Athletes of the Month 11

Teacher Feature 12

Coaches Corner 12

From a Guy’s Eye 13

Choo Choo Chat 14

Advice 15

Political Propaganda 16-17

High School

Highlights

2-4

Grade School Gossip 4

Middle School Mania 5-6

Student of the Month 7

Back in My Day... 8

Upcoming Events 8

Devil’s Den of Sports 9-10

18

Editorial 19

Music Moasaic 20

Entertainment 21-22

Interesting Information 23

Taco Talk 24

Let’s Be Frank… 24

Local, State, and National News

IN THIS

ISSUE:

Celebrate and Honor 25

The RDD invites you to search for 7 eggs throughout this issue. Eggs look like

this, however they vary in size and color. Answers can be found on the

bottom of this page. Good luck!

My Heart Will Dance On

Egg Hunt Answers: pg. 26, 21, 10, 11, 2, 7, 22

2012 Prom Court

26

27

Ashley and Frank the Tank

Our Supporters

Paparazzi Pics 28

By: Alexis Laurine

As April rolls around, it means one thing for St. C juniors and seniors, Prom. This year, St. Clairsville need the 2012 prom on Saturday, April 21st at the Wheeling Artisan Center from eight to midnight. The chosen theme for the 2012 prom was “Sailing into the Moonlight,” which was accompanied by “My Heart Will Go On” by Celine Dion as the annual prom song. The colors were sapphire blue, pastel blue, pastel pink, and silver. The Mardi Gras themed After Prom

was be held after the dance at the Carnes Center from midnight to four.

Along with Prom comes the tradition of the St. C prom court, and the class of 2012 has voted. Who will dance the night away as the Prom King and Queen? Taryne Soukup, Brittanni Rauschenberg, Morgan Young, Alexis Emrisko, Erica Strope, and Marisa Dwyer were all voted onto the court in hopes of becoming the 2012 prom queen. The guys vying for the prom king crown are

Brice Holler, Chase Garan, Kevin Hochstrasser, Nick McEndree, Cole Antolak, and Andy Thornburg. The candidates picked roses at 10 pm at the dance, and the lucky guy and lucky girl crowned the Prom King and Queen were Taryne Soukup and Andy Thornburg. As always, prom will be a night everyone remembers. With many high expectations, the 2012 “Sailing into the Moonlight” themed prom lived up to all of them.

P A G E 2 V O L U M E 2 , I S S U E 7

On Thursday April 12, Alexis Laurine was crowned queen of queens over two other St. Clairsville seniors. They competed in the annual Queen of Queens pageant to represent St. Clairsville High School in the OVAC Queen of Queens pageant in July. Alexis Laurine, Lexie Smith, and Julie Jacob were the only ones competing. The first portion of the competition was a talent that the competitor had, Alexis danced and Lexie and Julie sang. Next, Nick Makris played some piano pieces for entertainment while the girls changed into

evening gowns. Alexis, Lexie, and Julie were escorted on stage in dresses of their choice and once were all on stage, they each drew a question out of a basket to be asked. Alexis was asked “How are you a positive influence on others?” The girls were then escorted off stage. Nick Makris once again brought the piano back out and provided entertainment while the judges deliberated. After about ten minutes, the girls were brought back on stage where Lexie Smith was named runner-up.

Ginger Doesn’t Snap Under Pressure

Nifty Nashville

While pulling out of the school parking lot at 6am on

Thursday, March 22nd, the St. Clairsville St. C. Singers, Sweet

Harmony, and Chamber Choir sang their way to Nashville, TN. The

groups took three charter buses and on the way, stopped at

Montgomery’s Inn in Cincinnati, OH for a large rack of tasty ribs.

The buses arrived at the Grand Ole Opry hotel at 3pm. Many of the

students said it was the biggest hotel they’ve ever seen, and

others said they even got lost going back to their rooms. The

groups hit downtown the first night and enjoyed learning line

dances at the Wild Horse Saloon. They then went back to the hotel

and Friday was an early start.

Friday was a busy and fun filled day. It started out at the

RCA Recording Studio where Elvis recorded many of his hits. The

groups even got to record a couple songs themselves. “Being able

to sing in a studio where so many famous people have recorded

their songs was a really cool experience,” said senior Logan

Young. The groups then went to the Country Music Hall of Fame

and then toured the Ryman Auditorium, where many famous

country singers have performed. After touring the Ryman, it was

back to downtown for some shopping before eating at Jimmy

Buffet’s Margaritaville.

Saturday was more relaxing. A lovely boat ride took place

on the General Jackson and then they went back to the hotel to get

ready for the Grand Ole Opry. Many of the girls wore dresses and

the guys wore polos. “The cool thing about going to the Grand Ole

Opry, was that we got to perform some songs before going in to

watch,” said sophomore Sarah Zink. Many people performed that

night such as Marty Staurt, Frankie Ballard, and Connie Smith.

“The trip was a wonderful and great experience,” expressed

senior Laruen Jefferies. The trip was a success, but like they say,

all good things must come to an end. The buses pulled out of the

hotel parking lot at 10am, and back to St. Clairsville it was.

By: Cody L. Jackson

The Grand Ole Opry Courtesy of Google.com

By: Mattison Young

Julie Jacobs

Alexis Laurine

Lexie Smith

P A G E 3

On Tuesday, April 17, Wheeling Hospital unveiled its new Tower 5 which consists mainly of the new Emergency Room but also a new pediatric center and intensive care unit. Eleven sophomore students from St. Clairsville High School made a trip to Tower 5 on April 12 to partake in mock emergencies to get the emergency staff acclimated to the new ER. The students took on different roles such as psychiatric patients, elderly patients, patients with broken fingers and patients with chest pains. The students participated in the mock emergencies in the morning then went to a free lunch at the hospital cafeteria and took a tour of Tower 5.

The first floor is the ER which consists of four trauma rooms, two psychiatric rooms which double as fast track or regular exam rooms, and thirty private exam rooms. Other features include the only 128-slice CT scan, the only one in the region, med gasses in the hallway for mass casualty situations and a waiting area double the size of the old

waiting area. The pediatric center on the se-

cond floor boasts twenty-two pediatric rooms with a pull-out sleeper sofa and glide chair in each, two treatment rooms, two isolation rooms, and a toddler play room.

The ICU on the third floor con-sists of twenty-two Stryker critical care beds, two 1,000 pound bariatric lifts, and thirty-two-inch flat screen televisions in the rooms.

The fourth floor consists of the surgical unit which houses twenty-two private beds, pull-out sleeper sofas and ortho recliners with higher foot stools. The fifth and sixth floors are only partially finished but will house patient rooms and medical services and the seventh floor will boast physician offices as well as two large and two medium suites. Mr. Gregg Warren, the Vice President of Public Relations and Marketing was interviewed to obtain some insight on Tower 5.

RDD: What does the new ER had that the old doesn’t?

Warren: The new ER is highly private, the old ER has curtains between exam rooms and that doesn’t lend much to privacy.

RDD: Why didn’t you just renovate the old ER?

Warren: The old ER is outdated. It was remodeled in 1983, at that time it was built to handle 25, 000 patients a

year and right now it’s handling about 46,000 a year. The new ER can handle up to 60,000 patients a year.

Mr. Gregg Warren also mentioned that both the staff and the students performed very well in the mock emergencies. With the new addition to the hospital, the Oncology department will be expanded since it was previously sharing a floor with Pediatrics. Mr. Warren is still unsure of what is to become of the old ER and ICU and that there are plans to eventually bring the old patient rooms up to par with the new ones in Tower 5.

We were also very frequently told by Mr. Warren, and old friend of Mr. Bonar, to “punch Mr. Bonar in the mouth.”

Wheeling Hospital Unveils Tower Five By: Cody L. Jackson

Taylor and Dylan in bed together

Nurse Gazdik administers a shot to

patient, Josh Yeager. Photo courtesy of

Wheeling Hospital’s media specialist.

