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GOODBYE TO WIRES? The high school is currently being made accessible to wireless technology. Read more about SHS’s developing plan on page 21.
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STORM DAMAGE AND SHS are no strangers. April 9, 2009 marks the 10 year anniversary of the tornado that ripped through the community. Read about the storm’s affect after a decade on page 12.
FRIDAY November 21, 2008 | Volume LV Issue IX |7400 Cornell Road | Cincinnati, OH 45242 | (513) 686-1770 ext. 3089 | www.goaves.org
newsbriefs
Decision process for calamity days demystified
Storm days, snow days
Love for Liz bake sale
Students showed support for Mr. Randy Lothrop’s daughter, Liz Lothrop, by buying her gifts with money raised in a bake sale during lunch. To help her deal with leukemia, students raised $717.45 to buy Ugg slippers, convertible bean bag beds for sleeping in the hospital, and held support medical costs.
alyssa HOEPER & mary ann JIANG
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staff writer
Memorial Wall renovation
Creative appeal and technological help is sought for the display cabinet near the front office honoring the Armed Forces. Mr. Ted Hungler, head of building maintenance, seeks student and staff assistance from anyone with Powerpoint experience, computer skills, engraving and wood carving skills, lighting knowledge, video and sound effect experience, and anyone willing to make phone calls and enter data. Call 686-1770 ext. 3046 to help.
Holiday choral concert
On Thursday, Dec. 18, seven ensembles will take stage in the Little Theater at 7:30 p.m. S.W.E.E.T., S.H.A.G, Touring Company, Combined Choir, Aviator Chorale, and Men’s Chorus will perform in the concert.
New exam schedule
Due to complaints from students and staff concerning how overwhelming taking three exams on one day is, beginning in January, each exam day will have no more than two. The schedule will be as follows:
Monday, Jan. 12 First bell Second bell Third bell Fourth bell Sixth bell Fifth bell, lunch Seventh bell exam
7:20 - 7:55 8:00 - 8:40 8:45 - 9:20 9:25 - 10:00 10:05 - 10:40 10:45 - 12:10 12:50 - 2:20
Tues., Jan. 13 to Thurs., Jan.15 First bell exam Second bell exam Exam makeup
inside
7:20 - 9:10 9:15 - 11:05 12:30 - 2:20
2 3-5 6 fun&games 7 8-23 feature 24-26 a&e sports 27-33 calendar 34 spotlight 36 news opinion humor
weigh the threat of accidents. “During this time I am in constant contact with the superintendent and city snow removal personnel. I also talk with other school districts beginning at 5 a.m. By then we begin formulating our decision whether or not to keep school open,” said Kelly. The decision is made by 5:45 a.m. before buses begin their rounds by 6 a.m. Safety of students and staff is the number one factor in their decision making. If buses, students, or staff cannot drive to school safely, the administrators close school. “Student safety has got to be a priority,” said Mr. Chris Davis, principal.
When the weather looks like it may interrupt school, the Superintendent Dr. Adrienne James and Assistant Superintendent Dr. Keith Kelly go through an extensive process to decide whether or not to call off school. “The timing of storms can be very problematic. A storm that drops two inches of ice and snow at 6 or 7 a.m. makes it difficult because people are on their way to school,” said Kelly. They monitor weather reports throughout the night, and at 4 a.m., Kelly begins driving through the community. He travels the streets to
If the maximum number of built-in days is exceeded, then the days lost must be made up. Later in the year, the administration may petition the state for more calamity days to be added. The state may honor this request because Governor Ted Strickland declared the state to be in a “state of emergency” and every Ohio school was affected. When spring nears, the state can evaluate the level of disaster for each occasion of a calamity day, and
Decision making
Spring play auditions
The informational meeting for “Parade” will take place in the first week of December. Auditions begin Dec. 8. Visit Aves Theatre on Blackboard after Thanksgiving for information on audition material.
editor-in-chief
hen winter comes and forecasts predict a snow storm, the words “snow day” hover in the air. However, the true story behind school cancellations is anything but cheery folktale. The decision process involves superintendents and early morning procedures. The Ohio Department of Education allows five calamity days a year. These days are set aside for potential cancellations. Due to the affects of Hurricane Ike in September, SHS has used three days, while the rest of the district has only used two.
photo courtesy of jason orabella
IN THE AFTERMATH of Hurricane Ike, certain homes were severely damaged while other homes only suffered mild touched. Pictured above, a tree crashed into the home of Jason Orabella, 12, and Matt Orabella, 10, and part of the roof collapsed. The use of three stateallocated calamity days during the hurricane Ike now worries those students who are hopeful for school closings in winter.
DECA titles:
tolu OGINNI
In event of used up days...
>>PAGE 2: CALAMITY DAYS
Five marketing students place among top ten in state competition; one receives second place
staff writer
The DECA Marketing class competed in the Ohio DECA State Leadership Conference on Nov. 5th in Columbus. Seniors Sarah Brown, Sydnee Hosler, Kristen Lintz, Brittany Lintz, and Brett Simek, competed for state awards. “DECA competitions have been very rewarding. Not only have I gained confidence in my academic and business abilities, but I have also gained lots of confidence in myself,” said Simek. Hosler and Brown competed in the Female Public Relations event, Simek competed in the Male Public Relations event, Kristen competed in the Parliamentary Law event, and Brittany competed for the position of Ohio Southwestern Vice President. Many Marketing II seniors came to support them and to help Brittany campaign. The Lintz twins went to Columbus the day before the competition to start preparing; they set up a booth and vied for votes with pamphlets, promotional gifts, and a spinning wheel displaying information about the candidate.
“[It felt like] an actual election. It was so cool,” said Donnesha Simms, 12. After campaigning, the competitors heard speeches from the current state officers. After the speeches, voters dispersed into separate rooms to hear speeches from the Vice Presidential candidates and to cast their votes. In the end, all the competitors took home awards. Simek, Hosler, Kristen, and Brown received medals for finishing in the top ten, Brown won second place. Brittany won a plaque for being an Ohio Vice President finalist. “I got a sweet plaque and I am so proud of it. I didn’t win but I am still a winner at heart. I’m glad I got up there,” said Brittany. Mr. Jerry Kuhn, marketing teacher, is extremely proud of his class, and brought in doughnuts for them to celebrate their success the day after. “It took me 27 years to get my first student to place in the top ten in the fall state contest. So to have four students place top ten in one year is very satisfying to me as a teacher,” said Kuhn.
ben DHIMAN
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Tears, roses, and laughter filled the auditorium during the National Honor Society (NHS) induction ceremony. One hundred fifty four students joined this group of accomplished students. “The ceremony was really cool. I thought everyone’s speeches were meaningful, and that the officers did a great job of making it a special event,” said Josie McKinnon, 11. Juniors and seniors with at least a 3.6 cumulative grade point average, 30 hours of community service, and school involvement were invited to join. These requirements must be maintained to ensure continuing membership. The students took part in a symbolic initiation. Part of the ceremony involves presenting a sponsor, either a peer or adult, who has impacted the inductee’s life. “Everyone’s families and sponsors were there. I thought everyone did a good job,” said Lauren Cohen, 11. Mrs. Valerie Nimeskern and Mr. Chuck Ogdan, staff sponsors, and seniors Abby Evans, club president, Kelsey Beck, vice president, Danielle Ebstein, treasurer, Caitlin Camfield, secretary,
During Environmental Awareness Week (EAW), students participated in activities during lunch, donated money, and showed general interest in learning more about the environment. “The environment is really important to me and I think it’s great that students are showing support,” said Negin Fallahi, 12. EAW began Monday, Nov. 3 with “Rainforest Day.” By the week’s end the club increased awareness and raised over $100 for a cause yet to be decided upon. Friday, Nov. 7 also marked the second time that Environmental Club teamed up with Film Club for an after school showing of an environmentallyminded movie. This year’s pick was “Fern Gully.” “Last year, the club’s coordination with Film Club was really cool. This year we thought we’d show something a little more animated,” said Becca Muskat, 12, club president. Environmental Club also pushed the paper, electronic, and plastic recycling programs. Arrows now lead to the bins located in the upper science hallway. These bins are dedicated to plastic and electronic recycling.
Largest induction
National Honor Society adds 154
nvironmental Awareness
leah BURGIN feature chief
minimag editor
>>PAGE 2: NHS INDUCTION
vent highlights:
photo courtesy of meghan marth
DANCING TO AN iPod can give a child an education. During her her trip to the UNIFAT school in Uganda, Meghan Marth, 11, club president of SHS’s chapter of Unified for UNIFAT (pictured above) was inspired to create iDance. Hosted at Moeller High School on Jan. 10, the dance will begin at 8 p.m. Students can dance to their own iPods or to the DJ’s music for $5. All proceeds will go towards sponsoring more students attending UNIFAT.
>>PAGE 2: ENVIRONMENTAL WEEK
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Teachers float in zero-gravity
Strive to make engineering ‘cool again’ gabe ENGLANDER
staff writer
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tings to his second hat do Paris Hilton, bell chemistry class. Mr. Chad HusUsing a tissue box tings, and Mr. Greg as a model plane, Presnall have in Husting attempted to common? They have all have pardescribe the flight ticipated in a Northrop Grumman and how they man “Weightless Flight of Discovery.” The “WeightBesides seeing the less Flight of Discovbirth of my kids, this is ery” is a program probably the coolest that allows thing I have ever done. middle school and high school teachers to perform experiments in a aged to get weight zero-gravity -less. environment for the purpose of get“At first, the pilot ting students excited about a career flew the plane up in engineering. gradually, but at It seems as if Husting and Presnall 15,000 feet, the are having some success in “talking pilot turned it up” engineering to students. to a 45 degree “I wasn’t really thinking about angle and we shot doing something in engineering, but straight up and felt the force of 1.8 hearing Mr. Husting talk about his Gs,” said Husting. flight made me think that it might be One point eight Gs nearly doubles cool to do something like that for a the force of the gravity bearing down job,” said Jason Robke, 10. on the teachers, so Husting and Northrop Grumman, a defense Presnall were unable to move during contract company, relies on a vast the steep ascent. Thenteam of engineers to function; “All of a sudden, the pilot pitched however, it has predicted that almost the plane forward, but our bodies half of its engineers will be retiring kept on traveling, which made us in the next five years. The company weightless for about 45 seconds,” said uses its weightless flights to combat Husting. this trend. When asked to describe the “Besides seeing the birth of my weightless adventure, Presnall kids, this is probably the coolest struggled to find words to describe it. thing I have ever done,” said Hus-
“It was amazing because it really does not compare to anything that you can do on earth,” said Presnall. “It is not like a roller coaster or anything else. It was a totally unique experience.” Teachers will have a great story to tell their students. And judging by Husting and Presnall’s reactions, Grumman has achieved its goal: engineering is cool again.
”
SCIENCE TEACHERS MR. Chad Husting and Mr. Greg Presnall take a break from experimenting on the weightless flight. They were given a once-in-a-lifetime experience to conduct experiments in a no-gravity zone. The excursion aims to boost student interest in the engineering career field.
-Mr. Chad Husting, chemistry teacher
news FRIDAY November 21, 2008
>>CONTINUED: CALAMITY DAYS
sometimes grant an extension of such excused days. In the case that the state declines this request, there are multiple ways to make up this time: days can be added to the academic calendar in June, or school may be called into session on President’s Day, Feb. 18. There is also the option of adding 15 minutes per day until the cost hours are accounted for. As a team, James and Kelly work to determine cancellations and changes to the calendar. However, the number of snow days that are awarded is just as unpredictable as the weather.
>>CONTINUED: NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY INDUCTION
and Daphne Hsu, communications director, organized the ceremony with help from some senior members. “I thought the ceremony ran smoothly, and that it was really interesting to watch everyone speak about their sponsors,” said Will Sloss, 11. Students are still expected to engage in service activities, as well as contribute to NHS-sponsored events. For example, today ends the annual canned food drive, and is now NHS welcoming ideas for future events.
>>CONTINUED: ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS WEEK The club accepts old MP3 players, digital cameras, and cell phones for SHS’s Green for Gold program. For every electronic recycled, the school will receive a donation from EcoPhones, the electronic recycling company. “The bumper stickers, bracelets, and baked goods went like hotcakes,” said Muskat. “Everyone who bought something helped the environment. And that is what this week is all about.”
photo courtesy of mr. greg presnall
Local levies do not pass; budgets affected
November
21
Other schools’ failures may hurt SHS This day
in history
daniel RICKERT staff writer
Nov. 4, 2008 will go down in history as the day Barack Obama became the first African American president. One item on the ballot, however, hit a little closer to home: school levies. Nine local schools had levies on the ballot, four failed. Levies from Fairfield, Springboro, Little Miami, and Milford all failed. Fairfield’s levy was defeated 51.95% to 48.05%. This is the first permanent improvement levy defeated in Fairfield since 1978. Had this passed, the levy would have generated $14.4 million dollars over the course of five years. It would have cost $5.17 per $10,000 increment of house value. This revenue would be used to pay for such items as books, computers, buses, and school maintenance. In Fairfield, the already large sports fees (currently $750 to play football), is bound to increase. Little Miami High School’s levy failed 52% to 48%. The school administration is trying to avoid $4 million in budget cuts. This failed levy could cause the school to eliminate bussing within two miles of the school, reduce staff, and implement a suspension of hiring, a wage freeze, and a new “pay-to-play” program. Milford’s $5.5 million levy failed as
well, though there will be a recount. The vote came in as 10,981 against and 10,927 for. Officials hoped changes on the school board and within the administration, as well as a $2.5 million budget cut, would propel the levy into the winning column. Because these schools’ athletic programs will receive less funding, their teams’ performance may suffer accordingly. Fairfield’s varsity football team has only won two games in the last two years. “It is clear that the lack of funding for the football team is related to their performance,” said Michael Streicher, 10. One item for SHS students to watch for is the district levy this coming May. With the current economic situation, it may not be the ideal time to push a levy, but students remain optimistic. “I think our community supports our school,” said Emily Bell, 10. A failed levy could cause cuts in the athletic department, raising the playing fee. The community has rarely rejected a levy, although it did happen in August 2004. “Hopefully, the economic situation will improve so that our levy will be passed,” said Nick Healey, 10.
leah BURGIN feature chief
1953
After years of controversy, authorities at the British Natural History Museum officially announce that the “Piltdown Man” skull was a hoax. The skull had been artificially constructed to fit the gap in the evolutionary model of humanoid development popular at the time. The hoax’s exposure led to a revolution in the field of paleo-archaeology and the subject of human evolution.
1965
Björk, Icelandic singer and actress, was born. In 1995, she won the MTV Europe Music Award for “Best Female Artist.”
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opinion FRIDAY November 21, 2008
PoliticalDIS Service Grant new president time to deliver mark RUBEO
staff writer
The American people have spoken. The next leader of the United States will be Presidentelect Barack Obama. Some will be happy with this outcome, while others will not be. That’s perfectly understandable. What is not understandable, however, is judging a presidency before it starts. It’s okay to be disappointed. Jokes about the U.S.S.A. may be a tad premature, though. The truth is that Obama has said that he will govern more from the center than the left. We owe it to him to hold judgment at least until he has a chance to deliver on that promise. Don’t believe him? Consider this: It’s in his best interest not to anger the people. In two years, the entire House of Representatives and one third of the senate is up for re-election. Anger at President Obama will very easily translate into lost seats for the Democrats (as it did for Bush and the Republicans), which will mean lost power for President Obama. Still cynical? Consider that he was endorsed by former Bush Secretary of State Colin Powell, a Republican. Powell wants to cut not just welfare spending but entitlement spending, both of which liberals want to continue. He chose to endorse Obama “because of the inclusive nature of his campaign, because he is reaching out all across America.” Not changing your mind? Then at least wait until the first hundred days are over. The truth is that nobody knows for sure what kind of president Obama will be, and any approval or disapproval is probably half-baked. It is one thing to doubt a politician’s words, but it’s another to view them with outright cynicism. Nobody has to believe him – this is America, we have freedom of speech. Still, it’s hardly intelligent to be angry at a presidency that hasn’t started yet.
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image by charlie manion
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here is nothing sweeter than waking up on a winter morning and peaking through the blinds to see a landscape of sparkling white. The blanket of snow that formed overnight is enough to prompt any student to believe a snow day is underway. Snow days are not just given to students because they deserve a break, but there is a procedure that must be followed. Each step consists of testing conditions and determining if they are safe enough for student transportation. If the conditions are not met, the result is ultimately a snow day. The district already had five calamity days built into the school year; however, because of Hurricane Ike, those five days have been cut to two for SHS and cut to three for the other schools in the district. These final two days suddenly seem to be melting away, and teachers and students alike are beginning to wonder what would happen if we meet more than two snow days this winter. The school board has also been pondering this question and has come up with possible solutions. Some seem more thought out than others, but they are all possible outcomes, whether we like them or not, to the problem of running out of calamity days. Adding on school days at the end of the year seems absurd, because not only would that be affecting the school’s schedule here on out, but it also has a substantially large sticker price. Having the school open an additional day at the end of the year is a project in itself because buses would have to be coordinated and paid for, food would have to be available in the cafeteria, and teachers would have to be compensated for an additional day of work… the price just keeps going up. It appears to be quite expensive if adding a day on at the end of the year is the way SHS plans to go. That brings up the next option: adding 15 minutes to the school day on certain days to make up for lost time. Not only would this be useless, but 15 minutes on a school day that has already been seven hours would accomplish little. Fifteen minutes in itself is not even enough to complete a lecture. So maybe if the purpose is just to get time in, this option is not bad; however, if the purpose of adding time is to make up for educational loss, 15 minutes does not seem to recompense the lost classroom time. Then there is the option of petitioning the state. Although the school has already attempted this possibility once, petitioning the state one more time seems to be a reasonable option because if it gets the school an additional calamity day, the problem would be solved. Nevertheless, if petitioning the state fails again, settling for the additional 15 minutes a day for 20 days could be reasonable. The loss of school days were not the students’ fault, so why penalize them for it? If the high school really wanted to be fair, it would consider adding on the extra 15 minutes for every day necessary- at the end of each lunch. Distributing the extra minutes this way would at least benefit the students; adding two minutes at the end of every bell would be of little benefit. It would almost be a waste of time. So then the question still remains, if we wake up to more than two mornings of powderwhite landscape, what will the outcome be: snow day compensated by 15 minutes a day for 20 days, or snow day free of charge?
Sycamore High School 7400 Cornell Road Cincinnati, OH 45242
Mission Statement: “The Leaf,” the official newspaper of Sycamore High School, serves as an educational tool in the training of student journalists to provide information and editorial leadership concerning school, national, and world issues, to provide a public forum for the exchange of ideas and viewpoints, and to give coverage to newsworthy events directly related to the diverse school population. Editorial Policy: Although students work under the guidance of a professional faculty member, the content is ultimately determined by the student staff and should reflect all areas of student interest, including topics about which there may be dissent and controversy. Students cannot publish material that is obscene, libelous, or will cause “a substantial disruption of the educational process.” Content that may stimulate heated debate or discussion is not included in this
definition. “The Leaf” operates as an open forum for the healthy, robust exchange of ideas. Opinions expressed in the editorials are those of “The Leaf” staff. Letters to the editor are encouraged. All letters must be signed. The letters, not to exceed 300 words, may be edited for clarity, spelling, and grammar. Letters may be placed in Mrs. Cheralyn Jardine’s mailbox, dropped off in room 115, or e-mailed to: jardinec@sycamoreschools.org. “The Leaf” reserves the right to decide not to cover a death based on relevance, timeliness, and circumstances decided on by the editorial board. In cases that the editorial board decides not to cover a death, letters to the editor in regard to that death will be printed. “The Leaf’s” complete editorial policies can be found at www.goaves.org
leafing through the masses
Q:
“ “ “ “
Why are we worrying about this? Hopefully we won’t have to make any days up.
” ” ” ”
-Jeremy Mapes, 9
We should not have the days pushed into our summer vacation. It is not our fault the weather did not cooperate.
-Ruthie Myers, 10
Personally, I think making up any calamity days would be ridiculous. Nobody wants that.
-Meghan Marth, 11
I would not be happy, but if that is what we have to do. Oh well, it’s senior year.
Editor-in-chief: Mary Ann Jiang Associate editor: Daphne Hsu Associate editor: Will Johnston Managing editor: Libby Henning News Noa Belillti Ellean Zhang Opinion Matt Mendelsohn Jeremy Spiegel Fun & Games Brittanny Argyriou Feature Leah Burgin Rashmi Borah Libby Henning A&E Gabirose Keeton Michela Tindera Sports Ben Estes Jared Kamrass Calendar Jake Newton Kavya Reddy Spotlight Maria Marballi Webmaster J.D. Macejko
What is your response to the possibility of having to make up calamity days?
Mini-Mag Editors Ben Dhiman Sam Cleary Staff Writers Jamie Alemagno Daniel Bayliss Emily Begley Matt Boyce Jimmy Chau Chad Chessin Emily Cohen Daniella Cos S.M. Dipali Kelsey Drapkin Gabe Englander Catherine Farist Jane Finocharo Elise Gelwicks Evan Gildenblatt Alyssa Hoeper Elizabeth Hoopes Molly Johnson Bennett Kaplan Jacob Katz Ben Keefe
-Matt Phipps, 12
Managing editor: Gabirose Keeton Business Manager: Michela Tindera Business Manager: Rashmi Borah
Mandi Kipner Moriah Krawec Charlie Manion Toluwalope Oginni Emma Oh Frank Pan Shivani Parikh Paul Pescovitz Daniel Rickert Evan Romansky Gina Romeo Emma Rosen Mark Rubeo Sohini Sameera Josh Samuels Matt Slovin Shelby Smith Brandon Sosna Garrett Steinbuch Meena Thatikunta Casey York
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
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opinion FRIDAY November 21, 2008
hanksgiving schedule poses debate ime off could benefit students, teachers
noa BELILLTI
A
news chief
ccording to the 2008-2009 district calendar, school will be closed on Nov. 26, 27, and 28. Administration expects perfect attendance, as Monday and Tuesday of that week are legitimate school days. Now, let us be honest, how productive are those last two days? Students and teachers alike would much rather be lounged about their sofas, on a beach, or wherever their vacationing may take them. That is just it. It is a vacation. It is a break. Break is defined as, “a period in which activity or work is suspended”, according to Webster’s dictionary, “to become detached, separated, or disassociated” and “to interrupt or halt an activity.” A break is meant to let the mind unwind, let the body relax, for everyone to kick back and do whatever they so choose with their time. Now, with this break mentality, it is befuddling to me how many staff members feel it is appropriate to give their students curriculum assignments over this time. Especially for the seniors, with their college application deadlines approaching faster than they can complete their seemingly pointless high school assignments, Thanksgiving break poses as a wonderful interruption to the determinants of their academic future. But you do not have to be a senior; any student can appreciate a break. A lot of students use Thanksgiving break time to dedicate to family.
