Volume 62, Issue 4 825 Loveville Road, Hockessin Delaware 19707 May 2009

Warrior Wrap-Up PAGE 8 Connie Dietrich 5K PAGE 5

Summer Movie Preview PAGE 3

So Fine ‘O Nine PAGE 6 Mum’s The Word PAGE 11

Hit By The Gavel PAGE 9

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Compiled by Staff Advisor, Sherrie Gumienny

For our last “moments segment” of the year, we have a usually witty, carefree fellow start off this piece. [You may recall him from Issue #1 waaaay back in October - the senior who said his "dream job" would be Mattress Tester.] I asked students to reflect on "my changing world" - the way life personally, nationally, and globally has evolved for them as they have grown into young men and women.

It seems Scott Jacob-son has become quite reflective and insightful as the school year has dwindled down . . .

“The best example of my changing perspective was what happened on September 11, 2001. When I was in fifth grade, I had no idea of the impact that day would have in history. As a child I didn't understand that many people lost their lives that day. I didn't realize that countless others were losing their family members and friends. Eccle-siastes 1:9 says, "What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun." While I do believe that was a tragic day, I believe that horrible events like September 11th have been happening throughout history. It is not the world that is changing as much as how I view the world."

I have also noticed a change in my actions. Whether I wanted

it or not, WCS has had a profound affect on my spirituality. Since my transitions into high school, I have found myself hungry for the word of God and more conscious of my sins. I thank God for placing me in Wil-mington Christian because I honestly can not say that I would be in the same position spiritually had I gone elsewhere. -Justin K.

The tragic events of 9/11 changed my view of the world on a

national level. I remember I was only in fifth grade. We were having some free time, but this day was different. I remember it being a very weird day - teachers were acting strange, watching several TV’s closely. Mrs. M. told us that we should just stop what were doing and pray. We got in a circle on the floor and prayed, but I had no idea why. One by one we were leaving school early. This event made it very real to me that anything can happen at any given time, and you can never underestimate the terror in the world. - Ryan J.

When I was first becoming interested in "real” music, I owned

a cassette player. However, I may have only owned this for a few years

before CD players became popular. At the end of elementary school and during junior high, we all thought we were so cool carrying around CD players and our large stack of CDs. Artists such as Britney Spears, N*Sync, the Backstreet Boys, the Spice Girls, and 98 Degrees were all the rage. Music today is much different, especially the fact that most popular music is far from innocent. Also, with new technology, you can have several thousand songs on one tiny iPod. There is no need to carry around CD players and CDs anymore; everything you need is available on one small device. - Samantha W.

September 10th, 2001, I did the one thing at which all children are experts - I played sick. My dad was always the one to give in to me

staying home, and since my mom wasn’t there, I played my best game ever. Since I was so “sick,” my dad cancelled his business trip to New York City the next day, which resulted in the meeting be-ing delayed. Who would have guessed that if I hadn’t played sick, my dad would have been in the first Twin Tower to have been hit? To this day I feel as if I saved my daddy’s life. -Lauren C. These next snippets from the Memory Book are

from the “I Would Like to Thank ...” chapters aka "Students’ Oscar

Speeches.” Here seniors have a chance to express gratitude for those who have been so foundational in their development. This is a cru-cial and vital exercise - for as G. K. Chesterton asserts, “I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought; and that grati-tude is happiness doubled by wonder.” . . . I would like to thank my teachers that have kept on me for getting in my homework and have not given up on me. My teachers would come and find me to remind me of what I owed them and what I still needed to turn in to them. Without all of these people in my life, I would not be who or where I am at today. - Matt G.

Now for Pops, Thank you for your sense of humor. I still re-member when we were little, you were the "principal” of our little home school. And you would throw paper at us and then plead innocent to Mom when we called you out on it. She never punished you for it though… it just ended with you two "getting tender.” I remember we always wanted to go shopping with you because you would take us out for something later. Then you would beg us not to tell Mom (and, of course, Steff always would!). Through the good and the bad, you were always the funny Father who listened to little girl problems or just played pranks on our hurts - like when I had to get stitches, you said, "Man, you get all the fun!” and you sounded so serious that I just had to laugh. Thank you. - Kristi Z.

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First on my list is Mom. She has taken upon herself to raise her children according to the Bible, and I think she has done a great job. She was always asked during family reunions why she got the "good" kids and they did not. Mom would just smile. . . So Mom, despite the fact you con-stantly beat me up, train the dog to attack me, tell me all my problems are my fault, make me clean my room, and yell at me in gibberish, thank you for starting me off right. - Matt S. Last, but not least, I'd like to thank my grandpop. He is the role model to whom I look up. He has supported my family in so many ways that I cannot even begin to count. He is also the most selfless person I know. He never puts himself before anyone else. This is shown even in the early years when he sold his sports car to buy my grandmother her engagement ring. I hope that I will carry with me some of the traits he possesses. - Ryan J. We end with a series of “life lessons” the '09’ers were asked to compose that they had learned along life's way OR what they would do differently if they could live life over. An astounding variety of funny, dangerous, odd, and/or deeply moving reflections. Lists were as unique as are each of these students. At times I did ponder, though, how many of them have survived till these ripe ages. Read on . . . and "learn" a few truths gleaned from their chapters.

• Holding your breath until you pass out isn’t the best way to get attention. • When a coach says “go play catch,” it really means “get out of my

way while I practice with the real players.” - Molly M.

•Never lose your sense of humor; laughter is important to everyone. •Find value and importance in everyone around you. - Ian C.

•Never try to change clothes in a moving vehicle. •Perfume is not the same as a shower. - Abbey M. •Commit to something until it is finished. •Be real, not fake. -Ryan J. •Never take time for granted; in the blink of an eye it will be gone. •60 seconds spent being upset is one whole minute of happiness you

will never see again. - Ellyn J. • Ιf one is tired and desiring a good shower, cooking Angel-Hair pasta

for one’s company may turn out inedible. •Asking Julianne Nicole Powers to edit one’s papers is a requirement

for receiving passing grades. - Steff Z.

• Never remove a fish from water to pet it. • Always strive for greatness – there is no such thing as an over

achiever. - Juli P.

• Be the person that others can count on and you will never be lacking in friends.

• Never take stuff too seriously—life will be easier if you can look at things with a little humor. - Justin K.

• If you continually give, you will continually have. • I wouldn’t care about material possessions because they are fleeting,

while salvation lasts an eternity. -Sean M.

• Forgive everyone who hurts you; holding grudges is not worth it. • Do not wish for days to go faster, life will be over before you know

it. -Samantha W.

• Beehives are not to be exterminated with an axe can and a Zippo lighter.

• Even if they can be found in the toy aisle, pizza cutters are not toys and can be very painful. - Jon C.

MOMENTS– Cont’d from p. 1

• My advice – don’t wallow in the bad moments. Take those bad moments and rely on God. He will show you the good in every

bad situation which makes things a lot easier to bear. • Now I can look back on my not so happy times and smile because they

have helped me to grow, mature, and realize how truly powerful God is. -Danielle C.

• Caramel Frappuccino’s from Starbucks are amazingly delicious but make me so ridiculously hyper, which can be dangerous.

• Do not let anyone tell you that your dreams are impossible. -Allison T.

• If you do not wash your clothes, rotate your shirts. • Answer with authority… the answer “67???” even if it is right, will be

scrutinized a lot more than a sharp “67!” even to the point that even if you are wrong no one notices because you spoke with

authority! -Matthew S.

• Trusting God is difficult, but it is the only way to find true peace. • Life is much easier when you know how to laugh at yourself.

-Maddy L. • It’s never wise to stick your friend down the laundry

chute, no matter how small she is. •A Crayola

Crayon box of 64 is not complete if one is shoved up your nose. -Noelle T.

