The Bruin- May 2008

Newspaper II/III

625 Broad Street Wadsworth, Ohio 44281

May 2008

Final Exams

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

7;40 AM & 9:40 AM

Tuesday: Monday: Math English Science Social Studies Wednesday: Chemistry World Language

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Volume XXXIII No. 8

‘Mama Z’ brings it home

NHS selects Mrs. Zagar as Teacher of the Year

BY ALI MCNUTT AND JOEL HLAVATY

When National Honor Society votes on who they want to be the Teacher of the Year, they look for the most influential teacher who has a way of connecting with his or her students. This year, it was very obvious to many that Mrs. Zagar, ninth grade honors and AP English teacher, should be chosen to receive this prestigious award.

Immediately when Zagar heard her name called, she was in shock.

“As soon as they said my name could be reduced to one letter,” recalls Zagar, “I looked over at Mrs. Khoury, and I remember thinking, ‘Oh my gosh, it’s me!’”

When Zagar’s entire family came out to welcome her, complete with her two sons, her granddaughter and her husband with flowers, she became very emotional.

“I couldn’t believe my husband could keep this a secret from me for almost a whole week!” Zagar explains.

Dave Zagar, her husband, inspires and supports his wife everyday. Whether it be getting up at five in the morning to meditate before they start their day or just being there to provide a creative and accepting environment for their two sons, he is there. Zagar can honestly say she knows what true love is after being married for 33 years.

The best part of winning the award for Zagar was her family

“I’m just here to guide, not teach,” -Mrs. Zagar,

Teacher of the Year being there to witness her accomplishment. They also got to come back to her class room for first period, her planning period, to see where she works and celebrate the award. Her granddaughter, Tana, who aspires to be a teacher, enjoyed being in the classroom.

Zagar had been promising her granddaughter a trip to the school to see her classroom, and it was also the first time her family had been to the school to visit.

Zagar was first inspired to become a teacher by her first drama teacher, Mrs. Weiner. In college, her professor, Dr. Foster, made Zagar realize that it is all about the students.

“I’m just here to guide, not teach,” says Zagar on her philosophy on teaching students.

Zagar says the best way to teach is to alPHOTO BY BRUIN STAFF low the students to Mr. Zagar congratulates his wife on winning the Teacher of the Year award. learn from each other through their work. Cooperative When asked if she felt she de- thrives on creativity and change. learning is better than forcing an served the Teacher of the Year She uses new ideas every year to idea on them. award, Zagar said she felt it was a challenge her students to think Zagar has been working in very humbling experience. outside the box and discover their the drama department since her “There are so many great teach- inner poet. second year at Wadsworth High ers at this school,” says Zagar. “ “Everyday is a new day,” says School. It has been something she It just makes it more exciting for Zagar. has loved since she first partici- me, and it makes me want to do With her family by her side and pated in it when she was a student. better as a teacher everyday.” a love for what she does, Zagar The stage is the one place besides Although she just won the is ready to continue to live up to her home where Zagar truly feels Teacher of the Year award, Za- the award presented to her. She she can be herself. gar is already looking to the next lives each day by a quote from “It’s a good thing for students school year. her favorite playwright, William to have somewhere to go to have “I want to get better every Shakespeare: “If music be the fun,” the Teacher of the Year says year,” says the English teacher. fruit of love, play on.” about the drama department.

According to Zagar, her class

Events of year evoke memories

BY JACKIE LOWDERMILK

PHOTO BY BRUIN STAFF

One of our school’s most exciting and charitable events, Volley for the Cure, was a huge success. The volleyball team sold pink shirts to support breast cancer research.

In The News An earthquake rocked Sichuan, China with a rating of 7.9 on the Richter Scale. It caused 55,000 deaths, left 32,000 people missing and left another five million people homeless. There were also thousands of people trapped under the rubble for several days or more. With the loss of lives came the loss of 9.5 billion dollars for companies and businesses in the country.

The earthquake also caused flooding in areas and as well as landslides that blocked rivers. However, there has been 1.8 billion dollars donated from organizations and individuals across the globe to help with the recovery process.

INSIDE THE BRUIN

State Science Fair - pg. 3

With the 2007-2008 school year coming to a close, it is a good time to look back and review some of the most exciting things that have taken place here in Wadsworth.

In November, we welcomed a new mayor into our town. Robin Laubaugh began serving her first four year-term as mayor of Wadsworth. Her duties include administering city services to our residents and supervising employees and volunteers.

The start of a new school year gives everyone a fresh beginning, including administrators. Mr. Magnacca began his first year as principal. He came from Rittman High School and stepped in when Brian Williams was promoted to Director of Instruction.

In sports, our football team won another Suburban League Title in a duel against rival Tallmadge.

They also made it into the playoffs, losing to Toledo-Whitmer High School, which was a fight until the end.

Youth in Government- pg. 4

Our volleyball team was involved with charity work this year. The team sold pink shirts and sweatshirts for Volley for the Cure. Volley for the Cure is an organization that raises funds for breast cancer. Our school showed support at the games with a sea of pink.

Teacher and former New York Giants player, Bobby Jones, also made headlines this year. Jones recently became involved with UFC fighting, and he has been very successful.

Our wrestling team won their sixteenth consecutive title this year. The outstanding performances of Ben Buzzelli and Brad Squire helped the wrestling program achieve its goal once more.

Another winter sport also made its mark this year. The swimming team won the league title and sent girls to the state meet for the first time in school history.

The drama department had a flourishing year as well. There were three plays and one musical produced in all. With the tireless

work of the drama directors, each production had a fantastic turnout.

Joel Penton, former OSU defensive tackle, visited our school and talked to the student body about his life choices and the effects of drugs and alcohol. He touched many students’ hearts, and he left everyone thinking about their own decisions.

The WHS band had another outstanding year. They played at an OSU skull session and recieved the highest ranking, a one, at the state competition.

The Bruin wrapped up the year with a first place award at the OSMA competition that is held near the completion of each year.

In addition, eleven staff members won individual awards.

With athletic, artistic and academic successes, the 2007-2008 school year has been a year to remember. There were competitions won, awards given and memories made. We should all be proud of the legacy our school has. Next year has some big shoes to fill.

Fine Arts Assembly - pg. 8 & 9

Farewell Mr. Gains - pg. 17

V i s i t t h e B r u i n O n l i n e at : h t t p : / / w w 2 . w a d s w o r t h . k 1 2 . o h . u s / w h s / b r u i n /

2

E DITORIAL

THE BRUIN

May 2008 The

editorial

Brewin’ Debate

Summer school: is it worth it?

YES

NO

BY ANDREA PAOLUCCI

BY JACQUI WINKELMAN

As the year dwindles down and time constraints, failure to thoroughly complete a course and yearly stress compile, summer school holds to be a wise decision on behalf of all of its participants.

Gaining the edge of completing a course during the summer allows for more credits to be completed over the course of one’s high school career, thus making them more attractive to college admissions boards. As the credentials needed to be accepted into desirable universities increase, any aid is highly sought out by students, who could otherwise be short and have to opt out of their school of choice.

Summer school classes, more rigorous and hands-on, offer more chances for personal development in a highly competitive environment.

With the challenge of fitting a half year’s work into a slim, six-week margin, the atmosphere is one which is healthy, competitive and promotes an air of confidence as the student’s prioritization, task-completion and knowledge retention skills heighten.

When weighed against the opposition, summer school has proven to be more beneficial than destructive to the student partaking in the event.

No, summer school is not worth it. Not only does one have to wake up early and possibly miss family vacations, but they also have to pay for that class.

First off, the words “summer school” are not even appealing. School in the summer time is just not right.

During the year, one must wake up early to go to school, but summer break is a time for students to enjoy the weather and sleep until mid-afternoon. Many people do not want the extra hassle of waking up early in the summer and going to school more than the already required nine months.

One of the summer school classes offered is physical education. Taking it during the school year is much better because the class lasts around fifty minutes whereas the summer class lasts for several hours. The heat combined with the long hours makes for a miserable time.

Homework is one of the most dreaded things that must be completed when students go to school. Why in the world should one have to do homework in the summer when one is supposed to be resting their brain?

It is just depressing.

The final, and one of the most important, reason that summer school is not worth taking is because of the money. Why pay that extra money to take a class that one can take for free in the school year? A student could use that money to buy something instead of paying to do homework on his or her well-deserved break.

Letters to the Editor Dear Editor:

Dear Editor:

There should be no more frog dissections allowed. It’s cruel and they already have done it for the past years, so what’s the point in doing it over again when they know what they look like inside?

It should be considered.

-Paige Turner, 10

I just wanted to tell The Bruin that they have done an awesome job this year! I can’t wait until the May issue comes out to see what next year has to bring! Great job seniors! Good luck!

-Alie Hoffstetter, 10

Dear Editor:

I think that we should have more volleyball open gyms a week.

I also think that next year we should have a salsa dancing club.

It would be an extra activity and would possibly get the interest of the Spanish students.

-Ginger Escudero, 10

It is so annoying in the mornings when my mom comes and drops me off by the front doors. People start forming a second lane, and I think that is so dangerous! Kids are walking in between cars, and it’s just not safe. Can’t we just stick to one lane? After all, we would rather have our students safe!

-Elizabeth Conway, 10

Dear Editor:

Dear Editor: I think The Bruin needs to look into junioritis and sophomoritis.

I do not believe it is fair that when seniors do not do work it is called

bruin staff Editor-in-Chief: Alyssa Roberts Associate Editor: Morgan Duta Corporate Editor: David Kauffman Copy Editor: Alyssa Henry Front Page: Page Editor: Ali McNutt Reporter: Joel Hlavty, Jackie Lowdermilk Editorial: Page Editor: Jacqui Winkelman, Andrea Paolucci News: Page Editor: Alyssa Powell Reporter: Luke Williams Features: Page Editor: Allison Pallija Reporter: Taylor Goodson Health Page: Page Editor: Sam Schwab Reporter: Kristen Maple Opinion 1: Page Editor: Mike Carps Reporter: Camille Meager Opinion 2: Page Editor: Matt O’Neil Reporter: Chelsea Ray Picture Page: Page Editor: Joe Vargo Reporter: Jaime Mosier Sports 1: Page Editor: Matt Noel Reporter: Anthony Shrock Sports 2: Page Editor: Danny Foore Reporter: Jeff Gahan Movies: Page Editor: Sean Blackburn Reporter: Renee Simon, Anthony Shrock Entertainment: Page Editor: Marisa Gerace Reporter: Danielle Goodson Variety: Page Editor: Brandon House Reporter: Katey Tollett, Danielle Lance Music: Page Editor: Maddie Gabroscek Reporter: Morgann Priest Speakout: Page Editor: Lisa Kaufman Reporter: Brittany Kinel Ads/Business Manager: Alan McPeek Adviser: John Gramuglia

senioritis, but when underclassmen do not do work, they are considered lazy. Junioritis is becoming an epidemic and cannot be swept under the rug any longer. Please help me in stopping this injustice very soon.

-Jonathan Pope, 11 Dear Editor: I am very glad we have forty cameras now in our school. Crime is outrageously rampant in Wadsworth High School. I saw a student cut in the lunch line, and the WHS staff cracked down on him, threatening to check the cameras.

There is no better way we could have spent money at this school.

-Garrett McComas, 11

Year complete with success, accomplishment, pride With the exception of a few finals, we have successfully completed the 2007-2008 school year here at our beloved Wadsworth High.

For many seniors, graduation may be the last time they set foot inside these halls, cold, leaky and windowless as they may be.

We at The Bruin would like to thank these seniors for being leaders, mentors and friends. Their spirit and personality have filled the halls for the past four years, and their echoes will be heard for many more.

We wish them luck as they continue to work tirelessly, chase dreams and set the bar higher. We are proud to claim them as Wadsworth alumni, and hope they are proud to claim us, too.

For seniors, summer means senior trips, seemingly endless college preparation and graduation parties. For the rest of us, summer means sleep, sun and yes, graduation parties.

For many students, these activities provide a pleasant and well-

deserved break from getting up early and the pressures of schoolwork.

We should all be reminded that the next two and a half months can have a great deal of impact on our futures. The long days and nights of summer bring many decisions that must be made.

As teenagers, we must cope with major changes, such as obtaining our licenses and acquiring jobs. With these priviliges come major choices and responsibilities. We must keep our futures in mind as we go through the dayto-day actions and events of summer.

The Bruin would like to thank the students and staff for another amazing year. We look forward to the coming year and the changes that will come along with it.

For now, congratulaions to the Class of 2008. You will be remembered for all you have done.

To all, make this a summer to remember. Make each day count, because August is right around the corner.

Dear Editor:

Dear Editor:

I noticed a lack of Pokémon in The Bruin. Pokémon catching and training is one of the major issues many high schoolers are dealing with in these times. If we could have tips or new ideas of raising our Pokémon that would be awesome. Gotta catch ‘em all!

-Dylan Ruff, 11

Well usually there is tons of gramatical erors in the paper. But since that new editor in cheif took over I am sure thats not realy going to be a problem any more.

-Sarah Conard, 11

Editorial Cartoon

Dear Editor: To all of the upcoming seniors: your senior year will blow by right before your eyes. So any time you can get out of one of your classes and roam the halls, do it. Because before you know it, you will be graduating!

-Broderick Kelker, 12

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.

N EWS From your Principal

Mr. Magnacca The school year is coming to a close, and summer break is just around the corner. The 2007-2008 school year has seen many successes. They can be found in the classroom, on the stage, on the athletic field, the music room or at other competitive venues.

The success of this school year can be attributed to many people and groups.

