forced to attend after school meetings especially when they already have things such as studying and work,” said Nikita Lillaney, 12. These rules include maintaining a grade point average of a 3.6 or higher, achieving 15 service hours, and taking part in at least one honor level class or higher. “Some of the rules are not fair to some students because the rules state that students need to attend all after school meeting with only missing one, it is not fair that a member should miss an opportunity of being in NHS because they may not be able to go to a meeting for some cause such as work or sickness,” said Mihir Kulkarni, 12. Upon this year, NHS added to the rules of attending all after school meetings with leniency of missing one gathering, and participating and documenting in at least two NHS oriented events. If students fail to comply with the new rules, then they will be no longer considered a member. “As long as NHS remains organized, and communicates with the members, I am fine with the new rules set into place,” said Michele McDonald, 12. Faced with a number of new rules incorporated into NHS for the first time, NHS advisors hope that their members will comply with the new rules and maintain its high numbers of participants.

linaCARDENAS

feature chief

As this tough to name decade comes to a close, many prominent events such as significant deaths, wars, and natural disasters stand out. But the 00’s were not just a decade of oppression and conflict, but also of progress, remembrance, and worldwide unity.

2000

Y2K: Fears that computers would not shift from 1999 to 2000 correctly flood the world.

2001

Al Quaeda group members hijack and crash planes into Twin Towers, making the beginning of the War on Terror. First iPod sold, revolutionizing the music industry forever.

2002

Euro notes and coins are issued in France, Spain, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Greece, Finland, Luxembourg, Belgium, Austria, Ireland and the Netherlands.

2003

Saddam Hussein, former President of Iraq, is captured in Tikrit by the U.S. 4th Infantry Division.

2004

Facebook is created by Mark Zuckerberg. Fourteen countries near the Indian Ocean are affected by a devastating tsunami created by a tremendous earthquake with a magnitude between 9.1 and 9.3.

2005

Hurricane Katrina strikes the Gulf Coast. The creation of YouTube facilitates online video streaming. Pope Benedict XVI elected.

2006

Pluto declared no longer a planet.

2007

Final Harry Potter book published.

2008

US elects first African American President.

2009

Michael Jackson, the King of Pop Music, dies.

2010

7.0 magnitude earthquake occurs in Haiti. Thirty-three miners near Copiapó, Chile, trapped 700 meters underground in a mining accident in San José Mine, are brought back to the surface after surviving for a record 69 days.

2000-2010: ‘The Naughties’

‘You’re just like a superhuman’

Demanding standards, failure to comply may lead to expulsion

NHS honors new rules

by lina

First off, the maniacs that always come like it is some sort of battle for the last camera on the shelf, when it is clear that the store will restock within the next few days. They are out for blood and it is not desired to get in their way. Yes, the deals that are available are great on this day, if you are looking for electronics. Items such as clothing and beauty are rarely ever found with mind blowing deals such as technological ones are. If a friend or family member is not interested in the bulk of what the sales showcase, then is it not smarter to just wait around for a more peaceful day photo courtesy of garrett patrick that would be the ALAN CHEUNG, 12, waited in line on Black Friday in front of Best Buy for two and a half hours. He same prices? then found his dream 46-inch Sony flatscreen television which he paid $1,200 for in cash after waitLastly, the dead early ing in line to pay for one and a half hours. He had one dollar left in his wallet. time where the sun has not even made a peak out on the There will always be the pro of the alexxLAZAR horizon. Not even a full day before staff writer undeniable deals that come with this you head out, you would have eaten day, but the price cuts are mostly on he day after feasting on a feast of foods and your body is the primary sale of electronics. GPS’s, Thanksgiving has become likely to drag along. televisions, and such things like a tradition to millions of Think of all the turkey, stuffing, DVD’s always hold the largest sales. Americans. It is the day potatoes, pies, and cakes harborIf electronic gifts are your way to where stores bust out their ing in your stomach that will surely go for gift choices then undoubtedly huge sales and give a sign for what provide you with fatigue throughout Black Friday is a perfect option for is to come of the upcoming holiday the day. the day to choose for shopping. season. The day could also bring grumpiAs long as raging people and exMany people wonder; is this even ness from the lack of sleep and the tremely long check-out lines are not a really truly worth it? Since 1966, this possibility that you set out to get a bother, Black Friday is a must. has been the biggest day for holiday portion of gifts knocked out yet you There also is that adrenaline rush shopping, so clearly there are people come home empty handed. who find it worth something, but oth- received from driving around at the So over all, there will always be early morning hours cupping a hot ers are wary. the ritual of sending yourself out in chocolate and racing from store to Is it really for the sales or more the your coat with money burning in store searching to see what exactly adrenaline of waking up at 4 a.m. to your pocket, ready to be spent, but can be found by scavenging through rush through hectic stores for that before stepping into that store think bins and shelves. perfect gift on sale? The debate goes of what exactly you have gotten But then there is the con side, which on if this verging chaotic day has into, and be prepared. could outweigh the advantages. more pros or cons.

image

thursday december 16, 2010

image by lina cardenas

feature

thursday, december 16, 2010

Rebuilding Maple Dale: Community votes to reconstruct outdated elementary school

janeFINOCHARO

snapshots editor

ithin minutes of arriving at Maple Dale Elementary, the reasons that the community voted to rebuild it become clear. Students hurry through the rain and cold, coats clutched around them, to get from class to class several times a day. Around the building one can see dozens of rusted pipes, areas where paint has chipped off completely, and ancientlooking electrical fixtures. Two days before school started, a water pipe burst and flooded portions of the school. Upon closer inspection, the need for reconstruction is even more evident. The Ohio City Schools Commission, which investigates schools for safety, determined that the school was in need of major renovations. “They examined Maple Dale and determined that 18 out of 23 systems- such as lighting or plumbing – needed repair or replacement,” said Mrs. Jill Cole, School Board member. The School Board employed a large school planning team, including a design firm, teachers, principals, staff, community members, and financial planners to decide whether remodeling or rebuilding was the most cost-effective choice. This team determined that rebuilding the school completely would make more sense than remodeling it – while it would cost $11 million to remodel and $17 million to rebuild, rebuilding would save significant

maintenance costs for years to come. “It’s like if you have a car and you keep repairing it and repairing it, and eventually it’s just not a good investment to continue repairing it,” said Cole. Maintenance staff has already spent a significant amount of time and money to maintain the school, but over time many of the systems have deteriorated. It is no longer feasible to continue making constant repairs, but by rebuilding the school the amount of upkeep necessary to keep the school functional will be much less. Rebuilding the school will also save money long-term because it will cut back significantly on energy costs. Plans have not been made in detail yet, and Cole reported that it may be almost a year before plans are available. However, a conceptual design has been developed. “The design firm worked to draw out what it could looklike, what all of the options were, and what makes sense,” said Cole. The new school will be more environmentally friendly. It will incorporate both high-technology solutions such as geothermal energy and also simple changes such as more windows to let in natural light. These changes are estimated to cut energy costs for the school in half. The designers also hope to cut costs on the project by keeping the school’s current gymnasium – which was built in 2001, and is the only part of the school designers are planning to keep – and integrating it into the new school.

New, improved additions to building

all images by jane finocharo

Maple Dale Elementary is currently designed under the “California system,” with the majority of hallways between different buildings outdoors. However, this is known as the California system for a reason: it is only practical in warm, temperate climates. During inclement weather, this design is not feasible because students are required to walk outside in order to go from place to place in the school.

The designers hope to keep the school’s current gym - which was built in 2001 - and integrate it into the new school. The gym was built onto the school and can be seen from the parking lot above. This is the only part of the building that they are planning to keep, since it is the most recently built and does not contain any of the poor conditions that the rest of the school has.

