The Bruin- November 2010

Wadsworth High School

Newspaper II/III

November 2010

The

1870 - 2010 Wadsworth City Schools: “Celebrating 140 years of Excellence in Education”

Volume XXXV No. 2

BRUIN

Happy Thanksgiving November 25

625 Broad Street Wadsworth, Ohio 44281

$1.00

School takes steps to bully free life

BY TIFFANY WEISS AND CLAIRE VANFLEET

With an increasing number of bullying related issues, schools all over the nation have decided to reach out and help those who have become victims of physical, social, and emotional bullying.

This growing epidemic now extends beyond the walls of a school building and into the personal lives of individuals.

Leaving no one unaffected, bullying is a part of every day life. Whether it be unintentional, by sarcasm or with the intent of harm, all bullying is painful.

Recently, students at the high school were introduced to Julie McCabe, who developed and presented an assembly entitled Not in Our School. McCabe has dedicated herself to this cause for the past eight years.

“I thought it was very important for high school kids to see the effects of bullying that were showed at the assembly,” said Mariah Robinson, 10.

By definition, bullying is a deliberate or intentional hostility or aggression toward others.

McCabe went on to define it as “a form of harassment and antisocial behavior which crosscuts geographic, racial, and socioeconomic segments of society.”

As early as age four, children are introduced to the world of bullying by the cartoons they watch and the role models they possess. Some popular TV

PHOTO COURTESY OF MTC CAMPUS

The popular show, “Jersey Shore,” portrays bullying in its most natural form, with verbal and physical altercations arising.

shows directed toward younger audiences have prominent bullies in them, which makes bullying seem okay.

Bullying then peaks around second grade, which progresses to an unstoppable point due to an unrealistic perception of what they are doing.

Bullying is the third leading cause of suicides among teens today. In fact, there has been four reported suicides related to bullying in Northeast Ohio in the past year.

“Everyone is ignorant if they think bullying is not a problem,”

said McCabe. aggressive behavior they Twenty percent of students become depressed, inactive in say they have been bullied academics, shy, isolated and while only three percent of the most always attempt suicide. victims report it. Due to that “The videos in the presentation fact, 160,000 students stay were very entertaining and home from school each “Everyone is ignorant if day because of their fear of their bullies. Knowing they think bullying is not this, no victim is alone, and a problem.” speaking out can only help.

-Julie McCabe One out of every four kids is bullied. Victims often appear different socially, effective,” said Connor Polk, 9. physically and emotionally, There are many myths paired with their unwillingness associated with bullying. Some to respond aggressively to myths include being a victim is

normal; bullies have low selfesteem; only boys are bullies; the best way to handle a bully is to fight back; if you ignore a bully they will go away; and bullying is only for school-aged children.

“I had no idea that these were all myths, the assembly changed my perspective on bullying, they also helped me become more aware of the kids affected,” said Carley Carris, 12.

McCabe further describes bullying as a cycle that starts with being a victim and ends with being a bully. Victims become bullies because of their need to have people feel their pain.

Bullies feel they need to have power, in turn, four elements are factored into being a bully. Their environment or home life plays a big role, followed by their own fear and temperament, lastly their parent’s ability to discipline them at an early age.

Bullying is preventable with the cooperation of those involved. Anyone can be successful in this prevention by communicating positively with others.

“After listening to this presentation on bullying, I feel the need to do something in my school,” Johnny Halstead, 11.

As society becomes aware of this growing cycle, preventions and solutions can be found. With this information, changes are being made within the school system and the community.

Childhood Television Bullies: Hey Arnold!

Spongebob

Fairly Odd Parents

Rugrats

South Park

Phineas and Ferb

Power Puff Girls

Helga

Plankton

Francis

Angelica

Cartman

Buford

Mojo Jojo

Inside

the

Bruin:

Fall Spirit Seniors go leaf raking for the senior citizens of the community.

ALL-STAR WINTER SPORTS PLAYERS Stand out winter sports players are displayed on the Bruin’s all-star team.

– page 12

– page 8 Pride and Prejudice The Drama department will present at the beginning of December.

– page 10

WHS gives thanks Students and teachers share what they are thankful for.

– page 16

index Page News.............................................................3 Opinion......................................................4,5 Ads .......................................................6,7,14 Entertainment............................................. 11 Picture Pages ............................................8, 9 Features .....................................................10 Of the Month...............................................15 Sports.....................................................12,13 Speakout.....................................................16

2

November 2010

Looking on the bright side

Editorial

It is that time of year again!

The leaves are falling and Thanksgiving Day is right around the corner.

As students go home to their families to celebrate, we at The Bruin believe that students have a lot to be thankful for.

This year has caused a lot of stress to students.

From the construction of the new school to the increase in the use of the 93 point scale, students have felt more stress in this first nine weeks than they would in a normal year.

However, there are many reasons students need to be thankful.

For instance, even though the majority of our breaks and days off have been removed, the students will be out of school earlier in the summer.

Therefore, students will be able to enjoy the beautiful days of summer for an extended period of time, instead of having to sit in class.

We all know the loss of the parking lot behind the school has been a problem for multiple reasons.

But look on the bright side, all of this is happening so a new, better school can be built! Even if we are not privileged enough to attend it, our children in the future will be able to have a better high school experience than us.

Even though the 93 point scale has caused massive hysteria, students need to realize that the administration is doing their best to prepare us for what is to come.

In light of the recent bullying problems in the news, schools are making bully-prevention a top priority.

Students should be thankful that the administration cares as much as they do. Because of their dedication to our safety, students can come to school without the worry of the problems that could face them.

So students, enjoy your time off with your families, lots of turkey, and be thankful!

E ditorial

The Bruin

Brewin’ Debate Should students be allowed to sleep in study hall?

YES

NO

By brad virgin

By Hayden kilbride

Students should be allowed to sleep in study hall. I believe that students should only be allowed if their grades are above a certain average. The principal can make the determination what grade that they think students should have, but be rewarded with being able to sleep in study hall every once in a while. On days that I do not have anything to do, it is hard to always remain busy and occupy ourselves. Another way that the school could do this is to have two or three days a week in which the students can choose to sleep if they would like. Possibly, every Tuesday and Thursday the students could be allowed to sleep during study hall, but only those students who meet the requirements set by the administration. I think that students that have all A’s and B’s should be allowed to sleep in study hall. I feel like it is fair for both students and administration.

There is absolutely no reason for a student to sleep in study hall. It shows that the student is not interested and apathetic when it comes to school work. If a student does not have any homework to do, they can always read a book to further their academic skills. If they are not willing to go the extra step to better themselves then maybe they are not suited to attend this school.

Since Wadsworth High School has been a school of excellence for so many consecutive years, it should be expected of our students that they not sleep in study hall. If a person from another school came in to see what an excellent school looks like, they would not expect to see people sleeping in class or even study hall. Plus, if you sleep during study hall, you will just be tired for the next class that you are attending, thus making the rest of your day drag on and unsuccessful.

Responses to school bullying...

Dear Editor, I know that no one wants to sit through an assembly on something as serious as bullying, but I think it is an important issue that can help us all understand the hidden meanings behind our words and actions. I wasn’t able to make it to the assembly, due to my post secondary class, and I feel as though I missed out on a memorable experience. Even though I wasn’t able to attend the assembly, I was able to see a video that Sue Tucker presented on bullying. It gave sound advice on how to carry one’s self in the presence of a bully, and how we can all take notice of the things we say and do, so that we can stop ourselves from indirectly bullying others. I am proud to be in a school that is willing to address such an important issue as bullying and take a stand.

Lauren Conard, 11 Dear Editor, Bullying is very important and needs to be stopped. Whether you have been bullied or have

bullied someone else, we need to put a stop to it. Bystanders are a part because they are helping the bully, or if they laugh they are making it worse for the victim and egging it on. One kid can make a difference by helping the victim.

Alyssa Horton, 11 Dear Editor, In the society we live in now, bullying has become a very serious topic. There have been many incidents in schools.

Bullying makes the victim feel alone, afraid, and insecure. It can make the kids feel depressed and afraid to go back to school.

Bullying is a serious problem in schools across the world. We need to learn how to stop it and keep it from happening.

Nick Seme, 10 Dear Editor, In the online video about bullying, Sue Tucker discusses defensive methods to prevent bullying. They’re nice ideas, but there is nothing helpful for

the victims of social bullying or cyber bullying. I have doubts that these assemblies and videos can change bullying in Wadsworth High. They lack practicality in an emotional world. Threats by school authorities won’t stop the punches being thrown, or the rumors being spread. Bullies will always be bullies.

Dayna Gallagher, 11

Dear Editor, I don’t think the bullying assembly was beneficial because no one took it seriously and it was really unorganized. Most kids just liked it because it shortened our classes. I think if they want us to get anything out of not bullying, they should discuss it in smaller groups.

Leah Runkle, 9

Dear Editor, We live in a world today where bullying is not just stealing someone’s lunch money, but something much more harmful and destructive. With technologies such as texting, Facebook, Formspring, and Twitter, it has become so easy to anonymously torture someone.

