October 22 by valerie Kibler

the

Newsstreak

where every person has a story Volume XIC • Issue 3 •October 22, 2010

Harrisonburg High School • 1001 Garbers Church Road • Harrisonburg, VA 22801 • 540.433.2651 •

Freeze Frame

Great Gatsby chosen as this year’s book for Big Read Marching band feature Editor

M Touchdown. The second annual Powderpuff football game took place on Wednesday, Oct 13. Seniors defeated the juniors, 49-7. Photo by Maria Rose.

News Briefs Powder Puff game results as well as a multi media package complete with video and photos on the website. Key Club participates in a 1920’s fashion show for the Big Read. National Math Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta is accepting applications for the 2010-2011 school year. Massanuten Regional Govonors School informational meetings begin. Class wars continue starting with the results that were gathered from our spirit week. Volunteers needed for Downtown Renaissance. Congratulations to librarian Bradley Walton, one of his origional plays is being preformed internationally by a school in Africa.

Sports Briefs Senior dominate Powderpuff game against the juniors on Wednesday October the 13th. The final score 49-7. Keith Thomas placed 7th in the Region 3 prieview with a final time of 16:42. Other top finishers consisted of Junior Nevin Heckman and Sophomore Jonas Zimmerman. For the girls Tabea Zimmerman placed 4th with a time of 20:12 and Senior Maria Rose placed 5th with a time of 20:16 Tuesday the 12th varsity vollyball played R.E. Lee away and brought home a victory of 3-1 against the opposing team.

arrisonburg High School’s gym commons was full of comradery and the aromas of spaghetti sauce and garlic bread as nearly 40 people came out to support HHS’s co-curricular clubs at their first annual Spaghetti Dinner and Silent Auction on Saturday Oct 9. Hungry supporters paid $5 to enjoy an all-you-can-eat style dinner that was graciously prepared by the cafeteria ladies of Club ‘95. “It was pretty successful,” Mallory Cromer said. Cromer was an organizer of the event and is also the sponsor for DECA. So far this year, a vast majority of school organizations have opted to have car washes or bake sales to raise money. Cromer chose a spaghetti dinner because of success she experienced the past with a similar fundraising effort. “I chose [a dinner and auction] because we did one for church and raised about $5000 and I thought we could have success doing it for the high school,” Cromer said. Following the dinner was a silent auction. Prizes such as Beach Bum Tanning certificates, gas cards, and Smoothie King certificates were raffled off during the auction. “The raffle did well but we will be raffling off some more Beach Bum certificates that did not get sold at the auction next week,” Cromer said. Cromer is already excited about the second annual spaghetti dinner and silent auction that she is already planning to put on next year. She has many ideas about how to make the event even more successful. Her goal is to make the

Sports ticker Feature package stories Advertisement forms Breaking news Media footage Reviews and columns Poll of the week Picture of the Day

Coming Up: Homecoming game results along with homecoming king and queen recipiants. SOL testing begins. One act play competes. Musical information and auditions. Teachers think back to being 17 Again. Senior college application advice. Mens’ and Womens’ a capella in depth. The band continues to compete. Polls on students at HHS.

Big Read. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby is this year’s featured book for Harrisonburg’s Big Read. Photo by Phillip Bannister

For our first time I’d say it was a succes, now there is no where to go but up.”

Deca adviser, Mallory Cromer

total earnings into the thousands. “We had a good turnout this year, however, next year we’re going to try and have it on a weekday. I think this is going to help get more people out and especially more students,” Cromer said. The clubs decided to give teach-

ers a treat the following Monday by selling plates of the left over spaghetti for $3 a plate. “We actually ended up selling most of the leftovers,” Cromer said. The event overall was a hit, raising $800 before expenses. Twenty percent of the proceeds went to benefit the Luke Hertzler Fund to help biology teacher Jerry Hertzler’s son with his fight against leukemia. The remaining money will be used by DECA to support the Toys for Tots foundation which helps underprivileged children receive Christmas gifts. “For our first time I’d say it was a success,” Cromer said. “Now there is nowhere to go but up.”

Mmmmmm meatballs! A young guest enjoys the spaghetti dinner sponsored by the DECA club. Photo by Olivia McCarty

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he Blue Streaks marching band strives for success, and with that effort they do just that, succeed. Competition is a driving force behind every team, and coming out on top makes the experience all the more worthwhile. The HHS marching band knows first hand what that kind of accomplishment is all about. Performing on Sept 18 at the annual Millbrook High School Invitational, the HHS marching band started their competitive season after practicing since mid-August. They began the day by playing a “clinic” show, where judges critiqued their performance directly afterward. This allowed the band to absorb the judge’s advice before playing a second show in competition. “The clinic show wasn’t the best one we’ve done, but it wasn’t terrible either,” senior drum major Jennifer Hess said. The judge’s comments on the show were easily predicted, Hess said. “We listened to the judge and what she said was mostly detail oriented. We all knew what we needed to change.” The band was at a consensus that the first show was mediocre, and were glad for the second chance that night, Hess said. “It was never a question whether or not [the band] could perform

Christy Stearn

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staff reporter

HCPS begins new wellness program for teachers

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Facebook On Twitter

Lauren Martin advertising manager

Simona Byler

See Band on Page A8

DECA holds spaghetti dinner fundraiser

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Inside this issue

assanutten Regional Library [MRLB] will once again be participating in The Big Read with this year’s book The Great Gatsby. Written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby is a classic in American literature. The Big Read, founded in 2004 by the National Foundation for the Arts, promotes the reading of classic American literature every fall. MRLB has been participating in the Big Read for the past four years. The first book they did was To Kill A Mockingbird. The next year was The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn followed by The Works of Edgar Allen Poe. The National Endowment for the Arts has a selection of books for libraries to choose from, libraries are to select a book based on what they think suits their community best. The Great Gatsby was chosen due to the high volume of requests. “I believe the reasoning was because it was requested, especially by our retired patrons. Last year, we did the works of Edgar Allen Poe, which was more geared toward teens,” PR manager Michelle Horton said. Libraries can participate if they receive a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. This year, the organization only gave out 75 grants as opposed to their usual 250. MRLB did not expect to receive funding for the Big Read this year and was very appreciative when they did. Because The Great Gatsby is not yet in the public domain, getting books to give out for free was more of a difficulty than in years past. The other books have been in the public domain, thus were cheaper. Instead of the usual 4000 books, MRLB had 2500. Many of those books were given to Harrisonburg City Schools for teachers to give to students interested in participating. They will be giving 30 Spanish language copies to HHS. Horton believes this book can appeal to students as well as adults. “It’s a wonderful book. A lot happened in this time period,” Horton said, referring to the 1920’s. “It was a time of no rules.” To generate interest in the big read, MRLB and its local branches hosted themed events throughout the month of October. The kick off event Oct 1 included dance demonstrations and period

jazz music. Copies of the book were distributed. Oct 4 was a discussion lead by local scholars analyzing the character of Jay Gatsby. A series of picnic book discussions took place throughout the county. The kick-off event Oct 1 coincided with the Downtown Art Walk and the Battle of the Bands event for JMU students. Girls in flapper dresses stood outside the library handing out books to anyone who walked by. Various people involved with the library read aloud from the novel while people sat and listened. “A lady [Horton] at my church asked me if I’d like to help and dress up in costume, so I did,” Alli Burks said. Burks is a freshman at Spotswood High School. She and her friends are in dance classes together and the flapper dresses are dance costumes from recitals past. The event being at the same time as other downtown events generated lots of pedestrian traffic, which was good for generating interest.

news editor

arrisonburg City Public Schools developed a program to promote fitness and wellness for faculty of the Harrisonburg City Schools system. HCPS Wellness initially began as a fund to make extra money, since teachers have not received a raise in three years, but it also incorporated added benefits. Because a significant number of Americans suffer from chronic illnesses that are preventable and interfere with worker productivity, HCPS started a program that focuses on its employee’s wellness. By encouraging staff to participate in wellness activities managed by the school system, teachers gain the potential to improve their students’ learning. “So why did the Harrisonburg City Public Schools decide to begin a wellness program? The bottom line is that it is good for our staff members and our students,” Craig Mackail, Director of Operations and Community Outreach, said. The programs began on Sept 21 and last for about an hour and a half each time. Classes are twice a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and include aerobic activities, such as Zumba, cycling, and power-walking, and healthconscious classes, such as yoga and disc golf. The classes are free to staff and faculty members and are scheduled immediately after the school day, in hopes that staff members will participate in the classes prior to leaving for the day. Scott Kizner, Harrisonburg’s new superintendent, came up with the idea of wellness classes and implemented the program into the school system’s curriculum. Pam Mason, the Supervisor of Physical Education and Health, has also been an essential component in the organization of HCPS Wellness. Mason contacts instructors, schedules the classes, and manages

See Wellness on Page A8

IN PRINT ON THE WEB

Ama Ansah

wins big in first competition

The Newsstreak

October 22, 2010

News Briefs West Virginia Wesleyan College visiting on Oct 29 at 1 p.m. One Act performing in auditorium on Oct 22 at 7:30 p.m. HHS - VHSL One Act competition at Turner Ashby on Oct 23 from 3 to 9:30 p.m. HHS Halloween Dance will be in the Gym Commons from 8 to 11 p.m. on Oct 30 Roanoke College visiting on Saturday, Oct 30; Tuesday, Nov 2; and Saturday, Nov 13. Register for the Dec 4 SAT by Nov 5 Mu Alpha Theta is accepting apps for 2010-2011 school year-see math dept.

Kavya Beheraj - News A2

Swartz announces The Love Knot as One Act Play Savanah Cary

business manager

very year the HHS drama department produces a One Act play. One Act plays are short, usually close to an hour long and do not have an intermission. Drama teacher Stanley Swartz is directing the play, and he went into the auditions without a particular play in mind. “It’s always a combination of ideas when we decide what play we want to do,” Schwartz said. “This year I had heard a lot from students, so I came into the auditions with five plays in mind, then decided from there which one would fit the actors best.” The play that was chosen is called The Love Knot. It is a modern play that is written in the French comedy style and takes place in the 1700s. The play is centered around an analyst who is so bored with his success that he decides to give his next patient bad advice. The patient is an egotistical aristocrat who does not understand why the woman he loves does not love him in return. “It is a fabulous show. It is very funny, and I am hoping to show off what HHS can do,”

Schwartz said. Sophomore Kaelyn Warne is participating in the One Act for her second year. She is playing the role of Aminta, an upper class woman who gets matched with a lower class man when she really should be with an upper class man. “My favorite part of one act is being with all of the other people in the cast,” Warne said. Schwartz also directs the musical production in the winter and he finds there are many differences in the fundamentals of the two plays. “They are different Stanley S w a r t z , because of the small cast d r a m a size. I am able to spend more time with each teacher individual actor with One Act,” Schwartz said. “Also it is much less complicated. It is a traveling show so there is minimal set, and much less dancing, singing and technical stuff like microphones.” Warne, who participated in the musical as a freshman, finds differences in the productions as well. “One Act is more personal and you get more direct advice from Swartz,” Warne said. “The musical is with a lot more people which is fun, too.”

It is a fabulous show. It is very funny, and I am hoping to show off what HHS can do”

The One Act competes in two competitions as well as performing for a general audience as practice. The first competition is Virginia High School League (VHSL). It is run in a similar fashion to athletic competitions. There are district, regional and state competitions. At each competition there are three judges who fill out an evaluation and give a score and a ranking. The judging is based on three categories: acting, directing and overall ensemble effect. The second competition they compete in is the Virginia Theatre Association Annual Conference. At this conference there are roughly 1500 students and 44 different high schools. Everybody is judged together no matter the district or size of the school. At this competition, the judging is the same as VHSL and only the first and second place teams advance to the Southeast Conference with 11 states. “In 2007 our team placed second in this competition, but of course that year only first place advanced, and they made it first and second place the next year,” Schwartz said. Warne appreciates all of the hard work that Swartz does for the productions at HHS and thinks he does and excellent job directing them. “Swartz is a great director,” Warne said. “He is very helpful when he gives you notes and he encourages you to try new things with your character.”

Touché! Junior Dylan Norquest, senior Isaac Rohrer, and freshman Deb Halpern rehearse their roles for the One Act The Love Knot. Rohrer plays D’Analyseur, the analyst; Norquest is Gros Rene, the servant of Gorgibus, the patient; Halpern plays Lucille, a barmaid. HHS drama teacher Stanley Swartz will direct the play which will compete with other Virginia schools at the VHSL competition later this fall. Photos by Paulina Rendon

Oceanography class takes field trip to test health of Chesapeake Bay The down side of the experience, Vega said, was that “it smelled really bad because of all the mud.” icky Harris’s Harris also enjoyed learning oceanography about the York River with her class took a class. trip to Croak“We learned that the York er, Virginia on the ChesRiver was in pretty good shape, apeake Bay on Tuesday, as far as water quality. The saSept 21. All 11 students linity of the river, though, was in the class attended the higher than last year’s because of trip, as it was required. less rain,” Harris said. “We also There, the class fished, tested the water temperature, its canoed, and tested the pH and its oxygen level.” York River’s salinity, or While testing, the students the river’s salt level. wore waders to protect their feet The trip lasted 12 from the oyster and clam shells. hours, starting at 7:30 But it wasn’t all just lab work; a.m. and ending at 7:30 the class also had fun things to p.m. On the bus, studo. dents either slept or “[The most fun activity listened to music. The was] when we went canoeing,” students had fun and sophomore Javier Elias said. learned a lot despite six “We learned about the mixture hours on the bus. “I think it was a good Holy Crab! Sophomore José Morales-Salomon examines a male blue crab at the mouth of of fresh and salt water. We also went fishing and caught lots of trip and I had a good the York River in a field trip with his oceanography class. Photo by Vicki Harris.

Nahla Aboutabl staff reporter

time. We [studied] with our group of friends. We didn’t have to do anything on our own,” sopho-

more Kimberly Vega said. “There were so many things you can learn about the water there.”

crabs and fish.” Not all the animals caught were brought back to Harris’s fish tank, though. “The ranger took the fish and put them in an aquarium for the Estuaries Day celebration, where they celebrate the different animals in the Bay.” Harris wasn’t concerned that their fish were taken and thought that the amount of fish they caught was a good sign. “We found a lot of animals, which means the water was healthy. There were flounder, blue crabs and a lot of little croakers [a kind of fish].That’s why it’s called Croaker, Virginia,” Harris said. The data gathered wasn’t only for a one-day lab, but it will also be used later. “Next, we’ll be testing Black’s Run and the North River. We’ll do the same testing and then we’ll compare the rivers and see which one is healthier,” Harris said.

Nicholas pedals 100 miles in Century Bike Ride Molly Denman

style editor

he Shenandoah Valley Bike Coalition is a local group that organizes bike rides. It is a bike club for all levels of riders around the Shenandoah Valley. The Coalition organizes many rides throughout the month, making it possible for anyone and everyone to get involved in some kind of bike ride. The club offers rides for mountain bikers, road bikers, recreational bikers, and commuters. Bike rides during the week usually start around March and continue through October; however, weekend rides are continued all year. Two weeks ago, SVBC organized the Century Bike Ride. This ride is held every year during September. This year the bike ride started at Hillandale Park and the route continued into Bridgewater. To sign up, bikers paid a fee of $25 that covered food costs. The bikers could then choose how long of a ride they wanted to bike for, 100 miles, 50 miles, or 25 miles. Along the bike route, there were food stops in Bridgewater where hungry and thirsty bikers could take a rest. 225 participants biked in the Century Bike Ride. “I have been riding bikes my whole life. My parents do it and

they got me into it,” said junior Breton Nicholas. Nicholas took part in the Century Bike Ride where he rode 100 miles, more than the year before when he rode 85 miles. It took Nicholas about 8 hours to complete the 100 mile route. He started at 8 a.m. and finished around 4 p.m. To prepare for the ride, he consumed a lot of carbohydrates the night before by eating pasta and potatoes, and in the morning, he stretched and ate a large bowl of oatmeal and stuffed his pockets with snacks such as granola bars. Nicholas also stayed hydrated by drinking lots of water and Gatorade. “A lot of the ride was windy, which was really annoying. It was hard riding straight into the wind; it felt like I was going two miles per hour. At one point when we had a head wind I just had to ignore the pain in my legs,” Nicholas said. Nicholas made three 30-minute stops for food during the eight hours. When Nicholas finished the ride, he was glad he had ridden the 100 miles that he had not been able to do in past years. Weekly rides are held by the club. On Wednesday nights at 5:15, bikers meet at HHS and ride 20-40 miles, a two and a half hour ride. Marsha Lamphier, who works in the guidance office at HHS, leads these weekly bike rides. 20-30 people usually show

up to this ride. Lamphier has been involved with the Shenandoah Valley Bike Coalition for 20 years and has been an avid biker for longer than that. “It’s a social ride. It’s not a race and it’s not about how fast you go. It’s good for people new to Harrisonburg who don’t know where to

ride,” Lamphier said. Lamphier is the treasurer for the SVBC. She handles all of the financing for the coalition. At the Century Bike Ride, she volunteered by handing out maps, food, and marking routes. “My favorite part about the club is the people, the friends that

you make and just riding your bike with good people and having fun,” Lamphier said. SVBC’s participants vary in age. Young children and retired men and women take part in the club. Anyone who is interested in biking can get involved. There is a ride for everyone.

Let’s Ride! Junior Breton Nicholas and school psychologist Ethan Zook prepare for the Century Bike Ride, a 100-mile route starting in Hillandale park and continuing into Bridgewater. Nicholas enjoyed the challenge of his 100 miles. Photo courtesy of Ethan Zook.

The Newsstreak

October 22, 2010

Scary Movies

Christy Stearn - News A3

Stephan reflects on horror films 28 Days Later, Twelve Monkeys Luke Stephan

staff reporter

here are several genres of horror. From the supernatural, to the slasher film, to just about any movie with Rob Schneider, scary movies span across a wide variety. But nothing beats a classic sickness film. When movies do plague, they do it well. Directors usually complete the film with hordes of flesh-eating, disease-infested, poorly-coordinated, and ridiculously unhygienic mobs of infected. Either that, or everyone just dies. Try to imagine a world where an unnamed disease has spread far and wide, causing the collapse of civilization as we know it. The sickness spreads, succumbing

uncountable victims in the 1995 thriller Twelve Monkeys. The infected roam at night, caught in limbo somewhere between life and death, infecting, or simply slaughtering, any normal human being they come across. The surviving population is forced to turn to life underground. The 2002 hit film 28 Days Later starts out with a bunch of militant animal rights activists trying to free monkeys. The monkeys are being infected with “rage,” and unleash the

sickness on Great Britain. The main character, Jim, wakes up from a coma to find the entire hospital deserted. He wanders outside and is chased through the streets by “infected.” He soon finds himself with an isolated group of survivors attempting to find an army base preaching the “cure.” The film has been credited one of the best zombie films of all time, and for good reason. It depicts a postapocalyptic London in startling clarity. 28 Days Later spawns a new breed of zombie, all while

possessing political and social undercurrents that give it an edge over typical shootem-up zombie films. There is just something intensely horrifying about zombie flicks, because deep down we all fear the entire world pitted against us. On the other hand, there is not a single boy who has not come up with a plan of action for an impending zombie invasion. Pandemic films, be it a zombie flick, such as 28 Days Later or a postapocalyptic thriller like Twelve Monkeys, are brilliant because they allow us to see true resourcefulness within humanity. They seem to revolve around the theme that, more often than not, it is only when we are left with nothing that we find something.

Ehrenpreis enjoys psychological thrillers as opposed to gory flicks Vanessa Ehrenpreis managing editor

hat happened to horror movies? I mean, really, no one wants to watch someone cut in half with blood and organs flying all over the screen. That is honestly sick. So why did we suddenly verge from the suspenseful implied violence to flat out gore? I actually cannot answer that question, but I can say this: films that play with your psyche are better.

Psychological thrillers are now a trend of the past, but they should not be. For one thing, they have an extensive, well-crafted plot. There are twists and turns that viewers cannot predict. It surprises, and often scares its audience without having to hack the lead’s head off. Any Alfred Hitchcock movie is a perfect example. The master of suspense was able to stun audiences with a simple score and a single frame of a character with wide, panic stricken eyes and a knife flashing. (If you did not

catch that reference, I am talking about the classic shower scene in Psycho.) An intricate storyline makes a movie interesting; viewers want to understand what is happening. A quality horror film does more than just paralyze its audience with fear; it makes you wet your pants and toys with your emotions, which, in a way, can be even more terrifying. Some of the traditional psychological thrillers include: The Shining, which shows the duration when one man transforms from sane to insane, Psycho, the classic

Hitchcock thriller that explains itself at its conclusion, The Silence of the Lambs, which gives viewers a peek into a serial killer’s mind (creepy!), and Misery, a movie that depicts how an obsession can overstep boundaries. All of these movies are not just considered a good flick if you are looking for a cheap thrill; they are thought provoking and are regarded as some of the best movies of all time. Most were nominated for Oscars, and The Silence of the Lambs even won Best Picture. The aspect of these films that

makes them, in some cases, even more horrifying than current scary movies, is that they are completely believable and utterly realistic. It is not some far-flung story about gruesome torture, or a serial killer. It could really happen. The human mind is a vulnerable thing, and these films manipulate that into absolute fear, making films that fall into this category not only amazing to watch, but something viewers will be sure to remember.

