The
Newsstreak
where every person has a story
Volume XC • Issue 1 • August 24, 2009
harrisonburg high school • 1001 garbers church road • harrisonburg, va 22801 • 540.433.2651 • Newsstreak.com •
Freeze Frame
Byrd explores medical field, dentistry
Marching band endures heat to perfect show Phillip Bannister Feature Editor
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On the edge. A sunny view of the Valley. Photo by Rafiqua Haji.
News Briefs
Streaks Serve the 'Burg members- which has combined both Lady Streaks Serve the 'Burg and the original Streaks Serve the 'Burg- volunteered at the Rockingham County Fair and have begun fundraising for their spring trip to New Orleans and Mississippi. To join, contact Dawn Womack or Meredith Turner. The club is open to all high school athletes, whether one participates in a fall, winter or spring sport. Freshman class officer elections will be held within the first two weeks of school. Contact sponsor Mallory Cromer if interested in running for office. Registration is still open to all those interested in enrolling in an online class. Contact your guidance counselor or Gail Collins.
ummer is nearly an entire month shorter for the Harrisonburg High School Marching Blue Streaks. Instead of hanging out at the pool or at the beach, marching band students find themselves assembled on a practice field to fine-tune their marching and playing skills before their first show. The marching band performs at every home football game, and the occasional away game, particularly at post-season competitions. The band also March on. Students had to face drastic changes in weather, from 95 performs at several marching degree heat, to rainy afternoons. Here, the flute section practices their competitions which are held marching routine on the field. Photo by Rafiqa Haji. up to three or four hours from Harrisonburg. “We’re looking forward take our show to the next This year’s band to this year,” senior Sarah level.” encountered unusually high DiNapoli said. DiNapoli, a SeniorAdam Imeson shares temperatures during camp; four-veteran of band camp DiNapoli’s enthusiasm for the the highest temperatures of and this year’s drum major, upcoming band season, but the summer were recorded feels optimistic about the not necessarily because of the during the two weeks prior to upcoming year, thanks to the youngsters at camp. school. The band was forced grit demonstrated by new “I’m excited about this to endure 90 to 97 degree young band members. year because we’ve got some weather for the duration of the “A lot of freshmen are new coaches who really know camp. The discomfort of the working really hard, so it what they are doing,” Imeson heat in addition to the weight should be easy to work with said. of instruments were tolerated them,” DiNapoli said. “The in order to put together a band has a lot of enthusiam see band camp, page b4 first-class marching show. this year, which should really
Updated athletic calender and scores Podcasts Advertisement forms Freshmen election results Breaking news Daily lunch menu
Coming Up: Best birthday cakes, best bakeries in Harrisonburg Football player spotlights Up and coming cross country stars Back to school foods Senior college applications Future fall fashion trends New school schedule coverage Homecoming preview Renaissance activities for the fall Class competition update
Sports Summer swimming spots
Dressed for success. Senior Emma DiNapoli (above) with suitemates Hollis Erickson and Callie Guy. Left: HSLP poses on UVA Rotunda’s steps
DiNapoli attends High School Leaders Program David Proctor News Editor
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he High School L e a d e r s Program— one of three programs run by the Sorensen Institute— is a highly competitive, nationally recognized summer program held at the University of Virginia that hopes to churn out future political leaders. At its core, it is a two-week summer program based on Virginia politics and how to make a difference in one’s community. Senior Emma DiNapoli was one of 32 high school juniors, seniors and incoming college freshmen who attended this year’s
HSLP. said. One of two guest Bragaw says he professors at this has seen application year’s HSLP was Dr. numbers increase Stephen Bragaw, a dramatically since professor of American the first year. In fact, Politics and Chair of Bragaw says the the Department of Institute received Government a n d International Seeing these Affairs at energized young Sweet Briar College. people ready to make “I love the a difference in the High School world is reassuring.” L e a d e r s Program at Guest professor the Sorensen Steve Bragaw Institute. Yo u n g e r p e o p l e have been apathetic almost four times the regarding politics for number of applications far too long. Seeing as they did in 1993. Yet these energized young enrollment numbers people ready to make have remained steady a difference in the at 30, split between world is reassuring. boys and girls. Remember, they are “It has been our future,” Bragaw remarkable. Sorensen
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Football team battles heat
used to be a well-kept secret but now we are receiving thousands of applications per year. That’s even more remarkable when you consider that we only allow Virginia residents in their junior or senior year of high school to apply,” Bragaw said. B r a g a w attributes this to word of mouth and the success that they have had in producing political leaders, a goal mentioned in its mission statement. According to the Sorensen Institute’s website, 130 graduates of the Institute have gone on to serve in elected office across the Commonwealth. See HSLP, page B3
he first day of football starts with temperatures already in the 80s, which will do nothing but rise into the mid 90s for the duration of the day. This is when the work of head football coach Tim Sarver begins. “The heat is always the main concern for coaches, it is a safety factor. But we have water breaks and professional trainers on the field which both act as a safety net,” Sarver said. And on this note the day begins. Harrisonburg is where some of the best talent in the region comes from, and it all starts on this sweltering summer day. The groggy players-to-be meet in the hallway outside the training room. Everyone walks in and dons their matching light gray practice suits. The players will now go into a health class room for their first meeting. Coach Sarver and others talk to the kids about what they do and the upcoming season. Next is testing time. By now temperatures are in the high 80s, a perfect time to send the kids out to prove their fitness. The entire group splits up into smaller units for this part. On the track players get timed on how fast they can run 40 meters. Everybody goes about this differently; some players wear only socks. They start with an easy 200 meter jog to
See Football, page B2
Students share Girls, Boys State experiences Ama Ansah Staff Reporter
G Smile pretty. Senior Jessica Strickler (far right) attended Girls State at Longwood College this summer.
Opinion A3
see Medicine, page b3
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or many students summer is a time to relax without school work. But for some students such as junior Ali Byrd, summer can also provide opportunities to further explore educational interests. Byrd spent ten days of her summer vacation on the campus of Georgetown University at the National Youth Leadership Forum on Medicine. “[The program] was to explore the medical field and different fields of medicine you can practice in for students who think they want to be doctors,” Byrd said. The program consisted of different sessions that were discussion based. There were sessions to discuss issues in the medical field. The forum dealt with the ethical side of the medical field and the problems that doctors and nurses can encounter throughout their careers.
Kavya Beheraj Staff Reporter
Sports Briefs Red Sea t-shirts will be available in room 444 for those interested. Shirts will be $10. Come support our teams in the student section! The varsity football team takes on Winchester’s Handley team on September 4. The game kicks off at 7:30- tailgating will begin in the parking lot at 6:00 p.m. The girls and boys cross country team has their first meet of the season on September 12. The meet will be run at Burtner Farm, at Peak View Elementary School. Buses will be provided to transport students to certain away football games. Further details will be available soon.
Christy Stearn News Editor
Starting over for a new school year
overnment and politics are not at the forefront of most high school student’s minds, especially in the summer. Of course, most high school students do not go to Girls or Boys State. Virginia Boys and Girls state is a summer camp like no other. State participants
Style A5
create a mock government, and run for political offices. Every year, the guidance department makes an announcement about Girls and Boys state. Students who are interested visit their counselor for more information. Sometimes, counselors contact students they think would be capable. “Potential candidates must be rising seniors and should show qualities
Feature
Learn about the RED phenomenon
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Summer campers enjoy wild activities at Young Life Camp
of leadership, character, scholarship and community service,” guidance counselor Amy Powers said. A selection committee chooses two girls and two boys to attend every year. This year, seniors Elise Elwood and Jessica Strickler attended Girls State. Ian Frazier and Edwin Bonilla were selected to attend Boys State.
see State, page b3
Photo Essay B4
Students enjoyed a variety of vacation activities this summer B5
The Newsstreak NEWS
August 24, 2009
August 25, 2008
News A2
page designed by Katie Surratt
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-8-11:30
On sale in room Homecoming ‘08 RED SEA 444. Only $10!
T-SHIRTS
Get yours now to be a part of the coolest student section in Virginia! the city that never sleeps
When: October 4 Time: 8-11:30pm Attire: Semi-formal
music by DJ White Mike
Cost: $13 single $25 couple Where: Gym Commons
Come for a night full of dancing!
