December 4th print issue

The

Newsstreak

where every person has a story

Volume XC • Issue 5 • December 4, 2009

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

Freeze Frame

Newsstreak staff captures awards at national conference Tricia Comfort Editor-in-Chief

T Saving lives. HHS donated 77 units of blood during the Oct 27 blood drive. Photo by Maria Rose.

News Briefs Interact Club fees and information slips are due by next meeting. Sign up for tutoring at Spotswood Elementary school on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:30-4:30. Sign up in Ms. Cromer’s room. More information can be found on Facebook.  The SCA will be holding a Snow Ball dance after winter break. They will be collecting music requests until winter break.

All those interested in submitting a song request should stop by room 444 to pick up a request form.

The music for this dance is by you! Streaks Serve the ‘Burg will be participating in the annual downtown winter parade. Those interested in helping with the float or walking in the parade should contact an SSB officer or Dawn Womack.

Sports Briefs The wrestling team will compete in its first invitational tomorrow at Orange County High School Indoor track will run its first Polar Bear meet December 15. Anyone interested in joining the team should see Coach Long or Coach Loughran for more information. The gymnastics team will compete against Orange County at Turner Ashby on December 16. The varsity girls basketball team plays Rockbridge County at Rockbridge on December 8. The varsity boys basketball team faces off against Waynesboro tonight at 7:30. Come support your Streaks!

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

Coming Up: Snow Ball information Musical updates Hot winter restaurants and movies Winter sports results SCA plans Tips for exam-taking and study habits Seniors talk about college applications, scholarships Club information and activities New Years’ resolutions Best and worst of 2009 New books, music and magazines to start 2010 off right  

News JROTC bivouacs in Rawley Springs, A3 build teamwork

he JEA/NSPA Fall National High School Journalism Convention was held in Washington D.C. this year. Members from the HHS newspaper, yearbook, literary magazine and broadcasting staffs attended this conference in hopes of gaining tips and new ideas to incorporate into their respective media.

Students entered into write-off competitions, photography and broadcasting. HHS had several people place in their categories. Emily Knapp and Phillip Bannister received an honorable mention in broadcasting news package and Diana Gutierrez and Marshall Hyser received an excellent in broadcasting feature package.

For the Newsstreak, David Proctor earned an excellent in commentary writing, Alex Rendon received an honorable mention in sports writing, Jessica Strickler received an honorable mention in opinion writing and Ama Ansah took an honorable mention in news writing. HHS alumni Claire Downey also placed first in the nation in the news photo category for her

Ama Ansah News Editor

T I pledge allegiance... Newsstreakers spent three days at the nation’s capital. On right: staffers see themselves on the big screen at the Newseum.

The museum focuses on the evolution of news through the ages, from its beginnings to modern forms of journalism.

picture of math teacher Bill Turner riding a tricycle at last spring’s Renaissance rally.

“I knew my pictures were good, but I honestly never imagined I’d take one good enough to place nationally,” Downey said.

The students also attended a “break with the pro” session during the conference. Each person was assigned to a table where they talked to a professional journalist about specific journalism careerssuch as feature writing, photography or online media.

They also received tips on how to improve their journalism techniques.

Sophomore Vanessa Ehrenpreis met with

Hamil R. Harris, a reporter from the Washington Post.

“I really liked my break with the pro. He was completely crazy, but he taught me a lot about how to get things done, and how to get the story,” Ehrenpreis said.

Another major portion of the conference included 384 breakout sessions. Students attended several sessions in one day. The sessions focused on specific topics or skills. Sophomore Conner Whitehouse attended several sessions in D.C., but his favorite one was a National see conference, page b5

GPA standard may limit extracurricular participation Emma DiNapoli Editor-in-Chief

T

he city school board meets every Tuesday in open meetings to discuss policies designed to enhance educational opportunities at all city schools. During the Oct 20 meeting, the board voted on a policy which pertains to extracurricular participation by students with low grade point averages.

Under the new policy, for the 20102011 school year, all students with a GPA lower than 1.5 for a semester will not be allowed to participate in sports or other activities for the duration of the

Tryouts for Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat begin

next semester. The Strickler said. “This versus participating following school year, [policy] will allow staff in extra-curricular students with a GPA to offer remediation activities, a board lower than 2.0 will be to students who member asked what unable to participate currently might not be the minimum grade in extra-curriculars. receiving additional point average was The GPA policy help.” to be eligible for would be instituted in Board member e x t r a - c u r r i c u l a r s , ” the middle Mendez said. This schools as discussion on the well as HHS; merits of extraAcademics should elementary curriculars led to be the first priority of students a board member’s preparing to proposal at the every student,” enter middle Oct 20 meeting.  School Board s c h o o l Currently, the w o u l d , Virginia High member, Greg Coffman therefore, School League h a v e requires that calculated students pass at GPAs which determine Tom Mendez said least five classes and their eligibility to that discussion on be enrolled in at least participate in middle practical solutions to three five to be eligible school activities. raise failing scores on to participate in VHSL “The board has Standards of Learning activities.

School been updating the tests was the focus of a board members policy manual over the recent board retreat. questioned whether past several months in “Within the context these requirements an effort to get all our of how much time policies up to date,” some students spend board member Sallie studying for classes see GPA, page b5

“

he HHS auditorium rang with the sounds of students singing Any Dream Will Do and A Pharaoh’s Story from Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s hit 1970 musical. These were the tryouts for this year’s musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat, which took place after school from Nov 16 through 18. Over fifty students signed up for auditions, hoping to land a spot in the production.

“The size of the cast is a reason I chose the play. This can be very adaptable. You could do with as few as 25 to 30 [students] and there isn’t really a maximum number,” director Stanley Swartz said.

Freshman Kaelyn Warne was one of the students hoping to land a role in the chorus.

“I’m trying out to just have the musical experience. I love singing and acting,” Warne said.

Senior Eric King, a veteran of the HHS stage, also tried out for the musical.

“I’m working on memorizing the monologue and the song, but you also have to put a reasonable amount of time into other stuff so you’re not just reciting it. The acting, that takes a little bit of time to get it right.”

Prospective cast members signed up for a five minute audition spot. They were required to give a one minute monologue and sing a song from the play. Swartz along with choral director Bethany Houff and co-director Erin Sutliff judged the students and determined if they were given a spot in the play. Just because a student auditioned did not mean they would be given a role.

“My focus during auditions is to assess the singing ability of each auditionee,” Houff said. “I also pay close attention to each student’s attitude and ability to work with other students as a member of a “team”. As a director, I want to work with students who are focused on the task at hand, willing and able to follow directions, and contribute positively during group interaction.”

The day after every round see Musical, page a3

HHS alum Stevens plays in NFL, returns to HHS with recruiting advice

H

Jessica Strickler Opinion Editor

oward Stevens, a former HHS athlete, collegiate and NFL player, returned to HHS on Nov 10 as part of his work with the National Collegiate Scouting Association (NCSA) to help high school students connect with college recruiters in hopes of playing college sports.

When Stevens began the recruiting process he did not exactly have “lots of coaches knocking down my door.” Thirty years ago, coaches would pack a suitcase and get in their cars and drive. They would just drive up and down the road.

From August through November, coaches would just drive, scouting practices, scrimmages and games. That is how kids used to get recruited. Today, though, it is an entirely different ball game.

“Howard’s been through [recruiting].

And he did it the hard way. There was no Internet,” HHS athletic director Joe Carico said.

“Wake Forest offered me a half scholarship, but I couldn’t afford to pay

Music

the other half of the tuition. So I ended up at Randolph-Macon, because they gave me the money,” Stevens said.

While at Randolph-Macon College, Stevens was named All-American twice; once in 1968 and again in 1969. Following his two seasons with the Yellow Jackets, he transferred to the University of Louisville where he earned a B.A. in Psychology.

During his time at Louisville, Stevens set the school’s record for rushing yards in a season, with 1,429 yards in 1971 and 12 touchdowns.

“I transferred to a bigger school, University of Louisville. From there, I got recruited to the NFL,” Stevens said.

Listed at 5’5”, Stevens was recruited by the New Orleans Saints in the 16th round.

He played two seasons for the Saints and led the NFL in kick returns and punts in 1974. Stevens was then picked up by the Baltimore Colts and used exclusively as a kick-off and punt returner.

“Playing ball taught me to compete and I got really good at it. Even today, I love a good competition,” Stevens said.

Stevens felt compelled to help other athletes with the recruiting process after see Stevens, page b5

Feature

Latest albums, concerts, reviews

1. Get evaluated.

Every student athlete needs an objective thirdparty evaluation to determin “best fit” qualifications for college programs.

2. Post academic/athletic resumes online.

Coaches view websites that contain all of the needed information about you. Make certain the information is there for them to see!

3. Create a winning highlight/skills video.

Every student-athlete needs a highlight and skills video that conveys their abilities.

4. Yes, you need to contact 100 to 200 realistic programs.

About 10% will show serious interest, giving you 10-20 colleges to consider.

5. This is not a 4 year decision, it’s a 40 year decision- get it right!

Have a step-by-step plan. This takes hard work and perserverance!

Sports

Christmas traditions and customs

A10

5 Things You Must Do

B3

Post-season results for girls and boys cross country teams B6

Photo Essay School trips in the month of November

B10

The Newsstreak

December 4, 2009

News A2

NEWS BRIEFS HHS prepares for Costa Rican exchange students The American Math Competition is coming up in early 2010. Practices are held after school every Tuesday. Students interested should see Mr. Estes or Mr. Lintner in the math department. Seniors can pick up packets for senior service projects from Sarah Grefe in the upstairs main office. These are a great opportunity for seniors to get involved in a community service project and earn recognition at graduation. The winter semi-formal dance will be held at the end of the first semester.

Plan now to attend. Seniors need to stop by guidance and speak to their counselors to make sure they are on pace to get their college applications in. Juniors should be figuring out when they first want to take the SATs this year and should also make an appointment with their counselor to discuss a plan for post-high school.  

Lauren Martin Ad Manager

W

hen HHS resumes classes following holiday break, students will see some faces they have not seen before. The school is once again continuing a now fourteen year tradition of an exchange student program in conjunction with Colegio Methodista, a bilingual private school in Costa Rica.

“This year there will be fifteen students and two teachers,” said Spanish teacher Philip Yutzy. “Last year only four students and one teacher came.”

The students will not be traveling directly to Harrisonburg. Following a plane ride estimated to be from three to five total hours, the Costa Rican students’ first experiences with America will be in the Big Apple. The students are set to arrive in New York City on Jan 12, 2010.

According to Yutzy, New

York is very attractive to many of the students coming from Costa Rica.

“The students will come down [to Virginia] via train around the sixteenth,” Yutzy said.

When exchange students come, they are assigned a host family to stay with. The host family gives their student accommodations and includes the students in their everyday routines in order to give the student a better understanding of how American living truly is.

“We are checking Spanish students to host all of the students from Costa Rica before we open it to the school,” Yutzy said.

The exchange students are coming to the United States to further their knowledge of the English language. Students enrolled in Spanish classes are chosen to host primarily because the opportunity to go to Costa Rica is then an easier transition. The program discourages the exchange students to assist their host with Spanish. The goal is for the

foreign student to take back things they have learned by experiencing “how Americans live”.

While the students are in Harrisonburg, many activities and outings are planned for the students to local attractions. Some popular day trips in the past have been to Luray Caverns, James Madison University, Monticello, the Frontier Culture Museum and the Shakespeare Theatre. But by far, the trip to Massanutten Resort generates the most excitement.

When last year’s group of exchange students braved the mountain, history teacher Jay Blair was a witness.

“I took [the students] to a day at Massanutten and it was awesome,” Blair said. “They all were very excited by the idea of snowboarding.”

Blair believes the students were in awe of the snow, Although Blair encouraged the students to participate in skiing, the students were determined to be able to say ‘I have been snowboarding’.

“The ones who decided to

Haregu searching for 2010 graduation speaker Heather Hunter-Nickles News Reporter

S

enior year is the most important year. It is the year of domination; the year of blasted fun and senior privileges. It is the last year of high school. So when it comes to graduation, the cross roads into adulthood, there has got to be kick booty speeches.

Last year Harvard student body president and HHS alum Matt Sundquist was the guest speaker at graduation. A few years before Mary Kris spoke. She was a cancer survivor who also biked in the Tour de France with Lance Armstrong. More recognizable faces that have spoken in the past are counselor Tim Meyers, Athletic director Joe Carico, and English teacher Jim Nipe. How were these guys selected?

The senior class president selects them. In order to be successful he/

Art by Vivian Tejeda

she must find a speaker who not only is available and able to do it, but who has an interesting story or message to pass on.

This year’s senior class president Alazar Haregu is the chosen one who must undertake this task.

“I need to think of what would benefit the students,” Haregu said.

He has until March to pick a speaker and hasn’t put made any definitive decisions.

“They [guest speaker] could be spontaneous or big like Hannah Montana,” Haregu said. He also thought an elected official might do well.

Sponsor of the senior class officers, Tim Meyers, thought differently. He said the politicians were the worst; that they have no touch with the senior class.

Other seniors suggest athletes Kristi Tolliver, Akeem Jordan, or Lance Armstrong, along with politicians and celebrities like Obama and Oprah. 

try skiing picked it up in no time and had no trouble. But the snowboarders were having totally out of control wipe outs,” Blair said. “At the end of the day, we had a hard time getting [the students] off the mountain.”

Blair also partook in the excursion to Monticello. While in Charlottesville, the group went to the ice skating rink. According to Blair the students were very good at roller skating.

“The two girls were awesome at skating,” Blair said.

Blair said the group spent their day on the ice chasing one another around and having their own roller disco.

“The trip was so full and busy that everyone was asleep and snoring in the van going home,” Blair said.

Blair not only helped with the students who came to the United States, he also traveled to Costa Rica for the exchange.

He describes his experiences on both ends as unsurpassed.



Who do YOU want to speak at graduation?

“This may be really cliché, but Barack Obama. Or Johnny Depp.”

-Kaiti Crittenden

“Daniel Radcliffe” -Jessica Rutledge

“I think it should be someone who isn’t TV famous but has done some good for the world.”

-Melanie Aamodt

“I don’t really care.”

-Alejandro Alegre “Walt Disney”- April See “The guy who started google.”

-Josh Gray infographic by Ama Ansah

Junior class remains undecided on 2010 prom theme

P

Madison Wilson News Reporter

rom comes once a year and when it does, Harrisonburg students are ready to have an amazing night. The theme chosen for prom is the most important step that has to be decided before the end of the first semester to give time for the committee to plan everything out. Sets are painted for introductions which are made up of more than half of the stu-

dents attending. Students are applauded by a larger turnout of parents and siblings.

Juniors on the committee become the designated people to determine decoration ideas for the after prom destination. The parents of the juniors arrange the decorations, food and entertainment and do the final set-up while the dance is still in progress.

A prom theme has not been decided yet and a meeting has yet to be scheduled. Junior class sponsor Bonnie Anderson is the head of the committee and attends all of the meetings.

“I haven’t had any notice from Anderson on a meeting but we will have to have one soon to know what we are going to have to do for the preparations,” junior class president Ali Byrd said.

“I would like to have a bigger variety of music. Other than that, I think that prom was good and after prom was a great turn out,” said senior Kyle Bourne.

Bourne, who attended the after prom last year, said it was very fun because of all the activities that were available.

Since after prom was held at JMU’s gym, U-rec, there was rock climbing,

basketball, casino games, and giveaways that made the night great. For the auction, students were able to bid on TV’s, iPod’s, Wii gaming systems, and other electronics.

All members of the planning committee are encouraged to attend or else nothing will be able to be decided. Juniors Phillip Bannister, Maria Rose and Ali Byrd as well as Emily Knupp and Sam Obenshain plan to be on the prom committee. Some possible thoughts for a theme this year include a Masquerade Mardi Gras or a Hot Rod theme. 

Have you helped someone today?

Help put yourself in the holiday spirit by giving generously to the Key Club’s project to fight paralysis

Give $$ to your homeroom teacher and help Michael walk again!

the newsstreak

December 4, 2009

news a3

15 things needed JROTC braves conditions for campout for a campout 1. Rope 2. Sleeping bag 3. Flashlight 4. Tent 5. Wood 6. Matches 7. Proper clothing 8. Backpack 9. Food 10. Knife 11. Lantern 12. Ice 13. Compass 14. First Aid Kit 15. Tape Emily Jamieson Staff Photographer

O

n a cold Friday night, the JROTC class began their adventures at Rawley Springs. Temperatures at the site of JRTOC’s bivouac are regularly 10 degrees colder than the temperature in Harrisonburg, though Rawley Springs is only twenty five minutes away from the city.

“We got to the bivouac, which is French for campout, and got the kids in formation to take roll.

Then they set up their tents, the girls and boys were separated, the boys were further in the woods. There was a “circle of death” near the girl’s campground that the boys were not allowed in or they’d get in trouble,” Colonel Roy McCutcheon said.

