april 2009 issue

theleaf

FRIDAY April 24, 2009 | Volume LV Issue IX | 7400 Cornell Road | Cincinnati, OH 45242 | (513) 686-1770 ext. 3089 | www.goaves.com

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May 5 will be an important day for the district: voters will decide the fate of the Levy renewal vote. Should the vote pass, it will renew the five year,

$5.5 million levy that passed in 2004. Leading up to the date, those in favor of its passage are doing all they can in order to gather support. Spearheaded by campaign co-chairs Mrs. Connie Lindsay and Mr. Tom Kirkpatrick, sup-porters of the levy are focusing on getting out as much information about the levy as possible. Their campaign consists of mailing out information brochures to all registered voters in the district, sending mass e-mails, creating a Facebook group, as well as a website (www. sycamorelevy.com). These supporters are also focusing on register-ing seniors who are eligible to vote. The Face-book group was specifically created to target these students, and in addition, a table has been set up in the Commons to register seniors. “We would encourage all seniors who are of

Juvenile Diabetes fundraiserTo raise money to participate in a Juvenile Diabetes Research Foun-dation awareness bike ride this October, juniors Molly Cramer and Jackie Orent will be collect-ing change at lunch throughout the third week of May. The bike ride is 100 miles long and is in Death Valley, California.

Underclass awardsFor those invited, underclass awards will be held onWednesday, May 20 from 8 to 10 a.m. to honor subject medal-lion winners and other award recipients.

SEE1 concertThe Sycamore Electric Ensemble will be teaming up with Mark Wood and Jeff Plate of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra once again tonight at 7:30 p.m. for the annual SEE1 performance in the auditorium.

Prom, After PromProm is to be held on Saturday, April 25 from 9 to 12 a.m. at Paul Brown Stadium. After Prom is scheduled for Sunday, April 26 from 1 to 5 a.m. at SHS.

Senior issue of The Leaf The senior staff of The Leaf is still accepting photo submissions to be included in the May 15 senior edition. Be sure to include names of those in the photos, a return address, and a description of the photo. They can be brought to room 115.

New features in The LeafThe Leaf is currently in the midst of a redesign for the upcoming school year. This means several updates and changes. “Spotlight” has been moved to within the issue and a new “Snapshots” page has been moved to the back cover. The Sudoku has been temporar-ily discontinued. And be sure to check out the new columns in the Sports and Opinion sections.

Technology has become an integral part of education at SHS. Almost every class—whether English, or chemistry, history or not—has been encouraged this year to use Black-board actively. The shiny new toy this year was the wiki, but next year, it is projected to be school-wide “Wireless Fidelity” (Wi-Fi) compatibility. “Wi-Fi will be great for our school because it will promote twenty-first century learning techniques, as ad-vocated by Governor Ted Strickland in his State of the State address as part of his new education plan,” said Jeffrey Silverstein, 10. The hope for SHS is that the entire school will be completely Wi-Fi compatible by the beginning of the 2009-2010 school year.. At the moment, there are only a few “hot spots,” including one in the IMC. The fact that wireless internet con-nection will be available, however,

will JOHNSTONstaff writer

ellean ZHANGnews chief

snapshots

The Commons was buzzing with activity the eve-ning of Friday, April 3. In the center, OGB students and NHS members sat side by side, making crafts. Near the wall of the Little Theater, a group of kids huddled around a Wii, restlessly waiting for a turn to match each other in tennis, golfing, or bowling. In the gym, energetic elementary and middle school students jump-roped and hula-hooped while other students, encouraged by equally exu-berant NHS members, started up a rousing game of dodgeball. These 40 OGB students and 45 NHS members were participating in the honor society’s first lock-in with OGB, a local tutoring organization that caters to underprivileged students in the district. Because NHS members regularly tutor at OGB, the society decided to plan an evening of fun for the students. “It was a great experience for the children,” said Mrs. Wendy Langston, an OGB founder. She added that the event showed the OGB students that NHS tutors cared for them. The event went so well that OGB students are still talking about it. Fourth grader Keri Gordon said that the lock-in made her “feel really great.” The successful first lock-in laid the groundwork for a stronger relationship between OGB and NHS. The society’s president Abby Evans, 12, noticed an increase in interest in OGB among NHS members after the lock-in. In addition, juniors in NHS want to make sure that a similar event – and maybe more – will be held next year. “It was so rewarding to see the kids thank us [at the end],” said Katie Strickland, 11. “We should definitely do this again next year.”

daphne HSUstaff writer

age to get in to vote, but to discuss it with your parents first,” said Lindsay. Voters will be able to cast their ballot in several days. Of course, one can vote at the polls on May 5, but absentee (mail-in) voting is an option as well. This entails that one fills out an absen-tee ballot application (downloadable at www.hamilton-co.org) and then mails it in to the ad-dress listed on the top of the form.

Lobbyists rally support as vote on levy nears

>>PAGE 3: LEVY

does not mean that the school will be donating, smashing, or burning its desktop computers (a common mis-conception); all computers in place throughout the school will remain there for the time being. One dominant reason for installing universal Wi-Fi at school is that it would not only make life easier for those doing senior capstone projects, but also for everyone who has been denied computer time in the IMC due to the fact that a senior capstone class had a lab or two reserved. Most likely, students who have lap-tops will also be able to bring them to school and use them for internet resources or notes, etc.—with the teacher permitting. All the new technological additions to SHS: the new and improved Black-board, Smartboards, and Wi-Fi, are paving the way towards the school

‘We would encourage all seniors who are of age to vote’

Why-Fi?

>>PAGE 3: TECH CHANGES

image by jake newton

National Honor Society, Operation Give Back holds

first ‘Lock-In’

District plans for switch to wireless capability

BALLOT BOX

student services$3,877,100

transportation$3,845,100

extracurricular activities$1,448,000

teaching$37,901,000

sta� services$4,200,100

operation$6,884,400

misc.$7,972,900$

How is the levy money spent?

It takes millions of dollars to run the district. From transpor-tation to teaching costs, every dollar allotted in the budget is needed to allow the district to run smoothly.

NOT GETTING ENOUGH SLEEP is a problem that most teenag-ers face at this time of year. To get the scoop on the science behind why you need sleep, turn to pg. 13.

LOOKING FOR THE Spotlight page? It has been moved to the inside of the issue. But check out the new page, “Snap-shots,” on the back cover featuring photos from events around the school and com-munity.

27

6-8

26

18-20

2521-24

9-17

2-5

28

photo by michela tindera

BY THE START of the ‘09-’10 school year, the district plans to make the entire school building capable for Wi-Fi compatibility. Hopefully, students like Brad Stenger, 11 (above) will be able to use laptops everywhere in the building.

photo courtesy of terri torres

newsFRIDAY April 24, 2009

2

Excitement, curiosity, and anticipation reached peak levels in Mr. Breen Reardon’s English class as students from his ac-celerated English class gathered with bagels, donuts and juice on hand to hear the winner of the March Madness poetry competition announced. Of the two final poems that went head to head—“Continuum” by Kevin Witt, 11, and “Your brain on poetry” by Emily Hersman, 11. “Your brain on poetry” won Hersman the first place award of a free parking pass for the 2009-2010 school year. “It was exciting and very cool. I’m definitely going to enjoy driving to school next year, and knowing that my pass didn’t cost me $70 will make it that much sweeter,” said Hersman. Ironically, it turns out that the winning poem was actually the poem that was almost disqualified for being on two pages when it was entered, not following the one page limit. To maintain anonymity, students submitted their poems face-down and were instructed to not tell other students which poem was theirs. The other two poems in the final four were one by Annie Brant, 11, beginning with “The universe is a big, big, big glob of jelly,” and one by Alex Slone, 11, beginning with “Metal rings the doorbell sings.” In addition, two students who did not make it to the final four were recognized by Mrs. Christine Minano and Ms. Melissa Wolfe for writing exemplary poems. Spencer Wur-zelbacher, 11 and Laina Keim, 11, were the recipients. Because all submissions were made anonymously, students were constantly guessing at which student—or teacher, since Reardon himself and a few other teachers also made submissions—wrote which poem. Minano, Ms. Chris Allen and Mr. Michael Geyer submit-ted poems into the competition. Minano’s poem was titled “Around an ashtray,” Allen’s poem was titled “For _______,” and Geyer’s poem was titled “Versification.” Many poems were claimed by authors at the March Mad-ness party, satiating the questioning of many so that guessing was no longer necessary. “I actually was able to correctly guess a couple of the authors because when we were reading them aloud in class, two of them actually read their own poems, and they made it pretty obvious…to me anyway,” said Jing Xing, 11. Not only was the poetry competition a nice break from the usual, but students generally enjoyed it to its very last meta-phor, simile, and resonating voice.

‘March Madness’ poetry contest proves fun for all

Above, beyond:

One hundred points of extra credit is hard to come by in most classes, but Mrs. Rosemary Ennis provides this opportunity to her United States History AP classes every year—if they compete in the District tournament for National History Day. This year, four students took this opportu-nity, presenting projects and papers based on a research paper that Ennis’ classes wrote over winter break. All four students qualified for the State level tournament in Columbus, which will take place on April 25. The theme for History Day this year was “The Individual in History.” Jarann Pan, 11, competed in the website category and presented her research about Walt Disney’s impact and legacy in the animated film industry. Despite nerves about whether or not her website would work at the competition, Pan’s presentation impressed the judges, earning her a spot at the State tournament. “Website was sort of a new category this year, and I was interested to see how it would fare in its second year,” said Pan. Caroline Ibbotson, 12, the only senior to compete this year from SHS, presented her research about the [put exact topic here] with a tri-fold display. Ibbotson, who competed last year in the website category, earned her spot at the 2008 State tournament. This year, she im-pressed the judges again, and qualified for state. Rashmi Borah, 12, presented a modified ver-sion of her research paper for AP US History in the historical paper category. Borah wrote about the impact and legacy of Milton Friedman’s inflation theories during the 1970’s. This is also the second time Borah has qualified for state. Juniors Michela Tindera and Elise Gel-wicks competed in the group exhibit category, presenting a project about Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt. This was the second year in a row that SHS sent all competing members to the state tourna-ment. “The judges turned out to be pretty easygo-ing and that ten minutes seem to fly by really quickly since I didn’t have to say that much. The judges seemed to have enjoyed my presentation but there were a few flaws I had to work on,” said Pan.

Four students earn 100 points extra credit, qualify for State tournament

This dayin history

April

24

1704: the first newspaper in the United States, the New-Letter, is published.

1800: the United States Library of Congress is estab-lished.

1953: Winston Churchill is knighted by Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdon

A t Sycamore high school, the students are very diverse. With people from many different religions,

races, ethnicities, and backgrounds, the students have the opportunity to learn about different people and different cultures. One event that helped with this was Diversity Month and Diversity Day. Every Tuesday during this month, performers from various countries and backgrounds filled the commons with songs, dances and performanc-es. Also during Diversity Month came food. Food was brought in by parents and community members from other countries, and a multitude of samples were distributed to students so they could get a feel of what people in that country might eat on a regular basis. "I think Diversity Day is a good idea, because it helps students learn more from a culture they might not have known anything about other-wise," said Noah Yasgur, 9. Events that took place included Sal-sa dancing, African drummers, the SHS step team, and Chinese dancers. Food was brought in representing countries including Israel, China, the Philippines, Malaysia and India. "I think Diversity Day is a good way to mix cultures in Sycamore, and help people understand more about other people," said Dan Keith, 9.

Events came to a close with a closing ceremony on April 23rd, with a modified schedule set up to accommodate speaker Calvin Terell, as well as a video produced by Tom Seiple, 12.

Student responses to format Mrs. Robyn Jordan and her Diversity Month committee had been working hard since Novem-ber to organize the new schedule for Diversity Day this year. Students were both intrigued and disap-pointed by the new format. “I’m okay with the new format, but it’s during lunch so it isn’t as fun as last [time],” said Hong Liang Yu, 11. In previous years, the activities and workshops of Diversity Day were held on one day, usually at the

end of April. Both weeks have had positive responses from students, demonstrated by the long lines at the food sample tables as students lined up for Chinese pancakes. Some, however, have not been as pleased with the format. “The new format really takes away from Diversity Day. Before, you could actually interact and ex-perience the diversity. Now, it’s just another thing interrupting lunch when everyone really just wants to chill,” said Nate Eckman, 12.

New Diversity Day format successfulMonth of culture celebrated

rashmi BORAHeditor-in-chief

bennett KAPLANstaff writer

&



>>for more Diversity Day pictures, visit the new Snapshots page on page 28


STUDENTS LINE UP to sample chicken from India during one of the Diversity days that occured this month. Every Tuesday, performers from various countries brought stunning displays of cul-ture to the commons. Food samples allowed students to try delicacies from many countries

photo courtesy of jeremy mcdaniel

3newsFRIDAY April 24, 2009

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In recent months, seniors from the premier biotechnology class at SHS have been involved in myriads of presentations and

competitions in the area. The inten-sive two-year, two-bell-a-day course has allowed for students to prepare extensive, research-heavy senior capstone projects that have been receiving praise all throughout Ohio. Recently in March, many students submitted work at the University of Cincinnati Science and Engineering Exposition. Of the seniors who pre-sented their senior capstone projects at this exposition, all received recog-nition. In fact, many have advanced to the state level exposition. The team of Jennifer Andrews and Brent Gargano, which received a Young Scientist award from the University of Cincinnati’s College of Medicine, was chosen from this exposition for an all expenses paid trip to Reno, Nevada on May 10, to represent the University of Cincin-nati (and SHS of course) at the Intel International Science and Engineer-ing Fair (Intel ISEF). The Intel ISEF is the world’s largest international pre-collegiate science competition. It provides about 1,500 students from 52 countries a public forum in which to present their inde-pendent research projects. “Everyone did a great job,” said Andrews. “I was so excited to make it to state, but winning the trip to Reno for the international competition was the icing on the cake.” Regional awards were presented to Christina Bell, as well as the duo of John Goodwin and Scott Wright, by the United States Air Force. Others, including Christine Bacha, Edward Delara also received Young Scientist awards from the University of Cin-


SHS students take expos by stormBiotech provides unique opportunities

clockwise from left:tom seiple, 12 presents his environmentally-focused capstone project. Seniors Jen Andrews and Brent Gargano enjoy their UC nomination to compete at the Intel ISEF. Seniors John Goodwin and scott wright bask in their originality of their project on hair gel.

photo courtesy of mrs. beth quinones

>>CONT. FROM FRONT PAGE: LEVY

>>CONT. FROM FRONT PAGE: TECH CHANGES

dress listed on the top of the form. “I think it is important for you as a registered voter to exercise the right, and while I would like you to vote yes, it is essential that you get out and vote all the same,” said Lindsay. Should this levy vote succeed, it will not raise the property value taxes. Currently, residents are taxed $134 for every $100,000 that their house is worth. If the vote does not pass, the district will lose 12% of its budget ($9.1 million). As a result, further cuts would be necessitated through-out the district. Results from the vote should be made known by 11 p.m. on May 5.

district’s goal of establishing a “pa-perless, wireless school.” The inspiration of this idea came from Cincinnati’s very own Arch-bishop Moeller High School. Their philosophy on technology states: “Our goal…is to promote educational excellence by facilitat-ing resource sharing, innovation, collaboration and communication.” Currently, Moeller provides its students with laptops that are equipped with 24 different softwares that are useful learning tools, as well as WiFi compatibility throughout the school. This does not mean the change to a “paperless” school will come quickly, though. For next year’s seniors, and maybe even the senior class after that, this concept is not likely to in place by the time they graduate. Why does it take so long? “It takes time to educate the community,” said Mr. Chris Davis, principal. “Furthermore, there will have to be long term investigations made and conclusions drawn.”

cinnati’s College of Medicine. Still others including the team of Garret Listo and Chellsie Hass, received an award from the com-puter science group, and Tom Seiple received two awards for achieve-ments in environmental science. All of the above students who received awards at the regional level advanced to state. And many, in addition to regional recognition, received cash prizes as well. Furthermore, students who presented work in February also re-ceived accolades for their hard work. Haas received the Biotechnology Grand Champion award from the Ohio Tech Prep Consortium. And the team of Andrews and Gargano had also previously tied for first runner-up at the Southeastern Ohio Tech Prep showcase. Not quite finished with their blitz of public expositions, all senior bio-

technology students will be making more presentations in May. On May 7, projects will be presented in the University of Cincinnati, College of Applied Science’s Tech Expo at the Duke Energy Center, a collegiate level science exposition. And on May 9, students who had previously advanced to state from the regional competition will appear for another round at the Ohio State International

Science and Engineering Expo. The state competition awards some two million dollars in scholarships to the 1,200 students who compete at the exhibition. “Getting the chance to compete at state is incredible,” said Seiple, “Bio-technology has been able to open so many doors for me, especially in terms of college, and I’m finally beginning to appreciate that now.”

