February 19, 2010 Newsstreak

The

Newsstreak

where every person has a story

Volume XC • Issue 8• February 19, 2010

harrisonburg high school • 1001 garbers church road • harrisonburg, va 22801 • 540.433.2651 • Newsstreak.com •

Freeze Frame

Streaks Serve Soup Night raises money for good cause The ‘Burg plans spring break mission trip Aidan Newcity Sports Editor

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he students in the National Art Honors Society came up with a slogan for their annual soup night: “A night of art, music, food, and fun for a good cause”.

The money raised as a result of soup night goes to the National Art Honor Society scholarship and a house that is being made into an art center.

For $10, customers are able to pick a handmade bowl from a wide variety that have been hand crafted for the event. Along with the bowl, they get soup, bread and dessert.

To make the night even more enjoyable, the patron will see soup night, page a3

Digging Out! Record snow falls closed Harrisonburg Schools Feb 5-9. City maintenance staff worked diligently to clear the parking lots at the high school. Photo by Bradley Walton.

News Briefs The HHS Forensics Team placed second overall at the Massanutten District Forensics meet on Feb 4.

All HHS team members qualified for the regional meet to be held at Fort Defiance on March 6.

Jesse Henninger placed 3rd in Impromptu, Cat Halpern placed 2nd in Extemporaneous Speaking Domestic Affairs, Maria Rose and Alison Domonoske place 2nd in Duo Interpretation, edwin Bonilla placed 2nd in Storytelling, Zach McDonnell placed 2nd in Hummorous Dramatic Interpretation, Lindsey Carpenter placed 2nd in Serious Dramatic Interpretation, Kathy rodriguez placed 1st in Serious Dramatic Interpretation and Ama Ansah placed 1st in Original Oratory. 

Soups on! Sophomore Bryan Chicas prepares his bowl to be glazed in the kiln during his advanced art class. Attendees at the annual even get a hand crafted bowl, a variety of soups, desserts and live entertainment. Soup night will be held in the gym commons on March 11 beginning at 6 p.m.

Photo by Emily Jamieson.

Key Club continues efforts to help Haitians donate with the ‘Help Michael Walk’ fundraiser and we weren’t expecting another fundraiser so soon. I think that people are still donating though because of how much this is on TV and in the media. The pictures have a bigger effect on people,” Swayne said.

Key Club sponsor Tony Antonnicola is disappointed by HHS’ efforts thus far. He estimates that to this point, HHS has raised roughly $1400. However, students have only donated about $400 of that.

“On this particular project, HHS is not living up to its potential. All the other natural disasters raised more than this. We raised six or seven thousand dollars for Katrina, a similar amount for 9/11 and probably five or six for the tsunami,” Antonnicola said.

The Key Club, like many of those involved in see haiti, page a3

David Proctor News Editor

Sports Briefs

The boys and girls indoor track teams both placed second in the district on Saturday February 14. Spotswood claimed the first place titles for the boys and girls. The regional meet will be held at Liberty University on February 10. The state meet will be held on February 27, also at Liberty. The boys basketball team beat Turner Ashby on Saturday February 14, giving the Blue Streaks a number 3 seed in the district. Spring sports practices will begin on Monday February 22. All athletes must have a physical form turned into the Athletic Office before they can practice. 

newsstreak.com Updated class wars scores Daily lunch menu Advertisement forms Breaking news Athletic calender and updated scores Polls and more

Coming Up: Renaissance Rally wrap up with hypnotist Tom Deluca Winter sports recap Dealing with the excess snow and snow days The search for a new superintendent of HCPS Haiti fundraiser Broadcast and newspaper staffs attend SIPA convention in South Carolina  Yearbook and newspaper staffs travel to New York City for CSPA annual journalism convention 

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t has dominated television, radio and print. The internet is filled with stories of new orphans or mass graves as a result of a catastrophic 7.0 earthquake that ravaged the small island nation of Haiti. The Haitian government raised the death toll to over 200,000, with hundreds of thousands more missing.

The international community has shown an outpouring of support. Stars such as Beyonce, Madonna and Stevie Wonder performed around the world in hope of raising awareness and collecting money. CBS news reports that the telethon raised as much as $50 million worldwide.

Locally, many organizations are also doing their part. The HHS Key Club is holding a fundraiser because, according to community liaison Sam Swayne, they Key Club has an obligation to help whenever a national or international disaster strikes.

“We’re trying our best to collect money for Haiti because the Key Club is supposed to help raise money for disasters like that. It’s what we’re all about,” Swayne said.

The Key Club is not providing any incentive to get people to donate as they have with some past fundraisers.

Instead, they are hoping that Unbelievable devastation. Junior Tabea Zimmermann’s father Jopeople reach out because it is hann Zimmermann traveled to Port Au Prince in Haiti to help with the the right thing to do. relief effort. The enormity of the earth quake has had a huge impact “We just asked people to on the country. Photo by Johann Zimmermann.

Art show prior to musical will highlight student efforts Alex Rendon Staff Reporter

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he HHS Art Department will be hosting their 15th annual art show prior to the drama department’s musical production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. The art show will contain about 200 works of art with the goal of including at least one piece from every student that has taken an art class throughout the year. The show is something that many students and parents look forward to each year in addition to the presentation of the musical.

“This is an excellent time for art to be seen by parents and the community,” art teacher Jauan

Brooks said. “The art teachers are extremely proud of what our students produce on a daily basis.”

The show will be comprised of a wide variety of artistic media including computer graphics, drawings and sculptures. This is the only time that all four divisions of fine arts will be on display in a single show. Senior Kyle Saxton will be a featured artist in the show and looks forward to the opportunity to have not only his artwork exhibited, but to see what other people have been doing in their respective mediums.

“Anytime my artwork is displayed is great, but it’s even cooler to see what everyone else has been working on during the year. The combination of all the different types of art that we do makes for one fantastic event,” Saxton said. see art, page a7

News

Style

Feature

More details on preparation for Soup A3 Night and other Art events

The facts you need to know about tanning beds A10

Explore options available at the Massanutten Technical Center B3

Vanessa Ehrenpreis Staff Reporter

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fter getting its start four years ago, Streaks Serve the Burg has become a full fledged volunteer organization.

Current president, junior Patrick Turner, realized the importance of volunteering when he was still in middle school, and convinced some of his friends to volunteer with him.

“We started with little stuff, Eagle Scout projects, getting involved with the Salvation Army and United Way, just little things. Over the past couple of years, SSB has exploded with participation, and we have been able to do more for our community,” Turner said.

SSB is a student athlete group focused on athletes being able to give back to their community through volunteer work. And that has clearly caught the interest of many of HHS’s athletes. The club started with a mere 12 participants, but has sky rocketed in popularity with over 70 today.

“At first there were about 12 kids, but in less than a week people started pouring in and we had over 30 kids,” Turner said. “At first there was the misconception that it was just a club for football players, but people from all of the school’s sports are able to get involved.

Swimming, softball, track, see SSB, page a3

Students, teachers adjust to new school schedule after first semester of classes Heather Hunter-Nickels Staff Reporter

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he school schedule changed at the beginning of this year. Last year, school started at 7:50 and ended at 3:04, making it seven hours and 14 minutes long. This year it starts at 7:30 and ends at 2:20, six hours and 50 minutes long. Last year’s classes lasted 96 minutes. This year, they are 90 minutes long.

The time in between classes was reduced by one minute, and the bell, instead of ringing three minutes prior to the beginning of class, now rings one minute prior. The result: school lets out 24 minutes earlier this year than last.

For athletes, though, the schedule is about the same since a 30-minute study hall or “athletic club” runs this year from 2:20 - 2:50.

“I think it’s pointless because you don’t have enough time to get focused. It would be so much better if we started practice after school. The only good that comes from it is you get to talk to your friends,” Jenny Kniss said.

Senior Marian King agreed.

“It is completely useless because it is hard to focus right after school.”

Irene Reynolds, the school principal, plans to continue with the athletic club.

“There are some students who get tutored, do homework, take tests/quizzes, use the library and finish projects.

For others it is a snack and some well deserved transition time to the next activity. Some see schedule, page a3

Photo Essay

Sports Our take on the Winter Olympics

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Musical practice leads to opening night this weekend B10

The Newsstreak

February 19, 2010

News A2

Drama parents play integral role in musical production annually Ama Ansah News Editor

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n old saying goes “behind every great man, there is a great woman.” Behind every great musical production at HHS is a great, massive group of mothers, making sure the drama department has everything it needs to run smoothly.

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat is no exception.

On a Friday afternoon, three weeks before show time, an all girls practice is taking place in the auditorium. Meanwhile, a few doors down, some of the actor’s mothers are pinning patterns on fabric and consulting Director Stanley Swartz on what the Pharaoh’s headdress should look like.

Shelley Baker, mother of freshman Laura Baker, is working on the tunic for Joseph, the main character.

“I help out with theatre because all parents are required to sign up to be on a committee, but also because it’s a lot of fun working with the people. It’s a good way to meet other parents,” Baker said.

Every year at the beginning of musical practices, in early December, a large meeting takes place that includes all the parents of the actors involved. Parents sign up for different committees. There are food committees, costume committees, volunteer committees, ad committees and more. Every parent signing up for a committee and giving a little help allows the play to run smoothly.

It takes stress off the directors and allows them to focus more on the staging of the play.

Some parents are part of the Drama Boosters club, which helps out with the musical as well as other plays done by HHS. “It’s an organization of parents who

help in the fine arts,” Co-Director Erin Suttliff said “They assist with fundraising and chaperoning, concessions.

They’re kind of like unpaid volunteers.”

Musical is the biggest undertaking for the booster club.

“They do help out with other things as well, however, because the musical is so much bigger and involves so many more kids, it requires a lot more people and a lot more activity,” Swartz said.

Sylvia Aamodt has been part of the HHS musical for at least 14 years. All six of her daughters have been part of the musical. This is her youngest daughter, Melanie Aamodt’s last year. Her experience has made her head of costuming.

“I pretty much organize the parents. I’m the one who knows from Mr. Swartz what he wants for the costumes.

Then we either dig them out of the closets of costumes that he has, or we have to make them and go shopping for fabrics. Sometimes I have to create patterns,” Aamodt said.

Last year, Aamodt recruited Lisa Klosinski to help with costumes. The two worked together with band and choir uniforms. Though Klosinski does not have a child in the production, she still enjoys volunteering.

“A lot of times, because I’m not a major seamstress like some of the others are, I’m going and digging things out of the closet, trying to put things together that we’ve found. I tear things up when they’ve made a mistake,” Klosinski said.

The costume committee has been hard at work since the end of Christmas break. Creating costumes for sixty students is a major undertaking.

“We’ll come in whenever everybody’s schedule allows. Mrs. Aamodt and I aren’t working outside the home so we can come in at more odd hours than everybody else can,” Klosinski said.

“We’ve tried to do it three days a week, we have days where several people can come in, so we can get a sort of assembly line together.”

Musical practice is usually after school until 5 p.m., but the schedule changes about a week and a half before opening night. Cast and crew go home after school but come back later in the evening and Clothes of many colors. Senior Eric King practices during a rehearsal stay until 10, for the musical. The mom’s of the cast members of worked diligently s o m e t i m e s to create costumes for the actors. Photo by Olivia McCarty.

11 p.m. at “Altogether, we will serve twelve night. The food committee provides meals prior to the performance. We dinner for the cast and crew on such ocwill serve four heavy snacks during the casions. Debbie Logan, mother of freshfour days of the show and then a big man Nancy Carrie co-chairs the food meal to celebrate at the conclusion of committee along with Ann Siciliano, the musical,” Logan said. mother of freshman Maggie Siciliano.

Many of the mothers, Aamodt inLogan volunteered with HHS drama cluded, stay back stage during the department when her eldest daughter play. was involved in musical five years ago.

“There’s always fun and excitement “I enjoy working with this delightful with every show. We stay calm. That’s group of young people and appreciate one of the reasons we’re back stage the value of the arts in the high school,” too.

We’re the calm moms and the kids Logan said. come back and they’re freaked out The food committee consists of about something but we fix it for them about a dozen parents. They serve the and everything goes on alright,” Aacast, crew and directors, which in total modt said. is roughly 100 people.

Many mothers are members of mulsee musical, page a3

JROTC prepares for huge inspection Jack Burden Sports Editor

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very three years, the HHS JROTC class is required to be inspected to make sure it complies with current army regulations. This year the group was inspected on Feb 10 from 9 a.m. until noon.

“We’re not really nervous-apprehensive is a better word,” JROTC teacher Colonel Roy McCutcheon said, “Some of them have done it before, but some haven’t, and they’re the ones who are usually most anxious. No one wants to be the guy who messes up.”

And in past inspections there haven’t been very many mess-ups.

Three years ago the class scored 976 points out of a possible 1,000, earning the gold star they wear on the chest of their uniforms, which is

the highest merit one can get after inspection.

“We always want to get as close to 1,000 points as we can get,” McCutcheon said.

Two inspectors will show up at HHS and will start off the inspection by having all the cadets line up in formation. The inspectors will go down the line, asking each cadet some questions. Next, 13 people out of the entire class will be chosen for additional inspection, where they will be required to march. Four others will be required to perform the color guard.

After these tasks have been performed, the commander, executive officer, and six staff officers will be pulled aside for inspection on their briefing skills, which is basically public speaking. The staff officers are then inspected on tasks specific to those they perform in the class on a regular basis.

After the students are inspected,

the points are tallied, and the results are released. In the 20 years that HHS has had the JROTC program, they have never had an issue with a poor inspection, but the consequences of one can be dire.

“If you don’t do well, meaning you get below the three levels of stars, you get put on probation.

The inspectors come back the next year, and if you fail the inspection a second time, the JROTC program can be shut down,” McCutcheon said.

The hard part about an inspection is that, coming into it, one has no idea what they will be quizzed on.

“It’s easy to screw up because you never know the unknown. It’s like a job interview,” McCutcheon said.

But despite the difficulties posed by the inspection, McCutcheon and the JROTC crew are confident in their abilities.

“I think we’ll do well,” McCutcheon said. tt

SSB organizes gala to pay for mission trip to Mississippi Madison Wilson Staff Reporter

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treaks Serve the Burg is a service organization composed of athletes from HHS who help out the community with a variety of projects. There are two groups: The Lady Streaks and their male counterpart, Streaks Serve the Burg. This spring break both groups are planning to go separately to Mississippi to assist the people in need. In order to do this, $7,500 needs to be raised for each group. The idea to throw a gala to raise this money has been put into action.

On March 6, the gala will be held at HHS and students and athletes will be performing the dance Thriller

by Michael Jackson. There will be a spaghetti dinner provided by the mothers and while everyone is eating dinner, the dance will be performed by the students.

“We are sending a team of girls to Ocean Springs Mississippi for the Missions on the Bay project. The work that the girls will be doing will range anywhere from gutting a house to tearing down a house, painting, and landscaping,” SSB leader Dawn Womack said.

Plans are not as solidified for the guys’ trip to New Orleans. It is possible the trip will be called off because of a lack of interest.

Mission in the Bay is centered in Jackson Mississippi

Kavya Beheraj Staff Reporter

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very activity period, one-seventh of the school walks enthusiastically to the track to participate in the Walkabout Club.

The club was founded by Nurse Angela Knupp about three years ago, but since she was not able to be there on all activity days, Principal Irene Reynolds took charge of club activities. “[The club] wasn’t done regularly,” Reynolds said, “So I took over because students were very interested.”

The club only had ten members when it first started. Since then, nearly 200 more students have joined and it seems that it will keep growing.

Reynolds agreed to allow the formation of the club “to give students who didn’t have an interest in joining other clubs opportunities to do something positive and fun.”

Each activity period, club members meet in the auditorium commons, where Reynolds leads them out the door and to the track. Once there, they spend the entire period walking laps.

“We normally don’t do more than threefourths of a mile a session,” Reynolds said.

The club does not meet on days when the weather is really bad, but they do walk when it is cold and are told to bring their coats, hats, gloves and whatever else will keep them warm. Since it first began the members have walked about twenty-five miles in all.tt

and was founded in 2005 to help the Mississippi Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina hit. Since being founded, more than 35,000 volunteers have come and helped.

Over 1.4 million volunteer hours have been logged.