“We went on a midnight hike, played capture the flag, ate bubba burgers, and told scary stories. It was just for fun. It wasn’t like drill or anything. Let’s just

say it’s fun to scare people,” junior Sarah Simmons said, who enjoyed all the activities that were provided during the campout.

Besides eating bubba burgers, which are just hamburgers, the JROTC class also played their own game of hot lava which is called leadership reaction.

“I liked the leadership reaction course, it’s where they set up these crates and your group had to put down wood to be able to cross the crates without touching the ground and whoever won got to eat first,” junior EJ Fulk said.

Not all of the JROTC class had to sleep outside.

Fulk got to sleep in a warm cabin because he is on the A team for the Raider team.

“The raider team stayed in a cabin even though we usually don’t have the kids stay in the cabins.” McCutcheon said.

From playing games and having competitions to see who could eat first to scaring people around the campfire, the JROTC class made the best out of a cold night. 

Huddle up! JROTC cadets huddle around a fire to keep warm (left). Cadets practice their first aid skills on sophomore Stephanie O’Hara (right). Photos courtesy of Colonel Roy McCutcheon.

Government classes conduct mock election, results parallel state David Proctor News Editor

H

istory repeated itself as Harrisonburg High School elected Republican Bob McDonnell Virginia’s next Governor. In what proved to be a much closer—and much more unpredictable— race than the actual election, McDonnell scraped by with 53% of the vote compared to Democrat Creigh Deeds 47%. On Nov 3rd, Virginia voted for McDonnell 59% to 42%. In Harrisonburg, the result was similar: 58% to 42%.

At HHS, Democrat Steve Shannon defeated incumbent Republican Ken Cuccinelli by a slim 3-point margin for Attorney General. The race for Lt. Governor was much less predictable.

Democrat Jody Wagner defeated incumbent Bill Bolling by a wide 11point margin.

AP Government teacher and coconductor of the mock election Kris Vass was not surprised by the results “It’s not really surprising that HHS was much closer than the state.

Harrisonburg tends to be much more

liberal than Rockingham County and the surrounding area,” Vass said Still, the discrepancy between HHS and the City of Harrisonburg was 14 points “I think a lot of it has to do with age.

Younger people tend to be more liberal so a high school voting for a Democrat isn’t that surprising,” Vass said.

Vass also attributes much of the results to those who were poorly informed.

“I know some kids were voting based on who had the cooler name, which made me think Cuccinelli would win.

Some voted randomly and others just did what their friends did,” Vass said Vass hoped that the mock election would serve as a teachable moment.

“I hoped that teachers would go out and explain to the kids that don’t know what the Governor does, what the Governor does. I hoped that maybe they would go on a candidate’s website and pull out an issue and discuss it,” Vass said.

Vass is not sure if many—or any— teachers followed through with that plan, especially with a lockdown drill scheduled for the same day.

“We had the election planned in

advance and then we found out that there was a lockdown drill scheduled for the same day. That made us feel a little bad, with taking so much of a teachers time,” Vass said.

Vass offered credit to all 3 of his AP Government classes for helping out with the election. Some classes distributed the ballots, others collected them and some counted them.

“I had very little to do with the whole process,” Vass said.

Vass claims he had no idea who would win but expected some burn out just a year after much of the student body rallied around the election of now President Barack Obama.

“I think there was a lot out of burn out with election talk. I think we saw that in the real race as well… turn out was not good,” Vass said.

In Harrisonburg, only 6,500 of the nearly 20,000 registered voters showed up on Election Day. In 2008, over 15,000 showed up. Still, Vass hopes that the mock election provided a teachable moment for some kids and helped inform them.

“Hopefully it got their attention and said ‘Hey, there’s an election coming up!” Vass said. 

HHS mock election results Governor:

(R) Bob McDonnell 52.53% (405 Votes) (D) Creigh Deeds 47.47% (366 Votes)

Lieutenant Governor:

(D) Jody Wagner 55.58% (433 Votes) (R) Bill Bolling 44.42% (346 Votes)

Attorney General:

(D) Stephen Shannon 51.5% (396 Votes) (R) Ken Cuccinelli 48.5% (373 Votes)

State mock election results Governor:

(R) Bob McDonnell 55.2% (D) Creigh Deeds 44.8%

Lieutenant Governor: (D) Jody Wagner 55.8% (R) Bill Bolling 44.2%

Attorney General:

(D) Stephen Shannon 53.7% (R) Ken Cuccinelli 46.3%

Fine arts department gears up for annual holiday performance Martin Vichnar Staff Reporter

I

f you have something to do on Friday before winter break, you should change your plans. It is time for the fourth winter music assembly in history. Everything is happening in the HHS auditorium.

J.R. Snow, the band director, is very

much looking forward to another year of this event. Both the concert and symphonic bands will perform in the concert, as well as the percussion class and choir.

“Concert band is playing then we will listen to percussion band and of course a choir singing is on the program,” Snow said.

Performers are going to wear formal concert attire and play for 30-40 min-

utes. Though the band performs in full uniform during marching band, concert attire differs greatly; the men of the band dress in tuxedos, and the female performers don long black gowns.

The winter concert typically centers are traditional holiday music, which includes carols and familiar tunes.

“We are not going to play anything new this year, because the old songs are really good,” Snow said.

Snow is pleased with the band’s progress in preparing the music so far, and expects the audience to enjoy the performance.

“Everybody is doing a great job during the year, so I always enjoy how people respect the music!” Snow said.

“Sleigh ride is going to be the typical holiday tune that we’re playing every year. It’s a joint work, which is why no solos are included,” Snow said. 

Interact club becoming more involved in local, worldwide community Tricia Comfort Editor-in-Chief

T

he Interact club is a volunteer organization that gives students a chance to become more involved within their school and their community. The Interact Club is similar to the Key Club, but they are sponsored by different organizations

Interact is sponsored by the Rotary Club. They do several of their volunteer activities through Rotary.

“Our goals this year are to become more actively involved in our school community and our local community,” Interact sponsor Mallory Cromer said.

The Interact club has several volunteer events planned this year to help them achieve their goal of being more involved. Coming up in the next few weeks, they have planned

a canned food drive along with a few other clubs at HHS. They have also been working on making Thanksgiving cards to deliver to the local nursing homes. Several students have been volunteering at Spotswood Elementary School and the Patchwork food pantry.

In the spring, Interact members will be helping to raise money for polio.

Polio is a contagious disease that leads to muscle weakness and often paralysis.

“We’re hoping to send polio vaccines around the world, because it’s still a really big threat,” Cromer said.

Interact currently has about 30 members who regularly attend the meetings. The club only costs $5 to join and is open to all HHS students. Those interested in joining should contact Lindsey Cockburn, Cromer or any other Interact member. 

Students compete for lead roles, choral positions in spring musical tryouts Musical, From page A1

of auditions, a call back list was posted with the names of students who the directors believed fit the criteria and could be used in the play. The end of auditions is only the beginning of the frantic three month period in which the drama department works on preparing the musical for the public. Rehearsals began on Dec 2.

“In December, we will start rehearsals after school to start learning the music, so that when we come back

in January after break, we can start with all the blocking and the choreography,” Swartz said.

“I spend the month of December teaching the music to all of the cast members,” Houff said. “We will spend a lot of time talking about the meaning of the music’s text and how the character would express that text. This applies to soloists and to members of the choral ensemble.”

Every play presents its own unique challenges. The musical aspect of Joseph may test the ability of both actors and orchestra.

“Musically, this show is very challenging because the entire show is sung,” Houff said. “There is no spoken dialogue in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat; the story is told through song. Every actor must also be a great singer. The musical demands are also a challenge for the orchestra, as they will never get to “take a break” during the show. “[I like] the uniqueness of it. It’s just going to be really fun. The style of music is really varied. Each song is unique,” King said.

The set and staging of Joseph

can range from the elaborate to the simplistic. Swartz is hoping to make the HHS production slightly different.

“The way the play was first done has become the signature way that most people do it,” Swartz said. “We’re deliberately not doing that. Although we do want it to be fun and entertaining, we are not following the exact staging or methods that previous people used.

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat will not be performed until February. In the meantime, actors will try to perfect their roles to give HHS its best musical yet. 

The Newsstreak

December 4, 2009

OP/ED A4

Do you agree New extra-curricular GPA requirement will hinder students with the GPA activities.

HHS. Many a fine athlete has Staff Editorial increase for after Teams and clubs, for been prohibited from playing many, are homes away their sport because they have from home.

Teammates not passed enough classes. school activities? he Harrisonburg City

YES

BOYS

GIRLS

BOYS

GIRLS

34% 54% NO 66% 46%

we

this

bel i e v e

Phillip Bannister Feature Editor

HHS band proves hard work pays off

I

believe in hard work and persistence.

No one is good at everything. I think the important thing is when someone finds out they are not good at something they don’t give up. Practice is the only thing that we can do sometimes.

I think a great example is our band here at the high school. Every home football game everyone in the Red Sea takes a seat for our band’s half time performance but do people realize what they are really watching? Most people talk among themselves and go grab food before the game is back. But for our peers out on the field, this is the biggest moment of the night.

Our senior class band members found their final season to be the best they had experienced. The band has taken first place at all of their competitions except Parade of Champions. The band has had quite the season. After many years of practice and a brand new talented set of freshmen the band set forth this year to make the ranks.

I am in awe that this band that has traveled around the state winning award after award plays right here at our home field on Friday nights.

I credit this to hard work. I don’t believe our marching Blue Streaks woke up one day and decided to take the competition by storm. They spent many afternoons and time here in the summer learning music and practicing. The persistence and dedication that all the band students show is a great example.

I have always admired the band.

Especially how optimistic and just down to earth everyone involved is. They all have a great appreciation for the progress they have made this year. After going to Parade of Champions and seeing how excited they were hearing their peers cheering for them from the stands, I could not be any more positive they deserved this season. I have always believed that hard work should be rewarded.

That is just what happened for our marching Blue Streaks.  Cartoon by Eric King

T

School Board recently passed a policy which will institute a grade point average minimum requirement that students must meet in order to be eligible to participate in sports and all other extracurriculars.

Starting next school year, students must have a 1.5 GPA to join any extra-curricular activities; the following year, students must have a 2.0 GPA to participate.

We feel that imposing a GPA requirement to play a sport, march in the band, or volunteer through Key Club will deny students the valuable social experiences that play a large part in shaping the people who spend four years at Harrisonburg High School.

The School Board’s goal of raising the bar for student-athletes and other students who wish to become involved in school activities is admittedly admirable.

However, the Virginia High School League has already established that studentathletes must be passing at least five classes in order to participate in any activities.

Rather than instituting a policy that forces an athlete off of a team, the school board should search for an alternative that encourages good grades.

Should an athlete with a GPA lower than 1.5 be forcibly removed from their respective team, it is highly unlikely that they will study dutifully every night to pull their grades up; chances are, they have not grown up in an environment where an education is valued and good grades are required.

Pulling a struggling student off of their team or out of their club consequently means losing role models, whether they be successful teammates, a coach, or a club sponsor.

Without scheduled practices and structure, students with low GPAs may find themselves rapidly involved in negative behaviors and alternative

learn respect, cooperation, how to interact with each other and determination from their coaches and each other. Ultimately, the lessons learned on the field, both on and off it, are what remain with students long after they graduate. According to USA Today, 65 percent of high school graduates head straight

Should the school board wish to make the requirements to play a sport more stringent than those of the VHSL, the consequences for failing to make perfect grades in a semester should not result in expulsion from a team.

There are alternatives to the GPA policy which may be equally successful in pulling up the grades of a team or activity. Tutoring, for There is no doubt that example, could prove beneficial to both the students who wish to struggling student and students. participate in sports or upper-level and honors students other extracurriculars AP could be paired with should be held to high students with poor grades academic standards.” to provide peer help.

This system would allow an opportunity for some to college. However, only 29 students to pad their resumes percent manage to graduate. and others to get friendly The remaining 71 percent of homework help. More pressure high school graduates earn a could be put on coaches to living without a college degree, enforce academic standards aided by the social skills and a system of documentation they learned in high school. or accountability on their Students without aspirations respective teams.

Finally, to earn a college degree must programs which promote the be afforded the opportunities importance of education have that clubs and sports provide proven highly successful in them, regardless of their raising high school graduation GPAs. Taking away sports rates. Our school board should or clubs from a student may make policies which push mean losing them forever, students to succeed, rather than if that activity was the only using negative reinforcement thing keeping them enrolled to achieve their goals. in school. We cannot allow There is no doubt that our classmates to slip through students who wish to the cracks of the educational participate in sports or other system because they are not extracurriculars should be held allowed to play their sport. to high academic standards.

We fear that the GPA However, pulling students policy will create unrealistic with low grade point averages expectations for students at out of their activity puts too HHS. A 2.0 grade point average much emphasis on intelligence is a C average which, according or test-taking ability. Denied to our grading scale, is average. the positive influences of We fear this policy will send the teammates, coaches and message that students are not supporters, students will find allowed to be just average, but themselves running with that they rather must excel on the wrong crowd. How can the field and in the classroom? we deny a Blue Streak their Certainly, the athletes that chance to shine on the field or represent our school must the stage, when that shine is be able to pass five classes as the one thing that just might VHSL rules require. Though propel them to a successful some might believe otherwise, career as a productive citizen student-athletes are not merely in our community?  handed their passing grades at

“

Retail stores start holiday decorating day after Halloween Molly Denman Staff Reporter

W

h e n walking through t h e doors of any local department store, I am bombarded with Christmas decorations crowding the aisles.

Stores are starting the holiday season early, making walking into stores, such as Costco and Wal-Mart, overwhelming.

All I see when I go into stores are displays of Christmas trees strung with lights, decorated with ornaments and gingerbread scented candles. Stores begin filling the racks with holiday decorations only a few days after Halloween, even though Christmas is months away. It does not seem necessary to

WHAT YOU THINK Do you think Christmas will help the economy?

YES NO

57 43

100 people polled in all grades on Nov. 5 by Christine Choi.

blow up reindeer and have elf decorations singing Christmas carols at me as I try to get my shopping done.

Thanksgiving does not even come and go before the stores focus on marketing Christmas.

Stores begin selling Christmas products early for one reason: to make as much money as they can.

Managers try to get customers to start buying for Christmas as early as possible.

By using sales, such as Black Friday (which is the day

after Thanksgiving), customers are tricked into filling their carts.

These sales, which are perfect for buying clothes, gaming systems, and other ideal holiday gifts, are just a way for companies to make a lot of money. Stores try to use holiday cheer and upcoming holidays to make a larger profit.

Valley Mall already has Christmas decorations set up and Santa’s Station, ready for pictures with little kids. A huge display of The North Pole has fake snow, Christmas trees and ornaments are located in the middle of the mall. It seems a little crazy to go see Santa and get a picture taken before it is even December.

People rush into Christmas too soon and make the Christmas season two

months long.

Commercials on TV are already advertising for Christmas and Christmas sales.

They advertise for stores who are trying to get a jump start on Christmas by welcoming consumers to go out and spend, for the sake of Christmas.

These commercials usually involve Christmas carols and catchy Christmas-like songs.

It is all a strategy to get people into the spending mood.

It is hard to focus on other holidays such as, Halloween and Thanksgiving when Christmas is everywhere: on the television, on the radio, and especially in stores.

Do not get me wrong, I love Christmas, but really, do we need to start the day after Halloween? 

HHS ‘going green’ movement needs backing Dear Editor,

I

have decided to address a topic which crosses my mind daily: food trays. I try to get the “blue” trays every day, knowing that they can be washed and used over and over again. And they’re blue! In addition, all of the white styrofoam trays we use and toss into the trash with our chips and bananas go to the JMU incinerator, which burns toxic fumes into our atmosphere. It seems a very obvious decision to take a blue tray if you will be eating in the cafeteria, does it not?

As I stand behind students getting their trays during second lunch period, this topic often crosses my mind. When it does, I feel the need to ask the random student in front of me why they choose the white tray. I receive a very consistent answer: “I don’t know, it’s

easier.”

I try to respect everyone’s opinion, and know better than to stand there and lecture them on the effects of all the styrofoam trays we trash each year and how much money HHS could save each year and…. You get the point. So, yes, it is easier just to grab the white tray and throw it all away when you’re done eating.

But from my experience here, I have learned there is more to it than “it’s easier.”

If you choose to use a blue tray, and say you sit at a table on the library side, to empty your tray and put it on the rack for washing you have to walk all the way to the other side of the cafeteria. I tolerate the trip, as do many others, because I know just enough about the need for recycling, and how using the blue tray is important.

We need motivation. We

need determination. We need, dear editor, to make choosing a blue tray easy.

I suggest that we move a rack for collecting blue trays in front of the glass between the salad bar and the American grill to better collect trays.

This could also better prevent clusters of students forming here, who seem to slow the lunch lines.

And finally, we must eliminate white trays. If it means buying more blue trays, so be it, for we will save money from purchasing thousands of styrofoam trays. If it means the lunch workers need assistance washing all the trays, let there be organized volunteers of the student body to complete this task. I will be the first to volunteer.