Our staff should be commended and recognized for their dedication and leadership. They go beyond what is expected to help our school.

Our students are the best in the state. They are motivated to learn and to help others.

Our community support through our extra-curricular organizations is the best.

They provide support for our students to be successful.

Lastly, I would like to recognize the Class of 2008.

You have been a great class.

The staff of Wadsworth High School wishes you all the best as you start the next phase of your journey. You have much to be proud, of and our memories of your class will last a lifetime.

Have a safe and relaxing summer and good luck to the class of 2008!

Go Grizzlies!

THE BRUIN

May 2008

3

State Science Fair shines with brilliance

BY LUKE WILLIAMS

This year’s State Science Fair, held on May 10, was one of the school’s top years at the state tournament. During the science fair many students placed high and gained prestigious awards.

There were five students who went to The Ohio State University for the science tournament.

The five students from Wadsworth were senior Zak McKee, junior Kathleen Duckworth, junior Curtis Taylor, sophomore Heather Benya and sophomore Jake Gissinger. Almost all the participants came away with superior awards.

The prizes consisted of an array of items, from ribbons to fullride scholarships to universities.

McKee, in his third trip to the fair, was offered a full ride scholarship to Wright University. However, he turned it down since he has committed his time to Akron University.

John Burton, a biology teacher at Wadsworth High School, attended the science fair, and was proud of the participants as he noted how well the high school students did when he said, “All five students did excellent and represented Wadsworth in a superior way.”

Burton also said that the only thing that would have made the State Science Fair any better

would be if more students went to the tournament.

Also concerning the status of the awards given by universities he said, “The most impressive award is from a university and students need to see that it is

“All five students did excellent and represented Wadsworth in a superior way.”

- Mr. Burton a most impressive accomplishment.”

He also said that it was very impressive for a high school student to have their work recognized by a university.

Gissinger, a sophomore contestant, scored two perfect scores of forty. He was awarded a scholarship to the Ohio State University Stone Lab and was also given a fifty dollar savings bond.

Gissinger was pleased with his scores and his prizes, and said that he had met his own expectations.

“My goals were to get a superior grade at the state level,” said Gissinger about his targeted plans while at the State Science Fair.

Gissinger implied that he would

have done some things differently with his project if he had been given more time. He said that he would have had a computer record some of the measurements instead of having to do it manually.

Gissinger was measuring the amount of solar energy in Northeast Ohio and noted that if he were permited to have an extended period of time he would have made his project less prone to mistakes.

Gissinger also said that he was very excited about his scholarship to the Stone Lab which is located near Lake Erie.

However, a high score does not always mean a student will get the best prize. Curtis Taylor might not have been given a perfect score of forty, but he was the one on his way to the bank.

Taylor was given a scolarship of ten thousand dollars per year of attendence to The College of Wooster Although Taylor was graded lower, he was quite pleased with his time at the science fair, and is confident in returning to the State Science Fair next year.

Taylor was also given $250 by the Oil and Gas Education Association.

All the students who went to the science fair came away with some prize, whether it was cash

State Science Fair Participants: Zak McKee Kathleen Duckworth Curtis Taylor Heather Benya Jake Gissinger or a scholarship. The majority of the students that attended the tournament plan to return to the state tournament next year.

NEWS BRIEFS Jenna Trillet recently became the first Wadsworth student to win the Medina County Auditor’s Office scholarship.

The Wall that Heals, a replica of the Vietnam War memorial, is in Wadsworth from May 28 - June 3.

Baccalaureate will be held at Wadsworth High School on May 30, and will begin at 7:00 p.m.

A massive cyclone in Burma has left 62,000 people dead.

Graduation will take place at Wadsworth High School on June 1, and will begin at 2:00 p.m.

Gas prices are reaching four dollars and cause many students to find an alternative way of getting around instead of driving their cars.

Seniors experience local government

BY ALYSSA POWELL

A high school student experiences many events throughout his or her high school career, but few events can compare to the Youth-in-Government Day . This day was a unique opportunity to gain knowledge and familiarity in the community.

At 7:40 a.m., students had to sign in at the City Council Chambers. Students were immediately put to discussion and given a job assignment.

Throughout the day all the students were expected to pay attention and act appropriately to complete the task at hand. All day there were different activities and tours planned for the students.

From 9:15 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. the Public Service Committee toured at the different maintenance facilities in the Wadsworth commu-

nity, such as the Water Treatment Plant, City Hall Engineering and the Electric and Communications division.

While the Public Service

“I really enjoy the position, and it is very worth while.”

-Mayor Laubaugh Committee was touring around Wadsworth, the Public Ways Committee and the Public Safety Committees were as well. As the committees toured, the students learned how Wadsworth is put together as a whole. Learning about the different parts that go into every committee may have seemed a little overwhelming for some, but all pulled through and made

it a great experience and worth while for all.

As the day progressed, everyone learned more and more of what really goes into the high school alone. There are 590 employees and eight people just to mow the lawns and do the maintenance around the school. The cafeteria feeds up to 5,000 students everyday.

“I had a lot of fun, and I learned a lot about the government,” says senior Matt Sarlouis.

Seniors that were assigned to Fire Stations One and Two learned of all the training needed and were shown around the stations.

There are definitely more pieces to the government other than just those committees. Also during the day, students saw how small decisions can help the entire communtiy, such as putting

PHOTO BY BRUIIN STAFF

Zachary and Kayla discuss the security camera possibility in downtown Wadsworth and how it would benefit the community.

up security cameras in downtown Wadsworth, managing the Steiner Youth Center, what it is like to be the mayor and many other topics that could make or break the Wadsworth community.

Tom Hilton was the student who got to shadow the mayor, Robin Laubaugh. Hilton got to see what it is like to make a lot of

the decisions for Wadsworth and how stressful, yet fun, the job can be.

All in all, the seniors learned a lot, and it was an experience that they will never forget. A big thank you goes out to the officials who helped the seniors learn the importance of teamwork and organization in government.

THE BRUIN 4 Magnacca here to stay

FEATURES

like the thing to do, but in the end I like education better,” says Magnacca, explaining why he switched majors.

Before coming to Wadsworth, Magnacca had many different jobs; he was a math teacher, football coach, basketball coach, and principal, mostly in the Rittman City School district.

Being a high school principal is not about PHOTO BY BRUIN STAFF making every single Mr. Magnacca executes his duties as the new person happy, that will principal of Wadsworth High School at the renever happen, but rath- cent NHS Assembly. One of the newer faces at er doing what is right the high school, Magnacca is here to stay. for the school and benefitting to the learning process the students will also be emof all the students in the buildphasized. ing. With that being said, MagSome might not agree on nacca is anticipating a few slight their opinions of the new changes for next year.

Wadsworth High School prinSome new changes that are cipal, but one thing is for sure coming for the furture years inMagnacca is planning to stay clude more course selections, esfor a while. pecially in social studies. Some Magnacca says, “The best different changes for next year’s thing about being a principal handbook are new requirements at Wadsworth High School is for an honors diploma, cell coming to work every single phone policies and consequencday. I love coming and walkes for those who get caught with ing through those doors every cell phones. While continually morning.” raising the standards for overall achievement will remain important individual achievement for

Brazier heads to Vegas for national tournament

BY TAYLOR GOODSON

Since freshman year, Sarah Brazier has been a vital member of the Speech and Debate team.

Brazier is going to nationals this year to perform under the bright lights of Las Vegas. While in Las Vegas, she will be competing in Dramatic Interpretation and Humor categories.

“It’s kind of a family thing,” Brazier says of her family’s history in Speech-and-Debate.

Kelly

QUOTE TO LIVE BY:

Don’t limit your challenges; challenge your limits.

of the

Students

sively, Brazier placed 9th in the state. She was very ecstatic to even make it to the state tournament.

“It is like having the best of the best at one place competing against each other,” Brazier says.

Once in Vegas, Brazier plans on doing the piece she performed at the Fine Arts Assembly, “Sam and Eric.” If she does not succeed in that, she has a back-up poem or a story to perform.

Brazier seems unfazed by the high level of competition at nationals, but for support, she plans on taking her sister, Molly, her dad and Mrs. Mathews.

“I am thrilled she is going to Las Vegas because Sarah is a member of speech and debate who exemplifies hard work and talent. She also shows a great representation of the best on the Wadsworth High School speech and debate team” Brazier does not expect to win first place, but she does expect to try her best.

Favorite Quote: We can do not great things, only small things with love.

-Mother Teresa Advice for others: Work hard, but remember to have fun!

First Place Awards TROPHIES, PLAQUES RIBBONS, MEDALS, CERTIFICATES AND ENGRAVING Ph. & Fax (330) 336-0365 TOM & DORA KAUFMAN, OWNERS 7800 HARTMAN RD.

WADSWORTH, OH

Month!

QUOTE TO LIVE BY:

Joe

PHOTO BY BRUIN STAFF

Sophomore Sarah performs her award-winning “Sam and Eric.”

Her sister, Ginny, won the state tournament six years ago, and her mom and grandfather were both involved in similar activities.

She owes most of her interest in Speech and Debate to her sister, but that is not the only thing that interests Brazier about the club.

She loves meeting new people, showing off her talents and loves the fact that she is able to voice her opinions, no matter what they are.

Speech and Debate is not all fun and games, Brazier reminds us. On average, it takes her about a week to come up with a piece.

She usually has to run through it two times a day for at least 30 minutes each. She also stresses that, just like a sporting event, it is extremely hard to make it to nationals.

Brazier has been on a roll for the past few weeks; she received three wins for Humor and 2nd place in Drama at the Wooster tournament, along with wins at Akron, Northeast Ohio. Impres-

Favorite High School Memory: “Playing with the band at the Buckeye Invitational”

Brooke

There was one thing this last year at Wadsworth High School that affected every person in the building, it was the new principal Wadsworth High School received, Mr. Magnacca.

While Magnacca is new to Wadsworth, he is not new to leading a school as a principal, having spent time at Rittman High School.

“The volume of the school was the only difference between the two schools. Kids here have more to do,” Magnacca states.

Everyone might know who Magnacca is, but they might not know a lot of information about him. Magnacca attended and graduated from the University of Akron. For his first three years of college, he was in the progress of becoming an accounting major. However, one day after taking four accounting exams, he decided to switch to an education major.

He graduated from the University of Akron with his Bachelors in Arts in Education, Math and a minor in Bookkeeping.

“I went into accounting because my whole family is in accounting and business. We had a family restaurant, and everyone else in my family was involved some way. So it seemed

Congratulations WHS Students of the Year!

BY ALLISON PALLIJA

Kyle

May 2008

There is no task ahead of us that is greater than the power behind us.

H EALTH

THE BRUIN

May 2008

Discover the right places to get healthy meals

BY SAMANTHA SCHWAB

It is really hard to keep a healthy lifestyle when there are fast food restaurants sitting at every corner.

Going out to eat is difficult because there is not always something on the menu to satisfy one’s particular diet. Some people try to stay away from carbohydrates, while others just try to stay away from sugars and fats. Either way, one needs to be able to go out to a restaurant. America’s Healthiest Restaurants says people are eating out more than ever, and it is nice not to have to cook. America’s Healthiest Restaurants gave up some choices to pick from to get a healthy meal while you are out.

If one is craving some Asian cuisine, P.F. Chang’s China Bistro might be calling one’s name.

They mix their food with fresh vegetables, proteins and whole grain brown rice. To have a fresh taste, they cook their food in soybean oil, which also keeps down the fat content. Signature health foods are their carb-free vegetarian lettuce wraps, tofu and water chestnuts with mint and lime set in lettuce cups. For an appetite

that does not desire Asian cuisine, one could always stop by Bob Evans for a home style meal.

One would not think of Bob Evans to be a typical healthy restaurant, but if they order off the dinner menu, it is full of low-carb and low-fat meals. They might be known for their breakfast food, but the dinner menu is the way to go. The kids menu is stacked with good choices from which to pick as well.

If one is the type of person who eats a lot of organic foods Ruby Tuesday is a good choice. They have added many organic foods and beverages to the menu. According to America’s Healthiest Restaurants, Ruby Tuesday has now added turkey and veggie burgers to their menu.

When trying to watch your nutritional value, it is hard to find it on the menu. At Romano’s Macaroni Grill, they have posted all the nutritional facts online for you to see before you come. Now you can pick the healthiest meal for you before you even get to the restaurant.

Olive Garden is a great healthy Italian restaurant. America’s Heathiest Restaurants says that

they have a great variety of low fat foods that are cooked in trans fat-free oil. They have good choices for anyone.

“I can never find a fast food place to get a healthy meal on the go. Wendy’s and McDonald’s are not very healthy,” says sophomore Amber Shivak.

If one does not have time to sit down and eat and need an on-the go-meal, Panera Bread is a great place to get that healthy meal, Panera is full of healthy choices, from their salads to their soups.

They are both low in calories and low in sodium. Panera is a quick place to get a grab-and-go meal.

Trying to stay on a healthy diet is hard for anyone. But when restaurants help out by giving you different choices, staying healthy might be a little easier. Everyone needs to be able to go out to eat and have multiple choices for a good, healthy meal. There are many restaurants that benefit you by giving nutritional facts on the menu that you probably did not even notice. According to America’s Healthiest Restaurants, these restaurants are some of the healthiest in America, and they are all close by.

5

PHOTO COURTESY OF MCT CAMPUS

A veggie burger is just one of the healthy alternatives offered at Ruby Tuesday.

They also offer turkey burgers and other organic foods. They are located in Fairlawn, Medina, North Canton and many other cities near Wadsworth.