Modern scary movies differ tremendously from traditional horror films Maggie Siciliano

staff reporter

lood, guts, screaming, torture, “NO! DON’T GO BACK IN!” and dismembered limbs strewn across a dark screen. We all know what these are characteristics of. There are several titles for a scary movie: horror flick, psychological thriller, slasher film. Either way, they are all the same... or are they? When we think of scary movies nowadays, we think of the Saw series, Friday the Thirteenth, Sorority Row, Paranormal Activity, you get the picture. Today’s scary movies have transformed dramatically from years prior. “[When I was a kid,] horror movies were less gory, less graphic, and the violence was always implied, done off screen,” history teacher Cara Walton said. “I prefer the old horror movies. I don’t like the torture ones now.” Scary movies from decades earlier were

not as realistic and life-like, but instead focused primarily on plot twists. “I always liked the old black and white scary movies, like Frankenstein or The Creature From the Black Lagoon. The movies when I was a kid were about monsters, fantasy, and make-believe. They’re all torture now,” library secretary Bradley Walton said. The difference can be shown through the popular scary movies of the 21st century. Junior Dorrall Price’s favorite horror movie is Paranormal Activity because of the angle it was shot from. Paranormal Activity was staged as a home video, making the film more believable than its competitors. “Horror movies have cranked up several notches [since I was a kid],” drama teacher Stanley Swartz said. Older horror films are not as realistic as the modern ones that are playing in theatres now, especially with the incorporation of special effects; however, it does not mean their storylines did not have good quality. One of Cara Walton’s favorite movies was the psychological thriller Silence of the Lambs. Typically, scary movies from pre-

vious years would disturb viewers, rather than gross them out. Sophomore Paul Hairston feels a little different about horror movies of our generation. “My favorite horror movie would be Silence of the Lambs, or Blindness,” Hairston said. “Or Saw, the first one, because [the blood and guts] make it scary.” What qualifies as a good horror movie to Hairston, though, is 1) A story line that is not generic, 2) Good realistic effects, 3) A target audience that fits with the Rock on! Social studies teacher Cara Walton poses with the movie’s storyline. He thinks posters that decorate her classroom. Photo by Paulina Rendon. Hollywood is very desensiHairston said. “People used to go to scary tized, and that scary movies are all based on movies to be amused, now we go expecting the shock value. “A good movie gives you an emotional to be scared. The standards are higher.” reaction. When [the movie] only produces that one emotion, fear, it’s a horror movie,”

Kalyuk compares Sleepy Hollow, Sixth Sense, Amityville Horror diculous reasons as to why they built on that land was a place of Anastasiya Kalyuk haunting. In The Amityville witchcraft decades earlier, and staff reporter are Horror, the ghosts that haunt the it was a popular location where

orror movies share numerous similarities with one primary factor in common: the ghosts always have a reason for haunting. For example, in the movie Sleepy Hollow, the Headless Horseman is haunting the town because, ultimately, he wants his head back. In The Sixth Sense, ghosts are haunting Cole (Haley Joel Osment) because they need to find peace and he is the only one who can see them. There are also scary movies that have ri-

house are evil and want the abandoned home to stay empty. Another similarity these movies share are their characters’ motives. The films’ stars aspire to put rational sense into a person that believes in the ghost. These movies all have a nonbeliever. Legends are also a known trend in ghost movies. In Sleepy Hollow, the main character is introduced to the ghost through legend. Before Ichabod Crane ( Johnny Depp) meets the ghost, he is forewarned to keep his distance. In The Amityville Horror, the house that was

slaves were killed. The slaves’ souls never leave the grounds because they died angry. People are influenced by ghosts differently. George ( James Brolin) starts developing a routine when he is interrupted during his sleep. At 3:15 every night he awakes to pile more wood on the stove. He checks on his children, the returns back to his bedroom and goes to sleep. In Sleepy Hollow, Ichabad begins having anxiety-filled nightmares that foreshadow where the plot will lead.

Cole, a main character in The Sixth Sense, is initially scared of the ghosts he sees. As the movie progresses, his character matures and he learns that they are not going to hurt him, so he helps them find peace. A popular phrase from The Sixth Sense is, “I see dead people.” Audiences frequently use that line when talking about the film’s storyline. A line that is popular in The Amityville Horror is, “Houses don’t have memories,” which then leads the viewer to believe that houses really do have memories because something bad is going to happen. Endings vary throughout the

different genres of scary movies. The best movies have an unexpected twist at the end, while the worst leave out the element of mystery. The best ending that I have seen in a ghost movie is in The Sixth Sense. It blows the viewer away and fluctuates from the beenthere-seen-that endings in most horror films. Sleepy Hollow’s is a close second; the storyline captures the viewer and makes the audience rally for a happy ending. Oppositely, The Amityville Horror has an unsettling ending that does not assure viewers a promising future for the town.

What horror movie genre is for you? START HERE:

Do you enjoy scary movies?

Slasher

Yes

Which is scariest?

An insane axe murderer

Does blood and gore gross you out?

Why are you taking this? Go watch a romcom.

Yes, I ha te

Being trapped alone with zombies

Do you like a movie that is easy to figure out?

No, I love how scary it is.

r y. myste a e k li No, I

What will your Halloween costume be?

seeing it .

A classic v

A ghost

illain

or othe r monst er

Slasher films usually have a murderer who brutally kills victims. Hostel, Halloween

Psychological

A psychological movie keeps its audience guessing and has many plot twists. Vertigo, Seven

Ghost/ Paranormal

Paranormal movies incorporate supernatural activity to scare viewers. The Exorcist, The Ring

Serial killers Yes, so I can understand.

Do you fear world destruction or serial killers?

World destruction

Apocalyptic An apocalyptic film depicts the end of world, by zombies or disease. I Am Legend, Book of Eli Infographic by Alison Domonoske

The Newsstreak

October 22, 2010

The saga of the college applications

From choosing the college to filling out the application to writing the essays, applying to college can feel like a never-ending saga. And then there’s the big question: will the university accept you? Here, we take a closer look at what goes into the application process.

Getting into college is stressful process for counselors, students Olivia McCarty

staff reporter

ollege admissions are a stressful time for both high school seniors and their guidance counselors. Lots of effort has to be put forth to make sure that transcripts and recommendation letters are all sent off in time, and that they go to the colleges that need them. Starting the process early is one way that will help eliminate the stress that can be caused when filling out college application. This includes talking to people who you want to write letters of

recommendation for you early on, especially if you want a well thought out recommendation. “Give them a two weeks notice at least,” Guidance counselor Amy Powers said. Powers also advises in giving the person writing your recommendation as much information as possible. “A resume is a great way to give the writer more information about you ,” Powers said. “You should also let them ask you any questions they might have to.” This in turn will give your writer more information about you, and what you do so they can write a more well rounded piece. Online applications are also important in the process. “Doing

an application online helps make your application look neater, and it is easier because you can save your work and work on it in pieces,” Powers said. Online application are always saved on to your computer which means you never have to search for your application, which you may have to do if you use a paper copy, “it saves time” Powers said. Even though the Internet has taken aspects of the college application process away from the counselors they still have plenty of work to do. “We have to fill out a secondary school report,” Counselor David Hoover said. Even though most of the information on these reports is the

same, “every school has a different format” Hoover said. The information in these secondary reports is mainly about class rank, class size, how long the counselor has known the applicant, and what classes the student is taking this year. The guidance office is also responsible for making copies of transcripts and report cards, for all the different colleges too. The big advice Hoover gives to high school students during this phase in their career is to “talk to their guidance counselors” so that everyone knows at what point they are in the application process, and what they will need to work on next.

Building Blocks of a Good Essay “It’s important to make a student reflect on an experience and understand the emotional experience of it. You have to detach yourself from the situation, analyze it and pull yourself away from it. You have to see how that particular experience shaped you.” -English teacher Sheila Fielding

“Consider exactly what the question asks. Then list some relevant main ideas; use this list as an informal outline for your essay.” -collegeview.com How to Write a College Admission Essay

Infographic by Maria Rose, Ama Ansah Art by Kavya Beheraj

The view from the admissions office You work day and night filling out your college applications and writing your essays, but who actually looks at them? Here, we talk to three different college admissions offices to see what they are really looking for.

Blue Ridge Community College

staff reporter

lue Ridge Community College, The Valley’s local community college, features a wide range of options for students. Located in Weyers Cave, with numerous majors and transfer options, the school has 4,466 students. Financial aid is available, and the cost is low. This school is a great option for a low-cost school whether for one year or four years. Me: What does admissions look for in prospective students? Horn: “Well, it’s pretty much an automatic acceptance. If you have a high school diploma, you’ll get in. You do have to take a placement test, but we have courses to help students who score low.” What is the cost of in state tuition? Out of state? In state is $120.60 per credit hour plus books. Out of state is $ 314.20 per credit hour plus books. 97% of students are instate. Why is it practical to go to BRCC? It’s economical, you can get a good education, and have the option to transfer to a four year school, which most of our

students do. Which part of the application should students focus on the most? They should focus on what courses they decide to take, to make sure BRCC is a good fit for them. What is the percent of girls vs. the percent of boys? Pretty much 50/50. Is there a wide range of majors/ minors? Yes, we have majors from accounting to aviation to business to nursing to vet tech, and transfer programs.

James Madison University and looks at many William Imeson applications. staff reporter Me: How many

here are about 18,000 students attending James Madison University. JMU is a public university located in Harrisonburg, Virginia. There are about 18,000 students attending the university. As a public university, in state tuition is about $7,000 and out of state tuition is about $18,000. Michael Walsh is an admissions officer with JMU

applications do you accept? Walsh: We accept 57 58% of the applications, which then yields a result of about 4,000 admissions What is the number one thing you look at in an application? Number one thing is academic record. We look at curriculum, grades (not GPA), and test scores. Why don’t you look at GPA? Because the difference is too great in high school grading systems. Schools offer different points for the same classes, so the average means nothing. How many percent of the applications are male? About 40 percent. How many percent are female? About 60 percent. Do you look at SATs or ACTs? We take both.

Cartoon by Charity O’Connor

Eastern Mennonite University Nahla Aboutabl

staff reporter

tephanie Shafer, the EMU admissions officer, answers important question about the university. She talks about tuition, GPA and SAT requirements, and also about what makes them special as a private Mennonite university. Me: How many applications do you get and how many do you accept? Shafer: We receive, on average, eight hundred first year applications. Eighty-five percent is usually the acceptance rate. What do you look for in students academically? Overall, our average GPA is 3.5 and our average SAT is 1060 for the first year class. That means we have students who scored higher or lower than that. If students have a high GPA

The Newsstreak college checklist and helpful hints for getting there by Heather Hunter-Nickels

Should have done:

Review transcripts with counselor Know what colleges you want to go to, including a “safety college” Request college applications Find out which financial aid applications are required at your selected colleges Early decision candidates should complete their applications

Should be doing:

Be looking at scholarships Visiting colleges, open houses, overnight dorm trips

November

Early applications. Know deadline and submit as early as possible Complete college essays. Proofread! Check up on letters of recommendation. See if they have been completed and turned in

“Admissions officers read plenty of essays about the charms of their university, the evils of terrorism, and the personal commitment involved in being a doctor. Bring something new to the table, not just what you think they want to hear.” -collegeboard.com College Essay Writing Tips

“Be concise....every admissions officer has a big stack to read every day; he or she expects to spend only a couple of minutes on the essay. If you go over 700 words, you are straining their patience, which no one should want to do.” -US News 10 Tips for Writing the College Application Essay

Charity O’Connor

Ama Ansah- Feature A4

and SAT then they get in the Honors Program What is the cost of your instate tuition? Our instate and out of state tuition is the same. The 2009-2010 tuition was $31,870 if you’re living on campus. We have scholarships and financial aid though, so we encourage students to look past the price, because there’s a lot of value behind that [cost]. What is your AP policy? Do you recognize Dual Enrollment courses? We do take AP classes. WE take 4’s or 5’s. Sometimes we take 3’s depending on the course. We also take Dual Enrollment as well as long as it aligns with a course here at EMU. How does teaching differ at EU, especially that it’s a Mennonite Private university? The smallness of our school makes it that the faculty does all the teaching, we don’t have teaching assistants. Something we always here from students is how they have a good relationship with their professors. That’s really

rare. The hands on work our students get from working with our professors is really amazing What makes you a Mennonite university? We carry Mennonite values like peace and justice. We’re a global prospective which means our students should have a perspective of what’s happening outside of the U.S. That’s an important value. Also, care is a value. I always hear that our nurses our sought after because of the care they learn to treat patients with here. Our teachers always carry those ethical basics into the classroom. Do you have a lot of students from outside Virginia? Yes. Students always think that because we’re a small school, that we’re not diverse. We’re actually representing six countries and 22 states. Also not all of our students are Mennonite, only about half of them are. Also 12 percent of our students are African American.

Make sure SAT/ACT scores are sent in if taken in November Order cap and gown Be working on college applications

December

Wrap up college apps before winter break. Know to make a copy before sending it Make sure SAT/ACT scores are sent in if taken in December Research financial aid at choice colleges. Complete all school applications, ideally by December first Collect family tax information

January

Have counselor send first semester grades to colleges

Submit your FAFSA as soon after January first as possible. Waiting too long to submit could be costly

Websites to check out:

These websites will help guide you in your college process: • collegeboard.com • vawizard.org • HHS counseling home page • fastweb.com

things to make your senior year easier:

1. Keep up grades Colleges don’t want to see your Senior-itis 2. Stay organized Have a binder with all your applications, essays and letters in it. 3. Keep a college calendar with deadlines Don’t risk missing a scholarship opportunity! 4. Give yourself time to de-stress Spend time with family and friends, do something you enjoy. 5. Stay in contact with your counselor They might have info on great opportunities that you wouldn’t know about.

The Newsstreak

October 22, 2010 The Harrisonburg High School Newsstreak The Policy The Newsstreak is published by the students of Harrisonburg High School every month. 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 nondiscrimination 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.

Emily Jamieson- OP/ED A5

Several saddened by Reynolds mid-year retirement Staff Editorial

rene Reynolds, the current principal of Harrisonburg High school, “jerked” her way into our hearts during the pep rally in 2009. What makes Reynolds stand out of all the principals in the state is how she shows that she cares for each and every one of her students and faculty by going out of her way to make sure we all succeed. “[Reynolds is good at what she does] because she cares about every student. Just now she went to the courtyard to look for a student’s sweater when she could have just called a custodian or a teacher. Instead she walked with that student to look for it,” main office receptionist Beth Cash said. Reynolds will be missed by so many and she is proud of what she has accomplished while being the principal of HHS. “I am the definition of mixed emotions. I am happy and I think she’s earned it. But I will miss working with her. She is the best

principal that I’ve worked with and I’ve worked with five principals. I’ve learned a great deal from her and I could learn more but that is a missed opportunity. She’s just great with her students and teachers,” assistant principal Michael Eye said. But no matter how sad one may be about Mrs. Reynolds leaving, she has created many memorable moments that we will never forget. From the walks down the hall with her to having conversations with her, Reynolds will always be remembered by the students and staff of HHS. “There’s been so many [memorable moments]. The funniest would have to be when she burned popcorn in the microwave. She put popcorn in, I don’t know how many minutes, and she got tied up with someone in her office and it burned. The whole office smelled! We still don’t let it down,” Cash said. “I am retiring in the middle of the year because my husband is retiring also, and we’re moving to North Carolina,” Reynolds said.

“It is unfortunate that I won’t be able to see the seniors complete their final year and I won’t be able to be a part of the celebration. But I was proud to be a part of their lives and growth. I feel the same way about the underclassmen,” Reynolds said. Reynolds has worked at HHS for 13 years. Two years as an assistant principal and eleven years as the principal. Throughout those 13 years, there is one moment that sticks out in Reynolds’ mind. “The first day of opening the new high school. We all worked so hard on getting it built, moved in, and opened. It was an especially proud and relieved moment,” Reynolds said. Many people are not made to be a principal of a high school, but Reynolds was. “I will miss having daily interactions with students. To the new principal: you are the luckiest principal in the state. To the staff: they’re the best. And the students: Do your best, show respect and be true to yourself,” Reynolds said.

Page Designers: Christy Stearn, Emily Jamieson, Lauren Martin, Paulina Rendon, Molly Denman, Michael Johnson, Madison Wilson, Kavya Beheraj, Heather HunterNickels, Mark Duda, Shane McMahan, Ama Ansah, Phillip Bannister, Christine Choi, Olivia McCarty, Maria Rose, Vanessa Ehrenpreis, Aidan Newcity Staff Reporters: Nahla Aboutabl, Kavya Beheraj, Emmett Copeland, Heather Hunter-Nickels, Michael Johnson, Christy Stearn, Madison Wilson, Shane McMahan, Mark Duda, Alex Hickman, Maggie Siciliano, Ben DiNapoli, Anastasiya Kalyuk, Charity O’Connor, Rachel O’Connor, Lukas Stephan, Peter Byrd, William Imeson, Zach McDonnell, Simona Byler, Xuyi Guo, Ali Byrd, Mia Karr, Bianca Solis, Jesus Lopez-Chang Freshmen Reporters: John Adamek, Samantha Blake, William Bleckley, Emerson, Bonga, Matt Bowman, Austin Coffey, Megan Coverstone, Anthony Duong, Celia Ehrenpreis, Kevin Franco, Johnathan Gomez-Lemus, Jessica Jolicoeur 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 & 2009 Silver Crown Winner), Quill&Scroll Journalism Honor Society (2010 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.

Halloween always gives a good reason to dress up, have fun, and eat a bunch of candy. We’re ready for the SCA’s Halloween dance this year, too!

AP History classes took a trip to Willamsburg to learn more about the founding of America. They were there from Oct 6-9. Students took day trips to Jamestown, Yorktown, and Busch Gardens during the field trip.

Homecoming Game

art by Emily Knupp

Fun Director: Lauren Martin

Cartoonist: Emily Knupp

Halloween

APUS History Trip

Section Editors: News - Maria Rose Opinion - Lauren Martin Style - Christine Choi Feature - Aidan Newcity Sports - Vanessa Ehrenpreis

Photographers: Emily Jamieson, Maria Rose, Paulina Rendon, Olivia McCarty, Phillip Bannister, Anastasiya Kalyuk, Aidan Newcity

The senior girls dominated 49-7 over the junior girls during their powderpuff game on Wednesday the Oct 14.

After 70 days trapped half a mile under the Earth’s surface, 33 Chilean miners made their way back to the surface safely. Many miners did not even have injuries.

Managing Editors: Vanessa Ehrenpreis, Jack Burden

Business Manager: Savanah Cary

Seniors win Powderpuff

Chilean Miners safe

The editors and staff : Editors-in-Chief: Print: Maria Rose, Phillip Bannister; Online: David Proctor, Alison Domonoske

Advertising Manager: Lauren Martin

What’s HOT

Journalism is key to thriving high school community Ama Ansah

news editor

ournalism is a great American tradition. Its devotion to the truth has helped create and shape America since its beginning. Our job as journalists is to take a story, take it apart, and put it back together into a nice digestible piece for our readers. It is a proud and noble tradition. But of course we would say that. We are journalists. We are totally biased - although, we fight that daily. It may sound overly melodramatic and it may look like we are giving this an overinflated sense of importance, but high school journalism is life changing. Where else in our young careers will we get a title? Staff reporter. Sports Photographer. Editor-in-Chief. With these silly little titles comes a great sense of importance. For us

anyway. Who are journalists? Is it the news anchor behind the desk? Is it the guy sending in iReports to CNN? Is it the celebrity blogger making fun of Kim Kardashian’s shoes? In this day and age, it seems that everyone is a journalist. But does the title matter as much as the profession? That’s the big question. As long as the truth is getting out there, and the people are being informed, who really cares? It’s totally cliche to say this, but we are lucky to live in America, where we have our freedom on speech. Where our news stories are not censored. We all have the right to know what is going on at the city council meeting or in the Senate. It is hard for many of us, especially journalists, to imagine not being able to report the truth, or know the truth. but we should try. It will just make us that much more grateful. It’s interesting to see how our

stance on free speech and media has changed the world. Our style of investigative reporting has spread all over the world. And now, we’ll be even more influential, with our websites that we update so obsessively. Our brand of journalism can be accessed throughout the world. We should be proud, but also extra cautious. If you are reading this and you are not a journalist, become one! After all, the title is so malleable now! It is a lot of hard work and the pay is lousy, but it is one of the most satisfying things you can do. No matter how insignificant you may think your story is, someone will read it. And you will have informed someone and maybe even made them think. If you are reading this and you are a journalist, take a minute to pat yourself on the back. But then get back to work. News never sleeps, after all!

never thought I’d say it, but I have newfound respect for Sarah Palin—yes, really. As I have watched the saga of Delaware Senate hopeful and newest Tea Party darling, Christine O’Donnell, unfold, one thought keeps coming to mind: at least Sarah Palin is original. Seriously, is the Tea Party sending out clones or something? Not only do O’Donnell and Palin look similar, but O’Donnell, with all her winks, awkward hand gestures, and strained, trite speeches, seems to be actively mimicking the Tea Party’s demigoddess. Oh yeah, and they’re both really, really far to the right. O’Donnell does have one thing Palin doesn’t have: the witchcraft thing. In 1999, O’Donnell, a selfaffirmed Christian evangelical who opposes cloning (ironically) and believes evolution is a “myth,” admitted on Bill Maher’s Politically Incorrect that she “dabbled into [sic] witchcraft.” Amid the ensuing media frenzy, O’Donnell merely explained, “I was in high school, how many of you didn’t hang out with questionable folks in high school?” Fair enough. But that explanation is not enough for the GOP’s official heads, whose reaction to O’Donnell’s senatorial campaign, like that to Sarah Palin’s vice-pres-

idential campaign, has been one continuous “Noooooooooooo!” After all, according to a Sept 22 Public Policy Polling survey, an astounding 65% of undecided voters disapprove of Sarah Palin. In Nevada’s senatorial race, Tea Party radical Sharron Angle has still not taken a lead over Harry Reid, the Senate Majority Leader who is pretty darn unpopular. And of course, many GOP strategists worry that Christine O’Donnell is too conservative (and unintelligent) to win a seat formerly held by a moderate Republican. You see, the Republican establishment doesn’t like the Party’s most conservative members to showcase their beliefs, because once the media hold these beliefs to the light, the American public discover just how repugnant they really are. Thus the Tea Party movement is an extreme (and extremist) irritant. The Tea Party doesn’t lambaste the GOP establishment for being conservative but rather not being conservative enough. Tea Party beliefs are GOP beliefs, not an alternative to them. And judging by the O’Donnell candidacy, their practices might be the same too—mainly the financial debauchery that belies the “fiscal conservative” rhetoric of the Republican Party. It is Reagan and the Bushes who have increased the national debt the most since WWII.

Election Day HHS will be closed on Nov 2 for Congressional mid-term and local elections. Seniors over 18, make sure your voice is heard!!