• Do it God’s way – you rise. Do it your way – you meet your demise. • Standing up for what you believe is more rewarding than standing in

a crowd. - Luke A. • Treasure the ones with you while they are still there. • Drums are the greatest instrument ever invented, EVER.

-Kyle S. • Never try to cut your toenails through your sock. • Never give a German person Sierra Mist (in German “mist” means

manure). -Hannah B.

• Laugh when you face awkward situations. • Think before you speak…words are weapons. -Hilary W.

If I Could Live My Life Over . . .

• I wouldn’t have let my sister convince me to paint my room purple – my

least favorite color. • I wouldn’t have been so worried about impressing people; my true

friends came along while I was being myself, anyway. -Erin R. • Save my old pets from being hit by traffic. • Invent Google, Yahoo, Youtube, and iPods. -Alex B. • I would have not been in so many relationships. • I would have appreciated every single day. -Lauren C.

• I would cry no matter who’s watching, never swallowing my tears. • I would be more thankful for all the gifts the Lord has given me. -Maricruz D. • I would pay more attention to my parents, sisters, and brothers. • I would try to have more self control earlier in life. -Kyle B. • I wouldn’t purposely hurt other people just because they hurt me. • I wouldn’t care what I looked like or why I might be different. -Grace P.

Seniors Ellyn J., Abbey M., Erin R., Jenni C., Allison T., and Lau-ren C. dress as nerds to show that “senior spirit.”

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� � � � � � By Staff Reporter, Billy Soistmann As the end of the year approaches, a student's mind turns to only one thing - summer. Summer is a wonderful time: no school, warm weather, and movies. Summer is when Hollywood sends out the big guns, and this year is no exception. From famil-iar series (Harry Potter, Transformers, X-Men, Terminator, Star Trek) to new ideas (Up, District 9); from book adaptations (My Sister's Keeper, Angels and Demons) to TV adaptations (Land of the Lost); from familiar directors (Francis Ford Coppola, Quentin Tarantino, Ang Lee, Tony Scott) to familiar stars (Jack Black, Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington, Ben Stiller, Johnny Depp) - all in all, this summer's movies should be great. With all of the movies coming out soon, it will be virtu-ally impossible to see all of them. Film-going teens must narrow down which movies to see and which ones to skip, especially with ever-increasing ticket prices ('08 ticket costs were, on average, 30 cents more than '07). High-schoolers have to take this much more into account than ever before because they will have a harder time finding work due to the shaky economy. This list is an overview which includes most of the ma-jor films (with some hidden gems), a short synopsis, and whether or not they will be worth the cost. Lights, camera. Action! May: Just released . . . X-Men Origins: Wolverine (May 1) is Wolverine's (Hugh Jackman) backstory and takes place before he becomes a key member of the X-Men. While expectations were already low, Wolverine turned out to be a huge disappointment. The plot was full of holes and the entire film seemed rushed. Many elements were included simply to provide cool action, but even the fight scenes were underwhelming. In addition, special effects were used when they weren’t needed, causing everything to look fake, and the editing was poor. How do you manage to get a bad edit on a multi-million dollar blockbuster? On a positive, Hugh Jackman was perfect as the title character. Star Trek (May 8) is the reboot of the familiar franchise. The movie goes back to the beginning and reexamines the origins of the main cast of characters of the original TV series, and stars Chris Pine (Just My Luck) as James Kirk and Zachary Quinto (Heroes) as Spock. The entire cast owned their roles, acting ex-actly like the characters from the original series and the special effects were spectacular, specifically the battles in space. Star Trek will appeal to long-term fans of the series as they can see their favorite characters come to life again, but also to the uninitiated as no prior knowledge is needed to enjoy this fantastic movie.

Still to come . . . Angels and Demons (May 15), the follow-up to The DaV-inci Code, stars Tom Hanks as Robert Langdon who investigates the Illuminati's scheme to gain revenge against the Vatican. The story should be excellent considering it is an adaptation of Dan Brown's bestselling novel. Just like The DaVinci Code, the movie has met with some resistance from Christian groups, most significantly the Catholic Church. These people claim that the novel and movie are represented as fact, not fiction, which even the author denies him-self. He says that the book is based on historical fact, but ultimately is fiction. Just because an idea is represented in a movie doesn't mean it is being endorsed as fact by the creators. In any case, fans of adventure or mystery should definitely see this. Terminator Salvation (May 21), the fourth installment in the Terminator series, is sure to be one of this summer's box-office hits. Set in 2018, John Connor (Christian Bale), encounters a resistance soldier (Sam Worthington) who has only vague memories of his past life, which leads to a shocking discovery. When it was first an-nounced, this new Terminator movie was not met with optimism by all, but the trailers have been getting better and better, causing confi-dence and excitement to rise. Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (May 22), the sequel to Night at the Museum (2006), has the Museum of Natural History closed for renovation, which causes the pieces to be moved into storage in Washington. While the first was funny, and this one is sure to have its moments, there is absolutely no reason for a sec-ond film. The first movie was an original, self-contained story that doesn't need to be expanded upon. The biggest advantage the sequel has, however, is that even more historical figures come to life such as Einstein (Eugene Levy) and Amelia Earheart (Amy Adams). Also, most of the original cast is back, including Ben Stiller, Robin Williams, Owen Wilson, Steve Coogan, and Dick Van Dyke. In any

case, "Smithsonian" should be a very fun comedy, but may not live up to the original. Up (May 29), Pixar's tenth feature film is the story of Carl Fredricksen (Ed Asner), a retired balloon salesman, who sets out to fulfill his dream by using balloons to lift his house. His plan is to fly to South America, but he is interrupted when he realizes that an eight-year-old has lifted up with him. Considering that most of Pixar's films have been fantastic, expectations are high and Up should meet the challenge.

June: Land of the Lost (June 5) is the first film adaptation of the 1970's TV series about a family trapped in a prehistoric world of dinosaurs and other fearsome creatures. Will Ferrell stars as Dr. Rick Marshall in what is looking to be a great family comedy. Tetro (June 11), set in Argentina, is about "the rivalries born out of creative differences passed down through generations of an artistic Italian immigrant family." This sounds insignificant, but it is writer/director Francis Ford Coppola's (The Godfather) first original

