March 2007 issue by Sycamore High School

SL first glance

goaves.org WANT THE LOWDOWN ON THE winter sports season? From hockey to cheerleading, teammates dish about each other and their seasons, each completed with varying levels of success. Either way, this year’s winter season added numerous points to our standing in the GMC AllSports Trophy competition. For the season review, check out pages 34 and 35.

HOW WELL DOES COUPLE AARON Cain, 11, and Alex Cooper, 12, know each other? Dating for almost a year, they have scored the highest thus far on our “How well do they know each other?” quiz. Check out their Grade A knowledge on page 16.

Sycamore Leaf TUESDAY March 20, 2007 Volume LIV Issue VIIII 7400 Cornell Road Cincinnati, Ohio 45242 513 686. 1770 ext. 3089

Four students win DECA awards at competition

images courtesy of jeremy mcdaniel

Four students in our marketing program competed in the Ohio DECA Career Development Conference at Columbus. Nick Mayer, 12, a Marketing II student, competed in the Automotive Services Event. Melinda Kelley, 11, a Marketing II student, competed in the Sports and Entertainment Series Event. Both placed in the top 10 in the state and received a medallion for their efforts.

Change of date for Global Language Honor Society

Check GoAves.org for information on registering for the April 12 Diversity Day. Note the workshops that are posted and the presenter. One certain highlight of the day will be the magnificent lunch served in the commons with the purchase of your meal ticket.

A Walk to Remember: Prom 2007 reminders

A Walk to Remember is the theme for our 2007 Prom at Paul Brown Stadium, April 28 from 9:00 PM to 12:00 AM. The price for tickets is $60.00 per couple and can be bought the week before. If bringing someone from another school, the person must be pre-approved. Print out the permission slip at GoAves. org or pick up a permission slip at the front office.

Senior Art Show, Leaf auction coming up soon

Circle the date of the Senior Art Show on Friday, May 11th from 5:00 PM until 7:00 PM in the front lobby. The Leaf will be conducting a silent auction at the same time next to the Attendance Office.

Inside...

News...........................................1-3 Perspective..............................4-12 Humor..........................................13 Feature...................................14-22 Arts.........................................23-24 Entertainment.......................25-28 Athletics.................................29-38 Profile..........................................40

Diversity Day: Celebrate differences, not ignore them by Jack Wang

very two years, there will be one school day when there are no classes, no homework assignments, no tests or quizzes. That day is known as Diversity Day, and this year it will be held on Thursday, April 12th. The purpose of the day is to celebrate the immense variety of ethnicities at school. The main focus is to increase awareness of different perspectives, religions, and cultures among the diverse student body. The idea behind the event originally came from the school’s mission statement, to set diversity as a goal and prepare students for the future. Society consists of people from all types of backgrounds and students need to be ready. “Diversity Day is one of my favorite days at school. I love getting to experience all of the cultures at school at once. It allows you to see that although we may all seem different, in the end everyone may work toward a common goal,” said Melissa Brook, 12. When the first official Diversity Day started in 2001, there was only a keynote speaker and that was the highlight of the day. Ever since then, the event was expanded and became an official celebration of the school. For juniors and seniors who have already experienced the event,

MADE coach set to be key note speaker

there are some different, new ideas this year. Some of the old workshops have been replaced with new ones and there is a wider variety of choices. Meals, of course, are also included as a part of the event. Mountains of ethnic food samples are prepared for students to munch on after attending three cultural classes. Those foods range from Chinese dumplings to Italian pastas. The Commons is divided into several regions, each representing a corner of the world. Students can purchase a package of tickets that allows entrance up to three sections, each with dishes from various countries. “Honestly, I believe that having a variety of different foods from various cultures will attract a lot of people,” said Josh Lilly, 9. While participants are dining during lunch, groups such as lion dancers, SEE1, and break dancing will be putting on a show in the Commons. Anyone who joins is in for a treat. “Diversity Day is an excellent opportunity to learn about other races and eat cool foods; all my friends are American and they really enjoy Korean foods, so they should come,” Jo Lee, 10. Later in the day, student will participate in group pictures depending on what country they are from. Students who are born in U.S. will be organized by states and those who are born in Cincinnati are divided into local groups.

nner workings of diversity:

nterview with Arjan Hura, 11 Chairman, Diversity Day committee by Jack Wang

What are some of your goals to achieve this year?

image by amanda ross

The Global Language Honor Society’s induction dinner was originally set on Monday, February 26, but it is now changed to Wednesday, April 4. The dinner this year is late due to the many reforms in the department. A student must maintain an A average for the entire year up till level three of the targeted language and one semester of level four to be inducted. In that case, most of the members are seniors and juniors.

JEFF YALDEN, A FORMER LIFE coach on MTV’s MADE, is the keynote speaker in this year’s Diversity Day. Yalden has spoken at 3,500 schools in 48 countries to rave reviews. “At the end of his presentation, kids were giving Jeff handshakes with both tears and smiles,” said a teacher at South Burlington High School in Vermont. Yalden is anticipated to be one of the best speakers this school has seen in years, and will be speaking to all grades during general assembly periods on Diversity Day, which takes place on April 12.

My main goal is to try to make Diversity Day even better than the last one, which was in 2005. That was just so incredible. So I’ll be really happy if we can surpass the awesome-ness of that. How’s the preparation going so far?

Preparation is going really well. We’ve almost completed our list of countries, and right after that, we’re going to tackle the other stuff. Keep your eyes and ears open, and you might just notice a thing or two in the near future.

What do you do to motivate more students to participate in Diversity Day? Well, we have pre-events leading up to Diversity Day. We had a Mix-It-Up Day this year that was led by BSU, and we’re going to have some posters and signs all around the school to just basically remind everyone that it’s coming. We’re going to also try to put some information up on the Sycamore Homepage as well as GoAves.org and the morning announcements. It’s coming. April 12th, 2007. Be there.

News

TUESDAY March 20,2007

‘Triumph and Tragedy in History’

First Glance continued...

Spring musical takes place

The Secret Garden is the spring musical which will take place on April 19 through 22 in the new auditorium. Tickets are $10. It plays at 7:30 PM and Sunday at 2:00 PM

Annual National History Day is successful by Jill Cohen

The 2007 After Prom’s theme is Hollywood. The After Prom is from 1:00 until 5:00 AM throughout the school. The cost for After Prom is $10 per person

this day in history

Civil rights activists march in Alabama Under control, supervised by President Lyndon B. Johnson by Min Young Sohn

On this day, 42 years ago, former President Lyndon B. Johnson informed Governor George Wallace that he will send federal troops to Alabama to supervise and control a civil rights march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. Because of intimidation, discrimination and fear, Selma’s black community, about half the population had never voted or had never registered to vote. On March 7th, about 600 protestors marched on the capital of Montgomery to protest the earlier death of a black man, Jimmie Lee Jackson who was killed by a state trooper and this disenfranchisement. During this protest, many of the demonstrators were beaten with clubs and tortured with tear gas by state and local policemen. This violent act was viewed on television sets in homes all across America, and it did not take long for an uproar to occur. Two days after this incident, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. organized another march; however, he did not go through with it because they did not have judicial approval. On March 18, after a judge ruled that a third march could take place, former President Lyndon B. Johnson and his advisers worked quickly to ensure the safety of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and the other demonstrators. Johnson’s only problem was anti-integrationist Governor George Wallace who did not want to spend state funds on protecting the demonstrators. After much debate, Johnson won, and several days later, 50,000 demonstrators marched safely from Selma to Montgomery. And after arriving safely, King delivered his “How long, not long” speech. Because Johnson acted so quickly and assertively, within five months Congress passed the Voting Rights Act. Johnson’s actions were a key moment in Civil Rights history.

he mathletes have their math contests, the science geeks have science bowl; on March 10, the “history nerds” had their chance to shine. On this day at Raymond Walters College, they gathered for the first round of National History Day, an annual competition for which students research a specific topic intensely and create a project based on their findings. History Day encourages students to reach beyond the limits of their classroom and explore any topic which catches their interest. The only parameter is that they must demonstrate how the subject relates to the annual theme: this year, “Triumph and Tragedy in History.” Students can present their findings in one of four ways: writing a paper, creating an exhibit or poster, filming a documentary, or acting out a performance. Thus, anyone can play to their strengths. After the group’s project is viewed, they may be asked questions about their subject. At Regionals, hosted by Raymond Walters College, the judges selected the top few in each category to advance to State on May 5. At State, a lucky few may even be chosen to participate in Nationals. This year, out of seven groups who entered regionally, a whopping six were chosen as winners. In Individual Exhibit, Anna Kwa, 12 (Belgian Congo) will move on. Group Exhibit winners were Erica Kao, 11 and Jason Kao, 11 (Oliver Wendell Holmes); Jessica Tufts, 11 and Laura Tufts, 11 (Mary Todd Lincoln); Alex Rock, 11 and Thomas Zajdel, 11 (Panama Canal). Also, Harini Venkitarama, 11 and Wenjun Zhang, 11 (Women in WWII) succeeded with their documentary. For the most part, students who entered the competition are juniors enrolled in Mrs. Rosemary Ennis’ AP American History class. “Almost all of the students participating in History Day are AP US History students. Anyone is free to enter, but all of the other American History classes are busy studying for the OGT in the weeks before the competition,” said Ennis. She makes it easy for students to participate by aligning the theme of the infamous ten-page term paper with that of History Day. This way, most of the research is completed by January, and one can focus on the project. Furthermore, some simply revise their paper and turn that in. This year’s entrants had a great time at History Day, and many are even now beginning to enhance their projects in preparation for the state and maybe even national competitions. “History Day is my favorite day of the year,” said Jason Kao, 11. “Well, after my birthday. And after Christmas. But definitely before Thanksgiving.”

Snow days pros, cons, middle ground by Jing Xing

With a record of four snow days this year, students and teachers have been buzzing about the possibility of going over our quota. Most are certain that there would be consequences, but what are they? “We have five built in snow days into the school year. If we were to go over the fifth day now we would have to make up the days at Spring Break,” said Kenji Matsudo. Many people hoped for a fifth day of snow, to use up what we already built into our schedule. However, if we went over that, students’ beloved Spring Break would be shortened. “I would definitely rather have Spring Break,” said Gracia Ng, 9. “It would suck to miss out on that.” Most students agree, saying that Spring Break is more important than random snow days, but there are those who would rather have a few days off here and there than all of Spring Break lumped into one block of time. “It would be cooler to have Fridays off for a few weeks,” said Michelle Grosser, 9. “That way we don’t get bored over Break.” Definitely something to think about next year when winter comes around again. Until then, off to Cancun!

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After prom anticpated

Mrs. Rosemary Ennis bestows medals on Harini Venkitarama, 11 while she looks at her partner. These two competed in History Day, a national competition where students research and present a project in depth. This year, six groups qualified at the regional round and will compete in State.

Environmental club invites guests

Help improve rainforest quality by Melodie Jeng This has been an active year for Environmental Club. During the fall, members made birdhouses and discussed upcoming plans. The upcoming weeks will be eventful. On Tuesday, March 20, retired University of Cincinnati Professor Ernest Foulks will be visiting the school to speak on topics such as the difficulty in decision making regarding environmental concerns and preserving the environment in daily routine. “Everyone could take some tips on helping the environment,” said Samy Sekar, 11. The session will take place in Room 223 at 3 p.m. All who are interested are welcome to come. During the first or second week of April, the club will be selling stretchy frogs and Peruvian handmade bracelets for one dollar each. The proceeds will help preserve rainforest in South America. The school and club will be able to buy a circumference area of land which encloses land that polluters cannot enter and destroy. This is a new, effective strategy. Environmental club hopes that these events will spark interests among students to help the environment and attend future meetings and projects such as treeplanting. “Environmental club has allowed me to meet different people who share the same views on the environment,” said Daniel Boger, 10. The club is advised by Mr. Ron Hochstrasser and meets every other Thursday. Look for signs in the commons indicating future meetings.

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News

TUESDAY March 20,2007

Physics classes build, break bridges Healthy Bridges return in splinters, students return relaxed experiments happening in lunch room by Jill Cohen

by Megan Fingerman

Frequenters of the cafeteria might have noticed the lunch room’s recent experimentation with crinkle fries. It was a four day thing which may be continuing next year. Here are the facts:

l 25% less fat l New fries: 110 cal (4 oz) l Old fries: 140 cal (4 oz) photo courtesy of www.eng.uc.edu

nap. The top explodes from the rest of the structure, much to the delight of the cheering audience. This bridge could have benefited from better joints, as many students learned at this year’s Bridge Building Competition. This year, all physics students were required to build a bridge using only wood and glue, in the hopes of winning the annual contest sponsored by the UC College of Engineering. The students were shown a few examples in class, but they were free to build any design they chose. “Even though the bridges don’t have much to do with what we’re studying in class, we thought they would be a fun project to get involved in,” said Mr. Mike Gutekunst, Physics teacher. “Plus we wanted students to do a little research on their own and figure out what would make the strongest bridge.” That they did, and on Friday, March 2 eight busses of 300 kids (and 150 bridges) traveled down to the University of Cincinnati to see whose research would pay off. Entries were measured based on both stiffness (amount of deflection in relation to maximum load and bridge’s weight) and strength (ratio of bridge’s weight to load held). To judge this, a block was placed on each bridge and pulled down with increasing force, while a computer recorded various data. “We didn’t do very much once we got to UC, but it was fun sitting with everyone, playing cards and watching all the bridges break,” said Lisa Li, 11. For most people, the field trip was a fun, yet educational, break from school. For a few lucky winners, however, the day meant cash prizes and the satisfaction of winning: in 2nd place for Strength were Grace Naugle, 12 and Allison Bell, 12, while 2nd place for Stiffness went to Julie Sanchez, 12 and Ashley Moore, 12. Both teams received $50 as a prize. Last year, Hisashi Nishizu, ‘06 won 1st place in Stiffness, Strength, and Overall. Unfortunately, this year the Best Overall awards went to Anderson, Turpin, and Harrison high schools. “Our bridge was on the Leader Board for awhile,” said Rachel Bucalo, 12. “Even though we didn’t win, it felt good to see that all our hard work had paid off!”

STUDENTS WAIT PATIENTLY IN LINE to register their little feats of engineering. The bridge designs were a quarter project for all the physics classes, so the high school ended up with about half the entries in the competition. The bridges were judged on strength versus weight, and stiffness.

l Made from Yukon Gold

Potatoes l Fried in 0 trans fat oil l 4 oz. contains 12 g of fat l 73¢ more per pound

4politically

erspective P TUESDAY March 20, 2007

incorrect by David Dannenberg

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. The Sycamore Leaf operates as an open forum for the healthy, robust exchange of ideas. Opinions expressed in the editorials are those of the Sycamore Leaf staff. Letters to the editor are encouraged. All letters must be signed. The letters, not to

leafingthrough

themasses

It’s a good way for us to learn about all the different cultures. It also helps us to learn to build relationships with different kinds of people. -Sara Sadat Hossieny, 11

If it helps students to feel like they belong, then I think it is a good idea. We are a very multi-cultural school, which is one of the reasons I enjoy working here. -Mr. Kevin Wittman

Editor-in-chief: Min Young Sohn Associate editor: Amy Tolle Managing editor: Kate Moore Business managers: Alexa Fogler and Jennifer Lee

Sycamore High School 7400 Cornell Road Cincinnati, OH 45242

Mission Statement: The Sycamore 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

here are 42 diverse cultures that inhabit our school. Though it would seem that a school such as ours would include students that would be very culturally aware, it seems not to be the case. For every student that sits with the same people at lunch every day, hangs out with the same type of people every weekend, our school is offering an event that is hoping to invite each student to dive into multiple different cultures that will be portrayed on April 12th, Diversity Day. With workshops planned including Latin dance sessions, square dancing lessons, Chinese sword demos, and a lunch filled with foods from different cultures, you would think all students would be thrilled to attend such an exciting day at the high school. However, in past years, Diversity Day has been the one day in the entire school year with the largest amount of student absences. Skipping school on Diversity Day to study for upcoming AP tests or to just stay home instead of coming to school is not the best choice for any student. Whether you are going to college next year, starting a new job, or just planning on being in the community, diversity is all around us. Participating in the workshops and hearing the guest speakers can only help us understand all the diversity around us. The keynote speaker that has been chosen should excite many students. Jeff Yalden, a “Life Coach” on MTV’s MADE, has agreed to speak to the whole school on the topic of “Take Time to Think”. This theme is also the theme for the entire day and was chosen to help students think about where they are headed in life. Diversity Day should be a day for all students to celebrate the different cultures surrounding our lives. Who knows, if you think you should just skip school to study for AP tests, maybe you should change your mind and sign up for the “Peace Village” session with Steve Sunderland and use this excellent day to relax while participating in experiences that could forever change your outlook on life and cultures.

Diversity Day

staff editorial

What do you think about

What does one think of when they hear the name “Al Gore”? Is it his failed election campaign of 2000? His passionate, yet seemingly effete crusade against global warming? Or could it be the fact that Al Gore’s electricity and natural gas bills amount to over $2,400 a month? In other words, Al Gore devoured 221,000 kWh of energy in 2006more than 20 times the national average. Combine this extravagant expense with Al Gore’s imploring desire for the everyday American to reduce their electricity usage, and one can almost feel the hypocrisy lingering in the air. It is true that the energy that Al Gore uses is “green” energy, which is less harmful to the environment. It is also true that Gore purchases “carbon offsets,” which reduce the impact of his energy expenditures on the environment. But purchasing carbon offsets seems to be just another way of throwing money at the problem, when the money would be better spent finding a solution. This behavior is not atypical of Al Gore. Too often, it seems, Gore talks the talk while not walking the walk, preferring instead to create a notso-elaborate façade. For instance, in his 1988 campaign, four years after his sister died from lung cancer, Gore had these powerful words to say to an audience of tobacco growers: “I want you to know that with my own hands, all of my life, I put [tobacco] in the plant beds and transferred it. I’ve hoed it, I’ve dug in it, I’ve sprayed it, I’ve chopped it, I’ve shredded it, spiked it, put it in the barn, and stripped it and sold it.” But at the 1996 Democratic National Committee, Gore had a different message for America. “Three thousand young people in America will start smoking tomorrow. One thousand of them will die a death not unlike my sister’s, and that is why, until I draw my last breath, I will pour my heart and soul into the cause of protecting our children from the dangers of smoking,” Certainly, I understand that Gore was just playing his assigned role as an opportunistic, vacillating, automaton moneymaker, and that nobody could expect otherwise from any other politician. But in my mind, at least, hypocrisy is the biggest public relations nightmare possible, because the stigma of fallibility is forever attached to whatever issue a hypocrite may support. Personally, I do believe that Al Gore’s cause is a noble one, but it is unfortunate that he is the biggest mouthpiece for it.

exceed 300 words, may be edited for clarity, spelling, and grammar. Letters may be placed in Mrs. Jardine’s mailbox, dropped off in Room 115, or e-mailed to: sycamoreleaf@gmail.com The Sycamore 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 Sycamore Leaf’s complete editorial policies can be found at http://goaves. sycamoreschools.org

News Amanda Ross Perspective Casey Manning Humor Rob Friedman Feature Sarah McGrath Arts Wenjun Zhang Entertainment Sharon Wagner Automotive Nick Wylie Athletics Nadia Khan Spotlight Arushi Sharma Staff Writers Kyle Battle Rashmi Borah Megan Bresnahan Leah Burgin Jacy Cagle Jane Chernyak Electra Chronis Sam Cleary

Melodie Jeng Jill Cohen David Dannenberg Mary Ann Jiang Molly Johnson Matt Davenport Will Johnston John Davies Bobby Jungerwirth Ben Dhiman Jared Kamrass Sanya Dosani Annie Kanter Molly Essell Zack Katchman Ben Estes Megan Fingerman Gabirose Keeton Anastasia Flowers Nadia Khan Nancy Kidnocker Alexa Fogler Mandi Kipner Max Frecka Jennifer Lee Rob Friedman Bekka Levy Saul Geller Jack Liu Alex Gennett Sarah McGrath Zac Gilbert Nathan Gruebmeyer Casey Manning Marissa Gunnarsson Matthew Mendelsohn Ben Moler Kevin Hall Dan Montague Alphonse Harris Elizabeth Henning Kate Moore Elizabeth Hoopes Hannah Myers Grace Naugle Valerie Hsiung Jake Newton Daphne Hsu Quinlan Porter Jinwei Hu Rachel Schneider Kye Isaac Amanda Ross

Kavya Reddy Matthew Scheer Arushi Sharma Matthew Slovin Min Young Sohn Lauren Sokol Jeremy Spiegel Garrett Steed Austin Stone Heather Storck Joey Talmage Maria Thomas Michela Tindera Amy Tolle Tom Stoughton Sarah Vaz Sharon Wagner Jack Wang Lilly Wang Curtis Williamson Erica Woodson Nick Wylie Jing Xing Chen Yin Casey York Wenjun Zhang

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

erspective P TUESDAY March 20, 2006

Prejudice written into law:

Gay marriage ban proves just as ridiculous as old interracial marriage ban by Jennifer Lee

image by jennifer lee

letter to the editor Dear Editor, Regarding the recently published “It’s all irrelative” column, I would like to diffuse most of the poorly researched topics written by Alexa Fogler. First off, she referred to Obama admitting to using drugs in the “confused time” of his teenage years”. President Bill Clinton said, “I tried marijuana once”. He’s the best president we’ve had in the past 20 years. Just because Obama is confident enough in himself to admit to using drugs doesn’t make him a bad person. In fact, it makes him a better person because it shows that he is human and he has encountered the same problems that the youth of today still face. Even still, he has learned from his mistakes and worked to become a successful person. I want to be like that person. Not the one who denies the hardships of adolescence as if he’s never encountered them. Secondly, she criticized Obama for claiming to be black even though he was “raised white” and is half-black. Just so you know, legally, one is allowed to claim being black with only 1/32 of black in their blood. So to criticize him for claiming to be black is like criticizing the “real black people” because they aren’t 100% black either. Majority anyway. History will teach you that on more than occasion slave owners had sex with their slaves. Therefore, only the first two, maybe three, generations of slaves in America are “100% black”. I’m not. My ancestry traces back to President Andrew Tyler, a white guy! She also said something, quite confusing actually, about how you consider Obama a black man because he looks black. Well, that’s probably why he claims to be black in the first place. But anyway, black people don’t always look the type of black that we are used to. Take the 1959 movie, The Imitation of Life for example. It’s about a mother and daughter; the daughter is fair-skinned and can “pass” as white while the mother is very dark skinned and is obviously black. Yes, this is Hollywood, but it is not too far from the truth. Let’s take my

e Americans are proud, and we have every reason to be. It was our forefathers who declared that “all men are created equal” (although at the time, they had meant all white, propertied men). We have overcome significant odds to become the great, diverse country that we are today. We live in a nation that defines the very meaning of freedom and equality. Or do we? When we hear the words “prejudice,” “inequality,” or “intolerance” today, we immediately think about our history. We cannot help but recall with embarrassment and indignation the time when the U.S. government mandated racial inequality against blacks. Sure, legalized discrimination in the way we all know it was declared unconstitutional almost fifty years ago. But it is not simply a thing of the past, a thing that we can look back upon today with furrowed eyebrows and regret. It still exists. This time, however, the issue at hand is not skin color, but gender. The state of Ohio’s ban on gay marriage, passed in 2004, is an act that is completely unacceptable, violating the standards set in place by the Constitution and all that this country has come to symbolize. By limiting the benefits and rights of marriage only to heterosexual couples, the state is denying equal rights and liberties and legally discriminating against a group of citizens. Sound familiar? I recognize that matters of race and sexual orientation are different in many ways. But in essence, the two issues have a lot of common ground. Both come down to the same thing: depriving a group of human beings of equal protection under the law. Fifty years ago, American law allowed discrimination against African-Americans by prohibiting interracial marriage and authorizing racial segregation—solely on the grounds of race.