The Newsstreak
August 24, 2009
FEATURE A3
Glick enjoys lifeguarding, maintaining pool spending their working hours at the pool. Over the past summer Joey Glick worked as a lifeguard at Spotswood Country Club (SCC). Having worked in the snack bar last igh school students’ summer summer, junior Glick was glad to get on job options are often limited the stands. “You have to be sixteen to by time and training actually guard,” Glick said. requirements. While most Rather than complain, Glick spent students choose to earn money in the summer of 2008 making sandwiches other ways, a few become lifeguards, and doling out ice cream with the understanding that the following year he would be on the stands. Now as a lifeguard, Glick looks back with a more positive attitude. “Sure, it was awful being inside the snack bar, but the deal had a pretty sweet end to it,” Glick said. “I’m getting to spend the summer hanging out by the side of a pool.” But the job isn’t all sun screen and diving board tricks- there is actual work involved. Each day lifeguards come in early to scrape algae off the pool walls and vacuum the pool floor, clean the On guard. Lifeguard Joey Glick in the stand at Spotswood Country bathrooms and take out Club. Picture by Jessica Stickler. the trash. In the evenings after the last guest has Jessica Strickler Opinion Editor
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left, they go around straightening the chairs, picking up trash and wiping down tables. On top of that, guards are responsible for checking the pH, alkalinity and chlorine levels in the pool three times a day. The skills it takes to take and read these measurements would make a chemistry teacher proud. The pH for pools needs to be 7.5, but typically ranges from 7-8.2. The difference is rarely noticeable. The alkalinity sticks around 240 parts per million. The chlorine is tricky. “We’ve been having some trouble with the chlorine levels [at SCC] this summer,” Glick said. “So we’ve had to put it in by hand when it’s low to balance it out. That way, the chlorination can stay between 3 and 5- a comfortable zone.” If the job still sounds easy, consider the work lifeguards must go through to obtain their certification. First of all, there is a fee to participate in the training which covers the cost of the instructor and the materials used. And if the fee didn’t make you blink, the lengthy schedule might. For Glick, the class he took had ten sessions, with each lasting two and a half or three hours. “The class sounds like a lot of work, but they break it down so you learn something and then quiz on it,” Glick
said. “Classes usually started around 7 p.m. didn’t end until after 10 p.m., so there were some late nights during the training.” In addition to the classes there is a final simulation in which the potential lifeguards must demonstrate to the instructor that they can properly remove a person from the water if they have a head or neck injury. “We also have to try to pull out someone who is fighting to be rescuedmeaning they are thrashing and continuing to slip under the water,” Glick said. In the end Glick mastered the certification without a hitch. “I was thankful I had a strong swimming ability. If I didn’t, I don’t know if I could have passed.” One perk that comes along with being a lifeguard at the country club is sibling privileges. Glick’s younger sister, Claire gets to hang out at the pool while Joey works. “It’s pretty sweet. Especially because Joey has to work and I can just hang out with my friends!” Glick said. Encouraged by his father, Joe Glick, Skyline Middle School principal, Joey decided to become a lifeguard. “My dad started life guarding in high school and continued in college,” Glick said. “It was sort of a ‘no-brainer’ for me. Plus, I love being outside.”
Smith Mountain Lake provides jet ski fun, fishing, time to relax Phillip Bannister Entertainment Editor
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mith Mountain Lake, a man-made lake less than two hours away from Harrisonburg, is a popular summer destination for students. While some families own lake houses, others rent houses or share with friends. Sophomore Melanie Bridges visited SML with sophomore Evan Wetsel, whose family owns a lake house.
“My friend Evan has a lake house there so she took me and two other friends,” Bridges said. Bridges says she enjoyed being able to spend time in the lake water. Most who visit Smith Mountain Lake spend their visit jet-skiing, water tubing, boating or tanning. “I’ve only been there once but I’m sure I’ll go again,” Bridges said. Bridges cannot think of a negative aspect of her lake visit. Junior Scott Measell makes
Float on! Sophomores Melanie Bridges, Evan Wetsel, Lexi Biller and Christy Stearn swim at Smith Mountain Lake. Photo courtesy of Evan Wetsel.
the trip to the lake two to three times a year. Measell enjoys how relaxing a trip to the lake is, but he does not like being away from his friends for extended periods of time. “The best part is getting to relax, and not having to worry about anything but having fun,” Measell said. Measell engages in similar activities to Bridges. “I ride jet skies, go out on the boat, swim, fish, eat a lot,” Measell said. He recommends Smith Mountain Lake for anyone thinking about taking a trip out to a lake or just looking for a getaway. “You definitely should go, it is a lot of fun, and you will realize how relaxing and enjoyable it is,” Measell said. Junior Ali Byrd’s trips to the lake are a little more frequent than those of Measell or Bridges. “We (Byrd’s family) go to the lake whenever we can during the summer. I’d say
we go once every two weeks,” Smith Mountain Lake, as Byrd said. well as other nearby lakes, Byrd, like Measell and provides a perfect getaway Bridges, enjoys tubing and from Harrisonburg during jet skiing. Like Measell the summer break. relaxing factor is a positive for Whether looking for a family her. vacation or a time to hang “The best part about going out with one’s friends, Smith to the lake is being able to relax Mountain Lake has something and get away while having lots for everyone. of fun,” Byrd said. Byrd enjoys spending time at the lake more when she has a friend with her. Typically, Byrd brings one or two friends with her per visit. “I usually take a different friend every time I go, unless we are having a special family weekend,” Byrd said. Byrd, like Measell, highly recommends a visit to the lake. “It is amazing, you create many new memories while having tons of fun,” Survey of 183 students Byrd said.
Do You Know How to Swim?
YES143 NO 40
Where do you go during summer break? Treshawn Lambert - Junior
Kris Smith Sophomore
Collin Hummel - Junior
Caleb Tucker -Sophomore
Stacey BailonSophomore
“My family goes to the beach or a national park to swim. But I would much rather be playing basketball with friends on a nice day.”
“My favorite pool activity is going off the diving board, although I don’t know any tricks.”
“ My family goes to Lake Anna a lot. But my friends and I hang out at Spotswood Country Club in the summer time.”
“Going to the pool is fun when it’s hot outside. But I would rather be skateboarding than hanging out at the pool.”
“Since I’m from New York, I like go to Coney Island and ride the rides. In the late afternoons, we sometimes go swimming.”
Rivalry + friends + swimming = one heck of a season Jessica Strickler Opinion Editor
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ach summer hundreds of kids and teens, gather together to swim for the local pools. Practices are once or twice daily and often challenging. However, the benefits far outweigh the consequences. Friendships are formed, good sportsmanship is learned and a love for swimming is found in the pool.
The eligibility requirements are minimal to join a team. Potential swimmers must be able to swim one length of the pool— unaided— and pay an average fee of $50, depending on the team a swimmer wishes to join. Practices are held once and sometimes twice, daily, starting about a week before schools gets out. Several members of the HHS swim team started out swimming for a local pool. They loved it so much they
Break time! Harrisonburg swimmers Katie Simmons and Connor Hegg, share a lane with Spotswood swimmer Katherine Adkins during a summer league practice. Photo by Jessica Strickler.
stuck with the program. Graduate Jack Haines started swimming for Westover the year after he finished fifth grade. Three years ago, he changed teams to spend more time with friends and swam for Ashby. He recalls spending hours at swim meets. “They were so much fun, I stayed until the very end, even if I had finished swimming,” Haines said. All meets are held on Tuesday nights starting at 5 p.m. with swimmer
warm-ups in the pool. Sometimes, meets take as much as four hours to complete- especially at rivalry meets. “The meets take forEVER,” said junior, Nicki Strickler. “But they take forever in a good way. We spend more time cheering than swimming on meet nights.” The biggest rivalry in the league is between the Ashby Anacondas and the ERRA Barracudas. Each team has more than 120 swimmers and almost all are present
Warm-ups! ERRA swimmers in the 9-10 age group practice the art of safely passing fellow swimmers by using the middle of the lane to advance. Photo by Jessica Strickler.
on the season’s biggest night. However, swimming isn’t all about winning. Sophomore Taylor McDonnell swims for the Broadway Sharks to be with friends. She also has gotten a lot better having swum for HHS in the winter season. Her best strokes are still backstroke and the 100 IM. But most importantly she says summer league swimming evokes memories of having fun. “For me, summer league isn’t about
winning. It’s about having fun and trying your best. Plus, there’s a lot less pressure to win all the time!” McDonnell said. Graduate Katie Simmons captured the essence of summer league swimming, “I go to practice every day because I want to, not because I have to. I get to see the little kids and cheer them on; watching them make it across the pool. In summer league, it’s all about your swim family!”