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screen play since The Conversation. Although the premise seems bland, movie fans should not miss this one. Dead Snow (June 12) is the thrilling story of a group of students who stumble across Nazi zombies during their vacation. This Norwegian flick should be a welcome addition to the zombie genre and also provide some fun action. The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 (June 12) is director Tony Scott's (Top Gun, Enemy of the State) remake of Morton Freedgood's 1973 novel of the same name. The film features Denzel Washington as Zachary Garber, a subway dispatcher negotiating with a group of hijackers, led by Bernard Ryder (John Travolta), who is holding a subway train and its passengers hostage. While John Travolta's 70's era mustache is a little worrisome, hopefully "Pelham" will be a good hostage film. Whatever Works (June 19) marks Woody Allen's first film set in his hometown, New York, since Melinda and Melinda (2005). It stars Larry David (Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm) as an eccentric man who "abandons his upper class New York lifestyle to live a more bohemian existence." Hopefully Woody Allen gets out of his recent slump with this quirky comedy. Year One (June 19) stars Jack Black (Nacho Libre, School of Rock) and Michael Cera (Superbad) as lazy hunter-gatherers who, when exiled from their village, encounter numerous biblical figures including Adam and Eve and Abraham. I was very unenthusiastic when I saw the first commercial (during the Superbowl), but my interest was sparked when Black compared the style of the movie to Monty Python, specifically Life of Brian. If Year One is anywhere as funny as Monty Python, then it will surely be the best comedy of the summer. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (June 24) is the second live-action installment in the "Transformers" series. While plot details are scarce, all one needs to know is that the Decepticons are, yet again, at war with the Autobots and that both Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox are back. With the success of the original, a sequel was inevitable, so all we can hope for is another exciting, action-packed robot slam-down. My Sister's Keeper (June 26) is the story of Anna Fitzgerald (Abigail Breslin), who was conceived only to be a match for her sister, Kate, who is suffering from leukemia. For her entire life, she has been used as an organ donor for her sister, but when she is thirteen, she sues her parents for the right to choose whether to give her sister a kidney or not. The movie looks very intriguing as it contains challenging moral questions, most importantly the parents' choice to bring a child into the world simply to harvest her organs for another. July: Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (July 1) is the third installment of the franchise. After "the meltdown," dinosaurs start to appear, leading to more looney adventures with Manny (Ray Ramano), Sid (John Legui-zamo), Ellie (Queen Latifah), Eddie (Josh Peck), and Crash (Seann Wil-liam Scott). Of course, Scrat (Chris Wedge) continues his seeming never-ending quest for acorns. As one of the few kid's movies this summer, "Dawn of the Dinosaurs" should perform well at the box office. Public Enemies (July 1) is the story of an FBI agent's (Christian Bale) quest to apprehend John Dillinger (Johnny Depp) and other Depres-sion-era gangsters. "Enemies" has the potential to be fantastic considering the all-star cast and its director, Michael Mann. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (July 17) is the sixth movie in the Harry Potter realm and once again stars Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson. Set during Harry's sixth year at Hogwarts, Voldemort is becoming more and more powerful, so Dumbledore is intent on preparing Harry for the coming battle. Meanwhile, Harry also learns more about Voldemort's dark past. Originally set for release on November 21, 2008, the movie was delayed until the summer, sparking a huge uproar among the fans. In any case, a new Harry Potter film is something worth anticipating. In the Loop (July 17) is a British satire that focuses behind-the-scenes when the President of the United States and the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom want to declare war (a thin guise of the War on Ter-ror). The movie shows the battle between those who support the war and

those who oppose it, and should have a interesting comedic view on a current event. The Cove (July 31) is a documentary that shows a cave in

Taiji, Japan, in which over 2,000 dolphins are killed annually. The meat is then sold throughout Japan even though it is toxic. During filming, the crew had to secretly infil-trate the cove to avoid being arrested or pos-sibly killed. As one of few documentaries being released this summer, this should be enlightening. In January, it won the docu-mentary Audience Award at Sundance. Funny People (July 31), writer/producer/director Judd Apatow's latest pro-ject, stars Adam Sandler and Seth Rogen as stand-up comedians. The film is interesting

because it includes more dramatic elements than seen in Apatow's previous comedies. Surprisingly, the movie has encountered ex-tremely positive reactions from test screenings, even leading to some very early Oscar buzz. Can it live up to the hype? August: G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (August 7) is the long-awaited live-action adaptation of the extremely popular toy franchise. As the title implies, the movie portrays the origin of Cobra, the G.I. Joe team's nemesis, and the entry of two new members, Duke (Channing Tatum) and Ripcord (Marlon Wayans). The film also stars Dennis Quaid as General Hawk and Ray Park (Darth Maul in Star Wars Episode 1) as Snake Eyes. Other than long-term fans, there is little anticipation for this action flick, but kids should boost it to at least moderate box-office success. Julie & Julia (August 7) features two true stories. The first is Julie Powell's (Amy Adams) quest to cook all 524 recipes in Mas-tering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child (Meryl Streep) and is based on her book Julie & Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen. The second shows Child's time in Paris during the 40's and 50's and is based on her memoir, My Life in France. District 9 (August 14) is the interesting story of a group of aliens who land in Africa, only to be forced into labor by MNU (Multi National United). Told in a documentary style, 9 explores the relationship between the humans and aliens in the region and is a social commentary on the racial prejudices in many parts of South Africa. It is director Neill Blomkamp's first feature and is based on his fantastic short film, Alive in Joburg, which is avail-able on YouTube. 9 is one of the most original movies of the sum-mer and a must-see. Taking Woodstock (August 14) is the true story of Elliot Tiber (Demetri Martin) who volunteered his parents' motel and a music festival permit to the organizers of the now-infamous Woodstock Festival. This is director Ang Lee's first movie since 2007's Lust, Caution. The Time Traveler's Wife (August 14) stars Eric Bana (Munich, Troy) as a librarian who, due to a genetic disorder, invol-untarily time travels. This obviously causes some serious problems and especially disturbs his marriage. The concept is a new take on time travel because it is uncontrollable, rather than a time machine that the creator can use whenever he chooses. Like District 9, TTTW should give a unique spin on a familiar sci-fi element. This summer has a bit of everything: Comedy (Year One), Sci-Fi (Star Trek, Terminator Salvation), Action (X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen), Family (Land of the Lost), Horror (Dead Snow), even Documentary (The Cove) plus many more too numerous to note here. Clearly, the summer of '09 is bound to be a time of great films. See you at the movies!

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��������������� ��������������� ��������������� ��������������� �By Staff Reporter,

Maddie Brooks

Most people would shrug from the idea of waking up at 9 a.m. on a Saturday morning, heading outside in 45 degree weather with high winds, and running 3.2 miles with hoards of strangers. Not the over 100 Wilmington Christian students, par-ents, and other participants who entered the 7th Annual Connie Dietrich 5K Run/Walk this past April 4. The 5K run was started 7 years ago to honor the life and legacy of Connie Dietrich, WCS’s former gym teacher known for her incredible kindness and love of Christian education. Headmas-ter Bill Stevens says, “I think it’s always a great event that helps our school and remembers Mrs. Dietrich and what she did for eve-ryone here.” The enormous im-pression Connie Dietrich made on the lives of those at WCS is still remem-bered today, especially by Jeanine Yzaguirre. Yzaguirre, one of the most instru-mental plan-ners of the 5K, says her experience with Connie is what convinced her to come to the school. She says, “I met Connie one day when I was touring the school, and I remember it like it was yesterday. We got talking about sports and athletics, and it was such a positive ex-perience. I knew from that day that I wanted my son Tyler to go to Wilmington Christian.” Such experiences inspired Yzaguirre and others to or-ganize the first 5K in Dietrich’s memory. This annual spring run has since become a cherished and important school tradition that also benefits the community. WCS gym teacher and Connie Dietrich’s husband Dennis Dietrich says, “We appreciate it be-cause it just shows that people are remembering Mrs. Dietrich, and most of all it’s an opportunity for us to see that people are support-ing Wilmington Christian School.” The inaugural Connie Dietrich 5K Run/Walk took place in April 2003, two years after the passing of Connie Dietrich. The event was created to honor her memory in two different ways – to aid the tuition assistance fund, fulfilling Connie’s dream that all students have a chance at a Christian education, and to make a donation to the American Cancer Society, in memory of her cou-rageous battle against cancer before going home to be with the Lord on September 11, 2002. Dennis Dietrich says, “Tuition assistance is something that was near and dear to my wife’s heart, because she always had concern for families that wanted to have their children come to school here and couldn’t afford it. It’s good to see something that helps people and students involved here.” An average of $1-3000 dollars is raised each year, which is distributed between the tuition assistance fund and the Ameri-can Cancer Society. Yzaguirre says, “This event brings awareness to the ACS, which is what benefits them most.” This event also has a profound impact on WCS families as a way to remember Dietrich and challenge themselves to run farther than ever before. The Wehmeyers participate together as a family in the race each year. Bryan and Karen Wehmeyer say,