The first practice for the dance performance was held on Jan 24, and it was directed by dance teacher Karen at her studio Dancing with Karen. Junior Landon Turner and senior Drake Cary were two of the few who attended the first dance rehearsal.

“Each time we try and get together for a rehearsal, the weather gets bad and it has to be cancelled,” Turner said.

There have not been any further rehearsals because of the poor weather.

There were supposed to be at least two practices completed by now. But everyone is working hard to perfect the dance in time for the show!  “It’s really fun and  it’s a bit challenging, but we are going to get through it,” Turner said. tt

Steven E. Gardner, D.D.S., P.C.

FAMILY DENTISTRY OFFICE HOURS

BY APPOINTMENT

2342A BLUESTONE HILLS DRIVE HARRISONBURG, VIRGINIA 22801

Walkabout Club numbers continue to grow

TELEPHONE (540) 433.3625 FAX (540) 433.0403

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The Newsstreak

February 19, 2010

News A3

Student artists create bowls for event soup night, From page A1

Junior art student Samantha Swayne throws a bowl for soup night on the potter’s wheel. Student artists and guest artists spent several Thursday afternoons after school working on the bowls. Photo by art teacher Jauan Brooks.

be able to sit back and relax to live entertainment.

Art Teacher Jauan Brooks is the overseer for the unique event. At soup night, she floats around and does whatever is needed. She has been planning for the event since November.

Members of the Art Honor Society help Brooks with the planning. In the Honor Society, the students are put into committees. There are committees in charge of food, entertainment, publicity, and bowls. The officers of the club lead the committees in order to get the job done.

The handmade bowls are made by a variety of people. Students, teachers, and people in our community all have their hands involved in crafting them.

Typically, there are abour 200 bowls made.

All different kinds of people come to the soup night. Former students, parents, community members, teachers, and especially current students attend the popular event.

The food, utensils, musicians, and volunteers are all donated. The press release details every aspect of the night, including information for the public.

It is the hope of the National Art Honor Society to have all items for the event donated. We are in need of many supplies from businesses and individuals.

NAHS is looking to raise money and create opportunities for many. Just $10 will help them achieve their goal. Take home a unique bowl made specifically for soup night on Mar 11 starting at 6 p.m. in the gym commons at HHS. tt

Many of the finished products that will be on sale at Soup Night on March 11. Patrons will be able to select their bowls prior to getting their meal. All proceeds will benefit Central Shenandoah Arts and the HHS, National Art Honor Society scholarship. Central Shenandoah Arts, an affiliate of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, is currently renovating a house into an art center. The house on the corner of Willow and Market streets was left to the organization with the understanding that it would serve the community as gallery space, art education classrooms and studios. The scholarship shall serve students that intend to further their education in the visual arts. Photo by Emily Jamieson.

Advanced art students Kyle Saxton and Heather Hunter Nickels work on their handmade bowls for soup night.

Photo by Emily Jamieson.

Local people continue to get involved in Haitian relief effort in Haiti relief, hope that people do not just forget about Haiti once the media leaves. However, Swayne predicts just that happening.

“Whenever it fades on TV and in the media, people will stop caring. Right now, we see constant pictures of people getting pulled from the rubble and that grabs our attention; when we stop seeing those things, people will forget and move on. We can’t let that happen,” Swayne said.

Antonnicola slightly disagrees. He believes that people will always be there working, but perhaps not donating as much as they are now.

“People were there working before this disaster and there will be people there after. It’s one of the poorest countries in the world. But I think it would be tougher as time goes on to raise money. People are more likely to give money when it’s fresh,” Antonnicola said.

Antonnicola remains frustrated at common sentiment among the students.

“I hear people saying ‘We need to help our own country before we can

worry about them’,” Antonnicola said.

“I’m tired of hearing that. We volunteer in the community; we do food drives and Salvation Army bell ringing.

At what point do we look at the big picture? We’re all people. Helping is helping.”

In another effort to help Haiti, the Key Club will be collecting Haiti Relief packages. The total cost of the package is roughly $40 and consists of everything from band-aids to soap.

“We’re getting some teachers to volunteer for an item and then get students to bring in that one item.

Then, the Key Club will package them together and give them to Mennonite Communities, which works directly with the people,” Antonnicola said.

Junior Tabea Zimmermann’s father actually went to Haiti as part of Mennonite Communities. According to Zimmermann, soon after the earthquake, Mennonite Communities reached out to her father, who had previously worked with them in places such as Mozambique and Nicaragua.

“He agreed to go if they took care of all the logistics. They did. As soon as

The make shift tents and houses that citizens of Haiti are living in because they are too scared to enter the houses ruined by the earthquake. Photo by Johann Zimmermann

he was sure he was going, he sent an email to 500 engineers. Two of them went with him to Port Au Prince,” Zimmermann said.

From there, her father inspected small-scale public buildings for their safety.

“He looked at buildings like small orphanages, schools and just other small community centers. Big organizations like the U.N. took care of the hospitals and big government buildings,” Zimmermann said.

Her dad estimated that one-third of the buildings in Port Au Prince were safe enough to go into. Another third had small-scale damage that could be repaired and the rest were totaled and on the verge of collapse. After inspecting as many buildings as possible, he laid the groundwork for future engineers, in what Zimmermann calls the first step of a long process.

“My dad walked away from it a little surprised. The news shows people looting and being violent, but when he went there, he found that wasn’t the case. People were kind and thankful. A lot of them weren’t like ‘my family just

A rare food truck arrives in Haiti and immediately people line up to get food. Photo by Johann Zimmermann.

Musical opens this weekend musical from page a2 modt said.

Many mothers are members of multiple committees. Logan volunteers on the ushering committee as well as the costuming committee. She is chairman of the coloring committee, which sends posters for the play out to Harrisonburg elementary and middle schools for the children to color. The kids who do the best job win tickets to the show.

Leslye Skiba has been with the HHS drama department ever since one of her daughters was in Suessical the Musical. She is also on the coloring committee. She helps with concessions and is co-president of the drama boosters. She is also in charge of ticket sales.

“I handle every part of getting people in the door and in their seats. My team takes orders on the phones, organizes and assigns seats for everyone who buys a ticket,” Skiba said.

She and her husband are in charge of taking down the set this year.

“We organize the kids in teams to dismantle the entire set and clean and organize any rooms

that we used over the weekend so that school can run smoothly on Monday morning,” Skiba said. “It takes us two months to build and make everything and we tear it all down in a matter of hours Sunday night.”

Saundra Larson’s daughter Ellen Clough was in musicals all throughshigh school. Ellen’s sister, sophomore Grace Clough, will be playing one of the narrators in Joseph. This will be Larson’s sixth year helping out with the play.

“I have helped put the volunteers together and also put together all the ads for the program,” Larson said. “This year I am the chairperson and coordinate all the committees and make sure everyone has the volunteers they need and that all the committees are completing their tasks.”

Larson enjoys helping out with the production.

“I have a lot of fun with all the cast and directors, and I like meeting other parents involved in the show also. I enjoy organizing the different aspects of the musical committee,” Larson said.

“I think what I enjoy most about working on a big production is

died’. Instead, they were just thankful to be alive. There’s a sense of optimism,” Zimmermann said.

While volunteers continue to arrive in Haiti, they are essentially useless without the proper supplies and funding. Thus, governments are also doing their part. President Barack Obama pledged $100 million to Haiti, in addition to military personnel, food and supplies. The First Family donated $15,000 of their own personal money. Obama also signed a bill into law offering tax breaks for those who donate. Canada matched the Hope for Haiti telethon total and several other countries are donating substantial sums as well. Microsoft donated $1.25 million.

The Red Cross is stressing that individuals can make a difference.

According to them, over $8 million was raised through text message donations, each of which was only $10. To donate to Haiti Relief Efforts, text message “HAITI” to 90999 for a donation to the Red Cross or put cash in one of the Key Club boxes that can be found in every classroom. tt

A woman carries food and supplies through the rubble of town. Photo by Johann Zimmermann

Athletes not crazy about new schedule

students can maintain focus. Others need seeing how it all comes together and makes a really great show. a well deserved break,” Reynolds said.

Another change to this year’s schedule relates to HHS Stagestreaks are the best in the area, as far as I’m concerned! teachers. For half an hour of each teacher’s planning Everyone has a lot of fun with the period, they are required to go and help out in other show and puts their heart into it,” classes.

For junior Milo Romero, this has been very helpLarson said. ful. “When Mr. Chico sees that we are struggling, he Logan feels the same.

“I enjoy the rewards of a success- comes over to help,” Romero said, “He is really helpful show and a positive learning ful.”

“It is encouraging to hear that I was able to help a experience for everyone involved.

The students that I have met are an student,” math teacher Larry Chico said. “Presently, exceptionally talented group and everyone in the math department (as well as the other such positive role models for HHS. departments) is assigned a 30-minute open teaming It’s a privilege to work with these opportunity with students in a particular classroom.

I’ve been assigned to BSA for my 30 minute block. students,” Logan said.

Skiba has enjoyed working with Mrs. Reynolds and the ITL for each department dethe theater productions over the cide which teachers will be assigned to which classyears and is very happy to be in- rooms depending upon the greatest need. I know that in the math department all the teachers want to volved.

“It is a huge behind-the-scenes see students succeed, and so everyone is more than production. So many things have willing to do what we can to help students.”

Chemistry teacher Kasey Fisher thinks that if the to get done that the kids don’t realize. It takes a village to put on a tutoring is done properly during the thirty minute time slot it can be very beneficial. play,” Skiba said.

“I think it is very beneficial for some teachers, esAnd the theatre department truly appreciates the effort and en- pecially the ones with students who have language barriers or discipline issues. If I am actually doing ergy the parents bring.

“With out them, it would be something productive to help the students, I really impossible to put on the quality of enjoy it and find it worthwhile. Overall, I think it can production we do,” Sutliff said. tt only be a good thing for the students to have extra people in the class who can assist in their learning experience.” tt Schedule from page a1

The Newsstreak

February 19, 2010

we

this

bel i e v e

The book is always better than the movie!

David Procter Feature Editor

I

n a world such as ours where most would prefer the feeling of popcorn in their hands to a book, it is not surprising that fewer and fewer people are cozying up next to their favorite novel. They have no idea what they are missing. While Hollywood continues to churn out film adaptations of seemingly every book imaginable, few are able to live up to its paper counterpart.

Occasionally, a film will be as good as the book, but rarely if ever, does the film surpass the book.

Far too much is sacrificed in trying to condense a two or three hundred page book into a 90 minute film.

Often times, scenes are cut out that, while not vital to the plot, are fun and entertaining.

Other times some of the most captivating dialogue is cut out, simply because there is not enough time.

Look no further than The Kite Runner, a book that most students read in their sophomore year. It cuts out a scene that, while not crucial to the overall plot, would have added another dimension to the film and made the story even deeper. As such, the film lacked the depth of the book, which made it far less entertaining.

Reading a book forces you to use your imagination and allows you to visualize your own world. Not even the most descriptive writer will place the exact same image into every reader’s head.

Each character, even when described to a tee, will look a little different.

Each setting will have its own little quirks. When you visualize what you are reading, you add your own little element to it.

It becomes yours. When watching a film, you only get one image: that of the select few in charge of creating and producing the film.

More and more people want to have every detail spoon fed to them through movies. Few want to sit down and spend time reading a book.

They are missing out on captivating adventures, heartbreaking tales and hilarious situations. They are losing out on an opportunity to expand their horizons.

Just one time, pick up a book rather than a DVD. Visit your closest bookstore rather than your closest red box. You will not regret it. 

OP/ED A4

We should give just because it’s the right thing to do Staff Editorial

A

s a country, America is tough.

We rarely turn down a challenge and we sure as heck never give up.

The United States has made itself into The Super Power to be competed with and we very rarely find ourselves in a position of needing assistance.

But contrary to the belief of many, everyone does not live like we are able to in the good ‘ol US of A. In fact, an incredibly large percent of the world would probably risk their lives to get a little bit of what we have, whether it is civilization or simply some clean water.

The people in Haiti are among those people who are significantly less fortunate than even some of the lowest income families in our country.

They get by on faith and family, not money and power.

This was before the devastating earthquake that destroyed Haiti.

Now, however, things are growing increasingly worse for the people of Haiti. There is no food. There is no water.

There is nothing but the rubble, corpses, and a growing cloud of hopelessness. Relying on faith and family is not going to cut it for the Haitians anymore because families remain missing and others have died; with rising death, how are people expected to keep faith when to many, faith is responsible?

Some are trying to make the comparison between hurricane Katrina that hit New Orleans in 2005 and the recent earthquake that struck Haiti, which I suppose is fair, to a degree. Yet there is so much to contrast.

The Katrina disaster yielded almost 2,000 confirmed deaths when it finally was over; Haiti’s death toll is already estimated to be over 100,000 and there is still a long road ahead being that so many are still missing.

Mass graves are the only sufficient solution to laying such an enormous number of bodies to rest.

The most substantial difference, many have come to realize, is the response efforts.

During Katrina, the Bush administration was heavily criticized for aid that to many, was nearly nonexistent. The victims were pleading with the government to save them, to save their children, their family members.

Haiti does not have that issue; they do not need to beg

for assistance because it was from ten dollars donations in on the way as soon as it was less than one week after its able. Obama’s administration start-up. There is no doubt that has ushered an incredible we are all able to help, it is just aid effort to do as much as a matter of doing so.

All in all, the world’s goal the United States can to help.

Even with all the criticizing is to make Haiti stronger. It about insufficient means of is no secret that Haiti is one transportation for the aid of the poorest countries on into the areas truly affected, the planet. There is much in comparison, Haiti and its speculation, however, that the earthquake come out on top recent tragedy may boost Haiti out of the bottom spot. Not to over hurricane Katrina.

With every natural disaster, say it will become grandiosely there is bound to be a response wealthy, but many believe the from people who feel they unity that has been formed will need to help. On Thursday, act as a remedy for the country.

January 21, some of the largest The downfall of many things is names in music (Kid Rock, often division. Unity may be Cold Play, Rihanna, Jay-Z, etc) the key to Haitian success in came together for a televised the wake of one of the worst “Hope for Haiti Now” concert. natural disasters to date.

Political cartoons have been The concert raised over $58 million during a two hour surfacing about the Haitian period, not to mention sales earthquake for the devastation, are still coming in from the criticizism of their small, album put on iTunes. This is an unfortunate nation, and the amazing amount of money, but efforts that are being made to celebrities are not the only ones extend humanity and charity to a country that is desperate who can make a difference.

So many families have taken for just that. The belief that we, the great step in saving lives as a school, as a community are by adopting Haitian children. unable to provide something Adoption agencies all over the for those families is sadly world have opened their doors mistaken. The leaders of our to new cases and accepted country and the many idols we new applications in order to all look up to are paving the make a difference in the lives way for us to save a nation, all the misplaced children that that is left for us to do is decide otherwise might not have the whether we want to follow or stay behind.  greatest chance at survival.

The HHS Key Club has led a schoolwide initiative to collect money to donate to the Haiti relief efforts.

The collection boxes are once again in rooms awaiting spare change and crumpled dollars in hopes of generating a fair amount to help the cause. But just because the boxes are there does not mean they are getting filled. The large banner hanging in our main hallway reading “Help for Haiti Now” reminds us daily that there are people who need help, yet not a lot is getting done. The text messaging system setup Every penny counts! The Key Club collected dothrough the Red nations with these “Help Haiti” boxes, saying any Cross yielded amount mattered. Photo by Emily Jamieson. over $24 million

Payne unswayed by Avatar craze Emily Payne Staff Reporter

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vatar is made by the same director of Titanic, one of the biggest movies of its time, so it is not a big surprise that Avatar is one of the most watched films in the theaters today. It completely surpassed Titanic which held the record for the last 12 years. Avatar has made more than any other movie ever, which is two billion dollars, so does it seem I am the only one who is not making a big deal about going

to see it?

To me, Avatar is just a science fiction movie with a bunch of blue people running around, fighting wars and flying on weird animals. The fact that the time is set in 2154 and that we, “Humans”, are searching the moon that the “Na’vi” reside on, for a new precious mineral called unobtanium, sounds absolutely crazy. It just sounds like another sci-fi movie made billions of years from now that has nothing to do with us. I have never been a real science fiction fan anyway, so things like Star Wars, Star Trek or alien movies have never been my favorite pick.