And they’re off! Budding swimmers learn the basics on the first day of practice. To accomodate their short stature, they start out in the shallow end of the pool. Photo by Jessica
The Newsstreak
August 24, 2009
Feature A4
HHS starts first year of class competitions Sarah DiNapoli Staff reporter
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ave you ever felt your grade was superior to the other three? Well, the 2009-2010 SCA is giving you an opportunity to test that theory. Starting this fall, HHS will have a year-long series of competitions known as the Class Wars. Students in each class will compete in events to earn their class points. Then, at the end of the year, the winning class will receive a grand prize. Emma DiNapoli, the 20092010 SCA president, came up with the idea for class wars while at the Summer Residential Governor’s School for Humanities two summers ago. “Some kids at gov school talked about it and I thought it
sounded really fun,” DiNapoli said of class wars. “Their school had games like dodgeball, field day, a talent show and dress-up days. They were really competitive about the whole thing. I think it made school more interesting for all the students.” She decided to suggest class wars to this year’s SCA because of HHS’s competitive spirit. “I think people have a lot of school spirit,” DiNapoli said. “If you give them a prize at the end, they have a reason to participate and come to school events.” According to DiNapoli, field day is one of the main events of the class wars. “We’ll do them like at the middle school—with sign-ups so everyone gets to participate if they want to,” she said. As far as the prize goes, it will be winner takes all. The SCA will be putting all of its
money set aside for the Class Wars into one grand prize. “At the moment, we’re thinking about doing a catered meal and a movie for the winning class,” DiNapoli said. “But that’s really up in the air. Opening Regal Cinemas for the whole class is an option.” To determine the winner, there will probably be a chip system. “Every time a student participates, he’ll get a chip to put in the class container. The chip won’t be able to be copied, so there won’t be any cheating,” DiNapoli said. “At the end of all the competitions, the class with the most chips will win. There will probably be a scoreboard as will to keep everyone motivated during the year too.” When asked who would win, DiNapoli said, “Our class will win because we win everything. We’re the best.”
Quick facts: 2009-2010 SCA Officers
President: Emma DiNapoli, Senior Vice President: Kirsten Warne, Senior Secretary: Ian Frazier, Senior Treasurer: Parth Goradia, Senior Reporter: Tricia Comfort, Senior Sponsor: Mrs. Kibler, Rm 444
Homecoming Theme Ideas Disney princess Clue (the mystery boardgame) Action figure/superhero Fiesta
Pre-football tailgate dates:
September 4- Handley @ HHS, 6:00 P.M. September 18: Robert E. Lee @ HHS, 6:00 P.M. *The SCA will meet every Tuesday afternoon; the meetings are open to all interested.
Students predict victorious classes Melissa Montavon Staff Reporter
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his school year begins with the start of even more class competition. The SCA has introduced year-long class wars and students have their opinions on the winner. From field day to a male beauty pageant, the SCA is bringing about some strong competitive feelings. Students’ predictions for the winner of the war usually favor their class. Of course, class pride is one of the reasons these wars will be so exciting. “The seniors will win because there is no competition,” senior Chris Moffett said. The class of 2010 will be the largest class to ever graduate from HHS. “Having more people gives seniors a big advantage,” Moffet said. The senior class does anticipate some competition from the
Poll of 86 Students
Class officers now responsible for more Sarah DiNapoli Staff reporter
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ith Class Wars starting this year, class officers have new importance. Now, they must get their grades motivated and organized to win the year-end prize. SCA officers are still speculating on the ultimate prize, but suggestions have included opening the Regal Cinemas movie theater to the winning class along with a catered meal. “Class officers didn’t have to do much the past few years,” senior, and former class co-president, Kyle Bourne said. “We had prom, of course, but nothing else really. Now class officers have more to do with class wars.” Senior Marion King agrees. “Class officers will be able to unite the class and organize activities that happen after school,” King said. “They’ll definitely be able to make a difference if they try.” Students can help the class officers by talking to them about what needs to happen.
“Talk to us or our class sponsor to get things happening,” senior class vice president, Drake Cary says. Sponsors are the teachers who help each class’ SCA. For freshmen, the sponsor is Mrs. Mallory Cromer. For sophomores, Spanish teacher Kim Hook is the sponsor. Juniors have Mrs. Bonnie Anderson, who can be reached during first and second block in room 538. Finally, the senior class sponsor is guidance counselor Tim Meyers. More importantly, talk to your class officers. “Class officers should be held responsible for helping each class win. They have the power and authority to makes things happen;” King says. “We can really help our class win class wars. But, to do that, we need our classmates to give us suggestions,” junior class co-president Isaac Rohrer said. “It’s hard to get everyone going if we don’t know what they want.” Senior class president Alazar Haregu agrees. “We definitely need everyone’s support to win this year.”
younger classes, however. “Next year’s juniors are very athletic,” senior Chelsea Thurman said. “They’ve got a lot of strong competitors to challenge us.” The competition doesn’t seem to phase most seniors, though. “Seniors of course will win. It’s our last year so we won’t let ourselves lose,” senior Kyle Saxton said. “We’ve spent four years together and have won every year so far. As the top dogs, we’ll be hard to beat.” Juniors Leo Arango, Savanah Cary and Olivia McCarty think that the juniors
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Seniors of course will win. It’s our last year, so we won’t let ourselves lose. We’ve won every year so far.” Senior Kyle Saxton
will be able to win class wars this year, even if they aren’t “top dogs.” The junior class is smaller than the senior class but includes many varsity athletes. “We have a lot of good athletes that play on teams with the seniors. That will increase the competition and make our drive to win stronger,” Cary said. Sophomores disagree. Freshmen Taelor Adams and Jessica Cross think that the sophomores can win in their second year at the high school. “Sophomores may be smaller, but we are more energetic,” Adams said. Freshmen Breton Nicholas gives a different opinion on next year’s champion. “I think the juniors will win.” He explains, “I mean, the sophomores will be like ‘Oh man, we’re just lame underclassmen.’ The freshmen will be like. ‘We’re such lame freshmen.’ The seniors will be like ‘School’s over, who cares about winning? Then the juniors will win.”
Class War Competition Events Potential activities for the 2009-2010 school year Male Beauty Pageant: Runway and all. Guys from each grade represent.
Powderpuff Football: Tournament of All-Girl Football Teams (Sept. 23)
Sockhop dances: Casual dances held after random home football games
Field Day: Old School competition, like in middle school
Dodgeball: A Tournament of Teams from Each Class
Perfect attendance: Students who have perfect attendence earn points
Karaoke Contest: Like Guitar Hero, but better
Dress-Up Days: wear the assigned look to earn points
Canned food drives: The class which brings in the most donatiions earns points
Make plans now to attend the
Talent Show: win points with talented classmates
Best Band or Choir Concert Attendance: Easy points--go to a concert
Renaissance kids: Being a Renaissance Kid will earn your class points
HHS HOMECOMING DANCE Saturday, October 3, 2009 8:00 - 11:30 p.m. HHS Gym Commons Tickets: $15 per person; $30 per couple
The Newsstreak
August 24, 2009
we
this
Op/Ed A5
Take advantage of high school Staff Editorial
believe
Emma DiNapoli Editor-in-Chief
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resident Barack Obama represents the ultimate success story. He came from a poor family, experimented with drugs and alcohol and became the first African-American President of the United States. He portrays the American ideal that hard work can create second chances for anyone. I believe that second chances aren’t impossible. I believe that hard work can take you wherever you want to go.A new school year began today. While presidential ambitions are not in the forefront of our minds-- looking to finish this first week without falling asleep in class is more realistic-- we can all take a page from Obama’s book. Why not start the new year with a new attitude? I believe that last year’s bad history test grades, serious lack of sleep and unfortunate run-in with the school administration do not matter to me. They are all in the past, although sleep deprivation is likely to be problematic for this year, too. This past summer at Camp Varsity Running Camp, team one— formally known as Toxic Shock Syndrome— finished last in every single event that campers competed in. Both skits, for example, were last by over 30 points. The same went for the Olympic events. And then to every camper and counselor’s surprise, their sand sculpture won first place, as the team renamed itself Total Success Story and spun a fairytale story about the power of hope and hard work. Imagine the shock of the entire camp when TSS won the culminating relay of the week, after beginning more than two and half minutes after the first team! If a tired team can win the most anticipated part of running camp after being dismissed as hopeless, why can’t we all get a second chance at winning?The point behind the Toxic Shock Syndrome example is to prove that, even when we are down, we aren’t necessarily out of the game. The Nationals (the Washington-based professional baseball team) just showed the world that they might have been like the worst baseball team in the country for a stretch, but that they are capable of turning their luck around and producing a recordsetting winning streak. It might be hard, but I believe that nothing in life is permanent. It is only once you convince yourself that nothing can change that it becomes true. When it comes to high school, it can be hard to break the cycle of procrastination that inevitably comes somewhere around the twelfth week of school. The key is to remember that something like homework is going to be a lot more painful anytime after midnight than it would be when you get home. Those bad habits from last year don’t have to mean anything this year! The past shouldn’t necessarily affect our future. They are why I believe in the possibility of second chances.