Students use this as an outlet for cruelty and it is something that has driven the victims of this to terrible things. It is time that these issues are dealt with and that students take responsibility for their destructive actions.

Elliot Georgiadis, 12

Dear Editor, Bullying is now the universal sign of both weakness and, sometimes, strength. More than half of the students at this school have been bullied, and most of them have probably returned the favor. They say that kids bully because they are insecure, and that is true sometimes, but not always. Sometimes kids bully because they feel that they are so much better than the kid they are bullying, which is not always the case. The sad truth is that most people don’t do anything until it’s too late. What you should do is tell a teacher. Nobody wants to be a snitch, but it has to be done.

Bruin Staff Editor-in-chief: Adam Woodard Assistant Editor: Evan Dammarell, Mackenzie Blanton Copy Editors: Samm Malkowski, Kayleigh Miller, Hayley Douglas Marketing Manager: Tate Moore Front Page: Page Editor: Claire VanFleet Reporter: Tiffany Weiss Editorial: Page Editor: Adam Woodard Reporters: Hayden Kilbride, Brad Virgin Entertainment: Page Editor: Josh Kipfer Reporter: Tom Calhoun Speakout: Page Editor: Kayleigh Miller Reporter: Hayley Douglas Opinion 1: Page Editor: Kara Long Reporter: Garret Cutting Opinion 2: Page Editor: Tate Moore Reporter: Matt Doyle Features: Page Editor: Molly Preist Reporter: Kaitlin Sherrill News: Page Editor: Kara Long Reporter: Luke Lyren Picture Pages: Editors: Hayley Douglas, Kayleigh Miller Sports 1: Page Editor: Brett Amadon Reporter: Garrett Cutting Sports 2: Page Editor: Jack Snowball Reporter: Nick Tavanello Of The Month: Page Editor: Alexa Baier Reporter: Mallory Gruich Ads/Business Manager: Hayden Kilbride Assistant: Brad Virgin Adviser: John Gramuglia

The worst thing to do is to get in a physical altercation with the bully. Not only have you just lost your innocence, but you also risk getting seriously hurt. There will always be bullies, but there are things to do to help yourself like not getting in a fight and telling a teacher as soon as possible.

Bilal Hoblos, 11 Dear Editor, Bullying is an issue that has been around since before anyone can remember. But recently with the help from cell phones and other electronic devices, cyber bullying has become a major problem with kids throughout school. With cell phones and the internet easy to make threats without actually meeting the victim in person. This can make students feel uncomfortable in school. Our school is trying to put a major stop to cyber bullying and any other kind of bullying that can hurt a kids self esteem as well as make him feel uncomfortable in a school environment.

Andrew Smith, 10

Editorial Policy The Bruin is a monthly publication produced by the Newspaper II and Newspaper III students at Wadsworth High School. The Newspaper I class produces the May issue. The staff will do its best to inform the student body and the community of intra-school, community or national events that affect the student body.

This paper provides on-the-job training for the staff members. All decisions are made by the staff members with the advice and suggestions of the adviser. The school administration works closely with the staff to ensure accuracy. We, as the students of journalism, hold the same rights and the same responsibilities as professional journalists as we strive for professional standards. These rights include the right to print any material that is not libelous, obscene or excessively disruptive to the school process.

The Bruin will not discriminate against anyone on the basis of religion, color, creed or sex. The staff members accept full responsibility for everything appearing in this publication. The staff strongly encourages students to express their opinions through the letters to the editor column, which is printed every month. The staff also encourages the members of the community to express their opinion as well. Space permitting, all letters will be printed.

Because the staff accepts the responsibility for the contents of the paper, we must reserve the right to edit or omit any portion of any letter. All letters must be signed, but the name will be withheld upon request.

N ews Principal’s Message

As I noted in the October Bruin, during this school year the Principal’s Message will highlight the “Six Pillars of Character: Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring, and Citizenship.” In upcoming issues, guest writers will highlight one of the pillars. I will begin this series by addressing Trustworthiness.

But, what is character and why do we need to educate you on character? We have often heard said, “Character is what happens when no one is watching you.”

Character education, through various programs, has proven successful across America.

One may find in a dictionary the following definition regarding character, “the stable and distinctive qualities built into an individual’s life which determines his or her response regardless of circumstances.”

In our lifetime, we will all experience moments when we will be measured by who we are. Abraham Lincoln wrote, “Reputation is the shadow.

Character is the tree.” Hopefully, your family and the many adults who have worked with you in school have developed and shaped your personal traits that are strong in the sense of deep roots of your character tree.

As we continue to express awareness regarding bullying during this school year, we also want to promote the traits of character that our students can demonstrate daily.

Trustworthiness!

Do you believe that others can count on you? Are you reliable to your friends, your teammates, your coworkers, and your family? In other words, will you do what you say you’ll do? When you represent yourself, do you do it by not deceiving others? Are you honest, even when it may not be in your best interest to be fully truthful? Do you work to achieve on your own merits, or do you cheat, lie, or steal? Do you have the courage to stand up for what you believe? Some use the words, “true blue” to represent Trustworthiness.

Many of you are involved in activities and athletics.

Success often depends on the coordination of multiple persons working to achieve one goal. The more dependable you are the higher chance you have of being a member of that particular group. Coaches, directors, supervisors, all want to know whether you can be counted upon.

Take a moment to reflect upon your own views of Trustworthiness.

As I have said before, character defines who you are, so I ask, “Who are you?”

“We are . . . Wadsworth!”

Mr. Parsons

The Bruin

November 2010

3

Mayor discusses upcoming businesses

BY LUKE LYREN

It is very clear that the city of Wadsworth is growing and many new businesses are opening.

Most students at Wadsworth are now well aware of the fact that Chipotle has opened and Dunkin Donuts is well on its way. But what is next? What businesses do we have to look forward to in the future?

Thankfully, the Mayor of

Wadsworth, Robin Laubaugh, was kind enough to answer some questions about upcoming businesses. She was also able to discuss the process some of the businesses are going through and when they are scheduled to be finished.

Luke Lyren: There has been rumors of Rockne’s coming to Wadsworth. Is that true? If so where would it be built?

Mayor Robin Laubaugh:

PHOTO BY LUKE LYREN

Wadsworth is beginning to build a new CVS Pharmacy at a new location.

There are rumors of Rockne’s coming to Wadsworth, but Rockne’s has not submitted any building plans, so at this stage, I would have to say it is just a rumor.

LL: What is expected to take the place of the old BP gas station?

Mayor: Recently, a demolition permit was taken out for the BP gas station, but the property owner has not disclosed what is going to take its place.

LL: When is Panera Bread expected to be finished?

Mayor: The plans for Panera have been approved. They announced at the planning commission that they were hopeful to be finished in the spring.

LL: When is the CVS project expected to be finished? What will happen to the old CVS? Mayor: They are expecting

to finish in the spring or early summer. Once finished the old CVS will then be available for another tenant to locate. The city had inquiries about this location and we are hopeful the building will not be vacant long.

LL: What will happen to the old K-Mart building?

Mayor: The building owner is presently looking for a new tenant. The city helps in that effort and we are hopeful that the building will not be vacant for long.

Mayor Laubaugh also mentioned several other businesses that are soon to arrive to Wadsworth. This list includes Advanced Auto Parts, which will start constructing this spring, a new dental office on High Street that hopes to be completed by this winter, and a new day-care is in the building process on Akron Road.

Local News Briefs National Honors Society Induction

Classic novel’s 50th Anniversary

Mr. Burton’s Excellence Award

A new elite group of National Honors Society students have been tapped.

Recently, 37 students in all received the gold tassels upon their shoulders during the school day. Official NHS induction is slated at OJ Work Tuesday, November 23. Congrats to all.

Harper Lee’s famous and beloved Novel, To Kill a Mockingbird was written 50 years ago. This book is an American Classic as well as a Pulitzer Prize-winning book.

This book has been read in all WHS sophomore English classes for decades and still remains a student favorite.

Mr. John Burton, a biology teacher at the high school, received the Governor’s Award for Excellence in Youth Science Opportunities. This award recognizes teachers that go above and beyond the teaching standards to help students achieve and excel.

Brian Williams in Hall of Fame Brian Williams, Director of Instruction and Professional Development has been inducted into the Greater Akron Baseball Hall of Fame.

He was a three year starter during his high school career at Firestone HS, and he was named MVP in the Summit vs. Stark County Game. He has also been awarded coach of the year three times at Firestone HS.

WHS Social WHS Beats Green Studies Department In Blood Drive The WHS Social Studies Department had 94 percent of its students pass the 10th grade Ohio Graduation Test, ranking them 2nd in Ohio Districts. This dept. includes Sarah Mcllvaine, Dean Bivens, Andy Booth, Michelle DeAngelis, Abby Elliot, Chuck Hamilton, John Johnson, Jason Knapp, Rob Lynn, Brian Madigan, D.J. Schrock, Gabe Tudor and John Yaggi.

