November Issue by Sycamore High School

the Sycamore

leaf

FRIDAY November 20, 2009 Volume LVI Issue 4 | 7400 Cornell Rd. Cincinnati, Ohio 45242, 513.686.1770 ext. 3089 | www.goaves.com

Athlete Signing

Variety Show

Senior

Halloween

The Northwestern women’s volleyball team will have a new member for the 2010 season. Gabrielle Gray, 12, signed an official letter of intent on Friday, Nov. 13 in the staff lunchroom. Nick Fry, 12, also signed a letter of intent to run cross country at the University of Dayton, and Alex Norris, 12, signed with the Ohio State University for swimming.

image by jake newton

news bites

Come see SHS’s most talented students at the annual Variety Show. Tickets can be purchased at lunch Dec. 2-4 for the show on Friday, Dec. 4 at 7:30 p.m.

Financial Aid Meeting

Junior and senior parents will have the opportunity to learn more about financial aid programs and filling out the FAFSA form on Dec. 7 at 7 p.m.

Choral Concert

The annual holiday choral concert will be on Dec. 9. Parents and students are welcome to attend.

Yearbook Prices

The price of the yearbook will go up after Jan. 1 from $60 to $65. Be sure to deliver your forms and check to room 115 before that date or go online to purchase one at www. yearbookforever.com. You may also submit candid photos online at www.ClassScene.com. See the Yearbook Facebook group for more information on how to do this.

Exams

Instead of the usual four day weekend after all mid-term exams, the exam week will now begin on Monday, Jan. 8 with Martin Luther King Day followed by three days of exams and then Friday, Jan. 22 there will also be no school because of Teacher Record’s Day.

Write to The Leaf

Thank you for your feedback thus far. Comments on stories and any suggestions are greatly appreciated. E-mail The Leaf at writetotheleaf@gmail.com. Please remember to include your name and to indicate whether you would like your comment to be published.

rashmiborah

editor-in-chief

michelatindera

editor-in-chief

y third bell on Oct. 29, some students were coughing while walking to class, overcome by the smell of Axe body spray, bananas had been dropped on the floor, confetti, silly string, and candy wrappers littered the halls. By the end of the day, “trashed” was the word Mrs. Karen Bare, assistant principal,, used to describe the school. Six hours of overtime and over $500 later the day’s damages were cleaned up. “Personally I like the day,” said Mr. Brad Walker, custodial supervisor. “But this was the worst [mess] I have seen in twenty years of being here.” Senior Halloween is a day that should be fun for all students. But in Bare’s opinion, the disruptions that resulted from the costumes and performances by students was unacceptable. “This is still a school day,”

I N S I D E CALENDAR 2 NEWS 3-4 FORUM 5-7 SPOTLIGHT 8

‘...this was the worst [mess] I have seen in twenty years of being here’

-Mr. Brad Walker, Custodial supervisor

said Bare. “It is partially the responsibility of teachers to make sure students are in class and focusing, but it is also the responsibility of students.” Following the event, many myths evolved about the future of Senior Halloween and what exactly had happened. “This is the official statement: we are in the process of re-evaluating the event. No decision has been made as to what will happen,” said Bare. “No immediate plans to cancel Senior Halloween have been made.” One of the more conspicuous groups of the day, the gorillas, were required to clean up the banana mess in the commons. “The administration expressed frustration in regards to our use of bananas and the ensuing mess they created,” said David Jungerwirth, 12, a member of the gorilla group. “...[But] no action was taken against our members.” Another group that captured a great deal of attention was the Axe Girls. “We did not mean to hurt or offend anyone,” said Adrian

Amrine, 12, a member of Axe Girls group. “We saw no problems with our costume.” According to Mrs. Susan Murphy, nurse, the spraying of aerosols caused two students to be sent home due to respiratory problems. Currently, there is no official ban on aerosol cans, but it is a health risk according to Murphy, affecting the dozens of students who have respiratory conditions. “It’s really a safety issue,” said Murphy. “It can be life threatening.” And what many did not know was that 45 students were taking the Science Ohio Graduation Test (OGT) on the same day as Senior Halloween and had to work through the exam with students shouting and performing in the hallways. “We will be looking at the proximity of Senior Halloween in the future,” said Bare. Until a final decision has been made, students should not expect Senior Halloween to be cancelled, but should expect, according to Bare, “more explicit restrictions” for next year’s event.

FEATURE 9-14 A&E 15-19 SPORTS 20-22 ADVERTISEMENT 23 SNAPSHOTS 24

Calendar

friday, november 20, 2009

elizabethhoopes

calendar chief

sunday

monday

tuesday

wednesday thursday

DECEMBER 6

friday

saturday

4 p.m. Chess Team vs. Hamilton (at home)

SHS Event: 7:30 p.m. Variety Show

2 p.m. Girls Varsity Basketball vs. Oak Hills (at home)

Holiday: Hanukkah Begins at Sundown History: 13th Amendment passed, abolishing slavery, 1865

Weird Holiday: National Cotton Candy Day

7:30 p.m. Boys Varsity Basketball vs. Princeton (at home)

SHS Event: 7:30 p.m. Choral Concert

SHS Event: 7:30 p.m. Orchestra Concert

7:30 p.m. Boys Varsity Basketball vs. Oak Hills (at home)

7:30 p.m. Girls Varsity Basketball vs. Lakota West (at home)

Holiday: Christmas

7:30 p.m. Boys Varsity Basketball vs. Lakota West (at home)

No School: Winter Break

First day of winter

No School: Winter Break

Holiday: Kwanzaa begins

news 3

friday, november 20, 2009

redit flexibility

oncrete plan necessitates student collaboration to gain high school credit through non-traditional means, such as educational travel, internships, credit courses, testing out, or in class online any other approved way.

CREDIT FLEXIBILITY WILL BE an option for students the next school year. While details are still being worked out, the plan is to offer students more ways to earn the high school credit they need in order to graduate.

Still planning

Ohio Core points to know: -The deadline for schools to have a defined plan allowing students to gain credit based on areas of “subject competency is March 31, 2009. -Financial literacy education will have to be provided to all students before they can earn a high school diploma. - Students will have to earn four math credits in order to graduate, instead of the usual three. One course must be Algebra II or its equivalent.

rashmiborah

editor-in-chief

n Oct. 8 and 13, small groups of parents and students gathered in the IMC. Each group had three pieces of paper, where they listed questions, concerns and possibilities that resulted from Ms. Jennifer Manoukian’s presentation about a new program the district is adopting. In response former governor Bob Taft’s Ohio Core, developed in 2007, the district has to implement certain graduation requirement changes. The district will be increasing the required number of math credits from three to four, starting with the class of 2014, and will be decreasing the number of electives required from six to five. The most drastic change that the district must accomplish is the adoption of a credit flexibility system, through which students will be able

The high school is just getting started with the planning process. Though there are already has some programs in place that will help facilitate the transition, such as the Senior Capstone project, independent study, and dual credit classes. “We want to have this plan in place by fall 2010, with the first reading of a plan in November, the second reading in December and the third reading in January,” said Manoukian during her presentation. Some reasons cited for justifying the task at hand included a rapidly changing economy, developing 21st century learning skills and a focus on individual interests and talents. “The current model of learning is not working for many students,” said Manoukian. “Many people leave without knowing what they’re good at.” When stepping back to consider the program, it has the potential to drastically change the high school learning environment. The administrators in charge of the plan are still very uncertain about what will take place once the opportunities are presented to students next school year. “We may need to re-evaluate the traditional seven-bell schedule and work differently with the students and staff,” said Mr. Chris Davis, principal. “Right now, everything

Davis also hopes to involve students in the planning process later in the year. He has already met with his student advisory committee, but would like to gather their input later. “We will have to get more students involved as we go on,” said Davis. Every day, new questions and concerns arise in terms of how to effectively shape the new program. As of press date, Manoukian plans to have a final plan of the program ready by January. “It is a challenging issue because it is beyond our comfort level,” said Davis.

Jewish Student Union hannaleegoldman staff writer

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Including student input

Expanding base of knowledge, culture

RABBIS ZUROFF AND LANDIS are guest speakers invited by Daniel Brook, 11, founder of JSU, to make appareances at after-school meetings. The club is a chance for students- both Jewish and other wise- to learn about Judaism. The main reason for the emergence of a culture is the disappearence of Hebrew from SHS’s global lanuage curriculum and Hebrew club. All are welcome to attend the upcoming meetings.

Fruit and Vegetable Market

still needs to be determined.” Two issues that arose during the parent forums were cost and the role of the staff. One of the options available was educational travel. This cost would be one that the students and families would cover, creating a possibility for inequality. “We haven’t yet addressed equality a lot, but we will have to in the future. Right now, we’re trying to make sure that the access plan [to students in all academic pathways] is equal,” said Davis. With so many students able to engage in independent projects, there is the potential for the role of the staff to drastically change. Though it has not been conferred and is certainly not wanted, the possibility of staff cuts has not been ruled out. “We may have teachers more as facilitators than as teachers,” said Davis. “But I don’t want to lose that personal interaction [between teacher and student.] We cannot forget that relationship role.”

GO AVES! Each office independently owed and operated.

During the school day, room 247 is just another Spanish classroom, but after school, it becomes an opportunity to expand the Jewish community at SHS. “… with the removal of Hebrew as a part of the curriculum, and therefore the end to Hebrew club,” said Daniel Brook, 11, who started the Jewish Student Union chapter at SHS, “I thought that it fits what Sycamore needed perfectly.” He got the idea to begin Jewish Student Union (JSU), from a friend he had met on a trip to Israel who began this union at his high school. This group has been brought to attention in many other schools across the States and Canada. Brook is hoping that students join JSU regardless of religious affiliation. Members said that the best part of this club is hanging out with their Jewish friends after school. After going over the basics at the first meeting, members went down to the back gym to participate in a game called Ga-ga. “Ga-ga is a really great Israeli game! Basically, you can hit (the ball), not throw it, and if it hits a person knees or below they are out. It’s a great camp sport too!” said Molly Balk, 9. This social club is mostly about meeting students interested in Judaism and Brook hopes that the students’ enthusiasm for their religion will lead the club into many meaningful discussion and experiences. “My favorite part of JSU,” said Brook, “ is the ability to give those students that would otherwise have no exposure to Judaism the ability to really understand wand learn about all that it has to offer and what great, and not so great, things that have come about as a result of Judaism.” Though the idea of member was discusses at the Nov. 10 meeting, the only requirement for members are the $10 dues that are a necessity for most clubs at SHS. With the 51 members a part of the Facebook group, Brook is hoping the turn out for this year’s club with expand with every meeting.

4 news

friday, november 20, 2009

Students inducted into honor society NHS announces volunteer activities for school year, encourages participation michelatindera

editor-in-chief

photo courtesy of jeremy mcdaniel

ast night 134 juniors and seniors were inducted into National Honor Society (NHS). While this was a smaller number of students than in years past, it was still an important night for all who were involved. “It was very special, especially when all the students recognized and thanked their sponsors for their positive impact.” said Sonali Jain, 11. The ceremony was lead by senior officers Hannah D’Souza, president; Liz Keefe, vice president; Lindsey Harris, secretary; Neil Krishnan, treasurer; and Anu Kaushik, communications. Though some do not see the point in joining NHS other than to add it to their list of activities on college applications, the group actually sponsors several fundraisers and volunteer opportunities in the community throughout the year. “It’s such a great organization because they require all their members to do volunteer work, which is a great way to build character,” said Georgia Ottoni, 12. While the induction just took place last night, the officers have been meeting since before the beginning of the school year to plan fundraisers and activities. First up will be a canned food drive planned for Nov. 30 until Dec. 11. The majority of cans collected will be used for needs specified by the Operation Give Back (OGB) pantry, and once those needs are met extra goods will be given to local food banks. A second project led by D’Souza, is the Measles Initiative that provides funding for measles vaccines in India. There are plans in the works to build a “pipeline” of sorts that will begin at the balcony overlooking the commons and snake down the walls to a jar in the middle of the commons area. Donations can be made from Dec. 14 until Dec. 22. “People can dispense money down this tube and watch it roller-coaster its way to a worthy cause,” said Kaushik. Students will once again be encouraged to participate in OGB tutoring. “We are encouraging students to get involved with OGB, and they do not need to be in NHS to volunteer… it is a great way to get hours in before their junior year,” said Keefe. The second annual Lock-In for OGB kids and volunteers will also be held on Feb. 26. “I am so glad that I have become a part of this significant organization,” said Jain.