What’s NOT

Rihanna

O’Donnell’s witchcraft ironically highlighted near Halloween Zach McDonnell staff reporter

There’s nothing like a good homecoming game to get students pumped up for the dance.

And it is Christine O’Donnell whom campaign-fund watchdogs accuse of illegally using her funds for non-campaign purposes such as paying her rent. Can anybody tell me why these people should be trusted with the public’s money? Most of the Tea Party’s rhetoric is squawking about the deficit, taxes, and rights. If and when the Tea Party movement takes hold of the federal government, they will be sure to cut taxes on upper-income Americans—which will only raise the deficit. But hey, at least they’ll be fighting for the “rights” of the rich American to get richer. And when they strike down Obama’s health care legislation, they will be fighting for our “rights” to go bankrupt from medical bills. And since the Tea Party focused on “family values” at the 2010 Value Voters Summit, it even looks like they will protect our “rights” to disqualify gay people from marriage and open military service! Thank goodness! As you might have noticed, these are positions many Republicans already advocate. O’Donnell has no extraordinary belief that differentiates her from Party leaders. She, like Palin and Angle before her, is dooming the GOP’s chances in November by fueling the post-Bush view that Republicans are stupid, hypocritical, and irresponsible. 2010 might not be so bad for Democrats after all.

Rihanna’s whole “good girl, gone bad” gimmick is getting old. Rihanna has turned from a mediocre artist into a downright horrible one.

Standardized Tests These tests zap every bit of creativity and livelihood out of students. And Subject Exams are even worse. The Collegeboard needs to evaporate.

College Applications Essays, recommendations, testing and paperwork pile onto an already stressful senior year. If only it were possible to do them in five minutes and get accepted in the next five.

Ke$ha Ke$ha (it pains us to use the dolllar sign) sounds like a screeching bird. On a good day.

Homophobia After a string of homosexual teens suicides as a result of bullying, it is clear that homophobia needs to end. Now. Toleration isn’t hard.

The Newsstreak

October 22, 2010

2010-2011 HHS

NEWSSTREAK PATRONS NEWSSTREAK SUPER SPONSORS Kathy and Larry Whitten Aidan Newcity Heather and David Denman Leigh-Ann Rucker Sallie and Scott Strickler Ted and Stephanne Byrd Valerie and Bobby Kibler Valley Building Supply Inc Denise R. Zito GOLD PATRONS Judith S. Strickler Angeliki G. Floros Ann and Mark Siciliano Betsy Dunnenberger Craig and Carla Mackail David and Judith McCarty David Owusu-Ansah Diane and David Ehrenpreis Dick Johnson and Jackie Zito Dr. Scott Kizner Irene Reynolds John A Coffey, Jr Kerri and TJ Wilson Lehman Construction Michael Eye Rose Family Susan and Dan Fitch Wease Auto Exchange Dawn Wine Ruple, P.C. Mr. and Mrs. Dick Brown Joshua Wilton House Terry and Diane Murray

Lauren Martin - Ads A6

Patrons are members of the Harrisonburg community and others who support the pursuit of excellence in the journalistic publications of Harrisonburg High School. Money generated from the patron program is used to offset costs of attending journalism conferences, to print our paper, and to purchase up-todate technological equipment for our journalism lab. To become a patron, see any member of the Newsstreak Staff or stop by room 444. Patron level is determined by the following scale: HHS Patrons, $5; Blue Patrons, $10; Bronze Patrons, $15; Silver Patrons, $25; Gold Patrons, $50; and Newsstreak Super Sponsor, $100+.

SILVER PATRONS Amy Powers Ann Niland Becky Wilson Bill Turner Brenda Greever Brittany Conley Bryan and Theresa Eckstein Cathryn W. Soenksen Cathy Phillips Christine Neary Dan and Betsy Kennedy David Loughran Dawn and Chris Womack Doug Light Gianna Gariglietti and Andre Dight J.R. Snow Jack Smith Janet Timbers Javier A. Rendon Jay and Pat Supko Jennifer Wolfson Jenny and Jared Burden Jeremy Knapp Joe Carico Joe Urbanski JT and Stacy Turner Kent Bowers Kimberly S. Harper Kristy and Tim Peifer Larry and Valerie Kaylor Larry O’Keeffe Laura FeichtingerMcGrath Leslie Bridal Leslie Wilson Pepper Linda McCormick Margaret B. Wilson Mark and Suzanne Obenshain Mark Mace Marshall and Leigh Anne Ross Family Martha and

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The Newsstreak The Newsstreak

October 22, 2010 September 24, 2010

Lauren Martin - Ads A7 Phillip Bannister- photo essay B10

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The Newsstreak

October 22, 2010

HHS students, faculty pumped for new seasons to start

Raising Hope Paulina Rendon style editor

immy Chance is looking for the answer to life. According to him, all his problems would be solved if he could just ride on the back of a giant Eagle with a girl in a bikini. Life isn’t as simple as he wants, with a not-so-lucid grandmother, an uneducated mother, and an immature father. Jimmy’s job cleaning pools with his cousin for his dad has gotten monotonous - skimming pools for a living and then having his dad dump trash in it so he has to start all over again. After quitting, the 23-year-old goes back home to the house he still lives in with his parents - to eat dinner. His grandmother, MawMaw, who has a tendency to not wear shirts and mistake Jimmy for her dead husband, goes off on another daze and a member of the family is assigned to get her ‘treat’, bubble gum ice cream. Jimmy, who too busy wiping his MawMaw’s kiss off his mouth to defend himself, is assigned the job In his beaten-down van, Jimmy sets out during the night. On the way he comes across a girl fleeing from a ‘crazed’ man chasing her. The girl, later revealed to be Lily, screams for JImmy’s help before climbing in his van. The man continues chasing them until he loses his footing and their trail. “Oh, my god you saved my life!” Lily expresses her gratitude in a physical - form, which causes Jimmy to wake up the next morning with the answer to his question about the meaning of life. “The meaning of life is love. I think I’m in love!” he announces to his family while Lucy, who had been in the kitchen with his family already, was in the bathroom. His family’s enthusiastic approval was drowned out by a breaking news report on the kitchen TV, which announced a search for a disturbed woman who had killed two of her ex-boyfriends for not paying enough

Alex Hickman

attention to her. Lucy’s face flashes as the woman seconds before Lucy herself walks back in. Virginia, Jimmy’s mother, unplugs the TV and whacks Lucy over the head with it. Seven months later, Jimmy is shown visiting Lucy in prison, where she reveals she is pregnant. Lucy doesn’t ask for any support from Jimmy, simply stating that she was happy she was having a baby. “They were going to put me in the electric chair in a couple months. Now there’s no way they’d kill the mother of a six-month old baby!” Jimmy is later seen holding a small baby girl in his lap while he watches the Lucy’s execution. Now left with a baby daughter, named Princess Beyonce by Lucy and parents who refuse to help raise her, Jimmy has a crash course in parenting, with some help of the grocery store cashier, Sabrina. She helps inform him that feeding Princess baby food with different races on them will not, in fact, change her ethnicity nor her gender. Eventually, Jimmy’s parents agree to help raise Princess Beyonce after Jimmy failed to help her sleep the night before and they were forced to come in and sing to her like they did to Jimmy himself as a baby. His parents give in, stating that they had already made all the mistakes possible with him, what else was left? The episode ends with the renaming of Princess Beyonce to Hope. The end scene, a sweet moment, showed a flashback of Jimmy’s mom raising Jimmy when she was a teenager. This little hint of familial compassion really added some heart to the show. Watching this show was a tedious experience. Most of the jokes were crude and just plain gross (i.e Jimmy and his mom throwing up on the baby while changing her diaper). The only highlight was seeing how well the actor who plays Jimmy (Lucas Neff) interacts with Sabrina (Shannon Woodard). Also, Sabrina’s character adds humor to a show that is in need on of it.

The Event Xuyi Guo

staff reporter

tarting with a kidnapping, a murder, and an attempt to kill the president with a hijacked plane, the first episode of The Event had a lot of events, yet none of which were the one the series is named for. The nature of the event in question is a mystery. Told in flashbacks from the point of view of various characters, The Event is suspenseful and action packed. The first episode was riveting, spiking my curiosity as the protagonist, Sean Walker, appears at first the villain but then quickly is revealed to be the hero (or at least attempting to be the hero). With so many points of view and change of setting, it would not be difficult for the plot to become confusing and agitating, but The Event handles it well and brings the plot in an intriguing and action-packed manner.

staff reporter

n Monday night, people began to get revved up for TV premiere week, tuning into new and old programs. Ninth grader Izy Story is looking forward to the debut of the Biggest Loser on NBC, although she is not at all excited about the start of the second season of Glee. “I actually hate that show,” Story explained. Glee started on Tuesday, at 8:00 on FOX. Junior, Dorrall Price saw the premiere of Two and a Half Men on Monday, but is not sure he will be watching the new season of Grey’s Anatomy. “The last season ended with me in awe,” Price said.

Band director J.R. Snow, will be tuning in to Grey’s Anatomy for sure. “I pretty much follow my wife’s television schedule, I hear there will be a marriage in the premiere episode,” Snow said. Freshmen, Sydney Knupp and Aurvan Koyee are getting excited for the new hit series, Undercovers, a show about a couple that recently retired for the CIA. “I definitely want to see that,” Knupp said. Senior Samy Devoe is pumped about The Amazing Race and Survivor, and Glee. “Sue Sylvester is awesome,” Devoe says. “I am excited about the show Teen Mom, it shows real life mothers and it’s interesting to see them with their babies,” sophomore Brissa Ramirez said. Taylor Bailey a junior, has been tuning

into the show Criminal Minds. “I like the whole investigating crime thing, and this show is different then others,” Bailey said. Ninth grader Hannah Cash likes the show Chuck, a show about a young man who accidentally gets all of the CIA’s secrets implanted into his brain and is forced to become a spy. “I haven’t seen any of the new episodes but I love that show,” Cash said. Senior Junior Hearn enjoys the classic show Family Guy. “I like all the characters but Stewie, and Peter especially, they make real life funny,” Hearn said. Freshman Niquelle Madden watches the TV show Yo Gabba Gabba, although it is for younger audiences Madden finds it funny.

peting to survive in the country for 39 days. The last person who does not get voted out of tribal council wins $1,000,000 earns the title of the “Sole Survivor.” The cast of this season includes a variety of professionals; a former National Football League (NFL) coach, a goat rancher, a swim coach, and a commercial fisherman just to name a few. After the first show aired, there was a twist in the opening scene where show host Jeff Probst told the 20 castaways that each con-

testant over the age of 40 had to stand on one side of the beach, and all the others had to stand on the other side. For the first time in 16 seasons, the theme is “old vs. young.” As the weeks continue to go by, viewers will need to tune into CBS on Wednesday nights at 8 p.m. to find out who will ultimately “outwit, outlast, and outplay” to become the “Sole Survivor.”

Sixteenth season of survivor in Nicaragua Alex Hickman

staff reporter

he hit TV show Survivor first aired in the United States in May of 2000. It has continued to be one of the top rated shows for the past ten years making it through sixteen seasons on television. This season of Survivor takes its viewers to Nicaragua, where 20 new cast members are com-

Dancing With Stars off to exciting start Alex Hickman

staff reporter

fter five stressful weeks of practicing non-stop, Audrina Patridge “The hills hottie”, Brady “R&B’s platinum girl”, Bristol Palin “Alaska’s favorite famous daughter”, David Hasselhoff “‘The Hoff”, Florence Henderson “America’s mom”, Jennifer Grey

“The original Dirty Dancer”, Kurt Warner “The super-bowl success story”, Kyle Massey “The Disney channel dynamo”, Margret Cho “Comedy’s most outrageous”, Michael Bolton “The Belladeer”, Mike Sorrentino “The Situation”, and Rick Fox “Basketball’s foxiest champion”, Dancing with the Stars started their ninth season. You’d think the stars were competing for more than just the best dance, the way they risk

The Event has settings varying from a secret facility in Mt. Inostranka Alaska, to a tropical island. The filming was fair and the settings for the most part convincing, although the President’s retreat could have looked more presidential. The acting varied. Jason Ritter (Sean Walker) offered an interesting character and Taylor Cole (Vicky Roberts) was annoying as she was supposed to be, but Ian Anthony Dale (Simon Lee) could have looked more distraught when a plane on which he knew there was a terrorist took off. In retrospect the plot was frustrating, not really letting the viewers know much of anything about the conspiracies that seem to abound in the show. However, that is what made it so gripping. I do not watch television very often anymore, but I might tune in again next week just to find out what is going on. The Event airs Monday nights on NBC at 9/8c.

Band from Page A1 marching, color guard and percus-

sion. The band also placed first in their AA class, and won the title of Grand Champions for the entire competition. The results were “fantastic, a great way to start off the season” according to Snow. “It’s a lot easier to build the rest of the season on excitement, rather than disappointment,” Snow said. “It was very rewarding, and we got to see all of our hard work from the past month pay off,” Ferguson said. “We all pulled together so it was amazing in the end.” However, the band does not plan on stopping the success with just one competition. “We’re more successful from an overall standpoint than any other season, and we’re going to continue to work toward our goal to have the best performance we can make at the end of the season,” Snow said.

torn ligaments, poked eyes, and fainting spells to earn the highest scores from judges, Carrie Ann Inaba, Len Goodman, and Bruno Tonioli. You can feel the heavy competition already, in just the beginning. “I like the dances and how each dance has it’s own tone,” senior Kait Arthur said. “I like how different it is from other shows,” freshman Alexis Dickerson said.

Better With You Xuyi Guo

Band gives top performance

at the highest level they’re capable of, it was just whether we would do it this early in the season,” band director JR Snow said. By the end of the second performance, however, the band could tell they had given it all they had. “You could feel the energy the band put into [the show], and the way the crowd reacted helped us know it was our best,” sophomore mellophone player Kirsten Ferguson said. Senior sousaphone section leader Drew Matthias agreed that the energy on the field was tangible. “It felt better on field, an overall good show,” Matthias said. Despite playing the “best show so far”, according to Hess, the band was not expecting to be as successful as it was in the competition. The marching Blue Streaks competed against six other bands and took home first place trophies in music,

Madison Wilson- Style A8

staff reporter

deliberate couple who has been in a long term relationship but is still not married, their younger more impulsive counterparts who are getting married after knowing each other for seven weeks, and their cranky old parents: all of these character types are not new to television. That is how Better With You can generally be characterized: it is nothing new. But that does not mean it is not good. Better With You is a classic sitcom. The humor is nothing out of the ordinary, but is still pretty sharp and effective. I laughed out loud when Casey ( Jake Lacy), the typical “dumb frat-guy”, tried to correct his grammar, changing his statement of “to me” to “to I.”

The acting was enjoyable. Casey was goofy, Maddie ( Jennifer Finnigan) was reserved, and Joel (Kurt Fuller) was a curmudgeon – just as they were supposed to be. The characters were exaggerated, but appropriate. The only area where I wished I had gotten a little bit more was the production value. Maybe they could have done more with the sets. Perhaps they could have included a few more changes of scenery. It is not that Better With You was deficient, but more interesting sets and camera work would have been a plus. Better With You shows that television shows do not need to be edgy. It is simply a well done, amiable family sitcom that offers an enjoyable 30 minutes of television. Better With You airs Wednesday nights on ABC at 8:30/7:30c.

NCIS: Los Angeles Ben DiNapoli

staff reporter

ast year, when NCIS: Los Angeles had a teaser show during the normal time of the original NCIS, I had my doubts whether the show would turn out to be any good, since it was interrupting my beloved NCIS, and replaced the following week’s NCIS with itself. However, the new season of NCIS: Los Angeles premiered on Tuesday, Sept 22, and was definitely one of the better premieres on T.V. so far There was a whole cast of interesting characters that you could connect and relate with, like the lead detective “G” Callen, played by Chris O’Donnell. Having a charming personality, and a dash of mysteriousness, he makes you want to keep watching the show to the end. Also, with plenty of action and explosions

jammed into the show, one is kept on the edge of their seat for its entirety, and may find that it is hard to look away. The show follows a somewhat predictable storyline, much like the Hardy Boys book series, but it never seems to get old. Usually an episode will open with a quick minute-long cut scene of the crime that was committed, acting like a video preface. Then, the show builds up its twists and turns, thickening the plot until one can almost not stand it. About 45-50 minutes into the show, the agents will finally uncover who the culprit, leaving the last five minutes action-filled and well worth the hour spent watching it. If the show continues to stay on par, then it may just rise up to number two in the ratings for CBS. Sadly though, I do not think that it will ever pass the long-loved NCIS.

HCPS educating teachers with wellness, nutrition programs HCPS from Page A1 on nutrition,” Mackail said. the day-to-day operation of the program. Joe Deely, an HHS teacher, is also actively involved in the planning of the disc golf session. “We hope to expand out number of classes and also offer lecture-based classes

Kizner, Mason, Mackail, Deely, and faculty members that are active in HCPS Wellness expect to continue the program until Christmas and anticipate beginning another group of classes after winter break.

“There’s more to school than passing an SOL. Success comes from teaching students.”

HCPS assistant superintendant Mike Loso

Big Read downtown kicks off with Downtown Art Walk, Battle of Bands Local businesses and community member’s offer support Read from Page A1 “We’re down to our last box of books. There have been a lot of people who have wanted them, a lot of people say it’s their favorite book,” Burks said. Ted Byrd, incoming president of the MRLB board of trustees was a reader. Like many people, Byrd read

The Great Gatsby in high school and again in college. “It’s one of the better American novels written at the time,” Byrd said. Non-library affiliated businesses gave support as well. Court Square Theatre in Harrisonburg gave a free showing of to 1974 film adaptation of Gatsby. Local radio stations and banks also sponsored events.

The Newsstreak

October 22, 2010

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The Newsstreak

October 22, 2010

Michael Johnson/ Jake Durden - Sports A10

XC Senior Runners 2010

Alison Domonoske

Favorite course: Oatlands Favorite meet:Running with the Wolves Best Moment: “Running at Burtner Farm” Favorite brand of shoes: Saucony Best time: 22:23 Food before a race:Trail mix and dried mangos.

Keith Thomas

Favorite course: State meet course Favorite meet: Oatlands Best moment: “When Parker Wenos punched someone coming off of the starting line.” Favorite brand of shoes: Nike Best time: 16:42 Food before a race: Bagels and Animal Crackers Good luck rituals: “Tie-dye socks.”

Marcus Upton

Favorite course: Great Meadows Favorite meet:Octoberfest Best Moment: None Favorite brand of shoes: Asics Best time:20:14 Food before a race: Pasta

Lucas O’Keeffe

Favorite course: Ours Favorite meet:Oatlands Best Moment: Bus Rides Favorite shoes: Nike and Adidas Best time:20:10 Food before a race: Bagels and fruit. Good luck rituals: “I listen to my iPod.”

Lindsey Cockburn

Favorite course: Running with the Wolves Favorite meet: Running with the Wolves Best moment: The first meet of the year I sped up by 2 minutes Favorite brand of shoes: Adidas Best time: 24:20 Food before a race: Bagel

Tabea Zimermann

Favorite course: Oatlands Favorite meet: William and Mary Best moment: “When we all dressed up as cows and went to Chick-fil-a.” Favorite brand of shoes: None Best time: 20:12 Food before a race: Bananas Good luck rituals: same socks

Heather HunterNickels

Favorite course: “Ours because it’s the hardest.” Favorite meet: Running with the Wolves Best Moment: “When I finished sixth on the team at home.” Favorite brand of shoes: none Best time: Food before a race: Cliff Bars

Haley Wenos

Favorite course: Running with the Wolves Favorite meet: Running with the Wolves Best Moment: “When we got our t-shirts and wore them to the EMHS invitational.” Favorite shoes: Nike and Brooks Best time:21:46 Food before a race: Gold Fish Good luck rituals: “Tie-dye socks.”

Zach McDonnell

Favorite course: Great Meadows Favorite meet: Great Meadows Best Moment: “When I helped Gabe finish at the EMHS invitational.” Favorite brand of shoes: Nike Best time: 19:07 Food before a race: Plain Bagel

Maria Rose

Favorite course: Burtner Farm Favorite meet: Octoberfest Best Moment: When Tabea and I crossed the finish line holding hands at the home meet. Favorite brand of shoes: Brooks Best time: 20:16 Food before a race: No Food Good luck rituals:”I always wear lucky socks.”

Where the XC runners practice Boys

Savanah Cary

Favorite course: Burtner Farm Favorite meet: Running with the Wolves Best moment: When we all dyed our hair and got Henna tattoos Favorite brand of shoes: Mizuno Food before a race: Water. Good luck rituals: No. Running status: Injured

Girls

-HHS Course: painful, slower course, -HHS Course: painful, slower course, extremely extremely hilly, usually for easy prac- hilly, usually run for work outs at practices tices -Antioch: treeless, hilly area in the west- -Burtner Farm: always hot, hilly, cow farm next ern part of the county, relatively little to to it, lots of grasshoppers, a mix of straight and look at, enormous hill at the end of the curvy parts and mentally challenging loop -Purcell: one big hill, some rolly hills, half is flat, -Burtner Farm: always hot, hilly, cow run progression runs getting faster with every farm next to it, lots of grasshoppers, lap a mix of straight and curvy parts and -The Gorge: in the woods, easy run, distracting enough where you just run without thinking mentally challenging

Top runners carry cross country team Peter Byrd

staff reporter

enior Keith Thomas and junior Nevin Heckman sprint down the backstretch fighting to win the race. They are the top two runners on the boy’s cross country team. Both Thomas and Heckman go through rigorous training sessions in the off-season to be in top form by the time the season comes around. Heckman runs for 40 minutes every other day while Thomas runs between 300 and 500 miles each summer. They both believe offseason workouts are vital to being competitive come regular season time.