No, I have not gone to see it in theaters, and I do not plan to. Spending fourteen bucks on a movie I am sure will not be as amazing as everyone makes it out to be, just sounds like a waste to me. To all you Avatar fans out there, I am sorry; I am not saying that the movie was not good or that others should not see it, I am just trying to voice my opinion about a movie people keep telling me to go see. Who knows-- maybe if I actually sat down and watched it, I would like it, but as of right now, with it making billions, I am not rushing to the theaters to make sure I see it before it leaves. 

Costa Rican exchange students taught me so much

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Emmett Copeland Staff Reporter

ecently Humberto Piedra Carro (commonly known as Beto) came to live in my house for two weeks through the school’s exchange program; the experience was similar to living with a Spanish-speaking dolphin with a mullet but not as soggy. For me it was the greatest and most exhausting two weeks in recent memory since we were usually too busy to sleep.

Beto enjoyed his temporary residence as well, in his words “One of the best experiences I have ever had.” However, although he enjoyed his stay, he often told me that American friends seemed, to use his word, “distant” which is true by Costa Rican standards.

Costa Rican love is palpable and demonstrative. Guys as well as girls walk around draped on each other, guys say goodbye to girls with a kiss on the cheek, and their favorite thing in the world is hanging out together. It’s not unusual to

see friends of different genders snuggling extensively and as I learned in the last couple of days guy-girl sleepovers are the norm. In fact, and this is a direct quote from Beto, “What!? You have never slept in the same bed with one of your friends who is a girl?? He was actually shocked; maybe I’m lame and have no life, but I don’t think that happens a lot in Harrisonburg.

The Costa Ricans were supposed to be learning about American culture, and they claimed that they did, but I think that I and the other hosts actually learned a lot more about Costa Rican culture and mostly the principle that if you’re friends with someone you should act like you actually enjoy their company.

It’s made me think about what life would be like without people being, or at least pretending to be nice to me. And although I would like to put into practice some of the things the Costa Ricans taught me, our culture doesn’t really seem to be set up to do that. We’re all formal individuals. They’re an informal team.

After school we go back to our separate houses. After school they all go hang out at

a ‘club’ (not our version of club, more like a rec center). We say goodbye and leave.

They don’t let go of each other because they don’t want to be separated (mostly girls), and when they have to, hugs and kisses are mandatory. For us physical contact is kind of taboo. For them not touching your ‘bro’ or female equivalent of ‘bro’ whatever that is, is taboo.

The Costa Ricans really became family to a lot of the hosts. In my case shockingly quickly, day one we were having more intimate conversations than I would have believed possible, and from there it was Bad Romance, snowboarding, and fried Oreos and when he left it was like losing a family member.

That’s what I admired about the Costa Ricans, their effervescent friendliness and love for each other. Maybe it’s because there are almost twice as many Virginians as there are Costa Ricans in the world, but they’re on the same team and they love it, I don’t think it would hurt our culture or at least our school to become a little more Costa Rican. 

The Harrisonburg High School Newsstreak 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 Managing Editors: Kim Antonio, Claire Sudol Section Editors: News - David Proctor Opinion - Jessica Strickler Style - Emily Knapp Feature - Alison Domonoske Sports - Claire Sudol Fun Director: Meagan Kelley 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, Phillip Bannister, Christine Choi, Diana Gutierrez, Olivia McCarty, Maria Rose, Savanah Cary, Vanessa Ehrenpreis, Jack Burden, Aidan Newcity Staff Reporters: Kavya Beheraj, Ethan Blackwell, Emmett Copeland, Mitchell Depoy, Heather Hunter-Nickels, Michael Johnson, Ryan Maphis, Emily Payne, Alex Rendon, Christy Stearn, Will Turner, Conner Whitehouse, Madison Wilson, Shane McMahon Freshmen Reporters: Emilee Burke, Mark Duda, Alex Hickman, Gabe Hoak, Vera Shindyapin, Chris Sokolyuk, Katrina Sokolyuk, Michael Tower, Julia Trotsyuk Professional Affiliations: The Newsstreak participates as a member of several journalistic evaluation services including the Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA-2009 Gold Evaluation and 2005 Silver Crown Winner), Quill&Scroll Journalism Honor Society (2009 First Place International Award), National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA), the Virginia High School League, Inc. Trophy Class Award, and the Southern Interscholastic Press Association All Southern Ranking. 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.

February 19, 2010

The Newsstreak

Op/Ed A5

Enough with the snow already! Hot, Not Mia Karr Staff Reporter

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have not worn my pajamas inside out at all this year. Or flushed an ice cube down the toilet, or done any of the other rituals I usedto do in hopes of snow. Apparently the snow does not need my help; there has been more snow this winter than any other I can remember.

Maybe I *will* start wearing my pajamas inside out again if it has the reverse effect, for this ridiculous amount of wintry weather has shown me that I sincerely dislike snow.

When I was five, my family's friends from New Jersey came to stay at our house. A huge snowstorm was already in the works and they got snowed in for an extra couple of days. They have two daughters around my age, and everyone had a blast, sledding, having snowball

fights, and making snowmen. It is one of my happiest memories.

The snowstorm we had over winter break was equivalent in size to the "New Jersey" snowstorm, and the snow I am experiencing as I write this promises to be even bigger. Under no circumstances will you see me jumping out of my chair.

In fact, I would much rather be at school right now than stuck at home, with my plans cancelled, and a mass of cold slippery goop raining from the sky maliciously planning to engulf my humble little house.

I guess I should give some more reasons for insulting everyone's favorite form of precipitation. Do not get me wrong I love missing school in moderation, but I would prefer not to miss anything else at all. With my busy schedule, rescheduling due to snow is a huge hassle.

Plus, who wants to stay stuck at home all day? I love my family, but enough is

enough! However, I simply can not stand the snow itself. It is cold and wet and has the annoying tendency to end up in my shoes.

I probably would never have realized my dislike of snow (I still do not want to go as far as to say *hatred)* if Harrisonburg had gotten its normal wimpy amount of snow. How many times did it snow this week? Not once, not twice, but three times!

Just to think about all those times I wished I lived in a climate with more snow. Be careful what you wish for!

I guess the time for running outside at 7:00 in the morning is over for me. I just can't get as excited to get bundled up in layers of uncomfortable clothing to go outside and freeze half to death as I did when I was five. Oh, well. If we get less snow next year, this is one person you will not hear complaining! 

There’s a lot to be said for a good bedside manner

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Phillip Bannister Style Editor

trip to the emergency room always makes me feel like a robot. Maybe it is the processing feeling. You feel like you are constantly being filed and moved around when you go to the hospital. It just seems like doctors can fix anything.

This new feeling had not really hit me until my last trip to the emergency room. I was sure I had tonsillitis, so my parents took me to the emergency room.

After walking in and seeing a line that extended clear to the door, I knew that I was not the only one with problems today.

While waiting in line, I could hear people around me talking about what was wrong

with them. I was a little on edge after the man in front of me said he believed he had swine.

After I had finally made my way to the desk, everything processed quickly.

A woman asked me what was wrong, my symptoms, and how much pain I had.

It was not long before they put a plastic bracelet around my wrist and sent me on my way.

There I went down the hall, just another number in the system.

They took me from the main waiting room, through a smaller waiting room, to an even smaller waiting room. Everything just felt so categorized and robotic, even the nurses friendliness came off as cold and rehearsed.

The woman with the icy personality soon returned with a clipboard and called

my name. I followed her into a room where she said a doctor would be with me soon. Well let me tell you, she was not lying. I was surprised at how fast the doctor arrived; all the wheels were just turning so fast. Soon a woman came by with a laptop on a cart for registration.

After talking to my parents and getting all of our information, the doctor came back with a diagnosis.

He handed my parents printed sheets explaining that my throat was fine and prescribed me antibiotics. We were soon home, the first thing I did was cut off that bracelet, I hate feeling like just another number in the system. I was impressed with how good the hospital had become at service, but the feeling that I get there will always leave me uneasy. 

DiNapoli is just like you, and you, and you Emma DiNapoli Editor-in-Chief

I

am not a particularly talented or unique person.

I had not really fully realized this until I applied to college a couple of months ago. Applications require you to dig deep and remember that time you founded a non-profit organization to teach minority children to read English, or recall how you are an All-American swimmer, or maybe how you scored a 2400 on your SATs. 12 applications into the process, it became abundantly clear to me that I am just an average person muddling along in the world. The funny thing is, I am entirely okay with being an unspectacular person… do we all have to be Lady Gagas?

I mean, in a world populated with well over six billion people, some of us have to be regular, blue-jean wearing Americans!

There were some early signs that I am

not really especially good at anything that I would be entirely content if we, as a I chose to ignore. society, were not so focused on measuring For example, in elementary school, I up. I am part of the problem, too. We was in the choir. You would think, then, have focused so singularly on grade that I can sing. point averages, our winBut wait—I was loss records and our in the boys section images that we have lost (remember that, ourselves somewhere We have focused Doodie Grogg?) So along the way. so singularly on maybe I could not I have watched my our images that we sing! peers become so wrapped I tried and tried up in developing an have lost ourselves again! In fifth grade, acceptable story to show somewhere along the I sang a shockingly to the rest of the world way.” bad rendition of that they have forgotten “Happy Birthday” who they used to be. So and earned a spot here is my story: I cannot as a narrator in the sing or play the French musical, possibly out of pity. I struggled horn, I collect pencils and themed playing along with band and piano lessons until cards, I like inspirational quotes and I sophomore year, when I accepted that I am not really much different than any of really just was not good at the fine arts. you. We are alike in our differences! Sorry, So I am not musically talented. Big college application question prompt 104: deal! I have acceptable grades, wonderful why are you unique?  friends and an imagination to make up for the rest.

“

Revealing secrets can be exhilarating we had. The second was the fact that I really did not think that anyone would Maria Rose be wandering around downtown in this Feature Editor waist-deep (on short people, like me) snow.

My plan had been to go downtown and wo things were holding me back.

One was the fact that I could interview random people about random not drive through the two (or things in their lives and put together seemingly forty) feet of snow a column that truly showcased the Newsstreak’s motto, ‘every person has a story’.

But if you will remember (or not), these columns are supposed to be accounts of my experiences as I put myself in strange and almost Do you have a secret? scary situations. And for me, talking to total strangers Yes: 71 about their personal lives is No: 33 entertaining.

There is something indescribably wonderful Who do you tell your secrets to? about sharing a story with someone and connecting Everybody: 16 to them for the briefest of Nobody: 18 moments and then continuing with your lives.

Friends 54 But sharing your own Parents: 27 story can be so much more terrifying.

Siblings: 19 So to challenge myself further, I will expose myself and my own secrets to Who would you never tell the students at HHS. You your secrets to? see, secrets are complex things. Through a project Everybody: 27 like Post Secret, a program Nobody: 8 sponsored by Frank Warren, who receives thousands Friends: 19 of nameless secrets and Parents: 28 publishes them, anonymity is what makes the secrets Siblings: 12 so simple and interesting.

Relatives: 5 By revealing secrets anonymously, you remain an Other: 7 enigma; no one knows who you are, therefore, your secret 104 people polled in all grades and faculty on Feb 4. is still a secret. Secrets with a Infographic by Kavya Beheraj name and face, however, are

T

Your word on SECRETS

undiluted poison. They require trust to be shared and have great potential to end in rumors, tears and ‘the ends’.

I am sure you are asking now, Why is this silly girl sharing her secrets? Just so she can write about doing something scary?

Yeah, well, as soon as I finish writing this, I know I will be too. I think I am writing them because while some secrets should most certainly stay secret, we all have something that we want to say to someone, even a little bit. And I am trying to be brave enough to do that. So here we go.

Once, my sister was missing candy from Halloween and I convinced her she ate it in her sleep. I ate it. This is the truth, little sister. Sorry.

I listen to rap in the shower.

I cried during Lilo and Stitch.

I cried myself to sleep every night for several months. Sometimes, it still happens.

I wonder if people can read my mind, especially when I am sitting near them, so I just scoot over a bit and make sure no one is touching me.

I do not understand why people think having anemia is a big deal. I have it, too.

I do not like people who wallow in self pity or want pity. I loathe forms of pity. I am a strong advocate of getting up and doing it, whatever it may be, yourself.

I like some of the people in the sophomore class better than my own.

And finally, to you-know-who (not Voldemort): A few years ago, I was arguing with some friends who were upset that they were being shunned. To make them feel better I told them a lie, that no one let me sit with them at lunch. What actually happened was that I was talking to some people and they were about to leave me, when a boy asked me to sit with him. That was what happened, for real. Sorry I lied; I only did so to make you feel better.

Whoa. This is weird. I actually said it.

So go ahead, HHS. It is your turn to tell someone what you have been keeping from them. 

Snow delays and snow days rack up New Orleans Saints win their first Superbowl Apple introduces the iPad 2010 Winter Olympics National Art Honor Society hosts Soup Night Dear John Cilla Harrison and Drake Cary compete in state dive meet Vanessa Ehrenpreis and Troy Jones break indoor track records Spring sports tryouts Winter sports banquets Brad Pitt’s beaded beard Where in the world is Tiger Woods?

50,000 orphans in Haiti Snow storm cripples East Coast with close to 40 inches of snow Make- up days will cut into spring holidays Blizzards of 2010

The Newsstreak

February 19, 2010

internet A6

Peer pressure leads to sexting, serious consequences Emma DiNapoli Editor-in-Chief

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n July of 2008, Jesse Logan’s boyfriend made national news after her suicide.

His offense? Sending the sexy pictures of Jesse she had sent to him to other girls after they broke up. Nude pictures of Jesse floating around her high school drove Jesse to take her own life. Jesse’s story—and similar stories—are fueling court cases of child pornography and a fight against electronic exploitation and cyber bullying across the country.

Teenagers in the United States send an average of 357

texts per month according to national cellphone provider Verizon. While text messages can be used for a variety of purposes, from homework help to striking up simple conversations, texting can also be used for more sexual ends. Sexting, the practice of sending sexual messages and pictures to each other on cell phones, is becoming increasingly more common among teenagers. According to a nationwide survey by the National Campaign to Support Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, roughly 20 percent of teens admit to participating in sexting.

“Sexting is telling a person what you’d do to them if you were with them over text,” senior Evan said. “People sext to push the limit… to try and see what their boyfriend or girlfriend will do.”

Text messages, which can be sent and received nearly instantly, allow for immediate sexual interaction. “[People] want to have sex and they aren’t able to at the time so they talk about it through text messaging,” senior Tom said.

Sending nude or seminude pictures, in particular, is rapidly gaining in popularity with teenagers.

“Pictures make people feel like they’re doing something

Christy Stearn Staff Reporter

A

s technology expands, different types of harassment, such as cyber-bullying, become popular.

Cyberbullying has become an overwhelming problem, especially in younger populations.

“More people are using their cell phones and the Internet, and that means more people are getting bullied,” freshman Sarah Bell said.

Cyber-bullying means using the Internet, cell phones, or other devices to send or post text or images intended to hurt or embarrass another person. Most people cyber-bully without realizing it. Uploading any posts online or sending mass texts about others could be considered cyber-bullying. Users need to keep the consequences of their actions in mind.

“I think it’s really, really bad because you never know what’s going to happen in the future. If you pick on someone, you could get picked on later. If you call someone fat or ugly, you could be called fat or ugly,” sophomore Yeney

really taboo or dangerous,” junior Anna said. “I think people think of sexting as mostly sending pictures back and forth. When they know their parents or someone else could catch them, it makes it that much more fun or sexy.”

Peer pressure plays a large role in the prevalence of sexting in high school. According to the National Campaign survey, 51 percent of teen girls say they feel pressure from a guy to send explicit texts, as compared to only 18 percent of teen boys.

“Boys pressure girls into sexting because they are like ‘oh come on everyone does it, we can too’,” senior Alex said.

“It’s easier for boys to sext without really having to think about it.”

“Girls don’t stand up for themselves,” Evan said.

“Insecure ones [let boys push them] into sexting.”

Harrisonburg junior Sarah knows first-hand how easily one can be peerpressured into sexting.