The maintenance crew has had difficulty maintaining many of the systems. The Ohio School Foundation deemed 18 of Maple Dale’s 23 systems - such as lighting and plumbing - to be in need of renovation. Because of this, the school has been in a constant state of maintenance, but it has become costly to repair. Due to the school’s outdoor design plan, many pipes and other fixtures are exposed to the weather, necessitating even more repairs.

feature

11 Homeless, abandonment rates soar Deserted animals seek second chances thursday, december 16, 2010

emilyBEGLEY & markEILERS staff writer

staff writer

n unprecedented number of pets has been abandoned throughout 2010 and local animal shelters are being filled nearly to capacity with the animals of families left with few other options. Plagued by numerous factors including a lack of time and diminishing funds, many owners are finding themselves forced to give up their pets because they are unable to provide for them. Unfortunately, abandonment rates are also beginning to spike.

Families forced to leave pets

Although many factors are contributing to the large number of animals losing their homes, the current state of the economy plays a major role in the issue. Dwindling funds are leaving a large number of owners without enough money to afford necessities for their pets, including the significant expense of food and medical care. Faced with the concern of their pets’ waning health and the imminent risk of disease, a number of these families opt to bring their animals to shelters in order to provide them with proper care. In addition, a rising number of home foreclosures has led to an increasing number of families moving to apartment buildings, raising the issue of strict policies established by individual complexes. Among these restrictions are a certain number of pets per individual, particular weight limits, or prevention from housing animals altogether. In addition to these challenges, other families find themselves faced with the problem of not having enough time during which they can provide their pets with proper care. It is important for energy needs to be met, especially in regard to dogs. It is suggested that owners walk their dogs approximately three miles every day. The exercise is beneficial both in keeping the animal healthy and maintaining a calm demeanor. Potential owners should not adopt if they cannot meet these requirements.

She’s the best dog ever!” The SPCA aims to assist a plethora of abandoned dogs and cats in order to provide them with shelter and care and offer them a second chance. According to the SPCA’s offical website, “We turn no animal away. We are advocates for animals... speaking for those who cannot speak for themselves.” Throughout recent months, the refuge has been receiving an overwhelming number of both cats and dogs. With the drastic increase of animals coming in and not enough leaving, the shelter has been forced to do numerous things, including giving away the animals for free. The SPCA recently held a free cat adoption during which prospective owners could take home one of the housed cats without a fee. The event was an overwhelming success – 300 cats were placed in a family’s care.

“I wish more people would stress your animals getting spayed and neutered,” said Jennifer Creager, an employee of the Sharonville SPCA. “There is no excuse for homeless animals.” Unlike what many think when they bring their animal to a shelter, the SPCA will not euthanize them without a significant reason including sickness, age and aggression. After a three day period, housed pets simply become the lawful property of the refuge – individual shelters are left with the option of keeping the animals for as long as they would like. Even though the shelter wants the animal to be adopted as soon as possible, they do reserve the right to say that the hopeful pet owner is unfit to care for the animal and is therefore not allowed to adopt. Shelters urge potential owners to ensure that they have enough time, patience, and energy to properly care for an animal before adopting. They are urged to do individual research in order to find out which pet, if any, is right for them. For more information about the SPCA, visit www.spcacincinnati.org. “If we all do our part for one, we can save the lives of a lot more,” said Creager.

ROCKY, AN 11 month old American Bull dog was adopted on Aug. 4, 2010. After being found as a stray, the SPCA in Sharonville, OH, took him in, in the hopes of finding a good home. After long discussion, the Eilers family went to the animal shelter and adopted the young dog just 22 days after his arrival.

Shelters provide renewed hope

In the face of these hardships, many families are opting to take their pets to local animal shelters in hope of finding them a stable home that will be able to provide them with everything that they require. Among these shelters is the SPCA, or the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, of Sharonville, OH. “I think the SPCA is great because you can tell that they take care of the animals really well,” said Bailey Dowlin, 12. “I got my dog there, and we’ve had her for over three years now. image by mark eilers

3 crucial steps to take for successful adoption 1. Research

Before deciding to adopt a pet, it is essential that prospective owners take the time to research an animal that they are thinking about taking home. Every dog and cat breed is very different from one another, making it necessary to learn as much as possible about their individual needs. Temperament, sociability, and energy levels are all important factors to be considered.

2. Plan

After conducting research, it is important for future owners to properly plan for the homecoming of their new pet. Families should make sure that they have things such as food, water and food bowls, a place to sleep, and toys for their pet to play with. Owners may want to consider purchasing these items at local stores, such as PetSmart or Jack’s Aquarium and Pets.

3. Adopt

Particular breeds have been researched and necessities have been obtained. Families are now prepared to take home their new pet. Choosing to adopt an animal from one of Cincinnati’s various shelters gives abandoned pets a second chance to lead a happy and fulfilling life. “Animals do not have a voice and cannot ask for the help they need, so giving your time and effort to take care of the needy, living animal is a very noble cause,” said Amanda Armstrong, 10. Among these shelters if the SPCA, or the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, of Sharonville, Ohio. Potential owners are encouraged to visit the building in order to meet and learn about the numerous animals that are housed there. For more information about dogs and cats currently in need of a new home, visit www.spcacincinnati.org.

feature

thursday, december 16, 2010

‘It really brought my family together’

Freshmen discover family heritage

Showing off kelseyDRAPKIN associate editor

anaBARROS & krittikaCHATTERJEE & mariahCONNERS

staff writer

ver the course of history, there have been many titanic events: landing on the moon, technological advancements, and civil rights movements. And then, there was the freshmen Accelerated World History classes’ genealogy project. On Thursday Dec. 8, the students of SHS’ freshman Accelerated World History classes converged to show how diverse our student body really is. Students gathered information about their family’s history, culture, and beliefs, and completed a project that was displayed at the event. Not only did they have to interview family members and complete family trees, but they also had to find out their country of origin and research their culture. Though it may have taken much effort to dig up information and find statistics on immigration from some countries, the result was a sense of pride and relief as students showed everyone their posters. After a month of working, researching, and frustration (on top of the rest of their homework), the students were able to invite their friends and families to an event full of history and food that none of them will soon forget. “It really brought my family together, being able to see all our history,” said Nathan Gregg, 9. “I heard from parents that these kids’ grandparents were so happy that they were taking interest in their family history, when in most situations they might not even have bothered to communicate together about their heritage,” said Mrs. Rosemary Ennis, one of the freshman Accelerated World History teachers. This project also gave the students an opportunity to dig through their parents’ old picture albums and discover things they never knew about their family. “I got to look back into my parents’ yearbooks to get pictures, which was kind of weird,” said Elena Duran, 9. Some even found old documents and letters written by or to their ancestors, which proved to be an excellent way to find out about their past. Although the project may have

staff writer

image by kelsey drapkin

A CENTRAL FOCUS of the project is to trace the life of one elderly family member. More often than not, students choose a grandparent. The goal of the project is for students to learn about their family’s history and heritage. been a fascinating look into the past, students have several more details that they would not care to remember about this project. “The entire thing took hours, and I didn’t do anything the entire weekend,” said Hanna Suggs, 9. Collectively, the students each put up a poster about their own culture and made a food dish that came from their background. With 20-30 countries represented, the feast was quite the agglomeration of cultures. Each poster was a peek into a student’s personal heritage, featuring ancient photos and incredible quotes from those who may have lived out

“i” faceoff chaseSPICER staff writer

Years have gone by and tech junkies have been scrounging to find that new gadget that everyone has yet to come across; something that will change their lives completely; simple yet affordable. Well, the search stops here. Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple, has reached into his genius skull once again to produce the newest addition to the Apple gen-

the classic journey to Ellis Island. Some immigration stories have been as recent as the students themselves, like Sky Wong, 9. “My immediate family and I immigrated here about 10 years ago, so I already knew everything about my family’s immigration. The interesting part for me was learning about the history of Hong Kong,” said Wong. Whatever these students have gained from their World History project, they have certainly been left with an enlightening experience that will have provided them with invaluable knowledge for years to come.