“We enjoy running as a family in order to stay healthy and fit.” They add, “It is special to remember Connie Dietrich in this way, especially one that honors her position as a gym teacher. It is a testimony to the community and other non-WCS participants.” Sixth grader Jack and 2nd grader Ben Wehmeyer both agree that “The race is do-able; a 5K is not impossible, but it still takes effort.” Jack adds that he “feels a sense of accomplishment for finishing the race.” Jack and Ben Wehmeyer were not the only younger par-ticipants at this year’s race. Dennis Dietrich’s grandchildren were able to participate in the race for the first time. He says, “They looked forward to being part of it and getting to run in the 5K. It was neat to see that they’re old enough now to participate in that, and they really enjoyed it.” He adds, “One of the grandchildren practiced for it.” Two to three months prior to race day, the difficult job of coordinating the event begins. Fellow 5K organizer Dani Had-ley began helping with the 5K in 2005. She sends out letters to nearby vendors asking for prize contributions. She says, “Thus far, we have been very blessed to receive almost all of our gifts through donations.” She also thanks Jeanine Yzaguirre and Dennis Whitesel, whom she attributes with finding “great” sponsors for the 5K, such as this year’s Pike Creek Physical Therapy, Orthopedic Spe-cialists, Women’s Sports Specialties, Gunnip and Company Ac-counting, Dr. Bray of Newark Podiatry, and the Yzaguirre family. The race is made possible only through the tireless ef-forts of several dedicated volunteers. These volunteers assist with the registration table, refreshments, cleaning up, and directing the runners. Hadley says, “I would be lost without them!” Every aspect of the event is planned out in great detail, including the distribution of the colorful t-shirts that participants receive. According to Hadley, several people have designed the shirts over the years, including graphic artists and a WCS student. The shirts are then screen-printed at Unique Impressions in New-ark. In the history of the event, the CD5K has grown and changed in multiple ways. The Kiddie Run, a one mile race around the field overseen by elementary gym teacher Mark Horn, was added a few years ago so that the younger students could par-ticipate as well. The 5K course itself originally ran down Old Wilming-ton Road, but was re-mapped several years ago to run through the residential neighborhoods surrounding Wilmington Christian. For Yzaguirre, each year has similar as well as different emotional impacts. She says, “Every year it [the race] affects me in a different way.” Throughout the seven races she has helped organize, certain memories stand out to her. “Some years there are students who have never run a 5K before, and they win an award. One year it rained heavily, and then there was a rainbow. Those are the things you remember.” Despite changes in the CD5K over the years, a common thread remains in all – a close-knit community that is inspired by Dietrich’s legacy - one of kindness, strength, perseverance, and most importantly, a desire to serve the Lord in all that she did. Yzaguirre says, “At this event I feel the Lord’s presence more than anything else I do. Connie is still doing her work here.”

Junior Emily Dorsey took Regional Winner in the “Doodle 4 Google” contest held nationally with the above graphic. She is 1 of 40 regional winners heading

to NY City on May 20 for the announcement of the National Winner. [There were 28,000 entries! Congrats, Emily!]

Volunteers [L-R] Admin. Asst., Susan Keller, Mid. School Principal, Gwen Campbell, and WCS

Parent, Elizabeth Kaliakin await the arrival of the 5K runners.

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����� � �� � � � �� � �� � � � �� � �� � � � �� � �� � � � � ����By Luke Althouse

Nailed to a wooden cross A king dies as a criminal. The sign above His head

Calls Him King of the Jews, But He is King of far more. This is no man, this is God. This is the Creator of Earth. This is the Sovereign Lord.

This is the Holy One, the I AM. This is Jesus Christ, Emanuel, Prince of Peace, Lamb of God.

To see Him now like this, you would never guess that He is anything more than a crook Hands that once forged the universe and all existence now hold a frail body up on a cross No golden crown rests on His brow, only a twisted ring of thorns that cuts into His scalp His robes of light have been replaced by a coat of scars and bruises from being beaten.

He is not here because He sinned; He is spotless, devoid of any guilt; He did not earn this. He is here because He is in love. He is in love with a fallen people, A people who turned against Him.

Having fallen into wickedness, They can no longer commune With a perfect, sinless God.

But God loves them so much That he does the unthinkable,

He puts on human flesh And He dwells among us.

He lives among His people, Teaching them, calling them. Then, after doing no wrong, He allows the world to put Him up on this cross to die. The Father punishes Him For every sin we commit. All our lies, all our greed,

All our pride, all our crimes Are laid upon the back Of the very same God

Who made the broken laws. He takes the wrath you earned

And pours in on Himself, All so that you can be His. As Christ’s arms are spread

Wide on the cross, the Father’s Arms are wide open, too,

Open for you.

��������������By Editor-In-Chief,

Juli Powers The 2009 seniors will not be easily forgotten. Through unity, strength, and a loving spirit, the senior class comprises a sizeable group of truly Christ-focused individuals. Similar to what many staff members at WCS had been say-ing about this class all year, math teacher Ralph Jarrell saw this harmony, spirit, and enthusiasm exhibited off campus on the senior trip to Canada, March 18, 2009. “No one gets left out, and everyone is a part of the group. It was a great trip that was unbelievably easy to chaperone.”

Fellow chaperone and foreign language department head, Nancy Cow-chok, agrees with Jarrell. “This class stands out as one that is fun-loving and caring about their classmates. It is refreshing to walk into the lounge and con-versation continues as usual.” Cowchok appreciates this fact because it shows that these students, by not abruptly pausing in their conversations, are not dis-cussing improper subjects or being slanderous towards others.

Seniors Hannah Bollinger and Grace Plumley feel that the seniors get along better than any of the other classes because after they reached high school, they lost half of their class. Everyone that remained was nice and got along well together. Alex Berryhill says, “Our class is small, so everybody knows every-one.”

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# � ����$���# � ����$���# � ����$���# � ����$�������By Ian Constable

Ideas,

Everyone has them, Good and bad they pour in.

How does one decide which is best? Should one pursue every dream fully?

Can our random ideas possibly be reliable In making decisions that have major affects?

Does thought truly move man forward? Or does it propel us all downward?

Would a truly mindless being Hate, murder, and destroy?

Are our thoughts ever A source of light,

Or are we just Stumbling

In the Dark?

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����������������� �������������������� �������������������� �������������������� �������By Hannah Bollinger

� � � � � � � � � � � �� �� � � � � � � � � � � �� �� � � � � � � � � � � �� �� � � � � � � � � � � �� � ����By Madeline Ley

A

Drop Splashes

From the sky Sweetly touching

The skin on my face. It softly kisses the bruise

That haunts my broken heart. Rain is the elixir that heals. Mending the broken spirit

That feels the presence Of those loved,

PAGE 7

With such a unique group, the trip to Montreal and Quebec City was a pleasant one for class advisors Cowchok and Jarrell. “The only issues we had were talking while the tour guide was talking and the volume in the halls of the hotels,” says Jarrell. Cowchok commented that the trips are stressful when people are late – it shows a lack of respect for those who worked hard to format the schedule so that students can enjoy all that was planned for them. Cowchok says, “Everyone was either early or on time for every sched-uled board of the bus; they were polite at the restaurants and respectful towards the bus driver and the tour guide, and that helped everyone have a good time.” When a group behaves as this class did, it “let’s me enjoy the actual activities along with the students.” The advisors were not concerned about negative issues occur-ring with this year’s seniors. The administration was confident providing only two chaperones for the 33 students. Unlike prior years, senior advi-sor and science teacher Bonnie Smith along with Principal Doug Haas did not need to chaperone this time. Sadly, Smith was unable to attend anyway due to her husband’s surgery, and Haas felt comfortable allow-ing the class to travel without a third chaperone because of their male to female ratio as well. “We require a chaperone for every fifteen students. This year only two needed to attend, and there wasn’t a need for me to go,” says Haas.