“If you only train during the season, you have no chance of winning,” said Thomas. “The most important training is the workouts that you put yourself through while you are not in season,” he added. Heckman believes a healthy diet is important to success on the cross country course. “I try to eat lots of carbohydrates the night before the race and also try to stay away from desserts, but occasionally I will treat myself to one,” Heckman said. He later added, “Water is the most important drink for runners. I have not drunk a soda in over six months.” Thomas has gone longer than Heckman without a soda. “I have not had a soda since

my seventh grade year of middle school,” he chuckled. Sleep is another big factor in on-course success. Thomas said,”A good night’s sleep is the difference between running your worst race and winning.” Heckman added, “Sleep leads to a better performance.” On the girl’s side, Tabea Zimmerman, Maria Rose, Caitlin Kelley, and Erin Goodstein are the top four runners. They believe that strategy in the race is more important than a healthy diet before the race. “I start off slower and get faster throughout the race,” said sophomore Goodstein. The team is very encouraging of one an-

other during the race. “I am competitive with myself first and foremost, but the team adds to it because of the encouragement they give me,” said Kelley, also a sophomore. Zimmerman is pushed by her teammates, which helps her do the best she can during a race. “Maria and I push each other a lot because we are about the same speed. We both want to win so our competitiveness fuels each other.” Both the boys and girls cross country teams hope to continue on early season success and qualify for the region and state tournaments.

The Newsstreak

October 22, 2010

Shane McMahan and Peter Byrd - Sports A11

Cheerleaders experience early season success Michael Johnson

staff reporter

s “Go Streaks” fills the gymnasium, cheerleading teams show their stuff. Competition cheerleading is a team who performs a three minute routine with a minute and a half worth of music. The team has to dance, cheer, and have a crowd response which is when the cheerleaders say half of the cheer and the crowd follows along and says the rest. The team spends months working to perfect their routine and have three hour practices every day. Junior Taelor Adams has been apart of the competition cheer team ever since she was a freshman and has been a cheerleader ever since she was an eighth grader. “I like competition cheerleading because you work with a whole bunch of people to make something great,” Adams said. The team practices in the multi-purpose room after school. HHS has a team of 22 people. However, only twenty people are allowed on the mat for the routine. Sophomore Sydney Wells has also been apart of the competition cheer team for two years and has been a cheerleader for three years.

“I like competition cheerleading because I get to hang out with my friends and we are there to win the competitions. It also takes up time,” Wells said. The teams first competition is Saturday, September 25 and their next competition

will be the following Monday, September 27. If they continue to win, their season could go until November. The team has been working hard and is hoping to do well throughout the fall.

Go! The HHS Cheerleeders gather for a pep talk prior to competition. Photo by Anastasiya Kalyuk

JV Volleyball team starts off stronger this year go up, we’ve won two games so far against Stuarts Draft and East Rock.” staff reporter It is no wonder the team has improved so drastically this year when their practice time is taken into consideration. “We started ast year was not kind to HHS’s JV volleyball team. The [practice] during the summer in the first week of August, and practiced four hours a day up until school started. Now we practice for team played 24 games and did not win a single one. “We’re much better this year,” team captain sophomore two,” Bailey said. The work ethic of team captains Bailey and freshman Lucy Rose Kendall Bailey said, “after last year all we could do was could also explain the sudden improvement of the team. “We’re responsible for organizing the team and we call the coin toss. We are the leaders for the team, we set an example, and we keep people in their rows[on the court],” Bailey said. “I think that just my team members look up to me and I am a leader on the team,” Rose said, “I set an example, and we have a much better attitude this year, it’s kept us together. We’ve been amazing and have lots of potential.” The team, however, still has many games down the stretch. “We still have a lot to improve on, but I think we will win some more games and finish strong,” Rose said. “I think we will finish off stronger than we started,” Bailey said, “we’re improving as the season progresses. We’re keeping in our rows and hitting well.” Win or lose, the captains’ love for the sport won’t change. “I just love that the sport is a team sport. The team is great,” Rose said. Bailey agrees. “I started playing volleyball as a freshman and I love it. I love how we’re close as a team, and it’s great Hands in. The JV Volleyball team goes hands in before the game. Photo by Paulina that I get to be a leader.” Rendon.

Mark Duda

Bush surrenders Heisman trophy Peter Byrd

sports columnist

ormer University of Southern California standout and current New Orleans Saints running back Reggie Bush returned his Heisman trophy amid controversy that he violated NCAA rules by accepting money in 2005. That was the same year when the Trojans lost to the Texas Longhorns in the BCS National Championship Game in Pasadena, California. Bush supposedly accepted $300,000 in payments and free family housing while he was a member of the Trojans at the time. According to numerous sources, Bush used the money to support his parents who were struggling financially at the time. Bush did not admit guilt when he returned his Heisman trophy, which honors the most outstanding player in the country, he only said that he wanted to respect the Heisman winners that came before him and the winners that will come after him. I feel that he should not have returned his trophy because the Heisman is based solely on a player’s performance from that year. I have two problems with this. Even though he might have received money off the field, it did not translate to him being a better player on the field. Bush was 20 years old at the time, a relatively young age. If somebody offered me $300,000 I would accept it in the blink of an eye. The young Bush did not know any better and only looked at the positive effects of a large sum of money, which were numerous. Bush also did not have a mentor in his ear telling him the effects of pocketing the money for his family who was in desperate need of money. He was one play away from a career ending injury consequently ending his chance of making any money he might ever receive in the National Football League. His family members were one play away from living in poverty for the rest of their lives. I did not care what Bush was up to off the field; I just hoped that he would continue to dazzle me every Saturday with long punt returns for touchdowns, acrobatic jumps over safeties, and spectacular flips into the endzone. Bush garnered the second most first place votes in the history of the Heisman. Only O.J. Simpson’s 1,750 point victory in 1968 was more one-sided than Bush’s. For his performance ON the field, Bush should be allowed to keep his Heisman Trophy, because, after all, the award is given to the “most outstanding player” in the country, not the “most outstanding citizen.”

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The Newsstreak

October 22, 2010

Aidan Newcity- Photo Essay A12

The freshman football team played Robert E. Lee in a home game where they pulled out a win on Sept 15. All photos by Aidan Newcity

Sprint! Sophomore Jordan Leaman sprints to the finish at our home course during a meet. Photo by

Aidan Newcity

Above: Finish strong! Junior Nevin Heckman keeps a steady pace during a meet. He has been running since he was little, but for the high school he has been running since he was a freshman. Left: Smile! Junior Connor Bell laughs at the crowds while finishing the long 5K race at home, running only as his second year on the team.

Help each other! Freshman Jay Horton and Jake McDaniel keep each other going in the home race, finishing strong together. Photo by Aidan Newcity

Photo by Aidan Newcity

Above: Run! Senior Michael Holmes runs the ball in the game against Rockbridge. Holmes appeared in Sports Illustrated last year for his running records. Right: Watch! Senior Jake Johnson and coach Moses Tinsley watch the defense do work on Rockbridge’s offense. Photos by Olivia McCarty

Hike! The HHS varsity football team sets up the their offense against Rockbridge. Fans came out to watch the Streaks, the home team, pull out a win. The football team is 6-0 as of 10-13-10. Photos by Olivia McCarty Pace! Senior Heather Hunter Nickels, junior Taylor McDonnell, sophomore Jenny Kniss, and freshmen Ashley Riley and Sydney Little set a steady pace to help each other run together.

Teamwork! Seniors Tabea Zimmerman and Maria Rose cross the finish line together hand in hand at their home meet, they finished first and second. Photo by Olivia McCarty

Hydrate! Sophomore Caitlin Kelley drinks a cup of water after the home race. She finished third on her team, finishing behind Rose and Zimmerman Photo by Olivia McCarty

Above: Team! The HHS volleyball team talks in a team huddle before a game against Spotswood. They ended up losing in the fifth game by two points. They clap it up before every game to get the team excited to play. The team has thought they have had great chemistry throughout this season, “I think this year has been really good compared to other years,” sophomore Taylor Grogg said. Right: Ace! Junior Mikala Wolter winds up to take a serve and try to get an ace. Mikala Wolter among others led the third and fourth game victories for the Streaks. They were going against the Trailblazers. Photos By Olivia McCarty

Spike! Junior Sarina Hartman gets a kill against the district game against the Spotswood Trailblazers. Hartman has had a lot of fun on this year’s team, she likes playing outside hitter the most. Her second favorite is backside hitter. Photo by Olivia McCarty

Above: High Five! Sophomore Brooke Coffelt gives a high five to the people on the bench during a home game. After substituting out of the game. Below: Team! The HHS JV volleyball team brings it in to break before they take the court to play their second match in a home game.Photos By Anatasia Kalyuk Top: Concentrate! The HHS cheerleaders have a team huddle before their mini-cheer competition. Above: We are here to win! Sophomore Sarah Bell and Freshman Megan Miller perform a move in their routine. This is the part when they are saying we are here to win! The HHS took second place at this minimeet at home. The Spotswood Trailblazers took first over the Blue Streaks. Photo by Anatasia Kalyuk

Team! Freshmen Gisell Alvaraz and Malli Mendez are lifted up in the air while performing their cheer at the mini meet at HHS. Senior Lauren Martin, is the back position, and enjoys the control she gets from being the back. “It is my responsibility to make sure that each person in the stunt does their job to the best of their abilities,” Martin said. There are different positions, the back, bases, and flyers. Photo by Paulina Rendon

Serve! Sophomore Kendall Bailey throws the ball up to get ready to serve in a game at home. “I love serving, and my team reliess on me for my serve. We usually get a lot of points when I get behind the line. I like the feeling,” Bailey said. Photo by Paulina Rendon.

Newsstreak

the

l ia ec sp

Maria Rose- Special Edition B1

October 22, 2010

on iti

where every person has a story

Years ago, one of my editors-in-chief, Britt Conley, came up with our theme for that year in Newsstreak:‘Every Person Has a Story’. It stuck and has been our mantra ever since. As journalists, we strive to find the stories of people in our school and community who aren’t frequently covered. Conversely, I’ve learned that my career as a journalism teacher has been influenced tremendously by my students, administrators, parents, fellow teachers and journalism advisers around Virginia and the U.S. This special edition is dedicated to these people who have had such a powerful impact on my life and career. These people all have incredible stories about the power and importance of journalism in our schools and our society. This is a career that literally fell in my lap and I couldn’t be happier that my road took this direction. Our intention with this special edition is to tell some of the stories of the these special people in hopes that others will see the importance of scholastic journalism in our world. Unfortunately, we were unable to fit all of our stories in this edition, so please visit www.newsstreak.com to read many more interviews. Every person really does have an incredible story to tell. ~ Valerie Kibler

Kibler named Dow Jones News Fund National Journalism Teacher of Year Maria Rose

editor-in-chief

alerie Kibler never planned on being a journalism adviser. In fact, she always swore that she would never teach writing, much less help run a newspaper. And what’s more, she hardly expected the national recognition coming her way as the 2010 Dow Jones National Journalism Teacher of the Year. But it did. Kibler was in her fifth year of teaching English at Marion High School in Marion, Va., when then-Principal Mike Rolen asked her to lead the high school paper. Her only condition was that she would have her own classroom, which he readily agreed to provide. Before she knew it, she was the proud, if reluctant, adviser of The Marionette. However, as time passed and her support group expanded, the paper developed into an advanced project no one ever expected. “It started small but quickly grew,” Kibler said. “We won awards and went on trips, which really meant something to the kids since half of them had never been out of the area.” The effect she had in Marion followed her to Harrisonburg High School, where she advises The Newsstreak. As in Marion, getting the paper off the ground proved to be more of a challenge than she expected. “It was like starting over again,” Kibler said. “[HHS] was sporadic in publication, and the majority of the staff was there for the pizza. Some of them quit when we didn’t eat pizza enough.” Thirteen years later — and after 18 years as a journalism adviser — The Newsstreak has progressed into a much bigger production.

Leaving a legacy. Newsstreak adviser and AP English Language teacher Valerie Kibler decorates her room with pictures of past students along her cabinets. After being named the Journalism Teacher of the Year, she attributed her past successes to her students’ work. The tradition actually started when she thought certain frames looked nice. However, as the collection grew, she realized its uniqueness. “It dawned on me how much it meant to the kids when kids came back to look in the same spots for their pictures. It’s a silly little thing, but it’s important,” Kibler said. Photo by Phillip Bannister.

Instead of an eight-page paper, it features a 20-page broadsheet. The staff has exploded from eight members to 54 reporters. The food cabinet now holds a countless array of snacks and a bountiful supply of water bottles. “We’ve gone from weaker ideas to getting comments that we look professional,” Kibler said. Implementing changes and helping students reach their potential requires work and encouragement on her part. Over the years and through her steady experience, Kibler has learned a variety of methods to nudge her students to give their best effort.

JEA President Jack Kennedy says storytelling is foundation of journalism

Maria Rose

editor-in-chief

t was all to impress a girl. Initially, that is. Initially, that was the reason that Journalism Education Association president Jack Kennedy chose to be a part of his high school student newspaper. Years later, he has grown to love it. After high school, Kennedy went to college to major in English and returned to his high school, Iowa City Public, as an English teacher. One of the conditions pressed upon him when he was hired as a teacher was to become adviser of the school paper, The Little Hawk. Though he was thrown into the class, he believed it to be a “good fit”. “I was young and had energy,” Kennedy recalled. “And I loved it.” In addition to working as the Little Hawk adviser, he has also worked as an assistant principal, Jostens representative, and classroom teacher, creating many opportunities for him to work with students, which he appreciates. Currently, he is retired from advising, but continues to mentor students with publications at Metro State University along with his work with the JEA. Helping students has become his favorite part of the position. “For me, high school journalism is an excuse to work with kids to be better thinkers and citizens,” Kennedy said. “As a writing teacher, I see writing as thinking made visible.” Kennedy is in his fourth year as JEA president, serving his second twoyear term. As president, he helps to handle and organize conferences, as well as formulating policies and developing budgets and new initiatives. But Kennedy believes that his support team is vital to making sure everything goes smoothly. “I can hardly take credit for it all,” Kennedy said. “I can’t do it alone.” Over the years that Kennedy has worked in journalism, he has seen significant changes in the ways that newspapers are viewed. He maintains that having a high school newspaper is a true representation of what students learn, and that it is essential in bringing the educational community together. “This is the last communal event in high school that gets everyone together to coalesce in one event,” Kennedy claimed. “There’s nothing as intellectual as the power of the

See President on Page B11

“Yelling,” Kibler responded immediately, joking. She proceeded more seriously with, “The most effective way to get students working is building the respect among students. You find the people who are passionate about what they do, and they give their work everything.” Kibler succeeds in pushing her students to excel to the best of their abilities. Her staff was not surprised to learn that she is being honored as the 2010 Teacher of the Year. They were proud and impressed. Senior coeditor-in-chief Alison Domonoske contends that Kibler’s wit and willingness to rouse students is a source of inspiration for the

staff. “You know you can’t make excuses with your work,” Domonoske said. “She demands the best out of you unlike other teachers who don’t care enough to do so. You want to improve.” Jack Kennedy, president of the Journalism Education Association, agrees that Kibler embodies the ideals that teachers — especially media advisers — should strive to have. In his eyes, it is not enough to be a good teacher, but to be able to communicate information and instill passion in students’ work. “The spirit she engenders is something not many people have,” Kennedy said. “The leadership she provides inspires people. She can get you to feel it.” Kibler’s first thought upon hearing she received the award was, “Oh my gosh!” (“I was shocked,” Kibler recalled.) Her second thought was that this award was not about an individual — hundreds of teachers as deserving were doing the same thing. Instead, she attributes the award to her staff and to people in the journalism field. “I give credit to the hard-working kids here who have made HHS have such a good publication,” Kibler said. “Nothing makes teens different except their work ethic. It doesn’t matter where you’re from.” Kibler said she believes journalism teaches young adults not only writing skills but also an applicable set of realworld knowledge. She believes students learn teamwork, critical thinking skills, respect,and how to get along with others, even during deadline. “Some of the best kids I had weren’t necessarily good writers, but they worked hard. Everyone here has a place and wants to be part of the team,” Kibler said. “You realize quickly that every person truly does have a story.”

Former editors-in-chief recall highlights of scholastic journalism careers at HHS Heather Hunter-Nickels

home. I spent a lot of my time in her [journalism teacher Valerie Kibler’s] room, and have a lot of feature editor positive memories. What is the best story you ever wrote in hat is the first thing that comes Newsstreak class and why? to mind when I say High School Heubach: The first challenging story I really Journalism Class? remember was an investigative piece. The Kate Heubach: Every year I “Bowling for Columbine” movie had just come worked for the paper, there was always a rush out and K-Mart had announced they had removed of people coming into the classroom. The the hand gun ammunition off their shelves. Except Newsstreak classroom was such a hub for activity. when I was at K- Mart one evening, I noticed It was a fun environment and the doors were they still had ammunition on their shelves. So always open. It felt like home. I did a lot of investigative phone calls in the girls Emily Reifsteck: Team work. Putting extra bathroom, which was not allowed. It turned out hours in because I wanted to. A good group of that K-Mart had found some time of loop hole, people. and their ammunition was for some other type Britt Conley: High school journalism felt like of gun. It was a huge learning experience for me. Reifsteck: I don’t know about the best story, but we did a sex issue senior year and I had to cover a really controversial issue, abortion. I had to interview lots of students about touchy issues, for example I had to ask girls who had gone through an abortion about that experience. We kept it anonymous. I really felt like a journalist. Conley: Senior year I had a column called Growing Pain, and I wrote about things what happened in my life with Night on the town. Co-editors-in-Chief Caite White, Britt Conley,Kate humor. My dad was a red Heubach and Emily Reifsteck take a staff picture with their dates Wade neck so one of my columns Truong, P.K. Koehler, John Albrite and Kevin McGowan and adviser Val- was called, Ways to survive

erie Kibler at the homecoming dance during their senior year.Photo by Wayne Showalter.

See Editors on Page B11

Josh Sundquist: professional skier, motivational speaker, learned communication from Newsstreak editor-in-chief

“It was awesome,” Sundquist said of his experience with the publication. “It was the highlight of my academic career.”

sixteen-year-old Josh Sundquist stood in front of the largest crowd of middle school kids he had ever seen. He was hired to give a motivational speech at school in the Shenandoah Valley, and this was his first attempt at public speaking. Needless to say, he was nervous. So nervous, in fact, that—“the administrators cancelled my speech for the eighth grade assembly. It was pretty miserable,” Sundquist said. Sundquist, however, has not let this event stop him. As a professional public speaker located in Washington D.C., he has continued to speak across the country for groups from Fortune 500 companies to hundreds of schools to the White House. And all of this is because of his love for telling stories. “The most important tool for communication,” Sundquist explained, “is having the ability to tell stories. You have to connect emotionally.” And Sundquist gained a lot of his experience communicating from participating as editor-in-chief of the Harrisonburg High School Newsstreak. He was homeschooled prior to entering high school, and chose to join Newsstreak because he thought it would be fun, and a sort of “launch pad” into the social scene.

Racing to the finish. HHS alumnus Josh Sundquist competed in the 2006 Paralympics in Turino, Italy with the U.S. Ski Team. Sundquist lost his leg to a rare bone cancer, but has now beaten the cancer and gives motivational speeches. Here, he has signed the picture commemorating Newsstreak. Photo courtesy of Valerie Kibler.

Maria Rose

His main activity with the paper was writing columns, which he started in his sophomore year. The theme was “Keeping up with the Jones’”, where he jokingly described lessons he learned from Jones’ soda. The company eventually learned about his writing and was so impressed that they later sponsored his motivational speaking tours as he got started. “That was when I really learned that writing could affect people,” Sundquist said. “It can be transformative.” Sundquist was presented with another opportunity when his journalism adviser Valerie Kibler was honored with the Richmond-Times Dispatch Virginia Journalism Teacher of the Year award. A committee that reviewed a copy of the paper was impressed with his column and asked if he would be interested in writing for a teen section of the RichmondTimes Dispatch. Surprised and flattered, Sundquist began to write for a professional newspaper while still in high school and, in the process, learned to write in a different style. “It was slightly different because you had to keep your audience in mind as you were writing,” Sundquist said. “This was going to the greater Richmond area and the subject had to hold appeal to each audience.” Sundquist’s work with the Newsstreak was cut short however, as he moved to Colorado his senior year in order to train for the 2006 Paralympics in Turino, Italy with the US Ski Team.

See Sundquist on Page B11

The Newsstreak

October 22, 2010

Heather Hunter-Nickles- Special Edition B2

Seavey enjoys bonding with staff during trips, worknights Molly Denman

feature editor

ennifer Seavey is the newspaper advisor at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology where she teaches an AP journalism class and a production journalism class. Seavey became involved with journalism because her son and father were both involved with it. Seavey’s father was a journalist and her son became a student journalist. “Through them [father and son] I became attracted to teaching journalism,” Seavey said. Students and teachers involved with journalism classes go to journalism conventions throughout the United States. Seavey’s journalism classes have been to many conventions. “I think that there is a lot of value in traveling together over an extended amount of time,” Seavey said. Seavey’s most memorable journalism convention was her first. It was held in Dallas, Texas eight years ago. “I love Dallas. It was all new and exciting,” Seavey said. Another memorable convention was the Washington D.C convention last year. Seavey was involved with planning the D.C convention. She helped to organize the issue seminars that are extended workshop sessions on current topics where speakers on a panel

make a presentation and do a question and anSeavey’s proudest moment in journalism swer session. Students often leave these semi- was the first time her paper was named a NSPA nars and return to their schools where they Pacemaker in 2005. cover that issue in their community. “It was such an honor. It was like the AcadSeavey’s career has had many funny mo- emy Awards of journalism,” Seavey said. Her ments involving her journalism students. paper has been a Pacemaker finalist four times “They make me laugh all the time. Last and has won the award twice. night was a typical night, my production journalism class got together and some students were talking about YouTube and got in a silly mood and I looked up YouTube to see what the most viewed videos were. One video I looked up, I forget what is was called, but all the students knew the songs on the video and I was just bobbing around and all of us were watching together and I started laughing then they started laughing and we all started laugh- Feature teacher. Thomas Jefferson High School newspaper adviser Jennifer Seavey teaches the feature writing track at jCamp at Virginia Tech. Photo by ing,” Seavey said. Valerie Kibler.

Furnas leaves Virginia Tech to take over as JEA Director Xuyi Guo

“

staff reporter

It started at birth really,” said Kelly Furnas when asked about why he went into the field of journalism. With two parents who were both newspaper reporters, Furnas learned the value of journalism early, but did not always see himself in education. Furnas started as a professional journalist, and was working in Las Vegas when he learned about an opening at Virginia Tech. It was a can’t-miss opportunity for him. Furnas would enter the field of journalism education and become the editorial adviser at Virginia Tech. Education was a good way of giving back to the community, and the biggest part of being in education is the students.