Every year, NHS hosts a blood drive in October. This year, they made the drive a competition against Green HS. 188 students donated 161 pints of blood, plus 16 double red cell donations. The Red Cross donated $1,000 to the scholarship fund because of the schools good deed. In the competition, Wadsworth trampled Green beating them by 28 pints.

No Snow Days in Western Ohio A rural western Ohio school district will not have official snow days. Instead the students will use computers at home to finish the daily assignments from the teachers. This will help the school determine the number of calamity days that will be given in the future.

Spectacular James Bond Band Show The Marching Band put on a great show on Oct. 30 at the Wadsworth home football game. Sophomore Spencer LaHue played James Bond, who was attacked by villains, all while the band was playing thrilling James Bond themed music. “I thought the band show was really cool this year, the color guard was great,” said sophomore Leah Shrock.

Republicans thrive in local election results

BY KARA LONG

The local election has had the community of Wadsworth debating for months. Front yards all around the town have been inundated with signs for people’s favorite candidate for quite some time.

“Whenever I turn on the TV, I always see commercials with candidates bashing their opponents.

They’re annoying,” said Alyssa Horton, 11.

Even Wadsworth High School had been affected by the election as some of the candidates visited the school to speak about their campaigns. They gave insight about the election in an assembly with the senior class.

Now all of the stress and political banter can be put to a halt, because after 62,123 ballots were cast, the election results have been revealed.

One of the biggest election rivalries was between Republican

Jim Renacci and Democrat John Boccieri. They were running to be the next congressman to represent the 16th district, which includes Wadsworth.

Jim Renacci, former President of City Council and Mayor of Wadsworth, will be replacing Boccieri with 52.8 percent of the vote.

“The last couple years have been difficult ones for our community and our country,” said Renacci.

Hopefully Renacci and the other elected candidates have plans to change those problems.

On the national level, other Republicans also fared very well. Voters nearly elected a Republican majority to the House of Representatives and diminished the Democratic margin in the Senate.

At the state level, Republican John Kasich became Ohio’s 69th Governor, replacing and defeating the old Governor, Democrat Ted

Strickland.

“I’m very confident that we will have a very good reform-oriented budget that will restore the tax cut,” said Kasich to the Akron Beacon Journal about his productive budget negotiations.

Another Republican to win the U.S. Senate was Rob Portman who

PHOTO COURTESY OF MCT CAMPUS

easily defeated Democrat Lee Fisher.

Another election is complete and ballots have been counted. Only time will tell what the future brings for our new representatives, so please take down the yard signs and enjoy a night of television without annoying commercials full of ranting candidates.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MCT CAMPUS

Jim Renacci (left) and John Boccieri (right) had a hard fought battle to be the representative of the 16th Congressional District.

THE BRUIN 4 Carefree life fades away for most

O PINION

November 2010

OPINION BY NATALIE

Teens probably get weary of having older people (our parents and grandparents) refer to the “good old days.” However, even as high-schoolers, it is becoming more evident to us that the older we get, the more we really do long for an earlier, more carefree period of our lives.

Think of the complications we now face. For some of us, this means juggling sports, clubs, jobs, tests, social activities and more. It sure seems that life as a “little kid” is much simpler and more fun.

“Growing up was supposed to be fun. Instead, it just seems overwhelming,” said Katie Youngston, 11.

Remembering what it was like to be young, all I can think of is

sipping on a pouch of fruit punch Capri Sun. This comes after racing up and down the sidewalk on my Big Wheel. As I think back about ten years ago, a few images pop into my head along with the Big Wheel and Capri Sun. Rather than today’s annoying alarm clock, back then I was awakened with a gentle nudge from one of my parents, telling me it was time for school. I did not even have to struggle with the critical decision of what to wear to school; my mom had already laid out my outfit the night before.

“Oh, I remember those days.

My mom picked out my school clothes, and I never complained,” said Amanda Davies, 10.

“I like to relive my youth every time I go to the store and shop in the kids section,” said Taylor Campbell, 12.

Once dressed, I would stumble down to the kitchen to find my usual “Hungry-Man” breakfast all prepared. Nothing like today’s grab-and-go Pop Tart. Also, thanks to our parents, the lunch box was lying on the counter when it was time to go, and we simply threw it in our matching

book bag and headed to school.

Yes, as young kids we were treated like kings and queens by our parents and we did not have to fake being nice to them to get what we wanted!

There was no worry either – as today – about arriving to school and finding a good parking spot; instead, we were dropped off in front of the school where teachers on bus duty welcomed us with smiling faces. Think about that kind of cheerful reception in high school!

“I don’t see that happening now. The teachers are as sleepy as the students each morning,” said Sarah Berger, 9.

When school was over, we raced home with our entire neighborhood of friends, perhaps running inside the house to finish about 10 minutes’ worth of homework, then heading outside to play. We did not have an hour of Calculus, or a group project, or an extensive Science Fair project.

Our biggest worry back then was whether we were going to be able to wash the sidewalk chalk out of our hands.

We would have real family

dinners when we were young.

Not like today, when we all seem so busy that we hardly ever eat as a family – there is just no time! Back then, it gave us the perfect time to catch up on things and later sit down to enjoy our favorite TV show, Full House, an actual happy family that never swore at each other or would argue and start fights (Jersey Shore, Kardashians, etc.).

“I’d like to think my family is a lot more like the Tanner family on Full House than Snooki and the rest of the GTL gang,” said Aly Malkowski, 10.

Now that we all look back on those days where everyone did everything for us, we wonder what it would be like for that to happen again. Maybe we should stop trying so hard to be all grown up, anxious for college and a real life of supporting ourselves and making all of our own decisions.

We need to take a step back and recapture those memories of simpler times and no pressures.

I know I am up for an afternoon of playing in the sand box with a Capri Sun in my hand. Who else is with me?

Forgotten Childhood Memories “Show and tell “ “Pizza Lunchables” “Watching Extreme Makeover Home Edition every Sunday night” “Playing Crash Bandicoot” “Getting a toy with every meal” “Having a Barbie or Hotwheels toothbrush with matching toothpaste”

Facebook fad ‘The truth is...’ lacks honesty OPINION BY CALLIE

By definition the truth is the quality of being true, genuine, actual or factual. However, the integrity of the truths recently posted on Facebook has become questionable.

A fad has begun on Facebook where people post “The truth is...” as their status and then wait for fellow Facebook members to “like” their status. Once they get enough people to like their status, they go ahead and write to everyone who liked their status about what he or she thinks about that person.

The concept of telling the truth via Facebook has become a window for telling others positive things about themselves. It has become all about the compliments and not about what people really think.

The falseness of all of these posts on others walls are great for boosting their confidence, but why not tell them to their face?

Too often, we get lost in using our cell phones and Internet to communicate with our peers and everything becomes impersonal.

“The truth is that we are not really telling each other the truth.

We do not think that everyone is really pretty,” said Carly Hauser, 12.

Honestly, how can people say that they do not really know a person, but then go on to say how nice of a person they are?

Following the compliments, are suggestions that they should start hanging out or become friends. If a student really wants to become friends with someone, they should just ask them to hang out in person instead of plastering it on Facebook.

“The truth is people need to stop saying ‘The truth is’,” said Dean Brennan, 10.

Most of “The truth is...” posts are very similar and practically the same. The typical post contains phrases such as, “you are so pretty,” “I do not really know you,” “you are such a funny

PHOTO COURTESY OF HAYLEY DOUGLAS

Above are samples of some statuses recently posted on Facebook that are part of “The truth is...” fad.

person,” “best friend,” “I love you” and “let us hang out soon.”

These posts are becoming generic and are losing their original purpose. The intended purpose of this phenomenon was for users to post how they honestly feel about fellow peers.

It has now become an outlet for positive things to write about a person. “‘The truth is...’ is a stupid way for people to compliment each other on Facebook. It is dumb and

half the comments people post are lies anyway; they are not what people really think,” said Leah Runkle, 9.

If people posted what they really felt and thought about other people, feelings would get hurt and it would be considered a form of bullying. As we all now know bullying will not be tolerated in the high school.

Other students like the concept of “The truth is...” and feel that it can have a very positive effect.

“I like ‘The truth is’ because it’s a great way for people to pay it forward and make people feel better when they are having a bad day,” said Grace Campbell, 11.

“The truth is...” can have a positive or negative effect. Some students will take advantage of this opportunity by making new friends or reuniting with old ones.

Meanwhile, some will continue to destroy the concept and make superficial compliments to their peers.

Top ‘The truth is...’ phrases “best friends:)”

“you have such a great smile:)”

“you’re so pretty”

“you’re my favorite person!”

“I don’t really know you” “i love you<3”

“you’re such a funny person”

“let’s hang out soon!”

O PINION 2

THE BRUIN

November 2010

5

What happened to Wadsworth?

OPINION BY ROY TATE

Do you want to know why we seem to be every school in the league’s rival? Why does it make Cloverleaf and Highland’s entire season just to beat us? Why does Green’s entire student body come out geared up in full camouflage just for the Wadsworth game?