When only two chaperones are necessary for an out of the country, overnight stay, the statement is clear – these seniors are respon-sible. “The seniors have shown that their Christianity is important to them and they illustrate it everyday. That is something that doesn’t just ‘go away,’” says guidance counselor Ashley MacKelkan. Cowchok com-mented that the seniors’ strong spiritual attitudes did indeed stay with them even off the school premises.

According to Jarrell and Cowchok, all of the seniors this year behaved and stayed out of trouble. Since they all got along well together and there were no arguments regarding the rules, the trip was a memora-ble occasion for Jarrell who says, “The trip was even better than my sen-

ior trip!” Many students feel that behavior wasn’t an issue because they have “the best senior ad-visors ever! We don’t have drama and there aren’t really any cliques,” says Allison Takats. MacKelkan says, “I have known since the first week of working here at WCS that the senior class had something special. The bond I see is something you don't normally see with an entire class. The seniors are supportive and kind to each other, and they show a Chris-

tian character to which all of the classes to follow should aspire.”

“This class doesn’t leave people out, they don’t talk about each other, and there isn’t any visible petty gossip. It definitely helped that there was no fighting in the class when it came to the room assignments or the time to be in their rooms,” says Cowchok.

Cowchok also mentioned that bus driver, Ed Casper, enjoyed driving this particular group because they didn’t get too loud to be dis-tracting and they followed directions. Casper even requested that he be contacted again for next year’s trip. “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” [John 13:35] Jarrell compared his experience with the seniors this year to this verse because this class has emulated the love God commands of His children.

���������������By Assistant Editor,

Katie Alteri

“No one’s hiring but I’m in desperate need of a job for the summer. I’ve applied to quite a few clothing stores and grocery stores but I haven’t heard back from any of them yet!” says senior Samantha Wolff. This seems the general consensus for student after student – applying at numerous places but receiving no feedback. With an economic situation being compared to that of the Great Depression, the employment of millions of Americans across the country is on shaky ground. Teenagers looking to find summer jobs are feeling the crisis as never before. Even those who have searched for a job early on have had trouble getting positions this year as there is not much to be offered at this time of financial downturn.

According to the Center for Labor Market Studies in Northeastern University people within the ages of 16-19, 43% were employed last sum-mer. Also reported, 51% of Delaware’s youth found work last summer, as op-posed to those of the same in other states.

Experts Nathan Dungan, president of Share Save Spend and Renee’ Ward, found of teens4hire.org, have advice on how to get a job even though one’s young age may be a disadvantage. With so many adults in need of employment, teens need ways to set them apart. Making business cards and résumés including past experiences can make an applicant look more prepared. Also, employers are more likely to hire younger candidates if they are a frequent visitor to an establishment. Other students had success with finding jobs when they looked far in advance. The experts advise going the extra mile to ob-tain employment. Sophomore Andrew Martin says, “I had to pay money to take classes for the life guarding job I have this summer, but it was the first place I applied, so it was worth it.” Junior Emily Dorsey says, “I work at the YMCA in the day care department. I got my job last summer, and at the time they were looking for workers, so it wasn’t difficult -although I’m sure it would be harder if I was trying to apply for a job this year with the economic situation.” “I’m currently a babysitter at Hockessin Baptist Church. I applied at Little Gym for a summer job, and hopefully they will call me back. I had an interview there and also helped out with a few classes,” says junior Amy Schultz. Science teacher Karin Tuttle gives her suggestions as to how to find a job. “I’d advise students to not be so selective with where they apply. Try something new even, if it may not be your dream job. Get your foot in the door somewhere and a better position opportunity may arise from that in the future.” Many students realize that the economic situation is a direct cause of why jobs are hard to come by. “I’ve been hardcore looking for a job. I’d love to work at the gym with Andy Jock! I don’t know how much the economy really affects kids like us, but it definitely does when looking for a job because there aren’t many jobs offered right now,” says sophomore Trent Lockard. Junior Kristen Tideman has a back-up plan. “I really need a summer job and money, and so far I’ve applied to Friendly’s. If I don’t get a job there I will probably help my dad out at his work.” Despite this economy, there is still hope for students to find jobs despite the shortage of opportunities. Being open-minded, putting in extra effort, and applying at numerous places will all be helpful factors in finding a job suitable for the summer months. First, not last seek the Lord for He knows just where you should be and can open doors that seem impossible.

Senior advisor/Science Dept. Head, Bonnie Smith, poses with “Flat Bonnie” who

accompanied seniors to Canada.

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bond that we created last year that will help us throughout the season.” Building on last year’s rocky five-win season, softball this year is taking an aggressive approach in order to have success.

In addition to head coach, Richard Hickman, a new face in ‘09 is assistant coach, Lindsay Sanderson, who has provided even more support for the team. Already fairly experienced, the softball team has five return-ing seniors. Working through grueling drills, the team is trying to improve batting and defensive skills to keep games competitive. With a 1-2 record, the prospects of having a winning season had been dampened a bit after the girls’ first game against Red Lion, but rebounding back, blew away St. An-drews in an exciting match. With such an impressive turn-around, the season ahead bears a lot of promise.

������������������������������������By Staff Reporter,

Yanni Kaliakin “I think we need to work on the basics.

Some things like groundballs, shooting, and passing. It all comes down to that. Since there are a lot of new players, there is definitely room to im-prove,” says goalie junior Russell Ford.

With a shaky pre-season, the lacrosse team did not know what to expect. Many players thought that this year, after losing many game-changing, record-making seniors from last year, would be another mediocre one at best. However, to many people’s surprise, the players came together, won a tough scrimmage and played competitively in their first game, which they only just let get away from them.

Encouraging steps toward improvement have made the team a great testament to what hard work can do even on an inexperienced team. The defense has made giant leaps of progress every game so far, making the job of the team’s powerful offense that much easier. It has been a bit tough to convert the improving defense to a stel-lar offense in most games. The record does not do justice to the improve-ments. With no wins so far and three losses, the inexperience of the new team has been compensated by a great coach and a tight team spirit.

Sophomore Matt Taylor, who plays defense, says, “The team isn’t as good as it was last year, but we have a great coach.”

����������������������������������������By Staff Reporter,

Yanni Kaliakin Soccer team spirit is one thing that obviously does not lack. “It’s going to be a challenge for us to get a .500 re-cord, as I want to, because we are young team and have lost

some impact players to graduation,” says coach Doug Haas. A few similarities overlap from lacrosse into soccer this year. A

young team, working hard, and putting the utmost effort in all their games characterizes both sports. A big difference, though, is the girls’ strong re-turning defense – a group of leaders on the team that are supporting the other members. Even their support through the tough games could not quite produce the wins they need. They have started the season with a disap-pointing no wins and two losses.

The chemistry of the team still lacks a bit. A new face on the soc-cer squad, freshman Samantha Foster says, “I think once we have strong teamwork, we will be an amazing team.”

The only two returning seniors, both on defense, are enthusiastic leaders for the team. The focal point being the team’s defense, weaker of-fensive players have had trouble getting shots on net. “I think we need to work on getting the ball up there and shooting!” says junior Jen Stark. “We have had many changes in the season. We just need to stay committed.”

Coach Haas sums up the team’s primary focus, “My expectation is that we would glorify God, whatever the circumstances, by how we play and how we build each other up.”

������������������������By Assistant Editor,

Katie Alteri “We are definitely better as a team this year. Our record right now is 1-2, but we have plenty of games left to change that,” says captain, senior Kyle Smith. Boys’ baseball has not always been one of WCS’s stronger male sports teams but has the ability to change significantly this season. Aside from two seniors, it is dominantly underclassmen that play beyond their years, making up for the lack of older students on the team. The boys faced a disappointing loss to Red Lion, their first opponent of the season. The team, under the leadership of seniors Justin Keller and Smith, hopes to make up for their losing ‘08 record. Contin-ues Smith, “We are a young team, but a lot of new players have been essential to the team so far.” With guidance from their coaches and a wide range of ages and skill levels, finished with an improved 5-12 re-

cord.

