Real Books vs. e-Books Pg. 5 Wrestling looks to finish season strong Pg.11 S T O N E Y
Your eyes, your ears,
Your Voice
C R E E K
THE
SOURCE
Volume 9 Issue 7
February 29 , 2012
575 Tienken Road, Rochester Hills, MI 48306
Luiza Alaniz Jessica Choi Ashton Moore Taylor Schuler Michelle Veillette Emma Boonstra Kayla Kossajda Khia Aparente Emily Collins
Geoffrey Felipe Tyler Frenak Lauren Henry Tatiana Kerwin Cameron Kinzman Katie Knoblauch Ashley Lawton Lacie Switzer Chelsea Yates
Writing Gold and Silver Key Winners Benjamin Li Rebecca Brosig Mark Hosseini Elisa Itakura
Cassandra Hoffman Soojin Chun Alexandra Yu
Art,Writing Scholastic winners announced by Kristie Robinson/ Danielle Blessing Lifestyles Team
F
our Gold Key, five Silver Key, and nine Honorable Mention Scholastic writing award winners roam the halls, their skills only visible on paper. Five Gold Key Art Portfolio, four Gold Key Photography Portfolio, and 28 Gold Key Individual Scholastic award winners populate the E-wing, their skills only visible on canvas. These numbers represent the success of English and art students in the annual Regional Scholastics competition. This competition is sponsored regionally by the College for Creative Studies, and nationally by Scholastics Books. Those who submit to the competition typically enter in January. Regional winners are announced in February, and national winners are announced in March. The national Gold Key winners are invited to Carnegie Hall for a ceremony, according to Diane Heath, Photography, Studio Art, and Draw/Paint teacher. Winning a Gold Key in writing helped build confidence for senior Rebecca Brosig.
“It was definitely a confidence boost that, ‘Yeah! I am a decent writer,’” Brosig said. But Heath points out that it also takes confidence to enter. “It takes a lot of courage to throw yourself out there, compete, and that’s a good learning experience,” Heath said. “[Gold Key winners’] artwork is sent to New York to be juried, and if they win any, the ceremony is at Carnegie Hall,” Heath said. Over 3,700 art and 1,600 writing entries were submitted to the 2012 Scholastic competition, according to the official Scholastic Awards website. Heath wants to help her students discover a personal style to distinguish their work from others. “My goal for the seniors is develop portfolios that are unique to them… that as they’re moving along, you’re moving in the right direction,” Heath said. Writers may meet paper with pencil for heritage and sentimentality. “I’m proud of my Japanese culture. So, basically, I want to share that culture,” junior and Silver Key winner Elisa Itakura said. Itakura created a writing piece on the celebration of a Japanese
Ashley Lawton
Art Gold Key Winners
“EXPRESS everything you feel onto that
Elisa Itakura
Stroke of Genius “Even if it’s your
PAPER... you won’t regret it.”
worst piece, I’d
SUBMIT
it. Art is very SUBJECTIVE”
(See Scholastic on pg. 2)
(Art used by the permission of Ashley Lawton)
Special education teachers earn district recognition and awards by Matt PItlock
Editor-in-Chief
Helping: Special education paraprofessional Hope Snay assists her student with spelling. They used an educational iPad app. (photo by Caitlin Tanner)
According to art and language teacher Nancy Anne Tomaszycki the mission of special education is to provide the special needs students with the same opportunities that all other students are afforded. Too often are disadvantaged students placed in the corner of an art or gym class and forgotten about. Tomaszycki knows that this treatment never allows the students to have fun, learn, or challenge themselves. Educators with talent in the field of special education thrive on creating and applying new ways to make opportunities
for special needs students. The best innovators often earn the coveted Sparkle Award. Teachers and paraprofessionals earn nominations from parents or other faculty members, according to the sparkle award nomination form. The newest winners will receive their awards on March 21 according to RCS.com. Former winners include Tomaszycki and Social Studies teacher Joe Glazer who have been working with special education for many years. They are both honored by the acknowledgment. “It is great to get some recognition after all the effort,” Tomaszycki said. She spent
many hours observing the ability of special needs students in order to develop art projects that can both challenge and interest her students. Tomaszycki feels that awards are important, but she is inspired by giving her students new opportunities. “In my book sitting in an art room with a coloring book isn’t good enough,” Tomaszycki said. “The real reward is seeing their smile when they do something they haven’t tried before.” She views the sparkle awards as a fun way to thank the teachers who don’t teach the national merit finalist or Harvard wrestler, because those teachers still make all the difference.
Principal Larry Goralski agrees that the school’s special education program is extremely important and full of talented teachers. “We are really lucky to have so many at Stoney Creek,” Goralski said. “I think the best are those who can recognize the student’s need and fill in that gap for them.” According to Goralski there are a variety of different students in the special needs program, and it is the role of the staff to respond to every individual. “We are pretty blessed here with our set of paras and teachers, they really do a great job,” Goralski said.
2 SOURCE
THE
Scholastic winners annoucned (continued from p. 1)
Valentine’s Day. Writers may also connect fingers to keyboard in order to diminish boundaries and defy the rules of reality. “Writing is just where I can completely be myself. I can completely express my views and my thoughts in unique ways,” Brosig said.” “You can transport your reader anywhere or anywhen. It’s unlimited bounds of anywhereness. For gold key and silver key winner Ashley Lawton, pursuing art is a way to use a part of her brain she doesn’t use in other classes. “You’re cooling your mind from school. School teaches you to use the left-side of your brain, and, with art, you use the right-side,” Gold Key and Silver Key winner Lawton said. “When you use different sides of your brain, it opens you up to experiencing things in a different way.” Lawton encourages everyone to submit work to the contest. “It’s cool to win even a certificate, because you can get your name out there. Even if it’s your worst piece, I’d submit it,”
“
It is the most
exhilarating
feeling in the
world.
”
.
Diane Heath
Lawton said. Winning is an amazing feeling, according to Heath. “When we have our regional show, there is a ceremony to give the kids their awards. I’m on the Advisory Board for Scholastics, so my friend announces the awards, and she goes by school…and they get called up one at a time. So, there was a little stack of envelopes for Troy High, a little stack of envelopes for whatever school, and a whomping stack of envelopes for Stoney Creek,” Heath said. “It is the most exhilarating feeling in the world.” According to Heath, she has the kids choreographed to get up at the same time, because the seats bounce up, creating a sound, and they all sit at the front. Because of this the other competitors can see how many Stoney Scholastics winners there really are. And even if a certificate is not in the cards, the attempt may be the inspiration behind a masterpiece. “It takes a lot of courage to throw yourself out there, compete, and that’s a good learning experience,” Heath said. “[Entering competitions] is excellent preparation for life. When you’re applying for colleges, you’re competing with other people. When you’re applying for a job, you’re competing with other people.” “The worse that happens is you don’t get anything, and that should motivate you to try even harder,” Brosig said.
February 29, 2012
SCHOOL
d r o c e R e h t Off with
Lisa Fosnaugh
Introducing...
The New Intern She’s been roaming the halls for months, learning the tricks of the trade. Some of seen her, others haven’t. She’s not the ghost of a dissected cat from anatomy or even a ghost for that matter, but rather Lisa Fosnaugh, Mr. Kelley’s new intern. Fosnaugh is completing her bachelor’s degree for education administration. But as a four year science teacher, Fosnaugh isn’t new to the teaching scene. “I love high school. I love high school students. I love teenagers. Most people think that’s crazy but I think they’re fantastic,” Fosnaugh said. Since her third month here is coming up, it’s about time to meet the woman behind the nametag and figure out what she thinks of the Stoney Creek cougars—by asking her stupid questions, of course. Source: Have you heard about the jarred monkeys that are kept under the school? Fosnaugh: I have not, but I can’t wait to go visit them. Source: Do you believe it? Fosnaugh: Well, as a scientist, I would usually have to see it to believe it. I’d like to do some testing, but it’s definitely fascinating. You’ve piqued my interested. If it’s not true then I’d love to hear the story behind the legend. Source: Just ask Mr. Dillion. He’s an interesting man.