Fun Facts COURTESY OF DR. STANDLEY

There are more nutrients in the cornflake package than in the actual cornflakes.

Wearing headphones for an hour will multiply the amount of bacteria in your ear by 700.

PHOTO BY SAM SCHWAB

PHOTO BY BRUIN STAFF

America’s Healthiest Restaurants suggests a trip to Bob Evans to find low-carb and low-fat meals. The closest location is in Wadsworth at 151 Park Center Dr. On the other hand, McDonald’s meals tend to be high in fat content.

Common health myths demystified the ability to give the blind sight.

Does an apple a day This myth was actually really keep the doctor started in WWII when the away? Will that newly British started using radar. developed sunburn evenThey did not want the Gertually fade into a tan? mans to catch on, so they Growing up, everyone said they were feeding their has heard these common pilots carrots. The fib was so sayings about health, but convincing, it is still circunever thought to question lating today. them. As the years go by, Every class has the one however, new discovertest that will make or break PHOTO COURTESY OF MCT CAMPUS ies are being made daily Kids enjoy swimming in a pool after eating despite belief one’s grade. While students to disprove these miscon- that it is necessary to wait a half hour. There is no spe- sit there attempting to conceptions. Nearing the end cific amount of time one must wait before swimming. centrate, a person in the back of yet another year of high school, ommend any specific time limit of the class starts cracking their it is time to start demystifying before entering the pool after eat- knuckles. Someone might try to these common health myths. ing. scare them into stopping by sayAt least every day during sumIt has also been long thought ing it will cause arthritis, but realmer, there are mothers at the pool that sunburn turns into tan. The ity is that this in an empty threat. with their children running wild. simple truth is that sunburn is a No study has found a link beNot long after, they holler, “Wait burn. It is not the first stage of tween cracking knuckles and the a half hour after eating before you tanning. Sunburn causes redness, pain induced by arthritis. Howgo swimming!” peeling and skin damage. It is ever, it has been proven that this For decades it was believed also true that sunburn poses an habit stretches ligaments around that swimming on a full stom- even stronger risk to developing the knuckles, which leads to swolach would cause severe muscle skin cancer later on in life than len hands and weakened grip. cramps leading to drowning. tanning.

Next time the idea of taking an While it is true that digestion diRemember the days when extra helping of carrots comes to verts blood circulation away from mothers piled plates high with mind or it feels like that sunburn certain muscles, there has been carrots and said it would improve will soon be worth it, remember no documented case of drowning eyesight? Well, carrots do contain that not all mothers’ sayings are due to a full stomach. Neither the a high concentration of vitamin accurate. So feel free to jump in American Academy of Pediatrics A, which is necessary for healthy the pool five minutes after eating nor the American Red Cross rec- vision, but they hardly contain and enjoy summer.

BY KRISTIN MAPLE

Laughing 100 times roughly equals 15 minutes on an exercise bike.

People are born with over 300 bones.

Some of these bones fuse together to make 206 bones over time.

Smelling bananas and green apples can help you lose weight.

Kissing prevents plaque build-up by washing food from teeth and lowering the level of acid that causes decay.

Discount

You name it, he’s got it from headunits to subwoofers and amplifiers!

Contact Kasey with any questions at anytime by call or text (330) 388-7425

6

May 2008

Austin’s

Answers What is your favorite part of coaching tennis?

My favorite things about coaching tennis are getting to know the players, helping them become better players and watching their transformation on the court.

MR. AUSTIN TEACHER

How do you feel about the past year of teaching physics?

It was a good year. It’s frustrating when a lack of student participation affects things, but that’s how it goes.

What was your most memorable moment from teaching this year?

I always love the Aha! moments when a student finally gets what they have worked so hard to achieve.

Physics can be like a 5,000 piece puzzle, but sometimes the pieces fall right into place and it all makes sense. I live for those moments with students.

O PINION 1

THE BRUIN

Teams unfairly overlooked For many students, athletics are an important part of their four years of high school.

However, some sports CAMILLE OPINION STAFF tend to be overlooked, while others seem to take preference. To make it worse, it is more than just a lack of student interest in the less popular sports; teachers and administrators have also started to give special treatment to the favorite sports and athletes.

Possibly one of the worst parts of participating in a lesser-known sport is the student apathy towards them. While teams such as football and basketball can usually count on student support at all games, whether home or away, most other sports rarely bring in the student body as spectators.

This really should not be much of a problem because, let us face it, most of our sports teams do not always do that well. There are the few teams, however, with outstanding records that lack in student enthusiasm. For example,

the swim team does very well, but the attempts at tailgating were not successful.

For the teams who are not known for their fabulous records, maybe they would do a little better if somebody cared. In all honesty, the only ones who care about most of the teams are the participants, parents and sometimes, a few friends. We know watching a tennis match or swimmers doing laps does not always seem that exciting, but they still deserve respect.

This by itself does not affect people too much. The worst aspect is how teachers favor students who participate in sports. Do not get me wrong, they definitely deserve to be recognized for their athleticism, but sometimes it goes a little over the top.

Still, most of you are saying, “Who cares?” Honestly, a few homework assignments or extra credit points do not really matter that much. The worst part is the difference in executive decisions made about these teams. Most of the time, it is as simple as a lack of new uniforms. While certain teams seem to receive new equipment almost yearly, other groups

wait for long periods of time before finally receiving the option of ordering new uniforms.

“Girls tennis is finally getting new uniforms this year,” junior Morgann Priest claims about the girls tennis team. “We’ve had the same ones for something like 12 years, so it’s about time.”

Another issue is the fields, stadiums, courts and pools used by teams. The courts used by tennis teams are cracked and broken, and they are almost impossible to keep dry for matches. Swimmers have gotten used to using the old Steiner’s pools for years on end.

At the same time, some sports have gotten updated and improved facilities multiple times.

Overall, many sports are overlooked by all members of the high school. Even if they are not the most popular, most participants would appreciate more recognition.

Although these injustices are unfair and annoying, they have constantly been around. Whether or not this will change is uncertain; most athletes have just learned to deal with being overlooked.

What is your motto for life?

I’ve never heard a statement that sums up life. I’ll get back to you if I do.

When do you get the angriest at students?

When they assume that I am an idiot. I can’t stand it when students lie about something I watched them do, like texting on a cellphone in class or something. That annoys me more than anything else.

If you had one day left, how would you spend it?

By my wife’s side for every second of it.

Who is the most influential person in your life?

I have two people. My father for being a mentor and a pastor, and my wife as a friend and role model.

PHOTO BY BRUIN STAFF

The softball team enjoyed an excellent season even without many spectators. It was not until they got to the District Championship at Firestone Stadium when more fans came to show their support.

Locker room theft presents major problems Access to the school’s l o c k e r rooms is a great privilege that is available to all students in MIKE our school.

OPINION STAFF Being a student who uses the locker room daily, I understand how vital it is to be able to confidently secure your belongings. Unfortunately, from what I have learned in my two years at WHS, it is almost impossible to secure your belongings in a locker room and trust that they will be safe.

The locker rooms at our school could be one of the worst possible places to keep your belongings. Whether you wish to secure an extra pair of shoes or even a pair of shorts, you can never be sure that those items will be pres-

ent in your locker the next day.

We have all been told a countless amount of times that the only way to guarantee that your belongings remain safe is by using a Master Lock. But, as sad as it is, there are some pathetic students at WHS that would go as far as breaking a combination lock just to be blessed with the privilege of wearing your sweaty gym shorts or old tennis shoes.

Obviously, if you are someone who wishes to secure your iPod or wallet in one of the school’s locker rooms, you are practically sending out an invitation to every greedy kleptomaniac in our school. The idea of someone leaving an expensive object in his or her gym locker is similar to the tradition of children leaving cookies out on Christmas Eve for Santa Claus. In contrast to Santa Claus, the students who are responsible for the theft problem at our school do not leave you

wrapped presents in return.

With the installation of the new cameras around the school, the amount of theft that occurs in the locker rooms has somewhat decreased from last year. Although this is a good sign, there are still many cases where students are robbed of their belongings.

“I had my cell phone stolen just a month ago,” says sophomore Danny Hayes. “I was so mad that someone would stoop to such a low level.”

Hayes is not unfamiliar with this feeling. During his freshmen year, a brand new pair of Reebok basketball shoes were stolen from his locker.

In a lot of cases, it is not just valuable items that are being stolen. Sophomore Anthony Schrock is still amazed and somewhat disturbed that his knee brace was stolen during the basketball season. Many people may wonder what kind of a person would steal

a sweat-absorbing knee-brace.

“To tell you the truth, I do not know who would want my dirty brace,” Schrock expressed. Obviously the thief was completely desperate for additional knee support. “Maybe the thief was just a really big fan,” Schrock said, second-guessing the thief’s motive.

From my point of view, there are three types of thieves in our school. The first type of thief is what I like to call the “Desperate Thief.” This kind of thief is actually in need of something and is willing to go beyond any type of boundaries. A great example of a “Desperate Thief” is a student who steals a pair of gym shorts from another student’s locker because he or she fears the idea of points being deducted from their weekly participation grade in physical education.

The thief that is insanely greedy and has the desire to steal anything of any value can be classified as a

“Greedy Thief.” This type of thief will take advantage of any poor soul who has left something valuable in his or her locker.

The last and most dangerous type of thief is the “Freak Thief.”

The “Freak Thief” has a freakishly odd obsession with stealing, and he or she will steal anything and everything. “Freak Thieves” pose a very large threat to the students who store their belongings in the school locker rooms.

“Freak thieves scare me more than anything,” says freshman Hayden Kilbride. “One time I had a half-eaten turkey sandwich stolen from my gym locker.”

Theft in the school locker rooms has become a major problem at our high school. The locker rooms at WHS are some of the only places of privacy and security that students have access to.

Unfortunately, it is to my displeasure to say that our school’s locker rooms are no longer secure.

O PINION 2 The clubs of today - Drama Club - First Priorty - French Club - HUDDLE - Key Club - Latin Club - National Honor Society - Poetry Club - Science Club - Spanish Club - Speech & Debate Club - Students Against Destructive Decisions - Volunteer Opportunities for Teens - Student Ambassador

THE BRUIN

May 2008

7

Here, possibilities are endless What do I do for my school? I bet that is not a commonly asked question by most

BY CHELSEA students. Yet, OPINION STAFF one might consider that the experiences endured in high school are the most life determining.

So... What do you give back?

Memories? Hard work? “Inappropriate writing” on bathroom stalls? How about trying something new this year? Perhaps you would like to channel your innerartist by participating in art club.

Stella Adler, a talented actress and passionate teacher of the twentieth century, once noted, “Life beats down and crushes the soul. And art reminds you that you have one.”

It is the youth of today and the leaders of tomorrow that Adler refers to. She is saying that when an individual creates something beautiful, it unearths an irreplaceable feeling of accomplishment, pride, and confidence.

“Well, how does one go about organizing such a club?” One might ask themselves. The answer consists of many mountains to climb, as does anything worth working for.

Caitlin Douglas, class of 2008, recollects, “Freshman year (2003) there was an art club that held two meetings and then just stopped. It was a lot of fun though, and I was able to work on my art class work.”

In fact, it was Karen Martin, a freelance artist, who is responsible for the attempt that Douglas was speaking of.

“Of all of them, there were two major conflicts,” Martin recalls, “Former Principal Williams was supportive, but I had trouble with finding willing parents to volunteer.”

After my conversation with Martin, I then consulted our current principal, Mr. Magnacca.

Of the many aspects we dis-

cussed, Principal Magnacca pointed out that volunteer parents were hard to come by and that my biggest problem would be convincing a teacher to sponsor and advise the operation.

“When you find a teacher advisor, come see me and we’ll take the next steps,” said Magnacca.

With Magnacca’s encouragement, I immediately made it my first priority to locate a proper teacher advisor.

To my relief, Mr. Derrig of Central Intermediate School and Mr. Shiarla of the middle school kindly stated that they would be candidates for the position of teacher advisor.

“Between Mr. Shiarla and me, we can figure something out. We have a lot of aspects to consider, but you have already done a lot of planning,” Mr. Derrig stated in a conversation over the telephone.

Also, Martin, Kim Moore, Professional Artist at Worlds of

“It is definitely not impossible.”

-Mr. Magnacca, Principal

Watercolor, Bernadette Hardy, Professional Photographer and Mike Hardy, Architect, all have declared their support and are willing to provide future aid to the potential art club.

Now that numerous, definite supporters are established, the ball has been thrown into the courts of possibility. Even so, there still exists an abundance of measures to be taken into consideration.

Problems consist of locating an area for art club sessions to be held two to four times a month, paying for materials and organizing an overall plan of events that the art club would hold. However, progress is being made, and all hope is not lost yet. Perseverance is definitely at hand for all who are involved.

It is the wealth of willing participants that fuels all efforts. In the big picture, what is most important is to celebrate and recognize the talented art students of Wadsworth High School. Think of it as a gift to the school. Whether it will be cherished or not is unknown, but it is the thought that counts.

Why art club?

I love surrealism... it’s frustrating when I want to paint when we’re scratchboarding in class. I’d do it for the freedom. -Rob , 11 There just wasn’t enough room in my class schedule. -Emily , 10

Sounds like fun.

-Jake, 11

I like art, but I’m not interested enough to be in the class.

-Candace , 10

I thoroughly enjoy art.

-Derek , 9

Summer fun gets expensive Most students who can drive will tell you that they like to get out of the house whenever MATT they can.