������By Assistant Editor,

Katie Alteri Coach David Bird says of his track team, “We wish we had more athletes, but the ones we do have are

doing very well, with several people who will be able to compete in states.” Although short of athletes, 14 guys and 6 girls, the track team is proving to be off to a strong start. Their first meet of the season, at Bo Manor High School, resulted in success for younger track athletes, eighth graders Sam Moyer (1st in 100 yard dash) and Haley Schweizer (1st in triple jump), and sophomore Jon Bird (1st in shot put). Coach David Bird adds, “The team is smaller than last year, but has some stand out individuals.” The team has already experienced success with sopho-more Bird breaking the school record for shot put early on in the season.

Junior Jamie Karcha comments, “We have a really young team and our throwing is our strongpoint. Although we were very close to a conference championship this year, we will have the ability to win it next year because we are only losing three athletes.” With a slew of younger athletes with advantages in many events, this year’s track team is sure to have successful season including many participants in the state competition.

����������������By Assistant Editor,

Katie Alteri “We went to states last year, and only have

two returning players,” says team co-captain, junior Tim Webster. One of the less respected of WCS sports, golf has often flown under the radar with matches that are rarely seen. With a small team of nine players, it is led by juniors John Stonkus and Webster.

Coach Dave Macdonald, who has been a part of the golf pro-gram for seven years, hopes to lead the boys (and one girl) to the state competition. Webster states, “Individually, I think a few players have a chance of making it to states, but I’m not sure what our chances are as a team thus far.”

�� � � � � ��� � � � � ��� � � � � ��� � � � � � ����By Staff Reporter,

Yanni Kaliakin “Our strong point is that we bond with each other. What we work on most is trying to perfect our defensive and batting skills,” says senior captain Ellyn Jones in high spirits and great expectations about the

team’s prospects for the rest of their season. Continues Jones “It’s this

PAGE 9

��������������������������������� ��

����������������By Staff Reporter,

Billy Soistmann�

After months of preparation, the WCS Mock Trial team encountered inexperienced judges, a flawed scoring system, and inconsistent administration of the rules during this year's Delaware State Mock Trial competition. Afterwards, the team was left disap-pointed, angry, and confused. What went wrong?! Going into round one of the competition, WCS was very enthusiastic. This excitement abruptly ended with just one phrase from a judge, "Well, they're [the exhibits] accepted as accurate, so I'm just going to let them in." Perhaps a bit of background…

Provided with the case are a certain number of exhibits (evidence that either side can use). However, foundational to any court case are the Rules of Evidence, which govern what is admis-sible, or allowed in court, and what is objectionable, which means that a team can object to its use. To complicate the situation, there are a set of stipulations, the first of which says, "All exhibits in-cluded in the case are authentic and accurate in all respects. No objections to the authenticity of the exhibits will be entertained." This does not mean, though, that they are not subject to the regula-tions of the rules and that any party may not still object to their merits as evidence (such as their relevance to the case, etc.). The presiding judge, the Honorable Thomas Brown, a magistrate for the Delaware Justice of the Peace, and not an attor-ney, was not informed on the Rules of Evi-dence and decided he was not going to hear any objections to evi-dence based on his mis-interpretation of the stipulations. Such a ruling could have been devastating for any team, but, thankfully, since this was the first round, this major misunderstanding did not hurt WCS, as we tied for first place at the end of round one. Fast-forward to the second round. WCS was pitted against Cab Calloway, a school known more for their acting ability than their knowledge of the law. The round seemed to go well. Both teams held their own and WCS, flawless on the law, left the opposing lawyers befuddled by a barrage of solid objections. While it was close, the team thought certainly they had won. As they found out, this round really destroyed the team. They re-ceived only one of the three ballots required to win and dropped from first place to tenth. Continuing with the theme of inexperi-enced judges, the two lawyers who ruled against WCS had only two years' law experience between them. In addition, the teams do not find out the results in each round until several months after-wards. [This lack of communication is a huge problem.] In the third round, WCS faced Newark High. This was a troubling sign that WCS had lost the previous round. Some in-depth analysis is needed to understand why...

During the competition, the winners of a round get placed in the Winner's Bracket where they are pitted against other teams who won in the previous round. In this way, the Winner's Bracket gets smaller and smaller until two teams can be chosen for the final round. Due to the fact that Newark High has never been considered a top team, this hinted that WCS may have lost to Cab (and had been eliminated from the top bracket). During the round, there were only a handful of question-able rulings and WCS performed well. A later revelation revealed that WCS only received two of the three ballots. This time, the one ballot that the team did not receive was from a lawyer in only his third year practicing law. While this was still a win, it severely hindered the team's chances of making the Championship Round. The team's final round was uneventful. Due to the previ-ous day-and-a-half of competition, WCS faced a weak team, and even though they won handedly, there was no chance of making the championship round. When the final two teams were announced (Charter and Friends), the WCS Mock Trial team stood silently. Despite their best efforts, the rounds had not gone their way. How did this hap-pen? Put simply, the competition is inherently flawed. First of all, the judges' rulings are extremely inconsistent, which especially hurts WCS, a very rule-oriented team. If the judges had been trained beforehand, the teams could come to expect better rulings from the bench. The jurors, however, are especially inconsistent when allotting points. For example, in round two, one judge gave a seven while another gave a three for the exact same performance. This problem is further magnified by the inexperience of most of the lawyers who volunteer to judge. All three of the jurors that ruled against the team had three years or less of experience prac-ticing law. This can be amended, though, by training the judges and jurors in advance to ensure that they reach a certain standard of consistency. Secondly, the results are under wraps, at least during the competition, which makes sense to a certain degree. Nevertheless, having no idea how well one's team has performed can be prob-lematic. This lack of transparency also compounds the judging inconsistencies by obliterating any chance a team has of challeng-ing a decision by either a judge, juror, or the Mock Trial Commit-tee. Thirdly, the competition is too short. How are two teams chosen after only four rounds? Of all six teams ranked higher than WCS, the team had only faced one, number six, Cab Calloway. To fix this problem, a simple redesign of the rounds, including a lengthening of the competition overall is all that is needed to pro-vide a clearer basis on which to rank the teams. Despite these obstacles, WCS finished with a 3-1 record and placed 4th in the competition. (Originally, WCS was given 7th, but there was a mistake counting the ballots which has since been rectified.) Since 2001 no WCS team has ranked that high in a state competition. The team also won most effective lawyer in every round [juniors Yanni Kaliakin (twice) and Kristen Tideman and sophomore Austin Barrington] and one most effective witness (sophomore Billy Soistmann). Even though their goal was to win the state competition and head to the nationals, the team's accom-plishments are still impressive, especially considering that this was a team without any seniors. This means that every member can

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ess calls for more creative and mature gift ideas! The following are ideas gleaned from many sources to

insure special WCS moms are (continue to be) treated royally. Some students are quite talented in the kitchen. A gourmet break-fast in bed (no cold cereal – please!) would not cost too much but planning, time, and, of course, clean up. Others create “I owe you’s” to do the laundry, clean the house, or complete some of the chores their moms usually do for a specified time period. Several teens report that they have taken their moms out for a delicious, yet economical, dinner or have bought her a present of sentimental value. On the other hand, students could offer an entire day to help with a household project. Whether it is cleaning, redecorating, or organizing pictures, students should plan ahead with snacks and music to guarantee a day of fun one day during this Mother’s Month.