Well, believe it or not, we used to be the best, at everything.

Let me take you back to a time where people were scared to come to Wadsworth, not because of danger, but because they knew they were going to get beat. They did not just know they were going to lose, they knew they were going to get slaughtered.

Legends like Paul Macko, Clint Cochran, and Mike Marshall were walking these halls. Taking it even further back than that, you could look at possibly the greatest athlete to ever walk in our building, Jimmy Reynolds.

Even some of our teachers like Jason Knapp, Bobby Jones, Larry Kaufman, Lance Currens, Mike Sladky, and Bill Goddard were all once a part of the Big Red Machine. They were not okay with losing seasons. You think Ben Falkenberg ever lost to Highland? Nick Goddard and Joe Capatoasta were winners. Luke

Busson would have kicked any one of our butts if he saw what our student section has come to.

You want to know what playing in front of a real student section feels like? Go talk to your social studies teacher, D.J. Schrock.

Speaking of student sections, what ever happened to the “Sea of Red?” We used to have the best student section in the league.

Back in the early 90’s, there was a male student who would come out of the stands and do flips with the cheerleaders. We actually had real spirit. You wore red to the games, and you actually went to the games. Also, what happened to the Grizzly Bear?

Is it hibernating, or what? The Grizzly Bear was at every one of Ben Schrock’s games. Ben was a winner. Wadsworth used to have an identity of being winners. We have lost our identity.

Green kids are tough. Barberton kids are scrappy. Copley kids are quick. Revere kids are rich. What are Wadsworth kids? We have lost our identity of being winners, so what are we now? I think that the

PHOTO COURTESY OFJOE GODDARD

Former Grizzly legends like D.J. Schrock, Ben Schrock, Ben Falkenberg, and Nick Goddard led this 2003 basketball team to a 20-0 regular season. The relentless work eithic that they brought to the gym seems to have been lost throughout the years.

I remember going to watch D.J. Schrock when I was a little kid.

Nobody was going to out work D.J. It did not matter if he was out on the football field, on the basketball court, or on the track, he was going to compete. It did not matter if his opponents bigger, he was not going “I have never lost to were to back down. D.J. was a Cloverleaf. Ever.” nine-time letter winner and four-time league champion.

-D.J. Schrock When asked about the current athletic depression biggest problem is that to other and how things have changed at schools, our identity is being soft. our school, Schrock said, “I can They are right. We are soft. It is tell you one thing. I have never lost to Cloverleaf. Ever.” gut check time Wadsworth.

Can we blame it all on the kids Whose fault is it? Is it the kids?

Yes. We do not work as hard as though? Should any of the blame the people we watched growing go on the coaches? Our coaches at this school are awesome. Coach up did.

Booth took our girls basketball team to state in his first year.

Coach Schmeltzer Jr. just led our boys team to their best record in the past four years, but what happened to the coaches before them? Coach Callaghan was 10015 as our head girls coach, and his contract was not renewed. Coach Martin led our boys basketball team to five league titles in 13 years. His contract was not renewed. We have not won the Suburban League since he left in 2004. I thought winning was our main goal. Should someone warn Coach G that his job is in jeopardy because he just won the state championship?

Do not blame our administrators either. They like their jobs, too.

Every town needs a winner;

we need a winner. Sorry if any wrestlers reading this are offended; you should be. You should not be tied in to any of this. Our wrestling team has busted their butts every single day, and look at what they accomplished. Our whole city rallied around them. Think if it were a major spectator sport like football or basketball that won state. Someday, a special group of kids will do it, and people will talk about the days when they walked these halls.

But wrestlers, and all other athletes, please do not be satisfied. It was just eight years ago when Falkenberg, Goddard, and the Schrocks’ took the boys team to 20-0. Things can change that quick.

Who is the real Mr. Lunch?

OPINION BY MATTHEW

At the beginning of every school year, students receive their schedule that tells them when and where their classes are held. The guidance counselors always do a great job producing a schedule that gives the students the classes that they requested the year before, and students rarely complain.

Unfortunately, there always seems to be one mistake in the scheduling that cannot be fixed.

The enigma that has taken over the minds of students since the beginning of their high school careers is the question: who is the real Mr. Lunch?

Ever since the seventh grade, students have always seen Mr. Lunch on their class schedules, but never bothered to ask, or even wonder, why do we always have Mr. Lunch as our teacher, but we never see him during the day?

There have been many theories,

but no one can know for sure if there ever was a Mr. Lunch that roamed the hallways. These theories have been passed down for decades to only a select few, but as of today, they are being revealed for the whole world to see.

Mr. Lunch has never shown himself on campus, but there are clues hidden throughout these hallways that confirm that there once was a Mr. Lunch.

One piece of evidence that gives support to the fact that Mr. Lunch was once a high school teacher are the doors that have been sealed shut. There have been rumors that the door that has been labeled by fellow Bruin member Roy Tate Moore as “Platform 9 3/4” was the old office where Mr. Lunch taught his lessons.

“I get excited every year to go to Mr. Lunch’s class, but I can never find his classroom,” said Will Nelson, 10, who is an admirer of Mr. Lunch’s ice cream bars.

Some believe that Mr. Lunch fled the country after the school sealed up his office, but others suspect some of the current teachers on the faculty to be the real Mr. Lunch. Students, and some teachers, have named the following teachers as suspects:

Mr. John Thompson, Mr. Scott Callaghan, and Mr. Nathan Singleton. These teachers are just a few of the teachers that have been suspected.

“I always thought that Mr. Thompson could be a secret agent or bounty hunter, but I never suspected him to be Mr. Lunch,” said Jon Roberts, 11, who was on Thompson’s baseball squad freshman year.

There have been other suspects that the students have been questioning with some reasonable arguments. For example, Mr. Kaufman was described by Sarah Berger, 9, as a “lunchy dude.”

That makes Mr. Kaufman a possible suspect to be Mr. Lunch.

The number one suspect to be Mr. Lunch is Mr. Gabe Tudor.

Tudor, the Economics and World Geography teacher, has been teaching for only a couple of years now, but his friendly manner towards the students has brought on suspicions that he could be the real Mr. Lunch. Some say that Tudor is too young, but there is the possibility that he is the heir of Mr. Lunch and has brought his son that was separated from birth, Connor Sherrill, 9, to follow in his footsteps.

“I always thought that it was strange how Connor could not

PHOTO BY MATTHEW DOYLE

Connor Sherrill, 9, (or could that be Mr. Tudor?), was seen entering Mr. Lunch’s Office at Platform 9 3/4. Is that proof that he is the heir to Mr. Lunch?

hang out on Friday nights, but now I know why,” said Andrew Sidol, 9. Sidol has decided to join Sherrill in hopes of learning the ways of Mr. Lunch.

Some may say the search for Mr. Lunch has caused the school to replay the witch trials that were held in Arthur Miller’s story, The Crucible, but there is a difference.

To our knowledge, there were no actual witches involved in the witch trials, but there was a Mr. Lunch.

“I wonder if Mr. Lunch was a part of the witch trials,” said Dana Fick, 11, who has never read The Crucible, but read the

summary on Sparknotes.

Someday, Mr. Lunch will reveal himself to the school, but until that day comes, the accusations of teachers to be Mr. Lunch will never end. I am sorry to all teachers and students that have been named as suspects to be Mr. Lunch. You do not deserve to be questioned and accused.

Most students have forgiven Mr. Lunch for leaving the school, but they hope that he will return someday. The longer he hides, the greater his legacy grows. Taking his place next to Erik Wallace, 11, Mr. Lunch will always be a legend to the school.

6

November 2010

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November 2010

Clay, Alfredo, and Sheldon enjoy senior breakfast.

A group enjoys senior breakfast and poses for a picture.

PHOTO COURTESY OF KRISTA FRANK

Christian uses his powerful leaf blower to create a mound of leaves.

PHOTO COURTESY OF YEARBOOK

PHOTO COURTESY OF YEARBOOK

Raking leaves got tiring for this group, so they took a quick photo break.

PHOTO BY BRUIN STAFFER

Sam gathers leaves into a pile, enjoying her day off school.

PHOTO BY ABBY CULLMAN

Miranda pounces on her freshly raked leaves.

A group of girls shows off their huge pile of leaves.

Senior leaf raking day is fun for this lively group.

PHOTO BY BRUIN STAFFER

PHOTO BY BRUIN STAFFER

L E A F

PHOTO BY ABBY CULLMAN

PHOTO COURTESY OF CLAIRE VANFLEET

Leaves weigh down a groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tarp as they drag it down to the curb.

S E N I O R

Joey and Spencer take leaves to the curb.

PHOTO COURTESY OF JARED HOUSE

R A K I N G

PAGE

V E T E R A N S

THE BRUIN

November 2010

Senior, Steven, recites an honorable Veterans Day poem.

Student Council put together and hosted a delicious breakfast for our veterans.

PHOTO COURTESY OF YEARBOOK

PHOTO BY MACKENZI BLANTON

Veterans stand while being honored and thanked by the WHS students.

