The Bruin- April 2007 by Wadsworth Bruin

Wadsworth High School

Newspaper II/III

April 2007

The

BRUIN

1870 - 2007 Wadsworth City Schools: “Celebrating 137 years of Excellence in Education”

Volume XXXII No. 7

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Campus shooting has impact locally, nationally BY MICHELLE MCCUNE

Four days prior to the eighth anniversary of the Columbine shooting, on April 16 the United States was shocked again when a reclusive 23 year old U.S. resident opened ﬁre on two building on the Virginia Tech Campus. Any tragedy of this proportion affects a nation from coast to coast. At Wadsworth High School alone, both a teacher and students are related to students attending Virginia Tech. Mrs. Rohrer, an astronomy teacher, has a cousin who attends Virginia Tech. Brian Scheid, a junior majoring in Pre-Law, did not hear the shots, but did see the panic and commotion on campus. He left in his truck and later found out that his friend Jarrett Lane had been killed. Seniors Ryan and Rhiannon Renacci’s cousin Chad Dorney, a senior in engineering, attends Virginia Tech. Campus safety has long been a concern for schools nationwide. However, precautions have not been sufﬁcient yet as proven by the continual violence. This has drawn criticism from many, in-

cluding the victims’ families. On the other hand, there is also the opinion that there was nothing more that could have been done to prevent the shooting without stepping on an individual’s rights. Cho Seung Hui used a Glock 9 mm semi-automatic handgun and a .22 caliber pistol during the shooting, two common weapons easily purchased in the state of Virginia, where there is no gun registration or mandatory waiting period prior to purchasing a weapon. The only restriction is that one ﬁrearm may be purchased per month. Cho purchased the .22 pistol off of a website, and the Glock from a Roanoke gun store in March. This creates division over gun control in America. Amidst all of the tragedy and controversy, the entire country has pulled together to recover from the devastating loss. Memorial services and donations have been created for the families of the victims. At Virginia Tech, Norris Building has been closed for the remainder of the semester and classes were cancelled for the rest of the week. Despite the tragedy, Virginia Tech and the nation will work to move forward.

Around 7:15 A.M. on Monday, April 16, Virginia Tech police received a 911 call to respond to the fourth ﬂoor of West Ambler Johnston Residence Hall, where two people had been shot. At the time it was believed to be an isolated and probably domestic incident. At approximately 9:00 A.M., Cho Seung Hui sent a video of himself to MSNBC; it was not received until two days later. The shooter, Cho Seung Hui, was a 23 year old permanent resident of the United States who was considered by many to be mentally ill.

PICTURES COURTESY OF GOOGLE IMAGES

The rampage continued at 9:45 A.M. at Norris Hall, an engineering building about a half mile away from West Ambler Johnston Hall. The entrance was chained shut when police arrived; upon entering, 30 students and teacher from four classrooms were found dead. Cho Seung Hui was also found dead.

New tax on May ballot BY JILL EDMONDS

The fast approaching May 8 ballot may hold the key to the funding problems public schools in Medina County are currently facing. Voters will be deciding upon a new sales tax that could drastically help the ever-decaying schools. “School funding is in a crisis situation,” said Superintendent Dale Fortner in an interview on WCTV about a new tax issue. The proposed tax will increase current sales and use tax by onehalf percent. This means for every $2 one spends, it will cost an additional penny of sales tax. Anything bought within Medina County, whether by residents or passersby, will include the new tax. Current sales tax in Medina County is six percent, which is the lowest in the state, along with Hancock and Stark Counties. The projected revenue, based

on 2006 data, is just over $1.5 million a year. This is approximately equal to a property tax issue of 2.4 mills. Unlike other funding mechanisms, revenue can grow with increases in sales. This money will only be used for permanent improvements of public schools in Medina County. It will not be used for salaries or operating expenses. “The unique part of this is... Medina County voters are going to have a wonderful opportunity to support their public schools and reduce their property taxes,” said Jim McIlvaine in an interview on WCTV. In addition to lower property taxes, Wadsworth City Schools will not reappear on a renewal or replacement of the 4 mill Permanent Improvement Levy. The sales tax would serve as Wadsworth’s new “pay as you go” levy. The revenue received will go towards various repair projects

around the school district. New windows for Isham and Central Intermediate, new visitor stands at Art Wright Stadium and new parking lots and school driveways are among the proposed plan. Renovating or rebuilding the high school is too expensive for the sales tax alone to support. If the sales tax does not prove to be as beneﬁcial as many hope, it can only be repealed if the Board of County Commissioners places a repeal on a ballot. Although the sales tax is a big issue on ballot, it is not the only one. A ﬁve year, 2.3 mill EMS replacement levy will be up for voters. Also, a 1.2 mill Recreation Center operating levy and a 2.3 mill Recreation Center Construction Bond Issue is on the ballot. The May 8 ballot holds an important issue for Medina County dwellers to ponder. The future of the schools could depend on the outcome of it.

Cafeteria creates healthy, convenient deal for students BY MICHELLE MCCUNE

Complaints about school lunches are nothing new. Many students lament that their food is unhealthy and less than appetizing; however, Wadsworth High School’s cafeteria has implemented a new program which can put these ideas to rest. The new Five for $2.25 deal gives students the option of choosing from many fresh and healthy food items for $2.25. Students have welcomed the idea; the meal has skyrocketed in popularity and sells around 225 items on an average day. The cafeteria staff has decided to make purchasing the lunch easier for seniors by bringing another cart directly into the Senior Commons. It has been several years since food has been directly served to seniors in the Senior Commons, and students have responded well

to the accommodation. Concerns about the nutritious value of food offered at schools nationwide has led to efforts to educate students on the effects of eating unhealthily, and also to provide alternatives to the standard hamburgers and french fries frequently offered. In addition to new, healthier foods being added to lunch menus, vending machine items containing large amounts of sugar have been removed. Colored dots caution students about foods high in sodium and fat as well. In the coming months, more adjustments are possible in the school lunches as a result of student suggestions from the new student panel. The popularity of the 5 for $2.25 deal could be difﬁcult to surpass; however, students will undoubtably enjoy the variety created by the new options.

News, 3

Pictures, 8-9

Entertainment, 14

Movies, 16

Learn about issues the United States faces today.

Senior Challenge and Spring Sports bring action to the picture page.

Read about the multifaceted business endeavors of Lebron James.

Take a look at what’s topping the box-ofﬁce and a list of the top ten heroes and villians

Editorial

April 2007

Letters to the Editor Where is my dodgeball assembly? Let’s deck the halls in April baby. Woo! I am pumped and ready to go play dodgeball like promised. I hide a dodgeball in my locker just in case we have our assembly that no one knows exists. They may have forgotten, but I have not! All I can say is, “There is nothing in a caterpillar that tells you it is going to be a butterﬂy.” -Mike Shah, 12 Everyone should come out and watch the boys and girls track teams. Each of the teams are contending for the top spot in the Suburban League. The boys team has some of the most outstanding runners in the area. Along with that, the girls team has some of the top runners in the region. Both teams hope to go to Columbus and place at the top of the state competition. -Luke Kelly, 11 Many of the senior guys are modeling tuxedos for various rental companies. Girls should be able

to model dresses for stores in the area. The total cost of prom for girls is far more expensive then for guys and they are the ones getting discounts on their outﬁts. Girls should have the opportunity to model or represent dresses to alleviate the high costs of prom like the boys do. -Julie Shaffer, 12

in and outside of the workplace. Blooming Acres is always looking to hire a kind and caring high schooler looking for a part-time job. -Zach Denton, 11

The freshman baseball team has had an outstanding season so far. On April 17th we almost beat Walsh Jesuit High School, whose varsity team won the Division II State Championship last year.

Over the summer our grade won the Little League World Series. Come out and watch some of our ﬁnal games. -Robby Kaminski, 9 -Nate Moskowitz, 9

I would like to see the return of the story about the top jobs in the city. It was a great database for choosing summer and part time jobs for many students. Currently I am hired at Blooming Acres, the best job in Wadsworth. Your hours can vary as much as you would like, with the fact that you can work whenever you would like. No schedules are put into place, it is up to your will and determination to decide how many hours you work per week. Not only are the ﬂexible hours an incentive, the people you work with are the nicest you could ever ask for. The owners are more than willing to help you with problems

Editorial

The Brewin’ Debate Are the rules concerning seniors taking ﬁnal exams fair? YES

BY TOMMY KAMINSKI

BY ZACK BUDINSCAK

Seniors love to slack at the end of the year. Everyone seems to fall into a state of senioritis, which is expected. However, the school staff is still responsible for keeping the students focused in class and out of the classroom. One of the ways they do this is with the use of finals. The rules concerning final exams for seniors are very fair; without the rules, many students wouldn’t care about getting in trouble, with no more fear of receiving a discipline report. Seniors would most likely become more of a nuisance than they already are because of their excitement about graduation. The rules regarding keeping grades up to avoid taking finals are also very fair. With these rules, students are forced to pay attention in class, and do at least some of their homework, unless they plan on coming back in for finals week. Without these rules, senioritis would be twice as bad as it is now. It would start at the beginning of the year and gradually get worse.

At the end of the year, almost every senior that plans on going to college has signed at their college of choice. At this time, transcripts have been sent in and classes have been assigned according to students grades from earlier in the year. In essence, the fourth quarter and ﬁnals mean absolutely nothing to the majority of seniors. Many schools recognize this and set the standards of a C average in year long classes to be exempt from ﬁnal exams. Our school, on the other hand, requires students to maintain an A average along with having no discipline reports. If a student gets in trouble during the year but maintains an A average in yearlong classes, it shows that he is responsible and simply made a mistake. Students should not be punished in classes for something they were punished for by the administration. Seniors realize that the work done at the end of the year is irrelevant to their future studies and decide to put their effort forth in other places.

Bruin Staff Editor-in-chief: Brad Mueller Associate Editor-in-chief: Ryan Renacci Copy Editor: Laura Myers Marketing Editor: Kristi Havens Front: Page Editor: Michelle McCune Reporters: Jill Edmonds Editorial: Page Editor: Zack Budinscak Reporter: Tommy Kaminski Music: Page Editor: Aaron Krumheuer Reporter: Justin Mesick, Warren Bates Speakout: Page Editor: Nick Jack Reporter: Alex Serfass Opinion 1: Page Editor: Drew Knight Reporter: Simon Russell, Dan Costello Opinion 2: Page Editor: Erin Conley Reporter: Britt Busson Features: Page Editor: Laura Arch Reporter: Carly McNutt News: Page Editor: Mike Hoover Reporters: Aaron Krumheuer Picture Page: Page Editor: Dave Kipfer Reporter/Photographer: Brittani Peltz, Zach Berger Entertainment: Page Editor: Nick Burton Reporter: Ben Dee Variety Page: Page Editor: Molly Brazier Reporters: Rachel Hudson Sports 1: Page Editor: Amanda Hoover, Brooke Babyak Sports 2: Page Editor: Sny-Piece Reporter: Matt Snodgrass Movie Page: Page Editor: Kat Little, Jenny Harsh Ads/ Business Manager: Garrett Weinecke, Matt Sarlouis Page Editors: Newspaper/Yearbook 1 Classes Advisor: John Gramuglia

Unity spreads security A common phrase heard while growing up is, “Learn from your mistakes.” Unfortunately, sometimes it takes a big mistake before people can learn from it. On Monday, April 16, 2007, South Korean immigrant Cho Seung Hui brought the nation’s attention to Blacksburg, Va., in one of the bloodiest single-man massacres in U.S. history. The story has been told, but the moral is eluding. Ever since 9/11, security has been a much more popular word, especially this year at WHS. People are always looking to improve security standards, hoping to prevent situations such as the tragedy at Virginia Tech. However, security can only go so far. Locking down an entire college campus is an inconceivable task. There are those who will try to learn from this mistake by searching for ways to increase security; however, the remainder of the people can improve differently.