Freshman, Alex Hunter

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, Jorge Colin-Estrella, Phillip Bannister, Christine Choi, Diana Gutierrez, Olivia McCarty, Maria Rose, Savanah Cary, Vanessa Ehrenpreis, Jack Burden, Aidan Newcity Staff Reporters: Kavya Beheraj, 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 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.

The Newsstreak

December 4, 2009

Op/Ed A5

Reality differs with individuals Hot, Not Emily Knapp Style Editor

W

e all have a relationship with music, a connection to a particular artist or song that no one else quite understands. For me, I get that feeling from listening to Counting Crows. I own every album ever released (including the obscure, live recordings) and they all take turns rotating through my car’s CD player.

The band’s lead singer, Adam Duritz, has been known for his lyrics, having them labeled as everything from, “expressive” and “wordy introspection” to “morose” and “tortured.” He seems to be able to put in to words the unspoken emotions that so many of us are feeling – “I can bleed as well as anyone but I need someone to help me sleep.”

Duritz has a dissociative disorder, a condition that, in his words, “makes the world seem like it’s not real, as if things aren’t taking place.” Lately, he has been taking medication and opening up about his problem, his life significantly better than it was in the past. In interviews, however, he gives a glimpse into the low moments of his struggle – not sleeping, not being able to move or speak normally, he even recalls a time around age twentyone when he had what felt like an “acid flashback,” claiming it lasted an entire year.

To Duritz, everything is in his imagination, “And because nothing seems real, it’s hard to connect with the world or the people in it because they’re not there.”

To a degree, we are all out of touch with reality. We all mold our worlds into what we wish to see. We lie to ourselves constantly; pretending events are unfolding the way we want them to. Does that boy really notice you, or do you just like to think he

does? And while the lies may be similar, the way we interpret them is not. Personally, I look at my surroundings through an alien eye. I have trouble comprehending simple human things like emotion and social cues. My logical, Vulcan mind cannot grasp the concept that the beings around me take things like fashion and popularity seriously. It is our analysis, however, that defines us. We attach ourselves to people who share similar views, or can at least tolerate our differences.

The idealistic window we all gaze through is not necessarily detrimental.

Duritz, an individual who has been consumed by his perspective, has managed to create beautiful music and touch thousands with his songs. We are all united in the fact that we are alone. The Crows said it best when they crooned, “She says, ‘It’s only in my head.’ She says ‘Shhh, I know it’s only in my head.’” tt

Many of us fear losing things, people Mia Karr Staff Reporter

O

ne of my most traumatic early childhood experiences involved a sunroof, my grandmother, and a brand new balloon.

I was on the way home from visiting my grandfather in the hospital, where I had been given the one thing that could make me happiest- a shiny balloon. We were in the car, on the way home. How could my grandmother have been expected to remember that now was not a good time to let in some air? I’m sure you can guess the unhappy outcome of my treasured possession. Although I have realized a lost balloon is not the end of the world,

WHAT YOU THINK

What is your favorite part of the holiday season?

No school Family Food Other Gifts Decorations

39 27 17 9 5 4

101 people in all grades and faculty polled by Meagan Kelley

the feeling of it slipping from my grasp has stayed with me.

I hate to lose things. Whether it is misplacing my favorite book, or saying good bye to a friend, I want to hold on as long as I possibly can. And balloons, as innocent as they may seem, just remind me I have to let go sometime- or be forced to.

At fairs, amusement parks, and birthday parties, I cringe as soon as the heliumfilled annoyances appear. You know that six-year-old is going to let go of the bright red balloon. It just seems easier to skip the tears and forget the thing altogether. But when I look at my life, the idea doesn’t work that well.

There are very few things we can hold on to forever. Even super organized

people are bound to misplace things occasionally. But beyond objects, people are hard to hold on to as well. Friends grow apart, or move away. In my busy life, I find it hard to keep in touch with my distant relatives and friends.

Losing things is inevitable; a fact we will just have to deal with. But if we never had that great friendship, or favorite sweater, it would be a lot worse than just having it for a short time. So we’ll just have to let the kid have the balloon, and hope for the best. It may be impossible to hold on to everything we love, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t enjoy it while we can. One of my most traumatic early childhood experiences involved a sunroof, my grandmother, and a brand new balloon. tt

Holiday season quickly approaching Lauren Martin Ad Manager

T

here are three tables fastened together spanning between two rooms.

There are between 25 and 35 people seated around said three tables spanning between two rooms.

There is an endless array of food in front of the 25 to 35 people seated around three tables spanning between two rooms.

The soft hum of holiday hymns and melodies pipe out of the small but sufficient Sony CD player located in the kitchen. My oldest uncle, who is located at the head of the head table, stands up and proceeds to say grace so the eating can begin. And it does.

This is how I see Christmas within my family. There are always a lot of people, and there is always something being cooked or consumed. It is no surprise to me that many of my family members report in the weeks following the holiday season that weight has been gained. My aunts, mother, grandmother, and even myself, will find any excuse to feed the hungry or even those who are not.

On Christmas Eve, walking into the kitchen is not a good idea. You will either get screamed at for trying to steal a piece of ham or you will get dusted with flour being used to supply cookies for Santa and his reindeer comrades.

On Christmas Day, you learn not to run immediately to the tree to open presents (which

sucked), you learn to throw on a pair of sweats, hop in the car and make your way to grandmother’s for breakfast (unfortunately, I learned this the hard way…let’s just say I was hungry when everyone else was full).

Of course there are other components to the holidays for my family. We attend church together, we take part in the annual Christmas special watching together, we last minute shop together and we belt out the words to every Christmas carol that we hear, yes, together.

In reality, whether we are singing, worshipping, or eating, I am always just happy to spend the holiday season with my family. There is nothing better than having everyone together. tt

Health care reform raises concerns

to a crumbling economy. Now, David Proctor health care reform looks to be News Editor in jeopardy.

Like his predecessors, Obama is realizing just n America, there are how strong the health 46 million uninsured insurance lobby can be. In people. As we approach 1912, Teddy Roosevelt ran this holiday season, there as an independent seeking 135 people in all grades and will be millions of Americans faculty polled in November by to “provide health care for (though not anywhere near Kim Antonio every American”. For almost the total 46 million) unable to 100 years, President after give their children a single gift President has tried—unsuccessfully-- to because they have been bankrupted by an pass health care reform. Never before has ineffective health care industry. While most a measure gotten passed the House of spent Thanksgiving discussing everything Representatives. Still, the “public option” they were thankful for, millions are not has been watered down in negotiations able to be thankful for their health. and the Senate remains a looming beast.

Barack Obama and a majority of the Conservatives have cited fiscal freshmen in Congress were voted in on irresponsibility as a reason for opposing the promise of change. Health care reform reform. They are wrong. As it stands was one of the biggest issues, second only WHAT YOU THINK Are you intrested in politics?

I

YES NO 60 75

now, any person who is sick can go to the emergency room and not be turned down (thank the “Great Society” and President Lyndon B. Johnson). This causes hospitals to charge more for their services which in turn causes insurance companies to raise their premiums. Unable to afford insurance after the hike in premiums, more people drop their coverage. When they get sick, they go to the hospital causing the hospitals to raise their prices and the insurance companies to raise their premiums even more! It is a vicious cycle that must be stopped.

But it will not be. Unless each and every person calls their representative, health reform will take one of two paths. It will either be watered down to a point where any substantial reform is nonexistent or it will fail.

And this we really cannot afford. tt

When you shop for Christmas, do you end up buying more for yourself?

I

Emily Jamieson Staff Photographer

am not a selfish person, and I am not one of those people who go out shopping for clothes all the time. But I did become one of those kinds of people when I went to Potomac Mills, which is this huge mall in Woodbridge just two hours away from little ol’ Harrisonburg.

My mom, sister and I go to Woodbridge to get Christmas presents, let’s just say that I did not get too many presents this time. I mean, I bought some presents, five at the most.

The problem was that I kept

walking into stores that had clothes and other inanimate objects that I lust for.

To defend myself for you readers who do not know me, I hardly ever get new clothes unless it is my birthday or some other holiday. Second, I hardly ever have money to spend on myself, and let me tell you, it was really great to have some money to spend on myself for once, even though I was supposed to be buying stuff for other people. Last, but certainly not least, it is a HUGE mall with ten times as many stores as our pathetic Valley Mall.

Let’s compare and contrast for a second: Valley Mall has stores like Deb, Hot Topic, Bath

and Body Works, and Hollister.

Let’s just say that Deb and Hollister are not my kind of stores, I have not walked into Hot Topic since I went through “that phase” in my teenage life, and I do not appreciate Bath and Body Works that much just because it smells like ten different soaps which give me a massive headache.

Valley also has a rule that there is not supposed to be more than five people in a group, or else everyone will drop dead.

Therefore not many kids want to hang out at the mall with the thought of being kicked out.

Potomac Mills has no rules of how many people you can hang out with which means there are hundreds of people

are trying to get across the mall. Potomac Mills has legit maps just in case you ever get lost in it’s abyss of stores. It also has stores like Forever 21, which is the biggest store that I have ever been in, Charlotte Russe Outlet, XXI Forever, Zumiez and more stores that you probably wished that our mall had.

I usually have self restraint through these kinds of situations, but that day I went crazy with buying people presents, including myself. I only bought myself a few shirts, a skirt, and a hat. I mean, what is wrong with buying yourself a few presents? tt

Thanksgiving Break Football team wins districts Journalism trip to Washington, D.C. Taylor Swift’s SNL “Monologue” Winter sports New moon movie premier Musical casting announced Taylor Swift wins entertainer of the year at CMA’s Walt Disney to build Shanghai park and resort Health care debate passes in the house Redskins beating the Bronco’s College applications Daylight Savings Time Rainy weather Sarah Palin back in the spotlight Local murder of 5 year-old girl Fort Hood shootings

The Newsstreak

December 4, 2009

games:

internet A6

which do you play?

Harrison keeps going back to Farmville Cockerham accepts invitation to Farmtown Savanah Cary Feature Editor

O

ne of the most important aspects of society is agriculture because it provides food.

With FarmVille on Facebook. com, anyone can enjoy farming virtually. Since FarmVille’s start in June 2009, its popularity has grown rapidly.

63,841,235 people are currently playing FarmVille and the number is continuously growing. Junior Pricilla Harrison is one such person.

“It’s a love-hate relationship. I don’t like to do the work, but I do it to get more points,” Harrison said. “It’s the dumbest game ever, but I still play it. I don’t even know why.”

When players begin the game they are given a plot of land with a few crops already on it. Players also get to design an avatar that will represent them in the game.

“I looked through all the options and decided which one looked like me,” Harrison said. To earn coins (the currency of FarmVille) players can harvest things from their crops, animals, and do things for their neighbors. Neighbors are the players Facebook friends, who also play FarmVille. Once someone becomes a player’s neighbor, they are able visit their farm and perform jobs for them in order to earn coins.

“You can help your neighbor by weeding a garden, or chasing off animals that are bothering crops,” Harrison said. “If you do these things, then you can get coins and experience.”

As players complete activities on the farm, they earn point and when a certain number of points are earned, they move up a level.

Junior Desta Hansen, who also plays FarmVille, is on level fourteen, and Harrison is on level fifteen. However, the levels go much higher than this.

“One of my friends is on level thirtynine,” Harrison said. “It’s pretty crazy.”

As players move up a level, they have access to more items like buildings, more animals and more crops. Players can earn coins from all of these. With animals, each one offers a different item that can be sold for coins. For example, cows give milk, and elephants give pea-

Maria Rose Feature Editor

S

ophomore Brady Cockerham is pretty rich—he has $562,000 dollars to his name. But aside from the money, he is the proud owner of two huge houses, a river, “fancy and strong” stone walls and, his favorite part, a pumpkin patch. Yes indeed, Cockerham is living the high life—but the catch? It is all online, through the Facebook supported game, Farmtown.

Cockerham’s mother, who has her own Facebook, first introduced him to the game.

“She just got her own Facebook and had friends who invited her.

She needed more peo-

S V

nuts. Also, as players accumulate coins they can buy more extravagant things.

“I bought a hot air balloon,” Hansen said. “It doesn’t do anything but float around, but it’s pretty.”

Although both juniors do not enjoy all aspects of the game, they found that they still enjoy certain parts of it.

“I like the animals, more specifically the turtle,” Harrison said. “It’s so cute!”

“I like it because you get to pretend you’re Mr. Tueting,” Hansen said. Hansen and Harrison both started playing when they were invited to play by one of their Facebook friends.

“I started playing because my dad needed a neighbor,” Harrison said.

Harrison plays FarmVille every time she gets on Facebook and Hansen plays once a week usually. Although both play frequently, both find the game pointless.

“I play it because when you plant the crops, you feel like you need to keep working with them because they will die,” Harrison said. “It’s fun to waste your time on.” 

ple, so she just asked me and I started playing,” Cockerham said. “It was immediately addictive.”

The game is a simulation of owning a farm. With timed intervals, players first receive a plowed field and begin planting crops, with the most basic level consisting of rice, wheat and corn. The more crops one plants, the more money they bring in, which is the point of the game. As one earns more money, he or she may move up through the levels and are able to plant new plants, such as blueberries, pineapples and pumpkins.

“Pumpkins are the best,” Cockerham advised. “You can get up to 360 coins for one square.”

Cockerham began playing the game this past summer, when he had more free time on his hands, so it did not get in the way of other activities. At times though, he worried about his newly

New crazes change every day Jessica Strickler Opinion Editor

C

razes on Facebook have come and gone. From the 25 Things lists to bumper stickers to the Friend Charts, the list goes on and on. Each started out as a simple idea and expanded into something huge- to the point where users would spend hours “playing” on Facebook.

Bumper stickers are considered to be the first major obsession for Facebook users. Friends could send friends bumper stickers to post on their walls. These stickers ranged from images, to personally designed masterpieces to funny quotes from movies. Users could create their own bumper stickers easily by finding graphics from Google and using them in the sticker.

On top of the image, people would often write funny messages.

The 25 Things lists are just that- a list of 25 Things. These “things” can be about favorite hobbies, friends, one’s likes and dislikes. Users can create these lists in their note tab on Facebook and then when they are done, tag as many friends as they want in the note. If you get tagged, you have to make a list too. For almost three months, the 25 Things lists floated around Facebook.

“I did one 25 Things list,” Natalie Warner said. “My friends kept tagging me in their notes, which got really old.”

The latest Facebook craze has arrived. Social Interview is officially the newest, latest and greatest way to waste time on the Internet. Janakan Arulkumarasa, who describes himself online as a “entrepreneur based in Hong Kong”, created the program on his own. He is not em-

ployed by Facebook. This application is very similar to others. Random questions range from “If YY lived in the 1800s what would he/she have been like?” to “What would you say if ZZ named their child after you?” The names in the questions are also random, but come from your Facebook friend list. The user has the option to skip any of the questions or if they so choose, publish their answers to the wall of the friend in mentioned in the question.

“I like to read the answers other people put with my name in them. But I don’t ever answer the questions about other people,” Marion King said.

Chances are that by the time this issue of the paper is distributed, the Social Interview craze will have ended and something else will have taken its place. And so goes the ridiculousness of Facebook applications 

Interview! Harrisonburg students Mollie Mace, Connor Wolfe, and Zach Baxter participate in social interview on Facebook.

Bejeweled on Facebook

F

Micheal Johnson Staff Reporter

acebook not only serves as a social network, but also as a gaming site for users. Mafia Wars, Mob Wars, Farmville, and poker are some of the most popular.

Sophomore Kelly Lorenki enjoys playing bejeweled.

Bejeweled is a game where the player tries to get the same colored jewels next to each other and is constantly trying to beat the high score.

The player has to get at least three jewels in a row to get points. There are jewels in different shapes such as diamonds, squares, triangles, circles, pentagons, hexagons, and octagons.

Each color also corresponds with the shapes.

The diamonds are yellow, the squares are red,

the triangles are purple, the circles are white, the pentagons are blue, the hexagons are green, and the octagons are orange.

“I enjoy bejeweled because it is fun being competitive and getting a higher score,” Lorenki said.

Lorenki started to play bejeweled about ten months ago. She plays bejeweled usually after school and at night. Her high score is around 125,000.

Sophomore Chris Eby also enjoys playing bejeweled on his cell phone instead of Facebook.

“I enjoy bejeweled because it gives me something to do and it is fun trying to race the clock and to beat your high score,” Eby said.

Eby has played bejeweled for about eight months.

He usually plays bejeweled when he is on a trip or when he is waiting in lines.

“I would recommend bejeweled because it is a very fun game,” Eby said. 

planted crops and when he would have the time to harvest them.

“It’s hard sometimes,” Cockerham said. “Once, I was invited over to my friend’s house and I realized I hadn’t harvested my crops, so I had to use his computer to check on them.”