(photo by Charlotte Spehn)
Source: Would you be okay with getting paid in chocolate? Fosnaugh: That would depend on whether it’s dark chocolate or milk chocolate. And I would be okay with it. Source: That is the million dollar question—dark or milk? Source: What is the first thing you think of when you hear the word “cougar?” Fosnaugh: A cougar—I think of someone who is brave, someone who is bold. I think of a carnivorous animal—fast and powerful. Source: Oh, good. I was hoping not Courtney Cox from Cougar Town. Source: Do you ever read the writing on the bathroom stalls? Fosnaugh: I do not. I don’t usually go to the bathroom in the student stalls, but I’m sure that would be some interesting reading. Hopefully there’s minimal writing and people are respecting the bathrooms. Source: I wouldn’t say there’s minimal… Fosnaugh: (laughs)
“
That would depend on whether it’s dark chocolate or milk chocolate.
Source: Describe yourself using colors. Fosnaugh: Hmm… sky blue, warm yellow, and bold red. Source: So… red… are you very vibrant and passionate? Fosnaugh: I would say so. I’m definitely passionate about teaching. I’m passionate about my students. I really love seeing students succeed. I love it when students figure out where they want to go to school and what they want to do. [I love] watching them grow from step A to step D and finally to graduation, step Z. I’m definitely passionate about working with students. Source: If ever principal, would you allow for a competitive underwater basket weaving team to form? Fosnaugh: I think I would be most curious to do the research as to how the sport would take place. In terms of underwater basket weaving, as far as I know, you form baskets with reeds. These light weight reeds float. So it seems like it would be very difficult to weave an entire basket and keep all these reeds underwater. Source: That’s half the competition right there. Fosnaugh: Absolutely. Source: I actually never considered that. Source: What do you do for fun when you’re not learning how to keep high school students under control? Fosnaugh: My husband is also a teacher and we both enjoy anything science related and the outdoors. We actually have chickens. We raise pigs. We do a lot of green activities. We make compost. We recycle. We try to do things that are renewable-resource related. We put in a geothermal heating and cooling system into our home which is another way to use renewable energy sources. Anything related to the outdoors. Source: How scared are you, in all honesty, that we are the future of America? Fosnaugh: That doesn’t scare me one bit. I think it’s exciting. We live in a fast paced technology-filled world and I know that most students have faster texting thumbs than I do. You are the future and it’s exciting for me to see where you take us.
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THE
February 29, 2012
SOURCE
S choo l
3
Adminstrative Assistant receives Founder’s Day Award by Caitlin Tanner/ Christiana Tanner School Team
Leading the Class: New French teacher Christine Mckenna leads the class in their daily lesson. Mckenna easily adjusted to the new atmosphere in the French department at the school. (photo by Claire Efting)
New teacher replaces Madame Jarrell by David Hanna School Team After much deliberation and elimination, the school has made a decision as to who will be the new French teacher. To replace Susan Jarrell, Christine McKenna, started teaching French class on Feb. 13. McKenna was a French teacher at a high school in the South Lion district. The South Lion district made the decision to cut the French program, forcing Mckenna to transfer districts. McKenna was chosen by the administrators to start teaching the French classes after the tragic passing of Jarrell. According to Assistant Principle John Kelley, she was the most qualified for the job and was
highly recommended by the to the school. “I feel that we did a good job staff at her previous school at picking district, South someone Lion. that really “Out of cares and all the people loves the that were French interviewed, language,” Ms. McKenna K e lle y was the most said. qualified for the While position over students all of the other and staff applicantsm,” awaited Kelley said. the new K e l l e y teacher, believes that substitute McKenna will Assistant Principal t e a c h e r fit right in with Stephen the atmosphere John Kelley Nellis was at the school. in charge He also believes that she will contribute overall of teaching the classes.
“
Out of all the people
interviewed, Mrs. McKenna was the most qualified...
”
“I’m glad that a teacher has been found who will actually step up and start teaching these kids what they need to know in this class,” Nellis said. Nellis enjoyed his short stay at the school by getting the students to stay productive in class by assigning projects in class every few days. According to Nellis, he is hoping that the new teacher will work extra hard at getting all of the students caught up on what they have not learned in the past couple weeks. French students such as junior Marley Watson are also excited at what the new teacher will bring to the class. “When Madame Jarrell was teaching, she made the class very calm and welcoming, and
since she knew all of us, she was able to help each of us on a personal level,” Watson said. “But from what has been said about Ms. McKenna class will be no different and I will enjoy class with her teaching it.” Watson, who is a level four French student, has great satisfaction with the way class has been running with the new teacher so far and has agreed to help the teacher get on track with where the students last left off. McKenna is excited about her new teaching position and the new atmosphere. “I’m excited to be here and the kids and staff have been very welcoming and I look forward to a great year,” McKenna said.
Science Olympiad Club hopes to renew interest in science by Soumith Inturi Online Editor Teacher Dave Thomson wasn’t sure he wanted to do it again. After interest in the club waned towards the end of the year, Thomson declared that
hewould no longer be advising the Science Olympiad club and that interested students would have to find someone else to replace him. However, this year, many new members joined the Science Olympiad team to replace
many of the seniors who had graduated the year before. With only four members remaining from the year before, the team had to rebuild and convince teacher Dave Thomson to take up the position of advisor again.
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“It was mostly student interest that made me want to do this club again,” Thomson said. “As long as the kids are interested, I’m willing to pitch in and help them out.” The main competition for the team is on March 17 at Oakland University and the students have been working most of the year just for that competition. The Science Olympiad team chose to condense their various competitions they had in the past and instead concentrate on only one competition. Senior Eli Nasr joined this year to experience the challenges of Science Olympiad. Senior Harman Singh, one of the presidents of the club, convinced Nasr to join and contribute to the team effort. “I decided to do this because Harman and Mr. Thomson showed me how enjoyable this club and science can be,” Nasr said. This year, Nasr chose to do the Protein Modeling event with Singh, which, according to the Science Olympiad Division C Rules Manual, involves building a physical model of a protein and explore the discovery and treatment of a rare genetic trait discovered through genome sequencing. Many other new students, mostly freshmen, joined the science Olympiad club to experience first-hand the challenges and knowledge gained from the events. Some of these students were influenced
by their siblings to join the club. Freshman Gaurav Kalwani joined this club through his older brother, Vishaal Kalwani, a former president of Science Olympiad. Gaurav had learned many things from his older brother and sought to apply his knowledge against the various other schools at the competitions. “[Vishaal] taught me most of the knowledge required for many events such as Chemistry Lab and Forensic Science,” Gaurav said. Gaurav is participating in the Fermi Questions and the Thermodynamics events. According to the Rules Manual, the Fermi Questions event deals with answering science related questions that seek a fast, rough estimate of a quantity, which is either difficult or impossible to measure directly. For the Thermodynamics event, a team of two must create and insulated device to retain heat and take a written test on thermodynamic concepts. The Science Olympiad team will have to face many tough competitors. Foremost among these competitors are Detroit Country Day, Novi High School, International Academy Central, International Academy East, and Troy High School. “I’ve heard that these schools are really tough,” Gaurav said. “But all that matters is concentrating and winning any event you can.”