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newsFRIDAY April 24, 2009

4

Searching for reliable sources. Combing through extensive articles. Preparing concise note cards and elaborate

speeches. These behaviors indicate only one thing – Sophomore debates are fully in session. This activity leaves English teachers and their students abuzz in preparation for the assignment. Tenth graders delved into the fol-lowing proposition – Resolved: The State of Ohio should adopt the fol-lowing four components of Gover-nor Ted Strickland’s proposed edu-cation plan: 21st Century Learning; Expanded Learning Opportunities; High Quality Educators; Measuring Students Against the World. Although Strickland’s proposed system, the Education Reform and Funding Plan, includes many more components than those students be researched, the plan has been abridged for the purpose of ensuring clash within debates. As a result, the issue of any ex-penses the system would impose on the state is prohibited from being used as an argument against an op-posing team.

Filling responsibilities Obtaining the amount of informa-tion needed to be successful has proved to be no easy task – students have found that seeking out quality and reliable information requires

a substantial amount of time and effort. In order to accomplish all that is necessary, 10th graders have busied themselves collaborating with groups, recording information, and seeking out reliable books and online sources in the IMC during their English classes. Each team, consisting of a maximum of four individuals, must produce a total of four speeches: first affirmative constructive, first nega-tive constructive, second affirmative constructive, and second negative constructive. Documenting research and keeping track of sources on note cards is also a necessity. “I think that this will be helpful because we will understand it better,” said Lauren Barret, 10. However, the required number that each group must prepare varies among classes. In order to ease this workload, each individual in a team has been assigned a specific role that he or she is expected to fulfill. While some have committed to rebuttal, others will focus on writing constructive speeches.

Going head to head Sophomore debates officially began on Thursday, April 16. At this time, teams faced off against other teams from their class only. It was during

this round that students’ grades for the assignment were determined. “I’m so nervous about the debates,” said Bailey Dowlin, 10. “I don’t like presenting in front of other people.” Although the project was up until this point carried out with other members of a team, sophomores received individual grades for their performance. Confidence, gestures, and organization were a few among many factors that were taken into account. Following these in-class debates, which continued through Monday, April 20, each class voted for five students to participate in a second round in which different classes will go head to head. These individuals were those whom the students felt were best qualified to represent their class based on their previous performances. The second round will be held in the auditorium beginning on Tues-day, April 28 and continuing through Wednesday, April 29. As the second round of sophomore debates grow arguably near, students diligently work to ensure that they are prepared to take on the major assignment. “I’m nervous about talking in front of so many people, but I think that it will be fun to debate against other people,” said Barret.

Sophomore debate season in sessionStudents prepare to defend, attack four parts of new education plan

photo by elise gelwicksENGLISH 10 STUDENTS Jeffery Wolkoff, 10 and Sua Chang, 10 prepare for their first debate. The novice debaters compete amongst their class at first. Each class submits their best debaters to move on in the grade-wide competition.

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It is a very competitive world out there, not to mention in our own state. Students who attended the Ohio Math League (OML) contests are proud to say that their practicing was well-worth it. The end to this year’s OML led to a fierce battle between the rival districts of Sycamore and Mason. SHS celebrated the conclusion of the contest one week before spring break, while other districts, includ-ing Mason, took the OML two weeks later. When Sycamore took the six ques-tion quiz before most others, some were skeptical. The questions were leaked and students had the chance to discuss the problems with friends. But those from SHS displayed a strong sense of school pride and kept them secret. Final results of the OML showed Sycamore and Mason tangled in a tie. Because there is no tiebreaker mechanism, both schools will receive a first place plaque. Even with the tie, SHS is proud to say that they have emerged as one of the top in the state. “We've had a really great year.

Tons of people have come to the contest and done really well and that obviously shows. I’m so proud of everyone’s work,” said Esther Wu, 12, secretary of the Math Club. Many teachers offer extra credit to students who go to the OMLs. With difficult courses like geometry and pre-calculus, additional points are vital. This is only one reason why the amount of people who regularly par-ticipate in the contests has increased. Whatever the motivation, anyone and everyone who turned up to the competition, whether it be for one or for all, helped push Sycamore to the peak. The tie proved that both schools are equal in determination. “I’m very pleased with these results. Mason has some nationally-recog-nized math contest takers in their school, and to finish in a tie with them is an excellent accomplishment. Sycamore has a tremendous number of excellent contest takers, and that’s our strength – we have way more students capable of getting a perfect score on any given contest than does any other school in the state,” said Dr. Keith Brackenridge, math teacher.

emily BEGLEYbusiness manager

SHS ties in OML competition

‘Exponential’ rivalry:

A merican Sign Language, one of the global languages provided at SHS, is not just a class. The deaf culture is a

whole different world. Students are encouraged to go out into this silent world. Some ways to do this include events with Saint Rita’s School for the Deaf, silent din-ners, and the ASL show. This year will be the fourth an-nual SHS Signs 2009- the theme will center around the supernatural. Originally the show was scheduled for April but due to Mrs. Maggi Cobb-Wessling’s surgery the date had to be changed. The ASL show is now scheduled for Friday, May 15. It will begin at 7 p.m. in the little theater. Do not be late as seats are sold out quickly. Also, do not be surprised to see unfamiliar faces. When news about SHS Signs gets out into the community, we will have many deaf visitors including friends from Saint Rita’s School for the Deaf. “I am excited for the ASL show and a chance to meet other deaf people. It’ll be nice to go to a show that doesn’t require interpretation,” said Meghan Linz, 9. “We have many deaf students and adults attend, the show is for every-one. Some people don’t go because they don’t know sign language and

5newsFRIDAY April 24, 2009

they think there’s no sound and they won’t understand what’s going on, but that’s not true,” said Cobb-Wessling. Tickets will be $5 and most of the profit raised will go to the Sally Monahan ASL Scholarship fund. This scholarship is open to any senior who plans to major in ASL related fields in college. For those who know little about ASL this show will still be entertaining. “You wouldn’t expect such an entertaining show from a deaf group, if you don’t speak the language, but

jamie ALEMAGNOopinion chief

it’s just as good for deaf and hear-ing audiences. It’s cool for deaf and hearing people, it’s fun to watch,” said Bridget Hankins, 12. SHS Signs is not only to entertain a deaf audience but to introduce the deaf world and its culture in a fun exciting way. “Students sign songs, so the hearing audience hears the music and words, and the deaf audience sees it. It’s like watching a music video – it’s a visual and auditory experience,” said Cobb-Wessling.

Learning a global language is without a doubt difficult, and to earn exemplary grades consistently in a global language class is not an easy feat to accomplish. Those who dedicate time and effort and come up successful in any lan-guage offered at SHS were recognized on April 14, 2009 by being inducted into the Global Language Honor Society. The students being inducted came from a variety of languages. There were French, Spanish, Latin, Hebrew, Japanese, German and American Sign Language students being induct-ed into the society. The ceremony took place in the main theater.

After a performance by three ASL students to the Christina Aguilera’s “Beautiful” and a Spanish guitar song played by Gabe DeVela, 12, the inductions began. Students, mostly seniors, who had been inducted the previous year helped with the proceedings. Representatives from each global language holding a flag, led the students onto their places on and around the stage. In turn, a teacher from each lan-guage came to the podium and an-nounced the names of the inductees. Then, the students repeated an oath in their respective languages.

Students inducted into Global Language Honor Society

‘The deaf culture is a whole different world’

ASL plans ‘silent’ show

TO BE INDUCTED into the GLHS is an extremely prestigious honor. The variety of languages being offered was shown; from French to German. The ceremony began with a representative from each lan-guage holding a flag and ended with the inductees repeating an oath in their learned languages.

DURING THE GLHC induction ceremony, the ASL club performed for an impressed crowd to the songs of Christina Aguilera. Club member Jamie Alemagno, 11, showed of her signing talents. The club is sched-uled to perform a show May 15.

photo by jeremy mcdaniel

photo by jeremy mcdaniel

shivani PARIKHstaff writer

Take five for Sycamore...

voteyes!

onmay 5

www.sycamorelevy.com

Sycamore High School7400 Cornell RoadCincinnati, OH 45242

Editors-in-chief: Rashmi Borah,Michela TinderaManaging editor: Jake Newton

Mission Statement: The Leaf, the official newspaper of Sycamore High School, serves as an educational tool in the training of student journalists to provide information and editorial leadership concerning school, national, and world issues, to provide a public forum for the exchange of ideas and viewpoints, and to give coverage to news-worthy events directly related to the diverse school population. Editorial Policy: Although students work under the guidance of a professional faculty member, the content is ultimately determined by the student staff and should reflect all areas of student interest, including topics about which there may be dissent and controversy. Students cannot publish material that is obscene, libelous, or will cause “a substantial disruption of the educational process.” Content that may stimulate heated debate or discussion is not included in this definition.

PhotographerJeremy McDanielAdviserCheralyn JardineAbout usProfessional memberships:• Columbia Scholastic Press As-sociation• Great Lakes Interscholastic Press Association• Journalism Association of Ohio Schools • Journalism Education Association• National Scholastic High School Press Association• Ohio Professional Writers (Nation-al Federation of Women Writers)• Quill & Scroll International Jour-nalism Honorary

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Staff WritersBrittanny ArgyriouJamie AlemagnoDaniel BaylissEmily BegleyJimmy ChauChad ChessinEmily CohenS.M. DipaliKelsey DrapkinCatherine FaristElise GelwicksAlyssa HoeperElizabeth HoopesBennett KaplanJacob KatzBen KeefeMoriah KrawecEmma OhFrank PanShivani ParikhPaul PescovitzDaniel RickertGina RomeoEmma RosenMark Rubeo

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RetractionsProm ticket and parking ticket prices were incorrect in the March issue.Prom tickets are: 35 dollars for a single ticket and 65 dollars for two people. Parking pass tickets are four dollars, limos do not need a parking pass

staffeditorialcally, not to mention the direct effect it would have on education. And it is not getting cheaper to educate students – especially with the newly born threat of an overhaul in Ohio’s education system, which first plans appear to call for a tax increase. What does not call for a tax increase, however, is the levy. A major concern of the levy is the tax implications. But the growing myth that there would be a rise in taxes is just that – a myth. Keep in mind that taxes will not be affected by the levy renewal. The campaign is headed by co-chairs Mrs. Connie Lindsay and Mr. Tom Kirkpatrick, who, along with the levy supporters, are channeling their efforts toward spreading as much information about the levy as possible. Specifically, the co-chairs are targeting SHS seniors who are able to vote. The campaign has reached out to these students, as well as the rest of the community, through mass-email-ing, a Facebook group, and even a website – www.sycamorelevy.com. For seniors however, the opportu-nity to register lies right before them. A registration table has been set up in the commons and is accessible every day at lunch.

May 5, 2009: the future of the Sycamore Community School District will be hang-

ing in the balance. On the line is the renewal of a five year, $5.5 million levy created back in 2004. It is vital to the Sycamore District that the levy is passed to ensure the school’s continuation of quality and excellence in education. The Sycamore community has abundant wealth compared to similar communities in the area and the state of Ohio as a whole. The education at Sycamore High School is prestigious as well. When comparing the Ohio Graduation Test results to the rest of the state, SHS ranks higher than most in all five categories. The high quality education ex-tends beyond SHS. At the JH, 7th and 8th graders both scored higher on their testing, also compared to the rest of the state. Without the renewal, Sycamore faces losing 12% of its revenue and seeing a decrease in state funding. With the economy in its current turmoil, a decrease in the budget of this kind could be a catastrophic hit for the school district economi-

The tide is coming. The tide of dissent that is. April 15. Tax day. Tea parties across the nation show a rising number of people voicing their frustration at the rising burden of governmen-tal spending. Responsible adults do not wish to saddle future generations with debt that will be impossible to repay. This month (as well as many months to come, I am sure) will be dedicated to our shattering economy. In President Barack Obama’s opinion, the solu-tion would be throwing more and more money into the economy. The multiple attempts of the economic stimulus bill and attempts to revive the market have failed. While there may be “glimmers of hope” in the economy, it is unclear whether this “hope” is due to the ominously large sums of money Obama has thrown into it, racking up trillions of dollars in debt for the U.S., or if it is due to the cycle the economy has been going through since the birth of this country. If Obama were to look to the past, he would ob-serve a history of ups and downs in our economy, most obviously the Panics of 1837 and 1893 and the Great Depression. Therefore, this economic downturn is neither a surprise nor an unusual occurrence. The economy, like global temperature changes along with many other cycles we learn about in third and fourth grade, move in a cyclical motion, having a natural rise and fall. So what should we do with these failing banks, high foreclosure rates, and unemployment rates steadily rising? Nothing. The economy, if left to the basic laissez fare and free economy principles this country was founded on, will heal. There is no question. Artificially inflating the market with stimulus bills and handouts will do nothing but make the inevitable crash we are facing hurt more. If you were sitting in a chair only a couple inches off the floor and the legs collapsed, the stun of hitting the floor would shock you, but not kill you. In a chair ten feet from the floor? That’s a hit that would take a lot more out of you. And, yes, while our unemployment rate is 8.5%, that is nothing compared to the 25% faced in the Great Depression. And, yes, while the DOW is currently at 8029.62, that is nothing compared to the 40 to 200 range it had over the ten years of the Great Depression. There is no uncertainty that we are facing tough times. However, there is no question in my mind that the course of action being taken by Obama is heading in the wrong direction. A “steal from the rich, give to the poor” attitude is fine and good for Robin Hood, but let’s face it; Obama is not, nor can he be Robin Hood as leader of the free world. “Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results,” said Albert Einstein.

kelsey DRAPKINstaff writer

Kelsey’sConservative

Corner

image by brittany argyriou

opinion FRIDAY April 24, 2009

6

Q: What impact will the passing (or failing) of the levy have?

leafing through the masses

”

“ ”We are such a strong school district that if the levy doesn’t pass, we’ll still be pretty well off

-Sarah Woolhiser, 10

“ ”We won’t be fine if the levy doesn’t pass, because costs for extracur-riculars would increase

-Jack Henning, 9

“ ”Yes, I do think passing this levy is really important, because last time the levy didn’t pass our school district suffered

“ ”I think it is really important for the levy to pass, because our school is one of the best and we need funding to con-tinue our reputation of excellence

-Danielle Linz, 11

-Riley Able, 12

4-20

09class of

Senior Corner

mary ann JIANGstaff writer

In last month’s issue, the Senior Corner reasoned with readers not to text during class, to come up with other methods of exercising their privileged rapport with teachers and staff. Then the writer pledged that she would no longer maintain this rude, habit-building practice. That was Friday, March 13. I lost my phone on Wednesday, March 18. How, Mary Ann? How could you lose the phone that was already a gifted replacement after you dropped your last phone from a ten-foot ledge? How? When the ten-foot ledge victim was the replacement for another casualty of a rainy day and opened backpack pocket? I tried to follow the rules, you see. I tried to have integrity, respect, and honor. Then I lost my phone. My near 100 contacts, some irreplaceable and all annoying to regain, amass a bitterness that forces me to give rise to a new conclusion about using cell phones during school hours. Students, the answer to lost valuables, inevitably, is a fanny pack. Fanny packs, an archaic and tormenting scarlet letter of shame, can be the savior of utility hide-and-seek. Picture it, if people can already ignore visual appeal to actually wear crocs, they can handle a little Jansport tied around the waist. It works as a belt for those sometimes horrifying visuals of the sub-waistlines. It is its own portable surveillance camera: who in the world is going to reach for your fanny pack to take something that belongs to you. It makes sneaking any prized items in and out of hand much easier. Instead of bending to the side and acting like something in the backpack is stuck, just put your hands in your lap, keep them there, wait. Okay, see it’s over. Confiscation avoided. Surprisingly, a number of fanny pack retailers can be found. Overstock and PriceHot compete on the lucrative market with deals of $6.99 for polyester, $8.99 for polyester and a “ducky” print. That’s a bargain of 40 to 47 percent off. These days, one can not afford to have a cell phone in serious jeopardy of being lost. Nor can anyone entertain ignorance belying a silly purchase of CRFP’s. “Cincinnati Red’s Fanny Packs” ($69.99) to some. “Complete Rip-off Fannies, People” for the in-the-know market people. Try them on, find what you like. Consider ease of twisting, intrusion upon the middle area during sits, thickness of lining, versatility with wardrobe, number of pockets, and overall compatibility with your personal lifestyle. Brazilian writer and lyricist Paulo Coelho once said, “Every blessing ignored becomes a curse.” Now is not the time to ignore safety precautions for keeping your expensive valuables! Believing that what happens to one fool can never happen to you is foolish in itself! Fanny packs: I’m telling you. The 90s are back.