“Over Thanksgiving break I’m going to visit my family in Tennessee - Yay! I’m excited to see them because this break is practically the only time I get to see them all year. We shouldn’t be in school Monday or Tuesday if they already gave us the rest of the week off; that’s just pointless. I need more time to spend with my black, Obama loving family,” said Courtland Love, 12. How many students will be leaving for their vacations on those two school days? According to last year’s attendance records, 83 students were absent on the Monday before Thanksgiving break and a whopping 89 on that Tuesday. This figure proves that roughly one student from every classroom will already be vacationing while the rest of the student population writhes at their desks with anticipation. Okay, so maybe giving the students the entire week off is too much for administration – how about an additional vacation? Other schools have already taken notice to this trend and recognized the need for their students to recess. New Jersey Monthly ranks the top 75 high schools in New Jersey every other year. This year, Millburn High School was number one on the list. At Millburn, students are off for a week in February, known as their “midwinter recess.” It looks like students can really benefit from some time off.
Students engage in political process jeremy SPIEGEL opinion chief
image by matt mendelsohn
SPARSELY ATTENDED? CLASSROOMS may be so on Monday and Tuesday of Thanksgiving break. Despite the expectations of the administrators, many students leave early for their holiday weekend. With so many people absent, it has been debated how effective it is to have school on those last two days before break.
Plans, food drives uncertain as holiday season approaches matt MENDELSOHN opinion chief
have no problem adjusting, and many will not have to cut down on spending for this day. On the other hand, there are less fortunate people who have to take different measures to celebrate. This includes food pantries and other projects to help the needy put food on the table. However, this year’s holiday may be devastatingly different. Many organizations are questioning whether they can feed enough families this year. Pantry staples such as fruit, bread, and canned goods, not to mention turkeys, are a little more scarce this year, due to the financial situation.
As another result of the crisis, more people are starting to line up to receive food, causing an issue across America. “There’s more people standing in food pantry for the first time in their lives because of the economy and all the foreclosures.” said Tina Osso, executive director of the Shared Harvest Foodbank in Fairfield, to the Cincinnati Enquirer. America is in a time of financial chaos. It is a very sad day when the people who need help the most will not be able to have the Thanksgiving dinner that they have annually, on a day when everyone should have a reason to be thankful.
Thanksgiving football: Provides fun on day of feasting evan ROMANSKY
staff writer
image by matthew mendelsohn
football UNDER wing, the Galloping Gobbler trophy shows the close relationship shared by football and Thanksgiving. The trophy is awarded each year to the player who perfoms best on Thanksgiving. Every year, a slate of games is played on the holiday, offering a respite from the craziness of the day.
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Senior Corner
Financial crisis throws Thanksgiving into chaos Thanksgiving is a time when family and friends come together to share food, drink, and each other’s company. The famed Macy’s parade will hit the streets for the 82nd time, providing entertainment to the millions of people tuning in, and for the thousands of people who line the streets. With the deepening financial crisis, how can we be assured that this will happen in the traditional fashion that has been part of American history? Unfortunately, we cannot be so certain. Despite a newly-elected president, he will be unable to take any action by this holiday. Most Americans will
class of
Every Thanksgiving we gather around the table with our closest friends and relatives. We swap stories with aunts and uncles we have not seen and we get lost in the wide array of food that is shortly regretted the next day. We pat our stomachs, wipe our mouths, and murmur the words that everyone says after every Thanksgiving meal, ‘I’m going on a diet.’ But it is not just the food that brings the sense of togetherness that we long for throughout the year. There is another tradition besides the turkey or the pumpkin pie that exists on Thanksgiving Day. No, not the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade, but the slate of NFL football games that appear on television. These games save us sports fans from the torture of spending a whole day with our whacky grandparents, annoying cousins, and obnoxious siblings. Once we hear that soothing FOX NFL Sunday tune, we start to slowly slip away from our grasp on reality and quickly get enraptured in the playby-play calls from the magical monotone voice of
Joe Buck. The “Thanksgiving Classic”, as it is referred to, has been a regular occurrence in the NFL since 1920. The Dallas Cowboys have hosted a game every Thanksgiving for the past 42 years. The Detroit Lions have hosted a Thanksgiving game every year since 1934. But what makes these games so special? Why will we be caught up in watching a potentially 0-10 Lions football team take the field ready for another thrashing? Maybe it is because we need the break from the frustrations of having to deal with our own families abilities to bore us out of our minds for one lousy day each year. We need to be rescued. Is that not that what sports is intended to do? Thanksgiving Day football allows us the opportunity to be rescued from the raucous around the table and slip into a world where we feel comfortable with our surroundings. We can curl up next to the fire, flip on the TV, and get lost in the passion we feel for the game we love.
On Nov. 4, 125 million people across the United States cast their ballots for president. For the first time, I could say that I was one of them. After eight years of watching the returns revealed election night, I finally was able to make a difference and contribute to those returns. It was a unique experience, being able to watch the news stations announce Ohio and saying, ‘One of those was me.’ In the weeks leading up to the election, I had done my research. I studied both campaigns in great detail, watched all four debates, and listened or read any news story covering the election. By the time the election arrived, I was ready to make my choice. Voting was just the tip of the iceberg. The weekend before the election, I joined with many classmates to help campaign for one of the candidates. Seeing all the 18-year-olds canvassing neighborhoods was a sight to see, especially in light of the criticisms of our generation. Just walking around the school on November 4, I saw countless students wearing Barack Obama or John McCain shirts, stickers, or any other objects that revealed their preferred candidate. And that is not all. Students formed clubs, holding meetings to discuss the candidates and the issues. Political candidates such as Connie Pillich and David Krikorian spoke to US Government classes, both actively courting the support and help of our age group. The activism seen in teenagers was amazing. During the last few weeks, conversations about Obama vs. McCain were as common as arguments over which sports team was better, or who watched “The Office” last night. And even though the election ended on November 4 (no week-long recounts necessary this time), the excitement has not faded. Arguments still exist, as people continue to take an interest in the direction our country is taking. Ever since the 26th Amendment was passed in 1971, 18 year olds around the country have joined with the older generations and voted. It is our future, and this election, I felt that we took a renewed interest. Critics have said that our generation simply does not care for anything more sophisticated than video games, style, television, or fast food. Anyone who followed the election the past few weeks watched those critics proven dead wrong. And as I entered the polls on that Tuesday afternoon, I made the same choice that millions of adult Americans faced. After weeks of build-up, I made a knowledgeable decision that will shape our country for the next four years at least. After all, this is my future.
opinion
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FRIDAY November 21, 2008
Election results turn in: Students share reactions to win
Like it or not, Democrat elected to office jeremy SPIEGEL opinion chief
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photo by mary ann jiang
Srebrina Tanova, 12, hangs a sign supporting President-Elect Barack Obama. Thanks to the large amount of support from young voters, Obama defeated opponent Sen. John McCain in the presidential election. In the weeks since the election, Obama has attracted both support and widespread criticism.
Ohio ballot measures
At a glance:
mark RUBEO
staff writer
Five issues appeared on Ohio’s statewide ballot on Tuesday, Nov. 4. These included three issues put on the ballot by the state legislature, one initiative and one veto referendum. The results are as follows:
APPROVED: Issue 1
The deadline for submitting signatures on ballot issues will be moved from 90 to 125 days before the election.
APPROVED: Issue 2
Ohio will issue $400 million in bonds to continue environmental conservation, preservation, and revitalization programs.
APPROVED: Issue 3
The right of property owners to groundwater in the Great Lakes region will be protected in the Ohio constitution.
APPROVED: Issue 5
Interest on payday lending will be capped at 28%; The cap was previously 391%.
DEFEATED: Issue 6
The constitution will not specifically allow one casino in Wilmington, Ohio. This failed among widespread criticism that the casino deal contained loopholes that would harm Ohio.
n Tuesday, Nov. 4, at 11:00 p.m., Barack Obama was announced as president of the United States. At 11:01 p.m., the slings started flying. Right after the election ended, people were already calling in to radio and television shows and writing to newspapers. The online blogs were filled with people claiming that this victory would bring about the downfall of our country. Even in our school, people came into classes the next morning, mourning the “death of American society.” It may just be me, but that seems a bit morbid. The fact is, no one knows what a president will be like in office. Who would have predicted eight years ago that George Bush would leave office as the least popular president in history? Like it or not, Obama won the presidency, with an overwhelming majority in the Electoral College.
You may not have voted for him, but as he said in his acceptance speech, he is your president too. Obama’s large margin of victory shows that enough Americans trust him to bring about his stated reforms. Yes, Obama may be a risk, but in the eyes of many, it was a risk we needed to take at this moment. Right now, the United States faces threats on many fronts. Two wars, an economic crisis, energy problems, you name it. Obama’s successful campaign shows that he is the candidate to face these mounting troubles. Two days after his victory, Obama met with a team of economic masterminds. By focusing on the economy even before taking office, Obama showed his commitment to facing the biggest problems. The selection of Rahm Emanuel as Chief of Staff was also a good move. Emanuel, the former Chief of Staff under President Bill Clinton, is an effective leader who knows how to manage this country. He will ensure
that Obama continues to appeal to the center of the political spectrum, the group that carried him to victory. Some of the states that went for Obama in the Electoral College included once-Republican strongholds like North Carolina, Virginia, and Indiana. The fact that voters in these states supported a Democrat shows that Obama was able to move beyond party lines in the campaign. Obama was even endorsed by Colin Powell, Bush’s former Secretary of State, and Warren Buffet, an economic expert. So before you say that he lacks the foreign policy and economic skills, consider who supported him in his quest to be president. So no matter who you supported in the election, it is time to unite behind one man. You may not respect him, but you need to respect the office he holds, the position that has led America throughout its history, through good times and bad. Barack Obama is our President
Victory proves dream possible Presidential race barrier broken brandon SOSNA
staff writer
President-Elect Barack Obama may have even been surprised himself as he watched election coverage on Nov. 4. All indications were that the race was tightening up in the final weeks before decision day. This would turn out to be true. Despite winning the Electoral College by an almost shockingly wide margin, Obama only defeated his republican opposite Sen. John McCain by a relatively small number in the popular vote. No one expected McCain to have a chance in this election, nor did anyone expect any republican candidate to have a shot. Truth be told, McCain’s moderate lean may have given him a better probability than anyone – I guess that is why he was nominated. President George W. Bush’s regime is a tough act to follow.
Campaign differences cause result
Obama’s get out to vote campaign inspired first time voters to wait at the polls for hours, despite the long lines – silent, inner cheers for “yes we can!” kept them going. McCain’s campaign was simply boring. Granted, Obama did raise four times the amount that McCain raised. Obama had the support of just about all minorities, winning an unprecedented amount of the African-American vote, as well as the Latino vote. We are never exactly sure how an election will turn out, although Walter Mondale might disagree. But in most, we know exactly how our candidates will serve in office – in most. With Obama, no one can forecast what the future may have in store. We have nothing to judge it on. He stepped into the United States Senate in 2005. Two years later he announced his candidacy for President. I could continue to rant about his blatant lack of experience, or his controversial comments about the redistribution of wealth, or his very liberal-like flip-flopping of ideas, but that would be unnecessary. It cannot be denied any longer – he is our next President. So let me do my part in redistributing the wealth, by distributing my support of McCain to Obama. Although I have a hard time believing what he says, I see great opportunity for him over the next four years.
Obama disregards all doubt
As an African-American, Obama was able to defy all odds, by rising above the separation of race. If he can make America color-blind, he may just be able to cross party lines and bring Congress together – just like he has done to our country. In 1963, when Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his historic “I have a dream” speech, he dreamed of advancement in the civil rights movement. When Obama was growing up, he held the dream of one day stepping into the Oval Office as the first African American President. Now everyone, no matter what race, no matter what color, no matter what religion can dream of the most chimerical fantasies. But as Obama and so many before him like Jackie Robinson have proved, these dreams do not have to be limited to being just dreams – they can become reality.
Yes we can
One hundred years ago white reformers and black reformers came together after the disaster that was the Springfield Race Riot of 1908. A year later, W.E.B. DuBois had the dream of gaining rights for African Americans. With this dream he created the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, or NAACP. And this many years later, Obama stood on a podium in Chicago, Illinois, the birth state of the NAACP. Just like DuBois, Obama now has the challenge of bringing the people of the United States together again. One of the most prolific African-American athletes, Kevin Garnett, could hardly speak after he won an NBA Title a year ago, one season after starring on one of the league’s worst teams, the Minnesota Timberwolves. He could not say much, but his scream of “anything is possible” could be heard above all else in the arena that night. Garnett has become rather famous for that chant, (as it is repeatedly played back on ESPN’s Sportscenter) mostly because anything truly is possible. And as long as we believe, “Yes we can.”
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humor FRIDAY November 21, 2008
Secrets to that
PERFECT S
C
R E
O
...without any academic preparation whatsoever
michela TINDERA
business manager
T
wo four zero zero. 2400. That mystical number has been written, discussed, and dreamt about ever since its conceptualization 82 years ago. I myself have awoken from my nightly slumber imagining myself making that preplanned victory lap around the upper IMC/Commons area upon receiving such a sanctified score. However, attaining such a mark is almost as rare as say, being exempt from Mrs. Christine Allen’s English exam…or finding buried treasure. In the 2004 movie, “The Perfect Score,” six teens go as far as to break into official SAT answer documents. However intriguing as it may sound, I would not suggest breaking into the College Board headquarters in order to achieve that score. Despite this immense letdown, I will let you in on a little secret. Fewer than 300 students per year out of thousands receive a perfect 2400. So I say, how could one of those super-human beings not be you? According to Tom Fischgrund’s “SAT Perfect Score” this “typical” perfect score achiever known ever-soaffectionately as “Perfect Score Jane” is described as beholding the following qualities: in the top ten percent of her class, studies eight to eleven hours
per week, watches television, has a healthy social life, participates in multiple extra-curricular activities, reads about a book a week for pleasure, and does not feel the need to study for tests as everything comes so easily to her. Sounds typical to me. And did I forget to mention that she also leaps over buildings in a single bound? Of course, if for some odd reason your lifestyle does not mirror our friend Jane’s, according to CollegeConfidential.com, a discussion board comprised of high school and college students, there are other alternative (and legal) methods. Most colleges will take the highest subscore (math, critical reading etc.) from each time one takes the test, as opposed to taking the entire composite score from one complete test. The significance of this you ask? Essentially, to attain a 2400 one could take the SAT three times, one for each section, score an 800 on one section and then take zeroes for the other two to seemingly receive a 2400. Of course I am not a college admissions officer and do not know how fondly they would view such a— ahem—cleverly presented test score. But of course, if I actually knew how to get that perfect score, would I be telling you?
Warning: This page was created for strictly humorous purposes. If you are actually interested in increasing your SAT score take a look at the College Board’s “The Official SAT Study Guide” which can be found on bookstore shelves almost anywhere.
Q&A with Ashvin Srivatsa, 11 After attaining a 2400 on his SAT on October 4, I deduced that there could be no better source of standardized testing wisdom than he.
How did you react when you found out your score? I was astonished when I first saw my score...My immediate response, then, was to utter a rather triumphant noise. I then departed for school...in expectation of an excellent day, which I did indeed have.
What did you eat for breakfast that day?
For breakfast that day, I ate a medium-sized bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios with milk...I swear by Honey Nut Cheerios as my breakfast cereal of choice, because of its healthfulness and because it provides just the right infusion of sugar to tide one over until the next meal.
What kind of pencil did you use? I used a Foray No. 2 Rubber Barrel Pencil...A good test-taking pencil possesses two important traits: durability and erasability of lead...Indeed, the Foray No. 2 Rubber Barrel Pencil, though comfortable for writing, is substandard when it comes to erasability; history shows that a good batch of Dixon Ticonderoga HB2 pencils is preferable.
Is there hope for anyone else? There certainly is hope for others to achieve a 2400...To do so won’t be a walk in the park, but it is definitely possible.
all images by michela tindera
Questions you wish were on the SAT Math Fill in the bubbles of each free response question in a pattern of your choosing. Hint: Graders are partial to expertly drawn horseshoes and stars.
Critical Reading
Cows are known to whereas dogs express themselves via a. oink...meow b. moo...bark c. baah...neigh d. tweet...roar *If you really have no idea what to do during the test, just remember: this test only determines your happiness for the rest of your life.
Essay Describe a time when you had to do something you really did not want to, as if you are in the third grade; feel free to reference any television shows, popular musical artists, or movies and to go as off topic as you would like.
Writing Find the error in the following sentence. If Sally had one wish in the whole world, she said she would wish to take standardized tests over and over again eternally. No Error. Answer: “Tests over and over again eternally.” Reason: No one should ever have to take tests eternally. That is just wrong and evil. Therefore this part of the question is the most incorrect.
fun&games
7
FRIDAY November 21, 2008
Food found distasteful, shenanigans ensue meena THATIKUNTA
B image by charlie manion
Turkey Fast Facts A male turkey is called a ‘tom’ Wild turkeys can run at speeds of up to 20 mph 45 million turkeys are eaten each Thanksgiving Turkeys can see in color The fleshy growth on a tukey’s neck is called a ‘waddle’ 50 percent of U.S. consumers eat turkey at least once a week June is National Turkey Lover’s Month A group of turkeys is called a ‘flock’ facts from the University of Illinois
J UMBLE
brittany ARGYRIOU fun&games chief
Directions: Unscramble the letters, then write one in each box to form Thanksgiving words.
ESFTA
GILRMIP
SNHATK
YETRUK
TSRSEDE
staff writer
efore reading the following story one must know that at my grandmother’s house, FLUSHING THE TOILET MAKES THE DOORBELL RING. I cannot explain how the plumbing system is connected to the electrical system. I may explore this conundrum in a postdoctioral thesis or something at a later date; but for now, it is a fact that must be accepted before continuing on with the rest of the story…okay, ready? Moving along, Thanksgiving dinner usually consists of the traditional meat and potatoes. Being a vegetarian, I’m limited to the potatoes, which is fine with me. I will gladly stuff myself with a mound of delicious carbs (minus the gravy, of course) but last year, my grandmother decided to… switch it up. Instead of making potatoes, she made a concoction which she called “tomato pudding.” I’ll pause here so that you may take that thought in. Tomato pudding, unfortunately, is exactly what it sounds like: tomatoes that are the consistency of pudding, which is utterly disgusting. This was quite the dilemma, I had to put something on my plate (to please my grandmother) and tomato pudding was my only option. With a sigh, I spooned it out of the bowl and it squelched as I dropped it onto my plate. I returned to the kids’ table with an anticipatory upset stomach. “Are you okay?” my cousin asked. I pointed to my plate and raised my eyebrows. “Well, you do know you have to make that…stuff disappear so Grandma will be
Sudoku brittanny ARGYRIOU fun&games chief
YLFARMWOE
Now, take each circled letter and rearrange to answer this question.
What did the turkey say before it was roasted?
happy,” said my cousin. “Well, I’m not eating it, if that’s what you’re thinking,” I replied. I stared at my plate, as if that would make the pudding disappear. Then it struck me. Surreptitiously, I spooned it into my napkin, rolled it up, and waited for my grandmother to move away from the trash can so I could dispose of it. Unfortunately, that time never came and meanwhile, the napkin started to leak. So I wrapped it in more napkins which had a snowball effect. Now it was the size of a grapefruit. I passed it to my cousin under the table. “A little somethin’-somethin’ from the boss.” I faked an Italian accent and ran my fingers down my neck like a Mafia member. Then I joked, “We should flush it down the toilet!” “Good idea!” he replied. Apparently not in on the joke, he headed to the bathroom. After I heard the bathroom door shut, my face was horror stricken. My grandma was going to flip. This ball was not going to flush and my grandmother was going to hate me forever. I could say goodbye to my Christmas present and an invitation to the annual family vacation. Now, all I could do was wait...There was a long silence. Then, “Ding dong!” I folded my hands together and prayed that it went down… Lord, have mercy on our— “Ding dong! Ding dong! Ding dong!” Curses! (And many more things). It was stuck. My cousin emerged from the crime scene and announced that he needed a plunger. This was a big one.
Fill in each box so that every row and column box has the numbers 1-9. Make sure that there are no repeats!
Answer: I’m stuffed 1. Feast 2. Pilgrim 3. Thanks 4. Turkey 5. Dessert 6. Mayflower
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feature FRIDAY November 21, 2008
Buffet Club eats their way through Cincinnati page 10 Find out how to procrastinate effectively
photos courtesy of “the leaf” staff
TOP LEFT: ALEXIS Corcoran, SJHS, Christen Corcoran, 12; Gabirose Keeton, 12, Keerthi Nalluri, Greene School, Vivek Mandan, 12, Grace Keeton, SJHS, and John Stucker, 12, sit and eat breakfast before the little siblings get to follow their big siblings around. Top: Stephanie Post, 12 and her little brother, Austin Post, SJHS, pose after eating breakfast in the school cafeteria. Left: Jessica Rabin, SJHS, little sibling of Sara Rabin, 11 and Jordan Rabin, 12, sit in the commons before the siblings began their day. Little Sibs Day was fun for everyone: the little siblings got a sneak peek at the high school, the older siblings had fun touring their little siblings, and the student body was able to enjoy the younger guests to SHS.
page 13
‘I was so excited to bring my little brother...’