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he cliché about high school being ‘the best four years of your life’ has been used in so many movies, books, and graduation speeches. There’s even been a cliché about using the cliché. But what exactly makes high school the best four years of a person’s life? Is it all the class choices available? The late-night studying sessions, cramming for AP exams and finals? Hanging out with your friends between classes? Or is it the realization that these are the last four years you have with your parents, and hanging out with people you may have
been friends with for the last eighteen years? It’s all of the above. This is the last time your parents will be around to help you with every little problem you have. Once you graduate high school, you’re off to college and your parents won’t be there to bail you out anymore. As for your friends, some of them may end up in the same college or career path you do. The quiet, shy kid that sat in the back of the class may end up being your boss some day. A lot of kids don’t even make it through, though. HHS has the highest dropout rate compared with the county schools. Despite all the student loans and scholarships, not everyone who has finished going through the school system ends up at
the college of their dreams. Some of them don’t end up in college at all. What exactly makes freshmen drag themselves out of bed early for classes at 7:30 a.m? So they can spend the next four years pouring over textbooks and sweating about tests in the hopes that maybe when they turn in the last test they can make a successful job and ride off into the sunset? It’s worth it. It might be crazy, but it’s worth the risk. If you manage to work through the high school years and get your diploma, that’s one step closer to a chance of a college education that will help in the future. Don’t wish the years away. Take a deep breath and just dive in.
The Policy The Newsstreak is published by the students of Harrisonburg High School every three weeks. Reproduction of any material from the newspaper is prohibited without the written permission from the editors. Advertising rates are available upon request. It is the policy of the Harrisonburg City Public School Board to comply with all applicable state and federal laws regarding non-discrimination in employment and educational programs and services. The Harrisonburg High School City Public Schools will not discriminate illegally on the basis of sex, race, religion, national origin, disability or age as to employment or educational programs and activities. Editorials appearing without a byline represent the majority opinion of the staff, but not necessarily the opinion of the adviser, school administration, or the school system. Signed editorials are accepted from people on the staff, but are subject to editing according to published guidelines and policies. Editorials may be edited for special reasons. Letters to the editor are encouraged and must be signed and a telephone number must be given. Names may be withheld if the editorial staff feels there is a just cause. The Newsstreak reserves the right to edit and may refuse to publish ads or letters deemed inappropriate, libelous, or obscene. Please drop your letter by room 444 or give them to any staff member. Letters may also be sent to the high school. The editors and staff : Editors in Chief: Emma DiNapoli, Tricia Comfort
art by Vivian Tejeda
Seniors need to gear up for fun finale Emily Knapp Style Editor
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éjà vu is the experience of feeling certain that one has witnessed or experienced a new situation previously. But what do you call it when you know for a fact that you’re going to experience something again in the future? A premonition? An omen? Or just an incredibly strong hunch? Regardless of what it’s called, that’s what this column is to me – a representation of my senior year. I have known that this column would need to be written since the final days of my junior year. Everything was neat and organized and I naively believed that I would have it completed on time.
The best laid plans of mice and men, right? My life steadily grew more hectic as the summer progressed. I was either at work, eating, with my friends, or asleep. Or often, a combination of those. I rarely had a minute to unwind. Don’t get me wrong, I was happy. I loved every jampacked minute. It was just impossible to squeeze five minutes of quiet time in, let alone focus enough to write something of any worth. I was asked to have this written two weeks ago, and yet here I am – typing away, getting texted every 15 minutes with, “Where’s your story? When are you going to have it in? Is it done yet?” And you know what? I have no intention of changing the way my life is headed. I’m content completing every assignment frantically at the last second. I look forward to working
on projects at 3 a.m. or the block before they’re due. The amount of coffee I’m going to ingest in order to keep my eyes open does nothing but make me grin. Why? Because this is my senior year. I have but a mere 332 days until graduation, 130 until I know where I’m going to college and 172 until I’m legally an adult. Yes, education matters to me, but knowing that graduation is just around the corner clouds my vision. I am more than ready to get out, to move on, to be who I want to be. Seniors, I propose we make our final days a knock-outrock-out good time. I’m all geared up to end this 13 year sentence with a bang. We’ve been here far too long and deserve a little fun. Who’s with me?
What do you do when your senior friends graduate? Lauren Martin Ad Manager
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never really enjoy books, movies, plays, etc. that have a plot where the main characters are “I am all about the continuation of life and living it the way I want to and there’s nothing you can do about it”. I do not do well when it comes to things ending, starting over, or changing dramatically. So you can only imagine how perturbed I was as I attempted to find a writing spark for this column and kept coming back to, “this is the summer everything changes” as my topic. As I earlier stated, I do not do well with change. Although I am able to accept the fact that
change is inevitable, I have found ways of prolonging things (or at least the ones that are not the work of a higher power). Yes, I am guilty of maybe manipulating people a bit to feed into my demands of slight continuation. But to my misfortune, I have come to a slight halting in my road of keep-on-keepin’ on. I was hit by this realization while sitting at the graduation commencement for the class of 2009. Watching the caps fly through the air, I felt exhilarated and excited, knowing how happy everyone throwing their cap must feel. It wasn’t until the caps fell towards the floor that I realized while the ceremony was a symbol of new beginnings for graduates, it also meant it was the end of me having the many seniors I had grown so close
to.
Most would be leaving the area, starting their new lives with their new friends and little ol’ me would be stuck, still in Harrisonburg awaiting their return on holidays (alright, so maybe that is the more dramatic depiction of the way I feel about this particular change). This summer I have learned that I am no longer able to control the people in my life as I used to be able to. Why this is, I guess it is because the ones I am referring to have left for college. But someone once told me “giving up the driver’s seat and taking a back seat to life, can leave you with a view of your life you will cherish far more”. So this is me, hopping over the seat and buckling up for the long ride.
Johnson gears up for beginning of new educational career
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The Harrisonburg High School Newsstreak
Michael Johnson Staff Reporter
mily Johnson, HHS alumni, has chosen to go to JMU for her college education. “I am excited for college so I can meet new people, have new adventures, and have a good change,” Johnson said.
While excited, Johnson is also nervous about college. “The things I am most nervous about are the classes and the work load,” Johnson said. “I chose JMU because I liked the environment, the people were nice, and I liked it more than the other schools I got into. I liked Pittsburgh University a lot, but I did not like how it was in the city and there was no real campus,” Johnson said. Jackie Zito, Johnson’s mother said, “I
believe JMU is a good fit for her and it is a terrific university,” Zito said. Richard Johnson, Johnson’s father and a staff member at JMU said,“I am glad my daughter is going to my alma mater,” Johnson said. Johnson is excited for her college experience and pursuing her major which is communication sciences and disorders. Johnson’s older sister is currently attending JMU as well.
Managing Editors: Kim Antonio, Claire Sudol Section Editors: News - David Proctor Opinion - Jessica Strickler Style - Emily Knapp Feature - Alison Domonoske Sports - Claire Sudol Business/Advertising Managers: Lauren Martin, Molly Denman Photographers: Emily Jamieson, Rafiqa Haji, Maria Rose, Paulina Rendon, Olivia McCarty Cartoonist: Vivian Tejeda Page Designers: Ama Ansah, Jorge Colin-Estrella, Phillip Bannister, Christine Choi, Diana Gutierrez, Olivia McCarty, Maria Rose, Savanah Cary, Vanessa Ehrenpreis, Jack Burden, Aidan Newcity Staff Reporters: Kavya Beheraj, Emmett Copeland, Mitchell Depoy, Heather Hunter-Nickels, Michael Johnson, Emily Payne, Alex Rendon, Christy Stearn, Lukas Stephan, Tommy Tran, Will Turner, Conner Whitehouse, Madison Wilson Fun Director: Meagan Kelley Professional Affiliations: The Newsstreak participates as a member of several journalistic evaluation services including the Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA-2008 Gold Evaluationand 2005 Silver Crown Winner), Quill&Scroll Journalism Honor Society (2008 First Place International Award), National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA), Pacemaker finalist, the Virginia High School League, Inc. Trophy Class Award, and the Southern Interscholastic Press Association All Southern Ranking and Outstanding Newspaper in Virginia. newsstreak.com opt out notice: If you do NOT want to allow your student’s full name or image to appear on the school newspaper site, please send an email to vkibler@harrisonburg.k12.va.us stating: I understand that the school newspaper, newsstreak. com, now has an online version of the publication. I DO NOT want my son/daughter (place student’s name here) to have his or her name or image published on this online venue.