“This school could not function without her... she is much more than just a secretary,” English teacher Sarah Mallard said. “She helps the administrators, she helps the teachers, she helps the para pros. She helps everybody do their jobs.” During the Parent Teacher Association’s Founder’s Day celebration on March 1 at the Rochester High School Mall, Principal’s secretary Lori Cross will be honored with the Distinguished Service Award. She is on of the few employees receiving the award. The Founder’s Day celebration is “a time to reflect and take pride in our many accomplishments, and to renew our commitment to be a powerful voice for all children, a relevant resource for parents, and a strong advocate for public education,” according to the PTA website. Founder’s Day is in recognition of the day the PTA was founded, Feb. 17, 1897, according to the PTA website. The Distinguished Service Award, which Cross and a select few are honored with, is for district workers who have shown “tireless dedication to the cause and extraordinary service on behalf of children and youth,” according to the PTA website. The Founder’s Day celebration costs five dollars per person and there will be a silent auction before the award ceremony. All proceeds will go towards four scholarships worth 1,000 dollars organized by the PTA, according to the PTA website. Principal Larry Goralski
“ admire I her work ethic and ability to
organize
and help run the school.
”
Principal Larry Goralski
has worked with Cross at various times for the past 20 years. “I admire her work ethic and ability to organize and help run the school,” Goralski wrote in an e-mail. “Mrs. Cross is a special person and was the perfect person to be the one and only Principal’s Secretary here at Stoney Creek. We are lucky to have her here.” Cross was surprised that she had been chosen for the award. “At 9:15 one of the PTA moms came in and said, ‘So we’ll see you at 9:30 in the portable, right?’ and I said ‘For what?’ and she said ‘Oh, I wasn’t supposed to tell you!,’” Cross said with a laugh. “And then Mr. G. came out and said, ‘Hey, let’s go to that PTA meeting,’ and that’s where I found out. So total surprise.” Cross’s duties as secretary are varied and change daily. “There is no average day,” Cross said. “When I get here I start checking for subs, making sure all of the classes are filled, then the day just progresses from there. It could involve any number of things.” According to Cross, the thing she loves most about her job is the people that she works with, kids included.
4 SOURCE
THE
Keystone Pipeline
1661 Miles The estimated length of the new Keystone Pipeline
OPINION GRRR! Sweet Letdown- Student council did not deliver Valentines day candy this year. Students went without their sugar-fix. Lay up or Let Down? The Cougar varsity basketball team are having a frustrating season, having not yet won a game. I will always love you- Rest in peace Whitney Houston. You will be missed.
PRRR
NUMB3RS
GRRR
BY THE
February 29, 2012
THE STAFF
PRRR!
Editor-in-Chief:
Cougars can swim- The boys swim team moved up to division 2 this year. They finished the season with a 5-2 division record. Charity cash- The Cross Town Charity Bowl raised 35 thousand dollars. It was presented at the Adams versus Stoney varsity basketball game. The Hobbit- Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings prequel has been announced for this November. Previews are now playing in theaters.
1.3
7
Million
Billion dollars are needed to build the Keystone Pipeline
E-book
95
CARTOON
The amount of Barrels of oil that will be transported by the new system daily
THE POLICY
Percent of publishers who plan to publish e-books
Billion e-books are expected to be sold by years end
1
THE EDITORIAL
$9.99 Censorship will have a negative impact
The average price of an ebook on Apple’s iBook Store
The twenty first century has given rise to a civilization that has the collective wisdom of mankind at the tips of its fingers or the click of its mouse.
Scholastic Art
3700
The number of art entries submitted to Scholastic Midwest Region
5 Number of Students who won Gold Key Individual Awards
Amount of Gold Key Portfolios given to SCHS students
18
(Compiled by Rakesh Reddy)
(Source: Scholastic. com, productivewriters. com, and transcanada. com)
What once took scholars years of study in great libraries can now be learned by the average man, who has access to the World Wide Web. Unfortunately, legislatures are crafting a bill that will undermine the greatest platform for free expression the world has ever seen. According to Whitehouse.gov the Stop Online Piracy Act has the potential to infringe on free expression, create advanced cyber security risks, and weaken the global internet. For centuries, students across the planet have dreamt of leaning from the greatest teachers in other parts of the world, only to be restricted by the
technology of their time. At last, our species stands at the precipice of the golden age of learning, a modern renaissance. And the only thing that stands in our way is SOPA. According to HuffingtonPost.com, SOPA gives copyright holders the power to request a court ordered shut down of any website that they believe to have infringed on their copy rights. This order can instantly stop the flow of investments and payments from companies associated with the website in any way, including other sites that may link to the illegal material. This means if a Web site published a portion of an
online article and didn’t use the proper citations, the publishing company could ask the Justice Department to delete the entire site, not just the illegal material, as required under current law. Also, the order could force credit card companies to freeze payments to the site, force search engines to remove it from their results, and force the site’s ISP to stop hosting it on the Web. This all seems logical until you step back and look at the big picture. Soon, it becomes clear that almost every piece of knowledge on the internet has been shared, and in some way, shape, or form is “pirated.” In theory this bill could spell disaster for websites like Facebook,
Staff Vote: The SOPA bill would have done more harm then good
Youtube, and Wikipedia. According to Mosthitsite. net, these are three of the top six most visited sites on the web. Like it or not, these sites are deeply ingrained in our culture. The way we learn, the way we entertain, and the way we communicate could be severely damaged without ever being given a chance to fight it in court. The movement of knowledge throughout the web is a vital process that many believe is necessary while exercising freedom of speech. While it is true that online piracy is a problem, the SOPA bill is like a blindfolded brain surgeon using a jackhammer to remove a tumor. It will do more harm than good.
Agree: 100% (18)
Are earrings acceptable for guys? What would G-Ma say?
Guys should wear ‘em by Lindsey Scullen Managing Content Editor
See, there seems to be this misconception among some men that earrings suggest a lack of masculinity, that it turns girls away. Wrong. These guys’ problem is that they’re stuck in the past, in that “Guys don’t wear jewelry, they play sports, watch sports, eat, and sleep,” frame of mind… the frame of mind that began back when guys sat at the head of the dinner table, when men smoked a pipe while their wives milked the cows, when the men made the dough and the women sewed. Okay, overly dramatic? Yes, but my point still stands: these guys need to make their way out of the past, out of the 20th century notions that guys can’t wear “jewelry.” Girls get it. We aren’t stuck wearing dresses and corsets, we wear jeans, shorts, jerseys, snap backs… guy stuff. And we look
good doing it. So get with it boys. We’re living in the 21st century now. Women aren’t stuck in the sexist ideals of the past… it’s time for men to de-stick as well. Just as some guys think it’s “hot” for women to play football or wear sports jerseys, women think it’s fashionable and appealing for guys to wear earrings. So men… it’s only with your best interests in mind that I tell you it’s time to renovate your mind-set. It’s time to modernize and bring yourselves up to the speed with the women you could be dating. Senior Michelle Snyder thinks that only some guys can pull off the earring, the stud, the guage. “You have to have a special look,” Snyder said with a smile. And that smile could be for you, men. You could be that “special” one. Just join the present day, wear an earring.