Little sibs storm high school
shivani PARIKH
HILIGHTS
this month in feature
Missed the costumes? See a recap of this years senior halloween page 14-15
E
staff writer
ach year, for half of one day, SHS is infiltrated by crowds of middle-school and junior high students. For four bells, they get to experience what high school life is really like. This is Little Sibs Day, a perk for seniors with brothers or sisters between the grades of five and eight. Seniors have always been allowed to bring their siblings, even if they attend a school outside of the district. However, the schedule from past years was revamped. Until now, the sibling would arrive during first bell, attend only bell four with their sibling, and spend the rest of their time playing games in the
5
gym. Due to requests from siblings something new and see how it went,” to spend more time with their older said Mrs. Kate Korchok, one of the brother or sister, the schedule was faculty advisors to Student Council. changed. This year, the siblings tested out the “When I went a few years ago, I new schedule. The siblings arrived didn’t really during first bell like that I hung We decided to try some- and were served out with other and thing new and see how donuts kids my age in orange juice that the Gregory were provided by it went. Center more Student Council, than I got to the sponsors of spend time the event. with my older sibling” said Patrice Following breakfast, the little Faulbuach, 11. siblings accompanied their siblings “We received feedback that the to bells two, three, four, and five, sibs wanted to spend more time with sitting in on their classes, interacting their siblings, so we decided to try with their older sibling’s friends, and
”
-Mrs. Kate Korchok
Creative ways to ask someone to Winter Formal
gina ROMEO staff writer
Jan. 31, 2009 marks the date of a very important SHS event, and even though it is not imminent, now is the time to start preparing. Yes, it is Winter Formal, the second big dance of the school year. The rules are quite simple: girls ask the guys, and this event’s attire is a bit more formal than Homecoming. Held at the end of January, it may be believed that now is way too early to be thinking about the dance, but it is
getting a feel for high school. “I was so excited to bring my little brother to school with me. He’ll be at the high school next year, and now he knows what it’s really like. Plus he got to meet all my friends, which was fun” said Stephanie Post, 12. For lunch, the seniors and their little siblings were served pizza, chips and dessert. They ate at the older sibling’s regular time in the IMC. Younger siblings left after fifth bell and returned to their respective schools. Over 60 younger siblings attended this year, and the new schedule was well-received.
Lead the potential date on a scavenger hunt to various spots with clever clues and hints, but make sure not to reveal your identity till the very end.
Buy a fish bowl and a few cheap fish from the pet store. Set the bowl in a place where the potential date will see it and put a card outside of the bowl that says: “Out of all the fish in the sea, will you Cover go to formal with a white me?” T-shirt with tons
of names, but only always better to start Toilet paper the potential write your name in indelible ink. planning now. date’s locker and attach a note Leave the shirt where the potential “I definitely want A on the outside that reads: “If date will find it with instructions to ask someone as simply you gotta go, go with on how to wash it. When he creatively as possible, delicious way me! Formal?” washes it, only your name otherwise it would just be to ask the potential date will be left. pointless to ask at all!” said is to bake any sort of treat Laura Birckhead, 10. (i.e.: brownies, cupcakes, Take these five suggestions as cookies etc.) and spell out jumping off points for even more “F-O-R-M-A-L-?” with creative ideas. Go over the top and one letter on each have fun. treat. image by libby henning
feature
9
FRIDAY November 21, 2008
How to: Bake treats for Thanksgiving
maria MARBALLI spotlight editor
photo by jeremy mcdaniel
PAOLO GABRIEL, 12, AND Neil Krishnan, 11, lead the marching band onto the field during halftime. Every home football game, the marching band and color guard would perform their show “Bent.” The group placed at several competitions throughout the season, including at the Bands of America (BOA) competition.
Bent: elizabeth HOOPES
T
Marching band, color guard finish season, place at competitions
staff writer
he marching band has finished all of its competitions and has completed a successful season, including winning numerous honors such as Multiple Best of Music, General Effect, Visual, Color Guard, and Percussion awards. “It is really weird now that the season is over. You go from having practices almost every day and competitions almost every weekend to having all of this free time. I am definitely going to miss marching band, especially since we did so well this season,” said Sam Hammer, 10. The band has also received many top 10 placings. This includes being named Grand Champion and Reserve Champion at competitions, which
means that the band placed either first or second overall at the competition. This has been a season of firsts for the marching band. At Mid-States Marching Band Championships, the band placed third overall, the highest finish at the competition in the band’s history. The band also made two Bands of America (BOA) regional finals, which is more than any other season in the band’s history. There it received best visual for the first time at a BOA regional for their show entitled “Bent.” “We put a lot of work into our show so it was nice to do so well,” said Dan Keith, 11. The color guard also set personal records. It won every Best Guard award that it could win, except
for one. “We were really sad that we didn’t have a completely undefeated season. Considering that this is the best that the color guard has ever done, we are still really happy that we did so well,” said Karla Kohel, 10. With the season coming to an end, the marching band was ready for their big finale: going to Disney World. The trip was Nov. 12-16. The member visited all of the main Disney parks and were able to perform in a parade. “It was a really great season,” said Brynn Sharp, 11. “I am glad that we did so well this season because we worked so hard to get the show at its best.”
‘In school we don’t really pay much attention to each other’ High school siblings admit indifference, frustration
College of Applied Science
jamie ALEMAGNO staff writer
HANDS DOWN — the leader in
HANDS ON, HIGH TECH education
www.uc.edu/cas/you
For example, Brandon Hillary, Some older siblings are protective, 12, and Darius Hillary, 10, are great some are competitive, some are great friends; they talk about everything friends, and some entirely ignore together and play the same sports. their younger siblings. But underneath this intimate Nick Schlie, 12, Homecoming King brotherhood, Darius admits to some has set the bar high for his sister of the frustration that he sometimes Sam Schlie, 10. With a Homecomexperiences at school. ing King for a brother, Sam does not “I hate always get a lot I look up to [my younger having him of attention. at school “In school brother] even though I’m because we don’t really older because he is always we have pay much attention to each doing the right thing and he always been compared to other. I’ll say each other. ‘hi’ sometimes challenges me every day to Brandon has but rarely get be better, whether it be in set the stana response. dards and At home I see sports or in the classroom. therefore it the other side -Brandon Hillary, 12 is expected of Nick,” said of me that I Sam. do the same thing,” said Darius. But having an older brother can Although it may seem that the also have its perks. Sam admits that younger sibling always has a more Nick can give her advice about guys, difficult time coping, the older sibbut that he is also very protective. lings can also have difficulties. Having a sibling in the school can “I look up to Darius even though be like having a foot in the door. I’m older because he is always doing When Liz Bitzer, 10, first came to the right thing and he challenges me the high school, it was almost like everyday to be better whether it be she was immediately connected with in sports or the classroom. He always her sister, Katie Bitzer, 11. helps to keep my head on straight,” “Katie is very responsible… all the said Brandon. time, I feel like have to live up to her As much as the siblings dislike or especially if the teacher had her. They struggle to share a school with each are like, ‘You’re Katie Bitzer’s sister!’” other, this time is slowly waning. said Liz. Whether these days together will be However, not all siblings are overmissed or considered a hassle is up to shadowed by the other, and some each individual brother of sister. sets have a very strong relationship.
It is that time of year again. Families will soon be getting together to celebrate the holiday of giving and thanks, of family and love. The famous dinner of turkey and mashed potatoes is coming up and what better way to celebrate it than to make some delectable holiday desserts? One idea for a great Thanksgiving treat is pumpkin bread. Pumpkin bread is a great twist on a classic Thanksgiving staple. There are many creative things that can be done with pumpkin bread. The loaves make fantastic presents and all the gift requires is a little creativity. Simply wrap the loaf in plastic wrap, tie some ribbons around the package, and add a homemade card! If you want to serve the treat at your Thanksgiving table, cut the loaf into thin slices and make faces on each slice with cream cheese. “Pumpkin bread really makes a great gift. That’s what I give to my friends because it’s easy to make and easy to make look nice,” said Aamna Dosani, 10. Another tip is to heat the cream cheese up for about twenty seconds in the microwave, put the heated cream cheese into a bag, cut off a corner of the bag, and squeeze it out the little cut opening to make clean dots and lines. Pumpkin bread is just one of many Thanksgiving treats, like pumpkin pie, and chocolate turkeys, that can be made on this upcoming family holiday.
Pumpkin Bread You will need:
1 ½ teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon cinnamon ½ teaspoon nutmeg 2 ¼ cups sugar 4 eggs 2 cups pumpkin puree 1 cup canola oil 2/3 cup cold water 3 ¼ cups flour 2 teaspoons baking soda
Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 2. Flour and grease two large bread pans. 3. In a large bowl, mix flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and sugar. 4. In second large bowl, combine eggs, pumpkin, canola oil, and water. Mix ingredients until batter is smooth. 5. Add flour mixture and mix for about two minutes until batter is smooth. 6. Divide the mix evenly between the two bread pans and bake in the oven for about 1 ¼ hours. 7. Let the bread sit and cool for 30 minutes.
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Q&A
feature FRIDAY October 31, 2008
with Kayla Forshey, 11, daughter of State Representative Connie Pillich
daphne HSU
associate editor
The Nov. 4 election will hold special meaning to countless Americans: an African American was elected president, thousands of new voters turned out, and Hamilton County turned blue – something that has not happened since 1964. But for junior Kayla Forshey, the Nov. 4 election holds a personal meaning: her mother Connie Pillich ran for and won the state representative post. How did your mother’s campaign affect you – were you involved? Starting in April this year, my mom, my brother, and I would go doorto-door in neighborhoods in her district. So Saturdays and Sundays, we would go out for a couple of hours and we’d knock on doors to let people know she was running and who she was. During the summer, we’d go out four days a week through most of June. Then we got so many volunteers that my brother and I weren’t needed every day. Do you think your involvement in this has made you more interested in politics or politicized? I’m more politically aware than I was a year ago, two years ago. I don’t know if it’s because there was such a huge election this year with the presidential election, and so much of the focus was on that. I’m a little more politically aware than I’d thought I’d be at 16. What would you say to people who do not think they should vote because they do not think they would make a difference? Every vote counts. You don’t want to be one of those people who don’t vote, and then complain about the way things turn out because if you don’t vote, you’re basically saying you don’t care, so you shouldn’t be complaining about anything at all. It’s important for everybody to get out to vote. Do you think having your mom’s election in this particular election make a difference? I think that made a big difference because we combined campaigns with the Obama campaign and the Victoria Wulsin campaign, and they
helped out. Since it was a presidential election, more people were getting out and voting than people would in an off-year. So it definitely helped that it was a presidential election. Can you describe the scene Tuesday night at your house or wherever you were? Tuesday night we went out to a little restaurant in Blue Ash called The Cactus Pear. The TVs were on over the bar and everybody was gathered in the room, and we were just waiting. When we heard that Ohio had gone blue, everyone was just, “Oh, my god,” they were freaking out all over the place. It was really cool. Do you think your involvement in this campaign and your mom being in politics, are you interested in going into politics? Yes, I am right at the moment. In two years, my mom will be up for reelection, so I’m going to help out with that, and hopefully I’ll be able to help out with the other campaigns that year as well. And wherever I go to college, hopefully I’ll have enough time to get involved with campaigns and learn about politics. Why do you think you’re so interested? You get to meet a lot of interesting people, and that’s definitely one of the biggest reasons for me. Whatever I do, I want to be able to meet interesting people. It’d be nice be able to help people, so I figure that those would be my two biggest qualifications right now. Being a politician will hopefully allow me to do that.
photo by staff
BUFFET CLUB’S SECOND meeting was held at China City Buffet, where club members cleaned out all of the restaurant’s food. Bruce Wen, 12, on the left, frequently attends Buffet Club meetings and was the first person to receive the Most Valuable Eater award. “We knew we had the best eaters in the school and we felt we needed to recognize them somehow,” said Brian Kapcar, 12, on why the award was created.
Buffet Club:
serving up generous portions of food, fun
josh SAMUELS
C
staff writer
ontrary to popular belief, Buffet Club is a real club at SHS. After a downward popularity trend last year, Buffet Club is back and reloaded, with its popularity on the rise among students, most notably with the underclassmen. “The reason I love Buffet Club is because you have so much fun with your friends around lots of food,” said AJ Goldhoff, 10. Buffet Club held an informational meeting on Sept. 11 – the first gathering of the year – in sponsor Mr. Kevin Wittman’s classroom. Buffet Club Co-President Brian Kapcar, 12, was expecting a small crowd. He could not believe his eyes when he walked into the room. “I was expecting about 10 to 15 people because it was only an informational meeting. I was shocked to see over 25 people in the room,” said Kapcar. At the meeting, members discussed new plans for the year, including group t-shirts and the Most Valuable Eater award. The Most Valuable Eater
award is given to the person at each meeting that displays the spirit of Buffet Club best. It includes, but is not limited to, eating the most food and inviting friends to the event. The most important thing discussed at the meeting was that the club’s prime goal is the “eat out,” which means the club has to try to
”
Poetry Corner
The reason I love Buffet Club is because you have so much fun with your friends around lots of food.
-AJ Goldhoff, 10 make the buffet run out of food. “It’s a very ambitious goal, but I think it’s within our reach,” said Daniel Hunsucker, 12. The popularity of the informational meeting was so high that two weeks later, on Sept. 24, the club held their inaugural meeting at CiCi’s Pizza in Tri-County. It was estimated that 50 to 60 Buffet
Club members attended the first meeting. The first MVE of the year went to Bruce Wen, 12. He finished off an estimated 20 slices of pizza, far more than any other member. With the popularity of the first meeting, there was great anticipation for the next. The location was China City Buffet. There was surprise among the officers that attendance actually increased: it was estimated that nearly 70 people were in China City Buffet that night. At this meeting, Buffet clubbers finally achieved their goal. The employees at the buffet could not match the stomachs of SHS students and one-third of the way through the meeting, China City Buffet temporarily ran out of food. The MVE was awarded to Jeff Wolkoff, 10. “To be honest I never thought we could do it,” said John Stucker, 12. Excitement was at an all-time high when it was announced that the next meeting would be at Golden Corral, a favorite among students. The meeting is tentatively scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 20, at 6:30 p.m.
If you, or anyone you know, have a poem that you would like to have published, please drop it off in either Mrs. Cheralyn Jardine’s room (room 115) or in her mail box, which is located in the main office.
molly JOHNSON
staff writer
Life in the Candlelight Intaglio Eyes When two drops of fragile ink can press an iris Through rich emerald to porcelain blue Pale, parian faces and limp, empty figures will slouch through the streetsThe puppeteer’s strings cut. Strong, crystal skyscrapers are a poor trade for flowers And baby doll smiles a pitiable promise against the flaws of nature. Can we find ourselves, swallowed by greedy Conformity? Alice, you know the rabbit hole is calling. Leave a tea party with the cup half empty. Goodbye green eyes, goodbye sun skin.
-Annie Roessler, 12
The Object In the Silhouette Life is a genuine piece of heaven. Not death, but a preview of what is yet to come. And the little things that make life worth living Like the silhouette is that which my hope comes from. The object is the shape of dreams. A shape of love is what it seems. The symbol of my heart and soul. My likeness of you finally takes its toll. Will you be mine?
-Cody Connelly, 10
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FRIDAY November 21, 2008
Volunteering: many in search of hours
‘If you don’t pass there, you really should not be driving’
Where to take driving test
kelsey DRAPKIN
staff writer
michela TINDERA
business manager
R
eceiving a driver’s license has to be one of the most important teenage rites of passage possible. With it comes the freedom to go where one pleases when one pleases, well, with parental permission of course… So certainly, one of the most frequently asked questions when preparing to take this monumental test is: what location is the best for a definite pass? To some, location is everything; to others the where to take the exam means driving an extra half hour out of the way to go to a socalled, “easy” location. Across the greater Cincinnati area there are four main locations teens choose to take their exams at: Sharonville, Seven Hills, Lebanon, and Batavia; each one comes equipped with its own benefits and disadvantages. “Different areas have different routes. I did not have to deal with stoplights, only stop signs and there was hardly any traffic and I think I only encountered one car, in other words go take your test at Seven Hills. If you don’t pass there, you really should not be driving,” said Hannah D’Souza, 11.
Sharonville
The popular belief is that Sharonville is the most difficult location to
Sharonville
11177 Reading Rd Ste 203 Cincinnati, OH 45241 513.563.1420
take the exam, however many pass without any kind of harrowing experience to speak of. “People have this taboo about the Sharonville road test, but if you drive around the area a few times before your test and become familiar with the weird lanes and one way streets, it is really not bad,” said Emily Boutilier, 11. However a benefit to this taboo is that because few people register to take their test there, it is much easier to make appointments almost up to the day before one would wish to take their test.
Batavia
A more out-of-the-way locale that students go to is in Batavia, about 25 minutes from the high school. “I took my test at Batavia and it was really nerve-wrecking. My "grader" was pretty stern and impersonal, but the course was really easy and I passed the first time I took it,” said Christine McLaughlin, 11. Despite such a positive opinion, many test takers find Batavia’s maneuverability section to be difficult. In order to align the car with the cones one must watch out for a diagonally angled curb that more often than not creates a potential situation for disaster before the car is even set in drive.
Batavia
145 Foundry Ave Batavia, OH 45103 513.732.1619
Lebanon, Seven Hills
Despite these issues, most teens hardly have anything negative to say about the Lebanon and Seven Hills locations. Though Lebanon is somewhat of a lengthy journey, by most, it is considered to be a surefire pass. “It is the easiest thing I have ever done in my life. Sleeping is harder than passing this test,” Akshay RoyChaudhury, 11. “At Seven Hills, they take you through really narrow inner-roads. But the good thing is that you get to avoid crazy traffic. As for maneuverability, their cones were spaced farther apart than I expected. Still, it all depends on your ability to maneuver, which I have got to work on,” said Anu Kaushik, 11. For maneuverability, be sure to practice with the proper height of poles and cones so that when taking the actual test the situation does not throw one through a loop. Also remember to bring all of the correct paper work: make sure license tags are renewed and parents have the proper identification. Do not forget to bring the certificate received from driving school. With all of this advice in mind, remember to “take your time and concentrate,” said McLaughlin.
Lebanon
19 Dave Ave Lebanon, OH 45036 513.932.5825
Seven Hills
10940 Hamilton Ave Cincinnati, OH 45231 513.674.7830
Color profile: Generic CMYK printer profile Composite Default screen
image by leah burgin
Whether volunteer hours are needed for National Honors Society (NHS) or a person just wants to expose his good heart, getting involved in the community is important. Both Blue Ash and Montgomery have many opportunities for teen volunteers. “Our volunteer group is a diverse group. We manage to make the time spent volunteering fun and exciting. Volunteers are extremely important to the success of all the events,” said Mrs. Peggy Behm, Blue Ash volunteer coordinator. “We have a small number of teen volunteers and we are looking to expand the volunteer program,” said Behm, “Volunteering is a great way to give back to the community, meet new people, expand your resume for college and find out what your interests are as a teen.” Other opportunities present themselves in hospitals, nursing homes, religious organizations, or soup kitchens. “At vacation bible school at my church, I was a counselor for the kids. I took them around to the activities and was in charge of running some of the stations,” said Marjorie Keith, 9. “It made me feel responsible because the church left that stuff up to me.” “I volunteer for my synagogue’s Hebrew school and at the Special Olympics sometimes. Volunteering for the Special Olympics is a really great feeling because you get to see how excited the participants are and you know that you're helping to create that,” said Jeffrey Silverstein, 10. Some specific places to get some hours in and some that are always looking for volunteers include: The Interfaith Hospitality Network, Habitat for Humanity, American Cancer Society, Ronald McDonald, United Way, Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), Cincinnati Arts Association, Cincinnati Symphony, or the Cincinnati Museum Center. “I coach a five to six year old girls soccer team. I love little kids and playing soccer, so coaching them is the perfect way for me to volunteer. Plus, it's adorable when they see me outside of practice and run up and give me hugs,” said Katie Strickland, 11. Anyone interested in volunteering during 2008 or 2009 is encouraged to get started as early as possible. The sooner the paper work is completed, the easier it will be to schedule volunteering.
Engineering Club kicks off for interested scholars
New organization geared towards understanding career options mary ann JIANG editor-in-chief
A legal legacy... 100 years in the making. Established a century ago by two ambitious attorneys in a small Cleveland office with one phone, one desk and two chairs, Ulmer & Berne LLP continues its tradition of superior service with nearly 175 attorneys and four offices throughout the Midwest. We thank the Cincinnati business community as well as our clients across the U.S. for being an important part of our history, growth and success. Here’s to the next 100 years! Bradley D. Kaplan 513.698.5140 bkaplan@ulmer.com
100-Year Legal Legacy
Cleveland
Columbus
36904 Leaf Ad Proof 1 Tuesday, October 21, 2008 9:23:34 AM
Cincinnati
Chicago
Some see city planning in their post-collegiate futures. Others envision a vaccine for AIDs and possible Nobel Prize. Whether it be product design or engine crafting, students looking into the broad engineering career now have Engineering Club to find direction. “You know how there are all these different types of Engineering majors? This club is to help people who are thinking about being an engineer find out what they are,” said Vlad Podolsky, 12, creator and President. The inaugural meeting took place after school on Thursday, Nov. 5. Since then, Mr. Mike Geyer, chemistry teacher, and Mr. Michael Gutenkunst, physics teacher, have been coordinating to bring in a speaker to talk to the club in early December about his or her branch of engineering. Geyer and Gutenkunst both serve as club sponsors and have their personal experiences to draw upon. There is a slew of fields to look into, and the club wants to meet once per month. The sponsors are also planning projects to provide real-life applications as previews. “Our first is fermentation of alcohol. But the liquid we are using to make it will already be toxic so you can’t drink it,” said Podolsky. The date of this project has not been announced. Other projects in the tentative planning stage include bridge-building and taking a field trip to the University of Cincinnati. All are welcome to join in this preview of the major and career.
photo by catherine farist
MR. MIKE GEYER, chemistry teacher, and Vlad Podolsky, 12, discuss exactly what engineers do, while Podolsky explains his reasons for starting up this club and the interest expressed in this multi-faceted career path. The club will not be meeting for another two weeks, as they already held the initial meeting on Thursday, Nov. 5. However, they will continue to cover all fields of engineering and will address everything future engineers want and need to know.