The Sheriff’s in Town By: Bryce Burnett

During this bullying prevention month, teachers Mrs. Sall and Miss Jeffries took the time to bring in a very influential guest speaker, Jefferson County Sheriff Fred Abdalla.

His words and stories were touching to even the toughest students in the crowd. His slow speaking deep voice was intimidating while the few tears that ran down his face

showed a soft compassionate side of him. The small white hankie that he removed from his back pocket was a reminder of the severity and emotion that remained with each memory he shared with us. He told stories of losing both of his own parents before freshman year of high school. But the hardest thing he said he’s ever had to do, was tell a mother or father, that their

own child is dead, from a drunk driving accident. He shared with us life lessons and morals that we shall never forget.

His stories are unforgettable, and they truly go to show how strong a person can be. We here at St.C would like to thank him for coming and speaking to us.

Sheriff Abdalla

P A G E 4

Change is coming to the St. Clairsville Elementary

playground. Parents, teachers, and administrators have

joined forces to create the community Playground Project.

“We are trying to promote health, wellness, fitness, and fun

with nature,” says project leader and elementary teacher

Heather Foster. The current grounds will be completely

renovated up to safety and ADA standards. The blueprint for

the new playground includes new play structures, outdoor

nature class, nature trails, a soccer field, and a butterfly

meadow.

To make this dream a reality, it is going to take

nearly $320,000 to complete. The committee is already on

their way to getting this amount and looking forward to

beginning work this summer, but 100% of the funding is

through donation and grants. “The kids are very aware of the

project, and are very excited for it,” Foster stated, but the

committee can’t do it alone. If you are interested in getting

involved there are a few ways to do so. The easiest way is to

donate towards the project. Any donation of $1,000 or more

will be honored at the playground, and all donations are

100% tax deductible. You can also become involved in

volunteering for this project by contacting Heather Foster at

740-695-0884 or Gabe Hays at 740-695-6505.

All donations are welcome and appreciated. By

donating, you can help a wonderful project and make a

difference in the life of a child.

Give me an N-H-S! By: Alexis Laurine

Scholarship, service, leadership, and character; those qualities are what a student needs to get inducted into

St. Clairsville’s chapter of National Honor Society. The nearly seventy year old society held its annual tapping ceremony on

April 12th. The lists are out and the 35 new members of NHS are seniors Emily Dutcher, Brandon Snider, Greg Parker, and

Kenin Hochstrasser. The new junior members are Alex Gross, Allie Harrsion, Alyssa Lodi, Amy Castle, Andrea Greenwood,

Ashleigh Moulder, Audra Vrotsos, Brady Frakowski, Claire Slavik, Dan Kennon, Derek Shunk, Drake Walker, Emily Dalton,

Falon Weidman, Jimmy Cash, Adam Jeffries, Jim Patrizi, Johna Borosh, Juliana Madzia, Kesley Knight, Krista Morrison, Laura

Buchanan, Leandra Reed, Luke Smith, Matt Kinnick, Meggan Burnett, Nick Makris, Phil Burdyn, Riley Carlton, Sam Hodgson,

and Tom Parker.

National Honor Society is known for its promotion of high academic standards, and its focus on service, leadership,

and character in and out of the classroom. In order to be inducted into NHS, students must have a cumulative average GPA

of 3.75 or higher. They must also make it through a Faculty Council that evaluates them on their merit.

The official induction of these members will take place on Sunday, April 29th at four PM. Congratulations to the

new members and their families!

Playful Changes By: Alexis Laurine

Blue Print of New Playground

P A G E 5 V O L U M E 2 , I S S U E 7

April Fools Day also known as

“All Fools Day”, surprisingly enough,

does not have a solid history.

Preferences can be found as early as

the 1500s, but were infrequent and

un-detailed. The most popular theory

began in 1582 in France during the

reformation of the calendar. Before

France adopted the Gregorian

calendar, they celebrated New Year’s

for eight days, beginning on March 25

and ending on April 1. When they

switched calendar systems, the eighth

day moved from April 1 to January 1.

But, due to lack of the technological

advances we have today, word of the

change didn’t spread quickly. This

resulted in many people not hearing

the change until years and years later.

Those who didn’t hear about

the change continued to celebrate New

Year’s in April. Out of rebellion, others

refused to celebrate it. On the other

hand, those who had been informed of

the change, adjusted their calendars

and began to make fun of these fools

who were uninformed. This

harassment evolved into a tradition of

playing pranks the first day of April.

This spread to other countries.

However, April Fools was already

established in England, which didn’t

switch calendar systems until 1752.

Modern celebrations of April Fools Day

have slightly different traditions

depending on the country you reside

in.

The French call April first

“Poisson d’Avril”, or “April Fish”.

French children sometimes tape a

picture of their schoolmates, crying

“Poisson d’Avril” when the prank is

discovered. In Portugal, they

sometimes throw flour at you. In

England, you’re only supposed to pull

jokes until noon, and if you do pull a

joke after noon, you are considered an

April Fool.

Calendar Contributions By: Trey Elerick

March is over and done but legacy lives on!

Throughout last month, students and teachers we encour-

aged to help bring down bullying by wearing their bullying

prevention t-shirts and participating in poster contests.

Overall the response seems great although as the year

wears on, it might begin to slip. Bullying prevention month

recently came to an end with an assembly held by preven-

tion committee with an assembly held by he Student Ac-

tion Committee with a guest speaker, Sheriff Abdalla. He

gave a touching speech about drinking and driving, drug

abuse, and bullying being the cause of some teen and adult

suicides. However, the students, grades 7-12, won’t forget

that bullying can take away lives. It changes everything.

Bullying Prevention Month: All Wrapped Up By: Paige Beckett

A Perfect Example of What NOT To Do

During Anti-Bullying Month

P A G E 6

Often the athletes of the month

do common sports such as cheering or

basketball, but not this seventh grader.

Jamilyn Helms, twelve years old, is an

outgoing figure skater. The Red Devil

Dispatch sat down with her to get

details.

RDD: How long have you been figure

skating?

Jamilyn: I started when I was four, so

about nine years.

RDD: How often do you figure skate?

Jamilyn: I have lessons three days a

week from October to March and once a

week from April to June, and twice a

week from June to October, so pretty

much all year.

RDD: What’s you favorite part about

figure skating?

Jamilyn: Jumps! I love soaring in the air

across the ice!

RDD: .What jumps are you able to do?

Jamilyn: I can do bunny hops, waltz

jumps, ballet jumps, half flips,

mazurkas,, toe loops, and salchows.

RDD: Have you won any awards or

prizes for figure skating?

Jamilyn: Yes. I won medals for passing

basic levels one through eight, Synchro

One, and an award for passing the most

levels in a season.

RDD: Do you do any other after school

activities?

Jamilyn: I’ve been taking singing

lessons since August, and I’m teaching

myself French.

RDD: Have you traveled anywhere

exciting lately?

Jamilyn: Actually, yes. My family and I

took a trip to the Dominican Republic a

little while ago. It was a lot of fun

because I got to swim with dolphins. I

was also out of school for a week

because of it, which was fine with me.”

RDD: . Do you have any pets?

Jamilyn: Yes. I have a hamster, two

dogs, two turtles and two cats.

It’s Great to Skate!

The 1600 meter

run is one of the more

difficult races in track. But

not for Logan McCort, he

has amazing times and wins

almost every race. He has

been running for many

years now and is an all

around athlete. He plays

soccer, basketball, and runs

cross country and of course,

track. Logan is an amazing

person. He is a great role

model and person to look

up too. He gives everything

110 percent and that’s what

makes him the outstanding

person, friend, and athlete.