The Newsstreak
August 24, 2009
Style B1
Phillip Bannister Entertainment Editor
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roduct red is a lifesaving organization that anyone can choose to be a part of. Red joined with big name companies such as Mac, Starbucks, Converse, and Dell to help give medicine to the sick in Africa. The company works by partnering with companies, offering specific red products which people can choose to buy. If a person should buy a red product, part of the profit is donated by the company to get medicine for the sick. Not only do big name companies help to support red, celebrities also get behind the idea of red. By using their status in the community, they help spread the word about red and get others interested into the idea of helping out. The clothing company Gap also paired with red. Offering clothing with red slogans such as,” Inspi(red)” and “Bo(red).” Giving the customer an option to publicly support red and still give help to Africa. For Gap the red clothing product line is all about being
inspired and creativity. They give 50% of the profits they receive from red clothing to product red. Joining red can be done by the click of a mouse or walking into a store that offers red products. The red website itself does offer a great explanation of the goal behind product red. The site also explains the partnerships and goals behind each of the partner companies that have joined red. There is even a special section where you can sign up to join red and a red calculator. A calculator that allows you to choose items that you would like to order from red and the calculator tells you how much of an impact your purchases will make. The (Red) idea behind the company claims to be simple. Red does not want to be seen as a charity, cause, or theory. On the idea section of the website it states that it is “A simple idea that transforms our collective power as consumers into a financial force to help others in need.” More information can be found on the website www.joinred. com where viewers can get more of an idea about red and to see what a change people can make in others’ lives.
Project (RED) helps HIV/AIDS patients Phillip Bannister Entertainment Editor
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roduct (RED), an idea not a charity, is all about the idea of customers having the chance to save lives. Junior Naomi Ornstein’s interest sparked her movement into the world of product (RED). “Just the vast idea behind this simple word helping people in Africa who are dying of HIV/AIDS. It also fascinated me that buying an item as simple as a watch could possibly save someone,” Ornstein said. Every aspect of the (RED) idea appeals to Ornstein. “I think it’s a fantastic cause. Every item that is purchased from (RED) helps someone in Africa,” Ornstein said. For junior Emily Knapp the (RED) idea is more of an image than a help. “I am all about helping people, but (RED) is more of a fashion trend than a helpful organization,” Knapp said.
Knapp’s views on HHS having (RED) products are a mixture depending on reason. Knapp also believes that there is a good way of helping with (RED). “I am not saying (RED) does not help, it does. Allegedly the money is put to good use. My point is just that people should buy (RED) to save lives, not to be cool. For Knapp the (RED) idea does also brings questions, and suspicions. “Organizations like (RED) say they are sending x amount of money to impoverished countries, but how do we know that is true? We do not get to see their numbers. How do we know our money is not going toward corporate big wig salaries?” Knapp said. Unlike Knapp, Ornstein’s view on (RED) is solid. Ornstein would also encourage others contemplating whether or not to join (RED). “I would tell them that it’s a great cause and that they could save a life by purchasing something from (RED),” Ornstein said. “(RED) is a simple idea. ‘(RED) is not a charity, cause, or a theory.’
When people purchase an item from (RED) the company that it is purchased from will give up 50% of the profit to buy and distribute medicine to the people dying in Africa of HIV/AIDS. E v e r y dollar goes straight to the people in Africa, keeping them alive. According to the website, over 2.5 million lives have been impacted in just two small years.”
What were the summer trends? “Brighter colors with dresses and shirts. I have a lot of dark wash jeans and also ballet flats.” -Senior, Jessica Guzman
“I think logo t-shirts for sure are pretty trendy.” -Senior, Josh Gray
“Bohemian shirts and a lot of plaid shirts. Floral prints were also very in.” -Senior, Kirsten Warne
“Jean shorts was a summer trend.” -Freshman, Emily Donegan
Lorencki’s summer fashion crossing over to school
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Kim Antonio Managing Editor
or sophomore Kelley Lorencki, fashion has played a major part in her summer, but in the most unconventional way. She attended Young Life camp at Lake Champion, New York which showcased different looks throughout the week during themed nights. Country night, entertainment night, 50’s night and formal night were the different themes. Lorencki’s favorite night was formal night when she wore her orange sundress. “It’s by Taylor Swift and it’s one of my favorites,” Lorencki said. The different themed nights showed off different styles of the decade.
For country night, an entire hill at Lake Champion was scattered with guys wearing cowboy hats and girls sporting their riding boots. Plaid and denim patterns made up the entire crowd. Games consisted of pretending a trashcan is a bull, where one girl rides the bull and two guys lift the trashcan to the finish line. Country styled girls and guys really brought out their spirit. Another theme of the week was 50’s night. The clothing for girls was geared toward a more vintage, rockabilly feel. The outfits mirrored the clothing in Grease, a movie based in the 60’s. Guys wore their hair slicked back and proudly showed off their “I love Mom” tattoos. Girl’s painted their lips a crimson red and smiled with blushed cheeks in frilly poodle skirts. The long nights and the fashion that carried with
it echoed the fun, spirited attitude that every person at Young life exhibited. “The whole experience was beyond fun and everyone was not afraid to be themselves and nobody cared about what other people thought,” Lorencki said. However, on an everyday basis, Lorencki’s wardrobe consisted of colorful, casual wear. She wore tank tops, denim shorts, flip flops and casual summer dresses With summer ending and school rolling in, fashion is at a transitional point. Tank tops, summer dresses and short shorts are more likely to be replaced with conventional jeans and t-shirts, the more casual attire for school. Lorencki misses the summer style but believes it does not have to be
banned until next year, “I am going to miss summer fashion because we can not wear tank tops, but with the right style, you can still fit them in your wardrobe,” Lorencki said. Tank tops can still be incorporated with the right investments. For a layered look, a colorful t-shirt can be worn under a spaghetti strap tank top. Choices can range from choosing solid colors to going for a more edgy appeal with graphic t-shirts from PacSun or Hot Topic. Lorencki’s summer fashion had to range from crazy 50’s style poodle skirts and plaid shirts for young life, to classic denim shorts, soffees and flip flops for casual teenage summer wear. Though summer has come to a surprising end, her style never did.