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feature FRIDAY November 21, 2008
1999
photo by dale a. dunaway of “the post”
THE CORNELL ROAD area was badly damaged by the tornado of April 1999. Above: a bird’seye view of the neighborhood across from SHS shows how extensive the destruction was the morning after the tornado touched down. The community rallied together to clean up and provide support for families that had lost their homes. Right: nearly 10 years later, the scene at the same location is the extreme opposite.
2008
Decade after twister of ‘99 Remembering one of Cincinnati’s greatest disasters
photo by emily begley
emily BEGLEY staff writer
A
s students traverse down Cornell Road on their way to and from school, few can fathom the disfiguring destruction that the area, now picturesque with pristine houses and beautiful scenery, experienced just a few
years ago. The approaching date of April 9, 2009 will mark the 10th anniversary of the devastating F4 tornado that took four lives and caused more than $25 million in damage to hundreds of homes and businesses in the Cincinnati area. Students were deeply affected by the twister’s path of destruction. Among those killed were Lee and Jacque Cook, the parents of former SHS student Ryan Cook, ‘98, then a freshman at the University of Dayton. “They really loved people,” said Cook in an interview with “The Leaf ” days after the tornado hit. “My mother was a very warm, compassionate person.” The high school itself was damaged by the decimating winds: the tornado left behind a destroyed athletic field and a broken
school sign along Cornell. The school’s Educational Development Center was also ruined beyond repair. In addition, the towering trees that were trademarks of Cornell, located in the Johnson Preserve and adjoining Hazlewood Preserve, were strewn and ripped apart. Previously, students had enjoyed visiting the area in biology class to study the diverse fauna. Nearly a decade later, it is difficult to believe that the areas hit the hardest by the tornado were devastated to such a severe degree. The multiple houses beyond repair on Cornell were bulldozed and rebuilt. New trees were planted in the place of those violently torn from their roots by the forceful winds. Today, the road boasts gleaming new houses and gorgeous landscapes. The trees in the Johnson Preserve once again tower over Cornell, though they are not nearly as tall as the trees that had been blown down. Regardless, the sight is a special one for those who grew up exploring and studying the area.
With its upcoming anniversary, staff and students remember the tragic day the tornado tore through the area, the utter devastation that it caused forever seared into their memories. “My sports team and I helped clean up. It was pretty bad,” said Mr. Stan Kaniecki . Others recall the terrifying confusion that accompanied the detrimental storm. “I remember that day specifically,” said Lauren Barrett, 10. “We all hurried downstairs. My mom was having a heart attack because she was out of town and heard about the tornado on the news.” Ten years after the tornado of ‘99, Cincinnati shows little sign of the devastation brought upon it in the early hours of April 9, 1999. Even so, the ravaging storm lives on in the memories of the many it affected with its fury; the desolation it caused will not be soon forgotten.
‘Better get a four wheel drive’
Less road salt may mean harsher winter driving conditions ben KEEFE staff writer
It is mid-winter and snowing badly. There are inches upon inches of snow on the ground, but no salt. Sound unpleasant? Well, get ready for this winter. Hamilton County decided to not buy any extra salt for this upcoming winter season. According to WLWT Channel 5 News, Hamilton County Engineer William Brayshaw said that the salt that will be dropped this year will have grit in it to help tires get a grip on slick services. “We ordered as much salt as we could on last year’s contract,” Brayshaw said in an interview with WLWT, “with anticipation that salt price would increase with the fuel
price going up, so we have 11,000 tons on hand.” “Better get a four wheel drive,” said Mr. Chris Shrimpton, history teacher. Shrimpton recommends drivers to get four wheel drives on their cars because of the harsh winter the Farmer’s Almanac is predicting. However, Hamilton County, unlike many areas in the tri-state, is projected to have enough salt to last the winter. Though the county did not order any extra salt, the salt mix with grit should last the entire winter. “We’re in much better position than some, because we can stretch that to accommodate almost any storm we’ve ever had,” said Brayshaw.
Tips for students driving in harsh conditions: Clear ice and snow from everywhere on the car. No windows or mirrors should be blocked or covered. Leave more stopping distance between cars. Slick road conditions may make it more difficult to stop. Know the road conditions prior to getting in the car to drive. While driving, look farther ahead than usual. Most importantly, pay attention and go slow in the dangerous driving conditions.
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Effective FRIDAY November 21, 2008
Procrastination
Rigid discipline no longer only way to manage time rashmi BORAH
R
feature chief
egardless of how many experts warn high school students about the evils of procrastination, it is never a surprise that at 10:15 PM on a Sunday night, when Chemistry labs, English papers, and Spanish assignments are due the next day, a number of high school students are on Facebook, YouTube or the phone. Though excessive procrastination is harmful, procrastination in moderation is unavoidable. In light of this reality, a new perspective has been realized: is it possible, perhaps, for one to procrastinate…effectively? At first sight, the concept of “effective procrastination” seems paradoxical, but the possibility of utilizing such a “bad habit” to heighten productivity is not one that is out of reach.
Not-to-do list
Chad Balch’s soon-to-be-released book Effective Procrastination presents a new approach to time management. Instead of finishing everything as soon as possible, Balch advocates procrastination as the “cornerstone of effective personal time management.” Balch argues that time management strategies that focus on achieving everything as soon as possible with only the goals in mind can be heavy and intimidating, further hindering production. Instead, having a “not-to-do” list can help one better organize their tasks without the burden of having everything done as soon as possible. “Other competitive books have the weaknesses of being critical, preachy, or dense and difficult to read,” said Balch on his book’s promotional Web site. “Unlike these books which often take a serious, directly motivational, ‘get-off-your-duff ’ stance, Effective Procrastination does an end-run and begins with acceptance of procrastination as a natural, positive tendency that can be skillfully channeled.” At Marylhust University in Oregon, a class was designed specifically to teach students how to
2
procrastinate effectively. “When it comes to procrastination, people have at least three choices: 1) use procrastination effectively; 2) break the procrastination habit; or 3) continue mindless procrastination which sabotages goals and creates havoc in business and personal relationships,” reads the description for the class. In essence, advocates of this technique stress procrastinating without guilt and not worrying about what has not been finished. Such a mindset, they argue, adds unnecessary stress, which detracts from productivity. By purposefully putting off tasks that need to be finished and coming back to them at a more convenient time, productivity is increased as one is not forcing themselves to complete a task without the right mindset to do so. However, one should be careful when using this. Critics and supporters alike acknowledge the detriments that this technique can pose when one takes the list too far and saves too many urgent tasks until later. With that concern, other methods have been approached and attempted, to avoid over-procrastination dangers.
Cyclical completion
Stanford University philosophy professor John Perry portrays procrastination as a continuous cycle, where by completing tasks of mild importance before tackling those of higher priority, everything gets done in the end. “If all the procrastinator had left to do was to sharpen some pencils, no force on earth could get him do it. However, the procrastinator can be motivated to do difficult, timely and important tasks, as long as these tasks are a way of not doing something more important,” said Perry in his essay “Structured Procrastination.” Alexander Kjerulf, a prominent business speaker, noted the importance of procrastinating completely, without worrying about what has not
been finished while procrastinating. “If you leave a task for later, but spend all your time obsessing about the task you’re not doing, it does nothing good for you. So procrastinate without guilt,” said Kjerulf in his essay “Effective Procrastination.” In the end, no matter how many self-help books dismiss procrastination as a habit that kills productivity, it is unrealistic to assume that every individual can find it in themselves to complete every important task as soon as possible without any moment to pause, think or relax. Such a mindset, procrastination advocates argue, cannot be expected of everyone except for perhaps the stereotypical, goal-oriented executive whose to-do list has no end in sight. The logic behind this new method is that if procrastination is a natural component of human behavior, it makes more sense to utilize it, rather than engage in futile attempts to suppress the habit. After all, it will always be a human tendency to put things off as long as possible.
all images by rashmi borah
Get most out of
ways to procrastinate,
Cyclical Method
get work done Nov. 14th
{ {
To-do list
1. Derivatives worksheet 2. English project 3. Vocab quiz for Spanish 4. Organize Chem binder 5. Bake cookies for bake sale 6. Sharpen pencils 7. CHeck e-mail 8. Update blog site 9. Post video on youtube
Good for: when you have a number of items to complete, all of which are urgent, yet you mentally cannot complete How it helps: Starting the most urgent tasks immewith less stressful tasks diately. first relaxes your mind to finish harder things What to do: start by “prolater on. This is more crastinating” with tasks that are not as stressful first. Then, efficient because you are not struggling to move on to tasks that are finish things when you more urgent, after you have do not want to. de-stressed.
‘Do-later’
List
Good for: when you have a number of items to complete, but some can wait.
Slacking
1. Procrastinate without guilt Do not feel frustrated about procrastinating. It is normal and will not hold you back too much, as long as you do so in moderation.
2. Do not worry about work
Instead of watching TV or doing something idly and fretting about what is not getting done, just relax and immerse yourself in whatever you are doing.
What to do: select tasks that can wait until later and do not do them until they become more urgent. Instead, take time to do things that are not as urgent.
3. Choose to procrastinate
How it helps: stress is lowered by decreasing the number of tasks without sacrificing their completion.
When you are ready to start working again, make sure you do so and make up for the time you lost. In the end, everything still needs to get done.
This may sound obvious, but many people find themselves mindlessly straying away from anything important. If you really do not feel like doing something, make the conscious decision to do it later.
4. Make up for it later
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feature FRIDAY November 21, 2008
New faces, old traditions
Recapturing festivities of
Senior Halloween
daniella COS & jacob NEWTON staff writer
W
calendar editor
oodland animals, students impersonating their lacrosse coach, and lunch time dances are all part of the annual Senior Halloween. SHS students wait four years to participate in this privilege that comes with being a senior. “I had been thinking about what to be forever, it’s always been something I looked forward too,” said Jessica Kirschner, 12. Though these festivities are reserved for seniors only, the entire school gets to enjoy this day. Underclassmen get the chance to witness one of the many opportunities seniors have and began looking forward to their future as seniors. “It was pretty cool, I liked the Mario Kart group a lot,” said Tom Dearinger, 9. Like every privilege, however, there are rules and regulations that must be followed. Nothing that can be interpreted as offensive can be part of a costume. Anyone in risqué clothing is also subject to being sent home. “It is an overwhelming day with lots of noise and fun, but rules still have to be followed,” said Mr. Jim Skoog, Associate Principal. This year was quiet a turn out though. The senior class decided to make this a humor-filled day with not one student being sent home. Most decided to make this a day of laughter and fun, not a day to see how much they could get away with. “It didn’t seem worth it, getting in trouble, that’s why I chose to be part of something funny and creative,” said Brittany Kindberg, 12. For many, Senior Halloween preparation starts long before Halloween. Some students put hours and
COUNTER CLOCKWISE STARTING at top (All grade 12): JD Macejko, Matt Geisen, Danny Seymour, and Nik Velleca as Rick Astley, infamous for singing “Never Gonna Give You Up.” Joe McLaughlin as a bear, is part of the forest creature group. Jaimee Johnson as a mime. Kathleen Meyer, Shelby Bittinger, Katie Yaroma as “Where’s Waldo?” Will Kiley as a homeless individual. Katelyn Hutson shows off her leotard as part of an aerobic group costume and Eve Petticrew as one of the Madeline school girls. Daphne Hsu and Negin Fallahi as bunches of grapes.
hours of thought and planning into their costumes. Whether it be a group costume or an individual, many of the memories are made during construction hours. “It was hilarious the first time we tried on the full body costumes. I will never forget seeing my friends come out in full-on gerbil suits,” said Lisa Wu, 12. The fun did not just stop at walking around school dressed up. During lunch most seniors took advantage to not only eat, but show off their costumes even more. Many had music to dance to or wheels to turn in. It was another chance to demonstrate the creativity of ‘09 seniors. “Lunch was awesome, I couldn’t soak it all in, there was too much to look at, I laughed the entire time,” said Adrian Amrine, 11. On this day, during sixth bell, all seniors lined up to march in the Halloween parade. Most creative costumes earned prizes and recognition for their handy work. The impersonation of lacrosse Coach Ed Clark, a homeless person, and a huge group of Madeline school girls are just a few of the winners. This day is bound to be remembered by students and faculty alike. Whether it be for participating or just observing, it was a wonderful day. As festivities came to an end, seniors were given the reward of going home without visiting their seventh bell class. With the close of the senior parade came the close of this incredible day. “It was a very interesting day, It’s weird that its already over. Senior Halloween is one of the first senior things we get to do and I’ll remember it for a very long time,” said Josh Meyers, 12.
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FRIDAY November 21, 2008
Senior Halloween award winners
all photos by jeremy mccdaniel and adam birkan *not all costume winners are shown
scariest group I actually was doing it as a hobby, I just happened to finish it on time for senior Halloween.
How long did it take to build your costume? Around 70 - 80 hours I think. I just did it whenever I had time.
cutest individual
best man duo
best girl duo
Q& A Why did you choose to dress up like a “Halo” character?
best teacher
funniest group best parody
Those that work hard must be rewarded. This is why every year at the Senior Halloween parade the administration presents awards in many categories. “The Leaf” felt that there were a few people overlooked. “The Breakfast Club” characters include Joe Lautzenhiser, Zach Sosna, Arielle Ingber, Jordan Rabin, and Sammy Zola. The “Super Troopers” characters include Josh Meyer, Ben Estes, Marty Jones, Nick Schlie, and Cory Gamber. Mr. Brien Miller portrays a Mayan native.
best impersonation
‘The Leaf’ awards
scariest individual
best duo
most creative group
best group
most bizarre group
Recap of Oct. 31 costume competition
with best individual winner Joe Lee, 12 Did people know what you were? Yeah they did, it was pretty cool.
What is your costume made out of? It started out as a paper model and then I “fiber glassed” it.
What are you going to do with you costume now? I might sell it on eBay. I’ve
Was it hard to move heard of people doing around in your costume? that, but I don’t know yet. Yes, definitely.
FIRST ROW (LEFT to right): Riley Able, Andrew Tripp, Kevin Davies and Ben Rosen as secret service men. Jenna Tameris, Amanda Sersion, Sydnee Hosler, Baylee Waterman, and Lisa Wu as hamsters. Tyler Haigwood, Ryan Lavigne, Brandon Rogers, Garrett Listo, and Nick Cianciolo as the Flyerettes. Second Row: Stephen Raithel, Michael Natarus, Charlie Moody, and Daniel Garfield as construction workers. Stephanie Biehle, and Wes Denny as Jessica Simpson and Tony Romo. Cathryn Chuey, Lindsay Fischer as best friends. “Monty Python” characters portrayed by Anand Holtkamp and Kit James. Third Row: Ben Marsh as a victim. Molly Daniels as Mr. Ed Clark. Lacy Peterson as Strawberry Shortcake.
I’ve grown attached to it.
best individual
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feature FRIDAY November 21, 2008
‘College degree is still one of the best assets’
Students affected by economic downturn mandi KIPNER
R
staff writer
ight now our country is facing possibly one of the most severe economic downturns since the great depression. News of this economic problem has been scattered and broadcast all over the television and in the media nearly every day. “There is not one particular event that caused this; it is a number of factors,” said Mr. Steve Jostworth, personal finance teacher. This snowball effect led to the economic struggle Americans face now. The decline of the stock market started with the financial institutions kept giving out loans. In the end they found themselves in an ocean of debt. The financial institution’s debt affects businesses of all sizes. The businesses are not able to borrow the money they need, and there was a tighter budget. Businesses were almost forced to cut employee benefits and lay off jobs. Because jobs were limited there was a decline in credit and less money to be spent. The fact that people were not spending as much money negatively affected businesses. With a shrinking income pool, the government now does not have as much money coming in from taxes and have to make their own budget cuts. Congress could be to the point where they have approved a $700 billion dollar bailout plan which would pay money to the financial institutions debt.
Students affected by economy The fact that the economy is in trouble is beginning to affect students. In the past it has been fairly easy to get loans, grants, and scholarships. The economic downturn has amounted to financial cuts from banks, institutions, and budget cuts for Ohio education.
According to the Ohio Education Association, Governor Ted Strickland has asked for serious budget cuts in September. These reductions mean that school districts and higher education institutions are under serious financial restraint. Paying for tuition is not the only thing that college students have to worry about.
THE CRISIS ON Wall Street is closely associated with the United State’s economic recession. The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) is located on Wall Street.. The NYSE is in charge of buying and selling stock from large companies like Johnson & Johnson and Proctor & Gamble.
Student’s jobs at risk
The number of jobs available to college graduates depends upon the state of the economy. Currently, the economy is not doing well. Therefore, there has been both a decrease in hiring and a freezing of jobs. College graduates are also losing jobs to people with more experience. Because the jobs available to students may be in jeopardy, many have to be creative, or they must reevaluate their first choices.
College still option for students
Despite the decrease in the hiring of college graduates, college is still an option for achieving a stable, successful future. There are many options for paying for higher education. Two popular options include FAFSA, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, and fastweb.com, a free scholarship Web site. “A college degree is still one of the best assets you can have in this type of [job] market,” said Cecilia Conrad, a labor economist, in a recent interview featured on PBS. The state of the economy may be grim, but everyone can take personal precautions to avoid being fused into the mess of this snowball economy.
images by mandi kipner
Terms explained Mortgage
Loans that banks give to homeowners with a contract requiring the homeowner to paying back the money in installments.
Foreclosure
Checklist Grants
Money given by the government to people these are different than loans which are given by banks.
Monitor checking account Make sure that the balance is checked after every transaction. An easy way to do this is by using a check register.
Recession
When a bank takes back own- A period of reduced ecoership of a house due to an nomic activity. individual’s inability to pay for their mortgage.
Q& A
Learn how to get the most out of your money
Create a savings account An easy and simple way to save is by splitting up pay checks and putting a certain amount of money away.
Create a budget For expensive items there should be a realistic budget made to avoid overspending.
with Mr. Steve Jostworth
The Ohio Department of Education has passed new standards requiring students to take a financial literacy class by 2014. How do you feel about this? With the current state of the economy every high school student should know how to deal with personal finance topics. How can taking your personal finance class help students in the long run? It is one of the most practical courses taught at SHS and should be taken. It teaches skills like banking services, use of credit/credit cards, budgeting, insurances, and taxes. If you could tell students/ teenagers one thing about the finance what would it be? To make sure you do not abuse the use of credit and to understand how credit cards work.
Be fragile with credit cards Credit cards can be beneficial if they are used correctly. It is very important to only spend money that can be paid back on a credit card.
Weigh needs vs. wants Creating a budget limits and regulates the needs. It helps balance wants and needs, and realize the limitations of budgets because needs are accounted for.
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FRIDAY November 21, 2008
unique experiences, Fashion Club: inspiring designs
brittany ARGYRIOU
F
fun&games chief
day of every month. There are 40 rom the trendiest fashions to the skinniest runway models, members currently and there is Fashion Club covers it all. always room for more. Fashion Club provides “We are always encouraging more students with a place where anyone students to join Fashion Club to learn and have fun. Anyone is welcan express any level of knowledge or opinion and learn about past and come,” said Kipner. present fashion apparel. The Fashion Club also helps supSome of the experiences Fashion port “Go Red” an organization to Club members have had in past help raise money for heart disease which is the number one killer of years include field trips to runway shows and vintage apparel stores. woman. These events display hip and trendy The members of Fashion Club all fashions that range from elegant to go to Macy’s for a field trip and use casual. their fashion sense to shop. They spend money that goes toward the For some students, a fashion class could be a great experience. “Go Red” fund. Yet, many students do not have “I think the goals for Fashion Club time in yearly will be to have another prom dress class scheduling drive, to collect to take such a Fashion Club has a lot of dresses for girls course. who are unable “In our meet- things to offer for you to to afford dresses ings we do learn, the fashion shows for prom and activities that other occasions. Also by going on we sometimes are one of my favorite do in fashion field trips this things to see year to Macy’s we class,” said Eryn Kipner, 10, vice will be contributpresident. “Even ing to the ‘Go Red’ campaign.“ if students are not in a fashion design course or a said Jessica Meyer, 11. clothing construction course they can still come to Fashion Club and The Fashion Club also successfully experience the same stuff they work collected and donated 82 dresses for the prom drive last year. on in class.” Fashion Club gives any student “Fashion Club has a lot of things to offer for you to learn, the fashion time after school to explore their interests without having to meet shows are one of my favorite things during the school day. to see,” said Meyer, 11. The club also visits The University “Our goal this year is to educate students interested in fashion but of Cincinnati to see fashion shows that are put on by the students. It still have a group that can have a lot of fun,” said Kipner. “During is a great experience for aspiring our meetings we do activities that fashion design students to see. President Jessica Kirchner, 12, are learning experiences and also anounce new upcoming events. For directs most of the events for the example a few weeks ago we took meetings. students from Fashion Club to a The club decided that this year fashion show at the 20th Century. the motto of the club would be the quote by Yves Saint Larent, French Fashion Club has an open environment that anyone can come to learn fashion designer, “Fashion fades, about fashion and have fun.” style is eternal.” Fashion Club meets the second
”
”
-Jessica Meyer, 11
image by brittanny argyriou
JESSICA MEYER, 11, WORKS on a sketch for her fashion class. The sketch accentuates the design and color of clothing style that is desired by the artist. In Fashion Club, students learn how to elaboratly draw out sketches just like the one shown.