family for example. All members of my family on my maternal grandmother’s side could easily pass as white. They are all fair skinned and would appear to most as white people. The amount of melanin in their skin is not as much as that in mine but does that make them any less black? Okay, maybe some or even most black voters are leaning towards Hillary Clinton, but who is she to determine why? It’s not fair for her to assume that black voters dislike Obama simply because he is “not black”. Most black people don’t see a black person in the mall or at a gas station and say, “That guy’s not really black, he’s just got black skin.” “Because he did not live in an all black household, grow up fighting with gangs, undergo the horrors of slavery, or live the stereotypical African-American life, he is not really black.” Where do I start? How much more stereotypically degrading can she be? I, being somewhat educated, can understand her ignorance but I don’t accept it. I feel sorry for her for not knowing what a “black person” is. She has so much to learn. What do you have to say about the white people who grow up in gangs, and the so-called “wiggers” who are judged because of their clothes or dialect? Are they black? Or what about the Hispanics in the same situation? Are they black? So technically, only the black thugs that live in the slums of Compton or Newark are black people. Not those who have somewhat successful parents who have allowed them the opportunity to grow up in a semi-affluent society. Not the oreos. They’re not black. As for the “n-word”, it’s a problem within itself. I, as a black person, am upset at the effect that rap music has had on the “n-word”. It used to be a sacred word used amongst black people that symbolized the struggle that they as a people had been through. Now it’s just another dude or guy. When the n-word is used amongst black people it is not a disrespectful action to one another as you inferred. It’s an acknowledgment of a people. Just as the Hispanics kiss both cheeks as a greeting, some black people choose to use the n-word. She asked how African Americans are expected to vote for

Today, the law allows discrimination and prejudice against homosexuals by prohibiting gay marriage— solely on the grounds of gender. It is quite unsettling to realize that we have apparently learned nothing from history. Exactly forty years ago, in the Loving v. Virginia case, interracial marriage was finally declared legal. (Today, we take interracial marriage for granted—but back then, prejudice made it out to be unnatural, immoral, and simply wrong. Again, sound familiar?). To quote Supreme Court Justice Earl Warren, marriage is a “one of the basic civil rights of man,” and “under our Constitution the freedom to marry, or not marry, a person of another race resides with the individual, and cannot be infringed by the State.” Warren declared in 1867 that prohibiting marriage was unconstitutional because it denied equal protection and due process of the law. If the decision was already made forty years ago, why, in the year 2007, is gay marriage illegal? What really stands in the way of achieving marriage equality is prejudice and intolerance, not any kind of legal justification. Many Americans are uncomfortable with the concept of homosexuality, and thus are quick to declare that homosexual marriage is immoral and unnatural. But personal bias should have absolutely no say in the law. Once again, prejudice is standing like a huge brick wall on the path to equality. It seems ridiculous that the issue of gay marriage is such a “hot” and “controversial” topic. Marriage is a basic human right, and denying that basic human right is unjust and unconstitutional. Yes, it is just that simple. Fifty years from now, students will read their history textbooks and wonder how and why gay marriage was ever legally outlawed. Today, however, we have to realize that the current ban on gay marriage is a form of legalized discrimination-- an injustice that is not just a part of our past.

Obama since so many of them feel he is acting “too white”. Last time I checked voters voted based on the issues and the moral values of the candidates, not how much they act of their race. And to say he is acting too white isn’t fair to say. She’s confusing white with educated. At least I hope she is confusing it. I’m beginning to feel like she naturally associates the two. Obama is a well educated man and it shows. He speaks clearly and uses words that one might have to look up in the dictionary every once in a while. That doesn’t make him white. It means he has worked hard through school and is proud of his accomplishments. His way of showing that pride is to speak with the tongue of an educated man, which he is. As for the reference to Osama, that’s just not necessary. For her to subliminally compare a presidential candidate to an internationally known terrorist is just foolish. Especially considering the fact that the presidential candidate that she’s referring to is black and in the same article you refer to black people as gang bangers. That’s just not necessary. One of the many mistakes she is making is she feels like no African-Americans respect Obama. Most of them do, at least those that I’ve spoken to. Juan Williams, a black reporter on NPR, does. I think the ones who don’t respect Obama are the people like her that think they know what the AfricanAmerican identity is; when really they couldn’t be farther from the truth. I hope this letter can teach her a lesson in journalism, African American history and politics. Finally I would like to say that I feel like a trip to the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center would benefit her well. It appears to me that she has little to no clue about African Americans. Part of that can be attributed to the lack of importance of minority history in our school district. The other part can be attributed to her lack of contact with black people. And not just Sycamore black people, but all black people. But wait…according to her Sycamore black people aren’t really black anyway. Sincerely,

Kyle Battle, 12

friends of the leaf

The Leaf would like to thank the following families for their generous contributions.

The Ahmad Family The Boppart Family The Cardenas Family The Cleary Family The Desai Family

Melissa Johnson Patrick and Weily Li Ruben Sibaruben The Singh Family

erspective P TUESDAY March 20, 2006

social commentary

Students, teachers both frustrated about grades Blackboard results in confusion

Trouble with being delusional

Senior year misconceptions give way to reality

by Bekka Levy

by Amy Tolle “Hey Amy? Guess what.” “What?” “We’re seniors. We have twelve months until we graduate - and we are going to sleep in and slack off and eat Chipotle every day… it’s going to be great.” “You think so?” “Yeah.” “Yeah.” I was a naïve seventeen year old. After having what I thought was the longest, most exhausting year of high school, I thought that on June 6th, 2006, I was done. I had a great summer lined up, complete with road trips and all-night movie marathons, I had a course load that I thought was amazing, friends that I thought would stick together like overcooked toffee, and I thought everything was going to be perfectly fine. Please insert uncontrollable laughter here. For some reason, I am of the school of thought that believes life comes in chapters. And following that train of thought, I have this strange fascination with attributing a song to each year of high school. Like a theme song, only delayed, because by the time I pick it, the year is over. I went into senior year with three years behind me, three theme songs lined up. I was ready for whatever the school could throw at me, whatever standardized tests the CollegeBoard decided to invent, and whatever random problems could (and, I was sure, would) arise with the newspaper. I could handle it. I was Amy. I was good at problem solving and staying on target, I had a schedule, and now, I had a plan. And my plan flopped. In fact, it was a disaster. But at least the flames that it went down in were really big flames. By the time Thanksgiving break rolled around, I was drowning in eight applications to eight separate schools, seven of which I had no real interest in attending. For about three months, I was off in this fantasy world where I wanted to major in something science-y, where I wanted to drop all the writing I had done over the past four years and play with bones and cadavers, where I suddenly wanted to go to a big state school with a tiny bedroom and communal bathrooms, where nothing I did really mattered because I was leaving soon. Thankfully, that phase ended. And when that chapter of my life slammed shut, it did so with such a bang that the rational part of me awoke and reminded my poor, abused brain that I was a writer, and that any university that let me anywhere near civilians in a healing capacity was not a university that I wanted to be at. It gets scary now. But once the college panic fades away and third quarter draws to a close, the reality that we are leaving begins to hit. Somewhat like a slow-motion car crash where it is painful to look, but really, you could not look away if you tried. So the weeks keep passing and I keep watching, watching as my friends slowly pick their colleges, as we slowly scatter from Boston to Santa Fe, and instead of thinking about how it will hurt when we leave, I laugh. Usually insanely. What else is there to do? I do not want to be the girl that cries at graduation. Not only because that is sappy and silly, because I still have months to see all my friends afterward, but because I do not want to go out and spend four dollars on waterproof mascara. And I doubt I will be the girl that sits through the entire ceremony, enraptured. In fact, I would really like to bring my iPod, but I am too afraid that I would be too excited about my songs that I would miss my name being called. And what a disaster that would be.

OBSESSIVE GRADE CHECKING HAS BECOME problematic. Blackboard was intended to serve as a means for students to view their grades and to motivate them to keep them up or improve them. However, many teachers have failed to post students’ grades on time, resulting in confusion.

n 2003, the Sycamore Community School district was blessed with a new bit of technology that graced us with its presence a little late. That stroke of good fortune was Blackboard, and since its release four years ago, it has progressed into something none of us could have imagined. “I like Blackboard because it helps me do my schoolwork and keep track of my stuff,” said Ron Lutterbie, 10. But in all actuality, how much has Blackboard really changed? This year, when students log into the site, they can see their grades that have been posted by their teachers. “I like the grades on Blackboard because I don’t have to wait till mid-semester to get them,” said Aaron Sears, 9. Unfortunately, teachers do not always update these grades, leaving students guessing at their scores. “Teachers not putting all the grades up frustrates me sometimes. Like, there’s obviously a reason to put them up, but if they won’t update them then why bother?” said Tine Kuhlman, 12. Perhaps the school district is putting too much pressure on the teachers to get everything graded. The average class size is 25 students, giving teachers about 125 students per day. To grade this many assignments can be just as frustrating as not knowing your grade. “It’s not frustrating. It’s next to impossible to get everything graded on time, but if the parents and students understand that then it can be a helpful tool,” said Jim Tinsley, English and public speaking teacher. Maybe that is just what everyone needs; a little more understanding. Students and parents need to understand that teachers have a lot of work that they must finish; teachers ought to remember that students sometimes depend on these grades to be there.

Standardized testing centers receive applause, criticism Some test centers better than others by Alex Gennett

For many students, it is the 3rd quarter of junior year. This is the time where one must consider taking the SATs and ACTs. There are many things that can help make the test process as easy as possible, such as getting a good nights’ sleep, plenty of advance preparation, and a good breakfast. But all that can become worthless if you are in a bad test environment. “I took mine at Walnut Hills, and I felt that it wasn’t the most comfortable place; the desks were small and the rooms were cramped. It made it hard to focus,” said Dan Zimmer, 12. Choosing a good test center can be crucial to your performance. Being comfortable will make the time go faster. Crowding can also be an issue. “Scarlet Oaks had 500 people in their cafeteria; it was awful. At Indian Hill, [though,] each classroom had about 20 people

in pretty good desks,” said Taylor Jenson, 12. The next two test dates for the SAT are May 5th and June 2nd. According to multiple seniors asked, these are the recommended test sites: St. X, Indian Hill, and Xavier University. These centers were considered comfortable. There were also some test centers that were recognized as being unpleasant by other seniors. These included Walnut Hills, Scarlet Oaks, Harmony, and Western Hills. “Indian Hill was very nice; they even had couches to sit on during breaks,” said Whitney Sheblessy, 12. One should definitely consider which test center to take the test at. Ask friends about their preferences and consider carefully. The SAT is a big part of college admissions and should not be taken lightly.

Popular SAT Test Centers: - Indian Hill - St. Xavier - Madeira - Xavier University

Elvira York 513-325-8097 epyork@yahoo.com

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Irrelative TUESDAY March 20, 2007

t’s all

This just in:

Messy rooms inspire creativity Two weekends ago on a Saturday afternoon at Latin Convention I found myself looking at old issues of Teen People and Seventeen with some friends. Among the informative self-quizzes (Are you cute, or just annoying?), the compelling feature pieces (“I was attacked by a Wolf”), and the pages upon pages of “cute” prom dresses, my friend came across an interesting statistic. In a spread about teens relating to their parents, Teen People’s online poll found that about 33% of kids fight with their parents most about cleaning their rooms. Most of the girls in the hotel room who heard the statistic read aloud laughed and said something like, “who fights about cleaning rooms? I fight about college, grades, nagging, curfewfriendsmyattitudetalkingback…anything but cleaning.” I agreed and laughed never really giving it another thought until I got home from convention the next day. I walked in the door after a long bus ride, dirty and tired, and the first thing my mother said to me was, “your room is a mess.” I said, okay, maybe screamed, something to the effect of, “I’m tired, leave me alone, my room is fine!” After slamming my door I realized that I had just had a fight about cleaning my room—a room that had been messy for about a week (or more). In fact, as I write this, I can almost bet that by the time this issue of The Leaf comes out in a little over a week, though I may have put a few things away to appease my mother, my room will probably still be messy. The problem with my room is that when it gets really chaotic, my mom starts slowly putting stuff on the floor away one thing at a time. And though I appreciate this so much hypothetically, in reality, it just creates more of a mess. Anyone looking at my room would think it is unorganized and uncharacteristically cluttered, but because I made that mess, I know where each and every thing I need is. After my mom neatly tucks away stray papers, t-shirts, and books into drawers, I never know where they are. So at 6:45 a.m. when I am looking for that certain white t-shirt that I need, I cannot find it. And much to my mother’s dismay, I have to turn my room upside down to find this shirt/book/paper/etc. If only my room was messy again, I always think, maybe I would be on time to pick up my carpool. Ha. I think I finally found something that will stop the vicious cycle though. Everyday, I get e-mails from several newspapers with summaries and links to their most popular articles. One of the stories last week from the Chicago Tribune was an opinion regarding a somewhat new book called A Perfect Mess: The Hidden Benefits of Disorder—How Crammed Closets, Cluttered Offices, and On-the-Fly Planning Make the World a Better Place by Eric Abrahamson and David H. Freedman. I thought someone (maybe even my mother) was playing a trick on me. But, a quick trip to Barnes and Noble confirmed that there actually is a book about how being messy helps the world. I did not read the whole book because it is long and rather, well…messy with repetitive ideas and mostly flimsy examples, but I read enough to get some good ammunition for the next “room fight.” A Perfect Mess claims that people who keep their workspaces too tidy lose “unplanned influences that might lead to breakthroughs.” Though I am not exactly sure how leaving yesterday’s outfit on the floor instead of putting it into a hamper will inspire creative genius, I can try to believe it if it will get me out of cleaning my room. However, now that I have “convinced” my mom that messiness fosters creativity, instead of wasting my time cleaning my room, I will have to work on writing a book or producing my own clothing line or something.

photo by alexa fogler

by Alexa Fogler

Hannah Gross, 11 and Jenny Margolis, 11 volunteer at lunch selling t-shirts for the upcoming Fashion for the Cure. This worthy cause effects people of all kinds. It can help people out all over the world.

Opportunities to volunteer everywhere

Americans go to foreign countries before helping out at home by Daphne Hsu & Mary Ann Jiang

Expolore the issue of Americans helping out in other countires when they could be assisting those in this country suffering.

he United States of America is often regarded as the wealthiest, most powerful, and most influential country in the world. In 2005, the government alone spent over $25 million on foreign aid. Countless humanitarian organizations donate thousands of dollars in aid and supplies to foreign countries every day. With all this help to the less fortunate countries in the world, it would seem as if conditions in America are perfect—if not the nation, then at least the local community. Within the country and Cincinnati itself, there are people living on the streets, families that go days without anything to eat, rundown houses in conditions that are hardly fit for a living being, and children who do not have the opportunity for a good life. Violence and all that is associated with it is has become just another news topic. Everyone can feel the effects of cancer, a universal malady. Perturbing the

most materially affluent of homes and spreading its reach to all people of any age, this is a cause that affects the most personal fixtures of our domestic lives. Feeling overwhelmed by the facts that come from our very own country? There are actually many ways to help. Students can volunteer by doing service projects throughout the city or participate in activities sponsored by the American Cancer Society. Many more opportunities can be found at www.volunteermatch.org. Inner City Youth Opportunities, ICYO, is a program where youth can tutor students, teach tennis during summer clinics, help in fundraising events, help with graphic designing, and even chaperone social or sports outings. This program offers people with a variety of skills to contribute to other students in Cincinnati. To get involved, either call the Inner City Youth Opportunities office at 513-731-7312 or e-mail Jeanne Bell at jeanne@icyo.us.

What team will be next?

Sports mascots retired due to offensive nature by Alphonse Harris

Chief Illiniwek, 81, died February 21, rid of all references to them in sports, 2007. He was shot down by activists because I sure would not want a symbol blind to the true meaning of the Chief to honor my history. But I do not think as they plowed through tradition in the that we should stop at just offensive Inname of being politically correct. dian mascots, but all offensive mascots Chief Illiniwek’s final performance must go. was at the halftime of the University of I have to apologize to my friend Jack, Illinois men’s basketball team’s home but I have an Irish friend who is offinale. fended by the great Fighting Irish of Although the Chief has been deemed Notre Dame, so that must go. The ACC an offensive use of Native American is going to need a mascot makeover after imagery, the fans removed their orange the religiously offensive Demon Deacons shirts, and replaced of Wake Forest, them with black shirts and the Blue to mourn the loss of a Devils of Duke symbol of the school’s are gone. tradition. Actually, why It is a shame when As an Illinois fan, not just get people cannot make and a sports fan, I rid of offensive also mourned the loss religious teams? the distinction of Chief Illiniwek, Get rid of all between what is and furthermore my Saints, Crusadheart goes out to the ers, or any other respectful remberUniversity of Illinois religious team, ance...and offensive which has become the and I am calling latest victim of these the separation material mascot killers. of Church and Some people claim State there. that mascots named Finally, I am after Native American going to fight for tribes are derogatory those groups not and demeaning to Indians, but anyone around anymore, for all the Spartans, who has ever seen the Chief Illiniwek Trojans, and Vikings that would not perform will testify that it is an amazing want to be associated with a position as experience which honors and celebrates demeaning as a mascot. Native American history. It is a shame when people cannot I agree with some of the mascot make the distinction between what is eliminations, such as the University of respectful remembrance and tradition Miami Redskins, because Redskin is a and offensive material. The good news is derogatory term, but the Fighting Illini that for all of us Ohio State fans I do not is in no way the same. think we have to worry about losing our I now have come to the conclusion that Buckeyes. if Native Americans do not want teams Wait… here come the people who say named after them, then we should get trees have feelings.

“

Crossroad Health Center is a unique health care provider that does not turn away any patients who are uninsured and cannot pay for services. They seek volunteers for their fundraiser Climb for Crossroad in order to cover the expenses of serving uninsured patients. One can sign up at www.crossroadhc.org. There are several different options for contributing to the fight against cancer. The most convenient and engaging being Relay for Life, taking place on May 11-12. One can also write to a newspaper editor asking for community members to get involved in an event or push for a new campaign, like the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program, which ensures that all women have access to mammograms and early detection initiatives. Although it is always charitable to aid the desperate countries of the world, remember to consider the problems of our own country. As famous rapper Tupac Shakur once said, “Before we find world peace, we gotta find peace and end the war on the streets.”

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erspective P TUESDAY March 20, 2007

Global warming snows in Sycamore

Not as great as it seems by Jinwei Hu

A small miracle descended upon the Sycamore School District in the middle of February. Students, teachers and parents alike frantically logged onto the district website every minute, inching on the edge of their seats for the latest news. Hopes were high, expectations were low… the weather man had always been wrong before. But it happened. Three became a legendary number. Three snow days. Three days free. Three days of absolutely no worries – a second coming of Winter Break. Sweat gushed freely as a myriad of kids on sleds hit the slopes of Cincinnati. Still, not all was at peace. Three snow days meant more than just fun and games to some people. To some, it foretold disaster. It was an omen of a natural apocalypse far surpassing the scale of Hurricane Katrina to come. The film “An Inconvenient Truth,” produced by Al Gore, famous inventor of the Internet and former Vice President, burning devices to do her part to stop it? The point is that she received several awards for highlighting the increasing cares enough until it inconveniences her, but does not mind dangers of global warming. telling other people what to do. “If Al Gore said it, it has to be true,” said Steven Morgan, Al Gore is another leading voice on human-caused climate 12. change. But is he taking his own advice? According to the Global warming has been a prevalent issue among scientists Associated Press, the Gores used 191,000 kilowatt-hours of and concerned citizens for the past decade. One side argues electricity to power their house in 2006. The typical Nashville that the change in temperature is merely a natural fluctuation household uses 15,600 kilowatt-hours per year. That means in the ever oscillating wave that is Planet Earth. The other the Gores use more than 12 times as much as the average argues that global warming is because of mankind. household. Defending himself, Gore states that he invests It is not hard to accept that humans have made such a large enough money in renewable resources to balance out his energy impact on the planet’s ecosystem when the pictures of the costs. So Al and Tipper can use a ridiculous amount of energy giant cigarette burn in the atmosphere above Antarctica are from burning fossil fuels, as long as they pay someone else to seen. balance out their carbon emissions. “I can feel the summers getting longer and the winters I am saying that global warming is happening. But there getting colder already,” said Dan Frecka, 9. is a lot more to it than just burning fossil fuels. According to It is hard to accept that humans are the sole species any news story, it is the result of human activity alone. This responsible for this massive destruction. Mankind is always is simply untrue. The people who are the leading advocates of reluctant to admit that it has created its own problems. The human-caused climate change have made no changes in their ozone depletion is real. The snow days may be fun now, but lives to help the alleged problem. Instead of blindly accepting how many snow days will it be before students and parents what you are told in the media, look at the facts for yourself. realize that something is wrong? If you come to the conclusion that humans are having a Global warming is an inconvenient truth to accept, but it significant effect on global warming, and the predicted drastic effects are coming, then change your lifestyle, and do something needs to be accepted. The world needs our help now so that we may help ourselves. about it instead of telling others what to do. “We need to care for each other,” said Kian Fallahi, 12.