“I never thought that I would send my boyfriend pictures of myself or anything like that… we would always just send flirty texts or whatever,” Sarah said. “But then he kept asking me [for pictures] and I wanted to make him happy, so I did. I wish I could have stood up for myself better.”

Regardless of gender or motive, the consequences for sending sexually charged text messages in the heat of the moment remain the same. In January of 2009, six teenage classmates (three females, three males) in a western Pennsylvania high school who had sent or received nude or semi-nude phone pictures were charged with child pornography.

Similar verdicts have been handed down in

Garcia said.

Cyber-bullying exposes a new world that puts technology users in a vulnerable position. It differs from regular bullying in several ways.

Cyber-bullying empowers the bully because the conflict is not face-to-face.

The bully often does not take into consideration that what they say could affect the victim dramatically.

In addition to that, anything that is posted spreads more quickly. Because so many have access to the Internet, more people are exposed to the harassment.

“I think it’s wrong to cyber-bully.

It’s not fair to the other person. It’s just like bullying but you’re hiding behind a computer,” sophomore Kelley Lorencki said.

The effects of cyber-bullying can be more traumatic than regular bullying.

Usually, the victim becomes more affected by the bullying because more people hear about the incident.

“True friends do not cyber-bully,” senior Denzel Koffa said.

Cyber-bullying is a growing phenomenon that negatively affects many teenagers. While technology continues to swell, the need to use it appropriately increases, too.tt

courtrooms around the country in 2008 and 2009. Under Virginia state law, possessing David Proctor or passing out a nude photo News Editor of any child under the age of 18 is child pornography, a fact disregarded or unknown by f you received a “sext” or many teenagers. nude or semi-nude photo Criminal defense attorney of another teenager, you William W. Eldridge IV discould be in possession cussed the relatively new legal of child pornography and conundrum posed by the mix charged as a sex offender. of technology and child por- While laws regarding “sexting” nography. vary from state to state and city “[Whether sexting] should to city, according to lawyers. be illegal is an interesting ques- com, more and more officials tion because are beginning to take a it hasn’t been hard-line approach.

WHAT YOU THINK dealt with a lot Most laws on the Do you know anyone who until recently,” books now do not take sexts or receives sexts?

Eldridge said. into account who took “If someone the pictures. Thus, a teen would take a could find themselves picture and in prison for having tt send it to somean erotic photo of one, though, themselves on their cell 100 people in all grades and under a strict phone. In 2007, a Florida faculty polled on Feb 4 by Molly Denman interpretation court ruled against a 16of child poryear-old girl who had a nography laws topless picture of herself it would qualify [as pornogra- on her phone. phy.]”

Legislatures in many The effects of a child pornog- states including Virginia raphy charge for a minor can are considering adding last well beyond high school. laws that would charge “The ramifications are very teens with a second-degree severe,” Eldridge said. “Felo- felony: possession of child nies and being registered as pornography. This would a sex offender are very seri- force anyone found to have ous. Two kids messing around erotic pictures of someone don’t really deserve to be on under the age of 18 to register the child sex offender list, as as a sex offender for life. Even compared to others commit- those who involuntarily get ting sex crimes.” sent the photos could be held Teenagers similarly do not responsible and charged. believe it is fair to be prose- Lawmakers reason that taking cuted as sex offenders if found such a tough approach is the in possession of nude photos only way to end sexting. tt knowingly and intentionally sent to them.

“I think it isn’t fair [to be charged with pornography] if neither of us were to complain about it and that we were happy with each other,” Alex said.

Alex acknowledges, however, that sexting can have potentially damaging results.

“If two people were sexMitch Depoy ting and then they got in an Staff Reporter argument and got mad at each other, they could show the pictures of the other person to echnology is rapidly other people,” Alex said. “That progressing, and kids could make people do things are taking advantage like [commit] suicide because of these new forms of people saw them naked.” communication.

With all of (All student names have been these new ways to communichanged in this piece.) tt cate, kids are finding it easier to keep in touch with each other.

This can be good and bad. It is now easier for kids to be able to talk to each other and keep their conversations between “I text about 150 texts two people.

You could say that emailing a day which is a lot” started this new social revoluFreshman, Anastasiya tion. Emails let anyone who Kalyuk has connection to the internet send a message to a person anywhere around the world.

“I text 7,000 to 10,000 a The person can receive this month, but I have unemail in a matter of seconds limited so it only costs and see the information. $10” - Sophomore KelSocial networking sites such ley Lorencki as Facebook and MySpace

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YES NO 55 45

Communication technology advances; some parents critical

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How much do you text a month?

“I text about 4,000 to 6,000 [a month]” Junior Priscilla Harrison “I don’t know, enough.

I guess about 200 a month” - Senior Shane Pouncey I have unlimited and a lot of friends who text.

5,526 last month.

- Freshman Paul Hairston

Infographic by Emily Jamieson

Do you ever get those mysterious text messages?

Lauren Martin Advertising Manager

I

t has come to the point in technology that a ten digit number is how people can define themselves. A zip code followed by seven simple numbers becomes their outlet to the world and the world’s outlet to that person.

While this number is helpful for communication, it can also have an unfortunate side effect: anyone can get it and use it. It is very easy to acquire another person’s phone number and use it however deemed fit, whether you know who you are contacting or not.

Sophomore Evan Wetsel has received countless text messages from people she did not know.

“I seem to get a lot of weird texts from people that say things like ‘I see you’ or ‘what’s up’,” said Wetsel. “It is always very weird because I usually don’t have the number saved in my phone, and nei-

ther do my friends.”

Some seem to think that mysterious text messages come from people you know trying to be funny. Wetsel agrees with that, also.

“Eventually someone will tell me who it was, or the person who did it will say they did it as a joke,” said Wetsel. “Sometimes it can actually be pretty funny.”

While Wetsel finds out who the culprits are, junior Danielle Schaefer has quite different experiences.

“When I get odd texts from numbers, it’s usually late at night or early in the morning,” said Schaefer. “In the past I’ve gotten some extra weird messages, though.”

Schaefer has received text messages from different area codes many times.

“Once I woke up with a text from a random number saying ‘way to leave me at the club last night, Phil!’. It was the weirdest thing,” said Schaefer. “I answered back saying it was Phil and asked who it was and when they found out how bad they messed up, they didn’t

Laws involving sexting tighten

respond anymore.” It seems that most random text messages are the result of a wrong number or a prank, but there are some that are sent on purpose and tend to be hurtful.

Unfortunately, there was no one willing to go on record but the stories that were told of hurtful text messages people received from number they did not know were awful. Most females were texted from other females in regards to issues with guys or friends. Males, however, seem to get the text message abuse from both sides.

Schaefer and Wetsel both said they have friends who have gotten these types of messages.

“I always suggest they try and find out who is texting them so they can put a stop to it,” said Schaefer.

It may seem silly to some, but text messaging is used widely as the means of communication for teens and young adults and in being so, is used for a means of verbal abuse and bullying. tt

have become much more popular over the last decade. Facebook started off as a college site so that the students could meet each other. This evolved to something where anyone could sign up for free and interact with people all around the world.

Next to come along were cell phones and text messages. Cell phones allowed you to carry your phone with you anywhere you went. You could call anyone at anytime. Text messages are also considered the new, faster way of emailing. With this you can text a quick message saying whatever is on your mind, push send, and in a matter of seconds the person you sent the text to is looking at your message.

With all of the new ways of communication kids have more ways to send “dirty texts” otherwise known as sexting and cyber bullying.

Both of these things parents know are happening. All the time you see something in the news about kid’s sexting each other, people on the social networks lying about their age to meet younger kids.

All of this stuff is a problem. This younger generation is considered to be a lazy generation by some parents. With all the new ways of communication the kids feel more comfortable to sit at home and just text each other rather than call them or go and meet the person one on one. With all of this stuff, this generation is going to be the one that is thought of and looked upon as the group that has lost all social interaction skills. tt

February 19, 2010

The Newsstreak

Avatar becomes top grossing movie of all time ground-breaking CGI made you feel Emily Knapp like you were actually on Pandora,” Style Editor Hyser said.

Cameron created a new form of filming to place the actors in their digital here is a reason Avatar has surroundings in real time. The director become the highest grossing described the system as a “form of pure film of all time, and it is not the creation where if you want to move a film’s plot which bears a striking tree or a mountain or the sky or change resemblance to Disney’s Pocahontas. the time of day, you have complete Director James Cameron’s brain child control over the elements.” This new has fascinated critics and audiences technology allowed the crew to adjust alike, keeping it at the top of box office and direct scenes just as charts since its Dec if shooting live action.

16 release. What Avatar smashed It wasn’t the best boxWhile keeps the world office records and is so intrigued is not storyline. It was quite now the highest grossing just the fact that movie of all time, it has political, but the an entirely new flaws. world was created, action and animation “It wasn’t the best complete with made up for it.” storyline. It was quite plants, animals, and political, but the action  Sophomore a native language, animation made up but that audiences Raymond Hyser and for it,” Hyser said. are given a chance to While the movie visit the planet Pandora thanks to new lasted roughly three hours, audiences 3D technology. were willing to give up that much time Zoe Saldana, the actor who played – and thirteen dollars – to experience Na’vi native Neytiri, is never seen on Pandora. Cameron’s revolutionary 3D screen – at least, not in her true form. animation allowed viewers to feel as if Yet prior to shooting, she was trained they were standing next to a Na’vi or in archery, horseback riding, and was dodging through the trees rather than placed in the middle of a Hawaiian having random elements pop out at jungle. When filming began, she was them. Based on it’s immense popularity, told to act like an imaginary creature it looks as though Avatar is here to stay. in a blank room without any props, “Cameron said that if he breaks a makeup, or costumes to aid her. said amount of money, he’ll make a Most of the film is dependent on CGI trilogy. He broke the said amount of animation. money,” Hyser said.  Sophomore Marshall Hyser saw Avatar three times, each in 3D. “The

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movies A7

Pixar, Disney Revolutionize Animation Martin Vichnar Staff Reporter

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ixar is an American CGI animation company founded in 1986 by Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. It was in relationship with The Walt Disney Co. which decided to buy Pixar in 2006. The studio has earned a total of 22 Academy Awards, six Golden Globes, and three Grammy’s.

In the beginning, they started with very short movies. Three of those won Oscar awards for Best Animated Short Film. One of those movies, Geri’s Game, was written and directed by Czech writer and director Jan Pinkava. It is about an old man who plays chess against himself.

This movie surprised people with its smart and interesting plot.

Pixar made its first feature movie in 1995 and launched the company’s popularity. Toy Story was the very first full 3-D animated feature film in history. It is the simple story about toys which come alive when their owner is not at home. Tom Hanks and Tim Allen lend their voices to the iconic characters Woody and Buzz Lightyear. The animation was not as good as in Pixar’s newer movies, but reviews were very positive and this movie is very popular with fans all over the world.

It is also the only Pixar movie which has its own sequel. The first sequel Toy Story 2 was released in 1999. In between the Toy Story movies, Pixar released the movie A Bug’s Life. After the second Toy Story, in 2001, the movie Monsters Inc. was released.

In 2003, one of the most popular Pixar’s movies was released. Finding Nemo, the story about lost fish in the ocean was named as the tenth best animated movie in history. Of Pixar’s movies only Toy Story was higher at number six.

The Incredibles was the next movie by this company released in 2004.

Two years later, Pixar came out with the worst critic’s awarded feature movie in Pixar history – Cars. The movie was intended for younger people than previous movies, so small kids love it, but teenagers and adults do not find it as entertaining.

In 2007, Ratatouille was in cinemas all over the world. This movie was written and directed by Jan Pinkava as well, but when Disney bought Pixar, they changed the director and the rest of this movie was directed by the most famous of Pixar’s directors Brad Bird. Pinkava left Pixar after this incident and he is working as a commercial director at company named LAIKA. Pixar is coming out with the second sequel to Toy Story in June and they are working on the first sequel to Cars. 

Obsession with movies can lead to depression Ama Ansah News Editor

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t is not uncommon to hear teenagers describe something as “depressing” or say they feel “depressed.”

According to depressionhelpspot. com, one in eight adolescents suffers from depression. Suicide is the third leading cause of death among people aged 10 to 24. Causes for depression range from break ups and stress to addiction and abuse.

James Cameron’s smash hit Avatar is another cause for depression. Some fans have been so moved by the film that they are experiencing depression.

CNN and The Huffington Post have reported that the Avatar fan forums have

been flooded with users contemplating suicide.

In the film, humans discover a beautiful planet, Pandora. The planet is inhabited by ten-foot tall, blue human like creatures called Na-vi. The humans want to mine the planet for “unobtainum” but the Na-vi will not let them.

The humans create “Avatars” that look like the natives but are physically and mentally linked to a human to infiltrate the natives. The humans resort to violence against the natives to get the unobtainum.

Some movie goers are depressed because of how the humans in the film treated the native people. Some have even contemplated suicide believing that they will be reborn on the fictional planet Pandora.

Gianna Gariglietti, a therapist and

SSB members volunteering over spring break SSB from page a1 cross-country, cheerleading, basketball, baseball, anyone can join.

Even non-school sponsored athletes, like snowboarders can participate because they’re still athletes.”

Although SSB is a way for athletes to give back to the community, Turner also sees it as a way to clear any bad reputations athletes have.

“Athletes are usually given a bad name. We are called stupid and ignorant. But with SSB, we were able to stop the stereotypes and do something good for our community,” Turner said.

“As athletes and students we are given so much. We have the opportunity to compete, with our community’s support. People come out every Friday night to watch the game, or pay to see the state track meet. So now we have a chance to give back and show our appreciation.”

Some of the club’s past projects are the annual thanksgiving turkey drive, toy drive, and even the big “H” outside of the school. Their biggest project is

their annual Spring break trip, which allows club members to travel outside of the borders of Virginia and help those affected by Hurricane Katrina.

Last year the group traveled to Long Beach, Mississippi for hurricane relief, and is planning to do the same thing this year.

“We went to Mississippi to help a family tear down their house. They thought they had been forgotten after Katrina, and were about to lose the only home they had [a FEMA trailer].

So to show that people are still thinking about them and are willing to help was a huge thing for us,” Turner said.

This year the club will travel to Bay St. Louis, Mississippi once again for hurricane relief, mostly demolishing and rebuilding houses. The girls SSB group will be headed to Ocean Springs, Mississippi, also to work on hurricane relief. If any athletes are interested in participating in the 2010 spring break trip, contact Patrick Turner or Dawn Womack. 

Artists showcase work at musical Art from page a1 The art show garners significant attention every year thanks to it preceding each musical production. Numerous ticket holders prior to curtain get a chance to peruse all the student produced works of art as they wait to enter the auditorium. Senior Elsa Gallardo, never misses a chance to look at the art.

“A lot of my friends take art and I like looking at what they’ve been work-

ing on before I get to see the musical,” Gallardo said.

This will not be the last time that the art department will have their artwork on display for the public to view.

“The gallery that we are doing before the musical also gives a glimpse into some of the art work that we will be presenting during soup night,” Saxton said.

The musical, along with the art show, will run from February 18-21. Soup night will take place on March 11. 

executive director at the Collins Center, a mental health center in Harrisonburg, has never had a patient with attachment to fictional characters, but still knows about the treatment of such people.

“People who become so attached to media are avoiding real relationships and/or intimacy in their real lives,” Gariglietti said.

Sophomore Jess Sangabriel saw Avatar in theatres and loved it.

“It’s very inspiring to all types of people who have their ideas about war and politics and religion,” Sangabriel said.

She did not, however, fall into depression after seeing the film. Senior Maryama Salehi also enjoyed Avatar.

She is not depressed over the movie being fictional, but can empathize with those who do.

“People want to do that. They want to have that. Avatar, is really cool and they hate that they can’t have that, so I guess that’s why they’re getting depressed over it,” Salehi said.

It is not uncommon for people to identify with fictional characters. Relatable characters are what make a TV show, movie or book popular. According to livescience.com, recent studies show that people feel less lonely when watching or thinking about a favorite TV show. It is unhealthy to obsess over shows or use them as a substitute to a relationship. “[I recommend] forming connections with other people, particularly in real life, and making sure one doesn’t live in isolation,” Gariglietti said. 