DAN ASHTON, 12, SPEAKS ABOUT an influential person in his life at last year’s National Honor Society induction. He was one of over 100 students inducted into the largest NHS group in recent history. This year, another 134 students joined the ranks of NHS to initiate and participate in various volunteer activities. This year’s officers have been actively planning volunteer services for its members, including an Operation Give Back canned food drive and a fundraiser for the Measles Initiative, propelled by NHS president Hannah D’Souza.

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‘It’s still out there’

District anxiously awaits H1N1 vaccine emmaoh

feature chief

Scientists from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that almost 6 million Americans have been infected with H1N1 this year. When the virus was first discovered in the United States back in April 2009, many did not believe it would become so severe. However, as more people began contracting the virus, death tolls rose and school attendance rates dropped; the need for a vaccine became apparent. All across the United States, health clinics and high-schools began to await the arrival of H1N1 vaccines. Although the vaccines were expected to arrive at SHS weeks ago, as of Wednesday, Nov. 11, they still have yet to come. “Hamilton County is still waiting for the H1N1 vaccines. We are not yet sure when they are coming to SHS but we are hoping to hear soon,” said Mrs. Susan Murphy, school nurse. In the district, almost 5,000 students are waiting to receive the H1N1 vaccine. With the long delay, some students are beginning to question whether the vaccine is worth receiving any more.

Some are even starting to believe that if they have not contracted it by now, they never will. “It seems like at this point a lot of people who signed up to get the vaccine have already gotten the virus,” said Katherine Brown, 10. However, according to Murphy, this is not the case. “The majority of students at SHS have not had the swine flu virus. There may be a fair amount of students that have had it, but nowhere close to the majority,” said Murphy. Although we are not sure when the H1N1 vaccines will arrive it is important to continue to take precautions, such as using hand sanitizer before eating and wiping down desks before each bell. To avoid spreading the infection, the CDC has recommended that those with symptoms stay home from school and work and avoid contact with other people. “It’s still out there. We should not disregard taking that extra step to avoid getting the flu, especially during these next couple months,” said Vladimir Jovic, 9. The SHS staff was hoping to hear more about the H1N1 vaccine progress in a meeting on Friday, Nov. 13.

Schools that have received the vaccine: Milford CPS Hamilton Fairfield Kentucky

Forum

Kelsey’s Conservative Corner kelseydrapkin

friday, november 20, 2009

cartoon by lily lefton and lila englander

forum chief

staffeditorial

fter the recent mishaps of Senior Halloween, what was supposed to be a continuation of our school’s exciting and unpredictable tradition turned sour when the day ended in bad taste… literally. Senior Halloween is a privilege, not a right. It is supposed to be a celebration of originality and creativity, but when students begin to take advantage of a day that was given to them as a gift, the fun ends. One would think that when given a day such as this, seniors would respect the building and the students in it. This was not the case on Oct. 29. Plain and simple, this year’s ‘celebration’ was unacceptable. The halls of SHS should be a place where students can feel safe, although sadly, it was not when two students were sent home due to the spraying of Axe body spray throughout the building. If the administration is going to entrust the senior class with such privileges, they need to be able to rely on the maturity of their students. After this year, it is evident that some seniors cannot handle the responsibility of a Senior Halloween. Throwing confetti, candy, silly string, and bananas around the school? Seniors, come on. Halloween is supposed to be fun. Do not take advantage of the freedoms given. The hallways were left in complete disarray which cost the school over $500 to clean up. That is not in any

the Sycamore

leaf

way funny, or even okay. The janitors will forever remember the time taken to remove banana debris from the carpet crevices. And on top of that, there were juniors and seniors trying to take the Ohio Graduation Test (OGT) while the halls were full of chaos. If SHS wants to have this privilege in the future, circumstances will have to change. There are set guidelines that the administration expects their students to keep, and that they should. Senior Halloween is still a school day and seniors are required to attend all of their classes, including seventh bell. When students fail to follow those simple rules, the staff is left with no reason to keep granting the students this opportunity which most other schools do not have. At the same time, teachers, if Senior Halloween is going to be granted, there will be some expected chaos. The fact that there exists one solitary day of the year for seniors to come to school dressed in full costume, classes will have interruption; it is simply inevitable. Seniors will be seniors, and considering that they wait for this day for four years, the administration should anticipate mild disruption and disorder. Senior Halloween is meant to be fun. So students, it is time to recognize that this day is given as a privilege, not a right, and privileges can easily be revoked. It is the responsibility of the student body to respect the school building and to enjoy Senior Halloween as it was intended to be.

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.

leafing through the masses

Do you feel that Senior Halloween was out of control this year?

“ ““ “

This is my first Senior Halloween, so I don’t know how it usually goes. But I thought it was really fun!

-Lynn Bakes, 9

I think Senior Halloween is all in good fun, but it did get a little too crazy.

-Emily Fry, 10

I thought it got a little out of control and some of the seniors should have known better than to do some of the things they did.

-Gracie van Amerongen, 11

No, it wasn’t out of control enough.

- Ryan Sess,12

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

Editors-in-chief: Rashmi Borah, Michela Tindera Associate Editor: Maria Marballi News Ellean Zhang Forum Jamie Alemagno Kelsey Drapkin Gabe Englander Feature Emma Oh Jimmy Chau A&E S.M. Dipali Emma Rosen Sports Brandon Sosna Paul Pescovitz Calendar Jake Newton Elizabeth Hoopes Spotlight Shivani Parikh Gina Romeo Snapshots Michela Tindera Webmasters Jacob Katz Mark Rubeo

Cartoonist Lilly Lefton Staff Writers Daniel Bayliss Denae Bellilti Alexander Berger Lina Cardenas Chad Chessin Rishi Choubey Sam Cleary Emily Cohen Ben Dhiman Catherine Farist Jane Finocharo Drew Gelwicks Elise Gelwicks Ellie Goldman Hannalee Goldman Kelcie Grega Samantha Hammer Clayton Hamre Elizabeth Hoopes Nanki Hura Sarah Janning Kevin Jin Bennett Kaplan

Apparently, I am a racist. I know, I was shocked too. In this day and age, disagreeing with our president means you are a racist loon who only disagrees with him because of the color of his skin. Before the election, columnists such as Jacob Weisberg wrote pieces saying that racism would be to blame were John McCain to beat Barack Obama. I am here to assure you, I do not care what color you are. You are a human nonetheless. If I disagree, it is a disagreement about policy, not ethnicity. Joe Wilson, a congressman from South Carolina, had a “spontaneous outburst” during the president’s health care address to Congress a few months ago which was seen not only as rude, but racist as well. Because the President stated that the health bill did not allow coverage for illegal immigrants, a statement that is not entirely truthful, and Wilson called him on it, Wilson is now being called a racist. If others are allowed to hear this implied word, am I then allowed to hear an implied “radical” before that magical word, change? There cannot be a double standard. As a member of the Jewish faith, it is like me saying someone reading this column and disagreeing with it makes him or her an anti-Semite. I am ecstatic to see that America has come so far. Within the past 100 years, we have proven time and time again that everyone has the opportunity to achieve great things. The fact that Obama is in office as our first African-American president proves that everyone in this country, regardless of color, ethnicity, or other differences, has the ability to excel themselves with no boundaries. But the cries of racism continues. Commentator Bill Maher said recently that with their very headlines “right-wingers” are able to drop “subliminally racist messages”. No less a personage than former president Jimmy Carter has stated that opposition to President Obama’s agenda is rooted in racism. I believe that the average American does not wish for racial strife in our country. Perhaps it is time for the “race card” to be put at the bottom of the deck; maybe if it is not used, we can all pull together as one people – Americans – and pursue the old-fashioned American dream. You know, the one that promises life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, and the fruits of one’s hard work? President Obama told us when he campaigned that his election would be indicative of the arrival of a “post-racial” America. Only time will tell if he was correct. The indicators thus far are not good. “I have a dream...” said Martin Luther, Jr..

For comments on this column, please write to WritetoTheLeaf@gmail.com RETRACTION: In the October 23 issue of The Leaf, Brittany VanWagen’s grade was printed incorrectly in a pull quote that went with the story about third lunch shortages on page 7. She is in grade 10, but was listed as being in grade 11. We apologize for the misprint.

Business Managers: Emily Begley S. M. Dipali, Kelsey Drapkin Managing Editor: Jake Newton Ben Keefe Moriah Krawec Mihir Kulkarni Stuart Lindle Ali Lopez Rosetta Maley Sarah May Frank Pan Orion Radtke Casey Rayburn Daniel Rickert Jason Robke Erika Rodriguez Annie Seiple Aditi Sharma Jeffrey Silverstein Matt Slovin Chase Spicer Daniella Star Garrett Steinbuch Alexander Weinhart Spencer Wurzelbacher

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

6 forum

friday, november 20, 2009

Students thankful despite hard times Through ups and downs, they find something to appreciate

America, where we have freedom of speech,” said Kissela. And she shows that freedom of s Thanksgiving apspeech–well, freedom of song–often, proaches, people all over as an active part of the Aves Theatre the country are considprogram. ering the big question: She was last seen as the Narrator What are they thankful in the fall musical, “Joseph and the for? And while we all love the three Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”. F’s (family, friends, and food), here Kelsey King, 9, are some spotadds on to Kissela’s lights on what comment. else students I’m really thankful that we “I’m really thankhere are gratelive in a community where ful that we live in a ful for. community where people reach out to help The discuspeople reach out to sion started others help others,” said as students King. -Kelsey King,9 in the Fit for She is involved Life class were with helping those sitting on the in need as a memgym floor. Thanks to an unfortunate ber of the Unified for Unifat club, and leak in the plumbing, the locker a volunteer at her church. rooms and classroom were off-limits. After this we got up to participate So we found ourselves hanging out in the class. But it got us all thinking in the gym for free recreation time. about how others encounter probI brought up the big question, and lems bigger than plumbing, but still pondering ensued. remain thankful for what they have. “I’m thankful for those Italian guys Regardless of whom we know who invented soccer,” said Stephaor what we are involved in, every nie Adamec, 9, who spoke up first. student and staff member has a lot of Adamec plays goalie on the JV B things to be thankful for this Thankswomen’s soccer team. Next Emily giving. Kissela, 9, pipes up. “I’m grateful that we live in

hannaleegoldman

all images by jamie alemagno

staff writer

EVEN IN TRYING TIMES, students can find much to be thankful for in their lives. Stephanie Adamec, 9, is most thankful for soccer, while Emily Kissela, 9, is grateful for theater. Kelsey King, 9, really enjoys giving back and volunteering with the Unified for Unifat club which she is thankful for. Even though Thanksgiving is in November, these activities are joys that last all school year.

“ Issue 3 “ “ “

Student opinons on casinos I don’t know much about this isssue but if I could have voted I wouldn’t have voted for casinos.

-Brynn Sharp,12

As an American teenager, the casinos do not affect me in any way.”

Stirs up community markrubeo

webmaster

Fifth time is a charm. After 20 years, casino gaming is coming to Ohio after being rejected by voters four times in the past. Still, I am not celebrating. I am not opposed to casinos in Ohio. Gambling, like drinking, can be done responsibly, and the jobs created and tax revenue generated more than outweigh the potential downsides. Still, casinos need to be done right. An amendment to the Ohio constitution with loopholes that ban charitable organizations from holding casino nights and exempt the casinos from paying taxes on cash wagers can hardly be called “doing it right.” The clearly written parts of the amendment were even worse. A 33% tax rate may sound like a lot of money, but nothing when compared to Pennsylvania’s fairly low 55% and Illinois graduated tax that tops off at 70%. That money could be Ohio’s. Also troublesome is the fact that it authorizes four casinos in four cities. Why not just make casino gambling legal (with some restrictions) in Ohio, and give each city the power to control how much, if any, gambling they want. Fortunately, the Ohio constitution can always be reamended to address these issues. Until then, Ohioans will have to live with the good and the bad of issue 3.