Farmtown is not the only game that Cockerham has shown skill in. He also plays Farkle, a game similar to Yahtzee, which involves throwing dice and, depending on the different numbers tossed, tallying up scores. Cockerham actually holds the highest record out of all his Facebook friends.

“Being the record holder isn’t terribly exciting though,” Cockerham said.

“Not many people actually know how to play.”

Cockerham played mostly in the summer, when he had a lot of free time on his hands. He also contracted swine flu, which kept him indoors for ten days. Most of his time cooped up inside was spent on the computer.

“I was tired a lot and it was just me and my crops,” Cockerham said.

Recently though, Cockerham has not had much time to play Farmtown.

Cockerham has also made his farm as big as possible, leaving little incentive for him to continue playing.

“I got bored of it,” Cockerham said simply.

Cockerham feels that the excitement of playing fades away after passing through so many levels.

“When you first start, you scroll through and you’re excited, you think ‘wow, I can’t wait to get this, or reach this level!’” Cockerham said. “But it’s funny, because it’s for smaller kids.”

“After this interview, I’ll probably go back and check on it tonight; you’ve reintroduced me,” Cockerham said. “And it is pretty addicting.” 

Morrell takes over as virtual mob boss Alison Dominoske Feature Editor

E

nglish teacher Richard Morrell makes fifteen million dollars every hour and owns hundreds of casinos and hotels in New York City.

Morrell has a secret life as a Mafia boss on the popular Facebook and MySpace game, Mafia Wars.

Morrell began playing Mafia Wars last November after his online poker friends lured him into the game.

“My online poker buddies, who live all over the place, are a lot better at Mafia Wars than I am,” Morrell said. At first, Morrell was not a huge fan but soon got hooked.

“A friend of mine killed a very powerful player that had a hit on him and won a ton of money. I’m in her family so she shared the money and I got more money than I could possibly spend,” Morrell said. With the money, Morrell was able to begin buying weapons and properties.

Mafia Wars is not interactive like video games nowadays. One can not walk around a city or virtually fight other players, in fact all of the action happens with just a mouse click. To kill or fight someone you simply click an icon and the computer decides who wins based mostly on their wealth.

To move up in levels, players have to complete a task, normally a fight. As players move up, they gain more power. Morrell has mastered more than the 70 levels in New York multiple times, but still has other areas to work on.

“They have Cuba, where I’ve mastered all the levels once and they recently added Moscow,” Morrell said, “I’m almost as high as I can get there.” Mafia Wars is designed by video game

company Zynga, which constantly adds new levels of play.

“I heard they’re going to add China soon.” Morrell said, “The game is always changing. When I first started you could rob properties from people but that’s not available any more.”

In addition to owning properties, mafia men can buy weapons, armored cars and even guerilla soldiers in the Cuba version. Morrell owns all of these.

Properties bring in income but weapons and defense only serve to help in fights. Morrell only loses about 1 in 1700 fights.

“Sometimes in fights a person is killed and I’ve killed people around 17 times but I’ve only been killed about 7

“

Mafia Wars is just like a cheap addiction and I’ll eventually get tired of it.”  HHS faculty Richard Morell times,” Morrell said, “But I don’t really know what happens if you’re killed.”

Morrell spends about an hour a day playing Mafia Wars, but says it only takes this long because his internet connection is slow. This hour sometimes cuts into other important jobs.

Morrell’s son junior Andrew Morrell does not understand the attraction of Mafia Wars.

“I’ve never played because I’ve never really thought that it would be fun.” Andrew said, “But I guess he plays because it makes him feel tough.” Morrell, however, believes the game is fun but realizes it does not add value to his life.

“Most other games have more social aspects.” Morrell said, “Mafia Wars is just like a cheap addiction and I’ll eventually get tired of it. Really it’s just a waste of time.” 

The Newsstreak

December 4, 2009 Books Turned Movie Bad or Good?

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: the old movie: “I liked it better than the book because I’d rather see the movie,” junior Marwah Bani-Hani said.

Jurassic Park: “I read the book after I saw the movie, I liked the book better, it talks more about chaos theory, which I found interesting,” Mr. Bair said.

The Shining: “The book lets you create your own atmosphere, but I loved the movie too because you could see what you’ve been reading.

Steven King is awesome,” junior Jesse Deavers said.

Photos By: Emily Jamieson Infographic By: Ryan Maphis

Movies A7

From paperback to motion picture Latest film release from Twilight series has fans lining up Kim Antonio Managing Editor

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These violent delights have violent ends, and in their triumph die, like fire and powder, which as they kiss, consume.” Romeo and Juliet, Act II, Scene VI. These famous words, uttered by dedicated fans, illustrate a different set of star-crossed lovers, Edward and Bella. Together, they fight every day to be with each other, among the challenges which pose a threat to life and death. The pure romance, anticipating thrill, and stunning beauty of Stephanie Meyer’s novels, about a vampire falling in love with a human being, have developed fans whose obsession to the books and movies, are only comparable to Bella’s obsession with Edward. Transforming the text into a three dimensional film has always been a challenge. Twilight fans never miss the opportunity to observe the book and movie details and how they differ.

“I have read the whole series and I always look forward to comparing the movie and the books,” junior Emelyn Jiminez said.

Due to Twilight’s skyrocketing success, New Moon has been able to be made into

a higher budget film, straying away from how much he cares for Bella because he the independent, low budget feel. Fans will would never hurt her. I know he left, but it be able to dive into a new fantasy world, showed he loved her,” Figueroa said. watching their favorite scenes, filled with Figueroa sees Meyer as an important tastefully done, more realistic effects. figure because she has created this world “I could not wait to see my favorite part filled with fantasy, perfection, action and of the book, which is the kiss. It is such an love entangled within each other. important part of the book,” junior Judy “Stephenie Meyer is wonderful. For Souriyarath said. someone to make this story up, I consider However, although them an artist,” Figueroa Souriyarath is a said.

Meyer fan who The love for the story To me, Edward admires the movies, also extends to purchasing represents what a her preference leans the Twilight products. toward the books.

Figueroa, who has a perfect boyfriend To Souriyarath, the large amount of Twilight could be.” books should not be merchandise including  Junior compared.

T-shirts, posters, and “I still like the bracelets, even has an Alissa Figeroa books because I “Alive” styled pixie hair think they made the cut, which represents her movie’s characters just too over dramatic,” devotion to the characters.

Souriyarath said.

“I love Alice because she is such a loyal One thing fans will agree on, though, is friend and she is so sweet,” Figueroa said. the love for the story line, which reflects Jiminez, Souriyaraths and Figueroa, how love itself, poses no boundaries. fans, who know the books every enticing Junior, Alissa Figueroa, knows exactly description, prove how alluring the series why she is a dedicated fan of the books. is. But according to the multi-million fan “Everybody wants to fall in love base of Meyer’s books, New Moon is not with the perfect person. To me, Edward even the climax to what is in store for the represents what a perfect boyfriend could future.  be. He is over protective but it just shows

“

Paranormal leaves impression on students Upcoming Book Adaptations:

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Diana Gutierrez Style Editor

illions of people across the nation, including hundreds of students waited in lengthy lines to see one of the scariest movies in decades, Paranormal Activity. A couple, Micah and Katie move in together into an ordinary home, but Katie has a secret that not even Micah is aware of until later. Katie is haunted by a demonic spirit and has been since she was younger. Viewers had their own predictions of the events in the movie and many dared to sit down and see what it was really about.

Senior Regan Sheets went during the day and remained scared throughout the entire haunting film.

“It looked really bloody and scary. Usually I’m let down by those kind of movies and I thought this might be different and I was right,” Sheets said. Sheets went with a couple of friends; she did her research on the film to prepare herself. She read that the ending was completely fake and Katie did not throw Micah against the camera but she left him downstairs and she rocked on their bed for two days straight.

“I heard it was based on a true story and was very low budget,” senior Macie Frazier said.

“I was expecting ghosts to tear into people and take over their bodies, and to walk next

to us as living beings,” Sheets said. The actual Paranormal Activity trailer consists of people in the theater that jumped and screamed in terror.

The movie does not begin with scary demon’s presence; it begins with the couple’s life— insisting that the viewers have a lot of patience.

“When my friends and I got home after the movie, we heard scratching noises at my door, it was so scary,” Frazier said. Frazier was most afraid at the last scene of the movie.

“I thought the beginning was funny because Micah was sarcastic,” Sheets said.

Senior Blayke Price thought it was jumpy; he went with a large group of friends during the night.

“It was crazy, I jumped a lot,” Price said. Others went in hopes of a thrill but were somewhat disappointed.

“I didn’t think it was scary, it was just kind of freaky,” junior Shane McMahan said. McMahan went with a few friends and claims the movie was not worth watching again.

Freshman Max Johnson went to see if it was really scary because it looked that way from what he saw in the previews.

“The movie was kind of scary because I felt like it was real,” Johnson said.

Along with many others Johnson believes ghosts are real because of videos he’s seen and his superstition.

Paranormal Activity has frightened many people across the nation, only some disagree.

Critics gave the movie top ratings and the previews intensified the horror. 

Where are they? The unforgettable children’s book Where The Wild Things Are has been adapted into a movie that was just recently released. Students have flocked to theaters to see how the book with so few words has been interpreted by the producer and director.

Classic children’s book becomes popular film

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Phillip Bannister Feature Editor

he childhood story Where The Wild Things Are comes to life this year on the big screen. The movie is a story of a young boy who was ignored by his mother and sister, who had no one to play with and was all alone. After a confrontation with his single mother he runs away from home to a world of monsters.

“My first impression of it was that it was bad but it sort of grew on me. Now I think it’s good,” junior Desta Hansen said.

For sophomore Zach McDonnell the deep, underlying message appealed to him.

“I liked the political undertones of it. It dealt a lot with the effects of broken promises and the result of inequality,” McDonnell said.

Despite her first impression, Hansen did enjoy some of the funny moments in the movie.

“I liked when Carol ripped off the other guys arm. It was funny because in the next scene he had a stick as his arm. There were good oneliners,” Hansen said.

McDonnell enjoyed a deeper moment, not quite as focused on the comedy like Hansen.

“There was a part where Max becomes king.

He promises equality and happiness for all. As the movie progresses, it becomes apparent that his promises are empty,” McDonnell said.

After watching the movie, Hansen felt as though the movie did not have true closure.

“The ending was horrible. It just ended. I hate abrupt endings,” Hansen said.

The advertising was a problem for McDonnell, the feel that was portrayed in the previews and the actual feel of the movie varied for him.

“There were certain surreal elements about it. It wasn’t advertised as surreal but it was and that took you by surprise—not necessarily in a good way,” McDonnell.

After watching the movie there were moments that did manage to take McDonnell by surprise.

“The surreal elements were surprising because they weren’t expected. They seem sort of stupid at first but then when you think about them they start to make sense,” McDonnell said. 

• Invictus – The true story of how Nelson Mandela joined forces with the captain of South Africa’s rugby team, Francois Pienaar, to help unite their country. Release date: December 11.

• The Lovely Bones – Centers on a young girl who has been murdered and watches over her family -- and her killer -from Heaven. Release date: December 11.

• Up in the Air – This film follows a man’s struggle as he tries to get to one million frequent flyer miles, a number only reached by seven other people on the planet, before he leaves or he’s fired from his employer. Release date: December 25.

• Dear John – The plot of this book-turned-movie hits home with many Americans today. It illustrates the toll that being a soldier puts on relationships and love when time and distance stand in the way. Release date: February 5.

• Shutter Island – Two U.S. Marshalls are sent to a federal institution for the criminally insane to capture a violent female escapee. The men, in their search, find that the hospital has practiced sinister measures in its patients. Release date: February 19.

This Is It for Michael Jackson Christine Choi Style Editor

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ichael Jackson, also known as the King of Pop’s death has affected many music lovers in the world. The mystery of his sudden death has caused the population to be stunned and in shock while they mourned over his death.

Hits and memorable jams were played on the radio and a ceremony was held at the Staple’s Center in Los Angeles, CA with over twenty thousand Jackson fans.

Jackson’s many musical and chorographical accomplishments were put together into a roughly two hour film which has collected 20.1 million dollars in its opening week. The main focus of This is It is not set on the life stories and death of Jackson, but rather the big seven day and 50 concert worldwide tour that was being planned and the many ideas proposed.

This is It was released on Oct 28, 2009 and rated a must see movie by fans. The millions of loving fans of Jackson got the opportunity to see the working and creative side of Jackson, who was shy to the public.

Yearbook teacher Mary Strickler loved the movie so much she saw it twice. “[The movie] showed what a genius Jackson was and what a loss to the world he was,”

Strickler said.

The movie shone a light on the extremely incredible and unimaginable ideas for the stage and choreography for the dancers. The technology and special effects were all thought up by Jackson himself.

The dancers and bands were all hand picked by Jackson and he only picked the best of the best. All the best songs of Jacksons were planned to be remade and improved to be performed on stage.

“People forgot how talented he was. For so many years he wasn’t shown in public but only the weirdness about him,” Strickler said.

Jackson was not one to be in the public spotlight very much and kept to himself and his family. Through the movie, Jackson lit up on stage and never showed signs of being out of breath or tired through all the dancing and singing. He knew all the chords, pitches, and notes for all the songs and was a master musician.

Freshman Keyanna Whitley’s favorite part of the movie was seeing the practice of the Thriller performance.

“The movie showed a different view of Jackson,” Whitley said. In the movie, one of the stage ideas was a big spider machine that opened up and had dancers in it.

“I really liked all the choreography and the movie overall,” Whitley said. 

The Newsstreak

December 4, 2009

music a8

Hot new artists, upcoming concerts Pirooz, Slocum, Gray meet Kid Cudi backstage Molly Denman Ad Manager

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eniors Armeen Pirooz, Ryan Slocum, Cory Dovel and junior David Gray attended a Kid Cudi concert on Oct 23 in Columbia, Maryland. The group of friends traveled to Maryland together to go to the concert. The trip they expected turned into more than just a concert.

“The concert was tight because Kid Cudi was there,” Gray said.

The Kid Cudi concert had musical guests performing such as Paramore, AFI and Dead by Sunrise along with Kid Cudi. The bands performed many songs and Kid Cudi sang a variety of his hits such as “Day N’ Night,” “Make Her Say,” “Pursuit of Happiness,” “Already Home” and “Cudi Zone”.

The concert took place at a pavilion and was hosted by MTV, lasting for three and a half hours. The concert also had other attractions like rides and games that were free. Paying for the ticket ensured access to the different carnival rides and games that were set up. One of the rides was called Clown

Asylum.

“My favorite song that Kid Cudi performed was “Pursuit of Happiness” because it is Kid Cudi’s newest song and it is really good,” Gray said.

The friends had fourth row tickets to the concert. After the performance, Pirooz, Slocum and Gray got to go back stage and meet Kid Cudi.

“I feel sorry for Cory. He didn’t get to meet Kid Cudi, but me, Ryan and David got to meet him and shake his hand,” Pirooz said. Meeting Kid Cudi was a perk of having fourth row seats.

The concert was not a typical show because of the carnival rides and other activities besides the concert. Performances from “punk” bands like Paramore brought many different types of people together. The concert, in a way, mixed punk and rap, making it one to remember.

“The concert was pretty sweet because when you got your ticket you had a pass to get on all the rides and didn’t have to pay for them,” Pirooz said. 

Concert tickets sold swiftly Meagan Kelley Fun Director

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any students are anxiously awaiting the arrival of March 20, 2010.

One of country music’s biggest superstars will be stopping in Charlottesville as part of her eightmonth long Fearless tour. Taylor Swift will be coming to the John Paul Jones Arena at UVA to perform songs from her new album Fearless along with new songs that were recently released with her Platinum Fearless album.

Sophomore Kiah Silver is among the many students who hope to attend the concert.

“I really like [Taylor Swift’s] music,” Silver said. “Her lyrics are really good and they can relate to my life. My favorite song is “Should’ve Said No”.”

Students are scrambling to get their tickets now to insure they get good seats. Ticket prices range from $27.00

to $61.50, and tickets for resale are going for as much as $1995.00 each at stubhub.com. Silver says that her mom will most likely purchase her tickets for her.

Senior Ian Frazier tried to buy his tickets early but they were only available for presale for people who are American Express card holders or are members of the Taylor Swift fan club.

“We couldn’t buy them because we didn’t have that card so we had to wait until they went on sale to the general public,” Frazier said. “The tickets sold out within three minutes of going on sale. I’m so lucky that I was able to get my tickets.”

Nineteen-year-old Taylor Swift is the youngest artist ever to be nominated for the prestigious Entertainer of the Year Award in country music. Ever since her debut album was released in 2006, Swift has shot to the top of the charts multiple times and has even crossed into the world of pop music.

The Fearless tour will feature many

special guests in including Kellie Pickler and Gloriana who will both be featured in Charlottesville. Many students are expecting the best from Swift and will be sure to get it as she works her way around the United Kingdom, Australia and the United States during her biggest tour yet.  Taylor Swift’s self-titled first album had five hits and was released on October 24, 2006.