The Newsstreak

February 19, 2010

Kindle, Nook, ipad provide convenience for readers purchase their books and receive them wirelessly onto their device in the same way as Kindle users do. Unlike the Kindle, the Nook is completely touch screen. Another convenient feature of

them for a 14-day period. The nook can hold up to 1,500 books at one time and additional memory cards are available for more memory space. Barnes and Noble also came up with the idea of ay goodbye to heavy, allowing customers to have music inconvenient books. Thanks on their Nook. It can hold about 26 to Amazon, Barnes and Noble hours of music, and can be listened and Apple we can now carry all to through headphones or the built in of our books on one, small, hand-held speaker. machine. Amazon released the first The iPad features a large 9.7-inch version of the Kindle in November color touch screen. The iPad has a lot 2007, but they have been improving more features then the other reading it ever since.

Barnes and Noble devices because it was designed to introduced the touch and color screen be more like a computer. The iPad Nook in November 2009 and Apple allows readers to access the internet released its iPad this year. and purchase different applications, The Kindle allows customers to similar to the iPhone. The iPad also purchase books straight to their device allows readers to store books and using Amazon Whispernet. Readers newspaper subscriptions to their can choose from over 350,000 books, device to be accessed at any time. newspapers and magazines. Once a The iPad is priced starting at $499, book is purchased, the reader has that but increases as the devices memory material on their Kindle until they increases. choose to erase it. If a reader subscribes These devices can be used not to a newspaper or magazine, the latest only for reading enjoyment, but also version of that print is sent directly in schools. HHS librarian Susan to their Kindle. Since the Kindle is Thacker thinks they can be used in not touch screen, it has buttons along school but they will never replace an the side and a small keyboard at the actual book. bottom.

“I don’t think any of those Amazon has released several devices will completely replace the different versions of the Kindle Getting technical. Amazon introduced the Kindle in book, but I do think they have a including the Original Kindle, the 2007. This decive allows readers to download books place,” Thacker said. “I can really Kindle 2 and the Kindle DX. The and read them on an electronic screen. Photo by Em- see textbooks being downloaded Original Kindle retails for about ily Jamieson. onto one of these because they can $360, the Kindle 2 is priced at $260 be updated so easily.” Another and the most advanced version, the the Nook is the ability to lend out your benefit of reading books electronically Kindle DX sells for about $490. books. If another person who uses is the environmental aspect. Thacker The Barnes and Noble Nook uses the a Nook wants to borrow one of your believes that these devices are a very same idea as the Kindle, but its features purchased books, you can lend it to green alternative to books.  are different.

Users of the Nook Tricia Comfort Editor-in-Chief

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Caron searching for publisher for her book Ethan Blackwell Staff Reporter

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nglish teacher and Anime Club sponsor Verity Caron has been infatuated with writing ever since she was a child. In the past few years, Caron has taken her childhood pleasure of writing and applied it to creating a book.

“I have been writing since fifth grade,” Caron said, “Writing helps me to keep my mind off things.”

In 2000, Caron began

her most recent work. As a freshman in college she decided to mix her joy of writing with her fascination with anime. Caron took inspiration from an anime show called Neo Genesis Evangelion which is based on an apocalyptic world.

“My book is a realistic style Sci-Fi novel, it deals with physics and the idea of enhanced sensory perception,” Caron said.

Enhanced Sensory Perception also known as ESP is an idea that people can have the ability to read the thoughts and ideas of others.

When Caron started her writing in college, she had no idea what her concept would turn into. At the beginning of its conception, Caron’s ideas were a combination of five separate scenes. As she looked at her ideas, she found a mysterious plot and she decided to build off the mystery and turn the five simple scenes into an entire book.

Caron’s book is finished, but she is still in search of an agent. While an agent is being saught, she will start finding publishing companies who would be willing to publish her book.

“Now I have to continue submitting, most importantly I must continue believing in my writing,” Caron said.

As Caron waits to hear from agents and publishers, she has created an online world full of her stories. She created this website several years ago with a group of friends. Her website is full of different stories that she has been creating since high school. While she’s waiting for an official publisher to get onboard, she wanted to create a place to store her stories for people to enjoy. 

Poets in the Schools program underway

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Will Turner Staff Reporter

uring the first semester of the school year an application for Poets in the School is sent to all students in both Thomas Harrison Middle School and Harrisonburg High School. To complete the application, the student must write a poem to the best of their ability and send it back. Then sponsor Jennifer Rose picks out the twenty best poems of the applicants. The twenty who are selected will be part of the Poets in the Schools program. This same process happens at THMS as well.

“I really enjoy having students from the high school that I had in the middle school,” Rose said.

The club meets eight times during the second semester on Wednesday nights from 7:15 to 8:45 p.m. They meet at the school and out in the community sometimes at places like Barnes and Noble or Oasis Art Gallery.

“It’s a poetry workshop; I give

them assignments to help them write their poetry. During the time we are together, we will read poetry from various writers and read the poetry that we wrote ourselves,” Rose said.

“Something really cool that we do is have a jazz band play while the students read their poems for a night. At the end of this club the poets will get a book of their work, a CD of them reading their poetry and a t-shirt.”

Junior Chris Pyle has been doing Poets in the School since seventh grade.

“My favorite part about Poets in the School is all of the crazy poems we come up with,” Pyle said. “I joined the club because I like to write in an abstract style; it gave me an opportunity to meet people who shared the same interest and improve my writing skills. It’s unpredictable, too. Ms. Rose does different things with us each year.”

One of the newcomers this year is Junior Natalie Warner. She decided the past two years in high school were too busy for her to be involved.

“I choose to do the club because I really enjoyed Ms. Rose as a teacher and I enjoy expressing myself through writing. It seemed like the perfect fit,” Warner said, “I think the whole course will be an awesome experience but I’m looking most forward to the jazz night.”

“If you like to read and write poetry, then you should definitely consider doing this amazing program,” Pyle said. 

music a8

What are the best and worst books you’ve read in school?

Junior, Montana Magee Favorite: The Secret Life of Bees Teacher: Nipe, 9th “It was interesting and you can relate the story to real life.”

Worst: Invisible Saints Teacher: Tueting, 11th “It was boring and hard to understand because it was written in old English.”

Junior, Simon Rosquero Favorite: Wish You Well Teacher: Swartz, 11th Worst: I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings Teacher: Swartz, 11th Junior, Amie Sombunwanna Favorite: Huckleberry Finn Teacher: Strickler, 11th Worst: anything Shakespeare Sophomore, Nyclette Kahindo Favorite: Tyrell Teacher: Coron, 10th Worst: Animal Farm Teacher: Norment, 9th Sophomore, Roberto Varona Favorite: Tyrell Teacher: Coron, 10th Worst: To Kill a Mockingbird Teacher: Norment, 9th Freshman, Kaelyn Warne Favorite: To Kill a Mockingbird Teacher: Norment, 9th “It was interesting and made me think about my views on the world.”

Worst: A Comedy of Errors Teacher: 8th grade English “The dialogue was hard to understand and it was really long.”

Freshman, Robby Ross Favorite: The Culture of Bob Marley Teacher: Norment (Debate), 9th “It taught me to not stress over the little things in life.”

Worst: Going Rogue Teacher: Norment (Debate), 9th “It didn’t satisfy my independent agenda.”

Sophomore, Mollie Mace Favorite: To Kill a Mockingbird Teacher: Norment, 9th “It wasn’t one of those books that I dreaded reading. It was just a pretty good book.”

Worst: Animal Farm Teacher: Norment, 9th “I didn’t understand what was going on through the book. It was really confusing.”

Junior, Tim Galicki Favorite: To Kill a Mockingbird Teacher: Norment, 9th “It has a good story and interesting characters.”

Worst: “I think all of them were pretty good. I have a very diverse taste in books.”

Senior, Michael Clopper Favorite: Tarzan of the Apes Teacher: Barr, 11th “I could relate to him in every possible way.”

Worst: Animal Farm Teacher: Beppler, 9th“It was all fake and could never happen.” infographic by Meagan Kelley

The Newsstreak

February 19, 2010

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The Newsstreak

February 19, 2010

Health A10

Tanning beds increase skin cancer statistics Jessica Strickler Opinion Editor

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his year, more than 1.3 million people will be diagnosed with skin cancer for the first time.

For those who have used a tanning bed before the age of 30, the risk of contracting skin cancer increases 75%.

Skin cancer has grown to be the second most common form of cancer in 15-29 year-olds. Tanning beds are so toxic, doctors consider them to be just as harmful to one’s health as cigarettes.

In a recent study, doctors found that 71% of tanning bed users are women between the ages of 16 and 29.

“I’ve seen kids- male and femalewho tan,” Angela Knupp, the HHS nurse said. “Most times it is right before spring break and prom.”

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is always around us; it is found in both natural and manufactured light. While, light bulbs around the house don’t have enough UV rays to get a tan with, inside a tanning bed the rays emitted by the fluorescent bulbs are 15 times stronger than natural sunlight. And knowing that less than half of all teenagers

use sunscreen, the radiation is able to are less likely to get a sunburn, but penetrate the skin even deeper. more likely to end up with melanoma“Cancer in a box... they are paying the most deadly form of skin cancer. money to get a tan, when they could go Spending time in the tanning bed is outside and get one for free,” Knupp not the only problem dermatologists said. face on daily basis. They treat patients In the United States, the number of who have spent too much time in the people with skin cancer is growing ex- sun over many years and have develponentially, to the point that skin can- oped sun spots or cancerous moles. cer has become an epidemic. Every day, Other long-term side effects of tanning more than a million include immune people visit a tanning suppression and bed. One in five people vision problems.

Cancer in a box... will be diagnosed with Even on regusome form of skin canlar check-up visthey are paying cer during their life its with a fammoney to get a tan, time. ily physician, the when they could go “The Journal of the doctor is likely American Academy of to counsel the outside and get one Dermatology released patient about for free.” a study that found ‘a the dangers of  Nurse Angela single tanning session sun exposure was enough to damand the imporKnupp age DNA’,” Dr. John tance of wearing Witman, a Family Pracsun screen yeartitioner at Rockingham Family Physi- round. cians said.

“When I see people for physicals, I The problem with tanning beds is am very careful to check for any sign of that they emit mostly UVA rays, which skin cancer,” Witman said. “With teenare less likely to burn the skin than the agers, I make a point of talking about UVB rays associated with sunlight. So the dangers of sun exposure and what when you go to the tanning bed, you it can lead to.”

“

Especially in the winter, many people do not consider the fact that they can still get sunburn. When it snows, the sun hits the snow and the reflection of sunlight is even strong than in the summer. Even if you are only outside for 20 minutes shoveling, you could still get sunburn.

Many people assume that skin cancer is just a little problem and that any cancerous spots on the skin can be easily removed if detected. But melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, is incurable if not detected early. This year, the number of deaths due to melanoma is expected to surpass 8,000, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.

With spring break approaching, tanning salons are likely to see an increase in customers wanting to get a head start on their tan. But before climbing into the bed, think twice about the harmful side effects and dangers indoor tanning poses to people across the country.

“We can do a lot to prevent skin cancer. It may not be glorified like other forms of cancer are,” Witman said.

“But it is the most common form of cancer and it does not get the attention it needs.” 

Teens hit tanning beds to prepare for prom Madison Wilson Staff Reporter

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Self-tanning lotion on display. These products may be expensive, but they help darken your skin. Picture taken by Christine Choi.

uring winter, one of the main concerns of many people is their skin color. A way to fix this is a tanning bed. People turn to tanning beds to give them the perfect complexion.

Tanning beds give users a small amount of vitamin D which is a healthy point of tanning, but there are other factors that might outweigh the good.

Tanners are exposing their skin to Ultra Violet rays that damage skin and can potentially cause skin cancer.

When people are young, tanning seems fun and gives the skin a healthy looking glow.

But over time, tanning will start to damage the skin. When people become older, their skin will wrinkle more quickly and become more leathery because

of the tanning. When the skin looks ‘tan’ it is actually the burnt pigment cells that give you color.

Depending on the skin color, if a person is pale or naturally dark it all comes down to how much melanin they have in the skin. When a person tans, it is the melanin that produces more melanin and making the tanner become slightly burnt and giving them a darker complexion.

“At first it is kind of embarrassing to go tanning, but then you get used to it,” senior Preston ‘Doodie’ Grogg said, “I went every day, five days a week, for the whole month before prom. It was worth it because you look better when you are tan.”

A healthy tip for tanning in a bed is to wear some source of sunscreen. This way the tanner gets a small tan without putting their skin at such a risk.

Also clients can and should ask for eye covers. While tanning,

people choose not to get these because they do not want the tan lines, but they are not noticeable after only a couple of hours and they protect the eyes.

Low levels of Vitamin D double the risk of heart disease according to dermatologists.

Vitamin D can come from other sources besides the sun.

If someone has fair skin, they only need to be in the sun for ten minutes a day to get the appropriate amount of Vitamin D. “You can get Vitamin D from fish and fortified milk,” Mac Bair’s student teacher Nicole Brumfield said.

Tanning beds are not always the number one way to have color in a person’s complexion.

There are the options of spray tans and tanning lotions. These don’t do any harm to the skin. It ‘dyes’ the skin to give it a color, and starts to fade from the oils in the skin and washing. 

There are healthy alternatives to tanning beds Christine Choi Feature Editor

UV radiation tanning beds. All tanning beds are harmful, but their usage continues to increase. Picture taken by Christine Choi.

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xcess exposure to the sun over time has negative effects like leathery skin, skin cancers, painful burns, and more.

Luckily, thanks to sunless tanning products, it is possible to get the same tanned look without the harm.

“Tanning, point blank is not good. But some sunlight with sunscreen provides vitamin D,” anatomy teacher Penny Martinez said.

Sunless tanning comes in forms like gel, cream, lotions, or spray. These products are available at local drugstores and stores at affordable prices compared to the membership and tanning bed prices. Sunless tanning solutions contain an active ingredient called dihydroxyacetone (DHA). The DHA works with the outermost layer of dead skin cells and darken them to achieve the tanned look. Once applied and the skin darkens, the tan cannot be washed off but rather wears off over a period of five to seven days.

Sunless tanning options go as far as pills and tan towels. Although the pills have not been FDA approved, the pills give you the same even golden glow that sun tanning does. Tan towels have a concentrated chemical that when wrapped around your skin provides a tan with no streaking or mess.

Sophomore Evan Wetsel enjoys sunless tanning because it is a fast and easy process.

“I used Jergens gradual tanning lotion and I like that I got the tan without the sun damage,” Wetsel said.

Many different ways of sunless tanning are available, from full spray body tans at salons and spas to tinted lotions or gradual tanners.

These products are FDA approved and provide the same look as a tan without the health risks. “[Sunless tanning] is safer than tanning but it’s still putting chemicals on you. Although it is safer, I would not do it as a daily thing. The chemicals are dying your skin,” Martinez said.

According to the FDA, sun tanning is not a healthy glow. Tanning can cause chromosomal damage below visual skin layers causing skin cancers, no matter what skin tone you have.

A view from the inside: UV radiation lights surround your entire body to get a full and even tan. Photo taken by Diana Gutierrez.

Spray tan action This spray tan room offers an alternative to the traditional tanning bed.

Photo taken

by Diana Gutierrez.

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Montavon misses gymnastics, riding Savanah Cary Feature Editor

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enior Melissa Montavon was diagnosed with scoliosis when she was in fourth grade. I talked to Melissa about her scoliosis over Facebook chat one night.

She had discovered that her case was so severe that it was too painful for her to wear a corrective brace. Although she stopped wearing the brace, she continued to go to a specialist once a week. Then the summer before her freshman year, she decided to get a spinal fusion surgery.

“I was in the hospital at UVA for five days, and the surgery lasted for seven hours,” Montavon said. “Titanium rods were placed on each side of my spine to straighten out the curves.”

Before she got the surgery, Montavon wore a corrective brace when she was in elementary school. Not only was the brace painful, but it caused other problems as well.

“Trying to wear the brace during elementary school was difficult. It was painful and it made me different from all the other kids,” Montavon said.

“Also the device itself was pretty terrifying.”

Before Montavon had the spinal fusion surgery, her

spine did not affect her daily life too much. Not only was she nervous before the surgery, but she was on bed rest for the entire summer. She was also nervous about switching schools right after having the surgery.