Looking past political statements

Controvery over Gore, Pelosi’s real motives regarding global warming by Zak Gilbert

lmost every day there is some mention of global warming in the news. Some people are constantly ranting about the impending doom. But how seriously should these arguments be taken? In his Oscar-winning performance, Al Gore said that “the scientific consensus is that we are causing global warming.” In truth, global warming has been occurring for millions of years. What most people do not know is that the earth does it on its own, because it goes through both cooling and warming periods. The current level of solar activity in the past 60 years is the highest it has been in 8,000 years. The major proponents of human-caused global warming include numerous scientists, Nancy Pelosi, and Al Gore. Since the scientists are mostly unnamed, it is hard to analyze their position. But Nancy Pelosi has been staunchly in support of controlling global warming. In fact, she is quoted as saying, “I promise to do everything in my power to achieve energy independence ... and to stop global warming.” Recently there has been some controversy over her request for a private jet. So a woman who is extremely concerned with global warming needs a private jet? According to her, global warming is caused by the buildup of greenhouse gasses from burning fossil fuels. If Nancy Pelosi believed in the catastrophic effects would she not stop using fossil fuel

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erspective P

USA PATRIOT Act

TUESDAY March 20, 2007

Debate rages about

value of liberty over importance of safety “...indivisible, with liberty and justice for all”

Act should not violate rights

“It’s a small price to pay when the country is at war.”

Safety of country top priority

by Rashmi Borah

by David Dannenberg

image by Rashmi Borah

he following is taken directly from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) web site: “Just 45 days after the September 11 attacks, with virtually no debate, Congress passed the USA PATRIOT Act. There are significant flaws in the Patriot Act, flaws that threaten your fundamental freedoms by giving the government the power to access to your medical records, tax records, information about the books you buy or borrow without probable cause, and the power to break into your home and conduct secret searches without telling you for weeks, months, or indefinitely.” In other words, in a rare, bipartisan, almost unanimous declaration of solidarity, the USA PATRIOT Act was passed, to the dismay of the ACLU, in 2001, and renewed in a landslide vote by both houses of Congress in 2006. To begin, I feel a serious need to criticize the ACLU as a whole. The ACLU constantly states that freedom of speech is paramount, yet they support speech codes (which restrict speech) on college campuses and in the workplace. Add that to their opposition of Megan’s Law, under which sex offenders are often prosecuted, and one sees a detestable organization, which is why it experiences widespread public opprobrium. The USA PATRIOT Act is designed to prevent another terrorist attack, and, as seen in the ACLU description, was passed just after September 11, 2001. It gives the government access, upon FISA (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act) court approval and subsequent issuance of a warrant, to obtain information about individuals that it believes may have ties to terrorism. The procurement of this information is what is generally called into question, likely because of the unlikely scenario that a citizen’s constitutional rights are violated. Opponents of the USA PATRIOT Act seem to believe the fantasy that the government cares what normal, law-abiding citizens read about and talk about on the phone. To them, the year is 1950 and George Bush = Joe McCarthy. Or maybe the year is 1984 and Dick Cheney = Big Brother. I guess it depends on which blog one reads. To repudiate the notion that the USA PATRIOT Act is discriminatory towards Muslims is not truly necessary, in my mind. Maybe, at some point, an FBI agent will ask a librarian what book a certain person checked out. And maybe that person will be Muslim, prompting CAIR and the ACLU to cry discrimination. Sorry. It is a small price to pay while the country is at war. If you have learned anything from reading this piece, let it be this: the invaluable benefits of the safety guaranteed by the USA PATRIOT Act outweigh any real danger of constitutional rights violations. The fact that the U.S. has not experienced another terrorist attack since 9/11 is, by itself, a testament to that belief.

THE STATUE OF LIBERTY IS our symbol of freedom. In light of 9-11, Congress has been passing legislation that some feel violate basic rights. The debate has come down to whether or not our liberty is worth sacrificing for safety.

When one is presented with a conflict, there are certain boundaries that one must draw before going through with a solution. Unfortunately, with the USA PATRIOT Act, this philosophy did not quite succeed, though it very well could have. The debate about the policies in the USA PATRIOT Act boils down to “should we sacrifice liberty for safety, or should we do everything to keep our citizens free?” In the light of some of the provisions passed in the USA PATRIOT Act, I personally feel that the rights of citizens have not been taken into consideration, and that we are using the excuse of “keeping people safe” to take away liberties of the people. A couple senators, along with myself, have wondered what could possibly be in a citizen’s medical record that would give a clue to whether or not the citizen is a terrorist. However, section 215 allows law enforcement officers to search the medical records, library search records, and more or less any record of what a person has searched or been to. When members of Congress and other citizens argued about the constitutionality of this action, the Attorney General asked them to cite one example of how this power has been abused. There were none of record, and that is the corruption in the system. When a person receives a National Security Letter, or NSL, saying that they have had their records searched, a little provision in this NSL does not allow a person to speak of the NSL, meaning if there were any abuses with the search, it is illegal to report or speak of it. “It would astound most Americans...that government officials could sneak into their home while they were asleep, and not notify them for weeks or months later,” said former attorney James Dempsey. Yes, it is true. Our Fourth Amendment rights have been brushed aside in the attempt to protect the country from terrorists. The Fourth Amendment clearly spells out that all searches require notification and description of the search. But recently, law enforcement officers have attempted to persuade Supreme Court justices that these provisions do not exist! Furthermore, this specific section is more or less a red herring. Sneak and peek searches, and basically every provision of the USA PATRIOT Act, is supposed to deal with terrorism, but 90 percent of sneak-and-peek searches have been conducted for criminal investigations, not terrorist threats. This brings up the question “is the government really doing what they say they are?” Some believe that the goal of the terrorists was to take away our safety, because it was something they did not have. If we let provisions such as the USA PATRIOT Act continue, we are more or less saying that we are giving up our liberties, and the terrorists will have won.

Troop surge in Iraq Questions rage about President Bush’s actions, course of war by Garrett Steed In the next few months the amount of soldiers in Baghdad might double or even triple to counter the sectarian violence. There are currently 17,000 American soldiers stationed in Baghdad, but with the White House and president pushing for a surge of soldiers, there could be as many as 30,000 fresh faces entering the war-stricken country. “I don’t see how Iraq can get any better if we send more people to die, but who am I to say anything; it could work,” said Sam Snow, 12. Most people do not think that the increase of troops will do anything but put more Americans in danger, but it has also been seen around the country that the heavy influence of soldiers has calmed things down. To me it seems that we would have to control every piece of land, sand and dust storm for the country to finally be safe and be at peace, but maybe that is what Bush is trying to do. Each person we send over there is sent to help protect a husband,

mother or even a child they have never met. The Iraqis see this, and see that the more soldiers we send, means more protection for themselves. “I’m going into the Air Force after high school, but I don’t know if I’ll be sent over there and have to kill someone I’ve never met or never will see again in my life,” said Kevin Buenavidas, 12. This might be a plan that seems to already be a failure to most, but what we need to start doing is opening our eyes and seeing it from another point of view. We have been in Iraq for four years without a change. Maybe this new plan is just what we needed; get the people to notice that we are there to help and not take lives. Remember, it could work and we could get out of Iraq in the upcoming years. So we await the arrival of the troops and will back them through what ever they encounter by keeping public support for them at the highest level.

I don’t see how Iraq can get any better if we send more people to die, but who am I to say anything; it could work.

I’m going to the Air Force after high school, but I don’t know if I’ll be sent over there and have to kill someone I’ve never met or will never see again in my life

“ “ Sam Snow, 12

Kevin Buenavidas, 12

erspective 10 P Q & A with Kenji Matsudo, principal TUESDAY March 20, 2007

Rain inside school prompts questions

Q by Rachel Schneider

Q: How long has the roof been leaking? A: We have had periodic problems for the last several years, maybe as long as I have been here, which is the last six years. We had had issues in various places. Has anything been done to address this problem in the past? We have had numerous contractors out to assess the best ways of trying to fix the issue. Two and a half years ago they did an infared study to try to locate porous areas in the roof. Over the years they have done various repair attempts with tarring. The drainage issue on the roof was increased because of all of the additions. Directing the water to the down-spouts has not worked.

many. It is an issue; I think we have lost some computers over the leaks.

KIMMI OSHITA, 12 HOLDS AN umbrella over her head as she tries to get into her locker. During particularly heavy storms or when the snow is melting, parts of the roof of the high school are leaking. To combat the problem in the locker bays, trashcans are put under areas where the roof is leaking.

What is the estimated cost of fixing the roof? It would be a lot of money. It would probably be a scenario where the district would have to do a capital improvement campaign, orchestrated at the district level, to fix the issues. We would probably bring in an engineering team to fix the roof.

photo courtesy of erica woodson

Has the school gotten complaints about the leaking roof? We have gotten some complaints from some teachers and some parents, but not

Impending death of newspaper: Declining sales pose questions, concerns in journalist world by Grace Naugle Newspapers are slowly beginning to feel the effects of declining readership over the past few years. According to the Newspaper Association of America, the number of people employed in the industry fell by 18% between 1990 and 2004. Mindless organizations such as ‘The Nationsl Enquirer’ and other trashy tabloids portray the media as a scary, celebrity driven, heartless beasts who would do anything to get a story. Journalists have feelings too, that is, at least, creditable ones. Accuracy and ethics need to be brought back into the world of print, though there are various different ways on looking at the source of this plague. I partly believe the loss of credibility it is due to the fact of a new booming industry known as “bloggers” in this ‘bloggernation’. Anyone can be a journalist these days. If one has their own online blog, suddenly people believe this gives them insight into becoming journalists. These bloggers fail to realize that just observing life and having an opinion fails to give them creditability on news reporting.

The downfall of the newspaper in general can be looked at close to home. Take the school newspaper, The Leaf. Every year, the staff brainstorms ways to try to get the student population to become more interested in the paper.I recently spoke to someone whose job involves hiring journalists. There is not a decline in the journalism industry, he believes, but, the occupations of journalists are changing. Instead of the traditional ‘news reporter’, there is a lot more going on in the advertising and media world, providing endless opportunities. Online journalism gives readers the opportunity to get news when they want it. They can skim, scan and process instead of flipping, searching and skipping. Obviously, as we hear over an over again, we are entering a technologydriven world and there is no stopping or looking back now. Please bring back the accuracy and truth to the journalism world. I know that the newspaper itself will never disappear. It is losing its main generation, but that is only because another one is emerging. Stylistically, the generation is different, but everyone still needs news. Long live the print!

Senioritis: by Kyle Battle

s the year comes to a close, almost all students get antsy about the warm weather and the anticipated summer. Study habits seem to fade and get replaced with spring time activities. None are affected by this phenomenon more than the seniors. Commonly phrased as “senioritis”, seniors’ mentalities are “less study, more play” during their final high school year. As the temperature rises, so does one’s desire to be out of school. However, some seniors deny having senioritis. “I actually don’t have senioritis, people just think I do. I’ve given the same effort all four years of high school,” said Mike Latessa, 12. There is an eight week window between spring break and summer break where senior teachers are challenged by their student’s inactivity. “They don’t see the relevance of coming to class. They say ‘I’m a senior, I’m already [accepted] to college, why do I need high school government?’” said Mr. Kevin Wittman, U.S. Government teacher. “It can really be a challenge because students are being accepted to colleges and universities. What most of them do not realize is that colleges still look at their performance and that scholarships can still be taken away,” said Mrs. Liz Gonda, World Literature teacher. Not only is this a tough time for teachers to do their jobs, but it is also a tough time for students to do theirs. “After spring break, I’m just going to basically quit school,” said Alyssa Eastes, 12.

Is there a lot of district money going anywhere besides fixing the roof? There is not a lot of district money going elsewhere besides the roof. Construction of Blue Ash Elementary, Montgomery Elementary, and the football field has absorbed money. Are there plans to fix the roof in the near future? Dr. Kelly is trying to put together a long term facilities plan. For an issue like the roof you need to have a longrange plan to address the issues.

Acceptances letters lessen stress Seniors work to stay focused

Since some colleges only require a mid-year report, most seniors only work through a little over half of the year. “It was such a weight lifted off my shoulders after semester exams were over because I knew that I was done with all high school testing,” said Tine Kuhlman, 12. Teachers will tell you that the end of the year in high school can be very helpful to the beginning of freshmen year at college. “The stuff that we do in class now is most like the entry level freshmen classes that they will be taking next year,” said Gonda. Being a senior, I can understand how hard it is to show up to school sometimes. I “occasionally” get the urge to simply not do work. It is a good feeling actually; knowing that not doing work will hardly affect the outcome of my high school grades. However, I also understand that study habits that I practice now will only carry over into next year where I will have more free time. I know that if I blow off homework next year it will affect my grades. Freshman year is not the time to exercise bad habits. So, as hard as it is to focus on academics, I promise you, seniors, it is really not that bad. Turning in an article review, or reading Macbeth online, or doing a field lab ahead of time is not going to kill you. So you may miss an episode of “I Love New York” or “South Park” but think of it this way: Next year, when you are passing all your classes with flying colors at college, you will have all the free time in the world to watch the shows you missed while you were establishing good study habits. I will give it a try. You should too!

erspective P TUESDAY March 20, 2007

Spring vacation day

‘Spontaneity smells good. Real good.’

Students reflect on lack of spontaneity

Real reason behind school-endorsed holiday by Wenjun Zhang

by Michela Tindera

image by jake newton

ake up. Catch bus. School. Extra-curricular. Come home. Eat. Nap. Homework. Sleep. Rinse and repeat. As third quarter continues to drone on like an annoying fly in my ear I find myself thinking of the happy, spontaneous, more carefree days of my youth. Waking up at 8 a.m. Building milk-carton log cabins, morning meetings, and tire-swings at recess. Play dates after school. The excitement of what my next day in school will bring for me. But now, I could easily tell you what I will be doing in all of my classes for the rest of well, most likely eternity, with just a quick look at the handy-dandy schedules my teachers have so generSTUDENTS ously given to me planning every minute detail of the class. HAVE RECENTLY In order to escape this daily grind I find myself doing paLOOKED AT their thetic little attempts at spicing up my day. Hmm, maybe I can lives and have go around the left side of the IMC today instead of the right. realized it is not Maybe I’ll find some hidden treasure on my way to English if I take that route. What if I take notes with the pink pen instead the most exciting of the black one today…yes, that might just prohibit me from of things. It seems drifting off during class. as if all their road But how can one get out of these seemingly never-ending signs in life are doldrums? Though it may feel like it is impossible to break all the same. But free from this cycle, there is an answer, and that answer is others are willing quite simple. Spontaneity. to change and be For example, you are sitting home on a Thursday evening it more exciting. is 7 p.m. You have already finished your homework, except for that one book you really should start reading, but it is not due for another two weeks. Now what should one do with this time that has just recently become free? “I like baking when I’m bored,” said Rosalie Wei, 9. Why on earth would anyone do that, one might ask? “When I get bored I like to be spontaneous by walking to the “It’s an escape from all the worries or whatever. It’s just you park to swing on the swing-set. I like to stare at the sky while and some ingredients. You can turn it into something sweet I swing,” said Briana Conners, 9. and yummy, which is exciting,” said Wei. So now it is 9 p.m. on that same Thursday, and you just took It is true. Baking, and any other activity that one might those scrumptious looking cookies you made out of the oven. do spontaneously (knitting, ice-skating, laser-tagging, riding As you reach down to pick up a warm snickerdoodle and the bikes) has actually been proven to be beneficial to one’s health. scent of cinnamon comes over you, you think, “Spontaneity Others prefer to get in touch with their “roots” and like to smells good. Real good.” relax outdoors. 11131.07_AVES_WhatisJesuitAd 1/17/07 2:19 PM Page 1

I am so ready for spring break that I can almost taste the sun, flowers, and sleep already. Not that sleep is tangible, but still. However, first things first: what the heck is a spring vacation day? Glancing through my trusty plan book, counting off the days until the blessed break, I came upon April 6. The bold words, “no school-spring vacation day” caught my eye. But wait. I asked myself did we not already have a spring break? Was it not a bit redundant for the school to include a spring vacation day right after break? It was a conundrum. So, I went on the computer and pulled up the trusty search engine Google. I typed in the puzzling holiday and was instantly bombarded with “fun activities.” What? So after scrolling through 12 pages of nonsense about flower arrangements and family fun and gaining nothing but frustration, I had to quit the trusty Google engine. My faith in this all-knowing search engine was on the verge of being broken. I had to get to the bottom of this case! What was Spring Vacation Day? So, after a restless night, I came to school, thoroughly puzzled and highly irritated. Plopping down at the now hated and unyielding computer, I pouted. That’s when the amazing Sharon Wagner, 11, came to my rescue. With a fearsome scowl, I growled, “What’s a spring vacation day?” And I promptly received an answer from the everprompt Wagner. “Good Friday.” I was floored. I had spent 1/20 of my day fruitlessly searching on the Internet, and here, unintentionally, I got my answer in less than five seconds. Thus, the search for spring vacation day taught me a very important lesson. A. I should pay more attention at church and B. do not trust the Internet for everything. Instead, reach out and ask friends and peers. Wow, that was almost deep. Well, I suppose my little escapade taught me a lesson. It just goes to show that every second of every day brings the opportunity to learn something new. Could I learn in my subconscious while I sleep? Wait, who am I kidding? I am a junior in AP American – I do not sleep.

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erspective P TUESDAY March 20, 2007

World needs immediate action

Stop global warming by Elizabeth Hoopes

lobal warming is a huge problem in the world and at stake is human kind. The burning of fossil fuels such as coal and oil releases greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide into the air. These gases trap heat in the atmosphere.

What are we doing wrong?

Although there are natural causes to global warming, a major contribution is human activity and the United States is the leading contributor. These activities include releasing greenhouse gases, altering land, increasing concentration of airborne particles, and air pollution.

Why is it so bad?

The most noticeable effect of global warming is a change in the earth’s average temperature. But other effects include melting ice caps and glaciers, rising sea levels, and extreme weather. Winter will also be warmer and will start later. The biggest effects of global warming have to do with our species and others around us. It is expected that global warming will cause mass extinction and an easier spread of infectious diseases like malaria and dengue fever. Although we have not experienced these major effects of global warming, we have to think about our future. We cannot allow for upcoming generations of children to have to go through these problems because of something that we did. Although extreme weather such as hurricanes and tornadoes are effects of global warming, scientists cannot yet relate global warming to specific events. An example of this was Hurricane Katrina.

What can we do?

image by elizabeth hoopes

Something must be done about global warming. Whether it is at school or at home, there are many ways to help. The time is now to act instead of letting this happen. One of the best things to do is recycle. Recycling saves the energy used to make and deliver new products. An easy way to recycle is to use both sides of a piece of notebook paper or to use the back of printer paper to take notes or do homework on. (Just make sure its okay with your teacher.) Another easy thing to do is to turn off your computer and other similar electronics when you are not using them and over night. Leaving your computer on overnight wastes enough energy to print 5,300 copies.

Why should we help?

Saving energy is not just good for the environment. It also saves a lot of money on monthly bills such as electric. By making your house more energy efficient, you can save more money that can be used for the environment A great example of saving money is driving. Cars that are not hybrid or fuel efficient put huge amounts of pollution into the air. Air pollution is a major cause of global warming. By carpooling or taking the bus, you can save money that you would be spending on gas.

WE NEED TO ACT NOW. If we do not, then even if we completely stop releasing fossil fuels into the air in years to come, we will still be affected by global warming. Global warming is causing a slow death for the world.

statistics from www.environmentaldefense.org

Global Warming

by the 0 numbers

number of times President Bush has mentioned climate change or global warming in his previous six State of the Union speeches

percent increase of America’s carbon dioxide emissions forcasted by 2020 if we do not cap pollution

200,000,000

number of people around the world who could be displaced by more intense droughts, sea level rise, and flooding by 2080

1 Rank of 2006 as hottest year on record in the conti-

number of federal bills passed to cap America’s global warming polluiton

15 20

rank of America as percent increase of America’s carbon top global warming dioxide emissions from the buring of polluter in the world fossil fuels since 1990

Humor

Tuesday March 20, 2007

Bittersweet addiction Thanking Facebook for encouraging idleness, failure, and procrastination by Jen Lee

chool anxieties

ome things never change

by Curtis Williamson

High school’s always a funny place; especially this one. By the second day of freshman year, one starts to notice little quirks on how things run here. Remember, in no way am I trying to be funny—this is just a glimpse of what’s stood the test of time. Let me begin by telling you that kids here are thirsty. Have you ever noticed how thirsty we are? Among the shadows cast by the Powerade machines, a long line is daily formed. Desperately, we pound a machine to get as many drinks as we can, only to suffer at the discovery of it dispensing only one, singular bottle. Despite all rational logic, we cannot avoid the stairs by the math wing. Maybe we secretly take pleasure in peering at the students in the IMC, like fish in a bowl. Maybe deep within our souls we hate the other staircases, and simply refuse to use them. Or maybe we really do enjoy getting stuffed and crammed in a slow-moving cluster of warm bodies. Apparently, the hallways are one, giant trashcan. For whatever reason, students take pleasure in participating in the habitual, tribal-like chant at a fellow student’s expense. Usually in the form of a loud, collective “OOOOOOOOH.” And whatever happened to Global Language Field Day? I personally loved venting out my frustration on the other language classes in a game of Dodgeball. I always managed to scream “Latin rules!” before being crushed by a ball thrown from the arms of a hulking Spanish student. Picked off like flies, man. Finally, the uneven carpet is not a design flaw at the school. Actually, Darwin would be proud at administration for implementing such a great “survival-of-the-fittest” tool. If one of your friends trips on the carpet, just walk away. He wasn’t meant for this world.

