The Bruin- January 2010 by Wadsworth Bruin

JANUARY 2010

Wadsworth High School

Newspaper II/III

The

BRUIN

Volume XXXIV No. 4

625 Broad Street Wadsworth, Ohio 44281

PHOTO BY ADAM WOODARD

Mr. Nate Singleton, a freshman and junior English teacher, sits down to discuss one-on-one with a student on the effects of cell phone usage in the classroom. If Moore’s plan goes into effect, face-to-face communication may be a thing of the past.

2010 $1.00

PHOTO BY ADAM WOODARD

Mrs. Kristin Hutchinson, a science teacher, thinks that using cell phones in class as a calculator and computer is a great idea. She loves the use of technology in class.

School administration backs plan for using cell phones in school BY ADAM WOODARD

Many changes are happening in the Wadsworth City Schools. From the building of several new elementary schools, to the plans of a new high school and recreation center. However, what may come as a shock to most are the future plans for the classroom. Cell phones have become the new fad and they have been banned from classrooms... or have they? The school administrators, backed by Principal Steve Moore, are looking into the use of cell phones in class. The phones will be used for educational purposes and as a way to enhance

discussion in the classroom. During the second semester, several teachers will be experimenting with the use

of cell phones as an aid in the classroom. Students will respond to a teachers question by texting their answer to a web site, not a fellow student’s cell phone. The text messages will be sent to the web site and the projector

in the classroom will show the responses on the board. The web site will show all of the answers that have been sent and will display who sent the message as well. “ My hope for this plan is to get more students involved in classroom discussion. Kids love to text, so hopefully they will be motivated to participate and discuss more in the classroom,” said Moore. This form of discussion is currently being used in colleges across the country by the use of responders instead of cell phones. The inspiration behind the plan came from a fall conference that

completely destroyed. Rescue workers have been working diligently around the clock to free those trapped beneath the rubble. Thousands of injured people await medical attention, however, due to the quake, several hospitals are left damaged. Haiti now lacks basic services like water and electricity leaving several thousand homeless. The port remains blocked, but the efforts to bring supplies is constantly increasing. 1.5 million people are now left homeless due to the disaster. Governments across the globe geared up to help, including rescue teams from China, Iceland and France. President Obama pledged $100 million to aid the

restructure of the city. Other organizations such as the Food for the Poor and Habitat for Humanity set up online accounts making it possible to donate money. The Red Cross also gave a lending hand by enabling those who want to help the option to text “HAITI” to “90999” and donate $10 to aid in the relief efforts. Donations have also been taken up at local churches. U.S. troops landed at the Presidential Palace to offer support and strength. While it is a constant struggle to get enough supplies to the Haitians, the U.S. has now been able to get 100 ﬂights a day compared to the 60 ﬂights in past weeks. Troops have resorted to parachuting in supplies

“I am excited to be able to use my phone in school.” -Ashley May, 10

Earthquake hits Haiti, death toll reaches 200,000 BY SAMM SERFASS

Devastation swept across Haiti when a massive earthquake brought havoc and chaos to the city of Port-au-Prince. Reaching a 7.0 on the Richter scale, the center of the quake was about 10 miles southwest of Portau-Prince. As if one earthquake was not enough, Haitians experience an aftershock quake of 6.1 on the scale. The death toll reached over 200,000. Ofﬁcials fear that the toll will easily reach 500,000. This will categorize this event as one of the world’s worst disasters in history. The Presidential Palace was impacted greatly by the earthquake. Several sections of the building were

INSIDE

THE

Moore attended. He stressed how the phones will be for educational purposes only. He understands that some students will “take advantage of the new plan.” Another ﬁrm point made by Moore was, “The use of cell phones will not be a daily event. The plan is dependent on its early success and also on the discretion of parents and teachers.” The administration realizes that there are some problems with the plan. There will be no problem with participation, seeing as students continuously try to use their phones in school. The problem will be the payment for the phone bills. Not every student has unlimited

texting, so using their phones in class will take up messages and might push some students over their contract limits. This could hinder the use of phones in class because students will want to use their phones out of school. “ I believe that it is a good idea to have students use cell phones in class. Our school will be adapting to the 21st century,” said senior Courtney Mendel As Moore said, nothing is set in stone for this plan. However, it is a growing possibility. If this happens our school will be embracing technology in a positive way, and classroom discussion will be changed forever.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MCTCAMPUS

The Presidential Palace was among several buildings severely damaged by the quake.

in secured areas outside the city to avoid chaos at the airports. American Airlines has donated several warehouses full of food.

With continuous efforts being made, nations around the world are working hard to help restore Haiti.

BRUIN:

STUDENTS DESERVE PERSONAL DAYS, TOO Students talk about wanting time off, just like the teachers.

– page 5 WINTER SPIRIT Student athletes shine throughout the season in basketball, wrestling, gymnastics and swimming.

– pages 8 & 9

POWER RANGERS VS. NINJA TURTLES Rangers or reptiles, who will be the winner? Kory Jensen and Brandon House debate.

– page 12 WRESTLING TEAM DOMINATES Wrestling team stands out at State Dual meet continuing a great season.

– page 14

INDEX

PAGE

News ............................................................3 Opinion .....................................................4,5 Ads ..............................................6,11,13, 16 Entertainment .............................................. 7 Picture Pages ...........................................8, 9 Features ....................................................10 Of the Month ..............................................12 Sports ....................................................14,15 Health .........................................................17 Speak out ...................................................18

Haiti disaster calls for action

It is a difﬁcult situation to imagine. No food, clean water or electricity. As a small, middle class town in Ohio, Wadsworth citizens may ﬁnd it hard to relate to a country stricken with such massive destruction. However, we at The Bruin feel for the people of Haiti and suggest everyone try to help in one way or another. Many celebrities have played some part in the relief efforts. Participation in the CNN telethon and million dollar donations are a couple of the ways celebrities are supporting the Haitians. Twitter has also been an aid for raising money. Frequent tweeters like Shaquille O’Neal, Keri Hilson and John Mayer asked followers to text “HAITI” to “90999” or “Yele” to “501501.” A donation of $5 or $10 will be added to the phone bill. At this point and time, any help is a big help. With the added destruction caused by the aftershock, supplies are in desperate need. First aid kits and

blood are scarce but necessary to help treat those injured during the earthquake. The American Red Cross location in Medina is currently accepting blood speciﬁcally to be taken to Haiti. The point is, there are countless ways to lend a hand in the aftermath of this earthquake. It may feel like the efforts of one high school student will make no difference, but this is not the case. Go against the self-concerned stereotype of an American teenager. Be concerned with the world, and do something to help. Not only will the effort improve the lives of people who have lost so much, but an inner satisfaction can also be achieved. As Americans, we have been through a number of disasters ourselves. We rallied together through Sept. 11, Hurricane Katrina and the California wildﬁres. We have had our fair share of unfortunate events. The important thing, however, is that we recovered. Now it is time to lend our efforts to Haiti in their time of recovery.

Dear Editor, This year I got my ﬁrst choice which was education. Mr. Fortner did a really nice job of covering all the aspects of becoming a teacher and what it takes to do that. He also talked about salary and some of the beneﬁts of being a teacher. It gave me a good picture of what teaching would be like. It was very informative and interesting. He has been a teacher, principal, and is now superintendant, so to hear from him about how he got there and what qualities a person needs to have was very helpful for me. Career Day was a great success in my eyes! Claire VanFleet, 11

great the career just didn’t appeal to me. It looked like none of the kids in the room wanted to be there except a few. It was obvious that the kids who wanted to be there were having a much better time than those who didn’t. I just wish that I could have been one of the kids to enjoy it. Erik Merle, 10

EDITORIAL

E DITORIAL

THE BRUIN

January 2010

THE BREWIN’ DEBATE Should high school students worry about politics? YES

BY HAYDEN KILBRIDE

BY JOEL HLAVATY

It is very important for high school students to get involved and worry about politics. Seeing how almost every senior in the school is 18 years old, it is important for them to know what is going on in politics prior to their senior year. If they do not know anything about a candidate’s point of view then they will not be able to make an informed decision on who they want to elect. Another reason why high school students should worry about politics is that it will affect all of us one day. We need to know what we will have to do in the future concerning laws, taxes and health care. If we do not know what is happening in politics while we are in high school then we will be in for a rude awakening once we are in the real world. Politics are a huge part of our lives, and we need to make sure we know what is going on now before it is too late. We have to make sure we do not short-change our future. If high school students do not care now then they never will.

Some students at the high school like to act like they are very informed and opinionated when it comes to political matters. The fact of the matter is that most students really have no clue what is going on when it comes to politics. This is why it is a bad idea for students to worry about politics. When it comes right down to it, most students do not really know what issues to back or what political ﬁgure is right for a certain ofﬁce. Having students get involved in politics would only make things worse. Discussions about politics would be as reliable as any rumor or story that students talk about now. Students involvement with politics would just confuse people who are looking for the truth. High school students should not be worrying about politics because they have a lot more to worry about already, such as focusing on their studies, supporting the Wadsworth Grizzlies at sporting events or being respectful to our teachers and staff.