(photos by Charlotte Spehn)
Matt Pitlock Managing Content Editor: Lindsey Scullen Managing Design Editor: Nick Cruz School Team: Darian Roseman Charlotte Spehn David Hanna Soojin Chun Danielle Linihan Christiana Tanner Opinion Team: Christina Leininger Soumith Inturi Alexandra Zurkan Lifestyles Team: Danielle Blessing Brooke Meharg Kira Bucksbaum Courtney Bourgoin Rachel Shutter Sports Team: Blake Adams Reed Cao Rakesh Reddy Matt Houghton Claire Efting Advisor: Gayle Martin
by Blake Adams Sports Team
PRO CON
Granny Adams once said, “Death to all men with the rings of ears and banish thee to the farthest corners of thy hottest desert in the darkest hour of the final day of the last hour of the last week of their pitiful existence.” The males of this generation are not very classy. Let’s be honest. They sag their pants, slur their words, and speak only in vulgarities. Rarely do we find young gentlemen in today’s society. But probably the worst and most offensive trait of men these days is that some of them wear earrings. Really? Earrings? Come on guys. When I think earrings I think hoops, feathers, bright blue diamonds, pink smiley faces. When I think earrings I think females. Earrings on guys just don’t fit. I see a guy with diamond
studs, and the inner-workings of my brain change the whole face. I see the same man with big pearl earrings, tousled hair, bright pink makeup, white eyeliner, and bright red lipstick. Do something else to your body! Get some tattoos on your face, carry a gun, or pierce your nipples. Having pierced ears is just too feminine. It is horrible how many guys wear earrings. From diamond studs to small rings to those horrible plugs and gauges, men everywhere are losing the title of “gentlemen.” I would call a man a gentleman if he hit his dog. I would not call that man a gentleman if he hit his dog while wearing black studded earrings. Perfect example. A real gentleman would lose those studs, stand up a woman at the movies. Or make her pay for her own dinner. So lose the earrings guys, class it up a little.
We, the Stoney Creek Source Staff, produce this publication to accomplish the following goals: The Source will serve as a means of communication between students, teachers, and members of the community. We will respect all opinions and present them in an unbiased manner. The Source will inform and entertain readers and address trends and issues important to its audience. Although we are a student publication produced by the Writing for a Publication class, we will strive to make The Source accurate and truthful and to adhere to all strandards of professional journalism. We recognize and respect the privileges given to us under the First Amendment, including the freedom of speech and of the press. The Source is a forum of student expression and we, the students of the staff, have the editorial authority to make our own content decisions. We will provide a sounding board for the student body and the community; therefore, the opinions expressed in by-lines opinion articles and letters should not be considered to be the opinions of the entire newspaper staff, the advisor, the school administration, or the student body as a whole.
CONTACT LETTER POLICY: Letters to the editor and guest articles and art may be submitted to Mrs. Gayle Martin in Room C285. All letters, articles, and art must be signed. Names may be withheld upon request. The Source Stoney Creek 575 Tienken Rd. Roch. Hills, 48306 E-mail: gmartin@ rochester.k12.mi.us
MEMBERS
National Scholastic Press Association Michigan Interscholastic Press Association
THE
February 29, 2011
[
OPINION
Amazon:
[
the Rising Empire
Amazon instills fear in bookstores country wide by Christina Leininger Lifestyles Team The line wrapped around the entire store. The wait was at least 45 minutes long. Last year, book-lovers gathered in the Borders on Rochester Road to pick over what was left of the final sale. It was bittersweet for many. Prices were so low it was almost a mass-theft of the store. However, the sale also meant the end of a great local bookstore. Now, former Borders shoppers turn to Barnes and Noble for book purchases…or they turn to the enemy of Barnes and Noble, Amazon. As Barnes and Noble, the king, moved across the chessboard taking out all the pawns, e-readers have been executing an ambush. Sounds a little bit like karma. The mega-chain Barnes and Noble is the Wal-Mart of the book industry. Smaller shops, try as they might, could not stand up to the corporate giant. According to Nytimes.com, “First the megastores squeezed out the small players…Then the chains themselves were gobbled up or driven under, as consumers turned to the web.” While Barnes and Noble is not yet waving a white flag, the
chain has taken a hit. The article “The Bookstore’s Last Stand” on Nytimes. com states, “…the company projected that it would lose even more money this year than Wall Street had expected. Its share price promptly tumbled 17 percent that day.” Regardless, Barnes and Noble is still in the race. Perhaps the company’s competition with Amazon is forcing Barnes and Noble to put its energy where it belongs—e-reader technology— the future. The company’s e-book, The Nook, may well be its saving grace. In fact, the e-book has received a very positive response from the public. Consumer web sites declare that the Nook is the better product. Wired.com said, “If you just ordered a Kindle, stop reading now or you’re in for a giant dose of buyer’s remorse.” The Nook attracted eyes primarily because of its multicolor screen, a feature lacking in earlier models of the Kindle. However, with the release of Kindle Fire, both companies
now offer a color touch screen. Presently, Amazon presides with a company valued at 88 billion. Barnes and Noble is valued at 719 million. As of now, if a person were to try to access Borders. com, the page would re-direct to the Barnes and Noble website. The question is—will Barnesandnoble.com soon re-direct web browsers to the Amazon kindle bookstore webpage?
January 2012: Amazon rakes in $48.1 billion, Kindle sales increase by 60.3%
September 2010: Amazon producing 4 different kinds of Kindles being printed
“
...then the chains themselves were gobbled or driven under, as consumers turned to the .
May 2010:
More Kindles being Produced than books being printed
web ”
NYTimes.com
November 2008: Expands company into Asia
March 2007:
Takes over Audible.com
November 2006: Launches the Kindle
Source: Buinessweek.com, Amazon.com (photo by Christina Leininger)
SOURCE
5
Students eat up Hunger Games book, starve for movie by Courtney Bourgoin Lifestyles Team The Hunger Games is a fast-paced novel which takes place in the horrific, futuristic North America, or “Panem” in the book. The oppressive government caters to the elite and leaves others to forge for themselves in a world where hunting and gathering is illegal. The difference between The Hunger Games and George Orwell’s 1984 is death against your will isn’t only praised by the government, it’s required. Twenty-four chosen teenagers, age 12 through 18, participate in a survival of the fittest fight where viewers in a stadium cheer on every sly, disgusting and back-stabbing move the kids take so their district and families have food on the table and an ounce more of respect in a world where social status is life or death. Katniss Everdeen, the protagonist and one of the 24 tributes competing in the games, is fiery, fierce and everything a teenage girl wants to be. Which is probably why I hate her. Jealousy or the fact she thinks knows she’s got a better shot at winning the games than her partner, the adorable Peeta Melhark. The two are either plotting ways to kill each other or kissing. But the love story isn’t Twilight or the Notebook. For the sake of every independent girl, Katniss’ dependency and emotions on the boys don’t get in the way of her winning the games and staying strong for her family who needs her. The book is well-written and inspirational. I wouldn’t believe anyone if they said they set it down for more than ten minutes. The action scenes give you the “I’m-right-there” feeling. And fans will get to experience every fight firsthand on March 23 when the movie’s released. If it wasn’t for the killer sound track or action-packed plot line, I’d go because Josh Hutcherson is playing Peeta. Either way, my eyes won’t leave the screen.
Printed Books in Competiton with e-Books Traditional books E-Readers are Pro are irreplaceable the future con by Christina Leininger Opinion Editor
H
arry Potter fans reading the seventh and final book in J.K. Rowling’s series, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” may experience pain in forearms, neck and shoulders. Why? Because the book is enormous. The book is so heavy, that Fitnessmagazine.com suggests using the “784-page tome” as a five-pound weight to do squats with. Five pounds or so may not seem like a lot, but after holding it up for a couple of hours, it feels like a sack of potatoes. The Amazon Kindle, on the other hand (a less strained hand), weighs a lean 10.30 ounces according to Popularmechanics.com. That in itself is a reason to switch from traditional paperbound books to the sleek and sophisticated Amazon Kindle. Weight is just one factor that makes the Kindle superior to paper books. Kindles are more eco-friendly than traditional books. According to Epa.gov (Environment Protection Agency), more than 2 billion books are published each year. This helps to make up the roughly 71 million tons of paper and paperboard used in the United States annually. That is a lot of dead trees. Kindles are another step towards a paperless future.