Dear Beloved Creators of Facebook, I hate you. What were you thinki I am writing this letter to you and your website with only the greatest thankfulness and pleasure, adoration and accolade, love and affection. How else can I thank you for all that you have done for me? I am grateful beyond words for the prolific and, well, useful addiction that you have sown in me. What can I say? Never being able to ‘x’ out of Facebook is the best. Really. Especially during my junior year of high school. I love clicking and clicking my days away, looking at the millions of peoples’ profiles and pictures that you have provided me-- some of my friends, most of random people I have never met and never will. I love getting fatter and fatter with each passing moment, spending the majority of my waking hours swiveling in my swivel chair. I applaud you, Facebook-makers, for awakening the procrastinator, slacker, stalker, and immobile sloth in all of us. I know exactly what you were thinking: there is definitely not enough obesity to go around these days. I mean, skinniness is totally overrated, right? And eating disorders are a huge problem these days. Thank you so much for creating another reason for me to remain idle and add myself to those (lack of) obesity statistics! Loading up on natural insulation—what a great idea. Because of my extra layers of blubber, which have resulted from my (useful) addiction to your ingenious website, I have been able to endure the cold and bitter winter months like a pro (or a polar bear). (Did I mention the back pains? The rear-end pains? The overall I-have-beensitting-for-way-too-long pains? Thanks for those, too.) It is so comforting to know that in a few years, we, the Facebook generation, will be in charge of the world. Put the country into the hands of people whose most important news source is the news feeder on Facebook—they will be sure to know how to handle the most important political crises. (The Secretary of State is now single? Maybe not the best time for a conference, then. Cancel the conference!) Because of you, half of the entire student population will probably never do homework again, or never do homework again before two in the morning. Thank you, thank you, thank you! I cannot even put into words how grateful I am, and we all are, for your innovation. Finally, there is someone who understands how we high school kids feel about homework! Studying! Grades! Sleep! Half of the Facebooked student body is now failing school. Ingenious, I tell you. It was really smart, oh wise (and now extremely rich) creators of Facebook, to give the burgeoning generation another way to fail school, not get into college, and end up living on the streets. I always knew I looked good in a paper bag. All the love in my heart, Jennifer Lee

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Feature FRIDAY March 16, 2007

Feature TUESDAY March 20, 2007

‘Invisble Children’ suffer in Uganda Chaos, warfare, and disease: for many Ugandan children, this is just another day. After seeing these catastrophic conditions caught on film, thousands of American teenagers decided to help. by Bekka Levy & Erica Woodson

photo courtesy of moellerUNIFAT.org

THIS UGANDAN CHILD IS LUCKY enough to live in a village; others, however, do not enjoy the same situation. Many are routinely captured, and enslaved or forced into military service. The rest live in constant fear of a similarly awful fate. The Invisible Children group is trying to find a way to change that.

f one was asked to name a plight of Africa, the AIDS epidemic or the situation in Darfur would probably be named. There has been little media attention given to the civil war in Uganda. Until now. In 2003, three young men from California finally put a spotlight not only on the civil war that has been occurring since 1998, but the children affected by it. Jason Russell, Bobby Bailey, and Laren Poole brought along a video camera in order to tape their findings. They found that thousands of children are captured and forced to be soldiers in the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), a terrorist group that has been wreaking havoc since 1987. Children are either forced to join the army or be killed. Their journey led them to four special young boys by the names of Jacob, Thomas, Tony, and Boni. These were children who chose to flee the situation they faced instead of joining the army and being forced to kill innocent civilians. They soon found out that thousands of children leave their villages and walk miles without supervision to hide themselves in abandoned buildings in order to hide from the terrorists. Referred to as “Night Commuters,” the young men finally found their story. The documentary “Invisible Children: Rough Cut” was born. So how did it all come to our school? Administration received a letter from Margie Dillenburg, M.Ed, the Movement Director for the Invisible Children. In her letter to the school, Dillenburg asked if we would like to participate in “a dynamic movement that is inspiring high schools across the United States.” Who could say no to that? This “dynamic movement” included a documentary, “Invisible Children: Rough Cut,” where three Southern California boys traveled to Northern Uganda to investigate a story. Becoming much more than a story, the tragedy unraveled. The camera that the guys brought along with them allowed the rest of the world to see the truth which so many Ugandan children must live with. In addition to our school, students from Kings, Loveland, Mason, Mount Notre Dame, and Moeller have become involved, seeing the same video that was brought here. Keeping up with the news in Uganda has now become an important part of our school. With the addition of a club, as well as overnights and lectures in schools around the city, it is hard to ignore the Invisible Children’s pleas, as it should be.

current situation

-Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) is trying to overthrow government, creating chaos for Ugandan civilians. -Children are orphaned, abducted, starving, diseased.

Goals of invisible children

-Raise money to sponsor UNIFAT school in Uganda -Raise government awareness to facilitate peace talks

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Feature

TUESDAY March 20, 2007

Local club ensures kids are seen

Get Involved Raise awareness, raise money for Invisible Children by Kavya Reddy When Invisible Children first saw the thousands of children running for their lives, they were surprised by the lack of international attention they were getting. No one was talking about child soldiers, night commuters or the Lord’s Resistance Army. So, they asked themselves, “How can we help?” Invisible Children tries to provide the children with quality education and valuable life skills that enable them to take the responsibility for their future and the future of their country. There are many ways to get involved in this effort:

Upcoming events Invisible Children Road Crew March 18-24

-Watch entire Invisible Children Film -Hear about situation and solutions -Bring money to buy merchandise

1 2

Spread the word

-See full-length version of the film which moved a nation -2:30-4:30 p.m.

3 4

This creates economic opportunities for people in northern Uganda’s camps through employment and the facilitation of savings and investment while raising money around the world to support the war and the people affected by it.

Join local club

Burger Bash Thursday, March 22

5 6

Tell others about the situation and show the movie to all friends and family (check for showings at www.invisiblechildren.com).

Bracelet Campaign

The club’s main goals are to disseminate information and help with fundraisers.

Write letter to government

Ensure that the local government is aware of what is happening in northern Uganda. A mailed, handwritten letter attracts much greater attention than a preprinted letter or card, or even e-mail.

Sign the ONE declaration

This is an effort to rally Americans - ONE by ONEaround the emergency of widespread hunger, global AIDS and extreme poverty. Specifically, the declaration says that using just 1% of the government’s budget, it can help prevent 10 million children from becoming AIDS orphans and provide clean, safe water to almost 900 million people. Directing support toward basic needs - education, health, clean water, food and care for orphans - could help transform the futures and hopes of an entire generation, with just 1%.

Get informed

Visit the following websites for more information about the situation in Uganda and how to help: www.friendsofUNIFAT.org www.moellerUNIFAT.org www.invisiblechildren.com

Screening of Movie Thursday, March 22

-Wendy’s (on Loveland-Madeira Rd.) from 4-8 p.m. -10% of profits donated to Liyibni High School

UNIFAT Bowl-a-Thon Saturday, March 31

-At Crossgate Lanes from 1-3 p.m. -Get a sponsor to donate for each pin knocked down

Next Club Meeting Tuesday, April 3

-In Room 233 after school... Be there.

“

Interview with Meghan Marth, 9 President of Invisible Children Club by Gabirose Keeton

How did you first hear about the Invisible Children? I saw the movie through my youth group, and after that, I knew I just had to help. I’ve been involved in Moeller – Unified for UNIFAT for about half a year and I was already involved with the ONE campaign. Why did you want to start this club? I have been lucky enough to have met Abitimo – who started UNIFAT school – twice. She’s really inspired me. I was touched with terrible conditions and I knew Sycamore could do something.

As long as UNIFAT needs help, my job isn’t done.

-Megan Marth, 9

What ideas do you have for the club? Fundraisers? I’m planning on conducting bake sales, benefit concerts, making t-shirts…there are a lot of creative ideas and I’m open to anything. I’ve always wondered why people say we can’t compare the United States to Africa, but I want to be able to compare the two. Everyone should have an equal opportunity for education. As long as UNIFAT needs help, my job isn’t done.

What do you hope to accomplish through this club? I ultimately want to plan as many fundraisers as we can to raise money for UNIFAT.

If students want to get involved, how can they? Our club will eventually be called Unified for UNIFAT, an extension of the Moeller group. There is also the official non-profit organization called Friends of UNIFAT…we actually send our money to them. Students can look online for more information. [See item 6 in above list.]

Who is the club’s sponsor? Mrs. Lisa Vanags, Spanish teacher, is the sponsor. Mr. Split will also be helping out because he is really involved with the Invisible Children.

How are you planning on communicating with club members? Announcements, signs, posters, and there will also be an e-mail distribution list.

In response to the poverty and conditions in Uganda, many are trying to spread information and teach others about what is happening to these children. (Top) A student from Moeller High School, participating in UNIFIED for UNIFAT, travels to show the Invisible Children film to various groups. (Middle) Much merchandise such as bracelets and the DVD can be purchased. (Bottom) Megan Marth, 9 has started a local club to support the cause.

40 Prom Days till

by Kye Isaac

Prom checklist: Start getting ready! oFind a date! oBuy a dress/ Rent a tuxedo

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oBuy a corsage/ boutonniere

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Feature TUESDAY March 20, 2007

Couple takes quiz: who knows who better? by Maria Thomas

Alex Cooper, 12 and Aaron Cain, 11 have been going out for almost 11 months, so we decided to see how well they really know each other. We asked both of them a series of questions. The couple had no time to prepare for the quiz. What is her middle name? Ellen Real answer: Ellen

What is his middle name? Tyler Real answer: Tyler

What color eyes does she have? Brown Real answer: Brown

What color eyes does he have? Brown Real answer: Brown

What is her favorite fast food stop? Wendy’s Real answer: Wendy’s When is your anniversary? April 29th Real answer: April 29th

Who is her best friend? Dennis Blieden Real answer: Nina Budde What is her favorite color? Red Real answer: Red

Which lunch does she have? 3rd Real answer: 3rd When is her birthday? February 24th Real answer: February 24th

oMake reservations at a restaurant

What is her favorite food? Ice cream Real answer: Ice cream

oBuy your tickets at lunch

What does she want to be when she grows up? Business person Real answer: CEO

-$60 per couple for the dance

How many siblings does she have? 6 Real answer: Too many, 6

-$10 dollars per person for after prom

What is her biggest fear? Cops Real answer: Cops

oBook a limo if interested

- Black Tie Detailing Inc 513-733-5119

oFind a group of friends to go to dinner and ride to the prom with oBoys, get a haircut oGirls, decide what you’re going to do

Has she had any major injuries? No Real answer: No What sports does she play and what number is she? Basketball, #23 Real answer: Basketball,

both scored: 93%

What is his favorite fast food? Wendy’s Real answer: Wendy’s When is your anniversary: April 29th Real answer: April 29th Who is his best friend? Lisa Routt Real answer: Lisa Routt What is his favorite color? Blue Real answer: Blue Which lunch does he have: Whatever one he wants Real answer: All

What is his favorite food: McDonald’s snack wrap Real answer: 5 piece chicken nuggets What does he want to be when he grows up? Financial advisor Real answer: Financial Advisor How many siblings does he have? 1 brother Real answer: 1 brother What is his biggest fear? Spiders Real answer: Spiders Has he had any major injuries? Concussions, chronic headaches Real answer: Concussions What sports does he play and what number is he? Lacrosse, #32 Real answer: Lacrosse, #32

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How would you go about eating a bottle of ketchup, 10 marshmallows, a pack of bubblicious gum, and a turkey leg all together? “ I like turkey. I like gum. I like marshmallows. I like ketchup. But not all together. It depends on how much you’re willing to pay me.” -Joanna Chang, 12. “I wouldn’t.” - Caleb Lipsey, 12. “ I’m vegetarian, so first I would make sure it was a veggie turkey leg. Then I would mix it all into a milk shake.”- Elana Pentelnik, 9. “I’d chew the bubble gum, stick the marshmallows on the turkey leg and squirt ketchup all over it. Then I’d wash it down with some Fanta!” - Abby Costello and Jenni Ranus, 9. “I’d start with the gum and then melt the marshmallows over the turkey and ketchup. I think that’d be the only way to do it.” - Andrew Tripp, 10.

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Feature

Dip into something different

The

NUMBERS poll taken out of 100 students by Megan FIngerman

Going nowhere for spring break

14% 2% Going to Southern United States

Going to Western United States

Going to another country

getting back into school.

34%

14%

s third quarter slowly comes to a conclusion, many students begin thinking about spring break. The underclassmen finished the OGTs and the upperclassmen are counting the days before they get a whole week off school to relax, kick back and leave their worries in the past. Many students have different plans over this period of time which include vacations, sports, and other various activities. As April approaches, many of the spring sports are starting. The lacrosse teams are already into full gear, softball and baseball practice is starting, and men’s volleyball is already having try-outs. This occupies many students because with these sports come commitment. They all hold practices and even some tournaments over spring break, making hard for many athletes to go on desired vacations. “I almost couldn’t go on the AP Euro trip last year because my coach wanted me to stay an practice,” said Dmitriy Bikmayev, 11. “Instead I went anyway and just got a suspension from varsity.” Other options for students would be a school vacation. Every year, the AP European History classes go on a weeklong vacation where they tour Europe. There is also a trip to Greece with English teachers after reading “The Odyssey” during spring break. They follow the route of Odysseus, the main character of the story. Many students, however, go on vacation with friends and family. These experiences are also quite enjoyable. “I have gone on vacation with my friends a couple of times over spring break. It’s always a lot of fun,” said Benny Krienik, 11. For those students who do not have anything planned for spring break, use this opportunity as a chance to relax and have fun for a while before

36%

by Daniel Montague

by the

Time to leave worries behind spring break just around corner

Going to Northern United States for spring break

TUESDAY March 20, 2007

Melting Pot Come in for

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Feature TUESDAY March 20, 2007

Underclassmen stressed about unreasonable test OGT found to be unfair

image by melodie jeng

by Mandi Kipner

HAVING TO ARRIVE ONLY BY 9:55, upperclassmen enjoyed block scheduling and extra time in the morning. Students used this time to sleep, finish homework, and go out to eat. Frequent morning stops included Starbucks, Caribou Coffee, and Panera. Chipotle was also a popular destination for lunch.

Upperclassmen enjoy OGT week, schedule OGTs passed, relaxation comes for juniors, seniors

by Amanda Ross

ow great was last week, upperclassmen? Sleeping in until 9, having three classes a day, and doing virtually no homework could not have possibly been bad. Ever since the institution of the Ohio Graduation Test, juniors and seniors have had it good in mid-March. “OGT week is the best, and it just makes me that much more excited for college,” said Elliott Donovan, 12. Seniors like Donovan have enjoyed their second year of school starting at 9:55 and a week of block scheduling. Whether block scheduling leaves students more successful academically is to be determined, but feelings towards the one-week change are generally positive. “Even though classes were longer and a lot more boring, the fact that we didn’t have to wake up till 9 or even later [because of late arrival] made it the best week ever,” said Lori Adler, 12. Some schools in the area, like Summit Country Day and Ursuline Academy, have used block scheduling for years.

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Students sometimes have free bells during which they may leave campus. Block scheduling is a practice seen mostly in private schools, which operate on their own practical standards, but has been used during OGT week at this school for the past three years. It may be viewed as a week for upperclassmen to slack off, but with the longer classes also comes more time for learning and completion of homework. “It gave us time to relax in the morning, do homework with extra time in class, and get more done in one sitting,” said Alex Bidwell, 11. “You can’t go wrong with OGT week.” Even though upperclassmen used OGT week as a week to relax and change up their schedules, freshman and sophomores still had to work hard in order to pass each test, which required them to continue to come to school at 7:20. Both classes of 2007 and 2008 had to take the OGT in order to graduate and are now reaping the rewards of a tremendous effort. As 2010 practices and 2009 gets the real deal, the juniors and seniors feel their pain, but rejoice in their own extra time.

Tests, homework, school, and graduation: these are a few of the many things that underclassman face these days. Along with stressing about homework, getting good grades and social pressure, underclassmen just faced the OGT that determines whether one graduates or not. “We have too many tests as it is, Exams, PSATs, OGT’s, then tests and quizzes for our regular classes,” said Katherine Farnham, 10. Although the OGT may have been hard and unfair, students that fail certain parts of the test have the right to retake the failed section in 11th and 12th grade. “The questions were stupid” said Michael Morris, 10. Starting 9th grade year and moving into most of 10th grade year, students did whatever they could to teach and prepare for the OGT. This included Study Island. Study Online is an online program which asks students questions to help prepare for the OGT. “I wish there weren’t so many questions” Amber Behrens, 9. Another thing that teachers did to help prepare students for the OGT were books with question that appear on the test, showing old proficiency test questions and many more. Both students, parents and teachers may not approve of the test but students continue to score high.

“What is the point?”

Freshmen question practice tests by Jake Newton As the OGT approached, many of the freshmen were wondering, “What is the point?” Freshmen were required to take a practice OGT and in some classes, teachers counted it as a grade. “Practice OGTs help freshmen to prepare for the real ones. Although some people think they are easy, practice can make them even easier,” said Ian Wilson, 9. Several math teachers took the practice tests as grades and other teachers just encouraged students to do their best. “Taking the practice OGTs as a grade is wrong because for new students like me, who aren’t prepared for it, the OGT could lower their grades,”said Natalie Goodwin, 9. Students still did not get the point of the test. They questioned why they needed to take them. Some teachers responded to this question that next year’s curriculum is based on how freshmen did on practice tests. Some students just did not want to think about the practice OGTs. Being a freshman in high school is already overwehlming let alone having a huge two hour test. “I didn’t really think about them because I had so much other stuff to do,” said Katie Strickland, 9. The practice is over. Next year, it is the real thing. The students looked at the two hours of the first testing period and realized it was going to be a very long week.

tudents celebrate pring break comes, OGTs end

by Libby Henning Many people around school may have noticed an extra bounce in others’ steps, twinkle in their eye, or even a glow on their faces. Spring is almost here. Sophomore and freshmen both have reason to celebrate. Sophomores just finished the Ohio Graduation Test that they had been preparing for the past year and freshmen have finished the practice OGT’s. “I love OGT week, this year I got to sleep in on my birthday!” said Emily Dirr, 11. These tests have caused stress and fear in many and to have them over and done with is an enormous relief. Not only has the passing of the OGT’s improved moods, students now can look forward to spring break. “I’m glad that spring break is almost here. Teachers made such a big deal about the OGT’s and I was glad when they were over.” said Tara Lucian, 10. Although winter continues in its attempt to blanket Cincinnati with cold snow in March, some students could not care less. This is probably because they will soon be headed to a sunny, warm vacation spot. Every year several students go on family vacations to escape winters wrath and get them even more excited for summer. “I’m excited to go to Spain for spring break. OGT week was easy because teachers didn’t give us homework and encouraged us to sleep.” said Lydia Griffith, 10. Teachers see students leaving early for spring break a problem. It can also cause some headaches for those who do leave early. Returning to find piles of missed work or tests waiting for them it can be stressful. If students are leaving early, teachers suggest that they get all of the class work they are missing and reschedule tests before they leave. This way, everything gets done and not put off. Spring break relieves stress after the OGT’s and students need a break, so they should enjoy their break, get rest and come back ready for fourth quarter.

Feature

TUESDAY March 20, 2007

Rachel McAdams The Notebook

Jake Pennington, 12

Ryan Gosling The Notebook

all images by alexa fogler

by Alexa Fogler and Sanya Dosani

elebrity lookalikes Katie Zimmer, 9

om, can I have 20 bucks” “How come you did not save money?” “I need a job.” As the winter season bids goodbye, so does the cash left over from Christmas, Hanukah, or other holiday celebrations. The instant crave for dough seems to lurk around every corner, causing conversations similar to this one to occur in all households. Whether it is working as a lifeguard or being a bus boy at Skyline, all types of job opportunities expose themselves during this time of year. It seems that most jobs pay the minimum wage to all of their new employees. Choosing which job will often be the most difficult decision. Most will pay similar wages, so the next factor to con-

sider is enjoyment of working the job. It is also a good idea to find out about working conditions and other employees. One of the most productive jobs, which has no obligation to taxes, is lawn work. To attract business, putting out flyers around the neighborhood usually works best. This job requires patience alongside the knowledge of operating a mower and cutting the hedges to the exact inch. Although it does not summon a résumé, it does have its downside: dealing with an 80 year old widow down the street involves discussing teen social life in addition to a delayed payment. For a small price of labor, summer jobs bestow a sense of responsibility and a wallet brimming with cash, while unemployed teens will be running to parents, pleading for “20 bucks.”

Cork Wedge: photo courtesy of payless.com

by Ben Dhiman

Ballet Flat: photo courtesy of walmart.com

Necessary for making ends meet during school year

Where to get the latest styles

Teens search for summer jobs

Stanislave Ianevski Harry Potter 4

Andrew Hare, 11

Mila Kunis That 70’s Show

Hot summer shoes

Noa Belillti, 10

In contrast to the beach wedge, ballet flats provide minimal height. However, they also will give any outfit a cheerful look with the bright assortment of colors. $15.99 at www.payless.com

For a more dressed up look, there are lots of styles to pick from, including the cork wedges which provide a laidback look but also add a stylish tone. $17.88 at www.walmart.com

Summer job search:

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lready counting down these last weeks of school before summer? Not surprising. Students are abuzz about summer plans, and more importantly, how they will be funded. Some already have jobs from the school year that will be carried on through the summer and do not have to worry about finding employment. The others should be prepared to go out and attain, fill out and return applications as well as wait around for the calls that could make or break their summers. “I have a job already and plan on continuing it through the summer because that means I don’t have to find another job,” said Whitney Sheblessy, 12. Finding the perfect job means becoming incredibly lucky and getting that few-hours-but-a lot-of-cash employer who will dish out the dough for little amounts of our precious time. Few people ever run across such a summer oasis, and for the rest of us, it is long hours for minimum pay. “I’m going to work as much as I can over the summer because I need the money, even if I don’t really like the job,” said Jamie Dowdall, 11. Students are saving money from summer in hopes of having enough money to be job-free for the school year. Thus, even though jobs are usually a lot of work, it is a good idea to find one, and the earlier the search begins, the luckier one will get.

Feature TUESDAY March 20, 2007

Dance:

Finding personal niche between options Turning a hobby into a passion

by Anastasia Flowers

photo by Anastasia Flowers

ance usually emphasizes different types of movements and techniques. Varieties of dance has been around for years. From the nineteenth century tap dancing. To the most common dance in mainstream today-hip hop. For a long period of time, today’s society has been focusing on only certain types of dance. Which includes the very popular dance, ballet. Which is known best at its virtuoso techniques. Such as point work, grand pas de deux and also high leg extensions. Tap, which is also one of the types of dances that was focused on way back in the day. Their famous rhythmic sound from the small metal plates on the dancers shoes that touch any hard floor. Which brings to the point of the most modern dance that everyone is interested in today’s society. Hip Hop. Hip hop can be divided into different parts as well. Old school and new school but instead of it being divided. It all correlates as one. Salsa, the most influential dance in the United States. It usually involves a partner. The Spanish word Salsa, meaning sauce. Which in this dance means flavor or styles. Salsa is considered being a very difficult dance with its movements and song selection. Lots of people cant quite get the rhythms down pack with the steps. But overall its a great type of dance to experience.