eration, a sleek little article called the iPad. This device can provide every piece of literature including newspapers, magazines, and publicly recognized authors. The iPad also includes new video games specially made for the new system, large HD screen for movies and films, while also being thin and portable. Sounds a little similar to the iPod touch, right? It all depends on what things one is looking to do with the item. The iPod, of course, is for music playing and the occasional gaming, but the iPad

Annual Accel. World History family projects

is really for the avid reader. It is a device very similar to the Kindle that is made by Amazon, which is strictly made for reading books and newspaper. The iPad does a little more than that, with the aforementioned large screen and newer gaming capabilities, including new applications and movies. It comes in two sizes of gigabites: 16 GB and 32 GB. The iPod touch has a much smaller screen of 3.5 inches and the iPad has a huge display of 9.56 in, something anyone would appreciate, especially someone needy in

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Address: 8457 Springboro Pike Miamisburg, Ohio 45342

KATHLEEN MEHL, 11, PERFORMS an Irish dance in the Variety Show, on Dec. 3. The show featured 22 acts with 75 total students. Mr. Chris Davis, principal, was the emcee for the third year in a row. “Contract negotiations are in progress to keep [Davis] another year; he’s getting funnier and funnier each year and really brings a great element to the event. We are very appreciative of his willingness to do this for the Choral Program,” said Mr. Kenneth Holdt, director of the show. Acts included SHS’s acapella groups S.W.E.E.T. and S.H.A.G., a group performing a comical version of William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet,” a stage combat act, multiple solos and duets, and much more. The show offers opportunities for students to showcase talents that may go unrecognized otherwise. Each year, Holdt recieves many applications from students who wish to perform. Due to time constraints and the competitive nature of the auditons, he is forced to choose only the best to be featured in the show. He recieved 120 applications from students wanting to perform in the show. Holdt is constantly amazed at the talent that comes from the school. In the end, the final product lasted a little over two hours.

the eye sight department. A downfall with the iPod would be that it does not have the same memory capabilities. A final deciding factor upon choosing the iPod or iPad for this year’s holiday gifts would be the price. The IPad’s starting price is $499.00, while the iPod touch starts a little lower at $259.99. The iPod and iPad are both brilliant inventions and great tools for work, play, music, and to express creativity. Each is a great gift idea for any gadget-lover this season.

Fun&Games Thursday, December 16, 2010

S t a i r s

ground

• __

symphon

tax wiki

street

vis 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9...

WING

wing

ALL w r d

word Answers: 1. Downstairs 2. Underground 3. Left-wing 4. Point-blank 5. Unfinished symphony 6. All caps 7. Tax cut 8. Side street 9. Crossword puzzle 10. Wikileaks 11. Viscount

Wordles

Crossword Puzzle ACROSS 8. Commemorated by Shia Muslims as a day of mourning 11. Occurred on March 25 in Great Britain until 1752 14. When the Earth’s axial tilt is furthest away from sun, origin of many December celebrations, observed by many neo-pagans 15. Both Eastern and Oriental use separate liturgical calendars, celebrate Christmas in January 16. Take a K or add a C, both are correct spellings of this “dedication” (only one is used here)

Comics by Lilly Lefton

DOWN 1. Feast of this event is an official holiday in some Catholic countries, December 8 2. Weeklong celebration honoring African culture 3. Roman festival in honor of the god of agriculture 4. Day after Christmas, commonly celebrated in Europe and the Commonwealth of Nations 5. Country that celebrates victory of independence fighters on December 16 6. Harvest festival celebrated by Tamils in Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu, fell on January 14 this year 7. Twenty-second day of this Iranian month, observed in Iran to mark anniversary of Islamic Revolution 9. Can be abbreviated with an X 10. Feast of the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple, celebrated 40 days after Christmas, primarily in the UK 12. Christian feast day on January 6, derived from Greek word for “manifestation” 13. Scandinavian predecessor of Christmas

Chapter 6: An Attempt claytonHAMRE

fun&games editor hen the officers of the UNSS Starship suggested to the Earl of Tarn that they be given a tour of the new development that included the stolen mountain, the alien monarch responded surprisingly enthusiastically. “Does he really not suspect anything?” Roger asked Carlotta after the preview was arranged. “Maybe he doesn’t realize that the mountain is from our planet – it’s entirely possible that Everest’s theft was arranged by his inferiors. The Earl might not even know that the mountains in his newest project were taken from planets that wanted to keep them,” Carla replied. “I’d suggest asking him if he did know…but I have a feeling he wouldn’t care.” “Here we are – at the latest addition to the Advanced Luxury Tetrahedron 2.0, the Panecolitorium!” announced the Earl of Tarn, President of the UAE. “Once this attraction is complete, the residents and guests of the Tetrahedron will be able to ski on beautiful snowcapped mountains in the morning, explore lush rainforests in the afternoon, and watch a simulated sunset on an immaculate beach in the evening!” “That sounds very convenient,” said Roger. “Yes, it will be. I hope to make it so that no one will ever have to leave the Tetrahedron to satisfy any one of their needs!” “What a very noble goal,” Carlotta commented. “You’re lucky he doesn’t understand sarcasm,” Roger whispered to her. The tour lasted half a day. In addition to beaches, mountains, and rainforests, the Panecolitorium would be offering temperate forests, wide-open plains, coniferous groves, as well as parched deserts and fetid swamps, though the visiting humans could hardly guess why anyone would want to spend time in the last two. “Also,” said the Earl of Tarn, leading the group back to the area’s entrance, “I will be adding a personal touch to the mountain zone that I think you will appreciate.” “Oh, really?” replied Carlotta. “Yes! Do you see that mountain up there?” he said, pointing to Mount Everest. “Yes,” the officers said in unison. “I’ll be having my sculptors carve my face into it at the end of the week!” “Oh my God, oh my God, what are we going to do? He’s going to desecrate Earth’s most famous mountain with an image of his face – of all things!” Carlotta said, pacing around the corridor outside the human guests’ rooms. “So, what is our plan? We have four days until the week’s end!” exclaimed James. “I think we need to steal a spaceship large enough to carry Everest. We’ll also need some sort of method to lift it out of its current location,” Luke suggested. “As far as I can tell, the Tetrahedron uses some sort of artificial gravitation technology to maintain the gravity of a terrestrial planet,” Ralia explained. “If we can somehow turn it off, we’ll be able to lift Everest out, just as long as we have a spacecraft with powerful enough propulsion.” “And, of course, we need to detach the mountain from the Panecolitorium,” Roger added. Everything was going to be difficult, but, somehow, like many people in situations comparable to those of literary heroes, they managed. Roger, predictably, knocked a janitor unconscious and put on his uniform in order to gain access to the more remote sections of the Tetrahedron; however, the uniform did not fit especially well, as it had been designed for a seven-foot-tall being with six limbs and radial symmetry. After Roger knocked out the artificial gravity generators Thursday afternoon, Carlotta, Ralia, and the rest hijacked a very large cargo ship, probably also through the use of stolen uniforms, dumped its cargo, and picked up Roger. At this point, everyone on the Tetrahedron could tell something was wrong, so the humans were not exactly able to carve Everest off its adopted foundations (through the use of plasma, of course) without being noticed. “Quick! Quick! Load the mountain! Get it in!” Ralia frantically ordered. The mountain was loaded onto the ship with cables made out of carbon nanotubes, which are very useful for thumbing one’s nose at the laws of physics. A huge creaking noise spread throughout the stolen craft as several million tons of rock came to rest in its preposterously large cargo hold. Back on the Tetrahedron’s service, the Earl of Tarn was rather annoyed. “How’d those barely evolved four-limbs from a small, unregarded yellow sun manage to pull that off?!” he cried. “Somebody kill them.” Several hundred automated fighters came speeding out of a hatch near the Tetrahedron’s bottom, aimed at the bridge of the “borrowed” cargo ship.

art by ted simon

A&E

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Hallows, Horcruxes, Harry: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 delights fans, keeps them wanting more shivaniPARIKH

photo courtesy of altavista.com

forum chief

Harry, played by Daniel Radcliffe, Ron, played by Rupert Grint, and Hermione, played by Emma Watson, begin their perilous search for horcruxes in Part I of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.” The three best friends face a snake, Death Eaters, and the corrupt ministry of Magic in this latest Harry Potter movie.