Taylor Swift’s Fearless Platinum Edition was released on October 27, 2009 with six extra songs.

LMFAO scheduled to perform in Richmond, VA

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Olivia McCarty Style Editor

enior Courtney Bowman has been to one concert in her life, the musical group Flatleaf was the main performer, and she went with her cousin.

For Bowman’s second concert, she is taking a little bit of a different approach. Bowman is going to see LMFAO in Richmond with her friends.

LMFAO is a rap duo that got their start in Los Angeles, CA. They made their big debut in 2008, after going around the club circuit for years. The song that they are most known for is “I’m in Miami Trick.”

They also just released their first album in July of this year titled, Party Rock.

Bowman first heard LMFAO two or three months ago from her friend, senior Diana Gutierrez. Bowman thought the

music sounded pretty good. “Good dance songs,” Bowman said.

Bowman really doesn’t have a certain music style. “I listen to all different types of music,” Bowman said, so she was up for seeing LMFAO in concert, when her friends told her about the opportunity.

Bowman is excited for the concert because “LMFAO has a lot of dancing songs”. Bowman also believes that at the concert she will be able to get an even better feel for LMFAO’s music.

LMFAO is coming to Richmond on Dec 8 and they are performing at The National. 

Bowman, Romero stoked to see Teagan and Sara in D.C. Ethan Blackwell Staff Reporter

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ndie rock and alternative genre bands are nothing new to the music world.

Bands like The Hives, Modest Mouse, and The Fratellis have been producing music for the better part of the twenty first century and in the case of The Hive, have been producing since the early nineties.

Recently, students at HHS have been getting excited over the arrival of another indie rock band coming into the area. Tegan and Sara, from Calgary Canada, has made plans to stop at Washington, D.C. on Feb 17 and will be in Richmond on Feb 18 as part of a nationwide tour. Tegan and Sara have been in the spotlight since 1998 when the band won the local Calgary band contest the Garage Warz Battle of the Bands. The band also appeared in the top fifty albums released in a 2004 edition of The Rolling Stone.

Senior Aakash Tandel, a long time fan of the band, is ecstatic about the upcoming bands concert in Richmond.

“Sadly I can’t make it to the concert,” Tandel said, “If I could I would, but I can’t.” Tandel, a long time guitarist and vocalist has become a bit of an aficionado when it comes to music. Over the years he has been able to acquire a broad list of genres which he likes and can connect with.

“My favorite part of Tegan and Sara is their intricate guitar playing and cool sounding harmonies. I have always liked bands that produce flowing songs, and in the case of this band, they consistently perform to my standards,” Tandel said.

Some students in the school are lucky enough to see them in their upcoming concert. Senior Courtney Bowman has been planning on going to see them for some time now.

“I’m expecting the concert to be really good, my close friends and I have loved listening to Tegan and Sara for over a year now,” Bowman said, “I am stoked about finally getting to see them perform.”

When it comes to songs, Bowman has multiple favorites.

“I really like, I know I know I know, Call it Off, Knife Going In, and The Con,” Bowman said.

Senior Jessica Romero plans to go along with Bowman to the upcoming concert. “It’s Tegan and Sara so I’m expecting it to be beautiful, chill music,” Romero said, “They will be absolutely amazing on stage.” 

Who would you like to see in concert?

“Alicia Keys.”

-Senior Taylor Echols

“Lady Gaga.”

-Senior Dot Boisen

“Jimmy Buffet.”

-Junior Patrick Turner

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The Newsstreak

December 4, 2009

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The Newsstreak

December 4, 2009

health A10

H1N1: Know the facts Flu Symptom Checklist Call right away if your child of any age has: • flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough

• fast breathing or trouble breathing • bluish or gray skin color • not drinking enough fluids

• Has other conditions (like heart or lung disease, diabetes, or asthma)

• severe or persistent vomiting

• Develops flu-like symptoms, including fever and/or cough.

• Being irritable and/or not wanting to be held

• not waking up or not interacting

— source: Center for Disease Controls

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http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/

Time to get the flu vaccine 1.) CDC recommends a yearly seasonal flu vaccine as the first and most important step in protecting against seasonal influenza.

2.)While there are many different flu viruses, the seasonal flu vaccine protects against the three seasonal viruses that research suggests will be most common.

3.) Vaccination is especially important for people at high risk of serious flu complications, including young children, pregnant women, people with chronic health conditions like asthma, diabetes or heart and lung disease and people 65 years and older.

4.) Seasonal flu vaccine also is important for health care workers, and other people who live with or care for high risk people to keep from making them sick.

5.) A seasonal vaccine will not protect you against 2009 H1N1.

6.) A new vaccine against 2009 H1N1 is being made.

7.) People at greatest risk for 2009 H1N1 infection include children, pregnant women, and people with chronic health conditions like asthma, diabetes or heart and lung disease.

8.)Ask your doctor if you should get a 2009 H1N1 vaccine.

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/preventing.htm

.

E .

G .

E.D i E

M o vh t NiG

A private viewing o A Christmas Sftory

Come and enjoy this classic movie with your friends in yo ur own private th eater.

Only 80 can atte nd so RSVP now.

Thursday, Dece mber 10, 2009 7-9 p.m. (movie starts at 7:15 p.m.)

EMU Black Box Theater

Small theater be hind Main Stage in the University Commons building . Park in the lot in front of the Commons building and look for the E.D.G.E. signs.

No parking passes necessary.

Admission is FR EE!

15-year-old male Fo15-year-old rnon-drinker Harrimale sonburg and heavy-drinker Rockingham Count School Students y High Only

Hot chocolate and snacks provided by E.D.G.E. or stop by the EMU Comm on Grounds Coffeehouse rig ht around the cor ner to purchase refreshments.

RSVP to EDGETE ENEVENTS@gma il.com or via the E.D.G.E. Face book event page.

For more information, cal l Amanda, RMH Community Healt at 438-6738 or h visit the E.D.G.E. Web site at http://sites.goog le.com/site/edge events1/ The

Drug-Free Com mu nities Suppor t Progra m, brough t to you by the Exe cut ive Off ice of the Pre sident, Off ice of Nat ional Drug Control Pol icy in par tnersh ip wit Substance Abuse h and Mental Hea lth Ser vices Admin istration, through the Stro ng Fam ilies/ Great Youth Coa lition of Ha rrisonb urg and Rockingha m Cou nty.

Students refuse H1H1 Vaccine As the country continues to report case after case of the H1N1 virus, the vaccine has been slow to make its way into many communities. And even when it does arrive, some have still been leary of getting the shot.

also plays a role in determining the effectiveness of the vaccine. Senior Kelsey Hyser says this is the reason she is not going to get the shot.

“I’m not getting vaccinated because he flu is a common illness. Ev- my uncle, who is a doctor, said that it’s ery year in the United States, not worth getting it because they don’t on average, 5%-20% of the pop- know if it’s fool proof,” Hyser said. ulation catches this “bug.” In The media exaggerates claims that the past year, a new strain of the virus this year’s flu will be an epidemic, one known as H1N1 or, more commonly, as serious as the 1918 pandemic. They the “swine flu,” has surfaced, prompt- make a point of finding extreme cases ing Americans to consider getting vacci- of illness and broadcasting to the nanated. Senior Greta Klosinski refuses to tion that lives are on the line. While no get the preventative procedure and she one knows for sure whether this is true, is not alone. Only there are no signs yet one third of Amerithat the virus will cans have received spread readily from The only way you the shot, according person to person. to health.com. can get swine flu is “On the news, they “I’ve never gotmake it sound like if if you’re not careful. ten a flu shot. I you get the flu, you’re I wash my hands all don’t see the point. going to die. I know There’s just going the time and I don’t people who have had to be a new form of it though, and they’re share food or drinks the flu next year,” just sick for a few days Klosinski said. with other people.” and then get over it,” According to Klosinski said.  Senior the Center for DisMost Americans Kelsey Hyser ease Control and are taking simple Prevention, it takes precautions to keep about two weeks themselves healthy. after getting the vaccination for it to Hyser makes a point of taking care of take effect. However, viruses constanther well being. ly mutate, making the shot less effec“The only way you can get swine flu tive. Their value is dependent upon the is if you’re not careful. I wash my hands extent of the match between the virus all the time and I don’t share food or strains used to prepare the vaccine and drinks with other people,” Hyser said. those viruses in circulation. The age  and health of each individual person Emily Knapp Style Editor

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The Newsstreak

December 4, 2009

feature B1

Christmas is coming!

SVCC and HHS Band prepare for holiday music Savanah Cary Feature Editor

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s Christmas approaches many people join in the spirit of the season through music.

The HHS band is celebrating the holidays through their winter concert. They hope to inspire holiday spirit in their audience.

“At the winter concert we plan to entertain many folks who come to watch and celebrate the holiday season,” Band Director J.R. Snow said. The concert will be divided into two sections. The first section will be the percussion ensemble and they will play music that is not holiday related. The second section will be the concert and symphonic bands playing music for the holidays.

The band recently started practicing the music for the concert. The songs they will play include; Sleigh Ride, Overture from the Messiah, the hymn In the Bleak Mid-Winter, and a musical take on The Night Before Christmas. The band plays sleigh Ride every year, but other than that, there are no traditions involved with this concert.

“I tried to find music that is entertaining for the listeners, but is also challenging so that it helps the students to learn,” Snow said.

J u n i o r D r e w Matthias finds that his favorite song is Overture from the Messiah.

“I like Overture from the Focus Juniors Marcus Upton and Joseph M e s s i a h Roth perform in last year’s winter band b e c a u s e it sounds concert. Photo by Jon Monroe

Whats on your plate during Christmas Break?

Freshman Isaac Falk

“We eat oysters and cheese broccoli soup for the Christian holiday.”

“We eat mexican food and for dessert we have flan. It’s really good.”

Freshman Tyka Venable

Sophomore Sofia Velasco

“My favorite is stuffing balls. It’s a yearly tradition and they are so good.”

“My family’s tradition is to eat ham during the Christmas holiday.”

Math teacher Bill Turner

Senior Kolicia Shifflett

“I like to eat fruit cake, cocunut cake, pecan chocolate pie, aged- not store bought -country ham.”

like an organ,” Matthias said.

The holiday concert will take place on Dec 10 at 7:00 p.m. in the HHS auditorium. The band will also be performing in the Christmas Parade in downtown Harrisonburg.

They will march in the parade and play a medley of Christmas songs including Jingle Bells and Frosty the Snowman. The Band has one tradition for the parade.

“We always wear Santa hats,” junior Jennifer Hess said. Between the Christmas concert and the Christmas Parade, band students have a lot of exposure to Christmas music which helps to get them in the spirit.

“Once you start playing Christmas music and hearing it on the radio, you start to really feel like the Christmas season has started,” junior Ryan Stees said.

Freshman Caitlin Kelley Sophomore Dorrall Price and freshman Nancy Carrie Logan sing in the Shenandoah is also getting in the spirit Valley Children’s Choir. photo courtesy of Judy Leaman of Christmas through music with the Shenandoah Valley year, is one of those years.

Children’s Choir. Kelley has been a part of SVCC for “It’s really neat to sing with the brass band because nine years. SVCC performs a Christmas concert every we usually play with just a piano, and the brass band year. They have a couple of traditions during their brings a whole new texture to the music,” Kelley performance every year. said.

“We always sing hymns with the congregation at The concert will take place in Leaman Hall at EMU the end of the concert, but other than that, we don’t on Dec 5 at 7:00 p.m. and Dec 6 at 3:00 p.m. Presale really have any traditions,” Kelley said. tickets cost $15 for adults, $12 for students and seniors “Every year all the little kids come up from the and $7 for children 12 and under. They will be $2 audience and ring bells while we sing Jingle Bells,” more at the door. freshman Erin Goodstein said. Goodstein has been a Kelley finds that Christmas music helps her get part of SVCC for eight years. into the spirit. “I like to sing and I enjoy Christmas Every four years the Washington Brass band comes music because it is happy music and it gets you ready to play with SVCC for the Christmas concert. This for Christmas,” Kelley said. 

Ornaments meaningful to students Ethan Blackwell Staff Reporter

D

uring Christmastime, reminders of the season, from cookies with tree images on them to the hustle and bustle of roads surrounding major outlet malls and gift stores, are everywhere.

Christmas is a time when the majestic Christmas tree, covered in sparkling ornament, lights, and candy canes can be seen at local stores and many houses. Christmas ornaments have significant meaning to many students at HHS, whether it reminds them of their childhood, or of family members of the past.

Senior Brendon Cummiskey’s mother Penny Cummiskey has collected traditional ornaments that have been passed down for generations.

“They mean a lot to her,” Cummiskey said, “She really enjoys looking back at ornaments that range from my childhood paper cutouts to my grandparent’s rustic glass ornaments.” When looking at his own ornaments Cummiskey cannot help but reminisce.

“I have always found my childhood creations interesting, especially the ornament,” Cummiskey said, “When

Families decorate lawns Conner Whitehouse Sports Writer

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round Christmas, people get in the holiday mood.

Decorating for the winter season is a must around the house and even outside.

“We have a huge inflatable snow globe in our front yard,” sophomore Connor Hegg said. “It has penguins and a snowman and the fan inside of it blows snow around so it looks real. It’s basically the start of the season when we put that out. It’s a big day,” sophomore Hegg said.

The Hegg family also has other decorations.

“We also have these cool icicle lights that we put around our entire house,” Hegg said.

All families have a different way of getting ready for the season, whether they have old traditions or start new ones.

“There is an interesting tradition that my family and neighborhood has.

There are a lot of deer around our neighborhood, so all the families around Wyndam Woods put light up deer in their

front yards. It’s sort of a joke, but it’s caught on,” sophomore William Imeson said.

Decorated trees are another key element of Christmas.

Whether it is inside or outside does not really matter to sophomore Breton Nicolas and his family.

“We have a mini Christmas tree that somebody gave us one year, it’s a real tree and we just keep it in a pot outside our door. When we pull out all 15 boxes of Christmas stuff we decorate it and put an angel on top,” Nicolas said, “That’s the only thing we do every year for sure.”

All families do something different for decorations. But it is not necessarily important to have fancy decorations according to biology teacher Mac Bair and his family.

“Around my house, we are pretty basic. We stick with the wreaths, and some white lights that we spent around $50 for.

Never anything tacky, my wife won’t let me,” Bair said, “Of course the less stuff we put up the less I have to take down, and Santa respects it anyway.” 

the Christmas box is broken out of storage, I seem to always be amazed at my decorating skills or lack there of.” Cummiskey’s Popsicle people and paper snowflake cutout always create nostalgia of his childhood and all for the fun times he had in elementary school.

Even students in the school that don’t celebrate Christmas have their own stories about ornaments. Senior Justin Goldberger has a history of jealousy when it comes to the Christmas tree.

“When I was little, I understood the connection with Christmas and the Christmas tree, yet I liked the way they looked, especially the gold and silver balls hanging from the branches,” Goldberger said, “I remember I had found a small tree and decided to call it the Hanukah bush.” Goldberger took the small tree into his care, placing small ornaments on the branches.

Senior Aakash Tandel does not officially celebrate the Christmas holiday, his religion is Diwali, yet he still finds Christmas traditions enjoyable.

“Though I don’t technically celebrate Christmas, my family still puts up a Christmas tree and ornaments as well as exchanges gifts,” Tandel said. “Ornaments to me are a reminder of my childhood,

Christmas Spirit! Senior Aakash Tandel’s Popsicle stick ornaments remind him of his childhood. picture by Ethan Blackwell

my times in kindergarten and elementary school.”

“My absolute favorite was one that I made when I was in kindergarten; it was a Popsicle stick picture frame with all my family members hands drawn on it,” Tandel said.

Glicks live on former tree farm

the long run it is more expensive to cut down trees; they last two weeks. With synthetic trees, you pay fifty dollars and you have them for the rest of your life,” Glick said.

But for families who consider it a tradition hristmas used to last all year at the to chop down their own tree, the cost is home of sophomore Claire and outweighed by the custom. Junior Joe junior Joey Glick’s grandparents.

Nyland’s father has made it a tradition for his Christmas trees were abundant family to go out to a Christmas tree farm and and always a full-time job. Five years ago cut down their own tree each year. all this changed, and the Glicks settled for “We go someplace way out there. It’s a celebrating with Christmas trees only once tradition we have to go by. We a year. Five years ago, can’t just get lazy and go buy the Glick Christmas tree one,” Nyland said. He is under farm in Augusta County The farm was a the impression that (cutting closed down. Following down a tree) is probably lot of work to keep the close, Claire and cheaper than going to WalJoey Glick moved out running. We didn’t Mart and buying a tree. onto their grandparent’s have that much time” “The size of the tree and the farm, giving them the type of tree determine the cost  Sophomore Claire opportunity to choose of your tree,” Glick said. any Christmas tree they Glick The Glicks, however, will wanted. never have to worry about the Christmas tree cost of a Christmas tree. With farming is no picnic according to Claire the retired tree farm resting on their property, Glick. all the Glick family has to do at Christmas time “The farm was a lot of work to keep is step into their backyard. Otherwise their running. We didn’t have that much time. You tradition is like most tree-cutting families. have to water the trees and watch them; even “You see a tree, measure up a couple in the summer,” Glick said. Now the trees go of inches from the stump, cut the bottom unattended by the Glicks, left for nature to branches off and cut it down with a chainsaw,” take care of.