CAREER DAY RESPONSES LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Dear Editor, I thought career day was very well put together; however, I wish I could have gone to more exciting things, or at least the careers I chose. The two careers that I went to were very boring, even though the speakers were

Dear Editor, During Career Day, I had the opportunity to learn about two very interesting careers which were Funeral Director and the Police Academy. I found them both very appealing. In the two sessions, I learned a lot about the average day of a funeral director and a police ofﬁcer. Both being extremely emotional, having to deal with the parents and loved ones of the deceased, and the fact that you might get killed as a police ofﬁcer. Career day helped me think about careers I never thought would be so interesting. Cody Gordon, 10

Bruin Staff Editor-in-chief: Kristin Maple Assistant Editor: Ali McNutt Copy Editors: Luke Williams, Katey Tollett Marketing Managers: Jeff Gahan, Mike Carps Front Page: Page Editor: Samm Serfass Reporter: Adam Woodard Editorial: Page Editor: Joel Hlavaty Reporters: Hayden Kilbride Entertainment: Page Editor: Emily Orchard Reporter: Kalee Curtin Speakout: Page Editor: Kayleigh Miller Reporter: Hayley Douglas Opinion 1: Page Editor: Kory Jensen Reporter: Brandon House Opinion 2: Page Editor: Mike Carps Reporter: Tate Moore Features: Page Editor: Alyssa Powell Reporter: Mackenzie Blanton News: Page Editor: Stefani Baughman Reporter: Lina Hoblos Picture Pages: Editors: Brooke Berger, Maddie Gabrosek Sports 1: Page Editor: Jeff Gahan Reporter: Sam Malkowski Sports 2: Page Editor: Anthony Schrock Reporter: Evan Dammerell Of The Month: Page Editor: Callie Ray Reporter: Elaina Lanson Ads/Business Manager: Joel Hlavaty Assistant: Hayden Kilbride Adviser: John Gramuglia

Dear Editor, I chose to go to public relations because I have always thought that would be a cool job, but it ended up being a lady that does PR for hospice. She talked about how she does brochures, commercials, and many other things to advertise for hospice. For my second career I visited a Funeral Director. The speaker was very interesting and actually made it sound like a pretty fun job. Overall, my Career Day was very exciting, and I liked learning about occupations that I might or might not pursue in the future. Matt Doyle, 10

Dear Editor, This past year, it seems like the cafeteria has worsened. I used to love lunch time with all the unique, but still great food. It seems like by C lunch all the food is cold and old. Another thing that could improve the cafeteria food is if they made the food healthier. I think that there should be more salads and fruits offered. This would help everyone stay healthy and keep the food fresher than the hour old quesadillas that are stale. Not only would all the students be very healthy but they would enjoy the food even more. Jordan Keener, 12

Dear Editor, The career that I attended was sports public relations, and my speaker talked with great enthusiasm so it made me really want to go into that ﬁeld. He made me want to listen and be involved with his presentation. Garrett Cutting, 11

Dear Editor, I think the school is too cold. Walking through the hallways is like walking through the courtyard. I am really glad that the community has ﬁnally decided to get a new school because all of the students desperately need it. I have to wear a coat through the halls just to stay warm. I cannot

wait for the new school and hope that all of the future students of Wadsworth High School will not have the same problems that us current students have. I hope I get to spend my senior year in the new high school! Kagan Squire, 10 Dear Editor, We feel that the 2009 school year was by far one of the best learning experiences for everybody. The year went by so fast and it was extremely fun. We also like how everyone could come together to support Kory Wiita. Even though he was from another school, it showed that Wadsworth consists of strong charactered students who are willing to help anyone who needs it. It made us proud to say that we attend this school. We think that since we had so much fun in 2009, we cannot wait for 2010. Jared House, 11 Luke Lyren, 11 Erika Anderson, 10

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 adviser. 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.

We are . . . Wadsworth! -Mr. Parsons

BY STEFANI BAUGHMAN

While disturbances dealing with firearms are rare occurrences in Wadsworth, one such rarity took place on Monday, Jan. 11 at approximately 11 p.m. Police stated that as four people left the Walmart, an argument started and escalated into a parking lot brawl that ended with a single gun shot fired and one teenager in the hospital with a head injury. The specifics of the altercation are unknown; it has been assumed that the three suspects followed the victim to his car. Early Tuesday, Barberton police found the suspects’ vehicle at the Circle-K gas station at State Route 21 and Eastern Road in Norton. All three suspects, two men and a woman, were arrested, two of which have already pleaded guilty. Christopher Burnett, 19, of

PHOTO BY STEFANI BAUGHMAN

The Wadsworth Walmart became the scene of a crime late Monday, Jan. 11.

Barberton attained a head wound while taking the .380-caliber semi-automatic handgun away from the man who allegedly pulled it on him. Burnett was taken by the Wadsworth EMS to Akron City Hospital to be treated for minor injuries and was then released. Police have asserted that there is no known connection between Burnett and the three suspects.

The alleged gunman, Brian Milici, 26, of Doylestown, faces the most serious charge of felonious assault. He requested court-appointed counsel and a preliminary hearing has been set for Jan. 21 in Wadsworth. He faces a two to eight year prison sentence with a possible ﬁne of $15,000 for the charge of felonious assault, a second-degree felony.

Joshua Ross, 18, of Akron, pleaded guilty to assault. His cousin, Brandy Ross, 20, of Norton pleaded guilty to complicity to commit assault. Ross told Judge McIlvaine, “I don’t lie,” as he waived all his rights and admitted to the assault. While entering her guilty plea, Brandy Ross said to the judge, “I was with [Joshua], but I didn’t help him.” Despite the lesser charges, both could still face a maximum of 180 days in jail and a $1000 ﬁne. Acting Wadsworth Police Chief Lt. Wyrick noted that he could not recall the last shooting incident in Wadsworth. He also mentioned that there were only two robberies in the last year. According to past police reports, all shootings have been self-inﬂicted. Even the past two homicides have not involved a gun.

World News

► Parts of Baghdad have

been locked down in an effort to keep the city secure. Iraqi forces carry out several operations which include the in depth search of neighborhoods. Forces hope to see a change in the severity of the security measures taken by locals.

ack Obama

► After a year in office, President Barack Obama is continuing to propose changes. He has asked Congress for $1.35 billion in his 2011 budget proposal to expand an education grant program. He plans to use student test scores to judge teacher performance and form more charter schools. National teachers’ unions have stated their opposition. They argue that student success amounts to much more than a score on a standardized test and another mistake would be to rely heavily on charter schools.

► Flights in and out

of Ireland will face disturbances in a dispute over work practices. Air traffic controllers plan to protest for up to four hours, and this will cause Dublin, Cork and Shannon airports to shut down. The trade union, Impact, blamed the Irish Aviation Authority for suspending controllers and refusing to enforce new working arrangements. The IAA stated that union leaders should not be teaching members not to cooperate with new technology.

► Hillary Clinton has taken

a major step in achieving her 2010 agenda in order to strengthen U.S. relations with Pacific nations. Some of the nations she plans on visiting include Australia and New Zealand.

y Cl r lla

i nt o n

forces y t

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China are going to local internet cafes to get easy and free internet connection. Locals in Xinjiang have been living without internet connection for months due to deadly riots that left the nation shaken up. The lack of communication has taken a toll on the Chinese citizens.

I ri s h A irl

► Residents in Xinjiang,

The second semester of this school year has arrived. New classes, new challenges, and for our seniors the final 18 weeks of their formal public education is finally here. The time will go by quickly. Summer break and commencement will soon be here, so enjoy every moment, but continue to focus on academic achievement and excel in all that you do at WHS. Our guidance department is in the early stages of preparing for the next school year. During the upcoming weeks there are many important items that will need completed by our students, and most items have deadlines. Please pay close attention to the importance of completing the course selection sheets, and submitting as requested. Please take time with your parents to review where you are in completing the courses you need to graduate, and the electives you wish to experience. Are you hoping to continue on a path that will lead you to being accepted into post high school academics at a college, university, or technical school? Or perhaps, you have set your goals toward a career in one of the technical fields that is offered here, or at one of the three high schools within the Career Technical Education Four Cities Compact. Whatever the case, careful planning is paramount by you in order to pursue your goals. Take advantage of our guidance department services and our instructional staff to assist you with proper planning. Do not hesitate to inquire when you or your parents have questions. This proper planning will also lead to less changes being needed in your schedule when the scheduling process is completed in May. During this time of year, do your best to stay active. Get involved in some type of positive, physical activity, especially outside if you enjoy the weather. Please continue to support our winter athletic teams as they conclude their regular seasons and move into state tournament play. We are especially proud of our wrestling team, and wish them well as they continue to dominate locally, in the state, and bring national recognition to our school.

Shot ﬁred at local Walmart parking lot

Preside

Principal’s Message

January 2010

THE BRUIN

Iraqi secur i

N EWS

► A mysterious visitor who

has left roses and a bottle of Cognac at the original Baltimore grave site of Edgar Allan Poe failed to appear this year for the first time in 61 years. The visitor has left notes some years. In 1993, the visitor left a note that read: “The torch will be passed.”