Musical tradition lives on anaBARROS

staff writer

ABBA. Queen. The Beatles. Three bands that have gone down in history. Their music is still heard today and continues to delight listeners all over the world. There are also some musical groups out there that, although they are not as recognized around the world, deserve to be acknowledged. In 1498, Emperor Maximilian I moved his court and his court musicians to Vienna. He gave specific instructions that there were to be six boys among his musicians. 1498 marks the official foundation date of the Vienna Boys' Choir. Until 1918, the choir sang exclusively for the court, at mass, at private concerts, and on state events. Though the original members are no longer alive, their musical tradition lives on. For more than 500 years they have been a symbol of Austria and a fixed attraction in Austrian musical life. The Choir is made up of 100 hand-picked boys between the ages of 10 and 14 and from over ten different countries, including the U.S. They sing both musicallyaccompanied and acapella songs, and, amazingly, all in a sweet, perfect soprano. The singers are divided into four touring choirs which give about 300 concerts each year, in front of almost 500 thousand people in total. Each group spends nine to 11 weeks of the school year on tour and visit all of the European countries as well as the Americas, Australia and Asia On Nov. 12, the VBC came to Cincinnati for the third time in 13 years for a night of, not only beautiful singing, but also of high-caliber entertainment. Contrary to the modern opinion of ‘good music’ as being ear-splitting, ground-shaking rock, the VBC reintroduced the world to harmonious, pleasant music. Directed by Andy Icochea, a very talented Peruvian, the VBC sang religious songs, as well as international songs like ‘Joropo’ from Venezuela. Though there was only the Schubert choir on stage, made up of 25 boys, their voices rang throughout the Cincinnati Music Hall Auditorium with little use of microphones. Their pure, near-perfect voices were like lullabies to the audience. By the end of the concert, it was clear that, no matter how influenced the modern society is by pop and rap, there will always be room to fit in a bit of opera and classical music. Though the Vienna Boys Choir was founded over 500 years ago, their legacy and tradition lives on in our hearts.

he seventh installment of the Harry Potter movie series was released on Friday, Nov. 19th, bringing in crowds eager to see the midnight showings in their cities. As Harry, Hermione and Ron leave the hallways of Hogwarts and journey toward their ultimate goal of stopping Lord Voldemort, fans flocked to theaters to accompany them. And they were not disappointed. It is safe to say that “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I” is the best movie of the series to date. Now, being a dedicated fan of the books, no matter how excited I am to see the movies, I am always skeptical that the movie will not live up to the experience of reading the book. Unlike the Half-Blood Prince, Deathly Hallows Part I did exceedingly well in conveying the story and staying true to the book, while remaining entertaining. An ominous feeling was perfectly conveyed, with the opening scene panning in on each of the trio preparing to leave on their perilous journey. The famous scene of the seven Harry Potter lookalikes was executed to a tee, seriously and humorously -- just the way one might picture it while reading the book.

In lieu of the familiar halls of Hogwarts as a setting, the wizarding world provides the backdrop for the plot. Even the middle section, in which Harry, Ron and Hermione stay in a tent during their quest for Horcruxes, does not get boring because of the development of the relationships between the three. The only complaint I really have pertains to the scene in which Ron is destroying the locket, a Horcrux. When it opens up and exposes Ron’s worst fears, it illustrates Ron’s fear of a romantic relationship between Hermione and Harry. The fact that they were shown half-naked was unnecessary and, frankly, pretty weird. For avid readers of the book series, certain key scenes are what made this movie satisfying. The cinematography was effective, illustrating scenes vividly and drawing the viewer into the scenes, such as Harry and Hermione’s bone-chilling encounter with Voldemort’s snake. Although though some may say that this movie was nothing more than a tease and drawn-out trailer for the last movie (rumored to release in July of 2011), it was entertaining and exciting to watch, with each scene contributing to the suspense building for the last movie. “Harry Potter was bittersweet. Sweet because it followed the plot. Bitter because the series is shortly coming to an end,” said Ritvik Vasudevan, 11. Any Harry Potter fan can attest to their satisfaction with the film as well as their eager anticipation for Part 2.

Harry Potter was bittersweet. Sweet because it followed the plot. Bitter because the series is shortly coming to an end.

Ritvik Vasudevan, 11

‘I’m just a black sheep in a herd of ivory’

Benji Katz, 11, expresses himself through poetry, music ginaROMEO

“Benji’s writing infuses both jazz and hip-hop traditions, giving it both passion and relevance to current popular culture and thought. He takes pride in using The average teenager spends a majority of their complex allusions and ideas to illustrate his thoughts time creeping on Facebook or listening to meanand feelings about the world around him, causing ingless music from the likes of such artists as Lil’ the reader to pause and deeply consider what he has Wayne and Ke$ha. But Benjamin Katz, 11, to say,” said Mr. Andrew Young, Creative Writing (better known as Benji by his teachers and peers) teacher. is not like most teens. Along with poetry, Katz is also a pas“I just listen to jazz and write poetry,” said sionate bass player. He has transcendKatz. ed the poet-musician line, bringing his In the sixth writing from paper to life. grade, Katz Katz ji n e “I always just spontaneously write a B y b made his first A poem gnate laws of our nation poem and then they magically transa advances into the it to the st n o m ti b a e form into songs,” said Katz. su cr to world of modern all God’s Oh I refuse estion u ve we are q e li r e His band Seriously Guys? is one o b t n to e poetry. By explorcomm Oh I refuse ought, nor eception th of five entered in the Battle of the a f o t in ing the words of erate d Without h Bands this year, and Katz plays ed as delib nt e n fi rr e cu d r is u the Doors’ fronth For fait ng with yo a huge role in writing the band’s rrets to float alo man Jim Morrioint the tu Oh I refuse go ahead p er e music along with James Chrisg n a ch d to son, Katz was able Oh I refuse ur facetious gun pow uder man, 12. lo yo to learn about great ll ch ster, mu And fire a fa ch “Benji’s an incredible writer and u m ft back ver le music and great ept And I’ll fire pretend like you ne w r a fantastic musician. I couldn’t ve e n s to writing. llen eye Oh I refuse nd my swo h my recollection ask for a better band mate,” said te re p to Katz’s poetry is a e throug Oh I refuse m e d n si Chrisman. io e b ct te stood mixture of smooth ide your pro For you’ve Katz has a knack for hipnaked outs rporate charade d n a flow and hard-hitting st I w And no in your co hop as well, using his musical id e a k p a t rt e a g p words. His spontato work to Oh I refuse knowledge of rhythm and flow r work and sted fo ve li neous writing style to Oh I refuse are spent crudely wa to make rhymes unlike that resembles the works of ay e it 5 hours a d r I can tast a of the average teenage rap e cl d n a m 1950’s Beat poets like at I a so vivid the man th artist. Some of his influences My desire to in p e e d Jack Kerouac, whom d me an ’ve molded ars you’ve held my h include artists like Eminem, u Yo ose Katz cites as one of his l ye r, don’t cho e my semina Immortal Technique and iff r d Fo ’t n o biggest inspirations. prod, d g and you Notorious B.I.G. e b u yo w “I’m always interested No reply d n a b m “I was just tired of hearing u y th in the sounds of words and But I bite m meaningless hip-hop music. I the rhythm. I draw a lot I refuse want to blur the line between street poetry and of my ideas from the Beat rap. My music is more personal and emotional, it’s Generation,” said Katz. less about girls and money and more about feelings,” Though he is only 16, Katz’s poetic and adsaid Katz. vanced vocabulary is far from juvenile. Through Needless to say, we at SHS should expect to be watching interviews with his favorite writers, and seeing a lot of Katz. His unconventional writing and picking up on select words in everyday texts, Katz musical styles are impossible to ignore. has accumulated a knowledge of words past the “I’m just a black sheep in a herd of ivory,” said Katz. traditional English class teachings. a&e chief