-Karin Goitman,11

If it’s a family-friendly casino, that would be okay.” -David Reynolds,9

Having casinos is fine, but we could have gotten more money.” -John Martin,12

I don’t see why we shouldn’t have one.” -Virginia Elliot,9

“

oters keep libraries afloat

enue still ‘necessity of life’

elliegoldman

staff writer

“A library is not a luxury but one of the necessities of life.” This very argument, so eloquently stated by Henry Ward Beecher, was recently a hotly debated issue. The discussion regarded whether libraries still provided necessary services, and whether they are still necessary in society. Will there be libraries in ten years? Twenty? And what about the 35 libraries that needed to request levees on the Nov. 3 ballot because of lack of funding? The closing of a library branch feels like a personal affront to me. Several of my earliest memories involve getting my first library card and proudly handing it to the worker at the desk. I have checked out hundreds of books and movies from the library over the years, yet some people voice the concern that library books are outdated and the Internet will dominate in usefulness. Not all people feel this way, though. “Even without using the resources, a library is a great environment for studying,” said Bradley Kirkendall, 9. I believe the experience can never be replaced, and there is no better place to do research. Besides, which looks better on a bibliography for a teacher: a firsthand account of an eye-witness or a Wikipedia page? To gain some insight I went to an authority on the subject, Mrs. Judy Klefas, English teacher. I asked her whether she anticipates students visiting libraries less frequently for school-related projects. “I don’t think it depends on the library, it depends on the school,”

said Klefas. Teacher expectations determine the extent of resources used, then. So are students destined to be completely disengaged with print resources? “Not mine!” said Klefas. But the services a library provides are not limited to books and research. The library is host to numerous events targeted to different age ranges, from one-year-olds to senior citizens. There are story times for younger children, crafts and activities for kids and teenagers available, as well as programs targeted to adults and seniors. There are also special events like college planning programs, special guest speakers, and interesting cultural activities. Every summer the public library hosts a summer reading program for kids that rewards children for reading. More than 69% of Ohioans hold a library card, and check out over 180 million items per year. The libraries hold a 90% approval rating among voters, the highest of any public building. This being true, crowds of library supporters were taken aback at the apparent lack of enthusiasm about maintaining these facilities. “I am floored that in my lifetime I [had] to vote whether to keep the libraries funded,” said Mrs. Valerie Nimeskern, history teacher and Ohio voter. A library is the optimum resource, and as Beecher stated, it is a staple of our society. So I say thank you to the voters who approved the library levees back on Election Day. I appreciate your support of our libraries.

forum 7

friday, november 20, 2009

Stand nankihura

staff writer

he 31 words that make up our country’s Pledge of Allegiance speak of loyalty and justice for all. But recent events suggest that the personal beliefs of students have not been respected. According to an article in the Star Tribune, three students at a school in Minnesota refused to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. They received one day of in-school suspension for violating one of the district’s policies. Their school’s handbook said that every student must stand for the Pledge, but are not required to recite it. However, the principal of the school said the policy may soon be reworded to protect the students’ rights. In most schools students recite the Pledge every morning. “I did not understand what it meant…I just recited it to recite it,” said Avni Bapat, 10. I remember when I was in elementary school, I participated in the same routine, not realizing what the words

actually meant for our country. Occasionally teachers would try to explain the concept of patriotism and devotion, but I still did not understand. It seemed that a tendency to say the words, without really understanding them, was spreading. On the contrary, one of the more controversial issues involving the Pledge that recently erupted is related to those who are all too aware of what the Pledge implies. Many students and adults object to the words “under God” in the Pledge because it brings an unneeded religious implication. “No, [“under God” should not be removed from the Pledge of Allegiance] because that’s what the country was founded on, people being able to worship God without the fear of being persecuted,” said Mrs. Susan Odell, math teacher. These words were not originally in the Pledge, but rather an addition President Dwight D. Eisenhower approved on June 14, 1954. This has been the most recent change to the Pledge of Allegiance. While it seems reasonable to respect the students’ basic rights for not standing or reciting the Pledge, many have been unjustly punished. Our national government and local schools should reconsider their laws and policies about the Pledge to better protect the student’s rights to free speech.

image by jake newton

Three high school students in Minn. remain seated during the Pledge of Allegiance resulting in suspension

Soda Tax Proposed by Obama to reduce obesity

‘In the school setting, 10 percent of students cause 90 percent of the problems’

-Paul Payne

Harsher punishment results in correction spencerwurzelbacher

photo by jake newton

staff writer

“IS THE TAX GOING to do any good?” said Arlandance Mathis, 12. Students are finding out that the 10 percent increase on the price of soda is not making the impact Obama was trying to acheive.

erikarodriguez staff writer

Recent studies show that today more than 80 percent of Americans do not engage in adequate physical activity; there are 40 million Americans that are obese; and more than one quarter of all Americans are considered to be “completely sedentary.” These shocking statistics arouse more and more concern each year as the numbers consistently increase. It has gotten to the point where President Barack Obama has proposed a tax on sweetened beverages (sodas, teas, etc.) in hopes to lower the obesity rate worldwide and to help pay for Obama’s proposed health care plan, which is expecting to cost about one trillion dollars. The tax proposed would have the consumer pay one cent per ounce extra for the beverage and would apply to soft drinks, energy drinks, sports beverages and many juices and iced

teas — but not sugar-free diet drinks. While Obama says it is worth considering, soda companies like Coca-Cola seem to strongly disagree and call the idea “outrageous.” Some companies like Pepsi refused to even discuss the issue. I think this proposed tax is a great start at something that has the potential to drastically transform our country. There is no question that as a society we eat far too much sugar, but that is only a small part of the problem. We are a sleepwalking society. Few of us pay attention to what we eat, drink, or how we manage stress. By putting this tax into effect, I believe the numbers of overweight/ obese people in the United States would decrease substantially. For some people, obesity is a matter of predisposition, and it cannot be prevented, but most of today’s obesity problems are about behavioral problems that can be changed. The average 18-year-old is only a

fraction of an inch taller than the average 18-year-old three decades ago, but is fifteen pounds heavier. Gene pools do not change in three decades. Soda consumption has also changed a lot over time. The typical person now consumes 190 calories a day from sugary drinks, up from 70 calories typically consumed per day in the late 1970s. Economic research has found that soda drinkers are price sensitive. In the past, when the price of soda has risen by 10 percent, consumption has dropped by an average of roughly 8 percent. This means a soda tax may not be quite as regressive as it sounds, because poor people would end up buying less soda than they do now. It is certainly true that a soda tax by itself will not solve our nation’s obesity crisis. However, if we could cut back on our soda drinking, we would be both thinner and richer.

The fact of the matter is that criminals escape from the legal system every day, and even if they are charged, countless numbers of them get away with nothing more than a slap on the wrist. How can we justify punishing someone to a lesser degree than how they punished their victim? The answer is not a simple one. Paul Payne, school resource officer and Montgomery Police Officer had several things to say about the legal system and specific incidents here at SHS. He stated that adults get too many breaks from our legal system, and that juveniles will need to commit up to three or four crimes until they are dealt with harshly by the courts. “There are consequences for everybody’s actions,” said Payne. Payne offered that there was no standard across the board for punishment consistency. However, it seems that the wealthy or the well-connected get off the hook much more frequently than those who are not. There are consequences for This is not always the case, but it tends to everybody’s actions happen quite often. -Paul Payne, It is often bestudent resource officer lieved that prison rehabilitates inmates and readies them for their return to society. This can be correct; however I do not believe that everyone has this capability; some people just cannot be helped. At school we face a similar dilemma. We deal with 50 to 60 thefts, 6 to 10 drug or alcohol related offenses and about 12 fights or disorderly conduct incidents over the course of the year. “In the school setting, 10 percent of students cause 90 percent of the problems,” said Payne. Too often does the punishment falls short of the crime and after a short vacation from school these criminals return to our halls and repeat their crimes, more than likely escaping the eye of the administration for many offenses. That returns me to my previous point—some people just cannot be helped. If the spree of criminal activity cannot be stalled in a controlled school setting, why do we maintain the belief that these people can go out into an uncontrollable society of limitless possibility?

“

Spotlight

friday, november 20, 2009

‘When I was little, everyone knew me as the Barbra Streisand freak’

Getting to know: Emily Gilgoff shivaniparikh

spotlight editor

& ginaromeo

spotlight editor

with Emily Gilgoff, 10

FAVORITES

Q. What are three words you would use to describe yourself?

A. Nice, funny and genuine. Q. What are your hobbies? A. I love art and watching old movies. I also like to hang out

Shoe: Converse. I live in Converse. Store: Urban Outfitters Book: “Twilight.” Ijust finishedthe lastone. Song: “Lazy Eye” by Silversun Pickups Actor: Johnny Depp and Sean Penn

with my friends.

Q. How would you describe your style? A. I kind of just wear whatever I like. I went through like an

emo stage in eighth grade where I only wore skinny jeans. But I’m more bohemian and chilled out this year. I love wearing sweatshirts, they’re so comfortable.

Q. What kind of music do you listen to? A. I love all different kinds of music but mostly soft rock. I’m

a big Death Cab [for Cutie] girl. I’m also a die-hard Beatles fan. Some people say they like the Beatles, but I love them. Like I said, I love old musicals so I grew up on Frank Sinatra. I also love Regina Spektor and Feist. Oh, and Amy Winehouse is one of the best singers in the world, I don’t care what people say about her.

Q. What is your passion? A. Probably theater or art. I like to sketch. Q. What theatrical productions have you been involved in?

A. “Peter Pan,”“Fiddler on the Roof,”“High School Musical,”

“Parade,” and this year I did “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat.”

Q. How would you describe the experience of putting together a production?

A. Auditioning is really nerve-wracking. The whole process

of making the show is exhausting but it’s a lot of you fun and you meet a lot of amazing people.

Q. Where do you see yourself in ten years? A. Hopefully Broadway. That sounds cheesy, but since I was a little kid, it’s always been my passion. When I was little, everyone knew me as the Barbra Streisand freak. I loved her. If not that, then I’d love to be a small time theater director somewhere.

Q. Who are your closest friends? A. Allison Rogers, 10, Emily Fry, 10, Tess Plona, 10, Cady

Aulicino, 10, and Jessica Gordon, 11. Emily is probably my best friend though. We do a lot of cool stuff together. She took me to the Billy Joel concert; we had backstage passes. I stood like twenty feet away from him. It was amazing.

Q. How do you feel about the H1N1 mania going on right now?

A. It’s just way too publicized. I have like seven friends who have had it; it’s really not that big of a deal. I do think it’s made a bigger deal than it is.

Q. What is your most embarrassing moment? A. One time, I face-planted down the stairs in junior high and everyone was surrounding me. It was awful. I’m so clumsy.

Q. What would be your ideal day? A. Well, autumn is my favorite time of year. So I’d love to

just walk around in the woods or something; I love nature, but I hate bugs! I’d like to just sit outside and sketch, chill, and not have anything to do for the rest of the day.

Q. What are your favorite movies? A. “Almost Famous” is my definitely my favorite. I love “The Breakfast Club.” I also really like “The Notebook.” I’m such a romantic.

Q. Any last words? A. “It’s not the amount of breaths you take in a moment, but the amount of moments that take your breath away.”

images by gina romeo and shivani parikh

GILGOFF, A SOCIAL BUTTERFLY, spends a lot of time with friends. When she is not with friends, she can be found in the theater, working on the latest production, or sketching.

“

Emily Gilgoff is an amazing person; she has a great heart and is kind to everyone.