Going wireless:case of vanishing computers

A columnists’ mistake can be a valuable lesson

Pro Con

As the world evolves, it is continu-ously developing, constantly chang-ing the way people perform at home, school and work. The convenience of technology and the speed at which it develops plays a major role in the changes of today’s society. “The convenience of the computer helps me be able to finish papers before first bell that I should’ve done the night before,” said Tess Plona, 9. However, when considering com-puters replacing notebooks, it is im-portant to remember that technology can come with many ills and flaws, especially in a learning environment. Computers can be a distraction to learning. Many students could be found surfing the web during study time or homework. Although websites can be blocked, students almost always find a way around them. Thus, it is very likely that replacing notebooks and work-sheets with computers would cause disruption to the education process. “The computer is such a distraction for me if I’m doing my homework on

it. I’m tempted to go on Facebook a lot when I’m supposed to be doing my homework,” said Liz Avery, 12. Secondly, most adults will argue that the computer does all the work for students, not allowing them the opportunity to digest what they have learned. “Using computers can have a negative effect because this allows students to become more dependent on technology than we already are. Technology gives us more of a reason not to go to the library and look through books and have a cause to read,” said Dumebi Okonji, 11. When people listen to a lecture, the part of the brain that handles listening is immediately engaged. As students take notes, they create relations between the various bits of information being discussed. It seems that notebooks and worksheets are more beneficial than individual computers. Although the conditions may not be right for com-puters in classrooms today, maybe someday they will be.

Prohibition does not work. This fact was proven in the 1920s, and has been proven again by the failed War on Drugs that has cost the government billions of dollars and caused the “land of the free” to have the highest incarceration rate in the world. Marijuana use among teens and adults shows no signs of decreasing despite the continued efforts of law enforcement and the federal govern-ment. The hard truth is that the $12 billion spent annually on cannabis policy is money down the drain. Given the current economic situ-ation and the increase in spending, this is an outrageous and irrespon-sible waste of money that could be used to fix the healthcare system or fund research in alternative fuels. In contrast to the economic drain of Prohibition, Marijuana Legaliza-tion will simultaneously cut govern-ment spending, increase revenues, and create an entire industry of new jobs. If, as proposed by the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Law (NORML), a “harm-fulness tax” of $1.00 per normal dose of marijuana is introduced with legalization, it is realistic to expect as much as $6.4 billion in revenues from the tax. Again, over $12 bil-lion is currently spent each year on

controlling the cannabis plant. If the plant is legalized, that spending becomes zero. That is a net increase of $18.4 billion annually, over 5 times the amount of government funding for alternative energy research. Furthermore, the legalization of cannabis opens the door not just for a legal industry producing and distributing the marijuana drug, but also allows farmers in the US to grow industrial hemp, a strain of cannabis that produces strong fibers that can be woven into cloth. Hemp seeds are also highly nutritious, containing all of the essential amino acids and fatty acids. The new industries the plant creates will in turn create jobs, which is essential to reversing the current recession. Turning down all these benefits to enforce Prohibition of a substance that, by all scientific standards, is less dangerous than alcohol hardly seems logical. The government and the American people need to seriously reconsider the way they think about the canna-bis plant if we are to create a sensible drug policy based on pragmatism and compassion. America deserves better than another failed Prohibi-tion.

7opinion FRIDAY April 24, 2009

SHS will be undergoing a process over the next year that will provide its students with a chance to make their

own choice. In the 2009-2010 school year, students at SHS will have the op-portunity to bring their laptops and notebooks to work on instead of us-ing the computers that are provided. Students who choose to do this will benefit from the change and will be able to avoid some of the issues that come up when using the school computers. For one, students will not have to fuss with USB memory sticks and worry about losing them. The mini storage devices are very easy to lose track of and are near impossible to find when misplaced. On the same note, students who use the Digital Drop Box tool will no longer have to work with the service that is infamously related with being unreliable. “I once placed a huge assignment I needed the next day in the digital

drop box and when I went to open it, it didn’t work,” said Michael Bemmes, 9. Next year, students will only need to save their work on their laptop to be able to work from home or anywhere else they may be. Those who choose to bring their laptops or notebooks to school will also not have to deal with having to find an open computer when they need one. When a student needs to find a computer to type something up or to do research on, the odds of finding an open computer anywhere are slim. Another advantage of bringing a laptop or notebook to school is eliminating clutter. The portable computers only need wires for charg-ing and are easy to manage. By bringing your own laptop or notebook to school, technology problems can be avoided completely. All a student needs to do is take out their laptop and do the assignment. Going wireless will help make school hassle free.

End to marijuana prohibition could boost economy

It has long since been proven that the use of marijuana, as well as many other stimulants both legal and prohibited, is detrimental to the health of users, both in mental and in physical capacities. Marijuana is an addicting intoxi-cant, with users becoming dependant on the substance for years, or even decades. Any addictive substance or activity has potential repercussions, both physically and socially. As the marijuana addiction progresses, users find that greater usage is neces-sary to achieve the level of stimula-tion that their addiction demands. The use of marijuana has also been traced to a variety of afflictions and diseases. Among these are short-term memory loss, loss of coordina-tion, and impaired judgment. These problems at first only present themselves while the drug is being used; however, if the substance is repeatedly used or an addiction de-velops, these may become permanent afflictions. Marijuana can also affect emotional responses and behavior patterns. The ‘high’ experienced by users is often described as feelings of elation and of a freeing of anxieties. But it is one of the attractions of the drug, Like all mood-altering substances, there is the possibility of perma-nent personality alterations. As use

increases, many of the positive emo-tions induced may turn to feeling of depression and paranoia. Many of the diseases associated with tobacco and smoking are also frequently found in marijuana users, as both contain multiple carcinogens and enter the body through similar means (i.e., smoking). Marijuana, in fact, has at least 50 percent more carcinogens than tobacco, and for greater effect its users often inhale longer and more deeply than smok-ers with cigarettes. This increases signs of earlier appearances of respiratory cancers and other chronic diseases. The effects of marijuana are not just long-term damage, and are not seen only in addicts. The drug produces an increase in heart-rate, which, although enjoyed by smokers as a ‘rush,’ significantly increases the chances of a heart attack or stroke during use. These are just as likely to occur in first-time users as in addicts. There is no safe usage of marijuana, and there is no way to protect one’s self against the harmful and poten-tially fatal effects of the drug apart from total abstinence. It is therefore a positive that marijuana is illegal, in order to help protect against these and other harmful effects.

jimmy CHAUfeature chief

emma OHfeature chief

mark RUBEOwebmaster

jacob KATZwebmaster

As technology develops, schools may have to start changing to wireless networks. Some feel that this is the correct path, while others say the change could cause a distraction. (Left) enrico deluca, 12, uses the laptop that the school provides to work on a project while (right) Avni Bapat, 9, chooses to write.

But are health risks worth it?

8 opinion FRIDAY April 24, 2009

Up 243, down 358, up 115, down 111, our stock market is a roller coaster. Its value typically is correlat-ed with the strength of the America economy. Lately the market has been on a slight upward slope. Is it the nearly one trillion-dollar stimulus package entitled, the Amer-ican Recovery and Reinvestment Act? It has expectations to restore health to the bleeding economy, but the controversy surrounding it is as equally as influential as its appropria-tions. Many critics openly call America a socialist country, making ignorant parallels to a Stalinist regime in the white house. Little do they recognize the importance of a nation united in a time as dire as this. Not only is Barack Obama frowned upon as a pawn of his secretary of the treasury, Timo-thy Geithner a one-dimensional economist. Besides openly criticizing the Obama’s administration without providing another sort of solution, critics have failed to see the impor-tance of bail outs, which they so fervently dislike. Without bailing out companies like Citigroup and General Motors, millions lose jobs further dampening a drenched economy. Obama’s policies seem radical, but a strong assertion of federal authority on the economy in a recession can spare the county from a depression. By investing the government money in a capitalist economy, free enter-prise is limited, but is fixed. No invisible hand can guide America out of this trouble, and for this reason the government must get involved. America’s economy is being reshaped by the stimulus package as it is entering every facet of business and industry. This influx of govern-ment intervention will hopefully save this drowning economy, but the future is uncertain. The most important factor in the rebirth of an American era is a united public. Dwelling on the past will change nothing. Being positive and doing ones share to help is what will lift the country up.

Many critics openly call America a socialist coun-try, making ignorant paral-lels to a Stalinist regime in the White House. Little do they recognize the impor-tance of a nation united in a time as dire as this.

ben DHIMANstaff writer

Stimulus:Obama’s plan for economic revival does not equate to socialism

I do not know about you, but when I visualize a debate I see stu-dents passionately arguing, speaking loudly, shaking their fists, and so on. I see sweat beading on the debat-ers’ foreheads, their eyes narrowing as they challenge their opponent to refute their arguments. I know this may be an exaggerated perception of debate. If the debate is not as dramatic to witness, I would at least imagine the topic to be con-troversial and easy to get passionate about. This year’s sophomore debate topic, on Governor Ted Strickland’s new education proposal for Ohio, does not exactly fit that mold for me. The topic explores four aspects of Strickland’s proposal that, while not exactly exciting, allow us as students to delve deeper into the education system that we are a part of and involve ourselves in something im-portant that is going on in our state right now and would deeply affect us if it went into effect. The proposed plan that has been called revolutionary by many after it was brought forth in Strickland’s State of the State address basically

A lthough many students feel overwhelmed by the idea of taking a college level course in high school, the

opportunity it provides is endless. The obvious reason to take the challenging course is for college credit. If one is able to do well on the culminating AP exam taken in May, the course will not need to be be taken in college, therefore leaving more time to take other courses or to relax. “I am so happy I took AP classes throughout high school because I

do not have as much work in college and am not as stressed out. I have more time to relax and hang out with my friends and also have the option of taking fun classes instead,” said Helen Chang, `08. Even if passing the AP exam is seemingly impossible, the fact that one can get familiar with the material provides huge benefits. “I took AP Calculus my senior but did not do so well on the final exam. I am taking Calculus my freshman year and I feel more comfortable with the calculations compared to

calls to revamp most of what we have been doing and still do in schools today. Sophomores have been assigned to gather information and formu-late arguments either defending the status quo and attacking the new plan or supporting the new plan and attesting to the wrongs in our current system. When I learned that this was our topic, I admit I was a little disap-pointed. At that point I wanted to debate something I cared a lot about and knew I could argue for or against confidently. I was not alone in this, many students around me were displaying the same reaction. After beginning the long, tedious process of research that comes with sophomore debates, I realized as I wrote speeches and gathered note cards, that this topic was not so bad. The way I see it, the topic has a lot of evidence for both sides, and is extremely pertinent to us today. Being learned on this topic will ul-timately prove to be beneficial to us, and I am glad we have been required to research and debate it.

elise GELWICKSstaff writer

AP Classes: May be difficult but benefits are advanced

Despite difficulties, debate will be beneficialshivani PARIKH

staff writer

the rest of my peers,” said Faisal Rahman, `08 The reason why I choose to take AP classes is not for the college credit, but for the experience. I hope that by the end of my senior year, college will not seem as intimidating because I have already experienced what it is like to handle a college load of work. Due to the recent economic reces-sion, another proponent for AP classes is that one does not have to pay for the course when they go to college. Taking the college level class in high school is much cheaper than

taking it in college. “Although taking multiple AP classes can be time-consuming, it is worth it because I will not have to pay for the class in college if I do well on the final exam. Especially with the current recession, I am sure anyone would agree that saving money is very beneficial,” said Josie McKinnon, 11 Going to college is scary enough. You do not need the added stress of worrying if you can handle the homework; taking AP classes ensures that you will be prepared and ready to succeed.

Four speeches, topics of discussion

all photos by jamie alemagno

MAX RIEHEMANN, ALLIE Martin, Allie Englehart and Robert Stein are one of the many sophomore debate teams discussing Governor Strickland’s policies. Here, they are in the middle of their cross examination. Debates began on April 16, and will continue on through the end of the month.

photo provided by staff

photo by jamie alemagno

9feature FRIDAY April 24, 2009

HIGH

LIGHT

Sth

is m

onth

in f

eatu

re

AP exams fast approaching last minute study tips, adviceAP exams are just a couple weeks away, and hopefully preparation for them began weeks ago. But for those who have yet to crack open their notes, there is still hope. Follow these four tips to quickly yet thoroughly review material.1. Look at your old test scores to find out what units were the most difficult. Everyone probably has a unit where they strug-gled a little more than usual. If that is the case, go back through those units and review them first. If you purchased a review book, go through all of the practice questions in that section.2. Buy flashcards instead of a review

book, if you have not purchased either. At this point in time, a review book will not be of much help. Instead, buy a set of flash cards for the particular subjects you are studying. Kaplan and Barron’s sell boxes of 500 to 600 note cards for $19.95 and $18.95, respectively. Separate the cards into stacks and review them methodically.3. Go through practice test questions. There is no better way to prepare for the AP exams than to go through past AP questions. Col-legeboard.com’s AP test page has the actual test questions from the past few exams for most AP subjects.

Cancer never sleeps. One in three people will be diag-nosed with some kind of cancer in their lifetime.

“Relay for Life is a great function for high-schoolers. The actual event is so much fun that students are motivated to go out and raise money for a really good cause. It’s very, very unfortunate, but cancer affects so many individuals,” said Emily Boutilier, 11. Once again, students from SHS and surrounding schools will pitch their tents on the soccer stadium’s field outside the school. The event officially begins at 5 p.m. on Friday, May 8 and ends at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 9. The event’s theme this year is “Back to the 80’s” because it is Re-lay for Life’s twenty fifth anniver-sary in operation. So far the event has 108 teams with 891 participants registered which is an increase from last year as the team limit for the event rose from 100 to 120 teams. Another change for this year’s event is that it is being chaired by a student, Esther Wu, 12 as opposed to an adult as it always previously has. “It’s a lot of work when you actu-ally get into it,” said Wu. “But I’m really excited. I hope everything runs smoothly as it is my last high school Relay event.” Along with walking around the track all night, there will be lots of activities and entertainment for participants. SHS bands’ Static Vessels and Bril-liant! Let’s Talk will be performing

RELAY FOR LIFE has been a major fundraising event throughout the nation for the past 25 years. The American Cancer Society has been extremely successful in past years. They have successful in getting high school students in the community excited about raising funds, as well as awareness and support for cancer research.

along with Moeller’s Motions and Last Year’s Resolution as well as the acappella groups MAGIC and 2B#. Staple activities like relay races, dance-offs, karaoke, and dress-up contests will also be taking place all night long. And of course, perhaps the most touching of activities will be the

photo courtesy of gabirose keeton

25 years of Relay for Life:Student leads as chair for first timemichela TINDERA

editor-in-chief

Luminaria ceremony that will take place soon after the sun sets. “I hope people will remember what Relay for Life is all about,” said Wu. As of press date, $26,366.62 has been raised for just the Montgomery Area even alone. “RFL brings together a huge web of people - friends, families, survivors-

4. Do not try to cram. The AP test does not expect you to know every single fact about every single subject, and given the short amount of time, cramming may cause you to forget more material. Continue to systemati-cally and methodically review whatever material you can. Since the AP exams are graded on a bell curve, getting one or two questions wrong most likely will not bring your grade down. While tak-ing the exam, if you do not know the answer to a question, skip it and go on—you will lose a quarter point for every wrong answer. Try to get as many points as you can, given the time and knowledge you have.

Mon: Mon:

US Govern-ment and Politics

Comparative Government and Politics

French Lang.

Tues: Tues:

Comp. Sci. A, AB

Span. Lang

Statistics

Wed: Wed:

Calculus AB, BC

Chinese Lang.

Thurs: Thurs:

English Lit.German Language

Japanese Lang.French Lit.

Fri: Fri:

US History

European HistoryStudio Art portfolios due

8 A.M

12 P.M.

Biology

Music Theory

Physics BPhysics C: Mech.Physics C: Elec/Magnitism (2 PM)

Environ. Science

Chemistry

Psychology

Italian Lang.English Lit.

Art History

Macroecon.World Hist.

Microecon.

Human GeographySpanish Lit.

Latin Lit.Latin: Vergil

Week TwoWeek One


who have all been touched somehow by this disease. It’s a great opportunity to share stories and experiences, and to remember and honor those who have battled cancer,” said Boutilier.

Find out what signals are being sent your way. See page 17 for body language

Missed the AP Euro-pean trip? See page 15 for photos, recap

Recognize this skyscraper? See page 16 to read about the Tribune Tower

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10 featureFRIDAY April 24, 2009

leah BURGINstaff writer

Environmental Club grows plans for Earth WeekMembers discuss potential activities to raise awareness

After a brief hiatus over the winter months, Environ-mental Club is back with new projects and events

– namely, Earth Week and the rain garden. Earth Week will be April 27 to May 1. An all week bake sale is planned to raise money and awareness for the environment. As club president Becca Muskat, 12, explains, the week’s theme is ‘reduce, reuse, and recycle.’ “Monday and Tuesday will be ‘re-duce,’ Wednesday and Thursday will be ‘reuse,’ and Friday will be ‘recycle.’