Contact information:
Advisor: Ms. Klemt Email: klemtd@sycamoreschools.org Phone: 513-489-0405 ext. (3042) President: Jessica Kirchner, 12 Vice President: Eryn Kipner, 10 Creative Director: Sara Rabin, 11 Publicity: Sammy Zola, 12
Upcoming events: Thurdsday, Jan 22nd
Craft Day-Miscellaneous crafts such as belts, headbands, purses will be made
Thursday, Feb 19th
Sketching 101- Students will learn how to sketch their designs of clothing and accesories.
Thursday, Mar 19th
THESE PICTURES ARE are some examples of the drawings that are created in all of the fashion classes. Many club members and students enjoy the freedom sketching allows them. Sketches like these will also be made on the club’s Sketching 101 day.
Make-up Day- Students will learn how to
apply the right amount of make-up and how to attain their desired looks.
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feature
Fictional fight ensues FRIDAY November 21, 2008
Fangs, w in teen
s.m. DIPALI & emma ROSEN staff writer
staff writer
Love story with bite ‘Twilight’ leaves fans on edge The “Twilight” saga is a unique, modern vampire love story. In it, an ordinary girl named Bella Swan falls in love with a vampire named Edward Cullen. The Cullen family is an unusual coven of “vegetarian vampires,” or vampires that do not prey on humans. The series follows the development of Edward and Bella’s relationship in a way that is relatable to many teens. The Cullens and Bella stumble upon many obstacles, from the bloodthirsty tracker, James, to the power hungry vampire coven called the Volturi. They also have to face problems that many teen couples do, such as protective fathers and meddling friends. There is adventure throughout, with interesting twists and turns along the way. Meyer has taken her books and expanded them into an entire fandom, similar to that of “Harry Potter.”
Awards, recognitions
The “Twilight” books have been graciously received into the world of fantasy literature. The first book, “Twilight” has by far gotten the most awards of the saga. Book one has received such honors as a Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year, an American Library Association Top Ten Books for Reluctant Readers” and Top Ten Best Book for Young Adults. All of the books have appeared on
the “New York Times” Bestseller List. This is something that not many series are able to do.
Why it is better
Meyer’s books have brought a new feel to teen fantasy books. Her fresh take on the long written about subject of vampires, leaves the reader begging for more. Her style of writing intrigues readers making her book a force unable to put down. The “Twilight” characters are very dynamic. The reader gets to know them well, and feels as if they are undergoing change with them. The argument that the “Harry Potter” series is better than “Twilight” is often based on the number of readers, but “Twilight” is a relatively new book compared to “Harry Potter.” Over the years “Harry Potter’s” fan base has grown, but in- time so will “Twilight’s.” The “Twilight” books provide not just a great story, but quality writing. Meyer has taken Rowling’s successes and attempted to mimic them. So far, she has done just that. The Potter versus “Twilight” battle rages on, and “Twilight” is holding its own.
T
he “Harry Potter” series by “Twilight” saga by Stephan topping the “New York Tim like nobody’s business. The it; these are the two most popular b generation. But now, after all of the glamorous media coverage, a quest the best? Let the battle of the books
all photos courtesy of www.fanpop.com
‘Twilight’ fans say:
”
‘Harry Potter’ is an agonizing book. I gave it a chance only to find out that it is repetitive and never-ending. ‘Twilight’ is much better.
-Suzie An, 10
Stephanie Meyer’s smash hit “Twilight” is being transformed into a movie on Nov. 21. Originally set to appear in theaters in December, the movie was bumped up to November when the sixth Potter film moved its release date to July. This controversial move was seen by many as an attempt to “steal” many of Rowling’s fans. The producers also went
”
This demonstration of Edward’s vampire speed is featured in the upcoming movie due to come out on Nov. 21. Here, Edward is carrying his girlfriend Bella along for the ride. The “Twilight” saga has captured many because of the strong relationship Edward and Bella share throughout all four novels.
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‘Twilight’ isn’t quite as supernatural as ‘Harry Potter’. It feels more realistic so it is a much more relatable story.
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-Kathryn Rosenberg, 11
on to cast Robert Pattinson as Edward Cullen, former Potter actor, which added more fuel to the fire. Despite the clash with the Potter film, “Twilight’s” moving up its release date was met eagerly by avid “Twilight” fans. Directed by Catherine Hardwicke, an experienced director, this movie is sure to be a box-office hit. In this picture, from left to right: Bella Swan played by
”
I love ‘Twilight’ is a beautiful blend between a mortal and a vampire. It is truly touching.
”
-Shawn Krishnan, 9
Kristen Stewart, Edward Cullen played by Pattinson, Carlisle Cullen played by Peter Facinelli, Esme Cullen played by Elizabeth Reaser, Victoria played by Rachelle Lefevre, Rosalie Hale played by Nikki Reed, Emmet Cullen played by Kellan Lutz, Jasper Hale played by Jackson Rathbone, and Alice Cullen played by Ashley Greene.
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between novels, fans FRIDAY November 21, 2008
wands clash n thrillers
Wingardium leviosa
Potter books rise to new heights Rowling has created an entire world filled with spells, potion books, and magical adventures. Her stories focus on Harry Potter, who was marked at birth with a lightning-shaped scar. From book one, readers follow Harry through his years at Hogwarts, a school for young wizards and witches. He faces basilisks, an extremely evil wizard, and even Cornish pixies. The series leads up to an ultimate battle of good versus evil in the seventh book.
y JK Rowling and the nie Meyer have been mes” Bestseller List ere is no doubt about book series of our e starred reviews and ion has arisen…who is s begin.
Harry Potter prepares to fight Voldemort’s Death Eaters in a fierce battle at the Ministry of Magic. This scene in the fifth movie is intense and keeps watchers on the edge of their seat, just as Rowling does in her books. The sixth movie is said to contain similar battle scenes.
‘Harry Potter’ fans say:
”
tions
The Potter series has won a myriad awards. “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” alone has won four Whitaker Platinum Books Awards, three Nestlé Smarties Book Prizes, and the inaugural Whitbread Children’s Book of the Year award. Other prestigious awards such as Best Novel in the Hugo Awards, a commendation for the Carnegie Medal, and the WHSmith Book of the Year have been given to the
Twilight was so boring that I couldn’t get through the first chapter without falling asleep. Harry Potter wins handsdown!
”
-Izy Martin, 9
“Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince” is due to hit the big screen on Jul. 17, 2009. The date has already been pushed back from the original estimation of Nov. 21, 2008. Incidentally, this is the date that the “Twilight” is coming out now. Coincidence? Maybe. Warner Bros. denies it, but fans suspect otherwise. With its new release date, people are expecting the
Awards, recogni-
”
Harry Potter has a good plot and its very entertaining. It is definitely one of the best series out there.
”
-Paul DeBruine, 11
movie to be twice as good as it would have been originally. This movie, directed by David Yates, will feature new romances, professors, and even new Quidditch uniforms. In the sixth movie, Harry will face many new and exciting adventures. Horcruxes are introduced, as is a new minister. Some of Dumbledore’s memory scenes have been cut, but many still remain.
series. All seven books have kept a spot on the ‘New York Times” Bestseller List from 1998 to 2008. Over 375 million copies have been sold. In addition to that, they have been translated into 65 different languages. The books continue to receive recognition on fan sites and podcasts.
Why it is better
The world of Harry Potter is a mania that only a master of the craft, such as Rowling, could create. She has made entirely believable characters that touch the reader’s hearts. Numbers of children wait by their mailboxes, hoping an owl will show up with a letter signed by Professor McGonagall announcing their acceptance to Hogwarts. Rowling has woven a web of words that will be read until the end of time. It is not just considered a children’s book, but a classic. The expertise with which she writes these novels is, in some people’s opinion, comparable to that of J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. The character of Harry Potter alone is complex and thoughtful. Readers get an insight into his life. Most of the time, people feel as if they are actually in the books, fighting dementors and playing quidditch. In the end, love and friendship prevailed. Potter and friends destroyed Lord Voldemort, and “all was well.” Rowling ended the series with finesse, and people will forever remember “the boy who lived.”
”
Harry Potter made it acceptable to be a wizard. Now I don’t have to worry about casting the occasional lumos or accio girlfriend spell.
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-Ben Rosen, 12
These characters will return for the sixth installment of the popular series. From left to right: Hermione Granger played by Emma Watson, Ron Weasley played by Rupert Grint, Ginny Weasley played by Bonnie Wright, Luna Lovegood played by Evanna Lynch, Draco Malfoy played by Tom Felton, and Harry Potter played by Daniel Radcliffe.
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feature FRIDAY November 21, 2008
Gift ideas to inspire Make, create, celebrate
mary ann JIANG editor-in-chief
A
jolly chorus line of servers romp out of the restaurant kitchen doting cream and candle. Excitement for one’s birthday seems to come down to this. Dress up, eat out, snap pictures, and return home thinking, “Our friendship is made stronger in food prices.” How about a change in the routine? Offer a special token that the digestive system will not transmute into earth soil. Spend some extra time working on a gift that lasts longer than the couple courses, or choruses. With these ideas, get inspired to bring a gift to friends and family that will surprise and flatter. Much more than a few dollars and spilled Elmer’s glue will have gone into the project, a fact that anyone on the receiving end will undoubtedly appreciate. “T-shirts are fun to make with your friends. They’re really personal and good if you don’t have the money to buy one,” said Jessica Walling, 12.
Photo frame
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Materials:
to: fro jane m: yo u
rb H ff bi ap r p th y da y!!
-Any sized picture -Empty cardboard box (Granola bar boxes fit 3x5 inch photos) -Ruler -String (one foot) -Two paper clips -All-purpose glue -Scissors or paper carver -Construction paper -Embellishments (beads, glitter, etc.) -Coloring items like puffy paint
Directions:
1. Measure, trace, cut all images by mary ann jiang
Homemade T-shirt
1”
The time and thought that goes into creating a T-shirt makes for a meaningful, personal gift. While not always worn, shirts are nonetheless hard to forget and harder not to appreciate. Simply get a plain shirt and create artwork with an iron-on design or puffy paint. You may stop here, or add more embel- T-shirts... are really perlishments, like sew-ons. sonal and good if you You can also alter the style of the shirt by cutting off the don’t have the money to sleeves or cutting slits into the buy one. sides under the sleeves. Cut up from the bottom of the tee to the sleeves. Fit the shirt so that you know how long each cut -Jessica Walling, 12 should be made on each side. Cut slits (approximately one inch between each) and retie the shirt. Tip: Michael’s, a crafts store at Waterstone Blvd. in Mason, offers all of these supplies. Also, if you use puffy paint, try drawing and writing everything out on a sheet of paper beforehand. This way you can perfect the look and feel comfortable with using the permanent paint.
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Find some sort of container, like a shoe box or empty chocolate case. Fill it with sentimental items or anything reminiscent of personal memories. This may include ticket stubs, photos, glow sticks from raves, or a clipping from “The Leaf.” Decorate the box or leave it plain to achieve that “forlorn stash of memories” effect.
Basketful of...
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Make a gift basket full or either random and personal items, or items central to a theme. Examples: “Pamper heaven,” “You’re going to college,” “Inside jokes, etc.,” or “You’d better take me to every restaurant that I got you a coupon for.”
2. Glue paper clips
In each top corner, glue the clips to be parallel to the sides of the photo.
3. Decorate inside
Cover the inside with construction paper first to eliminate the bleak cardboard look. Use embellishments or coloring tools in the area around the photo.
4. Measure, poke holes
Make small holes at the top of the box for string to suspend the photo.
5. Loop string
With the photo firmly secured to two paper clips, tie one end of string to one paper clip and string it through the hole. Knot it here and use another string for the other corner, or use one full piece for a hanging frame. For a hanging frame, you can use a bead on top for stability. At the top of the box, fold the string, pull it through a bead, and tie a knot. Loop it through the second hole. Tie it to the second paper clip.
6. Adorn the outside
Decorate the frame with construction paper and any other decorations.
Custom hat
3 6
A PLAIN COLORED T-shirt and a couple tubes of puffy paint were all that were needed for Nancy Hsu, 10, to present a unique birthday gift. One can draw free form images, use logos of favorite bands, write out lyrics to a favorite song, or even illustrate an inside joke. Hsu created a band T-shirt for a friend for her birthday.
Memory chest
Use measurements of the photo to determine the size of the frame opening.
The Kenwood Towne Center store Lid’s now houses a Design Lab for creating customized hats. It can also be accessed online. Choose from an array of fonts, colors, images, and hat styles. The cost of a plain hat ranges from $10 to $16. Text and graphics range from $7 to $11. Visit www.custom-hats.lids. com for more information.
Corkboard Decorate or cut out shapes from a corkboard. You can use a hot glue gun for a fabric covering, but this fabric should not be too thick, for ease of using tacks. Add charms, beads, and any extra adornment around the photos.
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FRIDAY November 21, 2008
‘We’re trying to make innovation happen’
Technology department prepares to revamp schools
End of desktop computers in sight?
Three-Step:
Laying the groundwork for a “wireless school”
Blackboard
Improving the functionality of the Online Portal is a primary goal of the technology department . In addition to the new tools that are already available, Blackboard will also unveil a memory feature, which will enable students to store files online. Both an H-Drive and a share drive will be available.
all images by will johnston
DJ DONNELLON, 12, HELPS explain implicit differentiation in Mrs. Susan Odell’s seventh bell calculus class. Smart boards such as this will become the norm in all classes over the next several years as part of the technology department’s long-term plans.
Smart Boards
will JOHNSTON associate editor
C
hange is coming- to more than the White House. This fall, new features of Blackboard were unveiled, including the wiki, blog, and podcast tools. These things are but the beginning of what could become a drastic overhaul of the technology present throughout the school district. Over the course of the next few years, the technology department plans to gradually makeover the equipment available to all grades in every building. The ultimate goal is to move towards a “paperless school” environment. “We’re trying to make innovation happen,” said Mr. Bill Fritz, head of the technology department. “We want to make learning available anytime, anywhere.” The changes that are planned to occur, some of which have already begun, will take place in both a simultaneous and sequential fashion. The first step has already been partially completed- upgrading Blackboard. In addition to adding a number of tools, including those aforementioned, the technology department plans to add more features to it. Most importantly, these include a memory capability. When implemented, students will have an H-Drive and a share drive
accessible online ‘anytime, anywhere.’ The next phase, which likewise has already started, is to implement smart boards into every classroom, and will take place over the next two to three years. These boards have a variety of benefits, including a greater capability for presentations and interactivity during class. The technology department is also currently working to establish a wi-fi network in all of the buildings in the district, which will be phased in throughout the next 18 months. When completed, these changes could mean drastic differences in the day-to-day life of an average student. In lieu of the weight of heavy books, online texts could be the norm. Instead of the desktop model computers currently in place throughout the district, more portable devices, namely laptops, may take their place. Also, electronic devices such as IPods could conceivably now be used in the learning process. “When students come to school with devices like I-Pods and cell phones, they are essentially asked to ‘power down,’ yet they can be used as tools for learning,” said Fritz. “We are planning to establish a system that allows that.” However, there are several hurdles that must be overcome in order for such changes to take full effect. Professional development- faculty’s
knowledge of and ability to use this new technology- must take place. Changing the culture of learning in the schools to fit such an approach could also pose problems. Most importantly, of course, is the issue of finance. The technology department is currently operating at a $400,000 budget per year, a limit which has already caused it to have to alter its plans. As this development progresses, the budget as it currently is could cause further complications. “We’re approaching a point when a decision will need to be made about how we want to conduct our business,” said Fritz. Test groups are currently experimenting with such a setup. Classes at the fourth grade level at Symmes Elementary and at E.H. Greene School are conducting a pilot program with the fully integrated technology. Still ongoing, final conclusions have yet to be drawn. The overall concept of the project is to further prepare students for the challenges they may face on a college campus and beyond. “I view technology as a catalyst for change in the way we approach education,” said Fritz. “At colleges, kids will be asked to work in a wireless environment, and we must prepare kids for that. We can use all of these things as tools to learn.”
Installing smart boards in every classroom in the next step, one which has already begun. These boards offer a number of benefits, including attractive presentations, improved student responsiveness, and increased interfacing abilities. The technology department hopes to have this completed within the next three years.
Wi-Fi
Having wireless capabilities in every building of all schools is the last phase in the technology department’s current plan. Such a system would enable portable devices, such as laptops, to be used throughout each school’s grounds. Establishing a Wi-Fi network is absolutely crucial to achieving a “paperless school.”
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FRIDAY November 21, 2008
Learning from past events 1. Attacker profile
The stereotypes of teenage dress and style are not useful in preventing school shootings. There is no accurate “profile” of students who engage in targeted school violence. Too many innocent people will fit any possible profile and too many attackers will not.
10 school shooting
MYTHS
2. Just snapped
Only one-third of past attackers had ever been seen by a mental health professional and only onefifth had been diagnosed with a mental disorder. However, many showed some history of suicidal behavior.
7. SWAT/Metal detectors
Despite prompt law enforcement responses, most shooting incidents will end before a SWAT team can arrive. Metal detectors have never been proven to deter students who planned to kill themselves and other students, either.
Attackers never “just snap.” Most will progress from creating an idea, to assembling an attack, to gathering weapons. This process can be quick, but most of the time the plans are discoverable. Rarely will incidents of school violence be random, sudden, impulsive acts.
3. No one knew
8. Never touched a gun
Before most attacks, someone else will know about the plan. In past cases, those who knew were friends, schoolmates, or siblings of the attacker. Also, most perpetrators will engage in some kind of unusual behavior prior to the attack that indicates a need for help.
Most perpetrators will have access to weapons prior to their attack whether anyone knows it or not. Studies show that in past school shootings most attackers acquired their guns at home.
9. Teachers intervened
4. No threats made
Previous attackers said they felt persecuted, bullied or injured by others prior to the attack and that they tried without success to get someone to intervene. In past incidents particular administrators and teachers have been targeted.
Too much emphasis can be placed on threats. Most attackers will never verbally threaten and most threateners will never physically attack. Any student that indicates a need for help or shows characteristics of violence poses a threat even if one is never verbally made.
10. Rampant violence
5. Loners
Of all the past school shootings, only one-quarter of attackers hung out with a “fringe group.” Most of the previous perpetrators were considered in the mainstream of the student population and were active in sports, clubs or other activities.
6. Attacker was ill
image by emma oh
THE PROFILE OF a gun-toting student in a trench coat is one of the many myths about the rare but murderous school shooting attacks. The MSNBC Web site compiled 10 myths about school shootings from a study by the U.S. Secret Service and the U.S. Department of Education. The researchers read case files and other primary sources for 37 attacks by current or former students and interviewed 10 of the perpetrators.
It may seem that school violence is rampant with the media focused on an epidemic of school shootings. However school shootings are actually very rare. In the United States, the number of school assaults have declined by nearly half in the last decade.
October 2, 2006
April 16, 2007
February 14, 2008
West Nickel Mines School, Pa.
Virginia Tech University
Northern Illinois University
photo by eileen blass
photo by getty images
LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENTS carry a body bag out of the Amish one room school house where Charles Carl Roberts IV took five girls hostage. Roberts began shooting at the victims, causing troopers to immediately approach the building. By the time the first trooper reached the window, Roberts had murdered five girls and committed suicide.
MOURNERS GATHER AFTER 23-year-old Seung-Hui Cho killed 32 people, including himself. Alone, he created the deadliest shooting by a single gunman in United States history. Cho had previously been diagnosed with severe depression, selective mutism, and social anxiety, but refused to seek medical treatment.
photo by matthew leverton
COLE HALL ENTRANCE is blocked off after Stephen Phillip Kazmierczak opened fire. Kazmierczak entered a lecture hall filled with 150 to 200 students and began shooting into the crowd, killing six and injuring 18. One witness reported at least 30 shots being fired by the gunman; police later collected 48 shell casings and six shotgun shells.
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feature
Columbine effect: FRIDAY November 21, 2008
jimmy CHAU & emma OH
A
staff writer
staff writer
pril 20, 1999 marked a tragic and unfortunate day the nation will never forget. Chaos and hysteria raced throughout Littleton, Colo. as panicked, wounded, and distraught students fled from their high school. Inside, two armed students sadistically embarked on what is tragically recognized as the Columbine High School Massacre. On that fateful morning seniors, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, arrived at Columbine High School armed with guns, knives, and explosives. The boys then began a brutal shooting rampage, killing 13 and injuring 23 before committing suicide. Not long after, questions arose: What could the Columbine community and school district have done to prevent this? And what can other communities and school districts do to keep their schools safe, as well?
that had not been instilled before. That way, in case of an emergency, all rooms could be easily locked. SHS also began requiring visitors to sign in and wear a badge for identification. In addition, a Student Resource Officer was added to the school. In 2002, the city of Montgomery Police Department assigned SHS Officer Paul Payne. Although his main job is to enforce safety, Officer Payne also teaches classes and plays the role of a mentor to some students. “When you take the time to build a relationship with a student, you find out more about what’s happening on the inside. That way you can try to stop serious problems before they occur,” said Payne.
I would rather overreact and find nothing than put any of our students in harm’s way.
Actions still in effect
Even today, new procedures are being developed to keep students safe. “We’re currently installing a new fire alarm which is also an emergency system. We can get on the speaker on that alarm and let you know what’s going on,” said Skoog. SHS also has a high school safety team that meets three times a year and has developed an administration and staff response system in case of an emergency. In addition, a mandatory lockdown is now required once a year -- which is what happened on Tuesday, Oct. 7, accompanied by a canine search.