The Newsstreak
August 24, 2009
NFL paying rookies too much Alex Rendon Staff Reporter
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he general consensus among the always economically sound NFL is, “If you’re great, we’ll pay you like you’re great. If you’re average now but were great before, we’ll pay you like you’re great. If you’re not that great, we’ll pay you like you’re good just don’t hurt yourself.” Over the last decade however, a new standard has emerged among these pecuniary rules. “If you were great in college, have a winning smile, and passed your online kinesiology class, we’ll pay you to grace our unworthiness.” If you are selected within the top ten picks of the NFL draft, before you even play a single down, expect a big fat contract just for showing up. It seems like a great deal considering that a large portion of each contract is guaranteed money. Former Texas Tech standout Michael Crabtree, however, is quick to disagree. Crabtree, under the astute guidance of his agent (who doubles as his cousin), was prepared to sit out the entire 2009 NFL season in order to re-enter the draft in 2010. To the naked eye, this was a blatant act of hubris. Hopefully, it was a bluff. In any case, the NFL sees this all the time. In the good ol’ days, you graduated, you signed, you played, and you rode off into the sunset. This usually doesn’t happen anymore. Now, you graduate (possibly), you sign (hopefully), you disappoint (usually), you forge a comeback (inevitably), and you’re forced to ride away into the sunset. This seems to be the case, at least, when a top rookie is involved in heated contract negotiations and fails to sign prior to training camp. Whether it’s the agent, an impossibly large hole in a bank account, or sheer cockiness, the odds that anything good comes out of such a situation are beyond slim. The NFL is widely recognized as “a grown man’s league.” If you don’t believe it, listen to Cris Carter’s speech at the 2009 Rookie Symposium. With a voice that every army general wishes he could have, Carter outlines repeatedly that “this ain’t no little boy’s league!” Carter should maintain a presence when the rookies go off to sign their lucrative contracts. He could serve as a reminder to the rookies not to act like “little boys.” The media tends to portray players with contract disputes in a disdainful light and nobody wants the media to turn on them because once the media does, the fan base soon follows. It’s generally a grim situation for everyone involved. The NFL should just take a page out of Major League Baseball’s handbook - pay the rookies somewhat diminutive amounts while you pay the veterans the requisite 19 digit figures. That way, the youngsters have something to look forward to. If Plan A fails, then the responsibility lies on the rookies and their agents. If Michael Crabtree wants to have a career half as good as Cris Carter’s, he better make sure things are all sunshine and rainbows between him and the 49ers soon. Otherwise, his college years will literally have been the best years of his life. tt
Sports B2
Football teams getting ready for new season Football, from A1 get loosened up, and after that two kids at a time line up. Unlike most races, the time starts at the left mans first movement not a “Ready, set, go” situation. Each player runs 40 meters twice and is always competing against who they are running with (the players are told to choose someone close to their speed). The trek is then made down to the practice fields; the site of countless running drills. This is where the group’s relays, which test agility, are held. For the relay, one person stands in the middle of three 10 yard lines. He then runs left to touch the line and does the same with the right to finish across the starting line. This drill punishes the few who forgot their cleats. Cleats are a must for the agility work in the field. The sweaty and hot unit now moves into the Auxiliary Gym where their vertical jump is tested on a set of mobile stairs. A measuring tape is attached to the wall and each player’s height is measured. Coaches then measure the player’s highest jump, which the height is subtracted from to get their vertical. In the weight room, offensive line coach Chris Grefe and others are overseeing the bench press test. Kid’s groans and shouts of panic ring out until their spotter helps and get the weight off of them. Across the hall in the training room, height and eyesight are being taken. After a short break, the players have another meeting with the coaches. The players go back out to the practice field for some punting and field goal exercises. After a longer break, a top secret offense meeting takes place with offensive coordinator Joe Carico. The entire day had a positive feeling. Senior receiver Troy Jones and senior offensive lineman Nick Fornadel both made comments on how it was going to be a great season.
“The offense will be strong this year, but the defense is really going to have to work hard to recover,” Jones said. “Although I feel like we have had some strong additions to the defense as well.” As the afternoon got into full swing the first official practice begins. Hard running, drills and constructive criticism from all coaches becomes a regular occurrence for the players s t a r t i n g then. With temperatures in the mid-90s now, water breaks Water break! Brothers and quarterbacks junior Jake Johnson and senior Tanner are frequent, Johnson take a water break during practice. Photo by Maria Rose along with the is really serious. running. As practice winds down and players This is the first time each specialized group has peeled off from the whole team. begin to disperse into the locker room, The offensive line stands with Grefe, the remaining coaches talk outside with a while Carico works with the offense and positive tone about the upcoming season. “I’m feeling good about this season. It’s three other groups are formed performing various drills and actions. Once everyone good to have a returning quarterback, the is warmed up, the team starts to go over defense will need to rebuild some though,” basic plays and acts out some mock plays. Sarver said. The first game of the season will be This goes on for about a half an hour. At 3:30 the players are starting to look on September 4 against Handley, and is tired and there is even more running. guaranteed to be a difficult game. “This will be the hardest opening Players get into three rows and take turns running forty yards back and forth. This schedule I can remember in my 24 years drill shows who is out of shape and who as head coach here,” Sarver said. tt
Volleyball coaches replicate real games in tryouts Kavya Beheraj Staff Reporter
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hirty-eight girls tried out for JV and varsity volleyball on August 10. Of the 38, 24 players were chosen for the teams. The qualities that Andy Thompson, a volleyball coach for the past fourteen years and head coach for the past two, looked for in players were skills, work ethic, attitude and “coach-ability”. Besides having the skills necessary to play, such as passing or serving, Thompson based his decision on the player’s at-
titude as well. “If you’re listening, and are open to suggestions and criticism, you’ve probably got a good attitude,” Thompson said. During tryouts Thompson got to see their personalities and also their skills. “Tryouts were just a bunch of drills and passing,” senior Samantha Simmons said, who will play on the varsity team. Some drills were designed to gauge the player’s abilities, and others, such as a serving drill, simulate a real game. The serving drill tests whether players can get their serves across the net. “When you’re in a game and you’re serving, there are fans, there’s the other
team, there’s a lot of pressure,” Thompson said. The team practices serves now so that serving in a game is not as stressful. Despite all of the drills and practices, cuts are a necessary part of tryouts. “It’s a luxury and it’s unfortunate because it’s nice to know a lot of people want to play, but it’s not a very pleasant experience for the coaches or the players that get cut. But we only have but so many spaces,” Thompson said. Senior Amber Hensley was on the team last year and made it again this year. She loves the game. “Volleyball is the best sport in the world,” Hensley said. tt
Zimmermann enjoys her first year of running camp Heather Hunter Staff Reporter
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n the morning of August 2, six HHS girl cross country runners left for Camp Varsity, along with their coach, David Loughran. Costing $425 per person, Camp Varsity Running Camp is a cross country camp located in Madison, Va. in the Blue Ridge Mountains. As a tradition, Coach Loughran invites Rocktown Harriers Madison Wilson, Alison Domonoske, his fall runners to camp every Dasha Love, Emma DiNapoli, Tricia Comfort and Tabea year. “It [camp] is only once Zimmerman enjoy the last day of Camp Varsity. a year so you never really get bored of it,” said Loughran afternoon,”Zimmerman said. “We also who is returning for his seventh year. had lots of competitions and games. My One runner, junior Tabea Zimmerman, favorite memory was the camp dance on had a great first experience. “I want to tell Friday night. We dance to all of the songs people that camp is just so much fun, es- that we had heard during the whole week pecially because you can act so goofy and and we danced until 1 a.m.! It was so much crazy and no one cares at all,” Zimmerman fun and I was so sore!” said. “It's a great week to just have fun Legends abound at Camp Varsity. One while also doing a little bit of running!” legend in particular is of Old Man CaBeing one of the two new campers on chum. “There was an old broken down her team, Zimmerman acclimated quickly. house on the outskirts of camp, a haunted “The first day was a little hard, but the house,” Loughran said, “and there was other girls on the team did a good job of this crazy dude (old man Cachum) who making sure that I knew what was going murdered his family and killed himself. on,” she said. Now he haunts the camp, and the counCamp Varsity is a combination of fun selors like to scare the kids with Cachum’s and hard work. “We ran twice a day, story.” once in the morning and again in the Rumors haunted campers too. “There
were rumors that everyone had to eat slop, leftovers that were just thrown together at the end of the meal,” Zimmerman said. Zimmerman had learned of Camp Varsity last year. “I decided to go to camp because I had heard that it was so much fun from all of the other girls.” Zimmerman said. “Plus, one day last winter, I passed Emma DiNapoli in the hall and she told me that I should go. I guess the idea just stayed with me!” As camp began to wrap up, a big relay race was held. “Basically, teams are made at the beginning of camp,” Loughran said. “And throughout the days you can earn points for your team. The more points you make, the closer your team is to the starting line. Before the race ends, a runner must catch a fish (with a fishing pole); when caught, they pass it to the last person in their group; and that person runs off the dock and into the water (still holding the fish). Winners get the first showers, and get to pig out on ice-cream. My team won a few years ago!” “Before camp I was really looking forward to meeting runners from other schools,” Zimmerman said. “Now I'll be able to hang out with them at meets later in the season.” Zimmerman said she will definitely go to camp next year. “It was the best week of my whole summer and I can't wait till next year!” Zimmerman said. “I suggest the whole cross country team to please come next summer. It's a blast.” tt
Golfers setting team, personal goals for season Jack Burden Staff Reporter
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rom the beginning of August to early October, the Harrisonburg High School golf team meets every Monday through Friday to practice and compete against other area schools. The team will play in district matches and various invitationals until September 9, when the Massanutten District tournament begins. The points winner of the regular season and the team who does best in the tournament moves on to regionals. The top three players from the district tournament also move on to regionals, regardless of whether or not their team is moving on. From regionals, the top two placing teams move on to states. Mike Ruckman, who is in his 17th season as HHS’ golf coach, has high hopes for this season team. The team won their first district match, beating the defending district champions, Turner Ashby, by three strokes. Instrumental in the team’s victory was Kyle Bourne, HHS’ one