It is quite difﬁcult to determine what exactly caused Cho to do what he did, but with revealing evidence, it can be determined that his psychotic and suicidal state was not helped by the daily social ridicule he endured. A fellow classmate recalls him as being very shy, even avoiding conversation between others because he was teased about the way he talked. When forced to read aloud in class, his peers laughed and pointed at him, chanting, “Go back to China.” We at The Bruin feel that society’s negative inﬂuence on individuals can be monstrous, thus creating monsters. The moral of the story is to improve compassion and kindness to others. People can be cruel to those they do not even know, sometimes driving these victims to take other victims’ lives. Evil is contagious; sharing it is only spreading the epidemic. Fortunately, we have the potential to administer the cure.

Editorial Policy The Bruin is a monthly publication produced by the Newspaper II and Newspaper III students at Wadsworth High School. The Newspaper I class produces the May issue. The staff will do its best to inform the student body and the community of intra-school, community or national events that affect the student body. This paper provides on-the-job training for the staff members. All decisions are made by the staff members with the advice and suggestions of the advisor. The school administration works closely with the staff to ensure accuracy. We, as the students of journalism, hold the same rights and the same responsibilities as professional journalists as we strive for professional standards. These rights include the right to print any material that is not libelous, obscene, or excessively disruptive to the school process. The Bruin will not discriminate against anyone on the basis of religion, color, creed, or sex. The staff members accept full responsibility for everything appearing in this publication. The staff strongly encourages students to express their opinions through the letters to the editor column, which is printed every month. The staff also encourages the members of the community to express their opinion as well. Space permitting, all letters will be printed. Because the staff accepts the responsibility for the contents of the paper, we must reserve the right to edit or omit any portion of any letter. All letters must be signed, but the name will be withheld upon request.

News From your principal

I am happy to announce a very exciting program coming to Wadsworth High School. The highly successful Car Control Clinic is coming to Wadsworth High School on June 15,16 and 17. This event is sponsored by WHYS United and continues to support their mission of keeping students in the Wadsworth City Schools safe and supported. The Car Control Clinic is sponsored by Channel 3 and provides new drivers with the opportunity to learn skills to deal with unexpected situations while driving. Students must have at least a learners permit to participate in the clinic and parents must participate with their child. More information is available in the main office.

April 2007

Trouble brewing in Iran over uranium, training The Islamic Republic of Iran has recently announced plans to expand its uranium enrichment program despite disapproval from the United States and its allies. The United States and Iran have had a long history of strife, as the U.S. claims Iran has added to the danger of its troops in Iraq. Recently, Maj. Gen. William Caldwell spoke to reporters about Iran’s training of Shiite militiamen. Suspicions of Iran’s interference in Iraq have been growing since the early days of the operation, but recent evidence points to a deﬁnite answer. The controversy grew as men captured in Iraq claimed to have been trained in Iran. Their instruction included learning to employ organized attacks on troops using complex and deadly weapons. As most insurgent attacks have been loose and seemingly sporadic, organized tactics are proving to be an immensely detrimental force to U.S. soldiers. Insurgents are also being taught construction and deployment of a number of bombs and weapons, such as special improvised explosive devices. The appearance of EFPs, or explosively formed penetrators, has also caused a stir over where they originated. Along with training insurgents, the United States claims Iran is responsible for smuggling EFPs into Iraq. Besides being

explosive, the bombs spray large pieces of metal during detonation, allowing them to pierce thick armor. Insurgents place these weapons on the sides of roads, hoping to damage military vehicles and injure or kill troops. EFPs, although crude, are a sign of more advanced weaponry being employed on the side of the insurgents. Another point of controversy in Iranian relations is the country’s use of uranium. Although Iran claims to use the substance to support nuclear power, some suspect it is also used to make nuclear weapons. The United States doubts Iran’s intentions about the use of their uranium, especially after Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s announcement to increase their use of the element. Iran claims that it is now creating large quantities of nuclear fuel with its uranium, an act forbidden by the United Nations. The reason the U.S. and its allies are so worried about the announcement is that the process to create nuclear fuel can easily be altered to build a nuclear warhead. The U.S. does not trust this type of weapon in the hands of what they see as a hostile nation. However, a U.N. chief recently questioned Iran’s allegations. Egyptian diplomat Mohammed ElBaradei believes Iran is not capable of creating as much fuel as it says it is and sees the situation as less dangerous than it sounds.

According to Dr. Richard Burt of Northwestern University, this was the ﬁrst time that people with Type 1 diabetes had been able to sustain normal blood sugar levels without the aid of medications or other treatment. The study was overall successful. Although stem cell transplants can be potentially fatal, none of the tested subjects suffered lasting side effects. In spite of its high level of risk, Brazilian ethics committees approved the study. Despite this, some people were upset that the study was done on children when it was not ﬁrst conducted solely on adults, who would have been less vulnerable to the dangerous side effects. According to the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse (NDIC), approximately 21 million Americans, seven percent of the population, are affected by some type of diabetes. Two million suffer from Type 1 diabetes. Nearly half of these cases have gone un-

diagnosed. The NDIC also reports that diabetes is most common in non-Hispanic blacks, followed by Hispanics and non-Hispanic whites. In 2006, it was reported that more than 230 million people worldwide were affected by diabetes. While these numbers are seemingly high, they are projected to skyrocket within the next few decades. Obesity is the leading modiﬁable risk factor for the development of diabetes, which is commonly found in children through Type 2 diabetes. Common symptoms of diabetes include increased hunger and unexplained weight loss. As shown by worldwide studies, diabetes can affect people of any race, age or geographic location. Untreated diabetes can result in eye problems, heart disease and high blood pressure, so precautions should be taken at all stages of life. These precautions include eating a balanced diet and exercising regularly.

BY AARON KRUMHEUER

Stem cell transplants may cure diabetes BY MIKE HOOVER

Scientists in Brazil have uncovered a possible cure for Type 1 diabetes. The proposed solution is that diabetics undergo stem cell transplants. Although the scientists who conducted the study say it is still too early to classify the transplants as a cure, many others believe the scientists’ experiment may have opened the door to ﬁnding a cure for diabetes very soon. “It’s the threshold of a very promising time for the ﬁeld,” said Dr. Jay Skyler of the Diabetes Research Institute at the University of Miami. This particular study was conducted on patients aged 14 to 31 who were recently diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. When 13 out of the 15 subjects tested were able to live for as long as three years without insulin injections, scientists became optimistic that a cure for Type 1 diabetes was on the horizon.

$5 for 2.25 The snack bar is now offering a choice of five fresh foods for $2.25!

Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad speaks about Iran’s nuclear program. PHOTO COURTESY OF WWW.POLITICAL-NEWS.ORG

MPAA reevaluates image, reputation of ratings BY ABIGAIL LEDMAN

The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) recently announced its latest project of completely revamping the rating system in the movie industry. Recent error in judgement has led the board to believe that the image of the MPAA has been tarnished. The MPAA, founded in 1968, is comprised of a board of executives. These executives come from the six top production companies in America: Disney, Paramount, Sony, 20th Century Fox, Universal and Warner Brothers. The board oversees all actions of the rating council. This council is a group of 13 employees who anonymously and independently watch and grade films. These reviews are then sent to the executive board, which has the final decision. Speculation against the board and its rating council has come about due to the allowance of questionable advertisement of the film Captivity. Ads depicting a woman being kidnapped and tortured displaying the phrase, “Capture, Confinement, Torture, Termination,” were plastered on 30 billboards and 1,400 taxi cabs.

Appalled reactions from the public placed the MPAA under question. So, the organization ordered the film’s producers to yank the advertisements and instilled a reevaluation of the film’s R rating. Ratings for motion pictures order G, PG, PG-13, R and NC-17. Filmmakers attempt to avoid the NC-17 rating, which, in the opinion of the movie industry, makes films virtually not seeable. There is an appeals process for the ratings. In previous years, producers could not cite other films for comparisons of ratings. With recent changes, though, filmmakers will be allowed to do just that. Overall, profanity, nudity and suggestion of illegal doings go into the determination of ratings. The MPAA is looking to change the eminence of each rating. An NC-17 rating does not mean a movie could not potentially be a work of art, rather that certain things within the film may be inappropriate. Joan Graves, head of the MPAA rating council said to USA Today, “Our ratings are not to dictate what goes into movies, only to warn parents of the exposure.”

Michael J. Boyer, D.P.M. Podiatrist Sports Medicine

119 Broad Street Wadsworth, Ohio 44281 Phone: (330) 334-1534

Opinion 1

April 2007

What is in store for next year

A nother year has come and gone, and so has another class of seniors. Being a senior, SIMON I have a OPINION STAFF couple of ideas on what will happen next year. Do not misconstrue these words, just take them as advice and constructive criticism for next year. For one, next year’s senior class will be the most uptight jerk-ﬁlled class to date. I am not trying to offend anyone, and this year we have some mean people, but the class of 2008 is mostly stuck up, self-centered teens. Most of the girls think they are prettier than everybody else and normal people do not deserve to talk to them. Not everybody is a creepy stalker, so be friendly. A lot of the guys are egotistic as

Just. . . OPINION BY DAN

Dear Wadsworth High, I bet by now you are sick of hearing all of my complaints and bickering throughout the school year, so I will leave you with some nice positives that I have learned to love about our great school. Being a senior, I have come to realize that even though there are still rules to live by, they have become very lenient, and I know every senior here appreciates those freedoms that we have rightfully earned. I am proud to have attended the wondrous school of Wadsworth High. I know that I said I wouldn’t beef at all in this issue, and I will keep that promise, but I do have some words of wisdom for all of the returning students at Wadsworth. If you do not want to be considered the schmuck of the

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well. None of you are the next LeBron James or Grady Sizemore, so do not act like it. And so what if you have money out the wazoo. It is your parents’ money, not yours, so do not act like you are better than other kids just because they are not loaded. If the class of 2008 is a sign of things to come for classes below them, our school is in for a world of hurt. Another thing for next year is the lack of the old-school teachers. Our beloved teachers Mrs. Haskins, Mr. Lange, Mrs. Gilmore, Mr. Robinson, Mrs. Buck and Mr. Martin will all be leaving the high school to pursue other endeavors in life. Congrats to them, but the classes underneath the Class of 2007 will truly suffer. I am not trying to take anything away from the other teachers here, but these teachers have been here for a long time and will truly be missed. “I have had the opportunity to be taught by the majority of these teachers, and to see them all go is

a sad day for Wadsworth High,” said senior Mike Shah. Lastly, the amount of security required for next year will be leaps and bounds more strict and more controlling than this past year. Since the unfortunate circumstances that have risen since the Virginia Tech shooting, I believe that our security measures will be extremely tightened for the next school year. This year the teachers have to wear identifications badges, next year, look for all the students having to wear I.D.’s to make sure there are not any intruders. These are just three of the many things that will change over the summer into next fall. These three, however, are the most radical and significant changes that will take place. For these next five or so weeks, though, I, along with the rest of the Class of 2007, will try to make this rest of the school year as survivable and dare I say fun as possible.

don’t do it universe, then here is a list of

things not to do when the new school year begins. Don’t stand in a big group with all of your friends in the middle of the hall in between classes and talk about who dumped whom.