-Mr. Chris Davis, principal
Awareness rises
image by arthur hochstein
“After Columbine, the district developed a security plan. Even though we already had one at the high school, it became apparent the whole district needed a similar plan,” said Mr. Jim Skoog, associate principal. “Thus, we got together with the other schools and created a plan that addressed all possible safety problems.” Columbine did more than just raise consciousness of school shootings -- it inspired schools to develop procedures for all possible emergencies. “Because of Columbine, there is a greater awareness for all aspects of safety,” said Mr. Antonio Shelton, assistant principal. “It brought up more issues than just school shootings. We now have plans for evacuations, chemical spills, intruders, accidents, everything.” Since that day, almost ten years ago, SHS has come a long way in terms of safety. Not only is a security plan now in place, but other rules and procedures have been established, creating a more protective environment for students and staff. For example, walls were put up around classrooms, something
Students’ role in safety
Although the administration and state have come up with numerous, ways to keep this school secure, safety is also the responsibility of students. “If you feel threatened, report it, we take a hard stance against threats,” said Mr. Kevin Mays, assistant principal. The school code of conduct clearly states threats can result in prosecution. Violent attackers usually come from within and studies on school shootings show that at some point, the perpetrator will tell their plans to someone they know. It is vital for students to understand the importance of reporting threats, no matter how insignificant they seem. “I would rather overreact and find nothing, than put any of our students in harm’s way,” said Mr. Chris Davis, principal. Due to the unfortunate events of stories like Columbine, SHS has become more aware of potential threats and has enacted appropriate measures to ensure the security of the student body. “I think with all that Sycamore has in place, from guidance to administration to student resource officers, everyone has a way to express and communicate with each other” said Payne. “The key is communication. Everything falls back into the hands of students. The best things students can do is use a common sense approach to safety and be a good witness.”
March 5, 2001
April 24, 2003
March 21, 2005
Santana High School, Calif.
Red Lion Junior High, Pa.
Red Lake High School, Minn.
photo courtesy of KUSI
photo courtesy of associated press
photo by jeff haynes
FIREFIGHTERS TEND TO injured students after 15-yearold Charles Andrew Williams violently opened fire in a mens restroom. Williams quickly surrendered after police officers charged the restroom and was taken into custody. The 15-year old killed two students and injured 13 others.
A FATHER ESCORTS his daughter after student James R. Sheets shot and killed the principal, and then himself. The 14-year-old boy brought three revolvers to school and opened fire on the principal in a cafeteria filled with students. Sources say Sheet’s behavior in the days leading to the shootings had been unusual.
POLICE AND INVESTIGATORS arrived at Red Lake High School after 16-year-old Jeffrey Weise shot and killed seven people on the school campus. His murders consisted of five students, one teacher, and an unarmed security guard. The shooting ended when Weise fired shots at police and then withdrew to a classroom where he took his own life.
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a&e
FRIDAY November 21, 2008
nominees announced
Twelve students set to participate in city-wide competition daphne HSU
A
THE OVERTURE AWARD winners each showcase their own individual talents. Their final auditions for the scholarship will be in January. images by michela tindera
this year’s nominees... Visual Art
Dance
Theater
Kyle Goldhoff, 12
Michael Fisher, 12 Charlie Manion, 12
Alyssa Kelly, 11 Will Kiley, 12
Creative Writing
Vocal Music
Annie Roessler, 12 Meena Thatikunta, 12 Jing Xing, 11
Noa Belillti, 12 Ben Rosen, 12
this month in a&e... Planning on seeing Battle of the Bands this December? Make sure to read up on some of this year’s contenders.
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Meet one of the Creative Writing Overture award nominees, Annie Roessler, 12, and find out what inspires her award-winning writing.
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End of trail for ‘TRL’ a&e chief
fter deliberating over dozens of submissions of students’ best artistic work at the end of first quarter, teachers-turned-judges announced SHS’s nominees to the regional Overture Awards Scholarship Competition. One nominee includes vocalist Ben Rosen, 12, who has participated in the competition twice before. “I’m very excited to be a part of the Overture Competition again,” he said. “I’ve really grown vocally between last year and this year.” In January, Rosen and the other students will enter their work or audition for the competition in their respective categories (visual art, vocal music, instrumental music, dance, theater, and creative writing). They will be competing against students from all over the Greater Cincinnati area for the chance to showcase their talent at the Aronoff Center for the Arts and win up to a $2,500 scholarship. “It gives our students the opportunity to show city wide instead of just within the school,” said Mrs. Margaret Copfer, art teacher and one of the judges of the art portfolios. In the past, students have been semifinalists and finalists in both art and theater. Last year, Anna Zabaglio, ‘08, became SHS’s first art finalist, and Laura Friedman, ‘08, was a theater finalist. Copfer said that SHS’s good showing in the Overture Competition in previous years indicates the quality of the art programs. “In my career, people have remarked that we have a good program – not only art, but music and theater,” she said. “When we show well, it reinforces the fact that as teachers, we are challenging our students to reach a level of excellence that’s remarkable. Of course, it’s the students, too.”
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ichela’s musings
michela TINDERA
associate editor
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Love reggae or hip hop? Then check out Matisyahu when they play at Bogarts on Dec. 11.
Instrumental Music
Matt Kirkendall, 11 (viola) Jeff Niu, 10 (piano)
‘we are looking forward to a smorgasbord of acts...’
Variety Show 2008 jamie ALEMAGNO staff writer
Have you ever wondered what the students here can do? Well wonder no longer for you can find out easily at the Variety Show, a talent shows where any student can show off their skills. “The Variety Show is an excellent opportunity for students from all corners of the school to showcase their respective talents and abilities on-stage. In recent years we’ve seen
anything from ethnic Indian dance to the ASL Club signing up a storm, to crooners and garage bands. We are looking forward to a smorgasbord of acts that will surely be entertaining in this year’s show,” said Mr. Ken Holdt, Director of Choral Activities Auditions were held on November 17. The show will be held in the SHS main theater at 7:30 p.m. on Friday,
Dec. 5 with Mr. Chris Davis, principal, as the Master of Ceremonies. Tickets are $10 and will be sold at lunch Dec. 1-5. Tickets are also sold at the door but the show is usually always a sell out. “It’s a tradition for the Flyerettes to be in the Variety Show. Right now we are working on a dance to the Spice Girls song, ‘Spice up Your Life,’” said Josie Mckinnon, 11.
I am not really one who is known for watching endless hours of television. Of course I am an avid “Desperate Housewives” fan, and I will sit down for the occasional “America’s Next Top Model” or “Project Runway” rerun. However, there is one show that caught my attention many years ago—ten in fact—that I have continued to make a point of seeing at least once every few weeks. That show’s name is,“Total Request Live” (TRL). And now, the “American Bandstand” of our generation, friends, has ended. I will admit, I had not seen an episode in a few months since school began, but when I sat down on my couch at 3:30 p.m. last week I was fully psyched for that ever-soentertaining mix of Damien Fahey’s awkward celebrity interviews, phone calls from fans, and of course the top ten video countdown. So I was utterly shocked to hear that the show I had grown up watching since age six had a mere five episodes left on air. I vividly remember spending my summers with my cool, fresh from the junior high brother watching original VJ, Carson Daly interview the hottest recording artists of the day: Christina Aguilera, Eminem, and N’Sync. It was a childhood dream of mine to visit New York City and go up to the “TRL” studio audience with all those really cool (and perky) looking teenagers, or visit some Florida beach when the show goes on location during Spring Break. Sadly, those dreams can now never be realized. Not only has “TRL” served as a source of the hottest tracks of the day, but also it has been a symbol for myself and I am sure many others as what American teen culture is all about. Also, I feel that it is something to be proud of to say that I remember watching the world premiere of Britney Spears’ “Hit Me Baby One More Time” video, and actually wondering who that person was gallivanting about in knee socks and a crop top. The same can also be said for The Jonas Brother’s first music video released in 2006, two full years before they even remotely broke into the pop music scene. I have found myself wondering if there is another place I will ever be able to find my necessary doses of teen pop culture. I can firmly attest to the belief that one could live in a box for six months, without any knowledge of what movies are coming out, what music is popular, and what Diddy’s most recent moniker is; and that same person could, find the answers to all of those questions and check out the status of VJ Quddus’ dreadlocks all in under one hour. Tragically, by the time you are reading this, one of America’s greatest television shows will have signed off for the last time. A chapter of many Generation Y-er’s lives will have passed. I can only hope that another show of a similar caliber, for the sake of those younger than me, will be created. However that always happy studio audience will be forever cheering in my mind.
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a&e
FRIDAY November 21, 2008
National Public Radio offers much needed variation casey YORK
staff writer
The complaint is always the same. “The radio outplays songs.” But while riding in the car, there are not that many options. There are CDs, of course, but old Britney Spears albums can get tiring after listening to them throughout most of childhood. This is where a different radio station comes in. Not a new radio station, per say, but one that most students do not willingly listen to. “My parents listen to National Public Radio (NPR) all of the time, but I’ve never really paid attention to it,” said Hannah Desando, 12. If the talking broadcasts are overcome (most students are not too fond of “All Things Considered,” a program covering world news), there is something that anyone could come to like. From quirky programs like “This American Life,” in which the host announces a theme and then tells stories about that theme, to podcasts of “All Songs Considered,” NPR is by far one of the most varied radio stations on the air. “I listen to ‘This American Life’ whenever I get the chance. My favorite story was one told by an ex-bank robber. I have it on my iPod,” said Sarah York, 10. If music is what you are looking for, then “All Songs Considered” is perfect. This program is the place to discover new and interesting music. Every week, the host and producer search through hundreds of albums for something worth listening to. And, instead of radio-friendly music, they give us bands that give music an entirely new meaning. This podcast, as well as “This American Life,” can be downloaded online for free and listened to anywhere, from the car to study hall. “The good thing about the podcasts is that you do not have to wait around for its broadcast time. You can just download it, and then listen whenever you get the chance,” said Ane Elwing, 12. Local NPR stations are WGUC 90.9 and WVXU 91.7. Broadcast schedules can be found at http:// www.npr.org/.
Q&A
image by jeremy mcdaniel
PERFORMING THE FALL play “Metamorphoses,” theater students astound audiences with an innovative set. After overcoming several technical difficulties, cast and crew celebrated in the success of the production and in the up-close feel of the stage. “Metamorphoses” served as a debut for musical composer Joe Duran, 12, who created all the musical pieces featured in the play.
Theater production dazzles audience
After much work, cast, crew bask in success sohini SAMEERA
A
staff writer
s the theater department grows stronger, its goals and accomplishments grow larger. The month of November proved to be a success to all who were involved in the fall play, “Metamorphoses”. This year’s second production included a set that was fresh for SHS. Members of the crew were seen building a deep pit, which would eventually be filled with water and be made into an actual swimming pool. “The pool was great. It is about 18 feet by 20 feet,” said Eric Frank, 12. However, the large set became
a barrier to the audiences’ view. In order to solve the problem, crew members built an additional seating area that was placed on top of the auditorium seats. This solution led to a second predicament of not having enough seats for the crowd. Because of this problem, theater students boosted the number of performance days for the show from four days to six. Though the number of problems appeared stressful, students looked at it positively. “Being a part of the crew is an experience. I get to feel the pressure and anxiety that many professionals
go through,” said Samantha Misali, 9. Even with all the setbacks, the theater classes expected the show to be a hit. “I’ve been involved in all the shows since I began high school. They have always turned out perfect in the end,” said Erinn Sonntag, 11. Joe Duran, 12, also felt the waves of victory when the audience warmly accepted his music. “Everybody loved the music and it fit well into the scenes of the play. I tried to weave the different Greek stories together through my compositions,” said Duran. He composed the original music for
the Greek play, “Metamorphoses”, with Mr. John Whapham, the director of the production. Duran, who plays the saxophone in the Marching Band, felt that he received a great chance to showcase his musical abilities. “Music studies is a course that I wish to take in the future; this is an opportunity that will help me and it is also something that many people never get the chance to do,” he said. The production was spectacular, the pool was surreal, and Duran made his first appearance with his own music. “Metamorphoses” shined from inside out.
with Annie Roessler, 12, recipient of the creative writing Overtures nomination
daphne HSU
associate editor
You received one of the creative writing nominations for the Overture Scholarship Awards Competition. How long have you been writing? I’ve been writing since I was a kid. I used to have little books with scribbles in them. Most recently, this summer, I wrote a lot. I think that’s when everything started coming together.
How do you feel about getting the Overtures nomination for creative writing? I felt pretty good because I’ve been writing for a while but I’ve never shown anybody my work because I’ve been embarrassed about it or I didn’t think it was good enough. But getting the Overture award confirmed that, yes, I have potential as a writer.
What sparked your interest in writing? Little random things that I found for inspiration sparked my interest. I started writing more and more and started getting better – it’s kind of like a cycle.
What all did you submit to Overtures? I submitted nine poems. Most of them I had been writing a lot over the summer. I could give you the poems if you want them.
Do you primarily write poems, or do you have stories? Mostly poems, or little paragraphs. I keep a journal and type stuff, too. Why? As an outlet. For some reason, I find a lot of creativity right before a big test – I’ll be able to write a lot. For relaxation, that’s mainly why I do it. What do you get out of writing, besides relaxation? A feeling of accomplishment, that you’ve actually done something. You just want to show it to people, like, “Look, I made this.”
Yeah, go ahead. What are they about? They’re very much about discovering who I am. I’m a teenager, so obviously that’s a big topic for me. A lot about appreciating nature. I know you participated in Mr. Breen Reardon’s March Madness [an annual poetry contest] in English class last year, and one of your poems got pretty far. Yeah, “Agateophobia” [fear of insanity] was actually one of the poems that I ended up submitting for Overtures. Even now, it’s still one of my favorites. I think it’s really good when teachers give you an incentive to write poetry because I think a lot of teachers are just “work, work, work,” and poetry is a creative outlet.
What made you interested in that topic, schizophrenia, the whole state of mind? I was doing a research project on… I think it was mental illnesses. I read this one lady’s blog who had synesthesia, and that’s pretty interesting. I read a couple more blogs of people who had written about their own experiences – kind of neat, kind of scary sometimes, but also an interesting topic. Do you draw inspiration from things around you and yourself? Yeah, even little things. I wrote one poem about a fish, and I wrote my summer reading essay on the same topic. I mean, it was just a fish, but it was an inspiring topic. Do you see yourself going anywhere with your poems, or are they more for fun? I’ve thought about writing in college, but I’m not sure I’d like to do that because I probably wouldn’t stick to the prompt. I just like to write just for fun, so I probably won’t continue with it unless it’s just on the side. Other than that, I’d love to write a book eventually, but not really focus on writing. So it is a hobby? Yeah.
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a&e
FRIDAY November 21, 2008
‘All listeners can enjoy his songs, regardless of age or religion’
Students anticipate reggae star Matisyahu’s local show matt SLOVIN staff writer
Set list: upcoming concerts
The popular Cincinnati music venue Bogarts will be host to musical act Matisyahu on Dec. 11. Matisyahu’s music consists of a unique blend of reggae and hip-hop. “I am so excited for the concert,” said Ruthie Myers, 10. “It should be an amazing time.” Matisyahu’s music incorporates traditional Jewish themes while producing a spectacular sound that attracts listeners of all creeds. Many enjoy the dulcet tones of one of his complex, multi-layered beat-boxes. “I’m not Jewish but I still love Matisyahu,” said Josie McKinnon, 11. “All listeners can enjoy his songs, regardless of age or religion.” Tickets are extremely cheap when one considers the fame and success of the performer, and their expected
cost ranges from $20 to $50. As the event draws nearer, ticket prices are predicted to rise, as is usually the case. “I’ve already got my tickets for what should be a great show,” said Lindsey Harris, 11. At the time the paper went to print, tickets still remained for the concert, but it is very possible that all tickets could be gone before the show date. Matisyahu has played in Cincinnati before: he visited the city last summer. Other local stops on the tour include Louisville, Kentucky, and Cleveland. Billboard.com recently announced the production of Matisyahu’s newest album “Light,” expected to be released early in 2009.
Tonight: Hawthorne Heights at Southgate House $18 advanced / $21 day of show - all ages Nov. 22: Cobra Starship at Bogarts $13.50 advanced - all ages Nov. 30: Manchester Orchestra at Southgate House $11 advanced / $13 day of show - all ages Dec. 6: Shiny Toy Guns, The Ting Tings at Madison Theater $20 - all ages Dec. 10: Ra Ra Riot at Southgate House $10 advanced / $12 day of show - 18+ Dec. 12: SHS Battle of the Bands $10 - all ages Dec. 13: Margot & the Nuclear So & So’s at Southgate House $12 - 18+
Battle of the Bands:
Prospective players introduce their sound catherine FARIST
B
staff writer
attle of the Bands audition tapes are in. Final decisions will come out Nov. 28 and the actual show is Dec. 12, with doors opening at 7:30 p.m. and the show starting at 8:00 p.m. Tickets will be priced at $10, funding the prizes for the winners, with first place receiving $500, second $300, and third $100. “Last year, we had a lot of complaints with the judging,” said Adrian Amrine, 11, Student Council Committee Head of Battle of the Bands, “so we’re bringing in four past winners of Battle of the Bands alumni, as we believe they can connect better with the music and hopefully people will agree with their decisions.” Four to five bands will make it to the final
night, each with 20 minute sets. “During the week we try to get people pumped up by having some of the chosen bands play during lunch while we are selling the tickets,” said Amrine. Music, in all its myriad of manifestations, wherever it comes from and whomever it is passing through at its moment of creation, is the true essence of what one simple person can produce when thrown together with other human beings and some instruments. As rock’s melancholy poet Morrissey once crooned, “If you have five seconds to spare, then I’ll tell you the story of my life.” This may take a bit longer, but it will certainly be worth the ride with these courageously passionate musicians.
Roll call: meet five bands planned to audition as of Friday, Nov. 14
Brilliant! Let’s Talk
photo by catherine farist
*Matt Geisen, 12, drums Collin Meyers, 9, bass *Matt Retta, 12, guitar *Tom Seiple, 12, vocals, guitar, and keyboard About the band: Brilliant! Let’s Talk provides an intangible buzz with a 90s-esque pop feel that touches on new age experimental indie. “Our music is vocally driven, but does not sacrifice the complexity and integrity of what we are playing in the process,” said Geisen.
Olde New York
*Sam Benson, 11, lead vocals *David Jungerwirth, 11, drums *Akshay Roy-Chaudhury, 11, bass Adam Samuels, 12, guitar *Kevin Witt, 11, guitar and some harmony About the band: Olde New York pulls together a 90s-feel alternative sound that taps into a little bit of decadent pop with sophisticated skill in guitar. “We are definitely the underdogs in this competition, but we do have the potential,” said Witt. “We just need to really work on combining our talents, directing our motivation, and finding our true sound.”
photo courtesy of kevin witt
photo by catherine farist
Static Vessels
photo by catherine farist
photo courtesty of nik velleca
*Gabe de Vela, 12, guitar *Joe Duran, 12, keyboard *JD Macejko, 12, guitar and vocals Charlie Manion, 12, bass and vocals *Travis Sayre, 12, guitar Zach Steidman, UC graduate, drums
*Danny Seymour, 12, keyboard *Nik Velleca, 12, keyboard
About the band: The lyrics are personal, offered with poetic grace and elaborated by the deliberate grind of guitar. The sheer force of this band pulls the listener into effusions of thoughts. “We make sure everything has its place, and we will all collaborate on the lyrics and switch up our beats to create something purely exclusive, but also interpretable and general at the same time,” said Duran.
About the band: This duo hopes to throw a new vibe into the mix by bringing techno onto the stage in an innovative hard style trance -- very different from what has ever been seen in this arena. “We believe that since Battle of the Bands has never actually seen anything like what we are bringing, it will make this one a more rounded Battle with an actual mix of different genres,” said Velleca.
Tesla Death Ray 2: Wolf Quest
Shenanigans
Payne Helmers, 12, bass *Charlie Manion, 12 , vocals Andrew Spellman, 12, guitar *Ben Swofford, 12, guitar and trumpet *Robert Yu, 12 , drums About the band: Still fresh out of the newly formed band vibe, a great potential accompanies all of these practiced musicians. “We do not want to come onto the scene looking half there, so we are spending this next month pulling our sound together,” said Helmers. *names with asterisks indicates person is pictured stage image by jake newton
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sports FRIDAY November 21, 2008
View from the Stands Overbearing fans ruin young athletes’ experience ben ESTES sports chief
all photos by jeremy mcdaniel
IN ACTION FROM what was the de facto GMC Championship game, Brian Kapcar, 12, attempts to evade a Mason player. The boys’ soccer team won the game 1-0, securing the conference crown in the process. The squad ultimately fell to Beavercreek 2-1 in the state playoffs.
Boys’ soccer squad concludes season Loss in playoffs does not dampen overall success ben DHIMAN staff writer
A
fter the mid-season loss to Loveland, the boys’ soccer team set a goal to win out the remaining portion of the season. The team finished the regular season with a stellar win streak of eight games, capturing a GMC Championship along the way. With a first round bye and two subsequent victories in round play, the team landed itself a place in the district championship game. It faced an opponent in Beavercreek who went into the 2008 season with expectations to win a state title; SHS was expected to lose. “Fellas, we got nothing to lose. Everyone doubts us. Just go out and play with no regret. Embrace the moment and lets win this game,’ said Mr. Scott Sievering, head coach. After an early goal against--rare during the winning streak--the scoreboard read a score of 1-0 at half, but SHS refused to back down, prepared to
battle until the final whistle. The team opened the second half with a string of shots that just missed and gave up a late second half penalty kick, putting the squad down 2-0. The penalty was a controversial call, one of many by the referee. With just under five minutes left in the second half the team stuck a ball in the back of the net as a corner kick coming off the foot of junior midfielder, Ben Dhiman, bounced around the box until senior Chris Morgan passed it by the Beavercreek goalkeeper. This late game surge was just a few minutes too late, however, as the Beavercreek defense repeatedly was able to clear the ball. As mentioned, the game was shrouded by the many controversial calls made by the referee. Once again SHS was thus left contemplating the two losses suffered in the 2008 season and their
striking similarities; mainly, a less than adequate referee. Still district runner-up, the team finished ahead of any other GMC team and helped build upon the foundation of a strengthening program. The team had four seniors make first team all GMC: Brian Kapcar, Matt Moler (also first team all-state), Garret Listo (also second team all-state), and Ryan Lavigne (also GMC Player of the Year and first team all-state). Three players earned second team all GMC: Omar Refaei, 12, Alex Grzegorzewski, 11, and Maxim Coninx, 11. Sievering won GMC Coach of the Year as well. This kind of talent is obviously leaving enormous shoes for the underclassmen to fill. They have plenty of talent as well, though, and ambitions to continue to carry the torch of excellence in boys’ soccer, possessing the ability to make another state championship run in 2009.