“We will provide fun facts and tips throughout the week to help people develop reduce, reuse, and recycle habits,” said Muskat. The highlight of Earth Week will be on Friday after school: a recycled boat race. Participants will make a boat out of recycled materials and race each other in either the pool or the pond. “A recycled boat race sounds awe-some,” said Ana Maria Martinez, 12. During the week, club members will also be selling club t-shirts for $10 and bumper stickers for $2. All proceeds will be used for club

projects to beautify SHS and make it eco-friendly. “The club t-shirts are green with the ‘(RED)’ theme going on. They say ‘R(ECO)GNIZE’ on the front. They are also very classy and cost $10. So you should really buy one,” said Daphne Hsu, 12, club communica-tions director. In addition to planning and orches-trating Earth Week, club members are starting the planting process for SHS’s new rain garden. The rain garden will sequester toxins out of the water that flows off the school parking lots, so less pollution will

reach the county’s water shed. The project is student-driven, with mentors from the Ohio River Foundation coming once a week to instruct students on the science of the rain garden. “Students get to make all the deci-sions,” said Ron Hochstrasser, club adviser. “We get guidance from the Ohio River Foundation and they teach us how to plant and take care of the garden. They give us the op-tions and we figure out what works best. In the coming weeks, there will be classes on how to do the calcula-tions needed, what plants to select,

and how to construct a plan for the actual garden. We hope to start building and planting soon.” In addition to weekly meetings with the Ohio River Foundation, Environmental Club will have its next meeting on April 23 in room 238 after school. Club members are expected to sign up to run events during Earth Week, stay for the ORF lecture, and stay after for recycling. “Stay involved!” said Daniel Boger, 12, club treasurer. “We have so many awesome events coming up and you’ll want to be part of it.”

Beginning on Apr. 27, Environmental Club will initiate Earth Week - a series of daily activities aimed at raising environmental awareness. This year’s theme is ‘reduce, reuse, and recycle.’ Each day, fun facts and tips will be provided pertain-ing to one of these three aspects.

Monday, Apr. 27 - Earth Week will kick off focusing on the ‘reduce’ aspect of the theme, with activities centering around the idea.Tuesday, Apr. 28 - activities will stem off of Monday’s, continuing to center around ‘reduce.’Wednesday, Apr. 29 - this will be the first day that activities will revolve around the concept of ‘reuse.’Thursday, Apr. 30 - the day will again be dedicated to ‘reuse.’

Friday, May 1 - activities on this date will entail the subject of ‘recycle.’Environmental Club will also host a recycled boat race after school.Environmental Club will also be holding a bake-sale and selling club t-shirts and bumper stickers throughout the week in the commons.

Earth Week Schedule

Side Dishes- Chips, pasta salads, or fruit are all quick and delicious things to eat on a picnic. If there are a lot of people coming to your bash, consider making it a potluck where everyone can bring one side or dessert.

Beverages- Homeade lemonade is always a picnic classic, however if short on time, picking up a two liter at your local grocery store also works wonders. Don’t forget the cups!

Dessert- Brownies and cookies are good suggestions for dessert as they have little mess and there is no need to worry about anything melting.

Activities- There are a plethora of things one can do at a picnic besides stu�ng their faces. Frisbee, baseball, twister, and blowing bubbles are all fun-�lled activities one can do at a park or other picnic area.

Blanket- Depending on how willing you are to rough it, you could bring a blanket to use as a tablecloth or to lay on the grass.

Main Dish- There are many options when it comes to the main dish of your picnic. These can range anywhere from fried chicken, pizza, or PBJ sandwiches.

photos courtesy of google.com

Creating your perfect picnicStudying for AP exams and finals can be a huge drag if stuck indoors all day. However, with just a few simple supplies that all fit so conveniently into one basket, you can spend an afternoon with friends sipping lemonade, enjoying the great outdoors, and memo-rizing Henry VIII’s wives all on a comfy blanket.

michela TINDERAeditor-in-chief

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11featureFRIDAY April 24, 2009

Summer is a time for kicking back, relaxing, and taking a break from what dominates most teenag-ers’ lives: school. However, after multiple days of going to bed late and sleeping the afternoon away, summer can become tiresome. The lazy days that once seemed so ideal begin to feel routine and boring. Sometimes, this is a situation that cannot be controlled. With our deteriorating economy, students are not capable of affording what they used to. Here are some ways to spice up your summer without breaking the bank.

1. The Beach WaterparkCooling off has never been so appealing. With more than 45 thrill-ing water rides, The Beach is the top-rated water park in the region. Regular admission is $27.99, but af-ter 4 p.m. the cost is a mere $13.50. Pack some snacks beforehand to save even more money.

2. Drive-in Movie TheatersDrive-ins are classic, and complete-ly fun. For only $6 a ticket, a person can enjoy a movie in their car, outside, or with a group of friends. Places like Holiday Auto Theatre of-fer first run films and classic double features. Movie times can be found by calling ahead to and (513) 929-2999.

3. Hit the Public PoolHaving a membership at the local pool is one of the smartest invest-ments to make of the summer. The pool is a great place to cool off, get a tan, and get in some exercise. Swimming is one of the best ways to get fit over the summer. Also, most public pools have a work-out facility included in the membership deal. Make the best of the summer while getting fit in the process.

4. Picnic in the ParkThis is cheap, fast, and really fun. All a person needs to do is gather a group of friends and go to Kroger for food. Buy an entrée of choice, a communal bag of chips, and some sodas. Then take that meal to a park like Swaim, Weller, or Sharon Woods and find a spot that you find comfortable. Enjoy good food and friends for only as much as the group is willing to spend.

5. Save money for a special dayIn reality, it is very unlikely to go through summer without dropping down some serious cash to pay for one thing or another. However, continue to save up money, and it will build up faster than any-one could ever imagine. After a significant amount is saved up, hit the town and splurge a little. Some ideal places to go are Newport on the Levee, downtown Cincinnati, or even just Kenwood Mall. This is a way of rewarding oneself after a successfully (and cheaply) spent summer.

Kings Island is one of the most popular summer destinations for students, with a wide variety of rides for thrill-seekers of varying degrees. Therefore, it comes

as no surprise that the park’s newest attraction demands so much attention. After its completion towards the end of April, the Diamondback, a hyper roller coaster, will provide those who visit with much more than a new source of excitement.

Record-breaking statistics Measuring 230 feet tall at its highest point and stretching a total of 5,200 feet long over 10 acres of land, the ride will be the tallest roller coaster ever established in King’s Island. “It is taller than the Eiffel Tower at Kings Island,” said Austin Hoard, 10. The Diamondback continues to shatter records with its maximum speed. Reaching an astounding 80 mph, the expansive ride spans a period of only three minutes, earning it the title of the fastest ride in the park.

Construction Despite the immensity of the roller coaster, the structure was erected in a relatively short period of time – construction on the project began in Oct. 2007. The Diamondback will be the first of the park’s rides designed by B&M, or Bolliger and Mabil-lard Consulting Engineers – a successful company that currently has over 70 roller coasters operating worldwide. Due to the expansive size of the ride, expenses surmounted quickly – Kings Island has made a $22 million dollar investment in their premiering ride.

Unique experience At the unveiling of their new coaster, Kings Island hopes to present its visitors with a com-pletely new ride that will offer a unique experience. Multiple features the coaster exhibits will assist in obtaining this desired effect. “The trains on Diamondback will feature unique, open-air stadium-style seating that will allow

riders to experience an unobstructed view of all the thrills and excitement on one of the world’s best roller coasters,” said Kings Island collectively on its official Web site. “We will be the first park in the United States with trains of this style on a roller coaster.” Upon riding the coaster, passengers will be taken through a series of towering hills at lightning-paced speeds. A splash pool has been implement-ed at a point just before returning to the station. “It has close to six drops and has new seating,” said Hoard. “When you are going up the first hill, your back is 90 degrees the ground. It also has a splash at the end.” To view videos of the Diamondback, including a first-person simulation of the ride, visit http://www.kidiamondback.com. As the opening of Kings Island’s long anticipated roller coaster draws near, students are thrilled about a new and exciting experience. “I would love to ride it, but I don’t know if I could handle it,” said Bailey Dowlin, 10.

Image by jimmy chau

THE COLOSSAL NEW King’s Island attraction has recently been established in the park after months of construction and has many coaster lov-ers excited. The Diamondback measures 230 feet tall from the ground to the highest peak. The coaster spans almost a mile long and features stadium style seating for the rider.

New roller coaster thrills studentsRecord-breaking Diamondback source of excitement

Summer fun:

Enjoy break without spending too much moneyemma ROSEN

a&e chief

emily BEGLEYfeature chief

Love music?If one own’s large speakers rent them out to prospective party hosts. As long as the equipment remains intact by the end of each night, renting out party equipment is another easy way to make money while doing very little hard work.

Animal loversAdvertise a house as a place for neighbors to leave pets when they go out of town instead of the kennel. Convince pet owners that the house can offer more individual attention for their pet than the competing kennel in order to succeed.

Personal grocery shopperEnjoy shopping for groceries? This could be a good choice. Relieve neighbors and relatives of their chores while making some money at the same time. The elderly are also potential customers.

Tutor neighbors, classmatesIf one excel’s at math or any other school subjects, help peers and younger children to succeed. Teenage tutors can make anywhere from $10-$20 an hour, which is much more than what McDonalds pays.

Unless students have been living under a rock for the past year, they already know that the economy is

falling apart. With many companies losing money and laying off workers, it is not exactly an ideal job market; especially for an unskilled teenager. But do not give up on that dream of purchasing a used car just yet, for there is still hope. Despite the deep recession America finds itself in, Cincinnatians still require basic goods and services. There are several reasons why the current economic condition would be beneficial to potential high school entrepreneurs. The recession has caused many people to rethink the value of what they pay for. If a new business opens that provides cheaper goods than what they are paying for, they would be more likely to switch. Also, the many businesses that are closing provide opportunities for new businesses to take their places.

Teenagers do not have to live off of the profits of their business or feed a family with it, making it nearly impossible for the venture to ‘fail.’ Typically, most businesses run by teenagers include only themselves. Not having to pay employees allows the owner to sell his product for a lower price than what a larger, more traditional business would sell it for. Also, a businesses that teenagers

will start will not be required to pay taxes, saving the business money and increasing the profit margin. Starting a business as a teenager is like making a down payment on the future.

It provides invaluable real world experience for getting a ‘real’ job as an adult. It may even help one get accepted into college. Colleges would be impressed by a student’s initiative and may be accepted over someone else who scored higher on the SAT So why not start a business? There is little to lose and everything to gain.


How to start simple, profitable businessWhy the recession may help teenage entrepreneurs

JOEY CRUSHAM, 10, turns in his application to Tom Smith, a manager at Midwest Sports Tennis Outlets. Jobs are scarce for SHS students. Although Midwest Sports says that it is hiring, many of its positions are already filled by high school and college students. “If I do not get the job, I will probably try and mow lawns for people or something like that,” said Crusham.

Q&A with Mr. Jeff Goldstein, President, CEO of Ingenuity Advisers

What is the product that you sell called and what is it supposed to do?Repelle Hair Color Stain Shield is used by mostly women or their hair stylists to keep hair color from staining their skin.

How did you come up with this idea?

I learned of a product that was used in furniture plants to protect people’s skin from furniture stain and thought, “there must be other things that people would want their skin protected from.” Then I did some research with people and hair stylists and found out that hair color stains skin, and there weren’t good products

Is the recession making it more difficult for you to market your product?

The recession is making it harder to sell new products and to get financing for small com-panies. You just have to keep fighting through that.

What advice could you give to a teenager thinking about starting a business?

One, starting a business successfully requires a good idea that people want, a product that delivers what they want, PLUS a way to make,

What kinds of businesses do well in a recession?

Tough economic times make it more important than ever to make sure your product delivers something people really want at a better value than other options.

How is it different to start a business during a recession?

You have to work harder and have more reasonable expecta-tions. New customers may take longer to find. Good value is key – but value is in how you “frame it”. They’d rather pay the lower amount up-front. So you have to deliver good value and be creative in how you talk about it.

photos courtesy of jeff goldstein

1Determine your strengthsThis is the most important step in starting a business,

because it is sure to fail if the owner does not enjoy working on it. For example, an art lover could make pretty beads and trinkets and sell them at a flea market.

2Plan your strategyAny business, no matter how small, needs a plan in order

to succeed. It is imperative to decide what product or service to offer, the cost to produce it, and the target customers.

3 Spread the wordThis may seem obvious, but if the product or service is

not advertised, it will not attract customers and make money. Advertising may mean creating a flyer or by simply talking to friends and relatives about the business.

4Start smallBe patient once the business is officially open. On average,

it takes a business two to five years before it becomes profitable. Obviously, it will not take anywhere near that long before it starts making money, but it is unrealistic to expect customers to start lining up immediately after the business opens shop.

5Keep customers happy Once the business has a steady base of customers,

continue providing them with the best customer service possible. These customers can be great advertisers for the business if they are happy with its services. By talking about the business positively to their friends, the business will soon have an even larger number of customers.

Five easy steps to starting business

gabe ENGLANDERopinion chief

Babysitting referal serviceParents of young children are constantly looking for quality babysitters. Set up a web site with potential babysitters that parents can view. Then, charge the babysitter for connecting them with a customer.

”Your best work always comes from working hard on something you’re passionate about.

-Mr. Jeff Goldstein, entreprenuer

photos courtesy of staff

out there for preventing or removing the stains.

market and sell the product profitably. Two, new businesses always take longer and cost more than you think. Three, No entrepreneur would ever start a business if they listened to every objection that comes up. Your best work comes from working hard on something you are passionate about.

‘Teen•ag•ers–noun: breeding hormones, mood swings, too much slumbering’

Students not getting enough sleep

Freshmen who admit they go to bed at nine o’clock are surely teased, but they have good sense behind their ac-

tions. It is simple math: if you wake up at six in the morning for school, going to bed at nine is the only way you can get a full nine hours of shut-eye. “Lat year, I went to bed at nine,” said Daniel Brooks, 10. “But this year, I have too much work to enjoy that luxury.” Ideally, teenagers should be get-ting nine to ten hours of sleep every night, but a survey conducted by the National Science Foundation concluded that only 20% of teens got that adequate amount of rest, with high school seniors averaging 6.9 hours of sleep each night.

Wastefulness of sleep The simple truth is, sleeping is just not “cool.” When you were younger, you did not pride yourself in being the one sent to bed early, but in being the one allowed to stay up later with the rest of your family—that was the ultimate coolness, and you got this feeling in your gut that made you feel more “growed up.” In the later hours of the day, there are so many other things teenagers could be doing besides sleeping. On school nights, instead of sleeping, teens could be watching their favorite shows, Facebooking, texting, calling, listening to music, engaging in AIM conversations, and possibly even do-ing homework and studying. On Friday or Saturday nights, many teens may feel that partying into the a.m. (or their version of it, for those intense “gamers”) is a good course to take because they can always catch up on sleep the next day by waking up at noon. “The weekend is my time to just sleep in a little more and be a little lazier becuase the rest of the week is so busy,” said Ellie Caldwell, 11. “Even then, I feel like there could be so much more to do besides sleep, like hang out with my friends.” Though it may seem like “catching up” on sleep during the weekend is a good solution to deprivation during the school week, it does not work quite the same way. Binge sleeping is comparable to eating grease-covered, coma-induc-ing foods during the weekdays, but salads on the weekends, and claiming that you are eating healthily. The idea is absurd. People sleep every night for a reason, and it is not merely because of the external influence of night and day, but it is necessary in maintaining the inner workings of each individual’s body.

Your body at rest Sleep is a time for the body to really start the work it cannot do when you are awake. Looping through cycles of Non REM (Rapid Eye Movement) and REM sleep, the body carries out functions ranging from damage control to memory consolidation, so catching those Zzz’s is crucial. One force that continually works to damage your body’s cells during your waking hours is free radicals. They are highly unstable molecules that hog electrons from other molecules,

making that molecule unstable in return, causing a damaging chain reaction. You may have heard that antioxidants are great for fighting against the working of free radicals, but often times, body cells divide to produce new ones to replace com-promised cells. Brain cells, however, cannot usually divide to produce new brain cells (with the exception of the hip-pocampus, which is involved with learning and memory). This is where Non REM sleep comes in, providing the conditions in which enzymes can work more efficiently to repair non-dividing brain cells. If anything, inadequate sleep takes it out on your brain cells. REM sleep, still somewhat of an unsolved mystery to scientist, seems to be strongly linked to memory con-solidation. Many scientists believe that during REM sleep, memories that often go unnoticed day to day are relived in the form of dreams. However, these are the dreams you wake up to, certain you dreamt, but remembering nothing. This “replay,” which occurs in the hippocampus, is believed to help consolidate memory as permanent information in the neocortex of your brain. Though scientists are not certain of this phenomena, experi-mental evidence strongly suggests something along these lines. So next time you decide to compensate sleep with cramming for exams, know that it may not be the best way to go, be-cause waking up after a restful night of unconscious work might surprise you in the morning after all.