“When you’re in education at some point you become a lot more concerned and interested in seeing your students succeed,” said Furnas, which is why it meant so much to Furnas when one his reporters at Virginia Tech was named National Collegiate Reporter of the Year. In addition to working with students regularly at Virginia Tech, Furnas works with younger students in the summer journalism program jCamp. “Certainly the most rewarding part was working with students individually,” said Furnas when asked about the camp. Having been influenced by other advisors such as Valerie Kibler, and stereotypical, challenging newsroom editors, Furnas tries to push students out of their comfort zone, by methods such as single day deadlines.

“It’s so rewarding to see that almost flash in their eyes when they see they can accomplish something that’s really difficult,” said Furnas. Even when in the average classroom, where there is not always the opportunity to have individual instruction, Furnas still believes that advisers should try to challenge their students. “I have been consistently impressed with the maturity of high school students when they are treated like adults,” said Furnas. “You should always work hard to empower high school students because more often than not they come through for you.” While his relationships with students have been mixed, Furnas says that they’ve all influenced him, from the editors who really demanded his time, to the students that did not like him, and

to the students who he is friends with now. Having been a speaker at the JEA/NSPA convention at Washington D.C. last fall, Furnas now finds himself far more involved in the JEA, as he is the new executive director of the JEA. Though he did not think he would get the job, like with the Virginia Tech job he could not pass up the opportunity. “It was one of those destination dream jobs,” said Furnas. With the job came the opportunity to be involved in a great organization, and to be an assistant professor at Kansas State University. But even more importantly, the job gives Furnas an even greater opportunity to help journalism and guide students. “[It’s a] position that combines everything I’m passionate about,” Furnas said.

Wirt has spent lifetime devoted to journalism Lauren Martin advertising manager Wilma Wirt, retired journalism professor of Virginia Commonwealth University believes journalism is what you make of it. Wirt strongly believes journalism should be using the information you report to make a difference in the lives of others. “My greatest inspiration was my high school journalism teacher. He was a Comanche Indian who taught me journalism was not only about providing information but providing help to others facing issues in their lives,” Wirt said. After being an editor throughout high school, Wirt went on to Central State University in Oklahoma where she served as the editor of the newspaper. Wirt’s years of journalistic leadership led to her obtaining a job at The Daily Oklahoman while in college.

“After college, I went to work as a reporter for the Washington Post. During this time I married my now ex-husband and we moved back to Oklahoma to cover whatever stories we could for The Daily Oklahoman,” Wirt said. Wirt worked as an editor for various newspapers before she began teaching and became the head of the journalism department at her alma mater, Central State. She finished her graduate degree at the University of Texas- Austin and soon after was hired at Virginia Commonwealth where she taught for nineteen years. “When I retired, there were several stories written about me from various sources. The thing I consider my greatest success, however, was when I went to teach at UT El Paso, the journalism students and the English students didn’t speak to one another. I started a program to have the English department work with the newspaper and my students,” Wirt said. “The

key was to create a program in which students could have that new experience.” As a collegiate educator, Wirt’s experiences with her journalism students were vast and wonderful. She describes her students as “superior”. Wirt’s students can be found on almost every major publication in the country. She also won the JEA Citation Award in 2003 for her significant scholastic attribution to the journalism department at VCU. However, that is not where her pride lies. “[My students] have taught me everything. I’m most proud of their ability to accept me and that they have reinforced what my journalism teacher taught me—that journalism is a sharing relationship. If I don’t share, they don’t learn. If they don’t share, I don’t teach. My goal has been the newspaper should not only keep others informed but whatever information conveyed should be to help society,” Wirt said.

Jamestown adviser has learned alongside students for years Ali Byrd

staff reporter

hy journalism? I started teaching journalism because we were a new high school and my principal asked me if I would do it (drafted basically). I thought I knew more than what I did know. It was fun learning along with the student. Just sitting down there and working with them. Helping them with questions or rewriting a lead. Im glad I got drafted. It was very rewarding. What’s been the most rewarding experience you’ve ever had? I loved being with the students. The most rewarding experience is when the students come back to see me imparticular because of the newspaper and there is a great network of Eagle Eye staffers..everybody knows everybody..they all keep in touch.…I hear from people I haven’t heard from in years. Tell me about your favorite journalism trip. We took the kids up to Philly to the JEA/NSPA convention. It was a lot of fun. We take the kids every year along with Lafayette and the students have gone to D.C. to the Newseum. That field trip has been a lot of fun and they just get really excited about journalism after visiting. Who are your journalism role models? I would say Walter Kronkite- he was the most trusted man in America, so I would say I really admire him and I really admire Bob Schieffer because I’ve read a couple of books by him. I think I admire those journalists

because they had integrity. What piece of advice would you give other advisers? I would say the best advice is to sit down and learn with the students. Do journalism with the students and train your editors. Usually things go pretty well. Train editors to step up and take leadership roles and not let them be scared to boss around their peers. Describe a funny event that took

place in your journalism room. We watch Shattered Glass every semester and the kids have seen it a million times and we all know the dialogue by heart and everyone gets really into it. What role do parents play on your staff? Well, we don’t have a POPS but I think the parents are very supportive of their student journalists and of me the adviser just wanting th kids to do well.

They are appreciative of all the hard work we put into the publication. And they will buy subscriptions. What’s the coolest thing(s) decorating your publication room? I didn’t have a publication room until last year. This year they are putting up the flags of all the newspaper we’ve done throughout the years.

Lesson planning. Jamestown adviser Jeanne Hobbs, Waynesboro adviser Laura Riggan and Stafford adviser Sue Gill work together at jCamp to develop lesson plans for their respective journalism programs. Advisers travelled from around Virginia to learn from fellow journalism teachers. Photo by Valerie Kibler

Mississippi Press Association Director Beth Fitts loves her job Savanah Cary business manager

What is your favorite aspect of journalism? Teaching and print journalism. Why is it important that students are involved in journalism? It is the best course to prepare students for anything they choose to do, particularly writing and people skills Why is journalism important to you? It has helped me to teach something that students believe is exciting, relevant, and it makes me feel more productive. Tell me about one student who changed your life or rocked your world. Steven. He was one of the best editors I ever had. He took what I taught him and then dug deeper for example if you taught him to interview he would choose the hard ones he took journalism outside the classroom. He was the student who nominated me for the Dow Jones Award. All of my students are special and they want to make stuff that made a difference in their lives. How did you first get into journalism?God put me in it. I have a masters in English, and the principal at my school said you have to teach journalism. Eventually I went back to get my masters in journalism. Started of as just something I was gonna do and it became the love of my life. What was the best story you ever read, why? The best story in the high school paper, it changed the identity of the paper, was students going undercover into bars. Students began to read more often, it was a turning point for the paper. The story was about the problem with alcohol in high school because we live in a college town. There is a lot of OleMiss party influence so we got permission releases from the police and others and tried to get into every bar, and they did get into all but one! The story we did was used to get this system changed. What skills have you learned through journalism? People skills, confidence, the view of raising the bar to help kids be the best they can be, uncover a world that students had never seen before, it is just so neat! Where do you teach and how long have you been teaching? 27 years, 5 years Oxford High School, Ole Miss scholastic press director. What was the greatest honor/ award you have recieved? National Journalism Teacher of the Year. It is so neat that somebody noticed that you were trying to make a difference. Teaching is the best profession ever if you want to make a difference.

Gill remains passionate about journalism after years in classroom Emily Knupp staff reporter What influenced you to choose your journalistic career path? I switched into journalism from teaching English when the journalism teacher left. Briefly describe your most rewarding experience related to journalism. The response I get after graduation and the students go on to college. Who are your journalistic role models?Alan Weintrout and Wilma Wirt A bit of wisdom you would give to a journalism adviser? Do not walk into it without experience on a good paper. Find someone who has done it before, and who is willing to help you (i.e. conferences, classes etc.) What is/are the most random thing(s) decorating you publication room? An Otis Spunkmeyer cookie cut out hanging from the ceiling. All of my kids who go off to college send me a bumper sticker and we stick them along the top of the wall to form a border and starting this year students will decorate one ceiling tile What is your staff’s favorite food to eat while working on a deadline?Pizza (They have a deal with Domino’s)

The Newsstreak

Teacherswith October 22, 2010

Sipos learned by doing

Passion F

These first few pages tell stories of some of the most passionate journalism teachers and administrators in the U.S., but it is by no means all inclusive. Read many more stories on www.newsstreak.com

An interview with Robin Sawyer of First Flight High School, North Carolina

Paulina Rendon

style editor

hat have your students taught you throughout your career? Well, I would say my students taught me a lot about the need to be a lifelong learner, if you stop learning you’ll be useless. That, what we do is ever-changing and relevant even when they don’t necessarily think it is. Why do you take kids to conventions? Going to conventions is the best way for students to see just how much they are alike other students from often thousands of miles away. Where we live we live on the Outer Banks, it’s kind of a remote community really and some of my kids don’t really go places. For them to go to a national journalism convention is exposure beyond this comfortable little community they live in. The primary reason is they need exposure to other journalism teachers beyond myself. It’s not only to teach them new things, but reaffirms what they learn from me. It often brings them back more excited to learn from me. Why teach journalism? Honestly because of my high school journalism teacher. I wanted to be just like her. I have a passion for news that I’ve had since I was a little girl. I love news. Im absolutely passionate about news and when I met my high school journalism teacher she fueled that passion and showed me how important it was for it to thrive, to not only show the good things but also to expose the bad things, not to sensationalize it but how to fix it. She did it with so much love and concern and passion and excitement and joy, and I wanted to be just like her (Marie Harris, Dan River High School). Describe the funniest thing that ever happened to you that involved your journalism kids. 20 years. I don’t know if this qualifies- it is funny but it isn’t. My first year of being a journalism teacher, we had so little. It was 1991 and we had like one computer. Getting a newspaper out was a tremendous struggle, you couldn’t even imagine it. We had to get it to the printers Thursday morning. If we didn’t get it on Thursday, we wouldn’t get it back until after Christmas, and it was full of

Christmas stuff. My two editors lived 30 minutes away and neither drove. They could stay at my house because I live two minutes away. I begged my students to give up and it was 1 a.m. They wouldn’t leave until it was done. We had the windows open to let air in, trying to stay awake. At 5:30 a.m. we heard a car door slam. My husband hollered “Have you lost your mind?” My kids looked at me like ‘oh my gosh we’re all in so much trouble. My first thought was “If my husband’s here, my two year old daughter is at home by herself.” “Where’s my baby?” “At home in the bed. I gotta go to the car sale.” We grabbed our things and headed over to my house. My husband didn’t even speak to us and left. One of the kids sat up in the chair and one slept on my sofa for two hourse until we had to go back to school. We got the paper done though - we Robin were young and foolish Sawyer, but we had the newspaJournalper before Christmas. ism adviThe principal wanted sor of First to see me and he said, Flight HS “I know you stayed last night. All I want to know is were there any boys in this room too?” He continued, “Ok. I guess I can defend you and two girls, not boys. You look like hell. Go home!” That’s just the life of a teacher. Tell about your proudest moment in journalism. On a personal level – I was the (DJNF) journalism teacher in 2000. That would be the proudest because to receive that honor and recognition with so many great journalism teachers – humbling and exciting at the same time. The other proudest moments – winning a Pacemaker in 1998. We were the first newspaper in NC to win a Pacemaker. We were a small school. We were a small staff. We are two hours from a 4-year university. Every single time we put out a newspaper, I’m proud. I don’t know if I can weigh one proud against the other. They work so hard, and get so little credit. It kills me because my kids work so hard and give up so much to do a good job and do a good newspaper. That makes me proud.

I have had a passion for news that I’ve had since I was a little girl. I love news.

jCampin’! Robin Sawyer instructs students in her Newspaper 101 class at jCamp at Virginia Tech. Sawyer was the Dow Jones Newspaper Fund’s Teacher of the Year in 2000. Photo by Valerie Kibler.

Heather Hunter-Nickels Special Edition B3

Jack Burden online managing editor

ormer McLean High School journalism adviser Becky Sipos didn’t choose journalism, journalism chose her. “McLean High School had an enrollment decline, and cut my job as an English teacher, but I could stay on staff if I taught journalism, so I took the job,” Sipos said. After becoming a journalism adviser, Sipos attended conferences and studied journalistic writing and strategies, learning from such mentors as Bobby Hawthorne,

It’s all worth it. Becky Sipos teaches a session during an Intensive Journalistic Writing Institute in Washington, D.C. Sipos advised the newspaper at McLean High School before retiring. Photo by Valerie Kibler.

Jack Kennedy, and Carol Lange. As she improved in the field, she noticed her students writing improving as well. Sipos has since had many experiences that have made her teaching worthwhile. Once, on a trip to a conference in Indiana, a speaker pulled up an example of a good newspaper, showing the papers front page. Right there on the page was an article written by a former student of hers. But chance occurrences are not the only rewarding experiences for Sipos. “I love seeing creativity, love seeing the newspaper distributed in the school and students reading it,” Sipos said. Sipos and her staff have attended many conferences, especially those run by JEA ( Journalism Education Association) and NSPA (National Scholastic Press Association). “My favorite had to be one of the ones in San Francisco. One of them had a really powerful keynote speaker, and we got to go on cool trips to places like Muir Woods,” Sipos said. During Sipos career in journalism, Sipos taught many students who have stood out in her mind. She remembers many because they found their niche in journalism, but some individuals have stuck out for other reasons. “One student took journalism freshman year, and almost didn’t pass. He liked to write, so I had him writing a column. He signed up for journalism again the next year, even though I didn’t really want him to. So he continued writing the column, and got a lot better by graduation; after all, he wrote a column once a week for four years. He actually ended up winning awards,” Sipos said. Sipos has some advice for other advisers. “You should empower students, stress ethics and excellence, let students have freedoms. It can’t be the teacher’s paper, it has to be the students running it.”

Puntney retires from JEA position Xuyi Guo

money, so he got his rifle and held up the store for $4.67. It was juvenile jail or comstaff reporter munity college. It was a kick to see Tim figure out that he would rather contribute to hy journalism? I enjoyed the world than beat it up. He became editor writing. My sophomore Eng- of a Kansas newspaper. lish teacher inspired me. My What are you most proud of (in your JEA Mother suggested I’d be a career)? I’m really proud of the way the better teacher. Teaching journalism is sort organization has grown.” Membership has of like coaching in a very large sense – you doubled, the national conference has grown get close to the students, see a product. in size as well. Covering the Unimaginable: What’s been the most rewarding experi- started with Columbine. Helps students ence you’ve ever had? There’s a thrill that I when they are most vulnerable. Creating a think is hard to surpass when a publication mentoring program: comes out and students hooks a less experisee their work in print. enced teacher with a Now there’s not just retired teacher to learn. print but also broadAll the work the orgacasting. Just seeing the nization has done to thrill and the pride that protect students’ right students have when to free expression. they see their work How is the state of published. It doesn’t journalism in Amerhappen just once. ica both professional Tell me about your and scholastic? Probfavorite journalism ably at its most excittrip. When we took 27 ing maybe in all its high school journalism history. Never know teachers to Austria. what will happen. Can and studied reporting, offer immediacy and design, in Prague, Vi- A quick break. JEA director Linda accuracy: Internet. enna. Puntney takes a quick break to catch We’re at the threshold Who are your jour- up on her phone messages during of something new and nalism role models? the 2009 D.C. convention. Puntney different and really, Harry Smith: broad- retired from her job this summer. really exciting. I don’t caster, down to earth, Photo by Valerie Kibler. think journalism will all about accuracy and ever go away. I don’t reporting the everyday as well as telling even think print will go away. When there’s the stories of the big news maker. Walter so much going on, we are in a critical state Cronkite: he was everyone’s hero when it when it comes to journalism ethics. It’s easy comes to reporting accurately to get info that’s not reliable. It’s more imMy husband: started as paper editor, com- portant than ever that journalism teachers munity journalism. Barbara Walters: pretty focus on journalism ethics. decent interviewer – can make people talk What power do advisers have to influence when they don’t want to. kids to see a journalism career? I think What piece of advice would you give to that every teacher wants to make a differother advisors? Teach them. Train them. ence in someones life. Share the embarrassTrust them. ment and joy of publication. Give students Describe one student that really changed a voice. your life or rocked your world. Tim Flow- What’s the coolest thing decorating your ers: he was the son of a doctor in Wichita, publication room? We decorate the tiles. Kansas. Came to community college. He Every editor, photo editor, and D.V.D. ediwas there by court order. He had held up tor work together to decorate a ceiling tile. a 7-11 store; He had been hunting, went to buy some stuff for $4.67 but forgot his

Lange has been journalism pioneer for years Xuyi Guo

staff reporter

arol Lange is a self-described “backdoor into journalism person.” Now retired, she began her journey into teaching as a yearbook adviser, teaching a photo journalism class, which for Lange was a creative outlet. In addition to the yearbook, Lange ran a literary magazine after school for 26 years, yielding numerous plaques and awards that now adorn their publication room wall. Having taken her first journalism class as a junior is high school, it was not until after 20 years of teaching that Lange got back into journalism (in the sense of a newspaper). Through her whole career, Lange has been committed to helping her students, peers, and journalism as a whole advance and succeed. Every day both in the classroom and after school working on the literary magazine with her students was a rewarding experience for Lange. “There was never a day I hated going to school,” Lange said.

Not only has Lange been an adviser for high school students, but she has been a mentor for other teachers around the state of Virginia, the nation, and even the world. Lange was a pioneer of the intensive journalistic writing approach: a strategy that does not use traditional classroom essay forms, such as a persuasive essay, but instead uses journalistic counterparts, such as an opinion column, which is often more interesting and practical. She helped other teachers learn to apply this method during the summer intensive journalistic writing institute. Helping other teachers was Lange’s main motivation for starting the Virginia Association of Journalism Teachers and Advisers (VAJTA). “I felt that VHSL offered opportunities for students but really wasn’t there - at least at the time - offering training for new teachers and advisers,” Lange said. New teachers needed to have a support group and the VAJTA would be it. In a field where teachers are not abundant, having a support group is a valuable asset to teacher retention.

“If a teacher lasted more than three years as a journalism teacher or publication adviser, that person might stay in the profession,” Lange said. Beyond the scope of Virginia, Lange has been a major influence on journalism education nationally. She has chaired three national JEA ( Journalism Education Association) conventions in Washington D.C. Each took over a year and a half of planning, and in particular the 1998 convention meant a lot to Lange. “We topped 5000 [attendees] that year,” Lange said. “Just so much came together.” Lange has developed a Chinese journalism project, which has become one the most meaningful experiences she has had. The proposal took over four years to get approved by the United States and then it had to be approved by the Chinese. Lange and her associates were able to start the first journalism classes in the province and now the Chinese high schools will be collaborating with high schools in the U.S., particularly Rockville High School and Annandale High School.

And the winner is...For her outstanding teaching and service to scholastic journalism, Lange accepts the Carl Towley award, the organization’s highest honor, from JEA Director Linda Puntney. Photo by Valerie Kibler.

The Newsstreak

October 22, 2010

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The Newsstreak

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The Newsstreak

October 22, 2010

Every strong journalism program usually has the support of a great administration. When principals believe in the importance of the first amendment as well as the importance of teaching young reporters responsibility, scholastic journalism thrives in high schools.

Heubach understands importance of scholastic journalism applied for a job at HHS, the curriculum was expanding, and journalism was one such class. She had origibusiness manager nally applied for a job as an English teacher, but Heubach could tell from the beginning that Kibler could do hen John Heubach became principal of more. Harrisonburg High School in 1991, there “When we first interviewed Valerie, I immediately was only one assistant principal and the thought ‘we have got to get her!’,” Heubach said. “It was staff and student body was less than a evident from the interview that she had the energy and third of the size it is now. The journalism program was leadership to succeed in any position she taught, and small, producing only about a four to eight page paper, that she was confident and willing to learn.” but after Valerie Kibler took over in 1998 everything Heubach continued to praise Kibler by stating that about the journalism program began to grow. she is passionate about journalism and understands “Student interest grew, classes were needed to teach what constitutes good journalism. Kibler is a neutral it, and even though Valerie started as an English teacher, observer that does not press her views on other people, she eventually taught all newspaper classes,” Heubach and she is a leader with a vision and clear communicasaid. “Not only did student interest grow, but commu- tion skills. Based on her outstanding performance, Heunity participation grew, the amount of money needed bach agrees that she deserves winning National Journaland produced by the paper grew and the size of the pa- ism teacher of the year by the Dow Jones Fund. per grew.” “The publication speaks for itself, its content is relHeubach understands the importance of journalism evant, it is an established part of our community and of in high school and in our country as a whole. Not only our school,” Heubach said. “It continues to garner indoes it offer great opportunities in the classroom, but it terest and that’s what playing a role in successful paper also offers opportunities to go on trips and learn from does, people want to come in and be a part of it.” other students from around the country who are also inThe role that the volved in journalism. school newspaper plays “The role that jourin the community is nalism plays to inform also important to Heuin a democracy is imbach. He is proud that portant. Freedom of the publication is an acspeech is the founcurate reflection of the dation on which our interests of the students country was founded of the school. and you are never too “The newspaper is young to start being a a window for the compart of that system,” munity to see what hapHeubach said. “The pens in high school afprinted word is endurter their kid graduates,” ing whereas the oral Heubach said. “They word can be misintercan still keep up and be John Heubach- Mr.Heubach talks to students during an Engpreted or forgotten.” proud of their school When Kibler first lish class. Photo from 1992 TAJ yearbook. through the paper.”