“For a while after the surgery, sitting up was difficult, and even now when I sit up it looks like I have perfect posture,” Montavon said. “Also I can only bend at ninety degree angles.” These limits will stay with Montavon for the rest of her life, because the rods are permanent.

“The rods will be there forever,” Montavon said. “I can’t feel them, but they limit my flexibility.” In the past Montavon participated in gymnastics and horseback riding, but due to the rods in her back, she is no longer able to participate in either sport.

“I had to quit both after the surgery,” Montavon said. “I miss horseback riding a lot, but I haven’t had the guts to try horseback riding again, because if I fall off, it could cause serious problems with my back.”

Since the surgery was a while ago, Montavon has been able to move past the limits that the rods in her back caused.

“It’s been three years since the surgery, so I’m used to it,” Montavon said.

1. Play cards with a stranger 2. Online chat for an hour

3. Make a collage with a freshman 4. Try a sport... any sport

the bucket list Inspired by the hit t.v. show “The Buried Life,” Newsstreak staff members embarked on a mission to cross items off of their personal bucket lists.

Keeping in mind the Newsstreak’s mantra “every person has a story,” the writers sought Harrisonburg High School students who have not been previously covered in the paper. The results are stories of students with funny, interesting backgrounds. We encourage you all to pursue your own bucket list and share your story at room 444!

Crafting with complete stranger can be cool Meagan Kelley Fun Director

F Card game leads to conversation Michael Johnson Staff Reporter

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reshman Edgar Pichardr is a beast at blackjack. I got the chance to play him and he was obviously the better card player since he won every game we played.

He was a very swift and relaxed card player, too.

Pichardr started telling me about his vacation in Puerto Rico. He told me that there was a fight between two guys who had been drinking too much. They were fighting over a woman. The fight lasted for fifteen minutes and ended when both men busted their noses on the ground.

According to Pichardr, who was in Puerto Rico a year and a half ago for his vacation, this was the most exciting event that happened during his getaway. He went with his grandfather for two months.

His grandfather was born there and has taken Pichardr there four times.

Pichardr was born and spent his early years growing up in New York City. His family moved to Harrisonburg two and a half years ago.

“I like New York City better than Harrisonburg because New York City is bigger in terms of people. The people in New York City are funnier and the schools there are not as strict,” Pichardr said.

Pichardr and his grandfather are hoping to go back to Puerto Rico this spring break for the whole week.

“In Puerto Rico, they have the same kind of food as in the United States. When I was down there though, I ate a lot of beans and rice,” Pichardr said.

Before dinner in Puerto Rico, the people usually have appetizers. Empanadillas are popular appetizers. They are crescent-shaped turnovers filled with lobster, crab, conch, and beef.

Pichardr said that the thing that he likes most about Puerto Rico is the climate. It is very hot in Puerto Rico.

The temperature can range anywhere from eighty to one hundred degrees year round.

Pichardr and his grandfather like traveling together.

They have also been to the Dominican Republic and are hoping to keep vacationing in Puerto Rico. 

Photos by Alison Domonoske.

reshman Kendall Bailey is an outspoken, fast-talking, Junior Olympian who was born in Miami, in the middle of a hurricane. Recently I had the opportunity to get to know Kendall while we made collages out of magazine cutouts. Her mouth moved so fast that it was hard for me to keep up. This year is Kendall’s first year playing Junior Olympics volleyball as well as her first year playing volleyball ever.

“I had never played [volleyball] until I decided to try out for the school team this year,” Bailey said. “Trying out for Junior Olympics wasn’t as nerve racking as trying out for the team at HHS.” The farthest that Bailey’s Junior Olympics team has traveled is about five hours away. She is not sure if she wants to play volleyball in college in a few years and says she will consider it if Virginia Tech has a volleyball team.

When I asked how Junior Olympics volleyball compares to Olympic volleyball Bailey responded with a laugh, “I’m not sure how it compares to the real Olympics because I’ve never played in the Olympics.”

Before I could finish all of my questions about volleyball, Bailey began telling me a story about how a random college student proposed to her mother at a gas station once.

She then changed the subject again, telling me about the size of her cat.

“My cat – everyone thinks she’s a dog – I mean seriously she looks like a bowling ball,” Bailey said.

B a i l e y continued to make me laugh telling more stories about being chased by a wild boar, about moving seven times, and shattering the bones in her thumb in seventeen places.

“I like talking, I mean obviously,”

Bailey said. “A lot of people tell me I talk too much but I’d rather be outspoken than boring.”

As we sat, cutting out pictures that represented us or just seemed interesting, Bailey continued to tell me anything interesting about herself that she could think of.

“You know, as soon as I leave, I’ll remember the most important thing about my life,” Bailey said.

After some more thinking, she finally remembered the scariest thing that has ever happened to her.

“I am terrified of lakes,” Bailey said.

“One time my friend and I were canoeing and it was starting to get dark but the current pulled our boat out really far from the shore. We blew the emergency whistle but the wind was going the wrong way. No one found us for like seven hours.

It was the scariest moment of my life.”

Before I could ask a question about the canoeing experience, Bailey turned the magazine page to a lotion sample and immediately asked if she could have it, saying her mother would love it.

While on the subject of her mom, Bailey said, “I think I’m allergic to tomatoes, but my parents say I’m not. They also think my middle name is Anne but I think its Analea.”

Bailey began to tell me how she cannot live without Converse, Pacsun, and Aeropostale and how she used to be SCA president and Builders Club president in middle school.

“Most people think I’m a nerd, and I mean I guess I am, but if you get to know me I’m not,” Bailey said.

Nerd or not, Kendall Bailey is outspoken

and full of laughs for sure. The kids shoe size wearing ninth grader who loves hip-hop and rap music and loves to dance is sure to keep anyone laughing for hours. The one goal Kendall Bailey has for her life? “To live a frikin’ awesome life.”

Cross this athletic endeavor off my bucket list

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Emily Knapp Style Editor

et me make one thing clear – I don’t do sports. When I was younger, my favorite part of Rec League soccer was the snack. During this year’s Super Bowl, I was most excited to see commercials for the Harry Potter theme park. And when my arm is twisted to attend JMU women’s basketball games, I focus more on the Lady Gaga music played during time outs than the action on the court.

Needless to say, it seemed like a good idea that I try something athletic before I kick the bucket. As Jack Frost has decided to set up residency in Harrisonburg this year, it only made sense that I give skiing a shot. My dad and younger brother, Michael, accompanied me to Massanutten.

Bundled up in about ten thousand

layers of clothing, we grabbed our gear and hit the slopes.

Well, not exactly the slopes. At least, not at first. My dad has been skiing since he was a child, so he wanted to teach us a few techniques before letting us plummet down the mountain. As he constantly reminded us, the most important thing to remember was how to stay in control. I quickly found out that doing so is easier said than done.

Though I only fell three times, I was constantly in danger of smashing into a tree or another human being. I didn’t. But I was sure close.

At one point, Michael got understandably angry when I panicked while getting off the lift and shoved him out of the way.

As Karma would have it though, he witnessed me

wipe out a few minutes later. Between bouts of laugher, he told me, “That was so funny. I’ll never forget it for the rest of my life.”

While I had plenty of issues – give me a break, I’m not athletic– I am proud of myself. I managed to overlook how stupid it seemed to fly down an icy hill on two heavy pieces of wood and

have a ton of fun. Sure, I was tired, sore, and missed my warm boyfriend, but I definitely managed to get out of my comfort zone and put a huge check on my bucket list. Believe it or not, I think I’ll go again. Keep an eye out for me at the 2018 Winter Olympics. 

February 19, 2010

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February 19, 2010

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Cosmetology helps students fulfill their dreams Alison Domonoske Feature Editor

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tudents at HHS are all given wonderful opportunities to learn in many different ways. One option is Massanutten Technical Center, which offers lots of courses such as Cosmetology.

Junior Leann Strother is in her first year of Cosmetology. Since her visit in eighth grade, Strother has known she wanted to attend MTC. “Cosmetology is something I’ve had a passion for my whole life,” Strother said. Strother plans to use all her knowledge extensively in the future.

“I want to open my own hair salon,” Strother said. Though Strother plans to make a career out of what she learns, not all MTC students take this route.

“So far, every student that I’ve taught has passed the state board but less than half actually go on to work in a shop,” Cosmetology teacher Jill Armstrong said.

Armstrong is in her seventh year of teaching at MTC and continues to enjoy her job. Armstrong’s favorite part is seeing students learn and interacting with them.

“I’m a people person,” Armstrong said. “This is one of the professions where it’s more than just making people pretty. It’s rewarding to change lives.”

When students are in the first year of Cosmetology, they learn the basics

such as structure of hair, hair-cutting techniques and perms. Their second year students learn anatomy, chemistry, electricity and salon management.

“In their second year, we really perfect what they learned earlier and add on their knowledge,” Armstrong said. Students need to learn the sciences so they know how to safely use chemicals in perms and the different technologies in salons.

The MTC cosmetology classroom is a salon in itself, with each student having a mirror and counter to work with.

The classroom also has salon chairs, hair dryers and everything needed to accommodate their clients.

Every Thursday and Friday, the salon is open and second-year MTC students give the clients haircuts, hair dyes, manicures, pedicures and whatever they desire.

“We generally get five to ten people a week but not as many as we would like,” Armstrong said. She worries that people do not come to MTC because they do not think a professional job will be done. This, however, is not true.

“Lisa [the other Cosmetology teacher] and I are always watching and helping so we make sure everything is done right,” Armstrong said.

Lisa Moubray is teaching for her first year at MTC, after owning her own shop, and so far enjoys it.

“The staff is easy to work with and the students are awesome,” Moubray said.

HHS has many students involved

in the solely female cosmetology program.

Though male students are not prohibited from signing up, none are enrolled this year.

J u n i o r s Yesenia Najarra and Melissa Esparza joined Cosmetology because they wanted to learn new hairstyles.

“I like to do hair and I wanted to learn how to cut and dye my own hair. And also do highlights,” Najarra said.

“I really wanted to learn how to do perms,” Esparza said.

They are both in their first year and so far have learned how to curl hair with rollers, different hair cuts and how to give perms.

MTC offers a learning environment unlike HHS in many ways.

“We do hands-on stuff here, not just sitting down and working and writing,” Esparza said.

Strother also finds Cosmetology different from her HHS classes.

“At MTC we learn about one subject and classes here I don’t really want to take, but I take them because I have to,” Strother said. “There we’re learning about things we can use.”

Any student interested in hair or nails should consider Cosmetology at MTC,

especially if they want to experience a new way of learning.

“We welcome anyone,”Armstrong said. “We can make anybody a hairdresser.”tt

Mechanics offers less time in classrooms, more time in shop Molly Denman Staff Reporter

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he auto-mechanics program at Massanutten Technical Center offers basic mechanic training. The class teaches basic skills for maintaining and repairing cars. The “hands on” style of the class teaches students how to fix cars and even work on their own cars. However, there is a test-taking aspect of the class along with actually working in the shop.

Juniors Ben Shisler and Collin Hummel are taking the auto-mechanics course at MTC. Shisler decided to take the class because he thought it would be an interesting experience. He also wanted to be able to learn how to work on his own car. The perks of taking the auto-mechanics class are include gaining general knowledge of cars and fixing them, avoiding having to pay a mechanic to fix a car, having something strong to put on college applications, and finding a job in auto-mechanics in the future.

“My favorite part of the class is when we get to do stuff in the shop like working on our own cars,” Shisler said. Along with working in the shop, students have to work in the classroom online.

Students read about different mechanical tasks online, watch videos in class, take a test online and then use what they learned in the classroom to work on vehicles in the shop.

“My favorite part of the class is that I don’t have to be at HHS all day and I get to be in the shop,” Hummel said.

The first year of taking the class, students learn the basics of auto mechanics such as oil changes and basic tests to see if the car is up to standards. The second year gets more into the mechanics of cars.

The two and a half hours of class allows students to do a lot of work on cars in the shop or work online.

The auto-mechanics course helps provide students with a basic knowledge of working on cars.

“If you want to become an auto-mechanic, the class can help you get a good job and you can work on your own car and do stuff yourself,” Hummel said. tt

Carpentry provides skills students can use for life Christy Stearn Staff Reporter

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students have the option to become involved in competitions.

The carpentry class was awarded first place in the state in cabinet making.

Additionally, they also won third place in bench making.

Tucker believes that it is the handson teaching style MTC gives that appeals to students.

“It’s fun stuff, not just school work,” Tucker said. “I think that’s why a lot of kids enjoy the class. The best part [for me] is seeing the good feeling it gives students to make something of their own.”

Junior Daniel Horst agrees that the experience he gets is his favorite part of the class.

“I really like getting to go in the shop. I have a lot of fun working on stuff, and [carpentry] is something I want a career in,” Horst said.

Tucker also thinks that the skills taught in class will benefit the students tremendously in their future.

“Whether it’s helping out a neighbor or pursuing a career in carpentry, they’ll use the stuff they have learned here the rest of their lives,” Tucker said. tt

t Massanutten Technical Center, students expand their knowledge in several areas of hands-on courses such as carpentry. The carpentry class at MTC is filled with students looking to advance their future in this career.

Instructor Neil Tucker teaches two groups: a class offered to first year students and a class offered to second year veterans.

The first year students focus on understanding the basics. They learn how to use tools safely and learn about other building components, like reading plans and visualizing the final product. They build a few simple projects throughout the first half of the year. During the second half, the class breaks up in teams to construct six storage sheds.

“My favorite thing we’ve done is make cabinets,” junior Carmen Morales-Diaz said.

Senior Carlos Perez-Lemus enjoys the activities the classes do in the shop.

“We’ve made wooden cars, shelves, cabinets, and sheds so far,” Perez-Lemus said.

The second year students exercise more advanced skills.

They work on executing building plans accurately and constructing more difficult projects. As the year progresses, these second year students begin building a life-size house from scratch. The house is equipped with a sliding glass door, a walk-in closet, sinks, and even solartubes that function as lights for energy conservation.

Both courses start in the classroom by completing bookwork and then spend the second half in the workshop.

Their tests are also divided into two portions: an exam taken on paper and a mini project assigned during the period. This year, the students had to make tusks which are used as support in Watch your fingers! Junior Daniel Horst cuts boards using a circular saw. Photo by Phillip Banbuildings.

Like other MTC courses, nister.

Start your engines!

Juniors Ben Shisler and Collin Hummel work on an engine. Photo by Phillip Bannister.

Criminal Justice curriculum prepares participants for careers Savanah Cary Feature Editor

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doesn’t have school, we don’t come to MTC and if Harrisonburg doesn’t have school and Rockingham does, then we still have to come to MTC,” Giordano said.

In the future, Smith plans to use what he has learned at MTC to continue his career in criminal justice.

“I plan to use what I have learned as background information. If I go to the academy I will have more understanding and I will not be totally lost,” Smith said. One of the requirements for the class is to experience everything on an officer’s belt except for shooting a gun such as putting handcuffs on others, and wearing hancuffs. In a typical class, the students will read the paper for current events, and share with the class what they read. Sometimes they will take notes, but there is a hands-on activity every day.

“We never know exactly what we will do. The job is unexpected, so is the class,” Smith said. tt

assanutten Technical Center offers opportunities to HHS students to get hands-on experience in the fields they are interested in pursuing.

One class that MTC offers is Criminal Justice.

“I took criminal justice because I want to be a police officer when I grow up,” junior AJ Smith said. “It’s cool to get out of regular classes.”

The students in Criminal Justice participate in a hands-on activity every day. The fun activities and games are Smith’s favorite part of the class.

“My favorite part is the cool activities, like Toxic River, a team building game, workouts, and capture the flag,” Smith said. Workouts consist of physical fitness activities such as running, push-ups, and sometimes an obstacle course. Not only does the class do workouts and team building activities, but they also learn things that apply law enforcement activities.

“My favorite part of the class is the hands-on activities like finger printing, CSI games, and handcuffing,” junior James Giordano said. Giordano takes criminal justice because it is something he could use in college.

“I plan on going to JMU and studying criminal justice, and hopefully get a career in the military police,” Giordano said. Students who attend MTC are there for half of the day, then they return to HHS. Smith and Giordano both find major differences between the two schools.