D A Y A S S E M B L Y

9

PHOTO BY BRUIN STAFFER

Jonathan, 12, sings a solo honoring our veterans.

PHOTO BY BRUIN STAFF

Dayna, 11, thanks veterans for their hard work and devotion.

PHOTO BY BRUIN STAFFER

Associate principal Mr. Steve Moore begins the assembly by welcoming our brave veterans.

PHOTO COURTESY OF YEARBOOK

Veterans carefully watch a slide show paying tribute to our veterans and recalling the previous wars.

PHOTO BY BRUIN STAFFER

Over 200 veterans attended the Veterans Day assembly held in the west gym.

PHOTO BY ROBERT TAYLOR

The band shows tribute by playing patriotic songs.

PHOTO BY BRUIN STAFFER

The band plays while veterans play close attention to honoring slide shows.

PHOTO BY ROBERT TAYLOR

THE BRUIN F EATURES 10 Pride and Prejudice to take stage by storm November 2010

BY KAITLIN SHERRILL

Places everyone! it is time for the show to start! Students of the Drama Club will soon be suiting up for another spectacular performance.

A dramatic production is always put on display this time of year by the Drama Department. This season, they will be putting on Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, a royal and romantic tale.

Each summer, Mrs. Csaky and Mrs. Zagar, the leading ladies of the Drama Department, get together to file through possible scripts looking for the perfect one to put on for the upcoming year. This time around, it was without question that Pride and Prejudice would make the cut.

“We both thought of Pride and Prejudice before we even read the script. It has a beautiful story with great characters and nobody dies,” said Csaky.

This story is about a quintet of boy-crazy sisters, the Bennet’s, all looking to be married as fast as possible.

The eldest, Jane Bennet, played by Meganne Muir, 11, is attracted to Mr. Bingley, played

by Eric Olson, 12. They develop an easy going relationship that contrasts the one between Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet.

The main character and second oldest Bennet sister, Elizabeth, played by Christina Rossi, 12, gets off to a rocky start on her quest for marriage.

At first she does not fancy Mr. Darcy, played by Jon Hill, 12, for quite some time before acknowledging the goodness in him. Mr. Darcy is slow to discover his true feelings for Elizabeth as well.

Formally attracted to Elizabeth, George Wickham, played by Steven Manning, 12, runs off with the youngest Bennet sister, Lydia, played

by Katie Collins, 12. Unlike Elizabeth, Lydia throws herself onto Wickham, creating an immature romance.

A plot with so many intertwining relationships and unusual language may seem impossible to grasp, but the cast seems to be handling it well.

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Hannah, 12, and Nick, 12, work hard to perfect a scene with co-director, Mrs. Kathy Zagar.

“The production is coming along very well. We have a hard working cast, which is necessary with the difficult wording from the script,” said Dan Davis, 11.

The era in which this romantic legend takes place is also a challenge, making it a difficult one to master.

“I am now starting to get a better feeling for the time period, and overall mood of Jane Austen,” said Jon Hill, 12.

This cast has already put a tremendous amount of work into this production and will not stop until the curtain opens. Anyone who wishes to attend a performance will be sure to notice.

To keep themselves relaxed behind stage and before each show, the cast will pump themselves up with dance moves before setting foot on stage. According to Micah Palitto, 12, the

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PHOTO BY KAITLIN SHERRILL

actors’ excitement always makes the show better.

The Drama Department will continue their tradition of extraordinary entertainment on Dec. 2-4 at 7 p.m. All performances will be held at O.J. Work Auditorium.

As opening night approaches, students, teachers, parents, and other loved ones are all looking forward to quite an outstanding show that all are sure to love.

4. Dino Puzzle 5. Pegs

Misleading Black Friday myths create shock

BY MOLLY PRIEST

The biggest shopping day of the year is quickly approaching.

On Nov. 26, the biggest bargain hunters will be waiting in lines wrapped around Best Buy and Walmart to get the best deals on their favorite products.

There are some shopping myths associated with this much

anticipated day, so all Black Friday shoppers, be aware when retailers try to pull a fast one.

One of the most common Black Friday myths is that the lowest prices of the year are on this day. Actually, Black Friday sales are often matched or beaten as the shopping season goes on. Also, many retailers mix in their everyday

PHOTO COURTESY OF MCT CAMPUS

Black Friday shoppers wait outside stores to get good deals on the best products.

prices with big ticket discounts to make the buyer think that those are slashed prices as well.

“I do not go Black Friday shopping, but I do like to sift through the sale ads because they are so fun. They are also great to look at after you get fed up from being with your family all Thanksgiving,” said Cassedy Arvay, 9.

Another myth is that Black Friday prices will not be matched.

This is a huge mishap for the Black Friday shopping gurus. Quite a few stores will match prices.

In fact, last year Amazon.com matched prices from stores like Walmart, Best Buy, and Target.

“I go Black Friday shopping because that is when I buy all the amazing Christmas presents for my family,” said Erik Peltz, 10.

Some deals are worth the overnight wait outside the store is another misinterpreted myth.

Most deals are now available

online along with in-store, which means you do not have to pull an all-nighter to score the best bargains. Sometimes being the first in line only guarantees you will be trampled by the hundreds of anxious people also waiting in line. “ I go Black Friday shopping every year with my mom, but we would never stay overnight outside or stand in line for hours no matter how good the deals are,” said Olivia Blind, 11.

In years past, Black Friday is the day that kicks off the holiday shopping season.

However, because of the tough economic time, retailers have decided to start their sales earlier.

Many large retail chains will put their ads online on Thanksgiving, which causes some items to even sell out before Black Friday. A tip for people getting their game plan ready for Friday is to start shopping as

early as possible. For shoppers trying to avoid this myth, it might be a good idea to start Thursday.

Be careful of leaked Black Friday ads. People get excited when they come across these ads on the internet before the actual ads come out, but they are inaccurate more often than not. For example, last year, Office Max’s ad that was leaked was completely wrong. Nothing that was in that flyer was actually on sale.

Also, beware that not all products on sale will be in the Black Friday ads. Many retailers, like Best Buy and Walmart, have been known to have great deals on products that were not advertised.

However, some of these items will be on online ads, which is why it is important to check them out.

In order to score the best deals on the much anticipated Black Friday products, make sure to be careful of these several unknown myths.

E NTERTAINMENT

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November 2010

11

TSO headlines bands coming to Cleveland

BY JOSH KIPFER

December 16, The House of Blues

December 14, The Musica

February 16, The House of Blues

December 17, The Musica PHOTOS BY MCT CAMPUS

Cleveland has a lot going on this winter including many exciting concerts. Starting off the winter concert season is the very popular Trans-Siberian Orchestra.

Their unique style has made people love them since they were founded in 1996.

“T.S.O.” incorporates multiple styles of music such as classical, orchestral, and symphonic. What makes them truly unique is the hard rock and heavy metal elements they use in every song.

Another impressive feature of this group is the way they use an intense light show, dozens of pyrotechnics, lasers, video screens, and fireworks to go along with the music that they play.

Danielle Trenta, 11, went to one of their concerts last year, “It was so cool! There were lots of lights and fireworks, and the music was so good.”

The Trans-Siberian Orchestra is going on a big tour this winter, playing 112 concerts in under two months.

T.S.O. will be visiting Ohio three times this winter performing six concerts, so local fans will have plenty of chances to see them play. They will be playing at Quicken Loans Arena on November 28, twice in Cincinnati on November 24, as well as twice in Columbus on December 25.

This very exciting concert has

many people excited for when they come to Ohio.

“I’m really excited to be going this year. My sister has gone in the past and said it was such an amazing show,” said Elaina Laikos, 11.

If you cannot make a concert this year, the Trans-Siberian Orchestra already has two concert albums out.

The first was released in 2000 and was titled Beethoven’s Last Night. They also released another holiday album, Night Castle, in 2009.

They are best know for their Christmas music and concerts.

Some of the songs include “Christmas Eve” and “An Angel came down.”

The Trans-Siberian Orchestra is not the only big name coming to the area this winter.

Other big ticket names playing for Cleveland are Ozzy Osbourne, Relient K, and Jimmy Eat World.

Ozzy will be playing at Quicken Loans Arena on December 5.

He has been a fan favorite for years due to his great music and entertaining shows.

“Sometimes I want to be like Ozzy!” said Grace Campbell, 11.

Better Than Ezra is also coming to Cleveland, on December 16, and will be performing at The House of Blues.

The very next day, December 17, Hawthorne Heights will be playing at the Musica.

PHOTO BY MCT CAMPUS

The Trans-Sibierian Orchestra put on their show last winter. Their concerts include lively music and entertaining effects like fireworks and light shows.

On November 28, at the House of Blues in Cleveland, Bring me the Horizon and August Burns Red will be playing.

Michael Stanley will also be visiting the House of Blues, playing on December 18.

The Britbeat, a Beatles tribute band, will be playing on November 26 and December 7 at the Agora in Cleveland.