Magnificent McCourt By: Trey Elerick and Zach Bigelow

Logan McCourt

By: Emma Hall

Jamilyn Helms

V O L U M E 2 , I S S U E 7 P A G E 7

If you’re looking for a student with straight

A’s, great attitude, and a caring nature, look no

further than Jimmy Patrizi. Jim is and outstanding

member of the St. C community, always looking out

for others and putting his own wants aside for the

greater good of those around him. Kindness is a skill

that Jimmy excels in, and it shows. He always

respects others and treats them the way he wants to be

treated. If there was ever someone who should get

student of the month, it should be Jimmy: His hard

work in school also shows; Straight A’s are another

thing Jimmy is known for. I got to sit down with

Jimmy and ask him a few questions about his

kind-hearted lifestyle.

RDD: “If you could have one superpower what

would it be?”

Jimmy: “To fly, I’ve always wanted to be able to fly

ever since I was little.”

RDD: “If you could have one wish, what would it

be?”

Jimmy: “I’d want those in dire need of a miracle

from diseases like cancer to recover.”

RDD: “What do you do in your spare time?”

Jimmy: “I love spending my free time messing with

computers, fixing them or taking them apart.”

RDD: “What is your favorite class?”

Jimmy: “English, with Ms. Underdonk, because it’s

fun and interesting.”

RDD: “What do you want to do when you’re older? “

Jimmy: “I want o be successful, I’ve really wanted to

be a computer engineer, because I enjoy computers a

lot.’

RDD: “What is your favorite movie ever?”

Jimmy: “Black Hawk Down, because of its cool

action and great story.”

RDD: “What is your message to the world?”

Jimmy: “To treat others with respect, because what’s

the purpose in not?”

With the combined effort of Jimmy’s heart of

gold and brain of a genius Jimmy is the idle person to

be student of the month. He’s always there for you

when you need him, and he’d never turn a person in

need down. Jimmy truly is the physical form of the

perfect student idea, and everyone should strive to be

as smart and kindhearted as this young man.

Taken it Easy with Patrizi By: Chris Baker

Jimmy Patrizi

P A G E 8

By: Chalea Habig

I don’t know how else to start off

this article other than simply asking

why... Why do the innocent die young ….?

And why can’t problems be resolved with

words and listening, and not gun shots

and dead loved ones? Blunt, but true. So

many people have been shot, injured and

killed from school shootings, by kids who

are less fortunate, bullied, and criticized

about their way of living or made fun of

because of their physical appearance.

This type of nonsense has been going on

for way too long, and needs to stop. 70

school shootings are bad enough…. We

don’t need any more…. Please. This leads

up to our topic of this issue for “Back in

My Day”; the Columbine Shooting. The

RDD went to a couple of the teachers of

St. Clairsville High School to get into their

thoughts of the horrific tragedy on the

day of April 20, 1999; “Back in their Day”.

Coach Clifford, Senior English

teacher for St. Clairsville High School; let

us get a better clue of what was happen-

ing in his head. He was in school when

the Columbine shooting was broadcasted

and all he could think about was the

chances of the same thing happening to

St. Clairsville schools. Coach Clifford felt,

“Violated. I always felt that school was a

safe and happy place. It changed that

day.” He wasn’t sure of what he would of

done in that type of situation. “I hope I

would be brave enough and smart

enough to help resolve the situation” he

said.

We also interviewed Ms.

Gibeaut, one of St. Clairsville High Schools

biology teachers. She was in college at

Ohio State on the day of the Columbine

shooting, and turned on the news when

she heard about it. Utterly shocked, Ms.

Gibeaut couldn’t understand why the two

students would hurt or kill their friends

and other classmates. In the state of

being a part of the shooting, she said, “I

would have tried to ensure the safety of

everyone around me, especially the

students.

Imagine the fears, worries, and

tears that were brought to the people

who had to go through the pain, sorrows

and deaths of their loved ones and good

friends. Imagine the thoughts of the

people who were a couple clicks away

from getting killed and those who were

killed. Imagine if it happened in

St. Clairsville. That’s why it’s important to

think before you say or do anything to

anyone, and to take everyone’s feelings

into consideration. For those who are

bullied and made fun of, keep your heads

high, and talk about your feelings.

Resolve your problems by talking and

listening, not by hurting others because

of your own suffering. That won’t help

anything. Even if you don’t believe it, a

good bit of people can talk and listen, and

help you through the rough times and it

will be ok. “It WILL buff out”.

Remembering Columbine

Memorial

St. Clairsville High School’s

Production of Grease: May

3,4,5,10,11, & 12

Senior Picnic: May 24th

Graduation: May 25th

Last Day of School: May 25th

ACT Registration: May 4th

ACT Test Date: May 5th

SAT Registration: May 8th

P A G E 9

And Down the Stretch By: Morgan Fincham

Hurdling into a new track season, the 2012 St.Clairsville High School track team is starting off on a positive note. The first few meets were smaller and some of runners would say they didn’t turn out too well. Lately, the Devils are on a come back, pushing their way through to victories in their last two meets. Hosting at the Porterfield Invitational, St. Clairsville placed 2nd and also ended the Bellaire Invitational in 2nd place as well. As their Season continues, the Devils hope to continue improving in order to race to the finish line at Districts.

The 2012-2013 Cheerleaders

Varsity

Dana Bernard

Meggan Burnett

Sam Collins

Abby Earliwine

Alli Greenwood

Claire Slavik

Ayla Stewart

Caitlin Wolfe

Mattison Young

Sarah Zink

Junior Varsity

Ashley Baker

Devon DeLong

Taelor Dudek

Shaylah Haller

Geena Jarvie

Kylee Laurine

Alyssa Robison

Haylee Skukan

Ambria Stoltey

Dakota Woodford

Freshman

Laura Bernard

Dallas DeLong

Stephanie Sliva

Sarah Stewart

Kennady Walker

Savanna Woodford

Competition

Dana Bernard

Laura Bernard

Meggan Burnett

Sam Collins

Dallas DeLong

Abby Earliwine

Alli Greenwood

Kylee Laurine

Ayla Stewart

Claire Slavik

Caitlin Wolfe

Dakota Woodford

Mattison Young

Sarah Zink

Courtesy ofwww.embroiderydesigns.com

Senior stand-out, Alex Young

Alternates Geena Jarvie

Savanna Woodford

P A G E 1 0 V O L U M E 2 , I S S U E 7

On Thursday,

April 17, the Junior

Varsity Lady Devils

took on the Union

Local Jets at Union

Local. The girls started

off strong, showing

their hard work and

dedication throughout

the day. The Lady

Devils first four

innings making the

score 10-3 us in the

4th. As the game went

on the Devils started

not playing to their

potential and in the 6th

inning and let the

score excel to 11-10

Union Local. The girls

knew that if they

wanted to win they

had to step up and

work hard the last

inning. Making many

game saving catches,

strong hits, and work-

ing as a team, the girls

improved the score to

16-14 in the last in-

ning. Currently, the

Junior Varisty record

stands at 7-7.

Another W for the Scorebook By; Dakota Woodford

St.Clairsville senior Ben Evick and the St.Clairsville Red Devils team are

slamming the diamond to a great season. The Devils currently stand at 13-2 always

changing with the great number of games played weekly. With last years players Jared

Clovis, Mackenzie Kohler, and T.J. Sliva going on to college baseball, there were huge

shoes to fill with up and coming stars.

When Senior Ben Evick was asked what the team’s inspiration and motivation

was for this year, he replied with, “So far it has been striving to be as good as last

year’s team. The team set the bar very high for us, and we feel we need to do just as

good.” The key to making Ben’s senior year special said by him would be, “Winning the

rest of our games and OVAC’s.” So head on out to Memorial Park to see the Devil’s in

action!

Proving They Can Do It! By: Abbey Maroon

Ben Evick

Ashley Bailey and Summer Stephens

V O L U M E 2 , I S S U E 7 P A G E 1 1

Magnificent Monteroso By: Mattison Young

There is always one jock that

every boy in elementary school looks up

to. Who is that jock? More than likely,

one of them is Dan Monteroso. With

many accomplishments this season, Dan

is a record breaking player. Although

basketball is a big thing in his life, there’s

more to him than that.