Consequences of sleep deprivationCase study: world recordIn 1965, the longest recorded period of deliberate sleeplessness was ob-served for a science experiment. The subject, 17 year-old Randy Gardner, stayed awake for 11 days (264 hours). Though he did not have the aid of stimulants, Gardner did have assis-stants who were with him to keep him awake. Taking into account that even two sleepless nights can have a significant effect on one’s body, it is no surprise that symptoms of sleep deprivation popped up right and left. On the fourth day, he had delusions. Not only did he think that he was Paul Lowe, winning the Rose Bowl, but he also mistook a street sign for a pedes-trian. On the eleventh day, Gardner was asked to count backwards from 100, but stopped short, forgetting what it was that he was doing.

Hormone imbalanceIn athletes, sleep deprivation can lead to de-creased levels of a human growth hormone that is important for repairing and building muscles. It can also trigger higher levels of cor-tisol, a stress hormone with a variety of func-tions. Too much cortisol can work to weaken the immune system significantly, suppressing the proliferation of T-cells which are a crucial componenet of the immune system.

MicrosleepWhen the body is deprived of sleep, it may sometimes go into episodes of microsleep. Episodes last anywhere from a fleeting fraction of a second to 30 seconds, usually with indi-viduals experiencing it unaware of what is re-ally going on. They may believe themselves to have simply spaced out into “la la land,” when they were actually sleeping. When this hap-pens while driving, it can be especially danger-ous, and is referred to as “gap driving.”

MANY STUDENTS GIVE in to their urge to nod-off in class becuase they are simply too tired. The lack of sleep often affects their performance in the classroom. Various other health consequences may ensue due to this deprivation.



--Sleep deprivation causes of 55 percent of teenage car crashes.

--20 percent of High School students have fallen asleep in class at least once.

--The average teen gets about 7 hours of sleep a night, when they should get around 9 to 10 hours.

--Sleep deprivation is the number one cause of teen moodiness, depression and lack of daytime focus.

Sleep Statistics


Amusement Parks/Tourism would be a great field for a summer job for you. Luckily, Cincinnati is home to an amusement park that has many different jobs to offer. At Kings Island, you could work as a ride operator, grounds keeper, or food service associate. Wages depend on the job, but usually run around minimum wage. Other popular tourism attractions close by include The Beach Water Park and Coney Island. To work in this field, you will be dealing a lot with people so good communica-tion skills and friendly attitudes are always helpful.

Mostly A’s Mostly B’s Retail is your perfect summer field.

You will mostly likely be indoors and

performing jobs such as folding or stock-

ing clothes, working at a cash register, or

helping customers as they shop.

Organizational and people skills could

help you move ahead in this field, and

many stores look for people who are

knowledgeable about the products.

Retail jobs can be found all over in Cin-

cinnati, especially in its numerous malls

and department stores. The wage for a

retail position is usually minimum wage.

Mostly C’s

Lifeguarding is the job for you. This could

be because of the fact that lifeguards usually

start at a higher salary than other summer

jobs (on average $8 an hour).

To become a lifeguard, you need to get

certified in lifeguarding, first aid, and CPR,

but many employers have training programs.

The school also offers a lifeguard certification

class that lasts one semester.

Lifeguarding requires a great deal of re-

sponsibility and attention, and usually strong

swimming skills are a must, but it all depends

on the location where you are working. There

are numerous pools and water parks around

Cincinnati that hire teen lifeguards.

Food Service is where you belong this summer. Your love for food and time man-agement skills will helpful in this field. There are a wide range of food service jobs available in Cincinnati. This includes being a waiter or hostess, working in a kitchen, preparing sandwiches at a sub shop, working a cash register or drive thru window, and many more. Food service jobs usually do not pay as much as other summer jobs, but some allow you to make tips, which can well make up for the low pay if you utilize the opportunity to its fullest.

Mostly D’s

Working out ideal summer jobQuiz to find one’s perfect opportunity

As summer nears, students are making their plans for the three months off. Many spend their time at the pool, hanging out at Kings Island, or updating

their wardrobe at the mall. For others, summer is the time to earn money for college, that iPod they have been wanting, or just to have some extra cash. This is when finding a summer job comes into play. “I wanted a job so I could get some extra spend-ing money and save money for later on,” said Claire Gordon, 11. Cincinnati holds nu-merous places that one could work, including tourist attractions like Kings Island, fast food and sit-down restau-rants, and the common places where people spend their summer, such as pools, movie theaters, and malls.

On summer job lookout When looking for a summer job, there are certain things to consider. One important thing to make sure of is that the job one takes is something that they enjoy. One will not want to spend all of their time miserable, especially during the sum-mer. If the job turns out not to be exactly what one was expecting, they can look at it as a way to get valuable experience and contacts that can help them later in life. When choosing the right job, consider location and transportation. One should make sure that they will have a way to get to the job at the time

that they will need to be there. This will make it less stressful to get to work. No matter where the job finding path leads, remember that it sometimes takes time, patience, and determination to find the best opportunity possible. “I work at Great Wolf Lodge as a lifeguard and it took me a long time to get the job. I applied in June and then got the job in March,” said Kaitlyn Whisman, 11.

Interview advice Once someone applies for a job, they may or may not get called back to do an interview. If they do get asked to do an in-terview, they should make sure they come prepared. There are many helpful ways to do this. Before one even leaves for the interview, it is helpful to know a little bit about the company. This means knowing what exactly the company does and

how they operate. Also, practice the interview with a friend or family member to prepare answers to possible questions that the interviewer could ask. This is es-pecially helpful if one has never been interviewed before. On the day of the interview it is important to arrive on time. Think of it as if one is early then they are on time and if they are on time then they are late. Interviews can sometimes be stressful but with the right preparation they can be much easier. It is always helpful to remember, though, that the most important thing is to be honest and be one’s self.

Summer plans are formedStudents begin, continue job search

AT GREAT WOLF Lodge, Kaitlyn Whisman, 11, stands with fellow lifeguards as they hang life jackets on the deck of the indoor water park. It took Whisman almost eight months to get the job. She was chosen out of many applicants to fill one of the very few spots that were available.

photo by elizabeth hoopes

elizabeth HOOPEScalendar chief

1) What is your favorite summer activity?a) Spending a day at Kings Islandb) Shopping at the mallc) Swimming at the local poold) Getting ice cream with friends

2) What would be your choice of college majors?a) Mechanics or Engineeringb) Fashion Design c) Medicined) Culinary Arts

3) What is your best trait?a) People skillsb) Organizationc) Responsibility d) Time management

4) If you had to choose one chore to do, what would you pick?a) A little bit of everythingb) Doing the laundryc) Looking after your siblingsd) Doing the dishes/helping in the kitchen

5) What is your perfect work environment?a) Outdoors, a lot of interaction with peopleb) Indoors, some interaction with peoplec) Outdoors, some interaction with peopled) Indoors, a lot of interaction with people

6) What would be your dream vacation?a) Going on the ultimate skydiving, bun-gee jumping, and white water rafting trip.b) Taking in a fashion show in Paris, fol-lowed by a shopping spree.c) Spending time on a private beach in paradised) Going on a road trip across the US, not forgetting to stop at all of the cool restau-rants you see along the way.

RESULTSmostly A’s: Amusment Parks/Tourismmostly B’s: Retailmostly C’s: Lifeguardingmostly D’s: Food Service

”I work at Great Wolf Lodge as a lifeguard and it took me a long time to get the job. I applied in June and then got the job in March.-Kaitlyn Whisman, 11

“I didn’t know what to expect when I went to my interview but I just acted like myself and answered their questions honestly and got the job,” said Brit-tany Bader, 11. With the right research and preparation, finding the perfect summer job can seem a lot less daunt-ing. So whether one wants to operate a ride at Kings Island or be a lifeguard at a local pool, there

is a job that caters to each person’s interests. “It’s extra stress and commit-ment, but it’s really worth it for the monetary gain and the quantified ac-complishment. It’s also a cool way to meet people. I think it’s cool making pizzas,” said Ben Swofford, 12.

& Q A with Ms. Marilyn RayHow long have you been in charge of taking the A.P European History students to Europe?This was my 10th year. I began in 1999 with 12 students! This year we had a group of 72.

What is your favorite site to see in Europe?I am always moved by the Sistine Chapel….To think that Michelangelo, one mortal man could accomplish such a feat that we can still enjoy. It moves me to tears every time.

What is your least favorite part of the trip?The flights----very grueling esp. when we do not have direct flights. I just want to get there and get it going.

What are the most students you’ve ever taken on the trip?I have taken 60 students at a time….that’s a lot

Why do you continue to host the trip?Because I love Europe myself….I love to travel and to get outside of my comfort zone. It has been the highlight of my life in many ways. I enjoy passing that love on to my students, to inspire them to expand, to embrace diversity, to not be afraid, to go for it. I did not actually begin until late in my life and I want my stu-dents to see me still growing, still enthusiastic about life, taking risks, going for it. Many of them write me years later and say it changed their life. That’s a huge reward.

daniel RICKERTstaff writer

After a grueling week of touring and traveling Ms. Marilyn Ray’s A.P European history students

returned home. They saw every-thing from the Sistine Chapel in The Vatican City to street performers in London’s Piccadilly Circus.

The tour guides The group of seventy-five students flew out of Cincinnati on Friday, March 20 and landed in London ear-ly on Saturday, March 21 where they met up with their two tour guides, Andre Caspary from Germany and Gianmarco Nagni from Italy. Both tour guides were fluent in English, French, and Italian, as well as other languages. They advised the students on what to do with their free time, taught them the history relevant to the city, and how and where to buy good food and souvenirs. Ray has been using these tour guides for multiple years now because they are so informative and good with the students. “Andre and Gianmarco were great tour guides,” said Michael Streicher, 10. The group used two different buses to accommodate all of the students. They visited four cities over spring break: London, Paris, Florence, and Rome. They were constantly on the move as they tried to see all of the sites. “I was so tired at the end of the day, we did so much in one day,” said Michael Pelfrey, 10. In order to do all of this, the group utilized, almost every form of trans-portation. Within the cities they took buses, subways, or simply walked. To get between cities they took trains and buses. “I had so much fun riding on the subway because we don’t have anything like that in Cincinnati,” said Emily Mills, 10. One of the highlights of the trip was seeing a group of the British girls

that SHS had hosted in October at Buckingham Palace.

Dining in Europe Each country had its own unique “feel” that was reflected in the culture. One of the most important aspects to the students was the food in each country. In England many students en-joyed, British classics such as fish and chips as well as a Sunday pub lunch. Throughout France the students ate crepes with Nutella, a chocalate hazuelnut sauce as a snack throught the day. For breakfast the students ate baguettes, an iconic French bread known for its length and hard crust. Finally the students were able to experience Italian food. Almost every student has had Italian food before in America, but very few had real Italian food. The cities of Rome and Florence are broken up into squares that are lined with unique cafes, which both Ray and the tour guides, Nagni and Caspary, recommended. A typical meal involved an anti-pasta and a main course. An anti-pasta is a pasta that is served before your main meal. One of the students favorite main courses was margarita pizza which is very similar to cheese pizza in America. Dining in Europe was a unique experience for the students. Euro-pean restraunts, particularly ones in Italy, include the tip in the bill and charged the students for all of the refills as well as the bread that is generally free in the United States, Dining was just one of the unique experienc-es the students had. Communicating was an intresting

experience. Most of the time the students could use very basic French and Italian. Fortunately the only terms the students needed were “merci”- (thank you in French) and “gratzi”- (thank you, in Italian,) how-ever the students could generally use English. Over the 10 years Ray has been taking students to Europe it has become a classic trip at SHS. She started at 12 students and expanded to a group of 75 stu-dents, teachers, and chaper-ones. This is one of the most unique and rewarding opportu-nities at SHS.

THE EIFFEL TOWER was one of the students favorite sites in Paris. All of the stu-dents took photographes of the site.

cartoon courtesy of charlie manion

photo courtesy of www.wikipedia.org

‘It was such a great experience I would do it again in an instant’AP Euro travelers remember

”I loved seeing Notre Dame Cathedral, it is so impressive. I couldn’t believe that it was made so long ago.-Emily Minevich, 10

”My favorite site on the trip was seeing the Tow-er of London in England.

-Athenasios Sarlis, 11

”It was such a great ex-perience, I would do it again in a hearbeat. I wish we could have spent more time in Versailles though, it’s an amazing palace.-Adam Reinhart, 10


EFTours

I. The ColiseumII. VersaillesIII. Notre Dame

IV. The Eiffel Tower

NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL is the most recognizable cathedral in Paris. It was a surreal experience for the SHS students.

photos by staff, michael streicher

students elaborate on favorite sites

Battle Of Lake Erie, Put-In-Bay, OhioThis is the only stone in the Chicago Tribune Building that is from Ohio. It represents Ameri-ca’s struggle to overcome powerful nations by stopping the British Blockade of American ports.

Measuring up magnificent mile

W hen thinking about major cities in the United States, people will think of

cities like New York, or Chicago. In Chicago, sports buffs may think of the sports that take place there, while others may think of the shopping. And when thinking of shopping in Chicago, there is no better place than the Magnificent Mile. “The Magnificent Mile has shops for everyone from kids to adults. My favorite place is Niketown,” said A.J. Goldhoff, 10. There is more to the famous shop-ping street of Michigan Avenue. It is also the home to quite possibly the most well known and most historic skyscrapers. There are many different historic buildings. Some of them are known locally, and others are known nation-ally. All of the different towers have something that makes each of them unique, but The Chicago Tribune Building has more than one reason why it is a unique, and one of a kind historic landmark. The magnificant structure is the home of the world famous Chigao Tribune Newspaper. The newspaper is seen by many and has put itself in very high standards. It is also where WGN, otherwise known as the World’s Greatest News-paper, is broadcasted from. WGN is a

local Chicago radio station.

Unique system In 1922, there was an architectural contest for the design of the Chicago Tribune Tower. The winner of the contest was given one hundred thou-sand dollars. The construction for the Tribune Tower started in 1923, and two years later, the future landmark was finished. One of the many things about this unique building is the heating system. At first, it was powered by burning coal in the sixth basement, but is now powered by a fuel oil tank in the seventh basement. Depending on whichever one is less in cost, they use natural gas or oil. The natural gas or oil is used to heat water and convert it to steam. The steam goes in pipes throughout the building to heat and cool it. Last year the Tribune Tower spent a half a million dollars to heat the building.

Worldwide Bricks Another way that the Tribune Building is very unique is the bricks on the outside. The McCormick family has run the Chicago Tribune paper since 1849. Colonel Robert McCormick was a reporter cover-ing WWI. After returning from an unforgettable experience doing many different jobs for the war, McCor-mick took over the family business after his brother passed away.

Pearl Harbor, Hawaiian IslandsThis rock almost seems like it has to be in the Chicago Tribune Building wall. In 1941, Pearl Harbor was attacked and is an important part of American history. Colonel McCormick knew that this stone needed to be put in the wall.

Independence Hall, PennsylvaniaIt is thought that the rock from Independence Hall was stolen, but now that it is in the wall, it will stay there. The rock represents American in-dependence and many describe Independence Hall as the birthplace of the United States.

The Alamo, TexasThis stone was brought to, and put in the Chicago Tribune Building be-cause it is a famous American Fort. McCormick stole this stone but believed it was freedom of press.

In 1929, McCormick was decom-missioned; he went to the military in 1943 during WWII and instructed everyone to get artifacts to be added into the Tribune Building. Over the years, the Tribune found many ways of getting different artifacts to put into the walls of the building. “My favorite is a piece of the Syd-ney Opera House,” said John Phil-lips, Chicago Tribune Key Master and Dungeon Intermediary. “When a diplomat from Australia was visiting Chicago in 1973, he wondered where the artifact from his continent was, in the tower.” They looked and found that noth-ing had been obtained from Austra-lia. When he returned to his home, he had a piece removed from the Opera House and sent it to us.” The Chicago Tribune decided that the building needed to have a piece from all fifty states, and all seven continents, including a piece from a Naval Station in Antarctica. The building achieved their goal and went further because not only do they have artifacts from everywhere in the world, but they also own the largest Moon rock which is put on display facing Michigan Avenue. The Chicago Tribune is a historic skyscraper that has very unique qualities to it. The landmark will always be remembered for the WGN.

garrett STEINBUCHstaff writer

Well known bricks on Chicago Tribune Building

all photos courtesy of john phillips

THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE Build-ing is one of the first skyscrap-ers in the Chicago area. It took two years to build and in

1925, the historic landmark Tribune Building was fin-ished. Colonel Robert Mc-Cormick, the former owner of the building, had the idea to get a historic piece from everywhere in the world. He and his group collected different bricks that represents every country in the world and all fifty states, and then put them in the building.

World Trade Center, 2001 New YorkThe World Trade Center is the most recent piece that was put onto the Chicago Tribune Building. It was put on the wall because of its historic time of nationalism.