$1.3 M budget cuts hit Wadsworth School District BY LINA HOBLOS

economic current The circumstances have affected every part of the nation. This is unmistakably present in the new budget slash Wadsworth City Schools will be conducting for the remaining 2009-2010 school year. These cuts will eliminate $1.3 million to make up for revenue loses. The Board has approved these changes, and the reduction will immediately affect items that have already been paid out to the district. “We are attempting to keep these cuts as far away from students as possible… However, almost every penny we spend is afﬁliated with services to pupils, so there will be some impact at the student level,” said Superintendent Dale Fortner. The district generally replaces

a specific amount of books every year, but this year is different. Textbooks will not be replaced. Another issue that has been addressed is the number of field trips acceptable throughout the school year. Under the new guidelines, one class at a time will be allowed to go on a field trip. If, for instance, a second grade class goes on a field trip in the spring, an additional second grade class will be allowed to go in the fall. Any additional trips will be cancelled, and no new ones will be planned. The Board does not plan to cut teachers or other staff members, but these cuts could be introduced if more reductions are needed. Purchased training for teachers will be eliminated during the school year, aside from mandated training. Technology, just as the

textbooks, will not be replaced. On average, the school replaces about 250 out of 1000 computers. Updates to technology will not take place either. These cuts are necessary the help considerably to current situation. The Board acknowledges that these changes

will be difficult to manage for the current time, but hopes for a better economic climate in the future. Although these are significant changes to the school district, the school system asks all parents and students to be patient as they continue to fiscally responsible in these tough times.

O PINION 1

THE BRUIN

January 2010

Power Rangers face-off against Ninja Turtles

Rangers or Reptiles, who will be the winner? Who has the better TV show? OPINION BY KORY JENSEN AND BRANDON HOUSE

Back when we were all grade school children with no cares in the world, our lives revolved around Saturday morning cartoons. As high school students reﬂecting on our childhood, two shows rise above the rest: Power Rangers and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Both shows included crime ﬁghting heroes in which all kids have at one time in their lives wished to be apart of. Yet, we will engage in verbal combat concerning which show is considered to be better.

tmnt •

4 movies have been created since 1990

•

Named after four famous artists

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Created in a comic book in 1984

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The turtles were trained in karate by a rat named Splinter in a New York Sewer

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The arcade game was released in 1989

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They fight crime in New York City

•

They enjoy a nice pizza from time to time

Kory Jensen: Ever since I can remember I have been popping my collar. And even before that I have been watching Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. What could be better than four turtle friends that ﬁght crime? Brandon House: Obviously the Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers are better. Honestly, the Power Rangers out number the TMNT, and have diversity within the group. KJ: You want diversity? The turtles are all named after famous Renaissance artists. TMNT is not just a cartoon. It is more of a cultural enlightenment.

BH: The turtles do not have diversity they have sexist ideals. There are not any girls in the group, which shows how suppressive the world was in the 80’s and 90’s. All the turtles show is how politically incorrect cartoon writers were. Who wants their kids watching such a show? KJ: Obviously you are failing to acknowledge the turtles’ friend, April. She was in nearly every episode and had to be saved by the turtles every time. Who were the Power Rangers fighting? A bunch of weird people that looked like they were made of clay? BH: They were called clay people. That could suggest to why they looked like clay. I guess watching the TMNT makes you unintelligent. The Rangers are fighting Lord Zedd, and he is in an entirely different dimension. That is so much cooler then a dumb villain named Shredder who got his face torn off by a rat. KJ: I did not realize having a shredded-off face was a bad thing. If anything, that made this villain cooler, and he would never die. If you thought he died in the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie, then you obviously did not see The Secret of the Ooze. Speaking of which, the turtles have much higher quality movies. BH: The Power Rangers have much better movies. I mean really there are more Ranger movies then TMNT, including Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers: The Movie. KJ: Just because your movie had people jumping out of an airplane does not make it a quality movie. The most recent movie, TMNT, was an all-CGI movie, which makes it automatically awesome, plus it came out in 2007. When was the most

recent Power Rangers movie? BH: The most recent Power Rangers movie was in 1997, but the best well known movie was in 1995 called Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie. This movie grossed over $66 million worldwide. This was an outrageous sum of money in this time. That will blow out any amount of money that TMNT could make. KJ: According to imdb.com, a web site dedicated to movies, $95 million was made by TMNT. If you thought that was impressive, remember that was in a 91 day span. It probably took Power Rangers 91 years to make that amount of money. BH: My Rangers would honestly destroy your fake turtles in a fight. The turtles are cartoons. Not to mention they learned karate from a rat. I am sure they are all sick now since rats carry many diseases, and since he is a mutant rat, he has mutant diseases. This all points to weaknesses that the turtles possess. KJ: You obviously forgot about the live-action movie that was made in 1990. It was the first TMNT movie to be released and it made over $200 million worldwide. I guess the turtles are not just stupid cartoons after all, and Master Splinter, the turtles’ karate sensei, could beat Zordon anytime. I mean, he is just a head on a computer. It can not be that hard to beat him. Also, if you think Alpha 5 is going to save the group, you probably forgot that in the first movie he could not even stop Rita Repulsa. BH: Zordon is their leader and is heavily protected, which means Splinter would never get to fight him. I would love to see a rat fight against a giant zord. How do you think you can beat a giant

PHOTO COURTESY OF MCT CAMPUS

The Turtles pose for their most recent movie, which is highly rated by critics.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MCT CAMPUS

The Rangers pose for their red carpet debut.

robot with lasers? The answer is: it is impossible. The turtles would get turned into turtle soup, but no one will ever eat them because they all possess mutant diseases. KJ: Enough with the diseases already. I think that would have been addressed in the show if it was an issue. It is almost embarrassing that the Power Rangers need a zord every episode to defeat their enemy. Any one of the turtles could beat any of the power rangers enemies. I am referring to Lokar, a recurring enemy on Power Rangers; he was simply a floating head. BH: I would love to see your turtles fight a giant floating head. They could not even reach him, and if by some miracle they could, they would just get eaten. Also, the turtles could not fight one zord let alone all the zords combined into “Thunder Megazord.” So how can the turtles fight if they are dead? This ultimately proves who is better: the Rangers. KJ: I doubt that the Power Rangers could defeat the Shredder. He is a master of karate. If you think the zords would help them, just remember that Shredder became a giant in the second movie. The turtles were able to defeat him when they were all normal size. I would like to see the rangers do that. BH: You forgetting that the rangers have laser weapons. So while your turtles are doing their karate flips, my rangers will be shooting them apart. Laser plus turtle equals instant death. KJ: You have a good point, but you must have forgotten how all the turtles have a special weapon that they have mastered.

power rangers •

The Power Rangers have an awesome theme song called “Go Go Power Rangers”

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There are over 15 versions of the Power Rangers

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The Power Rangers started from the legendary power eggs

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Power Rangers fight with zords not just karate

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The Power Rangers have an arcade game

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They fight crime in Angel Grove

I would like to see the rangers put up a fight against the master of a bo staff, Donatello. BH: All I know is that all the turtles eat is pizza. That can not be healthy. If they ever get into a fight, their colons will explode from eating too much pizza. KJ & BH: We each have our strong opinions on which show is better, but after this heated debate it is obvious that we will never find common ground. What we will do is leave the decision up to the most important person. You, the reader, must decide for yourself which crime fighting team is truly victorious.

5 Pass gas respectfully; no more dusting O PINION 2

THE BRUIN

OPINION BY MIKE

Imagine this: you are walking down the hall minding your own business and suddenly someone rushes by you at a brisk pace. As that person passes, a brutal burrito-like stench creeps towards you and lingers in your presence. You gasp for breath and walk faster, but it is too late—you have been crop dusted. Crop dusting is a problem that has been haunting the halls of WHS for quite some time now. For those who are unfamiliar with the act of “crop dusting,” let me explain. Crop dusting is when a person releases gas while walking. This may seem harmless, but the gas that was passed trails behind the person as he or she walks, and anyone who is caught behind this person is doomed to a mouthful of nasty rank. Crop dusting is an ancient art that is believed to have originated in the prehistoric

times. The action was initially used to innocently conceal one’s flatulence, but now it is being used as a weapon of mass destruction. “I’ve never experienced it at school, but one time at the grocery store I walked into a cloud of ‘funk,’” said science teacher Mrs. Kristin Hutchinson. Nearly everyone has read or at least heard of the wonderful children’s book Everyone Poops. Well, if you have not realized already, everyone passes gas as well. Some find the nature of passing gas to be a crude and inappropriate mannerism, but face it; even the queen of etiquette, Emily Post, tossed an occasional “air bagel.” Unfortunately, some people are still embarrassed by their bodily functions and find it necessary to torture those who walk downwind. Crop dusting may be a stealthy way to pass gas, but it is by far one of the most selfish actions imaginable. “I pass gas with a feeling of normalcy,” said senior Jason Papas, “Why should I be ashamed of my digestive system?” An accepted alternative to crop dusting is what I have dubbed as “Friendly Farting.” It

Tudor’s Q: Toots

A: Q: A:

is a relatively simple and overall better way of releasing gas. When “friendly farting,” one warns his company that he is about to commit a gaseous eruption. Once the warning has been given, the accompanying party is given the opportunity to back away from the premises. Once the area is clear, one has free reign to toot his horn however he may please, as long as he remains immobile. A critical element to “friendly farting” is that the person who has expelled gas remains completely stationary. By remaining stationary, one avoids creating any type of back draft, and the gas remains stagnant. After twenty seconds, all parties may proceed to their original activities. “At ﬁrst ‘friendly farting’ was awkward,” said freshman Molly Beal, “but I know I am doing the noble thing by respecting my peers’ right to fresh air.” Crop dusting has victimized many students around the school, but who are the criminals? Well, without proper heat radiation detection technology, tracking down the crop dusting ﬁends is nearly impossible. There is, however, one particular pattern among WHS’s crop

Do you think crop dusting is a problem that needs to be addressed at WHS? At this time? No, we need to prioritize our concerns. What are some negative effects of crop dusting?