Spanning the ages

Dance is definitely for all ages now. Ages from 3 and up can experience the wonderful art of dance. Some might say that age 3 is too young, and it just might be too young for some but it all helps in so many ways. It could help the development of a child. As to older people, it becomes enjoyable to learn. All types of dance are very effective to ones mind. It is certain that most people benefit from being in some sort of dance. It creates energy, exercise and strengthen muscles as well. Most people preferred hip hop out of all types of dance. The next preferred dance was salsa . Then Jazz and ballet were the least preferred. These results were not surprising. But if you look at dance in a different perspective. They are all the same. Jazz contains some ballet moves in it. Hip hop contains some salsa in it too. Therefore the word “dance” involves different types of dance all in one. Which is really exciting because it makes more people do more than just one dance. Its addicting. Once you do one dance, you feel like you just want to do them all. “Although some people think that dance is a waste of time and that it doesn’t have any meaning but movements” said Carrissa Richardson,11 This statement can be understandable for a person that has not experienced dance before.

A lasting impact

Dance is very influential. Some movies that have been out to prove that dance is not useless. Save the Last Dance and Step Up. Save the last dance focused on combining ballet and hip hop together to make one great dance. Step Up focused on combining modern dance, ballet and a little bit of hip hop to also make a good dance as well.

Different cultures

Lots of different cultures in the world use dance to celebrate their originality as a country.Japan has two types of traditional dances. One-odori, which orginated

AT THE VARIETY SHOW, ANNA Stone, 11, Joe King, 10 and Meena Thatikunta, 10 show their talents in dance. Anna shows her talent in ballet, while Meena expresses her talent through Indian dance and Joe shows his through the art of hip hop. All these types of dance show how much variety dance has to offer. in the edo period.Mai, is orginated in the western part of Japan. Other Types are the Bon-odori and the So-ran Bushi. Korean dance is the art of dance as practiced in Korea. Folk dance to contemporary dance, as well as newer trends like Korean versions of russian classical ballet. Some dances Orginated by ancient Shamanistic rituals thousands of years ago. Which includes Hermit, Ghost and Monk dance. Indian Dance orginates from both classicial and modern styles into the present. Each form of dance represents the cultures and ethos of a particular region or a group of people. Some main styles are Bharatantyan, Kathak, Odissi,and Kuchip.

Get involved

Their are so many places in Cincinnati, Ohio that can help teenagers/high school students learn how to do different dances or just dance for fun. Latin Night dance night with Tropicoso, that is located at the Mad Frog on 1 E McMillian St in Cincinnati, Ohio. Every Monday night. Its very fun for basically all ages that can stay out pass 9 am because that’s when it starts. Other dances on different days are learned there as well.

Choosing a dance style Between jazz, salsa, hip-hop and ballet, there are many options to choose from when dancing. Below is a poll of dance preferences from various students.

24% prefer ballet 42% prefer hip-hop 24% prefer jazz 34% prefer salsa

dancing, friends, and family Kyle Goldhoff: On Mixing hobbies, passions, fun How long have you been dancing? I have been dancing since i was two, so this is my 14th year. What kind of dances do you do? During the week I take 3 ballet classes, a tap, Two Jazz a hip hop, a lyrical and a musical theater class. On Saturdays we rehearse our competition dancers and on Sundays we have solo practice. My solo this year is a lyrical dance.

School of Dance. I switched to the studio dance. Now I take class and compete on the performance teach at Starstuck A.D.A. When I am in New York I have taken classes at Broadway Dance Theater. Also we get to go to Dance conventions such as Wild, LA dance force, and dance masters of Ohio. These conventions have some of the top dance teachers and are a great place to learn some new styles and to grow as a dancer.

What place(s) do you take classes at? When I was little I danced at Tina Marie

Do you enjoy dancing? I love dancing! My teachers Amy and Chrys-

tan are amazing and know how to make it fun while making us into the best dancers we can be. Also my dance friends are some of my best friends, so it’s so fun to get to dance and spend so much time with them. What you like about dancing? It gives me the ability to express myself through movement and emotion instead of words. It gives me a place to be stress free. Starstuck is like my second home and the people are my family, I would have it no other way.

Feature

TUESDAY March 20, 2007

Identity theft:

Photo courtesy of Identity Theft magazine

The crime of the century

magine this scenario: John has just graduated from high school and he’s been accepted to the University of Cincinnati. His parents are helping with his tuition, but he’s going to need a student loan to cover his books and living expenses. No big deal. He applies for a loan, but guess what? Denied. Much to his surprise, he’s already taken out two loans in Florida. Here’s the catch. He’s never even been to Florida. Unfortunately, this scenario is a fact of life for many college students. They have been struck by an Identity Thief, possibly scarring them for life. It all began in the late 1990’s, when the term ID Theft first appeared in U.S. Literature. This was the first formal introduction of this dangerous art into American Society, ultimately changing the lives of billions of people. Most people, though, are not worried yet. After all, how likely is it that it could happen to them? “I would never actually think that something like that could happen to me,” said Lauren Miel, 11. Fact: The laptop of an employee at Berkeley was stolen. The laptop contained the names and Social Security numbers of grad-students and applicants, thus putting 98,400 people at risk. Fact: Hackers penetrated the database of DSW Shoes, a shoe company, stealing credit cards and checking account information from over 100 stores. 1.4 million people were put at risk of having their identities stolen. Scared yet?

The perfect target

The worst part, for adolescents anyway, is that the younger the target, the better. There is one principle difference between steal-

ing the identity of an adult and stealing that of a child. Children and adolescents have a clean credit, perfect for opening new bank accounts and getting loans. With adults, ID thieves use existing accounts. What makes younger targets so perfect is the fact that the theft will go undiscovered for many years, until the youth goes to get a student loan or their first credit card. “What really freaked me out was that it could be happening right now and I wouldn’t even know about it,” said Michael McMillan, 10. To protects against this, teens should beware of phishing, or the act of gaining someone’s trust to acquire confidential information, and know which information they should and shouldn’t give out. For example, Social Security numbers should never be given out, even if you believe the person or organization to be trustworthy.

Protecting yourself

The first thing that can be done to ensure financial security is using caution when giving sensitive information. Make sure that documents containing credit information or account numbers are carefully shredded before they’re thrown away. Even though such precautions should be done, there is another way to make sure confidential information is secure. By getting such products as PrePaid Legal’s Identity Theft Shield, credit reports can be monitored regularly, saving costly fees to right a wrong someone else created. “It would be worth it to get something as protection. It’d be a lot better than actually being a victim,” said Barani Govindarajan, 12. Products that protect against Identity Theft activity in credit reports and will inform the member of anything unusual, such as a change of address request or the opening of new accounts.

Looking at facts,

•Identity theft is the fastest growing crime in the United States •There were 27.3 million victims of identity theft in the United States alone in the last five years •In 2003 alone, 9.9 million identities were stolen •Identity theft in adolescents is highly underreported because the theft is not discovered until years later •50% of victims were victims of credit card or bank account fraud •Identity theft costs $53 billion annually •Americans spend 300 million hours annually solving identity theft problems •In over 25% of cases, the victims know the identity thief

16000

Ways identity theft happens

Dumpster diving: Identity theft takes the saying “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure” to a whole new level. Intact credit card or account information can be taken from the trash with very little effort. To prevent this form of theft, it is advisable to shred any personal information before throwing it away. Hacking: An experienced hacker can steal an identity in less than an hour. Yes, it is that easy for them. Once they have hacked into the computer of their victim, names and Social Security numbers can allow them to open back accounts, take out a loan, and even order a credit card in that person’s name. Shoulder surfing: This technique of identity thieves involves nothing more than good observation skills. For instance, someone could be holding a phone conversation that they believed to be private. In reality, an Identity Thief standing nearby could be listening to every word said. Or, while someone is entering their PIN number in the ATM machine, someone could be casually looking over their shoulder, noting every number pressed. Black market theft: There is a huge demand for personal information on the internet, selling stolen credit cards and personal information, such as names, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers.

14000

Number of victims

Mail theft: The mailbox doesn’t seem like a very dangerous place to place confidential information, does it? Well, think again. Leaving seemingly-secure information in mailboxes is a perfect target for an identity thief. Stolen mail does not seem that serious in itself, but it could result in the loss of thousands of dollars.

stats

12000 10000 8000 6000 4000

Identity theft victims in the U.S. California New York Texas Florida Illinois Pennsylvania Georgia Michigan New Jersey Ohio

by Casey York

2000 0

5/15/2002

Location

California New York Texas Florida Illinois Pennsylvania Georgia Michigan New Jersey Ohio

Feature Iditarod demystified TUESDAY March 20, 2007

Behind the scenes of dog sled racing

all images by leah burgin

by Leah Burgin

“

SLED DOGS ARE BORN TO run. They desire nothing more than running for days in the ice, wind, and snow. Their adrenaline rush before a race can hinder the musher’s capability of hitching them to the sled. Sometimes, the sled dog drags the musher in its excitement, as this dog is attempting to do.

I used to be obsessed with the Iditarod. I found it fascinating because I’ve always loved dogs and the outdoors. -Dana Reinhart, 10

ost Americans have never heard of the sled dog race called the Iditarod - or if they have, their knowledge is severely limited. Some citizens simply do not care about this ancient American sport and completely disregard the fact that dog sled racing existed and endured before any modern sport, including basketball, baseball, and football. “I don’t care about little doggies and sleds pulling through snow,” said Ms. Marilyn Ray, “it doesn’t interest me at all.” Other individuals are only perplexed at why someone would choose to participate in dog sled racing. “Why in the world would anyone want to spend months in the snow and ice racing to get to another place just as icy and cold as the place where they started?” said Will Kiley, 10. As has been the case throughout history, indifference has been directly shown as being rooted in ignorance, and the only way to correct this uninterested behavior is to understand what exactly is the Iditarod.

The first dog-sledders

The Iditarod is one of the most competitive dog-sled races, taking place in the Alaskan wilderness. To compete, brave frontiersmen (and women) compile a dog team, fill a sled with provisions, and mush the 1,200 miles from Anchorage to Nome. The use of a dog sled began when the ancient inland Alaskan natives, the Athabascans, used the dog sled for transportation during their long hunting excursions. Now, dog sledding has evolved from a survival necessity into a main component of Alaskan culture.

The first and deadly race In 1925, the distance between Nome, Alaska and the rest of the world became a liability when the inhabitants of Nome were faced with a dire diphtheria epidemic. Alaskan officials decided airplanes were too unreliable to transport the serum needed to cure the children; with only three to four hours of daylight, a crash was inevitable. The serum would have been lost and another shipment would have arrived too late. The only mode of transportation available that could cross the frozen, desolate expanse of 1,200 miles was a dog sled, so a handful of brave men were picked to relay the serum to Nome. After battling wind chills of 80 miles per hour and temperatures of -50 degrees Fahrenheit, the serum arrived safely in Nome. Since 1973, courageous souls commemorate the first rush to Nome by competing in the annual Iditarod.

Iditarod 2007

The Iditarod race began this year on March 3. Out of 94 participants, only one is from Ohio – Tom Roig, a rookie. Jeff King, winner of the 2006 Iditarod, is also racing. So far, Lance Mackey is in the lead, checking in last at the Nikolai check point. The standings change daily, so anything is possible. For daily updates, visit www.iditarod.com.

Say what? Aleutian – pertaining to the

Aleutian Islands in southern Alaska Anchorage – largest populated city in Alaska and head of the Iditarod trail Gee – command to turn right Haw – command to turn left Juneau – capital of Alaska, not accessible by automobile

Bare necessities

In order to race across Alaska, a musher has to be prepared for dangers. Falling through thin ice, crashes, frostbite, malnutrition, wolves, bears, moose, and diseases are common setbacks. If a team is not prepared, their survival is in jeopardy. It is mandatory to carry the following items at all times: artic sleeping bag, axe, snowshoes, eight booties per dog, two pounds of dog food per dog, and one day’s food ration for the musher. A musher cannot pass through the checkpoints without each of these items.

Dog team

When out on the trail, mushers form an intimate bond with their dogs. Authors such as Jack London in his Call of the Wild and Gary Paulsen in his stories of survival exhibit the connections and interdependence that a dog team and musher develop while mushing the Iditarod. Each dog on the team has their place; they are trained and bred to excel in their position. Usually, a dog team includes anywhere from seven to eighteen dogs. The foremost dog is the lead dog who steers the team, turns without tangling the lines or tipping the sled, and has a sense of direction on the trail. Since the lead dog is concerned with following the trail, the two dogs behind the lead, called swing dogs, force the rest of the team to turn in a wide arc instead of running beside the lead dog. Behind the swing dogs, there are several sets of team dogs. These dogs are chosen for their power, speed, and relentless energy. The amount of team dogs is a key element for mushing strategy – too many team dogs will tangle the lines and too few will exhaust the team. Finding the right amount of team dogs is crucial to success and survival. Lastly are the wheel dogs. These dogs are closest to the runners of the sled and must be well tempered, strong, and agile. They cannot be frightened by the sled’s constant pounding and must be able to anchor a sled during an incline. Most mushers aim to breed multitalented dogs. Dogs that can mush in different positions are valuable assets to the success of the team.

Honoring skookum

Schools have finally began to recognize the Iditarod as an important aspect of American culture. At Symmes Elementary, students participate in a unit that covers Alaska, the history of dog sled racing, and the Iditarod. Third and fourth graders are assigned a musher to track throughout the race. The students report on what place their musher finished in, their name and hometown, the names of their dogs, and any other unique stories. The Iditarod is an American sport and everyone should honor the courageous participants by tracing their progress. Each musher shows skookum (Aleutian for bravery), and is preserving a piece of Alaskan and American, culture by mushing in the Iditiarod.

FINISH

Mush – command to go forward

Musher – dog sled driver Nome – end of Iditarod trail Skookum – Aleutian for “guts” or “courage” Whoa – command to stop Yukon Territory – where the Iditarod race takes place

oman ho’s on

In 1985, Libby Riddles was the first woman to win the Iditarod. She lives in Alaska with the descendants of her original dog team, continues to endorse the Iditarod, and is an author.

START THE IDITAROD TRAIL FROM ANCHORAGE to Nome is about 1,200 miles. The trail differs every year due to changes in terrain and snow fall. The route splits after McGrath and a musher can choose which path to follow. On either path, perils such as avalanches, wolves, and frostbite compromise success and survival.

Arts

TUESDAY March 20, 2007

The Mad Pianist all photos courtesy of jeremy mcdaniel

New season, fresh start

Ambitious artists prepare for spring by Wenjun Zhang Spring is analogous to youth and vitality; thankfully, this fresh start translates to the world of art. With the coming of a new season, art blooms with vigor and creativity. From the orchestra’s Senior Spotlight concert to the Bricks for Breast Cancer sale to the Spring Musical, spring is loaded with fun for all. This year, the orchestra’s Senior Spotlight concert will occur on May 10 at 7:30 p.m. in the Little Theater. The orchestra dedicates this concert to its oldest members. All seniors have the opportunity to perform a solo and audition to conduct the orchestra a selected piece. Last year’s Senior Spotlight concert was well-received and allowed the seniors to display their talents. This year, the orchestra will be performing the fourth movement of Antonio Dvorak’s Serenade along with the senior solo. This rigorous and dramatic piece is both demanding and a treat to listen to. In addition, the orchestra received another “1” rating in this year’s State Orchestra Event. The orchestra has now received the best rating 16 years in a row, a feat both impressive and difficult to achieve. The orchestra performed the third movement of Dvorak’s Serenade, Timepiece by Steven Amundson, and Fugue by Johann Sebastian Bach. This difficult repertoire was performed beautifully by the orchestra. They received unanimous “1” ratings. The artists of our school also raised money with the Bricks for Breast Cancer sale. They generated $1,000 by selling bricks. These bricks went to the fine arts fund for our students. They were sold at Pancake Day. Speaking of Pancake Day, the fine arts weekend had great feedback from students and parents alike. The art exhibit in the gymnasium showcased the talents of high school, junior high school, and Greene school artists alike. The wide variety of genres and art displayed the unique personalities of our school. The mirage of art also showed the progress of students from the younger to older grades. Moreover, the orchestras and bands displayed their talent and skill by serenading the audience in the commons. People could eat breakfast while listening to the beautiful strains of music. Again, the progress of students was shown. From the fifth grade tunes to the high school’s polished performances, Pancake Day was an opportunity to enjoy the art our school has to offer. Moreover, Pancake Day generated a huge amount of revenue for the Sycamore Band and Orchestra Boosters. The Spring Musical is also fast approaching. Much anticipated, the musical this year will be the Secret Garden. This adaptation of the famous book by Frances Hodgson Burnett is filled with adventure and mystery. It tells the story of a girl named Mary. A spoiled orphan, she goes to England to live with her Uncle Archibald Craven. There, she discovers many secrets and mysteries that will forever change the lives of her and the people she encounters in her adventure. The musical will be performed from April 18 to April 22 in the New Theater. Tickets will go on sale the week of the show and will be sold at the front door on the days of the show. As the spring season approaches, mark calendars for the many artistic events that will take place.

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE’S TWELFTH NIGHT RECIEVED great reviews for its innovative and fresh uptake on a traditional

English play. The play adopted a 60’s groove. Here, Corey Gross, 12 (right) and Tom Seiple, 10 (left) engage in a conversation.

Twelfth Night:

beautifully delivered

By Sharon Wagner

hen it was first announced that the Aves Theater’s winter play would be William Shakespeare’s The Twelfth Night, many students were skeptical, recalling the long hours spent translating the playwright’s cryptic texts in English class. Those involved in the production were faced with the challenge of making “school work” worth paying for. As far as the audience was concerned, this challenge was utterly conquered. From the vibrant set to the vintage costumes to the songs lip-synced by the actors, the 60’s theme added a quirky, hip new twist to a sixteenth-century comedy. However, the most important part of any play is the acting. Even the Shakespeare-estranged could follow the plot due to the talent of the cast involved in the show. They were able to seamlessly adopt a Shakespearian tongue and then make it sound like 60’s slang, keeping the audience aware of what was going on. Another addition made to the original version was the fro-headed clown, played by Dustin Amrine, 12. This character provided explanations of scene changes and guided the spectators through important dialogues that were difficult to comprehend on the first listen. Those who remained confused by the end of the first act were not left behind. A five-minute summary was presented at the close of the intermission to clarify who was related to whom, who was in love with whom, and who loved scotch. All in all, the comedy was a success. Each show ran smoothly, left viewers thoroughly amused, and those who doubted the understandability of Shakespeare reassessed their assumptions. Seeing a play, enacted by peers and in a relevant setting, is nothing like reading a textbook.

Pancake Day:

Students successful displaying talents by Lily Wang

PANCAKE DAY WAS A SUCCESS for the talented artists who participated in it. The well-recieved art show displayed the works of many gifted students. The orchestras and bands performed great selections while people enjoyed their pancakes.

Music, food, and most importantly the artistic talents of our community were rolled into one upbeat, cheerful morning on Saturday, March 3rd. Hundreds of people came to see the band and orchestra in the commons and art show in the gym. “More people came [to Pancake Day] this year than any other year.” said Ryan Church, 9. The preparation for the art show began Friday before the weekend. Students of AP Photography and AP Studio Art spent their entire day setting up the show. Though it was strenuous, artists thoroughly enjoyed the process of hanging up their work. AP Studio Art and AP Photography students received private space for the collection of their best work, and each display was different and unique. A combination of high school and junior high school art was also hung up to create a fun, enjoyable collection. People enjoyed the diverse collection. “I had a blast. I’m really, really proud of our students, the quality of the work, the character of our students, and the generosity and enthusiasm.” said Mrs. Margaret Copfer, the AP Studio Art teacher. With great music playing just outside the gym, and the smell of warm food, proud participants experienced a triumphant weekend.

O V E R T U R E A W A R D S

by Wenjun Zhang

The Overture Awards is a prestigious scolarship competition hosted by the Cincinnati Arts Association. This year, many students from our school entered in hopes of winning the $500 finalist prize or the $2,500 winners prize. There are six categories of competition: dance, visual art, instrumental music, vocal music, theater, and creative writing. Every year, twelve students are chosen via audition (usually two per category) by the school to advance to the regional round. If chosen. they will then advance in the semi-final and final rounds. These artists compete in four rounds: school, regional, semifinal, and the finals. Listed here are the artists who advanced to their respective rounds in the competition.

Finals

Valerie Hsiung, 12 Poetry

Semi-Finals

Ashleigh Carmen, 12 Dance

Meena Thatikunta, 10 Indian Dance

Wenjun Zhang, 11 Piano

Brandon Cole, 12 Musical Theater

Honorable Mention Laura Fisher, 12

Mixed Media

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Arts

TUESDAY March 20, 2007

Artist spotlight:

By Sharon Wagner

How did you get into art? I got into art by being inspired by people around me that were really good at drawing, painting, sketching etc. I strived to be just as good as them, so I kept putting forth effort and progressively got better, by learning new techniques.

Brittanny Argyriou, 9

What do you think of the art program at the high school? The art program at our school is phenomenal, I really love how the students get a chance to really express what art they like in class and turn it into a masterpiece just by learning new things in art class.

image courtesy of sharon wagner

Have you won awards for your work? I do recall earning an award for a chalk drawing I did

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Last words? I just hope that if people take art seriously as a career, they take advantage of becoming a stronger artist and become better before they graduate and strive to be the best of their abilities.

ody Waxing Plus El Misti cuisine

Do you plan on pursuing art as a career? I would love to make art my career as a fashion designer, I just love the different styles of clothing that’s currently coming back in style from the 70’s, 80’s and all those other spiffy time periods of dramatic fashion frenzies. Any other passions? I do have a passion for cartooning and landscape drawings, cartooning because I love making flip books of just funny animated cartoon characters such as the following; Garfield, Betty Boop, Scooby Doo & the list goes on.

What art classes are you taking, and which are you planning on taking? I’m currently taking Art I, but I’ve already scheduled to take Art II next year along with Fashion Design and hope that I can do AP Art my senior year.

of a layout of leaves and contrasting colors in the 7th grade.

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Tasty, versitale Peruvian dish

By Mary Ann Jiang From the shadows of the snowy volcano El Misti (The Misty), Peru’s second most important city Arequipa offers a “delicious” dish, in the words of Fernando Rodriguez-Chappell, 12. Rodriguez-Chappell’s claim is backed up by those of his friends who say that the wine sauce gives the meat a “really good touch.” “I really like this food, because the wine gives it a really good taste. But of course, it will all depend on how you prepare this plate. When I eat this, I eat it with rice,” said Rodriguez-Chappell.