RDD: “Why did you decide to play

basketball?”

Monteroso: “I played when I was little.”

RDD: “What is your favorite holiday?”

Monteroso: “Leif Erikson Day.”

RDD: “How does it feel to break

individual and team records?”

Monteroso: “We all have goals in life so

it feels good when you achieve them. We

like to win and go far.”

RDD: “What is something most people

don’t know about you?”

Monteroso: “If I tell you then everyone

will know.”

RDD: “If a movie was being made about

your life, who would you like to see play

the lead as you?”

Monteroso: “Jerrid Marhefka.”

RDD: “Why did you decide to color and

cut your hair?”

Monteroso: “It’s something that no one

has done so I wanted to do it.”

As many know, Dan’s success is

incredible. His accomplishments include

7 News Player of the Week twice, News 9

Player of the Week, News 9’s Top 9,

Times leader Athlete of the Week, 1st

team All-OVAC, 1st team All-District 12,

District 12 Player of the Year, Eastern

District Player of the Year, ESPN Player

of the Week, Division 2 Player of the

Year, all-time leading scorer (1600+),

and 1st team All-Ohio. Congrats on the

great success and best of luck next year

Dan!

No Clark in Team By: Bryce Burnett

I had the opportunity of interviewing one of the least self entered, caring team players, in St.Clairsville

high school. That girl is Lady Devil Taylor Clark. Playing softball fantastically her whole life, she’s learned what it’s like to be a team player.

RDD: How many years have you been involved in athletics?

Taylor: “I’ve been playing softball since I was 5”

RDD: How’s the softball season going?

Taylor: “It’s going good; we’re looking to win OVAC’s”

RDD: Do you have a favorite sport?

Taylor: “Softball is my favorite sport, mainly because I’ve been playing forever.”

RDD: Where do you find your love for the game?

Taylor: “I love playing on a team and having to learn to rely on one another to compete and win games.”

We are proud here at St.C to have Taylor Clark as one of our own. Good luck Taylor and good luck to the Lady Devils in the OVACs.

Dan Monteroso

Taylor Clark

P A G E 1 2

Hair +Gel = Mr. Baum BY: Bryce Burnett

If you’ve ever been wondering around St. C High School and noticed a man with great hair, very similar to that of Psyches James Roday, A.K.A. Shawn Spencer, it was probably Mr. Baum. This Algebra 2 teacher looks fresh everyday with his incredible hair, here's what he has to say:

RDD: How long have you been teaching?

Mr. Baum: “This is my 11th year.”

RDD: What are your special interests?

Mr. Baum: “Music, Reading, and I love Cars.”

RDD: What is your dream car?

Mr. Baum: “My 1970 Plymouth AAR ‘Cuda.”

RDD: What is your favorite music genre?

Mr. Baum: “I love rock, rock from the mid 60’s to mid 70’s, music that still influences today. The people had a reason to sing. Music was more artistic.”

RDD: Why do you love teaching?

Mr. Baum: “I love teaching students, having fun, the interactions, and I love seeing the students grow and become something better. “

So if you’re looking for advice on math or hair, Mr. Baum is the man to go to. He’s stylin’ everyday in the math room, his hair is the Baum.

Mr. Baum enlightening the minds of his

students

You can’t always judge a book by it’s cover. Middle school English teacher, Mrs. Duncan is a example of this. With her style, most would never know she also serves as varsity softball coach here at St.C. How did such a fashionable “girly-girl” become a coach? The RDD went off the field with Duncan to learn just that and more.

RDD: How do you incorporate you stylish fashion on the softball field?

Duncan: Everything always has to match from the hair tie to all the way to the shoes and everything in place.

RDD: Where do you get you style?

Duncan: My personality and who I am classy with a little jazz.

RDD: What type of coaching style do you use?

Duncan: I like to enforce good morals while teaching the fundamentals and enforcing.

intensity.

RDD: What makes softball different to your opinion compared to other sports?

Duncan: Because I’ve had personal success in the sport and played at high level including the collegiate level

RDD: What are your predictions for this year’s team?

Duncan: If we can play to our full potential we will be very successful

Hitting It Home By: Kayla Dusz

Coach Duncan

P A G E 1 3

By: Nathan Teater

Words of Wisdom

V O L U M E 2 , I S S U E 7

By: Kody Barnes

What To Do When You’re Not Going To Prom

1. golf

2. throw a party at your house

3. Go to the red and grey Ohio state game

4. rent a movie

5. go to an all you can eat buffet and eat your

worries away.

Know what I hate about nosy peppers? They are jalapeno business!

There’s a lot of thought running through a man’s head about different types of things before he goes on a date. Where do we go? Do I open doors for her? Does my hair look alright? But one of the most common questions to ask is, what do I wear? Not just on a date but you would want to impress your girlfriend with looking nice when you two hangout as well as being at school. The only way to truly find these answers out is to ask the experts, high school kids.

As always, guys and girls were asked about this subject that you may be pondering upon. St. Clairsville sophomore Dana Bernard responded to the question of how guys should be dressing with, “If we’re just hanging out I would want him to just wear nike shorts, to be comfortable. It’s important to be comfortable around me but when we go out a nice shirt with some jeans would be nice. I really like v-necks too!” Okay, so being comfortable

but dressing up when need be, I think a lot of guys could deal with that!

With the male gender on this side of the topic, sophomore Zach Musilli was asked and he felt that, “They would want you to wear a nice shirt with some nice cargo shorts or jeans. They would definitely want you to smell good and have fresh breath too.” Okay so I suppose dress a little bit nicer that wouldn’t be too bad just spend a million in clothes to impress your girl. Man all they want is money!

Overall the guys seem to have at least partial understanding of how women want them to dress. They just need to realize it’s alright to just be comfortable around them very once in a while. Loosen up and relax chances are if she’s hanging out with you she most likely has a little bit of a thing for you.

What Women Want In…Your Clothing By: Abbey Maroon

P A G E 1 4

The Sesquicentennial of the Civil War By: Cody L. Jackson

April is a very important month in terms of Civil War history. The War began in April, the major fighting ended in April, and President Lincoln was assassinated in April. Confederate forces led by P. G. T. Beauregard attacked the Union’s Fort Sumter in South Carolina on April 12, 1861 and shortly thereafter, the United States of America with President Abraham Lincoln at its helm was engulfed in a war against the Confederate States of America with President Jefferson Davis as its leader. The war would last for another four years until General Robert E. Lee surrendered his beloved Army of Northern Virginia to General George Gordon Meade’s infamous Army of the

Potomac at the McLean House in the town of Appomattox Court House, Virginia on April 9, 1865. A mere five days later, on Good Friday, Abraham Lincoln was in attendance at Ford’s Theater to watch “Our American Cousin” with his wife, Maj. Henry Rathbone and his fiancée Clara Harris. John Wilkes Booth, a Confederate sympathizer and actor snuck into the Presidential Box and shot President Abraham Lincoln in the back of the head. Booth used laughter from the audience to drown out the sound of the gun shot. Abraham Lincoln was transported across the street to the Peterson House where he died at 7:22:10 AM on April 15, 1865. John

Wilkes Booth would be on the run until April 26 when he was shot by a Union soldier by the name of Boston Corbett.