There’s a chance that the pesticides and insecticides are not all hitting crops. Some may be hitting innocent bystanders, and that could create a negative externality.

January 2010

PHOTO BY MIKE CARPS

Not only are the classroom hallways unbelievably crowded, but students also have to deal with the looming possibility that they may be crop dusted by their teachers.

dusters. It seems that crop dusting is most commonly committed throughout the classroom hallways (200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700 and 800 hallways). On the contrary, the main hallways and cafeterias seem to remain stench-free most of the time. “When I walk through the 400 hallway, I often have to hold my breath,” said junior Andrew Whitman. The only noticeable relationship between this data is that the teachers often mingle with one another outside their classrooms in between classes. Although the students also journey through the

Q: A: Q: A:

classroom hallways, they make up the majority of the trafﬁc in the main hallways, closer to the courtyard. Since the main hallways usually remain free of smell, the facts force one to believe that the teachers are responsible for the crop dusting epidemic. In the end, however, the blame cannot be placed on any particular person or group of people. As human beings, we must understand that ﬂatulence is a part of everyday life. This is a plea to all the students, teachers, and even administrators: do not cut the cheese when there is a breeze.

Should crop dusting be banned?

A tax on crop dusting could make sure that crop dusters are being held accountable for their dusting. What is your opinion on crop dusting? From an economic standpoint, I haven’t thought a lot about it. Overall, I’d say I’m for it.

Students deserve personal days too OPINION BY TATE

For the ﬁrst 13 weeks of the school year, we the students were forced to listen to the on-going negotiations between the teachers and the Board. Well my fellow classmates, I say it is about time we restructure our contract with the administration. No, my needs are not monetary. I do not need a new dental plan. For now, my 401K plan is satisfactory. What I am demanding is simple: students deserve two personal days a year. A personal day is not a sick day. It is not a day where you are having a family emergency. A personal day is a day for you to take off for anything you would like. For me, there is no question as to how I would use my two days of pleasure. I already have the dates circled, starred, and highlighted on my calendar. Thursday, March 18 and Friday, March 19 mark the beginning of

the greatest annual event in the history of our nation: the NCAA Basketball Tournament. March Madness overtakes the lives of millions. Ofﬁce workers fake doing work while they secretly look up scores, and Mr. Moore locks himself in his ofﬁce to watch the games. For us students, we are forced to hide our phones with ESPN Mobile Updates from the teachers, who usually put in a useless video during class so they can watch the games themselves on the computer. All of these hassles could be averted with the usage of the two personal days. I could sleep in, get a full dosage of pizza and basketball in me, and return to school the following Monday ready to learn again. Some students at our school are not as avid of a sports fan as I am. Other usages of the personal days could include, but are not to be limited to: XBOXers: Remember when Call of Duty came out at midnight on November 10, but your parents would not let you go get it because you had school the next day? Would you not have liked to have been able to get it and stay up all night playing? Steelers Fans: Remember that time the Browns beat you this year? Sleepy Heads: How nice

would it be to be able to sleep for an entire day? It would sure beat dozing off in Mr. Johnson’s study hall and receiving a detention! Pizza Lovers: Remember when Papa John’s was selling large pizzas for 23 cents, but they were all sold out by 2:30? Girly Girls: Why go to school on the day before Homecoming when you could be getting spa treatment? Hibernators: For those of you who do not believe winter break gives you enough time to sleep, you can take an extra two days off in January. Michael Jackson Fanatics: Many people found it outrageous how President Obama did not cancel school to commemorate the King of Pop. You could have taken two days off to recognize him. Snow Day Wishers: Remember that time all your teachers guaranteed a snow day, so you stayed up all night? You woke up the next morning to turn on WCTV and school was still on. Take a day off to protest. First Day of School Haters: Who cares if you miss the ﬁrst day of school? All you do is get your textbooks and learn the same class rules that you learned the year before. Twilighters: For all those girls

PHOTO BY TATE MOORE

Sophomore Luke Gilbert fell asleep in study hall. With a personal day, he could be at home catching up on his rest.

who made their Twilight movie tshirts, would you not have rather had an extra day to go all out and make the best t-shirt out of all your friends? Also, I bet you were a bit tired the morning after. Jo Bros Nation Members: How are you supposed to be concentrating in school when Nick, Kevin and Joe Jonas are going to be in Cleveland that night? Take a personal day to

make sure you have all of their new songs memorized. With all of that in mind, I would say that personal days are a great idea. Two is not too many. I propose this idea to the administration, and if they disagree, we the students need to take a page out of our teachers books. We need to organize a strike. All students wear black. Rallies will be held after school as well.

January 2009

THE BRUIN

A DS

E NTERTAINMENT

January 2010

THE BRUIN

Top 10 richest actors of 2009 revealed BY KALEE CURTIN

PHOTO BY MCT CAMPUS

Johnny Depp starred as American gangster, John Dillinger, in Public Enemies

PHOTO BY MCT CAMPUS

Harrison Ford’s Indiana Jones brought in $786 million.

Over the last year, the world has seen a majority of what Hollywood has to offer with its innovative movies. Actors and actresses have mesmerized audiences with their remarkable talent on screen throughout 2009. Although all of the Hollywood stars deserve attention for a job well done, there are still several actors that continue to receive the lion’s share of attention and money. Kicking off Forbes’ list of richest actors for 2009 is Johnny Depp. This past year Depp has made a cool $27 million starring in roles such as the notorious American gangster, John Dillinger, in Public Enemies. This movie raked in $214,104,620 worldwide and helped Depp become the tenth richest actor of 2009. Currently, Depp stars in The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. Depp shares a roll that was originally designed for Heath Ledger; however, after Ledger’s death in January 2008, the role was assigned to be shared by Depp, the always gorgeous Jude Law and Colin Farrel. One step, or a million in this case, ahead of Depp in earnings for 2009 is Brad Pitt. Pitt was featured as the voice over of Sgt. Bill Mauldin in Beyond all Boundaries. Adding to his 2009 resume, Pitt starred as JewishAmerican guerilla soldier, Lt. Aldo Raine, in Inglorious Basterds. The movie brought in $312,635,374 worldwide.

Just hundreds of thousands of dollars above Pitt stands Jim Carrey, the eighth richest actor of 2009. Carrey starred in last year’s Christmas movie, A Christmas Carol. On its Nov. 6 release date, it was the number one movie in 3,683 theaters. A Christmas Carol brought in an impressive $255,819,783 worldwide. With a total of 30 million in Tom Cruise’s pocket, he is the seventh richest actor of last year. His placement on this list may come to a surprise considering Cruise did not put out any on screen work in 2009; however, with movies like Tropic Thunder and Valkyrie produced in 2008, Cruise has been able to save his money and sit comfortably at number seven. The controversial movie Angels and Demons helped Tom Hanks become the sixth richest actor. Starring as a symbologist solving a murder, the movie brought in $485,930,816 in 84 days. Also participating in The Great Buck Howard, Hanks was very busy this past year. Halfway between our list is Eddie Murphy at number five. Murphy’s fantasy movie, Imagine That, where he played a sidetracked financial executive father, Evan Danielson, earned $18,260,464 at the box office worldwide. At the top half of the list sits Nicolas Cage. Starring in the film, Knowing, Cage earned recognition for his work as John Koestler, a professor of astrophysics at MIT.

Worldwide, the film brought in $183,260,464. Cage also starred in The Bad Lieutenant and did voice overs for both G-Force and Astro Boy. Cage ended up making $40 million last year. Falling two spots from 2008’s list of richest actors is Will Smith at number three. Although Smith no longer holds the first place title, he still made $50 million in 2009. Smith’s movies Hancock and Seven Pounds were released in 2008, but the successful films carried over to 2009. A comedian in real life and on screen, Adam Sandler is the second richest star. With his movie Funny People, Sandler was able to make $55 million in 2009. Although Funny People brought in less than $100,000,000, Sandler was still able to make bank last year. With one movie making $786 million and walking away with $65 million of the total profit, Harrison Ford is the richest actor of 2009. Ford starred as Indiana Jones in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. The movie was a huge hit and 68 yearold Ford became the richest actor of 2009. The movies of 2009 had audiences everywhere captivated, but knowing Hollywood, the world still has yet to see the best of what these actors have to offer. Hopefully the richest actors of 2009 enjoy their success, and movie-goers can look forward to watching them on screen throughout 2010.