Wadsworth (330)335-1546 Toll Free 1-888-335-1549 Fax (330) 334-3315 presented. Cell (330) 573-2906 www.wadsworthford.com Email jcarman@wadsworthford.com

Don’t pee your pants when you really have to go and your teacher won’t let you out of class. Don’t casually look over your shoulder to make sure nobody is watching, and then pick your nose and wipe it under your desk. Don’t hug your girlfriend/boyfriend while walking down the hall because it looks creepier than Mr. Gaines in his underwear. Don’t eat the cafeteria’s vegetable medley. Don’t become friends with Mrs. Hutchinson because she becomes really attached after three days. Don’t wear girl’s jeans and spiked belts if you are a boy because it ironically makes you look feminine. Don’t make out with your spouse in the hall right before class starts because it makes people want to throw up in their mouths. Don’t forget to wear your identiﬁcation badges to school, teachers, because people might forget who you are. Don’t ever talk back to Coach G because he will make you regret it for the rest of your life. Don’t try to walk through the halls during class without a hall pass because Mr. Smith rules the hallways with an iron ﬁst. Don’t walk through the left side of the doors in the hallways because we don’t live in Europe. As you can see, there are many pet peeves that people around the school share, and it would be a smart idea never to violate any of these rules. So I will leave you with a couple words to live by... don’t be a nincompoop, and what Costello says goes!

Criticism limits freedom of speech T h e F i r s t Amendm e n t states no law shall abridge the freedom of speech. DREW Although OPINION STAFF this has remained true, the victims of unwanted ridicule have lashed out against citizens who abuse this privilege of freedom. Comments appearing to be racist, sexist and closed-minded might be legitimate to others. Right or wrong, everyone is entitled to an opinion and allowed to voice it publicly. Don Imus is a great example of how expressing his opinion comes back to haunt him. After countless complaints for racist, sexist and overly ignorant comments toward the Rutgers Women’s basketball team on his radio show, uproars of media decided this man should lose his job. Formerly on the list of the ‘25 most inﬂuential people in America,’ Imus reaches millions of listeners everyday. Were Imus’s statements wrong? Probably. Should he have made those infamous claims? Probably not, but everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion. He should not be condemned for voicing his feelings. Yes, it might offend people, but others might agree completely with him. “I don’t agree with him, but he still has the right to say whatever he wants,” said senior Dan Kipfer. No matter who agrees and who disagrees, he has the right to say what he wants. If MSNBC has a problem with his opinion, they should have not

given him his own radio show. They did, though, and when victims lash out against Imus, they are criticizing him for a basic right every citizen can choose to exploit. Tim Hardaway is another example of how expressing one’s opinion can result in criticism. All the former NBA All-Star did was reply to a question about his feelings toward homosexual basketball players. Being an honest man, he questioned his willingness to share a locker room with a player of that sexual preference. The next day, he was on top of headlines because of his closed-mindedness and ignorance. All Hardaway did was answer a question honestly, and the media attacked him for his intolerance. This is another sad story of how political correctness hinders people from communicating honestly. This trend shows how much America is losing the order of priorities. After someone voices his opinion, a gauntlet of media and liberals criticize an honest person. Personally, I welcome Imus and Hardaway, and their criticisms. Although it does not directly affect me, I would rather listen to honest people, than to rhetorical political correctness which ﬁlls the radio and television. MSNBC ﬁred Imus for his racist comments, and Hardaway will not be remembered for his play on the basketball court but as a homophobic. It cost Imus his job; it is the reason people are afraid of voicing their true feelings. The offended will retort with a backlash of criticism. The law is not restricting the freedom of speech, but the condemnation that follows stops citizens from voicing their true ideals. Don Imus learned his lesson: be safesay what is politically correct.

Ask Patty It is the last issue of The Bruin, for us seniors at least, so for this ﬁnal installation we shall go MRS. HASKINS through OPINION STAFF and remember some of Patty’s awesome quotes. SR: If you ran for President, what would be your campaign slogan? PH: Pepsi for everyone! SR: If you owned a professional sports team, what would be its name?

PH: I would call them Patty’s Plunderers as we would decimate any team we played. SR: What would be your nickname if you played street ball? PH: I would have to say the “Avenging Angel” because I am extremely ruthless, but in a kind way. SR: If Pepsi was banned from the United States, what would you do? PH: Habla Espanol? Thanks for everybody who has taken an interest into the wild world of Patty Haskins. Since this year is her last year teaching here, The Bruin staff would like to wish her the best in her future adventures through life.

Opinion 2

April 2007

America’s beauty obsession becomes dangerous addiction Wi t h the media constantly glorifying ﬂawless movie stars and promoting dangerously thin ERIN supermodOPINION STAFF els, the concept of reaching total perfection has become an unhealthy obsession. Americans go to extreme lengths to meet the ridiculously unrealistic standards set for them. Whether it involves completely eliminating carbohydrates from their everyday diet or even reconstructing their entire physical appearance through plastic surgery, this addiction has become a serious danger. Even at the early ages of two and three, the children of our country are taught to embrace this distorted image of beauty. On countless occasions, children are introduced to fairy tales about beautiful princesses and handsome princes. When asked whom they admire most, a child never answers Albert Einstein, Rosa Parks or

even someone well-known and highly regarded by most young students, George Washington. It is very likely that their selection will be made from one of the very attractive heroes or heroines that grace the pages of their bedtime stories. These fairy tales are not the only thing misshaping the meaning of beauty for today’s youth. The toys they play with also seem to be setting a new standard of perfection. In 1959, the flawless framework of the Barbie doll was introduced to shelves across the nation. The doll immediately received criticism from groups everywhere for portraying an unrealistic body image. Compared to a human being, the original Barbie flaunted a 7 foot 2 inch figure, weighed 115 pounds, had 30 inch hips, an 18 inch waist and a 38 inch bust. Since then, Barbie’s waist has been slightly widened, but only to display a rock hard abdomen comparable to a swimsuit model. As these boys and girls mature into young men and women, their definition of beauty is unaltered. In these years, their princesses transform into chic, long-legged super models and their princes are

F e w people realize the seriousness of teenage drinking. Though it is becoming more BRITT OPINION acceptSTAFF ed and publicly known that teenagers do and will continue to drink alcohol, experiment with drugs and be sexually active, it is a more serious problem than some people are willing to accept. Alcoholism is sometimes interpreted as a problem pertaining mostly to adults, but it is estimated that over 3 million teenagers are true alcoholics and need help. An alcoholic is deﬁned to be a person who drinks alcohol to excess habitually. According

to this deﬁnition, anyone that becomes intoxicated regularly is an alcoholic and is in danger of destroying vital organs and damaging their futures. On average, Americans begin consuming alcohol regularly at the age of 15.9 years. Statistics show that young people that begin drinking before age 15 are four times more likely to be alcoholics than someone who begins drinking at age 21. Many teens feel that drinking on the weekends at parties is okay because everyone is doing it, or it’s a way to rebel against school and parents. No matter what the reason, alcohol consumption is becoming more acceptable and prevalent in high school student settings and is contributing to the untimely deaths of a great number of teens. Automobile accidents, suicides and homicides are the three leading causes of death for 15-24 year olds, in which alcohol

These students model themselves after the beauty-obsessed individuals of our modern day world.

PHOTO BY CARLY MCNUTT

molded into ridiculously strong body builders. With the constant pressure for physical flawlessness, teenagers often find it difficult to live up to these impossible expectations. Statistics show that almost 10 million American teens develop eating disorders each year. It seems like at this teenage stage girls become fixated on changing everything they were given at birth. Suddenly, they become obsessed with plastering on super-long fake fingernails, clipping on hair extensions and tanning until their skin reaches an unnatural shade of orange. Boys, on the other hand, seem to make countless trips to the gym hoping to sculpt the ideal male

physique. Instead of spending all of this time preoccupied with thoughts of modern day perfection, a teen’s time could be spent in a more productive way. Obsession with beauty becomes even more evident in adulthood. On average, nearly 11 million Americans go under the knife each year in attempts to obtain unrealistic ideals. American primetime television is ﬁlled with shows highlighting the use of cosmetic surgery. Much of the coverage includes complete transformations of men and women who display so many physical changes, they often become unidentiﬁable. The shows also discuss many cases of selfproclaimed plastic surgery addicts.

Many would agree the effects of this disorder can be easily seen in the well-known pop star Michael Jackson. “I think people are using things like dieting and cosmetic surgery to get attention,” said junior Amy Messer. “Feeling better about their appearance is their top priority.” Going to these extreme lengths to fulﬁll the modern deﬁnition of beauty has become an unhealthy addiction in Western culture. Not only do these appearance-obsessed people need to be grateful for their uniqueness, they need to understand the real meaning of beauty. Beauty is found internally. It is the compassion for those that surround us, and this type of beauty has no price.

is the leading factor. Overall, alcohol causes the death of six and a half times more teenagers than all other illicit drugs combined. The statistics on teen drinking clearly summarize the reason it should be a greater concern than what it is sometimes treated as. Teenagers that consume alcohol are 50 times more likely to use cocaine than teenagers that do not consume alcohol are. Fifty percent of high school seniors report drinking alcohol in the past 30 days and 32 percent report being drunk at least once in the same period. Sixty-ﬁve percent of the youths who drink alcohol report that they get the alcohol from family and friends. Over $58 billion are spent on underage drinking every year. Approximately 240,000 to 360,000 of the nation’s 12 million current undergraduates will die from alcoholrelated causes, which is more than the number that will get MAs and

PhDs combined. Sixty percent of college women diagnosed with a sexually transmitted disease were drunk at the time of infection. Eight young people a day die in alcohol-related crashes. Twentyone percent of the children age 14 and younger who were killed in motor vehicle crashes were killed in alcohol-related crashes. Dependence on alcohol is also associated with psychiatric problems such as depression, anxiety, oppositional deﬁant disorder and antisocial personality disorder. Alcohol has a much greater im-

pact on teenagers and society than many realize, and more serious measures should be taken to reduce effects of teen alcoholism. For teens to overcome a drinking problem effectively, the surest way is to go through a self-help support group or by seeking professional help. Most teens do not see their drinking as an actual problem, but rather just something they do to relax and have a good time. However, many of these teens have a very real problem which needs attention in order to be overcome.