One of the more original suggestions comes from senior Steff Zerbe. She created a stippling drawing in black and white for her mom in 2006. Zerbe says, “My mom watched the Star Wars movie at her wedding reception. So, I found a picture of the direc-tor and made a dot drawing of his face for her.”

Not everyone is as talented as Zerbe, but there are still many creations that can be made with just a bit of thoughtful plan-ning. Moms enjoy even the smallest tokens. A new idea comes from English teacher Sherrie Gumienny who creates “Living Eulo-gies” for each of her students on or near their birthdays (summer birthdays get random surprise days). Gumienny crafts a poem in his/her honor, on the board, personalizes a book mark to tell them why she appreciates him/her, and provides the student with candy or stickers. She also gives the other students in the class a colored note card to write their kudos to the honoree. Teens may use this idea to create a poem or “Living Eulogy” [Eulogy means “words of praise or acclimation”- by the way, not a “funeral speech.”] and frame it to be displayed for all of her friends.

Other money saving ideas might include homemade bracelets personalized with beads and a tag with one of her favor-ite quotes or even a Bible verse attached. For those who can stitch, create a scarf and add some rhinestones. One could use his/her current age and write a list of reasons of that length, this mom is so beloved. Specialty stores have variously shaped ice trays for more creative drink additives. Bamboo has also become a popular gift as it lasts a long time with minor care necessary. Mothers who enjoy tea might like tea flowers or a glass teapot.

Countless more ideas can spring from a creative and prepared mind. Bankrate.com discusses “twenty last minute (and cheap) gift ideas” including different types of gift baskets. For example a basket for relaxation could consist of the following: a mug with a variety box of tea, a small box of cookies, bath salts, a loofa, and a face mask, all for around $27. The price can decrease simply by making some homemade cookies rather than buying a box. Betterbudgeting.com offers ideas from readers such as a sim-ple vase filled with memories about their family on colored, quar-ter-folded paper. Also, this site offers the idea of homemade pot holders with an attachment of a cinnamon stick.

Likewise, artistic minds can put together a scrapbook full of memories and pictures. More website goodies come from Associatedcontent.com which has the “Top 10 gift ideas for mom.” Suggestions range from giving a spa day together to a re-mote control car starter for the cold, winter months. If a person is better with words, then he/she could write an original poem or order custom M&M’s online at mymms.com/customprint/. Maybe the type of mom who loves to cook might enjoy a thoughtful cook-book or even a hand-decorated apron. PlanetMomTshirts.com al-lows young adults to personalize T-shirts with quotes that read “Voted Best Mom by (insert name here).”

Two ideas from uniqueholidaygiftideas.com consist of a video camera documentary or a bit of manual labor you’ll perform for mom. Using a video camera, students should ask their family members a few questions: “What makes Mom special? Where is

return for next year, along with experience gained from this com-petition. While there are definitely problems with the competi-tion, the bright side is that improvements can easily be made for next year's competition. One must note, however, that WCS' loss cannot be entirely attributed to flaws with the competition. While the team was very strong, there is still room for improvement. The team was not perfect, nor will they ever be, yet they are very opti-mistic to fine-tune their skills during next year's competition.

During the aftermath, Randy Hern-don, Esq., the team's head coach, sought to divert focus away from an earthly view of the competition and onto and

eternal view — the team glori-fied God through their efforts.

First Corinthians 2:24-25 tells us that winning an earthly prize means nothing, but the true goal should be to grow closer to God and to glorify Him with our skills, whatever they may be. Virtually every member of the team responded positively and many noted how incredible the season was. As one team member said, "It is not what place they put us in, which we all know was wrong, but that we grew closer to God and each other."

����������� ����������������

By Editor-In-Chief, Juli Powers

William Makepeace Thackeray, English novelist of the

19th century, once said, “Mother is the name for God in the lips and hearts of little children.” Mother’s Day is past… did you miss it? Why not celebrate Mother’s Month instead! [Ok, so we missed the deadline!] Most moms can be compared to Wonder Woman. She cooks, she cleans, she does the laundry, she consoles, she tu-tors, she often works outside the home, and all with seemingly super-human power. So who then is more deserving of a “Mom’s Month” celebration?

Many teens muse over what to buy or make for this treasured person every Mother’s Day. The stress of finding a meaningful gift each year becomes monumental especially under the current economic status. The best way to handle such a situa-tion is to change up the holiday. Instead of buying her a present for Mother’s Day surprise her with special alone time spent together at a spa. Later in the month, treat her to a special dinner or even a movie. She will not only be surprised, but she’ll be excited at the thought that mothers deserve more than one day to be appreciated. After all, mothers don’t take care of their families just one day out of the year.

This year, make a mid-year resolution – be more crea-tive, and make a gift instead. After 12-14 years of celebrating this special day already, a teen has previously showered his or her mom with enough hand-made school craft projects to cause her keepsake box to bulge. Now that he or she is older, the cement hands and macaroni necklaces are no longer cute. This aging proc-

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[L-R] The 2008-2009 WCS Mock Trial Team: Rebekah W. (9), Coach Paul R., Lauren T. (11),

Coach Randolph H., Matthew K. (9), Billy S. (10), Tori N. (10), Kristen T. (11), Shannon G. (10), Austin B. (10),

Coach Keri K., and Yanni K. (11).

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the best place you’ve ever been with Mom? What is an important lesson Mom has taught you? How do you want to be like Mom?”

Substitute teacher Marlene McCallister has a great offer-ing. “The best thing to do for Mother’s Day is just to spend time together with a good attitude. That’s all moms really want - to talk and relate and have some fun with their kids.” Perhaps kidnapping her with a pre-made delicious picnic lunch and whisking her off to a beautiful park for the afternoon would be a delight. Just make sure she does not get stuck with clean-up duties! “Mother’s Month” ultimately opens the door for a great way to honor one’s significant

mother. Rather than spending one formal designated day celebrat-

ing one’s mom, show her that you really do appreciate all that she does all year long. Even under the present economic constraints, students will be able to provide moms with homemade and heart-felt appreciation. No matter what she receives, be sure to provide mom, step mom, or surrogate moms with days all year filled with joy, hugs, and happy tears. Let her know often that the people she loves have her in mind.

����������������� ���������By Staff Reporter,

Yanni Kaliakin

Abortion is a polarizing issue in the United States. In fact, according to an online post election poll published by faithin-publiclife.org, over 51% of those who voted Republican in the 2008 elections, voted primarily because of social issues, abortion being number one. Such an important issue has spurred on vast participation of Americans in a movement to make the new gov-ernment better understand its evils. This movement recently culmi-nated into a week-long deluge of empty red letters to the President representing the countless children lost to abortion, voices which cannot be heard today [thus the empty red letters]. A deluge of red envelopes inundated the White House at the end of March during this solemn but enthusiastic movement of pro-life people. Started by Massachusetts resident, Chris Otto, Red Envelope Day evolved into what it has become for the nation and, this year, WCS. Started a year ago, Otto’s idea made a lasting impact on the White House’s already overburdened mailroom when over 2.5 million red envelopes started pouring in after March 31. A trickle of the envelopes still remains now, but the surprising number back in March astounded White officials. Although failing to comment at news conferences whether or not Obama even saw one of the envelopes, an unnamed mailroom staffer confirmed their arrival at the White House, and added that the mere fact of so much commit-ment from so many people was “astounding. The issue of abortion plagues women in their personal