OPINION STAFF But where can you go if you do not want to spend a lot of money? Almost everything is going to cost you at least a little bit today. Whether you go to a movie at Great Oaks, Montrose or Medina, you can expect to pay a lot.

Great Oaks Cinema in Wadsworth will cost you $7.50 a ticket. That is not to mention the cost of popcorn, which you can expect to pay up to $4.00 for. If you want a drink, that is going to cost you about $3.00 more. If you decide to head out of town to a different movie theater, you can expect to pay a lot there as well. Regal Cinemas in Montrose will cost you a bit more at around $9.00 per ticket.

If you plan on going to a movie this summer, and expect to buy some popcorn and a drink, make sure to bring some extra money along. A non-matinee movie with popcorn and a drink can cost you in excess of $15.00.

“DVDs come out in around six months, so why would I spend so much money at the movies when you can buy it in six months,” says junior Michael Burton.

Another one of the most popular activities that students enjoy over the summer is taking a trip to Cedar Point. The amusement park is one of the best around and for good reason. However, it is an expensive trip. General admission at Cedar Point will cost you $42.95.

If you expect to go a few times over the summer, I would suggest buying a season pass. At $109.95, it will cost you a lot, but you will already start saving after going only three times. Cedar Point is also quite far from Wadsworth, making the trip even more expensive with gas prices, as they are at around $4.00 a gallon.

“Cedar Point is a lot of fun, but I cannot afford to go more than once a summer because its so expensive,” sophomore Kayla Sams explained.

With almost everything fun to do over the summer costing so much money, is there anything we can do to save money but still enjoy ourselves? The answer is yes. There are many things you can do around Wadsworth that are not too far away and that will cost you little to no money.

If you really must go see a

LOW-COST SUMMER IDEAS 1. MATINEE MOVIES - $6.00 2. BLUE SKY DRIVE-IN - $16.00 PER CAR FOR 2

PHOTO BY MATT O’NEIL

Blue Sky Drive-In in Wadsworth is one of the great places you can go over the summer if you want to have fun and still save some money.

movie over the summer, go to a matinee. Most theaters have cheaper tickets before a certain time. You can save up to a dollar or two by just going earlier.

Another idea would be to go to Blue Sky Drive-In here in Wadsworth. It is one price for a car, so if you take a few friends with you, you can split the admission cost among you, and it will be a lot cheaper.

“Going to the drive in with a group of friends makes the cost go way down, and it is a lot of fun,” says junior Chris Greenwood.

Another low cost place you can go is to Rinky Dink Family Fun Center. There, they have go carts, mini-golf, bumper boats, batting

cages and an arcade. The go-carts and the mini golf are only $6.00.

You can have a great time without spending a lot of money.

Lastly, if you do not want to spend any money at all, there are several great parks in Wadsworth and the surrounding areas. There are soccer fields, baseball diamonds and basketball courts everywhere that you are free to use whenever you want. Call up some friends and get outside and play.

Even if you do not want to spend a lot of money this summer, there are still plenty of things to do around Wadsworth that will cost you hardly anything. You just have to look for them.

MOVIES

3. RINKY DINK FAMILY FUN CENTER - $6.00 MINI GOLF 4. WADSWORTH PARKS SYSTEM - FREE 5. STEINER RECREATION CENTER - $6.00 SINGLE ADMISSION

8

C OMMUNITY

THE BRUIN

May 2008

Williams speaks at press conference

BY AMBER SHIVAK

On Friday, May 2, Brian Williams came to Wadsworth High School to join a Newspaper/Yearbook class in a press conference.

He gave a lot of information one would not expect to hear from such a busy man. He is proud of his vast amount of accomplishments and is ready to achieve the challenging goals he has set for himself.

Williams attended Ashland High School and was an average student. While in school, he loved sports like baseball and football.

He had to try for his good grades, unlike a lot of other students who never open a textbook yet still receive straight As. His mother was a 1st grade teacher, and his dad was a superintendent. Both parents were involved in education which influenced him to follow in their foot steps. He looked up to his father a great deal.

Not only did Williams want to be in education, he wanted to work with children. He was a coach for nine years.

Williams was asked what he missed most about being a principal, he responded with, “I miss being around the students and seeing them walk class to class, and being able to know he made it through the day and there is only more to come.”

Williams has two daughters, one daughter in third grade and the other in fifth. They play softball and Williams supports them greatly. Many might wonder how he handles being both a husband and a father. He mentioned that there are still times when he is not working and gets to spend time with his girls and his wife. Williams describes his wife as being supportive and very understanding.

Williams explained his daily life as Director of Instruction: he usually gets to work at around 6 a.m. and leaves around 5 p.m. on the average day. He often goes to sporting events and after school activities. He explained how his wife complained when he was gone all of the time, but she understands and now gets to spend

more time with him. Williams does get a break every once in a while and he loves to spend it with his family.

In his spare time he likes to golf, spend a lot of time with his family and children, play softball with his children and enjoys attending games to catch up on what he missed.

Everyone has a motto or has a saying they like to live by. Williams explained how his few words of wisdom would are to “always remember your family is there for you.”

Williams has been in education for 18 years and plans to continue for another 12. He sees that there are many projects still to come for the school district.His goals by the end of his retirement are to build a new high school facility, change some facilities, add technology to each classroom, like computers, and to become superintendent.

These are some big goals that he has set, but his heart is in his job. Williams has stated that he is ready to take on any challen Williams hopes that students

realize how lucky and privileged they are to attend Wadsworth High School. He hopes that all the students that attend this school know that they have very bright futures ahead of them and will do the best that they can to reach their goals.

These words of wisdom should be taken to heart by all students.

PHOTO BY BRUIN STAFF

Mr. Williams fills out multitudes of paperwork during one of his busy school day.

Lumsden looks back Alumnus

BY BROOKE BERGER AND DOM ODDO

Lois Lumsden has spent 26 years teaching with the Special Education program, and is now headed into retirement. Being able to retire at the young age of 55 is exactly what Lumsden planned for. She is one of the few people around these days that started thinking about her future at a young age.

Lumsden has been putting money into retirement since she was a teenager. She has saved enough that she can retire early, and start working on the goals she has set for herself. These goals include: visiting family all across the country, having every closet in her house cleaned at once, and being able to do whatever she wants.

Lumsden got into her field of work in a very unique way. She originally went to school to learn the trade of being a secretary, but shortly found out that she did not want to spend her career there. With that decision made, she knew she wanted to go to college and try to further her career. Lumsden attended The University of Akron, where she there worked hard and earned her masters in Special Education.

Shortly after getting out of college, Lumsden was sent to

WHS as a substitute teacher. After teaching under a contract for 50 days at Cuyahoga Falls and Maple Heights Junior High, she was offered a job at Wadsworth and knew it would be a great opportunity. She quickly took the job and found herself at home at Wadsworth High School. While here, she has seen first hand how the Special Education program has changed. “Special Education students now have more choices, and better opportunities.”

Lumsden lives her life by the “Golden Rule”: Treat others as you want to be treated. Those words play a strong part in how she is living her life. Lumsden would like to leave WHS students and staff with a few words of advice: “Save money, retire early, and treat everybody with respect.”

PHOTO BY BRUIN STAFF

Lumsden on one of her last days teaching.

BY STEPHANIE TANNER

Many former students of Wadsworth High School come back to teach or coach. Some return and share their experiences to help guide the new generation and lead them in the right directions, showing them the importance of leadership, dedication, and motivation.

Megan Dean (you may know her as Megan Montoni) graduated from Wadsworth High School in 1998. She was part of the track and field team along with the girls’ basketball team. She left behind a shot put record, 41’3.5, and she was part of the 1998 girls’ basketball team which won the state championship.

After high school, Dean attended Ashland University where she continued to participate in track and field. She was a five-time All-American in shot put. She got her degree as a wellness health educator and as an athletic trainer. She later went to Kent State for graduate school.

Along with being a wellness health educator and an athletic trainer, she is also Wadsworth High School’s throwing coach.

“I had a good coaching experience in college and since then I have wanted to coach,” said Dean.

With two jobs under her belt,

Wadsworth High school is very proud to have Brian Williams as their Director of Instruction and that he has chosen Wadsworth to finish his career as a principal. He truly puts the students first, and We know that he will do the best that he can to make Wadsworth a more successful place.

back as coach

it is sometimes hard to find time to relax. When that time is available she likes to lift, play softball, and spend time with her husband, Chad, and dog, Rocky.

Megan is a hard, yet dedicated coach. She wants what is best for her athletes and their future. She would one day like to be coaching a girl when they beat her high school shot record. Dean is always proud of the athletes that she coaches.

When working with her athletes, Dean lives by the idea of “Maximum Effort”. This, to her and her athletes, means give

“Maximum Effort” -Megan Dean it your all at all times. Practice is supposed to be a time to get better at your event, and Dean’s practices and lifiting workoutsare supposed to be taken seriously as well as the lifting workouts that are given.

Wadsworth High School is lucky to have such a talented and dedicated coach. She always tells her athletes to strive to be their best and is always able to help.

Dean is able to show her athletes dedication, leadership, and motivation through her very own actions.

PHOTO BY LINDSEY THOMAS

Megan Dean is seen here with some of her athletes after the Revere meet.

The Lady Grizzlies track and field team went on to win the meet and go undefeated in the regular season.

TOP 5 SUMMER ACTIVITIES 1) Blue Tip Parade 3) The Wall and Festival: That Heals: 2) Gus Macker May 30-June 2 June 17-21 3-on-3: July 18-20

4) Blue Sky Drive-In: all summer long

5) Boss Frosty’s or Bidinger’s Ice Cream: all summer long

C OMMUNITY

THE BRUIN

May 2008

9

Family man first, educator second

BY BRUIN STAFF

Every student in Wadsworth City Schools knows that Superintendent, Dale Fortner, is the man responsible for deciding when we receive snow days each year.

However, few may be aware of the other countless duties he has day to day. The majority of which deal with his goal to remain a great father and husband.

Along with mottoes like “lead by listening” and “leave a legacy,” Fortner keeps the three word phrase “family always first” close to his heart. With five kids ranging from ages 3 to 17, he admits balancing his schedule is the hardest part of his job. Luckily, his family understands that some things are a priority.

Also, with having so many children, Fortner has to find time to go to events. He and his wife participate in a rank system: High School, middle school, elementary and so on. No matter what,

the Fortner family always stays strong and united.

Fortner has learned throughout his life, the value of family has been one of the most important lessons. This realization has helped him grow as a father and as a role model.

“I believe that for the most part, kids grow up like their parents,”says Fortner.

It is because of this belief that

for my kids,” says Fortner.

Fortner is responsible for almost every decision in the Wadsworth school systems, and for that reason he feels constant pressure. No matter what decision he comes to there will always be people who oppose it, and there is no ways around that. As busy as he is between work and keeping his large family entertained he also manages to give a countless amount of his precious short time back to the community.

Fortner claims the best parts of his career are the opportunity to make positive changes, making administrative jobs better, and improving the community and school district.

In high school and through college, Fortner thought of becoming a professional athlete instead

We are being watched as adults.

I have to be a hero for my kids, and I have to conduct myself for my kids.”

-Mr. Dale Fortner he instills morals like honesty, tr ustworthiness,integrity,and compassion.

“We are being watched as adults. I have to be a hero for my kids, and I have to conduct myself

of pursuing business administration and education. “Some people might not know that I was a three time All-American in college,” said Fortner.

An injury prevented him from moving on. He calmly stated, “You just have to play the cards life deals you. We don’t all get to reach our dreams, but we all get to dream.”

He also quickly points out that high school is a minimal part of our lives. With arms spread out wide, Fortner represents a lifetime. He then measures about a centimeter between his thumb and forefinger. This miniscule segment is high school in the long run.

However, Fortner still has high hopes for all students at Wadsworth High. Even though we may not be his family, he still puts the students high on his priority list. He says,“I hope your experience here at Wadsworth City Schools is memorable, and you

live your life to be happy.”

Compiled by Kyle Fox, Kristin Maple, Alyssa Powell, and Trevor Thoma.

PHOTO BY BRUIN STAFF

Superintendent Dale Fortner pauses for a quick picture before his interview.

The morals and values that he spoke about were very poignant and inspiring.

Students learn much Moore Wright shows about Associate Principal was an All-League performer in baseball”, the Associate Principal said modestly. Moore looked up to Some people would live for the professional baseball player Budchance to grill an administrator. dy Bell, who played a majority of On Thursday, May 3 the students his career with the Cleveland Inheld a press conference for Asso- dians. In high school Moore was ciate Principal Mr. Steve Moore, also voted Most Charming and of Wadsworth High School and Best Personality in did just that. Questions were fly- his class. ing at the Associate Principal He attended Kent faster than he could answer.

State University Growing up in Garrettsville, from 1988-1991.

Ohio, Moore learned the true val- There he met his ues of life. He loved to play sports future wife who in the neighborhood with friends used to be one of and his three older siblings. When his sister’s friends asked what his favorite sport was in high school. After graduating Moore replied, from Kent State, he went right into “I can’t just choose one: base- teaching at Brunswick School disball, football, and basketball are trict. He was there until 2001 and then moved to Highland High School while continuing to teach math while being the athletic director. Moore attended Akron University in 1997 to obtain his Master’s degree in education. In 2003 he started at Wa d s w o r t h High School as being an athletic director.