Ingredients:

5 slices of loin (beef) 3 tomatoes chopped into big squares 2 spoonfuls of tomato paste 1 small onion chopped into small squares 2 spoonfuls of oil

1 cup of beef broth 1 laurel leaf Margarine Pepper Salt

Directions: Set the stove to a medium setting; in a frying pan add the oil with margarine and cook the onion. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook until they are very lightly fried. Later add the beef broth, two spoonfuls of tomato paste, pepper and salt. Let it cook for 10-15 minutes. For the wine sauce put ½ cup of red wine into a pot until it boils (about 1 minute). Season the meat with salt and pepper; spread the meat in oil and put into the pot with the wine sauce; cook until the meat is well done. Pour the broth over the chicken. ¡Buen provecho la comida!

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Entertainment

TUESDAY March 20, 2007

Cincinnati

City’s finest tearoom, bakery:

HOT SPOTS B o n B o n e r i e

by Annie Kanter

image by amy tolle

estled just behind the quaint main street of O’Bryonville is a little place of heavenly delights. A place where finely dressed women and little girls can be seen imitating an old-fashioned English tea, or men can be seen picking up a piece of an award-winning pastry to take home to a loved one. What is this fascinating place, where one could find these delicious cakes and teas? Only the Bon Bonerie, the most famous bakery in town. Walking into the tea room, one might immediately notice the ‘Tea Theme’ decorating this cozy little attachment from the bakery. It has the atmosphere of stepping back into the countryside of England for an afternoon tea with a modern twist. An eclectic arrangement of mirrors, paintings, chandeliers and tea kettles cover the warm colored walls and ceiling. Mismatched antique tables and chairs are artfully placed on the black and white checkered linoleum. This tearoom can be a perfect setting for a girl’s birthday party or a meeting between friends with its light lunches and variety of scones and sweets. The lunch menu offers light, gourmet sandwiches, soups, salads, coffee, and of course, tea. They have a wide assortment of exotic, inexpensive teas, more than Starbucks or any other commercial coffeehouse. The bakery is just a staircase away, filled with hundreds of fancy cakes, cookies, pastries and specialty deserts, all with an impressive list of honors and awards. The Bon Bonerie has won Cincinnati Magazine’s Best Bakery in the City in 1999, 2000, and 2001, and was featured in the national magazine Bon Appetite. Pastries and cakes cost more than the average Kroger cake, however they are all well worth the price. Opera Cream Torte is their original signature cake for over 20 years and also their bestseller. The friendly and helpful staff put their cake expertise to work as they design elaborate, decorated cakes with a rich, mouth-watering taste. The tearoom is open Monday-Friday, from 11:00 to 3:00 or Saturday from 11:002:00pm, which require reservations only. Afternoon teas cost $14.50/person. However, regular lunch is served Monday-Saturday from 11:00-2:30pm. The tearoom can be rented out for special events or parties with a group of 14 or more. So whether it is an afternoon of tea with your girlfriends or desert for a special event, Bon Bonerie is the perfect hotspot.

Reign over me: by Sam Cleary

takes Sandler to new heights

“

Adam Sandler has starred in many films, from comedy classics like Happy Gilmore and Billy Madison, to clever Friday-night flicks like Punch Drunk Love. However, this March will bring one Sandler movie that might be able to dodge being tossed to the back of your “movie” box, lost forever in the rubble. On March 23rd, director Mike Binder will give way to Sandler’s debut in what many are calling his first “real” drama, Reign Over Me. Despite what many are saying is doomed for failure, the film has been supported with a wide array of promising reviews. “Adam Sandler takes a rare straight role in Reign Over Me,” said Rotten Tomatoes (synopsis website) of the film. Critics haven’t exactly been raving about the film, mostly due to the fact that when the name “Sandler” comes up in Hollywood, heads aren’t eager to turn. However, the story touches a surprisingly sensitive subject, with a feel-good storyline and a cast of respectable stars such as Jada Pinkett-Smith (Collateral, The Matrix Trilogy), Don Cheadle (Ocean’s

...[this movie] might be able to dodge being tossed to the back of your “movie” box, lost forever in the rubble

Eleven, Hotel Rwanda), and Liv Tyler (The Lord of the Rings trilogy). “Ever since I saw the trailer I’ve just been pretty excited to see the movie. It just looks like a good story,” said Chris Culin, 9. The story follows Charlie Fineman, a depressed and slightly awkward man who lost his family in the September 11th attacks. Fineman appears to be a lost cause, wallowing in his own past, when he rediscovers his old college roommate, Alan Johnson (Cheadle), now a husband and successful businessman, living in New York with a family of his own. When the two meet up once again, the story is sure to take audiences down a road less traveled, full of emotional setbacks and jovial recollections as the pair (Sandler and Cheadle) rekindle their long forgotten friendship. “It looks like a really great movie. One of those films that just make you feel really good inside,” said Paige Keefe, 12. Reign Over Me is sure to be a film worth seeing, regardless of the overflowing cloud of opinions surrounding it. Either way, the rise, or fall, of Sandler should be enough to entertain us all.

Elvira York 513-325-8097 epyork@yahoo.com

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Creating a Universe of Ideas and Opportunities

Entertainment TUESDAY March 20, 2007

image by Min Young Sohn

Neon Bible gives fans great successor

New production gives Arcade Fire new twist by Max Frecka

WHILE NEON BIBLE DOES NOT meet the bar that Funeral set, it certainly comes close. Combining complex lyrics with a new epic sound makes Neon Bible a worthy album for Arcade Fire fans.

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Elizabeth Manion l Susan Leanord

rcade Fire is one of the most successful “indie” bands in many years. Their first record, Funeral, released in 2004 has sold many copies to this day. The band’s music has occasionally been known to be played at major sporting events. The album is very emotional and the music is innovative in the way it combines classical roots with rock and roll styles. With their newest release, the much anticipated Neon Bible, Arcade Fire has crafted yet another masterpiece. The music is slightly more difficult to get into, but when you unearth the emotions and meanings within the song it is truly worth all the while. The album opens with the majestic “Black Mirror.” There is no unifying melody, as there was on Funeral with the song “Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels),” but the power in Win Butler’s language is astounding. In “Mirror mirror on the wall, tell me where the bombs will fall,” he sings at the climax of the song. As on the previous record, Win mixes the English and French languages within his music, for whatever reason. Next is one of the highlights of the record, the outstanding “Keep the Car Running.” The song opens with a freewheeling guitar riff and enters into a polarizing lyric: “Every night my dream’s the same, same old city with a different name, men are coming to take me away, I don’t know why but I know I can’t stay.” One of the first things the listener will notice upon hearing this record is the difference in production. Though the music sounds similar to their previous style shown on Funeral, there is a definite difference. The sound is definitely more epic. Sweeping strings and pipe organs are featured in nearly every song, alongside choirs of women. This is an extremely emotional listen. The music really strikes close to the heart. The first single, “Intervention,” opens with the church organ blasting, as Win howls of a society that “Works for the church while your family dies.” He warns us that “Every spark of friendship and love will die without a home.” Clearly Butler has a lot on his mind, and it shows through these songs. The climax of “Intervention” is very close to being melodramatic, what with Win’s howling and the organs continuously building. This melodrama seems to carry into the other songs as well, but this doesn’t matter. If the listener can look at it as being purely emotional and true, then the melodrama is easy to overlook. Other songs, such as the short title track “Neon Bible,” are less satisfying. Win chants “Neon Bible, Neon Bible, not much chance for survival,” over a quite guitar and drums. The song is pretty much disposable. Up against Funeral, some of the songs can really be underwhelming. But on its own, Neon Bible is definitely a great album, worth listening to for sure. Just do not expect another Funeral.

Wincing the Night Away leaves Shins fans wanting more Production prevents album from meeting usual Shins standard by Kevin Hall Let me be upfront here. The problem with the Shins new album, Wincing the Night Away is that it is good. It never develops into the great follow up that music fans expect from the Shins. What made the Shins so appealing is that they had a certain intimacy about them. While their songs weren’t adventurous or groundbreaking, they were well written, simple and cheerful. Neither was there anything grandiose about the production. The last two albums the Shins released Oh Inverted World, and Chutes Too Narrow, were full of hooks and combined pop and folk rock to create the soundtrack to thousands of teens and college students encased in a Starbucks run suburbia. But those albums were a lifetime ago. From just scanning the opening track, “Sleeping Lessons”, it is noticeable that this album is a departure from previous works. The tune begins with arpeggios featuring a heavy tremolo effect. Lessons quickly launches into a full-blown layered affair with vocals that are drowned in Reverb and subtle synth textures that are buried in the recesses of the mix. Enormous amounts of reverb and echo are applied to the percussion as well making the listen cavernous. The heavily effected mix from “Sleeping Lessons” is applied to every composition making Wincing the Night Away a record that relies more on production values rather than songs. This is not necessarily bad as there are countless amounts of excellent bands/ music groups that use studio techniques and production to create flawless records. Groups in genres ranging from Avant Garde Metal to Trip-Hop use these layered productions for their albums. The lush, ethereal and layered soundscapes that are used by somewhat popular/cult rock groups like Sigur Ros, Radiohead, M83, Boris, and My Bloody Valentine add to the music and transcend it to the heavens. Unfortunately, when the Shins try to emulate the shoe gaze and hazy dream-like production of a band like M83, it for one seems forced, much like eating dinner with that one relative or neighbor that you really hate. The un-natural quality detracts from the album. Also, while is evident while the song writing is recognizably that of the Shins, some of the songs seem to be recycled meandering pop songs, that are aimless in their goal. All anger beside, the best songs on Wincing the Night Away, are the ones that stray from the happy-borderline-bittersweet formula the Shins are so accustomed to. “Black Wave” and “Split Needles” are by far the best songs on the album. Don’t get me wrong though. Despite all my ranting Wincing the Night Away is a solid record and a good purchase for those that don’t own a music release from 2007. So far 2007 has been a bum year as far as music releases have come, except Rainbow by Boris. Regardless, Wincing’s tragic flaw is that it leaves the listener yearning for something more. It leaves the listener desiring that old Shins Magic.

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RINGO LANES 9651 Kenwood Rd. Blue Ash, OH #891-7701 Hello Sycamore students! Ringo Lanes is calling. We’re still here offering the lowest prices in town. SATURDAY A.M. LEAGUE still has openings, 9:30 a.m.

Entertainment

TUESDAY March 20, 2007

Z diac:

Thriller, cast captivates critics, audiences alike

by Nadia Khan

image by nadia khan

irector David Fincher (Se7en, Fight Club, Panic Room) has done it again. Another brilliant thriller from Fincher, Zodiac explores the serial killings of California during the 60s and 70s based on real events and gruesome murders carried out by a man who called himself the Zodiac. “The movie was really great, and even though there were some really gory scenes, it wasn’t offensive, especially knowing something like that really happened,” said Aarti Vala, 11. Following the journey of three men enthralled by the Zodiac case, this film discloses the effects of an obsession on the lives of these men. It exceptionally links police work and media, with the Zodiac killer sending letters to three different newspapers in the California Bay area. The film focuses on the San Francisco Chronicle, for which puzzle-loving Robert Graysmith (Jake Gyllenhaal) and heavy-drinking Paul Avery (Robert Downey Jr.) work as a cartoonist and a crime reporter respectively. The opposite personas develop interest in the events, and the two journalists work feverishly to try to crack the case. Graysmith’s love for puzzles allows him to psycho-analyze the Zodiac and crack the code in order to decipher one of his letters. The quiet socially inept cartoonist attracts Avery’s attention when he is able to solve the Zodiac’s cryptogram and predict the killer’s moves. Police inspector Dave Toschi (Mark Ruffalo) is the third of the trio who individually try to solve the murder case in their own manners, but end up helping each other. Toschi works with policemen from other counties where the Zodiac struck, and they follow many leads that all result dead ends. Toschi works endless days on the case, and after many years of searching and delving deep into the mystery, he gives up on Zodiac until Graysmith pulls him back in. Avery self-destructs after becoming more of an alcoholic and leaving his job at the San Francisco Chronicle. Obsession over the Zodiac killings ultimately takes its toll on these three men, who get too deeply involved to pull out. Toschi’s police partner was able to take himself out of the picture, but Toschi, Graysmith, and Avery are woven so thickly into the Zodiac’s web that they are almost like his captives. Zodiac craftily pieces together the puzzle that was the serial killings, though the unsolved mystery of the Zodiac’s identity remains just that: a mystery. The starstudded cast gives a brilliant performance in portraying the embellished real life events based on the real Robert Graysmith’s books about the Zodiac killer. “I don’t really like scary movies, but Zodiac kept me in suspense, in a not scary way, so I really liked that,” said Anna Habib, 11. A lengthy movie at two hours and 40 minutes, Zodiac requires and captures the audience’s full attention in order for them to be able to follow along every step of the movie’s twisting plot. It is a film for patient viewers, who do not necessarily need a definitive resolution, something that has become needed in Hollywood in this era. This thriller is sure to keep you guessing the entire time—and even after it is over.

TRYING TO SOLVE THE ZODIAC killer’s cryptic message is Jake Gyllenhaal portraying Robert Graysmith, the cartoonist who played a big role in the case. In the movie, Graysmith gets very involved and obsessed in trying to find the murderer. Zodiac shows the effects of this obsession on him, as well as on his associate Paul Avery (Robert Downey, Jr.) pictured as well and police inspector David Toschi (Mark Ruffalo.)

Double date with parents

Music & Lyrics provides laughs of love

by Melodie Jeng

photo courtesy of cinweekly.com

Music & Lyrics is a romantic comedy that the entire audience will laugh-outloud to. The jokes and humorous effects go beyond the trailer and are spread evenly throughout the movie. This movie is fitting for singles and romantics, young and old, along with pop music lovers. Alex Fletcher (Hugh Grant), lead singer of the conveniently-named 80’s pop band, Pop!, is stuck performing carnival concerts. He receives an opportunity to write a song for his twenty-first century comeback. Fletcher has trouble until he encounters Sophie Fisher (Drew Barrymore). However, Fisher’s story goes beyond her innate ability to rhyme. Fisher and Fletcher run into romance, artistic differences, and past lovers, as the clock ticks until the song’s deadline. Grant and Barrymore carry their roles well. Grant’s English accent and seriousness show the irony of his character. Barrymore’s genuine appearance and aptitude provide a good base for her character’s crossing. The pair also sings for the movie. They are two actors with decent voices, a rare find in Hollywood. When the movie ends, the audience will only continue to watch the humorous end credits. They will have the awful 80’s Pop Goes My Heart song out of their heads and be singing the new ballad, Way Back Into Love.

PLOV IS ONE OF THE featured dishes at Restaurant Samarkand. It is composed of rice, garlic, carrots, and lamb. This is one of many unique Central Asian dishes available to customers.

Uzbek restaurant transforms local eaters

Samarkand introduces Uzbekistan-style Asian cuisine

by Melodie Jeng

For those who are less daring, the restaurant also serves French Fries and Macaroni. However, photos are provided on the menu and the food is suitable, filling, and affordable to the public.

Samarkand is the capital of the Samarquand Province in Uzbekistan. It has now arrived in Cincinnati. Restaurant Samarkand- features unique Central Asian cuisine. Windows tinted, the restaurant is decorated with distinctive table coverings and wall décor. Traditional Uzbekistan music plays in the background while it is still easy to carry a conversation. Samarkand serves uncommon meat such as lamb and kebabs while it is also very convenient for vegetarians. The food is very reasonably priced while the service is moderate and independently run. One may begin with a light Carrot Salad or hot appetizer such as Samsa, a baked dough-wrapped meat ($2-3). Entrée Plov ($6) is a cultural dish made

with rice and meat. Also, grilled dishes include Lulya Kebab with lamb or beef (prices vary). On the side, one may order a soup such as Borscht or Ravioli-Pelmeni ($45). Tea, Green or Black, is exceptional. There are also several cakes ($1-3). For those less daring, the restaurant also serves French Fries and Macaroni. However, photos are provided on the menu and the food is suitable, filling, and affordable. To top it off, there is live dancing on weekends from 8-10 p.m. Store hours are long and carryout is available. Lunch specials run at $8. Restaurant Samarkand provides a distinct and delicious for local eaters. Customers will be transformed. Visit 8697 Fields Ertel Road or call 489-9333.

Entertainment

kami

“

TUESDAY March 20, 2007

pening eyes to newest game style

oo many games go unnoticed in the world, and many of them need their credit. One of these unnoticed games is called Okami, one of the very last productions from Clover studio. The cel-shaded game reminds many players of a Japanese watercolor and carving, making the game visually appealing. At first, the game was going to have a much stronger 3D type art style, but as the game evolved so did the art. “[Okami is]One of the most interesting games for the PS2 I have ever seen.” said Micheal Smilovitz, 10. Overall, the game is like an action-adventure piece with some puzzles involved. Due to this, Okami has reminded many of The Legend of Zelda series. Even though the series is making gamers reminisce about the time they played Ocarina of Time, the story is a whole different way of playing. As the newly revived sun goddess Amaterasu, the player instantly meets his or her guide, Issun, who is a lot like Navi; the fairy guide from the Zelda series, only much less annoying. “The characters are memorable. Issun and Amaterasu make a great pair.” said Ane Elwing, 10.

by Heather Storck

Visually stunning-One of the last great games for the PS2.

photo by heather storck

-Ane Elewing, 10

“

AS THE NEWLY REVIVED GODDESS Amaterasu, being without her powers is a total drag. Luckily for her, it is very simple to regain the lost brush techniques allowing game play to run as smoothly as the artistic style.

“One of the most interesting games for the PS2 I have ever seen.” Micheal Smilovitz, 10.

Key to playing Okami

“

“I have seen advertisements for Okami, and the game looks cool. Too bad I have not played it yet.” Collene Bird, 9.

The key to getting the full playing ex- There are thirteen in all, each difperience from the game Okami is the ferent god representing an animal use the Celestial Brush, the paint in of the Chinese Zodiac. The following which Amaterasu, the main character, is organized in the order in which uses her divine powers. With every you acquire the powers necessary to new god that she meets, a new tech- beating Okami. nique is acquired.

Tachigami: Represents the Rat of the Zodiac. God of the Power Slash, his power allows a player to cut down not only enemies but trees, rocks and other obstacles.

Many gamers did not know about this game even after it came out in stores. This fact made Okami Clover Studio’s final game before they shut down. Even so, this game came out with a bang, winning a total of eighteen awards including Most Orginal Game, Best of E3, Best Game Trailers, Game of the Year, Most Innovative Design, Game of the Month, and Best Graphics. With so many awards, how could such an original game fly over so many heads? The answer is simple. With the new generation of game systems such as the Nintendo Wii, Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 taking up all of the publicity there was no room for Okami to get the spotlight. “I have seen advertisements for Okami, and the game looks cool. Too bad I have not played it yet.” said Collene Bird, 9.

Raving fans For the players who did buy and play Okami, it became an instant classic. Many of them say that Okami was a fantastic finish to the Playstation 2 era. Websites have been dedicated to just Amaterasu and her artistic adventure though Japan and all over Deviant Art, a web site where flash animators and artists can post their works, pictures of Okami sprung from out of nowhere just days after release. “Visually stunning-One of the last great games on the PS2.” said Elwing. Though this game has its up and downs it has been loved by thousands of gamers. It is only so disappointing that this amazing game was not better known.

Kasugami: Represents the Sheep/Goat of the Zodiac. God of the Veil of Mist, this technique lets a play slow down time for four seconds.

Hanagami: Represents the Monkey of the Zodiac. Sakigami, Hasugami and Tsutagami; the gods of Greenspout, all three have the power over flora. Their powers include making trees and poisoned nature regrow, creating lily pads to walk across water with and creating vines that toss the player from one platform to the next.

Nuregami: Represents the Snake of the Zodiac. God of the Waterspout, his power allows players to make water rise as a platform to get to higher places as well as move water to press buttons and move objects.

Under the radar

Moegami: Represents the Rooster of the Zodiac. God of Inferno, lets a player create fire or draw a line from an already lit flame to a frozen object or enemy.

Amaterasu: Represents the Dog of the Zodiac. Goddess of the Sun, her power allows the player to make the sun rise by drawing a circle in the sky.

Bakugami: Represents the Pig/Boar of the Zodiac. God of the Cherry Bomb, his power allows the player to create a bomb that can be rolled around to explode walls and enemies alike.

Another large part of the Okami playing experience is the music. Most video games are adapting a more modern style of music - however, Okami goes back to the Japanese roots of music. Using traditional Japanese instruments along with modern orchestras, Okami keeps its uniqueness. With the five-disc sound track, only released in Japan unfortunately, players can listen to the soothing music of adventure along with sound effects from the game, battle musics, and prototype songs from Clove Studio board meetings and the E3 teaser trailers.

Kazegami: Represents the Horse of the Zodiac. God of the Galetsorm, allows a player to call on the wind to blow away harmful obstacles such as fire and poison. This power also blows flags into the air letting the player jump across the hidden treasures.

Yomigami: Represents the Dragon of the Zodiac. God of Restoration, his power allows a player to repair broken bridges and other material objects.

Kabegami: Represents the Cat of the Zodiac. God of the Catwalk, with this power, if a player finds a statue of the cat and draws a vertical line from it, the player will be able to jump up the wall without falling.

photos by Wikipedia.com

photo by heather storck

Brush techniques

As like many action-adventure games, the tutorial starts off right as play time begins. During the long explanations, a key to beating this game is introduced: The Celestial Brush. The Celetisal Brush is just what it sounds like, a paintbrush with magical powers. The powers of the brush are supplied by the other gods that worship under Amaterasu giving the goddess powers that she used to have. Using the brush is a must if a player wants to beat Okami effectively. While some gamers thought that the brush was well suited for such an artistic game, many thought Okami should have been for the newest Nintendo Wii system. Atsushi Inaba, a member of the Clover Studio Staff and head producer of Okami said that the game was purely an action game and the Wii controller would not be suited for the overall performance of this unique game play.

Mood music

Yumigami: Represents the Rabbit of the Zodiac. God of the Crescent, his power allows players to change the time from night to day by drawing a crescent in the sky.

Gekigami: Represents the Tiger of the Zodiac. God of the Thunderstorm, this power allows a player to take the power of a lightning bolt and trace it to an enemy giving them a super charged attack.

Itegami: Represents the Oxen of the Zodiac. God of the Blizzard, this power lets a player trace a line from a block of ice to almost anything, freezing it instantaneously. When Amaterasu gets this power, she also acquires one of the three ultimate weapons.