Teenage alcoholism reaches epidemic

How do I know if I have a drinking problem? -Do you sometimes drink more than you mean to? -Have you tried to cut back on your drinking and failed? -Do you black-out (have trouble remembering things that happened) while drinking? -Have your problems at school, work or with your relationships gotten worse since you started drinking? -Do you keep drinking even though you know it’s causing problems? -Do you drink when you feel stressed? -Do you drink alone? -Can you drink much more now than you used to be able to? -Do you ever feel uncomfortable when you haven’t had a drink? -Do you drink even when it’s important to stay sober? IF YOU ANSWER YES TO ANY OF THESE QUESTIONS, YOU MAY HAVE A DRINKING PROBLEM.

Speakout

April 2007

What is your favorite practical joke that you have pulled or want to pull off?

If I could pull off a practical joke, I think I would grease all the ﬂoors in the school. I would then shorten the time between class periods, so people would be running and slipping all over the place. -Katie Bauer, 10 When I put a bucket of water on top of my sister’s door. When she opened the door, the bucket of water dropped on her head! She still holds it against me! -Jason Papas, 9

One time at a cast party, a girl fell asleep and everyone decided to play a joke on her. We zipped her sleeping bag all the way up, until only her head was visible, then turned out all the lights. Then, someone started yelling “Fire, Fire, Fire!” and she totally freaked because she was stuck! It was hilarious. -Tiffany Schleigh, 10 I unscrewed all of the lids on the salt shakers in a restaurant one time! It was so funny watching people shake the shaker, and the entire shaker of salt pour on whatever they were eating!

My mom was running late to work one morning. She had grounded me the night before, so I took some glue and put it in the car door handle. I also put jello on her seat. She cleaned it up and just made it to work on time! -Patrick DeAguiar, 9 One time at our family reunion, we were all just about to take a big group picture. As they were about to take it, I let my pet rat go and everyone started screaming and completely ruined the picture. -Jimmy Miller, 12

I would love to put syrup in someone’s shampoo bottle so when they try to wash their hair, they wash it with syrup instead!

-Mike Bowen, 9

T E A C H E R S

I pulled an oreo cookie apart and put toothpaste in the middle instead of cream. It was hilarious!

I put my brother’s bike up in a tree! -Sarah Brazier, 9

Logan Kilbride, Dan Mueller and I put a dead skunk on someone’s car. It stunk so badly that they had to get the car totally cleaned on the inside and outside. It must have cost them a lot, but to us three, it was so worth it!

-Sean Doty, 9

-Kelly Collins, 11

I’ve always wanted to put a shaving cream bomb in someone’s car!

-Broderic Kelker, 11

-Jake Palidar, 10 Partying at my house waiting for everyone to fall asleep, and then going down the stairs and putting shaving cream over everyone that had fallen asleep!

-Devin Duhon, 12

Freshman Mike

One time, my friends and I put a basketball hoop, three metal lawn chairs, a bird feeder and a portable soccer goal in my neighbor’s swiming pool. They called the police the next morning and my friends and I stood in my house laughing as we watched them clean up the mess that we had made.

Senior Jimmy with his pet rat

-Taylor Kelly, 9

S T U D E N T S

As the end of the school year approaches, what are you most looking forward to and why? I am looking forward to the opening of The Simpsons Movie on July 27 because Mr. Hamilton and I have a hot date together to see it. We both worship at the altar of the ultimate male, our role model Homer J. Simpson. -Mr. Bivens I am looking forward to spending time with my daughter at her Travel League Fast Pitch Tournaments, going to Wrestling Team Camp, visiting my son Sean at University of Cincinnati, cutting the grass and just being outside.

I am looking forward to ﬁnishing my Masters and 30 graduate hours in mid-June! It has been a good learning experience, but quite a bit of extra work in an already busy school year! I cannot wait to do all my fun summer activities like mountain biking, swimming, working outside, etc. -Mrs. Althaus Wearing my name tag to the beach! I’m never taking it off!!! -Mr. Kibler

-Mr. Gramuglia

-Mrs. Ake I am looking forward to spending time with my new son and my three other children. We will swim, ride bikes, take walks and visit with all of our friends and other family members! -Mrs. VanDyke Taking another biochemistry class at Akron University. I’m not really sure why, but I am extremely excited about it. -Mr. Recupero

This summer, I am looking forward to ﬁnding out if I will have Sarah Jack in my class. After having Nick and Tyler both, I feel like I need her to complete the “Jack Trio.” It’s too bad that I didn’t have Mike, or I could have completed the “Jack Quad.” -Mrs. Baxley

I am looking forward to watching the seniors graduate and to a happy ending of my ﬁrst year at Wadsworth High School.

Mr. Kibler shows off his name tag

I will be looking forward to ﬁshing, jet skiing, campﬁres, watching baseball and basketball games and cook-outs, just to name a few.

Are you kidding? I’m retiring, so obviously I am looking forward to not returning in the fall. I’m also looking forward to senior graduation parties, which I have a tendency to crash!

-Mr. Goddard

-Mrs. Haskins

Mr. Recupero

Spending the summer with my son! I cannot wait to swim and play outside after such a nasty long winter. I am also looking forward to seeing the seniors graduate and move on to a future ﬁlled with success. Although, I will miss my 5th period honors physics class with all of my heart. -Mrs. Hutchinson We are planning to move to Barberton! I am also taking a trip to London, Paris, Barcelona and Madrid with Mr. Singleton and 15 students. It should be a fun summer! -Mrs. Matthews

Features

April 2007

First annual National History Day competition beneﬁts new AP course BY LAURA ARCH

On National History Day, students in grades 6-12 interact in understanding and interpreting historical topics related to an annual theme. During this process, students exercise their talents and create formative and abstract projects in separate categories such as exhibits, documentaries, historical papers and performances. After a series of district and state contests, the entire program comes together in a national competition at the University of Maryland in College Park each June. This year, from the newly added elective class AP U.S. History, teacher Mr. Knapp sent a broad amount of students to the district National History Day competition held on March 24. The district competition was located at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. Knapp sent seniors Michael Bielawski, Nate Tenley

and David Carter and juniors Cait- of the 1970 Kent State shootings am looking forward to trying my lin , Matthew Zhu, Mike Belair and is now advancing to compete best,” said Douglas. and Ethan McCourt. These stu- in the state competition in ColumIf Douglas places at the state dents all competed in one of the bus on Saturday, April 28. competition, she will go on to four categories that the competi“Going to Case Western to the national competition on June tion held. 10-14. At Each stuthe national dent did an competition, outstanding National job performHistory Day ing at the gives cash top-ranked awards and competimedals to tion, but it the top three was Dougnational winlas and ners in each Tenley who category. The stole the gold medalshow. Tenists receive ley placed $1,000, the third in the silver medlocal history Junior Caitlin is prepared to compete at states for the National History Day competition alists win division by on April 28. PHOTO BY LAURA ARCH $500 and the writing an bronze medessay on the history of the Good- compete in the district History alists win $250. National History year Tire and Rubber Company Day competition was a good ex- Day also recognizes one Outin Akron. Douglas placed third at perience. I don’t expect to take standing State Entry from each the competition with her exhibit any awards away at State, but I state in the junior and senior divi-

sions. “This experience will beneﬁt the students greatly in learning how to write a winning research paper in college. The students who wrote an essay for the competition learned how to analyze primary sources and how to cite correctly. The college history department demands this in writing papers. I believe that this competition will help better prepare the students for what they are to come across in the future, especially at the college level,” Knapp said about the entire National History Day experience. With the success of competing in the annual National History Day competition, the school can expect to return next year. The new AP U.S. History class gives the school the ability to start a continuing tradition of excelling in a new competition that everyone should feel honored to compete in.

Coach Robinson leaves his mark in history BY CARLY MCNUTT

Mr. Robinson, also known as Coach Rob, will be leaving Wadsworth High School on June 7. He will be moving to Lexington, South Carolina, as the school year ends to join his wife, who has been living there ever since she received a new promotion. The day he is able to leave, he is going to pack up and go. Coach Rob was not going to let his job stop his wife from moving on with her career. “She supports me with my job, so I also support her with hers and this was just an opportunity that we could not pass up,” said Robinson. They have been living with the long distance relationship since October. His wife moved down there to start on her new job while he stayed here to ﬁnish off the year. However, after school is over, he will be heading down there to begin his new job. He will begin right when he arrives there with the football program. The summer training program begins almost a week after he

moves there. Robinson was hired to teach at Blythewood High School. He will be teaching government, economics and global studies. The high school is brand new and was built in 2005. The area is very culturally diverse and he says it will be a change for him to work with a wider variety of students. Robinson will not be leaving his coaching career quite yet, either. He is already hired to be the offensive line coach for their football team, which won the state title this past year. Robinson will also have a coaching position on the basketball team. He said that he is not sure exactly where he will be working because the head coach has not gotten his staff together yet, but he will either be a freshman coach or positioned somewhere else on the team. Robinson’s family lives 12 hours from his home here, but after he moves they will only be a three hour drive away. He used to be only able to see them once a year and he has missed some of their life just because they live so far away.

“I am going to be able to go to said Robinson one in the school. The pep talks my granddaughter’s dance recital Even though Coach Rob is before the football games and the for the ﬁrst time this year and I leaving, he will always be re- announcements made at the boncouldn’t be more excited,” said membered. He has taught here ﬁres will also be missed. No one Robinson. for nine years and coached for will be able to replace his way of He says that he is really go- 12, and he will be remembered in pumping us up at the assemblies. ing to miss it here, but he likes the school district by the students He might be leaving, but he will change and this is only going and the staff. His enthusiasm has never be forgotten here at Wadto be for the better. Coach Rob always been an uplift to every- sworth High School. will miss the staff and students the most. “The students love their teachers here and they are so nice,” said Robinson. Of all things that excite him, there is one that he is most looking forward to: The University of South Carolina vs. Clemson football game at South Carolina. He will now have the chance to watch Paul Macko play again, but this time in the big games. “It will be exciting to see him play, considering I was one of Mr. Robinson, also known as Coach Rob, will be leaving Wadsworth High School at the end of his coaches for all four the school year, but his impact on the school will always be remembered. PHOTO BY BRUIN STAFF years of high school, ”

Students of the Month

Name:

Kristi

Favorite Teacher: Mr. Gramuglia Advice for Others: Challenge yourself through every obstacle.