” “I Refuse

a&e

thursday, december 16, 2010

Winter fashion: From faux fur to black lace, 50’s styles return

Recurring retro trends make come-back

denaeBELILLTI

staff writer

rends for this winter show that the current obsession with faux fur continues. Most commonly, faux fur is being worn on the collars of jackets, but this season, it can be found on mittens and boots as well. Locally, you can find faux fur boots at various shoe stores such as Aldo, Steve Madden, and Dillards. Be sure to check that the fur is not real. Some garments do not identify the fur on them as artificial or authentic. A recent story, featured on BBC News, states that the fur lined hooded jackets in Macy’s stores do contain real fur from an animal called a raccoon dog. Macy’s said it was removing the items to comply with its policy against selling any dog or cat fur, however. Fall trends are not completely disappearing. Many of them are carrying into the winter season, but being worn in different ways. The romantic styles are still in, and black lace is not only being worn on dresses, but accessories, too. Black lace has taken a 50’s inspired approach, as seen in Prada’s winter lines. This line features thick black lace dresses, boots, and hair in a high, neat, bun. The 50’s inspired look can be achieved with high-waist mid length skirts, floral and vintage patterns, and accessories like thin belts that highlight the waist, satchels, ribbon head bands, long gloves, and silk scarves. As for makeup and hair, pulled back pony tails with bangs, or anything with waves or structure appropriately achieve the 50’s look. Red lipstick and liquid eyeliner are key as well. Audrey Hepburn has inspired much of this look. “Lately, I’ve been into accessories like interesting belts, cardigans, colorful scarves when worn right, and my Uggs. They are always a winner,” said Lisa Kohmescher, 11. In addition, Prada predicts a color scheme similar to those seen this fall. These colors include deep red, camel, black/gray, white, and various shades of blue. Multiple fashion magazines state that there are five musthave’s for this winter, knee-high boots, loose trousers, oversized clutches, gold jewelry, and a camel coat. However, there are specific guidelines on how to pull off these looks, as usual. Knee-high boots are popping up in stores more and more, but there are important things to consider when

shopping for them. Magazines suggest avoiding patent leather, and going for more subtle styles. Recent runway trends feature these boots with pants tucked in, or high socks sticking out of them. Knee-high boots, not to be confused with thigh-high boots, complete a classy and sophisticated look. This winter, designers and fashion critics highly suggest investing in loose trousers. Preferably high waisted, these conservative pants go well with a jacket or blouse in the same color, as featured in Valentin Yudashkin’s lines. On the list of this season’s must haves is the oversized clutch. This accessory combines the best features of a normal clutch, but is more equivalent to carrying a purse. A casual clutch can both dress up, or dress down a look, however. When you walk into Forever 21 or other local stores, it is not uncommon to find gold jewelry on the mannequins or scattered throughout the store. Gold jewelry helps complete subtle looks from floral dresses to edgy cutoffs. Victoria Beckham has been noted for sporting her gold jewelry, specifically her Rolex watch. Fortunately this season, one trend repeats itself. The camel coat made its first appearance on the runways last winter; however it has taken until winter ’11 for this trend to really take hold. “Camel looks indulgent like winter white but has the pragmatism of gray and black. It’s the best of both worlds. … A camel coat evokes throwaway glamour,” said Michael Kors to fashion allure. The camel coat is a sign that current fashion trends are going back to basics. Camel and honey hues work with everything and suit almost every skin tone. Another repeating style is the military coat, which can be worn with militaristically inspired boots. Olive green, black, and navy booties with golden buttons or brass buckles and straps can be paired with the flattering and tailored jacket to complete an overall masculine, yet feminine look. Booties are best paired with knit or patterned leggings or tights under high waist skirts and shorts, or with skinny jeans tucked into them. These looks accentuate the length of the leg, making it appear longer. This winter’s styles can be summed up by a variety of boots and coats that correspond with one another. In addition to this, fur and accessories play a big role in making an outfit dressy or casual.

Lately I’ve been into accessories like interesting belts, cardigans, colorful scarves, when worn right and my Uggs. They were always a winner. Lisa Kohmescher, 11

all photos courtesy of altavista

A MODEL WALKS the runway in this seasons styles. The line being modeled features fold over boots, leggings, a high waist skirt, and fur accents. The high waist skirt with leggings and boots accentuate the length of the leg.

Lauren Oliver reaches out to teens

‘Before I Fall’ retaliates against human conscience through love, hate, crime krittikaCHATTERJEE

staff writer

LAUREN OLIVER, NEW York Times Bestselling author, attracts teens with her new novel, Before I fall.

As teenagers, we cannot be blamed for our constant fear of being judged. High schoolers of today have been christened the irresponsible, anxietyridden, overmedicated youth of America. “Before I Fall,” the debut novel from young adult author Lauren Oliver, is an account of the life of a typical tortured teenager. Or rather, a life cut short. Samantha Kingston, a high school senior, meets her instantaneous death in a drunkdriving accident. Every morning she wakes to the same day, thrown into a time warp reminiscent of Groundhog Day. As each morning and night repeats itself, Sam tweaks her choices to live out each day differently. Where this story takes a less cliché turn is when we find out that Sam is the girl we all love to hate, the quintessential queen bee. She knows how popular she is, but she is blissfully unaware of her inner ice queen. Suddenly, Sam is thrown into a gridlock, torn between two extremities and endless opportunities. Given endless time, she teeters between the thrill of making every possible mistake or the satisfaction of fixing them.

For an initial reaction to this story, only one word comes to mind: standard. It is a story seen one too many times, even with its little quirks. However, after reading further, a new emotion begins to surface: understanding. This book is the story of any high schooler. It speaks to the bully, the victim, the stoner, the emo, the nerd, the slut, and even the seemingly “perfect” one - how feels to be hated, and how it feels to hate. “Before I Fall” has a message that resonates with every parttime sinner. “Before I Fall” is a retaliation against the human conscience. Through the eyes of Sam Kingston, we get to hear all the things we have been told we cannot say: how it feels to fall out love, to commit a crime, to love being bad, to hate for no reason at all. And within it, we see ourselves. The book comes together as an emotional agglomeration that is a teenager: guilt, stress, pride, shame, love. Oliver has written a brilliant piece that tears the reader in two. The story is, in whole, a lesson learned about why we keep to our kindergarten mantra: do the right thing. It is an internal decision, whether doing well for others comes from desire or an obligation. Sometimes, the right the thing to do is to let finally let go, and discover the true meaning of sacrifice.

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Sports

Thursday, December 16, 2010

LEADING THE WAY for the girls varsity basketball team has been the high scoring Ashley Schaefer, 12. Along with many other talented players, Schaefer has the squad winning now and dreaming of a state championship later.

All they do is win Varsity girls basketball team explodes with undefeated start to season rohanDALAL

T staff writer

images by brandon sosna

he SHS girl’s basketball squadwasted no time en route to what some say will be a district championship season. The girls started their season off with a 61-35 win. The team was lead by Chloe Pavlech, 11, Ashley Schaefer, 12, and Keri Kleist, 11. The girls then passed a tough test and defeated St. Ursula by a score of 42-28. Pavlech led the way with 16 points. On, Dec. 4, the team badly defeated Middletown by the score of 72-10. This was an overall great team effort against a sub par Middies squad. There are great expectations for this team, and they expect nothing less than success this season. “We’ve had really good, intense practices so far, and everyone is looking to get better. We expect a GMC title, and district championship,” said Emily Mills, 12. “We are also looking to progress even further than before in the state tournament.” Kleist, along with Kelly McDonald, 10 and Courtney Tucker, 12 are new additions to the team, they transferred from different schools to play basketball at Sycamore. “It is great to have these three on the team, they bring a very competitive atmosphere to every practice, and always work hard

and want to get better,” said Maggie Cron, 12. The team will now take on Hamilton and Fairfield in two GMC showdowns. Prior to taking on the tenth ranked team in the state, they believed that they would win. “Lakota East is a very good team, and it will be a tough, but great game. I think that if we just play as a team, don’t turn the ball over, and trust each other, we can win,” said Jackie Weber, 12. And they followed through with the victory. The girls look to get more and more support for themselves at their games. They expect fans to show up and cheer for them. “The turnout of spectators for our games is really weak; I am not going to lie. We definitely need more support to succeed and it would be great if more people would come out to our games to support us. We won’t disappoint,” said Cron. After beating Lakota East, 5137, SHS improved to 4-0 and will sky rocket in the state rankings. SHS is enthusiastically looking forward to a great season, and is on its way there with a strong 4-0 start. They will look to continue to build on this success throughout the season. Eventually, the hope is that they will become champions.