Taking look inside Chicago Tribune Building

number of floors in the Chicago Tribune building

36numbers

2number of years it took to finish building the famous Chicago skyscraper

260number of entries for the 1922 Chicago Tribune design competi-tion. The prize was $50,000.


‘I speak two languages: English and

body’ How to read maria MARBALLI

spotlight editor

1Dilated pupilsThis is often a sign of interest and wanting to know more. If one’s pupils are dilated, it may mean that they are intrigued or interested in the one they are talking to. However, pupils also dilate in dark rooms to allow more light in, so be careful not to mix up the signs. There are two languages: verbal

and body. People cannot rely on words alone in order to understand and interpret what

someone else is saying. Nonverbal communication accounts for 93 percent of the impact of a message. Body language includes anything from the look in someone’s eye, the way one is standing, or how someone shakes another’s hand. All these silent messages can be interpreted into meanings and thoughts; it only requires a little insight.

With a few tips, one can learn to decode simple and often overlooked body signals. On the other hand, it is also necessary to know how to use body language for oneself. Job employers will be on the lookout for things like eye contact and firm handshakes. “A firm handshake can say a lot of good things about a man,” said Ahmad Saleh, 12. Students can also use body language to show their teacher that they are responsible and confident without stating it in words. Reading physical signals can also help in understanding peers. It can help let one know if he or she is interested in dating, or if he or she would rather do without. Signs of deception Most people have lied at least once in their life, whether it is a small white lie, or something hurtful in the long-run. Here are some signs to help see through common lies. Fidgeting is a common sign that what is being said may not be true. This is because the speaker is nervous and will tend to engage in other movements to try and relieve the tension building up inside. Fidgeting includes quick movements of the hands such as touching one’s face, entangling fingers, clapping hands, or

3Crossed legs

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Hand shakes

Chin

Crossed legs for women: There are many forms of crossing one’s legs. When one crosses one ankle over the other with fists on the back of their head, this is a sign of relaxation. When one takes their crossed ankles and tucks them under the table or chair, it is a sign of concealed tension or anxiety. Tension would be more obvious if one is leaning down. Cross-ing knees may indicate greater tensions, especially if the legs are tightly wrapped together. It may also be a sign of flirting from women. Crossed legs for men: If one ankle is crossed over the oppo-site knee, it is a sign that they are comfortable and also maybe challenging the other males in the room.

The stroking of the chin means that one is genuinely interested in what the other person is saying. It shows that they are paying very close attention and are try-ing to understand every single word of the conversation. Chin rubbing, meaning using the forefinger to rub the bottom of one’s chin shows that they do not believe what the other person is saying.

Mouth

2

A fake smile can be caught when it is not reflected in the eyes. In a real smile, the area around the eyes will be wrinkled, but with a fake smile, the grin does not spread up to the eyes. When one does an open smile, therefore showing their upper teeth, it means that they want to get better acquainted with the one that they are talking to. Tense, pursed lips signal tension or anger. When one bites their lip, it shows nervousness or anger.

A firm handshake shows confidence. When one shakes hands and places their palm facing down and their hand on top, it shows that they are trying to dominate. This shake usually happens between two males. A weak handshake is when one’s wrist is limp and they have little to no grip. This person is basically in complete submission or does not want to touch the other person.

Nose

When someone touches their nose, it may mean that they are hiding something. Psychologists say that one will want to cover their mouth to keep in a secret, so their hand automatically shifts to their nose. A nose that is bent or twisted to one side means that they do not like what is going on. When one sticks their nose up high in the air, it means that they feel superior or better than others that are in the room.

playing with any available object. Very rarely will one touch their chest or heart with an open palm. Also, while lying, people try and avoid eye contact. Lastly, their facial expression will be delayed after what they are saying. For example, when receiving a present, one who is lying would proclaim, “I love it!” and then smile afterwards, whereas one who is honest, will smile immediately. It is important to know these signs in order to avoid them. It is very easy to fidget when telling the truth just because one is nervous. Teachers and employers will be on the lookout for common body language, so it is important to keep one’s body under control.Confidence Confidence lies heavily on one’s eye contact and posture. Excellent eye contact is a sign of pride and dignity. When two people are in a serious conversation, the one who maintains the strongest eye contact is the one who has gained control or has more power. Gang fights have broken out because of the way another has looked at them. With strong eye contact comes pride. Although strong eye contact can also show sincerity and thoughtfulness. “I have noticed that people who genuinely care about me will look at me straight in the eye, where people who I do not know so well won’t,” said Emily Mondro, 10. Posture is simple. When one is sitting on the edge of their chair, it shows that they are alert, opinionated, and is ready to share their feelings and thoughts. It shows that they are a leader. When sitting with a straight, upright back, one is saying, “I am determined, persistent, and will do whatever it takes to succeed.” As Mae West once said, “I speak two languages, English and body.”

all images by maria marballi

body language


4

18 a&e FRIDAY April 24, 2009 michela’s

musingsmichela TINDERA

editor-in-chief

What makes a hit song? Why does one person prefer the subtle rhythms of acoustic folk over the thumping bass of hardcore rap? I have always been intrigued by what makes different people like different kinds of music. Coming from a household of Nirvana, James Brown, and Jefferson Airplane fans (my mother, father, and brother respectively) I often seem to be the odd one out, as I favor the likes of the 90’s pop-rock scene and the top 40 auto-tuned rappers. As a result, I became fascinated with my recently created Pandora account. For those who do not know, Pan-dora is a Web site anyone can go to and set up an account that provides free internet radio without the obnoxious disc jockeys and intermi-nable commercials. Once an account is created the user creates his or her own “stations” based most on a single artist or song of choice. After creating my stations, thus far T-Pain, Jason Mraz, Ciara, *NSync, and Sublime, I was intrigued to learn that not just the artist or song select-ed is played. Pandora uses something called the “Music Genome Project” to determine other artists and songs that go along with what you, the listener, wants to hear. As explained by the founder of the Music Genome Project, Tim Wester-gren, the project began in 2000 as a way to “capture the essence of music at its most fundamental level,” he wrote on Pandora’s web site. Musicians and music technologists have developed over 400 quali-ties used to describe songs and an incredibly advanced and complex algorithm to arrange, essentially all the songs in the world. To go into even more detail about the process, each song is repre-sented by a “vector” which is a list of characteristics that contain about 150 “genes”—another continuation of the DNA metaphor. Each of these genes goes with a characteristic of music. Those could be anything from “danceable beats,” “consistent rhyme pattern,” and “major key tonality” to even the slightly insulting: “a clear focus on recording studio produc-tion” a.k.a. you like what is put in front of you by the advertising and marketing branches of record com-panies. And yes I did find that on both my Ciara and *NSync stations. Ouch Pandora. The average amount of genes per song varies based on genre: rock and pop have around 150 genes, rap have around 350, jazz around 400, and un-derstandably so, classical is the most intricate with 500. Each song is broken down into whatever categories it fits by typically one or more music-technicians who spend around 20-30 minutes per song by analyzing the thousands of genes available. I was actually able to come across a list of all the qualities the Project em-ployees use to classify music. Some of the most unique and my personal favorite categories included: “cocky lyrics,” “dirty organ riffs,” “heavy use of slang” and “cash-obsessed lyrics.” The Music Genome Project cannot yet give us an answer as to what makes us crank up the volume on one song and hastily change the radio station to another. I think that is part of the fun of it. Maybe it is all just in our genes.

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See how audiences re-sponded to ‘The Knowing’>>19

>>20

Bollywood:The world’s other Hollywood

SHS Choirs go to Virginia Beach. Learn more on page 19

>>19

with Erica Wittkugel, 12michela TINDERA

editor-in-chief

After a week off from rehearsals for Spring Break, the Sycamore Electric Ensemble is resuming practices, with the concert just three weeks away. David Smarelli, SEE1 director,

is planning more frequent rehearsals for the group (pictured to the right), as well as a video concert or live rehearsals with Trans-Siberian Orchestra violinist Mark Wood. Last year, the SEE1 members had a “video rehearsal” with Wood, where they performed their pieces for the concert via webcam, with Wood listening in while on tour. SEE1 members described the rehearsals as “helpful and interesting.” Wood gave valuable critique during the re-hearsal in terms of what he wanted to hear when he traveled to Cincinnati to rehearse with the

group live. Because of the success of this, Smarelli and Wood are planning another similar rehearsal, to be held sometime within the next two weeks. Smarelli has also been pushing the group to

memorize their repertoire for the concert, some-thing that Wood has wanted for the last few years. “It’s really hard to be entertaining if you’re stuck in the music,” said Smarelli to the group at their

last rehearsal. In addition to memorization, Smarelli

has been drilling the members to keep rhythm, particularly in difficult pieces such as “Revenge,” an arrangement of Rite of Spring and Firebird Suite by Igor Stravinsky. The SEE1 concert will be held tonight at 7:30 p.m. in the main auditorium. “[We] need to be exactly on beat,” said Smarelli. “That’s something [Wood] will really bug us about.”

Long awaited SEE1 concert finally hereOrchestra, fans excited for night of entertainment

does exist). At least that’s the plan as of now, and it will probably change.

How long have you been interested in art?I’ve always loved art, from the time I was a little kid, but I didn’t start to take it seriously until high school.

What sparked your interest? Well, as a kid, I was incredibly uncoordinated, so sports didn’t work out for me. Art was the one thing I was good at. Now (still uncoordi-nated) I’m into art because I simply love it.

What plans do you have to continue art high school?

What is your favorite medium?My favorite medium is oil paint. I love it all, even the wonderful smell of paint thinner. My prized possessions are probably my oil paints.

How long have you been interested in art?

I’ve always loved art, from the time I was a little kid, but I didn’t start to take it seriously until high school.

What kinds of messages do you want to get across through your art?

I’m really excited to try new mediums of art (sculpture, print making, graphic design, etc.) After that, I’d love to go into art therapy (yes, it

Tell me about the piece you’re provid-ing for ‘The Leaf.’

I used India ink to paint this piece. It’s actu-ally of two kids who went to the day camp I

For studio art, we need a concentration in our portfolio. My concentration is the effects on people of stereotyping and labeling in mod-ern society. I love to draw people and capture their emotions.

Is there a certain style or theme in your artwork?

My art is generally pretty free and loose, and I like to use a lot of color. Any piece tends to be about what I’m feeling at the moment when I paint it.

worked at last summer. The emotion on their faces was the hardest part to capture.


SENIOR ERICA WITT-KUGEL (right) displays promise in various art forms. She not only draws but puts her artis-tic talent to work on the dance floor. Wittkugel has been performing since the third grade. “I’m not really sure why I love performing. I always get super stressed out close to performance, and rehearsals can be killer, but somehow I love it anyways. It’s always worth it,” said Wittkugel.

photo courtesy of staff

image courtesy of erica wittkugal

image by sm dipali

19a&eFRIDAY April 24, 2009

When I saw the trailers for “The Knowing,” they in-trigued me; a sheet

of numbers that predicted disasters as far ahead as 2009. If the concept alone was not enough to convince me to see “The Knowing,” it was also the number one box office hit gross-ing $24,604,751. But alas, I should have known that everyone else that willingly saw this movie had also been duped by the trailers. “The Knowing” is all about num-bers and the prediction of the apoca-lypse. It is one of those films where the hero is always starting sentences with, “I know how this sounds . . .” The movie begins in 1959 with a classroom of children drawing pictures of the future. While her classmates draw robots, Lucinda, a disturbed child, fills a sheet of paper with seemingly random numbers, as if she is figuring Pi to the thousandth place. All of the pictures and Lucinda’s list of numbers are put into a time capsule to be opened 50 years later in 2009. When the time capsule is opened, Lucinda’s sheet of numbers is given to a boy named Caleb, played by Chandler Canterbury, son of John, played by Nicholas Cage. Cage plays a recently widowed MIT professor on the verge of alcoholism. John sees the date of 9/11 on this sheet of numbers and investigates

further to realize that it contains the dates of major disasters. Can this sheet of numbers be a warning for an apocalypse in the near future? Well, I know how this sounds… Director Alex Proyas keeps the audience glued to the screen as long as he can, spicing it up with some explosions, crashes, and fire; lots and lots of fire. The effects were decent, that is if they were supposed to look like those out of a video game. As for the movie’s other enigmas, tall blond men in long overcoats ap-pear from time to time to distrib-ute shiny black rocks, which are a warning of things to come. For the audience, that is. Cage entered his classroom as an MIT professor lecturing about the difference between determinism and randomness. Determinism being that nothing is coincidence and random-ness, the opposite. So, seeing as they explained the difference outright to their audience, they should under-stand the concept themselves. Unfortunately, they did not. The movie was a series of unconnected outlandish occurrences. I was hoping for something interesting that lived up to all the hype. Instead I left the movie thinking, “huh?” Because in the end, I felt cheated by the puzzle and unmoved by the philosophical “lessons:” a sappy and transparent thriller that ends not with a bang but a whimper.

John and Caleb sprint through the New York City Subway as they both try to find out more about Lu-cinda. The movie is shot across the state of New York, with scenes in the heart of the city and in a quiet, yet eerie house in the woods.The movie was, in short, a disaster. One which, unfortunately, was not predicted by Lucinda.

‘The Knowing’ disappoints audiences

Great times, even better performances expected

There has been a whirlwind of activity in the choral department this year. Performing at places like CCM and a senior home, the action for the choirs so far has been constant and exciting. The action continues with this year’s choir trip to Virginia Beach. Not only will this trip be a good time, but the students are expected to perform, too. “I’m super excited to perform! Going to the beach is just an added bonus,” said Erinn Sonntag, 11. All choirs were invited on this trip, however, a limited amount of stu-dents are able to attend. The blame for this lackluster attendance would be most likely placed on our cur-rent economic situation. Although fundraising opportunities that would

have decreased the cost of the trip were available, some students just could not pay the price. “It’s just a lot of money. I mean, I would like to go, but it’s just not really an option right now,” said Ben Rosen, 12. Another reason for absences on this trip is the upcoming AP testing. “I have a mandatory Spanish AP practice exam I have to take, so I can’t go,” said Hannah D’Souza, 11. Even though a number of students are not attending, this trip is sure to be a hit. The choirs will not only get a chance to perform, but they will also visit up places like Bush Gardens, The Great Wolf Lodge, and of course, the beach itself. “This trip sounds like a ton of fun. I’m so pumped to go to the indoor

”I’m super excited to perform! Going to the beach is just an added bonus.

-Erinn Sonntag, 11

photo coutesy of themovieinsider.com/m2394/knowing

9386 Montgomery Road(513) 489-1444

Banquet Room Available!

capable of seating 50+ people; call manager for more information

waterpark at The Great Wolf Lodge,” said Molly Downing, 10. Expectations are certainly high for the outcome of this trip. If all goes well, maybe the choir trip will be-come as typical as the AP Euro trip. Here is a big good luck to all those choir kids embarking on this surefire hit of a choir trip. Hopefully it will be one to remember.

SHS Choirs travel to Virginia Beach photo courtesy of jeremy mcdaniel

emma ROSENa&e chief

s.m. DIPALIa&e chief

Hollywood of India

Bollywood is a billion-dollar in-dustry and it hosts the majority of India’s most popular actors and actresses. In a Bollywood

film one can expect to see laughter, sad-ness, romance, fighting, death, and, of course, singing and dancing.

Talented cast Bollywood is home to stars like Shah Rukh Khan, Amitabh Bachan, and the Kapoor family. These multi-billionaires have each made about 50 movies (spe-cial appearances included) and are paid immense amounts of money. These days Bollywood is creeping into the Hollywood industries. Recently, former Miss World winner Aishwarya Rai snagged a part with Steve Martin in “Pink Panther 2”. Directors such as Steven Spielberg and companies like Disney have signed with Indian producers, in fact, an ani-mated film, featuring Bollywood actors’ and actresses’ voices has already been made. Some of Bollywood’s actors have become directors and producers. Aamir Khan has had success in making productions. “Lagaan”, a story about the competition between Indians and British through a cricket game, was nominated for the 2002 Oscars. “I feel great when Indian movies are brought to the Oscars. It is a chance to show how much effort was put into the production,” said Sukhada Kulkarni, 11.

Unique qualities Indian movies are musicals. Most American films depend largely on ad-vertising to pull viewers in. Bollywood, on the other hand, puts trust in its song quality. Sometimes, soundtracks are released before the movie itself. This helps to

draw in people through the power of music. “I love listening to the songs of the movie. That way, when I actually see the movie, I can easily relate to it,” said Jutten Tatla, 9.

Because of the countless numbers of songs, singers have a prominent place in the hierarchy of the film industry in India. Famous playback singers include Kishore Kumar, Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhonsle, Mo-hammad Rafi, Sonu Nigam, Alka Yagnik, and Udit Narayan. The difference between Hollywood and Bollywood musicals is the latter applies lip-synching. The singers themselves do not seem to mind. If it helps the movie, then why not go for it? Songs are not always jolly; actors and actresses are still forced to dance to the melody, but sometimes they will have to get emotional and bring out the tears. On top of singing, Indian films include dance scenes. Dancers are usually the actors and actresses, and they wow the audience with their incredible moves.