Grammy Awards highlight 2009’s talent BY EMILY ORCHARD

As the 52nd Grammy Awards quickly approach, stars of Hollywood are beginning to feel the pressure. Hundreds of artists have made the first cut by being named Grammy nominees by the Academy’s voting members. Now comes the hard part: waiting until Jan. 31 to hear the final results. Being nominated for the Grammys is not easy. To even be considered, Recording Academy members must submit the artists they feel are worthy of the award. These submissions are then screened, and the nominees are chosen by two nominating rounds; first-round ballots are chosen by voting members who choose artists in their areas of expertise. The four general categories are Record of the Year, Album of the

PHOTO BY MCT CAMPUS

The Black Eyed Peas album The E.N.D. has been nominated for Album of the Year.

Year, Song of the Year and Best New Artist. Second-round voting is done by Special Nominating Committees, and those nominations are sent to the ﬁnal voting rounds for consideration. This year, the nominations for Record of the Year are: “Halo” by Beyonce, “I Gotta Feeling” by the Black Eyed Peas, “Use Somebody” by Kings of Leon, “Poker Face” by Lady Gaga and “You Belong with Me” by Taylor Swift. Record of the Year is awarded to the artist, producers, recording engineers and mixers of the record. The next big category is Album of the Year. Nominees for this category are: I Am...Sasha Fierce by Beyonce, The E.N.D. by The Black Eyed Peas, The Fame by Lady Gaga, Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King by the Dave

PHOTO BY MCT CAMPUS

The Kings of Leon have become known this year for their hit “Use Somebody” off their album “Only By The Night.”

Matthews Band and Fearless by Taylor Swift. Song of the Year is one of the most popular categories of the Grammys. The nominees for this category are the songs heard most on the radio in 2009. In this category, the award is a Songwriter’s Award. It is eligible to be nominated if it was released or if it ﬁrst became widely recognized throughout the year. The nominees are: “Poker Face” by Lady Gaga, “Pretty Wings” by Maxwell, “Single Ladies” (“Put a Ring On It”) by Beyonce, “Use Somebody” by Kings of Leon and “You Belong with Me” by Taylor Swift. The last major category of the Grammys is Best New Artist. The nominees for this category are: The Zac Brown Band, Keri Hilson, MGMT, Silversun Pickups and The Ting Tings. Over the year,

PHOTO BY MCT CAMPUS

Taylor Swift’s album Fearless, which has now gone platinum, has been nominated for Album of the Year.

each band has had countless hits. The country music phenomenon Zac Brown Band has had four hits since 2008. Keri Hilson has become a hip-hop sensation with her album In a Perfect World, with hit singles such as “Energy” and “Knock You Down.” MGMT, formally called The Management, released the single “Kids” and their remix of “Electric Feel” in 2009. The Silversun Pickups have become known for their single “The Royal We” this year, while the Ting Tings became famous for their single “That’s Not My Name.” Each band has become extremely popular throughout 2009 and has gotten the attention of the Grammy committees. The excitement continues to grow as the Grammys approach. Watch the Grammys on CBS on Jan. 31 from 8-11:30 p.m. to hear who makes the cut.

PHOTO BY MCT CAMPUS

The Ting Tings have been nominated for Best New Artist and have the hit single “That’s Not My Name.”

People’s Choice Awards Actor of the Decade: Johnny Depp Favorite Movie Actress: Sandra Bullock Favorite On-Screen Team: The Twilight Saga

Favorite TV Drama: House

New TV Comedy: Glee

PHOTO BY MCT CAMPUS

“I Am...Sasha Fierce” by Beyonce has been nominated this year for Album of the Year.

January 2010

P ICTURE

THE BRUIN

The junior varsity basketball team works together to retrieve the basketball.

Freshman Ally gets advice from Coach Booth between quarters.

Winter

Senior Kelly prepares to block a pass to a Revere opponent.

The girls varsity team huddles together to listen to Coach Booth.

Sophomore Sarah competes in vault.

Junior Emily balances on the beam.

Junior Clay prepares to take down his opponent in a recent match.

The gymnastics team poses together after their big win.

Senior Ben comes face to face with his challenger during their match.

All Photos Courtesy of Mr. Teringo

P AGE

January 2010

THE BRUIN

The Varsity basketball team gets in a huddle to discuss their game.

Senior Sam defends a Cloverleaf player.

Sports

Varsity basketball players analyze the game with Coach Mike Schmeltzer Jr.

Junior Prescott takes a shot during a recent Cloverleaf game.

Freshman Sammy dives into the water during the swim meet.

Senior Josh swims the 500 vs. Wooster.

Senior Brad takes down an opponent.

The wrestling team celebrates together after winning another Ohio Dual State Championship.

All Photos Courtesy of Mr. Teringo

January 2010

Ohio weather creates harsh driving conditions BY ALYSSA POWELL

drivers on the road. The new no texting and driving law was passed for a reason and it should be followed. Over 90% of Americans agree that driving while texting is just as dangerous as driving after having a few alcoholic beverages. Only 57% of these people admitted that they have texted while driving. With the roads in the conditions that they are, no driver can afford a distraction of any

F EATURES

THE BRUIN

get in an accident, it is two of us getting hurt, and that would be so bad,” she added. A distracted driver not only puts his or her life at risk, but everyone else on the roads, as well. The death rate in Ohio has multiplied over the last three years. “It is amazing how people still try to text and drive even with the icy conditions,” said junior Brittney Ellis. Living in Ohio also makes it easier to adjust quickly to what may occur on the road. Although the weather can be completely unpredictable at times, Ohioans learn how to drive and how to react with other drivers on the road. All who drive need to remember to know their vehicle, the roadways and themselves. By knowing their vehicle, it will be easier to know how the vehicle feels when in a skid or when it slides over ice. If one knows

the roads that are typically left in bad conditions, they can find an alternate route to get to their destination. Also, if one knows themselves, it can assure them to either stay calm or react in the best way possible when in a bad situation. “The weather changes so fast that we don’t have a chance to adapt, and the driving becomes more difficult and dangerous,” said senior Neal Iles. With the brutal winters and muggy summers, drivers tend to be more careless and not focus on driving completely. If all drivers would turn their cell phones off, the roads would be safer and ice would have the full attention of the driver. Ohio has its share of rough seasons just as any other state; however, the difficult driving conditions caused by the harsh winter weather tends to be a very bothersome characteristic.

Each state has rough seasons such as California with its mudslides, Kansas with its tornadoes and Ohio with its terrible snow storms. Although all who drive know the rules of the road that are written and understood in order to obtain a drivers license, it is now a matter of whether or not licensed drivers will obey the laws that are set. Teenagers are “The weather changes so somewhere around three times more fast that we don’t have a likely to be in a chance to adapt, and the driving accident than driving becomes more other drivers. A teen difficult and dangerous.” driver’s chances at - Neal Iles, 12 an accident increase every time that another passenger is sort while behind the wheel. added to the vehicle. “When I ride with people who Studies show that most text and drive it worries me, said teen drivers forget what a senior Mistina Romeyn, “If they responsibility it is to drive a vehicle and that they are in control of a chunk of metal that is over 3,000 pounds. Not only do drivers have to remember that they are in control of a heavy vehicle, but also they have their passengers’ lives in their hands. “We are not a big city; therefore, it is easier to learn to drive in a smaller town like Wadsworth. If I were anywhere else, I don’t think I would be able to drive as well as I do,” said senior Paul Schroeder. Another thing that should not be in any driver’s hands would be a cell phone, no matter what they may be doing with it. With the icy roads, it is even more of PHOTO BY ALYSSA POWELL a threat to the driver and other Johnson Road, along with many other roads, are left unplowed and dangerous for drivers to drive on.

White out for Wiita The ‘White out for Wiita’ game was a huge success! There were nearly 2,000 people at the game. WHS stands have not been that full in years. There were 2,100 shirts sold raising close to $25,000 for Wiita and his family. To top the night off, Wadsworth defeated Highland 49-30. Thanks to all who supported this event!

New year brings new resolutions BY MACKENZIE BLANTON

resolutions because if you do not set goals, you will never be disappointed,” said senior Brian Cipar.

Each year, millions of people make promises to themselves to keep a new year’s resolution, but few “ My New Year’s resolution actually follow through is to go green! I think with the promises they everyone should join me” make. - Liz Tompkins, 11 Even though it takes work and time to keep a New Year’s resolution, many people make the vow to Managing time is change the way they live, act, a very hard task to accomplish, manage time and spend money. but the number one New Year’s Although making New Year’s resolution is to spend more resolutions better the way people time with family and friends. live, many choose not to make By prioritizing, spending time one for various reasons. with loved ones should not be a “I do not make New Year’s burden.