-Jessica Gordon,11

Feature ORANGE out for Liz 9

friday, november 20, 2009

Students unite to support Liz Lothrop feature chief

n September 2008, the Lothrop family was dealt a devastating blow when doctors informed them Liz Lothrop would be one out of the 245,225 people in the United States to contract leukemia, a cancer of the bone marrow and blood. Since then, SHS has rallied around the family in support of Liz through the group Love for Liz which has organized several events and fundraisers to help out the Lothrop family both emotionally and financially. Liz’s condition has been improving but on Monday, Nov. 2, the family found out the fever she had was actually a case of H1N1. The Leukemia makes any disease Liz gets potentially deadly because of her depleted immune system so the family had quite a scare and made sure to be extra careful during their visits. After hearing of this, Ashley Schaefer, 11, head of Love for Liz, decided to plan an event in

this month in

feature

support of Liz and Orange Out 4 Lizzy was created. "Not only is this for Lizzy but for all children and adults with leukemia. This is a way to help bring awareness to the cause of finding a cure for Leukemia/Lymphoma," said Christine Lothrop, Liz’s mom via the Facebook page. Unlike past events for Liz, this did not involve SHS athletics. The concept was simple – students at SHS and Mason High School were just asked to wear orange clothing to show their support. Usually rivals on the field, Mason High School and SHS put aside their differences and teamed up for the event. Students at both schools as well as alumni wore orange and were asked to keep Liz in their thoughts and prayers. Like past events, it was very successful and the school really came out and supported Liz. “Orange Out 4 Lizzy shows how a group of people can really make a difference for a good cause,” STUDENTS SHOWED SUPPORT FOR Liz Lothrop by sporting the color orange, on Friday, Nov. 6. Along with Masaid Jessica Buchberger, 10. son High School, SHS has been organizing events to raise money for the Lothrop family and keep their spirits high.

Holidays are fast approaching! 10 things we love about Thanksgiving | page 10

photo courtesy of ashley schaefer

jimmychau

tumbling economy causes college changes

tudents reconsider schools, applications elisegelwicks

staff writer

Keeping a secret? Students reveal their secrets | pages 12, 13

photo byj jake newton

Need more coverage? Visit the feature page at www.goaves.com

COLLEGES HAVE RECENTLY BECOME more difficult to get into because of the declining economy. Students like Emily Carlson, 10, know they have to study harder in order to receive college scholarship opportunities.

College is a huge expense that causes students to graduate in debt and with cumbersome loans. This is made worse in today’s stumbling economy, where millions of people struggle to make ends meet. Despite this, some pay tens of thousands of dollars on schooling. “Since college is ridiculously expensive, my parents have encouraged me to look at schools that offer a lot of scholarship or that have cheaper tuitions. I know that I will get a great education no matter where I go, so I am not worried about choosing a school because it is ‘prestigious,’” said Michael Camardo, 12. One major affect the economy has had on college choices is that state schools, such as The Ohio State University and Indiana University, are having an influx of applicants who cannot afford to attend a more expensive school. It is now more difficult than ever to go to schools that used to be easy to get accepted to because there is a wider range of applications, especially from

bright students who want an affordable education. “Ohio State is one of my top schools mainly because it is a cheaper alternative to some of the other schools I had previously been considering,” said Jamieson Thoms, 12. This is good news for students who have their hearts set on those Ivy League and sub-Ivy schools with tuitions shooting up to $55,000. These more demanding schools are forced to offer more money to applicants to be more appealing. Also, students’ chance of being accepted improves with the smaller pool of applicants. “I am applying to Denison not only because I love the school but also because it offers a lot of scholarship money to students. Much of my college decision will be based on how much money schools offer me,” said Josie McKinnon, 12. The College Board reports that two-thirds of students and their families have been considerably impacted by the recession. For some teenagers, this will mean waiting a few years before going to college.

10 feature

Vegetarian delight

Alternatives to traditional turkey dinner

things we love about

Thanksgiving

janefinocharo

staff writer

ginaromeo

spotlight editor

Making bets on which relative will fall asleep after dinner first Catching up with distant relatives Getting time off of school to sleep off all the consumed food Watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and seeing all the floats Being one month closer to winter break Shouting loudly while watching the Thanksgiving football game Refraining from eating all day in anticipation of pigging out at the big feast image by jimmy chau

hanksgiving is one holiday that can be celebrated by any American no matter their religious or cultural background. However, for vegans and vegetarians Thanksgiving poses a major problem: how to get around the big dead animal in the middle of the table. “I think Thanksgiving is terrible because turkeys are innocent creatures who don’t deserve to undergo a painful death,” said Emily Moore, 10. For students who are vegetarian, the idea of an entire holiday centered around the death of a single animal is dismaying. A dinner of vegetable dishes as an alternative to the traditional turkey dinner is nothing out of the ordinary. Many families already have a vegetarian Thanksgiving for cultural or religious reasons. “My entire family is vegetarian, so for us Thanksgiving is basically just a huge dinner party with all different kinds of vegetarian dishes,” said Avni Bapat, 10. The idea of vegetarian Thanksgiving is becoming increasingly popular. Classes such as Park+Vine’s “Vegan Thanksgiving with Chef Mark Stroud” are being offered this year. Those who want to investigate alternatives to the traditionally turkey-centered Thanksgiving feast can attend the class. However, for many vegetarians, particularly those who do not have many vegetarian relatives, there are very few options. Many agree that everyone should take a step back and reconsider what Thanksgiving is really about. “I think everyone should try to have a vegetarian Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is about being with family and giving thanks, not just eating turkey,” said Moore.

friday, november 20, 2009

BEING VEGETARIAN ON A holiday completely centered around a dead bird is not easy. Katherine Brown, 10, faces a problem many other SHS students share. She must find a way to celebrate Thanksgiving while avoiding a turkey dinner.

LEAP

Learning Enrichment &Assistance Program, LLC

Stand out from the crowd! Classes and tutoring available prior to each ACT and SAT date.

ACT—SAT Preparation for Success! Since 1999, LEAP has prepared Sycamore students for optimal, individual achievement. Small group and individual instruction yields results! Convenient location Affordable rates. Tel: 480-0300 Email: info@leaprogram.com Web: www.leaprogram.com Lisa Mader, President

“

Left-overs that last for days Waking up to the smell of turkey in the oven Pumpkin pie with whipped cream

‘I still laugh about it to this day’

Students share turkey-day tales kelciegrega

staff writer

Last Thanksgiving my great grandmother came over to visit for Thanksgiving. Being 98 years old, she always had trouble gripping things like forks and knives. As we sat together in prayer, my great grandmother dropped her fork and cursed at the top of her lungs. That was the loudest I have ever heard her speak and I still laugh about it to this day.

- Maggie Shirley, 9

Last year, my family from out of town came to celebrate thanksgiving with us. When we finally all settled in, down and ready to eat, I got the honor of carving the turkey. After I was finished I was so relieved how it turned out, I sat down with a sigh. As I sat down there was a big crack. My chair had broken in half and I landed on the floor with a thud and [a] very sore tailbone.

- Ben Fryxell, 9

feature 11

friday, november 20, 2009

Tough times for teens: Recession impacts students search for jobs

ing in an endless job search with negative responses from the suffering local businesses. n recent months, teens have been Also, companies that do have open finding it increasingly difficult positions are giving them to job-seekto find jobs due to the current ing adults rather than teens, seeing economic decline. the need to prioritize applications. It “I have applied to nearly six is also in a manager’s best interests businesses and still have not gotten to hire the applicant with the most hired,” said Brandon Buka, 11. experience, and that applicant is most Usually, the youth labor force likely not a teen. greatly increases in the summer as The students have been heavily high school students search for work. affected by the lack of opportunities, Employers have typically responded especially this past summer with the to this influx of job seekers by exnumber of students who have tried panded hiring of teens during sumand failed to retain a job. mer months. “This summer I Although was really hopthis past suming to get a job. mer, the teen I applied at Foot I have applied to nearly employment Action, the Blue is the lowest it six businesses and still Ash Rec, and many has been since others but didn’t have not gotten hired the U.S. Census get hired by any of -Brandon Buka,11 them,” said Garret Bureau began collecting the Patrick, 11. data in 1948. Meanwhile, othThe current ers were successful. lack of money in Ohio is making it “After sending in my application almost impossible for companies and early enough and saying that I could small businesses to pay the employwork any time, I got a job at the Blue ees that they already have, let alone Ash Rec. But now I have really late hiring more. hours on school nights,” said Brian Thus, students are being forced to Klonne, 11. “I end up getting to bed find ulterior motives of work. really late and having to go through “After applying for several jobs, I the school day half awake.” finally just ended up just working Times are hard, and students are for my grandparents,” said Ashley suffering because of it. But there Locke, 11. are job opportunities when heavWorking in a facility personal to ily searched for, requiring a use of one’s life has also opened doors for recourses and personal connections. several students as A.J. Goldhoff, 11 “I recently applied to Noodles is currently working for the Day Care and Company. I am waiting for a of the Jewish Community Center. response, but because of the fact that “It is a great job. I get to shoot I am a teen they may think twice behoops with some kids and get paid,” fore hiring me over other applicants,” said Goldhoff. said Serina Saleh, 10. While Locke had the opportunity to If one is currently on the lookout attain a job through her family, and for job opportunities, remember to Goldhoff through his community, be patient, be a stand-out, and be others were not so fortunate, resultavailable.

mariamarballi

associate editor

many students are having trouble finding jobs this year. Some, like Josie McKinnon, 12, have looked for job guidance at the College and Career Center, however, the job selections have been slim there as well.

Friends of the Leaf

Eric Henize, Staff Writer Sharma family, Staff Writer Spicer Family, Page Editor Wurzelbacher family, Staff Writer Finocharo family, Staff Writer Grega family, Page Editor

Thanks for the support!

photo by michela tindera

“

Students prepare for fun, food,snow that winter brings claytonhamre

staff writer

Dr. Fred Peck and his staff are pleased to provide exceptional dentistry to our Montgomery area neighbors.

Call today for your appointment to get the healthy, beautiful smile you deserve!

Jose Taule, owner

www.goldexpojewelry.net

Whether one likes the cold or not, most people enjoy something about winter. For some, it is the scenery, and for others, it is winter activities and sports. “One of the reasons I like winter is hot chocolate,” said Pinar Inanli, 9. The first thought a person has when they hear the word “winter” is snow. There are many characteristics of snow to enjoy – its appearance, texture, but most importantly, its construction capabilities. Snowmen and snow forts are commonly built during snowy weather as well. “I like snowmen, and snow days to make them,” Michael Dobler, 11 said. In addition to snow days and snowmen, there are other inconspicuous things about winter that can be appreciated. “I like winter clothes, because they’re warm and fuzzy,” said Megan Wells, 11. No matter what about winter one takes pleasure in, all facets of the season will soon be appearing throughout Ohio.

feature 13

Sycamoreâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Secrets

friday, november 20, 2009

Disclaimer: All secrets mentioned on this page are written by students at SHS. They do not reflect the opinions of the Leaf and are completely anonymous.

12 feature

friday, november 20, 2009

‘Confessions on Life, Death, and God’ linacardenas

staff writer

& stuartlindle

staff writer

lmost five years ago, a man named Frank Warren started an incredible art project. It had a simple concept - anonymous people would send in their secrets on a decorated postcard to Warren’s home in Germantown, Maryland. The secrets had no restrictions; they varied from embarrassing habits, incredible desires, sexual misconducts, hopes, and dreams. Warren wanted to create an anonymous community of acceptance, and on Jan. 1, 2005, he did just that. “Sometimes I think we keep secrets for the wrong reasons. If we could instead find that right person to talk to we might find that talking about an embarrassing story or admitting our frailty might lead to a more authentic relationship with others or ourselves,” Warren said in one of his books when asked about the purpose of his Website.

How it all began

ima g eb y ja ke n

new to

The Website started as a simple experiment on http://www.blogspot.com, a blog publishing system. As Warren received more and more secrets in the mail, he began to update the Website every Sunday with ten new secrets. By posting people’s most personal secrets in such a public way, Warren gave the people who were trapped by their own secrets an escape, and at the same time showed those who had the same secret that they were not alone. Some secrets are very emotional,

others exciting, and others forgiving. “PostSecret is a creative way to connect with other people from around the world while also learning about yourself and expressing your feelings,” said Katherine Brown, 10. Like Brown, many of the readers of PostSecret have come to terms with their own selves, and have learned a whole lot about compassion and understanding. Warren tries to follow a constant style each Sunday, sometimes putting similar secrets next to each other, and other times, he pairs them up with their complete opposites. By doing so, he shows the viewers the wide variety of secrets that he receives, and just how different each person is. A couple years into his project, Warren enabled people to comment on the secrets. This proved to be a bit consequential, because the Website was supposed to be a non-judgmental space for people to reveal their innermost secrets.