Name:

Nate

Favorite Teacher: Mrs. Barlow and Mrs. North Advice for Others: Run fast.

April 2007

Picture Page

Senior Challenge

The Class of 2007 continued an annual tradition: challenging the faculty to a volleyball and basketball game. The senior girls played in the volleyball game, and the boys balled it up in the basketball game. The games were friendly and competitive, creating a fun atmosphere for the players and the fans. Both the volleyball and basketball games were unfortunately dominated by the faculty. At the end of both games, every senior involved charged onto the court in a last second attempt to score some extra points. Although their efforts were not strong enough, the traditional Senior Challenge will continue next year with the class of 2008.

Picture Page

April 2007

S p n ri g S

Spring has arrived, marking the start of the baseball and softball seasons. Each team is expected to do well and hopes to win the Suburban League Championship. Both teams are ﬁlled with talented, hard working players who are willing to do whatever it takes to be victorious. Star baseball player Dru Jones and star softball player Aimee Bassett hope to continue their success and take their teams far into the playoffs. The baseball team’s record is 2-5 and the softball team’s record is 6-3. Take advantage of the nice weather coming up and go support your favorite baseball and softball teams!

p ts or

Sports 1

April 2007

Ladd pitches no-hitter BY AMANDA HOOVER

The Wadsworth Grizzlies varsity softball team started their season off very well. Freshmen Stacey Ladd started her high school softball career as a pitcher perfectly. Ladd made quite an impression for her ﬁrst varsity start. She probably could not have had a better game than she did. Ladd was able to strike out 15 Highland hitters using three different pitches. She was nervous during the ﬁrst few innings of the game, and when she realized they were not hitting off of her, she was able to calm down. The Highland Hornets hold some of the better hitters in

the area, but none of them were lucky enough to hit off of Ladd. She was able to hold strong for the eight long innings. Highland’s pitcher, Heather Bauer, was Ladd’s mound opponent. Bauer is Highland’s ace and she is Wright State bound. She was almost Ladd’s equal, throwing a three hitter and striking out 16. “I knew we were not going to get a lot of runs off of her,” Ladd said. “So I knew I had to focus and not give up any runs. I honestly didn’t think I would do this good. I ﬁgured they’d hit me. I didn’t know I could do anything like this.”

Not only did Ladd pitch a no-hitter during her ﬁrst varsity start, she hit a towering double to deep left which was the game-winning hit. Softball has not been the only sport that Ladd has been involved in. She is a former basketball player, but she quit to put all of her focus on her softball career. All the time she has spent working on it has paid off. “We saw her a little bit in the summer and we really didn’t know a lot about her to tell you the truth. It seems like every time we look at her we get more and more impressed,” Mr. Schmeltzer said. The team should be looking forward to more wins with Ladd being a great asset to the softball team for the next four years.

Stacey poses before a big game against Cloverleaf. The freshman pitcher struck out 15 Highland hitters in her ﬁrst varsity game. PHOTO BY AMANDA HOOVER

Freshman team swings into action BY BROOKE BABYAK

The baseball program experienced changes this season with the addition of the freshman team. The freshman team was added to the program due to the high levels of interest in recent years and a growing youth program. Over 60 boys tried out this year. Approximately 30 that tried out were freshmen. Highland High School also added a freshman team this year. All teams in the Suburban League now have freshman baseball teams. The addition of the team is expected to have positive effects in the future. “Having a freshman team will improve our program tre-

mendously. It allows us to evaluate 15 more kids each year,” said Athletic Director Steve Moore. Having a freshman team “will help the players remain stronger year in and year out” said Mr. Madigan, the head baseball coach. “It will provide a strong foundation and depth” and will allow players to play more games, preparing them for future seasons, Madigan said. The players also feel that a freshman team is an asset to the program. “I really enjoy being on the freshman team because if we hadn’t had this team I wouldn’t have had a chance to play for Wadsworth,” said Greg

Jankord. “The Wadsworth baseball program will be able to take in more players to develop talent for the varsity team.” The team has done very well so far this season. Their record is 5-1. They have defeated Cloverleaf, Revere, Highland and Manchester. It is predicted that their biggest rivals will be Green, Tallmadge and Copley, the same teams that rival the varsity team. The changes to the baseball program will have lasting effects. The freshman team’s success will be an enhancement for not only the baseball program, but to the athletic program as well.

The freshmen team prepares for practice by warming up in the West Gym.

PHOTO BY BROOKE BABYAK

ATHLETES

Jessica

• Broke a 22-year

old 100m record with a time of 12.1 seconds

• Broke her 200m

record from last year

OF THE Sean Multiple first places in the following events: • 110 hurdles with a time of 14.7 seconds • 300 hurdles with a time of 41.6 seconds • high jump

MONTH

Sports 2

April 2007

2007 NFL Draft: Who will be No. 1? BY MATT SNODGRASS

The 2007 NFL draft class is loaded with talent. Perhaps the biggest surprise is that three of the biggest college stars are skipping their senior year for the greener pastures of the NFL. The most surprising of all is former LSU quarterback JaMarcus Russell. With his dominating performance in the Sugar Bowl and a solid showing at the NFL combine; he has vaulted himself into projection of being the number one overall pick. NFL scouts are drooling at the quarterback’s tremendous size and outstanding arm strength. On the other hand, former Notre Dame quarterback and senior Brady Quinn, whose team was handled in the same Sugar

Bowl, has slipped from the top perch possibly to a low top ten pick. Quinn had a dismal performance in the game, which could be his lone unsatisfactory performance on the season. He is even wondering why he has dropped so low due to just one game while one game has sent Russell’s stock through the roof. Another problem scouts have with Quinn is his short stature. This could be a problem with linemen who would tower over him and Quinn not being able to see over the line. Another top pick, also a junior, is the former wide receiver from Georgia Tech, Calvin Johnson. Scouts reported that Johnson could be the most talented player in the draft, but wide receivers are not as vital. Johnson has average NFL speed, but is instead

being hounded because of his size. Standing at 6’5”, he towers over all cornerbacks placed on him, and he seems to catch any ball that is thrown in his general direction. The ﬁnal of the dominating juniors is former Oklahoma tailback Adrian Peterson. Peterson has a solid frame and has the uncanny skill of breaking tackles. His durability will be in question by scouts because a broken collarbone sidelined him for seven games this past season. This year’s draft also looks to draft the youngest player ever into the NFL, at age 19. This man child is former Louisville defensive tackle Amobi Okoye. Okoye is graduating college with a degree at 19, when most people are in their ﬁrst year of college.

Okoye is questioned of his character by NFL general managers, but they can ﬁnd no weaknesses. In a few years, Okoye is sure to be a household name throughout the league. Ohio State also has some names in the draft looking to go ﬁrst round. Most notable is junior wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr. He is being looked at for his supposed world class speed, but had a slower speed than expected at his work out at Ohio State. Other notables from the Buckeyes entering the draft include Troy Smith, Antonio Pittman, Doug Datish and Anthony Gonzalez. There will be no shortage of surprises or talent at this year’s draft. The consuming question clogging everybody’s mind will be: who is No. 1?

Snodgrass’s NFL Top Four Prospects

#1. Oakland JaMarcus Russell

#2. Detroit Brady Quinn

#3. Cleveland Adrian Peterson

#4. Tampa Bay Calvin Johnson

The Raiders are in dire need of a productive toptier quarterback. Their offense overall is horrible, but Russell could be a franchise quarterback that they could build a team around.

Possibly the best quarterback in this year’s draft after four years under Charlie Weis. The Lions greatly need a young, franchise quarterback with last season’s starter, Jon Kitna, being 35 years old.

The Browns will look to draft Peterson if Russell and Quinn are selected. He is an excellent choice to accompany Jamal Lewis at running back, giving the Browns a running game they have been missing.

Johnson could quite possibly be the best wide receiver in the past ten years, but could be, passed up due to other teams speciﬁc needs. Still, this receiver will be the goto guy for the Bucs next season.

Major League Baseball off to cold start BY JOSH SNYDER

The MLB season officially kicked off on April 1 with a game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the New York Mets. Some teams, however, have not been so fortunate, as weather has conflicted with their schedules and caused games to be postponed. On the weekend of April 7, there were over ten postponed games, most of which were rescheduled for later in the season. This most affected the Cleveland Indians. The Indians did not get to finish their home opener or even start the rest of a 4-game home series against the Seattle Mariners. “I was really looking forward to the Indians’ home opener against the Seattle Mariners. I was shocked when the entire series got cancelled because of the weather,” said freshman Nick Kennell. After three straight days of cancellations in Cleveland, the MLB decided to move the Indians’ upcoming home series. The Anaheim Angels and the Indians

both agreed to move the series to Miller Field in Milwaukee. The moving of a series has only occurred two times before this in MLB history. This happened once in 2002 because of Hurricane Ivan and also back in 1996 when the Oakland A’s stadium was under construction. With the series against the Angels in Milwaukee and without the cheers of the hometown crowd, the Indians became major underdogs. Surprisingly, the Indians came out firing on all cylinders and won the first game against the Angels 7-6. The Indians are currently 6-6 with four makeup games scheduled for later in the season. As of now the Indians are being led offensively by centerfielder Grady Sizemore, who has four home runs. As some teams struggle through the start of the season, others have blasted off. Of course it would not be the same without the regular surprises that occur during April. One of these surprises is how New York Yankees Alex Ro-

SPORTS BRIEFS Baseball

The baseball team is off to an abnormal start with a 2-4 record in the league and a 2-5 record overall. They have only been able to play a minimal amount of games due to weather conditions. The team is led by ﬁve seniors while most of the team is made up of juniors. Juniors Dru Jones and Joe Goddard continue to lead the way for the Grizzlies offensively.

Softball The Lady Grizzlies are off to a great start this season. The team currently has a record of 6-3 and continues to ﬁght for a Suburban League Title. The biggest surprise of all this season is freshman pitcher Stacey Ladd. Ladd has quickly established herself as a dominant force on the mound and has already recorded her ﬁrst career high school no hitter.

Boys Track The Grizzlies are off to a very strong start with a 4-0 record thus far in the Suburban League. This year’s team is led by a strong group of seniors and juniors. Akron University recruit and returning state placer Kenny Owens leads the way for the Grizzlies in the Pole Vault. Owens has taken ﬁrst place in his event in every meet so far this season.