Calendar

APRIL TUESDAY March 20, 2007

by Zach Katchman & Jack Liu

Sunday

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday

4:30 PM - Girls Softball vs. HAMILTON (home)

4:30 PM - Boys Baseball vs. COLERAIN (home)

3rd Quarter Report Cards

16 4:30 PM - Boys Baseball vs. MIDDLETOWN (home)

17 7 PM - Girls Lacrosse vs. INDIAN HILL (home)

12 DIVERSITY DAY 7 PM - Girls Lacrosse vs. MASON (home)

7 PM - Boys Vollyball vs. LAKOTA E. (home)

4:30 PM - Boys Baseball vs. HARRISON (home)

OGT TESTING EARLY RELEASE

19 19th - 22nd The SECRET GARDEN (Spring Musical)

7 PM - Boys Vollyball vs. HAMILTON (home)

24 Golden Baton Relays

Spring Musical

25 Fashion Show 6:30-8:30 in the commons.

7 PM - Boys Vollyball vs. FAIRFIELD (home)

30 7 PM - Girls Lacrosse vs. MT. NOTRE DAME (home)

Friday

NO SCHOOL

Spring Vacation Day.

Saturday

1 PM - Boys Lacrosse vs. CCD (home)

8 PM - Boys Lacrosse vs. HILLIARD DAVIDSON (home)

REDs opening day

2007

26 7 PM - Boys Vollyball vs. LAKOTA W. (home)

13 4:30 PM - Girls Softball vs. PRINCETON (home) 8 PM - Boys Tennis vs. ELDER (home)

4:30 PM - Boys Baseball vs. FAIRFIELD (home)

14 7:30 PM - Boys Lacrosse vs. ST. XAVIER (home) 9 AM - Boys Vollyball tournament (home)

21 9 AM - Boys Vollyball tournament (home)

8 PM - Boys Tennis vs. U. ARLILNGTON (home)

10 AM - Girls Lacrosse vs. U. ARLINGTON & T.W. (home)

Spring Musical

27 Sycamore @ 8 PM - Boys Hamilton Lacrosse vs. Girls JV-6PM LAKOTA WEST Girls V-7:30PM (home)

28 PROM at Paul Brown Stadium Afterprom - HS

30 sports

NADIA’S^NEWS Federer’s flaunting nature does not pay off this time Top tennis player loses before breaking prestigious record

Athletics Boys lacrosse team prepares due for season with scrimmages, difficult practices UP Hope hard work, TUESDAY March 20, 2007

determination will pay off in end with state title

by Nadia Khan

Jump ahead to page 31 to check out how the girls lacrosse team is fairing at the beginning of their season.

by Nick Wylie

PREPARING TO CATCH A PASS is a member of last year’s lacrosse team. The boys hope to have a successful season this year with many players willing to put in the time and effort necessary for a stat championship hopeful team. With hard work and determination, the boys worked hard in the offseason to prepare for big games. Scrimmages and practices have given the team a chance to bond and prepare for the upcoming season.

image by nadia khan

“Records are meant to be broken.” Maybe so, but then why is it that whenever Roger Federer comes close to breaking one, my heart drops? Quite frankly, there are some records that I just do not want him to break. That is why I was overcome with joy when I learned that Guillermo Canas had defeated Federer in the second round of the Pacific Life Open on March 8, ending his 41-match winning streak and his chances of breaking Guillermo Vilas’s 46-match winning streak record. Though I do get extremely elated every time Federer loses, seeing as it is a very rare occurrence, this was just the icing on the cake—that Canas had stopped him from breaking yet another record that people worldwide were so fixed on believing that he would. To understand where all this animosity coming from, there are some things about Federer and about myself that are important to know. First of all, I grew up watching the great Pete Sampras play and dominate the game of tennis in the 90s. People called, and still call, him the best player that tennis has ever seen. So when this young 20-year old Swiss player came out of nowhere and beat Sampras in the fourth round of Wimbledon in 2001, I guess you could say I was upset, especially knowing that Sampras’s time with the sport was almost over. See, I am not one to hold grudges, but this kid got me started. At the age of 11, not only was I upset, I was furious, and to this day I remain furious, not because he beat Sampras at Wimbledon (I got over that, things like that happen—people lose), but because Federer remains as cocky as they come. I know that Roger Federer is an amazing tennis player, and for that I respect him. But it is one thing to be great and know it, yet keep it to oneself, like the ever-humble Andre Agassi, or even Sampras, who was not one to flaunt is success and skills in front of others, but Federer really is something else. Boasting and bragging do not even begin to describe his demeanor. “I mean, look, I guess I’m the best tennis player in the world. You can call me a genius because I’m outplaying many of my opponents, kind of maybe playing a bit different, you know, winning when I’m not playing my best. All of that maybe means a little bit of that. So it’s nice,” said Federer after winning his third Australian Open title earlier this year. And the saddest part about all of this is that people tolerate his character flaws and make excuses for him, saying that he is the one person who can talk that way because he is the best. But who is really authorized to say he is the best? It is all a matter of opinion, is it not? When there is someone like Federer, single-handedly dominating a sport with little or no obstacles in his path, he usually has some sense of humility as with Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods, but that is not the case with Roger Federer. So excuse me if I would appreciate a little show of modesty from someone they call the greatest in the classiest sport in the world. In reality, yes Federer has ten grand slam titles under his belt, only four short of Sampras’s world record. Will he break the record? Probably. But that is not going to stop me hoping that he does not.

o short cuts” This quote is the heartbeat of the mens lacrosse team. As in any sport the attitude and work ethic of the players will determine how far they will go this season. Since the summer, the coaches have been working on basic skills and attitudes trying to mold individual players into a team. Working together will be a major factor of the team’s success. “We as coaches want to instill the importance of playing as a team and not playing as individuals, this is the first step into forming a successful team,” said Coach Tom Nugent. In the off season the boys worked hard on stick skills, and improving their lacrosse knowledge. Pick up games and team film sessions were all a part of this off-season work. Some athletes participated in indoor leagues, playing among the top teams in the city. This offseason work is set to provide a huge advancement in player’s performance. With the off-season behind and partial experience under their belt, the boys are ready to undergo the full strain of the season. Critical games this season will include Moeller, Indian Hill, and St. X. Winning these games would be a pivotal notion for the team to advance in the state tournament which follows the regular season. “The team knows where they stand after scrimmaging Moeller and it was a good lesson for the team to build off of,” said Nugent. The Aves will kick off their season against Indianapolis Cathedral on March 17. Oening games have more importance and hype, which are major factors on how well the team plays, than scrimmages. Students and fans alike will have their opportunity to watch the boys play Glenbrook North of Chicago at home on March 23rd. This event is a milestone to the lacrosse program because it will be the first men’s lacrosse game on the newly renovated Bud Acus Field. Playing hard and establishing a common knowledge that the team will compete annually for a city championship will start with defending home turf. Having team and school support will be greatly appreciated and is needed for decisive games. Fans can change the atmosphere, which the team can feed off of. So come out and support the boys lacrosse team as they look forward to a successful 2007 season and hopefully another state championship as the one they claimed in 2004.

Go on over to page 32 to see how the mens volleyball team is preparing for the upcoming season.

Hurdle on over to page 33 to see how girls track plans to have a successful season this spring.

Head over to pages 34-35 to see who the athlete of the winter season were (chosen by coaches for each winter sport.)

Athletics

TUESDAY March 20, 2007

Bittersweet wrestling season comes to end

Team reflects on District losses, sports awards given by Molly Essell

photo by jeremy mcdaniel

fter last month’s District tournament held at Fairfield High School, no wrestlers remained in the bracket for the State tournament. Four wrestlers competed in Districts: Joe Alemagno, 11, Terrence Boggs, 11, Joey Fixler, 12, and Zach Star, 12. On the first day of Districts, Friday, Boggs, Fixler, and Star won one match and lost one match. Alemagno unfortunately lost both matches on Friday night. The tournament was two and out, meaning after two losses, the wrestler is out of the tournament. On Saturday, Boggs and Fixler lost their first match of the day, ending their hopes of placing top four and qualifying to State. Star, however, won his first match, sending him to the Consolation Finals. In the Consolation Finals, if the wrestler wins, he or she automatically qualifies to State and makes it to the finals of 3rd and 4th, if he or she lose; he or she still wrestles in the finals for 5th and 6th, the 5th place wrestler being the alternate for their weight class. Star lost to Sidney’s 215 wrestler, not qualifying him for State, but placing him in the finals set for later that Saturday night for the chance to become an alternate for State. In the finals that night, Star wrestled Milford’s George Emmons. After the third period, Star lost 13-8, leaving him with 6th place. Star was the only Sycamore wrestler to place at Districts. Some varsity teammates still went to the State tournament on March 3rd, 4th, and 5th to support local wrestlers from schools such as Moeller, St. Xavier, Elder, Harrison, and Lakota West. Since the State tournament is over, the team moves on from lost hopes at Districts, to awarding their hard work throughout the entire season. At Sports Awards on Wednesday March 7, three seniors and one junior picked up awards given by the coaches. The Most Valuable Wrestler award was given to Fixler, who had a tremendous season this year, placing third in the Coaches Classic and second at the Sycamore Invitational. The Most Improved Award was given to Star, after he came back from having a losing record earlier in the season to placing second at Sectionals and being the only wrestler to make it to Districts and placing sixth there. Another senior awarded at the Sports Awards was Caleb Lipsey, who had an illfated end after having a successful season. Lipsey ended the season with a shoulder injury after the GMC Championship and was therefore not able to perform in the end of the season tournaments. Lipsey was given the Most Pins award, which was also given to Donny Herrington, 11, who tied Lipsey’s record. Herrington was also given the Most Takedowns award. Four seniors take their leave from the varsity team, leaving the juniors ready to step up for next season. “I’m glad to end the season well, hopefully the underclassmen will do well next year,” said Star.

JUNIOR JOEY ALEMAGNO SLAMS HIS opponent to the ground in a victorious match during the Sycamore Invitational in January. Alemagno was one of four Varsity wrestlers to make it past the Sectional Finals to move on to the District Finals. Unfortunately, no wrestlers succeeded in placing top four in Districts to make it to State.

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‘We have one goal and that is to win a State Championship’

Varsity girls lacrosse begins season by Grace Naugle

With three games down, there many more to go on the road to winning a State Championship for the girls lacrosse team. “We have one goal and that is to win a State Championship. We’re going into this season determined not to let anything get in the way,” said Jackie Pittman, 11. Varsity head coach Ed Clark along with assistant Joni Petro plan to lead the team to victory towards this single goal of a State Championship. “We are all really excited for this season to get started because we know it is going to be a great year,” said Becca McLouth, 11. The JV team will be coached by sisters Joanna and Allison Harrod, both alumni of Sycamore and Wooster College. The varsity team has many themes that will be prevalent and underlying as the season continues, especially the idea of perseverance; also, the team plans to incorporate speed in everything they do. All four classes on varsity will work together and will be lead by 11 seniors. “I am really looking forward to this year because our senior class has some really strong players, and this year is going to be so much fun,” said Katie Post, 10. The Sticks Up! Preseason Poll has finally been released. According to sticksup. com, Sycamore is placed second and the “Lady Aves missed Final Four last year, but only lost 3 seniors. They’ve been close before ‘07 could be their year”. “We might be in the underdog spot, but we are going to play like were in first till we are number one!” said Lily Ricci, 10. Already, Varsity has traveled to Louisville, Kentucky for the annual Ice Breaker Lacrosse Festival. There, they defeated opponent Louisville Manual 15-3. Also, goalie Brett Yeager, 11, experienced her first career shut out in the win against Franklin Tennessee at 10-0. “It’s great to be playing again after having to sit last year out because I tore my ACL. We are definitely going to be unstoppable with all of our seniors!” said Brittney Rothe, 12. The team plans to travel together in a Spring Break trip to Ocean City, Maryland. They will play different competition on the road and the girls consider it a great time for team bonding. Other strong competition for the season include: Upper Arlington, Thomas Worthington, Columbus Academy and New Trier. The Student Section is also anticipating the season and looking forward to attending the games and supporting the team. “I am real excited to support the girls lacrosse team this year and will be one of the many fans in the student sections. I will be rooting especially for number four,” said Pat Fox, 12. The girls have started down the road towards a State Championship and will not look back until they have reached the finish line.

Athletics TUESDAY March 20, 2007

Mens volleyball ready to compete

Four seniors return from last season’s second place finish by Ben Estes

pring means the dawning of a new sports season, and included in that is the Men’s Volleyball team. The team will be looking to repeat or even expand upon last year’s successful 16-6 season, which saw a 7-1 record against teams also from the Greater Miami Conference, resulting in a second-place finish. However, it will be a challenge to have a similar record. The team loses seven seniors from a year ago, which was over half of the team. Mr. Kevin Lucas returns as the squad’s head coach. He will be depending on the four returning seniors, Tracey Bracher, Alex Reed, Niko Suntay, and Tony Marquardt (who was on the All-GMC First Team a year ago), to provide leadership and solid play during the season. “I’m definitely getting pumped for the season. Being a senior on the team is what I’ve been looking forward to, and now that it’s here, I’m excited,” said

Tracey Bracher, 12 prepares to spike the ball for last year’s mens volleyball team. Bracher is one of the seniors expected to be a leader on this year’s team. This season, the team will try to build upon last season’s second place finish.

senior Sunday. The youngest player from last season, Daniel Boger, 10, is also ready to contribute to a good campaign. “I was the youngest player on the team, but my teammates treated me well. Now, with more experience, I’m looking forward to playing well,” said Boger. Tryouts began on March 6th and lasted only a short while. Many players were glad that the stressful time was over. “Now the focus can be on winning some games,” said Suntay. However, not all participants in the program from last year are returning. One such example, Bill Pan, 11 cites lack of interest. “I was just never as into it as I should have been, so I decided not to play again this year,” said Pan. Those that will be part of the team are ready and willing to work hard for another GMC Championship.

Support Varsity, JV Volleyball

Home games

Date 4/10 4/14 4/17 4/18 4/21 4/24 4/25 4/26 5/2

Team Lakota East Quad Match Hamilton Moeller Quad Match Fairfield Roger Bacon Lakota West St. Xavier

Quad Matches start at 9 AM Other games 5:45/7 PM

oys tennis team set rave cold weather, wind

all images by jeremy spiegel

by Bobby Jungerwirth Tryouts for Men’s Tennis began on Monday March 5th. In the two weeks before tryouts, the team conditioned every other day. In addition to that, the team has had optional conditioning at 6:00 a.m. every Tuesday and Thursday since the beginning of the school year. That first day of tryouts, the freshmen and sophomores began at 2:45 and continued to tryout until 4:30. The juniors and seniors then tried out from 4:30 to 6:30. After the first day, Coach Mike Teets had some of the better freshmen and sophomores attend the later group and asked some of the not-so-talented juniors and seniors to attend the first group. “There are a lot of freshmen trying out this year,” said Ian Wilson, 9. The weather outside has been cooperating…somewhat. The

temperature has not been horrible, and it has not rained yet. If all goes as planned, tryouts will go through Friday. Although the weather has not been that bad, the temperatures have dropped, especially for the second group. The wind has also been a problem. “Be prepared to play; bring gloves, hats, sweatshirts, sweatpants…” said Coach Teets. As the week went on, Coach Teets had some of the players keep playing singles to find out who the better singles players are. The others played doubles, in order to give him a better view of which players were better at playing in each position. Although they are tryouts and it is a competition to get on the team, the athletes have to remember that they are indeed teammates, and they are working towards the same goal. “Remember, if a ball is close, it’s in,” said Coach Teets.

Seniors lead team’s rebound by Jeremy Spiegel

Track team runs for first

The boys and girls track season starts March 27 at the GMC JV meet. Between now and then, the teams have a lot of work to do to prepare. “We need to train to prepare. The season is coming quickly, and we still need to work harder,” said John Stucker, 10. Both teams will try to rebound from disappointing years. The boys’ team finished sixth last year, while the girls placed fourth. “We didn’t do as well as we should have last year, and that is definitely motivation for this year,” said Stucker. If the team is to do better that last year, they will need to rely on team leaders Taylor Williams, 12, who had the fastest 3200 meter time of any runner in the GMC last year, and Mike Latessa, 12, one of the fastest runners on the team.

After their opening meets, the team has a long season before the GMC mmets from May 9th through 11th. After that, they hope to send many athletes to the regional meet at the end of May. The teams are hoping that their experienced, talented seniors combined with underclassmen such as Stucker and Alanah Sonntag, 10, will allow them to finish higher then their record of last year.

Circle these dates to watch teams Date Meet Site 4/2, 4/3 Coaches Classic 4/13 Mason Relays 4/17 GMC JV Meet 4/19 JV Meet 4/20 Varsity Meet 4/24 Princeton Inv. 4/26, 4/27 Anderson Inv

Fairfield Mason Fairfield Harrison Harrison Princeton Anderson

Teams try to improve

Taylor Williams: 1st in GMC 1600 m, Taylor Williams: 4th in state tournament

Other standouts Boys

Cameron Luning, long jump Shanon Williams, high jump Luke Twaney, hurdles Steven Hall: 400 m Many relay teams and individuals went to regionals

Girls 4th in GMC in track Morgan Swedburg: 100 hurdles Alanah Sonntag: distance Ali Shewmon: sprinting and mid-distance

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Mike Latessa, 12, runs for last year’s track and field team. Latessa is expected to be a leader on this year’s team. The track team begins their season on April 5th.

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Athletics

TUESDAY March 20, 2007

‘best things about track: lots of friends, nice weather, and get in shape’

Track, field work together by Sam Cleary, Melodie Jeng, Rachel Schneider, Min Young Sohn, Matt Mendelsohn, Heather Storck, Garrett Steed

very year, athletes gather as a team for one of the oldest, most competitive athletic events in the district. Track and field has existed since the birth of the school and it has always been an extremely anticipated season. The upcoming girls track and field team promises to be no different. With unity and success based in teamwork, they will begin with many old and many fresh faces. “We have a lot of the same people returning to the team, and a lot of new potential,” said Ali Shewman, 11. Despite the common misconception, track and field is not just about running. The sport is composed of an array of events, both on the track, and on the field (hence the name). “People seem to think we just run, but there’s so much more to it than that,” said Danielle Fleming, 9.

Track events

Because there are many of the same people returning to the team, there is a lot of potential for the upcoming season. Freshman will also play an important role in this promising group of athletes. “I’m excited to see what the incoming freshmen bring to the team this year,” Deena Schwen, 11. The track and field participants are usually separated and only see each other on meet days and during conditioning before the girls split up to practice their specialty. In track, there are twelve events which include various types of relays, hurdles, sprints, and long distance. The track team’s goal is to send girls to Regionals and hopefully win the GMC, improving upon last year when they went to Districts. “I have a feeling we are going to do really well, since we lost some good runners from last year it makes us want to work even harder,” said Meredith Love, 12. Top runners include Alanah Sonntag, 10, Jessie Tufts, 11, Alison Kirgis, 11, and Emily Kosel, 11. All of the girls are devoted to the team and to their individual events. They value their time both practicing together and when divided by their specialty. Not only do the team members work well together, but they really appreciate the effort and guidance provided by the coaches. “The coaches are awesome, always there to support through good and bad times,” said Shewman. The girls are encouraged by their teammates, coaches, and successful events. Everyone gets really pumped up during the races and always cheer each other on. “There’s nothing better than the feeling of a good hand-off during your relay,” said Chelsea Plageman, 11. One of the most underappreciated aspects of track and field, is the field part. Many people do not give it the recognition that others may give to the track events. These events, though, are just as difficult. The training is an example of its level of difficulty. The athletes do sprints and pylos, to improve their fast-twitch muscles. Also, many practice with or without their equipment for about one-two weeks as general training, before moving on to more specific training during or after spring break. Some main field events are the shot-put and discus throw. A discus is a two pound rubber or metal disc, while a shot-put uses an eight pound dense metal ball. The object of both events is to project the discuss or shot-put as far as possible. Due to the difficult technique and body positions, there are a lot of opportunities for error and a perfect throw is almost random. One of the returning shot and discus throwers is Ellen Farr, 11, who finished fourth in the GMC in the discus throw. “It feels good when you get a perfect throw,” said Farr. Participation in the sport is key, because it is very difficult to compete in both track and field events, as many events run at the same time. The great thing about field is that people are always participating, and they are never benched. Field is an essential part of track and field, but is mostly overlooked because of the few events it has.

EVEN THOUGH THE GIRLS HAVE their individual events, they are still working together as a team. Track and field condition and compete together, Teamwork holds girls together but also focus on Past and present teams have become close friends on and off the track. They are united in their goals and work as a team to achieve them. Although they must their own goals. “I have a feeling we consistently work hard, the girls enjoy their sport because of the friends they are going to do make. really well,” said “We always say ‘hull butt and keep turning left’, it’s just a track thing,” said Devon Feagons, 11. Love.

Ellen Farr, 11 discusses love for discus

What other school activities are you involved in? Most everything in band – pep band, marching band, big band, concert band – playing alto saxophone, Spanish club, winter and spring track. How long have you been on track and field? Since 7th grade Why did you choose to throw discus over shot put and other events? My original idea was to do the 4x100 and 4x200 relays. On the first day of the events, I was walking down the steps and I asked Mr. Izzy (Junior High shot and disc coach), where they were and he said “You look like you could do well in shot in disc.” So, I tried out, did well, and ended up liking it. What are some of your goals for this season? I’d like to hit 110 feet. I’d like to beat the Mason thrower because I missed regional’s by a foot last year. So, I’d definitely like to make regionals and place in more meets. What motivates you to work hard in throwing? Track is really nice because it’s an individual sport (with some team aspects). If you get a PR, you may not win; you may be in 17th place. But, even if you didn’t win, it’s better than before. It’s not as disheartening as team sports sometimes. What is your favorite track memory? In 7th grade, my first year, I wasn’t very good. But, I PR-ed at the GMC’s with 80 ft. I thought for sure I’d get seventh or eighth. Each time someone throws you cringe and prepare yourself for a throw farther than yours . . . that never came. I ended up winning the GMC’s, it was really cool.

photo by jeremy mcdaniel

Field events

Who is the coach and who else throws? Mr. Ogdan is the coach right now, it used to be Coach Marlatt my freshman year. I’m the only girl thrower right now. Do track and field! I’d really like someone to throw with. Why should people come to watch the meets? It’s something that’s funny to watch because throwing a discus looks so weird. It’s really interesting to see. At the matches, you watch the guys hit 110 feet and you’re all like “Oh my god! That was amazing!” It’s just fun to see how good people are. What are meets like? You have to learn to calm down and focus on yourself. If you mess it up, you have no one else to blame but yourself. What are practices like? Practices are fun because we’re out in East Boofoo, in the middle of the track. It’s purely individual so you can work on yourself the entire time. Do you think field events are overshadowed by track/running events? Extremely. Whenever I tell someone I do track, they always ask what do you run, not what’s your event. What is something most people might not know about throwing? Throwing a disc is not like throwing a frisbee. They’re two pounds, if you try to, you’ll probably break your wrist. I hate when people mix up shot in the disc. In the newspaper, you see so-and-so threw 110 feet in shot put and you go “What?!” Shot is a big brown metal ball, the discus is flat.