PHOTO BY BRUIN STAFF Starting with Moore speaks at an assembly in December before winter the 2007-2008 break at Wadsworth High School. school year he all my favorites!” He has always was appointed the title Associate enjoyed baseball because every- Principal. one can play it no matter what Beyond his successful career, they were built like. he has a loving wife and two chilMoore went to high school at dren. He loves coaching his chilJames A. Garfield, graduating in drens baseball and softball teams 1987. He played baseball, basket- in his spare time. “I love just ball, and golf all at the varsity lev- hanging out in the backyard by el. “Golf was my best sport, but I the pool with my family,” Moore

BY JAIME MOSIER

said. He also enjoys watching Cleveland sports teams such as the Indians and the Browns.

He smiled when asked about his biggest accomplishments and said it was his children, hands down. Moore also was awarded teacher of the year at Highland

“Golf was my best sport, but I was an All-League former in baseball.”

-Mr. Steve Moore High School as voted on by the student body. While athletic director at Wadsworth he was voted one of the top 10 athletic directors by the Plain Dealer.

In the future, he would like to be a principal and possibly superintendent of a school system. He is passionate about eliminating drugs and alcohol from the student body. “We need not to ignore it” Moore said when asked about changes that need to take place.

He also promises that a new building is in the near future for Wadsworth High School.

Overall, Mr. Steve Moore is a great asset to our school community at Wadsworth High School.

He is dedicated to helping better the school and will do anything to make things run smoothly. He encourages the student body to stop in to his office and talk with him about anything and everything going on in their life.

Moore is an encouraging educator and wants to see all the kids that graduate from Wadsworth do well. He is concerned about all the students and has a true passion and care toward the school.

Moore is a great person, administrator, and friend to Wadsworth High School.

his true colors

BY RACHEL MOTZ

Wright has two sons, Colin and Brandon, and “a beautiful wife” ,Sharen. He tries to balance being a principal and a husband, as well as a father. “When I’m at school, I am constantly busy. After school, I am usually attending sporting events. So balancing family and work is very hard, but I do my best,” Wright explained.

“When I have time to do things, I like to be outside and workout.

When sports seasons die down I get more reading time in; whenever the Bruin comes out that’s the first thing I read.” Wright says,“The Bruin is the greatest newspaper ever!”

Wright is a great representative for WMS. He is involved with the school, enjoys what he does, and trys to be the best principal he can be. He helps students and presents them with many learning expirences.

Not many students realize that principals have lives outside of the school, or they just do not even think about it. Mr. Wright makes one realize that teachers are much like the parents of students at WHS. “I used to be a teacher at the middle school and high school before becoming Assistant Principal at WMS” Wright said. He attended Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania where he got his teaching license. He then went on to Akron University and got his Masters in Education Administration.

“I miss teaching because it gave me the wonderful opportunity to be a coach.” Which Wright had wanted to do since high school. Wright was on his high school football team and decided then that he wanted to coach when he got a teaching job.

“I like the fact that being a principal offers a lot of different opportunties and different things to do every day. But, I would enjoy having more structure to my job, being a principal does not give me that luxury. I make a list of about ten things I want to do in that day, yet I am constantly interrupted.

PHOTO BY BRUIN STAFF So I may only get two of those ten Mr. Roger Wright, Wadsworth Middle School Principal, has been a successful principal for school systems. things done.”

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May 2008

P ICTURE P AGE

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?

1984

9 9 4

The last time Mrs. VanDyke was a student at Wadsworth was 1984.

She participated in the marching band as a tenor saxophonist and concert band as a bass clarinetist all four years of high school. The photo to the right was her graduating senior portrait.

Mr. Knapp stands outside his own classroom 14 years after his graduating year. Above is a picture of Knapp during his sophomore year.

“Well...my first year teaching here at Wadsworth was 1973,” notes Mr. Gains, retiring from 35 years of teaching. Although Gains was never a WHS student, he has been at WHS long enough to have taught every other teacher on this page.

1998

Pictured above is English teacher Mr. Schoonover at homecoming in 1995.

Some of us wonder what kind of student he was.

1 9 8 5

Mr. Recupero was one slick senior back in ‘85. He was known as one of the finest basketball players of his time.

Mrs. Kurt is now a geometry teacher for the freshmen students. All her hardwork and dedication throughout high school has surely paid off.

Cheer 9-12 capt. 9,12 Pep club 9-12 St. Council 11-12 President 12 Latin Club 9-11 Secretary 9-12 Band 9 NHS 11-12 May Student of the Month

1973

Baseball 9-10 Basketball 9-12 Homecoming Court 11-12 NHS 11-12 Student Council 12 Voted Best Personality Senior Year

1 9 8 7

Mr. Callaghan is now an English teacher seen about the hallways. Cal is a favorite of many students. It looks like his “best personality” has followed him through the years.

Mr. Postak is now a mathematics teacher and basketball coach. We’re guessing his math league and basketball skills paid off after all.

Basketball 9-12 Latin Club 9-12 President NHS 11-12 Math Team 10-12 Soc. 9-12 Conf. Hon. 12 Student Council 11-12 FCA 9-12 January Student of the Month

P ICTURE P AGE

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May 2008

11

What are your thoughts on the Fine Arts Assembly?

I love the fine arts assembly! It’s always been my favorite and I love the singing and seeing the art work!

-Jenna Gahan, 12 The best part about the fine arts assembly was hearing the jazz band play and seeing everyone stand when teacher of the year was awarded.

-Andrew Long, 10 The fine arts assembly was better this year. I didn’t have a favorite part, I liked the whole thing.

-Andy Prechtel, 11

FINE ARTS

ASSEMBLY

2008

The Fine Arts Assembly continues to be a popular and memorable assembly time and time again. Throughout the years of high school, students that participate in Fine Arts look forward to the day where light is shed upon their talents as a young actors and actresses, musicians, writers, artists and so much more. It is a time for students to admire the talents of their peers and their hard work of accomplishing goals and following their dreams. The years of effort, dedication and creativity finally pay off when this assembly arrives.

PHOTOS BY: JAIME MOSIER

LAYOUT DESIGNED BY: JAIME MOSIER AND AUTUMN ELLIS

12

Boys track team pursues unreached goals rens was proud of the attitude and the hard work that his team has put into this year’s As track season comes to an end, the success. Though the season is not quite boys track team is finishing strong. With over, Currens noted that this year’s team regionals coming soon, and Wadsworth performed in a great way and will be able having a chance to qualify, the boys are to say that they had a successful season.

The main thoughts sticking in Currens’s still going strong and looking to continue mind are enthusiasm, attitude, hard work their success.

As for Coach Currens, he feels very pos- and satisfication in the amount of team uniitive about the track team and what they ty that they have together. After having a have done over the past few months. After record of 6-1, Currens is feeling very conasking him his thoughts on the team, Cur- fident in his team and knows that they will be able to bring their A-game at the regional tournament.

Currens’s thoughts on how far they have come since last years boys track were very impressive as he told of the four broken records. Most of the improvements have been in the times that people are running in and the records that they have continued to break, match or set.

As for how far they have come, Currens also has some goals he would like to set for next year and the imPHOTO BY BRUIN STAFF provements they still Junior Brian shows off his skills as he clears the bar in high jump. The track team looks to take their success to the next level at regionals. need to work towards.

BY MATT NOEL

“I would like for the team to go to the next level in effort and qualify more kids to regionals this and next year,” says Currens.

For Currens, this goal seems very possible to achieve, as long as the boys continue with the hard work that they have shown all year.

Currens intends to keep tradition and ensure that the boys team is going to keep going in the direction that they are headed.

Another simple point that Currens stated is that he would like to work on the amount of positive attitudes in each one of his athletes. He said that he likes the amount of positive attitudes but just a little more would go a long way for everyone.

As for an overall view of this year’s track team, Currens has decided that the boys have done extremely well and should continue doing so for years to come. He really believes that they are a big success and added, “I enjoy my job because of the great character and the quality of kids I have the privilege to work with every day.”

When looking at the number of talented athletes on the Wadsworth boys track team, one can see that Wadsworth is very capable of being a leader in track in future years and will not have any problems getting things done.

With the high number of quality athletes on the track team, possibilities are endless for their success at regionals. They have worked hard to reach this point, and success is inevitably going to come their way.

Class of 2007 graduates continue excelling at the next level Cassie Schrock is attending Eastern Michigan University.

She started as a freshman and had a game high of 21 points.

She received the “Meanest Mother on the Court” award for the Eagles.

PAST WHS HEAD BOYS BASKETBALL COACHES Dave Sladky 1976-1992 John Martin 1992-2006 Scott Callaghan 2006-2008 Mike Schmeltzer Jr. 2008-

S PORTS 1

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May 2008

Derek Foore is attending Eastern Michigan University. He was 1617 for the year, which is very hard to do in Division I wrestling as a freshman. The level of difficulty is a huge step from high school to Division I.

Holly Gospodinsky is attending Walsh University where she throws discus and shot put. As a freshman, she qualified for nationals with a throw of 41 feet 3 inches.

BY THE NUMBERS 90-

the number of seniors that played sports in the past year

7-

rank of the girls track team in the state

10- consecutive years the girls track team has won Suburban League

24-

number of seniors that will continue to play an athletic event at the collegiate level

1.37-

Cleveland Indians pitcher Cliff Lee’s E.R.A. in seven games pitched

4-

the number of boys basketball coaches since 1966

New coach brings new plans to court

BY ANTHONY SCHROCK

The Wadsworth boys basketball program recently acquired a head coach that is looking to take them in a new direction. Mike Schmeltzer Jr., a Wadsworth alumnus, was chosen for the job, and he hopes that he can continue the rich tradition of the basketball program.

Schmeltzer accepted the position on May 8. He has had experience coaching boys basketball when he was the freshman boys basketball coach, but his most recent job was coaching the J.V. girls basketball team.

In a recent meeting where Schmeltzer talked about the up-and-coming season, he talked about the things he plans to accomplish.

“I am going to bring a lot of change to the offense and defense,” he explained.

“There’s no doubt we can score, but the biggest thing is stopping our opponent.”

The boys record last year was 10-13 with two of those wins coming in the postseason.

The boys have not had a hard time winning in the postseason, but have struggled during the regular season.

Winning in the postseason is the most important part, but with losses during the season, it is hard to get a good bid come tournament time. This just makes the tournament schedule a lot harder to get wins.

The process of adapting to a new head coach is going to be very hard on the athletes. A lot of the athletes are familiar with the style and play of Callaghan, but with a

new coach on the way they have to adjust to a style.

“It will take time to get used to his style of coaching because it will be unfamiliar with me. Hopefully, over the summer I will get used to his style so that I know what to expect for the season,” stated sophomore Jeff Gahan.

Schmeltzer’s style is going to consist of more running. Since the team is not as big and strong as the others they will have to be able to run.

“We have a really quick team, and we’re going to have to use that to our advantage,” stated Schmeltzer.

There is going to be additional pressure on Schmeltzer’s shoulders because many

people have been debating about his age.

He is the second-youngest head coach ever hired at Wadsworth High School, but with the hype going around about his age, sophomore Mike Carps thinks he will get the job done.

“I think Coach Schmeltzer knows a lot about basketball,” Carps explained. “He knows what to do, and he has the ability to lead us to success.”

With the rich tradition in boys basketball at Wadsworth, Schmeltzer and his staff will look to carry that on for years to come. With young talent coming up and many experienced players returning that contributed last year on varsity, the 2008-2009 season looks promising.

PHOTO BY JORDAN BAILEY

The boys basketball program will be participating next year with new head coach, Mike Schmeltzer Jr. along with a new style of play.

13 Kimbo Slice takes Internet fame to cage S PORTS 2

BY DANNY FOORE

Kevin Ferguson, also known as “Kimbo Slice,” has a long history of intense street fights. Ferguson, famous for his many underground fights found on YouTube, is ready for a real challenge. The underground fighter within is taking it to the next level: mixed martial arts. Some call him the man that feels no pain; others just call him a hammer.

Fighting has not always been his sport. In high school, Ferguson was a part of the football team and became an all-state defensive linebacker. A hard-nosed hitter and a straight-A student, he had high hopes heading into college.

It was there, at the University of Miami, where Slice was first introduced to fighting. Many students formed voluntary street fighting groups, and Ferguson was one of the first to step up to the plate and participate. Very few were brave enough to even set foot against him. Risking his academic scholarship at the University of Miami, Ferguson dropped out of college after a year and a half to put all

THE BRUIN

of his time and focus into street fighting.

He started from the ground and worked his way up the ladder to become a well-known fighter. He trained like a mad man nearly every day at a local boxing gym.

Ferguson knew he had a future in the sport of fighting.

Ferguson quickly became popular, becoming a powerful force in underground street fighting.

The average fighter would challenge him to a fight, and the winner earned a cash prize of up to $10,000. At the fight, spectators would place bets for their own enjoyment.

It took a couple of years until Ferguson lost his first fight. In September of 2003, Ferguson lost to a former police officer, who went on to fight in the UFC. There has been much controversy over Ferguson entering cage fighting. With mainly nothing but criticism, most people say he is overrated, slow and a wannabe. Slice does not acknowledge these words, he just shows it in the cage.

Many believed that Ferguson

May 2008

would not be able to handle the intensity in the cage. With a professional MMA record of 2-0, he knocked out both of his opponents in under a minute without even breaking a sweat. Both his opponents were solid fighters, having been fighting in the UFC for a number of years. He made short work out of both of them.

Right now Ferguson is fighting in the Elite XC Fighting Association. He has not quite made it into the level of the UFC fighters but is most certainly fighting his way up to the top. His strength and unique style will allow him to succeed.

Ferguson has already made his name known in fighting. So far he has lived up to all the hype, from being an Internet phenom to a cage brawler. His next test will be back in the cage against James Thompson, and the world will have the chance to witness it.