Convenience is another variable putting the Kindle on top. It’s 9 p.m. and Sarah needs a copy of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice for school the following day. For one reason or another, Sarah can’t make it to the book store. Either she can’t drive yet and her mom is already in bed in her pajamas, the book store is closed, or her classmates beat her to it and bought all of the copies of the novel that the store had in stock. Either way, unfortunate Sarah will be unprepared in class the next day. If only she had a Kindle. With the Kindle, a reader can hop on to Amazon.com, purchase and load an E-book onto his or her kindle in a matter of minutes, without leaving home. Now, some bookworms may object, insisting that it is helpful to mark up books for classes. Luckily, for these nerds, readers may annotate, and even highlight on the Kindle. And no more losing your place in a book because a gust of wind stole your bookmark. Kindle users can sit down in the middle of a hurricane to read—no pages will be disheveled, no bookmarks lost. The Kindle automatically keeps your place. It is time to rid your home of the bulky shelves of books that gather dust, because the Kindle is the way to read. Not to mention, you just look cooler holding one. And when a friend asks how far you are in a book you can answer, “54 percent done.”
“
by Darian Roseman
...switch from traditional
paperbound books to the sleek and sophisticated Amazon Kindle.
”
Opinion Editor Christina Leininger
It’s not like “ regular books need to be plugged in to charge the next time you read it.
”
Sports Team Darian Roseman
Sports Team
T
he fresh smell of a new book, the physical material, and the feeling of contentment fills the reader in a way an electronic device cannot. Real, paper-filled books are slowly becoming extinct due to evolving technology, like the Amazon Kindle and The Barnes & Noble Nook. Unlike a real book, electronic books or e-books are rising in popularity even though they pose all sorts of problems for the environment. Although real books are made with hundreds of trees, the e-books are far more harmful due the large amount of toxins produced when the e-book is in production. According to Eco-Libris. com, “Carbon emissions required to make one e-reader are equal to the carbon emissions required to make 40 to 50 books.” That’s almost 500 percent more toxic than the original paperback book production of greenhouse gas emissions. And that’s only for one reader. Think of the millions that are already sold or waiting to be sold. Also, according to Eco-Libris.com, “370 pounds of Co2 are needed to create an e-book, whereas normal regular books only require 17 pounds of carbon dioxide.” Real books don’t need to go through an extensive production process like
the e-books and nowadays books are anywhere from fifty to one hundred percent recycled, which is more than e-books can say. Granted, the e-book is a new and interesting technology that has its benefits, considering one tablet holds thousands of books, it’s light-weight and it can be personalized to the reader’s preference. However, the drawbacks outweigh the benefits. E-books are prone to freezing and obtaining computer viruses and bugs. Also, electronic pageturning can really make a reader put a book down. The extremely harmful production process, limited battery life and massive energy consumption make e-books inferior to traditional books. Not to mention, several medical concerns are said to be associated with e-books. According to Span-tn.org, Medical issues such as strained eyes and light-induced dizziness can be side-effects of e-book usage. It’s not like regular books need to be plugged in to charge the next time you read it. Traditional books keep the reader entertained for long periods of time, but the e-book exhaust its battery after mere hours. Nothing can compare to new, never-opened, paper-filled books that the reader can bury her nose into. The feeling once you crack open that brand new book you’ve been dying to read never gets old.
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Febuary 29, 2012
LIFESTYLES
(Illustration by Lindsey Scullen)
(Illustration by Soojin Chun)
Ransom on the Amazon
Ecuador wants the world to pay for its rainforest preservation by Soojin Chun Lifestyles Editor Ransom. Isn’t that when murderers kidnap people to gain money? But a ransom on the Amazon? It doesn’t seem to make sense. Yet, in Ecuador, it does. A small South American country, Ecuador is at the brink of extreme poverty, with a third of the population already marked under the poverty scale, according to the World Bank. So when gas and oil companies found that Yasuni National Park, a part of the Amazon’s rainforest, contained over 900 million barrels of oil deposits beneath it, they were willing to pay Ecuador a handsome price to drill for its resources, roughly $10 billion, according to Huffington Post. Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa proposes a different solution to this problem. He
MISSION: Yasuni-Itt Initiative To prevent emission of large amounts of carbon dioxide To conserve its biodiversity
DESTINATION: INHABITANTS:
100,000 insects 600 bird species 28 threatened vertebrae 28 threatened plants
(Compiled from TIME Magazine)
4000 sq. mi.
says that Ecuador will forgo drilling in Yasuni in exchange of $3.6 billion in donations over the course of 13 years. The plan is known as the YasuniITT initiative, a plan that could save Yasuni’s biodiversity and over 800 tons of carbon dioxide to emit in the atmosphere, according to TIME. According to TIME magazine, Yasuni National Park covers nearly 4000 square miles and shelters nearly one third of the Amazon’s amphibians and reptile species, even though the area is only 0.15 percent of the total rainforest. The dense portion of the atmosphere presents the best chance that the world has at preserving biodiversity in the future, according to David Romo, an Ecuador biologist on TIME. Many Ecuadorians are against drilling in Yasuni; they saw first handed what damage oil drilling in the northern
parts of Ecuadorian Amazon did to nature. The oil company, owned by Chevron, faces a $27 billion lawsuit over damages, according to TIME. For the world, this presents another issue; should they pay countries to keep their natural habitats? The Yasuni initiative will be the first global step in recognizing that the world has responsibility to pay to preserve nature. Wilderness Survival teacher Clint Rogers provides a reason for this responsibility. “We would lose a lot of animals we didn’t even know existed,” Rogers said. The initiative is not merely to preserve nature, however. It is also to preserve the indigenous people’s source of living. “A lot of people in that country depend on the Amazon for their livelihood,” Biology teacher Liz Tigue said, “so I think it would be very damaging for them in their own country.”
But Tigue disagrees with the Yasuni initiative. “No, I don’t think we should pay them. It sounds like ecoterrorism!” Tigue said. “But I think what we should do is help them find other sources of revenue that would be more environmentally friendly.” According to TIME, Ecuador relies heavily on petroleum, oil already accounting for nearly half of their export revenue. Without the necessary resources, it can be guaranteed that Ecuador will take on an economical hit in its exports. Therefore, Yasuni, home to thousands of different living species and having some of the densest biodiversity in the Amazon, is in danger of being destroyed. And the alternative? To pay countries off in return for preserving their part of the rainforest. What seems to be the best choice?