Reaching out

After reading so many secrets dealing with suicide, Warren paired with 1-800-suicide in April 2008. Since then, many people have found their way out of extreme depression. One of them was a young girl named Casie. At the bottom of the PostSecret Website, Warren keeps the e-mail Casie sent him, thanking him for putting the hopeline on his blog to remind her that she is not alone. “Every single person has at least one secret that could break your heart. If we could just remember this I think there would be a lot more com-

passion and tolerance in the world,” said Warren in one of his books. After looking at all those secrets of so many hurt and troubled people, the PostSecret community itself has reached out and helped those that were upset by sending in secrets and comments of their own.

PostSecret in news

Since 2005, PostSecret has received a lot of public attention. The AllAmerican Rejects featured some of the secrets found on the Website for their 2005 music video of Dirty Little Secret. PostSecret also received national news coverage in Washington, D.C.’s “City Paper.” PostSecret also received five Bloggies in the 2006 Annual Weblog Awards: Best American Weblog, Best Topical Weblog, Best Community Weblog, Best New Weblog, and Weblog of the Year. After receiving Warren’s approval, a French version of PostSecret was launched in October 2007. Soon after, a German version came out, followed by Spanish and Chinese adaptations to the English secrets. Along with keeping up with his Sunday blog, Warren also tours in different college campuses all around the United States. There, he informs the audiences about the PostSecret project, and encourages his listeners to speak up and share their own secrets. PostSecret has blessed many with the opportunity to express their emotions and reveal their secrets. If you want to send a secret or view more secrets go to http://www. postsecret.com.

Biography Frank Warren, creator of Postsecret

image by jimmy chau

Frank Warren is a small business owner who started PostSecret.com as a community art project. Since November 2004, Warren has received more than 150,000 anonymous postcards. The Website won two Webby Awards in 2006 and was named Weblog of the Year at the Seventh Annual Weblog Awards. The PostSecret project also received a special award from the National Mental Health Association for raising awareness and funds for suicide prevention. Warren lives in Germantown, Maryland, with his wife and daughter.

This is the original post card Warren handed out to complete strangers. Before his project became famous, Warren was forced to ask random people from the street to send in secrets to the following address: Post Secret 13345 Copper Ridge Rd Germantown, Maryland 20874

14 feature

Simple tips

friday, november 20, 2009

to finding

CLAIRE DELONG, 11, READS A college brochure. There are multiple resources for students to get more help with the college process.

right college

sarahjanning

staff writer

rom the time children are born, society stresses the importance for them to have a successful life, whether it be through a successful marriage, high quality clothing, or a fulfilling career. Today’s high standards require students to aquire a college degree if they want to obtain a high-paying and rewarding career. The first step to finding ones best career choice is choosing the right college.

College Representatives

Throughout the school year, representatives from colleges and universities come to SHS to speak with juniors preparing for college. The time with these representatives is mainly for the students to learn about the college and to ask questions. Most often, the representative from the college is actually the admissions advisor. They will be viewing all the applications sent in by high school students, so meeting with them early on, in person, would be beneficial for the student. These meetings are either held in the College and Career Center, the Guidance Conference Room, or the faculty lunch room, and occur during the school day. It is required that students sign up two weeks prior to the meeting day. To find when representatives are coming to SHS, students can check the schedule posted on the College and Career Center window, the Daily Bulletin, or the SHS Counseling Web Site.

NICOLE KENDRICK, 11, MADELINE KNAUER, 11, and Martha Kitchin, 11, learning how to use TCCI Family Connect at the College and Career Center from Mrs. Ann-Marie Tate, a parent volunteer for the CCC. Students are encouraged to come into the CCC to get help with the college process and to be instructed on ways they may utilize TCCI Family Connect.

College Fairs

Talking with Guidance Counselors

One way to talk to representatives and see multiple colleges at one place are at college fairs. These fairs are usually held in a college’s gymnasium and contain dozens of college booths set up for students to mingle. Students are encouraged to talk to the representatives of these colleges at their booths. Brochures are laid out on each college booth’s table. Sign up sheets are also offered if the students wish to be mailed information about that particular college. To find when these college fairs are, students can check the Daily Bulletin posted outside of the College and Career Center, as well as online at the SHS Web Site.

A few times a year, the Guidance Counselors have meetings with juniors to talk about college and the process that students will have to take to start preparing for college. Guidance Counselors can help students to choose what type of college would be best suited for them, and match it with their possible career choice (if they have one). “The guidance counselor knows the student and their academic performance which helps them narrow down their college search,” said Erika Peters, a parent volunteer for the College and Career Center. Students are not encouraged to start looking at various colleges until their junior year, but for some students, starting in their sophmore year helps take off the pressure. For those who are able to complete all the steps quickly find it easier to start looking at colleges their senior year. The time for the student to start thinking about college depends on the what the students feel most comfortable with. But the earlier the student starts, the more time they will have to ensure that they are ready for college.

Online- TCCI Family Connect

TCCI Family Connect is an online Web site that allows students to compare different colleges, explore various careers, and view statistics from different colleges, such as the average GPA required to enter a college. Juniors are advised to go to the college and career center to get their username and password, as well as to be trained on how to use it.

What to consider about your perfect college: • Size • Coed or single-sex • Distance from home • Located in a cold climate or warm climate • Rural, urban, or suburban • Private or Public • Green space or mostly concrete • Number of sororities and fraternities • The college has your major (unless you are undecided) • A very good library • Comfortable and clean dorms • An available gym • Average class size • Teaching style of professors • Cooperative or competative student body *These are just a few questions to ask about what qualities you want to find in your perfect college.

the 18.4 million

projected number of students enrolled in college this year

numbers

There are plenty of colleges that claim they are an exceptional college in their brochures, but most colleges have an advertising company that designs their brochures and only show the attractive side of their school. College visits allow the student to see the college for its true self. They are able to view the good as well as the bad qualities. If a student wants to go on a particular day, the best time to schedule would be at least a month in advance (depending on the popularity of the college). To schedule a campus visit, students can either go online to the college’s Web site or call the college. But SHS students are only allowed to leave school for college visits three times during the school year. With campus visits, students can pick a day that works for their schedule, or visit during a special college event (such as a game or festival). It is a great way to understand the personality of the school. “Out of everything you can do to prepare for college, one of the most important things is a visit,” said Katie Jump, 11, “You need to be in the environment to see if you would feel at home there.”

photo by sarah janning

College Visits

percent of SHS 185+ 61 students that do not chances to

fully understand the meet college process for finding the representaright college tives at SHS

205 number 512 SHS

of the total uni- graduates class of versities and col-

leges in Ohio

2010

*Courtesy of the Guidance Office

percent of SHS students 78 are worried about college

A&E

m ‘Joseph’ production captivates audiences

ichela’s musings

friday, november 20, 2009

a&e chief

ves Theatre’s creative rendition of Andrew Lloyd Weber’s classic musical “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” awed its audiences when it opened on Friday, Nov 6. This show is a musical retelling of the well known Bible story. The production staff, led by Mr. John Whapham and Ms. Sarah Garvey, decided on a 1970’s theme, with cast members singing and dancing in their discothemed attire. From the moment the show opened, kids and adults alike were drawn in by the narrator, senior Hannah D’Souza’s, beautiful voice and the children’s chorus’ angelic faces. “It’s such an upbeat, fun production that is fun for the whole family,” said Kathryn Rosenberg, 12. D’Souza performed with a grace and maturity expected of one well beyond her years. Her tone quality was astounding; it reverberated around the entire theater. Her poise and top notch voice coupled together to make an exemplary performance. The funny twist that was put onto this well known musical was surprising and ultimately pleasing. The Run-DMC version of the song “Pharaoh’s Dreams” was fresh and entertaining. A crowd favorite was the song “Canaan Days.” There were little added details throughout the number that had the crowd laughing uproariously. The two soloists, Ian Wilson, 12, and Alyssa Kelly, 12, had a chance to let their talent shine in roles that seemed to highlight their acting and singing skills.

“I’ve seen Joseph before and heard the music, but I’ve never seen it done like this,” said Casey Dressler-Wright, 11. The role of Joseph was played by Josh Goldman, 12. He fit the part perfectly, performing every song with what appeared to be ease. He and the narrator played very well off of each other in most respects. This musical was yet another hit from Aves Theatre. Flashy, bright, fun; everything people expect to see when they go see a musical. Congrats, Aves Theatre. *This is a review of opening night. The roles of Joseph and Narrator on the other night were played by Emily Kissela, 9, and Zack Steele, 12.

photo courtesy of jeremy mcdaniel

70s rendition of biblical musical entertains masses

emmarosen

with Hannah D’Souza, 12

Q. What is the best part of performing in ‘Joseph’?

A. Performing to the children. I

love seeing the entertainment we bring to the kids.

Q. What is your favorite number and why?

A. “Pharaoh’s Story.” I love this

number because we all get to get silly with the kids and the lighting is very pretty.

Q. What do you think of

‘Jospeh’ in relation to other SHS performances you have been in?

A. It’s definitely the happiest show I have ever been in. I think that’s why I enjoy it so much.

THE AVES THEATRE TRANSFORMS “Pharaoh’s Story,” into a rap-style song, perfomed by Ryan Sess, 12. Acting as the famous rapper Run-DMC, Sess portrays the Pharaoh describing his dream to Jacob. “Originally I had been planning to sing it Elvis-style but halfway through rehearsal, Whapham decide to make me rap it instead. It was quite challenging but I enjoyed how it turned out,” said Sess. Sess also played the roles of Jacob and Potiphar.

a&e Do not open ‘The Box’

this month in

confusing plot bewilders audiences pg 16

‘Call of Duty 6’ awaited by many

high prices do not push consumers away | pg 17

Variety Show

The variety show is an event nobody will want to Friday, December 4, 2009 miss. 7:30 p.m. Auditions took place on Nov. 19 and this year’s show will be one to remember. Last year’s acts included a traditional Indian dance, a duo hip-hop dance, and a rendition of Luther Vandross’ “Always and Forever.” Selling in the commons on The recognition and confidence students gain is always December 2, 3, 4 at lunch very positive. Performing in and attending the variety show are age old SHS tradiFor more informationtions and this year will be no please call 513- 686-1778 different.

$10

Ticket information:

Justin Bieber, not ‘One Time’ hit

michelatindera

editor-in-chief

The “Garage Band”-esque back beat, a raging silly string filled junior high party, love professions by a pre-pubescent boy: just a few of the ingredients that make up Justin Bieber’s debut single, “One Time.” While most his age have spent the last few months sitting through Geometry, American History, and English classes, 15-year-old Bieber has spent his time making radio and television appearances, filming a music video and preparing to drop his debut album, which hit stores Tuesday, Nov. 17. Hailing from Canada (an Avril Lavigne prodigy, perhaps?) Bieber was discovered after singing Chris Brown’s hit, “With You” on YouTube, by Brown himself. Soon after, Bieber was flown to Atlanta, Georgia to meet with the one and only Usher, to which he was then signed to the record label Island Records. The same record label that, in fact, signed Asher Roth. His other single, “One Less Lonely Girl” is yet another flowery love song; however this one is more like a ballad than the—ahem—“club-banging hit” that “One Time” is. (And do not worry, the only club that Bieber would be going to is Metropolis Teen Night.”) While many would applaud the fact that Bieber acts his age in his videos, providing for a cleanerthan-clean image, I just think it makes things plain awkward. After watching the “One Time” video, I did not think it could get much worse. However I was quickly proven wrong upon viewing the interactions between Bieber and his video vixen, who looks as if she could be anywhere from 14-25 years old. While the entire premise of the video is a bit lackluster: Girl drops scarf while leaving laundromat, Bieber picks it up and creates a sort of treasure hunt for her to come find it, all the while they fall ever further in love, thus making “One Less Lonely Girl” in the world. When the girl finally finds the scarf, Bieber is close by. However rather than there being a mere ten seconds left in the song—the perfect amount of time for a quick smooch on the lips, I found myself sitting through another 38 seconds of something that could only come straight out of a junior high dance. First, the girl is definitely taller than him, definitely, and looks about five years older than him. Second, there is some definite Eskimo-kissing action going on. While I am not fully aware whether or not Bieber’s contract with Island requires him to keep it to a G-rating, I have to say, just kiss her already. Seriously. While Bieber’s music videos can come off as immature at times, his music is a sure fire hit with me, and will always leave me wanting to play the song “One [more] Time.” For comments on this column, please write to WritetoTheLeaf@gmail.com

friday, november 20, 2009

‘The Box’ s.m.dipali

Taking on Hollywood

a&e chief

emmarosen

image courtesy of altavista

a&e chief

CAMERON DIAZ STARRED IN “The Box” as Norma Lewis, a wife and mother who is faced with a choice influenced by humanity and basic morals.