Girls Track Indians starting pitcher Jeremy Sowers delivers a pitch during the ﬁrst inning of a game last week. PICTURE COURTESY OF ESPN.COM

driguez hit ten home runs in 14 games to start off the 2007 season. A-Rod is the ﬁrst player in MLB history to hit two walkoff home runs in the month of April; one of them was a grand slam. Yet another surprise was the signing of Daisuke Matsuzaka by the Boston Red Sox. By signing Matsuzaka, the Red Sox deepened their pitching rotation signiﬁcantly. This is a pitching rotation which already contains all-star Curt Schilling. Matsuzaka is off to a 1-2 start and has

posted a 2.70 ERA and leads the team with 24 strikeouts. Possibly the biggest feat in baseball history will be captured later this year. Barry Bonds is on pace to break Hank Aaron’s home run record. Bonds currently has 738 home runs and will only need to hit 18 more to break Aaron’s record of 755. From home runs to strikeouts, doubles off the wall to earned runs, this season is already building itself to be one of the best in recent history.

The Lady Grizzlies are off to another strong start in the Suburban League this year. They are currently 4-0 and are on pace to win their fourth straight Suburban League Title. Led by a strong group of returning upperclassmen, the girls look to make another trip to the State Tournament this spring. Sophmore Jessica Grant also broke a 22-year old record in the 100m dash.

Boys Tennis The year’s team is off to a rather difﬁcult start with a very tough Suburban League schedule. The Grizzlies are currently 2-8 but are still showing many signs of improvement. Junior Ethan McCourt currently leads the Grizzlies with four wins this season.

April 2007

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Entertainment

April 2007

From Akron to global icon

On and off the court, we are all witnessing Lebron James become an all around entertainer OPINION BY NICK BURTON

It is almost a daily event for Lebron James to be featured on sport shows with highlights of his 3-pointers, no look passes and slam-dunks. What many of us do not know is what other talents this young athlete possesses. From comical commercials and dance-offs to rap mixtapes and co-hosting the ESPY Awards; we are just beginning to witness our Akron hometown hero become an all around entertainer and global icon. We are offered a little taste of Lebron’s personalities off the court with Nike’s commercials, simply entitled “The Lebrons”. The commercials feature a mock family consisting of a wise, business, athletic and kid version of Lebron that represent aspects of his personality. The commercials are full of humorous lines from the slick business/ladies man Lebron and comical comments from wise, old James, who likes to remind the athletic Lebron about all the accomplishments Michael Jordan has achieved. With the recent success of these commercials, James has stated that he would like to make a movie one day with him playing The Lebrons. Even if you ﬂip the channel from ESPN, that does not guarantee that you will not run into the King again. He is also featured running around with a paintball gun in a Sprite ad and advertising Cub Cadet Lawnmowers. James has also made a guest appearance on The Simpsons in the episode “Homer and Ned’s Hail Mary

l o o h c S Old VS. New School

Take your pick, old school or new school video game consoles.

Keep it Real Pwn3dn00b! James displays his personality as he messes around with a megaphone during the set of Nike’s “Swimming Pool” commercial. PHOTO COURTESY OF GOOGLEIMAGES.COM

Pass.” More surprisingly, he has appeared in a G-Unit mixtape called Clean Up Man alongside of platinum-selling rapper Young Buck. There has been no ofﬁcial word that James will pursue a future in music, but his new house is equipped with a voice-recording studio, which leaves us wondering. As far as the future is concerned for James off the court, this Cavalier All-Star will be cohosting this year’s 15th annual ESPY Awards along side of late night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel in Los Angeles. He has appeared on the show as a winner and presenter, but this will be a ﬁrst time for him as far as hosting the show. James will follow in the footsteps of Lance Armstrong by being the only two athletes to serve as a host for the event. “I’m really looking forward to it,” James told the AP. “It’s going to be a lot of fun, and a chance to get out there and crack some jokes along with Jimmy. The ESPYs have always been very good

to me.” There is no doubt that he is very talented at basketball, but some question his ability as far as co-hosting the ESPYs is concerned. Being a little nervous is nothing to him; James is always up for a challenge and insists he is not scared. “He’d better get nervous,” Kimmel cracked, “because if he’s not he’s not going to do a good job.” Even when James was a junior at Akron St. VincentSt. Mary High School, he has shocked the world with his talents; proving you can do anything you want if you follow your dreams. As one of the lead scorers in the NBA, a business man and a proud father, James has been a role model and hero for millions of people. Some may say he is the future of the NBA alongside of Dwayne Wade, but the only thing that is guaranteed is that James is an amazing entertainer and global icon.

New Xbox 360 Elite to hit shelves in early summer BY BEN DEE

brand new and improved system Now that most major will include many new feagamers have gotten tures. It will have many more their 360’s, Wii’s Hi-Def capabilities within the and last but not system and can make many least their PS3’s, of the games look even more everybody is just realistic on televisions can settling down from than the regular Xbox 360. the release of SoThe Elite systems also have a ny’s Playstation 3. faster cooling system, so they This new horizon will not catch on ﬁre like the of gaming techearlier systems did right nology is almost after the major reat its end. It is not lease in the Christover just yet. Remas of 2005. cently, Microsoft Unlike the PS3 announced that and the Wii, Miit will release crosoft is not the new Xbox The new Xbox 360 Elite, now with jet planning to black covers. PHOTO COURTESY OF MLIVE. 360 Elite. This COM (330)336-1410 Fax: (330)3346243

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Let us face it, when it comes down to what system gets you the most girls, there is competition. No girl wants to play a ﬂirty game of Gears of War or a friendly match of Halo on a casual date. If you dim the lights, turn on a little Usher for the background music and whip out Mario Kart on the Nintendo 64, you are golden. No girl has any interest in how realistic death is depicted with the latest graphics on Hi-Def televisions. I think I speak for most girls when I say that it is more about having fun and enjoying yourself than it is to the brutal deaths of Sci-Fi aliens and monsters. The new systems focus more on blood, gore and graphics than they do the whole fun aspect of video games. It is hard to ﬁnd a fun game where the plot is not marching down the streets of San Andreas killing people or hunting down mindless zombies. So go ahead and spend your hard earned money on expensive video game consoles and waste hours and hours trying to save the world as Master Chief. You can call me Vince Vaughn or Will Ferrell cause I’m going to keep it old school. So dust off your Super Nintedo and cuddle up next to your girl; stay true gamers, and keep it real.

PWN3D n00b! It is all about the new school games. Honestly, if you put Gears of War up against Mario Kart, there is no competition. Are you saying that old school video games are going to get you girls? No way- not in the least bit. Girls are much more interested in the futuristic realistic games we now play. New and improved systems like the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 put Nintendo 64 to shame. We play with 3D graphics, not 2D graphics that our grandpas played on NES. Hi-Def televisions have taken over the gaming world. Unlike the twenty inch plug in television that you “old schoolers” play on, we play on our ﬁfty-seven inch PLASMA Hi-Def televisions. You have nothing against us. With the brand spankin’ new Xbox 360 Elite, You will not even be able to tell the difference between the most amazing graphics you have ever seen and reality! These video games have taken over the old school Atari games everyone in the 1970’s used to play. Even PS2 and Dreamcast have been extinct from many video stores around the country. It is all about the new school, ladies and gentlemen. Now get gaming.

put WiFi into this new system. Another downfall to this new system is that there is no Hi-Def DVD drive. The Elite will not be capable of playing Hi-Def movies through the system. The Xbox 360 Elite is expected to hit shelves in major more songs than the regular 360. stores around the late spring, You can also watch Hi-Def televibut may be pushed back into sion shows that can be downloaded off of Xbox Live. early summer.This new It is capable of system is downloading going to more than be rejust televileased for sion shows. the hefty It can also price of download $479. special backT h e grounds, system songs and increased even old ar$79 becade games. cause Many of the M i The new package of the Xbox 360 Elite. extras that do not crosoft PHOTO COURTESY OF KOTAKU.COM come with the is only making 200,000 systems that Xbox 360 Elite package may be are to be sent around the U.S. bought separately. These special Even though this system is edition headsets, controllers, facemeant for the most intense gam- plates and other things will be sold ers, it is also an all around en- for a certain amount of time before being ripped off the store shelves. tertainment system. This new system can play Also, Warner Brothers Entertain-

ment will be releasing a direct connection to their movies that can be purchased and watched right off the Xbox. A&E Television Network will also become directly connected through Xbox Live Marketplace where shows can be downloaded and watched through the Xbox. New Line Cinema will also release movies such as Snakes on a Plane, Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning and others. Purchasing this Elite system will also give a one month free Gold trial to Xbox Live. Therefore, the buyer will get one month of playing with your friends, downloading shows, movies, music and much more. The Xbox 360 Elite will be released in late spring to early summer. Microsoft plans on this system being the most successful and one of the biggest releases of a system yet to date.

Music

April 2007

Top 10 Billboard Singles 1. Timbaland Give It To Me

2. Akon Don’t Matter

3. Gwen Stefani and Akon The Sweet Escape 4. Fergie and Ludacris Glamorous 5. Mims This Is Why I’m Hot 6. Avril Lavigne Girlfriend 7. Linkin Park What I’ve Done 8. Gym Class Heroes Cupid’s Chokehold 9. Beyonce and Shakira Beautiful Liar 10. T-Pain and Yung Joc Buy U A Drank

Red Jumpsuit Apparatus takes action against teen suicide, depression BY JESS MOONEY AND JUSTIN MESICK

From humble beginnings in Middleburg, Florida, to a record selling album, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus has not forgotten to give back to the community. The band recently released their first CD, “Don’t You Fake It,” in November of 2006; however, they are just now getting the recognition they deserve. The Take Action Tour, which supports the prevention of youth suicide and depression, brought them this recognition. The tour, featuring Emery, Scary Kids Scaring Kids, A Static Lullaby, Kaddisfly and numerous others, began in February. The ticket sales benefited Youth America Hotline, which raises awareness about teen depression and suicide. “It’s an issue that not a lot of people out there really know about, so we’re raising money and we’re raising awareness,” said guitarist Duke Kitchens, according to the band’s official website. Kitchens, along with bass player Joey Westwood, formed The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus in 2003 just for kicks. For eigh-

teen months, the duo began looking for other talented musicians. They recruited three other members, all of whom are still a part of the band. The newly formed band began writing songs and eventually started booking gigs. The five members were immediately embraced by the local community. When the band first got together they only cared about having a good time; however, they have come to the conclusion that showing all the underdogs out there that they, too, can actually make a living at music, is far better than making millions. Their songs are flush with the determination, hunger and energy of youth. Their CD covers a wide variety of music genres, including pop-punk, pop, screamo

Timbaland creates hip-hop hybrid BY WARREN BATES

Timbaland is not just any old hip-hop & R&B music producer; he is a bonaﬁde legend who has received credit for creating one of the most distinctive sounds in the genre of hip-hop. Creating what can only be labeled “The Timbaland Sound,” he has produced smash hits for the likes of Missy Elliott, Aaliyah, Jay-Z, Ludacris and a wide variety of other successful artists. Having seemingly grown tired of the “hip-hop scene,” however, he recently garnered much acclaim with his record label, Mosley Music Group. Producing two of 2006’s hottest pop albums (Nelly Furtado’s Loose and Justin Timberlake’s FutureSex/LoveSounds), Timbaland has, for the most part, veered off from his original sound and developed an ultramodern, electronic style. Some questions still remain: will this new sound isolate Timbaland’s old fans, and will it be enough to reach a larger audience?