Ferguson’s next scheduled MMA fight will be televised on CBS, Saturday, May 31 at 9 p.m.

PHOTO BY FRANCIS SPECKER/LANDOV/MCT

Cage fighting is a different world compared to Kimbo’s underground street fighting.

Athletes of the Month Jessica

Junior - Ran 100 M in 12.04 seconds - Won Suburban League in 4 events - Holds 4x100, 4x200, 100 & 200 records in the Suburban League - Her goal is to break under 12 seconds for the 100

Matt

Senior

- Pitching, undefeated at 7-0 - In 54 innings pitched, recorded 35 strikeouts with a 1.03 era - Pitched a complete game shutout vs. Green April 29

Summer Olympics bound for Beijing

BY JEFF GAHAN

Riots, protests, chaos, and lots of law enforcement: these are some common occurrences along the route of the 2008 Olympic torch. The torch is a very important symbol of the Olympic Games.

The torch represents the stealing of fire from Zeus, and the need to keep the warmth of the Olympic friendship sacred. To illustrate this, the torch is carried through past Olympic sites. Officials stated “We hope that the event can stay free of politics and greed.”

The 2008 Summer Olympics are set for Beijing, China, which is upsetting citizens across the nation. China is disliked for its lack of human rights; Chinese citizens are treated terribly and live in unsanitary, overcrowded conditions.

This has angered leaders everywhere and some may not even accept their invitation to the Summer Olympics until they make improvements.

When asked how he feels about the site of the Olympics Mike Carps said, “I believe that the Olympics should still be held in China. Everyone deserves a good opportunity to prove themselves.”

This is their opportunity because it may never happen again.

Many of the major cities have had to worry about breaches and riots that could cause harm to innocent people. They are cracking down on the protesters and stepping up the security. Olympic officials are making sure that none of the runners are harmed as the torch moves its way across the globe. The torch is currently sitting on Mount Everest, which is located in Tibet. There were five special climbing torch bearers that carried the torch for the friendship trek to the peak of the world. The torch is specially lit so that it will not extinguish with all the wind, low temperatures and snow. This section of the trip showcased the importance of Tibet as a part of China.

People are so wrapped up in what China has done that they have forgotten what the true meaning of the Olympics is. It is a time that all the nations are together without waging war and have a chance to compete against each other in competition.

Countries from around the world will be competing in events such as track and field, fencing, swimming, sailing, rowing, baseball, basketball, boxing, cycling and gymnastics. This year will also include table tennis and handball. Countries train thousands of their top athletes year-round to compete in various events.

The games are set to begin August 8, 2008 at 8:08:08 pm. In China, the number eight represents prosperity. Only time will tell if countries can put their differences aside for sixteen days as athletes honor and represent more than 200 countries from the globe.

PHOTO BY CANDANCE WEST/MIAMI HERALD/MCT

Even through all the trouble, the competitors have been able to keep their composure. They continue to train strenuously for their extraordinary event.

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May 2008

DAVID COOK

American Idol Winner ‘08

- Age: 25 - David was born in Blue Springs, MO - His musical influences are Lady Peace and Big Wreck - His brothers are his biggest inspiration

Entertaining

Eateries REVIEW BY MARISA GERACE AND BROOKE BERGER

First and last impressions mean everything, and this is no different in the restaurant industry. Everyone may have his or her own personal opinions about certain eateries, and in the end, everyone wants to have a good time.

Working our way from the bottom to the top, here are a few fan favorites for those restaurant goers.

At number three, we recommend The Hard Rock Café.

Good food and music are two things that most teenagers enjoy. Not only can you watch your favorite artist perform and get a great meal here, the Hard Rock has also grown into so much more. They now offer world-wide casinos and hotels.

Coming in at number two, Howl at the Moon is becoming increasingly popular. This restaurant turns what is often viewed as classical music into a fun and entertaining way to eat your meal. Tables are surrounded by two dueling pianists, competing to see who can win your party’s attention. This restaurant will quickly become one you will want to attend.

Those of you who have been to this final place before will definitely understand why it holds the number one spot. Leaving a lasting impression on you and your fellow diners, this hot spot claims to be “the joint your momma warned you about.”

You will be able to experience live entertainment from the comical staff as well as self-humiliation.

Two-foot tall hats are just the beginning of a number of things you will encounter while dining. Without any dull moments, you will feel like it is okay to bend the rules and get away with it.

With nation-wide locations, Dick’s Last Resort seems as though it will easily become a favorite restaurant. As the restaurant says, “It’s fun for all and all in fun for those who dare to enter!” You will arrive with an empty stomach and leave perfectly content.

Entertainment

THE BRUIN

Grand Theft Auto IV takes over gaming world

BY MARISA GERACE

Grand Theft Auto IV came out as the biggest title of the year, taking the gaming world by storm. The game was released on April 29th, coming out for Xbox 360 and Playstation 3.

GTA fans rushed to the store to buy the lastest version of their favorite series.

GTA IV is certain to keep video game addicts busy this summer. Sophomore Bart Randolph confessed his love for Grand Theft Auto saying “I will probably eat, sleep and play GTA all summer long, it is pretty much my girlfriend, I have mad love for this game.”

Grand Theft Auto, developed

by Rockstar North, features multi-player modes online with

fifteen different games. Another advantage to this game is Free Mode. This allows players to open the map and explore without having to complete a mission. It benefits many players who are just beginners to the popular game.

It broke sale records by selling about 3.6 million games on the first day of release and making more than $500 million in the first week. It received great reviews, making this game one of the highest-rated video games of all time.

“I have not played the game, but I am looking foward to playing with my brother who is a big GTA fan,” said sophomore Lauren Jung.

The setting of this game is a place called Liberty City, a re-

PHOTO BY MCT CAMPUS

Speeding through Liberty City is just one of the many things a gamer experiences throughout GTA IV.

make of New York City. The main character is a Serbian veteran from the Bosnian War under the name of Niko Bellic. Bellic arrives to the United States in search of the American Dream that his cousin Roman has promised him. Quickly, Niko discovers that Roman has deceived him and Roman is actually struggling with debt and problems with a multitude of gangsters. Niko trys to help his cousin in his crazy crisis by paying his debts and doing questionable tasks.

Playing the game, you may hear different songs from every decade up to modern day music. GTA IV has the largest soundtrack for a video game consisting of 214 songs. The artists Elton John, Kanye West, Queen, and Black Sabbath have their music not only in the game but also in the soundtrack. These songs can be heard on the Liberty City radio stations while your player is in an automobile.

Rockstar games, however, have a great deal of violence.

With this said, there are many people who complain about the corruption shown in Grand Theft Auto IV. The M-rated game has an extreme amount of violence compared to past GTA games.

With hookers, shootings, car jackings and drug use, this game

is not for kids. Nevertheless, these aspects are what makes the game interesting and appealing to many.

“Words can not explain how much I adore this game.” said sophomore Brad Squire.

This game is far more addicting than what people come to imagine. For example, junior Bill Scheimann stated that he plays GTA IV at least six hours a day.

Grand Theft Auto has brainwashed many gamers. With its virtual world that is more believable than ever, critics may blame GTA IV for crimes involving younger kids and teenagers. The game may have a strong effect on how people think and act towards violence after playing it for so long.

Despite such negativity, GTA IV is filled with exclusive graphics and sounds. Making it as realistic as possible, the Rockstar North team took two trips to New York City to make the setting look almost identical to NYC. Grand Theft Auto IV has arrived and impressed many GTA players. The popularity of this game and great reviews show that there will likely be more of Grand Theft Auto in the future thanks to the Rockstar North Team.

Cedar Point provides thrilling summer

BY DANIELLE GOODSON

Summer is a time for fun and relaxation. One thing many students enjoy doing is going to amusement parks. One of the most thrilling amusement parks in the world is just miles away.

Cedar Point is located on the shores of Lake Erie in Sandusky, Ohio. The park opened as a lake shore park in 1980 and rides were soon added in the early 1900s.

Cedar Point has been a hit attraction ever since it has opened.

People from all over the world travel just to come see and experience the thrills Cedar Point has to offer.

Cedar Point has many competitors across the nation, including King’s Island, Busch Gardens and Geauga Lake. However, the activities and rides at Cedar Point put it at the top of the list. Cedar Points holds the record as the largest amusement park in the world.

Cedar Point has a lot to offer.

First of all, the park has an unheard of 17 roller coasters. This is more roller coasters than any oth-

AR D CE NT POI

er park has. Many places do not even come close to the selection of rides that Cedar Point has.

“There is a wide variety of rides, and I get so excited when I get there. I just don’t know where to start!’’ says sophomore Louden Gordon.

Even with all the dryland rides at Cedar Point, there are also water park rides for those deadly hot days. Soak City offers water slides, a lazy river and a wave pool.

There are things to do for all ages, making it is a great place to bring the whole family. In fact, the park features four areas just for kids: Camp Snoopy, the Gemini Children’s area, Planet Snoopy and Kiddy Kingdom.

These places are sure to keep the younger family members safe and entertained all day long.

In addition to all the kid’s activities, there are many exciting things that young adults can enjoy. There are a variety of rides, including the newest roller coaster, the Maverick. There are also many shows and concerts to catch

Cost: $42.95 Hours: 10 a.m.-10 p.m.

Parking: $10.00 Roller Coasters: 17

D Cost: $38.99 WIL ER Hours: 10 a.m.-10 p.m.

T WA DOM Parking: $10.00 G Water Rides: 18 KIN

PHOTO BY MCT CAMPUS

This view of Cedar Point shows one of the world’s largest and most popular roller coasters, the Top Thrill Dragster.

while visiting the park. One of the perks of Cedar Point is the nearby location of four top-rated hotels a guest may stay at during their trip to Sandusky.

Not only does Cedar Point have hotels to meet your needs, the food at Cedar Point is great. Although it is very expensive, the eatery is worth it. There are food courts all over the park, so no matter where a person wanders, one can always find somewhere to eat.

“The best thing at Cedar Point is the Dip-n-Dots. I get some everytime I go!” said sophomore Caleb Busson.

There are many things you can see and do at Cedar Point if one wants excitement, great food and a gorgeous view from the many coasters are just a few. With it being only an hour away, Cedar Point is really a great place to spend time with friends and family.

CH S BU ENS D R A G

Cost: $56.95 Hours: 10 a.m.-9 p.m.

Parking: $10.00 Roller Coasters: 6

G’S N I K D N A ISL

Cost: $29.99 Hours: 10a.m.-10p.m.

Parking: $10.00 Roller Coasters: 14

M USIC

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Collaborations, rivalries affect music

BY MADDIE GABROSEK

There was once a time when a musician’s prime focus was only his or her music. Now with all the alliances and rivalries, music has become a different world.

Collaborations can lead to great music between talented artists, but it can also cause wars. These rivalries can lead to public fights, violence and even death.

A prominent arena for these altercations is the hip-hop genre.

Rap artists have been known for making public displays of battles between each other. The main source of this is found in their lyrics. Some of their most wellknown songs contain spiteful lyrics to other artists.

Kanye West does not hide his opinions, and his song “Big Brother,” is a perfect example.

This song contains lyrics against fellow rap artist and old friend Jay-Z. Though Sohh.com reports that Jay-Z states, “[Big Brother] is the best song he has written since ‘Jesus Walks’,” he can still comprehend the hate Kanye has developed towards him.

One of the most recognized rivalries in the rap world is the East Coast against the West Coast. The two main figures in this battle were, leader of the West Coast, Tupac Shakur, and leader of the East Coast, The Notorious B.I.G. This rivalry continued for years and ended with the murders of both Tupac and B.I.G. Though both murders are unsolved, there are still theories about who killed each rapper.

“Even though it is not proven, I am positive the murders of Tupac and Biggie were related,” says sophomore Taylor Lee.

Summer Releases Ashanti The Declaration June 3 Lil’ Wayne Tha Carter III June 10 Weezer The Red Album June 17 Goo Goo Dolls Greatest Hits Vol. 2 June 17 Coldplay Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends June 17 Ne-Yo Year of the Gentleman June 24 Jonas Brothers TBA July 8 T.I. Paper Trial August 19

With all the fights in the rap community there are still alliances. One of the most famous are Lil’ Wayne and BirdMan. Although these two rappers are different in age, they have made unforgettable hits together. They even created the album “Like Father, Like Son” in 2006, and it debuted at number three on the Billboard 200.

The rap nation is not the only place you can find rivalries and collaborations. Typically, feuds are not prevalent in pop music, but they are more common than believed. Two of the biggest young artists to feud are Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera.

These two became celebrities in their teenage years and were once friends in the Mickey Mouse Club in the 90s. Once each reached fame, the jealousy and back talking began. Virgin Media states, Spears claimed to have called Aguilera “a dark person” for befriending Spears’ exboyfriend, Justin Timberlake.

After these hateful words were announced to the media, Aguilera

fired back. According to Virgin Media she was reported saying Spears was “cheap” for marrying Kevin Federline and was “letting herself go” when she was pregnant. After years of drama, it seems this feud has come to an end. Aguilera claims to have sent Spears a gift basket to finish the battle between the two pop idols.

One of the most successful collaborations is Justin Timberlake and Timbaland. When Timberlake released his first solo album, “Justified,” Timbaland was right by his side. He added his own style to songs to help Timberlake sell seven million copies. Since then, Timberlake has created a new album; together they have collaborated on a number of hits that have swept the nation.

These artist feuds can cause public fights, emotionallycharged lyrics and even lead to violence and death. Their collaborations can result in popular music and long-lasting friendships.

Collaborations and rivalries seem to be never ending will seemingly always be a part of music.