Abraham Lincoln courtesy of

Wikipedia.com

From personal experience, getting stuck on the school’s elevator with Josh Yeager and Chris Bennett, there are a few things that one needs to do to ensure for a comfortable stay:

How to Survive Being Stuck in an Elevator By: Cody L. Jackson

1. If possible, start a camp fire to keep warm 2. Make a ventilation shaft to get fresh oxygen 3. Tie your shirts together to make a rope then attach a grappling hook (any hook will do) 4. If the lights go out, don’t freak out. It’s just demons coming to attack you. 5. If somebody has to be eaten, it should be the weakest and most annoying person (Chris Bennett) 6. Stay quiet so you can hear when the janitor, firemen, and Mr. Sleutz laugh at you 7. Keep calm, and if anything, joke about it 8. Hope that you’re not claustrophobic

Dramatization: No school property was

damaged in the making of this photo

V O L U M E 2 , I S S U E 7 P A G E 1 5

Penny For Your Thoughts By: Penelope

Have a question for Penelope? Feel

free to leave it in the Penelope box

inside the door in Room 309.

Dear Penelope,

My boyfriend and I of two years had broken up a few months ago. I've moved on and so has he, and we're both in new relationships. However, it still bugs me when my friends hang out with him. We were all friends when he and I were dating, but now, it's just annoying. I don't really know what to do.

Dear Friend Share,

I know what you mean. It's hard to see them and everything, but when I was in that situtation, I didn't let it bother me. You guys were together for two years, so ovbiously there was some sort of friendship there. Just embrace the friendship and let go of everything else. Trust me, it'll be a lot easier.

Dear Penelope,

I've been stuggling with my weight. I'm not over weight, but I keep telling myself that I could just lose a few more pounds, my stomach could be flat and I could feel good about wearing certain clothes. It's just gotten way too far though. I feel guilty when I eat. I don't think it would classify as an eating disorder, but I just need some advice.

Dear Skinny,

As long as you're healthly, that's all that matters. If you're happy with the way you look and the foods you eat, then be happy. Don't keep thinking you need to lose weight to be okay with yourself.

If you love yourself the way you are, and you can be comfortable in your own skin, then people will admire you for your confidence.

Dear Penelope,

My friends have been drinking and stuff, and I just don't want to. Every time we hang out and they do it, they make fun of me because I don't want to and bring up the whole "YOLO" crap. How do I get my friends off of my back without seeming mean?

Dear Pressure resistant,

I applaud you for not wanting to do those things. Just tell your friends that you're not into it, and since you only live once, you'd like to live a long and healthy life. If they still nag you about it, find new friends. If you're worried about not being able to find anyone, then sometimes it's better to be alone. Surround yourself with people you want to be like, not people that do the things you hate.

Dear Penelope,

I've had manic depression since sixth grade. I stuggle with self harm. Like, cutting and other things. People see me as such a happy person, but there's alot of times when I'm not. It's not like I want to, but when I get so low or so angry, the phsyical pain is the only thing that takes my mind off of everything and makes me feel better. I want to stop, I really do. I just don't know how.

Dear Dark Place,

I know what you're saying and I've been there before. It's not an easy thing to overcome. Try setting a goal for yourself, such as if you go so many months with out harming yourself, then you'll buy a new video game or a pair of shoes. If you still can't resist, maybe consider seeing a therapist for help. Just remember, the emotional pain may not seem like it'll end, but it will. It may seem endless, but it'll come to an end. You're too important of a person to be taken out of this world early, no matter how small you feel.

www.google.com/search

P A G E 1 6

By: Frankie Berardi

''Obama should be executed.''--Wisconsin GOP Chairman Reince Priebus mixing up Osama with Obama

on accident

“Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways

to harm our country and our people, and neither do we." --George Bush making a big mistake with his

wording

''Baby Killer!''--Randy Neugebauer, shouting at Bart Stupak on the house floor during a health care

vote

''I was dabbling into every other kind of religion before I became a Christian. I was dabbling in witch-

craft, I've dabbled in Buddhism. I would have become a Hare Krishna but I didn't want to become a

vegetarian. And that is honestly the reason why -- because I'm Italian, I love meatballs!''—Christine

O’Donnell on her religion

Crazy Political Quotes

"Ground Zero Mosque supporters: doesn't it stab you in the heart, as it does ours throughout the

heartland? Peaceful Muslims, pls refudiate." --a Tweet by Sarah Palin, in which she invented the word

"refudiate"

"'Refudiate,' 'misunderestimate,' 'wee-wee'd up.' English is a living language. Shakespeare liked to

coin new words too. Got to celebrate it!” Sarah palin in a follow up tweet.

“How are we going to kick in the plan that will get this economy back on the right track and really

shore up the strategies that we need over in Iraq and Iran to win these wars?"—Sarah Palin referring

in 2008 to a nonexistent war with Iran

Outrageous Sarah Palin Quotes

“The reason there are so few female politicians is that it is too much trouble to put makeup on two

faces.”–Maureen Murphy

“Politicians are like the bones of a horse’s fore shoulder – not a straight one in it.”–Wendell Phillips

“Politics is too serious a matter to be left to the politicians.”–Charles de Gaulle

Random Quotes About Politicians

P A G E 1 7 V O L U M E 2 , I S S U E 7

By: Frankie Berardi

On Tuesday April 10th, Republican Presidential candidate Rick Santorum formally announced the suspension of his campaign in order to allow for Romney to surge ahead to confront Obama and to take care of his ill daughter. With 400 delegates behind Romney, and seeing the unlikely hood of his victory, Santorum pulled out, saying, “We will suspend our campaign effective, but we are not done fighting.”

Being out-spent and out-funded by Romney time and time again, Santorum announced that he will return to his home state of

Pennsylvania where he will be surrounded by his wife and children and he can watch over his three-year-old daughter, who is in a hospital with pneumonia and suffers from a life-threatening disorder called Trisomy 18.

Now with Santorum out of the way, and Romney taking his supporters, Gingrich and Paul suffer to have any chance against Romney, but if Romney can obtain 1,144 delegates by June, he will get the nomination and Gingrich and Paul will be removed form the primary election. Then Romney will combat Obama for the presidency.

Recently, in the sunshine state, yet another controversial trial has arisen after the conclusion of the Casey Anthony situation. George Zimmerman is being held on charges of murder for a young Trayvon Martin, but Zimmerman claims that he acted in self defense and was not the perpetrator.

Trayvon Martin supposedly, left from buying candy at a store and while walking, entered a gated community, in which George Zimmerman was nearby. Zimmerman, then called 911 and reported the boy as looking suspicious, but the dispatcher informed him to continue on his own business and avoid the boy, while the dispatcher will gather the necessary information.

Zimmerman did not, however, follow the instructions and he went after Martin. Allegedly, according to the defense team, George Zimmerman was attacked by Trayvon Martin and in self-defense killed Trayvon, by shooting him with a gun.

When the body was recovered, drugs were found on Martin’s self, and Zimerman was accused of murder.

This shooting began a large battle over race and the matters of “self-defense.” Trayvon Martin, being an African American, and George Zimmerman, being a Hispanic has caused a major battle between the two minority groups in Florida and both are under the belief that the opposing party is at fault.

No, to complicate things even more, Zimmerman has entered a state of “mental instability,” and is going to a psychologist and worry that they lost contact with him. He is in a state of emotional panic.

People now wonder if a trial will even ensue with the current condition of the defense, and the prosecution believes that twenty-eight year-old Zimmerman has gone into hiding, since they have only spoke with the boy over the phone, however, they are under the impression that Zimmerman has not yet fled the country.

To further help their cause, the family of seventeen-year-old Martin and prosecutors have set up a website for supporters to donate money for the cause and are using Trayvon’s girlfriend as propaganda for support. On the other end of things, the defense is struggling for support, and they are banking on the courts deciding against a trial, as the

lawyers are preparing to withdraw themselves from the case.

This narrows down to a battle of race and politics, as people fight for either the African American vote or the Hispanic vote. This is where the courts and politicians struggle, to chose between to groups. This is the reason why so many people feel that a fall out of the trial is immanent.

The public is left waiting for the conclusion of this controversial fight, as the country takes sides in another large war in Florida after the recent Casey Anthony. Things will soon unravel and this mystery’s end shall come clear, but the evident truth is that the government will either win support of the African Americans or Hispanics, this is a battle where not everyone can win, only one side may emerge victorious.