For more girls varsity basketball coverage >>page 17

Hockey to her grave Alex Graves, 11, is a hockey player stevenFROH

staff writer

Alex Graves, 11, on playing hockey How did you get started playing hockey? I grew up in Detroit where if you’re not playing hockey, you’re figure skating. Twirling around on ice did not do it for you? No disrespect to figure skaters, but it was too wimpy for me, I love the contact! Is it hard being a girl playing a physical sport dominated by men? Yes, but that’s part of what drives me to play.”

What is your favorite arena? Joe Louis Arena! It was so cool!

Learn about stress fractures and how to prevent them

page 18

HIGHLIGHTS: Flyerettes dance once again

page 19

this month in sports

Do players often make remarks about you being a girl? Yeah, but you tune it out, I really don’t hear it anymore, you get into your game so much you can block it out.

End recruitment of high school athletes brandonsosna

editor-in-chief/sports chief

I like calling for radical change. Most of the time the suggestion is dumb. But it gives us something to think about. My idea is simple: put an end to adult college coaches sucking up to teenage athletes by disallowing coaches from initiating contact at any time with high school athletes. Make the kids earn it. No texting either. It’s so crazy, it just might work. When I first bounced this idea off my colleagues, the reaction was overwhelmingly negative. One even told me that I should instead tell myself to take a hike. It’s just the concept of adults begging athletes to attend their university and play on their team is ludicrous. Not to mention the millions of dollars certainly paid to player agents to sway kids one way or the other. How’s that escalade, handler? Truth be told, it’s stupid that 100,000 people pack Ohio Stadium on Saturdays, dish out much of their hard earned cash, and all just to watch a bunch of kids run around and bump helmets. Sports are stupid. That’s why America likes it. No thinking required. Just a drunk countenance and you fit right in. Sports spend so much time failing at sending the correct message, so I suggest one major evolution to right years and years of wrongs: make athletes recruit the school. Think about all the positive lessons kids would have to learn in order to market themselves to universities. They would be forced to perform well in school and stay out of trouble off the court. If a college had hundreds of kids seeking them out, why would they take a chance on problem children? They would have to develop people skills and garner the ability to talk to adults in a professional, persuasive manner. They would drop all feelings of entitlement and infinite worth and trade them for the need to constantly prove themselves and work harder to separate from the pack. They would have to take responsibility for their recruitment. If coaches were only allowed the contact received from the studentathlete, it would be on the kid to convince the coach to offer him a scholarship. Hopefully, it would lead to the kids ultimately deciding where they want to go, not parents seeing dollar signs or runners for agents manipulating kids into thinking they care about them. Talented athletes are raised across America believing they will one day reach the pinnacle of the sport they play. Cynical as it may be, truthful it is: not happening. So call this a little dose of reality, because the world of recruiting is a fantasy land. Real life stuff isn’t like recruiting at all. Am I crazy? Probably. Will this ever happen? Doubtful. Could it work? I don’t know. Maybe.

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

sports

thursday,december 16, 2010

Holding hopes sky high Perseverence personifies Pavlech’s path to prosperity dannyBAYLISS

sports chief

rue commitments do not involve days off. They do not include a ride down Easy Street and there is no passing go and collecting $200. Just ask Chloe Pavlech, 11, a guard on the girls’ varsity basketball team who has shed her fair share of blood, sweat, and tears to get where she is today; a committed member of the University of Maryland’s 2012 recruiting class. She chose the Terrapins over George Washington, Bowling Green, Ohio University, Notre Dame, Virginia, Miami, Florida, Dayton, Florida State, Princeton, and Brown. “Everyone always asks why Maryland? It’s been my dream school since fifth grade. I love the players and the staff. I’m going to college for an education, though, and my major (broadcast journalism) is ranked in the top three in the nation there. I also want to be a coach, and my future coach Brenda Frese is becoming legendary, so why not learn from the best?” said Pavlech. Indeed, Pavlech possesses tremendous talent. As a sophomore, she led her team in points (11.3), rebounds (5.9), assists (2.8), and steals (2.7). One quick Google search of “Chloe Pavlech” will garner thread upon thread, blogs, and recruiting sites, all talking about her savvy and skill on the court. Still, Pavlech was thrown a curveball when it came to Maryland. “What shocked me about the recruiting process was when Maryland offered me. My heart stopped, like you know when you’re walking down the steps and you miss a step and your heart stops? It was like that, times 15,” said Pavlech. For as long as she can remember, basketball has been Pavlech’s true calling card. She eats, breathes, and sleeps basketball. But for Pavlech, it was not always like that.

‘You’ve gotta give, to get’

While Pavlech has played basketball dating back to elementary school, the game she adores has tested her and provided her with some bumps along the road. “I use to have major confidence issues because I always played with the boys and they were so much better than me. I use to cry a lot. Then one day one of my best friends in elementary introduced me to a girls team, and then I became obsessed with basketball,” said Pavlech. While life on the court revealed its ugly side to Pavlech, the same thing was occurring in the classroom. Calling herself a “terrible student”, Pavlech was often sent into the hall and received failing grades. As she got older, Pavlech’s love for the game even affected her social life. “I have to sacrifice a lot for basketball. Every summer I’ve been gone. I’ve lost many close friends because they thought I never had time for them, so eventually they stopped asking to hang out,” said Pavlech. Even her coach Paula Hayden realizes what Pavlech has endured. “She has had problems with overuse injuries, especially her shins and lower back,” said Hayden. But one thing has always kept Pavlech motivated through times like these. You’ve gotta give, to get.

‘Whenever you’re resting, someone’s outworking you’

Through the years, Pavlech has picked up tip upon tip of what to do in every situation that basketball offers a promising star. Her success has certainly been attributed to mostly the work that she and her coaches have put in, yet she praises more than her hard work. “If it weren’t for Almesha Jones, Hughes High School, 12, I wouldn’t be half the player I am today. I stayed after practice with her all the time when we were younger, and then one day I suddenly became coordinated and actually looked and played like I was decently athletic,” said Pavlech. Pavlech also acknowledges basketball for helping her realize the importance of life outside of the gym. “Basketball has taught me how to compete in the class room. I learned if I wanted to play basketball I needed to get it together. Ever since sixth grade I’ve had mostly straight A’s. Now it’s crazy; my friends and I always compete with our grades,” said Pavlech. “If you work hard you can be successful, which in return creates your happiness. Whenever you’re resting someone’s outworking you. I’ve gained confidence through basketball, it has made me very outgoing. I can have a conversation with just about anyone. I’ve met people that will be my friends and sisters forever.” Hayden, too, has noticed that her star player has made a positive transition. “Chloe interacts very well with adults and her teammates. She has the ability to brighten up any environment. She has physical strength that she has worked very hard for. She loves the game of basketball,” said Hayden. Pavlech also works out every weekend with her trainer, Carlton Gray, which further proves how much time she has exerted into becoming a champion.