The second most popular new year’s resolution is to get fit and lose weight. Exercising, eating healthy, staying focused and not letting cravings take over are the keys to a successful diet. Coming in third place, quitting smoking is a huge goal for many Americans. Support from family, friends, support hotlines and classes are very effective ways to quit smoking. Following number three, getting out of debt is right behind as number four. Grasping finances and following up on bills will fix debt problems in no time. “I want to get a new car before the year ends,” said junior Caleb Nelsen. Learning something new is always a great experience. That is why it came in at number five on the top New Year’s resolutions. Anywhere from learning a foreign language to learning how to play an instrument, everyone is capable of learning something exciting and new this year. Saving the environment is not a one man job; that is why many people are making their new years resolution to “go green” this year. Recycling and using glass and porcelain instead of paper

How long do New Year resolutions really last? 30% 43%

1-3 months 4-6 months 7-11 months

10%

All year 17% The Bruin surveyed 100 students and staff at Wadsworth High School.

and plastic dinnerware can help improve the environment. “My New Year’s resolution is to go green! I think everyone should join me,” said junior Liz Tompkins. The average American child spends about 900 hours in school each year, but to most of them, the grades do not show their success in the long run. Many students will soon change because improving grades and work performance

came in as number seven on this year’s resolutions list. By prioritizing time between school and hanging out with friends, improving one’s GPA should not be too hard. Ringing in the new year with a 4.0 should deﬁnitely be on everyone’s “to-do list.” New Year’s resolutions give people the chance to look back on the past, but most importantly, change multiple things about their future.

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January 2010

TEACHER FEATURE Mrs. Andrea Schoolcraft

COMPILED BY ELAINA LANSON

What made you want to pursue a career in a foreign language? I have always loved Spanish because I love being able to communicate with people from different countries and cultures. During my time in college, I had an opportunity to volunteer at a local elementary school and teach Spanish. It was so much fun that I ended up switching my major and deciding to teach Spanish. What makes Spanish the best language to learn? It is so fun! Also, it is the second most popular language in the United States. Within our lifetimes, we will see the Hispanic population become the majority. Where did you attend college? I went to Ohio University,

JUNK

PHOTO BY ELAINA LANSON

Mrs. Andrea Schoolcraft loves studying abroad and teaching her students about the places she has visited.

and then I received my Master’s degree from Walden University. What is your favorite ice cream? I love Bid’s peanut butter oreo ice cream. What is your favorite restaurant? Otanis, Sakura or Swensons.

How do you like to spend your weekends? I love to spend time with my friends and family. I enjoy going out to the movies, to dinner, shopping and relaxing. Do you have any hobbies? I love to travel and read.

MONTH

Liz’s 1996 Ford Escort Liz Tompkins owns a 1996 Ford Escort that has definitely seen better days. “While driving on the highway, a rock flew up and hit my windshield leaving a small crack that I still have yet to get fixed.

CAREER TECH STUDENTS OF THE MONTH

OF THE

BY CALLIE RAY

O F THE MONTH

THE BRUIN

January 2010

This car is full of problems such as an inaccurate speedometer, an emergency brake that does not work and manual locks. It is kind of rusty, and the passenger side door used to be pink,” said Tompkins as she describes her car. The Ford Escort recently had

PHOTO BY CALLIE RAY

Liz 11, stands by her 1996 Ford Escort and shows off the cracked windshield and other defects.

the pink door redone to match the rest of the green paint, but that is just one of the many things to be replaced. Manual locking doors are bad enough for Tompkins to deal with. “When I give my friends a ride, it results in them locking me out of my own car! I get very frustrated,” said Tompkins. While this detail may be annoying, the broken emergency brake could be a serious problem; there would be no way for her to stop immediately. With these safety issues and the huge crack in her windshield, Tompkins admits her car has been in better condition. “I love that my car is unique and I wouldn’t want it to be any different, although I do need to get that emergency brake ﬁxed!”

Students of the Month Katey

Kristen Wadsworth Senior Media Communications

Nick Wadsworth Senior Media Communications

SONG

MOVIE

Tik Tok

Avatar

By: Ke$ha

Featuring: Sam Worthington Zoe Saldana Sigourney Weaver

QUOTE

ATHLETES

What is your favorite class? Bruin, of course!

Plans for the future?

“FORGET

Attend Miami University (with Sammy!) and double major in early childhood education and English.

Quote to live by?

THE

MISTAKES OF

“Who we are isn’t so much about what we do, but rather what we’re capable of when we least expect it” -Jodi Picoult

THE PAST AND

What is your key to success?

PRESS ON TO

The more value you give to others, the more successful you will be.

PHOTO BY CALLIE RAY

THE GREATER

Cory

ACHIEVEMENTS

What is your favorite class?

OF THE

Teacher training experience

Taylor Junior Girls Basketball

FUTURE.”

Plans for the future? Major in Musical Theater and Education

Quote to live by?

-CHRISTIAN D. LARSEN

“Don’t give up because you are loved.” -Josh Groban

What is your key to success? Live everyday to the fullest, because there is “No day but today.”

PHOTO BY CALLIE RAY

Mike Sophomore Swimming

A DS

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20% Off Any Tanning Lotion

(Good through 1/28/2010)

January 2010

BY THE NUMBERS

WRESTLING EDITION

State placers

in the past

years

54 4 8th

wins in the

last

years

Ranked in the Nation as of Jan. 12, 2010 Defeated St. Edward

times in the

last

years

1st

Ranked in the state of Ohio

S PORTS 1

THE BRUIN

Wrestling team dominates State Duals BY JEFF GAHAN

On page 48 in the student handbook, one can find a section that prohibits students from bullying. Make it known that this rule is not applied to the wrestling team as they are the bullies of the suburban league, the state and now the nation. Aggressive behavior and retaliation is their cause, and unremitting success is their effect. On Sunday, Jan. 10, the wrestling team took the top spot in the State Duals hosted at the high school. With a State Dual title under their belt in 2009, the wrestling team challenged itself to repeat the epic win over the nationally ranked St. Edward team. No one had any doubts as to the amount of talent in this year’s team, but did they have the heart and confidence to slay the giant once again? That question was answered when Wadsworth won nine out of 14 matches, securing the title 36 to 23. “We got off to a slow start against St. Ed’s, but Louden’s pin on Mark Martin gave us the boost we needed to finish strong,” said junior Alfredo Gray. Gray is talking about senior Louden Gordon’s acrobatic reversal on Martin in the second period. Gordon flipped Martin over his head, sprung to his feet and got a pin with a few seconds to spare. “I was kind of in a jam, but I saw the opportunity and took it. The result was in my favor, and

PHOTOS BY MR. TERINGO

The wrestling team took it to the mats against St. Eds. Above are some photos of the wrestlers pinning their way to victory.

I felt good after the pin,” said Gordon. Gordon is one of the many senior leaders on the team. He plays a huge role, not only in matches, but also in pushing the underclassmen to their limits. While the team is made up of a core group of seniors: Caleb Busson, Ben Buzzelli, Louden Gordon, Cory Jones, Bart Randolph and Brad Squire, the underclassmen also have great potential. Juniors: Nate Ball, Sheldon Brandenburg, Alfredo Gray and Clay Wenger are a big part of the team. Not only do they

compete and win on the mat, they also have the chance to be next year’s team leaders. People feel they hold the future success of the Grizzlies wrestling program in their hands. Sophomores: Christian Baughman, Brandon Jones, Kagan Squire and Nick Tavanello are major contributors to the success of the program as well. Squire and Jones are learning from their brothers, which is apparent in their performance on the mat. Tavanello has been a major part of the team since he stepped on the mat for his ﬁrst high school match

just last year. He took his success to Columbus where he ﬁnished third at the state tournament. Overall, their record shows that the coaching staff has done a tremendous job preparing this team. Not only have they taught them to win, they have shown them how to become men. They take down powerhouse teams with their shear ability to rise to the occasion. One can bet the rest of this season and seasons to come will end successfully, earning a well deserved team State Championship.

bowling team. Five Varsity team members bowl, and anywhere from ﬁve to nine additional bowlers dress. Freshman Mike McVicker and senior Alex Mann have lead the team this season. The team has become more popular since its inception as a club sport three years ago. Ever since, a bowling tradition has begun. They have received a better response from students each year.

This year they hope to make a move at the sectional tournament. “I would like to see the bowling team go far this season, it would be a good accomplishment for our school and our community,” said senior Kyle Graydon. McVicker has lead the team with a high score 288, and is presently holding an average of 187. Mann has an average of 185. “The best part of being on the bowling team is getting to bowl with Alex Mann,” said McVicker. Mcvicker and Mann have lead the team to a 5-4 record. “The reason the team has been so successful this season is the experienced leadership from teammate Alex Mann,” said junior Brady Long. Mann has been on the team for three years and knows how to be a leader. “We are all friends and all like to hang out. I think a reason for

our success is how well we all get along and can help each other,” said Mann. The team’s accomplishments so far have also been attributed to all the hard work that has gone into this season. “Everyone has worked very hard because we want to be successful and have an unforgettable season,” said McVicker. There are still many up and coming bowlers who hope to improve every year, and in the near future, go for a state title. The bowling program also hopes to gain many followers. “I would love to go to bowling matches, and maybe even try out for the team sometime,” said freshman Haley Hassinger. The bowling team hopes to conclude the season with a record over the .500 mark. They hope to ﬁnish the season strong and always keep the sectional tournament in sight.

Sports Bowling team strikes into unforgettable season Briefs BY SAM MALKOWSKI

Girls Swimming:

Two pool records were set in the 100 freestyle by Lanson and in the 200 freestyle relay by Lanson, McNutt, Pallija, and Surratt.