Award winners Though most Bollywood pic-tures do not make the Oscars, many are nominated by India’s own Filmfare Awards. These awards are equivalent to the Academy Awards; Filmfare is held in Mumbai with awards for Best Actor, Actress, Film, Villain, and Comedian. “The filmfare awards are not like anything here. They’re longer, with performances from actors, and they’re very interesting,” said Vivek Mandan, 12. One movie that perked the ears of international critics was “Slumdog Millionaire”. British director Danny Boyle found unknown talented ac-tors, such as Dev Patel and Frieda Pinto, and turned them into profes-sionals. Even though “Slumdog Million-aire” is not a perfect portrayal of a Bollywood movie, it is proof that Indian films have crashed into the Hollywood world.

JUST LIKE HOLLYWOOD, Bollywood has many actors and actresses. These are only a few of hundreds of popular celebrities: (top to bottom) Amitabh Bachan, Aishwarya Rai, and Aamir Khan.

sohini SAMEERAstaff writer

Largest film industry in world making its way overseas

20 a&eTHURSDAY March 19, 2009

photos courtesy of www.wikipedia.org and google

Bollywood:

Which Bollywood superstar are you?Which personality best suits you?

d. Shy; preferring to stay in the wings, the center of the spotlight is not for you.

c. Perfectionist; by putting in painstaking detail, you know you will be rewarded in the future.

b. Bubbly; innocent and happy-go-lucky, you are liked by most.

a. Split; you show different traits to different people.Which of the following is most important in life?a. Fame; with fame comes fortune and with fortune comes a prosperous life.b. Talent; everyone has a special ability, and you can see yours as the big break.c. Family; when friends and family come together, fam-ily will always be victorious.d. Love; with love, anything and everything can be conquered.

Who do you see yourself with in the next ten years?a. Childhood love; the person you have the most memories with.b. Single; there is no pressure and arguements when you are by yourself.c. Colleague; you both met in the cubicle, and expand-ed your realtionship to outside the building.d. Unsure; you may have experienced many different types of people, but none for you.

Which of the following is your favorite genre of movies?a. Action; the firy explosions and loud machine guns keep you on the edge of your seat.b. Comedy; when the girl has two guys, a web of confu-sion begins, leaving the audience in frenzy.c. Documentary; learning about the history and current events fascinate you. d. Romantic; cuddling up on your loveseat, you prefer “The Notebook”, “Grease”, and “Titanic”.

Who do you see yourself playing in a movie?a. The main hero or heroine; the lover boy or the girl-next-door is your look.b. The full of life best friend; you make the movie cheer-ful and amusing.c. The leader of the pack; fighting for the good cause, ultimately you win.d. The mysterious main character; nobody knows it is you until the end.

What do you usually do over summer break? a. Attend summer parties and get togethers; because of your large social circle, you have an event going on everyday.

c. Work for next year; there is no such thing as being too prepared.

b. Laze with friends; even though you spend time with them during school, going to the pool and riding bikes are special in summer.

d. Read or write; you prefer to sit outside on the patio and get a tan while enjoying some Harry Potter or Pride and Prejudice.

If you received mostly C’s, then you are most like Aamir Khan. Hard-working and loyal, everything you do turns out to be a success. People trust you with the advice you give. Because you are careful and thorough, you do not trust others easily. Your small group of trusted friends gain the good influence you emit and your family is very proud of you. When you begin a project or assignment, you stay up late changing the tiny details, being as meticulous as you can. Even as time passes, your personality will stay the same.

If you received mostly B’s, then you are most like Preity Zinta. The cheerful and outgoing persona of yours is highly contagious to the people around you. Most of the time, you are the life of the party, and you get the attention, even when you are not trying. You love to talk and because of this, your friends may find you nosy, but they will soon learn that it is your nature. The vivacious personality helps make you look innocent, while still maintaining poise.

If you received mostly A’s, then you are most like Shahrukh Khan, the current king of Bollywood. You love your job and can get through with almost anything by flashing your winning smile. Sometimes, you may be arrogant, but you just show pride where it ought to be shown. People may think you have an unfair advantage over certain aspects of life, but that is just luck playing on the field. You have a fantastic, well-known social circle.

If you received mostly D’s, you are most like Priyanka Chopra. The good looks you posses and your sweet, laid-back attitude is appeal-ing to the opposite gender. You are kind from the heart and do not hold prejudices, on the contrary, you invite all kinds of people to your circle of friends. When falling in love, you fall head-over-heels and will do anything to gain the other’s trust and compassion. But be careful, you are easily taken advantage of and in the end you end up losing more.

BOLLYWOOD STARS MAKE millions of dollars per movie. Some of the highest paid actors and actresses are (top to bottom) Pri-yanka Chopra, Shah Rukh Khan, and Preity Zinta.

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21 sports FRIDAY April 24, 2009

With the beginning of April upon us, baseball season has arrived. For

the varsity baseball team, that also means the unpredictable weather that comes with baseball. After opening day went as planned, rain has caused havoc on the season. SHS has had only one home game as several have already been rained out. The result has been multiple games on the road, and the team has struggled to find any sort of consistency. Though non-conference has been a struggle, the team has won enough games to stay very competitive in the GMC, and have a chance to compete for the conference title. After losing on opening day to Ma-son, SHS traveled back to Mason on their “home game” due to weather. What ensued was one of the best games of the short season, as SHS rallied from an early 8-1 deficit, and was losing 13-12 going into the last inning before rallying off of Mason’s closer and winning 14-13, with Matt Phipps, 12, whose two home runs highlighted the victory. The second win of the season was against Princeton, in which SHS showed the type of talent they have when hit, pitch, and field all in the same game. Brien Gearin, 12, dominated in a complete game performance, giving up only one run, while the team pounded out over 10 hits in the game, taking advantage of the Princeton pitching. However, ugly games such as 14-8 and 11-1 losses against Loveland prove the team’s inconsistency. Ranking 8th in the GMC in hitting as a team, Jon Lasota, 12, leads the team in batting average and RBIs,

while Phipps leads the team with two home runs. Gary Banks, 12, leads the seventh ranked team pitching staff in many categories, including innings pitched, strikeouts, and earned run average. This senior-laden team has shown flashes of brilliance, especially in several individual performances. This includes a two home run game by Phipps and two complete games, one by Gearin and the other by Banks with his coming against an Oak Hill’s team that had not been held under 13 runs until Banks held them to three. However, the team has been unable to get consistent pitching, fielding, and hitting all in the same game. Ranked at the bottom of the confer-ence right now, all varsity may need is a short streak to get on track.

Rain throws varsity curveballMother Nature halts early season

matt MENDELSOHN staff writer

photos courtesy of jeremy mcdaniel

BRENT PERLMAN, 11, ALONG with Gary Banks, 12, have logged the most pitches of any pitcher on staff. Between the two, they account for 21 of the 37 innings pitched, as well as 11 of the groups 19 strikeouts. However, pitching has also been the achilles heel of the group so far this season.

brandon SOSNAsports chief

Introducing Michael Kinahan, the most enthusiastic, passionate soccer coach who lives only to see his players succeed. Or something like that. His desires extend beyond the groups’ play on the soccer field, al-though he vows to win at all costs. He monitors their eating habits, even recommending a particular healthy diet, consisting of raw fish, red meat, and some veggies. The coach fights for his team openly by challenging the officials, even causing one 12 year-old referee to quit permanently. A coach who fights for his team ex-pects the same from his players. This must be why he encourages them to “dig in like Michael Vick pit bulls.” All he wants is for his players to have fun. But common knowledge suggests that the only way to have fun is to win, and as Kinahan so elegantly points out, “losing is for losers.” Kinahan is all about character build-ing. Who could blame him for wanting to make his players tough? “The kids will run, they will fall, get bumps, bruises and even bleed a little,” he said. “Big deal, it’s good for them.” He then added, “Protein shakes are encouraged, and while blood doping and HGH use is frowned upon, there is no testing policy.” Overall, Kinahan wants his players to become confident and fear-less (hence the team name “Green Death.”) He challenges his team to “kick ass and take names on the field, off the field and throughout their lives.” Most importantly, he strives for his squad to be winners in the game of life. Kinahan concluded this email to parents, who by this point wanted to suit up themselves, by saying, “Who’s with me?” In short: no one. The parents, not actually feeling any excitement whatsoever (it was them who became nauseous, not Kinahan) were not pleased, to say the least, with Kinahan. After all, his message to a team of six and seven year old girls was far from appropriate. But then again, it was just “suburban satire,” - whatever that means. In Kinahan’s resignation letter, which came soon after, he sidestepped apologizing for the complete and total absurdity of his email. Instead, he admitted to being sorry the kids’ par-ents had a poor sense of humor. He blamed those who take youth sports too seriously. However, props to Kinahan on the resignation, as he proved for once not to be blinded by his “distaste for the tediousness of overbearing political correctness.” Kinahan should be proud, because his (former) Green Death team already notched their first victory of the season, even if he was the victim of the brutality he himself instilled – ironic, eh? Now the psychopathic – overzeal-ous – overly competitive – really not funny at all - former soccer coach is going to step away from his career for a year. That leaves him plenty of time to seek medical help (the “political cor-rectness police” are after him.) But before you go, Michael Kinahan, grab your boots and go take a hike.

Red card: soccer coach resigns in wake of un-funny email

Team statistical leaders

Batting average1 Jon Lasota, 12: .5002 Marty Jones, 12: .3893 Mike Morris, 12: .364

Runs batted in1 Lasota: 72 Jones: 53 Morris: 43 Andrew Haunert,12: 4

Earned run average1 Gary Banks, 12: 2.402 Cody Sparks, 11: 5.263 Brent Perlman, 11: 5.40

Batter up

JV baseball The JV baseball team was coming off their fifth straight victory and riding a wave of momentum into the latter portion of the week. Then the wave abruptly died down and their momentum was fought back by Mother Nature. Now, it is up to the group to reenergize themselves and con-tinue to roll the tide. After starting the sea-son off with two heart-breaking losses, the group was challenged to become winners. They have been per-fect ever since. So what changed? “Nothing really. In our losses, we blew a 5-0 lead and lost 2-1,” said Taylor Schwartz, 10. “We could easily be perfect.” For now, however, a 5-2 record will suffice.

brandon SOSNAsports chief

danny BAYLISSstaff writer

&

Freshman baseball Aside from numerous rainouts, the Sycamore freshman baseball team has played well, posting a 2-2 record as of April 15. “In order to have suc-cess in the GMC we are going to have to have pitchers who can throw strikes and batters to be aggressive at the plate,” said Michael Levy, 9. The team has earned both of its win via a sweep of GMC rival Princeton. Pitchers Co-lin Marth, 9, and Drew Hugenberg, 9 have performed extremely well and have gotten off to a solid start. The team has some tough matchups ahead of them, including the Beast of the East Tour-nament on April 25, and then finally the GMC tournament. “If we are at our best

we can make a run in both,” said Marth.

JAKE MICHALAK, 10, PLACES the tag on a runner attempting to steal second base. The JV team has jumped out to a fast start, primarily because of pitching and defense.

*statistics as of April 16

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24

23 The varsity volleyball had high expecta-tions before the season. See how they fared in the first week of the season.

The varsity tennis team is chasing their 18th GMC crown in 20 years. Check out the team’s star stud-den lineup.

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April 25 and 26, National Football League fans will watch in astounding numbers to cheer for their favorite teams. Sports talk shows across the country will feature analysts and callers giving their reactions for hours on end. However, the “winners” may not be determined for a number of years. It is the NFL Draft and every year millions of viewers spend far too much time pondering over which player will be the perfect gem to don the team colors the following season. Let us take a second to reflect on exactly how big of a charade the “NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting” has become since its conception in 1936. In 1936, the draft consisted of the owners of each of the league’s nine teams meeting in a Philadelphia hotel room. Sounds more like a fantasy football draft to me. In 2009, the draft at Music Hall in New York City will be attended by the owners, as well as fans, league officials and a number of draftees. In 1936, the number one overall pick Jay Berwanger politely declined to play at the next level and went on to become a manufacturer of automobile parts. In 2009, the number one overall pick will become a multi-millionaire the second he signs a contract with the Detroit Lions. In 1936, the small NFL fan base would have little means of judging the quality of a draft pick until his career is well underway. In 2009, the most highly-touted draft picks will be under intense scrutiny from the minute they become a member of their respective teams. The front office of these teams will be rewarded with success for years to come (see: 1998 Indianapolis Colts’ first overall pick Peyton Manning) or a nagging reminder of what could have been (see: 1999 Cincinnati Bengals’ third overall pick Akili Smith). In 1936, a fly sitting on the wall of the Ritz-Carlton in Philadelphia would have a better idea than the most avid fans of who the Philadelphia Eagles were selecting as it happened. In 2009, millions of Americans will find out instantaneously from their living rooms, in high-definition, the New York Jets’ selections who will then, without fail, be showered with boos by unhappy fans. In 1936, the job of a “draft analyst” was far from formation and anyone who attempted this work would likely end up penniless. In 2009, we have ESPN’s Mel Kiper, Jr. Kiper’s job is to analyze every NFL team’s needs and determine which draft entrant would be a good fit for each team. Earning the Mel Kiper seal of approval is about as difficult as predicting which late round pick will become a star (see: 2000 New England Patriots’ sixth round pick Tom Brady). So somewhere in between ESPN’s seventh and eighth hours of draft coverage, pause for a moment to travel to a simpler time; a time when the massive production that takes place every spring in NYC occurred in a cozy, chaos-free hotel room.

matt SLOVINsports chief

Press

22sportsFRIDAY April 24, 2009

After starting the season off high beating Princ-eton 7-5, the team slid losing to Colerain, Mason, and Loveland. Even though they lost, the team was competitive and had leads early on. They were winning 5-2 in the fifth against Loveland and took a 4-0 lead against Mason. “We have been playing well until the last couple of innings. We just need to keep up our focus and close games out,” said Shelly Pohl, 11. The offense has been dependable, scoring runs in every game. Michele McDonald, 10 and Jessica Brown, 12 lead the team in homeruns. “We have a really good hitting team this year,” said McDonald. However, the defense has room to improve. The pitch-ing staff has an earned run average of over six and they are allowing two to three walks a game. In addition, the defense has been soft. commonly commiting errors. “Pitching is a mental game and when you are making mistakes you just have to reset and start over,” said Laikyn McClelland, 10. The team is currently on a six game losing streak, but it must be taken into account that they play in one of the hardest divisions in the state. Over half of the teams in the GMC are ranked at the top of the Coaches Poll. “The GMC is a really tough conference. Every

team we face we must take seriously,” said Car-rie Tvieta, 10. The team is working hard to improve, by doing drills focused on both hitting and fielding to prepare themselves as best as possible for game situations. The team will look to rebound when they play Hamilton on April 27 and Fairfield on April 29. On April 30, the team breaks from its ardous GMC slate to play Little Miami before starting down the home stretch with games against both of the Lakota schools. Hamilton, Fairfield, and Miami are

all talented teams that will be a challenge to beat.

JV slide continues After winning their opener against Princeton the team has struggled. They are on a four-game losing streak, but are optimistic that the season will turn around. Practices focus on devel-oping fundamentals along

with techniques to improve in-game performance. “Practice has really made us improve,” said Ashley Jones, 10. Despite the losses, the team still finds ways to have fun. They are a laid back group that stayspositive. “I have had a lot of fun playing on the team,” said Maddie Kroell, 10.

Softball victorious in opening gameTeams look to avoid skid, rebound from tough losses

emily COHENstaff writer

SOPHOMORE LAIKYN MCCLELLAND slides into third base during the team’s matchup against Hamilton. The team eventually lost the game 5-1. Over the next few weeks, the team will look to rebound from recent losses.


””The GMC is a really tough conference. Ev-ery team we play we must take seriously.

-Carrie Tvieta, 10

image by jeff silverstein

ictory achieved by LAX Standing at 3-0, the squad came into its annual rivalry game with Moeller on a hot streak. Games with the Crusaders are always heated, for every sport that the two schools play each other in. Since SHS had lost its five previous games to Moeller, lacrosse is certainly no exception. Varsity was thus extremely determined to win, and ended up achieving its goal, prevailing 8-5 in an extremely hard-fought game. The squad built an early 4-0 lead and held on for the duration, showing immense heart and tough-ness in the process. “It was the most exciting game of my life,” said Guthrie. The team cannot rest on its laurels, though, with a very tough schedule still to play. However, if the early returns are any indication, the 2009 lacrosse season is shaping up to be an outstanding one yet again.