seed, shooting a 74, to tie Spotswood’s Robbie Failes. “I think we’ll make at least regionals,” junior Sam Obenshain, the teams fourth seeded player, said. Ruckman believes the team can go even further. “I think we have a chance to sneak into states,” Ruckman said. But making it to states is not the only goal for members of the team this season. Some goals are more personal. “I hope to break 80 at least once, shoot a solid 77, 78,” senior Kyle Saxton, the third seed for the team, said. However, before any goals can be accomplished, Ruckman believes the team needs to do some more work around the greens, and learn how to manage the course better. Until the team competes on Sept 9, it will hope to clench its spot in the regional tournament by winning the district outright. As the team competes, however, Ruckman wants everyone to just have a good time. “The point of the golf team is to make everyone better, to try to improve on their game.” tt
The Newsstreak
August 24, 2009
News B3
Sorensen institute trains future political, leaders HSLP, from A1 79 have been appointed to positions on State Board and agencies. Others have gone on to work in the Governor’s office, the White House and Capitol Hill. “We hope that if we instill one thing in these students, it’s that political activism is a lifelong thing. And I think that message is sticking. Two students recently started a PAC (Political Action Committee). Others continue to submit OpEds to the New York Times and Washington Post and get published. A student from our Class of ‘07 ended up as the Assistant Secretary of Commerce in Virginia. I’ve used this term quite a bit, but it truly is remarkable,” Bragaw said. Bragaw hopes that students follow their passion in politics and not use the Institute as
resume padding. “We have a fairly rigorous application process. We can see right through those who are using the Institute solely to get into college. We aim to inspire many young people to make a difference and I think that message is getting through,” Bragaw said. DiNapoli worked on her application for several weeks before submitting it. “We had to write an essay about a personal experience and how it affected the way we look at the world,” DiNapoli said. “I wrote my essay about when I was in London and there were several bombings, and how I realized that people should all be recognized their government so they don’t turn to terrorism.” Following the submission of applications, applicants were selected for an interview with
Sorensen alumni and directors. “I wasn’t really nervous about my interview,” DiNapoli said. “I don’t really get nervous about talking to people.” Several months after applying, students were notified about their acceptances and sent information about their summer. The curriculum and schedule were carefully kept secrets until participants’ arrivals at UVA. The schedule started at 8:30 each morning, with classes running until five or six in the afternoon; guest speakers were interspersed between classes. The program’s curriculum is made up of three sections. “The Informed Citizen” focuses on local government, how government works and what issues are currently facing Virginia. “The Thoughtful Citizen” focuses on how Virginia policy is formed and
debated. Students further discuss issues facing the Commonwealth and discuss how to make a difference in policy before the General Assembly. The final section, “The Active Citizen” teaches students how to write a powerful Op-Ed, lobby issues with legislators and pitch issues to the media. “The classes were usually an hour and a half to three hours long,” DiNapoli said. “They were usually discussion based, so we would do readings the night before and come in and talk about what we read. Sometimes discussions would get really intense if we were talking about controversial issues like raising taxes or social services.” DiNapoli says her favorite part of the Sorensen experience was getting to meet students from around the state with the
same interests. “The best class we had was the Budget Game. We divided into the Senate and House of Delegates and settled on a budget for the next year. I was in the Senate and it took us more than two hours to come to a compromise because we all had such strong opinions,” DiNapoli said. “The other Emma and I wanted to raise taxes for the upper ten percent of the population and everyone else was against us.” The High School Leaders Program is a valuable experience for high school students interested in politics. According to DiNapoli, the connections made at Sorensen can open doors in the future. “The HSLP was such a good experience,” DiNapoli. “I am so glad I went, and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in politics or Virginia government.” tt
Boys, Girls State use simulations to teach about local, state governments State, from A1 Boys State was founded in 1939 by the American Legion, a patriotic community service group. The purpose of this camp is to teach student show a state government works. Girls State was founded in 1946 by the American Legion Auxiliary with the same goal in mind. Boys State participants stayed at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia from June 21st to the 27th while Girls State was held at Longwood University in Farmville, Virginia for the same period of time. Though the camps were separated by gender and held at different locations, the activities were very similar. “We have speakers, activities, and time with our cities to run/campaign/ elect officials to help run Girls State, just like the state of Virginia,” Strickler said. “We listened to lots and lots of speakers including the attorney general [Bill Mims], the lieutenant governor [Bill Bolling], and the governor [Tim
Medical camp excites kids about future careers Medicine, from A1 The program attendees also spent several days learning about the kind of medical problems that can affect teens, such as HIV/AIDS and other STD’s. According to Byrd, not all of the sessions were extremely interactive; some sessions were lecture based. However, Byrd’s favorite session was discussion based, with a debate monitored throughout the session. “I liked the session on ethics because we had to have a mock debate and that was fun because it was interactive,” Byrd said. “I didn’t like the first night because we just played get to know each other games” If you were to ask Byrd what profession she wanted to be a part of when she is an adult, she would not hesitate to answer that she has not changed her mind since she was eight years old. “I definitely want to be a dentist,” Byrd said. “I’ve wanted to be one since I was like eight years old.” Byrd feels that the decision to teeth will give her a wider opportunity within her career choice. Byrd feels that besides the verification of her future career, she brought a lot back from the ten days forum. She does plan to use the knowledge she is taking away and apply it to her life. “It gave me insight into what college will be like,” Byrd said. “Especially with the dorms and free time between classes.” Even with the insight she gained about the medical field as well as college experiences to come, Byrd still does not know which school is going to carry her to her future dreams. She has narrowed it down to her top three choices but is still deciding. “I’m not sure where I want to go, but UVA is my number one choice. JMU is my number two, and VCU also has potential because they have a five year program instead of eight years”. tt
Kaine],” Elwood said. “We would wake up at about 7 [a.m.], go to breakfast and then a church service. After that, we would have one of the three speakers for the day. The speakers were all state and local legislators that talked for about 45 minutes about their position in government,” Frazier said. “After the second speaker, we had free time. This is when you could play in any of the sports tournaments or speaking or CPR classes... After dinner, we would have another speaker and then end the day with the other people in our city.” When students arrived, they were assigned dorms. The occupants of one dorm made up one “city.” There are two students in every dorm room. One is assigned to the Federalist Party while one is assigned to the Nationalist Party. The selections for the cities and parties were completely random. State participants were given the option to run for office in their newly created government.
“If you want to fully participate, it is best to run for some form of office,” Strickler said. Frazier and Elwood ran for senatorial positions in their respective cities. Strickler ran for mayor. To be eligible to run for any office at State, participants must first be able to win their party nomination. When voting in city elections, participants put their heads down and raised their hand in vote for whichever candidate they were supporting. Strickler failed to gain her party’s nomination, so she focused on running for city council instead. “I campaigned for City Council with a few posters, along with a short speech,” Strickler said. Students interested for running for a position in State government— Governor, Attorney General and Lieutenant Governor—had to attend their party’s convention where they were required to give a speech on why they were suited for the position. “In the final election both candidates, one from each party, gave a speech in
front of the entire Girls State and everyone voted using ballot machines,” Elwood said. In the end, Elwood was elected Senator and Strickler won one of the six positions on her city council. Frazier lost the senatorial race, but he did win his bracket of a tennis tournament held at the camp. “Most everybody would say, “it looks great on a college application” and that would be their only reason. But for me, it was more about making the most of an opportunity given to me by the Ladies Aux 188,” Strickler said. “So even though there were times I wasn’t having the most fun, I looked for the positive, so that I could come back and honestly thank Post 188 for allowing me to attend.” “You really get to see how the state government works and you get to meet lots of state legislators,” Frazier said. “Plus, you get to meet a lot of different kids from all across the state.”tt
The Newsstreak
August 24, 2009
campin’ out...
Feature B4
HHS Students spend their summers working or attending camps Zimmerman works as counselor at Highland Retreat summer camp Savanah Cary Feature Editor
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any students will be attending camps this year as participants, but junior Tabea Zimmerman found a job working at Highland Retreat camp as a kitchen assistant. She is able to make money while still having fun and making new friends with the other counselors and lifeguards of the camp. She found out about the job from having attended Highland Retreat as a camper in previous years. “It’s nice not to be with the kids all the time,” Zimmerman said. “I don’t have to deal with homesickness, and I
can hang out with the kids, but I have She starts her day in the kitchen at 7 no responsibility to be around them a.m. to serve breakfast, which lasts until all the time.” Zimmerman worked at 9:30. Then she is free to do other camp Highland retreat for five weeks this activities until 11:30 when she begins summer, starting the day after senior serving lunch. Lunch lasts until 2 p.m. graduation, June 14. Highland Retreat is then she is free again until she serves farther away from Zimmerman’s house dinner from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Her last job compared to most people’s jobs. She of the day is to serve a snack from 8 drives forty five minutes to get there, 8:30. then stays for the whole However, camp week. She is then not everything able to go home for the about her job is It is practically like weekends in between the enjoyable. volunteering, but it ‘s camp weeks she works. “My least fun. ” The camp goes from favorite part Sunday afternoon to of my job Junior Tabea is washing Friday evening and Zimmerman Zimmerman stays in a d i s h e s , ” Zimmerman cabin reserved for staff.