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Using the same Nina Simone sample as the Kanye West classic Get By, Timbaland kicks off Shock Value with the lone solo track on the entire album. Over a trunk rattling blues and folk inﬂuenced beat, he boosts his ego, vocally hurling insults every which way. Hollering, “I ain’t goin’ nowhere dawg,” Timbaland seems to be prepping the listener for the rest of the album. Oh Timbaland, the jumpstart of the album, is the sole display of Timbaland’s country roots as he moves on, progressing towards the “futuristic” sound. The following hour of music is purely off the wall and yes, a bit shocking. The album’s ﬁrst single, “Give It to Me,” featuring label mates Furtado and Timberlake, is appealing. Though the beat sounds like a throwaway from either Loose or FutureSex/LoveSounds, Furtado saves the day with a catchy hook; but what is engaging and redeeming about this song is actually the whole concept of Timbaland and a cou-

ple of pop stars talking smack. “Release” and “Way I Are,” the following two tracks, are interesting and catchy to say the least, though the former sounds a bit like a quasi-Sexy Back imitation, and the latter veers off into a no-man’s land of electronica. The CD tapers off into something unlike any of his previous productions. From The Hives to She Wants Revenge and the current reigning kings of the charts, Fall Out Boy, Timbaland mixes his beats with seemingly every sound he can ﬁnd. The atypical but critically acclaimed Apologize, features a nearly unnoticeable Timbaland, and the lead singer of One Republic bearing the weight of the song. From start to ﬁnish this album is one of the most diverse, unique and, at times, perplexing albums one can experience. Offering such a wide range of sounds, it will certainly please its listeners. The album is clearly a venture into the unknown for Timbaland, and possibly for music in general.

My Chemical Romance Tuesday, May 1 - 7:30 PM Nationwide Arena, Columbus August Burns Red Wednesday, May 5 - 6:30 PM Lime Spider, Akron

Relient K and Mae Thursday, May 3 - 6:30 PM House of Blues, Cleveland Paramore Monday, May 7 - 7:30 PM The Agora, Cleveland

Incubus Sunday, May 27 - 8:00 PM The Agora, Cleveland

Breaking Benjamin: Three Days Hellogoodbye Grace Friday, May 11 - 6:30 PM Thursday, May 31 - 7:00 PM House of Blues, Cleveland Tower City, Cleveland The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus Sunday, May 13 - 6:00 PM Newport Music Hall, Columbus and metal. They combine them in a way that is both surprising and intriguing. Their album “Don’t You Fake It” appeared in July 2006 as part of that summer’s Warped Tour. The album was certiﬁed gold by the year’s end, propelled by the success of the bands ﬁrst single, Face Down. The band further

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contributed a track to the video game soundtrack for Madden NFL 2007. A Deluxe Edition of the band’s CD was released on April 3. The CD/DVD features the music videos for the songs Face Down and False Pretense. Footage from the Take Action tour is also on the DVD.

Through all of the fame that came with their title, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus never forgot to give back to the people that helped get them where they are now. They hope to continue to give back to the community in hopes of helping teens worldwide.

Movies

April 2007

Fracture makes enormous breakthrough in theaters

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

Atticus Finch Indiana Jones James Bond Clarice Starling Rocky Balboa Ellen Ripley Oskar Schindler Luke Skywalker George Bailey 10. Harry Callahan

BY JENNY HARSH

Fracture and Vacancy make a huge appearance. PHOTO COURTESY OF WWW. GOOGLE.COM

TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK DR. NO THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS ROCKY ALIENS SCHINDLER’S LIST STAR WARS IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE DIRTY HARRY

VILLANS

HEROES

T O P M OV I E

Starring Ryan Gosling and Anthony Hopkins, Fracture is one of the highest rating thrillers of 2007. Ted Crawford (Hopkins), a current engineer, discovers his gorgeous wife, Jennifer is having an affair. Because of this, he devises a plan to murder her. The plot thickens as the police come to the scene of the crime. Rob Nunally (Billy Burk) is the only ofﬁcer allowed to enter the house in which Jennifer was murdered. There he searches to reveal the unyielding truth. Nunally comes to ﬁnd Crawford’s lover really is not dead.

Immediately, he suspects Crawford and eventually arrests him after he confesses the murder of his very own wife. It seems to be a slam dunk case but, like most things in the movies, there is always a twist. All of these tragic events lead up to the appearance of Willy Beachum (Gosling), who is an assistant district attorney. Once Beachum hears about the intensity of the case, he knows it is what he needs to get promoted to District Attorney Ofﬁce. Will Beachum have what it takes to receive the promotion or let the situation get the best of him?

T O P M OV I E

BY JENNY HARSH

Vacancy causes suspense to advance to new heights The suspenseful and horrifying film Vacancy was released on April 20, 2007. When David (Luke Wilson) and Amy Fox (Kate Beckinsale) find themselves getting stranded in the middle of no where due to their car breaking down, they go searching for a place to stay the night. Unfortunately, there is only one motel near them, forcing them to have to stay there. All the room has is a television to entertain them, leading to a lot more than just that. They come to find the movies

1. Dr. Hannibal Lector 2. Norman Bates 3. Darth Vader 4. Wicked Witch 5. Nurse Ratched 6. Mr. Potter 7. Alex Forrest 8. Phyllis Dietrichson 9. Regan MacNeil 10. The Queen

they were watching of men killing numbers of people had been taken place in the very room they were staying in. Right away they ﬁnd hidden cameras staring at them, watching their every move. Every escape exit was trapped. There was no way of getting past the assassin. Knowing they are being watched, and not sure what will happen with every step they take, the two victims have to outwit the killer and ﬁnd a way out before it’s too late. Will the two of them make it out alive, or will the murderer get the best of them?

THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS PSYCHO THE EMPIRE STIKES BACK THE WIZARD OF OZ ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST

IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE FATAL ATTRACTION DOUBLE INDEMNITY THE EXORCIST SNOW WHITE

In Disturbia, every killer lives next to someone REVIEW BY KAT LITTLE

Disturbia tells the story of a teenage boy named Kale Brecht who is sentenced to three months house arrest after punching a teacher in the face for making a comment about his recently deceased father. When his mother takes away his TV and his computer, he resorts to spying on the houses surrounding him. Things begin to get frightening when he begins to suspect one of his neighbors is a serial killer. He gets his friends involved with his impromptu investigation to learn the truth. Shia LaBeouf stars as Kale Brecht. Labeouf started his career as the quirky Louis Stevens on

Disney Channel’s Even Stevens. Since his debut, he has starred in some of the last few years top rated ﬁlms, alongside some of Hollywood’s most renowned actors. Such movies include: I, Robot with Will Smith, and Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle with Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore, Demi Moore and Lucy Liu. Carrie-Anne Moss, who plays Kale’s mother Julie, is known to most for her role in the Matrix series as Trinity. Most recently David Morse, the suspicious neighbor Mr. Turner, was Frank Nugent in 16 Blocks, opposite Bruce Willis. Kale’s friends Ashley and Ronnie are played by two fairly

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new actors. Ashley is played by newcomer Sarah Roemer and Ronnie by Aaron Yoo. Labeouf gives an amazing performance in this excellent thriller, He has truly come a long way from the days of Even Stevens. Newcomers, Roemer and Yoo both give spectacular performances. Morse is perfectly sinister as the neighbour. Overall, this was an amazing thriller and casting of this movie makes it a must

see. For all those people who saw this movie opening night at the AMC Theater in Montrose, the microphone hanging down throughout the film was not a mistake made by the production company. It was a mistake in setting up the projector at the theater. Do not judge the film by hearsay because, as The IMDb’s Goof Spotter’s Handbook states, “When the film is developed,

processed and printed, the film beyond the safe area is cropped, but often not the safe area itself. It is up to the projectionist to correctly align the camera and the blinders so that only the “live” area is visible. As films have different aspect ratios, this adjustment needs to be made for every film.” Make sure to go see Disturbia in a theater while you still can. It’s an exciting thriller for all.

UPCOMING MAY MOVIES

Variety Seniors compete for ranking

April 2007

Students see new security

BY MOLLY BRAZIER

With the closing of the 20062007 school year, the competition among seniors for top of the class has started to come to a close. Many factors go into class ranking. It is based not only on cumulative grade point average, but also the level of the classes taken. Though honors and advanced placement class grades are not weighted for regular GPA, they are accounted for class rank. Two years ago, a new system of determining class rank was implemented. In past years, those wishing to place in the top of their class could not afford to take any study halls. With the new system, however, there is a little more ﬂex room. An A in an honors class is equivalent to a 4.25 and an A in an AP class is equivalent to a 4.5. This year, this has made the competition among seniors for the top few spots especially close. So close, in fact, determining valedictorian and salutatorian is not yet possible. As of now, Jon Losh, who will be heading to MIT next fall with the intention of pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering, holds the place for valedictorian. “It has been a lot of hard work, but I am glad to see it all pay off,” said Losh. In that, he is not alone. There are nine other seniors who have proven their dedication to school work and are capable of also earning valedictorian or the salutatorian honor. It will not be until the third week of May, when teachers turn in seniors’ grades to calculate the top ten students of 2007, that anything will be deﬁnite. “This class has been wonderful,” said guidance counselor Mrs. Gilbert, “they have worked very hard and earned a lot of recognition.” After four years of hard work and dedication, many seniors in the top of their class are seeing their efforts pay off. “Colleges really take notice if you graduate in the top 10 percent of your class,” said Gilbert, “the 2007 class have worked hard for their achievements.”

Mr. Kibler and Mrs. Greenlees show off their new identiﬁcation cards. Between the two photos is the close up of Mr. Lynn’s card. All adults in the high school are required to wear the ID cards, including substitutes and visitors, for the safety of everyone at the high school. PHOTOS BY RACHEL HUDSON BY RACHEL HUDSON

In February, the school administration informed the student body that the lack of security measures would change. This month, these measurements have shown up throughout the school. “We want to make the students feel more comfortable in our school,” said Principal Brian Williams. The doors have been equipped with timers that lock them during class and unlock between classes. If students felt unsafe before, now they can feel safer with these locks.

“I did not feel unsafe before the locks; I do not feel any different,” said junior Melanie Povirk. Identiﬁcation badges were the next security measure that have shown up. On Tuesday, April 10, all faculty members came to school wearing identiﬁcation cards hanging from red lanyards. “The idea of the badges is to identify any adult in the building, that is the bottom line,” said Williams. The front of the card has “Wadsworth High School” printed across the top, the current school year and the faculty member’s name, picture, and position. The

back of the card has emergency numbers, such as the Wadsworth Police and Wadsworth Fire and EMS. The staff is required to wear the lanyards at all times in the building. With this requirement, diverse opinions from the faculty have formed. “Yes, I like wearing them. The fashionable red lanyard eliminates the need for other accessories,” Mrs. Greenlees said. “I’ve sold all my jewelry on eBay.” Greenlees makes it apparent that she dislikes the cards with her sarcasm, but Mr. Lynn thinks differently.