The bowling team at Wadsworth High School is in the midst of its third season. The team has only been defeated in four matches. The bowling team enjoys a fun and relaxed environment. The bowlers love to goof off at practices, but when it comes time to compete, they all put on their game faces. There are 17 boys on the

Boys Swimming: Recently defeated Revere, moving closer to winning another Suburban league crown.

Girls Basketball:

Taylor Woods is ranked as one of the top point guards in the state.

Boys Basketball:

Anthony Schrock and Prescott Williams have dunked twice this season.

Gymnastics:

Defeated Tri-Way and Sandy Valley in competitions thus far this season.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MIKE MCVICKER

The bowling team talks strategy before a big match at Great Oaks Bowling Alley.

THE BRUIN S PORTS 2 Decade of unforgettable moments SPORTS OPINION BY EVAN DAMMARELL

With the beginning of a new decade, there are bound to be numerous moments that no one will be able to forget, but let us not fail to remember the previous decade with the top ﬁve moments in the sports world. 5. The Giants ruin the pursuit of perfection: Number ﬁve on the top moments of the past decade is when the underdog New York Giants, defeat the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII. Tom Brady and the heavily favored Patriots, came into Super Bowl XLII with a record of 18-0, and were in pursuit of having a perfect season by winning the big game, the only other team to achieve such a task was the 1972 Miami Dolphins. However, Eli Manning and the Giants had other plans. With former Giant’s player Plaxico Burress catching the game winning touchdown with 35 seconds left, making the score 1714 Giants. 4. Armstrong wins 7 Yellow Jerseys: Cyclist Lance Armstrong had a successful streak going in the Tour de France, the 2200 mile three week cycling event. From 1999 to 2005, Armstrong was diagnosed with stage three testicular cancer at the age of 25 and was on the

edge of death However, he fought back against the disease and trained every day which lead to him having a seven year winning streak. “It’s amazing that Lance Armstrong was able to keep ﬁghting his cancer and never give up, and it really paid off. Seven yellow jerseys is no easy task,” said freshman Jack Bertuzzi. 3. Lebron James’ shot heard around the world: Down 93-95 to the Orlando Magic, in the NBA Eastern Conference Finals, the Cleveland Cavaliers turn to superstar LeBron James with seconds left on the game clock to win the game. In front of 20,596 people in Quicken Loans Area, James dropped the three-point shot over former Magic’s player Hedo Turkoglu. This made the score 9695 Cavaliers as the time expired allowing the Cavaliers to win the second game of the Eastern Conference Finals. What makes this moment memorable is the roar of the stadium after the impossible shot, making it truly the shot “heard around the world”. “I was on the edge of my seat the whole time watching the game, and it all came down to that one ﬁnal moment from LeBron and he delivered,” said junior Danny Arch. 2. Underdog Texas Longhorns topple the USC Trojans:

Coming in at number two is the Texas Longhorns upset of the University of Southern California Trojans in the 2006 Rose Bowl. Senior, Vince Young, led the Longhorns to victory with the game winning touchdown making the score 41-38 Longhorns after the two-point conversion. This game also marked the 2004 Heisman Trophy winner Matt Leinart’s only loss of his entire college career. 1. Phelps wins 8 golds in Beijing: The winner of the number one moment in sports of the past decade is Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps. He won eight gold medals at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. Phelps won his medals in the 400 meter individual medley, 4x100 meter relay, 200 meter freestyle, 200 meter butterﬂy, 4x200 meter freestyle relay, 200 individual medley, 100 meter butterﬂy, and the 4x100 meter medley relay. Phelps also broke the World Records in the 200meter freestyle by a second, and for most gold medals won in an Olympic games. The past decade has had some memorable moments in sports history. Such as the New York Giants ruining the New England Patriot’s pursuit of perfection, and Michael Phelps when he won a record eight gold medals in Beijing.

a Super Bowl ring and a MVP trophy in 2009. Albert Pujols holds the number seven spot. This list would not be complete without one of the best players in baseball. “Albert Pujols is the best pure hitter in the majors. He has a great work ethic and deserves everything he gets,” said junior Garret Cutting. Number six is Drew Brees. Brees led the league in passer efficiency rating (109.6), completion percentage (70.6) and touchdown passes (34). He ranked in the top five in several other categories, including passing yards per game (292.5, second), completions of 25 yards or more (39, second) and average gain per pass play (8.54, third). The beginning of the top five is held by Michael Phelps. The 24

year-old swimmer won five gold medals at the world championships in Rome after serving a three month suspension. Senior swimmer Gil McCune is a huge fan of Phelps. “Michael Phelps is one of the greatest swimmers, and he inspires me to work hard,” said McCune. Adrian Peterson, of the Minnesota Vikings, is the holder of the number four spot. Peterson is the key to the Vikings offense. Without Peterson, they would not be the Super Bowl contending team they are today. Coming in at number three is Kobe Bryant. Bryant finally won an NBA championship without Shaquille O’neal. Also, he was named the MVP of the finals. The top three would not be adequate without the MVP of the NBA finals. At a close second is Jamaican runner, Usain Bolt. Bolt set the world record for the 100 meter dash at 9.58 seconds. This Jamaican is the fastest man in the world and has earned a number two spot on the top athletes of 2009 To finish the list of the best athletes of 2009, is LeBron James. One of James’ biggest fans, sophomore Rachel Jones, said “LeBron is the best player to ever play basketball. He would even beat Michael Jordan!” James was named MVP of the regular season leading the Cleveland Cavaliers to the best record in the Eastern conference, the entire league and franchise history. He also won the MVP of the eastern conference for December. James was clearly the best athlete in 2009.

January 2010

EPIC DECADE

With the decade ending and a new one beginning, it is hard to forget the many memorable sports moments. From LeBron’s, “shot heard around the world” to Michael Phelps’ record breaking eight Olympic gold medals, this past decade will be not be easily forgotten.

LeBron James

Michael Phelps

Top ten athletes of 2009 BY JORDAN KEENER EDITED BY ANTHONY SCHROCK

The 2009 sports world was full of amazing performances by numerous people. This is a compiled list of the top 10 athletes of the year. Starting off the list at number 10 is Derek Jeter. Although Jeter’s personal playoff performances were not outstanding, he was still an outstanding captain of the the New York Yankees and 2009 World Series Champions. Number nine goes to Larry Fitzgerald. Even though he did not win a Super Bowl ring, the Cardinals would not have been in the Super Bowl without him. Coming in at number eight is Santonio Holmes. Holmes is not having as good of a season this year, but he did earn himself

PHOTO COURTESY OF MCT CAMPUS

Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant dunks against Denver Nuggets center Chris Andersen.

Tom Brady

Lance Armstrong

Vince Young PHOTOS COURTESY OF MCT CAMPUS

January 2010

THE BRUIN

A DS

Patrons 2009-2010

Al and Donna Whitacre J. Teringo Allison McCaulley Jeff and Kathy Priest Amy Lamonica Jerry and Barbara Jensen Amy Broadhurst Jim and Addie O’Neil Andy and Lori Watts Jim and Julie Winkleman Anne Mellinger Jim, Shelly, Sarah and NataAudrey Hose lie Davis Barbara McConnel Joe and Ann Gabrosek The Barlow Family Joe and Phyllis Berger The Barnett Family John and Julie Saunders The Baxley Family Joyce and Walter Henschel Bev Valentine Joyce Bock The Benya Family The Jack Family The Berg Family Karen and Chuck Powell The Berger Family Kathie and Bob Engler Bill and Sharon Powell Kathy Bergen The Booth Family The Kaufman Family Brad and Sue Fisher Kim and Jim Perkins Chelsea Ray The Keener Family Crystal Ake Keith and Michelle Serfass The Csaky Family Leslie North Dammarell Family Lloyd and Betsy Yoder Dan and Laura Addis The Lumsden Family Dave and Sandy Johnson The Lance Family Debbie and Gary Lake The Lanson Family The Dennison Family The Lyren Family Dino Marvin and Family M. Tognett Doug and Kathy Maple Mr. Barnett The Downtown Photo- Marie Lowdermilk Shop Mark and Faith Williams Dwain Kibler Mark Schoonover Ed Meyer Photography Mark and Andrea Orchard Elizabeth Khoury Matt and Kristin Hutchinson Eric and Diane Smith Melissa Eaton The Fortner Family Michelle Farr The Gahan Family Michelle DeAngelis The Goddard Family Mike and Katie Recupero The Gramuglia Family Mike Schmeltzer Sr. Georgiadis Family The Miller Family Geoff Latona Miss Reagan The Henry Family Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert The Hlavaty Family Mr. and Mrs. Frank Vargo

The Magnacca Family Mary E. Hoffman The McIlvaine Family The McQuate Family Mr. Shepherd Mrs. Nedoh Paige Villella The Pallija Family Pam Douglas Pam and Mark Grucza Peggy Browning Phil and Joan Hoffman Randy and Robin Kilbride Rebecca Dills Rich Berlin Rich and Cheri Long Rich and Kristen Wise Robert and Ruth McGough The Simonelli Family The Singleton Family Mrs. Sontag The Van Dyke Family Sra. Mateos Steve Moore and family Tammi House Teri and Jim Miller The Tenyak Family Tim and Judi McNutt The Tollett Family Todd and Kelly Darland Tom and Tracy Penrose Tom and Beth Gaborcik Tom Evans Trish and Dave Swanson

The Bruin thanks you for your support!