lives and influences their vote for President. Now with a democ-ratic President, government policies are decidedly choice, [Obama recently initiated more embryonic stem cell research and cloning projects]. As a result, many Christians feel the need to voice their opinion even louder and more clearly especially now with these recent government policy changes. As a result of the national movement, starting on March 20, WCS began their first participation in the National initiative of Red Letter Day. During this effort, students paid for the postage of empty red letters that would be mailed to White House. To drive this event to forceful close, on March 27, the nationally known pro-life speaker, Scott Klusendorf, spoke at WCS at a special one-hour chapel. Students from the University of Delaware, Red Lion Christian, and several area Catholic schools joined the high school audience in the auditorium from 1-2 pm. Klusendorf, a graduate of UCLA and currently the Life Training Institute (LTI) president, is the highest regarded pro-life speaker in the nation, traveling to schools, universities, and churches and has made a career out of speaking out about the issue at countless venues. Within the past months, Klusendorf has trav-eled to 30-40 different locations. The same day he spoke at WCS, he had to catch a plane at four that afternoon to fly to Acworth, Georgia, for another speech. Well known and respected in academic and political circles, Klusendorf has appeared on “Focus on the Fam-ily,” “American Family Radio” and many other national TV and radio broadcasts. He has lectured to student groups in over 70 colleges and universities and taken part in collegiate debates na-tionwide. Klusendorf’s presence at WCS was definitely an impor-tant occasion for people who have heard him only on national broadcasts dismantling his pro-choice opponents with rock-solid logic and quick wit. Similarly Klusendorf employed irrefutable arguments for the Red Envelope Day cause. He brought up the fact that every person has his or her own view on the issue of abortion. In fact some Christians are not sure either way about their stance on whether abortion should be allowed in specific cases or should be banned in others. Some have qualms about how much the govern-ment should interfere in people’s personal lives, and are, as a gen-eral fact, poorly informed or confused about the issue of abortion. Many WCS students, for example, “signed out” of school early on March 20 rather than attend the Klusendorf session. However, if such students had just tuned into Klusendorf for that one hour on Friday, their views either flipped from pro-choice all the way around to pro-life or became clearly, factually informed about why abortion is a detriment to society. “After viewing the images in the video, my heart was stirred. They were imprinted in my mind and God led me to pray for those involved with and are considering abortion,” said senior Madeline Ley, just coming out of Klusendorf’s presentation. Sophomore Austin Barrington said, “I think the personal belief counts. The effort our school put in is convincing to any person who has any second thoughts about abortion.” Junior Karlyn Schultz felt that since attending Klusen-dorf’s presentation, she had been equipped with the right verbal “weaponry;” she can now go out and defend her Christian beliefs. “I was encouraged by the speaker’s logic – something that will prevail against any secular argument.” “After the speech, I was thinking about abortion a lot. He made it easier for me to be on the pro-life side of the argu-ment,” said freshman Elijah Davis. The speech was the ultimate complement to the whole concept of Red Envelope Day. Klusendorf talked about the logical view of defending a pro-life defense in a secular world. He used catchy acronyms and phrases that would stick with students such as [SLED for: “Size,” “Level of development,” “Environment,” and “Degree of Dependency” SLED helps people remember how to state the difference between an embryo and a grown person.

Steff Zerbe’s stippling drawing for her Mother’s Day gift

Cont’d on p. 12

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Reinforcing the fact that humans now are not much different than when they were embryos.]. Such acronyms were geared perfectly for students who will need to defend their beliefs in college classes and beyond. Klusendorf also emphasized, “If the unborn are not hu-man, killing them for any reason requires no more justification than having a tooth pulled. It would be like choosing a flavor of ice cream. In other words, arguments based on “choice” or

“privacy” misses the point entirely. Would anyone that you know support a mother killing her toddler in the name of “choice and who de-cides?” Thus, such powerful oratory drives each listener to make the case simpler to not only understand the issue but present it more effectively.

A l t h o u g h Klusendorf’s presentation was powerful [readers

can access the version at http://prolifetraining.com/WMV/Gordon-low.htm], some still had doubts about the effectiveness of the Red Envelope Day. Despite opinions similar to that of Ley’s, some students still had the question about sending out red envelopes to a President who probably had quickly discarded. Junior Jamie Karcha said, “[Sending Red Envelopes] was not worth it because a lot of money was spent on postage, and the envelopes and the President’s opinion won’t change. He won’t even look at them. There are smarter ways to get our point across.” Karcha believes that money should be put into places that will actively stop abortion. He talked about redirecting the roughly 630 envelopes’ cost (about $500) to a crisis pregnancy center or Door of Hope [a transitional housing program for the underprivileged]. Karcha continued, “The goal here was to save lives, which I believe is a great cause. But that cause was not ac-complished by sending paper to the President. Klusendorf, on the contrary, explains that the initial action of sending out red enve-lopes has a ripple effect whose power of influence cannot be known but is definitely worth the effort for such a worthy cause. “It’s a minimal step, but a step in the right direction,” said Klusendorf. “When you have to pay off debt, you are advised to start with a small amount and work from there. This Red Enve-lope Day is a small step to get students moving or activated in the right direction. Who knows what kind of snowball effect this small step will have?” Klusendorf’s “snowball effect” impacted all in attendance that day. Our Christian school now has powerful tools. Our students are better equipped to engage society in the abortion debate, fight for this cause, and support the unborn lives of mil-lions.

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• Don’t leave my phone in my pocket before putting pants in the washer.

• Don’t talk to strangers, even if they have candy. -Andy J.

• I would have followed the Seven Baby Steps to Financial Peace (Thanks Dave!)

• I would attempt to be Class Valedictorian and beat Noelle. -Alex H.

•I would not blow on my dog’s ear, for now I know it irritates

him. •Τhe greatest thing you’ll ever learn is how to love and be loved

in return. -Jenni C. • Not allow Alex Hall to have my keys anywhere near my trunk. • A deal is not a deal unless you can afford it. -Scott J.

MOMENTS—Cont’d from p. 2 MILLIONS— Cont’d from p. 11

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Amanda Richmond

There has never been a dull moment at Wilmington Christian this year. From fall sports to finals, dances to dodge ball tournaments, WCS students have been through a multi-tude of unforgettable experiences. Throughout the year stu-dents have experienced some really funny crack-ups, an em-barrassing time or two, and even some sad, touching moments that go straight to the heart. One thing is true, though, there was never a boring moment! “When I had a chemistry test, we all heard Jon Bird yell from the other room ‘I am the ghost of Christmas - Jon Bird!” It was completely random!” - Claire W.

“I’d have to say that when I lit my food on fire in the microwave and the school had to buy a new one. I didn’t even know my food was on fire until all my friends were like ‘Ashley your food’s on fire!’” - Ashley E.

“I was walking up the middle school steps, and I fell down with a bunch of people behind me. All of my books went with me! That was really embarrassing.” - Claire G.

“There were definitely some really touching moments this year. One I clearly remember was the abortion video. It was so sad that it actually made me cry, but it was definitely a wake up call to what’s going on. And actually seeing something affects your view on it.” - Becky R.

“I think I speak for the whole Mock Trail team when I say that losing the competition when we should have rightfully won was the worst moment ever.” - Austin B.

“I was in Mrs. Tuttle’s science class and everyone was taking a test. I was already finished so I decided to take a nap. The next thing I know, I was on the floor. I thought to myself, Did I actually just fall off the stool? And I did. I was so embarrassed, and it really didn’t help that everything was dead silent!”

- Emily R.

“It was super embarrassing the day I wore my sweat-pants backwards all day until 7th period! You would think someone would tell you that your pants were clearly on backwards!” - Ciara H.

“I don’t know why but one day I walked into Mr. Jarrell’s room and I sat down before realizing I was in the wrong class. This happened like four months into the year!”

- Taylor L.

“The memory that sticks out most in my mind is when God provided each person in the class enough money for our class compassion child; it was really quite amazing.” -Amy S.

[L-R] Committed students address red envelopes to send as silent protest to the new

President.