Glick said.

With superstores like Wal-Mart stocking For families around Harrisonburg, the every kind of synthetic tree on the market, tradition of cutting down their own Christmas competition in the Christmas tree market trees may be fading, but the custom of putting grew as well. up a Christmas tree, real or synthetic, is not.

“More people buy synthetic trees now. In Ryan Maphis Staff Reporter

C

“



The Newsstreak

December 4, 2009

Feature B2

Christmas around the world Food essential element in Japanese New Year custom Daiki Ishikawa Staff Reporter

J

apanese New year is different from the American New Year. There are a lot of traditional activities during the Japanese New Year. One week before New Year, we write New Year’s cards for some friends. This tradition is called “Nengajou”. We write to people to show them that we appreciate their kindness. It arrives January 1st when everybody opens the letter that people put into the mail box a week before.

After the countdown for the New Year, we visit a shrine, throw a coin into an offering box, and pray for something. The next day, we eat some special New Years dishes. For example, kuromame (sweet black soybean), kazunoko (harringroe), kurikinnton (Japanese cake made from chestnut), kombumaki (kombu roll) and a lot of stuff. It all tastes so nice!

Another tradition is when older people give some money to their younger

relatives. It is called “otoshidama”. We also spend lazy New Year in a kotatsu.

Kotatsu is Japanese traditional desk that is a covered futon with heater.

It is so nice that you do not feel like leaving kotatsu for long time.

And after a few days, we make Mochi from glutinous rice. We pound and hit Mochi in a mortar. And after that, we make “Kagami mochi” made by some decoration and mochi that we made. It looks like a flat snowman and is painted orange. Kagami mochi is the Japanese traditional ornament to celebrate New Years.

We also start a new term on January 7. I love Japanese New Year. On the beginning of new term, I‘ll miss Japanese New Year. 

Japan

Ramadan festivities include fasting, Eid filled with food Vanessa Ehrenpreis Sports Editor

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ating and drinking nothing, from dawn to sunset for 28-30 days is not most people’s ideal celebration. For sophomore Zak Kraimeche, the traditional Muslim celebration of Ramadan is not a pleasurable time.

“Ramadan in itself is not enjoyable.

Not eating during the day is really hard, but you have to do it,” Kraimeche said.

“My friends are either really impressed that I am able to fast for 30 days, or they feel sorry for me because I can’t eat.”

The holiday following Ramadan, known as Eid ul-Fitr, or Eid allows Muslims around the world to decompress and rejoice after a long period of fasting.

“Eid is our equivalent of Christmas.

It celebrates the end of Ramadan,” Kraimeche said. “The fact that I get to eat again during the day is probably one of my favorite things [about the holiday]. But the Eid prayer is also one of my favorite things. It is very religious and spiritual.”

The Eid prayer is not like typical prayers, it is longer with a more ceremonial purpose.

“We get up in the morning and go to the local mosque around nine. There

are usually m a n y people, and we all pray t o g e t h e r.

It is not a normal prayer it is more ceremonial and a little bit longer. After that [the Eid prayer] we all go have a prepared breakfast with everyone,” Kraimeche said.

Kraimeche likes most things about the holiday but believes that some aspects aren’t focused enough on the real purpose of Eid. “I like everything about it [Eid], but my least favorite part is the gift because it’s not about the gift. It is the equivalent of a Christmas gift, I usually get $100 every time or something else like a new tennis racket,” Kraimeche said.

Kraimeche also enjoys the family aspects Eid, “I love spending time with my family and celebrating together.” 

Algeria

Russia’s old banning of religious holidays has made New Years dominant winter event Vera Shyindyapin Staff Reporter

“

When it’s almost New Year’s, we open our gifts. We invite friends and relatives over. It’s always a fun time. We eat a lot of good food, like ‘plof’, [a rice dish with onions, carrots, and beef,] and ‘olivuv`e’ [a salad that has peas, boiled potatoes, pickles, and eggs],” freshman Irina Manako said, describing a Russian holiday meal.

Manako moved to America one year ago from Ukraine, where they celebrate Christmas on January 7. In Ukraine and Russia, January 1 is the time for all the festivities, giving gifts, and having fun.

One of the traditions is on New Years’ ‘Ded moroz’, when Grandfather Frost gives out his gifts. Grandfather Frost was actually St. Nicholas (the Russian version of Santa Claus) until Christmas was banned. For 75 years, it was illegal to celebrate religious holidays like Christmas and Easter, because the Russian communist party banned all open expression of religion.

Today, New Years is the bigger event, but Christmas is once again celebrated.

For the most part it is very religious, but people celebrate it as they choose.

“Christmas isn’t just another holiday that involves presents and gift-giving.

It is a day of celebration of our Savior’s birth,” Spotswood freshman Kristina Pustinovich said.

Russia and Ukraine both have a main religion of Orthodox. The Orthodox Church celebrates its Christmas in accordance with the old Julian calendar, which said that Jesus Christ’s birth was

on Jan 7. There are many traditions that are involved. It depends on how one was raised and their family traditions.

It also depends on where you lived because some villages have their own traditions.

“We just go to church, eat a fancy dinner, and listen to carolers. We give gifts on New Year’s. It [Christmas] really is centered on Christ,” college freshman Maria Kudlyuk said.

Some of the common traditions from the Orthodox Christmas are going to mass, eating “kutya” (a type of porridge), and having a feast. The mass is a church service during which people fast, or abstain from eating for a certain amount of time, then eat once they go home. Kutya, the primary dish in the meal, is an old tradition where people eat this type of porridge that is very symbolic. It is made of wheat berries and different types of grains, which symbolize different things such as happiness, hope, and immortality.

The feast usually consists of twelve “Holy Foods” symbolizing the twelve different apostles.

Some other traditions not included in the Orthodox faith, are putting up a “yolka”, which is the Russian version of a Christmas tree, and decorating it with homespun decorations. The “yolka” was introduced to Russia by Peter the Great. Another tradition is “Kolyadki,” caroling. People go from house to house and sing Christian songs.

“Every year I go caroling and have fun,” Calvary Christian Academy sophomore Liana Sakhnyuk said. “We get to see our Russian friends and in return get a lot of great food and candy.” 

Russia and U kraine

Czech Republic

Carp, fish eaten as traditional Christmas meals

Martin Vichnar Staff Reporter

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any people in America think that everyone in the world celebrates Christmas the same way. I have to say that they are not right. I am Czech. And you can find a lot of differences between Middle Europe and North America.

In the Czech Republic, we do not have the funny commercials with the fat guy in a red suit called Santa Claus.

Only one exception is a Coca Cola commercial originally from the United States.

School usually ends on Friday before Christmas. After this date, people always go crazy and hunt for Christmas presents in the last few days. Shopping centers are full of people and prices are high. On the other hand, Christmas is a period of rest, peace and of course… love! Two days before Christmas usually, people hit the road for a traditional C z e c h meal for a

Christmas dinner of a fish called carp.

My family does not usually have a carp; we eat another fish or schnitzel. I like schnitzel more than fishes, so it is good for me.

Many people buy live carp and hit them in the bath tub. Others buy an already dead one. It is served with potato salad which is another traditional Czech meal. The whole family, sometimes with grandparents or other relatives, sits around the table talking about the last year. When dinner is over, people go to the tree and give the gifts. It is always a very nice time.

At midnight many people go to the church and pray. My family does not hold this tradition.

Czech people do not decorate their houses like many American people. A lot of them have some lights on the roof or trees in the garden. We have lights on our tree, but our neighbors are like American people and have a lot of stuff.

I think that I can not compare Czech and American Christmas so much, because I do not know American Christmas so much yet, but there are some differences. 

Hanukkah celebrated with latkes, dreidel Alison Domonoske Feature Editor

D

uring the winter holidays, Christian students and teachers celebrate with the Nativity scene, Christmas trees and Santa Claus. Some Jewish students, however, celebrate the winter with a menorah and dreidel.

Senior Naomi Ornstein celebrates Hanukkah, the Miracle of Lights, with her family by traveling to either Ohio or New York to visit relatives. On the first day, they go to celebrate at synagogue, or temple. Ornstein’s favorite part of Hannukah is getting presents every day.

“The best presents I ever got were piano books from Rent and Wicked,” Ornstein said. “And also when I was a little kid it was nice because I just got whatever I wanted.”

Senior Justin Goldberger also enjoys receiving presents all eight days of Hanukkah, and this year all he wants is to get into college.

Hanukkah is eight days long to remember when the Jews fighting the Greeks hid in a temple in Jerusalem.

They only had enough oil to last one day but, by a miracle, the oil lasted eight. On each night of Hanukkah a candle is lit on the menorah, until by the eighth night all eight candles are lit.

Another Hanukkah tradition is

eating latkes, or potato pancakes.

“I think we eat them because they use oil like the oil that lasted eight days,” Goldberger said.

Freshman Isaac Falk is a fan of latkes but has also had bad experiences.

“Latkes are really good, but just be careful where you get them from is all I’m saying,” Falk said.

On Hanukkah people celebrate spinning the dreidel top, where you bet on where the top will land to win chocolate. Dreidel is based on an ancient gambling game, according to Falk, and the four sides of the top, nun, gimmel, hey and shin, dictate what the spinner must do with his or her chocolate.

“Bet on Gimmel,” Falk advised.

Though Hanukkah is celebrated, it is not the biggest Jewish holiday.

“New Year’s, Rosh Hashanah is actually more important,” Goldberger said.

Junior Luke Stephan believes Hanukkah is really just a way to get involved in the winter holidays.

“It’s the only Jewish holiday nonJews can name.” Stephan said, “But Hanukkah is just Judiasm’s attempt to one-up Christmas.” 

America and Israel

Jehovah’s Witnesses only celebrate holidays mentioned in Bible Jack Burden Sports Editor

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he Watch Tower Society was formed in the late 19th century

by Charles Taze Russel to teach that humans are living in the last days of the present world order.

It was not until 1931 that the name “Jehovah’s Witness” was conceived to replace “The Watch Tower Society”.

Since its inception, the Jehovah’s Witnesses have grown to over seven million people worldwide.

Two times a week junior Marcus Alcauter and his family attend Jehovah’s Witness meetings in McGaheysville.

Jehovah’s Witnesses worship in a building called a Kingdom Hall. There are two close to Harrisonburg; one is in McGaheysville, and the other is located on Route 42 near EMU. Typical meetings last one hour and 45 minutes, during which the congregation follows instructions on how to run the meeting, which are typically sent out from the religion’s headquarters in Brooklyn.

Jehovah’s Witnesses believe in the Bible and the teachings of the Bible. However, they do not believe in the celebration of Christmas.

When Christmastime rolls around every December, Jehovah’s

Witnesses just regard the holiday as any normal day, an excuse to get out of school or work.

“We don’t celebrate Christmas, it’s just a normal day that we get out of school for,” Alcauter said. Alcauter, who was raised a Jehovah’s Witness, only celebrates one religious holiday each year.

“We only celebrate the death of Jesus in the spring and there is no set date, kind of like Easter,” Alcauter said.

Jehovah’s Witnesses do not celebrate Christmas because they regard the holiday as pagan in origin, and therefore has nothing to do with Christianity. They believe the date, Dec 25 was chosen for Christmas because it coincided with a pagan holiday on that same day, making the transition into Christianity easier.

When millions worldwide put up their Christmas trees and leave out cookies and milk for Santa Claus, Jehovah’s Witnesses everywhere will just think of December 25th as any other day. 

Jehovah’s Witnesses

The Newsstreak

December 4, 2009

Feature B3

Here comes Santa Claus...

Harris, Flaherty celebrate holidays with divorced parents

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Maria Rose Feature Editor

or most students, the holidays are spent celebrating one set of traditions—whether it is setting up Christmas trees or lighting menorahs in the Jewish holiday, Hanukkah. But for some students, like sophomore Ben Harris or senior Sam Flaherty, the holiday seasons are spent with a variety of customs, in a variety of places. Harris and Flaherty, like other students with divorced parents, have had to cope with not-so-traditional holiday lifestyles.

Travel schedules are very different for these two students. For Flaherty, it is relatively easy. She has an onoff pattern: one year she stays with her dad for Christmas in Richmond, and the next, she remains back in Harrisonburg, with her mom. But for Harris, the scheduling on the holiday season can get tricky. Especially since Harris’s parents have two different religions—his dad is Jewish and his mom is Catholic—switching back and forth between houses and customs can be confusing. Every night during Hanukkah, Harris spends time with his dad and participates in customs like the lighting of the menorah and reciting

Jewish songs. Depending on who he is staying with that week (he spends one week with his mom and one week with his dad, switching every week) he remains with that parent and just visits the other parent.

“It sometimes gets annoying switching back and forth so much,” Harris said. “Especially when I have stuff at the other parent’s house.”

Both Harris and Flaherty are accustomed to having divorced parents.

Since their parents separated when they were both very young, Flaherty’s parents when she was one and Harris’ when he was two or three. These kinds of traditions are all they know.

“I’ve become complacent to it all,” Flaherty said. “I don’t know how it would feel otherwise. This is how I was raised and what I’m accustomed to.”

Flaherty experiences different traditions between the two households she spends her time in. With her dad and his extended family, who are all very Catholic and religious, they attend a special Midnight Mass to celebrate the birth of Jesus.

“It hate it,” Flaherty said. “I’m not religious and it’s at midnight.”

But there are traditions she does enjoy. When she stays with her mom in Harrisonburg, her family travels to Page County, where they used to live,

“

I have the more complicated tradition, I have more than one tradition and customs and it gets confusing, but it makes me a different person.”  senior Sam Flaherty

to visit Santa Claus. Since Page County is so small, a dressed up Santa rides around town and goes to each house to “check up on the kids”.

“We do it for my little brothers. I’m really close to them,” Flaherty said.

Even though their ages are eight and 13, they still believe in Santa Claus. But she just enjoys watching them. “I just go along with it.”

Something that Harris does, while still at his dad’s house, is to give money to charity on one night of Hanukkah.

“It’s a family thing,” Harris said.

Harris feels that his parent’s divorce doesn’t really change up his routine too much, but Flaherty feels that dealing with divorce is harder around the holidays.

For example, even though she has a system of visiting her parents, they still

argue about who she should be with.

“I hate feeling like I’m picking between them. If I spend time with one, I’ll think about the other,” Flaherty said. “It’s harder now because you don’t think about it on a normal basis.

Even when I’m with mom, I’ll miss my dad.”

The thing Flaherty wants most this Christmas is to be able to spend time with both halves of her family. She gets jealous of watching her friends have “normal” Christmas traditions, since she celebrates hers rather abnormally.

“Divorce is unfortunate—it splits up families and at times I want them to just be together so I could be with both of them,” Flaherty said. “I get jealous of the normal, average household. I want something simple like that, like a family photograph with one mom and one dad.”

But even if Flaherty wants things to be different, she accepts them for what they are. Right now, she is simply enjoying her time with her family and is looking forward to spending this Christmas with her brothers.

“I have the more complicated tradition, I have more than one tradition and customs and it gets confusing, but it makes me a different person,” Flaherty said. “I like having a different story.” 

Kids love building gingerbread houses

Families and friends also like being together and enjoying themselves during the holidays, and especially enjoy building and decorating the very family has a different set gingerbread houses.

Senior Macie Frazier enjoys staying of traditions for the holiday at her cousins’ home over the holiday season. While some families season.

As a tradition, Frazier helps her decorate a Christmas tree or younger cousins build and decorate the hang up lights for the occasion, others gingerbread houses during the visit. celebrate by building gingerbread “Every year I build a gingerbread houses with loved ones. house with my little cousins at their “My mom and I make the house.

They really like putting it gingerbread houses about a week before together and I really like being with Christmas every year at my grandma’s,” them,” Frazier said. sophomore Kiah Others like Silver said. devouring the The supplies fi nished product. required for Instead of displaying constructing a them in their homes gingerbread house 1. Make the dough as decoration, they vary.

First in 2. Press the dough into the eat the gingerbread the procedure is mold and bake. houses.

Senior building the walls 3. Make the icing Emma-Rose Kline and base of the 4. Construct the house using thinks the best part house by using the icing to hold the pieces about making a gingerbread. The together. gingerbread house is gingerbread is held 5. Decorate the house using being able to enjoy it together with icing icing, gumdrops, and any afterwards. that is spread along other candies that you like.

“I love getting to the sides. Secondly, 6. Eat the house, or use it as eat my gingerbread gumdrops, Skittles, a decoration. house because I gummy worms, really like sweets,” and other assorted Kline said. candies are added The only downside of gingerbread for decoration. Depending on who is houses seems to be the mess they leave building it, the gingerbread house can behind. be made by a variety of methods.