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said. Although Zimmerman does not enjoy washing dishes, she does enjoy meeting all of the counselors and other employees of the camp. One of the support staff taught her a game called star spin. “You focus on a star and spin around for thirty seconds, then someone flashes a flashlight in your face and you fall down,” Zimmerman said. “There’s nothing you can do about it, every single time you just fall right to the ground.” Although Zimmerman enjoys working at the camp, there is one thing she would change. “I wish I got paid more,” Zimmerman said. “It’s practically like volunteering, but it’s fun.”
Young Life camp mixes Christianity, entertaining camp activities, fun
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Alison Domonoske Feature Editor
“The worst part is you don’t know who is a pirate so you could just be talking to some guy and then they flip you,” Jerlinski said. “And in the paddleboats they would let out the bottom and the boat would start filling with water. Then you can’t even paddle away.” Young Life camp is so full of fun activities that many students had no bad memory. “The worst part was leaving,” Cabrera said. However, not everyone enjoyed everything. “I got the flu on the last day,” Jerlinski said. “That was bad.” “My worst experience was when I ate an oreo milkshake and then went on the tubes and went really high and fell on my back,” junior Justin L’ecuyer said. “It sucked.” Young Life is not just about fun and games, though. Each day the campers had an hour or longer ‘club’, which is the Young Life version of a church service. “Club is basically where all of camp gets together in a giant room and we sing, dance and just have fun,” Steere said.
“Club is awesome because you get “You’re doing all these fun, awesome to have fun and they talk about God activities and then you incorporate it and Jesus in a way that you can relate with God and the Word.” Carter said, to them,” Cabrera said. “They don’t “It’s like Jesus equals fun.” sugarcoat anything. They show you how Jesus actually was; like how he died on the cross.” The Young Life campers also like club because the leaders 33 Athletic camps are more their age and are not just talking at them. 8 Academic camps “If you’re questioning your Art camps faith at all or don’t 5 know what you believe, go to Young Enrichment camps 4 Life and find out,” Jerlinski said. If you want to experience Boy/Girl Scout camps 3 a different kind of Christianity 55 people while having fun Fun camps surveyed for 2 Young Life camp is poll probably the place by Michael for you. Religious camps 1
ix days of wakeboarding, beach volleyball, camp crushes and Jesus. Young Life Camp in Glen Spey, N.Y. is where local teens get to experience all of this. This summer, HHS sent 29 students to the Lake Champion camp where, along with around 500 other kids, they spent July 4 through 10. “It is honestly the most fun week of your life,” junior Jasmin Steere said. Each day, students can take wakeboarding lessons before breakfast, play games with fellow cabin members like beach volleyball and experience hours of free time. “My favorite thing to do during free time was going on the giant rope swing. It’s magnetized and they pull you back so far,” junior Bianca Jerlinski said. During free time campers can play pool, go to the Craft Shack to make bracelets, relax in the hot tub, play Frisbee or go tubing in the lake. Each night there was also a themed activity; one night was a Sock Hop and another was Rodeo. The camp provided endless options for entertainment but the campers also made their own fun. “The guys would play this game called Fumble. If a guy was standing in a group of girls all the other guys would yell fumble and go tackle him,” junior Sofia Cabrera said. “It’s really funny.” It might be funny to watch but guys don’t necessarily enjoy participating. “My worst memory was being fumbled by like 10 guys,” junior Jose Rojo said. Young Life campers also made up a pirate game. “You would just be sitting in your canoe or tube and people swimming around were the Making the leap. Junior Sofia Cabrera crosses platforms at the ropes course pirates who would flip you,” challenge hosted by Young Life Camp. Photo courtesy of Sofia Cabrera. sophomore Amber Carter said.
Best/Worst Camp Moments Colin Hummel, 11 Best: “When I learned how to ride a dirtbike.” Worst: “Falling off a horse.”
Armeen Pirooz, 12 Best: “When I won a trampoline competition.” Worst: “When a downhill skier ran into me.”
Kyle Saxton, 12 Best: “Once I roped a steer.” Worst: “I got caught making out with some chicks.”
Which summer camps are most attended?
Johnson
On the ropes. Sophomore Sarah Shick is up high in a ropes course challenge at Young Life Camp. Campers took part in many different activities, but also spent time learning about God and Christianity. The incorporation of religion and summer fun made for a unique camp experience. Photo courtesy of Sofia Cabrera.
Band polishing new routine for season Band camp, from A1 A combination of youth and experience is something that the 2009 musical Streaks are looking to use to their advantage. Band students attend camp in order to get their performance to look and sound as fluid and in-sync as possible. They do this by practicing ardently in the searing heat to prepare for the Friday night games, where they are faced with a different kind of climate. Fall Fridays in Harrisonburg, Virginia tend to put the musical Blue Streaks at the mercy of dwindling temperatures and escalating wind chills. Throughout it all, however, band members push forward. “It’s really hot out there at camp. And I mean really hot. It gets uncomfortable but you have to focus. You can’t be a
wuss at band camp,” senior Ben Haines said. As the first home football game of the year approaches, the members of the Harrisonburg High School band get ready for their first performance as well. Throughout the game, but especially at halftime, the band will see their hard work pay off in what they hope will be a stellar show. As they march on field, the band members will be able to appreciate their time spent at camp learning their routines. “Band camp is really important because the new marchers learn how to march and the veterans get a refresher course,” junior Ryan Stees said. “We work on fundamentals, which are extremely important, all to put on a good show on the field.”
Mark Mullenex, 11 Best: “Playing soccer with college players.” Worst: “Screwing up in soccer in front of college players.”
Patrick Toohey, 12 Best: “Playing tetherball with Trevor Shank and Thomas Wong.” Worst: “Someone put a water mocassin in my bed once.”
When the heat gets to be too much, band moves inside HHS to practice. Above: Britany Curry practices colorguard routines on the stage. Upper left: Mellophones “buzz” into mouthpieces. Bottom left: The clarinet section reads music under the staircase.
August 24, 2009
The Newsstreak
Photo Essay B5
Summer Fun in the Sun
...memories from our favorite season
Dressin’ Up! HHS girls dress up and strike a pose at Young Life camp.
King of the World! Best friends and seniors, Jessica Rutledge and Emily Knapp enjoy summer to its fullest.
The right stuff. Junior Max Soloman practices hula hooping at Young Life camp help in Lake Champion, New York.
Sophomores Sarah Shick and Amber Carter and Juniors Bianca Jerlinski, Sofia Cabrera, and Bianca Joiner enjoy a sunny day at Youg Life camp.
Sophomores Mollie Mace, Kelley Lorrenki, Sarah Shick, Amber Carter, Juniors, Bianca Jerlinski, Sofia Cabrera, and Seniors Diana Gutierrez and Sally Kardos enjoy their last days Cool ride. Junior Rachel O’Connor enjoys learning how at Young Life camp. to wakeboard during the summer at the popular Smith Mountain Lake
What a view! Senior Armeen Pirooz stands over the Puget Sound in Seattle, Washington overlooking the landscape. Dancing feet. Sophomore Kelley Lorrenki twirls gleefully on a sunny day while listening to her favorite song.
By Rafiqa Haji
Ready to fly! Senior Kirstin Warne kicks off the summer and her 18th birthday by learning how to hang glide in Florida.
Kyle Bourne along with his dad and brother sight see San Francisco , California.
Mountain beauty. During the summer, students take road trips up to Reddish Knob and enjoy the scenic view of the valley.
Summer sluggers! Carrie Borwn waits with her teammates for a game during softball camp.
Relaxin’ in the Arboretum Sophomore Kelley Lorrenki and Senior Irving Perez spend a day at the JMU Arboretum and relax in the park.
Reliving the good ole’ days Sophomore Ryan Maphis cools off by swinging with friends ar Purcell Park.