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LIFESTYLES
7
FUNDS VS FAUNA
The Spill on Pipe Hype Pipeline demand and disgust pump across the country by Lindsey Scullen Managing Content Editor To build a pipeline or not to build a pipeline. To create jobs or not to create jobs. To harm the environment or not to harm the environment. To reap the benefits or not to reap the benefits. To take caution or not to take caution. That is the question. According to NYTimes. com, TransCanada, an independent North American power producer, has intentions of following through with its Keystone Pipeline Project: constructing a $7 billion pipeline to span across the United States. The pipeline’s originallyproposed route spanned from Canada’s oil sands to Texas’ oil refineries, a distance of about two-thousand miles in total-what would be the longest oil pipeline independent of China and Russia. Each day this pipeline would pump half a million barrels of bitumen, a heavy crude oil substance, across the United States and would supply crude oil to United States Gulf Coast Refineries, according to TransCanada.com. Fantastic? To some. Horrific? To some. Senior Will Kassab is among the group favoring the “fantastic” image of the
pipeline. “I think it’s sweet, reducing our dependence on foreign oil,” Kassab said. “It would bring more jobs to America and keep the money within our borders.” As Kassab said, the pipeline would supposedly create 13 thousand construction jobs, seven thousand manufacturing jobs, and 118 thousand spin-off jobs through local businesses along the pipeline route, according to TransCanada. com. At the same time, however, the “horrific” image of the pipeline seems to be just as prominent, as teacher Todd Vince’s opinions display. “Yes, it’s going to provide more jobs and more oil, but at what expense?” Vince said. “Are we at the point where we need to go to that kind of extent and damage the environment?” And damage the environment the pipeline would, according to FoxNews. com, as pipeline construction would mean mining Canadian tar sands, the second largest carbon reserve in the world. This action would subsequently release harmful carbon gases into the atmosphere. But, to tree huggers’ fleeting satisfaction, TransCanada’s intentions are thwarted for the moment. As the pipeline’s route would span across international
borders, the project requires presidential consent, something that comes with a whole lot of political craziness. According to USAToday. com, Republican members of congress added a provision to December 2011’s legislation for a short-term extension to a payroll tax cut. The provision declared that President Obama must either allow the pipeline project to proceed or reveal why it fails to be in America’s best interests by Feb. 21, a move received by some Democrats as highly political. Though Obama announced on Jan. 18 that he rejected the Keystone XL Pipeline Project on account of an “arbitrary nature of a deadline...[that] prevented the State Department from gathering the information necessary to approve the project and protect the American people,” TransCanada still plans on reapplying for the project, according to USAToday.com. Still, Obama stands firm in his “commitment to Americanmade energy that creates jobs and reduces our dependence on oil,” as USAToday quoted him saying. Because the pipeline project “unites most of [the Republican] party and divides the Democrats,” according to NYTimes.com, politically speaking the pipeline issue
has arisen at a good time for Republicans, with elections just around the corner. Kassab, for example, feels that the issue has strengthened his desire to vote Republican in the upcoming election. “I would vote Republican either way,” Kassab said, “but this just furthers my opinion on the matter.” In campaign efforts, Republicans primarily declare that the pipeline would create jobs for a needy American market, according NYTimes. com. As always, however, the political cycle continues. Opposers of the pipeline counter, saying that not only would the jobs created only be temporary jobs relying on construction, but the number of jobs created is exaggerated by the unreliable TransCanada business, overestimated by many thousand based on a State Department study, according to NPR.org. While the political cycle swirls, environmental activists protest asking Americans to think of the consequences to the country and its landscape, according to USAToday.com. An environmental activist himself, Vince questioned if we should, “damn the environment for the sake of jobs?”
MISSION: Keystone Pipeline Project To supply crude oil to United States Gulf Coast Refineries
POTENTIAL ROUTE: From oil sands in Canada to oil refineries in Texas Through the core of America’s farmland, through the Missouri and Niobrara Rivers, through the Ogallala Aquifer, through sage grouse habitat, through walleye fisheries
POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS: Contaminating public water supplies, crops, natural habitats A similar pipeline spilled $840,000 gallons of raw tar sands (Compiled from into the www.NWF.org) Kalamazoo River in 2010
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Engineered to Enhance Turtle Beach improves headphones even more by Nick Cruz Managing Design Editor
F
Ear Force X42 Quick Facts
or Senior Reed Cao, Turtle Beach Ear Force X32 gaming headphones aren’t just game-changing. “They’re life-changing,” Cao said. With the release of the model X32 headphones on Jan. 30 and the upcoming spring release of the Turtle Beach Ear Force X42 gaming headphones, Xbox 360 gamers like Cao can expect a higher class of gaming as Turtle Beach once again improves upon their successful X31 and X41 models, released in 2007. Sophomore Mitchell Heinrich knows of the class and standard Turtle Beach sets with their headphones. “They’re engineered to outperform by far,” Heinrich said. “They’re definitely worth the price.” Heinrich uses the legacy X31 model. Though improved upon slightly by the X32 model, the X31 contains the same features except for the X32 model’s larger 50 millimeter diameter speakers and .02 gigahertz faster Digital Wireless RF carrier reception. The previous model use a smaller 40 millimeter diameter. The new Ear Force X42 costs $159.99 on Turtlebeach.com while the Ear Force X32 model costs $59.99, with one main difference in the features. “The Ear Force X42 has surround sound so you know what direction the enemies are coming from,” senior Andrew Boe
Price: $159.99 Released? No Transmitter: Digital Wireless RF Speaker Size: 50mm diameter Sound: Surround Battery Life: Up to 25 hours
said. Boe plans to buy the X42 headphones when they come out; the release date is unknown. The main feature that makes the X42 headphones more expensive is the Dolby surround sound feature. Players will be able to hear sounds from all 360 degrees instead of only the stereo function of the X32 headphones. Both headphones are equipped with 50 millimeter diameter speakers with neodymium magnets, according to turtlebeach.com. The large diameter headphones, an upgrade from the X31’s 40 millimeter speakers, allow for stronger basses. Both headphones also have the same Digital Wireless RF carrier transmitter, which Turtle Beach claims can be in the same area with other Wi-Fi devices, such as wireless routers, iPods, and cell phones, without causing interference in sound. The headphones also have enhanced Xbox LIVE Chat functionality. On top of a condenser microphone frequency response of 50 hertz to 15k hertz, the headphones feature a Chat Boost talkback expander of +10 decibel gain boost. The Chat Boost talkback expander increases the volume of the Xbox LIVE Chat sounds to accommodate for the loud sounds inside the game. Xbox users Cao and Heinrich are generally satisfied with the headphones. “They mess up your hair, though,” Cao said. “That is the one downside.”
Ear Force X32 Quick Facts
Price: $99.99 Released? No Transmitter: Digital Wireless RF Speaker Size: 50mm diameter Sound: Stereo Battery Life: Up to 25 hours (Compiled by Nick Cruz) (Source: turtlebeach.com)
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THE
February 29, 2012
SOURCE
LIFESTYLES Overheard in the Halls
ACTA
ACTA law
“Jeez, take a
shower. You reek of failure.”
“You’re almost
was signed by the United States in October 2011
In
to make a total of
fun...it has heated seats!”
“He told me is
a wanna-not-be. What is that!?”
signed
This was enough to make European rapporteur for
ACTA
Kader Arif
resign
6
more countries
ACTA
I want to be a panda.” “You know who won at the Grammy’s? Paul McCartney.”
“In the olden
days, men made the dough, and women kneaded the dough to live.”
“Unfortunately
the world will get rid of all the pink flamingos by sending them to the moon.”
“It’s like the
movie RV...except the mom’s dead. And they’re not in an RV. And in the end they lose the RV.”
will come into force
The treaty remains open for signature until
May 1
2013
Source: United States Trade Representative (Compiled by Michael Martinez)
(Photo by Nick Cruz)
ACTA treaty mirrors SOPA by Alexandra Zurkan / Michael Martinez Opinion Team / Lifestyles Team Teenagers may not be on top of political culture, but they sure love their Wikipedia. On Jan. 18 2012, the famous online encyclopedia blacked out to protest bills that threatened the internet as Americans know it. Joined by digital titans Google, Twitter, Facebook, and over 100,000 other Web sites listed on the Sopa-Strike Web site, Wikipedia introduced hordes of teenagers—innocently scrambling to finish their homework— to the charged world of internet copyright protection.
Pirate Facts SOPA and PIPA, the “Stop Online Piracy Act” and the “Protect Intellectual Property Act” respectively, are twin bills pushed by Congress intended to regulate the growing flexibility of online media sharing according to the Library of Congress Web site. They were created to protect people and businesses who owned various properties online protected by copyright; a copyright today’s internet culture not-so-secretly shirks.
What does this mean to the average student? Well, they can say goodbye to absolute freedom on Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr. These Web sites, most frequently visited by young people, will no longer be a complete free-for-all.
ment. ACTA is an international “trade agreement” posed by the United Nations that surpasses SOPA and PIPA in scope, and seeks to strongly regulate copyright protection online.