Savanah Cary

Reynolds has always been supportive of Harrisonburg paper Maggie Siciliano

staff reporter

lthough Principal Irene Reynolds may have said she was more of a reader than a writer in high school, that does not mean she thinks it is okay for her students to miss out on writing opportunities, especially when it comes to journalism and having strong journalism publications in schools. “It enriches the culture, and gives the students opportunities to learn new skills and come together with a common interest,” said Reynolds. She also felt it could be used as a bonding tool and an easy way to share ideas and events. Reynolds seemed to think our journalism program was a great way to bring people together, and not

just in our school. The Newsstreak staff have had the opportunity to go on many trips around the state and country, and it is a way to share and tell opinions on a national scale. “[These trips are where] the students can meet other students, it extends the bond outside of school, and the students can learn new skills and techniques,” Reynolds said, “They are able to have their own publication critiqued, and it sharpens the interests and skills.” Reynolds has been on quite of few of these trip, she enjoyed the workshops and sightseeing, and said she learned to appreciate the hard work that goes into each publication. “[Writing skills are very important because] it’s a way to communicate one’s thoughts and feelings in a very challenging medium. I have great respect for those who can do it well,” Reynolds conveyed. But what makes her most proud of our Newsstreak staff and the paper is that the students are so dedicated and how they are conscientious of their audience. She is also proud of the way our publication is a representation of what the student body looks like, how the students have the desire to make it better year after year, and the quality of the students’ work. Newsstreak students seem to strive hard to be there best and it translates into other areas as well, not just the newspaper: HHS alumnae Tricia Comfort and Emma DiNapoli both won awards in Outstanding Leadership, and Outstanding SCA Officer, respectively. After being a supporter of the Newsstreak while she has been principal, Reynolds said she did have an article she thought of as memorable, “[My favorite was] the one about drama when they won states, it was very exciting, a big deal.”

Christine Choi- Special Edition B6

Questions with Mary Strickler Mary Strickler teaches an honors English 11 class along with the yearbook journalism classes.

Proudest moment in Knowing Journalism?

that some of my kids have gone on to do great things with writing. It’s all about the power of words. For example I have one student who moved to Nevada and works in publishing, one works designing for coca-cola. These kids have gone on to do spectacular things, and it all started in a little journalism room.They with fell in love with the writing or designing process. I feel so proud to have touched their lives, I was one little pinky in the process. Best Trip you’ve been on? Well, New York is always great. There’s always a little side adventure on each trip that’s memorable. There have been plenty of bad experiences, and yet we keep doing them! Funny moment? Valerie and I used to team teach when we were at the old high school. There were so many people that we met in the cafeteria, which had round collapsible tables. I was wearing a nice outfit, and I sat on one of the tables. The table collapsed, and my legs flew up in the shape of a V, my skirt went up to my underwear. That was the most embarrassing moment of my life. Valerie was crying laughing. Why is journalism important? It’s an art form. It’s a means of communication, it’s who we are, it’s vital to our society, and it’s the most basic way of communicating with others. It how we express our thoughts, meanings, and feelings. Words are the basic foundation, and journalism builds upon it. When you can be affected by something you’ve read, you know you’ve hit your mark. I’m inspired by what my students write, they have power and confidence. Difficult thing about teaching? Not enough time in the day. I could have class for four hours. It’s hard to have kids commit can stretch their lives so many ways.

Q and A with Seth Stratford Seth Stratford heads the broadcasting class which makes the daily morning announcements. Stratford also teaches introduction to technology as well as introduction and advanced broadcasting classes.

Why did you decide to teach broadcasting? I had

some experience with it in high school, there wasn’t a brocasting program, but there was an audio visual program. Our morning announcements were done live, my friends did sports, I did a little weather segment. I did it in High school and thought it’d be fun to do here. I enjoy the journalism side of it, which we don’t get to do very often. The majority of news people get is from the T.V. and internet. It’s important that every student knows how to be media literate. It’s good to know the basic process of it, and be able to see from the informations they’re given, what might be missing. What is your proudest Moment in Journalism?How well some of the students do at the SIPA conference with the products, and videos they produce. We have a ways to go as far as news stories, but overall I think we’re appreciated by the student body. What’s a funny story? The joke that we played on Loughran. (So this was a very long story, but in short The Italian flag that was supposed to hang in the cafeteria was missing. Loughran blamed Mr.Anitonnacola as a joke, but they framed Mr. Loughran as the one who ‘stole’ the Italian flag by planting it in his room.) We did it like an actual news story. Mr.Eye and Mrs.Renyolds searched his room, we interviewed people. Catching his reaction on tape was priceless. What advice would you give to a new teacher? Take it slow, meaning the first year don’t try to do too much. The first year at HHS we tried to do way too much. Kibler helped me get to conventions and conferences, where I got lots of ideas and information. I tried to do a lot more than was really feasible. It’s been suggested that you start doing the announcements once a week, and work up. Just take it slow, or you will burn out. Why is journalism so important? It is central to a free society. For our liberties not to be infringed upon we need a free press. The founding fathers saw that and implemented it. People need to be literate enough to know how to use that press. In broadcasting you rarely get the full story. You have to go beyond the TV, especially with national TV. People and channels are biased, which could change the information. It’s better to watch a variety of channels to keep the press honest, and avoid monopolies, which is very important.

Practical advice to build a great relationship with administrators Achieving the most positive educational experience for everyone involved – students, advisers, administrators and community – is really simple. And it does not involve control or stripping the educational value of student media. Here are some suggestions: • Hiring the most qualified educator to teach and advise your scholastic media or helping one without solid journalism background become more knowledgeable; • Trusting and respecting those educator advisers as well as their student media editors and staff as the students make difficult decisions  (and sometimes make mistakes); • Maintaining dialogue and offering feedback with advisers and student editors so they understand school administrator concerns, but where students understand that they have a real voice in the debate and have the freedom to excel. Organizations that support these values, including the Journalism Education Association and others, stand ready to help administrators, advisers and student journalists with training opportunities, curricular materials and ongoing dialogue to keep them current on what’s happening in these important fields. For more information on

those groups: • Journalism Education Association www.jea.org JEA is the only independent national scholastic journalism organization for teachers and advisers. It supports free and responsible scholastic journalism by providing resources and educational opportunities, by promoting professionalism, by encouraging and rewarding student excellence and teacher achievement, and by fostering an atmosphere that encompasses diversity yet builds unity. It offers a voluntary teacher certification program plus the Summer Adviser Institute and two national conventions a year, co-sponsored with the National Scholastic Press Association. • Center for Scholastic Journalism http://jmc.kent.edu/csj CSJ is a national clearinghouse with information for and about student journalists and their advisers, a research center on issues affecting scholastic media, an educator of journalism teachers and an advocate for student press freedom and the First Amendment. • National Scholastic Press Association http://www.studentpress.org/nspa/ NSPA offers two national conventions with JEA, a summer workshop, national critiques and teaching ma-

terials for teachers, advisers and students. • JEA Scholastic Press Rights Commission http://jeapressrights.org and http://jeasprc. org JEA’s Scholastic Press Rights Commission offers teaching materials in law and ethics with an emphasis on free and responsible journalism and up-to-date information to enhance teacher information and leadership abilities. The links are to a website and blog. • Student Press Law Center http://splc.org The Student Law Center is an advocate for student free press rights and provides information, advice and legal assistance at no charge to students and the educators who work with them. • Newspaper Association of America Foundation http:// www.naafoundation.org The Newspaper Association of America Foundation strives to develop engaged and literate citizens in a diverse society. The Foundation invests in and supports programs designed to enhance student achievement through newspaper readership and appreciation of the First Amendment. NAAF also supports research and has funded the repeat of a national study by Prof. Jack Dvorak of In-

diana University entitled, “High School Journalism Matters.” It provides evidence to support the value of student media work as students who have participated clearly earn better high school grades, outscore their peers on college entrance exams and earn higher grades in college writing courses than those who were not involved in student media. http://www.naafoundation.org/ Research/Foundation/StudentJournalism.aspx • First Amendment Center http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org The First Amendment Center is a clearinghouse for comprehensive research coverage of key First Amendment issues and topics, daily First Amendment news, commentary and analyses by respected legal specialists. It also has a First Amendment library of legal cases and related materials. • Five Freedoms http://www. fivefreedoms.org The Five Freedoms network is a nationwide community of educators, students and citizens who support the five freedoms of the First Amendment. Its projects and mission focus on enhancing the educational strength of the First Amendment. • High School Journalism http://hsj.org High School Jour-

nalism is offered by the American Society of News Editors and offers lessons plans, articles and advice from commercial journalists and a wide variety of educational materials. It also offers six free, two-week summer workshops for new adviser/teachers and those wishing to gain additional information. The workshops are at six universities around the country • Quill and Scroll http://www. uiowa.edu/~quill-sc/ Quill and Scroll is the International Honorary Society for High School Journalists and sponsors contests, scholarships and educational materials for students and advisers • Columbia Scholastic Press Association http://cspa.columbia.edu/ CSPA offers contests and critiques, a large national spring convention and a fall workshop for advisers, teachers and students. It also has a strong adviser organization. • Friends of the Spoke http:// www.friendsofthespoke.org/ Friends_of_The_Spoke.html Friends of the Spoke is a studentdesigned and -run website, conceived to convince a school board not to adopt prior review. It succeeded. Reprinted with written permission from original author Candace Perkins Bowen, Assistant Professor, Kent State University

The Newsstreak

October 22, 2010

Paulina Rendon- Special EditionB7

Q & A with alumni Anderson sisters acquire life skills through journalism

Describe your adviser in one word: KIBLERIAN! -Alex Rendon

What is the first thing you think of when I say high school journalism? Family is the first thing that pops in my head. I did journalism my freshman, junior and senior years. To me, it was a place where a bunch of random people became friends by working together and got to know each other. It was one of the best classes I took in high school. -Pam Perez Describe the best journalism trip you ever took in high school. I only took one trip and that was to NYC for a Journalism Conference at Columbia. It was such a unique trip getting to meet all these other students from all over sharing one thing, journalism. Also, all the fun things that came along with the trip, getting to see Wicked which I still have the entire soundtrack memorized and just shopping and getting to know everyone. -Hannah Norton What was the best story you ever wrote in journalism class and why? My favorite story I wrote was during my senior year as the food page editor. Smoothie King had just opened in Harrisonburg so I decided to make smoothies the theme for my page. For my main article I decided to write about the grand opening of the new local business which just so happens to be one of my favorite places. During my entire interview with the owner, he was constantly blending up different smoothies for me to taste test. I think by the end of the hour I had sampled over 20 different varieties of their fruity concoctions! -Jessica Dombrowski Tell me about a friend you made in journalism that you might not have made otherwise and how do you still keep in touch? He’s a celebrity now, but Josh Sundquist was a year (I think) behind me and on staff at the Newsstreak. I would love to take some credit for what he has accomplished. We were certainly friends back then because of Newsstreak – we were in different classes and did not know each other through sports. Honestly, when you’re high school age, you may not have the ability to see beyond the outside of a person, and I’m certain that when I first got a look at Josh I saw that he was missing a leg and that was it. Thanks to the Newsstreak, I found out that he was missing nothing – he had determination, quick wit, love of life, you name it. He hasn’t changed, as far as I can tell. I’m happy he is impacting so many people’s lives, but, as tends to happen after high school, we do not keep in touch. -Preston Knight What is something you learned in journalism class you would not have learned in a normal English class? I learned interviewing skills and I was really shy my freshman year and it helped me come out and grow as a person and talk more openly. That has helped me all through college, and I had to talk to a lot of business owners for ads and speaking with grownups and being professional. It also really helped with my creativity because I learned how to use Photoshop which was one of my favorite things to do and I still use it. I wouldn’t have had the chance to learn that in any other class. -Heather Douglas Why were you known as the “fontaholic”? I would download different available fonts and get creative with them because I didn’t like how all the pages just used Times New Roman. So I used a multitude of fonts on my page. When the paper was sent to the DNR to be printed, they didn’t carry the fonts and my page looked really funny. It was a learning experience. - Tarpley Ashworth Interviews done by: Paulina Rendon, Simona Byler, Alex Hickman, Michael Johnson, Shane McMahan, and Jake Durden. Check www.newsstreak.com for the full stories.

Journalism at HHS is often a family affair where multiple members of a given family have taken the course. This page focuses on a few of the families who have had multiple siblings survive. See www.newsstreak. com for more family stories.

When I say high school journalism class to you, what’s the first thing that comes to your mind? Becky Anderson: Penton. She’s awesome. But it’s still a challenge. Molly Anderson: Ms. Penton. I guess the majority of my friendships, and where the majority of my writing skills came from. Emily Anderson: Professional. We were held to high standards. But I guess there are a lot of things; relationships, the technology, and

resources. What was the best story you ever wrote in journalism class and why? Becky: The best story I ever wrote was on ESL students. I interviewed someone outside of school, it was my first really good interview. Molly: The story about Our Community Place, I guess you would call it a soup kitchen. It’s a place for people who don’t have anywhere else to go. I went and interviewed the guy who runs the whole thing, I took pictures, and went and got a meal, it was really great. Emily: It was probably my final project where I had to make my own front page. I did it on a girl who went to Europe and met this boy, and they started a long-distance relationship.

Tell me about a friend you Describe something you learned in journalism class that you still use in your life, regardless of whether or not you’re a journalist. Becky: I learned the importance of being competent. I guess when I started I was really shy, but Penton kept on pushing me to get out there and go interview. I had more confidence and I learned social skills. Molly: Interview skills were really crucial. When I was a freshman, and really awkward and nervous, I was really scared to talk to other older high schoolers. One of my first interviews was with an older football player, but I had to do it. It really helped me develop social skills. Emily: I learned a lot of real world skills. I had to format a

lot and I still use that. Why would you recommend that a student take journalism in high school? Becky: It helps your writing skills a lot. That’s what got me through college. Plus there was learning how to take criticism. You also got to take really cool trips and a lot of opportunities. I would say that the class really furthered my interest in writing. Molly: Ms. Penton is one of the best teachers I ever had. I learned so much from her, not just about writing, but life. Her room was always somewhere I could go. Definitely the relationships I made. It was just a place you could just go and talk. Interviews conducted by Luke Stephan

Multiple Meyerhoeffers pass through journalism class Peter Byrd

every time someone squeezed the bear. The noise we recorded was an obnoxious staff reporter goat noise because it was an inside joke at the time. Last time I checked the bear hree members of the Mey- was still in her room,” Cathleen said. erhoeffer family greatly conCarla and Drew reflected on their tributed to the journalism favorite stories that they wrote during class at Harrisonburg High their high school journalism career. School. Carla was a year older than her “My favorite story was one I did on sister Cathleen, but they gang related both began Newsstreak violence. It at the same time. Their was interestyounger brother Drew ing because of joined journalism class the research his freshman year, also involved. It Cathleen’s senior year of also applied high school. to our school Drew described the and I got to infirst thing that came to terview gang his mind when the word m e m b e r s ,” journalism was menCarla said. tioned. “The first thing “I’m not I think of when thinking sure which about Newsstreak is not story of mine writing a story, taking was most impictures, or laying out my pressive, but page. I think (and miss) Prom night! Drew Meyerhoeffer and I specifically the personality of my Haley Simmons enjoy prom. Photo by r e m e m b e r teacher, Ms. Penton. She Valerie Kibler one that chalhad the ability to turn an lenged me the ordinary day or event into most. I wrote something funny,” Drew said. a story about a comedy athletic team of Cathleen and Drew described their little people who played basketball. I favorite trips that they took through was kind of forced by Penton to go and journalism class throughout their high interview a little person who attended school career. our school. I talked to him about his “The best journalism trip I ever took opinions on the event. I was so nervous was to Columbia, South Carolina. Not about offending him in any way that it only was the city great, I probably got was difficult for me to get the story I was more out of that journalism trip than looking for. The story taught me to man any other. I focused on classes that up and ask the questions that needed to talked about things I struggled with in be asked. He was in no way offended by the course. They may not have been my questions or the manner in which I the most interesting sessions ever, but I asked them. This was the most memodefinitely came back with more knowl- rable story to me because of the lessons edge about the interview process and I learned and the confidence I gained,” InDesign. Those were two of my biggest Drew said. weaknesses because I enjoyed focusing Carla and Cathleen explained the on photography more so than text and most important things they learned in layout ideas,” Drew said. Newsstreak. “We went to Richmond for a con“I learned the most important thing ference. At the Short Pump mall my from journalism class was meeting deadfriends and I went into the Build-a-Bear lines that impact more than just yourself. store. We only had enough money to If you can’t meet the deadlines, you are buy one bear so we bought it for Penton. screwing everyone over, not just yourWe dressed it in a bikini and recorded self,” Carla said. a noise that would play over and over “Communication skills, conversation

skills, and technical skills with PhotoShop and layouts,” Cathleen said. Cathleen and Carla talked about their experiences of taking journalism class together. “Even though my sister is a year older I joined Newsstreak first. I would say I influenced my siblings to join,” Cathleen said. “Cathleen and I started at the same time. I was the oldest so I decided to do it on my own. At home we worked together on layouts because we only had one computer,” Carla said. Carla and Drew described something that they learned in journalism class that they still use today. “Journalism class helped the most for college for a number of reasons. It was independently run, you had a lot of responsibility, and you had to meet deadlines,” Carla said. “I use my Photoshop skills all the time. Ever since my mom bought a fairly nice Canon camera. I have been interested in photography as a simple hobby. I can not imagine having some of the finished products I have achieved without Photoshop,” Drew said. Drew and Cathleen talked about friends they made that they probably wouldn’t have made if they did not take Newsstreak. “Through journalism I met Pam Perez. We were in the same grade and had several classes together but really only came close because of Newsstreak. After that we talked a lot in some of our classes. We both go to different colleges so we mostly keep in touch through things like Facebook. One thing that was great about the Newsstreak classroom is that I felt I could talk to anyone in the class. I might not have been great friends with everyone, but there was an understanding because we were comfortable with each other,” Drew said. “I became good friends with Tarpley and Sean. They became two of my best friends and we called ourselves “The Triangle”. We visit each other in college to keep in touch,” Cathleen said. Newsstreak for the Meyerhoeffers was a time of working to put together newspapers, learning news things, meeting new people, and having fun.

Germans recall rollar coaster emotions of Newsstreak Michael Johnson sports editor

fter graduation, students have to take what they have learned in school and apply it to try and get a job. Some classes are very helpful doing this and journalism is a class that has helped two brothers. Justin and Aaron German both took high school journalism. “Without a doubt the first thing that comes to mind when I think of journalism class is Ms. Penton and all the great people I was able to work with. Certainly being a part of the Newsstreak had a huge impact on me and the rest of the staff was the biggest part of that,” Justin said. Interpersonal communication skills are the most important thing that he was able to develop from high school journalism. He still uses it today. “I know it can be intimidating for students to interview people (other students and adults) they wouldn’t talk to otherwise, and in my case having to do those types of interviews really helped make it easier to communicate with people and that has helped me invariably both personally and professionally. Similarly, working every day with Ms. Penton and the rest of the staff in the management of

the paper is something that has translated pretty directly to how I communicate with my colleagues every day at work,” Justin said. Journalism class helped him make new friends in high school that he most likely would not have made without it. “Someone I might not have been friends with otherwise is Alex Truong, who was co-editor on the paper with me my senior year. Alex was great to work with and I think our styles complimented each other nicely and we worked together really well all four years that we were both on the staff. We’ve seen each other a bunch of time since high school, most recently when we helped out at the journalism convention in DC last fall. He remembers his best story he ever wrote his whole journalism career. “My junior year I wrote an article about a history teacher named Henry Buhl who owned a farm in New Market just off the Battlefield. Another guy from the staff and me drove up to see his place, spent the day there and took photographs of Mr. Buhl doing his farm work and driving us around the property. It was great to be able to interact with and get a perspective of one of my teachers outside the school environment and that’s basically what the story ended up being about.

I also wrote a column ranking the top five sports video games of all time, which I’m particularly proud of. Number one was NFL Blitz on the N64,” Justin said. In high school journalism, one of the activities they do is they take multiple trips throughout the year all over the country. Justin remembers his favorite trip. “I went on a lot of great trips when I was in school, but I think the best was certainly when Ms. Penton took only a couple of us to New York my junior year. It was my first time in New York and Ms. Penton (typical big-spender) kept buying us food and whatnot. We also visited Madison Square Garden and a number of other NYC landmarks. The trip was just very memorable on the whole though I don’t actually remember anything about the conference,” Justin said. Justin’s experience on the high school journalism staff was something that he will never forget. He recommends students to take the class. “The straight forward journalistic writing style is helpful to learning to write in a more focused way, which is crucial to success both in college and for the rest of one’s career. Also learning to develop a story and interviewing a variety of people is important to building confidence in communication that is widely

applicable to whatever field eryone's individual efforts also recommends students one is interested in. Also, culminating to form a body to take journalism in high being on the newspaper staff of work that everyone was school. is very effective in creating a proud of. It taught me about “Although it is a lot of professional-type environ- the importance of team- hard work, the feeling you ment that is a bit different work and that every small get from seeing your hard from any other high school task is important in any work pay off in the form of a class,” Justin said. type of group effort you are publication is worth the exJustin’s younger brother, involved in,” Aaron said. tra effort,” Aaron said. Aaron German, also took Like his brother, Aaron journalism in high school. “Struggling to meet deadlines and staying long after school to work on editing and layouts is what I think of when I think of high school journalism,” Aaron said. Aaron also remembers the story that he was most proud of. “The story that I remember most was my column on racism in sports. It was probably the most meaningful and thoughtprovoking story I wrote for the newspaper. I also remember the sports census that Jason Krech and I created,” Aaron said. Skills that Aaron acquired in high school journalism still help him with All I want for Christmas. The German brothers take a photo together sithis life today. ting on Santa’s lap every year for their mom to use for Christmas cards. “The newspa- Photo courtesy of Barbara German. per was about ev-

The Newsstreak

October 22, 2010

Molly Denman- Special Edition B8

What does journalism mean to you? Emily Jamieson

music and in band and really just doing my own thing and didn’t reach out to people in school. I didn’t care a whole lot about making friends. And she was very popular and outgoing and very confident and original and intimating. Funny enough we got stuck together as section editors and became very close. Describe something you learned in journalism class that you still use in your life, regardless of whether or not you’re a journalist. One thing I think is important everyone has their limitations. And it seems to me if you can be aware of those limitations you can truly write a great story. Life is very much that way; you go out into the world and meet new people. You can see a story in someone, Penton always said that everyone has a story. Everyone has a story and you can get it out of them, everyone has something to teach you no matter yours or their limitations. Once you get past those limitations you can write a great story. Why would you recommend that a student take journalism in high school? It’s one of the avenues in high school where your voice can be heard and you have the ability to tell someone’s story. No where else you can do that; no other club, no other class, no activity you can engaged in to. You go out into the world around you and tell people’s stories. Plus it’s lot of fun. What is your favorite thing about Mrs. Kibler/Penton? She has a rare ability to see potential in everyone in her life.