Another big band playing in the area is Relient K. They will be playing at the Musica, in Akron, on December 14 and 15.

The House of Blues will be hosting the Frontiers, a Journey cover band, on December 31.

Now a little further in the future Jimmy Eat World will be playing at the House of Blues in Cleveland on February 16.

Clay Aiken will also be playing in February at the Palace Theatre on the 19.

If you enjoy listening to live music, then Cleveland is the place to be this winter. Cleveland can provide for whatever your musical tastes may be.

awareness, and the every day social aspects of high school life. During its first season it was nominated for nineteen Emmy Awards, four Golden Globe Awards, six Satellite Awards and fifty-seven other awards. Glee won the 2010 Golden Globe “I think it is funny Award for Best Television Series because Dr. House is (Musical or Comedy) and a Prime mean but so smart.” Time Emmy. “It’s just the best show ever, it’s funny, and I love -Mariah Robinson, 10 the music. I just love it,” said Alyssa Horton, 11. often dark and sarcastic and 1. Family Guy constantly scolding his team of Family Guy is an American doctors. All of these aspects of animated TV series that airs on House make it one of the most Fox. Family Guy centers around watched shows on TV. the Griffins, a dysfunctional and 2. Glee unorganized family. The shows Glee is a musical comedy- bases much of its humor on the drama television series on Fox. parody of American pop culture.

The show focuses on a high The characters consist of: Peter, school glee club who competes Lois, Chris, Meg, Stewie and in the competitive show choir Brian. Peter is the father without circuit. The adolescent members a clue and Lois is an intelligent of the club are dealing with stay at home mother. Chris, relationship issues, sexuality Meg, and Stewie are the often

outrageous children who cause many problems. Last but not least, Brian is the infamous talking dog.

Many people are fans of Stewie and Brian because of their witty banter. Brian is an alcoholic with human-like characteristics and feelings, which makes him an interesting character. Stewie is a remarkably intelligent baby who speaks with a British accent.

“Peter is hilarious,” said Jack Heideman, 10.

Other shows that earned high ratings were Greys Anatomy, Jersey Shore, Law and Order SVU, America’s Next Top Model, The Big Bang Theory, Two and Half Men, Private Practice, Around The Horn, The Office, and Friends. These popular TV shows just missed the cut.

“I love watching TV shows, they help me relax after a hard day at school,” said Eric Perebzak, 9.

TV shows will always be a popular source of entertainment for students and others alike.

Top TV shows among high school students REVIEW BY TOM CALHOUN

Every high school student has a favorite TV show. Seventh period study hall students took a survey that helped determine the top five most watched TV shows.

Here are the results: 5. Desperate Housewives One of ABC’s hit dramas, Desperate Housewives is in its seventh season. The show centers around four housewives that live on Wisteria Lane in the Fairview state. The housewives consist of Bri Van De Kamp, Susan Mayer, Lynette Scavo and Gabrielle Solis. The housewives live under narration of their dead friend, Mary Alice Young. They work through domestic struggles and family life, while facing the secrets, crimes, and mysteries hidden behind the doors of their—at the surface—beautiful and seemingly perfect suburban neighborhood. “This show is funny, juicy, entertaining and

#1

Family Guy

dramatic,” said Jess Flaherty, 11.

4. Sportscenter The sports news channel launched September 7, 1979, and has grown into a sports empire.

ESPN now has Sportscenter on live coverage throughout the day.

The live coverage has helped Sportscenter’s popularity grow.

Whenever a big trade or a major event happens in the sports world, Sportscenter is there to cover the story.

3. House House, America’s most popular medical drama, comes in at number three. Dr. Gregory House is an unconventional medical genius who works at the Princeton‑Plainsboro Teaching Hospital in New Jersey. Dr. House has an a addiction to Vicodin that interferes with his work life. “I think it is funny because Dr. House is mean but so smart,” said Mariah Robinson, 10. The mysterious doctor also has an “on and off” love affair

Glee

#2

with hospital administrator and Dean of Medicine, Dr. Lisa Cuddy. Dr. House is well known for his ability to take a terminal medical case and find a cure for the disease. While all this is going on House is a complex character,

#3 House

#5

Sportscenter Desperate Housewives

#4

12

November 2010

S PORTS 1

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Senior led basketball teams pursue League Championships, deep playoff runs

BY BRETT AMADON

As the leaves begin to fall and the seniors are given the opportunity to rake them up, it can only mean one thing: the basketball season is back.

This season, both the girls and boys basketball teams will lace up their sneakers in hopes of a Suburban League Championship.

In recent years, the Lady Grizzlies have staked their claim as one of the best in the Suburban League. Now, it is time for the boys to step up its game. With both squads looking similar as far as their personnel goes, that very well could be the case this season.

For a girls squad that features many of the core players from last year’s team, this upcoming season is one of great expectations.

Last season, the Lady Grizzlies were able to make a name for themselves. It started with a tie for the Suburban League Championship with Green, and ended with an appearance in the district semi-finals.

“This season, we want to build off the tradition of winning and wanting to go further. This year, we want the team to advance to states,” said Sharlee Bailey, 12.

With senior leaders such

as Taylor Woods, Robyn Rotterschmidt, and Sharlee Bailey, the sky is the limit.

Without question, the main goal of the upcoming season for the Lady Grizzlies is to win an outright Suburban League Championship. To do this, they are going to rely heavily on senior leadership.

The team that made a run in last season’s postseason is for the most part still in place, and that bodes well for them.

“It is a lot easier to play because our team chemistry just continues to grow. We all get along really well this year which will make it more fun and exciting,” said Taylor Woods, 12.

This team atmosphere, is beneficial in the fact that the players have been playing together now for multiple seasons. As Woods’ said, the carefree attitude that surrounds the Grizzlies will do only wonders for them.

While last seasons’ Suburban League Championship was nice, the Lady Grizzlies run to the semis of districts was even sweeter, and Woods does not see why they cannot shock the state and advance farther this year.

“We as a team want to go the farthest we have gone so

far, which would be playing in Columbus at the Schottenstein Center in March,” said Woods.

The road to the final four is no doubt going to be a challenge.

For the boys varsity basketball team, last year’s winning season is one to build on and to secure the ever elusive Suburban League title since 2004.

The boys squad will feature many of the same faces that took the floor last season.

Prescott Williams, 12, is the key player this season and the team will go as far as he performs.

However, basketball is a team sport, so key contributions from other role players are necessary.

The good news is, third year coach Schmeltzer Jr., is returning a number of his players from last year’s squad.

“We all are used to playing with each other and we know who can do what and who can’t,” said Prescott Williams, 12.

There is no doubt the Grizzlies have veteran talent on the team, along with the unique chemistry and philosophy Schmeltzer Jr. has instilled the past three years.

First off, is the veteran leadership. As mentioned before, the Grizzlies will feature a few household names which should help in pressure packed situations.

PHOTO BY BRUIN STAFF

Taylor, 12, fronts an opponent in a road game last season at Brookhaven.

Second, is the atmosphere of the team. They know how to work hard and have put in the time that it takes to make it far in the Suburban League. This kind of mentality is key in any team performing up to par.

“We have been working out extremely hard with Mr. Bobby Jones, and have done a ton of shooting,” said Williams.

With that being said, the road to the Suburban League Title will be a tough one. With critical tests from defending state champ Jackson, and runner-up Orrville,

the Grizzlies will have to play flawlessly if they want to take down the challengers. Despite their schedule, the pieces seem to be in place for the Grizzlies to take home the hardware this year.

There is no doubt that both basketball teams are very similar as they head into the 2010-11 season.

With high expectations already in place, it will be interesting to see how they perform and work together under pressure this season.

Clay Wenger, Wrestling Wenger, 12, is a hard-working, self-motivated, team-oriented captain that is striving to lead the Grizzlies to another successful year. Wenger set the school record last year for take downs in a season with 242.

“Coming off a state championship, the wrestling team will have everyone looking at them every time they step on the mat. The team must be very prepared for the grueling season that is sure to come behind Clay’s leadership,” said Ryan Murphy, 12.

Wenger looks to improve upon his record-breaking season last year and lead his team back to state.

Elaina Lanson, Girls Swimming - Lanson, 12, placed fifth in the 50 yard freestyle and 12th in the 100 yard freestyle at the state tournament in Canton last year. The three-time state qualifier plans to keep her personal Suburban League Titles and place top-three at state. With six school records, Lanson hopes to further improve those times and get a personal record in her other events.

Mike Pavlak, Boys Swimming - “Mike will lead the swim team to a league title, end of story,” said Alex Laubaugh, 12.

Being defending league champions, a repeat is not out of question. Another team goal is to reach the state tournament.

Pavlak, 11, swims the 100 yard breaststroke and the 200 individual medley. He made it to Districts last year and hopes to return.

Emma Webb , Gymnastics - Webb, 12, is the captain this year for the gymnastics squad.

The team finished in the bottom half of the Suburban League last season, but are working hard to improve upon that mark. With a leader such as Webb, the team could reach the top half.