Rating:

1 2

System The Leaf uses this rating system 1- Don’t Waste Your Money 5- Pre-Order Your Tickets A.S.A.P.

I never expected to see Cameron Diaz in a thriller movie. Therefore I was extremely eager to go see “The Box” and see if her acting skills could be translated into something other than chick flicks. Diaz, along with James Marsden, both did well in their roles. Marsden’s character was a perfect fit for him. However despite the decent acting, this movie was doing something that I always hate: trying too hard. “The Box” attempted to tackle serious issues such as human nature, greed, and morals, but could not pull off the emotional depth required to conquer such a feat. Granted, “The Box” did have some hair-raising scenes. In the category of “thriller” it did meet my expectations. This made up for some of the other failures throughout the movie. The end of the movie seemed like a big jumble of occurrences that all got mixed up in my mind. This is where I started to lose any interest at all I had previously harbored. Overall, “The Box” gets an A for effort, but a D for execution. The motto of this movie? Do not try and tackle serious issues when you do not have the means to pull it off.

Two things will undoubtedly happen if you press the button. One, you will receive one million dollars in cash, delivered by Arlington Steward. Two, someone in the world, whom you do not know, will die. Now, when watching “The Box,” two things will occur. One, you will be drawn into an intriguing, well thought out first half of the movie. Then, you will be completely confused by a second half filled with preposterous, barely cohesive events. The movie opens with a “button device” being delivered to the doorstep of Norma and Arthur Lewis, by a charismatic old man, who, well, has a hole in his face. From the trailers, “The Box” struck me as a thriller with a compelling plot. What I did not expect was a movie that made me jump so violently that the contents of my bag of popcorn found their way to the floor. But no, as strange “employees” of Arlington Steward appear with inexplicable nosebleeds, I began to get more and more frightened. As these dead-eyed people continued to follow the Lewises around, the plot became incomprehensible. I watched in confusion as the movie focused on religion and then switched to Martians. “The Box” contained so many messages that I became bored. The plot grew to be so elaborate, that I was unable to take it seriously.

Musicians prepare themselves for Battle of the Bands ginaromeo

spotlight editor

ecember: a time for holiday cheer, wintry weather, giving gifts and…rock music? Battle of the Bands will be held on Dec. 18. In the mean time, student musicians are preparing fervently for the competition, in hopes of taking the crown from last year’s champs Tesla Death Ray 2: Wolf Quest. Currently, Battle is in its audition phase; bands have submitted ten-minute tapes that showcase their talent and are scored by a panel of judges. A total of four or five bands will make the final cut and take part in the competition. Of the myriad of new bands entering this year, Earl Grey is one of many that

hope to bring something fresh to the table. Members John Brooker, 12, Justin Kirschner, 12, James Chrisman, 11, and Ryan Kast, 11, are doing what they can to ready themselves for the battle. Although there are quite a few new bands entering into the battle, Olde New York, who placed third in last year’s competition, is back again in hopes to reign superior. The band consists of seniors Akshay Roy-Chaudhury, Sam Benson, David Jungerwirth, and Kevin Witt. “Last year’s battle was really fun. We were the second band to play and had a fantastic performance. We were pretty happy with third place because it was our first show together as a band. It was a really great performance and experience,” said Roy-Chaudhury. Olde New York has hopes that their ex-

perience in competing in last year’s Battle of the Bands will give them the upper hand in this year’s competition. “We have gotten a lot better since last year’s performance. We might have a little advantage over the other bands because we were in it last year and understand the whole process. Nonetheless, the other people performing this year have talent, which will make this a very competitive and exciting show,” said Roy-Chaudhury. Whether they have taken part in the competition in the past or have never performed in front of a live audience in their lives, there is one thing that all of these bands have in common: hard work and determination. Battle of the Bands ’09 is sure to be a high-energy, thrilling event, and the bands will, no doubt, exceed expectations.

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order online @ youravon.com/cbegley cmbegley@zoomtown.com 513-469-0042

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Where: Sycamore High School Price: $10

a&e 16

gina’s SHS alum comes full circle in musical journey ginaromeo spotlight editor

As much as I hate to admit it, I usually do not give local bands a second glance before writing them off as well…bad. In most cases, I like to think my first impression of these bands is accurate; however, there is the occasional diamond in the rough. Nothing irks me more than hearing a self-acclaimed “original” band play the same overused guitar riffs and melodies, then turn around and do an “original” cover of AC/DC’s “Back in Black.” So, it was to my complete shock and utter disbelief when my sister introduced me to a band from right here in Montgomery; one that produced catchy, yet meaningful songs and had a pretty unique sound. Pluto Revolts consists of SHS alumnus and guitarist Ben Howard, ’03, and his computer. Now that is what I call original. Howard, who describes the band’s sound as “electro-alterna-pop,” claims that his music is influenced by everything from classic rock, like the Beatles, all the way to 90s alternative rock bands like The Smashing Pumpkins and Nirvana. Although the only instrument he is trained in playing is the guitar, Howard’s abilities go above and beyond the average musician. As Pluto Revolts is his solo project, Howard has developed a superb talent in synthesizing the rest of the band’s sound on the computer. “I play guitar and computer. Give me a cool sound and let me create. I don’t have a loyalty to just one instrument; I play whatever I need to make the song work,” said Howard. The first Pluto Revolts’ song that I heard was “Numb,” an incredibly catchy tune, to say the least. For the next few weeks, I listened to that song every time I sat down at the computer, and believe me, that is saying a lot. He agreed. “I’d have to say ‘Numb’ is the favorite of my songs because it was the first time I oversaw an entire project from conception to completion. The fact that a lot of people like the song is part of it too. But it was totally my ‘baby’ of the songs,” said Howard. In addition to making his mark on the social networking world through pages on MySpace, Facebook, and Twitter, to name a few, Howard also gained quite a following this summer when he played sets at Hot Topic stores across the county. Howard has some big plans for the band’s future, which include new music and an online merchandise store. In fact, a new single and the aforementioned store launch today; so get online and check it out. On a final note, I thought I would mention the irony of this whole article. As I stated previously, Howard is a SHS graduate, but that is not the end of the connection. “When I was 17, the band I was in was called Bottom Line, and we got to go to Japan which was a big deal for us. I actually wrote for The Leaf at the time, and I wrote the article to cover my band’s story, but I used a different byline so I wouldn’t seem lame for writing about myself. Finally, I don’t have to write my own article for The Leaf,” said Howard.

a&e 17

friday, november 20, 2009

Overtures:

Students selected to audition for competition

denaebellilti

Despite prices, gamers still anxious for

‘Call of Duty 6’

kevinjin & bennettkaplan staff writer

staff writer

n Nov. 10, ironically one day before the anniversary of the end of WWI, a long awaited video game reached America’s shelves. “Call of Duty 6,” or simply “Modern Warfare 2”, has been the most anticipated game of the year, and gamers all over the world are going out to purchase what is supposed to be a revolutionary game. “I’m very excited to play this game because I have been waiting for it to come out for several months now...I have high expectations,” said Dan Keith, 12. The game itself is a sequel to the very popular Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. Production company, Infinity Ward, decided to create a sequel, due to the immense popularity of the original.

The game story in ”Modern Warfare 2” takes place several years after the original Modern Warfare. The single-player mode has missions that include events in Russia, a military base in Kazakhstan, a desert area in Afghanistan, and Rio de Janeiro. The mission of the game is to stop the radical Russian ultra-nationalist, Vladmir Makarov. The players will play as Sergeant Gary “Roach” Sanderson in the multinational commando unit: Task Force 141. Although the White House in Washington is included in the game trailer, it is still unknown whether that aspect will be used. In this game, players are not alone, as they get to see their old character named Sergeant “Soap” MacTavish, now promoted to the captain of Special Air Service (SAS). However, he will be non-playable. He will be the head of the Task Force 141 and is a superior officer of Sanderson.

Your Winter Gear Headquarters. Bring in this ad and get 10% off one in stock item

New features

There are many new features in this game that players did not have in the previous Modern Warfare game. The characters have ability to wield handguns, and the Customizable Kill streaks using weapons such as the AC130, the Sentry Gun, the Predator Missile, Counter-UAV, Care Packages, and Accolades. One of the most anticipated new features in the game is a new co-op mode called, “special ops.” This mode includes independent missions that can be played by splitscreen with your friend right next to you, or with another person online. The online multi player will be set on 9 vs. 9 and the fans of the Call of Duty series can yet again get ready to warm themselves up this winter with what is supposed to be a revolutionary game.

Unfair price?

As Modern Warfare 2 hits the shelves, people will be swarming the stores to go buy the game, and play for hours on end. Millions of copies of the game will be sold, but the games’ hefty price tag will leave some gamers in the dust. “I think the price is way too expensive and the game maker are taking advantages of the gamers,” said Elior Cohen, 10. The price of the game itself is close to $60. In the economy that we are in right now, many people cannot afford to buy this game. Due to this fact, many will be waiting until the holidays, or until birthdays to buy this long-awaited game. “Well I don't see why it costs $60 when it use to only cost $50 on the original Xbox… and it's making me wait until Christmas to buy it,” said Zach Semones, 10. Although the game companies do not seem to be adjusting to the economic depression, as they continue to overprice their games that are to be played on already overpriced game systems. Many disagree with the price of the game, some people do in fact think that the price is worth it. “I think it's a fair price with the game being brand new and the first game being so popular,” said Alex Knorr, 10. Regardless of the price, “Modern Warfare 2” will be one of the most popular games to come out over the next few years, and gamers will be spending many hours answering, “The Call of Duty.”

Overture nominees Andrew Jensen, 12, Straight Theater Josh Goldman, 12, Musical Theater Becky Caspersz, 12, Musical Theater Alyssa Kelly, 12, Musical Theater Emily Kissela, 9, Vocal Music

Tracy Wong, 9, Instrumental Music Ben Fryxell, 9, Instrumental Music Sam Cleary, 12, Creative Writing Jacqueline Rogers, 12, Photography Jarann Pan, 12, Art

photo courtesy of jeremy mcdaniel

photo courtesy of altavista.com

staff writer

Year after year the Overture Award competitors are commended for achieving great success in our community. The scholarship opportunities are given in the following categories: Creative Writing, Dance, Musical Theater, Straight Theater, Vocal Music, Visual Arts, and Instrumental Music. The competition spans from November to December. Multiple sets of auditions take place from school, to regional, to semi-finals, and the Finals. Overture scholarship’s goal is to promote interest and appreciation for the arts. The first dance auditions took place on Nov. 10. The first Vocal Music, Straight Theater, and Musical Theater took place the day before on Nov. 9. At SHS, the opportunity was given to audition for any of the seven categories; however, only 12 students were nominated to compete in regionals. Students may compete in more than one category, allowing them the audition in each that they choose. Previous finalists will not be counted towards the final number of students selected to represent a school. There are two of these exceptions at SHS, Kaori Matsui,12, in Instrumental Music, and Zachary Steele,12, for Musical Theater. On Nov. 9, two representatives were selected at SHS for the Visual Art competition wtih the help of Mrs. Margaret Copfer, art teacher. For Creative Writing, Mrs. Beth LeBlanc works with writers to improve their skills and potentially train for the overture competitions. On the evening of Nov. 9, Mr. David Smarelli hosted the Instrumental music auditions. All instruments competed against each other and in the end, two were to be selected. The Overtures competitors spend hours of their time to perfect their skills to the best of their abilities throughout the audition processes. As the cuts are made, the competition tremendously increases.

BEN FRYXELL, 9, IS ONE of the nominees to participate in the Regional level of the Overture competition. Each school is allowed to send 12 such students, excluding previous finalists.

18 a&e

friday, november 20, 2009

Evolution: A emilybegley

business manager

& elizabethhoopes

calendar chief

lmost a decade ago, Apple unveiled a new invention that would drastically change the world of music: a personalized and interactive music player they dubbed the iPod. “I would die without my iPod. I bring it everwhere. The new technology apllied to iPods is really cool,” said Bailey Dowlin, 11. The appealing, easy-to-use device quickly became a worldwide phenomenon, far surpassing all expectations that the company had in store for it. However, the newest iPods in circulation today are very different from the original device. Major transformations have accompanied its sharp rise to success.