A Stoney Outlook
Though ACTA is close to international ratification, internet users globally are raising anothUnfortunately for these er proportionally big uproar. Of twin acts, both met harsh criti- course, loudest of these protescism due to shoddy phrasing tors are web-surfing teenagers. S e n i o r and possible Gordon Zhang infringements is one of the to freedom many students of expresless than hapsion. Come py with the devoting day, cision. Jan. 19, most “ W h a t Congressscares me the men withdrew most probably their support is the fact that for SOPA and [ACTA] creates PIPA (many this small, elite directly due group that has to the internet a lot of power blackout the over deciding previous day). what’s pirated But beor not…without fore webgoers any judicial recould rejoice view or checks in fending and balances,” off the dual Zhang said. threat, an even Senior W h i l e greater monGordon Zhang the notion of ster rose to governmenthreaten internet freedom: ACTA, the Anti- tal-controlled internet sounds Counterfeiting Trade Agree- scary to kids growing up in the
Dual Backlash
“I feel that initially, copyright was supposed to
promote ideas, and now, it is
hindering them.”
so-called internet age, some students, including sophomore Sam Bertin, prefer to take a more mediated approach to the issue. “I don’t think they will do as much damage as people think, but I don’t think it will be necessarily a good thing that’s passed. I think it needs some alterations made to it,” Bertin said. Social Studies teacher Joe Glaser shares a view similar to Bertin. “There doesn’t need to be a bigger regulation because that’s what I see now, and I see that being successful,” Glaser said.
ACTAvism Though students are divided, it’s clear from monumental online protests that the internet’s collective opinion on ACTA is clear. Over 27,000 WordPress sites alone—a blogosphere consisting heavily of young people—shut down their pages for the day, as stated by the SOPA-Strike Web site. What’s more, teenagers took to social media outlets like Twitter and expressed 3 million tweets worth of distaste. ` Despite their youthful efforts, according to the European Commission’s Web site, ACTA is tantalizingly close to ratification. Now that the battleground
Grammys
is set, what does this mean for web users’, and teenagers’, involvement? Students are less optimistic about activism when it comes to practically counter-acting legislation. “I honestly don’t feel a lot of political efficacy,” Zhang said. “I guess [online petitions are] kind of cool, but taking down Web sites doesn’t really do much. You’re just taking down a poster.” But some think utilizing the power of the very domain legislators seek to monitor should not be written off as impotent so quickly. After all, opposing ACTA is an entire generation of savvy web surfers. “It’s literally one click away,” Glaser said. “[Kids] should know that they are a click away from finding groups of people that are pro or con anything. Change.org is a great way. They have had some great success.” Digital petitions aside, at the end of the day, it all comes down to the voice of the people. “Like everything else, I think you can get all hot-and-bothered about it, sign petitions,” Glaser said. “But if you’re really committed to social change, you’ve got to put your money where your mouth is.”
HOT
Aviator sunglasses
Bon Iver
John Lennon sunglasses
Hotness Matrix
NEW
OLD
water, it will kill you.”
in protest
After ratification by
“Screw school,
“Don’t drink
31
countries
now here
“Yeah I’ll have
Jan 2012 ,
22 of the European Union’s member states followed suit
soon is
as bad as the first episode of Star Wars.”
9
Valentines Day
The Vow Spontaneous Botulism
NOT
Rick Perry
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SPORTS
The
Call
Are Coaches Ignoring Athletes Grades? “Sports are a privilege” This is the mantra of every teacher and parent in high schools across America. Although this may sound threatening, there aren’t any consequences unless coaches embrace the idea. In order for sports to be a privilege, coaches need to be vigilant in checking grades. The Michigan High School Athletic Association (or MHSAA) requires coaches to check student grades. If a student’s grades fall below minimum eligibility requirements, he or she is suspended from the team. However, there’s a great temptation to ignore player grades in order to gain a competitive advantage, especially if the athlete is a strong performer on the playing field. Varsity soccer defensemen, Austin Arnold said, “We all know there are guys out there on other teams who might not be passing classes. It can be frustrating when you think about it, but what can you do?” Arnold’s coach, Adam Bican, shares this perspective as well. “Yeah, there are times when I see some guys playing and think maybe the coach is
“integrity This is a matter of
. Breaking the rules is not the way to go.
”
Coach Adam Bican
forgetting about his grades. But I have to focus on my own players,” Bican said. Coaches today need to realize that “forgetting” to check up on an athlete’s grades is violating the MHSAA. Playing an athlete who is ineligible because of grades is just as illegal as violating an age requirement. “This is a matter of integrity. Breaking the rules is not the way to go,” Bican said. Letting the athletes slide isn’t really doing them any good in the long run, anyway. Grades and balancing a schedule are both all important to an individual’s success. If sports are indeed a privilege, then the mantra should become more than a phrase; it should be held as a standard and implemented consistently throughout all athletic programs.
AT THE TOP Dance team competes in Florida for Nationals Claire Efting Sports Team It was the beat of the music pounding in their minds. It was the precision of formations. It was the perfection of every jump, every kick. It was the reason the varsity dance team was able to perform at Nationals. From Feb. 2-6 the dance team competed at the United Dance Association’s National Dance Team Championship at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. The Cougars placed 9th out of 17 in the jazz category 1.5 points away from advancing, and received 10th out of 17th in the pom category lacking only one point. Last year, approximately 300 high school and all-star dance teams made the cut and competed at the National Dance Team Championship according to the UDA. Coach Lauren Beaudin was still very proud of her team and the lessons they were taught. “The girls all learned things about the world of dance team, the different styles from the different states,” Beaudin said. “Before we left Florida the girls were talking about how we were goint to come back better than ever and how they’re going to improve themselves.” Sophomore Molly Marn traveled to Florida for the first time with the varsity dance team this year. “It was such a great experience,” Marn said. “It really opened my eyes to all the talent all over the U.S.” Beaudin was pleased with the placing of the team, too. “We were just honored to beat some of the other teams who didn’t advance into finals,” Beaudin said. “In Jazz, we had a few mistakes that lost us
JV Girls Basketball Stoney Creek Cougars vs. North Farmington Raiders Feb 10, 4:30 p.m. Stoney Creek Main Gym Final score: Cougars 26, Raiders 25 The squeaks from their shoes, the thud of the ball, and the calls from one team mate to another were all that could be heard on Feb. 10 as the junior varsity girls’ basketball team battled against the North Farmington Raiders. The lady cougars had a strong lead on the Raiders before the fourth quarter, but upon glancing up to the clock with 30 seconds left, they realized they were only leading by two points. Four seconds later, North Farmington got a free throw. 26-25.
that point, and a half but we did beat Michigan teams that beat us earlier in the year.” Senior captain Maddie Nixon felt that the lack of seniors was a possible reason for their placing, but that they still executed the dances very well. “We performed with a lot of energy and passion for the dance,” Nixon said. With all four grades participating on the team, the talent varied and the team had a hard time connecting with each other. “This year was a building year because so many seniors graduated last year,” said Marn, “and because we lost a lot of seniors we had to dance and work extra hard.” At practices, Beaudin critiqued the girls on every possible thing she saw wrong. “The girls need to captivate the audience with their performance,” Beaudin said, “and they need stamina to keep technique and energy throughout the entire two minute routine.” They placed third at the Great Lakes competition on Nov 19 and second at Chippewa on Dec. 4. The dance team has been practicing since July, with practices two times a week for two hours, and every day when nationals approached. They will have about two and a half months off before tryouts for the next season begin. “Although we got discouraged sometimes,” said Marn, “we always got back up again and fought till the finish.”
“
We laugh and cry together, they are my second family.