Tentative Tribulations

Courtesy of politico .com

Courtesy of Democracynow.org

So Long Santorum By: Frankie Berardi

Courtesy of Foxnews.com

P A G E 1 8

A very rare scene occurred at St. Clairsville Schools on Tuesday March 27. Hundreds of students and staff were evacuated from all three schools due to a bomb threat being found in one of the middle school boy’s restrooms. During high school’s seventh period on March 27, an announcement was heard over the PA system that students and faculty were to evacuate the school, take all belongings with them and head to the stadium as practiced in the mass evacuation drills earlier in the year. There was some talk among students on the way to the stadium if the evacuation was real or not. Once the students reached the stadium, they sat in the stands with their homerooms and were told that this was, in fact, not a drill. The students from the three schools were kept at the stadium for approximately fifteen minutes when they were dismissed. The next morning, the district was operating on a two-hour delay and all students and staff were to enter through the cafetorium so their bags could be checked by the bomb sniffing dogs. Once they were cleared, they were all herded into the gym where Mr. Skaggs explained about bomb threats and how serious they are. Bomb threats are becoming more and more prominent in the tri-state area and across the country as schools and universities, such as the University of Pittsburgh, having cancel classes. What may seem as an excuse from a day off of school only results in thousands of dollars spent on a hoax. Many may not be aware but a false bomb threat is a federal offense with serious consequences. Maybe think about that before calling in your next prank.

“This Place About To Blow” By: Cody L. Jackson

Not long after the death of Kim Jong Il, and Kim Jong Eun’s rise to power, North Korea has tried to launch a rocket despite forbidding from the Unite States and United Nations. On April 11th, North Korea started fueling a rocket to celebrate their new leader and commemorate their old, but the United States and UN believed that the rocket was far more malicious than it seemed, considering its convenience to launch on the general election day of South Korea.

The U.S. called on North Korea for “a better future,” and the UN believed that it was a ballistic missile test and in direct violation of the UN’s ban, however; North Korea said differently. They stated that the rocket was to propel a satellite into space to “collect data on forests and natural recourses within its territory.” They say that the rocket poses no threat, and they have every right to carry out the launch because it was a celebratory and logistical launch.

Despite the insistence of the western world and South Korea, North Korea told foreign journalists, “We are injecting fuel as we speak. It has started [and it] will be over in the near future.” Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton responded by saying, “If North Korea wants a peaceful, better future for their people, it should not conduct another launch that would be a direct threat to regional security.”

By the end of the day, North Korea did not complete their launch, but the nations are still waiting for

the launch at a later date, but for whatever undisclosed reason, North Korea failed to launch its missile and gave positive re-assurance to the western hemisphere.

Maleficent or Magnificent By: Frankie Berardi

Courtesy of Bloomberg.com

P A G E 1 9 V O L U M E 2 , I S S U E 7

The Angry Beaver:

The Thoughts, the Views and the Opinions of One Angry Mammal

By: Addy Beaver

Over the past month, I’ve

been sweating, running, dieting, doing

crunches and brainlessly working my

body until I can no longer move. The

motive? Prom. The only thoughts that

ran through my head were Skinny, one

size smaller and You need to look good

in this dress. No curves. No lumps.

Skinny.

After one of my grueling,

sweaty, energy-stealing workouts, I

lay in my bed and rolled over only to

be faced with a poster of Marilyn

Monroe that hangs in my bedroom. As

I examined her face and body, I

noticed the curve of her hips, the little

pooch that hung beneath her chin,

barely noticeable without close

examination, her thighs that touched

together and arms that, if waved,

would probably jiggle just a tad. As I

processed this, the one most known

fact about Miss Monroe crossed my

mind; she was a symbol of adult

dreams.

I had taken it upon myself to

do a little research about Marilyn

Monroe and discovered that, in

modern sizes, she would have been a

size eight and shuddered at the

thought of being referred to as

“skinny.” The thought blew my mind.

I’m a size four, and pushing myself to

lose the curves and gain the label of

“skinny,” when Marilyn Monroe was a

size eight, and embraced her curves.

However, my research also uncovered

the fact that, back in her time, “skinny”

was considered an insult. Girls

were trying to gain weight in order to

be more attractive.

Although I know that the

times have changed, and most men

would find a pole more attractive,

than an hour glass, I’ve come to the

conclusion that everything I’ve been

putting myself through to lose

weight- the delicious food I haven’t

eaten, the countless miles I’ve ran- is

just for the benefit of being

“attractive” on society’s current scale.

I’d rather be referred to as “the girl

with the curves”, than “the skinny

girl”, anyway. Anyone can lose weight

and body mass.

Don’t Let Them Call You Skinny

Courtesy of www.tumblr.com/

sleepshaker

P A G E 2 0

By: Lexie Pritchard

A MUSIC MOSAIC

With summer approaching (27 days of school left and counting), I know that all I want to do is roll the windows down and drive around with friends all day. When it’s almost curfew but, it’s still beautiful outside, it’s hard to want to come in. It’s especially hard when you have to perfect mix CD in your car. All you want to do is sing at the top of your lungs and put on a concert for the guy next to you at the red light. Well, hopefully, I can add to that “sit in the driveway an extra 2 minutes so the song can finish” mix CD just in time for summer.

When I’m in the car, I always find myself singing songs with notes I cannot hit and percussion that makes me wish I could play drums. I can’t hit lot of the notes because I find myself listening to songs sung by guys. First off, I listen to The Cab. You’ve probably heard their song “Bad” on the radio but they have other great songs such as “One of Those Nights” and “High Hopes in Velvet Roses”. Next, I love

one song by the band, He Is We. It’s called “Happily Never After” and the lead girl singing it makes me insanely jealous. All songs have a heavy rock beat that I think is a lot of fun to listen to. It’s especially fun if you kick up the bass in your car.

I also find myself listening to music with more of a jazz/alternative feel to it. James Morrison is a big favorite of mine. His voice is classic but strong; it’s such easy-listening. It’s one of those artists where they don’t have a bad song. You could sit down, listen to their album straight through, and be totally okay with it. But, if I had to pick specific songs they would be “Wonderful World”, “Undiscovered”, and “One Last Chance”. But, they’re all amazing in my opinion. Under the same influence, I’ve been listening to The Kooks a lot to prepare my ears for summer. Their song “She Moves in Her Own Way” never fails to make me smile when I’m in a mid-springtime funk.

So I hope these songs can help get you out of an “Ugh, springtime” mood and into a “Yay! I’m ready for summer” mindset. Every song in this column makes me feel something. Whether it’s happiness, excitement, relaxation, or just pure anticipation, I think that music should move you, make you feel something. Or else, in my opinion, it’s just a waste of time. An artist should strive to make you feel emotion and if they do, that’s when an artist can say they’ve reached success. Therefore, I think all of the musicians have. They’ve made me want summer more than anything.

But, for you mainstreamers, the top five right now are “Somebody that I Used to Know” by

Gotye, “Payphone” by Maroon 5 and Wiz Khalifa, “We Are Young” by Fun., “What Makes You Beautiful” by One Direction, and “Boyfriend” by Justin Bieber”. Happy Listening!

P A G E 2 1 V O L U M E 2 , I S S U E 7

Thanks to James Cameron almost everyone knows of

the tragic sinking of the Titanic. The British luxury liner the

RMS Titanic sank on April 15, 1912 after scraping along an

iceberg. The so-called unsinkable ship’s water barrier filled

and the rest of the ship soon followed filling with the North

Atlantic icy cold water. Due to the shortage of life boats and

the 23 degree Fahrenheit water only a little over 700 people

were saved while over 1,500 passengers and workers died.

Many years later, in 1997, this tragic event became

the setting of Titanic the movie. This love story featured

Leonardo Dicaprio and Kate Winslet. Dicaprio played Jack, a

young artist, traveling and living a spontaneous lifestyle.