Phenomenon unveiled

Transformation

As the iPod rapidly grew in popularity, many changes were made to the original model in order to continue the device’s success and optimize its capability. The implementation of features such as touch controls, availability of games, and access to the internet kept consumers eager to purchase the device. As a result, the newest iPod available today is nearly unrec-

Classic:

Frustrated with the problematic appearance and capability issues of available music players, Apple made it their mission to create a conventional, user-friendly device that would appeal to a wide range of consumers. The result was the first generation classic iPod. On Oct. 23, 2001, the invention was unveiled at Apple’s Cupertino campus in Cupertino, California. The device

amazed consumers around the world soon after its release, featuring many unique qualities that set it apart from all other music players of the time. “Old iPods were really simple, and now you can play games, watch movies, and go on YouTube,” said Andrew Wargets, 9. The Classic’s 5 GB of memory, thin make, and 10 hours of battery life set it apart from all other music players of its time. “The biggest thing about the iPod is that is holds 1,000 songs. This is huge,” said Steve Jobs, the co-founder and chief executive officer of Apple, in a speech given at the iPod’s launch event.

Max memory: 20 GB Cool new feature: Touch sensitive wheel Release Date: July 17, 2002

Max memory: 40 GB Coolest new feature: All touch interface Release Date: Apr. 28, 2003

Max memory: 60 GB Coolest new feature: Picture viewing/Color screen Release Date: June 28, 2005

Max memory: 80 GB Coolest new feature: Video playback Release Date: Oct. 12, 2005

Mini:

Shuffle:

Max memory: 10 GB Cool new feature: Mechanical wheel Release Date: Oct. 23, 2001

ognizable from the original. Some of the most notable improvements include significantly increased battery life and memory capacity, allowing a much greater number of songs, pictures, and videos to be stored. Different versions of the iPod have also been released in a wide variety of sizes depending on the features that they utilize. “I have a second generation iPod Nano and it has everything I really need. If I could get any iPod though I would get a Touch,” said Brynn Sharp, 12. A total of 19 different models of the iPod have been released so far, providing consumers with a large number of options when choosing the device that most appeals to them. When the iPod was unveiled at the Cupertino Campus in Oct. of 2001, no one imagined the immense success that the device would quickly gain. With more than 220,000,000 sold to date, the ipod is the highest-selling digital audio player in history. “I really like how iPods keep getting better,” said Hannah Fitch, 10.

Max memory: 6 GB Coolest new feature: Brighter color variants Release Date: Feb. 22, 2005

Max memory: 1 GB Coolest new feature: Uses flash memory Release Date: Jan. 11, 2005

Max memory: 2 GB Coolest new feature: Clip design Release Date: Sept.12, 2006

Nano:

Max memory: 4 GB Coolest new feature: Small model and click wheel Release Date: Jan. 6, 2004

Max memory: 4 GB Coolest new feature: Color screen for picture viewing Release Date: Sept. 7, 2005

Max memory: 8 GB Coolest new feature: Available in 6 colors Release Date: Sept. 12, 2006

Max memory: 8 GB Coolest new feature: Video capability Release Date: Sept. 5, 2007

Max memory: 16 GB Coolest new feature: Vertical and horizontal viewing Release Date: Sept. 9, 2008

a&e 19

friday, november 20, 2009

Current Line:

i od undergoes decade long transformations Max memory: 16 GB Coolest new feature: Includes a video camera Release Date: Sept. 9, 2009

Max memory: 64 GB Coolest new feature: Voice Control support Release Date: Sept. 9, 2009

Music to the ears

Quiz to find one’s perfect iPod

1) How much money are you willing to spend on an iPod?

4) Choose your favorite color option:

a) Under $100 b)$100-$200 c) $200-$250 d) More than $250

a) Purple b) Orange c) Silver d) Neutral (black or white)

2) What will be the primary purpose of your iPod?

5) How much time will you listen to your iPod per week?

a) Listening to music b) Watching and taking video c) Storing a large number of songs and pictures d) Playing games

a) Under 10 hours b) 11-24 hours c) More than 30 hours d) 24-30 hours

3) How many songs do you plan to store? a) Under 500 b) 500-1000 c) Over 2,000 d) 1,001-2,000

RESULTS

all images by emily begley and elizabeth hoopes

Max memory: 4 GB Coolest new feature: VoiceOver Release Date: Mar. 11, 2009

Max memory: 160 GB Coolest new feature: Greatly increased memory Release Date: Sept. 5, 2007

mostly A’s: Shuffle mostly B’s: Nano mostly C’s: Classic mostly D’s: Touch

BAILEY DOWLIN, 11, ENJOYS listening to music on her iPod Nano at school. Over the years, many different models of iPods have become increasingly popular among students.

Sports

Take a

friday, november 20, 2009

Home-coming

Hike

SHS grad reflects on past, hopeful for future

Humans, not computers, the “BS” in BCS

portunity and see what he does,’” said Moss. “But we’re kind of flying blind a little bit.” The blindness is due in part to the fact Moss was hired so late. The summer program was already set. Therefore, his evaluation time was strictly during the several days of tryouts. “Our tryout stuff is based on – I want to find out what you are able to learn when I coach you, not so much what you can do now.”

brandonsosna

W sports chief

hen David Moss walked off the floor after losing in the district finals to the number one team in the state, in the back of his head, he felt he had taken the program as far as it could go. But what he did not feel, however, is that it would be because he would not be their head coach the following season. “I felt like we had accomplished a lot,” said Moss. “We set the school record for wins, and we were second in a lot of other things. I had been there three years as the head coach, but I spent eight years of my life there.” Moss soon saw in the newspaper that the SHS head coaching job had opened and his buddies were telling him to go for it – to go back to his alma mater. “I thought no. No I’m not going to do it. But then it got a little closer and I thought, you know what, I’m going to regret not going in and talking. That’s something I’ll regret. I don’t have to take it. But that’s something I’ll regret,” said Moss. His attitude would quickly change. “Once I got into the interview process, then it became ‘this is where I want to go. I want to come home, I want to go back,’” said Moss.

brandonsosna

sports chief

With auditions complete, it is on to the next phase of the operation – getting down to the nitty-gritty, practicing, and learning the system. It took Moss three years to turn Indian Hill from bottom dweller to bottom feeder. But he expects a more difficult turnaround in the Greater Miami Conference (GMC.) “The goals at the moment – the next year or two I want to be a top five GMC team. That’s where we want to be. Then we want to be the guy at number one. I think it’s hard to say you’re going to go from a team that hasn’t finished any higher than fifth the last five years, and say ‘we’re going to win the GMC,’” said Moss. “Slow down here. This doesn’t have a long history of success. It’s a 41 percent winning percentage over 20 years. To come in and say ‘we’re going to win the GMC’ – I think you risk credibility saying that. That said, we’re going to do everything we can to win the GMC every year.” “It’s hard to win the GMC. Sycamore’s done it twice in 20 years.” Moss, however, wants to be better than that. And he’s proven to be a winner. “People like to talk about my last year’s team. We won 21 games. I love the fact that we were the highest scoring team in the city of Cincinnati – any division, any high school – we outscored everybody. That’s unreal. And you know why? Because we had really good players! We had really good players! We had guys that could really shoot the ball,” said Moss emphatically. “You can only control so much. You teach your kids how to play. You teach them how to compete and what you are trying to accomplish and you teach them how to execute it. And then at that point, the way I like to

Rebuilding project

In the year before his hiring as Indian Hill basketball coach, the team garnered an 8-14 record. Now, Moss has himself in a similar rebuilding project. A project which last time Moss led a remarkable turnaround, from back-to-back eight win seasons, to the most wins in school history. Can he do it again? “Experience is a great teacher. So having gone through this before, I hope it makes us a little sharper,” said Moss. The first step is tryouts. And not being familiar with the program creates a challenge for Moss in selecting the right pieces to create a winning puzzle. “A good program should go in knowing their top seven guys. And then you try and find guys who you think, well, ‘I can build with that guy’ or ‘I can give that guy an op-

photo by brandon sosna

Setting standards

FIRST-YEAR BASKETBALL COACH David Moss looks on as prospective players participate in drills at tryouts. Moss, an SHS graduate, is thrilled to be back at the school of his youth and is raring to go. coach, you step back and you let them do it.” If they are to “do it” then their flight to the top will begin with a win over Milford on opening night – Friday, December 4. Tune in to the live blog, that night, on www.goaves.com to follow all the action as the basketball team tips off their season.

Klemt retires after grand slam of career photo by emily cohen

staff writer

this month in

LONG TIME SOFTBALL COACH Deborah Klemt instruct Laikyn McClelland, 11, during a softball game last season. Klemt has filled out her final lineup card as she decided she will retire after 24 years in coaching.

sports

Jump in! Swimmers dive into swimming season | page 21

After 24 years of coaching, Deborah Klemt has decided to put down her clipboard and retire from the game. Klemt was a very accomplished coach. She was a two time Greater Miami Conference (GMC) Coach of the Year, a two time Cincinnati Coach of the Year, a Regional Finalist for Coach of the Year for the National Fastpitch Coaches Association, and in 2002 placed second in the state. She had a unique coaching style, always stressing the little things that in the end made average teams great. During practice, players worked on the fundamentals of fielding and hitting to fine-tune their skills. She was a student of the game

always studying, trying to invent better drills to help with specific techniques. She emphasized hard work and dedication. In practice players put in the time and would work for hours on their swing. On game days, players would get in the cage before the coaches even got there because of their dedication to the team. “She was a dedicated coach focused on developing the skill of her players. Even though she was sometimes hard on them, she was always trying to bring out the best in them both as people and players,” said Ms. Renee Hevia, asssitant principle. It is not about the beginning date or the end date of her career as a coach, but everything she accomplished during that career. She will be missed.

Record setting season for boys varsity soccer team Team establishes new school marks through playoff run | page 22

Need more coverage? Visit the sports page at www.goaves.com

emilycohen

I preach to anyone who will listen. My message is simple and true: college football is the only sport where tradition matters more than wins, the quality of them, and losses. I’m admittedly a “die-hard” Cincinnati Bearcats fan. I have been forever. I remember the thrill of upsetting Ron Dayne’s Badgers and the agony of losing at Paul Brown Stadium to the Buckeyes. I remember when the letters “B,” “C,” and “S” meant nothing to a program that considered a trip to the Motor City Bowl a success – when the Cats failed to beat Marshall seemingly every year. But now those three letters are Cincinnati’s most formidable opponent. An opponent that even Brian Kelly’s genius cannot decipher, break down, nor explain. The BCS would make Tony Pike look like the NFL edition of Ryan Leaf. Isiah Pead can’t juke it, Mardy Gilyard can’t run by it, and Aaron Webster can’t light it up. It’s a jump ball Armon Binns can’t grab. It could send a red hot Zach Collaros into the ice age. The BCS is standing there (pun not intended), right in Cincinnati’s path, smiling down at a team that is powerless to do anything about it. But why? Why can some ambiguous pollsters decide that the Bearcats cannot play for a National Championship? I’m not completely blinded by cat scratch fever. Whoever wins the SEC is going to play in the BCS National Championship game in Pasadena. I get that. What I don’t understand is why Texas gets an automatic bid if they go undefeated. And that is not bias. That is a fact based question. The Big 12 conference is as bad as it has been in recent memory. Texas is like Ohio State to the Big Ten – the best of the mediocre. I think Colt McCoy is a superb quarterback and that Longhorn defense is ferocious. But they have yet to prove it. They squeaked by a Sam Bradfordless Oklahoma Sooners squad by a field goal. They dominated a Dez Bryant-less Oklahoma State team. And they had an unimpressive ten point victory over Mike Leach’s boys who have “fat little girlfriends.” Other than that, Texas isn’t bragging about any of their wins. They are wise not to. Which of those wins would be considered more noteworthy than beating Oregon State at Reser Stadium? Mind you, the Beavers had a 26-game winning streak against out of conference opponents at home. The mighty Trojans haven’t won in Corvallis since 2004, an eight point victory. Cincinnati bested all of that, beating the Beavers in their backyard by ten. The Big 12 has one ranked team other than Texas. The Big East has three, other than the Bearcats, and if Cincinnati does run the table, they will have beaten all of them. In the fourth edition of the BCS standings, the Longhorns dropped a spot to number three. Cincinnati got leap-frogged by TCU (pun not intended, again) and stayed stagnant at number five. The computer rankings disagreed. They list Cincinnati third and Texas fifth. Perhaps they know something the human pollsters don’t - the pollsters that put Cincinnati fifth and Texas second. Perhaps it’s because the computers don’t pay attention to the name on the front of the jersey, the fact that when Cincinnati was bottom dweller of CUSA, Texas was winning National Championships, or that Texas would bring the BCS much more monetarily. Perhaps it’s because the humans put too much stock in tradition.