Being a team leader is no easy task. It is difficult to prepare your team for a long season and will your teammates to perform well every game. These athletes have that challenge and are expected to get the job done. For their importance to the team, leadership abilities and dedication, these athletes have been chosen to be on the prestigious All-Bruin Team for the winter sports season.

All-Bruin All-Bruin team revealed for winter sports Team SPORTS OPINION

BY GARRETT CUTTING

Prescott Williams Boys Basketball

Taylor Woods Girls Basketball

Clay Wenger Wrestling

Elaina Lanson Girls Swimming

In the past, Wadsworth has been known for its outstanding athletes like Bobby Jones, Dru Jones, and Paul Macko. This winter season should be no different with multiple student-athletes performing at a high level in their respected sports.

These players are expected to help lead their team to victory, and ultimately, a Suburban League Title.

All Wadsworth athletes are appreciated for their efforts, but there are a few I would like to feature in the All-Bruin Team for the winter sports season.

Prescott Williams, Boys Basketball - Williams, 12, is no stranger to the heated competition in the Suburban League as he has been a key part of the Grizzlies’ success since his sophomore year.

The Grizzlies will go as far as

Williams can lead them this year.

With a tough schedule including defending state champion Jackson and returning state runner-up Orrville, the road to the title is a little rocky, but with Williams talent and leadership, anything is possible.

Taylor Woods, Girls Basketball - Coming off a solid junior year, Woods, 12, should have another good year.

“Taylor is such a good player.

She leads this team by example and hard work. Our success depends on how she does at the point, and I am sure she will not disappoint this season,” said Sabrina Parsons, 10.

With seven returning letterwinners and a bench chalkedfull of talent, the Lady Grizzlies should be ranked at the top of the league, if not higher. Woods also hopes to lead her team to the state tournament this season.

Mike Pavlak Boys Swimming

Emma Webb Gymnastics PHOTO COURTESY OF BRUIN STAFF

Prescott Williams, 12, attacks the basket with authority every chance he gets. His leadership abilities and skill earned him a spot on the All-Bruin team.

13 Wrestlers work year round to stay on top

S ports 2

BY JACK SNOWBALL

A dynasty is something every team strives to be, but after last year’s dramatic performance in Columbus, the Wadsworth wrestling team definitely qualifies.

When thinking of any sports dynasty, either in high school, at

THE BRUIN

the collegiate level or a Professional franchise, the one thing that is consistent in every situation is the players buy into the coach philosophy.

That is what John Gramuglia has successfully established during his 27 year reign as head coach.

The wresting team is thought of as a family. They do many things off the

mat that make them successful on the mat.

This summer, the entire wrestling team, from freshman to seniors traveled south to Clay’s Park for a day.

Even smaller things like going over to each other’s houses is something that sets this team apart from any other in the state.

PHOTO BY MR TERINGO

Alfredo, 12, who placed 5th at state last season is one of the returning threats that will try to help the wrestlers repeat.

November 2010

Another factor that puts the wresting team above any other is the work they put in from top to bottom.

In this aspect it is not only the wrestlers, it is also the coaches, trainers, parents, and the wrestling managers.

“We definitely try to work hard year round and we try do to the little things,”

experience that factor in big.

No doubt Coach “G” is set to put together another championship contender. With returning State champ Nick Tavanello and runner-up Kagan Squire set to make the push back to Columbus.

“To do what we did last year it is going to take a team “We definitely try to work effort, it does not matter grade they are in” hard year round and try do what said Alfredo Gray,12. to the little things” Trying to match

-Clay Wenger, 12 “the season to be remembered” is said Clay Wenger, 12. definitely the task at hand for this team.

The loss of the 2010 seniors, They do not want to be overshadowed including State champions Ben by the class above them or the Buzzelli and Brad Squire is definitely accomplishments from last season. something that will be missed. But One thing is certain, Coach “G” the core group of underclassman are and the Wadsworth Wrestling team capable of filling the void. will be ready to have the targets on “I think the graduation of the seniors their back, seeking its 19th straight is a big loss, but if we work hard enough Suburban League Championship and put the time in we can match what and placing in the top five for the they did” said Brandon Jones,11.

10 consecutive year or maybe even The six returning seniors are repeating as public school state no slouches either. Most have state champions.

Concert Band wins 7th annual Band Bowl

BY JAKE KELLY

The band decided they wanted to put down their trombones and trumpets to pick up a pigskin and demonstrate its football skills.

The symphonic and concert band participated in the 7th Annual Band Bowl on November 6, at Art Wright Stadium.

The day was cold, dark and full of suspense as 30 concert team members and 15 symphonic team members lined up for some

smash mouth football.

The game started off with a fumble from the concert team on the opening kick off. Symphonic then scored as the crowd rose to its feet to the early excitement of the game.

Even though the symphonic team was out numbered they played their hearts out. With only three minutes left in the game, they had possession of the ball with a 20-16 lead.

They were about to deliver

the second win in a row, when suddenly, the ball carrier fumbled and the concert band recovered and drove it in to score with 17 seconds left on the clock. This last minute changer was a blow to the concert band.

Final score: Concert band 24 Symphonic band 20.

Many say the band is one of the best parts of a football game- their half time shows are amazing! Now we know that the band makes a good football team as well.

The game MVP’s were awarded with trophies: Ron Hart, 9, Jon Hawkins, 10, Nick White, 11, JK Kelly, 12, Collin Williams, 10 (concert), Sebastian Boland, 11 (symphonic), and Connor Burridge, 12 (overall band bowl MVP).

through the post season. All with Swagg!” said the designated breaststroker Pavlak.

The girls swim team, placed third in the Suburban League last season, return state placer and leading scorer Elaina Lanson, 12, and top ten scorer Lexi Surratt, 11.

The girls hope to improve in the Suburban League and retake the title as their own as they did

two seasons ago. They also hope to send senior Lanson back to states and have her stand higher on the podium than last year. As well as send even more swimmers to state in individually and on relay teams.

With both of these teams practicing with each other, the goals that both of the teams want to accomplish should be in reach.

They all face the same

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE WHS BAND

Swimmers find new home; high goals still in sight

BY NICK TAVANELLO

With the construction of the new high school underway, the Wadsworth swim teams, both boys and girls, have found themselves without a home.

Fortunately, they have found new places to practice and compete.

The Barberton YMCA has allowed the teams to use their pool as a designated practice pool, while Wooster High School has given the teams permission to compete in their pool for home meets.

“Wooster has an awesome pool and I think that away meets are more fun, anyway. I think that we will still compete successfully,” said Phil Lahue,12.

These locations are making it very inconvenient for many of the swimmers because they have to drive a good distance to compete and practice. Also, many of the practices are at seven p.m. and end at nine. They also have to come in at 5:45 a.m. to lift and work out before school on Tues. and Thurs.

“Going to Baberton for practice is more of a hike then going to Steiners in our backyard, but if people want to be on the team they will make the drive.

Commitment is what we want on our team,” said Mike Pavlak, 11.

The boys swim team, who won the Suburban League last season, return their leading scorer from the team last season, Mike Pavlak, 11, and top ten scorer Phil Lahue, 12. They are looking forward to a great season in which they have a possibility to win their third Suburban League title in a row.

“Boy’s swimming is going to take its third SLT in a row, break some league records, and power

PHOTO BY ELAINA LANSON

In their new practice pool at the Barberton YMCA, Ellie, 9, Josh, 12, Lexi, 11, Elaina, 12, Joe, 11, Phil, 12, and Mike, 11, are all expected to do well and place in the Suburban League.

challenges and know how to keep each other up and in high spirits.

They push each other to their limits , helping everyone on the team to improve their times.

Their practices consist of hard workouts but they also know how to have fun in the process. Also, they swim multiple sets in the pool, lifting in the mornings, and test sets that help them to keep up their times in races.

Also, the swim teams do treading water workouts, where they have to hold a medicine ball above their head while kicking their legs. This conditioning that they go through helps them to stay in shape for the entire season.

As their season draws closer, the swimmers prepare as they have done in the past and hope to be another force to be reckoned with in the Suburban League.

Both of the boys and girls swim teams kick-off their season at Ashland University for a dual meet on Dec. 2 at 6 p.m.

There are great expectations for both teams to do well this season and both of them want to bring home the Suburban league titles for Wadsworth.

“Just keep swimming,” said Pavlak, and that is exactly what both teams expect to do this season all the way to Suburban League.