Life of recruit

Through her journey as a college prospect, Pavlech has encountered her fair share of surprises and stories surrounding recruiting. “If a college spelled my name wrong on the letter I would throw it away. One time I went to a Dayton camp and they told me they didn’t want anyone as much as they wanted me. After the camp I found out they offered every girl there,” said Pavlech. Even though Pavlech committed fairly early in the whole recruiting process, she would still receive letters from other schools prompting her to lean their way instead, to no avail. “After a while I just started throwing the letters away,” said Pavlech. While playing college basketball runs through Pavlech’s mind all day, she has other aspirations in life. “I hope to make a lot of connections, which in return will help me be successful in the future when I finally have to stop playing basketball. I want to be the most winningest coach, and the world’s favorite broadcaster, and a super mom, but first I need to learn how to do laundry and cook,” said Pavlech. For now though, Pavlech is content with high school basketball, which is still keeping her busy. Her team played in a showcase weekend of Nov. 19 that included the top eight teams in the state. Pavlech is very

image by danny bayliss

GUARD CHLOE PAVLECH, 11, provides Hayden with both solid ball-handling and defense. Hayden has praised Pavlech for her dedication which has earned her a scholarship to Maryland. Said Hayden of Pavlech, “It is hard to find a comparison. I have coached some amazing guards. She has an extra speed that I have not coached yet.” high on the team, stating that she believes this is the best she has ever played on, specifically their team chemistry and extreme talent level. She also does a good job of analyzing her team while showing their camaraderie and humor. “We have six wonderful seniors leading the team and four juniors who go hard non-stop twenty-four six (We get Sundays off). We’ve also got two swagtastic sophomores that’ll contribute a lot this year. Our captains are La’ChloChlo, La’Rae, La-a, and Mi’Laundria. It’s going to be an amazing season so we’re encouraging tons of people to come see us play. After losing in the District Finals to Princeton last year, we’re hungry for a championship season,” said Pavlech. Clearly, Pavlech’s hunger to strive trumps any other emotions. Her future appears bright, mostly because of her hard work and dedication. Who knows, maybe she can even achieve her dream of playing in the WNBA. “I’ve thought about playing since I was six. Anything is possible and I’m going to chase after my dream,” said Pavlech. The words of Chloe Pavlech are surely inspiring. Talent like this does not come around often, and it is a blessing indeed for whomever it bestows. Pretty soon, Pavlech will be playing on national television, in front of thousands of rowdy fans. None of this would be possible without Pavlech’s perseverance and passion for basketball. There is truly no let up, only giddy up, in her.

Paula Hayden, coach, on Pavlech What role did you play in Chloe’s recruitment? Besides coaching her the past two seasons and following her from the 5 grade up, the only role I played was that she called me to tell me [Maryland] had offered her on her way back from Maryland’s Camp. Of course I said to call them right back, knowing it was her dream school. Why do you think she picked Maryland out of all the schools she considered? Chloe fell in love with the program when she was in [SJHS]. Her first interaction with Brenda Frese ( Head Coach ) was very positive. Maryland at that time was in the Final Four. Compare Chloe to someone else you’ve seen play or coached. From [SHS] it is hard to find a comparison. I have coached some amazing guards. She has an extra speed that I have not coached yet. She also brings more to the court as a scorer than my past guards. What role does she play on the team? Last season Chloe lead us in scoring, assists, rebounds, and steals. She plays the 1 & 2 guard. This year I expect her to pick up her production in all areas and become a floor leader. What does she do in the offseason to maintain fitness and skill level? Constant individual time in the gym working on her ball handling and shooting. She has individual trainers that work her out also in the weight room and with skill work. What is Chloe’s best attribute on the court? Ball handling. Pressing teams: Watch out.

sports

thursday, december 16, 2010

Shatter, split, splinter: Why teens should stress about stress fractures

xercise. It’s good for you. Studies show that teens who exercise regularly are healthier than teens who do not. But is there such thing as too much exercise? The answer is yes. Exercising too much increases the risk for a very serious injury: the stress fracture. A stress fracture is an area of a bone that is compromised due to weakness. These fractures are most common in the foot, back, or hip. Athletes, especially high school athletes, are more susceptible to this injury because of the intense training required to excel in his or her sport. In order to be competitive, many teams train 6 or 7 days a week for up to 2 hours per day. “There’s an increase as it pertains to the fact that there are more young people participating in competitive athletics,” said Dr. Thomas Shockley, Orthopedic Surgeon. Of course athletes are more prone to stress fractures, but there are other groups too. According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, female athletes are more likely to develop stress fractures. Girls who exercise two hours per day have twice the risk of stress fractures compared to girls who exercise less than thirty

minutes each day. In fact, teens are more susceptible because of the amount of growth during puberty. Growth spurts can create extra tension in the muscles or tendons, making teens more prone to injuries, including stress fractures. Groups other than more traditional high school athletes that are likely to get stress fractures include army recruits, cheer leaders, dancers, marching band members, and even the elderly. People over the age of 65 can suffer from a disease called osteoporosis which weakens the bones. If this happens, the elderly can get stress fractures from doing the simplest of tasks such as bending over to pick up a purse. Stress fractures are usually diagnosed by an MRI. If the athlete has the misfortune of being diagnosed with one, he or she will likely be placed on the Injured Reserve list for a while. Depending on the location, surgery might be required. If the fracture occurs in the foot, the sufferer

TJ Biegger, 11, on stress fractures

can count on wearing a boot which can be a pain to deal with. “I got used to it really quickly and after a while I hardly noticed I had it. It was just annoying having to take it on and off,” said TJ Biegger, 11. Stress fractures can go undiagnosed for long periods of time. If a stress fracture is left untreated, the pain can stay forever and become chronic. “Sometimes people think that since they didn’t have a traumatic injury or event, they didn’t get a stress fracture. Many times they’ll go a while before they’re treated,” said Shockley. If you feel you have a stress fracture, go to a

Steps to Diagnosing Stress Fractures

1. Physical examination (sometimes will not show 2. X-ray stress fractures) 3. MRI

TIPS TO PREVENTING STRESS FRACTURES

Exercise Moderately Proper footwear

Vitamin D and Calcium

REST

When did you get your stress fractures on your foot? I got them in mid October. What sport did you get them from? Soccer. What did getting a stress fracture feel like? It hurt to apply pressure to and it just felt sore overall. It magnified even more during soccer. What do you think caused your stress fractures? I just think the wear and tear of the season, practice six days a week. How were they diagnosed? Well, we had an x-ray and that doesn’t show stress fractures real well so when it continued to hurt we got an MRI and that is what showed it. What treatment did you receive? I just had to be in a boot for four weeks and lots of rest. No running for two weeks after that.

doctor immediately. It is not cool to tough it out. It is better to be in a boot for a period of weeks than to suffer with the agony of chronic pain for the rest of your life.

Try playing different sports

staff writer

Mix it up:

michaelSAXON

all images by michael saxon

sports

thursday, december 16, 2010

Flyerettes step into long-awaited season shivaniPARIKH

forum chief

t has been a long journey to basketball season for the Flyerette dance team. From holding try-outs in April and forming junior varsity and varsity teams shortly after, they have been meeting regularly in preparation for winter, their busiest time. “It feels like we have been in season for a while since we’ve been practicing since summer. We’re all really excited for basketball season!” said Stephanie Kessel, 11. Dec. 3 was an eventful day for both the junior varsity and Varsity teams: they danced the Variety Show as well as the first home basketball game. First, junior varsity danced to radio hit “I Like It” by Enrique Iglesias ft. Pitbull at the half-time for the junior varsity basketball game. Next, both teams rushed to the theatre to open up Act I of the Variety Show with a routine to “Show Me the Money” by Petey Pablo. Though it not able to make it to perform pre-game for the varsity basketball game (due to timing conflicts with the Variety Show), the varsity team was able to perform to a Black Eyed Peas mix at half-time. “Friday was crazy! We were nervous to have so much to do in one night, but it went well and it was definitely a memorable first game of the season,” said Rupali Jain, 9. Jain is a member of the varsity team, recently moved up from her initial position on junior varsity. She is one of four freshmen on the Varsity team, the others being Katie Pruitt, Gabriela Godinez-Feregrino, and Rachel Klein. It came as a surprise to team members as well as their fans that there would be