“I always have to clean up the Sophomore Jibrila Hannum makes kitchen with my mom after we are gingerbread houses with her family done.

Candy and crumbs get all over every year around Christmas time. The the table,” Silver said.

Hannums gather in their kitchen to Whether spending time with friends begin the process. and family or working on a delicious “The hardest part is actually building project, making a gingerbread house is the gingerbread house. It takes about a perfect activity for the holidays, if you forty-five minutes, but it is the best do not mind cleaning up aft erwards. part,” Hannum said. “I love making Christy Stearn Staff Reporter

E

How to make a Gingerbread House

them with my family because I can just have fun and spend time with them.”

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Choo! Choo! Try making something other than a house this year, like a train. Use candies like red hots, jelly beans, candy canes, marshmallows, peppermints, and gumdrops to create your desired look. Photos by Savanah Cary.

Shape it! The gingerbread house mold includes shapes for the roof, walls, chimney , a snowman, a tree and a wreath.

Boxcar decorating. Use homemade icing to hold the pieces of gingerbread together and hold the candies on. Photo by Savanah Cary.

Presents can make, break Christmas morning Michael Johnson Staff Reporter

W

hen one wakes up Christmas morning, they are filled with excitement. They cannot wait until they rip the wrapping paper off of boxes and hopefully feast their eyes on what they have wanted all year.

People sometimes get awesome presents and sometimes they don’t.

Sophomore Jibrila Hannum has received both good and bad presents. “When I wake up Christmas morning, it is pure delight. I am hoping to get something good,” Hannum said.

One Christmas morning though, Hannum did not get what she wanted. “My worst gift I ever got was socks. I pretended to be thankful,” Hannum said. Only once in her life has she worn the socks.

Another Christmas morning, her wish came true. “My best gift I ever got was a mini shopping spree. I was very happy and excited,” Hannum said.

Junior Patrick Turner also has had his worst and best gifts ever.

“My worst gift I ever got was when I was eight years old. My grandparents gave me a sweater with reindeer and snowmen on it. I told them thanks and that I loved it and wore it at dinner to appease them,” Turner said.

The sweater is now in a box in his basement

taped shut in the corner of the cellar.

“My best gift I ever received was a power wheels Jeep Wrangler. I was three or four years old and it was the coolest thing ever. I drove it around in my living room for hours.

I put it on my list, but was not expecting it,” Turner said.

Senior Raul Ibarra has also had his good and bad gifts.

“My worst gift I ever got was nothing. I cried for days,” Ibarra said.

“The best gift I have ever gotten was back in the 90’s. I got a Gameboy color. I flipped out,” Ibarra said. Freshman Paul Hairston also has had his good and bad Christmas mornings.

“The best gift I have ever gotten was a mountain bike. I kept saying thank you over and over again until my dad was annoyed,” Hairston said.

“The worst Christmas gift I ever got was when I was eight years old. My parents always fill up our stockings Christmas Eve with a bunch of candy. Before I went to bed, I looked and my sister and I had the same amount of candy. Later that night, I made my dad mad for some reason. I woke up the next morning and looked at my stocking. My sisters’ was still filled and I had this lump in the bottom of mine. I looked in my stocking and there was a big lump of coal. My dad told me that Santa did not like me this year.

For the rest of the day, I gave my dad the cold shoulder,” Hairston said. 

Getting in trouble on Christmas destroys holiday spirit Will Turner Staff Reporter

“

The temptation was just too much for me,” said junior Will Smith who opened a present before Christmas came and got caught.

Christmas is without doubt one of the worst times in the year to get in trouble. At this time, there are those presents you want to open so badly at the bottom of your tree at stake. If you were to slip up and do something to cause your parents or someone else livid with your behavior to change their minds, those neatly wrapped boxes could be gone just as fast as they got there.

“It was around Christmas time when I got caught shop lifting when I was in sixth grade, I didn’t know any better,” said freshman Max Johnson. “As a result of that, I got one less present and was grounded for a while. The punishment was less severe because of my young age,” Johnson said.

“Every year at the Christmas parade Santa Claus is at the end. Well when I was six I hit Santa in his belly and ran away

the moment he got off his sleigh,” sophomore Peter Byrd said. He still feels the guilt of this incident today. “I didn’t get into too much trouble with my mom because I was only six and Santa forgave me,” Byrd said.

“I already knew the present was an Xbox 360 but something in me just wanted it then and not a couple days later, so a few nights before Christmas Eve, I opened it and started to put it together in my room.

That’s when my mom walked in,”Smith said. “I really wish I would have waited because I got the Xbox taken away for about a month, plus getting in trouble during that time of year just sorta puts a damper on everything,” Smith said.

“Before Christmas break a few years back when I got off the school bus a kid my age tripped me and ripped off the back pocket to my favorite pair of jeans,” junior Lovell Delves said pointing to his backside with a sour face. “I was suspended from school for a day not allowing me to go to New York for Christmas as my family planned and not allowing me to get any presents that year. It was probably the worst Christmas I ever had,” Delves said. 

December 4, 2009

The Newsstreak

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The Newsstreak

December 4, 2009

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Staff members, broadcasting class visit Newseum, attend multiple sessions Conference, from a1 Geographic photo session given by Kurt Mutchler, senior photo editor at National Geographic.

“It was interesting to see how powerful a picture could be,” Whitehouse said.

Since the Newsstreak has so many members, they are split into two different classes during the school day.

The D.C. convention was an excellent opportunity for the staff to unite and do some team bonding.

“We played a lot of cards in our down time. We had a certain spot in the hotel that everyone hung out at,” senior Claire Sudol said. The trip also gave the students a chance to get to know new people.

“It really helped you get to know other staff members better, ones that you normally don’t interact with,” Whitehouse said. “I think it made us a more tightly knit group.”

Junior Lauren Martin noticed a huge decrease as far as cliques within the staff.

“I thought it was pretty much everyone hanging out together, not just in their cliques,” Martin said. “We played a lot of BS, which got everyone involved.”

There was a dance on the second night of the convention for students to attend. Junior Phillip Bannister was disappointed overall with the dance.

“The music was really good but no one could dance,” Bannister said. “It was just a bunch of awkward people.”

Another fun activity that was

planned for the staff members was a trip to the Newseum, a museum that focuses on the history of journalism.

Sophomore Ama Ansah thoroughly enjoyed the Newseum.

“It was really good. My favorite exhibit was about Pulitzer Prize winning photos throughout the years,” Ansah said. “There were really emotional photos from situations all over the world that I didn’t know about.”

The Newsstreak staff has two foreign exchange students on it this year. One is from Japan and the other is from the Czech Republic. The exchange students attended the D.C. conference. While other staff members were in sessions, they got to travel around our nation’s capitol to do some site seeing. They went to several different memorials, museums, and the zoo.

“It was good. My favorite animal was the Panda, but he was sleeping,” junior Daiki Ishikawa said. The other exchange student, senior Martin Vichnar enjoyed the site seeing, but he also liked the speech given at the conference by George Clooney’s father, Nick Clooney.

“He was very smart and had interesting ideas,” Vichnar said.

The JEA/NSPA Fall National High School Journalism Convention will be held in Kansas City next year. A spring conference will be held in Portland, Oregon. Previous fall conferences have been held in Nashville and St. Louis; the D.C. conference was the largest high school journalism in many years. 

School board approves new policy, raises bar for participation in extracurriculars, sports GPA, from A1 to ensure that student-athletes and those participating in other extracurriculars are performing adequately in classrooms.

“Academics should be the first priority of every student,” board member Greg Coffman said. “Participation in extracurricular and athletic programs is a privilege and, therefore, should be earned.” Coffman argues that students perform better when expectations are high, rather than low. He also contends that a .5 raise in GPA should not pose a significant obstacle to determined students.

Were the policy to be implemented for the 2009-2010 school year, 48 students would find themselves unable to participate in athletics and other extracurriculars. 83 percent of these affected students are minority students. Mendez, who voted against the policy, felt that

important questions about the impact of the policy were left unanswered during board deliberations.

“Should fifth graders be excluded from trying out for the play or going to fun nights because they had a Caverage in the second semester of fourth grade? Will the policy have a disparate impact on any minority or socio-economic groups?” Mendez said.

“I think these are questions that need to be addressed before the full weight of this policy is felt.”

While proponents of the new policy argue that raising the bar for eligibility for participation in sports and clubs will encourage students to work harder to increase their GPA, critics are not so sure. One controversial aspect of the policy, in particular, arose because the board approved the policy prior to consulting any personnel of Harrisonburg public schools.

According to HHS principal Irene Reynolds, high school administrators

had received no warning about a potential change to school policy.

Board member Tim Lacey cites lack of information as a major reason for his decision to vote against the policy.

“I voted against this [policy.] We had no input from anyone [teachers, parents, students], no time to look for negatives and did not really know who would or could be affected by this rushed policy,” Lacey said.

Senior Ian Frazier has personally seen the affects that removal from a sports team can have on friends.

“A couple of my teammates weren’t able to play sports because of their grades or because of suspensions and behavior,” Frazier said. “Without being around teammates, the choices they made got steadily worse. Kicking kids off teams because their grades are bad won’t help anything.”

Frazier, among others, feels that this policy will negatively impact several sports teams, particularly basketball,

indoor track and football.

Coffman feels that a policy which highlights students with struggling grades will be for their benefit, though.

“This new standard would identify those students and highlight the need for any additional programs that help the students achieve the goal,” Coffman said. “If any additional programs have to be added to assist students in accomplishing these new standards, I’m prepared to support their implementation.”

The board will open discussion on the new policy during future meetings.

Students and parents with concerns are encouraged to attend the meeting or email board members. Potential changes to the policy have been discussed.

“I am open to comments, questions, and concerns from the students, parents, staff and community,” Strickler said.

“The success of our students depends on many people.” 

Former NFL player advises athletes on recruiting strategies Stevens, From page A1 his son went to college.

“My son wanted to play D1, but he was getting D3 offers. I had a parent’s view. I thought my son was a little bit better than he actually was. That’s why it’s so important to have an accurate, third party evaluation,” Stevens said.

Stevens’ son ended up going to Coastal Carolina University and joined the basketball team as a walk-on. After two years at CCU, his son was offered a full scholarship for his remaining two years. Stevens paid for two years of full tuition for his son, while his son was playing on the basketball team. If he and his son had been more committed and knowledgeable of the recruiting process and what needs to happen to be scouted and recruited, Stevens believes his son could have gotten a full ride.

“If you are good enough to walk

on, then you are good enough to earn a scholarship,” Stevens said. “I learned that one the hard way.”

One of the problems students face today is they do not know how recruiting works and they think coaches are going to find them easily “College coaches don’t go looking for the talent. They know who’s out there and they pick from the lists,” Stevens said.

The recruiting effort falls to the student and their parents. If they need assistance, they can use resources, like NCSA. NCSA is dedicated to helping kids find the right school, where they can play the sport they love and get an education.

“The people who aren’t here tonight, they are the ones who think they are just gonna wake up, and it’s gonna happen.

If you want to play college sports, you have to put forth effort,” Stevens said.

And even with effort, sometimes plans

do not pan out the way one might think.

For Stevens, getting an education was more important than playing football.

Although he loved the game, he knew the possibilities of being a NFL player were slim to none. He made certain he got an education, and made the most of his college years, knowing that even if he did make it to the NFL; his career would not last forever.

“You need a contingency plan. Less than 1% of college athletes get a full ride to a D1 school,” Stevens said.

Great athletic talent is not the only requirement for playing in college.

If you want to play in college, have a general idea of what you want to major in. You should search for schools that have that have classes or a major in your field of interest.

“A coach doesn’t want to waste a scholarship on a kid who isn’t going to do well in the classroom. You should have at least a 3.0 GPA if you want to

play college sports,” Stevens said.

The schools you should be searching for should not be limited to Division I schools. Many athletes, including Stevens himself, start out at a D2 or D3 school and transfer. Today, it is not unheard of for athletes to be recruited by a professional team from a D2 or D3 school.

“Just a few days ago I was watching a pro game on TV, and the announcers were talking about the four or five players on the field who were coming from smaller schools,” Stevens said.

The key message to take from this lesson on the recruiting process is something Stevens personally believes in, “Be realistic, but have a dream and a goal.” Stevens urges athletes to begin the recruiting process early and be aggressive in approaching college coaches and recruiters. 

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Streaks Club Annual Holiday Clothing Sale December 10th, 2009 3:00PM to 8:00PM Gym Commons at HHS

Are you searching for a little something extra for that Blue Streak Student, Alum, Teacher, Coach or Special Friend during this Holiday season?

The Harrisonburg Athletic Booster Club has a variety of STREAKS clothing and accessories including caps, jackets, sweatshirts, shorts, and T-Shirts.

We Accept

Personal Checks and Cash Proceeds from the sale will be used to supplement the budget of the Athletic Department at H.H.S.

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The Newsstreak

December 4, 2009

Sports b6

Cross-country teams advance to post season Tricia Comfort Editor-in-Chief

T

he boys and girls cross-country teams have both had very successful seasons. Junior Keith Thomas won the Massanutten district race this year, leading his team to a second place finish. Other standout runners for the boys team this year have been senior Mohammad Bani-Hani, sophomore Nevin Heckman, sophomore Will Turner, senior Anthony Todd, freshman Jonas Zimmerman and senior Justin Goldberger.

The girls’ team claimed the district title for the second year in a row, making them the only lady Streaks cross-country team in the history of HHS to do so.

“I was really excited when we won districts,” senior Dasha Love said. “Everyone did what they were supposed to do, and we walked away with a trophy.”

The top four teams in each district qualify for Regionals. Since the Massanutten district is so small, all of the teams automatically go to Regionals.

The Regional meet was held on Nov 4 at the Lord Botetourt sports complex. The girls team had allregion performances from juniors Tabea Zimmerman and Maria Rose, both placing in the top ten. They were supported by freshman Caitlin Kelley, junior Haley Wenos and seniors Dasha Love, Tricia Comfort and Emma DiNapoli.

“I thought I did alright,” Kelley said. “My time at Great Meadows in nothern Virginia. The girls team wasn’t as fast as I would have liked, but overall I think finished 14th out of 16 teams. Thomas finished 39th out of 136 runners.  our team did well.”

The ladies and Coach Dave Loughran went into the region meet hoping to come away with the second place trophy.

However, in the end, Brookville beat the Streaks and earned second place.

“I was a little upset. It didn’t matter though because we still accomplished our goal of qualifying for states,” Kelley said.

The Lady Streaks placed third as a team, closely behind Brookville, which qualified them for the state meet. The top four teams from each region qualify for states.

This is the third consecutive year that the girls have qualified for the state meet, which also put them in the history books as the only team to do so.

The boy’s team had an all-region performance from Thomas, placing third which qualified him for states.

As a whole, the boys placed tenth.

Even though the team didn’t make it to states, Spotswood was the only Happy Birthday! Members of the girls cross-coutry team celebrate junior district team to beat them. They out- Haley Wenos’ birthday after the regional championship meet. Photo by ran Turner Ashby who placed 11th Dave Loughran. and Broadway who placed 16th.

The state meet was held on Nov 14

from this years’ Harrisonburg High school football games The Scoreboard ScoresBolded names and scores represent the winning teams

9/4/09 HHS vs. John Handley 17 21

9/11/09 HHS vs. Rockbridge 20 48

9/18/09 HHS vs. Robert E. Lee 69 27

10/2/09 HHS vs. Waynesboro 43 7

10/9/09 HHS vs. Fort Defiance 34 12

10/16/09 HHS vs. Stuarts Draft 58 31 11/6/09 HHS vs. Turner Ashby 36 19

10/30/09 HHS vs. Broadway 41 7

9/25/09 HHS vs. Heritage 35 27 10/23/09 HHS vs. Spotswood 20 0

OverallWins-9 Losses-1 Infographic by Vanessa Ehrenpreis

Harrisonburg beats out Turner Ashby for district title Jack Burden Sports Editor

F

riday, Nov 6, 2009, held many implications for the Harrisonburg High School football team.

With Harrisonburg’s victory, the Blue Streaks won the district championship, and acquired a home game in the upcoming regional tournament, as well as a first round bye.

The week before the big match-up, senior tight and defensive end Shane Pouncey was looking forward to Friday night’s contest. “[We] anticipate demolishing TA,” Pouncey said. But he wasn’t about to

ignore the threat TA still “We’re going to win, WHAT YOU THINK but it will be fairly close,” posed.

Will the football team “It’s going to be the hardDuda said. Duda, who advance to states? est game of the year,” Pouncsaid he was going to Friey said, estimating the final day’s game to hang out score at 31-21. and support the Blue He was close. In the end, Streaks, has been to almost the Blue Streaks won by a every home game this seamargin of 17 points, taking son, barring one which he 114 people in all grades and the district title 36-17. couldn’t attend because of faculty polled on Nov 16 by Mark Duda “We played well, but we a cross country race that same day. could have done better. Our Junior left guard defense could have stepped it up,” Pouncey said. “But we stopped Landon Turner believed the game has them when it counted, and won the big implications for the way the rest of game in the fourth quarter. We just the season will play out.