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November 2010

THE BRUIN

A DS

Patrons 2010-2011

Al and Amy Mavity Allison Parsons Amy Alic Amy LaMonica Anne Mellinger Barb McConnell Becky Dills Bill and Deanna Lyren Bill and Sharon Powell Bob and Kathy Calhoun Brian and Paula Sherrill Carol Simmons Chris and Leslie King Craig King Dale and Debbie Fortner Dave and Laura Bennett David & Karen Cutting Deb Tavanello Debbie and Gary Lake Dee Bennett Delbert & Sandy Killough Diana Maddox Don and Carol Grey Dr. & Mrs. Bruce Manning Dwain Kibler Elizabeth Khoury Jeff and Kathie Priest Jeff Teringo Jessica Henry Jill Krug Jim and Shelly Davis Joe & Kellie Baughman John and Chris Perebzak Jon Kipfer Jordan Cutting Judy Lepley Kristin Contini Kirt and Leanne Virgin and Family Larry Kaufman Family

The Capron Family Lauren Woodard The Csaky Family Leslie Georgiadis The Dammarell Family Linda Kramer The Douglas Family Lisa and Ken Owens The Fusco Family Lisa Feltes The Gahan Family Lisa Jones The Hamilton Family Mark and Cheryl Gilbert The Lanson Family Mark Postak The McQuate Family Mark Schoonover Matt, Kristin, and Jude Cole The Ray Family The Sidol Family Max and Diane Miller The Van Dyke Family Melissa Eaton The Vanfleet Family Michael Pellish The Williams Family Mike Schmeltzer Sr. The Wise Family Mr. Parsons Thomas Tavanello Mr. Shepherd Tim and Judi McNutt Mr. Sladky Todd and Kelley Dorland Mr. Steve Moore Tom and Mary Ann Postak Mrs. Barb Klaus Tom and Tracy Penrose Nancy King Pappas Construction Co, Inc. Trish and Dave Swanson Paul and Roberta Woodard Walt and Betty Gairing Phil and Leigh Anne Baier Rachael and Ed Hantzsche Rich and Cheri Long Rich and Cynthia Doyle Rich Berlin Rita Couch Robinson Water Systems Inc. Rocky and Lori Robinson Roscoe and Raetta Gasser Sarah & Judge McIlvaine Spencer Schleigh Sra. Mateos Steve & Karen Blankenship Sue Fisher Tamara Amadon Tavanelloâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pizza The Berg Family The Bertuzzi Family

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O F THE MONTH

THE BRUIN

JUNK OF THE MONTH N i c k

S t a c y ’ s

1 9 8 6

D o d g e

D a k o t a

BY MALLORY GRUICH AND ALEXA BAIER

While walking Nick Stacy,12, out to the parking lot to interview him about his truck, he came clean and said, “I knew that my car would be junk of the month sooner or later!”

A dirty blue 1986 Dodge Dakota has kept it interesting for Stacy this past year.

Compared to other trucks, Stacy’s may seem nice. However, the interior and part of the exterior is falling apart. Inherited from his grandfather, the truck’s inside is covered in blue stained velvet material. and the rearview mirror falls off every time the car hits a pothole in the road.

Considering the horn is broken, Stacy is not capable of catching the attention of other drivers in an emergency. The windows can only be cranked opened by a knob on the edge of the door. If he is lucky, the knob is still attached to the door by the end of the day.

In the winter time this truck is

Song Of the Month

Fine Arts Student Of the Month

PHOTO BY MALLORY GRUICH Nick, 12, shows off his ‘86 Dodge Dakota in the student parking lot. Notice the right front tire, as the rim has been replaced with an old, rusted one.

a nightmare. Without heat, the windows fog easily and make driving hard on Stacy. The air conditioning surprisingly works, which he is thankful for in the summer. “It has a mind of its own and seems to shut off whenever it gets tired,” said Stacy.

Every time his car is turned on for too long, the truck shuts off in an exhausted manner.

“The first day of summer school, the rim on my tire flew off into the lawn in front of the school,” said Stacy.

Completely unaware, teachers were chasing after him trying to catch his attention before more damage could be done.

Although Stacy’s car does not look too bad on the outside, it is a deceiving piece of junk.

O F

Favorite Teacher: Mr. Nathan Singleton.

Favorite Class: English Future Plans: I want to attend Kent or Bowling Green.

Favorite Quote: “Time flies by fast, so have fun while it lasts.”

Greatest High School Memory: I love going to the football games with my best friends. It’s exciting and fun every time, and worth the money!

T H E

Dustin

C h r i sti n a How many plays were you involved in?

Altogether I have been involved in eight different plays and musicals.

I have been the leads in a couple of plays throughout high school.

M O N T H Favorite Teacher: Mr. Nathan Singleton or Mr. Mike Schmeltzer Sr. Favorite Class: Honors English III. Future Plans: Attend Duke or Case Western Reserve to major in Pre-Law. Favorite Quote: “Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.” -Dr. Seuss Greatest High School Memory: Mr. Singleton’s Honors Class.

Q: Why didn’t the turkey eat dessert?

A: He was already stuffed!

Joke Of the Month

15

PHOTO BY

S T U D E N T S

Shelby

November 2010

ATHLE T E S O F TH E M O N T H

J on ath an What different Fine Arts are you involved in?

I am a drum major for Marching Band, but in Symphonic Band I play the French horn. I am in both Show and Elite Choir as well.

Fact Of the Month In the average lifetime, a person will walk the equivalent of 5 times around the equator.

CAREER-TECH STUDENTS OF THE MONTH

Ke$ha “We R Who We R”

Russel Cross Country

PHOTO BY MCT CAMPUS

Key Statistics: Holds the school record running 3.1 miles in 15:36 minutes and also placed 6th in the state.

Accomplishments: He was the fastest junior, and is now the fastest senior.

Goals for the future: I want to run in a marathon.

Alice G o l f Key Statistics: Average for nine holes is 38 strokes, and average for eighteen holes is 76 strokes.

Accomplishments: She made history in Lady’s Golf for WHS by making it to states.

Goals for the future: Next season I want to improve by three strokes.

Sharlee Bailey Spencer

Sharlee

Engineering Design & Technology

Teacher Training

16

S PEAKOUT

THE BRUIN

November 2010

What are you thankful for?

My sisters, Kristen and Kelsey, and my beautiful friends.

-Kacie Stallman, 10

I am thankful for Claire VanFleet.

For my generous parents, my fantastic friends, and an amazing Cross Country team and coach.

-Joey George, 12

I am thankful for my mom’s home-made meatloaf and my electric blanket.

I am thankful for Chipotle in Wadsworth, and my friends that take me there.

I am thankful for my puppies that are very cute and love to play. A dog can also be a man’s best friend, not just man’s best friend.

-Elizabeth Rigot, 11

STUDENTS -Jon Davis,12

I’m thankful for my family and to have great friends. What else could you want?

-Brayden Sumney, 10

I’m thankful for my wonderful friends, family, and, of course, shopping.

-Haley Hassinger, 10

HALEY

PHOTO BY ELAINA LANSON

-Lauren Banks, 12

For my 1995 Ford Ranger and my skate and snowboard.

-Josh Weiss, 11

I’m thankful for my best friend Dominic Owens.

He may be number 50 on the field, but he is number 1 in my heart.

-Thomas Iverson, 12

THOMAS AND DOMINIC PHOTO BY HAYLEY MCQUATE

-Danielle Harrison, 9

To be in America!

-Eveline Ambuhl,12

I’m thankful for my friends and family.

-Danielle Edwards, 9

My friends and my family. I know they will always be there for me, I especially love how they make me laugh.

-Jenny Wise, 10

I am thankful for speedos, the swim team, and all of the parties. Also, I’m thankful for my teacher Mrs. Lance.

-Jacob Stephan, 9

DANIELLE PHOTO BY ELAINA LANSON

JACOB

PHOTO BY HAYLEY MCQUATE

Where is your favorite place to celebrate Thanksgiving?

We love to go to our cottage in Ontario. Since it is not complete, we roast turkey hotdogs over an open fire. Last year on Thanksgiving Day, as we drove up our driveway, 5 wild turkeys crossed the road in front of us. It was an awesome sight.

My favorite place to celebrate is anywhere that has food! I make about 5 different stops throughout the day visiting family and friends at each place, and I basically can’t move by the end of the day!

-Miss Johanna Benson

My favorite place to celebrate is at the old homestead... my parent’s house with my family!

We celebrate at our house. That is my favorite place to hold Thanksgiving because my in-laws do not like sports, and I like to control the TV that day!

On the coast of Oregon... a long walk on the empty, crashing beach after a huge meal is a joy I am thankful to have experienced.

TEACHERS -Mrs. Victoria Mathews

My favorite place is where ever my family is! That’s where I want to celebrate Thanksgiving!

-Mrs. Trish Swanson

-Miss Jan Richards

In front of the tv watching football!

-Mr. Robert Lynn

-Mr. Rich Berlin

My house! Everyone brings a favorite dish and I make 7 of my own pies. My family won’t eat any other pie!

-Mrs. Debbie Lake

MRS. TRISH SWANSON

MR. ROBERT LYNN

PHOTO BY HAYLEY MCQUATE

PHOTO BY ELAINA LANSON

MRS. VICTORIA MATHEWS PHOTO BY HAYLEY MCQUATE

-Mrs. Sarah Trausch

Down on the farm with the Yaggi’s!

-Mrs. Abby Elliot

At my house, where all of the relatives come over.

We have about twenty or so people at one time. One long table full of food.

-Mr. Jeff Collins

MISS JOHANNA BENSON PHOTO BY ELAINA LANSON