not one, but two teams this year. “I am a huge fan of the Flyerettes and have been since freshman year. I’m so Meet Under Nothing in way of Newton the New excited that there are two teams this New Management! dannyBAYLISS Staff! year. I’m going to try to be at every game sports chief to support them in the Ave Cave,” said I’ll be brief. Cam Newton is the best Alan Kissinger, 12. college football player to have ever The usual team size of 14 or 16 has 11375 Montgomery Rd. Cincinnati, OH stepped foot on the •gridiron. now been increased to 21, with the Period. creation of the first junior varsity team Better than the Archie Griffins of in years. Monday thruSuperman Friday 9am-9pm the game. now wears Cam Though the number of freshmen SaturdayNewton 9am-6pm • Sunday pajamas. Other11am-4pm Chuck Norris trying out in past years has been scarce, Adult - $12 Kids- $10 jokes are now•applicable to Newton. the team was inundated with eager high But halfway through his Heisman 3145-1 school newcomers this year. campaign, Newton’s name beganMeet popUnder Meet Under the New “It was great to see enthusiasm for the New ping up in more than mock drafts and the New New Management! Staff! program, so I decided to take everyone Management! Staff! All-American lists. FROM LEFT TO right, Corinne Murphy, 12, Rupali Jain, 9 and start to really build the Flyerette Sure, we could punish Newton for Sonali Jain, 12, Katherine Pruitt, 9, Miriam Zakem, 12, perprogram,” said head coach Ashley what his father allegedly did. form thier routine to the song Show Me the Money by Petey Montgomery Grecco. This is Grecco’s second year at 11375 Rd. sense. • Cincinnati, Yeah. that makes While we’reOH 11375 Montgomery Rd. • Cincinnati, OH Pablo at the Variety Show Dec. 3. The Flyerettes program the helm, this time accompanied by an at it lets link him to other ridiculous has been subject too many changes this year, including the assistant coach, Anissa Casciato, who crimes. But Newton’s past incidents division of the program into two teams; a varsity and junior helps with both teams. Monday thruadd Friday definitely to the9am-9pm mystery. Monday thru Friday 9am-9pm varsity team. Each team gets its own half-time perSaturday 9am-6pm • Sunday 11am-4pm The names John Bond, Kenny Later, the girls perform a routine they Saturday 9am-6pm • Sunday 11am-4pmUpcoming formance, and they join to dance Varsity Adult $12 • Kids$10 Rogers, and Urban Meyer were learn from the Flyerettes at the half-time Adult $12 • Kids$10 basketball pre-game. more fuel than the fire could handle. 3145-1 Performances of a Varsity basketball game. 3145-1 Pre-season, the Varsity team perYet Newton never crawled into a fetal “Mini-Clinic is great because we get Meet Under formed at home football games and position or pulled a King James, “What the 12/21* New New to share our love for dance with others, Management! both teams danced together at a mens Staff! should I do?” and we try to inspire girls to continue soccer game. Newton also never involved the blame 12/30* with it. Plus, it’s cute to see how excited The Flyerettes are looking forward to game. Maybe Steve Johnson should they get to perform at a basketball halfan eventful next few months, and while 11375 Montgomery Rd. • Cincinnati, OH take some notes. Sure, Steve, you time with us,” said Ariana Sperida1/7* they value the opportunity to dance at dropped a touchdown pass against the kos, 11. every home basketball game, they plan Steelers, so you’re going to blame the The Winter Pep Rally is another muchon doing much more. same higher being that graced you with Monday thru Friday 9am-9pm 1/21* anticipated day by the dance teams. On Friday, Dec. 17th, seniors Sonali three touchdowns against my Bungles? Saturday 9am-6pm • Sunday 11am-4pm Though plans are tentative, it is looking Jain, Lori Kaufman, Alejandra C’mon man. Adult - $12 Kids$10 like the varsity team will•be performing 1/25* Lopez, Corinne Murphy, Shivani Instead, Newton finished a season that a hip-hop routine. Parikh and Miriam Zakem are going 3145-1 puts that Tebow guy to shame. Looking ahead to an exciting season, to carry on the tradition of their prede1/28* Andrew Luck couldn’t beat Newton cessors and dance as an intermission act the Flyerettes are focusing on mastering out for the Davey O’Brien Award, as many dances as possible. at Battle of the Bands. LaMichael James didn’t stand a “We have a very positive team. We love *Home basketIn January, the two teams plan on chance to win the Maxwell award, and ball games what we do, and every performance is holding their annual mini-clinic, in nothing stands in the way of Newton fun,” said Zakem. which they spend a day working with winning the Heisman Trophy. elementary and pre-school dancers. Not even the scandals.

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Spotlight

Thursday, December 16, 2010

varisty soccer - science fair - math club - grades

Brendan brings A-Game

Brendan Corcoran, 11, on soccer, chemistry ellieGOLDMAN managing editor

What kinds of activities do you do around school? I play soccer, and I have been playing since I was five. I’m have been in math club since 6th grade and on academic team since freshman year. What was your most exciting moment or experience in the last half a year or so? The regional finals for soccer. I play right midfield. It was at Princeton, and whoever won would get to play in the Final Four. It was as far as Sycamore soccer has been. For me personally, well I started on JV at the beginning of this year and moved up to Varsity halfway through the year, and that was exciting. It was a fun experience, especially because we made it so far. What stands out about the event for you? There were tons of students there, almost like at a football game. There was so

much support, and it created an atmosphere where we wanted to get the win for the other students. It was a close game, we let one in and the end. It was a disappointment, but looking back we are proud of the season. Do you have any goals for this year, in school or life? Getting all A’s, for school. In life, I guess I want to make an impact on the world. It would be through scientific discoveries and research. That is why I want to go into that, because you can make so much progress in the field. My favorite branch would be chemistry. What have you been doing with chemistry recently? I am working on a science fair project with Artur Meller, 11, and Maulik Desai, 11. We’re looking at how pollution from highways can contaminate air around schools. Since kids spend so much time in school, it could be dangerous. When Artur and I had the idea we talked to Mr. [Michael] Geyer. He said there was increase of interest in environmental science right now, and you don’t have to have a too detailed knowledge of chemistry. [The chemistry would be that] certain chemicals can cause more damage than others.

A LONG TIME soccer fan, Brendan Corcoran, 11, is seen above posing for the Aves and below at age five. “I’ll play next year,” the varisty midfielder said. “At college, I probably won’t play competitively, but still recreationally.”

I’ve heard things about your GPA. What classes are you taking that affect that? How do you manage school and activities? Yeah, it’s above four. Right now I’m taking AP Bio and Accelerated English. Also AP Chem, AP Stats, AP Calc, and AP Spanish. [I manage by] staying up late. I get five or six hours of sleep on average. Do you have any siblings? I have two sisters; an older one at Ohio State University and my younger is a freshman [Alexis Corcoran]. I don’t really know what it is like to be in the middle, and, I mean, I’ve never been at the top. It was kind of weird at first to have my younger sister [at the high school] this year. It seems like yesterday that I was walking in as a freshman. I’m used to it, but it is weird to hear about her having the same teachers as I did. If you had to impart a piece of knowledge to your sister, what would it be? Don’t procrastinate. Get sleep, even though it’s hard. (The latest I’ve stayed up is 2:00 a.m.) If you had to choose 5-7 words to describe yourself, which would you choose? Works hard. But likes to have fun.

Color - Yellow. I picked it when I was really young. It is a happy color. I guess it is nostalgic from when I chose it when I was younger. Aticle of Clothing - My brown suit. I wear it on classy occasions. I got it for homecoming, and I’ve worn it maybe three times since. Holiday - Thanksgiving. It is like Christmas but without the commercialization. I just hang out, and then eat dinner with my family. Profession you would never go into Astronaut. I probably couldn’t handle the G-forces and the responsibility, but they get to go to space. all images by ellie goldman