“I’d like for it to be a blowout, but I played all the way through.”

Freshman Mark Duda was also look- think it will be close, but we will win,” ing forward to the TA game.

Turner said.

YES NO 64 50

Spanish club hosts soccer tournament they are always trying to convince me to make calls for their team instead of what’s actually right.”

Nine teams comprise the league and every player is responsible for making their own team of six-to-nine wo years and running, the players and decides on a team capSpanish Club has continued tain. There are no restrictions as to sponsoring the Indoor Soccer who can play but every player must League at the Boy’s and Girl’s become a member of the boys and Club. Every Wednesday and Friday, girls club and pay the $5 fee. teams compete against one another Senior Sally Kardos and junior and competition is very fierce.

Kelsey Messerly are the only girls in The league would not have hap- the league, and they like playing with pened if Spanish club president only boys because they love how difand senior, Jessica Romero had not ferent it is from playing their high planned and put the activity into ac- school season against only females. tion.

“Guys are so “The league is much more agan excellent way to gressive and get the guys in our faster and I have The league is an club integrated and to keep up with excellent way to excited about somethem,” Messerly thing,” Romero said. get the guys in our said. “Girls are “The reason I chose more timid and club excited about to do this again was don’t have as something.” because of the pasmuch skill, so it sion the boys have  Senior and Spanish is easier playing for the sport.” against them.”

Club President Jessica The teams would Since the league not be able to play Romero takes place in without their two the winter seareferees, seniors Jose son, Kardos and Cortes and Uriel Villeda.

Messerly use this to their advantage The job isn’t easy for the boys be- to prepare for their high school spring cause of the players and fans constant season. arguing with them on certain calls.

“The league keeps me touching the “It’s a hard job because players ball so I don’t lose touch in the offcomplain about my calls,” Cortes season and also keeps me in shape,” said. “I just have to base my calls off Messerly said. of what I see and not what people While the games are highly comsay.” Cortes and Villeda try to be as petitive, passion is present in every fair as they can and not base their player. Spectators can see passion in calls on favorites. each player’s eyes on the court, and “Jessica Romero trusted us to be this is why the games are so intense unbiased and we are doing our best,” and players aren’t afraid to express Villeda said. “And, I actually like their opinions and emotions.  hearing all the crap from the fans and Claire Sudol Managing Editor

T

“

For Turner, the Knights were definitely a worthy opponent.

“They are a good team, I mean, they have the same record as us, a good offense and defense, so we will just have to show up,” Turner said before the game.

Afterwards, Turner was glad the Blue Streaks were able to win because, like Pouncey, he didn’t believe the Streaks played to the best of their ability. “We stopped them when it counted, and made big plays,” Turner said.

Friday night’s win had Pouncey thinking big.

“We’ll get to states, and then we’ll win states,” Pouncey said. 

Seniors lead Red Sea student section

cheers involve every person standing in the Red Sea. Students from all ages get involved with every cheer, and create a loud roar throughout the stadium.

The three main leaders of the red sea are seniors Ian Frazier, Drake Cary, and he voices of the students echo Mel Strother. First, the leaders, with through the stands of the Walthe help from the SCA, maintain the ter F. Green stadium. The fatailgates in the parking lot. At the end mous Red Sea, the student secof tailgate, they give a pep talk to their tion from HHS, is universally known as fellow students and Red Sea followers. a devoted, enthusiastic student section. The leaders also start all the claps and Students from all classes attend the cheers. At the beginning of the football games and stand in the Red Sea. Watch- game, the three boys often run the HHS ing the game intently, cheering and so- flags along side the football team. cializing with new and old friends are “It is fantastic,” senior Drake Cary main reasons why people stand in the said, “It is a great leadership opportustudent section. nity and I get to express myself.”

Before the Red Sea takes their spot Cary loves Fridays. All day Friday on the bleachers, the students tailgate is a build up toward the football game in the parking lot of HHS. Students that night. He enjoys everything that gather around to socialize, eat food, leads to Friday night game days. Many and listen to music to pump them up students have different reasons to stand for the football game. in the Red Sea, and Cary is no different.

“I tailgate because I like to hang out He has many reasons but he has one and it gets people into a game day state main reason he wants to stand in the of mind and it pumps us up for the student section. game,” said freshman Robby Ross.

“I like being involved in the games, All different grades participate in and it allows me to get others involved,” cheering on their football team. Many Cary said.

Students yelling at the top of theirlungs and cheering on the football team, hopefully cheering them on victory, the Red Sea to most is a united unit. It is where people from all different social groups can get to know each other, and make new friends. “The only way to truly enjoy the high school experience is to be Pumped up students in the Red Sea cheer on the football team school spirited,” Ross said.  during a home game. Photo by Phillip Bannister Aidan Newcity Sports Editor

T

The Newsstreak

December 4, 2009

The Rendon Report

Virginia sorely lacking in sports this year

L

Alex Rendon Staff Reporter

iving in the great state of Virginia has its pros and cons. Pro: we’re a commonwealth. Con: not exactly sure what that means. Pro: “Marky” Mark Warner. Con: Virginian with the most pizzazz since Pocahontas. Pro: apparently we’re “for lovers.” Con: half the population is ironically comprised of haters.

Recently, perhaps our biggest drawback has been those sports teams we’re forced to root for. Virginia doesn’t have any professional teams per se, so that compels us to support the pros in Washington.

Oy vey. The ‘Skins choose to think about winning almost every other fortnight, the Wizards can’t find their way without Jordan, the Capitals were a fleeting trend and the Nationals need a makeover. Except for the Capitals, who actually did well but failed to meet expectations anyway, the big boys let us down. Turning to the college season, however, would prove just as painful.

Perennial ACC powerhouse Virginia Tech has suffered some perplexing losses this season including one to UNC, causing their rankings to drop significantly since the onset of the season. UVA football has unfortunately lived up to “expectations” and as for JMU, they are far from being the 1-AA giant they have been in the past after losing to Villanova and William and Mary by a combined score of 51-3. College sports as well as professional sports have, for the most part, let Virginia down this past year.

But we Virginians are resilient. We always have backup teams.

Other teams that people from Virginia may root for are the Eagles because of Akeem Jordan, the Steelers because we got a little bandwagon in us and the Orioles because they’re close. The Eagles lost to the Raiders, the Steelers lost to the Bengals and the Orioles got off to their annual 10 game win streak to start the season before running out of gas come the dog days of May. Clearly, we Virginia sports fans could use a break.

It’s really not all bad, though. Thanks to Virginia not having a professional team, people feel they have the liberty to follow whatever team they want. Rightfully so, because D.C. isn’t cutting it and we really would rather not turn to North Carolina.

Or look to our western counterparts.

That would be plan ZZY and plan ZZZ respectively. Sports aren’t so bad off in Virginia that we should start sporting Panther sea foam teal or even camouflage for that matter.

Fortunately, the Blue Streaks have been a silver lining for those of us in the Harrisonburg area. Despite a season opening loss to Handley, the Streaks have pulled off a series of impressive wins behind our very own Sports Illustrated “Face in the Crowd,” Michael Holmes. So while professional and college sports have not been fun to follow lately, we’ve had a nice consolation Friday nights on the high school gridiron. Be jealous, rest of Virginia.

Sports B7

JMU experiencing worst season in recent years Mitch Depoy Staff Reporter

W

ith football season well under way and the first play-off polls out, James Madison University’s football team is hoping to break even. Last year the Dukes went 10-1 and made it to the play-offs. This year, though, is a different story. The Dukes are 5-5 right now with one game left in the season. “All we can hope for is to win out,” sophomore Jake Durden said. Durden’s dad is

the offensive coordinator at JMU. “I try to make it to every game possible,” Durden said.

Last year, JMU lost their star quarterback Rodney Landers.

Landers was the face of the Dukes.

The awards that Landers won included the Payton Award along with the CAA League Player of the Year award. He was the heart and soul of the team, but in the team’s last game in the play-offs, he was limited to playing time due to an ankle injury.

With Landers gone and JMU in need of a quarterback, coming into the spring there was a battle for the

Let’s Go Dukes! The JMU Duke Dog stands guard outside JMU’s Plaecker Athletic Center. Photo by Jack Burden.

starting QB job. Drew Dudzik, a redshirt junior, and Justin Thorpe, a true freshman, were both fighting for the right to be named the starting quarterback.

Now, eight games into the season, Thorpe has nailed down the starting job.

Thorpe has improved much and is on his way. As the season progresses, the Dukes continue to win. Thorpe is also looking better and better as the season matures. In the last game against Massachusetts, Thorpe threw for 120 yards while also running for 106 yards and a touchdown.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Dukes are stout. Senior Arthur Moats has been a big help to the team. In the first 10 games of the season he has 85 tackles.

“Moats should win the award for the best defensive player of the year,” Durden said. He has held the defense down. Scottie McGee, a senior cornerback, has held down the pass defense. McGee is a playmaker on the corner and has the speed to track down the ball.

The special teams side of the ball is lead by McGee. He has earned AllAmerica 1st team specialist honors as kick returner. He has 407 total kick return yards this year and is gaining the interest of NFL scouts.

“Last year McGee ran a 4.29 40 yard dash in front of some NFL scouts,” Durden said. With speed like that, he has impressed many NFL teams.

The Dukes experienced a bad season, at least by their standards, this year. But next season should be a great one according to Durden if the Dukes can combat some of the issues they experienced this season. 

Cheerleaders’ hard work pays off Vanessa Ehrenpreis Staff Reporter

O

n Saturday Oct 31 the HHS cheerleading team competed in the Massanutten district competition. The ladies settled for third place overall, leading them to the regional competition at Spotswood High School. Coach Bridget Smith was pleased with the team’s performance so far through the season, but thought they needed to improve the minor details in their routine to do well at the regional competition.

“We’re planning to make some of our stunts more difficult. We need to improve the little things, and clean up the whole routine,” Smith said.

“I’d like to make it to the second round in regions, but it will be hard.

There are a lot of tough schools.”

To improve their routine Smith had the team going through rigorous practices.

“I make them do the stunts over and over again, to get more comfortable when they perform. We have the girls do things individually so we can pull apart their routine and help them improve. Lately I have had them pair up and critique each other in practice. I think it’s good they are able to help each other,” Smith said And it seems that all the hard work paid off in the end.

“We made it to second round The outcome of the team is on you,” in regionals and placed fifth out Smith said. of twelve teams,” Sophomore and Next year Wetsel hopes to make Varsity cheerleader Evan Wetsel it all the way to states and beat out said. a few teams from the Massanutten For Wetsel the team went above district. and beyond her expectations, and “Spotswood and Broadway were worked together well. After missing our biggest competition because states by four points the team had to they were from our district and we settle for fifth place overall, but was wanted to beat them. We definitely grateful to make it that far. need to stop Spotswood from going “We were one team away to states next year,” Wetsel said. from making it to states. It was Smith’s main goal for the disappointing, cheerleading but I didn’t team is for Watch out think we would more girls to make it that far, return next Spotswood, watch out.” so I felt really year.

Without Sophomore Evan good,” Wetsel some familiar said.

“The faces the team Wetsel whole team basically starts worked, we from scratch really wanted every year, to go all the way. The pyramid at the making Smith’s job more difficult. end was one of my favorite things “I would really like us to retain to do. The ending dance was also more girls next year. They have had really good. It tied the whole routine a new coach every year, so some together.” of them don’t want to come back.

Teams are judged based on the This year there are only six or seven difficulty of their choreography, returners. We need some experienced stunts, how well they project their girls for consistency and for the team voices and overall effect. to hold together,” Smith said.

Smith wanted all the teammates Wetsel believes that Smith has to realize how important teamwork done a good job coaching this year, is when competing. especially since it is her first year at “The most important part of Harrisonburg High School. Next year being on a team is understanding they plan to improve and come back that the team relies on you. You a stronger and bigger competitor. have to be responsible and work “Watch out Spotswood, watch hard for anything good to happen. out,” Wetsel said. 

“

December 4, 2009

The Newsstreak

Co$t of $port$ Officials

Equipment

Uniforms

Clothing (reimbursed by athletes)

Travel

Sports B8

TOTAL

total information is what the school pays for every category in the sport not just these five

Volleyball

1,605.00

438.00

“This year on the varsity team we had to pay $5 for our team t-shirts and our team socks,” freshman Taylor Grogg said.

Football

3,640.00

11,452.20

5,830.00

999.00

4,564.23

37,942.68

“I’ve been playing gold since I was seven years old, and it is definitely much more expensive then any other sports,” junior Joe Niland said.

153.00

“A good pair of soccer cleats will run you around $100, while a good set of clubs will run you around $500,” junior Mark Mullenex said.

410.67

763.67

1,605.00

6,228.85

7,281.42

1,537.47

10,144.89

522.44

530.00

2,618.40

809.78

598.40

2,102.85

1,254.95

29.00

7,818.62

1,016.75

5,696.96

11,078.75

“Each ball we use costs around $40-45. We have anywhere from 12-18 basketballs we use for practice purposes,” boys coach Kevin Tysinger said.

666.75

2,292.71

7,817.98

474.97

3,349.00

3,572.48

13,279.64

120.00

2,666.56

9,696.52

Golf

Cross Country

“I paid $200 dollars for my spikes and other stuff and $10 dollars for our team shirts,” junior Keith Thomas said.

Fall Competition Cheerleading Swimming

Winter Cheerleading Gymnastics

“We cleaned up after football games, sold programs at some games, and worked the concession stand,” girls coach David Loughran said.

“We sold raffle tickets every week at football games to help pay for competitions,” freshman Nancy Carrie Logan said.

29.00

811.25

The totals for each sport are from all of the expenses. Along with the five main categories, the school also pays for workers, equipment repairs, balls, hotels, food, invitational expenses, invitational entries, recognitions, and miscellaneous.

865.00

1,778.67

36.00

Sophomore Connor Hegg is a member of the swim team

694.67

1,897.00

1,285.50

5,115.56

Junior Simona Byler is part of the gymnastics team at HHS

Indoor Track These numbers are the calculations of the expenses of 18 sports here at HHS. It is a chart of what each sport cost in 5 different category.

Girls Basketball

2,607.50

3,232.50 Boys Basketball

31.32

Wrestling

1,850.00

154.75

Baseball

1,820.00

717.99

259.24

1,875.00

3,326.00

9,312.16

Softball

1,850.00

405.00

“[The price] has gone up as technology has increased and made equipment better,” boys varsity soccer coach Ted Erickson said.

353.00

1,999.76

4,922.48

Boys Soccer

1,800.00

1,778.19

234.00

965.00

2,029.62

7,551.57

Girls Soccer

1,800.00

2,331.89

533.95

352.52

1,950.57

7,248.67

Outdoor Track

Information provided by the athletic office

735.28

4,725.00

1,777.46

2,997.83

14,749.08

Tennis

“We pay for our own racket, and I paid $60 for a jacket and a shirt,” sophomore Zach Kraimeche said.

386.37

246.90

3,310.88

5,463.15

21,099.00

28,881.67

22,628.55

TOTAL

total information are of all sports at HHS

6,625.05

46,873.14 207,387.86

December 4, 2009

2009-10

HHS

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ads b9

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The Newsstreak

December 4, 2009

Photo Essay B10

Winter Activities

We love college! Future college kids of Harrisonburg High School Participate in a college tour to VCU, Randolph Macon, and University of Richmond to get an idea of what to expect in college.

Photo by Rafiqa Haji

Let’s Educate! Counselor Dave Hoover enjoys the college tour to the University of Richmond. Photo by Rafiqa Haji

Oooh! Ahh! Junior Sarah Simmons asks some questions during the college visit to Richmond. Photo by Rafiqa Haji.

I see stars! Nick Clooney, father of celebrity George Clooney, spoke for the kids at the JEA/ NSPA trip in D.C. Photo by Aidan Newcity

Way to go! Habitat for Humanity members pose with their recently completed shed.

Photo by Rafiqa Haji

Eyes toward the sky! Freshman Mark Duda Sophomores Emmett Copeland, Will Turner, and Connor Whitehouse place their feet at the base of the Washington Monument. Photo by Aidan Newcity

Let’s get involved! Senior Courtney Bowman gets involved during the Spanish trip to D.C. Photo by Chelsea Thurman

We want rights! Senior Chelsea Thurman gets involved in a boycott during the Spanish trip to D.C. Photo by Courtney Bowman

In awe. Junior Heather Hunter Nickels tours D.C. during the JEA/NSPA trip for D.C. Photo by Aiden Newcity

Friends ‘til the end Sophomores Michael Johnson and Jack Burden make their way to a convention during the JEA/NSPA trip in Washington D.C. Photo by Aidan Newcity.

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