It has been a long wait, but the 2009 lacrosse season is finally here. Coming off of an excellent

19-4 2008 campaign, the boys’ var-sity lacrosse squad will be looking to do even better this spring. Several key players return from last year, including Joe McLaughlin, 12, Benji Kryzminski, 12, Chase Spicer, 10, Tyler Dowdall, 11, and Michael Guthrie, 12. An experienced, talented senior class will lead the way this season, determined to advance farther than 2008’s second-round exit from the state playoffs. Varsity underwent a rigorous offseason strength and conditioning period, with work-outs held 4-5 times a week. “Our conditioning is great, and I think our strength is going to be an advantage in most of

our games,” said Tim Andrews, 11. With the season already under-way, it is safe to say that the team is living up to expectations. As of

press time, SHS was undefeated with a 4-0 record.

The squad easily defeated visiting Turpin on March 24 by a score of 12-5, thus preventing the Spartans’

head coach Andy Routt, ’06, from se-curing a victory over his former team.

Spicer and Dowdall each scored three goals to lead SHS, while sophomore Kevin

Carroll chipped in two. The next weekend, the team had two

more games which proved to be tougher challenges. However, they emerged victorious in both, defeating

Glenbrook North 10-6 on April 3 and Mason 9-6 the following night.

ben ESTESstaff writer

V arsity defeats rival Moeller, off to hot start

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JV volleyball The JV team has been trying to follow in the footseps of the varsity. They have had a difficult schedule so far, but it will get easier through-out the season. The squad suffered losses to Day-ton Carroll, Lakota West, Oak Hills, Roger Bacon, and Lakota East. The only game that the team came out on the winning end of was against Middletown. After finally notching that elusive first victory, the group’s record stands at 1-5.

Bumps, Sets & Spikes

All sports trophy breakdown

Boys soccer 11

Boys golf 11

Quiz team 11

Chess team 11

Boys cross country 9

Boys swimming 9

Girls swimming 9

Girls tennis 8.5

Football 8

Girls soccer 8


Boys volleyball off to fast start

In the first week for the varsity volleyball team, they posted a record of three wins and two losses. With only one game played in the first week in the Greater Miami Conference, their

0-1 conference record does not reflect how well they did overall. The team lost to GMC leader Lakota West. But the team has made a great name for themselves by taking them to five sets. The other loss was to St. Charles, but unfortunately SHS lost in three straight sets. Aside from the two tough losses, the team beat Dayton Carroll in three straight sets, and also defeated Olentangy in three straight sets. The third win was to Bishop Watterson and they took them down in five sets. The varsity volleyball squad is playing like one

of the tops in the league. The team has been has been playing with great intensity and the drive to win. They have gone above and beyond by recently beating Oak Hills, who is currently fourth in the GMC, and Middletown, currently fifth in the GMC. “I have already seen spectacular play from many players this season. I think each of them have the ability to make spectacular plays and make a difference in our matches. I am very excited about this season and optimistic as to what the boys can achieve. They have great attitudes, a hard work ethic and they know they can be very successful if they continue to work together,” said Coach Sandy Grannen. Led by Daniel Boger, 12, Mike Grannen, 11, and Alan Kissinger, 10, the team posts a 5-2 record and 2-1 in the GMC. The team defeated Oak Hills in four sets only giving up one set to the Highlanders. The team squared off with Middletown, who before the game was ahead in the standings. The Middies were no match for the volleyball squad, and the team crushed the Middies in three straight sets to be above them in the GMC standings. “We are playing really well recently. Things are just clicking and we are ‘rolling.’ This is just the beginning so we have to keep it up all season,” said Grannen. The schedule works out as an advantage for the team. The team plays the top ranked teams in the Greater Cincinnati area at the start, and they finish with the lower ranked teams in the area. The squad is looking to repeat what the team has done in the past. They have recently been on the top of the GMC. In 2005 the team was 8-0 in the GMC. In 2006, they held a stellar 7-1 record in the GMC. In 2007, they posted a 6-2 GMC record. Their 2008 GMC record was 5-3. “I am excited for the rest of the season and optimistic as to what the boys can achieve,” said Grannen, “They have great attitudes, a hard work ethic, and they know they can be very successful if they continue to work together.” The team has been on fire since the first week. As of April 14, the team has a record of 5-2, and 2-1 in the GMC. They will try to continue their current stride throughout the rest of their season.

KYLE KONNERMAN, 11, EXHIBITS the perfect set during a loss at home to Roger Bacon.The JV team posted a 1-5 record in the first leg of their season.

ACCURACY AND PRECISION describes how Daniel Boger, 12, always plays volleyball. The team is in third place in the GMC as of April 16. This squad is looking to repeat their suc-cess from recent seasons.

*Scores out of 11

GMCGREATER MIAMI

CONFERENCE

GMC All Sports Trophy Standings

(2008-2009 )

1. Mason- 152 points2. Lakota West- 133.5 points3. SYCAMORE- 131.5 points4. Oak Hills- 112.5 points



Upcoming schedule4/25 at Fairborn

4/28 at Milford

4/29 Purcell Marian

4/30 Fairfield

5/2 Northmont

‘Things are just clicking and we are rolling.’

23sportsFRIDAY April 24, 2009

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Varsity green After opening the season with two losses to In-dian Hill and St. Xavier, the Varsity green tennis team looks to rebound and turn it around. Two straight cancellations due to the weather have left the boys eager to play and ready to grab some victories. “We want to prove that we are better than our record shows after the first two matches,” said Michael Bemmes, 9. First year coach Mr. Joe Harktemeyer has the boys on a road to success, emphasizing hard-work, determination, and moving past setbacks and obstacles. The boys’ next matches take them far away. Traveling to Upper Arlington and Centerville, the boys will not come home without fights for victory.

JV tennis Three matches up; three matches down. The JV boys tennis team did not hesitate from the beginning, defeating Princeton, Indian Hill, and Oak Hills in succession. On Apr. 3, however, the team hit its first road-block, suffering a 4-1 loss to St. Xavier. “It was a tough loss to endure, but it is always hard to go out and play in the cold and wind. From here, we are going to work and get bet-ter,” said Jordan Evans, 10. Under the leadership of coach Mrs. Tanya Holland, the boys look to continue their early success. From here, the team turns its attention to Turpin and Colerain, in hopes of gathering wins and maintaining momentum.

Ground StrokesThe SHS varsity gold tennis team has won 17 out of the last 19 Greater Miami Confer-ence titles since 1989. With the departure of four key seniors, the task of winning the

GMC again proves daunting for a young squad. The gold team returns only three starters: singles player Adam Reinhart, 10, and juniors Jake Max-well and David Jungerwirth- a strong doubles

tandem. These three players are leaders for the new team in their quest for success. New additions to the team are Adam Samuels, 12, Jordan Chen, 11, and sophomores Jeffrey Kaplan, Andrew Katz, and Frank Pan who look to continue the tradition of SHS tennis. As of April 13, the team was at an even .500 record of 3-3. SHS notched wins against GMC foes Princeton and Oak Hills and won a tough non-conference battle against Centerville. Their three losses have all been to Columbus-area teams: Columbus Academy, Olentangy Liberty, and most recently, Upper Arlington all with team scores of 1-4. Though the .500 record may seem dishearten-ing compared to years past, the team is 2-0 in conference play and is gaining the much needed experience to play a high level of tennis against teams around the state. “The losses in Columbus hurt and I really felt like we should’ve played better but we have to continue to look forward…the season has really just begun,” said Reinhart. If the opening slate of matches was not tough enough, the team will face the stiffest competition that Cincinnati will offer in the coming weeks. They will play Loveland, Turpin, GMC favorites Lakota East and West, Mason, and St. Xavier. “Though we lost to the teams from Columbus, I believe we will take down the teams here in Cin-cinnati,” said Jungerwirth. For the new-look varsity team, each match brings only more experience to the budding players whom have high expectations placed upon them to mature quickly and continue dominating GMC and Cincinnati tennis again. “Some have said this is our rebuilding year, but I don’t like the term ‘rebuilding’. I believe we are competitive every year,” said coach Mike Teets.

Service: Varsity boys tennis team begins season eyeing another GMC title

frank PANstaff writer

JUNIOR DAVID JUNGERWIRTH follows through on his powerful serve. His partner Jake Maxwell, 11, and he lead the team as captains.


What is currently thebest GMC sport at SHS?

The answer is clearly the SHS swimming program. Our squad boasts all-confer-ence swimmers such as Ben Keefe, 11, and Jonathan Hancher, 12. Also, on the girls’ side, a trio of juniors (Brianna Con-nors, Ellean Zhang, and Alex Norris) has found success in multiple events. Not to be overlooked is SHS’ string of 18 straight conference championships, a streak only recently snapped.

The answer here is chess. With only one defeat in its last 35 matches, the team is an unstoppable force. Led by 3-time all-conference coach Dr. Keith Brackenridge, there is no end in sight for this dynasty. Although the gradua-tion of all-conference player Gautam Nagendra, 12, may appear to cause a setback, strong underclass players will emerge.

If the quiz team was quizzed on what SHS’ best school sport was, they would answer, and correctly: the quiz team. SHS has always been far ahead in academics, but not athletics. So it is only fitting that the academic quiz team be the school’s best sport. Just ask Ashvin Srivatsa, 11, who aced the SAT and ACT.

The answer is boys tennis. They have been GMC champions for the last five years in a row. Led by singles star Adam Reinhart, 10, and the doubles pair of ju-niors Jake Maxwell and David Junger-wirth, team success is almost inevitable. Coach Mike Teets has the team ready for a trip to the State tournament.

Brandon Sosna

Garrett Steinbuch

Matt Slovin

Paul Pescovitz

Emily Cohen

chad CHESSINstaff writer

The men’s soccer team takes this one in a landslide. GMC Coach of the Year, Scott Sievering, has brought this team from the bottom to the top. This year, the squad was 8-0-1 in the GMC, led by GMC Player of the Year, Ryan Lavigne, 12. Helping him to perfection were seniors, Brian Kapcar, Garret Listo, and Matt Moler, all of whom were on the All GMC First Team. Clearly, this team is the most dominant team at SHS.

GMCGREATER MIAMI

CONFERENCE5 1on

25calendarFRIDAY April 24, 2009

13

18

3 4 5 9876

12 11 12 15 1614

17 19 222120

24 25 26

Holiday: National Teacher Day (thank your teachers!)

27 28

10

Holiday: May Day

Holiday: Cinco De Mayo

Holiday: Mother’s Day

History: American Red Cross Founded Founded by Clara Barton (1881)

History: 29th anniversary of the eruption of Mount St. Helens

History: Charles Lind-bergh began his flight across the Atlantic (1927)

Holiday: Armed Forces Day

Word of the Week:venerate; to regard with respect, rever-ence, or heartfelt deference

Word of the Week:cryptic; having hidden meaning, mysterious

Word of the Week:sublime; impres-sive and awe-inspiring

23

sunday monday tuesday wednesday thursday friday saturday

1 2

29 30

Weird Holiday: No Socks Day

History:First newspaper cartoon in the U.S.A. (1754)

History: Beginning of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark Expedition (1804)

Famous Birthday L. Frank Baum, author of “The Wizard of Oz” (1856)

History: First Kentucky Derby (1875)

Holiday: Memorial Day

History: Golden Gate Bridge Opens (1937)

Famous Birthday: American athlete, Jim Thorpe (1888)

Famous Birthday: John F. Kennedy (1917)

SHS Event:Graduation

31

SHS V. Baseball: Hamilton @ Sycamore at 4:30 p.m.

SHS V. Baseball: Fairfield @ Sycamoreat 4:30 p.m.

SHS V. Baseball: Sycamore @ Fairfieldat 4:30 p.m.

SHS V. Baseball: Sycamore @ Moellerat 4:30 p.m.

SHS V. Softball: Lakota East @ Sycamore at 4:30 p.m.

SHS V. Softball: Sycamore @ Oak Hills at 4:30 p.m.

SHS V. Softball: Lakota West at Sycamore at 4:30 p.m.

SHS V. Volleyball: St. Henry, KY @ Sycamore at 7 p.m.

SHS V. Volleyball: St. Xavier @ Sycamore at 4:30 p.m.

SHS Event: Early Release Day

may

SHS Event: Underclass Awards Ceremony

SHS Event: Sycamore Signs, 7 p.m. in Little Theater

26 spotlightFRIDAY April 24, 2009

Aeliyamichela TINDERA

editor-in-chief

Aeliya Mohsin, 12 discusses senoiritis, superpowers

& Q A with Aeliya Mohsin, 12What are three words you would use to describe yourself best?Speedy, ambitious, spirited

What activities are you involved in?It’s fourth quarter of senior year, absolutely nothing.

If you could be any character in Harry Potter who would you be? Sirius Black because he is freaking awesome, he turns into a dog!

Who is your favorite teacher and why?Gaff [Mr. Tom Gaffigan] because he accepts all of my lame excuses and he wrote a book.

Who are the people closest to you?Prachi Redkar, 12, Stephanie Post, 12, Divya Indrakanti, 12, Srebrina Tanova, 12, those are all my best buds, and Chris Lo, 12… just kidding Chris.

Coke or Pepsi?DC. (Diet Coke, I like to call it DC)

What is your most embarrassing moment?I have a pet bunny and one night the neighbors rang our door-bell holding our bunny and said, “Is this yours?” I just looked away.

What would be your superpower of choice?Flying because I don’t like to stay in one place and I cannot af-ford a plane ticket.

If you could be any animal what would you be?I would be a grizzly bear because they get to hibernate and sleep all the time indiscriminately.

Have you always lived in Cincinnati? I was born in Pakistan. I moved to Cincinnati when I was eight. I moved to California when I was twelve. I moved back to Cincin-nati for freshman year.

What has been your favorite/least favorite thing about high school?Favorite: 30 minutes of lunchLeast favorite: Unnecessary classes such as engineering design. Why did I take that class?

What do you do in your free time?I catch up on sleep and movies. And friends. And I skydive.

Something that others do not know about you?When I cook, I act like I am on a cooking show and I speak out loud.

What would be your ideal meal? A buffet of all my favorites including barbequed chicken with a smoothie in between courses and a myriad of desserts.

What is a recent accomplishment? I am going to Bonaroo. And I got into college.

What has been your favorite school assignment ever? No comment.

Anything else you want to add?Five more weeks of school.

FAVORITES

Book

TV Show

Quote

MovieOh man, so many. “Oceans 11” came to mind first.

“That 70s Show”, it’s the story of my life.

“A Thousand Splendid Suns” by Khaled Hosseini

“Y’all trippin’” –”Finding Nemo”

”When I cook, I act like I am on a cooking show and I speak out loud.-Aeliya Mohsin, 12

ABOVE MOHSIN AND Kayla Murray, class of ‘09, work at a Unified for UNIFAT bake sale at lunch last year. BELOW: Mohsin and Tanova hang out at the WEBN Labor Day fireworks display on the Ohio River. Mohsin likes to spend most of her free time with friends, or sleeping.

”I love Aeliya. I would defi-nitely call her one of my best friends because she always makes me laugh.

-Stephanie Post, 12

all images by michela tindera

27advertisementFRIDAY April 24, 2009

28 snapshotsFRIDAY April 24, 2009

photos by rashmi borah

UNIFIED FOR UNIFAT held a “Walk and Rock for Peace” event on April 11 to raise money and awareness about the Unified for UNIFAT’s cause. Bottom left: students walked through the streets of downtown Cincinnati to promote peace and awareness for Unified for UNIFAT. Top left: Seniors Annie Roessler, Andrew Spellman and Becca Muskat plan and discuss events for the concert. The concert and walk proved to be a success, with a commendable turnout at both events. Right: Charlie Manion, 12, performs at the Unified for UNIFAT concert.

photos courtesy of caitlin camfield

ON THE NIGHT of April 3, the members of SHS’ National Honor Society held a Lock-in for students participating in Operation Giveback (OGB). Members spent weeks orga-nizing committees for crafts, sports and food that would provide an evening of fun and excitement for the approxi-mately 40 students in OGB. Top: Christine McLaughlin, 11, helps an OGB mentee cut out magazine pictures as part of a craft. Middle: Juniors Sophie Wall and Lindsey Harris, play games with some of the OGB members. Bot-tom: Jaimee Johnson, 12, plays a game with another OGB member. NHS officers noted that newer NHS members left the Lock-in with a newfound interest in mentoring OGB students during the school year. Both those organiz-ing and participating in the Lock-in enjoyed the event.

photos courtesy of daphne hsu


DIVERSITY DAY BROUGHT different cultures and countries together to celebrate the variety of backgrounds that make up the SHS student body. Left: students and parents help serve chicken with peanut sauce, a delicacy from one of the many countries represented. Right: Chinese dancers stunned the audience with their performance


ON APRIL 14, 81 students were inducted into the Global Language Honor society. Stu-dents took their oath in their language of study. In addition, Ja-mie Alemagno, 11, Emily Johnstal, 12 and Mary Ann Phil-lips, 12 performed the song “Beauti-ful” by Christina Aguilera in American Sign Language, and Gabe DeVela, 12 performed a Spanish piece on the guitar. Following the induc-tion, inductees and their parents were treated to cake in the IMC.


Documents

april 2009 issue