May 2008

15

r e m m Su Concerts Jack Johnson Blossom Music Center Tue, 06/17/08 Coldplay Quicken Loans Arena Sun, 07/06/08 3 Doors Down with Special Guests Staind Blossom Music Center Fri, 07/11/08 John Mayer Blossom Music Center Thu, 07/17/08 Foo Fighters Quicken Loans Arena Fri, 07/25/08 Dave Matthews Band Blossom Music Center Wed, 07/30/08 Radiohead Blossom Music Center Fri, 08/04/08

PHOTO BY KURT STRAZDINS/MCT

Jonas Brothers Blossom Music Center Fri, 08/22/08

Tupac Shakur, world-famous recording artist, was killed in 1996 in a drive-by shooting.

Death Cab will ‘possess your heart’ REVIEW BY MORGANN PRIEST

For the past three years, fans have been patiently awaiting the return of the popular alternative group, Death Cab for Cutie. On May 13, the band released their new album, Narrow Stairs. So far, their second effort on a major label has recieved mixed reviews.

The group’s first major label debut album, Plans, was released in 2005, and enthusiasts have been anticipating the band’s return. After three years, the group released their current album, Narrow Stairs.

The compilation has a noticeably more somber tone in contrast to the youthful tone of previous releases. The lyrics still express love and happiness, as well as regret and despair.

“I Will Possess Your Heart,” the album’s feature single, may be one of the greatest feats the band has taken on thus far. The track is an incredible eight and a half minutes long and is reminiscent of 70s music.

Although the 2005 album was harshly criticized, the band’s newest release is a knockout. It may be their best album to date.

The sound was much differ-

ent than in than previous records, having been influenced by slow metal and synth-punk styles of music. Instead of the more urban beat, the songs possess a louder and more aggressive sound.

The songs on Narrow Stairs are seemingly diverse because the tone and rhythm changes from song to song. Therefore, the album was not as cohesive as previous labels.

The third track, “No Sunlight,”

brings in the 70s pop aspects the band wanted to incorporate into the album.

The fifth track, “Talking Bird” is an example of the new style experimented by the group. It is a slow, sad song with very low piano notes. In contrast, though, the single “Bixby Canyon Bridge,” is a seemingly sweet melody until the drums and electric guitars kick in. All of the tunes had a solid first impression.

Death Cab for Cutie’s newest album will definitely change any existing views listeners may have of the band due to previous records. The new album, revamped with new styles, sounds and lyrics, is sure to be a hit among all listeners.

Morgann’s Rating 4 out of 5 Great!

PHOTO BY VIRGINMEDIA.COM

Ben Gibbard, lead vocalist for Death Cab for Cutie, and the rest of the band are eager to get back out on the road and perform songs from their newest album.

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May 2008

Indiana Jones returns after 19-year hiatus PREVIEW BY SEAN BLACKBURN

The 64-year-old Harrison Ford returns for the fourth movie in the historic series, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, after its last edition came out on May 24, 1989. Ford prepared by working out three hours a day and has been on a strict diet to keep in shape to perform his part in the movie. Indiana Jones is sure to be a favorite at the box office with not only fanatics of the past movies, but anyone who loves adventure.

The story is set in 1957, making it a 19-year difference between his last adventure in the movie as well as in theaters. It is set in the height of the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union. Indiana Jones and his partner Mac (Jim Broadbent) just narrowly escape a trouble at a remote airfield before returning home to suspicious friends and enemies about where he had been.

After being fired from his job as a professor at Marshall College, Indy leaves town and meets young Mutt, (Shia LaBeouf) who

wants his help in finding an artifact, called the Crystal Skull of Akator, in Peru. This skull has been surrounded by superstition and fear, and is just the adventure Indiana Jones is seeking.

The legend is that whoever returns the skull to its temple first will be master of the skull’s power. As he is searching the corners of Peru for the skull, Jones encounters the same Soviet agents he had escaped from earlier. The skull is prized by the Soviets as a weapon that will give them ultimate power over the world, and they will not let anything get in their way.

Irina Spalko (Cate Blanchett) leads the agents on the search to find the crystal skull, and to unlock its secrets before Indy and Mutt do.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull comes out May 22 worldwide in 4,000 theaters nationwide. Having received good reviews by many critics, it is sure to be a must-see movie of the summer.

Blackburn’s Rating

THE BRUIN

Upcoming Movies You Don’t Mess with the Zohan 6/6

M OVIES

Vegas trip hits hefty jackpot

Kung Fu Panda 6/6 The Happening 6/13 The Incredible Hulk 6/13

Get Smart 6/20 Wall-E 6/27

Hellboy II 7/11 The Dark Knight 7/18 Step Brothers 7/25 PHOTO COURTESY OF PARAMOUNT PICTURES/MCT CAMPUS

Harrison Ford (left) stars alongside Shia LaBeouf (right) in the new installment of the adventure series of Indiana Jones. This will be the fourth movie released.

PHOTO COURTESY OF TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX/MCT CAMPUS

In the movie What Happens in Vegas, characters Jack Fuller (Ashton Kutcher) and Joy McNally (Cameron Diaz) enjoy their Las Vegas wedding.

REVIEW BY RENEE SIMON Editor’s Note: this story contains spoilers

We all know “what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas,” but for Joy (Cameron Diaz) and Jack (Ashton Kutcher) it is so much more.

The film What Happens in Vegas, written by Dana Fox, shows what happens when one has too much to drink.

Joy takes a trip to get away from her fiancé who dumped her at his birthday party that she worked so hard to plan. Meanwhile, Jack tries to escape the fact that his own dad fired him. They both end up at the same hotel in the same room. Both are unhappy about being booked in the same room, so they complain and get two new rooms and VIP passes.

What was only supposed to be one drink turned into two.

Both being drunk, they spill their hearts out to each other, and they end up getting married. The next day while they are talking about a divorce, Jack plays one of Joy’s quarters on the slot machine and wins the three million dollar jack-

pot.

When going for a divorce, the judge sentences them to six months of hard-core marriage with marriage counseling once a week.

While going through the six months, they both do everything imaginable to prove that the other is not trying to make the marriage work. During the next court hearing, Joy gives all the money to Jack and says that she just wants the divorce. Jack was heart broken about this because after everything they went through he fell in love with her.

This movie shows that no matter how different two people are, they can still be perfect for each other. After all the fighting at the end, they both really loved each other.

For the movie being a comedy, one would never think that it would end with them falling in love. The movie really keeps one laughing as well as thinking.

Renee’s Rating

Reign of Prince Caspian begins REVIEW BY RENEE SIMON

A 2008 fantasy film based on Prince Caspian, the second published novel in C. S. Lewis’ children’s fantasy series, The Chronicles of Narnia, will be the second film of the series produced by Walt Disney Pictures and Walden Media.

Caspian (Ben Barnes), a young prince, has his throne threatened by his uncle who tries to kill him in the night because his wife has a son. Caspian’s professor made it just in time to help him escape into the forest, and while helping him escape, he gives him Queen Susan’s magical horn. When in the woods, he falls off his horse and discovers that all the secret tales of Narnia his professor told him are true.

He tries to convince the people of Narnia to help him defeat his uncle, and place him at his rightful place on the throne.

While gathering the Narnians, he discovers when he blew the horn he summoned King Peter

(William Moseley) and Edmund (Skandar Keynes), along with Queen Susan (Anna Popplewell) and Lucy (Georgie Henley).

They learn that Caspian’s uncle is now king and how to use that against him so that they can win.

Peter takes a risk to distract everyone, while sending Lucy into the woods to find Aslan. Peter and Lucy both risk their lives just so the people of Narnia will be safe, and so everyone gets their rightful respect and place in Narnia.

On their journey to win Caspian’s throne back, Susan, Peter, Lucy and Edmund learn that things never happen the same way

twice. Along with Caspian learning that when you believe you are not fit for the throne means you are ready to be a king.

This movie really teaches important values of life, making it a good movie for the whole family.

The second movie in the Chronicles of Narnia series is even more exciting than the first with astounding digital effects.

Be sure to look for the third movie in the series, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, that will be hitting theaters in 2010.

Renee’s Rating

PHOTO COURTESY OF WALT DISNEY PICTURES/MCT CAMPUS

Georgie Henley, William Moseley, Ben Barnes, Anna Popplewell and Skandar Keynes co-star in Walt Disney Pictures’ The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian.

T EACHER S POTLIGHT

THE BRUIN

May 2008

A legacy’s last words Mr. Gains, a very dedicated teacher, is capping off his 35 year teaching career

BY MR. GAINS

It was on a Friday about a week before school started when I received a phone call from the office of Harold Fix. He wanted to know if I would come to Wadsworth for a job interview on Monday. I had no idea where Wadsworth was, and I was about to leave for Toronto, Canada. The interview was for 1:00 p.m., and I needed a job. Also, a friend told me that Wadsworth High School was an inner-city school in downtown Akron.

After getting lost, I found the fair city of Wadsworth. The interview went well. I was asked if I would coach the debate team and said, “Sure!” I had no idea what high school debate was all about.

I was hired on Wednesday, I found an apartment on Thursday, moved in on the weekend and I started class on the following Monday. My starting pay was $7,500 a year, my apartment was $125 a month with all utilities paid, I had a car payment and yes, I was able to save money my first year.

Here is what I found in 1973.

1. There was a very unfavorable war at the time and the economy was in the dumper. (Things just do not change, do they?)

2. The political candidates of the time all talked about how the nation must make change.

3. The price of gas was on the rise.

4. There was only one fast food place and that was the Red Barn just before the bridge over I-76.

5. The 600 building was not built.

6. The main office, the 400 hall, the east gym, the library, the 200 hall and the cafeteria were not connected by any kind of a hallway. Everything was built on the campus style.

7. The roof leaked. There were buckets everywhere.

8. Most of the rooms had windows but they did not work very well. In fact, the windows in my classroom fell off when you opened them.

9.There was no swim team, no soccer team, and girls sports were an afterthought.

10. There was a curtain to separate the boys from the girls in the gym.

11. The only time you wore flip flops was when you took a shower after gym class.

12. The west gym, or as we liked to call it, the New gym, was not built yet.

13. Boys were not permitted to have facial hair, but long hair was finally being accepted. The year before, male teachers could not have facial hair.

14. There was a little theater in the 400 hall where the math classroom and the English office are.

15. There was no theater arts class,

and plays were done only if a teacher had the time or desire to do them.

16. There was a forensics methods class for the competitors of the speech team, and yes, there was a debate class.

17. The big issue was the dress code! Something about holes in jeans.

18. There were many clichés with the strangest one being called sneeders.

19. Students wore shirts with their favorite rock group or musicians on them; the only difference was that the student really did see that group at a live concert and the musician was also alive.

20. American History was team taught in a very large lecture room where the biology classes are now.

Video recording had just been introduced, but movies were on film. Oh yes, we still had film strips.

21. If a teacher wanted to copy a test or hand out, everything was done by hand on the memo graph machine.

Boy, what a mess.

22. There were not enough rest rooms for the students.

23. There were rest rooms for male teachers and female teachers only.

24. The library was half the size it is today, but with twice the number of books.

25. I think 1973 was the first year that we got our first computer. Only one person could operate it.

26. We had a home economics class that taught sewing and cooking.

27. We were on the module schedule with the periods being shorter but as many as 9 periods.

28. We had one principal and an assistant principal.

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PHOTO BY ZACH WATTS

Mr. Joseph Gains reflects on his 35-year teaching career as his retirement is just around the corner.

29. There was one phone, and it was in the main office.

30. Students complained how the lockers were too small and did not work.

31. Mr. Singleton, Mr. Schoonover, Mrs. Trausch and Mrs. Parsons were not born yet.

32. Mr. Goddard was a junior and in my study hall, and told very, very silly jokes.

33. The court yard was there, we just did not know what to do with it, and there were no walls around it.

34. Morning announcements were just the same as they are now, no one could read the teacher’s hand writing.

35. I was the youngest teacher!

The truth is that I was very lucky to be hired and to spend 35 years in this school system. I look around, and the teachers I have known the longest were once my students.

I have seen many administrators and teachers come and go, all with the same intent and goal, and that was to make Wadsworth the best school district with the best education possible. Even though I look upon the past with amazement about how far we have come, I truly believe that the best is yet to come. I know there will be a new school in a few years, and that future teachers will soon replace any memories of the past.

That is the way it must be.

So, as I fade into the yearbooks of the past, I would like to thank the faculty, administrators and especially the students of WHS for allowing me to be a part of your past and, in a small way, your future.

Sincerely, Mr. Gains (Wadsworth teacher)

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May 2008

THE BRUIN

I’d like to introduce our WHS class of 09’ Senior Reps.

Ask to see their Image Books and get discount coupons good for 10% off all session fees.

A DS

V ARIETY

THE BRUIN

May 2008

Students struggle with money-making opportunities

BY KATEY TOLLETT

With gas prices rising to $4.00 per gallon, high school students will most likely have little money left to spare throughout the summer. Therefore, many students are in desperate need of a job.

The first thing to consider before applying for a job is how close the job’s location is. Although working at the mall in Montrose may be a little more exciting, students must consider the amount of gas they are using to get there and back. In an average car, one would use about two gallons traveling to Montrose, costing about $8 to get to work.

Sophomore Joe Vargo says, “I love my job, but it is all the way in Cuyahoga Falls, and I have to drive at least 45 minutes to get there. I probably use half of my salary getting to and from work.”

On the other hand, many students have jobs within the Wadsworth community. Wadsworth is not a huge town, but there is still a considerably large amount of

places to work during the summer.