Athletics

A t h l e t e s of Scott Dennis, 11

“[Scott] is a great player, but an even better person,” said Coach Stan Kaniecki. Season averages: 8 pts, 5 reb, 4 ast, 2 stl, 44% 3 pt Best Games: 19 pts vs. Hughes in Sectional (missed only 1 shot) 15 pts, 8 reb, 7 ast, 6 stl, 0 to vs. Fairfield

TUESDAY March 20, 2007

the

Amy Austin, 12

-4-year participatant -One of the captains this year “As a fellow captain, Amy has worked really hard this year and has continued to stick with it through hard times,” says teammate Lori Adler, 12.

Leah Goldfarb, 10 “Leah is just a great addition to our team. Whenever we are down, she’s the one to get us back up again,” said teammate Lisa Wu.

Sam Snow, 12 Dan Rubin, 12

-Averaged 31 shots on goals per game. -Faced over 1000 shots in the season. -3.81 Goals Against Average per game. -87.5% save percentage. -11W-16L-2T record with 2 shutouts.

Guatam Nagendra, 10

Dan Dukart, 11

Led team in scoring: 40 goals, 21 assists in 33 games 2nd in the league: 15 goals, 8 assists in 11 games -Named 2nd team All-Star Forward for Southwest Ohio School Hockey League

“Ever since our second match, we have gone on a winning streak to tie for first. It has been a team effort throughout this winning streak, and everyone has their strengths,” said Snow. -There are three rounds in a quiz team match, and Snow participates in all three.

“Guatam is the two time league MVP as well as our two-time team MVP. Since he is only a sophomore, I’m looking forward to two more sucessful years for him. He was 18-0 this year on board #1 and has a 35-1 career record at the high school, all on first board,” said Coach Keith Brackenridge.

Athletics

Season

TUESDAY March 20, 2007

by Molly Essell, Grace Naugle & Tom Stoughton

Alex Norris, 9

Mark Bernstein, 12

“Alex is only a freshman and has a tremendous upside to her potential. Just to get to the state meet as a freshman is remarkable but Alex did it in all four of her events and scored in them as well. She is truly one of the top swimmers in the state. 100 butterfly 11th, 200 individual medley 11th, 200 freestyle relay 9th, 400 freestyle relay 9th,” said Coach Dan Carl.

“Mark has been a leader in our program for the past couple of years. He finished off his senior year scoring in all four of his events at the State meet. 200 freestyle 15th, 500 freestyle 13th, 200 medley relay 8th, and 400 freestyle relay 14th. A fantastic finish to his senior year and career at Sycamore,” said Coach Dan Carl.

All photos by jeremy mcdaniel

Brian Ruff, 12

Winter athletes were chosen for an end-ofthe-season spotlight. These players were selected by coaches based on effort, teamwork, talent, and contributions to their team.

Profile: -Varsity diver for 4 years -GMC Champion this year -Team Captain -Placed 10th at Districts

Abbie Tepe, 12

Zach Star, 12

Average: 173 High: 222

Nick Schmidt, 11

Season averages: 10 points, 5.9 assists, 3 steals, 4 rebounds, 66.3% FT shooting. Rankings: 1st in GMC in assists 4th in GMC in steals

“This year was my best year after coming back from two years of injuries, so being able to complete this season was good for me,” said Star. Important finishes: 4th at GMC 2nd at Sectionals 6th at Districts -Star is planning on wrestling at Ohio University next year.

Average: 111 High: 139

Christine Kuhlman, 12

Winter’s Transactions February 2/8/07 Signed RHP Bronson Arroyo to a two-year contract extension through the 2010 season with a club option for 2011. 2/6/07 Signed RHP Aaron Harang to a four-year contract.

Athletics

Ready to begin TUESDAY March 20, 2007

eds reload after

2/5 Signed LHP Eddie Guardado to a Minor League contract with an invitation to Spring Training. January 1/23 Acquired RHP Kirk Saarloos and a player to be named from the Oakland Athletics for RHP David Shafer and a player to be named; Signed INF Mark Bellhorn to a Minor League contract with an invitation to Major League Spring Training. 1/16 Signed RHP Kyle Lohse to a one-year contract.

image by The Enquirer/Jeff Swinger

1/15 Signed RHP Paul Wilson to a Minor League contract and invited him to Spring Training. 1/10 Acquired INF Jeff Keppinger from Kansas City in exchange for RHP Russ Haltiwanger; Designated INF Ray Olmedo for assignment. December 12/21 Acquired INF/OF Jeff Conine from the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for Minor League INF Brad Key and Minor League OF Javon Moran; Designated IF Brendan Harris for assignment. 12/14 MLB nullified the waiver claim for LHP Bobby Livingston by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and the subsequent trade to the Philadelphia Phillies and assigned him to the Cincinnati Reds. 12/13 Signed C Miguel Perez to a Minor League contract and invited him to Spring Training. 12/12 Signed RHP David Weathers to a two-year contract; Designated LHP Brandon Claussen for assignment; Non-tendered LHP Brandon Claussen and C Miguel Perez, making them free agents. 12/7 Acquired OF Josh Hamilton from the Cubs in exchange for an undisclosed amount of cash; Selected RHP Jared Burton from the A’s in the Rule 5 draft. November 11/27 Signed C Chad Moeller to a one-year contract. 11/20 Signed SS Alex Gonzalez to a three-year contract through the 2009 season with a mutual option for 2010; Signed LHP Mike Stanton to a two-year contract through the 2008 season with a club option for 2009; Sent C Jason LaRue to the Kansas City Royals for a minor league player to be named; Purchased the contracts of OF Chris Dickerson, RHP Calvin Medlock and RHP David Shafer from Double-A Chattanooga. 11/10 Released RHP Jason Standridge; Signed OF Bubba Crosby to a one-year Major League contract.

HOMER BAILEY DELIVERS A PITCH towards home plate in spring training. Bailey is one of the highest rated prospects in minor league baseball and many Reds fans are clamoring for him to make the big league roster. GM Wayne Krivsky remains adament that Bailey will start the season in AAA Louisville. by Jared Kamrass & Matt Mendelsohn

ost experts predicted a fifth or sixth place finish for the 2006 version of the Cincinnati Reds. A tumultuous off-season with a complete overhaul of the front office, including the takeover of owner Bob Castellini, and GM Wayne Krivsky, left the organization searching for an identity. A flurry of personnel moves and a stroke of luck left the Reds in contention up until the final weeks of the season. Krivsky was a candidate for Executive of the Year and manager Jerry Narron was being praised as turning around the team. As the off-season began, Krivsky sat idly by as a flood of transactions involving rival and divisional teams occurred. Some blamed Cincinnati ’s status as a small market team, but after the fleeting taste of success, many fans became frustrated. Krivsky fell out of favor with many fans after a relatively inactive winter, but has recently redeemed himself with the long-term signings of Ps Bronson Arroyo and Aaron Harang. Arroyo and Harang are without a doubt the building blocks of the organization and the cornerstone to a hopeful playoff berth. However, the organization did little to build around the two hurlers this winter. Their most notable pickup was SS Alex Gonzalez, a slick fielder but not one to intimidate pitchers when he steps up to the plate. The former Red Sox infielder went more than seventy straight games without committing an error. The biggest addition to Reds this season may be one that had nothing to do with new personnel. OF Ken Griffey, Jr. told Chick Ludwig of the Dayton Daily News in January that he would be willing to move from his career-long home of centerfield to rightfield. Griffey has been plagued with injury and reduced mobility since being acquired from the Seattle Mariners.

Griffey had previously been unwilling to consider a move, but a conversation with manager Jerry Narron and front office staff convinced Junior so that his glaring inability to cover ground in center would no longer be a liability With Griffey’s expected shift to right, supersub Ryan Freel gets the nod in center. Freel made headlines last year with his remarkable catches in the outfield and while detailing to local media outlets about his imaginary friend, Farney, and his exploits. While the Reds remained largely inactive this off-season, their colleagues in the National League Central were lively in the free agent market and pursuing trades. The Cubs alone spent north of $300 million on players such as OF Alfonso Soriano and P Jason Marquis and the defending World Series champion Cardinals added more pieces to their team including 2B Adam Kennedy. Although the Reds may have their shortcomings this season, their improved minor league farm system shows hope for the near and distant future with top position players and pitchers throughout the organization. Wunderkind Homer Bailey is considered by many the best pitcher in minor league baseball, and will be competing for the fifth and final spot in the rotation. Johnny Cueto and Travis Wood join Bailey as being stud pitchers in the Reds organization. Jay Bruce, Drew Stubbs, and Joey Votto give the Reds three premium bats at the top of their minor league system. Bruce and Votto look to be competing for starting spots next season while Votto looks for a mid-season call-up. Given the lack of activity this winter, and division rivals surpassing the Reds in talent, we predict a fifth place finish in the National League Central Division with only the Pittsburgh Pirates finishing behind the Reds

News from around the Reds’ divison St. Louis

Following the team’s first world championship since 1982, the team had a pretty inactive offseason, keeping the core of the team intact. Losing Jeff Weaver, Jeff Suppan, and Jason Marquis from the starting rotation, will hurt, but the Cardinals were able to resign former all-star, Mark Mulder. They also addressed their need at second base, signing Adam Kennedy from the Angels. The Cardinals return the 2006 Cy Young winner, Chris Carpenter, along with Anthony Reyes and Adam Wainwright. The back of the bullpen will be scrutinized, especially the health of closer Jason Isringhausen. The offense will again be one of the top in the Central, led by AllStars Albert Pujols, Scott Rolen and Jim Edmonds. Atop the lineup will be the scrappy David Eckstein. The Cardinals will again be a contender for the Division Crown With all-stars on the pitching staff and in the line-up, look for the Cardinals to stay on top of the NL Central.

Milwaukee

The Brewers had a pretty successful offseason, but may have actually lost more than they gained. Although they acquired a former all-star, catcher Johnny Estrada, they did lose a solid pitcher look to replace Davis in the rotation. They also overpaid for pitcher Jeff Suppan, taking him away from their division rival. The returnees, led by first baseman Prince Fielder and second baseman Rickie Weeks. The club lost a lot of power when they traded Carlos Lee at last July, but Bill Hall and Kevin Mench will try to fill the void. Ben Sheets, when healthy, is one of the top starters in the game, but staying healthy is the key. All-star closer Derrick Turnbow completely lost control at the end of the year, and whether he can return to his all-star form will go a long way in improving the bullpen. With a great cast of home-grown talent, the Brewers will be competitive this season and will look to finish in the middle of the NL Central.

Pittsburgh

One of the more active teams in the NL Central, the Pirates have finished in the bottom half of the division since the beginning of time, but have made acquisitions to help them move up in the standings. They traded for 1B Adam LaRoche, and signed pitchers Tony Armas, Dan Kolb, and Shawn Chacon. They had only one key loss, but it was a big one, all-star closer Mike Gonzalez. The Pirates did not have many of bright spots last season, but they do have a solid staff of young pitchers such as Zack Duke, Ian Snell, Paul Maholm, and Tom Gorzelanny. The offense, led by All-Stars Jason Bay and Sanchez, has potential, but may not be able to support the young pitching staff. The Pirates have been active this off-season, and have some great young talent, but do not count on them to make it to the top half of the division.

Athletics

TUESDAY March 20, 2007

disappointing finish to 2006

their 2007 campaign

ANDY FURMAN SITS IN THE studio of 96.5 SuperTalkFM. Furman is one of Cincinnati’s leading sports talk show hosts. He has been covering Cincinnati sports for over two decades.

Play Ball LF Adam Dunn Bubba Crosby

Reds’ depth chart to start spring training CF Ryan Freel Norris Hopper RF Ken Griffety, Jr. Chris Denorfia

SS Alex Gonzalez Juan Castro

3B Edwin Encarnacion Jeff Conine

image courtesy of cincinnati enquirer

SuperTalk FM 96.5’s Andy Furman discusses the 2007 Cincinnati Reds

2B Brandon Phillips Juan Castro Starting Pitchers Aaron Harang Bronson Arroyo Kyle Lohse Eric Milton Kirk Saarloos Closer David Weathers

1B Scott Hatteberg Jeff Conine

C David Ross Chad Moeller

Which new addition to the club or holdover do you think will have the biggest impact? Of the holdovers, It looks as if Aaron Harang will have the biggest impact. He is one of the top pitchers in the league, and I’m glad they were able to resign him to a long-term deal. What are the strengths and weaknesses of this 2007 club? This team has several strengths and weaknesses, but I think their biggest strength will be their starting pitching, thanks to Aaron Harang and Bronson Arroyo. Of weaknesses, I would have to say that although they have improved the defense, it is still a weakness and the bench and bullpen are still pretty inconsistent. Who do you personally believe will win the fifth starter out of camp? Although many people will disagree with me, I think that Homer Bailey will seize the 5th starter’s job in spring training. He has way too good of stuff for the Reds not to head north without him Will last years bargain bin pickups (David Ross, Brandon Phillips, etc.) repeat their success from last season? Do you see another breakout player on this club? Both players had great success and breakout years to the career last season. However, I don’t think that David Ross will be able to repeat that kind of season. On the other hand, I think Brandon Phillips looks to be a very solid player, and should repeat, if not better his stats from last season. Everyone is wondering when Homer Bailey will be called up, when do you think that will happen? And what impact do you think he will have on the team this year? As I said earlier, I firmly think that Homer will be with the club when they exit spring training. They may want to hold him back, to “protect” him, but if he is so good, the Reds may need him right away. Adam Dunn is a huge question mark. If he his traded the Reds will lose most of the power from their offense. But he could bring in some solid talent. How do you think the situation will play out? Adam Dunn may produce a huge source of power that many teams lack. However, I think that the Reds are trying to trade him, but the problem is that no one wants to take on his salary or him because of his huge amounts of strike outs and fielding deficiencies. What do you think of Krivsky’s inactivity this offeseaon? Do you see any deals coming in the future for the Reds? Wayne Krivsky’s lack of inactivity this season is due simply to the fact that he lacked money, and with the market so out of control, just didn’t seem like it was the right moment to make a move. Can you offer up a prediction for the Reds’ season? My overall prediction for the Cincinnati Reds this season. is a disappointing 5th place finish. I’m sorry, but I’m being realistic.

Teams make multitude of changes around league The Cubs were the most active team in the NL Central this season, shelling out over $300 million to free agents. The biggest prize was outfielder Alfonso Soriano, who last year joined the 40-40 club (home runs-steals). They also signed starting pitchers Ted Lilly and Jason Marquis, the latter from the division rival Cardinals. The Cubs were not finished, signing super-utility man Mark DeRosa and outfielder Cliff Floyd, before trading for relief pitcher Neal Cotts, completing the busiest offseason in the division. The Cub’s offense was pedestrian last season, but the new additions, along with the return of first baseman Derek Lee, third baseman Aramis Ramirez, and outfielder Jacque Jones should make the offense more powerful. The pitching staff is led by Carlos Zambrano, but beyond him, there are big question marks surrounding Mark Prior and Kerry Wood’s medical history. The Cubs will have the best pitching staff in the Central. The bullpen is solid, but Ryan Dempster at times was shaky at closer. The cubs have improved the most of any team in the Central, and look for them to compete among the top of the divison.

Houston

Chicago

Have effects on Reds, others as well The Astros had one of the more active off seasons in the NL Central, revamping their offense and pitching staff. The Astros added two former all-stars in outfielder Carlos Lee and infielder Mark Loretta, and then traded for starting pitcher Jason Jennings, before signing Woody Williams. However, the Astros lost quite a bit in their trade for Jennings, losing speedy outfielder Willy Taveras, and losing pitchers Taylor Buchholz and Jason Hirsch, who was last year’s top overall prospect. Adding to the new additions will be returning sluggers Lance Berkman and Morgan Ensberg, giving them a very intimidating offense. The pitching staff, headlined by all-star Roy Oswalt should be in good shape, but losing Andy Pettite and probably Roger Clemens (he cannot decide if he is retiring) will hurt. The Astros now have the offense to compete in the NL Central, but the losses of Clemens and Pettite will probably prohibit them from reaching the top of the central and unseating the Cardinals.

Athletics

FLORIDA’S LEE HUMPHRY TAKES A shot against UCLA in last season’s NCAA Tournament Championship. Florida won the game 73-57 and both teams are near the top of the rankings again this season. The men’s championhsip is on April 2 from Atlanta.

Teams have been chosen, tournaments have begun

March Madness arrives in style by Ben Moler

n March 11, the much awaited Selection Sunday took place. The show was broadcasted on CBS at 6 p.m. ET and showed the 65 teams selected to play in the tournament. As it is every year, the selection process for the NCAA Committee is tough and always leaves teams unhappy. This year’s selection was no different. What is most luring about Selection Sunday is watching the bubble teams such as Kansas State, Indiana, Illinois, West Virginia, and many others find out their fate in the tournament. “This year [wasn’t] as nerve wrecking for me because my team had no chance of making the tournament, I just sat back and watched all my other friends stress over there teams,” said Brett Simek, 10.

All about seeding

Florida received the number one overall seed on Selection Sunday. The Gators were joined by Ohio State, Kansas, and North Carolina as top seeds. “The best thing about the tournament is seeing all of these major conference teams lose to the smaller schools, it gives me goose bumps every time,” Joey Hiudt, 11. The opening round took place on March 13 at the University of Dayton. The first full round of games took place Thursday, March 15 and Friday, March 16. The second round continued on March 17 and 18. The regional semifinals will follow on March 22 and 23, and then on March 25 the regional finals (Elite Eight) will take place.

The Championship game will be held on April 2 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia.

Rooting for underdog

“The first couple of days are always the most exciting. There are always games going on during school and everyone is trying to figure out how teams did,” said Brian Shrimpton, 12. Last years Cinderella Story, George Mason, who was an 11 seed, reached the Final Four only to fall to the National Champion Florida Gators. Controversy was ignited this year as several mid-majors were pitted against each other in first-round matchups, seemingly preventing a deep run. This year’s underdogs, like Virginia Commenwealth and Wright State, hope to follow in the footsteps of George Mason.

Local teams

As far as area colleges, the aforementioned Buckeyes are the clear top team. However, the Xavier Musketeers were very hot coming into the tournament, which is often a predilection of success in the Big Dance. Ohio State is led by ultra-talented freshmen Greg Oden and Mike Conley, Jr. along with upperclassmen Jamar Butler and Ron Lewis. The field appears to be wide open this year, with a number of teams talented enough to win out. There is no one dominant team, as has been the case in years past. One thing is for sure: Madness is finally here.

photo courtesy of yahoo.com

photo courtesy of si.com

TUESDAY March 20, 2007

ROGER FEDERER RETURNS A SHOT at the Dubai Tennis championship. The Swissman hopes to continue his success during the clay court season. His biggest challenger will likely be Rafael Nadal of Spain.

Pro tennis ready for clay

New surface marks progressing season by Matt Slovin Immediately following the conclusion of the Australian Open in January, the ATP tour turned its collective attention toward the clay court season that is getting underway. Aside from a few hard court ATP Masters Series events, the tournaments will be played on clay, leading up to the French Open, played in Roland Garros, which will begin in May. World number one Roger Federer looked impressive in his championship in Dubai recently. “It feels very nice. I think the matches were extremely tough here this week for me,” said Federer to www.dubaitennischampionships.com. In one of the round-robin format tournaments that are new to the tour this year, Lleyton Hewitt, the Australian, won in Las Vegas over Jurgen Melzer. “To win another title earlier in the year just gives you that much more confidence for the rest of the year,” said Hewitt to of www.atptennis.com. The prestigious ATP Masters Series events coming up will be in Indian Wells, Miami, Monte Carlo, Rome, and Hamburg. These tournaments are great experience for the players, who will then travel to France to play on the red clay. Recently, Juan Ignacio Chela defeated Carlos Moya to win the Abierto Mexicano Telcel in Acapulco. A great year of tennis is just getting started, with only one of the four majors completed.

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Profile TUESDAY March 20, 2007

Meet by Arushi Sharma

What are three words you would use to describe yourself? Here, anti-here, tiny-oscillating-things.

Q & A

Someone who reads wikipedia pages in his spare time

If someone went into your room right now, what would they find that best describes your personality? My rubik’s cube or my various collection of physics books.

Have you always lived in Cincinnati? If no, when did you move here? No, I was born in North Hampton, MA. Then I moved to Hawaii (Maui) when I was 8, and then here was I around 16. Feel free to ask. What was your first impression of high school? Which first impression? I’ve had a few generally very self-involved. What is your most prized possession? My ability to never have my thirst for knowledge quenched. Something about you that others don’t know? I can see right through you. Do you have a job? Nothing I could be fired from.

What is his favorite...

all photos courtesy of myles lewis

What are you involved in at school? Theater and Improvisation; generally trying to improve the situation of those around me.

Food: Kiwis TV show: Stargate Movie: Apollo 13 Quote: “F is for friends who do stuff together; U is for you and me; N is for anywhere and anytime... down here in the deep blue sea!”

What do you like about high school so far? That it connects me to things and people with similar interests, and those I have yet to know. What do you do in your free time? Read and start different journeys through various wikipedia pages. What are you best qualities? Worst qualities? Best: Good to talk with, will make you smile and will weird you out. Worst: Crazy, self-conserving and not always there. What was your most embarrassing moment? On my first date ever, we went to an ice-skating rink, where I broke my arm, had an asthma attack, and had my mommy take me home… it was pretty bad. If you were principle for a day, is there anything you would change? Pants optional Tuesday Wookie wear wednesday and that educated professionals are required to have some experience. *wink* Any last words? Follow your ID, overpower your ego and destroy your impeding and inhibitory super ego- or just follow and do what pleasures you in life.

(TOP RIGHT) MYLES LEWIS, 12 (extreme left), Laura Friedmann, 12 (center left) Lauren Klapp, 12 (center right) and Nick Philpott, 12 (extreme right) ready to rock at Prom 2006. (ABOVE) Laura Friedmann, 12, Blake Dewey, 12, Dustin Amrine, 12, Myles Lewis, 12, and Brandon Cole, 12, have some fun at Odd Couples.