Girls’ soccer season ends in playoffs noa BELILLTI news chief
The girls’ soccer program has only grown and flourished in the past eight years. As the season comes to a close the girls discuss their most memorable moments with their coaches and their domination as a team. “I’m going to miss the team. It was a lot of hard work but still a lot of fun,” said Abby Evans, 12. Despite triumphs over big competitors such as Mason and Little Miami, no win was greater than Fairfield. “Our biggest win was against Fairfield on Senior Night. We had to win to stay in contention for the GMC title,” said Christen Corcoran, 12. The team’s coach, Mrs. Stacy Cahill, previously announced that this would be her last season.
this month in sports
on deck
Sports are usually a fun thing for me, and this is the way they should be. In fact, immersing myself in the world of athletics—pro, college, and high school—is by far my favorite interest. It probably provides the most joy out of anything in my life. So you can understand why it is so painful when I encounter something sports-related that makes me embarrassed of my fellow fans, and of the larger human condition. The Ohio high school football playoffs are currently in full swing, certainly an exciting time. However, the aftermath of the November 8th game between Hoover and Twinsburg was nothing short of disappointing. According to reports, a Twinsburg fan approached the team after its 13-10 loss as the players were kneeling and listening to their coaches delivering the season-ending speech; doubtlessly one of the toughest moments of their young lives. Despite their condition, the woman proceeded to berate the players, yelling about not being ready to play and being a disgrace. Remember, this is a Twinsburg fan, possibly even a player’s mother. What this woman did is truly sickening. Football was probably one of the most important things in these players’ lives, and their season (or career) had just ended in heartbreaking fashion. For this lady to come and assault them when they were at their lowest is pathetic. In high school, athletes truly play for the love of the game and nothing else; this level is probably the last one remaining where this is true; it remains pure. It’s ridiculous, then, to hold these young men accountable, to verbally barrage them when they aren’t playing for money—only for their own fulfillment. Even worse is that apparently a couple of Hoover “fans” yelled at their team’s kicker, who missed a field goal and extra point. What nerve. This is not an isolated incident, either, but rather part of a disturbing pattern. Go to any little league game across the country and you will be sure to find multiple parents who obnoxiously interact with other players, coaches, and referees, thinking that they have the right to do this just because they are in attendance. This kind of behavior is ruining sports for young athletes. I dare you to try and have fun when supposed adult role models are sitting in the bleachers, cursing out your peers. It’s a sad statement about the way our society is going. I guess simple decency is an archaic value. In English class, we just read Joseph Conrad’s “Heart of Darkness,” which elaborates on the dark nature of man. I actually believe that this is overstated; that in reality, most of us are good. It’s people like the ones mentioned above that make me think Conrad may have a point.
“We’re really going to miss her. She’s done a lot to make the program one of the best in the state,” said Evans. Their performance peaked during the state tournament, where the girls made it to the regional semifinals, finishing as district champions. “I am very proud of what the girls have accomplished this season. This group has overcome many barriers this season but never was the focus of success lost,” said Cahill. Sad to separate from their teammates, the girls are still looking forward to taking their soccer careers to the next level. The Girls Varsity Soccer 2008 season has come to a close, their final overall record an outstanding mark of 13-3-5.
November means one thing: wrestling season. How will the team fare? Page 29
THE SENIOR SOCCER players huddle before their last home game. SHS won 1-0 over Fairfield. The team finished third in the GMC.
Find out what sports craze is sweeping the nation. Page 33
Jared and Ben pick the UM-OSU game, debate their Heisman picks, and more. Page 31
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sports FRIDAY November 21, 2008
Full Court Some SEC fans take it too far
jared KAMRASS sports chief
If you’re anything like me (and hopefully you’re not) then there are certain things that just incense you beyond belief. For me, there are a few kinds of people that fit squarely into this category. One of them is ignorant fans who claim to know more than they actually do. Basically, most SEC fans. Can I sympathize with fans that are passionate for their team? Sure. But, I absolutely cannot get down with fans who spout off misinformation about certain teams or conferences. I had the pleasure of working in Atlanta this summer alongside fans of Georgia, Alabama, and Florida. I was pleasantly surprised to find that most were knowledgeable and learned about specific players on teams around the country. I found myself talking with these fans easily about the state of college football and why conference strength is cyclical. Others, however, were chestpounding oafs who had begun rooting for “their team” a few years ago who couldn’t name the quarterback of the school. Force fed propaganda about conference superiority; the nonsensical battle cry of “SEC, SEC, SEC!” serves as what they deem to be to adequate argument for these fans in discussions with fans of other schools. SEC fans have crossed the line from passion to insanity. In three successive weeks, there were incidents of SEC fans taking the accepted brand of trash-talk too far to the point of homicide. Following a loss to UGA, an LSU fan left a noose hanging in front of an African-American co-worker’s house. The following week, a Florida fan assaulted her husband after the always intense Georgia-Florida game. The difference in this game: Florida beat Georgia. This was not an poor loser, this was a belligerent winner. These pretty much pale in comparison to the last event for the sole reason that no one died in the first two weeks. The kicker came after an epic Alabama victory over LSU. A Tigers fan called a Crimson Tide fan leading to “an ensuing argument” before the fan came over to his victim’s house. What happened from there is for the courts to decide, all we know is that Dennis Smith, the LSU fan, and his wife ended up dead after an exchange of gun fire. Don’t get me wrong, as a diehard OSU fan, I’m occasionally guilty of putting on the scarlet-colored glasses, so a perfect fan I’m not. However, I like to think that I am capable of carrying on an intelligent conversation with fans of other schools or at least able to keep the fortunes of my team in perspective. This incident speaks to a horrible pathology that is troubling one region of the country. One can only hope that fans of these 12 teams can find the same perspective that the rest of us have.
all photos by jeremy mcdaniel
MEMBERS OF THE boys’ varsity team swim in action last year. The team looks to recapture the GMC title after Mason finished first in 2008. Varsity will lead by a group of core seniors who will need to step up after the departure of several swimmers to graduation.
Boys’ swimming prepares for coming season
Team looks to compete for GMC crown
ben KEEFE staff writer
T
he harsh winter is approaching. That means that the season for the boys swim team is also nearing. “I am real excited for the season. We will definitely have a strong team, stronger than many people think we will,” said Steven Winkler, 10. The team has a lot of ground to make up following the graduation of individual state qualifiers Colin Hanner, who qualified in the 100 yard backstroke, and Jason Kao, who qualified in the 100 yard breaststroke.
Kao placed 16th while Hanner placed 22nd. Along with the two individual placers, the boys 200 yard medley relay of Hanner, Kao, Ben Keefe, 11, and Jonathan Hancher, 12, placed 12th. The team placed 37th overall. “We will miss Colin and Jason, but we’ll be alright. We’ll need some underclassmen to step up big time because we only have two returning swimmers who have swam up at state, and four who swam at districts,” said Hancher. With State the final goal, swimmers
first will have to be successful at Districts. “Steven Winkler and Manuel Gutierrez (10) stepped up last year swimming at districts. Hopefully they can step it up one step further and take it to state,” said Hancher. The District meet tends to be the fastest meet year in and year out. It is held at Miami University and swimmers train to swim their fastest at Districts. “I experienced my first district meet last year. I was blown away at how fast kids are. It was a sweet
atmosphere,” said Chris Culin, 11. For the first time in 13 years, the team did not win the GMC title in 2008. New member Mason won, while the team placed second. It is speculated the GMC will be a four-way race between defending champion Mason, Sycamore, Oak Hills and Lakota West. “GMCs will be exciting. Never before will four teams be as competitive as us, West, Mason and Oak Hills,” said Gutierrez.
Grueling winter training begins, meets on their way irls dive headfirst into new season ellean ZHANG news chief
IN LITTLE OVER two weeks, the varsity girls’ swim team will begin its 2008-2009 campaign. The team is excited about the upcoming season, but the girls will have to survive conditioning first.
Already having put down two weeks of six practices a week, two hours each, two-hundred laps a practice, girls’ varsity swimmers are knocking down the number of practices left—and swim season has only just begun. Anticipation for this coming season is evident amongst the team members as they reminisce on the glories of last year—shattering personal records, claiming credit for outstanding performance, eating carbs like their lives depended on it. “I am so excited for swimming this year. I just hope that the team can stay healthy this year, without the complications of injuries or anything,” said Alex Norris, 11. But with fervent hope—the kind that keeps one up at night—comes a more apprehensive side of nerves and jitters. “I was a bit worried for this season to begin because I haven’t swam—for real, in a pool—in a very long time,” said Catherine Tate, 10.
Training will be the only focus of these girls until Dec. 4, when the team is to compete in their season’s premiere meet against Seton girls. Immediately, however, is the ever-infamous Thanksgiving Break training. This is one intense weekend in which the girls will be in the pool Thanksgiving Day, as well as bright and early the Friday following, after having—possibly—over-stuffed themselves the night before. “In a way, I like this because I don’t feel guilty eating so much for dinner, but thinking about all the full bellies, contentedly sleeping in, makes me want to be there, too—just a little bit,” said Lauren Huber, 11. The first month, dedicated to training—in the pool and on dry land—is always the hardest. Once the girls pass over the hurdle posed by this crucial first month, everything else should fall into place during their meets.
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FRIDAY November 21, 2008
Hockey clubs drop puck on new year Varsity and JV teams set to face off against tough opponents garrett STEINBUCH staff writer
GOALIE JAMES GRAVES, 11, gloves a flying puck during a game last season. Graves is the team’s starting goalie this year. He got off to a strong start, posting a shut-out in the season opener.
T
Ultimate frisbee season underway Squad struggles with lack of experience garrett STEINBUCH staff writer
During Halloween weekend, the Ultimate Frisbee team played in the annual Huck-a-ween tournament against opponents from all over the Greater Cincinnati area. At the end of the day, the team ended up with a 3-2 record. “It was really tough without last year’s seniors,” said Scott Stubblebine, 12, “but we managed to play pretty well without them. I was impressed with the first time players on our team. Overall, our wins were impressive because we won by a lot and our losses were only a few points in difference.” The Ultimate Frisbee squad lost
their first two games to St. Xavier and Martinsville from Indiana. The team then went on a three game winning streak beating Lakota, Clark, and Moeller/MND B-team. In the tournament, the winner was rival Homeschool Revolution, and the runner up was Martinsville. “Our team played like we wanted to win, we just had a tough time dealing with the loss of our seniors from last year. Our skill level, as of now, may not be like theirs, but we are a young team and this is just the start of the season,” said Logan Kruger, 11. During the spring, the Ultimate Frisbee team will officially start their
season. The team will face many elite teams from the Youth Ultimate Cincinnati league including Lakota, St. Xavier/Ursuline, Clark, Moeller/ MND, and Homeschool. The Ultimate Frisbee team has only beaten Homeschool one time during the regular season. “This season we really want to improve ourselves and to show the teams in our league that we can manage even with the loss of many seniors. I believe that if we practice a lot and condition, more than usual, we could pull off a bunch of upsets this season,” said Matt Farr, 10.
5 rules to ultimate frisbee
he varsity hockey team has been practicing hard and getting ready for the season. Their first game was Friday, Nov. 7 against Louisville Trinity at the Sports Plus ice rink. The varsity team’s new head coach, Nate Price, already knows his players well from when he was the assistant coach last year. Many players have returned to the quad, including captain Dan Ashton, 11. “The hockey team had an outstanding season last year. We got to the finals against St. Xavier and they handed us a shocking loss. It was disappointing, but we need to put it behind us and look to beat them this year,” said Jeff Wolkoff, 10. Some of the top teams that the varsity team will play this year are Talawanda, Centerville, Moeller, Beavercreek, and the defending champions, St. Xavier. This year, the team will compete in five tournaments. Their Senior Night game will be played against Beavercreek. “Winning in a shutout of 12-0 is
1 2 3 4 5
always enjoyable,” said Ashton, “but if we play like that against a more skilled team, we might be on the other end of the shutout. Hopefully we get rid of our early season ‘jitters’ and start to use organization to beat our opponents.” In the hockey teams first game, they won by a landslide. The final score was 12-0. Those who scored goals included Ashton, 11, Brandon Nazeck, 11, Drew Tappan, 12, and Wolkoff, who led the way for the team. Goalie James Graves, 11, held the opponent at bay, notching his first shut-out of the season. For the rest of the season, the team will look to repeat their great season from last year, and progress into the later rounds of the playoffs. And all of them believe they can do just that. The JV hockey squad is hoping to win more games this season than they did a year. All of the veterans on this squad will be looking to capitalize on the opportunity to lead their team to many victories.
A regulation field is 70 yards by 40 yards, with end zones 25 yards deep. The defense throws (“pulls”) the disc to the offense. A regulation game has seven players per team. When a pass is not completed, the defense immediately takes possession of the disc and becomes offense. No physical contact is allowed between players. Picks and screens are also prohibited. A foul occurs when contact is made. Players are responsible for their own foul and line calls. Players resolve their own disputes. Ultimate stresses sportsmanship and fair play. information courtesy of www.upa.org
New coaches, new expectations
Wrestling program wants to ‘raise the bar’
daniel RICKERT staff writer
The wrestling program experienced significant changes during the off season. To start, there is a new coach. With the departure of head coach Mr. Jason Staggs, a Greene School science teacher, it took several months to appoint a new coach. The athletic department did not have to look far for a replacement, as they appointed SHS math teacher, Mr. Jeremy Pletz as head coach. Coach Pletz has been involved with the SHS and Reading Junior High and High School wrestling programs. Most recently, he was an assistant coach at Reading High School. Coach Pletz has brought in Mr. Ronald Crenshaw, Mr. David Grubbs, and Mr. Jimmy Weeks. The new coaches join returning JV coach Mr. Greg Cole. All the assistant
coaches are SHS graduates. Another change in the coaching staff was Mr. Sean Geers. He is returning to coach with his brother at Princeton High School. At the junior high school level, Coach Pletz brought with him Mr. Thomas Bemmes. A stronger preseason conditioning program was one of the first things put in place by Coach Pletz. “I feel a lot stronger going into the season then ever before,” said Mike Rozzo, 11. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, the team runs, and on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays the team lifts. The group is in the wrestling room every day. The squad is very young with only one returning member, John Kurz, 12, having qualified
for districts last year. The team looks to build on strong, fundamental, defensive wrestling. Many underclassmen are looking for a varsity spot with fewer than expected upperclassmen on the team. “I hope I can make it to the varsity level,” said Caleb Whitcomb-Dixon, 9. One weak point that needs to be addressed is recruiting. The team is searching for both new wrestlers as well as former wrestlers. The season officially starts on Monday, Nov. 10. “I can’t wait for things to start back up,” said Kyle Pangallo, 11. It is a monumental year for the wrestling program, as they look to improve upon last season’s ninth place finish in the Greater Miami Conference.
all images by brandon sosna
ONE OF THE team’s leading wrestlers, John Kurz, 12, qualified for districts last season. As the only returning member to have done so, his hard work over the offseason set a tremendous example for the younger players.
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sports FRIDAY November 21, 2008
Varsity basketball prepares for new year Princeton game to benefit Lizzy Lothrop will JOHNSTON associate editor
A
image by will johnston
THE VARSITY BASKETBALL team of last year prepares for tip-off. The team will field a squad filled with players who have largely had little experience at the varsity level coming into this season, putting the onus on the returning seniors to lead.
new year, a new season. In little more than two weeks, the varsity basketball team will kick off its 08-09 campaign. The team will return several talented players, but will welcome a number of new faces after losing nine seniors from last year’s squad. Steve Hull, 12, and Brett Simek, 12, will lead what projects to be a largely inexperienced team. Other than these two, only two other returning players have had any experience at the varsity level. Hull and Simek, however, are each coming off of solid seasons. Hull averaged 2.8 APG, hauled in 3.7 RPG, as well as scoring 11.7 PPG, shooting 40.5% from the field. Simek scored 7.5 PPG, grabbed 3.6 RPG, and dealt 2.8 APG. Inheriting the leadership of the squad from last year’s seniors, one can expect each of their individual statistics to rise this season. “We have four seniors who have all played some time, and they will have to help bring along the
newcomers,” said Mr. Stan Kaniecki, head coach. The team will have another challenge to cope with: the presence of several dominate squads within the GMC. Princeton and Middletown are expected to finish at the top of the conference, and both could challenge for the state title. Varsity plays the Vikings at home on Jan. 23, and takes on the Middies at Middletown on Dec. 19, then at home on Feb. 3. Varsity’s first game against Princeton at home will be designed to aid Lizzy Lothrop, daughter of Mr. Randy Lothrop, who was recently diagnosed with leukemia. Lay Ups for Lizzy will raise funds to aid the Lothrop family with her treatment. While the team is losing ten seniors to graduation, Kanecki thinks his squad still has a chance. “I think there are a number of teams that could give them [Princeton and Middletown] a run for their money, us included. Looking at last years seniors, we do lose some experience and leadership, but not necessarily the ability to put the ball in the basket with the guys we have left,” said Kaniecki. The season will begin on Dec. 9 against Elder at home. Varsity kicks off GMC play in its next game, Dec. 12 at Lakota East.
New faces, new hopes: Fresh class of sophomores ready to take floor brandon SOSNA
staff writer
The unique aspect of sophomore basketball is that every year a new group of boys fill the roster of the team; every season is different than the one before and the one that follows. Last year was a year full of losing for the sophomore squad, but with those players now having moved on to JV or varsity, the new tenth graders control their own destiny. A 3-15 record a year ago, including a 0-7 start to the season, marred any hopes of postseason. Coaches Mr. Ross Sferra and Mr. Scott Rooks will inherit a talented group made up of players who were all part of a successful freshman tenure in which both squads made the playoffs. The green team in particular thrived, posting a 13-6 record. Now those boys are preparing for the next step. With the elections now having passed, it is time for the real decision of 2008: will sophomore basketball players be elected to play for the sophomore team or JV? After weeks and endless hours of lifting and conditioning, the fate of the group comes down to one week, the Election Week, of Monday, Nov. 10 – the first day of tryouts. Most of the players are confident that the campaigning they have done during the strenuous workouts and the insatiable thirst they have to join the team, or cabinet if one wishes,
will pay off come time to vote. Last year, as freshmen, only two basketball hopefuls were impeached from tryouts. “I’m pretty confident that with all the hard work I’ve put in, I can make the cut,” said Jason Robke, 10. According to various polls, Wes Yengo, 10, has been projected to make the varsity team. A year ago, he was a standout athlete on the freshmen level, leading his team in most statistical categories, including points with nearly 20 per game. They say he could be one of the first guys off the bench this year. “I’m pretty excited about that. I’ve worked hard,” said Yengo. For the rest of the candidates, the struggle continues, as they continue to plead with the voters to elect them to either the JV team or the sophomore squad. Either way, the excitement brought on by the start of the new season cannot be projected by even the top analysts. “I’m really pumped. After missing the end of last year because of injury, I’m really excited to get back out on the floor,” said Joey Crusham, 10. Regardless, the campaign trail has brought nothing but the best out of this particular group of guys. With no precincts yet reported, early projections look like it will be a great year to be a sophomore.
chad CHESSIN staff writer
photo by jeremy mcdaniel
WES YENGO, 10, RUSHES down the court last season on the freshmen team. After helping to lead his team to a 13-6 record, Yengo is projected to be a key reserve for varsity this season.
Freshmen condition in preparation for new year bennett KAPLAN
staff writer
photo by jeremy mcdaniel
HEAD COACH MR. Rob Reis counsels players during a freshmen game last season. Coach Reis’ squad has been conditioning hard the last few weeks in preparation for the coming season.
JV team set to begin season
With the end of fall seasons, winter sports are nearly ready to begin. Freshman basketball conditioning has begun and the season is forthcoming. The basketball teams are looking to succeed this year, and make the GMC playoffs. After a long offseason, the teams are ready for a successful year. The freshman team has been conditioning very hard in preparation. “I believe that we can make a strong run though the season. Many of us have been working together for years and I think that hard work will show,” said Patrick Stucker, 9. The team has been practicing on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
Before practice, the players would lift in the Gregory center, and then run on the track or in the gym. The team has been trying to keep in peak physical shape for the upcoming season. Those wishing to make the team are working very hard, and are hoping that when tryouts come, that they will be selected to be on the team. “It wasn’t that hard unless you were not in shape, then it would be hard,” said Joel Tate, 9. In the end, keeping in shape will be a crucial factor towards making the cut. When the final two teams are selected, only the most conditioned athletes will remain.
Sometimes, when something does not go entirely the way it is wanted to go, it has to be thrown away and forgotten. That is exactly what the JV boys’ basketball team plans on doing. After a 3-17 record last season, filled with some close, heartbreaking losses, the boys have to move on and look to the present. “I hope the team can fix the errors that they made last season and turn them into wins this season,” said Jordan Evans, 10, a supporter of the team. Tryouts, which took place from Nov. 10 to 14, proved to be very competitive. With their conclusion comes time for practice. “Tryout went very well and the kids made it very difficult for us coaches to trim the roster down to ten,” said coach Mr. Jack Kaniecki. Kaniecki is a teacher at Archbishop McNicholas High School. He is the brother of Mr. Stan Kaniecki, teacher and varsity basketball coach at SHS. The team must work fast and get ready for the season. This includes: making plays, improving their game, and building team chemistry. “Any good basketball team must work hard and work well together. That is what we hope the JV team can do this season,” said Joey Crusham, 10. The season opens up on Dec. 9 against the Elder Panthers at home. From there, the boys take on Lakota East, Anderson, and Middletown, all respected teams around the league, but whom the squad feels they can defeat. “If the team plays at a high-level, we can start out the season with a perfect record,” said Brian Klonne, 10. With twenty games on the schedule, the team hopes to far surpass last season’s record of 3-17. With practice, determination, and hard-work, the JV team hopes to be victorious this season. They aim to build upon last year, and make this one as fun, rewarding, and successful as possible.
sports FRIDAY November 21, 2008
31
Pardon the Interruption Jared and Ben discuss some of sports’ most controversial topics
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Jared Kamrass
Who will be the surprise NCAA Basketball team?