A popular spot in town like Bidinger’s or Subway would be a good choice for students who want to see a lot of people during the day.

“I like to see my friends at my job because it makes work a lot more enjoyable,” says current Bidinger’s employee, freshman Kayleigh Miller.

While a job’s location may be important to some, the main reason students work is because of the paycheck. Although the minimum wage is $7.00 per hour, once taxes are taken out many working students are paid around a mere $6.00 an hour.

“I love my job at the Medical Center in Rittman, but I dread when my paychecks come because I hate seeing how much is taken out because of taxes. It is overwhelming!” says junior Olivia Kormushoff.

Many students who already have a job and are working an average of 20-25 hours per week

during the school year are beginning to wonder whether they will have too many hours during the summer.

A typical teenager would enjoy spending time with friends and going on vacations with their families during summer vacation, but, with long work schedules, it is becoming more and more difficult. Many are forced to choose between work and fun.

So before landing a summer

job, students must consider how much time they are willing to commit and what they want out of their job.

Although finding a summer job may seem like a struggle with the large amount of hard work that has to be put in during the process, in the end, many students are very thankful for their jobs and the money they obtain while working.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MCT CAMPUS

J U N K O F THE MONTH

PHOTOS BY BRANDON HOUSE

A picture of the infamous Chevy S10 (top), the shattered grill where Billy hit the shed (left) and the broken bumper (right).

of another truck on the highway, which completely broke his truck’s grill, and caused the bumper to begin to fall off.

Giermann talks about his fiasco saying, “It’s not everyday you see a shed flying off the back of the truck, I got really scared because I thought I was going to lose control of my truck.”

Even with all of these problems one should not make fun of Giermann and his red S10; you should honor them because Giermann’s truck just received a new title: Junk of the Month.

America struggles against obesity

BY DANIELLE LANCE

Due to the high number of fast food chains today in the United States, obesity and diabetes are becoming two of the biggest problems facing Americans.

The busy schedules of everyday Americans lead them to fast food dependency.

The fast food industry contributes to the rapid weight gain that plagues Americans. The continu-

ous growth of fast food chains makes them more accessible to average Americans at any time or place. Also, the lower prices on junk food and fast food as compared to healthy food contribute to why people tend to consume it so often.

The menus at these fast food restaurants do not offer as many healthy choices as they lead you to believe. For example, salad always seems like a good choice,

PHOTO COURTESY OF MCT CAMPUS

Fernando Valladolid (left), 12, and his twin Victor, pictured with their sister and 8-month-old brother, are trying to choose healthier options to get in better shape.

but choosing the Taco Bell Fiesta Taco Salad would have one consuming 860 calories, putting this meal on the U.S. top ten list of worst fast food choices. Although certain fast food choices may seem healthy, you should be aware that the fast food industry has a way of manipulating customers, making obesity hard to avoid.

There are both obviously fattening meals and not-so-obviously fattening meals that make eating decisions so complex. People in America should be concerned about obesity and their overall health because of the many factors that lead up to it. Fast food should be eaten in limited quantities to avoid any harmful problems. Studies from the Health Link at the Medical College of Wisconsin have proven that almost anything you consume from a fast food restaurant contributes to bad health, weight and eating habits.

Aside from the quick service, fast food is a bad decision. Americans cannot seem to win the war against obesity due to a great deal of these chains.

Not only is weight gain a negative effect that comes from such

Summer ‘08 Travel Tips

BY KATEY TOLLETT AND DANIELLE LANCE

As years progress, gas prices in the United States have wavered up and down, and in the past few years, they have started to increase greatly.

Senior Billy Giermann’s Chevrolet S10 pick-up truck has seen better days over the years, but he still drives his “little baby” around.

With minor problems like dents and a few scratches in his windshield, one may not think it is that bad of a truck, but there are worse problems.

A major problem with his truck is that it barely passes E-check because it does not have a Catalytic converter (which gets rid of harmful pollutants). Billy also ran into a storage shed that fell off the back

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bad eating habits, but bad general habits can result as well. Many people are convinced that obesity just deals with heaviness, but there is more to it than that.

Obesity can cause more extreme health conditions such as asthma and diabetes. These conditions can start at any age, last a lifetime, cause much harm to people and increase the death rate each year.

Approximately 300,000 U.S. deaths a year are associated with obesity, says Down to Earth, a Natural Foods and Lifestyles Association. Being overweight causes more health problems as the years go on than other health risks.

Due to all these factors, it has be proven that the percentage of overweight kids in the United States has more than doubled since the 1970s.

With Americans’ fast-paced days, they tend to lean toward a quick and easy choice: fast food.

Because Americans continue to do this, the obesity rate in our country is increasing each year. If awareness is increased, this dangerous disease may finally come off the charts as one of the top threats to American lives.

Because school is coming to an end, many students will spend some lazy days by the pool and on their usual trips to the beach. However, how do you relax with the rising gas prices and the economic recession? Not to mention overbooked flights, long delays at check-in and lost luggage. So what is a traveler to do? Here are a few tips for vacationers:

1) Plan ahead

Prior to leaving, make sure you know what you are going to be doing throughout your trip. If you are planning on visiting specific places, check their hours.

You may need to purchase tickets beforehand to avoid long lines at the door.

2) Pack appropriately

Before packing, make a checklist of the essential things you will need on your trip. This will eliminate later fiascos and make packing a lot less stressful.

3) Phone or no phone?

When your cell phone is “roaming,” your phone bill will most likely skyrocket.

Check with your phone company before you depart to ensure your phone will not be roaming during your vacation.

4) Manage your time

By analyzing your trip ahead of time, you are guaranteeing that you will have time for everything during your trip and that you will be able to enjoy your time to it’s fullest.

5) Rain or shine?

Always check your destination’s weather so that your time there is well spent. Even if the weather is suppose to be sunny, have a “rainy day” plan just in case.

6) Bring an extra bag

You will most likely be purchasing some new things, so an extra bag for them will be important.

7) Repack thoroughly

You may even want to bring your checklist along on your trip to make certain you do not forget anything while you are there.

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A DS

THE BRUIN

May 2008

Bidinger’s Ice Cream

e h t f o y a d y r r e u v o e y n e g e r n p u i c v O a o r t c k wee cream ice

The only whe re y place our to g som o eon sur e yo e to uk s now ee

Come see our senior Bids girls during their last summer of work at your favorite local ice cream stand!

A DS

THE BRUIN

May 2008

Patrons 2007-2008 Al and Donna Whitacre Amy Broadhurst Barb McConnel Babyak Family The Barlow Family The Barnett Family The Baxley Family The Beavers Family The Benya Family Bill and Sharon Powell Brad and Sue Fisher Brian Madigan The Booth Family Crystal Ake The Casalinova Family The Croyle Family The Csaky Family Dave and Nancie Smith Debbie and Gary Lake Denise Russo Doug and Laurie Mobley Dwain Kibler The Duckworth Family Elizabeth Khoury Eric and Diane Smith Frank and Michelle Stuchal The Fortner Family Greg and Ann Dennison The Goddard Family The Henry Family The Hlavaty Family The Hudson Family The Iles Family Jesse and Cathy Smith Jim and Jane Douglas Jim and Julie Winkleman Jim and Robbie Hoover Joe and Wendy Gains John and Julie Saunders Joseph Magnacca

Trish and Dave Swanson Joyce Bock The Tenyak Family The Jack Family Valerie White The Jones Family The Valentine Family Kathy Bergen The Wintersteller Family Kevin and Diane Conley The Keener Family Leslie North The Lumsden Family The Lance Family The Lanson Family The Bruin The Larry Kaufman Family Marian Kauffman still welcomes Marilyn Babyak Jones and Matt and Kristin Hutchinson Melanie Heppell appreciates Melissa Eaton all Patrons.

Michelle Farr Mike and Karen Gospodinski Go to Room Mike and Katie Recupero 17 for a form Mike Moser or visit our Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert The Mendel Family website at: The Mcilvaine Family www.wadThe McPeek Family sworth.k12.

Mr. Shepherd The Snodgrass Family oh.us/whs Patricia Bathurst The Pallija Family The Prechtel Family Randy and Robin Kilbride Rebecca Dills Rich Berlin Rod and Wendy Kaufman The Richards Family Scott and Kathy Mesick Steve Moore The Seifert Family Thompson Excavating Tim and Judi McNutt Tom and Stephanie Stitzel Tom Evans

The Bruin thanks you for your

support!

4bwood@4bwood.com

Proud supporters of the

Wadsworth Grizzlies

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What is one thing you wish to accomplish this summer?

Winning nationals or at least placing nationals with my AAU basketball team.

- Alicia Kindig, 9

Play 18 holes of golf with Dennis Finneran and win.

- Jessica Grant, 11

To become better, so I can beat Seth Horner next year.

- Brad Squire, 10

Something I wish to accomplish this summer would be losing a little weight and getting a good tan for Disney World in September!

-Megan Lance, 10 I would like to play Wildcat baseball, and I want bigger muscles.

-Sam Goddard, 9 I wish to grow the worlds longest beard, then cut it off and give it to “Locks of Love” -Nick Toney, 11 I really want to go jet-skiing!

-Emily King, 11

Try to fit lacrosse into my already busy summer!

- Joel Doherty, 11

PHOTO BY BRUIN STAFF

Junior, Alan is ready to take over in AAU while enjoying his summer.

I really just want to have a great summer before senior year comes around and win nationals for AAU basketball.

- Alan Sheppard, 11 First kiss and true love.

- John Thomas, 11 This summer I really want to get my hands in some grease and fix up trailer parks with my uncle Pete. I want to also learn the trade of skinning raccoons to make a coon skin hat for my mom and dad’s 20th anniversary. I also want to grow 2 inches.

- Marisa Gerace, 10

Finish my Kennex ferris wheel I’ve been working on for three months now.

- Taylor Robinson, 10

T E A C H E R S

S PEAKOUT

THE BRUIN

May 2008

Working, working, working.. that’s all I’m doing, and every spare moment I’m laying by my pool.

-Marah Tavanello, 11

I want to spend a full day of fun with Dylan Ruff. We will make the longest slip and slide ever invented. After slip and sliding for many hours, we will ride our two seater bike off into the night.

- Dennis Finneran, 11 Over the summer, I would like to get a job and relax.

- Drew Keiper, 11

I really want to get a job because my mom said she’s not going to keep getting me all these expensive clothes and to finish driving school because my parents are sick of being my taxi.

- Destany Cummins, 9 I am going to work, save money, and buy a car that people don’t laugh at when I get in or start it.

-Justin Kislin, 11 I would like to get my temps!

- Ashley Berlin, 10 Just live.

-Matt Sisouphanh, 12

Finding a boyfriend.

- Kayla Drieth, 10 I wish to succeed in summer school so I am ready for school next year.

- Jordan Bailey, 11 I wanna be the very best, the best there ever was, to catch them is my real test, to train them is my cause. I will travel across the land searching far and wide...I gotta catch them all.

- Ross McMillan, 12 I’m going to date Sarah Fortner!

-Cory Hymes, 11

PHOTO BY BRUIN STAFF

Senior Matt is ready for a great summer filled with fun!

My goal this summer is to have a picnic behind Bid’s with Bobby Over on a beautiful summer evening. We will eat sandwiches and the wonderful Weight Watcher’s ice cream as we watch the sun set.

- Aaron Tipton, 10

S T U D E N T S

What has been your most embarrassing moment at school?

Before the first day of school, I was working out and when I got to school, I had not cooled down yet. I was wearing a white dress shirt with no undershirt, I started sweating profusely. It looked like someone threw a bucket of water on me. It looked like I was in a wet t-shirt contest. The kids were looking at me like I was some kind of freak show!!

-Bobby Jones When I cut my fingers on the table saw!

-Mr. Kallai

Mr. Kallai demonstrates his sawing skills.

I was teaching Honors Geometry and Jenna Gahan very kindly pointed out to me (and the rest of the class) that my shirt was inside out!!

-Mrs. Baxley The first day of school I sweated images of Elvis under my arms.

My room was about 100 degrees and I wore a red long sleeved shirt!

I went to the rest room during 5th period and saw to my embarrassment HUGE sweat stains under my arms; a great first impression on my first day of teaching.

-Mr. Jurey

PHOTO BY BRUIN STAFF

My most embarrassing class moment was watching Mr. Kibler knock himself out with my door stop. Call it Karma, but he was going to be his obnoxious self and harass me; he was stopped in his tracks. Oh, my entire class was witness to Mr. Kibler’s near demise. I was most embarrassed for him!

-Mrs. VanDyke PHOTO BY LISA KAUFMAN

Mrs. Baxley, with her shirt inside out, jokes about her embarrassing moment.

The most embarrassing thing I did in class this year happened in 3rd period physics. One day a student had brought in a Barbie and a Ken doll with the pink corvette so we could look/study inertia and Newton’s laws of motion.

While introducing the subject to the class, I suddenly became conscious of the fact that, while discussing the demonstrations we were about to do and what I wanted them to watch for, I was stroking Barbies hair! I must have been doing it for about 5 minutes before the laughing and snickering kids tipped me off that something was wrong. Some of the kids still harass me about that to this day. Yes, Mr. Austin plays with dolls in physics class.

-Mr. Austin

I had a tooth knocked out in jr. high, the cap fell off this year and the first day I taught with no tooth. The class paid no attention to what I said, they just stared at my missing tooth all day. I tried to hide it but could not.

-Mr. Goddard

PHOTO BY BRUIN STAFF

Mr. Goddard smiles nicely with his full smile and set of teeth.