”
Sophmore Molly Marn
Legs parallel to the ground: Sophomore Molly Marn jumps in the air. It was Marn’s first year on varsity. (photo by Claire Efting)
the last
30
Seconds
With 16 seconds on the clock, the lady cougars got a free throw, but missed. With six seconds on the clock the ball bounced out of bounds, and a time out was called. “No foul! No foul!” Coach Fabian warned. At 2 seconds North Farmington stole the ball and bolted down the court, as the buzzer timed, a Raider made a desperate attempt to score. Luckily the ball missed. The Lady cougars won by a hair. (compiled by Claire Efting)
Shuffling down the court: The girls basket ball team puts up a fight against North Farmington. Lady cougars finished victorious. (Photo by Paige Efting)
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February 29, 2012
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SPORTS
Man handled! Junior Trevor Wiseman fights against opponents in the League Tournament. Wiseman’s efforts placed him fourth for his weight class. (Photo by Emma Hamrick)
Grappling to the top
Wrestlers make impact as season draws near by Matt Houghton Sports Team Although it may come as a surprise to some, there have been several accomplishments from varsity wrestlers other than All State senior Captain Nick Gajdzik this season. And even though some may say that Gajdzik’s undefeated senior year is the highlight of the season, several athletes are doing their part in making fans reconsider. Junior Trevor Wiseman placed fourth in the League Tournament on February 3rd. Wiseman was happy with his success that night and pleased that he could help his team defeat various talented opponents. “Yeah, I think our team did pretty good in the tournament. We saw good teams and bad teams. We just took every matchup seriously and did our best,” Wiseman said. Wiseman’s teammate, Kyle Noonan, also put in winning numbers at the
League Tournament. Noonan, a 103 pound sophomore, took first place in his weight class. Noonan said he stayed focused the whole day and tried to have as much fun as he possibly could. “I just took my opponents one at a time. You can never look too far ahead because an upset can occur at any time,” said Noonan. Noonan was one of the two Cougars who took first in the League Tournament (Gajdzik being the other). Noonan also added that he tries to learn a lot in practice from his senior captains and veteran coach. “Nick [Gajdzik] and Serge [Andreou] are awesome leaders during practice. They are great wrestlers and play a big role in helping our team learn,” Noonan said. As far as the leadership goes, there is no doubt on the squad who to go to in time of question. On the Monday the sixth, following the team’s League Tournament, players circled around their head coach, Jeff
Smart. As Smart recapped the teams last tournament and prepared the team for the following work outs, not a word was spoken. Following the speech that their coach had given, the boys got right into work, conditioning and stretching as a team. “With [MHSAA] Individual State Finals coming up, we really all are focused on working hard in practice and doing everything we can to prepare ourselves for everything,” Noonan said. Noonan’s focous on the Individual State Finals are drawing closer and closer every single day. They Finals take place on March 3rd and several athletes will be competing for their first time. In addition to the work the boys have to do to prepare themselves for the Finals, Smart believes that they have a chip on their shoulder. “I think the guys can go out there and prove something to everyone. They know their potential, now it is time to just fulfill it,” Smart said.
Taking them down one man at a time! Senior Captain Serge Andreou battles his opponent in hopes to win the match at leagues. Andreou, being a leader, attempts to displays a fundamental take down to lead by example. (Photo by Emma Hamrick)
No snow? No worries! Warm weather ideas by Charlotte Spehn School Team D i c t i o n a r y. com defines “Ski” by using “one of a pair of long, slender runners made of wood, plastic, or metal used in gliding over snow.” The important part of that statement is “gliding over snow”. Unfortunately, snow is exactly what Michigan is missing. And this affects our high school’s Ski Club. If there’s no snow, there’s no skiing. Fortunately, Ryan Slomka, the Ski Club advisor, helped put together a list of things to do when skiing isn’t an option. Here’s what was suggested…
8 5 4 10 9 6
2 3 1 Bring your ski poles to school and slalom through the halls.
Polish your skis while you cry over the 50 degree weather.
Do a snow dance so you can finally go skiing.
Wear your footie pajamas (we all know you have a pair) inside out and sleep with a spoon under your pillow.
Roll down a mountain.
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Chew whole packs of Stride’s Shaun White Winter mint gum.
(Photos used with the permission of Tanner LaFrance)
Cry because your belly hurts from belly sliding down the mountain.
Belly slide down a mountain
Have trouble falling asleep because you just feel so cool in your footie pajamas.
Skateboard down a mountain.
12 SOURCE BREAKING THE NORM THE
February 29, 2012
SPORTS
Senior boys swim captain Blake Adams also has a problem. He injured his shoulder and neck “I tore both my labrums and I have a few vertebral disks out of place,” Adams said. There is no set recovery time. “It’s been going on for a while,” Adams said. “What started out as a small problem is now this full blown injury.” It even affects his daily life “I have to maintain good posture,” Adams said. “I also get random pain spasms.” However, Adams does attend frequent physical therapy sessions designed to maintain and build strength in his torn muscles. “I go to Physical Therapy about three times a week,” Adams said. He is not alone, however, because severe injuries account for 15 percent of all high school related injuries, according to sciencedaily.com. He does his best to deal with the injury, though. “I just don’t go as hard as I would like to,” Adams said. “I go until I can feel the physical tears i n my shoulder.”
BLAKE ADAMS
Injuries plague winter athletes
W
ith each season of sports comes a whole new season of injuries. Tears, sprains, breaks and contusions run rampant, and with the winter season they only get worse. We present to you a case study. These brave souls picked from the recesses of physical therapy and the school elevator present to you their story, so perhaps you will think twice before you attempt that “sick” trick to impress all your friends.
Sophomore Grant Hozeski decided to take a break from his usual routine and try something a little different. He went and carved the hills of Boyne Mountain instead of his usual Pine Knob. “It’s really fun to switch it up,”Hozeski said. “I don’t wanna be stuck on the same hills all the time.” What the experienced snowboarder didn’t expect was his broken wrist. As Hozeski traversed down the mountain, he found a log sticking out of the ground. “As I went down a fresh patch of snow, I saw the log and wanted to box it,” Hoseski said. “The next thing I knew, I was falling backwards and hit some ice. My hand was in a lot of pain, and I couldn’t move.” Since then, Grant has undergone corrective surgery to put support in his wrist. “The anesthetics don’t set well with me,” Hozeski said. “I hope I never have to experience that again.” Staying true to his statement, the veteran snowboarder decided he was done for now. “This is my second injury, and I just can’t risk another,” Hozeski said.
BECCA WAINEO
The 4-6 week recovery time isn’t anything to scoff at, but varsity hockey player senior Jeff Simon doesn’t let his MCL tear bother him. “Taking the puck up the ice, I was getting ready to pass it,” Simon said. “Then this guy dove at my knee and took it out.” Simon tore his MCL. The MCL is your Medial Cruciate Ligament, and it keeps your knee from bending sideways and snapping off. According to him, the doctors told him he didn’t need surgery. “Yeah, unlike an ACL tear, this one regrows,” Simon said. “So I don’t need surgery, which is a plus.” Simon can still drive around, and do everything he wants to thanks to the lesser severity of the tear. “I just have to wear a brace or wrap it up,” Simon said. “It really doesn’t hurt at all.”
JEFF SIMON
(compiled by Damian Rotarov/ Rakesh Reddy)
GRANT HOZESKI
Sophomore Becca Waineo isn’t the only one with a brace. This varsity cheerleader has been wearing an ankle brace to prevent more injury to her ankle. “There have been a lot of hurt ankles in the past… like pounding, which makes it worse.” Waineo said. According to Waineo, the ankle braces have become increasingly more common on the cheerleading team, and her own ankle brace has been reducing the stress on her ankle. “It’s getting better as I am now using the brace to stabilize it.” Waineo said. According to Waineo, she almost feels that the team had a bit of luck with these injuries. “I don’t know if you would call this lucky, bit most of our injuries happened during the beginning of the season, so we had more time to let things work out,” Waineo said.