“They are ﬁne with me; I do not mind them really,” said Lynn. As an alternate, Lynn and Greenlees suggest having retinal scans instead of the cards. Mr. Kibler thinks that the tags are a good idea because of the prevention of intruders in the school. “I suggest that everyone should wear a tag. It would make it easier to identify students and with a bar code, we could use it for attendance and such,” said Kibler. The cards and the locks on doors are for the sole purpose of the protection of students and faculty from intruders.

Cream of the crop

BY MOLLY BRAZIER

When people see Nick Flanigan’s 2006, 290 horsepower Toyota Tacoma rolling down the

road, there is one common reaction that comes to mind: “What a tank.” That is exactly what Flanigan thought when his parents sur-

Senior Nick stands in the back of his powerful 2006 Toyota Tacoma truck that he received at the end of last summer. PHOTO BY MOLLY BRAZIER

prised him with the truck last September. “I used to drive a 2001 Acura TL, but I like the truck so much better,” Flanigan said. Flanigan recalls that the ﬁrst few times he drove it were akward because of its size. Because of Flanigan’s excitement with his new truck, the day after he received it, he got a speeding ticket. “I was heading down Blake road and wanted to test out exactly how powerful it was. I really was not thinking,” he said. That was the ﬁrst speeding ticket Flanigan ever received; he has not received any sense then. “He has been a pretty safe driver,” said his friend Robb Buccigrossi. “I would say 99 percent of the time he does not go more than 20 miles over the speed limit,” Buccigrossi added sarcastically. Speeding or not, Flanigan and

his friends seem to always be using the truck. He and his friends like to drive to Chipotle, order burritos and then eat them in bed the of the truck, tailgate style. After graduation, they plan to put their luggage in it and take it to Florida for a senior trip. However, not everything about owning a gigantic truck is convenient. Once, when pulling out of the driveway, Flanigan scraped up against his dad’s car. “It is so big. Sometimes I cannot even ﬁt it in a regular parking spot,” he said. Yet, Flanigan thinks the advantages outweigh the disadvantages when it comes to his Toyota Tacoma. “I’m planning on keeping it as long as it keeps running,” Flanigan said. Whenever he drives his truck, he says he feels like he is the king of the road.

Ads

April 2007

Patrons 2006-2007 Tony Accordino Bill and Nancy Adams Crystal Ake Ms. Allison The Babyak Family Monica Bandura The Barlow Family The Barnett Family Mike and Pepper Bates Patricia Bathurst Mr. and Mrs. Baxley The Beavers Family The Benyn Family The Berger Family Marla Bianco Joyce Bock The Booth Family Linda and Steve Borsani Amy Broadhurst Mike and Sue Buckson Buck and Kathy Budinscak Kathy Burton Richard Burton Casalinova Family Jeff Collins The Conley’s Ralph and Ellie Constantine Coudriet Family The Croyle Family The Csaky Family Dana’s Mom The Dee Family Shannon DeMita Greg and Ann Dennison Rebecca Dills The Duta Family Anita and Dennis Duhon Melissa Eaton Bob and Kathie Engler Brad and Angie Ferguson Fernholz Family Frank and Laura Figliomeni Denise Forsyth David Fowler Joe and Wendy Gains Mark and Cheryl Gilbert Mr. Bill Goddard and Family Kim Goodson James J. Hamelic The Hamilton Family Ron and Pam Hammel

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Mike and Lisa Peyakov; Owners Wadsworth Whitehouse Chicken Bill and Sharon Powell Mike and Katie Recupero Ken Richards Don and Alice Robinson The Rodrigo Family Denise Russo The Sarlouis Family Carl and Harue Scarbrough Mike Schmeltzer Sr. Mr. and Mrs. Seifert Keith and Michelle Serfass Mr. Shepherd Eric and Diane Smith Dan and Karen Snyder John and Eleanor Snyder Stano Family The Stoner Family Trish and Dave Swanson Bonnie and Kevin Sypolt Karen Taylor David and Laura Tenyak Curt and Nancy Thompson Tom Tucker Bev Valentine The Van Dyke Family Al and Donna Whitacre The Wienecke Family Brian Williams and Family Andy Wintersteller Gerry and Ann Wright Dave and Barbara Zuchniak

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Upcoming Events

April 2007

Seniors! Cedar Point tickets are on sale during 5th period in room 211! Cedar Point trip is scheduled for May 25

Tickets cost $28 and must be purchased by Monday, May 7

PromTickets on Sale! Prom tickets are on sale in room 211! Each ticket costs $30 Purchase tickets soon for Pre-Prom prizes!

WADSWORTH HIGH SCHOOL BLOOD DRIVE WHO:

Everyone 17-years old or older

WHAT:

Donate blood to those in need

WHERE: WHEN: WHY:

Post-PromTickets on Sale! Each ticket costs $25 Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t miss out on the fun after the dance from 12:00 AM - 4:00 AM!

WHS East Gym Monday, April 30, 2007 8:00 AM - 2:00 PM Giving blood one time can save three lives

College Spotlight

April 2007

Top 10 Most Selective Schools *indicates Class of 2007 senior accepted

1) Massachusetts Institute of Technology*

2) Princeton University

3) California Institute of Technology*

4) Yale University

BY LAURA MYERS

The process of college application and admissions seems daunting to most high schoolers. In the 2006-2007 school year, it became even more so as applications rose due to several factors. More students applied to colleges, leading to a record number of rejections. The WHS Class of 2007 had no idea. An increase in the number of college-aged students, larger interest for “elite” colleges and the ever-helpful Common Application all contributed to the highest number of college applications ever to be submitted. Selective schools such as Massachusetts Instutute of Technology, Northwestern University, Emory University and The University of Notre Dame, all among those considered “elite,” turned away record numbers, each accepting 20 percent or fewer of students who applied. These schools have one more thing in common: at least one student from the Class of 2007

will be attending each institution next year. “The Class of 2007 has worked very hard and deserves everything it receives,” said Mrs. Cheryl Gilbert, who is head of the Guidance Department. The Class of 2007 has also had two students appointed to military academies, a feat unheard of until now. Chris Jones will be attending the United States Naval Academy in the fall, and Cate Miller will be attending the Air Force Academy. This year has also seen admittances to California Institute of Technology, The University of Pennsylvania, Stanford University, Cornell University, Johns Hopkins University, New York University, Northeastern University and Case Western Reserve University. Many students have also received large merit scholarships to state schools, such as The Ohio State University and Ohio University. Additionally, 12 seniors have signed letters of intent and will receive scholarships to participate in athletics at the university

Seniors p e 007 a k o u t CLASS OF

5) Harvard University

7) Columbia University

level. As an added accomplishment, there are four National Merit Finalists from Wadsworth this year. The school has not had so many in nearly 20 years. With every application is sent a school proﬁle, which includes test scores and graduation rates from the previous year’s senior class. The average ACT Composite score for the Class of 2006 was a 22.4, which is .9 above the national average. Gilbert expects the average to rise this year. “It usually stays about the same, so it’s very exciting to think that 2007’s will be much higher,” she said. This higher average should help students in the Class of 2008, as it will place the high school in a more favorable light. “The success of this class will deﬁnitely help the future classes - colleges will begin to have higher respect for our school,” said Gilbert. The large number of accomplishments by this year’s class was not completely unexpected; some teachers have been predict-

I will be at Wittenberg University because it really ﬁts my personality! -Katie Cammarn I’m going to attend Ohio University. I love the beautiful campus and friendly students. -Abby Hackenberg

Ohio State, because they gave me a scholarship and it’s a good school. -Jon Tomko

Next year I will be attending Case Western Reserve University because I love Italian food, and Little Italy is just a hop, skip and a jump away! -Eric Nied

Otterbein College, it’s right in between Polaris and Easton malls! -Steph Bowman

With time running out, Senior Nate shrugs as he contemplates which school to attend. Most colleges require a hefty deposit be paid by May 1. PHOTO BY GARRETT WIENECKE

9) Brown University

10) Swarthmore College

I will be going to Brigham Young University in the fall of 2009. In the meantime, I will be serving a mission for my church. For two years I will do my service and teach people wherever I

am assigned. -Ward Greenhalgh

I’m going to Denison University! It has good academics and a very nice campus atmosphere. -Sarah Price

ing it for years. “Without a doubt, the Class of 2007 has the most ability as a whole than any class I have ever worked with,” said Mrs. Barlow, who has taught many of the seniors for two or three years. “It used to be the Class of 1995, but 2007 has surpassed them.” Gilbert attributes the success not just to the seniors’ high level of ability, but to the way the students treat each other. “Everyone is very supportive of one another,” she said. “It could get nasty, with all of the stress of senior year, but it seems that all of the seniors get along and are able to help each other through it.” This is especially true of the seniors who participated in the inaugural year of zero period A.P. Chemistry, for whom the stress was overwhelming at times. The seniors’ last day of school is May 18, and graduation is June 3. As one of the most highachieving classes ever walks across the stage on that Sunday afternoon, each individual will have something to be proud of.

WHERE ARE YOU ATTENDING COLLEGE AND WHY?

I’m not quite sure yet. It’s between Miami, Case Western, Syracuse, Pitt and St. Joseph’s. -Nate Miska

6) Stanford University*

8) University Pennsylvania*

College admissions no match for seniors

I’m going to attend Wayne College for two years, and then I’ll transfer to Kent State! -Ashley Blubaugh

Bowling Green, so Emfaye and I can have pet ﬁsh named peanut and jelly - Megan Freeman I’m going to Northwestern next year because the campus is gorgeous! The people are really nice, and there’s always something going on. Oh yeah, I guess the academics are pretty good too. -Carrie Cook

I’m going to Northeastern University in Boston because I want to. -Greg Chester

BGSU, because it’s not Toledo! -Dan Houston

I planned on moving right on up to 13th grade, but Mike Firis just told me it doesn’t exist. What now? -Matt Toddy University of Akron Wayne College because my parent want me to stay home the ﬁrst year (sad bu true), afterwards I would like to transfer to Ashland . -Jake George New York University. I want to go to NYU because it’s a great school and there’s is so much to do in New York City. -Courtney Gaston

Senior Ashley ﬂashes a smile as she shows off her new Ashland University cheer uniform. PHOTO BY GARRETT WIENECKE

I will be attending Ashland University. I picked Ashland because of how welcoming they made me feel as soon as I expressed interest in attending. I never felt like I was “just a number” with them. The campus is small and so are the class sizes. I’m really looking forward to cheering there next fall and the incredible food! -Ashley Cullen