It doesn’t matter if she’s frustrated, angry or exhausted she doesn’t let anyone get away with anything less than their staff reporter best. She has sharp wit and tongue, we more teachers like that. I loved her lackey southern expressions. She has a way of putting things both hilarious and terrifying together. But ryan Whitten hey, it got things accomplished. Describe the best journalism trip you ever took What is a piece of writing that you are most proud of? An in high school. We went up to DC with Penton essay I wrote for VA High School League when I was a segoing to the freedom forum conference. Two stunior. I wrote about how I started out in newspaper, and evdent journalists went up there to represent their state. A lot eryone was telling me that newspaper was an easy grade and of predominant journalists came to speak to us during dinsomething that you could just show up for. It seems pretty ner. At our table, we got to sit with Helen Thomas who has good, I mean I was, what, fourteen? But when I signed up always been my icon. She was the correspondent with white for newspaper there was a new teacher, Ms. Penton, and she house and is the oldest member of the white house press made it clear that we were going to make a publication that core. She told us amazing stories about her work with them. we would be proud of. She wasn’t going to accept anything That was the best trip by far. short of it. And I was like, “Wow, this is a lot more serious There was another trip, where we met this war corresponthan I was told.” It ended up becoming the most important dent. This guy worked in Somalia. He worked in war spots experience during high school, I put most of my energy and and wrote stories about them. He told us some disturbing work into it. I thought it was going to be the opposite of stories. It was interesting to hear his devotion to get this that. It quickly became my passion and I give Pention a lot information to the rest of the world and risking his life at credit. the same time. What did you like most about Newsstreak? It was always What was the best story you ever wrote in journalism cool to see everything come together. Newsstreak was conclass and why? It was a lot more of my photography than stantly racing to get a publication out. If you’re doing it my writing. Nothing i wrote really stands out. My time as right, you’ll eventually end up with something you’re proud a photographer was more memorable because Mrs. Penton of. Newsstreak is the best of both words - there is the indireally encouraged me to do my best. Just developing the viduality where write your own story. Then skill and something about capturing a mothere’s the community part, where so many ment, appealed to me. I did really good different people are working together. work while I was in Newsstreak. Whether What kind of photography did you do? it being on the sidelines or just at an event Sports photography (for newsstreak) - canor trying to capture a moment or expresdid portraits (outside newsstreak) sion. We weren’t using digital and the qualWhat is your favorite thing about photogity was terrible. But to know that you got raphy? I liked to capture expressions made in that shot you were imagining and knowing the heated competition. that you got it, was really exciting. Favorite picture: I took a picture of this guy Tell me about a friend you made in journamed, Sheldon, he was forward of basketnalism that you might not have made ball team. And I was crouching right under otherwise and how do you still keep the net in the gym, literally risking my safety. in touch? Micky Arefaine, someone I But they were charging back and fourth and I worked closely with. She was a year ahead thought it was the spot to be. I learned if you of me. We were section editors, and we has have a camera you can get as close as you our own space called the rat pit, which was want, and that’s what you want to do. If you a section in a corner blocked by shelves. have a camera it’s your obligation to get as We were constantly editing and laying out close as possible to get the photo you want. pages together. We hung out a lot during Anyway I was standing under the net and got trips. There were no issue or idea we didn’t this amazing shot of Sheldon going over this discuss. She’s the one person though out guy’s head to dunk. I came to find out that the my life that I fell has not changed. We’re guy that Sheldon was dunking on was my still really close, we talk all the time. [I don’t think we we be friends otherwise Rubbing elbows! Bryan Whitten and Josh Sundquist ate dinner with Helen Thomas, girlfriend’s ex boyfriend. So I was also debecause] she was a very independent and Dean of the White House Press Corps at the Al Neuharth Free Spirit Conference in 1998. lighted by that. confident. She hung out with different Photo by Valerie Kibler. circle of friends than I did. I was playing

Past senior gives newspaper experience praise Simona Byler staff reporter

am Perez gratuated from HHS in 2009, after being on the newsstreak staff for three years. What is the first thing you think of when i say high school journalism? Family is the first thing that pops in my my head. I did journalism my freshman, junior and senior years. To me, it was a place where a bunch of random people became friends by working together and got to know each other. It was one of the best classes I took in high school. Did you go on any trips, what was your favorite? I went to chicago my freshman year and South Carolina and St. Louis. I was older so I knew what I was doing by the time I went to St. Louis. I wasn’t going to just skip school, I wanted to learn stuff from the classes. I went with good friends and attended classes, it really helped with my writing. What was the best story you wrote in high school? My first opinion column of junior year. I really had to put myself out there and expect either the best or the worst. It was a humanitarian story, and I’m not normally com-

fortable with sharing that. I said things I wanted to, and ended up getting a lot of positive feedback. I had recently lost a good amount of weight, and i was feeling good about myself. I wrote about how there’s no point in prejudice against those who are larger. I wrote about things i’d heard said about me in locker rooms and at track practice, and I wrapped it up by saying that I didn’t have a date to homecoming but I was ok going alone and being myself. Did you meet new people in journalism class and do you keep in touch? I really enjoyed being with Emily Johnson, we really got to know each other and we still have movie nights with us and Olivia. There were lots of people i would never have met like Lauren Martin who’s wonderful and Christine Choi, and i try to keep in touch. In that hour and a half class everything changed for us. What did you learn in journalism class? I definitely learned a lot about myself, about having confidence when talking to people that I don’t know and realizing that people aren’t going to freak out if you ask them questions. The biggest thing was probably don’t be afraid to ask. I’ve used that so many times in all aspects of life. It also really backed up my confidence in my writing, I didn’t really think I was anything special before, but people would come up and tell me that they read my columns and articles every time the paper came out.

Students finds friend in high school newspaper adviser Christine Choi

I had her for 4 years in journalism and 3 years for staff reporter English. She’s not just a teacher. She’s a really good friend. I go to her pig roast in the summer. Her influence isn’t aite White, graduated from HHS in just career wise. She’s awesome, extremely talented. 2003. White participated in journalism She treats you like an adult. It’s nice to have a relaall 4 years of high school. tionship like that with someone. How did you get started with journal- Proudest moment; I was the freshman journalism? In high school, I signed up for yearbook and ism student of the year in 2000. That was one of my accidently got put in Newsstreak. I became hooked proudest moments. on it. I was doing well, so I decided I was probably Now, every day is a proud moment. I was lucky good in it. It grew into designing and editing and enough to realize what I wanted to do. Now I get to writing. do that every day. My boss is good with tailoring my What do you currently do with journalism? I am job with what I’m interested in and what I’m good online editor for Charlottesville Weekly. at. I’m lucky I’m able to do what I enjoy. I’m online editor for c magazine. How would you describe Mrs. Kibler? Sassy. The What are some memorable moments of journal- thing you remember most about her is her mouth. ism? I have so many great memories of journalism! She’s loud, she’s just Penton. Shes kind of indescribGoing to new York for a conference was fun. In high able that way. school, you all become a big family. It’s kind of the What’s a story you wrote in high school that you same way now. We all hang out outside of school. remember? I wrote about Dale the janitor. Dale and It’s nice because we’re all working toward a common Virginia were a couple who were janitors. It was regoal. When you’re working for a paper, seeing it in ally neat. Everybody saw and knew him, but nobody print is really rewarding. knew his story. I also wrote a column called “being a Memories from high school journalism? I was girl” and I wrote one column about fashion do’s and in the graduating class of 2003 decorated a wood dos. I got a lot of letters from students. For the fashchair. ion column, i wrote about dusters with tennis shoes. What’s your relationship like with Mrs. Kibler? People gave me a lot of crap about it. What do you use now that you’ve learned in high school? Everything. It was neat because it gave me the foundation for everything I use now. I did journalism all through college. I worked for the Breeze (at JMU), if it wasn’t for the stuff I learned in high school, I wouldn’t be as far as I am now. I’m 25 years old and I’m somewhat of a big fish in a small pond. (where she works now) High school journalism is a head start. I learned a lot about terminology, writing and dealing with people and coworkers and creating relationships. What made you enjoy journalism? I think for me, it was just because I found something I really love. Even if you don’t love it, the whole family aspect of it and being a part of something you can be a part of and being a reLife after journalism. Catie White and Emily Reif- sult, it’s nice to have that tangible item in your steck enjoy the summer pig roast after the graduate at hand. Kibler’s farm. Photo by Bobby Kibler.

Would you recommend journalism to another high school student? 100% wholeheartedly I would. I think that no matter what your span of life, or what background or where you’re going in life it’s worth it. It’ll help you with more than just grammar, it can help you find where you are and where you want to go.

Cheese! The 2008-2009 Newsstreak Staff gather together to take a group photo. Photo by Valerie Kibler.

Brown recalls fun trips, class experiences on staff Rachel O’Connor staff reporter

nterview with alumnus Ian Brown. When I say high school journalism class to you, what’s the first thing that comes to your mind? I remember it being really fun, but at the same time we still got our work done. We knew when to work and when to play. Describe the best journalism trip you ever took in high school. Alumni trip to Bermuda. Although I’m not really sure if that counts as a Newsstreak trip... Tell me about a friend you made in journalism that you might not have made otherwise and how do you still keep in touch? Nan Turner. I met her before, but we became

pretty good friends in Newsstreak. We stay in touch through Facebook and calling and texting every once in a while. Describe something you learned in journalism class that you still use in your life, regardless of whether or not you’re a journalist. How to write well. I’ve applied what I’ve learned in that class in writing in college. It also taught me that deadlines are important and to work as a cohesive unit. Why would you recommend that a student take journalism in high school? Well obviously if they’re trying to pursue something in college that relates to journalism or if they’re just curious, definitely take the class.

Say Ahhh. Editors Molly Anderson, Elizabeth Johnson, Maddie Duda, Jackie Fitch, Katie Surratt, Weston Reynolds, NanTurner, Ian Brown and Kyle Banks from the 2008-2009 staff take a photo together after eating popsicles in class. Photo by Valerie Kibler.

The Newsstreak

October 22, 2010

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Looking back...

The Newsstreak

Vanessa Ehrenpreis- Special Edition B10

The Newsstreak’s former Editors-in-chief reflect on their time as staff members, and share some of the most important lessons learned.

Reynolds appreciated student interaction while on staff Mark Duda

lessons applicable to regular life. me new perspectives on the world. Kibler/Penton was a “Newsstreak taught me some hard lessons about the im- phenomenal teacher, and one of a select few from my edustaff reporter portance of responsibility and accountability to yourself cation to date who has made a significant impact on me as and others, effective planning and judicious use of time, and a person.” ne of nine Editor-in-Chiefs from the 2008- t h e importance of objective discretion--when in Reynolds appreciates the support and dynamics of the 2009 school year, Weston Reynolds has condoubt err on the side of caution. Newsstreak staff. tinued using the skills he learned in taught “There were a number the class in college and in life. me the imof people on staff who I Things like “Late night deadline crunch only interacted with by 009 portance of time, lots of J’s bagels with Maddie [Duda] 008-2 taking pride virtue of being in News2 and ‘BRIIIIIIIDGEEEEEEETTTT!!!!!!!!’” a r e in your work. No streak. If it were not for the first things Reynolds remembers about journalism one can make an article, the newspaper I would in high school. a photo, a layout in a have likely never crossed “My favorite part of Newsstreak was always the atmo- newspaper phenomenal paths with them. I also sphere, which, while sometimes was very tense under dead- except for the person appreciated the opportuline crunches, was lighthearted most of the time. I typically in charge of it. Not pernity to interact with stuhad Newsstreak at the end of the day and it was always a forming up to your full dents from classes above nice way to end the school day,” Reynolds said. potential is a disservice and below me.” As any student who has gone through Newsstreak at HHS to yourself and those If there was anything knows, trips are an integral part of the class, and Reynolds depending on you to Reynolds took away from enjoyed them thoroughly. operate at that level,” Newsstreak, it was how to “I enjoyed all the trips we went on. I enjoyed interacting Reynolds said. “Newswork in a high-intensity with students from other newspapers, but the best aspect streak taught me to see setting. of the trip was always the opportunity to spend inordinate the world through new “If you can't handle the amounts of time in new places with the members of our eyes, that of the jourheat, get out of the kitchstaff. Additionally, 12 hours on a bus with Kibler is an ex- nalist and that of the en.” perience in and of itself.” photographer, lending Staff bonding. The 2008-2009 Editors-in-chief take a staff photo Journalism was more than fun for Reynolds, he learned (Reynolds center). Photo courtesy of the Newsstreak.

ld o n y e nR Westo

Giovanni learns lessons applicable to everyday life from Newsstreak

hen I say high school are two things, one of which I currently use, journalism class, what and the other I anticipate I’ll use. is the first thing that I think journalism, in a comes to your mind? I broad sense, espicture Mrs. Penton sitting at her desk with 200 pecially News7-200 a big smile at her face. You can look at her streak journal8 and tell if there’s some sort of a sarcastic reism, gave me a wider mark. And also, I guess, a genuine amount mindset looking at people and interacof caring in all the actions that she does. Is tions and the dynamics of different situathat too sappy and poetic? tions. It kind of forced me to look at a situaTell me about a friend you made in jour- tion and think about it outside the way I was nalism and how do you still keep in touch normally thinking about it. The [motto] of with that person—if you have such a per- Newsstreak is a quote—“Every person has son? I actually do have such a person. My a story”—which I don’t think I’d ever recurrent best friend, would be Nan Turner, ally considered before but I actually think who I kind of vaguely knew throughout high is really true. But I think the first thing the school, but we became really good friends Newsstreak taught me was how to interact our senior year when we were both Editors- with people on a formal level—to conduct in-Chief. There were a lot of running jokes interviews and to conduct myself with other between me and Penton and Nan. There people on a more professional level. I don’t was a picture frame that you could write on really think that when you’re in high school, that was sitting on top of the mini-fridge in that’s something you really experience so Penton’s room, and every much, a situation you’re day Nan and I had differput in as much. The other The first thing ent periods of Newsstreak, thing I learned is and anand every day whoever ticipate to use is being able the Newshad that class would go in streak taught S i m o n e to write an informative, and write a note on the— me was how to Giovanetti, straight-to-the-point…rekind of a sarcastic but funport on something. I perinteract with F o r m e r sonally don’t plan on gony quote or insult on the Newsstreak people on a Editor-in- ing into journalism in the frame for the other person and then the next person future. I think I’m going formal level. chief would come back and reto do scientific research spond. We pretty much at some point, and I think maintain contact every day even though the writing that’s required in journalism is we go to different schools, and I’d say that also very relevant to scientific writing. You probably our friendship really started when have to write kind of an unbiased descripwe were in Newsstreak together. tion-analysis of what you’re working on. Describe something you learned in jour- Why would you recommend a student nalism that you still use in your life. There take journalism in high school? Part of it

Simon

e Giov anetti

is the two things that I just mentioned: in out a cohesive and uniform product. Then a way, learning to appreciate seeing situa- my senior year, I was one of three, and again tions differently, learning to conduct your- there was still a large emphasis on teamself, and also learning how to write. But I work. In that sense, it was different [from] also think that a lot of the good memories, working in a larger group because when you a lot of the good friendships and relation- kind of more intimately knew one another, ships that I formed with both students and and as a result we felt more like equals, and with teachers stem from [the] newspaper. I we could acknowledge the strengths that think for the amount of work that I put into one person had versus what maybe somethe newspaper, the amount of satisfaction one else wasn’t as strong in, so we could balof creating someance one another in thing was cool, a way. I guess that’s, and also I think fundamentally, what the bottom line is teamwork is. That that it was a lot of was even more emfun. phasized my senior What did beyear when there ing an Editorwere three of us. Bein-Chief teach ing Editor-in-Chief you? I was an gave me a sense of Editor-in-Chief learning how to for two years: have to deal with junior year and people. You really my senior year. have to know how My junior year, to do that because there was a large you had to deal with staff of editors—I a lot of people from think there were other years. You had maybe eight of to be a little bit of us—and so in an authority figure that situation and push people [to there was an even do] more than they greater emphasis thought they could on teamwork and or more than you communication thought they could. between one an- I love journalism! Former Editor-in-Chief Siother and figuring mone Giovanetti would write notes to Nan Interview by Zach Mcout how we were Turner on this picture’s frame. Photo by Val- donnell going to divide erie Kibler. work and also put

Kibler positively affects Pirooz through journalism and SCA

hen I say high school jour- class you wouldn’t have otherwise? Most nalism class, what comes o f my best friends were in the class, to mind? A lot of great so we had a lot of fun together. memories, meetI really liked getting to know ing a lot of different people and Camila because we weren’t nec007 essarily in the same social groups, 2 having an impact on the younger 6 0 20 staff members. Ms Penton was but we got to work together and we my favorite teacher throughout all still keep in touch. high school. We had a lot of long hours after Would you recommend journalism school, working with Photoshop and it be- class to high school students? It not only ing the most meaningful class I took. helps with journalism skills but with writWhat was your favorite journalism ing in general. It also helps push people out trip? I went to Columbia University in of comfort zones and interview and talk to NYC and one in Nashville. They were each people you wouldn’t normally. If you’re shy, unique in their own way, but I really liked you get forced to talk and you learn to be the one in NY because we got to see Colum- personal and amicable. bia’s campus and the classes helped us learn What was your favorite story you about writing and taking pictures. We also wrote? My favorite layout was a collage of got to see some Broadway plays. pictures for the senior issue, a bunch of imDid you meet anyone in journalism ages from all four years that the seniors were

in high school. We started the boys dance team so wrote a story on how they formed. They were all really ridiculous and were so fun to talk to and interview, got to go to their practices and they were funny to watch. Other comments? I would recommend Penton hands down to win an award. Not just for journalism but had her as an English teacher and ran the SCA, much more than just a teacher. She never tries to get attention for all the work she does, she’s impacted me and so many others so she definitely deserves this recognition.

rooz i P e e Yass

All rise for the Queen. Pirooz crowns the homcoming king, after she recieved homecoming queen in 2007. Photo courtesy of Valarie Kibler. Interview by Simona Byler

Truong continues journalism after high school DiNapoli improves writing abilites, time management while on staff Michael Johnson

trip was fun because of the road trip, and people in the group. We all had a lot of staff reporter the fun together.” Along with journalism trips, ditor-in-Chief of the NewsAlex also loved writing streak during the 2004-2005 2 just as much. 0 04-20 school year, Alex Truong has 0 “My favorite article was 5 used what he has learned in a column I wrote my second Newsstreak through his four years at the year in Newsstreak on food service. I University of Virginia and also while he really enjoyed writing this because it gave works through graduate school at the Unime the chance to really write about what’s versity of Portimportant and what I felt strongly about. land. This story was pretty different from the “Newsstreak normal stories that I wrote, which made gave me the opme like it more than usual.” portunity to Writing a good and entertaining story continue writthat people enjoy is not an easy thing to do. ing critically and After four years through Newsstreak, howprofessionally. I ever, Alex has learned a lot of things that wrote for my colhelp him succeed while writing. lege newspaper, “The most important thing is to be thorand my master’s ough and persistent about writing a story. degree pertains You need to use as many resources as posto writing.” sible, and interview as many people as you During his can.” years on While interviewing people, however, N e w s Survivors. Former Editors-in- s t r e a k , one needs to make sure that the people you Chief Alex Truong, and Justin Tr u o n g ’s are asking are reliable sources that can you German, and staff member favorite trip tell you truthful information about your Katherine Dunahoo gave a was to a topic. “You need to be accurate but inter’Survior’ themed photo to journalism esting while reporting questions and interKibler as a graduation pres- convention viewing people, and you need to make sure you double check you sources to confirm ent. Photo courtesy of Valerie in Atlanta. their authenticity.” Kibler. “This

Alex T ruong

Michael Johnson

picked up on many useful life skills. “I learned one, how to more efficiently staff reporter and effectively write, and two, to meet deadmma DiNapoli was one of the lines. Meeting deadlines is probably the two Editor-in-Chiefs for the most important thing, because all throughout life, if you are late, then you are in trouNewsstreak’s 2009ble. Also, when you are late for dead2010 issues. After lines, then somebody else has being in the Newsstreak for to pick up the slack. that you 2 0 09-20 all four years of her high school didn’t want to do.” 1 0 career, DiNapoli has learned a lot of things that have helped her in her

Emma

DiNap

life. “Being Editor-in-Chief taught me a lot of things, but most importantly it taught me commitment and responsibility. I learned that I always had to make deadlines, and that I had a responsibility to the staff.” DiNapoli went on most of the journalism trips that the Newstreak took in her time in the class. Of all of them, Dinapoli’s favorite trip was the one to St. Louis. “It was definitely the best trip I took because I had never been on a bus ride that long. It was ridiculous. The trip was also cool because the whole conference was huge, and the trip was with a fun staff. We really bonded and returned as a stronger staff.” DiNapoli’s favorite story that she wrote for the Newstreak was a three way tie between an article on a Harrisonburg High School teacher’s court case, a Freedom of the Press article, and another on Sexting. After 4 years in Newstreak, DiNapoli

oli

Delicious. Former Editor-in-chief Emma DiNapoli takes a break from editing to enjoy a cookie. Photo by Valerie Kibler.