“MTC is a lot more exciting because you are in a classroom all day at HHS, but here we go out and do more handson activities,” Smith said.

Giordano finds another difference.

“Since MTC is on the Just like CSI. Students in the criminal justice course Rockingham County school learn to take fingerprints. Photo by Phillip Bannisschedule, if Rockingham ter.

The Newsstreak

February 19, 2010

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February 19, 2010

The 2010 Winter Olympics

Route of the Torch Every year the

Bude, Gray enjoy watching the Winter Olympics

Olympics are held, a procession of the olympic torch takes place before the opening ceremony.

Here is the route of the 2010 winter olympics torch.

Shane McMahan Staff Reporter

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lthough the Winter Olympics are not as popular as the Summer Olympics, they are very interesting. Senior Nelson Bude is a big fan of the Winter Olympics, and has been for the past few years.

“I’m a big fan of the Winter Olympics, preferably Team Canada,” Bude said.

Bude said he pulls for Team Canada because “they are not good at anything else.”

Though Bude is a fan of many of the

Started: Greece-- October 22nd, Olympia – carried by Vassilis Dmitriadis: skier Greece- October 29th, Athens – Nikolas Kaklamanakis: windsurfer Canada: Day 1: British Columbia: Catriona La May Doan— long track speed skater Day 11: Nunavut: Mary Carillo—sportscaster Day 20: Nova Scotia: Sydney Crosby—hockey player Day 32: Quebec: Ben Mulroney—TV Host Day 42: Quebec: Jacques Villeneuve—race car driver Day 50: Ontario: Kurt Browning—figure skating Day 64: Ontario: Shania Twain—musician Day 70: Manitoba: Eddie “the Eagle” Edwards—ski jumper Day 80: Alberta: Jill Quirk—swimmer Day 82: Alberta: Shawn Johnson—gymnast Day 94: British Columbia: Jamie Lee—13 year old speed skating Day 106: British ColumbiaVANCOUVER!: Beckie Scott—cross country skier

The Olympics Quiz 1-If you were to go on any reality show, which would you choose?A. Dancing with the Stars B. Project Runway C. Access Hollywood D. Spike TV Guy’s Choice Awards 2-What sport would you want to compete in in the

Sports b6

Winter Olympic events, he particularly enjoys watching two.

“I really like watching the skiing and speed skating competitions,” Bude said.

Bude said that he likes watching skiing and speed skating competitions because he likes watching athletes go at high speeds.

“I think it’s awesome how fast they go,” Bude said. “You can just see the adrenaline rush they get off of it, and I think it’s really cool.”

Being a fan of a specific country usually means having a favorite athlete, but this is not the case with Bude.

“I do not really have a certain athlete that I like watching,” Bude said. “I just pull for anyone that represents the country

Solomon, Villeda psyched for snowboarding competition Claire Sudol Staff Reporter

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hen someone says the word, “Olympics,” people usually flashback to the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics when Michael Phelps won eight gold medals, beating out Mark Spitz’s title for the amount of gold medals won in a single Olympics.

They are also reminiscing about USA’s Shawn Johnson competing with the girls’ gymnastic national team while only a high schooler.

Now, in February 2010 the Winter Olympics will be held in Vancouver, Canada where athletes will compete in their winter sport on snow or ice, with sports including skiing, figure skating, bobsledding, ice hockey, and more.

Senior Uriel Villeda is ready for the Winter Olympics to begin as he has his eyes set for watching his favorite Olympian, Shaun White.

“I like White first because he’s an awesome snowboarder,” Villeda said.

“And, second, he’s very humble.” Villeda likes the fact that White does not use his fame for all the pleasurable things it offers. According to Villeda, White is different because he does not rub his fame in peoples’ faces.

Winter Olympics?A. Speed skating B. Figure skating C. Skiing D. Snowboarding 3-Who would you most want to be sponsored by?A. Coca-Cola B. I would choose not to be sponsored C. Audi D. Burton

“White is doing some cool stuff to help younger kids to be good like him,” Villeda said. Villeda will be tuned in to his television to watch White compete in the men’s half pipe for snowboarding.

Like Villeda, junior Max Solomon also is a huge fan of White. Solomon has been snowboarding for two years and understands why White loves snowboarding as much as he does. Solomon prefers to watch the Winter Olympics over the Summer Olympics because he can relate more to snow sports because that is his hobby.

“On the weekends I go with the friends to Massanutten and snowboard,” Solomon said. “I like snowboarding because it is just fun and it’s a time that I can hang with my friends.”

Solomon is looking forward to watching White snowboard in the Olympics and hopes he’ll win a gold medal or two.

“I want to see White leave Vancouver with a gold medal because that would be awesome,” Solomon said.

With the Winter Olympics beginning on Feb 12, Vancouver will be crowded with elite athletes from all over the world where they will be competing in their sports for gold, silver, and bronze medals. 

cause you were a chubby kid) B. A shortened version of your name C. An adjective plus a vegetable making fun of your hair color D. One from your friend misspelling your name while you all were bowling

5-How many medals will you have 4-What would your wanted to win?nickname be?A. 2 gold, 1 silver, 2 A. Chunkie (bebronze

Winter Olympics EVENTS Figure Skating Snowboard Halfpipe Luge

B. 1 silver C. None yet…

D. 1 gold Mostly A’s: You are like Apolo Anton Ohno.

Mostly B’s: You are like Sasha Cohen.

Mostly C’s: You are like Lindsey Vonn.

Mostly D’s: You are like Shaun White.

that I am pulling for.”

Junior David Gray is a fan who does have a favorite athlete. Gray, a huge snowboarding fan is an avid supporter of Danny Kass.

“Danny Kass is definitely my favorite snowboarder, so I pull for him in all of his competitions,” Gray said.

The 2010 Winter Olympics are to be held in Vancouver, Canada, from February 12-28. Bude said that if he had the chance, he would definitely be there.

“I would love to attend the Winter Olympics sometime,” Bude said. “I think that it would be a once in a lifetime experience.” 

Bring on the Olympics Ethan Blackwell Staff Reporter

T

he Winter Olympics is quite possibly the most challenging competition in the world. Hours of television broadcasting are filled with athletes performing a plethora of sports and activities, all in a snowy backdrop.

Sports such as snowboarding, speed skating, and cross country skiing are some of the highest ranked sports covered in the Winter Olympics.

Even events that receive no awards are gaining much deserved hype. The demonstrated event of speed skiing for instance has amazed many with the ability to reach speeds of over 156 miles per hour as skiers hurtle their way down the side of a mountain.

Senior Justin Syharath finds the most interesting sport during the Winter Olympics to be curling. Curling, one of the oldest competitive sports in the Winter Olympics, is similar to shuffleboard, but on ice. The object of the event is to send a polished granite stone down a lane, with two sweepers controlling the direction and speed of the stone with brooms.

The team to properly direct and stop the granite stone closest to the target is the winner.

“It’s actually pretty intense,” Syharath said. “Everything they do has to be very precise. Because when it comes down to it the more precise the sweepers are and the more coordinated the team is the better chance of them winning, or at least placing.”

Senior Anthony Todd, a fan of snowboarding events in the Olympics, has been patiently waiting to be amazed once more by the agility and determination of these athletes. Snowboarding is one of the more recent sports to be adopted by the Winter Olympics lineup, added in 1998.

Quickly gaining competition between countries, the United States and Switzerland have crept up and positioned themselves first and second respectively.

“It’s hard to even think about what these snowboarders are doing. Between the trick on the half pipes and the slalom runs it is amazing,” Todd said.

Senior Brendon Cummiskey finds himself also plastered to the screen while watching Apolo Ohno fly around the lanes at blistering speeds.

“Apolo Ohno has to be one of my favorite athletes. He is very determined to be the best, and that stands out when he races,” Cummiskey said. “It’s astonishing how fast the skaters are going and their ability to control themselves in such a uniform manner.” 

2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics top events and athletes

DESCRIPTION

STANDOUT ATHLETES

SCHEDULE

Consists of four events, mens singles, wom- Caydee Denney, Jeremy Barret, Mark Ladens singles, pairs and ice dancing. wig, Amanda Evora

February 14,15,16,18,19,21, 22,23,25,27

Snowboarders perform tricks in a halfpipe, scored by judges.

February 15,16,17,18,26,27

Shaun White, Greg Bretz, Gretchen Beiler, Hanah Teter, Kelly Clark

Speed-Sledding down a long, narrow, curv- Erin Hamlin, Mark Grimmette ing slide. Athletes steer with their feet and hit speeds of 90mph.

February 13,14,15,16,17

Curling

Ice shuffleboard. Competitors throw “stones” across an ice runway to a target.

John Benton, Tony Angiboust, Cori Bartel, Cheryl Bernard

February 16, 17,18,19,20,21,22,23, 25,26,27

Ice Hockey

Athletes try to put the puck into the goal with sticks on skates.

Meghan Agosta, Daniel Alfredsson, Maxim Afinogenov, Patrik Elias

February 13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22, 23,24,25,26,27,28

Speed Skating

Like a track race but on skates. 5000m and 1500m races.

Mo Tae-Bum, Dutchman Sven Kramer, Martina Sablikova

February 13,14,15,16,17,18,20,21,23,24, 26,27

The Newsstreak

February 19, 2010

The Rendon Report

Alex Rendon Staff Reporter

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promise there's no pun intended when I say that the Winter Olympics is the coolest intra-world competition ever.

It is the most aesthetically pleasing athletic competition (everything is on a pretty white backdrop), it is one of the fastest (those lugers, skiers and speed-skaters can MOVE), and it has the most "reenact-ability" potential (curling, anyone?).

I love the winter Olympics.

What could be more quixotic than watching The Flying Tomato (or actually "Animal" now) defy chilly gravity while you sit in your 76 degree living room sipping hot chocolate with exactly five mini marshmallows?

Nothing, save for watching Lindsey Vonn ski at maddening speeds; moving like an arctic cheetah, only faster.

The Winter Olympics offers sports that remind of us of the most pleasant times of our youth.

Bobsledding, snowboarding and ice skating conjure up memories of snow days, snowmen and irritated snowplow drivers. It gives you fleeting hope that maybe you could have been a great Olympic athlete.

The moment is quickly replaced by the fact that skiers and lugers can move at speeds that well exceed100 miles per hour and the last time you moved 100 miles per hour the plane was landing.

Still though, the winter games embody a relaxed spirit that is lacking in most professional sports.

This year, the Winter Olympics will be held at Whistler resort in Vancouver, British Columbia.

An apt name for a tranquil event. The World Cup is the world's most popular sporting event and the fans that attend the games tend to act rather rudely.

Same goes for the Super Bowl.

The Summer Olympics which features more countries competing and more celebrity-like athletes/entities (Michael Phelps, Usain Bolt, and The Dream Team) lose me every year with weight lifting and equestrian. They aren't exactly the most riveting competitions.

The Winter Olympics are like the whimsical little brother of the Summer Olympics; fun, less business-like and way, way less political.

With the Super Bowl, the World Cup and the Winter Olympics (plus that persistent question of when Tiger Woods is going to come back), American sports fans have had plenty to keep their eye on in early 2010.

The Super Bowl was the Super Bowl, we'll be rooting for America in the Cup, but we won't necessarily be glued to the television screen and nobody is really holding their breath for Tiger anymore.

A grim shadow has been cast over this year’s Winter Olympics after Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili died during a training run, reminding us that the athletes are not only supremely talented; they risk serious injury with every run.

The Winter Olympics deserve their fair share of attention. I know I'll be watching, broom and oversized hockey puck in hand, serenely pondering, "If only." 

Sports B7

Blue Streak grapplers getting ready for post season competition Shane McMahan Staff Reporter

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ith the state tournament less than one month away, each match is becoming more and more crucial. Junior Tommy Tran is one of the many wrestlers hoping to receive a bid to the state tournament. To qualify for the tournament, he will have to place in the top four in the region in his 171-pound weight class.

“Right now I’d say that I have an okay chance to make it to states,” Tran said. “I just have to keep getting better each and every day.”

Sophomore Henry Valdez is one of the few Harrisonburg wrestlers expected to make it to the state tournament. Valdez, who wrestles in the 112-pound weight class, says that he has a good chance to make it to the tournament.

“I’d say that I have a very good chance to make it to states at this point,” Valdez said, who sports a 16-4 cumulative record.

Tran started wrestling in the sixth grade, mostly because of the influence of his father’s long time friend, Art Ausberry.

“Coach Ausberry helped me make the choice to join the wrestling team,” Tran said. “I really owe it all to him.”

Valdez started wrestling in the sixth grade, but decided to quit due to the time commitment it required.

“I decided to quit because it took up a lot of my time,” Valdez said.

“Starting to wrestle again last year was probably one of the best moves I’ve ever made.”

F r e s h m a n Ahmed Salehi has been wrestling since the seventh grade and knew it was something that he wanted to do in high school.

U n f o r t u n a t e l y, Salehi’s season was cut short due to a tooth problem, and he was not able to participate in the district tournament. Intensity. HHS wrestler Brad Johnson faces off with his opponent at Because of that, he the district match held at HHS on February 3. Photo by Jack Burden is not able to qualify for states. juniors Landon Turner and Robert “It’s unfortunate that I cannot wrestle anymore this year, McCarthy, Tran has to look out for himself, but im just trying to get ready for next but also his teammates.

“Being the type of person that I am, I’m year,” Salehi said.

Tran currently has an 11-10 record, and not really a vocal leader, I just try to lead plans to improve that in the upcoming by example,” Tran said.

Tran hopes to be one of many Streaks at weeks in preparation. Being one of the three team captains, along with fellow the tournament later this month.

Lacrosse team forms in the Valley

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Mitch Depoy Staff Reporter

hen you think of contact sports, you think of sports like football and hockey. In the Rockingham County/Harrisonburg City area, football is the most played sport. Rockingham County is also trying to bring another sport that is a mix of both hockey and football, this sport is lacrosse.

Lacrosse was first founded by Native American tribes. The tribes used this game as a way to compete for territories and for fun.

The game has evolved a lot over the years. It is now played with 11 people on each team. The players wear protective gloves, a helmet and pads to protect their torso region. For Senior Brendon Cummiskey, lacrosse is his sport .

"I've had a lacrosse stick in my hand ever since I was born," Cummiskey said. Part of the reason why is that his older brother was on the high school lacrosse team when Brendon was

growing up. Cummiskey's first official year on the lacrosse team was as a freshman.

"I played on my old high schools lacrosse team as a freshman," Cummiskey said.

When he moved to Harrisonburg a few summers back, he realized that HHS didn't have a lacrosse team.

"I wanted to play, so I found out about the Rockingham County league," Cummiskey said.

That was a club team so his team would travel a few times a week to places no more than two hours away to play another club team.

As for Cummiskey his position is midfield. "I originally played midfield, but switched to defense only when I was a freshman. I would've played defense for club, but I no longer had a d-pole so I went back to midfield," Cummiskey said.

As for the best part of the game, Cummiskey says it's simple.

"If you want money you go to the bank, if you want bread you go to the bakery, if you want goals you go to the net," Cummiskey said. 

Fast Facts About Lacrosse *Lacrosse is the oldest game in America. *There are four positions in lacrosse: attack, midfield, defense, and goalie. *There are two types of lacrosse: field lacrosse and box lacrosse. *There are ten players on each team. *A lacrosse stick, gloves, and a helmet together usually cost over $200.

Boys basketball team readies for district tournament Heather Hunter-Nichols Staff Reporter

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arlier this season, the boy’s varsity basketball team was defeated

by Spotswood, leaving the players with a desire for revenge.

“I want to beat them more than any other team,” senior Ian Frazier said.

Frazier’s desire is also personal and has been since last year when Marlon Organ, better known as ‘Runnie’, left Harrisonburg for Spotswood.

According to Frazier, he left be-

Africa Cup Winners

1994 Tunisia 1996 South Africa 1998 Burkina Faso 2000 Ghana & Nigeria 2002 Mali 2004 Tunisia 2006 Egypt 2008 Ghana

cause ‘he thought Spotswood had a better basketball program.’

The boys had played together from middle school through their sophomore year.

“I am good friends with him, but when it comes to sports, I get competitive,” Frazier said.