Winslet starred as Rose, a girl from a well-to-do society who

is an engaged to an ill-tempered man.

The two met on the Titanic after jack saves rose from

her suicide attempt. Their forbidden love continues till the

sinking of the ship where rose promises to “never let go”. On

April

4th of this year the film was rereleased in 3D just a few days

before the 100th year anniversary of the sinking. This edition

features deleted scenes and special effects with sharper

images. There is also rumored to be a Titanic II: if Jack Had

lived. This project has been kept secret by Dream Works but

might be coming out in the future.

What Happens In April, Stays In April By: Sarah Holtsclaw

April is a busy time for everyone so to help you keep on

track you can celebrate April’s daily Holidays!

1 April Fool's Day- prank your friends

2 Children's Book Day- reminisce on your childhood with

some Dr. Suess

4 Hug a Newsman Day- Anchorman 2! Hug Will Ferrell

4 School Librarian Day- Stop by the library and say Hi to Fitzy

4 Tell a Lie Day- “I won’t procrastinate on the assignment”

6 Sorry Charlie Day- Eat some Tuna

8 Draw a Picture of a Bird Day- doodle some Angry Birds

13 Scrabble Day- play words with friends

14 National Pecan Day- get nutty

17 Blah, Blah, Blah Day- listen to Ke$ha music

17 National Cheese Ball Day- Five fingers to the cheese

18 International Juggler's Day – Don’t forget to do your

geometry homework

23 World Laboratory Day- Watch the Big Bang Theory

27 Tell a Story Day- and it better be a cool one, bro

28 Kiss Your Mate Day - you know what to do ;)

30 National Honesty Day- “I procrastinated… like a boss, A+”

Titanic: 100 Years Later By: Sarah Holtsclaw

Courtesy of Wikipedia.com

P A G E 2 2

E V D A Q R E T R O V N C E L V

E M A Y D R O U E E O D C L I Q

T P F N I O O K W A D P K A L S

D E F O H N D S A T X N D D A H

H L O E C G S Y E U T F E L C O

T O D P R I M R O S E T Y V D P

I R I S O S J U N I P E R C A T

A E L K C U S Y E N O H P D I L

S M F T Q N C E N E I A A L L L

E B E T Y F R R L U N Y N O O O

Y L N W Y L I L O E S W S G N A

A W N N S O S U L A E B Y I G Q

V V F E A W O N O I T A N R A C

Q N E S E E M N W E T E K A M D

Q A D N K R Z M Z P I L J M Z F

R O M K T U L I P L A E I E E S

Tulip

Rose

Carnation

Lily

Lilac

Iris

Orchid

Daisy

Daffodil

Sunflower

Magnolia

Poinsettia

Pansy

Honeysuckle

Juniper

Lavender

Marigold

Primrose

Peony

The SAT: a Student’s Agonizing Trauma. This test

determines the fate of your entire life because it is one of

the most important tests that qualify you for acceptance

and scholarships for college. It adds unneeded stress on

your family because of the astronomical prices proposed by

colleges. If you do not pass the test, you could be a hobo

playing banjos outside of Nashville restaurants for spare

change. This awful anxiety may lead you to the question as

to how to prepare. Well, these important 5 prep skills may

make a difference on your future success.

1.Go to bed early. By doing this, you can relax

comfortably while texting your friends,

watching television or reading a book.

2. Do not forget to study. You do not want to fail

that major math test after the SAT.

3. Do not eat breakfast. You could get overwhelmed

during the test and get sick. Then your test will

not get graded and you will fail.

4. Take your time on the hard questions. That way

you will be sure those are right and the graders

will assume you are smart. However, when in

doubt, choose “C”.

5. Do not second guess yourself. Triple guess

yourself so you most likely estimate correctly.

Top 5 SAT Prep Skills By: Ashley Bailey

V O L U M E 2 , I S S U E 7 P A G E 2 3

Debunking Columbine

On April 20th, 1999, seniors, Dylan Klebold, 17, and Eric Harris, 18, had changed the world forever. They woke up in the morning and drove to school, carrying two duffle bags in to the cafeteria before returning to their cars during lunch. The duffle bags were filled with two propane bombs that would have taken an estimated 300-400 lives if they had gone off. At 11:19, they had entered their school, aimlessly shooting at anyone they saw. The first to die was Rachel Scott, who had died in the grass outside of the west entrance after being shot.

The two boys ran through the hallways, throwing pipe bombs and Molotov cocktails and shooting anyone who crossed their path. Within the first seven minutes of the shooting, ten were dead and more were injured. Approximately around 12:03-12:06, after the boys were seen on the video tape in the cafeteria trying to provoke the propane bombs to explode, they had returned to the library and had taken their lives in the room where the majority of the injured were wounded and the dead were killed. In less than an hour, these two boys had killed twelve of their classmates, one of their teachers, themselves, and injured twenty-four others as well as setting parts of the building on fire from their pipe bombs.

Many questions were asked after this event occurred. Why would they do this? How would anyone be able to do this? The why was simple, but blown out of proportion; neither of the boys was bullied. Neither of them hated "jocks" or "preps" or were made fun of during school. Eric Harris was actually pretty popular and quite the ladies man. So then, why? Eric Harris was a psycho/sociopath who believed himself to be God. He had been planning this since his

sophomore year of high school with the focus leaning on the thought of "natural selection". In this case, meaning that who is in the wrong place at the wrong time dies. He felt no empathy for humans and no emotions, both strong characteristics of a sociopath. Strangely, however, he wrote in one of his online journals about how he wouldn't be able to stand watching an animal die.

Klebold, on the other hand, was a strongly depressed individual who often wrote about his love for a classmate named Meredith, or suicide. He had written about giving a note to Meredith and not receiving a reply. This is what is believed to have sent Klebold over the edge because, in many cases of mass murder, the perpetrator had recently suffered a loss in love, work, or family relationships. However, simple suicide was a problem for Dylan. Unlike Harris, he believed in God and the Devil, and wished for heaven as much as he feared hell. When Eric told him about his plans, he thought of it as a way out where he wouldn't be alone. In many of the basement tapes, you can see Klebold look to Harris for approval after saying anything. He was the follower in Harris' corrupt plan.

There were so many rumors spread after the shooting. It was hard to tell what was real and what wasn't. Some of the myths include Cassie Bernall saying she believed in God before being killed. That they were shooting anyone who played a sport/wore a white hat/was African American/Christian/Catholic/Jewish. There were also said to be four gunmen. However, all of these myths can be debunked by using the evidence of Harris and Klebold's journals, forensics, ballistics, and common sense.

4/20/99 By: Addy Beaver

*Cassie Bernall was not a martyr. “She said yes” did happen,

but to another girl in the library who lived. Klebold had asked

Val, the actual girl, if she believed in God. She said yes, and

Dylan was then distracted by something in the hallway

leaving Val unharmed.

*Dylan Klebold was Jewish and there’s proof on the basement

tapes that Eric had known. If he had been anti-sematic, would

he not have killed Klebold himself?

*Isaiah Sholes, the only African American killed in the attack,

had been blindly shot by a spray of bullets while hiding under

a table in the library. Judging by the ballistics, the Killers had

no way of knowing whether he was black or white.

*Harris blogged about hating racism and the stupidity of it.

*Harris and Klebold both played and enjoyed sports.

*According to Harris’ journal entries, the focus of the attack

was “natural selection” which he defined as being in the

wrong place at the wrong time. Had they targeted anyone, it

would have contradicted their whole focus.

P A G E 2 4

The Last Push

By: Frankie Berardi

Recently, after reading the trilogy, I attended “The Hunger Games” in the movie theater, and it met my every expectation. I anticipated a lack of plot, loss of character development, and unexplained events. All of these fears came true during the premier of the movie.

Susan Collins created a beautiful work of art in her creation of a creative saga, but to much disgust, the movie destroyed this harmony and became the fundamentals of the downfall of the woman’s work. It was a poor reflection of the book, and it should have been left to the readers to visualize the characters and events themselves.