The Newsstreak

October 22, 2010

Molly Denmen- Special Edition Feature B11

Wilson, Murray share love for photojournalism

ournalism is like a bug bite, according to North Carolina St ate University student media adviser Bradley Wilson. Once he was bitten, he was hooked. Wilson’s main motivation in joining the newspaper staff was being able to go off campus for lunch. But he found his passion in photography quickly, and began to foster it. His first experience with taking pictures was when he found

an old film camera in the back of and executive director of the As- cameras. With an influx of good his closet. With one roll of film in sociation of Texas Photography quality cameras, more images are hand, Wilson spent a day taking Instructors, felt a similar push being produced and published pictures. Out of the entire roll, from his own high school adviser. that have lesser thought put into only one image was visible. However, these days, he is on the them. And that is not necessarily “I had no idea what I was do- opposite end—Murray is now the good. ing,” Wilson laughed. “But I knew one encouraging his own students “Anyone with a camera thinks I loved it. I love now working on to strive for the best productivity they’re a photographer,” Wilson deadlines and being the first per- possible, which is something he said. “There’s a dichotomy growson to tell a story.” thrives on. ing between a growing mass of Wilson’s newspaper adviser “I love working with high average photographers and a critikept him into the paper with her school students and feeling their cal mass of photojournalists. Not constant encouragement and levels of energy and excitement to everyone can capture a moment, pushing. He the tasks ahead of them,” Murray and meaning in a picture. It’s not appreciated her said. “They keep me young.” easy. If it were, everyone would do efforts to make Wilson agrees in that high it.” them reach for school students have a hunger for With so many people capable the next, even learning about them that, in his of presenting their images to the better, level of experience, is dulled when one en- public, the quality is worth less, Zach McDonnell quality. ters college. Older students have a Murray believes. staff reporter “She pushed grasp of what they want to do, and “It’s incredible, for both betme, and all of are therefore, pickier. ter and worse, who can document hen I say “high school journalism,” us, toward ex“High school students are like things now,” Murray said. “Anyone what first comes to mind? Ms. Pen- cellence,” Wil- sponges,” Wilson explained. “They can take a picture, and that sort of ton. son said. “We take what you give them and learn devalues the whole process.” Describe the best journalism trip might do okay everything—they want to learn, But regardless of the changes in you took. We took a trip to Nashville, Tennessee, and or mediocre they want to go to the next level.” technology, photojournalism and that was by far the best journalism trip. Obviously, and she wanted I love working with brand new publications are important to have the sightseeing was a lot of fun, but I think it was the us to do bet- people, with no preconceived no- on an educational campus, Wilson best experience overall because the group that went ter. She would tions,” Murray added, believing contends. It serves as a forum for was really good, and the classes that we got to go to look at our that it is easier to teach those who students to be heard. and just the experience in general was really good. work when we have more they need to learn. “I “Publications are the voice of Describe something you learned in journalism that thought it was have the most fun working with the students,” Wilson said. “Withyou still use in your life. Probably leadership—lead- the greatest the kids wide-eyed and new.” out it, they are lost in the media. ership and commu- and then push Over the years, both Wilson Students are the best equipped for nication because at us further.” and Murray have seen changes in this job.” first I didn’t want to Mark Mur- photojournalism, namely in techOne of the most important asget into journalism, ray, another nological advances and the acces- pects of communication students and it was Ms. Pen- photographer sibility that most people have to learns is to question authority, ton who—I was just doing like a kind of study hall with her and she was like, “Why don’t you William Imeson Albrite went on trips to Washington D.C, just start writing New York, and Chicago. staff reporter stories? Why don’t “My favorite trip was probably the Chiyou just join jourcago one. I had never been and I apprecis students grow old and graduate ate going to new places. It is a cool place.” nalism?” I was like, from high school, they take with Albrite says. “Oh, I don’t know them many memories and expeabout it.” But [I] Albrite had the good fortune to be in a Former HHS Editor-in-Chief riences. They go off on there sep- Newsstreak class with lots of great people. got into it, and so Cassie Thompson Photo by a lot of it was just arate ways and start new lives. These lives Albrite says that she probably would not Valerie Kibler. c o m m u n i c a t i o n are often shaped and molded by what they have befriended some of these people had and learning to communicate with other people be- did in high school. A journalism class is just she not taken the class. One of these good cause it was one thing I was always shy about doing, the course for this molding. friends is Carla Meyerhoeffer. They had Jordan Albrite is an alumni of Harri- similar personalities and really hit it off. The never really wanted to do. But as I got older, I got more comfortable. Then I was a senior editor…se- sonburg High School and a former editor two are still friends and keep in touch. nior Editor-in-Chief. We had—that was the year we in chief of the Newsstreak, one of the most Newsstreak had a lasting effect on Alhad nine people as editors. So I would say communi- prestigious high school newspapers in the brite’s life. Albrite says that taking the jourstate, and is very glad she took the class. cation, definitely, with journalism. nalism class really helped her communica“The first thing that comes to my mind tion skills. Why would you recommend a student take journalism in high school? I would say the leadership when i hear high school journalism is Ado“I am more comfortable talking to peoand communication, the experience overall that they be Page Maker” Albrite says with a laugh. ple now, and being able to do so is a valuwould gain from it because it’s not all about writing Working on page layouts, hanging out with able life skill.” stories—it helps your writing, definitely, but it’s a lot good friends, and suffering along with evAlbrite remembers getting started on eryone else also jump to her mind and are her first story for Newsstreak. She was terabout learning to communicate [with] others. What did you learn from being an Editor-in-Chief? some of the greatest parts of being in the rified but still managed to do the interview. Definitely a lot about leadership. I think that the lead- Newsstreak. To this day she is proud that she did it and Harrisonburg High School is also for- says it has helped her in many job interership of being able to put out a newspaper. Penton does a really, really good newspaper and so just to tunate enough to go on wonderful journal- views and will continue to do so. keep up with the prestige…Because…our newspaper ism conferences every year. Over her years, always won awards and just to keep the paper running [was an accomplishment].

Thompson learned communication, confidence in Newsstreak class

Picture perfect. Bradley Wilson teaches jCamp students the importance of strong photography skills. Wilson has taught photographers in workshops both in the U.S. and abroad. Photo by Valerie Kibler.

Murray says. Especially as a photojournalist, it is vital to see arguments, ideals, and events in ways that no one else can think of. “What you should learn to do is not take things at face value,” Murray said. “Be critical of everything.” Bradley agrees. Photography is just visual reporting, he says, which makes it an area that one must work for perfection in. To him, photojournalism encompasses communication more than just capturing an image, but rather, explaining a moment. “We have to see things in way normal people don’t see them,” Wilson said. “It’s the magic of photography.

Albrite enjoyed trips through journalism

Sundquist works as motivational speaker Sundquist continued from B1 US Ski Team. Nevertheless, he has taken away an important sense of skill and understanding with communication. “It was one of the few real world prep experiences in high school,” Sundquist recalled. “Other subjects aren’t necessarily used all the time, but [in Newsstreak], we literally ran a business.” The skill set he gained in Newsstreak helped him advance his public speaking skills. Now, he talks to people about dealing with pain and adversity. His own story that he relates to is his battle against a rare form of bone cancer he was diagnosed with at the age of nine, and caused him to have his left leg amputated. At 13, doctors declared him cured and he went on to ski competitively three years later and months of training later. Sundquist believes telling stories like this are what help people cope with their own difficulty. “We bring people together through stories,” Sundquist said. “As humans, we want to believe in a narrative of good over bad. When we lose hope, we need someone to confirm these things, that there are hopes, and to see it come true.” Through his experiences with the Newsstreak, Richmond-Times Dispatch, and his public speaking, Sundquist has seen the value of hard work and dedication pay off. People get out what they put in, he says. It takes time to communicate, but in the end, bringing people together through stories has a greater meaning. “I’ve learned to see how opportunity leads to other opportunities,” Sundquist said. “If you have a big goal and it’s impossible to see, you have to jump through a lot of little steps and move up. That’s how I try to give other people hope.”

Queen bee! Former Editor-in-Chief Jordan Albrite was elected homecoming queen of HHS her senior year. She is pictured here with good friend Heidi Miller just after being crowned. Photo by Valerie Kibler.

Latham recalls memories from class William Imeson

staff reporter

ven years after graduation, students can still fondly look back at some of the more memorable classes in high school. The specifics may have gotten a bit foggy, but the memory of an enriching and fun class remains. For Janelle Latham, who graduated in 2004, that class is journalism. The name of the journalism class at Harrisonburg High School is The Newsstreak, and Latham is a former editor in chief. Latham did not share the same class period as all of the other Newsstreak students, but that did not derail her. She

took the class during an independent study block and served as both a writer and editor of the feature section. Every year, the journalism class at HHS goes on journalism conferences to many cities throughout the country. “I went on several trips while I took the class.” Latham says. Her favorite was a national journalism conference trip she took to Washington D.C. She really enjoyed the competitions there, which consisted of page layout design and other aspects of news journalism. The first article a journalist writes can definitely be one of the most memorable. This is no different for Latham. Her first article was about the upcoming fall sports season. She interviewed the foot-

ball coach and the cross country coach. Latham says the article was memorable because the two coaches were so different from each other. This sparked a flame that never quite burned out. Latham says that taking the class has helped her even after her high school life as well. She is no longer afraid to talk to anyone, and as a med student that really comes in handy. Getting information from people and getting them to open up are crucial parts of being a doctor. When asked if she thinks students should take journalism in high school, she replies with a resounding definitely. “[It’s] kind of a unique thing. You don’t have to be a writer to enjoy it.” Latham said.

Kennedy believes in power of student media

From President on Page B11 consider and analyze events,” Kennedy with authority figures and other people it’s an obvious culmination of what people know. Your knowledge of everything, through conveying information, visual business, public relations, and team building brings everyone together.” Another change that Kennedy has seen is in the way stories are written. Kennedy now sees more and shorter sound bites of quick information, whereas articles used to be more in-depth and focused on one particular subject with long explanations. This, he believes, is because of the shorter amount of time people have to devote to relaxing and reading the news. “I think people in an increasingly fragmented world don’t have time to

said. “There’s less narrative and that’s a huge mistake. People have time for quality.” The ‘quality’ that Kennedy refers to is the aspect of storytelling. In journalism, the foundation of writing is the ability to tell a story, according to Kennedy, which is something he feels is disappearing. “I believe the heart and soul of what we do is storytelling. We help people make sense of their own stories,” Kennedy said. “Without a story, there is no point. You need to find a way to connect with the readers.” Kennedy feels that publications are necessary in any high school. They serve as a voice for students to communicate

within the community. Students are better equipped to express themselves, and learn to work on a staff using time management. “Most students come out of the class as better citizens,” Kennedy said. “People aren’t finished products; you have to learn and work with others to enhance skills. A newspaper is a sum of its part, not a collection of its stars.” Journalism is never passive, Kennedy contends. As he sees it, this is a profession that serves the benefit of the public. And it never rests. “Journalism is more of an active verb than a noun,” Kennedy said. “You don’t study journalism. You do it.”

First large editorial board boosts Newsstreak with teamwork Editors continued from B1 with a Redneck Father. I won an award from that column. Can you tell me about friends you made in journalism that you might not have otherwise? Heubach: Journalism was a hodge-podge of people so I had exposure to working with different age groups which is the point of journalism, to familiarize yourself with people you would not have known. Reifsteck: Well, we went into school being friends, and we came out friends, but journalism kept us together and we still keep in touch. Conley: My best friends in VA are ones from journalism. We grew close in class, and we still keep in touch.

Describe something you learned in journalism that you still use in your life. Heubach: In journalism I learned basic skills of how to write well in a incisive and informative way. I am thankful for that. I also learned the ability to interact, interview skills, listening to people, and drawing out their story. Reifsteck: I am confident about writing an article. Penton called me up to write a story about Obama’s inauguration for the Newsstreak, and I was really happy about that. It has taught me team work which is huge in my line of work [elementary school teacher]. I have also learned problem solving, patience, and flexibility which shows up in the real world. Newsstreak fosters that in high school. Conley: Journalism helped me develop my writing skills,

voice, leadership, and communication skills. I learned how to hold other people accountable and demand things in a positive way. Why would you recommend that students take journalism in high school? Heubach: It is time well spent forming friendships, staying informed, and knowing the pulse of the school. You also learn life skills like meeting deadlines and listening. All in all it is a great experience. Refsteck: It allows you to apply what you learned, keep up on current events, and build bonds and friendships. Conley: It is awesome to be a part of an organization that works really hard to produce something award winning. It helps you grow and get out of your comfort zone.

The Newsstreak

October 22, 2010

Phillip Bannister- Special Edition Photo Essay B12

Weintraut offers advice to aspiring journalists Phillip Bannister

editor-in-chief

lan Weintraut, advisor of the Annandale High School A-blast, and a former Dow Jones Newspaper Fund Teacher of the Year, found a love for journalism through a desire to help others. “I would say that it is fairly central in my desire to help other people. Journalism is my channel or method in trying to make this world a better place,” Weintraut said. “That sounds really cheesy, but everybody has a choice to benefit from their community. Teaching journalism seems to be a good combo of doing what I love and having an impact on the community.” Journalism was always an active part of Weintraut’s high school and college career. “I was sort of a journalism geek in high school myself, I have a background in journalism, and so I chose it in college,” Weintraut said. His degree opened his career with a job in communications that offered him many possibilities such as taking photos of Presi-

dent Clinton “I started my career in communications for a labor union, so I had opportunities for success before coming here. As a teacher, what stands out the most is going on trips with students and seeing the learning process go beyond the class,” Weintraut said. When it comes to journalism itself, the values of a journalist are important to Weintraut. He believes that there are certain morals every journalist should carry into the field. “First off, you have to be truthful with yourself and reader, empathetic so you can understand the people you are interviewing; and have to be super curious to figure out what you don’t know. The best journalists go into a story keeping in mind what they don’t know, I think that is the very core to the experience,” Weintraut said. Being an adviser, Weintraut has the opportunity to instill great values in his students. As technology grows so rapidly, he has had to adjust with that growth over the years he has taught. “I think that [technology] makes our lives a lot more hectic because the expectation is to record as you go and deliver the

news in a more immediate manner and not have to wait for a morning paper. But I think it gives teenagers a chance to appeal to millions of reader. Hopefully you guys have grown up with the technology so you won’t have to learn anything new because you learn as you go. The technology is innate to your time period. If you think about it, the technology of making a newspaper hasn’t changed that much in the last 30 years,” Weintraut said. Along with technology the field of journalism is changing just as rapidly. Weintraut advises that anyone interested in the field peruse it cau- It’s moving online. Annandale High School adviser Alan Weintraut gives a multi-media presentation on tiously. “I would say have a backup plan, the history of journalism at jCamp at Virginia Tech. get a degree in something besides Photo by Valerie Kibler. journalism. Right now the marto go along with that so you can be knowlket is very volatile; I hate to give a grim outlook, but that is the outlook today. edgeable. Because when a newspaper editor The two things that get a journalist hired hires a journalist they want a variety of playare multi-media skills; the expectation is ers to play for their team like a sports team. to know it all, and secondly, being able to The majority of people being hired today speak another language, or having a degree have those multi-media skills or language in something else. You need another degree skills,” Weintraut said.

NSPA Director, Logan Aimone, shares highlights of scholastic journalism career

Downes believes strongly in conventions

Christine Choi

Molly Denman

style editor

hat made you want to continue with journalism?I had been in high school in yearbook and newspaper staff. I really enjoyed it and I also liked the design aspect as well. I was later able to find a job. I taught high school journalism for 10 years What are the most rewarding parts of teaching journalism? I think when I was teaching, it was the times when we were able to work with student journalists to uncover a good story or make students aware of things that were important to themselves. With my role in NSPA, I have the ability to recognize students who are doing the same quality of work or as a staff. What are your most memorable journalism conventions? What makes them memorable? Probably taking students to a national convention in Nashville, San Francisco (twice) -the interesting educational things and they were all fun. Who are some advisors that stood out to you and what are some qualities that make them so memorable? Well, there are some journalism teachers in my old high schools from Ellensburg, Washington. People like Mrs. Kibler out there working hard to make sure students do a good job and learn the skills that they should know. And doing a good job in their own schools. How would you describe Mrs. Kibler? Dedicated. I’ve only known her for a couple yearssince the Washington D.C national convention. I just got to know her. We worked closely together and it felt like I knew her longer. Describe one student who made an impact in your career. I was really fortunate to have a lot of talented and committed students, and creative students. I can think of dozens of students. I’m still connected with a lot of them through Facebook. I visit them too. I had so many that were high achievers and state journalists of the year and accomplished and overcame a lot of struggles. What’s the most valuable thing you have learned from students? I think what I learned from students is to have a good sense of humor and to not take things too seriously. You just have to laugh about yourself and laugh at yourself. Server crashing and it’s

Welcome to Washington. JEA Executive Director Linda Puntney and NSPA Executive Director Logan Aimone open the 2009 Fall National Convention in Washington, D.C. Photo by Valerie Kibler.

deadline night or the files wont’ work… sometimes you have to throw up your hands and laugh and just go back to work. I always try to have a good time and sharing other funny stories. When did you become the director of the National Scholastic Press Association? In 2007. What is the most memorable moment you’ve shared with your students. When we’d laugh in class at different things. We got in a paper wad fights. I remember students barricading the door. I think about it a lot. It’s probably not my finest moment in teaching, but it was a stress reliever. It was a stressful moment in class and our deadline was approaching, and suddenly there were balls of paper flying at every angle every direction. It was a moment where we needed to release that stress. What is a proud moment you’ve had as a teacher? When [students] were able to accomplish things. I was really proud when one of my students got runner up for national journalist of the year. 3 pace makers for gold crown awards from CSPA. I was also equally proud when one student who really needed that extra boost of self esteem got an award for doing a good job. I can’t just think of one thing, there were many things.

VAJTA Director, Chris Waugaman on journalism Alison Domonoske editor-in-chief

ow did you get started working? Around nine years ago, there was a transition in English teachers at our high school. Two teachers were really struggling with the paper, so I decided to take it over. I have no background as a journalist. I went to William and Mary and majored in English and taught English for four years before I took over the paper. After that started working with yearbook adviser and was introduced to many of the conventions and meetings and met other advisers. What was difficult? Getting students to be more responsible for their work. Journalism is a little different than just handing in a paper. Students have to be more self- motivated which can sometimes be a challenge for myself and them. What is your favorite part of teaching? Seeing the finished product and seeing students go from the idea stage and go to the idea. I like when my students teach younger children in class or teach something that they learned from a conference. Then you know that they have really learned the material. What is your favorite memory? I always think of my 1st year with a staff of only 12. They were the first group to really take ownership and start to see rewards and start to see feedback from peers and organizations. What conferences do you enjoy? Last year was the first time we went to JEA/NSPA, in D.C.

and we plan on going back to the one in Kansas. I always enjoyed the VHSL conference on

the VCU campus. What is your advice to other journalism teachers? First and foremost, before you get overwhelmed in details, teach sound reporting and writing. Everything progresses from there. You can’t teach students to make a good product without teaching good storytelling. Is your staff a close-knit group? They’re pretty close, and enjoy doing social things. When i had the group of 10 they seemed the closest because they have to depend on each other. 30 people is different than 10 people; they’re not quite as incorporated. A good year is when we have no drama. We almost had a hiccup last year when all 6 of the editors were entered in the same pageant. After that we had to help some people to get along but it was just a minor glitch. Who are some of your journalism inspirations? In the pro journalism world I always follow sports columnists fan of radio. I love the mike and mike show, and other radio show. A few of my high school teachers that really inspired me with their passion. Do you prefer teaching English or journalism? The classes do cover a lot of the same things. But there is a very different feeling. I’m naturally more tied to the journalism students because you spend so much time with them outside of the room.

style editor

ary Kay Downes is the Chantilly High School yearbook advisor. Downes started teaching journalism because it is the only course that concentrates on finding the truth and writing about the truth. Throughout Downes’ journalism career her proudest moment was 10 years ago when her EIC caught her at a computer editing copy and said: "Don't do that Mrs. Downes. That is our job!". Journalism conventions are held throughout the nation, Downes and her students have experienced these. “We bond and create lifelong memories. We order out of sea-

son fruits in NYC at $17 per dish; we trudge down wooden stairs in Chinatown to find the "real" fakes; we have fish thrown at us in Seattle; we laugh so hard at the various imitations of MKD that we just about wet our pants!” Downes said about why she takes her kids to conventions. Downes’ students have taught her to be patient, to reteach, to do very wacky things when on trips, and how to truly understand the teenage mind. Downes’ funniest memory involving her journalism kids was the time two of them told her, very patiently that she was driving the wrong way on a one way street the last time they were in Kansas City. “Fortunately it was very late and no one, including the police, saw me,” Downes said.

Going once, going twice... Chantilly High School yearbook adviser mary Kay Downes serves as the auctioneer for the JEA/NSPA convention in D.C. last fall. Downes has taken thousands of young journalists to conventions and workshops through the years and believes wholeheartedly in the positive impact they have on her students. Photo by Valerie Kibler.

Rummel discusses impact of journalism Phillip Bannister editor-in-chief

ow has journalism affected your life? Journalism has given me an opportunity to do a variety of interests, everything from business, to writing, to art, to design. And there is no other career where you get to be so diverse in your daily activities. How did you become a journalist? I got started in journalism as a student in high school, and I was inspired by all the opportunities that journalism would let me have. That excitement led on to college, which led on to me teaching journalism. What have been some highlights of your career? Most of the career highlights have involved the

people I have gotten to work with, from the amazing students I met, to the sources I’ve gained from journalism and the talented advisers I’ve been able to work with and see their work in progress to model myself after. What are some helpful experiences you have had in journalism? Having people respond to my work as a journalist, and seeing that I can inspire debate and talk about topics has helped me be a better journalist. And seeing my students get a better voice through my journalism has helped them and me get a better value through journalism. What are important values you think you should have going into the field? I think that they have to value democracy, a value of people in general. The field of journalism

isn’t about topics and isn’t about events, it’s about how people can use journalism to better schools, people, and communities to make a mark on society. With your students now how do you think technology affects journalism?Technology hasn’t changed the purpose of journalism; it has just broadened the scope of how we can use journalism to share our voices. It allows for people to get the news faster and quicker. And it it’s allowed students to become interested in the field, and to take it to a step or a level that they are comfortable with. The students that are using journalism now are the technology generation. So having technology allows them to connect and relate to journalism and all it has to offer.

Know your pixels. Former Oakton High School adviser Chad Rummel describes the importance of saving photos correctly during a session at jCamp at Virginia Tech. Rummel advised the newspaper, yearbook and broadcasting before leaving the classroom to take a job as a yearbook rep with Herff Jones. Photo by Valerie Kibler.