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

sports 21

friday, november 20, 2009

Band Wagon

image by paul pescovitz

Jumpers RACING TOWARD THE END of a heat is Catherine Tate, 11. Tate, along with other team members, are optimistic as to the effect newly instated traditions such as the ‘handshake/holla’ policy will have on the upcoming season’s results. The swim season starts fast for the team, with a meet scheduled for early December against St. Xavier and Seton.

SHS looks to build on past greatness with new traditions

Swimmers ready for competition season elleanzhang

Newly instated by Dr. Dan Carl, varsity head coach, is the “handshake/holla policy.” Every day, after practice, there will be a time where teammates will be expected n the locker rooms, anticipation bubbles amidst the to shake hands with each other and ‘holla’ encouragechlorine-saturated atmosphere. No matter how much ment for one another. The idea, here, is that a team which Pantene or Herbal Essences is used, the dominant builds its individual members up, will grow and excel chlorine odor lingers. But for swimmers, this is the together. scent of their existence--for the next four months at To further foster a strong bond that will always be least. a part of the atmosphere and relationship between “I arrived at the first day of practice athletes and coaches, swimmers are filled with a mixture of both dread and forbidden to leave practice without anticipation,” said Lauren Huber, 12. “But even though I hadn’t swam since Once I entered the locker giving one of the two coaches a firm hand shake. last year, once I entered the locker room, everything just felt “I think it will be a positive addiroom, everything just felt right and I right and I was in my comfort tion. In order to make sure we win was in my comfort zone again.” together as a team, we need to really While the swim season began with a zone again. bond outside of the pool as well,” said practice on Friday, Nov. 7, the compeBriana Conners, 12. tition season does not begin until the This new policy may have come first meet against St. Xavier and Seton completely out of the blue, taking on Dec. 3. The entire month of Novemmany veteran team members by ber is, thus, dedicated to conditioning surprise, however, it may be key to and training the swimmers at an everbuilding the strong foundation that the team must have increasing intensity so that they will in order to be a formidable opponent during the grueling be prepared to start the competition season off on a good competition season. stroke when the time comes. One thing is for certain, this theory will be put to test “All our competitors better get mentally prepared to get early and often throughout the season. The team’s schedbeat this season,” said Kadie Ruff, 10, “because I have a ule includes challenging meets with Mason and Mount very good feeling about changes that we are making to Notre Dame, as well as several invitationals including the the team this year. They are different, but definitely in a Canton Invitational, which takes place Dec. 19. positive way.”

news chief

“

-Lauren Huber,12

Dec. 10 Moeller/MND Dec. 19 Canton Invitational Dec. 22 Mason Jan. 2 Larry Lyons Invitational For more information on the rest of the season’s schedule go to http://sycamoreswimming. com

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

sarahmay

Q. Where are you considering attending college?

Q. What excites you most about the upcoming

A. I’d like to stay pretty local for college. Schools that I have

basketball season?

A. The new head coach. I like the new style of play and feel photo by brandon sosna

Dec. 3 St. Xavier/Seton

sports chief

You might doubt the fact that there should be a valuable lesson to be learned each time the Manhattan College basketball team takes the floor during the 2009-2010 season, but who could blame you? Let’s be honest, before the previous sentence, there is a chance you had no clue there was a liberal arts college with that name just outside the Bronx, New York. Fact is, however, that the most impressive freshman player in the country may not be Lance Stephenson or John Wall, but the Jaspers’ own Kevin Laue. Laue, a towering 6’11 center, may not lead the nation in scoring, but he will be the only player in America with just one hand. Without his left limb since birth, the California native’s tenacity and resourcefulness on the court are certainly admirable. The easy moral take away is that hard work can help bring success, but that is only partly true. So as the winter athletics season commences and conditioning and tryouts continue for spring teams throughout the year, SHS athletes need not wonder how much improved they could be if they were a miniscule two inches taller, one step quicker, or had a more sharply breaking curveball. Embrace what you have, and most of all; jump on the Laue bandwagon, one which involves a core belief in hard work, resourcefulness, and patience. Everything else will take care of itself in due time.

with Kevin Clark, 11

staff writer

AFTER SPENDING HIS FRESHMAN and sophomore years attending Moeller High School, Kevin Clark, 11, has returned to SHS, where he attended middle school, and is anxiously awaiting the beginning of basketball season. Clark claims his decision to leave Moeller stemmed from uneasiness with his position in the Crusader baseball program, but nonetheless, he is happy to be back at SHS. Clark shares his history with basketball, as well as his hopes for the upcoming campaign.

Upcoming Meets

paulpescovitz

like it is a perfect fit for my game. I hope to contribute to the success of the team this year and see if we can turn things around.

Q. What is your favorite thing about playing basketball?

Do you think you will play at the next level?

considered are Indiana, UC, Kentucky, Xavier, and a few more. I would love to play basketball in college if that opportunity is given. If not, I am perfectly fine going to college just for college.

Q. You transferred to Sycamore after two years of high school at Moeller. Can you explain why you decided to attend SHS this year?

A. There were various reasons why I left Moeller after two

A. My favorite thing about basketball has to be the crowd.

years. The main reason was baseball; I just never got a fair shot so I decided to move on. As far as basketball goes I have no hard feelings for Moeller because I felt they were fair about playing time.

Q. What is the hardest aspect, when it comes to

Q. Anything else you would like to add? A. I am looking forward to the season and hope we can

When the crowd is into the game, I am. I am excited to see our student section and how loud they can get.

playing, about basketball?

A. The hardest thing about playing basketball is not getting

so nervous before a big game. The worst part is the pre-game nerves, but once the game gets going it is easy to forget.

change the opinions of other schools around the area. We may not be the favorite to win every game but I have confidence that we will put up a tough fight.

22 sports

Team completes remarkable season Boys soccer has one for record books chadchessin

staff writer

image by maria marballi

SENIOR WILLIAM SLOSS PREPARES to take a free kick. He has been a key component for the varsity squad’s success in his tenure, and has brought strong leadership. Sloss is one of the graduating players who will create voids in the roster, and will be very hard to replace.

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fter one of the most successful regular seasons in school history, the varsity boys soccer team fell in a heartbreaking playoff game in the third round. From the beginning of the season, the team looked unstoppable. Their opening four games featured exhibition-like numbers, as victories were gained over Elder, Colerain, Covington Catholic, and Kings by a combined goal margin of 20-2. The next game brought the boys back down to earth, however, serving as a small roadblock, as the team fell to Mason in a 0-2 shutout. But by no means did this halt the fleeting momentum of the SHS soccer team. From this point to the end of the regular season, the team went on a rampage, knocking off opponent after opponent, and finishing 9-0-1 after their sole defeat. This accumulated 13-1-1 record propelled them all the way to fourth in the state. “I went to many of the games, and they looked almost unstoppable,” said Michael Streicher, 11. The only game that they did not win on the streak was against Lakota West, which unfortunately served as a bit of foreshadowing. With morale at an all-time high, the playoffs began. In the opening round, the team faced Oak Hills, a team they had previously defeated 2-1. This time the game was a fairly onesided matchup. Goals scored by Jeffrey Wolkoff, 11, and Ben Dhiman, 12, led the team to victory. Goalkeeper Sam Benson, 12, applied the fullgame shutout. “This was a great way to start off the

playoffs,” said Michael Bemmes, 10. In the next round, the team faced off against Milford, an opponent they had not previously faced in the regular season. A highly contested matchup ended in a 2-1 victory for SHS, with both goals scored by Max Riehemann, 11. This brought the team to the third round of the playoffs, creating a matchup of two titan soccer programs as the boys squared off against Lakota West, a team they tied 1-1 in the regular season. Prior to this game, Lakota West had recorded six consecutive shutouts, two of which occurred in the playoffs. Clearly, the boys had their work cut out for them in this Sectional Final. Unfortunately, this goalless trend continued, as the Firebirds knocked off SHS 0-3. The result of the final game was disappointing, but the players have no reason to hang their heads. Finishing with a 15-2-1 record, the team tied last year’s for second least losses in SHS history, behind the 1979 team. Also, 15 wins nets them third on the SHS list. Coach Scott Sievering has expressed how proud he is of every individual player, but more importantly, the team as a unit. At no point in the season did any of the boys put individual achievements above the success of the team, something that occurs in soccer more than any other sport. This year of soccer will definitely go down in the record books as one of SHS’ best. When seniors Benson, Dhiman, Chapman Bundy, Daniel Castillo, Maxim Coninx, Mike Grannen, Alex Grzegorzewski, Alex Schatz, and Wiliam Sloss, look back on their last SHS season, they should feel nothing but pride.

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friday, november 20, 2009

Dead

Fans deserve praise for loyalty and decication to SHS sports teams chadchessin

staff writer

In virtually every medium of the sports world, athletes are the ones who are put on the pedestal. Not the coaches, not the front office, and most importantly, not the fans. So in this issue of “Dead On,” the fans of SHS will be awarded. It is important to stop and acknowledge the dedication these people show, because it is easy to overlook. “Despite traffic, long trips, and high gas prices, SHS fans go to road games for the sole purpose of cheering on their fellow Aviators. Go Aves,” said Michael Streicher, 11, starting nosetackle on the football team. It is obvious why players get all the attention. They make the gamewinning catches, do the celebratory dances, appear in the Sportscenter Top 10, and get paid the big bucks. At some point in all of our lives, we want to be that athlete. But what about the unnoticed moments that make the games what they are? Have you ever stopped and looked around a packed stadium and felt the electric atmosphere exuding off the fans? Ignore the packed stadium part, we live in Cincinnati, but just imagine. Nothing is better on a Friday night than going to Bud Acus Alumni Field, under the lights, and watching your classmates play some football as they represent every single fan in the stands. Is there a more electric atmosphere? Not that I can think of. After all, what would sporting events be like today if we did not have fans to scream their lungs out at the umpires, paint their bare stomachs in the freezing cold, and drive our economy with the purchase of concessions? “Going to UC football games is one of my favorite things to do because of the crazy fans you meet every time,” said AJ Goldhoff, 11. By no means am I taking away from what athletes do day in and day out. It is amazing to watch athletes of all levels exhibit extraordinary athleticism, whether it be for a livelihood or not. What I am saying, however, is that the fans who take time out of their schedules to cheer on their teams deserve close to, if not equal, praise. In a sense, there is natural camaraderie between players and fans. Together, they form an artificial family. This is why it is not uncommon to hear random “Go Aves” in the hallways on Fridays, during football season. It is an unspoken contract: the fans are nothing without the players; the players are nothing without the fans. And since the athletes already receive the accolades, I guess it is time to reward the fans. Congratulations SHS sports fans, you are “Dead On.” For comments on this column, please write to WritetoTheLeaf@gmail.com

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Snapshots friday, november 20, 2009

Funniest Group | Repo Men

Best Individual | Jack-in-the-box

images by michela tindera

Most Creative Group | S’mores

Senior Halloween Single ladies, superheroes, Spartans, and swine flu pigs flaunted their stuff at the Senior Halloween Parade that took place during sixth bell on Thursday, Oct. 29. While there were many creative and outlandish costumes produced, only a few groups could be officially rewarded for their efforts.

Other winners included “Sycamore Crew,” “Vortex,” and “Alice in Wonderland” for Best Group; “Mr. Chacksfield,” “Charlie Brown,” and the “Charmin Bear” for Best Individual; “Pepsi/ Coke,” “French Fry,” and the “Blue Man Group” for Best Duo. Other specialty groups included awards for the “Paula Dean” costume and “Predator.”

Best Group | Oompa Loompas

Cutest Group | Blues Clues

Best Duo | Wall-E and Eve

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