“I want to prove that he made the wrong choice (leaving for Spotswood.)”

For junior teammate Scott Measell, the motivation to win is driven by ‘the fact that they lost the last time, and the desire to get a shot at the district title’.

Last year Spotswood won the district title.

“Nobody can win districts until Spotswood is knocked out,” said Coach Kevin Tysinger. “Might as well be us.”

Tysinger has faith is his boys. “They are capable of beating anybody,” he said.

Unfortunately the game did not unfold as hoped. After a long hard neck-in-neck fight, the Streaks lost 46-56.

“We played really hard against Spotswood,” Frazier said, “and, for the most part, played a really good game.”

At halftime, the Streaks were ahead by one point.

“We really put them in some tough positions. We shut everyone down except for Run-

nie. He had 36 points and really was the difference in the game,” Frazier said.

The boys are not done yet, though. If they can beat Broadway, and Spotswood again after that, they will be district champs.

“I’m proud of how everyone played, especially after the first game against Spotswood,” Frazier said, “They came into our house and blew us out, but we came out the next game unafraid and it showed. We’re going to move on from this game and focus on our last two regular season games and then making a run in the tournament.” 

Fans of Africa cup getting excited

Soccer’s popularity is growing worldwide Paulina Rendon Staff Reporter

S

occer began in England during the nineteenth century for children who went to private schools.

Rules for the sport were developed quickly, leading to the formation of organized clubs and teams in 1855. One of the first major clubs named the Football Association was established in London in 1863.

The sport gradually spread to other countries, quickly becoming international by the 1870s.

According to thinkquest. org, it spread first to central Europe and other European countries, and then was taken to Africa in 1890

by English immigrants. It reached the Middle East and Asian nations during the twentieth century. In America, soccer became a more popular sport in 1970.

Since then, more international associations have formed all over the world.

The North American Soccer

League was formed to promote the popularity of soccer. The Federation International Football Association formed the World Cup, where all the countries of the world get to play against each other.

Some countries like Africa have their own leagues. Africa has a competition, similar to the World Cup. There are sixteen teams, all from different countries in Africa.

The competition, named the Africa Cup of Nations is

“

When Egypt won, I jumped up and down, saying Geto’s name fifty times.”  Sophomore Nahla Aboutabl held by the Confederation of African Football. It began in 1957, and after 1968 it was held every two years.

This year, Egypt set a new record for winning three consecutive times. A record was also set when they won for the seventh time total.

Adding to the honor, the coach of the Egyptian team, Hassan Shanata was voted best coach.

The goalie, Hadary was voted best goalie and Geto, one of the players from the Egyptian team set another record for scoring five goals in his games.

For the final match, Egypt went up against Ghana. With a 4-0 end, Egypt finished its season undefeated. Ghana had gone undefeated until that point.

“When Egypt won, I jumped up and down, saying Geto’s name fifty times,” sophomore Nahla Aboutabl said. “The game was really intense.”

Other students weren’t as enthusiastic.

“I wanted Algeria to win,” sophomoreZakary Kraimeche said. “I’m half Algerian, so my dad and I support it all the way.”

However, Kraimeche remains optimistic.

“Personally I wanted Algeria to win but hey, may the better team have won. I’m sure Egypt deserved to win,” Kraimeche said. “Who knows, maybe in 2014’s World Cup, Algeria will win. I look forward to that day.”

The Newsstreak

February 19, 2010

Baseball teams prepare for season Savanah Cary Feature Editor

A

s spring approaches, so do spring sports.

The JV and varsity baseball teams have high expectations for the new season. History teacher Jay Hook will continue to coach the varsity team this year.

“One thing we could improve on is being more consistent,” Hook said. “We were good for stretches and not so good for stretches.

One specific thing we could improve on is pitching.”

Last year some of the best players on the team were senior Elisha Hill who was an allregion second baseman, and junior Francisco Lake. Hook is also looking forward to new players joining the team.

“Michael Clopper and Tanner Johnson are both joining the team again after not playing last year,” Hook said.

“Connor Wolfe is also joining the team since he transferred to our school from EMHS.” Business teacher David Heatwole is starting his first year as head coach of the JV team.

“We will be working on

having a solid defense and team speed,” Heatwole said.

He wants to work on stealing bases, and keeping the team moving the whole time. Also, since it is the JV team he would like to work on the basic skills of the game.

“Since the JV team is preparation for being on varsity, I would like to work with the team at getting better at fundamental skills,” Heatwole said. One thing Heatwole is not looking forward to is making cuts.

“Making cuts is the hardest thing about coaching the baseball team since it is one of the few sports in the school that has to make cuts,” Heatwole said.

“This year, I have to take more responsibility in the process. Last year, I just gave my opinion, but this year I have to have an explanation of why the player is staying or going.”

Hook is looking forward to the new season.

“It’s a great group of guys who like to work hard, and it should be a good season,” Hook said.

Tryouts begin on Feb22 and the first game is on March 19. 

Tennis team ready to get started Michael Johnson Staff Reporter

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pring is almost here and athletes who play spring sports are preparing and saddling up for the competition. Last year, the boy’s tennis team was successful and made it to states. Sophomore Ford Hatfield was part of the team last year and has his own special way of getting ready for this upcoming tennis season.

“I play tennis all year with my friends to prepare for the tennis season. I also take lessons. I do not really do anything special before the season, but the team starts conditioning a little before the season though,” Hatfield said.

Hatfield has been playing tennis ever since the summer after his eighth grade year. He now plays tennis year round at the James Madison University courts and during the winter, he plays at the indoor courts in Bridgewater. He plays with Jack Burden, Andy Shisler, Justin L’Ecuyer, Zak Kraimeche, and Ryan Waligora. They were all on the team last year.

“I like tennis because it is fun and I have a bunch of friends who play, too. It is also good exercise, but I do not care about that,” Hatfield said.

When Hatfield practices on his free time, he usually just plays matches because it works on every part of the game.

“When we practice for the team, the coach usually just has us play matches against each other,” Hatfield said.

Sophomore Zak Kraimeche also is excited for the tennis season. He is a friend of Hatfield’s and was on the team last year also.

“I prepare for the tennis season by playing singles and doubles with my friends as much as I can when the weather is good,” Kraimeche said.

Kraimeche has been playing tennis for two and a half years.

He plays primarily with Amin Kraimeche (his brother), and his other teammates.

He enjoys playing at the Eastern Mennonite University courts, James Madison University courts, and the Bridgewater courts.

“Tennis has been by far the most fun sport I have played out of soccer, basketball, football, and volleyball. It is also very competitive and very social,” Kraimehce said.

Kraimeche practices by rallying as a warm up. Then he plays two sets of tennis usually about 45 minutes each set.

The tennis season begins February 20. 

Sports B8

Track team facing rebuilding year Jack Burden Sports Editor

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ven after losing runners like Dan Nafziger, Parker Wenos, DeSean Taylor, and Jake Shifflett, the HHS track team still has high hopes for the upcoming season.

“We’ll be pretty good, there are good guys coming back, so we’ll probably go to states,” junior Keith Thomas said. Thomas, who began running in middle school, runs the 800 meter, 400 meter, and mile race during the outdoor track season. He believes Spotswood will be the biggest opposition in the Massanutten District, but that the Blue Streaks will be able to beat them.

Sophomore Marshall Hyser also believes

Spotswood will be HHS’ toughest opponent, but he differs with Thomas on how far the Blue Streaks will be able to advance.

“I don’t think we’re as good as last year, but we’re getting better. We’ll probably take districts, and that’s it, because we lost a lot of people,” Hyser said. Hyser, like Thomas, has been a runner since middle school, participating in cross country and indoor and outdoor track. His events include the 4x800 meter relay, the 1000 meter, 1600 meter, and the pole vault.

Hyser believes the Streaks will be strongest in sprinting, which is led by sprinter Troy Jones. Thomas, according to Hyser, will lead HHS in long distance.

Despite losing many valuable runners, Thomas is optimistic.

“This team definitely has potential,” Thomas said. 

World Cup big deal in Europe Connor Whitehouse Staff Repoter

I

f someone were to ask you what the largest sporting event in the world was, most Americans would probably say something like the Super Bowl. But we Americans tend to overlook the facts. Stuck in our ignorant ways we look right past soccer. Now to be fair, soccer is a very underestimated sport in America and we really missed the boat as far as quality. But in other countries soccer became their livelihood.

Entire cities paint themselves the colors of their team.

“When I was living in Naples, Italy, the Naples team won the Italian Cup. The entire city was painted blue and white, everyone’s cars, buildings, signs were all painted. People even put something in the dormant volcano nearby Mt. Vesuvius, to make blue and white smoke billow out of it. It was like one huge city

party that lasted an entire week,” history teacher Mark Healy said.

European countries don’t play games with their winnings. People even get out of work to go watch the games if they are important and it’s rare to see an English Premier League match not packed to the gills, especially if the Big Four (Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal, and Liverpool) are participating.

Now if the single cities are this intense about their soccer team, imagine multiplying that excitement by 10 and you have the World Cup. When entire countries draw their best and all the fans come together, it’s a glorious occurrence. The countrymen bond holds these premier teams tight.

It takes a lot of dedication to attend the World Cup, especially since it’s in South America which means heavily populated countries are pretty far away causing travel expenses to skyrocket.

And when you can end up paying 900 American Dollars per ticket you can see where it would start getting expensive. 

Softball team determined to do well Vanessa Ehrenpreis Sports Editor

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fter a tough season last year, members of the HHS Lady Streaks softball team are determined to be successful.

Sophomore Taelor Adams has been playing softball for seven years, this will be her third year playing for the school, and second year on the varsity team as a centerfield. Adams hopes that her experience with the sport can help the team.

“I want to be the 1st team all district, and the 1st team all district outfield,” Adams said. “Last season was better than previous years and we have improved, but there is still more room for improvement.”

Although the Lady Streaks had a rough season last year, the addition of some new talented freshmen might be enough to pull the team out of their rut.

“We have a lot of freshman coming up that have played. Hopefully they will take the place of people on the team who have less experience,” Adams said.

Adams has confidence in the team’s coaching staff, “Our coach has had lots of experience, so

her knowledge can help others become better,” Adams said.

Adams knows that good coaching won’t be enough to turn the team around 180 degrees, but if the ladies want to win, and work hard in practice they could improve greatly.

“The hardest thing about softball is going out on the field to play when everyone already has a losing mentality. If you think you are not going to do well, you are not. That is something our team needs to work on, being confident,” Adams said. “We also need to work on our directive communication. In practice we say each others names, and yell and stuff, but in games we don’t.”

The team will probably face tougher practices in an effort to make team members the best they can be.

“We usually split into two groups, outfield and not outfield, and do drills. For outfield we do pop-ups, drop steps, soft hands, grounders, cutoffs, and we work on judging the ball and blocking the sun. Then we do hitting stations, set up the pitching machine and have a practice game,” Adams said.

Hopefully the addition of several talented freshman, and challenging practices will be able to bring the softball team a few victories. 

Boys, girls soccer teams prepare for new season Aidan Newcity Sports Editor Boys Soccer Going 14-5-1 overall in the season and making it into the quarterfinals are all accomplishments of the boy’s soccer team in the 2009 season. This year’s team has huge shoes to fill, but they are expected to do well.

There is a huge hole in the backfield for the streaks. The boys team lost goalie Colin Newcity and center defender Alex Ramos. Ramos and Newcity were both named to the all-district team and Newcity was named player of the year in the district.

“I think our success and opportunity to play in the region championship game and play the eventual state champions in the first round of the state tournament [was the highlight of the season last year],” Coach Ted Erickson said.

Newcity and Ramos lead the boy’s varsity team to a district title win over TA and the state quarterfinals. Erickson does believe soccer is strictly a team sports, and every person on the team is needed.

“The coaches and I are coming into this season with no one player on our radar as a standout player. We are looking to put together a team that will work together as one unit the entire year and to select players that are willing to play any role that the team needs,” Erickson said.

This year’s team is expected to do just as well or better. There are holes to fill, but they are filling up quickly.

Coach Ted Erickson looks brightly into the future. He has goals and standards he hopes to accomplish through the season “Our goal this year is the same as each year, our goal is to win the district championship. Once we reach that goal, we will set a new goal,” Erickson said.

The boys have been jumping at the chance of open gym. All ages, come to play soccer to get ready for the season.

Old players who are still around even show up.

This season will be tough, but fun and rewarding. They have huge shoes to fill from last season, but they are ready to try. Feb 22 is the first day of tryouts.

Girls Soccer For years now, the girl’s soccer program at HHS has been tough competition to all schools in the area.

This year is not going to be any different.

Important players were lost, but new and returning players are ready to fill their shoes.

In the last two years, the girl’s varsity team have won two district titles, one regional titles, and made it to the state quarterfinals twice. That is quite intimidating tradition to uphold, but the players are ready.

“My goal is to be district champs,” junior Priscilla Harrison said.

In every position on the field there are holes where graduated seniors stood last year. The girls lost Maddie Dunn, Maddie Duda, Becky Harris, Katherine Blatt, and Elizabeth Johnson.

“I hear a lot of negative thinking about the situation with injuries, but I think we will hold our own this season,” Harrison said.

The girl’s soccer team has two players who can not start off the year, and one that cannot play at all this season. Senior Sally Kardos broke her ankle while playing basketball. Kardos is out of the season until her ankle is healed. The Streaks are also going to

be hurt by the absence of junior Kelsey Messerley throughout the whole season. Messerley tore her MCL, ACL, and meniscus playing indoor soccer in November. She is not giving up soccer, but the doctor said it was doubtful she would be able to come back this season to play. She is going to help out, though, with coaching and managing.

“It’s probably one of the worst things to happen to me. I’m definitely going to miss it this season but I will still be part of the team and help out any way I can,” Messerley said.

The girl’s varsity and junior varsity team have been keeping busy on Sunday’s by holding open gyms in the auxiliary gym.

February 19, 2010

2009-10 HHS

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Joseph the Technicolor The Newsstreak

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and

Amazing ing

February 19, 2010

Dreamcoat

Fall in line! Members of the Egyptian ensemble listen while Jen Payne explains the dance she is about to teach. Photo by Maria Rose

Shhhh! Narrators Senior Kaiti Crittenden, Freshman Kirsten Ferguson, Sophomore Grace Clough, Freshman Nancy Carrie Logan create their own choreography for a song. Photo by Phillip Bannister

Red Thread. Color is an essential part of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream coat. Everything down to the color of the thread is important.

Close every door! Senior Justin Goldberger listens to instruction during a rehearsal. Goldberger and the ensamble take direction for the scene they are currently running. Photo by Phillip Bannister.

Joseph and Brothers.The brothers beg Joseph for mercy for the youngest brother Benjamin. Photo by Olivia McCarty.

Pins and thread. Despite the large amounts of sewing and clothing the mothers have to produce, they do manage to keep a very clear and simple work space. Photo by Phillip Bannister

Picture perfect. The final pose is perfected under the direction of choir teacher Beth Houff. Photo by Phillip Bannister

“Each of the brothers fell to his knees” Brothers and Joseph run a song during a rehearsal. (left to right) senior Patrick Toohey, junior Caleb McClay, senior Justin Goldberger, sophomore Dorall Price, senior Tony Nyugen. Photo by Phillip Bannister.

Creative Costumes! Senior Eric King wears parts of his costume to give director Stan Swartz an idea of what the costumes will look like under the bright stage light. Photo by Phillip Bannister

Suspenders! Senior Justin Goldberger runs a scene with creative lighting

Up close.

A drama m o m h e l p s work on costumes.

Sewing c a re f u l l y but eff i c i e nt l y.

Photo by Phillip Bannister One on one. Director Stan Swartz works one on one for a scene. Photo by Phillip Bannister

Down time! Musical students talk during a quick 5 minute break during a rehearsal. Photo by Phillip bannister

Jacob and Sons! All the brothers and wives gather for a family photo at the end of the song “Jacob and sons.” Photo by Olivia McCarty.

Break! Narrarators talk during Creativity! In down time nar- Make a face! Students act Bored.

Students apdowntime. Photo by Phillip rators create dance moves. pear bored during a sing goofy during downtime.

Bannister through.

Spot! A view down from a spotlight on the catwalk. Photo by Phillip Bannister