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17 Top health stories that rocked 2009

H EALTH BY ASHLEY MARTINEZ EDITED BY JOE VARGO

Throughout the past year, many important discoveries and events took place in the health field. One of these events is the Octomom. Nadya Suleman, an unmarried, unemployed 33 yearold mother of six, gave birth to octuplets. Suleman purposely implanted six embryos and had two of them split into twins. Many were astonished at first then felt disgusted when they found out she was getting welfare benefits of the children. Some people say they are worried for the health of the children. It is dangerous and could be harmful for the babies. “I think that is too many children for a single mother to handle and take care of,” said senior Dedee Dingess. Mammogram guidelines are changing. In earlier years, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommended for women to start routine screening mammograms

January 2010

THE BRUIN

at the age of 40. They have changed the recommendation for women to start getting mammograms at the age of 50. There are many harms associated with mammograms for younger women, such as radiation exposure, over treatment, false positives and more. Scientists and doctors agree that the harmful effects from the mammograms outweigh the benefits. In Thailand, 16,000 men and women took an HIV/AIDS vaccine. The vaccine showed slight signs of protecting against the AIDS virus. Researchers found other vaccines that reduce infections up to 31.2%. They hope to build on these successes. “This is the first concrete evidence, since the discovery of the virus in 1983, that a vaccine against HIV is eventually feasible,” said one health official. New Jersey passed new regulations for medical marijuana dispensaries. Some officials in

the state fear that shops will start to spring up in unincorporated areas. New Jersey is one of the few eastern states to legalize medical marijuana. Type II diabetes has become preventable. Many people are urged to cut back on their sugar intake. The American Heart Association issued new recommendations on sugar intake to help reduce diabetes and also obesity. “It’s great that they are ﬁnding ways to prevent diabetes because many people have this problem,” said senior Ashleigh Nixon about the discovery. Obama signed an executive order last year permitting stem cell research and allowing the National Institutes of Health to hold and fund studies on controversial embryonic stem cells. The health care reform bill caught the attention of many and was passed on Christmas Eve. It extended insurance coverage to about 30 million more Americans.

Health Freak?

PHOTO COURTESY OF MCT CAMPUS

Swine Flu vaccines have proven to be effective in cutting the number of H1N1 cases down. Vaccines were distributed in clinics, schools and other public venues nationwide.

Although still unclear, it promises Americans health coverage, but the government may ﬁne people for not having it. The biggest news story this year was the H1N1 ﬂu virus. It began in April, and by the fall of 2009, one in every six Americans had been diagnosed with H1N1. An estimate of 10,000 died from

the virus. H1N1 spread easily and made many sick. A vaccine was developed and administered to the public. There was a high demand for the vaccine and shortages were a big concern. Doctors say there are more months of ﬂu season ahead, but early indications show that the season will remain manageable.

Try this delicious recipe!

Banana Oat Bars

INGREDIENTS:

PHOTO BY CALLIE RAY

Tasty banana oat bars straight out of the oven and ready to eat with only 72 calories.

DIRECTIONS:

1 1/3 cup quick cooking oats 1/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup brown sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 cup raisins 2 medium bananas (mashed) 2 egg whites 1/4 cup skim milk 1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together dry ingredients- in a separate bowl mix bananas, milk, egg whites and vanilla. Beat all ingredients together. Bake for 35 minutes in a 9x13 pan-you can make it a 9x9 pan but remember it will double the calories per bar!

Only 72 calories per bar! COURTESY OF MRS. AMY BROADHURST

Commonly prescribed drugs may hinder effectiveness BY MARISSA HOFFMAN

Teenagers are notorious for self-diagnosing depression when school work or social lives become too overwhelming, but actual depression is not a state of being that can be turned on or off at whim. Clinical depression requires the patient to meet a list of symptoms and suffer for a minimum time period of several weeks. There are

exceptions to these requirements; if there has been a recent death or traumatic event in the teenager’s life, the grieving period can last for months without being considered depression. “If you think you are depressed, you should talk to someone so they can help you. It is not a bad thing; it is just something that needs resolved,” said freshman Tyler Coy. Some symptoms of depression

PHOTO BY DEPRESSIONSYMPTOMS.ORG

Medication is one of the many treatments available today for depression. Over using too many prescription medications can hinder the effectiveness of the treatment, as well as cause hazardous health implications and side effects.

are: loss of interest, loss of enjoyment, appetite changes, weight changes, sleep habit changes, irritability, restlessness, guilt, self-loathing, concentration problems and unexplainable aches and pains. Recent studies have brought forth surprising results about prescription medications. Tentative results show negative trends in the amount of prescription medications a patient takes and how effective the medication is. The latest medical results seem to prove that the more prescriptions taken, the less the medicine helps. “That’s the thing about depression: human beings can survive almost anything, as long as they see the end in sight. But depression is so insidious, and it compounds daily, that it’s impossible to ever see the end. The fog is like a cage without a key,” said writer Elizabeth Wurtzel. Psychotherapy, depression treatments, depression medication and electric shock therapy are

several of the most used treatments out there today. Each treatment depends on the unique condition of the patient. Some depression medications and treatments only work on one gender or the other, and some medications can cause dangerous or life threatening side effects depending on the patients age or previous treatments. Medicating teens and young adults with depression can be difﬁcult. Most medications are dangerous for patients under the age of 18 because they can produce suicidal thoughts.

“Depression will affect all high schoolers at one time or another, but those who participate in clubs and sports are those who get through and don’t let it affect them” said junior Hannah Losch. While the study results are still tentative, any progress made in the ﬁeld of treating depression is considered a step in the right direction. “Just like other illnesses, depression can be treated so that people can live happy, active lives” said writer Tom Bosely. Scientists and medical specialists continue to research cures.

January 2010

S PEAKOUT

THE BRUIN

STUDENTS Where do you see yourself in 15 years? “Working for a sound studio or doing things with video, hopefully living with a beautiful family and enjoying life. Either that or living in a box in Mexico where I make my living selling tacos to tourists.” -Forrest Duta, 11

RICHARD

PHOTO BY HAYLEY DOUGLAS

“I predict that I will end up as an animation artist for a major company, although I may not be a writer or a comic artist, I’d do a great job in that position because most of the work is done via computer. It’s a pretty sweet gig.” -Richard Doll, 9 “I see myself living in Florida on the beach, with my loyal dog Chloe, in a bamboo hut with a palm tree roof.” -Kayla Drieth, 12 “Where I don’t see myself in 15 years is the real question.” -Taylor Kelley, 12

“Do you know the hairy guy in the Geico commercials? I picture myself as becoming the leader of the elves in Lord of the Rings. This would be perfect for me because everyone knows that elves know medicine. My inner desire to help would be satisfied but at the same time I would still be able to slay monsters. -Omar Darwich, 11 “I’ll most likely be a hostage of Somalian Pirates after being caught on my under cover mission for the CIA. I never was a good liar...” -Michael Bauer, 10 “15 years from this day: I- Jon Davis, will become President of the United States and Prime Minister of Canada, at the same time. I will merge the two countries into one- “Camerica.” It will be America with more hockey. Tony Davis, my fraternal twin, will have become the benevolent dictator of the Northern Hemisphere. His talent in song writing will be compared to that of The Bare Naked Ladies, Eminem, and Natasha Beddingfield. We, together, will complete a 30 trillion dollar deal that uses unbreakable dental floss to reconnect all the continents to re-establish the super-continent PANGAEA. -Jon and Tony Davis, 11

“I’m going to be a pro badmitten player!” -Matt Croyle, 10

MATT

PHOTO BY HAYLEY DOUGLAS

“I will have graduated from M.I.T. and married. I’ll be living the American Dream, as most people call it. ” -Tyler Brown, 10

JON AND TONY

PHOTO BY HAYLEY DOUGLAS

TEACHERS What was your best memory of 2009?

“My art show and reception. I loved sharing my visual expression with my friends. Besides, it was a great excuse to have a party!” -Sandra Nedoh “Belly dancing in a Greek tavern with Ben Foreman. Opa!” -Nate Singleton

“Reaching a contract agreement and NOT striking.” -Janice Althaus “Watching my son’s face light up when he met Mickey and Minnie Mouse at Disney World.” -Kip Shipley

“My best memory of 2009 was my wife’s fantastic attitude toward her rehab after her stroke in February.” -Denis Werner “Crossing the finish line of my first half-marathon! I was so happy it was over!” -Sarah Trausch

“Seeing my two year old’s vocabulary explode, so I can now communicate with him 100%! He’s the most fun two year old ever... but I’m biased!” -Michelle Farr

NATE SINGLETON

PHOTO BY KAYLEIGH MILLER

“The incredible support I received from students, teachers, and administrators during my recent surgery and recovery. WHS is such a great place to learn and work!” -Rich Barnett

SARAH TRAUSCH

PHOTO BY KAYLEIGH MILLER