Ben Estes
Alabama. With the return of oftinjured PG Ronald Steele, the nucleus of a top-ten team from a few years ago remains intact. The addition of F JaMychal Green should boost the post presence of a team that is built to compete in a weakened Southeastern Conference this year. Next to Florida, there is no team that can claim to be far better than ‘Bama.
Matt Mendelsohn
Florida. The Gators had a down year last season after two straight National Championships but appear to have reloaded. Nick Calathes returns after a great freshman year, and Kenny Kadji and Eloy Vargas should provide immediate impact. Look for senior Walter Hodge to step up and be an effective leader.
Evan Romansky
Baylor’s success last year was no fluke. With the return of all five starters and the addition of a Top-100 recruit, the team should continue to rise in the Big 12. With a roster now fit for any style of play, look for the Bears to use their size, depth, and athleticism to wear teams down and return to the Big Dance.
Kavya Reddy
Saint Mary’s. Sophomore Patty Mills is a superstar. His experience in Beijing playing for the Australian Olympic team will propel the Gaels to the top. While Gonzaga has always been the top dog in the West Coast Conference, St. Mary’s will reign superior, and make a Davidson-esque run in the tournament. There is a new sheriff in town.
Wake Forest. The Deacons return all five starters from a club that proved to be very competitive last season, handing Duke its worst loss of 200708. It has one of the top freshman classes, featuring Al-Farouq Aminu. Senior Harvey Hale is the team’s most experienced player and will be guided by Ishmael Smith. This young team is definitely in the running for one of the top spots in the ACC.
3
OSU vs. Michigan Heisman Picks
Winter Meetings
BE: The Big Game is tomorrow (see page 32 for a preview). Ohio State is the huge favorite. How do you see the game panning out?
JK: My pick remains Colt McCoy. Despite the loss to Texas Tech, he’s still the best player on one of the best teams in the country.
BE: The annual MLB winter meetings start December 8. What moves, if any, should the Reds make?
JK: Well, when these two teams square off, the records are meaningless. While OSU is the most likely victor, you can never rule anything out in this rivalry.
BE: I’ve got to go with Graham Harrell. He’s been nearly flawless directing Texas Tech--that’s Texas Tech--to the number two spot in the country.
JK: One more starting pitcher and either an infielder or an outfielder, depending on the status of Edwin Encarnacion.
JK: You just proved my point. I doubt that voters will be able to take any player who is the beneficiary of Mike Leach’s system seriously.
BE: He’s definitely the wild card. I would easily part with him if it meant adding a quality piece. I’m just excited to see what Walt Jocketty can do.
BE: Leach’s system has been there for a while; it’s taken a Heismancaliber quarterback to elevate the program to the next level. One dark horse: Tim Tebow.
JK: I wouldn’t be surprised to see the team pick up a Garrett Atkinstype and move Encarnacion to the outfield.
JK: That’s a good point, especially if Florida takes care of business in the SEC Championship Game.
BE: It’s clear his defense means something needs to change. I have confidence that Jocketty will improve the team.
BE: I agree, but for one of the few times in my life, I fully expect Michigan to lose. However, we must remember 1969. UM had a first-year coach and was a huge underdog to the Buckeyes yet pulled off the huge upset. JK: Just goes to show that anything can happen tomorrow. My prediction: OSU 33, Michigan 17. BE: I’ll go with OSU 24, Michigan 10. Denver Nuggets The Nuggs certainly showed they can play with the big boys. After fleecing the Detroit Pistons to acquire PG Chauncey Billups while simultaneously dumping PG Allen Iverson’s bloated contract, Denver reeled off three straight wins. The sweet part for Nuggets front office personnel: Detroit is still winless after the deal, standing at 0-3 (as of press time).
Thumbs up, Thumbs down The South
Extensions
Two words: Charlie Weis. Two more: Phil Fulmer. A wise man once said “a million here, a million there, after a while you’re talking about real money.” Well the Tennessee Athletic Department must have recently gone to the Monopoly bank, because after giving Fulmer a $6 million extension over the summer, they have let him go. You’re next, Coach Weis.
Take a
letter If you would like to send an opinion to ‘Take a Letter’ about anything you have read or heard about at Sycamore or in the world sports community, please e-mail Jared Kamrass and Ben Estes at sycamoreathletics@gmail.com
Without trying to sound provincial, this portion of the country has had little to be proud of this month. After the embarrassing aftermath of three SEC games (see page 28), the NFL teams here are having a hard time showing they are the cream of the crop (save for Tennessee and Atlanta). Hopefully December gives the South a chance to redeem itself to America.
Dear Sports Opinion Czars, Recently, there has been a rash of in-season firings for Head Coaches and Coordinators in both professional and college football. Tommy Bowden was let go at Clemson, Tyrone Willingham at Washington, Ron Prince at Kansas State, and Phil Fulmer at Tennessee, showing a new trend in the NCAA. Combined with Mike Nolan’s hasty departure from the 49ers, we have noticed that teams are getting less and less patient with their coaches and teams. My question for you, gentlemen, is what has led to this new fad of edginess amongst owners and athletic directors? Is this season an exception? Or is it merely the start of a slippery slope in the world of sports? Sincerely, Sumeet Jetha, 12.
Ken Whisenhunt Getting a job off the coattails of Bill Cowher, Coach Whisenhut had few accomplishments to claim his own. That has all changed this season, as the Arizona Cardinals beat San Francisco on Monday Night Football to open up a commanding four game lead in the NFC West. With just under half of a season to play, Whisenhunt’s team looks poised to claim a playoff berth.
Dearest Sumeet, Your question is a good one, and one that pundits and fans alike have pondered for sometime now. In our estimation, the answer is simple: the impatient owners and athletic directors are responding to equally impatient demands from customers. As boosters grow weary of seeing mediocrity, they fall victim to the American culture of instant gratification. Their rationale is that if they are pouring money into these programs, they want to see results now--not a few years from now. This explains why Rich Rodriguez has come under fire at Michigan. Despite everyone knowing that UM would struggle this year, there have been some antsy fans and boosters who are calling for his head before he can complete one season in Ann Arbor. The NFL is the same way. Owners know that they are fighting a losing battle as fans have less disposable income in these economic conditions. They know that they can’t count on fans showing up if the product continues to be poor. Most owners realize this and try to show their fans that they are making real progress with their team by firing a coach, even if their gestures are purely symbolic. With Love, The Sports Opinion Editors
sports
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FRIDAY November 21, 2008
Rivalry renewed: time of transition for OSU, Michigan ben ESTES & jared KAMRASS sports chief
sports chief
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Buckeyes or Wolverines: who has the edge?
t seems to be a fact of life: those things that appear to be constant are eventually interrupted, forced to change course. The world of sport often seems to be in a sphere separate from everyday life, but even it cannot avoid the aforementioned principle. A rivalry that started during the first McKinley administration stands today as a pillar of American culture. General George Patton once said, “Americans love to fight,” and the residents of the two rust belt states have embodied this motto since they waged a bloodless war over the “prize” of Toledo in 1834 shortly before Michigan was admitted to the union. As the crisp autumnal air descends upon the Midwest, attention turns to intercollegiate football. Saturdays here are sacred, reserved for afternoons of pigskin and camaraderie. On the third Saturday in November, the always-anticipated matchup between Ohio State and Michigan reigns supreme. This year’s version will have quite a different vibe, however. Fans used to a Big Ten Conference crown being up for grabs or two highly-ranked teams squaring off will find a game leaving a lot to be desired.
Turnover in Ann Arbor This season has been a rough one for the team from up north. New coach Rich Rodriguez has encountered much adversity in his first season at Michigan. His newly-implemented spread offense--run by inexperienced players--has struggled to score points. On the other hand, the muchmore-veteran defense has been an extreme disappointment. The new regime warned fans and players alike that this season would be a transition year and to expect unMichigan like results. However, despite the the attempts to lower expectations, some fans have let their frustrations with this bowl-less season come to a boil,
Quarterback Edge: Ohio State Running Back Edge: Ohio State Wide Receivers Edge: Toss-Up Tight Ends Edge: Michigan
image by ben estes
LAST YEAR’S EDITION of the rivalry saw Ohio State prevail in Ann Arbor by a final tally of 14-3. Here, Michigan receiver Greg Mathews (13) muffs a punt as Buckeye defender Jamario O’Neal (3) provides pressure. Ohio State’s win last season was its fifth in the last six match-ups, a pattern UM hopes to end. some even clamoring for Coach Rodriguez’s job.
Failed expectations
The situation in Columbus is less bleak, but still disappointing to the Buckeye faithful. After an injury to star RB Chris Wells in the first week of the season, the Bucks laid an egg against USC before reeling off five straight wins. After getting back up into the top ten, the team suffered a gut-wrenching defeat at the hands of Penn State. Problems off the field are plentiful for OSU. Commentators and players alike have criticized coach Jim Tres-
sel’s moribund play-calling while players consistently underperform. Junior WR Ray Small has been in and out of the doghouse all year before his recent suspension that led to threats from him and his father of a possible transfer. These situations combine to make this year’s game a “perfect storm;” a period in which both programs are going under long and substantive transitions. Both teams will be playing a quorum of young players as they take the field to open a new chapter of the rivalry.
Rodriguez came to U-M in December with the hopes of injecting a shot in the arm of a program that had held fast to the teachings of Bo Schembechler. The new coach brings a new strategy to a conference that has gone stale with offenses derived from the Eisenhower Administration. If the change is going to permeate throughout the conference as many predict it will, then expect tomorrow’s game between the two standard bearers of the Big Ten to be the initial episode in a new series of exciting match-ups.
Inside the game: match-ups to watch RB Chris Wells
Michigan OL
LB Obi Ezeh
Improbability
The hobbled Wells has regained his form of late but has yet to face a talent the caliber of Ezeh. One of Michigan’s leading tacklers, Ezeh is charged with preventing big runs that Wells has become accustomed to in his previous two meetings against Michigan in 2006 and 2007.
In that it is highly improbable that the Wolverine linemen will be able to effectively block any of the Buckeye defenders. In all seriousness, the Michigan offensive line has struggled mightily this season, as was expected due to inexperience. The unit has seemingly improved recently, though, giving some hope for UM fans.
vs.
photo courtesy www.buckeyextra.com
QB Terrelle Pryor
vs.
Michigan defense The dual-threat freshman has given teams fits with his ability to take off running when he can’t find open receivers. His decision making has improved with each game, making his skills even more dangerous to the Wolverines ‘ defense. U-M will have to keep a “spy” on Pryor at all times to keep him at bay.
photo courtesy www.mgoblog.com
vs.
photo courtesy www.espn.com
QB Steven Threet
vs.
His right elbow Michigan’s starting quarterback has battled elbow issues, forcing him out of the Minnesota game and limiting him in others. While he has not played great this season, Threet has proven himself a poised, tough competitor, and Michigan needs him to play and play well in order to have a shot to win.
Offensive Line Edge: Ohio State Defensive Line Edge: Michigan Linebackers Edge: Ohio State Cornerbacks Edge: Toss-Up Safeties Edge: Ohio State Kicker Edge: Toss-Up Punter Edge: Michigan Kick Returner Edge: Ohio State Punt Returner Edge: Ohio State
photo courtesy www.wbns-tv.com
sports
33
FRIDAY November 21, 2008
photo courtesy www.yahoo.com
ABOVE IS A typical fantasy football matchup on “Y! Sports.” Next to each player or team defense is shown its position, its opponent, the status of its NFL game, its projected amount of points, and its actual amount of points. The winner of the matchup is then determined by the total amount of points that a team accumulates in one week of NFL games.
Fantasy football:
Multi-billion dollar market thrives evan GILDENBLATT staff writer
E
very year, millions of people flock to their computers to be witness to sporting events unlike any other. What is this mysterious and unique recreational art? If you are still clueless, then you must not be one of over 20 million Americans who participate in fantasy football every year. Anywhere from several days to several weeks before the official start of the NFL season, gurus leave no stone unturned when they begin the intense research that leads up to a fantasy football draft. “I don’t know much about fantasy football, but my brother plays it with his friends and he seems to enjoy it. It takes up a lot of his time, though,” said Laura Birckhead, 10. Many current and former players in the NFL highly disapprove of fantasy football, with one former Denver Broncos’ quarterback even going so far as to tell an ESPN interviewer that fantasy football has “ruined the game [of professional football].” The most common type of fantasy football involves drafting several NFL offensive position players (quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, tight ends) and an NFL team defense, thus compiling a roster. Then, the fantasy team composed of these players will compete against another team in the fantasy league.
The winner is determined by the combined performances of the individual players (for example, a quarterback with 200 passing yards and a touchdown will score more points than a quarterback with 150 passing yards and no touchdowns). The rules in every league, though, differ depending on the preferences of the commissioner and the participants. “Fantasy football takes a big chunk of time out of my days during football season, but it’s totally worth it,” said Riley Able, 12. “I’m the commissioner of a league that doesn’t play for money, but things still get pretty heated. It’s a fun thing to do with your friends… especially the smack talk.” There are, of course, other types of fantasy football than those with traditional rules. For instance, there are leagues where participants choose which teams will beat their respective point spreads each week. Some have players gain points based on their number of touches. In others, professional players are given a liquid value and are then traded in a stock marketlike simulation. Essentially, fantasy football is becoming one of the most recognized crazes in modern American sporting, and is an increasingly easy way to earn money, make new friends, and gain a more comprehensive knowledge of the sport.
“Fant as reaso y football gives n to w you at it so m uch m ch the gam that extra when e o you h re exciting s. It make ave so s o nS -Zach meone to unday root f Steel or.” e, 11
Numbers 25 75
percent of fantasy sports participants who play fantasy football.
percent of the fantasy sports market that is composed of females.
22 percent of adult males
36 percent of fantasy sports
with internet access who play fantasy sports.
participants who say that fantasy sports have a positive influence in the workplace.
86
30
$467.60
$3.36 billion
percent of fantasy sports participants predict that they will still be playing in 10 years.
spent by the average fantasy sports player each year.
percent of fantasy sports participants who have made new friends through their participation.
total market impact of fantasy football alone.
statistics provided by www.sportsbuff.com
all. I footb my y s a t s fan e on d play much tim n a b s o u “My h I’d have to , ke i l l .” fee ordon d i G d a I f n n si hand -Mrs. Joha Teacher h s i Engl
“I think that pe ople should be focusing on real football in stead of fantas y football.” -Courtland Lo ve, 12
34
jacob NEWTON & kavya REDDY calendar editor
sunday
calendar editor
calendar FRIDAY November 21, 2008
monday
tuesday
wednesday
thursday
friday
SHS Event: Athletic Booster Meeting @ 7:30 p.m.
SHS Sports: Varsity Bowling vs. Loveland @ 4 p.m.
History: Eleven fans are killed during a stampede for seats before a Who concert at Riverfront Coliseum.
Comedy: Brian Regan at Taft Theater @ 7:30 p.m.
SHS Event: 2nd quarter interim distribution SHS Event: Variety Show @ 7:30 p.m. Theater: Twelfth Night at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, through Jan. 4
SHS event: SAT Testing
SHS Sports: Girl’s Varsity Basketball vs. Milford @ 7:30 p.m.
Music: Matisyahu at Bogarts @ 8 p.m.
SHS Event: Battle of the Bands @ 7:30 p.m., for more see pg. 26
SHS Event: ACT Testing
History: Bombing of Pearl Harbor led to America’s entrance into WWII Word of the Week: hedonism: pursuit of pleasure as a goal
Concert: Mudvayne at Bogarts @ 7 p.m.
History: President George Washington died (1799)
SHS Sports: JV and Varsity Bowling vs. Lakota E. @ 4 p.m.
Word of the Week: egregious: conspicuously bad
History: Europe announced new currency would be called the “euro” (1995)
Word of the Week: untenable: indefensible, uninhabitable
Holiday: Start of Hanukkah, through Dec. 29th SHS Sports: Boy’s Varsity Basketball vs. Withrow @ 7:30 p.m.
History: John Lennon shot (1980)
Holiday: Eid al-Adha SHS Sports: Boy’s Varsity Basketball vs. Elder @ 7:30 p.m. SHS Sports: Chess vs. Oak Hills @ 4 p.m.
SHS Sports: JV and Varsity Bowling vs. Colerain @ 4 p.m. Concert: 3 Doors Down at U.S. Bank Arena @ 7 p.m.
SHS Concert: Orchestra Concert, grades 5-12 @ 7:30PM
Weird Holiday: International Mountain Day History: Indiana becomes 18th state (1816)
SHS Concert: Choral Concert @ 7:30 p.m.
SHS Sports: Boy’s Varsity Basketball vs. Lakota E. @ 7:30 p.m.
SHS Sports: Boy’s Varsity Basketball vs. Middletown @ 7:30 p.m.
SHS Sports: JV and Varsity Bowling vs. Reading @ 4 p.m.
Holiday: Christmas Movie Release: “Marley and Me,” starring Jennifer Aniston, Haley Bennett, Owen Wilson
SHS Sports: Varsity Boy’s Basketball vs. Kings @ 7:30 p.m. Theater: “Monty Python’s Spamalot” at Aronoff Center, through Jan. 4
Holiday: New Years Eve Movie Release: “Defiance,” starring Daniel Craig, Liev Schreiber, Jamie Bell
SHS Sports: Girl’s Varsity Basketball vs. Princeton @ 7:30 p.m.
SHS Sports: Boy’s Varsity Basketball vs. Anderson @ 7:30 p.m.
SHS Sports: Girl’s Varsity Basketball vs. Hamilton @ 2 p.m. SHS Sports: Boy’s Varsity Basketball vs. Hamilton @ 2 p.m.
SHS Sports: Academic vs. Lakota E. @ 4 p.m.
SHS Holiday: No School, Winter Break, until Dec. 31
Word of the Week: querulous: complaining, grumbling
Theater: Alice in Wonderland at Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati, through Jan. 4
saturday
Holiday: Start of Kwanzaa, through Jan. 1st Movie Release: “Revolutionary Road,” starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Kathy Bates
December T
hough many may not be ready for it, this month brings winter flakes. Looking ahead at December, the many sports, holidays and events seem to fill the busy month. Yet another year, the hockey team looks to pull out a phenomenal season and the basketball team seeks out some fresh varsity players. This is just many of the many winter sports that the school offers. Movie releases include “Marley and
Me,” the fun loving film centered around Marley, a yellow lab. Adopted by a columnist for the “Philadelphia Inquirer,” and his wife, they opt to give themselves a taste of parenthood. The annual Battle of the Bands event is to be held on Dec. 12. this prestigous event brings out crowds enthusiased to hear the hot local school bands. Check out more news, clubs, sports events at www.goaves.com.
advertisement 35 FRIDAY November 21, 2008
36
spotlight FRIDAY November 21, 2008
‘The game is never boring for me, and that is why I try to play as often as I can.’
Junior shares love for soccer, future aspirations maria MARBALLI spotlight editor
Q&A with Akshay Roy-Choudhury, 11 How long have you been playing soccer? I started playing when I was about five and I’ve never stopped since. What do you love most about the sport? Every game or practice is always fun. The game is never boring for me and that is why I try to play as often as I can.
What is one thing you want to do before you die? I would like to go skydiving because it is awesome. That would be the most intense thing ever. What has been your biggest accomplishment? I would have to say moving up from the B to the A team for my club soccer team.
What do you tell yourself before playing one of your hardest opponents? I always tell myself that I can do it no matter what. I am good enough to win and I just stay focused and play my game.
What is your most embarrassing moment? On the field, probably stopping a ball on the line that was going to be a goal for my team. Off the field... at the moment I can’t think of one, and if I did I probably wouldn’t say it.
What has been your proudest moment on the field? Probably scoring the winning goal in the last ten minutes of a game. After that, our team just got our confidence back.
What has been your best high school moment so far? All of high school is great, the best part about it is just being with my friends everyday.
Where do you want to go to college and what do you want to study? Do you want to play soccer in college? I have not really thought about where I want to go but most likely I would like to study something science-based, but I am keeping my options open as of now. And if I get the opportunity I would love to play in college but it is not my first choice.
Who is your biggest fan? I would have to say my mom. She comes to all the games and always supports me. Any last words? Pain is temporary, glory is forever. all images by maria marballi
ROY-CHOUDHURY PRACTICING for an upcoming game. He always tries keeping a positive mind-set on and off the field. He believes that when he commits himself to the game, he plays to the best of his ability, and feels that when the team has a positive attitude, they all do better. “I just stay focused and play my game,” said Roy-Choudhury.
FROM LEFT TO right: juniors Kevin Witt, Ashvin Srivatsa, Roy-Choudhury, Anu Kaushik, and David Jungerwirth stand in front of the tower of London on the AP European History trip last year.
ROY-CHOUDHURY PRACTICING for the school soccer team after school. “The game is never boring for me and that is why I try to play as often as I can,” said Roy-Choudhury.
What his friends say about him
”
He is really good friends with my older sister, Michaela Mondro, ‘08, and we are pretty much like brother and sister because of it. We drove home together everyday, we would fight and joke around just like siblings.
-Emily Mondro, 10
”
“Akshay-beta” is a really laid back character. He has this unique quality of being funny, intelligent, and amicable, all at the same time!
-Anu Kaushik, 11
BEN ROSEN, 12 AND Roy-Choudhury in the Hall of Mirrors in the Palace of Versailles outside of Paris on Spring Break with their AP European History class.
Favorites
People: My parents Song: “Anything” by Red Hot Chili Peppers Movie: “Batman: The Dark Night” Soccer Player: Wayne Rooney on Manchester United Teacher: Mrs. Judy Klefas Time of day: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner Season: Summer