In the movie rendition, the viewers notice a distinc-tive loss of plot, which inter connected with the unexplained events. The book has many twists and turns, but we lose much of the creativity and the suspense that the audience feels for the main characters as they struggle through the film. For

example, the movie features massive dogs at the end of the story, but the dogs were meant to be the dead competitors (of the Hunger Games competition) reformed. There were also added scenes like Game Maker Crane’s alluded death sequence at the end…that never existed!

In the idea of characters, there was so much lacking. There was no introduction to Effie Trinket, Portia, and many other characters…we went through the whole story without learning their names, let alone developing them.

I found the movie terrible, and cannot say one good thing about it. It is possible that it may have been stronger had I not compared it to the book, but naturally I could not do that. It was a painful movie to sit through and could only be considered good if compared to some ridiculous teen romance like Twilight.

Courtesy of Blogspot.com

Fateful Failure

Okay, so I am going to be straight up with my readers

right now, I do not want to be writing this story at this point in

time. Why? Because it is that time of the year again. No, not the

holidays. That was a few months ago smart one, I mean the

end of the school year. This is the time where teachers go cra-

zy and try to cram in everything they didn’t during the year

and where the last week basically means ‘sit there and do

nothing’. I am one of those people who doesn’t handle the end

of the year so well because I am extremely lazy and have an

attitude that doesn’t want to be here.

So how does one survive the end of the year? I really

do not know. That’s not the answer you thought I was going to

give, now was it? You thought this was going to be a long funny

survival guide to the end of the year; however, this is far from

it. This is a prime example of what I said earlier about how

extremely lazy I am and that I really do not want to be here

right now. Chances are this story was written the night before

it was due and I am half asleep right now. My laziness never

ceases to amaze me and I am actually really surprised I am to

two paragraphs already.

The home stretch is here and I am severely crippled

with the end of the year disease of “Idontcareitis”. This disease

affects millions of students each year and there is no known

cure. This disease is out of control and spreads like wildfire

across the nation every year. No one knows how to counteract

the vice of the disease because once you are infected, you have

an uphill battle until the end of the year. There is no medicine

to help you along the way. There is no help. The disease is very

aggressive and doesn’t cut its victim any slack. My little trick to

trying to fight the horrible disease is to try to not count the

days remaining in the school year. I almost forgot, there are

only 19 days of school left, I have infected you all!

By Izaac Wiley

V O L U M E 2 , I S S U E 7

P A G E 2 5

Okay, so April Fools, one day where you can get away with pretty much any prank. But how exactly did we get this tradition and would you even classify it was a holiday?

First off, us Americans aren’t the only ones who celebrate April Fools day or All Fools Day, as it’s called in other countries, France and Italy also do. As far as history goes, April Fools Day can be traced by to a book called Canterbury Tales by Chaucer back in 1392, that’s a long time of pointless jokes! Also, in the Middle Ages, they used April first as the end of New Year’s, and to celebrate, the Nobel Men would send servants on foolish errands.

So that’s it for the origins of April Fool’s Day, but if your looking for an excuse to prank someone, Demark and Sweden use May first as a joking day called Maj-Kat. So now

you can use another day for pranks. So pranksters you better spare me since I gave you this extra date!

All Fools Day By: Katelin Gandee

www.freeclipartpics.com

Cinco de Mayo is a widely celebrated

holiday, but few people know why. Cinco de Mayo,

taking place on May 5th every year, marks the

turning point in Mexican national pride during a war

with the French. On May 5, 1862, about 4,500, poorly

armed Mexican soldiers went against a large,

professionally trained, highly armed French army.

After 4 hours of fighting, the Mexicans reigned

victorious.

The day is also important in America

because it celebrates the last day any foreign power

has acted as the attacker on North American land.

The largest Cinco de Mayo celebration in the world is

the Festival de Fiesta Broadway, which takes place in

Los Angeles, California, while people all over the

continent celebrate with parades and festivals.

Cinco de Mayo By: Olivia DiBetta

By: Frankie Berardi

P A G E 2 6

Disney World does not bear the

slogan “Where dreams come true” for no

reason. It is known for the lighthearted

atmosphere, blissful attractions and the

iconic characters that little children have

envisioned throughout their lives.

Disney is bigger than any other

entertainment franchise in this time

period, which makes it one of the most

wonderful places to tour. With over 500

million visitors and 4 gigantic parks to

visit, I think more people enjoy the

experience than not.

Disney has been a constant

phenomenon to all people throughout

the world. It creates peace and a dream

to live in a fairytale. You are able to

relax, enjoy and even exercise by visiting

this theme park. You can even recreate

the family bonding time your family has

been missing. Your family will create

new memories and opportunities for

adventure.

Most people would think that

for these adventures to come to life, it

would cost a lot of money. In actuality,

you could easily save up the amount of

money to tour Disney. You could even

budget your money! You do not have to

spend a fortune to make your family

remember the fantastic times you can

have at Disney. With excitement and

thrill, your family will always retain the

magic from this park.

By visiting Disney, you literally

walk through a dream. It is not only

about you, but the amazing time your

family will have at the huge amusement

park that has had everyone’s attention

for decades! With an optimistic attitude,

all of your family can enjoy the time

visiting the great imaginations of Mr.

Walt Disney and his crew.

By: Ashley Bailey

It’s A ‘Big’ World After All

Of all the pessimistic things people can experience in their lives, one of the most irritating and undercover is Disney. Mickey Mouse, Cinderella, and Prince Charming seem simple in their magical land, but in reality, the Floridian and Californian parks are more stressing than fun. They are crowed, humid, and despite common belief do not offer the fantastical experience that children dream of.

As a traveler to the Disney experience for over 10 years, I have seen some strong points, I admit, but the negative far outweigh the good. The hotels are good, and the service is superb, but once you leave the customer service and the cultural value of the Epcot Park, there is nothing!

Young people with their little kids go to the land where dreams come

true in an effort to enjoy a peaceful time in a land of happiness, but that family will soon learn the horrors that lie with-in. They will be welcomed by a persua-sive “cast member,” who will allow them to think that they are in paradise, but the heat will start to kick in, and the family will be persuaded to another con of Disney. The family will head toward the only cool places in the Disney Parks, the places where you spend money! People will be crowded into a gift shop or a restaurant, where the people will start browsing and likely leave with some sort of merchandise.

The people will also realize that the food is disgusting and far too over priced, as is the entire park. If a person were to go to Disney and buy a small past meal, an ice cream, and a simple Disney hat for a souvenir, in

addition to their ticket, that one person would spend just under 120 dollars!

At the Disney parks all around the world, the food is gross, the prices are high, and the heat is intoxicating. After all, it is just an amusement park; I implore people to not waste their money and their time to go to the most inconsequential place on Earth!

Blo

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False Fun

Spaceship Earth courtesy Blogspot.com

Chase Garan Fan Club

Dolores Pytlik

Joyce Zeiher

Justin Sleutz

Red devil Boys’ BaseBall

Red devil Boys’ BasketBall

Red Devil Football

Sarah Gibeaut

Susan Fitzsimmons

V O L U M E 2 , I S S U E 7 P A G E 2 7

Greg Bizzarri, Richland Twp. Trustee & Family

Jackson’s WReckeR seRvice

Ann Jeffries

Mr. and Mrs. Robert O. Wagner

St. Clairsville Track

st. claiRsville GiRls’ volleyBall

P A G E 2 8 V O L U M E 2 , I S S U E 7

Who Wore It?

1 2

3 4

5

6

7 8

9

Answers: 1. Andrea Greenwood 2. Marissa Dywer 3. Lexie Smith 4. Alyssa Purman 5. Megan Pagilunga 6. Alexis Emerisko 7.

Kelly Strama 8. Haylee Skukan 9. Eberle Ferrel